PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants vs. Seattle Thunderbirds (Game #58)
The month of March is winding down for the Vancouver Giants who tonight will kick off a three-in-three weekend with the start of a home-and-home series with the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Giants are battling the injury-bug in a big way, but are coming off a 1-1 weekend against the Everett Silvertips and can inch closer to clinching a playoff berth by securing two valuable home points this evening. The Seattle Thunderbirds are also banged up, and they’re looking to snap a two-game losing skid tonight on the road.
SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS
OVERVIEW
Record: 36-17-4-2
Road Record: 19-9-1-0
Last Game: A 3-0 loss in Portland on Sunday, March 20th.
Last 10: 6-3-0-1
Goals For/Goals Against: 224 GF/158 GA (+66)
Power Play: 22.6% (10th)
Penalty Kill: 82.6% (4th)
Leading Scorers: Jared Davidson (29-40-69), Lukas Svejkovsky (25-36-61), Connor Roulette (20-35-55)
T-BIRDS WELL REPRESENTED IN KITCHENER
Earlier this week out East, three members of the Seattle Thunderbirds took part in the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game:
- Jordan Gustafson (04 – F)
- Kevin Korchinski (04 – D)
- Reid Schaefer (03 – F)
Jordan Gustafson has registered 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points so far on the season and is ranked sixth in team scoring.
Kevin Korchinski has posted four goals and 47 assists for 51 points to lead all Seattle defencemen. His 51 points rank him tied for seventh in league scoring for defencemen.
Reid Schaefer is a late-birthday forward who has 29 goals which is tied for most goals on the team with Jared Davidson.
THE STANDINGS SCENE
The Seattle Thunderbirds enter the weekend with a four-point lead on the Kelowna Rockets for fourth place in the Western Conference standings. The T-Birds have played 59 games (one more than the Rockets), and of their nine remaining games, three will come against the Giants, including a rematch tomorrow night down the I-5 in Kent, WA. Only two of their remaining nine games will come against teams with a better record than them in the standings.
3 vs. VAN
3 vs. TC
1 vs. SPO
1 vs. EVT
1 vs. POR
SEATTLE NOTES
- Lukas Svejkovsky led the T-Birds with four points (1G, 3A) vs. Vancouver back on February 5th.
- Lucas Ciona and Reid Schaefer each had two goals on February 5th.
- 12 different Seattle skaters recorded at least one point on February 5th against the Giants.
- The Thunderbirds are 23-1-1-1 when they lead after one period.
- When leading after two periods the Thunderbirds are 32-1-0-1
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 23-30-4-0
Home Record: 10-14-3-0
Last Game: A 5-2 loss on Saturday night in Everett
Last 10: 3-5-2-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 161 GF/198 GA (-37)
Power Play: 19.0% (16th)
Penalty Kill: 76.6% (17th)
Leading Scorers: Fabian Lysell (20-31-51), Ty Thorpe (14-26-40), Zack Ostapchuk (19-16-35)
A ‘FAB’ MONTH
2003-born forward Fabian Lysell (Göteborg, SWE) comes into tonight’s game having recorded back-to-back multi-point games for the Giants. The 2021 first-round draft pick (and signee) of the Boston Bruins recorded a pair of assists in both of the Giants games last weekend against Everett. The Swedish forward leads the Giants in goals (20), points (51), power play points (13) and multi-point games (15). Lysell has recorded points in five of the Giants last six games and in that span has two goals and seven assists for nine points. This season the Giants have a record of 13-5 when Lysell scores a goal.
THE STANDINGS SCENE
With 11 games left in the Vancouver Giants season, they are closing in on clinching a playoff berth. Heading into action tonight the Giants magic number is “6.” Any combinations of six victories for the Vancouver Giants or six losses for the ninth placed Spokane Chiefs would get the Giants in.
- With only nine games left in their season, the Spokane Chiefs can max out at 61 points.
- With 11 games left in their season, the Giants can max out at 72 points.
The Giants are currently sixth in the 10-team Western Conference standings and hold a two-point lead on the seventh placed Victoria Royals (who have played four more games).
GIANT NOTES
- Given the Giants injury/suspension situation, they’ll have both defenceman Brenden Pentecost (03) and forward Justin Ivansuec (06) in the lineup tonight.
- The Giants power play has struck in four straight games. In that span it’s gone 55/22.
- Zack Ostapchuk is just one goal shy from 20.
- Payton Mount is just four points shy of 100 for his WHL career.
- The Giants are 18-1-2-0 when they lead after two periods.
