PREVIEW: Vancouver Giants vs. Spokane Chiefs (Game #61)
A riveting weekend of hockey awaits the Vancouver Giants and their fans at the LEC. Tonight at 7, the Vancouver Giants kick off a home double-header weekend against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. Heading into action tonight the Giants remain in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, and could officially clinch a playoff berth with two regulation victories this weekend against the Chiefs.
SPOKANE CHIEFS
OVERVIEW
Record: 20-37-4-1
Road Record: 8-18-2-1
Record vs. VAN: 1-1
Last Game: A 6-5 road win against the Kamloops Blazers last night.
Last 10: 4-6-0-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 167 GF/269 GA (-102)
Power Play: 21.0% (12th)
Penalty Kill: 73.6% (19th)
Leading Scorers: Bear Hughes (22-37-59), Nick McCarry (18-38-56), Chase Bertholet (21-29-50)
‘BEAR’ING THE BRUNT
2001-born over-ager Bear Hughes has put together a strong final WHL season together statistically. The product of Post Falls, ID leads all Spokane skaters with 59 points (22G, 27A) through 58 games. Hughes, a 2020 draftee of the of the Washington Capitals (Round 5) has also managed a team-high 21 power play assists to go along with four game-winning goals. In 121 career WHL games (all with Spokane) the Chiefs captain has produced 40 goals and 68 assists for 108 points. Hughes is one the only remaining Spokane Chiefs who were on the active roster back in 2019 when the Giants and Chiefs met in the 2019 Western Conference Final.
WHAT THE STANDINGS SAY
Heading into action tonight the Spokane Chiefs have six games remaining in their 2021-2022 regular season schedule. They 45 points have them two points back of Prince George for eighth place in the Western Conference. Their victory last night in Kamloops was MASSIVE, but their remaining schedule remains a challenge. Only one of their final six games of the season will be played at home.
CHIEF NOTES
- Nick McCarry has three multi-point games in his last five outings. In that span he’s notched three goals and four assists. He was the first star last night against his former team in Kamloops after posting one goal and two assists.
- Blake Swetlikoff leads all Chiefs with three points (1G, 2A) in two games against Vancouver.
- Spokane’s power play is 1/6 so far against Vancouver.
- Bear Hughes leads all Spokane skaters with 28 power play points (6G, 22A)
- The Chiefs have surrendered the third most goals against in the entire WHL (269).
VANCOUVER GIANTS
OVERVIEW
Record: 23-33-4-0
Home Record: 10-16-3-0
Last Game: A 5-4 regulation loss last Sunday at home against Prince George
Last 10: 3-6-1-0
Goals For/Goals Against: 169 GF/214 G A (-45)
Power Play: 18.4% (17th)
Penalty Kill: 76.0% (18th)
Leading Scorers: Fabian Lysell (20-33-53), Ty Thorpe (16-27-43), Zack Ostapchuk (19-16-35)
‘MOUNT’AIN MAN
On March 27th against the Prince George Cougars, 2002-born forward Payton Mount (Victoria, B.C.) recorded the first hat-trick of the season for the Vancouver Giants. Mount’s three goal effort marked the first Giants hat-trick since Tristen Nielsen struck three times against Kamloops on April 18, 2021. It also marked the first hat-trick in a career that has spanned 190 career games with Vancouver and Seattle. This season, Mount has now accumulated 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points which ranks him sixth in team scoring. In his past 10 games, Mount has managed five goals and three assists for eight points. Originally acquired by the Vancouver Giants in a summer trade with Seattle, Mount is tied for the third most career games played (190) in the WHL among active Giants, trailing only Alex Cotton (192) and Connor Horning (255).
WHAT THE STANDINGS SAY
The magic number for the Giants this weekend is “4.” Two regulation victories (eg. four points) against the Spokane Chiefs this weekend and the G-Men will have officially clinched a berth in the 2022 WHL playoffs. The Giants come into tonight’s game having dropped four straight games but are still largely in control of their own playoff/standings destiny. Of the Giants eight remaining games, five will be played at home, including tonight and tomorrow’s games against the Chiefs.
GIANT NOTES
- Captain Zack Ostapchuk and over-age defenceman Alex Cotton are both expected to return to the Giants lineup tonight at home.
- Vancouver’s power play is 1/7 against Spokane so far in the season series.
- Adam Hall leads all Giants with eight goals scored at home.
- The Giants have scored the fifth fewest goals (169) in the entire WHL.
- In two games against Spokane so far this season, Fabian Lysell has secured a goal and three assists for four points.
