RECAP: G-Men Take Down T-Birds 5-2

Category: ArticleDecember 1, 2024

Langley, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants got goals from five different players in a 5-2 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre.

The Giants win improves their record to 11-9-4 this season, while the last place Thunderbirds fall to 9-15-2-1. Special teams played a big role, with Vancouver’s penalty kill going 4-on-4 and their power play going 1-for-3.

Adam Titlbach and Connor Levis each had a goal and an assist in the win, while Matthew Hutchison came up big with a 25-save performance, picking up his first win since November 2. Cameron Schmidt, Will Subject and Ty Halaburda also scored for the G-Men. Vancouver outshot Seattle 33-27.

Coster Dunn and Nishaan Parmar scored for the Thunderbirds

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GAME SUMMARY

The Giants opened the scoring for just the ninth time this season when Titlbach and Levis connected on a 2-on-2 rush, with the later roofing it over Scott Ratzlaff from the right circle.

Connor Levis opens the scoring 🔥@WHLGiants | @NHLJets | #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/GKulrsXrST

— The WHL (@TheWHL) December 2, 2024

A power play marker from Schmidt 11:54 into the second period extended Vancouver’s lead to 2-0, after he followed up his own blocked shot and tucked it past the outstretched pad of Ratzlaff from the goal line.

sneakyyyy schmidtyyyy!

Cameron Schmidt with his 24th of the season.@TheWHL | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/2CFTSTiKXZ

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 2, 2024

Early in the third period, Subject – while playing forward – deflected in a point shot from Mazden Leslie for his first goal of the season.

Subby redirects it in, extending the Giants lead to 3-0!!

Will Subject's first of the season! pic.twitter.com/QT74JR8k9z

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 2, 2024

Seattle got on the board at the 10:02 mark of the third period to cut Vancouver’s lead to 3-1, but 1:39 later, Titlbach redirected in a Tyler Thorpe centering feed from the right boards to restore the Giants three-goal advantage.

2 point evening for Adam Titlbach!!!!! His 9th of the season!

Giants restore their 3 goal lead, making it a 4-1 game!@TheWHL pic.twitter.com/gUajDUfuOX

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 2, 2024

Parmar made things interesting when he stole the puck and finished on the backhand to make the score 4-2 with 4:54 remaining, but Halaburda’s empty-net goal with 1:43 left put the icing on the cake.

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN — 13/8/12 = 33 | SEA – 8/10/9 = 27
PP: VAN—1/3 | SEA — 0/4
Face-Offs: VAN — 32 | SEA — 25

THEY SAID IT

“It was definitely little bit of a trying week for us, but it was nice to come out on top tonight. The guys put in a good performance overall. A couple lapses here and there, but that’s bound to happen and it wasn’t one of those games where we let it snowball. We kind of nipped it in the bud right away, so that was good to see from the guys tonight.” – Giants Video Coach Kayden Jarvis

“I think he’s playing with a little bit more pace now. He’s doing a good job on the forecheck, getting through bodies and that’s when he’s at his best, is when he’s willing to work down low and get to those hard areas. For sure these last few games he’s done a good job of that.” Giants Video Coach Kayden Jarvis on Titlbach

“He came in tonight and he was just what we needed him to do. He was on his game, he controlled pucks, he made a couple huge saves – scrambly saves, where you could [see] his athleticism there and his compete, so for us tonight, that was huge. There were moments where he made that save to keep us in the game – to not let it get away from us.” – Giants Video Coach Kayden Jarvis on Hutchison

3 STARS

1st: VAN – Adam Titlbach – 1G, 1A, +2
2nd: VAN – Connor Levis – 1G, 1A, 2 SOG
3rd: VAN – Matthew Hutchison – 25 Saves on 27 Shots

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: WIN – Matthew Hutchison (25 saves / 27 shots)
Seattle: LOSS – Scott Ratzlaff (28 saves / 32 shots)

UPCOMING

Date	Opponent	Time	Location
Wednesday, December 4	Regina Pats	7:00 PM PT	Langley Events Centre
Friday, December 6	Tri-City	7:05 PM PT	Toyota Center
Saturday, December 7	Portland	6:00 PM PT	Veterans Memorial Coliseum

B.C. Division