After one period, the Giants had a 2-1 edge.

Neither team would score in the second period.

Vancouver was able to extend their lead 4:44 into the third period, after Thorpe knocked down a pass at center and fed a pass up to Ty Halaburda, who quickly snapped a shot towards the net. Although the shot missed high, it ricocheted off the end glass and landed in front for Thorpe, who easily whacked it home for his team-leading 21st goal of the season.

 

Johnson responded for the Rockets just one minute later to cut Vancouver’s lead to 3-2, but it was the Giants who then stole the momentum right back, as Schmidt netted his second of the game 51 seconds after Kelowna’s goal to restore the two-goal advantage.

Honzek had the primary assist on Schmidt’s 13th of the season, as he made a no-look backhand pass from the right corner to Schmidt at the far side post.

Although the Rockets fired 12 shots on the goal in the third period overall, they didn’t generate much at all late when down by two, as the Giants easily held on for the 4-2 win.

---

THEY SAID IT

“I think the biggest part of our game that has improved over the last little while here has been our track game. Our players have been really conscientious of when there’s a puck turned over, our forwards are coming back. [When we] look at the game film after a game, we’ve got five guys in the picture. And if there is a breakdown, there’s layers there to protect them.” – Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on defending

“I like where we’re going. The kids are understanding what we have to do on a nightly basis to be successful. This two-game set against Kelowna was very important. I thought the other night we played very well for the most part, outside of the shorthanded goals, but we were right there. And then tonight too, I thought for the most part we controlled the game for the full 60 minutes here, so that was very, very encouraging. The guys are getting it; understanding it. I said to the guys after the game: if a guy gets eight or nine, 10 minutes of ice, another guy get 15, another guy gets 23 or 24, every one of those minutes are important for our hockey club and everyone is contributing, so that’s a real positive. I really like where we’re going right now.” – Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on momentum

“I thought Lipinski’s line tonight, that was our goal tonight, was to match up against their top line and I thought they did an exceptional job doing that. And when we couldn’t get the matchups, we had other guys that could go up and follow that also. Very happy with the way we played.” – Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on matching Lipinski’s line with Szturc’s

 

CLICK BELOW FOR THE FULL POST-GAME INTERVIEW ON SN650 WITH HC MANNY VIVEIROS

---

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN — 7/8/9 = 24 | KEL – 12/8/12 = 32
PP: VAN — 0/3 | KEL — 0/3
Face-Offs: VAN — 32 | KEL — 31

---

3 STARS

1st: VAN – Cameron Schmidt – 2G, 4 SOG, +2
2nd: VAN – Sam Honzek – 2A, 1 SOG, +2
3rd: VAN – Brett Mirwald – 30 Saves on 32 Shots

---

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: WIN – Brett Mirwald (30 saves / 32 shots)
Kelowna: Loss – Jake Pilon (20 saves / 24 shots)

---