RECAP: Giants Storm Back from 4-1 Deficit but Fall in SO to Royals

Category: ArticleSeptember 10, 2023

Ladner, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants scored three times in the final six minutes of Sunday’s preseason matinee against Victoria, but ultimately only mustered a single point, following a 5-4 shootout loss at the Ladner Leisure Centre.

Vancouver erased a third period 4-1 deficit in quick order, which started when 2023 sixth overall pick Ryan Lin scored to make it 4-2, continued when Aaron Obobaifo made it 4-3 on the power play, and concluded when Jaden Linpinski used his long reach to tuck home the game-tying-goal while shorthanded with just 1:05 left in regulation.

Neither team could score in the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime, and Kalem Parker scored the lone goal in the shootout to make it a 5-4 final.

Also scoring for the Giants was Ty Halaburda, who tied the game 1-1 in the second period.

Much of the storyline on Sunday was special teams. Victoria scored all four of their goals on the power play, going 4-on-9 on the man advantage, while Vancouver went 1-for-5.

Sixteen-year-old Burke Hood played the entire game in goal for Vancouver and looked strong, finishing with 28 saves.

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GAME SUMMARY:

The Royals scored the only goal of the first period, as Matthew Hodson opened the scoring at the 13:55 mark.

Halaburda tied the game 6:21 into the second after he fired a quick shot from the left circle, following a feed from Colton Langkow.

Things got a little whacky in the third period, as the teams combined for 12 minor penalties (eight for the Giants, four for Victoria, including off-setting minors).

Victoria found the back of the net three times in a span of 2:10, all on the power play, to take a 4-1 lead. First it was defenceman Ganon Larqoue, then fellow d-man Parker, and finally rookie Cole Reschny at the 10:48 mark.

But the Giants wouldn’t go down easy.

First, Lin came flying down the right wing and snuck one past goaltender Nicholas Christiano for his first WHL goal in his first WHL preseason game. Just 2:13 after that, Obobaifo got the puck in the slot on the power play and made no mistake, going upstairs on the short side to make it 4-3. At the tail end of a penalty kill, Lipinski completed the comeback, after some poor puck management from Victoria led to a turnover at the side of their own goal, and quickly ended up in the back of their own net.

The teams traded only a couple chances in the overtime period, and so off to a shootout it went.

Vancouver went first, with Obobaifo hitting the crossbar. Robin Sapousek then went first for Victoria and he also rung iron. Cameron Schmidt tried to go five-hole for the Giants on his attempt, but was unsuccessful. Parker, who was next up, beat Hood with a wrist shot to the blocker side. With the Giants down 1-0 in the shootout, it was up to Adam Titlbach to keep things going, but unfortunately he ran out of real estate and couldn’t complete his deke, ending the game 5-4.

Hear from forward Ty Halaburda following today’s game!

With 3 goals in 2 preseason games this weekend, he’s headed to Bruins camp next week with lots of confidence.

🎥 WATCH 🔽 pic.twitter.com/Crvj0ZtGJg

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) September 11, 2023

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN — 15/18/10/2 = 45 | VIC – 9/4/17/2 = 33
PP: VAN — 1/5 | VIC — 4/9
Face-Offs: VAN — 40 | VIC — 42

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Burke Hood (28 saves / 32 shots)
Prince George: Jayden Kraus (28 saves / 29 shots in 32 min); Nicholas Christiano (13 saves / 16 shots in 33 min)

NOTEWORTHY:

Ty Halaburda and Jaden Lipinski each had 1G-1A
Giants defenceman Ryan Lin was making his preseason debut and scored. He also had a +2 rating and 2 SOG
Cameron Schmidt (VAN) and Kalem Parker (VIC) tied with a game-high 6 SOG
The Giants outshot Victoria 18-4 in the second period
At even-strength, Vancouver out-scored Victoria 2-0
The clubs combined for 80 penalty minutes (44 for VAN, 36 for VIC)

NEXT GAME:

The Giants continue their preseason on Friday, Sept. 15 when they head to Kelowna to take on the Rockets in their lone road preseason contest. The following night they’ll wrap up the preseason in Maple Ridge against the Kamloops Blazers.