RECAP: Giants Wrap Weekend with 4-3 Win Over Blazers

Category: ArticleOctober 29, 2023

PHOTO BY: ROB WILTON

Vancouver, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants ended their busy weekend on a high note on Sunday afternoon, defeating the Kamloops Blazers 4-3 in regulation.

With the victory, the Giants are now 5-6-1 this season.

As has often been the case this season, the goal scoring was spread out, with Julian Cull, Jaden Lipinski, Justin Ivanusec and Colton Roberts all finding the back of the net. Ivanusec’s goal was the first of his Western Hockey League career, while Cull’s was the first of the season. Roberts was the game-winner, scored on a power play at the 7:02 mark of the third period to break a 3-3 tie.

Scoring for the visitors was Dylan Sydor, Emmitt Finnie and Max Sullivan, who like Ivanusec, scored his first WHL goal.

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GAME SUMMARY:

The only goal of the opening period came courtesy of Giants forward Julian Cull, who found a loose puck in the crease and jammed it home for his first goal of the season.

The Blazers responded with two goals in 1:19 early in the second, first Dylan Sydor on a wicked one-timer, and then Emmitt Finnie with a strong net drive.

Not long after Kamloops took a 2-1 lead, Vancouver evened the score, after Connor Dale found a streaking Jaden Lipinski on the right wing and hit him with a long pass. Lipinski came down the right side and snapped a shot short side past the glove of goaltender Jesse Sanche to tie the game 2-2.

Before the period was done, Vancouver took a 3-2 lead, after Justin Ivanusec found a rebound at the side of the goal and put it home for his first WHL goal.

Kamloops tied the game early in the third on Max Sullivan’s first WHL goal, but not long after, the Giants regained the lead, this time on a power play marker from Colton Roberts, whose one-timer stood up as the game-winner.

THEY SAID IT

“The progression of our kids, we’re starting to see it. Their understanding [of] what we need to do in tight situations. All three games I thought – we won two out of three, we could have won three out of three – but for me it started last night. We’re up 2-0, they came back and tied the game up, and we didn’t panic. We were a lot more calm on the bench as far as a group and the guys are getting it. I thought last night we played very well too – we deserved to win that game – and I saw that continuation tonight with these guys and their understanding [of] what it takes. The progression, how to play in certain situations, and I was really very pleased for the young guys. They worked really hard. I think the last five games we’ve played here, our group is really starting to evolve and that’s something that we want to see as a staff, especially with a young group here, to see them develop and they certainly are.” – Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN — 10/14/6 = 30 | KAM – 11/14/9 = 34
PP: VAN — 1/2 | KAM — 1/1
Face-Offs: VAN — 32 | KAM — 31

3 STARS

1st: VAN – Jaden Lipinski – 1G, 1A, 3 SOG
2nd: KAM – Emmitt Finnie – 1G, 1A, 2 SOG
3rd: VAN – Matthew Hutchison – 31 Saves on 34 Shots

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Win – Matthew Hutchison (31 saves / 34 shots)
Kamloops: Loss – Jesse Sanche (26 saves / 30 shots)

NOTEWORTHY:

OFFENCE BY COMMITTEE: The Giants had four different goal scorers on Sunday. On the weekend as a whole, seven different players scored the team’s eight goals (only one player scored more than one)
HUTCH ON HOME ICE: Goaltender Matthew Hutchison picked up his first home win in the WHL and his second career win overall, turning away 31 shots. His first win came way back on April 10, 2022, when he was just 15 years old and beat the Kelowna Rockets
ROBBIE KEEPS ROLLIN’: Defenceman Colton Roberts was the lone Giant to score twice this weekend, giving him six points in his last five games (3G-3A) and nine points on the season
MAKE IT TWO: The Giants have now won two consecutive games for the first time this season. Both of their wins this weekend were in 1-goal games

NEXT GAME:

The Giants hit the road now for two games before returning home to play Kamloops again on Saturday. First up this week is a visit to Kennewick to play the Tri-City Americans for the first time this season, before heading back to Wenatchee to battle the Wild on Friday, November 3. On November 4, they’ll host the Blazers for the second time in six days.

For tickets, CLICK HERE.

B.C. Division