RECAP: Hood Shines Again on Friday, Records 3rd Shutout in 1-0 Win

Category: ArticleMarch 21, 2025

Kamloops, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants shut out the Kamloops Blazers 1-0 on Friday night at the Sandman Centre thanks to a formidable 30-save performance from rookie goaltender Burke Hood.

It’s the first time this season the Giants have won a game when scoring two or fewer goals.

The Giants improve to 33-26-8-0 on the year and remain in sixth place in the Western Conference standings with one game remaining. Vancouver doesn’t know its playoff opponent quite yet because the Tri-City Americans remain three points back with two games remaining. If the Giants finish in sixth they will face Spokane; if they finish in seventh they will face Victoria, who clinched the B.C. Division with a win over Prince George on Friday.

Hood is 9-3-1 in his last 13 starts with a .939 save percentage and now has three shutouts in his rookie season (all in the second half).

Seventeen year-old Giants forward Cameron Schmidt scored the only goal from either side on Friday, becoming the first Giants player since 2017-18 to score 40 or more goals in a single season. The last to do so was Ty Ronning, who set the Giants franchise record with a 61-goal campaign as a 20-year-old that season. Schmidt leads the Giants in scoring with 40 goals and 77 points in 60 games.

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GAME SUMMARY

Neither team could find the back of the net in the opening period, after which the shots on goal were 7-7.

Midway through the second period, Hood made a Save of the Year candidate on defenceman Samuel Borschowa, who was all alone in the right circle after taking a pass from Vit Zahejsky and had Hood down in the crease, but couldn’t get the puck past his oustretched glove.

All is good in the hood with Burke Hood!!!!! 😮‍💨@TheWHL | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/10uhPRZdw6

— X – Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 22, 2025

Just a couple minutes later, Schmidt broke the ice after receiving a great cross-ice pass from Halaburda and chipped it top corner for his 40th goal of the season.

CAMERON SCHMIDT WITH HIS 40TH OF THE SEASON!! 🤯@TheWHL | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/7QR9bOOVLz

— X – Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 22, 2025

The Blazers pushed hard in the third, creating more good looks and firing 14 shots on goal, but each and every time Hood was there, including a couple magnificent saves on Oren Shtrom and Zahejsky.

AND Hoody continues to put on a show!! 🤩@TheWHL | #NHLDraft | #BurkeHood pic.twitter.com/5odIsqzCDt

— X – Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 22, 2025

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN —7/14/5 = 28 | KAM – 7/9/14 = 30
PP: VAN—0/4 | KAM — 0/3
Face-Offs: VAN — 22 | KAM — 27

3 STARS (Graduating Blazers for Their Final Home Game)

1st: KAM – G Dylan Ernst – 164 career games
2nd: KAM – F Oren Shtrom – 235 career games
3rd: KAM – F Beau Courtney – 228 career games

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: WIN – Burke Hood (30 saves / 30 shots)
Kamloops: LOSS – Logan Edmonstone (20 saves / 21 shots). In relief in third period: Dylan Ernst (5 saves / 5 shots)

THEY SAID IT

“I thought Hood was outstanding. [He] made some great saves that kept us in the game. I thought they pushed back; Kamloops did a good job – a team that is out of the playoffs and I thought they played extremely hard tonight, so credit to them. But Hood kept us in it – he was outstanding.” – Adam Maglio Associate Coach on the game overall

“It probably wasn’t our best game, that’s for sure. We had some good performances by certain guys for sure. Second [period] I thought was our best. I thought the third was better than the first, but I wish we had a little more push back there at the end.” – Adam Maglio Associate Coach on the flow

“Schmidt getting his 40th, that’s a big goal for him and well deserved, so that was really nice to see. I thought Halaburda was great tonight if we’re just talking about individuals. He was on the puck all night. He had his legs going. He made a great play to Schmidt on the goal. I thought for the most part we did a good job with the inside of the ice. I thought we were keeping it pretty simple. We weren’t quick enough on pucks tonight. I just didn’t think our compete was where we know it can be. But again, credit to Kamloops. You’re playing another team and they pushed hard tonight.” – Adam Maglio Associate Coach on the positives

THIS AND THAT

Schmidt became the sixth Giant in franchise history to score 40 or more goals in a single season. He, Brendan Gallagher and Evander Kane are the only Giants to do so in their 17-year-old season. The others to score 40-plus are Ty Ronning (61), Adam Courchaine (43) and Jordan Martinook (40)
In 26 appearances since Dec. 31, Hood has a .927 save percentage

UPCOMING

The Giants wrap up the 2024-25 regular season at home game on Sunday with their Fan Appreciation game at 4 p.m.

Date	Opponent	Time	Location
Sunday, March 23	Kelowna	4:00 PM PST	Langley Events Centre