RECAP: Late Goal from Preston Lifts Chiefs Past Giants

Category: ArticleJanuary 2, 2026

SPOKANE, WA – Draft eligible forward Mathis Preston broke a 2-2 tie with 2:27 remaining in the third period to lift the Spokane Chiefs past the Vancouver Giants 3-2 on Friday night at Numerica Veterans Arena.

The Giants had a very slow start, but earned their way back to a 2-2 tie midway through the third. Several minutes later, Preston scored his 14th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the high slot with traffic in front to give the home side the two points.

The Giants fall to 16-21-1-1 following the loss, while the Chiefs improve to 19-18-0-0.

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Burke Hood had a standout game in the Giants crease with 40 saves, including 17 in the first period alone.

Colton Gerrior and Leonardo Domenichelli each scored for the Giants. Cameron Schmidt registered an assist to increase his point streak to 19 games (13G-17A-30P). Tyus Sparks also had an assist to increase his point streak to seven games (6G-6A-12P).

Mathis Preston and Chase Harrington each registered a goal and an assist for Spokane, while Nathan Mayes had the other Chiefs goal.

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GAME SUMMARY

The Giants came out flat – surrendering nine shots on goal in the first several minutes while only mustering up two of their own.

Mayes eventually broke the ice midway through the opening frame on a goal off the rush coming down the left wing.

After 20 minutes, the score was 1-0 for Spokane, who had a commanding 18-3 lead in shots on goal.

The Giants responded with a strong second period, getting the equalizer on a 5-on-4 power play at the 7:11 mark of the frame when Sparks spotted Gerrior in front of the net for a redirect.

Gerrior tips one in from Sparks on the powerplay! 1-1 tie game! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/MQ4VD5mjPN

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 3, 2026

The Chiefs re-took the lead just 1:27 later with Harrington took the puck from Preston high in the offensive zone and had room to move into the right circle, where he rifled a shot top corner on the short side to make it 2-1.

Vancouver came out strong in the third and were eventually rewarded for their hard work, when Torretto Marrelli spotted Domenichelli at the edge of the slot, who quickly snapped a shot past Esler’s blocker to tie the game 2-2.

Marrelli finds Domenichelli out front, game is 2-2! 🤩🚨 pic.twitter.com/oO3XsLs14Q

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) January 3, 2026

With less than three minutes remaining in the third period, Preston circled high in the Giants zone and let a wrist shot go through traffic that somehow found the top corner, which stood up as the game-winner.

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN —3/16/18 = 37 | SPO – 18/17/8 = 43
PP: VAN—1/5 | SPO — 0/4
Face-Offs: VAN — 27 | SPO —43

3 STARS

1st: SPO – Mathis Preston – 1G, 1A, 5 SOG, +1
2nd: SPO – Chase Harrington – 1G, 1A, 3 SOG, +1
3rd: VAN – Burke Hood – 40 saves on 43 shots

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: LOSS – Burke Hood (40 saves / 43 shots)
Spokane: WIN – Carter Esler (34 saves / 36 shots)

THEY SAID IT

“We just started working a little bit harder, moving our feet a bit more, wanting the puck in certain areas and just getting open for each other and then making winning decisions in the second. In the first, obviously a little bit flat, making a poor decision here and there and in the second we cleaned it up. I thought the third was very good as well.” – Assistant Coach Gaelan Patterson on what changed from the first to the second period

“The urgency that we had in the second and the third we can be proud of, but at the end of the day we need points right now. We have to play a full 60 minute effort like that to give us the best chance to get those points. That was the message after the game.” – Assistant Coach Gaelan Patterson on the message after the game

Click below for the full post-game interview with Assistant Coach Gaelan Patterson

UPCOMING

The Giants face the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday night to close out the weekend.

Date	Opponent	Location	Time
Saturday, January 3	Portland	Veterans Memorial Coliseum	6:00 PM

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