The Week Ahead: Giants Lone Game Set for Saturday in Portland
PHOTO BY ROB WILTON
Langley, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants have only played three games so far this season and this week their light schedule continues.
After their big 6-2 win on Sunday over the Wenatchee Wild, the Giants’ lone contest this weekend will be played on Saturday, Oct. 7 in Portland against the Winterhawks (2-1-0-0), who were recently ranked #2 in the CHL’s weekly Top-10 poll.
ICYMI: Last Time Out:
Vancouver 6 | Wenatchee 2 (Oct. 1):
The Giants rebounded from Friday’s 5-1 loss to Kamloops in a big way on Sunday afternoon, defeating the visiting Wenatchee Wild 6-2 at the Langley Events Centre.
Both Kyren Gronick and Tyler Thorpe had multi-goal games, while rookies Cameron Schmidt and Adam Titlbach each found the back of the net as well.
CLICK TO READ SUNDAY’S RECAP | CLICK FOR SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
The Week Ahead:
The G-Men have two more ‘quiet’ weekends ahead of them where they only play once: this coming Saturday, October 7 and next Friday, October 13.
On Saturday, they’ll battle the Winterhawks (2-1-0-0), who have won their last two games: 6-5 over Kelowna (in OT) and 6-1 over the defending champion Seattle Thunderbids. Portland welcomed back Czech netminder Jan Špunar last weekend, along with defensemen Marek Alscher (FLA), Luca Cagnoni (SJS) and Carter Sotheran (PHI).
Vancouver went 2-1-1 against Portland last season. The most recent result was a 3-2 overtime win on March 21, 2023, where Ty Halaburda scored two goals, including the game-winner in the extra frame. Brett Mirwald made 37 saves on 39 shots in that game.
Ty Halaburda gets the WHOA-vertime winner!@WHLGiants | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/s7Pd4FYRJX
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 22, 2023
Next 5 Games:
DATE | OPPONENT | LOCATION | TIME |
Oct. 7, 2023 | at Portland | Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 6:00 PT |
Oct. 13, 2023 | vs. Swift Current | LEC (TICKETS) | 7:00 PT |
Oct. 18, 2023 | vs. Medicine Hat | LEC (TICKETS) | 7:00 PT |
Oct. 20, 2023 | at Wenatchee | Town Toyota Center | 7:00 PT |
Oct. 21, 2023 | at Kelowna | Prospera Place | 7:05 PT |
On a Roll:
- Forward Tyler Thorpe has goals in three consecutive games to start the season and with 4 goals during that time, he has already equaled his goal output from all of last season when he scored four goals in 48 GP
- Forward Kyren Gronick is tied for the team lead with four points (2G-2A) in three games, after recording a two-goal game for just the second time in his career on Sunday. His career-high is 7 goals (2021-22)
- Forward Adam Titlbach has started his WHL career with three points in his first three games (2G-1A)
- Vancouver’s penalty kill remains unblemished, going 15-for-15 through the first three games