Giants Finish Preseason With A Shootout Loss
The Vancouver Giants finished the 2011 preseason with a 2-1 shootout loss to the Kelowna Rockets Friday night at the Ladner Leisure Centre. The Giants finish 3-0-2-1 in exhibition.
Brendan Jensen got the start in net for Vancouver and was solid in the opening 20 minutes making 10 saves. The Giants were unable to find the back of the net themselves as Jordon Cooke made 9 stops. It was scoreless after one period.
In the second period, the Rockets opened the scoring as Tanner Moar potted his first of the preseason during 4-on-4 action. Kelowna led 1-0 after 40 minutes. Jackson Whistle replaced Jensen at the midway point of the period. Jensen made 15 saves on 16 shots.
Looking for the equalizer in the third period, Vancouver fired everything at Cooke and eventually Jordan Martinook beat him for his 3rd goal of the preseason to tie the game 1-1. That is how things would stay through regulation.
Overtime solved nothing and in the shootout, Tyson Baillie would score the winner to give the Rockets a 2-1 victory. Teal Burns and Greg Lamoureux both were stopped by Cooke while Cain Franson scored. Baillie and Spencer Main got goals for the Rockets. Whistle made 20 saves on the night. Cooke made 36 saves in the Rockets net. Both teams struggled on the power play as each were 0-for-7 on the night.
The Giants now get set for their regular season opener Friday September 23 at the Pacific Coliseum vs. the Victoria Royals. The first 7,500 fans on hand receive a limited edition Milan Lucic poster. Game time is 7:30pm.
