PRESEASON RECAP: Giants Penalty Kill Comes Up Big in 4-3 Win Over Blazers

Category: ArticleSeptember 16, 2023

PHOTO BY: ROB WILTON

Maple Ridge, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants wrapped up their preseason with an exciting come-from-behind win at Cam Neely Arena in Maple Ridge on Saturday night, as they edged the Kamloops Blazers 4-3 in a shootout.

Vancouver finishes the preseason with a record of 3-0-1. They scored 23 goals in those four games, while allowing 16 against.

On Saturday, a couple of former Winnipeg ICE forwards provided much of the offence for the G-Men, with Connor Dale potting a pair of goals and Skyler Bruce tying the game 3-3 midway through the third.

The contest remained deadlocked from that point on, as the game needed overtime first, and then a shootout. Giants forward Adam Titlbach played hero in the shootout, as he was the only player from either side to find the back of the net.

The Giants penalty kill played a big part in the game going the distance. The team found themselves down two men late in the third period and for much of the overtime period, but managed to kill multiple penalties and draw one themselves.

Picking up the win between the pipes was veteran Brett Mirwald, who was making his first preseason start. The Saskatoon, Sask. native stopped 29 of 32 shots and went a perfect 3-for-3 in the shootout.

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GAME SUMMARY:

Dale opened the scoring after a good net drive from Ethan McEneany, which allowed Dale to beat goaltender Dylan Ernst on the blocker side at the 11:43 mark of the first.

Just 1:16 into the second period, Bruce found Dale backdoor for tap-in on the power play to double the Giants lead to 2-0.

Kamloops responded just a couple minutes later thanks to Delta, B.C. native Nathan MacPherson-Ridgewell, who made it 2-1 with a power play marker.

Blazers rookie Nathan Behm would score another power play goal at the 11:10 mark of the second to tie the game 2-2.

Before the period was done, Kamloops took their first lead of the game, after Tommy Lefreniere scored his first of the preseason to put the visitors ahead 3-2 heading into the second intermission.

Bruce was able to find a loose puck in front of the goal and tuck it home to tie the game 3-3 at the 8:33 mark of the third period.

The Giants took two consecutive penalties in the final two minutes of the game, but were able to force things to overtime, where unfortunately they got called for a third penalty in a row (two of them were delay of game after clearing it directly over the glass). When all was said and done, the Giants got some big blocks and killed everything off, paving the way for the shootout.

Cameron Schmidt went first for Vancouver and was stopped. Behm went first for Kamloops and was also stopped.

Neither Ryan Lin for the Giants nor Max Sullivan for the Blazers could score either, which led to each team’s third shooter.

That’s when Titlbach beat Ernst with a deke to his forward, meaning Kamloops had to score to keep things alive. Josh Kelly opted to shoot with his attempt, but was stopped by Mirwald’s right pad, ending the game in favour of the Giants.

Did you miss the action from our come from behind win tonight? 👀

We’ve got you covered with the good stuff 😎👇 pic.twitter.com/NzCSI0tvjc

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) September 17, 2023

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN — 13/6/6/1 = 27 | KAM – 9/10/10/3 = 32
PP: VAN — 0/5 | KAM — 2/6
Face-Offs: VAN — 39 | KAM — 31

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Win – Brett Mirwald (29 save / 32 shots / 3-for-3 in the shootout)
Kamloops: Loss – Dylan Ernst (23 saves / 26 shots / 2-for-3 in the shootout)

NOTEWORTHY:

The Giants’ 23 preseason goals were tied for the second-most of any team in the Western Conference, with only Spokane scoring more (they had 27 goals in six games)
Giants forwards Connor Dale (2G), Skyler Bruce (1G-1A) and Adam Titlbach (2A) each had two points on Saturday
Bruce had at least a point in all four preseason games, finishing with six points (2G-4A)
After allowing two power play goals in the second, the Giants penalty kill went 4-for-4 in the third period and overtime
The Giants were missing five players due to NHL rookie camps: Sam Honzek, Jaden Lipinski, Mazden Leslie, Ty Halaburda and Tyler Thorpe
The Blazers were missing four players due to NHL rookie camps: Frazer Minten, Connor Levis, Emmitt Finnie and Ryan Michael

NEXT GAME:

The Giants preseason is now complete, as they finish with a 3-0-1 record.

The real thing gets underway Friday, Sept. 22 when the G-Men host the Victoria Royals at the Langley Events Centre at 7 p.m. For tickets, CLICK HERE.