PRESEASON RECAP: Giants Top Rockets on the Road 7-4

Category: ArticleSeptember 15, 2023

Kelowna, B.C. – The Vancouver Giants kept their offensive ways going in Friday’s preseason tilt with the Kelowna Rockets, scoring seven times in a 7-4 victory at Prospera Place.

Vancouver is now 2-0-1 in the preseason.

The G-Men got goals from six different players: Justin Ivanusec, Colton Roberts, Ryan Lin, Colton Langkow, Cameron Schmidt and Adam Titlbach, who potted two.

Matthew Hutchison and Burke Hood split the game in goal, with each allowing two goals.

Special teams played a factor in Friday’s win, with the Giants power play going 2-for-6 and their penalty kill going 4-for-4.

CLICK FOR THE OFFICIAL WHL BOXSCORE

GAME SUMMARY:

Dylan Wightman opened the scoring for the Rockets, as he put home a rebound just 2:17 in.

Kelowna would then take a string of penalties, one of which eventually cost them, as Giants rookie Ivanusec scored his first as a Giant on the power play at the 14:19 mark.

After 20 minutes, the game was tied 1-1, with the shots favouring the home side 15-13.

There was a string of goals in the middle frame,

First, the Giants struck twice quickly to open the period, getting goals from Roberts and Lin just 54 seconds apart.

Hiroki Gojsic responded for Kelowna a few minutes later to cut the Giants lead to 3-2.

Halfway through the period, Langkow smacked home a rebound on another power play to make it 4-2 for Vancouver.

Will Munrio would answer for Kelowna with 5:17 left in the second, making the score 4-3 for the Giants after 40 minutes of play.

Just 11 seconds into the third period, Titlbach restored the Giants two-goal lead after Ivanusec spotted him open darting through the middle, giving him a partial breakaway that he made no mistake on.

Kelowna responded less than a minute later, make it 5-4 Giants with 19:15 still to go in the game.

The Giants settled down after that, getting a goal from Schmidt at the 7:56 mark and a second tally from Titlbach with 2:17 remaining to make the final score 7-4.

Kelowna only managed six shots on goal in the third period, during which they trailed the entire time.

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN — 13/15/10 = 38 | KEL – 15/8/6 = 29
PP: VAN — 2/6 | KEL — 0/4
Face-Offs: VAN — 24 | KEL — 33

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Matthew Hutchison (16 saves / 18 shots in 29:52); Burke Hood (9 saves / 11 shots in 30:08)
Kelowna: Jake Pilon (31 saves / 38 shots)

NOTEWORTHY:

Giants defenceman Colton Roberts led all skaters in the game with 3 points (1G-2A)
Giants forwards Adam Titlbach, Justin Ivanusec and Cameron Schmidt each had two points
Vancouver out-shot Kelowna 25-14 in the final two periods
The Giants were missing five players due to NHL rookie camps: Sam Honzek, Jaden Lipinski, Mazden Leslie, Ty Halaburda and Tyler Thorpe
The Rockets were missing four players due to NHL rookie camps: Andrew Cristall, Caden Price, Jari Kykkanen and Jackson DeSouza

NEXT GAME:

The Giants wrap up their 2023 preseason on Saturday night in Maple Ridge against the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers fell 2-0 to Victoria on Friday night and are now 1-2-0 in their preseason.