WHL Vancouver Giants

WHL Playoffs Round 1 Preview - Vancouver Giants Vs. Spokane Chiefs

Published on March 21, 2012 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


The Vancouver Giants are set for their 10th straight apperance in the WHL playoffs when the puck drops on junior hockey's second season this weekend. 6 exhibition games and 72 regular season games later the Giants earned themselves the 4th spot in the Western Conference and a date with the Spokane Chiefs in the opening round of the 2012 WHL playoffs. Very little separated these two teams during the regular season as the Giants finished just one point ahead of the Chiefs in the standings, but it was enough to earn home ice advantage in this first round match up.

History

This season the Giants were 2-0-0-0 vs. the Chiefs, winning 3-2 in a shootout on October 5 at the Pacific Coliseum and a 2-1 victory on February 15 at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Cain Franson and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist in the 2 games, while Adam Morrison was 2-0 with a 1.44 GAA and a .950 SV%.

This will be the 3rd time these two teams have met in the WHL playoffs. The Chiefs defeated the Giants in 6 games in the 2008 WHL Western Conference Semi-Finals on their way to winning a WHL Championship and a Memorial Cup. The following season, the Giants earned an ounce of revenge, beating Spokane in 7 games in the 2009 Western Conference Semi-Finals. The final 3 games of the series went to overtime, with the Giants winning game 7, 1-0 on a goal from Nick Ross in the first overtime period. 6 players remain from that series in 2009; Brendan Gallagher and Neil Manning from the Giants and Blake Gal, Corbin Baldwin, Brenden Kichton, and Steven Kuhn from Spokane.

Playoff Experience

Combined the Vancouver Giants have 129 games of playoff experience. Brendan Gallagher leads the way with 36 games played, collecting 14 goals, 12 assists, and 26 points. The Spokane Chiefs have 265 games of playoff experience. 20 year old forward Steven Kuhn has played 36 games, picking up 6 goals, 10 assists, and 16 points.

Last year the Giants lost in the opening round of the WHL Playoffs, losing 4 straight games to the Tri-City Americans. The Chiefs lost in the Western Conference Final in 6 games to the Portland Winterhawks. Tyler Vanscourt, who the Giants acquired from Moose Jaw earlier this season, played 17 playoff games with the Chiefs last year.

Don vs. Don

Both head coaches have a ton of experience and are arguably two of the best to ever coach in the WHL. Vancouver Giants bench boss Don Hay is the 3rd winningest coach in WHL history with 556 regular season wins. He is a 3 time WHL Champion and a 3 time Memorial Cup Champion as a head coach, a 2 time WHL Coach of the Year, and a member of the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. He is currently tied for the most playoff wins in WHL history with former Edmonton Oil Kings/Portland Winterhawks head coach Ken Hodge with 101 victories in the post season.

Spokane Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur is 6th on the all-time wins list in the WHL with 513 career wins with Seattle, Tri-City, and Spokane. He is a 3 time WHL Coach of the Year, but has never led his team to the WHL final. Twice he has lost out in Conference Finals. He is 15th all-time in career playoff wins with 52.

Brendan vs. Brenden

A key match up in this series will be the head to head battle between each team's top player. Vancouver Giants forward Brendan Gallagher is coming off his 3rd straight 40 plus goal season, leading the Giants with 41 goals and 77 points. It has been a big year for the 19 year old who was signed by the Montreal Canadiens back in November and helped Canada win a bronze medal at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships.

Chiefs blueliner Brenden Kichton was the only defenceman to lead his team in scoring this year. He led all defencemen in scoring in the WHL with 57 assists and 74 points. Last year he was selected in the 5th round of the NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders and was a final cut for Team Canada at this year's World Junior Championships.

Import vs. Import

Two key players in this series will also be each team's top import. Marek Tvrdon led all WHL rookies with 74 points this season, including 31 goals and 43 assists. It was his first full year in the WHL after managing to play just 12 games in the 2010-11 season, before undergoing season ending shoulder surgery. Tvrdon played for his native Slovakia at the 2012 World Junior Championships and will be getting his first taste of playoff hockey. He is a 4th round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Dominik Uher led the Chiefs with 33 goals this season. The 19 year old is in his 3rd season in the WHL and represented the Czech Republic at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships. Uher, who was selected in the 5th round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, has played 23 career playoff games, picking up 2 goals, 9 assists, and 11 points.

Kramer vs. Vannieuwenhuizen

When it comes to tough customers, this series boast two of the more willing combatants in the league. Giants defenceman Wes Vannieuwenhuizen is in his second full season with the Giants and has turned into a reliable stay at home blueliner, who this year chipped in with 3 goals and 10 points. He also had 18 fighting majors this season and 36 over the last two years.

Darren Kramer made a name for himself last year, in his first year in the WHL, recording 46 fighting majors. This year he had another 26 fights. The 20 year old can hurt you offensively as well, scoring 20 goals and 40 points in 71 games this year with the Chiefs. A 6th round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Kramer is also the Chiefs team captain.

Morrison vs. Engel/Williams

It's hard to believe where the Vancouver Giants might have been without Adam Morrison. Acquired from Saskatoon last October, the 20 year old turned into a bonafide number one goaltender earning a 3 year entry level contract with the Boston Bruins. Morrison played 57 games with the Giants and Blades, finishing the regular season with a record of 36-17-2-1 and a goals against average of 2.82 and save percentage of .899. Now in his 4th and final year in the WHL, this will be Morrison's first taste of playing in the post season.

Who will be the starter for the Chiefs remains up in the air. Mac Engel and Eric Williams split the final 8 games of the regular season for the Chiefs. Engel was 28-19-1-3 on the year with a 2.69 goals against average and a .893 save precentage. Williams, who was acquired from Prince Albert just before the trade deadline, had a combined record of 16-21-4-2 with a 3.78 goals against average and a .878 save percentage. He played 3 games in the playoffs last year with the Raiders, who lost in 6 games in the opening round to Saskatoon.

Special Teams

Discipline will be a huge factor in this series, especially for the Giants, who will be missing one of their best penalty killers in David Musil. The Giants were the most penalized team during the regular season and that will need to change in the post season. Spokane's power play was ranked 20th in the league at 16.8%, but comes into the playoffs with some recent success having gone 4 for 11 in their last 3 games. The Giants power play is operating at 20.2% this season. They will have to be careful on the man advantage as the Chiefs like to take some changes, having scored 14 shorthanded goals this season. As for the Giants penalty kill it was ranked 9th during the regular season at 79.6%.

HEAD TO HEAD

CHIEFS

GIANTS

38-25-5-4

Regular Season Record

40-26-2-4

23-10-1-2

Home Record

23-11-1-1

15-15-4-2

Road Record

17-15-1-3

16.8% Ranked 20th

Power Play

20.2% Ranked 14th

78.7% Ranked 11th

Penalty Kill

79.6% Ranked 9th

257

Goals For

255

225

Goals Againast

225

Brenden Kichton 74 Points

Leading Scorer

Brendan Gallagher 77 Points

Dominik Uher 33 Goals

Leading Goal Scorer

Brendan Gallagher 41 Goals

Brenden Kichton 57 Assists

Assists Leader

Marek Tvrdon 43 Assists

Darren Kramer 200 PIMS

Penalty Minutes

Wes Vannieuwenhuizen 152 PIMS

Corbin Baldwin +35

Plus/Minus

Brett Kulak +29

Mac Engel 2.69 GAA

Goals Against Average

Adam Morrison 2.82 GAA

Mac Engel .893 SV%

Save Percentage

Adam Morrison .899 SV%

WHL Western Conference Quarterfinal Schedule

Best of Seven Series

Game 1 - Friday March 23, 7:30 pm at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver

Game 2 - Saturday March 24, 7:00 pm at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver

Game 3 - Tuesday March 27, 7:05 pm at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane

Game 4 - Wednesday March 28, 7:05 pm at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane

Game 5 - Friday March 30, 7:30 pm at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver *

Game 6 - Sunday April 1, 6:00 pm at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane *

Game 7 - Wednesday April 4, 7:00 pm at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver *

* if necessary

Check out the Vancouver Giants Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 21, 2012


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