A Late Third Period Comeback Leads Rockets over Giants
April 30, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release
Vancouver Giants left wing Zack Ostapchuk (left) and centre Justin Sourdif react after a goal vs. the Kelowna Rockets
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Paige Bednorz)
Kelowna, B.C. - Thursday evening at Prospera Place in Kelowna, the Vancouver Giants (9-7) dropped a 4-3 decision to the Kelowna Rockets (7-2). Jake Lee and Mark Liwiski scored three minutes and 58 seconds apart late in the third period to help lead the Rockets to the comeback victory. Zack Ostapchuk had two goals in response for the Giants while Bryce Bader added a second period goal. Justin Sourdif chimed in with two assists for Vancouver. Trent Miner stopped 22 of the 26 Kelowna shots fired his way while Kelowna starter Roman Basran went 22-for-25. It was the fourth straight loss for the Giants.
1st Period:
VAN - 9:03 into the game, 2021 NHL Draft prospect Zack Ostapchuk buried his first goal of the game off the rush. Ostapchuk raced down the left wing, took a feed from Justin Sourdif and snapped it past Roman Basran.
VAN - 37 seconds later, Ostapchuk struck again. This time he tucked home his own rebound in close. Justin Sourdif and Colton Langkow both factored into the scoring on Ostapchuk's sixth goal of the season.
KEL - Back came the Rockets at 13:21 on a power play. With just five seconds remaining in a Giants minor penalty, Dillon Hamaliuk raced down the right wing off the rush and snuck a low shot through Trent Miner's legs. Kaedan Korczak and Nolan Flamand each earned assists.
Shots: 9-6 Kelowna
2nd Period:
KEL - 4:19 into the second period, the Rockets tied the game when rookie Turner McMillen scored on a shorthanded breakaway. McMillen's first career WHL goal was set up by Tyson Feist, and was just the second shorthanded goal surrendered by the Giants this season.
VAN - Back came the Giants at 7:40, right as a power play had expired. Bryce Bader took a pass, skated into the high slot and wired a low shot underneath the stick of Roman Basran. For Bader it was his fourth of the season and was set up by Justin Lies and Marko Stacha.
Shots: 11-6 Vancouver
3rd Period:
KEL - Jake Lee tied the game at 14:29 of the third period on a power play. Lee took a pass, split through the Giants defense and wired his second of the season past the blocker of Trent Miner. Dillon Hamaliuk added the only assist which came off a face-off victory.
KEL - Kelowna completed their comeback at 18:27 when Mark Liwiski redirected an Alex Swetlikoff pass home from in close. Trent Miner had his goal stick knocked out of his hand moments before the Rockets scored the eventual game-winning goal.
Shots: 11-8 Kelowna
GAME SUMMARY:
Final Score: Kelowna 4 - Vancouver 3
Final Shots: 26-25 Kelowna
Trent Miner: 22/26 saves for Vancouver (6-6)
Roman Basran: 22/25 saves for Kelowna (3-1)
Vancouver Power Play: 0/4
Kelowna Power Play: 2/3
3 Stars:
1) Jake Lee (KEL - 1G, 1A)
2) Zack Ostapchuk (VAN - 2G)
3) Turner McMillen (KEL - SHG)
Next Giants Game: Saturday night at 7:05 PM against Victoria from Kelowna.
NOTES:
- Thursday marked the first two-goal game of Zack Ostapchuk's WHL career.
- With two points in the game, Justin Sourdif is now back on top of the B.C. Division scoring race with 25 points.
- Colton Langkow recorded his first career WHL point with an assist on Zack Ostapchuk's first period goal. Then in the second period he was assessed a game misconduct after he dropped the gloves with Rockets defenceman Kaedan Korczak.
- The Giants are now 1-2 for the season against Kelowna.
Images from this story
Western Hockey League Stories from April 30, 2021
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- A Late Third Period Comeback Leads Rockets over Giants - Vancouver Giants
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