WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants and Chiefs ready to Battle on Friday night

Published on February 4, 2009 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


VANCOUVER BC - Get ready for the biggest Western Conference matchup of the season, as the 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup Champions, the Vancouver Giants, take on the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup Champions, the Spokane Chiefs, for the first time since April 2008 when the Chiefs eliminated the defending Champion Giants and went on to claim the most prestigious trophy in Major Junior Hockey.

The Giants are 44-4-0-3 on the season and an impressive 21-3-0-1 on the road. Vancouver is currently on an eight game winning streak, with their last loss on the road being on January 16, a 6-3 setback at the hands of the Calgary Hitmen. The Giants clinched a playoff spot in just 46 games, a WHL record. Vancouver has a 28 point lead over the Kelowna Rockets in the BC Division and a 16 point lead over the Tri City Americans in the race for the Western Conference Title.

The Spokane Chiefs are 33-14-0-3 on their season and 20-6 at the Spokane Memorial Arena. Spokane is on a season high eleven game winning streak and last lost a game back on January 3rd, a 2-1 edging by Portland in Spokane. The Chiefs are comfortably in third place in the Western Conference, six points up on fourth place Kelowna, while six points back of the Tri City Americans for second in the Conference and first place in the US Division.

Over their past four games, the Spokane Chiefs are 4-0 and have outscored the opposition 26-5, including back to back shutouts in their past two games. Over those four games, forward Drayson Bowman has scored twelve points, (five goals and seven assists). For his efforts, Bowman was awarded the BOSTON PIZZA PLAYER WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD. Bowman, 19, is a 2007 NHL Draft Pick (3rd round, 72nd overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Over their eight game win streak, Casey Pierro-Zabotel has seperated himself from the pack in the WHL scoring race. Casey has scored sixteen points (five goals and eleven assists) during the streak. Pierro-Zabotel, 20, is a 2007 NHL Draft Pick (3rd round, 80th overall) of the Pittsburgh Penguins. For his efforts over the past month, Pierro-Zabotel was awarded the HUSKY WHL PLAYER OF THE MONTH for January, and scored 28 points (9 goals and 19 assists) for the month.

These two teams have many things in common:

1) They are the last two teams in the CHL to win the Memorial Cup, Vancouver in 2007, Spokane in 2008.

2) Spokane is first in the WHL in goals against, allowing only 93 goals in 50 games (1.86 GAA). Vancouver is 2nd in the WHL in goals against, allowing 102 goals in 51 games (2.00 GAA).

3) The Giants have the #2 ranked power play in the WHL, scoring 74 goals in 273 chances for a 27.1% efficiency. The Spokane Chiefs are 3rd on the PP in the WHL with 52 goals on 206 chances for a 25.2% efficiency. Spokane is #2 at home on the power play this season while Vancouver is #2 on the road.

4) The Giants penalty kill is first in the WHL on the road, allowing only 11 goals on 120 chances for nearly a 91% success rate. The Spokane Chiefs are #1 at home on the penalty kill, allowing just 12 goals at home all season on 120 chances for a 90% success rate.

5) Chiefs goalie Dustin Tokarski is first in the WHL a 1.75 GAA while Giants keeper Tyson Sexsmith is second with a 2.11 GAA. Tokarski is first in the league in save percentage with a .944 save percentage while Sexsmith is 2nd in the WHL with 30 wins. Tokarski has the triple crown for goalies, first in goals against average, save percentage and shutouts (6). Sexsmith is third in shutouts with four goose eggs so far.

Other notes:

Vancouver holds down six of the top eight plus/minus ratings in the WHL. Brent Regner (+55) leads all player in the WHL, while Casey Pierro-Zabotel (+53), and Jonathon Blum (+48) hold down the top three spots. Garry Nunn (5th, +38), Evander Kane (6th, +37) and Craig Schira (8th, +33) round out the Giants in this category.

Evander Kane is 3rd in the WHL in goals scored with 33 in just 40 games. With 21 games left on the season, Kane is on pace for 50 goals. The Giants team record for goals is 43 set by Adam Courchaine in the 02-03 season.

The Giants have already set a number of individual and team records this season:

- The Giants clinched a WHL playoff berth in just 46 games, eclipsing the 48 games it took the Everett Silvertips to clinch a playoff berth in the 2006-07 season.

- Tyson Sexsmith is now the all time career shutout leader in the CHL with 24 (and counting). Sexsmith passed the record of Leland Irving of Everett and Brian Bridges of the Seattle Thunderbirds, which both shared at 21 shutouts.

- Casey Pierro-Zabotel now holds the Giants record for assists in a season (62 and counting) and points in a season (89 and counting).

The Giants will hit the road for three games in three nights in three cities, beginning with the Spokane Chiefs on Friday night. You can catch all the WHITE SPOT GIANTS HOCKEY action on AM 650. The pre-game show will begin at 6:30 pm, puck drop at 7 pm from the Spokane Veteran's Memorial Arena. Dave Sheldon will have the call of all Giants games home and away, all season long...

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2009


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