Giants Edged 4-3 by Chiefs on Wednesday
February 27, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release
Vancouver Giants centre Adam Titlbach vs. the Spokane Chiefs
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Larry Brunt)
Spokane, WA - The Vancouver Giants were literally inches away from getting a point out of a hard-fought road game on Wednesday night against the Spokane Chiefs, but lost 4-3 in regulation after Ty Halaburda's shot in the final minute with the extra attacker hit the post.
The loss drops Vancouver's record this season to 28-23-7-0, while Spokane picked up their 40th win and are now 40-17-1-1
Wednesday's game was tight throughout, knotted 0-0 after 20 minutes and 2-2 after 40 minutes, before the Chiefs took a 4-2 lead that was eventually cut to 4-3.
Burke Hood was fabulous in net for Vancouver, finishing the night with 44 saves, which tied a career-high. Tyler Thorpe and Connor Levis scored goals 26 seconds apart in the second period, while Adam Titlbach (26th) scored with 5:15 left in the third period to make it a one-goal game.
Vancouver held the line of Berkly Catton, Andrew Cristall and Shea Van Olm to a single point combined, with Van Olm scoring his league-leading 48th goal of the season. Mathis Preston, Chase Harrington and Coco Armstrong had the other Chiefs goals.
GAME SUMMARY
Hood kept the Giants in the game early, holding off a Chiefs surge with 14 first period saves.
Spokane would score the game's first off a lucky bounce 6:59 into period two, when defenceman Sage Weinstein's shot went off his teammate Preston and into the net.
A few minutes later, the Giants would score two goals 26 seconds apart.
First, in the dying seconds of a penalty kill, Levis led a 2-on-1 up ice, with Thorpe hustling to join him and head to the net. Levis gave him a perfect pass, which he lifted over a sprawling Cowan to tie the game 1-1.
It was Thorpe's sixth shorthanded goal of the season, tied for the most in the WHL.
On the very next shift, Cameron Schmidt would spot an open Levis in the left circle, who tried to throw the puck to Muranov in front of the net. Instead, it snuck underneath Cowan to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead.
Before the second period came to a close, Spokane's Harrington got the equalizer to make it 2-2 after 40 minutes.
Van Olm and Amrstrong scored third period goals less than four minutes apart to make it a 4-2 Chiefs lead with 11:41 remaining in regulation.
With only 5:15 left in the third period, Lin blocked a Cristall wrist shot and beat him to a loose puck all the way at the Chiefs blue line, where he was then able to find Titlbach open for a clear cut breakaway. Titlbach made no mistake for his 26th goal of the season and ninth goal in his last 11 games.
The Giants were only able to get Hood out for the extra attacker with about 60 seconds remaining, and they had one good chance, with Halaburda getting an open shot from the bottom of the right circle. However, it hit the post and stayed out, giving the Chiefs a 4-3 win.
STATISTICS
SOG: VAN - 9/10/11 = 30 | SPO - 14/15/19 = 48
PP: VAN- 0/4 | SPO - 0/3
Face-Offs: VAN - 27 | SPO - 38
3 STARS
1st: SPO - Owen Martin - 1G, 2 SOG, +2
2nd: SPO - Mathis Preston - 1G, 1A, 2 SOG, +1
3rd: VAN - Connor Levis - 1G, 1A, 2 SOG, +1
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Vancouver: LOSS - Burke Hood (44 saves / 48 shots)
SPOKANE: WIN - Dawson Cowan (27 saves / 30 shots)
THEY SAID IT
"I thought we fought hard tonight. We competed hard. Liked a lot of things we did. Like you said, we had our fair share of chances. There's a lot of positives that we'll take from tonight. I thought our guys really competed and battled." - Giants Associate Coach Adam Maglio on the game overall
"We're trying to keep them on the perimeter. They're a real east-west team, right? They want to look off shots and look for seam plays coming through and then they create a lot of low to high traffic at the net. I thought for the most part, our guys did a really good job just kind of keeping them to the outside on the majority of the shifts. Obviously they're going to get some looks. That's a highly skilled team over there, but we had Hood. Hood was outstanding tonight. He made key saves at key moments. Kept us in the game and like you said, we get a real good look with the empty net and unfortunately it doesn't go in." - Giants Associate Coach Adam Maglio on defending the league's highest scoring team
"I thought Lipinski was great tonight. For the most part we're trying to match him against the Catton line. I thought that whole line actually was really, really good with Thorpe and Muranov. And then I thought Lin, again, another real consistent player for us, just the little things that he does out there to nullify plays. And obviously makes that great play, wins that footrace to Titlbach. I thought those guys with the matchup against a real good line, did a really good job." Giants Associate Coach Adam Maglio on standouts
UPCOMING
Date Opponent Time Location
Friday, February 28 Tri-City 7:05 PM PST Toyota Center
Saturday, March 1 Everett 6:05 PM PST Angel of the Winds Arena
Sunday, March 2 Wenatchee 4:00 PM PST Langley Events Centre
Images from this story
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