Giants Erase 3-0 Deficit But Fall 4-3 in Shootout to Kelowna
January 27, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release
Vancouver Giants goaltender David Tendeck vs. the Kelowna Rockets
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Vancouver)
Vancouver, B.C. - Sunday night at the Langley Events Centre the Vancouver Giants extended their regulation unbeaten streak to nine games after earning a single point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Kelowna Rockets. The Rockets at one point led Sunday's game 3-0 before the Giants managed to comeback. Rockets forward Leif Mattson recorded three assists in regulation and then added the only goal of the shootout for a Rockets team that earned their first win against the Giants in five tries. Bowen Byram, Davis Koch and Justin Sourdif had goals for the Giants who suffered their first loss since January 4th (A span of nine games). It was also the first shootout loss of the season for the Giants.
BOX SCORE
1st Period:
KEL - Mark Liwiski (4) opened the scoring at 11:31 when he converted off a Leif Mattson feed from behind the Giants goal.
KEL - Two minutes and 52 seconds later Kyle Topping (18) notched his first of two on the night off a three-on-two rush from the left-wing circle.
Shots: 12-6 Kelowna
2nd Period:
KEL - Kyle Topping (19) buried his second of the game at 7:15 when he crashed the net and deflected home a Leif Mattson pass from the right-wing.
VAN - 65 seconds later Justin Sourdif (12) got the Giants on the board when he won a race to a Bowen Byram rebound and lifted it up and over Kelowna goaltender Roman Basran. Brayden Watts earned the second assist.
VAN - Davis Koch then got in on the act, ripping home his team-leading 19th goal of the season off a slick cross-ice feed from Tristen Nielsen. Seth Bafaro earned the second assist.
Shots: 13-9 Vancouver
3rd Period:
VAN - Bowen Byram (18) tied the score for the Giants at 13:11 when he took an Owen Hardy pass, dragged the puck to his forehand and ripped a high shot past Roman Basran. Lukas Svejkovsky earned the second assist on the game-tying goal.
Shots: 14-3 Vancouver
Overtime:
No Scoring
Shots: 1-0 Kelowna
Shootout:
VAN - Davis Koch (Miss)
KEL - Kyle Topping (Miss)
VAN - Bowen Byram (Miss)
KEL - Nolan Foote (Miss)
VAN - Tristen Nielsen (Miss)
KEL - Leif Mattson (Goal)
--
Final Score: Kelowna 4 - Vancouver 3 (Shootout)
Final Shots: 33-25 Vancouver
Vancouver Power Play: 0/4
Kelowna Power Play: 0/5
David Tendeck: 22/25 saves for Vancouver (16-9-1-1)
Roman Basran: 30/33 saves for Kelowna 14-14-1-0)
3 Stars:
1. Leif Mattson (KEL - 3A + Shootout Winner)
2. Justin Sourdif (VAN - 1G)
3. Bowen Byram (VAN - 1G, 1A)
Next Giants Game: Wednesday in Kamloops against the Blazers at 7:00 PM.
NOTES:
- Despite Sunday's loss the Vancouver Giants have earned points in 17 of their 20 games so far this season against teams from the B.C. Division. Overall the Giants are 15-3-1-1 against B.C. Division competition.
- The Giants are now 3-1 in shootouts. Sunday's shootout was their first shootout since October 28th (Brandon Wheat Kings).
- With an assist on Sunday, Tristen Nielsen extended his point streak for eight games for the Giants. The 2000-born forward has three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in that span.
- The Giants are 4-0-0-1 against Kelowna through five meetings so far this season.
- With the single point the Giants now hold a 15-point lead on Victoria for first place in the B.C. Division standings.
Images from this story
Western Hockey League Stories from January 27, 2019
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