WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants Fall 5-3 to Winterhawks Friday in Portland

Published on October 20, 2018 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Vancouver, B.C. - Friday night in Portland, OR the Vancouver Giants (9-2-1-0) dropped a 5-3 decision to the Portland Winterhawks (6-3-0-1). Jake Gricius scored twice on the power play for Portland while Cody Glass added a goal and an assist. Portland struck twice in a span of a minute and 10 seconds in the back-half of the third period to help complete the Winterhawks comeback from a 3-1 deficit. James Malm, Justin Sourdif and Bowen Byram had goals for the Giants who failed to secure a point for the first time in a span of nine games.

Portland's power play finished two-for-five on the night and helped kick-start their offense in the first period at 13:22. Jake Gricius parked himself in front of the net and redirected a pass from Joachim Blichfeld past Giants starter David Tendeck to give them the 1-0 lead.

With less than a minute to go in the first, the Giants responded with a power play tally of their own. James Malm notched his team-leading ninth goal off a blistering shot from the slot that fooled Winterhawks starter Shane Farkas. Vancouver's power play would end the night one-for-four.

A pair of goals a minute and 41 seconds apart early in the second vaulted the Giants ahead 3-1. Justin Sourdif gave the Giants the lead when he knocked his own rebound past Farkas at 2:58. Then Bowen Byram snagged his fifth of the season when he whacked home a Yannik Valenti rebound at 4:39.

Portland's power play got them back within a goal at 9:45 when Gricius tucked home his second of the night off a set-up from Cody Glass. Neither team solved the other in the final 10 minutes of the second frame, which kept the score at 3-2 favoring the Giants heading into the final period. Shots were 19-17 for Portland through two.

A 70 second sequence of the third period would turn the tide for Portland. At 12:29 Portland tied the game when Cody Glass' one-timer from the left-wing circle dribbled through David Tendeck and across the red goal line.

Then, on the next shift, winger Reece Newkirk raced down the left-wing, dragged the puck to the middle and snapped a shot past the stick of Tendeck and home for his seventh of the season to move Portland ahead.

An empty net goal from Ryan Hughes at 18:57 ended all hopes of Giants comeback and helped clinch the 5-3 home-ice victory for the Winterhawks who outshot the Giants by a slim 26-25 margin.

Up next for the Giants: A rematch with the Portland Winterhawks at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday night at 7:00 PM. Saturday's game kicks off a stretch of eight straight games at home for the Vancouver Giants.

NOTES:

- With an assist, Davis Koch extended his point-streak to five games. During that span, Koch has two goals and five assists for seven points.

- The Vancouver Giants have scored a power play goal in four straight games and in seven of their last eight. During that span, the Giants have gone 10/31 with the man advantage.

- Bowen Byram has recorded points in five of his last six games. During that span he's registered four goals and four assists for eight points.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 20, 2018


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