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WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants Get Two Goals from Schmidt in 4-2 Win Over Rockets

January 21, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Vancouver Giants' Cameron Schmidt on game night
Vancouver Giants' Cameron Schmidt on game night
(Vancouver Giants)

Langley, B.C. - Cameron Schmidt had two goals, Sam Honzek had two assists and Brett Mirwald made 30 saves for the Vancouver Giants in a 4-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets on Sunday afternoon in front of 4,447 fans at the Langley Events Centre.

The Giants are now 5-3 since the calendar switched to 2024, while their overall record improves to 18-24-2-0. Kelowna falls to 21-20-2-0 this season.

Other than Schmidt's two goals (12th, 13th), scoring for the Giants was Mazden Leslie (10th) and Tyler Thorpe (21st).

Kelowna got goals from Kayden Longley and Trae Johnson.

GAME SUMMARY:

The Rockets opened the scoring in this one, on Longley's third of the season at the 6:14 mark of the first period.

It took the Giants less than a minute to respond, after Colton Alain's shot from the right point created a rebound for Schmidt, who made no mistake at the side of the goal for his 12th of the year.

Just under three minutes later, Leslie gave the Giants their first lead of the game, after he banked it off goaltender Jake Pilon's shoulder and into the back of the net to make it 2-1.

After one period, the Giants had a 2-1 edge.

Neither team would score in the second period.

Vancouver was able to extend their lead 4:44 into the third period, after Thorpe knocked down a pass at center and fed a pass up to Ty Halaburda, who quickly snapped a shot towards the net. Although the shot missed high, it ricocheted off the end glass and landed in front for Thorpe, who easily whacked it home for his team-leading 21st goal of the season.

Johnson responded for the Rockets just one minute later to cut Vancouver's lead to 3-2, but it was the Giants who then stole the momentum right back, as Schmidt netted his second of the game 51 seconds after Kelowna's goal to restore the two-goal advantage.

Honzek had the primary assist on Schmidt's 13th of the season, as he made a no-look backhand pass from the right corner to Schmidt at the far side post.

Although the Rockets fired 12 shots on the goal in the third period overall, they didn't generate much at all late when down by two, as the Giants easily held on for the 4-2 win.

THEY SAID IT

"I think the biggest part of our game that has improved over the last little while here has been our track game. Our players have been really conscientious of when there's a puck turned over, our forwards are coming back. [When we] look at the game film after a game, we've got five guys in the picture. And if there is a breakdown, there's layers there to protect them." - Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on defending

"I like where we're going. The kids are understanding what we have to do on a nightly basis to be successful. This two-game set against Kelowna was very important. I thought the other night we played very well for the most part, outside of the shorthanded goals, but we were right there. And then tonight too, I thought for the most part we controlled the game for the full 60 minutes here, so that was very, very encouraging. The guys are getting it; understanding it. I said to the guys after the game: if a guy gets eight or nine, 10 minutes of ice, another guy get 15, another guy gets 23 or 24, every one of those minutes are important for our hockey club and everyone is contributing, so that's a real positive. I really like where we're going right now." - Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on momentum

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN - 7/8/9 = 24 | KEL - 12/8/12 = 32

PP: VAN - 0/3 | KEL - 0/3

Face-Offs: VAN - 32 | KEL - 31

3 STARS

1st: VAN - Cameron Schmidt - 2G, 4 SOG, +2

2nd: VAN - Sam Honzek - 2A, 1 SOG, +2

3rd: VAN - Brett Mirwald - 30 Saves on 32 Shots

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: WIN - Brett Mirwald (30 saves / 32 shots)

Kelowna: Loss - Jake Pilon (20 saves / 24 shots)

NEXT GAME:

The Giants play the Victoria Royals three consecutive times next weekend, starting on Friday, January 26 at home at 7 p.m. Then they'll travel to the Island for two more on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Check out the Vancouver Giants Statistics




Images from this story

Vancouver Giants' Cameron Schmidt on game night
Vancouver Giants' Cameron Schmidt on game night
   



Western Hockey League Stories from January 21, 2024


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