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WHL Vancouver Giants

Giants' PK Goes 7-For-7 in 4-3 Win Over Chiefs

December 3, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Vancouver Gants' Mazden Leslie
Vancouver Gants' Mazden Leslie
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Larry Brunt)

Spokane, WA - The Vancouver Giants won their second consecutive road game on Sunday night, defeating the Spokane Chiefs 4-3 thanks to 39 saves from Brett Mirwald, a penalty kill that went 7-for-7 and a shorthanded game-winning-goal from defenceman Mazden Leslie.

With the win, the Giants' record improves to 11-15-2-0 this season.

Contributing the other goals for Vancouver was Logen Hammett (3rd), Tyler Thorpe (12th) and Colton Langkow (4th). Captain Sam Honzek was named the first star with a three-assist performance.

Scoring for the Chiefs was Chase Bertholet (5th), Berkly Catton (16th) and Ty Cheveldayoff (3rd).

GAME SUMMARY:

The only goal of the first period came courtesy of Hammett, who walked into the high slot off an offensive zone face-off and ripped a shot past the blocker side of Dawson Cowan at the 16:35 mark.

After 20 minutes, the Giants led 1-0, while the Chiefs had the edge in shots on goal 13-9.

Just over eight minutes into the second period, the Giants power play came through, after Thorpe fired a quick shot from the left circle that just squeaked under the arm of Cowan and into the net.

Spokane responded just 21 seconds later after Bertholet was able to walk into the slot and fire a shot to the glove side to cut the Giants advantage to 2-1.

Just past the halfway mark of the second period, Vancouver was given two penalties in the same stoppage, forcing them to kill off a full two minutes of 5-on-3. They did just that, and shortly thereafter, Langkow restored their two-goal lead after Titlbach gave him a pass on an odd-man rush that he fired home.

The Giants had a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes, while the shots on goal were even 26-26.

Vancouver killed off another penalty five minutes into the third and then were whistled for another infraction at the 8:25 mark. Despite being down a man, they were the ones to score, as Leslie poked in a loose puck after his initial shot was stopped by Cowan, making the score 4-1 on his third goal of the season.

Spokane would score two goals late, including one with the extra attacker out, but big blocks from Leslie and Halaburda, as well as some key stops from Mirwald, ensured that Vancouver came away with the two points.

THEY SAID IT

"Our first two periods were good. Obviously I thought special teams played a big part in it tonight. Power play gets one, I thought the PK was good so I think honestly that was the big difference tonight. It seemed like the game had a lot of different waves to it, different momentum swings. A lot of it was based on special teams: power plays, penalty kills, but it was a gutsy win. Three-in-three trip here, I thought the guys stood in there pretty good." - Associate Coach Adam Maglio on the game as a whole

"They were on tonight and the last couple games. Obviously Mirwald - he was terrific, so your goalie is your best PKer and then the last couple games we used some new guys coming into the lineup and getting inserted in in and they just all looked comfortable tonight. It was just by committee. They did a really good job for the most part keeping that power play to the outside and I thought our forecheck set it up for us on the kill because we weren't in our zone for extended periods of time. I thought it was great, but Mirwald was terrific as well, so everyone played a big part in that. " - Associate Coach Adam Maglio on the penalty kill

STATISTICS

SOG: VAN - 9/17/9 = 35 | SPO - 13/13/16 = 42

PP: VAN - 1/3 | SPO - 0/7

Face-Offs: VAN - 38 | SPO - 39

3 STARS

1st: VAN - Sam Honzek - 3A, 4 SOG, +1

2nd: SPO - Berkly Catton - 1G, 2A, 4 SOG, +2

3rd: SPO - Chase Bertholet - 1G, 2A, 4 SOG, +3

GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver: Win - Brett Mirwald (39 saves / 42 shots)

Spokane: Loss - Dawson Cowan (31 saves / 35 shots)

NOTEWORTHY

Mirwald's win was his 9th of the season, equalling his total from last season. His 39 saves were the second most he has made in a win this season, after stopping 41 of 43 on Nov. 4 vs Kamloops. Mirwald ranks second in the WHL in saves (672)

Honzek had another multi-point game, giving him five points (2G-3A) in his first three games back. He has 18 shots on goal in three games

Leslie's goal was the first shorthanded tally of his career, which also gives him 90 career points (25G-65A)

Thorpe's goal was his 12th of the season and gives him seven points in his last seven games (3G-4A)

Jaden Lipinski had another multi-point game, giving him nine points in his last nine games (4G-5A)

Ty Halaburda had another assist on Sunday, giving him seven points in his last four games (3G-4A)

Langkow's fourth goal of the season equals his total from last year in 25 fewer games

NEXT GAME:

The Giants have a home-and-home with the Everett Silvertips next weekend as both teams host their respective Teddy Bear tosses. Vancouver will visit Angel of the Winds Arena on Friday, Dec. 8, before hosting their own Teddy Bear Toss at the LEC on Saturday, December 9 at 7 p.m.

Check out the Vancouver Giants Statistics




Images from this story

Vancouver Gants' Mazden Leslie
Vancouver Gants' Mazden Leslie
(Larry Brunt)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2023


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