Hood Shines for G-Men on Friday, Records 3rd Shutout in 1-0 Win

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WHL Vancouver Giants

Hood Shines for G-Men on Friday, Records 3rd Shutout in 1-0 Win

March 22, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


Kamloops Blazers' Vít Záhejský battles Vancouver Giants' Colton Alain and Burke Hood
Kamloops Blazers' Vít Záhejský battles Vancouver Giants' Colton Alain and Burke Hood
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Allen Douglas)

Kamloops, B.C. - The Vancouver Giants shut out the Kamloops Blazers 1-0 on Friday night at the Sandman Centre thanks to a formidable 30-save performance from rookie goaltender Burke Hood.

It's the first time this season the Giants have won a game when scoring two or fewer goals.

The Giants improve to 33-26-8-0 on the year and remain in sixth place in the Western Conference standings with one game remaining. Vancouver doesn't know its playoff opponent quite yet because the Tri-City Americans remain three points back with two games remaining. If the Giants finish in sixth they will face Spokane; if they finish in seventh they will face Victoria, who clinched the B.C. Division with a win over Prince George on Friday.

Hood is 9-3-1 in his last 13 starts with a .939 save percentage and now has three shutouts in his rookie season (all in the second half).

Seventeen year-old Giants forward Cameron Schmidt scored the only goal from either side on Friday, becoming the first Giants player since 2017-18 to score 40 or more goals in a single season. The last to do so was Ty Ronning, who set the Giants franchise record with a 61-goal campaign as a 20-year-old that season. Schmidt leads the Giants in scoring with 40 goals and 77 points in 60 games.

Neither team could find the back of the net in the opening period, after which the shots on goal were 7-7.

Midway through the second period, Hood made a Save of the Year candidate on defenceman Samuel Borschowa, who was all alone in the right circle after taking a pass from Vit Zahejsky and had Hood down in the crease, but couldn't get the puck past his outstretched glove.

Just a couple minutes later, Schmidt broke the ice after receiving a great cross-ice pass from Halaburda and chipped it into the top corner for his 40th goal of the season.

The Blazers pushed hard in the third, creating more good looks and firing 14 shots on goal, but each and every time Hood was there, including a couple magnificent saves on Oren Shtrom and Zahejsky.

SOG : VAN - 7/14/5 = 28 | KAM - 7/9/14 = 30

PP: VAN- 0/4 | KAM - 0 /3

Face-Offs: VAN - 22 | KAM - 27 3 STARS (Graduating Blazers for Their Final Home Game)

1st: KAM - G Dylan Ernst - 164 career games

2nd: KAM - F Oren Shtrom - 235 career games

3rd: KAM - F Beau Courtney - 228 career games GOALTENDING BATTLE

Vancouver : WIN - Burke Hood (30 saves / 30 shots)

Kamloops: LOSS - Logan Edmonstone (20 saves / 21 shots). In relief in third period: Dylan Ernst (5 saves / 5 shots)

THEY SAID IT

"I thought Hood was outstanding. [He] made some great saves that kept us in the game. I thought they pushed back; Kamloops did a good job - a team that is out of the playoffs and I thought they played extremely hard tonight, so credit to them. But Hood kept us in it - he was outstanding." - Adam Maglio Associate Coach on the game overall

"It probably wasn't our best game, that's for sure. We had some good performances by certain guys for sure. Second [period] I thought was our best. I thought the third was better than the first, but I wish we had a little more push back there at the end." - Adam Maglio Associate Coach on the flow

"Schmidt getting his 40th, that's a big goal for him and well deserved, so that was really nice to see. I thought Halaburda was great tonight if we're just talking about individuals. He was on the puck all night. He had his legs going. He made a great play to Schmidt on the goal. I thought for the most part we did a good job with the inside of the ice. I thought we were keeping it pretty simple. We weren't quick enough on pucks tonight. I just didn't think our compete was where we know it can be. But again, credit to Kamloops. You're playing another team and they pushed hard tonight." - Adam Maglio Associate Coach on the positives

THIS AND THAT

Schmidt became the sixth Giant in franchise history to score 40 or more goals in a single season. He, Brendan Gallagher and Evander Kane are the only Giants to do so in their 17-year-old season. The others to score 40-plus are Ty Ronning (61), Adam Courchaine (43) and Jordan Martinook (40)

In 26 appearances since Dec. 31, Hood has a .927 save percentage

UPCOMING

The Giants wrap up the 2024-25 regular season at home game on Sunday with their Fan Appreciation game at 4 p.m.

Date Opponent Time Location

Sunday, March 23 Kelowna 4:00 PM PST Langley Events Centre

The Giants' final home game of the regular season is Sunday, March 23 against the Kelowna Rockets at 4 p.m.

Check out the Vancouver Giants Statistics




Images from this story

Kamloops Blazers' Vít Záhejský battles Vancouver Giants' Colton Alain and Burke Hood
Kamloops Blazers' Vít Záhejský battles Vancouver Giants' Colton Alain and Burke Hood
(Allen Douglas)		   

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