Hood Shines for Giants vs. Hometown Wheat Kings in 3-1 Win
January 19, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release
Vancouver Giants right wing Tyler Thorpe celebrates with the fans
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Rob Wilton)
Langley, B.C. - The Vancouver Giants grinded out a win on Sunday afternoon at the Langley Events Centre, getting 31 saves from rookie netminder Burke Hood in a 3-1 victory over his hometown Brandon Wheat Kings.
The win improves Vancouver's record this season to 22-16-5, while the Wheat Kings fall to 20-15-3-2.
The G-Men are 9-3-1 in their last 13 games and now just four points back of fourth place in the Western Conference. They are 6-1 in their last seven home contests, outscoring their opponents 28-15 during that span.
Adam Titlbach led the charge offensively for Vancouver with two goals - including one with 0.5 seconds to go in the first period - while Tyler Thorpe had the other Giants goal, his 17th of the season. Hood improved to 10-6-4 on the season with the victory and is now 5-1-1 in his last seven appearances.
Brandon's lone goal came off the stick of 20-year-old Marcus Nyugen on a power play.
The Giants thought they had the game's opening goal just over five minutes in on a power play, when Ty Halaburda swept a loose puck into the wide open net after some ruckus in the crease. After initially calling it a good call, the referees brought it back due to goaltender interference. To make matters worse, the Giants were given an extra minor penalty after some rough stuff following the goal, so their power play came to an end.
Just 11 seconds later, Thorpe would speed down the left wing during 4-on-4 play, blowing by everyone before snapping a shot past Carson Bjarnason to open the score (for real this time).
Hood would make a miraculous post-to-post save on Nicholas Johnson moments later to keep the game at 1-0.
In the dying seconds of the opening period, Brandon's point shot got blocked, leading to a breakaway from Titlbach with the clock quickly ticking down. The Czechia native quickly let a wrist shot go from the high slot that zipped over the glove of Bjarnason to the top corner with 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
The Giants were whistled for three consecutive penalties to begin the second period.
On the second kill, Brandon cut the Giants lead in half off a one-timer from Nguyen.
More second period stops from Hood kept the score at 2-1 after 40 minutes.
Brandon fired 11 shots on goal in the third period, but Hood continued to stand tall, and with under five minutes left in the game, Titlbach got another breakaway, this time after picking off a pass inside the Giants blue line. He had loads of time to decide what to do, and went with a deke to the backhand, before roofing the puck upstairs to make it 3-1, which stood up as the final score.
THEY SAID IT
"For me, it was kind of a strange game. We had a hard time getting any type of sustained pressure. Penalties certainly played a part of it, it broke momentum and a little bit of rhythm with our group and then we got it back again. We weren't clicking as fluent as we wanted to be, but I liked how our kids found a way. These type of games here, ugly games so to speak, you have to find it, adapt throughout the course of the game. Really happy with the way they responded. Brandon's a good hockey team. They're fast. They're fast. Speed in this game puts people on their heels and they certainly did to us tonight." - Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on the game overall
"He was outstanding again this evening...What [Goaltending Coach] Paul [Fricker] does with our goaltenders: he talks about everything. Life, he talks about [different] situations, adversity, everything...his teaching makes a big difference for these kids. If you look back at the history of goalies that have come through here and how they've developed, he's done an outstanding job with these kids. He's a very hands on approach and philosophy, but more importantly he allows these kids to figure things out on their own and then when they ask questions, he's ready and prepared with an answer...[Burke] is also learning the other parts of the game, not just the technique part, but just about how to play the position, the daily grind of playing the position. Every day practice and games." - Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros on the play of Hood
"Feels really good. Obviously went in going 'just another game.' Didn't want to put too many nerves on myself and ended up coming up with the win, which was great...On Friday we had that little gap from the start, we had that lead, [but] this game was more of a tight game the whole way." - Giants Goaltender Burke Hood
STATISTICS
SOG: VAN - 10/7/3 = 20 | BDN - 12/9/11 = 32
PP: VAN- 0/1 | BDN - 1/5
Face-Offs: VAN - 21 | BDN - 29
3 STARS
1st: VAN - Burke Hood - 31 Saves on 32 Shots
2nd: VAN - Tyler Thorpe - 1G, 4 SOG,+1
3rd: VAN - Adam Titlbach - 2G, 2 SOG, +2
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Vancouver: WIN - Burke Hood (31 saves / 32 shots)
Brandon: LOSS - Carson Bjarnason (17 saves / 20 shots)
THIS AND THAT
Goaltender Burke Hood is now 5-1-1 in eight appearances since the holiday break with a .939 save percentage and 2.10 goals-against average
With two goals, Adam Titlbach is now one goal away from doubling his output from his rookie season, when he had nine goals in 66 games. This season, he has 17 goals and 32 points in 43 games and has now surpassed his point total from last season (30)
With an assist, captain Mazden Leslie is now riding a seven-game point streak (3G-9A) and has 17 points in his last 11 games (3G-14A)
With an assist, 16-year-old defenceman Ryan Lin increased his point streak to five games (1G-7A)
UPCOMING
Date Opponent Time Location
Tuesday, January 21 Seattle 7:05 PM PST Accesso Showare Center
Saturday, January 25 Kelowna 6:05 PM PST Prospera Place
Sunday,January 26 Swift Current 4:00 PM PST Langley Events Centre
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