WHL Vancouver Giants

Rockets win Series with 5-4 OT win over Giants

Published on April 28, 2009 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release


KELOWNA BC - The Vancouver Giants season is over. The Kelowna Rockets scored a 5-4 overtime victory over the G-Men to win the KAL TIRE Western Conference Final four games to two and advance to the Ed Chynoweth Cup to play the Calgary Hitmen for the WHL Title. Mikael Backlund scored the game winner at the 4 minute mark of the extra period, tipping in a Tysen Dowzak point shot past Giants keeper Tyson Sexsmith and sending the 6300 fans at the Prospera Place into pandemonium. A video review was required to verify the goal. Once reviewed, the goal stood and the Rockets would celebrate their Western Conference Championship.

Backlund's game winner would give him three goals on the night, with singles going to Cody Almond and Jamie Benn for the Rockets. Evander Kane scored twice for the Giants in a losing effort, while James Henry and the captain Jonathon Blum scored for the Giants. Brent Regner would set up three assists for the Giants as well.

The Vancouver Giants would like to express their gratitude to all of our fans, volunteers, sponsors and media partners for their support in the 2008-09. The Giants will wrap up their year with exit meetings over the next few days. Vancouver also has their eye on five major awards to be handed out at the WHL Awards Luncheon on Wednesday in Edmonton, Alberta. Casey Pierro-Zabotel has already wrapped up the Bob Clarke trophy as the WHL's leading scorer and is also up the 'Four Broncos Memorial Trophy' for league MVP. Jonathon Blum will be the Western Conference nominee for the 'Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy' as the WHL's top defender, while Giants Head Coach Don Hay is in the running for 'Dunc McCallum Trophy' as the WHL's Coach of the Year. Giants GM Scott Bonner rounds out the Giants nominations as the West nominee for the Lloys Saunders Trophy as the WHL's Executive of the Year. Don Hay has won the Saunders and McCallum awards with the Tri City Americans in 1998-99 while Bonner has been named the Top Executive in 2005-06.

The Giants will also be busy this week with the WHL Draft, to be held on Thursday, also in Edmonton. The Giants will choose 21st in the first round of this year's draft and will look to add to an enviable list of draftees that have included former Giants first round picks Mark Fistric, Gilbert Brule, Tyson Sexsmith, James Wright and Evander Kane.

You can catch all the news on the WHL AWARDS and WHL DRAFT on whl.ca and vancouvergiants.com.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2009


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