Sparks' 4-Goal Game Leads Giants Past Royals
Published on September 10, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Vancouver Giants News Release
Vancouver Giants celebrate a goal against the Royals
(Vancouver Giants, Credit: Rob Wilton)
Ladner, B.C. - Vancouver Giants forward Tyus Sparks scored four times on Tuesday night - including the game-winner - in a 7-4 preseason victory over the Victoria Royals at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
Ethan Mittelsteadt and Louis-Oscar Holowaychuk also each scored in regulation, while Blake Chorney iced the game with an empty-net goal with 23 seconds left in regulation. Sparks finished the night with five points (4G-1A), eight shots on goal and +5 rating. Ryan Lin recorded three assists and Cameron Schmidt had two assists, with each of them playing in their first preseason game.
The Giants are now 3-0-0 in the preseason, with wins over Kamloops, Penticton and Victoria.
Vancouver's power play went 2-for-5 on Tuesday, while their penalty kill went 9-for-10.
Caleb Matthews found the back of the net twice for Victoria, with Layne Schofield and Owen McCarthy each scoring once.
GAME SUMMARY
The Giants opened the scoring 68 seconds in when Mittelsteadt simply threw the puck to the net from the left side boards that somehow squeaked through.
Schofield tied the game just 1:04 later for the visitors.
McCarthy then gave Victoria their first and only lead of the game a few minutes later.
With 8:12 remaining in a hectic first period, Holowaychuk, playing in his first WHL preseason game, caused a turnover just inside the Royals blueline and found room to fire a shot past the glove of goaltender Cole Prelusky to tie the game 2-2.
Less than three minutes later, Schmidt made a great seam pass on the power play to Sparks, who ripped it home to put Vancouver back ahead.
Sparks then added his second of the period when he timed a rebound perfectly to easily tap in the loose puck.
After one period, the Giants held a 4-2 lead.
The second period only saw a single goal, with Matthews cutting Vancouver's lead to 4-3.
With less than eight minutes left in the third period, Sparks put the G-Men back ahead by two, when he unloaded a rocket of a one-timer from the top of the left circle to complete the hat-trick.
Twenty-one seconds after Matthews made it a one-goal game again, Sparks hit the empty-net to make the score 6-4. Chorney then sealed it with another empty-net goal.
STATISTICS
SOG: VAN - 18/13/9 = 40 | VIC - 8/14/10 = 32
PP: VAN- 2/5 | VIC - 1/10
Face-Offs: VAN - 48 | VIC - 30
GOALTENDING BATTLE
Vancouver: WIN - Owen Lunneborg (28 saves / 32 shots)
Victoria: LOSS - Ethan Eskit (19 saves /21 shots) + Cole Prelusky (14 saves / 18 shots)
UPCOMING
The exhibition schedule wraps up tomorrow night at Jon Baillie Arena in Port Coquitlam with a rematch against the Royals.
Tickets for Wednesday's game in Port Coquitlam are on sale now for $16 including tax and can be purchased.
Giants single game tickets are NOW ON SALE! For the best value, grab your season ticket package, starting as low as $18.26 per game. Flex packs start at just $135 and come in six,12 or 36-ticket packs. Call the Giants Office at 604.4.GIANTS (+1 (604) 444-2687) or contact the Giants at: sales@vancouvergiants.com.
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