Virk's Overtime Winner Lifts Americans Over Giants
WHL Tri-City Americans

Virk's Overtime Winner Lifts Americans Over Giants

Published on November 22, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release


Vancouver, B.C. - The Tri-City Americans (10-9-2-0) tied the game in the final minute with the goaltender out for the extra attacker before Savin Virk scored the overtime winner, giving the Americans a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Giants (9-13-1-1) at the Langley Events Centre.

Tri-City came out of the gate as the better team, quickly racking up a 7-1 shot advantage in the opening minutes. That also included Gavin Garland hitting the crossbar on a 2-on-1 rush.

Vancouver eventually got their footing under them and started to push back, but neither team could find the back of the goal in the first period as the two teams went to the intermission scoreless. Shots were 12-7 Americans.

Early in the middle frame Vancouver took the lead. Colton Alain let a long shot go from the right point that was deflected by Brett Olson in front of the net, giving the Giants a 1-0 lead 1:05 into the game.

That goal put Tri-City on their heels as Vancouver controlled play for a long stretch, but Ryan Grout stood tall to keep the deficit at one. Just before the halfway mark of the period the Americans tied the game.

After Grady Martin recovered the puck on the forecheck, he slid it over to Mason Mykichuk behind the Vancouver goal. Mykichuk skated out toward the right faceoff circle before quickly firing the puck on net, catching Burke Hood off guard and tying the game with his second of the year.

Much like Vancouver's goal, the Americans started dominating play for the next few minutes as the ice tilted in Tri-City's favour, but they weren't able to take the lead.

The Americans killed off a penalty in the second period as the two teams went to the locker room tied 1-1 with the shots 27-18 Tri-City.

Crew Martinson gave the Americans their first lead of the game six minutes into the third. After a strong forecheck by Jake Gudelj had him recover the puck and work it to the blue line, Jakub Vanecek fired it toward the net.

Hood made the save by the rebound bounced out to his right and Martinson was able to bang it in for his third goal of the year 5:59 into the third.

The lead didn't last very long however as Tyus Sparks scored a power play goal just 2:15 later to tie the game at two. The teams were deadlocked for seven minutes before Vancouver took a late lead.

Ryan Lin was the trailer on a 3-on-2 rush, taking the drop pass and firing a shot that hit the underside of Grout's left pad and slid over the goal line with 4:58 left in regulation.

As the clock crept towards the final minute, Tri-City pulled Grout for the extra attacker. After a faceoff win in the Giants zone, Savin Virk fed the puck to Vanecek at the midpoint and he wired a wrist shot through traffic and past Hood to tie the game with 51 seconds remaining.

Tri-City won the opening faceoff to start overtime and Vancouver would never touched the puck. Virk weaved his way into the Giants zone on the left wing before cutting across to the right circle and firing a shot over the glove of Hood to end the game with his eighth of the season.

The Americans now head home to start another four-game homestand, beginning by hosting the Kelowna Rockets (11-7-3-1) Friday night.

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Western Hockey League Stories from November 22, 2025


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