(Langley, B.C.) The Vancouver Giants (42-14-2-2) were chasing the Kelowna Rockets (26-30-4-1) for much of the first half of their wild, goal-filled hockey game Friday night. Despite the Rockets taking four different, one-goal leads, the Giants never went away and finally pulled up next to, then passed the Rockets for a 7-4 win.
“I didn’t think we were good early on but we came on… we have confidence right now in how we play and confidence in each other,” Giants head coach Michael Dyck said about the game.
Milos Roman led the way for the Giants with a goal and three assists for four points. This was his second career four-point game in the WHL with his last being back on September 29th, 2017.
“It was a crazy first period. The first 10 minutes were very big for us. We found a way back and it was a huge two points in our conference,” Roman said about the start.
As for his big night, the Slovakian import said he was just sticking to the basics.
“I just tried to play my game. I didn’t change anything. I just tried to keep moving my feet and tried to find my teammates and create some space.”
Vancouver is now 6-0-0-1 against Kelowna this season. Their lone loss to the Rockets came in the shootout back on January 27th in Langley.
While the Giants have their spot in the B.C. Division playoff bracket secure, the Rockets are battling for their playoff lives. They came out desperate to start the game and had four goals in the first 24:47 of gameplay.
After import defenseman Lassi Thomson drew a penalty, the Rockets opened the scoring.
Just nine seconds into the ensuing power play, Nolan Foote hammered a one-timer off a set up by Thomson for his 32nd goal of the year.
The Giants had an answer though as defenseman Seth Bafaro put a low wrist shot towards the net and Nick Draffin tipped the puck by Kelowna goalie James Porter.
The marker was Draffin’s first ever in the WHL, in his 12th game.
“I just parked myself in front of the net and got a stick on the shot. That’s how it goes,” Draffin said about the goal.
The defenseman, who has had to play as a forward recently with injuries up front for the Giants, is starting to feel more comfortable.
“Being in the offensive position has helped me work on my skill a little bit. Being able to be up in the play and get some more shots.”
Immediately the Rockets went right back up by one. Their second goal of the night was also set up by Thomson. This time it was his own one-timer that created the Kelowna goal. Vancouver goalie David Tendeck stopped his shot but could not turn away the Mark Liwiski follow up.
The goal was Liwiski’s 10th this season. He has two in as many games.
The Giants tied the game with another goal off a turnover. Roman flew up the ice on a two-on-two but had the presence of mind to wait for the trailing Dallas Hines.
The former Kootenay ICE blue liner buried his ninth this season, tying the game.
“We can score. The key is sticking with our game plan. It turned into a run and gun game at times,” Dyck said.
Vancouver had 11 straight shots in response to being down 2-1. At one point they trailed 10-1 in shots, at another they were up 12-10.
When the game finally settled down enough for a whistle and a very late media timeout, it was the Rockets who made the most of the break and took the lead back.
Off a turnover in the Giants zone, Leif Mattson found Foote at the back post and it was 3-2 Rockets. That is how the first would end.
Vancouver once again tied the game. Just 1:15 into the second, Alex Kannok-Leipert took a feed from Roman and drilled a shot by Porter’s right side for his third this season.
Then for the fourth time in the game, Kelowna took a one-goal lead. Kaedan Korczak’s shot off the rush was stopped by Tendeck but the rebound eluded everyone. Except rookie Alex Swetlikoff that is. The 2001-born forward tracked the puck down and buried his fourth this season for the 4-3 lead.
The goal was an odd one and was the fourth puck to elude the Arizona Coyotes draft pick on the night. After four goals allowed in less than 25 minutes of game action, he settled down. Tendeck ended up stopping 35-of-39.
Rinse-repeat. The Giants tied the game back up 7:37 later. Jadon Joseph collected a pass on the low left wing and sneaked a shot by Porter. His 18th of the season ended Porter’s night.
The Bonners Ferry, Idaho native allowed four goals on 27 shots. Roman Basran came on in relief.
He was greeted with another Vancouver goal, this one giving them their first lead of the night. On the power play, Bowen Byram skated in down low and found Roman at the back post.
In the third, the Giants kept the pressure on. Midway through the final frame, Davis Koch’s shot found its way to Basran and after Tristen Nielsen created another rebound, Koch followed up for the 6-4 Vancouver lead and his 25th this season. Koch had a goal and two assists for three points.
After Basran exited for an extra attacker and Jared Dmytriw thrice missed the vacant net, Nielsen finally found it to close out the scoring at 7-4.
The Rockets now have to head back home to entertain another top-three team in the Western Conference – the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday and Sunday. They remain five points up on the Kamloops Blazers for third in the B.C. as the Blazers lost 6-4 at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds. Kamloops has one game in hand.
Vancouver now faces those desperate Blazers for three straight. They play tomorrow night, Sunday and Wednesday. “We know they are going to come at us with a sense of urgency. Their season hangs in the balance. They have lots to play for,” Dyck said.
Giant steps:
-Dawson Holt returned to the lineup. He played his first game since January 26th. He had been out with a lower body injury.
-Yannik Valenti also returned after being out since February 18th after an upper body ailment.
-Forwards Brayden Watts and Evan Patrician are still out of the lineup.
-Basran stopped 12 of 14 shots in relief for the Rockets.
-Kelowna went one-for-three on the power play and Vancouver was one-for-two.
-Hines had his second multipoint night this season.
-The two rivals play twice more against each other this season.
–The Giants have not lost to a B.C. Division opponent in regulation since December 15th (4-2 in Victoria).
-Byram has six assists over last two games. He is still two goals away from having the most by a Giants defenseman since Kevin Connauton had 24 in 2009-10.
Special thanks to Caden Fanshaw and Stephen Hawco, who obtained the quotes for this recap.
