The Vancouver Giants are off to the second round for the first time since 2009-10, making it to the Western Conference Final where they were eliminated in six games by Tri-City.
Vancouver eliminated the Seattle Thunderbirds in six games in a hard fought series between two of the hottest teams in the WHL going into the playoffs.
The series looked as though it could possibly be a short one after Game 1 which the Giants won 7-1 and dominated. Dylan Plouffe had two goals and an assist to lead the way in the opening game. As was said in the series preview, the Thunderbirds, being the most penalized team in the league, needed to stay disciplined to give them their best shot at success. With about six seconds left in Game 1, Thunderbirds defenceman Jake Lee was given a two-game suspension for his cross check on Giants rookie Justin Sourdif. The 16-year-old, who was injured on the play did not play again for the duration of the series.
Game 2 was a whole different story. Seattle bounced back in a major way the next night, evening the series. They got the 4-1 win with rookie goaltender Roddy Ross putting up 39 saves 24 hours after allowing six goals and getting the hook. Captain Nolan Volcan had a goal and two assists in the win.
The teams split Games 3 and 4 down in Kent, with the Giants’ offense exploding again for six goals to take Game 3, 6-4. Bowen Byram and Tristen Nielsen each had a goal and two assists. Seattle also had their second suspension of the series with Cade McNelly receiving two games for a threatening gesture. The swapping of wins continued when Seattle came back from a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 thanks to a Matthew Wedman goal with 4:14 left in regulation. They sent the series back to Langley tied at two games a piece. Overage forward Sean Richards was suspended indefinitely for his check from behind on Giants forward Aidan Barfoot in Game 4 and did not play the rest of the series, along with Barfoot.
The Giants took a 3-2 series lead in what was arguably the most exciting game of the series, winning 3-2. Seattle came back from yet another multi-goal lead to tie the game at two. Then overage defenceman Dallas Hines scored his second goal of the series (both game winners) with less than five minutes left to put the Thunderbirds on the brink of elimination.
Vancouver closed the series out with a decisive 5-1 win to advance to the second round. Jadon Joseph had two goals, Davis Koch had three assists in the clinching game and captain Jared Dmytriw scored the series-clinching goal shorthanded.
This wasn’t your standard top seed versus last seed playoff series. The Seattle Thunderbirds came into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the WHL and gave the Giants just about all they could handle for most of the series. Despite what the stats say, Roddy Ross was a big reason for Seattle getting to six games, averaging 30 saves a game in the series while having just 25 games of WHL experience prior to the postseason. Import forward Andrej Kukuca led the Thunderbirds with seven points (4G, 3A) in the six games.
The Giants midseason acquisitions were key in this series with Jadon Joseph, who was acquired from Regina, is currently leading the WHL in playoff goals with six. Tristen Nielsen, who was picked up from Calgary, had six points (2G, 4A) and Dallas Hines, added from Kootenay, had two of the four game winners in the series for Vancouver.
With Victoria beating Kamloops in Game 6, there will be a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Quarter-Final. Stay tuned for the series preview and everything else along the way.
Series Notes
- Davis Koch leads the WHL in playoff scoring with 10 points (1G, 9A) in six games.
- As previously mentioned, Jadon Joseph leads the WHL in playoff goals.
- David Tendeck and Trent Miner split the goaltending duties in the first round, both earning two wins in three games.
- Per Steve Ewen, Justin Sourdif (undisclosed) skated in a non-contact jersey in practice on Monday. There is no timetable for his return.
- 2018 first round pick Zack Ostapchuk appeared in his first two WHL playoff games.
