(Langley, B.C.) Before being traded to Vancouver this season, Dallas Hines had not played in a Western Hockey League playoff game.
The overage defenseman had played over 200 regular season games with the Kootenay Ice, but had never set foot on post-season ice until 2019.
Checking in at 6’3 and weighing in just shy of 200 pounds, Hines has more than just defense on his mind in his early playoff showings.
He was rewarded for it in Game 5 on Friday night in Langley.
Through five career playoff games, Hines has counted a trio of points and most notably notched the game winner in Game 5 against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Hines looked like he was stapled to the ice at times in his opponents slot area, ready to pounce. When the loose puck finally did come, Hines had his shot cross the goal line, giving the Giants the lead. It was a shot Hines didn’t think twice about before sending over the line.
The Marwayne, AB native slid his second goal of the series past Seattle netminder Roddy Ross off of a Bowen Byram rebound with just under 15 minutes to go in the third period.
The goal blew the roof off the Langley Events Centre, where the 4,627 fans in attendance, burst into cheers in the exciting playoff atmosphere.
Hines credited the veterans in the dressing room for being so comfortable in the playoffs.
“All these older guys just told me what it’s like,” he said. “They’ve kind of helped me through it, and its been a good start thanks to those guys.”
It was a big moment for Hines, appearing in the playoffs in front of a big hometown crowd. He said he relished the moment.
“It feels unbelievable,” Hines said. “Just the opportunity to even be here (Vancouver) is great and I’m just going to keep riding it out.”
Hines, like the other big bodies on the roster, is enjoying a physical series in just the first round. It’s something that proved handy when the puck was in the goal mouth ready to be fed home.
Hines said one thing he’s noticed the most in the five games is just how much physical play can have an impact.
“Playoffs are physical,” he said, “and everyone’s running around finishing their checks so I think (my size) helps for sure.”
If the WHL counted hits, there’s no doubt Hines would be one of the top players on that leader board as he never seems to shy away from “playing the body”.
With men like Hines, and Dylan Plouffe producing from the back end of the Giants lineup, it’s sure to take some pressure off others.
When asked about what instructions were given from the coaching staff as far as offensive production goes, Hines pointed right to trust being a big factor, as the coaching staff isn’t too sold on just your classic stay-at-home defenders.
“They give us a long leash and they know we can all play,” Hines said. “So they kind of let us do what we do in the o-zone, and I mean, it’s been working.”
With highly offensive defenceman like Bowen Byram alongside, its sure to add to the trust factor of the coaches in your offensive zone to take risks when it feels right.
The size surely bothered Seattle enough in Game 5, as Vancouver created rush hour traffic in front of Roddy Ross all night long.
Vancouver now holds a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 against the Thunderbirds is scheduled for tonight in Kent, Washington.
