This team is starting to find their groove.
The Vancouver Giants defeated the Portland Winterhawks for the first time since February 14th, 2018 by a score of 3-1 and in turn earned themselves their third consecutive win.
The opening period saw all of the Giants offence occur and was also arguably the best period of hockey the team has played this season.
“Heck of a start for us,” head coach Michael Dyck said following his team’s win that improves them to 10-8-1-0 on the year.
“I thought we started well and had a great first period. Second period we lost a little bit with some penalties but we got it back in the third.”
Vancouver saw goals from Lukas Svejkovsky, Tanner Brown (First WHL goal) and Evan Patrician.
Brown, a defenceman who has been playing forward, has shown his versatility since last season which has been keeping him in the lineup with the deep defensive core the Giants have.
◾️◾️KEEP THE PUCK @browninator24 ◾️◾️ pic.twitter.com/ixgPeFGIp2
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) November 9, 2019
“I’m just happy to get a win, its been a long time against these guys, I think everyone is pretty happy. Pretty happy for my first goal but more happy on the outcome of the game,” Brown said postgame.
The Giants have recently been getting some of the secondary scoring that they have lacked in, specifically from Evan Patrician. The sophomore forward is currently on a four game point streak, producing a goal and four assists.
The Calgary native has six points on the season now and is on pace to smash his nine-point total in 49 games last season.
Dyck has taken notice of the guys you maybe don’t hear about every night.
“From top to bottom I thought we were pretty good, starting with our goaltender. We had some good minutes from Zack Ostapchuk and Nic Draffin, I thought played pretty solid for us. Evan Patrician, we got some offence from and Lukas (Svejkovsky) but thought they were good on both sides of the puck.”
New York Islanders fifth round pick Reece Newkirk snapped Trent Miner’s bid at the shutout with 5:18 remaining in regulation.
The two teams go to battle for the second consecutive night down in Portland, an arena that is notoriously hard to leave with two points. Dyck expects a tougher game from Mike Johnston’s team the second time around.
“Probably a little more of what we saw in the third period. They started to press more and I think that’s what we prepared for anyways. We know how well they play at home and its going to be a tough building to go into tomorrow but we have to go in with the same game plan and effort.”
The Giants next home game goes next Saturday when they host the Prince George Cougars.
