Christmas came early for the Vancouver Giants in December, as the team built a three-game winning streak that began on Dec. 16 and continued through to Tuesday’s game against the Everett Silvertips.
The team had two wins under its belt from mid-December, then returned from its Christmas break refreshed, said Giants head coach Jason McKee.
“They came back with a good frame of mind,” said McKee. “I liked their jump in the first.”
Ty Ronning managed the feat of finishing off two consecutive games in overtime, putting goals in the net against both Everett and Victoria.
McKee has often emphasized the need for a better power play – his wishes were answered three times, with the Giants going 1-4 with an additional man against Everett, 2-5 against Victoria, and 1-7 against Portland in a 6-3 victory on Dec. 16.
“We’re willing to shoot more,” McKee said. Work on special teams continues, but the team is developing more offensive depth and taking the shots whenever they can, the coach said. That’s reflected in the broader range of players scoring goals and assists over the last few games.
The Giants have improved their game despite the absence of several players.
“We’ve got a lot of injuries right now,” said McKee. Radovan Bondra was absent, playing for Slovakia at the World Juniors.
But the team has rallied together, McKee said.
Despite their better performance with the man advantage, the Giants are still relying heavily on their goaltender, Ryan Kubic, to keep them safe against teams that often outshoot them.
On Wednesday, the team headed to Everett for a rematch with the Silvertips.
Results were not available due to press deadlines.
