In three back-to-back games against the Victoria Royals this weekend, the Langley-based Vancouver Giants couldn’t catch a break.
In the trio of night-time games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, the G-Men couldn’t pull out a win.
The first game Friday night on home ice at Langley Events Centre, the Giants lost 6-4.
Then, Saturday in the Save-On-Food Memorial Centre in Victoria, they were beaten again 3-1.
On Sunday, still in Victoria, they fell again 3-2.
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Friday play
During Friday’s play, Ty Ronning, Matt Barberis, Johnny Wesley, and Calvin Spencer scored for Vancouver.
Vladimir Bobylev opened the scoring for the Royals with a power play marker in the first period, knocking a rebound past Giants starter Ryan Kubic from the slot.
Ronning equalized for the G-Men after the midway mark of the second period, tapping a loose puck into the Victoria net after James Malm batted it to him out of mid-air, said Giants media relations director Brendan Batchelor.
Jack Walker scored a pair of power play goals to put the visitors up 3-1 before Barberis beat Victoria goaltender Griffen Outhouse on a clean shot from the slot in the final minute of the middle frame.
Matthew Phillips bulged the twine less than a minute into the third period, but Wesley made it a one-goal game again, bagging a power play marker on a one-timer from the slot. Dante Hannoun and Scott Walford added power play goals of their own later in the final frame, and Spencer scored his 13th of the season for the Giants with under two minutes remaining in the game.
The Royals went 5-for-6 on the power play and out shot Vancouver 47-27.
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Saturday defeat
The two teams met again Saturday night in Victoria.
Again, Saturday night, Royal’s Bobylev opened the scoring 90 seconds into the game, tipping home a centring feed from Matt Phillips as he drove hard to the net.
Vladimir Bobylev opened the scoring for the Royals 90 seconds into the game, tipping home a centring feed from Matt Phillips as he drove hard to the net.
Jared Dmitriw extended the Victoria lead later in the stanza when he chipped a rebound past Giants goalie David Tendeck after helping to force a turnover at the Vancouver blue line.
Dmitriw scored again just before the midway mark of the second period on a clean shot from the slot. Spencer put the G-Men on the board with a power play goal, wiring a wrist shot past Griffen Outhouse from the right circle, later in the middle frame, Batchelor said.
This time, the Giants out shot Victoria 32-23 in the losing cause. Vancouver went 1-for-3 on the power play.
Weekend wraps up
The same two teams met again Sunday, and again in Victoria.
Johnny Wesley put Vancouver ahead, opening the scoring by hammering a rebound past Victoria goalie Dylan Myskiw from the slot. It was his tenth marker of the season.
The Royals struck quickly, scoring two goals in a span of 39 seconds in the second period, to take the lead. Jared Dmitriw beat goalie Ryan Kubic on a hard drive to the net while the teams were playing 4-on-4.
Moments later, Dante Hannoun scored a power play marker to give Victoria a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Vladimir Bobylev bagged another power play goal in the first minute of the third period, to make it 3-1 before Bartek Bison tallied his first goal as a Giant, redirecting a Ty Ronning shot into the goal from the top of the crease.
The G-Men were awarded a power play in the last minute of the game and pulled Kubic in favour of an extra attacker, but they couldn’t tie the score.
Vancouver went 0-for-5 on the power play while the Royals were 2-for-8 on their man advantage.
Victoria out shot the Giants 38-26.
Next up
The Giants return home on Wednesday, March 1 against the Portland Winterhawks. The game will get underway at 7 p.m. That’s the Fill the Rink (for Basics for Babies) night where guests are asked to bring a minimum $10 donation for a chance to meet a country music artist and Langley boy, Dallas Smith.
For tickets, people can call 604-444.2687.
Behind the scenes
In the midst of this busy weekend on ice, Giants management were also busy behind the scenes.
General manager Glen Hanlon announced Saturday that the G-Men have signed a young Saskatchewan defenceman.
Austin King-Cunningham, 16, made his Western Hockey League debut in Victoria Saturday night, and earned his first WHL point with an assist in Bison’s goal on Sunday night.
“We’re excited to add Austin to our group,” Hanlon said. “He’s a big, physical defenceman who we hope can bring some added edge and grit to our back end.”
King-Cunningham said he was “pretty” excited.
“I was a listed kid and never drafted, so it’s pretty special signing a contract in this league, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
King-Cunningham, who hails from Pilot Butte, Sask., has three goals and eight assists in 33 games with the Battlefords Stars this season. The 6 ft. 1 in., 183-lb. blue liner leads the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League in penalty minutes with 161.
