Vancouver Giants ended their busy weekend on a high note on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 29, defeating the Kamloops Blazers 4-3 in the annual Trick or Suite Halloween-themed game.
Julian Cull, Jaden Lipinski, Justin Ivanusec and Colton Roberts all found the back of the net. Ivanusec’s goal was the first of his Western Hockey League career, while Cull’s was the first of the season. Roberts’ was the game-winner, scored on a power play at the 7:02 mark of the third period to break a 3-3 tie.
Scoring for the visitors was Dylan Sydor, Emmitt Finnie and Max Sullivan, who like Ivanusec, scored his first WHL goal.
Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros said the team is getting better at handling tight situations.
“The progression of our kids, we’re starting to see it,” Viveiros explained.
“We won two out of three, we could have won three out of three – but for me it started [Saturday]. We’re up 2-0, they came back and tied the game up, and we didn’t panic. We were a lot more calm on the bench as far as a group and the guys are getting it.”
With the victory, the Giants are now 5-6-1. Giants have now won two consecutive games for the first time this season.
The only goal of the opening period came courtesy of Giants forward Julian Cull, who found a loose puck in the crease and jammed it home for his first goal of the season.
Blazers responded with two goals in 1:19 early in the second, first Dylan Sydor on a wicked one-timer, and then Emmitt Finnie with a strong net drive.
Not long after Kamloops took a 2-1 lead, Vancouver evened the score, after Connor Dale found a streaking Jaden Lipinski on the right wing and hit him with a long pass. Lipinski came down the right side and snapped a shot short side past the glove of goaltender Jesse Sanche to tie the game 2-2.
Before the period was done, Vancouver took a 3-2 lead, after Justin Ivanusec found a rebound at the side of the goal and put it home for his first WHL goal.
Kamloops tied the game early in the third on Max Sullivan’s first WHL goal, but not long after, the Giants regained the lead, this time on a power play marker from Colton Roberts, whose one-timer stood up as the game-winner.
Vancouver’s Lipinski and Hutchison were first and third stars of the game.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Road win for Vancouver Giants
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Late in game comeback by Victoria Royals defeats Vancouver Giants
Next, Giants hit the road for two games before returning home to play Kamloops again. First up, a visit to Kennewick Wednesday, Nov. 1 to play the Tri-City Americans for the first time this season, before heading back to Wenatchee to battle the Wild Friday, Nov. 3.
Saturday, Nov. 4, they’ll host the Blazers, for the second time in six days, at 7 p.m.
