Langley-based Vancouver Giants improved their road record to 3-0 and their season record to 5-1 Friday with a 3-0 victory over the Cougars in Prince George.
Owen Hardy, Justin Sourdif, and Lukas Svejkovsky all scored in a 3:53 span of the third period to help secure the victory for the Giants.
Netminder David Tendeck was solid in goal stopping all 24 shots fired his way to earn his fourth career WHL shutout, recounted play-by-play broadcaster Dan O’Connor.
For a third time in four starts, Tendeck was named the game’s first star.
Taylor Gauthier stopped 22 of the 25 shots at the other side for the Cougars, who are now 2-3-0-1.
BOX SCORE
The first 40 minutes of the game yielded no scoring. In the first period the Giants outshot the Cougars 10-5, but couldn’t muster much in the way of quality chances.
Momentum favoured the Cougars in period two as they outshot the Giants 13-5.
Tendeck made a terrific save off a Josh Maser redirection in the final minute of the middle frame to keep the score knotted at 0-0.
Early in the third period, the Cougars had a two-on-one rush thwarted by a diving defensive block from newly acquired defenceman Ty Ettinger.
Seconds later the Giants grabbed the game’s first goal when Hardy’s shot from the left-wing circle found its way past the left arm of Taylor Gauthier. Hardy’s second goal of the season was assisted by James Malm who extended his point-streak to four games.
Two minutes and 13 seconds later, rookie Sourdif extended the Giants lead when he crashed the net and banged home a Milos Roman rebound from in close.
Then a minute and 40 seconds later, the Giants added some insurance when Svejkovsky notched his first career WHL goal off an unassisted power play marker.
From there, the Giants held on to secure the 3-0 victory and improved their record overall record to 5-1 through six games.
Vancouver’s power play went one-for-three and the penalty kill was two-for-two.
The two teams will meet again tomorrow night, as the Giants look to secure a sweep of their three-game road trip through the B.C. division.
NOTES:
– Two of David Tendeck’s four career WHL shutouts have come against the Prince George Cougars.
– The Giants have not surrendered a goal against in a span of seven periods and a five-minute overtime. The exact total is 145 minutes and 36 seconds.
– Lukas Svejkovsky became the second Giant in six games to record his first WHL goal. Justin Sourdif secured his first goal on September 22nd in Everett, WA.
– Cougars forward Reid Perepeluk was ejected from Friday’s game in the third period after he was assessed a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking.
