Vancouver Giants lost 8-7 to the Everett Silvertips in a wild, back-and-forth game on Teddy Bear Toss night at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday, Dec. 9.
Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros described it as “part of the learning curve for our young guys.”
“It was one of those games that we’re going to have to take some time to absorb here over a day or two and have a look at it,” Viveiros summarized.
“Everett is a good team. They put us under pressure. They skate well. We have trouble with speed right now, with our young group. There are teams that come at us with speed and we’re just not up to that elite level in this league, as far as speed, so we tend to make mistakes under pressure when we don’t have the time and sometimes we hurry things.”
Jaden Lipinski brought the teddy bears raining down just six minutes into the game, opening the scoring on a shorthanded breakaway.
Your 2023 Vancouver Giants Teddy Bear Toss goal scorer JADEN LIPINSKI sends the bears FLYING!!! 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 pic.twitter.com/8DrdjtYufD
— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 10, 2023
Everett responded by scoring on the very same power play, off a point shot from Smith.
With less than five minutes left in the first period, Everett scored twice in nine seconds, but before the first period ended, Sam Honzek cut the visitors’ lead to one.
Lipinski evened the score just 31 seconds into the second period, and several minutes later, the Giants got out to a 4-3 lead after Halaburda one-timed a bouncing puck past goaltender Tyler Palmer from the left circle.
After the Giants were called for a major penalty, Rymon scored his second of the night with exactly two minutes remaining in the second to even the game 4-4.
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Early in the third period, the Silvertips struck twice in quick succession once more.
The Giants, however, wouldn’t go away.
On a power play of their own halfway through the third, Thorpe put home a rebound to make the score 6-5.
Courtney responded for Everett less than a minute later to restore their two-goal lead, but once again Vancouver battled back.
Thorpe scored from in front of the net on yet another power play at the 15:33 mark of the third period to make the score 7-6.
Less than a minute later, Schmidt zipped one in from the slot after a good move to the middle of the ice from Aaron Obobaifo to tie the game 7-7.
Everett scored the game-winning-goal with just 1:26 remaining for the win.
Everett outshot Vancouver 43-18.
Next, Giants have a three-in-three weekend.
Friday, Dec. 15 they travel to Seattle to battle the Thunderbirds; on Saturday, Dec. 16 they are home to the Prince George Cougars at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 17 they welcome the Thunderbirds to the LEC at 4 p.m.
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