Giants skate past Thunderbirds, take 3-2 series lead

Game 6 is Saturday on Kent ice

March 30, 2019 7:20 am
Thunderbirds goalie Roddy Ross. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds
Thunderbirds goalie Roddy Ross. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

Dallas Hines’ third-period goal lifted the Vancouver Giants past the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2 in Game 5 of their first-round Western Hockey League playoff series at the Langley Events Centre in B.C., on Friday night.

Vancouver leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

Game 6 is 6:05 p.m. Saturday at the accesso ShoWare Center.

Vancouver took a 1-0 lead at 7:06 of the first period on Dylan Plouffe’s goal. The Giants went in front 2-0 at 12:58 of the first when Jadon Joseph scored on the power play.

Seattle scored its first goal on the power play at 14:14 of the first. Andrej Kukuca took a shot from the left circle that was blocked. Matthew Wedman fired the loose puck at Vancouver goalie Trent Miner and it was deflected behind the net. Henrik Rybinski got the puck and centered it to Wedman on top of the crease. Wedman put the puck past Miner for his third goal of the playoffs.

Noah Philp tied the game 2-2 at 3:57 of the second period on the power play. Kukuca blocked a Vancouver clearing with his upper body to keep the puck in the offensive zone, skated to his right and centered to Jarret Tyszka at the mid-point. Tyszka passed the puck to Philp in the left circle, and he one-timed the puck past Miner on the glove side.

Seattle goalie Roddy Ross had a stellar second period, stopping five prime Giants scoring chances to keep the game tied 2-2. Ross stopped Davis Koch on a breakaway and minutes later denied Owen Hardy cutting left to right through the low slot. Ross stopped Koch alone in front at 9:15 of the second then robbed Jared Dmytriw on a breakaway with 3:41 left in the second. He stopped Koch on a two-on-one shorthanded break with under a minute to go in the second.

Hines’ go-ahead and eventual decisive goal came at 4:43 of the third period.

Ross finished with 30 saves and Miner had 25 saves.

Look ahead

For tickets to Game 6, visit online or drop by the ShoWare Center box office.

SERIES GLANCE

Vancouver vs. Seattle, best-of-seven series

Game 1 – At Vancouver 7, Seattle 1

Game 2 – Seattle 4, Vancouver 1.

Game 3 – Vancouver 6, Seattle 4

Game 4 – Seattle 4, Vancouver 3

Game 5 – Vancouver 3, Seattle2.

Game 6 – Vancouver at Seattle, Saturday, March 30, 7:05 p.m.

Game 7 – Seattle at Vancouver, Tuesday, April 2, 7 p.m.*

*if necessary

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Vancouver, Plouffe 4 (Hardy, Holt), 7:06. 2, Vancouver, Joseph 4 (Roman, Plouffe), 12:58 (pp). 3, Seattle, Wedman 3 (Rybinski, Kukuca), 12:58 (pp). Penalties – Kubicek, Sea (holding), 2:39. Joseph, Van (cross checking), 9:52. Bench, Sea (too many men-served by Mount), 11:30. Dmytriw, Van (slashing), 14:03.

Second period – 4, Seattle, Philp 2 (Tyszka, Kukuca), 3:57 (pp). Penalties – Bulych, Van (cross checking), 2:54. Nielsen, Van (cross checking), 18:36.

Third period – 5, Vancouver, Hines 2 (Byram, Hardy), 4:43. Penalties – Dmytriw, Van (goaltender interference), 1:06. Volcan, Sea (kneeing), 10:40. Kubicek, Sea (double minor-roughing), 19:54. Wedman, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:54. Byram, Van (10-minute misconduct), 19:54. Joseph, Van (roughing), 19:54.

Shots on goal – Seattle 12-10-5 27, Vancouver 11-15-7 33. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 33 shots-30 saves (2-3); Vancouver, Miner 27-25 (2-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-5; Vancouver 1-3. A – 4,627. Referees – Adam Bloski, Mike Langin. Linesmen – Michael Bean, Adam Harris.