On “Be A Superhero Night,” Vancouver Giants in Batman jerseys downed the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in a shootout on Sunday at Langley Events Centre.
Dressed up to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network, the Giants winning goal came from Tobias Tomik, with goals in regulation from Mathis Preston and Blake Chorney, plus a heroic 32 saves from Burke Hood.
Vancouver got on the board just 17 seconds into the game to take a 1-0 lead. Both teams exchanged second period goals, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead heading into the final frame. Kelowna tied things up just over six minutes into the third on a power play to send the game to overtime. After neither side scored during the five minutes of 3-on-3, Vancouver outscored the Rockets 3-2 in the shootout to snag the win.
Giants Head Coach Parker Burgess was happy with the way the weekend ended.
“The team as a whole was excellent. Outside of one period in Kamloops, we had a really good week. It’s a great way to kick start the final stretch here in March. Friday was the most fun – it felt like a playoff game in Kelowna on Friday. Today, the battle from the kids and having to come back late and the resilience of the group [was great]. Selfishly, I just wish there was 15-20 more games left.”
Giants started off strong when Preston notched his 16th goal of the season just 17 seconds into the game when he received a cross-ice bank pass from Sam Charko to give the Giants the 1-0 lead.
The Giants maintained their 1-0 lead entering the second period.
Kelowna tied the game with just under four minutes left in the middle frame when a deflected pass from Iginla found its way to Cihar who buried it right in front of the net.
Vancouver responded less than two minutes later, when Chorney sniped his seventh goal of the season top corner after capitalizing on a rebound from the left face-off circle to give the Giants the 2-1 lead.
The Rockets found the equalizer midway through the third when Smith snapped a wrist shot goal from the left face-off dot on the power play to send the game to overtime.
After a scoreless OT, the Giants got three shootout goals: one each from Preston, Iginla and Tomik, plus four saves from Hood, who sealed the deal with a save on Carson Wetsch in the sixth round.
Next, Giants have a home and home with Victoria on Friday and Saturday, before heading to Seattle on Sunday.