The Vancouver Giants defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-1 in Game 1 of the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs Friday night at the Langley Events Centre in Vancouver, B.C.
Game 2 is 7 p.m. Saturday on Giants ice.
Vancouver took a 2-0 lead early in the second period on goals by Milos Roman at 1:20 and Lukas Svejkovsky at 1:43.
Jadon Joseph scored a shorthanded goal at 6:47 and Dylan Plouffe scored at 16:57 to make it a 4-0 Giant lead in the second period.
Andrej Kukuca got the T-Birds on the board with three seconds left in the second period. Jarret Tyszka passed the puck up the right wing to Matthew Wedman, who gained the offensive zone and skated down the boards with a defenseman on his back. Wedman backhanded the puck to Kukuca in the low right circle with one hand. Kukuca quickly snapped the puck over the right shoulder of Vancouver goalie Trent Miner.
Dawson Holt, Plouffe and Bowen Byram scored for the Giants in the third period.
Look ahead
The series shifts to Kents for Games 3 and 4. All ticket and beer purchases for Tuesday’s Game 3 are 2-for-1 and the accesso ShoWare Center will feature concession specials, including $2 hot dogs, $2 soda and $2 popcorn for all fans.
For tickets and group sales, visit online.
SERIES GLANCE
Vancouver vs. Seattle, best-of-seven series
Game 1 – At Vancouver 7, Seattle 1
Game 2 – Seattle at Vancouver Saturday, March 23, 7 p.m.
Game 3 – Vancouver at Seattle Tuesday, March 26, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 – Vancouver at Seattle Wednesday, March 27, 7:05 p.m.
Game 5 – Seattle at Vancouver Friday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.*
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 – No scoring. Penalties – Bench, Sea (too many men-served by Mount), 6:35. Bafaro, Van (holding), 10:11. Nielsen, Van (boarding), 13:01. Rybinski, Sea (slashing), 13:49. Tyszka, Sea (cross checking), 19:55.
Second period – 1, Vancouver, Roman 1 (Joseph, Koch), 1:20 (pp). 2, Vancouver, Svejkovsky 1 (Plouffe), 1:43. 3, Vancouver, Joseph 6:47 (sh). 4, Vancouver, Plouffe 1 (Holt, Bulych), 16:57. 5, Seattle, Kukuca 1 (Wedman, Tyszka), 19:57. Penalties – Holt, Van (tripping), 3:20. Nielsen, Van (roughing), 5:24. Dmytriw, Van (cross checking), 9:17. Davidson, Sea (hooking) 13:43.
Third period – 6, Vancouver, Holt 1 (Nielsen), 2:10. 7, Vancouver, Plouffe 2 (Byram, Koch), 4:23 (pp). 8, Vancouver, Byram 1 (Bafaro, Miner), 6:41. Penalties – McNelly, Sea (checking from behind), 2:19. Lee, Sea (interference), 2:56. Joseph, Van (roughing), 4:51. Wedman, Sea (roughing), 4:51. Kannok Leipert, Van (holding), 17:21. Bulych, Van (cross checking), 17:48. Lee, Sea (major-cross checking, game misconduct), 19:55.
Shots on goal – Seattle 6-11-11 28, Vancouver 15-13-12 40. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 31 shots-25 saves (0-1), Schwebius 9-8; Vancouver, Miner 28-27 (1-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-7; Vancouver 2-7. A – 3,544. Referees – Kevin Bennett, Sean Raphael. Linesmen – Nick Bilko, Spencer Lockert.
