Tuesday night in Victoria the Vancouver Giants proved to be a resilient foe. Three different times they trailed and three different times they fought their way back en route to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Victoria Royals. Owen Hardy’s second goal of the game at 13:34 of overtime helped cement the 5-4 victory for the Giants.
Other goals came courtesy of Jared Dmytriw, Milos Roman and Alex Kannok Leipert. Bowen Byram added two assists. Mitchell Prowse (1G, 1A) and Scott Walford (2A) each had two points for the Royals who got 52 saves from Griffen Outhouse. The Giants got 16 saves in response from Trent Miner who improved to 4-1 in the playoffs.
The Giants will now look to earn a berth in Round 3 of the playoffs with a victory Thursday night in Game 4.
1st Period:
VAN – At 3:32 of the first, Giants captain Jared Dmytriw (3) potted his second goal of the series off a rebound. Evan Patrician and Dallas Hines both assisted.
VIC – Back came the Royals at 9:10 when Scott Walford’s point shot was tipped home by Sean Gulka who parked himself in front of Trent Miner. Gulka’s second of the playoffs was also assisted by Tarun Fizer.
VIC – With 29 seconds left in the first period the Royals took their first lead of the series thanks to a power play goal from Igor Martynov (2). Martynov took a feed from Scott Walford in the slot, spun around and fired a forehand shot by Trent Miner.
Shots: 14-6 Vancouver
2nd Period:
VAN – At 3:44 of the second period Milos Roman (2) one-timed home his second goal of the playoffs off a wonder cross-ice feed from Bowen Byram. Dylan Plouffe also assisted on Roman’s power play goal.
VIC – For a second time in the game, Victoria took a lead at 13:06 when defenceman Mitchell Prowse took the puck the entire length of the ice and ripped a high shot past the glove of Trent Miner. Prowse’s unassisted goal came on the first shot of the period for the Royals.
Shots: 14-3
3rd Period:
VAN – 14 seconds into the third period Owen Hardy (1) got the Giants back even when he skated down the left-wing, hopped on a Bowen Byram drop-pass and blasted home his first of the playoffs past Griffen Outhouse. Dawson Holt notched the second assist.
VIC – Carson Miller (5) gave the Victoria Royals their third lead of the night at 10:15 right as a Giants penalty had expired. He took a pass beside the Giants net, spun to his forehand and placed a low shot past Trent Miner’s stick to make it a 4-3 score for Victoria.
VAN – For a third time the Giants managed to claw their way back. Alex Kannok Leipert answered with an equalizer for the Giants at 15:40 off a shot from the left-wing circle to tie the game 4-4.Kannok Leipert’s second goal of the playoffs was assisted by Tristen Nielsen and Davis Koch.
Shots: 14 – 6 Vancouver
Overtime:
VAN – Owen Hardy (2) helped complete the victory for the Vancouver Giants at 13:34 of the first overtime period when his backhand shot from the left side of the Royals goal snuck across the line. Seth Bafaro and Dawson Holt assisted on Hardy’s first career overtime winning goal.
Shots: 15-5 Vancouver
3 Stars:
- Bowen Byram (VAN – 2 assists)
- Griffen Outhouse (VIC – 52 saves)
- Owen Hardy (VAN – 2 goals)
