*Photos by: Rik Fedyck

The Vancouver Giants have lived to fight another day. Friday night in front of a record crowd of 5033 at the Langley Events Centre, the Vancouver Giants defeated the Prince Albert Raiders in Game 5 of the 2019 Rogers WHL Championship Series. Bowen Byram, Brayden Watts and Jadon Joseph all recorded two points for the Giants who received 37 saves from goaltender David Tendeck. Brett Leason chimed in with two assists for the Raiders who received 26 saves from their goaltender Ian Scott. The series now shifts back to Prince Albert for Game 6 which takes place Sunday night at 5:00 PM local time.

1st Period:

*Photos by: Rik Fedyck
*Photos by: Rik Fedyck

VAN – Brayden Watts (7) opened the game’s scoring at 7:42 of the first period when he pounced on a Tristen Nielsen rebound and wired it by the pad of Ian Scott. Jadon Joseph secured the second assist on the play.

 

PA – Just over three minutes later the Raiders answered when Aliaksei Protas followed up a Sean Montgomery rebound and snapped it home for his 12th of the playoffs and his first goal of the series. Brett Leason had the second assist.

 

Shots: 13-11 Vancouver

 

2nd Period:

*Photos by: Rik Fedyck
*Photos by: Rik Fedyck

PA – The Raiders took a 2-1 lead at 2:45 of the period when Dante Hannoun (13) converted in close off a Brett Leason pass to give the Raiders a brief 2-1 lead.

 

VAN – Exactly 50 seconds later the Giants tied it when Bowen Byram (8) ripped a shot by Ian Scott’s blocker and home to tie the game 2-2. Brayden Watts and Jadon Joseph both assisted on the equalizer.

 

VAN – Davis Koch restored the lead for the Giants at 9:24 when he knocked home his third of the playoffs off a Seth Bafaro rebound. Bowen Byram also assisted on Koch’s go-ahead goal.

 

VAN – Then at 11:13, Dylan Plouffe (6) buried the eventual game-winning goal when he one-timed home a feed from Dawson Holt from above the left-wing circle to make it a 4-2 game for the Giants.

 

PA – The Raiders moved back within one at 15:54 when Noah Gregor backhanded his 11th of the playoffs home from the slot area. Cole Fonstad and Ozzy Weisblatt assisted. That’s as close as the Raiders would get on Friday night as the Giants would keep the door shut from then on out.

 

Shots: 14-12 Prince Albert

 

3rd Period:

*Photos by: Rik Fedyck
*Photos by: Rik Fedyck

No Scoring

 

Shots: 15-5 Prince Albert

David Tendeck: 37 saves for Vancouver (10-3-1)

Ian Scott: 26 saves for Prince Albert (15-5-1)

 

Vancouver: 0/1 on the Power Play

Prince Albert: 0/2 on the Power Play

 

3 Stars:

*Photos by: Rik Fedyck
*Photos by: Rik Fedyck
  1. Bowen Byram (VAN – 1G, 1A)
  2. Dylan Plouffe (VAN – 1G, GWG)
  3. Noah Gregor (PA – 1G)

 

Next Game: Sunday, May 12th at 5:00 PM PT in Prince Albert, SK

 

NOTES:

 

–       With two points each tonight, Bowen Byram (1G, 1A) and Brett Leason (2A) remain tied for the WHL playoff lead in scoring with 25 points apiece.

–       The announced crowd of 5033 is the largest crowd ever for a Vancouver Giants game at the Langley Events Centre.

–       Dylan Plouffe became the 10th different Giant to secure a game-winning goal during the 2019 WHL Playoffs. Only three Giants (Dallas Hines, Dawson Holt and Jared Dmytriw) have secured multiple game winners.

–       The Giants are now 10-0 when scoring four-or-more goals in a game.

–       The Giants are now 7-2-1 in one-goal games during the 2019 Playoffs.