Vancouver Giants take the lead against Victoria Royals in first game of second round series

With a lengthy playoff history under their belts, it was a natural assumption that the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants would hit the ice running – and in a packed-to-the-brim Langley Events Centre tonight, they did just that!

With a final score of 3-0, the Giants earned themselves a shutout as well as the series advantage of 1-0 – not a small feat in a round where every single game (and goal!) is going to count.

The first period saw penalties from both sides, though the Giants were the only ones to capitalize on the man-advantage – WHL’s Player of the Month Davis Koch scored himself a powerplay goal at 16:15 of period one, assisted by Giant’s top NHL prospect Bowen Byram. Though Victoria saw two near-goals that hit the post both times, Vancouver kept it 1-0 through the first 20.

See also:

• Victoria Royals knock off Kamloops Blazers to advance to second round of the playoffs
• 7 things to know about the Royals versus Giants second round playoff match-up

Some rough stuff in front of the Royals’ net started off the second, veteran goaltender Griffen Outhouse displaying his athleticism by making four extraordinary saves within the third minute of the period. Despite the two powerplays Victoria was awarded in the second stretch, they ended period two with a mere two shots on net. 

Giants’ captain Jared Dmytriw banked one in only 6 minutes into the third after a turnover pass by Royals’ Gulka, making the score 2-0 for the home team. Victoria’s Outhouse was pulled with two minutes remaining in the last period, and Vancouver’s Holt was able to snag an empty-netter before Giant’s goaltender Trent Miner won himself the 3-0 shutout.

The two teams are back at it again tomorrow evening, Saturday, April 6th – puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. at Langley Events Centre. The Royals will return back home for game 3 of the series, next Tuesday, April 9th.

You can check out the schedule for the rest of the series below!

Victoria Royals

• When:
  • Tuesday, April 9th at 7:05 p.m. – Vancouver Giants vs. Victoria Royals (next home game)
•  Where: Save On Foods Memorial Centre, 1925 Blanshard Street
• Tickets: Playoff tickets can be purchased in-person or online