Giants Wrap Up Weekend With a 3-1 Victory in Kelowna

Sunday night in Kelowna, the Vancouver Giants (20-20-3-2) earned a 3-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets (23-21-1-2). Michal Kvasnica scored twice for the Giants while Eric Florchuk chimed in with two assists. David Tendeck was sharp in the Giants net, stopping 24 of the 25 pucks fired his way. The power play struck twice for the second game in a row for the Giants who moved within four points of Kelowna for a top three spot in the B.C. Division. It also marked the 200^th career victory as a WHL head coach for Giants bench boss Michael Dyck. Kelowna’s lone goal came late in the third period from Alex Swetlikoff.

DYCK REACHES 200 WINS IN THE GIANTS 3-1 VICTORY 

BOX SCORE

 1^st Period:

 VAN – Just 2:31 into the game, Michal Kvasnica parked himself inside the right-wing circle and one-timed an Eric Florchuk cross-ice feed past a lunging Roman Basran to move the Giants aead 1-0. For Kvasnica it was his first goal since December 8^th.

Shots: 13-5 Kelowna

2^nd Period:

No Scoring

Shots: 8-5 Vancouver

3^rd Period:

VAN – Michal Kvasnica struck again for Vancouver at the 9:17 mark of the third. Kvasnica’s shot from the high slot found its way through traffic and past Basran for his second goal of the night. The lone assist on the goal once again came from Eric Florchuk.

VAN – Holden Katzalay made it 3-0 for Vancouver on a power play at 14:55. He knocked home a Justin Sourdif rebound from in close for his second goal of the season. Cole Shepard added the second assist.

KEL – 35 seconds later, Kelowna bagged their lone goal of the game. It came from Alex Swetlikoff in close on a forehand deke that snuck through David Tendeck’s legs for his 10^th of the season.

Shots: 9-7 Vancouver

—

Final Score: Vancouver 3 – Kelowna 1

Final Shots: 25 – 22 Kelowna

David Tendeck: 24/25 saves for Vancouver

Roman Basran: 19/22 saves for Kelowna

Vancouver Power Play: 2/3

Kelowna Power Play: 0/4

3 Stars:

• Michal Kvasnica (VAN – 2G, GWG)
• David Tendeck (VAN – 24 Saves)
• Matthew Wedman (SEA – 2 Shots)

Next Giants Game: Friday night at 7:30 PM at home against the Kamloops Blazers.

 NOTES:

• Sunday’s victory in Kelowna marked the 200^th career WHL victory as a head coach for Michael Dyck. 65 of those 200 victories have come over the past two seasons with the Giants. The first 135 came with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
• The two-goal performance from Michal Kvasnica marked his first career multi-goal game in the WHL.
• Both of Holden Katzalay’s goals this season have come against the Kelowna Rockets on the road.
• David Tendeck improved his record to 3-0-0-1 on the season against Kelowna.
• The Giants power play has now gone 10/24 since the January 10 trade deadline.