The first ever regular season game in 麻豆社国产for the Vancouver NW Giants wasn鈥檛 a memorable experience for the Burnaby based club.
The Giants fell 3-2 to the Vancouver NE Chiefs in 麻豆社国产on Saturday (Nov. 1), the first loss of the season for the British Columbia Major Midget League (BCMML) club.
鈥淚t was definitely not our best game of the year,鈥� said Giants head coach Clint Thornton. 鈥淥ur execution just wasn鈥檛 there all night.鈥�
The Giants opened the scoring at 14:11 of the first period when forward Desi Burgart stole the puck from a Chiefs defenceman while shorthanded and fooled the goalie. But the lead was short-lived, as the Chiefs tied the game up with 1:48 left when Ziyan Karina beat Giants goalie Beck Warm.
The Chiefs scored an early goal in the second, but the Giants again fought back to even the game up when Burgart scored his second on the night. Special teams play then bit the Giants when the Chiefs scored on a power play goal in the third period and they rode that goal to victory.
鈥淚t seemed like we would make one or two passes and the puck would die,鈥� Thornton said. 鈥淕enerally we鈥檙e a pretty quick puck moving team with guys making plays off the rush but it just wasn鈥檛 there tonight.鈥�
The Giants had previously won the first 10 games of the BCMML season but the Chiefs seem to have their number, also beating them on Sunday (Nov. 2) in Coquitlam. Thornton said the Chiefs deserved the win in Squamish.
鈥淭hey played a great defensive game,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey clogged up the middle of the ice and didn鈥檛 let us into the scoring areas.鈥�
Despite the loss, he said it鈥檚 been a good year for his team, with the Giants battling for top spot in the BCMML. He said the Giants love coming to 麻豆社国产and return to Brennan Park Arena for another game in December.
鈥淲e had some conflicts at our home rink at Burnaby Winter Club and as soon as I put the word out to Derek [Cranfield, SMHA president], he was awesome,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e love coming up here, it鈥檚 a good atmosphere and lots of community support.鈥�
Dozens of SMHA players wore their green jerseys to the game, with Kal Tire 麻豆社国产giving away a pair of Vancouver Canucks tickets to the team with the highest percentage of players attending the game.
The Giants return to 麻豆社国产on Dec. 13 when the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds come to town. Visit www.squamishminorhockey.com for more details on the SMHA and future events.聽
