Tendeck’s ‘our guy’ in net, says McKee
Veteran goalie’s return to the starting role in playoffs was never in doubt, according to head coach
There was no goalie controversy in Jason McKee’s head.
As good as backup Trent Miner played in the first two games of the Vancouver Giants’ opening-round playoff series against the Victoria Royals in place of injured starter David Tendeck, coach McKee was adamant the net was Tendeck’s once he was healthy.
Tendeck returned to action Tuesday and made 35 saves in a 5-1 win over the Royals at the Langley Events Centre that gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarter-final.
Tendeck was named the game’s first star. Miner was named first star in Vancouver’s 2-1, Game 1 win Friday after a 40-save effort. It’s easy to wonder how many times something like that has happened in a playoff series at any level.
“Once Dave was healthy and cleared to go, he’s our guy,” said McKee.
Tendeck, 18, appeared in 48 of Vancouver’s 72 regular-season games, fashioning a 25-163-2 record to go with a 3.02 goalsagainst average and .912 save percentage. He was named to the Western second all-star team.
Miner, who just turned 17, joined the Giants at the Jan. 10 trade deadline from the Brandon, Man., midget ranks after Todd Scott was dealt to the Edmonton Oil Kings. Miner got into nine regular-season games.
Tendeck missed Vancouver’s final three regular-season games as well. He hadn’t played due to an upperbody injury since March 11, when he went the distance in a 4-3 loss on the road to the Tri-City Americans. Vancouver isn’t saying what that ailment was.
“I knew I was good during practice. I thought I’d be just fine,” Tendeck said when asked about being worried about getting rusty.
McKee added: “I know he’s worked extremely hard in the last week to get back in the net. Paul (Fricker, the Giants’ goalie coach) and Burnie (trainer Mike Burnstein) did a good
job with him. It was a combination of a lot of things to get him ready.”
Barberis suspended one game
Vancouver defenceman Darian Skeoch will serve the third game of his three-game suspension in Game 4 Thursday for the checking-to-thehead major he received in Game 1 for a hit on Victoria forward Dino Kambeitz.
Another veteran Giants blue-liner
will be joining Skeoch as Matt Barberis received a one-game suspension Wednesday for his cross-checking major during a skirmish with Victoria forward Kaid Oliver away from the play in the waning moments of the second period Tuesday. The five-minute penalty came with an automatic game misconduct.
Non-fighting majors are reviewed by the league office and are subject
to possible suspension afterward.
Barberis has an edge to his game (67 penalty minutes in 56 regular-season games), but he had never been suspended unlike Skeoch, who had been sanctioned three times by the WHL before this current forced absence.
Oliver did return for the third period.
“Yeah. It was a penalty. There’s no question,” McKee said afterward. “We have to make a better decision there. In his defence, emotion sometimes gets the better of you. He’ll learn from it.
“Was it a penalty? Yeah. Was it a five? I’d have to watch it again on video. But definitely a penalty.”
Thanks for the power play
Victoria centre Jeff de Wit took down Vancouver left-winger Tyler Benson in a scrum in front of the Royals’ net late in the second period and received a roughing minor for it.
Benson scored on the ensuing power play and wasn’t shy about waving at de Wit in the penalty box during the goal celebration.
“I didn’t like the play. Feelings were still high there, I guess,” Benson said afterward.
Young Sourdif looking good
Underage call-up Justin Sourdif, who was the third-overall pick in last May’s WHL bantam draft, continues to look at home with Vancouver’s forward group. Sourdif, who turned 16 this week, played four regular-season games with Vancouver. He’s expected to play his fourth playoff game with them Thursday.
He received fourth-line minutes with Tyler Ho and Cyle McNabb on Tuesday and they brought energy to the Giants.
Sourdif’s shown a penchant for playing in the game’s high-traffic areas in these playoffs. He also displayed an ability to finish at the B.C. major-midget level this season, leading that league in scoring with 73 points, including 23 goals, in 35 games.
“It’s been impressive what he can come into a playoff atmosphere and do,” said Vancouver rookie defenceman Bowen Byram, who got into 11 games last season as an underage call-up before becoming a full-timer this season.
“It’s a tough change from midget, for sure. There are big guys. There are guys over 200 pounds. I don’t think you see that too much in midget. The speed difference is huge, too. It’s an adjustment, but it can be made. Sourdif is showing you that.”