Giants saved by last-moment heroics
Defenceman’s goal prevents unthinkable shutout during Teddy Bear Toss
Maybe the hockey gods realize the Vancouver Giants don’t have a ton of playoff experience and are putting them in high-pressure situations as preparation.
Playing Saturday before a crowd of 9,385 spurred on by Teddy Bear Toss festivities and a rare return to the Pacific Coliseum, the Giants won for the third time this year when scoring the tying goal in the final 90 seconds of regulation, this time recording a 2-1 overtime decision versus the Victoria Royals.
Bowen Byram snuck in from the point and hammered a shot from inside the left faceoff circle past Victoria goalie Griffen Outhouse with only 1:19 remaining in regulation to give the fans a chance to shower the ice with stuffed animals for charity, as well as knot the game at 1-1. Jared Dmytriw won it at the 3:02 mark of overtime, the former Royals forward beating Outhouse high to the glove side on a breakaway after Kaleb Bulych had sprung him with a pass.
Vancouver (21-6-2-0), wearing special Buddy The Elf jerseys on Saturday, have now triumphed in seven straight. They’re 9-2-2-0 in one-goal games this season and they’ve shown a penchant for the comeback, coupling Saturday’s exploits alongside the league’s best record when trailing after two periods, a 4-5-1-0 mark.
You’d think that’s all good stuff for these Giants in their bid to chase down their first playoff series win since 200910 this coming spring.
“Last year, I think we took a lot of steps forward,” Dmytriw said, pointing to a seven-game first-round loss to the Royals which marked Vancouver’s first playoff games since 2013-14. “The way that we are able to win games now is huge. It shows that we’re trying to play the right way.
“Playing the right way, the results will come.”
Outhouse, who’s one of Victoria’s three 20 year olds, has repeatedly frustrated and flustered Vancouver throughout his WHL career. He was 80 seconds away from the unthinkable, shutting out a team on its Teddy Bear Toss. If Victoria had held on for the 1-0 win, Giants fans would have been asked to throw their plush toys after the final buzzer.
Some onlookers did make their tosses when Tarun Fizer put Victoria on the scoreboard at the 13:29 mark of third period, prompting a scolding from public address announcer Brook Ward.
Outhouse finished with 36 saves and was named the game’s first star.
“With time clicking down, everybody was getting pretty jittery on the bench, hoping that it was going to happen. When we tied it up and went into overtime, I don’t think anyone had any doubt (about a victory),” said Byram, who is projected as an early pick in next June’s NHL Draft at Rogers Arena. “Everything is building for playoffs. We still have to book our ticket, but we are well on our way there. Hopefully we can get in the playoffs and go on a run.”
Giants coach Michael Dyck added: “We’ve found ways to tie games and win games in the last five minutes all year. Different venue, big night, Teddy Bears … doesn’t matter. I have a lot of confidence in these guys to get the job done.”
Saturday marked the second of two games at the Coliseum this year for the Giants. The first was Dec. 1, when they celebrated the history of the building prior to a 5-2 win over the Tri-City Americans.
The Giants played out of the Coliseum for the first 15 years of their existence, highlighted by winning the Memorial Cup national championship there as the tournament hosts in 2007. The team began to struggle in the standings in 2012-13, dropping 42 points in the standings from the year before, and attendance started to fall off.
The Giants, whose announced average attendance was 8,470 in 2008-09, saw that number dip to 5,169 in 2015-16. And Bob Mackin, in a story for Business In Vancouver, reported that the actual average attendance was 3,332 that season, via figures he obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
In a bid to cut costs, the Giants moved from the Coliseum to the smaller Langley Events Centre for 2016-17. Their rent there is reportedly $300,000 less a season.
Announced attendance for the Giants in the regular season in 2017-18 was 3,383. It was 4,617 for their three home playoff meetings with the Royals.
So far this season, Vancouver’s announced attendance average is 3,633.
Byram’s goal was his night of the season, tying him for league lead among defencemen. He had six last season in 60 games as a rookie. The franchise record for goals by a rearguard in a season is 24, set by Kevin Connauton in 200910.
Next up for Vancouver is a meeting at the LEC on Friday against the Everett Silvertips.