The Vancouver Giants have now skated to five straight victories against their foes from Vancouver Island.
Saturday night, Feb. 29, in Victoria, the Giants downed the Victoria Royals 6-2.
Bowen Byram led the Giants with three assists while four other Giants recorded multi-point games.
Trent Miner stopped 29 of Victoria’s 31 shots to secure his 14th win of the season.
Phillip Schultz and Keanu Derungs responded with goals for the Royals.
Their win pushed the Giants two points ahead of the Victoria Royals for second in the B.C. Division standings with two games still in hand.
READ MORE: Vancouver Giants blank Victoria Royals
Holden Katzalay got the offense started for the Giants off the rush at 5:10 of the first period. He took a drop pass from Bowen Byram and snapped a shot home through traffic.
Eric Florchuk made it 2-0 off a low shot from the right wing that snuck past the right pad of Royals starter Adam Evanoff. Florchuk’s goal was unassisted.
At 14:20 Tristen Nielsen skated to the right side of the Victoria net and tapped home a cross-crease feed from Bowen Byram to make it 3-0 Vancouver. Justin Sourdif added the second assist.
RECAP: The Giants are two-for-two so far this weekend! Saturday in Victoria the G-Men skated to a 6-2 victory over the Royals. @BowenByram had three assists while @MinerTrent turned aside 29 shots. Game three of the weekend goes tomorrow at 3:05.
— x - Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 1, 2020
More 📎: https://t.co/tDGyWkAvP4 pic.twitter.com/VHPBjFS9kN
In the second, Cole Shepard made it a 4-0 lead for the Giants off a three-way passing sequence with Holden Katzalay and Michal Kvasnica. Shepard’s goal spelled the end of the night for Adam Evanoff in the Victoria net.
Royals captain Phillip Schultz put Victoria on the board at 9:39 on an unassisted shorthanded breakaway to make it a 4-1.
With 3:07 left in the second period, Keanu Derungs made it 4-2 off an odd-man rush. Derungs’ 14th of the season was assisted by Brandon Cutler.
In the third, Michal Kvasnica restored the three-goal lead for the Giants off a one-timer from the slot. Cole Shepard earned the lone assist.
Tyler Preziuso made it 6-2 on a power play late in the third period off a shot from the left-wing in close beside the Victoria goal. Bowen Byram and Eric Florchuk both assisted.
READ MORE: Giants clinch WHL playoff spot
Final score: Vancouver 6 – Victoria 2.
Sunday afternoon, at 3:05 p.m., the Giants and Royals will square off for the 10th and final time during the regular season.
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