Articles, Hockey

Vancouver Giants record first win of the season

Tyler Fuhr took over the third period against the woeful Everett Silvertips when Liam Liston allowed four goals on just 13 shots. Photo shamelessly stolen from The Province newspaper online.

The Vancouver Giants got their first two points of the season Sunday, a 3-2 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs, thanks in large part to rookie netminder Tyler Fuhr.He allowed two goals on 15 shots — both inside-out dekes on the PK that he can hardly be faulted for — but stopped every puck he should have. Tonight, Fuhr even made a save or two he probably shouldn’t have, including a dramatic pad stop with seconds left to preserve the win. That’s something the Giants haven’t seen early this season, as Liam Liston has posted a disappointing .774 save percentage in his three starts thus far.

Liam Liston
Liam Liston practised this pose all too often in the first three games of the season — 12 times, to be precise — allowing 17-year-old rookie Tyler Fuhr a chance to man the Giants crease. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.

Don Hay is known for rewarding guys who get the job done.  This kid has already surprised more than a few people when he climbed from fourth on the goaltending chart at the start of training camp to a firm number two. I’d be surprised if the rookie doesn’t get the chance to run with it for a few games. As long as Fuhr stops pucks the way he did tonight, Coach Hay will have few reasons to give the starting job back to Liston. Then again, I called for Fuhr to get the start in Victoria after Liston’s poor outing on opening night. As a coach, Don Hay has won three Memorial Cups and gold and bronze medals at World Junior Championships; he’s been inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame alongside Steve Yzerman and Cliff Ronning. Before any of that, he played well enough to be drafted by teams in both the NHL and WHA. Me, I’ve got a fair-to-middling blog that you’re reading right now, resemble a pear with blond hair, and can’t skate worth a damn.* You decide who to trust on this one.

At 198 pounds (89.8 kg), 20-year-old Trevor Cheek gives the Giants some sorely needed size and experience up front. Photo courtesy of VancouverGiants.com

Also looking good early in his Giants career is newly-acquired overage player Trevor Cheek. With three points in two games, including the team’s first game-winning goal of the season, Cheek brings size and experience to the Giants top line. His cross-ice pass to Nathan Burns for Vancouver’s first goal of the night was a thing of beauty. His GWG on the night was more brawn than brain, as he shrugged off a stick check to tap in a lovely cross-crease pass from defenceman Blake Orban.

In all the Giants outshot Spokane 24-15, and played their most complete game of the year so far. The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season after consecutive wins against the Tri-City Americans.