With three losses coming from four friendlies, Vancouver's ambitions might seem anything but Giant. But in those games, they've only been outscored by two goals, 12-14 in total. And after all, these matches are warm-ups for the regular season. It's the time when clubs experiment with line combinations and who to rely on in the forthcoming season.
Sometimes these experiments work, and sometimes they don't. In their first friendly of the season, Vancouver lost 5-4 in Kamloops despite never trailing during the match. Tonight, they weren't so lucky. Sixteen minutes into the game, Cole Ully scored off a rebound. Less than five seconds later, Jake Kryski had gone short side on a wrist shot to beat Vancouver goalkeeper Payton Lee.
In the second period, Kamloops put Vancouver to the sword with 22nd, 30th, and 38th minute goals by Cameraon Reagan, Jesse Zaharichuk, and Michael Fora, respectively, with Zaharichuk's effort being a power play goal.
During the second intermission, Payton was pulled in favour of Ryan Kubric, who would face 11 shots and save all of them. But the damage had already been done. Kamloops led by five.
Vancouver tried to narrow the gap, and anything can in a hockey game, but the Giants would not respond until the third period, 59:57 to be exact, when Jakob Stukel finally broke the goose egg after Dawson Davidson had hit the showers early with a late high sticking penalty.
The Giants will head to the island for a Thursday night match with the Victoria Royals, before returning to Delta for their last friendly before the season when they host the Kelowna Rockets on Friday at 7:30 PM.
