Friday, March 21, 2014

Pre-Game Report: Game 1 - Giants at Winterhawks

The Vancouver Giants will open the 2014 WHL Playoffs on Friday evening when they visit the Portland Winterhawks for Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarter-Final at the Moda Center. The G-Men went 0-3-0-1 against Portland in the season series this year.

The G-Men return to the post-season following a one year absence after they missed the second season for only the second time in franchise history last year. The Vancouver club will be hoping to have Cain Franson back in the line-up after he missed the last two regular season games due to injury and skated with a non-contact jersey in practice this week. Goaltender Jared Rathjen is expected to be able to dress for Vancouver as well. He hasn't played since March 1st.

The Winterhawks enter the playoffs as the second seed in the Western Conference and the defending Ed Chynoweth Cup champions. The Portland squad won 28 of its final 29 games to end the regular season and hasn't lost consecutive contests since a four game losing skid in early January. Winterhawks forwards Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand finished the year in second and third in WHL scoring respectively, and Bjorkstrand was one of only three players in the league to score 50 goals in the regular season.

Where: Moda Center; Portland, OR

When: 7:00pm (The Pre-Game Show starts at 6:00pm.)

Listen: TEAM 1040 and teamradio.ca

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