Giants at Blazers scouting report

VANCOUVER GIANTS at KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
Today, 7 p.m., Interior Savings Centre (Radio NL 610)
VANCOUVER (56-8-2-3): The Giants ended a two-game losing skid with a 5-2
victory over the visiting Blazers on Sunday evening. . . . The Giants put
that one away with four goals in the third period. . . . A victory tonight
puts the Giants into first place in the WHL’s overall standings, one point
ahead of the Eastern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen. . . . After tonight,
Vancouver and Calgary each will have two games remaining. . . . Vancouver
has five loser points; the Hitmen have four. . . . LW Alex Rodgers, who was
dealt by the Blazers to the Giants in January, will play in 77
regular-season games if he dresses for Vancouver’s remaining games. That
will tie him for third in the WHL record book for most games played in one
regular season. . . . Freshman G Jamie Tucker ran his record to 17-1-0-1 on
Sunday. . . . G Tyson Sexsmith, who likely will start tonight, is 39-7-2-2
with a 2.19 GAA and a .902 save percentage. . . . C Casey Pierro-Zabotel,
who is from Kamloops, leads the WHL in assists (77) and points (111). He is
attempting to become the first Vancouver player in the franchise’s
eight-season history to win a scoring title. . . . LW Evander Kane has 45
goals, the third-best total in the WHL. . . . D Craig Schira, 20, signed a
three-year deal with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators this week. . . . The Giants,
who will meet the Prince George Cougars in the first-round of the playoffs,
are 5-1-0-1 against the Blazers this season. . . . Injuries: F Lance Bouma
(hand, out), F Mike Piluso (shoulder, out), F Todd Kennedy (knee, out).
————————
KAMLOOPS (32-31-2-4): The Blazers had a four-game winning streak snapped
when they lost 5-2 in Vancouver on Sunday. . . . The Blazers are 2-4-1-0
against the Giants this season. . . . This is the Blazers’ second-last home
game. The Kelowna Rockets visit Friday night; the Blazers will play in
Kelowna on Saturday. . . . The Blazers will open the playoffs on March 20
against an as yet undecided opponent and will play their first home playoff
game on March 24. . . . C C.J. Stretch has nine points in a five-game point
streak. He has 80 points, the first Kamloops skater to get there since C
Erik Christensen won the WHL’s 2002-03 scoring title with 108 points. . . .
RW Kenton Dulle has seven points in his last four games. . . . RW Tyler
Shattock had an eight-game point streak snapped on Sunday. He had six goals
and six assists over those eight games. . . . . C Colin Smith, 15, has four
assists in five games this season. . . . G Justin Leclerc has started 21 of
the last 25 games. The Blazers are 14-6-1-0 in his starts over that stretch.
. . . D Kurt Torbohm played Sunday in Vancouver after being scratched from
four straight games. . . . F Brett Lyon has been scratched from three
straight games and five of the last seven. . . . Injuries: C Mark Hall
(knee, out).
— GREGG DRINNAN