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Payton Mount’s 3 goals not enough to save Giants in Cougar attack

G-Men fall in third of three weekend games – back against Spokane at LEC next weekend
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G-Men Payton Mount goes in for a goal. Vancouver Giants fell 5-4 to the visiting Prince George Cougars at Langley Events Centre on Sunday afternoon. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Leading after 40 minutes has generally been money in the bank for the Vancouver Giants. Sunday, however, was an exception.

Payton Mount scored goals less than five minutes apart – the second on a 2-on-0 shorthanded breakaway – to put the Giants ahead 3-2 against the visiting Prince George Cougars on Sunday afternoon at Langley Events Centre.

And entering the game, the Giants were 18-1-2-0 when leading after two periods this Western Hockey League season. But the Cougars scored three times in a 9:36 span – the middle goal coming on a two-man advantage – to take the lead in what became a 5-4 victory.

Mount completed the hat trick with 1:38 to play and the Giants’ Connor Horning then had a shot strike iron in the dying seconds as Vancouver lost for a fourth consecutive game.

“Tough one. We had everything in hand going into the third … turnover, discipline – they find a way to score. We battled back but it was too late,” said Giants coach Michael Dyck.

It was Vancouver’s third game in less than 48 hours as the Giants lost to Seattle both on Friday at home and then Saturday in Seattle. And while playing three games in three days is nothing new for WHL teams, the Giants played Saturday’s contest with just nine forwards because of injuries and suspension.

“The guys who played last night, played hard, and it was a grinding game. Maybe fatigue played a little bit of a factor in the third period, I don’t know. When you play with nine forwards, it catches up with you,” he said.

One positive from the loss was the play of Mount as the winger became the first Giant to post a hat trick this season.

“He was knocking on the door last night in Seattle and he scored some greasy goals. It was nice to see him go to the net and get rewarded,” Dyck said.

Sunday’s game saw the teams trade goals in the first period with Hudson Thornton opening the scoring for the visitors before Ty Thorpe pulled the Giants even. Connor Bowie gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead at the 11:48 mark before Mount struck twice to give Vancouver it’s first and only lead of the game.

Koehn Ziemmer levelled the score at three at 4:13 of the third period, which prompted Dyck to replace Connor Martin in goal with Will Gurski.

The coach said the move was more about trying to get his team some momentum “and give us an opportunity to reset and refocus.”

But the Giants took back-to-back minor penalties with Ethan Samson scoring on the two-man advantage and then Caden Brown scoring what became the winning goal.

Vancouver’s record now sits at 23-33-4-0 and 50 points, which places them sixth in the WHL’s Western Conference. The Cougars (22-35-2-1) are hot on their heels with 47 points and sit eighth with eight games remaining. Victoria (22-35-5-1, 50 points) is in seventh spot but has played three more games than both the Giants and Prince George.

The ninth-place Spokane Chiefs (19-37-4-1, 43 points) is trying to get into the top eight to qualify for the post-season and the Chiefs are Vancouver’s next opponent.

After the three up and three down this weekend, the G-Men take on Chiefs this weekend in back-to-back games Saturday (7 p.m.) and Sunday (4 p.m.) at LEC.

Tickets are still available online.

RELATED: Suspensions and injuries cost Giants another game against Seattle

RECENT: VIDEO – Thunderbirds put Giants on their heels on home ice in Langley

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BY THE NUMBERS

1st period:

PG: 8:54 into the period, Hudson Thornton (14) opened the scoring for Prince George off an odd-man rush. Carter MacAdams and Ryker Singer both assisted.

VAN – Ty Thorpe responded for the Giants at 14:04 when he pounced off a failed clear, raced into the slot and wired home his 16th goal of the season. Adam Hall and Tom Cadieux each earned their first of two points on the night with assists.

Shots: 11-7 Vancouver

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2nd period:

PG – Connor Bowie restored the Cougar lead to 2-1 at 11:48 off a two-on-one rush. Bowie’s shot from the left-wing snuck past Connor Martin and home for his 13th. Carter MacAdams had the lone helper.

VAN – Less than two minutes later at 13:20, Payton Mount notched his first of three goals on the night for the G-Men when he crashed the net hard, and tucked home a Tom Cadieux rebound.

VAN – Goal number two on the night for Payton Mount came off a highlight reel, shorthanded 2-on-0 rush with Fabian Lysell. Mount’s 10th of the season staked the Giants to their first lead of the night.

Shots: 13-10 Vancouver

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3rd period:

PG – 4:13 into the third, Koehn Ziemmer followed up his own rebound off a backhand chance, and tucked it past Connor Martin to tie the game at 3-3. Ziemmer’s goal was unassisted and spelled the end of the night for Connor Martin.

*Will Gurski relieved Connor Martin at 4:13.

PG – Ethan Samson gave the Cougars their third and final lead of the night on a five-on-three power play one-timer from the left-wing point. Samson’s 14th goal was set up by Riley Heidt and Hudson Thornton.

PG – Caden Brown (6) gave the Cougars their first two-goal lead of the game on a breakaway at 13:49. Ethan Samson had the lone assist off a pass from the left-wing from his own zone.

VAN – The Giants moved one goal closer to a tie at 18:22 with the net empty. Payton Mount pounced on a Jacob Boucher feed and roofed a shot home from in close, to make it a 5-4 game.

Shots: 11-10 Prince George

BOX SCORE

Final score: Prince George 5 – Vancouver 4

Final shots: 34 – 28 Vancouver

Connor Martin: 17/20 saves for Vancouver

Will Gurski: 6/8 saves for Vancouver

Ty Young: 30/34 saves for Prince George

Vancouver power play: 0/2

Prince George power play: 1/3

3 Stars: 1) Payton Mount (VAN – 3G); 2) Ethan Samson (PG – 1G, 1A); and 3) Hudson Thornton (PG – 1G, 1A)

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28603825_web1_220328-LAT-RH-GiantsVsPrinceGeorge-Rob_2
Vancouver Giants fell 5-4 to the visiting Prince George Cougars at Langley Events Centre on Sunday afternoon. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
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Vancouver Giants fell 5-4 to the visiting Prince George Cougars at Langley Events Centre on Sunday afternoon. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
28603825_web1_220328-LAT-RH-GiantsVsPrinceGeorge-Rob_4
Vancouver Giants fell 5-4 to the visiting Prince George Cougars at Langley Events Centre on Sunday afternoon. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)