The Vancouver Giants continued their training camp on Saturday with skills training and three more intrasquad scrimmages. Today was also the first opportunity for fans to see newly acquired forward Kyren Gronick in action. Here are the results of each scrimmage, plus some quotes from new Giants Carson Haynes and Kyren Gronick.
Quotes:
Haynes on joining the Giants:
“I’m thrilled. It’s been a great experience so far meeting the staff and meeting all the players. They have all been great to me. The love and compassion I feel on the team, it feels like a family. I know the Vancouver fans are great, and I can’t wait to experience that firsthand.”
Haynes goals for the year:
To help out the team as much as I can and be a veteran guy that the younger guys can lean on.”
Gronick on coming to Vancouver:
“I am pretty excited to be with the Giants. They are a great team. They beat us a could times when I was with Prince George, and I can’t wait to get it started here.”
Gronick on playing against the Giants in the past:
“They are a hard-working team and have a really good coach. They play hard at both ends of the ice and are a hard team to play against.
Game 1: Team Byram (3) vs Team Lucic (2)
For the second day in a row, Team Byram defeated Team Lucic, this time 3-2. Team Lucic is now 0-3 while Team Byram improves to 2-0-1. Despite Team Lucic jumping out to a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal from Jacob Goudreau, Team Byram scored three straight to take a 3-1 lead. Jaden Lipinski continued his hot streak with goal number four so far this training camp, with Simon Cecconi and Matthew Edwards also getting on the scoresheet. Colton Roberts got Team Lucic back within one, but that was as close as they would come.
One player that continues to stand out is Lipinski. He looks bigger, stronger and faster and will play a key role on the Giants this upcoming season. Outside of his goal scoring, he is making plays, driving the net hard and looks good positionally through the first three games. He will be a player to watch as the season goes on as he looks to impress the scouts during his draft year.
The other player that stood out was Matthew Edwards. He has had a strong training camp as he looks to make the Giants full-time next season. A physical presence, he has also shown off his goal-scoring and play-making ability through his team’s first three games.
Game 2: Team Lucic (3) vs Team Gallagher (0)
On Friday night, it was Team Gallagher walking away with a 3-0 win versus Team Lucic, but on Saturday, Team Lucic got their revenge with their own 3-0 victory. Ishaan Basanti scored the opening goal while Cole Brown and Jacob Boucher added empty netters as Team Lucic finishes their tournament with a record of 1-3. While there may not have been much scoring, this was a fast-paced game full of hard hits and fantastic goaltending.
Speaking of goaltending, Nathan Nidermeiser take a bow. The 2007-born goaltender was arguably the best player on the ice and kept Team Gallagher off the board. He showed off his strong lateral movement making multiple cross-crease saves, and was able to control shots without giving up rebounds. A camp invite, he is showing that he has the potential to one day be a WHL goalie.
As for forwards, Amadeo Sim has been one of the most notable forwards all camp. He drives the net hard and has been able to show off his strong stickhandling. These camps can be difficult for 15-year-olds, but he has fit in well and will be a name to watch in the future.
Game 3: Team Gallagher (7) vs Team Byram (2)
In the final scrimmage of training camp, Team Gallagher exploded for seven goals defeating Team Byram 7-2. Both Mazden Leslie and Ewan Minisofar found the back of the net twice for Team Gallagher, while Samuel Honzek, Mikhail Levaniuk and Justin Ivanusec all potted a goal each. As for Team Byram, Lipinski stayed hot, scoring once again, while Gronick added his first of the training camp scrimmages.
Matthew Hutchison continues to stand out for all the right reasons. He looked better and better each game he played during training camp and should be the front runner for the backup position in Vancouver this coming season. At 15 years old, he has a bright future in this league for years to come.
Levaniuk is another player that had a strong game. The Giants’ first round from the 2021 US Prospect Draft showed off not just his strong skating along but his ability to create offensive opportunities. He impressed not just during the final game but all tournament long. As the preseason looms, he will definitely be a player to watch.
Final Standings and Goal Scoring
| Wins | Losses | Shootout Loss | Goals For | Goals Against | |
| Team Gallagher | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 7 |
| Team Byram | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 14 |
| Team Lucic | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 11 |
| Player | Goals |
| Jaden Lipinski | 5 |
| Mazden Leslie | 2 |
| Jacob Boucher | 2 |
| Samuel Honzek | 2 |
| Justin Ivanusec | 2 (1 SO) |
| Evan Minisofar | 2 |
| Ty Thorpe | 1 |
| Ethan McEneany | 1 |
| Kyren Gronick | 1 |
| Mikhail Levaniuk | 1 |
| Julian Cull | 1 |
| Tom Cadieux | 1 |
| Samuel Brown | 1 |
| Damian Palmieri | 1 |
| Colton Roberts | 1 |
| Simon Cecconi | 1 |
| Ethan Semeniuk | 1 |
| Cole Brown | 1 |
| Tyden Redlick | 1 |
| Ilija Majkic | 1 |
| Jacob Goudreau | 1 |
| Matthew Edwards | 1 |
| Ishaan Basanti | 1 |
Up next for the Giants is the annual Quinn/ Howe Legends Cup game. Puck drop for the annual competition is set for 9 am Sunday Morning.