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Giants come home with split in WHL Finals

WHL Championship Series shifts to Langley Events Centre for three games this week
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Vancouver Giants captain Jared Dmytriw battles for the puck with Prince Albert captain Brayden Pachal during game two on Saturday night. A 4-0 Raiders win evened the best of seven WHL Final at 1-1.

The Vancouver Giants now know their final home game of the season will be next Friday. What happens on Tuesday and Wednesday will determine if they can win the Western Hockey League’s Ed Chynoweth Cup at the Langley Events Centre.

The Giants return home with a split of the opening two games of the WHL Championship series with the Prince Albert Raiders — winning 5-4 on Friday night then dropping a 4-0 decision Saturday. That sets the stage for game three on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Game four goes Wednesday (7 p.m.) and the teams will take a day off before game five Friday at 7:30 p.m. 

The series opener saw late second period goals from Yannik Valenti and Dawson Holt, just 14 seconds apart, provide the difference for the visitors.

Vancouver enjoyed an early 2-0 lead and made 3-1 early in the second when the Raiders pulled even — setting the stage for the two goal outburst in the final minute of the period.

Holt finished with a pair of goals while Dylan Plouffe and Jared Dmytriw also scored. Defenceman Bowen Byram had a bit night in a playmaking role with four assists as the 2019 NHL Draft prospect leads the league playoff scoring with 22 points.

Game two saw North Delta’s Dante Hannoun lead the Raiders to the shutout win with a goal and two assists. Prince Albert outshot the Giants 34-15.