Music: {allcanada} GIANTS BEAT THUNDERBIRDS TO MOVE INTO FIRST IN BC DIVISION

Sunday, January 16, 2011

{allcanada} GIANTS BEAT THUNDERBIRDS TO MOVE INTO FIRST IN BC DIVISION

Spencer Bennett had two goals and an assist and the Vancouver Giants held on for a 4-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Western Hockey League action Sunday.

Brendan Gallagher had a goal and two assists and Brendan Rowinski also scored for Vancouver (22-19-5).

Travis Toomey scored twice and Marcel Noebels added a goal for Seattle (18-19-8).

With the win Vancouver moved into first place in the B.C. Division, two points up on idle Prince George.

Elsewhere in the WHL it was: Calgary 3 Lethbridge 1; Spokane 4 Everett 1; and Moose Jaw 3 Edmonton 2.

At Kent, Wash., Toomey opened the scoring just 12 seconds into the game, setting his own rebound and putting a backhand past Vancouver goaltender Mark Segal.

Bennett tied it at 1-1 at 6:22 of the first period with his 20th goal of the season.

Seattle regained the lead at 14:31 of the first as Noebels took Luke Lockhart's backhand pass and tapped the puck past Segal.

Gallagher tied the game for Vancouver on his 28th goal of the season at 5:25 of the second period, then Bennett scored his 21st on a power play at 14:32 to give the Giants their first lead.

Rowinski scored at 9:06 of the third period as the Giants extended their lead to 4-2.

Seattle answered shortly after when Toomey scored his second goal of the game and 15th of the season.

Despite several chances in the final minute with goaltender Calvin Pickard pulled, the Thunderbirds couldn't score the tying goal.

Segal made 27 saves for Vancouver while Pickard stopped 32 shots for Seattle.

Hitmen 3 Hurricanes 1

At Calgary, Chase Clayton and Kyle Schmidt scored goals 74 seconds apart in the second period to lead the Hitmen over Lethbridge.

Spencer Humphries added an empty-net goal for the Hitmen (14-28-3).

Austin Fyten scored the lone goal for Lethbridge (14-20-9).

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Chiefs 4 Silvertips 1

At Everett, Wash., Spokane scored three times in the first four minutes of the game and cruised to a victory over the Silvertips.

Jared Cowen, Tyler Johnson, Dominik Uher and Matt Marantz scored for Spokane (27-11-5), which moved into a tie for first place with Portland in the Western Conference.

Ryan Harrison scored the lone goal for Everett (18-21-6).

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Rebels 5 Broncos 1

At Swift Current, Sask., Brett Ferguson led the way with a goal and an assist and Red Deer spread out the scoring in win over the Broncos.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Byron Froese, Turner Elson, and John Personn also scored for Red Deer (29-12-5), which now has points in its past six games.

Justin Dowling replied for Swift Current (23-25-1).

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Warriors 3 Oil Kings 2

At Moose Jaw, Sask., Sebastian Svendsen's first goal with the Warriors was the game winner in a victory over Edmonton.

A.J. Johnson and Dylan McIlrath also scored for the Warriors (27-17-2).

Kristians Pelss scored a pair of goals for the Oil Kings (22-20-2).