The Vancouver Giants continue their journey as dark horses towards the Western Hockey League Championship, the Ed Chynoweth Cup, against the Kamloops Blazers. The best of seven series of the Western Conference semifinals begins Friday, May 6th.
Round 2 here we go!#KAMvsVAN / #WHLPlayoffs
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📸: @rjmedia_ca pic.twitter.com/fdPyfyjQGs— X – Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) May 6, 2022
Looking to continue their Cinderella story, the Giants are looking to upset another top-seeded team in the Western Conference after making history in the first round of the playoffs against the Everett Silvertips. They became the first eighth-seeded team in WHL history to beat the number one team.
But this Kamloops Blazer team is not going to be an easy task for the Giants to deal with, as in recent history this season, Vancouver has seemed to struggle against this team, only winning two out of 12 games played against Kamloops this season.
The Blazers are coming off a sweep in the first round against the Spokane Chiefs. This team is known to play at a higher pace and push the tempo offensively in their games. Kamloops has also won the Memorial Cup the most times out of any team in the league, winning six titles in franchise history, but their last cup win comes in the 1994-95 season, so you know the team is hungry for a seventh championship.
We're ready for Round Two.
Are you? pic.twitter.com/DNxm0nvfY3
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 5, 2022
If Vancouver wants to beat this team and move on to the Western Conference Finals, they will have to have a short memory and forget all about their recent games played against Kamloops and realize that this is a whole new series. What happened in the past shouldn’t impact what happens next, but this is much easier said than done.
Yes, the Giants will have to adjust to their opponent, but they beat the number one team for a reason. The players and coaches will have to continue to have the mindset that they have nothing to lose. People may be writing them off, but the Giants will be writing their own story.
The B.C. Division showdown will begin on home ice for the Blazers, as the Vancouver Giants will begin their second-round journey at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops on Friday, May 6th. The puck will drop for Game 1 at 7:00 pm.
Vancouver hockey fans will be cheering them on, as the Giants are the only remaining Vancouver hockey team in a playoff spot. Go, Giants, Go!