WHL

Best friends and two of the top prospects in hockey: Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall (left) and Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard are set to each each other for the first time in their WHL careers. (Regan Bartel/Kelowna Rockets)

Top hockey prospects, best friends Bedard and Cristall set to battle it out in Kelowna

Rockets and Pats forwards first and second in WHL scoring

Best friends and two of the top prospects in hockey: Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall (left) and Regina Pats forward Connor Bedard are set to each each other for the first time in their WHL careers. (Regan Bartel/Kelowna Rockets)
Vancouver Giants bounced back in a big way Sunday afternoon, Nov. 27, taking down the first-place Portland Winterhawks 3-1 at Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Shorthanded Vancouver Giants score to down Portland Winterhawks

Ty Thorpe notches 100th career point

  • Nov 27, 2022
Vancouver Giants bounced back in a big way Sunday afternoon, Nov. 27, taking down the first-place Portland Winterhawks 3-1 at Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Giants captain Zack Ostapchuk was named second star of the game Friday, Nov. 25 as a sellout crowd of 5,276 watched Pats captain Connor Bedard, a rising star and top NHL prospect, lead his team against Vancouver at the Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Sold-out crowd watches Connor Bedard lead Regina Pats to victory over Vancouver Giants

Top NHL prospect generates ‘unprecedented’ turnout

  • Nov 27, 2022
Giants captain Zack Ostapchuk was named second star of the game Friday, Nov. 25 as a sellout crowd of 5,276 watched Pats captain Connor Bedard, a rising star and top NHL prospect, lead his team against Vancouver at the Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
(Photo - Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

THE MOJ: Rocketing into orbit with a B.C. hockey success story

Bruce Hamilton’s Kelowna Rockets have been doing junior hockey the right way for years

(Photo - Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)
Four hockey legends from the 1972 Canada-Russia hockey series were on hand for the puck drop at Langley Centre Centre on Friday, Nov. 18 with Giants captain Zack Ostapchuk and teammates wearing jerseys that paid tribute to Team Canada. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Giants loss at ‘Legends’ tribute game

Special teams were the story of the night

  • Nov 19, 2022
Four hockey legends from the 1972 Canada-Russia hockey series were on hand for the puck drop at Langley Centre Centre on Friday, Nov. 18 with Giants captain Zack Ostapchuk and teammates wearing jerseys that paid tribute to Team Canada. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Samuel Honzek scored his 12th of the season for the Giants against Prince George Cougars on Sunday, Nov. 13. Prince George won 6-4. (James Doyle/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Vancouver Giants drop game to Prince George Cougars

A six-goal streak proved impossible to counter

Samuel Honzek scored his 12th of the season for the Giants against Prince George Cougars on Sunday, Nov. 13. Prince George won 6-4. (James Doyle/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Vancouver Giants Ty Halaburda and Colton Langkow applied pressure to Cougars netminder Ty Young as the G-Men won won the first half of their two-game road weekend against Prince George Cougars at the CN Centre on Saturday, Nov. 12 5-4.(James Doyle/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: A happy birthday for Vancouver Giants Honzek against Prince George Cougars

Accounted for two goals and two assists of 5-4 win on the road

  • Nov 13, 2022
Vancouver Giants Ty Halaburda and Colton Langkow applied pressure to Cougars netminder Ty Young as the G-Men won won the first half of their two-game road weekend against Prince George Cougars at the CN Centre on Saturday, Nov. 12 5-4.(James Doyle/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Lynden Lakovic (right) from Kelowna, B.C. is a forward for the Moose Jaw Warriors and was selected as a member of the Canada Black team in the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. (Langley Events Centre/Special to The News)

Only 1 Canadian team gets win in first day of World Under-17 Hockey Challenge

United States, Sweden, and Canada Black all won their Nov. 3 matchups

Lynden Lakovic (right) from Kelowna, B.C. is a forward for the Moose Jaw Warriors and was selected as a member of the Canada Black team in the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. (Langley Events Centre/Special to The News)
Colton Roberts will play as part of team Canada Black in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Nov. 3-12. (Langley Events Centre/Special to The News)

Lower Mainland players prepare for first day of World U-17 Hockey Challenge

Vancouver Giants’ Colton Roberts is one of three Lower Mainland players on team Canada Black

Colton Roberts will play as part of team Canada Black in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge from Nov. 3-12. (Langley Events Centre/Special to The News)
Mazden Leslie opened the scoring in the first period for the Giants, who went on to down Medicine Hat Tigers 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday, Nov. 1. (Randy Feere/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Vancouver Giants pull off a thrilling overtime win against Medicine Hat Tigers

Captain Zack Ostapchuk forced the game into sudden-death by scoring with 5.3 seconds left

  • Nov 2, 2022
Mazden Leslie opened the scoring in the first period for the Giants, who went on to down Medicine Hat Tigers 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday, Nov. 1. (Randy Feere/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Jesper Vikman was a standout in goal for Vancouver Giants, but so was his counterpart for the Calgary Hitmen, who eked out a narrow 3-2 win Sunday, Oct. 30 in Calgary. (Cassandra Vilgrain/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Great goaltending, inspired play, but a close loss for Vancouver Giants against Calgary Hitmen

Ty Halaburda made a near-impossible shot while falling down

  • Oct 31, 2022
Jesper Vikman was a standout in goal for Vancouver Giants, but so was his counterpart for the Calgary Hitmen, who eked out a narrow 3-2 win Sunday, Oct. 30 in Calgary. (Cassandra Vilgrain/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Jesper Vikman stopped 29 of 33 shots for Vancouver Friday, Oct. 28, in an away game against Red Deer that saw two Giants goals disallowed. (Rob Wallator/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Two Giants goals disallowed during loss to Red Deer

Final score: 4-0

  • Oct 29, 2022
Jesper Vikman stopped 29 of 33 shots for Vancouver Friday, Oct. 28, in an away game against Red Deer that saw two Giants goals disallowed. (Rob Wallator/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Samuel Honzek tied the game with 1.7 seconds left to force overtime against the Royals on Saturday, Oct. 22 in Victoria. (Kevin Light/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Vancouver Giants pull off an late-in-the-game comeback for OT win against Victoria

Samuel Honzek tied the game with just 1.7 seconds left

  • Oct 23, 2022
Samuel Honzek tied the game with 1.7 seconds left to force overtime against the Royals on Saturday, Oct. 22 in Victoria. (Kevin Light/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Zack Ostapchuk, back from Ottawa Senators training camp, returned as Vancouver Giants captain on Friday, Oct. 14, as the G-Men fell 4-2 to Brandon Wheat Kings at Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Vancouver Giants fall to Brandon Wheat Kings

Game marks return of Zack Ostapchuk to captain

  • Oct 15, 2022
Zack Ostapchuk, back from Ottawa Senators training camp, returned as Vancouver Giants captain on Friday, Oct. 14, as the G-Men fell 4-2 to Brandon Wheat Kings at Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Brett Mirwald stopped 35 shots for the Vancouver Giants, who suffered another frustrating overtime loss, falling 3-2 on Saturday Oct. 8 to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds at Langley Events Centre. Mirwald was named first star of the game. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: A frustrating overtime loss for Vancouver Giants against Seattle Thunderbirds

Stellar effort by G-Men netminder Brett Mirwald

  • Oct 9, 2022
Brett Mirwald stopped 35 shots for the Vancouver Giants, who suffered another frustrating overtime loss, falling 3-2 on Saturday Oct. 8 to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds at Langley Events Centre. Mirwald was named first star of the game. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Giants opened the scoring for the second time this season but dropped a shootout to their division rival the Prince George Cougars before a hometown audience at Langley Events centre on Friday night, Oct. 7. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

Vancouver Giants drop 4-3 shootout decision to Prince George Cougars

Friday game on home ice at Langley Events Centre

  • Oct 8, 2022
Giants opened the scoring for the second time this season but dropped a shootout to their division rival the Prince George Cougars before a hometown audience at Langley Events centre on Friday night, Oct. 7. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Vancouver Giants centreman Samuel Honzek scored the game-winner in the team’s first win of the season, a 4-1 home ice victory over Victoria on Friday, Sept. 30 at the Langley Events Centre. (Gary Ahuja/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Vancouver Giants record first regular season win

Home ice win against Victoria

  • Oct 2, 2022
Vancouver Giants centreman Samuel Honzek scored the game-winner in the team’s first win of the season, a 4-1 home ice victory over Victoria on Friday, Sept. 30 at the Langley Events Centre. (Gary Ahuja/Special to Langley Advance Times)
(Photo - www.kelownarockets.com/captains)

Throwing Punches: Former Kelowna Rockets captain suing leagues over long-term fighting injuries

James McEwan played two seasons for the Rockets

(Photo - www.kelownarockets.com/captains)
The Abbotsford Canucks have signed former Kamloops Blazers captain Quinn Schmiemann to a two-year deal. (Abbotsford Canucks photo)

Abbotsford Canucks sign former Kamloops Blazers captain Quinn Schmiemann

20-year-old former Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick signed for two years with AHL club

The Abbotsford Canucks have signed former Kamloops Blazers captain Quinn Schmiemann to a two-year deal. (Abbotsford Canucks photo)
It was an emotional moment for Connor Horning as the Cinderella playoff run for the 2022 Vancouver Giants came to an end Sunday afternoon, May 15, at the Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Vancouver Giants Cinderella season ends with loss to Kamloops

‘We knew it was going to be a tough series,’ coach says

It was an emotional moment for Connor Horning as the Cinderella playoff run for the 2022 Vancouver Giants came to an end Sunday afternoon, May 15, at the Langley Events Centre. (Rob Wilton/Special to Langley Advance Times)