March 03, 2013 - 7:21 PM
VANCOUVER - Blake Orban was the only scorer on Sunday as the Vancouver Giants edged the Everett Silvertips 1-0 in overtime in Western Hockey League action.
Vancouver won for the fourth time in their last five games Sunday when they edged the Everett Silvertips 1-0 in overtime in WHL action.
Payton Lee made 13 saves for the Giants (19-46-2) shutout victory. Austin Lotz stopped 26 shots for Everett (23-38-5).
Orban broke the scoreless deadlock when he connected for his fourth goal of the season on a blast from the point at 1:47 of overtime. Orban's shot slipped past Lotz in the Everett net on his stick side. Centre Brendan Rouse set up the winner with a pass from the corner.
Despite their recent hot streak the Giants still bring up the rear in the Western Conference. They seemed doomed to finish last in the Western Conference and are in a rebuilding mode with a lineup Sunday that featured one 15-year-old and four 16-year-olds. But in their last five outings they have wins over Seattle, Kamloops, Lethbridge and Everett.
The win also prevented the Giants from being swept by the Silvertips in regular-season play. Everett went into the game, their sixth and final meeting with Vancouver, with a 5-0 edge.
The Silvertips missed an opportunity to take over sole possession of seventh place in the West. With a point for the overtime loss they moved into a tie with arch-rival Seattle Thunderbirds with 52 points each. Everett still hasn't locked up the final playoff spot in the West. The ninth-place Prince George Cougars still have a shot at the eighth and final post-season berth with 44 points, eight points behind Everett.
Each team had an excellent chance to take the lead in the third period. Cain Franson rang one off the post for the Giants from close range in the 12-minute mark while Lee had to stop an Everett chance on a semi-breakaway earlier in the period.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013