As the holiday season approaches the Vancouver Giants find themselves preparing for a home-and-home set with the rival Chilliwack Bruins. The first game is Friday night in Chilliwack and will televised on Shaw-TV.

The Giants have gone 4-0-1 in their last five games outscoring their opponents 29-9 during that stretch. Vancouver will be without Michal Repik who continues to recover from the head injury sustained two weeks ago. Tyson Sexsmith will be in between the pipes for both games after returning from the Team Canada selection camp in Calgary.

In the last meeting between these two teams Tyson Sexsmith made 18 saves and Jon Blum scored the overtime winner in a 2-1 home ice victory for the Giants.

In the season series to date the Giants have gone 3-0-2 having lost once in a shootout and once in overtime. The Giants currently lead the Global Cup standings with 8 points to the Bruins 4. With two regulation wins this weekend the Giants will clinch the Global Cup and add another banner to the Coliseum rafters.

The Bruins enter the weekend having dropped both games last week, 5-2 to Medicine Hat on Friday and 4-3 in a shootout to Seattle on Saturday. At 17-13-3-1 the Bruins sit third in the B.C. division having been recently passed by the surging Kamloops Blazers. Look for Matt Esposito to get the start in goal both nights for 'Wack.

Previous Meetings

Sept 30 ... Vancouver 2 @ Chilliwack 3 (SO)
Oct 5 ... Chilliwack 5 @ Vancouver 4 (OT)
Oct 14 ...Vancouver 4 @ Chilliwack 0
Nov 4 ... Vancouver 3 @ Chilliwack 1
Nov 16 ... Chilliwack 1 @ Vancouver 2 (OT)

Get the inside scoop on these games in our Vancouver Giants Forum now!

Toss Your Teddy!

Don't forget that Saturday night is the Giants annual Teddy Bear Toss night with all the donated stuffed animals being given to needy Metro Vancouver kids via the Province Empty Stocking Fund.