If the Northwest Giants never meet the Vancouver Canadians in a B.C. major midget playoff game again, it will be too soon for the Burnaby-based hockey team.
For the fourth consecutive season, the Giants eked out a best-of-three game series against their cross-border rivals, defeating Greater Vancouver 3-2 in overtime in a third-game tiebreaker at the North Shore Winter Club on Sunday.
"They want to beat us so bad. That to me is important because they are going to bring everything they have, and we have to match it or be better," said Giants' head coach Todd Harkins.
The Giants opened with a 4-1 win at the Burnaby Winter Club on Friday behind a four-point night by Burnaby's Adam Helewka, including the series-opening goal.
Anthony Conti garnered the game-winning tally late in the middle period, while Mitch Cristanti notched a pair of third-period counters.
It was a different story on Saturday night.
Chris Tai, the league player of the month of February, backstopped the Canadians in goal to a 2-1 win at the winter club.
Helewka again opened scoring in the first period, but Trevor Lima with a power-play goal and Malcolm Glaholt, on a shorthanded scramble, gave the Canadians the lead in the second stanza.
The Giants had their chances in the final frame, but Tai stood tall, stopping Jarid Lukosevicius on the home team's best chance to tie the score - a dangerous two-on-one break off a turnover at mid-ice.
In the final game, the Giants were forced to come back from a 2-1 deficit to force the extra time.
In OT, Trevor Stack took a shot from the point and Brandon Del Grosso deflected the puck past Tai midway through the extra session.
"(The puck) found its way in, and the place went crazy," Harkins said. "It was a hard-fought series, and it was important. The next series is not going to be easy."
The Northwest region club will be looking for a fourth consecutive major midget title when it hosts the league runner-up Cariboo Cougars at the winter club in a three-game final series, beginning Friday.
"(Cariboo) will bring their style of play down, which has a bit of an edge to it, and we'll have to match that this weekend," Harkins added.
The Giants open against the Cougars at the Burnaby Winter Club Friday at 7:30 p.m.
The two teams tangle at the club on Saturday at 7:45 p.m.
If necessary, a Game 3 will be played on Sunday, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
