Tickets for two Western Hockey League (WHL) pre-season games to be played at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre go on sale Monday, Aug. 12.
The Vancouver Giants will face the Victoria Royals Sept. 7, at 7 p.m., and again on Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. in the Jon Baillie Arena.
Approximately 750 general admission tickets, at $16 plus tax each, are available for each game with all seating first come, first served.
PoCo residents can book their tickets online or by phone 604-927-7529 beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 12. Fans who don’t live in the city will be able to purchase any remaining tickets beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 15.
Tickets can be picked up between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Wed. Sept. 4 to Fri. Sept. 6, or at the Will Call window beginning two hours prior to each game.
The Giants finished third in the WHL’s B.C. Division last season with a record of 32 wins, 32 losses and four overtime losses in 68 games.
The team was knocked out of the first round of the playoffs in five games by the Everett Silvertips.
There are five draft NHL prospects currently listed on the Giants’ roster. They include:
- Samuel Honzek, selected 16th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2023 draft
- Connor Levis, selected 210th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2023 draft
- Jaden Lipinski, selected 112th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2023 draft
- Colton Roberts, selected 131st overall by the San Jone Sharks in the 2024 draft
- Tyler Thorpe, selected 130th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2024 draft
Centreman Cameron Schmidt is playing for Canada’s U18 national team that is competing at the prestigious 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup that concludes in Edmonton on Saturday, Aug. 10.
The Royals finished just one point behind the Giants in last year’s WHL standings for the B.C. division. The team was subsequently swept from first round of the playoffs by the Portland Winterhawks.
Two players on the Royals current roster have been drafted by NHL teams:
- Justin Kipkie, selected 160th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2023 draft
- Nate Misskey, selected 143rd overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 draft
Forward Cole Reschny is Schmidt’s teammate on Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
