Two soaps double trouble for Vancouver Giants play-by-play

tomtidgewellNovember 30, 2022

The Giants’ Samuel Honzek moves up one spot in the draft, while Tanner Brown faces his former team in Vancouver.

Mark Liwiski (left) of the Kelowna Rockets and the Vancouver Giants Thai Thorpe battle for the pack during a WHL match at the Langley Event Center on October 23, 2021. Photo by Rob Wilton

If only the Vancouver Giants could find a left winger named Ty Thorpe.

They were able to put him in line with Tyler Thorpe, a 20-year-old center from Brandon, Massachusetts, who was in his second year at the club, and Tyler Thorpe, a 17-year-old right winger from Richmond.Langley of BCHL After starting the season with the Rivermen, he signed with the Giants a few weeks ago.

However, radio play-by-play Eddie Gregory may demand hazard pay. His task was already decidedly complicated when his second soap was added in Vancouver.

“I think Eddie wasn’t too happy about having to call two Thorpes on the ice at the same time,” Ty Thorpe said. “I don’t think anyone really believed it was going to happen until he showed up here. It’s crazy. It’s kind of weird.”

Tyler Thorpe is a 17-year-old right winger for the Vancouver Giants. Photo by Rob Wilton /jpg

Giants coach Michael Dyke had yet to line Thorpe in the same forward trio, but an on-the-fly change brought the pair together for Tyler’s first shift in Vancouver, recalls Gregory.

Gregory is adamant about calling both by their full names so that listening fans can distinguish between unrelated soaps.

Players and team staff began calling the center “Soapie” and the winger “Soap Jr.” to distinguish them in everyday trading.

Tyler Thorpe suffered a hand injury during practice and missed two games in Vancouver’s match against the Moose Joe Warriors at the Langley Event Center on Wednesday.

Honzek pushes a button to get your attention

TSN’s Craig Button released his latest 2023 NHL draft rankings on Wednesday, with Giants winger Samuel Honzek ranked 22nd after being left out of Button’s final ballot in September. He was one of the big climbers.

At 6 feet 3 inches and 181 pounds, Honzek has scored 14 goals and 32 points in 23 appearances in the Moose Jaw Contest.

Button named eight other WHLers as first-round picks: Regina Patz’ Connor Bedard (No.1); Braden Yeager of the Moose Jaw Center (No.8). Winnipeg left winger Zach Benson (9th). Kane Ziemer (No. 15), right winger for the Prince George Cougars. Kelowna Rockets winger Andrew Crystal (No. 16). Riley Height (No. 18), center of the Prince George Cougars. Brandon Wheat Kings center Nate Danielson (No. 21). Tri-City Americans defenseman Lucas Dragisevic (No. 28).

The BCHL also had a first-round pick on its list of buttons in Penticton Veedes winger Bradley Nadeau (No. 30).

Brownstrut’s in his hometown as part of Regina’s road trip

Regina Putts’ BC road swing this week was homecoming for Kelowna native Tanner Brown, a 20-year-old Regina defenseman who spent his first two-and-a-half seasons in the WHL with the Giants.

Vancouver turned him over to the Winnipeg Ice for a first-round pick in the 2022 WHL Draft at last season’s trade deadline on January 17.

Lost in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Ice had 10 players in his 19-year-old season. With only three of his 20-year-old on the team, Winnipeg last July traded Brown and his 2023 seventh-round pick to the Red He Dia He Rebels. 19-year-old winger Josh He Medarnak and He Third Rounder in 2023.

Brown played just five games for Red Deer, and the weirdo was out when the Rebels acquired sniper Ben King from the Anaheim Ducks. Regina sent a 2023 fifth rounder and a 2024 fourth rounder to Red Deer on Oct. 11 to earn the rights to Brown.

The Pats released goaltender Cohen McInnes to open up a spot for 20-year-old Brown.

Teams now have one trip per season. As luck would have it for Brown, Regina’s trip dotted her BC with her friends and her family all over the place. Brown scored his first goal of the season Tuesday against the Rockets at home in Kelowna as the Pats won his 6-5 overtime win.

“It was crazy,” Brown said before the Pats’ game against the Giants in the LEC last week. “I’ve had plenty of junior experience. I’ve seen some pretty cool countries, and I’ve met a lot of good people.

“It’s part of the business.

Although Brown became a full-time regular for the Giants in 2019-20, he’s opted for additional skaters to travel with the team as they participate in the WHL Championship Series against the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2019 playoffs. I was alone.

Regina wraps up her five-game BC trip by visiting the Prince George Cougars on Friday.

SEwen@postmedia.com

Twitter: @SteveEwen

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