After being held to a single goal on Tuesday night in a losing effort, Vancouver Giants rebounded in a major way with a 6-4 road win over the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday night, Jan. 25, at Prospera Place.

Giants captain Mazden Leslie led the way with two goals  and an assist. Also scoring for the G-Men were Tyler Thorpe, Connor Levis, Ty Halaburda and Ryan Lin  (empty-net goal).

Kelowna got two goals from Hayden Paupanekis, plus single tallies from Hiroki Gojsic and Dawson Gerwing.

Giants Associate Coach Adam Maglio thought they played "much, much better."

"We bent a little bit, but we didn't break."

Maglio said Leslie was "outstanding."

"Sometimes you need a guy that's going to drag you into the fight when things are hard and really step up. Maz did that tonight." 

Giants struck first when Thorpe used his speed through neutral ice to create a 2-on-1 rush, where he came down the right wing and snapped home his 18th of the season.

Kelowna equalized on a power play goal late in the frame off the stick of Paupanekis to make it 1-1 after 20 minutes.

The Giants re-took the lead early in period two when Leslie one-timed a shot from the left circle through goaltender Jake Pilon in the dying seconds of a four-minute power play.

Paupanekis equalized a few minutes later on a great individual effort where he won a puck battle and cut his way to the high slot, making it 2-2.

With less than five minutes remaining in the second period, a point shot from Jackson Gillespie was redirected in by Gojsic, giving the home side their first lead of the hockey game.

Before the period was done, Levis tied the contest 3-3 with a power play goal from the top of the right circle, beating Pilon on the blocker side, with Thorpe providing the screen.

Gerwing got the lead back for Kelowna with a power play goal to start the third period, when he deposited in a rebound off the pad.

Several minutes later, Leslie picked off a pass in neutral ice that was intended for defenceman Carter Kowalyk back in the Kelowna zone, creating a 1-on-1 opportunity. He toe-dragged the puck around the defending stick of Kowalyk, before firing home a wrist shot past Pilon from the slot to make it 4-4.

Later in the third, the Rockets were called for delay of game after shooting the puck directly over the glass from their own zone.

On the ensuing power play, the Giants took full advantage again, after Leslie threw a low shot to the net that led to a rebound goal from Halaburda for the Giants' fourth power play goal of the game.

Lin would score into the empty net with less than one minute remaining to make the final score 6-4.

Next, Giants play Swift Current this Sunday, Jan. 26 at 91原创 Events Centre. Puck drops at 4 p.m.