Zack Ostapchuk proved {that a} perception system might work a few seasons in the past with the Vancouver Giants.
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Excuse us if Jaden Lipinski’s storyline with the Vancouver Giants parallels Zack Ostapchuk’s from a few seasons in the past.
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Lipinski’s a giant, rangy ahead who was drafted by the Calgary Flames this summer time and went to Flames camp. The 18-year-old’s statistics with the Giants thus far this season aren’t the place he hoped they might be — two objectives and 7 factors via 11 video games — however Giants common supervisor Barclay Parneta and coach Manny Viveiros each say they’re happy together with his play and he’s contributing in quite a lot of sides.
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Ostapchuk was a giant, rangy 18-year-old ahead with the Giants two seasons in the past, coming off being picked by the Ottawa Senators within the NHL Draft that summer time and going to their camp. He had a single objective in his first 13 video games with Vancouver that marketing campaign, though Giants brass have been happy on the time together with his general play.
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What occurred after that? Ostapchuk’s numbers began to return round and he wound up with 26 objectives and 43 factors in 60 regular-season video games, after which spearheaded Vancouver’s upset of the Everett Silvertips within the first spherical of the WHL playoffs. He had seven objectives and 23 factors in 12 playoff video games cut up over two rounds that spring.
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It’s one thing to ponder with Lipinski as this season strikes alongside. The 6-foot-4, 205 pound Lipinski had 19 objectives and 51 factors in 66 regular-season video games final season after totalling eight objectives and 17 factors in 68 video games as a Giants’ rookie in 2021-22. He was a fourth-round choice of the Flames.
“The factors haven’t been there as a lot as I would love them to be however I believe I’m doing the suitable issues,” he stated after Sunday’s 4-3 win over the Kamloops Blazers on the Langley Occasions Centre, a sport wherein he put up a objective and an help and was picked first star. “It’s straightforward to chase them (factors) however if you happen to play the suitable means they’ll come.”
Viveiros added: “I’ve been actually proud of how he’s been enjoying. The one distinction is the scoring proper now. He doesn’t get straightforward matchups. He’s at all times getting the opposite groups’ prime gamers.”
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Lipinski’s first objective this season even wanted a few further days and video evaluation to wind up in his stats’ column. The Giants’ last tally in a 6-5 loss to the Kelowna Rockets on Oct. 21 at Prospera Place got here on a Mazden Leslie level shot via a gaggle of site visitors in entrance of the online. The on-ice officers credited it initially to Tyler Thorpe, however early the subsequent week it was modified by the league workplace to a Lipinski marker, with assists from Leslie and Thorpe.
For what it’s price, you may hear Kelowna play-by-play man Regan Bartel calling a Lipinski tip-in the spotlight bundle on the league web site.
It’s been that form of unusual 12 months for Lipinski. On Friday in opposition to the Victoria Royals on the LEC, he took a puck within the mouth. The gash took 9 stitches to shut and he got here again later within the sport carrying a full face defend.
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“I saved all my tooth. I’m fairly glad about that,” Lipinski, who’s from Scottsdale, Ariz., stated. “It’s actually totally different (with the total defend). It brings me again to my bantam and midget days.”
The Flames additionally chosen Giants ahead Samuel Honzek with the No. 16 general choice on this summer time’s draft, however Honzek (decrease physique harm) has been sidelined since getting damage in an Oct. 4 Calgary pre-season sport and there’s no clear timeline for when he may be again. Parneta had stated that it will be six to eight weeks initially after which this previous weekend stated it was doubtless three extra weeks. Honzek had but to renew skating finally phrase. He’s rehabbing in Calgary, though he was on the town final weekend to spend time together with his Giants’ teammates.
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Lipinski had been on a line with fellow third-year Big Ty Halaburda and rookie Cameron Schmidt, however Schmidt is at present on the Underneath-17 World Problem match in Charlottetown and Summerside, P.E.I. Connor Dale has been taking his place with the trio. Dale joined Vancouver on the commerce deadline final January within the blockbuster deal that noticed Ostapchuk transfer to the Winnipeg Ice.
The 6-foot-4, 205 pound Ostapchuk, 20, is enjoying with Ottawa’s AHL Belleville Senators’ affiliate.
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