GIANTS STAY PERFECT, CLINCH SEMIFINAL SPOT WITH WIN OVER LIONS

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Sam Reinhart scored his team’s third power play goal of the game 13:23 into the third period to give the Vancouver North West Giants the lead and Mitch Fytte added the insurance goal just 32seconds later as the Giants topped the Lions du Lac St-Louis 4-2 on Thursday afternoon at the 2011 TELUSCup.

With the win, Vancouver (4-0) not only remains the lone undefeated team, it wraps up first place and a spot in Saturday’s semifinals.

The Giants’ power play clicked at a remarkable 10-for-17 (58.8%) pace through the first three games, so it was no surprise when Alex Kerfoot opened the scoring with his tournament-leading seventh goal on a Vancouver man advantage just 7:24 in.

It took until the 6:47 mark of the second period for Lac St-Louis (2-2) to respond, courtesy of a Michael Matheson power play goal, but Vancouver struck back just 1:32 later when Jackson Houck scored yet anotherGiants goal while playing a man up.

Patrick Walsh recorded the game’s first goal at five-on-five early in the third period to again pull LacSt-Louis even, but Reinhart made the Lions pay for too many trips to the penalty box, taking a pass fromMitchell Steinke and roofing a backhand over Patrick DesRochers, who made his first start of the tournament for the Quebec champions.

Reinhart’s goal gives him 18 points in four games, putting him one up on Kerfoot for the tournament lead.The Vancouver line mates have run away from the pack atop the scoring chart – they sit 10 points ahead of Houck, who holds down third spot.

Fytte rounded out the scoring with a quick goal after Reinhart’s go-ahead marker and Giants goaltenderDaniel Cotton did the rest, making 10 of his 32 saves in the third period.

Vancouver looks to wrap up a perfect preliminary round when it takes on London on Friday morning (9:30a.m. NT), while the Lions hope to solidify their semifinal spot when they face the host St. John’s Privateers in the final preliminary round game (4:30 p.m. NT).