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WHL: Giants blank Bruins

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Canadian Press
1/1/2007 1:11:22 AM
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Vancouver Giants forward Milan Lucic is unstoppable these days.

Lucic scored his second hat trick in three games Sunday to lead the Giants to a 3-0 Western Hockey League victory over the Chilliwack Bruins.

Tim Kraus and Spencer Machacek added two assists each for Vancouver, which walloped Chilliwack 8-0 at home on Friday.

Vancouver has collected at least a point in eight straight games.

Elsewhere in WHL action it was: Seattle 4, Portland 3; Kootenay 5, Prince Albert 1; and Spokane 4, Tri-City 3 (SO).

At Chilliwack, B.C., back-up goaltender Blaine Neufeld earned the second shutout of his career and his first victory since the Giants acquired him from the Saskatoon Blades on Nov. 29.

Neufeld made just 17 saves as Vancouver's defencemen smothered Chilliwack's forwards.

Lucic opened scoring 4:14 into the game on a 4-on-3 power play, taking a feed from Kraus and snapping a shot through the legs of Bruins goaltender Matt Esposito.

Lucic made it 2-0 at 13:23 of the second frame, scooping up a rebound from a Machacek shot and beating Esposito on the short side.

In the third period, Lucic capped scoring with one of the prettiest goals of the year. Kraus led a 2-on-1 rush, where he faked a slap shot and passed the puck through his legs to Lucic, who buried the puck into a wide open net.

A couple of Giants fans who made the trek from Vancouver threw hats onto the ice.

Lucic, who has 19 goals this season, also scored three goals in Vancouver's 4-3 shootout loss to Kamloops on Thursday. Esposito made 30 saves in the loss, which was Chilliwack's third in a row.

  Thunderbirds 4, Winter Hawks 3

At Portland, Ore., Brett Robertson's goal with 41 seconds left in regulation led Seattle to a win over the Winter Hawks.

Ice 5, Raiders 1

At Cranbrook, B.C., Kris Lazaruk made 25 saves to lead Kootenay to a win over Prince Albert.


Chiefs 4, Americans 3

At Kennewick, Wash., Judd Blackwater tied the game in the third period then scored the shootout winner as Spokane beat Tri-City.

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