It was not pretty, but the Vancouver Giants beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-0 Friday night in Western Hockey League action.

Fans were treated to a snoozer but everyone likes a winner, so the 6,841 faithful left satisfied.

Perhaps the only stand out player in the game was the young Seattle netminder Jacob De Serres (0-1-1), making just his second start of the season. The 16-year-old goalie made 37 saves in the loss.

Tyson Sexsmith (5-0-0) had to make just 12 saves for the shutout, his first of the year. The Giants, ranked number one in the country, improve to 10-0-0-0, while the T-Birds drop to 1-3-0-3.

Milan Lucic opened the scoring about five minutes into the game on the power play. Tim Kraus' rush down the right win resulted in an awkward save by the goalie and Lucic was there to bury the loose puck in front of the net for his second of the year.

With some momentum nearing the end of the second period the Thunderbirds almost tied the game. Aaron Gagnon was in close on Sexsmith and beat the netminder over the shoulder, but the puck rung off the red iron frame to keep the Giants up by one.

Cody Franson scored his third of the year on the power play to double the lead. His 17th point of the season, tops among WHL rear guards, was a powerful shot from the point that beat De Serres at 18:11 of the second. John Flatters and Mario Bliznak earned the assists. Franson now has points in six straight games.

Kraus added another goal with just over four minutes to go. Rookie Lance Bouma centered the puck from behind the goal line and Kraus stepped into the puck, blasting it past De Serres, the game's second star. It was the Californian sniper's fifth of the season.