CHL Daily: Brandon, Moncton score nine in dominant wins
CHL Three Stars
Jake Sloan earned Saturday’s first star after he registered the first hat-trick of his WHL career in Tri-City‘s 6-4 win over Prince George. Sloan, who also had an assist in the victory, had a career best 20 goals and 55 points last season.
Charlottetown‘s Alexis Michaud collected the second after a career best four-point (2G, 2A) performance in a 6-1 win over Halifax. The 2024 NHL Draft prospect had 23 points (12 goals) a year ago with the Islanders.
Patrick Leaver made 51 saves for Saint John to earn the third star in a 4-3 shootout loss to Acadie-Bathurst. Leaver, who split time last season between Oshawa and Guelph of the OHL, has a CHL best 88 saves through two games this season.
CHL Top 10 recap
Top-ranked Rouyn-Noranda opened their 2023-24 campaign with a 5-4 overtime loss to Val-d’Or as Samuel Viala, the fifth overall pick in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, scored the winner.
Marcus Nguyen scored the overtime winner as the no.3 ranked Winterhawks collected their first win of the campaign after a 6-5 victory over Kelowna. Gabe Klassen had three points (1G, 2A) for Portland while Nicholas Johnson scored twice.
Fifth ranked Moose Jaw suffered a second straight defeat to start the season as they lost 9-4 to Brandon. Defenceman Matthew Gallant collected a goal and an assist in defeat.
Halifax, ranked no. 6 in the CHL Top 10, fell to Charlottetown for the second consectutive day. In addition to Michaud’s four points, rookie d-man Owen Conrad had three points (1G, 2) for the Islanders while Halifax’s lone goal came from Logan Crosby.
The ninth ranked Blades were beaten 5-1 by Regina in their opening game of 2023-24. Jordan Keller had Saskatoon’s lone goal of the night.
Nightly notes
Brandon dominated Moose Jaw 9-4 on the back of a four-point (1G, 3A) outing from 2024 NHL Draft prospect Caleb Hadland. Furthermore, Nolan Flamand and Rylan Roersma each had two goals and an assist while recently acquired Jayden Wiens had three assists.
Moncton moved to 2-0-0 after their own nine-goal output against Cape Breton. Vincent Collard, Alex Mercier and Miles Mueller all scored twice, Yoan Loshing had three points (1G, 2A) and Oscar Plandowski had three helpers.
Justin Poirier had his first hat-trick of 2023-24 as Baie-Comeau won 5-3 in Quebec. A year ago as a rookie, the 2024 NHL Draft prospect had 28 goals.
C’est Justin Poirier avec un tour du chapeau
🎩🎩🎩#NHLDraft | @DrakkarBAC pic.twitter.com/zN2NLTxCe4— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) September 24, 2023
Defending Ed Chynoweth Cup champions Seattle got their 2023-24 campaign underway with a 3-2 victory over Wenatchee. Sam Popowich, who had 23 points a year ago with the T-Birds, buried the game-winner with 33 seconds to play.
QMJHL results (Sept. 23, 2023)
Baie-Comeau 5-3 Quebec
Shawinigan 2-1 Sherbrooke
Val-d’Or 5-4 Rouyn-Noranda (OT)
Moncton 9-1 Cape Breton
Charlottetown 6-1 Halifax
Acadie-Bathurst 4-3 Saint John (SO)
WHL results (Sept. 23, 2023)
Red Deer 4-3 Edmonton
Medicine Hat 5-3 Calgary
Brandon 9-4 Moose Jaw
Tri-City 6-4 Prince George
Regina 5-1 Saskatoon
Lethbridge 5-2 Swift Current
Seattle 3-2 Wenatachee
Everett 5-3 Victoria
Portland 6-5 Kelowna (OT)
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