WEDNESDAY’S WHL MATCH-UPS
ROCKETS TAKE ON GIANTS – Shane McColgan and the Kelowna Rockets (3-6-0-0) host Craig Cunningham and the Vancouver Giants (5-5-1-1) for a B.C. Division match-up in Western Hockey League action on Wednesday.
The Rockets are coming off a 5-1 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Saturday for their second defeat in their last three outings. The Rockets are 1-4 through their first five games on home ice this season. McColgan leads the Rockets with six assists and shares the team scoring lead with seven points.
The Giants suffered a 6-3 loss to the Bruins in Chilliwack on Saturday night for their third straight setback. The Giants have scored four times on 28 power play chances through their first six road games. Cunningham leads all WHL players in scoring with 22 points this season.
It’s the second meeting of the season between the Rockets and Giants. Vancouver managed a 4-1 win over Kelowna in Vancouver on October 8th in the first encounter.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Quinton Howden and the Moose Jaw Warriors (4-7-0-0) host Tyler Pitlick and the Medicine Hat Tigers (4-3-0-0).
The Warriors are coming off Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over the East Division-leading Saskatoon Blades for their second win in a row. The Warriors have scored 11 goals over their last two contests, while allowing just four goals in that span.
The Tigers are coming off a pair of weekend wins over the Edmonton Oil Kings in a home-and-home series between the Central Division rivals. Medicine Hat’s penalty killers have given up just four goals on 34 opposition power plays through seven games this season.
In Portland, OR, Ty Rattie and the Portland Winterhawks (8-2-0-1) host Tyler Maxwell and the Everett Silvertips (5-2-1-1) for a U.S. Division match-up on Wednesday.
The Winterhawks earned a pair of road wins on the weekend, beating Kamloops 8-6 on Friday before topping the Kelowna Rockets 5-1 on Saturday. Rattie has piled up five goals and 13 points on his current five-game point streak.
The Silvertips are coming off Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to the Chiefs in Spokane for their fourth setback in their last five games. Maxwell has scored in eight of nine games he’s played this season, and leads the ‘Tips with 11 goals this season.
In Prince George, B.C., Sena Acolatse and the Prince George Cougars (5-4-1-0) host Scott Glennie and the Brandon Wheat Kings (4-6-0-0) on Wednesday.
The Cougars are coming off Saturday’s 8-1 victory over the Blazers in Kamloops for their second straight victory. The Cougars outscored their opponents 13-3 over the course of their two weekend victories.
The Wheat Kings suffered back-to-back losses to the Swift Current Broncos on the weekend, stretching their overall losing streak to six games. Glennie has scored just one goal through his first eight games of the season.
In Red Deer, AB, Byron Froese and the Red Deer Rebels (7-3-0-0) host Brendan Ranford and the Kamloops Blazers (4-6-0-1).
The Rebels are coming off Saturday’s 6-2 win over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders for their fifth victory in their last six games. Froese (5g-12a) shares the team lead in scoring with 17 points through the team’s first 10 contests.
The Blazers are coming off a pair of losses on the weekend, dropping an 8-6 decision to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Friday before losing 8-1 to the Prince George Cougars on Saturday. Ranford boasts a team-leading 10 goals this season.
In Regina, SK, Jordan Weal and the Regina Pats (2-7-1-0) welcome Jacob Berglund and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (3-4-0-2) on Wednesday.
The Pats dropped a 7-4 decision to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, B.C., on Saturday in their most recent contest. Weal has hit the score sheet in eight of the Pats’ 10 games this season, and boasts a team-leading 14 points this season.
The Hurricanes are coming off a 4-0 shutout loss to the visiting Saskatoon Blades on Saturday for their third straight defeat. Lethbridge’s penalty killing unit is operating at an 84.6 per cent success rate.
In other WHL action on Wednesday, Jared Cowen and the Spokane Chiefs (3-5-0-0) host Justin Kirsch and the Calgary Hitmen (4-5-0-0).
The Chiefs snapped a two-game losing skid with a 3-1 win over the visiting Everett Silvertips on Saturday night. Spokane is an even 2-2 through their first four games on home ice.
The Hitmen are coming off Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, WA, dropping them to 2-2 through four games of their U.S. Division road trip. Kirsch scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season on Tuesday.
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