SATURDAY’S WHL ROUND-UP
ICE FREEZE OUT HURRICANES – Mackenzie Skapski stopped all 23 shots he faced to post his fourth shutout of the season as the Kootenay Ice skated to a 3-0 win over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes in Western Hockey League action on Saturday night.
Levi Cable – with a shorthanded marker – Joey Leach and Brock Montgomery also scored and Jaedon Descheneau picked up two assists for the Ice (24-27-2-0), who move to within three points of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Ty Rimmer made 26 saves on 28 shots in the loss for the Hurricanes (24-23-1-7), who allowed two goals on three Ice power play chances while also giving up a shorthanded goal in the defeat.
BLADES 4, BRONCOS 1
Michael Ferland scored three goals and set up another to pace the Saskatoon Blades posted a 4-1 win over the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Saturday.
Matej Stransky scored once and chipped in an assist while Darren Dietz and Brenden Walker each drew two assists for the Blades (27-21-0-3), who push their winning streak to four games and leapfrog Lethbridge into fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Andrey Makarov stopped 27 shots to post his 50th career win.
Richard Nedomlel scored the lone marker for the Broncos (25-23-3-2), who were tied at 1-1 after the opening period but gave up three unanswered goals the rest of the way as they drop their second decision in as many nights. Eetu Laurikainen stopped 38 shots in the defeat.
WHEAT KINGS 5, PATS 2
Jayce Hawryluk scored a pair of goals as his Brandon Wheat Kings managed a 5-2 triumph over the visiting Regina Pats on Saturday.
John Quenneville notched a goal and an assist while Marek Kalus and Eric Roy also found the net for the Wheat Kings (19-31-2-2), who exact revenge on the Pats after having lost 3-2 in Regina on Friday night. Curtis Honey turned in a 31-save effort to backstop the Wheaties to the victory.
Braden Christoffer and Adam Brooks had the goals for the Pats (19-28-3-3), who have dropped eight of their last nine games. Matt Hewitt made 26 saves in the loss.
RAIDERS 2, HITMEN 0
Luke Siemens kicked aside all 40 shots fired his way to claim his fifth shutout of the season as the Prince Albert Raiders blanked the visiting Calgary Hitmen 2-0 on Saturday.
Shane Danyluk and Chance Braid scored for the Raiders (30-18-1-3), who went 0-for-6 on the power play while posting their second win in three games.
Chris Driedger turned aside 28 of 30 shots in a losing cause for the Hitmen (33-16-1-3), who suffer their third straight loss and second straight shutout defeat.
OIL KINGS 6, TIGERS 0
Laurent Brossoit made 23 saves to record his second straight shutout and fourth shutout over his last 11 games as the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings downed the Medicine Hat Tigers 6-0 on Saturday.
Curtis Lazar – with his 27th of the season – Ashton Sautner, Henrik Samuelsson, Michael St. Croix, T.J. Foster and Trevor Cheek scored and Martin Gernat picked up three assists for the Oil Kings (38-11-2-3), who converted two of four power play chances as they stretch their win streak to eight games.
Cam Lanigan made 36 saves on 42 shots in the defeat for the Tigers (25-26-2-1), who were blanked on five power play opportunities while dropping their third straight decision.
AMERICANS 4, THUNDERBIRDS 3 O/T
Justin Feser scored his second goal of the game 27 second into overtime to lift the visiting Tri-City Americans to a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday.
Feser sent the game to overtime with the tying goal 18:27 into the third period while Parker Bowles and Malte Stromwall also counted for the Americans (31-19-1-2), who stretch their winning streak to three games. Luke Lee-Knight stopped 32 of 35 shots to earn the win.
Seth Swenson – with a goal and an assist – Connor Sanvido and Jesse Forsberg got the goals for the Thunderbirds (19-29-4-1), who drop their second straight decision but remain four points clear of the Cougars for eighth place in the Western Conference. Brandon Glover made 24 saves in the defeat.
ROCKETS 5, GIANTS 0
Jordon Cooke stopped all 22 shots he faced to record his fifth shutout of the season as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the visiting Vancouver Giants 5-0 on Saturday.
Myles Bell scored his 30th and 31st goals of the season and added an assist and Dylen McKinlay, Ryan Olsen and MacKenzie Johnston also scored for the Rockets (40-10-3-1), who pick up their 23rd consecutive home-ice win, leaving them one short of tying a franchise record.
Payton Lee stopped 20 of 25 shots he faced in the loss for the Giants (13-40-0-0), who went 0-for-4 on the power play while dropping their second straight decision.
WINTERHAWKS 4, CHIEFS 0
Mac Carruth set a new franchise record with his sixth shutout of the season, stopping all 26 shots he faced as his Portland Winterhawks blanked the visiting Spokane Chiefs 4-0 on Saturday.
Brendan Leipsic scored twice, giving him 36 goals on the season, and Taylor Leier – with his 20th of the season – and Oliver Bjorkstrand also counted for the Winterhawks (43-7-1-2), who stretch their win streak to six games.
Eric Williams turned aside 43 of 47 shots fired his way in a losing cause for the Chiefs (30-20-2-0), who see their losing skid extended to four games.
ROYALS 2, COUGARS 1 S/O
Alex Gogolev tallied the lone marker in a shootout to lift the visiting Victoria Royals to a 2-1 win over the Prince George Cougars on Saturday.
Gogolev got his 19th goal of the season in regulation play for the Royals (28-19-1-3), who had lost 6-2 to the Cougars in Prince George on Friday night. Patrik Polivka stopped 38 of 39 shots he faced in regulation play, and wasn’t beaten through four rounds of a shootout to earn the victory.
Dallas Ehrhardt got the tying goal with 1:34 to play in the third period for the Cougars (16-30-2-5), who remain four points behind Seattle for eighth place in the Western Conference. Mac Engel stopped 27 shots in regulation, but was beaten once in the shootout to take the loss.
BLAZERS 3, SILVERTIPS 2 S/O
JC Lipon netted the shootout winner as the visiting Kamloops Blazers edged the Everett Silvertips 3-2 on Saturday.
Colin Smith got his 36th goal of the season while Lipon netted his 27th of the campaign for the Blazers (35-15-2-3), who post their second win in as many nights. Cole Cheveldave made 28 saves through three periods and overtime, and wasn’t beaten in the shootout to chalk up his 25th victory of the season.
Landon Oslanski scored twice for the Silvertips (21-28-1-4), who went 1-for-6 on the man advantage as they come away with their fourth setback in a row. Daniel Cotton turned in a 30-save effort through regulation play, but allowed one goal on four Blazers’ shootout chances in the defeat.
