WEDNESDAY’S WHL MATCH-UPS
WINTERHAWKS WELCOME ICE – Sven Bartschi and the Portland Winterhawks (21-5-0-3) host Max Reinhart and the Kootenay Ice (18-7-0-2) for a match-up between two of the League’s current top teams in Western Hockey League action on Wednesday.
The Winterhawks are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Sunday for their third straight defeat, but remain comfortably in first place in the Western Conference and first place in the overall WHL standings. The Hawks are the WHL’s highest scoring team, having netted 113 goals in 26 games this season. Bartschi will attend Switzerland’s national junior team camp, along with Hawks’ teammate Nino Niederreiter.
The Ice skated to a 3-1 win over the Everett Silvertips on Tuesday night for their second straight victory on their U.S. Division tour, and currently sit just one point back of Red Deer and Saskatoon for a share of first place in the Eastern Conference. The Ice are 9-4-0-1 on the road this season. Reinhart scored his 10th goal of the season on Tuesday night, tying him for the team lead.
It’s the only meeting of the season between the Ice and the Winterhawks. The Hawks won last season’s only meeting versus Kootenay, defeating the Ice 5-1 in Cranbrook, B.C., on October 23, 2009.
Elsewhere on Wednesday night, Ryan Howse and the Chilliwack Bruins (12-9-2-1) host Curtis Hamilton and the Saskatoon Blades (19-6-0-1).
The Bruins skated to a 7-2 victory over the visiting Portland Winterhawks in their last contest on Friday, snapping a two-game losing skid, and currently sit tied for eighth place in the Western Conference. Howse leads the Bruins with 19 goals this season.
The Blades edged the Giants 2-1 in Vancouver on Tuesday night for their second straight win and their eighth victory in 10 games, and currently sit tied with Red Deer for first place in the Eastern Conference. Hamilton leads all WHL players with a +26 rating this season.
In Edmonton, AB, Josh Lazowski and the Edmonton Oil Kings (11-14-0-1) host Mark McNeill and the Prince Albert Raiders (9-15-2-2) on Wednesday.
The Oil Kings skated to a 3-1 victory in Calgary over the Hitmen on Saturday night for their third win in a row. Lazowski ranked fourth among all WHL rookies in scoring with eight goals and 22 points in 26 games this season.
The Raiders split a weekend home-and-home series versus the Saskatoon Blades, winning 3-1 at home on Friday before dropping a 6-2 decision in Saskatoon on Saturday. The Raiders have lost three straight and seven of their last eight road games.
In Kelowna, B.C., Geordie Wudrick and the Kelowna Rockets (14-11-0-0) host Marcel Noebels and the Seattle Thunderbirds (11-7-3-4) on Wednesday.
The Rockets are coming off a 3-2 overtime victory in Spokane over the Chiefs on Saturday, stretching their winning streak to four games. The Rockets posted an impressive 10-1 record through 11 games in November after going just 4-10 through September and October.
The Thunderbirds suffered a 3-1 defeat to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Tuesday night for their second straight loss and their fourth defeat in five games. The Thunderbirds’ power play is clicking at a 28.3 per cent success rate on the road this season.
In Prince George, B.C., Martin Marincin and the Prince George Cougars (14-10-2-0) host Kris Foucault and the Calgary Hitmen (6-19-1-0).
The Cougars stretched their winning streak to three games with a 7-5 victory over the Blazers in Kamloops on Saturday night, and currently sit tied with Vancouver for first place in the B.C. Division. Marincin leads all rookie defensemen in scoring with 30 points this season.
The Hitmen are coming off a 3-1 loss to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday for their third straight setback. The Hitmen are 3-7-1-0 on the road this season.
In Swift Current, SK, Justin Dowling and the Swift Current Broncos (15-14-0-0) host Austin Fyten and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (11-11-1-3) for the third straight encounter between the teams.
The Broncos skated to a pair of victories over the Hurricanes in a weekend home-and-home series, winning 4-2 in Swift Current on Friday before pulling off a 4-3 victory in Lethbridge on Saturday. Dowling leads the Broncos in scoring with 34 points.
The Hurricanes have dropped five of their last six games, including back-to-back losses to Swift Current on the weekend. The Hurricanes are 5-5-1-2 on the road this season, but have lost their last three contests away from home.
In other WHL action on Wednesday, Brendan Shinnimin and the Tri-City Americans (15-9-1-1) welcome Emerson Etem and the Medicine Hat Tigers (17-7-1-0).
The Americans edged the visiting Portland Winterhawks 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday night for their third consecutive victory, and currently sit in third place in the Western Conference. Shinnimin has five goals and nine points in seven games since returning from a 12-game suspension.
The Tigers stretched their winning streak to eight games with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday night. The Tigers are averaging a WHL-best 4.08 goals per game this season, having scored 102 goals in 25 games.
–
