FRIDAY’S WHL ROUND-UP
CHIEFS TOP ROCKETS – Brenden Kichton’s power play marker 50 seconds into the third period stood up as the winner as the visiting Spokane Chiefs edged the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in Western Hockey League action on Friday night.
Jared Cowen and Levko Koper – with his 30th of the season – also scored for the Chiefs (36-16-4-2), who were 2-for-4 on the power play as they pick up their second straight win. Mac Engel made 22 saves on 24 shots to record his seventh win of the season.
Colton Scissons and Evan Bloodoff each notched a goal and an assist for the Rockets (32-24-0-1), who see a two-game winning streak halted and fall to second place in the B.C. Division. Adam Brown made 36 saves in the loss.
AMERICANS 6, BRUINS 2
Justin Feser scored three goals and set up another to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 6-2 victory over the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Friday.
Patrick Holland notched a goal and three assists and Connor Rankin added a goal and two helpers for the Americans (36-15-2-2), who trailed 2-1 at the 15:45 mark of the second period but scored five unanswered goals to notch the win, while Tyler Schmidt also counted. Chris Driedger made 14 saves through 46 minutes of action to take the win while Cam Gorchynski stopped four shots in relief.
Ryan Howse – with his 41st goal of the season – and Jamie Crooks scored for the Bruins (24-28-2-2), who drop their second straight decision and remain in ninth place in the Western Conference. Lucas Gore and Braden Gamble combined for 45 saves in a losing cause.
GIANTS 6, THUNDERBIRDS 2
Jordan Martinook and Nathan Burns each scored two goals to pace the Vancouver Giants to a 6-2 win over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.
Brendan Rowinski and Zach Hodder also scored for the Giants (31-22-1-4), who move two points ahead of Kelowna for first place in the B.C. Division. Mark Segal turned aside 17 of 19 shots he faced to post his 24th win of the season.
Luke Lockhart and Brenden Dillon scored for the Thunderbirds (20-29-4-5), who were outshot 37-19 by the hosts as they drop their fourth decision over their last five outings. Calvin Pickard made 30 saves in the defeat.
WARRIORS 6, RAIDERS 3
Quinton Howden scored four goals to lead the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors to a 6-3 win over the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday night.
Brett Lyon and Joel Edmunson also scored for the Warriors (33-22-2-2), who remain a comfortable 12 points clear for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Thomas Heemskerk made 32 saves to record his 30th win of the season.
Nathan Deck, Igor Revenko and Antoine Corbin scored for the Raiders (24-31-2-3), who see a two-game win streak snapped but remain in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Eric Williams made 28 stops in a losing cause.
HITMEN 2, PATS 1 S/O
Brooks Macek and Jimmy Bubnick scored in a shootout to lift the visiting Calgary Hitmen to a 2-1 triumph over the Regina Pats on Friday.
Rob Trzonkowski scored the only goal in regulation for the Hitmen (19-36-2-2), who earn their second straight win on the road but remain in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. Mike Snider made 36 saves through regulation and overtime, and wasn’t beaten in the shootout to pick up the victory.
Nils Moser scored the only goal for the Pats (20-31-6-2), who suffer their second straight loss but move to within five points of eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Matt Hewitt turned in a 36-save effort through three periods and overtime but was beaten twice in the shootout to take the loss.
WHEAT KINGS 10, BRONCOS 1
Scott Glennie scored twice and set up another while Mark Stone, Hampus Gustaffson and David Toews each tallied a goal and two assists to lead the Brandon Wheat Kings to a 10-1 thrashing of the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Friday.
Matt MacKay, Brenden Walker, Michael Ferland, Eric Roy and Ryan Pulock also scored for the Wheat Kings (24-28-1-7), who stretch their winning streak to four games while moving seven points clear for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Corbin Boes made 22 saves to post his sixth win of the season.
Adam Lowry scored the only goal for the Broncos (24-36-0-1), who allowed the game’s first 10 goals before getting on the board in the final minute of the third period. Mark Friesen and Austin Smith combined for 28 saves in a losing effort.
BLAZERS 4, OIL KINGs 3 O/T
Thomas Frazee scored his second goal of the game 2:32 into overtime to lift the visiting Kamloops Blazers to a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday.
J.C. Lipon and Corey Fienage also counted for the Blazers (26-31-2-1), who pad their lead to three points over Chilliwack for eighth place in the Western Conference. Jeff Bosch turned in a 46-save performance to backstop the Blazers to the victory.
Michael St. Croix tallied a goal and two assists while Mike Piluso and Kristians Pelss also counted for the Oil Kings (26-27-2-4), who outshot the visitors 49-35 in the contest. Jon Groenheyde made 31 saves in the loss.
ICE 4, TIGERS 1
Brayden McNabb notched a goal and an assist as the Kootenay Ice claimed a 4-1 victory over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday.
Kevin King, Joe Antilla and Max Reinhart – with his 30th of the season – also scored for the Ice (38-17-1-2), who stretch their winning streak to four games and move two points up on the Tigers for third place in the Eastern Conference. Nathan Lieuwen made 27 saves to pick up his 27th win of the season.
Linden Vey tallied his 39th goal of the season for the Tigers (36-17-4-1), who suffer their fourth loss in a row but remain firmly in a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Tyler Bunz made 27 saves in the defeat.
REBELS 2, HURRICANES 1 O/T
John Persson scored 1:58 into overtime to lift the Red Deer Rebels to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday.
Adam Kambeitz – with his 14th of the season – also scored for the Rebels (40-14-2-4), who reach the 40-win mark for the first time since the 2002-03 season. Darcy Kuemper made 27 saves to claim his League-leading 37th win of the season.
Daniel Johnston scored the only goal for the Hurricanes (18-28-4-8), who suffer their third straight loss but move to within five points of eighth place in the Eastern Conference with the point gained from the overtime loss. Brandon Anderson made 28 saves in a losing cause.
SILVERTIPS 4, COUGARS 1
Scott MacDonald scored a pair of goals to pace the visiting Everett Silvertips to a 4-1 win over the Prince George Cougars on Friday.
Jari Erricsson and Ryan Harrison also scored and Ryan Murray chipped in two assists for the Silvertips (24-25-5-4), who went 1-for-7 on the man advantage en route to snapping a three-game losing skid. Kent Simpson made 28 stops to claim his 18th win of the season.
Sena Acolatse – with his 12th of the season – scored the only goal for the Cougars (28-27-2-1), who were 0-for-5 on the power play in the contest. Ty Rimmer made 17 saves in the loss.
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