WHL THIS WEEK: LOOKING AHEAD…
Calgary, AB – The 2010-11 Western Hockey League regular season enters its third weekend of action in February with a schedule of 22 games set for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and two more on Monday, including the Calgary 2011 WHL Outdoors event at McMahon Stadium.
In Cranbrook, B.C., fans can get an interactive view of where the Kootenay Ice call home with a virtual Dressing Room Tour.
In Lethbridge, AB, Monday is Enmax Family Day when the Hurricanes host the Red Deer Rebels. Fans can take advantage of special Family Day ticket prices, and take part in the ever-popular Chuck-A-Puck contest.
In Moose Jaw, SK, on Sunday, fans can take in the first ever Warriors Skills Competition. Fans can watch their favorite Warriors players battle it out in a variety of skills-testing events.
In Portland, OR, Saturday night is Pink the Rink night when the Winterhawks host the Chilliwack Bruins. The teams will battle on pink ice as the Winterhawks partner with the Susan G. Komen foundation to help fight breast cancer.
In Prince Albert, SK, Friday night is the Raiders’ 40th Anniversary season – Wall of Honor Night when the Raiders host the Moose Jaw Warriors. Eight inductees will join the Raiders’ Wall of Honor, including Mike Modano and former Raiders head coach Peter Anholt. The Raiders will also don special 40th Anniversary jerseys for the event.
In Vancouver, B.C., the Giants will celebrate the Olympic Games Anniversary on Friday night when the Seattle Thunderbirds come to town. John Furlong, the CEO of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee, will be in attendance and fans are encouraged to wear their Canadian Olympic gear to mark the one-year anniversary of the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.
WHL OUTDOORS EXPECTING RECORD ATTENDANCE…
Calgary, AB — The WHL is set to head outdoors for the second time this season as the Calgary Hitmen and Regina Pats gear up for the Calgary 2011 WHL Outdoors event at McMahon Stadium on Monday, February 21st.
The contest, which falls on Family Day, will mark the first WHL and Canadian Hockey League game ever to be played outdoors in Canada. With over 18,000 tickets already sold for the game, it could very likely be the most attended junior hockey game in history.
For more, click HERE
ROGERS SPORTSNET TO BROADCAST WHL OUTDOORS…
Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League in partnership with Rogers Sportsnet will broadcast the first ever Canadian Hockey League Outdoor Game in Canada when the Calgary Hitmen host the Regina Pats at McMahon Stadium on Monday, February 21 at 3 p.m. (ET)/1 p.m. (MT) on the Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific channels. The game will also be in high definition.
For more, click HERE
WHL GRAD MACAULEY EARNS MONTHLY CANADA WEST HONORS…
CANADA WEST – The Canada West Universities Athletic Association and Western Hockey League proudly announce that Manitoba Bisons forward #26 BLAIR MACAULAY is the Canada West men’s hockey Husky-WHL Graduate of the Month for January 2011.
In late 2010 WHL Commissioner Ron Robison announced that a total of 275 graduate players have been awarded WHL Scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year, with 102 being active players for the seven Canada West men’s hockey teams.
During six January conference games, MACAULAY recorded three goals and six assists for nine points, scoring one game-winning goal and recording an overall rating of +8 as the Bisons went 4-2-0. He had three multi-point games and picked up at least one point in five of six contests.
For more, click HERE…
FRIDAY NIGHT WHL HOCKEY ON SHAW AND FSN…
Brendan Gallagher and the Vancouver Giants (30-22-1-4) host Burke Gallimore and the Seattle Thunderbirds (20-28-4-5) on Friday night in Vancouver, B.C.
Friday’s contest between the Thunderbirds and Giants can be seen live throughout western Canada on SHAW and SHAW Direct channel 299, and on FSN Northwest (7:30pm PST).
The Giants are coming off a 4-2 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday night for their second loss in their last three games, and currently sit tied on points with the Rockets for first place in the B.C. Division. The Giants are aiming for an unprecedented sixth consecutive division title. Gallagher needs two more assists to reach 100 for his WHL career.
The Thunderbirds are coming off a 3-1 win over the Spokane Chiefs on Sunday, snapping a three-game losing skid, but remain in 10th place in the Western Conference. T-Birds’ netminder Calvin Pickard turned in a 57-save performance in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs – the seventh time this season he has faced 50 or more shots in a game. The T-Birds are 12-13-3-2 on the road this season.
It’s the third meeting of the season between the T-Birds and Giants. Vancouver won both previous encounters versus Seattle, with both wins coming by a 4-3 score line.
SHAW will broadcast 30 WHL games during the 2010-11 season. For the entire WHL on SHAW broadcast schedule, click HERE
FSN Northwest will broadcast 10 WHL regular-season games this season, giving fans in the Pacific Northwest a chance to watch exciting WHL hockey action.
KEY WEEKEND MATCH-UPS…
Swift Current Broncos vs Brandon Wheat Kings
Friday, Feb. 18 @ Brandon; Saturday, Feb. 19 @ Swift Current
Justin Dowling and the Swift Current Broncos take on Scott Glennie and the Brandon Wheat Kings for an important home-and-home series between the East Division rivals this weekend.
The Broncos are coming off a 3-2 loss to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings last Sunday for their third straight defeat, and currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. The Broncos currently find themselves four points behind Prince Albert and five back of Brandon for eighth and seventh places, respectively, in the Eastern Conference, with both teams holding a game in hand on the Broncos. Sweeping this weekend’s home-and-home series versus Brandon would bring them right back into the mix in the playoff chase in the Eastern Conference.
The Wheat Kings pulled off a 7-4 win over the League-leading Saskatoon Blades on Tuesday for their third straight win, and now sit just one point back of Edmonton for sixth spot in the Conference. The Wheat Kings have climbed from near the bottom of the Conference to seventh place thanks to a 9-3-0-0 record over their last 12 games. Glennie struck for three goals and four points in Tuesday’s victory over the Blades.
This weekend’s meetings mark the seventh and eighth meetings of the season between the teams, and will close out the season series. The Broncos won four of six previous meetings versus the Wheat Kings this season.
Tri-City Americans vs Spokane Chiefs
Saturday, Feb. 19
Adam Hughesman and the Tri-City Americans host Tyler Johnson and the Spokane Chiefs for another installment of one of the WHL’s fiercest rivalries on Saturday.
The Americans are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss in Kamloops to the Blazers on Tuesday for their third defeat over their last five games, and currently sit in third place in the U.S. Division. The Americans have lost just four games on home ice all season. Hughesman leads the Ams in scoring with 38 goals and 78 points.
The Chiefs blasted the Silvertips 7-2 in Everett on Wednesday night for their third win over their last four outings, and currently hold a two-point lead over the Ams for second place in the U.S. Division. The Chiefs have played three more games than the Ams have played. The Chiefs have scored 85 more goals than they have allowed this season.
It’s the eighth meeting of the season between the bitter U.S. Division rivals. Tri-Cities won four of the first seven encounters with Spokane, including all three meetings in Kennewick.
The Ams host the Chilliwack Bruins on Friday while the Chiefs are in Kelowna to face the Rockets before Saturday’s head-to-head meeting.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE – February 18 – 21
All times local
WATCH WHL HOCKEY LIVE ON WHL LIVE ON DEMAND
Friday, Feb. 18
Swift Current @ Brandon; 7:30
Kamloops @ Edmonton; 7:00
Spokane @ Kelowna; 7:05
Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; 7:00
Moose Jaw @ Prince Albert; 7:00
Everett @ Prince George; 7:00
Lethbridge @ Red Deer; 7:30
Calgary @ Regina; 7:00
Chilliwack @ Tri-City; 7:05
Seattle @ Vancouver; 7:30 **Live on SHAW and FSN**
Saturday, Feb. 19
Vancouver @ Kelowna; 7:05
Saskatoon @ Kootenay; 7:00
Edmonton @ Lethbridge; 7:00
Regina @ Medicine Hat; 7:30
Prince Albert @ Moose Jaw; 7:00
Chilliwack @ Portland; 7:00
Everett @ Prince George; 7:00
Kamloops @ Red Deer; 7:30
Brandon @ Swift Current; 7:00
Spokane @ Tri-City; 7:05
Sunday, Feb. 20
Saskatoon @ Medicine Hat; 6:00
Chilliwack @ Seattle; 5:05
Monday, Feb 21
Regina @ Calgary; 1:00 (at McMahon Stadium)
Red Deer @ Lethbridge; 2:00
