Saturday’s WHL Round-up
HURRICANES EDGE BLADES – Dwight King’s 24th goal of the season 13:55 into the third period lifted the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 4-3 win over the Saskatoon Blades in Western Hockey League action on Saturday, March 7th.
Kyle Beach – with a goal and an assist – Zach Boychuk and Mitch Versteeg also scored for the Hurricanes (34-29-3-2), who erased a 3-2 deficit in the third period en route to their third straight victory. Juha Metsola made 24 saves to pick up his 24th win of the season.
Gaelan Patterson scored twice while Derek Hulak netted his 30th goal of the season for the Blades (48-17-3-1), who have dropped two of their last three contests and two straight at home. Braden Holtby made 23 saves in the defeat.
WHEAT KINGS 2, PATS 1
Aaron Lewadniuk scored the game-winner and added an assist to lead the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings to a 2-1 victory over the Regina Pats on Saturday.
Nathan Green – with his 21st goal of the season – also counted for the Wheat Kings (46-18-3-2), who have won three of their last four games and close to within three points of Saskatoon for the East Division lead. Andrew Hayes made 23 saves to earn the win.
Matt Robertson scored the only goal for the Pats (26-36-1-5), who remain five points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Damien Ketlo made 28 saves in a losing cause.
ICE 4, TIGERS 1
Tylan Stephens scored his 27th goal of the season to lead the visiting Kootenay Ice to a 4-1 triumph over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.
Joe Antilla, Steele Boomer and Brayden McNabb also scored for the Ice (33-27-2-6), who pick up their fourth straight road win and guarantee themselves a top-six finish in the Eastern Conference. Todd Mathews made 18 saves to claim the victory.
Brennan Bosch scored the only goal for the Tigers (35-27-4-3), who drop their second straight decision and remain three points back of Swift Current for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Ryan Holfeld made 22 saves in the loss.
REBELS 4, BRONCOS 3
Colin Archer’s sixth goal of the season into an empty net was the game-winner as the Red Deer Rebels edged the visiting Swift Current Broncos 4-3 on Saturday.
Brett Ferguson, Willie Coetzee and Connor Redmond also scored for the Rebels (23-36-1-9), who have won four of their last six games. Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves in the victory.
Michael Stickland scored two goals and Justin Dowling added a goal and an assist for the Broncos (39-28-1-1), who see their five-game winning streak come to an end. Travis Yonkman made 19 saves in the defeat.
BRUINS 5, WINTER HAWKS 3
Ryan Howse scored twice and Brandon Manning notched a goal and two assist to lead the Chilliwack Bruins to a 5-3 win over the visiting Portland Winter Hawks on Saturday.
Alexander Wiklund and Kevin Sundher also scored and Jesse Craige added three assists for the Bruins (16-46-2-5), who snap a seven-game losing skid and move past the Hawks into ninth place in the Western Conference. Lucas Gore made 28 saves to earn the win.
Troy Rutkowski, Chris Francis and Stefan Schneider scored for the Winter Hawks (17-46-2-2), who drop their second straight decision after letting a 3-0 lead slip away in the contest. Ian Curtis made 38 saves in the loss.
ROCKETS 3, GIANTS 2 O/T
Jamie Benn scored two goals, including the winner 1:09 into overtime, to lift the Kelowna Rockets to a 3-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants on Saturday.
Tyler Myers also scored for the Rockets (43-21-1-3), who pick up their fourth straight victory and their third in a row over the Giants. Mark Guggenberger made 29 saves in the win.
T.J. Barnett – with his first WHL goal – and Garry Nunn scored for the Giants (55-8-2-3), who let a 2-0 lead slip away en route to their second straight loss. Tyson Sexsmith made 21 saves in the defeat.
CHIEFS 5, COUGARS 2
Tyler Johnson notched a goal and two assists while Mitch Wahl and Levko Koper each netted a goal and an assist to lead the visiting Spokane Chiefs to a 5-2 win over the Prince George Cougars on Saturday.
Drayson Bowman and Justin McCrae also scored for the Chiefs (43-22-0-3), who are 4-6-0 in their last 10 games but remain in fourth place in the Western Conference. Dustin Tokarski made 34 saves in the win.
Brian Matte – with a goal and an assist – and Marek Viedensky scored for the Cougars (25-41-0-2), who have dropped eight of their last 10 games. Kevin Armstrong made 22 saves in the defeat.
THUNDERBIRDS 6, AMERICANS 0
Greg Scott tallied a goal and two assist and Calvin Pickard made 24 saves to earn his third shutout of the season as the Seattle Thunderbirds blanked the visiting Tri-City Americans 6-0 on Saturday.
Devon LeBlanc, Sena Acolatse and Jeremy Boyer each netted a goal and an assist and Brenden Silvester and Chris Cloud also counted for the Thunderbirds (32-31-1-4), who snap a three-game losing skid.
Drew Owsley and Brett Martyniuk combined for 22 saves in a losing cause for the Americans (48-18-0-3), who drop their second decision in their last three games, but have already clinched the U.S. Division crown.
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Saskatoon Blades Photos courtesy of WHL Photographer Steve Hiscock