SATURDAY’S WHL MATCH-UPS

ICE HOST HITMEN – Sam Reinhart and the Kootenay Ice (2-2-1-0) welcome Jaynen Rissling and the Calgary Hitmen (3-1-0-0) for the second of back-to-back meetings between the Central Division rivals in Western Hockey League action on Saturday night.

The Hitmen edged the visiting Ice 4-3 in overtime in Calgary on Friday night to stretch their win streak to three games.  Calgary is 1-1 on the road this season.  Rissling scored two goals, including the overtime winner, in Friday’s victory over Kootenay.

The Ice saw a two-game win streak snapped with Friday’s setback in Calgary.  The Ice lost their first home game of the season on opening weekend, but won their last two games in Cranbrook.  Reinhart chipped in two assists on Friday in Calgary, giving him 12 points this season.

Last season, the Hitmen and Ice split eight regular-season meetings.

In other WHL action on Saturday night, Ryan Pulock and the Brandon Wheat Kings (4-2-0-0) battle Conner Bleackley and the Red Deer Rebels (4-3-0-0).

The Wheat Kings skated to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants on Friday night for their second consecutive victory by that score line.  Pulock has two goals and six points in two games since his return from the New York Islanders.

The Rebels fell 6-4 in Moose Jaw to the Warriors on Friday night for their second loss in a row and their third setback in four outings.  Bleackley has five goals and nine points on his current five-game point streak.

In Everett, WA, Juhjar Kharia and the Everett Silvertips (3-1-0-0) welcome Mitch Holmberg and the Spokane Chiefs (4-1-0-0) for a U.S. Division contest on Saturday.

The Silvertips shut out the visiting Tri-City Americans 2-0 on Friday night on the back of a 29-save effort from goaltender Austin Lotz.  Kharia has two goals and four points in three games for the ‘Tips this season.

The Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season with a 6-4 defeat to the Winterhawks in Portland on Wednesday night.  The Chiefs have played four of their five games this season on the road.

In Kamloops, B.C., Tyson Ness and the Kamloops Blazers (2-3-0-0) take on Marc McNulty and the Prince George Cougars (3-4-0-0) for a battle between B.C. Division rivals on Saturday.

The Blazers downed the visiting Victoria Royals 4-3 on Friday night for their second win in their last three games.  Ness tallied two goals on Friday night, giving him four goals this season.

The Cougars split a mid-week two-game set versus the visiting Royals, winning 2-0 on Tuesday night before losing 1-0 on Wednesday.  The Cougars have converted just three of 37 power play chances they’ve had this season.

In Kelowna, B.C., Nick Merkley and the Kelowna Rockets (4-0-0-1) take on Taylor Leier and the Portland Winterhawks (3-2-0-1) for the second straight night on Saturday.

The Rockets pulled off a 6-2 win over the visiting Winterhawks on Friday night for their second win in a row, and currently sit atop the Western Conference standings.  Merkley enjoyed his second straight two-goal outing with a pair of goals on Friday night.

The Winterhawks saw a two-game win streak ended with Friday night’s loss to the Rockets.  Portland’s penalty killing unit is operating at 75.0% efficiency this season.

In Lethbridge, AB, Jamal Watson and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (1-3-0-1) battle Mathew Barzal and the Seattle Thunderbirds (4-2-0-0) on Saturday evening.

The Hurricanes are coming off a 5-3 loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Wednesday night, dropping them to 0-2 on home ice this season.  Watson leads the ‘Canes with four goals this season.

The Thunderbirds edged the Tigers 5-4 in overtime in Medicine Hat on Friday night, putting a halt to a modest two-game losing skid.  Barzal converted a penalty shot in the final minute of regulation play to send Friday’s game to overtime.

In Moose Jaw, SK, Travis Brown and the Moose Jaw Warriors (3-3-0-0) welcome Dalton Thrower and the Vancouver Giants (1-4-0-0) on Saturday night.

The Warriors skated to a 6-4 victory over the visiting Red Deer Rebels on Friday night for their third victory over their last four outings.  The Warriors will honor the Moose Jaw Canucks and Canucks’ alumnus Chris Chelios on Saturday night.

The Giants dropped a 4-3 decision to the Wheat Kings in Brandon on Friday night for their third straight setback.  Thrower netted a goal and an assist on Friday for his first points as a member of the Giants.

In Saskatoon, SK, Nikita Scherbak and the Saskatoon Blades (0-5-0-0) take on Curtis Lazar and the Edmonton Oil Kings (3-3-0-0) on Saturday.

The Blades fell 5-3 in Swift Current to the Broncos on Wednesday night for their fifth straight defeat to start the season.  Scherbak has a goal and four points through the Blades’ five games.

The Oil Kings throttled the Raiders 9-1 in Prince Albert on Friday night, ending a two-game losing skid.  Lazar netted a hat trick and an assist in Friday night’s win in Prince Albert.

In Swift Current, SK, Julius Honka and the Swift Current Broncos (4-1-0-1) welcome Mike Winther and the Prince Albert Raiders (5-1-0-0) for a battle between East Division rivals on Saturday.

The Broncos blasted the visiting Regina Pats 6-1 on Friday night for their second straight victory.  Honka picked up a goal and two assists on Friday night, giving him two goals and 10 points this season.

The Raiders suffered their first loss of the season with Friday’s 9-1 thrashing at the hands of the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings.  The Raiders were outshot 51-18 in Friday’s defeat.

 

——————————————————