WHL Roundup: Wheat Kings overpower Rockets to win eighth straight, Fafrak shines for Chiefs

 

Kelowna Rockets (4) at Brandon Wheat Kings (7)
Kelowna (18-9-2-1) // Brandon (22-7-0-1)

As the Brandon Wheat Kings attempted to channel the living force, they managed to be enough of a force on the ice to tally their eighth straight victory Saturday in a win over the visiting Kelowna Rockets.

Ty Lewis (Colorado Avalanche) scored twice and finished with three points while both Stelio Mattheos (Carolina Hurricanes) and captain Tanner Kaspick (St. Louis Blues) each had a goal and four points

Kale Clauge (Los Angeles Kings) and Braden Schneider each tallied a pair of assists in the contest while Evan Weinger and Linder McCorrister each finished with a goal and an assist.

The Wheat Kings got to the Rockets in the second period. Down 3-2, the Wheat Kings reeled off three straight goals in a 5:06 span, including Lewis’ game-winning goal on the power play, to take over control of the game.

The Rockets offence came courtesy Nolan Foote, Dillon Dube (Calgary Flames) and Kole Lind (Vancouver Canucks) Saturday. Rookie Ted Brennan scored in the first period for his first career WHL goal for the Rockets’ rookie. Rockets captain Cal Foote (Tampa Bay Lightning) recorded three assists in the loss.

McCorrister and Kaspick rounded out the scoring in the third for the Wheat Kings, who also extended their home winning streak to seven straight games dating back to November 4, 2017.

Logan Thompson stopped 36 of the 40 shots directed at him for the victory. James Porter stopped seven of the 11 shots sent his way before giving way to Roman Basran, who stopped 12 of 14 shots.

WATCH: Post Game Interview with Ty Lewis #BWK #GoldRush pic.twitter.com/VQ8t50qtLA

— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) December 10, 2017

One period is in the books between the #BWK and @Kelowna_Rockets @KeystoneCentre on this the 1st ever @starwars Night, in support of the @MSSocietyCanada #Goldrush pic.twitter.com/aa55KiwueR

— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) December 10, 2017

Medicine Hat Tigers (2) at Regina Pats (4)
Medicine Hat (17-12-2-0) // Regina (16-14-2-0)

The Regina Pats snapped a two-game losing streak Saturday, doubling up the Medicine Hat Tigers by a 4-2 score at the Brandt Centre.

Jake Leschyshyn (Vegas Golden Knights) and Emil Oksanen each had a goal and an assist while Cale Fleury (Montreal Canadiens) added three assists as the Pats picked up a critical two points in the standings.

Matt Bradley opened the scoring 53 seconds into the first, but goals from Hayden Ostir and Henry Rybinski first career WHL goal put the Tigers up 2-1 after the first period. Ryan Chyzowski picked up a pair of assists in the loss.

The Pats evened things up in the second period on Oksanen’s 12th goal of the season and went ahead for good in the third on goals from Robbie Holmes and Leschyshyn.

Max Paddock held things together in net, making 32 saves while Jordan Hollett made 42 stops in the loss.

That's the final from Regina.

Pats win 4-2!#JoinTheRegiment pic.twitter.com/FvQ72030ch

— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) December 10, 2017

Kamloops Blazers (4) at Saskatoon Blades (1)
Kamloops (14-15-0-1) // Saskatoon (11-16-2-1)

Dylan Ferguson (Vegas Golden Knights) stopped 23 shots while Nick Chyzowski and Luc Smith each tallied a goal and an assist as the Kamloops Blazers improved to 4-0-0-1 on the road since the start of November.

Smith had the lone goal of the first period and goals from Luke Zazula and Chyzowski counted as the only ones of the  second, growing a sizeable lead for the Blazers.

Libor Hajek (Tampa Bay Lightning) scored his eighth goal of the season late in the third, but Garrett Pilon (Washington Capitals) tallied his 15th of the season minutes later to snuff out any chance of a comeback.

Rookie Nolan Maier stopped 25 of 28 shots in the loss.

Garrett Pilon scores the empty net goal in his hometown and the Blazers win 4-1 in Saskatoon!

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) December 10, 2017

Swift Current Broncos (3) at Red Deer Rebels (2) — OT
Swift Current (21-7-2-0) // Red Deer (9-18-4-1)

Max Patterson scored his second goal of the season 1:44 into overtime as the Swift Current Broncos edged the Red Deer Rebels in central Alberta Saturday evening.

Joel Hofer made 26 saves while Glenn Gawdin (Calgary Flames) extended his goal scoring streak to six games and Matteo Gennaro collected his second goal in a Broncos uniform.

Grayson Pawlenchuk put the Rebels up 10:52 into the first, but Gawdin’s goal kept things tied after 20. Gennaro scored the lone goal of the second, but Kristian Reichel had the lone goal of the third to send the game to overtime, where Patterson would score the deciding goal.

Both Gennaro and Gawdin finished with a goal and an assist. Colby Sissons (New Jersey Devils), Artyom Minulin and Kaiden Elder all picked up assists in the victory.

Pawlenchuk and Reichel also finished with a goal and an assist each while Mason McCarty and Alexander Alexeyev also had helpers.

Riley Lamb stopped 32 of 35 shots in the contest.

#SCB WIN!!! @Maxpat1223 tucks in an absolute beauty to propel the Broncos to a 3-2 overtime win against @Rebelshockey. #OurTeamOurTown

— Swift Current Broncos (@SCBroncos) December 10, 2017

Everett Silvertips (2) at Portland Winterhawks (1)
Everett (18-12-1-1) // Portland (20-9-0-1)

A familiar storyline played out once again for the Everett Silvertips Saturday as Carter Hart delivered another near-perfect performance to help his team gain a valuable two points in the standings against a division rival.

Saturday, that rival was the division-leading Portland Winterhawks, who peppered Hart with 43 shots, but only beat him on one as the Silvertips captured a 2-1 victory.

Connor Dewar and Bryce Kindopp scored Everett’s goals Saturday, while John Ludvig scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal for the Winterhawks 2:48 into the third.

Hart was on his game though, stopping nine shots in the first, 14 in the second and 19 in the third. Cole Kehler (Los Angeles Kings) stopped 23 of 25 shots in the loss.

🚨GOAL🚨 @jludzz WITH THE @LesSchwab TEDDY BEAR TOSS GOAL!!!!!

2-1 Silvertips pic.twitter.com/lk66D50GiP

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) December 10, 2017

🐻 What an awesome moment! Thanks everyone for coming out to the @LesSchwab Teddy Bear Toss! 🐻 pic.twitter.com/da1IH4Uqn6

— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) December 10, 2017

EIGHT

WINS

IN A ROW

2-1 victory! pic.twitter.com/aTg96t39kA

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) December 10, 2017

Kootenay ICE (3) at Vancouver Giants (4) — OT
Kootenay (13-17-2-0) // Vancouver (15-13-2-2)

Never count out the Vancouver Giants.

Down 3-0 with 13:10 left in the second period, the Giants reeled off four unanswered goals, including a pair from Ty Ronning (New York Rangers) that ended with Ronning scoring in the extra period to secure the extra point.

It was all ICE in the first 26:50 of the game, with goals coming from Sebastian Streu, Kaeden Taphorn and  Cameron Hausinger.

The comeback began with a goal from Tyler Benson (Edmonton Oilers) though, followed by Brad Morrison’s 10th of the year with 6:56 to go in the third period. Less than three minutes later, Ronning had his first of the game to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, Duncan McGovern made his fair share of brilliant saves, but a late penalty against the ICE set the stage for the Giants to capitalize and earn the victory.

Ronning finished with four points, Benson had a goal and an assist and Milos Roman tallied a pair of assists in the come-from-behind victory.

David Tendeck stopped 15 of 18 shots in the win. McGovern made 33 saves in the overtime loss.

GOOOOOOOALLLLLLL!!!!!@TyRonning7 WINS IT!!! 18 SECONDS LEFT IN OT! 4-3 THE FINAL SCORE! The @NYRangers prospect tied the game! Then he won the game for the G-MEN! Un. Be.Lievable! pic.twitter.com/cVxMM2YsdT

— Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) December 10, 2017

Seattle Thunderbirds (1) at Spokane Chiefs (9)
Seattle (13-14-3-1) // Spokane (16-11-1-2)

The goals kept coming and they didn’t stop coming for the Spokane Chiefs as they played like all stars in a 9-2 drubbing of the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Milos Fafrak scored his first career WHL hat trick, Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Los Angeles Kings) had a pair of goals and an assist, Zach Fischer (Calgary Flames) had a pair of goals and Tyson Helgesen had a goal and three points as the offensive floodgates opened.

On a night when nine goals were scored though, it was the first for the Chiefs that mattered the most as Anderson-Dolan sent the teddy bears flying from the stands 14:37 into the opening period.

Jarret Tyszka (Montreal Canadiens) had opened the scoring, but the lead lasted for all of 53 seconds.

The Chiefs scored four goals in the second, including a pair of goals in a 20-second span, before scoring four in the third period, highlighted by a pair of goals from Fafrak in 14 seconds.

Reece Harsch had the other goal for the Thunderbirds.

Donovan Buskey made 17 saves in a relatively light night while Dorrin Luding and Matt Berlin shared crease duties Saturday, combining for 31 saves.

We’ve got a STUFFED ANIMAL DELAY under way!

⚠️🐻X-ing⚠️ pic.twitter.com/l3F26NEQy6

— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) December 10, 2017