#WHLPlayoffs Roundup: Tigers open offensive floodgates against Wheat Kings Friday
Prince Albert Raiders (5) at Moose Jaw Warriors (3)
Prince Albert lead series 1-0
Game 2: Saturday, March 24 – Mosaic Place, Moose Jaw, Sask. – 7:00 p.m. MT
The Prince Albert Raiders stormed into the 2018 WHL Playoffs Friday, capturing the opening game of their first round series against the Moose Jaw Warriors by a 5-3 score at Mosaic Place.
Jordy Stallard (Winnipeg Jets) scored a pair of goals and finished with three points while 2018 NHL Draft prospect Cole Fonstad added a pair of goals in the victory.
Stallard struck for his pair of goals in the first period, giving the wild card Raiders a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Vince Loschiavo brought the Warriors within a goal 5:53 into the second, but Fonstad would strike for his pair of goals later in the middle period, increasing the Raiders’ lead to three after 40 minutes.
Regan Nagy would strike early in the third to make it a four-goal game. Late goals for the Warriors from Tristyn DeRoose and Kale Clague (Los Angeles Kings) made things close, but not too close to significantly challenge the Raiders from scoring the opening game upset.
Ian Scott (Toronto Maple Leafs) did his part in net for the Raiders, stopping 35 of 38 shots in the victory. Brody Willms stopped 17 of 22 shots before giving way to Adam Evanoff, who stopped both shots sent his way.
Raiders captain Curtis Miske added a pair of assists in the contest while four other Raiders skaters picked up a single assist. Six different skaters picked up a single assist for the Warriors in the loss.
The @PARaidersHockey are on the board first! @NHLJets prospect @jstallard27 sneaks one in to open the scoring. #WHLPlayoffs #MJvsPA pic.twitter.com/CBJRChrnIX
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Look who dropped by tonight's @MJWARRIORS game. It's Olympic 🥉 and #WHLAlumni @qhowden21! Let the #WHLPlayoffs begin in Moose Jaw! #MJvsPA pic.twitter.com/lPtjR5vdXk
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Regina Pats (0) at Swift Current Broncos (3)
Swift Current lead series 1-0
Game 2: Saturday, March 24 – Innovation Credit Union i-Plex, Swift Current, Sask. – 7:00 p.m. MT
Stuart Skinner (Edmonton Oilers) and the Swift Current Broncos weren’t messing around Friday night in their playoff opener against the Regina Pats.
Skinner was in fine form, stopping all 34 shots from the Pats for the first playoff shutout of his WHL career. At the other end of the ice, goals from Beck Malenstyn (Washington Capitals), Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona Coyotes), and Matteo Gennaro all featured in a 3-0 win for the home side in front of a raucous crowd at the Innovation Credit Union i-Plex.
All three goals came in the first period, with Malenstyn scoring 3:43 into the game, Steenbergen showing his patience to score his first of the playoffs 13:59 into the opening period and Gennaro’s tally with 1:12 left to go.
Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida Panthers) had a pair of assists while Josh Anderson (Colorado Avalanche), Colby Sissons (New Jersey Devils), and Kaden Elder each earned a single assist.
Libor Hajek (New York Rangers) led all Pats skaters with six shots while Ryan Kubic stopped 23 of 26 shots in his WHL Playoff debut.
Patience, poise & a great individual effort from @ArizonaCoyotes prospect @T_Steener puts @SCBroncos up 2-0! #SCvsREG #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/5ql8AVM4wd
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Absolute highway robbery! @kubes20 says 🚫🚫🚫 #SCvsREG #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/nr7fpmfkcm
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Brandon Wheat Kings (2) at Medicine Hat Tigers (7)
Medicine Hat lead series 1-0
Game 2: Sunday, March 25 – Canalta Centre, Medicine Hat, Alta. – 6:00 p.m. MT
Seven different members of the Medicine Hat Tigers found the back of the net Friday at home as they opened the offensive flood gates in a 7-2 win over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings.
Captain Mark Rassell and his teammate Kristians Rubins led the way with a goal and three points each in the victory. Jordan Hollett (Ottawa Senators) stopped 32 of 34 shots in the victory.
The Tigers burst out of the gate with three first period goals as Ryan Jevne and Cole Clayton scored 23 seconds apart before Rassell added his first of the WHL Playoffs. Luka Burzan responded to cut the Tigers’ lead to two after 20 minutes, but Medicine Hat kept coming.
Goals from Ryan Chyzowski, Gary Haden, and Bryan Lockner were added on in the second to make it a five-goal game after 40 minutes. Rubins and Wheat Kings’ captain James Shearer traded goals in the third to close out the game.
Logan Thompson and Dylan Myskiw split time in net Friday, making 12 and six saves respectively.
Get your celly on @JordanHollett! The @tigershockey take game one! #WHLPlayoffs #MHvsBDN pic.twitter.com/jABkGUdbv0
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
🐯🚨🐯🚨🐯🚨🐯🚨🐯@Mark_Rassell ➡️ @GaryHaden #WHLPlayoffs #MHvsBDN pic.twitter.com/9VJZDyuePt
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Red Deer Rebels (0) at Lethbridge Hurricanes (6)
Lethbridge lead series 1-0
Game 2: Saturday, March 24 – Enmax Centre, Lethbridge, Alta. – 7 p.m. MT
A 30-save shutout from Logan Flodell and seven multi-point games powered the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 6-0 victory in game one over the visiting Red Deer Rebels Friday night in southern Alberta.
Jake Elmer led the way with a goal and three points, Jadon Joseph added three assists and captain Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh Penguins) was one of five players to record a goal and an assist in the lopsided victory.
Tate Olson, Brad Morrison, Logan Barlage, and Taylor Ross added the other multi-point efforts. 2018 NHL Draft prospect Calen Addison and Zane Franklin each added a single assist in the victory. After the game was scoreless through 20 minutes, the Hurricanes tallied a pair of goals in the second followed by four in the third.
Rebels captain Grayson Pawlenchuk and Kristian Reichel finished with five shots each for the team lead. Riley Lamb stopped 20 of 26 shots in the loss.
That’s a 31-save masterpiece from @loganflodell! @WHLHurricanes take Game 1! #LETvsRD #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/xD1Ht131L4
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
.@bmorry_90! 🌪🚨🌪🚨🌪🚨 #LETvsRD #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Ug2zF7cSMb
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Vancouver Giants (2) at Victoria Royals (1)
Vancouver lead series 1-0
Game 2: Saturday, March 24 – Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena, Victoria, B.C. – 7:05 p.m. PT
Trent Miner delivered the performance of a lifetime in his WHL Playoff debut Friday night in the provincial capital, stopping 40 shots in a 2-1 victory over the Victoria Royals.
All the scoring in the game took place in the second period as Milos Roman and Matt Barberis bookended a Royals’ goal from Tanner Kaspick (St. Louis Blues) in a 12:37 span during the period.
Ty Ronning (New York Rangers), captain Tyler Benson (Edmonton Oilers), James Malm, and Brennan Riddle had the assists for the Giants. Dante Hannoun and Royals captain Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) had the assists for the Royals in the one-goal loss.
Miner was simply sensational, making 14 saves in the first, 12 in the second, and 14 more in the third.
Griffen Outhouse stopped 31 of 33 shots in the loss.
Rookie @trent_miner with 40 saves to backstop @WHLGiants to a huge Game 1 victory! #VICvsVAN #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/dAvjSGvuEI
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Point shot finds pay dirt & the @WHLGiants are back in front! #VICvsVAN #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/NzGYVuGCEc
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
Seattle Thunderbirds (1) at Everett Silvertips (4)
Everett lead series 1-0
Game 2: Saturday, March 24 – Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, Wash. – 7:05 p.m. PT
Patrick Bajkov (Florida Panthers) scored twice, captain Matt Fonteyne added three assists and Carter Hart (Philadelphia Flyers) stopped 25 of 26 shots as the Everett Silvertips took a 4-1 victory from their series opener with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Garrett Pilon (Washington Capitals) opened the scoring midway through the first period, streaking in down the wing and beating Liam Hughes for the first goal of the series. Bajkov would then strike twice in the early minutes of the second, once while short-handed for the game-winning goal, and then again 4:12 later for the insurance goal.
Zack Andrusiak got the Thunderbirds on the board 64 seconds after Bajkov’s second goal, but that would be all the offence for the defending Ed Chynoweth Cup Champions on this night.
Bryce Kindopp would score his first of the playoffs unassisted minutes later to finish off the game while Hart stopped all eight shots from Seattle in the third.
2018 NHL Draft prospect Wyatte Wylie also collected an assist in the contest, joining Fonteyne on the scoreboard.
Hughes took the loss, but still finished with an impressive 42 saves against the top team in the Western Conference from the regular season.
SHORTY! @FLApanthers prospect @patrickbajkov spots @WHLsilvertips a 2-0 lead! #EVTvsSEA #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/2Is6n9M5jT
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
The first goal of the #EVTvsSEA series goes to @Capitals prospect @gpilon41 of the @WHLsilvertips!#WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/dpsIaqYe0e
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 24, 2018
#WHLPlayoffs schedule for Saturday, March 24
Game 1 – Spokane Chiefs at Portland Winterhawks – 6:00 p.m. PT (Series tied 0-0)
Game 2 – Prince Albert Raiders at Moose Jaw Warriors – 7:00 p.m. MT (PA leads 1-0)
Game 2 – Regina Pats at Swift Current Broncos – 7:00 p.m. MT (SC leads 1-0)
Game 2– Red Deer Rebels at Lethbridge Hurricanes – 7:00 p.m. MT (LET leads 1-0)
Game 2 – Vancouver Giants at Victoria Royals – 7:05 p.m. PT (VAN leads 1-0)
Game 2 – Seattle Thunderbirds at Everett Silvertips – Everett, Wash. – 7:05 p.m. PT (EVT leads 1-0)
Game 2 – Tri-City Americans vs. Kelowna Rockets – 7:05 p.m. PT (TC leads 1-0)
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