#WHLPlayoffs Roundup: Winterhawks secure series advantage; three teams on cusp of clinching

By Robert Murray March 29, 2018

Tags: 2018 WHL Playoffs WHL Roundup

Medicine Hat Tigers (2) at Brandon Wheat Kings (5)
Series tied 2-2
Game 5: Friday, March 30 – Canalta Centre, Medicine Hat, Alta. – 7:30 p.m. MT

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a series.

The Brandon Wheat Kings successfully defended their home turf for the second time in as many nights, downing the Medicine Hat Tigers by a 5-2 score to even their best-of-seven series at two games each.

Dylan Myskiw stopped 38 of 40 shots to earn his second victory of the post-season while five different Wheat Kings scored in the victory.

Goals from Daniel Bukac (Boston Bruins) and Stelio Mattheos (Carolina Hurricanes) made it a 2-0 advantage for the home side after 20 minutes. Cole Reinhardt and Josh Williams traded goals in the second to keep the two-goal advantage for the Wheat Kings intact after 40 minutes.

Tigers captain Mark Rassell would score his fifth of the series in the third, but goals from Linden McCorrister and Gunnar Wegleitner, both their first of the playoffs, closed out the victory. Michael Bullion started Wednesday’s game for Medicine Hat, making 31 saves on 36 shots.

Evan Weinger, James Shearer, Ben McCartney, and Braden Schneider each had a single assist for Brandon in the win. David Quenneville (New York Islanders) and Dalton Gally had the assists for the Tigers in the loss.

ALL ⬛️ !!! @bdnwheatkings take two straight in Dauphin to even the series! #MHvsBDN #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/SqYmG4VOF2

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Sir Snipes-a-Lot aka @smattheos7 makes it a 2-0 game for the @bdnwheatkings in the first! #MHvsBDN #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/71SgFYuB1a

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Make it three rip! @ReinhardtCole collects his first career playoff tally! #MHvsBDN #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/MrDh7Vgq9m

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Moose Jaw Warriors (2) at Prince Albert Raiders (0)
Moose Jaw leads series 3-1
Game 5: Saturday, March 31 – Mosaic Place, Moose Jaw, Sask. – 7 p.m. MT

The Moose Jaw Warriors are heading home with a chance to advance to the second round of the 2018 WHL Playoffs following a 2-0 shutout of the Prince Albert Raiders Wednesday.

After a scoreless first, 2018 NHL Draft prospect Justin Almeida had lone goal of the second period, driving towards the net and firing home the puck from the slot past Ian Scott (Toronto Maple Leafs). That would stand up as the only goal of the game until Tuesday’s overtime hero Brayden Burke (Arizona Coyotes) scored with 16 seconds to go in the third into the empty-net.

Josh Brook (Montreal Canadiens) had a pair of assists in the contest while Burke had an assist on his team’s first goal.

The Raiders couldn’t solve Brody Willms Wednesday as he stopped nine shots in the first, 11 in the second, and 12 in the third for his first career WHL Playoff shutout. Scott finished with a near-perfect effort, stopping 20 of 21 shots in the defeat.

Cole Fonstad led the Raiders with seven shots in the game.

Big win for @MJWARRIORS & they return home with a 3-1 series lead! #MJvsPA #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/XsLcL8fkDh

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

We’ve got one in PA! @justinalmeida27 breaks the tie! #MJvsPA #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/3wgt82pO8g

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Swift Current Broncos (3) at Regina Pats (6)
Series tied 2-2
Game 5: Friday, March 30 – Innovation Credit Union i-Plex, Swift Current, Sask. – 7 p.m. MT

The Regina Pats tied up their best-of-seven series against the Swift Current Broncos Wednesday with a 6-3 win at home, turning the series into a best-of-three heading into Game Five on Friday.

Jake Leschyshyn (Vegas Golden Knights) struck twice in the game while Emil Oksanen added a goal and three points for the victory. Pats captain Sam Steel (Anaheim Ducks) and defenceman Cale Fleury (Montreal Canadiens) each picked up a pair of assists for the Mastercard Memorial Cup host in their first home win of the 2018 WHL Playoffs.

Cameron Hebig (Edmonton Oilers) and Oksanen put the Pats ahead 2-0 in the first. Broncos captain Glenn Gawdin (Calgary Flames) cut that two-goal lead in half in the second with his third of the post-season, but second period goals from Jared Legien, Libor Hajek (New York Rangers), and Leschyshyn’s first of the game made it a 5-1 game just past the midway point of the second period.

Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona Coyotes) would score late in the second and Matteo Gennaro added a goal midway through the third to close the gap to two goals, but Leschyshyn buried his second of the contest into the empty net with 39 seconds to go, icing the game in favour of the Pats.

Ryan Kubic bounced back to earn the victory in game four, stopping 26 of 29 shots. Stuart Skinner (Edmonton Oilers) and Joel Hofer made 15 and seven saves respectively in the contest.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a series! The @WHLPats have tied their best-of-seven series at 2-2 heading back to Speedy Creek! #SCvsREG #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/CIJMU0JGpz

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Legien of boom! @JLegien restores the two-goal lead for the @WHLPats! #SCvsREG #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/beFZJwKmFA

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

*in our best @Phil_Andrews_ voice*
Emil Oksanen makes it 2-0 for the @WHLPats! #SCvsREG #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/LyTZ5cf2FA

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Lethbridge Hurricanes (2) at Red Deer Rebels (5)
Lethbridge lead series 3-1
Game 5: Saturday, March 31 – Enmax Centre, Lethbridge, Alta. – 7 p.m. MT

The Red Deer Rebels aren’t done yet.

Four different Rebels finished with a goal and an assist in the contest while Ethan Anders stopped 28 of 30 shots and picked up an assist in the offensive cause in a 5-2 win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes to stave off elimination.

Reese Johnson opened the scoring, giving the Rebels the first lead of the game, but the Hurricanes responded with goals from Matthew Stanley and Tate Olson to take a 2-1 lead with minutes left in the second period. Just 58 seconds after Olson’s goal though, Mason McCarty tallied his first of the post-season to make it a 2-2 game after 40 minutes.

Brandon Hagel (Buffalo Sabres) scored 38 seconds into the third while Alexander Alexeyev and 2018 NHL Draft prospect Kristian Reichel added the other goals to secure the victory.

McCarty, Alexeyev, Johnson, and Reichel all finished with the multi-point games.

The series will now shift back to Lethbridge where the Hurricanes will have a chance to clinch the series on home ice. Logan Flodell stopped 31 of 35 shots in the loss.

The @Rebelshockey are going to win this one! Alexeyev makes it 4-2, then Reichel scores an empty-netter late to make it a 5-2 final! #LETvsRD #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/7dwLJX8oWN

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

But @MasonMcCarty5 responds 58 seconds later for the @Rebelshockey! Tie game after 40 minutes! #LETvsRD #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/la4gA9x2Lj

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

The @Rebelshockey have plenty of energy left in this series! Reese Johnson opens the scoring Wednesday! #LETvsRD #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/MOKVp1kZ6u

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Kelowna Rockets (3) at Tri-City Americans (5)
Tri-City lead series 3-0
Game 4: Thursday, March 29 – Toyota Centre – Kennewick, Wash. – 7:05 p.m. PT

The Tri-City Americans are one game away from sweeping the B.C. Division champions after a 5-3 victory in Kennewick, Wash. Wednesday evening.

Morgan Geekie (Carolina Hurricanes) had a pair of goals and an assist while captain Michael Rasmussen (Detroit Red Wings) added a goal and two assists for a similar three-point performance.

Juuso Valimkai (Calgary Flames) and Brett Clayton tallied first period goals to give the Ams a 2-0 advantage, but Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia Flyers) would cut the deficit to just a single goal after 20 minutes with his second of the series getting the Rockets on the board.

The Americans continued to add to their score in the second as Rasmussen scored his goal 68 seconds into the middle period, followed 18 seconds later by Kole Lind (Vancouver Canucks) tallying his third of the series to keep his team within a goal.

Geekie would tally his of the game later in the period and then added his second 13:05 into the third to make it a three-goal game before Conner Bruggen-Cate brought the Rockets within two late.

Patrick Dea returned to the pipes and scored a 22-save performance in the victory. James Porter stopped 21 of 26 in the loss.

Jake Bean (Carolina Hurricanes) had a pair of assists in the victory while Gordie Ballhorn had a pair of assists for the Rockets in the loss.

Look out! @TCAmericans stake out a 3-0 series lead! #KELvsTC #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/3fh7uYebB1

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

As the third begins in Kennewick, Wash., relive @M_14Geekie's goal that made it 4-2 for the @TCAmericans! #KELvsTC #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/iLTj1EfS61

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

The @Kelowna_Rockets bring it back to within a goal thanks to @Canucks prospect @klind13! #KELvsTC #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/BooCeve7aA

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

The captain strikes at home! @DetroitRedWings prospect @mrasmussen16 tallies the third goal for the @TCAmericans! #KELvsTC #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/XzQcH7sFFg

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Portland Winterhawks (3) at Spokane Chiefs (1)
Portland leads series 2-1
Game 4: Thursday, March 29 – Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane, Wash. – 7:00 p.m. PT

The return of the WHL Playoffs to Spokane benefited the Portland Winterhawks, who scored a 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs Wednesday night to take a two-to-one series.

Cody Glass (Vegas Golden Knights) opened the scoring in the first period, but Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Los Angeles Kings) responded in the second to even up the score.

The Winterhawks would have a near-immediate response to Anderson-Dolan’s goal though as Dennis Cholowski (Detroit Red Wings) notched his third of the series to restore the one-goal lead. Joachim Blichfeld (San Jose Sharks) would add his first of the playoffs later in the period to make it a two-goal advantage after 40 minutes.

That’s how things would stand as Cole Kehler (Los Angeles Kings) stopped 26 of 29 shots for the victory. Bailey Brkin stopped 27 of 30 shots in the loss.

Kieffer Bellows (New York Islanders) added a pair of assists in the game while Glass added an assist for the multi-point game. Ryan Hughes and Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg Jets) added the other assists for the Winterhawks.

.@pdxwinterhawks take Game 3 on the road, claiming a 2-1 series lead! #PORvsSPO #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/Dduf9fCIg6

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

.@SanJoseSharks prospect @joachimblich extends the @pdxwinterhawks lead! #PORvsSPO #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/ZDAvAlVL06

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

Lean like @DetroitRedWings prospect @dcholowski27! #PORvsSPO #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/C6CvR0jeOm

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

JAD! @spokanechiefs keep it close at home! #PORvsSPO #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/l6px3cxGtO

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

.@GoldenKnights prospect @GlassCody12 puts @pdxwinterhawks in front! #PORvsSPO pic.twitter.com/Af3BSehJMV

— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 29, 2018

#WHLPlayoffs schedule for Thursday, March 29
Game 4 – Victoria Royals at Vancouver Giants – 7:00 p.m. PT (VAN leads 2-1)
Game 4 – Portland Winterhawks at Spokane Chiefs – 7:00 p.m. PT (POR leads 2-1)
Game 4 – Kelowna Rockets at Tri-City Americans – 7:05 p.m. PT (TC leads 3-0)

#WHLPlayoffs Roundup: Winterhawks secure series advantage; three teams on cusp of clinching

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