Kobelka shines in WHL debut, Hitmen snag road win in first edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub
Portland, Ore.- Not a bad way to introduce yourself, Kason Kobelka.
The Calgary Hitmen rookie netminder dazzled in his WHL debut by stopping 28 shots and claiming a 3-1 win against the Portland Winterhawks in the first edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub.
The 6-foot-1 17-year-old from Calgary, Alta. was peppered with 29 shots and denied six Portland powerplay attempts to preserve the victory- including an extended two-man advantage in the second period.
Kobelka, who grew up cheering for his hometown club, was called up from the Calgary Northstars U18AAA squad one week ago.
Nice move by Jordan Duguay, nicer stop by Kason Kobelka.
The kids are coming to play on #WHLWednesday! pic.twitter.com/uLvWROOJPY
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 14, 2024
The tight-checking, goaltending-heavy match saw the teams deadlocked until the dwindling minutes of the second period.
Marek Schlenker stands tall in the second!@pdxwinterhawks | #WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/oJibF2ocSv
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 14, 2024
And as the adage goes, they don’t ask how.
They ask how many.
Chase Valliant would draw first blood with a seemingly harmless shot that deflected off the skate of a Winterhawks defender and past netminder Marek Schlenker.
The first goal in Wednesday Night in The Dub history goes to Chase Valliant and the @WHLHitmen!
📺 | https://t.co/6hwtRzLLZz#WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/rDldzu9Heb
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 14, 2024
The goaltenders traded highlight-reel-worthy stops with Kobelka robbing Josh Zakreski on the breakaway and Schlenker flashing the leather to deny Keets Fawcett on a delayed penalty.
Josh Zakreski nearly buried the equalizer on the breakaway, but instead rang one off the crossbar.
The Seattle Kraken prospect came through with the save of the night when a Yakemchuk shot snuck through the legs of Schlenker and Jugnauth cleared the puck off the goal line.
Tyson Jugnauth may not be a goaltender, but that isn't stopping him from making highlight reel saves!@pdxwinterhawks | @SeattleKraken | #SeaKraken | #WHLWednesday
📺 | https://t.co/6hwtRzLLZz pic.twitter.com/qJRIvdXdDf
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 14, 2024
Portland piled on the shots in the third, but Keets Fawcett doubled the lead with a lightning-quick wrister from above the faceoff dot.
The Winterhawks continued a furious push and Diego Buttazzoni spoiled Kobelka’s shutout bid with less than two minutes remaining by pouncing on the rebound created by a captain Kyle Chyzowski shot. Jugnauth picked up a secondary assist on the play.
Diego Buttazzoni nets one for the @pdxwinterhawks!#WHLWednesday pic.twitter.com/TWKCAUnTcJ
— The WHL (@TheWHL) November 14, 2024
Hitmen captain and San Jose Sharks prospect Carson Wetsch iced the victory with a late empty netter as the Hitmen claimed a 3-1 victory.
Kobelka was named first star of the night with a single goal against and a .965 save percentage.
Calgary has now collected five of a possible eight points on its U.S. Division Road Trip.
The Hitmen will now make tracks for Spokane to face Seattle Kraken prospect Berkly Catton and the Spokane Chiefs (12-8-0-0), while Portland will host another 2024 Kraken draft pick when Ollie Josephson and the Red Deer Rebels swing through the Rose City on November 15.
The next edition of Wednesday Night in the Dub is set for November 20, when exceptional status defenceman Landon DuPont and the league-leading Everett Silvertips host Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Noah Chadwick, Nashville Predators pick Miguel Marques and the rest of the Central Division-leading Lethbridge Hurricanes.
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