WHL Morning Skate: April 16

By Cami Kepke April 16, 2026

Tags: 2026 WHL Playoffs WHL Morning Skate

NEED TO KNOW

– Rockets alternate captain Tij Iginla’s overtime goal served the Silvertips their first loss of the postseason

– Penticton scored four unanswered goals to tie their series against Prince George

– Defenceman of the Year finalist Jonas Woo scored on the powerplay to complete a sweep of the Hitmen

– Calgary alternate captain Ethan Moore extended his goal streak to eight games- one shy of the modern WHL record

– Draft-eligible defenceman Daxon Rudolph (NHL CSS: 5) bagged the series-clinching goal to oust the Blades in four games

– The defending Champion Tigers and Raiders will face off in the Eastern Conference Championship

– Medicine Hat is the first team to return to the Conference Championships the season after winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup since the 2016 Kelowna Rockets

TOP PERFORMER

Speedy Veeti got it done in Game 4! The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defender broke a second-period stalemate against Calgary with a clever wrister through traffic to beat Eric Tu. Vaisanen also dished a secondary assist on Noah Davidson’s game-opener for his first multi-point playoff game. The 20-year-old from Hamina, Finland has four points (1G-3A) and a +5 rating in nine playoff matches in 2025-26. Vaisanen is chasing a second consecutive Ed Chynoweth Cup after hoisting it with the Tigers last spring.

RESULTS

Everett 3, Kelowna 4 (OT)

EVT leads 3-1

It looked like Everett would cruise to a sweep of Kelowna, but the Rockets had other plans. Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen, Matias Vanhanen (NHL CSS: 54) and Brek Liske (NHL CSS: 44) helped the visitors jump out to an early 3-0 lead. Enter Josh Banini. The 20-year-old entered the game late in the first period and denied all 29 shots he faced as the Rockets clawed their way back into the game in dramatic fashion. On a third-period power play, Utah Mammoth prospect Tij Iginla got Kelowna on the board with a laser from the point, marking his first goal of the series. Less than five minutes later, Nashville Predators pick Hiroki Gojsic stole a puck in the Silvertips’ zone and whipped a quick wrister past Anders Miller to bring the home side within one. Finally, with eight seconds left in regulation, Shane Smith shovelled a loose puck in off a scramble in front of the Everett net to force overtime. That’s where New York Islanders prospect Tomas Poletin carried the puck down the wing and behind the net to tee up Iginla for a one-timer at the edge of the crease to extend Kelowna’s playoff run.

THREE STARS

1- Josh Banini, KEL

– 29 saves

2- Matias Vanhanen, EVT

– 1G-1A

3- Vojtech Cihar, KEL

– 2A

Prince Albert 5, Saskatoon 3

PA wins 4-0

Vancouver Canucks prospect and 2026 WHL Trade Deadline acquisition Braeden Cootes made quick work of Game 4, banking the puck off the back of the Saskatoon goaltender to open the scoring 70 seconds into the match. Veteran Maddix McCagherty doubled the lead as he redirected a Brock Cripps point shot minutes later. Czech World Junior silver medalist Matyas Man bagged his second goal of the postseason with a bobbing and weaving snapper from below the faceoff dot. Edmonton Oilers prospect David Lewandowski got the Blades on the board, but top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Daxon Rudolph (NHL CSS: 5) had the series-clinching goal before the first period was out. Calgary Flames pick Hunter Laing, Saskatoon captain Tyler Pass, and San Jose Sharks prospect Max Heise rounded out the scoring as the Raiders sent their rivals packing.

THREE STARS

1- Max Heise, PA

– 1G-1A

2- Daxon Rudolph, PA

– 1G

3- Tyler Parr, SAS

– 1G

Penticton 5, Prince George 2

Series tied 2-2

Barn. Burner. Penticton’s three-goal third period lifted the B.C. Division champs to the win and put the series on even ground. Neither team has won at home this series. Louis Wehmann opened things up before Kooper Gizowski and Lee Shurgot lit the lamp 18 seconds apart to give Prince George the lead at the CN Centre. But Penticton roared back off the steam of four unanswered powerplay goals, with Seattle Kraken prospect Ryden Evers tying the game and captain Nolan Stevenson bagging the game-winner late in the third. Ethan Weber and alternate captain Brady Birnie put the game out of reach for the Cats with goals in the final five minutes.

THREE STARS

1- Nolan Stevenson, PEN

– 1G-1A

2- Ryden Evers, PEN

– 1G-3A

3- Joshua Ravensbergen, PG

– 30 saves, .857 save percentage

Medicine Hat 5, Calgary 2

MH wins 4-0

The Medicine Hat Tigers are halfway through their quest for a repeat. 2027 NHL Draft-eligible Noah Davidson struck first with a top corner shot before Ottawa Senators pick Blake Vanek forced a turnover and blew through the Tigers’ zone for a backhander. But the Tigers would never trail as Utah Mammoth defensive pick Veeti Vaisanen wired his first goal of the postseason with a wrister from the high slot. WHL active playoff matches played leader Jonas Woo (NHL CSS: 179) iced the series with a powerplay blast to close out the second period. In the third, Hitmen alternate captain Ethan Moore continued his dominant run with his ninth goal, scoring in eight consecutive playoff tilts, but it wasn’t enough as Kade Stengrim and Ethan Neutens netted some insurance markers.

THREE STARS

1- Ethan Moore, CGY

– 1G

2- Axel Hurtig, CGY

3- Harrison Lodewyk, CGY

– 1A

WHL Morning Skate: April 16

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