WHL Morning Skate: April 2, 2025

NEED TO KNOW

– Carlin Dezainde’s gutsy hat trick helped the Swift Current Broncos avoid a 3-0 hole and claim their first win of their series against top-ranked Medicine Hat

– Seattle scored five unanswered goals to seize a 2-1 lead against the regular-season champion Everett Silvertips

– Winterhawks defenceman Tyson Jugnauth (Seattle Kraken) added four more points to tie for second in scoring among all skaters with nine points in three games

– Calgary (3-0), Lethbridge (3-0) and Victoria (3-0) can complete first-round sweeps and punch their ticket to the conference semifinal round on Wednesday night

– Only three teams in WHL history have completed a reverse sweep

TOP PERFORMER- TUESDAY, APRIL 1

As a 6-foot-4, 199-pound, right-shot defenceman, Carter Sotheran is built for big moments. He scored the game-winning goal by ripping a five-hole shot past the Prince George Cougars netminder in Game 3 and struck again seven minutes later by jumping into the action in the slot and firing the puck blocker side. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect also assisted the first of Alex Weiermair’s three goals. The 19-year-old from Sanford, Man. has five points (3G-2A) in three games in the heated rematch against the Cougars. Sotheran missed the 2024 WHL Championship after getting injured in the conference final against Prince George but appears primed for a revenge run this time around.

RESULTS

Everett 3, Seattle 6

Seattle leads 2-1

What a show in the ‘Sho! Seattle came up big in its first home playoff match since Game 5 of the 2023 WHL Championship Series. Thunderbirds forward Brayden Schuurman- who scored the 2024 WHL Championship-winning game for Moose Jaw- opened up the scoring, but the Silvertips countered to take a commanding 3-1 lead midway through the second period. That’s when the guns came alive for the Thunderbirds, who scored three times in eight minutes to seize the lead heading into the third, where they added two insurance markers. 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward Braeden Cootes, who has developed a reputation as a fearless forward, whipped a precision shot through traffic to pot the game-winning goal as well as an assist on Seattle’s first two goals. Everett is in tough against their state rival, but Nashville Predators prospect Austin Roest has been brilliant in his brief return from injury. The Coldstream, B.C. product added another goal and assist, while Anaheim Ducks prospect Tarin Smith added a pair of helpers. Fresh off of being named a Western Conference First Team All-Star, Buffalo Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff made 40 stops in the victory and leads all netminders with 129 saves in three postseason tilts.

THREE STARS

1- Braeden Cootes, SEA

– 1G-2A

2- Nathan Pilling, SEA

– 1G-2A

3- Ashton Cumby, SEA

– 1G

Victoria (3), Tri-City (1)

Victoria leads 3-0

The Royals had the second-best road record of any WHL team in the regular season, and they showed why in another strong showing to force Tri-City to the brink of elimination. Utah Hockey Club prospect and Royals Captain Justin Kipkie, who set a franchise record for goals by a defenceman earlier this season, broke a 1-1 stalemate with a game-winning snipe early in the third period. The netminders stole the show with current WHL Goaltender of the Week Johnny Hicks recording a .935 save percentage or better in all three starts, while Lukas Matecha, one of the busiest goalies in the regular season, denied 39 of 41 attempts. Victoria will try to advance to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2019 on Wednesday night.

THREE STARS

1- Lukas Matecha, TC

– 39/41 saves

– .951 save percentage

2- Johnny Hicks, VIC

– 31/32 saves

– .968 save percentage

3- Justin Kipkie, VIC

– 1G

Prince George 3, Portland 6

Portland leads 2-1

If you like goals, this is the series for you. The Winterhawks and Cougars have piled the pucks into the net through three games, with Portland outscoring Prince George 17-12 through three games. On Tuesday night, Alex Weiermair did the bulk of the damage with his first postseason hat trick for the Hawks. High-scoring defencemen Carther Sotheran (Philadelphia Flyers) and Tyson Jugnauth (Seattle Kraken) provided Portland’s three other goals, with Sotheran scoring twice, including the game-winner, and Jugnauth bagging a game-high three assists. Jugnauth led all blueliners in regular season scoring with 89 points (13G-76A) and continues to do so in the playoffs with nine points (2G-7A) in three games. Bauer Dumanski, Jett Lajoie and Lee Shurgot scored for Prince George, who need to step things up in a big way on Wednesday night if they want a chance at levelling the series.

THREE STARS

1- Alex Weiermair, POR

– 3G

2- Carter Sotheran, POR

– 2G-1A

3- Tyson Jugnauth, POR

– 1G-1A

Medicine Hat Tigers (4), Swift Current Broncos (5)

Medicine Hat leads 2-1

The Tigers struck first, but some timely scoring from the Broncos saw the first-seed from Medicine Hat get swept up Speedy Creek without a paddle. Veteran Carlin Dezainde scored midway through the first period to give Swift Current its first lead of the series and capped off the natural hat trick with two goals 1:05 apart in the middle frame. Florida Panthers prospect Hunter St. Martin struck shorthanded to get the Tabbies within one and WHL Eastern Conference Second Team All-Star Oasiz Wiesblatt scored a late equalizer, but Broncos winger Connor Dale buried the game-winner (and his first-ever WHL postseason goal) with less than four minutes remaining. You may have also heard of an up-and-comer named Gavin McKenna, who added three assists for the Tigers. The heated match saw a scrap break out at the final buzzer, setting the stage for a testy rematch at the InnovationPlex on Wednesday.

THREE STARS

1- Connor Dale, SC

– 1G-1A

2- Carlin Dezainde, SC

– 3G

3- Oasiz Wiesblatt, MH

– 1G-2A

Prince Albert (2), Edmonton (3)

Edmonton leads 2-1

The 2v7 matchup in the East is developing as one of the tightest races in the playoffs. 2023 second-overall WHL draft pick Riley Boychuk scored his first WHL playoff goal to open things up in Edmonton on Tuesday, but the Oil Kings’ punishing powerplay went 2/4 to snag the win and re-take the series lead. Captain Gavin Hodnett opened the scoring and dished a picture-perfect pass to Ethan MacKenzie for the game-winning redirect goal with under four minutes left in regulation. WHL Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team member Gracyn Sawchyn (Florida Panthers) has a pair of powerplay assists, while First Team All-Star Max Hildebrand was one of Prince Albert’s top players once again with 30 saves. Oil Kings rookie Ethan Simcoe made 18 saves for his first postseason victory between the pipes.

THREE STARS

1- Gavin Hodnett, EDM

– 1G-1A

2- Marshall Finnie, EDM

– 1G

3- Rilen Kovacevic, PA

– 2 shots, +1

Calgary (4), Saskatoon (1)

Calgary leads 3-0

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Tanner Howe popped off in his home province with a third-straight two-point outing in the 2025 WHL Playoffs. This time, the gritty left winger buried the game-winning goal and picked up an assist on top 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Ben Kindel’s highlight-reel goal that flexed his speed and hands. Three NHL prospect defencemen- Carter Yakemchuk (Ottawa Senators), Sawyer Mynio (Vancouver Canucks) and Axel Hurtig (Calgary Flames)- picked up helpers for Calgary. Reigning WHL Rookie of the Month Cooper Williams and fellow rookie Brayden Klimpke assisted German import David Lewandowski’s lone goal at SaskTel Centre. Saskatoon has proved doubters wrong all season and will fight to continue their campaign with a win-or-go-home duel on Wednesday night. The Blades will need to stay out of the box with Calgary’s powerplay humming along at 50% on Tuesday.

THREE STARS

1- Tanner Howe, CGY

– 1G-1A

2- Anders Miller, CGY

– 20/21 saves

– .952 save percentage

3- David Lewandowski, SAS

– 1G

Lethbridge (3), Brandon (1)

Lethbridge leads 3-0

The Wheat Kings drilled hard at Tundra Oil & Gas Place in Virden, Man., but failed to strike oil as the Lethbridge Hurricanes took a 3-0 stranglehold on their first-round series on Tuesday night. Nashville Predators prospect Miguel Marques was in on all three Canes goals with an empty-net goal and two helpers, while defenceman Carson Adair and Swiss sniper Leo Braillard tallied for the visitors. Nolan Flamand registered Brandon’s lone goal on the powerplay. The Wheat Kings will try to stave off elimination in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

THREE STARS

1- Jackson Unger, LET

– 37/38 saves

– .973 save percentage

2- Adam Belusko, BDN

3- Nolan Flamand, BDN

– 1G

ON TAP