WHL Morning Skate: April 29
NEED TO KNOW
– The Everett Silvertips have advanced to the WHL Championship Series for the third time in franchise history and first time since 2018
– Matias Vanhanen bagged the series-clinching goal as Everett pulled off a third-period comeback
– 2026 NHL Draft-eligible Liam Ruck scored in overtime to give Medicine Hat its first lead of the Eastern Conference Championship
– Jordan Switzer made a career-high 37 saves to preserve the 2-1 win for the Tigers
– Prince Albert will try to level the series on Wednesday night
TOP PERFORMER
It’s a playoff brek-ening. Brek Liske (NHL CSS: 44) played a critical role in Everett’s comeback win with three primary assists- including a helper on the game-winning goal. Liske, 18, has logged three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 13 outings and a +18 rating in the 2026 postseason- including an eight-game point streak in the first and second rounds. The 6-foot-2, 188-pound defenceman from Beausejour, Man. is second in points among Silvertips defenders, trailing only Landon DuPont, and fifth among all Tips skaters.
RESULTS
Penticton 4, Everett 5 (2OT)
EVT leads 2-0
The Silvertips just reminded how hard it is to hold any kind of lead against the regular-season champs. Facing a must-win outing at home, Penticton opened the scoring for a third-straight game, this time, with captain Nolan Stevenson unleashing a one-timer on the man advantage. Everett got a fortuitous bounce off of Brek Liske to tie the game briefly, but New York Islanders prospect Jacob Kvasnicka put his side back on top with his eighth tally of the playoffs just over a minute later. The Silvertips rattled off a trio of third-period goals to pull off the win, starting with a crash-bang effort from Jesse Heslop. Matias Vanhanen gave the Tips their first lead of the night with a precision tip off a Liske shot, which would stand as the series-winner. Seattle Kraken prospect Julius Miettinen iced the match with an empty-netter, while Anders Miller denied 26 of 28 shots in the win.
THREE STARS
1- Rylan Gould, EVT
– 2G
2- Matias Vanhanen, EVT
– 1G-1A
3- Carter Bear, EVT
– 1G-2A
Prince Albert 1, Medicine Hat 2 (OT)
MH leads 2-1
After trading blowout wins, the Raiders and Tigers grappled for every inch of ice in a thunderous Game 3 showdown in the Gas City. Top 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Daxon Rudolph quieted a voracious crowd at Co-op Place as he swatted his own rebound past Jordan Switzer for his sixth strike of the postseason. The Raiders carried a 1-0 lead in the second period while surviving a pair of early Tigers powerplays, but Kade Stengrim capitalized on the man advantage with a long wrister. Michal Orsulak (NHL CSS: 2) and Switzer denied skaters golden opportunities time and time again as the clock ticked down to zero. Utah Mammoth prospect Veeti Vaisanen also kept the Tigers in it with a critical shot block when Switzer slid out of the net. While regulation time didn’t solve anything, overtime was calling Liam Ruck’s name. The 2026 NHL Draft-eligible forward (NHL CSS: 20) put the Tabbies on top as he banked a rebound off the skate of Orsulak and across the goal line.
THREE STARS
1- Jordan Switzer, MH
– 37 saves, .974 save percentage
2- Liam Ruck, MH
– 1G
3- Michal Orsulak
– 19 saves, .905 save percentage
ON TAP
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