WHL Morning Skate: April 7
NEED TO KNOW
– Saskatoon alternate captain Rowan Calvert scored in overtime to knock off the Edmonton Oil Kings in Game 7
– The sixth-seed Blades are the only lower-ranked team to pull off an upset in Round One of the 2026 WHL Playoffs
– Toronto Maple Leafs prospect and Oil Kings standout Miroslav Holinka led all skaters in points (11) and goals (7) in the first round
– Saskatoon will face arch-rival Prince Albert in Round Two
– Round Two kicks off on Friday, April 10
TOP PERFORMER
Super Cooper is coming in clutch! The 18-year-old scored the game-tying goal for a second straight night, and this time, it set up a series-clinching win for his Blades. Williams picked up an assist on Oilers prospect David Lewandowski’s game-opening powerplay tally. In the third period, just seconds after the Oil Kings took the lead, Hodnett burst past an Edmonton defender to pick up a feed from Calvert and snap the puck home to level the match. Williams, who is ranked 42nd among all North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, scored the game-tying goal in Game 6 with seven seconds remaining in regulation. The 6-foot-1, 159-pound centreman has logged two goals and three assists for five points in seven games in the 2026 WHL Playoffs.
RESULTS
Saskatoon 3, Edmonton 2 (OT)
SAS wins 4-3
Neither team won back-to-back games in the opening round as Saskatoon ousted the battered Oil Kings in Edmonton. While the margin for error was razor-thin, regulation saw a flurry of quick responses. After Lewandowski’s game-opening powerplay goal, Aaron Obobaifo responded two minutes later with a picture-perfect tip off a Carter Sotheran blast. Late in the third, Edmonton captain Gavin Hodnett gave the home side its first lead of the night with his first goal of the series, only to see Williams notch the equalizer 33 seconds later. In overtime, alternate captain Rowan Calvert tipped another powerplay feed from Lewandowski and swan dived to the ice in celebration as his teammates piled on. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Evan Gardner made 29 saves in the Game 7 win
THREE STARS
1- Rowan Calvert, SAS
– 1G-1A
2- Gavin Hodnett, EDM
– 1G
3- Cooper Williams, SAS
– 1G-1A
Loading ...