WHL Morning Skate: March 29, 2025

NEED TO KNOW

-Tigers netminder Harrison Meneghin received a standing ovation after posting a shutout in his first game since his father, Derek, passed away this week.

-The eighth-seed Seattle Thunderbirds stunned the regular-season champion Everett Silvertips with a gutsy win in Game 1

-Prince George stormed back from a 5-2 deficit to complete a 7-6 comeback win against Portland in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Championship

WHL PLAYOFFS TOP PERFORMER- MARCH 28

Some things are bigger than hockey.

Harrison Meneghin dropped several ten-bell saves to hold the Swift Current Broncos scoreless in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal.

The impressive 21-save performance marks Meneghin’s first career playoff victory and first career playoff shutout, highlighted by a stunning post-to-post stop on Broncos sniper Luke Mistelbacher.

As the final buzzer went off, Meneghin was enveloped by his teammates as the nearly 5,500 fans at Co-Op Place jumped to their feet to cheer on the young man and his awe-inspiring feat.

Postgame, Head Coach Willie Desjardins told Medicine Hat News reporter James Tubb that he hadn’t planned to start Meneghin after his father’s untimely passing, but 20-year-old Harrison asked to get the start and came through in an incredible testament to sport and human spirit.

This marks eight straight victories for the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, stretching back to February 23, 2025.

 

 

RESULTS

Seattle (3), Everett (2)

Seattle leads 1-0

Upset alert! Everett peppered Scott Ratzlaff with 47 shots, but the Buffalo Sabres prospect denied all but two to hold Seattle in for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 as the T-Birds made their return to the postseason. 2025 Trade Deadline acquisition Hayden Pakkala scored the game-opener and assisted Simon Lovsin’s game-winner to earn first star, while exceptional status defenceman Landon DuPont and Nashville Predators prospect Austin Roest picked up a pair of assists each. 2024 Anaheim Ducks selection Tarin Smith was able to get Everett within a goal with a third-period strike, but the Silvertips will go back to the drawing board ahead of Game 2.

THREE STARS

1- Scott Ratzlaff, SEA

-45/47 saves

-.957 save percentage

2- Landon DuPont, EVT

-2A

3-Hayden Pakkala, SEA

-1G-1A

Tri-City (0), Victoria (3)

Victoria leads 1-0

The Royals won their first home playoff game since 2019 in style with a 3-0 shutout against the Tri-City Americans. Johnny Hicks made 22 saves in his first WHL postseason match, while Brandon Lisowsky potted a pair and 2025 NHL Draft-eligible Cole Reschny scored a highlight-reel goal to snag WHL Highlight of the Night.

THREE STARS

1- Johnny Hicks, VIC

-22-save shutout

2- Brandon Lisowsky, VIC

-2G, +2

3- Cole Reschny, VIC

-1G-1A

Spokane (4), Vancouver (1)

Spokane leads 1-0

Flames prospect Jaden Lipinski struck first for the home side, but Spokane netted four unanswered goals to clean up a win on the road in a unique playoff-opener. The Chiefs are the higher seed but are started on the road due to building scheduling. Assanali Sarkenov shined with the game-winning goal and an assist on Spokane’s first tally, while Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall came through with two goals for some added insurance. 2025 NHL Draft-eligible netminder Burke Hood also impressed with a 40-save effort for the Giants in his playoff debut.

THREE STARS

1- Assanali Sarkenov, SPO

-1G-1A

2- Burke Hood, VAN

-40/43 saves

-.930 save percentage

3- Andrew Cristall, SPO

-2G

Portland 6, Prince George (7) OT

Prince George leads 1-0

This is what the playoffs are all about. We knew the rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Championship would be heated, and Portland seemed prime for a runaway victory after going up 5-2 after 40 minutes, thanks to two goals from Josh Zakreski and a trio of tallies from Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Sotheran, rookie Alex Weiermair and Diego Buttazzoni. But the Cougars roared back with four goals in the third period to take their first lead of the night. Joel Plante leveled the match with less than four minutes left to force overtime, where Washington Capitals 2024 first-round pick Terik Parascak buried the game-winner and his second of the night to blow the roof off the CN Centre. Parascak (2G-1A) and Toronto Maple Leafs signee Borya Valis (1G-2A) led all skaters with three points. The best part? They’ll do it all again on Saturday night.

THREE STARS

1- Borya Valis, PG

-1G-2A

2- Aiden Foster, PG

-3A

3- Josh Zakreski, POR

-2G

Swift Current (0) at Medicine Hat (4)

Medicine Hat leads 1-0

Beyond the emotional high points of the night, Medicine Hat played some sturdy hockey in a statement 4-0 win against the eighth-seed Broncos at Co-Op Place. Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt broke the ice just over two minutes in and went on to bag his first playoff hat trick. Phenom Gavin McKenna assisted all three of his linemate’s goals and blueliner Bryce Pickford sealed the night with the empty-netter. Meneghin’s shutout also marks the Tigers’ first postseason clean sheet since Mads Sogaard’s 32-save shutout against the Edmonton Oil Kings in Round One of the 2019 WHL Playoffs.

THREE STARS

1- Harrison Meneghin, MH

-21-save shutout

2- Oasiz Wiesblatt, MH

-3G

3- Gavin McKenna, MH

-3A

 

 

 

Edmonton (3), Prince Albert (1)

Edmonton leads 1-0

Florida Panthers prospect Gracyn Sawchyn hit paydirt just 29 seconds into the postseason with a shorthanded strike at the Art Hauser Centre. Captain Gavin Hodnett teed up Landon Hanson for the game-winner before the elder Sawchyn locked the game up with an empty-netter. Raiders alternate captain Niall Crocker netted his squad’s lone goal. Netminder Alex Worthington recorded his first WHL Playoff victory with 31 saves against a feverish Prince Albert team while Max Hildebrand steered aside a whopping 37 shots in a goaltender’s duel.

THREE STARS

1- Alex Worthington, EDM

-31/32 saves

-.968 save percentage

2- Max Hildebrand, PA

-37/39 saves

-.948 save percentage

3- Landon Hanson, EDM

-1GWG

Saskatoon (2), Calgary (4)

Veteran Ethan Moore came in clutch for his hometown team as the Hitmen made their return to the postseason after a one-year absence. The Okotoks, Alta. product scored shorthanded and on the powerplay to ice a 4-2 Calgary win in Game 1. Oliver Tulk continued the momentum from his first 100-point regular season with a second-period goal, and top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Ben Kindel flexed his hand-eye coordination to put the game out of reach for the Blades. The underdog Blades only mustered 17 shots, but former Hitmen blueliner Grayden Siepmann and Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing lit the lamp to keep it close. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Evan Gardner stood tall against a barrage of pucks from the high-flying Hitmen, saving 40 of 44 shots.

THREE STARS

1- Ethan Moore, CGY

-2G

2- Sawyer Mynio, CGY

-2A

3- Evan Gardner, SAS

-40/44 saves

-.909 save percentage

Brandon (3), Lethbridge (6)

Lethbridge leads 1-0

Five years is a long time to wait for a home playoff victory. 2,189 days, to be specific. But the Lethbridge Hurricanes are happily back in the win column after doubling the Wheat Kings in front of a raucous crowd at the VisitLethbridge.com Arena. Swiss sensation Leo Braillard scored twice and picked up an assist while project 2025 Top 10 NHL Draft pick Roger McQueen fired a laser beam for his first tally. 2024 WHL Champion Jackson Unger’s 32-save win for Lethbridge marks his seventh straight win in the WHL Playoffs dating back to last spring.

THREE STARS

1- Leo Braillard, LET

-2G-1A

2- Shane Smith, LET

-1G-1A

3- Nolan Flamand, BDN

-1G-1A

 

ON TAP