WHL Roundup: Offence reigns supreme across WHL Tuesday
Saskatoon Blades (6) at Moose Jaw Warriors (7) OT
Saskatoon (8-12-2-0) // Moose Jaw (19-5-0-0)
Holy offence Batman.
Brayden Burke scored with 63 seconds to go in overtime Tuesday as the Moose Jaw Warriors edged the visiting Saskatoon Blades for their 19th victory of the season.
Burke finished with a goal and four points, Jayden Halbgewachs had a pair of goals and three points while Justin Almeida had a goal and two assists.
For the Blades, Cameron Hebig scored his second hat trick of the season to reach 75 career WHL goals, Caleb Fantillo had a goal and an assist and Braylon Shmyr and Libor Hajek each added a pair of assists.
The Warriors jumped out to a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes and scored again early in the second to build a commanding lead. The Blades chipped away at the lead though, with Hebig scoring twice in the second period. A late Warriors’ goal by Almeida helped to restore the three-goal lead after 40 minutes though.
In the third, the Blades kept coming. After a Tate Popple goal made things 6-2 2:55 into the period, the Blades kicked things into high gear.
Bradly Goethals scored 16 seconds after Popple’s goal and the Blades would add three more goals over the next 10:28 to even up the game. Unfortunately, they’d only earn a point from the effort, as Burke’s goal lifted the Warriors to their eighth win in November, where they’ve scored 43 goals over their past nine games.
It wasn’t the best night for the men between the pipes, but Brody Willms took the win after making 33 saves. Nolan Maier allowed five goals on 34 shots before giving way to Joel Grzybowski, who stopped 10 of 12 shots sent his way.
Jaxan Kaluski scored his first career WHL goal for the Warriors in the first period.
Warriors win 7-6 in overtime! #MJvsSAS #thewhl pic.twitter.com/hbQiRy0Kfc
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) November 22, 2017
Portland Winterhawks (5) at Kootenay ICE (2)
Portland (16-4-0-0) // Kootenay (10-13-1-0)
Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg Jets) scored twice and finished with three points, Cody Glass (Vegas Golden Knights) had three assists and Kieffer Bellows (New York Islanders) added a goal and a helper as the Portland Winterhawks won their seventh-straight game to stay perfect in the month of November.
McKenzie had the lone goal of the first period, while Lane Gillis scored early in the second to double the Winterhawks’ lead. Cameron Hausinger got one back for the ICE a few minutes later but the Winterhawks never fully let the ICE back into the game, emphasized by a late second period goal from Brendan De Jong to restore the two-goal lead after 40 minutes.
Bellows and McKenzie scored early in the third Gilian Kohler scored later on in the period to round out the game’s offence.
Cole Kehler stopped 37 shots for the victory while Bailey Brkin made a career-high 50 saves, taking the loss.
TONIGHT'S THREE STARS!
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Bailey Brkin (50saves)
⭐️⭐️ @GlassCody12 (3a)
⭐️ @S_Mckenzie19 (2g, 1a)— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) November 22, 2017
Medicine Hat Tigers (7) at Prince George Cougars (4)
Medicine Hat (14-7-0-0) // Prince George (9-10-2-2)
There’s a reason team’s play a full 60 minutes in the game of hockey. Tuesday, the Prince George Cougars found that out the hard way.
Leading 3-1 over the Medicine Hat Tigers after 40 minutes, the Tigers roared back with six goals in the final period to down their hosts in the first game of a back-to-back series in northern British Columbia.
James Hamblin and Ryan Jevne each had a pair of goals, though Jevne finished with three points. Max Gerlach had a goal and three points and nine other Tigers’ skaters picked up at least a point as the Tigers strengthened their lead in the Central Division with the victory.
Ryan Chyzowski opened the scoring 5:25 into the first, but the Cougars charged back with three goals to close out the period. That’s how things would stay until the start of the third, when the Tigers’ comeback began.
Three goals in the first 4:24 of the period gave the Tigers the lead. Goals 3:15 apart then gave the Tigers a three-goal lead, though Brogan O’Brien would strike back to bring his home side within a pair of goals. Jevne rounded out the scoring with his seventh of the season into an empty net to put the finishing touches on the huge victory.
David Quenneville (New York Islanders) and Linus Nassen each had a pair of assists in the contest.
Jordan Hollett (Ottawa Senators) stopped 34 of the 38 shots sent his way, including 22 of the Cougars’ 23 shots over the final two periods. Tavin Grant allowed six goals on 32 shots, taking the loss.
TIGERS GOAL!! Ryan Jevne seals the deal with an empty net goal. Tigers lead 7-4.
— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) November 22, 2017
Lethbridge Hurricanes (10) at Victoria Royals (4)
Lethbridge (8-12-1-0) // Victoria (16-8-1-0)
The Lethbridge Hurricanes snapped an 0-7-1-0 streak in a big way Tuesday, scoring double digits on the top team in the Western Conference.
Ryan Vandervlis had a hat trick and four points, Giorgio Estephan had a pair of goals and four points, Calen Addison had a goal and four points and Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh Penguins) and Josh Tarzwell each had a goal and two assists.
Matthew Smith opened the scoring for the Royals, but the Hurricanes quickly took over the lead with a pair of goals from Vandervlis to hold a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. Tyler Soy (Anaheim Ducks) scored early in the second to tie up the game, but the Hurricanes were just getting started.
Five goals in a 9:06 span burst the game open at the seams. Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) and Chaz Reddekopp (Los Angeles Kings) scored for the Royals in the third period, but goals from Zane Franklin, Tarzwell and Tanner Nagel drowned out any attempt at a comeback by the Royals.
Stuart Skinner (Edmonton Oilers) collected the win, making 18 saves on 22 shots. Reece Klassen came in late in the game, stopping both shots he faced in just over nine minutes of action.
Griffen Outhouse and Dean McNabb combined to stop 27 of the 37 shots directed at them Tuesday.
All #WHLCanes in this game. 7-2 Lethbridge after forty minutes of play. Vandervlis (3), Estephan (2), Bellerive and Addison have the goals! Canes outshooting Victoria 27-14 after two periods! #CaneTrain #YQL pic.twitter.com/xCbhKCsyDX
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) November 22, 2017