WHL Roundup: Silence of the Lamb as Rebels shutout Cougars on Family Day
Lethbridge Hurricanes (5) at Kootenay ICE (2)
Lethbridge (26-23-6-0) // Kootenay (24-30-3-0)
Brad Morrison scored twice and added an assist while captain Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh Penguins) added a goal and two assists to power the Lethbridge Hurricanes past the Kootenay ICE Monday.
Koletrane Wilson opened the scoring in the second after a scoreless first, but the ICE responded with Alec Baer’s 24th goal of the season to keep things tied after 40 minutes.
In the third, the ICE took the first lead of the period as Colton Veloso scored 87 seconds in, but the Hurricanes were more than prepared to storm back into the game.
Morrison’s 19th of the season tied things up 7:32 into the period. Eight minutes later, Morrison added his second of the game followed by Jake Elmer’s 15th of the season 19 seconds later to put the game out of reach. Bellerive would tack on a fifth goal for the Hurricanes into the empty net with 2:43 to go.
With the three-point game, Morrison is now two points shy of 250 for his WHL career. Jadon Joseph and 2018 NHL Draft prospect Calen Addison had a pair of helpers while Egor Zudilov, Igor Merezhko, and Matthew Stanley also had assists. ICE captain Colton Kroeker, Brett Davis (Dallas Stars), and Brad Ginnell had the assists for the ICE.
Logan Flodell was solid in net, making 26 saves on 28 shots. Duncan McGovern stopped 34 of 38 shots, taking the loss. Baer’s goal was the 80th of his WHL career and career point 175. Veloso’s career year continued as he set a new career-high for goals in a single season with his 19th.
The Hurricanes’ victory extended their lead over the ICE for second in the Central Division to five points.
The #WHLCanes score four unanswered, defeat Kootenay Ice 5-2 Monday afternoon in Cranbrook. Brad Morrison scores twice, including game-winner. Brent Kisio moves into third all-time in 'Canes coaching wins list with 114! #CaneTrain #YQL
RECAP: https://t.co/O0RiOYM6hR pic.twitter.com/rEW030iX00
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) February 12, 2018
Edmonton Oil Kings (4) at Kamloops Blazers (1)
Edmonton (16-32-5-2) // Kamloops (26-26-1-3)
The Edmonton Oil Kings kept the good times rolling Monday afternoon against the Kamloops Blazers, picking up their second straight victory in a 4-1 besting of the Kamloops Blazers.
Captain Colton Kehler scored twice, Conner McDonald added a pair of assists, and Josh Dechaine made 29 saves on 30 shots to hold the Blazers at bay, dealing them a blow in their attempt to get back in the Western Conference playoff race.
Jackson Shepard opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season as the lone goal of the first period, but the Oil Kings responded with a pair of second period goals from Kehler and Brendan Semchuk’s 12th of the season. Ethan Cap’s fourth goal of the season came as the lone goal of the third period.
Dylan Ferguson (Vegas Golden Knights) stopped 19 of 22 shots in the loss.
Trey Fix-Wolansky, Liam Keeler, Kobe Mohr, and Nick Bowman added assists for the Oil Kings in the victory. Sean Strange and Justin Sigrist had the assists for Kamloops in the loss.
Captain Kehler Leads #OilKings to 4-1 Win Against #Blazers. READ: https://t.co/LKqesLiiCS pic.twitter.com/WG8IPnFs4d
— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) February 13, 2018
Red Deer Rebels (4) at Prince George Cougars (0)
Red Deer (18-26-10-3) // Prince George (19-30-4-4)
Brandon Hagel (Buffalo Sabres) registered four assists and Riley Lamb stopped all 25 shots sent his way for his fourth career WHL shutout as the Red Deer Rebels returned to the win column against the Prince George Cougars.
Alexander Alexeyev and Dawson Barteaux also each had a goal and an assist in the game as the Rebels moved with two points of the ICE for the final playoff spot in the Central Division.
Barteaux scored in the first, Alexeyev found the back of the net in the second while Mason McCarty and Kristian Reichel added goals in the third. Lamb was strong for the Rebels, making nine saves in the first, seven in the second, and nine more in the third. He also picked up an assist on Red Deer’s second goal.
Max Kryski led the Cougars with four shots. Taylor Gauthier stopped 27 of 31 shots in the loss. Hagel’s four-point game helped him to surpass 100 career WHL assists.
Rebels win 4-0 in Prince George. Riley Lamb with 25 saves for the shutout. Brandon Hagel with 4 assists. Mason McCarty and Kristian Reichel with 3rd period goals. Final shots 31-25 RD. #RDR
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) February 13, 2018
Victoria Royals (4) at Kelowna Rockets (5)
Victoria (34-20-3-1) // Kelowna (34-17-4-1)
After taking a pair of losses on Vancouver Island over the weekend, the Kelowna Rockets struck back against the Victoria Royals inside the comfy confines of Prospera Place.
Kole Lind (Vancouver Canucks) had a pair of goals and an assist while Dillon Dube (Calgary Flames) added a goal and three points and Gordie Ballhorn netted the winner to regain top spot in the B.C. Division.
Royals captain Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) opened the scoring on a penalty shot 5:02 into the game, but the Rockets came back 29 seconds later, tying up the game on Lind’s first of the game. The Royals would take the lead again, with Noah Gregor (San Jose Sharks) scoring three minutes later to keep the visitors up by a goal, but Lind responded in the final minute with his second of the game to keep things tied after 20 minutes.
The Rockets would then take control of the game in the second as Dube, Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia Flyers), and Ballhorn scored in a 9:49 span during the middle period with WHL On the Run Player of the Week Tyler Soy (Anaheim Ducks) responding later in the period to keep the gap at two goals heading to the third.
In the final period, the Royals would find one goal, but not the second as Andrei Grishakov tallied his 18th of the season on the power play.
James Porter stopped 21 of 25 shots before leaving the contest and being replaced by Brodan Salmond, who faced just one shot. Griffen Outhouse stopped 30 of 35 shots in the loss.
Monday’s meeting marked the end of the season series between the two clubs, one split down the middle, with each club earning nine points. The Royals went 4-3-0-1 in the series while the Rockets went 4-3-1-0.
Final horn sounds. Rockets win 5-4.#WHLRockets #KELvsVIC 🚀🐉🚀 pic.twitter.com/iBSnoeQnOE
— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) February 13, 2018