WHL Roundup: Topping, Bellerive, and Volcan tally hat tricks on busy night

 

Moose Jaw Warriors (5) at Regina Pats (3)
Moose Jaw (37-7-1-2) // Regina (24-20-4-0)

Jayden Halbgewachs (San Jose Sharks) recorded his second straight 50-goal season in style Friday, helping the Moose Jaw Warriors earn two important road points against the Regina Pats.

Josh Mahura (Anaheim Ducks) had a pair of goals and an assist for the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup hosts, but it wasn’t enough to spur a comeback effort after the Warriors struck for four goals in the first.

Halbgewachs and Vince Loschiavo tallied goals 104 seconds apart in the first half of the opening period and Dmitri Zaitsev (Washington Capitals) and Tanner Jeannot added goals in the second half of the frame.

Jesse Gabrielle (Boston Bruins) got the Pats on the board in the second, but that would be the only goal of the period as Brody Willms put in a 42-save performance for his 27th victory of the season. In the third, Halbgewachs tallied his 50th goal, becoming the first player in the Canadian Hockey League this year to do so, while Mahura scored twice later on to bring the Pats within a pair of goals.

Ryan Kubic finished with 32 saves on 37 shots in the loss. Sam Steel (Anaheim Ducks), Cameron Hebig (Edmonton Oilers) and Duncan Pierce earned assists for the Pats.

Brayden Burke and Kale Clague (Los Angeles Kings) each had a pair of helpers in the game while five separate Warriors had a helper in the contest, including captain Brett Howden (Tampa Bay Lightning).

🚨 MAKE IT 50! Jayden Halbgewachs (@halbgewachs97) scores his 50th in his 47th game of the season. Warriors lead 5-1. pic.twitter.com/KZQTtfnui3

— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) January 20, 2018

Kamloops Blazers (2) at Calgary Hitmen (1)
Kamloops (19-23-1-2) // Calgary (14-26-5-1)

Goals from Luc Smith and Quinn Benjafield late in the second period and a 32-save performance from Dylan Ferguson (Vegas Golden Knights) led the Kamloops Blazers to a 2-1 victory Friday over the Calgary Hitmen.

Vladislav Yeryomenko scored the lone goal for the Hitmen in the loss while Nick Schneider (Calgary Flames) made 34 saves on 36 shots in the loss.

Nolan Kneen, Ryley Appelt, Nick Chyzowski, and Travis Walton all picked up assists for the Blazers. Yeryomenko’s goal was unassisted.

The Blazers staved off a late Calgary push to beat the Hitmen 2-1 on the road, https://t.co/giijtEk8Yr Photo: @NovaCanuck pic.twitter.com/GhpxTK2rTJ

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 20, 2018

Prince Albert Raiders (5) at Red Deer Rebels (1)
Prince Albert (17-20-6-2) // Red Deer (10-24-8-3)

Three-point performances from Vojtech Budik (Buffalo Sabres) and Parker Kelly (Ottawa Senators) led the Prince Albert Raiders over the Red Deer Rebels Friday night in central Alberta.

A three-goal first period from the Raiders featured a pair of goals from Budik and Jeremy Masella’s fourth of the season. Jordy Stallard increased the Raiders lead to four early in the third, but 2018 NHL Draft prospect Alexander Alexeyev struck back in the final minute of the period to cut the lead back to three.

The Raiders put the finishing touches on the victory with Kelly scoring a short-handed goal seven minutes into the third period to round out the offence in the game.

Ian Scott (Toronto Maple Leafs) was on his game Friday, stopping six shots in the first, 13 of 14 in the second and all 10 shots in the third for his 11th victory of the season. Riley Lamb and Ethan Anders combined for 29 saves on 34 shots in the loss.

.@budikvojtech29 nets a pair to lead the Raiders to a 5-1 win over the Rebels.

RECAP: https://t.co/YR6n310dWj pic.twitter.com/MO948B0LMv

— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 20, 2018

Edmonton Oil Kings (5) at Kootenay ICE (1)
Edmonton (13-26-4-2) // Kootenay (20-23-3-0)

The Edmonton Oil Kings may have thought nothing of it, but the decision to put Brendan Semchuk and captain Colton Kehler in the lineup Friday can be classified as a smart decision.

The duo each scored twice in a 11:17 span in the opening period to lead Edmonton to a 5-1 victory over the ICE on the road.

Sebastian Streu and Carter Souch traded goals in the second period and Todd Scott stopped 43 of 44 shots for the victory, making 11 saves in the first, 20 in the second and 12 in the third. Matt Berlin stopped 14 of 19 in the loss.

Kehler finished with a three-point night, reaching 20 goals for the first time in his WHL career and Tomas Soustal added a pair of helpers in the victory.

Scott Stands Tall in 5-1 Victory over #Ice. READ: https://t.co/VeYu1zvbZl pic.twitter.com/FUcZGX5u9J

— Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings) January 20, 2018

Lethbridge Hurricanes (6) at Prince George Cougars (2)
Lethbridge (22-19-4-0) // Prince George (17-23-4-3)

To this date in his WHL career, Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh Penguins) had had no problem scoring goals, but one feat always eluded him: a hat trick.

Friday, Bellerive accomplished that feat while helping the Hurricanes to a sixth straight game with at least a point (5-0-1-0) in a 6-2 win over the Prince George Cougars.

Brad Morrison added a goal and an assist, Logan Flodell made 22 saves on 24 shots and Igor Merezhko had three assists as the Hurricanes continued their ascent of the Central Division standings, pulling themselves to within six points of the division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers.

Owen Blocker and Josh Curtis traded goals in the the first period, keeping the teams tied after 20 minutes.

The Hurricanes broke things open in the third, with Bellerive, Morrison and Jake Elmer scoring goals in a 2:47 span to take control of the game.

Curtis’ second of the game would bring the Cougars within a pair of goals, but Bellerive added his second of the game 34 seconds later to quickly restore the three-goal cushion. Bellerive then notched the only goal of the third period, putting the finishing touches on the victory.

Taylor Gauthier and Isaiah DiLaura combined for 22 saves on 28 shots in the loss.

Put it in the books! #WHLCanes defeat the @PGCougars by a score of 6-2. Bellerive with a hat trick, Merezhko with three assists and Morrison with a hatty as well (Gordie Howe variety). Canes now 5-0-1 in last 6. #CaneTrain

— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 20, 2018

Swift Current Broncos (5) at Portland Winterhawks (3)
Swift Current (33-10-3-0) // Portland (26-15-1-3)

A pair of goals from Colby Sissons (New Jersey Devils), three assists from Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida Panthers) and the 300th point of Giorgio Estephan’s WHL career powered the Swift Current Broncos past the Portland Winterhawks Friday evening.

The first 40 minutes had the teams in a dead heat with the Winterhawks responding to each of the Broncos’ first two goals. Estephan scored his 20th goal of the season 4:45 into the first followed six-and-a-half minutes later by a Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg Jets) goal.

Sissons scored his first of the game early in the second, but the Winterhawks once again responded, this time from the stick of Alex Overhardt.

Swift Current took hold of the game in the third. Beck Malenstyn and Sissons put the Broncos up by a pair of goals but Joachim Blichfeld (San Jose Sharks) cut the lead back down to one. With Portland pressing late for the tying goal, Tanner Nagel scored into the empty net, giving the Broncos their second straight victory on their U.S. Division road trip.

McKenzie and Blichfeld each finished with a goal and an assist while Dennis Cholowski (Detroit Red Wings) added a pair of helpers.

Stuart Skinner (Edmonton Oilers) stopped 34 of 37 shots in the victory while Cole Kehler (Los Angeles Kings) stopped 21 of 25 shots in the loss.

FRANTIC FINISH in Portland sees #SCB hang on to win 5-3! #OurTeamOurTown

RECAP: https://t.co/By8i8kyYCb pic.twitter.com/DXjqPdiPZf

— Swift Current Broncos (@SCBroncos) January 20, 2018

Brandon Wheat Kings (3) at Tri-City Americans (4) — OT
Brandon (28-13-3-1) // Tri-City (23-16-6-0)

Jordan Topping completed the fifth hat trick of his WHL career in overtime Friday as the Tri-City Americans topped the Brandon Wheat Kings at the Toyota Centre.

Dylan Coghlan (Vegas Golden Knights) had three assists and Morgan Geekie (Carolina Hurricanes) added a pair of helpers while Patrick Dea stopped 35 of 38 shots in the victory.

In a 79 second span during the first period Friday, Topping and Isaac Johnson gave the Americans a 2-0 lead. The Wheat Kings chipped away at that lead though, with Baron Thompson scoring the lone goal of the second period and Stelio Mattheos (Carolina Hurricanes) adding his 31st goal of the season 7:19 into the third to tie up the game.

Topping would put the Ams back on top by a goal minutes later, but the Wheat Kings had plenty of resolve in them, coming back with an Evan Weinger goal in the final minute to force overtime, where Topping ended things 2:49 into the extra period.

Dylan Myskiw stopped 32 of 36 shots in the loss. Mattheos finished with a goal and an assist while Ty Lewis (Colorado Avalanche) had a pair of helpers.

Ams win in OT to snap the losing streak! Topping gets another hat trick with the game winner! #AmsNation https://t.co/eBUxh4zNNH pic.twitter.com/nfAeHwh1PD

— Tri-City Americans (@TCAmericans) January 20, 2018

Victoria Royals (4) at Vancouver Giants (3) — SO
Victoria (27-16-3-1) // Vancouver (25-14-4-3)

A battle on the Lower Mainland between the second and third place clubs in the B.C. Division took 65 minutes and then some to decide Friday.

In the end the extra point went to the Victoria Royals, who used Tanner Kaspick’s goal in the sixth round of the shootout to top the Vancouver Giants.

Ty Ronning (New York Rangers) scored twice, while both Owen Hardy and Tyler Benson (Edmonton Oilers) added a pair of assists to guide the Giants to a single point.

Ronning’s first of the game and 41st of the season was equalled late in the period by Dante Hannoun. Jeff de Wit put the Royals up by one early in the second, but Ronning helped to make that lead temporary, striking for his 42nd of the season. The goal also helped Ronning equal his career-best point total of 59 from the 2015-16 season, doing so in 21 fewer games.

Tyler Soy (Anaheim Ducks) scored a minute into the third to restore the one-goal lead, but the Giants came back once again as Dylan Plouffe tied up the game 6:51 later on his eighth of the season.

The team’s played through a continuous overtime with chances at both ends, but both Griffen Outhouse and David Tendeck were equal to the task. Outhouse finished with 40 saves in regulation and overtime while Tendeck stopped 22 of 25 in regulation and overtime.

Tanner Kaspick scored the game-winning goal in the 6th round of the shootout to give the Royals a 4-3 win over Vancouver! pic.twitter.com/vMSyT2f6Rk

— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) January 20, 2018

Kelowna Rockets (2) at Seattle Thunderbirds (7)
Kelowna (28-14-2-1) // Seattle (23-16-4-2)

Nolan Volcan broke out for the first hat trick of his WHL career Friday as the Seattle Thunderbirds thumped the Kelowna Rockets by a 7-2 final.

Jarrett Tyszka (Montreal Canadiens) and Sami Moilanen each added three assists in the contest while Dorrin Luding stopped 27 of 29 shots to earn the victory.

Zack Andrusiak and Volcan scored in the first period. Noah Philp and Dillon Dube (Calgary Flames) traded goals in the second period to keep the T-Birds ahead by two goals, but Volcan and Turner Ottenbreit aded goals in the second half of the third to increase the lead to five goals.

The third didn’t offer any help to the Rockets as goals from Volcan and Blake Bargar bookended a goal from Conner Bruggen-Cate to round out the scoring.

Brodan Salmond and Cole Tisdale combined for 26 saves on 33 shots in the loss.

The @HeritageBankNW 3 Stars of the Game tonight are:

🌟 Nolan Volcan 🎩 🎩 🎩

🌟🌟 Dorrin Luding

🌟🌟🌟 Sami Moilanen pic.twitter.com/aAklH0bx2l

— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) January 20, 2018