WHL Roundup: Zablocki, Rebels unload on Royals
A 10-game Saturday in the Western Hockey League produced its fair share of big performances.
In Brandon, Logan Thompson made 41 saves as the Wheat Kings defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers, while Glenn Gawdin’s four points were in vain as his Swift Current Broncos fell to the Regina Pats on the WHL on Shaw and Access7.
In Red Deer, Lane Zablocki secured a hat trick while Brandon Hagel had six points and Michael Spacek notched five assists in a Rebels win over the Victoria Royals.
The Kamloops Blazers scored a dramatic overtime victory in a B.C. Division matchup with the Prince George Cougars, while Kole Lind collected four points as the Kelowna Rockets downed the Portland Winterhawks.
Outside of the aforementioned, there were a few surprises and a few more fun outings, so let’s fill in the gaps…
Medicine Hat Tigers (2) at Brandon Wheat Kings (5)
Medicine Hat (31-15-1-0) // Brandon (23-17-4-1)
Logan Thompson made 41 saves and Stelio Mattheos notched four points as the Brandon Wheat Kings recorded a 5-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday night.
Outside of Thompson’s performance, the Wheat Kings built a 4-0 lead by the midpoint of the second period courtesy goals from captain Nolan Patrick, Connor Gutenberg, Mattheos and Reid Duke. Of those four tallies, three came on the man advantage.
Max Gerlach and Mason Shaw replied – both on the power play as well – but Patrick secured the win, depositing his second of the evening and eighth of the campaign into an empty net.
For Thompson, the win goes into the books as his eighth of the season.
Mattheos finished the evening with a goal and three assists for the Wheat Kings.
Nolan Patrick with the quick hands in tight then goes backhand shelf to open the scoring tonight! #Patty pic.twitter.com/1frGNuePLk
— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) January 22, 2017
Regina Pats (6) at Swift Current Broncos (5)
Regina (30-6-6-1) // Swift Current (25-15-3-5)
The Regina Pats scored twice in the third period to complete a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the Swift Current Broncos on WHL on Shaw and Access7 Saturday night.
Trailing 5-4 heading into the final 20 minutes of play, Dawson Leedahl scored a power-play goal with 6:01 to go in regulation, tying the game before Connor Hobbs registered the game-winner 1:31 later.
Hobbs (1G-1A) and Sam Steel (1G-1A) recorded multipoint efforts, as did captain Adam Brooks (3A).
On the Broncos’ side of the puck, captain Glenn Gawdin had a stellar night with four points (2G-2A). Rookie Finn Aleksi Heponiemi notched three points (2G-1A) and Tyler Steenbergen, Lane Pederson and Max Lajoie each collected two assists.
Between the pipes, the Pats saw the return of Jordan Hollett after missing extended time due to injury. He made 23 saves in his first appearance since Nov. 20, earning his eighth win of the season.
RECAP: Pats Come Back to Beat the Broncos Saturday. Details here: https://t.co/QhOk2E51jA#JoinTheRegiment pic.twitter.com/36CNRpsYGw
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) January 22, 2017
Prince Albert Raiders (5) at Edmonton Oil Kings (2)
Prince Albert (10-34-3-2) // Edmonton (18-24-3-1)
Don’t look now, but the Prince Albert Raiders have strung together back-to-back victories.
Following a 3-2 win over the Red Deer Rebels Friday night, the Raiders rolled into Edmonton and registered a 5-2 triumph over the Oil Kings on Saturday.
The Raiders controlled the game early, building a 4-0 advantage by the midpoint of the second period, courtesy goals from Curtis Miske, Jordy Stallard, Cavin Leth and Cole Fonstad.
Davis Koch managed to get the hosts on the board 1:02 into the third period, but Sean Montgomery replied 2:45 later to restore the four-goal advantage. Ty Gerla rounded out the scoring with his fifth of the season late in regulation.
Nicholas Sanders steered aside 29 shots for his fourth win of the season, sending the Oil Kings to their seventh consecutive defeat.
Raiders knock off the Oil Kings for their second straight win.
RECAP: https://t.co/MhtIA5u4CO pic.twitter.com/JiebnYlsJ4
— PrinceAlbert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 22, 2017
Calgary Hitmen (2) at Lethbridge Hurricanes (3) – OT
Calgary (17-21-5-2) // Lethbridge (26-15-4-3)
Zak Zborosky scored a power-play goal with 1:39 remaining in overtime, giving the Lethbridge Hurricanes a 3-2 win Saturday night.
Zborosky’s 31st of the season helped the Hurricanes overcome yet another stellar showing from Hitmen veteran Matteo Gennaro, who scored another two goals Saturday evening. The Winnipeg Jets prospect is riding a five-game goal-scoring streak, having found the back of the net 10 times over that stretch, including a pair of hat tricks, the first of which came against the Hurricanes back on Jan. 15.
Speaking of hot, Alec Baer scored once again for the Hurricanes. In six games just making the move to southern Alberta from the Vancouver Giants, the veteran Minnesotan has six goals along with eight points.
Tyler Wong rounded out the scoring, notching his 34th of the season to tie the game on a power play with 18 seconds to go in regulation.
Stuart Skinner made 31 saves for his 23rd win of the season, while Trevor Martin kicked out 21 shots to help the Hitmen earn a point in the standings.
The #CaneTrain right now! 6-0-1-1 in our past 8 games. pic.twitter.com/1g3vlfnscN
— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 22, 2017
Victoria Royals (2) at Red Deer Rebels (6)
Victoria (26-19-4-0) // Red Deer (21-20-4-3)
Lane Zablocki, Brandon Hagel, Michael Spacek – have a night.
The Red Deer Rebels trio ripped up the Victoria Royals, with Zablocki scoring three times and adding an assist, Hagel notching six points (2G-4A) and Spacek contributing five helpers.
A 3-1 game heading into the third period, Tyler Soy hit the 20-goal plateau 5:55 into the final period to bring the Royals within one. Just after the midway mark of the period rolled over, Musil and Zablocki scored 50 seconds apart to put the game out of reach for the Royals. For Zablocki, his third period goal was his third of the evening and 15th of the season.
Since coming over from the Regina Pats in a WHL Trade Deadline blockbuster, Zablocki has made a solid impact with the Rebels, scoring eight points (6G-2A) in seven games.
Lasse Petersen made 21 saves for his 11th win of the season. At the other end, Griffen Outhouse was a busy man, facing 44 shots and turning aside 38 in defeat.
The line of @LZablocki12, @Bhags9 & Spacek combined for 15 points tonight! @LZablocki12 picked up the Hat Trick tonight. #Rebels25 pic.twitter.com/HaQaVGqRvT
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) January 22, 2017
Prince George Cougars (4) at Kamloops Blazers (5) – OT
Prince George (33-13-3-0) // Kamloops (29-16-1-2)
Deven Sideroff forced overtime, scoring the tying goal with 52 seconds left in regulation before captain Collin Shirley secured the win 59 seconds into the extra period as the Kamloops Blazers stormed back to burn the Prince George Cougars by a 5-4 margin Saturday.
Trailing 4-2 after 40 minutes of play, Nic Holowko got the Blazers within striking distance, striking 5:22 into the third period to make it a one-goal affair.
The Blazers’ win spoiled a two-goal effort from Cougars defenceman Brendan Guhle, who put his 10th and 11th tallies of the season past Connor Ingram during the first period of play.
Guhle wasn’t the only skater with a pair of goals Saturday evening as Shirley also scored in the first period for Kamloops, getting himself to the 20-goal plateau.
Lane Bauer (1G-2A) and Sideroff (1G-2A) both had three-point nights, with Shirley (2G) and Rudolfs Balcers (2A) also hitting the multipoint mark for Kamloops.
Jesse Gabrielle (1G-2A) had himself a strong night, with Guhle (2G) and Nikita Popugaev (2A) also contributing multipoint nights for Prince George.
In the blue paint, it was Ingram battling to a 27-save performance that goes into the books as his 17th win of the season. Ty Edmonds made 35 saves as the other end to help his club get at least a single point.
SHIRLEY!!! Blazers win 5-4 in OT over the Cougars!!
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) January 22, 2017
Portland Winterhawks (1) at Kelowna Rockets (4)
Portland (22-21-1-2) // Kelowna (27-17-4-0)
Kole Lind played the catalyst, scoring twice and assisting on two others as the Kelowna Rockets defeated the Portland Winterhawks by a 4-1 margin Saturday evening.
Tomas Soustal opened the scoring with his 15th of the year, before Joachim Blichfeld’s 14th of the season tied the game 1-1 after 20 minutes of play.
Midway through the second period, Lind sent his 21st of the campaign to the back of the net on a power play, giving the Rockets a 2-1 lead. He added another power-play marker 3:00 into the third period to add some insurance before Braydyn Chizen’s third goal of the campaign rounded out the scoring.
Michael Herringer made 34 saves for his 20th win of the season.
#Congratulations to Kole Lind (@klind13) for reaching 100 @TheWHL points tonight on his 4th point of the night! Plenty more to come! #Lindy pic.twitter.com/EMo60GwrSi
— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) January 22, 2017
Vancouver Giants (1) at Seattle Thunderbirds (6)
Vancouver (17-27-1-2) // Seattle (25-15-3-1)
Mathew Barzal scored twice and added an assist as the Seattle Thunderbirds overwhelmed the Vancouver Giants to claim a 6-1 decision on Saturday.
The Thunderbirds peppered David Tendeck with 46 shots Saturday night and the Giants goaltender did all he could to withstand the barrage, making 40 saves.
Turner Ottenbreit was the first to beat Tendeck, giving the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead 9:30 into the first period. Barzal scored his fifth of the campaign 5:13 later to double the advantage.
Alexander True provided additional insurance midway through the second period and Barzal notched his second of the night 6:03 into the third period as the Thunderbirds claimed a commanding 4-0 lead.
Calvin Spencer snapped Rylan Toth’s shutout bid 7:45 into the third, getting the Giants on the board. But Sami Moilanen and Luke Ormsby replied in short order to ice the win for Seattle.
Toth made 15 saves by the final buzzer, taking home his 21st victory of the year.
GAME RECAP: T-Birds Beat Stuffing Out Of Giants https://t.co/f195sxewKC pic.twitter.com/IWFaANBK4w
— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) January 22, 2017
Kootenay ICE (2) at Spokane Chiefs (5)
Kootenay (11-29-7-1) // Spokane (19-20-5-2)
The Spokane Chiefs slammed the Kootenay ICE cage with 50 shots en route to a 5-2 win Saturday night.
Despite the high shot count, the Chiefs led 2-0 after 40 minutes, with Eli Zummack and Kailer Yamamoto the only ones to solve ICE goaltender Jakob Walter, who faced 29 pucks in the first two periods.
Noah Philp made it a 2-1 game 1:04 into the third period before the Chiefs took off.
Ty Smith, Ondrej Najman and Tyson Helgesen scored consecutively as the Chiefs put another 21 pucks in on the rookie goaltender during the final 20 minutes.
ICE rookie Kaeden Taphorn scored his second goal of the season to wrap up the scoring.
Dawson Weatherill made 22 saves for his eighth win of the season, while Walter blocked 45 pucks in defeat.
Chiefs pull away for 5-2 W over @WHLKootenayICE in front of big crowd at @SpokaneArena! #GoChiefsGo
RECAP: https://t.co/VB6NKJt0Lu pic.twitter.com/jqZSyvdybr
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) January 22, 2017
Everett Silvertips (4) at Tri-City Americans (2)
Everett (30-6-7-1) // Tri-City (29-18-3-0)
Kevin Davis scored twice as the Everett Silvertips doubled up the Tri-City Americans by a 4-2 margin, and reached the 30-win plateau in the process.
Davis put the Silvertips up 2-1 with 8:09 to go in regulation before Vladislav Lukin’s 19th of the season made it a 2-2 game with 6:37 remaining. With a power-play opportunity in hand, Davis scored his second of the night with 4:30 to play, giving the Silvertips a 3-2 lead.
Connor Dewar found an empty net with his ninth of the season to secure the two points for Everett.
Mario Petit made 22 saves for his 10th win of the season.
Lukin (1G-1A) and Morgan Geekie (2A) registered multipoint nights for the Americans.
Saturday night’s alright for WINNING!!! #LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/863stey8RB
— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) January 22, 2017
Loading ...