WHL Tonight: Kruger, Makaj earn first victories as Wheat Kings, ICE score comeback wins

 

Western Hockey League Three Stars: Tuesday, October 30, 2018

1. Stelio Mattheos, Brandon Wheat Kings: Brandon Wheat Kings captain and Carolina Hurricanes prospect Stelio Mattheos recorded the fourth four-point game of his WHL career Tuesday night in northern B.C. as the Wheat Kings snapped a five-game losing streak against the Prince George Cougars.

Mattheos scored the game-winning goal in the contest, adding an assist on each of Brandon’s three second period goals. The performance gives Mattheos 25 points (14G-11A) in 15 games this season. The Winnipeg, Man. product and first overall selection from the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft now has 207 points (97G-110A) in 203 career WHL regular season games.

2. Jesse Makaj, Kootenay ICE: In a battle of two teams in need of two points in the standings, East Vancouver, B.C. product Jesse Makaj was the difference Tuesday night as the Kootenay ICE earned a 2-1 victory in the shootout against the Swift Current Broncos.

Makaj allowed one goal on 20 shots in the first period, then shut the door the rest of the way, stopping 22 shots in the second, third, and overtime period combined. He then denied both Broncos shooters in the shootout to complete the comeback. Makaj was originally selected by the ICE in the second round, 23rd overall, of the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.

3. Riley Woods, Spokane Chiefs: 20-year-old forward Riley Woods scored the second and third goals of the game for the Spokane Chiefs as they rolled to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds Tuesday night.

Woods scored 7:59 into the second period, then 6:20 into the third, adding the insurance goal in the contest. The seventh multi-goal game of his WHL career and second this season, Tuesday’s performance added on to what has become a strong first month for the Regina, Sask. product. Woods has 19 points (10G-9A) in 15 games this season, placing him second on the team in scoring.

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Kootenay ICE 2 at Swift Current Broncos 1 (SO) 

Brett Davis (Dallas Stars) and goaltender Jesse Makaj played the role of hero Tuesday night in Swift Current for the Kootenay ICE, scoring late ,then adding the winning goal in the shootout to secure a 2-1 victory against the Swift Current Broncos.

Makaj stood tall for his first career WHL victory, stopping 41 of 42 shots in regulation and overtime, adding two more stops in the shootout.

Things were looking up for the home side after Ethan Regnier’s third of the season, with 5:28 left in the first period. That’s how things would stay until the final 4:11 of the third, when Davis potted the game-tying goal on a power play, prolonging the game into overtime.

After 2019 NHL Draft prospect Peyton Krebs scored for the ICE in the shootout, Davis iced the game in favour of the Kootenay side.

Both Krebs and Dallas Hines picked up an assist on the ICE’s lone goal in regulation. Andrew Fyten and Tanner Nagel had the helpers on Regnier’s first period strike.

Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues) stopped 28 of 29 in regulation and overtime for the Broncos.

Brandon Wheat Kings 5 at Prince George Cougars 4

The Brandon Wheat Kings snapped a five-game losing streak with a narrow 5-4 victory against the Prince George Cougars Tuesday night at the CN Centre in northern British Columbia.

Captain Stelio Mattheos (Carolina Hurricanes) led the way with a four-point performance while Sherwood Park, Alta. product Ethan Kruger stopped 26 shots for the first victory of his WHL career.

The Cougars roared out to a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. Goals from Cole Moberg and Matej Toman made it 2-0 12:07 into the period, but the Wheat Kings responded with a goal from 2019 NHL Draft prospect Luka Burzan. The Cougars would strike once more before the end of the period, with Josh Maser extending the home side’s lead back to two.

The Wheat Kings would charge into the lead in the second, scoring three goals in the middle period. First, Connor Gutenberg notched his sixth of the season, followed roughly seven minutes later by Linden McCorrister’s third of the campaign. Braden Schneider’s second of the season came with 5:31 to go in the period, giving Brandon their first lead of the game.

Mattheos would add his goal to the effort midway through the third, extending the visiting side’s lead to two. That goal would come in handy as Vladislav Mikhalchuk scored 66 seconds later to bring the Cougars within a goal. That’s as close as they’d come though, with Kruger shutting the door the rest of the way.

McCorrister added a pair of assists for the three-point night. Mikhalchuk also added a pair of helpers to his goal, giving him three points in the contest.

Gutenberg, Maser, and Maser each finished with a goal and an assist.

Seattle Thunderbirds 1 at Spokane Chiefs 4 

The Spokane Chiefs successfully defended home turf against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds Tuesday evening thanks to a pair of goals from Riley Woods and a 22-save effort from Bailey Brkin.

Jake McGrew (San Jose Sharks) had the lone goal of the first period. Woods then opened the scoring in the second as he tallied his first of the game.

2019 NHL draft prospect Dillon Hamaliuk would respond later in the period to cut the Chiefs’ lead back to one, but that’s all the offence the Thunderbirds would receive Tuesday night.

Woods’ second of the game figured in as the insurance goal and Egor Arbuzov’s first career WHL goal was sent into the empty net with 63 seconds left in the contest.

Co-captain Ty Smith (New Jersey Devils) added three helpers in the contest for his seventh multi-point game of the season as the Chiefs struck twice on the power play in the contest.

Brkin stood tall in net, stopping 22 of 23 shots sent his way. Liam Hughes stopped 28 of 31 in the loss.