WHL Tonight: Woods’ hat trick leads Chiefs to overtime win against Silvertips

 

Western Hockey League Three Stars: Sunday, November 18, 2018

1. Ryan Peckford, Moose Jaw Warriors: Moose Jaw Warriors forward Ryan Peckford recorded the first four-goal game of his WHL career Sunday in a 9-1 rout of the Kootenay ICE. He also picked up an assist in the contest for the five-point night.

The performance was the second game of five points or more for Peckford in his WHL career after a six-point game (1G-5A) while with the Victoria Royals on October 18, 2016. Through 198 WHL regular season games, Peckford has 110 points (49G-61A), including 10 points (6G-4A) in his last five games.

2. Riley Woods, Spokane Chiefs: 20-year-old forward Riley Woods of the Spokane Chiefs recorded the first hat trick of his WHL career Sunday, scoring all three goals to top the Everett Silvertips 3-2 in overtime.

Woods scored twice in the first, then struck on a slapshot 2:27 into the overtime period. Woods, who is the defending WHL On the Run Player of the Week has now collected 33 points (18G-15A) in 23 games this season for the Chiefs.

3. Zane Franklin, Kamloops Blazers: Kamloops Blazers forward Zane Franklin had a career-high five points Sunday as the Blazers rolled to their eighth-straight victory in Prince George, B.C. with a 7-3 win against the Cougars.

Franklin had one goal and four helpers in the game, surpassing his previous career-high performance of three points, which he had accomplished three times in his WHL career. The 19-year-old Franklin now has 25 points (14G-11A) in 19 games with Kamloops this season. Sunday’s goal also helped him match his previous career-high of 14 set last season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in 67 games.

---

Kamloops Blazers 7 at Prince George Cougars 3

A career-high five-point game from Zane Franklin as well as two goal, one assist performances from Luc Smith and Orrin Centazzo guided the Kamloops Blazers to their eighth-straight victory at the CN Centre Sunday in a 7-3 decision against the Prince George Cougars.

Luke Zazula and Nolan Kneen each added three assists in the contest while Dylan Garand stopped 25 of 28 shots in the game.

The Blazers roared out to a 5-0 lead after 40 minutes as goals from Smith and Brodi Stuart featured in the first period. Centazzo’s two goals and Smith’s second of the game came in the middle frame to bust the game open.

Responding in the third, the Cougars received goals from Cole Moberg, Connor Bowie, and Austin Crossley. Martin Lang’s fourth of the season and Franklin’s 14th of the campaign kept the Blazers firmly in the drivers seat though as they moved within a single point of a wild card spot in the Western Conference and within three points of the Cougars for third place in the B.C. Division.

Moose Jaw Warriors 9 at Kootenay ICE 1

Ryan Peckford’s four-goal game led a 9-1 offensive showcase by the Moose Jaw Warriors against the Kootenay ICE Sunday in Cranbrook, B.C.

Peckford added a single assist in the five-point game while Tyler Smithies scored twice and picked up an assist for a third point in the victory. Yegor Buyalski and 2019 NHL Draft prospect Brayden Tracey each had a goal and an assist.

The Warriors burst out of the gate with four goals in the first, including a highlight between-the-legs play by Peckford for his first of the game.

Owen Pederson’s second career WHL goal broke up the shutout bid for Adam Evanoff, but the Warriors kept coming with four more goals in the second period.

Tracey’s goal came in the third to cap off the victory while Evanoff stopped all six shots in the final 20 minutes to wrap up a 19-save performance on his end.

Captain Josh Brook (Montreal Canadiens), Dalton Hamaliuk, Kale Clouston, and Tristin Langan each chipped in a pair of assists in the contest.

Victoria Royals 3 at Vancouver Giants 1

Griffen Outhouse recorded the 98th victory of his WHL career Sunday evening, stopping 28 of 29 shots to score a 3-1 victory for the Victoria Royals against the Vancouver Giants.

Dylan Plouffe opened the scoring 5:03 into the first period, but goals from Logan Doust and D-Jay Jerome swung the game back into the Royals’ favour after 20 minutes. The score would stay that way for all of the second period and much of the third until Dino Kambeitz iced the game with a long-rang empty-net goal.

Outhouse meanwhile withstood a flurry of shots from the Giants, stopping all 15 in the final 40 minutes and holding them off the scoresheet on a late five-on-three power play.

Kaid Oliver and Phillip Schultz each had an assist for the Royals while Tristen Nielsen and Davis Koch supplied the helpers on Vancouver’s lone goal.

Spokane Chiefs 3 at Everett Silvertips 2 (OT)

Riley Woods scored all three goals for the Spokane Chiefs Sunday, including the game-winning goal 2:27 into the overtime period to secure a 3-2 win in a battle of U.S. Division teams.

Woods opened the scoring 6:24 into the first period of Sunday’s game, then scored his second of the night 138 seconds later. Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia Flyers) would respond for the home side minutes later on the power play though, cutting the game to a 2-1 score after 20 minutes.

A fantastic individual effort from Dawson Butt tied up the game exactly six minutes into the second period as he drove to the net and beat Bailey Brkin.

That’d be the last mistake from Brkin however as he’d go on to finish with 38 saves, picking up an assist on the Chiefs first goal of the game as well.

Max Palaga was replaced by Dustin Wolf 8:42 into Sunday’s contest and battled to help them earn an extra point, stopping 21 of 22 shots directed his way.

Chiefs co-captain Ty Smith (New Jersey Devils) picked up a pair of assists while Eli Zummack, Ethan McIndoe, and Nolan Reid each recorded a single helper.