THURSDAY’S WHL PLAYOFF ROUND-UP
REBELS AND HAWKS ADVANCE; RAIDERS EVEN UP WITH BLADES – Brett Ferguson scored twice as the visiting Red Deer Rebels skated to a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings in Game 4 of their Husky WHL Eastern Conference quarter-final series on Thursday night.
With the Game 4 win, the Rebels sweep the Oil Kings 4-0 in the best-of-seven series and advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins notched his fourth of the series and added an assist while Matt Dumba and Andrej Kudrna also scored for the Rebels, who broke open a 0-0 game with four second-period goals en route to the series-clinching win. Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves to claim his fourth win of the series.
Rookie Curtis Lazar – with his first WHL marker – scored the only goal for the Oil Kings, who have now been swept in both of their playoff series’ in the modern-day history of the franchise. Laurent Brossoit made 24 saves in the defeat.
Red Deer wins best-of-seven series 4-0
RAIDERS 5, BLADES 2
Todd Fiddler scored two goals to help the Prince Albert Raiders post a 5-2 victory over the visiting Saskatoon Blades in Game 4 of their Husky WHL Eastern Conference quarter-final series on Thursday.
Mark McNeill – with a goal and an assist – Igor Revenko and TJ Constant also scored while Charles Wells and Brandon Herrod each chipped in two assists for the Raiders, who even up the best-of-seven series at 2-2 and have outscored the Blades 11-5 over the last two games. Jamie Tucker turned aside 28 of 30 shots to record the win.
Curtis Hamilton and Brayden Schenn each tallied a goal and an assist for the Blades, who trailed 2-1 after the first period and 3-1 after two periods to suffer back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Steven Stanford made 36 saves in the loss.
Best-of-seven series tied 2-2
TIGERS 5, WHEAT KINGS 4
Linden Vey’s second goal of the game with just 25 second to go in the third period lifted the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers to a 5-4 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings in Game 4 of their Husky WHL Eastern Conference quarter-final series on Thursday night in Winnipeg, MB.
Emerson Etem – with a goal and two assists – Kale Kessy and Jace Coyle also scored for the Tigers, who rallied from a 4-1 deficit after the first period to even up the series at two games apiece. Deven Dubyk made 25 saves in the win.
Shayne Wiebe – with a goal and an assist – Brodie Melnychuk, Tyrel Seaman and Matt MacKay scored for the Wheat Kings, who went 3-for-7 on the power play in the defeat. Corbin Boes turned aside 33 of 38 shots in the loss.
Best-of-seven series tied 2-2
KAL TIRE WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE
WINTERHAWKS COMPLETE SWEEP OF SILVERTIPS – Riley Boychuk scored two goals as the visiting Portland Winterhawks skated to a 6-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips in Game 4 of their Kal Tire WHL Western Conference quarter-final series on Thursday.
With the Game 4 win, the Winterhawks sweep the best-of-seven series versus the ‘Tips 4-0 and advance to the second round of the 2011 WHL playoffs.
Sven Baertschi and Nino Niederreiter each tallied a goal and two assists while Craig Cunningham and Brad Ross also scored for the Winterhawks, who allowed the game’s first goal but scored the next five en route to the series sweep. Mac Carruth made 31 saves to post the win.
Jari Erricson and Manraj Hayer scored for the Silvertips, who were outscored 22-8 through the four games of the series versus Portland. Luke Siemens made 38 saves in the defeat.
Portland wins best-of-seven series 4-0
CHIEFS 4, BRUINS 2
The Spokane Chiefs scored three first-period goals en route to a 4-2 victory over the visiting Chilliwack Bruins in Game 4 of their Kal Tire WHL Western Conference quarter-final series on Thursday.
Marek Kalus, Brenden Kichton and Mike Aviani all scored in the opening frame while Steve Kuhn added a late empty-net marker for the Chiefs, who held their lead in Game 4 after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 3’s overtime loss. James Reid made 19 stops to claim his sixth career playoff win.
Brandon Manning and Roman Horak scored for the Bruins, who were held scoreless on four power play opportunities in the Game 4 loss, and now trail the series 1-3. Lucas Gore turned aside 35 of 38 shots in the defeat.
Portland leads best-of-seven series 3-1
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