WHL Classics: 1999 WHL All-Star Game

 

Live from Lethbridge, it’s the 1999 Western Hockey League All-Star Game on WHL Classics! As the Kamloops Blazers and Calgary Hitmen lead the regular season standings, tonight’s matchup will pit East vs. West in what is sure to be another memorable matchup.

Pride is on the line for both conferences. The Western Conference has won back-to-back All-Star games. They claimed a 7-5 win in Spokane, Wash. back in 1997 and took the 1998 game by a 7-6 margin in Regina, Sask. For the Eastern Conference, their last victory came in 1996 in Prince George, B.C. with a 10-7 decision and they’ll be eager to defend their home turf.

A home-game feel will be felt for three members of the Lethbridge Hurricanes as they get set to compete on home ice once more. Forward Curtis Huppe, defenceman Luc Theoret, and goaltender Brady Block will all represent for their club for the Eastern Conference.

There will be no shortage of talent on either side. Of the 12 combined WHL players selected in the first round of the 1997 and 1998 NHL Drafts, seven will appear in this year’s all-star festivities. From 1997, Brad Ference (Spokane Chiefs), Mike Brown (Kamloops Blazers), Scott Hannan (Kelowna Rockets) and Brenden Morrow (Portland Winterhawks) will all suit up for the Western Conference. Brad Stuart (Calgary Hitmen) will play for the East while Robyn Regehr (Kamloops Blazers) and Scott Gomez (Tri-City Americans) suit up for the Western Conference. With plenty of WHL players placing themselves on the radar for the 1999 NHL Draft, the likes of Pavel Brendl (Calgary Hitmen), Jamie Lundmark (Moose Jaw Warriors), and Steve McCarthy (Kootenay ICE) will hope to use the game as a springboard for an increased draft profile.

Before the puck drops on the game, the all-stars took to the ice Tuesday for the annual skills competition, with the Western Conference earning a 13-12 victory.

A trio of skaters slid under the 14-second mark in the fastest skater competition, led by Dylan Gyori from the Tri-City Americans who posted a 13.858 second lap. Next fastest was Brad Leeb from the Red Deer Rebels, who clocked in at 13.866 seconds and Jason Chimera from the Medicine Hat Tigers, who posted a time of 13.875 seconds.

Calgary Hitmen defenceman Brad Stuart led the hardest shot competition with a 96.9 km/h shot. Marty Standish of the Portland Winterhawks won the individual puck control relay and Red Deer Rebels forward Frantisek Mrazek hit all four targets on eight attempts to claim the accuracy shooting competition.

Despite the individual successes for the East, teamwork made dreamwork for the Western Conference as they claimed the majority of the team competitions and highest averages from the individual competitions as well.

Tune in at 7 p.m. MT as the Eastern Conference and Western Conference clash in the 1999 WHL All-Star Game from southern Alberta!

Rosters
Eastern Conference All-Stars

Number	Position	First Name	Last Name	WHL Team
2	Defence	Richard	Seeley	Prince Albert Raiders
5	Defence	Luc	Theoret	Lethbridge Hurricanes
6	Defence	Steve	McCarthy	Kootenay ICE
7	Defence	Brad	Stuart	Calgary Hitmen
8	Forward	Pavel	Brendl	Calgary Hitmen
11	Forward	Brett	Lysak	Regina Pats
15	Forward	Brad	Twordik	Brandon Wheat Kings
17	Forward	Jamie	Lundmark	Moose Jaw Warriors
20	Forward	Brad	Moran	Calgary Hitmen
21	Defence	Kurt	Drummond	Swift Current Broncos
22	Forward	Frantisek	Mrazek	Red Deer Rebels
23	Forward	Jason	Chimera	Medicine Hat Tigers
25	Forward	Curtis	Huppe	Lethbridge Hurricanes
26	Forward	Brad	Leeb	Red Deer Rebels
27	Goaltender	Alexandre	Fomitchev	Calgary Hitmen
29	Defence	Burke	Henry	Brandon Wheat Kings
30	Goaltender	Brady	Block	Lethbridge Hurricanes
32	Forward	Kyle	Calder	Regina Pats
41	Forward	Milan	Kraft	Prince Albert Raiders
57	Forward	Chad	Hinz	Moose Jaw Warriors

Head coach: Dean Clark
Trainer: Chris Fleming

Jeff Blair (Saskatoon Blades) and Ryan Robson (Brandon Wheat Kings) did not participate due to injury.

Western Conference All-Stars

Number	Position	First Name	Last Name	WHL Team
2	Defence	Brad	Ference	Spokane Chiefs
4	Defence	Darrell	Hay	Tri-City Americans
7	Defence	Chris	St. Croix	Kamloops Blazers
8	Forward	Marty	Standish	Portland Winterhawks
9	Forward	Ken	McKay	Tri-City Americans
11	Forward	Scott	Gomez	Tri-City Americans
12	Forward	Tyler	Bouck	Prince George Cougars
15	Forward	Brett	McLean	Kelowna Rockets
16	Forward	Bret	DeCecco	Seattle Thunderbirds
17	Forward	Donnie	Kinney	Kamloops Blazers
19	Forward	Dylan	Gyori	Tri-City Americans
21	Forward	Mike	Brown	Kamloops Blazers
22	Defence	Scott	Hannan	Kelowna Rockets
23	Forward	Blair	Betts	Prince George Cougars
24	Defence	Robyn	Regehr	Kamloops Blazers
29	Forward	Brenden	Morrow	Portland Winterhawks
30	Goaltender	Cody	Rudkowsky	Seattle Thunderbirds
31	Goaltender	Kenric	Exner	Kamloops Blazers
32	Forward	Ajay	Baines	Kamloops Blazers
44	Defence	Andrew	Ference	Portland Winterhawks

Head coach: Marc Habscheid
Trainer: Kent Wagner & Greg “Spike” Wallace

Jason LaBarbera (Portland Winterhawks) did not participate due to injury.

WHL Scoring Leaders (as of January 17, 1999)

Rank	Name	Goals	Assists	Points
1	Pavel Brendl	47	31	78
T2	Dylan Gyori	30	43	73
T2	Chad Hinz	24	49	73
4	Brett Lysak	30	36	66
5	Brad Moran	31	30	61