WHL Firsts: Nine players achieve milestone moments
The Western Hockey League season rolled on last week with nine players scoring their first goals.
The forwards just beat out the defencemen in WHL Firsts scoring as five forwards potted their firsts and four defencemen found the back of the net for their goals. The East Division led the way with six of the nine firsts coming from the division.
Wednesday, October 23
Starting off the week of WHL Firsts, the Prince Albert Raiders visited the Portland Winterhawks in a U.S. vs East Division matchup. Tyson Laventure of the Raiders opened his WHL scoring career in the third period after sniping a shot past Winterhawks goaltender Joel Hofer. The Lloydminster, Alta. product completed a give-and-go with Prince Albert forward Eric Pearce and sniped a shot glove side to bring the Raiders within one. Although the goal would close the gap in the game, it came just too late as the Winterhawks took the game 4-3.
SCORES! @tysonlaventure gets his first WHL goal!
4-3 them. Not a lot of time left.#GoRaidersGo #PORvsPA pic.twitter.com/B694ucJ8XF
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) October 24, 2019
The second WHL First of Wednesday night was scored by 16-year-old forward Jake Chiasson of the Brandon Wheat Kings against the hosting Spokane Chiefs. The Wheaties forward was on the receiving end of a great pass from line mate Nolan Ritchie and buried a shot into the open net. Chiasson, the 15th-overall selection of the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, is one of the younger players in the league and will look to grow into one of the key players for Brandon.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Azj2IHFzW/
Friday, October 25
Joe Arntsen found the back of the net for his first goal in the WHL against the visiting Wheat Kings on Friday night at the ENMAX Centre in Lethbridge. The Swift Current, Sask. product buried a clap shot into the top right corner of the net after Jett Jones won the offensive zone face off. Jett Jones and Ty Nash both drew assists on the play and were clearly excited for their teammate. The three teammates now have scored their first goals in the WHL in three consecutive weeks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4LTeWcHVAC/
Although falling just short in the game against the Calgary Hitmen, the host Moose Jaw Warriors had a reason to celebrate at 11:53 of the second period. Rookie Braden Miller potted his first goal in the WHL after he sniped a shot past the screened Hitmen goaltender bringing the Warriors within one. The Sherwood Park, Alta. product was awarded the first star of the game honours.
HIGHLIGHT: Braden Miller scores the first goal of his WHL career to get the Warriors within 1. – Brought to you by Moose Jaw Ford https://t.co/YBE78MFk5Z pic.twitter.com/P4E2KpMEzL
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) October 26, 2019
On Friday, the Red Deer Rebels hosted the Seattle Thunderbirds and got a boost from some import rookie scoring. Christoffer Sedoff, the 25th-overall selection in the 2019 Canadian Hockey League Import Draft, sent a laser wrist shot from the point past the Thunderbirds goaltender at 1:26 into the first period, taking the lead back for the Rebels.
GOAL!! Rebels cash in on the powerplay and make it 2-1!
Sedoff with the blast from the blue line for his first ever @TheWHL goal! #RDR
— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) October 26, 2019
The Thunderbirds would bounce back however after Luke Bateman scored his first WHL goal in the second period. The sophomore forward from Kamloops, B.C. deked out a defender and wristed a shot past the blocker-side of the Rebels goaltender to give the Thunderbirds the 3-2 lead. Bateman was taken by the Thunderbirds with the 85th-overall selection in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft and is in his first full season with the team.
🚨🚨🚨 BATEMAN!!!!
HIS FIRST CAREER WHL GOAL PUTS US IN FRONT 3-2!! pic.twitter.com/GE59yyfYsA
— Seattle Thunderbirds (@SeattleTbirds) October 26, 2019
Saturday, October 26
The lone WHL First on Saturday happened at the innovation Credit Union i-plex in Swift Current, Sask. Wheat Kings forward Riley Ginnell picked up his first career goal in the WHL in a 5-1 win for the Wheaties. The Calgary, Alta. product buried a rebound goal past the Broncos goaltender providing the insurance goal for Brandon.
Riley Ginnell with his first career WHL goal!! McCartney and Gutenberg also on the board in the 2nd. Wheaties lead 4-1 after 40. #bdnmb #whl pic.twitter.com/qUAYomFJJe
— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) October 27, 2019
Sunday, October 27
Nikita Sedov will be hoping the league plans for more outdoor games after the Pats defenceman picked up his first goal in the WHL. The 6-foot-1,187-pound defender potted his first goal at 1:55 of the third period to tie the game for the Pats against the visiting Hitmen. Sedov, the product of Tyumen, Russia, buried a rebound on the backhand over and above the Calgary goaltender to tie the game. Although dropping the match 5-4 in overtime, Sedov finished with two points (1G-1A) and was given the third star of the game honours.
ICYMI! Nikita Sedov saved his first career @TheWHL goal for the third period of the Prairie Classic!! The goal earned the Pats a point in what was an incredible game at Mosaic Stadium! #JoinTheRegiment pic.twitter.com/zAbQWoYkEm
— Regina Pats (@WHLPats) October 28, 2019
The second WHL First happened on Sunday in the all-Saskatchewan matchup between the Saskatoon Blades and the visiting Warriors. After giving up three goals to the Blades, Warriors forward Bryden Kiesman scored a great goal to send the game to overtime. The Winnipeg, Man. product picked up the puck in the natural zone, blew past two defenders and went cross-bar down beating the Blades goaltender to tie the game. The Warriors would leave Saskatoon with the 5-4 overtime win.
Bryden Kiesman (@BrydenKiesman) turns on the jets and scores his first WHL goal to tie the game at 4 with 4 minutes left! pic.twitter.com/x9DiNdkLgH
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) October 27, 2019
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