WHL HEADLINES

SASKATOON @ REGINA TONIGHT ON SHAW – The Regina Pats (10-24-2-4) host East division rivals the Saskatoon Blades (23-9-5-4) in one of nine Western Hockey League match-ups Saturday night.
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rTonight’s contest between the Pats and Blades can be seen throughout the Saskatchewan and Manitoba regions on SHAW.
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rThe Pats, who currently sit fourth in the East division, are coming off Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the Raiders and have only won once in their last 17 outings. The Pats have struggled at home this season, winning only five times at the Agridome. Brent Hill leads the team in scoring with 14 goals and 34 points.
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rThe Blades, who top the East division, are coming off last night’s 5-2 win over Portland and are 5-5 in their last 10 games. Defenceman Mike Green has four goals and 15 points in his last nine games. The Blades have only dropped three games on the road this season.
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rIt’s the sixth meeting of the season between the teams. Saskatoon has a 3-2 edge through the first five encounters. Brent Hill has scored seven goals and 11 points versus Saskatoon this season.
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rSHAW’s broadcast can be seen in Saskatchewan locally in Saskatoon, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Weyburn, Estevan, Yorkton, North Battleford, Meadow Lake, and in Regina on Access Communications. Throughout Manitoba, the game will air locally in Brandon on Westman Media and all Westman branches throughout the province, and in Winnipeg on SHAW T.V.
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rElsewhere tonight, the Everett Silvertips (20-12-6-2) welcome the Kamloops Blazers (16-21-2-2).
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rThe Silvertips, who sit second in the U.S. division, blanked Spokane 2-0 last night and are 3-4-3 in their last 10 outings. The ‘Tips are 11-5-3 on home ice this season.
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rThe Blazers, who sit fifth in the B.C. division, got by Moose Jaw 2-1 last night and have won three straight. The Blazers have managed just four wins on the road this season.
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rIt’s the fourth meeting of the season between the teams. Everett has a 2-1 edge in the season series thus far.
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rThe Kelowna Rockets (23-10-9-1) host B.C. division rivals the Vancouver Giants (22-16-1-2) tonight.
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rThe Rockets, who top the division, were blanked 3-0 in Seattle last night and are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. The Rockets are 15-4-1 at home this season.
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rThe Giants, who occupy third in the B.C. division, were beaten 4-3 in Prince George last night and are 6-4 in their last 10 games. Gilbert Brule (23g-30a) leads the team in scoring with 53 points.
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rIt’s the third meeting of the season between the teams. Kelowna is 1-0-1 versus the Giants this season.
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rThe Kootenay Ice (24-13-4-0) host the Calgary Hitmen (18-14-6-2) tonight.
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rThe Ice, who sit second in the B.C. division, earned a 3-2 overtime win over Medicine Hat last night for their second straight win. Kootenay is the league’s only team who hasn’t lost in overtime this season.
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rThe Hitmen, who sit tied with Red Deer for third in the Central division, downed the Rebels 4-1 last night. Konstantin Pushkarev has four goals and eight points on his current five-game point streak.
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rIt’s the fourth meeting of the season between the teams. Kootenay holds a 2-1 edge in the first three games versus Calgary this year.
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rThe Portland Winter Hawks (16-19-3-4) continue their East division road swing tonight as they visit the Prince Albert Raiders (16-21-4-1).
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rThe Hawks, who sit third in the U.S. division, were beaten 5-2 in Saskatoon last night and have only won twice in their last 10 contests. Brandon Dubinsky has scored four goals and 13 points on his current seven-game point streak.
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rThe Raiders, who sit third in the East division, blanked Brandon 3-0 last night and have won three of their last four games. The Raiders are 10-6-2 on home ice this season.
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rIt’s the first and only meeting of the season between the Hawks and the Raiders. Portland won last season’s only encounter with a 2-0 shutout in Portland back in October of 2003.
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rThe Moose Jaw Warriors (6-31-5-1) continue their Western road trip tonight as they visit the Prince George Cougars (17-20-3-1).
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rThe Warriors, who sit fifth in the East division, were beaten 2-1 last night in Kamloops and have dropped seven in a row. The Warriors own the league’s 20th-ranked penalty-killing unit.
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rThe Cougars, who sit fourth in the B.C. division, are coming off a 4-3 win over the Giants last night and are 4-6 in their last 10 outings. The Cougars are 11-8-2 at home this season.
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rIt’s the first and only meeting of the season between the Warriors and Cougars. Last season, the Warriors were 1-0-1 in two meetings with the Cougars.
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rThe Red Deer Rebels (18-14-4-4) welcome Central division opponents the Swift Current Broncos (13-22-5-1) tonight.
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rThe Rebels, who are tied with Calgary for third in the Central division, were beaten 4-1 by the Hitmen last night and have dropped four of their last five games. Roman Wick (18g-16a) leads the Rebels in scoring with 34 points.
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rThe Broncos, currently fifth in the division, were downed 3-2 in Lethbridge last night and have also dropped four of their last five contests. The Broncos own the league’s 20th-ranked power play.
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rIt’s the fifth and final meeting of the season between the teams. Red Deer is 3-1 in the first four encounters with the Broncos.
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rIn Washington, the Seattle Thunderbirds (27-10-0-1) welcome U.S. division rivals the Tri-City Americans (15-15-4-2) tonight.
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rThe T-birds, who currently top the U.S. division, blanked the Rockets 3-0 last night for their fourth win in their last five games. Seattle has allowed a league-low 65 goals against this season.
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rThe Americans, who sit fourth in the division, have been idle since last Saturday’s 5-3 win over Portland. The Ams’ penalty-killing is ranked fifth in the league.
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rIt’s the fifth meeting of the season between the teams. Seattle has won all four previous meetings versus Tri-City.
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rIn other action tonight, the Medicine Hat Tigers (23-12-3-2) visit the Spokane Chiefs (13-20-7-1).
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rThe Tigers, who sit second in the Central division, fell 3-2 in overtime to Kootenay last night and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 outings. The Tigers are an even 10-10-2 on the road this season.
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rThe Chiefs, who sit fifth in the U.S. division, are coming off a 2-0 loss in Everett last night and have dropped three straight contests. Chad Klassen (20g-24a) leads the Chiefs in scoring with 44 points.
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rIt’s the first and only meeting of the season between the clubs. The Tigers pounded the Chiefs 8-1 in Medicine Hat in last season’s lone encounter.
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