WHL HEADLINES
SATURDAY NIGHT’S WHL MATCH-UPS – Kris Russell (pictured) and the Medicine Hat Tigers (29-14-3-2) welcome the red-hot Kootenay Ice (32-13-4-0) in one of seven Western Hockey League contests on Saturday night.
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rThe Tigers, who are tied with Lethbridge for top spot in the Central division, beat the âCanes 2-1 last night and have won six of their last seven contests. The Tigers own the league’s top penalty-killing unit on home ice.
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rThe Ice, who sit in second spot in the B.C. division, beat Swift Current 4-2 last night and have won 10 straight games. Ryan Russell has scored six goals and 10 points in his last three games.
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rIt’s the third of five meetings between the Tigers and Ice this season. Kootenay has won both previous encounters.
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rElsewhere tonight, the Tri-City Americans (17-22-5-2) visit the Portland Winter Hawks (21-22-4-4) in a U.S. division match-up.
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rThe Ams, who currently sit tied with Spokane for fourth in the U.S. division, lost 3-1 last night in Vancouver and have only managed two wins in their last 10 games. The Americans are 8-10-3 on the road this season.
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rThe Winter Hawks, currently tied with Everett for second in the U.S. division, beat the âTips 4-2 last night and are riding a season-high three-game win streak. Dan DaSilva is carrying a six-game point streak into tonight’s contest.
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rIt’s the seventh meeting of the season between the Ams and Hawks. Tri-City has won five of the six previous encounters this season.
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rThe Prince George Cougars (20-26-3-1) continue their Central division trip as they visit the Red Deer Rebels (25-17-4-4) tonight.
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rThe Cougars, who currently sit fourth in the B.C. division, were defeated 3-2 in Calgary last night and have dropped four of their last five games. The Cougars are 6-17-1 on the road this season.
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rThe Rebels, who currently sit fourth in the Central division, beat Brandon 5-1 last night and have won seven of their last 10 contests. Ty Morris has scored eight goals and 19 points during his current 10-game point streak.
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rIt’s the third meeting of the season between the teams. Each team has won once through the previous two encounters.
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rThe Saskatoon Blades (28-15-5-4) host the Regina Pats (11-32-3-4) in an East division battle tonight.
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rThe Blades, who top the East division, beat Moose Jaw 3-1 last night and have won three of their last four outings. The Blades are 14-8-2 at home this season.
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rThe Pats, who sit fourth in the division, were defeated 4-2 in Prince Albert last night and are winless in nine straight contests. The Pats are 5-20-0 on the road this season.
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rIt’s the seventh meeting of the season between the division rivals. The series is tied 3-3 through the first six encounters.
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rThe Everett Silvertips (21-20-6-2) visit the Seattle Thunderbirds (33-14-0-1) in a U.S. division showdown tonight.
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rThe Silvertips, who are tied with Portland for second in the U.S. division, were defeated 4-2 by the Hawks last night and have dropped four straight contests. Alex Leavitt (11g-28a) leads the âTips in scoring with 39 points.
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rThe T-Birds, who top the U.S division, are coming off last night’s 4-2 win over Kamloops and are 2-3 in their last five games. Seattle is 14-7-0 at home this season.
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rIt’s the fourth meeting of the season between the âTips and T-Birds. Everett holds a 2-1 edge in the series through the first three games.
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rThe Spokane Chiefs (16-22-8-1) host the Kamloops Blazers (18-26-4-2) tonight.
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rThe Chiefs, who are tied with the Americans for fourth in the U.S. division, are coming off Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to Seattle and are 4-5-1 in their last 10 outings. The Chiefs are 10-8-7 at home this season.
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rThe Blazers, who sit fifth in the B.C. division, lost 4-2 in Seattle last night and have only managed one win in their last eight contests. Kamloops has won only five times on the road this season.
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rIt’s the third meeting of the season between the Chiefs and Blazers. Kamloops has won both previous meetings this season.
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rIn other action on Saturday night, the Kelowna Rockets (29-10-9-2) visit the Vancouver Giants (26-20-2-2) in a B.C. division match-up.
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rThe Rockets, who top the B.C. division, are coming off Wednesday’s 4-1 win over the Silvertips and have won four straight games. The Rockets have allowed only two goals against on their current four-game win streak.
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rThe Giants, who sit third in the B.C. division, downed the Americans 3-1 last night, snapping a four-game winless skid. Gilbert Brule (28g-37a) is tied for the league scoring lead with 65 points.
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rIt’s the fourth meeting of the season between the Giants and Rockets. Kelowna is 2-0-1 versus Vancouver this season.
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