WHL HEADLINES

WEDNESDAY NIGHT’S WHL PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS – Jeremy Colliton (pictured) and the Prince Albert Raiders have their sights set on the second round as they host the Saskatoon Blades tonight in game four of their East division first-round match-up.
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rThe Raiders beat the Blades 3-2 on Monday to claim a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and need just one more win to advance to the second round. Netminder Rejean Beauchemin has allowed just three goals on 64 shots through the first three games of the series. Prince Albert scratches: Mike Gauthier.
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rThe Blades need a win tonight in Prince Albert if they want to keep the series going. Mike Green, who led all WHL defencemen in scoring during the regular season, has been held off the score sheet through the first three games of the series. Saskatoon scratches: Brett Ward, Colton Gillies, Chris Cloud, Joseph Cook.
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rGame five of the series, if necessary, will be Friday night in Saskatoon.
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rElsewhere tonight, the Moose Jaw Warriors host the Brandon Wheat Kings in game three of their East division first-round series.
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rThe Warriors were beaten by Brandon 5-1 in Winnipeg on Sunday and find themselves down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series. 10 of the Warriors’ 14 regular-season victories came on home ice.
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rThe Wheat Kings, up 2-0 in the series, have outscored the Warriors 12-4 through the first two games of the series. Brandon won all four meetings with the Warriors in Moose Jaw during the regular season. Brandon scratches: Teegan Moore, Tim Konsorada.
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rGame four of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in Moose Jaw.
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rThe Red Deer Rebels host the Medicine Hat Tigers tonight in game four of their Central division first-round series.
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rThe Rebels managed a 3-2 overtime win over the Tigers last night to claim a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series over the defending champions. Jared Walker scored the O.T. winner last night while Brandon Sutter, son of Rebels’ G.M/Head Coach Brent Sutter scored his first career WHL tally in the win. Red Deer scratches: Chris Neiszner.
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rThe Tigers, down 1-2 in the series, got goals from Cam Barker and Jarret Lukin in last night’s defeat. Medicine Hat’s penalty-killing unit has allowed four power play goals in 19 shorthanded situations through the first three games of the series. Medicine Hat scratches: Kris Russell, Jordan Bendfeld, Blaine Neufeld.
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rThe series moves back to Medicine Hat for game five on Friday night.
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rThe Calgary Hitmen welcome the Lethbridge Hurricanes tonight in game four of their Central division best-of-seven series.
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rCalgary blanked the Hurricanes 4-0 last night to grab a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Andrew Ladd, who tallied twice in last night’s win, leads the Hitmen with three goals through the first three games of the series. Calgary scratches: Darryl Yacboski.
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rAaron Sorochan, the Eastern conference nominee for Goaltender of the Year, allowed three goals on five shots in last night’s defeat. Brent Seabrook (1g-2a) has been involved in three of the ‘Canes’ four goals through the first three games of the series.
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rThe series moves back to Lethbridge for game five on Friday night.
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rThe Vancouver Giants host the Kelowna Rockets tonight in game four of their B.C. division first-round match-up.
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rThe Giants pulled off a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over the Rockets last night, giving them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Andrej Meszaros, who netted last night’s winner, lead the Giants in scoring with a goal and three assists in the first three games of the series. Vancouver scratches: Luke Egener, Scott Gabriel.
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rThe Rockets, down 1-2 in the series, coughed up a three-goal lead in the second period in last night’s defeat. Brent Howarth and Justin Keller lead the Rockets in scoring with three goals apiece through the first three games of the series.
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rThe series heads back to Kelowna for game five on Friday night.
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rThe Kamloops Blazers host the Kootenay Ice tonight in game four of their B.C. division first-round match-up.
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rThe Blazers, thanks to a last-minute tally from Kevin Hayman, managed a 3-2 victory over the Ice last night to claim a 2-1 series lead. The Blazers’ power play has been hot, scoring four times on 14 opportunities through the first three games of the series. Kamloops scratches: Moises Gutierrez.
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rKootenay, down 1-2 in the series, got tallied from Nigel Dawes and Michael Busto in last night’s defeat. Kootenay’s power play has tallied just twice on 21 opportunities through the first three games of the series. Kootenay scratches: No definite scratches.
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rThe series heads back to Cranbrook for game five on Friday night.
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rThe Tri-City Americans host the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight in game three of their U.S. division first-round series.
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rThe Ams fell 2-1 in Seattle on Monday, leaving them down 0-2 in the best-of-seven series. Tri-Cities has beaten Seattle just once in 11 meetings between the teams this season. Tri-City scratches: Juraj Gracik, Dillon Johnstone, Robbie Holoien, Andrew Bentz, Mike McDonald, Joel Broda, Tyler Procyshen.
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rThe T-Birds, up 2-0 in the series, got goals from Aaron Gagnon and Mitch Fadden in Monday’s victory. The T-Birds won all four regular-season encounters with the Ams in Kennewick during the regular season. Seattle scratches: Zack FitzGerald, Bretton Stamler.
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rThe Ams host game four of the series on Friday night in Kennewick.
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rIn other action on Wednesday night, the Everett Silvertips welcome the Portland Winter Hawks in game four of their U.S. division first-round series.
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rThe Silvertips grabbed a 2-1 lead over the Hawks in the best-of-seven series with last night’s 3-0 win in Everett. Netminder Mike Wall turned in a 42-save performance last night for his first career WHL playoff shutout. Everett scratches: Jeremy Creuer, Mitch Love.
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rThe Hawks, down 1-2 in the series, were defeated last night despite outshooting the Silvertips 42-14. Portland has had trouble beating the stellar netminding of Mike Wall, having scored just four times on 108 shots through the first three games of the series. Portland scratches: Mike Sauer.
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rThe series moves back to Portland for game five on Friday night.
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rWHL ANNOUNCES SUSPENSION
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r-Chris Neiszner of the Red Deer Rebels has been suspended for one game under supplemental discipline as a result of an incident in the Rebels’ game versus Medicine Hat on March 29th.
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rWHL FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE
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rDon’t forget to register for the WHL Fantasy Hockey Playoff Challenge. It’s your chance to get involved in the excitement of WHL playoff action and support the WHL Education Fund.
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rLog on and select your 12-player roster from any playoff-bound team and you could win prizes including a 42-inch plasma T.V.
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rJust click on the WHL FANTASY HOCKEY LEAGUE logo to find out more details or to register.
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