WHL HEADLINES

RAIDERS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND – Rookie Ryan DePape scored 9:42 into overtime to lift the Prince Albert Raiders to a 3-2 series-clinching victory over the Saskatoon Blades in game four of their East division first-round match-up on Wednesday night.
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rLuke Fritshaw scored once and added an assist for the Raiders who, with the win, sweep the best-of-seven series with the Blades 4-0. Dane Byers also scored for the Raiders while Rejean Beauchemin made 24 saves for the victory.
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rTyler Boldt and Ryan Keller scored for the Blades while Ryan Cyr made 27 saves in a losing effort. The loss eliminates the Blades from the post-season.
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rElsewhere on Wednesday night, Dustin Boyd scored the game-winner as the Moose Jaw Warriors managed a 4-1 victory over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings in game three of their East division first-round series.
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rMasi Marjamaki scored a goal and added an assist for the Warriors, who now trail the best-of-seven series 1-2, while Steven Gillen and Dan Ehrman also tallied in the win. Blair Jones chipped in three assists for the Warriors.
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rRyan Reaves scored the lone goal for the Wheat Kings, who had outscored the Warriors 12-4 through the first two games of the series. Tyler Plante was busy in the Brandon cage, stopping 43 of 47 shots he faced in a losing cause.
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rBrett Robertson scored a pair of goals and added an assist to lead the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers to a convincing 6-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels in game four of their Central division first-round series on Wednesday night.
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rStefan Meyer scored the winner for the Tigers, who even up the best-of-seven series at 2-2, while Daine Todd, Steve Marr, and Cam Barker also tallied in the win. Kevin Nastiuk made 26 saves for the victory.
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rJesse Zetariuk scored the lone goal for the Rebels while Andrew Leslie made 24 saves in a losing effort.
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rIn Calgary, Andrew Ladd scored four-and-a-half minutes into double overtime to lift the Hitmen to a 3-2 win over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes in game four of their Central division first-round series last night.
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rKonstantin Pushkarev and Brett Carson also tallied for the Hitmen, who grab a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, while Ryan Getzlaf chipped in three assists in the win. Justin Pogge turned in a solid 39-save performance in the victory.
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rMichael Kaye and Brennan Chapman scored for the Hurricanes in the defeat while Aaron Sorochan turned aside 41 shots in a losing cause.
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rIn Kamloops, Dale Mahovsky scored 1:25 into overtime to lead the visiting Kootenay Ice to a 3-2 victory over the Blazers in game four of their B.C. division first-round match-up on Wednesday.
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rRyan Russell and Adam Cracknell also netted in the come-from-behind win while Jeff Glass made 26 saves in the victory. The win sees the Ice even up their best-of-seven series with Kamloops at 2-2.
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rNathan Grochmal and Roman Tesliuk scored for the Blazers while Devan Dubnyk turned aside 23 shots in the defeat.
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rIn Vancouver, Lauris Darzins scored just over two minutes into overtime to lead the visiting Kelowna Rockets to a 2-1 victory over the Giants in game four of their B.C. division first-round series last night.
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rJustin Keller – with his fourth – also tallied for the Rockets while Derek Yeomans stopped 16 of 17 shots he faces for the win. With the victory, the Rockets even up the best-of-seven series with the Giants at 2-2.
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rAdam Courchaine scored the lone goal for the Giants while Marek Schwarz turned in a 29-save effort in the defeat.
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rAaron Gagnon‘s second goal of the game turned out to be the winner as the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds pushed the Tri-City Americans to the brink of elimination with a 3-2 victory last night in Kennewick in game three of their U.S. division first-round series.
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rLadislav Scurko also scored for the Thunderbirds, who grab a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, while Matthew Hansen chipped in a pair of assists. Bryan Bridges turned aside 29 shots for the victory.
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rJason Beeman scored both goals for the Americans, who find themselves one loss away from elimination, while Carey Price made 20 saves in a losing cause.
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rIn other action last night, Zach Hamill scored 9:47 into the extra frame to lift the Everett Silvertips to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Portland Winter Hawks in game four of their U.S. division first-round match-up.
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rKarel Hromas and Kyle Annesley also tallied for the Silvertips while Mike Wall turned in a 38-saves performance for the victory. The win sees the ‘Tips grab a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
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rMichael Funk and Brendan Mikkelson scored for the Winter Hawks in the defeat while Blake Grenier made 32 saves in a losing effort.
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