WHL HEADLINES

WHL WEEKEND RECAP – Riley Merkley bagged his first career WHL hat trick helping the Calgary Hitmen to a 7-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants in one of three Western Hockey League contests Sunday night.
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rDefenceman Darryl Yacboski scored twice and added an assist for the Hitmen who, with the win, improve to 10-5-4-1 and move into second place in the Central division. Ryan Getzlaf chipped in a goal and an assist to extend his point streak to five games while Konstantin Pushkarev also tallied a goal and an assist.
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rAdam Courchaine and Mitch Bartley scored for the road-weary Giants who head back to Vancouver sitting at 10-7-0-2 and tied with Kelowna for second in the B.C. division.
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rElsewhere last night, Justin Keller scored the equalizer four-and-a-half minutes into the third period as the visiting Kelowna Rockets skated to a 3-3 tie versus the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
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rLauris Darzins and Tyler Mosienko also scored for the Rockets while Kyle Cumiskey and Blake Comeau each chipped in two assists. With the draw, the Rockets improve to 10-6-2-0 and sit in a tie with Vancouver for second spot in the B.C. division – each with 22 points.
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rColton Yellowhorn scored once and added an assist for the ‘Canes – giving him three goals and 10 points in his last four outings – while Jonathan Filewich scored twice. The tie leaves the ‘Canes at 6-7-6-1 and fourth in the Central division.
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rKyle Chipchura scored twice and added an assist as the visiting Prince Albert Raiders pulled out a 3-1 win over the league-leading Medicine Hat Tigers last night.
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rCaine Pearpoint scored once and added an assist, and Jeremy Colliton chipped in two helpers in the Raiders’ win. With the victory, the Raiders improve to 6-11-2-1 and remain fourth in the East division.
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rCam Barker scored the lone goal in a losing effort for the Tigers, who drop only their second game of the year and first at home. The loss snaps the Tigers’ 10-game unbeaten streak, leaving them at 13-2-1-0, however, they remain first in the Central division and first overall.
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rSaturday, November 6
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rPRINCE GEORGE 2 @ KAMLOOPS 0 – Eric Hunter and Colin Patterson scored as the Cougars blanked the Blazers. Justin Pogge stopped 19 shots for his third shutout of the season.
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rVANCOUVER 3 @ LETHBRIDGE 1 – Gilbert Brule netted the game-winner as the Giants scored three unanswered goals in the third period to lift them to the win over the ‘Canes.
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rKELOWNA 1 @ MEDICINE HAT 5 – 13 different Tigers found the score sheet as Medicine Hat cruised to the win over the Rockets.
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rREGINA 5 @ MOOSE JAW 3 – Jordan McGillivray scored the winner as the Pats mounted a third-period comeback to beat the Warriors for the second night in a row.
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rSEATTLE 3 @ PORTLAND 2 – Tyler Metcalfe scored with two minutes remaining in the third period to give the T-birds the win over the Winter Hawks.
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rEVERETT 5 @ SASKATOON 2 – Torrie Wheat scored twice – including the winner – and added an assist to lift the Silvertips to the win over the Blades.
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rTRI-CITY 3 @ SPOKANE 0 – Matt Schneider scored once and added an assist as the Americans blanked the Chiefs. Carey Price stopped 38 shots for his second shutout of the season.
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rBRANDON 2 @ SWIFT CURRENT 2 – Swift Current’s Luke Hunter scored with 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Broncos and Wheat Kings skated to a tie.
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rFriday, November 5
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rBRANDON 5 @ CALGARY 5 – Ryan Getzlaf scored twice for the Hitmen while Eric Fehr tallied a pair for the Wheat Kings as the teams skated to a tie.
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rSPOKANE 0 @ KAMLOOPS 2 – Nathan Grochmal and Kalvin Sagert tallied for the Blazers as they beat the Chiefs. Devan Dubnyk stopped 34 shots for his second shutout of the season.
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rPRINCE GEORGE 1 @ KOOTENAY 2 – Nigel Dawes scored twice on the power-play to lift the Ice to the win over the Cougars.
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rEVERETT 1 @ PRINCE ALBERT 0 – Curtis Billsten scored the games’ only goal as the Silvertips blanked the Raiders. Michael Wall stopped 20 shots for his third shutout of the season.
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rVANCOUVER 5 @ RED DEER 1 – Tim Kraus scored twice and added an assist while Gilbert Brule set up three goals as the Giants beat the Rebels.
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rMOOSE JAW 2 @ REGINA 5 – Jon Bubnick netted a hat trick and picked up an assist to lift the Pats to the win over the Warriors.
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rKELOWNA 6 @ SWIFT CURRENT 1 – Justin Keller scored twice and Kristofer Westblom stopped 18 of 19 shots as the Rockets beat the Broncos.
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rPORTLAND 3 @ TRI-CITY 2 – Cody McLeod scored the winner with just over four minutes remaining in the third period as the Winter Hawks got by the Americans.
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