WHL HEADLINES – Tuesday Night Recap

GIANTS TOP WINTER HAWKS – J.D. Watt (pictured) scored once and added an assist to lead the visiting Vancouver Giants to a 5-2 win over the Portland Winter Hawks in one of two Western Hockey League match-ups on Tuesday, January 10th.
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rTim Kraus and Jason Reese each tallied a goal and an assist for the Giants, who down the Winter Hawks for the second time in three days, while Kyle Lamb and Michal Repik also scored in the victory. Dustin Slade stopped 14 of 16 shots he faced to pick up his 23rd victory of the season. The win improves Vancouver to 29-10-4-0 and keeps the Giants two points behind Kootenay for first in the B.C. Division.
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rJon Bubnick and Brian Woolger scored for the Winter Hawks, who were without injured top scorer Brandon Dubinsky, while Luke Shier turned in a 35-save performance in a losing cause. The defeat – the Hawks’ second straight – drops them to 20-17-1-2 and they remain second in the U.S. Division.
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rElsewhere on Tuesday night, Adam Cracknell scored the winner in the third period as the Kootenay Ice downed the visiting Prince George Cougars 3-2 in Cranbrook.
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rBen Maxwell – with his 20th of the season – and Andrew Bailey also scored for Kootenay while Casey Lee chipped in three assists in the victory. Taylor Dakers made 28 saves to pick up his 17th win of the season. The victory improves the Ice to 31-12-0-2 and keeps them first in the B.C. Division.
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rColin Patterson and Eric Hunter scored for the Cougars while Real Cyr stopped 26 of 29 shots in a losing cause. The defeat leaves the Cougars at 22-17-0-3 and they remain fourth in the B.C. Division – one point ahead of idle Kamloops.
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