WHL Tonight: Paddock protects as Pats top Cougars in shootout

 

A moderate five-game schedule of Western Hockey League action occupied Wednesday night. In Winnipeg, the Medicine Hat Tigers rebounded from a loss Wednesday with a win against the division-leading ICE. Over in Saskatchewan, the Regina Pats came back to claim a shootout win against the Prince George Cougars. In Saskatoon, the Blades matched a season high on home ice with eight goals in a rout of the Red Deer Rebels. Down in Moose Jaw, the Edmonton Oil Kings were pushed to victory by a hat trick from Ethan McIndoe in the 300th regular season game of his WHL career. Over in British Columbia, the Kelowna Rockets welcomed home Nolan Foote, but it was Shane Farkas stealing the show with a 29-save performance in a 1-0 win at Prospera Place for the Victoria Royals. 

Medicine Hat Tigers at Winnipeg ICE – Scoring & Highlights

2020 NHL Draft prospect Lukas Svejkovsky scored twice as the Medicine Hat Tigers struck for four-unanswered goals Wednesday in a 4-1 victory against the Winnipeg ICE.

Jackson Leppard had the only goal through 20 minutes to give the ICE the first lead of the game. In the second, Svejkovsky and Jonathan Brinkman scored in a 22-second span to put the Tigers into the lead. Late in the third, Svejkovsky made it a 3-1 and Cole Sillinger closed out the scoring with his 15th goal of the season.

Brinkman finished with a goal and an assist while defenceman Daniel Baker added a pair of helpers. 2020 NHL Draft prospect Garin Bjorklund stopped 34 of 35 shots to earn the victory.

Prince George Cougars at Regina Pats – Scoring & Highlights

Zach Smith and Cole Dubinsky scored in the shootout and Max Paddock allowed just a single goal on five attempts in the extra extra frame as the Regina Pats earned a 5-4 victory over the Prince George Cougars on home ice Wednesday.

A pair of goals from Filip Koffer and Brendan Boyle’s second goal of the season had the Cougars up 3-1 through 20 minutes with the Pats responding for a single goal from the stick of Carson Denomie.

The Pats began to claw their way back into the game in the second with goals by Logan Nijhoff and Denomie’s second of the contest. However, a late strike by Connor Bowie kept the Cougars ahead by a goal heading to the third.

With time winding down in regulation, Nijhoff’s second of the game lifted the Pats into a tie with the Cougars, forcing the game into extra time.

After the scoreless overtime, the Pats completed the comeback in the five-round shootout to earn the second point.

In addition to denying four of the five shootout opportunities, Paddock stopped 31 of 35 shots through 65 minutes of action.

Edmonton Oil Kings at Moose Jaw Warriors – Scoring & Highlights

In the 300th WHL regular season game of his career, Ethan McIndoe netted a hat trick and the Edmonton Oil Kings delivered a 7-4 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors to begin a road trip through Saskatchewan.

McIndoe scored the lone goal of the opening period, then notched his second of the game early in the second to make it a 2-0 advantage. Brendan Kuny extended the lead to three before Calder Anderson struck back for the Warriors.

Ethan Cap scored shortly after to restore the three-goal lead, but Kyle Crosbie capped off the five-goal middle period with his second of the year to keep it at a two-goal difference after 40 minutes.

Goals from Dylan Guenther and Riley Sawchuk put the Oil Kings comfortably ahead in the third before the Warriors made things interesting late with strikes from Brayden Tracey (Anaheim Ducks) and captain Owen Hardy. However, McIndoe would complete his hat trick with an empty-net goal to close out the win in style.

Beck Warm earned the victory between the pipes with 18 saves. Boston Bilous faced 53 shots in his Warrior debut, finishing with 47 saves.

Red Deer Rebels at Saskatoon Blades – Scoring & Highlights

The Saskatoon Blades offence started strong and didn’t let up in an 8-1 victory against the Red Deer Rebels Wednesday.

Tristen Robins had a pair of goals and five points, Kyle Crnkovic had a goal and four points, and Nolan Kneen contributed a pair of goals in a three-point night.

Scott Walford and Zach Huber each contributed a goal and an assist while Colton Dach also found the back of the net in the lopsided win. Jayden Wiens contributed a pair of helpers in the win. Saskatoon scored three times in the first, three times in the second, and twice in the third.

2020 NHL Draft prospect Ben King had the lone goal for Red Deer. Koen MacInnes stopped 30 of 31 shots for the win.

Victoria Royals at Kelowna Rockets – Scoring & Highlights

Shane Farkas posted a 29-save shutout and the Victoria Royals closed out their road trip with a 1-0 win against the Kelowna Rockets.

Carson Miller scored on a wild sequence of events 3:01 into the opening period, giving the Royals a lead they would not relinquish. Brandon Cutler and Tarun Fizer picked up the assists on the goal.

Farkas stopped 10 shots in the first, four in the second, and 15 in the third for his second shutout of the season and the ninth of his WHL career.