[{"id":267198,"date":"2026-04-03T12:07:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T18:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=267198"},"modified":"2026-04-03T12:07:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T18:07:41","slug":"whl-morning-skate-april-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/whl-morning-skate-april-3","title":{"rendered":"WHL Morning Skate: April 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEED TO KNOW<\/strong><\/p>\n

– NHL Draft-eligible Chase Harrington scored the game-tying goal and overtime winner to keep Spokane alive<\/p>\n

– Hitmen alternate captain Ethan Moore scored all four game-winning goals to secure a sweep against Brandon<\/p>\n

– Two teams can advance to the second round with wins on Friday<\/p>\n

TOP PERFORMER<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Thrill of the Chase. Prince George, B.C.’s Chase Harrington (NHL CSS: 32)\u00a0 took out his hometown team with a pair of clutch goals on Thursday night. With the Chiefs down 3-2 and their season on the line, the 6-foot, 201-pound winger forced overtime by tucking a loose puck past Joshua Ravensbergen with less than a minute remaining in regulation. In the extra frame, Harrington played hero with a laser from the point for his second goal of the playoffs. The 18-year-old’s heroics have sent the series back to Prince George for Game 6 on Sunday, where the Chiefs will need more magic to tie the series and have a shot at completing the rare reverse-sweep.<\/p>\n

RESULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Calgary 4<\/strong>, Brandon 2<\/p>\n

CGY wins 4-0<\/p>\n

Calgary piled up the goals late to secure the win and the series sweep. Grayson Burzynski and rookie Chase Surkan had Brandon leading 2-0 through 20 minutes, but Kale Dach sparked the comeback with the lone marker of the second period. Harrison Lodewyk banged the puck in off a scramble in the third frame to draw the game even, and less than three minutes later, Ethan Moore tore up the right wing to rip the puck blocker side on Filip Ruzicka (NHL CSS: 13). Moore has scored the game-winning goal in all four matches, highlighted by a pair of overtime markers in Games 1 and 2.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Ethan Moore, CGY<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G-1A<\/p>\n

2- Grayson Burzynski, BDN<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G-1A<\/p>\n

3- Brett Wilson, BDN<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 5 shots<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Prince George 3, Spokane 4 (OT)<\/strong><\/p>\n

PG leads 3-2<\/p>\n

It was a do-or-die match for the Chiefs on Thursday night, and Chase Harrington chose ‘do’. A trio of powerplay goals from Brock Souch, Terik Parascak and former Chief Kooper Gizowski had the Cougars up 3-1 midway through the third period. Winnipeg Jets prospect Owen Martin got the home team within one by converting a rebound in the slot on the powerplay, and with less than a minute remaining and the goaltender pulled, Harrington found the equalizer. Harrington tamed the Cougars with a seeing-eye point shot to secure the season-saving win.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Assanali Sarkenov, SPO<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

2- Owen Martin, SPO<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

3- Carter Esler, SPO<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 23 saves, .920 save percentage<\/p>\n

ON TAP<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEED TO KNOW – NHL Draft-eligible Chase Harrington scored the game-tying goal and overtime winner to keep Spokane alive – Hitmen alternate captain Ethan Moore scored all four game-winning goals to secure a sweep against Brandon – Two teams can advance to the second round with wins on Friday TOP PERFORMER Thrill of the Chase.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":487,"featured_media":267203,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2300,"name":"2026 WHL Playoffs","slug":"2026-whl-playoffs","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2300,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":111,"filter":"raw","term_order":"22"},{"term_id":1234,"name":"WHL Morning 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down Wheat Kings in four, move on to Round Two of the 2026 WHL Playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Calgary Hitmen whacked the Brandon Wheat Kings with a first-round sweep move on to Round Two of the 2026 WHL Playoffs.<\/p>\n

Brandon led Calgary 2-0 in a must-win Game 4 in Virden, Man., but the visitors stormed back with four unanswered goals to seal a 4-2 win.<\/p>\n

Alternate Captain Ethan Moore scored the game-winner in each of Calgary’s four victories.<\/p>\n

But the five-game series doesn’t capture how close the matchup truly was.<\/p>\n

Game 1 saw Eric Tu and Filip Ruzicka trade showstopping saves long into the night as Calgary prevailed 1-0 in triple overtime.<\/p>\n

Moore’s marker sealed the longest 1-0 playoff game in the WHL’s internet era.<\/p>\n

The rematch saw Calgary strike twice in the last 10 minutes, including a game-tying goal from captain Axel Hurtig, to force extra time, where Moore ended the match by hammering a powerplay rebound home for a 6-5 win.<\/p>\n

Hitmen star Julien Maze was in on all six of Calgary’s goals, logging one tally and five assists, while Moore, 21, bagged a team-best five goals and one assist.<\/p>\n

The series shifted East for Game 3, where Moore played hero again with a five-hole strike.<\/p>\n

Captain Hurtig also earned more than a win as the Calgary Hitmen signed the towering Swedish defender to a three-year, entry-level contract after the Game 3 victory.<\/p>\n

Tu closes out his first playoff series with a 4-0-0-0 record, a 1.63 goals-against average, a .945 save percentage and one shutout.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Kale Dach also shined with a pair of goals and helpers, while being named to the 2025-26 WHL Eastern Conference Second All-Star Team.<\/p>\n

Dach is a finalist for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the WHL Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n

Calgary is the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference after going 38-21-8-1 in the regular season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Calgary Hitmen whacked the Brandon Wheat Kings with a first-round sweep move on to Round Two of the 2026 WHL Playoffs. Brandon led Calgary 2-0 in a must-win Game 4 in Virden, Man., but the visitors stormed back with four unanswered goals to seal a 4-2 win. Alternate Captain Ethan Moore scored the game-winner…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":487,"featured_media":267194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2300,"name":"2026 WHL Playoffs","slug":"2026-whl-playoffs","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2300,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":111,"filter":"raw","term_order":"22"},{"term_id":23,"name":"calgary hitmen","slug":"calgary-hitmen","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":75,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1051,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1252"}],"class_list":["post-267186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-2026-whl-playoffs","tag-calgary-hitmen","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/04\/02203108\/260402_CGY_Advanced-1920.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/487"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267186"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267186\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":267183,"date":"2026-04-02T12:56:25","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T18:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=267183"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:56:25","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T18:56:25","slug":"whl-announces-finalists-for-brad-hornung-memorial-trophy-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/whl-announces-finalists-for-brad-hornung-memorial-trophy-2","title":{"rendered":"WHL announces finalists for Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calgary, Alta. \u2013<\/strong> The Western Hockey League announced today the 2025-26 finalists for the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL\u2019s Most Sportsmanlike Player.<\/p>\n

In two seasons with the Regina Pats, Hornung was widely regarded and respected for his combination of talent, desire, and unmistakable sportsmanlike attitude. He was paralyzed following a collision in a game in Regina on March 1, 1987, but remained deeply engrained in hockey and the WHL until his passing in 2022.<\/p>\n

Finalists for WHL Awards are voted upon by WHL General Managers.<\/p>\n

Winners of 2026 WHL Awards will be announced from Tuesday, April 21, through Wednesday, May 6.<\/p>\n

Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Eastern Conference Finalists<\/p>\n

Jordan Gavin, Brandon Wheat Kings (Surrey, B.C.)
\nBraeden Cootes, Prince Albert Raiders (Sherwood Park, Alta.)
\nMarkus Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers (Osoyoos, B.C.)<\/p>\n

Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Western Conference Finalists<\/p>\n

Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips (Nokia, Finland)
\nRyden Evers, Penticton Vees (Burnaby, B.C.)
\nAlex Weiermair, Portland Winterhawks (Los Angeles, Calif.)<\/p>\n

Jordan Gavin, Brandon Wheat Kings<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 19-year-old product of Surrey, B.C., registered 58 points (16G-42A) in 68 games this season, incurring a mere six minutes in penalties. This is the third straight season Gavin has been a finalist for the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy. Originally selected by the Tri-City Americans in the first round (second overall) of the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound left winger has tallied 239 points (83G-156A) in 275 WHL regular season games, amassing only 10 penalty minutes over his entire career, dating back to 2021-22.<\/p>\n

Braeden Cootes, Prince Albert Raiders <\/strong><\/p>\n

The 19-year-old product of Sherwood Park, Alta., was a welcome addition in Hockey Town North ahead of the 2026 WHL Trade Deadline. After arriving in Prince Albert, the 6-foot, 183-pound centre posted 40 points (14G-26A) in 28 games with the Raiders. Across 45 games this season split between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Raiders, Cootes tallied 63 points (24G-39A) and only eight minutes in penalties. Selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (15th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Cootes captained the Thunderbirds prior to being acquired by the Raiders. Originally selected by the Thunderbirds in the first round (10th overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft, Cootes has collected 162 points (64G-98A) in 176 career WHL regular season games.<\/p>\n

Markus Ruck, Medicine Hat Tigers <\/strong><\/p>\n

The 18-year-old product of Osoyoos, B.C., led the entire WHL in scoring with 108 points (21G-87A) in 68 games, amassing 28 minutes in penalties along the way. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 6-foot, 167-pound centre is ranked 31st among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s midterm rankings. He represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Originally selected by the Tigers in the first round (21st overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, Ruck has recorded 137 points (29G-108A) in 132 career WHL regular season outings. He helped the Tigers claim the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions in 2025.<\/p>\n

Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 18-year-old product of Nokia, Finland, notched 87 points (21G-66A) and only six minutes in penalties over 62 games to lead the Silvertips in scoring as a rookie. His 66 helpers were second best among all WHL players. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound left winger is ranked 76th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s midterm rankings. Vanhanen represented Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. He was originally selected by the Silvertips in the first round (31st overall) of the 2025 CHL Import Draft.<\/p>\n

Ryden Evers, Penticton Vees<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 20-year-old product of Burnaby, B.C., finished his lone campaign in the WHL with 74 points (35G-39A) and 12 minutes in penalties over 67 regular season games with the Vees. Evers finished second in points and tied for first in goals on the Vees. Unselected in the NHL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 196-pound centre parlayed his impressive WHL season into a three-year, entry-level free agent contract with the NHL\u2019s Seattle Kraken on March 1.<\/p>\n

Alex Weiermair, Portland Winterhawks<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 20-year-old product of Los Angeles, Calif., enjoyed an outstanding campaign with the Winterhawks, tallying 93 points (37G-56A) and 28 minutes in penalties over 66 regular season games. Weiermair\u2019s point total led the Winterhawks and was good enough for fifth in the WHL. The 6-foot-1, 207-pound right winger joined the Winterhawks midway through the 2024-25 season after departing the University of Denver. Selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the sixth round (186th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Weiermair\u2019s impressive season earned him a three-year, entry-level contract on March 1. Originally selected by the Winterhawks in the first round (16th overall) of the 2020 WHL U.S. Priority Draft, Weiermair has collected 139 points (58G-81A) in 107 career WHL regular season games.<\/p>\n

About the Western Hockey League<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarded as the world\u2019s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada\u2019s National Junior Hockey Team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Calgary, Alta. \u2013 The Western Hockey League announced today the 2025-26 finalists for the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL\u2019s Most Sportsmanlike Player. In two seasons with the Regina Pats, Hornung was widely regarded and respected for his combination of talent, desire, and unmistakable sportsmanlike attitude. He was paralyzed following a collision…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116,"featured_media":267185,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2318,"name":"2026 WHL Awards","slug":"2026-whl-awards","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2318,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw","term_order":"7"},{"term_id":2309,"name":"Ryden Evers","slug":"ryden-evers","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2309,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":2,"filter":"raw","term_order":"14"},{"term_id":2077,"name":"Matias Vanhanen","slug":"matias-vanhanen","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2077,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":13,"filter":"raw","term_order":"215"},{"term_id":1839,"name":"Jordan Gavin","slug":"jordan-gavin","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1839,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":7,"filter":"raw","term_order":"447"},{"term_id":1779,"name":"Alex Weiermair","slug":"alex-weiermair","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1779,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw","term_order":"507"},{"term_id":1663,"name":"Braeden Cootes","slug":"braeden-cootes","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1663,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":32,"filter":"raw","term_order":"622"},{"term_id":1479,"name":"Markus Ruck","slug":"markus-ruck","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1479,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":19,"filter":"raw","term_order":"793"}],"class_list":["post-267183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-2026-whl-awards","tag-ryden-evers","tag-matias-vanhanen","tag-jordan-gavin","tag-alex-weiermair","tag-braeden-cootes","tag-markus-ruck","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/04\/02122757\/NOMINEES_Brad-Horning-Memorial-Trophy-1920.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/116"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267183"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267183\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":267176,"date":"2026-04-02T12:52:41","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T18:52:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=267176"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:52:41","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T18:52:41","slug":"whl-morning-skate-april-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/whl-morning-skate-april-2","title":{"rendered":"WHL Morning Skate: April 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEED TO KNOW<\/strong><\/p>\n

– The Everett Silvertips and Kelowna Rockets have become the first teams to advance to Round 2 of the 2026 WHL Playoffs<\/p>\n

– Los Angeles Kings prospect Vojtech Cihar has tied his Kelowna teammate Tij Iginla for the playoff scoring lead with 10 points in four games, while ranking first in goals with six<\/p>\n

– Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Miroslav Holinka picked up a hat trick to tie Edmonton’s series against the Saskatoon Blades<\/p>\n

– Draft-eligible Kalder Varga’s powerplay strike helped Red Deer stave off elimination against Prince Albert<\/p>\n

– The Calgary Hitmen and Prince George Cougars can advance to the second round with wins on Thursday night<\/p>\n

TOP PERFORMER<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

RESULTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Everett 6<\/strong>, Portland 3<\/p>\n

EVT wins 4-0<\/p>\n

The Everett Silvertips have slain their dragon. After three straight seasons of being eliminated by the Portland Winterhawks, the Tips got their revenge by completing a Round One sweep on Wednesday night. Nathan Free and Nathan Brown gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead, but Jaxsin Vaughn kicked off the Everett comeback by swatting a rebound past Ondrej Stebetak (NHL CSS: 22). Everett leaned on its depth as six different skaters hit the scoresheet, including top 2027 NHL Draft prospect Landon DuPont, who drove the net and capitalized on a slick backhand to give his team its first lead of the night. Sucker Creek, Alta.’s Zachary Shantz led the regular season champs by scoring the game-winning goal and tacking on a pair of assists. Nathan Free led the Hawks with three goals, while Vegas Golden Knights prospect Alex Weiermair netted four assists.\u00a0Postgame, the Silvertips extended the handshake line to the Portland tunnel to acknowledge injured Winterhawks alternate captain and 2025 WHL Humanitarian of the Year Kyle McDonough.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Alex Weiermair, POR<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 2A<\/p>\n

2- Niko Tsakumis, POR<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 +1<\/p>\n

3- Ondrej Stebetak, POR<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 36 saves, .782 save percentage<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Prince Albert 3, Red Deer Rebels 4<\/strong><\/p>\n

PA leads 3-1<\/p>\n

Put the brooms away, this series is heading back to Saskatchewan! Dallas Stars prospect Brandon Gorzynski and top 2026 NHL Draft prospect Daxon Rudolph (NHL CSS: 6) scored early to give the Eastern Conference leaders an early lead, but the underdog Rebels roared back for their first playoff victory since April 5, 2024. Rebels 2026 WHL Trade Deadline pickup Cameron Dillard stepped up with a wrister from the blueline to get the home team on the board late in the opening frame, and tied it up early in the second with a solid one-timer through traffic. PA rookie Connor Howe briefly restored the lead with his first WHL Playoff goal, but Rebels regular-season leading scorer Beckett Hamilton (NHL CSS: 75) found the equalizer with a deft shot from the slot. Kalder Varga (NHL CSS: 164) bagged the game-winner with a powerplay one-timer from the same spot. Rookie goaltender Kondro was the difference-maker, holding PA to a single goal on six powerplay opportunities and battling through a 22-shot second period for his first playoff win.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Matthew Kondro, RD<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 35 saves, .921 save percentage<\/p>\n

2- Beckett Hamilton, RD<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G-1A<\/p>\n

3- Cameron Dillard, RD<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 2G<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Penticton 3, Seattle 4<\/strong><\/p>\n

PEN leads 3-1<\/p>\n

The Thunderbirds came heavy out of the gates to seize a 4-0 lead, but had to outlast a third-period push from the Vees to extend their series. Joe Gramer logged his second goal in as many games for the lone goal of the opening frame before Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matthew Gard and rookie Brock England added second-period strikes less than four minutes apart. The game-winner belonged to T-Birds alternate captain Coster Dunn, who pounded a one-timer off a crisp feed from Noah Kosick (NHL CSS: 55). Samuel Drancak made it a one-goal game with less than five minutes to play, but Marek Sklenicka (NHL CSS: 8) slammed the door from there. Sklenicka made 39 saves in the last two periods alone, while holding the Vees to one goal on three powerplay opportunities.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Marek Sklenicka, SEA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 50 saves, .943 save percentage<\/p>\n

2- Brock England, SEA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

3- Antonio Martorana, SEA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1A<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Medicine Hat 4<\/strong>, Regina 2<\/p>\n

MH leads 3-1<\/p>\n

The floodgates have stayed open for the defending champs. After erupting for eight goals in Game 3, Medicine Hat put up four more to give itself a chance to move on with a win on Friday. Zachary Lansard (NHL CSS: 72) drew first blood after deking out Carter Casey (NHL CSS: 12), but Kade Stengrim answered for the Tabbies less than three minutes later. Gavin Kor rounded out the first period scoring, and Eastern Conference First Team All-Star Liam Ruck (NHL CSS: 26) and Noah Davidson rounded out the scoring for Medicine Hat.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Carter Casey, MH<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 28 saves, .933 save percentage<\/p>\n

2- Ruslan Karimov, REG<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

3- Andrew Basha, MH<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 2A<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Edmonton 5<\/strong>, Saskatoon 2<\/p>\n

Series tied 2-2<\/p>\n

The see-saw continues in the Eastern 3v6. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Miroslav Holinka took control with his first playoff hat trick. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound forward snagged the game-opener with a wrister from the left faceoff dot, danced through the Saskatoon defenders before roofing a backhand shot on the powerplay, and capped it off by burying a big rebound into an open cage. 2025 WHL Rookie of the Year finalist Lukas Sawchyn’s first goal of the series would stand as the game-winner, while Kazden Mathies and Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Laing tallied for the home side. Neither team has won consecutive games so far- will Edmonton break the streak at home on Friday?<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Miroslav Holinka, EDM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 3G<\/p>\n

2- Lukas Sawchyn, EDM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G-2A<\/p>\n

3- Hunter Laing, SAS<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kelowna 6<\/strong>, Kamloops 2<\/p>\n

KEL wins 4-0<\/p>\n

The Kamloops Blazers were unable to contain wave after wave of Rockets attacks as they bowed out in Game 4. Edmonton Oilers prospect Tommy Lafreniere capped off a breakout season with a pair of goals for the home side, including the first tally of the night, but notches from four NHL prospects powered Kelowna to the win. Los Angeles Kings pick Vojtech Cihar registered his fifth and sixth goals of the series, while Montreal Canadiens prospect Hayden Paupanekis and New York Islanders fourth-rounder Tomas Poletin picked up their first goals of the postseason. Six-foot-4, 230-pound Dawson Gerwing saw a puck deflect off of him and into the twine for the series-winner.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Vojtech Cihar, KEL<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 2G<\/p>\n

2- Tommy Lafreniere, KAM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 2G<\/p>\n

3- Ryan Michael, KAM<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 2 shots<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Prince George 2,\u00a0Spokane 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

PG leads 3-1<\/p>\n

The Cougars got a big boost with NHL Draft-eligible Carson Carels (NHL CSS: 3) and Dmitri Yakutsenak (NHL CSS: 148) returning to the lineup after missing a large chunk of the series, but the Chiefs clawed out a narrow win to ensure a Game 5 will be played in Spokane. Logan Wormald picked off a Cougars pass to fly down the ice on a two-on-one, feeding Winnipeg Jets prospect Owen Martin for the shorthanded game-opener. Rookie Townes Kozicky levelled the game with a backhander for his first WHL Playoff goal, but Assanali Sarkenov and Gavin Burcar hit the back of the net less than a minute apart to seal the win for the 2025 Western Conference champions.<\/p>\n

THREE STARS<\/strong><\/p>\n

1- Assanali Sarkenov, SPO<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

2- Owen Martin, SPO<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 1G<\/p>\n

3- Carter Esler, SPO<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2013 23 saves, .920 save percentage<\/p>\n

ON TAP<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEED TO KNOW – The Everett Silvertips and Kelowna Rockets have become the first teams to advance to Round 2 of the 2026 WHL Playoffs – Los Angeles Kings prospect Vojtech Cihar has tied his Kelowna teammate Tij Iginla for the playoff scoring lead with 10 points in four games, while ranking first in goals…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":487,"featured_media":267184,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2300,"name":"2026 WHL Playoffs","slug":"2026-whl-playoffs","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2300,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":111,"filter":"raw","term_order":"22"},{"term_id":1234,"name":"WHL Morning Skate","slug":"whl-morning-skate","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1234,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":66,"filter":"raw","term_order":"1020"}],"class_list":["post-267176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","tag-2026-whl-playoffs","tag-whl-morning-skate","category-1110","description-off"],"acf":[],"featured_image":["https:\/\/media.chl.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/04\/02121110\/1920-2.png",1920,1080,false],"hide_from_app_feed":false,"video":false,"gallery":null,"ht_game_id":0,"target_video":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/487"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267176"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267176\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":267178,"date":"2026-04-02T10:55:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T16:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/?p=267178"},"modified":"2026-04-02T10:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T16:55:52","slug":"whl-announces-finalists-for-jim-piggott-memorial-trophy-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chl.ca\/whl\/article\/whl-announces-finalists-for-jim-piggott-memorial-trophy-2","title":{"rendered":"WHL announces finalists for Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calgary, Alta. \u2013<\/strong> The Western Hockey League announced today the 2025-26 finalists for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL\u2019s Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n

Jim Piggott was the sole owner of the Saskatoon Blades and an original founding member of the WHL. Piggott served as Chairman of the Board, and along with Del Wilson, was one of the driving forces to bring the three Major Junior Leagues in Canada together under one roof.<\/p>\n

Finalists for WHL Awards are voted upon by WHL General Managers.<\/p>\n

Winners of 2026 WHL Awards will be announced from Tuesday, April 21, through Wednesday, May 6.<\/p>\n

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Eastern Conference Finalists<\/p>\n

Kale Dach, Calgary Hitmen (Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.)
\nBen MacBeath, Calgary Hitmen (Calgary, Alta.)
\nBrock Cripps, Prince Albert Raiders (Victoria, B.C.)<\/p>\n

Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy<\/u><\/strong> \u2013 Western Conference Finalists<\/p>\n

JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers (Allen, Texas)
\nMatias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips (Nokia, Finland)
\nJacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees (Burnsville, Minn.)<\/p>\n

Kale Dach, Calgary Hitmen<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 19-year-old product of Fort Saskatchewan, Sask., recorded 75 points (34G-41A) in 63 games, finishing second in Hitmen scoring and fourth among all WHL rookies. Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the seventh round (201st overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound Dach recorded six multi-goal performances, including one hat trick during the regular season. Among WHL rookies, he finished third in goals (34) and sixth in assists (41). He led all WHL rookies with 32 power-play points. Dach\u2019s eight game-winning goals were tops among all WHL rookies. Dach was originally selected by the Hitmen in the fifth round (95th overall) of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft.<\/p>\n

Ben MacBeath, Calgary Hitmen<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 17-year-old product of Calgary, Alta., tallied 51 points (7G-44A) in 67 games, finishing fifth in scoring on the Hitmen and second among all WHL rookie defencemen. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 6-foot-2, 181-pound MacBeath is ranked 20th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s midterm rankings. The first-year WHL blueliner represented Team East at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. MacBeath was originally selected by the Kelowna Rockets in the seventh round (136th overall) of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.<\/p>\n

Brock Cripps, Prince Albert Raiders<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 16-year-old product of Victoria, B.C., registered 37 points (6G-31A) in 62 games, finishing third in scoring among Raiders defencemen and third among all Raiders rookies. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-shot rearguard enjoyed a career performance Tuesday, January 20, when he tallied four assists in a 12-2 triumph over his hometown Victoria Royals. From December 3-19, Cripps put together a career best point string of nine games, collecting 10 points (1G-9A) along the way. Originally selected by the Raiders in the first round (second overall) of the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, Cripps made his WHL debut in 2024-25, skating in four games.<\/p>\n

JP Hurlbert, Kamloops Blazers<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 17-year-old product of Allen, Texas, posted 97 points (42G-55A) in 68 games, finishing fourth in WHL scoring and first among all WHL rookies. The 6-foot, 182-pound right winger\u2019s 42 goals were tied for fourth in the WHL and first among all WHL rookies. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, Hurlbert is ranked 10th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s midterm rankings. The first-year WHL forward represented Team CHL at the 2025 CHL USA Prospects Challenge, as well as Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. Hurlbert was originally selected by the Blazers in the first round (20th overall) of the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.<\/p>\n

Matias Vanhanen, Everett Silvertips<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 18-year-old product of Nokia, Finland, notched 87 points (21G-66A) in 62 games to lead the Silvertips in scoring as a rookie. His 66 helpers were second best among all WHL players. Eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound left winger is ranked 76th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting\u2019s midterm rankings. Vanhanen represented Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game presented by Showpass. He was originally selected by the Silvertips in the first round (31st overall) of the 2025 CHL Import Draft.<\/p>\n

Jacob Kvasnicka, Penticton Vees<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 18-year-old product of Burnsville, Minn., finished the campaign with 85 points (35G-50A) to lead the Vees in scoring. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound right winger logged 25 multi-point outings, including a career high four points on two occasions (October 4; January 10). Kvasnicka finished tied atop the WHL charts with four shorthanded goals. Selected by the New York Islanders in the seventh round (202nd overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Kvasnicka was acquired by the Vees this summer. He was originally selected by the Winnipeg ICE in the second round (34th overall) of the 2022 WHL U.S. Priority Draft.<\/p>\n

About the Western Hockey League<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarded as the world\u2019s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 23 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada\u2019s National Junior Hockey Team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Calgary, Alta. \u2013 The Western Hockey League announced today the 2025-26 finalists for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the WHL\u2019s Rookie of the Year. Jim Piggott was the sole owner of the Saskatoon Blades and an original founding member of the WHL. Piggott served as Chairman of the Board, and along with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":116,"featured_media":267180,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"article","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1110],"tags":[{"term_id":2318,"name":"2026 WHL Awards","slug":"2026-whl-awards","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2318,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":5,"filter":"raw","term_order":"7"},{"term_id":2164,"name":"JP Hurlbert","slug":"jp-hurlbert","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2164,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":22,"filter":"raw","term_order":"133"},{"term_id":2130,"name":"Kale Dach","slug":"kale-dach","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":2130,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":8,"filter":"raw","term_order":"162"},{"term_id":2077,"name":"Matias 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