WHL Roundup: Royals, Silvertips earn last-minute victories on busy Friday
Calgary Hitmen (2) at Moose Jaw (5)
Calgary (6-13-3-0) // Moose Jaw (17-5-0-0)
Luka Burzan had a goal an assist while Brayden Burke added three assists and rookie Chase Hartje added a pair of assists as the Warriors found their way back into the win column Friday.
Tate Popple and Burzan scored in the first for the Warriors, but the Hitmen answered back with goals from Luke Coleman and Mark Kastelic in the first five minutes of the second period. The Warriors would regain the lead in the later portion of the period thanks to goals 83 seconds apart from Noah Gregor and Tanner Jeannot. Jayden Halbgewachs’ 18th of the year was the lone goal of the third.
Rookie goaltender Adam Evanoff improved to a perfect 4-0 this season for the Warriors after making 38 saves on 40 shots, the third time he’s faced at least 40 shots in a game. Nick Schneider made 29 saves for the Hitmen in the loss.
Here are your 3 Stars!
⭐️ Brayden Burke – MJ
⭐️⭐️ Adam Evanoff – MJ
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Luke Coleman – CGY
— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) November 18, 2017
Brandon Wheat Kings (4) at Saskatoon Blades (1)
Brandon (13-6-0-1) // Saskatoon (8-11-1-0)
A three-goal second period helped the Brandon Wheat Kings strike down the Saskatoon Blades Friday night.
Baron Thompson, Cole Reinhardt and Linden McCorrister scored in a span of 8:01 while goaltender Logan Thompson stopped 42 of 43 shots to send the Wheat Kings to an important road victory.
Cameron Hebig and Carolina Hurricanes prospect Stelio Mattheos traded goals in the third period.
Nolan Maier stopped 21 of 25 shots in his second WHL game, taking the loss.
The Wheat Kings offence wakes up in the second period with goals from Baron Thompson, Cole Reinhardt and Linden McCorrister! 3-0 #BWK after two in Saskatoon. #bdnmb
— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) November 18, 2017
Red Deer Rebels (3) at Kootenay ICE (4)
Red Deer (9-13-1-0) // Kootenay (9-12-1-0)
Ryan Pouliot’s power play goal with 3:29 to go in the third period allowed the Kootenay ICE to successfully defend their home turf Friday against the Red Deer Rebels. Bailey Brkin made 38 saves on 41 shots for his fourth victory of the season.
The Rebels jumped out to an early lead with two goals in 34 seconds from Reese Johnson and Sam Pouliot. The ICE came back though as Colton Veloso’s sixth of the season cut the lead in half after 20 minutes and Brett Davis evened things up 70 seconds into the second.
Kristian Reichel restored the one-goal lead for the Rebels after 40 minutes, but third period goals from Keenan Taphorn and Pouliot completed the comeback for the ICE.
Riley Lamb made 31 saves on 35 shots.
Your first ⭐️ and GWG…Waiting for the curtain call!!!
#ICECOUNTRY pic.twitter.com/61sEpQVOf5— Winnipeg ICE (@WHLWpgICE) November 18, 2017
Swift Current Broncos (4) at Medicine Hat Tigers (3)
Swift Current (14-4-1-0) // Medicine Hat (13-7-0-0)
The triple threat of Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona Coyotes), Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida Panthers) and Glenn Gawdin (Calgary Flames) combined for three goals and seven points Friday as the Swift Current Broncos improved to 8-1-1-0 on the road.
Steenbergen became the first 30-goal scorer in the WHL this season with a pair of goals, followed by a goal and two assists from Heponiemi and two assists from Gawdin.
With his fourth multi-goal game in his last five contests, Steenbergen inched closer to 200 career WHL points. He scored twice in the first period and Conner Chaulk also scored in the opening period to put the Tigers up by two after a Tigers’ goal from Max Gerlach.
Tigers captain Mark Rassell scored his 21st of the season as the lone goal of the second period, while Heponiemi’s 16th of the season and Gary Haden’s fifth of the season for the Tigers came in the third.
Logan Flodell stopped 39 of the Tigers’ 42 shots while Michael Bullion made 12 saves in Friday’s contest.
With their efforts Friday, Steenbergen and Heponiemi became the first two players to surpass the 50-point threshold this season and sit tied for the league lead with 51 points.
Mission Accomplished! #SCB hang on to beat @tigershockey 4-3. #OurTeamOurTown pic.twitter.com/Bjox4MksOd
— Swift Current Broncos (@SCBroncos) November 18, 2017
Edmonton Oil Kings (1) at Prince George Cougars (5)
Edmonton (5-14-2-0) // Prince George (8-9-2-2)
Brogan O’Brien scored twice while Dennis Cholowski (Detroit Red Wings) and Kody McDonald each had a goal and an assist as the Prince George Cougars delivered a win for their fans at home Friday.
Cholowski and McDonald scored in the first period while O’Brien and Vladislav Mikhalchuk scored in the second while O’Brien added his second of the game while short-handed in the third.
Taylor Gauthier made 25 saves on 26 shots for his second victory of the season while Travis Child allowed five goals on 40 shots for the Edmonton Oil Kings.
That's the face of a guy who just scored his second goal of the night 🙂 pic.twitter.com/KlqHR9qJfS
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) November 18, 2017
Vancouver Giants (2) at Kamloops Blazers (6)
Vancouver (9-9-2-2) // Kamloops (8-13-0-0)
Five power play goals and 23 saves from Dylan Ferguson (Vegas Golden Knights) powered the Kamloops Blazers to their eighth victory of the season Friday.
Jermaine Loewen sixth-straight game with a goal counted as the game-winner as the Blazers scored their first four goals on the man-advantage.
Brodi Stuart and Ty Ronning (New York Rangers) traded goals early in the first, but Luc Smith scored later on in the period to keep the Blazers ahead after 20 minutes.
In the second, Loewen, Quinn Benjafield and Ondrej Vala (Dallas Stars) blew the game open in favour of the Blazers with three goals in a 1:58 span. Ronning’s second of the game and a goal from Joe Gatenby came in the third to round out the scoring.
In his return from his stint in the NHL, Ferguson stopped six shots in the first, 10 in the second and seven in the third. Garrett Pilon had three assists for the Blazers in the victory.
Todd Scott took the loss after making 26 saves.
Thank you to all of the Kamloops Blazers Alumni that came out tonight with their families to enjoy the game! We look forward to doing it again! #KamloopsBlazers #BlazerNation #Alumni pic.twitter.com/AaMwkp7KRr
— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) November 18, 2017
Lethbridge Hurricanes (4) at Kelowna Rockets (7)
Lethbridge (7-11-1-0) // Kelowna (12-6-2-1)
Dillon Dube (Calgary Flames) scored twice and Kyle Topping added a goal and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets won a high-scoring affair over the Lethbridge Hurricanes Friday.
Liam Kindree and Leif Mattson scored in the first period for the Rockets, but the Hurricanes responded with a goal from Jake Elmer to close out the first and a pair of goals from Giorgio Estephan to give the Hurricanes a temporary lead.
That lead would last all of 44 seconds as Dube scored his first of the game, followed by Topping minutes later to put the Rockets back in the lead.
Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh Penguins) tied up the game early in the third, but the Rockets kept coming. Dube’s second put the Rockets ahead for good while insurance goals from James Hilsendager and Conner Bruggen-Cate put Kelowna ahead by a comfortable margin to close out the game.
James Porter continued to hold things down between the pipes for the Rockets, making 30 saves on 34 shots. Stuart Skinner (Edmonton Oilers) made 27 saves on 33 shots Friday for Lethbridge.
Time runs out and the Rockets take this one 7-4! Shots 34-34. PP KEL 2/4 LET 1/5 #KELvsLET #WHLRockets #W 🚀 pic.twitter.com/w2RzvukHzo
— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 18, 2017
Prince Albert Raiders (1) at Tri-City Americans (4)
Prince Albert (9-9-3-0) // Tri-City (13-5-2-0)
Michael Rasmussen (Detroit Red Wings) scored twice and Beck Warm had 30 saves as the Tri-City Americans improved to 7-0 at home with a 4-1 win over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders.
Juuso Valimaki (Calgary Flames) added a goal and an assist while Morgan Geekie added his seventh of the season into Friday’s game.
Parker Kelly had the lone goal for the Raiders while Ian Scott (Toronto Maple Leafs) stopped 32 of the 36 shots sent his way.
The Americans struck in the second period for three goals, two from Rasmussen and one from Valimaki in a 4:26 span.
Kelly scored early in the third followed 90 seconds later by Geekie.
The Americans remain undefeated at home with another team performance to take down the Prince Albert Raiders! Check out the Post Game Gallery! #AmsNation #NoiseFTBhttps://t.co/COdiRD3VMC pic.twitter.com/CHY95drwA4
— Tri-City Americans (@TCAmericans) November 18, 2017
Victoria Royals (1) at Spokane Chiefs (0)
Victoria (15-7-1-0) // Spokane (10-8-1-2)
Jared Freadrich scored with 1:06 to go in the third period and Griffen Outhouse recorded his ninth-career WHL shutout by making 19 saves as the Victoria Royals snapped a two-game losing streak Friday in Spokane, Wash.
Regan Nagy picked up the lone assist on Freadrich’s fourth goal of the season. Outhouse made three saves in the first, 10 in the second and six more in the third for the clean sheet.
Dawson Weatherill had a strong performance for the Chiefs, making 23 saves, but took the loss after allowing the lone goal of the game.
ROYALS WIN! @fready_98 scored the game winning goal in the late stages of the 3rd period to seal a 1-0 win for Victoria! pic.twitter.com/F3SlHacymr
— Victoria Royals (@victoriaroyals) November 18, 2017
Seattle Thunderbirds (2) at Everett Silvertips (3)
Seattle (9-9-1-1) // Everett (10-10-1-1)
Carter Hart (Philadelphia Flyers) made 31 saves and a late goal from Sean Richards stood up as the game-winner as the Everett Silvertips pulled themselves back to even ground with a win over the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday.
Nolan Volcan opened the scoring with the lone goal of the first, but a second period goal from Patrick Bajkov and third period goals from Reece Vitelli and Richards won them the game. Volcan’s second of the game came with 10 seconds left to make things interesting, though it didn’t change the final result.
Liam Hughes stopped 23 of 25 shots for the Thunderbirds Friday.
Mission 1: Achieved
Mission 2: Achieved
Good game, Seattle. Better luck next time. #LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/HfjDD0re7y— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) November 18, 2017
