WHL Tonight: Rebels, Cougars, & Silvertips claim Teddy Bear Toss victories

 

Saturday night marked another step forward to the Western Hockey League’s holiday break with nine games on the slate of action. While the night belonged to the road clubs, who claimed five of the victories, there was extra reason for three home teams to celebrate wins as the Red Deer Rebels, Prince George Cougars, and Everett Silvertips all backed up early Teddy Bear Toss goals with winning performances. The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers each ended their road trips of the East Division with victories. The Edmonton Oil Kings and Lethbridge Hurricanes claimed decisive victories against divisional opponents to keep up their strong performance in the standings. South of the 49th parallel, the Spokane Chiefs and Portland Winterhawks each claimed wins against divisional opponents.

Kamloops Blazers at Prince Albert Raiders – Scoring & Highlights

Orrin Centazzo scored twice as the Kamloops Blazers doubled up the Prince Albert Raiders 4-2 to conclude their East Division road trip Saturday.

Ryan Hughes and Logan Stankoven also scored for the Blazers while captain Zane Franklin collected three assists.

Holding their annual Teddy Bear Toss game, Brayden Watts scored the special goal for the Raiders while Evan Herman also found the back of the net.

2020 NHL Draft prospect Dylan Garand made 25 saves to earn the victory in the contest.

In a special pre-game ceremony, former Raider defenceman Max Martin received his WHL Championship ring. He finished with a pair of assists in the contest.

Kelowna Rockets at Moose Jaw Warriors – Scoring & Highlights

Kaedan Korczak (Vegas Golden Knights) scored 31 seconds into overtime as the Kelowna Rockets topped the Moose Jaw Warriors by a 5-4 score Saturday.

Alex Swetlikoff opened the scoring with his eighth of the season, but goals from Kobe Mohr and Brayden Tracey (Anaheim Ducks) kept the Warriors up by one through 20 minutes. Holding that same lead heading into the third, Michael Farren and rookie Denton Mateychuk traded goals to keep the difference at a single goal.

It was then a chance for the two brothers to trade goals as Kaedan notched his first of two in the game before Ryder responded for the Warriors. The Rockets eventually kept the game equalized off a strike from 2020 NHL Draft prospect Pavel Novak to force extra time before Kaedan notched his second of the game.

Roman Basran stopped 23 shots for the victory.

Edmonton Oil Kings at Medicine Hat Tigers – Scoring & Highlights

Josh Williams posted a pair of goals and four points as the Edmonton Oil Kings downed the Medicine Hat Tigers by a 7-1 score.

Captain Scott Atkinson scored twice while 2020 NHL Draft prospect Carter Souch added a goal and an assist in the victory. Dylan Guenther and Matthew Robertson (New York Rangers) also scored in the victory while Dru Krebs had the lone goal for the Tigers in the loss.

Edmonton poured on the offence in the first and third, scoring three times in each period.

Sebastian Cossa stopped 28 of 29 shots for the victory.

Swift Current Broncos at Red Deer Rebels – Scoring & Highlights

A pair of second-period goals lifted the Red Deer Rebels to a 3-1 win against the Swift Current Broncos Saturday in central Alberta.

The lone marker of the first period came courtesy of Zak Smith, who scored the team’s Teddy Bear Toss goal 121 seconds into the game. Swift Current tied up the game in the third off of Tyler Smithies’ second goal of the season.

Red Deer broke the deadlock in the third with goals from Cameron Hausinger and Josh Tarzwell. Byron Fancy stopped 19 of 20 shots to earn the victory.

Calgary Hitmen at Lethbridge Hurricanes – Scoring & Highlights

Carl Tetachuk stopped made 31 saves for the fifth shutout of his WHL career as the Lethbridge Hurricanes blanked the Calgary Hitmen by a 3-0 score Sunday.

The game remained scoreless until the third when Dino Kambeitz, Logan Barlage, and Alex Cotton scored for the home side. Brayden Peters stopped 26 of 28 shots for the Hitmen in the loss.

Victoria Royals at Prince George Cougars – Scoring & Highlights

Ilijah Colina sent the stuffed animals onto the ice 88 seconds into the first period and finished with a pair of goals as the Prince George Cougars doubled up the Victoria Royals by a 4-2 score.

After Colina’s opening goal, the Royals struck back with goals by Carson Miller and Gary Haden. However, the Cougars were primed and ready to respond as Nikita Krivokrasov, Colina, and Connor Bowie scored to turn the game in Prince George’s favour.

Taylor Gauthier stopped 32 of 34 shots while also picking up the lone assist on the team’s empty-net goal by Bowie.

Vancouver Giants at Everett Silvertips – Scoring & Highlights

Everett Silvertips captain Bryce Kindopp scored twice as they topped the visiting Vancouver Giants 3-2 Saturday.

Kindopp scored his team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss goal 112 seconds into the game and later added the game-winning goal. Defenceman Gianni Fairbrother (Montreal Canadiens) scored Everett’s second goal of the game.

Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) made 25 saves on 27 shots for the victory. Tyler Preziuso and 2020 NHL Draft prospect Justin Sourdif scored for the Giants in the loss.

Spokane Chiefs at Seattle Thunderbirds – Scoring & Highlights

Adam Beckman (Minnesota Wild) recorded the second five-point game of his WHL career as the Spokane Chiefs rolled to a 5-2 win against the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Beckman scored Spokane’s first three goals with his attempt at a natural hat trick broken up by Andrej Kukuca’s first of two goals on the night.

Cordel Larson and Eli Zummack also scored for Spokane while Campbell Arnold made 33 saves on 35 shots for the victory. 2020 NHL Draft prospect Bear Hughes collected three assists while Zummack added a pair of helpers for the three-point night.

Portland Winterhawks at Tri-City Americans – Scoring & Highlights

Six different Portland Winterhawk skaters recorded multi-point games in an 8-1 rout of the Tri-City Americans Saturday in Kennewick, Wash.

Goals from Tyson Kozak, Clay Hanus, and James Stefan had Portland up 3-1 through 40 minutes while Krystof Hrabik had the Teddy Bear Toss goal for the Americans.

In the third, Portland added five goals, with strikes from Gabe Klassen, 2020 NHL Draft prospect Cross Hanas, Reece Newkirk (New York Islanders), and Nick Cicek. Hanus also scored his second of the game in the final period.

Dante Giannuzzi stopped 17 of 18 shots for the victory.