WHL roundup: Blazers upset Warriors with 5-3 road win
By The Canadian Press on December 15, 2023.
MOOSE JAW, Sask. – The Kamloops Blazers, who hosted and played in the 2023 Memorial Cup, have had a rough followup to that Western Hockey League feel-good story. The Blazers, last in the B.C. Division this season with 19 points, rolled the clock back to better days on Friday by upsetting the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-3 in Saskatchewan. Ashton Ferster scored twice for the Blazers (8-20-3-2), who were tied 1-1 after the first period but took a 3-1 lead into the final frame. Shea Van Olm, Jordan Keller and Kai Matthew also scored for the Blazers. Atley Calvert scored twice for the Warriors (17-14-0-2), while Pavel McKenzie netted a single. The Blazers outshot the Warriors 44-42. Elsewhere in the WHL on Friday night: — ROCKETS 4 RAIDERS 3 PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Tij Iginla scored the game-winning goal at 19:38 of the third period as the visiting Kelowna Rockets edged the Prince Albert Raiders 4-3. Ethan Neutens, Marcus Pacheco and Max Graham also scored for the Rockets (14-15-2-0). Justice Christensen, Krzysztof Macias and Oli Chenier scored for the Raiders (17-15-0-2). — HITMEN 4 TIGERS 3 CALGARY, Alta. – Carter Yakemchuk’s goal at 11:23 of the second period stood up as the winner as the Calgary Hitmen edged the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 4-3. Sean Tschigerl, Fraser Leonard and Brandon Gorzynski also scored for the Hitmen (12-15-3-1). Cayden Lindstrom, Tomas Mrsic and Andrew Basha scored for the Central Division-leading Tigers (20-9-2-0). — BRONCOS 6 OIL KINGS 3 EDMONTON, Alta. – Josh Filmon scored twice as the visiting Swift Current Broncos beat the Edmonton Oil Kings 6-3. Brady Birnie, Zach Turner, Tyson Laventure and Maddix McCagherty also scored for the Broncos (16-13-1-2). Ty Nash, Marshall Finnie and Marc Lajoie scored for the Oil Kings (8-20-0-1). — PATS 5 HURRICANES 2 LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Dru Mushumanski and Carson Haynes each scored twice and added an assist, Braxton Whitehead had three assists, and the visiting Regina Pats blew past the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-2. Tanner Howe also scored for the Pats (13-16-1-1), who were outshot 36-27. Brayden Edwards and Noah Chadwick scored for the Hurricanes (15-14-2-0). — COUGARS 6 WILD 3 WENATCHEE, Wash. – Zac Funk scored three times and Hunter Laing added a pair as the visiting Prince George Cougars beat the Wenatchee Wild 6-3 at the Town Toyota Center. Terik Parascak also scored for the B.C. Division-leading Cougars (23-9-0-0), who outshot the Wild 32-28. Kenta Isogai, Briley Wood and Luka Shcherbyna scored for the U.S. Division-leading Wild (20-11-3-0). — ROYALS 3 AMERICANS 2 VICTORIA, B.C. – Alex Edwards’ goal at 16:02 of the second period stood up as the winner as the Victoria Royals edged the visiting Tri-City Americans 3-2. Dawson Pasternak and Logan Pickford also scored for the Royals (19-12-0-2), who led 3-0 entering the third period. Pasha Bocharov and Jake Sloan scored for the Americans (15-13-1-1), who outshot the Royals 36-22. — GIANTS 2 THUNDERBIRDS 1 (OT) SEATTLE, Wash. – Mazden Leslie scored at 2:53 of overtime as the visiting Vancouver Giants knocked off the Seattle Thunderbirds 2-1. Cameron Schmidt also scored for the Giants (12-17-2-0), who trailed 1-0 early in the second period. Antonio Martorana scored for the Thunderbirds (12-13-2-0), who were outshot 38-32. — WINTERHAWKS 6 CHIEFS 5 (OT) SPOKANE, Wash. – James Stefan scored twice, including once in overtime, as the visiting Portland Winterhawks edged the Spokane Chiefs 6-5. Diego Buttazzoni, Marcus Nguyen, Jack O’Brien and Josh Davies also scored for the Winterhawks (20-9-1-1). Berkly Catton scored twice for the Chiefs (10-16-3-0), with singles netted by Ty Cheveldayoff, Conner Roulette and Brayden Crampton. * This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2023. 50-49
