WHL roundup: Ward helps Broncos bounce Blazers 6-3
By The Canadian Press on October 17, 2023.
KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The Kamloops Blazers played host of the Memorial Cup last May at the Sandman Centre and were eliminated 5-4 by the OHL’s Peterborough Petes in the quarterfinals. Coaches and players on the Blazers immediately vowed to return stronger and smarter, but with junior hockey’s annual roster churn onlookers knew that would be a huge challenge for the B.C. Interior squad. The rebuilding Blazers lost their sixth game in nine starts when the visiting Swift Current Broncos skated to a 6-3 Western Hockey League victory on Tuesday night. Mathew Ward scored twice and added two assists for the Broncos (4-5-1-0), while Josh Filmon, Owen Pickering, Ryan Gould and Van Eger (empty-netter) added singles. The Blazers outshot the Broncos 43-27. Dylan Sydor, Connor Levis and Logan Bairos scored for the Blazers, who have a win, two overtime losses and six regulation losses this season. They sit last in the five-team B.C. Division. Elsewhere in the WHL: — REBELS 4 OIL KINGS 0 EDMONTON, Alta. – Rhett Stoesser made 29 saves and earned the shutout as the visiting Red Deer Rebels beat the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-0. Jhett Larson, Kai Uchacz, Carson Latimer and Talon Brigley scored for the Rebels (4-3-0-1). Netminder Logan Cunningham stopped 28 of 32 shots for the Oil Kings (3-7-0-1). — PATS 4 WARRIORS 2 MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Braxton Whitehead scored twice and the visiting Regina Pats scored four power-play goals en route to a 4-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. Tye Spencer and Tanner Howe also scored for the Pats (7-3-1-0), who outshot the hosts 28-22. Howe also had two assists. Jagger Firkus scored both goals for the Warriors (6-5-0-0). — ROYALS 4 TIGERS 1 VICTORIA, B.C. – Robin Sapousek had a goal and assist and Justin Kipkie had two assists as the Victoria Royals tamed the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1. Cole Reschny, Reggie Newman and Dawson Pasternak also scored for the Royals (4-5-0-0). Brayden Boehm scored for the Central Division-leading Tigers (5-3-1-0). — THUNDERBIRDS 6 WHEAT KINGS 4 SEATTLE, Wash. – The Seattle Thunderbirds scored four goals in the final 64 seconds of the third period to rally past the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings 6-4. Trailing 4-2, Lucas Hauf scored at 18:56 and then tied the game at 4-all at 19:29 on the power play. Teammate Braeden Cootes scored the winner at 19:51 and Simon Lovsin scored into an empty net at 19:52 as the T-Birds shocked the visitors. Jeremy Hanzel and Nico Myatovic also scored for the Thunderbirds (4-1-0-0). Brett Hyland had a goal and assist for the Wheat Kings (5-5-1-0), while Roger McQueen, Dominik Petr and Luke Shipley added singles. — POKE CHECKS: Ryder Ritchie of the Prince Albert Raiders is the WHL’s Player of the Week. He had two goals and four assists in three games. Jan Spunar of the Portland Winterhawks earned Goaltender of the Week honours with two wins in two games. He had a shutout, .980 save percentage and 0.50 goals against average. And Ty Coupland of the Swift Current Broncos is Rookie of the Week. He had three goals and two assists in three games. * This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2023. 32-31
