WHL roundup: Mirwald stands tall as Giants blank Wheaties 4-0
By The Canadian Press on January 6, 2024.
BRANDON, Man. – It has been a challenging season for the rebuilding Vancouver Giants, but they looked mighty impressive on Saturday with a 4-0 Western Hockey League road victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings at Westoba Place. Justin Ivanusec, London Hoilett, Ty Halaburda and Tyler Thorpe scored for the Giants, who improved to 15-21-2-0, but remain fourth in the tough five-team B.C. Division. Brett Mirwald earned the shutout as he made 48 saves. Ethan Eskit stopped 16 of 19 shots in the Wheat Kings’ (19-14-4-1) net. Elsewhere in the WHL on Saturday: — PATS 2 ROYALS 1 (OT) REGINA, Sask. – Zackary Shantz scored at 2:55 of overtime as the Regina Pats edged the visiting Victoria Royals 2-1. Tye Spencer also scored for the Pats (14-19-4-2), who were outshot 29-28. Escalus Burlock scored for the Royals (23-13-1-2). — BRONCOS 7 WARRIORS 6 SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – Josh Filmon scored at 13:54 of the third period to snap a 6-6 tie as the Swift Current Broncos edged the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors 7-6. Luke Mistelbacher and Ty Coupland each scored twice for the Broncos (20-15-2-2), while Connor Gabriel and Connor Hvidston netted singles. Atley Calvert scored twice for the Warriors (22-15-0-2), while Ethan Semeniuk, Rilen Kovacevic, Jagger Firkus and Martin Rysavy added singles. — SILVERTIPS 4 THUNDERBIRDS 2 EVERETT, Wash. – Julius Miettinen scored twice as the Everett Silvertips beat the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2. Ben Hemmerling and Jesse Heslop also scored for the Silvertips (23-14-1-2). Nathan Pilling and Coster Dunn scored for the Thunderbirds (12-20-2-0). — WILD 6 ROCKETS 3 WENATCHEE, Wash. – Kenta Isogai scored three goals as the Wenatchee Wild defeated the visiting Kelowna Rockets 6-3. Evan Friesen, Miles Cooper and Hayden Moore also scored for the Wild (24-13-3-0). Dylan Wightman, Tij Iginla and Andrew Cristall scored for the Rockets (18-17-2-0). — WINTERHAWKS 4 COUGARS 3 PORTLAND, Ore. – Josh Davies scored the game-winning goal with one minute left in the third period as the Portland Winterhawks edged the visiting Prince George Cougars 4-3. Davies scored twice for the U.S. Division-leading Winterhawks (25-10-1-1), while James Stefan and Gabe Klassen netted singles. Zac Funk, Carlin Dezainde and Borya Valis scored for the B.C. Division-leading Cougars (28-11-0-). — RAIDERS 2 BLADES 1 (SO) PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Oli Chenier scored the lone goal of a seven-round shootout as the Prince Albert Raiders edged the visiting Saskatoon Blades 2-1. Turner McMillen scored in regulation time for the Raiders (18-18-0-2), who were outshot 33-29. Tyler Parr scored for the East Division-leading Blades (26-8-2-2). — TIGERS 12 AMERICANS 1 MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Hunter St. Martin scored three goals as the Medicine Hat Tigers trounced the visiting Tri-City Americans 12-1. Tomas Mrsic, Vasyl Spilka and Hayden Harsanyi each scored twice for the Central Division-leading Tigers (24-12-2-0), while Rhett Parsons, Nate Corbet and Oasiz Wiesblatt netted singles. Jake Sloan scored for the Americans (16-17-2-1), who were outshot 43-21. * This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 6, 2024. 43-42
