WHL roundup: Schmidt, Mirwald help Giants soar past Rockets 4-2
By The Canadian Press on January 21, 2024.
LANGLEY, B.C. – Cameron Schmidt scored twice, Ty Halaburda and Samuel Honzek each had two assists and the Vancouver Giants defeated the visiting Kelowna Rockets 4-2 in Western Hockey League action on Sunday afternoon at Langley Events Centre. Mazden Leslie and Tyley Thorpe also scored for the Giants (18-24-2-0), who led 2-1 after the first period. The second period was scoreless. Kayden Longley and Trae Johnson scored for the Rockets (21-20-2-0), who outshot the Giants 32-24,but had difficulty solving Vancouver goalie Brett Mirwald. The Rockets, who sit third in the B.C. Division, are now only six points ahead of the fourth-place Giants. Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play. Elsewhere in the WHL on Sunday: — TIGERS 7 WHEAT KINGS 3 BRANDON, Man. – Hayden Harsanyi and Oasiz Wiesblatt each scored twice as the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers plowed past the Brandon Wheat Kings 7-3. Dru Krebs, Hunter St. Martin and Tomas Mrsic also scored for the Central Division-leading Tigers (28-14-3-0). Brett Hyland, Rylen Roersma and Joby Baumuller scored for the Wheat Kings (22-16-4-1). — BLAZERS 6 ROYALS 2 VICTORIA, B.C. – Blake Swetlikoff scored twice and added two assists as the visiting Kamloops Blazers surprised the Victoria Royals 6-2 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena. Emmitt Finnie also scored twice for the Blazers (11-28-3-2), while Natham Behm and Logan Bairos netted singles. Tyson Laventure and Tanner Scott scored for the Royals (24-15-3-3), who trailed 3-2 after the first period. The second period was scoreless. The Blazers outshot the Royals 30-23. — BLADES 4 OIL KINGS 1 EDMONTON, Alta. – Tyler Parr had a goal and assist as the visiting Saskatoon Blades defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-1. Fraser Minten, Rowan Calvert and Brandon Lisowsky also scored for the East Division-leading Blades (31-9-2-2), who led 1-0 after the first period and 3-0 heading into the third. Gracyn Sawchyn scored for the Oil Kings (15-25-1-1), who were outshot 31-19. — HITMEN 5 RAIDERS 4 (OT) CALGARY, Alta. – Maxim Muranov scored 29 seconds into overtime to give the Calgary Hitmen a 5-4 victory over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. Ben Kindel, Ethan Moore, David Adaszynski and Keets Fawcett also scored for the Hitmen (18-18-5-1), who outshot the Raiders 38-33. Sloan Stanick, Matej Kubiesa, Harrison Lodewyk and Aiden Oiring scored for the Raiders (19-22-1-3), who took a 4-3 lead into the third period. The Raiders were 2-for-4 on the power play, while the Hitmen were 0-for-1. — SILVERTIPS 3 AMERICANS 2 EVERETT, Wash. – Beau Courtney had a goal and assist as the Everett Silvertips edged the visiting Tri-City Americans 3-2 at Angel of the Winds Arena. Jesse Heslop and Dominik Rymon also scored for the Silvertips (29-14-1-2), who led 2-1 after the first period and 3-1 heading into the third. Jake Sloan and Brandon Whynott scored for the Americans (17-23-2-1), who were outshot 43-24. — WILD 9 THUNDERBIRDS 3 SEATTLE, Wash. – The visiting Wenatchee Wild erupted for five unanswered goals in the second period then coasted to a 9-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Briley Wood scored twice and added an assist, while Maddix McCagherty and Ty Fraser each had a goal and assist for the Wild (25-15-4-0), who got three-assist contributions from Sam Ward and Karter Prosofsky. Rodzers Bukarts, Briley Wood, Dawson Seitz, Hayden Moore, Ashton Brown and Kenta Isogai also scored for the Wild. Simon Lovsin scored twice for the Thunderbirds (14-23-2-0), while Jeremy Hanzel netted a single. Seattle trailed 2-1 after the first period and 7-1 heading into the third. * This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2024. 43-42
