WHL roundup: Blades sharp on defence, edge Tigers 3-1
By The Canadian Press on March 8, 2024.
SASKATOON – Egor Sidorov’s goal at 16:21 of the second period stood up as the winner as the Saskatoon Blades edged the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 3-1 in Western Hockey League action on Friday at the SaskTel Centre. Tanner Molendyk and Fraser Minten (empty-netter) also scored for the East Division-leading Blades (44-12-2-3), who outshot the visitors 28-24. Andrew Basha scored for the Central Division-leading Tigers (35-21-5-2), who trailed 1-0 after the first period and 2-0 heading into the third. The Tigers went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Blades went 0-for-4. Elsewhere in the WHL on Friday: — OIL KINGS 3 RAIDERS 2 (OT) PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Gavin Hodnett scored at 1:56 of overtime as the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings edged the Prince Albert Raiders 3-2. Gracyn Sawchyn and Landon Hanson scored for the Oil Kings (23-36-2-1) in regulation. Sloan Stanick and Niall Crocker scored for the Raiders (29-27-2-3), who outshot the Oil Kings 30-27. — WARRIORS 6 PATS 3 MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Matthew Savoie had two goals and an assist as the Moose Jaw Warriors beat the visiting Regina Pats 6-3. Denton Mateychuk, Lynden Lakovic, Brayden Schuurman and Atley Calvert also scored for the Warriors (41-19-0-2), who outshot the Pats 50-28. Zackary Shantz, Braxton Whitehead and Zackary Shantz scored for the Pats (21-36-4-2), who trailed 3-1 after the first period and 4-2 heading into the third. — REBELS 4 HITMEN 3 CALGARY, Alta. – Kalan Lind had a goal and assist as the visiting Red Deer Rebels edged the Calgary Hitmen 4-3. Carson Birnie, Ollie Josephson and Talon Brigley also scored for the Rebels (32-22-2-6). Carson Wetsch, Keets Fawcett and Maxim Muranov scored for the Hitmen (26-28-7-1). — WHEAT KINGS 4 HURRICANES 0 LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Brett Hyland had a goal and assist and Carson Bjarnason made 23 saves to post the shutout as the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings blanked the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-0. Matteo Michels, Joby Baumuller and Jayden Wiens also scored for the Wheat Kings (30-26-6-1), who outshot the Hurricanes 29-23. Netminder Harrison Meneghin stopped 25 shots for the Hurricanes (29-27-5-0). — SILVERTIPS 4 ROYALS 1 EVERETT, Wash. – Ben Hemmerling had a goal and two assists as the Everett Silvertips beat the visiting Victoria Royals 4-1. Cade Zaplitny, Jesse Heslop and Julius Miettinen also scored for the Silvertips (40-18-2-3), who outshot the Royals 45-17. Ben Riche scored for the Royals (28-26-5-4), who led 1-0 after the first period but trailed 3-1 heading into the third. — THUNDERBIRDS 5 CHIEFS 4 SEATTLE, Wash. – Sawyer Mynio scored twice and Nico Myatovic added two assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds edged the visiting Spokane Chiefs 5-4. Jeremy Hanzel, Simon Lovsin and Nathan Pilling also scored for the Thunderbirds (23-36-2-0), who outshot the Chiefs 49-44. Shea Van Olm, Chase Harrington, Chase Bertholet and Hayden Paupanekis scored for the Chiefs (26-29-5-1). — COUGARS 5 GIANTS 3 PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – Terik Parascak and Zac Funk each scored twice as the Prince George Cougars beat the visiting Vancouver Cougars 5-3. Hudson Thornton also scored for the B.C. Division-leading Cougars (42-15-1-3), who outshot the visitors 44-33. Cameron Schmidt scored twice for the Giants (29-28-4-0), while Jaden Lipinski netted a single. — ROCKETS 9 BLAZERS 1 KELOWNA, B.C. – Andrew Cristall scored twice and added five assists as the Kelowna Rockets blitzed the visiting Kamloops Blazers 9-1. Carter Kowalyk, Max Graham, Marek Rocak, Luke Schelter, Kayden Longley, Gabriel Szturc and Dylan Wightman also scored for the Rockets 30-28-3-1), who outshot the Blazers 40-31. Blake Swetlikoff scored for the Blazers (20-36-3-3), who trailed 3-0 after the first period and 5-0 after the second. — WILD 8 AMERICANS 1 KENNEWICK, Wash. – Briley Wood scored twice and added three assists as the visiting Wenatchee Wild whipped the Tri-City Americans 8-1. Evan Friesen, Maddix McCagherty, Hayden Moore, Miles Cooper, Rodzers Bukarts and Kenta Isogai also scored for the Wild (32-25-4-0), who outshot the Americans 42-17. Parker Bell scored for the Americans (22-36-2-1), who were tied 1-1 after the first period and trailed 3-1 heading into the third. * This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 8, 2024. 53-52
