WHL roundup: Royals suffer Giant-sized collapse in 6-5 shootout loss

By The Canadian Press on December 31, 2024.

VICTORIA – Tyus Sparks scored the only goal of a three-round shootout and the visiting Vancouver Giants rallied from a 5-1 deficit to defeat the Victoria Royals 6-5 in a Western Hockey League matchup on Tuesday at Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena.

The teams will play again on Wednesday at Langley Events Centre, the home of the Giants.

Tyler Thorpe scored twice for the Giants (17-13-4-0) and Mazden Leslie chipped in with three assists as the visitors trailed 4-1 after the first period and 6-2 heading into the third.

Brett Olson, Cameron Schmidt, Jaden Lipinski and Tyson Zimmer added singles for the Giants, who outshot the Royals 33-20, including 16-1 in the third period.

Teydon Trembecky scored three goals for the Royals (17-11-3-4), while Markus Loponen had a pair. Logan Pickford netted a single and Brayden Boehm chipped in with three assists. Cole Reschny had two helpers.

The Giants went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Royals were 0-for-2.

Elsewhere in the WHL on Tuesday:

—

WARRIORS 4 PATS 2

MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Ethan Semeniuk and Pavel McKenzie each scored two power-play goals and the Moose Jaw Warriors beat the visiting Regina Pats 4-2.

Netminder Josh Banini stopped 35 of 37 shots fired at him in the Warriors’ (9-21-3-1) net. Brayden Schuurman and Aiden Ziprick each chipped in with two assists.

Zach Moore and Caden Brown scored for the Pats (9-19-4-2), who outshot the hosts 37-24.

The Warriors went 4-for-5 on the power play, while the Pats were 0-for-5.

—

WILD 6 ROCKETS 1

WENATCHEE, Wash. – Kenta Isogai, Caelan Joudrey and Maddix McCagherty all had a goal and assist as the Wenatchee Wild grounded the visiting Kelowna Rockets 6-1.

Eastyn Mannix, Dawson Seitz and Lukas McCloskey also scored for the Wild (13-17-3-1), who were outshot 30-26. Evan Friesen chipped in with two assists.

Hiroki Gojsic scored for the Rockets (13-17-2-1).

—

SILVERTIPS 7 WINTERHAWKS 3

PORTLAND, Ore. – Dominik Rymon had two goals and an assist and the visiting Everett Silvertips beat the Portland Winterhawks 7-3.

Lukas Kaplan, Shea Busch, Landon DuPont, Tyler MacKenzie and Jesse Heslop also scored for the U.S. Division-leading Silvertips (28-5-2-1), who outshot the hosts 36-30.

Kyle McDonough, Josh Zakreski and Diego Buttazzoni scored for the Winterhawks (20-13-2-0).

—

CHIEFS 4 AMERICANS 0

KENNEWICK, Wash. – Rasmus Ekstrom had a goal and assist and Dawson Cowan made 33 saves to post the shutout as the visiting Spokane Chiefs blanked the Tri-City Americans 4-0.

Chase Harrington, Sam Oremba and Hayden Paupanekis also scored for the Chiefs (24-12-0-0), who outshot the hosts 38-33.

Netminder Lukas Matecha stopped 34 of 38 shots directed at the Americans’ (19-11-2-1) net.

—

COUGARS 6 THUNDERBIRDS 4

SEATTLE, Wash. – Riley Heidt scored twice and added an assist as the visiting Prince George Cougars defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-4.

Evan Groening, Patrick Sopiarz, Aiden Foster and Terik Parascak also scored for the B.C. Division-leading Cougars (21-9-3-2), who outshot the hosts 38-31.

Nishaan Parmar, Braeden Cootes, Hayden Pakkala and Kazden Mathies scored for the Thunderbirds (11-22-2-1).