BLADES EDGE HURRICANES IN A SHOOTOUT – Derek Hulak scored the deciding goal in a shootout to lift the Saskatoon Blades to a 3-2 win over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes in Western Hockey League action on Friday, November 27th.
Jeremy Boyer and Walker Wintoneak scored in regulation for the Blades (20-3-0-3), who erased a 2-0 deficit to earn their fifth straight victory and their WHL-leading 20th win of the season. Steven Stanford made 23 saves through regulation and overtime, and denied four of five ‘Canes’ shootout attempts to improve his record to a perfect 10-0 since coming to the Blades from Prince Albert.
Carter Ashton and Craig Orfino – with a shorthanded marker – scored for the Hurricanes (8-14-3-1), who suffer their fifth straight setback and fall to 3-9-0-1 on the road this season. Brandon Anderson turned aside 32 of 34 shots he faced in regulation play, but was beaten twice in the shootout for the loss.
Ryan Harrison scored 50 seconds into overtime to lift the Prince Albert Raiders to a 3-2 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Friday.
Craig McCallum notched a goal and an assist while Brandon Herrod also counted for the Raiders (14-12-1-2), who earn their second win in a row and their 10th win on home ice this season. Garrett Zemlak made 29 saves to backstop the Raiders to the win.
Joel Broda sent the game to overtime with the tying goal at 19:53 of the third period while MacKenzie Royer scored for the Hitmen (19-8-1-0), who drop their third straight decision. Michael Snider made 20 saves in the loss.
Brayden Schenn scored his 13th goal of the season while Scott Glennie and Aaron Lewadniuk each picked up three assists as the Brandon Wheat Kings doubled up the visiting Swift Current Broncos 4-2 on Friday.
Jay Fehr, Brodie Melnychuk and Michael Ferland also scored for the Wheat Kings (17-10-0-2), who pick up their fourth straight win and their seventh win in nine games. Jacob DeSerres made 27 saves in the victory.
Michael Stickland and Brad Hoban scored for the Broncos (13-12-0-2), who held a 2-0 lead at the 15-minute mark of the first period but surrendered four unanswered goals for the loss. Morgan Clark made 26 saves in a losing cause.
Andrej Kudrna scored once and set up two more to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 4-1 win over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday night.
Josh Cowen, Landon Ferraro and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also counted for the Rebels (13-13-0-0), who earn their ninth home-ice win of the season while moving back to the .500 mark. Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves to record his eighth win of the season.
Quinton Howden – with his 12th goal of the season – had the lone marker for the Warriors (15-10-1-1), who see their losing skid hit four games. Jeff Bosch made 30 saves in the defeat.
Rookie Shane McColgan scored twice, including the game-winner 21 second into the third period, to lead the visiting Kelowna Rockets to a 2-1 triumph over the Chilliwack Bruins on Friday.
Brandon McMillan chipped in two assists for the Rockets (12-13-1-0), who earn just their fourth road victory of the season. Adam Brown turned in a 32-save performance to record his 13th victory of the season.
Dylen McKinlay notched his 11th goal of the season for the Bruins (11-13-1-4), who drop their second straight game. Mark Friesen made 27 stops in a losing cause.
Craig Cunningham scored the go-ahead goal with 32 second remaining in the third period to lift the visiting Vancouver Giants to a 5-4 victory over the Prince George Cougars on Friday.
Kevin Connauton scored twice while Mike Piluso and Garry Nunn – with a goal in his season debut – also counted for the Giants (17-8-1-2), who erased a 4-3 deficit over the last 10 minutes of the third period to earn their second win in a row. Mark Segal made 26 saves to earn his second win in as many starts this season.
Spencer Asuchak scored in his debut for the Cougars (4-19-1-1), who drop their second straight contest, while Taylor Makin, Brett Connolly and Kurt Torbohm also counted. Hudson Stremmel made 39 saves in a losing cause.
Mitch Wahl notched a goal and an assist as the visiting Spokane Chiefs scored three times in the first period en route to a 4-1 win over the Tri-City Americans on Friday.
Tyler Johnson, Jared Cowen and Brenden Kichton – with his first of the season – also scored for the Chiefs (15-8-2-0), who converted one of seven power play chances in the contest but held the Ams to a 1-for-9 mark on the power play. James Reid turned in a 41-save performance to record the win.
Brendan Shinnimin – with his 17th goal of the season – scored the lone marker for the Americans (19-7-0-0), who have dropped two of their last three home games after winning their first nine home games of the season. Drew Owsley made 43 saves in the loss.
Jordan Eberle scored the game’s final three goals to lead the visiting Regina Pats to a 4-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips on Friday.
Cody Carlson also scored for the Pats (15-12-3-0), who improve to 4-1 through the first five games of their western road trip, while Jordan Weal drew three assists. Damien Ketlo made 34 saves to record his 10th win of the season.
Shane Harper and Chris Langkow each notched a goal and an assist for the Silvertips (15-8-1-0), who saw a 2-0 lead slip away as their two-game win streak came to an end. Thomas Heemskerk made 36 saves in the loss.
Drew Czerwonka scored the deciding goal in a shootout to lift the visiting Kootenay Ice to a 6-5 win over the Kamloops Blazers on Friday.
Dustin Sylvester – with a pair of goals – Czerwonka, Brayden McNabb and Joe Antilla scored in regulation for the Ice (12-13-1-1), who turned a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 lead before surrendering the tying goal with 12 seconds to play in regulation. Todd Mathews made 19 saves in regulation and denied two of three Kamloops shootout attempts to earn the win after replacing starter Nathan Lieuwen, who allowed four goals in the first nine minutes of the first period.
Brendan Ranford scored twice and Tyler Shattock – with the tying goal – C.J. Stretch and Ryan Funk also scored for the Blazers (11-13-2-2), who have dropped six of their last seven outings, while Bronson Maschmeyer chipped in four assists. Kurtis Mucha made 42 saves through three periods and overtime, but was beaten twice in the shootout for the loss in his Blazers debut.
Taylor Aronson scored his first two WHL goals as the visiting Portland Winterhawks erased a 4-1 deficit to post a 6-4 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday.
Nino Niederreiter notched two goals and two assists while Jacob Berglund and Spencer Bennett also scored for the Winterhawks (17-12-0-0), who snap a four-game losing skid. Ian Curtis made 33 saves in the win.
Jeremy Schappert notched a goal and two assist, Charles Wells and Prab Rai each added a goal and an assist and Sena Acolatse – with his 10th of the season – also scored for the Thunderbirds (10-15-1-3), who held a 4-1 lead midway through the second period. Calvin Pickard made 38 saves in the defeat.
