BRAYDEN SCHENN AND THE BRANDON WHEAT KINGS HOST MICHAEL STONE AND THE CALGARY HITMEN LIVE ON SHAW – Brayden Schenn and the Brandon Wheat Kings (14-10-0-2) host Michael Stone and the Calgary Hitmen (19-6-0-0) on Friday night.
Friday’s contest between the Hitmen and Wheat Kings can be seen live throughout western Canada on SHAW (7:30pm CT).
The Wheat Kings are coming off a 5-4 win in Swift Current over the Broncos for their eighth road victory of the season, and currently sit in third place in the East Division – 10 points behind the division-leading Saskatoon Blades. The Wheat Kings have not enjoyed a prolonged win streak this season, earning back-to-back wins just three times while winning more than two straight games just once. Brayden Schenn is riding a six-game point streak, having racked up four goals and 16 points in that span.
The Hitmen are coming off a 2-1 overtime win over the Warriors in Moose Jaw on Wednesday for their third road win in a row and their 10th road victory of the season, and currently trail Saskatoon by just one point for first place overall in the WHL standings. Calgary’s power play is operating at an outstanding 36.1 per cent success rate (22-for-61) on the road this season. Defenseman Michael Stone scored both goals in Wednesday’s 2-1 overtime victory, and now leads all WHL defensemen with 12 goals this season.
It’s the second meeting of the season between the Wheat Kings and Hitmen. The Hitmen posted a 4-3 shootout win in Brandon on October 7th in the first encounter.
Elsewhere on Friday night, Ryan Howse and the Chilliwack Bruins (10-12-1-3) welcome Luke Walker and the Portland Winterhawks (16-8-0-0).
The Bruins are coming off a 6-1 win over the Giants in Vancouver on Wednesday night for their second straight victory and their first-ever regular-season win in regulation in Vancouver, and currently sit in second place in the B.C. Division. Howse ranks third in the WHL with 19 goals this season.
The Winterhawks are coming off a 4-2 win in Kelowna on Wednesday for their League-leading 10th road win of the season, and currently sit two points behind Tri-Cities for top spot in the U.S. Division. The Hawks already have 10 road victories after combining for just 10 road wins through the 2007-08 and 2008-09 season.
In Kennewick, WA, Brendan Shinnimin and the Tri-City Americans (17-5-0-0) welcome Shane Harper and the Everett Silvertips (13-6-1-0) for a tough U.S. Division battle on Friday night.
The Americans kicked off a six-game home stand with a 5-3 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday, and remain two points ahead of the Portland Winterhawks for first place in the competitive U.S. Division. The Americans are a perfect 8-0 on home ice this season, and have outscored their opposition 43-16 through eight home games.
The Silvertips are coming off a 4-3 shootout win over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday to improve to 7-2-1 over their last 10 outings, and currently sit seven points behind the Americans for first place in the division. Harper (12g-13a) leads the Silvertips in scoring with 25 points this season.
In Edmonton, AB, Mark Pysyk and the Edmonton Oil Kings (8-12-2-4) host Levko Koper and the Spokane Chiefs (12-7-1-0) on Friday.
The Oil Kings are back home after going 1-3-2-1 on a season-high seven-game road trip that took them to B.C. and Saskatchewan, and currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division. Pysyk and his Oil Kings team mate Brent Raedeke will join Team WHL for the SUBWAY® Super Series next week.
The Chiefs have been idle since earning a 1-0 win over the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Sunday in Spokane for their sixth win in their last seven games, and currently sit in fourth place in the U.S. Division. The Chiefs are 4-2-1 on the road this season.
In Cranbrook, B.C., Matt Fraser and the Kootenay Ice (11-12-1-0) host Matt Strueby and the Regina Pats (11-11-3-0) on Friday.
The Ice edged the visiting Prince Albert Raiders 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday for their second straight O/T win and their fourth extra-frame win of the season, and currently sit in third place in the Central Division. Fraser has two goals and an assist in three games since returning to the lineup after missing five straight games.
The Pats are coming off Tuesday’s 5-3 win over the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings to snap a three-game losing skid, and currently sit in sixth place in the East Division. Strueby ranks second on the Pats with 16 goals this season.
Wacey Hamilton and the Medicine Hat Tigers (13-9-2-3) welcome Igor Revenko and the Prince Albert Raiders (12-11-1-2) on Friday.
The Tigers defeated the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings 4-3 on Tuesday for their second win in a row and third victory in four games, and currently sit in second place in the Central Division. Hamilton (6g-21a) shares the Tigers lead with 21 assists this season.
The Raiders blanked the Hurricanes 3-0 in Lethbridge on Wednesday to end a two-game losing streak, and currently sit in fourth place in the East Division. Wednesday’s win in Lethbridge was just the Raiders third road win of the season.
In Moose Jaw, SK, Brendan Rowinski and the Moose Jaw Warriors (15-8-1-0) host Derek Hulak and the Saskatoon Blades (18-3-0-3) for a tough East Division match-up on Friday.
The Warriors fell 2-1 in overtime to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Wednesday, snapping a three-game winning streak, and currently sit in second place in the East Division – eight points behind the Blades. The Warriors are 10-3-1 on home ice this season.
The Blades have been off since picking up a 3-2 win over the visiting Prince George Cougars last Saturday for their 16-th victory in 18 games, and currently sit in first place overall in the WHL standings. The Blades’ power play is operating at just 9.1 per cent effectiveness on the road this season.
In Prince George, B.C., James Dobrowolski and the Prince George Cougars (3-17-1-1) host Kyle St. Denis (11-12-1-0) on Friday for the first of two weekend meetings between the teams.
The Cougars are back home after wrapping up a seven-game road trip with an 0-5-1-1 record, stretching their overall losing skid to nine games, and remain in fifth place in the B.C. Division. The Cougars are 2-6 at home this season.
The Rockets dropped their fourth straight decision with a 4-2 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday, and have dropped into a tie with the Blazers for third place in the B.C. Division. The Rockets have just two road wins this season.
In other WHL action on Friday, Prab Rai and the Seattle Thunderbirds (8-13-1-3) welcome Jimmy Bubnick and the Kamloops Blazers (10-12-2-1).
The Thunderbirds saw a four-game winning streak halted with a 5-3 loss in Kennewick, WA, to the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday, and remain in fifth place in the U.S. Division. Rai has seven goals and 11 points over his last six games.
The Blazers are coming off a 4-3 shootout loss in Everett to the Silvertips on Wednesday for their fourth straight defeat, and sit tied for third place in the B.C. Division. The Blazers have just two road wins this season.
