SATURDAY'S WHL ROUND-UP
 

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The Edmonton Oil Kings captured the Scotty Munro Memorial trophy for the best regular-season record, but the final playoff spot in the Western Conference still remains up for grabs following Western Hockey League action on Saturday.

 

OIL KINGS 7, REBELS 3

Curtis Lazar scored twice, including his 20th goal of the season, to lead the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings to a 7-3 win over the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday night.

T.J. Foster – with his 30th of the season – Kristians Pelss, Michael St. Croix, Ashton Sautner and Mitch Moroz also scored for the Oil Kings (50-15-3-4), who claim their 11th straight win to end the season and finish with a WHL-best 107 points to clinch first place in the overall WHL standings.  Laurent Brossoit made 26 saves to post the victory.

Adam Kambeitz, Alex Petrovic and Connor Bleackley tallied for the Rebels (32-34-1-5), who end the season in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.  Deven Dubyk made 28 saves in a losing cause.

Game Summary

 

SILVERTIPS 6, THUNDERBIRDS 4

Manraj Hayer scored twice and set up another while Jari Erricson picked up three assists to help the visiting Everett Silvertips to a 6-4 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday.

The win puts the ‘Tips two points up on the T-Birds for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with the T-Birds having one game remaining on their schedule.

Josh Birkholz, Zach McPhee, Cody Fowlie and Ryan Harrison also scored for the Silvertips (22-40-2-8), who overturned a 4-3 deficit with three unanswered goals in the third period to post the win.  Kent Simpson made 29 saves to claim his 20th win of the season. 

Connor Honey scored twice and chipped in an assist while Branden Troock and Luke Lockhart also scored for the Thunderbirds (25-44-1-1), who need to beat Portland on Sunday to force a tiebreaker for the final playoff spot.  Calvin Pickard made 35 saves in the defeat.

Game Summary

 

CHIEFS 3, AMERICANS 2

Dylan Walchuk scored the go-ahead goal on a power play 8:31 into the third period to lift the visiting Spokane Chiefs to a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans on Saturday.

Brenden Kichton – with a goal and an assist – and Mitch Holmberg also counted for the Chiefs (38-25-5-4), who will start the playoffs on the road versus the Vancouver Giants.  Mac Engel made 32 saves to record the victory.

Patrick Holland and Jesse Mychan scored and Justin Feser had two assists for the Americans (50-18-2-2), who finish the regular season in second place in the overall WHL standings.  Ty Rimmer made 22 saves in the loss.

Game Summary

 

ROCKETS 4, GIANTS 3  S/O

Zach Franko scored the winner in a shootout to lift the Kelowna Rockets to a 4-3 triumph over the visiting Vancouver Giants on Saturday night.

Tanner Moar, Carter Rigby and Jesse Lees scored in regulation play for the Rockets (31-31-4-6), who will face the Portland Winterhawks in the opening round of the 2012 WHL playoffs.  Adam Brown made 31 saves in regulation, and wasn’t beaten in the shootout to post his 22nd win of the campaign.

Marek Tvrdon scored his 30th and 31st goals of the season while Scott Cooke scored his first WHL goal for the Giants (40-26-2-4), who overcame a 3-1 deficit with two goals over the final 5:24 of the third period to force overtime.  Jackson Whistle made 44 saves in regulation, but was beaten once in the shootout to suffer the loss.

Game Summary

 

COUGARS 4, BLAZERS 2

Spencer Asuchak scored twice to help the Prince George Cougars double up the visiting Kamloops Blazers 4-2 on Saturday.

Chase Witala and Reid Jackson also scored for the Cougars (24-46-0-2), who split their season-ending home-and-home series versus the Blazers, but will finish the season in 10th place in the Western Conference.  Devon Fordyce made 38 saves to record his second career win.

Tim Bozon and Ryan Hanes scored for the Blazers (47-20-2-3), who will face B.C. Division rivals the Victoria Royals in the opening round of the playoffs.  Cam Lanigan made 18 saves in the setback.

Game Summary

 

HURRICANES 6, TIGERS 5  S/O

Russell Maxwell scored three goals in regulation and netted the shootout winner to lift the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 6-5 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.

Graham Hood tied the game at 5-5 with just 14 seconds to play in the third period while Brody Sutter netted his 30th goal of the season for the Hurricanes (29-42-0-1), who finish the season in 11th place in the Eastern Conference.  Damien Ketlo made 32 saves through three periods and overtime, and denied three of four Tigers’ shootout chances to post his 20th win of the season.

Hunter Shinkaruk scored three goals, including his 49th goal of the season, while Curtis Valk and Matt Konan also scored for the Tigers (42-24-2-4), who suffer their third loss to close out the season, and drop to fourth place in the Eastern Conference.  Tyler Bunz made 36 saves in regulation, but was beaten twice in the shootout to suffer the loss.

Game Summary

 

BRONCOS 7, BLADES 3

Christian Magnus scored twice and set up another while Graham Black scored and chipped in two assists to lead the visiting Swift Current Broncos to a 7-3 win over the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday.

Coda Gordon – with his 30th of the season – Adam Rossignol, Josh Derko and Brad Hoban also counted for the Broncos (27-37-2-6), who will finish the season in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.  Jon Groenheyde made 23 saves in the win.

Brett Stovin, Matej Stransky and Jake Trask scored for the Blades (40-29-1-2), who finish fifth in the Eastern Conference and will face the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round of the playoffs.  Andrey Makarov made 25 saves through the first and second periods to suffer the loss, while Patrick Johnson allowed two goals on seven shots in the third period in his WHL debut.

Game Summary

 

WARRIORS 7, RAIDERS 1

Kenton Miller and Sam Fioretti each scored twice to lead the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 7-1 win over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday.

Cam Braes, Dylan McIlrath and Tanner Eberle also found the net for the Warriors (45-19-6-2), who wrap up the season on a four-game win streak, and will meet rivals the Regina Pats in the first round of the playoffs.  Justin Paulic made 24 saves to post his first WHL win.

Antoine Corbin scored the only goal for the Raiders (21-45-3-3), who drop their fifth decision in a row to end their season.  Luke Lee-Knight and Cole Holowenko combined for 26 saves in the loss.

Game Summary

 

HITMEN 3, ICE 0

Chris Driedger made 25 saves to claim his third shutout of the season as the Calgary Hitmen blanked the visiting Kootenay Ice 3-0 on Saturday.

Jimmy Bubnick scored twice and set up another while Peter Kosterman also scored for the Hitmen (44-25-2-1), who sweep their season-ending home-and-home series versus Kootenay, and will meet Brandon in the first round of the playoffs. 

Nathan Lieuwen made 14 saves in the loss for the Ice (36-26-6-4), who drop their fifth straight decision to end their season, and drop to eighth in the Eastern Conference. 

Game Summary

 

WHEAT KINGS 7, PATS 2

Mark Stone scored twice and chipped in two assists while Brenden Walker picked up four assists to lead the Brandon Wheat Kings to a 7-2 win over the visiting Regina Pats on Saturday.

Brodie Melnychuk also scored twice while Ryley Miller, Darian Dziurzynski and Alessio Bertaggia added singles for the Wheat Kings (39-28-1-4), who climb to sixth in the Eastern Conference and will meet Calgary in the opening round of the playoffs.  Corbin Boes made 22 saves to earn the win.

Dryden Hunt and Dyson Stevenson scored for the Pats (37-27-6-2), who drop their second straight decision to the Wheat Kings and will finish in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.  Matt Hewitt and Adam Beukeboom combined for 25 saves in the loss.

Game Summary

 

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