Showing posts with label Parker Aucoin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parker Aucoin. Show all posts

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Take finances with grain of salt? ... Phillips fills hat again ... Milestone for Clouston as Tigers win


F Chris Langkow (Spokane, Saskatoon, Everett, 2005-10) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Erste Bank Liga), he had 10 goals and 18 assists in 41 games. He was granted his release for financial reasons this week. . . .
F Jakub Rumpel (Medicine Hat, 2006-07) has signed with Preussen Berlin (Germany, Oberliga). He had been on a tryout with Schönheide (Germany, Oberliga) in November. In four games, he had a goal and two assists.
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Like many of us, Ken Campbell of The Hockey News has looked over the financial information involving OHL and WHL teams that was released by the CHL on Thursday.
And what did he think?
“In an effort to get out in front of the story and win the case in the court of public opinion,” Campbell writes, “the Canadian Hockey League . . . released some of the financial information it had previously been trying to keep from the prying eyes of everyone outside its inner circle. It’s a curious move to say the least. And when you look at the numbers, you get the sense that the CHL is cherry picking on the same level as an out-of-shape beer leaguer who constantly hangs out at the opponent’s blueline.
“The CHL has crafted its message, complete with an expert opinion saying teams would have to consider ceasing operations if they had to pay players minimum wage, giving people just enough information to portray themselves as downtrodden philanthropists interested only in providing entertainment and helping young men realize their NHL dreams, without really telling us where the money trail actually leads. Well played.”
The releasing of these figures is part of the CHL’s attempts to neutralize attempts by around 370 present and former players to get the OK to move forward with class-action lawsuits in Alberta and Ontario aimed at forcing the major junior leagues to pay minimum wage, among other things.
“The WHL claimed revenues of just over $80 million in 2015,” Campbell notes. “The cost to pay the players minimum wage in that league would be about $300,000 per year per team for a total cost of about $6.6 million, which would amount to about 8.25 percent of total revenues.
“What business in any part of the real world would be able to claim revenues of more than $136 million, then try to convince people that it couldn’t afford to pay 850 of its employees minimum wage? Welcome to the world of junior hockey where it seems no matter how much money a team makes, its expenses seem to rise at the same rate. How the heck are these people ever expected to make a go of it?”
Campbell’s complete piece is right here. 
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Coaching Game
The ECHL’s Quad City Mallards have fired general manager/head coach Terry Ruskowski, who was in his fifth season on the job. Phil Axtell, an assistant coach for two years, was named interim head coach, while the search for a full-time head coach gets started. . . . The Mallards were 19-16-2 and in fourth place in the seven-team Central Division at the time of the firing. However, they had lost six of their past seven games. . . . The Mallards were 160-122-31 under Ruskowski. . . . "I was shocked a little bit because we were still over .500," Ruskowski told Bobby Metcalf of the Quad-City Times. "We played the last three weeks really shorthanded with guys out of the lineup, guys called up, I was trying to patch things together until everybody got healthy. I think I would have probably understood if we had a full lineup and were semi-successful, I probably would have understood more but it was their decision. They hired me and I appreciate what they've done for me the last four to five years." . . . Ruskowski, 62, is from Prince Albert. He played three sesaons (1971-74) with the Swift Current Broncos before going on to a 15-year professional career in the WHA and NHL. He also spent two seasons (1989-91) in the WHL as the head coach of the Saskatoon Blades.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:

At Calgary, F Matt Phillips, whose NHL rights belong to the Calgary Flames, scored three times and
MATT PHILLIPS
added an assist to help the Victoria Royals to a 7-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . Phillips, who has 35 goals, had scored three goals on Thursday night as the Royals beat the host Edmonton Oil Kings, 6-3. He was a sixth-round pick by the Flames in the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . Last night, the Royals jumped out to a 4-0 lead. F Vladimir Bobylev had a goal, his fifth, and two assists in that outburst, while Phillips scored twice and F Regan Nagy got No. 13. . . . F Beck Malenstyn (19) got the Hitmen on the scoreboard with a PP goal, at 5:01 of the second. . . . D Chaz Reddekopp (9) and D Ralph Jarratt (1) counted for Victoria at 7:14 of the second and 9:57 of the third period. . . . F Matteo Gennaro got his 26th for Calgary at 15:20. . . . Phillips completed his fifth career hat trick and third this season at 16:51. . . . Victoria F Tyler Soy had three assists, giving him seven in two games, while Bobylev also finished with three helpers. Reddekopp added one. . . . Gennaro and Malenstyn had an assist each. . . . The Royals got 25 saves from G Griffen Outhouse, who won for the 26th time. That ties him with Nick Schneider of the Medicine Hat Tigers for the WHL lead. . . . Calgary starter Kyle Dumba allowed five goals on 16 shots in 27:14, with Trevor Martin coming on to play 32:46 and stop 13 of 15 shots. . . . Calgary was 1-4 on the PP; Victoria was 0-3. . . . The Royals (26-18-4) have won four in a row. . . . The Hitmen (17-21-6) has won their previous two games. . . . Announced attendance: 7,243.
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At Everett, G Carter Hart stopped 33 shots as the Silvertips beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 1-0. . . . Hart
CARTER HART
posted his WHL-leading sixth shutout of the season and the 16th of his career. He was especially busy in the third period when the Thunderbirds held a 16-4 edge in shots. . . . The game’s lone goal came from F Orrin Centazzo, who scored No. 4, on a PP, at 9:14 of the first period. . . . Seattle G Rylan Toth stopped 13 shots. . . . Everett was 1-4 on the PP; Seattle was 0-4. . . . The Silvertips had F Dominic Zwerger among their scratches, while Seattle continues without F Scott Eansor. . . . The Silvertips have added F Ethan Browne, 15, to their roster. He had been playing for the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings. Everett selected Browne in the first round of the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft. Browne, who is from Sherwood Park, has 23 points, including seven goals, in 23 games with the Kings. Browne wasn’t in the lineup for this one. . . . The Silvertips (29-6-8) are second in the overall standings, two points behind the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Thunderbirds (24-15-6) had won their previous six games. They are third in the U.S. Division. . . . The Thunderbirds were fined $500 for a warm-up violation on Tuesday prior to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Silvertips. . . . Announced attendance: 6,867.
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At Kamloops, F Lane Bauer scored in the fourth round of a shootout to give the Blazers a 4-3 victory over
LANE BAUER
the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram stopped 33 shots through OT and made four more saves in the shootout. . . . Kamloops took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals from F Garrett Pilon (11), at 1:21, and F Nic Holowko (3), at 10:31. . . . Portland tied it in the second period when D Keoni Texeira (9) scored at 6:48 and F Joachim Blichfeld got his 13th, at 8:22, on a PP. . . . Kamloops went back out front on F Rudolfs Balcers’ 25th goal, at 8:42. . . . The Winterhawks forced OT when F Colton Veloso (11) counted at 3:11 of the third period. . . . D Dallas Valentine had two assists for Kamloops. . . . F Cody Glass was outstanding for Portland and drew two assists. . . . G Cole Kehler, who was acquired from the Blazers prior to the season, stopped 30 shots. . . . Portland was 1-5 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-5. . . . The Winterhawks welcomed back D Caleb Jones and F Cody Glass, both of whom had been ill. . . . Kamloops (28-16-3) has won three in a row. It is second in the B.C. Division, three points ahead of the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Portland (22-20-3) has lost four in a row (0-2-2), but still holds down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . The Winterhawks were fined $500 for “actions of team member” at Prince George on Wednesday. . . . Announced attendance: 3,630.
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At Prince George, G Zach Sawchenko stopped 34 shots to help the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 2-1 victory
ZACH SAWCHENKO
over the Cougars. . . . Sawchenko turned aside all 12 shots he faced in the first period and all 14 in the third. . . . The game’s three goals came in a span of 3:47 in the second period. . . . F Spencer Bast (7) opened the scoring for Moose Jaw at 7:04. . . . F Brett Howden’s 24th goal, on a PP, at 9:32, gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. . . . F Colby McAuley (16) scored for the Cougars at 10:51. . . . The Cougars got 20 saves from G Ty Edmonds. . . .  Moose Jaw was 1-4 on the PP; Prince George was 0-2. . . . F Jesse Gabrielle of the Cougars sat this one out as he completed a three-game suspension. D Sam Ruopp is still out with an undisclosed injury. . . . The game drew a sellout crowd with a 50/50 promotion. Canadian Tire started it off with $25,000 and by draw time the total was $123,851, meaning one fan won $61,425. . . . The Warriors (28-12-7) went 3-2-0 in the B.C. Division. They wind up a six-game road trip in Edmonton on Sunday. Moose Jaw is second in the East Division, two points behind the Regina Pats, who hold five games in hand, and five ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Cougars (33-13-2) had won their previous five games. They lead the overall standings. . . . Announced attendance: 5,896.
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At Red Deer, D Brayden Pachal scored on a PP at 14:51 of the third period to give the Prince Albert
BRAYDEN PACHAL
Raiders a 3-2 victory over the Rebels. . . . The victory allowed the Raiders to snap an 11-game losing streak (0-8-3). . . . Pachal’s first goal of the season came in his sixth game with the Raiders since being acquired from the Victoria Royals. He went into the game with one career goal in 80 regular-season games. . . . F Jordy Stallard’s 12th goal gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead at 5:03 of the first period. . . . The Rebels took a 2-1 lead on second-period goals from F Michael Spacek and F Evan Polei, each of whom scored his 20th goal. Spacek scored at 1:37, with Polei counting on a PP at 8:47. . . . The Raiders tied it when F Parker Kelly scored his eighth goal at 18:03 of the second period. . . . Stallard also had two assists, with Kelly getting one. . . . Spacek added an assist to his goal. . . . Prince Albert G Nic Sanders blocked 40 shots to earn his first victory with the Raiders. He had been 0-9-3 since being acquired from the Tri-City Americans on Oct. 13. . . . Red Deer’s Lasse Petersen stopped 24 shots. . . . Prince Albert was 1-4 on the PP; Red Deer was 1-5. . . . The Raiders continue to play without F Simon Stransky, F Tim Vanstone and F Drew Warkentine, all out with undisclosed injuries. . . . The Raiders now are 9-34-5. . . . The Rebels (20-20-7) have lost four straight (0-3-1), but still are a comfortable third in the Central Division. . . . Announced attendance: 4,800.
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At Regina, the Medicine Hat Tigers scored the game’s first three goals and the last three as they beat the
STEVE OWRE
Pats, 8-5. . . . The Tigers (31-15-1) lead the Central Division; the Pats (29-6-7) are atop the East Division. . . . Medicine Hat got first-period goals from F Steve Owre, at 5:31, F Mark Rassell, at 10:03, and Rassell, again, at 11:14. Rassell has 20 goals. . . . Regina came back with PP goals from F Dawson Leedahl, at 14:22, and F Adam Brooks (25), at 18:54. . . . F John Dahlstrom restored Medicine Hat’s three-goal lead at 1:51 of the second period, but Regina’s Sam Steel (33) got that one back at 2:36. . . . Dahlstrom, who has 21 goals, scored again at 17:33 and the Tigers took a 5-3 lead into the third period. . . . Regina tied it on goals from F Jeff de Wit (6), at 4:57, and Leedahl (21), at 6:00. . . . Owre broke the tie with his 17th goal, at 8:44, and F Zach Fischer added two insurance goals, at 15:01 and 16:57. . . . Fischer has 26 goals. . . . Owre also had two assists, as did D Clayton Kirichenko, while F Chad Butcher drew three of them. . . . Steel added three assists for Regina, with D Dawson Davidson getting two. . . . Steel leads the WHL with 80 points, four more than Brooks. . . . Medicine Hat started with Nick Schneider in goal, but he left after giving up three goals on 13 shots in 22:36. Michael Bullion came on to get the victory with 26 saves on 28 shots. . . . The Pats got 25 saves from G Max Paddock, who lost for the first time in four decisions. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-4. . . . These two teams have combined for 34 goals in three games — the Pats won 8-5 and 6-2 in Medicine Hat. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.
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At Saskatoon, F Josh Paterson’s shootout goal gave the Blades a 3-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat
LOGAN FLODELL
Kings. . . . F Reid Duke scored for Brandon the first round of the skills competition, with F Jesse Shynkaruk tying it in the third round. Paterson scored in the fifth round. . . . The Blades got out to a 2-0 lead on goals from F Braylon Shmyr (25), at 7:32 of the first period, and F Caleb Fantillo (4), at 14:31 of the second. . . . F Stelio Mattheos scored his 16th goal, on a PP, at 4:08 of the third period to get Brandon to within one. . . . The Wheat Kings tied it with G Logan Thompson on the bench for the extra attacker as F Tanner Kaspick scored his 15th goal, at 18:57. . . . Brandon F Nolan Patrick missed a couple of shifts in the first period after taking an unpenalized hit from Saskatoon D Mark Rubinchik. Patrick drew an assist on each Brandon goal. . . . G Logan Flodell stopped 32 shots for the Blades. . . . Thompson made 32 saves for the Wheat Kings. . . . Brandon was 1-5 on the PP; Saskatoon was 0-2. . . . The Blades (19-22-6) have won four in a row and are in possession of the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, five points behind Brandon. . . . The Wheat Kings (22-17-5) had won their previous two games. . . . Announced attendance: 3,126.
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At Kennewick, Wash., F Parker AuCoin had two goals and two assists to help the Tri-City Americans to a 7-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Tri-City led 4-0 at the game’s halfway mark. . . . AuCoin scored 41
PARKER AuCOIN
seconds into the first period to get it started. D Juuso Valimaki (13) made it 2-0 at 12:08. . . . F Brett Leason’s second goal of the season ran the lead to 3-0 at 3:35 of the second period and F Kyle Olson (11) upped it to 4-0 at 9:55. . . . Kootenay got on the scoreboard when F Brett Davis (10) counted at 14:30. . . . Tri-City answered that with two more goals, from F Nolan Yaremko (5) at 15:46 and F Morgan Geekie (26) at 18:59. . . . The Ice made a game of it by scoring the next three goals. . . . F Reed Morison (1) scored at 19:25 of the second period, with F Austin Wellsby scoring the next two, at 1:21 and 10:06. He’s got six goals. . . . AuCoin added insurance with his 17th at 15:38. . . . Yaremko and D Parker Wotherspoon each had two assists, with Olson, Geekie and Leason adding one apiece. . . . F Jake Elmer and D Dallas Hines each had two assists for the Ice. . . . Wotherspoon now has 130 career assists, moving him into second place on the Americans’ career list among defenceman. He passed Darrell Hay (128) on Friday night and now trails only Tyler Schmidt, who recorded 132 over five seasons (2006-11). . . . Tri-City G Evan Sarthou blocked 25 shots. . . . Ice starter Payton Lee gave up four goals on 12 shots in 29:55. Jakob Walter came on in relief and stopped 10 of 13 shots in 30:05. . . . The Ice was 1-1 on the PP; the Americans were 0-2. . . . The game featured a brother act — F Peyton Krebs of the Ice and D Dakota Krebs of the Americans — and both were in the starting lineups. Their sister, Maddison, a country music artist, also was in the house and handled both anthems. . . . The Krebs family is from Okotoks, Alta. . . . The Americans (29-17-3) have won seven in a row and are second in the U.S. Division. This was the Americans’ first home game since they completed a 6-0-0 run through the East Division. . . . The Ice is 11-28-8. . . . Announced attendance: 3,543.
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At Langley, B.C., F Ty Ronning broke a 4-4 tie at 16:35 of the third period as the Vancouver Giants beat the Kelowna Rockets, 5-4. . . . Ronning’s 19th goal of the season was his second of the game. . . . The
JAMES MALM
Giants held 2-0 and 4-1 leads. . . . First-period goals from F Tristyn DeRoose (1), at 9:23, and F Brayden Watts (6), on a PP, at 16:22, provided the 2-0 lead. . . . Kelowna F Calvin Thurkauf cut it to 2-1 at 18:36. . . . The Giants went up 4-2 on second-period goals from F James Malm (15), at 4:17, and Ronning, at 10:18. . . . The Malm goal actually was an own-goal scored by Kelowna F Carsen Twarynski, who hit the vacated net with a pass intended for a point man who wasn’t there while there was a delayed penalty being signalled against the Giants. . . . The Rockets then got goals from D Cal Foote (5), shorthanded, at 12:28 of the second and F Kyle Topping (9), just 1:05 later, to get to within one. . . . The Rockets tied it when F Rod Southam scored his 10th goal, on a PP, at 7:15 of the third period. . . . Malm added three assists to his goal, with Watts getting one. . . . Malm, a 17-year-old from Langley, had two assists in 25 games last season. This season, he’s got 15 goals and 22 assists in 43 games. . . . Foote had an assist for Kelowna. . . . G Ryan Kubic stopped 32 shots to earn the victory over Brodan Salmond, who blocked 20. . . . Kelowna was 1-5 on the PP; Vancouver was 1-6. . . . The Giants had F Dawson Holt (shoulder) and F Johnny Wesley (shoulder) back in their lineup after 13-game absences, but still are missing D Darian Skeoch and F Tyler Benson. Skeoch missed his 16th game; Benson missed his eighth straight game. . . . F Dillon Dube and F Reid Gardiner were among Kelowna’s scratches. . . . Vancouver (17-26-3) had lost its previous six games and is 10 points out of a playoff spot. . . . Kelowna (26-17-4) has lost three in a row (0-2-1) and is third in the B.C. Division, three points behind the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Announced attendance: 4,366.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Medicine Hat at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Prince Albert at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Portland at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Calgary at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m. (Teddy Bear Game)
Kootenay at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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Friday, December 30, 2016

Cougars, 'Tips tied on top ... 'Canes win old-fashioned shootout ... Ferguson great for Blazers


FRIDAY’S GAMES:


At Brandon, F Reid Duke scored at 4:31 of OT to give the Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the Moose Jaw
REID DUKE
Warriors. . . . Duke, who drew the primary assist on the goal that forced OT, now has 20 goals in 28 games. He finished last season with 33 in 68. . . . Brandon forced OT when F Tyler Coulter scored his second goal of the game, and 15th of the season, at 6:33 of the third period. . . . F Connor Gutenberg (6) gave the Wheat Kings a 1-0 lead 47 seconds into the first period . . . Warriors F Nikita Popugaev (22) tied it at 16:57 of the first period. . . . Coulter’s shorthanded goal gave the home side a 2-1 lead at 10:17 of the second period. Coulter also drew the lone assist on the winner. . . . The Warriors took a 3-2 lead on goals from F Tristin Langan (3), at 14:03 of the second period, and F Jayden Halbgewachs, at 4:42 of the third period. Halbgewachs leads the WHL with 31 goals. . . . Brandon F Ty Lewis had two assists. He also was awarded a penalty shot after being hauled down by Moose Jaw D Josh Thrower at 17:20 of the third period with the score 3-3. Lewis wasn’t able to solve G Brody Willms. . . . Willms finished with 38 saves, while Brandon’s Logan Thompson earned the victory with 24 stops. . . . The Warriors were 0-3 on the PP; the Wheat Kings were 0-4. . . . The Wheat Kings (17-15-4) have won two in a row. They are fourth in the East Division, nine points out of third, but hold down a wild-card spot. . . . The Warriors now are 21-9-6 and sit second in the division, one point ahead of the third-place Swift Current Broncos. . . . The rematch is scheduled for tonight in Moose Jaw. . . . The Wheat Kings lost two forwards — Gutenberg and Meyer Nell — to undisclosed injuries in the first period. . . . F Ben McCartney, a second-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Wheat Kings. From Portage la Praire, Man., McCartney plays at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. . . . Announced attendance: 3,625.
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At Calgary, G Cody Porter stopped 31 shots to lead the Hitmen to a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil
CODY PORTER
Kings. . . . D Aaron Irving’s 14th goal put the Oil Kings ahead 1-0 at 5:23 of the first period. . . . Calgary then scored the next three goals. . . . F Andrei Grishakov (4) tied it on a PP at 9:28. . . . F Beck Malenstyn got his 14th goal, and fourth in the past three games, at 5:27 of the second period. . . . F Andrew Fyten (4) increased the lead to 3-1 at 16:25. . . . Edmonton D Will Warm scored his fifth goal with 5.5 seconds left in the third period to get the visitors to within a goal. . . . Irving also had an assist. . . . The Oil Kings got 29 saves from G Patrick Dea. . . . F Liam Keeler, who was a first-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, was in Edmonton’s lineup. He plays for the midget AAA team at the Edmonton Southside Athletic Club (AMHL). He has 10 goals and 18 assists in 22 games with the Lions. . . . The Hitmen (14-17-3) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). They are seven points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Oil Kings slipped to 17-17-4, but still hold down a wild-card spot. . . . They’ll clash again Sunday afternoon in Edmonton. . . . Announced attendance: 8,754.
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At Everett, F Josh Curtis broke a 3-3 tie at 14:16 of the third period as the Prince George Cougars beat
JOSH CURTIS
the Silvertips, 4-3. . . . The victory lifted the Cougars (27-10-2) into a tie with the Silvertips (25-5-6) atop the overall standings. They are one point ahead of the Regina Pats (24-3-7) and Medicine Hat Tigers (27-11-1). . . . F Jansen Harkins had given the Cougars a 2-0 lead with goals at 1:02 of the first period and 1:04 of the second. He’s got nine goals. . . . Everett scored the next three goals, with D Kevin Davis drawing an assist on each of them. . . . F Matt Fonteyne scored at 9:19 of the second, and F Dominic Zwerger (17) tied it, on a PP, at 13:48. Fonteyne gave Everett the lead with his 10th goal, on a PP, at 2:26 of the third period. . . . That lead stood less than two minutes as Cougars D Brendan Guhle tied it with No. 9, at 4:15. . . . Harkins added an assist to his brace of goals, while F Brad Morrison and F Kody McDonald each had two assists. Guhle added one. . . . F Patrick Bajkov had two assists for Everett. . . . Prince George got 17 stops from G Ty Edmonds, while Mario Petit stopped 21 shots for Everett. . . . The Silvertips were 2-7 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-3. . . . Mike Benton, the Silvertips’ radio voice, reports that Everett’s record (25-5-6, 56 points) is the second-best through 36 games in franchise history, behind the 2006-07 team that was 30-5-1. . . . Announced attendance: 5,323.
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GRIFFEN OUTHOUSE
At Kelowna, G Griffen Outhouse stopped 26 shots to lead the Victoria Royals to a 2-1 victory over the Rockets. . . . Outhouse stopped four shots in the first period and then turned aside 15 in the second. . . . F Jack Walker gave the Royals a 1-0 lead with his 19th goal at 4:12 of the first period. . . . F Kaid Oliver increased that to 2-0 with his second goal, at 8:17 of the third period. . . . Outhouse lost his shutout bid when Rockets freshman F Nolan Foote scored No. 10, on a PP, at 15:39. . . . The Rockets got 26 saves from G Michael Herringer. . . . Kelowna was 1-5 on the PP; Victoria was 0-4. . . . The Royals (20-15-4) are 3-0-1 in their past four games. They are fourth in the B.C. Division, four points behind the second-place Rockets and Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Rockets (23-14-2) have lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 5,839.
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At Medicine Hat, F Brett Davis broke a 7-7 tie — yes, 7-7 — at 16:23 of the third period as the Lethbridge
BRETT DAVIS
Hurricanes beat the Tigers, 9-7. . . . Davis has 10 points, including six goals, in 25 games. Four of his goals have come over his past three games. Last season, he finished with five goals and four assists in 53 games. . . . F Giorgio Estephan put this one away with the empty-net goal. He’s got 19 goals. . . . The Hurricanes scored three goals in the second-half of the second period to take a 6-3 lead. Estephan and F Tyler Wong scored PP goals, at 10:54 and 14:22, with F Egor Babenko (11) counting at 19:06. . . . The Tigers tied it by scoring three times in 2:17 in the third period. F Mason Shaw got it started at 9:46, with F Chad Butcher (17) scoring at 11:35. Shaw’s 13th goal tied it 6-6 at 12:03. . . . Wong, with his 25th, gave Lethbridge the lead at 12:25. . . . Tigers F Zach Fischer tied it, again, with his 20th goal, at 15:15. . . . Wong finished with two goals and three assists, while Estephan had two goals and two assists, and F Ryley Lindgren had a goal (13) and two helpers. D Brennan Menell and F Colton Kroeker had two assists each, while Davis and Bellerive each had a goal and an assist. Bellerive has 15 goals. . . . F Matt Bradley scored twice, giving him 17, and added three assists for Medicine Hat, while Shaw added two assist to his two goals. F John Dahlstrom drew three assists and D David Quenneville had two. . . . Lethbridge G Stuart Skinner stopped 43 shots, while Medicine Hat’s Nick Schneider blocked 22. . . . The Hurricanes were 3-5 on the PP; the Tigers were 1-5. . . . Lethbridge (20-13-5) has won two in a row and is second in the Central Division, 10 points behind the Tigers and five points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Medicine Hat (27-11-1) had a six-game winning streak snapped, but still leads the Central Division by 10 points. . . . Announced attendance: 3,803.
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At Prince Albert, G Tyler Brown stopped 24 shots to help the Regina Pats to an 8-0 victory over the
LANE SCHIOLER
Raiders. . . . Brown has two shutouts this season and four in his career. . . . D Lane Schioler got the winning goal, his first WHL score coming at 8:48 of the first period. The goal came in his 69th regular-season game. . . . F Nick Henry (17) and F Lane Zablocki (10) each scored twice for Regina, while F Sam Steel scored his 25th goal and added two assists. F Austin Wagner also had a goal, his 16th, and two helpers. . . . The Pats got two assists from each of D Chase Harrison and D Jonathan Smart. . . . Steel’s goal came while the Pats were shorthanded. That was their WHL-leading 17th shorthanded score. . . . Prince Albert G Ian Scott gave up three goals on 13 shots in 22:46. Nic Sanders came on to finish up, allowing five goals on 19 shots in 37:14. . . . Regina was 3-5 on the PP; the Raiders were 0-3. . . . Regina (24-3-7) has points in four straight (3-0-1) and leads the East Division by seven points over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Raiders (8-28-2) have lost two in a row. . . . The teams will meet again on Sunday in Regina. . . . Announced attendance: 2,137.
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At Red Deer, D Troy Murray broke a 1-1 tie at 5:31 of the third period and the Kootenay Ice went on to a
ZAK ZBOROSKY
4-1 victory over the Rebels. . . . Murray has three goals this season. . . . F Zak Zborosky led the Ice with a goal, his 27th, and two assists. . . . F Matt Alfaro (12) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 2:00 of the first period. . . . F Brandon Hagel’s 18th goal tied the score 41 seconds into the second period. . . . Zborosky’s 27th goal, in his 39th game, upped the Ice lead to 3-1 at 9:32 of the third period. Last season, Zborosky finished with 32 goals in 58 games. . . . Ice F Vince Loschiavo (13) iced it with an empty-netter, at 19:40. . . . F Noah Philp had two assists for Kootenay. . . . Ice G Payton Lee was outstanding, with 41 saves, 20 more than Red Deer’s Riley Lamb. . . . The Ice was 1-3 on the PP; the Rebels were 0-4. . . . By game’s end, Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ GM and head coach, had his top line — Evan Polei, Austin Glover and Hagel — firmly planted on the bench. “In the third period tonight,” Sutter told reporters later, “our best players were terrible. That’s why they sat for the last 11 minutes.” . . . The Ice improved to 8-23-8. . . . The Rebels (17-16-6) have lost two in a row and remain third in the Central Division. . . . Announced attendance: 5,104.
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At Kent, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks got 40 saves from G Cole Kehler as they beat the Seattle
COLE KEHLER
Thunderbirds, 2-1. . . . Kehler, an off-season pickup from the Kamloops Blazers, is 16-12-0, 3.04, .911 with Portland. . . . The Winterhawks won this one when F Skyler McKenzie scored his 25th goal, unassisted, to break a 1-1 tie at 15:42 of the third period. . . . He has 47 points in 39 games, after going into this season with 12 goals and 29 assists in 138 regular-season games. . . . F Keegan Iverson (14) gave the Winterhawks a 1-0 lead at 8:29 of the first period. . . . Seattle tied it when D Aaron Hyman (2) scored his first goal with the Thunderbirds, on a PP, at 6:01 of the second period. He was acquired on Tuesday from the Calgary Hitmen. . . . G Rylan Toth stopped 34 shots for the Thunderbirds. . . . Seattle was 1-2 on the PP; Portland was 0-2. . . . Seattle F Scott Eansor was back after a one-game absence. . . . The Winterhawks (21-17-1) have won two in a row. They are third in the U.S. Division, two points behind the Tri-City Americans and three ahead of the Thunderbirds. . . Seattle (18-14-4) had points in each of its previous three games (2-0-1) and holds down a wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 5,019.
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At Spokane, the Tri-City Americans rode a pair of three-goal outbursts to a 6-3 victory over the Chiefs. . .
PARKER AuCOIN
. D Ty Smith (3) got Spokane on the scoreboard first, at 4:37 of the first period. . . . The Americans scored the next three goals, with D Parker Wotherspoon (6) counting at 9:42, F Parker AuCoin scoring at 18:59, and F Morgan Geekie (21) making it 3-1 at 15:46 of the second period. . . . F Kailer Yamamoto’s 22nd goal, shorthanded, at 0:37 of the third period got the home side to within a goal. . . . The Americans then scored three straight, with F Michael Rasmussen (27) counting shorthanded, at 10:37, AuCoin getting his 14th, at 16:05, and F Max James (6) finding the range at 18:33. . . . F Keanu Yamamoto (15) scored for the Chiefs, at 18:49. . . . AuCoin has four goals in three games after not scoring for 14 in a row. . . . James, who hadn’t played since Oct. 22, now has six goals in 11 games. . . . Tri-City F Nolan Yaremko had two assists. . . . G Rylan Parenteau stopped 25 shots to earn the victory over Dawson Weatherill, who made 24 saves. . . . Each team was 0-4 on the PP. . . . The Americans (21-16-3) are second in the U.S. Division, two points ahead of Portland. . . . The Chiefs (15-15-6) are four points out of a playoff spot. . . . The same teams will meet again tonight in Kennewick, Wash. . . . Announced attendance: 7,740.
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At Swift Current, F Kaden Elder scored off a pass from F Aleksi Heponiemi at 2:11 of OT to give the
KADEN ELDER
Broncos a 3-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Elder has eight goals this season. . . . The Broncos won on a night when families of the four players killed in a Dec. 30, 1986 bus crash were recognized in a pre-game ceremony. . . . The Blades took a 2-0 lead on goals from F Josh Paterson (9), on a PP, at 10:31 of the first period, and F Lukus MacKenzie (5), at 7:29 of the second period. . . . Paterson was playing in his 100th regular-season game. . . . D Max Lajoie (6) pulled the Broncos to within a goal, on a PP, at 8:25 of the second period. . . . F Kole Gable tied the score with his fifth goal, at 10:14 of the second. . . . The Broncos got 21 saves from G Travis Child. . . . G Brock Hamm turned aside 32 shots for the Blades. . . . Saskatoon was 1-2 on the PP; Swift Current was 1-4. . . . With four forwards out with injuries, the Blades dressed eight defencemen. . . . The Broncos (20-11-7) are third in the East Division, on point behind the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Blades (14-20-5) are five points out of a playoff spot. . . . The same teams will go at it again on Sunday in Saskatoon. . . . Announced attendance: 2,234.
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At Langley, B.C., G Dylan Ferguson stopped 39 shots to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 4-2 victory over
DYLAN FERGUSON
the Vancouver Giants. . . . Ferguson, an 18-year-old from Lantzville, B.C., started on Nov. 18, in a 6-5 victory over the host Tri-City Americans, then didn’t play until Dec. 10. With G Connor Ingram with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, Ferguson now has made nine straight starts, and the Blazers are 6-2-1 in those games. . . . D Dallas Valentine’s first goal of the season gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 14:39 of the first period. . . . The Blazers went up 2-0 on second-period goals from F Garrett Pilon (9), at 1:06, and F Quinn Benjafield (10), on a PP, at 19:47. . . . Benjafield also had an assist. . . . The Giants made it interesting on third-period goals from F James Malm (10), on a PP, at 16:27, and F Ty Ronning (13), at 18:31. . . . The Blazers put it away when F Collin Shirley scored his 16th, into an empty net, at 19:21. . . .  Vancouver G Ryan Kubic turned aside 26 shots. . . . Each team was 1-5 on the PP. . . . The Blazers (23-14-2) have won two in a row. They are tied with the Kelowna Rockets for second in the B.C. Division. . . . The Giants (14-20-3) have lost two straight and are nine points from a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 4,446.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Victoria at Kamloops, 5 p.m.
Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 7:30 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Steel, Brooks spark Pats . . . Zborosky, Ice calm Hurricanes . . . Steenbergen, Broncos drop Warriors

TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Kelowna, F Conner Bruggen-Cate’s second goal of the season, an empty-netter, was the winner as
CONNER BRUGGEN-CATE
the Rockets beat the Kamloops Blazers, 3-2. . . . F Collin Shirley’s 15th goal had given the Blazers the lead at 2:12 of the first period. . . . Kelowna F Kole Lind tied with when he scored No. 20, on a PP, at 17:29. . . . The Rockets took their first lead when F Nolan Foote got No. 8, on a PP, at 5:00 of the second period. . . . Bruggen-Cate scored his empty-netter, at 19:17 of the third period. . . . Kamloops F Erik Miller then got his third goal of the season, at 19:35. . . . F Nick Merkley had two assists for the Rockets. . . . G Michael Herringer stopped 30 shots for the Rockets, while Dylan Ferguson also stopped 30 for Kamloops. . . . Kelowna was 2-6 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . The Rockets (23-12-2) have points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . Kamloops (21-14-2) is third in the B.C. Division, four points behind Kelowna. . . . D Kaedan Korczak, 15, made his WHL debut with the Rockets. From Yorkton, Sask., the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder has six goals and 12 assists in 26 games with the midget AAA Yorkton Maulers. He was the 11th overall selection in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. . . . Kamloops F Luc Smith, who was acquired from the Regina Pats on Tuesday, wasn’t in the Blazers’ lineup. He flew into Kelowna but didn’t get there in time to play. . . . Announced attendance: 6,238.
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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Zak Zborosky struck for three goals to lead the Kootenay Ice to a 6-4 victory over
ZAC ZBOROSKY
the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . It was Zborosky’s second career hat trick. He also had one last season when he scored 32 times in 58 games. . . . The Ice got out to a 2-0 lead on goals from F Jake Elmer (3), at 7:27 of the first period, and Zborosky, at 8:55. . . . F Brett Davis (3) pulled Lethbridge to within one at 15:10. . . . The Ice restored its two-goal lead as F Tanner Sidaway (2) scored 28 seconds into the second period. . . . Lethbridge’ F Zane Franklin (4) got that one back at 2:07. . . . The Ice then put it away with three straight goals, Zborosky scored at 5:19 and 12:48 of the second period, and F Austin Wellsby (3) counting at 13:50. . . . Zborosky now has 26 goals, second in the WHL to F Jayden Halbgewachs of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who has 29. . . . The Hurricanes got the game’s last two goals, both from F Tyler Wong, who haas 23. . . . The Ice got two assists from F Matt Alfaro, while Elmer added one to his goal. . . . D Igor Merezhko and D Brandon Menell each had two helpers for the visitors. . . . G Payton Lee stopped 30 shots for the Ice. . . . The Hurricanes started G Stuart Skinner, who gave up four goals on 13 shots in 25:19. Ryan Gilchrist finished up by stopping 12 of 14 shots over 25:19. . . . Kootenay was 1-3 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-5. . . . The Ice (7-22-8) had lost its previous six games (0-5-1). . . . The Hurricanes (18-13-5) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). . . . Announced attendance: 1,839.
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At Medicine Hat, F Max Gerlach scored the only goal of a three-round shootout as the Tigers got past the
MAX GERLACH
Calgary Hitmen, 5-4. . . . The Tigers had to come from behind to get to OT. Trailing 4-2 late in the third period, D Clayton Kirichenko (4) scored, on a PP, at 15:28 and F John Dahlstrom, who assisted on Kirichenko’s goal, tied it, at 17:58. . . . Dahlstrom has 17 goals. . . . F Beck Malenstyn gave Calgary a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 5:33 of the first period. . . . The Tigers scored the next two goals, with F Ryan Chyzowski (5) counting at 9:59 and F James Hamblin (8) scoring at 1:42 of the second period. . . . The Hitmen then appeared to take control with three straight goals. . . . F Mark Kastelic (5) scored at 13:47, Malenstyn (12) got his second of the night at 15:51 and F Jakob Stukel scored his 11th at 2:15 of the third period. . . . The Hitmen got two assists from each of F Matteo Gennaro and D Micheal Zipp, with Stukel and Malenstyn adding one apiece. . . . Medicine Hat G Nick Schneider stopped 33 shots. He leads the WHL with 24 victories. He has won his last five decisons. . . . The Hitmen got 42 stops from G Cody Porter. . . . Calgary was 1-2 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-5. . . . The Tigers lost F Chad Butcher, their leading scorer, at 5:55 of the second period after he was given a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Calgary F Murphy Stratton. . . . The Tigers (26-10-1) have won five in a row and are one point behind the Everett Silvertips and Prince George Cougars, who are tied atop the overall standings. . . . Calgary now is 13-16-3. . . . Announced attendance: 3,808.
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At Prince Albert, the Raiders scored the game’s first three goals and went on to beat the Saskatoon
CODY PAIVARINTA
Blades, 5-3. . . . D Cody Paivarinta got the Raiders on the scoreboard with his first career goal, in his 50th game, at 4:35 of the first period. That was the Raiders’ first goal against the Blades this season, in two-plus games. . . . F Luke Coleman made it 2-0 with No. 6, at 12:24, and F Cole Fonstad (6) upped it to 3-0 at 15:45, on a PP. . . . Saskatoon F Jake Christensen (8) scored shorthanded, at 18:04. . . . F Drew Warkentine’s second goal, at 16:57, restored the Raiders’ two-goal lead. . . . The Blades cut into the deficit at 19:05 when F Braylon Shmyr scored on a PP. . . . The Raiders got insurance from F Cavin Leth (9), at 5:32, with Shmyr (16) finishing the scoring at 8:05. . . . F Tim Vanstone had two assists for the winners, with Warkentine and Coleman each adding one. . . . Christensen also had an assist for Saskatoon. . . . The Raiders got 38 stops from G Ian Scott, while Logan Flodell blocked 27 at the other end. . . . Saskatoon was 2-6 on the PP; Prince Albert was 1-6. . . . The Raiders had D Rhett Rhinehart in their lineup as he made his WHL debut. Rhinehart, who turned 15 on Nov. 27, was the 13th overall selection in the 2016 bantam draft. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is eligible for the NHL’s 2020 draft. Rhinehart, who is from Lloydminster, Alta., has four goals and 14 assists in 13 games with the Yale Hockey Academy prep team in Abbotsford, B.C. . . . F Austin Glover (ill) was among the Raiders’ scratches, as was D Vojtek Budik, who is with the Czech Republic’s national junior team although he isn’t on its roster. . . . D Libor Hajek, who was dropped by the Czech Republic’s national junior team before the World Junior Championship began, wasn’t in Saskatoon’s lineup. . . . Saskatoon had F Matt Mosher, 16, in its lineup. From White Rock, B.C., he was a third-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. He has six goals and five assists in 16 games with the prep team at the Delta, B.C., Hockey Academy. . . . The Blades had been 2-0-0 against the Raiders, having posted shutouts in both games. . . . Prince Albert (8-26-2) had lost its previous three games. . . . Saskatoon (13-20-4) has lost four in a row (0-2-2). . . . Announced attendance: 2,313.
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At Red Deer, the Rebels got shorthanded goals 16 seconds apart as they beat the Edmonton Oil Kings,
RILEY LAMB
3-0. . . . G Riley Lamb stopped 28 shots, 13 of them in the first period, in recording the third shutout of his freshman season. . . . Red Deer F Evan Polei scored his 16th goal, while shorthanded, at 11:45 of the second period. . . . F Matt Campese notched his first with the Rebels, also while shorthanded, at 11:57. . . . F Brandon Hagel, who also had an assist, scored No. 17 at 14:51 of the third period to put this one away. . . . The Oil Kings got 39 saves from G Patrick Dea, 19 of them in the first period. . . . Each team was 0-6 on the PP. . . . Red Deer (17-14-6) had lost its previous three games (0-2-1). . . . The victory allowed the Rebels, who are third in the Central Division, to move four points ahead of Edmonton. . . . The Oil Kings (16-16-4) had points in their previous four games (2-0-2). . . . Announced attendance: 5,392.
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At Regina, F Adam Brooks and F Sam Steel each had five points as the Pats got past the Brandon
SAM STEEL
Wheat Kings, 7-4. . . . Brooks has 10 points over his last two games, including back-to-back hat tricks. . . . Brandon F Tyler Coulter (12) scored the game’s first goal, at 14:29 of the first period. . . . Regina replied with three straight as F Austin Wagner got No. 15 at 19:33, Brooks scored at 8:30 of the second and F Dawson Leedahl (15) counted at 10:25. . . . The last two of those came via the PP. . . . The Wheat Kings got to within one, at 3-2, when F Reid Duke got his 19th, shorthanded, at 11:24. . . . However, D Connor Hobbs (15), shorthanded, at 15:58 and Brooks, at 3:31 of the third period, but the home side back in control. . . . Still, the visitors got back to within a goal when Coulter scored, at 4:14, and F Ty Lewis added his 17th at 11:00. . . . Steel, who has 24 goals, provided some insurance, at 11:46, and Brooks got No. 20 into an empty net, at 19:04. . . . When the dust had cleared, Steel was leading the scoring race with 59 points, one more than Brooks. . . . Wagner and Leedahl each added an assist, as did Coulter and Duke. . . . G Tyler Brown blocked 31 shots for the Pats. With G Jordan Hollett still injured, Max Paddock of the midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings backed up Brown. Paddock is a nephew to John Paddock, the Pats’ GM and head coach. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny made 29 saves. Wagner was unable to beat him on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Brandon was 0-10. . . . The Wheat Kings again were without F Nolan Patrick, who hasn’t played since Oct. 11. . . . Regina D Connor Hobbs left at 12:50 of the third period with a kneeing major and game misconduct. . . . D Dawson Davidson, acquired earlier in the day from the Kamloops Blazers, was in Regina’s lineup, but was pointless. . . . F Ben McCartney, a second-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, has joined the Wheat Kings for a few days, although he didn’t play in this one. A native of Portage la Prairie, Man., he has 13 goals and 12 assists with a prep team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. . . . Regina (23-3-6) has won two in a row and is two points out of first place in the overall standings. The Pats have five games in hand on the Prince George Cougars and two on the Everett Silvertips, who are tied atop the standings. . . . Brandon (15-15-4) had won its previous two games. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.
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At Kent, Wash., F Sami Moilanen broke a 2-2 tie at 12:12 of the third period as the Seattle Thunderbirds
SAMI MOILANEN
beat the Spokane Chiefs, 3-2. . . . D Ethan Bear (11) gave Seattle a 1-0 lead at 9:39 of the first period, only to have F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (18) pull Spokane even at 15:50. . . . Seattle went back out front on F Scott Eansor’s 17th goal, at 6:02 of the second period. . . . D Tyson Helgesen (4) tied it for the Chiefs at 10:28 of the third period. . . . Moilanen won it with his 12th goal. . . . Bear and Eansor each had an assist. . . . F Kailer Yamamoto drew two assists for the Chiefs. . . . Seattle got 41 stops from G Rylan Toth, while Dawson Weatherill stopped 21 for Spokane. . . . The Thunderbirds were 0-1 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-2. . . . F Alex Mowbray, 20, who was added to the Chiefs’ roster earlier in the day, was in Spokane’s lineup. . . . The Chiefs also welcomed back F Curtis Miske, who hadn’t played since Nov. 27. . . . However, F Wyatt Sloboshan, who didn’t return from the Christmas break, and F Kolby Morrisseau were among Spokane’s scratches. . . . Morrisseau is out with an injury after taking a hit from Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit on Dec. 13 in Kent. Morrisseau, 16, needed attention from both trainers before leaving the ice. He spent some time in hospital after leaving a Sept. being injured during a Sept. 3 exhibition game against the Portland Winterhawks in Everett. That day, Morrisseau left the ice on a stretcher in the third period. . . . The Chiefs had been 2-0-0 in Kent this season, while the Thunderbirds are 1-0-0 in Spokane. . . . Seattle (18-13-3) has won two straight. . . . Spokane (14-14-6) has lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 6,200.
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At Swift Current, F Tyler Steenbergen scored three goals and added an assist to help the Broncos to a 6-
TYLER STEENBERGEN
1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Broncos had lost seven straight games to the Warriors. . . . Swift Current took control with three first-period goals. . . . G Glenn Gawdin (9) scored at 3:05, with F Aleksi Hopinieme (11) making it 2-0 at 5:28. Steenbergen followed with three straight goals — at 7:42 of the first period, 13:10 of the second and 6:30 of the third. He’s got 25 goals in 36 games after finishing his freshman season with 20 in 67. This was his first career hat trick. . . . Moose Jaw F Brett Howden scored his 16th goal at 17:46, with Broncos F Lane Pederson (16) getting that one back at 18:16. . . . Heponiemi also had two assists, with D Max Lajoie getting two and Pederson adding one. . . . The Broncos got 28 saves from G Taz Burman. . . . Moose Jaw started Zach Sawchenko allowed five goals on 40 shots in 55:30. Reliever Brody Willms stopped eight of nine shots in 5:30. . . . The Broncos were 1-4 on the PP; the Warriors’ unit never saw action. . . . The Broncos (19-10-7) have points in five straight (4-0-1). The victory moved them into a second-place tie with the Warriors in the East Division. . . . The Warriors (20-9-5) have lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 2,342.
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At Kennewick, Wash., F Parker AuCoin and F Michael Rasmussen each scored twice to help the Tri-City
PARKER AuCOIN
Americans to a 6-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Rasmussen now has 25 goals. . . . AuCoin, who didn’t have even one point over his last 14 games prior to the Christmas break, now has 11 goals. . . . F Skyler McKenzie scored both Portland goals, his first giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at 2:57 of the opening period. His second got Portland to within a goal, at 3-2, at 5:40 of the third period. He’s got 24 goals. . . . Rasmussen tied the game, 1-1, at 3:32 of the second period, on a PP. . . . AuCoin scored back-to-back goals, at 19:07 of the second and 2:14 of the third, for a 3-1 lead. . . . Tri-City F Tyler Sandhu (9) added insurance at 13:41 of the third period, with Rasmussen getting his second goal, on a PP, at 16:13 and F Vladislav Lukin (15) adding another PP goal, at 18:50. . . . D Dylan Coghlan drew three assists for the winners, while D Parker Wotherspoon had two and Rasmussen, Sandhu and Lukin each added one. . . . G Evan Sarthou stopped 23 shots for Tri-City, while Cole Kehler blocked 26 for Portland. . . . The Americans were 3-9 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 1-3. . . . The Americans have taken five of seven games from Portland this season. Tri-City last won five games from Portland in 2011-12. . . . The Americans (20-15-3) had lost their previous four games. . . . The Winterhawks (19-17-1) have lost three in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 4,080.
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At Langley, B.C., F Ty Ronning scored 31 second into OT to give the Vancouver Giants a 5-4 victory over
TY RONNING
the Everett Silvertips. . . . Ronning won it with his 12th goal of the season. It was his second straight OT winner. . . . F James Malm had forced OT, completing his first career three-point game — on his father’s birthday — with his ninth goal at 17:08 of the second period. . . . F Eetu Tuulolo (9) gave Everett a 1-0 lead at 4:09 of the first period. . . . The Giants responded with the next three goals. . . . F Alec Baer (3) scored on a PP, at 10:16 of the first period and F Brendan Semchuk (5) counted just 14 seconds later. . . . Vancouver F Owen Hardy (2) made it 3-1 at 12:27. . . . Everett scored three times in the second period to take a 4-3 lead. . . . F Dominic Zwerger, who has 15 goals, got the first two, at 0:41 and 11:45. . . . F Connor Dewar (5) broke the tie at 13:44. . . . F Tyler Benson had two assists for Vancouver, with Baer and Semchuk adding one each. . . . G Ryan Kubic turned aside 30 shots to earn the victory. . . . Everett’s Mario Petit stopped 21 shots. . . . Vancouver was 1-4 on the PP; Everett was 1-6. . . . Everett had been 3-0-0 against Vancouver these season and is 8-0-3 against teams from the B.C. Division. . . . The Giants (14-18-3) have won three in a row. . . . The Silvertips (24-4-6) have points in four straight (3-0-1) and are tied with the Prince George Cougars atop the overall standings. Everett holds three games in hand. . . . Vancouver D Ryan Jones, who suffered a shoulder injury during the exhibition season, played his first game of this season. With only 17 skaters dressed, Jones played on a forward line. . . . Everett head coach Kevin Constantine celebrated his 58th birthday by taking a game misconduct at 9:46 of the second period. According to Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province, Constantine was “angry about Zwerger dive call” at 6:49. . . . Announced attendance: 4,317.


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At Victoria, F Tyler Soy returned to the Royals’ lineup with a bang, his three goals and an assist leading
TYLER SOY
them to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Soy, 19, hadn’t played since suffering an undisclosed injury on Nov. 19. . . . He scored Victoria’s last three goals, giving him 15 goals in 22 games, and his second hat trick this season. He has four in his career, including two in 2014-15. . . . F Matt Phillips (25) and Soy gave the Royals a 2-0 lead, with goals at 1:18 of the first period and 7:31 of the second. . . . F Brad Morrison’s 16th goal got the Cougars close at 8:31. . . . Soy completed his three-goal game by scoring at 15:05 of the second and 28 seconds into the third. . . . D Chaz Reddekopp (6) got Victoria’s last goal, at 15:13. . . . D Ryan Gagnon had two assists for the Royals, while Reddekopp had one. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 42 shots for the Royals. . . . G Ty Edmonds, who stopped 19 shots, made his 189th career regular-season appearance with Prince George, setting a franchise record in the process. . . . Victoria was 0-1 on the PP; Prince George was 0-4. . . . The Royals (18-15-4) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). . . . The Cougars (26-9-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped. . . . Announced attendance: 5,285.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:26 PM
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