F Jon Mirasty (Prince Albert, Tri-City, Moose Jaw, 2000-02) was released by Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL) with one game left in the regular season. He had one assist in 10 games this season for Barys.
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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton vs. Lethbridge
Prince Albert vs. Swift Current
Calgary vs. Medicine Hat
Saskatoon vs Red Deer
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland vs. Seattle
Kelowna vs. Everett
Kamloops vs. Tri-City
Victoria vs. Spokane
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, G Cam Lanigan stopped 32 shots to help the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Lanigan, who is in his final WHL season, has four shutouts in his career, all of them this season. This was the third one with the Tigers; he put up his first one with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . F Curtis Valk had two goals for the Tigers, giving him 35. . . . The Tigers, who have won four in a row, moved past the Swift Current Broncos and into sixth place in the Eastern Conference. . . . Brandon has lost three in a row. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reported: “Brandon C Jayce Hawryluk, who is on a six-game point-scoring streak (5-6-11) was scratched for school-related reasons.” . . .
In Prince Albert, F Leon Draisaitl scored twice to lead the Raiders to a 3-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The victory lifted the Raiders back to the top of the East Division, two points ahead of the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Draisaitl, a freshman from Germany, has 15 goals. . . . The Raiders’ other goal came from Norwegian F Jonas Knutsen, a sophomore. He’s got six goals. . . .
In Cranbrook, F Jaedon Descheneau had a goal and two assists as the Ice won their 11th straight home game, dropping the Victoria Royals, 5-1. . . . Descheneau, a 17-year-old from Edmonton, had 14 points in 54 games last season. This time around, he’s got 55 points, including 40 assists, in 54 games. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart scored his 29th goal and added an assist. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 30 shots. . . . The Ice, with three games in hand, is three points behind the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who hold down the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Royals are tied with the Spokane Chiefs for fourth in the Western Conference. . . .
In Red Deer, F Rhyse Dieno scored twice as the Rebels got past the Prince George Cougars, 4-1. . . . Dieno has six goals in last three games and 23 this season. . . . Red Deer D Mathew Dumba had three assists. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak turned aside 32 shots. . . . The Rebels are fifth in the Eastern Conference, but are just a point behind the Saskatoon Blades. . . . F Jordan DePape, 20, is skating with the Rebels after having November shoulder surgery. If all goes well, he could return to action for Red Deer’s last two regular-season games. . . .
In Vancouver, F Kale Kessy had a goal and an assist to help the Kamloops Blazers past the Giants, 4-1. . . . Kessy, who has 15 goals, was acquired from the Giants last month. . . . F Colin Smith added his 37th goal and an assist for Kamloops. . . . Blazers D Joel Edmundson scored his sixth goal in his first game back after serving a four-game suspension. . . . Kamloops is second in the B.C. Division, five points behind the Kelowna Rockets. Kelowna is at home to the Everett Silvertips tonight, then in Kamloops on Friday. The Blazers and Rockets will play in Kelowna on Saturday. . . .
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 2-0 second-period deficit and edged the Calgary Hitmen, 4-3. . . . Spokane D Brenden Kichton tied the score 2-2 at 12:24 of the second, on a PP. He’s got 18 goals. . . . F Carter Proft broke the tie, with his seventh goal, at 18:49. . . . F Todd Fiddler upped the lead to 4-2 at 10:57 of the third. . . . Calgary F Victor Rask got his 11th goal at 17:49. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester scored his 31st goal and added two assists. . . . The Hitmen had won the first four games of their U.S. Division swing. . . . Calgary has played its last nine games on the road and gone 5-4-0.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Dan Gibb, Prince George
D Sam Grist, Kamloops
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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