B.C. Division, Central Division, Eastern Division, Insight, U.S. Division

WHL playoff recap: Home Ice proves Advantageous, Pats & T’birds up 3-2

Written by Paul Figler on

Regina 5 Lethbridge 3 (Regina leads series 3-2)

Game story:

-Lethbridge’s Josh Tarzwell opened the scoring in this tilt, it was his first WHL playoff goal in his first game of this series. Later in the game he would take a hard body check against the boards and it looked as though he could have suffered a separated shoulder. This injury could cost him the rest of the season. Josh Mahura would tie things up off a face-off in the Lethbridge zone. The pass banked off the boards right to him and he blasted home a big goal.

Ryan Vandervlis scored a power play goal early in the second on their first power play of the game. Sam Steel would score his first goal of the series to re-tie the game, at 2 a piece. Philp Ahl would score to make it 3-2 and give Regina their first lead just past the halfway mark of the 2nd. Lethbridge would storm back as Egor Babenko scores to tie the game for the third time. Dylan Cozens added an assist to his point total. He now has 7 points in 11 playoff games while partaking in his 15 year old season. Public enemy number one in Lethbridge, Dawson Leedahl would go on to score the game winner with just 13:35 to go in the game. Austin Wagner would salt the game away with an empty net marker with three seconds left.

Captain Adam Brooks would end the game with four assists and was named the game’s first star. Ryan Vandervlis had a goal and an assist in a losing effort.

Health:

-Matt Alfaro will not be back in the lineup in this series, Josh Tarzwell may also be done as he sustained an injury in game 5. Austin Wagner returned and put up a goal and two assists. Dawson Davidson did not play and Jake Leschyshyn is done for the year.

Game 1: Lethbridge 3 @Regina 1

Game 2: Regina 3 Lethbridge 2 (OT)

Game 3: Lethbridge 3 Regina 1

Game 4: Regina 6 @Lethbridge 2

Game 5: Lethbridge 3 Regina 5

Game 6: Sunday @ Lethbridge

Game 7(if necessary): Tuesday @ Regina

Leading scorers:

Regina: Sam Steel (8 16 24 points), Dawson Leedahl (11 8 19 points), Connor Hobbs (4 15 19 points)

Lethbridge: Tyler Wong (11 13 24 points), Giorgio Estephan (10 13 23 points), Egor Babenko (9 12 21 points)

Seattle 5  Kelowna 3 (Seattle leads series 3-2)

Game story:

-The series shifted back to Seattle and the home team opened the scoring while short-handed. With Mathew Barzal in the box, Scott Eansor scooped up a pass and scored on a breakaway. Seattle would go up 2-0 on a goal from Sami Moilanen before penalties caught up to them. Kelowna would make it a one goal game just over a minute later on a Power Play goal by Calvin Thurkauf. Kelowna would go on to score all 3 goals on the power play, finishing the game 3 for 10 (30%). Not to be out done, Seattle would also add three power play goals to finish 3 for 8 (37.5%).

Seattle would keep WHL playoffs leading goal scorer Reid Gardiner from getting another goal to add to his 15 but he would get an assist to remain four points ahead of Wong and Steel who have 24 points a piece. Carl Stankowski kept the T-birds in the game with a lot of good quality saves, ending the game with 37 saves on 40 shots. Michael Herringer was not as sharp, he allowed 5 goals on just 24 shots.

Health:

-Ethan Bear took warm up with apparent broken hand but was not able to play in the game. Rylan Toth also missed the game, his status is still unknown going forward. Braydyn Chizen remains Kelowna’s most notable scratch.

Game 1: Seattle 5 Kelowna 4

Game 2: Kelowna 4 @Seattle 3(OT)

Game 3: Seattle 2 @Kelowna 1

Game 4: Kelowna 4 Seattle 2

Game 5: Seattle 5 Kelowna 3

Game 6: Sunday @ Kelowna

Game 7(if necessary): Tuesday @ Seattle

Leading scorers:

Kelowna: Reid Gardiner (15 13 28 points), Calvin Thurkauf (8 13 21 points), Dillon Dube (7 14 21 points).

Seattle: Keegan Kolesar (9 13 22 points), Donovan Neuls (6 10 16 points), Ethan Bear (5 11 16 points).