WHL recap: Ams come all the way back and add coveted piece, Broncos, Giants, Thunderbirds and Hitmen add two points

Only quick hits tonight as we celebrate the birth of another member of the DUBNetwork family and a busy night in the Western Hockey League. Congratulations to the Rivers family on the addition to their family.

It is also Jake Bean Trade Night.

Regina @Swift Current

The Swift Current Broncos took an early two-goal lead at home only to see the Regina Pats claw themselves back in the second period to tie the game at two on goals from Bryan Lockner (sixth) and Nick Henry (seventh). Matteo Gennaro played hero for the Broncos tonight, scoring his 25th and 26th, with the second being the game-winner. Kaden Edler  sealed it with less than a minute and a half to go, as  the Broncos took their 28th victory of the season 4-2.

Vancouver @Medicine Hat

The Medicine Hat Tigers lost two different leads in this game. They would open the scoring while short-handed early in the first period. Tyler Preziuso would get his 11th of the year. Dawson Holt would get the first of two for him on the night to tie it up at one. Draft eligible Ryan Chyzowski (14th) would give the Tigers back the lead, this time on the power play early in the second period. Less than a minute later Brad Morrison would re-tie the game.

It would then be the Giants turn to take and relinquish a lead. First Brayden Watts (12th)  scored while short-handed to put the Giants up 3-2. On the same four minute penalty the Tigers would even up the game on Gary Haden’s 10th of the year. In the third it would be the Giants taking the lead for good when 35-goal man Ty Ronning would get his 36th on the power play. With eight and a half minutes to go Dawson Holt would pot the insurance marker and the Giants would roll onto a 5-3 victory. With the win the Giants tied the Kelowna Rockets for most points in the Western Conference with 51.

Calgary @Lethbridge

In another battle of teams looking to make the best of a poor season, it was the Calgary Hitmen that would dominate the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The game would also feature one of Nick Schneider’s best performances of the season as he would finish the contest with 38 saves.

Early on the teams would exchange chances. Andrew Fyten (fifth) would make good on a play not quite six minutes into this contest. Jordy Bellerieve later scored the lone Hurricanes goal to tie things up at one. It would be his 24th of the year.

Two minutes later Fyten (sixth) would add his second goal of the night and the Hitmen were off to the races. After one period it was 2-1 Hitmen. A minute and a half into the second they would extend their lead to two. Luke Coleman collected his eighth of the year. Defenseman Jameson Murray would get his first of the season and second of his WHL career to make it four to one. Before the second period was half done the Hitmen would add another, this time from Riley Stotts.

After 40 minutes it was 5-1 for the Hitmen. For good measure the team added a sixth goal on the power play from Cael Zimmerman (fourth) with less than a minute to go. The final in this one was 6-1 Calgary.

Tri-City @Prince George

The Americans made a splash in the trade market during their game in Prince George but there were early signs portraying the fact that they were not prepared. But the Americans would make a comeback in this one from down 4-1 to incredibly win 6-5 after a shootout with Prince George.

In a game that featured five power play goals between the teams, it would be the Americans second and third power play goals that got the game to five a side, sending it to overtime. It would be the Cougars putting themselves out to an early two to nothing lead on goals from Jared Bethune and Aaron Boyd before the game was nine minutes old. On a power play that resulted from a fight, the Americans cut the lead to one before the end of the first period on a goal from Sasha Mutala. The Cougars would score on back-to-back power plays, the first coming at 11:24 in which Brett Clayton would then take a cross-checking penalty to put the Cougars right back on the power play. They’d score again to make it four to one. Just 16 seconds after the second power play goal against, Jordan Topping scored his 20th goal of the season to bring the Americans back to within two goals.

With just over four minutes left in the second period, tough guy Maxwell James popped in his sixth of the year. The Ams would be within a goal before the final period and would look to get back to even with the Cougars.

Early in the third it would be the Cougars scoring again to get themselves back to a two-goal lead. Max Kryski scored his third goal of the season, making it 5-3 for the hosts.

Newly acquired Rhett Rhinehart took a double minor for checking from behind and the Americans seized the opportunity to get themselves right back into this game and collect some points. Parker AuCoin scored two goals in a 1:35 span and just like that, the teams headed to overtime.

Overtime would have a ton of chances for both teams but neither could solve the goaltenders. It would come down to a shoot out and it would be the first shooter, AuCoin, scoring and winning the game for the Americans. The final in this one would be 6-5 Americans.

Spokane @Seattle

No one is really sure what is going on in Seattle but the Thunderbirds are scratching and clawing their way back into the US division race. With tonight’s win, Seattle tied the Chiefs at 45 points, putting them four points back of the pace set by the Portland Winterhawks. Donovan Neuls would be the star on this night posting two goals and an assist in helping the T’Birds out last the Chiefs. Seattle would go 2-for-5 on the power play while not allowing a goal on six opportunities. Tyszka and Wedman would add the other goals for Seattle while Jaret Anderson-Dolan netted the lone marker for Spokane.