Kootenay 4 @Regina 2
The Kootenay ICE (24-28-3-0) finally solved the East Division on Friday and it came at the expense of the hometown Regina Pats (28-23-5-0). The Pats had won three straight coming in and the ICE had lost three straight.
It was Colton Kroeker leading the way for Kootenay, setting up a goal in the early going and then scoring a key short handed marker that helped the ICE take off to a 4-1 in. The Pats got closer, but ultimately they would fall 4-2.
Sam Steel assisted on both Regina goals giving him 11 points in his last four games, but that would not be enough. Dallas Hines and Alec Baer also had one goal and one assist each for Kootenay and Duncan McGovern stopped 37 of 39 in the win.
Just 46 seconds into the game, Baer entered the zone and found some room before filing a shot glove side on Ryan Kubic.
Nick Henry tied the game up as he took a cross-ice feed from Jesse Gabrielle and buried his ninth this year.
A couple minutes later in the second, Colton Veloso pounced on a bouncing puck and found a streaking Kroeker for the 2-1 lead while short handed.
Less than three minutes later Sebastian Streu buried his ninth this year to make the game 3-1. Dallas Hines added another off a one-timer on the power play and the ICE had a 4-1 advantage.
In the third Matt Bradley took a slick feed from Steel and made it a two-goal game. The Pats would get no closer though.
Cam Hebig appeared to score another for Regina later in the third, but it was ruled that he interfered with McGovern and the goal was waved off.
Kubic stopped 29 of 33 in the loss.
The ICE continue their East Division trip in Moose Jaw Saturday. Regina hosts Lethbridge on Saturday.
Kamloops 3 @Prince George 2
Jermaine Loewen had made it a habit to score key late-game goals for the Kamloops Blazers (25-25-1-3). He was at it again on Friday night against the Prince George Cougars (19-28-4-4). He found a rebound on the power play with only 40 seconds left, leading his Blazers to a 3-2 win.
Kamloops now leads the season series 4-2.
The Blazers are now eight points back of Seattle for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Joe Gatenby notched two assists for Kamloops and Dylan Ferguson turned away 26 of 28 as Kamloops stopped their two-gam skid.
Ryley Appelt opened the scoring 1:37 in, but P.G, answered back with markers from Ilijah Colina and Kjell Kjemhus (his first WHL goal) before the game was 3:37 old and it was 2-1.
Six minutes later Jackson Shepard tied things up with his sixth this year.
That was all the scoring until Loewen played late-game hero yet again.
Taylor Gauthier continues to pay well in losing efforts. He stopped 30 of 33 and was named the game’s first star.
Kamloops and Prince George play again tomorrow night
Spokane 2 @Everett 1 (OT)
The table seemed set for Carter Hart to inch closer to the WHL shutout record and lead his Everett Silvertips (34-17-2-2) to another win, this time over the visiting Spokane Chiefs (29-19-3-2).
Instead Jaret Anderson-Dolan tied the game at one with 1:49 left and Kailer Yamamoto netted the overtime winner and the Chiefs took a big win in Everett out from under the paws of Hart and the ‘Tips.
Garrett Pilon gave Everett that 1-0 lead midway through the first period. He tipped home a pass from Riley Sutter for his 26th this year.
That would be all the scoring until late in the third. Yamamoto did redirect a shot by Hart in the second, but his stick was clearly too high for it to count and it was waved off right away.
With Spokane goalie Dawson Weatherill pulled for an extra attacker, Hudson Elynuik found Anderson-Dolan in the slot and the L.A. Kings prospect beat Hart inside his right arm.
In overtime, Yamamoto took advantage of a strange hop off the end-boards and banked the puck off Hart with his backhand. The goal was his 11th this season and came with 2:02 left in the extra frame.
Hart stopped 30 of 32 while Weatherill turned away 38 of 39.
Spokane heads to Kennewick Saturday while Everett hosts the Vancouver Giants.
