Prince Albert @Brandon
With the Regina Pats enjoying a night off the Brandon Wheat Kings were looking to get back in the win column, while the Raiders chased the also idle Saskatoon Blades, who hold down the final wild card birth in the Eastern Conference.
It would be the Wheat Kings off to a blazing start. Just 26 seconds into the game Ty Lewis would score his 32nd goal of the season to put his team up 1-0 after stealing the puck in the Raider end and beating Curtis Meger five-hole.
Before the game was three minutes old, the Wheat Kings would make it 2-0 on Marcus Sekundiak’s third goal of the season. Johnny Hooker’s pass was right on Sekundiak’s tape and he just had to redirect it past a sprawling Meger.
Just turned 18-years-old Ty Ettinger would score his first goal since November 3rd, 2017 to put the Wheat Kings in a commanding 3-0 lead despite being out shot 15-5 in the first period. Ettinger was the recipient of a bounce after a Wheat Kings chance was foiled by Meger. His wrist shot from the high slot beat Meger low glove side.
Penalty trouble would land two Wheat Kings in the box almost midway through the second period. These transgressions would allow the Raiders to get back into the game. Jordy Stallard would pot his 38th, squeezing a puck under the arm of Logan Thompson to make it 3-1 before Brett Leason on a broken play would make it 3-2 on his 11th goal, which also came with the man advantage.
It would take the Wheat Kings until after the 13 minute mark to register their first shot in the second period. The Raiders held a decided shot advantage (31-9) but still trailed the Wheat Kinfgs 3-2 after 40 minutes.
Ian Scott would replace Meger 2:15 into the third period as the Wheat Kings added to their lead on just their tenth shot of the game. 2015 third round pick Rylan Bettans would pick up the puck on the half wall and snap his fifth goal of the season, surpassing the four goals he scored last season, to give the Wheat Kings a 4-2 lead.
While continuing to pepper Thompson with shots, the Raiders were pressing to catch the Wheat Kings. Their hard would pay off when Spencer Moe potted his eighth goal. Parker Kelly’s shot in close would create a rebound that went right to Moe with an open cage.
The Raiders would keep pressing through the games final six and a half minutes in hopes of tying the game and sending it to overtime. With 1:31 to go they would pull Scott for the extra attacker. It would not be enough as the 3826 Wheat Kings fans would go home happy, the home side having hung on to win and move back into third in the East Division. Final score 4-3, Prince Albert out shot Brandon 42-13.
Seattle @Everett
A sellout crowd in Everett would see 8238 fans pack the Angel of the Winds arena in Everett, Washington. They were in store for a tightly contested match up between the closest U.S. Division teams by distance.
Tonight would not be the night Carter Hart set the new all-time shutout record. Despite a first period that gave the Silvertips a 1-0 lead, it would be the Thunderbirds getting a power play goal past Hart to tie it at one just 1:42 into the second period. Blake Bargar picked up his 11th goal of the season on a broken play with a loose puck in front.
The Silvertips opened the scoring nearly 17 minutes into the first with a goal by Martin Fasko-Rudas. Fasko-Rudas was able to tip a pass from Luke Ormsby past Dorrin Luding.
Seattle had Everett chasing the puck after their first goal and were able to make it 2-1 on a wrist shot from Jaret Tyszka. Matthew Wedman gave the puck to Tyszka who made a seeing eye shot count. The Thunderbirds really moved the puck around on the goal and they made it count.
A Riley Sutter wrist shot would close the gap and tie the game for Everett when he beat Dorrin Luding low to the glove side with 3:40 to go in the middle stanza. It would be his 23rd goal of the season.
The Silvertips would draw four straight second period penalties but were unable to score. The teams would head to the locker room tied at two after 40 minutes.
Despite a lot of pressure from the Silvertips to take the lead on home ice in the third period, the teams would remain tied after regulation. Everett pumped 21 shots on Luding compared to just 7 against Hart.
For the second straight night, the teams would head to free hockey. Overtime would solve nothing, as Seattle held possession through most of the overtime period but would not advance into the Silvertips end. Seattle wanted to wind the clock down as their record was just 1-7 in the extra period. They had a 2-2 record heading into the shootout and they did everything they could to hold off the Silvertips.
The shootout would guarantee a winner.
After facing three shooters apiece, it was Seattle and Dorrin Luding picking up the victory. Not too often you can say that you out played Carter Hart, making 41 saves and two of three in the shoot out to Hart’s 30 saves and none in the shoot out.
Prince George @Kamloops
Goals, goals and more goals at the Sandman Centre in front of more than 3000 fans.
It would take just 15 seconds for Nick Chyzowski to give the Blazers a 1-0 lead.
After giving up the first goal, it wouldn’t take long for the Cougars to regain their composure and settle in. Vladislav Mikhalchuk would even the game up at ones. His 11th goal of the season was scored on a breakaway and was unassisted.
A little over three minutes later, the Cougars would have their first lead of the game. Josh Maser’s 24th goal, came on the power play. The Cougars did a great job of moving the puck around the Blazer end and Maser beat Ferguson.
Swiss import Justin Sigrist would score his third of the season just 1:33 later. He beat Tavin Grant to knot the game at two.
The game would continue it’s chippy play, landing a Cougar in the penalty box and handing the Blazers a shot at taking the lead back. They would be successful as Jackson Shepard would score on the man advantage to make it 3-2.
Then the scoring would continue as the Cougars would score at 1:57 (Maser, 25th) and again at 4:14 (Curtis, 9th) to take a 4-3 lead early in the second period. Not to be out done, Jermain Loewen’s 29th goal of the year would re-tie the game at four just 28 seconds later.
Between the Maser and Curtis goals, Kamloops Blazer defenseman Nolan Kneen would be assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for kneeing. His penalty would be served by Tylor Ludwar. Ludwar would proceed to step out of the box and engage in fisticuffs with Austin Crossley less than a minute later.
The high scoring affair between the bottom two teams in the Western Conference would continue. Joe Gatenby would blast a shot from the point on the power play that would be tipped by Quinn Benjafield and would put the Blazers out in front 5-4 with 7:55 to play in the second period. It was Bnjafield’s 19th of the year.
It would be another lead that would not last as the Cougars were down but not out.
Mikhalchuk would score his second goal of the night, bringing the Cougars even with the Blazers. The goal would send Dylan Ferguson to the bench and bring Max Palaga into the night’s action. A late power play would result in another power play goal for the Cougars. Jared Bethune collected his 19th of the year with seven seconds left in the period. It would send the teams to the locker room with the score at 6-5 Prince George. The teams would register 25 shots a piece.
Tavin Grant could not stop the goal barrage, he would allow his sixth goal of the night when Tylor Ludwar would score his first WHL goal.
After all that scoring, the teams would head to overtime, neither team mustering up a goal in the final 17:54 of the third period. Kamloops desperately tried for the win, directing 19 shots on net to just four for the Cougars over the final 20 minutes.
Only three shots hit the net in extra time and the teams would head to the shoot out.
Prince George would score two goals on three chances while Kamloops would manage just one goal. Cougars take this one 7-6.
