WHL Western Hockey League

WHL Hockey Live On SHAW: Friday, March 12 - Kelowna Rockets at Vancouver Giants

Published on March 12, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, AB - Craig Cunningham and the Vancouver Giants (40-24-2-3) welcome Brandon McMillan and the Kelowna Rockets (33-31-2-4) for a B.C. Division match-up on Friday night.

Friday's contest between the Giants and Rockets can be seen LIVE throughout western Canada on SHAW and SHAW Direct Channel 299 (7:30pm PST).

The Giants wrapped up a 10-game road trip with a 6-0 shutout victory in Chilliwack over the Bruins on Sunday, snapping a four-game losing skid, and are already locked into second place in the Western Conference. Friday's game marks the Giants' first game at Pacific Coliseum since January 3rd. Cunningham leads the Giants with 94 points this season.

The Rockets are coming off a 5-2 loss in Spokane to the Chiefs on Tuesday night, putting an end to a three-game winning streak, and currently sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Rockets have lost five of their last six road games. McMillan scored for the fifth time in his last six games with a marker on Tuesday night in Spokane.

It's the eighth and final regular-season meeting between the Rockets and Giants. Vancouver won four of the first seven meetings versus Kelowna.

Elsewhere on Friday, Michael Stone and the Calgary Hitmen (50-17-1-2) host TJ Foster and the Edmonton Oil Kings (16-41-4-9) for the back half of a home-and-home series between the Central Division combatants.

The Hitmen defeated the Oil Kings 4-1 in Edmonton on Wednesday for their seventh straight victory, and currently hold a three-point lead over the Brandon Wheat Kings for first place in the Eastern Conference and top spot in the overall WHL standings. The Hitmen will capture the Scotty Munro trophy for a second straight year if they defeat the Oil Kings on Friday or the Red Deer Rebels on Saturday, or if the Wheat Kings drop a point from their remaining two games.

The Oil Kings suffered their sixth straight defeat with Wednesday's loss to the visiting Hitmen, and will finish the season no better than 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The Oil Kings have won just six games on the road this season. Foster (10g-27a) ranks third on the team in scoring with 37 points.

In Chilliwack, B.C., Ryan Howse and the Chilliwack Bruins (32-32-1-5) host Chris Francis and the Portland Winterhawks (42-25-2-1) on Friday.

The Bruins are coming off back-to-back 7-4 victories in Prince George over the Cougars on Tuesday and Wednesday, and currently sit tied on points with Kamloops for seventh place in the Western Conference. Howse scored five goals and six points in the two wins in Prince George.

The Winterhawks are coming off Tuesday's 3-0 shutout victory over the visiting Everett Silvertips for their second win in a row, and currently occupy fifth place in the Western Conference. The Hawks have won 21 games on the road this season.

In Everett, WA, Shane Harper and the Everett Silvertips (44-20-3-2) host Prab Rai and the Seattle Thunderbirds (18-39-7-5) for a U.S. Division battle on Friday.

The Silvertips suffered a 3-0 loss in Portland on Tuesday for their first regulation setback in 12 games, and currently trail Tri-Cities by two points for first place in the U.S. Division and Western Conference. Harper leads the Silvertips with 40 goals this season.

The Thunderbirds fell 4-1 to the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, WA, on Wednesday after defeating the Ams 4-3 at home on Sunday. The T-Birds have won just eight games on the road this season.

In Kamloops, B.C., C.J. Stretch and the Kamloops Blazers (32-32-2-4) welcome Brett Connolly and the Prince George Cougars (11-56-1-2) for a B.C. Division battle.

The Blazers are coming off a 4-3 victory over the visiting Cougars on Sunday for their second win in a row and their fourth win in five games, and currently sit in seventh place in the Western Conference. The Blazers are 12-5-0 versus Prince George since the start of last season.

The Cougars are coming off back-to-back losses to the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Tuesday and Wednesday, stretching their overall losing skid to 15 games. The Cougars have won only three times on enemy ice all season.

In Lethbridge, AB, Carter Bancks and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (20-42-5-3) host Linden Vey and the Medicine Hat Tigers (39-23-3-5) for the first of two weekend meetings between the teams to wrap up the regular season.

The Hurricanes snapped a three-game losing skid with a 5-2 win over the visiting Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday night. Bancks (19g-35a) leads the Hurricanes in scoring with 54 points this season.

The Tigers have been off since picking up a 5-2 win in Edmonton over the Oil Kings on Sunday, stretching their winning streak to four games, and currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Tigers are 16-14-2-3 on the road this season.

In Red Deer, AB, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Red Deer Rebels (39-26-0-5) host Kevin King and the Kootenay Ice (41-24-3-2) for the back half of a home-and-home series between the teams.

The Ice managed a 5-1 win over the visiting Rebels in Cranbrook on Wednesday night for just their second victory in their last seven games, and currently hold a one-point lead over the Medicine Hat Tigers for fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Ice can clinch fourth place, and home-ice advantage through the first round of the playoffs, with any combination of wins and Tigers' losses totaling 2.

The Rebels suffered their third straight setback with Wednesday's loss in Cranbrook, B.C, to the Ice, and now cannot finish higher than fifth in the Eastern Conference. The Rebels are a solid 24-9-0-2 at home this season.

In Regina, SK, Jordan Weal and the Regina Pats (30-33-3-4) host Brayden Schenn and the Brandon Wheat Kings (48-18-1-3) for the first of back-to-back meetings between the East Division rivals to close out the season.

The Pats edged the Saskatoon Blades 3-2 in Saskatoon on Wednesday night for their third straight win since being officially eliminated from post-season contention. Weal notched an assist in Wednesday's win to become the first 17-year-old player to reach the 100-point mark since Pavel Brendl did it with the Calgary Hitmen in 1998-99.

The Wheat Kings are coming off an 8-2 pasting of the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Wednesday for their sixth win in a row, and currently trail the Calgary Hitmen by three points for first place in the overall WHL standings. Schenn recorded six points (2g-4a) in Wednesday's win over the Warriors, giving him seven goals and 13 points over his last six games.

In other WHL action on Friday, Derek Hulak and the Saskatoon Blades (45-18-3-4) host Brandon Herrod and the Prince Albert Raiders (31-34-3-2) for the first of two meetings between the teams to wrap up the regular season.

The Blades are coming off a 3-2 loss to the visiting Regina Pats on Wednesday for their fourth defeat over their last six games, and now sit three points back of Brandon for first place in the East Division. Hulak (31g-49a) leads the Blades in scoring with 80 points.

The Raiders dropped a 5-2 decision to the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday, officially eliminating them from the playoff race. The Raiders will miss the post-season for a third consecutive season.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 12, 2010


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