WHL Western Hockey League

WHL Hockey Live On Shaw: Friday, December 11 Kamloops Blazers at Vancouver Giants

December 11, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, AB - Garry Nunn and the Vancouver Giants (20-11-1-2) host C.J. Stretch and the Kamloops Blazers (13-15-2-2) for a battle between B.C. Division rivals on Friday night.

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

The Giants are coming off a 5-0 shutout win over the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Wednesday night for their second victory in their last three games, and currently sit seven points clear for top spot in the B.C. Division. The Giants are 14-8-0-0 on home ice this season. Nunn has scored four goals in seven games since returning to the Giants lineup after recovering from an injury that kept him out since training camp.

The Blazers are coming off a 3-2 victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars last Saturday for their second victory in their last three outings, and currently occupy fourth place in the B.C. Division - 13 points behind the Giants. The Blazers have just three wins on the road this season. Stretch scored the game-winning goal in Saturday's victory over the Cougars.

It's the third meeting of the season between the Giants and Blazers. The teams split a home-and-home series on October 2nd and 3rd, with each game going to overtime or a shootout. The teams will meet up again on Saturday night in Kamloops.

Elsewhere on Friday night, Matt Calvert and the Brandon Wheat Kings (21-11-0-2) host Shane McColgan and the Kelowna Rockets (17-15-1-0).

The Wheat Kings are coming off a 5-4 overtime victory over the Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday for their fourth consecutive win, and currently sit in second place in the East Division and third place in the Eastern Conference. Calvert scored a hat trick on Wednesday, including his WHL-leading seventh shorthanded marker of the season.

The Rockets are coming off a 9-5 win in Regina over the Pats on Wednesday for their second straight win and their fifth straight road victory, and currently sit in second place in the B.C. Division. McColgan tallied a personal-best five points (3g-2a) in Wednesday's win in Regina.

In Chilliwack, B.C., Kevin Sundher and the Chilliwack Bruins (13-16-1-4) host Tyler Johnson and the Spokane Chiefs (19-8-2-0).

The Bruins dropped a 5-0 shutout decision in Vancouver on Wednesday night for their third defeat in their last four games, and currently sit in third place in the B.C. Division. Sundher has just three goals and four points over his last 12 games.

The Chiefs are coming off a 3-0 shutout win over the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday for their fifth straight victory, and currently sit just four points behind the Tri-City Americans for top spot in the U.S. Division. The Chiefs have been one of the WHL's hottest teams of late, posting a 13-2-1 record since the start of November.

In Everett, WA, Tyler Maxwell and the Everett Silvertips (16-11-2-0) welcome Alex Rodgers and the Prince George Cougars (5-24-1-1) on Friday.

The Silvertips are coming off Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks for their fourth straight setback, and have slipped to fourth place in the U.S. Division. Maxwell scored his 20th goal of the season on Tuesday night.

The Cougars fell 4-1 in Kennewick, WA, to the Tri-City Americans on Wednesday for their third straight setback and their 15th consecutive road defeat, and currently sit in fifth place in the B.C. Division. Viedensky (3g-19a) leads the Cougars in scoring with 22 points.

Dustin Sylvester and the Kootenay Ice (16-14-1-1) welcome Joel Broda and the Calgary Hitmen (23-8-1-0) for a Central Division battle on Friday.

The Ice are coming off Wednesday's 5-2 win over the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings for their fifth victory in their last six outings, and currently occupy third place in the Central Division. Sylvester picked up four assists in Wednesday's win over the Oil Kings.

The Hitmen have been off since picking up a 6-3 win in Chilliwack last Saturday for their fourth straight triumph, and currently sit in first place overall in the WHL standings. Broda has seven goals and 12 points over his last six games.

The Regina Pats (16-15-3-0) debut their two newest members on Friday night when they visit the Medicine Hat Tigers (18-10-2-4).

The Pats dropped a 9-5 decision to the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Wednesday night for their third defeat in their last four outings, and currently sit in fourth place in the East Division. The Pats made a blockbuster trade on Wednesday, acquiring Carter Ashton and Craig Orfino from Lethbridge for Graham Hood, prospect Taylor Balog and two Bantam Draft picks.

The Tigers skated to a 2-1 shootout win over the Rebels in Red Deer on Wednesday for their second win in a row, and currently sit in second place in the Central Division. The Tigers are an impressive 9-2-0-2 over their last 13 games.

In Moose Jaw, SK, Quinton Howden and the Moose Jaw Warriors (16-13-1-1) host Brent Raedeke and the Edmonton Oil Kings (8-17-4-4) on Friday.

The Warriors dropped a 5-1 decision in Prince Albert to the Raiders on Wednesday for their third straight defeat, and currently sit tied for fifth place in the East Division. Howden has just two goals and three points over his last eight games.

The Oil Kings saw their losing skid hit nine games with Wednesday's 5-2 loss in Cranbrook, B.C., to the Kootenay Ice, and currently sit in fifth place in the Central Division. The Oil Kings are 4-10-2-3 on the road this season.

In Prince Albert, SK, Brandon Herrod and the Prince Albert Raiders (18-14-1-2) host Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Red Deer Rebels (15-14-0-1) on Friday.

The Raiders downed the visiting Warriors 5-1 on Wednesday night for their 13th win at home this season, and currently sit in third place in the East Division. Herrod scored his second hat trick of the season in Wednesday's win.

The Rebels dropped a 2-1 decision in a shootout to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday night, snapping a two-game win streak, and currently sit in fourth place in the Central Division. Nugent-Hopkins scored his team-leading 17th goal of the season on Wednesday.

In other WHL action on Friday night, Prab Rai and the Seattle Thunderbirds (11-17-1-3) host Brendan Shinnimin and the Tri-City Americans (22-8-0-0) for a U.S. Division battle.

The Thunderbirds have been idle since their 3-2 win over the Everett Silvertips on Saturday that snapped a three-game losing skid, and currently sit in fifth place in the U.S. Division. Rai leads the T-Birds with 19 goals and 35 points.

The Americans skated to a 4-1 win over the visiting Prince George Cougars for their third victory in a row, and remain in first place in the U.S. Division and Western Conference. Shinnimin scored his team-leading 18th and 19th goals of the season on Wednesday.

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