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WHL Hockey Live On SHAW Friday, January 8

January 8, 2010 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, AB - Mark Pysyk and the Edmonton Oil Kings (10-22-4-6) take on Craig Cunningham and the Vancouver Giants (26-14-1-2) on Friday night.

Friday's contest between the Oil Kings and Giants can be seen LIVE throughout western Canada on SHAW and SHAW Direct Channel 299 (7:00pm MST).

The Oil Kings are coming off back-to-back losses to the Red Deer Rebels last weekend, stretching their losing skid to five games, and currently sit in sixth place in the Central Division. The Oil Kings are 6-9-2-2 on home ice this season. Pysyk (7g-15a) ranks second on the Oil Kings in scoring with 22 points this season.

The Giants are coming off a 6-2 win in Red Deer on Wednesday night for their second straight victory, and currently hold a comfortable 11-point lead for first place in the B.C. Division. The Giants are in the midst of a 10-game road trip - one of two 10-game road trips they will embark upon in the next two months. Cunningham currently leads all WHL players in scoring with 65 points this season.

It's the third meeting of the season between the Giants and Oil Kings. The Giants won both previous meetings versus Edmonton, with both games being contested in Vancouver. The Oil Kings are 0-5 all-time versus the Giants.

Elsewhere on Friday night, Matt Calvert and the Brandon Wheat Kings (28-13-0-2) host Emerson Etem and the Medicine Hat Tigers (24-13-3-4) for a battle between two top-four teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Wheat Kings are coming off Wednesday's 6-1 win over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes for their third win in a row, and currently sit in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Wheat Kings have scored 20 goals over their last three games.

The Tigers are coming off Wednesday's 5-1 loss in Moose Jaw for their third defeat over their last four games, and currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Etem shares the Tigers' lead with 28 goals this season.

In Kamloops, B.C., C.J. Stretch and the Kamloops Blazers (17-20-2-3) host Shane McColgan and the Kelowna Rockets (19-22-2-0) for the first of two weekend meetings between the B.C. Division rivals.

The Blazers dropped a 5-3 decision to the visiting Everett Silvertips on Tuesday for their sixth defeat in their last 10 games, and currently sit in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Blazers have alternated wins and losses over their last nine contests.

The Rockets are coming off Wednesday's 6-2 loss to the visiting Silvertips for their second straight setback and their seventh loss in eight games. The Rockets own the WHL's seventh-ranked power play, currently operating at a 24.8 per cent success rate.

In Prince Albert, SK, Craig McCallum and the Prince Albert Raiders (20-20-1-2) host Mitch Maxwell and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (13-23-3-1) on Friday.

The Raiders are coming off a 6-2 road loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors last Sunday for their fifth straight defeat, and currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. McCallum (18g-30a) leads the Raiders with 48 points this season.

The Hurricanes fell 6-1 in Brandon on Wednesday night for their second defeat in their last three outings, and currently sit tied for 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The 'Canes are 6-13-0-1 on the road this season.

In Red Deer, AB, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Red Deer Rebels (22-16-0-3) host Cody Eakin and the Swift Current Broncos (21-18-0-2) on Friday.

The Rebels saw a three-game winning streak come to an end with a 6-2 loss to the visiting Vancouver Giants on Wednesday. Nugent-Hopkins had an assist in his first game back after playing for Team Pacific at the World U-17 Challenge in Wednesday's loss to the Giants.

The Broncos fell 4-1 to the Tigers in Medicine Hat last Saturday, snapping a four-game winning streak, and currently sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Broncos have just five road wins this season.

In Regina, SK, Carter Ashton and the Regina Pats (17-23-3-0) take on Brendan Rowinski and the Moose Jaw Warriors (21-15-1-2) for a battle between East Division rivals.

The Pats have been idle since snapping their nine-game losing skid with a 4-2 win in Lethbridge last Saturday, and currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Ashton scored twice in the Pats' streak-breaking win last Saturday.

The Warriors are coming off Wednesday's 5-1 win over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, stretching their winning streak to four games. Rowinski has four goals and six points over his last two outings.

In Spokane, WA, Mitch Wahl and the Spokane Chiefs (23-14-0-3) host Ryan Howse and the Chilliwack Bruins (19-18-1-5).

The Chiefs fell 5-4 to the visiting Saskatoon Blades on Tuesday night, snapping a modest two-game winning streak, and currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference. The Chiefs are 11-9-1-0 at home this season.

The Bruins defeated the visiting Prince George Cougars 5-2 on Wednesday for their sixth win in their last eight games, and currently occupy sixth place in the Western Conference. Howse scored three goals in Wednesday's win over the Cougars, and leads the WHL with 33 goals this season.

In other WHL action on Friday, Brooks Macek and the Tri-City Americans (29-10-0-1) welcome Dallas Jackson and the Prince George Cougars (9-30-1-1).

The Americans dropped a 6-4 decision to the visiting Saskatoon Blades last Sunday for their second straight loss. Macek leads the Ams with 37 assists this season.

The Cougars suffered their second loss in a row with Wednesday's 5-2 defeat to the Bruins in Chilliwack, and currently sit in 10th place in the Western Conference. Jackson shared the team lead with 11 goals.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2010


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