WHL Western Hockey League

WHL this Week: Looking Ahead

Published on March 1, 2012 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Calgary, AB - The 2011-12 WHL regular season enters its first weekend of play in March with 23 games on the schedule for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

AROUND THE RINKS THIS WEEKEND...

In Edmonton, AB, Saturday night is Scouts Sleepover Night when the Oil Kings host the Swift Current Broncos.

In Everett, WA, Friday night is Navy Night when the Silvertips host the Seattle Thunderbirds. The night will recognize the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women serving in the U.S. Navy, and will feature the swearing-in of 75 future sailors taking their oaths of enlistment.

In Portland, OR, Saturday night is the popular Great Airplane Toss when the Winterhawks welcome the Seattle Thunderbirds. Fans get the chance to throw paper airplanes onto the ice to hit targets and win prizes. On Sunday, The Famous Chicken will be in the stands entertaining fans when the Hawks host the Tri-City Americans.

In Prince Albert, SK, Friday night is Faith Night when the Raiders take on the Moose Jaw Warriors.

In Prince George, B.C., The CN Centre will be extra loud as it's the Cougars' Family Weekend. The families and billets of the Cougars' players will be cheering from the suites, and will be honored in a special red-carpet ceremony on Saturday night when the team hosts the Spokane Chiefs.

In Red Deer, AB, the Rebels will be hosting their last Post-Game Fireworks show of the season on Friday night when the Swift Current Broncos come to town.

In Regina, SK, Sunday is the Night of Champions when the Pats host the Prince Albert Raiders. The Pats will welcome sports teams that have won championships in the past year.

SHINNIMIN AND BUNZ TAKE MONTHLY WHL HONORS...

Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City Americans was named the Husky WHL Player of the Month while Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers was named the Vaughn WHL Goaltender of the Month as the WHL handed out its monthly honors for February.

Shinnimin, a 21-year-old from Winnipeg, MB, enjoyed a spectacular month of February, piling up an incredible 23 goals and 43 points over just 14 games as the Ams skated to a 10-3-0-1 record in that span. Shinnimin, a free agent, currently leads the WHL scoring race with 117 points.

Bunz, a 20-year-old from St. Albert, AB, posted a perfect 7-0 record in February while sporting a miniscule 1.86 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage in that span. Bunz, an Edmonton Oilers prospect, leads all active WHL goaltenders with 117 career wins.

RAIDERS MOURN THE LOSS OF "˜GRAMS'...

Prince Albert SK - The Prince Albert Raiders regret to announce that long time billet Ruth "Grams" Pollock passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 90.

Grams billeted Raider players for 20 consecutive years, starting with her grandson Troy Hjertaas in the 1988-89 season. Over two decades, Grams billeted many players, including Donovan Hextall, Richard Seeley, Derek Paget, David Van Drunen, Milan Kraft, Shane Willis, Dane Byers Rejean Beauchemin, Aki Seitsonen, Shane Hnidy, Mike McGhan, Ryan White, David Aime, Mike Small, Greg Watson, Jordan Kochan and Brandon Herrod. Her billeting duties came full circle in 2008, when she billeted her grandson Zach Sim.

T-BIRDS' HOCKEY CHALLENGE RAISES OVER $190,000...

The Seattle Thunderbirds and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska (RMHC) are pleased to announce that the 14th Annual Hockey Challenge, held Saturday, February 25, and Sunday, February 26, at ShoWare Center in Kent, raised more than $190,000 for RMHC.

The annual Hockey Challenge has now raised over $4.2 million for the RMHC in 14 years.

OLD DUTCH FOODS MILLION-DOLLAR SHOOT...

Old Dutch® Potato Chips, Sportsnet and the Canadian Hockey League are bringing back Net a Million at the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup. Potato chip lovers across Canada enter the product UPC from any package of Old Dutch Potato Chips (200g to 300g) at olddutchfoods.ca. Participants enter for a chance to win one of three trips for two to Shawinigan, Quebec, for the 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup - and the opportunity to net $100,000, $250,000 or $1 million!

FRIDAY NIGHT WHL HOCKEY ON SHAW

Brendan Ranford and the Kamloops Blazers (44-16-1-3) host Shane McColgan and the Kelowna Rockets (26-29-3-6) on Friday night for the first of back-to-back weekend meetings between the B.C. Division rivals.

Friday's contest between the Blazers and Rockets can be seen live throughout western Canada on SHAW and SHAW Direct channel 299 (7:00pm PT).

The Blazers edged the Silvertips 3-2 in Everett on Wednesday night, snapping a two-game losing skid, and currently sit one point behind Tri-Cities for first place in the overall WHL standings. The Blazers can clinch the B.C. Division title with one more win or a loss by Vancouver. Ranford leads the Blazers with 37 goals and 82 points.

The Rockets are back home after closing out a Central Division tour with a 2-1 loss in Calgary last Sunday, and remain firmly entrenched in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Rockets were guaranteed at least a tiebreaker for a playoff spot with Everett's loss to the Blazers on Wednesday.

Friday's meeting marks the seventh encounter between the Blazers and Rockets this season. The Blazers won five of the first six meetings versus Kelowna. Five of the first six meetings between the teams were decided by a single goal.

SHAW will broadcast 32 WHL games during the 2011-12 WHL regular season. For the entire WHL broadcast schedule, click HERE

"˜TIPS HOST T-BIRDS FOR KEY CLASH FRIDAY NIGHT ON ROOT SPORTS

Ryan Murray and the Everett Silvertips (17-37-1-8) host Burke Gallimore and the Seattle Thunderbirds (21-39-1-1) for a pivotal Western Conference meeting on Friday night.

Friday's contest between the Silvertips and Thunderbirds can be seen live throughout the Pacific Northwest on ROOT Sports (7:30pm PT).

The Silvertips fell 3-2 to the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday night for their fourth loss in five games, and remain one point behind the Thunderbirds for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The "˜Tips are 10-17-0-4 at home this season. Murray has assists in four of his last six games.

The Thunderbirds are coming off back-to-back losses to the Tri-City Americans, having been outscored 8-2 in the process, but cling to eighth place in the Western Conference. The Thunderbirds have won just five times since the calendar flipped to 2012. Gallimore leads the T-Birds with 19 goals this season.

It's the eighth of 10 meetings this season between the "˜Tips and T-Birds. Seattle won four of the first seven meetings versus Everett, and is 2-1-1 in Everett this season.

ROOT Sports will broadcast 10 WHL contests this season. The next ROOT Sports broadcast is Friday, March 16th, when the Spokane Chiefs host the Seattle Thunderbirds.

KEY WEEKEND MATCH-UPS...

Portland Winterhawks vs Tri-City Americans

Friday, Mar. 2 @ Kennewick & Sunday, Mar. 4 @ Portland

Ty Rattie and the Portland Winterhawks take on Brendan Shinnimin and the Tri-City Americans for a pair of meetings this weekend that could play a big role to determine who comes away with the U.S. Division title.

The Winterhawks downed the visiting Kamloops Blazers 5-2 on Tuesday night to improve to 10-0-1 over their last 11 games, and currently sit just one point back of the Ams for first place in the division. The Hawks are the highest-scoring team in the WHL this season, having lit the lamp 284 times.

The Americans stretched their winning streak to seven games with a 3-1 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday night, and remain in first place in the overall WHL standings. Shinnimin saw his 10-game goal streak snapped after failing to find the back of the net on Tuesday versus Seattle.

This weekend's meetings mark the final two regular-season meetings between the Hawks and Ams. The Americans won the first five meetings of the season, but the Hawks have won the last three, outscoring the Ams 14-6 in the process.

Portland hosts Seattle while Tri-City visits Everett on Saturday night to break up the home-and-home series between the teams.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE - Mar. 2 - Mar. 4

All times local

WATCH WHL HOCKEY LIVE ON WHL LIVE ON DEMAND

Friday, Mar. 2

Lethbridge @ Brandon; 7:30

Saskatoon @ Calgary; 7:00

Seattle @ Everett; 7:35 **Line on ROOT SPORTS**

Kelowna @ Kamloops; 7:00 **Live on SHAW**

Moose Jaw @ Prince Albert; 7:00

Spokane @ Prince George; 7:00

Swift Current @ Red Deer; 7:30

Portland @ Tri-City; 7:05

Medicine Hat @ Vancouver; 7:30

Saturday, Mar. 3

Swift Current @ Edmonton; 7:00

Tri-City @ Everett; 7:05

Kamloops @ Kelowna; 7:05

Calgary @ Kootenay; 7:00

Lethbridge @ Moose Jaw; 7:00

Seattle @ Portland; 7:00

Spokane @ Prince George; 7:00

Saskatoon @ Red Deer; 7:30

Brandon @ Regina; 7:00

Vancouver @ Victoria; 7:05

Sunday, Mar. 4

Saskatoon @ Edmonton; 6:00

Tri-City @ Portland; 5:00

Prince Albert @ Regina; 6:00

Vancouver @ Victoria; 1:05

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2012


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