WHL this Week: Looking Ahead
Published on March 7, 2013 under Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Calgary, AB - The 2012-13 WHL regular season enters its second weekend of play in March with 23 games on the schedule for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
AROUND THE RINKS THIS WEEKEND...
In Calgary, AB, Saturday night is Faith & Family Night when the Hitmen host the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.
In Kamloops, B.C., the Blazers welcome fans out for their Family Fun Day on Sunday at Interior Savings Centre. Fans can lace up the skates with their favorite Blazers players among other fun activities.
In Moose Jaw, SK, the Warriors are hosting their second annual Snowbird Night on Saturday when the Edmonton Oil Kings come to town. The Warriors will honor the iconic aerobatics team by sporting special jerseys, which will be signed and auctioned off to benefit the Moose Jaw Health Foundation.
In Prince Albert, SK, Saturday night is Fan Appreciation Night at the Art Hauser Centre. Fans can win some great prizes as the Raiders thank them for their support through the 2012-13 season.
In Saskatoon, SK, the Blades will honor a legendary member of the Club when they Retire Gerry Pinder's No. 7 on Friday night when the Medicine Hat Tigers are in town. Pinder played 109 games for the Blades from 1965-67, scoring a whopping 112 goals and 221 points while being named first recipient of the WHL Player of the Year award in 1967.
In Victoria, B.C., the Royals will Pay Tribute to two very important groups this weekend. On Friday, the Royals salute the boys in blue with Police Officer Appreciation Night, while on Sunday, the Royals will honor firefighters with Firefighter Appreciation Night.
AMS' FESER BREAKS WHL IRONMAN RECORD...
Justin Feser broke a long-standing WHL record when he suited up for his 312th consecutive game last Friday versus the Seattle Thunderbirds.
The 20-year-old from Red Deer, AB, topped a 21-year-old record set by Dwayne Newman, who played for the Brandon Wheat Kings and Victoria Cougars from 1988-92.
A ninth-round pick by the Ams in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft, Feser has played every regular-season contest for the Americans since January 7, 2009. Feser had missed a handful of games prior to that date while playing for Team Pacific in the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
MOLLEKEN BECOMES SECOND WHL COACH TO REACH 600 CAREER WINS...
Saskatoon, SK - Saskatoon Blades' head coach Lorne Molleken became just the second coach in WHL history to reach 600 career regular-season victories after the Blades defeated the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday, March 1st.
Molleken, who is also the Blades' general manager, joins Ken Hodge as WHL coaches to hit the 600 career victory mark, accomplishing the feat in his 16th season as a coach in the Western Hockey League.
KOOTENAY'S SKAPSKI AND AMS' FESER TAKE MONTHLY WHL HONORS...
Justin Feser of the Tri-City Americans was named the Husky WHL Player of the Month for February while Mackenzie Skapski was named the Vaughn WHL Goaltender of the Month for February.
Feser, a 20 year-old forward, collected 24 points through the month of February finding the net 12 times and accumulating 12 assists to go along with a +11 rating.
Skapski, a product of Abbotsford, B.C., posted a 9-2-0-0 record with four shut-outs through February while maintaining a 1.27 goals-against average and a 0.956 save percentage, allowing just 14 goals on 318 shots-against in 660 minutes played.
WHL PLAYERS INK NHL CONTRACTS...
Three WHL players were signed by NHL clubs over the past week, with Taylor Peters of the Portland Winterhawks, Josh Nicholls of the Saskatoon Blades and Joel Edmundson of the Kamloops Blazers all inking entry-level contracts.
Peters, a 20-year-old from Delta, B.C., Signed with the Dallas Stars on Monday. Peters, who was a free agent, has spent five seasons with the Winterhawks.
Nicholls, a 20-year-old from Tsawwassen, B.C., Signed with the New York Rangers on Monday. The fifth-year forward was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010.
Edmundson, a 19-year-old from Brandon, MB, Signed with the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. The 6'4", 200-lb defenceman was selected in the second round, 46th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft.
FRIDAY NIGHT WHL HOCKEY ON SHAW...
Colin Smith and the Kamloops Blazers take on Colton Sissons and the Kelowna Rockets for a key B.C. Division clash on Friday night in Kamloops, B.C.
Friday's match-up between the Blazers and Rockets can be seen live throughout western Canada on SHAW and SHAW Direct channel 299 (7:00pm PST).
The Blazers are coming off a 6-0 shutout win over the visiting Victoria Royals on Tuesday night for their fourth win in a row, but currently trail Kelowna by three points for the B.C. Division lead. The Blazers have posted back-to-back shutouts, and have allowed just three goals over their last four games. Smith ranks third in WHL scoring with 103 points this season.
The Rockets skated to a 4-3 shootout win over the visiting Royals on Wednesday night for their fifth win over their last six games, and trail Portland by nine points for first place in the Western Conference. The Rockets hold a game in hand on the Blazers. Kelowna's power play ranks second in the WHL at 23.0% efficiency.
It's the first of back-to-back meetings between the B.C. Division rivals to close out the season series. The Blazers have won six of eight meetings between the teams, including a 3-0 shutout win over the Rockets on Sunday in Kamloops.
CHIEFS HOST "ËTIPS FOR FRIDAY NIGHT ICE ON ROOT SPORTS
Brenden Kichton and the Spokane Chiefs take on Ryan Harrison and the Everett Silvertips for a U.S. Division battle live on Friday Night Ice on ROOT SPORTS (7:00pm PST)
The Chiefs suffered a 4-2 loss to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday night, putting a stop to a five-game winning streak, and currently sit one point back of Tri-Cities for fourth place in the Western conference. The Chiefs are 21-10-1-0 at home this season. Kichton is one of two WHL defencemen who leads his team in scoring.
The Silvertips are coming off a 6-3 loss to the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday for their second loss in a row and their 15th setback in 17 games, and currently hold a six-point lead over Prince George for eighth place in the Western Conference. Harrison has 10 goals and 32 points in 50 games this season for the Silvertips.
It's the eighth and final meeting of the regular season between the Chiefs and Silvertips. Spokane won five of the first seven meetings, including all three previous meetings in Spokane by a combined score of 12-1.
KEY WEEKEND MATCH-UPS...
Lethbridge Hurricanes @ Red Deer Rebels
Friday, March 8
Turner Elson and the Red Deer Rebels welcome Sam Mckechnie and the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the second of back-to-back meetings between the teams.
The Rebels blanked the Hurricanes 4-0 in Lethbridge on Wednesday night for their fourth win in a row, and currently hold a six-point lead over Prince Albert for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings and home-ice advantage in what could likely be a first-round playoff match-up. The Rebels have given up just five goals over their last four games. Rebels' netminder Patrik Bartosak has posted a shutout in each of his last two meetings with Lethbridge.
The Hurricanes slumped to their third straight loss with Wednesday's defeat to the Rebels, keeping them six points back of Kootenay for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The "ËCanes desperately need a win on Friday versus Red Deer to keep their playoff hoped alive. Lethbridge is 10-16-2-4 on the road this season.
Friday's meeting marks the sixth and final regular-season meeting between the Central Division rivals. Red Deer has won four of five previous meetings with Lethbridge while giving up just six goals in the process.
Prince George Cougars @ Seattle Thunderbirds
Friday, Mar. 8
Shea Theodore and the Seattle Thunderbirds host Colin Jacobs and the Prince George Cougars for a critical Western Conference battle on Friday night.
The Thunderbirds are coming off an important 4-2 win over the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday, moving them two points up on Everett for seventh place in the Western Conference and eight points clear of Prince George for a playoff spot. The T-Birds are 12-14-6-0 at home this season. Theodore got his 17th goal of the season on Wednesday versus Spokane, putting him fourth among all WHL defencemen in that category.
The Cougars split a pair of games versus the visiting Tri-City Americans this week, losing 6-3 on Monday before posting a 3-0 shutout on Tuesday, and currently sit six point back of Everett for eighth place in the Western Conference. The Cougars hold two games in hand on both Everett and Seattle. Former T-Bird Colin Jacobs leads the Cougars in scoring with 23 goals and 47 points.
It's the fourth and final meeting of the season between the Cougars and T-Birds. Seattle won two of the first three meetings, including a 6-1 win in Kent, WA, on January 29th.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE - Mar. 8 - Mar. 10
All times local
WATCH WHL HOCKEY LIVE ON WHL LIVE ON DEMAND
Friday, Mar. 8
Edmonton @ Brandon; 7:30
Kelowna @ Kamloops; 7:00 **Live on SHAW**
Swift Current @ Moose Jaw; 7:00
Lethbridge @ Red Deer; 7:30
Prince Albert @ Regina; 7:00
Medicine Hat @ Saskatoon; 7:05
Prince George @ Seattle; 7:35
Everett @ Spokane; 7:05 **Live on ROOT SPORTS**
Kootenay @ Tri-City; 7:05
Vancouver @ Victoria; 7:05
Saturday, Mar. 9
Swift Current @ Brandon; 7:30
Lethbridge @ Calgary; 7:00
Kamloops @ Kelowna; 7:05
Edmonton @ Moose Jaw; 7:00
Medicine Hat @ Prince Albert; 7:00
Regina @ Saskatoon; 7:05
Everett @ Seattle; 7:05
Kootenay @ Spokane; 7:05
Prince George @ Tri-City; 7:05
Victoria @ Vancouver; 7:00
Sunday, Mar. 10
Red Deer @ Calgary; 4:00
Prince George @ Vancouver; 4:00
Portland @ Victoria; 5:05
Western Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2013
- WHL this Week: Looking Ahead - WHL
- Katelyn Lehner to be Presented with the Saskatchewan Sport Award - Prince Albert Raiders
- Vancouver Giants :: A Look Ahead - Vancouver Giants
- FIfth Shutout of the Season for Bartosak: Rebels Win - Red Deer Rebels
- Glover Grabs Win for T-Birds - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Seattle Edges Spokane - Spokane Chiefs
- Rockets Gain Overtime, Win in Shootout - Kelowna Rockets
- Royals Narrowly Dropped by Rockets - Victoria Royals
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