Rockets rally for 3-2 win after tiebreaking shootout
It proved to be the perfect time for Poke Check to take a
nap.
On Wednesday night at the SaskTel Centre, the Saskatoon
Blades mascot found time to catch some sleep during a lengthy video review with
1:58 remaining in the third period in a WHL regular season contest between the host
Blades and the visiting Kelowna Rockets. While the antics of the Blades mascot
created some laughs, the outcome of the video review would ultimately not
favour the home side.
With the Blades holding a 2-1 lead, the officials were
trying to determine if the Rockets had scored the equalizer during a mad
scramble around the Saskatoon net, where the play was blown dead after the goal
was dislodged. The officials were trying to determine if the puck crossed the
goal-line before the net came off its posts.
Eventually, the video review determined the puck had just
gone into the Saskatoon net before the net itself came fully off its posts
resulting in a good goal. Rockets offensive-defenceman Will Sharpe was given
credit for scoring the equalizer.
Most at the SaskTel Centre among the paid attendance of 2,514
spectators rained down boos. Due to a blizzard happening in Saskatoon on
Wednesday, a lot of the ticket buyers understandably no-showed for the contest.
The teams advanced into overtime locked in a 2-2 tie. Late
in the overtime period, Blades 18-year-old defenceman Brayden Klimpke found
himself alone on a breakaway, but he missed the net with his shot. A short time
later, Rockets breakout star 18-year-old rookie netminder Harrison Boettiger
made a huge left pad save off Blades 17-year-old right-winger Zach Olsen to
force the contest to go to a tiebreaking shootout.
The Blades had dominated the three-on-three overtime session
holding a 6-1 edge in shots on goal.
In the tiebreaking shootout, Rockets star 20-year-old centre
Shane Smith scored the only goal by snapping a shot past Blades star netminder
19-year-old netminder Evan Gardner in the third round. Smith’s goal gave the
Rockets a 1-0 victory in the tiebreaking session and a 3-2 overall win in the
contest.
Boettiger proved to be a huge reason for the fact the
Rockets, who will host the CHL championship tournament – the Memorial Cup –
this coming May, pulled out the road triumph. He made 40 saves over the first
65 minutes of play and turned away all three shooters he faced in the shootout.
The Rockets improved to 16-11-3-1 with the win. They travel
to Prince Albert on Friday to face the Raiders (22-5-4) at 7 p.m. at the Art
Hauser Centre. That will be the last game for both clubs before they head out
on their respective Christmas breaks.
Gardner also had a huge night in getting saddled with the
tough luck extra time setback. He made 33 saves over 65 minutes of play and
stopped two-of-three shooters in the shootout.
With the extra time setback, the Blades record moved to
17-14-2-1.They now head off on their Christmas break. The Blades return to action
on Saturday, December 27, for their Teddy Bear Toss Game hosting the Regina
Pats (11-17-2-1) at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.
In Wednesday’s clash, the Rockets got on the scoreboard
first on a goal from 18-year-old left-winger Levi Benson at the 8:37 mark of
the opening frame.
Just over six minutes later, Blades standout 18-year-old
centre Hayden Harsanyi evened things up at 1-1. Harsanyi proceeded to net his
second of the contest and 10th goal of the campaign with 3:59
remaining in the second period to give the Blades their 2-1 edge.
That set the stage dramatics in the third period, overtime
and the shootout.
Overall, the fans that made it to the SaskTel Centre saw a
really compelling game. One tough break for the home side and a great
development for the visitors on a late third period video review turned out to
be the difference in the contest.
Pats get puck luck in 5-4 win over Raiders
The Regina Pats puck luck around the net helped bring an end
to the Prince Albert Raiders five game winning streak.
Playing before 2,576 spectators at the Brandt Centre on
Wednesday night, the host Pats slipped past the visiting Raiders 5-4 despite
the fact the Raiders had a 38-23 edge in shots on goal. Pats 19-year-old
netminder Marek Schlenker had a big night making 34 saves in the win as Regina
improved to 11-17-2-1. Raiders 19-year-old netminder Dimitri Fortin turned away
18 shots as Prince Albert fell to 22-5-4.
The Raiders, who are rated third in the CHL’s Top 10 Rankings, opened the game’s scoring at the 5:52 mark of
the first period, when 18-year-old left-winger Oli Chenier put a between the
legs shot to the top corner of the Regina net.
With 41.8 seconds remaining in the first, Pats 17-year-old
right-winger Zachary Lansard fired home the equalizer that evened the score at
1-1. The two sides exited the opening 20 minutes locked in that 1-1 tie with
the Raiders holding a 12-4 edge in shots on goal.
Raiders star offensive-defenceman Daxon Rudolph fired home a
power-play goal just 1:33 into the second to put the visitors back in front
2-1. Before the second ended, the Pats received a power-play goal from Lansard
and an even-strength tally from 20-year-old right-winger Caden Brown to head
into the second intermission holding a 3-2 lead.
At the 4:50 mark of the third, Raiders 16-year-old rookie
left-winger Connor Howe netted his second goal of the season to force a 3-3
tie.
The Pats responded getting an even-strength goal from
captain Ephram McNutt and a power-play tally from 19-year-old centre Ellis
Mieyette to jump ahead 5-3.
With 72 seconds remaining in the third, Raiders star 20-year-old
captain Justice Christensen fired home his seventh of the campaign to trim the
Regina lead to 5-4. The Raiders weren’t able to find another tally to force
overtime.
Pats 18-year-old left-winger Connor Bear received a double
minor for high-sticking with 4:30 remaining in the third, and Raiders 18-year-old
rookie left-winger Owen Corkish was tabbed for a double minor for high-sticking
with 3:34 remaining in the third. Both infractions will be automatically
reviewed by the WHL office for a possible suspension.
The Pats now head out on their Christmas break. They return
to action on Saturday, December 27, when they travel to Saskatoon to face the
17-14-2-1 Blades (7 p.m., SaskTel Centre).
The Raiders return home to host the Kelowna Rockets
(16-11-3-1) on Friday (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).
Tigers run winning streak to 10, other notes
The Medicine Hat Tigers are heading into their WHL Christmas
break on fire.
On Wednesday playing before 3,006 spectators at Co-op Place,
the Tigers won their 10th straight game downing the Brandon Wheat
Kings 7-3. The Tigers win ends a seven game winning streak the Wheat Kings had
been on.
Brandon scored the first goal in Wednesday’s clash coming
off the stick of 17-year-old star centre Jaxon Jacobson just past the midway
point of the opening frame. The Tigers pulled even at 1-1 just under two
minutes later on a goal from 17-year-old rookie left-winger Noah Davidson.
Just 1:58 into the second period, 20-year-old centre
Nicholas Johnson scored for the Wheat Kings to give them a 2-1 advantage.
The Tigers responded scoring three straight goals coming off
the sticks of Kyle Heger, Liam Ruck and Ethan Neutens to take a 4-2 advantage
at the 10:28 mark of the second.
Before the second ended, Wheat Kings 19-year-old centre
Carter Klippenstein netted his 10th goal of the season to cut the
Tigers lead to 4-3.
Medicine Hat proceeded to cruise to victory in the third
scoring three times to round out the 7-3 final score. Captain Bryce Pickford,
Tyson Moss and Jonas Woo all netted singles for the Tigers. Pickford’s tally
was his 25th goal of the campaign, while Woo has a career-high 16
tallies on the season.
Carter Casey made 22 stops to pick up the win in goal for
the Tigers, who are rated ninth in the CHL’s Top 10 Rankings. The Tigers improved to 22-6-3-2 to jump into first overall in the
WHL’s Eastern Conference by sitting one standings point ahead of the Prince
Albert Raiders (22-5-4). The Raiders have two games in hand on the Tigers.
Jayden Kraus turned away 32 shots to take the setback in net
for the Wheat Kings.
At the 7:15 mark of the second period, Wheat Kings
19-year-old rookie defenceman Max Lavoie took on Davidson in a fight.
The Tigers return to action on Saturday, December 27, when
they travel to Lethbridge to face the 11-22-0-1 Hurricanes (6 p.m. local time,
VisitLethbridge.com Arena).
The Wheat Kings get back at it on Friday when they travel to
Calgary to take on the 17-9-3-1 Hitmen (1 p.m. local time, Scotiabank
Saddledome).
- In Calgary, import centre
Andrei Molgachev collected four assists as the host Hitmen hammered the
visiting Swift Current Broncos 9-2 on Wednesday. Caine Wilke, Kale Dach
and Julien Maze all had two-goal nights for the Hitmen.
- In Kamloops, 18-year-old
right-winger Savin Virk had the overtime winner, an assist and was a
plus-two in the plus-minus department as his visiting Tri-City Americans
edged the host Blazers 4-3. The Blazers held a 3-1 lead, but the Americans
rolled off the last three goals of the contest to pull off the comeback.
- In Everett, 16-year-old
star sophomore defenceman Landon DuPont had the winning goal, one assists
and was a plus-two as his host Silvertips slipped past the visiting
Wenatchee Wild 3-2. The Silvertips have won six straight and lead the WHL’s
overall standings with a 26-3-2-1 mark. The Silvertips are rated first in the CHL’s Top 10 Rankings.
- In Penticton, 20-year-old
right-winger Brady Birnie netted a hat trick by scoring the final three
goals to allow his Vees to down the visiting Prince George Cougars 5-2.
The Vees now sport a 16-9-4-3 record in their first WHL season after
moving up from the junior A ranks.
- On December 9, I had new
content appear on the Howe Happenings blog that supports the Gordie Howe
Sports Complex. I put together a feature on 16-year-old flag football star
Adley Tomlenovich. In the piece, Tomlenovich talks about her journey in
the sport as a quarterback. She also took up being the head coach for a
Grade 6 female squad that plays in the 5 on 5 NFL Youth Flag Football
circuit overseen by Saskatoon Minor Football. The piece on Tomlenovich can
be found by clicking right here. I also put together a photo roundup that
is anchored by images of the Saskatoon Hilltops winning their 24th
CJFL championship. That post can be found by clicking right here.
If you have any
comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them
to stankssports@gmail.com.
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