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| Brayden Yager had a goal for the Warriors on Saturday. |
On Saturday night, the Warriors found themselves locked in a 4-4 draw in overtime taking on the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings in Game 2 of a first round series in the WHL Playoffs between the two sides. Just 2:15 into the extra session, Warriors 19-year-old right-winger Rilen Kovacevic stole the puck from a Wheat Kings defenceman in the left corner of the Brandon zone.
Kovacevic backhanded a pass to the front of the Brandon net to Lakovic. The 17-year-old sophomore left-winger made no mistake burying the overtime winner to deliver the Warriors to a 5-4 victory before an elated 3,557 spectators at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
The win allowed the Warriors to take a 2-0 series lead in the best-of-seven set. Moose Jaw claimed Game 1 on home ice Friday by a 7-4 score.
In Saturday’s clash, Warriors star centre Brayden Yager gave the host side a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Later on in the first, Wheat Kings import centre Dominik Petr and 17-year-old centre Roger McQueen scored goals six second apart from each other to give the visitors a 2-1 advantage.
With 3:42 remaining in the first, Warriors star 20-year-old centre Atley Calvert potted a short-handed goal to even the score at 2-2.
In the second, Wheat Kings 19-year-old Rylen Roersma tallied a short-handed marker and McQueen potted his second of the contest to give Brandon a 4-2 advantage.
Inside the final two minutes of the second, the Warriors scored two goals 23 seconds apart coming from the sticks of star centre Matthew Savoie and left-winger Pavel McKenzie to even the score at 4-4.
The two sides played through a scoreless third period leading up to Lakovic’s winner. The Wheat Kings got the first four shots on goal in overtime before Lakovic tallied on Moose Jaw’s first shot on net of the extra frame.
Jackson Unger stopped 30 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Warriors. Carson Bjarnason turned away 34 shots to take the setback in net for the Wheat Kings.
Calvert collected a pair of assists to go with his goal putting up a three-point night for the Warriors. Savoie had an assist to go with his goal. Warriors 20-year-old defenceman Brenton Lucas picked up a pair of assists in the win.
Roersma had an assist to go with his goal for the Wheat Kings.
The series now shifts to Brandon for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively for a 7 p.m. local start time on both nights at Westoba Place.
The Warriors finished second overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference in the regular season with a 44-21-0-3 mark. They are the third seed in the conference for the first round of the playoffs due to not finishing first in a division. The Wheat Kings placed sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 33-28-6-1 record.
Broncos outlast Hurricanes 4-3 in Game 2
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| Josh Filmon scored for the Broncos on Saturday. |
On Saturday before a sellout crowd of 2,890 spectators at the InnovationPlex, the host Broncos took a 4-3 thriller over the Lethbridge Hurricanes in Game 2 of a best-of-seven first round series in the WHL Playoffs between the two sides. With the win, the Broncos take a 2-0 lead in the set. Swift Current took Game 1 of the series 3-0 win on home ice on Friday.
In Saturday’s encounter between the two sides, the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead early in the first period on a goal by 18-year-old right-winger Leo Braillard.
The visitors held their lead until the 14:24 mark of the second when Broncos star left-winger Josh Filmon tallied on the power play to even the score at 1-1.
Just under three minutes later, Hurricanes 20-year-old centre Sean Tschigerl popped home his first of the post-season to give the visitors a 2-1 edge heading into the second intermission.
At the 2:38 mark of the third, Broncos 20-year-old defenceman Ryan McCleary netted the equalizer that forced a 2-2 tie. Just under three minutes later, Broncos star 19-year-old right-winger Connor Hvidston scored on the power-play to put the host side in front 3-2.
The Broncos then appeared to have iced the game when star centre Conor Geekie scored into an empty-net with 2:14 remaining in the third to push the host’s advantage out to 4-2. Just four seconds later, Hayden Pakkala scored for the Hurricanes to cut the Broncos lead to 4-3.
The Hurricanes weren’t able to find the equalizer after that.
Reid Dyck made 29 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Broncos. Harrison Meneghin turned away 32-of-35 shot to take the setback in net for the Hurricanes.
Left-winger Luke Mistelbacker had a pair of helpers for Swift Current.
The Broncos are making their first appearance in the WHL Playoffs since their WHL championship winning season in 2018. They topped the Central Division this season posting a 40-22-4-2 mark.
The Hurricanes finished seventh in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a 33-28-7 record.
The series now shifts to Lethbridge for Game 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively to be held at 7 p.m. local time both nights at the Enmax Centre.
McKenna powers Tigers past Rebels, other
notes
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| Gavin McKenna had a goal and two assists for the Tigers. |
On Saturday night, the Tigers star 16-year-old rookie left-winger scored 21 seconds into Game 2 of the Tigers first round series against the Red Deer Rebels. McKenna picked up assists on the Tigers two goals in the second frame as they down the visiting Rebels 3-1 before an appreciative crowd of 4,175 spectators at Co-op Place.
The win allows the Tigers to even the best-of-seven series with the Rebels at 1-1. In Game 1 at Co-op Place on Friday, the Tigers jumped out to 4-0 only to see the Rebels rally back and claim a 5-4 victory in double overtime.
In Game 2 on Saturday, McKenna gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead scoring 21 seconds into the game potting a rebound at the right side of the Rebels net from a shot taken by linemate Hunter St. Martin.
At the 9:22 mark of the second, McKenna and Tigers 18-year-old star left-winger Andrew Basha combined to set up 18-year-old offensive-defenceman Reid Andresen for his first goal of the post-season to push Medicine Hat’s advantage out to 2-0.
Working on the power play with 4:32 remaining in the second, Basha and McKenna combined to set up sophomore star centre Cayden Lindstrom, who turned 18-years-old in February, for his first of the playoffs. Lindstrom’s tally pushed the Tigers lead out to 3-0 going into the second intermission.
After 40 minutes, the Tigers held their 3-0 edge while building a 23-13 advantage in shots on goal.
The Rebels came with a big push back in the third holding an 18-3 edge in shots on goal for the frame. The visitors were only able to get one goal coming from the stick of sophomore centre Ollie Josephson coming at the 6:32 mark of the period.
Zach Zahara stopped 30 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Tigers. Chase Wutzke turned away 23 shots to take the setback in net for the Rebels.
As a rookie, McKenna led the Tigers in regular season scoring with 97 points coming off 34 goals and 63 assists. His 97 points are a Tigers team record for most points scored in one season by a 16-year-old.
He finished 12th in the WHL’s scoring race. Due to being born in late December, McKenna isn’t eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2026.
The Tigers finished fourth overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference in the regular season with a 37-23-6-2 mark. The Rebels were fifth overall in the conference with a 33-26-3-6 record.
The series between the Tigers and Rebels now shifts to Red Deer for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively at 7 p.m. both nights at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
- On Saturday in Prince George, centre Riley Heidt had three assists as his host Cougars downed the Spokane Chiefs 7-4 in Game 2 of their first round series. Layton Feist scored twice for the Chiefs. The Cougars, who finished second overall in the WHL regular season with a 49-15-1-3 mark, lead the series 2-0.
- On Saturday in Portland, the host Winterhawks dumped the Victoria Royals 5-1 in Game 2 of their first round series. James Stefan had a pair of goals and an assist for the Winterhawks, while Gabe Klassen picked up three assists in the win. The Winterhawks, who finished third overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 mark, lead the series 2-0.
- On Saturday in Everett, the host Silvertips got a pair of goals from Austin Roest to down the Vancouver Giants 2-1 in Game 2 of their first round series. Brett Mirwald made 53 saves taking the setback in goal for the Giants. The best-of-seven series between these two clubs is tied 1-1.
- On Saturday in Wenatchee, the host Wild fell 3-1 to the Kelowna Rockets in Game 2 of their first round series. Caden Price picked up assists on all three goals for the Rockets. The best-of-seven series between these two squads is tied 1-1.
- On Friday, the WHL announced Brandon Wheat Kings 19-year-old physical left-winger Matt Henry has been suspended eight games for a first-time violation of the CHL’s Anti-Doping Policy. Henry appeared in 37 regular season games for the Wheat Kings this season collecting one assist and 100 penalty minutes.
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