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HITMEN KNOCK OFF ICE – Zane Jones scored a pair of goals as the Calgary Hitmen claimed a 5-1 win over the visiting Kootenay Ice in Western Hockey League action on Saturday night.
Cody Sylvester, Darian Henry and Brooks Macek each netted a goal and an assist for the Hitmen (2-0-0-0), who earn their second straight win to open the season. Chris Driedger turned aside 27 of 28 shots to claim the win.
Luke Philp scored the lone goal for the Ice (0-2-0-0), who suffer their second straight setback to start the 2012-13 campaign. Mackenzie Skapski made 26 saves in a losing cause.
Game Summary
WHEAT KINGS 7, PATS 4
Tyrel Seaman scored twice and set up another to lead the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings to a 7-4 win over the Regina Pats on Saturday.
Alessio Bertaggia and Jason Swyripa each picked up a goal and two assists while Nick Buonassisi, Daniel Asham and Tim McGauley also counted for the Wheat Kings (2-0-0-0), who sweep their opening-weekend home-and-home series versus Regina. Corbin Boes made 19 saves in the victory.
Trent Ouellette, Cole Hamblin, Adam Brooks and Dyson Stevenson scored for the Pats (0-2-0-0), who held a 3-2 lead early in the second period but allowed five of the next six goals en route to their second loss in a row. Matt Hewitt and Teagan Sacher combined for 27 saves in the defeat.
Game Summary
BRONCOS 7, WARRIORS 1
Adam Lowry scored three goals and Coda Gordon notched a goal and two assists as the Swift Current Broncos blasted the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors 7-1 on Saturday.
Ryon Moser and Josh Derko each picked up a goal and an assist while Coby Cave scored his second in as many nights for the Broncos (1-0-1-0), who rebound after losing in Moose Jaw on Friday night. Eetu Laurikainen stopped 27 of 28 shots to claim his first WHL victory.
Morgan Rielly scored the only goal for the Warriors (1-1-0-0), who converted one of five power play chances. Justin Paulic made 14 saves on 19 shots while Daniel Wapple stopped one of three shots he faced in the loss.
Game Summary
RAIDERS 5, BLADES 2
Logan McVeigh scored twice and Josh Morrissey picked up three assists to help the visiting Prince Albert Raiders to a 5-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday.
Jonas Knutsen, Antoine Corbin and Sawyer Lange also counted for the Raiders (1-0-0-1), who scored three times in the first 10 minutes of the contest en route to the win. Luke Siemens made 28 saves to post his first win as a Raider.
Brenden Walker and Darren Dietz scored while Shane McColgan drew two assists for the Blades (1-1-0-0), who defeated the Raiders 2-1 in a shootout in Prince Albert on Friday. Andrey Makarov made 25 saves in the setback.
Game Summary
TIGERS 5, HURRICANES 1
Dylan Busenius picked up a goal and two assists as the Medicine Hat Tigers skated to a 5-1 win over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday.
Curtis Valk – with a goal and an assist – Kale Kessy, Hunter Shinkaruk and Spenser Jensen also scored for Medicine Hat (1-1-0-0), which scored the game’s first five goals. Dawson MacAuley made 23 saves to record the win.
Sam Mckechnie broke MacAuley’s shutout bid with a late third-period marker for the Hurricanes (1-1-0-0), who had defeated the Tigers on Friday night in Lethbridge. Ty Rimmer made 26 saves in a losing effort.
Game Summary
COUGARS 6, SILVERTIPS 0
Colin Jacobs made a splash in his debut for the Prince George Cougars, netting two goals and five points while pacing the Cougars to a 6-0 shutout win over the Everett Silvertips in Everett, WA, on Saturday.
Brett Zarowny stopped 25 shots to post the shutout in his first WHL start for the Cougars (1-0-0-0), who were making their regular-season debut. Chase Witala, Alex Forsberg, Caleb Belter and Brock Hirsche also scored for Prince George.
Austin Lotz and Cole Holowenko combined for 27 saves for the Silvertips (0-1-0-0), who allowed one goal on eight Cougars’ power play chances but were scoreless on three man advantage chances of their own.
Game Summary
BLAZERS 3, ROCKETS 2
Matt Needham scored with 33 seconds left in the third period to lift the visiting Kamloops Blazers to a 3-2 win over the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday.
Dylan Willick and Brendan Ranford also scored for the Blazers (2-0-0-0), who rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period to post their second win over the Rockets in as many nights. Taran Kozun made 27 saves to claim his second win of the campaign.
Zach Franko and Filip Vasko scored for the Rockets (0-1-1-0), who lost in overtime to the Blazers in Kamloops on Friday night. Jordon Cooke made 27 saves in the setback.
Game Summary
WINTERHAWKS 6, THUNDERBIRDS 2
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice and set up another while Nicholas Petan tallied a goal and three assists as the visiting Portland Winterhawks skated to a 6-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday.
Derrick Pouliot, Chase De Leo and Adam De Champlain also scored for the Winterhawks (1-1-0-0), who got all six of their goals at even strength. Cam Lanigan turned in a 23-save effort to claim his first win of the season.
Seth Swenson and Jesse Forsberg scored for the Thunderbirds (1-1-0-0), who were outshot 44-25 by the Winterhawks. Brandon Glover made 36 saves in 46 minutes of work, taking the loss, before giving way to Justin Myles, who made two saves the rest of the way.
Game Summary
CHIEFS 5, AMERICANS 2
Mitch Holmberg scored and set up two more to pace the visiting Spokane Chiefs to a 5-2 win over the Tri-City Americans on Saturday night.
Carter Proft and Liam Stewart each picked up a goal and an assist while Todd Fiddler and Mike Aviani also counted for the Chiefs (1-0-0-0), who scored four times in the second period en route to their season-opening win. Mac Engel made 29 saves to claim the victory.
Parker Bowles and Malte Stromwall scored for the Americans (0-1-0-0), who went 0-for-3 on the power play. Eric Comrie stopped 30 of 34 shots he faced in the defeat.
Game Summary
ROYALS 3, GIANTS 2
Alex Gogolev scored his first goal of the campaign, and first as a member of the Victoria Royals, to help the Royals post a 3-2 win over the visiting Vancouver Giants on Friday.
Ben Walker and Brandon Magee each tallied their second goals in as many nights for the Royals (2-0-0-0), who earn their second victory over the Giants this weekend. Patrik Polivka made 23 saves to record his second win of the season.
Nathan Burns and Cain Franson scored for the Giants (0-2-0-0), who trailed 3-0 heading into the third period. Liam Liston made 20 saves in the loss.
Game Summary
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