First Positive Test Shutters The Kelowna Rockets – Other News In The WHL

Regina Pats score a 5-3 win over Prince Albert Raiders where the Raiders outshot the Pats 29-25 scoring 1 power play goal n five tries with the Pats getting a goal on three tries.

Brandon Wheat Kings get outshot 34-30 by the Winnipeg Ice but score a 4-3 win, scoring once on two tries and The Ice nabbing one on five chances. 

Seattle spanks Spokane 5-0, where the Thunderbirds were a perfect 1-1 on the power play and held the Chiefs on the scoresheet on their two chances. Spokane did outshout Seattle 35-30. 

Everett Silvertips won an overtime battle in a goaltenders duo versus Portland Winterhawks 2-1. Simon Knak was the first to get a goal past Dustin Wolf since the start of the shortened season, but it wasn’t enough. The shots were tied at 36, and both were shutout on their three tries each on the power play. Both Dante Giannuzzi and Dustin Wolf were spectacular in their respect goaltending ends. 

Saskatoon Blades scored four in the first as they blasted Regina Pats 7-3. The Blades outshot the Pats 47-27 and scored 2 goals on five tries, and shutout the Pats on their three chances.  

Swift Current Broncos outshot the Winnipeg Ice 38-37 and outscored them 7-4. The Broncos scored 1 goal on three tries; the Ice went two for five in the contest. 

Edmonton Oil Kings squeaked by the Calgary Hitmen 4-3 but were blanked on the two power play tries. The Oil Kings scored once on three attempts. Edmonton outshot Calgary 31-29. 

Medicine Hat Tigers blanked the Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-0, where they outshot the Hurricanes 47-22. The Tigers did not get on the power play and shutout Lethbridge’s three attempts.  

The BC Division finally get underway with a pair of games. 

Kamloops Blazers scored 4 in the first, three in the third to blow off the Vancouver Giants 7-3. Kamloops needed only a 27-22 shot advantage to do this. The Blazers scored just a goal on four attempts and blanked the Giants on three tries. 

The Kelowna Rockets blanked the Victoria Royals 5-0. The Rockets scored once on five tries and blanked the Royals on their four attempts. The Rockets outshot the Royals 35-19 in the game. 

The next night saw another TV battle with Seattle Thunderbirds and Portland Winterhawks, with Seattle nabbing the 3-2 win. The Thunderbirds outshot Portland 40-30, and both teams were blanked on their three tries each.  

Tri-City Americans blanked the Spokane Chiefs 3-0. Spokane had six tries on the power play, Tri-City had one try, and neither scored. Spokane outshot Tri-City 26-25. 

Prince Albert Raiders scored a 5-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Warriors scored once on two tries and held Prince Albert off the power play scoresheet on their two chances. Prince Albert doubled up on the shots on goal 36-18. 

Edmonton Oil Kings came back and beat up on the Calgary Hitmen 5-2. Calgary could not convert their four tries, and Edmonton went one for six on their man advantage tries. The Oil Kings outshot the Hitmen 45-31. 

Medicine Hat Tigers doubled up on Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-3. Both teams were strong on the power play, with the Tigers 2/5 and the Hurricanes 3/8. The Hurricanes bombarded 41 shots to Medicine Hat’s 28. 

In the BC Division lone match, Kamloops Blazers scored a 5-4 win over the Prince George Cougars. The Cougars did well on the power play going two of four while blanking the Blazers on their single chance. The Blazers outshot the Cougars 32-22. 

Action the next night saw Everett Silvertips manhandle the Tri City Americans 6-1, holding the Americans on the power play scoresheet on their five tries while scoring once on their three tries. Everett outshot Tri City 36-21. 

In another TV battle Portland Winterhawks scored the last three goals of the game in a 7-4 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Portland outshot Seattle 40-34. Portland was perfect 1/1 on the power play and held Seattle off the power play on their four chances.

Brandon Wheat Kings scored a 5-2 win over the Swift Broncos, where they controlled the shots 38-31, going two for seven on the power play and holding the Broncos off the sheet on their five tries. 

Winnipeg Ice scored once on the power play on their six tries, blanking Moose Jaw on their five tries in their 4-1 win. The Ice picked up a 28-21 shot advantage. 

Calgary Hitmen scored a rare win over Edmonton Oil Kings 2-1 where they were outshot 42-22 and unable to score on their five tries with the power play with Edmonton scoring once on their five chances.  

Medicine Hat Tigers scored a 6-5 win in overtime over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Tigers scored twice on their five chances and The Hurricanes went one for four with their man advantage tries. The Tigers outshot the Hurricanes 32-30. 

In the lone BC matchup Vancouver Giants spanked Kelowna Rockets 6-0, but only scored once on their four tries on the power play, blanking the Rockets on their five chances.The Giants outshot the Rockets 37-20. 

The following night Saskatoon Blades scored a 4-0 whipping on Prince Albert Raiders, going two for five with the man advantage and holding the Raiders off with their three tries. The Blades also held a 32-24 shot advantage in the game. 

Regina Pats scored an ugly 9-4 win over the Swift Current Broncos, getting a 40-29 shot advantage, but only went 2/5 on the power play and allowing Swift Current a goal on their four attempts.  

The BC matchup saw Prince George back in the win column with a 5-3 win over the Victoria Royals. The Cougars went two for five on the power play, and Victoria scored once on their four tries.  Prince George enjoyed a 39-32 shot advantage. 

The following night saw games in the East and BC Divisions with one exception which you can read below. 

In the East, Prince Albert Raiders were blasted by the Brandon Wheat Kings 7-1 but only outshot 35-29. Brandon picked up four goals on seven tries with the power play, holding the Raiders to a goal on six tries.  

Regina Pats and Moose Jaw needed overtime to settle their differences. With just 27 seconds left in the extended frame, Regina scored, giving them a 3-2 win. Neither team scored on the four tries they had with the man advantage each; Regina, during the game, enjoyed a 36-27 shot advantage. Exceptional player Conor Bedard continues to make waves in scoring his eighth of the season and being the lone helper on the overtime goal. Bedard, at just 15, is proving his status in the campaign. 

The Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants Played the night game in the BC Division. With Vancouver put up the first two goals, Victoria came back with three of their own before Vancouver tied it. Vancouver put up the next two goals near the end of the third period to win 5-4. The Giants went 2/3 plus a short-handed goal to Victoria’s 2 goals on six attempts. Vancouver outshot Victoria 33-27. 

There was to be a day game with the Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers, but it has been suspended.  

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the Kelowna Rockets had suspended all team activities due to a positive COVID-19 test. The positive COVID-19 test results belong to a Hockey Staff member of the Kelowna Rockets within the Team Cohort. No players within the Team Cohort have tested positive at this time. 

The WHL is working in consultation with B.C. Health Authorities on this matter. 

As a result of the suspension of activities for the Kelowna Rockets, Game #177 (Tuesday, March 30 – Kamloops Blazers at Kelowna Rockets) has been postponed. 

The WHL or Kelowna Rockets will not be providing any further comment at this time. Pending determination of close contacts and further test results, the WHL will provide further information. 

Because they are playing weekly games in the BC Division, results will be known in plenty of time, if they have to make further adjustments. 

From the Prince George Citizen, where the Cougars have had to make a deal with Spokane to allow a player unable to cross the border to play. Due to Jack Finley’s injury on the Chiefs team, the Cougars will loan eighteen-year-old Mitch Kohler to bolster their team and allow his season to continue. He will rejoin the Cougars at the end of the season. Iilijah Colina has left the team for personal reasons. He was a former Winterhawk, traded to Prince George during the 2017/18 season in the trade for Dennis Cholowski. Colina had experienced some difficulties in Portland and Prince George that affected his play, and we wish him all the best in the future. Hudson Thornton has rejoined Cougars in Kamloops following his quarantine period.

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About Stuart Kemp 348 Articles
Stuart Kemp is the Immediate Past President of 15 years of the Booster Club. and has been following hockey from his native Canada since he can remember, though he can't skate, but played road hockey for several years. Loving hockey and professional wrestling, he has traveled to most of the WHL cities and with wrestling, has seen four provinces and five states. It is true that every Canadian city with more than 500 residents has a hockey rink, well at least it looks that way. Stuart has had his hand in every facet of independent Professional wrestling as he debuted as an announcer in 1986 which started his career.