WHL Morning Skate: Edmonton Oil Kings double up visiting Moose Jaw Warriors

They were down 1-0 after one period of play despite outshooting the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors 18-10 in the frame, but the Edmonton Oil Kings finally found the net and ran up the score to 4-1 by the middle of the third en route to a 6-3 win Friday at Rexall Place.

Cody Corbett was the top scorer for the Oil Kings on the night, with two goals and an assist, while fellow defenceman Blake Orban, who was making his debut with Edmonton after being acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Giants on Thursday, led the club in plus-minus (+3), fought Warriors forward Scott Cooke early in the third and was named the game’s first star.

Back-up Oil Kings goalie Tyler Santos started the game, making 26 saves for the victory.

Read Ryan Dittrick’s Edmonton Journal game story for more.

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Kootenay Ice 3 Swift Current Broncos 1

Tim Bozon scored late in the third period to break a 1-1 deadlock that had been lingering since halfway through the first and added an empty-net goal to lead the Kootenay Ice to a 3-1 win over the Swift Current Broncos Friday night in Cranbrook, B.C.

The visiting Broncos opened the scoring on a power-play goal by Graham Black, who was waiting untouched in front of Ice goalie Wyatt Hoflin for a Colby Cave feed from the corner.

But that was it for scoring from sputtering Swift Current (21-15-6, 2nd Western Conf.), the Western Conference leaders earlier this season who have gone 3-4-3 since the beginning of December and sit seven points behind the Calgary Hitmen.

Ice winger Austin Vetteri tied the game three-and-a-half minutes later, also on a power play, before forward Bozon’s late-game heroics in front of an announced crowd of 2,227 at Western Financial Place.

Kootenay returns to action Sunday when they host the Medicine Hat Tigers (6 p.m.), while Swift Current finishes a four-game road trip Saturday against the same Tigers (7:30 p.m.) in their next game.

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Vancouver Giants forward Jackson Houck watches the puck go past Kelowna Rockets goalie Jackson Whistle during WHL action at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum on Friday, Jan. 3, 2014. Houck scored a hat-trick in the game, leading the Giants to a 4-2 victory, snapping the Rockets’ 16-game win streak.

Vancouver Giants 4 Kelowna Rockets 2

VANCOUVER — Jackson Houck scored three times as the Vancouver Giants halted the Kelowna Rockets’ 16-game win streak with a 4-2 victory on Friday in Western Hockey League action.

Anthony Ast also scored for the Giants (20-14-7) while Arvin Atwal and Cain Franson chipped in with two assists each.

Ryan Olsen and Justin Kirkland scored for the Rockets (32-4-2), whose last defeat came on Nov. 20 against the Victoria Royals.

Jared Rathjen made 15 saves for Vancouver as Jackson Whistle turned away 22-of-26 shots for Kelowna.

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WHL action between the Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades at the Brandt Centre in Regina on Friday, Jan. 3 2014.

Regina Pats 4 Saskatoon Blades 3 (SO)

REGINA — Dyson Stevenson scored the shootout winner as the Pats edged Saskatoon.

Kyle Burroughs, Colby Williams and Dryden Hunt scored in regulation for Regina (20-17-4).

The Blades (11-27-4) got all their offence from the blue-line as defencemen Clayton Kirichenko, Ayrton Nikkel and Graeme Craig had a goal apiece.

Pats goaltender Dawson MacAuley replaced Nick Schneider halfway through the second period and stopped all 10 shots he faced to earn the victory. Schneider allowed three goals on 12 shots in 29 minutes of action.

Saskatoon’s Troy Tremblay kicked out 43-of-46 shots in a losing cause.

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Prince Albert Raiders 3 Lethbridge Hurricanes 1

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — Calder Brooks scored once and set up two more as the Raiders toppled Lethbridge.

Mackenzie Stewart and Carson Perreaux also scored for Prince Albert (21-17-2) while Cole Cheveldave made 36 saves for the victory.

Brady Ramsay gave the Hurricanes (8-29-5) a 1-0 lead just three minutes into the first period before being halted the rest of the way by Cheveldave.

Corbin Boes turned aside 44-of-46 shots for Lethbridge.

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Red Deer Rebels 5 Seattle Thunderbirds 1

RED DEER, Alta. — The Rebels scored five unanswered goals to shock the Thunderbirds.

Vukie Mpofu scored twice for Red Deer (12-17-2), with singles coming from Cole Chorney, Matt Bellerive and Earl Webb.

Branden Troock had the only goal for Seattle (22-12-5) in the first period.

Patrik Bartosak finished with 29 saves for Red Deer, while at the other end of the ice Danny Mumaugh stopped 24 shots.

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Prince George Cougars 9 Kamloops Blazers 5

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C — Klarc Wilson and Todd Fiddler each had a hat trick as the Cougars downed Kamloops.

Zach Pochiro and Troy Bourke had a goal and three assists apiece for Prince George (15-21-5) while Fiddler added two assists for a five-point night. Jordan Tkatch had a goal and an assist to round out his club’s offence.

Joe Kornelsen scored two goals for the Blazers (10-26-4) and Aspen Sterzer, Ryan Rehill and Josh Connolly had the others.

Ty Edmonds made 19 saves for the Cougars. Taran Kozun gave up five goals on 16 shots in just 16 minutes of action for Kamloops and was pulled for Bolton Pouliot, who stopped 24-of-29 shots in relief.

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Spokane Chiefs 5 Victoria Royals 3

SPOKANE, Wash. — Mitch Holmberg scored twice for the Chiefs, including the game winner, as the Chiefs defeated Victoria.

Holmberg is the first WHL player to hit the 40-goal mark and his second goal of the game was his ninth game-winner of the season.

Dominic Zwerger, Cole Wedman and Markson Bechtold also scored for Spokane (23-13-2) while Eric Williams made 21 saves for the win.

Brandon Fushimi, Taylor Crunk and Jack Walker scored for the Royals (27-13-2), who dropped their first game in regulation in nine contests, and Patrik Polivka stopped 36 shots in defeat.

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Tri-City Americans 5 Portland Winterhawks 1

KENNEWICK, Wash. — Eric Comrie made 37 saves as Tri-City snapped a seven-game slide by defeating Portland.

Lucas Nickles had a goal and an assist for the Americans (18-18-2) while Jordan Davies, Beau McCue, Philip Tot and Brian Williams scored the others.

Chase De Leo scored the lone goal for the Winterhawks (25-11-4), who have dropped three straight contests.

Brendan Burke started in net for Portland but was pulled when he gave up a third goal on just 12 shots. Jarrod Schamerhorn came on in relief and stopped 14-of-16 shots in 19 minutes of action.

-  with files from The Canadian Press

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