PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Connor Bedard scored twice for the Regina Pats in a 3-1 win over the Prince Alberta Raiders to open the Western Hockey League season Friday.
All eyes are on the 16-year-old Bedard from North Vancouver, B.C., this season after he won the league’s rookie award at 15.
Bedard had 12 goals and 16 assists in 15 games for the Pats in season shortened by COVID-19.
He helped Canada win gold at the world under-18 hockey championship with seven goals and seven assists in seven games.
Drew Englot also scored Friday for the Pats. Keaten Sorensen replied for the Raiders.
WINTERHAWKS 4 AMERICANS 5 (SO)
KENNEWICK, Wash. — Dwayne Jean Jr. scored the shootout winner for the Tri-City Americans in a 5-4 win over the Portland Winterhawks.
Americans centre Jake Sloan scored in regulation and in the shootout. Parker Bell, Elouann Lemonnier and Petr Moravec were the other goalscorers for Tri-Cities.
Clay Hanus, Robbie Fromme-Delorme, James Stefan and Gabe Klassen scored for Portland.
ICE 10 WHEAT KINGS 2
BRANDON, Man. — Skyler Bruce and Mikey Milne led the Winnipeg Ice with two goals apiece in a 10-2 thumping of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Winnipeg also got goals from Benjamin Zloty, Zachary Benson, Chase Bertholet, Owen Pederson, Connor MacLennon and Conor Geekie. Riley Ginnell and Nolan Ritchie replied for Brandon.
REBELS 1 OIL KINGS 4
EDMONTON — Josh Williams scored a hat trick and Sebastian Cossa stopped 35 of 36 shots for the Edmonton Oil Kings in a 4-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels.
Jacob Boucher also scored for Edmonton. Ben King had Red Deer’s lone goal.
HITMEN 2 HURRICANES 9
LETHBRIDGE — Noah Boyko’s hat trick paced the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 9-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen.
‘Canes goaltender Bryan Thomson made 41 saves for the win and assistant captain Justin Hall contributed a goal and four assists.
Logan McCutcheon, Jett Jones, Alex Thacker, Chase Wheatcroft and Logan Barlage were Lethbridge’s other goalscorers.
Calgary got goals from Adam Kydd and David Adaszynski.
BLADES 1 WARRIORS 7
MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Brayden Yager’s hat trick sparked the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 7-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades.
Moose Jaw’s Robert Baco, Daemon Hunt, Riley Niven and Atley Calvert added to the scoresheet. Brandon Lisowsky scored Saskatoon’s lone goal.
TIGERS 0 BRONCOS 2
SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Isaac Poulter posted a 20-save shutout for the Swift Current Broncos in a 2-0 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers. Carter Stebbings and Mathew Ward were Swift Current’s goalscorers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2021.
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