TYLER JOHNSON AND THE SPOKANE CHIEFS HOST BRENDAN SHINNIMIN AND THE TRI-CITY AMERICANS – Tyler Johnson and the Spokane Chiefs (1-0-1-0) welcome Brendan Shinnimin and the Tri-City Americans (2-0-0-0) for a U.S. Division match-up in Western Hockey League action on Saturday, September 26th.
The Chiefs have been idle since splitting a two-game series in Prince George on opening weekend, winning 6-3 last Friday then losing 2-1 in overtime on Saturday. The Chiefs acquired forward Kyle Beach from the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday.
The Americans are coming off Friday night’s 4-3 win over the visiting Portland Winterhawks for their second straight win to start the season. Shinnimin notched four assists in Friday’s win over the Hawks, and now has two goals and seven points in two games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the division rivals. Last season, the Chiefs won seven of 12 meetings between with the Ams.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Michael Stickland and the Swift Current Broncos (1-2-0-0) welcome Radim Valchar and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (0-3-0-0).
The Broncos were blanked 3-0 in Brandon on Friday night for their second straight defeat, and second straight road loss. The Broncos haven’t scored in seven power play chances through their first two road games this season.
The Hurricanes are coming off a 4-2 loss in Red Deer on Friday night for their third straight setback to start the season. Valchar scored twice in his Hurricanes debut after being acquired from Portland earlier in the week.
Ryan Howse and the Chilliwack Bruins (1-2-0-0) welcome Brett Connolly and the Prince George Cougars (1-2-0-0) for a B.C. Division match-up on Saturday.
The Bruins are coming off a 4-1 win in Kent, WA, over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday for their first victory of the season. Howse notched two goals and an assist on Friday night versus the T-Birds.
The Cougars fell 2-1 in Vancouver to the Giants on Friday night in their first road contest of the season. The Cougars have converted just two of 21 power play chances they’ve had through the first three games of the season.
Tyler Maxwell and the Everett Silvertips (1-1-0-0) host Kevin Connaughton and the Vancouver Giants (3-1-0-0) on Saturday.
The Silvertips have been idle since defeating the Giants 4-2 in Vancouver last Saturday. Maxwell has two goals and three points through the Silvertips’ first two contests of the season.
The Giants edged the visiting Prince George Cougars 2-1 on Friday night for their second straight victory. Connaughton is tied for second on the Giants in scoring with two goals and five points.
Mitchell Callahan and the Kelowna Rockets (0-2-1-0) welcome Tyler Shattock and the Kamloops Blazers (3-0-0-0) for the back half of a home-and-home series between the teams.
The Blazers doused the Rockets 4-1 in Kamloops on Friday night for their third victory in a row to open the season. Shattock scored twice on Friday night, giving him five goals on the season.
The Rockets dropped their third straight decision to start the season with Friday’s loss in Kamloops. The Rockets have surrendered 16 goals through their first three games of the season.
Steele Boomer and the Kootenay Ice (2-1-0-0) host Bretton Cameron and the Medicine Hat Tigers (1-0-0-1) on Saturday night.
The Ice are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday, improving to 2-0 on home ice this season. Boomer has two goals and four points in three contests this season.
The Tigers fell 5-4 in a shootout to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Friday night for their first loss of the season. The Tigers went 13-18-3-2 on the road last season.
Jason Bast and the Moose Jaw Warriors (2-1-0-0) host Mark Stone and the Brandon Wheat Kings (2-1-0-0) for an East Division battle on Saturday.
The Warriors are coming off a 5-4 win in Regina over the Pats on Friday night for their second win in a row. Bast shared the team lead with four goals through the Warriors’ first three games this season.
The Wheat Kings are coming off a 3-0 shutout win over the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Friday night for their second straight win by that score line. Stone notched his first goal of the season in Friday’s win.
Luke Walker and the Portland Winterhawks (1-1-0-0) welcome Jonathan Parker and the Seattle Thunderbirds (1-3-0-0) on Friday.
The Winterhawks fell 4-3 in Kennewick, WA, to the Tri-City Americans on Friday for their first defeat of the season. Walker netted all three goals in Friday night’s loss to the Americans.
The Thunderbirds dropped a 4-1 decision to the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Friday for their third straight loss. Parker scored his first goal of the season in Friday’s defeat.
In other WHL action on Saturday, Ryan Harrison and the Prince Albert Raiders (2-1-0-0) host Brent Raedeke and the Edmonton Oil Kings (1-1-0-1).
The Raiders are coming off Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos. Harrison shares the team lead in scoring with a goal and five points in three games.
The Oil Kings earned their first win of the season on Friday with a 4-2 victory in Saskatoon over the Blades. The Oil Kings have given up just one power play goal on 17 opposition chances this season.
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