Major Junior
Peyton Kettles Returns To Kelowna Lineup For Memorial Cup Tournament
After missing nearly eight months recovering from shoulder surgery, Peyton Kettles returned to the Kelowna Rockets lineup for the Memorial Cup Tournament in Kelowna. The Rockets lost the first game of the tournament on Friday to the Kitchener Rangers, the OHL champions, 5-0.
The Rockets lost 3-2 in overtime to the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, the the QMJHL champions, on Sunday night. Kettles went without a point in the loss.
The host team takes on the Everett Silvertips, the WHL champions, on Wednesday night, needing a win in regulation to remain in contention for the semifinal round.
Carter Sanderson Goes Without A Point In Clark Cup Final Loss
The Muskegon Lumberjacks stayed alive with a 4-3 win in double overtime in Game 3 of the Clark Cup Final on Friday. The Lumberjacks scored twice with under four minutes remaining in regulation to tie the game and early in the second overtime to avoid being swept by the Sioux Falls Stampede. Sanderson went without a point in the win.
The Lumberjacks battled back again on in Game 4 on Saturday night to tie the score 3-3 and force overtime, but lost in double overtime. Sanderson finished the postseason with four goals and seven points in 14 games.
AHL
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Advances To Eastern Conference Final With Lopsided Game 5 Win
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins ended the Atlantic Division Final with a proverbial exclamation point, beating the Springfield Falcons 8-1 in Game 5. Tristan Broz led the offense with two goals and two assists. Ville Koivunen scored twice and added a helper. Raphael Harvey-Pinard returned from injury and scored two goals. Harrison Brunicke and Atley Calvert scored the other Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goals. Mikhail Ilyin and Finn Harding both finished with two assists. Avery Hayes, Chase Pietila, Tanner Howe, Aidan McDonough, Bill Zonnon, Alex Alexeyev, Joona Koppanen, and Gabe Klassen all recorded helpers. Sergei Murashov stopped 26 shots in the win.
With the win, the Penguins advance to the Eastern Conference Final to take on the Toronto Marlies. The teams split a regular season series 1-1 with the Marlies winning 4-3 in overtime in November, and the Penguins winning 4-3 in March. The series starts in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday night.
ECHL
Wheeling Nailers Lose Two One-Goal Games In Eastern Conference Final
The Wheeling Nailers opened the Eastern Conference Final with a 2-1 loss to the Florida Everblades on Friday night. The Everblades took a 2-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game, but the Nailers tightened up and managed to cut the lead in half in the third period. Mathieu De St. Phalle scored the lone Wheeling goal off Alexander Kuqali and Ryan McAllister assists. Taylor Gauthier stopped 22 shots in the loss.
The Nailers fell to 0-2 in the series after a 1-0 loss on Saturday night. Gauthier stopped 29 shots in the loss. The series heads to Wheeling next week.
The series continues on Wednesday night with the next three games scheduled in Wheeling.