Brett Leason and Ian Scott have been honoured for the play once again by the Western Hockey League.
In an announcement made earlier this week, the top scorer and starting netminder for the Prince Albert Raiders were named the league’s player and goaltender of the month for the second time this year.
Leason had 24 points during the month of November and has recorded a point in all 28 games that the 26-1-0-1 Raiders have played in this season.
He leads the WHL in goals with 28, is fourth in assists with 33 and is tied with Edmonton Oil Kings forward Trey Fix-Wolansky for the most points in the league with 61.
Scott, who is a draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs, went a perfect 8-0 in November with a 1.63 goals against average, a .945 save percentage and two shutouts.
He also became the eighth netminder to score a goal in league history as he launched the puck into the net on Nov. 16 against the Tri-City Americans.
Heading into Friday’s road game with the Brandon Wheat Kings, Scott led the WHL in wins (22), goals against average (1.62), save percentage (.942) and shutouts (four).
The Raiders teammates have also been recognized by Hockey Canada for their play, as they’ve been selected to attend the selection camp in Victoria, B.C. next week for the upcoming World Juniors.
Moose Jaw Warriors forward Brayden Tracey won the rookie of the month award for November after recording 16 points in 10 games.
Around the WHL
According to the Winnipeg Free Press, an announcement will be made Monday by the owners of the Kootenay Ice that the team will be moving from Cranbrook, B.C. to Manitoba’s capital for the 2019-20 WHL season.
The team, which is owned by Winnipeg businessmen Greg Fettes and his business partner Matt Cockell (who also serves as the club’s president and general manager), will reportedly play out of the University of Manitoba’s Wayne Fleming Arena (a venue that seats just 1,400) for two seasons as a brand new 4,500 to 6,000 seat arena is built.
It would mark the first time a WHL club has been in Winnipeg since 1984, when the Warriors franchise moved to Moose Jaw after four seasons.
Wednesday’s Scores
- Medicine Hat 6 Moose Jaw 5 (Ryan Jevne Overtime Winner – Jett Woo – One Goal and Three Assists)
- Edmonton 6 Regina 1 (Trey Fix-Wolansky – One Goal and Three Assists)
- Lethbridge 3 Kootenay 2 (Dylan Cozens Overtime Winner – Jake Leschyshyn – One Goal and One Assist)
- Kamloops 3 Victoria 2 (Kyrell Sopotyk – One Goal and One Assist)
- Kelowna 4 Tri-City 3 (Leif Mattson Shootout Winner – Nolan Foote – One Goal and One Assist)
- Everett 4 Spokane 2 (Bryce Kindopp – One Goal and One Assist)
Pre-Game Notes
The Raiders and Wheat Kings have only played each other once this season, as the Raiders came away with a 6-0 triumph in Brandon on Saturday, Nov. 17.
Following a 4-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers on Tuesday night, the 14-7-3-3 Wheat Kings are on a four-game in streak and find themselves in a tightly contested battle with the Saskatoon Blades and the Moose Jaw Warriors for second place in the East Division.
The Wheat Kings are currently in fourth place in the standings, but they are just one point back of the Warriors and three markers behind the Blades.
Stellio Mattheos and Luke Burzan have played key roles in the Wheat Kings recent success, as the forwards are both on six-game point streaks.
Defenceman Chase Hartje and forward Lynden McCallum are both listed as day-to-day with upper body injuries, while Prince Albert product and second year blueliner Braden Schneider is week-to-week with a lower body injury he sustained against the Raiders.
Friday’s Schedule
- Moose Jaw vs. Saskatoon – 7 p.m.
- Prince Albert vs. Brandon – 7:30 p.m.
- Swift Current vs. Calgary – 8 p.m.
- Regina vs. Red Deer – 8 p.m.
- Prince George vs. Portland – 9 p.m.
- Victoria vs. Kelowna – 9 p.m.
- Lethbridge vs. Spokane – 9 p.m.
- Seattle vs. Tri-City – 9 p.m.
