Music: {allcanada} EDWARDS NETS FOUR POINTS AT WARRIORS DOUBLE UP GIANTS

Friday, December 31, 2010

{allcanada} EDWARDS NETS FOUR POINTS AT WARRIORS DOUBLE UP GIANTS

Spencer Edwards scored twice and added a pair of assists, including setting up the game-winning goal, as the Moose Jaw Warriors downed the Vancouver Giants 6-3 in Western Hockey League action Thursday night.

Dylan Hood also scored twice for Moose Jaw (22-13-2), with his second going into an empty net in the game's final minute. Cody Beach and Joey Kornelsen supplied goals for the Warriors, who were outshot 29-22.

Luke Fenske, newly-acquired Spencer Bennett and Brendan Rowinski scored for Vancouver (16-17-5).

The Warriors posted their fifth win in six games, while the Giants suffered their fifth-straight loss. It marked the first time Vancouver has lost five in a row since November of 2004.

Fenske opened the scoring just 1:14 into the game as shot from the point bounced off the end boards and trickled in off Moose Jaw goaltender James Heemskerk's skate.

But Beach created a 1-1 tie at 9:22 as he fired in a cross-ice pass from Mackenzie Royer. With just over a minute left in the first period, Hood gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead on a power play as he beat screened Vancouver goaltender Mark Segal with an on-ice shot through the legs.

Edwards, a 20-year-old right-winger from the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam, B.C., scored a short-handed marker to give the Warriors a 3-1 advantage.

However, Bennett scored a short-handed highlight-reel goal just over two minutes later to reduce Moose Jaw's lead to 3-2. He picked up the puck behind his net, skated up the right wing, shot it off the boards past a defender, and then retrieved the disk and roofed it over sprawling goaltender Heemskerk.

Kornelsen put in a pass from Edwards on a power play at 6:20 of the third to stake Moose Jaw to a 4-2 lead. Less than three minutes later, Edwards put in a pass from Kornelsen on another power play, giving Moose Jaw a 5-2 lead.

But Rowinski brought the Giants back within a goal at 5-3 on a power play at 9:21 as he banked a shot in off goaltender Heemskerk from behind the net. The goal was allowed to stand after a video review.

Elsewhere in the WHL it was: Calgary 5 Brandon 2; Kelowna 7 Kamloops 1; Red Deer 5 Lethbridge 0 and Saskatoon 5 Prince Albert 1.

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Hitmen 5 Wheat Kings 2

At Calgary, Ben Wilson's power-play goal in the first period stood as the game winner as the Hitmen disposed of Brandon.

Kris Foucault, Tyler Fiddler, Carter Berg and John Lawrence also scored for Calgary (11-24-2), which ended a three-game losing streak. For Berg, it was his first WHL goal in his 85th career game.

Michael Ferland had a goal and an assist for the Wheat Kings (13-21-5). David Toews also scored, while Brenden Walker had two assists.

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Rockets 7 Blazers 1

At Kelowna, B.C., Shane McColgan scored twice and added an assist as the Rockets blasted Kamloops.

Cody Chikie and Geordie Wudrick both had a pair of goals for Kelowna (21-15-0), while Brett Bulmer also scored and added two assists.

Captain Chase Schaber was the lone scorer for the Blazers (17-19-2).

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Rebels 5 Hurricanes 0

At Red Deer, Alta., Rebels goaltender Darcy Kuemper set franchise shutout records for the season and career by turning aside 23 shots in a win over Lethbridge.

Colten Mayor, Turner Elson, Adam Kambeitz, Dalton Siwak and Alex Petrovic scored for the Rebels (24-10-4), who were playing without team scoring leader Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who was nursing a sore shoulder.

Dylan Tait made 30 saves for the Hurricanes (12-17-8).

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Blades 5 Raiders 1

At Saskatoon, Darian Dziurzynski struck twice as the Blades raced past Prince Albert.

Brent Benson scored on the power play and had two assists for Saskatoon (28-8-1), while Stefan Elliott and Josh Nicholls chipped in as well.

Brandon Herrod had the only goal for the Raiders (14-21-4).