Music: {allcanada} WHL: RANFORD NETS OT WINNER AS BLAZERS EDGE HURRICANES

Friday, October 19, 2012

{allcanada} WHL: RANFORD NETS OT WINNER AS BLAZERS EDGE HURRICANES

Brendan Ranford scored twice, including the winner 3:20 into overtime, as the Kamloops Blazers edged the host Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-4 on Friday in Western Hockey League action.

The 20-year-old forward also picked up two assists and now has seven goals and 19 points in 10 games.

Dylan Willick scored once and set up two more for the Blazers (11-0-1), who are the only WHL squad not to lose a game in regulation time, while Colin Smith and Tim Bozon had a goal and an assist each.

Russell Maxwell scored twice for the Hurricanes (4-6-1) while Axel Blomqvist chipped in with two assists.

Daniel Johnston and Jay Merkley each scored once to round out Lethbridge's offence.

Taran Kozun stopped 23 shots for the win as Ty Rimmer stopped 34-of-39 shots in a losing effort.

Kamloops went 3-for-8 on the power play while Lethbridge failed to score on either of its opportunities with the man advantage.

Elsewhere in the WHL, it was: Edmonton 5, Moose Jaw 1; Everett 3, Prince Albert 2; Tri-City 6, Regina 3; Swift Current 2, Saskatoon 1; Kootenay 2, Red Deer 1 (OT) and Spokane 2, Seattle 1.

At Lethbridge, Alta., Bozon scored on the power play late in the first period to give Kamloops a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.

Smith scored another power-play goal for the Blazers early in the second before Johnston responded with a short-handed goal for the Hurricanes.

Willick and Ranford added a goal each before the period was through to give Kamloops a commanding 4-1 lead heading into the final period.

Lethrbidge then scored three unanswered goals to force extra time.

Maxwell scored 26 seconds into the third period, Merkley followed at 2:30 and Maxwell added his second goal of the game at 6:25 to tie the game 4-4.

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Oil Kings 5 Warriors 1

At Edmonton, Michael St. Croix scored three times and Tristan Jarry turned aside 23 shots as the Oil Kings (6-3-3) downed Moose Jaw (5-5-1).

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Silvertips 3 Raiders 2

At Prince Albert, Sask., Joshua Winquist scored once and set up two more and Daniel Cotton made 32 saves as Everett (4-7-1) handed the Raiders (7-3-2) their fourth loss in a row.

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Americans 6 Pats 3

At Regina, Marcus Messier and Philip Tot each scored twice as Tri-City (8-3-2) picked up at least one point in its ninth straight contest by beating the Pats (5-6-1).

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Broncos 2 Blades 1

At Swift Current, Sask., Graham Black scored the game winner 6:21 into the third period and Eetu Laurikainen stopped 43-of-44 shots as the Broncos (5-3-4) slipped past Saskatoon (5-8-0).

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Ice 2 Rebels 1 (OT)

At Red Deer, Alta., Jaedon Descheneau scored 39 seconds into overtime and Mackenzie Skapski stopped 22 shots as Kootenay (4-5-0) edged the Rebels (5-7-2) for its third straight victory.

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Chiefs 2 Thunderbirds 1

At Spokane, Wash., Adam Helewka scored both of his club's goals, earning the game's first star, as the Chiefs (7-3-0) downed Seattle (5-4-0).