NEED TO KNOW
– Calgary Flames prospect Eric Jamieson scored in overtime to give the regular-season champion Everett Silvertips their first win of the postseason
– Victoria Royals forward Teydon Trembecky’s five-point night (1G-4A) tied the franchise record for points in a single playoff game
– Buffalo Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff has made a whopping 89 saves in two games for the Seattle Thunderbirds
– Medicine Hat Tigers Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt has five goals in his first two games
– The Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants are back on home ice to host the Saskatoon Blades and Spokane Chiefs in a pair of Game 2 matinees on Sunday
WHL PLAYOFFS TOP PERFORMER- MARCH 29
Gavin McKenna’s one-goal, four-assist night marks a new personal best for the presumed top 2026 NHL Draft pick in the WHL Playoffs while earning his top-ranked Tigers a 2-0 series lead against Swift Current.
Timely opportunities prevented the Broncos from gaining any momentum and three of McKenna’s assists came on the powerplay.
He also helped the Tabbies hold their opponents to just three shots in the final frame before sealing the decision with an empty-net goal.
The 17-year-old has points in 42 straight games stretching back to November 6, 2024.
RESULTS
Seattle (2), Everett (3) OT
Series tied 1-1
No quit in Everett. Lukas Kaplan’s first WHL Playoffs goal gave Everett its first lead of the series after being stunned by the eighth-seed Thunderbirds in Game 1. But Game 2 wasn’t any easier on either side as the teams swapped goals. Top 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward Braeden Cootes put Seattle on level ground with a powerplay snipe to tie the match going into the third period. Anaheim Ducks prospect Tarin Smith wired a shot on net, with Shea Busch and Austin Roest (Nashville Predators) both getting a stick on the puck as it sailed into the net. T-Birds veteran Nathan Pilling, who had 34 regular-season goals, silenced the crowd at Angel of the Winds Arena with the game-tying goal with just 30 seconds left in regulation, but Tips co-captain Eric Jamieson (Calgary Flames) sealed the deal in overtime to send the teams to Kent with one win each. Buffalo Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff steered aside 44 shots in the loss, while Jesse Sanche came through with 33 saves- six of which came in overtime.
THREE STARS
1- Eric Jamieson, EVT
– 1G-1A
2- Austin Roest, EVT
– 1G-1A
3- Nathan Pilling, SEA
– 1G-1A
Tri-City (2), Victoria (6)
Victoria leads 2-0
There’s a game for the history books! Not only did Teydon Trembecky tie a Royals franchise record for points in a single playoff game with five, 2024 WHL Champion Cosmo Wilson set a team record for single-game assists by a defenceman (3) while tying the record for points. 2025 NHL Draft-eligible centreman Cole Reschny scored twice, including the game-winning goal while adding another assist. Tri-City Captain Jake Sloan and veteran Brandon Whynott found twine for the Americans, but they’ll head home searching for their first win in the team’s return to the postseason. That won’t be an easy task, considering Victoria held the second-best road record in the WHL’s regular season.
THREE STARS
1- Teydon Trembecky, VIC
– 1G-4A
2- Cosmo Wilson
– 3A
3- Cole Reschny, VIC
– 2G-1A
Portland 5, Prince George (2)
Series tied 1-1
Think the Winterhawks may have still been steaming about their overtime loss in Game 1? Portland never trailed as they posted a convincing 5-2 victory to earn a split in the Northern Capital in the rematch of the 2024 Western Conference Championship. Portland went 2-3 on the man-advantage, including Diego Buttazzoni’s game-opening goal in the first period and Captain Kyle Chyzowski’s game-winner midway through the second period. Seattle Kraken prospect Tyson Jugnauth has continued to be a magnet for the net with a four-point (1G-3A) night to lead all defencemen in scoring early in the postseason. Evan Groening and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Viliam Kmec tallied for the Cougars.
THREE STARS
1- Tyson Jugnauth, POR
– 1G-3A
2- Diego Buttazzoni, POR
– 2G-1A
3- Viliam Kmec, PG
– 1G
Swift Current (3) at Medicine Hat (6)
Medicine Hat leads 2-0
The Tigers scored early and often in Game 2. Draft-eligible defenceman Bryce Pickford tallied for a second consecutive game before Minnesota Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie and Captain Oasiz Wiesblatt lit the lamp for three Tigers goals in the first 10 minutes. Brady Birnie bagged Swift Current’s first goal of the 2025 WHL Playoffs less than a minute after Pickford opened the scoring, while Rylan Gould and Seattle Kraken prospect Clarke Caswell found the back of the net, but were unable to contain Medicine Hat’s top guns. McKenna served up four assists before earning an empty-net goal, and Wiesblatt seized the playoff goals lead early on after following up a Game 1 hat trick with another two lamp-lighters on Saturday. He also owns both game-winning goals for the Tabbies through the first weekend of the postseason.
THREE STARS
1- Gavin McKenna, MH
– 1G-4A
2- Ryder Ritchie, MH
– 2G-2A
3- Oasiz Wiesblatt, MH
– 2G-1A
Edmonton (1), Prince Albert (6)
Series tied 1-1
Raiders Captain Justice Christensen scored his first career WHL Playoff goal to get his team going in a heated Game 2. Prince Albert’s defence worked overtime with Seattle Kraken prospect Lukas Dragicevic snagging a goal and two assists while rookie Daxon Rudolph racked up three helpers. Max Hildebrand turned in another stellar performance with 42 saves and held Edmonton to a single goal on nine powerplay opportunities. Rookie Lukas Sawchyn scored the lone goal for the Oil Kings as the series now shifts east to Alberta’s capital for Game 3.
THREE STARS
1- Max Hildebrand, PA
– 42/43 saves
– .976 save percentage
2- Niall Crocker, PA
– 2G
3- Daxon Rudolph
– 3A
Brandon (3), Lethbridge (4)
Lethbridge leads 2-0
The Cane train is chugging east with a commanding 2-0 series lead after pulling out the win in a tightly-contested Game 2. Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager opened the scoring in the second period, but the Wheat Kings tilted the rink with back-to-back goals less than two minutes apart. Yager, a 2024 WHL Champion, found the equalizer and his teammates took it from there, with 2024 Nashville Predators pick Miguel Marques building on the lead and Carsen Adair picking up the game-winner. Matteo Michels, Marcus Nguyen, and Nicholas Johnson tallied for Brandon, with goaltender Carson Bjarnason (Philadelphia Flyers) snagged the rare goalie assist on Nguyen’s powerplay marker.
THREE STARS
1- Brayden Yager, LET
– 2G
2- Vojtech Port, LET
– 2A
3- Jaxon Jacobson, BDN
– 1A
ON TAP
