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2025 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap: March 29
Welcome to this edition of THN's 2025 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap. This recurring article will be released throughout the playoffs, providing summaries of action from the WHL post-season. Here is a look at the eight games from March 29.
Lethbridge Hurricanes 4, Brandon Wheat Kings 3Lethbridge Leads Series 2-0
The Lethbridge Hurricanes continued their winning ways with a 4-2 Game 2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. This was a close game throughout, with the Wheat Kings outshooting the Hurricanes 28-26 on the night. In the end, defenceman Carsen Adair's first career playoff goal was the difference as the series now shifts to Brandon.
3 Stars:Lethbridge: Brayden Yager- 2 GoalsLethbridge: Vojtech Port- 2 AssistsBrandon: Jaxon Jacobson- 1 Assist
Prince Albert Raiders 6, Edmonton Oil Kings 1Series Tied 1-1
After dropping Game 1, the Prince Albert Raiders responded in a big way, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 6-1 in Game 2. Goaltending was the story for the Raiders as Max Hildebrand stopped 42 of the 43 shots he faced. In the end, 11 of Prince Albert's skaters recorded points, with five having multi-point nights.
3 Stars:Prince Albert: Max Hildebrand- 42 Saves On 43 ShotsPrince Albert: Niall Crocker- 2 GoalsPrince Albert: Daxon Rudolph- 3 Assists
Medicine Hat Tigers 6, Swift Current Broncos 3Medicine Hat Leads Series 2-0
It was the Gavin McKenna show in Game 2 as the 2026 NHL Draft prospect recorded a five-point night. Through two games, McKenna is up to eight points, which is tied for the CHL lead so far this year. Combine McKenna's strong play with another solid performance from Harrison Meneghin, and it is no wonder that the Medicine Hat Tigers have a 2-0 lead early in the series.
3 Stars:Medicine Hat Tigers: Gavin McKenna- 1 Goal, 4 AssistsMedicine Hat Tigers: Ryder Ritchie- 2 Goals, 2 AssistsMedicine Hat Tigers: Oasiz Wiesblatt- 2 Goals, 1 Assist
Everett Silvertips 3, Seattle Thunderbirds 2 (OT)Series Tied 1-1
The Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds game was thrilling from start to finish. In the end, defenceman Eric Jamieson played hero, as he scored his first of the playoffs at the 7:33 mark of overtime. If the first two games are indicators of how this series will go, fans in Everett and Seattle will be spoiled in the first round.
3 Stars:Everett: Eric Jamieson- 1 Goal, 1 AssistEverett: Austin Roest- 1 Goal, 1 AssistSeattle: Nathan Pilling- 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Victoria Royals 6, Tri-City Americans 2Victoria Leads Series 2-0
The Victoria Royals put together an impressive 6-2 performance to go up 2-0 in the series against the Tri-City Americans. Victoria's top players showed up in a big way, with both Teydon Trembecky and Cole Reschny recording 3+ point nights. From high-octane offence to solid defensive play, the Royals have made life extremely difficult for Tri-City through the first two games of this series.
3 Stars:Victoria: Teydon Trembecky- 1 Goal, 4 AssistsVictoria: Cosmo Wilson- 3 AssistsVictoria: Cole Reschny - 2 Goals, 1 Assist
Portland Winterhawks 5, Prince George Cougars 2Series Tied 2-2
After a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 1, the Portland Winterhawks rebounded with a 5-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars in Game 2. Tyson Jugnauth and Diego Buttazzoni led the way for Portland, with each recording at least three points on the night. As expected, this series is going to be close throughout, with the teams looking destined for a Game 7.
3 Stars:Portland: Tyson Jugnauth- 1 Goal, 3 AssistsPortland: Diego Buttazzoni- 2 Goals, 1 AssistPrince George: Viliam Kmec- 1 Goal
Sunday, March 30 Games:
Saskatoon @ Calgary- 2 pm MTSpokane @ Vancouver- 4 pm PT
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"I Think Everybody's Ready For The Next Challenge": Penticton Vees Fred Harbinson Speaks On Joining The WHL & Going On One Final BCHL Championship Run
2025 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap: March 28
The Hockey News Predicts The 2025 WHL Playoffs
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Lethbridge Hurricanes Versus 5) Brandon Wheat Kings
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"I Think Everybody's Ready For The Next Challenge": Penticton Vees Fred Harbinson Speaks On Joining The WHL & Going On One Final BCHL Championship Run
The WHL will be getting a 23rd team next season as the Pentiction Vees will be joining the league. Pentiction has been home to one of the most successful teams in BCHL history, and have captured four Fred Page Cups in the last decade. Ultimately, the WHL is gaining not just a great organization but also a premier arena, as the South Okanagan Events Centre is also home to the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame.
Fred Harbinson is one of the reasons why the Vees have been so successful over the past two decades. Harbinson serves as President, Head Coach and General Manager and has led Penticton to over 700 regular season wins and six Fred Page Cups. Next season, Harbinson will continue in all three roles and is ready for whatever challenges he and the team may face in the WHL.
"I think there is a lot of excitement," said Harbinson about the move to the BCHL. "I think we've been in the BC Hockey League since 1961. We were one of the original members. I think over my time here, there's been different eras of Penticton hockey, where we've been very successful. The last 18 years that I've been here, we've had a lot of success on the ice and off the ice. I think everybody's ready for the next challenge."
Moving from the BCHL to the WHL is a significant change for the organization and the city. The BCHL is classified as "Junior A", while the WHL falls into the "Major Junior" category of development leagues. As Harbinson explains, while there may be some questions, he is already feeling a buzz around the city since the WHL officially welcomed the Vees to the league.
"With change, there's always uncertainty. Some people would wonder like, oh, does this affect the ticket prices and those kind of things? How does that affect it? Our staff and our ownership have done an amazing job of making sure that we didn't price anybody out of the building, even with the step. So, I think once people started to hear that, then it's pretty hard to be negative on it. I think people realize that we're not going to win at the same rate as the BCHL. We won at a pretty incredible clip, and that's not going to happen in the Western Hockey League for a number of different reasons, especially when you're starting from scratch. But, I think the fans here are going to embrace that we're going to get the top players in junior hockey coming through here each and every night."
Making a change like this does not happen overnight. It is a complicated process that requires an enthusiastic owner and ownership group. For Pentiction, they have Graham Fraser, who was as ecstatic as Harbinson to join the WHL.
"Myself and our majority owner, Graham Fraser. I've been here 18 years and with Graham for 17. Me and Graham have developed a great relationship and are kind of on the same page on a lot of different things. Probably in November, when that NCAA rule change with the CHL players took place, Graham and I looked at our program and thought about what it meant for us. What were the next steps that we had to do to stay relevant in the hockey the higher level of the hockey world, which we were at the time. We both came to the conclusion that looking at going to the Western Hockey League actually was the next step in the evolution of our program. There were a lot of different facets that were involved, and we worked hand in hand to make sure that we are where we are today."
During the press conference, which officially welcomed the organization to the WHL, one of the topics that came up was the Vees' future rivalry with the Kelowna Rockets. Even speaking about this potential rivalry was enough to fire up Fraser, who said, "I really want to kick Kelowna's butt". As for Harbinson, he is looking forward to rekindling a rivalry that was one of the best back in the early days of the BCHL.
"I think, just a little fun, right? Talking about rivalries, here in Penticton in the BC Hockey League, our rivalry with Vernon goes back to the 50s and 60s. Now, obviously, we've moved out of the BCHL, and we're hopeful to rekindle some old rivalries. I mentioned that three of the first four Junior programs in British Columbia were Penticton, Kelowna and Kamloops. We'll have to build our program where we can compete with these guys, and it's a natural rivalry down the road here. Basically, it's less than an hour away to Kelowna, and the Kelowna Rockets are one of the storied CHL Western iconic franchises. They're gonna be the host of the Memorial Cup next year. So what a way to kind of start off and kick off our time in the Western Hockey League, with our home opener with the Rockets."
Shifting to this season, about a month and a half before the official announcement, reports started circulating about Penticton joining the WHL. Once the reports became public, Harbinson had a meeting with the players to discuss the organization's future plans. Instead of sulking, the players took it upon themselves to finish the campaign strong and, in the end, claimed yet another Ron Boileau Trophy, which is awarded to the regular season champions.
"It's pretty hard to keep a secret. Things started leaking out even though things weren't finalized about a month ago. So, I had a conversation with my team at that point, and I think our guys have done a tremendous job. They've done a really good job of staying the course, staying on task. All our players, you know, one thing our program has been known for over the years is the amount of player placement. We've done a good job of moving players to the next level, and that's going to be the same here. We talked to our guys. There's a certain amount of guys that are going to be back with us next year, that we were able to list, or we're going to negotiate their rights out of Westen Hockey League teams. Then there's other guys that are going on to the NCAA, and then there'll be that other group that maybe can't come along with us, and we will make sure that they have homes. They're all very good players, so there's going to be a desire for teams to go after them. Everyone will be taken care of in the end, but right now, our goal is to win a championship, just like every other year. Nothing's changed."
With their final BCHL regular season now complete, Penticton's focus shifts to the playoffs, where they are one of the favourites to capture yet another Fred Page Cup. The Vees lost just eight times in regulation this season while posting a goal differential of +74. For Harbinson, while he knows making it to another Fred Page Cup will not be easy, he is confident that his team have what it takes to make their final BCHL playoff run special.
"We've had a real tough time with injury, so we got to try to get healthy and stay healthy throughout the playoffs and then just be consistent. I think we've got a little bit of everything. We've got good size on our back end. We've got solid goaltending. You know, every night, it seems like a different line is contributing offensively. We just need to stay consistent with the process. We've been to the final three years in a row. Went back-to-back and then lost last year in the final. Like I said, this is a pretty special time for us. 1961 to now is one for long, long time to be in that league, and we want one last run at the championship."
In the end, the decision to bring Penticton to the WHL will benefit not just the city but the entire league. The Vees have been one of the best-run organizations in the BCHL for years and have assembled a staff that should help them become competitive sooner rather than later. Ultimately, with Harbinson leading the way, Penticton's future in the WHL looks very bright.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
2025 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap: March 28
The Hockey News Predicts The 2025 WHL Playoffs
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Lethbridge Hurricanes Versus 5) Brandon Wheat Kings
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Prince George Cougars Versus 5) Portland Winterhawks
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2025 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap: March 28
Welcome to this edition of THN's 2025 WHL Playoffs Daily Recap. This recurring article will be released throughout the playoffs, providing summaries of action from the WHL post-season. Here is a look at the eight games from March 28.
Calgary Hitmen 4, Saskatoon Blades 2Calgary Leads Series 1-0
The Calgary Hitmen kicked off their playoffs in style with a 4-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. Calgary was the dominant team throughout, as they outshot Saskatoon 44-17. In fact, the Hitmen had more shots in the first period than the Blades had all night, showing just how dangerous their offence can be.
3 Stars:Calgary: Ethan Moore- 2 GoalsCalgary: Sawyer Mynio- 2 AssistsSaskatoon: Evan Gardner- 40 Save On 44 Shots
Lethbridge Hurricanes 6, Brandon Wheat Kings 3Lethbridge Leads Series 1-0
For the first time since 2019, the Lethbridge Hurricanes have won a playoff game. The Hurricanes put on an impressive performance in Game 1, with 10 different players hitting the scoresheet. Friday also featured an impressive goaltending performance from Jackson Unger, who made 32 saves, while Brandon Wheat Kings' Carson Bjarnason stopped 37 of the 43 shots he faced.
3 Stars:Lethbridge: Leo Braillard- 2 Goal, 1 AssistsLethbridge: Shane Smith- 1 Goal, 1 AssistBrandon: Nolan Flamand- 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Edmonton Oil Kings 3, Prince Albert Raiders 1Edmonton Leads Series 1-0
Game 1 of the Edmonton Oil Kings and Prince Albert Raiders series featured a goaltending battle for the ages. Both Alex Worthington and Max Hildebrand were fantastic, allowing a combined three goals on 71 shots. If Game 1 was an indication of how the rest of the series will go, skaters are going to be frustrated over the next two weeks.
3 Stars:Edmonton: Alex Worthington- 31 Saves On 32 ShotsPrince Albert: Max Hildebrand- 37 Saves On 39 ShotsEdmonton: Landon Hanson- 1 Goal
Medicine Hat Tigers 4, Swift Current Broncos 0Medicine Hat Leads Series 1-0
Harrison Meneghin was the story in the Medicine Hat Tigers' Game 1 victory. Meneghin was playing his first game since his father passed away, recording 21 saves for his first career WHL Playoff win. In the end, it was a special night in Medicine Hat that not only Meneghin but everyone in the building will remember for years to come.
3 Stars:Medicine Hat: Harrison Meneghin: 21 Save ShutoutMedicine Hat: Oasiz Wiesblatt: 3 GoalsMedicine Hat: Gavin McKenna: 3 Assists
Seattle Thunderbirds 3, Everett Silvertips 2Seattle Leads Series 1-0
The Seattle Thunderbirds made a statement in Game 1, defeating the Everett Silvertips 3-2. This was a physical battle between these two U.S. Division rivals, with scrums forming after almost every whistle. Ultimately, the difference was goaltender Scott Ratzlaff, who made 45 saves in his first WHL Playoffs game.
3 Stars:Seattle: Scott Ratzlaff- 45 Saves On 47 ShotsEverett: Landon DuPont- 2 AssistsSeattle: Hayden Pakkala- 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Spokane Chiefs 4, Vancouver Giants 1Spokane Leads Series 1-0
The Spokane Chiefs kept their winning streak against the Vancouver Giants alive on Friday with a 4-1 Game 1 victory. Andrew Cristall recorded two goals, while Dawson Cowan picked up his first career playoff victory. Spokane also outshot Vancouver 44-26 and recorded at least 10 shots in each period.
3 Stars:Spokane: Assanali Sarkenov- 1 Goal, 1 AssistVancouver: Burke Hood- 40 Saves On 43 ShotsSpokane: Andrew Cristall- 2 Goals
Victoria Royals 3, Tri-City Americans 0Tri-City Leads Series 1-0
The other shutout of the night belonged to Johnny Hicks and the Victoria Royals, as they defeated the Tri-City Americans 3-0 in Game 1. This was a tight game from the opening puck drop, with neither team surpassing 25 shots on the night. In the end, though, Victoria's top six was able to break through and help guide the Royals to a victory.
3 Stars: Victoria: Johnny Hicks- 22 Save ShutoutVictoria: Brandon Lisowsky- 2 GoalsVictoria: Cole Reschny- 1 Goal, 1 Assist
Prince George Cougars 7, Portland Winterhawks 6 (OT)Prince George Leads Series 1-0
In what was easily the most chaotic game of the night, the Prince George Cougars pulled off an impressive 7-6 overtime victory over the Portland Winterhawks. Despite being down 5-2, the Cougars scored four times in the third to help get the game into overtime. In the end, it was Mr. Reliable Terik Parascak who came through for Prince George, as his goal at 6:40 of overtime sent the fans home happy.
3 Stars:Prince George: Borya Valis- 1 Goal, 1 AssistPrince George: Aiden Foster- 3 AssistsPortland: Josh Zakreski- 2 Goals
Saturday, March 29 Games:
Brandon @ Lethbridge- 6:00 pm MTEdmonton @ Prince Albert- 7:00 pm MTSwift Current @ Medicine Hat- 7:00 pm PTPortland @ Prince George- 6:00 pm PTTri-City @ Victoria- 6:05 pm PTSeattle @ Everett- 6:05 pm PT
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
The Hockey News Predicts The 2025 WHL Playoffs
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Lethbridge Hurricanes Versus 5) Brandon Wheat Kings
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Prince George Cougars Versus 5) Portland Winterhawks
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 3) Calgary Hitmen Versus 6) Saskatoon Blades
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The Hockey News Predicts The 2025 WHL Playoffs
After a thrilling 2024-25 regular season, the 2025 WHL Playoffs are finally here. All 16 teams will be in action on Friday as the race for the Ed Chynoweth Cup begins. In honor of the start of the playoffs, here are the predictions from THN's WHL team.
Dawson Petryshen:
Round 1:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Swift Current Broncos in 4Edmonton Oil Kings over Prince Albert Raiders in 7Calgary Hitmen over Saskatoon Blades in 5Lethbridge Hurricanes over Brandon Wheat Kings in 7Everett Silvertips over Seattle Thunderbirds in 6Victoria Royals over Tri-City Americans in 6Spokane Chiefs over Vancouver Giants in 5Prince George Cougars over Portland Winterhawks in 5
Round 2:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Edmonton Oil Kings in 6Calgary Hitmen over Lethbridge Hurricanes in 6Everett Silvertips over Victoria Royals in 5Spokane Chiefs over Pince George Cougars in 7
Conference Championships:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Calgary Hitmen in 7Everett Silvertips over Spokane Chiefs in 6
There's no other way this could go. They are two of the most dominant teams in recent memory, both with incredibly deep lineups and an ability to score at any time. In goal, Jesse Sanche (Everett) and Harrison Meneghin (Medicine Hat) are very impressive netminders and mentally strong at that. With this being the Medicine Hat Tigers' first shot at a title since the 2006-07 season, the team will be hungry- and they've got the same coach from that season. The Everett Silvertips have more recent playoff experience, making the finals in 2018 and a second-round appearance in 2024, so they do have a minor edge.
WHL Final:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Everett Silvertips in 7
At the end of it all, the X-factor of this series will be the youngster: Gavin McKenna. McKenna has put up video game numbers in his second full season in the WHL, and while the playoffs present a different beast, the Whitehorse product has shown an ability to take any game over he wants. This series should go no less than seven games, and while it may seem like the obvious pick for a final two, it just makes sense.
Adam Kierszenblat
Round 1:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Swift Current Broncos in 5Prince Albert Raiders over Edmonton Oil Kings in 5Calgary Hitmen over Saskatoon Blades in 5Lethbridge Hurricanes over Brandon Wheat Kings in 6Everett Silvertips over Seattle Thunderbirds in 5Victoria Royals over Tri-City Americans in 4Spokane Chiefs over Vancouver Giants in 5Portland Winterhawks over Prince George Cougars in 6
Round 2:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Prince Albert Raiders in 6Calgary Hitmen over Lethbridge Hurricanes in 6Everett Silvertips over Portland Winterhawks in 5Spokane Chiefs over Victoria Royals in 7
Conference Finals:
Medicine Hat Tigers over Calgary Hitmen in 7Spokane Chiefs over Everett Silvertips in 6
The Medicine Hat Tigers and Spokane Chiefs are built for runs to the Conference Finals. Spokane has assembled one of the most dominant lines in the CHL, while Medicine Hat has one of the most dynamic players ever to play in the WHL. While the Conference Finals will be close, it feels like dystany that the Tigers and Chiefs will battle for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
WHL Final:
Spokane Chiefs over Medicine Hat Tigers in 7
As for who will be off to Rimouski to battle for the Memorial Cup, that would be Spokane. Outside of the Andrew Cristall, Berkly Catton, and Shea Van Olm line, the Chiefs have assembled a very deep team that features Brayden Crampton, Mathis Preston, Saige Weinstein, Rasmus Ekström and Chase Harrington, to name a few. While Medicine Hat has tons of talent, including Gavin McKenna, Oasiz Wiesblatt, and Tanner Molendyk, 2025 feels like the year Spokane returns to the Memorial Cup.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Lethbridge Hurricanes Versus 5) Brandon Wheat Kings
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Prince George Cougars Versus 5) Portland Winterhawks
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 3) Calgary Hitmen Versus 6) Saskatoon Blades
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 3) Spokane Chiefs Versus 6) Vancouver Giants
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2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 4) Prince George Cougars Versus 5) Portland Winterhawks
The four versus five matchup will be a rematch of last year's West Final as the Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks once again do battle. In 2024, Portland picked up a 4-2 series win, punching their ticket to the WHL Final. The question is, will history repeat itself, or will Prince George be able to get some revenge in 2025?
Like the 2024 West Final, the Winterhawks won the season series this year. Portland went 4-0, which included two victories in extra time. Overall, the Winterhawks have won five straight against the Cougars and eight of their last nine games dating back to last year.
Starting with Prince George, Joshua Ravensbergen will be a big storyline throughout the series. He has a .901 save percentage on the season but a .871 this year against Portland. If Ravensbergen can have a strong series, not only will it benefit the Cougars, but it could also give him a final boost ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft.
As for Portland, they need their top line to keep scoring. Kyle Chyzowski, Diego Buttazzoni and Joshua Zakreski all surpassed the 35-goal mark this season, while Tyson Jugnauth put up 76 assists in 65 games. If the Winterhawks can get nighlty multi-point effort for their top players, they will have a good chance at replicating last year's performance.
Overall, this series should be very close. These two teams are built very similarly and could go the distance in the first round. As mentioned, this series will also have some emotion to it as Prince George looks to get their revenge on Portland finally.
Prediction:Portland in 6
Season Series:Portland Wins 4-0-0-0
Scoring Leaders During Season Series:
Prince George:
Koehn Ziemmer: 3 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 4 PBorya Valis: 4 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 PRiley Heidt: 3 GP. 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTerik Parascak: 4 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 2 PViliam Kmec: 4 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2P
Portland:
Josh Zakreski: 4 GP, 5 G, 0 A, 5 PTyson Jugnauth: 4 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PDiego Buttazzoni: 4 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 P Hudson Darby: 3 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTyson Yaremko: 4 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 4 P
Schedule:
Game 1: @ Prince George, Friday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. PTGame 2: @ Prince George, Saturday, March 29, 6:00 p.m. PTGame 3: @ Portland, Tuesday, April 1, 7:00 p.m. PTGame 4: @ Portland, Wednesday, April 2, 7:00 p.m. PTGame 5: @ Portland, Friday, April 4, 7:00 p.m. PTGame 6: @ Prince George, Sunday, April 6, 6:00 p.m. PTGame 7: @ Prince George, Monday, April 7, 7:00 p.m. PT
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 3) Calgary Hitmen Versus 6) Saskatoon Blades
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 3) Spokane Chiefs Versus 6) Vancouver Giants
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 2) Prince Albert Raiders Versus 7) Edmonton Oil Kings
2025 WHL Playoffs Preview: 2) Victoria Royals Versus 7) Tri-City Americans
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Follow all WHL news at https://thehockeynews.com/whlGraemeNov 29, 2024
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