Merkley, Kirkland lift Rockets past ‘Canes in SO

WHL-final

Nick Merkley, above, scored the game winner in Game 2 of the WHL final(Marissa Baecker/Getty)

VANCOUVER – Payton Lee was perfect as the Vancouver Giants continue to roll.

Lee made 29 saves as Vancouver shut out the Prince Albert Raiders 3-0 on Wednesday in Western Hockey League action.

Jackson Houck, Joel Hamilton and Tyler Benson scored for the Giants (13-18-0), who have now won four straight.

Nick McBride stopped 35 shots for Prince Albert (15-17-0).

Vancouver went 1 for 3 on the power play, while the Raiders were 0 for 5 with the man advantage.

WARRIORS 5, WHEAT KINGS 4 (SO)

MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Tanner Eberle scored in the shootout and had two goals in regulation time as the Warriors edged Brandon.

Brett Howden and Jack Rodewald rounded out the attack for Moose Jaw (14-14-3).

Nolan Patrick had a pair of goals for the Wheat Kings (22-7-3), while Tyler Coulter and Tim McGauley also scored.

BRONCOS 6, PATS 4

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Jake DeBrusk had a hat trick and two assists as the Broncos skated past Regina.

Brett Lernout, Brycen Martin and Max Lajoie also scored for Swift Current (16-13-4).

Adam Brooks, Braden Christoffer, Sam Steel and Patrick D’Amico supplied the offence for the Pats (18-11-1), who had a five-game win streak come to an end.

OIL KINGS 4, BLAZERS 1

EDMONTON — Ben Carroll had a power-play goal in the second period as the Oil Kings reeled off three unanswered goals to top Kamloops.

Aaron Irving and Brandon Ralph also scored in the outburst for Edmonton (15-12-5). Andrew Koep found the back of the net as well.

Luke Harrison replied for the Blazers (12-16-5).

ROCKETS 4, HURRICANES 3 (SO)

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — Justin Kirkland and Nick Merkley scored in the shootout to power Kelowna past the Hurricanes.

Dillon Dube struck twice and added an assist for the Rockets (25-4-3). Rodney Southam also scored.

Nick Walters, Bryton Sayers and Taylor Cooper had goals for Lethbridge (6-19-5), which has lost five straight.

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