VICTORIA — Brandon Magee scored a hat trick and added an assist as the Victoria Royals took Game 1 with a 5-3 win over the Prince George Cougars Friday night in Western Hockey League playoff action.
Magee’s three goals all came in the second for Victoria, which scored four in the period. Greg Chase and Taylor Crunk, into an empty net, supplied the rest of the offence.
Tate Olson and Chase Witala opened the scoring with power-play goals for the Cougars. Kody McDonald added another goal with the man advantage in the third.
Coleman Vollrath got the win in net by turning away 28 shots. Ty Edmonds made 20 saves for Prince George.
The Royals were scoreless on three power plays while the Cougars went 3 for 4.
The series continues on Saturday with Game 2 in Victoria.
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SILVERTIPS 5 CHIEFS 1
EVERETT, Wash. — Carson Stadnyk scored three times in a span of 4:03 to start the third period as the Silvertips downed Spokane in Game 1 of their first-round matchup.
Ivan Nikolishin struck twice on the power play in the third for Everett, which capped off the period with five unanswered goals.
Liam Stewart started the scoring in the second for the Chiefs. Spokane’s Markson Bechtold was ejected at 17:25 of the third after receiving a minor for high sticking and major for fighting.
Everett’s Brayden Low was given a game misconduct in the same stoppage.
The series resumes on Saturday with Game 2 in Everett.
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WHEAT KINGS 8 OIL KINGS 1
BRANDON, Man. — Tim McGauley and Jayce Hawryluk each scored twice as the Wheat Kings evened their first-round playoff series at a game apiece with a rout of Edmonton.
John Quenneville had a goal and three assists for Brandon. Eric Roy, Rihards Bukarts and Tyler Coulter rounded out the attack.
Tyler Robertson responded in the third period for the Oil Kings, who host Game 3 Sunday.
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PATS 4 BRONCOS 2
REGINA — Pavel Padakin struck twice as the Pats doubled Swift Current in Game 1 of their first-round playoff matchup.
Braden Christoffer and Patrick D’Amico added the others for Regina, which host Game 2 on Saturday.
Jay Merkley and Glenn Gawdin scored for the Broncos.
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ICE 4 HITMEN 3
CALGARY — Luke Philp scored twice and added an assist as Kootenay slipped past the Hitmen in Game 1 of its first-round playoff series.
Jaedon Descheneau had the winner with a short-handed goal midway through the third period for the Ice. Tyler King also chipped in.
Jake Bean, Kenton Helgesen and Connor Rankin found the back of the net for Calgary, which host Game 2 on Sunday.
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ROCKETS 6 AMERICANS 0
KELOWNA, B.C. — Jackson Whistle made 18 saves and Rourke Chartier scored twice and added an assist as the Rockets blanked Tri-City in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Nick Merkley had a goal and two assists for Kelowna. Madison Bowey, Dillon Dube and Leon Draisaitl rounded out the attack.
Eric Comrie kicked out 24 shots in net for the Americans.
Game 2 takes place on Saturday in Kelowna.
