Opening Night, Part II

Some notes after Friday's games, which kicked off the season for 16 more WHL teams:

• After 9 games, we've had 14 fights already. No effect being felt from the new rules so far. Don't count on feeling one at all.
• not a pretty picture for Lethbridge, who lost 8-1 in Cranbrook and were outshot 48-14 in the process. That's not a typo. At the end of the 2nd period it was 7-0 and the Hurricanes had FOUR shots. True, they didn't have Carter Ashton or Kyle Beach, but this was a serious butt-kicking and the Canes still have to play seven more games on the road before they get a home opener.
• Still in the Department of Being Outshot, the Chiefs more than doubled the Cougars, 52-23 tonight.
• Tyler Fiddler scored three goals all of last season for Calgary. He had a natural hat trick tonight in Red Deer, matching last season's entire goal output in just the season opener. Red Deer was 0-for-8 on the powerplay, including 0-for-5 in the first period alone. It's probably a different outcome if they're even 25% on the powerplay tonight.
• they were on the road and missing 6 of their top 10-12 players. But did anyone really expect Brandon to lose 6-1 to Prince Albert?
• Swift Current had a 6-2 lead with 3.5 minutes left in their game with Moose Jaw. The Warriors scored three times in that span to fall just one goal short of a really remarkable comeback.
• 84 shots on goal in the Everett - Seattle game? Fans certainly got their money's worth, although from the attendance it looks like the building was 1/3 empty on opening night. That problem didn't only exist in Seattle though - the WHL.ca attendance numbers show the buildings in Prince Albert, Chilliwack, and Cranbrook were nowhere close to sellouts on opening night either.