Saturday . . .

The Edmonton Oilers have given GM Kevin Lowe a contract extension that runs through June 30, 2012. Wonder if he got a congratulatory note from Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke, who owns a chunk of the Chilliwack Bruins? . . .

Gotta wonder how thrilled TV is to have the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies in the National League Championship Series? Gotta think the boob tube execs were hoping for the Chicago Cubs and Philly Phillies to hook up in the final. Bigger markets and better storylines. . . .

The WHL is preparing for a meeting of general managers in Calgary on Tuesday with a board of governors’ meeting on Wednesday. It is the Wednesday meeting that will draw the most attention as the sale of the Kamloops Blazers could be approved by the board. Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi, who heads up River City Hockey Inc. (RCH), is to appear in front of the governors and state RCH’s case, which will consist primarily of a long-term business plan. WHL commissioner Ron Robison has been adamant that the business plan is of utmost importance. Without putting the franchise up for sale or soliciting offers, the Kamloops Blazers Sports Society, which comprises 194 shareholders, voted Aug. 23 to sell to RCH for around $7 million. The other members of RCH are former Kamloops players Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor, all of whom are playing in the NHL. . . . The Blazers, who are off to a 3-2-0-0 start, are struggling a bit at the gate and Gaglardi, on a Kamloops radio station this week, admitted concern. While the average attendance after four home games is 4,518, a slight increase over last season, there have been between 1,000 and 1,500 empty seats each game. . . .

The Vancouver Giants suffered a blow Saturday when freshman D Neil Manning, 16, was found to have a broken wrist. He was injured in Friday’s 5-4 OT loss to the visiting Chillliwack Bruins. . . . Manning, a second-round pick in the 2006 bantam draft, likely will be out for somewhere between four and six weeks. That means Dillon Scholten, a 17-year-old rookie, moves up on the depth chart. . . . As well, D Stefan Schneider, who hurt a knee in training camp, is back skating . . .

SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
LW Tyler Dittmer had three goals as the Brandon Wheat Kings beat the Hurricanes 5-2 in Lethbridge. . . . The teams were tied 2-2 going into the third period when Dittmer scored three straight goals, his first this season. Linemate Andrew Clark had three assists. . . . Brandon C Jay Fehr (concussion) is out indefinitely. . . . Lethbridge C Zach Boychuk had a goal, meaning he has at least one point in each of his club’s seven games this seaosn. . . .

LW Alex Rodgers had two goals and an assist as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Bruins 4-2 in Chilliwack. The Blazers hadn’t won in Chilliwack since their first appearance there last season. And the Bruins ruined the Blazers’ home-opener this season, hanging a 2-1 loss on Kamloops. . . . It was the first three-point game of Rodgers’ career; this was his 50th regular-season game. Rodgers, whose last season was ended in February by a shoulder injury that required surgery, was the second-last player selected in the 2004 bantam draft. . . . Kamloops C Brock Nixon drew an assist for his 150th career point. . . . Chilliwack RW Ryan Howse, 16, left the game early in the first period and didn’t return after taking an open-ice hit from Kamloops D Keaton Ellerby. . . . With D Eric Brewer (shoulder) out indefinitely, the St. Louis Blues have recalled D Micki DuPont from the AHL's Peoria Rivermen. Brewer, who played with the Prince George Cougars, lives in Kamloops in the offseason; DuPont played for the Blazers and is a former CHL defenceman of the year.

D Michael Wilson had a goal and two assists — he has 11 assists and 12 points in seven games — as the Swift Current Broncos beat the Cougars 6-1 in Prince George. . . . G Ian Curtis made his first WHL start for the Broncos. . . . The Broncos, who won 2-1 in Kamloops on Friday, are 5-2-0-0 on their season-opening eight-game road swing that was necessary because their home arena is undergoing renovations. . . . The Cougars are 1-5-0-0 and things aren’t about to get any easier. They entertain the Calgary Hitmen on Sunday and then head out on a six-game East Division swing that opens Friday in Brandon. . . . The Hitmen (7-1-0-0) lead the Eastern Conference by four points over the Broncos. . . .

RW Kyle St. Denis had two goals and an assist as the visiting Kelowna Rockets beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in a shootout. . . . Kelowna C Dylan Hood, who had one goal in regulation time, was the only one of eight shooters to score in the shootout. . . . The Thunderbirds have lost each of the last 12 times they have been involved in a shootout. . . . Seattle C Jim O’Brien had a goal and an assist in his second WHL game, giving him a goal and three assists in two games. . . . Seattle had beaten the Rockets 4-1 in Kelowna on Friday. . . .

In Spokane, C Jason Reese was the only one of five shooters to score in the shootout as the Tri-City Americans beat the Chiefs, 2-1. On Friday at home, the Americans beat the Chiefs 4-3 in overtime. . . . The Chiefs got their goal from Spokane native Tyler Johnson, his first WHL score. . . . Spokane C David Rutherford (groin) didn't play and is listed as out indefinitely. . . . The Americans are 7-1-0-0 and hold a four-point lead over Vancouver (4-0-1-1) and Chilliwack (5-2-0-0) atop the Western Conference. . . .

C Jordan Mistelbacher scored his first three goals, all on the power play, as the Everett Silvertips counted four times in the third period and won 5-3 over the Winter Hawks in Portland. . . . The Winter Hawks led 3-1 after two periods. . . . Everett was 3-for-9 on the PP. . . . Despite the three goals, Mistelbacher finished minus-1 on the night. . . . Portland has assigned D Devon Marshall, 17, to the junior B Kootenay International league’s Summerland Sting. Former Portland D Blake Wesley is on the Sting’s coaching staff.