Couple of late Thursday things

The Tri-City Americans should have head coach Don Nachbaur back behind their bench this weekend. Nachbaur has missed six games while in Prince George with family. His father passed away Sunday night. . . . The Americans are at home to the Everett Silvertips on Friday night and in Spokane to play the Chiefs on Saturday. . . . Tri-City C Taylor Procyshen, out with a concussion since Nov. 23, isn’t likely to play on the weekend. The Americans are hoping he’ll be ready Dec. 27 when they are at home to Everett as play resumes after Christmas. . . .

Last season, as the Kelowna Rockets stumbled to a 22-41-5-4 record, C Cody Almond was their leading scorer, with 43 points. This season’s Rockets take an 18-11-2-4 record into Friday night’s game against the Raiders in Prince Albert. And C Colin Long is Kelowna’s leading scorer, with 50 points. . . . Kelowna is 1-1-0-2 on its Prairie swing, which concludes Saturday in Saskatoon against the Blades. . . .

The Saskatoon Blades, who meet the Wheat Kings in Brandon on Friday night, have assigned D Colton MacPherson, 18, to the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. MacPherson, from Whitewood, Sask., had two assists and 10 penalty minutes in 25 games. . . . The Blades have added D Mitch Berg, 16, from the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts and he is expected to play in Brandon. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2006 bantam draft.