Wednesday notes . . .

As expected, D Ryan Bender, the Kamloops Blazers’ captain when this season began, has committed to attend the U of Regina and play for the Cougars. The Blazers dealt Bender, 20, to the Regina Pats on Jan. 4. . . . Former WHL D Kyle Deck, who played the bulk of his WHL career with the Pats, has left the Cougars to sign with the IHL’s Flint Generals. Deck spent one season with the Cougars. . . . The Vancouver Giants, on the verge of losing assistant GM/assistant coach Craig Bonner to the Kamloops Blazers, have promoted Jason Ripplinger and signed him to what they are calling a “multi-year contract.” Ripplinger, who had been director of scouting, now is director of player personnel. He has been with the Giants since their first season. . . . The Giants also renewed the contract of Lower Mainland scout Terry Bonner. . . . Two Giants forwards are off to the professional ranks. C Casey Pierro-Zabotel has joined the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, while RW Spencer Machacek is off to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Pierro-Zabotel, who is from Kamloops, had 48 points in 49 games with the Giants after joining them from the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials. He was a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL’s 2007 draft. Machacek, the Giants’ captain, signed last month with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers, who took him in the third round of the 2007 draft. Machacek, 19, had 78 points this season. . . .
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D Karl Alzner, who is in his fourth season with the Calgary Hitmen is the WHL’s Eastern Conference nominee as the player of the year. Alzner, 19, had 36 points and was plus-26 in 60 regular-season games as the Hitmen finished on top of the conference. . . . Alzner also is the conference’s nominee as the WHL’s top defencemean and was named to the conference’s first all-star team. . . . The finalists for player of the year are determined through voting by general managers, coaches, broadcasters and media representatives. . . . The player of the year receives the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy. . . . Two Hitmen — G Justin Pogge (2006) and C Brad Moran (2000) — have won the award. . . . The WHL also announced the Eastern Conference finalists for the Humanitarian Award (Ashton Hewson, Prince Albert Raiders) and Marketing and Communications Award (Kip Reghenas, Calgary). . . . All awards recipients will be announced at the WHL awards luncheon in Calgary on April 30. . . .
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At a luncheon in Calgary on Wednesday, the Hitmen and Hurricanes both were claiming underdog status for the Eastern Conference final that opens tonight at the Pengrowth Saddledome. . . . "We finished ahead of Lethbridge in the standings,” Calgary GM Kelly Kisio said, “but they handled us pretty good. I would consider us underdogs. But we'll do our best to give them a good battle." . . . Au contraire, said Lethbridge head coach Michael Dyck, adding that he would surrender underdog status “if he gives us home-ice advantage. . . . That’s the way it works, isn’t it.” . . . . Even the players were into the game. "It's going to come down to which team sticks to their systems the most," Calgary defenceman Karl Alzner said. "It's going to be tough and, like (Kisio) said, we're going to be considered underdogs and we like it that way." . . . Calgary’s PP went 1-for-39 against Lethbridge in the regular season. . . . Don’t forget that Shaw TV is following this series. . . .
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The Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans open the Western Conference final Friday in Kennewick, Wash. . . . The Americans’ PP, which was 4-for-30 in a first-round sweep of the Kamloops Blazers, suddenly is the best in the WHL, at 28.3 per cent after going 11-for-23 in a five-game victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Spokane’s PP is at 12. 8 per cent. . . . This series also promises to be a battle of two goaltenders who are really on a roll. Spokane’s Dustin Tokarski has a 1.57 GAA and a .939 save percentage, both of which lead the WHL. Tri-City’s Chet Pickard is at 1.97 and .930. . . . Pickard has won an amazing 54 games, including 46 in the regular season.
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There's a good piece here on former Kootenay Ice head coach Cory Clouston, now the head coach of the AHL's Binghamton Senators.