You can bet that the Lethbridge Hurricanes and their fans are holding their breath tonight. That’s because F Zach Boychuk, who has 26 points in 21 games, left the arena in Ottawa on crutches following Team Canada’s 7-4 victory over the U.S. at the world junior tournament. Boychuk reportedly had a cast of some sort on his right ankle. . . . The Prince George Cougars, of course, lost LW Dana Tyrell, their leading scorer, for the season when he suffered a knee injury while playing for Canada in an exhibition game with Sweden on Dec. 19.
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There is a move afoot, led by Hockey Canada, to change the format for the World Junior Championship. It seems nothing is likely to be done before the 2010 tournament, which will be held in Regina and Saskatoon, but there is hope for change before the 2012 tournament in Calgary and Edmonton. Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun has more right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed D Ryan Dech, the 56th pick in the 2008 bantam draft. Dech is playing for the midget AAA Winnipeg Thrashers and has 13 points in 27 games. He is scheduled to make his WHL debut on Jan. 9 when the Oil Kings meet the Warriors in Moose Jaw. The Oil Kings also expect that F Michael St. Croix, the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft, will make his WHL debut on that eastern swing. St. Croix also is from Winnipeg. . . . Former Spokane Chiefs F Judd Blackwater, 21, who had been with the ECHL’s Fresno Falcons when the franchise folded a couple of weeks back, has signed with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. He had 14 points and 23 penalty minutes with Fresno. Blackwater was a member of the Memorial Cup-winning Chiefs last season.
The Tri-City Americans are in Prince George for a weekend doubleheader with the Cougars. That means Tri-City head coach Don Nachbaur is back in his old stomping grounds. And the Cougars will salute him Friday night in honour of his having been inducted into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame. Nachbaur wasn’t able to attend the induction dinner so the hall’s Neil King will use the occasion to present him with a plaque. . . . Cougars captain Dana Tyrell, who suffered a season-ending knee injury with Team Canada on Dec. 19, also will be in Prince George for both weekend games. Tyrell is scheduled to have surgery in the middle of January in Calgary. . . . With Tyrell gone, D Cameron Cepek is the Cougars’ new captain. The alternates are F Tyler Halliday and F Alex Poulter. . . . Do you get the feeling that TSN analyst Pierre (Old Yeller) McGuire likes John Tavares? And wasn’t it nice of play-by-play man Gord Miller to let us know after the Canada-U.S. tilt that we had just witnessed one of the greatest games we will ever see? Like, we aren’t capable of judging for ourselves, or what? . . . And, by the way, I can think of some better games that I have seen, starting with the 1979 Memorial Cup final, the last Canada-Russia game in 1972, a game in the Crushed Can in Moose Jaw one night when it was Mike Modano against Theo Fleury, the 1989 Memorial Cup final . . . Sorry, Gord, but Canada-U.S. wasn’t in my top half-dozen, maybe not even in my top 10.
Prince George has brought in D Jesse Forsberg, 15, and D David Greyeyes, 17, for the weekend and both will make their WHL debuts. Forsberg was the 11th overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft. Both are from the Beardy’s Blackhawks of the Saskatchewan midget AAA league and played at the Mac’s tournament in Calgary. Greyeyes has 48 points in 26 games and is tied for second in the midget AAA league’s scoring race. Yes, he is a defenceman. He was the 96th pick in the 2006 bantam draft, taken by Swift Current, and played four games with the
Broncos in each of the last two seasons. Forsberg has 31 points with the Blackhawks. . . . Jim Swanson, the sports editor of the Prince George Citizen, also reports that the Cougars have chosen to keep F Marcus Watson, 19, for the remainder of the season. A Californian, he began the season with the Cougars, was reassigned to the BCHL’s Langley Chiefs, and rejoined the Cougars before Christmas.
The Kelowna Rockets have brought in F Shane McColgan and F Max Adolph for weekend games against the visiting Spokane Chiefs and Moose Jaw Warriors. McColgan, the 13th pick in the 2008 bantam draft, made his WHL debut Dec. 16 in Red Deer and scored his first WHL goal the next night in Edmonton. His regular team is the Los Angeles Junior Kings, for whom he has 31 points in 24 games. Adolph, from Saskatoon, plays for the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft.
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Happy New Year! There were six games on New Year’s Eve, and they drew 33,487 fans. . . . New Year’s greetings? The games included 32 fighting majors, including two multi-fight situations that the WHL office is certain to frown upon. Ch-ch-ching! It might even be time to start filling the commissioner’s 2009 Christmas shopping fund. . . .
The Calgary Hitmen gave up seven power-play opportunities and killed off all of them as they beat the Oil Kings 4-1 in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen, who got goals from four players, scored the game’s last four goals. . . . Edmonton G Torrie Jung stopped 34 shots, including a second period penalty shot by F Carson McMillan. . . . McMillan did score his 19th goal into an empty net late in the third period. . . . F Andrew Clark scored twice, giving him 20 goals, and F Scott Glennie added his 20th as the Brandon Wheat Kings beat the Kootenay Ice 3-2 in Cranbrook. . . . Clark also drew an assist on Glennie’s goal, while F Jay Fehr had two assists. . . . The Wheat Kings, who beat the Hurricanes 6-4 in Lethbridge on Tuesday, led 3-0 at 15:08 of the first period. The Ice scored twice in the third period to make things interesting. . . . G Todd Mathews, who was acquired by the Ice after Thomas Heemskerk left the team before practice, made his first start for Kootenay. He gave up three goals on 10 shots and was replaced by Nathan Lieuwen after the first period. Lieuwen stopped all 17 shots he faced. . . . Brandon G Andrew Hayes stopped 34 shots. . . .
G Kurtis Mucha stopped 31 shots and F Oliver Gabriel scored on a second-period penalty shot as the host Portland Winter Hawks doubled the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2. . . . Gabriel has two goals this season. . . . Attendance for the annual New Year’s Eve battle was 8,432 and the teams co-operated with a small multi-fight situation late in the third period. . . . The Winter Hawks got off to a 4-0 lead before Seattle counted two late third-period PP goals. . . . F Joel Broda, the WHL’s leading sniper, scored three times to lead the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 4-3 victory over the host Chilliwack Bruins. Broda’s 31st goal of the season, at 16:08 of the third period, broke a 3-3 tie. Broda drew an assist on his side’s other goal. . . . Moose Jaw G Deven Dubyk stopped 31 shots as the Warriors were outshot 34-19. . . .
F Byron Froese scored three times and added an assist and F Kellan Tochkin had two goals and three assists to lead the host Everett Silvertips to a 6-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Red Deer scored the game’s first goal and its last two. In between, Everett struck for six in a row, five of them coming in an 11-minute stretch in the second period. . . . Froese, a 17-year-old freshman from Winkler, Man., has 34 points, including 12 goals, in 36 games. He scored three straight goals in the second period, in a span of 8:24. . . . Tochkin, a 17-year-old from Abbotsford, has 42 points, 12 of them goals, in 36 games. . . . Silvertips D Taylor Ellington broke the franchise record for regular-season games played. This was No. 251, one more than Zach Hamill. . . . Everett F Daniel Bartek (knee infection) was back after missing two games. . . . In Kennewick, Wash., C Taylor Procyshen scored twice, the first shorthanded, to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 6-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. He has 21 goals this season. . . . G Brett Martyniuk, in his second career start, stopped 27 shots for the victory. . . . Yes, there was a line brawl, this one late in the second period.
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Here are the CHL’s Mosaik MasterCard top 10 rankings for the week, as selected by a panel of NHL scouts (and you are free to wonder how many copies are posted in the Vancouver Giants’ dressing room; team, record, last week’s ranking and number of weeks in rankings):
1. Calgary Hitmen (33-5-1-1) 2 10
2. Windsor Spitfires (30-5-0-1) 1 15
3. Drummondville Voltigeurs (31-4-0-3) 3 11
4. Vancouver Giants (31-2-0-3) 4 13
5. Shawinigan Cataractes (32-8-0-0) 5 12
6. London Knights (27-7-0-1) 6 12
7. Moncton Wildcats (28-3-2-3) 7 14
8. Belleville Bulls (24-11-2-2) 10 7
9. Quebec Remparts (29-8-0-2) - 10
10. Brampton Battalion (22-11-1-1) 9 7
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And a tip of the hat to Mike Riley, the head coach of the No. 24-ranked Oregon State Beavers football team. They beat the No. 18 Pitt Panthers 3-0 in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday. Riley, who is one of the sporting world’s really great people, is 8-0 in his last eight bowl appearances – 3-0 as offensive co-ordinator at USC and 5-0 at Oregon State.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday . . .
The Everett Silvertips have acquired the rights to G Thomas Heemskerk, 18, from the Kootenay Ice for a 2010 third-round bantam draft pick. Heemskerk, you’ll recall, left the Ice earlier this month and went home to Chilliwack, saying at the time that his heart no longer was in the game. . . . Heemskerk, his heart obviously back in hockey, is expected to join the Silvertips immediately. The Silvertips will be doing some juggling of goaltenders in the coming days, as they now have four of them. Shayne Barrie, 19, has been the go-to guy to this point in the season, with Kent Simpson, 16, backing him up. With Simpson at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge with Team Pacific, former Vancouver Giants understudy Kraymer Barnstable, 18, has been backing up Barrie. . . . This season, with the Ice, Heemskerk had split playing time with Nathan Lieuwen. Heemskerk, in 18 games, was 7-6-2-2 with a 2.88 GAA and a .887 save percentage. In 2007-08, he was 15-4-2-1, 2.65 and .906.
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G Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs, who presently is in Ottawa with Canada’s national junior team, has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Tokarski, 19, backstopped the Chiefs to the 2008 Memorial Cup title, after which the Lightning selected him in the fifth round of the NHL draft.
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That’s all for the KeyArena. G Jacob DeSerres stopped 25 shots and F Lindsay Nielsen scored both goals as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the visiting Chilliwack Bruins 2-0 on Tuesday in the last WHL game to be played in KeyArena. . . . The Thunderbirds, who meet the Winter Hawks in Portland tonight, will open the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., against the visiting Everett Silvertips on Saturday. . . . Seattle was playing its 13th season in KeyArena. . . . Nielsen, in his fourth season, has six goals. . . . Attendance was 3,378. The Saturday game in Kent is sold out (6,133). . . . Jim Riley, who freelances Thunderbirds coverage to the Seattle Times, noted: “Former T-birds player Kevin Boris became the only man to skate in both the first and last WHL games at KeyArena. Boris served as a linesman at the game on Tuesday night and was the team's first round bantam pick in 1993.” . . . The shutout was the first of the season for DeSerres, who got help from three goalposts. . . . Seattle had F Greg Scott, 20, back in the lineup after he served a one-game suspension for a match penalty he incurred Saturday against Portland.
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G Braden Holtby stopped 22 shots Tuesday as the host Saskatoon Blades dumped the Regina Pats 1-0. . . . F Darian Dziurzynski had the game’s only goal, scoring his sixth goal of the season at 5:58 of the second period. . . . Regina lost D Matt Delahey (separated shoulder) late in the game. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday but the Pats are talking as though it’s a long-term injury. “It does not look good,” head coach Dale Derkatch told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. “Of course (it hurts) but I can only coach the guys who are here so they’re going to have to try to do the job. Guys are going to get lots of icetime. I know early in the year we had 24, 25 guys and guys were whining because they weren’t playing. Well, now they’re playing. We’ll see what they’re made of.” . . . Delahey is one of Regina’s big three on the back end, along with captain Victor Bartley and Colten Teubert, who is with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. . . . Regina had D Mike Scarborough (broken nose/concussion) back, although he didn’t play a whole lot. He missed 10 games after being injured in Kamloops on Nov. 28.
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C Ryan McDonald scored all of Prince Albert’s goals as the Raiders doubled the visiting Swift Current Raiders 4-2. McDonald, who turns 21 on Monday, scored twice in each of the last two periods, his last two snapping a 2-2 tie. His fourth goal came into an empty net. McDonald now has 23 goals this season. . . . According to Adam Hawboldt of the Prince Albert Daily Herald, “McDonald's four-goal affair was the most by a Raider since Todd Bergen scored five goals against Winnipeg on Jan. 13, 1984.”
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In Lethbridge, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored twice in each period en route to a 6-4 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . F Andrew Clark scored twice for Brandon, giving him 18 on the season. . . . Clark’s second of the night was a shorthanded empty-net score after the Hurricanes had cut into a 5-2 deficit with two late goals. . . . C Colton Sceviour had two goals for Lethbridge. He has 20 now. . . . F Dwight King had a goal and three helpers for Lethbridge. . . . Brandon has picked up nine points in its last five games and has moved into fifth in the Eastern Conference, a point ahead of the Kootenay Ice. By coincidence, the Wheat Kings meet the Ice in Cranbrook on Wednesday. . . . Lethbridge has lost four in a row.
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In Kelowna, F Lucas Bloodoff scored both Rockets’ goals in a 2-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Both goals — his 10th and 11th — came via the PP as Kelowna was 2-for-8 and the Cougars 0-for-2. . . . Prince George is 0-4 against Kelowna and has been outscored 23-7.
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There’s a new leader atop the WHL scoring race. F Casey Pierro-Zabotel of the Vancouver Giants had his fifth straight multi-point game in an 8-3 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors and now has a league-high 61 points. . . . Pierro-Zabotel had two goals and an assist. . . . The Giants have won 10 straight. . . . Pierro-Zabotel, who married his long-time girlfriend over the holidays, has 12 points over his last five games and now has a one-point lead over Calgary Hitmen F Brandon Kozun. . . . The Giants had a 4-0 lead in the second period when the Warriors scored three times, two of them coming from F Joel Broda, who has a WHL-leading 28 goals. . . . But the Giants got a goal from F Mikhail Fisenko with nine seconds left in the second period and then added three more in the third. . . . Moose Jaw went with G Deven Dubyk, as starter Jeff Busch (hip) is on the limp. . . . The Warriors were without F Cody Smuk (flu), while D Jason Bast and D Travis Hamonic played despite battling the bug.
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G Dustin Tokarski of the Spokane Chiefs, who presently is in Ottawa with Canada’s national junior team, has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Tokarski, 19, backstopped the Chiefs to the 2008 Memorial Cup title, after which the Lightning selected him in the fifth round of the NHL draft.
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That’s all for the KeyArena. G Jacob DeSerres stopped 25 shots and F Lindsay Nielsen scored both goals as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the visiting Chilliwack Bruins 2-0 on Tuesday in the last WHL game to be played in KeyArena. . . . The Thunderbirds, who meet the Winter Hawks in Portland tonight, will open the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., against the visiting Everett Silvertips on Saturday. . . . Seattle was playing its 13th season in KeyArena. . . . Nielsen, in his fourth season, has six goals. . . . Attendance was 3,378. The Saturday game in Kent is sold out (6,133). . . . Jim Riley, who freelances Thunderbirds coverage to the Seattle Times, noted: “Former T-birds player Kevin Boris became the only man to skate in both the first and last WHL games at KeyArena. Boris served as a linesman at the game on Tuesday night and was the team's first round bantam pick in 1993.” . . . The shutout was the first of the season for DeSerres, who got help from three goalposts. . . . Seattle had F Greg Scott, 20, back in the lineup after he served a one-game suspension for a match penalty he incurred Saturday against Portland.
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G Braden Holtby stopped 22 shots Tuesday as the host Saskatoon Blades dumped the Regina Pats 1-0. . . . F Darian Dziurzynski had the game’s only goal, scoring his sixth goal of the season at 5:58 of the second period. . . . Regina lost D Matt Delahey (separated shoulder) late in the game. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday but the Pats are talking as though it’s a long-term injury. “It does not look good,” head coach Dale Derkatch told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. “Of course (it hurts) but I can only coach the guys who are here so they’re going to have to try to do the job. Guys are going to get lots of icetime. I know early in the year we had 24, 25 guys and guys were whining because they weren’t playing. Well, now they’re playing. We’ll see what they’re made of.” . . . Delahey is one of Regina’s big three on the back end, along with captain Victor Bartley and Colten Teubert, who is with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. . . . Regina had D Mike Scarborough (broken nose/concussion) back, although he didn’t play a whole lot. He missed 10 games after being injured in Kamloops on Nov. 28.
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C Ryan McDonald scored all of Prince Albert’s goals as the Raiders doubled the visiting Swift Current Raiders 4-2. McDonald, who turns 21 on Monday, scored twice in each of the last two periods, his last two snapping a 2-2 tie. His fourth goal came into an empty net. McDonald now has 23 goals this season. . . . According to Adam Hawboldt of the Prince Albert Daily Herald, “McDonald's four-goal affair was the most by a Raider since Todd Bergen scored five goals against Winnipeg on Jan. 13, 1984.”
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In Lethbridge, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored twice in each period en route to a 6-4 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . F Andrew Clark scored twice for Brandon, giving him 18 on the season. . . . Clark’s second of the night was a shorthanded empty-net score after the Hurricanes had cut into a 5-2 deficit with two late goals. . . . C Colton Sceviour had two goals for Lethbridge. He has 20 now. . . . F Dwight King had a goal and three helpers for Lethbridge. . . . Brandon has picked up nine points in its last five games and has moved into fifth in the Eastern Conference, a point ahead of the Kootenay Ice. By coincidence, the Wheat Kings meet the Ice in Cranbrook on Wednesday. . . . Lethbridge has lost four in a row.
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In Kelowna, F Lucas Bloodoff scored both Rockets’ goals in a 2-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Both goals — his 10th and 11th — came via the PP as Kelowna was 2-for-8 and the Cougars 0-for-2. . . . Prince George is 0-4 against Kelowna and has been outscored 23-7.
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There’s a new leader atop the WHL scoring race. F Casey Pierro-Zabotel of the Vancouver Giants had his fifth straight multi-point game in an 8-3 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors and now has a league-high 61 points. . . . Pierro-Zabotel had two goals and an assist. . . . The Giants have won 10 straight. . . . Pierro-Zabotel, who married his long-time girlfriend over the holidays, has 12 points over his last five games and now has a one-point lead over Calgary Hitmen F Brandon Kozun. . . . The Giants had a 4-0 lead in the second period when the Warriors scored three times, two of them coming from F Joel Broda, who has a WHL-leading 28 goals. . . . But the Giants got a goal from F Mikhail Fisenko with nine seconds left in the second period and then added three more in the third. . . . Moose Jaw went with G Deven Dubyk, as starter Jeff Busch (hip) is on the limp. . . . The Warriors were without F Cody Smuk (flu), while D Jason Bast and D Travis Hamonic played despite battling the bug.
Monday . . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds will play their last game in KeyArena tonight as they meet the Chilliwack Bruins. The Thunderbirds then will play New Year’s Eve against the Winter Hawks in Portland. And, finally, the Thunderbirds will play their first game in their new home – the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash., on Jan. 3 against the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Kamloops Blazers will be the second road team into the ShoWare Center when they visit on Jan. 4.
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F Mike Piluso scored off a rebound with 2:19 left in the third period gave the host Vancouver Giants a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets on Monday in front of 9,009 fans. . . . C Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who leads the WHL in assists (42), set up two goals for the Giants. He has 58 points, two behind leader Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Vancouver is 18-0-0-2 at Pacific Coliseum this season, and think about that for a moment! . . . The Giants, who are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight, have won nine in a row. . . . The Rockets took a 2-1 lead into the third period and they had been 14-0 when leading after 40 minutes. . . . F Craig Cunningham had one of the Vancouver’s other goals. He now is on a five-game goal-scoring streak.
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RW Brady Calla scored three times to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 5-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. . . . Calla, who joined the Blazers on Nov. 20, from the AHL’s Rochester Americans, upped his goal total to four. . . . Kamloops G Jon Groenheyde, starting for the first time since Nov. 22, turned aside 32 shots. It was his eighth start of the season and his first victory since the Blazers beat the visiting Vancouver Giants 4-3 in a shootout on Sept. 24. . . . Tri-City D Mitch McColm picked up 27 penalty minutes in one stoppage as he went after Calla, who was about to be penalized for boarding. McColm got instigating, fighting and two misconducts, one for a sweater infraction. . . . The Americans are 16-3-0-0 at home. . . . “Give credit to their goalie,” Tri-City head coach Don Nachbaur told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “We couldn’t get anything past him.”
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F Mike Piluso scored off a rebound with 2:19 left in the third period gave the host Vancouver Giants a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets on Monday in front of 9,009 fans. . . . C Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who leads the WHL in assists (42), set up two goals for the Giants. He has 58 points, two behind leader Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Vancouver is 18-0-0-2 at Pacific Coliseum this season, and think about that for a moment! . . . The Giants, who are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight, have won nine in a row. . . . The Rockets took a 2-1 lead into the third period and they had been 14-0 when leading after 40 minutes. . . . F Craig Cunningham had one of the Vancouver’s other goals. He now is on a five-game goal-scoring streak.
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RW Brady Calla scored three times to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 5-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. . . . Calla, who joined the Blazers on Nov. 20, from the AHL’s Rochester Americans, upped his goal total to four. . . . Kamloops G Jon Groenheyde, starting for the first time since Nov. 22, turned aside 32 shots. It was his eighth start of the season and his first victory since the Blazers beat the visiting Vancouver Giants 4-3 in a shootout on Sept. 24. . . . Tri-City D Mitch McColm picked up 27 penalty minutes in one stoppage as he went after Calla, who was about to be penalized for boarding. McColm got instigating, fighting and two misconducts, one for a sweater infraction. . . . The Americans are 16-3-0-0 at home. . . . “Give credit to their goalie,” Tri-City head coach Don Nachbaur told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “We couldn’t get anything past him.”
Monday, December 29, 2008
Happy 100th birthday to a Rockets fan
A tip of the cap to the Kelowna Rockets for helping Adeline Cummings celebrate her 100th birthday on Saturday night.
Adeline was a Christmas baby – she actually turned 100 on Christmas Day – and the Rockets feted her Saturday with the Kamloops Blazers at Prospera Place.
Gavin Hamilton, the Rockets’ vice-president of business development, told me: “She is a huge fan and knows all the players and has quite the discussions at the nursing home over who should be traded and who needs to play more, etc.”
The Rockets had her in the arena on Saturday and presented her with an autographed jersey that featured her name and the No. 100 on the back.
“She is amazingly spry for someone that age,” Hamilton said. “The cheer for her was louder than any cheer for us that night.”
The Rockets beat the Blazers 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday.
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So . . . Team Canada has played two games at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa and has won both games by a combined score of 23-1. And tonight it’s Germany’s turn to be the sacrificial lamb before about 20,000 worshippers.
You have to wonder how Canadian Hockey League teams feel about losing their top players for a month when the preliminary games are nothing but laughers.
(Or, if you’re the Prince George Cougars, you have lost your best player, who also is your captain, for the duration of this season. And because of Dana Tyrell’s season-ending knee injury, you can’t even trade him.)
By the sound of things, there is talk behind the scenes about changing the format and, frankly, something is going to have to be done before this turns into something bordering on women’s hockey which, for years now, has been Canada versus the United States.
But when TSN’s well-connected Bob McKenzie starts talking up possible changes with the World Junior Championship, you know something is going on.
Here’s McKenzie on Sunday, while Canada was beating up on Kazakhstan to the tune of 15-0:
“Go to an eight-team tournament. There are six hockey powers in the world – Canada, Sweden, Russia, the Czech Republic, Finland and the United States. Then you have two other teams qualify. It could be Slovakia, Latvia, Kazakhstan or anyone else.”
I would argue that at the moment there are two hockey powers in the world at the under-20 level – Canada and the United States. You can count on those two teams being competitive every tournament. The others aren’t consistently competitive with those two teams and therein lies the problem.
But what to do?
Here’s more from McKenzie:
“The only challenge would be the argument that you would have to reduce the number of games played. You can't bring that number down because there’s revenue involved. This is a 31-game tournament. As long as the International Ice Hockey Federation comes up with some sort of format that approximates 28, 30 or 31 games, then it can be done in an eight-team format.”
Yes, in the end, it’s all about the money. This tournament, when held in Canada or close to Canada, is a huge cash cow.
So . . . the bottom line is this: Don’t be looking for a format change any time soon.
As for the players, how do they feel about 15-0?
“It wasn’t even fun,” winger Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats told columnist Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post.
“Like every hockey player, you’re competitive and you want to have a
competitive game,” Eberle added. “When I say it wasn’t fun, we still enjoyed the game. It was fun in that the crowd kept us in it. It was a good atmosphere.”
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The Swift Current Broncos are losing Elden Moberg, who has been associated with the team since 1991. Moberg will stay on as the team’s assistant GM/director of operations until Feb. 1, at which time he will join Stark and Marsh, a chartered accounting firm, as their chief operating officer. Moberg called the play of Broncos’ games for four seasons, and also served as the club’s marketing and public relations director. He has been the AGM since 2000.
Adeline was a Christmas baby – she actually turned 100 on Christmas Day – and the Rockets feted her Saturday with the Kamloops Blazers at Prospera Place.
Gavin Hamilton, the Rockets’ vice-president of business development, told me: “She is a huge fan and knows all the players and has quite the discussions at the nursing home over who should be traded and who needs to play more, etc.”
The Rockets had her in the arena on Saturday and presented her with an autographed jersey that featured her name and the No. 100 on the back.
“She is amazingly spry for someone that age,” Hamilton said. “The cheer for her was louder than any cheer for us that night.”
The Rockets beat the Blazers 4-3 in a shootout on Saturday.
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So . . . Team Canada has played two games at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa and has won both games by a combined score of 23-1. And tonight it’s Germany’s turn to be the sacrificial lamb before about 20,000 worshippers.
You have to wonder how Canadian Hockey League teams feel about losing their top players for a month when the preliminary games are nothing but laughers.
(Or, if you’re the Prince George Cougars, you have lost your best player, who also is your captain, for the duration of this season. And because of Dana Tyrell’s season-ending knee injury, you can’t even trade him.)
By the sound of things, there is talk behind the scenes about changing the format and, frankly, something is going to have to be done before this turns into something bordering on women’s hockey which, for years now, has been Canada versus the United States.
But when TSN’s well-connected Bob McKenzie starts talking up possible changes with the World Junior Championship, you know something is going on.
Here’s McKenzie on Sunday, while Canada was beating up on Kazakhstan to the tune of 15-0:
“Go to an eight-team tournament. There are six hockey powers in the world – Canada, Sweden, Russia, the Czech Republic, Finland and the United States. Then you have two other teams qualify. It could be Slovakia, Latvia, Kazakhstan or anyone else.”
I would argue that at the moment there are two hockey powers in the world at the under-20 level – Canada and the United States. You can count on those two teams being competitive every tournament. The others aren’t consistently competitive with those two teams and therein lies the problem.
But what to do?
Here’s more from McKenzie:
“The only challenge would be the argument that you would have to reduce the number of games played. You can't bring that number down because there’s revenue involved. This is a 31-game tournament. As long as the International Ice Hockey Federation comes up with some sort of format that approximates 28, 30 or 31 games, then it can be done in an eight-team format.”
Yes, in the end, it’s all about the money. This tournament, when held in Canada or close to Canada, is a huge cash cow.
So . . . the bottom line is this: Don’t be looking for a format change any time soon.
As for the players, how do they feel about 15-0?
“It wasn’t even fun,” winger Jordan Eberle of the Regina Pats told columnist Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post.
“Like every hockey player, you’re competitive and you want to have a
competitive game,” Eberle added. “When I say it wasn’t fun, we still enjoyed the game. It was fun in that the crowd kept us in it. It was a good atmosphere.”
---
The Swift Current Broncos are losing Elden Moberg, who has been associated with the team since 1991. Moberg will stay on as the team’s assistant GM/director of operations until Feb. 1, at which time he will join Stark and Marsh, a chartered accounting firm, as their chief operating officer. Moberg called the play of Broncos’ games for four seasons, and also served as the club’s marketing and public relations director. He has been the AGM since 2000.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday . . .
The Brandon Sun has released the names of 16 finalists for the annual Krug Crawford Memorial Award which, according to the newspaper, “is presented annually to the western Manitoban who best exemplifies sporting excellence throughout the year.” . . . One of the finalists is F Brayden Schenn, 17, of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Schenn was on the Canadian team that won gold at the under-18 world championship and the Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament. He also was named the WHL’s rookie of the year in the spring. . . . Another finalist is former WHL F Bryan Kauk, who plays for the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. . . . The winner will be announced Jan. 2.
———
The next time you are near a magazine rack, pick up a copy of the ‘Special Holiday Edition’ of Hello! Canada. . . . It’s the one with Prince William and Kate on the upper left side of the cover. Also featured on the cover are Shania Twain and her new beau; Katie and Suri; Jennifer and John; and, Kiefer and Donald Sutherland. . . . Flip to Page 41. And there, filling the top half of the page, are a photo and story featuring Vancouver Giants majority owner Ron Toigo, along with Michael Bublé and his father, Lewis. . . . Who is the last WHL owner to be featured in a magazine such as this? I mean, Toigo is right there with Paul Anka , Marilyn Monroe and Coco Rocha. . . . If you didn’t understand it before, now you know why Bublé is part of the Giants’ ownership group. . . . It’s all about the brand, baby!
———
Bob Gaglardi, the father of Kamloops Blazers’ majority owner Tom Gaglardi, is at No. 34 on Canadian Business’s 10th annual list of the Rich 100 — the world’s most-affluent Canadians. According to the magazine, Bob Gaglardi, the chairman of the board of Vancouver-based Northland Properties Ltd., has a net worth of $1.35 billion, an increase of 17 per cent over a year ago when he was No. 45 on the list. Tom Gaglardi is Northland’s president. . . . The Rich 100 includes financial information through Nov. 3, 2008. The entire list is right here.
———
RW Tyler Shattock had five points, including two goals, to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 7-1 victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars on Sunday. It was the first five-point game of Shattock’s career, which is in its third season. . . . Two Kamloops defencemen — Linden Saip and Brandon Underwood — scored their first WHL goals. . . . Kamloops C Dalibor Bortnak had three assists. . . . Prince George was without four of its top six forwards — Dana Tyrell (knee), Brett Connolly (Team Pacific, U-17 World Hockey Challenge), Marek Viedensky (Slovakia, World Junior Championship) and Brian Matte (concussion). Matte was injured Dec. 10 and head coach Wade Klippenstein said he expects him to be out at least another two weeks.
———
G James Reid stopped 25 shots to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-0 victory over the Thunderbirds in Seattle. The Chiefs were 3-for-5 on the PP. . . . The shutout was Reid’s third of the season, two of which have come against Seattle.
———
The Red Deer Rebels went into Cranbrook and beat the Kootenay Ice 3-2 in a shootout. The winner was scored by F Cody Gross. . . . The Ice was without F Dustin Sylvester, who suffered a broken left ankle Saturday in Lethbridge and will be out indefinitely. . . . Red Deer F Landon Ferraro scored his 21st goal of the season. . . . Red Deer G Darcy Kuemper stopped 32 shots. . . . According to Jeff Holick, the Ice’s radio voice, Sylvester’s left ankle was broken in two places and he had surgery Sunday in Lethbridge. “In talking with the Ice,” Holick wrote on his blog, “they don't feel Hurricanes' Mitch Versteeg deserved a penalty let alone a major and game misconduct. (Sylverster) landed on his left ankle at a bad angle and it couldn't support his weight when he landed.”
———
The Edmonton Oil Kings got first-period goals from Brent Raedeke and Brandon Lockerby and held on to beat the Hurricanes 2-1 in Lethbridge. . . . Edmonton G Torrie Jung stopped 30 shots, losing his shutout bid when D Ben Wright scored at 14:07 of the third period. . . . The Hurricanes lost F Austin Fyten and F Garrett Taylor to undisclosed injuries. With F Carter Bancks (lower body) already out, Lethbridge is down to nine forwards and five defencemen.
———
In Swift Current, F Cody Eakin and F Jan Dalecky each scored twice as the Broncos beat the Regina Pats, 7-1. . . . The Pats are without five regulars — D Colten Teubert and F Jordan Eberle are with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, F Rudolf Cerveny is with the Czech Republic at the WJC, and F Jordan Weal and F Dominick Favreau are with Team Pacific at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. “We had three (affiliated players) who played (Sunday),” Regina head coach Dale Derkatch told the Regina Leader-Post. “What are they trying to do? They’re trying to survive without making mistakes rather than doing something special. Everyone else has moved up in the pecking order and has to bring more. Sometimes a third-line guy can’t be a second-line guy.” . . . D Spencer McAvoy had three assists and was plus-3 for the Broncos.
———
In Calgary, G Martin Jones stopped 24 shots to spark the Hitmen to a 4-0 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The shutout was the third of the season for Jones and the fourth of his career. . . . Calgary goaltenders have posted four shutouts this season, all by 4-0 counts.
———
The Tri-City Americans scored four power-play goals on 11 chances as they beat the Winter Hawks 4-3 before 5,384 fans in Portland. . . . F Taylor Procyshen scored twice for the Americans, who gave up a power-play score and a shorthanded marker. . . . G Ian Curtis stopped 26 shots for Portland. . . . G Brett Martyniuk, a second cousin of Ray Martyniuk, who tended goal for the Flin Flon Bombers (1967-70), made his first start of the season and stopped 28 shots. He has been with the Americans all season but hadn’t played even one minute before coming on in relief of Drew Owsley during Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Chiefs in Spokane. Martyniuk, from Winnipeg, played 9:32 on Saturday and went the distance Sunday. . . . The Americans are at home to the Kamloops Blazers on Monday.
———
The next time you are near a magazine rack, pick up a copy of the ‘Special Holiday Edition’ of Hello! Canada. . . . It’s the one with Prince William and Kate on the upper left side of the cover. Also featured on the cover are Shania Twain and her new beau; Katie and Suri; Jennifer and John; and, Kiefer and Donald Sutherland. . . . Flip to Page 41. And there, filling the top half of the page, are a photo and story featuring Vancouver Giants majority owner Ron Toigo, along with Michael Bublé and his father, Lewis. . . . Who is the last WHL owner to be featured in a magazine such as this? I mean, Toigo is right there with Paul Anka , Marilyn Monroe and Coco Rocha. . . . If you didn’t understand it before, now you know why Bublé is part of the Giants’ ownership group. . . . It’s all about the brand, baby!
———
Bob Gaglardi, the father of Kamloops Blazers’ majority owner Tom Gaglardi, is at No. 34 on Canadian Business’s 10th annual list of the Rich 100 — the world’s most-affluent Canadians. According to the magazine, Bob Gaglardi, the chairman of the board of Vancouver-based Northland Properties Ltd., has a net worth of $1.35 billion, an increase of 17 per cent over a year ago when he was No. 45 on the list. Tom Gaglardi is Northland’s president. . . . The Rich 100 includes financial information through Nov. 3, 2008. The entire list is right here.
———
RW Tyler Shattock had five points, including two goals, to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 7-1 victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars on Sunday. It was the first five-point game of Shattock’s career, which is in its third season. . . . Two Kamloops defencemen — Linden Saip and Brandon Underwood — scored their first WHL goals. . . . Kamloops C Dalibor Bortnak had three assists. . . . Prince George was without four of its top six forwards — Dana Tyrell (knee), Brett Connolly (Team Pacific, U-17 World Hockey Challenge), Marek Viedensky (Slovakia, World Junior Championship) and Brian Matte (concussion). Matte was injured Dec. 10 and head coach Wade Klippenstein said he expects him to be out at least another two weeks.
———
G James Reid stopped 25 shots to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-0 victory over the Thunderbirds in Seattle. The Chiefs were 3-for-5 on the PP. . . . The shutout was Reid’s third of the season, two of which have come against Seattle.
———
The Red Deer Rebels went into Cranbrook and beat the Kootenay Ice 3-2 in a shootout. The winner was scored by F Cody Gross. . . . The Ice was without F Dustin Sylvester, who suffered a broken left ankle Saturday in Lethbridge and will be out indefinitely. . . . Red Deer F Landon Ferraro scored his 21st goal of the season. . . . Red Deer G Darcy Kuemper stopped 32 shots. . . . According to Jeff Holick, the Ice’s radio voice, Sylvester’s left ankle was broken in two places and he had surgery Sunday in Lethbridge. “In talking with the Ice,” Holick wrote on his blog, “they don't feel Hurricanes' Mitch Versteeg deserved a penalty let alone a major and game misconduct. (Sylverster) landed on his left ankle at a bad angle and it couldn't support his weight when he landed.”
———
The Edmonton Oil Kings got first-period goals from Brent Raedeke and Brandon Lockerby and held on to beat the Hurricanes 2-1 in Lethbridge. . . . Edmonton G Torrie Jung stopped 30 shots, losing his shutout bid when D Ben Wright scored at 14:07 of the third period. . . . The Hurricanes lost F Austin Fyten and F Garrett Taylor to undisclosed injuries. With F Carter Bancks (lower body) already out, Lethbridge is down to nine forwards and five defencemen.
———
In Swift Current, F Cody Eakin and F Jan Dalecky each scored twice as the Broncos beat the Regina Pats, 7-1. . . . The Pats are without five regulars — D Colten Teubert and F Jordan Eberle are with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, F Rudolf Cerveny is with the Czech Republic at the WJC, and F Jordan Weal and F Dominick Favreau are with Team Pacific at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. “We had three (affiliated players) who played (Sunday),” Regina head coach Dale Derkatch told the Regina Leader-Post. “What are they trying to do? They’re trying to survive without making mistakes rather than doing something special. Everyone else has moved up in the pecking order and has to bring more. Sometimes a third-line guy can’t be a second-line guy.” . . . D Spencer McAvoy had three assists and was plus-3 for the Broncos.
———
In Calgary, G Martin Jones stopped 24 shots to spark the Hitmen to a 4-0 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The shutout was the third of the season for Jones and the fourth of his career. . . . Calgary goaltenders have posted four shutouts this season, all by 4-0 counts.
———
The Tri-City Americans scored four power-play goals on 11 chances as they beat the Winter Hawks 4-3 before 5,384 fans in Portland. . . . F Taylor Procyshen scored twice for the Americans, who gave up a power-play score and a shorthanded marker. . . . G Ian Curtis stopped 26 shots for Portland. . . . G Brett Martyniuk, a second cousin of Ray Martyniuk, who tended goal for the Flin Flon Bombers (1967-70), made his first start of the season and stopped 28 shots. He has been with the Americans all season but hadn’t played even one minute before coming on in relief of Drew Owsley during Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Chiefs in Spokane. Martyniuk, from Winnipeg, played 9:32 on Saturday and went the distance Sunday. . . . The Americans are at home to the Kamloops Blazers on Monday.
Rockets, Blazers share awkward moments
Things were kind of interesting on Dec. 26 when a few members of the Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers found themselves stranded in the Vancouver airport, their flights canceled. . . . In the end, they shared space on the Rockets' bus. . . .
By DOYLE POTENTEAU
Kelowna Daily Courier
KELOWNA — Talk about awkward.
Jon Groenheyde of the Kamloops Blazers was at a loss for words Friday after hitching an unexpected ride with the Kelowna Rockets. Mind you, he wasn’t the only Kamloops player who didn’t know what to say once Kelowna’s bus dropped them off.
Maybe it was because the Rockets and Blazers played Saturday night, and any friendly emotions that occurred 24 hours earlier quickly vanished.
On Friday morning, the Rockets sent their bus to pick up eight players who had been stranded at Vancouver International Airport. Cold weather and snow blanketed the Lower Mainland, and provincial-destination flights were canceled. While at the airport, the bus also picked up Groenheyde and teammates C.J. Stretch, Linden Saip and Brandon Underwood, as well as head coach Barry Smith.
The five received a lift to Merritt, from where they caught a ride to Kamloops.
“We were sitting in the airport, wondering how we were going to get home,” said Groenheyde, a 17-year-old goaltender from Surrey. “We really didn’t have too many options, and they offered, which was really nice of them to do that. But . . . it was awkward, for sure.
“And when we got off, that was the most awkward. What do you say? ‘See you guys tomorrow?’ We didn’t know, really. And that’s what we did say after the bus ride: See you guys tomorrow. And coach (Smith) said ‘Good luck tomorrow.’ We got off, then they kinda left. It was really weird.”
“Awkward? Yeah, just a little bit,” offered Rockets defenceman Kyle Verdino, who was returning to Kelowna after spending Christmas at his home in Phoenix. “We didn’t expect to miss our flights and . . . with (the Blazers) on the bus, there was a lot of awkward silence.
“After a while, though, our guys were talking it up and they were sitting up front, quiet as can be. We didn’t hear them at all, but I guess it was all right.”
Smith agreed it was awkward, though he apparently enjoyed the Rockets’ new bus, with its leather chairs, satellite TV and Internet connections.
“It was a good ride; it was very comfortable and I really like the new bus,” said Smith. “But for Kelowna to do that favour, to get us all back here and help us out, was outstanding.
“It made it so much easier on us instead of being stuck in Vancouver at the airport. It made our plans easier than trying to run around and rent a car and have to drive ourselves back.”
So . . . with a few of the Blazers now having had a taste of life inside Kelowna’s new set of wheels, when will Smith hit up Blazers majority owner/president Tom Gaglardi for a new bus?
“Now all of our guys are going to be asking ‘Why don’t we have that on our bus?’ Or, ‘How come our seats don’t look like that?’” said Smith. “Our guys got spoiled a little bit there because it’s a really nice bus.”
By DOYLE POTENTEAU
Kelowna Daily Courier
KELOWNA — Talk about awkward.
Jon Groenheyde of the Kamloops Blazers was at a loss for words Friday after hitching an unexpected ride with the Kelowna Rockets. Mind you, he wasn’t the only Kamloops player who didn’t know what to say once Kelowna’s bus dropped them off.
Maybe it was because the Rockets and Blazers played Saturday night, and any friendly emotions that occurred 24 hours earlier quickly vanished.
On Friday morning, the Rockets sent their bus to pick up eight players who had been stranded at Vancouver International Airport. Cold weather and snow blanketed the Lower Mainland, and provincial-destination flights were canceled. While at the airport, the bus also picked up Groenheyde and teammates C.J. Stretch, Linden Saip and Brandon Underwood, as well as head coach Barry Smith.
The five received a lift to Merritt, from where they caught a ride to Kamloops.
“We were sitting in the airport, wondering how we were going to get home,” said Groenheyde, a 17-year-old goaltender from Surrey. “We really didn’t have too many options, and they offered, which was really nice of them to do that. But . . . it was awkward, for sure.
“And when we got off, that was the most awkward. What do you say? ‘See you guys tomorrow?’ We didn’t know, really. And that’s what we did say after the bus ride: See you guys tomorrow. And coach (Smith) said ‘Good luck tomorrow.’ We got off, then they kinda left. It was really weird.”
“Awkward? Yeah, just a little bit,” offered Rockets defenceman Kyle Verdino, who was returning to Kelowna after spending Christmas at his home in Phoenix. “We didn’t expect to miss our flights and . . . with (the Blazers) on the bus, there was a lot of awkward silence.
“After a while, though, our guys were talking it up and they were sitting up front, quiet as can be. We didn’t hear them at all, but I guess it was all right.”
Smith agreed it was awkward, though he apparently enjoyed the Rockets’ new bus, with its leather chairs, satellite TV and Internet connections.
“It was a good ride; it was very comfortable and I really like the new bus,” said Smith. “But for Kelowna to do that favour, to get us all back here and help us out, was outstanding.
“It made it so much easier on us instead of being stuck in Vancouver at the airport. It made our plans easier than trying to run around and rent a car and have to drive ourselves back.”
So . . . with a few of the Blazers now having had a taste of life inside Kelowna’s new set of wheels, when will Smith hit up Blazers majority owner/president Tom Gaglardi for a new bus?
“Now all of our guys are going to be asking ‘Why don’t we have that on our bus?’ Or, ‘How come our seats don’t look like that?’” said Smith. “Our guys got spoiled a little bit there because it’s a really nice bus.”
Blazers fly past Cougars
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
So . . . while you spent Christmas Day shoveling snow and trying to keep
warm, Brandon Underwood was on the beach about five minutes from his home in
San Marcos., Calif., which is, like, in San Diego County between Escondido
and Oceanside.
But a little beach-time wasn’t enough of a Christmas present for Underwood,
a 16-year-old freshman defenceman with the Kamloops Blazers.
No, that came Sunday evening when he scored his first WHL goal in a 7-1
victory over the Prince George Cougars before an announced crowd of 4,645
fans at Interior Savings Centre.
It was the Blazers’ second game since returning from their Christmas break;
they lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday.
“It was great,” the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Underwood said. “It was a good break
not to think about hockey for a while. But it’s good to be back.”
While in sunny California, Underwood admitted that, yes, he did do the
sun-and-sand thing.
“I went to the beach a couple of times, got a little tanned,” he said,
before smiling and adding: “It’s a little different here.”
Actually, it was positively balmy outside as the Blazers took it to the
Cougars.
“We had a pretty good game,” said Underwood, whose goal, at 13:30 of the
first period, turned out to be the winner.
With Michal Siska playing for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship, the
Blazers have shuffled their defencemen and now have Underwood playing
alongside veteran Nick Ross, a first-round draft pick of the NHL’s Phoenix
Coyotes.
“He’s a great player. Playing with a first-rounder, I couldn’t ask for
more,” Underwood said. “He’s a good leader for me. He looks out for me and I
learn something from him every day.
“I’m getting more ice time. I’m just trying to do what I’ve got to do . . .
play my game.”
As for that first goal . . .
“(Tyler Shattock) made a great pass and I took a slapshot,” Underwood said.
“I guess it went under (goaltender Joe Caligiuri’s) arm.”
Still, Underwood, who also did rather well in a third-period bout with
Prince George forward Greg Fraser, had to take something of a backseat to
Shattock, who is from Salmon Arm so isn’t believed to have enjoyed any
beach-time during the break.
Shattock, however, will take the five points he picked up against the
Cougars.
“Some times whenever the puck’s on your stick you get a lucky break and one
of those was tonight so I’m happy with that,” said Shattock, who had two
goals and three assists for his first WHL five-point game. Prior to this
one, he twice had picked up three points in a game. This was his fourth
two-goal game of the season and left him with a team-high 17.
Had he not left the right post and skated across to the other side on a late
third-period power play, he might have had a third goal, too. Moments after
he had moved, guess where the puck ended up?
“I know,” he said with a rueful grin.
Kenton Dulle, Linden Saip, also with his first WHL goal, Brady Calla, Scott
Wasden and Giffen Nyren also scored for the home boys, who held period leads
of 3-0 and 5-1.
Justin Maylan had Prince George’s lone goal.
“We are what we are right now,” said Cougars head coach Wade Klippenstein,
who was missing four of his top six forwards. “Obviously, our roster is
pretty thin. Last night (in a 4-3 loss to the Giants in Vancouver), we
competed and tonight we did in spurts but not near enough. Getting down the
way we did . . . we just don’t have the guys in our lineup right now to come
back. That’s the way it is.”
Kamloops goaltender Justin Leclerc, making his 11th straight start, stopped
24 shots. Prince George’s Joe Caligiuri turned aside 25.
“I thought their goalie outplayed our goalie and that was the difference
early on,” Klippenstein said.
On Saturday in Kelowna, defencemen Zac Stebner and Nyren scored first-period
goals for the Blazers, who watched Kelowna centre Colin Long score two
second-period power-play goals.
Kelowna forward Brandon McMillan, who drew an assist on each of Long's
goals, gave his side its first lead at 3:25 of the third period, only to
have right-winger Jimmy Bubnick force OT at 12:06.
Leclerc stopped 39 shots, 18 of them in the second period when his mates
were outshot 20-3, but was beaten three times in the shootout — by Long,
defenceman Tyson Barrie and Almond.
Kelowna’s Kris Lazaruk made 11 saves and added one more in the shootout. He
was beaten by C.J. Stretch and Dulle but preserved the victory by stopping
Bubnick.
“After the first period we didn’t play all that well. We let up . . . we
thought it was going to be easy,” Shattock said. “We quit doing what we had
been doing.”
The Blazers left for Kennewick, Wash., last night. They will meet the
Tri-City Americans there tonight.
“We’re going to face a good team in Tri-City,” Shattock said. “If we do the
stuff we did tonight I think we’ll be just fine.”
JUST NOTES: Referees Adam Byblow and Trevor Hanson gave the Blazers 10 of 18
minors and two of four majors. The Cougars took one misconduct, that to F
Tyler Halliday, a Kamloops native who now is an alternate captain. . . .
Stretch, who leads the Blazers in assists (31) and points (42), is pointless in his last five games. . . . Kamloops is 1-4 in shootouts this
season. The Saturday game was the first time this season the Rockets
(21-14-0-0) have played in OT.
Daily News Sports Editor
So . . . while you spent Christmas Day shoveling snow and trying to keep
warm, Brandon Underwood was on the beach about five minutes from his home in
San Marcos., Calif., which is, like, in San Diego County between Escondido
and Oceanside.
But a little beach-time wasn’t enough of a Christmas present for Underwood,
a 16-year-old freshman defenceman with the Kamloops Blazers.
No, that came Sunday evening when he scored his first WHL goal in a 7-1
victory over the Prince George Cougars before an announced crowd of 4,645
fans at Interior Savings Centre.
It was the Blazers’ second game since returning from their Christmas break;
they lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday.
“It was great,” the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Underwood said. “It was a good break
not to think about hockey for a while. But it’s good to be back.”
While in sunny California, Underwood admitted that, yes, he did do the
sun-and-sand thing.
“I went to the beach a couple of times, got a little tanned,” he said,
before smiling and adding: “It’s a little different here.”
Actually, it was positively balmy outside as the Blazers took it to the
Cougars.
“We had a pretty good game,” said Underwood, whose goal, at 13:30 of the
first period, turned out to be the winner.
With Michal Siska playing for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship, the
Blazers have shuffled their defencemen and now have Underwood playing
alongside veteran Nick Ross, a first-round draft pick of the NHL’s Phoenix
Coyotes.
“He’s a great player. Playing with a first-rounder, I couldn’t ask for
more,” Underwood said. “He’s a good leader for me. He looks out for me and I
learn something from him every day.
“I’m getting more ice time. I’m just trying to do what I’ve got to do . . .
play my game.”
As for that first goal . . .
“(Tyler Shattock) made a great pass and I took a slapshot,” Underwood said.
“I guess it went under (goaltender Joe Caligiuri’s) arm.”
Still, Underwood, who also did rather well in a third-period bout with
Prince George forward Greg Fraser, had to take something of a backseat to
Shattock, who is from Salmon Arm so isn’t believed to have enjoyed any
beach-time during the break.
Shattock, however, will take the five points he picked up against the
Cougars.
“Some times whenever the puck’s on your stick you get a lucky break and one
of those was tonight so I’m happy with that,” said Shattock, who had two
goals and three assists for his first WHL five-point game. Prior to this
one, he twice had picked up three points in a game. This was his fourth
two-goal game of the season and left him with a team-high 17.
Had he not left the right post and skated across to the other side on a late
third-period power play, he might have had a third goal, too. Moments after
he had moved, guess where the puck ended up?
“I know,” he said with a rueful grin.
Kenton Dulle, Linden Saip, also with his first WHL goal, Brady Calla, Scott
Wasden and Giffen Nyren also scored for the home boys, who held period leads
of 3-0 and 5-1.
Justin Maylan had Prince George’s lone goal.
“We are what we are right now,” said Cougars head coach Wade Klippenstein,
who was missing four of his top six forwards. “Obviously, our roster is
pretty thin. Last night (in a 4-3 loss to the Giants in Vancouver), we
competed and tonight we did in spurts but not near enough. Getting down the
way we did . . . we just don’t have the guys in our lineup right now to come
back. That’s the way it is.”
Kamloops goaltender Justin Leclerc, making his 11th straight start, stopped
24 shots. Prince George’s Joe Caligiuri turned aside 25.
“I thought their goalie outplayed our goalie and that was the difference
early on,” Klippenstein said.
On Saturday in Kelowna, defencemen Zac Stebner and Nyren scored first-period
goals for the Blazers, who watched Kelowna centre Colin Long score two
second-period power-play goals.
Kelowna forward Brandon McMillan, who drew an assist on each of Long's
goals, gave his side its first lead at 3:25 of the third period, only to
have right-winger Jimmy Bubnick force OT at 12:06.
Leclerc stopped 39 shots, 18 of them in the second period when his mates
were outshot 20-3, but was beaten three times in the shootout — by Long,
defenceman Tyson Barrie and Almond.
Kelowna’s Kris Lazaruk made 11 saves and added one more in the shootout. He
was beaten by C.J. Stretch and Dulle but preserved the victory by stopping
Bubnick.
“After the first period we didn’t play all that well. We let up . . . we
thought it was going to be easy,” Shattock said. “We quit doing what we had
been doing.”
The Blazers left for Kennewick, Wash., last night. They will meet the
Tri-City Americans there tonight.
“We’re going to face a good team in Tri-City,” Shattock said. “If we do the
stuff we did tonight I think we’ll be just fine.”
JUST NOTES: Referees Adam Byblow and Trevor Hanson gave the Blazers 10 of 18
minors and two of four majors. The Cougars took one misconduct, that to F
Tyler Halliday, a Kamloops native who now is an alternate captain. . . .
Stretch, who leads the Blazers in assists (31) and points (42), is pointless in his last five games. . . . Kamloops is 1-4 in shootouts this
season. The Saturday game was the first time this season the Rockets
(21-14-0-0) have played in OT.
Blazers box
THE SCORE
Kamloops 7, Prince George 1
WHAT HAPPENED
The Blazers got ahead early and never took their foot off the pedal.
THE STANDINGS
The Blazers (15-19-1-4) are sixth in the Western Conference, two points
behind the Everett Silvertips (16-14-5-0) and four ahead of the Seattle
Thunderbirds (14-19-1-2). The four teams behind the Blazers — Seattle,
Prince George, Chilliwack and Portland — all lost on Sunday.
THE COUGARS
Prince George (14-23-0-1) is eighth in the Western Conference. The Cougars
are 8-22-0-1 since getting off to a 6-1-0-0 start. They are 4-5 since firing
head coach Drew Schoneck and promoting assistant coach Wade Klippenstein on
Dec. 1.
THE GOALTENDERS
Justin Leclerc made his 11th straight start Sunday. Jon Groenheyde last
started Nov. 22 when he went the distance in a 6-1 loss to the visiting
Vancouver Giants. He last played Dec. 10 when he came on in relief and
played 31 minutes in an 8-3 loss to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook.
Groenheyde is expected to start tonight against the host Tri-City Americans.
THE SATURDAY GAME
The Blazers led 2-0 after one period but lost 4-3 in a shootout to the
Rockets in Kelowna. The Rockets, who outshot the Blazers 42-14, including
20-3 in the second period, are 4-0 against the Blazers this season.
THE POWER PLAY
Kamloops RW Tyler Shattock scored a power-play goal 2:18 into Sunday’s game.
The Blazers, who were 0-for-2 on the PP on Saturday, had been 0-for-21 over
their last five games. Over that time, the opposition PP was 9-for-29.
THE DEFENCEMAN
Michal Siska of the Blazers was plus-1 in helping Slovakia to a 7-2 victory
over Latvia on Saturday at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. He had
two shots on goal in a 3-1 loss to Sweden on Sunday. Slovakia goes against
Russia on Tuesday (11:30 a.m.) and Finland on Wednesday (5:30 p.m.).
THE WINGER
The Cougars have lost LW Dana Tyrell, their captain and leading scorer, for
the rest of this season. He suffered a knee injury while playing for Team
Canada in an exhibition game against Sweden on Dec. 19 in Toronto.
THE DAILY NEWS THREE STARS
1. RW Tyler Shattock, Kamloops. Five points.
2. C Dalibor Bortnak, Kamloops. Three assists.
3. D Brandon Underwood, Kamloops. A goal and some physicality.
NEXT UP
The Blazers meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., tonight and
return home to play the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, 7 p.m.
Kamloops 7, Prince George 1
WHAT HAPPENED
The Blazers got ahead early and never took their foot off the pedal.
THE STANDINGS
The Blazers (15-19-1-4) are sixth in the Western Conference, two points
behind the Everett Silvertips (16-14-5-0) and four ahead of the Seattle
Thunderbirds (14-19-1-2). The four teams behind the Blazers — Seattle,
Prince George, Chilliwack and Portland — all lost on Sunday.
THE COUGARS
Prince George (14-23-0-1) is eighth in the Western Conference. The Cougars
are 8-22-0-1 since getting off to a 6-1-0-0 start. They are 4-5 since firing
head coach Drew Schoneck and promoting assistant coach Wade Klippenstein on
Dec. 1.
THE GOALTENDERS
Justin Leclerc made his 11th straight start Sunday. Jon Groenheyde last
started Nov. 22 when he went the distance in a 6-1 loss to the visiting
Vancouver Giants. He last played Dec. 10 when he came on in relief and
played 31 minutes in an 8-3 loss to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook.
Groenheyde is expected to start tonight against the host Tri-City Americans.
THE SATURDAY GAME
The Blazers led 2-0 after one period but lost 4-3 in a shootout to the
Rockets in Kelowna. The Rockets, who outshot the Blazers 42-14, including
20-3 in the second period, are 4-0 against the Blazers this season.
THE POWER PLAY
Kamloops RW Tyler Shattock scored a power-play goal 2:18 into Sunday’s game.
The Blazers, who were 0-for-2 on the PP on Saturday, had been 0-for-21 over
their last five games. Over that time, the opposition PP was 9-for-29.
THE DEFENCEMAN
Michal Siska of the Blazers was plus-1 in helping Slovakia to a 7-2 victory
over Latvia on Saturday at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. He had
two shots on goal in a 3-1 loss to Sweden on Sunday. Slovakia goes against
Russia on Tuesday (11:30 a.m.) and Finland on Wednesday (5:30 p.m.).
THE WINGER
The Cougars have lost LW Dana Tyrell, their captain and leading scorer, for
the rest of this season. He suffered a knee injury while playing for Team
Canada in an exhibition game against Sweden on Dec. 19 in Toronto.
THE DAILY NEWS THREE STARS
1. RW Tyler Shattock, Kamloops. Five points.
2. C Dalibor Bortnak, Kamloops. Three assists.
3. D Brandon Underwood, Kamloops. A goal and some physicality.
NEXT UP
The Blazers meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., tonight and
return home to play the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, 7 p.m.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Some Saturday notes . . .
It likely is safe to assume that F Sawyer Mick helped establish a WHL record on Saturday night – most years between goals by brothers. Mick, 17, scored his first two WHL goals in a 5-1 victory over the Thunderbirds in Seattle on Saturday. Mick’s brother, Troy, last played in the WHL in 1989-90 with the Regina Pats.
--------
In that same game, Portland G Kurtis Mucha increased his career minutes played total to 9,778, which took him past Lanny Ramage and into first place on the Winter Hawks’ list. . . . Ramage holds the franchise record for most career games played (175) but Mucha is closing in on that mark, too, with 172.
--------
Still with the Portland-Seattle game, Thunderbirds F Greg Scott was given a match penalty for attempt to injury in the second period. "The call was (that) he stepped on their player's leg intentionally," Seattle head coach Rob Sumner told Seattle freelancer Jim Riley. "Greg said he had no intention to do that at all. It hurt to lose him that early in the game, but we need to have other guys step up." . . . Scott will be suspended pending a league investigation into the incident which involved Portland F Tayler Jordan.
--------
The Prince George Cougars, missing their entire top line, moved D Dallas Jackson up front and he scored their first two goals but they gave up two goals in the last three minutes and lost 4-3 to the Giants in Vancouver on Saturday. The Cougars are without LW Dana Tyrell (knee), C Brett Connolly (Team Pacific, U-17 World Hockey Challenge) and RW Marek Viedensky (Team Slovakia, World Junior Championship). . . . D Mike Berube (broken arm) returned to Vancouver’s lineup after a 15-game absence. . . . The Giants now have won eight in a row.
--------
The Kootenay Ice lost F Dustin Sylvester with a left leg injury – he was removed on a stretcher – during a 6-1 victory over the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Saturday. He was hit by Lethbridge D Mitch Versteeg, who was given a major penalty for boarding and will be suspended pending a league investigation. “Losing Sylvester is going to hurt,” Kootenay head coach Mark Holick told the Lethbridge Herald. “I don’t know what happened, but it didn’t look good and didn’t sound good. We’re anticipating it’ll be a lengthy recovery for him. Hopefully it’ll be a quick and speedy one . . .” . . . Sylvester is having a wonderful season. He leads the Ice in goals (21), points (41) and plus-minus (plus-16).
--------
The Chilliwack Bruins, who had lost 11 of 12 going into the Christmas break, sent into Everett and beat the Silvertips 5-2 on Saturday. The game was 30 minutes late starting because the Bruins were delayed by an accident on the Trans-Canada Highway. . . . Chilliwack F Ryan Howse scored three times, the third one coming while shorthanded. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 23 shots, including a first-period penalty shot by Everett F Jesse Burt. . . . The Silvertips were without F Daniel Bartek (infected knee), who is their leading sniper. . . . D Trevor Bauer (shoulder) made his Everett debut. He had been added to the roster in November but was out with an injury.
--------
Kamloops G Justin Leclerc stopped 39 shots but it wasn’t enough as the Blazers lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday. The Rockets got two goals from C Colin Long. . . . Five of the six shooters in the circus scored goals, with Kelowna F Cody Almond getting the winner, but not until Rockets G Kris Lazaruk stopped Kamloops F Jimmy Bubnick to preserve the victory. . . . The Rockets, now 4-0 against Kamloops, outshot the visitors 20-3 in the second period.
--------
Jon Keen, the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos, is reporting on his blog that D Jesse Dudas, 20, has chosen not to report. Dudas, who suffered a knee injury in camp with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, has yet to play this season. It had been expected that he would join the Broncos after Christmas. Now, according to Keen, Duedas is sitting at home in Edmonton "awaiting a trade/release." . . . Over the previous four seasons, the oft-injured Dudas has played 44, 24, 32 and 52 games. Hard to see how not reporting to the Broncos will help his cause, especially with the trade deadline arriving on Jan. 10. Had he reported to the Broncos, he would have been their fourth 20-year-old, meaning GM/head coach Dean Chynoweth would have been forced to make a move. . . . As well, F Matt Ius, who was acquired from the Everett Silvertips earlier in the season, didn't return to the Broncos after Christmas. Chynoweth told Keen: "Matt has left the team for some personal reasons and family matters. I'll stay in contact with him and see how it develops." The Broncos gave up a 2009 fifth-round bantam pick for Ius, 18, but he was a disappointment with only one assist in 11 games.
--------
In that same game, Portland G Kurtis Mucha increased his career minutes played total to 9,778, which took him past Lanny Ramage and into first place on the Winter Hawks’ list. . . . Ramage holds the franchise record for most career games played (175) but Mucha is closing in on that mark, too, with 172.
--------
Still with the Portland-Seattle game, Thunderbirds F Greg Scott was given a match penalty for attempt to injury in the second period. "The call was (that) he stepped on their player's leg intentionally," Seattle head coach Rob Sumner told Seattle freelancer Jim Riley. "Greg said he had no intention to do that at all. It hurt to lose him that early in the game, but we need to have other guys step up." . . . Scott will be suspended pending a league investigation into the incident which involved Portland F Tayler Jordan.
--------
The Prince George Cougars, missing their entire top line, moved D Dallas Jackson up front and he scored their first two goals but they gave up two goals in the last three minutes and lost 4-3 to the Giants in Vancouver on Saturday. The Cougars are without LW Dana Tyrell (knee), C Brett Connolly (Team Pacific, U-17 World Hockey Challenge) and RW Marek Viedensky (Team Slovakia, World Junior Championship). . . . D Mike Berube (broken arm) returned to Vancouver’s lineup after a 15-game absence. . . . The Giants now have won eight in a row.
--------
The Kootenay Ice lost F Dustin Sylvester with a left leg injury – he was removed on a stretcher – during a 6-1 victory over the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Saturday. He was hit by Lethbridge D Mitch Versteeg, who was given a major penalty for boarding and will be suspended pending a league investigation. “Losing Sylvester is going to hurt,” Kootenay head coach Mark Holick told the Lethbridge Herald. “I don’t know what happened, but it didn’t look good and didn’t sound good. We’re anticipating it’ll be a lengthy recovery for him. Hopefully it’ll be a quick and speedy one . . .” . . . Sylvester is having a wonderful season. He leads the Ice in goals (21), points (41) and plus-minus (plus-16).
--------
The Chilliwack Bruins, who had lost 11 of 12 going into the Christmas break, sent into Everett and beat the Silvertips 5-2 on Saturday. The game was 30 minutes late starting because the Bruins were delayed by an accident on the Trans-Canada Highway. . . . Chilliwack F Ryan Howse scored three times, the third one coming while shorthanded. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 23 shots, including a first-period penalty shot by Everett F Jesse Burt. . . . The Silvertips were without F Daniel Bartek (infected knee), who is their leading sniper. . . . D Trevor Bauer (shoulder) made his Everett debut. He had been added to the roster in November but was out with an injury.
--------
Kamloops G Justin Leclerc stopped 39 shots but it wasn’t enough as the Blazers lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday. The Rockets got two goals from C Colin Long. . . . Five of the six shooters in the circus scored goals, with Kelowna F Cody Almond getting the winner, but not until Rockets G Kris Lazaruk stopped Kamloops F Jimmy Bubnick to preserve the victory. . . . The Rockets, now 4-0 against Kamloops, outshot the visitors 20-3 in the second period.
--------
Jon Keen, the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos, is reporting on his blog that D Jesse Dudas, 20, has chosen not to report. Dudas, who suffered a knee injury in camp with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers, has yet to play this season. It had been expected that he would join the Broncos after Christmas. Now, according to Keen, Duedas is sitting at home in Edmonton "awaiting a trade/release." . . . Over the previous four seasons, the oft-injured Dudas has played 44, 24, 32 and 52 games. Hard to see how not reporting to the Broncos will help his cause, especially with the trade deadline arriving on Jan. 10. Had he reported to the Broncos, he would have been their fourth 20-year-old, meaning GM/head coach Dean Chynoweth would have been forced to make a move. . . . As well, F Matt Ius, who was acquired from the Everett Silvertips earlier in the season, didn't return to the Broncos after Christmas. Chynoweth told Keen: "Matt has left the team for some personal reasons and family matters. I'll stay in contact with him and see how it develops." The Broncos gave up a 2009 fifth-round bantam pick for Ius, 18, but he was a disappointment with only one assist in 11 games.
McCue turns pro
D Matt McCue, 20, of the Medicine Hat Tigers has signed a free-agent contract with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and will report to the AHL’s Iowa Chops. McCue didn’t play Saturday against the visiting Swift Current Broncos. . . . McCue, whom the Tigers acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings earlier this season, also played for the Spokane Chiefs and Chilliwack Bruins. This season, in 34 games, the 6-foot-5, 218-pound McCue had 17 points and 101 penalty minutes.
Boxing Day goodies
The Seattle Thunderbirds got a belated Christmas present Friday. Jim Riley reports for the Seattle Times that they skated on the ice at the ShoWare Centre, their new home in Kent. Wash., for the first time. The Thunderbirds, who are scheduled to play 28 of their final 38 games in the new facility, play their first home game there on Jan. 3. "It's like an NHL building without the upper bowl," forward David Richard told Riley. "The boards and glass are really good and it's really a big step up from KeyArena. A lot of people are going to be pleased the way it turned out. We should be able to get a lot of momentum from the home crowd." . . . The new building seats 6,133 for hockey. . . . According to Riley, fewer than 200 tickets remain for the Jan. 3 game against the Everett Silvertips.
--------
The WHL’s trade moratorium is off and you can bet that there will be some action between now and the trade deadline of Jan. 10. Some people are wondering, for example, if the Everett Silvertips will move LW Kyle Beach. "(Other teams) got all the high draft picks by losing for two years and then turned it around," Everett GM Doug Soetaert told Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald. "I don't like doing that. We're here to win every year. That's our goal, that's our mandate, and we want to go as far as possible every year. If we have to make moves to do that we will make moves. But we're not going to do something that doesn't make sense, both now and long-term." . . . So will he move Beach in exchange for help down the road? "Right now that's not in our plans," Soetaert told Patterson. "Kyle's an 18-year-old, there's a chance he could be back here next (season) and be a part of our hockey club again. As good as Kyle is when he wants to be, the National Hockey League is a big step. He's a big part of our hockey club. He knows that, he wants to play for the Everett Silvertips, we've indicated to him we want him to be an Everett Silvertip. So life is good."
--------
JUST NOTES: The Seattle Thunderbirds, who play the Portland Winter Hawks in KeyArena on Saturday, should have F Prab Rai (groin) and F Lindsay Nielsen (shoulder) back in the lineup. . . . The Red Deer Rebels take a three-game winning streak into a game with the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Saturday. Calgary has won six in a row. Red Deer expects to have D Cullen Morin (ankle), D Justin Weller (wrist) and F Carter Smith (abdomen) back in action. . . . The Kelowna Rockets should have D Tyson Barrie (concussion) back when they play the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Saturday. Barrie missed the club’s last three games before the Christmas break. Kelowna F Kyle St. Denis, however, remains out with a broken scaphoid. St. Denis should be back sometime in January. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers are without LW Travis Dunstall (shoulder) as the schedule resumes. They are at home to the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday. Dunstall, injured Dec. 14, may return Jan. 2 in Swift Current. The Tigers have added F Sam Dezman, 17, an eighth-round pick in the 2006 bantam draft who has 24 points in 27 games with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. He also has 61 penalty minutes. . . . Former Vancouver Giants G Kraymer Barnstable, 18, has joined the Everett Silvertips to back up starter Shayne Barrie. Kent Simpson, 16, is with Team Pacific at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . While Everett D Trevor Bauer (shoulder) has been cleared to play, D Shayne Brown (hip) is still on the shelf.
--------
Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier reports that the Rockets continue to work on acquiring the services of Swedish F Mikael Backlund, who was a first-round selection by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2007 draft. He presently is playing for Sweden in the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. There has been speculation that Backlund’s team in the Swedish Elite League won’t be welcoming him back. “We’re working on it,” Rockets president/GM Bruce Hamilton told Potenteau. “The story broke out in Sweden and he was under a microscope. Right now, (Backlund) is trying to focus on the tournament.” . . . Hamilton plans on being in Calgary to scout the Mac’s midget tournament. While there, you can bet he will be exchanging more than season's greetings with Flames GM Darryl Sutter.
--------
The WHL’s trade moratorium is off and you can bet that there will be some action between now and the trade deadline of Jan. 10. Some people are wondering, for example, if the Everett Silvertips will move LW Kyle Beach. "(Other teams) got all the high draft picks by losing for two years and then turned it around," Everett GM Doug Soetaert told Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald. "I don't like doing that. We're here to win every year. That's our goal, that's our mandate, and we want to go as far as possible every year. If we have to make moves to do that we will make moves. But we're not going to do something that doesn't make sense, both now and long-term." . . . So will he move Beach in exchange for help down the road? "Right now that's not in our plans," Soetaert told Patterson. "Kyle's an 18-year-old, there's a chance he could be back here next (season) and be a part of our hockey club again. As good as Kyle is when he wants to be, the National Hockey League is a big step. He's a big part of our hockey club. He knows that, he wants to play for the Everett Silvertips, we've indicated to him we want him to be an Everett Silvertip. So life is good."
--------
JUST NOTES: The Seattle Thunderbirds, who play the Portland Winter Hawks in KeyArena on Saturday, should have F Prab Rai (groin) and F Lindsay Nielsen (shoulder) back in the lineup. . . . The Red Deer Rebels take a three-game winning streak into a game with the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Saturday. Calgary has won six in a row. Red Deer expects to have D Cullen Morin (ankle), D Justin Weller (wrist) and F Carter Smith (abdomen) back in action. . . . The Kelowna Rockets should have D Tyson Barrie (concussion) back when they play the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Saturday. Barrie missed the club’s last three games before the Christmas break. Kelowna F Kyle St. Denis, however, remains out with a broken scaphoid. St. Denis should be back sometime in January. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers are without LW Travis Dunstall (shoulder) as the schedule resumes. They are at home to the Swift Current Broncos on Saturday. Dunstall, injured Dec. 14, may return Jan. 2 in Swift Current. The Tigers have added F Sam Dezman, 17, an eighth-round pick in the 2006 bantam draft who has 24 points in 27 games with the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. He also has 61 penalty minutes. . . . Former Vancouver Giants G Kraymer Barnstable, 18, has joined the Everett Silvertips to back up starter Shayne Barrie. Kent Simpson, 16, is with Team Pacific at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . While Everett D Trevor Bauer (shoulder) has been cleared to play, D Shayne Brown (hip) is still on the shelf.
--------
Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier reports that the Rockets continue to work on acquiring the services of Swedish F Mikael Backlund, who was a first-round selection by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2007 draft. He presently is playing for Sweden in the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. There has been speculation that Backlund’s team in the Swedish Elite League won’t be welcoming him back. “We’re working on it,” Rockets president/GM Bruce Hamilton told Potenteau. “The story broke out in Sweden and he was under a microscope. Right now, (Backlund) is trying to focus on the tournament.” . . . Hamilton plans on being in Calgary to scout the Mac’s midget tournament. While there, you can bet he will be exchanging more than season's greetings with Flames GM Darryl Sutter.
Rockets lend helping hand
By MARK HUNTER
Daily News Sports Reporter
The Kelowna Rockets, apparently engulfed in the Christmas spirit, reached
out to their fellow men Friday.
Whether that continues tonight . . . well, that's unlikely.
The Rockets went out of their way Friday to help the Kamloops Blazers, one
of their biggest WHL rivals. This, despite the fact the two teams meet
tonight in Kelowna in their first game back after a 10-day Christmas break.
The Blazers are scheduled to return home Sunday to play the Prince George
Cougars (5 p.m., Interior Savings Centre).
On Friday, the Rockets and Blazers put aside their rivalry, at least for a
few hours, in helping a few stranded players get home.
With four Blazers and head coach Barry Smith stuck at Vancouver
International Airport -- provincial flights out of the airport were cancelled
due to snow -- Rockets president/GM Bruce Hamilton lent Kamloops a hand.
Since the Rockets were sending their bus to Vancouver to pick up eight of
their players, they offered to allow the Blazers players to hop in.
"Kelowna was terrific," said Blazers general manager Craig Bonner, from the
Kamloops airport, where his Friday flight to Calgary was delayed. "Mr.
Hamilton phoned this morning and said if we needed anything, they were
sending their bus up. They were very gracious with that and helped us out a
lot."
The Blazers players -- goaltender Jon Groenheyde, centre C.J. Stretch and
defencemen Linden Saip and Brandon Underwood -- and Smith took the Rockets'
bus to Merritt last night, before catching a lift to Kamloops from there.
All are expected to be ready for tonight's game, although they missed a
Friday practice.
"They're a little later than anticipated," Bonner said.
The missing Rockets were goaltender Adam Brown, defencemen Tysen Dowzak,
Tyson Barrie and Collin Bowman, and forwards Colin Long, Spencer Main, Kyle
Verdino and Mitchell Callahan.
Rockets vice-president of business development Gavin Hamilton rode the bus
and helped pick up the players at the airport, which was in a state of disarray.
"What a gong show," he told Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier.
JUST NOTES: Bonner was heading to Calgary to scout the Mac's midget
tournament. . . . Blazers F Dalibor Bortnak, who went home to Slovakia for
the holidays, made it safely back to Kamloops. . . . His countryman, D
Michal Siska, is in Ottawa for the World Junior Championship. . . . The
Slovaks open the tournament today against Latvia. . . . The WHL, which has
been off since Dec. 17, has all 22 teams playing tonight. . . . The Rockets
have three players at the World Junior Championship -- F Stepan Novotny is
playing for Czech Republic, while F Jamie Benn and D Tyler Myers are with
Canada.
Daily News Sports Reporter
The Kelowna Rockets, apparently engulfed in the Christmas spirit, reached
out to their fellow men Friday.
Whether that continues tonight . . . well, that's unlikely.
The Rockets went out of their way Friday to help the Kamloops Blazers, one
of their biggest WHL rivals. This, despite the fact the two teams meet
tonight in Kelowna in their first game back after a 10-day Christmas break.
The Blazers are scheduled to return home Sunday to play the Prince George
Cougars (5 p.m., Interior Savings Centre).
On Friday, the Rockets and Blazers put aside their rivalry, at least for a
few hours, in helping a few stranded players get home.
With four Blazers and head coach Barry Smith stuck at Vancouver
International Airport -- provincial flights out of the airport were cancelled
due to snow -- Rockets president/GM Bruce Hamilton lent Kamloops a hand.
Since the Rockets were sending their bus to Vancouver to pick up eight of
their players, they offered to allow the Blazers players to hop in.
"Kelowna was terrific," said Blazers general manager Craig Bonner, from the
Kamloops airport, where his Friday flight to Calgary was delayed. "Mr.
Hamilton phoned this morning and said if we needed anything, they were
sending their bus up. They were very gracious with that and helped us out a
lot."
The Blazers players -- goaltender Jon Groenheyde, centre C.J. Stretch and
defencemen Linden Saip and Brandon Underwood -- and Smith took the Rockets'
bus to Merritt last night, before catching a lift to Kamloops from there.
All are expected to be ready for tonight's game, although they missed a
Friday practice.
"They're a little later than anticipated," Bonner said.
The missing Rockets were goaltender Adam Brown, defencemen Tysen Dowzak,
Tyson Barrie and Collin Bowman, and forwards Colin Long, Spencer Main, Kyle
Verdino and Mitchell Callahan.
Rockets vice-president of business development Gavin Hamilton rode the bus
and helped pick up the players at the airport, which was in a state of disarray.
"What a gong show," he told Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier.
JUST NOTES: Bonner was heading to Calgary to scout the Mac's midget
tournament. . . . Blazers F Dalibor Bortnak, who went home to Slovakia for
the holidays, made it safely back to Kamloops. . . . His countryman, D
Michal Siska, is in Ottawa for the World Junior Championship. . . . The
Slovaks open the tournament today against Latvia. . . . The WHL, which has
been off since Dec. 17, has all 22 teams playing tonight. . . . The Rockets
have three players at the World Junior Championship -- F Stepan Novotny is
playing for Czech Republic, while F Jamie Benn and D Tyler Myers are with
Canada.
Blazers scouting report
SCOUTING REPORT
PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS at KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
Sunday, 5 p.m., Interior Savings Centre (Radio NL 610)
PRINCE GEORGE (14-21-0-1): The Cougars, who meet the Giants in Vancouver
tonight, last played Dec. 17 when they beat the visiting Blazers, 3-2. . . .
The Cougars are 4-3-0-0 since head coach Drew Schoneck was replaced by
assistant coach Wade Klippenstein on Dec. 1. . . . The Cougars are eighth in
the 10-team Western Conference, two points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds
(14-17-1-2). . . . Prince George is 4-6-0-0 in its last 10 games and is
4-14-0-0 on the road. . . . The Cougars have lost LW Dana Tyrell, their
captain and leading scorer, for the remainder of the season. He suffered a
knee injury while playing for Team Canada in an exhibition game against
Sweden on Dec. 19 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. . . . In fact, the
Cougars are without their entire top line -- Tyrell, C Brett Connolly, the
highly touted 16-year-old from Prince George, who is with Team Pacific at
the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, and RW Marek Viedensky, who
is with Slovakia at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. . . . With
those three gone, F Brian Matte and F Parker Stanfield share the team lead
in goals (13), while D Cameron Cepek leads in assists (20) and points (27).
. . . Injuries: LW Dana Tyrell (knee, out), F Corey Tyrell (rotator cuff,
possible).
---
KAMLOOPS (14-19-1-3): The Blazers return from the Christmas break to
play three games in as many nights. They meet the Rockets in Kelowna
tonight, play at home against the Cougars on Sunday and then travel to
Kennewick, Wash., for a game with the Tri-City Americans on Monday. . . .
Kamloops is sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Everett
Silvertips (15-13-5-0). . . . The Blazers haven¹t played at home since Dec.
13 when they were blanked 2-0 by the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Kamloops,
which is 3-6-1-0 in its last 10 outings, went into the break having lost its
last three games and six of seven. . . . The Blazers are 3-2-0-0 against the
Cougars, having beaten them here three times. . . . D Michal Siska is
playing for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa, while F
Brendan Ranford is with Team Pacific at the WHC in Port Alberni. . . . The
Blazers are 10-8-1-1 at home. . . . G Justin Leclerc has started 30 of the
Blazers' first 37 games this season. . . . LW Shayne Wiebe has the team lead
in goals (16), with C C.J. Stretch tops in assists (30) and points (41). . .
. Injuries: C Mark Hall (knee, out).
-- GREGG DRINNAN
PRINCE GEORGE COUGARS at KAMLOOPS BLAZERS
Sunday, 5 p.m., Interior Savings Centre (Radio NL 610)
PRINCE GEORGE (14-21-0-1): The Cougars, who meet the Giants in Vancouver
tonight, last played Dec. 17 when they beat the visiting Blazers, 3-2. . . .
The Cougars are 4-3-0-0 since head coach Drew Schoneck was replaced by
assistant coach Wade Klippenstein on Dec. 1. . . . The Cougars are eighth in
the 10-team Western Conference, two points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds
(14-17-1-2). . . . Prince George is 4-6-0-0 in its last 10 games and is
4-14-0-0 on the road. . . . The Cougars have lost LW Dana Tyrell, their
captain and leading scorer, for the remainder of the season. He suffered a
knee injury while playing for Team Canada in an exhibition game against
Sweden on Dec. 19 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. . . . In fact, the
Cougars are without their entire top line -- Tyrell, C Brett Connolly, the
highly touted 16-year-old from Prince George, who is with Team Pacific at
the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, and RW Marek Viedensky, who
is with Slovakia at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. . . . With
those three gone, F Brian Matte and F Parker Stanfield share the team lead
in goals (13), while D Cameron Cepek leads in assists (20) and points (27).
. . . Injuries: LW Dana Tyrell (knee, out), F Corey Tyrell (rotator cuff,
possible).
---
KAMLOOPS (14-19-1-3): The Blazers return from the Christmas break to
play three games in as many nights. They meet the Rockets in Kelowna
tonight, play at home against the Cougars on Sunday and then travel to
Kennewick, Wash., for a game with the Tri-City Americans on Monday. . . .
Kamloops is sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Everett
Silvertips (15-13-5-0). . . . The Blazers haven¹t played at home since Dec.
13 when they were blanked 2-0 by the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Kamloops,
which is 3-6-1-0 in its last 10 outings, went into the break having lost its
last three games and six of seven. . . . The Blazers are 3-2-0-0 against the
Cougars, having beaten them here three times. . . . D Michal Siska is
playing for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa, while F
Brendan Ranford is with Team Pacific at the WHC in Port Alberni. . . . The
Blazers are 10-8-1-1 at home. . . . G Justin Leclerc has started 30 of the
Blazers' first 37 games this season. . . . LW Shayne Wiebe has the team lead
in goals (16), with C C.J. Stretch tops in assists (30) and points (41). . .
. Injuries: C Mark Hall (knee, out).
-- GREGG DRINNAN
Friday, December 26, 2008
World Junior update
Here’s a look at WHL import players who are listed on World Junior rosters that were filed with the IIHF on Christmas Day:
CZECH REPUBLIC
F Rudolf Cerveny, Regina Pats
D Tomas Kundratek, Medicine Hat Tigers
F Stepan Novotny, Kelowna Rockets
F Zdenek Okal, Medicine Hat Tigers
F Radim Valcha, Portland Winter Hawks
F Tomas Vincour, Edmonton Oil Kings
(NOTE: The roster also includes D Tomas Vosvrda, who played 36 games with Medicine Hat last season; D Tomas Voracek, who began this season with the Prince Albert Raiders before going home to be with his ailing mother, isn’t on the roster.)
--------
FINLAND
G Juha Metsola, Lethbridge Hurricanes
D Jyri Niemi, Saskatoon Blades
--------
SLOVAKIA
F Milan Kytnar, Saskatoon Blades
D Michal Siska, Kamloops Blazers
F Marek Viedensky, Prince George Cougars
--------
SWEDEN
The roster includes F Oscar Moller of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, who played last season for the Chilliwack Bruins.
--------
If you missed it earlier, here are the WHLers on the U.S. team:
D Jonathon Blum, Vancouver Giants (U.S. captain)
F Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
F Tyler Johnson, Spokane Chiefs
F Jim O’Brien, Seattle Thunderbirds
F Mitch Wahl, Spokane Chiefs
--------
And the WHLers on Team Canada:
D Keith Aulie, Brandon Wheat Kings
F Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets
F Zach Boychuk, Lethbridge Hurricanes
F Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats
F Tyler Ennis, Medicine Hat Tigers
D Thomas Hickey, Seattle Thunderbirds (Canada’s captain)
F Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants
D Tyler Myers, Kelowna Rockets
G Chet Pickard, Tri-City Americans
F Brett Sonne, Calgary Hitmen
D Colten Teubert, Regina Pats
G Dustin Tokarski, Spokane Chiefs
(NOTES: F Dana Tyrell of the Prince George Cougars was on the roster but suffered a knee injury Dec. 19 and won’t play in the tournament. . . . G Dustin Tokarski will start today (Friday) against Czech Republic. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Eastern. . . . The tournament runs through Jan. 5.)
CZECH REPUBLIC
F Rudolf Cerveny, Regina Pats
D Tomas Kundratek, Medicine Hat Tigers
F Stepan Novotny, Kelowna Rockets
F Zdenek Okal, Medicine Hat Tigers
F Radim Valcha, Portland Winter Hawks
F Tomas Vincour, Edmonton Oil Kings
(NOTE: The roster also includes D Tomas Vosvrda, who played 36 games with Medicine Hat last season; D Tomas Voracek, who began this season with the Prince Albert Raiders before going home to be with his ailing mother, isn’t on the roster.)
--------
FINLAND
G Juha Metsola, Lethbridge Hurricanes
D Jyri Niemi, Saskatoon Blades
--------
SLOVAKIA
F Milan Kytnar, Saskatoon Blades
D Michal Siska, Kamloops Blazers
F Marek Viedensky, Prince George Cougars
--------
SWEDEN
The roster includes F Oscar Moller of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, who played last season for the Chilliwack Bruins.
--------
If you missed it earlier, here are the WHLers on the U.S. team:
D Jonathon Blum, Vancouver Giants (U.S. captain)
F Drayson Bowman, Spokane Chiefs
F Tyler Johnson, Spokane Chiefs
F Jim O’Brien, Seattle Thunderbirds
F Mitch Wahl, Spokane Chiefs
--------
And the WHLers on Team Canada:
D Keith Aulie, Brandon Wheat Kings
F Jamie Benn, Kelowna Rockets
F Zach Boychuk, Lethbridge Hurricanes
F Jordan Eberle, Regina Pats
F Tyler Ennis, Medicine Hat Tigers
D Thomas Hickey, Seattle Thunderbirds (Canada’s captain)
F Evander Kane, Vancouver Giants
D Tyler Myers, Kelowna Rockets
G Chet Pickard, Tri-City Americans
F Brett Sonne, Calgary Hitmen
D Colten Teubert, Regina Pats
G Dustin Tokarski, Spokane Chiefs
(NOTES: F Dana Tyrell of the Prince George Cougars was on the roster but suffered a knee injury Dec. 19 and won’t play in the tournament. . . . G Dustin Tokarski will start today (Friday) against Czech Republic. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Eastern. . . . The tournament runs through Jan. 5.)
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Your Christmas Day hockey fix!
There is news from Moose Jaw on the scrap over whether, and where, to build a multiplex that would replace the Crushed Can and house the Warriors.
Here is the start of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald’s story:
“In a decision released Christmas Eve, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeals has dismissed the multiplex lawsuit appeal.
”In their written decision, judges Nicholas Sherstobitoff, Georgina Jackson and Robert Richards affirmed the Aug. 26 decision by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Guy Chicoine’s and ruled in favour of the City of Moose Jaw.”
The Times-Herald story is here.
--------
There is plenty of speculation about the future of the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Quad City Flames, which is based in Moline, Ill. The popular theory has the Flames relocating its top affiliate to Abbotsford, B.C., where a 7,000-seat arena is nearing completion.
One person who works in the sports field in the Quad City area had this to say about the AHL franchise:
“Nobody cares. Their actual attendance is around 900 a game. It’s horrible. I have been to four games (all on Friday), and there is nobody there. I do believe the minute they walk out the door there will be a Central League team. Or some other low level beer league chomping at the bit to get in here.
“I firmly believe it’s going to happen. I spoke with one of the owners here a few days ago . . . and he told me that they are bleeding ‘unreal’ amounts of money. They have gone to the city to ask them to re-do the lease on the building, but it doesn’t appear as if that will happen, and they can’t make it without some type of revenue sharing.”
--------
Brandon Wheat Kings D Mark Schneider, who is out with a broken ankle, has taken one step towards returning. He got the cast off the ankle on Tuesday and now is in a walking boot. The Wheat Kings, his hometown team, acquired Schneider from the Kamloops Blazers earlier this season. His father, Ken, also played for the Wheat Kings and is, in fact, president of the team’s alumni association.
--------
This time, Ron Toigo may have gone too far for his own good. A couple of weeks ago, Toigo, the majority owner of the Vancouver Giants, held a news conference to announce that Michael Bublé had joined the team’s ownership group. Well, on Christmas morning, a CBC Radio announcer, after playing a Christmas tune by Bublé, told his listeners that Bublé owned a chunk of the Giants along with “get this . . . Gordie Howe, Pat Quinn and couple of other guys.”
Here is the start of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald’s story:
“In a decision released Christmas Eve, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeals has dismissed the multiplex lawsuit appeal.
”In their written decision, judges Nicholas Sherstobitoff, Georgina Jackson and Robert Richards affirmed the Aug. 26 decision by Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Guy Chicoine’s and ruled in favour of the City of Moose Jaw.”
The Times-Herald story is here.
--------
There is plenty of speculation about the future of the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate, the Quad City Flames, which is based in Moline, Ill. The popular theory has the Flames relocating its top affiliate to Abbotsford, B.C., where a 7,000-seat arena is nearing completion.
One person who works in the sports field in the Quad City area had this to say about the AHL franchise:
“Nobody cares. Their actual attendance is around 900 a game. It’s horrible. I have been to four games (all on Friday), and there is nobody there. I do believe the minute they walk out the door there will be a Central League team. Or some other low level beer league chomping at the bit to get in here.
“I firmly believe it’s going to happen. I spoke with one of the owners here a few days ago . . . and he told me that they are bleeding ‘unreal’ amounts of money. They have gone to the city to ask them to re-do the lease on the building, but it doesn’t appear as if that will happen, and they can’t make it without some type of revenue sharing.”
--------
Brandon Wheat Kings D Mark Schneider, who is out with a broken ankle, has taken one step towards returning. He got the cast off the ankle on Tuesday and now is in a walking boot. The Wheat Kings, his hometown team, acquired Schneider from the Kamloops Blazers earlier this season. His father, Ken, also played for the Wheat Kings and is, in fact, president of the team’s alumni association.
--------
This time, Ron Toigo may have gone too far for his own good. A couple of weeks ago, Toigo, the majority owner of the Vancouver Giants, held a news conference to announce that Michael Bublé had joined the team’s ownership group. Well, on Christmas morning, a CBC Radio announcer, after playing a Christmas tune by Bublé, told his listeners that Bublé owned a chunk of the Giants along with “get this . . . Gordie Howe, Pat Quinn and couple of other guys.”
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
An early Christmas Eve report . . .
THE MacBETH REPORT: F Marc Brown (Spokane/Prince Albert) signed with Graz (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had played two games with Lagenthal (Swiss NL B) this season, getting one assist. Last season with Villach (Austria Erste Bank Liga), Brown had 14 goals and 16 assists in 50 games. . . . F Ronald Petrovicky (Tri-City/Prince George/Regina) was released by Dinamo Riga (KHL) by mutual agreement. He had two goals and three assists in 30 games this season. . . . F Mike Olynyk, who played one game with Prince George in 1997-98, signed with Basingstoke (UK Elite Hockey League). He was with Muskegon
(IHL) earlier this season, going pointless in four games.
--------
There are rumours making the rounds that Marc Habscheid is back in the coaching game. He has told me, via email, that this is not correct. Kent Woods, the head coach of the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires, was let go late last week by general manager Jim Dekowny, with assistant coach Regan Darby moving up to head coach. (Darby is a former WHLer – Spokane, Tri-City, Red Deer and Prince Albert, 1997-2000.) . . . Habscheid has been listed on the Legionnaires’ website as a consultant. “Regan Darby is the head coach,” Habscheid wrote. “He asked me if I would help him a little and I said yes.”
--------
The WHL and FSN Northwest have cut a deal that will have the sports network televise six regular-season games on their cable system in the Pacific Northwest. FSN Northwest goes into 3.4 million homes in five states -- Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. . . . The first game is up Dec. 31, with the Seattle Thunderbirds in Portland to meet the Winter Hawks in the Rose Garden. . . . Two of the games will be televised from the Thunderbirds’ new home in Kent, Wash., the ShoWare Centre. . . . Four of the six games also are to be available on Shaw Cable in Western Canada.
Here is the six-game schedule (all times Pacific):
Dec. 31: Seattle at Portland, 5 p.m.
Jan. 13: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 7 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Jan. 16: Spokane at Portland, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 6: Lethbridge at Seattle, 7:30 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Feb. 8: Vancouver at Seattle, 5 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Feb. 24: Spokane at Vancouver, 7 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
--------
And a note from Al Stewart, who is the chairman of the Swift Current Broncos’ board of directors. He wants to clarify an item that appeared here a few days ago. I had picked up something from the Prairie Post about a ‘new’ board of directors being in place. Al points out that there isn’t a new board. “We are the same group of people, but have just shifted some responsibilities,” he points out, adding that there only were two changes to the officers. In one of them, he took over from Joe Arling as chairman. In the other, former Broncos forward Trent McCleary a first-year director, “was nominated to finance.” . . . Al concludes: “I'm hoping your loyal readers don't think that there has been an upheaval in the Broncos organization; in fact, (there has been) anything but.” . . . Thanks for taking the time to write on that, Al. Much appreciated.
(IHL) earlier this season, going pointless in four games.
--------
There are rumours making the rounds that Marc Habscheid is back in the coaching game. He has told me, via email, that this is not correct. Kent Woods, the head coach of the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires, was let go late last week by general manager Jim Dekowny, with assistant coach Regan Darby moving up to head coach. (Darby is a former WHLer – Spokane, Tri-City, Red Deer and Prince Albert, 1997-2000.) . . . Habscheid has been listed on the Legionnaires’ website as a consultant. “Regan Darby is the head coach,” Habscheid wrote. “He asked me if I would help him a little and I said yes.”
--------
The WHL and FSN Northwest have cut a deal that will have the sports network televise six regular-season games on their cable system in the Pacific Northwest. FSN Northwest goes into 3.4 million homes in five states -- Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. . . . The first game is up Dec. 31, with the Seattle Thunderbirds in Portland to meet the Winter Hawks in the Rose Garden. . . . Two of the games will be televised from the Thunderbirds’ new home in Kent, Wash., the ShoWare Centre. . . . Four of the six games also are to be available on Shaw Cable in Western Canada.
Here is the six-game schedule (all times Pacific):
Dec. 31: Seattle at Portland, 5 p.m.
Jan. 13: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 7 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Jan. 16: Spokane at Portland, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 6: Lethbridge at Seattle, 7:30 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Feb. 8: Vancouver at Seattle, 5 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
Feb. 24: Spokane at Vancouver, 7 p.m. (also on Shaw Cable)
--------
And a note from Al Stewart, who is the chairman of the Swift Current Broncos’ board of directors. He wants to clarify an item that appeared here a few days ago. I had picked up something from the Prairie Post about a ‘new’ board of directors being in place. Al points out that there isn’t a new board. “We are the same group of people, but have just shifted some responsibilities,” he points out, adding that there only were two changes to the officers. In one of them, he took over from Joe Arling as chairman. In the other, former Broncos forward Trent McCleary a first-year director, “was nominated to finance.” . . . Al concludes: “I'm hoping your loyal readers don't think that there has been an upheaval in the Broncos organization; in fact, (there has been) anything but.” . . . Thanks for taking the time to write on that, Al. Much appreciated.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Merry Christmas
This site will be mostly quiet over the next few days, although if there is anything worth posting I will try to get it up here.
In the meantime, a safe and Merry Christmas to all. And if you have anything to share please do, either here or via email to gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca.
Now . . . back to shopping (just kidding).
By the way, the above Christmas tree is on display in the sports department of the Kamloops Daily News. It is made out of composite hockey sticks. The 'star' on top is off a Mario Lemieux bobblhead. Yes, this is a glorious piece of art and may soon be available on an online auction site. Ho, ho, ho!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Keeping Score
From Saturday's Daily News:
David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel, after taking in a Pop Warner Junior Pee Wee (ages 9-11) football game at Disney’s Wide World of Sports: “It’s always nice to go to a game and not worry that a gun is going to go off in a receiver’s pants. And a running back is not going to pout over not getting the ball. Or one team isn’t splitting apart because a nut job thinks the quarterback is conspiring against him.” . . . Meanwhile, the Boston Herald was reporting that “the down-on-their-luck Dorchester Eagles Pop Warner team — who pleaded with the public for donations to allow them to go to Florida for a championship game — were kicked out of their Sunshine State hotel after they got in a tussle with another midget team. The Dorchester Eagles, aged 11 to 15, and the Edgewood Eagles of Rhode Island were kicked out of their Disney hotel on Thursday after the two teams got into a physical fight in the hotel cafeteria, said Pop Warner spokesman Jason Howarth.” . . . To which Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted: “SEC coaches are keeping a close watch on these kids.”
Ted Wyman, in the Winnipeg Sun: “While it was incredibly stupid (of him) to injure his hand in a snow blower, you have to respect the fact that millionaire Joe Sakic was doing his own dirty work around the house. Perhaps his need for manual labour could be filled by driving the Zamboni at Avalanche games until his mangled hand heals.” . . . Three words for you, Mr. Prime Minister. . . . Pick me, please. . . . A couple of weekends back, Fox-TV showed footage of the Minnesota Vikings in their locker room after a game. With owner Ziggy Wilf addressing the team, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was in the background and, yes, he adjusted his towel. When told that all of him had been seen on TV, Shiancoe told the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “It’s not too bad. I didn’t just get out of the pool.” . . . Headline at Fark.com: “Off-duty firefighter saves man from choking. Chicago Cubs said to be very interested.”
For what it’s worth, Steve Nash owns a residence in Manhattan and could end up a free agent over the summer. Might he end up in New York, reunited with former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni, who now runs the Knickerbockers? . . . Merry Christmas! The Temple Owls upset the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 88-72 last weekend in Philadelphia. Dionte Christmas led the Owls with 35 points. . . . I’m headed east on the Trans-Canada Highway on Tuesday evening and can see maybe 20 feet in front of the car and the voice on the radio is telling me “there is a 70-per-cent chance of snow flurries.” . . . He must have been in the 30-per-cent area. . . . Headline at BorowitzReport.com: “Yankees sign Iraqi hurler/Shoe-throwing right-hander impresses scouts.”
There is a horrid story making the rounds that involves a naked minor hockey player sitting on the face of a teammate, being suspended, winning an appeal and returning to playing. The other player apparently dropped down a level. One would hope this simply is an ugly rumour and that it doesn’t involve the local minor hockey association, which is not unfamiliar with controversy. . . . So if this is what Mats Sundin had planned, why wouldn’t he waive his no-trade clause last season and allow the Toronto Maple Leafs to trade him? Instead, his once-beloved Maple Leafs end up with nothing and Sundin becomes a hockey mercenary, selling his services to the highest bidder, something he once said he didn’t want to do. . . . Ken Fidlin, in the Toronto Sun: “It all seems so hypocritical today. The halo that grew in intensity as the hairline receded over the years, has been tarnished. He is still a class act and if he is not the best Leaf player ever, he is in the conversation. But, like so many things about this franchise, on so many levels, Sundin’s legacy has been sadly diminished.”
When the Detroit Red Wings meet the Blackhawks at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on Jan. 1, NBC’s coverage will include Bob Costas as the host. Mike (Doc) Emrick will call the play with Eddie Olczyk providing analysis. Mike Milbury will be in-studio, while Pierre (The Yeller) McGuire and Darren Pang will be rinkside. . . . By the way, the ice at Wrigley Field will be left in for a Jan. 4 community skate. All tickets for that skate have already been sold with proceeds going to Cubs charities. . . . Comedy writer Jerry Perisho, for one, is eagerly awaiting the game. “About 40,000 NHL fans are expected to watch the game,” he writes. “I can’t wait to see if Steve Bartman reaches out and grabs a puck in play.” . . . One more from Perisho: “In Charlotte, the Meineke Bowl game between North Carolina and West Virginia will be played in Bank of America Stadium. . . . Hmm, Bank of America Stadium, huh? That means only one ticket window will be open and she’ll go on her lunch break 30 minutes before game time.”
If you were wondering, the Kamloops Blazers did the counting and came up with 2,700 stuffed animals and 400 items of winter clothing from their game a week ago. . . . Here’s Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times, mixing Illinois’ messy political situation with Chicago’s attempt to land the 2016 Olympic Summer Games: “The Olympics, if we win them, will create a pig-slop, pork-barrel feeding frenzy of epic proportions in a town whose logo should be, as the late Mike Royko proposed, ‘Where’s Mine?’ Public property and trust will be sold like whore’s jewelry, and profiteering will be the pimp juice mainlining the insatiable thirst of the petty, vile, big-bellied, feathered-hat-wearing creatures we call our public servants. Trust me, we’ll pay for those O-Games for years.” . . . Headline at TheOnion.com: “Report: Everyone watching football game evidently needs new car, shower, shave.”
What does it say about Vancouver Canucks’ ownership that former GM Brian Burke wasn’t invited to the Trevor Linden hoedown on Wednesday night? . . . Dan Daly, in the Washington Times: “The Yankees give CC Sabathia a $161 million contract, then turn around and hand A.J. Burnett an $82.5 million deal. You know, maybe the carmakers should have gone to Hank Steinbrenner for a bailout.” . . . Bob Molinaro, in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: “Feel free to double check the math, but at a salary of $23 million next season, if CC Sabathia doesn’t miss a start, the Yankees will be paying him about $6,250 per pitch.”
All signs point towards the NHL’s Calgary Flames relocating their AHL franchise to Abbotsford in time for next season. That franchise now plays out of Moline, Ill., as the Quad City Flames. . . . And there is a 6,000-seat arena going up in Langley so perhaps a second AHL team will end up there. . . . Tony Augusty, in the Detroit News: “The NFL and the players’ union proudly announced they will pay a whopping $100 a month for Medicare costs of players age 65 and over. It seems like a nice gesture — until you learn the average life expectancy of an NFL player tops out at around 59. Talk about disguising the coverage.” . . . Janice Hough, the Left Coast Sports Babe, has an NBA-related question: “How long until the Oklahoma fans beg some other city to steal their Thunder?” . . . Have a Merry Christmas, and thanks for being here. Your presence most Saturdays is appreciated.
Gregg Drinnan is sports editor
of The Daily News. He is
at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca. Keeping Score returns in January but watch for the best of 2008 on Dec. 31.
David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel, after taking in a Pop Warner Junior Pee Wee (ages 9-11) football game at Disney’s Wide World of Sports: “It’s always nice to go to a game and not worry that a gun is going to go off in a receiver’s pants. And a running back is not going to pout over not getting the ball. Or one team isn’t splitting apart because a nut job thinks the quarterback is conspiring against him.” . . . Meanwhile, the Boston Herald was reporting that “the down-on-their-luck Dorchester Eagles Pop Warner team — who pleaded with the public for donations to allow them to go to Florida for a championship game — were kicked out of their Sunshine State hotel after they got in a tussle with another midget team. The Dorchester Eagles, aged 11 to 15, and the Edgewood Eagles of Rhode Island were kicked out of their Disney hotel on Thursday after the two teams got into a physical fight in the hotel cafeteria, said Pop Warner spokesman Jason Howarth.” . . . To which Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted: “SEC coaches are keeping a close watch on these kids.”
Ted Wyman, in the Winnipeg Sun: “While it was incredibly stupid (of him) to injure his hand in a snow blower, you have to respect the fact that millionaire Joe Sakic was doing his own dirty work around the house. Perhaps his need for manual labour could be filled by driving the Zamboni at Avalanche games until his mangled hand heals.” . . . Three words for you, Mr. Prime Minister. . . . Pick me, please. . . . A couple of weekends back, Fox-TV showed footage of the Minnesota Vikings in their locker room after a game. With owner Ziggy Wilf addressing the team, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe was in the background and, yes, he adjusted his towel. When told that all of him had been seen on TV, Shiancoe told the Minneapolis Star Tribune: “It’s not too bad. I didn’t just get out of the pool.” . . . Headline at Fark.com: “Off-duty firefighter saves man from choking. Chicago Cubs said to be very interested.”
For what it’s worth, Steve Nash owns a residence in Manhattan and could end up a free agent over the summer. Might he end up in New York, reunited with former Phoenix Suns head coach Mike D’Antoni, who now runs the Knickerbockers? . . . Merry Christmas! The Temple Owls upset the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 88-72 last weekend in Philadelphia. Dionte Christmas led the Owls with 35 points. . . . I’m headed east on the Trans-Canada Highway on Tuesday evening and can see maybe 20 feet in front of the car and the voice on the radio is telling me “there is a 70-per-cent chance of snow flurries.” . . . He must have been in the 30-per-cent area. . . . Headline at BorowitzReport.com: “Yankees sign Iraqi hurler/Shoe-throwing right-hander impresses scouts.”
There is a horrid story making the rounds that involves a naked minor hockey player sitting on the face of a teammate, being suspended, winning an appeal and returning to playing. The other player apparently dropped down a level. One would hope this simply is an ugly rumour and that it doesn’t involve the local minor hockey association, which is not unfamiliar with controversy. . . . So if this is what Mats Sundin had planned, why wouldn’t he waive his no-trade clause last season and allow the Toronto Maple Leafs to trade him? Instead, his once-beloved Maple Leafs end up with nothing and Sundin becomes a hockey mercenary, selling his services to the highest bidder, something he once said he didn’t want to do. . . . Ken Fidlin, in the Toronto Sun: “It all seems so hypocritical today. The halo that grew in intensity as the hairline receded over the years, has been tarnished. He is still a class act and if he is not the best Leaf player ever, he is in the conversation. But, like so many things about this franchise, on so many levels, Sundin’s legacy has been sadly diminished.”
When the Detroit Red Wings meet the Blackhawks at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on Jan. 1, NBC’s coverage will include Bob Costas as the host. Mike (Doc) Emrick will call the play with Eddie Olczyk providing analysis. Mike Milbury will be in-studio, while Pierre (The Yeller) McGuire and Darren Pang will be rinkside. . . . By the way, the ice at Wrigley Field will be left in for a Jan. 4 community skate. All tickets for that skate have already been sold with proceeds going to Cubs charities. . . . Comedy writer Jerry Perisho, for one, is eagerly awaiting the game. “About 40,000 NHL fans are expected to watch the game,” he writes. “I can’t wait to see if Steve Bartman reaches out and grabs a puck in play.” . . . One more from Perisho: “In Charlotte, the Meineke Bowl game between North Carolina and West Virginia will be played in Bank of America Stadium. . . . Hmm, Bank of America Stadium, huh? That means only one ticket window will be open and she’ll go on her lunch break 30 minutes before game time.”
If you were wondering, the Kamloops Blazers did the counting and came up with 2,700 stuffed animals and 400 items of winter clothing from their game a week ago. . . . Here’s Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times, mixing Illinois’ messy political situation with Chicago’s attempt to land the 2016 Olympic Summer Games: “The Olympics, if we win them, will create a pig-slop, pork-barrel feeding frenzy of epic proportions in a town whose logo should be, as the late Mike Royko proposed, ‘Where’s Mine?’ Public property and trust will be sold like whore’s jewelry, and profiteering will be the pimp juice mainlining the insatiable thirst of the petty, vile, big-bellied, feathered-hat-wearing creatures we call our public servants. Trust me, we’ll pay for those O-Games for years.” . . . Headline at TheOnion.com: “Report: Everyone watching football game evidently needs new car, shower, shave.”
What does it say about Vancouver Canucks’ ownership that former GM Brian Burke wasn’t invited to the Trevor Linden hoedown on Wednesday night? . . . Dan Daly, in the Washington Times: “The Yankees give CC Sabathia a $161 million contract, then turn around and hand A.J. Burnett an $82.5 million deal. You know, maybe the carmakers should have gone to Hank Steinbrenner for a bailout.” . . . Bob Molinaro, in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot: “Feel free to double check the math, but at a salary of $23 million next season, if CC Sabathia doesn’t miss a start, the Yankees will be paying him about $6,250 per pitch.”
All signs point towards the NHL’s Calgary Flames relocating their AHL franchise to Abbotsford in time for next season. That franchise now plays out of Moline, Ill., as the Quad City Flames. . . . And there is a 6,000-seat arena going up in Langley so perhaps a second AHL team will end up there. . . . Tony Augusty, in the Detroit News: “The NFL and the players’ union proudly announced they will pay a whopping $100 a month for Medicare costs of players age 65 and over. It seems like a nice gesture — until you learn the average life expectancy of an NFL player tops out at around 59. Talk about disguising the coverage.” . . . Janice Hough, the Left Coast Sports Babe, has an NBA-related question: “How long until the Oklahoma fans beg some other city to steal their Thunder?” . . . Have a Merry Christmas, and thanks for being here. Your presence most Saturdays is appreciated.
Gregg Drinnan is sports editor
of The Daily News. He is
at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca. Keeping Score returns in January but watch for the best of 2008 on Dec. 31.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sunday . . .
THE MacBETH REPORT: F David Vrbata (Calgary) moved from Zvolen (Slovakia Extraliga) to his hometown team, BK Mlada Boleslav (Czech Extraliga). He had nine goals and 19 assists in 33 games for Zvolen this season. David asked for the trade to Mlada Boleslav so he could play with his older brother, Radim, who was assigned to Mlada Boleslav by Tampa Bay last week. . . . D Mike Egener (Calgary) signs with Vita Hästen Norrköping (Sweden Division 1).
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If you are interested in how one person sees the top 100 players who are eligible for the 2009 NHL draft, check it out right here.
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The Prince George Cougars have suffered a crushing blow with the loss of LW Dana Tyrell, their captain and leading scorer, for the remainder of the season. Tyrell, 19, suffered a right knee injury Friday while playing for Team Canada in an exhibition game against Sweden at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Once he undergoes surgery, Tyrell is looking at six months of rehabilitation. A second-round selection by Tampa Bay in the 2007 NHL draft, he signed with the Lightning earlier this month.
This is every major junior team’s worst fear when they loan their players to Hockey Canada for an evaluation or selection camp, or if a player makes Team Canada’s roster.
As Prince George Citizen sports editor Jim Swanson points out in Monday’s edition: “Not only do the Cats lose the chance to have Tyrell continue to mentor (highly touted forward Brett) Connolly in games, the Cats also have lost any option of trading the asset for needed depth.
“A year ago, the Cougars packaged older players such as defencemen Ty Wishart and Jesse Dudas, and winger Evan Fuller, to bring in younger players. Tyrell was the biggest prize for contending teams to bid on this time around.”
There isn’t a general manager out there right know with a player, or players, on Team Canada who isn’t thanking his lucky stars, stroking the rabbit’s foot in his pocket and rubbing his lucky talisman, and hoping he doesn’t have to face the agony Prince George GM Dallas Thompson is feeling right now.
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If you are interested in how one person sees the top 100 players who are eligible for the 2009 NHL draft, check it out right here.
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The Prince George Cougars have suffered a crushing blow with the loss of LW Dana Tyrell, their captain and leading scorer, for the remainder of the season. Tyrell, 19, suffered a right knee injury Friday while playing for Team Canada in an exhibition game against Sweden at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Once he undergoes surgery, Tyrell is looking at six months of rehabilitation. A second-round selection by Tampa Bay in the 2007 NHL draft, he signed with the Lightning earlier this month.
This is every major junior team’s worst fear when they loan their players to Hockey Canada for an evaluation or selection camp, or if a player makes Team Canada’s roster.
As Prince George Citizen sports editor Jim Swanson points out in Monday’s edition: “Not only do the Cats lose the chance to have Tyrell continue to mentor (highly touted forward Brett) Connolly in games, the Cats also have lost any option of trading the asset for needed depth.
“A year ago, the Cougars packaged older players such as defencemen Ty Wishart and Jesse Dudas, and winger Evan Fuller, to bring in younger players. Tyrell was the biggest prize for contending teams to bid on this time around.”
There isn’t a general manager out there right know with a player, or players, on Team Canada who isn’t thanking his lucky stars, stroking the rabbit’s foot in his pocket and rubbing his lucky talisman, and hoping he doesn’t have to face the agony Prince George GM Dallas Thompson is feeling right now.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Kane on his way east
Team Canada is bringing in F Evander Kane, 17, from the Vancouver Giants, presumably to replace LW Dana Tyrell, 19, of the Prince George Cougars. Tyrell was injured in an exhibition game against Sweden on Friday night. There is speculation that Tyrell has suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Saturday . . . early
The Prince George Citizen is reporting that LW Dana Tyrell, 19, suffered a “significant” knee injury during Team Canada’s exhibition game against Sweden at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Friday night. Depending on the severity of the injury, it could have a huge impact on the WHL and activities as the Jan. 10 trade deadline approaches. With the Cougars in the bottom half of the Western Conference standings, Tyrell was seen as one of the most attractive potential acquisitions for a team that feels it is close to a title. . . . The Citizen’s report on Tyrell’s injury is here.
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I don’t know the telecast schedule but I am told that Shaw Cable will be
carrying at least six games from the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, B.C. Dan Russell, the host of SportsTalk on Vancouver radio station CKNW, will call the play. It all starts Dec. 29 with Team Pacific versus Russia. I’m told there will be a doubleheader shown on Dec. 30 and three more games on Jan. 2 and 3.
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Former Kamloops Blazers D Darcy Huisman, 19, has joined the BCHL’s Powell River Kings. He will debut with the Kings following the Christmas break.
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I don’t know the telecast schedule but I am told that Shaw Cable will be
carrying at least six games from the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Port Alberni, B.C. Dan Russell, the host of SportsTalk on Vancouver radio station CKNW, will call the play. It all starts Dec. 29 with Team Pacific versus Russia. I’m told there will be a doubleheader shown on Dec. 30 and three more games on Jan. 2 and 3.
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Former Kamloops Blazers D Darcy Huisman, 19, has joined the BCHL’s Powell River Kings. He will debut with the Kings following the Christmas break.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thursday is over . . .
A couple of things of interest to WHL fans that I wasn’t able to get to earlier:
The WHL is offering up free webcasts on Dec. 27, 28 and 29. That includes a Dec. 27 game that has the Tri-City Americans visiting the Spokane Chiefs. If you are unfamiliar with the system, there is the dope from the WHL:
“To access the FREE WHL Web TV broadcast, fans are asked to visit www.whl.ca and click on the WHL Web TV button. In order to activate the free account, you need to go to the live game, create an account and enter the promotional code as indicated (whltv). Then enter some personal information such as name, address and create a username
and password. No credit card information is required.”
Go ahead and explain to your better half how it is that your are going to spend three nights during Christmas week glued to a computer screen. Just don’t say you got the info from me.
———
And here’s a note from the Spokane Chiefs . . .
“Fans can follow the four Chiefs — goaltender Dustin Tokarski for Team Canada and forwards Drayson Bowman, Mitch Wahl and Tyler Johnson — at the World Junior Hockey Championships through the following avenues:
NHL NETWORK
The NHL network will carry all games involving the United States and Canada.
The first NHL Network broadcast will take place on Dec. 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST, when Team USA faces Germany. The complete schedule is below, with all times in EST:
Fri., Dec. 26
Germany-United States 3:30 p.m.
Canada-Czech Republic 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 28
Kazakhstan-Canada 3:30 p.m.
United States-Czech Republic 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 29
Germany-Canada 7:30 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 30
United States-Kazakhstan 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 31
Canada-United States 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 2
Quarterfinals 3:30/7:30 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 3
Semifinals 3:30/7:30 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 5
Bronze/Gold Medal Games 3:30/7:30 p.m.
NOTE: Broadcast coverage of the IIHF World Junior Championship on the NHL Network is only available to viewers in the United States.”
———
If you are wondering how things are going for Doug Gilmour as the head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, you should give this a read. But be forewarned . . . it isn’t pretty.
———
Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun reported earlier Thursday that “a story out of Sweden — at least if you read a translation by Google — says Flames top prospect Mikael Backlund has been threatened with being kicked off his men’s league team for poor play. Flames GM Darryl Sutter didn’t want to comment on the record about it at last night’s game in Minnesota.”
Also not commenting was Backlund’s agent, J.P. Barry, who hasn’t been at all shy about commenting on another client’s situation (gawd, Mats Sundin finally signed with the Vancouver Canucks, putting all of us out of our misery. And now I suppose another Peter Forsberg saga will begin.)
Anyway . . . Backlund, a centre with Vasteras, is a member of Sweden’s national junior team so is in the Ottawa area. He has eight points with his league team and that apparently isn’t good enough.
Sportak reports that the Flames are upset at the lack of ice time being afforded Backlund. But their AHL team (the Quad City Flames) is struggling so should Backlund end up staying in North America the chances are that he would end up with the Kelowna Rockets, who hold his WHL rights.
———
A NOTE FROM THE OHL: The Kitchener Rangers, who are 10th and last in the Western Conference, dumped the host Windsor Spitfires on Thursday. . . . The Spitfires (29-5-0-1) went into the week as the CHL’s top-ranked team. . . . Kitchener (14-16-1-1) had lost six in a row. . . . Windsor won its first 12 home games this season, then moved into a new 6,600-seat building and has lost two of five games in new digs.
———
The Swift Current Broncos have a new board of directors, with Al Stewart the new chairman.
Ben Wiebe remains the team’s governor, while Joe Arling is the past-chair. Don Szakacs is vice-chair, with Rick Kane as secretary/treasurer. Trent McClearyk and Mick MacBean, both of whom are directors, are on the finance committee.
———
Former Regina Pats D Logan Pyett has had his 2008 World Junior Championship ring stolen. It disappeared when his family’s home in Balgonie, Sask., was broken into Tuesday. “This is the first time I’ve ever had anything stolen, so I’m not really familiar with how often stuff gets returned or how often they do find things,” Pyett told Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post. “Right now I am optimistic. I try not to think about it too much. Hopefully whoever does have it makes the mistake of going out with it and it does get found.” . . . Pyett, 20, now plays for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He was the Pats’ captain last season. . . . Also missing is the family’s 2007 Toyota Avalon.
———
There already is much speculation that the Calgary Flames will relocate their AHL farm team, the Quad City Flames, from Moline, Ill., to Abbotsford, B.C., where it would play out of the 7,000-seat Entertainment and Sports Centre. . . . And there is a $56-million events centre, including a 6,000-seat arena, going up in Langley, also on B.C.’s Lower Mainland. . . . You have to wonder, then, about the chances of another AHL team ending up playing out of Langley. . . . There was a time when the late Ed Chynoweth was president of the WHL that one of his biggest concerns involved a minor professional league attempting to set up shop in places like Saskatoon, Regina, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Chynoweth never could understand why NHL teams located west of the Mississippi River would want their top affiliates on the East Coast. . . . Those fears, however, never were realized. Until now.
The WHL is offering up free webcasts on Dec. 27, 28 and 29. That includes a Dec. 27 game that has the Tri-City Americans visiting the Spokane Chiefs. If you are unfamiliar with the system, there is the dope from the WHL:
“To access the FREE WHL Web TV broadcast, fans are asked to visit www.whl.ca and click on the WHL Web TV button. In order to activate the free account, you need to go to the live game, create an account and enter the promotional code as indicated (whltv). Then enter some personal information such as name, address and create a username
and password. No credit card information is required.”
Go ahead and explain to your better half how it is that your are going to spend three nights during Christmas week glued to a computer screen. Just don’t say you got the info from me.
———
And here’s a note from the Spokane Chiefs . . .
“Fans can follow the four Chiefs — goaltender Dustin Tokarski for Team Canada and forwards Drayson Bowman, Mitch Wahl and Tyler Johnson — at the World Junior Hockey Championships through the following avenues:
NHL NETWORK
The NHL network will carry all games involving the United States and Canada.
The first NHL Network broadcast will take place on Dec. 26 at 3:30 p.m. EST, when Team USA faces Germany. The complete schedule is below, with all times in EST:
Fri., Dec. 26
Germany-United States 3:30 p.m.
Canada-Czech Republic 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 28
Kazakhstan-Canada 3:30 p.m.
United States-Czech Republic 7:30 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 29
Germany-Canada 7:30 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 30
United States-Kazakhstan 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 31
Canada-United States 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 2
Quarterfinals 3:30/7:30 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 3
Semifinals 3:30/7:30 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 5
Bronze/Gold Medal Games 3:30/7:30 p.m.
NOTE: Broadcast coverage of the IIHF World Junior Championship on the NHL Network is only available to viewers in the United States.”
———
If you are wondering how things are going for Doug Gilmour as the head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, you should give this a read. But be forewarned . . . it isn’t pretty.
———
Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun reported earlier Thursday that “a story out of Sweden — at least if you read a translation by Google — says Flames top prospect Mikael Backlund has been threatened with being kicked off his men’s league team for poor play. Flames GM Darryl Sutter didn’t want to comment on the record about it at last night’s game in Minnesota.”
Also not commenting was Backlund’s agent, J.P. Barry, who hasn’t been at all shy about commenting on another client’s situation (gawd, Mats Sundin finally signed with the Vancouver Canucks, putting all of us out of our misery. And now I suppose another Peter Forsberg saga will begin.)
Anyway . . . Backlund, a centre with Vasteras, is a member of Sweden’s national junior team so is in the Ottawa area. He has eight points with his league team and that apparently isn’t good enough.
Sportak reports that the Flames are upset at the lack of ice time being afforded Backlund. But their AHL team (the Quad City Flames) is struggling so should Backlund end up staying in North America the chances are that he would end up with the Kelowna Rockets, who hold his WHL rights.
———
A NOTE FROM THE OHL: The Kitchener Rangers, who are 10th and last in the Western Conference, dumped the host Windsor Spitfires on Thursday. . . . The Spitfires (29-5-0-1) went into the week as the CHL’s top-ranked team. . . . Kitchener (14-16-1-1) had lost six in a row. . . . Windsor won its first 12 home games this season, then moved into a new 6,600-seat building and has lost two of five games in new digs.
———
The Swift Current Broncos have a new board of directors, with Al Stewart the new chairman.
Ben Wiebe remains the team’s governor, while Joe Arling is the past-chair. Don Szakacs is vice-chair, with Rick Kane as secretary/treasurer. Trent McClearyk and Mick MacBean, both of whom are directors, are on the finance committee.
———
Former Regina Pats D Logan Pyett has had his 2008 World Junior Championship ring stolen. It disappeared when his family’s home in Balgonie, Sask., was broken into Tuesday. “This is the first time I’ve ever had anything stolen, so I’m not really familiar with how often stuff gets returned or how often they do find things,” Pyett told Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post. “Right now I am optimistic. I try not to think about it too much. Hopefully whoever does have it makes the mistake of going out with it and it does get found.” . . . Pyett, 20, now plays for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He was the Pats’ captain last season. . . . Also missing is the family’s 2007 Toyota Avalon.
———
There already is much speculation that the Calgary Flames will relocate their AHL farm team, the Quad City Flames, from Moline, Ill., to Abbotsford, B.C., where it would play out of the 7,000-seat Entertainment and Sports Centre. . . . And there is a $56-million events centre, including a 6,000-seat arena, going up in Langley, also on B.C.’s Lower Mainland. . . . You have to wonder, then, about the chances of another AHL team ending up playing out of Langley. . . . There was a time when the late Ed Chynoweth was president of the WHL that one of his biggest concerns involved a minor professional league attempting to set up shop in places like Saskatoon, Regina, Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. Chynoweth never could understand why NHL teams located west of the Mississippi River would want their top affiliates on the East Coast. . . . Those fears, however, never were realized. Until now.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wednesday . . .
The CHL Mosaik MasterCard top 10, as voted on by a panel of NHL scouts (showing team, record, ranking and number of weeks in rankings):
1. Windsor Spitfires (28-4-0-1) 2 14
2. Calgary Hitmen (29-5-1-1) 3 9
3. Drummondville Voltigeurs (27-4-0-2) 6 10
4. Vancouver Giants (27-2-0-3) 5 12
5. Shawinigan Cataractes (28-7-0-0) 1 11
6. London Knights (24-7-0-1) 7 11
7. Moncton Wildcats (25-3-2-2) 4 13
8. Tri-City Americans (23-8-0-2) 8 4
9. Brampton Battalion (22-10-1-0) 10 6
10. Belleville Bulls (22-10-2-2) — 6
———
F Scott Glennie and F Brayden Schenn scored in the circus to give the host Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. F Matt Lowry forced OT for Brandon with a PP goal at 17:46 of the third period. . . . Brandon held a 41-27 edge in shots, with Lethbridge G Juha Metsola stopping 38 shots through OT. . . . The game was televised on Shaw and Curt Keilback, former voice of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and Phoenix Coyotes, called the play. He now is a Winnipeg realtor. . . . G Nathan Lieuwen recorded his third shutout of the season as the host Kootenay Ice dumped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-0. . . . Medicine Hat G Ryan Holfeld stopped 48 shots for the Tigers. . . .
———
F Kyle Bortis and F Brandon Kozun had a goal and two assists apiece to lead the Calgary Hitmen to an 8-4 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert. . . . The Hitmen go into the break at 31-5-1-1. . . . F Shane McColgan, the 11th pick in the 2008 bantam draft, scored his first WHL goal in his second and it stood up as the winner as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Oil Kings 3-0 in Edmonton. McColgan scored 37 seconds into the first period. . . . G Kris Lazaruk, an Edmonton native, stopped 31 shots for his third shutout of the season and sixth of his career. . . . Kelowna, which had lost three in a row, nursed a 1-0 lead late into the third period when F Cody Almond and F Dylan Hood scored empty-netters. . . . Kelowna D Tyson Barrie (concussion) missed his third straight game.
———
In Moose Jaw, LW Adam Chorneyko scored three times and set up another to help the Saskatoon Blades to a 7-3 victory. The Blades (25-10-2-0-) go into the break with a 10-point lead atop the East Division. . . . Moose Jaw F Tomas Karpov scored the Teddy Bear goal late in the first period but his side was down 3-0 at that point. . . . In Chilliwack, G Mark Guggenberger stopped 35 shots as the Swift Current Broncos dumped the Bruins, 3-0. It was Guggenberger’s second shutout of the season and sixth of the season. . . . These teams have met three times since the Bruins came into the league — the Broncos have shut them out three times, with Guggenberger posting a 2-0 shutout at home last season. . . . Inclement weather kept the Chilliwack crowd to 3,353, the smallest this season. . . . The Bruins held a 15-3 edge in shots after one period and finished with a 35-21 edge. . . . The Broncos went 4-1 in the B.C. Division, the loss an 8-1 thrashing at the hands of the Giants in Vancouver on Tuesday. . . . The Bruins go into the break having lost 10 of 11. . . .
———
F Tyler Halliday ended up with the winning goal as the host Prince George Cougars edged the Kamloops Blazers, 3-2. Halliday, who is from Kamloops, was credited with an empty net goal at 19:22 of the third period after Kamloops C C.J. Stretch intentionally knocked the net off its moorings. Halliday’s goal gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead; the Blazers got a goal from Shayne Wiebe 17 seconds later. . . . The Cougars are eighth in the Western Conference, two points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and three behind the Blazers, who have lost six of their last seven.
1. Windsor Spitfires (28-4-0-1) 2 14
2. Calgary Hitmen (29-5-1-1) 3 9
3. Drummondville Voltigeurs (27-4-0-2) 6 10
4. Vancouver Giants (27-2-0-3) 5 12
5. Shawinigan Cataractes (28-7-0-0) 1 11
6. London Knights (24-7-0-1) 7 11
7. Moncton Wildcats (25-3-2-2) 4 13
8. Tri-City Americans (23-8-0-2) 8 4
9. Brampton Battalion (22-10-1-0) 10 6
10. Belleville Bulls (22-10-2-2) — 6
———
F Scott Glennie and F Brayden Schenn scored in the circus to give the host Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. F Matt Lowry forced OT for Brandon with a PP goal at 17:46 of the third period. . . . Brandon held a 41-27 edge in shots, with Lethbridge G Juha Metsola stopping 38 shots through OT. . . . The game was televised on Shaw and Curt Keilback, former voice of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and Phoenix Coyotes, called the play. He now is a Winnipeg realtor. . . . G Nathan Lieuwen recorded his third shutout of the season as the host Kootenay Ice dumped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-0. . . . Medicine Hat G Ryan Holfeld stopped 48 shots for the Tigers. . . .
———
F Kyle Bortis and F Brandon Kozun had a goal and two assists apiece to lead the Calgary Hitmen to an 8-4 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert. . . . The Hitmen go into the break at 31-5-1-1. . . . F Shane McColgan, the 11th pick in the 2008 bantam draft, scored his first WHL goal in his second and it stood up as the winner as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Oil Kings 3-0 in Edmonton. McColgan scored 37 seconds into the first period. . . . G Kris Lazaruk, an Edmonton native, stopped 31 shots for his third shutout of the season and sixth of his career. . . . Kelowna, which had lost three in a row, nursed a 1-0 lead late into the third period when F Cody Almond and F Dylan Hood scored empty-netters. . . . Kelowna D Tyson Barrie (concussion) missed his third straight game.
———
In Moose Jaw, LW Adam Chorneyko scored three times and set up another to help the Saskatoon Blades to a 7-3 victory. The Blades (25-10-2-0-) go into the break with a 10-point lead atop the East Division. . . . Moose Jaw F Tomas Karpov scored the Teddy Bear goal late in the first period but his side was down 3-0 at that point. . . . In Chilliwack, G Mark Guggenberger stopped 35 shots as the Swift Current Broncos dumped the Bruins, 3-0. It was Guggenberger’s second shutout of the season and sixth of the season. . . . These teams have met three times since the Bruins came into the league — the Broncos have shut them out three times, with Guggenberger posting a 2-0 shutout at home last season. . . . Inclement weather kept the Chilliwack crowd to 3,353, the smallest this season. . . . The Bruins held a 15-3 edge in shots after one period and finished with a 35-21 edge. . . . The Broncos went 4-1 in the B.C. Division, the loss an 8-1 thrashing at the hands of the Giants in Vancouver on Tuesday. . . . The Bruins go into the break having lost 10 of 11. . . .
———
F Tyler Halliday ended up with the winning goal as the host Prince George Cougars edged the Kamloops Blazers, 3-2. Halliday, who is from Kamloops, was credited with an empty net goal at 19:22 of the third period after Kamloops C C.J. Stretch intentionally knocked the net off its moorings. Halliday’s goal gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead; the Blazers got a goal from Shayne Wiebe 17 seconds later. . . . The Cougars are eighth in the Western Conference, two points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and three behind the Blazers, who have lost six of their last seven.
Tuesday . . .
THE MacBETH REPORT: F Anders Lövdahl (Calgary) has transferred to Tingsryd (Sweden Division 1) from Borlänge (Sweden Division 1). He had four goals and eight assists in nine games with Borlänge this season. He started the season with Mora (Sweden Allsvenskan) and had no points in 11 games with them. . . . F Lukas Bednarik (Red Deer) signed with Most (Czech Division 1) after leaving Nitra (Slovakia Extraliga) for financial reasons -- Nitra was behind on payroll. He had four goals and three assists in 16 games with Nitra this season.
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Bill Yuill, the owner of the Everett Silvertips, has purchased a second hockey team. Yuill, who sold the Seattle Thunderbirds in order to set up an expansion franchise in Everett, has purchased, through his holding company, Consolidated Sports Holdings (USA) Inc., the Arizona Sundogs, the Central league’s defending champions who are based in Prescott, Ariz. That isn’t too far from Peoria, Ariz., where Yuill owns a golf course. (What’s par? Hey, it’s his golf course so it’s whatever he says it is.) Yuill will act as the Sundogs’ governor for at least the remainder of this season.
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JUST NOTES: The WHL’s trade moratorium begins Friday and runs through Dec. 26. . . . The trade deadline arrives Jan. 10. . . . D Daniel Johnston, 16, is practicing with the Portland Winter Hawks after undergoing offseason surgery to remove a growth from the back of his neck. Johnston, a fifth-round selection in the 2007 bantam draft, had a goal and an assist in 10 games with Portland as a 15-year-old last season. . . . The Red Rebels are without F Carter Smith (ribs) for a week to 10 days, so won’t play again until after Christmas. He was injured Friday in a 2-1 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert. . . . The Prince George Cougars will be missing their entire first line when they play host to the Kamloops Blazers tonight. Dana Tyrell (Team Canada), Marek Viedensky (Team Slovakia selection camp) and Brett Connolly (concussion) aren’t available to the Cougars. They have combined for 92 points this season.
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The Eastern Conference’s top two teams met in Saskatoon on Tuesday night and the Calgary Hitmen came out on top, beating the Blades, 6-4. Tickets were $5 a pop, it was toque-and-scarf toss night and it was rain-check night and attendance was a season-high 6,268. . . . Calgary G Martin Jones stopped F Josh Nicholls on a penalty shot at 15:16 of the third period with the Hitmen up 5-4. C Kyle Bortis, who is from Saskatoon, was credited with two Calgary goals, including the winner at 13:22 of the third. But he told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix’s Cory Wolfe later that the goal actually should go to F Brandon Kozun. . . . Saskatoon, which led 3-1 in the second period, had won the first two games between these teams. . . . The teams combined for five PP goals in the second period. . . . Saskatoon was without F Chris Langkow (knee) so added F Jamie Crooks, 16, from the midget AAA Lloydminster Bobcats. . . .
F Brandon Herrod had two goals and two assists to help the Prince Albert Raiders to a 5-4 victory over the Warriors in Moose Jaw. F Justin Bernhardt had two goals and a helper for the Raiders, who got the winning goal from F Ryan McDonald at 11:46 of the third period. . . . Herrod, Bernhardt and McDonald were playing their second game together on the same line. . . . F Ian Duval had one of Moose Jaw’s goals as he ran his goal streak to six games. . . . Moose Jaw lost starting goaltender Jeff Bosch (hip flexor) at 11:03 of the first period. . . . Warriors D Travis Hamonic’s great week continued. He was released by Team Canada on Monday, flew from Ottawa to Regina later in the day and found out his luggage hadn’t made it. Then, when he got to Moose Jaw, his truck wouldn’t start. Last night, he suffered a skate cut to one wrist and needed stitches. He finished the game but will be re-evaluated Wednesdayand may not play that night against visiting Saskatoon. . . . In Regina, the Lethbridge Hurricanes posted a 3-2 victory, handing the Pats their third straight loss, all of them coming since D Colten Teubert and F Jordan Eberle left to join Canada’s national junior team. . . . The Pats go into their break having lost five of six games. . . .
In Red Deer, G Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves as the Rebels beat the Kelowna Rockets, 1-0. It was Kuemper’s third shutout this season and second in two games. He blanked the Blades 3-0 in Saskatoon on Saturday. . . . D Colin Archer had the game’s only goal, at 3:32 of the first period, as the Rebels won their third straight game; they also have won six of eight going into the break. It was Archer’s second goal of the season. . . . F Shane McColgan, the 11th pick in the 2008 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Rockets. McColgan, 15, is from Manhattan Beach, Calif. The Rockets, who have lost three straight, also had F Brett Bulmer, an 11th round pick in 2007, in their lineup. . . . Kelowna again was without D Tyson Barrie (concussion). . . . With Barrie hurt and Tyler Myers with Team Canada, the Rockets are using F Brandon McMillan on defence. . . .
The Vancouver Giants whipped the visiting Swift Current Broncos, 8-1. . . . Giants F Garry Nunn had two goals and two assists, and was plus-5. . . . The Giants have scored at least six goals in eight of 18 home games. . . . Here’s a paragraph from the game story of the Vancouver Sun’s Ian Walker: “Two regulation losses heading into the Christmas break. Undefeated at home. A Canadian Hockey League-best winning percentage of .894 through the first 33 games of the season. The most goals scored (162) and least allowed (64) in the Western Hockey League. Twenty-one points separating them and the next closest team in the B.C. Division. An 11-point lead on the second place team in the Western Conference.” . . . Walker also points out: “If the Giants were to maintain this pace over their final 39 games, they would finish the season with a franchise-best 62-6-0-4 record and 128 points.” . . . The Giants are 28-2-0-3. On home ice, they are 16-0-0-2. . . .
G Ryan Holfeld stopped 44 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers got past the Chiefs 3-2 in Spokane. He pitched a shutout for two periods as he stopped 37 shots. . . . F Sean Ringrose broke a 2-2 tie at 13:57 of the third period. . . . The Tigers will be without F Travis Dunstall (shoulder) for up to three weeks. . . . In a nice touch, the Chiefs brought Chris Bruton, the captain of last season’s Memorial Cup-championship club, back to town to present a championship ring to D Jace Coyle of the Tigers. Coyle played for the Chiefs last season. . . . Spokane’s second goal was kind of neat, considering it came against the Tigers. It was scored by F Blake Gal with assists to F Levko Koper and D Trevor Glass. Gal’s brother, Taylor, plays for the Tigers, as does Koper’s cousin, Josh. Glass was acquired by the Chiefs from the Tigers last season. . . . The Chiefs had D Tanner Mort, 15, in their lineup. He’s from Post Falls, Idaho. . . . Spokane D Stefan Ulmer has a goal and four assists through two games with Austria at the IIHF’s Division I Group B World Junior Championship in Aalborg, Denmark. He had three assists in a 6-2 victory over Ukraine on Tuesday. Austria, Norway and Denmark each is 2-0.
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Bill Yuill, the owner of the Everett Silvertips, has purchased a second hockey team. Yuill, who sold the Seattle Thunderbirds in order to set up an expansion franchise in Everett, has purchased, through his holding company, Consolidated Sports Holdings (USA) Inc., the Arizona Sundogs, the Central league’s defending champions who are based in Prescott, Ariz. That isn’t too far from Peoria, Ariz., where Yuill owns a golf course. (What’s par? Hey, it’s his golf course so it’s whatever he says it is.) Yuill will act as the Sundogs’ governor for at least the remainder of this season.
---
JUST NOTES: The WHL’s trade moratorium begins Friday and runs through Dec. 26. . . . The trade deadline arrives Jan. 10. . . . D Daniel Johnston, 16, is practicing with the Portland Winter Hawks after undergoing offseason surgery to remove a growth from the back of his neck. Johnston, a fifth-round selection in the 2007 bantam draft, had a goal and an assist in 10 games with Portland as a 15-year-old last season. . . . The Red Rebels are without F Carter Smith (ribs) for a week to 10 days, so won’t play again until after Christmas. He was injured Friday in a 2-1 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert. . . . The Prince George Cougars will be missing their entire first line when they play host to the Kamloops Blazers tonight. Dana Tyrell (Team Canada), Marek Viedensky (Team Slovakia selection camp) and Brett Connolly (concussion) aren’t available to the Cougars. They have combined for 92 points this season.
---
The Eastern Conference’s top two teams met in Saskatoon on Tuesday night and the Calgary Hitmen came out on top, beating the Blades, 6-4. Tickets were $5 a pop, it was toque-and-scarf toss night and it was rain-check night and attendance was a season-high 6,268. . . . Calgary G Martin Jones stopped F Josh Nicholls on a penalty shot at 15:16 of the third period with the Hitmen up 5-4. C Kyle Bortis, who is from Saskatoon, was credited with two Calgary goals, including the winner at 13:22 of the third. But he told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix’s Cory Wolfe later that the goal actually should go to F Brandon Kozun. . . . Saskatoon, which led 3-1 in the second period, had won the first two games between these teams. . . . The teams combined for five PP goals in the second period. . . . Saskatoon was without F Chris Langkow (knee) so added F Jamie Crooks, 16, from the midget AAA Lloydminster Bobcats. . . .
F Brandon Herrod had two goals and two assists to help the Prince Albert Raiders to a 5-4 victory over the Warriors in Moose Jaw. F Justin Bernhardt had two goals and a helper for the Raiders, who got the winning goal from F Ryan McDonald at 11:46 of the third period. . . . Herrod, Bernhardt and McDonald were playing their second game together on the same line. . . . F Ian Duval had one of Moose Jaw’s goals as he ran his goal streak to six games. . . . Moose Jaw lost starting goaltender Jeff Bosch (hip flexor) at 11:03 of the first period. . . . Warriors D Travis Hamonic’s great week continued. He was released by Team Canada on Monday, flew from Ottawa to Regina later in the day and found out his luggage hadn’t made it. Then, when he got to Moose Jaw, his truck wouldn’t start. Last night, he suffered a skate cut to one wrist and needed stitches. He finished the game but will be re-evaluated Wednesdayand may not play that night against visiting Saskatoon. . . . In Regina, the Lethbridge Hurricanes posted a 3-2 victory, handing the Pats their third straight loss, all of them coming since D Colten Teubert and F Jordan Eberle left to join Canada’s national junior team. . . . The Pats go into their break having lost five of six games. . . .
In Red Deer, G Darcy Kuemper made 29 saves as the Rebels beat the Kelowna Rockets, 1-0. It was Kuemper’s third shutout this season and second in two games. He blanked the Blades 3-0 in Saskatoon on Saturday. . . . D Colin Archer had the game’s only goal, at 3:32 of the first period, as the Rebels won their third straight game; they also have won six of eight going into the break. It was Archer’s second goal of the season. . . . F Shane McColgan, the 11th pick in the 2008 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Rockets. McColgan, 15, is from Manhattan Beach, Calif. The Rockets, who have lost three straight, also had F Brett Bulmer, an 11th round pick in 2007, in their lineup. . . . Kelowna again was without D Tyson Barrie (concussion). . . . With Barrie hurt and Tyler Myers with Team Canada, the Rockets are using F Brandon McMillan on defence. . . .
The Vancouver Giants whipped the visiting Swift Current Broncos, 8-1. . . . Giants F Garry Nunn had two goals and two assists, and was plus-5. . . . The Giants have scored at least six goals in eight of 18 home games. . . . Here’s a paragraph from the game story of the Vancouver Sun’s Ian Walker: “Two regulation losses heading into the Christmas break. Undefeated at home. A Canadian Hockey League-best winning percentage of .894 through the first 33 games of the season. The most goals scored (162) and least allowed (64) in the Western Hockey League. Twenty-one points separating them and the next closest team in the B.C. Division. An 11-point lead on the second place team in the Western Conference.” . . . Walker also points out: “If the Giants were to maintain this pace over their final 39 games, they would finish the season with a franchise-best 62-6-0-4 record and 128 points.” . . . The Giants are 28-2-0-3. On home ice, they are 16-0-0-2. . . .
G Ryan Holfeld stopped 44 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers got past the Chiefs 3-2 in Spokane. He pitched a shutout for two periods as he stopped 37 shots. . . . F Sean Ringrose broke a 2-2 tie at 13:57 of the third period. . . . The Tigers will be without F Travis Dunstall (shoulder) for up to three weeks. . . . In a nice touch, the Chiefs brought Chris Bruton, the captain of last season’s Memorial Cup-championship club, back to town to present a championship ring to D Jace Coyle of the Tigers. Coyle played for the Chiefs last season. . . . Spokane’s second goal was kind of neat, considering it came against the Tigers. It was scored by F Blake Gal with assists to F Levko Koper and D Trevor Glass. Gal’s brother, Taylor, plays for the Tigers, as does Koper’s cousin, Josh. Glass was acquired by the Chiefs from the Tigers last season. . . . The Chiefs had D Tanner Mort, 15, in their lineup. He’s from Post Falls, Idaho. . . . Spokane D Stefan Ulmer has a goal and four assists through two games with Austria at the IIHF’s Division I Group B World Junior Championship in Aalborg, Denmark. He had three assists in a 6-2 victory over Ukraine on Tuesday. Austria, Norway and Denmark each is 2-0.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday . . .
THE MacBETH REPORT: D Matt Kinch (Calgary) signs with Wolfsburg (Germany DEL) for the rest of this season. He played three games with Worcester (AHL) this season, getting two assists.
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F Ian Duval of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the Boston Pizza WHL player of the week. He had seven points, including five goals, as the Warriors won three times, all on the road, last week. . . . Red Deer Rebels G Darcy Kuemper is the WHL’s nominee as the ADT CHL goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA and a .980 save percentage.
———
D Jesse Craige of the Chilliwack Bruins has been out since Oct. 12 because of a broken jaw. But he recently sat down to dinner of steak and a baked potato. So, yes, he is getting closer to a return. That won’t happen, however, until sometime in January because the Bruins really want to cut down on the odds of his getting hurt again. When Craige, who has been skating, was injured, the Bruins were 5-4-0-0; they now are 10-21-2-2. . . . So what’s it like with a broken jaw? “It was absolutely awful,” Craige told Eric J. Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress. “You can’t talk, so you can’t socialize. You can’t eat, and because of that you’re grumpy because you’re hungry. You can’t train too hard because you don’t have energy because you don’t eat. You can’t skate too hard because you can’t breathe. There are so many things I never thought of until I had a broken jaw.”
———
Meanwhile, Welsh reports that Chilliwack F Jadon Potter is at home in Hoey, Sask., recovering from a neck injury he suffered in a home game on Nov. 21. “I’m actually doing pretty good,” Potter told Welsh. “I went for X-rays the other day and everything looks to be normal or healing right. The odd day I’m pretty sore and can’t really do much and there are other days where it’s better and I can get out and walk around a bit. It’s a pretty slow process right now.” . . . Potter, who was the Bruins’ captain and leading scorer when he was injured, will wear a neck brace until late in January. “It’s two parts stuck together with Velcro flaps,” Potter explained to Welsh. “I have to change my clothes with it on and shower with it on and go to sleep with it on. There’s a Velcro lining that has to be changed once in a while, and to do that I have to lay down on a flat surface and not move. The neck brace is not my favourite thing in the world.”
———
It’s doubtful if anyone had a crappier Monday than Moose Jaw Warriors D Travis Hamonic. He went to bed in Ottawa with dreams of Canada’s national junior team dancing in his head. He managed about two hours sleep before the phone rang in his hotel room and he got the bad word. Yes, he had been cut. . . . So he flew from Ottawa to Regina, only to discover that none of his luggage or equipment made it. . . . And then, once he arrived in Moose Jaw, he found out that his truck wouldn’t start. “I’m disappointed that I didn’t make the team, but I’m not disappointed in myself,” Hamonic told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. “I thought I left it all on the ice, but at the end of the day I just didn’t fit into what they had in mind.” . . . Hamonic is 18 so likely will have another chance to make the Canadian team in a year.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers meet the Chiefs in Spokane on Tuesday night, and you have to think there will be some Christmas greetings being exchanged. Spokane F Blake Gal and Tigers F Taylor Gal are brothers, while Chiefs’ F Levko Koper and Medicine Hat F Josh Koper are cousins. . . . Who knows what kind of game it will turn out to be? After all, the Tigers are without C Tyler Ennis (Team Canada) and D Tomas Kundratek and F Zdenek Okal, who are at the Czech national junior team’s camp, while Spokane is missing G Dustin Tokarski, F Drayson Bowman, F Mitch Wahl and F Tyler Johnson. Tokarski is with Team Canada; the other three are with Team USA. . . . As well, associate coach Shaun Clouston is running the Tigers’ bench as GM/head coach Willie Desjardins is an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team.
———
If you’re looking ahead to the 2009 NHL draft, you may be wondering who are the WHL’s top 10 prospects. You can take a look at a list compiled by Glen Erickson, who writes for Hockey’s Future. Erickson piece is right here.
———
F Ian Duval of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the Boston Pizza WHL player of the week. He had seven points, including five goals, as the Warriors won three times, all on the road, last week. . . . Red Deer Rebels G Darcy Kuemper is the WHL’s nominee as the ADT CHL goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA and a .980 save percentage.
———
D Jesse Craige of the Chilliwack Bruins has been out since Oct. 12 because of a broken jaw. But he recently sat down to dinner of steak and a baked potato. So, yes, he is getting closer to a return. That won’t happen, however, until sometime in January because the Bruins really want to cut down on the odds of his getting hurt again. When Craige, who has been skating, was injured, the Bruins were 5-4-0-0; they now are 10-21-2-2. . . . So what’s it like with a broken jaw? “It was absolutely awful,” Craige told Eric J. Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress. “You can’t talk, so you can’t socialize. You can’t eat, and because of that you’re grumpy because you’re hungry. You can’t train too hard because you don’t have energy because you don’t eat. You can’t skate too hard because you can’t breathe. There are so many things I never thought of until I had a broken jaw.”
———
Meanwhile, Welsh reports that Chilliwack F Jadon Potter is at home in Hoey, Sask., recovering from a neck injury he suffered in a home game on Nov. 21. “I’m actually doing pretty good,” Potter told Welsh. “I went for X-rays the other day and everything looks to be normal or healing right. The odd day I’m pretty sore and can’t really do much and there are other days where it’s better and I can get out and walk around a bit. It’s a pretty slow process right now.” . . . Potter, who was the Bruins’ captain and leading scorer when he was injured, will wear a neck brace until late in January. “It’s two parts stuck together with Velcro flaps,” Potter explained to Welsh. “I have to change my clothes with it on and shower with it on and go to sleep with it on. There’s a Velcro lining that has to be changed once in a while, and to do that I have to lay down on a flat surface and not move. The neck brace is not my favourite thing in the world.”
———
It’s doubtful if anyone had a crappier Monday than Moose Jaw Warriors D Travis Hamonic. He went to bed in Ottawa with dreams of Canada’s national junior team dancing in his head. He managed about two hours sleep before the phone rang in his hotel room and he got the bad word. Yes, he had been cut. . . . So he flew from Ottawa to Regina, only to discover that none of his luggage or equipment made it. . . . And then, once he arrived in Moose Jaw, he found out that his truck wouldn’t start. “I’m disappointed that I didn’t make the team, but I’m not disappointed in myself,” Hamonic told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. “I thought I left it all on the ice, but at the end of the day I just didn’t fit into what they had in mind.” . . . Hamonic is 18 so likely will have another chance to make the Canadian team in a year.
———
The Medicine Hat Tigers meet the Chiefs in Spokane on Tuesday night, and you have to think there will be some Christmas greetings being exchanged. Spokane F Blake Gal and Tigers F Taylor Gal are brothers, while Chiefs’ F Levko Koper and Medicine Hat F Josh Koper are cousins. . . . Who knows what kind of game it will turn out to be? After all, the Tigers are without C Tyler Ennis (Team Canada) and D Tomas Kundratek and F Zdenek Okal, who are at the Czech national junior team’s camp, while Spokane is missing G Dustin Tokarski, F Drayson Bowman, F Mitch Wahl and F Tyler Johnson. Tokarski is with Team Canada; the other three are with Team USA. . . . As well, associate coach Shaun Clouston is running the Tigers’ bench as GM/head coach Willie Desjardins is an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team.
———
If you’re looking ahead to the 2009 NHL draft, you may be wondering who are the WHL’s top 10 prospects. You can take a look at a list compiled by Glen Erickson, who writes for Hockey’s Future. Erickson piece is right here.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Yonkman sharp in beating Blazers
By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers experienced a hockey team’s worst nightmare Saturday —
no offence on Teddy Bear Night.
It’s like being broke when it’s all-you-can-eat night for $5 at your
favourite restaurant. Or having the flu and not being allowed out of the
house when the teachers are having another pro-development day.
In this one, the Blazers threw everything but the Interior Savings Centre
cat at Swift Current goaltender Travis Yonkman before 4,575 well-entertained
fans at Interior Savings Centre. But the home boys came up empty as the
Broncos, playing their fourth road game in five nights, escaped with a 2-0
victory.
Yonkman, 20, finished with 28 saves as he recorded his first shutout this
season and the sixth of his career.
It turns out that he has a bit of a history with shutouts and Teddy Bear
games, having turned in a 34-save 1-0 blanking of the Kootenay Ice in
Cranbrook on Dec. 7, 2007, to ruin the party there, too.
Still, the Saskatoon native said this was just another game to him.
“I don’t think about it (being Teddy Bear Night),” he said. “It’s another
distraction that can get you off your game.”
The game was scoreless until 8:29 of the third period when Swift Current
centre Cody Eakin, a 17-year-old sophomore, took a pass from Brad Hoban and
pounded the puck into an open side behind goaltender Justin Leclerc.
It was Eakin’s ninth goal in his 17th game but his first since Nov. 14. He
had been nursing a high ankle sprain.
The goal came a couple of minutes after the Blazers’ power play had come up
dry — not for lack of effort — on a 53-second two-man advantage.
“We did everything right,” Kamloops head coach Barry Smith said. “Puck
movement was good. Shots were good. We did everything right there. It wasn’t
like we couldn’t get anything done or there was no puck movement or any of
that.
“I thought our power play was real good. It moved the puck but, in the end,
you have to score goals to win hockey games.”
And, on this night, the Blazers weren’t going to beat Yonkman, who appears
to be just rounding into form after missing most of October with a shoulder
injury.
“I’ve been back for a little bit but I haven’t been playing with
confidence,” Yonkman said. “That’s one thing my goalie coach (former Kelowna
Rockets goaltender Kevin Swanson) and I have been talking about . . .
showing that confidence on the ice” so that the Broncos can “build off that
confidence.”
Which was the case Saturday. Yonkman played as though he was overflowing
with confidence and, as a result, he seemed only to take up more of the net
as the game wore on.
When his side was two-men short, Yonkman was spectacular, in one stretch
making pad and glove saves off Tyler Shattock and also robbing Shayne Wiebe
and Kenton Dulle.
“It’s all about reaction. If you think, it’s already too late,” Yonkman said
of those stops. “We work on it during practice, a couple of 5-3 situations,
but it’s all about just working as hard as you can.”
Smith, however, wasn’t about to concede anything to the visitors.
“(Yonkman) was all right but we missed more chances . . . we did all the
things we needed to do,” he said. “The plays were made, the puck movement
was quick . . . it wasn’t to be.
“There was nothing wrong with that game. . . . we were great. If you play
like that you are going to win more games than that.”
The Blazers, who finished with a 28-23 edge in shots, had a territorial
advantage for a lot of the game, but couldn’t beat Yonkman. They also were
guilty, as has frequently been the case, of erratic shooting.
“(The Broncos) weathered the storm,” Smith said. “For us, I thought we
played real well. We carried the play most of the night.”
Dean Chynoweth, the Broncos’ general manager and head coach, said he
expected an early storm, but . . .
“We were prepared to have to weather the storm,” he said, knowing full well
that the Blazers had laid an egg in losing 8-3 in Cranbrook on Wednesday,
“and I didn’t think early there was a lot of emotion either way.
“It was one of those games where there were lots of scoring chances and
quite a few sloppy turnovers. But I thought both goalies played very well.”
Yes, Leclerc was solid, too, as he matched Yonkman almost save for save.
And, as for the Teddy Bear goal, well, it ended up being scored by Swift
Current centre Taylor Vause. He deposited the puck into an empty Kamloops
net with 1:11 left to play and the fans, ignoring the pleas of public
address announcer Bill O‚Donovan not to throw anything, littered the ice
surface with stuffage.
If nothing else, it gave Vause, a 17-year-old freshman from Calgary, an
early-career highlight. Not too many players get to score a Teddy Bear goal
on the road.
JUST NOTES: Referees Matt Kirk and Brett Iverson, the latter working his
12th WHL game, gave the Broncos nine of 16 minors, and one of two majors,
with Kamloops taking the lone misconduct. . . . Yonkman is a first cousin to
former WHL D Nolan Yonkman, who played with the Kelowna Rockets and Brandon
Wheat Kings. . . . Swift Current has gone 114 games without being blanked,
the longest such streak in the WHL right now. . . . Kamloops has been
blanked twice this season. . . . It was the 12th time in franchise history
that the Blazers have been beaten 2-0 but only the fourth time it has
happened at home. . . . D Jesse Dudas, who has a knee injury and hasn’t
played this season, will rejoin the Broncos after Christmas. His arrival
will give the Broncos four-20-year-olds, meaning one will have to go. That
is expected to happen by the Jan. 10 trading deadline. . . . The WHL’s
Christmas trade moratorium runs from Friday though Dec. 26.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers experienced a hockey team’s worst nightmare Saturday —
no offence on Teddy Bear Night.
It’s like being broke when it’s all-you-can-eat night for $5 at your
favourite restaurant. Or having the flu and not being allowed out of the
house when the teachers are having another pro-development day.
In this one, the Blazers threw everything but the Interior Savings Centre
cat at Swift Current goaltender Travis Yonkman before 4,575 well-entertained
fans at Interior Savings Centre. But the home boys came up empty as the
Broncos, playing their fourth road game in five nights, escaped with a 2-0
victory.
Yonkman, 20, finished with 28 saves as he recorded his first shutout this
season and the sixth of his career.
It turns out that he has a bit of a history with shutouts and Teddy Bear
games, having turned in a 34-save 1-0 blanking of the Kootenay Ice in
Cranbrook on Dec. 7, 2007, to ruin the party there, too.
Still, the Saskatoon native said this was just another game to him.
“I don’t think about it (being Teddy Bear Night),” he said. “It’s another
distraction that can get you off your game.”
The game was scoreless until 8:29 of the third period when Swift Current
centre Cody Eakin, a 17-year-old sophomore, took a pass from Brad Hoban and
pounded the puck into an open side behind goaltender Justin Leclerc.
It was Eakin’s ninth goal in his 17th game but his first since Nov. 14. He
had been nursing a high ankle sprain.
The goal came a couple of minutes after the Blazers’ power play had come up
dry — not for lack of effort — on a 53-second two-man advantage.
“We did everything right,” Kamloops head coach Barry Smith said. “Puck
movement was good. Shots were good. We did everything right there. It wasn’t
like we couldn’t get anything done or there was no puck movement or any of
that.
“I thought our power play was real good. It moved the puck but, in the end,
you have to score goals to win hockey games.”
And, on this night, the Blazers weren’t going to beat Yonkman, who appears
to be just rounding into form after missing most of October with a shoulder
injury.
“I’ve been back for a little bit but I haven’t been playing with
confidence,” Yonkman said. “That’s one thing my goalie coach (former Kelowna
Rockets goaltender Kevin Swanson) and I have been talking about . . .
showing that confidence on the ice” so that the Broncos can “build off that
confidence.”
Which was the case Saturday. Yonkman played as though he was overflowing
with confidence and, as a result, he seemed only to take up more of the net
as the game wore on.
When his side was two-men short, Yonkman was spectacular, in one stretch
making pad and glove saves off Tyler Shattock and also robbing Shayne Wiebe
and Kenton Dulle.
“It’s all about reaction. If you think, it’s already too late,” Yonkman said
of those stops. “We work on it during practice, a couple of 5-3 situations,
but it’s all about just working as hard as you can.”
Smith, however, wasn’t about to concede anything to the visitors.
“(Yonkman) was all right but we missed more chances . . . we did all the
things we needed to do,” he said. “The plays were made, the puck movement
was quick . . . it wasn’t to be.
“There was nothing wrong with that game. . . . we were great. If you play
like that you are going to win more games than that.”
The Blazers, who finished with a 28-23 edge in shots, had a territorial
advantage for a lot of the game, but couldn’t beat Yonkman. They also were
guilty, as has frequently been the case, of erratic shooting.
“(The Broncos) weathered the storm,” Smith said. “For us, I thought we
played real well. We carried the play most of the night.”
Dean Chynoweth, the Broncos’ general manager and head coach, said he
expected an early storm, but . . .
“We were prepared to have to weather the storm,” he said, knowing full well
that the Blazers had laid an egg in losing 8-3 in Cranbrook on Wednesday,
“and I didn’t think early there was a lot of emotion either way.
“It was one of those games where there were lots of scoring chances and
quite a few sloppy turnovers. But I thought both goalies played very well.”
Yes, Leclerc was solid, too, as he matched Yonkman almost save for save.
And, as for the Teddy Bear goal, well, it ended up being scored by Swift
Current centre Taylor Vause. He deposited the puck into an empty Kamloops
net with 1:11 left to play and the fans, ignoring the pleas of public
address announcer Bill O‚Donovan not to throw anything, littered the ice
surface with stuffage.
If nothing else, it gave Vause, a 17-year-old freshman from Calgary, an
early-career highlight. Not too many players get to score a Teddy Bear goal
on the road.
JUST NOTES: Referees Matt Kirk and Brett Iverson, the latter working his
12th WHL game, gave the Broncos nine of 16 minors, and one of two majors,
with Kamloops taking the lone misconduct. . . . Yonkman is a first cousin to
former WHL D Nolan Yonkman, who played with the Kelowna Rockets and Brandon
Wheat Kings. . . . Swift Current has gone 114 games without being blanked,
the longest such streak in the WHL right now. . . . Kamloops has been
blanked twice this season. . . . It was the 12th time in franchise history
that the Blazers have been beaten 2-0 but only the fourth time it has
happened at home. . . . D Jesse Dudas, who has a knee injury and hasn’t
played this season, will rejoin the Broncos after Christmas. His arrival
will give the Broncos four-20-year-olds, meaning one will have to go. That
is expected to happen by the Jan. 10 trading deadline. . . . The WHL’s
Christmas trade moratorium runs from Friday though Dec. 26.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
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