The Arizona Cardinals in the Super Bowl? . . . Sheesh, the next thing you know the Leafs will be in the Stanley Cup final. . . .
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THE MacBETH REPORT: D Ross Lupaschuk (Lethbridge/Prince Albert/Red Deer) has been released by Novosibirsk (KHL) by mutual agreement. He had two assists in 22 games this season.
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F Casey Pierro-Zabotel of the Vancouver Giants goes into the week leading the WHL in assists (54) and points (78). He had five points in Saturday’s 9-3 victory over the Rebels in Red Deer. That allowed him to break the franchise record for assists in a season that had been held by F Darren Lynch (2002-03). . . . Pierro-Zabotel is nine points shy of the franchise record for points in a season (Gilbert Brule, 2004-05). . . . As well, Vancouver D Jon Blum has 140 career assists. He is seven away from the franchise’s career record, which is held by F Adam Courchaine (2001-05). . . . The Giants are to meet the Rockets in Kelowna on Wednesday. . . . Pierro-Zabotel leads the WHL scoring race by eight points over F Justin Bernhardt of the Prince Albert Raiders.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have lost RW Sanfred King, 18, for the remainder of this season. King suffered a broken right leg in the third period of Saturday’s 7-4 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert. He underwent surgery in a Prince Albert hospital on Sunday. . . . King, the 17th overall selection in the 2005 bantam draft, had five points in 35 games.
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For a look at Brandon F Brayden Schenn, visit this site and give a read to this piece by Glen Erickson.
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In Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Tri-City Americans, 6-4. . . . Tri-City led 3-0 after one period and 4-2 after the second. . . . D Brad Haber, with his first WHL goal, cut the Seattle deficit to 4-3 at 3:44 of the third period. F Devon LeBlanc, with his 11th, tied it 14 seconds later. . . . Seattle F Chance Lund’s first goal of the season, at 12:00, turned into the winner. . . . Seattle got a goal and three assists from F Prab Rai. . . . The Americans were outshot 44-30, including 19-4 in the third period. . . . Tri-City was playing its fifth game in six nights. . . . Seattle G Jacob DeSerres is 5-0-0-1 in the Thunderbirds’ new home in Kent.
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In Medicine Hat, the Tigers got two goals from F Tristan King as they beat the Red Deer Rebels, 5-1. . . . Red Deer got its goal from D Tommi Kivisto, his first WHL goal. . . . Medicine Hat G Ryan Holfeld, who won his 21st game, faced only 15 shots. . . . King also had an assist.
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In Calgary, G Lucas Gore stopped 47 shots to lead the Chilliwack Bruins to a 5-4 victory over the Hitmen, who had an 18-game home-ice winning streak snapped. . . . The Hitmen (39-7-2-1) beat the visiting Vancouver Giants 6-3 on Friday and didn’t play Saturday. The Bruins (13-30-2-3) lost 4-1 in Red Deer on Friday and 8-1 in Edmonton on Saturday. . . . This is why they play the game. . . . Chilliwack got two PP goals from F Ryan Howse. . . . Chilliwack led 5-2 in the third period before giving up two goals. . . . Calgary fired 26 shots at Gore in the third period. . . . Chilliwack F Chris Collins, the 77th pick in the 2007 bantam draft, joined the Bruins from the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes and scored his first WHL goal to provide his mates with a 3-2 lead at 19:09 of the second period. . . . F Joel Broda scored his WHL-leading 39th goal for Calgary.
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In Cranbrook, the Saskatoon Blades won yet another road game, this time beating the Kootenay Ice, 3-1. . . . The Ice scored the game’s first goal, F Kevin King find the mark in the first period. . . . The Blades tied it on a Josh Nicholls goal in the second period. . . . D Jyri Niemi broke a 1-1 tie just 36 seconds into the third period. . . . Saskatoon G Adam Morrison stopped 31 shots to improve to 7-0-1-0. . . . The Blades, who won 5-0 in Medicine Hat on Friday and 3-2 in OT in Lethbridge on Saturday, are 19-3-1-0 on the road. . . . The Ice was without F Steele Boomer (concussion), F Ryan Fox (knee), D Eric Frere (shoulder), D Brayden McNabb (concussion), F Max Reinhart (shoulder) and F Dustin Sylvester (ankle).
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In Everett, the Kamloops Blazers got two goals from C C.J. Stretch and a shootout goal from RW Kenton Dulle as they beat the Silvertips, 5-4. . . . Everett led 2-0 and 4-2 in this one, only to have the Blazers forge 2-2 and 4-4 ties. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson was 7-for-7 facing circus shooters going into this one. He stopped Stretch but couldn’t beat Dulle. . . . At the same time, Blazers G Justin Leclerc, who had given up five goals in nine shots in starting the season 0-3 in shootouts, stopped three shooters for the second straight time. . . . Stretch is on a 10-game point streak, with 18 points, including 10 goals, over that span.