Tuesday . . .

THE DEPT. OF DISCIPLINE: D James Martin of the Kootenay Ice drew a three-game suspension after making an alleged racial slur during a game against the Blades in Saskatoon on Saturday. “In talking with the parties, (Martin) made a comment that was inappropriate and I think all the players in our league are aware that those comments will be dealt with,” WHL vice-president Richard Doerksen told Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “There are comments that are inappropriate and they have to be mindful of that in the heat of the game.” . . . Doerksen also dealt with a line brawl that occurred Saturday between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Tigers in Medicine Hat. Lethbridge F Kyle Beach got a three-game suspension from that one, while the Hurricanes were fined $500 for being involved in their third line brawl of the season. . . . This is the second time Beach has been suspended for three games since joining the Hurricanes in a trade with the Everett Silvertips in January. He was sat down by Doerksen after shooting a puck into the stands following a 5-3 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer on Jan. 24.
———
JUST NOTES: The Red Deer Rebels, already without F Cass Mappin (high ankle sprain), has lost F Carter Smith, 20, for perhaps two weeks with a dislocated kneecap. He was injured Saturday in a 2-1 shootout loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Rebels, having lost Mappin and Smith to injury and having had F Tomas Polak quit the team, have 19 players on their roster. . . . G Adam Brown of the Kelowna Rockets has been named the ADT CHL goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0-0 with a 0.46 GAA and a .982 save percentage last week.
——————
If the playoffs started today:
Eastern Conference
Calgary (1) vs. Prince Albert (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Lethbridge (7)
Brandon (3) vs. Kootenay (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Swift Current (5)
Wednesday: Lethbridge at Brandon; Regina at Calgary; Red Deer at Edmonton; Prince Albert at Kootenay; Moose Jaw at Saskatoon; Kelowna at Medicine Hat.
Regina is three points in arrears of Prince Albert and Edmonton with one game in hand. P.A. and Edmonton are tied for eighth, although P.A. has one more victory. However, if two teams end up tied for that last playoff spot a sudden-death game would be played.
———
Western Conference
Vancouver (1) vs. Prince George (8)
Tri-City (2) vs. Everett (7)
Spokane (3) vs. Kamloops (6)
Kelowna (4) vs.Seattle (5)
Wednesday: Vancouver at Everett; Spokane at Kamloops; Kelowna at Medicine Hat; Chilliwack at Tri-City.
———
THE GREAT RACE
Moose Jaw 62 17 42 1 2 37
Chilliwack 64 15 42 2 5 37
Portland 61 16 41 2 2 36
Portland beat Chilliwack 2-1 in a shootout to close to within one point of escaping sole possession of the WHL’s basement suite. . . . Moose Jaw visits Saskatoon on Wednesday, while Chilliwack is in Kennewick, Wash., to play Tri-City.
———
In Swift Current, the Broncos went 3-for-7 on the PP and beat the Regina Pats, 5-2. . . . RW Jordan Eberle of Regina scored the game’s first goal, but the Broncos replied with three in a row and led 3-1 early in the third period. . . . Eberle, who has 32 goals, missed a penalty shot at 10:13 of the third period with the Broncos leading 4-2. . . . F Geordie Wudrick, with goals in seven straight games, got his 30th goal of the season for the Broncos. . . . Regina was 0-for-1 on the PP. . . . Swift Current has taken five straight decisions from Regina. . . . The Broncos had a 41-28 edge in shots. . . . Regina D Justin Slobozian suffered a broken leg in practice Monday and his season is over. . . . The Broncos again were without F Matt Tassone (shoulder), who is their top sniper, and F Michael Stickland (concussion).
———
At Vancouver, the Giants won the battle of the last two Memorial Cup champions, beating the Spokane Chiefs, 5-2. . . . The Giants won the 2007 Memorial Cup; the Chiefs won it all last spring, taking out Vancouver in the second round along the way. . . . Spokane now has lost three in a row. . . . F Evander Kane scored his 41st goal of the season for Vancouver which set a franchise record with its 50th victory. That broke the record set last season. . . . F Adam Basford, who had gone 17 games without a goal, had a goal and an assist for the Giants. . . . D Brandon Kichton scored his first WHL goal for the Chiefs. . . . Four key performers missed this one. The Giants were without D Jon Blum (shoulder) and F Lance Bouma (hand), while the Chiefs were missing D Jared Cowen (knee) and D Stefan Ulmer (undisclosed injury).
———
In Portland, F Colin Reddin’s shootout goal gave the Winter Hawks a 2-1 victory over the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Chilliwack got the game’s first goal from F Kevin Sundher, his 15th, at 15:33 of the first on the PP. . . . Portland tied it on F Radim Valchar’s 18th at 9:48 of the second on, yes, the PP. . . . Portland C Chris Francis picked up an assist to run his scoring streak to 12 games. . . . D Brandon Manning scored for Chilliwack in the circus, while F Luke Walker did the same for Portland, setting the stage for Reddin.
———————
The WHL’s unofficial team fine standings, showing number of incidents and amount fined:
Lethbridge 3/$1,250
Chilliwack 2/$750
Prince George 2/$500
Regina 1/$500
Vancouver 1/$250
Prince Albert 1/$250
Saskatoon 1/$250
Edmonton 1/$250
Kamloops 1/$250
Spokane 1/$250
Red Deer 1/$250
Seattle 1/$250
Portland 1$250
TOTALS 16/$4,750
(NOTE: All fines for being involved in multi-fight situations.)
———
The WHL’s unofficial individual fine standings, showing number of fines and total amount fined:
Steve Pleau, Edmonton 2/$1,500
Michael Dyck, Lethbridge 1/$500
Brent Parker, Regina 1/$500
Roy Stasiuk, Lethbridge 1/$500
Rob Sumner, Seattle 1/$500
TOTALS 6/$3.500