Tuesday . . .

JUST NOTES: The Spokane Chiefs, it seems, have paid quite a price for that melee with the the visiting Tri-City Americans on Saturday night. Already without D Jared Cowen (knee, gone for season), D Trevor Glass (neck/shoulder, week to week) and D Stefan Ulmer (concussion, day to day), the Chiefs now are without D Cory Baldwin. He is shown on the injury list as having a hand injury and being out indefinitely. I’m told he has a broken hand, courtesy perhaps of the head of Tri-City C Kruise Reddick. . . . The Chiefs dressed four defencemen for Tuesday’s 4-2 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds of Kent, Wash., which means F Dustin Donaghy likely played on the back end again. . . . The Chiefs also were without F Ryan Letts, who drew a 10-game sentence for his donnybrook-starting hit on Tri-City G Chet Pickard on Saturday. Letts will sit out the last eight games of the Chiefs’ regular-season schedule and their first two playoff games. . . . In case you missed it, here’s what Tri-City head coach Don Nachbaur told the Tri-City Herald after that game: “A kid with no future in this game runs a kid with a future. (Spokane head coach Hardy Sauter) is a primitive coach who put the game right back in the 1970s. There was a plan behind that (hit). It was ridiculous. He was sending guys off the bench the whole night. In the Ontario Hockey League, they give 15 or 20 games for a hit like that.” . . . Nachbaur didn’t get his 15 or 20 games, but you can bet he’s OK with 10. . . . Ahh, yes, the good old days, eh? . . . The Americans have admitted that Pickard has a concussion and won’t play this week. . . . And we haven’t even gotten into the fact that Tri-City GM Bob Tory apparently tried to get onto the air with Mike Boyle, who happens to be the radio voice of the Chiefs. No, Tory didn't get the red carpet treatment. . . . And what about Tri-City radio man Craig West, who seems to be Public Enemy No. 1 in Spokane. . . . Don't forget that these teams have two games left with each other before the regular season ends!
The attendance in Kent, by the way, was 2,725. Uhh, maybe Tuesday’s aren’t hockey night in Kent. . . . The WHL has its first 50-goal scorer of the season. F Joel Broda got there as his Calgary Hitmen whipped the host Prince George Cougars, 7-0. G Martin Jones earned his sixth shutout and his WHL-leading 43rd victory of the season. . . . Prince George D Dallas Jackson didn’t finish the game, leaving after blocking a shot with a hand. . . . F Tyler Ennis followed up his six-goal game with three assists as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors, 5-1. Medicine Hat F Wacey Hamilton returned to action for the first time since suffering a broken foot on Jan. 10. . . . If Ennis didn’t earn player-of-the-week honours for a six-goal game, gotta think three assists won’t do it either. . . . Former Saskatoon Blades F Warren Peters scored his first NHL goal Tuesday night for the Calgary Flames, while former Kamloops Blazers/Moose Jaw Warriors D Keaton Ellerby was recalled by the Florida Panthers from the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Ellerby didn’t get into Florida’s game on Tuesday; he is providing insurance in case Jassen Cullimore has to leave the team to be with his wife, who is due to have their child any time now. . . . The Tampa Bay Lightning recalled two players, including former Calgary Hitmen F Brandon Segal, as it is expected to trade F Mark Recchi today. Recchi, who owns a chunk of the Kamloops Blazers, was scratched prior to Tampa Bay’s game with visiting Pittsburgh. But Recchi told me late Tuesday night that he has no idea what’s going on and has no idea where he might be playing by Wednesday night.
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If you’re an old-time hockey fan and happen to live in the Portland area, mark down March 14 on your calendar. Why? Here’s a press release from the Winter Hawks:
The Portland Buckaroos are the city’s original hockey dynasty and members of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame. The Portland Winter Hawks will be honoring their legacy at the game on Saturday, March 14 when the team hosts a Salute to the Buckaroos at Memorial Coliseum.
Fans will be able to revisit the history of the Buckaroos on the main concourse of the Coliseum with a series of displays containing old photos, news articles, memorabilia and trophies. It will be the most comprehensive display of Buckaroo history ever shown to the public.
Before the game there will be a special video tribute to the Buckaroos, and a banner will be raised to the Memorial Coliseum rafters commemorating the Buckaroos’ three championship teams. Buckaroos players will be signing autographs on the concourse during both intermissions, while inside the bowl special Buckaroos videos will be shown between periods.
“The Portland Buckaroos hold a special place in the hearts of Portland hockey fans, and anyone who grew up watching those teams won’t want to miss the tribute we’re holding in their honor March 14,” said Portland Winter Hawks President Doug Piper. “It will be the biggest gathering of former Buckaroo players since they left the ice and with the extensive displays and events planned for that night, it will be an unforgettable night for Portland hockey fans.”
Over 25 former Buckaroos players and staff members are returning for the game on March 14, including fan favorites like Jim Hay, Don Head, and Connie Madigan. It will mark the first time Madigan has ever taken part in a celebration of the Buckaroos.
In addition to the game on the 14th, there will be another chance for fans to pay tribute to the Buckaroos. On Friday, March 13, fans can sign the championship banner between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland. Their names will go alongside the signatures of many local celebrities who will be signing the banner in the days leading up to the game. Details on the banner tour will be released later this week.
In honor of the events planned for the Salute to the Buckaroos, the Winter Hawks have launched a special Web site devoted to the evening, which can be found at www.buckaroossalute.com.
The Buckaroos joined the WHL in 1960, and won the Lester Patrick Cup, the league championship, in that inaugural season. The team would also set a then-WHL single game attendance record of 10,417. Oregon’s greatest sports dynasty, the Buckaroos had eight regular season first place finishes and won three championships in their 14 years of existence.
Portland Winter Hawks tickets are available by calling 503-236-HAWK (4295), or online at ticketmaster.com.