Tuesday . . .

Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress reports that “ticket sales in Chilliwack decreased approximately 13 per cent, one of
the bigger dips in the league. But almost everyone saw a drop,
including the Vancouver Giants, who went 57-10-2-3 on the ice, but
dipped around eight per cent at the gate.” . . . The Bruins, who averaged 4,073 fans per game this season, will focus more on marketing in Chilliwack and less in other areas of the Lower Mainland. Of course, the Bruins, who didn’t make the playoffs and have fired general manager Darrell May and head coach Jim Hiller, are gearing up for a season in which they will face competition from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and perhaps the arrival of the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. . . . The Bruins, though, aren’t standing still. Their season-ticket renewal program doesn’t require deposits — although, yes, the bill will come due at some point in time. There also is a 10-month payment available. And, most important of all, as governor/interim GM Darryl Porter told Welsh: “The other big thing is we’ve rolled all our prices back to what they were in the first year. When you factor in that we include the first round of the playoffs, our prices are significantly less than some of the other teams in our conference. I think we’re very similar to what the Kamloops Blazers are in pricing.”
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F Brandon Kozun of the Calgary Hitmen left Monday’s 4-1 victory over the Oil Kings in Edmonton with an apparent leg injury. Of course, no one was talking after the game so there isn’t any word on Kozun’s status for Game 4 of the series on Wednesday. Kozun finished second in the WHL scoring race, with 108 points.
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The Swift Current Broncos have announced that their attendance averaged 2,287 during the regular season, a 9.3 per cent increase over last season when the average was 2,092. According to the Broncos, “Only Saskatoon had a higher percentage increase” this season. Over the last two seasons, Swift Current’s attendance has jumped 20.4 per cent, the highest such figure in the WHL. Their attendance has moved from 1,899 per game in 2006-07 to 2,287, an increase of 388 fans per game.
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It turns out that the QMJHL’s Lewiston MAINEiacs are going anywhere. There has been speculation that the QMJHL’s only U.S.-based franchise would relocate before another season gets here, but the team has announced it plans on staying in the Maine community on a long-term basis. The MAINEiacs say they plan on operating “an aggressive three-year business plan is being developed to make the team financially viable, and firmly plant the franchise in Lewiston for many years to come. The plan is based on reconnecting with the business community, more team community involvement, front-office reconstruction, and a strong connection with the Lewiston and Auburn youth hockey associations.” . . . In the last while, the Maineiacs had contemplated a move to Boisbriand, Que., or Fredericton, N.B. The former was shot down when the Montreal Junior wouldn’t approve the transfer, saying that a franchise there would infringe on its market. According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, negotiations to move to Fredericton fell apart last week.
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TUESDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES: It’s worth noting that there were six games played and the visiting team won all six games, with three of them decided in OT. . . .
In Cranbrook, F Matt Calvert scored at 2:55 of OT to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Wheat Kings lead the series 3-0 and can wrap it up Wednesday night in Cranbrook. . . . Calvert had two goals in the game. . . . It was the first OT goal of Calvert’s WHL career. . . . Brandon D Colby Robak left after the first period and didn’t return. He may have a concussion. . . . F Tylan Stephens tied it 3-3 for the Ice with a PP goal at 9:52 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 2,344.
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In Prince George, Vancouver F Craig Cunningham scored at 16:44 of OT to give the Giants a 3-2 victory over the Cougars. . . . Vancouver leads the series 3-0 and can finish it Wednesday night in Prince George. . . . The Giants had outscored the Cougars 17-3 in winning the first two games in Vancouver. . . . Attendance was 2,384. . . . The Giants scratched F Garry Nunn after he broke an undisclosed team rule. . . . The Cougars were 0-for-7 on the PP, with two of those coming in OT. . . . Prince George G Kevin Armstrong made 49 saves.
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In Kent, Wash., the Spokane Chiefs scored two shorthanded goals and two more on the PP to beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-1. . . . The Chiefs hold a 2-1 lead with Game 4 in Kent on Wednesday. . . . The Thunderbirds scored the game’s first goal — it was the first WHL goal for freshman F Colin Jacobs of Coppell, Texas — but then gave up five in a row. . . . Jacobs was the 67th pick in the 2008 bantam draft. . . . Spokane G Dustin Tokarski stopped 32 shots. . . . The Chiefs were 2-for-2 on the PP; the Thunderbirds were 0-for-6. . . . Attendance was 3,050.
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In Kamloops, Kelowna C Cody Almond scored twice, including the winner in OT, as the Rockets beat the Blazers, 3-2. . . . Kelowna leads the series 3-0 and can finish it Wednesday night in Kamloops. . . . Almond scored with 2.9 seconds left in the third period to force OT and then took a pass from F Mikael Backlund — he was behind the Kamloops net and fed the pass back against the flow — and tucked it into the open side at ?? of OT for the winner.
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In Medicine Hat, the Swift Current Broncos scored the game’s first three goals and went on to beat the Tigers, 5-2. . . . The Broncos hold a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 in The Hat on Wednesday. . . . Attendance was 3,995, rather than the usual sellout of 4,006. . . . F Justin Dowling scored twice for the Broncos, who had a 37-28 edge in shots, including 17-9 in the first period. . . . Swift Current G Travis Yonkman stopped Medicine Hat F Colton Grant on a third-period penalty shot. . . . The Broncos got a goal and three helpers from F Michael Stickland. . . . Swift Current was 2-for-7 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-3.
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In Lethbridge, the Saskatoon Blades scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Hurricanes, 3-1. . . . Saskatoon leads the series 2-1 with Game 4 in Lethbridge on Wednesday. . . . Lethbridge F Austin Fyten had the game’s first goal, on the PP, at 5:24 of the PP. . . . The Blades, who won a WHL-leading 28 road games, got second-period goals from F Milan Kytnar and captain Derek Hulak and added a third-period score from F Adam Chorneyko. . . . The Hurricanes outshot the Blades, 28-19. . . . Saskatoon was 1-for-3 on the PP; Lethbridge was 1-for-5. . . . Attendance was 3,089.