Thursday . . .

THURSDAY’S GAME: F Craig Cunningham scored on a penatly shot in OT to give the Vancouver Giants a 6-5 victory over the host Kelowna Rockets. . . . Cunningham, who also drew three assists, was awarded the penalty shot by referee Pat Smith at 1:44 of the extra period. Cunningham, with the Giants shorthanded, took a terrific pass from (sorry, missed the number on TV) in the neutral zone and broke in alone on G Adam Brown. The penalty shot was awarded after Kelowna D Colin Bowman reached and got Cunningham high across the stick. . . . That ruined a four-goal night by Kelowna F Stepan Novotny. The last WHLer to score four goals on opening night was Michael Stickland. He scored the Kootenay Ice’s four goals in a 4-2 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs to open last season. Of course, Stickland later was traded to the Swift Current Broncos. . . . F J.T. Barnett, who scored one goal in 38 games with the Giants last season, scored twice in this one. . . . F Mitchell Callahan had a goal and two assists for Kelowna.
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F Stepan Novotny of the Kelowna Rockets scored twice in the first period of the season-opener with the visiting Vancouver Giants. “He had 19 goals last season and he’s on pace for 144 this season,” said Rockets radio analyst Gord McGarva. . . . Actually, with two goals in the first period, Novotny was on pace for 432 goals. . . . Novotny finished with four goals so now is on pace to score 288 goals. Yes, that would be a WHL single-season record.
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WHL commissioner Ron Robison was in Kelowna on Wednesday for a season-opening news conference. He took time to talk with Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier about the new fighting rules. That story is right here.
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The Portland Winterhawks have reached a broadcast deal with Freedom 970 AM (KCMD) to carry all 72 regular-season games. Andy Kemper is the radio voice of the Winterhawks and will be joined by analyst Todd Vrooman, the son of the legendary Dean (Scooter) Vrooman. As well, as many as 10 games are to be televised on Comcast Channel 15 (315 on the digital platform). The first game on the TV schedule will be Nov. 7 against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Ian Furness, a veteran WHL broadcaster who is with KJR radio in Seattle, will call the play of the TV games, with analysis by former Winterhawks F Jim Dobson. (What? No sign of Florent Robidoux?). . . Now for the really big news: Scooter — yes, THE Scooter! — will provide sideline reporting on the TV games.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have designated veteran F Sanfred King, 19, for assignment. King, who is from Brandon, suffered a broken leg in January that ended his second WHL season. “We felt at this time this would be the best decision for Sanfred,” Kelly McCrimmon, Brandon‚s GM/head coach, said in a statement. “He needs to regain his timing, regain his confidence and this will enable him to do that.” A decision is expected over the weekend on where the 6-foot-2, 196-pound King will start the season. The Dauphin Kings hold his MJHL rights, while the Kindersley Klippers hold his SJHL rights. . . . Brandon now has 30 players on its roster, including three goaltenders and nine defenceman. But that includes six players at NHL camps — F Brayden Schenn (Los Angeles), F Scott Glennie (Dallas), D Colby Robak (Florida) and F Matt Calvert (Columbus), and imports Toni Rajala (Edmonton) and Alexander Urbom (New Jersey).
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The Chilliwack Bruins have hired Terry Perkins as their director of WHL scouting. Perkins, who spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats, will spend most of his time scouting the WHL’s Eastern Conference and teams in the SJHL. Perkins is a former WHL player — he played for the Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs — and at one time was teammates with Bruins assistant coach Dave Archibald.
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Players on their way back to WHL teams include D Brayden McNabb, from Buffalo to Kootenay; F Tyler Shattock, from St. Louis to Kamloops; D Tomas Kundratek, from the New York Rangers to Medicine Hat; F Roman Horak, from the Rangers to Chilliwack; D Michael Stone, from Phoenix to Calgary; F Garrett Mitchell, from Washington to Regina; F Kris Foucault, from Minnesota to Calgary; D Brett Ponich, from St. Louis to Portland; and F Tomas Vincour, from Dallas to Edmonton.
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The return of D Tomas Kundratek to Medicine Hat makes things interesting for the Tigers. Kundratek, a 20-year-old Czech, had been in camp with the New York Rangers and has, in fact, signed an NHL contract. The Rangers selected him 90th overall in the NHL’s 2008 draft. His return gives the Tigers five 20-year-old players, the others being F Bretton Cameron, F Colton Grant, G Ryan Holfeld and D Mark Isherwood.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors, who open Friday night against the Broncos in Swift Current, are without D Travis Hamonic (New York Islanders) and D Ryan Stanton (groin). . . . I just want to get a look at the masks that will debuted by Moose Jaw goaltenders Jeff Bosch and Brandon Glover. Bosch, who starts tonight, has an Al Capone theme on his, while Glover has gone with the world-famous Snowbirds aeronautics team. . . . Bosch told Taylor Lambert of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald that “Capone was . . . supposed to be tough, so I figured it was a good choice.” . . . Don’t be looking for the gangster in Bosch, though. “I’m more of a country boy myself,” a laughing Bosch told Lambert.
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F Willie Coetzee of the Red Deer Rebels has signed with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, reports Andrew Walker over at The Red Deer Scene. Coetzee, who turns 19 on Nov. 7, wasn’t drafted but impressed the Red Wings in camp and they offered him a contract.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings are to unveil what they are calling “a new innovative onlike look” on Friday. Check it out right here.
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The Central league’s Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees have signed F Justin Kanigan (Saskatoon, Spokane, Vancouver, 1999-2004). He played the last four seasons with the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns.
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F Jason Deleurme (Tacoma, Kelowna, 1993-98) has signed with the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings. Deleurme, 32, is beginning his 13th season as a pro. He played the last two seasons with the Dresden Ice Lions in Germany’s Bundesliga.
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If you’re wondering who‚ll be calling the play on Canadian TV when hockey starts at the Olympic Winter Games, it’ll be Chris Cuthbert, Gord Miller and Peter Loubardias. “When I got the call that day, it brought tears to my eyes,” Loubardias told the Calgary Sun. “It’s beyond comprehension for me. . . . I’m still stunned.” . . . Loubardias, one of the many play-by-play callers in the employ of Rogers Sportsnet, is a former radio voice of the Regina Pats.
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While Theo Fleury is getting a lot of attention for his comeback attempt with the Calgary Flames, former Kamloops Blazers captain Jared Aulin is working on a comeback of his own. He is in camp with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the story is right here.