Monday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Brett McLean (Tacoma, Kelowna, Brandon, 1994-99) signed a one-year contract with Bern (Swiss NL A). He had seven goals and 12 assists in 80 games with the Florida Panthers last season. . . . F Matt Hubbauer (Regina, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with the Sheffield Steelers (UK Elite). He had 25 goals and 14 assists in 46 games with Freiburg (Germany 2.Bundesliga) last season. . . . F Matt Higgins (Moose Jaw, 1993-97) and F Travis Brigley (Lethbridge, 1993-97) signed one-year contracts with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, plays in Austria Erste Bank Liga). Higgins had three goals and 11 assists in 32 games for Ingolstadt (Germany DEL) and Brigley had 16 goals and 15 assists in 50 games for Hamburg Freezers (Germany DEL) last season.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds of Kent have a neat story on their website that involves troops in Kandahar. You really should check it out right here.
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You may recall a link posted here last week to a story in The Oregonian about a silent auction the Portland Winterhawks were holding. It was the brainchild of D Brett Ponich, the Winterhawks’ captain, who wanted to do something to help Tanner Hubbs, a friend who was paralyzed in an accident during the summer. The auction was held during Portland’s last two home games and raised more than $4,000. The money will be used to help the Hubbs family make their Beaumont, Alta., home wheelchair accessible.
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Former Chilliwack Bruins D Nick Holden continues his recovery from mononucleosis. That story is right here.
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The CHL Top Prospects Game will be held in Windsor this season. Bob Duff of the Windsor Star has that story right here.
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MONDAY:
The Medicine Hat Tigers erased a 4-2 first-period deficit with nine straight goals en route to a 12-5 victory over the host Kamloops Blazers. F Emerson Etem had four goals and an assist for the Tigers (4-2-2-2), who finished a four-game B.C. swing at 1-1-1-1. Etem, a freshman from Long Beach, Calif., now has nine goals in 10 games. . . . Medicine Hat D Matthew Konan, who almost was a pre-game healthy scratch, was plus-7. . . . For the Blazers (7-2-2-0), it was the most goals they have ever surrendered in a home game. . . . The Blazers’ afternoon can be summed up by the Tigers’ 11th goal. Medicine Hat was killing a penalty when it cleared the puck into the Kamloops zone. Etem raced in after the puck and G Jon Groenheyde charged out of his net in an attempt to get their first. Referee Derek Zalaski, skating backwards into the zone, checked Groenheyde off the puck, leaving Etem an easy fourth goal. . . . The Blazers have 16 points after 11 games, and only six times in franchise history has the team gotten off to a better start (1982-83 and 1989-90, each 20 points; 1987-88, 1991-92, 1994-95, each 18 points; and 2001-02, 17 points). . . . Although G Ryan Holfeld’s name no longer appears on the Tigers’ roster on the WHL website, GM/head coach Willie Desjardins said the 20-year-old still is with the team. He is one of four 20-year-olds with the Tigers; the deadline to get down to three arrives on Thursday. . . . A source close to the Tigers said they are trying to find a place for Holfeld to play and have even spoken with AHL teams.
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In Chilliwack, the Vancouver Giants won a shootout for the first time in almost two years as they beat the Bruins, 2-1. . . . The Giants, who are 8-24 in shootouts, last won a shootout on Nov. 3, 2007, when they beat the Chiefs 2-1 in Spokane. Between victories, the Giants lost nine shootouts in a row. . . . Vancouver is 7-2-0-2, while the Bruins are 2-5-0-2. . . . The Giants won the shootout 2-0 on goals by F James Henry — he is 4-for-4 in his career — and G Craig Cunningham. . . . Attendance was 3,055.
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In Edmonton, the Brandon Wheat Kings halted a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . F Michael Ferland scored his first WHL goal for Brandon (5-4-0-1), while F Brayden Schenn had his first goal of the season and set up another. . . . The Oil Kings are 5-3-0-2.
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In Swift Current, the Broncos got off to a 3-0 lead as they dumped the Kootenay Ice, 3-1. . . . The Broncos held a 38-17 edge in shots. . . . The Broncos (6-4-0-0) are 6-1-0-0 at home, while the Ice (4-7-0-0) is 2-5-0-0 on the road. . . . The Ice went 2-4-0-0 on a six-game swing. . . . The Ice may be without F Dustin Sylvester this weekend. He has whiplash and will be re-evaluated early in the week. D Peter Senkerik (shoulder) has missed two games.