Thursday . . .

An update issued earlier Thursday by the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers:
“Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ben Fanelli has been moved from I.C.U. to a private room in Hamilton General Hospital. His medical status remains unchanged. Medical testing continues and a no visitor policy is in effect.
“The Fanelli family and the Rangers organization again thank the many people who have expressed their concerns and wishes for Ben's recovery. If you wish to send cards or messages, those may be dropped off to the Kitchener Rangers office or emailed to info@kitchenerrnagers.com.
“Further updates will be made by the Kitchener Rangers when they become available.”
Fanelli, who was injured on Oct. 30, was upgraded from critical but stable condition to serious condition on Wednesday.
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F Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) of the Utah Grizzlies is the ECHL’s Reebok player of the month for October. He led the ECHL with nine goals, three of them game-winners, in five games. He totalled 14 points in those five games. He had three or more points in four of the games. . . . In 229 ECHL games over six seasons, he has 307 points. That includes 269 points in 187 games with Utah. He also became Utah’s all-time leading scorer when he notched his 112th goal on Oct. 24. . . . And he is nine points shy of Chris Taylor’s franchise record for career points (278).
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F Randall Gelech (Kelowna, 2000-04) has signed with the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings. Gelech, who has played in 75 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins over the previous two seasons, played 56 games for the AHL’s Rochester Americans last season. . . . The Salmon Kings placed him on the three-day injury list Thursday.
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And now for something completely different. . . . Right here is a look into the love life of Ottawa Senators F Mike Fisher.
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The Prince Albert Raiders will play three road games in as many nights this weekend. Which isn’t all that unusual. But consider the Raiders’ weekend travel schedule. . . . They left Prince Albert on Thursday and headed to Regina where they checked into a hotel that will be their home away from home until Sunday. . . . The Raiders will travel to Brandon on Friday and play the Wheat Kings, then bus back to the Regina hotel. . . . On Saturday, they will head for Saskatoon -- which, now that you mention it, is just down the road from Prince Albert -- for a game with the Blades. Then it’s back to the hotel in Regina. . . . On Sunday, the Raiders will vacate the hotel, play the Pats and then return home. . . . The Raiders (9-8-0-1) earned nine points on a five-game homestand and now play eight of 10 on the road where they are 1-6-0-0.
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The Prince George Cougars open a six-game East Division tour Friday night against the Broncos (9-9-0-1) in Swift Current. . . . The Cougars (3-12-0-1) are without sniper Brett Connolly (hip flexor), who didn’t make the trip and will be out at least another two weeks.
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A note from TSN on Thursday, informing us that it “will be the exclusive Canadian home to ESPN’s critically acclaimed 30 FOR 30 film project - featuring some of Hollywood’s finest filmmakers creating documentaries centered on the last 30 years in sports.” . . . According to TSN, “Highlighting the 30 FOR 30 documentaries on TSN is filmmaker Peter Berg’s KINGS RANSOM. The one-hour documentary explores the effects of the shocking trade of Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988.” . . . You can watch for Kings Ransom on Nov. 18, at 4:30 p.m. Pacific (7:30 p.m. Eastern), prior to the telecast of a game between the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche.
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The Central league’s Amarillo Gorillas have signed F Jason Beeman (Tri-City, 2001-06). Beeman, 24, played for the China Sharks of the Asian league last season.
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The NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes have recalled F Zach Boychuk (Lethbridge, 2005-09) from the AHL’s Albany River Rats. He could play Friday against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. Boychuk, 20, had nine points, four of them goals, in 12 games with Albany. . . . Boychuk, the 14th overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft, actually made his NHL debut last season when he played two games in October before being returned to Lethbridge.
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The Saskatoon Blades (15-3-0-2) put their seven-game winning streak on the line Friday night when they meet the Pats in Regina. The Blades, who are 9-1-0-0 in their last 10 outings and are 3-0-0-1 against the Pats this season, will start G Adam Morrison in that one. Regina has won three in a row at home. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford will get the start Saturday against the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. The Blades acquired Stanford from the Raiders last month.
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Eleven players off the Chilliwack Bruins received H1N1 vaccinations on Monday. But the team’s doctor denies that the players jumped the queue. Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress has that story right here.
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The AJHL’s Brooks Bandits have named Ryan Papaioannou as general manager and head coach. The club’s assistant GM/assistant coach when the season started, he replaces Brian Curran, who was fired Oct. 16.
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The Phoenix Coyotes recalled D David Schlemko (Medicine Hat, 2004-07) from the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage on Thursday. He played, and picked up an assist, in the Coyotes’ 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. He got into three games and earned an assist with the Coyotes last season.
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So much for F Moises Gutierrez playing for his hometown team. Gutierrez (Kamloops, Everett, 2002-07) was claimed by the ECHL’s Johnston Chiefs off waivers from his hometown Alaska Aces. Gutierrez signed with the Aces last week, played almost 10 minutes on Friday night against the Idaho Steelheads, was hit with a major penalty and game misconduct for interference, and was suspended for the next two games. He is expected to play for the Chiefs when they visit Cincinnati on Friday.
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Attendance in the QMJHL is down 3.9 per cent, to this point in the season. The QMJHL press release on that is right here.
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And here’s a belated Happy, Happy Birthday to Ernie (Punch) McLean, who turned 77 on Tuesday. This one had to be special after his excellent adventure over the summer. Well done, Punch, and may you have many more!