Tuesday . . .

The Central league’s Rapid City Rush has its brother act back and intact. The AHL’s Manitoba Moose has returned F Derek LeBlanc (Brandon, Calgary, 2003-06) to the Rush where he joins brother Devon (Red Deer, Prince Albert, Seattle, 2004-09). Derek picked up one assist in nine games with the Winnipeg-based Moose. . . . And, now that you mention it, I did own their uncle, Sheldon, who fancied himself as something of a goaltender back in the day in the wilds of northern Manitoba.
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Condolences to Kevin Kaminski, the director of hockey operations and head coach of the Central league’s Mississippi RiverKings on the death of his mother. Victoria Kaminski passed away Saturday in Churchbridge, Sask. She was 64. . . . “They helped me run my golf tournament for 13 years for minor hockey, ball, swimming pool, elementary and high school, and so on," Kaminski said of his parents in a statement issued by the RiverKings. "All of the money went back to the community to help build, buy and repair everything. They just helped out in every way possible. She was a sports mom. She drove her three kids to every sports event possible and we played every sport possible. She did everything for sports. I don't think her and dad have missed one game on the CHL computer. They loved to watch sports." . . . A prayer service has been scheduled for Friday, 7 p.m., and funeral mass will be said on Saturday, 11 a.m. . . . Friends and fans may send expressions of condolences to: The Kaminski Family, Box 144, 128 Sunset Drive, Churchbridge SK, S0A 0M0.
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About that rumour that had D Travis Ehrhardt perhaps returning to the Portland Winterhawks. Don’t know where you might have read that but he has been reassigned from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleyes, who are preparing to play three games in three nights this weekend. He had one assist and 13 penalty minutes in eight games with the Griffins but had been scratched from each of the last seven games.
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TUESDAY:

In Portland, Regina imports Tomas Hrcina and Hampus Gustafsson scored two goals each to lead the Pats to a 6-3 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Hrcina, from Slovakia, and Gustafsson, from Sweden, each has four goals this season. . . . Swiss F Nino Niederreiter scored three times for Portland. He has 13 goals this season. . . . Attendance was 1,921. . . . Regina D Brandon Davidson had three assists and was plus-4. . . . Regina (14-11-3-0) is 3-0 on its six-game road wing, including two straight victories in the U.S. Division. The Pats are 4-0-1-0 in their last five and are up to sixth in the Eastern Conference, four points out of third. . . . Portland is 16-11-0-0 and has lost three in a row. . . . Regina F Brett Leffler left in the third period with a knee injury. He is doubtful for Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Thunderbirds of Kent. . . . The Pats were without F Jordan Eberle and D Colten Teubert, and the Winterhawks were missing D Brett Ponich. They were in Victoria practising with the WHL team that will play a Russian team there on Wednesday night. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that the Pats appealed to the WHL, wanting Eberle and Teubert to play with them in Portland and then fly to Victoria for Wednesday’s game. The WHL, however, denied the request. . . . Eberle and Teubert also will miss Regina’s game against the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Wednesday night. . . . “For their part,” Harder wrote on his blog, Slap Shots, “Teubert and Eberle disagreed with the league's decision. Although both players said they were honoured to represent Team WHL, they didn’t think they should have to miss two games to do it.”
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Three top-end players will be missing Wednesday when the Spokane Chiefs meet the Silvertips in Everett. . . . Spokane will be without F Levko Koper and D Jared Cowen, while Everett will be minus F Byron Froese. . . . They will be playing for the WHL in Victoria. . . . The game has some significance because Spokane F Kyle Beach spent two-plus seasons stirring things up on behalf of the Silvertips before being dealt to the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who sent him to Spokane earlier this season. . . . Everett is expected to have D Ryan Murray, 16, back in its lineup. Murray, a top prospect, has been out since Oct. 17 with a broken thumb. . . . Everett F Cameron Abney has missed two games for disciplinary reasons -- he was late for the second time this season. He should be in the lineup Wednesday.
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In case you missed it, the WHL’s Christmas shopping fund has been increased by $1,750 in recent days. The Kootenay Ice, Red Deer Rebels and Vancouver Giants all tossed in $500 after being involved in their second multiple-fight situations of the season, while the Saskatoon Blades are in for $250 after being involved in their first such incident.
Hmmm, I wonder what the commish wants for Christmas?