Friday . . .

The Brandon Wheat Kings have assigned F Wheaton King, 17, to the midget AAA Wheat Kings. A sixth-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft, King has a goal in 10 WHL games this season. . . . The Wheat Kings now are carrying 24 players, including seven defencemen and 15 forwards.
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D Stefan Ulmer of the Spokane Chiefs is on the Austrian national junior team’s preliminary roster for the World Junior Championship. Ulmer, 19, will join the Austrian team after the Chiefs’ final pre-Christmas game on Dec. 18. A year ago, Ulmer was selected as the best defenceman in the IIHF Group B World Junior Championship as Austria finished first and won promotion to Group A for the first time since 2004.
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F Cam Brown (Brandon, 1987-90) has been selected as an inductee for the ECHL Hall of Fame. Brown is the first inductee from the Gwinnett Gladiators organization. He played three seasons there (2003-06) before retiring. He was the ECHL’s all-time leader in penalty minutes (2,425) and games played (789). . . . He did get to the NHL for one game, near the end of 1990-91, recording seven penalty minutes with the Vancouver Canucks. . . .. He also played six seasons with the ECHL’s Baton Rouge Kingfish, where he was a real fan favourite. . . . The Gladiators have retired his number (44). . . . He will be inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame on Jan. 20 in Ontario, Calif., during the ECHL All-Star Game celebrations.
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Also going into the ECHL Hall of Fame will be G Olaf Kolzig, who played with the New Westminster Bruins/Tri-City Americans (1987-90) and now is one of the Americans’ owners. Kolzig will be the first inductee in the Developmental Player category. He played 21 regular-season and three playoff games with the Hampton Road Admirals in 1990-91 and 14 regular-season games in 1991-92 before going on to a stellar NHL career.
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If you’re in the Regina area on Saturday, Dec. 12, you may want to consider taking in a concussion awareness seminar that is scheduled for the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza.
It’s not often that I will post an entire press release here, but this one, from Hockey Canada, is about a rather worthwhile seminar:
CALGARY – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund and Think First Canada, is hosting a concussion awareness seminar at the Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza in Regina, Sask. on Saturday, Dec. 12.
Physicians, coaches, managers, trainers, parents, players over 16 years of age, nurses, therapists, chiropractors and dentists are invited to attend the seminar free of charge to discuss issues relating to concussions, such as diagnosis, treatment and management of concussions, return to play guidelines and protective equipment.
A number of speakers will be a part of the seminar, including:
· Dr. Pat Bishop – kinesiologist, Canadian Standards Association
· Karen Decker – Hockey Canada Safety Program
· Paul Dennis – advanced sport psychology instructor, University of Toronto and York University
· Dr. Chris Ekong – clinical professor of surgery (neurosurgery), University of Saskatchewan, and head of division of neurosurgery, Regina Health Region, Think First Canada
· Gary Fisch – registered practicing nurse, Penetang Mental Health Centre, and master course conductor, Hockey Canada trainer’s program
· Dr. Michael Nicholls – Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine
· Dr. Paul Piccininni – dentist, International Ice Hockey Federation
· Dr. Jason Smith – orthopedic surgeon, Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Blue Jays
· Dr. Charles Tator – neurosurgeon, Think First Canada
· Dr. Howard Winston – Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine
In addition, former NHLer Jamie Heward will speak at the seminar. A Regina native, Heward suffered six concussions during his pro career and knows all too well the repercussions concussions can cause if not properly diagnosed and treated.
There is no charge to attend the seminar.
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Bob Molinaro of the Hampton Roads Virginian Pilot has his take on the Tiger situation right here, and it's well worth your time.
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FRIDAY:
In Vancouver, the Calgary Hitmen scored three second-period goals and went on to a 5-4 victory over the Giants. . . . The Hitmen are 2-0 in Vancouver, having won 2-0 there on Oct. 30. . . . After F Garry Nunn got Vancouver (18-10-1-2) on the board early in the first period, the Hitmen struck for four straight goals. F Kris Foucault scored on the PP at 13:59 of the first and F Del Cowan, F Misha Fisenko, who also had two assists, and F Ian Schultz added second-period goals for Calgary. Fisenko had 28 points in 60 games with the Giants last season. He was traded to Calgary for a 2011 seventh-round draft pick. . . . F James Henry scored twice to get Vancouver to within one, at 4-3, but F Brandon Kozun got his 16th goal at 15:41 and that was the winner. Kozun leads the WHL with 56 points. . . . Vancouver D Kevin Connauton added a PP goal at 19:54. . . . Attendance was 7,549. . . . Nunn has three goals in four games since returning from a broken leg. . . . The Giants have lost four of their last five home games. . . . Calgary (22-8-1-0) has won three in a row and is 13-5-1-0 on the road. The victory kept the Hitmen tied with the Saskatoon Blades for first place overall. . . . The loss, combined with Tri-City’s 7-0 victory over the host Kamloops Blazers, allowed the Americans to move into first in the Western Conference, a point ahead of the Giants.
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In Kamloops, G Drew Owsley stopped 19 shots for the shutout and LW Johnny Lazo had three goals as the Tri-City Americans dropped the Blazers, 7-0. . . . It was Lazo’s second WHL hat trick. The first? It came on Nov. 1, 2008, when he scored two PP goals and a shorthanded effort in a 5-4 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Americans (20-8-0-0) moved into first place in the Western Conference with the victory. They had lost three of four and were 5-5-0-0 in their last 10. . . . C Brendan Shinnimin set up all three of Lazo’s goals, while RW Adam Hughesman was in on two of them. . . . Lazo has 14 goals this season. . . . The Blazers (12-15-2-2) had beaten the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings 5-0 on Wednesday. . . . Attendance was 4,017. . . . The Americans have won each of their last four games in Kamloops.
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In Kelowna, F Geordie Wudrick’s two goals helped the Rockets to a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Wudrick has 13 goals this season, including five in seven games with Kelowna, which acquired him from the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Rockets (15-14-1-0) have won four of their last five games. . . . F Tomas Vincour had both Edmonton goals. . . . The Oil Kings (8-15-4-4) have lost seven in a row. . . . Attendance was 6,155.
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In Lethbridge, F Adam Kambeitz had two goals and an assist to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Kambeitz has four goals this season. . . . Lethbridge F Mitch Maxwell tied the score 3-3 at 9:26 of the third period. . . . Red Deer (14-14-0-0) got the winner from F Brett Ferguson, his eighth, at 11:19. . . . Attendance was 3,958. . . . The Hurricanes slipped to 9-16-3-1. . . . Ugly weather meant it took the Rebels 5 1/2 hours to get to Red Deer. The Rebels also spent the night in Lethbridge and were to return home Saturday morning to face the Saskatoon Blades at night.
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In Prince Albert, the Brandon Wheat Kings erased an early 2-0 deficit and went on to beat the Raiders, 5-2. . . . Brandon (19-11-0-2) got two goals and an assist from F Aaron Lewadniuk as it won for the sixth time in seven outings. . . . The Raiders, who won the first two games with Brandon, had won four straight. . . . Brandon D Colby Robak had three assists. . . . Brandon G Jacob De Serres stopped 35 shots, two fewer than P.A.’s Garrett Zemlak. . . . The Raiders are 11-5-1-2 since Oct. 20. . . . Attendance was 2,217. . . . Brandon F Toni Rajala, who had a goal and was plus-4, found out earlier in the day that he will play for Finland at the World Junior Championship. He will join the Finnish team Dec. 20 in Calgary. He had three points in six games for Finland at last winter’s tournament.
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In Portland, F Ryan Johansen scored one goal and set up three others as the Winterhawks dropped the Everett Silvertips, 5-3. . . . Everett (16-10-1-0) led this one 3-2 when D Chris de la Lande scored his first goal of the season at 5:15 of the third period. . . . F Brad Ross pulled Portland even at 6:04 and D Eric Doyle put the Winterhawks in front on the PP at 14:42. . . . Johansen added an empty-net goal, his ninth score this season. . . . The Winterhawks, who won 19 games all of last season, are 19-12-0-0. . . . Highly touted D Ryan Murray scored his first WHL goal for Everett to open the scoring. Murray, 16, has 13 points and is plus-20 in 13 games. . . . Ross and F Nino Niederreiter had a goal and two assists each for Portland. . . . G Mac Carruth stopped 19 shots for Portland, while Everett’s Kent Simpson turned aside 35. . . . Attendance in the Rose Garden was 4,672.
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In Prince George, the Cougars scored four goals in the game’s last 14 minutes and beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-1. . . . Ice F Joe Antilla scored the game’s first goal, shorthanded, at 5:31 of the third period. . . . F James Dobrowolski had a goal and two assists for the Cougars (5-21-1-1), scoring at 6:10 and drawing assists on goals at 10:58 and 14:07. . . . Czech F Jaroslav Vlach’s first WHL goal, at 10:58, stood up as the winner. . . . Prince George G Hudson Stremmel stopped 31 shots to earn his first WHL victory. He is 1-8-0-0. . . . The Ice (15-14-1-1) ended up going 4-1-0-0 in their five-game swing through the B.C. Division. . . . Attendance was 2,082.
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In Spokane, D Jared Spurgeon and F Dominik Uher scored their first goals of the season to help the Chiefs to a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . F Kyle Beach added two goals for the Chiefs (17-8-2-0) and now has 20 on the season. . . . Spokane has won three in a row. . . . F Prab Rai got his 17th for Seattle (10-17-1-3). That tied the score 2-2 at 5:51 of the third period. . . . Uher, a Czech freshman, got the winner, his first WHL goal, at 16:27 after Seattle G Calvin Pickard mishandled the puck behind his net. . . . Attendance was 5,936.
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In Swift Current, F Matt Tassone scored his first two goals this season to help the Broncos to a 3-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . This was Tassone’s third game back after he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. . . . F Cody Eakin scored his WHL-leading 26th goal for the Broncos (16-13-0-2), who are 11-3-0-0 at home. . . . Tassone’s first goal, at 9:15 of the second period on the PP, stood up as the winner. He later added an empty-netter. . . . The Warriors got their goal from Czech F Jakub Herman, his first WHL goal. . . . G Mark Friesen, making his first start since the Broncos acquired him from the Chilliwack Bruins, stopped 27 shots. . . . Moose Jaw G Jeff Bosch made 43 saves. . . . The Warriors (16-12-1-1), who have lost six of seven, and Broncos now are tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference. . . . Attendance was 2,093.
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In Medicine Hat, F Derek Hulak’s shootout goal gave the Saskatoon Blades a 2-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . The Tigers had taken a 1-0 lead on F Bretton Cameron’s 23rd goal, on the PP, at 13:47 of the third period. That also was the Teddy Bear goal. . . . The Blades tied it when F Burke Gallimore got his 10th goal at 19:36. . . . .The Tigers shot first in the circus and Hulak, the eighth shooter, was the only one to have success. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers announced that their Dusters for Dollars promotion raised $12,520.25 for the Canadian Cancer Society. As part of that promotion, GM/head coach Willie Desjardins shaved off his moustache. The Medicine Hat News reports that Desjardins is “doing his best to grow it back.”