Friday . . .

There is at least one report out there that has Calgary-based businessman Bill Gallacher, the owner of the Portland Winterhawks, interested in purchasing the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Dave Shoalts of The Globe and Mail has that story right here.
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Referee Graham Skilliter is resting at home in Saskatoon after suffering concussion in game Wednesday in Kelowna. He was injured during overtime of the Rockets’ 5-4 shootout victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. Skillter went down following a collision with Kelowna F Brandon McMillan. The official was taken from the ice surface on a stretcher and spent the night in hospital. He returned to Saskatoon on Friday and will be out of action indefinitely.
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Got a note today from a frequent reader of this blog who hails from Snow Lake, Man. Quick now! Name the former Winnipeg Jets player who is from Snow Lake. Hint: He played for the Flin Flon Bombers. . . . If you said Ken Baird, go to the head of the class. . . . Anyway, here’s how the note read:
“I thought you might find this article interesting. I remember one of your pieces about Paul Kelly slamming the WHL about recruiting players so young. I know that this article is in regards to NCAA football and not hockey, but it seems that it is a bit hypocritical for Kelly to say one thing and this happen.”
He is referring to this story from SI.com.
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THE PLAYOFF CHASE
Teams in the running for playoff spots, showing games remaining (d — denotes division leaders, who are seeded one-two):
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
d-Brandon (16) 37-16-0-3-77
d-Calgary (19) 35-16-1-1-72
Saskatoon (19) 35-12-3-3-76
Kootenay (17) 34-17-2-2-72
Medicine Hat (15) 32-17-3-5-72
Red Deer (18) 30-20-0-4-64
Prince Albert (16) 28-23-3-2-61
Moose Jaw (19) 26-19-5-3-60
Swift Current (17) 27-25-0-3-57
Regina (17) 23-25-3-4-53
Friday: Kootenay 0 at Brandon 4; Red Deer 4 at Moose Jaw 3 (SO); Swift Current 2 at Prince Albert 1 (OT); Saskatoon 5 at Regina 4 (SO).
Saturday: Medicine Hat at Calgary; Kootenay at Regina; Brandon at Saskatoon; Red Deer at Swift Current.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
dx-Tri-City (20) 37-13-0-2-76
d-Vancouver (16) 33-20-1-2-69
Everett (18) 33-18-2-1-69
Portland (16) 33-20-2-1-69
Spokane (18) 31-19-3-1-66
Kelowna (16) 27-25-2-2-58
Kamloops (16) 25-25-2-4-56
Chilliwack (17) 24-25-1-4-54
x — clinched playoff spot.
Friday: Lethbridge 2 at Kelowna 3; Seattle 3 at Portland 6; Kamloops 1 at Spokane 5; Everett 0 at Vancouver 1.
Saturday: Kelowna at Chilliwack; Spokane at Everett; Lethbridge at Kamloops; Portland at Seattle.
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FRIDAY:
The Brandon Wheat Kings took over first-place overall. . . . Loser points continue to figure in the Eastern Conference race in a big, big way. . . . Two members of the Kamloops Blazers set records. . . . There was a 1-0 game. . . . The Tri-City Americans didn’t play but became the first WHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season. . . .
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In Kelowna, F Geordie Wudrick borke a 2-2 tie with his 20th goal to give the Rockets a 3-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Wudrick has 12 goals and 10 assists in 22 games with the Rockets. He began the season with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Hurricanes (16-33-3-2) dressed only 15 skaters in losing their seventh straight game. . . . The Rockets have won eight in a row. . . . Lethbridge F Mitch Maxwell had tied the game 2-2 at 16:46 of the second. He has 24 goals. . . . Kelowna freshman F Shane McColgan got his 23rd goal earlier in the second period. . . . Lethbridge G Linden Rowat stopped 43 shots, while Kelowna’s Mark Guggenberger turned aside 22. . . . With Rowat on the bench for the extra attacker, Guggenberger went for the gusto, only to have his shot glance off the outside of the base of the left post. . . . “If it’s a two-goal game, you can stomach it a little bit more,” Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska told Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier. “But it almost cost us and those are things we get mad at players for. Yes, a two-goal game, have at it. But it’s tougher in that situation, but we ended up OK.” . . . .The Rockets were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Hurricanes were 0-for-1. . . . Attendance was 6,087.
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In Brandon, G Jacob De Serres stopped 16 shots for the shutout as the Wheat Kings blanked the Kootenay Ice, 4-0. . . . De Serres has one shutout this season and eight in his career. . . . F Aaron Lewadniuk, with his 28th goal, got Brandon on the board at 18:03 of the first period. . . . F Brayden Schenn and F Scott Glennie each added their 23rd of the season. . . . Brandon was 1-for-10 on the PP; the Ice was 0-for-5. . . . Ice G Todd Mathews stopped 28 shots. . . . Brandon has won seven in a row. . . . The had won its last four games and 18 of 20. . . . Attendance was 4,688.
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In Moose Jaw, F Willie Coetzee’s shootout goal gave the Red Deer Rebels a 4-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . Coetzee was the only skater to score during the shootout. . . . The Warriors forced OT with two late third-period goals, from F Thomas Frazee, his 19th, at 18:27, and F Quinton Howden, his 22nd, at 19:28. . . . F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored twice, giving the freshman 21 goals on the season. . . . Red Deer G Darcy Kuemper stopped 41 shots, five more than Moose Jaw’s Brandon Glover. . . . Attendance was 2,216. . . . The Warriors have lost seven of eight.
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In Prince Albert, F Matt Tassone’s overtime goal gave the Swift Current Broncos a 2-1 victory over the Raiders. . . . Tasson scored at 4:27 of extra time. It was his 11th goal of the season. . . . F Mark McNeil gave the home side a 1-0 lead with his eighth at 9:22 of the first period. . . . F Adam Lowry, with his 12th, tied it for the Broncos at 7:17 of the second. . . . Swift Current G Morgan Clark stopped 33 shots; Garrett Zemlak stopped 34 shots for the Raiders. . . . Each team was 0-for-4 on the PP. . . .. Attendance was 2,192. . . . . The Raiders had won seven in a row at home. . . . The Broncos had lost their previous two games.
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In Prince George, the Cougars halted a 13-game losing streak by beating the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-1. . . . The Cougars (10-40-1-2) scored the game’s first three goals, two of them on the PP. . . . The Cougars were 2-for-7 with the man advantage; the Oil Kings were 1-for-4. . . . Cougars G Hudson Stremmel stopped 33 shots, losing his shutout when F Michael St. Croix got his 12th goal at 18:29 of the second period. . . . F Spencer Asuchak had a goal, his eighth, and an assist for the Cougars. . . . Attendance was 1,905. . . . The Oil Kings (11-33-4-8) have lost 18 straight road games. . . . The teams play again Saturday in Prince George.
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In Regina, F Walker Wintoneak was the only one of 12 skaters to score in the shootout as the Saskatoon Blades edged the Pats, 5-4. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford stopped 31 shots through OT. Regina’s Damien Ketlo turned aside 37. . . . Regina F Jordan Eberle scored twice, giving him 38. He forced OT with a goal at 17:24 of the third period. . . . Regina has lost four in a row, three of them in shootouts. . . . The Blades went into this one having lost five of seven. . . . The Pats were 2-for-6 on the PP; the Blades were 0-for-5. . . . Attendance was 4,681.
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In Spokane, F Tyler Johnson scored two late second-period goals as the Chiefs dumped the Kamloops Blazers, 5-1. . . . Johnson’s goals allowed the Chiefs to stretch what had been a 2-1 lead. . . . Spokane F Mitch Wahl and F Kyle Beach each had three assists. . . . D Jared Spurgeon also scored twice for the Chiefs, who were 4-for-8 on the PP. Kamloops was 1-for-5. . . . F C.J. Stretch scored for Kamloops. Stretch set a franchise record by playing in his 325th career regular-season game with the Blazers. The previous record had been held by D Aaron Gionet (1998-2003). . . . Kamloops G Kurtis Mucha set the WHL career record for appearances with No. 234. That broke the record held by Kyle Moir (Swift Current, 2002-07). . . . Earlier, Mucha erased Moir’s WHL record for minutes played by a goaltender. Mucha also holds the CHL record for career minutes played. . . . The Chiefs have won four of five. . . . Kamloops F Chase Schaber was held out of the second-half of the game for precautionary reasons. He has a foot injury. . . . Attendance was 5,751.
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In Langley, B.C., F James Henry scored at 13:54 of the third period to give the Vancouver Giants a 1-0 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Everett D Rasmus Rissanen was off for roughing when Henry scored his 18th goal of the season. . . . The Giants were 1-for-3 on the PP; the Silvertips were 0-for-4. . . . Attendance was 4,492. . . . Vancouver G Mark Segal stopped 18 shots for his second WHL shutout, both this season. . . . Everett G Thomas Heemskerk turned aside 39 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,492. . . . The Giants have won four of five.
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In Portland, F Nino Niederreiter scored twice to help the Winterhawks to a 6-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds of Kent. . . . The Winterhawks have won all nine games with the Thunderbirds this season. . . . Niederreiter, a freshman from Switzerland, has 30 goals. . . . The Thunderbirds scored first when F Prab Rai got his 30th goal, shorthanded, at 19:;24 of the first period. . . . The Winterhawks got the next three goals. . . . The Winterhawks were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Thunderbirds were 1-for-3. . . . Thunderbirds G Calvin Pickard stopped 40 shots. Portland G Mac Carruth, making his fifth straight start, turned aside 18. . . . Portland F Chris Francis had two assists. In nine games against Seattle, he has eight goals and 10 helpers. . . . The Thunderbirds (14-30-5-4) have lost 10 in a row. . . . The loss meant that the Tri-City Americans, who lead the Western Conference, became the first WHL team to clinch a playoff spot. . . . Attendance in the Rose Garden was 9,018. . . . Portland and the Thunderbirds meet Saturday in Kent.