Friday . . .

Have to agree with this from Brandon Sun sports editor James Shewaga: “As for the Canadian women’s team’s celebrations, while we absolutely don’t condone underage drinking — one 18-year-old team member was photographed with a beer on the ice — the criticism seems a little overblown. Afterall, when the pride of Russell, Jon Montgomery, chugged from a pitcher of beer after his dramatic gold-medal victory in men’s skeleton, nobody said a thing — and rightly so. Seems like a bit of a double standard to throw Canada’s women’s team under the bus for its well-earned celebration.”
Allow me to add that the photo of Canada’s Gillian Apps, a Molson product in one hand and a victory cigar in her mouth, just may be the sports photo of the year.
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James Lawton of The Independent may be the best wordsmith among sports journalists in the world today. Do yourself a favour and give this a read.
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The Spokane Chiefs have named the Top 25 Chiefs in 25 Years, with 16 of those players in attendance for Friday night’s game against the Prince George Cougars.
Four players from the 2009-10 team — Jared Cowen, Tyler Johnson, Jared Spurgeon and Mitch Wahl — made the grade.
Here’s the list, which comprises two goaltenders, seven defencemen and 16 forwards (fans had the opportunity to to vote, while other factors included career achievements, honours and team success):
27-Drayson Bowman (05-09)
12- Chris Bruton (04-08)
20-Valeri Bure (91-94)
10-Brandin Cote (96-02)
2-Jared Cowen (06-10)
15-Justin Falk (05-08)
19-Pat Falloon (88-91)
15-Brent Gilchrist (85-87)
18-Travis Green (86-90)
9-Tyler Johnson (07-10)
37-Trevor Kidd (90-91)
4-Jon Klemm (88-91)
20-Greg Leeb (94-98)
4-Bryan McCabe (92-95)
17-Jason Podollan (91-96)
11-Derek Ryan (03-07)
34-Kurt Sauer (99-02)
25-Kevin Sawyer (92-95)
25- Derek Schutz (94-00)
18-Jared Spurgeon (05-10)
34-Dustin Tokarski (06-09)
17-Kerry Toporowski (89-91)
14-Mitch Wahl (05-10)
4-Trent Whitfield (93-98)
14-Ray Whitney (88-91)
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The Brandon Wheat Kings learned Friday that they will be without D Ryley Miller, 17, for an indefinite period. Miller will undergo surgery after suffering a broken jaw when he was struck by a puck during practice on Thursday afternoon in Brandon. . . . With Miller out, the Wheat Kings were able to dress only 17 skaters, one under the maximum, for Friday’s game against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. Brandon F Aaron Lewadniuk (shoulder) was in uniform, although that hadn’t been anticipated as late as Thursday. . . . In 60 games, Miller had five assists and a team-high 124 penalty minutes. . . . The Wheat Kings also are without injured players Michael Ferland (hand), Paul Ciarelli (thumb) and Mark Stone (concussion).
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Cam Neely will take part in a ceremonial faceoff prior to Sunday’s game between the Portland Winterhawks and the visiting Prince George Cougars at Memorial Coliseum. Neely, a Hockey Hall of Famer, played with the Memorial Cup-champion Winterhawks in 1982-83. He scored three goals in the Memorial Cup final, an 8-3 victory over the OHL’s Oshawa Generals. He started the 1983-84 season with the Winterhawks, but after 19 games (and 26 points) he joined the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. (Don’t ask Canucks fans about is NHL career.) A Hall of Famer since 2005, Neely works with the Boston Bruins as a vice-president in their hockey operations department.
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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)
dx-Saskatoon (8) 43-14-3-4-93
dx-Calgary (8) 44-17-1-2-91
x-Brandon (8) 43-18-1-3-90
x-Kootenay (7) 39-21-3-2-83
Red Deer (8) 37-23-0-4-78
Medicine Hat (7) 35-22-3-5-78
Moose Jaw (9) 30-24-4-5-69
Swift Current (7) 32-29-0-4-68
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Prince Albert (8) 30-29-3-2-65
Regina (7) 26-32-3-4-59
x — clinched playoff spot.
Friday: Chilliwack 0 at Brandon 3; Vancouver 0 at Moose Jaw 2; Prince Albert 0 at Saskatoon 5; Regina 4 at Swift Current 6; Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 5; Calgary 4 at Red Deer 2.
Saturday: Prince Albert at Brandon; Kelowna at Calgary; Red Deer at Edmonton; Lethbridge at Kootenay; Kamloops at Medicine Hat; Chilliwack at Moose Jaw; Regina at Saskatoon; Vancouver at Swift Current.
Sunday: No games scheduled.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
dx-Tri-City (9) 43-17-1-2-89
dx-Vancouver (7) 39-21-2-3-83
x-Everett (8) 40-19-3-2-85
x-Spokane (8) 39-21-3-1-82
x-Portland (8) 38-23-2-1-79
x-Kelowna (7) 30-29-2-4-66
x-Chilliwack (7) 29-30-1-5-64
x-Kamloops (6) 29-31-2-4-64
x — clinched playoff spot.
Friday: Chilliwack 0 at Brandon 3; Vancouver 0 at Moose Jaw 2; Kelowna 4 at Edmonton 0; Tri-City 4 at Everett 3 (SO); Kamloops 4 at Lethbridge 3 (OT); Prince George 1 at Spokane 5.
Saturday: Kelowna at Calgary; Prince George at Everett; Kamloops at Medicine Hat; Chilliwack at Moose Jaw; Portland at Seattle; Tri-City at Spokane; Vancouver at Swift Current.
Sunday: Tri-City at Seattle; Prince George at Portland.
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FRIDAY:
In Everett, F Brendan Shinnimin and F Kruise Reddick scored shootout goals to give the Tri-City Americans a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Attendance was 7,015. . . . The Silvertips had won four in a row. . . . The Americans have won five of eight games in the season series. . . . The Americans led 2-0 early in the second period. . . . The Silvertips scored three third-period goals, taking a 3-2 lead on F Scott MacDonald’s sixth goal at 18:21. . . . Shinnimin forged a 3-3 tie at 19:29 of the third with his second goal and 27th of the season. . . . Tri-City G Alex Pechurskiy stopped 40 shots, 17 more than Everett’s Thomas Heemskerk. . . . Everett, which is 6-2 in shootouts, got two goals and an assist from F Clayton Cumiskey. . . . Two referees — Matt Kirk and Devin Klein — handed out two minor penalties to each team. . . . The Americans were without F Todd Kennedy, who remains under indefinite suspension while the WHL looks into a hit on Portland D Eric Doyle on Tuesday night.
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In Brandon, G Jacob De Serres stopped 25 shots as the Wheat Kings snapped a two-game skid with a 3-0 victory over the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . De Serres has two shutouts this season and nine in his career. . . . F Brayden Schenn scored his 27th goal at 15:45 of the first period. . . . F Tony Rajala added two more, giving him 25, in the third period. . . . F Aaron Lewadniuk, who has been nursing a shoulder injury, had two assists to run his point streak to 15 games. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 41 shots. . . . The Bruins are 3-2-0-0 in their East Division tour. . . . Attendance was 4,480.
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In Edmonton, G Adam Brown stopped 24 shots as his Kelowna Rockets beat the Oil Kings, 4-0. . . . Brown put up the fifth shutout of his season and the seventh of his career. . . . The Bloodoff brothers each scored in this one, Lucas getting his 13th on the PP at 12:34 of the first period and Evan getting his first at 16:32 of the third. Evan was playing in his second game since returning from September knee surgery. . . . Edmonton G Cam Lanigan stopped 49 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,204. . . . The Oil Kings went into this game having won four in a row, while the Rockets had lost five straight.
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In Lethbridge, F Jordan DePape scored on the PP at 2:44 of OT to give the Kamloops Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . With the victory, the Blazers clinched a playoff spot, meaning the eight Western Conference playoff teams have been decided. . . . Lethbridge F Cam Braes scored twice, including the tying goal at 19:10 of the third period with G Linden Rowat on the bench for the sixth attacker. . . . Braes has 22 goals. . . . Kamloops G Jon Groenheyde stopped 39 shots, while Rowat turned aside 31. . . . Attendance was 3,794.
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In Medicine Hat, F Tristan King scored twice as the Tigers beat the Kootenay Ice, 5-3. . . . King’s third goal, at 11:07 of the third period, broke a 3-3 tie. . . . F Bretton Cameron, with his 34th, added an empty-netter. . . . F Linden Vey had a goal, his 23rd, and two assists for the Tigers. . . . F Matt Fraser had two goals for the Ice. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers had lost seven of their last nine.
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In Moose Jaw, G Jeff Bosch stopped 36 shots to lead the Warriors to a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Bosch has five shutouts this season and seven in his career. . . . F Spencer Edwards’ 17th goal, shorthanded at 10:53 of the first period, stood up as the winner. . . . The Warriors had lost three of four going into this one, while the Giants had been 8-0-1-1 in their last 10. . . . Attendance was 2,219. . . . By the way, Vancouver has clinched its fifth straight B.C. Division. Only one other team in WHL history has won five consecutive division titles (Kamloops Blazers, 1983-88).
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In Red Deer, the Calgary Hitmen erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals as they beat the Rebels, 4-2. . . . D Matt MacKenzie and F Brandon Kozun each had three assists for Calgary. . . . Kozun has 91 points, one off the WHL lead that is shared by F Jordan Eberle and F Jordan Weal, both of the Regina Pats, and F Craig Cunningham of the Vancouver Giants. . . . Attendance was 5,346. . . . The Rebels, who have lost four of five meetings with Calgary, had won their last three games.
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In Saskatoon, G Adam Morrison turned aside 32 shots in helping the Blades to a 5-0 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Blades got two goals and an assist from F Josh Nicholls, who has 16 goals, and a goal and two helpers from F Marek Viedensky. . . . Attendance was 5,672.
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In Spokane, F Tyler Johnson scored three times for the second time in his WHL career to lead the Chiefs to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Johnson has 31 goals, four more than he scored last season. . . . Attendance was 8,517. . . . The Cougars have lost eight in a row. . . . The Chiefs lost F Dominik Uher with a boarding major and game misconduct in the second period.
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In Swift Current, F Michael Stickland had two goals and two assists to lead the Broncos to a 6-4 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Stickland has 20 goals. . . . F Cody Eakin got his 42nd goal for the Broncos, who had lost two in a row. . . . F Jordan Eberle got his 43rd for the Pats, who have lost three in a row and now are nine points out of a playoff spot with seven games remaining. . . . The Broncos were 3-for-7 on the PP; Regina was 1-for-6. . . . Attendance was 2,287.