The Swift Current Broncos think they have a problem — one of their loyal fans makes too much noise. Allison Werbowetsky of the Prairie Post has that story right here. . . . By the way, any guesses as to where the Broncos will play their first-round playoff games, should they make the grade? It seems that the favourite right now is Lethbridge, which is only fitting seeing as the Broncos once called that Alberta city home. . . . The Broncos won’t be able to use their home arena as it will be playing host to the world women’s curling championship.
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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-Calgary (7) 45-17-1-2-93
dx-Saskatoon (7) 43-15-3-4-93
x-Brandon (6) 44-18-1-3-92
x-Kootenay (6) 39-22-3-2-83
x-Red Deer (7) 38-23-0-4-80
Medicine Hat (6) 35-23-3-5-78
Moose Jaw (8) 31-24-4-5-71
Swift Current (6) 33-29-0-4-70
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Prince Albert (7) 30-30-3-2-65
Regina (6) 27-32-3-4-61
x — clinched playoff spot.
Sunday: No games scheduled.
Monday: No games scheduled.
Tuesday: Prince Albert at Calgary; Moose Jaw at Lethbridge; Regina at Swift Current.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
dx-Tri-City (7) 44-18-1-2-91
dx-Vancouver (6) 39-22-2-3-83
x-Everett (7) 41-19-3-2-87
x-Spokane (7) 40-21-3-1-84
x-Portland (6) 40-23-2-1-83
x-Kelowna (6) 30-30-2-4-66
x-Kamloops (5) 30-31-2-4-66
x-Chilliwack (6) 29-31-1-5-64
x — clinched playoff spot.
Sunday: Tri-City 6 at Seattle 3; Prince George 2 at Portland 3.
Monday: No games scheduled.
Tuesday: Everett at Kamloops; Tri-City at Portland.
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SUNDAY:
In Kent, Wash., D Zach Yuen scored his first WHL goal to help the Tri-City Americans to a 6-3 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Yuen was the 22nd overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft. The goal came in his 39th WHL game, 35 of which have been played this season. . . . F Sergei Drozd set up three goals for the winners, who got a goal and two assists from Brooks Macek. . . . Tri-City was 3-for-5 on the PP; the Thunderbirds were 1-for-4. . . . The Americans have won six of eight games with the Thunderbirds this season. . . . Attendance was 3,577. . . . The Thunderbirds dressed only 17 skaters, one under the maximum. They were without D Brendan Dillon, who was knocked wobbly by a hit from Portland F Stefan Schneider during the Winterhawks’ 3-2 shootout victory on Saturday. Dillon was helped to the dressing room after the hit and didn’t return. Schneider wasn’t penalized on the play. . . . The Thunderbirds also were without D Erik Fleming (shoulder), F Prab Rai (flu) and D Jeremy Schappert (ankle). And they lost F Brandon Troock (hip) early in the game.
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In Portland, the Winterhawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and hung on for a 3-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Winterhawks got goals from F Ryan Johansen, his 22nd, F Brad Ross (24) and F Nino Niederreiter (34). . . . Ross also drew two assists. . . . F James Dobrowolski scored two PP goals for the Cougars, one at 1:38 of the second period and the other at 8:35 of the third. He has 17. . . . The Cougars were 2-for-10 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 0-for-5. . . . F Alex Rodgers had two assists for the Cougars, who have lost 10 in a row. . . . Portland G Ian Curtis stopped 50 shots, 17 more than Prince George’s Hudson Stremmel. . . . Attendance at Memorial Coliseum was 2,504. . . . The Winterhawks won their 40th game of the season — they won 47 games combined over the last three seasons. The last time the Winterhawks won 40 games was in 1997-98, when they put up 53 victories and went on to win the Memorial Cup. . . . The Wintehawks honoured former star Cam Neely, who took part in a ceremonial faceoff. Neely now is a vice-president with the Boston Bruins. Peter Chiarelli, the Bruins’ general manager, also was on hand. . . . Scott Sepich of The Oregonian reports: “After the final whistle, Portland’s Luke Walker and Prince George’s Nick Buonassisi squared off in a corner as the two benches emptied to engage in a showdown at center ice. But after some pushing and shoving, order was restored and the teams skated off to their respective dressing rooms.” . . . No cha-ching from this one!