Thursday . . .

The 2010 Olympic Winter Games get started in Vancouver/Whistler on Friday and two members of the Vancouver Giants organization will start their day by carrying the Olympic torch. . . . F Craig Cunningham, 19, and Mac Stewart, a 15-year-old assistant equipment manager, will carry the torch on Lions Gate Bridge. Cunningham, who goes into weekend games as the WHL’s leading scorer, will be on the bridge just after 6 a.m. He will run and then hand off the torch to Stewart. . . . Cunningham is from Trail, B.C.; Stewart, a Grade 10 student, was born in Richmond and now lives in Delta.
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Spokane C Mitch Wahl has moved into a tie for third on the Chiefs’ all-time assists list. Wahl set up three goals in Wednesday’s 6-3 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors, giving him 166 career assists. That ties him with Travis Green, now the assistant GM/assistant coach with the Portland Winterhawks. Only Ray Whitney (207) and Pat Falloon (194) have more assists for the Chiefs. . . . Wahl has 259 career points, good for ninth on the Chiefs’ career list. . . . Wahl has put up 24 points, including nine goals, over his last 14 games.
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In Canadian university hockey, the U of New Brunswick Varisty Reds conclude their regular season with two games this weekend. If they win both, they would be 28-0 and become the first team in Canadian university men’s hockey history to run a 28-game regular-season table. The Varsity Reds are at home for both weekend games, Friday against St. Francis Xavier and Saturday against Dalhousie. The 26-0 mark includes seven one-goal decisions, with four of those coming in overtime. The Varsity Reds are coached by Gardiner MacDougall. Included on the roster are former WHLers Jonathan Harty, Daine Todd, Ben Wright, Bretton Stamler, Derek Yeomans, Kyle Bailey, Alex Aldred and Taylor Procyshen.
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The NHL’s Minnesota Wild has recalled F Cody Almond from the AHL’s Houston Aeros. Almond (Kelowna, 2005-09) had 15 points and 43 penalty minutes in 33 games with the Aeros. . . . In his last nine games, Almond put up 10 points. . . . The Wild selected Almond in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2007 draft.
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The SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks have made a coaching change. Colin O’Hara, the GM/head coach, has resigned, with assistant coach Duane Thorpe named interim head coach. O’Hara was in his second season with the Hawks. The Hawks went into the week at 19-25-6-1, leaving them last in the six-team Itech Conference. . . . The Hawks already are accepting applications for the position of GM/head coach for 2010-11.
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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-Saskatoon (17) 37-12-3-3-80
d-Calgary (16) 38-16-1-1-78
Brandon (14) 38-16-1-3-80
Kootenay (15) 35-17-3-2-75
Medicine Hat (13) 33-18-3-5-74
Red Deer (16) 31-21-0-4-66
Prince Albert (15) 28-24-3-2-61
Moose Jaw (17) 26-21-4-4-60
Swift Current (14) 28-26-0-4-60
Regina (14) 24-27-3-4-55
Thursday: No games scheduled.
Friday: Swift Current at Brandon; Prince Albert at Calgary; Kootenay at Edmonton; Saskatoon at Medicine Hat; Regina at Red Deer; Moose Jaw at Seattle.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
dx-Tri-City (17) 39-14-0-2-80
d-Vancouver (15) 33-20-1-3-70
Everett (16) 35-18-2-1-73
Portland (14) 35-20-2-1-73
Spokane (16) 32-20-3-1-68
Kelowna (14) 28-26-2-2-60
Kamloops (14) 26-26-2-4-58
Chilliwack (16) 24-26-1-5-54
x — clinched playoff spot.
Thursday: No games scheduled.
Friday: Spokane at Everett; Kelowna at Kamloops; Portland at Prince George; Chilliwack at Tri-City.