THE PLAYOFF CHASE
Teams in the running for playoff spots, showing games remaining (d — division leaders, who are seeded one-two; y — clinched division championship; x — clinched playoff spot):
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
y-Calgary (3) 49-17-1-2-101
dx-Brandon (3) 47-18-1-3-98
x-Saskatoon (4) 44-17-3-4-95
x-Medicine Hat (2) 39-23-3-5-86
x-Kootenay (3) 40-24-3-2-85
x-Red Deer (4) 39-24-0-5-83
x-Moose Jaw (4) 33-25-4-6-76
Swift Current (3) 34-30-1-4-73
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Prince Albert (3) 31-33-3-2-67
Monday: No games scheduled.
Tuesday: Moose Jaw at Saskatoon; Red Deer at Lethbridge.
Wednesday: Moose Jaw at Brandon; Swift Current at Prince Albert; Regina at Saskatoon; Calgary at Edmonton; Red Deer at Kootenay.
Thursday: No games scheduled.
Friday: Brandon at Regina; Prince Albert at Saskatoon; Edmonton at Calgary; Medicine at Lethbridge; Kootenay at Red Deer.
Saturday: Saskatoon at Prince Albert; Regina at Brandon; Moose Jaw at Swift Current; Edmonton at Kootenay; Lethbridge at Medicine Hat.
Sunday: Red Deer at Calgary.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
(top eight advance)
dx-Tri-City (3) 45-21-1-2-93
y-Vancouver (3) 40-24-2-3-85
x-Everett (4) 44-19-3-2-93
x-Spokane (4) 42-21-3-2-89
x-Portland (3) 41-25-2-1-85
x-Kelowna (3) 33-30-2-4-72
x-Kamloops (2) 32-32-2-4-70
x-Chilliwack (4) 30-32-1-5-66
Monday: No games scheduled.
Tuesday: Everett at Portland; Chilliwack at Prince George; Kelowna at Spokane.
Wednesday: Chilliwack at Prince George; Seattle at Tri-City.
Thursday: No games scheduled.
Friday: Portland at Chilliwack; Prince George at Kamloops; Tri-City at Spokane; Kelowna at Vancouver; Seattle at Everett.
Saturday: Prince George at Kelowna; Kamloops at Vancouver; Chilliwack at Everett; Portland at Seattle; Spokane at Tri-City.
Sunday: Vancouver at Seattle; Swift Current at Moose Jaw; Everett at Spokane.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed D Sam Grist, 16, a list player North Saanich, B.C. The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder was the youngest player on the roster of the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies this season. He had six points in 45 regular-season games but got into just one of their six playoff games. Grist attended both the Americans’ rookie and main camps prior to this season. . . . Also joining the Americans for spring break is F Zac McPhee, a sixth-round pick in the 2008 bantam draft. McPhee, who is from Vernon, B.C., had 39 points in 36 games with the major midget Okanagan Rockets this season. They are based in Kelowna.
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed F Aspen Sterzer, 15, who is from Canal Flats, B.C., and is playing for the midget AAA Maroons at the EDGE school in Calgary. He led the Maroons with 38 points, including 22 goals, in 31 games. They now are playing Peace River in a best-of-three semifinal in the Rural Alberta Midget league. . . . The Blazers also have added D Max Mowat, 16, to their roster for the remainder of this season. He has finished his second season with the major midget Okanagan Rockets. He led all B.C. major midget league defencemen with 36 points, including 13 goals, in 40 games. Mowat played one game with the Blazers earlier this season. . . . Sterzer and Mowat are undrafted list players.
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The Red Deer Rebels have added D Matt Dumba, 15, to their roster for the remainder of this season. Dumba, who played at the EDGE school in Calgary, was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft. He played three games with the Rebels earlier in the season, picking up one assist. Dumba is expected to play Tuesday when the Rebels meet the Hurricanes in Lethbridge.
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The Everett Silvertips are expected to have D Nicholas Walters join them Tuesday. Walters, the eighth overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, played for the midget AAA St. Albert Saints, whose season has ended.
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You will recall that in the QMJHL suspended F Patrice Cormier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for the remainder of this season after a late hit to the head of Quebec Remparts D Mikael Tam. That hit occurred on Jan. 17. . . . Well, on Monday, the QMJHL suspended Tam for two games for a checking-from-behind incident Friday in a game against the Gatineau Olympiques.
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F Cody Hodgson of the OHL’s Brampton Battalion, who missed much of this season with back problems, is back on the shelf, this time with a fractured bone in his right foot. Hodgson, who put up 20 points in 13 games upon his return, hopes to be back during the first round of playoffs later this month. Hodgson actually was injured on Feb. 12 when he blocked a shot, but the injury didn’t show up in X-rays until last week. . . .The Vancouver Canucks selected Hodgson with the 10th pick of the 2008 NHL draft.