Monday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: The Asia Hockey League has announced its individual award winners. D Aaron Keller (Kamloops,1992-96) was named Best Defensive Defenceman and F Tim Smith (Spokane, Swift Current, 1998-2002) was named Best Offensive Forward. Keller had six goals and 13 assists in 36 games for Oji Eagles Tomakomai (Japan) with a plus-minus rating of +32. Smith tied for the league lead in scoring and led the league in assists, getting 27 goals and 48 assists for 75 points in 35 games for High1 Chuncheon (South Korea). He was in on exactly half of High1’s 150 goals this season. . . .
F Frank Banham (Saskatoon, 1992-96) signed a one-year contract with Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, plays in Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 30 goals and 32 assists in 42 games for Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austrian Erste Bank Liga) and two goals and three assists in five games for Lausanne (Swiss NL B) this season. . . .
The Straubing Tigers (Germany DEL) announced that they won’t re-sign D Brandon Smith (Portland, 1989-94). He had three goals and five assists in 32 games for the Tigers this season.
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THE WHL PLAYOFF TRAIL . . .
FIRST ROUND
Conference Quarterfinals
(Best-of-7)
(all times local)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary (1) vs. Moose Jaw (8)
(Moose Jaw leads series 2-0)
Monday: Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
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Brandon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
(Swift Current home games to be played in Regina)
(Brandon leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Brandon vs. Swift Current, at Regina, 7 p.m.
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Saskatoon (3) vs. Red Deer (6)
(Saskatoon leads series 2-0)
Sunday: Red Deer 3 at Saskatoon 4
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Kootenay (4) vs. Medicine Hat (5)
(Kootenay leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Chilliwack (8)
(Tri-City leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.
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Vancouver (2) vs. Kamloops (7)
(Vancouver leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Vancouver at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
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Everett (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
(Everett leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Everett at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
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Spokane (4) vs. Portland (5)
(Spokane leads series 2-0)
Sunday: Spokane 4 at Portland 2
Wednesday: Portland at Spokane, 7 p.m.
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FIRST ROUND
Conference Quarterfinals
(Best-of-7)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary (1) vs. Moose Jaw (8)
(Moose Jaw leads series 2-1)
Monday: Calgary 7 at Moose Jaw 3
Tuesday: Calgary at Moose Jaw, 6 p.m.
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Brandon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
(Brandon leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Brandon vs. Swift Current (at Regina), 6 p.m.
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Saskatoon (3) vs. Red Deer (6)
(Saskatoon leads series 2-0)
Wednesday: Saskatoon at Red Deer, 6 p.m.
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Kootenay (4) vs. Medicine Hat (5)
(Kootenay leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Chilliwack (8)
(Tri-City leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 7 p.m.
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Vancouver (2) vs. Kamloops (7)
(Vancouver leads series 2-0)
Tuesday: Vancouver at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
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Everett (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
(Everett leads the series 2-0)
Tuesday: Everett at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
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Spokane (4) vs. Portland (5)
(Spokane leads series 2-0)
Wednesday: Portland at Spokane, 7 p.m.
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MONDAY’S PLAYOFF GAME:
In Moose Jaw, F Cody Sylvester and F Ian Schultz each scored twice as the Calgary Hitmen bounced the Warriors 7-3 to get back into the series. . . . The eight-seeded Warriors had gone into Calgary and twice beaten the No. 1 Hitmen to open the series. . . . Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday in the Crushed Can. . . . Schultz also had an assist, for a three-point night. . . . Calgary got two assists from each of F Del Cowan and F Tyler Shattock. . . . Calgary took a 2-0 lead into the second period on goals by Sylvester and Schultz. . . . F Thomas Frazee pulled the Warriors to within one at 7:43 of the second period, but Calgary got that one back 27 seconds later when D Zak Stebner scored. . . . F Michal Fisenko upped Calgary’s lead to 4-1 at 17:11 of the second period. . . . F Jason Bast got the Warriors back to within one with goals at 19:07 of the second period and 56 seconds into the third, the latter on the PP. . . . The Hitmen put it away with goals from F Joel Broda and Sylvester, at 4:24 and 5:20. . . . Calgary was 1-for-8 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 1-for-6. . . . Calgary G Martin Jones stopped 31 shots. . . . Moose Jaw G Jeff Bosch, so stellar in the first two games, left early in the third period, having stopped 24 of 30 shots. Reliever Brandon Glover turned aside seven of eight shots. . . . Attendance was 2,290. . . . The Hitmen had the WHL’s best road record (26-9-1-0) in the regular season.
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MEANWHILE . . . .
The WHL office has fined the Vancouver Giants $250 for “warmup violations” prior to Game 2 of their series on Saturday night. That means the Giants were responsible for instigating the scrums that took place during the pregame warmup.
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The WHL office also fined the Saskatoon Blades $500 for becoming involved in their second line brawl of the season. That occurred Sunday night in a 4-0 victory over the visiting Red Deer Rebels. . . . Five members of the Blades, including GM/head coach Lorne Molleken, are under suspension — the length will be determined sometime Tuesday — for their parts in what transpired, while Red Deer F Josh Cowen also is under suspension for incurring a charging major and game misconduct after running into Saskatoon G Steven Stanford. . . . The Saskatoon players waiting to hear from the WHLoffice are F Sena Acolatse, F Darian Dziurzynski, F Randy McNaught and D Duncan Siemens.
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Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix covered Sunday’s game and spent part of Monday writing a column that presents his opinion of the kerfuffle. It’s worth a read, so check out the StarPhoenix’ website right here.
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D Radko Gudas of the Everett Silvertips, who suffered an upper-body injury in Game 2 against the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Saturday, didn’t skate Monday. He is listed as day-to-day and it’s not know if he will play in Game 3 in Kelowna on Tuesday. . . . The Silvertips, who lead 2-0, have given each of their goaltenders, Thomas Heemskerk and Kent Simpson, one start. If the rotation continues, Heemskerk will start Tuesday.
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F Tomas Vincour of the Vancouver Giants didn’t skate Monday but is expected to play Tuesday in Game 3 of their playoff series with the Blazers in Kamloops. Vincour is wearing a full shield after taking a stick in the face during a practice session. He lost four teeth and took 12 stitches to repair some of the damage.
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Just when you think you’ve heard everything . . . the OHL is looking into The Case of the Tipping Referee. . . . Did the referee, or didn’t the referee, offer up a pointer or two prior to a player taking a penalty shot? . . . That story is right here.
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Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun takes a look at the upcoming MJHL final right here.
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Andy Kemper, the radio voice of the Portland Winterhawks, has expressed surprise that his guy, GM/head coach Mike Johnston, wasn’t the Western Conference nominee as the WHL’s coach of the year. . . . That honour went to Craig Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips. . . . Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, writes: “Statistically, Johnston's numbers were better (season-to-season improvement) than Hartsburg's, but I wonder why Johnston, who is also the Hawks GM, didn't get the vote for Western Conference executive of the year? Nothing against my friend Bob Tory in Tri-City, who has done a terrific job by the way, but Johnston did remarkable work in drafting talent (Nino Niederreiter) and persuading players (Ryan Johansen) to join them this season.”
To which I will add . . . what is it about the lack of respect shown to the Tri-City Americans?
Yes, Bob Tory, the Americans’ GM, is the Western Conference’s executive of the year and, yes, he should be. . . . And while I have no argument with Hartsburg being the conference’s coach of the year, if not Hartsburg, how about Tri-City’s Jim Hiller?
After all, Hiller was fired by the Chilliwack Bruins after last season — presumably because someone there was of the belief that he wasn’t much of a coach — and all he did was guide the Americans to first place in the conference. And let's not forget that Hiller took over a team that had lost its top three scorers from last season — Taylor Procyshen, Jason Reese and Mitch Fadden — and a goaltender named Chet Pickard who, I seem to remember, was pretty darn good.
I also seem to recall a preseason prognosticator or two picking the Americans to finish up the creek with nary a paddle in sight. Instead, they are the Western Conference's top seed and two victories from moving on to the second round of the playoffs.
Aretha, sing one for the Americans, please!