Thursday . . .

When NHL general managers met in Boca Raton, Fla., earlier this week, most of the attention was being paid to the issue of headshots (aka Matt Cooke on Marc Savard).
But on the final day of the meetings a decision was made that almost certainly will have an impact on the WHL.
On Wednesday, NHL general managers passed a resolution calling for the American Hockey League, which now operates under a one-man refereeing system, to go to the two-man system for at least 40 per cent of its games — and all of its playoff games — next season.
The NHL would like to add eight or nine referees to the AHL officiating staff for next season. So don’t be surprised if at least one or two of those come out of the WHL, meaning the WHL is going to have to find even more young officials.
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Former Spokane Chiefs G Barry Brust is scheduled to have surgery on a foot and may not play again this season. There’s more right here.
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The USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, who will begin play next season, have signed their first head coach. He is Kevin Patrick, 41, who has been an assistant coach at the U of Wisconsin since 2005-06.
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The AHL and its teams announced what they call Clear Day rosters on Thursday. These rosters include the names of players eligible to play in the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. There are, of course, exceptions. These may be brought on by injuries, the recall of a player by an NHL team or suspension. . . . As well, an AHL team still is able to sign a junior player once his team’s season has ended.
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F Max Moline will join the Tri-City Americans on Saturday and spend a couple of weeks with the big club. Moline, from Lethbridge, was a fifth-round pick in the 2008 bantam draft. He spent this season with the midget AAA Lethbridge Y’s Men Hurricanes.
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On the day after the largest crowd in franchise history watched the Brandon Wheat Kings in action, the team announced that it won’t raise season-ticket prices for next season. Fans will be able to purchase adult tickets for $325 and youth (18-and-under) for $175. The Wheat Kings, the host team for the 2010 Memorial Cup, have 3,611 season-ticket holders. . . . They drew 6,022 fans to Wednesday’s 8-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Wheat Kings also will set a single-season franchise record for average attendance, a figure that now is at more than 4,700.
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F Nathan Green, who underwent surgery on a broken leg in November, is scheduled to return to the Red Deer Rebels’ lineup tonight when they play host to the Kootenay Ice. Green, 20, has missed 45 games.
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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 (2) 50-17-1-2-103
dx-Brandon (2) 48-18-1-3-100
x-Saskatoon (2) 45-18-3-4-97
x-Kootenay (2) 41-24-3-2-87
x-Medicine Hat (2) 39-23-3-5-86
x-Red Deer (2) 39-26-0-5-83
x-Moose Jaw (2) 33-27-4-6-76
x-Swift Current (2) 35-30-1-4-75
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Prince Albert (2) 31-34-3-2-67
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 (2) 46-21-1-2-95
y-Vancouver (3) 40-24-2-3-85
x-Everett (3) 44-20-3-2-93
x-Spokane (3) 43-21-3-2-91
x-Portland (2) 42-25-2-1-87
x-Kelowna (2) 33-31-2-4-72
x-Kamloops (2) 32-32-2-4-70
x-Chilliwack (2) 32-32-1-5-70
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.