Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Jeff Shantz (Regina, 1989-93) signed a one-year contract extension with Klagenfurt (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had six goals
and 26 assists in 41 games for Klagenfurt this season. . . .
D Greg Kuznik (Seattle, 1995-98) signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had five goals and 13 assists in 37 games for Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, plays in Austria Erste Bank Liga) and two goals and eight assists in 13 games with Pontebba (Italy Serie A). Kuznik has been selected to play for Slovenia at the World Championship Division 1 - Group B, beginning April 17 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. . . .
The Division 1 World Championships are about to begin. Here are the
ex-WHL players who have been announced so far:

Group A - April 19 to 25 in Tilburg, Netherlands
Austria: D Gerhard Unterluggauer (Brandon, 1995-97), D Darcy Werenka (Lethbridge, Brandon, 1989-93), Assistant coach Emanuel Viveiros (Prince Albert, 1982-86).
Japan: D Aaron Keller (Kamloops, 1992-96).
Serbia: Head coach Mark Pederson (Medicine Hat, 1983-88).
Ukraine: D Gennady Razin (Kamloops, 1996-98), F Sergei Varlamov (Swift Current, 1995-98), D Sergei Klimentiev (Medicine Hat, 1993-95), D Dimitri Yakushin (Edmonton Ice, Regina, 1996-98), F Oleksandr Matvichuk (Seattle, 1993-94).

Group B - April 17 to 23 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Great Britain: G Jody Lehman (Moose Jaw, Brandon, 1991-96).
Poland: F Marcin Kolusz (Vancouver, 2003-04).
Slovenia: D Greg Kuznik (Seattle, 1995-98).
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Jaden Schwartz of the Tri-City Storm is the CCM USHL forward of the year, as determined by a vote of coaches. Schwartz, a 17-year-old, won the USHL scoring title with 83 points, including 33 goals, in 60 games. Not since F Thomas Vanek, now of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, scored 91 points for the Sioux Falls Stampede in 2001-02 has a player scored as many points. Schwartz, who is from Wilcox, Sask., also is the youngest USHL scoring champ since F Steve MacSwain, then 17, won the 1982-83 title with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. . . . Schwartz has committed to attend Colorado College and play alongside brother Rylan, who just completed his freshman season. . . . When NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings last week, Jaden was at No. 28. Chances are he will be a first-round selection. . . . The Tri-City Americans hold his WHL rights, having selected him in the eighth round of the 2007 bantam draft. There have been rumblings for a while that Schwartz, depending on how he fares in the NHL draft, could end up with the Americans next season.
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It’s looking more and more like F Tyler Pitlick, who turns 19 on Nov. 1, will leave the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks and join the Medicine Hat Tigers. Pitlick, from Centerville, Minn., had 19 points in 38 games this season. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder was ranked 18th, up three spots, on Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters eligible for the 2010 NHL draft. . . . The Mavericks have received a commitment from F John McInnis, 20, of the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. McInnis, who will slide into Pitlick’s centre spot in the Mavericks’ depth chart, had 73 points in 58 games with the Oilers this season.
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The Tri-City Americans aren’t the only game in town when it comes to Kennewick, Wash. The result is that should their Western Conference final with the Vancouver Giants go five games, there will be a Saturday date with a 1 p.m. start time. . . . The series opens Friday and Saturday at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, and then shifts to Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum for games on Tuesday and April 22. . . . A fifth game would be played in Kennewick on Saturday, April 24. The Tri-Cities Fever of the Indoor Football League have a home game against the Billings Outlaws scheduled for that night, which forced the Americans to look for another option. . . . Vancouver chose to play its first two homes games on Tuesday-Thursday, thus avoiding a Wednesday night (April 21) conflict with an NHL playoff game between the Vancouver Canucks and the host Los Angeles Kings. . . . Tri-City could have chosen to schedule Game 5 for the Toyota Center on the Friday (April 23), but GM Bob Tory and head coach Jim Hiller preferred not to go back-to-back like that. . . . The other option, then, was to play an afternoon game. So, if it goes to a Game 5, they’ll drop the puck on April 24 at 1 p.m. . . . As well, although the Americans usually advertise 7:05 p.m. starts, Game 2 on Saturday won’t get going until 7:35 p.m. That’s because the Jehovah’s Witnesses have the building booked earlier in the day.
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With the Saskatoon Blades’ season having come to an end, F Marek Viedensky has joined the AHL’s Worcester Sharks. Viedensky, who has yet to sign a pro contract, was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the 2009 NHL draft. The Blades acquired Viedensky from the Prince George Cougars in January. . . . Worcester began a first-round playoff series with Lowell on Wednesday night. The Devils put up a 3-2 victory in the opener, despite Sharks F Dan DaSilva (Portland, 2002-05) getting a goal and an assist.
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The Stone brothers will be meeting in the playoffs for a second straight season. A year ago, D Michael Stone, 19, and the Calgary Hitmen took out F Mark Stone, 17, and the Brandon Wheat Kings in four games in the Eastern Conference final. The brothers, who are from Winnipeg, will face each other again in the conference final. It begins Friday in Calgary. . . . Michael was a third-round selection by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2008 draft. Mark is eligible for the 2010 draft.
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It’s that time of year . . .
At 7:34 p.m. Pacific time, The Associated Press sent out this story:
ORLANDO, Fla. — Philadelphia 76ers coach Eddie Jordan said he’s “not concerned” about his job security and doesn’t have any planned meetings with front-office personnel about his status.

At 9:05 p.m., The Associated Press moved this story:
PHILADELPHIA — A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press that Philadelphia 76ers coach Eddie Jordan will be fired Thursday after one season on the job.
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The Central league’s Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs have signed G Torrie Jung (Kelowna, Edmonton, 2006-10) on an emergency basis. Jung, who completed his 20-year-old season with the Oil Kings, may be on the bench Thursday, backing up Parker Van Buskirk. The Mudbugs have two goaltenders, John DeCaro and Ken Carroll, out with injuries as they go into Game 3 of the Northern Conference final against the Rapid City Rush. . . . The Mudbugs also signed F Adam Basford (Vancouver, 2007-09) and he may play Thursday night. Basford had 44 points in 33 games with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles this season, after recording 28 points in 55 games with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants last season.
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WHL PLAYOFFS
THIRD ROUND
CONFERENCE FINALS
(Best-of-7)
(x — if necessary)
(All times local)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary (1) vs. Brandon (2)
Friday: Brandon at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Brandon at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Calgary at Brandon, 6 p.m.
Wednesday: Calgary at Brandon, 6 p.m.
x-April 23: Brandon at Calgary, 6 p.m.
x-April 25: Calgary at Brandon, 5 p.m.
x-April 27: Brandon at Calgary, 6 p.m.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Vancouver (5)
Friday: Vancouver at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: Vancouver at Tri-City, 7:35 p.m.
Tuesday: Tri-City at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
April 22: Tri-City at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-April 24: Vancouver at Tri-City, 1 p.m.
x-April 26: Tri-City at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-April 27: Vancouver at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.