Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: F Justin Kelly (Prince Albert, Spokane, Saskatoon, 1997-2002) signed a one-year contract with Krefeld Pinguine (Germany DEL). He was the leading scorer in Germany’s 2.Bundesliga this season, getting 24 goals and 48 assists in 49 games for SC Bietigheim-Bissingen.
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F Gaelan Patterson of the Saskatoon Blades has joined the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat for the remainder of its playoff run. Patterson, 19, was a seventh-round selection by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2009 draft. He signed an ATO with the Heat and joined the club earlier this week. The Heat trails the Rochester Americans 3-1 in a first-round playoff series.
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A note from Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province, who posted this on his blog (The Dub Hub):
“Attendance is down in the playoffs throughout the WHL. Is this league so driven fan wise by the giveaways and special promotions of the regular season? Is it such a family-based business that its fans go away on holidays? Can the league fix it or does it just have to come to grips with the fact it has to make its money in league play? As the playoffs go on, it gets more and more interesting.”
It’s interesting to note that the Giants drew 6,178 fans to Pacific Coliseum for Game 3 of their Western Conference final with the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday. Wouldn’t you have thought they would get at least 8,000?
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The AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats have removed the interim from Brian Curran’s title. He now is the club’s general manager and head coach, and has signed a one-year contract, with an option on 2011-12.
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Spokane F Mitch Wahl joined the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat after the Chiefs’ season ended and he has made an impact. There’s more right here.
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Citing family reasons, Darren Evjen has stepped down after one season as head coach of the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds. He has returned to teaching in Saskatoon. Darren Zary of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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There might be a scheduling problem in the QMJHL final should the Moncton Wildcats and Saint John Sea Dogs end up meeting. Neate Sager of YAHOO! Sports has more right here. . . . After Wednesday’s games, Saint John holds a 2-1 lead over the Victoriaville Tigres, with Game 4 in Victoriaville on Friday, and the Wildcats are up 3-1 on the Drummondville Voltigeurs. Game 5 is Friday in Drummondville.
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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)
(Calgary leads series 3-1)
April 16: Brandon 4 at Calgary 2 (8,669)
April 17: Brandon 2 at Calgary 3 (OT) (8,697)
April 20: Calgary 6 at Brandon 3 (4,251)
Wednesday: Calgary 4 at Brandon 3 (4,363)
x-Friday: Brandon at Calgary, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday: Calgary at Brandon, 6 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Brandon at Calgary, 7 p.m.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Vancouver (5)
(Vancouver leads series 2-1)
April 16: Vancouver 4 at Tri-City 2 (3,899)
April 17: Vancouver 0 at Tri-City 4 (3,875)
April 20: Tri-City 2 at Vancouver 3 (OT) (6,178)
Thursday: Tri-City at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-Friday: Vancouver at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Sunday: Tri-City at Vancouver, TBD
x-Tuesday: Vancouver at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY:
In Brandon, the Calgary Hitmen ereased an early 2-0 deficit with four straight goals as they beat the Wheat Kings, 4-3. . . . The Hitmen lead the Eastern Conference final 3-1 and get their first opportunity to end it at home on Friday. . . . The Wheat Kings are the host team for the Memorial Cup. Should they win this series, the Western Conference winner automatically moves on to the tournament. Should the Hitmen win the East, the winner of the WHL’s championship series will advance, along with the Wheat Kings. . . . .D Alexander Urbom and F Toni Rajala scored first-period goals for Brandon at 1:02 and 2:59 respectively. Each has four goals in these playoffs. . . . Calgary responded with three second-period goals in a span of 4:54 — F Ian Schultz at 1:44, F Kris Foucault at 5:02 and Foucault again, at 6:38. . . . Calgary F Tyler Fiddler got what turned into the winner at 11:42 of the third, with Brandon F Brendan Walker trimming the lead at 17:08. . . . Foucault now has eight goals, while Schultz has seven and Fiddler has five. . . . Walker’s goal was his second of the playoffs. . . . Foucault also found time to get in a scrap as he and Brandon D Travis Hamonic duked it out at 12:55 of the second period. . . . Calgary G Martin Jones stopped 34 shots. . . . Brandon G Andrew Hayes made 20 saves. . . . Brandon was 0-for-6 on the PP; Calgary was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 4,363. . . . Calgary was without F Tyler Shattock for the second straight game. He hasn’t played since being hit from behind by Brandon F Scott Glennie in Game 2. . . . The Wheat Kings were again without D Darren Bestland, who has a suspected facial injury.
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PLAYOFF NOTES: The Vancouver Giants have had F Dalton Sward and F Mathieu Bellerive skating with them this week. Sward, from Abbotsford, B.C., was the 21st overall pick in the 2009 bantam draft, while Bellerive, who is from North Vancouver and played at Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, was the 43rd overall pick. . . . Game 4 between the Giants and Tri-City Americans is scheduled for Thursday at Pacific Coliseum. And it will get some great TV exposure. It will be shown live on Rogers Sportsnet and KVEW-TV, with Peter Loubardias calling the play and Sam Cosentino at his side. . . . KVEW-TV, out of Kennewick, Wash., also announced that Games 5 and 7, if necessary, will be aired locally on My Network 280. Both games are to start at 7 p.m. . . . Vancouver F Brett Breitkreuz didn’t skate on Wednesday. He left Game 2 on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury. F Brandon Scholten (strep throat) also didn’t practice. . . . The Giants also are without F J.T. Barnett, who is week-to-week with a shoulder injury. . . . Sward, who played one regular-season game, or Bellerive, who dressed for two, might get into Game 4. . . . Don’t forget that Vancouver head coach Don Hay needs one more victory to move to No. 1 on the WHL list of playoff victories. He and the retired Ken Hodge, who coached the original Edmonton Oil Kings and Portland Winterhawks, are even at 101.