Monday's stuff . . .

There is an issue with the Twitter box over there on the right that I have to clear up.
And if it can’t be cleared up, the Twitter box will disappear.
For whatever reason, the source of a retweet doesn’t show up there.
For example, on Monday night, I retweeted an item from TSN’s Ryan Rishaug on Seattle Thunderbirds D Brenden Dillon signing with the Dallas Stars. Unfortunately, because Rishaug’s avatar doesn’t show up, it appears as though this tweet originated with me.
It did not.
We are working to repair this situation. As mentioned, if it can’t be repaired, the Taking Note on Twitter box will disappear.
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Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix made the trek to Moose Jaw with the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday for their very last game in the Civic Centre (aka the Crushed Can).
That story is right here. And it includes a photo of the Crushed Can, in case you haven't seen one.
In Wolfe’s story, Lorne Molleken, the GM and head coach of the Blades, offers a few reminisces, including the relationship between fans and Molson Canadian and smoke.
I haven’t been in the Crushed Can in more than 10 years. But how well I remember when there was a room for the fans located next to the visiting team’s dressing room. In the intermissions, the fans would head there to have a pop and a cigarette or two. It may have been my imagination, but it always struck me that all the smoke would waft from that room, through and over the wall and into the dressing room where the visitors were trying to catch their breath.
In those days, that was home-ice advantage.
And then there was the leather-lunged fan who spent two periods standing behind the visiting team’s goaltender. This fan wore big leather mitts. He would cup those mitts around his mouth and yell at the goaltender through the split between two panes of glass. And it would go on and on and on. . . .
One former WHL coach once told me that fan was worth at least a goal a game.
“If I ever get another job in the WHL,” that coach said, “I’m taking that guy with me.”
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OK, people, here we go!
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times-Colonist writes: “Sources have indicated to the Times Colonist an announcement may be coming this spring about a Victoria team in the WHL for the 2012-13 season.”
Dheensaw mentions the Kootenay Ice, Prince George Cougars, Chilliwack Bruins, Porltand Winterhawks, Saskatoon Blades . . .
Dheensaw’s story is right here.
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Kevin Clark of the Wall Street Journal has a good read here on how NHL teams are burying mistakes in the AHL. Did you know: D Wade Redden makes the AHL minimum salary of $37,500 in just one period play. That and more right here.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have lost D Ryley Miller, 18, with an injury to his left hand. Miller, who will be out indefinitely, was injured in Saturday’s 9-3 victory over the visiting Regina Pats. . . . The Wheat Kings have had a tough time keeping veteran defencemen in the lineup. D Brodie Melnychuk, 19, recently returned after missing 12 games with a broken leg. . . . The Wheat Kings have brought in D Ayrton Nikkel, 15, of Kelowna, and he’ll spend the week with them. A second-round draft pick by the Saskatoon Blades in 2010, the Wheat Kings acquired him from the Saskatoon Blades in the Brayden Schenn deal. Nikkel has 41 points in 52 games with the Pursuit of Excellence team in Kelowna. . . . Not counting Nikkel, Brandon is carrying six defencemen and five of those are finishing up their freshman seasons — Ryan Pulock and Eric Roy both are 16, while Jordan Fransoo, Spencer Galbraith and Rene Hunter are 17. Pulock should be in any conversation as the Eastern Conference’s rookie of the year. . . . The Wheat Kings, who have won nine in a row at home, play the visiting Kootenay Ice on Wednesday, with Regina back on Friday.
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JUST NOTES: F Brendan Gallagher of the Vancouver Giants is the WHL’s player of the week. He had 10 points, including five goals, as the Giants went 2-1-0. . . . Thomas Heemskerk of the Moose Jaw Warriors is the WHL’s nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 1-1-0, 0.48, .984 last week. . . . Ryan Rishaug of TSN reported last night that the Dallas Stars “have agreed to terms with” D Brenden Dillon, the captain of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Dillon, a 20-year-old from Surrey, B.C., was a free agent. He has 49 points in 63 games with the Thunderbirds. . . .
Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate reports that the Rebels should have F John Persson back tonight after a three-game absence. Persson was injured when he went heavily into the boards during a game against the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Feb. 19. Persson, who has 53 points, should be back alongside Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Andrej Kudrna tonight when the Medicine Hat Tigers come calling. . . . The Rebels, however, remain without D Aaron Borejko (concussion) and F Josh Cowen (broken hand). . . . Borejko has missed two games but isn’t yet symptom-free so hasn’t even been on a bike. . . . The Tri-City Americans were without six regulars when they dropped a 5-0 decision to the host Vancouver Giants on Sunday. F Adam Hughesman, F Jordan Messier, F Marcus Messier, G Drew Owsley, F Neal Prokop and F Mason Wilgosh are were sidelined. Owsley has missed seven games with a knee injury. . . .
The Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game’s first seven goals as they beat the visiting Calgary Hitmen 7-1 on Monday night. The Oil Kings are sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points ahead of the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Hitmen were minus five forwards — Jimmy Bubnick, Trevor Cheek, Tyler Fiddler, Kris Foucault and Cody Sylvester. All are either ill or injured. . . . Kootenay Ice D Brayden McNabb, who played in his 250th regular-season game on Saturday, has 19 goals this season, one shy of the franchise’s record for goals in one season by a defenceman. Mike Busto scored 20 in 2006-07. . . . .
The Swift Current Broncos raised $8,300 through their Rider Night promotion on Feb. 12. All proceeds went to the Swift Current Minor Hockey Association and Swift Current Minor Football. F Andy Blanke’s jersey went for $2,300 and F Justin Dowling’s for $1,000 in the live auction. F Adam Lowry’s went for $725.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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