After Saturday's game . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 0 (4,006) (Lieuwen 25)
April 26 — Medicine Hat 1 at Kootenay 3 (2,972)
April 27 — Medicine Hat 2 at Kootenay 7 (3,474) (M.Reinhart, 5 goals)
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane 1 at Portland 2 (6,506)
April 27 — Portland 3 at Spokane 2 (OT) (5,542) (Leipsic, 7:44)
April 29 — Portland 3 at Spokane 8 (8,412)
April 30 — Spokane 2 at Portland 3 (9,486)
May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

Pats defenceman involved in fatal crash

 D Myles Bell of the Regina Pats is in a Calgary hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a single-vehicle rollover in which an 18-year-old girl from Saskatchewan was killed.
According to a report from CTV Calgary, “Police say that alcohol and speed are factors in the collision.”
The report from CTV Calgary is right there.
———
Brent Parker, the president of the Pats, has issued a statement and it is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Friday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) signed a tryout contract with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland SM-Liiga). He had seven goals and two assists in 45 games split between the Houston Aeros and Springfield Falcons (both AHL) this season. Jokerit GM Jarmo Kekäläinen: "Kalus is an interesting player, who looked like an NHL player when he was 18. He had a good start to his professional career in Boston. Now with us he has the opportunity to rebound." Kalus's tryout contract goes until Aug. 30. . . .
F Brett Lysak (Regina, 1996-2001) signed a one-year contract with the Graz 99ers (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 20 goals and 19 assists in 36 games with Jesenice (Slovenia, playes in Austria Erste Bank Liga) and two goals in three games with SönderjyskE Vojens (Denmark AL-Bank Ligaen) this season. 99ers head coach Mario Richer: "Brett represents strong offensive hockey, the style we will play in Graz next season. He has great experience and that will help our young team." . . .
D Tim Wedderburn (Prince George, 1998-2002) signed a one-year contract extension with the Braehead Clan (UK Elite). He had one goal and 16 assists in 54 games for the Glasgow-based Clan this season. Clan head coach Bruce Richardson: "Tim is one of those guys that every team needs. He's dependable, focused, a true leader, very motivational, and he knows his position well. He's a true professional on the ice and off and in the dressing room, he is just a great guy to be around.”
———
It would seem that the hockey fans in Chilliwack can forget about a WHL franchise, at least for this season. The Chilliwack Times reported Friday that the WHL and the Chiefs Development Group, which manages Prospera Centre, haven’t spoken in two weeks. In the meantime, CDG and the owners of the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires have chatted. That story is right here.
chilliwacktimes.com/sports/trying+cash+Millionaires/4696079/story.html
———
Every spring, the QMJHL holds a prospects luncheon before its annual draft. This year, however, the QMJHL has cancelled the luncheon. Willy Palov of the Halifax Chronicle Herald explains things right here, in an interesting piece on players manipulating the system, not that there is anything wrong with that.
———
Mike Ozanian of Forbes takes a look at the latest news involving Tom Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, and his pursuit of the NHL’s Dallas Stars right here. The headline is interesting: Tom Gaglardi makes offer to buy Dallas Stars without cash.
———
ON THE ICE FRIDAY:

LEVKO KOPER

In Spokane, F Levko Koper scored three goals and set up another as the Chiefs dumped the Portland Winterhawks, 8-3. . . . That ties the Western Conference final, 2-2, with Game 5 at the Rose Garden in Portland tonight. . . . The winner will meet the Kootenay Ice in the WHL championship series. . . . The first three games of this series were one-goal games with Portland winning two of them. . . . The Chiefs held period leads of 2-1 and 5-2. . . . Koper has eight goals in these playoffs. He scored three times in 7:55 as the Chiefs stretched a 4-2 lead to 7-2. . . . Spokane F Collin Valcourt, who went into the game with five points in 14 games, had his first goal and three assists. Yes, it was the first four-point game in the WHL for the Red Deer native, who turned 18 on March 18. . . . Portland got a goal and two assists from F Ryan Johansen. . . . Johansen has 20 points, including 10 goals, in 14 games. . . . Koper’s second goal, at 3:43 of the third, sent Portland G Mac Carruth to the bench, with Keith Hamilton coming on in relief. Carruth gave up six goals on 28 shots. . . . Hamilton stopped 11 of 13 shots. . . . Spokane G James Reid made 27 saves. Mac Engel came on for the last 5;37 and stopped seven of eight shots. . . . Spokane was 1-for-10 on the PP; Portland was 2-for-7. . . . The Winterhawks took 60 of 94 penalty minutes. . . . Attendance was 8,412. . . . Game 6 is scheduled for Spokane on Monday, with a seventh game, if necessary, to be played in Portland on Tuesday. . . . That means that if the series goes seven games the teams will finish by having played four games in five nights.
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Two minors:
F Brendan Leipsic, Portland
F Nino Niederreiter, Portland

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Western Elite Hockey Prospects ranks the goaltenders

The WHL holds its bantam draft on Thursday in Calgary.
The vast majority of the drafted players will have been born in 1996, although there likely will be a few 1995-borns selected in the later rounds.
From a WHL news release: “Players eligible . . . will be 1996-born players who reside in Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.”
You aren’t going to find a whole lot of coverage at this site on the bantam draft and I don’t intend to provide any draft-day coverage. For that, you should visit Alan Caldwell’s site — Small Thoughts at Large.
However, thanks to Tyler Neisz of Western Elite Hockey Prospects, I will provide some advance coverage over the next few days. This will involve providing some of Western Elite Hockey Prospects’ rankings.
We begin today with a look at WEHP’s top 10 goaltenders:
1. Jordan Papirny, Southside Athletic Club, Edmonton, 5-10, 1362. Peyton Lee, Pursuit of Excellence, 5-11, 165
3. Adin Hill, Calgary Bisons, 5-9.5, 160
4. Grant Naherniak, Lumsden SK, 6-0, 160
5. Rylan Paranteau, Saskatoon Maniacs, 5-10, 150
6. Derek Mazil, Calgary NorthStar Sabres, 5-11, 140
7. Cole Forbes, Cloverdale BC, 6-1, 178
8. Harrison Whitlock, Okanagan Hockey Academy, 5-11, 160
9. Dylan France, Edmonton KC, 5-11, 154
10. Kyle Michalovsky, Kamloops, 5-11, 155
(SOURCE: Western Elite Hockey Prospects — westernelitehockeyprospects.blogspot.com)

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

After Friday's game . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 0 (4,006) (Lieuwen 25)
April 26 — Medicine Hat 1 at Kootenay 3 (2,972)
April 27 — Medicine Hat 2 at Kootenay 7 (3,474) (M.Reinhart, 5 goals)
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane 1 at Portland 2 (6,506)
April 27 — Portland 3 at Spokane 2 (OT) (5,542) (Leipsic, 7:44)
April 29 — Portland 3 at Spokane 8 (8,412)
April 30 — Spokane at Portland
May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

Thursday . . .

The subject of concussions and their impact on young athletes isn’t going to go away anytime soon.
In fact, it has become a story with legs, as they say.
On Wednesday, USA TODAY ran an editorial that carried this headline:
Who needs concussion laws? 1.2 million young football players
That editorial is right here.
———
On Thursday, USA TODAY, on its op-ed page, carried a piece headlined:
Risk a child’s brain for football?
This piece was written by Katherine Chretien, who is an associate professor of medicine at George Washington University. She touches on the questions and the unknowns involving young people and concussions.
Her essay is right here.
———
Keep in mind that USA TODAY has a daily circulation of 1.83 million, which translates to something like 6 million daily readers.
———
THE COACHING GAME: The QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have signed GM/head coach Andre Tourigny to a three-year deal. . . .
Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post takes a look at the Regina Pats’ coaching situation, after the team swept two assistant coaches out the door on Wednesday. That piece is right here. . . .
Might Craig Hartsburg be the next head coach of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild? Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, says he hasn’t heard from the Wild. Fox Sports has that story right here.
———
The Portland Winterhawks will celebrate a milestone Saturday night as they play host to the Spokane Chiefs in Game 5 of the Western Conference final. Prior to the game, the Winterhawks will welcome the one millionth fan in team playoff history. . . . At present, they are 2,108 fans shy of reaching 1,000,000. . . . According to a news release from the Winterhawks, “The lucky fan . . . will receive season tickets to the Winterhawks’ 2011-12 season, a team autographed jersey and will present the three stars at the conclusion of Saturday’s Game 5.” . . . The Winterhawks take a 2-1 lead into Game 4 tonight in Spokane.
———
The winner of the Western Conference final will meet the Kootenay Ice in the WHL championship series. The Ice completed a sweep of the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday night. . . . The Ice played that game without F Steele Boomer and F Drew Czerwonka. Boomer suffered a concussion in Game 1 and sat out the last three games. Czerwonka got a stretcher ride off the ice in Game 3 after falling awkwardly into the boards. He was cleared to play in Game 4 but general soreness kept him out. . . . Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth told me Thursday “both Steele and Drew should be ready for Games 1 and 2 and there also is a possibility that Brock Montgomery also will be back. We miss all three of them.” Montgomery has been out with mononucleosis. . . . The WHL final could start May 6 in Portland or Spokane, with Games 3 and 4 in Cranbrook on May 10 and 11. That is strictly tentative, however.
———
The ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings, who are a dead team skating, head home from Anchorage trailing the Aces 2-0 after dropping a 4-3 overtime decision on Thursday night. . . . F Wes Goldie, who left the Salmon Kings over the summer despite being one of their most popular players, scored the winner at 2:15 of OT. . . . The Aces opened the Western Conference final Wednesday with a 2-1 victory, scoring the winner with nine seconds left in the third period. . . . The series resumes in Victoria with games on Saturday, Monday and, if necessary, Wednesday. . . . The Salmon Kings' fate has yet to be announced, but their owner, Vancouver-based RG Properties, has purchased the Chilliwack Bruins and is moving the WHL team to the B.C. capital.
———
Doug McConachie, a former sports editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, died Wednesday morning after what ended up being a one-sided scrap with pancreatic cancer. McConachie was one of the last of the old breed of newspapermen. There aren’t too many of us left who remember what a typewriter sounded like, never mind what hot metal means (or used to mean). . . . Kevin Mitchell, today the sports editor at The StarPhoenix, remembers McConachie — or McDoug, as some of us called him — right here. . . . And why do I think McDoug is somewhere skiing or fishing right now?

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

The saga of the Chilliwack Bruins . . .

Today, we bring you a must-read from the Chilliwack Times. Actually, it is almost in its entirety a press release issued by the Chiefs Development Group, explaining their side of the deal that had the Chilliwack Bruins sold and relocated to Victoria.
If you have been following this saga, you won’t want to miss this one. It is right here.
———
Moray Keith has told the Chilliwack Times that he will bring “entertaining, winning and respectful” hockey to Chilliwack before the start of the 2011-12 season.
That story is right here.
———
Meanwhile, Rob Henderson, who covers the Brandon Wheat Kings for the Brandon Sun, wrote this column earlier this week:
Dear Chilliwack, welcome to Dumpsville. Population: You.
With all the tact of Homer Simpson, from whom the above phrase was adapted, the Western Hockey League broke off its five-year relationship with Chilliwack, B.C., last week, shacking up instead with a more attractive suitor in Victoria.
The move came as a surprise to no one. The magic had been fading in Chilliwack, with attendance for Bruins games dropping from an average of about 4,500 per contest in the first couple of seasons to a little over 3,000 this winter. And fans in the Fraser Valley had been flirting with the American Hockey League’s new franchise in nearby Abbotsford.
Rumours of an imminent breakup swirled for more than a month, so when the official announcement came last Wednesday that the Bruins had been sold and would move to the B.C. capital, the news wasn’t half as interesting as the revelations that came out in the following days as each of the parties involved told their side of the story.
Among them was the league’s role in facilitating — one might say orchestrating — the move.
It turns out the WHL’s board of governors agreed back in February of 2009 to attempt to bring Victoria back into the fold, preferably by relocating an existing team. The Bruins’ falling attendance and discord among its ownership group made them the prime candidates.
Now, the WHL is well within its rights to pick and choose owners and place its franchises wherever it pleases. But the unwritten rule in sports is that the priority when selling a team should be attempting to find new owners who want to keep the franchise where it is.
League commissioner Ron Robison paid lip service to this while reports of the sale leaked out, telling the Chilliwack Progress in early March that for the Bruins to play in Chilliwack in 2011-12 was “certainly our intent and we haven’t considered anything different at this point.”
The Progress reports that Robison sang a different tune after the deal was done, telling the newspaper that once the ownership group decided on Jan. 13 to sell the team, local offers were not going to be accepted, explaining away the earlier interview by saying, “we were in the early stages of discussions then and we could not comment on what was taking place.”
Apparently he and I have much different opinions of what constitutes a comment.
In other words, a late bid to buy the Bruins and keep them in Chilliwack by minority owners Moray Keith and Jim Bond — reputed to be higher than the Victoria offer — never stood a chance. Perhaps Keith and Bond, who operate Prospera Centre where the Bruins played, knew that when they made the offer and they have also been blamed for failing to renegotiate a lease more fitting of the club’s declining fortunes. We may never fully know their role in the team’s departure.
Likewise, we may never know how much blame to place on Darryl Porter, Brian Burke and Glen Sather, the trio that held a controlling interest in the team.
True, Porter, as a league governor, surely knew a sale would result in the team moving to Victoria. However, I have a hard time blaming someone for cutting bait on an investment that wasn’t producing the expected returns and their hands were clearly tied. Already vilified by Tri-City Americans fans for attempting to move that franchise before being granted the Bruins as an expansion team, Porter could have pocketed more money by selling to local investors while still being able to show his face in Chilliwack.
Given the options, I know which one I’d choose.
One thing we do know after this whole fiasco is that fans in every less-than-glamorous market should not take for granted their relationship with their local team.
After all, we’ve already seen that the WHL has a wandering eye.

Wednesday . . .

MAX REINHART

ON THE ICE TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Cranbrook, Kootenay F Max Reinhart scored the game’s first three goals, all in the first period, en route to a record-tying five-goal night and the Ice went on to beat the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, 7-2. . . . The Ice, which now has won 11 straight playoff games, swept the Tigers from the Eastern Conference final. . . . The WHL record for consecutive playoff victories is 12. It has been done five times, most recently by the Calgary Hitmen in 2009. . . . Reinhart, who has a WHL-high 14 goals, scored his first three in a span of 6:42 in the first period. . . . The record for fastest three goals in a playoff game by one player is 2:39 (Doug Saunders, Kamloops Jr. Oilers, April 14, 1984). . . . Reinhart got to five with two shorthanded goals, at 9:15 of the second and 4:50 of the third. . . . Others to have scored five times in one playoff game are Dave Chartier (Brandon, March 27, 1981), Don Nachbaur (Billings Bighorns, April 20, 1978) and Dave Kryskow (Edmonton Oil Kings, March 25, 1971). . . . Nachbaur, of course, now is the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Reinhart now has 22 points, including 14 goals, in 14 playoff games. He had seven goals and two assists in the four games against the Tigers. . . . Reinhart is second in the WHL scoring race, three behind Medicine Hat F Linden Vey. . . . Ice F Cody Eakin, named the Eastern Conference playoff MVP, added his side’s other two goals, giving him eight. He had five goals and four assists in the series, and has at least one goal in each of his last five games. . . . Ice F Matt Fraser drew three assists. . . . Ice D Brayden McNabb had two assists. He tied a franchise record with a nine-game point streak and has set franchise records for assists and points in a playoff season by a defenceman. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen made 21 saves. . . . Ice D Hayden Rintoul had one assist and was plus-5. . . . Attendance was 3,474. . . . The Ice was without F Drew Czerwonka, who was stretchered off the ice and taken to hospital after a nasty spill into the boards during Tuesday’s Game 2. Other than being a bit sore, he is OK. In fact, he had the OK to play but was held out. . . . The Tigers were without D Sebastian Owuya, due to an undisclosed injury.
———
In Spokane, F Brendan Leipsic scored at 7:44 of OT to give the Portland Winterhawks a 3-2 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Portland leads the Western Conference final, 2-1. . . . They’ll meet again Friday in Spokane before returning to Portland for Game 5 on Saturday. . . . Portland is 6-0 on the road in these playoffs. . . . Leipsic won it by finishing off a 2-on-1 break with F Taylor Peters. . . . Spokane D Jared Cowen opened the scoring at 15:07 of the first period. . . . Peters tied it with a shorthanded goal at 16:13. . . . After a scoreless second period, The Chiefs took a 2-1 lead at 8:40 of the third on a goal by F Levko Koper. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen forced OT with his ninth goal at 17:46 of the third. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth made 43 saves. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 29 shots. His night’s work included stopping Portland F Sven Bartschi on a second-period penalty shot with the score at 1-1. . . . Spokane was 0-for-9 on the PP, while Portland was 0-for-2. . . . Attendance was 5,542.
———
WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
THE COACHING GAME: The Regina Pats have decided not to renew the contracts of assistant coach Shaun Sutter or goaltender coach Ryan Cyr.
———
JUST NOTES: Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks is the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 1-1, 1.51, .962 last week. . . . The OHL’s Owen Sound Attack took out the Windsor Spitfires, who won the last two Memorial Cups, in five games and have advanced to the 2011 MC tournament. The Attack, which won 10-4 at home on Wednesday, will be the OHL representative. The Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, the host team, and the Attack first will compete in the OHL championship series. The final will open Tuesday or Thursday in Mississauga. . . . Victoria WHL fans will pay $576 for one adult season ticket in standard bowl seating, while a senior/student ticket will sell for $396. The Victoria franchise, formerly the Chilliwack Bruins, announced its pricing plan Wednesday. There are upgrades available to Club seats ($856) and King club seats ($1,136). Check the team’s website for more details. . . . G Jeff Bosch, who completed his WHL eligibility with the Kamloops Blazers this season, has committed to attend Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., and play for the Thunderwolves. Kyle Moir, another former WHLer, graduated after this season, leaving the Thunderwolves needing a goaltender. . . . D Riley McIntosh (Kelowna, Tri-City, 2006-10) also will attend Lakehead U and play for the Thunderwolves. McIntosh played this season with the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

After Wednesday's games . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 0 (4,006) (Lieuwen 25)
April 26 — Medicine Hat 1 at Kootenay 3 (2,972)
April 27 — Medicine Hat 2 at Kootenay 7 (3,474) (M.Reinhart, 5 goals)
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane 1 at Portland 2 (6,506)
April 27 — Portland 3 at Spokane 2 (OT) (5,542) (Leipsic, 7:44)
April 29 — Portland at Spokane
April 30 — Spokane at Portland
x-May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

Tuesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Marek Schwarz (Vancouver, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract with TPS Turku (Finland SM-Liiga). He had a 2.84 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 44 games for Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic Extraliga) this season. Schwarz is currently the only goaltender under contract to TPS for next season. . . .
F Mark Derlago (Brandon, 2003-07) signed a one-year contract with Lausitzer Fusche Weisswasser (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had 45 goals and 36 assists in 67 games for the Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) and one assist in eight games with the Texas Stars (AHL) this season. . . .
F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with TIngsryd (Sweden Allsvenskan). He had 13 goals and 23 assists in 47 games for Växjö Lakers (Sweden Allsvenskan) this season. Tingsryd GM Anders Gustavsson: "Dustin is one of our four centres and we know him well after seeing him last season. He has the character that we want in the team, and we know that he is a good skater and a good scorer." . . .
F Dalibor Bortnak (Kamloops, 2008-11) and F Jaroslav Vlach (Prince George, 2009-11) signed tryout contracts with Liberec (Czech Republic Extraliga). Bortnak had 13 goals and 31 assists in 57 games for the Blazers and Vlach had four goals and eight assists in 55 games with the Cougars this season. Liberec GM Ctibor Jech: "Dalibor and Jaroslav in the past were key players in our youth teams. Now back with the club after playing overseas, they have brought back the experience of the elements typical of hockey overseas."
———
ON THE ICE TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice got a goal and two assists from F Cody Eakin as they beat the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 3-1 to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final. . . . The Ice, which has won 10 straight playoff games this spring, gets its first chance to wrap up the series tonight at home. . . . F Max Reinhart opened the scoring for the Ice on a 5-on-3 PP at 6:33 of the first period. It was his ninth goal of these playoffs. . . . Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem, with his 10th, tied it at 1:13 of the second on a PP. . . . Eakin, with his sixth, broke the tie at 14:08 of the second. . . . Ice F Jesse Ismond, with his second, iced it at 3:35 of the third. . . . Eakin has 16 points in 13 playoff games with the Ice. He has three goals, each one a game-winner, and four assists in this series, including two goals and four helpers over the last two games. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 22 shots, 10 fewer than Medicine Hat’s Tyler Bunz. . . . Lieuwen, 19 and undrafted, is 11-2, 1.96, .930 in the playoffs. . . . Ice F Drew Czerwonka took a nasty fall into the boards in the second period. He was placed on a backboard, stretchered off the ice and taken to hospital via ambulance. X-rays were negative and he apparently walked out of hospital. It’s not know if he will play in Game 4. . . . Attendance was 2,972. Perhaps a lot of people stayed home to watch the game on Shaw and then switch over to for Game 7 between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks. . . . Medicine Hat F Cole Grbavac ended up with a two-game suspension for that hit on Ice F Steele Boomer in Game 1. Grbavac didn’t play last night as he completed the suspension. . . . Boomer is believed to have a concussion and may miss another game or two. . . .
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
The Portland Winterhawks will meet the Chiefs in Spokane tonight with the Western Conference final tied 1-1. The teams exchanged 2-1 victories in Portland, with Spokane winning on Friday and the Winterhawks on Sunday. . . . It turns out the Chiefs spent one more night in Portland than they originally had planned. When they got on their bus after Sunday’s loss, they discovered that there were mechanical problems. So after an hour with no resolution, the Chiefs checked back into their hotel and spent the night.
———
In the OHL, the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors defeated the Niagara IceDogs 4-1 on Tuesday, to win the Eastern Conference final, 4-1. The Majors are the host team for the Memorial Cup, which means whichever team wins the Western Conference title is automatically in, as well. At present, the Owen Sound Attack holds a 3-1 lead over the Windsor Spitfires, who have won the last two Memorial Cup titles. Game 5 is Wednesday in Owen Sound.
———
JUST NOTES: F Cameron Abney of the Edmonton Oil Kings signed last week with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. A third-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft, Abney got a US$165,000 signing bonus over three years. His AHL salary will be $50,000, $55,000 and $55,000, with an NHL salary of $580,000 each season. . . . F Mike Krgovich (Red Deer, Chilliwack, 2006-09) has commited to attend Simon Fraser University and play for the SFU team in the B.C. Intercollegiate League. He also played for the BCHL’s Surrey Eaglesa nd Coquitlam Express. . . .
———
THE COACHING GAME: The NHL’s Calgary Flames have dumped assistant coach Ryan McGill, who is a former WHL player and coach. The Flames have decided not to pick up the option on McGill’s contract. He is the third member of the coaching staff to be sent down the road since the regular season ended. Earlier, the team chose not to pick up the options for goaltender coach Jamie McLennan, a former WHLer, and assistant coach Rob Cookson. . . . The OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs are shuffling the deck, having moved former NHL star Doug Gilmour from head coach to general manager, while former NHL D Todd Gill is the new head coach. Gill owns the CJHL’s Brockville Braves, a junior A team he also serves as GM. Larry Mavety, the Frontenacs’ longtime GM, stepped aside but remains as a special advisor. . . .
———
Today’s good read comes courtesy of the Sports Guy. That would be Bill Simmons of espn.com. He pontificates mostly on the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, explaining why they might move and why they won’t at least for now, with a side trip to the sad saga of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His essay includes this line: “When a commissioner keeps siding with owners over fans, he becomes nothing but a puppet with strings trickling out of his back.”
The complete read is right here. It’s a long one, but well worth it.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

After Tuesday's game . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 0 (4,006) (Lieuwen 25)
April 26 — Medicine Hat 1 at Kootenay 3 (2,972)
April 27 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-April 29 — Kootenay at Medicine Hat
x-May 1 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-May 3 – Kootenay at Medicine Hat
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane 1 at Portland 2 (6,506)
April 27 — Portland at Spokane
April 29 — Portland at Spokane
x-April 30 — Spokane at Portland
x-May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

Monday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brad Moran (Calgary, 1995-2000) signed a two-year contract with the Växjö Lakers (Sweden Elitserien). He had 20 goals and 51 assists in 79 games for the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) this season. Växjö won promotion to Elitserien, Sweden's top league, earlier this month. Växjö GM Henrik Evertsson: "Brad is a skilled centre with Elitserien experience. We feel he is an important and exciting piece for our team." Moran played two seasons in Elitserien for Skellefteå (2008-10), where he had 25 goals and 57 assists in 110 league games and was an assistant captain during his second season there.
———
JUST NOTES: D Martin Marincin of the Prince George Cougars has signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He was a second-round pick in the 2010 NHL draft. Marincin had 56 points, including 14 goals, in 67 games in his freshman season with the Cougars. . . . F Cody Eakin of the Kootenay Ice is the WHL’s player of the week. He had two goals and two assists as the Ice opened the Eastern Conference final with two victories over the Tigers in Medicine Hat. The series resumes tonight in Cranbrook. . . . The Ice goes into that game having won a franchise-record nine straight playoff games. It also has set a franchise record by winning six of those on the road. . . . The Ice will have F Sam Reinhart in the lineup from now through season’s end. Reinhart, the 15th overall pick in the 2010 bantam draft, is fresh off the Telus Cup in St. John’s Nfld., where he put up 20 points, including seven goals, in seven games for the Vancouver-North West Giants. . . . As of late Monday night, the WHL hadn’t changed the suspension to Medicine Hat F Cole Grbavac from ‘tbd’ to a definite length. He was suspended under supplemental discipline for a hit on Ice F Steele Boomer in Game 1. Neither player dressed for Game 2, and Boomer is expected to miss at least two more games with a suspected concussion.
———
Dave Shoalts of The Globe and Mail reports that Tom Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, “has agreed to a price and most of the terms for buying the Dallas Stars – and if he can steer it through bankruptcy court with the bankers in charge of the sale, the Vancouver businessman will be the NHL team’s new owner.”
That story is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

STEVE GARVEY

Speculation is rampant in the newsrooms and press boxes round Major League Baseball about the future of one of its oldest and most respected franchises, the Los Angeles Dodgers. We, too, are curious as to what will become of our beloved blue-and-white kings of Chavez Ravine. While it seems likely that Frank McCort will lose his battle to retain ownership of the team, the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation would like to suggest and endorse Steve Garvey as an excellent choice for owner and president of the Dodgers. We've head rumors that Steve has put together a team of players to make the move and we say "YAY, STEVE!" L.A. will welcome you with open arms!
And here’s a classic Jim Murray column on ol’ No. 6 himself.

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 1983, SPORTS

Copyright 1983/THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY

JIM MURRAY

Garvey Finds There Is Life Beyond L.A.

   No. 6 ran up the steps of the dugout, looked out at the field before him, and life couldn't be sweeter.
   Stephen Patrick Garvey couldn't believe his good luck. The pay was good, the second baseman was speaking to him, the third baseman wasn't giving off-the-record interviews suggesting his public image was all a pose, the star pitcher was not apt to poke a finger in his eye, he wasn't starring in any snide items in the gossip columns.
   Management wanted him and he was making more money than journeyman shortstops or mildly successful .500 pitchers. The manager didn't care if he went ahead with his consecutive-games played streak.
   Everywhere Steve Garvey looked was roses. Days he came down into the dugout in his street clothes, players shouted good-naturedly, "Hey, Garv. Get in uniform, you got a chance to start tonight." In the old days, when Garvey came in the dugout, some teammates would ignore him, others would look the other way. The rest would be indifferent.
   Had Mr. Wonderful finally found a home? Was Captain America among people who revered loyalty, patriotism, devotion to church, Mom and apple pie? Can Frank Merriwell find happiness in a National League locker room after all?
   Steve Garvey's career has always been one of the great mysteries of major league baseball. He played in over 1,100 games in a row, he knocked in key runs, he hit crucial homers he dug throws out of the dirt that would have broken another payer's shins. He kept his hair combed, his shoes shined, his nose clean and he paid his bills. And he was the most underpaid man in baseball. He couldn't get a kind word said about him on the team bus.
   He was polite to the media, charming to the fans, he never griped to the front office or demanded to renegotiate his contract. He watched the club dole out millions to pitchers who didn't even pitch, he saw the seats filled night after night with fans, many of whom had come to see him play. He had been practically brought up on the Dodger team bus. It was unthinkable he would ever wear any other but the red, white and blue of the Dodgers. He was sure his loyalty and patience would be rewarded. After all, the Dodgers were, like him, an old-fashioned institution.
   He did everything they told him to, he talked in wall mottoes. He was one of The Boys of Summer, a heritage player, a Dodger heirloom, they told him.
   What happened was enough to make you throw away the Boy Scout handbook, reach for the bottle, chase broads, hold out, snarl at reporters, kick water coolers, feud with your teammates.
   The Dodgers were God's Team and Garvey was His chosen representative. All it got him was resentment from his teammates, indifference from management and confusion among the fans. Even the writers seemed to take sides, although they should have been happy to have a superstar who didn't sulk in the training room after pivotal games. Envy is contagious. Virtue is suspicious and always has been. They used to burn people at the stake for it.
   But Garvey thought the front office, at least, could add up the home runs, games played, World Series RBI and errors avoided and make up for the years of underpayment.
   They couldn't. They made Garvey, if not a token offer, at least an offer he could refuse. And did. They had the good taste not to throw a party when he left but the relief on their countenances was visible. Steve Garvey got the message: get lost.
   Is he appreciated in San Diego? Did he make the right move? Or did he make a mistake?
   Garvey smiled. "I'm very happy in San Diego," he murmured, peeling a sweatshirt over his head and donning the gold and brown friar robes of the Padres. "The pace down there is great, I'm comfortable, relaxed — wanted even."
   Teammates cordial? Garvey smiled.
   “Extremely so. They're young, they're anxious to learn. They know I'm the only guy here who's been through a World Series and playoffs. I'm happy. I get my energy from people, and I miss that when I'm in isolation.
   “I think it's the best of all worlds. I stayed in Southern California. I'm near my business interests, my charity headquarters. This is an upwardly mobile team, maybe only a year away from a championship, maybe not that much."
   Does he miss the controversy? Garvey looked amused. "I never could understand what I did to become controversial. I always thought everything I did was non-controversial. I thought I should have been the least controversial guy in the league."
   Does it mean a lot to be finally paid the million or so comparable players were getting. "Well, of course," he said. "No one wants to work for less than he's worth. It puts everything right in its place and lets you concentrate solely on baseball."
   Does he ever, ever, get mad? Garvey laughed. "What's to get mad about? If anything was more perfect I'd worry."

Jim Murray Memorial Foundation| P.O. Box 995| La Quinta| CA| 92247

Sunday . . .

WILLIAM WRENN

ON THE ICE SUNDAY:
In Portland, the Winterhawks erased a 1-0 deficit and beat the Spokane Chiefs 2-1 in Game 2 of the Western Conference final. . . . The series is tied 1-1 with Games 3 and 4 in Spokane on Wednesday and Friday nights. Game 5 will be played Saturday at the Rose Garden in Portland. . . . F Matt Marantz gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead at 17:49 of the first period, only to have D William Wrenn pull the Winterhawks even at 18:22. . . . That was Wrenn’s first playoff goal. He had two goals in 29 regular-season games after leaving Denver University and joining the Winterhawks in midseason. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen broke the tie at 7:38 of the second period, via the PP. . . . The Winterhawks were 1-for-3 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-for-2. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 34 shots, as did Spokane’s James Reid. . . . Attendance at the Rose Garden was 6,506. . . . Portland F Craig Cunningham, who was acquired from the Vancouver Giants during the season, played in the 70th playoff game of his career. Cunningham has played at least 10 playoff games in each of his five WHL season. Seventeen other players have played at least 70 WHL playoff games, led by F Shay Stephenson of the Red Deer Rebels (2000-04). He got into 87. In fact, six of the top 18 in that category played for the Rebels during that time. . . . This also was the first time in the last nine playoff meetings between these teams that the home team won. A year ago, they played a seven-game series in which the visitors won each game. The Chiefs opened this series with a 2-1 victory in Portland on Friday. . . .
“They had us on our heels at times,” Nachbaur said. “Whether that was their game or our game, you have to give them credit. When all is said and done it could have gone either way,” Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur told Dave Trimmer of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. . . . Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston, looking at Wrenn’s goal coming 33 seconds after Spokane scored, told Trimmer: “It was good to get that response goal, it was a key turning point in the game. They had just scored and you start to think, ‘Jeez, are we ever going to get one here?’ I liked our response and I thought we were good in the areas we had to be good.”
———
SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
Drew Edwards of the Hamilton Spectator reports that at least some minor hockey organizers in that area are taking a serious look at concussions.
“All 244 players on the 14 teams of Hamilton Reps Hockey Club will be given a computerized neuro-cognitive test before the season and, should they suffer a head injury, be tested again,” Edwards writes. “Until their post-concussion test results resemble their pre-season baseline tests, players will not be allowed to return to action.”
It seems that the Guelph Minor Hockey Association also is on board and will test all 1,100 of its players.
That story is right here.
———
After mention here a couple of days ago about Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., taking some Division I coaches into Sherwood Park, Alta., for a camp, I got an email about a camp that was held in Penticton.
According to an emailer, the camp was held by the BCHL’s Penticton Vees.
“There were coaches from 11 Division 1 schools and the invitation-only camp had the top 80 bantam players from B.C. and Washington State. They put on a great presentation and Q and A session for players and parents, plus two days of games.”
Obviously, the NCAA versus CHL is going to be a big, big story. The WHL spent this weekend holding its annual camp in Anaheim, but I don’t recall the NCAA ever having this kind of a hockey presence in Western Canada.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

The saga of the Chilliwack Bruins — a chronology

What follows is something of a chronology of events leading up to the announcement of the sale and relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins, mostly gleaned from the work of Tyler Olsen of the Chilliwack Times and Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress.
Cast of characters, in order of appearance:
Ron Robison: WHL commissioner.
Moray Keith: Minority owner of Chilliwack Bruins and co-owner of Chilliwack Development Group (CDG), which manages Prospera
Centre.
Jim Bond: Minority owner of Chilliwack Bruins and co-owner of Chilliwack Development Group (CDG), which manages Prospera
Centre.
Darryl Porter: One of the Bruins’ three majority owners; he was the franchise’s governor.
Dave Dakers: President of RG Properties’ sports and entertainment division. RG Properties manages Prospera Place in Kelowna and the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria; it also owns the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings. RG Properties bought the Bruins.
Brian Burke: President and general manager of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs; one of the Chilliwack Bruins’ majority owners.
Glen Sather: President and general manager of the NHL’s New York Rangers; one of the Chilliwack Bruins’ majority owners.
Jim Mullin: Manager of the sports department at CKNW, an AM radio station in Vancouver. He was fired by CKNW on April 20 and tweeted that his dismissal had "everything to do with" his reporting of the sale of the Bruins.
Glen Ringdal: A consultant who works with Moray Keith and Jim Bond.
———
2001: “Our interest in Victoria began in 2001 (and) intensified with the (2005) opening of the new facility (Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre).” — WHL commissioner Ron Robison, on The Hawk 89.5, April 20, 2011.
———
2009: “In 2009, Robison told the league’s board of governors that the WHL might try and move the next team up for sale to Victoria.” — Tyler Olsen, Chilliwack Times, April 21, 2011.
———
February 2009: “February of 2009, as part of its strategic plan, the Western Hockey League Board of Governors made a decision to actively pursue securing a WHL franchise for the Victoria market. At that time, the WHL Board of Governors were advised that should a franchise become available for sale, the WHL may elect to relocate the club to Victoria. Although expanding the league beyond 22 teams was not ruled out, the WHL Board of Governors preference was to relocate an existing team. Further expansion was not considered a viable alternative due to the demand it would place on the talent pool of players and the ability for WHL Clubs to remain competitive at the national level.” — WHL press release, April 20, 2011.
———
November 2010: “Keith told the Times that Bond came away (from a Jan. 13 conference call) not thinking that a decision had been made and that no vote was taken. He also said CDG had a standing offer to buy the club dating back to November 2010. Porter said that he knew of no such offer and that there was no ambiguity as to CDG's willingness to sell.” — Tyler Olsen, Chilliwack Times, April 21, 2011.
———
December 2010: Darryl Porter asks Chilliwack city council for $175,000 per year to prop up sagging revenues. The request is turned down.
———
Early January 2011: In early January, Keith says that Bruins president Darryl Porter met with Robison during the World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y. According to Keith, “Robison told (Porter) point blank that if they wanted to sell, they had to sell to Victoria.” — Tyler Olsen, Chilliwack Times, April 21, 2011.
———
January 2011: “Dave Dakers, president of RG Properties sports and entertainment division, said the genesis of the deal was when he met Darryl Porter on a ferry in January.” — Cleve Dheensaw, Victoria Times Colonist, April 20, 2011.
———
Jan. 13, 2011: “Burke and Porter talked about a Jan. 13 conference call in which Jim Bond allegedly gave his and Keith’s approval to the pursuit of a sale, at the same time locking the group into exclusive negotiating rights with Victoria. . . . Keith wasn’t involved in that meeting, but he got a play-by-play from Bond. . . . ‘Burkie talked and he was the only guy that talked, and it was presented as a fait d’accompli that this was done,’ Keith said. ‘Jim is adamant that he didn’t concur in a unanimous way that it should be sold. Porter, Burke and Sather agreed to sell the team. That’s 75 per cent and that’s not unanimous.’ ” — Eric Welsh, Chilliwack Progress, April 20, 2011.
———
March 4, 2011: Western Hockey League commission Ron Robison says Chilliwack remains a viable market for major junior hockey. And with rumours flying about the possible sale of the Chilliwack Bruins, Robison told the Chilliwack Times . . . that the league office hasn't received any notice that a sale is imminent. Robison said "there is tremendous interest in purchasing franchises around the league . . . but right now there's been nothing filed with us to indicate that there's been anything material occurring." — Tyler Olsen, Chilliwack Times, March 4, 2011.
———
March 4, 2011: Asked if the league stresses keeping teams in their current markets, Robison said "absolutely." He continued: "It's clearly our desire to keep them where they are. From time to time we have to review relocation but that's been very rare. There hasn't been a relocation in our league for many, many years." — Tyler Olsen, Chilliwack Times, March 4, 2011.
———
March 4, 2011: When asked by the Progress whether the team would be playing in Chilliwack in 2011-12, the answer wasn't exactly a resounding yes. “I would be very surprised if the Western Hockey League isn't playing hockey in Chilliwack,” Porter replied. — Eric Welsh, Chilliwack Progress, March 4, 2011.
———
March 4, 2011: Asked whether the Bruins would be playing in Chilliwack in 2011-12, (Robison) offered this. “It is certainly our intent and we haven’t considered anything different at this point.” — Eric Welsh, Chilliwack Progress, April 21, 2011.
———
March 4, 2011: Asked about the league’s strong desire to get into Victoria, (Robison) offered this. “We are very interested in that possibility, and it’s just been a case of whether we can accommodate that. At this point, we’re not in a position to do that.” — Eric Welsh, Chilliwack Progress, April 21, 2011.
———
March 2011: “In March, Porter told the Times that the owners were weighing ‘multiple offers.’ The owners were, however, negotiating with only one other partner. On (April 20) he apologized for the misleading statements, saying that he was trying to respect a confidentiality agreement and that there was still a possibility that the team wouldn’t be sold to RG Properties. ‘I still had some belief that we would be enticing other offers,’ he said.” — Tyler Olsen, Chilliwack Times, April 21, 2011.
———
March 15, 2011: The Chilliwack Progress reports that Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, who “has ties to the area,” is interested in helping keep the Bruins in Chilliwack. "Justin has expressed his interest in being involved with us as an investor in hockey based in Chilliwack," Keith said in an e-mail to the Chilliwack Progress. "We would be honoured to have him involved. It is all predicated obviously in our successfully securing the team.” — Chilliwack Progress, March 15, 2011.
———
March 15, 2011: The Chilliwack Progress reports that “a news article this morning said there is pressure on Burke, Sather and Porter to accept a bid that would land the team in Victoria. That would fly in the face of commments WHL commisioner Ron Robison made in a Chilliwack Progress interview last week.” . . . “The league's position on ownership is always to look for local ownership,” he said. “That is always a priority. We have to make sure we have the right type of ownership, but if there is local interest, that is something we would want to explore.” — Chilliwack Progress, March 15, 2011.
———
March 17, 2011: “On March 17, the WHL Board of Governors granted conditional approval for the sale of the Chilliwack WHL franchise and final agreements were then signed.” — WHL news release, April 21, 2011.
———
March 31, 2011: “Darryl Porter not confirming sale of Chilliwack Bruins at 5:50pm. Says it's not done. Says no sale agreement signed despite speculation.” — Randy Merkley, the radio voice of the Bruins, via Twitter.
———
April 5, 2011: The WHL issues a news release saying it has granted conditional approval to the sale of the Chilliwack Bruins. The news release doesn’t identify a buyer.
———
April 4, 2011: Burke, in a letter through his lawyers to Jim Mullin earlier in the week, claimed that the WHL had “promised” a franchise to Graham Lee, the chief executive officer and president of RG Properties. . . . Burke also wrote that it was “. . . the WHL’s and Mr. Lee’s desire to have an established team in Victoria rather than an expansion team. This will not leave Chilliwack without a WHL team. The WHL is in the process of negotiating the movement of another WHL team to Chilliwack.”
———
April 11, 2011: “Keith cited an April 11 phone conversation between his right-hand man Glen Ringdal and Porter where Porter fingered Robison and the WHL executive as the masterminds behind the Chilliwack-to-Victoria plot.” — Eric Welsh, Chilliwack Progress, April 20.
———
April 18, 2011: The WHL announces that a news conference will be held April 20 in Victoria.
———
April 19, 2011: The deal between RG Properties and the Bruins owners closes.
———
April 20: 2011: The WHL announces the Bruins will be relocated to Victoria.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

After Sunday's game . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 0 (4,006) (Lieuwen 25)
April 26 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
April 27 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-April 29 — Kootenay at Medicine Hat
x-May 1 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-May 3 – Kootenay at Medicine Hat
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane 1 at Portland 2 (6,506)
April 27 — Portland at Spokane
April 29 — Portland at Spokane
x-April 30 — Spokane at Portland
x-May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

NATHAN LIEUWEN

SATURDAY’S PLAYOFF GAME:
In Medicine Hat, G Nathan Lieuwen earned the shutout and F Cody Eakin had three points as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Tigers, 3-0. . . . The Ice leads the series 2-0 as the teams head to Cranbrook for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. . . . Lieuwen stopped 25 shots for his franchise-record third shutout of these playoffs. He and Dan Blackburn share the career record with three shutouts. . . . Lieuwen, a 19-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., has three shutouts in 12 games in this postseason after putting up three in 55 regular-season games. . . . Eakin opened the scoring at 3:57 of the first period, then drew assists on goals by F Kevin King, his first, at 14:32 of the second, and F Joe Antilla, his seventh, into an empty net, at 18:41 of the third. . . . Eakin had 13 points, including five goals, in 12 playoff games. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 37 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Ice was 0-for-5 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-3. . . .
The Tigers were without G Cole Grbavac, who drew a ‘tbd’ suspension for a hit on Ice F Steele Boomer late in the third period of Game 1. Boomer, who is believed to have a concussion, isn’t expected to play in Games 3 and 4 in Cranbrook on Tuesday and Wednesday. . . . F Sam Reinhart, who has been playing in the Telus Cup in Newfoundland, will be joining the Ice on Monday. Reinhart was the 15th overall pick in the 2010 bantam draft.
———
ELSEWHERE . . .
Marc Habscheid was in the house Friday when the Victoria Salmon Kings beat the visiting Utah Grizzlies 2-1 in double overtime to advance to the third round of the ECHL playoffs. Habscheid met with the Victoria media on Saturday. Habscheid spent the last two seasons as the GM/head coach of the Chilliwack Bruins, who have been sold and are relocating to Victoria. And, although there hasn’t been an announcement made as regards Habscheid future, he will run the team’s table at the bantam draft and sure sounds like he’ll be moving to the B.C. Capital.
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has that story right here.
———
The Salmon Kings, the Western Conference’s seventh seed, now will meet the Anchorage Aces, who had the ECHL’s best regular-season record. . . . . They’ll open with the best-of-seven series with games Wednesday and Thursday at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, then head for Victoria and Games 3 and 4 on April 30 and May 2. A fifth game, if necessary, is scheduled for May 4 in Victoria. If needed, Games 6 and 7 will be played in Anchorage on May 7 and 8.
———
Derek Spalding of the Nanaimo Daily News takes a look at the situation in that city in terms of the WHL and a new arena. He also mentions  that the “Nanaimo Clippers' owners have the first right of refusal to any incoming franchise.” . . . According to Tourism B.C., Nanaimo has a population of more than 84,000. There are more than 138,000 people in the regional district.
That story is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

After Saturday's game . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay 3 at Medicine Hat 0 (4,006) (Lieuwen 25)
April 26 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
April 27 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-April 29 — Kootenay at Medicine Hat
x-May 1 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-May 3 – Kootenay at Medicine Hat
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane at Portland
April 27 — Portland at Spokane
April 29 — Portland at Spokane
x-April 30 — Spokane at Portland
x-May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

Good Friday . . .

ADAM TAYLOR

In Victoria, F Adam Taylor scored his third goal of the playoffs 48 seconds into the second overtime period Friday night to give the Salmon Kings a 2-1 victory over the Utah Grizzlies. . . . The Salmon Kings, who are dead things walking, swept the second-round ECHL series and now will meet the Alaska Aces in the Western Conference final. . . . F Simon Ferguson gave Utah a 1-0 lead at 2:44 of the first period on a PP. . . . F Keil McLeod pulled Victoria into a tie at 18:55 of the second period. . . . Victoria G David Shantz stopped 40 shots, 10 fewer than Utah’s Jean-Philippe Lamoureux. . . . Attendance was 6,095. . . . The Salmon Kings went into these playoffs as the Western Conference’s seventh seed. The top-seeded Aces beat the host Idaho Steelheads 4-0 on Friday to sweep that series. . . . The Salmon Kings, of course, are in their final season, at least in Victoria, after the WHL made it official this week that the Chilliwack Bruins are on their way to the B.C. capital.
———
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist started his game story:
“It took seven years, news of their demise and even comparisons to the movie Slap Shot, for the Victoria Salmon Kings to finally capture the imagination of the city.
“A season-high crowd of 6,295, attracted by cheap tickets, a Marty the Marmot mascot bobblehead giveaway, and the playoff success of the Salmon Kings, was electric with excitement during Friday night's tension-laden ECHL playoff game at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. The Salmon Kings won 2-1 in overtime.”
Dheensaw’s story is right here.
———
The Nashville Predators beat the host Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in an NHL playoff game Friday night. And you can bet that the winning goal brought a smile to the face of Prince George Cougars head coach Dean Clark. . . . The winner came off the stick of F Jerred Smithson after a nifty pass from F Jordin Tootoo. . . . Smithson was a member of the 1998-99 WHL-champion Calgary Hitmen, with Clark as the head coach. Tootoo played four seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Clark was the head coach for two of those (2001-03).
Clark just happened to be in Anaheim on Friday, too. The WHL is holding its annual California camp and Clark is there as one of the coaches. He did see the winning goal, but it wasn’t live. Rather, he was at the ESPN Zone. . . . The other coaches at the Anaheim camp are Bruno Campese (Prince Albert Raiders), Don Hay (Vancouver Giants) and Derek Laxdal (Edmonton Oil Kings).
———
Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., brought a few NCAA Division I coaches to Spruce Grove, Alta., recently. While there, there were presentations to players and their families. Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal has the story right here.
———
THE COACHING GAME: Paul Baxter has joined the NAHL’s Wichita Falls Wildcats as head coach, general manager of hockey operations and partner. The deal is effective May 1. Baxter had been with the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild from 2008 until he was released midway through this season. That position later was filled by former WHL coach John Becanic, who left his spot as assistant coach with the Vancouver Giants to join the Wild. With the Wildcats, Baxter replaces Mark LeRose whose contract wasn’t renewed. LeRose was an assistant coach with the Everett Silvertips in 2009-10. . . . Rick Brodsky, who owns the Prince George Cougars, is the president/owner of the Wildcats. . . . Nate Leaman is the new head coach of the Providence College Friars. Leaman, who was the head coach at Union College, was named the NCAA Division 1 coach of the year by the American Hockey Coaches Association last week. He replaces Tim Army, who resigned after six seasons with the Friars. Rick Bennett, associate head coach under Leaman, has been named the head coach at Union. . . .
———
Capgeek.com reports that Kelowna Rockets F Brett Bulmer, who has signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, will get US$67,500 as an AHL salary, with NHL salaries of $740,000, $790,000 and $900,000. His signing bonus is $270,000 over three years. . . . Bulmer has joined the AHL’s Houston Aeros for the duration of the season. . . . The Aeros, meanwhile, signed Kelowna D Colton Jobke to an amateur tryout. . . . Houston swept the Peoria Rivermen from the first round of playoffs and is waiting for the winner of a series between the Milwaukee Admirals and Texas Stars. Milwaukee won 2-1 in overtime on the road Friday and takes a 3-2 series lead back home for Game 6 on Monday.
———
An interesting email hit the inbox today, and here it is, in its entirety:
Conspiracy theory — Were the owners of the Calgary Hitmen "encouraged" by the WHL executive to place their AHL farm team within a 30-minute drive of Chilliwack, so that there would be "plausible cause" to move the Bruins to Victoria? I have always wondered why one of the league's members would do such a thing. Remember that the WHL said in February 2009 that it was looking to move an established team into Victoria. Sixteen months later, there is a building in Abbotsford and an AHL team playing in it. . . .”
Hmmm . . .
———
FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:





In Medicine Hat, F Cody Eakin scored in OT to give the Kootenay Ice a 6-5 victory over the Tigers. . . . It was the first game of the Eastern Conference final, with Game 2 set for tonight in Medicine Hat. . . . Eakin scored his fourth goal of these playoffs at 5:59. . . . This was a wild one, with the Ice leading 2-0 at 11:01 of the first period and 3-1 after one. . . . The Tigers then scored the next three goals, two of them by F Emerson Etem. . . . Ice F Matt Fraser tied it at 7:13 of the third. . . . Medicine Hat F Wacey Hamilton gave his side a 5-4 lead on the PP at 10:03. . . . Fraser forced OT with a PP goal at 18:05. . . . Fraser now has 12 goals. He had two goals and two assists on this night. . . . Ice F Max Reinhart had a goal, his eighth, and two helpers. . . . The Tigers got two goals and an assist from F Linden Vey. . . . Vey has a WHL-leading 24 points. He and Fraser lead in goals, each with 12. . . . Ice D Brayden McNabb had one assist. He leads the WHL with 13. . . . The Ice now is 8-0 in these playoffs when it scores the game’s first goal. . . . It’s worth noting, too, that Ice F Drew Czerwonka and F Erik Benoit each scored his first goal of these playoffs. . . . Injuries have limited Czerwonka, who had 14 regular-season goals among his 43 points, to six playoff games. Benoit had four goals in 52 regular-season games. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 30 shots, one fewer than Medicine Hat’s Tyler Bunz. . . . The Tigers were 2-for-6 on the PP; the Ice was 1-for-5. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . You can bet that this was one to remember for Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth. It was the third anniversary of the death of his father, former WHL commissioner Ed Chynoweth.
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In Portland, F Levko Koper’s second-period goal stood up as the winner as the Spokane Chiefs opened the Western Conference final with a 2-1 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The second game will be played Sunday in Portland. . . . Spokane F Brady Brassart, who had eight goals in 65 regular-season games, scored his first of the playoffs at 2:11 of the first period. . . . Brassart scored off a rebound of a shot by F Marek Kalus. Brassart hadn’t played since the first game of the Chiefs’ series against the Tri-City Americans; Kalus last played in Game 5 of a first-round series against the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Koper made it 2-0 at 4:25 of the second on the PP. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen got his side to wthin one at 19:36 of the third period. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 27 shots, 14 fewer than Portland’s Mac Carruth. . . . Spokane was 1-for-4 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 7,642. . . . The Chiefs played without F Tyler Johnson, the WHL’s second-leading regular-season scorer. He sat out a one-game suspension for a kneeing major in Game 6 of their series with the Americans. . . . With Johnston out, Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur also scratched F Mitch Holmberg, and went with Brassart and Kalus.
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

After Friday's games . . .

MEDICINE HAT (3) VS. KOOTENAY (4)
April 22 — Kootenay 6 at Medicine Hat 5 (OT) (4,006) (Eakin, 5:59)
April 23 — Kootenay at Medicine Hat
April 26 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
April 27 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-April 29 — Kootenay at Medicine Hat
x-May 1 — Medicine Hat at Kootenay
x-May 3 – Kootenay at Medicine Hat
———





PORTLAND (1) VS. SPOKANE (2)
April 22 — Spokane 2 at Portland 1 (7,642)
April 24 — Spokane at Portland
April 27 — Portland at Spokane
April 29 — Portland at Spokane
x-April 30 — Spokane at Portland
x-May 2 — Portland at Spokane
x-May 3 — Spokane at Portland

x — if necessary.

After golfer Kevin Na took a 16 on a par-4 hole during last week’s Valero Texas Open, comedy writer Jim Barach noted: “He gives new meaning to the lyrics ‘Na na na na, hey hey hey goodbye!’ ” . . . No idea yet who will be playing but this summer’s TELUS World Skins Game is set for Banff, July 25 and 26. . . . Still with golf, Ernie Els plans on playing in the Canadian Open at Shaughnessy in Vancouver, July 21-24, and he will have former NHLer Dan Quinn on his bag. . . . The big city media has discovered what our Mark Hunter told Daily News readers about last summer — South African golfers Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel are regular visitors to Kamloops, where they visit family and friends, and play a little golf. And, yes, Oosthuizen, the defending British Open champ, and Schwartzel, who won the Masters last weekend, will be at Shaughnessy in July. . . .

Ron Judd, in the Seattle Times: “Olympic National Park is seeking volunteers to sit in alpine meadows all summer and count marmots. Oddly, the first applicants were the same five guys who waited in line overnight to buy single-game Mariners tickets.” . . . One more from Judd: “Franchise-thieving weasel Clay Bennett, owner of the former Seattle Sonics, has been named chairman of the NBA's relocation committee. For once, words escape us.” . . . Kristin Bond of Kamloops, who ran in the Boston Marathon for the first time on Monday, was amazed at the crowds that saluted the runners all along the course. “Boy,” she said, “there was a lot of Canadian fans with flags. You let them know you’re from (Canada) and they’d go nuts.” . . .

With the Boston Red Sox off to a horribly slow start, the Left Coast Sports Babe notes that “even Cubs fans are sending sympathy notes.” . . . She also was intrigued when she woke up one day to find the Cleveland Indians leading the AL Central. As she put it: “The last time the Indians had such an unexpectedly good week, Custer was involved.” . . . CFJC-TV’s Bill O’Donovan is living on the edge these days, using a Chicago Blackhawks’ logo as the avatar on his Twitter account. . . . A gem from Twitter this week: “The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never tell if they are genuine. — Abraham Lincoln.” . . .

You have to love the NHL playoffs and what they do to people. Just the other night, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks were walking back to their hotel. Well, here’s what Kane told the Chicago Tribune: "An elderly lady ws in a car and she had the oxygen tubes up her nose and she rolled down the window and gave us a certain gesture. It was awesome." . . . Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: “The Stanley Cup playoffs are under way, led by top seeds Washington and Vancouver. Canucks seek to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for first the time since 1993. Not sure what should embarrass Canadians more: That drought. Or their inexplicable fascination with curling.” . . .

It wasn’t that long ago when it seemed the NDP was this close () to ruling our fair province. But that was before the night of the long knives. And then they scheduled their leadership gala right up against a Vancouver Canucks playoff game and the same day as the Vancouver Sun Run. . . . Hello, is anybody home? . . . The Washington Capitals have been of the opinion that the New York Rangers are targeting defenceman Mike Green, who missed 20 late-season games with a concussion. And Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau hasn’t been shy talking about it and other things. Of Madison Square Garden, he said: “The locker rooms are horrible. The benches are horrible. Its reputation is far better than the actual building.” To which New York Rangers head coach John Tortorella told the Washington Post: "We have confidence in the league, we have confidence in the officials that they won't be influenced by all the whining going on here right now.” . . .

After Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake was arrested Monday for shoplifting, Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News wrote: “On Friday, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake was handed a paycheck for $40,000. On Monday, Leake was arrested at the downtown Cincinnati Macy’s for allegedly shoplifting six t-shirts valued at $59.65. . . . If this is true, what was he thinking?” . . . Not only that, but Leake got a $1.8-million signing bonus two years ago. . . . Mike Lupica, in the New York Post: “Donald Trump says that he's putting Celebrity Apprentice on hold until he decides whether or not he is going to run for President. So, right there is a reason to hope the big guy decides to throw his hat in the ring. Not that he would ever wear a hat, obviously, and keep that flow of his under wraps.” . . .

The best part of the Detroit Red Wings having advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is that the octopi throwing is bound to continue, despite attempts by the NHL to put a stop to one of the fun parts of the postseason. . . . Scott Ostler, in the San Francisco Chronicle: “Tiger Woods would have better luck if he went back to playing golf instead of auditioning for a Shakespeare tragedy. The body language is getting hard to watch. ‘My lord, I am a man whom fortune hath cruelly scratched.’ ” . . . One more from Ostler: “Manny Ramirez flunks another drug test and retires. More female fertility drugs? Hey, it's just Manny being Minnie. Ramirez says he is now ‘at ease.’ So add ‘conscience’ to the list of things that shrink when you use steroids.”

Gregg Drinnan is sports editor of The Daily News. Email him at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca, follow him at twitter.com/gdrinnan, or visit his blog at gdrinnan.blogspot.com. Keeping Score returns May 14.

Thursday . . .

JIM MULLIN

It was the day after the Bruins left Chilliwack.
Both Chilliwack papers chimed in with some fine coverage and links are below.
But we also learned that a Vancouver radio personality got caught up in all of this Chilliwack-to-Victoria stuff.
Jim Mullin, who managed the sports department at CKNW in Vancouver, no longer is with the radio station.
If you’ve been following the Chilliwack-to-Victoria story, you will recall that Moray Keith, one of the Bruins’ minority owners, confirmed to Mullin that the sale had occurred.
Mullin also was on the receiving end of a letter from Brian Burke, who was one of the Bruins’ majority owners. And it was in that letter that Burke stated the WHL was working to place another existing franchise in Chilliwack.
That letter from Burke, which came via lawyers, also expressed concern with some commentary from Mullin on the Chilliwack-to-Victoria story.
Mullin told me Wednesday night that he no longer was with CKNW.
Someone on Twitter asked Mullin if it had “anything to do with what went on with Burke and the (Bruins) in the last few weeks?”
Mullin’s response was straight and to the point: “It had everything to (do) with it.”
———
Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress spoke with Moray Keith, one of the Bruins’ two minority owners who had a finger or two pointed at him.
Part of what Keith said, in response to his being blamed for lease problems:
“The percentage used by the league is between 10 and 12 per cent of the gate revenues. The gate last year was $1.1 million. We were asking for $100,000 for the first three years and back to 12 per cent or a minimum $125,000. You can’t convince me a $2.5 million grossing business is going out of business over $125,000.”
That story is right here.
———
Welsh also talked with WHL commissioner Ron Robison. In early March, Robison, when asked if the Bruins would be in Chilliwack for 2011-12, had told the Progress: “It is certainly our intent and we haven’t considered anything different at this point.”
Welsh asked Robison about that and some other things and that story is right here.
———
Welsh also found time for a session with Darryl Porter, the Bruins’ governor and one of the franchise’s majority owners. Welsh starts with:
“Darryl Porter says the last two months have been the most difficult time in his life.”
The rest of that story is right here.
———
Over at the Chilliwack Times, Tyler Olsen takes a crack at rounding up everything in chronological order by talking to the participants. That piece is right here.
———
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist spoke with Marc Habscheid, who spent the last two seasons as the GM and head coach of the Chilliwack Bruins. No one is talking about whether Habscheid will make the move to Victoria, but he talks here about what kind of team Victoria is getting.
That story is right here.
———
The national media in Canada is starting to pay some attention to the Victoria Salmon Kings. Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail has written a piece after talking to Mark Morrison, the Salmon Kings’ general manager and head coach. With all the twists to this story, it’s somehow fitting that Morrison played in the WHL for the Victoria Cougars. Maki’s column is right here.
———
Dylan Bumbarger, who blogs on all things Winterhawkish and more, writes that Darryl Porter and Brian Burke once looked into purchasing the WHL franchise in Portland.
Read all about it right here.
———
It would seem rather apparent that Chilliwack won’t be home to a WHL franchise for the 2011-12 season. But what about 2012-13?
Bruce Luebke, the radio voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings, may have tossed the Wheaties into the mix at his blog, Luber’s Lounge, the link for which is over there on the right.
Here’s part of what he wrote:
“Haven't heard the Wheat Kings mentioned yet, but it's worthwhile to note Brandon's lease with the Keystone Centre runs out at the end of (2011-2012), and the general feeling is the Wheat Kings won't be getting quite as favourable a lease as they did when the last one was signed in February of 1997.”
———
The Victoria WHL franchise is asking fans to vote on their preference as the team’s new nickname. Neate Sager, over at Yahoo! Sports, wonders if it isn’t going to be Tide. This is an interesting piece, involving the registering of names and domain names, and is worth a look. It’s right here.
———
There was an interesting twist to the Victoria Salmon Kings’ 3-2 overtime victory over the visiting Utah Grizzlies on Wednesday night. That gave the Salmon Kings a 3-0 lead in the ECHL second-round playoff series. . . . The winner, 11 seconds into OT, came from F Josh Aspenlind, who, a Bruins fan informed me today via email, was Chilliwack’s first captain and also the “first inductee to our wall of honour.” . . . Game 4 in that series goes tonight in Victoria.
———
MEANWHILE . . .
 The Portland Winterhawks have signed G Brendan Burke, the 49th overall pick in the 2010 bantam draft. He is the son of former NHL G Sean Burke. Brendan played this season with the Phoenix Junior Coyotes of the Midwest Elite Hockey League, going 9-10-3, 3.39, .862. He helped his team to the championship game in the Rocky Mountain District tournament, featuring some of the top midget AAA teams from the western United States. In the tournament, he was 2-1, 1.97, .930, with one shutout. Burke attended a tryout camp for the Under-17 U.S. National Development Team, but chose to sign with the Winterhawks. . . .
---
F Carter Ashton of the Tri-City Americans has joined the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Ashton, who turned 20 on April 1, was the 29th overall selection in the NHL’s 2009 draft and has signed with Tampa Bay. He had 71 points and 106 penalty minutes in 62 games this season, split between the Regina Pats and the Americans. He also played for Canada at the World Junior Championship. Ashton played 11 games with the Admirals last season, scoring one goal. The Admirals are 2-2 with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in an East Division semifinal that resumes tonight. . . .

The gang at capgeek.com reports that F Curtis Hamilton of the Saskatoon Blades, who has signed with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, has a deal that calls for the same AHL salary (US$67,500) in each of three seasons, NHL salaries of $715,000, $790,000 and $900,000. He got a $270,000 signing bonus, payable over three years. . . . Capgeek.com also reports that Regina Pats F Jordan Weal, who signed with the Los Angeles Kings, is down for AHL salaries of $67,500, $65,000 and $62,500, with NHL salaries of $615,000, $640,000 and $665,000. He also got the $270,000 signing bonus payable over three yers. . . . Hamilton was a second-round pick of the Oilers in the NHL’s 2010 draft, while the Kings took Weal in the third round of the 2010 draft. . . . The Oilers also signed F Cameron Abney, 19, to a three-year deal. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Abney, who turns 20 on May 23, was a third-round selection in the 2009 NHL draft. He had 20 points and 72 penalty minutes in 60 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings this season. . . . The Minnesota Wild has signed F Brett Bulmer of the Kelowna Rockets to a three-year deal. Bulmer had 49 points, including 18 goals, and 109 penalty minutes in 57 games with the Rockets this season. He was a second-round pick in the 2010 NHL draft. . . .

F Bernhard Keil, who played this season with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, has returned to the Straubing Tigers. The Tigers, who play in the DEL, announced Thursday morning that they have signed Keil, 19, to a one-year deal with a club option for a second season. Keil played two seasons ago for a junior team in Mannheim and was expected to join the Tigers. However, the Blazers selected him in the CHL import draft and he spent the season in Kamloops. He had eight points, including five goals, in 46 games with the Blazers, who had told him he wouldn’t be coming back for a second season. . . . Keith Cassidy if the new GM/head coach of the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. He coached five seasons in the MJHL and was at the helm of the U of Manitoba Bisons for one season. Cassidy wasn’t involved in coaching last season. . . . The Moose Jaw Warriors were honoured as that city’s business of the year at the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Excellence Awrds gala on Wednesday. The Warriors also walked off with the Marketing award. The legendary Rob Carnie of CHAB Radio was the host for the evening. . . .

There is some U of Alberta news as two WHL coaches who played for the Golden Bears prepare to meet up tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final. Shaun Clouston, the head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, played under the legendary Clare Drake in the mid-1980s before going on to spend three seasons with the Portlad Winterhawks. . . . Kris Knoblauch, the head coach of the Kootenay Ice, played five seasons with the Golden Bears ater completing his WHL career. Knoblauch played under head coach Rob Daum while at the U of A. . . . The Tigers and Ice open the conference final tonight in Medicine Hat. . . . Interestingly, both Clouston and Knoblauch are in their first seasons as head coach. Clouston, of course, spent six seasons as assistant or associate coach under Willie Desjardins, who joined the staff of the NHL’s Dallas Stars last summer. Knoblauch, 32, was an assistant coach for one season with the Prince Albert Raiders and two with the Ice before taking over from Mark Holick, who left for the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. . . . The Golden Bears, meanwhile, may be in the market for a new head coach after Eric Thurston told his players a week ago that he was resigning and then was placed on leave by the university yesterday. Assistant coach Stan Marple has been named acting head coach. There are some unanswered questions here, for sure. Evan Daum, who covers the U of A scene like a blanket, has more right here. Thurston was on the Kamloops Blazers’ shortlist in the summer of 2008, but he withdrew his name before a hire was made. In the end, the job went to Barry Smith.

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