Friday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Andreas Lövdahl (Calgary, Moose Jaw, 1999-2000) signed a one-year contract with Falu IF Falun (Sweden, Division 1). He had 15 goals and 36 assists in 35 games for Borlänge (Sweden, Division 1) this season. Lövdahl was captain of Borlänge this season.
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The Hennepin County Medical Examiners’ Office released a report Friday on the death of former WHL and NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard. Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment on May 13. The report indicates that “cause of death is mixed alcohol and oxycodone toxicity.”
Michael Russo of the Minneapolis StarTribune has a thorough report right here.
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Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail has a stunning piece in today’s paper. He has spoken with Kurt Walker, Stu Grimson and Georges Laraque, all of them former NHL enforcers.
Walker's story is mind-numbing; you get the feeling he knows exactly what Derek Boogaard went through. Grimson is conflicted, wondering how a game that is in the process of banning headshots still allows fighting. Laraque talks of how he disliked his role.
Don’t miss giving this a read. It’s right here.
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As the opening game of the Memorial Cup began on Friday, Damien Cox of the Toronto Star tweeted:
“Big problem for all those who said MemCup in GTA wud be a disaster; Hershey Centre jammed, joint is rockin', game hasn't even started.”
However, with the first period nearing a conclusion, Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun tweeted:
“By the way, more than a few empty seats @ Hershey Centre for host team's first game.”
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Tyler Olsen of the Chilliwack Times has the latest on the situation regarding a facility in need of a team and the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires, who seem headed that way.
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Jeff Marek on Hockey Night in Canada’s iDesk reported in the second intermission of last night’s NHL game that if/when the Atlanta Thrashers relocate to Winnipeg, the Manitoba Moose franchise no longer will be the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. Marek didn’t offer an explanation, but presumably that’s because the Moose are owned by the same people who are buying the Atlanta franchise and relocating it. . . . The Thrashers affiliates are the AHL’s Chicago Wolves and the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators. . . . Obviously, this whole story has a ways to go yet before it has played itself out.
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THE COACHING GAME: John Olver, a former WHL coach, has joined the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors as director of player personnel and assistant to the head coach. Olver, who will work with head coach Marty Raymond, is a veteran of the minor league wars, including stints in the front offices of the Fresno Falcons, Tacoma Sabercats and Idaho Steelheads. . . . Casey Jones, who spent this season as the associate head coach with the Cornell Big Red, is the new head coach of the Clarkson Golden Knights. Jones, a former Clarkson assistant coach, is an alumnus of Cornell and once captained the Big Red. He replaces the fired George Roll. . . . Joe Paterson, who took over as head coach of the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms, has had the interim removed from his job title. The Phantoms are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Assistant coach Riley Cote will be back for a second season with the Phantoms.
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JUST NOTES: F Scott Burt (Seattle, Swift Current, Edmonton Ice, Red Deer, 1994-1998) of the Alaska Aces has set an ECHL record for most career playoff games played. He played in No 103 on Friday, breaking the record that had been held by D Chris Valicevic. . . . The Aces beat the host Kalamazoo Wings 7-5 on Friday to take a 3-1 lead in the ECHL final for the Kelly Cup. Game 5 is tonight in Kalamazoo. . . . In the Central league final, F David Rutherford (Vancouver, Spokane, 2004-2008) had three goals to lead the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs to a 7-2 victory over the visiting Colorado Eagles on Friday. The Mudbugs hold a 3-2 edge in the Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup final, with Game 6 Wednesday in Loveland, Colo.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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