Taking Note

JOEL HAMILTON

F Joel Hamilton of the Red Deer Rebels is resting comfortable in Red Deer Regional Hospital after having fractured his L1 and L2 vertebrae during an 8-5 loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday. Hamilton was taken to hospital after the game where X-rays discovered the fractures. He is expected to be out at least four weeks.
According to Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate, Hamilton was injured when he absorbed a check in the first period. “Hamilton stayed on the bench for the remainder of the game after it became apparent that he was in too much pain to be helped to the dressing room. Paramedics attended to the rookie forward at the conclusion of the contest and administered morphine intravenously before placing him on a backboard.”
Jesse Wallin, the Rebels’ general manager and head coach, told Meachem: “He’ll be out a minimum of four weeks. The doctors expect him to make a full recovery and he’ll certainly be able to return to play at some point.”
The Rebels, who already had seven players out with injuries, also lost F Cory Millette (foot) after he blocked a shot early in the game. X-rays proved negative and he is listed as day-to-day.
Red Deer went into that game with seven players out with injuries. G Patrik Bartosak and D Justin Weller won’t play again this season. F Adam Kambeitz, D Aaron Borejko and F Colten Mayor are out indefinitely.
With the Scotties Canadian women’s curling championship to start this weekend in their home rink, the Rebels are hitting the road, starting with a four-game swing into the B.C. Division. They’ll begin by playing the Cougars in Prince George on Wednesday.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Ryan Papaioannou has signed a five-year contract extension as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. . . . That will take him through the 2016-17 season. . . . Papaioannou has been with the Bandits since signing on as an assistant coach in 2008. . . . He took over as interim GM/head coach on Oct. 16, 2009, and was named GM/head coach on Nov. 5, 2009. . . . The Bandits are 101-49-16 under him. . . . This season, the Bandits are 45-7-0-6 and leading the South Division by 29 points.
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The owners of the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild have won their appeal to USA Hockey’s expansion review board and it now appears the road is clear for the franchise to join the BCHL.
There is more right here from juniorhockey.com.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, F Emerson Etem scored twice, giving him 51 goals in 50 games, as the Tigers doubled the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-2. . . . Etem is the first Medicine Hat skater with 50 goals since F Joffrey Lupul hit for 56 in 2001-02. . . .

EMERSON ETEM

The last WHL player to score 50 in 50 was F Layne Ulmer of the Swift Current Broncos. He notched 50 in 47 games in 2000-01. . . . Earlier in the game, before he got his 50th goal, Etem hit a post and the crossbar. . . . When he scored No. 50, the crowd of 4,006 rewarded him with a standing ovation that losted more than a minute. . . . "It got me excited for playoffs, to be honest," Etem told Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News. "I haven’t heard the fans that loud since last playoffs. . . . The three years I have been here, it is one of the proudest moments." . . . A number of Brandon players, including Stone and D Eric Roy, congratulated Etem. . . . "I think it is really impressive for him to be able to get 50 in 50," Stone told Steinke. "Obviously, we didn’t want it to happen against us. It is something that might never happen again. A congratulations is deserved. We needed to acknowledge that moment." . . . Stone scored his 36th goal and set up the other. That was enough to lift him into the lead in the WHL scoring race, with 90 points. That’s one more than Etem, F Ty Rattie of the Portland Winterhawks and F Jordan Weal of the Regina Pats. . . . The Tigers, who have won five in a row, scratched F Hunter Shinkaruk (undisclosed) and put F Rhyse Dieno in his spot with Etem and F Dylan Bredo. Dieno responded with his fourth goal of the season. . . . Dieno tied the game 2-2 at 17:36 of the first period on a PP after Brandon had taken a 2-0 lead. . . . Etem broke the tie at 6:04 of the third and added an empty-netter at 19:13. . . . Brandon F Paul Ciarelli returned from a three-game absence. . . . Brandon F Mike Ferland had two assists. He wasn’t suspended after being hit with an interference major and game misconduct in a 6-3 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Friday.

In Calgary, G Nathan Lieuwen turned aside 26 shots to help the Kootenay Ice to a 4-0 victory over the Hitmen. . . . Lieuwen has three shutouts this season and nine for his career. . . . D Jagger Dirk got the game’s first goal, his sixth, at 11:14 of the first period on a PP. . . . D Joey Leach had a goal and an assist, while F Drew Czerwonka helped out with two assists. . . . The Hitmen have lost four in a row. . . . Calgary took 93 of the 138 penalty minutes handed out by referees Steve Papp and Colin Watt. . . . There was some ch-ch-ching time, too, as Calgary head coach Mike Williamson did the water bottle-throwing thing and got tossed at 4:34 of the third period. . . . Gotta think that had more to do with four straight losses than anything else. . . .
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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LOOK OUT OGOPOGO:
The Edmonton Oil Kings played two games in Prince George on the weekend, then headed for Kelowna on Sunday. Brian Cheeseman, the team’s athletic therapist, tweeted: “In Kelowna for 4 days, might have to take a look for @theogopogo while I'm here #whl #roadie.”
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NOW THAT’S GRIT:
F Joel Hamilton of the Red Deer Rebels tweeted this from his hospital room on Sunday night:
“Bull rider just gets out of surgery beside me and asks the nurse for a spit cup #cope #beauty.”