Taking Note

The first time I saw Chad Lang, then the general manager of the Moose Jaw Warriors, he was in the press box in the arena in Kamloops. I thought he was one of that night’s scratches from the Moose Jaw lineup. Today, he is the general manager of the Regina Pats. Andrew Matte of the Regina Leader-Post has Lang’s interesting story right here.
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
The Edmonton Oil Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors have advanced to the Eastern Conference final. The Oil Kings go in having won all eight of their playoff games, while the Warriors are 4-1. . . . They’ll begin with games in Edmonton on April 20 and 22. . . .

In Brandon, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored four first-period goals and went on to beat the Wheat Kings, 6-0. . . . Edmonton swept the Eastern Conference semifinal, running its playoff record this spring to 8-0. . . . The Oil Kings now have won 19 straight games. . . . The Wheat Kings scratched their top two forwards, Mark Stone and Michael Ferland. Stone has whiplash, while Ferland has a broken finger. Neither finished Game 3 on Tuesday night. . . . With those two out, F Daniel Asham an d F Tim McGauley made their playoff debuts. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 24 shots for his second shutout of these playoffs. . . . Edmonton got two goals from D Martin Gernat, who was celebrating his 19th birthday. . . . Edmonton F T.J. Foster had a goal and two assists. He and Gernat each finished plus-4. . . . Edmonton F Dylan Wruck left the game in the third period with an apparent shoulder injury. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock is expected to heard for Czech Republic where he will play for Canada at the IIHF U-18 world championship. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Brayden Point continued to pen an amazing story as his PP goal in overtime gave the Moose Jaw Warriors a 4-3 victory over the Tigers. . . . The Tigers won the Eastern Conference semifinal, 4-0. . . . Point, the 14th overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, has eight points, including five goals, in nine playoff games. He leads the WHL with three game-winners — two of them in OT — in the playoffs. This one came on the PP at 8:50 of OT. . . . D James Bettauer scored twice in the first period as the Tigers got out front 3-1 with three PP goals. . . . Moose Jaw F Kenton Miller scored on a PP at 3:08 of the second and F Sam Fioretti forced OT when he scored at 15:51 of the third. . . . Moose Jaw F Cam Braes had two assists as he ran his point streak to nine games. . . . The Tigers were 3-6 on the PP; the Warriors went 2-4. . . . Medicine Hat scratched D Alex Theriau, while the Warriors remain without D Morgan Rielly (knee). . . .

In Spokane, the Tri-City Americans scored the game’s first two goals and went on to a 2-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The Americans take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 in Spokane on Friday. . . . Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday in Kennewick, Wash. . . . F Nathan MacMaster scored his first goal at 9:20 of the first period and F Brendan Shinnimin added his fifth at 14:56. . . . Shinnimin, who won the WHL scoring race, has at least one point in each of his last 30 games. . . . Spokane F Steven Kuhn scored at 12:16 of the third period. . . . Tri-City G Ty Rimmer stopped 24 shots, three fewer than Spokane’s Eric Williams. . . . The Chiefs won the opener 3-2 in OT; the Americans have won the last two, both 2-1. . . .  The Americans have won their last four games in Spokane. . . . Spokane F Marek Kalus sat out his second straight game. He has an upper-body injury and may not play again in the series. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored the game’s last five goals and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 5-4. . . . The Winterhawks, who lead the series 3-1, led 4-0 at 10:58 of the first period. . . . Game 5 is to be played in Portland’s Rose Garden on Saturday. . . . Kamloops F Dylan Willick broke a 4-4 tie with a PP goal at 7:37 of the third period. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford had a goal and two assists, including a faceoff win that led to Willick’s winner. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie left the game 12 minutes into the first period after taking a heavy hit from Kamloops F J.C. Lipon. He was favouring his back as he left the bench and went to the dressing room. He never did return to the game. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan gave up four goals on eight shots but then stopped the last 23 shots he faced. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth turned aside 29 shots. . . . Kamloops was 2-5 on the PP; Portland was 0-5. . . . After the game, the Portland coaching staff was contemplating asking the WHL office for supplemental discipline for two checks delivered by Kamloops players. Check my game story elsewhere on this blog for more details.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.