D Ales Cerny (Swift Current, 2000-02) signed a one-year contract extension with Mulhouse (France, Ligue Magnus). He had two goals and 20 assists in 26 games, helping Mulhouse win promotion from Division 1 to Ligue Magnus for next season. . . .
F Milan Kraft (Prince Albert, 1998-2000) signed a two-year contract extension with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had 23 goals and 33 assists in 50 games as team captain for Chomutov this season, finishing third in 1.Liga scoring as Chomutov won promotion from the Czech 1.Liga to Extraliga. . . .
D Stefan Langweider (Portland, 2006-07) signed a one-year-plus-option contract with Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had two goals and nine assists in 51 games for Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL) this season. . . .
F Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Kinasewich finished second in Erste Bank Liga scoring this season, getting 25 goals and 29 assists in 49 games for Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia). . . .
D Jaroslav Obsut (Swift Current, Medicine Hat, 1995-97) signed a one-year contract with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL). He had five goals and 24 assists in 52 games this season as captain of Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). . . .
F David Svagrovsky (Seattle, 2002-04) signed a two-year contract with Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). He had 15 goals and 18 assists in 52 games for Berounsti Medvedi (Czech Republic, 1.Liga) this season.
———
JUST NOTES: The MacBeth Report adds a note about the IIHF World Championship . . . Two more WHL alumni participating in the World Championship. Brent Reiber, who holds a Swiss passport and works out of Switzerland, and Antti Boman (Kamloops, 1991-92) are working the tournament as referees. . . . The NAHL has announced that the Chicago Hitmen won’t ice a team in 2012-13. According to an NAHL news release, “All tendered and veteran players of the Hitmen are now considered free agents.” . . . Prior to last season there was speculation that Finnish G Jonathan Iilahti might end up with the Vancouver Giants, perhaps because the Vancouver Canucks had selected him in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL draft. Iilahti, who turned 20 on April 27, signed a one-year deal Friday with Sport Vaasa (Finland, Mestis).
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Mario Amantea is the new head coach of the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs. He takes over from David Haas, who was dropped early last month. The Mustangs went 31-22-7 this season before being upset by the Olds Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. Amantea, a native of Kimberley, B.C., is a veteran coach, having coached in the midget AAA ranks and at the EDGE school in Calgary where he spent three seasons. He left EDGE after the 2010-11 season in order to spend more time with family and business interests. He is a partner and general manager at ZGM Collaborative Marketing in Calgary.
———
THE WHL FINAL:
Game 6 . . .
In Portland, F Oliver Gabriel’s second goal of the game, at 17:21 of the third period, gave the Winterhawks a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The series is tied 3-3. . . . Immediately after the game, the teams boarded the same plane – for the fourth time in the series – and headed for Edmonton where Game 7 will be played tonight. . . . By the time this thing ends, the teams will have played the last three games in slightly more than 72 hours. . . . The winner advances to the Memorial Cup tournament that opens Friday in Shawinigan, Que. The host Cataractes, QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs and OHL-champion London Knights await. . . . The WHL champion plays in the tournament’s first game, meeting the host team on Friday. . . . Edmonton got on the board first in Game 6 when F Michael St. Croix scored his sixth goal at 7:53 of the first period. . . . Gabriel, who has five goals in these playoffs, tied the game at 11:07. . . . It’s worth pointing out that Gabriel is from Edmonton. . . . Portland got its first lead at 8:44 of the third period when D Joe Morrow scored his fourth goal. . . . However, the Oil Kings tied it at 11:05 when F Stephane Legault beat Portland G Mac Carruth for his fifth goal. . . . F Cam Reid drew two assists as he was in on both of Gabriel’s goals. . . . Portland won despite the fact that it’s big line of Marcel Noebels between Sven Baertschi and Ty Rattie didn’t get even one point. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 42 shots, including all 18 he faced in the second period. . . . Carruth finished with 30 saves. . . . This was the first game in which Portland had an edge in shots on goal. . . . Portland was 0-3 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-2. . . . Attendance was 10,947 as the Winterhawks drew a sellout crowd for the fourth straight game. . . . Five of the first six games have been decided by one goal, with Edmonton having won three of them. The exception was Portland’s 5-1 victory in Game 2 in Edmonton. . . . The WHL last had a Game 7 in its championship series in 2007 when the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the visiting Vancouver Giants in double OT. F Brennan Bosch got the winner at 7:16 of the second OT period. . . . This will be the 10th time in league history that the championship has been decided in a Game 7. . . . The Winterhawks franchise has twice been to Game 7 in the final, losing to Medicine Hat in 1987 and to Swift Current in 1993.———
Here is the schedule for the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup (all times local):
Thursday, May 3: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (7,466)Friday, May 4: Portland 5 at Edmonton 1 (10,720)
Sunday, May 6: Edmonton 3 at Portland 4 (10,947)
Tuesday, May 8: Edmonton 4 at Portland 3 (OT) (10,947)
Thursday, May 10: Portland 3 at Edmonton 4 (11,077)
Saturday, May 12: Edmonton 2 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
———
A tidbit about the Shawinigan Cataractes, from Wikipedia: The name ‘Cataractes’ often confuses English-speaking hockey fans. The name literally translates as ‘Cataracts’ meaning ‘Waterfalls’; the team is named for Shawinigan Falls, a prominent waterfall in the city, even though the Cataractes do not have a waterfall on their uniform.
The Cataractes play out of the 4,112-seat Centre Bionest de Shawinigan. The facility opened on Dec. 18, 2008. Prior to that, the Cataractes played in the Jacques Plante Arena.
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.
Posts
