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| Greg and Beate Evtushevski (left) turned a 10th anniversary fund-raiser into scholarships. Here, they present a cheque to Pauline Kirk and Anne Pistawka of the Central Okanagan Bursary & Scholarship Society (COBSS). |
F Brooks Laich (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) signed a lockout contract with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A). He had 16 goals and 25 assists in 82 games with the Washington Capitals last season.
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The Prince Albert Raiders announced a loss of $63,906 at their annual meeting on Thursday. Perry Bergson of the Prince Albert Daily Herald was there and his story is right here.
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When Greg Evtushevski (Kamloops, 1982-86) and his wife, Beate, set up shop in Kelowna following his hockey career, they had no idea what the future held for them.
Well, they recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of Chevy’s Source for Sports. And they did it in style, with a fund-raiser that included a silent auction.
When it was all over, they had raised more than $41,000, money that has been earmarked for two annual post-secondary scholarships worth $2,000 for graduating students in the Okanagan.
Well done, Beate and Chevy!
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F Kyle Haas, 18, has joined the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats after clearing WHL waivers. Haas, from Calgary, had four points and 106 penalty minutes in 46 games with the Saskatoon Blades last season.
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There was an interesting development in Saskatoon late Friday afternoon when the Blades named F Brenden Walker as captain. Walker, 20, was acquired from the Brandon
Wheat Kings at the 2012 bantam draft.In that deal, the Blades got Walker and a conditional second-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft for a second-round selection in 2012, a second-rounder in 2013 and a third-rounder in 2014. The Wheat Kings also have the option to swap 2014 first-round picks with Saskatoon.
Most teams name a captain and three alternates — some teams just go with alternates — with either the coaching staff doing the picking, or players voting on it.
In Saskatoon, GM/head coach Lorne Molleken and his staff selected Walker and will leave it up to him to choose his alternates, something that is likely to happen today.
What makes all of this even more interesting is that D Duncan Siemens, Saskatoon’s captain last season, is still with the Blades.
“We decided to go in a different direction this year,” Molleken told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
The Blades are the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup. Walker has experience in the tournament, having played in it with the host Wheat Kings in 2010.
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SOME FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHT STUFF:
The Calgary Hitmen won the Battle of Alberta, beating the Oil Kings 4-1 in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen improved to 3-0-0, while the Oil Kings slipped to 3-1-0. . . . The Oil Kings won their last 11 regular-season games last season and the first two of this season. Prior to last night, they last lost a regular-season game on Feb. 22 when the visiting Kelowna Rockets put up a 6-4 victory. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit became the franchise’s career leader in saves, passing Torrie Jung (2,437). . . . The Oil Kings were without D Cody Corbett, who is in Buffalo for tonight’s All-American Prospects Game. With Corbett gone, the Oil Kings brought in D Aaron Irving from the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs. Irving was the ninth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Edmonton also is without D Martin Gernat (shoulder) and D Keegan Lowe (undisclosed injury). . . .
The Kootenay Ice posted the franchise’s 600th victory, beating the visiting Regina Pats, 4-1. . . . The Pats remain without head coach Pat Conacher, who left the team early in the week to deal with an undisclosed family matter. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt (ill) sat this one out. G Teagan Sacher stopped 18 shots in his first WHL start. . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings ran their record to 4-0 with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Broncos in Swift Current. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy got the winner. . . . The Broncos have lost three times in four games — twice in OT and once in a shootout — but have points in all four. . . . Brandon F Nick Buonassisi had two goals and an assist, with D Ryan Pulock adding one of each. They are leading the WHL scoring race, each with nine points in four games. . . .
F Dakota Conroy, acquired this week from the Victoria Royals, got the winner as the host Prince Albert Raiders dumped the Moose Jaw Warriors, 5-2. . . . G Luke Siemens, who spent last season with the Warriors, stopped 25 shots for the Raiders. “No better feeling than beating a team you used to play for,” he tweeted after the game. . . . The Raiders have started 2-0-1. . . . D Shayne Gwinner, another offseason acquisition from the Warriors, had a goal for the Raiders. . . .
The Medicine Hat Tigers, down 3-0 at 5:02 of the first period, roared back to beat the Rebels 5-4 in Red Deer. . . . Including playoff games, the Tigers have won 12 straight games in Red Deer. . . . The Rebels are 0-3 after giving up a shorthanded goal and two PP scores. . . . Rebels D Mathew Dumba completed his two-game suspension. . . .
The Prince George Cougars ran their record to 3-0 with a 4-3 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Cougars scored three straight goals to erase a 3-1 deficit. . . . Prince George got its first goal from F Colin Jacobs, on a penalty shot. Jacobs was acquired from Seattle over the summer for D Jesse Forsberg. . . The goal was Jacobs’ third of the season, with two of them coming via the penalty shot. . . . He has eight points in three games. . . . Cougars freshman D Mark McNulty left early with an undisclosed injury. . . .
G Cam Lanigan posted his first career shutout as the host Portland Winterhawks beat the Kelowna Rockets, 1-0. . . . Lanigan, 20, was picked up off waivers from the Kamloops Blazers over the summer. He made 31 saves in beating the Rockets. . . . Lanigan was appearing in his 115th regular-season game. . . . The Rockets (0-2-1) have lose three straight one-goal games. . . . Kelowna was without F J.T. Barnett (knee), D Mitchell Chapman (ankle) and D Jesse Lees (flu). . . . Portland D Seth Jones left after the game for Buffalo, where he will play in tonight’s All-American Prospects Game.
The Victoria Royals won their third straight game, beating the visiting Kamloops Blazers 4-3 in a shootout. . . . F Logan Nelson, who had a goal and an assist in regulation time, scored the only goal of the shootout. . . . Sophomore Kamloops F Cole Ully scored two first-period goals, the second two-goal game of his career. He scored nine goals last season, with two of them coming Oct. 21 in a 7-4 victory over the host Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Blazers were without G Cole Cheveldave (suspected knee injury), who backed up, D Tyler Hansen (concussion) and F Brendan Ranford (AHL-Hamilton Bulldogs). . . . Victoria D Tyler Stahl served the final game of a six-game suspension. . . .
The Everett Silvertips won their first game of the season, 5-3 over the Giants in Vancouver. . . . Everett is 1-2-1. . . . The Giants are 0-3-0. . . . Vancouver G Liam Liston gave up four goals on nine shots and left early in the third period. . . . Vancouver head coach Don Hay has indicated that freshman G Tyler Fuhr will start Sunday against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. . . . In three losses, the Giants have yet to hold a lead.———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Brayden Cuthbert (@bcuthbert56), who has been dealing with post-concussion syndrome for more than 20 months: “Well, looks like I'll be in the line up tonight. First time since Jan.22/11. Its been a long road. #615days #LongTimeNoCelly #LETSGO #PUCK”
The Moose Jaw Warriors announced on Sept. 17 that they had assigned Cuthbert to the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires.
However, he’s now with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. He played Friday night and picked up two assists in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Portage Terriers. Cuthbert was named the game’s third start.
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For today’s good read, don’t miss this piece right here by Dan Bickley, a columnist with the Arizona Republic.
Bob Francis was the NHL’s coach of the year not that long ago. Now he needs a walker to help him get around. He doesn’t know what is wrong — he continues to search for answers — but wonders if his problems aren’t concussion-related.
“I used to pray for everyone but myself," Francis tells Bickley. "I thought it was hypocritical to ask for anything yourself. But I'll admit it: I pray for myself nowadays."
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