F Jonas Johansson (Kamloops, 2002-04) signed a one-year contract with Alleghe (Italy, Serie A). He had 21 goals and 26 assists in 41 games with Cortina (Italy, Serie A) last season. . . .
D Deryk Engelland (Moose Jaw, 1998-2003) signed a lockout contract with Rosenborg (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had four goals and 13 assists in 73 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. Rosenborg's press release notes that Engelland is drawing no salary from the club. Rosenborg is covering only his insurance premiums, travel expenses, and accommodations in Norway. Engelland is scheduled to arrive in Rosenborg on Monday. . . .
F Dale Weise (Swift Current, 2005-08) signed a lockout contract with the Tilburg Trappers (Netherlands, Eredivisie). He had four goals and four assists in 68 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season. . . .
F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) was released by Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A). He had two goals and two assists in eight games with Milan this season. No reason was given by the club for the release. . . .
D Tyler Myers (Kelowna, 2005-09) signed a lockout contract with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had eight goals and 15 assists in 55 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season. Myers is
scheduled to arrive in Austria on Tuesday. Klagenfurt's director of hockey operations is former Prince Albert Raiders and Minnesota North Stars D Emanuel Viveiros, father of Portland D Layne Viveiros. . . .
F Marek Curilla (Kootenay, Medicine Hat, 2005-06) was released at the end of his try-out contract with Most (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). He had four assists in 10 games during his try-out. Last season, Curilla had one goal in seven games with Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic 1.Liga) and eight goals and nine assists in 41 games on loan to Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga).
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A story from the press box that illustrates what today’s junior hockey coaches are up against. . . .
Someone from the visiting team always comes into the press box about 90 minutes before game time and sets up a laptop computer that is hooked into the home team’s video gear.
At one game in Kamloops this season, one of the visiting team’s assistant coaches was doing just that when he discovered that he was going to need a power bar in order to get plugged into the nearest electrical outlet.
Just then, one of the players who was scratched from the lineup walked into the press box.
The assistant coach promptly asked the player to return to the dressing room area and bring back a power bar.
And that, said the assistant coach, would be an electrical power bar, not the PowerBar that you eat.
A nearby reporter digested that and burst out laughing.
Don’t laugh, offered the assistant coach, admitting that at a previous game he had requested a power bar and been presented with a PowerBar.
Ahh, the challenges of coaching in today’s game!
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You will recall reading here yesterday that, according to the online scoresheet, Seattle Thunderbirds F Brendan Rouse had been credited with three goals in a 6-4
victory over the host Vancouver Giants on Friday night.But a news release from the Thunderbirds indicated that Rouse had scored twice, with the other goal going to Luke Lockhart.
Well, if you click right here and scroll down a few pictures, you will see Lockhart’s goal. No idea how that could end up being credited to Rouse. (As of 1:30 a.m. PT, Rouse still had three goals on the online scoresheet.)
———
SATURDAY’S STUFF:
The Tri-City Americans opened their six-game East Division swing with a 4-3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Tri-City F Jesse Mychan (bruised thigh) returned to the lineup for the first time since Sept. 29 and drew two assists. . . . Tri-City F Lukas Walter, who didn’t score in 49 games last season, scored his first WHL goal in his eighth game this season. . . . The Wheat Kings lost three games to visiting U.S. Division teams in an eight-day span, as they also lost to the Portland Winterhawks (2-1) and Everett Silvertips (3-2, OT). . . . The Wheat Kings (5-3-1) leave Monday on a seven-game swing into the Western Conference. . . . The Americans are in Moose Jaw tonight, where they have won four straight . . . . 
The Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s last three goals and beat the visiting Red Deer Rebels, 4-2. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester tied the game 2-2 at 12:39 of the second period on a PP and got the winner at 10:54 of the third. He’s got seven goals. . . . Calgary G Mack Shields stopped 17 shots in earning his first WHL victory. . . . This result sets up this afternoon’s game between the only two teams who have yet to lose in regulation time. The Kamloops Blazers (7-0-1) will meet the Hitmen (6-0-2) in Calgary today. . . . The Blazers (.938) and Hitmen (.875) also own the WHL’s top two winning percentages. . . . 
F Brett Stovin scored three times as the Saskatoon Blades snapped a five-game losing streak, winning 5-2 over the host Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . These were Stovin’s first goals this season. He had 13 in 69 games last season. . . . Saskatoon F Travis McEvoy had three assists. . . . Saskatoon enjoyed its first two-goal lead of the season. . . . Saskatoon D Dalton Thrower was ejected for a check to the head of Lethbridge D Axel Blomqvist. . . . 
F Sam Fioretti scored three times as the Moose Jaw Warriors whipped the visiting Prince Albert Raiders, 9-0. . . . G Daniel Wapple stopped 32 shots for his first WHL shutout. . . . Fioretti has a WHL-leading 10 goals, one more than Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Fioretti, who also had two assists, has two WHL hat tricks, both in the last two weeks. . . . Fioretti has 17 points, one behind F JC Lipon of the Kamloops Blazers, who leads the WHL with 18. . . . Moose Jaw F Tanner Eberle (shoulder) played in his first game this season. . . . Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly had five assists and was plus-5. . . . Moose Jaw D Kendall McFaull was pointless and plus-5. . . . Prince Albert F Tim Vanstone picked up a match penalty for attempt to injury at 13:31 of the first. . . . The Raiders have followed a seven-game winning streak with two straight losses. . . . 
The Steph/venson boys struck late to carry the Regina Pats to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Everett Silvertips. . . . F Colton Stephenson scored at 13:35 of the third period on a PP to forge a 3-3 tie. . . . F Dyson Stevenson scored at 14:41 for the victory. . . . Everett led this one 3-1 midway through the second period. . . . Regina F Dryden Hunt was shaken up after taking a hit to head from Everett F Lucas Grayson who was tossed. . . . Hunt, who was playing in his second game after returning from a concussion, left the game and didn’t return. . . . Regina G Teagan Sacher stopped 21 shots in earning his first WHL victory. . . .
F Ty Rattie struck for four goals to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 6-3 victory over the host Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Winterhawks went 4-1-1 on their East Division swing. . . . Rattie, who has seven goals, also drew on assist. . . . The Winterhawks improved to 7-3-1 and moved into a tie for first in the Western Conference with the idle Kamloops Blazers. Kamloops holds three games in hand as it opens a Central Division swing in Calgary today. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke stopped 28 shots, with Mac Carruth on the bench as the backup. . . . 
F Boston Leier drew four assists to help the host Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Prince George Cougars, 7-2. . . . Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk scored his fifth goal — it stood up as the winner — on his 18th birthday. . . . 
F Colin Valcourt scored three times in the third period to lead the Spokane Chiefs to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg, who had a six-game scoring streak snapped Friday in a 5-1 loss in Kamloops, drew three assists. . . . Spokane F Dylan Walchuk also had three assists. . . . The Giants slipped to 2-7-0 and have the WHL’s poorest winning percentage (.222). . . .
G Coleman Vollrath made 30 saves for his first WHL victory as the host Victoria Royals beat the Kelowna Rockets, 3-2. . . . It was Vollrath’s first career start. . . . Vollrath is one of three goaltenders on the Royals’ roster, along with Czeck Partik Polivka and Jared Rathjen. . . . The Royals scored the game’s last two goals, with D Jesse Zgraggen’s first goal tying it at 6:16 of the third and F Ben Walker winning it on a PP at 17:44. . . . Walker scored twice and added an assist. . . . Zgraggen, 19, went into the game with three goals in 134 regular-season games. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges (undisclosed) missed his eighth straight game. . . . The Rockets were without F Zach Franko, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Friday’s 4-1 victory over the Royals.———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Tim Vanstone, Prince Albert (match, intent to injure)
D Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon
D Kyle Burroughs, Regina
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon (major)
F Lucas Grayson, Everett (major)
F Ryan Olsen, Kelowna (major)
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
Former Kamloops Blazers F Ryan Hanes (@HANESR13), now with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals: “Holy smokes, I love to see @_JLipon on the top of the leading board in the whole WHL! Get him to the show, ima live in guesthouse #beauty.”
Hanes leads the Capitals in goals (8) and points (12) in 11 games.
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