D Patrik Vrana (Moose Jaw, Prince George, 2006-07) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Polonia Bytom (Poland, 1 Liga) after being released by Vsetin (Czech Republic, 2. Liga) for financial reasons. He started the season with Sumperk (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), where he had one goal in nine games, before transferring to Vsetin, where he had one goal and five assists in 12 games. . . .
F Dylan Gyori (Tri-City, 1994-99) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dresdner Eislöwen (Germany, 2. Bundesliga) after his release by the Hannover Indians (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had one goal and three assists in seven games with the Indians. . . .
D Brent Sopel (Saskatoon, Swift Current, 1992-97) was traded by Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Russia, KHL) to Salavat Yulaev Ufa (Russia, KHL) for "monetary compensation." Metallurg is out of the playoffs and Salavat Yulaev have clinched a playoff spot. Both teams have four games left in the regular season. Sopel had four goals and six assists in 47 games with Metallurg this season. A short message from Sopel thanking the fans of Metallurg is right here. Unfortunately, it is overdubbed in Russian. . . .G Tyson Sexsmith (Vancouver, 2004-09) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Bolzano (Italy, Serie A) after his release by Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Russia, KHL). He had a 3.28 GAA and a .873 save percentage in four games with Metallurg this season. Bolzano has three regular-season games left and currently sits in first place in Serie A Master Round. Sexsmith replaces Czech G Tomas Duba, who left Bolzano to sign with Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL) two weeks ago. . . .
D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) was traded by Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL) to CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) for "monetary compensation." He had one goal and three assists in 44 games for Spartak. Spartak also is out of the playoff race while CSKA has clinched a playoff spot with four games left for each team. You can see pictures of Morrisonn being welcomed to CSKA by general manager Sergei Fedorov right here. . . .
D Jordan Henry (Moose Jaw, Red Deer, 2003-07) signed a contract for the rest of this season with HPK Hämeenlinna (Finland, SM-Liiga). Henry started the season on a tryout contract with Södertälje (Sweden, Allsvenskan), where he had one goal and one assist in seven games. After his release form the try-out, he signed with the Stockton Thunder (ECHL) and was loaned to the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL) on a tryout five days afterwards. Henry had two assists in 20 games with the Barons but was released from his tryout loan and returned to Stockton on Jan. 21. He played two games with the Thunder and had two assists. . . .F Lynn Loyns (Spokane, 1997-2001) was granted his release by the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, 2. Bundesliga) for personal reasons. He had two goals and three assists in 12 games for the Towerstars this season. . . .
F Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, Swift Current, 2001-06) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Aalborg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) after a successful tryout. He did not play any games during his tryout period; he just participated in practices and training sessions. Lukacevic was pointless during a two-game try-out with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, 2. Bundesliga) and had three goals and eight assists in 15 games with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga) earlier this season.
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The Tri-City Americans are expected to have a pair of prospects make their WHL debuts tonight in Everett against the Silvertips. . . . D Parker Wotherspoon, the Americans’ first-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft, and F Justin Marreck, who has been on the Americans’ list for two years, have been brought in for the weekend. . . . Wotherspoon, the younger brother of Portland Winterhawks D Tyler Wotherspoon, plays for the major midget Fraser Valley Hawks. . . . Marreck, 16, plays for the major midget Okanagan Rockets. . . . Both plays also are to play Saturday when the Americans are to meet the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., and then return to their club teams.———
The WHL has suspended D Joel Edmundson of the Kamloops Blazers for four games, while Tri-City Americans F Tyson Dallman has been hit with a three-game sentence. . . . Both suspensions are the result of infractions in Wednesday games. . . . Edmundson received a headshot major and game misconduct for an open-ice hit on Portland Winterhawks F Adam De Champlain, who left the game afer the first-period hit and didn’t return. . . . Dallman was given an interference major and game misconduct after a collision with Prince George Cougars G Brett Zarowny, who also left the game.———
THURSDAY’S GAMES:
In Red Deer, F Turner Elson and F Ryhse Dieno each had two goals to lead the Rebels to a 6-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Dieno also had two assists, while Elson had one. . . . Dieno has 33 points, including 17 goals, since joining the Rebels from the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart scored his 27th goal as he ran his point streak to 15 games. . . . With F Joel Hamilton having suffered an undisclosed injury in practice Wednesday, the Rebels brought in F Vukie Mpofu, a fourth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. Mpofu has 55 points in 34 games with the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. That’s good for second place in the league scoring race. . . .
In Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game’s first four goals, three of them in the first period, and went on to a 6-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . F Tyson Baillie scored the game’s first and last goals, giving him 18. . . . The Rockets ran their home-ice winning streak to 22 games. The franchise record (24) is held by the 1994-95 Tacoma Rockets. . . . Kelowna F Dylen McKinlay had two assists in his 300th regular-season game. . . . With the victory, the Rockets became the second WHL team to clinch a playoff spot this season.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.
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