The Tri-City Americans are bringing in F Matthew Gelinas for a pair of weekend games. The Americans are at home to the Everett Silvertips on Friday and the Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday. . . . Gelinas, 17, is pointless in five games with the Americans this season. He plays for the midget AAA Calgary Royals. he is from Calgary.———
Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star was in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. He writes here about some his experiences as they relate to the situation in which Oscar Pistorius now finds himself.
Here’s a hint: Kelly wonders if Pistorius isn’t about to become South Africa’s O.J. Simpson.
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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Medicine Hat (6)
Prince Albert (4) vs. Red Deer (5)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Tri-City (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Saskatoon, the Blades dumped the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-1 to run their winning streak to 13 games, which equals the franchise’s single season record. . . . The Warriors scored the game’s first goal but that was all. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Markarov stopped 35 shots. . . . The teams were tied 1-1 in the third period when the Blades got goals 33 seconds apart from F Matej Stransky, his 33rd, at 9:22, and F Josh Nicholls, his 39th, at 9:55. . . . F Brenden Walker scored the game’s last two goals, getting an empty-netter at 18:06 and a PP score at 19:12. He’s got 23 goals. . . . Blades F Nathan Burns picked up an assist. He’s got assists in nine straight games. . . . The Blades lost F Michael Ferland to a cross-checking major at 19:12 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 8,611, including Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. . . . Late in the game, the Blades felt Moose Jaw D Kendall McFaull went after F Josh Nicholls. The result was that Saskatoon GM/head coach Lorne Molleken iced his No. 1 PP unit despite the 4-1 score. The Blades scored on the PP and, according to Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, “Warriors head coach Mike Stothers was livid, yelling at Molleken before getting ejected. he was unavailable after the game.” . . . Molleken told Nugent-Bowman: “I have all kind of respect for Mike Stothers. He’s a good coach and his teams play hard. I don’t believe when you’re up like that to put your No. 1 power-play unit out like that. But it was simply because of McFaull going after Nicholls.” . . . 
In Kamloops, G Mac Carruth stopped 27 shots as the Portland Winterhawks blanked the Blazers, 3-0. . . . Carruth now leads the WHL with seven shutouts. He has 11 shutouts in his career. . . . F Brendan Leipsic, who leads the WHL scoring race, had a goal and an assist. . . . He has 105 points, three more than linemate Nic Petan. . . . Leipsic and Petan each scored once in Kamloops. They are tied for the WHL lead, each with 42 goals. . . . The Winterhawks last shutout against Kamloops? G Blake Grenier stopped 31 shots in a 3-0 victory in Portland on Oct. 29, 2004.. . . . The Winterhawks tied a franchise record with their 24th road victory this season. . . . Portland has 101 points and is the first WHL team to 100 points this season. It leads the overall standings by 10 points over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Oil Kings are scheduled to play in Portland on Wednesday. . . . The Winterhawks have reached 100 points in three straight seasons for the first time since 1978-81. . . . Kamloops had won its previous seven games. . . .
In Edmonton, Regina G Matt Hewitt turned aside 53 shots to lead the Pats to a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Regina F Morgan Klimchuk broke a 2-2 tie with his 30th goal at 9:06 of the third period. . . . F Lane Scheidl scored twice for Regina, giving him 33. . . . Edmonton held a 55-16 edge in shots. . . .
In Medicine Hat, the Prince Albert Raiders overcame a 2-0 deficit and beat the Tigers, 5-2. . . . Raiders F Anthony Bardaro broke a 2-2 tie with his 20th goal at 10:38 of the third period. . . . The Raiders put it away with empty-netters from F Mark McNeill, his 21st, and F Carson Perreaux, his 11th. . . . F Elgin Pearce scored both Medicine Hat goals. He’s got 28.———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Nick Zajac, Saskatoon
D Kyle Burroughs, Regina
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Everett Silvertips G Austin Lotz (@lotzy30): “My weakness is shots to the chest . . . if everyone on other teams could take note, that would be great. #logoplease”
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From Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich): “Postal worker as I attempted to mail a package to Quebec today: ‘I thought Quebec was in Ontario.’ ”
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From Kelowna Rockets play-by-play voice Regan Bartel (@Reganrant): “Have much respect for many in Blazers organization but I don’t care if @maccarruth31 had 10 arms and was from Mars . . . . . dude deserved a star.”
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