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| Portland goaltender Mac Carruth had the answers as he blanked the Blazers 3-0 in Kamloops on Wednesday night. (Murray Mitchell /Kamloops Daily News) |
D Patrick Baum (Swift Current, 1997-98) signed a one-year contract extension with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had one goal and seven assists in 30 games for the Falken this season. Heilbronn also announced that it won’t offer contracts for next season to 13 players, including G Kevin Nastiuk (Medicine Hat, 2001-05). Nastiuk had a 2.21 GAA in 26 games this season. . . .
F Wacey Rabbit (Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2001-07) signed a two-year contract extension with Lørenskog (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had 19 goals and 34 assists in 44 games this season. . . .
G Justin Pogge (Prince George, Calgary, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with Karlskoga (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had a 2.37 GAA and .925 save percentage in 44 games with Ritten/Renon (Italy, Serie A) this season. . . .
F Zdenek Okal (Medicine Hat, 2008-10) and F Ondrej Vesely (Portland, Tri-City, 1996-98) signed one-year contract extensions with Zlin (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Okal had seven goals and four assists in 46 games with Zlin, one goal in a one-game loan to Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), and was named Extraliga rookie of the year. . . . Vesely had 10 goals and 31 assists in 52 games with Zlin.———
If you haven’t seen it by now, right here is what the hockey world will be talking about today. The QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar had quite a brawl following a game last night. . . . They are to meet again on Friday, so the QMJHL is going to have to make some disciplinary decisions in a hurry.———
“Hockey parents are in shock after learning their kids are not covered for brain injury in a concussion-plagued sport.” . . . So begins a rather interesting piece written by Elaine O’Connor and Frank Luba of the Vancouver Province. . . . The complete story is right here.
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Former Kamloops Blazers F Chase Schaber played this season with the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns, but has since turned pro and is with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. Chris Langrill of the Idaho Statesman has Schaber’s story right here, including the injury in last season’s playoffs that almost cost him one leg.———
D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, who played out his junior eligibility with the Vancouver Giants this season, has decided to attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds next season. Vannieuwenhuizen, the Giants’ captain this season, played four seasons with Vancouver. . . . F Greg Fraser, who played four seasons with the Prince George Cougars (2008-12) before playing this season with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, also has committed to the Thunderbirds.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Steve Rohlik is the new head coach at Ohio State. He spent three years as the associate coach under Mark Osiecki, who was fired earlier this month. When Osiecki was dropped, Rohlik was named interim head coach. . . . Rohlik, who is a head coach for the first time, also spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Minnesota-Duluth and three at Nebraska-Omaha.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Series tied 2-2; Game 5 on Friday night in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland leads series, 3-1; Game 5 on Friday night at the Rose Garden in Portland.)
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored four times in the first 10:15 of the opening period and went on to beat the Hitmen, 7-3. . . . Edmonton F T.J. Foster scored the game’s first two goals, in the opening 2:10, giving him three in the playoffs. . . . Oil Kings F Michael St. Croix finished with a goal and three assists. . . . Edmonton D Martin Gernat had a goal and an assist, and was plus-5. . . . The Oil Kings, who took a 5-1 lead into the second period, have twice enjoyed five-goal periods in this series, while Calgary has done it once. . . . Calgary F Brooks Macek scored on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Calgary F Elliott Peterson, who had four goals in 38 regular-season games, got his fifth in his 14th playoff game. . . . The Oil Kings were without D Griffin Reinhart, who left in the third period of Game 3 with an undisclosed injury, and F Luke Bertolucci, who departed in the second period after absorbing a stiff check by Calgary D Jaynen Rissling. . . . Edmonton inserted F Cole Benson and D Stephen Shmoorkoff into the lineup. . . . Reinhart actually returned to Edmonton in order to be re-evaluated. . . .
In Kamloops, G Mac Carruth stopped 29 shots and F Nic Petan scored twice as the Portland Winterhawks dumped the Blazers, 3-0. . . . Carruth has two shutouts in this series, four in these playoffs and seven in his career. . . . Portland F Nic Petan scored twice, giving him eight this spring, and had an assist. . . . For the second straight game, the Winterhawks got an early 1-0 lead with a 5-on-3 PP goal. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had three assists, upping his career playoff total to 88 points. He passed former Kamloops F Rob Brown (1983-87) and moved into third on the WHL’s all-time list. Former Kamloops D Greg Hawgood (1983-88) is next on the list, with 100 points. . . . Rattie leads the WHL playoff scoring derby, with 29 points in 14 games. . . . Portland F Keegan Iverson drew a charging major and game misconduct for a third-period hit that knocked Kamloops F Brendan Ranford out of the game. . . . Blazers head coach Guy Charron wasn’t able to provide an update on Ranford’s condition after the game. . . . There’s a video featuring that Iverson hit on Ranford right here.———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (20):
D Joel Edmundson, Kamloops
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (6):
None
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From Cody Nickolet (@WHLFromAbove): “Shaw TV replay shows Griffin Reinhart's skate getting sliced in a collision last night. Ouch. He's not playing tonight in Game 4.”
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From Jesse Spector (@jessespector): “You hate to see a guy hurt his undisclosed at this time of year.”
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From Paul Buker (@Pnbuker) of The Oregonian: “Thanks to WHL Live for the video feed. Can my $7.95 go towards the 'FREE MIKE' fund? Is that OK? No?”
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