Taking Note

The Portland Winterhawks have come a long way in a rather short period of time. And it doesn’t sound like they’re going to be leaving any time soon. . . . Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune takes a comprehensive look right here at how the Winterhawks got here from there.
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The Prince Albert Raiders have signed Duane Bartley, their athletic therapist, and Bruce Vance, the business manager and director of marketing, to new deals. Both agreed to contracts that call for two years and an option. Bartley and Vance have been with the Raiders since 2011. . . . The Raiders also have added Prince Albert native Tom Brown to their marketing staff. Brown played four years at Michigan Tech and graduated with a degree in management. Brown played for the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos who won the Telus Cup in 2006 and 2007. . . . The Raiders, who are without a head coach, have yet to announce the return of general manager Bruno Campese, but my understanding is that negotiations are on-going.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Malcolm Cameron is the new head coach of the Regina Pats, Cameron, an assistant coach for two years, replaces Pat Conacher. Cameron has signed a two-year contract with a club option on a third year. . . . It turns out that Conacher informed general manager Chad Lang on April 26 that he would be leaving the organization. Conacher was with the Pats for two seasons as head coach and had one year left on his contract. . . . Conacher joined the Pats from the staff of the then-Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Prior to joining the Pats, Cameron spent nine seasons coaching in the ECHL.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has more coverage, with a piece right here on Cameron and Conacher’s story right here. . . .

The BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks have signed Brandon West as their associate head coach. He will work alongside Troy Mick, the general manager and head coach. West just completed his first season as an assistant coach in Salmon Arm, after working as an assistant coach with the West Kelowna Warriors, whose head coach, Rylan Ferster, is a former Salmon Arm head coach.
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The Red Deer Rebels have dealt F Joel Hamilton to the Vancouver Giants for a third-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . Hamilton, who turns 19 on Sept. 9, is from Cochrane, Alta. He had 57 points, including 14 goals, in 114 games with the Rebels over two seasons. . . . He is the younger brother of former WHL F Wacey Hamilton (Medicine Hat, 2007-11).
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In the QMJHL, F Martin Frk had five points, two of them goals, as the visiting Halifax Mooseheads dumped the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, 7-4. . . . F Jonathan Drouin added a goal and three assists for the Mooseheads, who hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven final. . . . Game 5 is in Halifax on Friday.
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In the OHL, F Mark Scheifele scored four times in the third period to lead the host Barrie Colts to a 6-4 victory over the London Knights. . . . The Colts hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven final with Game 5 in London on Friday. . . . Barrie trailed 3-1 after the second period and promptly scored five times in the third period. . . . Scheifele now has 39 points in 19 playoff games. . . . London head coach Dale Hunter was not a happy camper after the game. “Actually, we played very well,” he said in a postgame news conference. “We had a 3-1 lead, and the last six minutes or so of the second period, they started diving. Belleville warned us about it, that Scheifele, these guys, love to dive and draw penalties. (They got) three in a row and it changed the course of the game that way.” . . . Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports takes a look right here at Hunter and his motives.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Portland leads, 2-1)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Saturday — Edmonton 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Game 3: Tuesday — Portland 3 at Edmonton 1 (8,513)
Game 4: Wednesday — Portland 2 at Edmonton 1 (8,400)
Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Games 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Game 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
In Edmonton, the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first two goals and went on to a 2-1 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The Winterhawks, in their third straight final, are one victory from winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Game 5 is Friday in Portland’s Rose Garden and was declared a sellout early Wednesday. . . . A year ago, the Oil Kings beat the Winterhawks in a seven-game final. . . . F Brendan Leipsic had the game’s first goal, at 17:13 of the first period, and added an assist for Portland. . . . D Troy Rutkowski got Portland’s second goal, at 9:54 of the second. . . . F Mitch Moroz scored for Edmonton, knocking a puck out of mid-air at 4:45 of the third period. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth was outstanding, with 29 saves. In these playoffs, Carruth is 15-4, 1.60, .938. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 19 shots. . . . The Oil Kings were 0-for-4 on the PP; they are 0-for-29 since their last PP goal, which came in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final against the Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without injured D Griffin Reinhart and F Trevor Cheek, and judging by reports, the absences are taking a toll.
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Edmonton Journal columnist John MacKinnon writes that the Oil Kings “are on the brink of being deposed” but that “there will be no dishonour in losing to an opportunistic and very talented Winterhawks team.” . . . His column is right here.
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Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal has his game story right here. He writes a lot about a late-game penalty taken by Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson and the reaction by Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal.
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“You’re not likely to get to the Memorial Cup with an 0-for-29-and-counting power play run and by scoring one goal in a span 174 minutes and 44 seconds,” writes Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones right here.
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“The first goal was hard enough to get. The second proved impossible,” writes Dave (Crash) Cameron of the Edmonton Sun. “Despite frantic and furious efforts late in the third, the Edmonton Oil Kings are down 3-1 in the WHL finals to the Portland Winterhawks after the Oil Kings' 2-1 loss at Rexall Place on Wednesday. Again, no 'puck-luck' for the Oil Kings. And again, Hawks goalie Mac Carruth didn't help them find any.” . . . Cameron’s game story is right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Portland G Mac Carruth (@maccarruth31): “I need two tickets for Fridays game can anybody help me out”
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From Shawn Mullin (@shawnmullin), the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos: “@SCBroncos Coach/GM Mark Lamb will now face his 3rd Pats coach and 3rd Raiders coach. He's faced 2 Wheat Kings coaches & 2 Warrior coaches.”


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