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| TIM BOZON |
The WHL and the Ice issued a news release, stating that Bozon was admitted to RUH on Saturday and was “diagnosed with Neisseria Meningitis.”
His parents have been at his bedside since Sunday when they arrived from their home in Cureglia, Switzerland.
According to the news release: “Public health officials are in the process of reviewing the case to ensure all the necessary precautions are taken and anyone who had direct contact with the player receives appropriate treatment.
“The WHL requests the privacy of the family be respected during this most difficult time.”
According to a report by The Canadian Press, “While there are several varieties of meningitis, the particular type Bozon has, Neisseria meningitis, is bacterial and more contagious.”
Dr. Shovita Padhi, deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region, told CP that “he way bacterial meningitis spreads is through spit. You need to have very close contact or direct contact with the nose and throat secretions of the individual who became ill.”
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Helene and Philippe Bozon also tweeted a message, via Tim’s account: “Thank you so so much to @WHLKootenayICE and@bladeshockey for the help provided us during our stay by Timmy's side.”
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Many, many messages of support were tweeted on Wednesday, with this one from Brian Cheeseman, the Edmonton Oil Kings’ head athletic therapist, pretty much saying it all: “Sending thoughts & prayers for a speedy recovery out to @timbozon94 and his family. In times like this we are all on the same team #getwell”
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G Patrik Bartosak of the Red Deer Rebels has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Bartosak, 20, was a fifth-round selection by the Kings in the 2013 NHL draft. A native of Koprivnice, Czech Republic, Bartosak is 30-24-5, 2.81, .924 this season. In 140 appearances over three seasons, he is 77-48-11, 2.58, .927. . . .
D Cody Corbett of the Edmonton Oil Kings, an undrafted free agent, has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. According to cap geek.com, Corbett, 20, signed a contract that will pay him US$600,000, $625,000 and $625,000 each season in the NHL or $60,000 in the AHL. He also got a $150,000 signing bonus, payable over three years. . . . This season, Corbett has set Oil Kings’ records for most goals (16) and points (56) in a season by a defenceman. Corbett has been with Edmonton since the middle of the 2011-12 season. . . . He has 29 career goals, tying him with Griffin Reinhart for the club record, and has 124 points, which is one shy of Mark Pysyk’s franchise record. . . .
F Brady Brassart of the Calgary Hitmen, who signed earlier this week with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, will get US$742,500, $842,500 and $925,000 should he play in the NHL and $70,000 in the AHL, again according to cap geek.com. . . . His signing bonus of $277,500 is payable over three years.
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The Portland Winterhawks have added F Skyler McKenzie and D Justin Greer to their roster. . . . McKenzie was an eighth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, while Greer was taken in the fourth round in 2012. . . . McKenzie played this season with the midget AAA Sherwood Park, Alta., Kings, while Greer was with the midget AAA Edmonton-South Side Athletic Club Boston Pizza Athletics.
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Judging from his Twitter account, Seattle Thunderbirds F Russell Maxwell has received the assignment for the mission he will go on at some point after this WHL season.
Late Wednesday night, Maxwell (@Russizzle7) tweeted: “I have been called to the Italy Rome mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints!!”
Maxwell, 19, is from Magrath, Alta. Tyler Hansen, one of Maxwell’s best friends, didn’t return to the Kamloops Blazers for his 20-year-old season, choosing instead to go on his mission on behalf of the church. Hansen now is in Argentina.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Edmonton at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Everett at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Brayden Point and F Jack Rodewald enjoyed four-point outings as the Warriors dumped the Calgary Hitmen, 6-1. . . . Point had three goals, giving him 34, and an assist, while Rodewald had a goal, his 23rd, and three assists. . . . Rodewald, who had 13 points in 124 games over the past two seasons, has 49 points in 53 games this season. . . . Point has 83 points in 67 games after putting up 57 points, 24 of them goals, in 67 games last season. . . . Moose Jaw G Justin Paulic stopped 41 shots. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin, who left a Tuesday game in Brandon while favouring a shoulder, didn’t play in this one. . . . The Hitmen had picked up at least a point in 13 straight games going into this one. As well, Calgary F Brady Brassart had his point streak snapped at 16 games. . . . The Warriors (18-40-9) won’t make the playoffs. . . . Calgary (44-16-7) is tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings (46-17-3) atop the Eastern Conference. But Edmonton has the tiebreaker (most victories) and a game in hand. . . .
In Regina, F Edgars Kulda scored twice to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Pats. . . . The Oil Kings were playing their fourth game in five nights. . . . Kulda broke a 2-2 tie at 4:30 of the second period and then extended the lead to 4-2 at 7:39 of the third. He’s got 28 goals. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 36th goal, a shorthanded empty-netter, at 19:04 of the third. . . .Lazar also had two assists. . . . Edmonton D Ashton Sautner, whose father, Blaine, is a former head coach of the U of Regina Cougars hockey team, had two assists. . . . F Dryden Hunt scored both Regina goals, both via the PP, giving him 19. Hunt was back in the lineup for the first time after missing seven games with a brain injury. . . . F Boston Leier also returned to Regina’s lineup after being out with a brain injury. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple left the game at 4:49 of the second period after being wiped out in a goalmouth collision. He was later seen with a walking boot on one foot. Dawson MacAuley came on to finish up in goal. . . . Edmonton (46-17-3) is tied with Calgary atop the Eastern Conference, but the standings show the Oil Kings on top on the basis of more victories (46-44). . . . Regina (37-24-6) leads the East Division by three points over the Swift Current Broncos. Each team has five games remaining. . . . 
In Medicine Hat, F Conner Bleackley scored the only goal of the shootout as the Red Deer Rebels got past the Tigers, 2-1. . . . Medicine Hat had been 5-0 in shootouts this season. . . . F Anthony Ast scored for the Tigers, getting his 16th goal of the season at 7:23 of the second period. . . . Bleackley got his 28th at 17:46 of the second to pull the Rebels even. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 40 shots through OT and turned aside three shooters in the skills competition, while Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer turned aside 34 through OT. . . . Red Deer was 0-for-2 on the PP; Medicine Hat’s PP never got off the bench. . . . The victory moved Red Deer (32-30-5) into sole possession of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot, two points up on the Prince Albert Raiders (31-30-5), who hold a game in hand. . . . The Tigers (41-22-4) are headed to a fourth-place finish. They are eight points ahead of the Kootenay Ice (37-25-4). . . . 
In Vancouver, F Joel Hamilton scored once and added an assist as the Giants got past the Kamloops Blazers, 2-1. . . . Hamilton broke a 1-1 tie with his 10th goal just 58 seconds into the third period. . . . F Cain Franson also scored for the Giants. He’s got 29 goals. . . . F Jackson Houck had two assists for the winners. . . . The Giants swept the season series, winning seven times in regulation and once in a shootout. . . . Vancouver G Payton Lee lost his shutout bid when F Matt Bellerive scored his 18th goal of the season at 19:08 of the third period. . . . Lee finished with 17 saves, 18 fewer than Bolton Pouliot of the Blazers. . . . Kamloops is on the road because the Tim Hortons Brier (the Canadian men’s curling championship) has taken over Interior Savings Centre. The Blazers are 1-7-0 since leaving home, with a weekend doubleheader scheduled for Victoria. . . . The Giants (31-26-10) are seventh in the Western Conference, five points behind the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Blazers (13-49-5) are last in the conference. . . . 
In Kelowna, freshman F Nick Merkley scored two goals to lead the Rockets to a 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Merkley, a 16-year-old from Calgary, was the ninth overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He’s got 22 goals. . . . Merkley tied the game 1-1 on a PP at 19:57 of the first period and broke the tie at 1:25 of the third. . . . F Myles Bell and F Justin Kirkland each had two assists for Kelowna. . . . With the victory, the Rockets set franchise records for victories (53) and points (110) in a season. The 2012-13 Rockets won 52 games; the 2002-03 team put up 109 points. . . . The WHL record for most victories in a season is 60 (Victoria Cougars, 1980-81); the record for most points is 125 (Brandon Wheat Kings, 1978-79). . . . The Rockets have ?? games remaining, so those marks are out of reach. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 29 shots in winning for the 37th time this season. That equals his victory total from last season. This season, he is 37-6-4. In his career, he is 90-33-12. . . . The Rockets (53-10-4) lead the overall standings by 11 points over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Spokane (36-24-6) is fifth in the Western Conference, six points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and one ahead of the Everett Silvertips. . . . 
In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Portland now has 101 points, the fourth straight season it has reached the 100-point barrier. Only two other franchises have put together four straight 100-point seasons -- the Vancouver Giants (2005-09) and Kamloops Jr. Oilers/Blazers (1983-86). . . . The Winterhawks got goals from five players, including D Anton Cederholm, who got his third of the season, and D Josh Hanson, who scored his second. . . . F Chase De Leo got No. 37 for Portland. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes stopped 27 shots. . . . Winterhawks F Nic Petan drew one assist and moved into a tie with Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg atop the WHL scoring race, each with 107 points. Holmberg was held pointless in the Chiefs’ 3-1 loss in Kelowna. . . . The Winterhawks (48-13-5) will win the U.S. Division and will be the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. . . . The Americans (28-30-8) are eighth in the conference, eight points behind Vancouver.---
Please keep Tim Bozon (@timbozon94) and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
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