F Radim Valchar (Portland, Lethbridge, 2007-10) has signed a one-year extension with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). In 26 games, he had 31 points, including 12 goals. He led the team in assists (19) and points. . . .
F Viktor Gibbs Sjödin (Portland, 2006-08) has signed a contract with the Melbourne Mustangs (Australia, AIHL). The AIHL season runs from April 12 to Aug. 31. This season, with Enköping (Sweden, Division 1), Sjödin had 24 points, including six goals, in 27 games. With Ferencváros Budapest (Hungary, MOL Liga), he had nine points, three of them goals, in 12 games.
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F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice remains in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon as he battles Neisseria meningitis. . . . The WHL has established a trust fund to help Tim and his family with medical and rehabilitation costs. You are able to contribute at any BMO Bank of Montreal in Western Canada. . . . Should you live outside of that area, please mail donations to
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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Milan Dragicevic (Regina, New Westminster, Victoria, Spokane, Tri-City, 1986-90) was fired Monday as head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds. With the hockey program among those under fire at the school, Dragicevic spent much time in the second half of the season working to save it. It seems he did that but now he won’t be around to see the fruits of his and others labours. Howard Tsumura of the Vancouver Province has more right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed Blake Bargar, a forward from Torrance, Calif., who was a seventh-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. He spent this season in the Arizona Bobcats 98 AAA program.
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F Brady Ramsay and F Josh Derko, a pair of 20-year-olds from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, are on their way to the ECHL. . . . With the Hurricanes’ season having ended, Ramsay, who has turned 21, signed on with the Stockton Thunder, while Derko is joining the Gwinnett Gladiators. Both signed ATOs. . . . Ramsay had 129 points, including 53 goals, in 255 games over four seasons with the Hurricanes. Unfortunately for him, he never once appeared in the playoffs. . . . A knee injury limited Derko to 42 games this season, including the last five. In 207 career games, split between the Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge, he had 53 points, including 29 goals.
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D Tommy Vannelli of the Medicine Hat Tigers has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. Vannelli, 19, was a second-round pick by the Blues in the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . Vannelli, from Minnetonka, Minn., had 41 points, including 27 assists, in 59 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
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If you subscribe to Shaw-TV, you will be able to watch the first-round WHL playoff series between the Calgary Hitmen, the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed, and the No. 6 Kootenay Ice. The series opens Thursday night in Calgary. . . . Shaw will televise one series in each of the first two rounds, as well as a conference final and the WHL’s championship final. . . . The opening round will feature Dan Russell calling the play, with analysis from Bill Wilms. The rinkside hosts will be Alanna Nolan and Stu Walters. . . . The telecasts also will feature Andy Neal, Peter Loubardias and Kevin Sawyer.---
TUESDAY’S TIEBREAKER GAME (all times local):
Prince Albert at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
(Eastern Conference one-game tiebreaker; winner finishes eighth.)
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT/RED DEER (8)
Saturday: at Edmonton, 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite.
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
Saturday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Regina at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Regina vs. Brandon, site TBA, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Brandon: None.
Regina: D Kyle Burroughs, day-to-day; D Tye Hand, indefinite; G Daniel Wapple, indefinite; D Colby Williams, day-to-day.
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
Thursday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Monday, March 24: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Thursday, March 27: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Radel Fazleev, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Landon Cross, 1 week; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months; D Landon Peel, 1 week.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
Friday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
Saturday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 5:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday, March 28: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Tyson Baillie, 1-2 weeks; D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Tri-City: F Phil Tot, day-to-day; F Taylor Vickerman, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
Friday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.Saturday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-Friday, March 28: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Portland at Vancouver, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: F Adam de Champlain, day-to-day.
Vancouver: F Tyler Benson, indefinite; G Jared Rathjen, day-to-day; F Jakob Stukel, indefinite; D Dalton Thrower, indefinite; F Cain Franson, day-to-day.
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
Saturday: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Spokane at Victoria, 5:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 27: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 30: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
INJURIES
Victoria: None.
Spokane: F Jacob Cardiff, day-to-day; D Colton Bobyk, week-to-week; F Adam Hascic, day-to-day; F Blair Oneschuk, week-to-week.
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
Saturday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Seattle at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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From Kootenay Ice athletic trainer Cory Cameron (@coryjcameron): “Amazing to spend the day with @timbozon94 yesterday, and meet @HeleneBozon and Philipe in YXE. #fighter #inspiring #TB20 @WHLKootenayICE”
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From Helene Barbier Bozon (@Helene Bozon), Tim’s mother: “Our most profound gratitude for @coryjcameron @WHLKootenayICE who saved our @timbozon94 #fast #smartreaction.”
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From the Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS): “On behalf of Warriors Fans, $1,000 has been donated to Tim Bozon Trust. Players also donating $200 for a total of $1200 #getwelltim.”
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