Condolences to Graham and Al Tuer, two hockey lifers, on the death of wife and mother Verna in a Regina hospital on Sunday morning. She had been battling cancer. . . . Graham, a longtime fixture in Saskatchewan arenas, scouts for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. A bantam hockey tournament that is held annually in Regina is named in his honour. That tournament was held over the weekend. . . . Al, a former WHL player and coach, is a pro scout with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
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A tip of the cap to the Spokane Chiefs and their fans, and to the Brent Sutter and the Red Deer Rebels. The Chiefs held a benefit on Saturday to benefit former D Cole Hamblin who is battling cancer. The benefit, held prior to Saturday’s game against visiting Red Deer, raised $7,140. The Chiefs then tossed in $2,000 and the Rebels made a $1,000 donation. . . . From a Chiefs news release: “Saturday's Chiefs Care auction featured a variety of signed Chiefs memorabilia, including a Wayne Gretzky Spokane Chiefs #99 jersey -- worn during a benefit game earlier in 2014 -- that sold for $2,100. A game-worn Tyler Johnson Memorial Cup Chiefs jersey went for $1,500.”
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There was an interesting development at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Sarnia, Ont., over the weekend. The three Canadian teams -- Red, White and Black -- each named a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings as team captain. . . . F Nolan Patrick is the captain of Canada Red, with F Tanner Kaspick captaining Team White and D Kale Clague wearing the ‘C’ for Team Black.
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Neal Hall of Metro Vancouver has an interesting story about a mother who has been ordered by B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Chris Hinkson to stop contacting various hockey officials, including those with the Kootenay Ice and the WHL, on behalf of her sons. That story is right here.
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SUNDAY'S GAMES:
In Portland, the Winterhawks won for the sixth time in nine games as they beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 3-1. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals to take a 3-0 lead into the third period where they were outshot 13-1. . . . Portland G Michael Bullion stopped 32 shots to earn his second victory in as many nights. He was in goal Saturday as the Winterhawks beat the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in OT. . . . F Chase De Leo scored his 10th goal of the season for Portland. . . . The Winterhawks had D Blake Heinrich in the lineup after the WHL rescinded a charging major and game misconduct that he had been given during a Saturday night OT victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets. . . . Portland D Anton Cederholm was ejected with a headshot major after a hit on Edmonton F Mads Eller at 3:13 of the first period. . . . Prior to the game Portland freelance writer Scott Sepich tweeted: “This is only the 8th regular-season matchup between Portland and Edmonton. They've played 20 playoff games, each winning 10.” . . . F Edgars Kulda was among Edmonton’s scratches. . . . Edmonton is 0-4-0 in its tour of the U.S. Division. . . . The Oil Kings and Winterhawks have met in the last three WHL finals, with Portland winning in 2013 and Edmonton taking it all in 2012 and 2014. . . . 
In Vancouver, F Rourke Chartier scored two goals and set up another to help the Kelowna Rockets to a 5-3 victory over the Giants. . . . Chartier leads the WHL with 14 goals. . . . Kelowna D Jesse Lees broke a 3-3 tie with his second goal of the season at 7:46 of the third period. . . . Vancouver F Jackson Houck was back after a one-game absence with an undisclosed injury. He had two assists. . . . Vancouver G Cody Porter, who had blanked the host Seattle Thunderbirds 1-0 on Saturday, stopped 26 shots, 10 more than Kelowna’s Jackson Whistle. . . . Kelowna F Nick Merkley had a goal, his fifth, and an assist, and has taken over the WHL scoring lead. He leads in assists (22) and points (27). . . . Merkley has one more point than Brandon F Rihards Bukarts and Kamloops F Cole Ully. All three have played 16 games. . . .
In Victoria, F Jackson Playfair scored at 1:29 of OT to give the Tri-City Americans a 5-4 victory over the Royals in an afternoon affair. . . . Playfair deflected a point shot by F Beau McCue for the winner. . . . The Royals held a 4-2 lead with fewer than 13 minutes left in the third period. . . . F Vladislav Lukin scored his fourth goal at 7:25 to get the Americans to within one and F Semyon Krasheninnikov tied it with his first goal at 14:55. . . . The Americans had lost their previous four games and their previous four road games. . . . The Royals got a goal, his fifth, and two assists from D Joe Hicketts, while F Axel Blomqvist drew three assists and F Brandon Magee scored twice, giving him three, and set up another. . . . The Royals were 1-for-1 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-6. . . . Victoria had beaten the visiting Americans 4-1 on Saturday night. . . . 
In Prince George, the Cougars got two shootout goals and beat the Kamloops Blazers, 3-2, in an afternoon game that drew 3,883 fans. . . . Kamloops F Deven Sideroff forced OT with his ninth goal at 11:25 of the third period. He also had an assist. . . . F Brad Morrison and F Jansen Harkins scored for the Cougars in the shootout, while Prince George G Ty Edmonds, who stopped 42 shots through OT, was perfect. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram kicked out 34 shots through OT. . . . According to WHL Facts (@WHLFacts), Edmonds is 7-0-1 against the Blazers in his career. . . . The Cougars lost F Chase Witala to a cross-checking major and game misconduct at 13:47 of the first period. . . . The Blazers were without F Cole Ully, their leading scorer, for a third straight game. He has been ill. The Blazers are 0-2-1 without him. . . . The Cougars had beaten the visiting Blazers 4-1 on Saturday night.---
If customs asks Oil Kings if they have anything to declare at border, they can honestly say no. Have lost all four in US so far.
— Terry Jones (@sunterryjones) November 3, 2014
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