Showing posts with label Alex Roach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex Roach. Show all posts

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Scattershooting: Circus comes to Calgary ... Acadia gets two ex-WHLers ... Ex-Wheaties D a head coach

Scattershoot

Now that there is life on the NHL front in Seattle, how long until the Calgary Flames start using that for leverage as they attempt to get taxpayers to cough up cash for a new home? Oh wait, they’re already threatening to move to Quebec City. Here we go . . .
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Brian Burke, the Calgary Flames’ president of hockey operations, spoke to the Canadian Club of Calgary on Wednesday. CTV’s Chris Epp was there and tweeted the above, which should go over well with the many former NHL players who are suing the league in a concussion-related lawsuit.
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Yes, it was Brian Burke who mentioned a new arena in Calgary and Quebec City on Wednesday. The day wasn’t done when Ken King, the president and CEO of the Flames’ ownership, issued a statement pointing out that Burke “is not our spokesperson regarding a new events centre for our city.” . . . Calgary may not be getting a new arena any time soon, but it now has a circus on its hands.
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I’m sorry but there is nothing on TV these days that is as laughable as Buck Martinez pleading for baseballs to leave the park during Toronto Blue Jays’ telecasts. Of course, he practically whispers when the opposition lucks into a long ball.
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The Cincinnati Reds had utilityman Scooter Gennett in left field on Tuesday night. He had never hit four home runs in a month before he hit four in that game, becoming the 17th player in MLB history to perform that feat. . . . At that point, the San Francisco Giants’ left fielders had totalled three home runs this season. . . . One night later, Gennett hit into two double plays for the first time in his career.
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Randy Edsall was the highest-paid state employee in Maryland in 2016, pulling down US$2.673 million. As Eric Kolenich of the Richmond, Va., Times-Dispatch pointed out: “Just one odd thing about this . . . he was fired in 2015.” . . . Edsall was fired as the U of Maryland’s football coach six games into the 2015 season.
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A note from Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: ““A high-school cheerleader in El Paso was arrested on suspicion of submitting a false police report after she confessed she made up a story that her home had been burglarized so she could keep her uniform instead of having to turn it in. She was released from jail after posting bond of two bits, four bits, six bits, $5,000.”
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Verdun Hayes recently made history at the age of 101 when, as comedian Argus Hamilton reported, he became “the oldest man ever to voluntarily jump out of an airplane. That was United Airlines’ story, and they’re sticking to it.”
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Headline at SportsPickle.com: CBS dumps Tony Romo after Dak Prescott expresses interesting in broadcasting career.
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D Jace Coyle (Spokane, Medicine Hat, 2007-11) has signed a one-year contract with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). This season, he had two goals and two assists in 14 games with the  with Quad City Mallards (ECHL). He signed with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite) on Nov. 28 and had four goals and seven assists in 33 games with them. . . .
D Alex Roach (Calgary, 2010-14) has signed a one-year contract with Grizzlys Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL). He is a dual German-Canadian citizenship. This season, with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL), he had two assists in 12 games. He signed with Eisbären Berlin (Germany, DEL) on Dec. 21 and had two assists in 21 games there. . . . 
F Ben Walker (Victoria, 2011-14) has signed a one-year contract with Freiburg (Germany, DEL2). This season, in 16 games with České Budějovice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), he had three goals and 10 assists.
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F Ryan O’Reilly, whose WHL rights belong to the Tri-City Americans, has committed to the U of Denver where he will play for the Pioneers. O’Reilly, 17, is from Southlake, Texas. The Americans selected him in the fifth round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. . . . This season, he had 23 goals and eight assists in 26 games with the U-16 Dallas Stars. . . . In January 2016, O’Reilly had committed to the U of Nebraska-Omaha. . . . He is eligible for the NHL’s 2018 draft.
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Victor Findlay (@Finder_24) tweeted Thursday that Acadia U has commitments from F Rod Southam and D Micheal Zipp. . . . Southam, from Saskatoon, captained the Kelowna Rockets. This season, he had 46 points, 19 of them goals, in 71 games. He began his WHL career with the Tri-City Americans, before being moved to the Rockets early in 2014-15. In 247 regular-season games, he had 101 points, 41 of them goals. . . . Zipp, from Edmonton, was the captain of the Calgary Hitmen this season, during which he had four goals and 22 assists in 71 games. He began with the Everett Silvertips in 2012-13, then was traded to Calgary the next season. In 299 regular-season games, he had 77 points, including 18 goals.
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BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).
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Coaching

Daniel Tetrault, a former WHL defenceman, is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush. Tetrault, 37, spent this season as an assistant coach with the Rush. He also is a former captain of the Rush; that was the fifth team for which he wore the ‘C’. . . . Tetrault played five seasons in the WHL (Brandon, 1995-2000). . . . In Rapid City, he takes over from Mark DeSantis, who was fired in April after a 96-game run (38-47-11) as head coach.
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The NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights have hired Mike Kelly as an assistant coach to work alongside head coach Gerard Gallant. They worked together with the Florida Panthers (2014-17) until both were fired on Nov. 27. . . . Interestingly, Kelly started the 2003-04 season as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, but was fired by owner Kelly McCrimmon on March 1 with a 22-32-12 record. McCrimmon, who still owns the Wheat Kings, is the Golden Knights’ assistant general manager.
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Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Cunningham tells his story ... Ingram blanks Czechs ... MJHL losing a franchise

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TAKING NOTE

I know . . . I know! There were a couple of Little Drummer Boy videos here yesterday. But this one right here — featuring Bing Crosby and David Bowie — is exceptional. Enjoy!
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F Denis Tolpeko (Seattle, Regina, 2003-06) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). Tolpeko was released Tuesday by mutual agreement by Sochi (Russia, KHL). He had two goals and five assists in 31 games with Sochi. . . . 
D Alex Roach (Calgary, 2010-14) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Eisbären Berlin (Germany, DEL). This season, he had two assists in 12 games with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL). . . .
F Brendan Shinnimin (Tri-City, 2007-12) has been released by mutual agreement by Langnau (Switzerland, NL A). He had two goals and seven assists in 12 games. . . .
D Brendan Mikkelson (Portland, Vancouver, 2003-07) has signed a two-year extension with Luleå (Sweden, SHL). This season, he has four goals and five assists in 27 games. He is an alternate captain and leads the team in ice time, averaging 22 minutes 53 seconds per game.
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Craig Cunningham, the captain of the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, met with the media on Wednesday. Cunningham had a massive cardiac event prior to a home game on Nov. 19. The fact that he is where he is today is nothing  short of a medical miracle. . . . Craig Reck of Tucson News Now has more right here.
On Tuesday, A.E. Araiza of the Arizona Daily Star filed an all-encompassing piece that is right here.
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G Connor Ingram of the Kamloops Blazers stopped 21 shots on Wednesday as Canada’s national junior team beat Czech Republic, 5-0, in an exhibition game played in Ottawa. Both teams are prepping for the World Junior Championship that opens in Montreal and Toronto on Monday. . . . Canada is 2-0 in preparation games, having beaten Finland 5-0 two nights earlier. G Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertips turned aside 25 shots for the shutout in that one. . . . Last night, F Anthony Cirelli (Oshawa Generals) scored twice, with singles coming from F Tyson Jost (North Dakota), F Dylan Strome (Erie Otters) and F Julien Gauthier (Val-d’Or Foreurs). . . . Canada will complete its pre-tournament schedule on Friday when it meets Switzerland in Toronto.
In another Wednesday game, the U.S. beat Switzerland, 4-3. D Caleb Jones of the Portland Winterhawks wasn’t in Team USA’s lineup.
F Calvin Thurkauf of the Kelowna Rockets has been named captain of Switzerland’s national junior team that will play in the World Junior Championship. The Swiss begin play on Dec. 27 when they are scheduled to meet Czech Republic. 
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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet filed his latest 30 Thoughts on Wednesday. This week, he opens with an interesting look at the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and analytics. It’s all right here.
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The MJHL is losing a franchise after this season. The OCN Blizzard, which is owned and operated by the MJHLOpaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN), are winding things down and will close the doors after the season. . . . A news release from OCN reads: ”The announcement comes after careful deliberations with Opaskwayak Cree Nation representatives from administration and finance, who presented recommendations to the Opaskwayak Cree Nation leadership. Based on the information presented, the decision was made to proceed with winding down on the operations of the OCN Blizzard.” . . . OCN, which is located near The Pas, Man., entered the MJHL for the 1996-97 season.
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DEC. 19-26:


No Games Scheduled.

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Saturday, February 15, 2014

Winterhawks' streak reaches 16! Royals win on road -- again!!

SUNDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Kamloops at Vancouver, 5 p.m.
Prince George at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
Everett at Spokane, 5:05 p.m.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, the Victoria Royals scored two late goals and beat the Raiders, 5-4. . . . The Royals, who won their 40th game of the season, have won seven straight away from home. Victoria is 20-6-1 on the road. . . . Royals D Travis Brown tied the game with a PP goal at 9:49 of the third, and F Jack Walker won it at 14:54. Brown has 12 goals; Walker has five. . . . F Brandon Magee had three assists for the Royals, who opened a five-game East Division swing, while D Joe Hicketts and F Axel Blomqvist each had two. The Broncos will play in all East Division cities with the exception of Swift Current. Victoria beat the host Broncos 4-3 in OT on Dec. 12. . . . F Leon Draisaitl and F Collin Valcourt each had three assists for the Raiders, who had taken a 4-3 lead on F Dakota Conroy’s 22nd goal at 5:21 of the third. . . . Victoria G Coleman Vollrath stopped 22 shots in earning his 20th victory. . . . The Royals, who are 10-0-2 in their last 12 outings, are thrd in the Western Conference, five points behind the Portland Winterhawks and five ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Raiders (26-28-4) are four points out of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Regina, F Glenn Gawdin scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Swift Current Broncos a 4-3 victory over the Pats. . . . Regina F Dyson Stevenson forced OT with a PP goal at 5:42 of the third period. He’s got 26 goals. . . . F Colby Cave scored twice -- he’s got 27 -- for the Broncos, at 16:37 of the second and 42 seconds into the third, as they took a 3-2 lead. . . . F Graham Black got his 29th goal for the Broncos. . . . Swift Current G Eetu Laurikainen stopped 46 shots, 16 more than Regina’s Daniel Wapple. . . . The Broncos were 1-for-1 on the PP; the Pats were 1-for-5. . . . The Broncos (29-22-8) got two points for the victory, while Regina (30-22-6) got the loser point. The outcome left the teams tied for first place in the East Division. . . . After the game, Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Broncos, tweeted that Broncos F Nate Burns “left the game hurt at the end of regulation. Hopefully it's not serious.” . . .

In Brandon, F Jaedon Descheneau scored his 37th goal and added three assists as the Kootenay Ice skated to a 5-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart had a goal, his 31st, and an assist as he ran his point streak to 17 games, the second-longest active streak in the WHL. . . . Brandon has lost five in a row. . . . Kootenay had won 3-2 in OT in Brandon on Friday night. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon scored his 100th regular-season goal in his 198th game. It was his 28th of the season and came into an empty net at 19:32 of the third period. . . . Six of the goals were scored in the first period. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock had given his side a 1-0 lead with his 17th goal at 2:43. Pulock has 58 career goals, three shy of Brad McCrimmon’s franchise record for a defenceman. . . . Ice F Luke Philp got his 25th at 4:02 and the Ice went on to get goals from Reinhart, Descheneau and F Austin Vetterl, his 11th (shorthanded), before the period ended. . . . Ice D Landon Peel helped out with two assists. . . . The Wheat Kings were able to dress only 16 skaters as they scratched five injured regulars -- F Rihards Bukarts, F Jayce Hawryluk, D Rene Hunter, F Richard Nejezchleb and F John Quenneville. . . . The Ice (33-22-4) is fifth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Wheat Kings (28-23-8) are two points behind Regina and Swift Current. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Adam Tambellini scored three times to lead the Calgary Hitmen to an 8-1 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . The Hitmen have won six in a row. . . . Tambellini has 24 points, including 12 goals, in 18 games since leaving the U of North Dakota and joining the Hitmen. Eight of his goals have come over his last six games. . . . Calgary D Alex Roach scored twice, giving him four goals in his last two games after he had gone 17 games without a goal. He’s got eight on the season. . . . D Travis Sanheim added three assists for Calgary. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart had an assist, giving him a career-high nine-game point streak. . . . With No. 1 G Chris Driedger serving a team-issued suspension, G Mack Shields stopped 29 shots. . . . The Hitmen were 4-for-8 on the PP, and held a 47-30 edge in shots. . . . Lethbridge D Macoy Erkamps took a kneeing major and game misconduct at 6:38 of the third period. . . . The Hitmen were without D Jaynen Rissling, who drew a TBD suspension under supplemental discipline after a game against the visiting Saskatoon Blades on Friday night. . . . Calgary (38-15-6) is tied with the idle Edmonton Oil Kings atop the Central Division and the Eastern Conference. The Oil Kings (40-14-2) hold three games in hand. . . . Lethbridge (12-43-5) is back in the WHL cellar, .004 behind the Kamloops Blazers. . . .

In Red Deer, the Saskatoon Blades scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Rebels, 4-1. . . . F Conner Bleackley scored his 26th of the season for the Rebels at 6:32 of the first period. . . . Saskatoon F Chase Clayton tied it with his eighth goal at 11:20 and F Ryan Graham gave the Blades the lead at 18:53, via the PP. . . . Graham finished with two goals, giving him nine this season. . . . Saskatoon G Troy Trombley stopped 41 shots. . . . Les Lazaruk, the play-by-play voice of the Blades, called his 1,500th WHL game. . . . The Blades (16-39-5) are 11th in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Rebels (28-27-4) hold down the conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Curtis Valk ran his point streak to 18 games as the Tigers beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 6-1. . . . Valk scored his 34th goal, just 16 seconds into the first period, and later added an assist. . . . F Josh Winquist of the Everett Silvetips had an 18-game point streak earlier in the season. Those are the longest streaks in the WHL this season. . . . The single-season record? F Jeff Nelson of the Prince Albert Raiders had a 56-game streak in 1990-91. . . . Medicine Hat G Nick Schneider turned aside 29 shots. He is 3-0 with the Tigers, who acquired him from the Regina Pats in January. . . . Medicine Hat F Trevor Cox scored his 20th goal. . . . The Warriors were without F Scott Cooke, who completed a two-game WHL suspension. . . . The Tigers (36-20-3) have won four straight and are fourth in the Eastern Conference, five points ahead of Kootenay. . . . The Warriors (15-34-8) are 10th. . . .

In Kamloops, F Cole Ully scored in OT to give the Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Ully’s goal, at 3:27 of extra time, snapped the Blazers’ 11-game losing streak. . . . In regulation time, the Cougars erased 2-0 and 3-1 deficits. . . . F Mitch Friesen scored his first WHL goal for the Blazers. He started the season with them, but has been playing for the junior B Kamloops Storm. . . . Ully’s 27th goal, at 17:50 of the second period, had given Kamloops a 3-1 edge. . . . Kamloops D Edson Harlacher had one assist and was plus-3. . . . F Todd Fiddler, with his 38th goal of the season, shorthanded, got the Cougars to within one and F Troy Bourke, with his 24th, tied it at 4:10. . . . Fiddler also had two assists. . . . The Blazers won’t play at home again until March 12 as the Tim Hortons Brier, the Canadian men’s curling championship, takes over the Interior Savings Centre. The Blazers have 13 games remaining in their regular season and only two of them are at home. . . . Kamloops (12-42-5) now has a .246 winning percentage, just ahead of the cellar-dwelling Lethbridge Hurricanes (.242). . . . The Cougars (24-29-8) are four points out of the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Vancouver, the Portland Winterhawks set a franchise record as they beat the Giants, 7-4. . . . The Winterhawks, who broke open a scoreless game with five second-period goals, now have won 16 straight games, breaking the franchise record that had been shared by the 1979-80 and 1997-98 teams. . . . The Kelowna Rockets also won 16 straight games this season. . . . Portland next plays on Tuesday when it entertains the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Winterhawks’ last regulation loss occurred Jan. 4 when they were beaten 3-2 by the visiting Victoria Royals. Six days later, Portland dropped a 3-2 shootout decision in Victoria. . . . Portland led this one 6-0 when F Nic Petan scored his 32nd goal, on a PP, just 34 seconds into the third period. Petan also had an assist and now leads the WHL, with 100 points, three more than Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg, who had four-point night. . . . Petan also has a 12-game assist streak, tying him with F Leon Draisaitl of the Prince Albert Raiders for the longest this season. Petan has 16 assists in the 12 games, exactly what Draisaitl put up. . . . Portland F Dominic Turgeon had a goal, his 10th, and two assists, while F Alex Schoenborn also had a goal, his 16th, and two helpers. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand helped out with three assists, while F Paul Bittner scored his 20th goal. . . . F Tim Traber scored twice for Vancouver, giving him 12 goals this season. . . . Prior to the game, the Giants inducted F Brendan Gallagher, their all-time leading scorer, into their Ring of Honour. . . . The Winterhawks went 4-0 on a swing into the B.C. Division. They won twice in Prince George and once in Kamloops. . . . Portland (42-12-5) is seven points behind the Kelowna Rockets, who lead the overall standings. . . . Vancouver (27-23-10) has lost five in a row and is tied for sixth with the Everett Silvertips in the Western Conference. . .

In Everett, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored two third-period goals and beat the Silvertips, 3-2. . . . With the victory, Seattle clinched a Western Conference playoff spot. . . . F Russell Maxwell tied the game at 1:39 of the third and F Adam Henry won it at 9:03. Maxwell has 13 goals; Henry has seven. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist scored his 37th goal on a first-period PP. That was his 200th career point. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 27 shots, including all 11 he faced in the third period. . . . Attendance was 7,579. . . . The Thunderbirds were fined $750 for their role in a line brawl with the visiting Tri-City Americans on Friday night. It was Seattle’s second such incident this season. . . . Seattle (37-17-5) is fourth in the Western Conference, five points behind Victoria and eight ahead of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Everett (28-22-8) is tied with Vancouver for sixth. . . .

In Spokane, G Eric Williams recorded the shutout and F Mitch Holmberg, who was playing in his 300th regular-season game, had four points as the Chiefs beat the Tri-City Americans, 7-0. . . . Williams stopped 16 shots in posting his third shutout this season and the ninth of his career. . . . Holmberg had two goals, giving him a WHL-leading 49, and two assists. He now has 97 points, three behind Portland F Nic Petan, who leads the scoring race. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow had three assists. He has 46 assists in 51 games; he finished last season with a career-high 44 in 64 games. . . . Gow has 51 points this season, equalling his total from last season. . . . Chiefs F Adam Helewka scored his 20th goal. . . . The Chiefs are 7-1-1 against the Americans this season. The teams will meet three more times before season’s end. . . . Tri-City F Jessey Astles was assessed a headshot major and game misconduct at 19:26 of the second period. . . . The Americans drew a $500 fine for their part in a line brawl with the host Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday night. It was Tri-City’s first such incident this season. . . . Spokane (33-20-5) is fifth in the Western Conference, eight points behind Seattle. . . . Tri-City (27-26-6) is eighth, four points ahead of Prince George.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Saskatoon Blades D Dylan Busenius (@OnTheBus_2): “Huge congrats to @Bladesvoice for calling his 1500th game! Massive milestone glad I could be apart of it. #bestofthebest”
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From Kamloops Blazers F Mitch Friesen (@freezer_96), who scored his first WHL goal last night: “Holy cow is this real life? I scored a goal!! #btown”
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From Tbird Tidbits (@TBirdTidbits): “Getting third star tonight in Everett, Taran Kozun (@KingTarzan49) has been 1 of the games 3 stars in 9 out of his 13 starts with Seattle.”

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Friday, February 14, 2014

Milestone tonight for Blades' radio voice


D Colten Teubert (Regina, 2005-10) has signed two-year extension with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). This season, he has six points, including one goal, in 33 games. . . .
D Joel Kwiatkoiwski (Tacoma/Kelowna, Prince George, 1994-98) has signed a two-year extension with Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland, NL A). In 46 games this season, he has 22 points, five of them goals. At plus-22, Kwiatkowski is second in the league in  plus/minus, behind only Marc-André Bergeron of the Zurich Lions, who is plus-27.
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Congratulations to old pal Les Lazaruk, the radio voice of the Saskatoon Blades, who will call his 1,500th WHL game tonight when the Blades met the Rebels in Red Deer. That’s a lot of miles on the vocal cords. . . . It was heart-warming to see so many congratulatory messages on Twitter over the last couple of days. . . . Considering his record in Strat-O-Matic Baseball, back in the day, the old redhead made the right career choice!
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Bruce Vance, the Prince Albert Raiders’ business manager and director of marketing, is battling cancer. When he isn’t working his day job, he manages the A&W Bears, and the players are showing their support for him. Jeff D’Andrea of paNOW.com has more right here.
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The Vancouver Giants will salute Brendan Gallagher tonight by inducting him into their Ring of Honour. Gallagher, the Giants’ all-time leading goal scorer (136) and point man (280), now plays for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. . . . If you never saw him play with the Giants, but have seen him in action with the Habs, you should know that he hasn’t changed his game. Which is why tonight’s ceremony should take place right on the lip of a goal crease and not at centre ice.
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The QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs have signed head coach Ross Yates to a two-year extension that runs through 2015-16. Yates, 54, signed on as an assistant coach prior to 2012-13. He stepped up as co-general manager, with Christian Vermette, and head coach on Oct. 30. . . . Earlier in the week, the Sea Dogs announced that Darrell Young had signed a three-year deal as general manager, a post he will assume on March 1. Young, 55, has spent six seasons as an amateur scout with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. He also is a former director of hockey operations with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats. . . . With Young’s signing, Vermette has moved over to become head scout.
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The Borowitz Report from The New Yorker addresses right here the friendly US$45-billion acquisition involving Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Now this is hitting the nail squarely on the head.
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SATURDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Victoria at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Boston Leier scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Regina Pats a 5-4 victory over the Raiders. . . . Regina led this one 3-1 in the second period, only to have the Raiders roar back with three straight goals. . . . Regina F Dryden Hunt forced OT with his 17th goal at 11:35 of the third period. . . . Leier scored his 31st goal and added an assist. . . . The Raiders, who were 4-for-6 on the PP, got two goals and an assist from F Leon Draisaitl, but he came up short on a penalty shot in OT. . . . He’s got 25 goals. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple made his sixth straight start. He’s 5-1-0 in those starts. . . . Regina F Chandler Stephenson counted his WHL-leading seventh shorthanded goal. WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) tweeted that Stephenson “has the most single season SHG's for a @WHLpats player since Brett Lysak's 7 in 2000-01.” . . . Stephenson has 27 goals this season. . . . Raiders D Sawyer Lange had three assists. . . . Prince Albert F Jayden Hart will be hearing from the WHL office after taking an interference major and game misconduct at 8:13 of the first period. . . . The Pats (30-22-5) have won three in a row and now lead the East Division by a point over the Swift Current Broncos and Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Raiders (26-27-4) are four points out of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Swift Current, Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk ran his point streak to 17 games as the Tigers dropped the Broncos, 7-3. . . . Valk scored two goals, giving him 33, and added an assist. He is one game shy of the longest point streak in the WHL this season. . . . The Tigers trailed 2-1 just 23 seconds into the second period but scored the next five goals. . . . Tigers F Miles Koules, whose father Oren also played for Medicine Hat back in the day, notched his 20th goal of the season. . . . F Cole Sanford added a goal, his 27th, and two helpers for the Tigers. . . . The Tigers (35-20-3) have won three straight. They are a comfortable fourth in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Broncos (28-22-8) are tied for sixth with Brandon. . . .

In Brandon, F Matt Alfaro scored to end a five-round shootout and give the Kootenay Ice a 3-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Alfaro, a 17-year-old freshman from Calgary, has two regulation-time goals in 51 games. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon forced OT with his 27th goal at 11:14 of the third period. He also had an assist. . . . Kootenay F Sam Reinhart got his 30th goal and added an assist as he ran his point streak to 16 games. . . . Brandon F Brett Kitt, who went into the game with two goals and had been a healthy scratch in five of the last seven outings, scored both his side’s goals. . . . The same teams will do it again tonight in the Wheat City. . . . The Ice (32-22-4) is 8-2-0 in its last 10 and is fifth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Medicine Hat and four in front of Swift Current and Brandon. . . .

In Calgary, D Alex Roach scored 11 seconds into OT to give the Hitmen a 6-5 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Roach, who has six goals this season, also scored in the third period to pull his side into a 4-4 tie. . . . Calgary F Greg Chase scored his 30th goal at 15:21 of the third. He also had two assists. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak scored twice, the second one forcing OT at 17:30 of the third. He has six goals in three games against Calgary this season. . . . Scherbak was back for the first time since Jan. 29. . . . The Hitmen have won five in a row. . . . With G Chris Driedger having been suspended by the team, Mack Shields went the distance, making 19 saves. Evan Johnson, a 17-year-old from Winnipeg, was backing up. . . . Saskatoon G Troy Trombley stopped 43 shots. . . . The Hitmen (37-15-6) are two points behind the Edmonton Oil Kings, who lead the Eastern Conference and the Central Division. Edmonton (40-14-2) holds two games in hand. . . . The Blades (15-39-5) have lost three in a row. . . .

In Edmonton, F Scott Feser scored three times, the last one in OT, as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . Feser, who has 10 goals, forced OT with a goal at 5:35 of the third period. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 450 shots, 30 more than Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry. . . . The Rebels snapped a seven-game losing streak. . . . The Oil Kings went in having won 16 of their previous 17 games. . . . F Mats Eller had two assists for the Oil Kings. . . . Edmonton F Mitch Moroz was tossed with a charging major just 42 seconds into the second period. . . . Red Deer (28-26-4) is eighth in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of Prince Albert and four behind Swift Current and Brandon. . . . The Oil Kings (40-14-2) are 8-1-1 in their last 10. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Ben Duperreault broke a 2-2 tie at 5:56 of the second period and the Moose Jaw Warriors went on to a 4-2 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Moose Jaw G Zach Sawchenko, making his fourth appearance in 2014, stopped 27 shots. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that Sawchenko suffered a skate cut “near his rib cage” with two minutes left in the second period. While Justin Paulic came on in relief, Sawchenko went to the dressing room for stitches, then came back to play the third period. . . . Gourlie also reports that Moose Jaw F Sam Fioretti “didn’t play in the third period as he began to feel the effects of a high hit” from earlier. . . . Moose Jaw F Jack Rodewold scored his 19th goal and added an assist on his 20th birthday. . . . F Torrin White also had a goal, his 16th, and an assist for Moose Jaw. . . . The Warriors were without F Scott Cooke, who drew a two-game WHL suspension under supplemental discipline for a hit on Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon on Feb. 11. Bozon sat out one game with an injury incurred in that hit, but returned last night. . . . Neither Moose Jaw (15-33-8) nor Lethbridge (12-42-5) will make the playoffs. . . .

In Kamloops, the Portland Winterhawks scored four first-period goal and went on to post their 15th straight victory by beating the Blazers, 7-4. . . . The Winterhawks tied a franchise record for consecutive victories (1979-80, 1997-98); they can break the record tonight when they meet the Giants in Vancouver. . . . The Blazers have lost 11 in a row. . . . F Taylor Leier scored his 30th goal in the second period, giving Portland five 30-goal men on its roster. The 1986-87 Blazers hold the single-season record, with nine 30-goal scorers on their roster. . . . Leier finished with two goals and two assists. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had a goal, his 31st, and two assists. He leads the WHL in assists (67) and points (98). He leads the points derby by five points over Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Portland F Dominic Turgeon had two goals, giving him nine, and an assist, while F Brendan Leipsic had a goal, his 32nd, and two helpers. . . . Turgeon, who enjoyed his first career three-point outing, has eight points over his last five games. . . . Kamloops got two goals from F Cole Ully, who has 26 this season. The second one was a shorthanded penalty shot in the second period. . . . Portland was 4-for-6 on the PP. . . . With G Brendan Burke ill, G Corbin Boes started for Portland, which had Adin Hill from the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks backing up. Hill, 17, is a list player who signed with the Winterhawks on Aug. 30, 2012. . . . Portland (41-12-5) is second in the overall standings, nine points behind the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Blazers (11-42-5) have the WHL’s poorest record. . . .

In Kelowna, F Rourke Chartier scored twice, the second one breaking a 2-2 tie at 19:35 of the third period, as the Rockets doubled the Prince George Cougars, 4-2. . . . The Cougars, who had won four straight road games, took a 2-1 lead into the third period, only to have F Carter Rigby tie it at 5:34. . . . Chartier, who has 19 goals, got an empty-netter at 19:50. . . . Cougars F Troy Bourke had two assists, making him the Prince George franchise’s all-time leader, with 141. F Blake Robson held the previous mark. . . . The Rockets are 5-0-0 against the Cougars this season. . . . Prince George D Mark McNulty scored his 16th goal, running his point streak to nine games. . . . The Rockets (46-8-4), who have won three in a row, lead the overall standings. . . . The Cougars (24-29-7) are five points out of the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Everett, D Kevin Davis scored his first career goal in OT to give the Silvertips a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Davis, a freshman from Kamloops, was the 11th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He has played in 56 regular-season games. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl scored his fifth goal at 7:14 of the second. He hadn’t scored in his previous 32 games; he last scored on Nov. 19. . . . Vancouver F Joel Hamilton tied it, with his sixth goal, at 3:48 of the third. . . . Everett G Carter Hart, 15, was backing up Austin Lotz, who stopped 26 shots. . . . The Silvertips welcomed back F Manraj Hayer, who hadn’t played since Jan. 25. They still are without F Zane Jones and F Tyler Sandhu. . . . Everett also played without G Daniel Cotton and F Darcy DeRoose, who have been suspended by the team. . . . Vancouver G Jared Rathjen stopped 29 shots. . . . The Giants were without D Dalton Thrower (ankle) for a ninth straight game. . . . Everett (28-21-8) has won two straight and now is tied for sixth with Vancouver (27-22-10) in the Western Conference. . . . The Giats have lost four in a row. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Russell Maxwell scored with 25.6 seconds left in the third period to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 4-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Maxwell has 12 goals this season, two in 15 games with Seattle since coming over from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Seattle led this one 3-0 with less than 11 minutes to play in the third period. . . . The Americans got goals from F Lucas Nickles (shorthanded at 9:25), F Parker Bowles (PP at 13:43) and F Beau McCue (17:15) to tie it. . . . McCue’s goal came with G Eric Comrie on the bench for the extra attacker as Tri-City head coach Jim Hiller rolled the dice early. . . . Seattle F Keegan Kolesar scored his second goal of the season in the second period for a 2-0 lead. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore had two assists. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 37 shots, 16 more than Eric Comrie. . . . Tri-City D Justin Hamonic left in the second period, having left some blood on the ice, after taking a slapshot from Seattle D Shea Theodore up high. Hamonic returned in the third period wearing a face shield. . . . There was a multi-fight situation at 8:33 of the third period, meaning fines may be in order. . . . Seattle finished the game with 90 penalty minutes to Tri-City’s 61. . . . Seattle (36-17-5) is fourth in the Western Conference, four points behind the Victoria Royals, who open an East Division swing tonight, and eight ahead of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Americans (27-25-6) hold down the conference's last playoff spot, five points ahead of Prince George.
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From Kirk Luedeke (@kluedeke29): “Just heard the excellent hockey book ‘Sudden Death’ by Culp, Drinnan & Wilkie being made into a movie. Must read about SC Broncos bus tragedy.”


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Sunday, November 3, 2013

Winterhawks' streak reaches 11

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Andrej Kudrna (Vancouver, Red Deer, 2008-11) was released by Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). He had yet to play a game this season.
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As Alan Caldwell of Small Thoughts at Large tweeted on Friday, the Calgary Hitmen got back D Alex Roach, 20, from the NHL's Los Angeles. . . . Roach played three games with the ECHL's Ontario Reign, earning three assists. . . . The Kings signed him as an undrafted free agent. . . . Roach, from Quesnel, B.C., has 83 points, 23 of them goals, in 184 games with the Hitmen. . . . His return leaves the Hitmen with four 20-year-olds, one over the roster limit. They will have 14 days to move Roach, D Jesse Zgraggen, F Brady Brassart or D Jaynen Rissling.
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OHL
The OHL's Erie Otters ran their winning streak to a franchise-record 11 games on Saturday as they dumped the host Niagara Ice Dogs, 6-0. Kris Knoblauch, a former WHL player and coach, is the Otters' head coach. . . . The Otters are scheduled to meet the Knights in London this afternoon.
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You likely are aware that the legendary Bobby Orr has written a book in which he makes the case that fighting belongs in hockey, at least at the NHL level. If you missed it, The Globe and Mail carried an excerpt from that book right here. . .
Ken Dryden, the former goaltending great, disagrees. Dryden's piece from Saturday's Globe and Mail is right here.
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Mike Beamish of the Vancouver Sun, who normally spends his time covering the B.C. Lions, had a couple of good reads in Saturday's sports section, both of them involving Pavel Bure. The first one is right here, with the other right here. . . . The first of those involves a confession from Beamish, who admits to once asking Bure for his autograph. The second story is about how Igor Kuperman played a role in Bure ending up with the Vancouver Canucks, who retired his number (10) last night.
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SUDBURY SATURDAY NIGHT:
In Lethbrige, F Jessey Astles had two goals and two assists as the Tri-City Americans dropped the Hurricanes, 8-1. . . . The Hurricanes have played 17 games this season and won only two of them. They are  2-12-3 and already nine points out of a playoff spot. . . . Astles, who has a career-high four goals this season, went into the game with two assists in 16 games. He also was plus-4. . . . Going into this season, Astles had seven goals in 179 games. . . . F Devon McAndrews, who joined the Americans from the AJHL this week, had a goal, his first, and two assists. He also finished plus-4. He had two assists in 13 games with the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 24 shots for the victory; his brother Ty, 16, scored his first WHL goal. . . . The Americans have points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . F Parker Bowles scored for a second straight game for the Americans. He had missed the season's first 18 games as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. . . .

In Prince George, the Kelowna Rockets scored the game's last three goals and beat the Cougars, 4-1. . . . Kelowna F Carter Rigby picked up an assist in his first game this season after recovering from shoulder woes. . . . The Rockets had beaten the host Cougars 7-6 in a shootout on Friday night. . . . Kelowna (11-2-2) has won four straight and leads the B.C. Division by three points over the Victoria Royals (10-8-1), who have played three more games. . . . F Tyrell Goulbourne was scratched by the Rockets after suffering an undisclosed injury on Friday. . . .

In Victoria, the Royals scored the game's first three goals and beat the Red Deer Rebels, 3-1. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges, who played his first game of the season on Friday, drew two first-period assists. He had been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. . . . This was the first time in four opportunities that Victoria head coach Dave Lowry had earned the victory over Red Deer GM/head coach Brent Sutter. Lowry was an assistant under Sutter for three seasons with the NHL's Calgary Flames. . . .

In Swift Current, the Broncos scored six third-period goals and beat the Saskatoon Blades, 7-6. . . . Saskatoon actually took a 5-1 lead into the third period. . . . Swift Current F Graham Black tied it at 11:36 of the third period and F Connor Sanvido won it at 19:15. . . . Black finished with two goals and two assists, getting a goal and two helpers in the third period. . . . Saskatoon F Matt Revel scored a natural hat trick, getting three goals in 10:53, the first coming in the first period and last two in the second. . . . Swift Current had a 23-7 edge in third-period shots. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak, a Russian freshman, ran his point streak to 11 games with a first-period assist. . . . Tweet from Blades radio voice Les Lazaruk (@Bladesvoice): "I believe it was the late, great Jack Buck who said it, but I can't believe what I just saw. @bladeshockey L 7-6 in Swift. Led 5-1 after 40." . . . The Broncos have won four in a row; the Blades have lost four straight. . . .

In Moose Jaw, F Dakota Conroy scored at 2:53 of OT to give the Raiders a 3-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . Raiders D MacKenzie Johnston had forced extra time with a goal at 16:47 of the third period. It was his first goal of the season. . . . Johnston, 20, who was acquired last month from the Kelowna Rockets, has nine goals in 246 career games. . . . The Raiders (11-6-1) lead the East Division and are one point behind the Eastern Conference-leading Medicine Hat Tigers (11-3-2). . . .

In Everett, G Daniel Cotton stopped 16 shots as the Silvertips blanked his old club, the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-0. . . . Cotton has three career shutouts, one this season. . . . All of his shutouts have been with Everett. He played 18 games with Seattle -- one in 2010-11 and 17 in 2011-12 -- before he ended up in Everett. . . . F Josh Winquist scored twice, giving him 13 on the season. . . . Everett held a 12-2 edge on shots in the first period and 11-5 in the second. . . . The Silvertips (11-3-2) are three points off the U.S. Division lead. . . . The Silvertips have added F Darcy DeRoose, 18, to their roster, although he didn't play in this one. A native of Weyburn, Sask., he had been with the SJHL's Estevan Bruins, for whom he had 12 points, eight of them goals, in 14 games. Earlier in his career, he played three games with the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl didn't play as he is awaiting word on a suspension after a checking-from-behind major in Friday's 6-3 loss to the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Seattle was without F Roberts Lipsbergs (undisclosed injury) and D Evan Wardley, who is awaiting word on a suspension after he took out Portland F Adam De Champlain one night earlier during a 5-2 loss in Kent, Wash. . . .

In Kamloops, D Brett Kulak's shootout goal gave the Vancouver Giants a 4-3 victory over the Blazers. . . . The Giants have won four of five, with the victories all coming on the road. In the last week, they won twice in Kamloops and twice in Prince George. . . . Blazers F Nick Chyzowski, 16, scored his first two WHL goals, pulling his side into 2-2 and 3-3 ties in the third period. He is the son of former Blazers F Dave Chyzowski. . . . F Aspen Sterzer had three assists for Kamloops. . . .

In Spokane, the Portland Winterhawks ran their winning streak to 11 games with a 3-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The defending-champion Winterhawks have the WHL's best record, at 14-3-1. . . . Portland has won six in a row on the road. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the game's first goal to run his point streak to 12 games. . . . Portland F Nic Petan drew an assist on that goal and is riding an 11-game point streak. . . . Petan finished with three assists. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg had his season-opening point streak stopped at 17 games. He put up a league-leading 42 points over that stretch. . . . The Winterhawks next play Wednesday against the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . The Chiefs (12-5-0) are three points in back of the Winterhawks.
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NHLThe NHL had one of its dimmer moments Saturday when it announced that Philadelphia Flyers G Ray Emery wouldn't be suspended for his Friday night assault on Washington Capitals G Braden Holtby. . . . Apparently, the NHL doesn't have a rule that covers an assault on an unwilling dance partner. . . . John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal gives the NHL a few jabs right here.
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From Hall of Fame hockey writer Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) of the Los Angeles Times: "NHL once suspended Sean Avery for conduct detrimental to the game but won't invoke clause to suspend Ray Emery for (Friday) night's craziness?"
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From columnist Gary Lawless (@garylawless) of the Winnipeg Free Press: "so if the #blackhawks score a couple more should we expect a line brawl featuring 1 of #nhljets beating up someone who doesn't want to fight."
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From TSN's Dave Hodge (@TSNDaveHodge): "There's nothing in the rule book that allows the NHL to suspend Ray Emery, which means there's nothing that covers stupid stuff."

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