THE MacBETH REPORT:
AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Elitserien) announced that they will not re-sign three players to contracts for next season, including F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001). Beech had three goals and two assists in 23 games with AIK. He started the season with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he had two goals and six assists in 21 games before being released in mid-November and joining AIK. . . .


Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) announced they will not re-sign D Brad Cole (Seattle, Kootenay, Saskatoon, 2003-07) for next season. Cole had three goals and 12 assists in 42 games for Villach this season.


———
A week ago, the Saskatoon Blades were skating on top of the world.
They had finished the regular season on a 22-2-3 run that included an 18-game winning streak.
The trials and tribulations of a horrible 2-7-0 start to this season were well behind them.
The host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup was ready for bear. Or so it seemed.
However, a closer look at that 22-2-3 run shows that 11 of those games were against the Moose Jaw Warriors and Brandon Wheat Kings, neither of whom qualified for the playoffs. The Blades were 10-0-1 in those 11 outings.
Granted, a team can’t do anything about its schedule but play it. However, when the Blades finished the regular season by losing twice to the host Prince Albert Raiders, who didn’t finish strongly at all, perhaps we should have heard the warning bells.
But just three days before the first of those losses, the Blades had gone into Edmonton and beaten the Oil Kings, 3-2.
Talk about mixed messages — the Blades were handing those out all season long.
Somewhere in all of this, Lorne Molleken, the general manager and head coach, had to be wondering just which team was the real Blades. Was it the team that beat the Calgary Hitmen 6-0 and 3-2 or the one that lost 9-5? Was it the one that beat the Medicine Hat Tigers twice – 4-3 and 6-3 – after the Jan. 10 trade deadline?
Or is it the one that lost four straight games to the Tigers and now is on the outside looking in and waiting for the Memorial Cup to arrive?
Yes, it all came crashing down on the the Blades in a matter of six nights. The 18-game winning streak? The 22-2-3 finish? None of it means a thing today.
There was Molleken addressing the Saskatoon media on Thursday.
"It's disappointing,” he said. “We didn't get the job done. We thought we were peaking at the right time."
(Amazingly, there were people who, upon hearing that owner Jack Brodsky and Molleken would hold a news conference yesterday, actually thought there would be a coaching change.
“I’m not going to let a game or a series or a year be a measure of what this hockey club is about or what my life is about,” Brodsky told the gathering. “I’m not talking about changes. I’m not going to talk about that today because the guy that’s behind the bench for our hockey club is my guy and I’ve got all the trust and respect in the world or him. Period.”)
I also wonder about the impact starring in their own TV show has had on the Blades during this tumultuous season. The TV camera has been there from Day 1 and it has been relentless, following the players everywhere, from shopping trips to hospital gurneys. If they had it to do all over again, I really wonder whether the Blades’ management would be all-in with this project.
Anyway . . . it is what it is and now the Blades are out, having been swept from the first round of the playoffs by the Tigers. This wasn’t just your average sweep, either. This was a SWEEP! The Blades never held a lead, not even for one second. They were outscored 15-4 by a Medicine Hat team that entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed. The No. 2 Blades were supposed to be the ones with the brooms.
But it didn’t happen.
Let’s pause here and forget about the Blades for a moment. Let’s not forget that the Tigers won this series. Sheesh, they must have done something right.
So perhaps some credit should be given to Shaun Clouston, the general manager and head coach of the Tigers, his staff and the players. Obviously, they got superb goaltending from Cam Lanigan, and that always helps. But the Tigers also have two of the league’s top forwards in Hunter Shinkaruk and Curtis Valk, and their back end, led by Derek Ryckman, has proven to be solid, too.
And now, while the Tigers prepare to play in the second round, perhaps against the Edmonton Oil Kings, Saskatoon’s players are going home.
Those who are in high school will return on April 8, with the others coming back on April 15. They don’t play until May 17 when they are to open their Memorial Cup schedule against the OHL champions.
By the time May 17 arrives, they will be awfully tired of trying to explain what happened during those six days in late March.
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix was at the news conference. His story is right here.
———



The Kelowna Rockets, already without F J.T. Barnett (ill), F Carter Rigby (shoulder, foot), F Colton Sissons (shoulder) and D Mitchell Wheaton (shoulder), may be down two more players for Saturday’s game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier writes that D MacKenzie Johnston and F Rourke Chartier, both of whom suffered undisclosed injuries in Games 3 and 4 in Kent, Wash, this week, might not play in Game 5 on Saturday. The Rockets trail 3-1 in the series. . . . If they can’t answer the bell, F Nick Merkley and D Joe Gatenby, the Rockets’ first two selections in the 2012 bantam draft, may draw in. Merkley, who is from Calgary, has played in one regular-season game; Gatenby, who played for the major midget Okanagan Rockets, has yet to make his debut. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have lost F Manraj Hayer for the remainder of the season. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that Hayer broke a finger in blocking a shot by Portland Winterhawks D Seth Jones on Wednesday night. The finger will require surgery. . . . Everett F Ryan Harrison (concussion) won’t play in Games 4 and 5 of that series this weekend. . . .
If you’re wondering what’s happening in Medicine Hat regarding a new arena. Colin Gallant of the Medicine Hat News tackles the subject right here. . . .
The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings have signed general manager Mike Hawes to a contract extension that runs through 2014-15. He has been the GM since November 2010. (A tip of the cap to Hartley Miller.)
———

The WHL’s first-round situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton leads 3-1; Game 5 tonight in Edmonton)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat wins 4-0)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary wins 4-1)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer wins 4-0)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Portland leads series 2-1; Game 4 tonight in Everett)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 3-1; Game 5 on Saturday in Kelowna)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 3-1; Game 5 on Saturday in Kamloops
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 3-1; Game 5 on Saturday in Kennewick, Wash.)
———
In the East, if Edmonton takes out Kootenay, the second round will feature Edmonton against Medicine Hat and Calgary versus Red Deer.
———
THURSDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, G Chris Driedger stopped 34 shots as the Hitmen dumped the Swift Current Broncos, 3-1. . . . Driedger had a solid season, going 1.91 and .942. . . . F Jake Virtanen and F Elliott Peterson each scored his first postseason goal for Calgary. . . . The elimination of the Broncos means there aren’t any East Division teams left in the playoffs. The Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders bowed out on Wednesday night. . . . A tweet from Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge): “Since the WHL went from 2 divisions to 3 (and later to 4) in 1995-96, one division has never been completely eliminated this early” . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Blake Gal scored at 5:10 of OT as the Spokane Chiefs beat the host Tri-City Americans, 4-3. . . . This was the 16th time in the past 29 playoff games between these teams that OT has been needed. . . . Tri-City D Drydn Dow forced extra time when he scored his third goal of the series at 17:17 of the third period. . . . Americans G Luke Lee-Knight stopped 41 shots before leaving at 2:02 of OT with an undisclosed injury. Lee-Knight was holding his left arm as he left the ice after Spokane F Adam Helewka slid into him. G Troy Trombley finished up. . . . Gal scored his third game-winner against the Americans this month. He got the OT winner in the last meeting of the regular season and then scored the winner in Game 2 of this series. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser had a goal and an assist. He now has 402 career points, including regular-season and playoff games. . . . A scoring change has given the OT goal in Tri-City’s 5-4 victory on Tuesday to F Connor Rankin. Originally, it was credited to F Parker Bowles. . . .

In Victoria, F Dylan Willick scored at 17:47 of OT to give the Kamloops Blazers a 5-4 victory over the Royals. . . . That was the only time the Blazers led in this game. . . . Kamloops D Marek Hrbas forced OT with a goal at 15:42 of the third period. . . . Hrbas and Victoria G Patrik Polivka, who made 43 saves, grew up friends in Plzen, Czech Republic. . . . F Kale Kessy scored Kamloops’ first three goals. . . . The Blazers got three assists from each of F JC Lipon and F Colin Smith. Lipon now leads all WHL scorers in assists (7) and points (10). . . . F Jamie Crooks, F Logan Nelson, F Brandon Fushimi and F Ben Walker replied for the Royals, who led 1-0, 2-0. 2-1, 3-2 and 4-3. . . . Fushimi played his first game in the series. He was inserted when the Royals scratched F Brandon Magee, their second-leading scorer, with an undisclosed injury. . . . Kamloops scratched F Tim Bozon (undisclosed) after he took the warmup. . . . The Blazers last appeared in a playoff overtime game on March 23, 2010, when they lost 5-4 to the visiting Vancouver Giants in Game 3 of a first-round series. F Brett Breitkreuz scored the winner, at 2:28. . . . The Blazers last won an OT playoff game on March 25, 2005, when F Terrance Delaronde scored 16 seconds in for a 4-3 victory over the host Kootenay Ice.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (9):
F Alessio Bertaggia, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (4):
None


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Hockey Canada is expected to announce one of the these days that Don Hay, the head coach of the Vancouver Giants, will coach Canada’s entry in the IIHF’s U-18 world championship. That tournament is scheduled for April 18-28 in Sochi, Russia. . . . Last year’s tournament was held in Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic, with the U.S., Sweden and Canada finishing in that order. . . . This year, Canada will be in a pool with Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Slovakia. The other pool is to comprise the U.S., Finland, Russia, Czech Republic and Latvia. . . . Canada opens April 13 against Slovakia.
Hay, of course, has extensive experience with Hockey Canada. The 59-year-old from Kamloops has twice coached the national junior team, winning gold in Red Deer in 1995 and bronze in Calgary/Edmonton in 2012.
———
We have word of another hockey team that uses a logo similar to that of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Here is the logo used by the junior B Regina Capitals, of the Prairie Junior Hockey League.

———

 The WHL’s first-round situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton leads 1-0; Game 2 on Sunday in Edmonton)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Medicine Hat)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary leads 2-0; Game 3 on Monday in Swift Current)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Prince Albert)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Series tied 1-1; Game 3 on Wednesday in Everett)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Kent, Wash.)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Victoria. Bear Mountain Arena)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Kennewick, Wash.)
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Red Deer, the Rebels jumped out to a 3-0 lead and hung on for a 3-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . F Rhyse Dieno gave the Rebels a 3-0 edge at 6:25 of the second. . . . The Raiders got in it on goals from F Jonas Knutsen, at 14:15 of the second, and F Shane Danyluk, at 10:05 of the third. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 36 shots, two fewer than Prince Albert’s Luke Siemens. . . . Red Deer F Joel Hamilton came up dry on a first-period penalty shot with his side up 1-0. . . . F Turner Elson had two assists for Red Deer. . . .

In Spokane, F Blake Gal broke a 4-4 tie at 16:31 of the third period and the Chiefs went on to a 6-4 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Jesse Mychan had pulled Tri-City into a 4-4 tie with a PP goal at 8:41 of the third. . . . The goal was Gal’s second of the game. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 15 shots. . . . The Chiefs have taken four straight games from the Americans, including two late in the regular season. . . . The next two games and a third, if necessary, will be played in Kennewick, Wash. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks held Everett to 11 shots on goal and beat the Silvertips, 4-1. . . . Portland D Troy Rutkowski had a goal and two assists, while F Ty Rattie had one of each. . . . Portland D Shaun MacPherson scored his first playoff goal at 8:04 of the second. It gave Portland a 2-0 lead and ended up being the winner. . . . The game degenerated in the late going and by the end the visitors had taken 88 of 130 penalty minutes. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 30 shots. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth turned aside 10 shots, including three in the first period and one in the second. . . . Everett had lost 16 consecutive games in Portland before winning Friday’s opener, 4-3. . . .

In Kamloops, D Joel Edmundson and F Tim Bozon each scored twice as the Blazers got past the Victoria Royals, 6-4. . . . The Blazers led 5-1 going into the third period. The Royals then scored three times and trailed 5-4 with 1:44 left. . . . Kamloops F Dylan Willick put it away with an empty-netter at 18:52. . . . Kamloops F JC Lipon drew four assists. . . . The Royals got a goal and an assist from each of F Jamie Crooks and F Austin Carroll. . . . Victoria lost D Ryan Gagnon in the first period when he lost an edge and crashed awkwardly into the boards. He eventually was helped off the ice but didn’t return. Head coach Dave Lowry said Gagnon will be “re-evaluated” when the Royals return home. . . . Royals general manager Cam Hope told play-by-play man Marlon Martens that he saw Gagnon in the dressing room after the incident. “He was walking and talking and quite upset that he had put himself in that position and was out of the game. But hopefully he’ll be back soon.” . . .

In Kelowna, F Alex Delnov scored at 2:41 of OT to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 2-1 victory over the Rockets. . . . F Cole Linaker gave Kelowna a 1-0 lead at 13:28 of the second period. . . . Seattle D Jared Hauf forced OT with a goal at 10:08 of the third. . . . Among the Rockets’ scratches was veteran F J.T. Barnett, who had played in Game 1. The Rockets inserted freshman F Austin Glover, who turned 17 on Jan. 15, in Barnett’s spot. . . . The Rockets were 31-5-0 at home in the regular season, but now have lost two straight playoff games, both in OT, at home. . . .
The Thunderbirds now are 6-2 against the Rockets in playoff OT games. Here’s a look, courtesy of Ian Henry, the Thunderbirds’ director of public and media relations:
March 30, 2001 — In Game 1 of the first round, Shane Endicott scored at 2:14 of overtime for a 5-4 Seattle victory.
April 6, 2001 — In Game 4 of the first round, Brad Tutschek scored at 2:20 of overtime for a 3-2 Seattle victory.
April 8, 2001 — In Game 5 of the first round, Paul Hurd scored at 5:27 of overtime for a 2-1 Kelowna victory.
April 22, 2003 — In Game 3 of the Western Conference final, Tyler Metcalfe scored at 18:58 of the second overtime for a 3-2 Seattle victory.
March 28, 2008 — In Game 3 of the first round, David Richard scored at 15:12 of overtime for a 3-2 Seattle victory.
March 29, 2008 — In Game 6 of the first round, Lucas Bloodoff scored at 10:59 of overtime for a 4-3 Kelowna victory.
March 22, 2013 — In Game 1 of the first round, Luke Lockhart scored at 19:09 of overtime for a 5-4 Seattle victory.
March 23, 2013 — In Game 2 of the first round, Alexander Delnov scored at 2:41 of overtime for a 2-1 Seattle victory.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (5):
D Marco Mueller, Everett

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (2):
F Taylor Peters, Portland


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Well, it’s almost over.
There are two games on the schedule today, neither of which means anything when it comes to the final standings and playoff matchups.
The Tri-City Americans are to play the Silvertips in Everett, while the Spokane Chiefs meet the Winterhawks in Portland. All four teams will be playing their third games in 48 hours.
———






The WHL’s first-round playoff matchups have been finalized:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Sam Reinhart broke a 4-4 tie at 15:55 of the third period as the Kootenay Ice beat the Hitmen, 5-4. . . . Reinhart finished with 35 goals. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau scored twice, giving him 30, and added an assist for the Ice. . . . The Ice also got two goals from F Jordyn Boyd, giving him eight. . . . F Brady Brassart scored twice for Calgary, giving him 35. . . . The Hitmen scratched F Cody Sylvester, F Brooks Macek, F Victor Rask, D Jaynen Rissling and D Alex Roach. . . . The Ice was again without F Brock Montgomery. . . .

In Edmonton, F Michael St. Croix drew two assists as the Oil Kings dumped the Red Deer Rebels, 5-1. . . . F Trevor Cheek got his 32nd goal for the Oil Kings, while F Curtis Lazar scored No. 38. . . . The Oil Kings set a modern day franchise record with their 51st victory, one more than last season. . . . The Rebels went without D Mathew Dumba, F Rhyse Dieno and F Turner Elson. . . . Edmonton scratches included D Keegan Lowe, F T.J. Foster and F Henrik Samuelsson. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders got two goals in the circus and beat the Saskatoon Blades, 4-3. . . . F Leon Draisaitl and F Anthony Bardaro scored in the shootout to win it. F Matej Stransky was the only one of the three Blades to score. . . . Saskatoon F Brenden Walker gave his guys a 3-2 lead with his 33rd goal, on the PP, at 11:55 of the third. . . . Raiders D Evan Morden tied it, with his second goal of the season, at 14:20. . . . Saskatoon F Josh Nicholls scored the game’s first two goals, giving him 47. . . . Blades D Darren Dietz drew three assists. . . .

In Brandon, F Nick Buonassisi, playing the final game of his junior career, scored the only goal of the circus as the Wheat Kings beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 2-1. . . . Neither of these teams qualified for the playoffs. . . . F Brayden Point scored for the Warriors, getting his 24th at 7:28 of the third period. . . . Brandon D Rene Hunter tied it with his second at 17:18. . . . Buonassisi, who has used up his eligibility, was the shootout’s third participant. . . . Brandon G Corbin Boes stopped 40 shots, 14 more than Moose Jaw’s Justin Paulic. . . .

In Swift Current, the Broncos scored the game’s first two goals, both in the first period, and went on to a 6-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . D Reece Scarlett had a goal, his ninth, and an assist for the Broncos. . . . Regina F Lane Scheidl scored his 41st goal. . . .


In Prince George, G Taran Kozun stopped 31 shots as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Cougars, 7-0. . . . Kozun has two shutouts this season. . . . F Cole Ully scored twice for Kamloops, giving him 22. . . . The Blazers had two players score their first WHL goals. F Deven Sideroff, who is from Summerland, B.C., scored in his second WHL game, while D Connor Clouston scored in his fourth game. He is the son of Shaun Clouston, the GM/head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Sideroff also picked up an assist and was plus-4. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford drew three assists, allowing him to finish his five-year career with 357 points in 348 regular-season games. Only five players in franchise history have more points. . . . The Cougars didn’t dress G Mac Engel, who suffered a neck injury in Kamloops on Friday night. Engel, however, was released from Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops in time to ride the bus back to Prince George with his teammates. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-2 in a game in which they scrapped until the final buzzer. . . . F Curtis Valk scored twice for the Tigers, giving him 46, and also had an assist. . . . Tigers F Hunter Shinkaruk got his 37th and added two assists, and F Dylan Bredo had three helpers. . . . Lethbridge took 75 of the 122 penalty minutes that were dished out. . . . There were two scraps with 51 seconds left in the third period. . . . The Tigers were 4-for-8 on the PP; the Hurricanes were 0-for-5. . . .

In Everett, D Joe Hicketts scored in OT to give the Victoria Royals a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Hicketts got the sixth goal of his freshman season at 1:57 of extra time. . . . Everett led 3-1 before F Jack Walker got his ninth at 8:13 of the second period and F Logan Nelson notched his 14th at 17:37 of the third. . . . F Ben Walker, Jack’s older brother, had two assists for the Royals. . . . Victoria G Michaell Herringer stopped 36 shots in his first WHL start. A ninth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, he played for the junior B Victoria Cougars and joined the Royals after start Patrik Polivka went down with an undisclosed injury 10 days ago. . . . F Brayden Low had a goal, his second, and an assist for Everett. . . . Everett F Matt Fonteyne, 15, earned an assist in his first WHL game. If you missed it earlier, he is the grandson of former NHL/WHL F Val Fonteyne. . . . Marlon Martens, the radio voice of the Royals, reports: “Victoria learned that leading scorer Alex Gogolev needs surgery to help repair a skate cut to his leg, and will likely miss the remainder of the season.  Gogolev has already missed 20 games.” . . .  

In Kelowna, the Rockets set a single-season franchise record for victories as they dropped the Vancouver Giants, 5-2. . . . The Rockets finished with 52 victories, one more than the 2002-03 team that went on to win the WHL championship. . . . Neither F Colton Sissons nor F J.T. Barnett, both of whom left a Friday game in Vancouver with undisclosed injuries, played in this game. . . . F Dylen McKinlay had two assists for Kelowna. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks scored twice in the circus and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent), 6-5. . . . The Winterhawks set a WHL single-season record with their 29th road victory and established a single-season franchise record for points (113). The 1980-81 team put up 111 points. . . . D Derrick Pouliot and F Chase De Leo scored in the six-round shootout for Portland, with F Roberts Lipsbergs the only Seattle shooter to score. . . . F Nic Petan had a goal, his 46th, and four assists for Portland, while F Brendan Leipsic got his 49th goal and added an assist. . . . Leipsic and Petan are tied for the WHL scoring lead, each with 120 points. Only once before has the WHL scoring race ended in a tie. That was in 1987-88, when Joe Sakic of the Swift Current Broncos and Theo Fleury of the Moose Jaw Warriors tied, with 160 points. Sakic was declared the champion on the basis of more goals, 78-68. Leipsic goes into today’s final game with a WHL-leading 49 goals, two more than Petan. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie didn’t play last night. . . . Pouliot had a goal and three assists. . . . Lipsbergs scored four times, giving him 30 in his freshman season. His last two goals, at 16:46 of the second and 18:58 of the third, forced OT. . . . Seattle F Luke Lockhart had three assists. . . . G Mac Carruth wasn’t in uniform for Portland. . . . With the loser point, the Thunderbirds clinched seventh place in the Western Conference, meaning they will play the Kelowna Rockets in the first round. . . . The Winterhawks will go against the Everett Silvertips. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Blake Gal scored 34 seconds into OT to give the Spokane Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Gal, who has played a lot on defence of late because of injuries, finished with 17 goals. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser forced OT when he got his 44th goal at 7:54 of the third. . . . Spokane D Jeremy McIntosh scored his first WHL goal. It came in his 64th game. . . . Chiefs D Brenden Kichton drew two assists. He finished with 85 points, 20 more than any other defenceman. He ha 63 assists, which was 18 more than any other blue-liner and left him tied for fifth among all skaters. . . . Kichton’s 22 goals were behind only the 24 scored by Saskatoon D Darren Dietz. . . . The Chiefs won the season series, 7-5. . . . These teams will meet again in the first round of the playoffs. . . . The Chiefs have won five in a row; the Americans have lost four straight.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Tim Traber, Victoria

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
———


From Rich Campbell (@StrengthPDX), the Portland Winterhawks’ athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach: “@SeattleTbirds thank you for the ‘Evil Empire’ introduction. You inspired us! #adversityhawks #welikewinninghockeygames”


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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, the Edmonton Oil Kings wrapped up their Brier road trip with a 4-1 victory over the Warriors. . . . With the Brier, the Canadian men’s curling championship in Rexall Place, the Oil Kings had to hit the road. They went 6-2-0 away from home. . . . Edmonton now has won six in a row. . . . Oil Kings F Trevor Cheek scored Edmonton‘s first two goals, giving him a career-high 31 goals. . . . Edmonton F Dylan Wruck set a franchise single-season record with his 61st assist. That broke the record set last season by F Michael St. Croix. . . . Wruck later got his 62nd assist. . . . St. Croix, who scored his 37th goal, also had an assist, his 52nd. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 27 shots. . . . The Warriors were without F Jordan Wyton, who left after a fight in a Friday night game and didn’t return. . . . Moose Jaw had F Ben Duperreault, a 10th-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, in its lineup. Duperreault, from Wilcox, Sask., played for the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Hunter Shinkaruk scored with 23.5 seconds left in OT to give the Medicine Hat Tigers a 2-1 victory over the Raiders. . . . The Tigers clinched a playoff spot for the 11th straight season. . . . F Jonas Knutsen got his ninth goal for the Raiders just 25 seconds into the game. They wouldn’t score again. . . . Medicine Hat F Elgin Pearce tied it with his 29th at 14:06 of the second. . . . Tigers G Marek Langhamer stopped 37 shots. . . . The Raiders held a 13-0 edge in shots in the third period but weren’t able to beat Langhamer. . . . Prince Albert remains fifth in the Eastern Conference and now is two points ahead of Swift Current and four ahead of Medicine Hat. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Brenden Walker scored his 31st goal of the season at 4:14 of OT to give the Blades an 8-7 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . The Blades trailed 7-3 going into the second period. . . . F Matt Revel forced OT when he scored his seventh goal at 12:11 of the third period. . . . F Jessey Astles drew an assist on the goal. He was playing his first game following a 50-game absence after he suffered a nasty skate cut on one wrist. . . . Walker finished with two goals and two assists, while F Erik Benoit had three assists. . . . The Blades also got two goals, givin ghim 23, and an assist from Collin Valcourt. . . . F Lane Scheidl, a Saskatoon native, continued his terrific season for the Pats. He scored twice, giving him 39. . . . Regina F Connor Gay, who is from Saskatoon, scored his first WHL goal in his 33rd game. . . . The Blades were without F Michael Ferland and D Dalton Thrower for a second straight game. Both have undisclosed injuries. . . .

In Brandon, the Swift Current Broncos erased a 1-0 deficit with three second-period goals and beat the Wheat Kings, 3-2. . . . The Broncos earned 15 points from eight games with Brandon this season. . . . Swift Current D Reece Scarlett tied it 1-1 with his eighth goal at 3:31, D Dillon Heatherington added his fourth at 5:22 on the PP, and F Adam Lowry got the winner, his 44th, at 19:25. . . . Heatherington didn’t finish the game, leaving in the second period after taking a hit from Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy scored his 17th goal. . . . The Broncos are sixth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Prince Albert and two ahead of Medicine Hat. . . .

In Calgary, G Chris Driedger stopped 22 shots as the Hitmen whipped the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 9-0. . . . Driedger has five shutouts this season. . . . F Brooks Macek scored three times, giving him 31 goals this season. . . . The Hitmen got a goal and two assists from each of Jake Virtanen and Victor Rask. . . . F Cody Sylvester scored twice, giving him 37. . . . Calgary D Kenton Helgeson had two assists and was plus-5. . . . The Hurricanes are six points out of a playoff spot with four games remaining. . . .

In Vancouver, the Giants scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Victoria Royals, 3-1. . . . The Royals had beaten the visiting Giants 5-3 on Friday. . . . Vancouver F Jackson Houck broke a 1-1 tie at 8:20 of the third period and added an empty-netter at 19:42. . . . Houck has 22 goals. . . . The Giants have won five of their last seven games. . . . Victoria had D Keegan Kanzig back after he served a two-game suspension. . . . Vancouver had D Arvin Atwal back after a one-game absence. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported that Atwal sat out Friday’s game “due to academic issues.” . . . The Royals will finish sixth in the Western Conference and play Kamloops in the first round. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets clinched the B.C. Division pennant with a 2-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Kamloops went into the game five points behind the Rockets and with three games remaining. . . . F Tyrell Goulbourne gave the Rockets a 2-0 lead with his 14th goal at 15:48 of the second period. . . . The Rockets had won 3-2 in Kamloops on Friday night. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 31 shots, one fewer than Cole Cheveldave of the Blazers. . . . The Blazers will meet the Victoria Royals in the first round of playoffs, opening with games in Kamloops on March 22 and 23. . . .

In Kent, Wash., it was a ch-ch-ching kind of night as the Silvertips got past the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent), 4-3. . . . F Tyler Sandhu, who turned 17 on Jan. 7, scored twice for Everett, giving him 16. He tied the score 2-2 at 11:32 of the second and gave his side the lead at 12:39 of the third period, on the PP. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore got his 18th goal just eight seconds later. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl broke that tie with his third goal at 17:03. . . . A late-game melee included battling goaltenders as Everett’s Austin Lotz and Brandon Glover of the Thunderbirds scrapped. . . . Everett is eighth in the Western Conference, one point behind Seattle. . . .

In Spokane, F Blake Gal scored twice to help the Chiefs to a 6-3 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Chiefs broke open a 2-2 game with four third-period goals. . . . The victory sets up a first-round meeting between the Chiefs and the Tri-City Americans. . . . Spokane D Brendan Kichton added his 22nd goal and two assists. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau had two goals and an assist for the Ice. He’s got 27 scores. . . . F Brock Montgomery got his 30th goal for the Ice. . . . The Chiefs and Tri-City Americans will meet in the first round. They are tied for fourth with 84 points. Each team has four games remaining. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Prince George Cougars got two goals in the circus and beat the Tri-City Americans, 3-2. . . . F Zach Pochiro and F Colin Jacobs had the shootout goals for the Cougars. . . . Cougars D Michal Plutnar forced Ot with his seventh goal, via the PP, at 14:10 of the third. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser got his 42nd goal in the first period. . . . F Jari Erricson had a goal, his 13th, and an assist for the Cougars. . . . Prince George, which beat host Seattle in a shootout on Friday, is four points out of a playoff spot with five games remaining.
---
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Carson Perreaux, Prince Albert
F Josh Derko, Lethbridge
D Marc McNulty, Prince George

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Victoria Royals prospect Matthew Campese (@MatthewCampese): “The cold side of a pillow is really under appreciated”

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Tyler Soy of the Victoria Royals (8) works with Kolton Dixon (23) and
goaltender Partik Polivka to keep the puck from Chase Souto (12) and Cole Ully
of the Blazers on Saturday at Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops.
(Murray Mitchell / Kamloops Daily News)

It was getting late on Saturday night and the Victoria Royals were preparing to head to a postgame meal.
Before enjoying a repast, Tyler Soy was enjoying the moment.
And why wouldn’t he?
On Friday night, Soy, a Surrey native who will turn 16 on Feb. 10, had scored his first WHL goal as the Royals dumped the Giants 6-2 in Vancouver.
The next night, he got to play in a hack-and-whack chirpfest as the Royals went into Kamloops and beat the Blazers, 5-4.
Soy, who attends the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton and was the eighth overall

Tyler Soy, the Victoria Royals' first selection
in the WHL's 2012 bantam draft.
(Victoria Royals photo)

selection in the WHL‘s 2012 bantam draft, took a fairly regular shift and saw some power-play time, including late in the third period, in what was his fourth game with the Royals.
Soy’s story, however, involves more than hockey.
In 2004, his mother, Sandy, was diagnosed with complete kidney failure due to complications from lupus. There was no warning. None.
For the next six years, Sandy spent every night hooked up to a cycler — a machine that allows the user to undergo peritoneal dialysis while at home.
For more than six years, Sandy performed this nightly ritual.
Once a month, an order for supplies would be placed. A few days later, a truck would show up and everything would be unloaded, included boxes and boxes of fluid, all of which is used in the dialysis process.
“Our whole garage was full,” Tyler said. “We couldn’t put the car in there any more.”
Sandy’s husband, Michael, told me via email that “we became used to the routine . . . Tyler had to grow up very fast . . . as he carried boxes, re-filled supplies and watched every night as his mom connected to a machine that kept her alive . . .“
All the while, the Soys were searching for a kidney for Sandy. Due to difficulties finding a donor, it took more than six years before a match was found.
“The doctors basically told us not to get our hopes up,” Tyler said, “because her blood type was so rare. . . . and then to be able to finally get her a transplant meant so much to all of us.”
In October 2010, a donor was found through the Living Donor Exchange registry. An anonymous donor would give up a kidney for Sandy. At the same time, Michael would donate one of his kidneys to an anonymous recipient.
“As the other half of the ‘exchange’ partnership,” Michael wrote, “I was honoured to donate a kidney to an unknown patient . . . on Nov. 9, 2010.”
The very next day, Sandy received her ‘new’ kidney.
After more than six years, the Soy family looked upon all of this as a miracle.
“It showed me how strong they are,” Tyler said of his parents. “For my dad to give up one of his kidneys so my mom could get one is really special.”
Speaking of special, Mom and Dad were in the Pacific Coliseum on Friday night when Tyler scored his goal.
“It was a dump-in from centre that bounced the right way and went in,” Tyler said with a laugh. “That was something special.”
In years to come, he will have shown a burst of speed down the right side and the shot will have gone top shelf.
“Oh yeah,” he said, still grinning. “For sure.”
One night later, Soy played fairly regularly and even saw some power-play time, including late in the third period of a one-goal game, as the Royals won a chippy affair in Kamloops. Mom and Dad were in the stands for that one, too.
“It was a pretty rough game,” Tyler said. “High intensity . . . I don’t mind.”
And then it was back to Vancouver so that he could catch a plane to Penticton on Sunday.
You can bet, though, that he will be back in Victoria.
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If you haven’t filled in your organ donor card, please do so.
———
The Tri-City Americans will be adding G Troy Trombley to their roster for the remainder of the season. He returned to Melville, Sask., on Sunday to get this car and is expected to rejoin the Americans on Wednesday. He had been with the SJHL’s Millionaires before Tri-City G Eric Comrie was injured. . . . G Evan Sarthou, a third-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft, will join the Americans and be on the bench in support of starter Luke Lee-Knight, for tonight’s game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Sarthou, from Black Diamond, Wash., plays for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings of the Tier 1 AAA Elite League.
———
MONDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, F Todd Fiddler scored three times as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Winterhawks, 5-2. . . . Fiddler now leads the WHL in goals (33). Fiddler, 19, went into this season with 35 goals in 144 regular-season games. He now has 68 in 191 games. . . . Portland has followed a 14-0-0 stretch with two straight regulation-time losses and one in a shootout. The three losses came in a four-day period. . . . These teams will meet again Wednesday and Friday in Spokane. That’s interesting because Monday’s game featured a multi-fight situation at 19:27 of the third period. Penalties handed out included six fighting majors. As well, Portland F Keegan Iverson drew a match penalty for attempt to injure. . . . If you were there or watched the video, you’ve got to think that Portland F Joe Mahon, an 18-year-old from Calgary, will be getting one of those “What were you thinking?” phone calls from WHL disciplinarian Richard Doerksen. Mahon has one goal and 102 penalty minutes in 28 games. . . . Spokane F Mike Aviani added two goals, giving him 23. . . . F Blake Gal played in his 300th regular-season game, all with the Chiefs. He is the ninth player in franchise history to get to 300. D Brenden Kichton played in No. 300 earlier this month. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic had his point streak snapped at 14 games, while Kichton had his stopped at 11 games. . . . Spokane was without F Alessio Bertaggia, who apparently suffered an arm injury in a 4-3 OT loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans on Saturday. . . . Among Portland’s scratches were F Taylor Leier (ill) and D Derrick Pouliot (undisclosed).
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Brendan Leipsic, Portland

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
———






From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “20 — With the 5-2 victory, @chiefshockey have snapped Portland’s 20 game win streak in the Memorial Coliseum (including playoffs)”
———
And then there were these two tweets that showed up back-to-back, in this order, on my Twitter timeline last night:

From Portland F Chase De Leo (@Dels9): “Almost time for the bachelor. #Excited”

From Brandon Wheat Kings scout Mike Fraser (@MikeFraser29): “At least with NHL hockey back on TV, there is less Bachelor talk on Twitter. That’s a good thing.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Tomas Kudelka (Lethbridge, 2005-07) signed a one-year contract extension with Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He has three goals and 16 assists in 52 games for Vitkovice this season.
———
Shelley Lowes, the wife of longtime hockey coach/scout Bob Lowes, has undergone surgery in Regina after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Lowes family is doing a remarkable thing through all of this — maintaining a blog titled: We can . . . with love!
Here is a note Shelley left for her family before surgery:
“To my beautiful family.
“Please take a deep breath and help each other out...even if you are not asked to help.
“Please remember to say ‘I love you’ and give a hug...it doesn't cost a thing.
“Please remember I love you....have a great lunch today, work out....stay busy, stay together, stay strong!
“Thank you — for you, your prayers — your strength!
“Can't wait to see you.
“Love Mom xoxo”
You should check this out right here and please feel free to send along some thoughts and best wishes.
———
Ryan Gibbons, a WHL linesman who played for the Seattle Thunderbirds, wore a GoPro camera on his helmet during the Celebrity All-Star game that was part of Hockey Challenge 2012 in Kent, Wash., on Saturday. If you haven’t seen the footage yet, it’s right here.
Gibbons also worked the Thunderbirds’ game that night. . . . His linesmen’s jersey was part of the Challenge auction and it went for $750. He autographed it after the game.
The Thunderbirds and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska (RMHC) have since announced that the 14th annual Hockey Challenge, which was held Saturday and Sunday, raised more than $190,000, bringing the 14-year total to more than $4.2 million.
———
Whatever happened to Mick McGeough, who perhaps was the last of the WHL referees to express his personality while he worked? He was the supervising official when the Vancouver Canucks played the Phoenix Coyotes in the desert last night. . . .
———
The Edmonton Journal reports that Medicine Hat Tigers G Tyler Bunz, who turned 20 on Feb. 11, will face a drunk driving trial on March 5 in St. Albert, Alta. According to the newspaper, Bunz “is charged with one count of impaired driving and one count of driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08.” . . . Bunz, who is from St. Albert, was charged on May 28. . . . His NHL rights belong to the Edmonton Oilers. . . .
———
The Lethbridge Hurricanes, who play the Raiders in Prince Albert tonight, have lost F Brady Ramsay and his 23 goals to an undisclosed injury. They have brought in Tyler Wong and Harrison Harper. . . . Wong, taken in the fifth round of the 2011 bantam draft, had 32 points in 26 games with the midget AAA UFA Bisons, while Harper had 10 points in 28 games with the junior B Airdrie Thunder. Harper was a 12th round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. . . .
———
The WHL and the Prince Albert Raiders are mourning the death of Ruth (Grams) Pollock, who passed away Tuesday morning. She was 90. Pollock billeted players for 20 straight seasons, starting with grandson Troy Hjertaas in 1988-89. According to a Raiders new release, “Over two decades, Grams billeted many players, including Donovan Hextall, Richard Seeley, Derek Paget, David Van Drunen, Milan Kraft, Shane Willis, Dane Byers Rejean Beauchemin, Aki Seitsonen, Shane Hnidy, Mike McGhan, Ryan White, David Aime, Mike Small, Greg Watson, Jordan Kochan and Brandon Herrod. Her billeting duties came full circle in 2008, when she billeted her grandson Zach Sim.” . . . She received the WHL Distinguished Services Award in 2008. . . . Funeral arrangements are pending. . . .
———
A tweet from Ryan Button (@buttsy78): “RIP Grams, truly a legend in the community of PA. #thebest”
———
A source has told me that the Portland Winterhawks received two second-round bantam draft picks from Everett as compensation for the Silvertips decision to sign Garry Davidson as general manager. Davidson has been Portland’s director of player personnel. . . . That would be one pick in 2012 and another in 2013. . . .
———
The Regina Pats have added D Nathan Zimbaluk, 18, who started the season in the Queen City but was sent to the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs in January. . . . With Zimbaluk in camp, the Pats no longer have D Colby Williams, 16, with them. He spent the season with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. . . .
———
BCHL commissioner John Grisdale and a member of that league’s expansion committee will be in Wenatchee, Wash., this weekend looking at the NAHL’s Wild as a potential entry. The Wild would like to get into the BCHL as soon as next season; the BCHL has said it is looking at 2013-14. . . . The Wild is home to the Fresno Monsters on Saturday.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
The SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers have re-signed general manager Don Chesney and head coach Trent Cassan to two-year contracts. . . .
Former U of North Dakota star Tony Hrkac won’t return for a sixth season as head coach of the hockey program at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon, Wis. . . . Hrkac went 10-109-10 as the first head coach in the program’s history.
———
TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Sam Fioretti scored twice to help the Warriors to a 5-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Fioretti, who has 19 goals, opened the scoring at 11:41 of the first and then broke a 1-1 tie at 4:23 of the second. . . . F Quinton Howden had a goal and two assists for the Warriors. . . . Moose Jaw lost F Kenton Miller toa checking-to-the-head major at 13:55 of the first period. . . . The Rebels had captain Adam Kambeitz back after a 13-game absence, but they dressed just 16 skaters, two under the maximum. D Aaron Borejko, D Kayle Doetzel, F Joel Hamilton, F Colten Mayor, F Cory Millette and D Justin Weller all are out with injuries, as is G Patrik Bartosak. . . . With the victory, the Warriors clinched a playoff spot, the second Eastern Conference team to do so. . . . The Warriors were without F Cody Beach, who has been suspended for two games for “accumulation of embellishment penalties.” Earlier, he was suspended one game for the same thing. . . . Beach gets three games for making a fool of himself; other players get one-game suspensions for incurring kneeing and cross-checking majors, infractions that presumably put other players at risk. You figure it out. . . . The Warriors are atop the East Division, 11 points ahead of the Saskatoon Blades, who have nine games left. . . . The Rebels are 10 points out of the playoffs with 10 games remaining. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Brendan Shinnimin train slowed, but just a bit, as he drew two assists in the Tri-City Americans’ 3-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Shinnimin, whose 10-game goal-scoring streak was snapped, finished February with 43 points in 14 games. That included 23 goals. . . . He now has 117 points and an 11-point lead atop the WHL scoring race. . . . Tri-City F Patrick Holland had a goal, his 24th, and an assist, lifting him to 97 points. . . . Holland leads the WHL with 73 assists. The last WHLer with 80 assists in a season was Portland F Todd Robinson (1996-97). . . . F Justin Feser got his 32nd goal for the Americans, giving them a 3-0 lead in the first period. . . . F Connor Sanvido scored for Seattle, his fifth of the season. Sanvido, Seatte’s first selection, 14th overall, in the 2009 bantam draft, was playing in his first game since Feb. 6 after having been sent home to think about things. . . . The Thunderbirds were without D Cason Machacek, who drew an eight-game suspension after his stick came into contact with linesman Zach Brooks in Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans. Machacek has been suspended four times this season for a total of 15 games. . . . Seattle also was without F Branden Troock, who drew a one-game sentence for a cross-checking major in that same game. . . . The Americans remain on top of the WHL’s overall standings and the Western Conference. . . . They are a point ahead of the Portland Winterhawks and three ahead of the Kamloops Blazers. Portland will visit the Americans on Friday and the teams will meet at the Rose Garden in Portland on Sunday. . . . Seattle holds the Western Conference’s last playoff spot, one point ahead of the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Thunderbirds are to play in Everett on Friday. . . .

In Portland, F Oliver Gabriel scored twice to lead the Winterhawks to a 5-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Gabriel got the game’s first goal, at 1:35 of the second period, and then gave his side a 3-1 lead at 3:30 of the third. He’s got 16 goals. . . . Portland F Sven Baertschi had a goal, his 26th broke a 1-1 tie ta 3:14 of the third, and two assists. He is a point shy of maintaining his two-point-a-game clip — he has 87 in 44. . . . Last season, Baertschi finished with 85 points in 66 games. . . . Portland F Marcel Noebels got his 20th goal, while F Ty Rattie had two assists. . . . Portland had a 47-26 edge in shots, including 22-5 in the third period. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth won his WHL-leading 39th game. With nine games remaining, Carruth can’t get to the WHL single-game record that is held by Glen Hanlon, now an assistant coach with the Vancouver Giants. Hanlon won 49  games with the 1976-77 Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Blazers have lost their last two games, the seventh time this season they have lost two in a row. They have yet to lose three in a row. Kamloops plays the Silvertips in Everett tonight. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford, who had his 13-game point streak halted, left in the third period with an apparent leg injury. . . . Kamloops F Jordan DePape, who hasn’t played since Oct. 10 because of a shoulder injury that needed surgery, skated in the pregame warmup before being scratched. He may play against the Silvertips in Everett tonight. . . . While they trail Tri-City and Portland in the overall standings, Kamloops remains the Western Conference’s second seed because it leads the B.C. Division. . . . Portland has won 10 of 11 and 24 of 29. . . .

In Prince George, F Hunter Shinkaruk scored twice to help the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 3-2 victory over the Cougars. . . . Shinkaruk has 42 goals. . . . Tigers F Emerson Etem, who leads the league with 53 goals, didn’t score but did draw three assists. . . . Cougars G Drew Owsley stopped 41 shots; Medicine Hat’s Tiger Bunz stopped 19. . . . Shinkaruk gave the Tigers a 3-1 lead at 14:53 of the second. . . . F Caleb Belter got the Cougars to within one at 14:09 of the third. . . . The same teams play again tonight in Prince George. . . . The Cougars have lost five straight and are four points out of a playoff spot. . . .

In Victoria, the Spokane penalty-killers went 6-for-6 as the Chiefs doubled the Royals, 4-2. . . . Spokane F Blake Gal broke a 2-2 tie at 16:40 of the third period. He’s got 13 goals. . . . D Corbin Baldwin put it away with an empty-netter at 18:54. . . . Chiefs D Brendan Kichton had one assist and was plus-3. . . . Victoria G Jared Rathjen, making his fourth straight start, stopped 29 shots, three more than Spokane’s Mac Engel. . . . The Chiefs had lost their previous two games. They are fifth in the Western Conference, three points behind the Vancouver Giants with a game in hand. These two teams will meet in the first round, so all that’s left to decide is home-ice advantage. . . . The Royals have won three in a row. They are seventh in the Western Conference, two points ahead of Seattle and three ahead of Everett.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Kenton Miller, Moose Jaw (major).
———
For what it’s worth, The New York Times played that story on fighting in hockey that was linked to here yesterday on its front page. It was below the fold but it was front page news.
Jeff Z. Klein of The Times spent some time recently in the Saskatoon area and filed this story that focuses on fighting in hockey.
———
Todd Holt was a real pepper-pot when he played for the Swift Current Broncos. He wasn’t very big, but he was a talker and a sniper with the ability to bring fans out of their seats. Who knew then of the torture he was experiencing? Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post has a close-up look at the life Holt has led since then. If you read anything today, make sure this is it.
———
ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
The Kamloops Blazers played the Giants in Vancouver on Friday night. There was a skirmish at 18:03 of the third period, after which the two referees gave misconducts to all 10 skaters who were on the ice, including Vancouver D Kiefer McNaughton. Both play-by-play men, Dan Elliott of the Giants and Jon Keen of the Blazers, confirmed that McNaughton took another shift before the game ended. Mr. Commissioner, if McNaughton was given a misconduct, how was that possible?

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