Taking Note wins award . . . Hurricanes stun Ice . . . Blazers now third in B.C.

Taking Note has been honoured with a Carson — a 2015 Paul Carson Broadcast & Media Award — as was announced Wednesday afternoon.
According to the news release that is pictured above, the awards “recognize excellence in sports broadcasting and journalism” in B.C.
Taking Note is being recognized as the Best Blog (Rest-of-BC). Pro Hockey Talk, with Jason Brough, Mike Halford and Cam Tucker, was named the Best Blog (Vancouver-based).
A number of veteran B.C. sports journalists, including Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province, Ian MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun, Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist and Scott McKenzie of the Nanaimo Daily News are among the print honourees.
I am thrilled that folks know that we even exist here at Taking Note, and I am honoured to win an award that is in memory of a man who meant so much to journalism in B.C.
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D Lukáš Bohunický (Kootenay, 2005-07) has signed a contract for the rest of the season with České Budějovice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). He was released at his request by the Edinburgh Capitals (Scotland, UK Elite) on Monday. He had a goal and 13 assists in 36 games this season. . . .
F Chris St. Jacques (Medicine Hat, 1999-2004) has signed for the rest of the season with the Bietigheim Steelers (Germany, DEL2). This season, with Sterzing/Vipiteno (Italy, Serie A), he had two goals and 12 assists in 15 games. With the Wedemark Scorpions (Germany, Oberliga), he had eight goals and 15 assists in 12 games. St. Jacques played last 3 1/2 seasons with Bietigheim. . . .
F Jakub Langhammer (Spokane, 2002-04) has been released at his request by Regensburg (Germany, Oberliga). He had two goals in two games. Per a Regensburg press release, Langhammer will join an unnamed DEL2 club.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

In Prince Albert, the Raiders scored three second-period goals en route to a 6-1 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . .  .Fittingly, it was Bash The Blades night in Prince Albert. . . . The Raiders scored the game’s first five goals. . . . That included F Sean Montgomery’s first WHL goal, in the 45th game of freshman season, at 9:54 of the second period. . . . F Kris Schmidli had three assists for Prince Albert, while F Reid Gardiner scored his 22nd goal and added an assist. F Simon Stransky and F Austin Glover each had two assists. D Jesse Lees scored his eighth goal — his first since arriving in Prince Albert from Kelowna — and had an assist. . . . Raiders G Rylan Parenteau stopped 32 shots, four fewer than Nik Amundrud of the Blades. . . . This was the final game of the season series between these teams and it ended 4-4-0. . . . The Raiders (20-27-1) had lost their previous four games. They are in Calgary on Friday. . . . The Blades (14-30-3), who play in Swift Current on Friday, had won five in a row. . . .

In Edmonton, F Lane Bauer’s shootout goal gave the Oil Kings a 2-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . F Brett Pollock also scored for Edmonton in the shootout — he extended it with a goal in the third round — while F Nick Merkley scored for the Rockets. . . . D Joe Gatenby scored for Kelowna at 9:33 of the first period. His first WHL goal came in his 85th game. . . . Edmonton F Dysin Mayo tied it with his 10th goal of the season, on a PP, at 6:35 of the second. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 35 shots, five more than Kelowna’s Jake Morrissey. . . . The Rockets gave the goaltending start to Morrissey, meaning he and his holder brother, D Josh Morrissey, were on the ice together for the first time since the latter was acquired from Prince Albert on Dec. 10. . . . F Leon Draisaitl, who started the season with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, made his return to Edmonton. The Oilers, if you missed it, arranged for Draisaitl to be traded by Prince Albert to the Rockets at the trade deadline. . . . Draisaitl went pointless and wasn’t able to score in the shootout. . . . The Rockets were 0-for-8 on the PP, including the game’s last seven. . . . The Oil Kings were 1-for-3. . . . Edmonton (23-21-6) ended a four-game losing skid (0-3-1). The Oil Kings play in Red Deer on Friday. . . . The Rockets (37-8-4), who visit Lethbridge on Friday, have won their previous three games. They are first in the overall standings, three points ahead of idle Brandon. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Brayden Burke had a goal and two assists and G Jayden Sittler beat his former team as the Hurricanes dropped the Kootenay Ice, 6-3. . . . The Ice took a 2-1 lead into the second period, only to have the Hurricanes score the next five goals. . . . Burke tied the score with his third goal of the season, at 1:32 of the second, and F Tyler Wong broke the tie, with his 21st, at 13:53. . . . F Zane Franklin, who made his WHL debut with the Hurricanes on Tuesday night, scored his first WHL goal in this one, tying the game 1-1 at 14:45 of the first. . . . Lethbridge D Brandon Kennedy scored his first WHL goal in his 23rd game, at 6:54 of the third. . . . Wong also had an assist and was plus-4. . . . Kennedy, F Pavel Skumatov and F Giorgio Estephan each had a goal and an assist for Lethbridge. . . . Estephan has 25 points, 10 of them goals, over his last 14 games. . . . F Tim Bozon scored his 20th goal and added an assist for the Ice. . . . Skinner stopped 38 shots. . . . The Hurricanes (12-29-6), who will entertain Kelowna on Friday, have equalled their victory total from last season. . . . The Ice (26-23-1) had won its last four games. Kootenay is at home to Regina on Friday. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks erased a 2-1 deficit with three straight goals and hung on to beat the Victoria Royals, 4-3. . . . Victoria F Alex Forsberg scored his 20th goal of the season at 12:41 of the second period for a 2-1 lead. . . . Portland F Alex Schoenborn tied it, with his 15th goal, at 17:20. . . . D Alex Henry gave the Winterhawks the lead at 3:08 of the third, with his fifth goal, and F Chase De Leo made it 4-2 with No. 22 at 13:21. . . . Forsberg got the Royals to within a goal at 13:39. . . . Portland G Adin Hill stopped 36 shots, four more than Victoria’s Justin Paulic. . . . F Miles Koules and D Blake Heinrich had two assists each for Portland. . . . Portland won despite not getting any points from its big line of Oliver Bjorkstrand, Nic Petan and Paul Bittner. Victoria D Joe Hicketts and his partner, Chaz Reddekopp, were plus-3 while playing as much as possible against the Petan line. . . . Hicketts also had one assist. . . . F Dominic Turgeon was back in Portland’s lineup for the first time since Jan. 17 and scored his 15th goal. Portland F Mitch Walter remains out. Both were injured in fights. Walter hasn’t played since Jan. 14. . . . The Winterhawks (29-19-3) have won six straight and are three points behind U.S. Division-leading Everett, which olds three games in hand. . . . Victoria (26-20-4) had points in its previous seven games (6-0-1). . . . Portland is at home to Kamloops on Friday, while Victoria will play in Spokane. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored three PP goals and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-3, to grab sole possession of a playoff spot. . . . Still, it was the only Kamloops goal that wasn’t on special teams that won it, D Brady Gaudet getting his second goal of the season at 14:38 of the third period, breaking a 3-3 tie in the process. . . . Kamloops F Cole Ully scored twice, giving him 24, and had an assist. . . . Kamloops F Deven Sideroff had three assists, all on the PP. . . . F Matt Needham, the third member of that line, had two assists. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore had two assists. He has 185 career points, two shy of Craig Channell’s franchise record (Breakers/Thunderbirds) for a defenceman. . . . Seattle F Cory Millette had given his guys a 3-2 lead at 14:46 of the second, on a PP, with his 12th goal. . . . Kamloops D Dawson Davidson, who was brought in to add to the PP, scored his third goal at 3:42 of the third. . . . Kamloops was 3-for-5 on the PP; Seattle was 1-for-5. . . . Seattle D Jared Hauf and Kamloops D Ryan Rehill, a couple of heavyweights, were tossed nine seconds into the game for becoming involved in a staged fight. . . . The Blazers scored two first-period goals. According to Tbird Tidbits, it was the sixth time in 48 games that Seattle has allowed more than one goal in the first period. The Thunderbirds are 1-5-0 when that happens. . . . Kamloops, already without injured Swiss D Michael Fora, lost Slovakian D Patrik Maier at 15:18 of the third period when he was KO’d in a scrap with Seattle F Nolan Volcan. Maier was wobbly and needed help getting to the dressing room. . . . The Blazers (19-25-6) moved into third place in the B.C. Division, two points ahead of Vancouver and Prince George. . . . The Thunderbirds (23-19-6) are third in the U.S. Division, two points ahead of Spokane and Tri-City. . . . The Thunderbirds are in Prince George for games Friday and Saturday nights. . . . The Blazers travel to Portland for a Friday night game.
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Happy b'day to Paul Henderson. There's something special about Canada's Summit Series hero turning "72"! pic.twitter.com/cyRZouw47f
— O-Pee-Chee Stars (@opeecheestars) January 29, 2015

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Tigers forward has surgery . . . Shmyr, Patrick lead Wheaties . . . The real winter classic

The Medicine Hat Tigers will be without F Steve Owre for up to six weeks, according to Bob Ridley, the team’s radio voice. Ridley tweeted Thursday that Owre “had jaw surgery today.” . . . Owre, an 18-year-old from Rocklin, Calif., is in his third season with the Tigers. He has career highs in goals (13), assists (21) and points (34) in 36 games this season. Last season, he finished with 32 points, including 12 goals, in 70 games.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Vancouver Giants F Ty Ronning (collarbone) won’t play for another “7-10 days.” Ronning was injured during the exhibition season. . . . Ewen also reported that Giants GM Scott Bonner told him that D Shaun Dosanjh will be out “at least four weeks” and D Clayton Kirichenko “is out three more weeks.” Both have undisclosed injuries. . . . Ewen has more right here.
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The Everett Silvertips open an East Division swing against the Prince Albert Raiders tonight. Everett lost defencemen Kevin Davis and Tristen Pfeifer during a 4-2 loss to the host Seattle Thunderbirds on Tuesday. If they can’t play tonight, the Silvertips could use Jantzen Leslie, their first-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that Jantzen, who is from Lloydminster, Alta., has joined the Silvertips for the games in the East Division. He plays for the midget AAA Lloydminster Bobcats.
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The Kamloops Blazers, who haven’t played at home since Dec. 6, entertain the Kelowna Rockets tonight. The Blazers had a road-heavy schedule in the season’s first half and now will play 20 of their last 32 games at home. . . . D Brady Gaudet’s playing status with the Blazers isn’t known. He was just back from missing 18 games with a shoulder injury when he took a hit from Kelowna’s Rourke Chartier in a Saturday game. Gaudet didn’t return.
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Pour a cup of coffee, or whatever your choice of beverage is, and read this superb feature from Los Angeles Magazine on Darryl Sutter, the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. Written by Paul Brownfield, it is right here.
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Richard Sandomir, the TV sports columnist for The New York Times, has a listing of his top 10 sports movies and that list is right here. No, it doesn’t include Slap Shot.
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THURSDAY’S GAME:

In Saskatoon, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored the game’s last four goals to beat the Blades, 5-2. . . . F Braylon Shmyr, who enjoyed the first two-goal game of his WHL career, broke a 2-2 tie with a PP goal 9:24 of the second period. He’s got eight goals this season. . . . Freshman F Nolan Patrick added two insurance goals, at 18:42 of the second and 11:15 of the third. . . . Patrick has 16 goals. . . . Saskatoon F Wyatt Sloboshan scored the game’s first goal, his fourth of the season. It was his first goal in his fourth game since returning from a broken jaw. . . . Brandon G Alex Moodie, who was acquired earlier in the season from the Blades, stopped 30 shots. . . . Brandon F Tyler Coulter had three assists, with F Jayce Hawryluk adding two. . . . According to Les Lazaruk, the radio voice of the Blades, Saskatoon went into the game “17-10-1 all-time on New Year's Day, 12-4-0 at home and 4-0-0 against @bdnwheatkings...all in Saskatoon.” . . . The Wheat Kings (28-7-4) have won four in a row since the Christmas break and are 7-0-2 in their last nine. . . . The Blades (9-27-3) have lost two in a row. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here.
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The ice is ready, the beer is cold the real winter classic is about to begin... pic.twitter.com/xQF0ITLXnw
— Craig Demetrick (@Demer2d) January 1, 2015

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Dorothy on top of the world . . . Sheldon Kennedy honoured . . . Blazers add two young d-men

Dorothy, aka Wonder Woman, was on
top of the world Friday in Kamloops.

A year ago, Dorothy, my good wife, wasn't strong enough to force down the foot rest on the recliner in which she sits when watching TV.
On Friday, she hiked to the top of Kenna Cartwright Park in Kamloops.
That is why she is known as Wonder Woman in these parts.
To those of you who have followed her story here and have offered support, we were thinking of you on our 50-minute walk. Your support means so much and we won't ever forget it.
From the four of us, including Joanna and Todd, we hope you had a Merry Christmas and a quiet Boxing Day, and that 2015 is full of good cheer.
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F Štěpán Novotný (Kelowna, Swift Current, 2008-11) has signed for the rest of this season with Nitra (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, with Žilina (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had 10 goals and five assists in 27 games. He was released by Žilina at his request. . . .
F Juraj Šimek (Brandon, 2006-07) has signed for the rest of this season with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga). This season, with Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A), he had six goals and seven assists in 33 games.
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The word 'hero' often gets tossed around far too easily, like a dime, when it should be used more like a manhole cover. But it is entirely appropriate when referring to Sheldon Kennedy, the former WHL and NHL player who was sexually abused by former Swift Current Broncos general manager and head coach Graham James. On Friday, Kennedy, who now is an advocate for victims of child abuse, was named to the Order of Canada. . . . Kennedy, 45, works tirelessly on behalf of young people. . . . But, as he said, he isn't doing it for awards. “For me," he told The Canadian Press, "I’m not doing this work to win awards for Sheldon Kennedy. I’m doing this work because I understand the damage that this crime has on our kids And it’s killing our kids.” . . . Kennedy would know. He has been down that road. . . . If you haven't already, read his book, Why I Didn't Say Anything. . . . In the meantime, there are a couple of stories on the Order of Canada right here and right here. . . . Yes, Sheldon Kennedy is a true Canadian hero.

From everyone who works with you at the @yycCAC thank you @ShelKenn and congratulations on your Order of Canada! pic.twitter.com/ym9rDPeC2Z
— Sheldon Kennedy CAC (@yycCAC) December 27, 2014

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The Kamloops Blazers will get a look at D Dawson Davidson, 16, and D Conner McDonald, 15, over the next four games. . . . Davidson, a third-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft, is from Moosomin, Sask., and plays for the midget AAA Moose Gaw Generals. He has five goals and nine assists in 26 games. . . . McDonald, from Delta, B.C., was a second-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. He has six goals and six assists in 15 games with the Delta Hockey Academy prep team. . . . Meanwhile, D Nolan Kneen, who played in four games with the Blazers prior to Christmas, is back with the major midget Okanagan Rockets. He was the third overall pick in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . The Blazers will have D Patrik Maier in their lineup tonight when they meet the Rockets in Kelowna. He returned to the Blazers after not cracking the lineup of the Slovakian junior team. However, D Michael Fora will miss four games as he plays for Switzerland at the World Junior Championship. . . . Kamloops also should have D Brady Gaudet, 20, back in its lineup tonight. He has missed 18 games with a shoulder injury.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have brought in F Wyatt Bear, 15, who was a fifth-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. Bear is from Hodgson, Man., and plays for Interlake Lightning of the Manitoba Midget AAA League. In 25 games, he has six goals and eight assists. . . . The Thunderbirds are at home to the Portland Winterhawks tonight.
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Major junior hockey is under fire these days as it faces the possible unionization of its players, as well as at least three lawsuits. Eric Duhatschek of The Globe and Mail takes a look right here at just what's going on. ---
Lou Lamoriello, the long-time general manager of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday. Rich Chere of nj.com takes a look right here at what's happening with the Devils. . . . BTW, speculation last night had former Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean as the Devils' next head coach.
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The West Virginia Mountaineers won't have quarterback Clint Trickett in the lineup on ?? when they meet the Texas A&M Aggies in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Monday in Memphis. Trickett, a senior, has retired after suffering five concussions in 14 months. He hid two of those concussions from trainers. . . . There's more right here.
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#OrderofCanada appointments never happen without help. I want to thank the many many people that have helped me and continue to help #THANKS
— Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn) December 26, 2014

Stands are full. Bars are full. TSN ad spots are full. Lots of people making lots of money from WJC, except, of course, the players.
— Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) December 27, 2014

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Hay returning to Kamloops as Blazers' head coach

Don Hay is returning as head coach of the Kamloops Blazers.
(Photo by Christopher Mast / www.mastimages.com)

Don Hay is going home.
And who knows . . . the Kamloops Fire Department may still be holding his job for him.
Hay, 60, began his coaching career with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers in 1986, while he was a Kamloops firefighter. Ultimately, he took a leave of absence to pursue his coaching career; he never did go back to firefighting.
Today, though, he will be back in Kamloops as the new -- new old? -- head coach of the Blazers.
Hay, the second-winningest coach in WHL history, is leaving the Vancouver Giants after 10 seasons as their head coach to return to the Blazers.
Hay took over from Tom Renney as the Blazers head coach after the 1991-92 season and guided the team for three seasons, going 42-28-2, 50-16-6 and 52-14-6, and winning the 1994 and 1995 Memorial Cup championships.
He left after the second Memorial Cup title, choosing to join the NHL’s Calgary Flames as an assistant coach. He spent one season as head coach of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes and one with the Anaheim Might Ducks as an assistant.
Hay was back in the WHL in 1998-99, spending two seasons as head coach of the Tri-City Americans.
He then spent most of 2000-01 as head coach of the Calgary Flames, followed by three seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Utah Grizzlies.
He joined the Giants for the 2004-05 season, as the third head coach in franchise history, following Milan Dragicevic and Dean Evason. Under Hay, the Giants won the WHL title in 2006 and the Memorial Cup in 2007 as the host team after they lost the WHL final to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
However, in the last four seasons, the Giants missed the playoffs once (2012-13) and were first-round casualties each of the other times. This season, they were swept by the Portland Winterhawks, who are to open the WHL’s championship final against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday night.
Still, the Giants won at least 40 games six times with Hay, whose 609 WHL career coaching victories trail only Ken Hodge’s 742.
Hay had one year left on his contract with the Giants that was signed on Aug. 26, 2010. The Giants, though, chose not to hold him to it or request compensation from Kamloops. Tom Gaglardi, the Blazers’ majority owner, approached Vancouver majority owner Ron Toigo about a week ago and asked for permission to speak with Hay.
“I’ve always made a point that I’m not going to stand in the way of what anybody wants to do regardless of what their contract says,” Toigo told Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun. “Don said he was comfortable with going home and they offered him a pretty good deal. I told him: ‘Great, I’m happy for you, I appreciate everything you did for us.’
“Ten years is a long time with one team and maybe it was time for a change for everybody. I think it’s a good scenario, although it kind of came out of left field. We certainly weren’t planning this a month ago.”
When the Giants start the search for a replacement, they will be looking for someone to take them at least through the 2015-16 season. The WHL will play host to the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament and Toigo has said the Giants plan on bidding for it.
Hay is the third-winningest head coach in Blazers history, his 144 victories in Kamloops behind only Ken Hitchcock (291) and Guy Charron (148).
Charron finished up this season, when the Blazers finished 14-53-5, good only for the poorest season in franchise history. Charron replaced Dave Hunchak on Jan. 12.
Hunchak, in his first season as head coach after working as associate coach alongside Charron for two seasons, left the team on Jan. 10 while it was in Spokane. The Blazers later said Hunchak was on a leave of absence.
The team has yet to clarify Hunchak’s situation, although it’s believed the two parties reached a contract settlement of some kind last month. Hunchak had been signed through the 2014-15 season.
Hay becomes the seventh or eighth head coach -- depending on whether you count Charron twice -- of the Blazers since the franchise was purchased in 2007 by Gaglardi and ex-Kamloops players Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor.
In returning to the Blazers, Hay will be rekindling a relationship with Craig Bonner, who is the team’s general manager. Bonner was the Giants’ assistant coach/assistant GM when he signed as the Blazers’ GM in the summer of 2008. Bonner also played one season (1992-93) under Hay with the Blazers.
So what happened to the relationship between Hay and the Giants?
Here’s Steve Ewen, who covers the Giants for the Vancouver Province:
“The Giants . . . obviously felt he wasn’t the right guy for that 2016 Memorial Cup push. There was an apparent disconnect between player development, led by Hay, and player recruitment, led by general manager Scott Bonner.
“Hay wanted to continue to play a crash-and-bang style, but the Giants were bringing in smaller, puck-possession skill guys.”
Ewen also pointed out that in recent seasons the Giants “have had several players ask to be traded.”
That included, Ewen wrote, “2011 sixth-rounder Taylor Vickerman, 2010 first-rounder Anthony Ast, 2009 second-rounder Matt Bellerive and 2009 third-rounder Blake Orban. There were others, including veteran Craig Cunningham in 2010-11. Those were all tied to Hay.”
Interestingly, Bellerive, who was traded by the Giants to the Red Deer Rebels prior to the 2012-13 season, was dealt by Kamloops to Vancouver on Thursday. The Blazers had acquired him from Red Deer on Jan. 9.
According to Ewen, Bellerive had asked the Giants to trade him after Hay “made him a scratch on opening night” of the 2012-13 season.
In return for Bellerive, the Blazers got a 2014 sixth-round bantam draft pick and a fourth-rounder in 2015. The Blazers selected F Kyle Bosch of Kindersley, Sask., with the sixth-round pick on Thursday.
In 29 games with the Blazers, Bellerive, from North Vancouver, had 19 points, nine of them goals. He is heading into his 20-year-old season.
In another deal, the Blazers reacquired D Brady Gaudet, 20, from Red Deer, giving up a third-round pick in yesterday’s draft. Gaudet began his career with the Blazers, who selected him 10th overall in the 2009 bantam draft, before being traded to Red Deer in October 2012 for a third-round pick in the 2013 draft.
In 241 career games, Gaudet, who is from Redvers, Sask., has 85 points, including 17 goals. He played 117 of those games with Kamloops, putting up 34 points, seven of them goals.
Gaudet played well for Red Deer in 2012-13, but struggled this season.
“He had a tough year,” Red Deer GM/head coach Brent Sutter told Greg Meacham of the Red Deer Advocate, “but I talked to Kamloops after the season and they were interested in bringing him back.
“Kamloops had a tough year and asked that if I acquired another 20-year-old would I give them the first opportunity for (Gaudet) to go back there.”
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Elliott Pap’s piece is right here.
Steve Ewen’s story is right here.

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The Vancouver Giants left for Edmonton immediately after a 4-1 victory over the visiting Victoria Royals on Friday night. The Giants and Oil Kings played this afternoon. . . . F Cain Franson and F Thomas Foster, both of whom have the dreaded upper-body injury, didn’t make the trip, but could join the Giants later in the week. They are to play in Lethbridge on Tuesday and Medicine Hat on Thursday. . . . Franson may have a concussion, after taking a headshot from Brandon D Tyler Yaworski on Wednesday. Foster was injured in the first period on Friday.
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D Nick Walters of the Everett Silvertips drew a ‘tbd’ suspension under supplemental discipline on Saturday morning. According to the WHL website, the suspension was from a game against the Spokane Chiefs on Friday night. . . . The Chiefs reported after the game that F Mitch Holmberg, their leading scorer, left the game in the first period after taking a shot to the head. However, no penalty was assessed. Presumably, then, Walters delivered the blow and it’s now in the hands of Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey.
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It was Thursday around 10 p.m., when Jeff Chynoweth’s phone rang. Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, answered, not knowing who it was.
It turned out to be F Drew Czerwonka, 20, a veteran who was the Ice’s captain. Czerwonka was calling to tell Chynoweth that he was retiring.
Czerwonka told Chynoweth his heart was no longer in it after all the injuries he has had to battle.
Chynoweth now has room for a 20-year-old and may well be keeping a close eye on the situation involving the Kamloops Blazers.
Kamloops is carrying three 20-year-old forwards — Jordan DePape, Brendan Ranford and Dylan Willick. As well, the Blazers could still get D Austin Madaisky back from the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. Madaisky went to camp with Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, and was kept on the roster, only to be a healthy scratch from each of their first four games.
On Friday, Madaisky was assigned to the ECHL’s Evansville Icemen. He played his first professional game on Saturday as the Icemen lost 4-1 to the host Kalamazoo Wings.
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Former WHL G Spencer Tremblay (Moose Jaw, 2011-12) recorded his first QMJHL victory on Saturday, stopping 26 shots as the Moncton Wildcats beat the host Sherbrooke Phoenix, 4-3, in OT. Moncton has won four in a row. . . . Tremblay, 18, was released by the Warriors in September, cleared WHL waivers and moved on to the QMJHL.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Kamloops, the Blazers scored four first-period goals and went on to beat the Victoria Royals, 5-2. . . . The Blazers (14-0-1) scored five times in the first period on Friday as they dumped the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings, 8-1. . . . Kamloops has outscored its opposition 24-5 in first periods. . . . The Blazers now are 14-0-1 and have won 12 in a row for the first time since 1989-90. . . . Kamloops F Colin Smith had two goals and an assist as he ran his point streak to 15 games. He has at least one point in each of his club’s games this season. . . . F Tim Bozon also had two goals and an assist, while F JC Lipon had two assists. . . . That line now has combined for 99 points in 15 games. . . . Bozon has a WHL-leading 14 goals, while Lipon leads the points race with 37 and Smith is next at 35. . . . Kamloops D Tyler Hansen played in his 200th regular-season game. . . . Kamloops left immediately after the game for Kent, Wash., there it will play the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight. . . . The Blazers were without F Aspen Sterzer for a second straight game as he attends the funeral of a grandmother in Calgary. He is expected to rejoin the team in time for a Tuesday game in Everett. . . . Victoria D Tyler Stahl, the team captain, missed his third straight game with an undisclosed injury. He hasn’t played since being named team captain early in the week. . . .

The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke a 1-1 tie with three second-period goals and beat the visiting Swift Current Broncos, 4-1. . . . F Craig Leverton scored his first two goals, with the first one standing up as the winner. . . . The Hurricanes took 84 of the 152 penalty minutes dished out. . . . Lethbridge is 6-3-1 in its last 10 and 8-7-1 overall. . . .

F Mike Winther scored three times to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 5-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Warriors had won the first-half of the weekend doubleheader 3-2 in Prince Albert on Friday. . . . Winther has five goals this season. . . . Raiders freshman F Leon Draisaitl celebrated his 17th birthday with three assists. . . .

F Hunter Shinkaruk scored two goals and set up two others as the host Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Regina Pats, 5-4. . . . Shinkaruk has nine goals this season. He has nine points in his last two games. . . . Medicine Hat G Cam Lanigan left after two periods. He apparently took a hit at some point and was taken out as a precaution. . . . G Marek Langhamer came on with the game 2-2 and stopped eight shots to earn the victory. . . . Regina D Colton Jobke, who had played in his 200th game on Friday night when the Pats dropped a 6-1 decision in Lethbridge, scored at 19:59 of the third period. . . . Regina was without F Trent Ouellette who suffered an undisclosed injury in Friday’s 6-1 loss in Lethbridge. . . . Already without F Colton Stephenson, it means Regina is minus its top two centres right now. . . .

D Brady Gaudet scored the game’s first goal and then got the winner in the circus as the Red Deer Rebels got past the Calgary Hitmen, 4-3. . . . Gaudet, who was acquired a week ago from the Kamloops Blazers, scored his first goal of the season at 4:20 of the first period. . . . Red Deer F Turner Elson, with his second goal of the game and fourth of the season, forced OT at 14:15 of the third period. . . . F Cody Sylvester got his 13th goal of the season for Calgary. . . . The shootout went seven rounds, with Gaudet the 13th shooter. F Conner Bleackley had scored for Red Deer in Round 2, and that was answered by Calgary F Brooks Macek. . . .

The host Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Kelowna Rockets, 5-3. . . . Edmonton F Michael St. Croix scored his 100th career goal on a second-period PP. F T.J. Foster earned his 200th career point on that goal. . . . The Rockets are 1-1-1 on a four-game Central Division swing that concludes today in Calgary. . . .

F Zach Pochiro scored in the fifth round of the circus to give the host Prince George Cougars a 3-23 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Wheat Kings, who completed a seven-game road trip at 2-3-2, forced OT with two goals in the second half of the third period. . . . F Chad Robinson, who came over from the Red Deer Rebels in a swap earlier in the week, scored a PP goal at 13:13 and D Colton Waltz tied it with his first goal at 17:36. . . .

F Connor Honey scored twice to help the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-2 victory over the Silvertips in Everett. . . . Honey, who has five goals, broke a 2-2 tie at 8:58 of the third period. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz (groin) played for the first time since Oct. 6 and stopped 16 shots. . . . The Silvertips, who had won four in a row, were without F Josh Winquist (groin) and dressed only 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . Seattle G Justin Myles stopped 27 shots to earn his first WHL victory. Myles now is 1-2-0. . . .

G Eric Williams stopped 35 shots as the Spokane Chiefs went into Kennewick, Wash., and edged the Tri-City Americans, 3-2. . . . The Chiefs scored the game’s first three goals and led 3-0 at 8:11 of the second period. . . . The Americans got two third-period goals, that last one from F Marcus Stromwall at 18:53. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie now is 0-5 against Spokane. . . . The Chiefs have beaten the Americans three times already this season. . . . The Chiefs were without F Mitch Holmberg, their leading scorer. He took a high hit on Friday night. . . .
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Colin Jacobs, Prince George
F Seth Swenson, Seattle

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Kelowna Rockets radio voice Regan Bartel (@Reganrant): “Just looking at schedule. Didn't @WHLGiants play at home (Friday) night? Play in Edmonton Sunday at 4 pm. Wow! Talk about a set up for failure.”
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TWEET OF THE DAY II:
From Edmonton Oil Kings G Laurent Brossoit (@LBrossoit): “OK fine I’ll go on a date with you @PaulinaGretzky if you’ll stop asking . . . #WhoAmIKidding”
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TWEET OF THE DAY III:
From former Tri-City Americans F Adam Hughes man (@Hughdog17): “I really thought @ShinboSlice @PattyShwayz and myself had a decent year last year! Lipon, Smith, Bozon are making it look too easy #wow”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Lukas Bohunicky (Kootenay, 2005-07) signed a two-year contract with Mlada Boleslav (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). He had three assists in 32 games with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, Extraliga) and three assists in 12 games with the Missouri Mavericks (CHL) last season. . . .
F Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, 2001-05) signed a four-game tryout contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had two goals and 10 assists in 17 games with the Las Vegas Gamblers (ECHL) and five goals and one assist in 12 games with Sundsvall (Sweden, Allsvenskan) last season.
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The Kelowna Rockets, with injuries having taken out two of their 20-year-olds, have added F Cody Fowlie, 20, who had been released by the Everett Silvertips. Fowlie had 40 points in 72 games with Everett last season. . . . Fowlie, from Airdrie, Alta., is expected to be in Kelowna’s lineup on Wednesday when it opens a four-game Central Division trip in Medicine Hat against the Tigers. . . . The Rockets now have four 20s on their roster, although D Mitchell Chapman (ankle) and F J.T. Barnett (knee) are on the shelf. Also on the roster is F Dylen McKinlay.
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The Kamloops Blazers returned from a 5-0-0 Central Division swing and promptly traded D Brady Gaudet, 18, to the Red Deer Rebels for a third-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Gaudet, from Redvers, Sask., was the 10th overall selection in the 2009 draft. . . . Gaudet was scratched from the Blazers’ 6-3 victory over the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook on Saturday, leading one to think the deal was close to being made, if not completed, at that time. . . . A move had been imminent in Kamloops, simply because the Blazers had been carrying nine defencemen and two freshmen, Ryan Rehill and Jordan Thomson, have shown they are more than capable. . . . D Austin Madaisky, 20, who is eligible to return to the Blazers, remains with the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, although he has been scratched from each of their first four games.
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When F Daniel Asham, 18, informed the Brandon Wheat Kings late last week that he has had enough of hockey and chose to leave the team and when F Jason Swyripa (wrist) suffered a long-term injury, the Brandon Wheat Kings were left a bit short of experienced forwards. So the Wheat Kings reached out Monday and picked up F Chad Robinson, 19, from the Red Deer Rebels for a conditional 2014 seventh-round bantam draft pick. . . . Robinson is from Minnedosa, Man., which is located three slapshots north of Brandon. . . . Robinson has two points in nine games with the Rebels this season. In 129 career games with Red Deer, he has 44 points, including 11 goals. . . . “It was sort of a mutual agreement, I guess you could say,” Robinson told James Shewaga of the Brandon Sun. “I just wasn’t in the team’s plans for this year and moving forward I thought it would be more beneficial to ask for a trade out of there and move on … And absolutely, (Brandon) was at the top of the list.” . . . Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner and GM, told Shewaga that Swyripa is to see a specialist in Calgary today but that the could be out for two months.” . . . The Wheat Kings continue their road swing in Victoria against the Royals tonight. Brandon is 1-2-0 with four games left on the trip. . . . David Anning, Brandon’s new assistant coach, has joined the club and will work tonight’s game.
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The Tri-City Americans will visit the Portland Winterhawks on Sunday and the teams will play in Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, the first game in that facility this season. According to a Winterhawks news release, the teams will play “for the first time on the refurbished ice surface at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Construction crews have spent several months replacing the ice plant in the building and bringing the ice sheet to regulation size. In addition, both the Coliseum and Rose Garden have new boards, glass and benches this season.”
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The Prince Albert Raiders have assigned D Mackenze Stewart, 17, to the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs. Stewart, who is from Calgary, had two penalty minutes in six games with the Raiders. . . . Prince Albert is carrying 23 players, including 13 forwards and eight defencemen.
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F Andrew Rieder, who was released by the Regina Pats earlier this month as they got down to three 20-year-olds, has surfaced with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes. . . . He will be wearing No. 9 on Thursday when the London Knights visit the Petes.
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G Payton Lee, 16, was on the ice with the Vancouver Giants on Monday, but head coach Don Hay won’t say if he will start Wednesday against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Hay did tell Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province that “"he's going to get an opportunity some time." . . . Lee is expected to be back with his regular team, the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, for a Friday game. With the Sockeyes, he is 4-1-0, 1.81, .939. . . . Interestingly, the Giants other two goaltenders, Liam Liston and Tyler Fuhr, both have been in Brandon’s organization. . . . The Giants take a 2-8-0 record into Wednesday’s game.
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Kevin Constantine, a former NHL head coach who was the first head coach of the Everett Silvertips (2003-07), has been fired as head coach of Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss National League A. . . . Ambri-Piotta is last in the league standings, with seven points from 14 games. Serge Pelletier was hired to replace Constantine. . . . Constantine, 54, was in his third season with Ambri-Piotta. He is signed through 2013-14.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Alan Caldwell (Alan@smallatlarge): “Since September 24 (exactly 4 weeks ago), Red Deer has made eight trades. EIGHT. Clearly G.M. Sutter is not happy with his roster.”
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“We’re not going to educate the invertebrates of professional hockey or fans who see the game as a surrogate for the Roman arena any time soon,” writes columnist Stephen Hume in the Vancouver Sun. “But perhaps we can do something about changing the culture gradually by eliminating such stuff from minor hockey, where parents and the public have a say.”
Hume’s complete piece is right here.


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Cheveldave finishes . . . with shutout

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Cole Cheveldave finally finished a hockey game.
Not only that, he got the victory . . . and a shutout to boot.
“Things felt great out there,” the Kamloops Blazers’ goaltender said early Sunday evening after having blanked the host Victoria Royals, 3-0, at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in an afternoon WHL assignment.
In his previous two starts, Cheveldave suffered injuries that prevented him from finishing t he games.
Cheveldave hadn’t played since suffering a suspected knee injury when he was run over in his crease by Kelowna Rockets forward Colton Sissons during the second period of the Blazers’ 6-5 season-opening overtime victory on Sept. 21 at the Interior Savings Centre.
His 2011-12 season had ended on April 6 when he suffered a concussion during Game 1 of a second-round playoff series against the Portland Winterhawks. On that night, he was run over behind his net by Portland winger Oliver Gabriel. That injury kept Cheveldave out of the next six games as the Winterhawks took out Kamloops in seven games.
Cheveldave had last finished a game on March 28 when the Blazers won 4-1 in, yes, Victoria to complete a four-game sweep of the Royals in a first-round playoff series.
On Sunday, he made 22 saves, 13 of them in the first period, as he recorded his fifth career shutout. That moved him into a tie with Kenric Exner, Dale Masson and Randy Petruk for sixth on the Blazers’ career list. Devan Dubnyk (15) and Corey Hirsch (13) top the list, followed by Dustin Butler, Davis Parley and Rod Branch, each with seven.
“We played great on defence, especially in the second and third periods,” Cheveldave said from Swartz Bay, as the Blazers prepared to catch a 6 o’clock ferry. “We weathered the storm in the first period and then just took over the game.”
While the Blazers improved to 3-0-1, the Royals lost for the first time in regulation and fell to 3-1-0.
“They came out shooting a lot,” Cheveldave said. “They got a quick (power play) off the start and we handled it really well.”
The Blazers, who had lost 4-3 in overtime on Friday night, scored once in each period as they fired 39 shots at goaltender Jared Rathjen, a sophomore who was making his first start of the season.
Defenceman Brady Gaudet, in the first period, and left-winger Robert Trzonkowski, in the second, scored their first goals of the season, while centre Colin Smith added insurance with his second goal of the season midway through the third period.
“The boys really played well today,” Cheveldave said. “You can’t ask for anything more for the first start back from an injury.
“We were all over them. In the second period we were in their end probably for 17 minutes of the period, working it and playing really well.”
Head coach Guy Charron told Cheveldave on Saturday morning that he would be starting, after freshman Taran Kozun went 1-0-1 in back-to-back starts.
“I had quite a bit of time to prepare myself and get ready for it,” Cheveldave said. “I felt awesome.”
He showed in the first period that he was ready when he made a tremendous save off Victoria forward Ben Walker. A point shot got through a screen and bounced to the right of Cheveldave.
“Walker got a swipe at it and I just stuffed him with a pad,” Cheveldave said.
Cheveldave is expected to be back in goal Friday when the Blazers meet the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds (2-2-0). The Medicine Hat Tigers (3-1-0), who open a three-game B.C. Division swing in Victoria on Wednesday, will be here Saturday. Game time both nights will be 7 o’clock.
JUST NOTES: Attendance was 4,171. . . . The ice held up well considering that a John Fogerty concert was held in the facility on Saturday night. . . . Cheveldave drew an assist, the fifth of his career, on Trzonkowski’s goal. . . . The Blazers scratched D Tyler Hansen (concussion), LW Brendan Ranford, D Ryan Rehill and F Mitch Friesen. . . . Hansen, who suffered a concussion on Sept. 22, has yet to be symptom free so is doubtful for this weekend’s games. . . . Ranford is in camp with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs in Sherbrooke, Que. . . . D Tyler Stahl returned to Victoria’s lineup after serving a six-game WHL suspension. . . . F Jayden Halbgewachs, the Blazers’ first pick in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft, scored his first goal of the season Sunday as his Regina Pat Canadians beat the host Battlefords Stars 3-1 in a Saskatchewan Midget AAA League game.

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