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| Tim Bozon (left) meets with Kootenay Ice athletic therapist Cory Cameron prior to Saturday night's game in Cranbrook. Bozon"s father, Philippe, credits Cameron with having saved Tim's life. (Photo from Cory Cameron's Twitter feed) |
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| Tim Bozon waves to the fans in Cranbrook as he takes part in a ceremonial faceoff prior to Saturday's WHL playoff game. (Photo from the WHL's Twitter feed) |
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| Players from the Calgary Hitmen come off their bench to shake hands with Tim Bozon during Saturday's night's ceremonial faceoff in Cranbrook. (Photo by Trevor Crawley / Cranbrook Daily Townsman) |
You are able to make a donation at any BMO Bank of Montreal branch in Western Canada.
Should you live outside of that area and want to donate, please mail donations to:
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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According to Carlos Sosa of Turning Point Sports Management, F Mike Aviani of the Spokane Chiefs has signed an ATO with the Utica Comets, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. Aviani is a free agent. . . .
The Calgary Flames announced Saturday that D Brett Kulak of the Vancouver Giants has been assigned to the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. Kulak, a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL draft, has signed with the Flames. . . .
F Morgan Klimchuk of the Regina Pats also has been assigned to Abbotsford. Klimchuk was a first-round selection by the Flames in the 2013 NHL draft. . . . Meanwhile, D Kyle Burroughs, the Pats’ captain, is to finish up with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He was a seventh-round selection by the New York Islanders in the 2013 NHL draft.
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If you are a subscriber to Shaw-TV, you will be able to watch the second-round series between the Portland Winterhawks and Victoria Royals. In the first round, Shaw televised all six games of the series between the Calgary Hitmen and Kootenay Ice. . . . The Winterhawks and Royals will open with games in Portland on Friday and Saturday nights. During the regular season, these teams met four times -- Portland went 1-1-2; Victoria was 3-1-0. . . . The Winterhawks are the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed; the Royals are No. 3.
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT (8)(Edmonton wins, 4-0)
Season series: Edmonton, 2-1-1; Prince Albert, 2-2-0.
Saturday: Prince Albert 3 at Edmonton 5 (6,534)
Sunday: Prince Albert 1 at Edmonton 3 (6,584)
Tuesday: Edmonton 4 at Prince Albert 3 (2,881)
Wednesday: Edmonton 6 at Prince Albert 2 (2,727)
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
(Brandon wins, 4-0)
Season series: Brandon, 5-3-0; Regina, 3-3-2.
Saturday: Brandon 6 at Regina 3 (6,200)
Sunday: Brandon 8 at Regina 4 (5,014)
Wednesday: Regina 4 at Brandon 5 (3,547)
Friday: Regina 1 at Brandon 5 (4,705)
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Kootenay wins, 4-2)
Season series: Calgary, 4-4-0; Kootenay, 4-2-2.
Thursday: Kootenay 5 at Calgary 2 (6,649)
Saturday: Kootenay 0 at Calgary 5 (9,019)
Monday: Calgary 7 at Kootenay 6 (OT) (1,992)
Tuesday: Calgary 4 at Kootenay 5 (2,102)
Thursday: Kootenay 6 at Calgary 5 (6,826)
Saturday: Calgary 3 at Kootenay 5 (3,916)
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
(Medicine Hat leads, 3-2)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 2-2-0; Swift Current, 2-2-0.
Friday: Swift Current 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,512)
Saturday: Swift Current 2 at Medicine Hat 4 (3743)
Tuesday: Medicine Hat 1 at Swift Current 3 (2,840)
Wednesday: Medicine Hat 2 at Swift Current 3 (OT) (2,890)
Saturday: Swift Current 1 at Medicine Hat 4 (4,006)
Sunday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, indefinite; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
(Kelowna wins, 4-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-4-0; Tri-City, 0-3-1.
Saturday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 3 (5,827)
Sunday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 3 (5,041)
Tuesday: Kelowna 3 at Tri-City 4 (2,010)
Wednesday: Kelowna 5 at Tri-City 3 (2,189)
Friday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 4 (4,875)
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
(Portland wins, 4-0)
Season series: Portland, 4-0-0; Vancouver, 0-3-1.
Friday: Vancouver 3 at Portland 4 (9,756)
Saturday: Vancouver 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Tuesday: Portland 6 at Vancouver 3 (5,680)
Wednesday: Portland 6 at Vancouver 1 (5,142)
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
(Victoria wins, 4-0)
Season series: Victoria, 1-3-0; Spokane, 3-1-0.
Saturday: Spokane 1 at Victoria 2 (OT) (6,615)
Sunday: Spokane 3 at Victoria 4 (OT) (4,629)
Wednesday: Victoria 6 at Spokane 1 (3,412)
Thursday: Victoria 4 at Spokane 2 (3,711)
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
(Seattle wins, 4-1)
Season series: Seattle, 5-4-1; Everett, 5-4-1.
Saturday: Everett 1 at Seattle 2 (4,650)
Sunday: Seattle 3 at Everett 1 (4,150)
Tuesday: Everett 3 at Seattle 4 (OT) (5,176)
Friday: Seattle 1 at Everett 6 (4,908)
Saturday: Everett 0 at Seattle 4 (3,526)
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite; D Noah Juulsen, day-to-day; D Cole MacDonald, day-to-day; F Tyler Sandhu, day-to-day.
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THE SECOND ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. BRANDON (7)
Season series: Edmonton, 3-1-0; Brandon, 1-2-1.
Thursday: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Brandon at Edmonton, noon
Tuesday, April 8: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Friday, April 11: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, April 14: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 16: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite; F Reid Petryk, day-to-day.
Brandon: None.
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MEDICINE HAT (4)/SWIFT CURRENT (5) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 3-3-0; Kootenay, 3-3-0.
Season series: Swift Current, 1-2-1; Kootenay, 3-1-0.
Dates to be announced.
INJURIES
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA 1 vs. SEATTLE (4)
Season series: Kelowna, 2-1-1; Seattle, 2-1-1.
Thursday: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8: Kelowna at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9: Kelowna at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday, April 11: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 13: Kelowna at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 15: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, day-to-day; D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VICTORIA (3)
(Series televised by Shaw-TV)
Season series: Portland, 1-1-2; Victoria, 3-1-0.
Friday: Victoria at Portland (Veterans Memorial Coliseum), 7 p.m.
Saturday: Victoria at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Monday, April 7: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Thursday, April 10: Victoria at Portland (Moda Center), 7, p.m.
x-Saturday, April 12: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, April 14: Victoria at Portland (Veterans Memorial Coliseum), 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Victoria: None.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, F Chad Butcher scored his third goal of the series, and his third game-winner, as the Tigers dropped the Swift Current Broncos, 4-1. . . . The Tigers lead the series 3-2 -- yes, Butcher has all three of his club’s game-winners -- and can wrap it up tonight in Swift Current. . . . Butcher, who is from Kamloops, went into these playoffs with eight goals in 101 regular-season games, including six goals in 63 games this season. . . . Butcher and F Jaedon Descheneau of the Kootenay Ice lead the playoffs, each with three GWG. . . . After a scoreless first period, the Tigers got a second-period goal from F Trevor Cox, who finished with two goals and an assist. . . . Medicine Hat then took control with goals 64 seconds apart early in the third period by Butcher (2:26) and Cox (3:30). . . . F Nate Burns scored for the Broncos at 10:18, on the PP. . . . The Tigers got an empty-netter from Cole Sanford as time ran out. . . . Sanford also had two assists, as did teammate Dylan Bredo. . . . The battle of the European goaltenders continued, as Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer stopped 45 shots, five more than Eetu Laurikainen of the Broncos. . . . The Broncos were 1-for-2 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-2.
In Cranbrook, the Calgary Hitmen simply couldn’t contain the Kootenay forward duo of Jaedon Descheneau and Sam Reinhart again, as the Ice scored a 4-1 victory and won the first-round series in six games. . . . The Hitmen had finished the regular-season with 103 points, 20 more than the Ice. Calgary went in as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed; the Ice were No. 6. . . . Descheneau and Reinhart each scored 17 points in the six games. They are tied for the lead in the WHL postseason scoring race. . . . Last night, Descheneau scored three times, giving him a WHL-leading seven goals, and added an assist, while Reinhart had three assists. . . . The Ice scored the game’s first three goals, before F Brady Brassart got Calgary on the board at 4:28 of the third period. . . . Descheneau got that one back, on the PP, at 11:02. . . . Calgary head coach Mike Williamson pulled G Chris Driedger for the extra attacker with about four minutes to play. Descheneau promptly hit a post, and the Hitmen went down the ice and got a goal from F Adam Tambellini, his fifth, to get to within two. . . . Just 1:12 later, Calgary F Radel Fazleev scored to cut the deficit to 4-3. . . . However, Descheneau got his third goal of the night into an empty net with 36.9 seconds left. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin stopped 36 shots, five more than Driedger. . . . Kootenay was 1-for-5 on the PP; Calgary was 0-for-4. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon, who spent the last month in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon battling meningitis, took part in a ceremonial faceoff. The Calgary players came off the bench to shake Bozon’s hand. . . . Attendance was announced at 3,917, the largest crowd in Cranbrook since April 4, 2007, when the Hitmen beat the Ice 3-2 in Game 7 of a first-round series. The attendance that night was 4,654.
In Kent, Wash., F Branden Troock scored twice and G Taran Kozun stopped 24 shots to lead the host Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-0 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Thunderbirds, the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, next will meet the No. 1 Kelowna Rockets. Last season, these teams met in a first-round series that Kelowna won in seven games, with five of the games needing OT. The Rockets won the first three games of that series, only to have the Thunderbirds come back to win the next three. . . . F Scott Eansor scored the game’s first goal last night, his third of the series, at 12:59 of the second period. He scored three goals in 52 games in the regular season. . . . Kozun is seeing his first career playoff action in this series. This was his first shutout. He went 2.27, .927 in the five games. . . . The Thunderbirds hadn’t won a playoff series since the spring of 2008. They lost in the first round last season, missed the playoffs each of the three seasons before that, and were ousted in the first round in 2009. . . . Seattle F Mitch Eliot, 20, had a goal and an assist, his first career playoff points in 12 games. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 26 shots. . . . The Silvertips were without two of their top four defencemen, as Noah Juulsen and Cole MacDonald both were out with undisclosed injuries. Juulsen was injured in Game 3, while MacDonald went down in Game 4. . . . By the way, it’s worth listening to Seattle play-by-play man Thom Beuning, just to hear his line -- “You can’t handle the Troock!” -- on the occasions when Troock scores.
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From Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon(@timbozon94): “Unforgettable night at the ice game tonite! Thank you so much everyone for great support was good to see everyone! Great win #goice”
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From Kootenay Ice F Jaedon Descheneau (@jdescheneau14): “Unforgettable night watching Timmy walk onto the ice. Brought a tear to my eye knowing how far he came since that night Love ya @timbozon94”
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “4 - In the 7 years since the WHL began the 1-8 format, the 7 has upset the 2 four times in the East. The 7s won a total of 4 games out West.”
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F Jaroslav Vlach (Prince George, 2009-11) had his club option picked up by Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for next season. This season, Vlach had seven points, four of them goals, in 36 games with Liberec. While on loan to Benatky nad Jizerou (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), he had six points, including three goals, in nine games.
The Regina Pats are expected to be fined by the WHL office after they ran a closed practice earlier this week. As Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports in today’s paper, closing practices is in violation of the league’s media policy that states all regular-season and playoff “practice sessions and game-day skates” must be open to the media. . . . “We’ve clarified that with them and we’ll take the appropriate action,” WHL commissioner Ron Robison told Harder. Robison also said that “in all likelihood there will be a fine” to the Pats. “They’re entitled to close to the general public but not media. (Restricted public access) is pretty common, especially at this time of year.”
In Red Deer, they called it Tiebreaker Tuesday. It just as easily could have been Heartbreaker Tuesday. . . . The Prince Albert Raiders scored three third-period goals to erase a 3-2 deficit and beat the Rebels 5-3 in a game that decided the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. . . . The two teams had finished the regular season in a tie for eighth place. . . . The Raiders now will meet the Edmonton Oil Kings, the conference’s No. 1 seed, in the first round. That series will open in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon. . . . F Jayden Hart gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead at 7:08 of the first period, with Red Deer equalizing at 11:52 on a goal by F Wyatt Johnson. . . . Hart also had two assists. . . . F Evan Polei gave Red Deer the lead at 7:43 of the second period, only to have Prince Albert F Reid Gardiner tie it at 11:1. . . . Red Deer F Rhyse Dieno gave his side the lead on a PP at 13:57. . . . The Raiders then took the lead again, this time with two quick goals early in the third period. F Collin Valcourt, a Red Deer native who was celebrating his 21st birthday, scored at 2:21, on the PP, and F Dakota Conroy broke the tie at 4:43. . . . Raiders F Leon Draisaitl drew assists on the tying and winning goals. . . . Raiders D Josh Morrissey iced it with an empty-netter at 19:45. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride stopped 27 shots, while Red Deer’s Patrik Bartosak turned aside 42. . . . This was the fifth tiebreaker in WHL history and the first one to be decided by more than one goal. . . . The Rebels had forced the tiebreaker with a 5-0 victory in Edmonton on Sunday. The Oil Kings scratched a number of veteran players from that game, something that no doubt will provide the Raiders with at least some motivation. . . . Prince Albert’s roster includes five players from Edmonton and surrounding area. 
F Fredrik Pettersson (Calgary, 2005-07) has signed a two-year extension with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). His contract now runs through 2016-2017. This season, with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL), Pettersson was pointless in five games. He was released in October and signed a two-year deal with Lugano in November. In 20 games with Lugano, he has 20 points, including seven goals.
D Dalton Thrower’s season may be over, according to Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province. . . . Thrower, the Vancouver Giants’ best player and their captain, “had to be helped off the ice midway through a session at South Delta Recreation Centre on Monday morning after re-injuring his left ankle. The team isn’t saying yet, but it’s likely that the overage defenceman is finished for the season. He was on his way to hospital before his teammates got off the ice.” . . . Thrower, 20, has missed the Giants’ past 16 games and there was hope he would return Wednesday against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. . . . Ewen also reports that G Jared Rathjen, who appeared to injure a shoulder in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets, wasn’t on the ice Monday, while F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the WHL‘s 2013 bantam draft, was there. . . . Ewen’s complete report is 
The Kootenay Ice is 19-8-1 since returning from the Christmas break, including 11-2-0 in February, but may not have F Tim Bozon for the remainder of this season. Bozon has been diagnosed with meningitis and is in hospital in Saskatoon. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart, who set franchise records for consecutive games with a point (22) and an assist (15) last month, has 60 assists, six off the franchise record that his held by F Jarret Stoll (2000-01). . . . The Ice is at home to the Red Deer Rebels tonight.
The Portland Winterhawks didn’t skate Monday, no doubt still savouring their second consecutive U.S. Division title and their third in the last four seasons. With 99 points, the Winterhawks are about to surpass the century mark for a fourth-straight season. That will be a first in franchise history. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic has 291 career points with seven games left in the regular season. He needs five more points to tie F Brian (Bunny) Shaw for 10th on the franchise’s all-time list. Leipsic also is looking to become the 10th play in franchise history with 300 career points. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot has 198 career points as he strives to become the sixth defenceman in franchise to reach 200 points. He is seven points shy of Kevin Haupt, who is fifth among Portland defencemen on the career list. . . . The Winterhawks meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., on Wednesday.
F Mitch Holmberg of the Spokane Chiefs goes into the week atop the WHL’s scoring race. He has 107 points, one more than F Nic Petan of the Portland Winterhawks and 10 more than Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand. . . . The Chiefs meet the Rockets in Kelowna on Wednesday and then head to Prince George for Friday and Saturday dates with the Cougars. . . . Prince George F Todd Fiddler will take an 18-game point streak into the weekend series against his former team. That’s the longest active streak in the WHL.
On Sunday, it was the turn of Jay Feaster, the Flames' general manager. He issued his statement:
In Portland, F Nic Petan had a goal and two assists and F Taylor Leier scored twice as the Winterhawks bounced the Regina Pats, 5-2. . . . Leier has 15 goals. . . . Portland, which had lost its last two games, both at home, outshot Regina, 58-23. . . . Regina F Chandler Stephenson took a headshot major and game misconduct at the final buzzer. . . . The Pats apparently hit three goal posts in the game's first 10 minutes. They trailed 1-0 on a goal by Petan. . . . Still, Portland finished the first period ahead 16-5 on the shot clock and 2-0 on the scoreboard. . . . D Tye Hand was among Regina's scratches. He left Saturday's game in Kent, Wash., after taking a hit from F Justin Hickman early in the third period. Hand has missed time each of the last two seasons with brain injuries. Hickman drew a boarding major and may open the week on a 'tbd' suspension. . . . The Winterhawks (15-4-2) moved back atop the overall standings, two points ahead of the idle Kelowna Rockets (14-2-2), who hold three games in hand. . . .
In Kamloops, F Todd Fiddler scored on the PP just 19 seconds into OT to give the Prince George Cougars an 8-7 victory over the Blazers. . . . Fiddler, playing his third game with the Cougars since being acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors, had three goals and two assists. . . . The game featured 98 shots, 54 by the Cougars, and 19 skaters picked up at least one point. . . . The teams combined for 38 shots and seven goals in the first period. The Blazers led 24-14 in shots, but trailed 4-3 in goals. . . . Here is how the leads went: K, 1-0; PG, 2-1; PG, 4-2; PG, 5-3; K, 6-5; PG, 7-6. . . . Kamloops F Aspen Sterzer forced OT at 15:45 of the third period with his second goal of the game and 12th of the season. . . . Sterzer has a career-high 19 points in 21 games. Two seasons ago, he had 18 points in 63 games. Last season, injuries limited him to 31 games. . . . Each team used two goaltenders. . . . The Cougars ended a seven-game losing skid. . . . The Cougars (8-11-4) moved into sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Vancouver Giants and five up on the Blazers (6-12-3). . . . Kamloops has opened a five-game homestand with two losses. When the homestand ends on Nov. 19, the Blazers will have played 16 home games and eight on the road. Why the spread? The Blazers will be out of their building late in February and early in March to make room for the Brier, the Canadian men's curling championship.
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