THE MacBETH REPORT:

D Jeff Smith (Red Deer, 1998-2002) signed a one-year contract extension with the Hull Stingrays (England, UK Elite). He had three goals and 12 assists in 55 games for the Stingrays this season.
———



1. After 19 years with one radio station, it seems the Prince George Cougars may have a new play-by-play host station when another season arrives. . . . I am told that Prince George radio station 99.3 The Drive and the Cougars weren’t able to work out a new contract, so have decided to part company. . . . The radio station that was 550-CKPG before morphing into 99.3 The Drive in 2003 is owned by The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group. . . . The decision to part also means the end of Cougar View, a weekly 30-minute show on the Cougars that aired on CKPG-TV for 16 seasons. CKPG-TV also is owned by The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group. . . . There are four other radio stations in Prince George — 94 X and 97.3 The Wolf, both of which are owned by Vista Radio; 93.1 CFIS, which is a non-profit owned and operated by the Prince George Community Radio Society; and, CBC. . . . Hello, Vista . . .

2. There can be no doubt but that the day’s biggest story comes from Moscow — that would be Russia, not Idaho — where The Associated Press reports: “A perfectly preserved woolly mammoth carcass with liquid blood has been found on a remote Arctic island, fueling hopes of cloning the Ice Age animal, Russian scientists said Thursday.” . . . There is more right here.

3. D Derrick Pouliot of the Portland Winterhawks will finish this season on an ATO with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Pouliot was the eighth overall selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft. Earlier in the week, the Penguins added D Olli Maatta and D Scott Harrington, both of the London Knights, to their roster. . . . The Penguins are involved in a semifinal series with Syracuse, and trail the Crunch 2-1 with Game 4 tonight in Wilkes-Barre. . . . Pouliot  had 45 points in 44 regular-season games, missing a good chunk of time with a high ankle sprain. He added 20 points in 21 playoff games.

4. The Montreal Canadiens have signed F Tim Bozon of the Kamloops Blazers to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Bozon was a third-round selection, taken 64th overall, in the NHL’s 2012 draft. This season, his second in the WHL, he had 91 points, including 36 goals, in 69 regular-season games. Bozon finished up his season by playing for France at the IIHF world championship in Helsinki and Stockholm.

5. The Buffalo Sabres have signed F Colin Jacobs, a fourth-round pick in the 2011 NHL draft, to an entry-level deal. Jacobs had 53 points, including 25 goals, in 66 games with the Prince George Cougars this season, then moved on to the AHL’s Rochester Americans, where he had a goal and two assists in 11 games.

6. The first time I heard that Hockey Canada and the CHL were discussing the state of goaltending was during the Memorial Cup when CHL commissioner David Branch mentioned it on one of 92.9 The Bull’s pregame shows late in the week. . . . It seems that Hockey Canada isn’t at all enthralled with the state of goaltending and is at least thinking about asking for a ban on imports. . . . Hockey Canada already got rid of its head scout and its goaltending coach. Hey, let’s ban import goaltenders, too. . . . I have long felt that major junior hockey is in the entertainment business and the onus is on the owners to put the best possible product on the ice. If that means a few teams have import goaltenders, so be it. . . . Anyway, Chris Peters, over at The United States of Hockey, takes a look at the situation right here, including a count of just how many import goaltenders got major playing time this season. . . . Brock Otten of OHL Prospects has his take on this issue right here.

7. Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel has an interesting piece right here that explains how Tim Duncan, a free agent during the summer of 2000, almost ended up with the Orlando Magic rather than re-signing with the San Antonio Spurs. Did Duncan's soon-to-be ex-wife figure in his decision?

8. So, I wonder how George Brett is enjoying his new gig as the Kansas City Royals’ batting coach? He joined the Royals in St. Louis on Thursday. . . . His first game, in St. Louis, began with a one-hour rain delay. . . . Later, the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead into the ninth. The Royals scored three runs to take a 4-2 lead and had the bases loaded when the the rains came. . . . I am listening to the guys on the Cardinals radio network. Kevin Wheeler and Mike Claiborne are starting to get giddy. Mike Shannon and John Rooney, the play-by-play team, are sitting out until the game resumes. . . . It’s interesting that the umpires doing this game will make the 300-mile drive to Chicago in a limo once it ends. They’ve got to work a day game at Wrigley Field between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Cubs. First pitch in that one is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. . . . Portland freelancer Scott Sepich is watching on TV and reports that the San Francisco Giants have checked into their St. Louis hotel and are in the rooms the Royals had occupied. . . . The Royals open a series in Texas later today with a night game. . . . Before the rains came, the big story involved St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha, 21, who made his MLB debut by retiring the first 13 hitters he faced. He threw seven innings, giving up two hits and a run. He struck out six and didn’t issue a walk. Oh, and he singled in his first at-bat. . . . Yes, just what the Cardinals need — more pitching! . . . Shannon and Rooney are back. It’s 3:04 a.m. in St. Loo. Shannon sounds as though it’s past his bed time. . . . Joe Kelly is on the mound for the Cards. . . . It’s a rain delay of four hours 32 minutes. . . . Miguel Tejada hits into a 6-2-3 double play on Kelly’s first pitch. . . . An intentional walk and a flyball and the half inning is over. . . . Attendance earlier was 43,916. Sepich figures there are about 40 Cardinals fans behind their dugout and maybe 15 Royals fans behind their dugout. . . . The Cardinals go 1-2-3 and just like that it’s all over. . . . It’s 3:15 a.m. in St. Louis. It took about 10 minutes to finish once they resumed play. . . . The Royals are happy because they snapped an eight-game losing streak. . . . The time of the game is 2:27; the rain delays lasted 5:32. . . . You have to love baseball because there’s no clock.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Jacques Beaulieu was fired as general manager and head coach of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting on Thursday. . . . Co-owner Rob Ciccarelli said in a statement that : "The reasons for his dismissal are not related to the on ice performance of our hockey club. As per the advice of our lawyers we cannot comment any further at this time.” . . . Ciccarelli later told Paul Owen of the Sarnia Observer: “The only comment I'm going to make is that I'm extremely angry, and I'm not going to make any further comment.” . . . Beaulieu and his son, Nathan, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, are facing assault charges from an incident in a home in April. However, Ciccarelli told Owen that the firing didn’t have anything to do with that incident. . . . Owen’s story is right here.

Matt Shaw, who spent this season as an assistant coach with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, will be introduced today as the general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints. . . . Shaw, 47, is a veteran coach, having worked with the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild in the NHL and Houston Aeros in the AHL. . . . He replaces Jim Montgomery, who left to become the head coach at the U of Denver.

Peter Ruicci of the Sault Star reported Thursday evening that the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds will pick up a one-year option on head coach Sheldon Keefe that will take him through 2014-15. . . . According to Ruicci, an announcement is expected sometime today. . . . At the same time, the club is negotiating an extension with general manager Kyle Dubas, who has one year left on his deal. . . . The Greyhounds went 23-12-4 after Keefe replaced Mike Stapleton on Dec. 3. . . . Ruicci’s story is right here.


The OHL’s Barrie Colts have signed general manager/head coach Dale Hawerchuk to a three-year contract extension. The Colts took the London Knights to Game 7 of the championship final this season.



Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reported late Wednesday night that Regina Pats head coach Malcolm Cameron has declined the opportunity to serve as head coach of Team West at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in Cape Breton, N.S. . . . Cameron was named Team West’s head coach just before he was named the Pats’ head coach. . . . Regina assistant coach Josh Dixon will keep his post as a Team West assistant. . . . Harder’s complete story is right here.
———


From Tyler King (@tyler_king), the radio voice of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons, who encountered some problems trying to confirm a transactions last night: “Who would've thought it'd be just as difficult to confirm junior A trades as it is to confirm whether Toronto's mayor smoked crack?”

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Brock Otten from ohlprospects.blogspot.com — there’s a link over there on the right — is beating the drum for an interesting suggestion.
“I can already hear you saying it. In fact, I'm prepared to read your comments that tell me just that,” he begins. “I'm going to try and convince you that the OHL (and CHL) should increase the number of Import players allowed on each team's roster.”
If you are interested in the rest of his argument, check out his blog.
But I, for one, would be all for that.
And I would go two steps further . . .
I would do away with the provision that a 20-year-old import player takes up two spots — one as an import and one as a 20-year-old. (Teams are allowed to list two imports and three 20-year-olds on their rosters; a 20-year-old import thus takes up two of those five spots.)
I also would allow teams to keep four or five 20-year-old players. I would push for five, but would settle for four.
“The question is,” Otten writes, “would the league not benefit from increasing the quality of its talent base?”
Oh, boy, would it ever.
I have never been able to understand how it is that teams in the CHL will spend money to develop players and then cut one of them loose when he turns 20, not because he isn’t good enough to play, but because they are only permitted to keep three players in his age group.
The same holds true for imports. With the money spent on recruiting imports, getting all the paperwork done, flying them back and forth . . . why cut one loose because he’s 20 years of age when he still has another season in him?
Of course, it is doubtful that the CHL ever will go to three import players or more than three 20-year-olds.
Why not?
Because the CHL and its teams will argue that they are in the business of developing players.
While I would certainly agree with that, I would argue that they also are in the entertainment business. And given a little more maturity the product that now is being presented to the paying customers could be a whole lot better than it is today.
———
JUST NOTES: F Ryan Johansen, who still is eligible to play for the Portland Winterhawks, scored twice as the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 on Saturday night. Johansen has five goals, including all three of CBJ’s game-winners. That is one off the league lead, held by Vinny Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have picked up F Teal Burns, 19, from the Prince Albert Raiders for a sixth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Burns, who is from Victoria, opened this season with the Vancouver Giants, before being dealt to the Raiders. He has eight assists and eight penalty minutes in 16 games. He also has played for the Portland Winterhawks, who selected him in the eighth round of the 2007 bantam draft. . . . With F Tyler Maxwell, 20, having asked for a trade and subsequently been sent home, Everett had an opening for a player with WHL experience. . . .
———
In Kamloops, the Blazers outshot the Edmonton Oil Kings 22-1 in the second period as they posted a 5-2 victory. . . . The Oil Kings were without D Griffin Reinhart and F Klarc Wilson, both of whom were injured in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Rockets in Kelowna on Friday. Edmonton D Mark Pysyk didn’t return after the first period in Kamloops. . . . According to Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal, Reinhart and Pysyk have upper body injuries — there is a real epidemic of those in the WHL this season — and Wilson has, uhh, a lower body owwie. . . . 

In Portland, F Sven Bartschi’s goal just 30 seconds into OT gave the Winterhawks a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Winterhawks had beaten the visiting Chiefs 6-5 in a shootout on Friday. . . . Portland has won five straight. . . . Bartschi had a goal and two assists; he has 30 points, including 23 helpers, in 13 games. . . . Portland’s Ty Rattie, who plays on a line with Bartschi, had two goals and two assists. . . . Rattie has 14 points in five November games, picking up at least two points in each game. . . . Interestingly, the team’s 20-year-old captains — Portland D William Wrenn and Spokane F Darren Kramer — duked it out at 12:23 of the first period. It was Wrenn’s second fight in 51 games; Kramer has had 54 in 83 games. . . .

In Brandon, the Wheat Kings won their third straight game, beating the Prince Albert Raiders, 7-4. . . . The Wheat Kings had won 4-1 in Prince Albert on Wednesday night. . . . The victory lifted Brandon (14-6-2) into first place in the Eastern Conference. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone had two goals and two assists, moving back into the lead in the WHL points race, with 46. He is two ahead of Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem. . . . D Ryan Pulock, who is having an all-star season, had two goals and an assist. He has 28 points, tops among defencemen. . . . Brandon was 4-for-6 on the PP. . . .

In Swift Current, the Broncos built up a 3-0 lead and hung on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 3-2. . . . The Warriors had won seven in a row. . . . F Shea Howorko, a 17-year-old from Regina, scored his second goal of the season and it stood up as the winner. He has two goals in 22 games, both of them coming in his last two outings; last season, he had one in 61. . . .

In Cranbrook, D Joey Leach had two goals as the host Kootenay ice bounced the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-1. . . . Leach has four goals this season. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 13 shots. . . . Seattle finished 2-4-0 on its swing through the Central Division. . . .


In Lethbridge, F Jordan Messier had two goals and an assist to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 7-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 13 shots for his fourth straight victory. . . . The Americans held an 18-0 edge in shots in the third period. . . . He was beaten by F Nick Buonassisi on a second-period penalty shot. . . . The Americans went 3-0 on their brief trip into the Central Division and six in a row overall on the road. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Matej Stransky had two goals — he’s got 12 — as the Saskatoon Blades beat the Tigers, 5-1. . . . Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem was held pointless for the second time this season. . . . Saskatoon F Jake Trask broke a 1-1 tie at 14:09 of the first period as the Blades scored the game’s last four goals. . . . F Chris Collins was back in Saskatoon’s lineup after missing three weeks with a broken thumb. . . .

In Everett, the Silvertips scored two PP goals early in the second period and went on to beat the Prince George Cougars, 3-2. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz earned his first WHL victory as Everett ended a six-game losing streak. Lotz stopped 21 shots in his third start. . . . Prince George F Charles Inglis, the enigmatic one, took a charging major at 19:56 of the first period. Everett F Ryan Harrison scored PP goals at 3:28 and 4:48 of the second period. . . . Inglis is certain to hear from Richard Doerksen, who handles discipline for the WHL. Inglis served a 10-game suspension for a check to the head earlier this season. . . . Everett F Josh Birkholz left the game after the Inglis hit. . . . Everett F Jesse Mychan also can expect a phone call after taking a major for a check to the head at 14:08 of the second period. . . . Mychan also is a repeat offender, having served a two-game sentence for a check to the head in the exhibition season and another two-gamer late in October. . . . The Cougars lost F Brock Hirsche and D Jesse Forsberg to injuries during the game. . . .

In Vancouver, F Marek Tvrdon scored 56 seconds into OT to give the Giants a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning forced OT with a PP goal at 5:00 of the third period. . . . It was Manning’s first goal this season. . . . Tvrdon has 10. . . . The Giants are 9-1-1 at home. . . .

In Victoria, the Rebels got a goal and three assists from D Alex Petrovic as they won their third game in four nights, beating the Royals, 7-4. . . . The Rebels beat the Rockets 6-4 in Kelowna on Wednesday, then dumped the Blazers 5-3 in Kamloops on Friday. . . . Overall, Red Deer has won six straight. . . . Victoria was again without F Kevin Sundher (undisclosed). . . .
———
Could it be that while the WHL has been working on educating its players on the harm that can be caused by checks to the head, it has forgotten about the nastiness of hits from behind?
Well, there were a gawd-awful 10 checking-from-behind minors handed out on Saturday night, which means it’s time to bring back the nightly count.
SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (10):
Kenton Miller, Moose Jaw
Richard Nedomlel, Swift Current
Carter Proft, Spokane
Alessio Bertaggia, Brandon
Mitchell Moroz, Edmonton
Tyler Alos, Seattle
Mitch Topping, Tri-City (double minor)
Mason Burr, Red Deer
Austin Carroll, Victoria
———
Bryant Perrier, who no longer is the general manager and head coach of the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives, says he is being “hung out to dry” over a hazing incident that has enveloped that team.
Perrier has spoken with Dan Lett of the Winnipeg Free Press, and that story is right here.
———
Are you wondering how something like the Penn State sexual abuse scandal could happen? Ron Bracken, a former sports editor of the Centre Daily Times, writes about just that right here. And it has everything to do with transparency, or lack of same.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter