Brendan Ranford felt the draft on Friday afternoon.
Ranford, a veteran of four seasons with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, wasn’t able to get a deal done with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers by yesterday’s deadline. Therefore, he is once again eligible for the NHL draft.
The Flyers selected Ranford in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2010 draft; in fact, he was the second-last player taken. NHL teams had until yesterday at 5 p.m. ET to sign players taken in that draft. Those not signed are eligible for this year’s draft that is scheduled for Pittsburgh, June 22 and 23.
Should Ranford not be selected in next month’s draft, he will become a free agent, eligible to sign with any team.
“Nothing got done,” Ranford said late yesterday afternoon. “There’s nothing I can do. I just have got to work hard during the summer and move on.”
The Blazers selected Ranford, who is from Edmonton, with the 15th overall selection in the WHL’s 2007 bantam draft. He has 270 points, including 115 goals, in 278 regular-season games with the Blazers. He holds down 13th spot on the Blazers’ all-time points list and is 14th in goals and 17th in assists.
This season, he had career single-season highs in goals (40) and points (92).
The writing may have been on the wall for Ranford and his agent, Mark MacKay, about 10 days ago when the Flyers signed two other forwards – Derek Mathers, who had 17 points and 177 penalty minutes with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes, and Andrew Johnston, an 81-point man with the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos. Mathers, 18, was a seventh-round pick in the 2011 draft; Johnston, 20, was an undrafted free agent.
Asked if he was disappointed not to get signed, Ranford replied: “No, not really. I wouldn’t say disappointed. I’ve got to move on and just work harder.”
Should Ranford, who turned 20 on May 3, be selected in this month’s draft, he would be eligible to play anywhere in that team’s organization should he sign an NHL contract. He also is eligible to return for a fifth season with the Blazers.
Ranford was one of a handful of WHLers who will be going back into the draft.
The list includes defenceman Troy Rutkowski of the Portland Winterhawks, who was a fifth-round pick by the Colorado Avalanche in 2010, and winger Josh Nicholls of the Saskatoon Blades, a seventh-round pick, who wasn’t signed by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Meanwhile, three WHL forwards who were selected in the 2011 draft signed NHL deals yesterday.
Ty Rattie of the Portland Winterhawks, a second-round pick, signed with the St. Louis Blues, while Dominik Uher of the Spokane Chiefs, a fifth-round pick, got a deal done with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Brody Sutter, the captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, who had taken him in the seventh round.
Rattie, 19, is eligible to return to Portland. Uher, who is from Czech Republic, wasn't likely to return to Spokane as a 20-year-old, while Sutter completed his major junior eligibility this season.
Rattie is coming off a season in which he scored 121 points, including 57 goals, in 69 regular-season games. He then added 33 points, 19 of them goals, in 21 playoff games.
Uher had 68 points, including 33 goals, in his final season with the Chiefs. He finished the season with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, but didn’t see playoff action.
Sutter had 60 points in 65 games as a 20-year-old in Lethbridge. Brody, the son of former NHLer Duane Sutter, is the third Sutter in the Carolina organization, following cousins Brandon and Brett.
———
F Logan Proulx has agreed to join the Selkirk Saints of the B.C. Intercollegiate league. Proulx played this season with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals after being acquired from his hometown Trail Smoke Eaters. He played 137 games over three seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . .
———
The OHL’s Owen Sound Attack has signed former NHL D Drew Bannister as its new assistant coach. He takes over from former associate coach Terry Virtue, a former WHL assistant coach, who has left after two seasons with the Attack. . . . Bannister spent this season as a player-coach with the Braehead Clan of the British Elite league. . . .
———
The Medicine Hat Mavericks of the Western Major Baseball League opened their home schedule on Friday night and Bob Ridley, the veteran play-by-play voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers was there to throw out the first pitch. . . . Don’t know if he sang Take Me Out to the Ball Game during the seventh-inning stretch. . . . There was even more WHL flavour as Shaw TV carried the game, with Cam Moon, the voice of the Red Deer Rebels, and Peter Lourbardias, who should be doing hockey play-by-play, in the booth. . . . If you’re wondering, the Okotoks Dawgs beat the Mavericks, 6-5. . . .
———
F Tyler Johnson (Spokane, 2007-2011) had a goal and an assist last night, helping the host Norfolk Admirals to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Marlies in Game 1 of the AHL’s best-of-seven final for the Calder Cup. Game 2 is tonight. . . . F Cory Conacher also had a goal and an assist for the winners. . . . C Carter Ashton (Lethbridge, Regina, Tri-City, 2006-11) had Toronto’s goal. . . . Interestingly, earlier in the season Ashton played on a line with Johnson and Conacher in Norfolk, the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . If you check, you may find it on TV somewhere. I stumbled on a replay of Game 1 on Leaf TV late last night. . . .
———
When F Locke Muller was with the Red Deer Rebels, Dale McMullin was on their scouting staff. McMullin now is Regina’s head scout, so when Muller recently was dropped by the Saskatoon Blades, well, the Pats were quick to add him to their protected list. . . . Muller, 19, had 10 points and 87 penalty minutes in 58 games last season. He started the season with Red Deer and finished with the Blades.
Greg Harder, in the Regina Leader-Post: “The 6-foot-2, 197-pounder was a healthy scratch on a few occasions due to discipline issues, apparently working his way into the doghouse of Blades head coach/GM Lorne Molleken . . .”
Regina GM Chad Lang told Harder that the past is just that, the past.
“There’s kids that are leaders, there’s kids that are followers,” Lang said. “It’s about putting kids in an environment where they know the rules and the limitations. You hope they abide by them and if they don’t there’s consequences. From our standpoint it’s about giving kids the opportunity.”

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.

THE MATCHUPS
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Moose Jaw (2) vs. Regina (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Brandon (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Saskatoon (5)
———
Western Conference
Tri-City (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Victoria (7)
Portland (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
Vancouver (4) vs. Spokane (5)
———
SUNDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, the Winterhawks beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 8-2 in the final game of the WHL’s 2011-12 regular season. . . . The outcome allowed the Everett Silvertips to finish eighth in the Western Conference, meaning a first-round date with the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Thunderbirds needed a victory in order to pull into a tie with Everett. Had that happened, the teams would have played a sudden-death game in Seattle’s home arena in Kent, Wash. . . . Portland will open as the No. 3 seed against the No. 7 Kelowna Rockets. That series starts Friday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. . . . Portland got three goals from F Oliver Gabriel, his second hat trick this season and the 13th by the Winterhawks. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had two goals, giving him 57, and an assist. He finished third in goals and third in points (121). . . . The Winterhawks rested starter Mac Carruth, who led the WHL with 42 victories, and started Brendan Burke. Portland also scratched D Joe Morrow, F Brad Ross, F Brendan Leipsic and F Sven Baertschi, who was returned by the NHL’s Calgary Flames on Saturday. . . . Burke stopped 29 shots to earn the victory. . . . Portland had F Keegan Iverson, who signed yesterday (more on this below) in the lineup. . . .
———
After the game in Portland, Winterhawks D Troy Rutkowski (@TRutter2) tweeted: “Congrats to @cpickard1 on a great career in the #whl. 3 years with 2000 saves. Anyone who's played against him knows how good he is #theman”
———
However, the tweet of the week goes to Everett D Brennan Yadlowski (@BigBadYads) for this one on Sunday: “If Portland beats Seattle I’ll come in their room again . . . except this time to kiss every one of them #ptownforplayoffs”
Of course, Yadlowski served a 10-game suspension earlier in the season after entering the Portland dressing room following an on-ice altercation.
———
SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Dillon Wagner, Seattle.
———
SATURDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
———
A note from a reader of the blog:
Thanks for the tip on Thom Beuning . . . what a refreshing upgrade, even in tough circumstances. Not the greatest scenario to describe tonight, but he is very good, and pleasant to tune to . . . even sounded like he could be a neutral site.
———
The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Keegan Iverson, a 15-year-old product of Breck High School in Minneapolis. Iverson had 36 points, including 13 goals, in 23 games with Breck this season. He was the only Grade 9 player on Breck’s varsity team that got to the state semifinals. Iverson has been on Portland’s protected list since last summer and was in its training camp prior to this season. “Keegan was outstanding in training camp for us last summer, and went on to have a terrific season at Breck. Signing him has been a big priority for us this season,” Mike Johnston, Portland’s general manager and head coach, said in a news release. “As a converted defenseman, Keegan combines physical play with tremendous offensive abilities. To thrive as a 15-year-old in Minnesota high school hockey is remarkable.” . . . More from that news release: “Iverson is the latest high-profile American player the Hawks have signed in the last year, joining recent signees Dominic Turgeon (Colorado) and Alex Schoenborn (North Dakota), along with last year’s signings of Brendan Burke (Arizona) and Chase De Leo (California), who are playing for the Winterhawks this season as 16-year-olds.”
———
F Brody Sutter, the captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, will join the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers early this week. The Checkers are the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. They selected Sutter in the seventh round of the 2011 NHL draft. He had 60 points, including 30 goals, in 65 games this season.
———
Jesse Wallin, the general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, has been named head coach of the Canadian U-18 team that will play in the 2012 IIHF World Championship, April 12-22 in Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic. . . . The assistant coaches will be Gordie Dwyer, the head coach of the QMJHL’s P.E.I. Rocket, and Todd Gill, the head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. . . . Ron Tugnutt, Hockey Canada’s goaltending consultant, will serve as goalie coach. . . . Canada’s team will comprise players from CHL teams that missed the playoffs or lose out in the first round. . . . Canada opens April 12 in Brno against Denmark. The Canadians will also face the Czech Republic, Finland and the United States in the preliminary round. . . . As an aside, Wallin told Greg Meachem, the sports editor of the Red Deer Advocate, that he and Gill have some history. “Todd was my defence partner in my first NHL game (with Detroit in 1999-2000), so it’s funny how the world kind of spins,”  Wallin told Meachem.

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.

ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
Here is one from a reader of the blog . . .
Dear Commissioner Gordon: Why is it that as I sit in Portland, Oregon USA and look at the website of the Portland Winterhawks, the first two ads I see are for ‘Canada's Best Selling and Most Durable Diesel Pickup Truck’? Aside from the fact that they have the wrong country listed (from my perspective), I would think the team doesn't like this, the sponsor doesn't like this and the fan doesn't like this.
———
Mike Johnston, the general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, was good enough to answer a couple of questions regarding his organization having lost Garry Davidson, its director of player personnel, to the Everett Silvertips earlier this month.
Davidson, who had been with the Winterhawks since the ownership change took place in 2008, replaced the fired Doug Soetaert as Everett’s general manager.
Johnston confirmed that the Winterhawks were compensated by the Silvertips, but he added that the compensation “is confidential.”
The Winterhawks will have received a bantam draft pick or picks as the WHL doesn’t allow anything else to be used as compensation in these situations.
One supposes we will have to wait until the draft before finding out what it was that Portland received.
I also asked Johnston via email why the Winterhawks would allow Davidson to join another team, and a division rival at that, before the draft?
Johnston replied:
“We decided to let Garry go at this time to allow him the opportunity to be a GM in the league. He has worked very hard to help us rebuild things in Portland.
“Garry was the first person I hired and I felt I owed him the chance to run his own program. I also felt confident that our rankings for this year’s draft were in order and our area scouts had a good handle on where their guys fit in.”
With Davidson in Everett, Johnston said that Matt Bardsley, the Winterhawks’ director of hockey operations, will lead the Winterhawks into the draft. Bardsley also will attend the upcoming provincial camps.
Portland’s plan, according to Johnston, is to “hire a full time director of player personnel later in May.”
 ———
JUST NOTES:
D Morgan Rielly of the Moose Jaw Warriors was back on the ice Wednesday, although he won’t play until perhaps early April. Rielly, who will be an early first-round selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft, had knee surgery on Dec. 1 after being injury Nov. 6. Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that Rielly “spent most of Wednesday’s practice sitting on the bench, but would go for brief skates between drills where he showed his puck skills haven’t picked up any rust. He had a brace on his injured knee and was clearly lacking his usual explosive speed.” . . . According to Gourlie, “Rielly will return to Vancouver on March 28 where he will meet with his surgeon and some of the people who were part of his rehabilitation.” . . . “I don’t know what they’re going to say,” Rielly told Gourlie. “They might say ‘you have to wait another eight months’ or they might say I’m ready to go.”
———
In Kamloops on Wednesday night, the Blazers were leading Victoria 4-3 when Royals F Robin Soudek took an instigating minor for starting a scrap with D Tyler Bell. . . . Why is it that seemingly every time a player levels another player with a really good check, there is a fight? In this instance, Bell had hit F Steven Hodges with a tremendous check that was completely legal. . . . Never mind that his team was down a goal. Never mind that Kamloops already had scored three PP goals. Never mind that the Royals are hanging on to a playoff spot by the narrowest of margins. None of that mattered as Soudek went right after Bell, even though Hodges wasn’t injured. . . . The Blazers scored 11 seconds after Soudek was penalized and this one was over for all intents and purposes. . . . So often now we seem to see this kind of a play, be it in the NHL or at the major junior level. And you have to ask why? When did a good, hard bodycheck become the impetus for a fight?
———
In the QMJHL, D Connor Rogers of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles had been hit with a 10-game suspension after a kneeing incident on Saturday. Rogers will be eligible to return for Cape Breton’s final regular-season game, on March 17. . . . Rimouski Oceanic F Jean-François Plante was injured on the play but it’s not yet known how long he will be out.
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Saskatoon, D Macoy Erkamps broke a 2-2 tie at 6:48 of the third period and the Lethbridge Hurricanes went on to beat the Blades, 3-2. . . . Lethbridge F Nick Buonassisi had tied the score 2-2 at 5:01. . . . Buonassisi has 15 goals; Erkamps has two. . . . F Ryan Olsen scored both Saskatoon goals, giving him 10. . . . Saskatoon F Jesse Paradis played in his 300th regular-season game. . . . Lethbridge G Damien Ketlo stopped 41 shots, three more than Saskatoon’s Andrey Makarov. . . . The Hurricanes are 19 points out of a playoff spot with 11 games left. . . . The Blades are sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Kootenay Ice and a point up on the Regina Pats. . . .

In Regina, the Pats scored the game’s first two goals and hung on to beat the Kootenay Ice, 2-1. . . . F Jordan Weal scored his 35th, shorthanded, at 5:15 of the second and F Lane Scheidl got his 25th on a PP at 8:06 of the third. . . . Weal drew an assist on Scheidl’s goal. . . . The Ice got close when F Brock Montgomery got his 19th at 18:52 of the third. . . . That goal kept Regina G Matt Hewitt from his fifth shutout of the season, something that would have tied a franchise single-season record. . . . Warren Fisher has held that record since 1967-68. . . . Hewitt finished with 31 saves, eight more than the Ice’s Nathan Lieuwen. . . . The Pats had beaten the Ice 4-2 in Cranbrook on Saturday. . . . Regina was without D Brandon Davidson, thanks to an undisclosed injury. Before the game, he tweeted: “Tough to sit out tonight but better safe than sorry.” . . . Ice D Jeff Hubic served a one-game suspension for a hit that injured Davidson on Saturday night. Hubic was back in the Ice’s lineup last night. . . . Regina had D Colby Williams of the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians in the lineup. . . . The Pats are seventh in the Eastern Conference but now are just a point behind the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Ice fell a point behind the Calgary Hitmen who won and moved past Kootenay. . . .

In Swift Current, F Mark McNeill and F Anthony Bardaro scored in the circus and the Prince Albert Raiders beat the Broncos, 3-2. . . . F Levi Bews matched McNeill’s goal, but Bardaro scored and the Broncos couldn’t equalize. . . . Bardaro had forced OT with his 27th goal at 19:50 of the third period. . . . The Broncos now are 15 points out of a playoff spot with 10 games remaining. . . . The Raiders have been eliminated from the playoff hunt. They are 26 points back with 12 games remaining. . . .

In Calgary, D Brock Sutherland had a goal and two assists to lead the Hitmen to a 5-3 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Sutherland scored his second goal of the season to give the Hitmen a 4-1 lead at 19:02 of the second. . . . Calgary F Jimmy Bubnick got his 28th, and the 101st of his career, into an empty net. . . . F Riley Sheen scored his first WHL goal for Medicine Hat. It came in his 40th game, 36 of which he has played this season. . . . The Tigers continue to be without G Tyler Bunz, D Kale Kessy and F Hunter Shinkaruk, all of whom are injured. Medicine Hat dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . The Hitmen won their fourth in a row and now are just two points behind the third-place Tigers in the Eastern Conference. Calgary holds a game in hand. . . .

In Edmonton, G Jordon Cooke turned aside 43 shots to lead the Kelowna Rockets to a 6-4 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . F Carter Rigby and F Cody Chikie both scored twice for the Rockets. Rigby has 19 goals; Chikie has 15. . . . Edmonton F Kristians Pelss scored his 21st goal, shorthanded, at 11:17 of the first period. . . . Chikie broke the tie at 6:48 of the second, with Rigby scoring at 8:55 on the PP and Chikie again on the PP at 10:32 for a 4-1 lead. . . . Pelss, with his 22nd, and F Michael St. Croix, with this 39th, got Edmonton to within one before the second ended. . . . F Brett Bulmer, with his 26th, and Rigby gave Kelowna a 6-3 lead in the third. . . . Edmonton head coach Derek Laxdal yanked his starting goaltender for the third straight game. This time, starter Tristan Jarry gave way to Laurent Brossoit with the visitors leading 3-1. . . . “I feel like Mike Keenan,” Laxdal told Dave (Crash) Cameron of the Edmonton Sun. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson took a kneeing major and game misconduct. That is his second major penalty in just over a month. He served a one-game suspension for a charging major he incurred on Jan. 15 in Calgary. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored the game’s last four goals, three of them via the PP, as they beat the Victoria Royals, 6-3. . . . F Tim Bozon scored twice, giving him 30 goals, and D Bronson Maschmeyer added two, giving him a dozen. . . . The victory allowed the Blazers to move back to the top of the WHL’s overall standings, one point ahead of the Portland Winterhawks, who had leap-frogged the Blazers with an 8-1 victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars on Tuesday. . . . The Blazers were able to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season. . . . The Royals were leading 3-2 when Maschmeyer scored on the PP at 18:37 of the second period. . . . Bozon’s 30th, at 1:37 of the third, also came on the PP, as did Maschmeyer’s second goal, at 6:20. . . . Kamloops F Chase Schaber returned from a one-game absence with a leg injury. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan left this one at 4:19 of the second period after the Royals scored to go ahead 3-2. Lanigan was caught in traffic at the net and appeared to suffer an injury to his upper right leg. He was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure but head coach Guy Charron said he would be OK. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford ran his point streak to 11 games with an assist. He has 18 points over that span. . . . The Blazers now have three 30-goal men, with Ranford and F Colin Smith, who had three assists, there, too.
———
WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Lane Scheidl, Regina.
D Damon Severson, Kelowna.
D Jesse Zgraggen, Victoria.
———
WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
———
TWEET OF THE NIGHT:
From F Brody Sutter, the captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, following a 3-2 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon: “Happy bus back to LethVegas after possibly the stupidest one game trip of my career. #7hourhappybus.”
Yes, the Hurricanes made a one-game trip to Saskatoon.
———
For today’s good read, we turn to Harvey Araton of The New York Times, who writes about the relationship between the late Gary Carter and the team he managed at Palm Beach Atlantic University. That piece is right here.


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.

ASK THE BLOGGER:
Who covered for Bob Ridley when he missed that game in 1973?
---
Here is Bob Ridley’s answer: “It was my colourman Larry Plante. He was with me for 25 years.”
———
JUST NOTES:
F Marek Trvrdon of the Vancouver Giants drew a three-game suspension for the match penalty he took for spearing in a 2-1 victory over the host Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday. . . .
The injury bug is taking a chunk out of the Tri-City Americans. F Mason Wilgosh, F Malte Stromwall, F Tyson Dallman (knee), F Marcus Messier and F Jesse Mychan (thumb) all are injured. Mychan, who was hurt on Tuesday, is to have surgery on Monday to repair a broken thumb. Dallman was injured during a 5-1 loss in Kamloops on Feb. 8 and could miss up to six weeks. . . . You wonder if the Americans aren’t into survivor mode, where they are more concerned about getting healthy than they are about where they finish in the standings. . . . At the same time, Tri-City GM Bob Tory has told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald that there isn’t anything knew on the Brett Connolly front. The Lightning acquired Connolly’s rights from the Prince George Cougars on Jan. 10, but he continues to be with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. "I've been in conversation with (Lightning GM) Steve Yzerman,” Tory told Fowler, “but they have until the 27th to make their decision. We'll see at that point.” . . . The NHL trade deadline Feb. 27. NHL teams are able to return major junior-eligible players until that date. . . . Fowler also reports that F Parker Bowles, 16, will join the Americans on Monday from the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who are based in Kelowna. He goes into the weekend with 63 points, including 30 goals, in 34 games. The plan is for Bowles to play one game, agianst the Everett Silvertips on Tuesday, and then return to the Rockets. . . .
There are reports that F Cam Cunning (Kamloops, Vancouver, 2002-05) has retired. A Friday tweet from @dcmahiban: “Former #NHLFlames prospect and #AHLHeat forward Cam Cunning has retired to become a firefighter.” . . .
In the BCHL, the host Penticton Vees erased a 4-2 third-period deficity and beat the Vernon Vipers 6-4 for their league-record 33rd straight victory. . . .
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Saskatoon, D Darren Dietz scored four times in the game’s first two periods as the Blades beat the Swift Current Broncos, 7-3. . . . Dietz, who now has 14 goals, later hit a goal post while killing a penalty as he came that close to a five-goal night. . . .The Blades, who had lost three in a row, were leading 4-3 when Dietz scored his third and fourth goals 29 seconds apart in the last minute of the second period. . . . The Blades were 3-5 on the PP. . . . Saskatoon is 4-0 against the Broncos this season. . . . F Coda Gordon scored twice for the Broncos, giving him 25. . . . Dietz is one of eight defencemen to score four goals in a game in WHL history. How did he find out he had tied a WHL record? He took a penalty late in the game and the officials in the penalty box informed him. . . .

In Moose Jaw, G Luke Siemens stopped 22 shots as the Warriors dropped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-0. . . . Siemens, who is 29-10-4, has four shutouts this season and six in his career. . . . Moose Jaw has won six in a row. . . . F Quinton Howden scored twice for the Warriors, who were 5-8 on the PP. He has 27 goals. . . . F Cam Braes added a goal, his 34th, and two assists. . . . The Tigers took 72 of 140 penalty minutes. . . . The Tigers were without G Hunter Shinkaruk, F Curtis Valk, D Kale Kessy, F Gavin Broadhead and G Tyler Bunz, all of whom are injured. F Brendan Hurley sat out Game 5 of a six-game suspension. . . . Those six all are expected to miss tonight’s rematch in Medicind Hat. . . . The Tigers also lost F Riley Sheen, who left in the second period after a fight with F Jordan Wyton. . . . Tigers F Emerson Etem had his point streak snapped at 19 games. . . . Moose Jaw F James Henry drew two assists, giving him 201 career points. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the head coaches, Shaun Clouston of Medicine Hat and Moose Jaw’s Mike Stothers, “leaned over the bench to yell at each other.” That came after there were five fights in a span of 2:10 in the third period. . . . “I don’t know what they were thinking,” Stothers told Gourlie. “How many guys do you have to get beat up? And then they kept sending more guys out.” . . .

In Brandon, F Mark Stone had a goal and four assists to help the Wheat Kings to a 6-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Stone, who has 38 goals, leads the WHL scoring race, with 99 points. He is on an 11-game point streak. . . . Brandon F Michael Ferland had two goals, giving him 36, and a helper. . . . B Brenden Walker, the third member of that line, had a goal and two assists. . . . F Bruno Mraz, a Slovakian freshman, scored his first WHL goal for Brandon, which counted the game’s first six goals. . . . Mraz, 18, also has 13 assists in 53 games. . . . Brandon dressed 17 skaters, with F Kevin Sundher, F Tyrel Seaman and F Alessio Bertaggio all sitting this one out. . . . Brandon has won three in a row and six of seven. . . . Prince Albert D Tyler Yaworski left in the first period with an apparent shoulder injury after being checked into a stanchion. . . . The same two teams will play again tonight in Brandon. . . . The Wheat Kings are mourning the loss of former player Mac Beaton, who died Tuesday. He was 83. Beaton was a member of the team that played in the 1948-49 Memorial Cup final. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice scored four of the game’s first five goals and went on to a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . F Joe Antilla had a goal, his 11th, and two assists for the Ice, as did F Max Reinhart. He has 22 goals. D Jonathon Martin’s sixth goal gave the Ice a 4-1 lead at 12:42 of the second. . . . F Dominick Uher scored twice for the Chiefs, at 16:45 of the second and 11:17 of the third. . . . Uher has 24 goals. . . . Ice F Drew Czerwonka, who scored his 14th goal in the first, left in the second with an undisclosed injury. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 25 shots. . . . The Chiefs have lost three straight. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Brody Sutter and F Jaimen Yakubowski scored goals 43 seconds apart in the last minute of the second period and the Hurricanes went on to beat the Regina Pats, 6-4. . . . Sutter had tied the game 3-3 on a PP at 17:36 of the second. He then scored on another PP at 19:11 . . . Sutter has 28 goals. . . . Yakubowski got his 12th at 19:54 for a 5-3 lead. . . . F Brady Ramsay and F Phil Tot each had a goal and two helpers for Lethbridge. . . . F Dyson Stevenson had two goals for Regina, with D Martin Marincin helping out with a goal and two assists. . . . Lethbridge was 4-7 on the PP. . . . The Pats lost D Luke Fenske to a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct at 6:23 of the second. . . .

In Kamloops, F Charles Inglis broke a 2-2 tie at 17:37 of the third period and G Bolton Pouliot got his first WHL victory as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Blazers, 3-2. . . . Pouliot was making his seventh start of the season but his first since Dec. 9. . . . He stopped 37 shots, including a tremendous glove save on D Austin Madaisky who wired a one-timer off a back-door pass from F Colin Smith. . . . After the game, Madaisky tweeted: “Gunna have nightmares about that one #backdoor #glovesave #2minsleft.” . . . The Blazers held a 16-3 edge in shots in the third period. Pouliot stopped all 16. . . . Kamloops F Chase Schaber, the team captain, wasn’t on the bench for the third period. He has an undisclosed injury and is questionable for tonight’s game with the visiting Calgary Hitmen. . . . Red Deer had three midget AAA players in their lineup. D Kevin Pochuk (Winnipeg Wild) scored his first WHL goal. F Scott Feser (Red Deer Optimist Rebels) drew an assist on Pochuk’s goal. F Dexter Bricker (Swift Current Legionnaires) played with some spunk. . . . Red Deer D Alex Petrovic had a goal and an assist and was plus-2 in a monster game. . . . Inglis now has scored two game-winners for two different teams in Kamloops this season. He scored for the Prince George Cougars when they beat the Blazers 1-0 in the season-opener for both teams. . . . The Rebels are eight points out of a playoff spot but hold three games in hand on Brandon. . . .

In Kelowna, the Calgary Hitmen scored three PP goals and beat the Rockets, 7-1. . . . Calgary went 3-5 on the PP. . . . The Hitmen are 2-0 on a B.C. swing, having beaten the Victoria Royals 5-3 on Wednesday. The Hitmen also are 2-0 since head coach Mike Williamson tossed water bottles during a 4-0 loss to the visiting Kootenay Ice on Sunday. . . . F Danny Gayle scored twice for Calgary, giving him 14. . . . F Brady Brassart, who is from Vernon, B.C., got the game’s first goal, his 20th, and drew an assist on the second. . . . F Alex Gogolev helped out with a goal, his 23rd, and two assists. . . . F Victor Rask got his 25th goal and was plus-3 for Calgary. . . . G Chris Driedger lost his shutout bid with 36 seconds to play when Kelowna D Madison Bowey scored a shorthanded goal. . . . Rockets F Brett Lyon returned after serving a six-game suspension. . . .

In Victoria, the Royals erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and went on to a 4-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Victoria F Brandon Magee scored his 20th goal to tie the game on a PP at 5:00 of the second. . . . F Steven Hodges, with his 18th, gave Victoria the lead at 12:22. . . . The Cougars took 55 of 104 penalty minutes. . . . Prince George was 0-7 on the PP, while the Royals were 2-5. . . . The Royals pulled into a tie with Seattle for seventh in the Western Conference. They are three points ahead of Everett and four up on Prince George. . . .

In Vancouver, F Cain Franson had a goal and an assist and was the game’s first star as the Giants beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 6-2. . . . It was only fitting that Franson have a good night because his older brother, D Cody Franson of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, was inducted into the Giants’ Ring of Honour last night. . . . Vancouver D Brett Kulak had two assists and was plus-5. . . . Giants D David Musil had one assist and was plus-4. . . . Vancouver F Jordan Martinook continued his break-out season with two goals, giving him 32. . . . Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher got the game’s first goal, his 35th. . . . The Oil Kings, down 2-0, tied it with PP goals from F Tyler Maxwell, his 35th, and F Rhett Rachinski, his 24th, in the second period. . . . F Matt Bellerive broke the tie at 16:45 and Martinook provided insurance at 11:05 of the third. . . . Rachinski has eight goals in his last seven games. . . . The Giants now are four points ahead of fifth-place Spokane in the Western Conference. . . . Vancouver G Adam Morrison stopped 26 shots in winning his 31st game. . . . Edmonton went 3-2-1 on a road swing that included five games (2-2-1) in the B.C. Division. . . . The Giants went 3-0-0 against Edmonton this season, holding a 13-5 edge in goals. . . .

In Everett, G Mac Carruth stopped 26 shots for his WHL-leading 36 victory of the season as the Portland Winterhawks beat the Silvertips, 4-1. . . . Carruth set the Winterhawks’ single-season record for victories. The previous record was held by Brent Belecki. . . . F Oliver Gabriel, F Taylor Leier and F Sven Baertschi each had a goal and an assist for Portland. . . . In his last eight games, Baertschi has 18 points, including nine goals. He has scored in each of his club’s last five games. . . . On the season, he has 75 points in 38 games. Might he end up averaging at least two points per game? . . . Portland F Ty Rattie picked up his 45th goal. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 43 shots. . . . I am told the Portland play-by-play voice Todd Vrooman had some minor health problems and was subbed for to start the second period. Who took over? None other than his father, Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, the former long-time voice of the Winterhawks. . . . “Hawk fans got a treat,” one fan told me. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Brendan Shinnimin and F Connor Rankin each had two goals to help the Americans to a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Shinnimin, who has 39 goals, also had an assist. . . . In eight February games, Shinnimin has 20 points, including 10 goals. . . . Due to injuries, the Americans were able to dress only 10 forwards. . . . Seattle got two goals from F Connor Honey, giving him six. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 36 shots, 12 fewer than Seattle’s Calvin Pickard. . . . The Thunderbirds have lost eight of 10.
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Richard Nedomlel, Swift Current.
D Tanner Muth, Kootenay.
D Luke Fenske, Regina (minor, major).
D Zach Yuen, Tri-City.
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Dylan McIlrath, Moose Jaw.
———
Do you love watching your child play hockey or baseball or any other sport? Do you tell your child that you loved watching him or her play?
Did you know:
“Nearly 75 percent of kids who play organized sports quit by age 13. Some find that their skill level hits a plateau and the game is no longer fun. Others simply discover other interests. But too many promising young athletes turn away from sports because their parents become insufferable.”
For more, check this out right here.


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.

DEPT. OF CH-CH-CHING:
Pat Conacher, the head coach of the Regina Pats, has been fined $500 for comments he made to the Regina Leader-Post’s Greg Harder after a 3-2 OT loss to the visiting Kootenay Ice on Wednesday.
It always is interesting when someone associated with a team is critical of the officials because it hardly ever happens in the vanilla world of the WHL.
In the interests of clarity, here’s what happened. . . . The Pats lost 3-2 on a PP goal by Sam Reinhart scored on a back-door play at 3:32 of exta time. Regina D Brandon Davidson was in the penalty box at the time.
Anyway, here’s what Harder wrote (that applause you hear is coming from other WHL coaches, none of whom are likely to help Conacher pay the fine despite their feelings):
Afterwards, Pats head coach Pat Conacher was less-than impressed with the work of referees Chris Crich and Cole Hamm.
“Those guys don’t work hard enough to get down the ice and they’re definitely not together. They’re lazy getting up the ice,” said Conacher, who referred to the penalty against Davidson as a “very bad call both ways.”
“There should have been an interference call on Jordan Weal (late in the third) and there could have been a holding call on Dyson Stevenson at the blue line. Then they come down and call that on Brandon. I’m going, ‘Come on guys, give us a break.’ ”
———
DEPT. OF JUSTICE:
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, hit D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors with an eight-game suspension on Friday, the result of a check to the head of Victoria Royals D Jesse Zgraggen on Wednesday.
As a result, McIlrath sat out the Warriors’ 6-5 OT victory over the visiting Kootenay Ice on Friday night. Zgraggen, who is concussed, sat out the Royals’ 6-4 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert.
The WHL doesn’t do video explanations, but here is what was posted: “Primary contact was made to the head of the opponent. The hit resulted in an injury to the opponent. This is the second suspension the player has received this season.”
Doerksen is going to be busy for the next day or two, as well.
Three players left games last night with major penalties and game misconducts.
In Swift Current, Broncos D Colby Cave took a charging major and game misconduct for a hit on Edmonton Oil Kings F Mason Geertsen, who left the ice on a stretcher and was taken to hospital.
In Prince Albert, Raiders F Austin Bourhis was given a charging major and a game misconduct.
In Calgary, D Alex Roach of the Hitmen took a major and game misconduct for a check to the head.
———
You often hear WHL players say something about “Living the life.” Oftentimes it is said with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Like this Friday afternoon tweet from Edmonton Oil Kings D Mark Pysyk before a game in Swift Current against the Broncos:
“If you absolutely love pasta I challenge you to join a hockey team for a year, and see if you still feel the same. #breakfast #lunch #dinner”
———
And then there was this Twitter exchange between Regina D Brandon Davidson and Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz, both of whom are Edmonton Oilers’ draft picks . . . It went like this:
Bunz: “Game in Regina tonight against @bdavy3 . Keep your head up kid;) #throwingbows”
Davidson: “@tylerbunz wondering where to shoot tonight? Ill see if u got a quick chest first and go from there #cheese?;)”
Bunz: “@bdavy3 last time you went Chee it didn't go to well;) maybe if you shoot through screens like you always do you'll bury again #shothaseyes”
Davidson: “@tylerbunz ahhh true...true. Don't remind me :s #seeyaafter”
So what happened later? Well, Davidson had one assist and Bunz stopped 32 shots. And the Tigers won 3-2 in OT.
———
JUST NOTES:
In the OHL, F Brody Silk of the Sudbury Wolves drew a 12-game suspension for a “blow to the head of an unsuspecting player.” Silk punched F Ryan Strome of the Niagara IceDogs in the head during a scrum on Jan. 13. Strome, selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the NHL’s 2011 draft, ended up with multiple facial fractures and a broken nose. He has undergone surgery. Strome played for Canada at the recently completed World Junior Championship. . . . In the BCHL last night, the Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to 24 games with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Westside Warriors. The Vees next play Sunday when they are at home to the Prince George Spruce Kings. . . .
———
F Brett Connolly of the Tampa Bay Lightning played six minutes 28 seconds over 11 shifts in a 2-1 victory over the host Dallas Stars last night. He played six shifts in the first period, three in the second and two in the third. He didn’t have any shots on goal, but took two tripping minors. . . . Hello, Steve, this is Bob Tory calling. Yeah, Tri-City Americans. . . .
———
 FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, F Cole Grbavac’s OT goal gave the Medicine Hat Tigers a 3-2 victory over the Pats. . . . Grbavac, the team captain, scored his seventh goal of the season at 2:07 of extra time. . . . Regina F Lane Scheidl forced OT with his 16th goal at 8:18 of the third. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 40th goal of the season for the Tigers. . . . Emerson now has at least one goal in nine straight games, the longest such streak in all of the CHL this season. . . . The Tigers are at home to the Swift Current Broncos tonight. . . . F Jordan Weal had a goal, his 29th, and an assist for Regina. . . . The Pats have lost three in a row. . . .

In Swift Current, D Mark Pysyk scored twice and added an assist to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 6-1 victory over the Broncos. . . . The victory was Edmonton’s 31st of the season, tying the modern franchise record that was set last season. . . . Pysyk has five goals this season. . . . The Oil Kings scored the game’s first six goals and took a 5-0 lead into the second period. . . . Edmonton F Tyler Maxwell opened the scoring for the fourth straight game. He finished with two goals, giving him 27. . . . Edmonton F Mason Geertsen was injured late in the game when he took a hit from D Colby Cave in front of the Oil Kings’ bench. Geertsen received attention from both trainers, a doctor and EMT personnel before leaving the ice on a stretcher. . . . Cave was given a charging major and game misconduct, so almost certainly is looking at a suspension. . . . The Broncos took 93 of the game’s 151 penalty minutes as handed out by referee Nathan Wieler. . . . There were eight fighting majors. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry, getting into his eighth game of the season, stopped 21 shots. Jarry, 16, is 5-2-0, 2.60, .906 . . . Shortly after the game had ended, the Oil Kings tweeted: “Mason Geertsen has gone to the hospital, hes conscious and alert the early indications seem positive.” . . . That was followed shortly after by: “Word from the Trainers is everything is OK with Mason Geertsen will remain in observation over night. #GetWellSoonMase” . . .

In Moose Jaw, F Andrew Johnson scored twice, including the OT winner, as the Warriors dumped the Kootenay Ice, 6-5. . . . Johnson, who has 13 goals, got the winner at 2:27 of OT. . . . Moose Jaw D Joel Edmundson tied the game with 51 seconds left in the third period. That was his first goal of the season. . . . F Brock Montgomery, who is from Moose Jaw, had given the Ice a 5-4 lead on the PP at 18:53 of the third. . . . F Jonathon Martin of the Ice had two goals, giving him four. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart scored his 16th goal of the season, setting a franchise record for 16-year-old skaters. F Nigel Dawes had scored 15 in 2001-02. . . . The Ice was 2-3 on the PP; the Warriors were 2-4. . . . For a second straight game, the Warriors went without G Luke Siemens. After he sat out Wednesday’s game, head coach Mike Stothers said Siemens needed to get “re-focussed.” . . . Hmmmm. . . . G Spencer Tremblay is expected to make his third straight start for the Warriors tonight in Regina, with Siemens backing him up. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Victoria Royals scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Raiders, 6-4. . . . F Austin Carroll broke a 4-4 tie at 7:48 of the third period and F Logan Nelson added insurance at 12:30 with his 19th score this season. . . . The Raiders had pulled into a 4-4 tie with two goals early in the third period, F Anthony Bardaro getting his 21st goal 40 seconds in and D Tyler Yaworski equalizing at 1:27. . . . Nelson and F Jamie Crooks each had a goal and two assists for the Royals, who are 2-3-0 on an East Division swing that wraps up tonight in Saskatoon. . . . Raiders F Justin Maylan celebrated his 21st birthday with three assists. He has 59 points, including 40 helpers, in 46 games. . . . The Royals were without F Tim Traber, who was injured in a fight on Wednesday in Moose Jaw, and D Jesse Zgraggen, who was injured on that hit from Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath. But D Zach Habscheid, who also left Wednesday’s game early, was back in the lineup. . . . Raiders F Austin Bourhis was given a charging major and game misconduct nine minutes into the second period. . . .

In Saskatoon, D Kyle Schmidt’s first goal of the season stood up as the winner as the Blades edged the Brandon Wheat Kings, 3-2. . . . The teams split a doubleheader, as Brandon had won 6-4 there on Wednesday. . . . That was Schmidt’s first goal in 36 games this season. He had three goals in 65 games with the Calgary Hitmen last season. Oh, he turned 19 on Friday. . . . Brandon G Brandon Anderson stopped 43 shots. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone got his 31st goal. . . . The Blades had a 20-8 edge in shots in the second period. . . . Saskatoon had F Josh Nicholls (knee) back in the lineup, but G Andrey Makarov (concussion) remains out. . . . G Alex Moodie stopped 33 shots for the Blades and was named the game’s first star. He is expected to rejoin the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild next week when Makarov returns to game action. . . .  Moodie has beaten Brandon twice in three starts while filling in for Makarov. . . .

In Calgary, F Victor Rask scored twice to help the Hitmen to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Rask has 19 goals this season. . . . Prince George F Jordan Tkatch got his side to within one at 2:55 of the second period, but F Alex Gogolev scored his 19th at 8:46 on the PP and the Hitmen were on their way. . . . The game featured two former Tri-City Americans goaltenders, with Chris Driedger stopping 18 shots for the Hitmen and Drew Owsley making 39 saves for the Cougars. . . . The Cougars took 62 of 105 penalty minutes. . . . Calgary D Alex Roach took a major and game misconduct for a check to the head at 6:57 of the third period. . . . According to the online game sheet, Calgary F Rob Trzonkowski took a fighting major by himself at 16:11 of the first period, while Prince George F Campbell Elynuik took a fighting major and game misconduct by himself at 17:36 of the third period. Interesting. . . .

In Kelowna, F Brody Sutter scored twice to lead his Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 6-3 victory over the Rockets. . . . Sutter now has 20 goals on the season. . . . He also had an assist. . . . Lethbridge D Landon Oslanski set up two goals as the Hurricanes finished a B.C. Division swing at 2-3. . . . The Hurricanes scored the game’s first five goals. . . . The Rockets cut the deficit to 5-3 before Lethbridge F Graham Hood iced it with an empty-netter. . . . F Colton Sissons got his 25th goal of the season for the Rockets. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., D Brenden Kitchton broke a 1-1 tie at 10:56 of the third period and the Spokane Chiefs went on to a 3-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The loss was only the third of the season for the Americans on home ice. . . . F Brian Williams gave the hosts a 1-0 lead at 7:19 of the first period. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel, who finished with 37 saves, shut the door after that goal. . . . F Dominik Uher added insurance with a shorthanded goal at 17:20 of the third period. . . . G Eric Comrie stopped 20 shots for the Americans. . . . F Connor Rankin returned to the Americans’ lineup for the first time since Dec. 17. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Kamloops Blazers ran their winning streak to eight games as they beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-3. . . . The victory lifted the Blazers into first place overall, one point ahead of the Tri-City Americans. Those two will meet tonight in Kennewick, Wash. . . . They have played twice before this season — the Americans won 3-2 in OT at home on Nov. 19; the Blazers won 3-2 at home in regulation on Jan. 11. . . . F Chase Schaber scored twice for Kamloops, the second one into an empty net after Seattle had closed to within one, at 4-3, on F Seth Swenson‘s goal at 17:07 of the third. . . . F Colin Smith and D Bronson Maschmeyer each had a goal and an assist for Kamloops. . . . G Cam Lanigan stopped 30 shots for Kamloops. It was Lanigan’s 11th start this season, but just his first since Dec. 30 and his third over the Blazers’ last 27 games. . . . F Chance Lund scored twice for Seattle, which got 36 saves from G Daniel Cotton. . . . Seattle was 0-for-6 on the PP, including a 5-on-3 that took up the last 40 seconds of the second and the first 1:20 of the third. . . .

In Vancouver, G Payton Lee made 19 saves in his WHL debut as the Giants beat the Everett Silvertips, 4-3. . . . Lee was a second-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft by the Giants, who are without G Adam Morrison (concussion). . . . D Brett Kulak scored twice for the Giants, giving him six on the season. His second goal, at 16:50 of the second on a PP, gave the Giants a 4-2 lead. . . . Down 2-0 in the first period, the Silvertips took advantage of a 5-on-3 PP to score twice. . . . In an interesting piece of numerology, the scorers bagged goals No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in this game. . . . Vancouver F Riley Kieser got his third, Giants F Anthony Ast got his fourth, Kulak looked after five and six, Everett F Cody Fowlie got his seventh and eighth, and Everett F Kohl Bauml got his ninth. . . . The Giants continue to be without F Brendan Gallagher (shoulder), F Dalton Sward (shoulder), D David Musil (wrist) and Morrison. . . . During the game, the Giants’ twitter account carried this: “Big Brett Kulak with the HOWITZER from the point! Puts in his 5th on the PP. Giants lead 2-0, 12:18 into the 1st.” . . . Dear Mr. Giant: Please look up howitzer in your dictionary. Thank you. . . .
———
Dylan Bumbarger, who blogs on all things Portland Winterhawks with a lot of WHL-related sidebars, has plotted the Western Conference race through games of Feb. 6. . . . His figurings make for an interesting read. Check it out right here.
———
The NFL has been hit with another class action law suit with former players claiming long-term problems associated with post-concussion syndrome. This news release goes so far as the provide the symptoms with which some of the former players are suffering.
———
If you’re looking for a good read, try this right here. It’s from Gene Pereira and the Barrie Examiner, and it’s all about the return of Bill Stewart, a coach who had been away from the OHL for 10 years. Why? Well, you could start with his twice putting a Ukrainian player in the luggage hold under the bus to get him over the U.S. border. . . . And it gets better from there.


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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brett Breitkreuz (Kelowna, Edmonton, Vancouver, 2006-10) signed a one-year contract extension with Kölner Haie (Germany, DEL). He has three goals and five assists in 29 games for Cologne this season. . . .
F Ivan Dornic (Portland, 2003-05) signed a contract for the rest of this season with AaB Aalborg (Denmark, AL-Bank Ligaen). He had nine goals and seven assists in 25 games with Metallurg Zhlobin (Belarus, Extraliga) this season. . . .
F Patrik Valcak (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 2003-04) was released by Nitra (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had one goal and seven assists in 18 games for Nitra. Valcak began the season with Trinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga), where he was pointless in eight games.
———
JUST NOTES:
F Chris Wilkie, a fourth-round selection by the Victoria Royals in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft, has committed to the U of North Dakota. Wilkie, 15, has 37 points in 14 regular-season games with the Omaha Jr. Lancers program. According to a Lancers news release, he leads “all three PHL divisions (18U, 16U, 14U) in scoring . . . and has quickly become one of the best young prospects the PHL has seen in its three-year history.” . . . That would be the North American Prospects Hockey League. . . . Wilkie is coming off a five-game, 23-point performance in a weekend PHL event in Dallas. . . . Wilkie’s father, David, coaches the Lancers. David also is a former WHL defenceman (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1991-94) who was a first-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL’s 1992 draft. . . . Carlos Sosa and Darcy Tucker of Turning Point Sports Management are the Wilkie family’s advisors. . . . Interestingly, David Wilkie was Sosa’s first client to be a first-round selection in the NHL draft. Wilkie also introduced Sosa to Tucker, then a forward with the Kamloops Blazers. Wilkie recommended that Sosa take on Tucker as a client, which is what happened. Sosa and Tucker have since partnered in TPSM.
———
The Lethbridge Hurricanes have named F Brody Sutter as their captain, replacing F Cam Braes, 20, who was traded Monday to the Moose Jaw Warriors. Sutter, 20, was named captain just two days after his name was being bandied about in trade talks. . . . Sutter, a seventh-round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2011 NHL draft, is the 21st captain in franchise history. . . . He is the son of former WHL/NHL F Duane Sutter.
———
F Brett Connolly, whose WHL rights went from the Prince George Cougars to the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday, was in action with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. Connolly, 19, played nine minutes 43 seconds over 15 shifts as the Lightning lost 5-2 to the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. . . . He played nine minutes 42 seconds of even strength, with one second of PP time. . . . Hello, Steve, this is Bob Tory calling.
———
F Patrick Holland of the Tri-City Americans got through the WHL trade deadline without having to pack up and move. But two days later he was involved in an NHL trade. On Thursday night, the Calgary Flames dealt Holland, F Rene Bourque and a 2013 second-round draft pick to the Montreal Canadiens for F Mike Cammalleri, G Karri Ramo and a 2012 fifth-round draft pick. . . . A seventh-round selection by the Flames in the NHL’s 2010 draft, Holland has 56 points in 39 games with the Americans this season. He is ninth in the WHL scoring race. Holland, 19, has yet to sign an NHL contract. . . . Later in the evening, Holland tweeted: “Guess it's time to thank my parents for putting me in 9 years of french immersion. Hoping I can please the @CanadiensMTL fans someday.”
———
The Vancouver Giants are checking out F Austin Fyten, 20. Fyten underwent major knee surgery after suffering an injury during a Sept. 8 exhibition game with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Fyten became a free agent on Tuesday when the Hurricanes dropped him at Tuesday’s trade deadline. According to Ewen, Fyten is “slated to come to town early next week to meet with Giants doctors, who will assess what rehab it may take for him to return this season.” The Giants are thinking perhaps they can get him into the lineup late in March or early in April. . . . Fyten, a second-round selection the 2006 bantam draft, had 177 points, including 55 goals, and 287 penalty minutes in 193 games with Lethbridge. Last season, in 52 games, he had 54 points, including 24 goals, and 103 penalties.
———
There is going to be some emotion at an upcoming Portland Winterhawks game with former player and coach Brent Peterson in the house. He plans on attending a game or two early in February.
Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune has more right here.
———
The Saskatoon Blades are expected to start G Alex Moodie, 16, again tonight as they play the Broncos in Swift Current. Moodie was to have been sent back to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild. But the Blades lost G Andrey Makarov to a concussion so ended up keeping Moodie. All he did was go into Brandon and blank the Wheat Kings 2-0 on Wednesday night. That made him, according to Les Lazaruk, the radio voice of the Blades, the first 16-year-old goaltender in franchise history to post a shutout. . . . Once Makarov gets a clean bill of health, which could come early next week, Moodie will be going back to the Wild. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more on the Blades’ goaltending situation right here.
———
THURSDAY’S GAME:
In Medicine Hat, F Dylan Wruck scored two goals and set up another to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 6-2 victory over the Tigers. . . . Edmonton also got two goals from F Rhett Rachinski, with F Tyler Maxwell scoring once and drawing two helpers. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 35th of the season for the Tigers. . . . Emerson scored the game’s first goal, at which point he had scored Medicine Hat’s last four goals. . . . Tigers G Tyler Bunz, who is stuck on 99 victories, left after two periods. He gave up five goals on 30 shots. . . . Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart (undisclosed) was scratched. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson made his Edmonton debut. He had one assist.
———

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.

Left over from Monday . . . The RCMP announced that charges won’t be laid after that hazing incident involving the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. The mother of one of the victims has told CBC News that she isn’t happy and that the family is considering filing a lawsuit.
There is more right here.
———
Going into Tuesday’s games, the Prince Albert Raiders were 6-20-2 and 16 points out of a playoff spot. The reality is that the Raiders won’t be in the playoffs in the spring.
On Tuesday, then, they dealt D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for fourth- and fifth-round selections in the 2013 bantam draft.
The Raiders had acquired Vanscourt, who is from Corona, Calif., from the Spokane Chiefs on Sept. 15, giving up G Luke Lee-Knight and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2013 draft in the exchange. Vanscourt, who was in Moose Jaw’s lineup against the visiting Vancouver Giants on Tuesday night, had 17 points and 25 penalty minutes in 26 games.
Vanscourt was one of four 19-year-old defencemen on the Raiders’ roster and that is too many considering the way things have gone south in Prince Albert. Vanscourt’s departure means more playing time for Sawyer Lange, 17, and Josh Morrissey, 16.
Also on Tuesday, the Raiders added F Luke Mahura, 16, to their roster. He had been with the midget AAA St. Albert, Alta., Raiders. He was sixth in the AMHL scoring race, with 21 points in 21 games. He was the 28th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft.
There are less than three weeks left before the WHL goes into its pre-Christmas roster freeze, which lasts through Dec. 26. It will be interesting to see if Raiders GM Bruno Campese is busy between now and then.
One thing we know for sure — his phone is ringing.
The Warriors, meanwhile, are hoping Vanscourt can provide some depth to a back end that has lost Morgan Rielly (knee, perhaps for the season) and also has done without Joel Edmundson, Kendall McFaull and Dylan McIlrath at various times due to injuries and suspensions.
———
JUST NOTES: The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Zach Paterson and F Tyler Sandhu, their two second-round 2011 bantam picks. Paterson, taken 34th overall, is from Edmonton. Sandhu, the 42nd selection, is from B.C.’s Lower Mainland. . . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds have launched a free mobile app for iPhone and Android devices. It was developed by NewSport Media. According to a Thunderbirds’ news release: “The Official Seattle Thunderbirds iPhone and Android Apps incorporate the latest team headlines and news, scores and schedule, stats, standings and roster. The apps will connect fans to the team's social media platforms, website and promotions calendar. The new app will also let fans purchase tickets through their mobile browser. . . . If you want it, go to the Thunderbirds website and scan the appropriate QR code. Or search for Thunderbirds in the App Store or Android Marketplace. . . .
———
In Moose Jaw, F Matt Bellerive scored the only goal of a five-round shootout to g ive the Vancouver Giants a 4-3 victory over the Warriors. . . .
In Edmonton, the Oil Kings won their fourth straight game, beating the Spokane Chiefs, 4-1. . . . F Dylan Wruck had two goals, with F Michael St. Croix scoring once and setting up two others. F Tyler Maxwell, the third player on the line, had an assist. . . .
In Lethbridge, F Brody Sutter had two goals and an assist as the Hurricanes beat the Red Deer Rebels, 3-1. . . . Lethbridge has won four of six and has taken three in a row from the Rebels. . . . The  Rebels, already down a few bodies, lost D Alex Petrovic at 16:20 of the first period when he took a major and game misconduct for a check to a head. . . . The Rebels, who have lost six straight, already were without D Aaron Borejko, F Daulton Siwak and F Adam Kambeitz, with injuries, while F John Persson was ill and F Turner Elson is suspended. . . . The Rebels dressed F Scott Feser from the midget AAA Red Deer Optimist Rebels. He also may play tonight against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. . . .
In Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds scored three goals in a span of 2:48 late in the third period and beat the Swift Current Broncos, 4-2. . . . The Broncos led 2-1 when D Shea Theodore pulled Seattle even at 17:11. . . . F Chance Lund got the winner 35 seconds later. . . . The Broncos went 1-4-0 on their U.S. Division tour. Gotta think they were able to get some breaks on Black Friday sales, though.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Martin Gernat, Edmonton
F Daniel Dale, Swift Current
———
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 on the DONATE button up there at the top right . . . and thank you very much.

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

This blog will be silent for a few days.
———
Chances are that Greg Pankewicz woke up Sunday morning and thought: “What have I done?”
And by the time he sat down in front of a computer, exactly what it is that he did may well have at least started to sink in.
Because when you do what he did, well, in this Internet-ruled world there isn’t any hiding.
Pankewicz (Prince Albert, Regina, 1989-91) is an assistant coach with the Central league’s Colorado Eagles. He got a bit irate during an on-ice altercation on Saturday night and divested himself of a few items of clothing, including jacket, shirt and undershirt, all of which ended up on the ice.
If you haven’t seen it already, it’s right here.
Pankewicz isn’t the first coach to protest in this unusual fashion.
On Oct. 30, 1990, with his Swift Current Broncos having blown a 7-3 lead and now trailing the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, 9-8, Graham James, according to the Regina Leader-Post, “ran on to the ice and screamed at referee Kevin Muench. He charged the referee relentlessly and had to be restrained by Broncos players and both linesmen.
“He returned to the bench and threw sticks and water bottles on the ice. James then removed his jacket, tie, shirt and a shoe before his players escorted him back to the dressing room.”
Later, James was fined $2,000 and suspended for six games.
———
The Moose Jaw Warriors held their annual skills competition on Sunday. Results are right here. . . . Hardest shot? F Joel Edmundson, who twice hit 98 miles per hour.
———
I found a great quote in a story by Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman.
The Saskatoon Blades went into Cranbrook and beat the Kootenay Ice 5-3 on Saturday night. The Blades were presented with seven PP opportunities, while the Ice received three.
Following the game, Coxford wrote:
“Asked if he was willing to absorb a fine from the WHL by talking about the refereeing, (Ice head coach Kris) Knoblauch graciously declined.”
Well, Knoblauch didn’t really decline.
Here’s what he told Coxford: "I can comment if the officiating is good, and I can't comment on the officiating when it's bad, so I won't comment.”
I think the message got delivered.
———
JUST NOTES: F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings is the WHL’s player of the week. He had 13 points and was plus-6 in three games, all of which Brandon won. . . . Michael Snider of the Calgary Hitmen is the WHL’s nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0, 0.96, .971 last week, with both victories coming on the road. . . .
———
Some notes of interest from the Kootenay Ice’s weekly release:
The Ice will finish 2010-11 with an above-.500 record for the 12th consecutive season, which is the longest active streak in the WHL.
Kootenay has clinched a playoff spot for the 13th consecutive season and has tied Calgary for the longest active streak in the WHL.
Kootenay, which leads the League in shorthanded goals with 17, set a franchise single-season record for most shorthanded goals on Saturday against visiting Saskatoon. The previous record (16) was set in 2000-01 and tied in 2002-03.
Ice F Kevin King is tied for the WHL in shorthanded goals, with five. F Cody Eakin has four, all in just 13 games with the Ice.
———
SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Chandler Stephenson broke a 2-2 tie with 36.5 second left in the third period as the Regina Pats beat the Hitmen 3-2 in front of 20,888 fans. . . .  Stephenson, a 16-year-old from Saskatoon, has six goals. . . . The Hitmen had beaten the Pats 2-1 in a shootout in Regina on Friday. . . . The attendance set a CHL record, breaking the previous mark of 20,081 set on Dec. 20, 2004, at an OHL game between the Kingston Frontenacs and Ottawa 67’s at what was then known as the Corel Centre. . . . It was the second outdoor game in WHL history. On Jan. 15, in Spokane, the Chiefs beat the Kootenay Ice 11-2 before 7,075 fans at Avista Stadium. . . . Calgary F Kris Foucault tied the game 2-2 with his 20th goal at 8:46 of the third. . . . The Pats, who had lost three in a row, moved to within five points of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. They have 11 games remaining. . . . The Hitmen are 13 points out with 12 games remaining. . . .
———
In Lethbridge, F Brody Sutter’s goal at 1:09 of OT gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The teams were scoreless into the third period. . . . F Colten Mayor scored for Red Deer at 5:45 of the third. . . . F Russell Maxwell tied it on a PP at 12:57. . . .. Sutter won it with his 10th of the season. . . . Lethbridge G Brandon Anderson stopped 30 shots, 10 more than Red Deer’s Darcy Kuemper. . . . Attendancee was 3,746. . . . The Rebels were in extra time for a fourth straight game. All four games ended in OT, with Red Deer winning twice. . . . The victory kept Lethbridge ninth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Prince Albert Raiders. The Hurricanes have a game in hand. . . . The Rebels were without F Josh Cowen (hand), F John Persson and D Matthew Dumba (knee). Cowen and Persson were injured in a 4-3 OT victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Saturday. . . . Cowen had surgery Sunday after suffering a broken hand when he was hit from behind by Kamloops D Josh Caron. The Red Deer Advocate reports that Cowen had a titanium plate and some screws put in the hand, and that he will be out at least three weeks. . . . Caron was hit with a three-game suspension. . . . Persson is said to be nursing bumps and bruises and should play later this week. . . . Dumba has been out for 10 days.
———
In Kennewick, Wash., the Spokane Chiefs scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Tri-City Americans 5-1, moving to the top of the Western Conference standings in the process. . . . F Darren Kramer, who leads the WHL with 39 fighting majors, scored his sixth goal of the season at 15:44 of the first period to break a 1-1 tie. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 28 shots. . . . Spokane F Brady Brassart wasn’t able to score on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Attendance was 5,691. . . . The Chiefs moved one point ahead of the idle Portland Winterhawks, who hold two games in hand. . . .. The Americans, who have lost two in a row, are five points behind Portland with one game in hand. The Americans have three games in hand on the Chiefs.
———
MONDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Two minors:
Calgary F Jimmy Bubnick
Spokane F Kenton Miller
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter