Final WHL weekend: What's on the line? . . . Nanaimo team may move . . . Sacilotto off to Croatia

F Jeremy Williams (Swift Current, 2000-04) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). This season, he had 19 goals and 17 assists in 43 games. . . .

F Dan DaSilva (Portland, 2002-05) has signed a one-year extension with Linz (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He was second in the league’s scoring race this season, putting up 70 points, including 31 goals, in 53 games. . . .

F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) has announced his retirement. This season, he had four goals and 15 assists in 35 games with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He was team captain for two seasons. . . . Ritchie has yet to fully recover from a concussion he suffered in January. Ritchie told Örnsköldsvik newspaper Allehanda: "I do not know if I understand it yet, to be honest. It is a strange feeling that I never had. I have not been able to train at all. I've only been walking the dogs. In the afternoons and evenings, I often get headaches and fatigue. It affected me a lot the first month. I slept really all the time, but now I can live normally. Except that I can't work out. I'm going to focus on being a father now. I want to be involved in my children's sports activities. It feels good that I can focus on the family now."

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We are into the final three days of the WHL’s 2016-17 regular season, and you are wondering what’s up for grabs.

Well, of the 16 available playoff spots only one — the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot — is still available.

The Calgary Hitmen have a three-point edge over the Saskatoon Blades, each team having two games remaining. The Hitmen will go home-and-home with the Kootenay Ice, while the Saskatoon Blades do the same with the Prince Albert Raiders. To the winner goes a first-round matchup with the Regina Pats, the best team in the WHL during this regular season.

In the East Division, the second-place Moose Jaw Warriors and third-place Swift Current Broncos will meet in the first round. They will play a home-and-home series this weekend — the Warriors hold a 3-1-0 edge — which means these teams could end up playing nine straight games against each other.

In the Central Division, the pennant-winning Medicine Hat Tigers and the defending-champion Brandon Wheat Kings will be first-round opponents. The Wheat Kings will be the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card team. The Tigers won three of the four regular-season games between the teams. Don’t forget that Brandon will play its first-round home games in Dauphin, Man., where the Credit Union Centre has 1,763 seats and room for 247 standees.

Meanwhile, the second-place Lethbridge Hurricanes will tangle with the third-place Red Deer Rebels. The Hurricanes are 23 points ahead of the Rebels going into the final weekend. In the season series, Lethbridge was 5-0-1; Red Deer was 1-4-1.

In the Western Conference, we know the eight playoff teams . . . we just don’t know where they will finish. Seriously! Not one of the eight teams knows where it will wind up or who it will meet in the opening round.

In the B.C. Division, the first-place Prince George Cougars hold a two-point lead over the Kelowna Rockets, who are three points ahead of the Kamloops Blazers. All three have two games remaining — the Cougars go home-and-home with the Blazers, while the Rockets to the same with the Vancouver Giants.

The fourth-place Victoria Royals can’t advance within the division but will go into the playoffs as a wild-card entry. They hold down the first wild-card spot, one point ahead of the Tri-City Americans. The Royals will finish up against the Everett Silvertips, playing one at home and one on the road. The Americans will go home-and-home with the Spokane Chiefs, before a Sunday meeting with the Silvertips.

The Americans also are fourth in the U.S. Division, three points behind the Portland Winterhawks, who have two games remaining. The Winterhawks, who can’t move up in the division, have two games left — against the Seattle Thunderbirds and Spokane Chiefs.

The Thunderbirds go into the weekend leading the U.S. Division by a point over the Silvertips. If it comes down to Sunday night, the Thunderbirds are at home to Vancouver, while the Silvertips visit the Americans.

No matter how it all unfolds, though, the playoffs will begin on March 24.

——

The WHL has suspended F Tyler Coulter of the Brandon Wheat Kings for three games after he took a charging major and game misconduct during a 6-3 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday. Coulter sat out Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over the Warriors in Moose Jaw and will miss Brandon last two regular-season games this weekend. . . . The Tri-City Americans will be without F Landon Fuller for one game after he was suspended for a charging major and game misconduct during a 6-1 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday. . . . The Americans will get back D Dakota Krebs after he served a one-game suspension for a cross-checking major and game misconduct during a 5-1 loss to the visiting Everett Silvertips on Saturday.

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The WHL honoured the late Norbert Heinzelmann with one of its 2016-17 Distinguished Service Awards prior to a game in Kelowna on Wednesday night. Heinzelmann, who died on Sept. 2 at the age of 57, was Kelowna’s head scorekeeper and also the head of its off-ice officials since the franchise relocated from Tacoma, Wash., in 1995.

In Kamloops, the Blazers, their off-ice officials and some media members raised $1,015 in memory of Pat Rozek and presented it to the Darcy Robinson Memorial Foundation. The foundation helps Kamloops children who otherwise couldn’t afford to play hockey.

Rozek, who died on Dec. 22 at the age of 64, had been the Blazers’ official scorekeeper for 25 years. He also worked the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and numerous other such events.

Rozek would seem to be a prime candidate for a Distinguished Service Award, too.

——

Ken Wagner, the majority owner of the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, told a news conference on Thursday that the franchise needs help. In fact, Wagner said that without some local ownership, the team may move elsewhere on Vancouver Island. . . . Wagner told the news conference: “We’ve hit a wall in Nanaimo as an ownership. We’ve tried for a lot of years to make it work. . . . We are done writing cheques. We’re spent out. . . . The business side of it is the numbers are the numbers. The emotional side is we don’t want to move the club.” . . . If local ownership isn’t found in the next two weeks, Wagner said he is looking at moving the franchise or shutting it down. . . . Greg Sakaki of the Nanaimo News Bulletin has more right here.

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If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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ENIO SACILOTTO

Enio Sacilotto of the Victoria Royals has been named head coach of the Croatian national team that will play in the 2017 IIHF World Championship (Division 1, Group B) in Belfast, Ireland, from April 23 through April 29. . . . Sacilotto was an assistant coach with the Royals from 2011-16 before being named director of prospect development and WHL scout prior to this season. . . . Croatia will be in a group with Estonia, Great Britain, Japan, Lithuania and the Netherlands. The tournament winner will be promoted to Division 1, Group A. . . . Sacilotto isn’t a stranger to Croatia, having worked as the Croatian Ice Hockey Federation’s U-18 and U-20 head coach in 2009-10. He also was head coach of Medvescak Zagreb, a Croatian team, when it was in the Austrian league in 2009-10. . . . Sacilotto, who is from Vancouver, B.C., will return to the Royals when the tournament in Ireland is over.

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Players of the national women's team of Russia support your decision #BeBoldForChange pic.twitter.com/9c7Qnr6fV0

— Ludmila Belyakova (@belyakova9) March 16, 2017

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If the playoffs began today . . . 

Eastern Conference

Regina vs. Calgary

Medicine Hat vs. Brandon

Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current

Lethbridge vs. Red Deer

—

Western Conference

Seattle vs. Tri-City

Prince George vs. Victoria

Kelowna vs. Kamloops

Everett vs. Portland

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:35 p.m.

Calgary vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Kelowna vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

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SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Edmonton, 4 p.m.

Spokane at Portland, 5 p.m.

Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 5:05 p.m.

Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 5:05 p.m.

END OF REGULAR SEASON

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Yes, computers rule world . . . Matthews saga continues . . . Babcock saga up next

Every once in a while we get reminders of how computers rule our world.
My wife and I were reminded of that, again, on Sunday afternoon.
No, it wasn’t anything serious; in fact, we were laughing about it later.
With it being Mother’s Day, and neither of us having a mother still with us, and with our son spending the day with his future in-laws, Dorothy and I went for a drive.
We took Highway 5A to Merritt and stopped at the Walmart there to stretch our legs.
Dorothy went on her way and ended up picking up a couple of items. I went my way, which included a stop at the magazine rack. I found a commemorative baseball magazine — The Game We Love — from The Sporting News. It carries an $11.99 price tag, but I decided to treat myself.
And so it was that we headed for a cash register with three items in our cart. The cashier scanned the first two. No problems.
When she scanned the magazine, it wouldn’t register. Apparently, it wasn’t in the system. She called for a CSM, but none came. So she escorted us to the courtesy desk.
The young lady there scanned the magazine. It didn’t register on her computer. It became apparent from the look on her face that she didn’t have any idea what to do. Apparently, she didn’t know how to key in something that wasn’t in the system.
Instead, she looked at us and said: “I’m sorry but I can’t sell this to you.”
Pardon me?
“I can’t sell this to you.”
Seriously!
We ended up leaving the other two items on the counter as we shook our heads in bewilderment and left the store, the computers having won. Again!
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F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) has signed a two-year contract with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SHL). This season, with Bern (Switzerland, NL A), he had 43 points, including 29 assists, in 50 games. He was the team’s captain and led it in assists.
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For the conspiracy theorists: This tweet originated with the WHL’s Twitter account on Sunday afternoon. . . . Weren’t the Brandon Wheat Kings on the same flight? . . .

The @Kelowna_Rockets are home and ready to host @bdnwheatkings in Game 3 tmrw! #WHLChampionship pic.twitter.com/Ou7p2Slecf

— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 10, 2015

SUNDAY’S GAME:

No Game Scheduled.
——
Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun was at the first two games of the WHL championship series, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, in Brandon. One of the stories he filed was this piece on Wheat Kings D Ivan Provorov. There is a photo of Provorov with the story — check out the length of his stick.
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Is he, or isn’t he?
The topic of whether F Auston Matthews will play in Switzerland next season was a hot topic on social media on Sunday.
For a while, it was Twitter at its worst. Matthews was expected to play in Switzerland. Then he had signed for $500,000 with a Swiss team. Then he hadn’t. But he was negotiating. . . .
In the end, it seems that nothing had changed from the previous day.
Matthews, the early favourite as the first overall selection in the NHL’s 2016 draft, may yet end up playing in Switzerland, perhaps for the Zurich Lions, or maybe for the Kloten Flyers, who are owned by the owner of the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks. Or, he could end up going to school, having apparently narrowed the field of suitors to five Division I schools.
Or, he might opt for the WHL. The Everett Silvertips hold Matthews’ WHL rights, having selected him in the third round of the 2012 bantam draft.
The good news is that his advisors — the NCAA (wink, wink) doesn’t allow potential players to employ agents — say a decision is imminent.
In a text to NHL.com, Matthews wrote: "I am looking at all opportunities. Switzerland, Everett and the CHL, as well as the NCAA are all great options for me. I am speaking with my family and advisers Pat Brisson and Judd Moldaver and will probably make a decision soon."
Why is it good news that an announcement is imminent? Because once Matthews makes a decision, it will allow the hockey world to focus all of its attention on Mike Babcock’s world.
Michael Traikos of the National Post takes a look at the Matthews situation right here.
——
Speaking of Mike Babcock, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has his weekly 30 Thoughts right here. The top is all about Babcock and his suitors. . . . If you haven’t heard, Babcock was in Buffalo on Sunday. Yes, he chatted with Sabres’ management. Of course, he is as likely to be the next head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes as the Sabres.
——
In the QMJHL, the Rimouski Oceanic beat the host Quebec Remparts 4-2 on Sunday in Game 3 of the championship series. F Samuel Laberge scored his first two goals of the playoffs for the winners. . . . The Remparts, having won twice in Rimouski, hold a 2-1 lead with Game 4 in Quebec City on Wednesday.
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Mike O’Brien is a former colleague — we worked together at the Regina Leader-Post. Since those days, he’s done a lot, including some acting. These days, there isn’t any acting because he’s dying of cancer. Still, he’s trying to find some humour along the way. . . . His story is right here.
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Just finished "Slapshot" for about the 150th time. If you haven't seen it, DO IT. Great, gritty and hilarious writing and a REAL movie star.

— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) May 10, 2015

I want to know something. Why does Brian Burke even wear a tie. Maybe he doesn't know how to tie it? Can somebody @NHLFlames help him? #NHL

— Allan Bristowe (@AlBristowe) May 11, 2015

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.

Some of what appears today is left over from Tuesday night, when there were issues. . . . Ahh, I did some compiling at work and then forgot to email it to my laptop. . . .
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If you are interested in an eBook version of Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos, the links are further down on this page.
I also heard yesterday from a friend who ordered the book from Amazon. He had received notification that his copy had shipped.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) signed a two-year contract extension with Bern (Switzerland, NL A). He has 11 goals and 17 assists in 24 games with Bern this season, which puts him in sixth place in league scoring. The contract extension keeps Ritchie with Bern through the 2014-15 season. . . .
F Jason Chimera (Medicine Hat, Brandon, 1996-99) was granted his release from Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for personal reasons. He had one goal in five games with Chomutov this season. Chimera's family did not accompany him to Chomutov and he decided it was best to return home. Chomutov GM Leo Gudas says that should the NHL season be cancelled, Chimera could return to Chomutov with his family and finish out the season with the club. . . .
F Domenic Pittis (Lethbridge, 1991-94) signed a two-year contract extension with Visp (Switzerland, NL B). He has one goal and 13 assists in eight games this season. Pittis is now under contract with Visp through the end of the 2014-2015 season. . . .
F Tyler Redenbach (Prince George, Swift Current, Lethbridge, 2001-05) was released by HIFK Helsinki (Finland, SM-Liiga) to make room for Washington Capitals F Mathieu Perreault, who was signed to a lockout contract. Redenbach had three goals and nine assists in 23 games with HIFK this season. . . .
F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite). Schultz started the season with Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A), registering two goals and two assists in eight games before his release in mid-October. . . .
F Marek Ivan (Lethbridge, Moose Jaw, 1996-98) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Karvina (Czech Republic, 2. Liga), just four days after his release by Novy Jicin (Czech Republic, 2. Liga). He had seven goals and eight assists in 10 games with Novy Jicin this season. Ivan played for Karvina last season, getting 19 goals and 25 assists in 39 games for them.
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Sophomore D Spencer Wand, 17, has left the Kootenay Ice and returned to his home in Saskatoon. Wand suffered a concussion on Nov. 16 against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. The Ice thought Wand was making a good recovery, but he told head coach Ryan McGill on Monday that he had lost the desire to play and that he was quitting hockey. . . . Wand was a fourth-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . He had one assist and 37 penalty minutes in 15 games this season. . . . Wand’s departure leaves the Ice with six defencemen on its roster.
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The injury-riddled Regina Pats have added F Connor Gay, 17, to their roster. He had been with the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers, for whom he had 17 points, including seven goals, in 20 games.
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It would appear that the Kelowna Rockets have dealt Slovakian F Filip Vasko, 19, to the Red Deer Rebels. Vasko, who has 10 points, including three goals, in 19 games this season, didn’t play for the Rockets in last night’s 3-2 victory over the visiting Tri-City Americans. (Attendance in Kelowna was 4,769, and what's with that?)
After the game, Kelowna D Jesse Lees (@LeeserBeam2) tweeted: “Gonna miss @filvask great guy, good luck in red deer”
Kelowna D Madison Bowey (@m_bows4) tweeted: “Always sad to see a teammate go. Gonna miss ya @filvask #loveha #eurobeaut”
Vasko’s handle on Twitter is @filvask.
Last season, he had 12 assists in 51 games.
With F Carter Rigby and F J.T. Barnett returning from injuries, the Rockets had 16 forwards on their roster.
The Rebels have been playing with just one import — Czech G Patrik Bartosak.
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D Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips will have shoulder surgery sometime next month and isn’t likely to play again this season. Murray, who also would have played for Canada’s national junior team, was injured on Nov. 16 in a game against the Royals in Victoria. He was diagnosed with a small tear in the labrum, a diagnosis that was confirmed by the medical staff of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. They selected him with the second pick of the 2012 NHL draft.
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THE COACHING GAME:
After starting the season 1-9-1, the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Augusta RiverHawks have fired head coach Rob Miller, who was in his first season there. Mark Richards, the team president, has stepped in as interim head coach while the search goes on for a replacement. . . . Miller took over the RiverHawks from Brad Ralph, who now is the head coach of the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. . . .
Ben Johnson, who played 31 games with the Spokane Chiefs (1997-99), is the new head coach of the Duluth Clydesdales of the Superior International Junior League. They won just once in their first 20 games. Johnson had been the club’s director of player development. He replaces Aaron Haupert, who was in his first season as head coach.
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The departures are soon to start.
The Prince Albert Raiders are to lose F Jonas Knutsen and F Leon Draisaitl to tournament play.
Knutsen will play for Norway at the IIHF Division I U-20 tournament that opens in Amiens, France, on Dec. 9. Knutsen, who is to leave Dec. 5, is expected to miss five WHL games.
Draisaitl will play for Germany in the World Junior Championship that opens Dec. 26 in Ufa, Russia. He is the WHL’s top-scoring freshman, with 23 points. Draisaitl is to leave Dec. 10 and will miss as many as eight WHL games.
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings are preparing for the loss of Alessio Bertaggia, their second-leading scorer. Bertaggia will attend Switzerland’s training camp in mid-December. He played for Switzerland in last season’s tournament, so is expected to make the roster again this time.

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Wednesday . . .

THE CHILLIWACK-TO-VICTORIA SAGA, Chapter 44:
It’s official. Not that it really was ever in doubt.
The Prince George Cougars aren’t going anywhere.
WHL commissioner Ron Robison has told CKPG-TV in Prince George that “there’s never been any application made to the WHL for a move.”
Robison went on to say that “these rumours come up from time to time. I think any time you have a franchise that . . . is struggling with attendance, as Prince George has, for a lengthy period fo time, you’re going to see these types of rumours surface.  But the ownership is still committed to the Prince George market and hoping that things can turn around soon.”
This all started, of course, because the WHL has allowed the majority owners of the Chilliwack Bruins to sell their franchise for $5.5 million. Eventually, the WHL will announce that Vancouver-based RG Properties has purchased the franchise and will relocate it to Victoria.
Once the WHL confirmed that the Bruins had been sold, the speculation was immediate that the Cougars were likely to head south. That just isn't going to happen.
But what Robison didn’t mention to CKPG-TV — or, if he did, the TV station didn’t use it — is that Moray Keith, one of the Bruins’ minority owners, made an attempt to purchase the Cougars.
Keith first tried to buy the Bruins, but his offer of $6.2 million — not $7.75 million as was reported about a month ago — wasn’t even considered, apparently because majority owners Darryl Porter, Brian Burke and Glen Sather had already accepted RG Properties’ offer.
Keith found out that the Cougars aren’t for sale, at least not for what he was offering, and now the good people of Chilliwack appear likely to have a BCHL franchise moving into their city in the near future.
———
Bob Sales, the president of the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires, has confirmed to CKPG-TV that, yes, “the team is for sale.”
And, furthermore, there have been talks with . . .
“We haven’t had any firm offers from Chilliwck,” Sales told the TV station, “but we have talked to Chilliwack.”
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) signed a two-year contract with Bern (Switzerland NL A). He had 23 goals and 21 assists in 53 games with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden Elitserien) this season, good for fifth in league scoring.
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A tip of the cap to the American Hockey League for trimming four games from each team’s regular-season schedule.
Yes, the AHL announced Wednesday that each of its teams will play 76 games next season, down from 80.
At the same time, the AHL said it will lengthen the amount of time it takes to play its regular-season schedule by one week. And it will reduce its first-round playoff series to best-of-five from best-of-seven.
The regular-season scheduling changes will mean teams no longer will be required to play four games in five nights.
"As our league has grown in recent years, we have been working closely with the National Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players' Association to seek a solution to what has become a very onerous playing schedule," David Andrews, the AHL president, said.
"As our league has grown and our game has become faster and more physical, the wear and tear on our players has begun to affect player development and at times the quality of competition.
“These steps are intended to provide a safer environment for our players through increased rest and recovery time, and also to provide our fans with an even higher calibre of play as a result of reduced player fatigue."
Hurrah for the AHL!
———
There is an interesting story developing in the OHL where the Soo Greyhounds are expected to introduce Kyle Dubas as their general manager today. Dubas, at 25 years of age, is a player agent. In fact, he is the youngest player agent to be certified by the NHLPA.
Peter Ruicci of the Sault Star has more right here.
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The New York Islanders will make a coaching change with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, their AHL affiliate. Pat Bingham, an assistant coach who took over as head coach when Jack Capuono moved up to the Islanders in November, won’t be returning.
The Sound Tigers went 24-30-11 under Bingham, who is a former WHL player (Kamloops, New Westminster, 1985-89).
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F Tyler Pitlick of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who hasn’t played in a month because of a broken ankle, has signed a three-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, who selected him in the second round of the 2010 NHL draft.
Pitlick, 19, put up 62 points, including 27 goals, in 56 games in his first WHL season. He joined the Tigers from the NCAA’s Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks.
Pitlick wsa able to dump his crutches earlier this week, but isn’t expected back in the Tigers’ lineup in the near future.
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ON THE ICE:
In Medicine Hat, the Red Deer Rebels stayed alive with a 1-0 victory over the Tigers. . . . G Dawson Guhle, starting in place of Darcy Kuemper (ankle), turned aside 21 shots for the shutout. . . . Guhle, an 18-year-old from Daysland, Alta., played in 15 games during the regular season — five with the Regina Pats and 10 with Red Deer. . . . Bolton Pouliot, a 16-year-old from Calgary, served as Guhle’s backup. . . . F Byron Froese scored the game’s only goal, his fourth, at 11:27 of the third period. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz turned aside 23 shots. . . . The Tigers had won six straight games. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers take a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 in Red Deer on Saturday. . . . “(Guhle) made some key saves at key times, some big saves,” Jesse Wallin, the Rebels’ head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “We know he has that capability and at times this season he’s played real well and shown us what he’s got. But talk about a tough situation to step into, because he hasn’t played a lot of games this season. Good for him. I’m real proud of him and I thought the boys battled real hard in front of him, keeping things to the outside and letting him see the puck and make the first stop. We did a good job of that and yet at playoff time you need big-time goaltending.” . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and finished off the Saskatoon Blades, 5-2. . . . The Ice, the Eastern Conference’s fourth seed, swept the Blades, who had finished with the WHL’s best regular-season record. . . . The Ice is the first team to advance to a conference final. . . . F Matt Fraser scored twice and added two assists for the Ice. He leads the playoffs with 10 goals and is third in points (15). . . . F Max Reinhart also scored twice for the Ice. He’s got seven in these playoffs. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 33 shots, five fewer than Saskatoon’s Steven Stanford. . . . Attendance was 3,021. . . . The Blades won a WHL-high 56 regular-season games. However, they scored only five goals in four games against the Ice. . . . The Los Angeles Kings, who open the NHL playoffs tonight against the Sharks in San Jose, are expected to recall Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft. Schenn has played eight NHL games, so two more would result in him using up one year of his three-year contract. . . . Cody Nickolet, who provides colour on Blades’ radio broadcasts, tweeted late last night that “Schenn will speak to (Kings GM) Dean Lombardi on Thursday to learn where he is headed.” . . . Nickolet also tweeted that F Curtis Hamilton and D Stefan Elliott will be bound for AHL teams. Hamilton, a second-round NHL draft pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2009, likely will sign an ATO with the Oklahoma City Barons, while Elliott, who has signed with the Colorado Avalanche, is to join the AHL’s Lake Eric Monsters.
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In Kelowna, F Nino Niederreiter drew three assists to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-2 victory over the Rockets. . . . The Winterhawks, having won three in a row, hold a 3-1 edge and get their first chance to end the series at home on Friday night. . . . The Winterhawks took a 2-0 on goals 39 seconds apart by F Ty Rattie, at 12:25 of the first, and F Taylor Peters and never trailed. . . . F Shane McColgan got his eighth goal on the PP at 17:39 of the first. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow got that one back on a PP at 2:30 of the third. . . . F Brett Bulmer pulled Kelowna to within one just over 10 minutes later, but the Rockets weren’t able to equalize. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen, with his seventh point in the last three games, got his sixth goal at 16:11 to provide some insurance. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth, who is 7-1 in these playoffs, stopped 24 shots, while Kelowna’s Adam Brown turned aside 35. . . . Attendance was 4,763.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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