Not even a broken right ankle is able to keep
Kamloops forward Dylan Willick from smiling.
(Melissa Willick photo)

Guy Charron, the head coach of the Kamloops Blazers, confirmed earlier reports Saturday evening that veteran F Dylan Willick, 20, is expected to miss up to six weeks with a broken right ankle.
Willick was injured during a 2-1 shootout victory over the visiting Prince George Cougars on Friday night.
Willick doesn’t need surgery and the ankle will be placed in a cast at some point next week, once swelling subsides.
The Blazers were nearing the end of their sixth game in eight days, and their 11th in 20 days, when Willick went down in overtime. While killing a penalty, he got knocked down and caught up in traffic during a scramble in the Kamloops crease.
Willick is the most versatile of the Blazers' forwards, able to play any forward position. He also is perhaps their top penalty-killing forward and gets some power-play time. In his fourth season with the Blazers, he played 71, 72 and 72 games in his first three.
This season, he has 14 points, six of them goals, in 19 games.
A six-week absence would cost Willick close to 20 games and take him almost to the Christmas break. Should he not play again until after Christmas, he would miss his team's next 19 games.
———
F Mathew Barzal, the first selection in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft, says he has yet to make up his mind whether he will sign with the Seattle Thunderbirds or take the NCAA route.
"The WHL is a great league and that's where I hope to play," Barzal, who is from Coquitlam, B.C., told Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald during the Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup. "But right now, I'm still talking with my family and my agent about my decision.
"I know what I want to do and I think the WHL is the best route. But I want to look at every avenue possible."
Barzal is the captain of Team BC at the Challenge Cup.
He plays for the major midget Vancouver-North East Chiefs for whom he has 30 points, including 10 goals, in 11 games.
(We will assume that someone will tell Barzal that he doesn’t have an agent, but he does have a family advisor. Wink! Wink!!)
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
F Marek Tvrdon scored two goals and added two assists as the visiting Vancouver Giants beat the Kootenay Ice, 6-3. . . . G Payton Lee, who is from Cranbrook, got the victory with 21 saves. Lee, 16, left the junior B Richmond Sockeyes on Friday and joined the Giants in Cranbrook. . . . F Kale Kessy added a goal and two assists for the Giants. . . . The Giants meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., tonight, while the Ice is in Medicine Hat to play the Tigers. . . .

F Greg Chase picked up three assists to help the Calgary Hitmen to a 4-2 victory over the Wheat Kings in Brandon. . . . The Hitmen led 3-0 when F Brooks Macek got his 10th goal at 16:00 of the first period. . . . The Hitmen, who beat the Pats 4-1 in Regina on Friday, meet the Warriors in Moose Jaw tonight. . . .

The Seattle Thunderbirds got two goals in the circus and beat the host Moose Jaw Warriors, 4-3. . . . F Alex Delnov and F Riley Sheen had Seattle shootout goals, while F Brayden Point scored for the Warriors. . . . Seattle F Brendan Rouse forced OT with a PP goal at 14:43 of the third. . . . Rouse also had two assists. . . . Seattle G Brandon Glover, who played in 32 games with the Warriors (2008-11), got the victory. . . . D Kendall McFaull, who missed a Friday game in Brandon with the flu, was back, but F Justin Kirsch, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Brandon, didn’t dress. . . .

F Jay Merkley scored the only goal of the circus to give the host Lethbridge Hurricanes a 5-4 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Merkley was the fifth shooter and the game ended when Saskatoon F Matej Stransky was unable to beat G Ty Rimmer, who has played every minute of Lethbridge’s season to this point. . . . He stopped 24 shots in this one, 16 fewer than Saskatoon’s Andrey Makarov. . . . The Hurricanes forced OT with two goals late in the third period — F Remi Laurencelle scored at 15:13 and F Craig Leverton equalized at 17:59. . . . F Josh Nicholls scored his 15th goal for the Blades, while F Adam Kambeitz got his first. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Justin Feser and F Brian Williams each scored twice as the Tri-City Americans beat the Red Deer Rebels, 5-2. . . . Feser just happens to be from Red Deer. . . . The Americans had lost three in a row to the Rebels. . . . The Americans are at home to the Vancouver Giants tonight. . . . Red Deer F Charles Inglis (flu) didn’t play. . . .

G Eric Williams stopped 26 shots as the host Spokane Chiefs beat the Everett Silvertips, 5-0. . . . Williams has one shutout this season and three in his career. . . . The Silvertips, who were playing their fourth game in five nights, have lost five in a row. . . . Spokane D Brenden Kichton got Spokane’s fifth goal, meaning the fans got coupons for a free Doritos Locos Taco. . . . Everett is back in Spokane on Tuesday and the Silvertips are staying there until that game. . . . The Chiefs were without F Mitch Holmberg, D Tanner Mort and D Reid Gow, all out with undisclosed injuries. Gow was hurt Friday night. “I’m not sure when we’re getting anyone back,” Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur told Steve Christilaw of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “Some of (the injuries) are long-term.” . . .

G Jackson Whistle earned the shutout as the host Kelowna Rockets dumped the Prince George Cougars, 5-0. . . . Whistle has two career shutouts, both against the Cougars. The first one came last season while he was with the Vancouver Giants. In three games with the Rockets, Whistle is 3-0-0, 0.82, .971. . . . Jordon Cooke, Kelowna’s other goaltender, blanked the visiting Kamloops Blazers 3-0 on Thursday. Cooke apparently suffered an undisclosed injury in Friday’s practice, so sat out last night. . . . G Cole Holowenko, released earlier by the Everett Silvertips, served as Kelowna’s emergency backup. He is from Penticton. . . . Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Rockets, notes that the Rockets have put up four home-ice shutouts already this season, as opposed to none all of last season. . . . Kelowna hasn’t allowed a goal in 175 minutes 21 seconds. . . . The Rockets have outscored opponents 12-1 in their last three games. . . . Kelowna next plays Wednesday when it entertains the Edmonton Oil Kings, who first play in Kamloops on Tuesday. . . .

The Portland Winterhawks ran their winning streak to eight games with a 6-2 victory over the visiting Victoria Royals. . . . The Winterhawks (12-3-1) swept a home doubleheader with the Royals, having won 6-2 on Friday, as well. . . . Victoria led this one 2-0 halfway through the first period. . . . Portland has a 44-12 edge in goals scored over its last eight games. . . . D Troy Rutkowski had two goals and an assist for Portland. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie ran his point streak to 10 games with his 11th goal, while F Nic Petan and F Brendan Leipsic each had a goal and two assists. . . . Petan has 17 points in a seven-game point streak. . . .

F Colten Mayor broke a 1-1 tie in the second period and the Regina Pats went on to beat the visiting Prince Albert Raiders, 4-1. . . . Mayor scored his sixth goal of the season at 6:54 of the second period. . . . The Pats iced it with goals 36 seconds apart, by F Dyson Stevenson and F Jack Rodewald, early in the third period. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt stopped 36 shots. . . . The Raiders had won three straight. . . .

In Swift Current, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored the last two goals and beat the Broncos, 2-1. . . . F Luke Bertolucci scored his first WHL goal in his ninth game to tie the score at 13:53 of the second period. . . . F Michael St. Croix got the winner, his 11th, at 8:17 of the third. . . . The  Broncos were 0-for-7 on the PP.
———
BTW, 15 of the WHL’s 22 teams are at .500 or better, thanks to the loser point, after Saturday’s games. That’s down from 17 after Friday’s games.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Cody Fowlie, Kelowna
F Zach Pochiro, Prince George
F Dylen McKinlay, Kelowna
F Mike Aviani, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon
F Mitch Deacon, Victoria
D Michal Plutnar, Tri-City
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Seattle Thunderbirds G Brandon Glover (@BGlover31), who did a stint with the Moose Jaw Warriors a couple of seasons ago: “Awesome win in #moosejaw . . Sad to go thru town and notice that a certain building is missing on the left side of main st. #crushed can”
———
TWEET OF THE DAY II:
From Prince Albert Raiders G Luke Siemens (@siems31): “Bus breaking down on way back to PA . . . classic #anybodyamechanic #funtimes”
A question: Does a team’s bus ever suffer a breakdown after a victory? The Raiders lost 4-1 to the Pats in Regina last night.

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.

I’ve been at this a long time. In fact, I can’t remember the last day when I didn’t post something here.
So I’m taking the weekend off.
Back early next week.
While I’m away, if you haven’t already, pay a visit to two blogs, both of which you will find over there on the right.
Ladies first . . .
We can . . . with love! is the work of Shelley Lowes, who has been fighting cancer and, not unlike the late Howard Cosell, has given us the blow-by-blow. Down goes cancer! Down goes cancer!
It’s A Mental Game is penned by Glen Erickson, a golfer and hockey writer who also is taking on the Big C. He, too, is allowing us to tag along.
Both blogs are more than worth your time.
Not to be overly dramatic, but you should read the latest offerings from Shelley and Glen, and then see if you feel the same way about the NHL lockout.
Seriously. Who cares? They’re negotiating. It’ll be over when it’s over. Wake me then.
In the meantime, I’m with Shelley and Glen. Hopefully, the bandwagon continues to fill up.
———
THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bernhard Keil (Kamloops, 2010-11) signed a two-year contract extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). The extension runs through the end of the 2014-2015 season. Keil has no points in five games with the Tigers this season and has one assist in one game on loan to Regensburg (Germany, Oberliga) this season.
———
The Medicine Hat Tigers have assigned G Dawson MacAuley, 18, to the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers. . . . MacAuley is the odd-man out after the Tigers acquired G Cam Lanigan, 20, from the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday. . . . MacAuley was 1-3 with a 3.84 GAA and a .881 save percentage. . . . The Tigers, who are in Edmonton Saturday, now have Lanigan and Czech freshman Marek Langhamer has their goaltenders.
———
The Brandon Wheat Kings have added David Anning, 27, to their coaching staff. Anning, who had been working as assistant GM/assistant head coach with the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons, will join the Wheat Kings on Sunday as they continue a seven-game road trip. He will work alongside head coach Dwayne Gylywoychuk, fellow assistant coach Darren Ritchie and goaltender coach Brent Zelenewich. . . . Anning was the GM/head coach of the MJHL’s Winnipeg Saints before moving to Steinbach. He also spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings and has worked with various Hockey Canada programs.
———
The Regina Pats have acquired F Colten Mayor, 19, and D Stephen Hak, 18, from the Red Deer Rebels for two 2015 bantam draft picks -- a fourth-rounder and a conditional sixth-rounder. . . . Mayor has three goals in 11 games this season with the Rebels after putting up 38 points in 52 games last season. He has played 168 WHL games so adds some experience to the Regina lineup. . . . Hak had six points in 55 games last season, but had been assigned to the MJHL’s Steinbach Pistons this season. . . . Mayor and Hak were expected to arrive in Regina Thursday night. The Pats are at home to the Tri-City Americans tonight.
———
The Swift Current Broncos and Saskatoon Blades have swapped a pair of 19-year-old skaters. F Brent Benson, who is from Weyburn, Sask., is joining the Broncos in exchange for D Graeme Craig, who is from Red Deer. . . . Benson sat out Saskatoon’s 2-1 OT victory over the visiting Tri-City Americans on Wednesday night with what the team said was the flu. He had three assists in 11 games with the Blades this season. Last season, he had 37 points in 72 games. He was the sixth overall selection in the 2008 bantam draft. . . . Craig had one assist in 11 games with the Broncos this season, after putting up 10 points in 56 games last season. The 64th overall selection in the 2008 bantam draft brings some size to Saskatoon’s back end, at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds. . . . Interestingly, the Blades play in Swift Current tonight and both players are expected to play for their new clubs. . . . Having added a defenceman, the Blades assigned D Nelson Nogier, 16, to the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. Nogier, the son of former WHL G Pat Nogier, was a fourth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft.
———
The Calgary Hitmen promoted assistant coach Brent Kisio to associate coach. . . . Kisio is in his sixth season with the Hitmen. He joined them in August 2007 as video/assistant coach after spending four seasons at the U of Nebraska-Omaha and graduating with a degree in criminology.
———
The Everett Silvertips have signed G Nik Amundrud, who was a third-round selection in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. Amundrud, who turns 15 on Saturday, is from Melfort, Sask. He practised with the Silvertips on Thursday in Saskatoon. He is 2-1, 3.33, .872 in three appearances with the midget AAA Tisdale Trojans this season.
———
Former NHLer Mike Busniuk is the interim head coach of the CIS Lakehead Thunderwolves (3-1-0) after Joel Scherban was dismissed on Thursday. Scherban was in his fourth season as the university team’s head coach. The 60-year-old Busniuk, who is from Thunder Bay, which is home to Lakehead U, spent two seasons as an assistant coach on Scherban’s staff. . . . Leith Dunick of tbnewswatch.com reported that “Scherban was let go for what team officials deemed internal issues, problems neither management nor the players would speak when pressed after the news broke.”
———
If you like the loser point, this one’s for you.
Robert Tychowski of the Edmonton Sun points out that the Oil Kings “managed just one win in their last five games, but still salvaged five of 10 points in that span thanks (?) to three of those losses coming in overtime or the shootout.”
So if you’re Edmonton head coach Derek Laxdal perhaps you are telling your players that things aren’t going so well because you’ve lost four of five.
But if you play for the Oil Kings you reply that you’re still point points in your jeans.
By the way, after Thursday’s game, 15 of the WHL’s 22 teams have a winning percentage of .500 or better.
The Oil Kings, who have lost six of 10 games (5-3-3), are at .591.
Go figure!
———
THURSDAY’S STUFF:
G Jordon Cooke, making his 10th start in 11 games, posted the shutout as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Prince George Cougars, 3-0. . . . Cooke stopped 32 shots for his second shutout this season and the second of his career. . . . Kelowna F Colton Sissons scored the game’s first goal, on a penalty shot, at 12:37 of the first period. . . . The Rockets were shorthanded at the time. . . . Prince George G Mac Engel, in his first start since being acquired from the Spokane Chiefs, stopped 23 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,781. . . . One of the big stories early in this WHL season may be the attendance in Kelowna, considering that franchise automatically drew at least 6,000 fans per game for the longest time. . . . The Cougars now head for Spokane and a Friday date with the Chiefs, who are in Prince George on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In Victoria, F Alex Gogolev scored twice against his former team as the Royals dumped the Calgary Hitmen, 3-1. . . . Gogolev, who has five goals, scored his second goal into an empty net. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges scored his club’s other goal as he returned from an eight-game absence due to injury. He hadn’t played since Sept. 28. . . . F Zack Jones, whom the Hitmen acquired for Gogolev, scored for Calgary. . . . Victoria was 0-for-5 on the PP, while Calgary didn’t receive even one opportunity with the man advantage.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Marc McNulty, Prince George
F Colton Heffley, Kelowna
———
“The Minnesota Department of Health has begun tracking concussions at 42 high schools in an attempt to gauge how the injuries affect students,” writes Alejandra Matos of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “Within the first seven weeks, 373 students were diagnosed as having had a concussion. Leslie Seymour, an epidemiologist with the Health Department, said tracking the injuries in fall sports, such as football and volleyball, is only the beginning.”
The complete story is right here.
———
The best story I saw yesterday is right here. It has nothing to do with hockey; in fact, it has nothing to do with sports. It's a love story involving a big bull elk and a cow. Seriously! Give it a read; it just might make your day.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From TC sports desk (@tc_vicsports): “60 minutes & not a single PP for @WHLHitmen who suffered a similar fate just 8 months ago in Victoria in a 5-3 win #WHL #strangebuttrue”

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.

Who knew that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were hockey fans?
Furthermore, who knew that they were fans of the BCHL's Vernon Vipers?
Hey, there they were on Friday night, watching the Vipers and Victoria Grizzlies go at it in the Wesbild Centre in Vernon.
Apparently, the happy couple was enjoying some skiing time at Silver Star, a resort near Vernon, when they decided to drop in on the hockey game.
Kidman and Urban left the game just prior to the end of the second period, which is even earlier than when NHL scouts bow out.
Sheesh, had Mark Ferner known such celebrities would drop by, he may have decided to stay with the Vipers, rather than leave for the WHL's Everett Silvertips. In fact, maybe the Aussie stars left because Ferner wasn't there!
For more, including a photo, click right here.
———
WHL TRADE TRACKER (trades made since Dec. 27):
Trades made: 7
Players: 15
Draft picks: 6
Deadline: Tuesday, 3 p.m. MT
———
The Red Deer Rebels have lost D Justin Weller for at least six weeks with a broken wrist. Weller, 20, underwent surgery on Sunday. He was injured during a 3-2 overtime loss to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday. Ironically, it was just last week when the Rebels found themselves carrying four 20-year-olds and were forced into dropping F Josh Cowen, who immediately was added to the coaching staff. . . . With the trade deadline approaching Tuesday, Jesse Wallin, the Rebels' GM and head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate that he isn't sure what he will do. “I don't know that a whole lot is going to happen,” Wallin said of the approaching trade deadline and how it is impacted by the Weller injury. “Nothing is imminent at this time. “t's tough to comment. We have a decision to make over the next couple of days.”
———
The Saskatoon Blades have had to change their plans regarding their goaltending situation. They had planned on returning Alex Moodie, 16, to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild. However, Andrey Makarov will be out at least a week after suffering a concussion in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the visiting Regina Pats. Makarov was injured in the first period when he was run over by Regina F Morgan Klimchuk, who was given a charging major and game misconduct. It seems, however, that Klimchuk may have received some help from Blades D Darren Dietz. . . . The Blades now will keep Moodie and go with him and Adam Todd until Makarov comes back. . . . There is, of course, another option. Perhaps they will trade for a goaltender prior to Tuesday afternoon's deadline. . . . The Blades next are scheduled to play Wednesday in Brandon.
———
SUNDAY'S GAMES:
In Calgary, the Hitmen overcame an early 3-0 deficit and beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 6-3. . . . Calgary has won five in a row. . . . F Brady Brassart had two goals and assist, while F Brooks Macek added a goal and two helpers for Calgary. . . . The Hitmen trailed 3-0 with three minutes left in the second period. They scored twice before the period ended and added four more in the third. . . . F Phil Tot scored his sixth goal for Lethbridge. This season, in 33 games, he has six goals and 15 assists. Last season, in 58 games, he had six goals and 15 assists. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 31 shots and F Max Reinhart drew two assists as the Kootenay Ice got past the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-1. . . . Lieuwen's evening included stopping Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk on a penalty shot at 7:41 of the third period with his club leading 2-1. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart scored his 12th goal to run his point streak to four games. . . . Tigers F Emerson Etem scored his 34th goal of the season. . . . Tigers G Tyler Bunz left the game in the first period to have a skate problem  fixed. Kenny Cameron came on and played 2:58 before Bunz re-entered. . . .

In Edmonton, F Colten Mayor, the 10th shooter, scored to give the Red Deer Rebels a 4-3 shootout victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Edmonton F Kristians Pelss forced OT with his 15th goal, at 12:07 of the third period. . . . Red Deer G Deven Dubyk stopped 37 shots through OT. He was beaten by F Tyler Maxwell, Edmonton's first shootout shooter, but then closed the door on the next four. . . . Red Deer took 61 of the 114 penalty minutes handed out. . . .

In Everett, F Todd Fiddler ran his goal streak to three games to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 5-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . This was the Chiefs' third victory in as many nights in three different cities. They beat the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors 5-2 on Friday and then doubled the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 in Kent, Wash., on Saturday. . . . The Chiefs erased a 2-1 deficit when F Mike Aviani and F Mitch Holmberg scored 26 seconds apart in the first period. . . . Aviani's goal came 42 seconds after F Kohl Bauml had given Everett a 2-1 lead with his sixth goal of the season, via the PP. . . . Fiddler, who was acquired last month from the Prince Albert Raiders, has eight goals, four of them in six games with Spokane. Fiddler has six points over his last three games. . . . G Eric Williams, who also came west in that deal, stopped 27 shots. . . . Everett F Trent Lofthouse, the son of former WHLer Mark Lofthouse, scored his second goal of the season. . . . Everett was playing its fourth game in five nights. . . . The teams will meet again Wednesday in Spokane and then go at it again Friday in Everett.
———
SUNDAY'S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Jaimen Yakubowski, Lethbridge.
D Albin Blomqvist, Lethbridge.
D Mathew Dumba, Red Deer.
F Jordan Peddle, Edmonton.
F Jarid Hauptman, Spokane
F Collin Valcourt, Spokane (double minor)
———
David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail suggests some areas that should be under consideration if the NHL is serious about ridding itself of what is an obvious problem with concussions. That piece is right here.
———
For today's good read, we visit the Toronto Star where Rick Westhead provides an intriguing look at the Kontinental Hockey League. It 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.

BRIAN SANDY

Brian Sandy is leaving the Tri-City Americans for Portland . . . for the NBA’s Trail Blazers, that is.
Sandy, the Americans’ chief marketing officer and senior vice-president of business operations, is to become the Trail Blazers’ senior director of premium seating sales and service. With the NBA season to open on Christmas Day, Sandy is to start in his new position on Thursday.
Sandy was one of Top Shelf Entertainment’s first hires after taking ownership of the Americans in June 2005 and he played no small role in helping turn around the franchise off the ice. By averaging more than 4,700 fans per game last season, the team once again posted an increase in attendance, as it did in each of his seasons in Tri-City.
According to an Americans’ news release, “Season-ticket sales topped the 2,600 mark for the first time since the club was relocated to the Mid-Columbia.  And, within the community, Sandy and the club have helped raise over $1.5 million for local charities through integrated fundraising nights and promotions.”
The Americans close out their preseason schedule this weekend with a home-and-home series with the Seattle Thunderbirds. They’ll play Friday in Kennewick, Wash., and finish up Saturday in Kent, Wash.
———
D Brandon Underwood of the Regina Pats has a hairline crack in his left ankle and is expected to be out of action for a month. “If there’s any time to get hurt it’s around the Christmas break when you get an extra week without missing any time,” Underwood, 19, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post. . . . Underwood was injured when he blocked a shot in a 2-0 victory over the Wheat Kings in Brandon on Dec. 4. . . . Underwood, who had 13 points and 44 penalty minutes in 29 games, has missed four games. He will wear a protective boot for up to four weeks. . . . The Pats have filled the roster spot by bringing in D Tyler Borstmayer from the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings.
———
F Dominik Uher of the Spokane Chiefs will play for the Czech Republic at the World Junior Championship that opens Dec. 26 in Calgary and Edmonton. Uher, 19, has 21 points in 24 games with the Chiefs. He was taken by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL draft. He will leave the Chiefs on Saturday and will miss Spokane’s final pre-Christmas game. The Chiefs are scheduled to play host to the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday and then take off for nine days. . . . First, though, Spokane will go home-and-home with the Everett Silvertips. They’ll play tonight in Spokane and Friday in Everett. . . .
———
For the second time in recent games, the Everett Silvertips have had a player escape a suspension despite taking a major penalty and game misconduct. First, F Josh Birkholz wasn’t suspended after taking a check-to-the-head major and game misconduct in a game against the host Kamloops Blazers. Now, Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that F Cody Fowlie, who was tossed with a major and game misconduct for a hit on D Michal Plutnar of the visiting Tri-City Americans on Saturday, won’t be suspended. . . . “I talked to Tips coach Mark Ferner about the hit after practice (Tuesday),” Patterson writes, “and he said after watching the video he wasn't sure it even warranted a penalty. Apparently the reason why Plutnar was injured is because the visor of his helmet came down and cut him across the bridge of the nose after Fowlie rubbed him out into the boards.” . . . Patterson reports that F Vladimir Dolnik will play against Spokane tonight and then leave for Slovakia’s pre-World Junior Championship camp. . . . F Jesse Mychan of the Silvertips completes a 10-game WHL suspension by sitting out tonight.
———
If you’re not aware, the BCHL’s Penticton Vees are on quite a roll. The put up their 16th straight victory on Tuesday night when they beat the Centennials 4-1 in Merritt. . . . The Vees are 28-3-2 (that would be two ties) and hold an 18-point lead over Merritt in the eight-team Interior Conference. . . . Penticton’s next game is Friday when they play host to the Westside Warriors.
———
TUESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
In Cranbrook, the Red Deer Rebels ended their franchise-record 13-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Rebels last won on Nov. 12 when they beat the Royals 7-4 in Victoria. . . . They had been 0-11-2 since then. . . . F Colten Mayor scored twice for Red Deer, while F Chad Robinson had three assists. . . . G Deven Dubyk, in his first game with the Rebels, stopped 31 shots. . . . Red Deer D Mathew Dumba and Kootenay F Max Reinhart both played after being released by Canada’s national junior team earlier in the day. . . . “It’s nice to get that off our back and get rewarded for our effort,” Jesse Wallin, the Rebels’ general manager and head coach, told the Red Deer Advocate. “This is a tough building to come into, always a tough building to play in. And coming in here against a very good hockey team with a full lineup was a little bit intimidating from the outset. But we really dug in and got a solid effort and played a very, very good hockey game tonight.” . . .

In Prince Albert, F Kellan Tochkin scored twice as the Raiders beat the Kamloops Blazers 5-2 . . . . The Raiders have won four in a row at home. . . . Raiders F Mike Winther, the WHL’s reigning player of the week, had a goal and two assists. . . . G Cole Holowenko stopped 29 shots for the Raiders in winning his second straight start. He blanked the Rebels 5-0 in Red Deer on Sunday. . . . Kamloops is 1-2-0 on its East Division tour. . . .

In Brandon, F Darian Dziurzynski had two goals and an assist to help the Wheat Kings to a 5-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Wheat Kings won their 20th game, improving to 20-13-2. . . . Swiss freshman F Alessio Bertaggia notched his 17th goal for Brandon before leaving with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Health permitting, Bertaggia is to join the Swiss national junior team in Calgary on Saturday. . . . Dziurzynski now has 21 goals. . . . Brandon G Brandon Anderson stopped 37 shots, two more than Kelowna’s Adam Brown. . . . The Rockets are 0-2-1 on their East Division swing. . . . With G Corbin Boes out with a broken hand, the Wheat Kings had Justin Holder from the midget AAA Wheat Kings on the bench backing up Anderson. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that the Rockets are hurting. “Already without six regulars including RW Brett Bulmer (Canadian junior camp), C Cody Chikie (upper body), C/RW Spencer Main (upper body) and D Myles Bell (lower body), the Rockets lost D Damon Severson and LW Tyrell Goulbourne to injuries during last night’s game.” . . .

In Kent, Wash., G Calvin Pickard stopped 37 shots as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Vancouver Giants, 3-0. . . . What’s that? You thought Pickard was in camp with Canada’s national junior team? Maybe this was his answer to Don Hay, the Vancouver head coach who also is Canada’s head coach. . . . It was Pickard’s second shutout of the season and the ninth of his career. . . . Pickard is 13-12-1, 3.31, .915. . . . Interstingly, each of Seattle ‘s scorers — F Branden Troock, Justin Hickman and Luke Lockhart — has six goals this season. . . . Troock scored the game’s first goal at 15:27 of the third period. . . . The Giants have been blanked twice this season.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Antoine Corbin, Prince Albert.
———
For today’s good read we turn to old friend Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail. He writes today about, yes, the puck. Seriously! And he does it as only he can. 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. . . thank you very much and Merry Christmas.