Marquette left his mark . . . Rebels captain close to return . . . Warriors stay alive

Dale Marquette, a former WHL coach and player who died on the weekend, definitely left an impression.
“Sorry to hear about the passing of Dale Marquette,” Greg Hutchings wrote on Facebook. “I played one game with him and did not know him well. I remember him for being real good to me at WK training camps.”
Hutchings played three WHL seasons (Brandon, Lethbridge, 1988-91).
Marquette, 47, died of complications from diabetes. He played four seasons in the WHL (Lethbridge, 1984-86; Brandon, 1986-88). He had 103 points, including 51 goals, in 1987-88.
Marquette was head coach of the Prince George Cougars in 1995-96.
In 2000-01, he was the head coach of the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires.
In an email, Aaron Wilbur, the managing director of The Coaches Site Ltd., wrote: “Was really sad to read about the passing of Dale Marquette. Dale gave me my break in coaching. He hired me to be his assistant in Quesnel when I was 20 years old and had zero experience. We ended up having the best season in franchise history that season. It was a fun ride. Have more stories from that season than the rest of my hockey career combined. . . . Dale was a good guy with a big heart.”

Sad to hear of the passing of former WHLer Dale Marquette… Played against him from' 85-87… Great competitor… Rest in peace.
— Brad Hornung (@Bradhornung) March 17, 2015

———
The Red Deer Rebels hope to have F Conner Bleackley, their captain, back for their last two regular-season games, a home-and-home series with the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Bleackley (groin) hasn’t played since Feb. 6 in Vancouver. He won’t play tonight in Calgary, meaning he will have missed 18 games. . . . “We’ve been really careful with how we’ve handled this just because of the type of injury it is,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ GM and head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “He skated for 25 minutes (Monday) and today (Tuesday) we’ll try to get him to go longer. If that goes well then (Wednesday) he’ll skate on his own and on Thursday he can go full practice. If all goes well, then hopefully we can have him for the weekend. That’s our goal.”
———




The Calgary Hitmen have added D Aaron Hyman, 16, and G Kyle Dumba to their roster for the remainder of the season. . . . The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Hyman was a third-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. From Calgary, he spent the last two seasons with the midget AAA Calgary Flames. . . . Dumba was a fourth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. The younger brother of Minnesota Wild D Matt Dumba, who played in the WHL with Red Deer and Portland, Kyle played this season at the Edge School in Calgary. He was named the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s top goaltender. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors have added D Josh Brook to their roster for the rest of this season. Brook, from Roblin, Man., was the fourth overall selection in the 2014 bantam draft. He had 36 points, including nine goals, in 32 games with the midget AAA Notre Dame Hounds, who play out of Wilcox, Sask.
———

THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION:
1. Brandon (2 games remaining) won in Regina last night and now leads the overall standings by four points over Kelowna (3). The Wheaties last finished first overall in 1995-96. . . . The Wheat Kings will play the conference’s second wild-card team, likely Edmonton, in the first round. . . . In Moose Jaw on Friday.
2. Regina (2) will finish second in division. Will meet third-place team in first round. . . . At home to Prince Albert on Friday.
3. Swift Current (2) lost in Moose Jaw last night and now leads the Warriors by two points. . . . In Lethbridge on Friday night.
4. Moose Jaw (2) now is two points behind Swift Current. . . . Should the Broncos and Warriors end up tied, there would be a play-in game at the home of the team with the most victories. Swift Current has a 32-31 edge. . . . Moose Jaw entertains Brandon on Friday.
——
CENTRAL DIVISION:
1. Calgary (3) completed a franchise-record 11-game road trip with a one-point lead over second-place Medicine Hat. . . . At home to Red Deer tonight.
2. Medicine Hat (3) trails Calgary by one point. Each team has 42 victories. . . . In Prince Albert tonight.
3. Red Deer (3) got to within one point of first place, but now is four points behind Medicine Hat and five in arrears of Calgary. . . . In Calgary tonight.
4. Kootenay (3) holds down the conference’s first wild-card spot, three points ahead of Edmonton. . . . In Lethbridge tonight.
5. Edmonton (2) is in the second wild-card spot, three points behind Kootenay. . . . At home to Red Deer on Friday.
——
B.C. DIVISION:
1. Kelowna (3) has clinched first place in the Western Conference. . . . Trails Brandon by four points in the race for first place in the overall standings. The first tiebreaker is victories and Brandon has the edge (52-51) at the moment. . . . At home to Seattle tonight.
2. Victoria (2) will finish second and meet the division’s third-place team in the first round. . . . At home to Everett on Friday.
3. Prince George (3) is two points ahead of Kamloops. . . . All three of its remaining games are against Kamloops, starting tonight and Friday in Prince George.
4. Kamloops (3) has two playoff options. It is two points behind third-place Prince George in the division and is tied with Tri-City (3) for the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Will meet Prince George three times this week — tonight and Friday in Prince George, and Saturday in Kamloops.
5. Vancouver (2) has one victory in its last 10 games and is hanging on by a hangnail. It is four points out of the conference’s second wild-card spot but has only two games remaining, both against Kelowna. . . . At home to the Rockets on Friday.
——
U.S. DIVISION:
1. Everett (3) leads the division by two points over Portland. . . . In Victoria on Friday.
2. Portland (4) is two points off the pace with a game in hand. . . . In Spokane tonight as it closes with four games in five nights.
3. Seattle (3) trails Portland by nine points so won’t finish second. . . . Is seven points ahead of Spokane. . . . In Kelowna tonight.
4. Spokane (4) is seven points behind Seattle and has clinched at least the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . At home to Portland tonight.
5. Tri-City (3) is tied with Kamloops for the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . At home to Portland on Friday.
(NOTE: If two teams tie for a conference’s last playoff spot, those teams will have a play-in game at the home of the team with the most victories. . . . That scenario could play out in the East Division. It also may happen in the B.C. Division and/or Western Conference. For example, should Tri-City and Kamloops end up tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, a play-in game will be played at the home of the team with the most victories. Tr-City leads, 29-27. . . . Should Prince George and Kamloops finish tied for third in the B.C. Division, the first tiebreaker is total victories. Prince George has a 29-27 edge. However, if one of those two teams would miss the playoffs in that situation, a play-in game would be held. . . . Clear as mud. Right?)
——

IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

Eastern Conference
Brandon vs. Edmonton
Calgary vs. Kootenay
Regina vs. Swift Current
Medicine Hat vs. Red Deer
——
Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Tri-City/Kamloops
Everett vs. Spokane
Victoria vs. Prince George
Portland vs. Seattle
(NOTE: Team with home-ice advantage shown first.)
———

TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Moose Jaw, F Torrin White broke a 1-1 tie at 2:17 of the second period and the Warriors went on to a 6-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . F Brett Howden scored twice for Moose Jaw, giving him 21, while D Tyler Brown had three assists and was plus-5. . . . White, who has 17 goals, also had two assists, while F Jesse Shynkaruk and F Jiri Smejkal each had a goal and an assist. D Austin Adam helped out with two assists. . . . Smejkal has 12 goals; Shynkaruk has nine. . . . Moose Jaw F Brayden Point scored his 36th goal after undergoing concussion protocol following a first-period collision with teammate Tanner Jeannot. . . . F Jake DeBrusk got No. 39 for the Broncos. . . . Warriors G Zach Sawchenko was sharp, with 41 saves. . . . F Tanner Eberle, listed as day-to-day on the injury report that was released earlier in the day, was back in Moose Jaw’s lineup. . . . F Jaimen Yakubowski didn’t play for the Warriors. . . . The Warriors (31-34-5) have won two in a row. . . . The Broncos (32-33-5) had won their previous two games. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald has a game story right here. . . .

The Regina Pats were the St. Pats last night as they wore special uniforms
for a St. Patrick's Day game with visiting Brandon.
(Terry Massey photo)

In Regina, F Nolan Patrick returned to Brandon’s lineup and scored twice, leading the Wheat Kings to a 4-1 victory over the Pats. (Actually, they were the St. Pats for one game only). . . . F Braden Christoffer opened the scoring, getting his 26th goal for the Pats just three minutes into the first period. . . . Patrick, who hadn’t played since Feb. 15, tied it at 6:41. . . . Brandon F Peter Quenneville broke the tie with his 27th goal at 5:03 of the second. . . . Patrick got his 28th goal at 5:39 of the third. . . . Former Pats F Morgan Klimchuk got his 33rd goal into an empty net at 18:13. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny made 24 saves, three fewer than Regina’s Tyler Brown. . . . Brandon was 0-for-5 on the PP; Regina was 0-for-6. . . . The Wheat Kings (52-11-7) have won five in a row. . . . The Pats (37-23-10) are 2-1-1 in their last four games. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds broke a 3-3 tie with four third-period goals as they beat the Tri-City Americans, 7-3. . . . The Americans, trailing 3-1, tied the score with two shorthanded goals late in the second period. . . . F Beau McCue scored his 25th goal of the season at 16:10 and F Justin Gutierrez got No. 11 at 18:46. . . . Seattle F Roberts Lipsbergs broke the tie with his 15th goal at 6:15 of the third and D Shea Theodore added his 12th, shorthanded, at 7:35. . . . Lipsbergs provided more insurance with a goal at 13:36. . . . Seattle also got three goals from F Scott Eansor. He scored twice in the first period, at 0:13 and 9:27, then filled his hat for the first time with an empty-netter at 15:09 of the third. he’s got 14 goals. . . . That was Seattle’s first three-goal game this season. . . . Eansor also had an assist, giving him his first four-point game. . . . F Nolan Volcan assisted on each of Eansor’s goals for his first three-point game. . . . F Mathew Barzal and F Calvin Spencer each had two assists for Seattle. . . . F Alexander True, listed as day-today on the injury report earlier in the day, returned to the Thunderbirds’ lineup. . . . Seattle (35-25-9) had lost its previous game. . . . The Americans (29-37-3) have lost two in a row.
——

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Medicine Hat at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
——

THURSDAY’S GAMES

No Games Scheduled.
——

FRIDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Calgary vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
——

SATURDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Kootenay at Calgary, 2 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 5 p.m.
Everett at Spokane 5:05 p.m.
END OF REGULAR SEASON
———

Scott Eansor becomes the first US-born @SeattleTbirds player to score a hat trick since Colin Jacobs (@Colin_Jacobs19) on 12/03/10 @ PG.
— TBird Tidbits (@TBirdTidbits) March 18, 2015

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Calgary sniper gets NHL deal . . . McBride stops 55 in victory . . . McGauley keeps scoring

F Sean O'Connor (Moose Jaw, 1999-2002) has signed a one-year contract with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). This season, with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany, DEL), he had six goals and five assists in 29 games. O’Connor holds dual Canadian-German citizenship.
———


D Colby Sissons has joined the Swift Current Broncos for the remainder of the regular-season. Sissons, who turned 17 on Jan. 15, played this season with the midget AAA Edmonton-based SSAC Boston Pizza Athletics. . . . Sissons, from Lacombe, Alta., played two games with the Broncos earlier this season.
——
F Adam Tambellini of the Calgary Hitmen has signed an entry-level deal with the NHL’s New York Rangers. They selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . Tambellini, 20, has 79 points, including 45 goals, in 65 games with the Hitmen this season. . . . Tambellini, from Port Moody, B.C., has 118 points, 62 of them goals, in 96 career regular-season games.
——
Canada and the U.S. will renew their junior hockey rivalry on Dec. 26 as the 2016 World Junior Championship opens in Helsinki. The defending-champion Canadians will be in Group A, along with the U.S., Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden. Group A will play its games in the Helsinki Ice Hall. Canada will play its second game, against Denmark, on Dec. 28, then will meet Switzerland on Dec. 29 and Sweden on Dec. 31. . . . The U.S. will play Sweden on Dec. 28, Switzerland on Dec. 30 and Denmark on Dec. 31. . . . Group B features Belarus, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia and Slovakia. Its games will be played in Hartwall Arena. . . . The tournament will conclude on Jan. 5.
———




F Evan Polei, who hasn’t played since Jan. 24, is close to returning to the Red Deer Rebels’ lineup. Meanwhile, F Conner Bleackley, the Rebels’ captain, may not be return until the start of the playoffs. D Colton Bobyk may return may not return for another 10 days. Bleackley hasn’t played since Feb. 6, while Bobyk has been out since Feb. 18. . . .
F Deven Sideroff of the Kamloops Blazers is back practising and could return tonight against the visiting Prince George Cougars. Sideroff has missed four games with what appeared to be a wrist injury. . . . With 40 points, including 16 goals, in in 58 games, Sideroff has been a big part of the the Blazers’ offence, skating alongside Matt Needham and Cole Ully. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors scratched F Tanner Eberle and F Jaimen Yakubowski again last night in Brandon. Eberle hasn’t played since Feb. 28; Yakubowski has been out since Feb. 27. . . . Neither is expected to play in a weekend home-and-home series with the Regina Pats.
———

THE COACHING GAME:

Ty Davidson is the new head coach of the junior B Sicamous, B.C., Eagles of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Davidson had been the general manager and head coach of the KIJHL’s Golen Rockets, but he resigned following the season, saying that he wanted to be closer to his family in Salmon Arm. . . . Davidson, the son of Everett Silvertips GM Garry Davidson, takes over from Blair Davidson, who had been the Eagles’ head coach for 18 years. Davidson was dismissed following Game 4 of a five-game first-round playoff loss to the Kamloops Storm. . . . “There’s nothing I want to say bad about it, and I won’t,” Eagles GM Wayne March told Lachlan Labere of the Eagle Valley News of Robinson’s departure. “It’s just, he did a great job for us, it was time for him to move on. We parted amicably, but he did a good job for us and has been well-appreciated over the years.”
———

THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION:
1. Brandon (5 games remaining) — Will finish atop the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1995-96. They will play the conference’s second wild-card team in first round. . . . A victory at home last night moved Brandon back into a tie with Kelowna (6) atop the overall standings. . . . At home to Saskatoon on Friday.
2. Regina (6) clinched second in division. Will meet third-place team in first round. . . . Freshman F Sam Steel suffered a leg injury last night. The seriousness has yet to be determined. . . . In Swift Current tonight.
3. Swift Current (6) has lost six in a row and now leads Moose Jaw by two points. . . . At home to Regina tonight.
4. Moose Jaw (5) lost on the road last night and remains two points behind Swift Current. . . . At home to Regina on Friday.
5. Prince Albert (6) won at home last night and now is four points behind Moose Jaw. . . . Entertains Swift Current on Friday.
6. Saskatoon (5) visits Red Deer tonight.
——
CENTRAL DIVISION:
1. Medicine Hat (6) is tied with Calgary atop the division. Medicine Hat has more victories (41-40) at the moment. . . . Tigers play in Cranbrook on Friday.
2. Calgary (6) has two games left in a franchise-record 11-game road trip. . . . Plays in Red Deer on Friday.
3. Red Deer (6) is five points off the pace. . . . At home to Saskatoon tonight.
4. Kootenay (5) holds down the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . At home to Lethbridge tonight.
5. Edmonton (4) is in the second wild-card spot, one point behind Kootenay. . . . At home to Medicine Hat on Friday.
6. Lethbridge (6) is at home to Edmonton on Friday.
——
B.C. DIVISION:
1. Kelowna (6) has clinched first place in the Western Conference and will play the second wild-card team in the first round. . . . Is tied with Brandon for first place in the overall standings. . . . At home to Victoria tonight.
2. Victoria (6) will finish second and meet the division’s third-place team in the first round. . . . In Kelowna tonight.
3. Prince George (6) is third, thanks to a 5-0-1 run. It is 7-1-2 in its last 10. . . . Prince George is four points ahead of Kamloops (6) and six up on Vancouver (5). . . . In Kamloops tonight.
4. Kamloops (6) will meet Prince George four times in the next two weeks — tonight in Kamloops, March 18 and 20 in Prince George, and March 21 in Kamloops. . . . The Blazers also are two points behind Tri-City (6), which holds down the conference’s second wild-card berth.
5. Vancouver (5) has lost seven straight and is two points behind Kamloops and four behind Tri-City. . . . Plays host to Victoria on Friday.
——
U.S. DIVISION:
1. Everett (6) leads the division by four points over Portland (8). . . . Key game tonight when Portland visits.
2. Portland (8) is on an 8-0-2 roll as it heads for Everett and tonight’s game.
3. Seattle (6) trails Portland by eight points. . . . At home to Everett on Friday.
4. Spokane (7) is in the first wild-card spot, seven points behind Seattle and nine ahead of Tri-City (6). . . . At home to Portland on Friday.
5. Tri-City (6) is in the second wild-card spot, two points ahead of Kamloops and four up on Vancouver. . . . Entertains Prince George on Friday.
——

IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

(NOTE: Team with home-ice advantage on the right.)

———

TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Prince Albert, the Raiders built up a 4-0 lead and then held off a furious Regina comeback before beating the Pats, 5-3. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride stopped 55 shots. . . . Raiders F Matteo Gennaro scored his 13th goal at 14:18 of the second period for a 4-0 lead. . . . The Pats got third-period goals from F Adam Brooks, his 28th, F Braden Christoffer, his 25th, and F Pavel Padakin, his 24th, to get to within one. . . . Padakin’s goal, on a PP, came at 15:44 with G Daniel Wapple on the bench for the extra attacker. Padakin was playing in his 200th WHL game. . . . Raiders F Reid Gardiner iced it with an empty-netter at 19:01. He’s got 32 goals. . . . F Jordan Tkatch scored twice for the Raiders, giving him 11 goals, while F Jayden Hart had three assists. . . . Regina F Sam Steel was helped from the ice with an apparent leg injury and went to the dressing room in the second period. After the game, Phil Andrews, the radio voice of the Pats, tweeted: “John Paddock says Sam Steel’s injury is not serious at first assessment. Will know more in the days to come.” . . . Regina was 1-for-1 on the PP; the Raiders weren’t given even one opportunity. . . . Wapple finished with 20 saves. . . . Prince Albert (28-35-3) has won four in a row. . . . Regina (35-22-9) has lost two in a row. . . .

Congrats to #BWK Center Tim McGauley on joining the 100 point club! #timmie #thestreak #bdnmb pic.twitter.com/BTSxp9lryQ
— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) March 11, 2015

In Brandon, F Tim McGauley scored once and added two assists as the Wheat Kings beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 5-3. . . . McGauley became the second WHLer this season to reach the 100-point plateau when he scored his 41st goal into an empty net at 19:44 of the third period. He now is tied for the WHL scoring lead with Medicine Hat Tigers F Trevor Cox. . . . McGauley extended his point streak to 23 games with an assist on a first-period goal by F Morgan Klimchuk. That goal, his 30th this season, ran Klimchuk’s point streak to 11 games. . . . McGauley has 16 goals and 34 assists in those 23 games. . . . The Wheat Kings led 2-0 in the first period but found themselves trailing 3-2 after Warriors F Brayden Point scored his 33rd goal with 8.7 seconds in the second period. . . . Brandon F Rihards Bukarts tied it with his 31st goal at 3:16 of the third and F Jayce Hawryluk broke the tie with this second of the game, and 28th of the season, at 8:23, via the PP. . . . Point also had an assist, while F Axel Blomqvist had two helpers. . . . Klimchuk and Bukarts also added an assist each. . . . Moose Jaw F Jesse Shynkaruk and Brandon F John Quenneville were tossed 45 seconds into the game for taking part in a staged fight. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 29 shots, four fewer than Moose Jaw’s Zach Sawchenko. . . . Brandon was 1-for-2 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 0-for-1. . . . The Wheat Kings (49-11-7) have won two straight. . . . The Warriors (29-33-5) had a three-game winning skein end. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice scored the game’s first three goals and went to a 4-1 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Ice F Luke Philp opened the scoring at 1:17 of the first period. That was his 29th goal of the season and his 200th career regular-season point. . . . Philp later added an assist. . . . Ice F Jaedon Descheneau scored his 30th goal of the season, while F Tim Bozon got No. 32 into an empty net at 19:47 of the third. . . . Descheneau has reached the 30-goal mark for a third straight season. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin stopped 27 shots, losing his shutout bid when F Giorgio Estephan scored his 21st goal at 18:55 of the third. . . . Ice D Rinat Valiev had two assists. . . . Lethbridge G Jayden Sittler made 41 stops. . . . Ice F Jon Martin took 29 of his team’s 33 penalty minutes. He got into a dustup with D Devan Fafard at 19:12 of the first period and was given two for instigating, two for roughing, five for fighting, a misconduct and a game misconduct. . . . Ch-ch-ching! Lethbridge GM/head coach Peter Anholt picked up a game misconduct at 18:42 of the third period with his side trailing 3-0. . . . The Ice (34-29-4) ended a three-game losing skid (0-2-1). . . . The Hurricanes (20-38-8) have lost two in a row. . . . Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has a game story right here. . . .

In Edmonton, the Oil Kings scored three power-play goals en route to an 8-1 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The home team scored the first four and last four goals in this one as they scored eight times for the first tie this season. . . . F Edgars Kulda and F Andrew Koep each had a goal and two assists, while D Ashton Sautner had two assists. Kulda has 12 goals; Koep has 13. . . . Edmonton F Lane Bauer scored the game’s first goal, his 24th, 53 seconds into the game and the Oil Kings took it from there. . . . The Oil Kings were 3-for-7 on the PP; the Blades were 0-for-4. . . . Edmonton G Triston Jarry stopped 34 shots, including a second-period penalty shot by F Sam McKechnie. . . . Saskatoon G Brock Hamm turned aside 38 shots. . . . The Oil Kings (32-29-7) have won two straight. . . . The Blades (19-44-4) have lost four in a row. . . .

In Vancouver, F Dominic Zwerger broke a 1-1 tie at 13:28 of the first period and the Spokane Chiefs went on to a 4-3 victory over the Giants. . . . Zwerger has 15 goals. . . . F Jackson Playfair gave the Chiefs a two-goal lead with his 12th at 5:39 of the second. . . . Vancouver F Jackson Houck scored his 22nd goal, on a PP, at 9:30 of the second. . . . F Blair Oneschuk got his sixth goal at 17:49 of the second to restore Spokane’s two-goal lead. . . . Giants F Zane Jones got his guys close with his 28th goal at 1:10 of the third, but they weren’t able to equalize. . . . The Giants’ coaching staff moved D Arvil Atwal to the forward ranks for this one. . . . The Chiefs (32-29-4) had lost two in a row. . . . The Giants (26-38-3) have lost seven in a row.
———

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Regina at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Portland at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
———

THURSDAY’S GAMES

No Games Scheduled
———

FRIDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Saskatoon at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Regina at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Prince George vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
Everett vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.
———

Taber, Alberta, has banned swearing, spitting and yelling in public. In other words, Taber just banned hockey
— Tyler Olsen (@ty_olsen) March 10, 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.

No WHL in Washington? . . . Remembering Ryan Donaldson . . . Thunderbirds edge Rockets

A WHL without any franchises in the state of Washington?
It could happen.
That was the message delivered by representatives of the WHL’s four Washington-based franchises to a State House Committee on Labor in the state capital of Olympia on Tuesday.
The committee is addressing the nonemployee status of athletes in amateur sports. The bill in front of the committee would exempt athletes playing in amateur leagues from laws mandating they be paid the minimum wage.
According to a report filed by king5.com, Russ Farwell, the president and general manager, of the Seattle Thunderbirds and Gary Gelinas, the president of the Everett Silvertips, told the committee that “if the state does not change the definition, they could be forced to move the franchises out of state because it would not be able to continue to have 16- and 17-year-old players on the roster.”
The Chiefs were represented by Greg Sloan, their chief financial officer, while Bob Tory, the governor and general manager, was there on behalf of the Americans.
King5.com reports that all four representatives “spoke in favour” of the bill.
Farwell told the committee that “our players are 100 percent amateurs.” . . . The king5.com story is right here.
There is a video report right here.
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It is just more than a year since Ryan Donaldson’s death and his sister, Kirsten, is determined that he won’t be forgotten. But it’s more than that. She is starting the Ryan Donaldson Memorial Tournament in his memory. But it’s still more than that. . . . I don’t know if the medical community has determined a direct link between suicide and concussions, but common sense tells you the possibility is there and that it’s strong. Kirsten told 604now.com that she wants “to raise the money so that we can have an account for any athlete that gets a concussion and can’t afford the secondary test, or needs to go to a specialist and can’t afford to go.” . . . The complete story is right here. . . . Ryan, who was 17 when he died, had been a fifth-round selection by the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft.
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The Victoria Royals are getting into the Hockey Hooky business. They have designated Tuesday’s game against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors as their inaugural Hockey Hooky Day. Game time will be 12:05 p.m. . . . It will be Victoria’s first weekday matinee game. . . .
The Moose Jaw Warriors play the first of seven straight road games tonight in Lethbridge. The Warriors are out of their building while the Canadian women’s curling championship is decided. . . . Moose Jaw F Jesse Shynkaruk will complete a three-game suspension tonight. The Warriors are hoping F Jaimen Yakubowski 20, will be back after a three-game injury-related absence. . . .
F Conner Bleackley of the Red Deer Rebels isn’t likely to play in either of the club’s two home games this weekend, Friday against Lethbridge and Saturday against Prince George. . . . Bleackley, the Rebels’ captain, suffered an undisclosed injury in a Saturday game in Vancouver. . . . “I would say he’s questionable, at best, for the weekend,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ GM/head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate.“He’s still pretty sore and it’s just a matter of taking it day-by-day, but I don’t think he’s be available for the next two games.” . . .
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet takes a look at the Evander Kane situation right here. It’s all-encompassing and well worth a read.
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“Former NHL star Robert (Butch) Goring and well-known veterans Sergio Momesso, Manny Legace, Brian Savage and Todd Warriner are among a group of 29 retired players who Monday joined concussion litigation against the NHL for failing to protect its players from the effects of traumatic head injuries,” Ada Proteau of The Hockey News reported on Monday. “The new group of 29 players included their names in a U.S District Court lawsuit filed in Minnesota Monday. Although they aren’t represented by lead counsel in the original lawsuit, they are now linking up to accuse the NHL of not doing enough to take appropriate care of their health and cognitive abilities and are seeking unspecified damages as well as a jury trial. The list also includes recognizable names including Todd Elik, Greg Adams and Todd Harvey.” . . . Proteau’s complete report is right here.
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Another concussion-related lawsuit has been filed in the U.S., this one naming Pop Warner football. Edwin Rios of Mother Jones writes: “On Thursday, Debra Pyka, the mother of Joseph Chernach, a 25-year-old Wisconsin man who committed suicide in 2012, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Pop Warner, claiming that cognitive damage from his three years in organized youth football was responsible for his death. The lawsuit claims Chernach suffered from postconcussion syndrome and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease most often associated with former NFL players, as a result of "numerous" concussions he sustained starting when he was 11.” . . . There’s more right here.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Swift Current, G Rylan Parenteau stopped 35 shots to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 2-1 victory over the Broncos. . . . Parenteau stopped 29 of 30 shots over the last two periods. . . . He lost his shutout bid when F Colby Cave scored his 22nd goal with 0.4 of a second left on the clock. . . . F Sean Montgomery scored his fourth goal of the season at 10:48 of the second period and D Mackenze Stewart got his third at 7:33 of the third. . . . The Raiders (22-31-2) had lost four straight (0-3-1). They are nine points out of a playoff spot with 17 games remaining. . . . The Broncos (25-24-5), who are third in the East Division, had won their previous two games. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Spokane Chiefs scored three times in the first 3:08 of the game and went on to a 6-3 victory over the Chiefs. . . . F Adam Helewka scored his 29th goal just 22 seconds into the game to get the visitors started. He later added an assist. . . . F Jacob Cardiff added his third at 1:07 and F Jackson Playfair got his ninth at 3:08. . . . F Liam Stewart had two goals for Spokane, giving him 19, while F Kailer Yamamoto ended a 10-game goalless drought with his 17th goal and two assists. . . . F Wyatt Sloboshan had two assists for the Blades, while D Brycen Martin got his sixth goal and also had an assist. . . . The Chiefs (26-23-4) are 2-1-0 on a six-game swing through the East Division that continues tonight in Prince Albert. Spokane holds down the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . The Blades (15-35-3) have lost four in a row. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored the only two goals of a shootout and beat the Regina Pats, 5-4. . . . Tigers F Markus Eisenschmid forced OT when he scored his second goal of the game and 17th of the season with 15.6 seconds left in the third period. . . . F Dryden Hunt and F Cole Sanford scored the shootout goals. . . . F Austin Wagner’s 18th goal, at 1:01 of the third period, gave the Pats a 3-1 lead. . . . The Tigers tied it on goals from Eisenschmid, at 6:53, and D Kyle Burroughs, on a PP, at 8:32. Burroughs has six goals. . . . Regina F Braden Christoffer gave his side the lead with his 17th goal at 9:52. . . . Hunt had two assists. . . . F Pavel Padakin scored twice for the Pats, giving him 19. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 45 shots through OT, 18 more than Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer. . . . The Tigers (36-15-3) had lost four in a row (0-3-1). They now lead the Central Division by eight points over the Calgary Hitmen, who have won eight straight. . . . The Pats (30-17-7), who are a comfortable second in the East Division, have points in six straight (4-0-2). . . .

In Kent, Wash., D Jerret Smith’s PP goal at 16:26 of the third period gave the Seattle Thunderbirds a 2-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Smith has six goals this season. . . . F Nick Merkley gave the Rockets a 1-0 lead with his 17th goal at 9:14 of the second period. . . . F Mathew Barzal pulled Seattle even with his 10th goal at 10:22 of the third. . . . Barzal also drew an assist on the winner. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 32 shots, seven more than Kelowna’s Michael Herringer, who suffered his first loss in six decisions. . . . According to the Thunderbirds, there were 42 NHL scouts at the game. . . . The Thunderbirds were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-for-6. . . . Kelowna played its second game without F Tyson Baillie, who took a shot to the head in Kamloops on Saturday. The Rockets also are missing G Jackson Whistle (appendectomy). . . . Kelowna F Tomas Soustal didn’t play. He drew a ‘tbd’ suspension for a charging major and game misconduct he incurred on Monday against Prince George. . . . Seattle improved to 28-20-6 and closed to within four points of second-place Portland in the U. S. Division. Seattle holds a game in hand. . . . The Rockets (42-9-4) had points in each of their previous nine games (8-0-1).
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

(all times local)
Spokane at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Everett, 7:05 p.m.


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Family Day is hockey day in B.C. . . . Wheaties move to the top . . . Hitmen run streak to eight

Today (Monday) is a holiday — Family Day — in B.C., and that’s good for hockey fans. There are four games on the WHL schedule, all of them afternoon games in B.C. . . . The Edmonton Oil Kings visit the Victoria Royals, the Tri-City Americans travel to Kamloops to play the Blazers and the Seattle Thunderbirds are in Vancouver to meet the Giants. Those three games all start at 2 p.m. . . . In the other game, the Prince George Cougars are in Kelowna to face the Rockets, at 2:05 p.m.
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The Red Deer Rebels aren’t certain how long they’ll be without F Conner Bleackley, their captain. He suffered an undisclosed injury on Friday night in Vancouver and didn’t play Saturday in Victoria. . . . “He said it felt better yesterday, but to be honest he has an injury that could keep him out for days or maybe for weeks,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ general manager and head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “He won’t skate until Thursday at the earliest, and we probably won’t know the extent of the injury until then.” . . . The Rebels don’t play until Friday when they entertain the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
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It was wonderful to see old friend Don Dietrich getting some TV time on Saturday night. Dietrich, a former Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman who went on to play with Canada’s national team and in the NHL, has had a tough time in recent years but you won’t hear him complaining. . . . If you missed the TV spot, it’s right here. . . . And if you’re looking for a great read, he wrote a book — No Guarantees — a few years ago. You should be able to find it right there.
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F Quinn Benjafield of the Kamloops Blazers won’t play today against the visiting Tri-City Americans. He was hit with a ‘tbd’ suspension for a headshot major and game misconduct during Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets. He hit Kelowna F Tyson Baillie late in the third period. . . . Baillie needed attention on the ice, but was able to get off under his own power. He went directly to the dressing room. His status for today’s game against visiting Prince George isn’t known. . . .
F Tyler Lewington of the Medicine Hat Tigers will sit out one game for instigating a fight in the final five minutes of Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Tigers were fined $500 for Lewington’s actions. . . .
D Arvin Atwal of the Vancouver Giants won’t play against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds today. He drew a one-game suspension for the game misconduct he took in Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:

In Lethbridge, the Brandon Wheat Kings moved into first place in the overall standings with a 7-2 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . The Wheat Kings are one point ahead of the idle Kelowna Rockets, who hold two games in hand and are at home to Prince George this afternoon. . . . The Wheat Kings scored four times in the game’s first 11 minutes to take control of this one. . . . F Rihards Bukarts scored twice, giving him 23, as Brandon completed a road trip with its fourth victory in five days. Brandon outscored its opponents 22-9 in the four games. . . . Brandon F Peter Quenneville scored his 15th goal and added an assist, while D Macoy Erkamps and F Reid Duke each had two assists against their former team. . . . Brandon F Tyler Coulter scored his 10th goal after going 22 games without a score. . . . Brandon F Tim McGauley had an assist to run his point streak to 11 games. He’s got 22 points, including eight goals, in that stretch. . . . Wheaties D Mark Taraschuk was pointless but finished plus-4. . . . Lethbridge F Giorgio Estephan scored his 14th goal on a third-period PP and also had an assist. . . . The Wheat Kings held a 55-25 edge in shots. . . . Brandon was without D Ivan Provorov, who suffered an undisclosed injury early in the third period on Saturday night in Cranbrook. . . . The Wheat Kings already were without F John Quenneville (suspected concussion) and F Jayce Hawryluk (undisclosed injury). . . . The Wheat Kings (41-9-5) are 17-2-1 since coming back from the Christmas break. . . . The Hurricanes (15-32-6) had a three-game winning streak end. . . .

In Everett, F Carson Stadnyk scored the OT winner and had two assists as the Silvertips beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-3. . . . Everett, the U.S. Division leader, went into the game with a five-point lead over Portland. That lead now is six. . . . Stadnyk, who scored at 1:34 of extra time, has 21 goals. . . . Portland F Chase De Leo forced OT when he scored his 27th goal with 31.3 seconds left in the third period and G Adin Hill on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . With the score 2-2 in the third, Portland defencemen Blake Heinrich and Layne Viveiros took delay of game penalties 30 seconds apart. . . . Everett F Kohl Bauml scored his second goal of the game 40 seconds after the 5-on-3 began. . . . Bauml, who also had an assist, has 27 goals this season. . . . Everett took a 2-0 lead into the second period on goals by F Dawson Leedahl, his 10th, and Bauml, the latter scoring at 19:17. . . . Everett had a 19-9 edge in first-period shots despite giving up the period’s only two PP opportunities. . . . Portland scored twice in the second period, with F Oliver Bjorsktrand getting his 37th at 8:13 and F Paul Bittner getting No. 22 on a PP at 10:53. . . . Everett D Noah Juulsen and F Patrick Bajkov each had two assists. . . . D Adam Henry had two assists for Portland. . . . Hill finished with 45 saves, 15 more than Everett G Carter Hart. . . . Portland D Josh Hanson, a 20-year-old from Eagle River, Alaska, played in his 300th regular-season game. . . . Everett improved to 34-16-4, while Portland now is 31-20-4. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Calgary Hitmen ran their winning streak to eight games with a 5-2 victory over the Blades. . . . F Brett Stovin got the Blades on the board with his 22nd goal, on the PP, at 3:57 of the first period. . . . Calgary answered with three goals and took a 3-1 lead into the third period. . . . F Kenton Helgesen tied it with his 17th goal at 6:27 of the first. F Adam Tambellini scored his 38th, shorthanded, to give the Hitmen the lead at 8:06 of the second. D Michael Zipp upped the lead to 3-1 with his eighth goal at 18:25. . . . Zipp and D Keegan Kanzig, who scored his second goal and added an assist, each was plus-4. . . . Helgesen also had an assist, as did Stovin. . . . Calgary D Jake Bean drew an assist on his club’s fourth goal to set a franchise record for single-season points by a rookie defenceman (33). He was sharing the record with Matt Kinch (1996-97). . . . The Hitmen (31-17-5) are second in the Central Division, six points behind Medicine Hat and three ahead of Red Deer. . . . The Blades (15-34-3) have lost three in a row. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here.
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For anyone wondering, @bdnwheatkings are first team in Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff spot. #bdnmb
— Bruce Luebke (@wheatkingsvoice) February 9, 2015

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Ex-Brandon defenceman dies . . . Wheaties end Edmonton drought . . . Rebels win fourth straight

F Jordan Knackstedt (Red Deer, Moose Jaw, 2004-08) signed for the rest of this season with Kaufbeuren (Germany, DEL2). Knackstest was released on Monday by mutual agreement by Saryarka Karaganda (Kazakhstan, Vysshaya Liga). This season, with Rubin Tyumen (Russia, Vysshaya Liga), he had two goals and three assists in 17 games. He was traded to Karaganda on Dec. 15 and had one goal in six games. . . .
F Chris St. Jacques (Medicine Hat, 1999-2004) has been released by mutual agreement by the Wedemark Scorpions (Germany, Oberliga). He had eight goals and 15 assists in 12 games. According to Wedemark's Facebook page, St. Jacques is to start practising with Olten (Switzerland, NL B) today. . . .
F Adam Courchaine (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, 2001-05) has been released by the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL) at his request. He had 23 points, 11 of them goals, in 27 games. . . .
D David Hájek (Spokane, 1998-99) has signed for the rest of this season with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, DEL2). This season, with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2), he had two goals and five assists in 12 games. . . .
D Petr Šenkeřík (Kootenay, Prince George, 2009-10) has been assigned on loan by Vítkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga) to Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for the rest of this season. With Vítkovice, he had one goal and six assists in 25 games. In seven games with Havířov (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), he had two goals and seven assists in seven games.
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‘RADVILLE’ ROD AND HIS SEVEN TEAMS:

It began with an email from Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province.
He was wondering if I could recall who might hold the record for having played with the most WHL teams.
Ewen was writing a story on F Zane Jones, 20, who was acquired by the Vancouver Giants from the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday. Jones is joining his fifth WHL team; he played for the Chilliwack Bruins and Victoria Royals, and we’re counting that as one team. Jones also played for the Calgary Hitmen and Everett Silvertips.
Anyway . . . I immediately thought of F Rod Williams, aka ‘Radville’ Rod. Yes, he is from Radville, Sask.
Williams, who now lives and works in Regina, played for seven different WHL teams, and he did it when there were only 14 teams in the league. Now that’s impressive!
He played his first WHL game in 1982-83 with the Lethbridge Broncos. He wrapped up his WHL career after playing seven games with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 1987-88. In between, he also played with the Kelowna Wings (71 games), New Westminster Bruins (1), Brandon Wheat Kings (70), Victoria Cougars (29) and Regina Pats (18). He totalled 23 games with the Tigers. In fact, he had two separate stints with Brandon, so you could make a case that he played for eight teams. But for the purposes of this, we are counting it as one team.
Interestingly, he played with three teams in 1985-86 and repeated that feat the following season.
So what made ‘Radville’ Rod so attractive to so many teams?
Well, he was 6-foot-2 and about 200 pounds. He showed up every night, whether at home or on the road. He had a terrific smile and provided a whole lot of sandpaper. The Tigers, under head coach Bryan Maxwell, thought enough of him that they acquired him from Regina late in 1986-87 as they were en route to a second straight Memorial Cup title.
Unfortunately, Williams struggled with injuries during his career. But in 213 regular-season WHL games, he put up 110 points, including 42 goals, and 431 penalty minutes.
He also scored one goal in four Memorial Cup games.
An 11th-round selection by the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL’s 1985 draft, Williams left the game before ever playing a pro game. If memory serves, he had knee and shoulder issues.
Meanwhile, there are at least eight players who played with six teams. They are:
F Grant Chorney (Seattle, Regina, Calgary, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Victoria Cougars, Saskatoon, 1986-90).
G Don Blishen (Calgary Wranglers, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Swift Current, Portland, Tri-City, Brandon, 1986-90).
F Shawn Green (Victoria Cougars, Lethbridge Broncos, New Westminster, Calgary Wranglers, Kamloops, Saskatoon, 1981-85).
F Jeff Jubenville (Seattle, Brandon, Saskatoon, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Tacoma, Kamloops, 1990-95).
D Garth Lamb (Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw, Victoria Cougars, Swift Current, Lethbridge Hurricanes, New Westminster, 1984-88).
F Jamison Orr (Vancouver Giants, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Brandon, Saskatoon, Medicine Hat, Prince George, 2002-06).
D Zak Stebner (Red Deer, Prince Albert, Kamloops, Calgary Hitmen, Tri-City, Kelowna, 2005-11).
F Steve Young (Calgary Wranglers, Lethbridge Hurricanes, New Westminster, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Portland, 1983-90).
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According to the WHL Guide, F Martin Smith also played for six teams (Seattle, Saskatoon, Brandon, Victoria Cougars, Regina, Prince Albert, 1988-90). However, I am unable to find any indication that he did indeed play for the Raiders.
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I stand to be corrected but I would suggest that Jamison and Colton Orr hold the WHL record for most teams played for by brothers. As noted above, Jamison played for six teams. Colton, meanwhile, played for three (Swift Current, Kamloops and Regina).
With nine, the Orr brothers beat out Erin and Kevin Ginnell, who totalled eight teams. Erin played for New Westminster, Calgary Wranglers, Seattle, Regina and Swift Current; Kevin skated with the Lethbridge Broncos Medicine Hat and Calgary Wranglers.
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Former Wheat Kings D dies at 64;

had brief role in Slap Shot

Terry Marshall, who played four seasons (1967-71) as a defenceman with the Brandon Wheat Kings, has died. Marshall, who lived in Rapid City, Man., was 64.
Marshall, who was born in Brandon and raised in Virden, was a seventh-round selection (92nd overall) by the St. Louis Blues in the NHL’s 1970 draft. He was the Wheat Kings’ MVP for 1970-71.
Marshall went on to play five seasons of pro hockey, but never made it to the NHL.
He spent two of those seasons in the Eastern Hockey League, playing with the Charlotte Checkers, Jersey Devils and Long Island Ducks. He finished up by playing three seasons with the Syracuse Blazers of the North American Hockey League, which also included the Johnstown Jets.
Marshall was a familiar face on the rodeo circuit in southwestern Manitoba. He was the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Pick-up Man of the Year in 1995. Yes, his nickname was Cowboy.
If you watch closely in the movie Slap Shot, you will catch a glimpse of Marshall.
Bill Redekop, who has long written about rural Manitoba for the Winnipeg Free Press, recounted in his book Made in Manitoba how Marshall got into Slap Shot.
“Marshall is the guy in the movie with the big black beard,” Redekop told Roger Newman of the Interlake Enterprise in October 2011. “He is in one early hockey scene and appears later holding open a door while Paul Newman jaws with fictional hockey goon Dr. Hook.”
As Roger Newman wrote: “(Marshall) got into Slap Shot because he fought regularly with Ned Dowd of the Johnstown Jets whose sister, Nancy Dowd, wrote the Slap Shot screenplay. Ned helped his sister by providing her with material and rounding up 30 Eastern league tough guys to play on-ice extras.”
Slap Shot was filmed in 1976, after Marshall had played his final season. According to hockeydraftcentral.com, Marshall was paid $1,800 for six full days of filming.
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There was quite a shocker out of the OHL on Tuesday afternoon when the Guelph Storm announced that Scott Walker had stepped down as head coach, effective immediately. . . . Assistant coaches Bill Stewart and Todd Harvey are expected to handle things through the end of this season. Stewart and Harvey have been coaching the team since Nov. 24. That‘s when Walker, 41, came down with the mumps. Shortly after, he joined Canada’s national junior team . . . In a news release, Walker, who also owns a piece of the Sorm, was quoted as saying: "I want to spend more time with my family as life has been incredibly hectic since I retired as an NHL player several years ago.” . . . Walker was an assistant coach with the Canadian team that won the WJC. . . . Tony Saxon of the Guelph Mercury has more right here.
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Still with the OHL, the sale of the Plymouth Whalers is expected to be announced this morning, with the franchise relocating to Flint, Mich., following the season. Bob Duff of the Windsor Star has more right here.
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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet opens this week’s 30 Thoughts with thoughts on the Los Angeles Kings. But, as usual, there’s a lot more than that right here. Enjoy!
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F Tyson Predinchuk, 19, who left the Portland Winterhawks last week in search of more playing time, has joined the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires. Predinchuk is from Regina. . . .
The Vancouver Giants have signed D Ryan Jones, 16, who is with the junior B Richmond Sockeyes of the Pacific Junior Hockey League. From Delta, B.C., Jones has 20 points, including two goals, in 27 games with the Sockeyes. . . .
The Victoria Royals have given D Joe Hicketts a few days off, so he’s at home in Kamloops with the gold medal he won with Canada at the WJC. He will be in attendance tonight as the Blazers entertain the Portland Winterhawks, and will be honoured in a pre-game ceremony. He also will be signing autographs in the first intermission. . . .
The St. Louis Blues beat the visiting Edmonton Oilers 4-2 last night. That was NHL coaching victory No. 684 for Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock, moving him into a tie with the late Pat Quinn for fifth on the all-time list. . . . Next up? Dick Irvin Sr., 692.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Edmonton, D Ryan Pilon broke a 1-1 tie at 17:42 of the second period and the Brandon Wheat Kings held on for a 2-1 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The Wheat Kings had lost 14 straight games (regular season and playoffs) in Edmonton. . . . On Sunday, when they beat the Hitmen 5-4, Brandon snapped an 11-game regular-season skid in Calgary. . . . Pilon has seven goals. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny, who is from Edmonton, stopped 25 shots. . . . Brandon F John Quenneville, who also is from Edmonton, got Brandon’s first goal, at 16:55 of the first, on a PP. He’s got 15 goals. . . . That was the first time in six games that the Wheat Kings opened the scoring. . . . F Brett Pollock scored his 19th goal for Edmonton, at 10:56 of the second. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry made 19 saves. . . . The Wheat Kings (31-9-4), who took three of four from the Oil Kings, have won two in a row. . . . Edmonton slipped to 21-18-5. . . .

In Lethbridge, the Red Deer Rebels outscored their hosts 4-2 in the third period en route to a 5-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . D Haydn Fleury came out of the penalty box and scored his second goal of the season on a breakaway, snapping a 1-1 tie at 2:08 of third period and the Rebels were never caught. . . . Fleury also had two assists. . . . Red Deer F Conner Bleackley scored twice, given him 21. . . . F Riley Sheen had two assists for Red Deer. . . . D Kord Pankewicz drew three assists for Lethbridge. . . . F Johnny Wesley, in his first game since being acquired from the Vancouver Giants and making the move from the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles, scored for the Hurricanes. . . . Lethbridge was 1-for-2 on the PP; the Rebels’ PP never got off the bench. . . . The Rebels (24-14-5), who play in Calgary tonight, have won four in a row. . . . The Hurricanes (10-26-6) have lost two straight. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Keegan Kolesar scored the only goal of a five-round shootout to give the host Seattle Thunderbirds a 5-4 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Kolesar scored his 14th goal of the season on a first-period PP. . . . Seattle F Nolan Volcan forced OT with his sixth goal at 5:30 of the third. . . . Spokane F Adam Helewka had given his side a 4-3 lead with his 25th goal at 16:46 of the second. He ran his goal-scoring streak to eight straight games, one shy of the franchise record. . . . Spokane F Kailer Yamamoto had one assist, and now is riding an 11-game point streak. . . . D Shea Theodore and D Ethan Bear each had two assists for Seattle. . . . F Ryan Gropp, in his second game since returning from an undisclosed injury, scored his 16th goal for Seattle. . . . Chiefs F Liam Stewart scored his 16th goal. In his fourth season, he has career highs in goals and points (30), all in 42 games. . . . The Thunderbirds (21-16-5) are 2-0-1 in their last three. . . . The Chiefs are 23-16-3.
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Small town #KIJHL hockey in #KimberleyBC the zamboni driver tonight is the @nitroshockey GM's daughter #ShesDoingMyDreamJob
— Josh Lockhart (@joshuaklockhart) January 14, 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.