THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Ian Gordon (Swift Current, Saskatoon, 1992-95) announced his retirement through the Ingolstadt (Germany, DEL) website. Gordon had a 2.49 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 33 games for Ingolstadt this season. After five seasons in the AHL and IHL, Gordon headed for Germany, where he played 13 seasons in the DEL with Schwenningen and Frankfurt, and the past three seasons with Ingolstadt. He won a DEL championship with Frankfurt in 2003-04 and played in the DEL All-Star game in 2007-08 and 2008-09. . . .

F Roman Psurny (Medicine Hat, 2004-06) signed a one-year plus option contract extension with Litvinov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had five goals and nine assists in 42 games with Litvinov and had one goal and one assist during a three-game loan assignment to Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) this season. . . .

F Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract extension with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He had three goals and 12 assists in 56 games with the Blaze this season.



———






Here’s an ad that was posted on alberta.kijiji.ca on April 1:

Slightly worn out WHL franchise for sale. NO LEASING!!! Treated with care and appreciation in it’s first few years and left to crumble more recently.

Includes:
A fantastic place to practice and perform.
Minimal backseat driving.
A healthy schedule of roadtrips.

Requirements:
WHL/NHL regulations dictate a brand new paint job before it hits the ice again.
A caring/knowledgeable owner to get under the hood and find out why it’s been stuck in neutral the past few years(occasionally locks into reverse).
A driver without vision problems.
Just a few more parts to beef up horsepower, speed and a fresh set of tires for MORE TRACTION and dependability.
NO KEY JINGLERS!

If interested please contact current board of directors directly.
Sincerely,
Fans of the Lethbridge Hurricanes
———
A few Memorial Cup-related thoughts from Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post:
“There is not a classier owner in junior hockey than Jack Brodsky, whose family has operated the Blades since 1976. If anyone deserves a Memorial Cup ring, it is Brodsky. But if the Blades capture major-junior hockey's greatest prize despite failing to register a single WHL playoff victory, it will not be the finest moment in CHL history. There has to be a better way.
“Here is one suggestion: Continue to rotate the host leagues. The champion of the host league earns a Memorial Cup berth, and some time off while a playoff is held to determine the other finalist. If the WHL is hosting, for example, the OHL and QMJHL champions would meet to determine the other Memorial Cup participant. A best-of-seven, Stanley Cup-style Memorial Cup championship series would ensue, with games being played in the home rinks of the two finalists. Such a format would ashcan the flawed host-team exemption and reward the fans of each league champion.
“Are there glitches in this proposal? Of course. The travel would be gruelling, although the NHL has overcome such obstacles when the New Jersey Devils have met the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks for Lord Stanley's grail. There is also the question of whether a Memorial Cup final could feasibly be held in a small centre such as Swift Current, where the Credit Union i-Plex seats 2,879. But, honestly, could this proposed format be any worse than the current blueprint?”
No, it couldn’t be worse.
Yes, it is time to go to a format that features two teams in a best-of-seven final for the Memorial Cup.
That is all.
———
JUST NOTES:
The Seattle Thunderbirds will be without F Connor Honey for their next two games, including tonight’s Game 6 of a first-round series with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Honey has been suspended for three games for a hit from behind on Kelowna D MacKenzie Johnston in Game 4 of that series. . . . Honey sat out Game 5, so has two games left to serve. . . . Johnston will be out for up to two months with a shoulder injury. . . .

The Chicago Blackhawks have assigned F Mark McNeill of the Prince Albert Raiders to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. McNeill had 67 points, including 25 goals, in 65 games this season. . . . He was the 18th overall selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft. . . .



F Nick Buonassisi, who finished his junior eligibility with the Brandon Wheat Kings last month, has joined the Central league’s Quad City Mallards. Buonassisi had 34 points in 69 games this season. . . . The Mallards are trailing the Fort Worth Brahmas 2-0 in a first-round best-of-seven series and have suffered two serious injuries. . . . The series resumes Wednesday in the Quad Cities.

THE COACHING GAME:
Danny Flynn is out as head coach of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, although he will stay on as the director of hockey operations. . . . The Wildcats were 42-33-3 this season, then were eliminated in five games by the Victoriaville Tigres in a first-round series. . . .


The U of Denver has fired George Gwozdecky, the long-time coach of the WCHA’s Pioneers. In his 19 years at Denver, he won two NCAA titles. Gwozdecky had one season left on a 12-year contract. . . . According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: “DU is the only Division I hockey team to have won 20 games in each of the past 12 seasons. However, the Pioneers recently lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the past six years, part of the reason the sources said Gwozdecky was fired. An inability for the school and Gwozdecky to reach a contract extension also figured into the decision.” . . . Chambers’ complete story is right here. . . .

Keith Cassidy won’t be back as the general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. Cassidy, 38, completed two seasons with the club and the board of directors chose not to exercise an option for a third season. . . . This season, the Bruins finished fifth in the Sherwood Division, sidelined the Kindersley Klippers in a survivor series and then lost a best-of-seven series to the Yorkton Terriers in five games. . . . Josh Lewis of the Estevan Mercury has more right here.
———

The WHL’s first-round situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
FIRST ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton wins 4-1)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat wins 4-0)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary wins 4-1)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer wins 4-0)
———
SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Portland wins 4-2)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 3-2; Game 6 tonight in Kent, Wash.)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops wins 4-2)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane wins 4-1)
———
Two more Western Conference series ended last night, leaving only the Kelowna Rockets and Seattle Thunderbirds left to settle the issue.
The No. 7 Thunderbirds take a 3-2 edge into tonight’s home game against the No. 2 Rockets.
Should Seattle win, the second round will feature the No. 1 Portland Winterhawks against Seattle and the No. 3 Kamloops Blazers versus the No. 4 Spokane Chiefs.
Should Kelowna win tonight, Game 7 of that series will be played in the Little Apple on Wednesday.
Should Kelowna win that series, the Rockets would face Kamloops in the second round, with Portland meeting Spokane.
No matter which team the Winterhawks play, they’ll be in Portland on Friday and Saturday.
———
MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Everett, F Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals and two assists as the Portland Winterhawks dumped the Silvertips, 5-1. . . . Portland held a 52-13 edge in shots, including 20-4 in the second period and 15-1 in the third. . . . D Seth Jones had two Portland goals, his first of the series. . . . F Reid Petryk gave the Silvertips a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal at 2:14 of the first period. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 47 shots. . . .

In Victoria, F Kale Kessy scored three times to help the Kamloops Blazers to a 6-2 victory over the Royals. . . . Kessy leads the WHL with seven playoff goals. He also scored three times in Game 4, a 5-4 OT victory by the visiting Blazers. . . . Kessy played his first 284 regular-season and playoff games without a hat trick. He now has two in three game. . . . F Cole Ully and Kessy scored the game’s first two goals and the Blazers were never caught. . . . Kamloops F JC Lipon had a goal and two assists; he leads the playoff scoring race with 14 points. He was in on 14 of the Blazers’ 23 goals against the Royals. . . . D Joel Edmundson and F Brendan Ranford each had three assists for the Blazers. . . . D Keegan Kanzig scored one of Victoria’s goals. It was his first WHL goal, and came in his 143rd game, 133 of which are regular-season tilts.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (11):
D Jordan Fransoo, Victoria

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (4):
None
———


From Edmonton Oil Kings F Trevor Cheek (@trevorcheekAZDK): “Agreed to terms with the Avalanche. Could not be more excited! Still a lot of unfinished business to take care of this year!”

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.

You really should venture over to The Concussion Blog — the link is over there on the right — and read the story of Paul Welliver. A highly qualified athletic trainer in Maryland, officials at one high school asked that he not work with their teams after he refused to begin the protocol that is aimed at getting athletes who have suffered concussions back onto the field of play. . . . This is scary stuff.
———
The streak came to an end on Saturday night as the U of Alberta Golden Bears dropped a 5-4 OT decision to the visiting U of Saskatchewan Huskies. . . . Alberta G Kurtis Mucha went into last night’s game having put up five straight shutouts. He was riding a shutout streak of 324 minutes 20 seconds. . . . It ended at 335:06, when F Andrew Bailey Bailey scored for the Huskies. . . . F Brennan Bosch scored the winner for the Huskies. . . . They’ll play Game 3 in the best-of-three Canada West final today in Edmonton.
Here are some other record shutout streaks . . .
NHL: 332:01, Brian Boucher, Phoenix Coyotes (2003-04)
WHL: 265:13, Chris Worthy, Flin Flon Bombers (1967-68).
NCAA: 375:01, Blaine Lacher, Lake Superior State (1993-94)
———
The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Medicine Hat (6)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Morgan Klimchuk celebrated his 18th birthday with his 33rd goal and three assists to lead the Regina Pats to a 7-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . F Chandler Stephenson also had a goal, his 13th, and three assists for Regina. . . . The Pats were 4-for-9 on the PP as Moose Jaw took 124 of the 171 minutes assessed by referees Cole Hamm and Brett Montsion. . . . The Warriors were 1-for-2. . . . Moose Jaw F Jordan Wyton was tossed with a major for goaltender and a game misconduct at 16:06 of the third period. . . . With G Daniel Wapple (concussion) still out, G Justin Paulic made his 19th straight start for the Warriors. . . . G Brett Banda of the midget AA Moose Jaw Warriors backed up Paulic. . . .

In Prince Albert, G Connor Honey stopped 36 shots as the Brandon Wheat Kings doubled the Raiders, 4-2. . . . F Nick Buonassisi scored twice, giving him 13, and F Tim McGauley had a goal and an assist for Brandon, which had lost six in a row. . . . McGauley broke a 2-2 tie with his 16th goal at 6:00 of the third period. . . . The Raiders had taken four straight games from Brandon. . . . The Raiders slid back to fifth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Red Deer Rebels. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 35 shots as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-2. . . . The Ice scored two first-period goals, the first from F Sam Reinhart, who has 30, and never trailed. . . . F Miles Koules had a goal, his 18th, and an assist for the Tigers. . . . The Ice victory officially eliminated Moose Jaw and Regina. . . . Kootenay is eighth in the Eastern Conference, six points ahead of Lethbridge, which has seven games left. . . . The Ice also is one point behind Medicine Hat and Swift Current. . . .

In Red Deer, G Patrik Bartosak turned aside 52 shots as the Rebels beat the Swift Current Broncos, 3-0. . . . WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) tweeted that 52 is the most saves by a goaltender in a shutout this season. . . . Bartosak stopped 24 shots in the third period alone. . . . He’s got four shutouts this season and five in his career. . . . F Turner Elson scored two first-period goals for the Rebels. He’s got 23. . . . By night’s end, the Rebels had clinched a playoff spot and moved past Prince Albert into fourth place in the Eastern Conference. . . .

In Kamloops, D Sam Grist had two assists as the Blazers beat the Vancouver Giants, 4-2. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford scored his 19th goal as he set the franchise record for career reglular-season games played. This was No. 342, one more than F C.J. Stretch (2005-10). . . . The Giants had won 5-3 in Kamloops on Wednesday. . . . Vancouver had a season-high three-game winning streak end. . . . F Alex Baer, a 15-year-old out of the Minnesota high school ranks, earned his first WHL point, an assist, in his second game. He played a regular shift and saw some PP time. . . . Kamloops F Colin Smith had one assist to become the third WHLer this season to 100 points. . . . Kamloops is second in the B.C. Division, five points behind the Kelowna Rockets. The two teams will play in Kamloops tonight and Friday, and in Kelowna on Saturday. . . .

In Kelowna, F Tyrell Goulbourne, who had never before scored more than once in a game, scored four times as the Rockets skated past the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 7-1. . . . Goulbourne has 13 goals this season. He now has 20 goals — and 40 fighting majors — in 139 career games. . . . F Cody Fowlie had three assists for Kelowna. . . . The Rockets are third in the overall standings, one point behind the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . .

In Everett, F Kohl Bauml broke a 2-2 tie at 17:57 of the third period as the Silvertips beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-2. . . . Everett had lost eight straight games to Portland this season. They’ll meet again Tuesday, this time in Portland. . . . Bauml, who has 21 goals, scored twice, both coming via the PP. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie opened the scoring with his 41st goal, on a shorthanded penalty shot at 10:53 of the first period. . . . Rattie’s 42nd goal, on a PP, tied the game 2-2 at 13:09 of the third. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 29 shots. . . . Everett is eighth in the Western Conference, five points ahead of Prince George, and one point behind Seattle. . . . Portland, which has lost three straight, leads the overall standings by eight points over Edmonton. . . .

In Victoria, G Eric Williams turned aside 37 shots to lead the Spokane Chiefs to a 3-2 victory over the Royals. . . . F Blake Gal’s 13th goal gave the Chiefs a 3-1 lead at 5:09 of the second period. . . . Victoria got it’s goals from the Walker brothers — Jack has six, Ben has 18. . . . Victoria F Logan Nelson had two assists. . . . F Todd Fiddler got his 41st goal of the season for Spokane. . . . The Chiefs are fourth in the Western Conference, three points ahead of Tri-City. . . . The Royals, who have lost nine straight, are sixth, seven points behind Tri-City. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Justin Feser broke a 2-2 tie with his 40th goal and the Tri-City Americans went on to a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent). . . . Feser also had two assists, giving him 97 points in 64 games. . . . F Luke Lockhart scored twice, giving him 22, for Seattle. . . . Tri-City G Luke Lee-Knight stopped 25 shots. . . . Tri-City F Ryan Chynoweth, playing in his second game since missing 14 with an undisclosed injury, left this one in the first period. He was bleeding from the forehead after being knocked into the boards. Head coach Jim Hiller told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald that Chynoweth won’t play Monday or Tuesday when the Americans are in Prince George. . . . The Americans, who have won six of seven, trail fourth-place Spokane by three points. . . . Seattle, in seventh, is a point up on Everett.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Trent Ouellette, Regina
D Haydn Fleury, Red Deer
F Mike Aviani, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Mike Aviani, Spokane
———


From Bruce Luebke (@wheatkingsvoice), the veteran radio voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings: “Just 2nd time in 34 road games this season that the #BWK have led after first period. Last time was September 28th. #bdnmb”

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Blazers run streak to 13

Kamloops Blazers’ longest winning streaks:
13 games — 1986-87, 1989-90, 2012-13,
12 games — 1984-85.
11 games — 1989-99, 1985-86.
10 games — 1094-95, 1993-94 (twice), 1989-90, 1985-86, 1982-83.

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
And one more makes 13 . . .
The Kamloops Blazers erased a 2-0 second-period deficit and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in overtime in a WHL game played in Kent, Wash., on Sunday.
Centre Colin Smith scored the winner just 25 seconds into the extra period, beating goaltender Brandon Glover through the legs.
The victory was the Blazers’ 13th in a row, equalling a franchise record that was set in 1986-87 and tied in 1989-90. The Blazers will attempt to break the record when they meet the Silvertips in Everett on Tuesday.
The Blazers also improved their record to 15-0-1 — they are 8-0-1 on the road — and remain the only one of the CHL’s 60 teams not to have lost in regulation time.
Smith also had two assists as he ran his points streak to 16 games. He has had nine straight multi-point games.
Linemate JC Lipon scored twice and now leads the WHL in goals (15) and points (39). Smith is just one point back, while Tim Bozon, the third member of the line, is third, with 29 points. He had two assists last night. The three have combined for 106 points in 16 games.
After a scoreless first period, the teams combined for six second-period goals, with Seattle forwards Connor Honey and Brendan Rouse first to beat Kamloops goaltender Taran Kozun.
Lipon, on a power play, and defenceman Sam Grist pulled the Blazers even, only to have defenceman Shea Theodore go coast-to-coast and beat Kozun to put Seattle out front again.
Lipon scored at 13:32 of the second and, as it turned out, that goal forced OT.
Kozun finished with 26 saves, 10 fewer than Glover.
The Blazers had won their 12th straight game on Saturday, scoring four times in the first period, three of them via their No. 1-ranked power play, en route to a 5-2 victory over the Victoria Royals at Interior Savings Centre.
One night earlier, the Blazers had struck for five first-period goals en route to an 8-1 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The Blazers got eight points from their big line as Smith and Bozon each had two goals and an assist, and Lipon added two assists.
Matt Needham and Jordan DePape also scored for the Blazers, while defenceman Marek Hrbas, who had a tremendous game, drew two assists.
Outshot 14-5 in the first period, the Royals came back with a vengeance, scoring twice in the second period when they held a 17-5 edge in shots.
“In that second period,” Kamloops defenceman Tyler Hansen said of goaltender Cole Cheveldave, “he really kept us in with three or four big saves to keep the score up by two instead of a tie game or worse.”
Veteran forwards Jamie Crooks and Brandon Magee scored for Victoria, which got 28 saves from goaltender Patrik Polivka.
JUST NOTES: Attendance on Saturday was 4,858. . . . Smith’s second goal on Saturday, his third point of the game, gave him 200 regular-season points in 215 games. . . . Hansen played in his 200th regular-season game. . . . Kamloops F Aspen Sterzer missed the three weekend games while attending a grandmother’s funeral in Calgary. He is expected to rejoin the team in time to play Tuesday. . . . D Austin Madaisky, 20, played his first professional game Saturday, going pointless as his Evansville Icemen dropped a 4-1 decision to the Wings in Kalamazoo. He had an assist, on the power play, and four shots on goal, and was minus-2 in Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Gwinnett Gladiators. . . . Veteran D Tyler Stahl, 20, was named captain of the Royals last week but has yet to play while wearing the ‘C’. He suffered an injury on Oct. 18 has missed his club’s last three games. . . . F Drew Czerwonka, 20, the captain of the Kootenay Ice, announced his retirement on Friday. He has battled injuries for the last two seasons. Czerwonka called Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth on Thursday night and told him of his decision.

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Smurfs 7, Gargoyles 2

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Mitt Romney versus Big Bird.
Rusty against the Friendly Giant on a bad day.
The Smurfs taking on the Gargoyles.
Whatever the case, the Kamloops Blazers landed a blow on behalf of the little guy Friday night as they vanquished the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-2 in a WHL game played at Interior Savings Centre.
The Smurfs, er, Blazers dressed 20 players, seven of whom measure out at 6-foot-0 or higher. The Gargoyles, er, Thunderbirds had 16 six-footers, topped out by 6-foot-7 Taylor Green and 6-foot-6ers Mitch Elliot, Kevin Wolf and Jared Hauf. Green, Wolf and Hauf are defencemen, so you know that open ice often was at a premium in the Seattle zone.
“They’re a little bit bigger than the average team, I’ll tell you that much,” offered Blazers centre Dylan Willick, who scored twice.
Willick allowed that the Blazers wanted to “make them move as much as possible.”
The idea, he said, was to not “let them play to their game plan where they want to bump and crash all they want. Get the puck in behind them. Make them turn around and move and every now and them give them a bump instead of letting them bump us.”
Willick’s left-winger, Brendan Ranford, who had a goal and four assists, agreed with that assessment.
“They’re a big hockey team,” he said. “They take up a lot of ice.”
Ranford, who had missed the club’s last two games while in camp with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, said the Blazers wanted to “make them move their feet and we did. In that third period we got pucks in behind them and we got support and we kept going.”
Oh, did they ever!
The Blazers broke open a 2-2 game with five straight goals as they ran their record to 4-0-1 and kept pace with the Prince George Cougars (4-0-1) atop the Western Conference standings.
Despite the final score, this game was closer than that and may well have turned on two plays.
Willick’s first goal, at 15:04 of the opening period, came when he had a Jordan DePape rebound go off his left skate and past goaltender Brandon Glover. The referee closest to the play immediately signalled that it wasn’t a goal, that the puck had been kicked into the net. However, that ruling was over-turned by video review.
“I don’t know why it was over-ruled,” Seattle head coach Steve Konowalchuk said. “It looked to me like he kicked it and it looked to me like the ref called the right thing. You need conclusive evidence to over-ride something . . . I have no idea how they managed that one.”
Willick claimed he didn’t kick the puck.
“I was actually stopping,” he explained. “It may have looked that way because I had to twist in my stop. But there was no actual motion to kick it.”
At 17:49 of the second period, with the Blazers nursing a 2-1 lead, Seattle was awarded a penalty shot after Kamloops defenceman Brady Gaudet fell on the puck in behind goaltender Cole Cheveldave.
Seattle right-winger Connor Honey, who scored both his side’s goals, took the freebie but his deke to the backhand off a fake shot was stymied by Cheveldave’s right pad.
“That was huge,” Willick said. “It was a huge confidence booster at a critical time of the game. We rely on Cheveldave to do it and he’s always stepped up when he needs to.”
In hindsight, Konowalchuk didn’t see that stop as being that important.
“It was a big save but we ended up tieing it 2-2,” he stated. “It would have been bigger if we lost 2-1 or 3-1 or something.”
Honey tied the game 2-2 just 39 seconds into the third period, but right-winger Jordan DePape put Kamloops back in front four minutes later and the locals were off to the races.
“As big a team as they were, we didn’t feel it as much,” Willick said. “I think that’s part of how we played our game. They were chasing us for the most part and we had that extra step.”
Left-winger JC Lipon had a goal and three assists for the second four-point game of his career, while his linemates, Colin Smith and Tim Bozon, each scored once.
The Blazers are back at it tonight as they entertain the Medicine Hat Tigers (3-2-1), who last night lost 6-1 to the Giants in Vancouver. Game time is 7 o’clock.
JUST NOTES: Attendance was 4,506. . . . Cheveldave finished with 22 stops. . . . Glover turned aside 28 of 35 before freshman Justin Myles, 17, replaced him with 3:58 to play. Myles didn’t face a shot. . . . Kamloops was 2-for-3 on the power play; the Thunderbirds were 1-for-4. . . . Seattle (2-3-0) is at home tonight against the Everett Silvertips. . . . This was the third five-point game of Ranford’s career. He had two of them last season. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Willick: He is the heartbeat; 2. Ranford: Smooth as silk; 3. Cheveldave: Made a difference for 43 minutes.

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Canadian university hockey is perhaps the country’s greatest sporting secret, and there was a classic game at Rutherford Arena in Saskatoon on Sunday evening.
It was Game 3 in the best-of-three Canada West final between the U of Calgary Dinosaurs and the Saskatchewan Huskies.
The Huskies finally won it, 2-1, when D Brett Ward scored at 6:33 of the third OT period before 999 fans. Ward is a former WHLer, who played with Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Chilliwack (2004-09).
The stars of this game, however, were goaltenders Dustin Butler of Calgary and Ryan Holfeld of Saskatchewan, both of whom also played in the WHL.
The Huskies will represent Canada West at the CIS national tournament in Fredericton, N.B., March 22-25.
———
The Tri-City Americans have added three young forwards to their roster. . . . Parker Bowles, who turned 17 on Jan. 25, spent the season with the major midget Okanagan Rockets, who play out of Kelowna.  Bowles played one game with the Americans earlier this season. . . . Justin Gutierrez, a 16-year-old from Anchorage, was added from the Los Angeles Selects under-16 midget team. Gutierrez, who has one WHL game under his belt, is the younger brother of former WHL F Moises Gutierrez. . . . Beau McCue, who turned 17 on Jan. 3, is from Missoula, Montana. He played for the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes, a U-16 team.
———
SUNDAY’S GAMES:
(If you’re on Twitter, you should be following @WHLFacts)
In Calgary, F Brady Brassart scored twice to help the Hitmen to a 5-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Brassart has 25 goals this season. . . . Calgary F Jake Virtanen scored his third goal of the season — his first on home ice. Virtanen, the first overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, was playing in his seventh game. His PP goal gave Calgary a 2-0 lead at 12:11 of the first period. . . . F Adam Kambeitz had a goal, his 16th, and an assist for Red Deer, as did F Jon Persson, who has 23 goals. . . . Calgary G Brandon Glover stopped 13 shots in picking up his 20th victory of the season. Chris Driedger, Calgary’s other goaltender, has 22 victories. . . . It is the first time in franchise history that the Hitmen have had two goaltenders with 20 victories in the same season. . . . The Rebels were playing their third game in three nights with an injury-decimated lineup. On top of all the other injuries, they lost F Chad Robinson (knee) on Friday and he missed the last two weekend games. . . . The Hitmen now can finish no lower than fourth in the Eastern Conference. They are two points behind the third-place Medicine Hat Tigers with each team having three games remaining. . . .

In Vancouver, F Jordan Martinook scored at 2:50 of OT to give the Giants a 5-4 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Martinook scored twice, giving him 37 this season. His first goal, at 5:03 of the third, gave Vancouver a 4-3 lead. . . . Victoria D Hayden Rintoul forced OT when he scored his 17th goal with 22.2 seconds left in the third. . . . Vancouver F Marek Tvrdon, who scored twice in a 3-2 victory in Kamloops on Saturday, added two more goals. He’s got 29. . . . Martinook and Tvrdon also had an assist apiece. . . . F Brandon Magee scored twice for Victoria, giving him 23. . . . The Giants now are fourth in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Spokane Chiefs, who hold two games in hand. . . . With the loser point, the eighth-place Royals are three points ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Victoria also is one point behind the Everett Silvertips. . . . 

In Kent, Wash., F Connor Honey’s goal with 4.6 seconds left in OT gave the Seattle Thunderbirds a 3-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Honey has seven goals. . . . F Josh Winquist of Everett had tied the score 2-2 with his 19th goal at 5:01 of the second. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 30 shots, 16 fewer than Everett’s Kent Simpson. . . . Seattle has four games remaining and is three points out of a playoff spot. . . . Everett has three games remaining, all on the road, and is seventh, a point ahead of Victoria and four in front of Seattle. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Prince George Cougars, 5-4. . . . The Forsberg brothers, Jesse and Alex, gave the Cougars a 3-1 lead with goals at 11:59 and 14:28 of the first period. . . . Tri-City F Adam Hughesman scored at 0:34 and 7:16 of the second — he’s got 46 — to pull his guys even. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin, the WHL’s leading scorer, broke the tie at 19:11 of the third and added an empty-netter at 19:29. . . . Shinnimin has 57 goals. He also is riding a 20-game point streak, the longest in the WHL this season. He had a 21-game streak last season. . . . Shinnimin also had two assists, and now has 129 points and a 13-point lead atop the scoring derby. . . . Tri-City F Patrick Holland had one assist, running his assist streak to 17 games. . . . The game featured a clash of goaltenders who were swapped for each other prior to the season. Tri-City G Ty Rimmer stopped 17 shots in winning his 30th game. He came on in relief of Eric Comrie with the Ams trailing 3-1. . . . This is the sixth straight season in which a Tri-City goaltender has won at least 30 games. . . . Drew Owsley of the Cougars stopped 25 shots. . . . The Americans are back on top of the Western Conference, by one point over the idle Portland Winterhawks, and in a tie for first place overall with the idle Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Cougars are 10th in the Western Conference. Each of the three teams they are chasing earned at least one point last night. The Cougars now are five points out of a eighth place with three games remaining.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Zane Jones, Victoria.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Brandon (8)
Moose Jaw (2) vs. Saskatoon (7)
Medicine Hat (3) vs. Regina (6)
Calgary (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Tri-City (1) vs. Victoria (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Everett (7)
Portland (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
Vancouver (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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MONDAY’S GAMES
None.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES
Red Deer at Medicine Hat
Prince Albert at Saskatoon
Spokane at Seattle
Prince George at Tri-City

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The Everett Silvertips are expected to introduce Garry Davidson as their new general manager at a news conference this afternoon.
Davidson has been the director of player personnel with the Portland Winter Hawks since Bill Gallacher purchased the franchise and hired Mike Johnston as general manager and head coach.
Davidson, who is from Souris, Man., will replace Doug Soetaert, who was fired on Feb. 2. Davidson becomes the second GM in the franchise’s history.
According to a release by Silvertips yesterday, “Silvertips and Consolidated Sports Holdings President Gary Gelinas will be on hand to make the announcement . . .”
The Silvertips are owned by Bill Yuill; Gelinas is the president and governor.
Davidson and Gelinas both have long histories in the BCHL.
Davidson last was involved with the Salmon Arm SilverBacks, where he was owner, GM and head coach. He also spent time BCHL franchises in Nanaimo, Penticton, Trail and Victoria.
Gelinas was involved in the ownership of the Nanaimo Clippers, Langley Hornets and Westside Warriors.
Davidson reportedly was at the Silvertips’ practice on Tuesday.
With the exception of one season when he worked with a Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate in Omaha, Soetaert had been the Silvertips general manager since before the team began play in the fall of 2003.
The Silvertips are 15-32-9 and one point out of the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. They are 3-2-0 since Feb. 2.
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JUST NOTES:
F Joel Hamilton of the Red Deer Rebels has been in hospital since Saturday night after he was injured in an 8-5 loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. He won’t play hockey again for a while but is making progress after being found to have two broken vertebrae. On Tuesday afternoon, Hamilton tweeted: “Walked and even accomplished a few stairs today. Should be out of here tomorrow! #progress” . . .
Remember Raider, the puppy rescued not that long ago from freezing cold by Shane Danyluk, Josh Morrissey and Carson Perreaux of the Prince Albert Raiders? Well, CKOM in Saskatoon reports that a couple from North Vancouver has adopted Raider. The puppy is to be flown to Vancouver today. . . .
The WHL announced Tuesday that Ben Wiebe, who served governor for the Swift Current Broncos for 17 years, will receive the WHL Governors Award. This award is given annually to, according to the WHL, “an individual who, through his outstanding services as a builder of the league has made a contribution to the growth and development of the WHL.” . . . Wiebe was part of the group that brought the Broncos back from Lethbridge in time for the 1986-87 season. He served on the team’s board of directdors for eight seasons and then was elected chairman and governor. He served as chairman for eight seasons, starting in 1994, and as the team’s governor for 17 years. . . .
F John McFarland, the first player selected in the OHL’s 2008 draft, appears to have had his season ended by a shoulder surgery. McFarland, who was acquired by the Ottawa 67’s at the trade deadline in January, will undergo surgery this week and could take as much as four months to recover. He was a second-round selection by the Florida Panthers in the 2010 NHL draft. He had nine points, including four goals, in 12 games since Ottawa got him from the Saginaw Spirit. . . .
The BCHL has announced the creation of two awards to honour referees and linesmen for their contributions to the game. The awards will be named after Kelly Sutherland and Brad Lazarowich, with one going to the top referee and the other to the top linesman. Sutherland, who now is an NHL referee, and Lazarowich, an NHL linesman, both worked in the BCHL. They also worked in the WHL. . . . Each of the award winners will receive $500, with $250 of that going to a charity of their choice. . . .
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Cranbrook, D Eric Roy scored with 3.2 seconds left in the third period to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . Roy’s eighth goal of the season was unassisted. . . . Ice F Jesse Ismond had tied the game with his 15th goal on a PP at 17:39. . . . Kootenay jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Wheat Kings scored three straight goal. . . . Brandon F Brenden Walker had three assists. . . . Wheat Kings F Mark Stone had a goal, his 37th, and an assist and took the lead in the WHL scoring race, with 92 points. . . . He is two points ahead of F Jordan Weal of the Regina Pats. . . . Brandon, which holds down eighth place in the Eastern Conference, moved six points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Ice remains fourth in the conference, a point ahead of the Saskatoon Blades. . . .

In Kamloops, F Matt Needham scored off a rebound at 19:01 of the third period as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . The Oil Kings had been 30-0-2 when leading after two periods. . . . The game matched the Blazers, who lead the Western Conference and the overall standings, against the Oil Kings, the top team in the Eastern Conference. When it was over, the Blazers held a five-point lead over the Oil Kings. . . . In the Western Conference, Kamloops is seven points ahead of the Tri-City Americans. . . . Edmonton took a 2-0 lead on goals by F Kristians Pelss, his 20th, in the first period and F Jordan Peddle, his ninth, in the second. . . . Kamloops got a PP goal from F Brandon Herrod, his 22nd, at 3:12 of the third. . . . D Austin Madaisky tied it with his 12th goal just 1:44 after that. . . . Needham won it off a Madaisky rebound. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan beat his former club for the second time this season. This time, he made 24 saves, 11 fewer than Edmonton’s Laurent Brossoit. . . . Kamloops was 1-4 on the PP; Edmonton wasn’t given even one PP opportunity. . . . Edmonton, which plays the Rockets in Kelowna tonight, leads the Eastern Conference by five points over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Colin Jacobs and F Connor Honey had shootout goals to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 4-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Rockets erased a 3-1 deficit to force overtime. . . . F Zach Franko got it to 3-2 at 5:50 of the second period. . . . D Myles Bell forced OT when he beat G Calvin Pickard on a penalty shot at 19:07 of the third period. It was his 12th goal this season. . . . The penalty shot was awarded after it was ruled that Seattle had intentionally knocked its net off the moorings. . . . Seattle now has sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Victoria Royals and three up on the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Rockets are headed to a sixth-place finish. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., shootout goals by F Brendan Gallagher and F Cain Franson gave the Vancouver Giants a 5-4 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Brendan Gallagher scored three times for Vancouver, giving him the franchise record with 129 career goals. He went into the game tied with Adam Courchaine for the club record. . . . Gallagher, who has five hat tricks this season, has 34 goals this season. . . . His third goal, at 17:29 of the third, gave the Giants a 4-3 victory. . . . Tri-City tied it on D Zach Yuen’s ninth goal at 18:41 on a PP. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 29 shots. Franson wasn’t able to beat Comrie on a penalty shot at 5:47 of the third period. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin had two goals, giving him 36, and an assist for the Americans. . . . Vancouver lost F Anthony Ast with a charging major and game misconduct at 9:21 of the third period. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning played in his 296th career game, breaking Craig Cunningham’s franchise career record. . . . The Giants moved into a fourth-place tie with the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Conference. . . . The Americans now are two points ahead of the second-place Portland Winterhawks in the U.S. Division. . . . The Americans were playing their first game in a stretch that has them going four times in five nights. . . . They are in Portland tonight, in Kent, Wash., on Friday and at home to Spokane on Saturday. . . . The Giants, meanwhile, are playing five games in six nights. They are in Spokane tonight, at home to Edmonton on Friday, in Everett on Saturday and at home to Red Deer on Sunday. . . . Yikes!
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Paul Ciarelli, Brandon.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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Dave Bidini is a Canadian musician of some renown. He also is a terrific writer. If you haven’t already, make sure you read his book Tropic of Hockey as it is outstanding. In Tuesday’s National Post, Bidini writes of Trent Frayne, one of his literary heroes, who died on the weekend. This is short and well-written. Frayne would have appreciated that. It is right here.


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