THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Fredrik Pettersson (Calgary, 2005-07) exercised his KHL opt-out clause and has left Frölunda Gothenburg (Sweden, Elitserien) after completing just one year of a four-year contract. He now has signed a contract with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL). No terms were announced. Pettersson had 16 goals and 24 assists in 54 games as an alternate captain for Frölunda this season. The head coach of Donbass is former Portland assistant coach Julius Supler.
———
Hearty congratulations to old friend Roy MacGregor, who was named Friday as this year’s winner of the Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award. It is a Hockey Hall of Fame honour that is selected by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
MacGregor is a prolific writer, who now is with The Globe and Mail. A veteran of the newspaper game, he also has written a number of books, hockey-related and otherwise, as well as a highly successful series of childrens books — The Screech Owls.
The surprise with this award is that he hadn’t won the award a whole lot earlier than this.
———
Also on Friday, veteran hockey writer Red Fisher of the Montreal Gazette announced his retirement. Fisher has written about the NHL for 57 years, beginning with the infamous Richard riots in 1955.
Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette writes about Fisher right here.
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James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail writes right here about the Toronto Marlies trying to move forward after losing an AHL playoff game Thursday on a goal that should have been disallowed.
That piece is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Adam Deadmarsh (Portland, 1991-95) had to end his NHL playing career because of concussion-related problems. Now he has left his assistant-coaching job with the Colorado Avalanche for the same reason. Deadmarsh was 28 when he retired as a player; he’s now 37. . . . His wife, Christa, sent this message to Adrian Dater of the Denver Post: “Adam was hurt (concussion issues) this season and decided that health/family and safety are his priority … Adam enjoyed coaching, but this was the right decision … We are back in Idaho and will love being close to our family again:) Hello Idaho friends … we are home:)” . . .
Mike Heilka of the Dallas Morning News reports here that the Dallas Stars “are speaking with Willie Desjardins about taking the head-coaching job with the Texas Stars.” Desjardins, the former GM and head coach of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has one year left on his contract with Dallas. He is the associate coach to head coach Glen Gulutzan. . . .
The OHL’s Kitchener Rangers have hired Mike McKenzie as an assistant coach. Yes, he is a son of Bob McKenzie, TSN’s crack hockey analyst. Mike, 26, played four seasons of NCAA hockey at St. Lawrence U — he twice was on the NCAA all-academic team — before turning pro and playing with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers and Albany River Rats and the ECHL’s Florida Everblades. He retired after playing last season with the AHL’s Houston Aeros. . . . In Kitchener, he will work alongside GM/head coach Steve Spott. . . .
Craig Hartsburg, a former head coach of the Everett Silvertips, has been dismissed as associate coach by the NHL’s Calgary Flames. He left the Silvertips prior to this season to work with the Flames and then-head coach Brent Sutter. . . . When the Flames dumped Sutter, they also got rid of assistant coach Dave Lowry, a former head coach of the Calgary Hitmen. . . .
Former NHL coach Paul Maurice has signed on as head coach of the KHL’s Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Maurice began this season as head coach of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, only to be fired 25 games into it. . . . Former NHL G Tom Barrasso has signed on as Maurice’s assistant coach. . . .
Two WHL assistant coaches — Dwayne Gylywoychuk of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Malcolm Cameron of the Regina Pats — have been named to the coaching staff of Team West that will represent Manitoba and Saskatchewan at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. That tournament is to beging in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que., on Dec. 29. . . . Don MacGillivray, the head coach of the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues for four years, is Team West’s head coach for a second consecutive year. . . .
———
As you no doubt are aware, the Oklahoma City Thunder has advanced to the NBA final. (BTW, it’s final, not finals, and I don't care what David Stern thinks. It’s one series so it’s singular. OK?)
You also should be aware that the Thunder began life as the Seattle SuperSonics.
So . . . how are the sporting fans of Seattle feeling?
Let’s just say they aren’t enjoying this one bit.
Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times pretty much sums it up with his Friday column right here.


There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Sunday . . .

Doug Soetaert has been thinking about the Everett Silvertips’ next head coach for a couple of weeks now.
“This rumor of Craig (Hartsburg) moving out has probably been out there for about two weeks now,” Soetaert told Rich Myhre of the Everett Herald on Sunday, “and people have contacted me. I've kind of got a list together in my head of what I'm going to do. I'm going to contact some coaches that are available and I'm hoping to have somebody in place (by) early July.”
Soetaert announced earlier Sunday that Hartsburg, 51, had resigned after two seasons as the Silvertips’ head coach. Hartsburg is expected to be named associate head coach with the NHL’s Calgary Flames, likely at some point this week.
In the meantime, Soetaert is looking for Everett’s fourth head coach — after Kevin Constantine, John Becanic and Hartsburg — as the franchise prepares for its ninth WHL season.
Soetaert also told Myhre that he will want a three-year commitment from the next head coach because “I'm not going to lose a coach after a year or two.”
Everett went 74-54-16 in the two seasons that Hartsburg was head coach, although he missed a chunk of last season after undergoing open-heart surgery. He was the Western Conference nominee as coach of the year for 2009-10.
If you’re not aware, this is one of the plum head-coaching jobs in major junior hockey. The Silvertips are a first-class organization with some terrific young talent on the way and you can bet Soetaert is going to hear from a lot of potential coaches.
By the way, Soetaert also told Myhre that assistant coach Chris Hartsburg, who is Craig’s son, is expected to return.
Jay Varady, the club’s other assistant coach last season, left earlier in the summer for a head-coaching position in France.
Myhre’s complete story is right here.
---
Everett joins the Moose Jaw Warriors and Seattle Thunderbirds as WHL teams without head coaches.
The Warriors parted company with Dave Hunchak after the season, while the Thunderbirds did the same with Rob Sumner.
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JUST NOTES: D Jared Cowen, who has been with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators since the Spokane Chiefs’ season ended, suffered a concussion on Saturday night and won’t play in Game 6 of the Calder Cup final. Cowen was hurt in the first period of the Senators’ 4-2 victory over the visiting Houston Aeros on Saturday. The Senators take a 3-2 lead into Game 6 on Tuesday in Houston. . . . Binghamton assistant coach Steve Stirling also will miss the remainder of the series. He experienced chest pains while at the Binghamton arena on Sunday afternoon and later in the day underwent what the teams is calling “successful” quadruple bypass surgery. Stirling, 51, is from Clarkson, Ont. He spent more than a season as head coach of the NHL’s New York Islanders before ending up with the Senators.

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

Thursday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Craig Weller (Kootenay, 2000-02) signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 16 goals and 36 assists in 41 games for the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite) last season and was named UK Elite Ice Hockey League Player of the Year, Defenceman of the Year, and a first team all-star.
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CRAIG HARTSBURG

As of early, early this morning, Craig Hartsburg still was the head coach of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. That was according to the WHL team’s website.
However, at least one media outlet was reporting that he had quit.
“Craig Hartsburg, who has stepped down as head coach of the WHL's Everett Silvertips,” read a report at sportsnet.ca, “is a top candidate to become right-hand man to head coach Brent Sutter, according to a member of the (Calgary) Flames staff. The spokesperson said there is work to be done but Hartsburg is of interest.”
Steve MacFarlane of the Calgary Sun wrote it this way:
The Calgary Flames have nothing to announce just yet.
But a reunion for Craig Hartsburg and Flames head coach Brent Sutter doesn’t sound far off.
“Craig Hartsburg is a top candidate for a coaching job with the Calgary Flames,” Flames vice-president of communications Peter Hanlon said Thursday after TSN’s Bob McKenzie told the Twitterverse earlier in the day he expected Hartsburg to be named associate coach in Calgary sooner than later.
“However, there is work to be done before any official announcement.”
That complete story is right here.
As for Hartsburg leaving Everett, well, you know what they say about where there’s smoke. . . .
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For all the Kyle Beach fans out there, Cody Pugh, a contributor to bleacherreport.com, takes a look back to see what the enigmatic former WHLer has accomplished to date and where he’s at in terms of making the roster of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.
That piece is right here.
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The Portland Winterhawks have dealt G Keith Hamilton, 19, to the Victoria ???? for third-, fourth- and eighth-round selections in the 2012 WHL bantam draft.
Hamilton, a second-round selection by Portland in the 2007 bantam draft, was 17-6-2, 2.91, .914 in backing up Mac Carruth last season.
It would seem that the Winterhawks got decent return for a goaltender who would have been in tough at training camp with Carruth, also 19, the No. 1 guy at this time.
The Winterhawks also have signed G Brendan Burke, the son of former NHLer Sean Burke, and G Jarrod Schamerhorn, and needed to make room for one of them as the backup for next season.
Burke was a third-round selection in the 2010 draft; Schamerhorn, who played for the major midget Kootenay Ice last season, was added to Portland’s list after the 2010 training camp.
Coincidentally, Hamilton and Schamerhorn both are from Kelowna.
Victoria, which finished the season as the Chilliwack Bruins, had Lucas Gore and Braden Gamble on its roster at season’s end. Gore was 20, so played out his eligibility. Gamble, now 20, was 2-8-1 in 19 games during the regular season.
Hamilton “will push for the starting job this year, and has solidified our goaltending corps as we now have three quality goaltenders at different age ranges in Hamilton, Braden Gamble and Jared Rathjen,” Marc Habscheid, Victoria’s GM/head coach, said in a press release.
Rathjen is a list player who is from Prince George. He played last season for the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who play out of P.G.
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Before you start thinking that the ???? paid a steep price for a 19-year-old goaltender with minimal experience at the WHL level, here’s a note from Alan Caldwell at Small Thoughts At Large, which is linked over there on the right:
“An eagle-eyed reader has just pointed out to me that Portland traded their own 2012 3rd, 4th, and 8th round picks to Victoria back at the draft in return for Victoria's 2nd round pick, which the Hawks used on Zach Patterson. So it looks like this deal was just to get the picks back, essentially making the deal Hamilton for the 2nd rounder. Since Portland was still playing at the time of the draft, they couldn't actually trade Hamilton at that time.”
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If you missed Game 2 of the NBA final on Wednesday night, well, you cheated yourself. A game like this is why we watch. And here’s hoping you didn’t change channels when the Miami Heat held a 15-point lead.
Dwyane Wade made a three from in front of the Dallas bench for an 88-73 lead with 7:14 to play, and he posed for three or four seconds.
Whoops!
(The pose came after some big-time strutting by LeBron and Chris Bosh after put-back dunks. Yes, the Heat makes it awfully easy to dislike it.)
Because the Dallas Mavericks went on a 20-2 run and eventually won when, with the score tied at 93, Dirk Nowitzki romped past defender Chris Bosh and laid in the winning points. With the Heat out of timeouts, it had to inbound from under its basket and Wade missed a desperation three at the buzzer.
Bruce Arthur of the National Post went back and looked at the game’s last seven minutes a second time. He came up with this:
“Heat misses last 7:15: Chalmers 3; LBJ layup; CB J; LBJ fade J; CB TO; UH J; LBJ pullup shot-clock 3 (twice); Wade pullup 3; Wade running 3.”
So it’s 1-1 heading to Dallas for three games, with the first on Sunday. You won’t want to miss it.
I have turned into something of an NBA watcher after being unable to watch NHL playoffs in a hotel in Mt. Vernon, Wash., a few weeks ago. Instead of watching Game 7 between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks — the hotel didn’t provide access to Versus (or CBC) — I watched NBA playoff action. And I haven’t stopped.
Thank you, Mr. Bettman.
———
The afore-mentioned Bruce Arthur has today’s good read, too. It’s a farewell of sorts to Shaq.
And it’s right here.
———
Condolences to the family of Tom Mangan, a member of the Kamloops Blazers’ board of directors (2003-06), who died Thursday afternoon after battling prostate cancer. He was 64. . . . Mangan was active in the Kamloops sporting world. . . . He also served on the board of the Kamloops Blazers Sports Foundation, which handed out more than $1 million in grants before the WHL franchise was sold over the summer of 2007. And he was on the committee that backed the 2010 World Masters athletics championship that was in Kamloops.
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There are a couple of comments posted on the blog after yesteday’s comment about Game 1 of the Stanley Cup not being televised by Seattle’s NBC outlet.
A couple of hockey fans — and friends — from the Seattle area also emailed me to point out that it really isn’t a big deal.
“KING5, the NBC affiliate, never shows prime-time NHL games,” noted one fan. “Because they would rather show the news.
“So they have a sister station, KONG, which they move the game to. KING is channel 5, KONG is channel 6.
“The problem used to be that Comcast didn’t carry KONG in HD. But they have added to it.
“But, as I always point out . . . Anyone with basic Comcast cable still gets CBUT on channel  99. And if they have Comcast HD, they get the HD feed. And who the heck would want to watch NBC when you can have CBC.”
The second fan wrote:
“No big deal here – Everyone watches HNIC anyway. Can’t miss Coaches Corner.”
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Chris Rumble, a defenceman with the NAHL’s Wenatchee, Wash., Wild, is working on a 90-minute documentary that should be worth a watch. He spent the 2010-11 season getting video and audio — he even had referees mic’d up in four gmes — for the doc that he is editing more than 80 hours of video right now. The hopes to have two shows — one PG, the other uncensored — ready in August.
Corey Voegele of the Wenatchee World has the story right here.
By the way, Rumble is the son of former NHL D Darren Rumble, who spent last season on the coaching staff of the QMJHL’s Lewiston Maineiacs. That franchise, of course, folded earlier this week, meaning Rumble is available. He was shortlisted for a couple of QMJHL head-coaching spots and has been in contact with at least one WHL team.
———
The Saskatoon Blades and Credit Union Centre have agreed in principle on a three-year lease. Why just three years? Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has that story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME: The SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves have signed GM/head coach Bob Beatty to a five-year contract extension. Beatty has completed seven seasons as the Ice Wolves’ head coach. They have won the last two SJHL championships. . . . I mentioned here yesterday that Wes Werhun, a new assistant coach with the AJHL’s St. Albert Steel, had been with the midget AAA St. Albert Raiders. It turns out he was with the St. Albert Merchances of the Capital Junior B league. Thanks to the sharp-eyed reader for the note on that one. . . . The BCHL’s Langley Rivermen have hired Steve O’Rourke, 36, as their general manager and head coach. He had been an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat for two seasons. Assistant coaches will be Bobby Henderson, a son of co-owner Roy Henderson, and Jordan Emmerson. Bobby Henderson, who was on the coaching staff of the junior B Mission, B.C., Ice Breakes last season, played with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chief before attending the U of Nebraska-Omaha. Emmerson, who is form Abbotsford, played for hte BCHL’s Penticton Panthers before going on to the U of Alaska-Fairbanks.
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Four of the 16 goaltenders invited to Hockey Canada’s sixth annual goaltending camp are from the WHL. Tyler Bunz (Medicine Hat), Calvin Pickard (Seattle) and Kent Simpson (Everett) are among the 10 who will attend the under-20 camp, while Chris Driedger (Tri-City) is on the under-18 list. . . . If you’re at the U-20 camp, you are at least on the radar of the Canadian national junior team’s scouting staff. . . . The camp is scheduled fro the Norma Bush Arena in Calgary, June 9-12. . . . F Taylor Stefishen, who had 67 points in 68 regular-season games with the Prince George Cougars last season, had his NHL rights traded on Thursday. Stefishen, who played two seasons at Ohio State before joining the Cougars for his 20-year-old season, was a fifth-round selection by the Nashville Predators in the 2008 NHL draft. On Thursday, the Preds dealt him to the Washington Capitals for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft. Nashville gets the pick if Stefishen appears on the Capitals’ reserve list during either of the next two seasons.

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

What really killed Bill Masterton?

Let’s start off with today’s good read.
It’s from the Toronto Star and written by Rob Cribb and Randy Starkman, who try to answer the question: What really killed Bill Masterton?
Masterton is the only player in NHL history whose death has been linked to an on-ice incident during a game.
Here is one paragraph from the story:
“A Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Masterton’s death at the age of 29.”
If you read one story today, make it this one. It is riveting. And given the prominence of concussions in today’s dialogue, it is terribly relevant.
It’s right here.
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During the 17 years I spent in Regina, I always looked forward to running into Ed Staniowski, who was the goaltender when the Regina Pats won the 1974 Memorial Cup. He always had a smile on his face and a story to tell, usually from his latest military-based trip. No one has a better understanding of the history of the Memorial Cup than does Staniowski. Bob Duff of the Windsor Star caught up with Staniowski and filed this column.
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THE COACHING GAME: Ron Choules is the new head coach of the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. GM Pierre Roux made the announcement on Friday. Choules replaces Mario Durocher, who was fired as GM/head coach early in April. Choules is no stranger to the QMJHL, having served as head coach of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. He was an assistant coach with the Canadian team that won the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial U-18 tournament. . . . The BCHL’s Merritt Centennials have signed Joe Martin to a two-year deal as assistant GM/assistant coach. Martin, who will work under Luke Pierce, the GM and head coach, had been GM/head coach of the junior B Creston Valley Thundercats, who play in the Kootenay International junior league.
 ———
In case you missed it, it would seem that the Everett Silvertips might soon be in the market for a head coach.
The rather well-connected Bob McKenzie of TSN tweeted Friday afternoon: “Lots of talk out there that Craig Hartsburg will be leaving Everett of WHL to return to NHL bench, likely alongside Brent Sutter in CGY.”
Earlier in the month, Hartsburg’s name came up with regards to the head-coaching vacancy with the Minnesota Wild.
Should Hartsburg leave — he has been the head coach for two seasons — it would leave three WHL teams with head-coaching vacancies. The Moose Jaw Warriors and Seattle Thunderbirds are both in the process of making changes.
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JUST NOTES: F Kris Foucault of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. Foucault played out his junior eligibility this season, earning 48 points in 65 games. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft. . . . There were reports Friday evening that the QMJHL’s Lewiston Maineiacs’ franchise will be dissolved next week as the league holds its annual draft. The franchise would then be relocated to Sherbrooke, Que.
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Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun sums up this year’s Memorial Cup with one word — “whacked.” Read about it right here.
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The carriage turned into a pumpkin for the Kootenay Ice on Friday as its Memorial Cup dream ended with a 3-1 loss to the host team, the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.
The Majors got their first goal, via the PP, in the game’s first two minutes and never trailed. F Devante Smith-Pelly scored the Majors’ first two goals.
The CHL will hand out its awards today.
The tournament final, featuring the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs and the Majors will be played Sunday. Game times if 7 p.m. ET.
———
In Houston, the host Houston Aeros scored three third-period goals and beat the Binghamton Senators in Game 1 of the AHL’s best-of-seven Calder Cup final. F Colton Gillies (Saskatoon, 2004-08) had two assists, with F Warren Peters (Saskatoon, 1997-2003) putting it away with the empty-netter. . . . Binghamton went into the game having won eight straight on the road. . . . Game 2 is tonight in Houston.
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In the Central league, the host Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs got a goal  from former WHLer Steven Crampton and beat the Colorado Eagles 2-1 in Game 7 of the final. . . . That gave the Mudbugs the CHL championship and the Presidents’ Cup. . . . The Eagles have been in five of the last seven finals, winning in 2005 and 2007, but losing in 2008 and 2009. . . . Crampton opened the scoring at 2:58 of the first period. . . . Adam Chorneyko, another former WHLer, scored for the Eagles with 1:04 left in the third period. . . . Scott Muscutt, the Mudbugs' coach for 11 seasons, said after the game that he won't return for a 12th season.

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

Thursday . . .

The subject of concussions and their impact on young athletes isn’t going to go away anytime soon.
In fact, it has become a story with legs, as they say.
On Wednesday, USA TODAY ran an editorial that carried this headline:
Who needs concussion laws? 1.2 million young football players
That editorial is right here.
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On Thursday, USA TODAY, on its op-ed page, carried a piece headlined:
Risk a child’s brain for football?
This piece was written by Katherine Chretien, who is an associate professor of medicine at George Washington University. She touches on the questions and the unknowns involving young people and concussions.
Her essay is right here.
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Keep in mind that USA TODAY has a daily circulation of 1.83 million, which translates to something like 6 million daily readers.
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THE COACHING GAME: The QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have signed GM/head coach Andre Tourigny to a three-year deal. . . .
Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post takes a look at the Regina Pats’ coaching situation, after the team swept two assistant coaches out the door on Wednesday. That piece is right here. . . .
Might Craig Hartsburg be the next head coach of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild? Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, says he hasn’t heard from the Wild. Fox Sports has that story right here.
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The Portland Winterhawks will celebrate a milestone Saturday night as they play host to the Spokane Chiefs in Game 5 of the Western Conference final. Prior to the game, the Winterhawks will welcome the one millionth fan in team playoff history. . . . At present, they are 2,108 fans shy of reaching 1,000,000. . . . According to a news release from the Winterhawks, “The lucky fan . . . will receive season tickets to the Winterhawks’ 2011-12 season, a team autographed jersey and will present the three stars at the conclusion of Saturday’s Game 5.” . . . The Winterhawks take a 2-1 lead into Game 4 tonight in Spokane.
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The winner of the Western Conference final will meet the Kootenay Ice in the WHL championship series. The Ice completed a sweep of the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday night. . . . The Ice played that game without F Steele Boomer and F Drew Czerwonka. Boomer suffered a concussion in Game 1 and sat out the last three games. Czerwonka got a stretcher ride off the ice in Game 3 after falling awkwardly into the boards. He was cleared to play in Game 4 but general soreness kept him out. . . . Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth told me Thursday “both Steele and Drew should be ready for Games 1 and 2 and there also is a possibility that Brock Montgomery also will be back. We miss all three of them.” Montgomery has been out with mononucleosis. . . . The WHL final could start May 6 in Portland or Spokane, with Games 3 and 4 in Cranbrook on May 10 and 11. That is strictly tentative, however.
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The ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings, who are a dead team skating, head home from Anchorage trailing the Aces 2-0 after dropping a 4-3 overtime decision on Thursday night. . . . F Wes Goldie, who left the Salmon Kings over the summer despite being one of their most popular players, scored the winner at 2:15 of OT. . . . The Aces opened the Western Conference final Wednesday with a 2-1 victory, scoring the winner with nine seconds left in the third period. . . . The series resumes in Victoria with games on Saturday, Monday and, if necessary, Wednesday. . . . The Salmon Kings' fate has yet to be announced, but their owner, Vancouver-based RG Properties, has purchased the Chilliwack Bruins and is moving the WHL team to the B.C. capital.
———
Doug McConachie, a former sports editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, died Wednesday morning after what ended up being a one-sided scrap with pancreatic cancer. McConachie was one of the last of the old breed of newspapermen. There aren’t too many of us left who remember what a typewriter sounded like, never mind what hot metal means (or used to mean). . . . Kevin Mitchell, today the sports editor at The StarPhoenix, remembers McConachie — or McDoug, as some of us called him — right here. . . . And why do I think McDoug is somewhere skiing or fishing right now?

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

Tri-City defenceman Zach Yuen (left) and goaltender Chris Driedger
combine to deny Chilliwack centre Kevin Sundher during a
Friday night game in Kennewick, Wash.
(Photo by John Allen/AridAcres.com)

The OHL has suspended Marty Williamson, the head coach of the Niagara IceDogs, for five games for actions during and after a Thursday night game. Not enough coaches get into it with the officials and then repeat it for public consumption. A five-game suspension would indicate that the OHL doesn't want its coaches going public.
There’s more right here.
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D Luke Fenske of the Vancouver Giants lost some teeth the other night. On Friday, he took time to show off his new smile and Dan Elliott, the Giants’ director of broadcasting and media relations, was on hand with a camera. That pic is right here.
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The WHL has issued a response to the lawsuit that has been filed by former Everett Silvertips captain Zach Dailey. Check out that response right here.
Somewhere Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., is smiling as he enjoys his morning coffee.
———
Kyle Woodlief of of Red Line Report checks in with a look to the NHL’s 2012 draft and which WHL players may be early selections. You can start with Everett Silvertips D Ryan Murray. In fact, Woodlief and his staff wonder if the first five picks from the WHL might be defencemen. . . . Check that out right here.
———
Mike Caccioppoli, who covers the Seattle Thunderbirds for mynorthwest.com, has posted a lengthy interview with general manager Russ Farwell. Lots of interesting thoughts on the Thunderbirds right here.
———
F Cody Eakin and F Brayden Schenn will renew acquaintances tonight in Cranbrook as Eakin’s Kootenay Ice plays host to Schenn’s Saskatoon Blades. They were teammates with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship and were the biggest fish in the trading pond at the WHL deadline. . . . Patrick King of Sportsnet has more right here.
———
If you’re into the late Stieg Larsson’s trilogy (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo; The Girl Who Played with Fire; The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest), speculation continues on whether a fourth book may be forthcoming at some point. Eva Gabrielsson, Larsson’s longtime girlfriend, has published a memoir. There’s more right here.
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Should the Regina Pats qualify for the playoffs, they won’t be playing first-round games in the Brandt Centre, which is their home arena. The Ford World men’s curling championship will be decided in Regina, April 2-10. With the necessary setup time needed for the curling event, it’s unlikely that the Pats would get into the building for first-round games. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has that and some interesting stuff on the Pats’ lease negotiations, and it’s all right here.
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This week’s WHL injury report lists 11 players as being out with concussions and four others with head injuries. . . . Craig Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, will coach his 500th major junior game tonight against the Cougars in Prince George. He also has coached the OHL’s Guelph Storm and Soo Greyhounds. . . . Hartsburg also has coached 491 NHL games. He will get to No. 1,000 combined when the Portland Winterhawks visit Everett on March 12. . . . The Tri-City Americans have recalled F Dylan Fluter, 16, from the midget AAA North Battlefords Stars. An eighth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft, the 5-foot-9, 160-pound Fluter has 30 points and 45 penalty minutes in 42 games with the Stars.
———
SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Scott Glennie scored two goals and set up another as the Wheat Kings dumped the Swift Current Broncos, 10-1. . . . F Hampus Gustafsson, who ended an 18-game drought, had a goal and two assists, as did F Mark Stone and F David Toews. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay scored 12 seconds into the game. He has goals in six straight games and points in each of his last 13 outings. . . . Brandon G Corbin Boes stopped 22 shots, losing his shutout bid when F Adam Lowry got his 15th goal at 19:19 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 4,508. . . . The Wheat Kings visit Swift Current tonight. . . . The Wheat Kings have won four straight and eight of 10. They are seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Edmonton and and three in front of Prince Albert. . . . The Broncos, who have lost four straight and nine of 10, are ninth, four points out of a playoff spot. . . . Swift Current was without F Justin Dowling (ankle) and F Dillon Wagner (knee). As well, F Killian Hutt (concussion) remains out. He hasn’t played since Dec. 10. . . .
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In Regina, the Calgary Hitmen scored two shootout goals and beat the Pats, 2-1. . . . The teams will meet again Monday at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium in the first major junior outdoor game to be played in Canada. . . . Regina went into this one with a 9-1 record in shootouts. . . . Calgary got SO goals from F Brooks Macek and F Jimmy Bubnick. . . . Regina F Nils Moser scored his fifth goal at 17:10 of t he second period. . . . Calgary forced OT on F Rob Trzonkowski’s second goal at 12:18 of the third. . . . Attendance was 4,167. . . . The Pats are tied for 10th with Lethbridge, five points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Hitmen, who have won two straight, are last in the conference, but now are just six points behind Lethbridge and Regina. . . . The Pats will play in Medicine Hat tonight. . . .
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In Prince Albert, F Quinton Howden struck for four goals to lead the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 6-3 victory over the Raiders, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary this weekend. . . . Howden has 37 goals. . . . D Nathan Deck gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead at 2:30 of the first. . . . Howden then scored twice to put Moose Jaw out front. . . . Howden added a third goal at 2:40 of the third, giving the Warriors a 3-2 lead. . . . His fourth goal, at 13:50 of the third, came via the PP and gave Moose Jaw a 5-3 lead. . . . F Brett Lyon scored his fifth goal in 20 games since Moose Jaw acquired him from Vancouver. Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald points out that Lyon had three goals in his first 143 regular-season games. . . . Moose Jaw G Thomas Heemskerk stopped 32 shots, four more than Prince Albert’s Eric Williams. . . . Attendance was 2,442. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Moose Jaw. . . . The Warriors, who are without F Antonin Honejsek (ankle) and F Brayden Cuthbert (concussion) are fifth, seven points behind Medicine Hat and 12 in front of Edmonton. . . . The Raiders are eighth, three points behind Brandon and four ahead of Swift Current. . . .
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In Edmonton, F Thomas Frazee’s second goal of the game, at 2:32 of OT, gave the Kamloops Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . Frazee, who was playing in his 301st regular-season game, has 26 goals. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford was kept off the scoresheet as he played his 200th regular-season game with the Blazers. He is from Edmonton. . . . C Dalibor Bortnak had two assists for Kamloops. . . . F Michael St. Croix had a goal, his 23rd, and two helpers for Edmonton. . . . Oil Kings F Kristians Pelss forged a 3-3 tie with his ninth goal just 17 seconds into the third period. . . . Kamloops G Jeff Bosch stopped 46 shots. . . . Edmonton G Jon Groenheyde, who was acquired from the Blazers on Nov. 4, turned aside 31 shots. . . . Attendance was 5,492. . . . The Blazers moved three points ahead of Chilliwack in the race for the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . Edmonton is sixth in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Brandon. . . . Kamloops moves on to Red Deer tonight, while Edmonton is in Lethbridge. . . .
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In Cranbrook, the host Kootenay Ice scored the game’s first four goals and went on to beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-1. . . . Ice D Brayden McNabb scored his 16th goal and added an assist, while D Luke Paulsen, recently returned from a concussion, had two assists, as did F Matt Fraser. . . . The Ice had a 2-0 lead when F Joe Antilla and F Max Reinhart each scored shorthanded goals. . . . Reinhart has 30 goals this season. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 27 shots. He lost his shutout when F Linden Vey, who leads the WHL points race, notched his 39th goal at 8:22 of the third. . . . Attendance was 2,593. . . . The Ice welcomed back F Steele Boomer (ankle) who hadn’t played in more than a month. . . . Ice D Joey Leach (ankle) could be back skating next week. . . . The Tigers had F Tyler Pitlick (concussion) back for this one. . . . The Ice is third in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Tigers. . . . The Ice is at home tonight to Saskatoon, while the Tigers return home to face Regina. . . .
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In Red Deer, F John Persson scored his 29th goal of the season at 1:58 of OT to give the Rebels a 2-1 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Red Deer F Adam Kambeitz gave his side a 1-0 lead at 8:58 of the first period. . . . Lethbridge D Daniel Johnston tied it with his seocnd goal at 17:53 of the second on a PP. . . . Red Deer G Darcy Kuemper stopped 27 shots, one fewer than Lethbridge’s Brandon Anderson. . . . Attendance was 4,619. . . . The Rebels closed to within six points of idle Saskatoon, which leads the conference, but the Blades hold two games in hand. . . . Red Deer is at home to Kamloops tonight. . . . The Hurricanes meet the visiting Oil Kings. . . .
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In Prince George, G Kent Simpson stopped 28 shots and F Scott MacDonald scored twice as the Everett Silvertips beat the Cougars, 4-1. . . . D Sena Acolatse gave the home team a 1-0 lead 52 seconds into the first period. . . . Everett F Jari Erricson, who is from Prince George, tied it with his seventh goal at 10:11 of the first. . . . MacDonald, who has seven goals, broke the 1-1 tie at 8:06 of the third period. . . . He later added an empty-netter. . . . Everett D Ryan Murray had two assists. . . . Attendance was 2,003. . . . The Silvertips closed to within two points of sixth-place Prince George in the Western Conference. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Prince George. . . .
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In Kelowna, the Spokane Chiefs erased a 2-1 deficit and beat the Rockets, 3-2. . . . Spokane F Levko Koper had two goals, giving him 31, and an assist. . . . Koper tied the score 2-2 at 10:19 of the second period and D Brenden Kichton got the winner on a PP just 50 seconds into the third period. . . . Spokane was 2-for-4 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-for-2. . . . D Davis Vandane assisted on each of Spokane’s last two goals. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 22 shots, 14 fewer than Kelowna’s Adam Brown. . . . Attendance was 6,101. . . . The loss, combined with a Vancouver victory, dropped the Rockets into second in the B.C. Division, while the Chiefs closed to within one point of conference-leading Portland. . . . Vancouver travels to Kelowna tonight, while the Chiefs visit the Tri-City Americans. . . .
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In Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans got three goals and an assist from F Justin Feser as they beat the Chilliwack Bruins, 6-2. . . . The Americans, who have won 17 of their last 18 at home, scored the game’s last five goals. . . . Feser, who finished at plus-6, has 22 goals. . . . Americans F Patrick Holland, who missed their last game with the flu, had a goal, his 20th, and three assists. . . . Americans F Connor Rankin had a goal and two assists. . . . Feser, Holland and Rankin are linemates. . . . Americans D Tyler Schmidt was one and one. . . . Holland, Rankin and Schmidt each was plus-5. . . . Chilliwack F Ryan Howse scored the game’s first goal, his 41st. It also was his 16th on the PP, which tied F Oscar Moller’s single-season franchise record. . . . With G Drew Owsley still injured, G Chris Driedger stopped 14 of 16 shots in his third straight start. He made way for Cam Gorchynski with 14:13 to play. Gorchynski, who stopped four shots, will be returning to the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies early next week. . . .The Bruins dressed only 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . Attendance was 5,518. . . . The Americans are third in the U.S. Division, two points behind Spokane and three back of Portland. The Americans hold two games in hand on Portland and three on Spokane. . . . Spokane is in Kennewick tonight, while the Bruins are in Portland. . . .
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In Vancouver, F Nathan Burns and F Jordan Martinook each scored twice as the Giants beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 6-2. . . . F Teal Burns drew three assists for Vancouver. . . . Martinook also had an assist. . . . The Giants scored the game’s first three goals and the last three. . . . Attendance was 8,387. . . . The Giants moved back atop the B.C. Division, meaning they again are the Western Conference’s second seed. . . . The Thunderbirds now are six points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Giants are in Kelowna tonight. . . . The Thunderbirds are at home to Chilliwack on Sunday. . . .
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FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Two minors:
Lethbridge F Austin Fyten
Seattle F Justin Hickman

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

The WHL’s history is full of stories. Lots and lots of stories. . . . and here’s one for your reading enjoyment.
I have been exchanging recent emails with Doug Allan, who played goal with the New Westminster Bruins in 1973-74.
He recalls a game against the Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round of that season’s playoffs . . .
“In one game in The Hat, their little sniper of a forward, Morris Lukowich, was standing in front of the net attempting to screen me. So I did what most targets do — I chopped his ankles or gave him a shot in the back.
“Also in the Tigers’ lineup that season were two of the three Gassoff brothers (Ken and Brad).
“In the third period, some of the Tigers were taking exception to my swipes at their star player. During a break in the action in our end, one of the Gassoffs (I’m sure it was Ken) skated past me and said, ‘I’m going to get you, you SOB!’
“I said something back, like, ‘Screw you!’
“A few minutes later, they dumped the puck into the corner to my right. I was hugging the post and focused on the puck when — WHAMMO! — Mr. Gassoff hit me on the side of the head with a stick-clenched fist and dropped me like a pile of dirt! I was on the ice seeing virtual stars!!
“Shortly, I looked up and saw my pal, Donnie Hay, scrapping with the perpetrator.
“We beat those damn Tigers that series, so I guess I was somewhat vindicated for taking ‘one for the team’.”
That, of course, would be the same Don Hay who now is head coach of the Vancouver Giants.
The Bruins took out the Tigers in six games that spring, before going on to lose in five to the Calgary Centennials. Calgary was then swept by the Regina Pats who went on to win the Memorial Cup right in the Calgary Corral.
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The folks who run the Southern Professional Hockey League don’t fool around when it comes to discipline. F Aaron McGill of the Augusta RiverHawks for the rest of this season and the playoffs for a punch that broke the jaw of F Mark Van Vliet of the Knoxville Ice Bears.
That story is right here.
Meanwhile, the Ice Bears, according to Dave Link of knoxnews.com, plan to sign D Mike Gauthier (Prince Albert, Kamloops, 2002-08). Gauthier spent last season with the CIS’s Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks.
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Craig Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, acted quickly on Monday to clear up any confusion that may have existed.
He told the Sault Star’s Peter Ruicci that he is not interested in returning to the OHL’s Soo Grehyounds.
That story is right here.
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The outdoor game at McMahon Stadium in Calgary on Monday will be carried live on Rogers Sportsnet, with Peter Loubardias calling the play and Sam Cosentino providing analysis. Roger Millions will don the blades and will conduct on-ice interviews.
Interestingly, Millions and Loubardias once worked together at CKCK, a now-defunct Regina AM radio station.
Game time will be noon PT.
This game will be the first CHL game to be played outdoors in Canada. Of course, the Kootenay Ice and Spokane Chiefs played the CHL’s first outdoor game in Spokane on Jan. 15.
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When Dustin Byfuglien was marauding around WHL arenas with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Prince George Cougars (2001-05), how many fans looked into their crystal ball and envisions a five-year contract worth US$26 million.
The NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers signed Byfuglien, 25, to a contract extension on Tuesday.
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Scott Sepich takes a look at Portland Winterhawks F Ty Rattie, who is having a grand season and should be a first-round selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft. That story, from The Oregonian, is right here.
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F Quinton Howden of the Moose Jaw Warriors has been named the CHL’s player of the week. He had nine points in three games last season. . . . G Adam Iwan is on his way back to the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives as the Spokane Chiefs now show G James Reid (hip) as day-to-day. Reid, 20, hasn’t played since Jan. 23. He missed 10 games. In Reid’s absence, the Chiefs have been riding Mac Engel. . . . The Chiefs play the Silvertips in Everett tonight. . . .  The B.C. Division’s top two teams meet tonight in Vancouver as the Giants entertain the Kelowna Rockets. Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun reports that Giants C James Henry (knee) and D Joel Rogers (concussion) were on the ice Tuesday but neither is expect to play through the weekend. The Giants go into tonight with a two-point lead on the Rockets. . . . The Giants travel to Kelowna for a Saturday night game. . . . In Regina, the Pats and Prince Albert Raiders will meet tonight for the seventh time since the middle of December. The Pats, with a game in hand, are 10th in the Eastern Conference, four points behind the Raiders, who hold down the final playoff spot. . . . Here’s an interesting stat from the QMJHL: F Tomas Jurco, an 18-year-old Slovakian who is in his second season with the Saint John Sea Dogs, is 13-for-16 in shootouts.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Mark Stone enjoyed a six-point night as the Wheat Kings dumped the Saskatoon Blades, 7-4. . . . Stone had two goals and four assists, with his 30th goal and three assists coming via the PP. . . . Brandon was 4-for-6 on the PP; the Blades were 3-for-6. . . . F Scott Glennie had three goals for Brandon, giving him 26, as the Wheat Kings ran their home-ice winning streak to seven games. In their late-season playoff push, they now have won nine of their last 12 games. . . . The Blades had their 11-game winning streak snapped. It was their first loss since acquiring Schenn from Brandon on Jan. 10. . . . F Shayne Wiebe had a goal, his 33rd, and two assists. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock, 16, continued his fine season with three assists. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay had a goal and an assist. He has goals in five straight and points in 14 in a row. . . . The Blades got two goals from F Jake Trask, giving him 23, while D Stefan Elliott had a goal and two assists. . . . Trask also missed on a second-period penalty shot against G Liam Liston, who finished with 23 saves. . . . Saskatoon starter Steven Stanford surrendered four shots on 16 goals as his record slipped to 31-4-0. Tyler Oswald came on in relief and stopped 15 of 17. . . . Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn, in his return to Brandon, drew three assists but finished minus-2. . . . The teams combined for 11 goals, with the middle seven all coming via the PP. . . . Attendance was 4,122. . . . The Wheat Kings are seventh in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Edmonton Oil Kings and three ahead of the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Blades lead the Eastern Conference by six points over the Red Deer Rebels. . . .
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In Prince Albert, G Eric Williams stopped 29 shots for his first WHL shutout as the Raiders beat the Calgary Hitmen, 4-0. . . . It was the first shutout post this season by a Prince Albert goaltender. . . . Williams has taken over the starter’s role as Jamie Tucker recovers from a cut to his right thumb. . . . F Jonathan Parker opened the scoring with his 37th goal at 5:08 of the first period. . . . F Brandon Herrod, with his 21st, D James Bettauer (5) and F Mark McNeill (22) also scored. . . . Calgary G Brandon Glover stopped 40 shots. . . . F Todd Fiddler, D Antoine Corbin and F Justin Maylan each had two assists. . . . The Hitmen, who have been blanked six times this season, lost for the ninth time in 11 games. . . . Attendance was 2,012. . . . The Raiders are seventh in the Eastern Conference, three points behind Brandon and two ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. . . .
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In Kamloops, F Brendan Ranford and F Colin Smith scored shootout goals to give the Blazers a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Ranford, who was playing in his 199th regular-season game, left the game in the first minute with a shoulder injury after missing a check on D Matt MacKenzie. Ranford was back early in the second period. . . . Kamloops F Thomas Frazee played in his 300th regular-season game. . . . Kamloops G Jeff Bosch was solid, with 26 saves, and two more in the shootout. . . . Tri-City G Chris Driedger also stopped 26 shots. Driedger, 16, was making his fifth career WHL start. . . . The report on Tri-City G Drew Owsley, who suffered a knee injury Friday, is that the injury isn’t as serious as originally thought. No word on how long he’ll be out, but the Americans were making arrangements Tuesday to return G Cam Gorchynski to the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies. . . . The victory lifted the Blazers back into eighth place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Chilliwack Bruins, who hold four games in hand. . . . The loser point lifted the Americans into a tie with the Spokane Chiefs for third. They are five points behind first-place Portland and the Americans hold three games in hand.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Recovery process begins for Hartsburg

Craig Hartsburg, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, is recovering at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett after undergoing open-heart surgery on Wednesday.

Hartsburg had surgery to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. Hartsburg, 51, underwent a heart catheterization a couple of weeks ago. Doctors then scheduled surgery during which they replaced a section of the ascending aorta with an artificial graft.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that the surgery began at 7:30 a.m., and that Hartsburg “was awake at noon.”
Doug Soetaert, the Silvertips’ general manager, told Patterson: “It was very successful. Everything’s going well. He’s alert and feeling pretty decent.”
Soetaert said had spoken with Hartsburg’s wife, Peggy, and “she said he’s doing better than they thought he’d be. So he’s in recovery mode. They actually say he’ll be sitting up and walking (today).”
If all goes well, Hartsburg should be back with the Silvertips early in 2011.
In the meantime, associate head coach Jay Varady and assistant coach Chris Hartsburg, Craig’s son, are running the team.

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

Thursday . . .

This is the design of the jerseys being auctioned off by the Everett Silvertips.

The Everett Silvertips are at home to the Tri-City Americans tonight and it’s Pink the Rink night.
There will be a whole lot of things happening, with proceeds going to the Providence General Foundation.
Included will be a chuck-a-puck promotion; a ticket package that includes an upper-level ticket, an ‘I Pinked the Rink’ Silvertips t-shirt, and a $6 donation to the PGF, all for $20; and, an online auction involving commemorative pink-trimmed Silvertips jerseys.  Bids on each jersey start at $150 — email bids to auctions@everettsilvertips.com.
Notes from a Silvertips release: “In the subject line please place the name of the player that you are bidding on and in the body of the email please include your bid amount as well as a day-time phone number that we can use to contact you should you be the highest bidder. If you are submitting an online bid and will be in attendance please indicate that in your email.” Email bids will be accepted until today at 3 p.m.; bidding resumes in-person once the doors open on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and will continue through the end of the second period. Winning bids will be posted in the third period.
After the game, jerseys will be presented to the highest bidders.
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The Kamloops Blazers will conclude their Pink Power Play fund-raiser on Saturday as they play host to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
It’s all part of their efforts to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
As well, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation will continue its WestJet Raffle through the second period, with the winner announced during the third period.
The Blazers are auctioning off specially designed Bauer Vapor x60 Composite Sticks. Bid sheets will be out for Saturday's game, with the auction ending as the second period begins. Email bids will be accepted at aneuls@blazerhockey.com. For more info, or to check on bids, visit the Blazers’ website or the team’s Facebook page.
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The Saskatoon Blades are on the road this weekend and may not have the services of G Steven Stanford, 20, who left Thursday’s practice with a possible concussion.
As a result, the Blades have recalled G Adam Todd, a fourth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. Todd is to join the Blades in time for a Saturday game against the Rebels in Red Deer. The Blades then will meet the Hitmen on Sunday afternoon in Calgary.
Todd is in his first season with the major midget Okanagan Rockets. He is 3-2-0, 3.01, .894.
With Todd on the move, the Rockets plan on giving two weekend starts to freshman Connor De Melo, 15, who is 3-2-0, 3.04, .871. The Rockets have a weekend doubleheader with the Cariboo Cougars.
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The Kamloops Blazers have assigned F Jesse Sinatynski, 18, to junior A. He is expected to play somewhere in the AJHL. Sinatynyski, who is from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., was acquired Oct. 14 from the Brandon Wheat Kings for a fifth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. He played three games with the Blazers, scoring once, and was a healthy scratch for one game. . . . Kamloops now is carrying 24 players, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen. That includes D Josh Caron, who is out for another month with a broken collarbone.
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Head coach Craig Hartsburg has returned to the practice ice with the Everett Silvertips. But he won’t be on the bench Friday when the Tri-City Americans are in town. Hartsburg underwent a heart catheterization last week and will undergo open hart surgery on Wednesday in Everett to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. . . . Hartsburg will attend Friday’s game, but associate coach Jay Varady and assistant coach Chris Hartsburg will work the bench, as they did for three games last week. . . . After the surgery, Hartsburg won’t be back coaching until sometime in the new year. . . . The Americans lost three road games without Hartsburg -- 2-0 to the Portland Winterhawks, 4-3 to the Kelowna Rockets and 3-1 to the Vancouver Giants.
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It was a busy day for the Portland Winterhawks. First, they got F Nino Niederreiter back from the NHL’s New York Islanders. Then they announced that G Ian Curtis, 20, had cleared WHL waivers.
Niederreiter should play for the Winterhawks in a weekend doubleheader against the Kelowna Rockets. They’ll play twice at Memorial Coliseum tonight and Saturday night.
The fifth overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft,  Niederreiter, 18, had a goal and an assist in nine games with the Islanders. Because of his age and the fact that he was drafted off a CHL team’s roster, Niederreiter, who is from Switzerland, either had to play with the Islanders or be returned to Portland.
Last season, his first in the WHL, Niederreiter had 60 points, including a team-high 36 goals. He added 16 points, eight of them goals, in the playoffs. And, of course, he got a lot of pub during the World Junior Championship when he led Switzerland into the semifinals and was named a tournament all-star. And he played for Switzerland at the 2010 IIHF world championship.
It will be interesting to see how GM/head coach Mike Johnston and assistant Travis Green fit in Niederreiter among their top six forwards. He also is the third forward on the roster with an NHL contract as F Ryan Johansen, the fourth pick in the 2010 NHL draft, and F Oliver Gabriel, a free agent, have signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. (D Brett Ponich, a second-round pick by St. Louis in 2009, has signed with the Blues.)
Later in the day, the Winterhawks announced that Curtis would be on the move as they have decided to go with their two 18-year-old goaltenders — Mac Carruth and Keith Hamilton.
The original plan was to go with Curtis and Carruth. But when both of them went down with injuries, Hamilton carried the mail through the season’s first couple of weeks and was outstanding.
Curtis is 2-0, 3.50, .909 this season. Last season, he went 27-21-3, 3.39, .906. He also has played with the Swift Current Broncos and Prince George Cougars.
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The Calgary Flames had a guest — F Ryan Howse of the Chilliwack Bruins — at their Thursday night game against the visiting Colorado Avalanche. Howse, a third-round selection by the Flames in the 2009 NHL draft, watched the Flames fall, 6-5. . . . Chilliwack plays the Hitmen in Calgary tonight. . . . The BCHL’s Langley Chiefs recently have added three former WHLers to their roster. D Brad Haber, who was released by the Red Deer Rebels, is with the Chiefs, as are the Scholten brothers, Dillon and Brandon, both of whom had been with the Vancouver Giants. Haber is 20, as is Dillon Scholten, a defenceman. Brandon Scholten, 18, is a forward. . . . Calgary Hitmen F Kris Foucault (shoulder) is questionable for a game tonight against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. He was injured during Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to visiting Kootenay when he absorbed a clean hit from Ice D Brayden McNabb.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

Blazers burning it up on road

The Everett Silvertips dropped a 3-1 decision to the Giants in Vancouver on Saturday night. It was Everett’s third game without head coach Craig Hartsburg, who underwent a heart catheterization on Wednesday in Everett.
Hartsburg may be back behind the bench for a game against the visiting Tri-City Americans on Friday before having open heart surgery in Everett on Nov. 3.
Everett GM Doug Soetaert put Hartsburg’s health predicament in layman’s terms for Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal:
"You and I have three chambers in the heart, but Craig only has two. He has what (late actor) John Ritter had (an aorta problem).
"Doctors detected a small aneurysm back in '03 and they've been monitoring it ever since, but he went in here and they found the aneurysm had enlarged. It's like a tire that has a bulge in it. It could burst or leak or deteriorate because of the pressure, so they have to fix it."
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QUOTEABLE: “The third goal was offside by two feet. And it's blatant on the video. That hurts us. Instead of a 2-1 game trying to battle back late, it's 3-1. That's call that's gotta be made. It wasn't even close.” -- Derek Laxdal, the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings, to Crash Cameron of the Edmonton Sun after a 3-2 loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Friday night.
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SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
KAMLOOPS 3 at CALGARY 2: The Blazers erased a 2-0 deficit with three third-period goals, the last one from F Jordan DePape, on the PP, at 11:56 of the third. . . . Kamloops (7-6-1) swept a three-game swing into Alberta. The Blazers won 1-0 in Red Deer on Wednesday and 3-2 in Edmonton on Friday. . . . Kamloops has won five in a row on the road. The Blazers hadn’t won five straight road games since 2003-04. They haven’t won six in a row on the road since 1998-99 when then-head coach Marc Habscheid got them into the WHL final. The Blazers next road game is Nov. 5 against, yes, Calgary. . . . The Hitmen (4-7-0) had a 2-0 lead on goals from F Cody Bech, his fourth, in the first period, and F Tyler Fiddler, his second, at 17:03 of the second. . . . F Brendan Ranford, with his 12th, at 1:30, and F Ryan Hanes, with his second, at 6:21, tied it. . . . Ranford ran his point streak to 10 games. He has 16 points, nine of them goals, over that stretch. . . . Kamloops G Jeff Bosch, starting his third straight game, stopped 23 shots. Juray Holly of the Hitmen blocked 25. . . . Kamloops was 1-for-6 on the PP; the Hitmen were 0-for-4. . . . Attendance was 7,979. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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LETHBRIDGE 2 at PRINCE ALBERT 1 (SO): Lethbridge got shootout goals from F Mitch Maxwell and F Ryon Moser as it improved to 4-2-2 on the road. . . . The Raiders (5-7-2) lost their fourth straight game. . . . The shootout needed 10 shots, with the Hurricanes winning, 2-1. . . . F Max Ross put Lethbridge on the board at 3:25 of the second period. . . . Raiders F Jonathan Parker tied it, with his ninth, at 16:59 of the second. . . . Lethbridge G Brandon Anderson stopped 41 shots, while Eric Williams stopped 32 for the Raiders. . . . P.A. was without its 20-year-old defencemen. Nathan Deck suffered a knee injury on Friday, while Jordan Rowley remains out with a broken wrist. . . . Each team was 0-for-4 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 2,124. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Prince Albert F Sebastian Svendsen.
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MEDICINE HAT 1 at SASKATOON 4: F Marek Viedensky scored twice, giving him nine, to lead the Blades (10-2-0). . . . Saskatoon is 7-0-0 at home. . . . The Tigers (6-4-0) had won four in a row, including three straight on the road. . . . Viedensky scored once on the PP and once while shorthanded. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford stopped 25 shots, two fewer than Medicine Hat’s Tyler Bunz. . . . Stanford lost his shutout when F Dylan Bredo scored his first goal of the season at 4:02 of the third period. . . . D Stefan Elliott had two assists for the Blades, both of them coming on the PP. . . . F Curtis Hamilton had a goal, his eighth, and an assist for Saskatoon, with F Darian Dziurzynski adding his ninth. . . . The Blades were 2-for-9 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-8. . . . Attendance was 3,622. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero. . . . The Tigers were without F Tyler Pitlick, who was suspended pending investigation after he took a kneeing major on Friday in Prince Albert. Raiders D Nathan Deck was injured on the play.
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EVERETT 1 at VANCOUVER 3: The Giants (8-5-2) scored the game’s last three goals in winning their third straight game. . . . The Silvertips (5-4-3) got a goal from F Josh Birkholz, his third, at 15:46 of the first period. . . . Everett has lost four in a row. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning tied it at 2:12 of the second on the PP and F Jordan Martinook got the eventual winner at 5:33. . . . F Craig Cunningham, who leads the WHL in points, added insurance at 9:36 of the third. . . . Vancouver G Brendan Jensen stopped 20 shots, while Everett’s Kent Simpson turned aside 24. . . . Everett was 0-for-3 on the PP; Vancouver was 1-for-5. . . . Attendance was 5,737. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Two minors, one to Vancouver D Luke Fenske, the other to Everett D Evan Morden. . . . The Giants were without Vancouver D Tyler Hart, who re-injured an ankle in Friday’s 5-2 victory over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. He sat out 12 games with the original injury.
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MOOSE JAW 2 at SWIFT CURRENT 3: Broncos G Mark Friesen stopped 33 shots as his mates opened up a 3-0 lead and hung on for their sixth win in seven games. . . . The Broncos (8-7-0) have won five straight at home where they are 5-3-0. . . . Moose Jaw G Thomas Heemskerk stopped 15 shots. . . . F Justin Dowling’s third goal of the season gave the Broncos a 3-0 lead just 50 seconds into the second period. . . . F Cody Eakin, with his eighth, and F Killian Hutt, with his third, had first-period goals. . . . F Quinton Howden got his seventh for Moose Jaw at 16:39 of the second and D Dylan McIlrath got his first at 12:37 of the third. . . . Swift Current was 1-for-6 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 2,046. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero. . . . But according to the WHL website, F Adam Lowry of the Broncos took three fighting majors at 5:59 of the third period. . . . Which means the website must still be acting up. Right?
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BRANDON 3 at CHILLIWACK 6: The Bruins opened up 4-0 and 6-1 leads as they ran their record to 6-4-0 with their third win in four games. . . . The Wheat Kings (4-9-0) have lost nine in a row. . . . Chilliwack F Roman Horak had three assists. . . . The Bruins got goals from six different players, but F Ryan Howse was held goalless. He has 14 goals in 10 games. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 35 shots, 11 more than Brandon’s Corbin Boes. . . . The Bruins were 3-for-6 on the PP; Brandon was 2-for-8. . . . The Bruins also got a shorthanded goal, from F Mike Forsyth. . . . Attendance was 3,150. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Brandon D Darren Bestland.
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TRI-CITY 3 at PRINCE GEORGE 8: D Sena Acolatse, D Martin Marincin and F Charles Inglis each scored twice for the Cougars (7-5-1). . . . Inglis and Marincin also had one assist each. . . . D Shane Pilling and F Tayler Thompson had two assists apiece for P.G. . . . Acolatse, the reigning CHL player of the week, was plus-4. . . . F Adam Hughesman had two assists for the Americans (9-4-1), who trailed 4--1 and 8-1 before getting two third-period goals. . . . F Patrick Holland scored his ninth for the visitors. . . . G James Priestner stopped 29 shots for the Cougars. . . . Tri-City G Drew Owsley gave up four goals on 12 shots, with Chris Driedger coming on at 12:21 of the first and stopped 25 of 29. . . . Prince George was 1-for-4 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-for-6. . . . Attendance was 1,908. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero. . . . From Dan Mulhausen, the American’s crack media director: “With the win, the Cougars did something they had not done since Oct. 3, 2007 -- take home a win. It was Prince George’s first win in 12 games vs. their conference foes and was the most goals scored in the series since Tri-City tallied eight in an 8-5 win on Dec. 12, 2003. The five-goal margin of victory was also the largest for either side since a 7-2 Tri-City win on Feb. 6, 2002.”
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RED DEER 4 at SPOKANE 2: F Andrej Kudrna set up three goals for the Rebels (9-5-0), who had lost their previous two games. . . . F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added two assists for the Rebels, who broke a 1-1 first-period tie with three goals. . . . D Justin Weller scored at 3:21 of the second. F Byron Froese got his sixth at 18:55 on the PP. F Turner Elson added insurance at 15:36 of the third. . . . Red Deer G Darcy Kuemper blocked 31 shots, while Spokane’s James Reid turned aside 21. . . . The Chiefs (4-6-0) had won their last two games. . . . Each team was 1-for-5 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 7,039. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero. . . . Spokane D Corbin Baldwin will be hearing from the WHL office after taking a gross misconduct late in the third period.

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