New logo for Hurricanes? . . . Concussions in the news

D Robby Sandrock (Spokane, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Kelowna, 1994-99) has signed a one-year extension with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). Last season, Sandrock had 51 points, including 13 goals, in 59 games. He led the league’s defencemen in assists and was named to the first all-star team.

F Ben Maxwell (Kootenay, 2003-08) has signed a one-year contract with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). Last season, with Kärpät Oulu (Finland, Liiga), he had 42 points, 16 of them goals, in 49 games, finishing ninth in the league’s scoring race. Maxwell got the primary assists on the Game 6 game-winning goal (a 3-2 victory) and winner and on the Game 7 OT goal (1-0) in the league final. Kärpät had been down 3-1 in the series.
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1. A Thursday afternoon tweet from Lethbridge lawyer David van Moorsel, who specializes in the fields of business and trademarks: “Lethbridge Hurricanes are seeking trademark protection for a new logo. Looks like it's original this time.” The details are right here. . . . The Hurricanes moved from Calgary over the summer of 1987, and when their nickname was announced, Pat Sullivan of the Lethbridge Herald wrote that with a nickname like that the logo should be an overturned mobile home.

2. F Troy Bourke, the captain of the Prince George Cougars, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. Bourke was a third-round selection by the Avalanche in the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . According to capgeek.com, Bourke’s deal calls for NHL salaries of US$610,000, $640,000 and $645,000, with an AHL salary of $60,000 each season. He got a signing bonus of $195,000, payable in three installments -- $60,000, $65,000 and $70,000. . . . Bourke, 20, is the Prince George franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He put up 85 points, including 29 goals, in 69 games last season. In 276 career regular-season games, he has 236 points, including 84 goals . . . Bourke finished last season with the Lake Erie Monsters, Colorado’s AHL affiliate, picking up seven points, three of them goals, in 15 games.

3. If you watched Tuesday’s Stanley Cup game between the New York Rangers and host Montreal, you saw Canadiens F Dale Weise take a hit to the hit and need help getting off the ice. You also saw him return to the game a bit later. . . . If you are at all aware of the concussion problem in hockey, you were wondering how it was that Weise was allowed back on the ice. . . . David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail has written an interesting piece on the NHL and concussions, and it’s right here. . . . Feel free to take out NHL and insert WHL, because things are pretty much the same in the major junior league.

4. Bruce Arthur of the Toronto Star also was writing about Montreal F Dale Weise and it’s obvious that Arthur is wondering just how it is that Weise was allowed to re-enter a game he had left in such wobbly condition. . . . Arthur’s column is right here.

5. You know concussions are a serious issue when the White House gets involved, which is what happened Thursday as President Obama convened a gathering of top sports executives and researchers to discuss the situation. Michael D. Shear and Ken Belson of The New York Times have more right here.

6. If you’re wondering what’s going on between the CFL and the CFLPA, check this out right here. Andrew Bucholtz of Yahoo! Sports Canada has broken it down and his report includes charts that make things easy to understand.

7. Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post hits another home run right here as he tries to figure out just what is going on with the Washington Nationals.

8. The Vancouver Giants have signed F Brendan Semchuk, the 10th overall selection in the 2014 WHL bantam draft. Semchuk, from Kamloops, had 77 points, 45 of them goals, with the bantam Tier 1 A1 Blazers.

9. The headline reads: Crocodile injured by falling accountant during circus bus accident in Russia. . . . You are able to read about it right here. Seriously.

10. You may be aware of the Internet scam in which NBAer Chris Andersen, the Birdman, found himself caught up in not that long ago. It’s an amazing story and makes for a great read. Flinder Boyd of Newsweek has it all right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday night that the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers will name Don Elland as their head coach today. Elland has been an assistant coach with the Whalers for four seasons. . . . Elland, 50, will replace Mike Vellucci as head coach. Vellucci, who had been with the Whalers for 14 seasons, left to become assistant GM and director of hockey operations with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. . . . The Whalers and Hurricanes both are owned by Peter Karmanos Jr.
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Dave Allison is the new head coach of the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers. Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register reports that the announcement is to made this morning. . . . Allison has coach in Des Moines before, as he was the head coach of the AHL’s Iowa Stars for three seasons. He also was hired to coach the Buccaneers once before but, as Birch wrote: “(Allison) never took the ice for a game due to work-permit visa issues. He instead took a job as a scout with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.” . . . Last season, Allison was an assistant coach with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. . . . With Des Moines, Allison replaces Jon Rogger, who spent two seasons as head coach. . . . The Buccaneers have missed the playoffs in each of the last seven seasons.
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From Bob Irving (@BobIrvingCJOB), the long-time voice of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on CJOB: “Shame on the cfl and the players association. Wake up folks, you are on the verge of damaging a grand Cdn institution, perhaps permanently.”

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Winterhawks back on even ground; meet the bus driving radio man

With apologies to Elliotte Friedman, here are 10 thoughts . . .
1. Via Twitter, Friedman, of Hockey Night in Canada, explained the Quenneville-Lucic discipline discrepancy, of US$25,000 vs. $5,000: “Comparing Quenneville's fine to Lucic: players have a CBA, coaches don't. That's the difference. Drives coaches crazy.”
2. How many fighting majors have been handed out through four days of Stanley Cup play? Two? Four? Six? Eight?
3. There have been two fighting majors through 13 games, going into Sunday’s play. . . . Obviously, this is more proof that fisticuffs aren’t needed if hockey is to be entertaining.
4. You watch Boston Bruins F Milan Lucic spear D Danny DeKeyser of the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks D Brent Seabrook drill F David Backes of the St. Louis Blues, and you wonder where the respect factor has gone? Shouldn’t the game be about taking the puck from an opponent, rather than putting an opponent out of the game?
5. If you’re a sporting fan, you have to admit that it’s neat to see some basketball fever in Toronto. And it is going to be interesting to see how much NBA commissioner Adam Silver lightens the wallet of Raptors GM Masai Ujiri for his “(Bleep) Brooklyn” comment on Saturday. . . . I’m thinking the fine will be closer to Quenneville country than to Lucic country.
6. If you weren’t aware, Brooklyn Nets small forward Andrei Kirilenko, who didn’t get off the bench on Saturay in Toronto, is preparing to open the first Hooters restaurant in Russia. The grand opening is scheduled for Moscow on April 28. As Sam Laird of mashable.com wrote, the restaurant “will include 40 flat-screen TVs for sports-watching, as well as a gift shop featuring the Hooters merchandise Russians don't yet know they need.” (BTW, AK-47’s wife turned to Instagram to question why Nets head coach Jason Kidd kept her husband on the bench. Ahh, you just gotta love social media.)
7. If you were wondering, the two fighting majors went to F Brandon Prust of the Montreal Canadiens and D Radko Gudas of the Tampa Bay Lightning. They scrapped at 2:56 of the second period in Game 2 on Friday night.
8. By the time the Portland Winterhawks and Kelowna Rockets get through with each other, you wonder how much the survivor will have left. After two games, this is shaping up as one of those epic series that people will talk about for a long time. (If you’ve Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston, who is your starting goaltender for Game 3?)
9. If the Saskatoon Blades haven’t handed a blank cheque to Mike Williamson, who was deposed as head coach of the Calgary Hitmen a couple of days ago, you have to assume it’s only because it’s a long weekend in Canada and their banker was at the lake getting his cabin ready for summer, which may only be two months away.
10. You realize, of course, that five OT goals have been scored in these Stanley Cup playoffs and that three have come from WHL grads. D Barret Jackman (Regina Pats, 1997-2001) and F Matt Calvert (Brandon Wheat Kings (2007-10) scored in extra time for the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. On Wednesday, F Dale Weise (Swift Current Broncos, 2005-08) scored an OT goal for the Montreal Canadiens.
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If you read one thing today, make it this column by Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun. It’s all about the legendary Bob Ridley, the bus driving radio man who is the voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers. This is good stuff.
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Joel Quenneville, the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, was fined US$25,000 for grabbing his man region as he expressed his disgust with the officiating in Game 1 of a playoff series against the St. Louis Blues the other night.
F Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins will be fined, perhaps $5,000, for a spear to the groin of Detroit Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser in Game 1 of their series on Friday evening.
Of course, the NHL is a bit confused.
Chris Peters of cbssports.com has more right here.
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D Jaynen Rissling, who played out his eligibility with the Calgary Hitmen this season, had his NHL rights dealt by the Washington Capitals to the Nashville Predators on Saturday for a seventh-round pick in the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . Rissling, who played five seasons with the Hitmen, had 37 points, including eight goals, in 54 games this season. He was Calgary’s captain. . . . He was a seventh-round selection by Washington in the 2012 NHL draft.
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THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. MEDICINE HAT (4)
(Edmonton leads, 1-0)
Season series: Edmonton, 5-0-1; Medicine Hat, 1-5-0.
(All games on Shaw TV)
Friday: Medicine Hat 3 at Edmonton 8 (7,694)
Sunday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, April 28: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 29: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, day-to-day; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
(Series tied, 1-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-0-0; Portland, 0-4-0.
Friday: Portland 4 at Kelowna 5 (6,218)
Saturday: Portland 5 at Kelowna 3 (6,341)
Tuesday: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Friday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 27: Kelowna at Portland, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 29: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
Portland: None.
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SATURDAY’S GAME:
In Kelowna, the Portland Winterhawks erased a 3-1 deficit with three quick second-period goals and went on to beat the Rockets, 5-3. . . . The Western Conference final is tied 1-1 with Games 3 and 4 scheduled for Portland on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Kelowna took a 2-0 lead into the second period, thanks to first-period PP goals from F Nick Merkley, at 12:05, and D Ryley Stadel, at 12:37. . . . Portland F Dominic Turgeon got his first playoff goal 24 seconds into the second period, but Kelowna D Madison Bowey got that one back, with his fifth, just 1:09 later. . . . The Winterhawks then struck three times in 2:10, with F Nic Petan getting it started on a PP at 9:54. F Oliver Bjorkstrand tied it with his 12th goal at 11:51, and F Brendan Leipsic gave his guys the lead, with his ninth goal, at 12:04. . . . F Alex Schoenborn provided Portland with some insurance at 8:45 of the third. . . . Petan also had two assists, while Portland D Derrick Pouliot had three assists. . . . Bjorkstrand and Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk lead the WHL, each with 12 goals. . . . With 8:54 left in the second period and Kelowna leading 3-2, Portland freelancer tweeted that the Winterhawks already had 26 shots “which are as many as it had in the entire game (Friday) night.” . . . Portland outshot its hosts 24-14 in the second period and had a 4-1 edge in goals. . . . Of course, Portland took a 4-3 lead into the third period on Friday, too, and ended up losing, 5-4. . . . Portland opened with Brendan Burke in goal. But he left at 1:33 of the second period, after giving up three goals on nine shots. Corbin Boes, a January acquisition from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, came on to stop all 15 shots he faced. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 48 shots. . . . The Rockets were outshot 17-4 in the third period. . . . The Rockets were 2-for-3 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 1-for-7, with three of those coming in the game’s last seven minutes. . . . Which goaltender does Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston start in Game 3. Here’s a post-game tweet from Sepich (@SSepich): “Mike Johnston noncommittal about Burke or Boes right now, though he thought Burke was out of position on 2 goals and a change was needed.” . . . Johnston also told Sepich: “"We played our game tonight. When we're on, our puck movement is really crisp, really sharp. We were snapping it around good.” . . . Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska told Sepich: “They were the better hockey club tonight. They were skating, when you stand around against them they'll do that to you.”
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From Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak) of the Calgary Sun: “Hate when coaches say, ‘I didn't see it.’ Makes them just as culpable. Show some leadership and admit your player has to stop that crap.”
That was after Boston head coach Claude Julien said he hadn’t seen video of Bruins F Milan Lucic spearing Detroit Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser in the groin.
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From Brad Ziemer (@BradZiemer) of the Vancouver Sun: “That cute Because it's the Cup #nhl marketing phrase takes on new meaning with Lucic incident.”
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From Kevin Paul DuPont (@GlobeKPD) of the Boston Globe: “Lucic $5k fine for DeKeyser spear. Coach Q weeps.”
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From Makenna (@Mak_Alberts24): “My sister got out of a speeding ticket by telling the officer we were on the way to the @pdxwinterhawks viewing party!”
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From Dan Russell (@DanRussellST): “Never's worked for me!”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jonas Johansson (Kamloops, 2002-04) signed a one-year contract with Alleghe (Italy, Serie A). He had 21 goals and 26 assists in 41 games with Cortina (Italy, Serie A) last season. . . .
D Deryk Engelland (Moose Jaw, 1998-2003) signed a lockout contract with Rosenborg (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had four goals and 13 assists in 73 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. Rosenborg's press release notes that Engelland is drawing no salary from the club. Rosenborg is covering only his insurance premiums, travel expenses, and accommodations in Norway. Engelland is scheduled to arrive in Rosenborg on Monday. . . .
F Dale Weise (Swift Current, 2005-08) signed a lockout contract with the Tilburg Trappers (Netherlands, Eredivisie). He had four goals and four assists in 68 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season. . . .
F Jesse Schultz (Tri-City, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 1999-2003) was released by Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A). He had two goals and two assists in eight games with Milan this season. No reason was given by the club for the release. . . .
D Tyler Myers (Kelowna, 2005-09) signed a lockout contract with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had eight goals and 15 assists in 55 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season. Myers is
scheduled to arrive in Austria on Tuesday. Klagenfurt's director of hockey operations is former Prince Albert Raiders and Minnesota North Stars D Emanuel Viveiros, father of Portland D Layne Viveiros. . . .
F Marek Curilla (Kootenay, Medicine Hat, 2005-06) was released at the end of his try-out contract with Most (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). He had four assists in 10 games during his try-out. Last season, Curilla had one goal in seven games with Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic 1.Liga) and eight goals and nine assists in 41 games on loan to Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga).
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A story from the press box that illustrates what today’s junior hockey coaches are up against. . . .
Someone from the visiting team always comes into the press box about 90 minutes before game time and sets up a laptop computer that is hooked into the home team’s video gear.
At one game in Kamloops this season, one of the visiting team’s assistant coaches was doing just that when he discovered that he was going to need a power bar in order to get plugged into the nearest electrical outlet.
Just then, one of the players who was scratched from the lineup walked into the press box.
The assistant coach promptly asked the player to return to the dressing room area and bring back a power bar.
And that, said the assistant coach, would be an electrical power bar, not the PowerBar that you eat.
A nearby reporter digested that and burst out laughing.
Don’t laugh, offered the assistant coach, admitting that at a previous game he had requested a power bar and been presented with a PowerBar.
Ahh, the challenges of coaching in today’s game!
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You will recall reading here yesterday that, according to the online scoresheet, Seattle Thunderbirds F Brendan Rouse had been credited with three goals in a 6-4 victory over the host Vancouver Giants on Friday night.
But a news release from the Thunderbirds indicated that Rouse had scored twice, with the other goal going to Luke Lockhart.
Well, if you click right here and scroll down a few pictures, you will see Lockhart’s goal. No idea how that could end up being credited to Rouse. (As of 1:30 a.m. PT, Rouse still had three goals on the online scoresheet.)
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SATURDAY’S STUFF:
The Tri-City Americans opened their six-game East Division swing with a 4-3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Tri-City F Jesse Mychan (bruised thigh) returned to the lineup for the first time since Sept. 29 and drew two assists. . . . Tri-City F Lukas Walter, who didn’t score in 49 games last season, scored his first WHL goal in his eighth game this season. . . . The Wheat Kings lost three games to visiting U.S. Division teams in an eight-day span, as they also lost to the Portland Winterhawks (2-1) and Everett Silvertips (3-2, OT). . . . The Wheat Kings (5-3-1) leave Monday on a seven-game swing into the Western Conference. . . . The Americans are in Moose Jaw tonight, where they have won four straight . . . .

The Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s last three goals and beat the visiting Red Deer Rebels, 4-2. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester tied the game 2-2 at 12:39 of the second period on a PP and got the winner at 10:54 of the third. He’s got seven goals. . . . Calgary G Mack Shields stopped 17 shots in earning his first WHL victory. . . . This result sets up this afternoon’s game between the only two teams who have yet to lose in regulation time. The Kamloops Blazers (7-0-1) will meet the Hitmen (6-0-2) in Calgary today. . . . The Blazers (.938) and Hitmen (.875) also own the WHL’s top two winning percentages. . . .

F Brett Stovin scored three times as the Saskatoon Blades snapped a five-game losing streak, winning 5-2 over the host Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . These were Stovin’s first goals this season. He had 13 in 69 games last season. . . . Saskatoon F Travis McEvoy had three assists. . . . Saskatoon enjoyed its first two-goal lead of the season. . . . Saskatoon D Dalton Thrower was ejected for a check to the head of Lethbridge D Axel Blomqvist. . . .

F Sam Fioretti scored three times as the Moose Jaw Warriors whipped the visiting Prince Albert Raiders, 9-0. . . . G Daniel Wapple stopped 32 shots for his first WHL shutout. . . . Fioretti has a WHL-leading 10 goals, one more than Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Fioretti, who also had two assists, has two WHL hat tricks, both in the last two weeks. . . . Fioretti has 17 points, one behind F JC Lipon of the Kamloops Blazers, who leads the WHL with 18. . . . Moose Jaw F Tanner Eberle (shoulder) played in his first game this season. . . . Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly had five assists and was plus-5. . . . Moose Jaw D Kendall McFaull was pointless and plus-5. . . . Prince Albert F Tim Vanstone picked up a match penalty for attempt to injury at 13:31 of the first. . . . The Raiders have followed a seven-game winning streak with two straight losses. . . .

The Steph/venson boys struck late to carry the Regina Pats to a 4-3 victory over the visiting Everett Silvertips. . . . F Colton Stephenson scored at 13:35 of the third period on a PP to forge a 3-3 tie. . . . F Dyson Stevenson scored at 14:41 for the victory. . . . Everett led this one 3-1 midway through the second period. . . . Regina F Dryden Hunt was shaken up after taking a hit to head from Everett F Lucas Grayson who was tossed. . . . Hunt, who was playing in his second game after returning from a concussion, left the game and didn’t return. . . . Regina G Teagan Sacher stopped 21 shots in earning his first WHL victory. . . .

F Ty Rattie struck for four goals to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 6-3 victory over the host Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Winterhawks went 4-1-1 on their East Division swing. . . . Rattie, who has seven goals, also drew on assist. . . . The Winterhawks improved to 7-3-1 and moved into a tie for first in the Western Conference with the idle Kamloops Blazers. Kamloops holds three games in hand as it opens a Central Division swing in Calgary today. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke stopped 28 shots, with Mac Carruth on the bench as the backup. . . .

F Boston Leier drew four assists to help the host Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Prince George Cougars, 7-2. . . . Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk scored his fifth goal — it stood up as the winner — on his 18th birthday. . . .

F Colin Valcourt scored three times in the third period to lead the Spokane Chiefs to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg, who had a six-game scoring streak snapped Friday in a 5-1 loss in Kamloops, drew three assists. . . . Spokane F Dylan Walchuk also had three assists. . . . The Giants slipped to 2-7-0 and have the WHL’s poorest winning percentage (.222). . . .

G Coleman Vollrath made 30 saves for his first WHL victory as the host Victoria Royals beat the Kelowna Rockets, 3-2. . . . It was Vollrath’s first career start. . . . Vollrath is one of three goaltenders on the Royals’ roster, along with Czeck Partik Polivka and Jared Rathjen. . . . The Royals scored the game’s last two goals, with D Jesse Zgraggen’s first goal tying it at 6:16 of the third and F Ben Walker winning it on a PP at 17:44. . . . Walker scored twice and added an assist. . . . Zgraggen, 19, went into the game with three goals in 134 regular-season games. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges (undisclosed) missed his eighth straight game. . . . The Rockets were without F Zach Franko, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Friday’s 4-1 victory over the Royals.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Tim Vanstone, Prince Albert (match, intent to injure)
D Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon
D Kyle Burroughs, Regina

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Dalton Thrower, Saskatoon (major)
F Lucas Grayson, Everett (major)
F Ryan Olsen, Kelowna (major)
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
Former Kamloops Blazers F Ryan Hanes (@HANESR13), now with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals: “Holy smokes, I love to see @_JLipon on the top of the leading board in the whole WHL! Get him to the show, ima live in guesthouse #beauty.”
Hanes leads the Capitals in goals (8) and points (12) in 11 games.

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