The QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats have released one former WHL goaltender and added another. . . . Spencer Tremblay, an 18-year-old from Winnipeg who played with the Moose Jaw Warriors last season, was dropped after going 1-0-0, 4.42, .849. . . . The Wildcats now will take a look at Cole Holowenko, 19, who is from Penticton. Holowenko was released by the Everett Silvertips, who had acquired him from the Prince Albert Raiders. On Saturday, Holowenko served as an emergency backup with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Holowenko should be with Moncton tonight when they visit the Blainville-Broisbriand Armada.
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F Darren Kramer, who captained the Spokane Chiefs last season, has been moved by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators from the AHL-Binghamton Senators to the ECHL-Elmira Jackals. . . . Kramer scored his first pro goal last night as the Jackals dropped a 6-3 decision to the Florida Everblades. . . . Kramer led the WHL in fighting majors each of the last two seasons. Last season, he also had 40 points, including 22 goals. . . . He was a sixth-round selection by Ottawa in the 2011 NHL draft.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed G Logan Flodell, who was a third-round selection in the 2012 WHL bantam draft. Flodell, from Regina, plays for the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He also played for Team Saskatchewan at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup in Calgary last weekend. . . . The Thunderbirds now have signed three 2012 draft picks, the others being F Keegan Kolesar and D Ethan Bear. Kolesar was their second first-round pick; F Mathew Barzal, the first overall selection, has yet to sign. Bear was a second-round pick. . . . The Thunderbirds announced the Flodell signing before playing the Pats in Regina last night.
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The Kamloops Blazers will be without F Tim Bozon when they open a three-game swing into the U.S. Division on Friday night against the Spokane Chiefs. Bozon drew a one-game suspension for an altercation following the final buzzer on Wednesday night, when the Blazers dropped a 2-1 decision to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Bozon became involved with Edmonton D Keegan Lowe and ended up with a game misconduct after spitting at the Oil Kings player. . . . The league suspended Bozon on Wednesday. . . . Bozon, 18, is one-third of what was the WHL’s hottest line through 17 games. But in their last three games, Bozon, centre Colin Smith and right-winger JC Lipon haven’t managed even one point as the Blazers have gone 1-2-0. . . . Bozon will be eligible to return on Saturday when the Blazers meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash.
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The OHL has suspended D Chris Buonomo of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for 15 games for leaving his feet and delivering a headshot on F Connor Brown of the Ottawa 67’s on Friday. Brown wasn’t injured on the play. . . . Buonomo is eligible to return on Dec. 12.
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The Brooks Bandits set an AJHL record last night when they beat the host Drumheller Dragons, 2-0. . . . The Bandits are 19-0-0 and now hold the AJHL record for longest winning streak to open a season. . . . The Olds Grizzlies began 1993-94 with 18 straight victories. . . . The AJHL record for longest winning streak (21 games) is held by the 1987-88 Calgary Canucks.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
F Mark McNeill had a goal and three assists to lead the host Prince Albert Broncos to a 6-5 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Broncos led 4-3 halfway through the third period when the Raiders hit for three goals, with F Mike Winther in on all of them. He drew an assist on D Harrison Ruopp’s first goal of the season, at 10:21, then got his sixth and seventh at 13:10 and 18:47, the latter into an empty net. . . . F Colby Cave had three goals and an assist for the Broncos. Cave, who turns 18 on Dec. 26, is a sophomore from Battleford, Sask. He had six goals in 70 games last season. After last night’s effort, he has seven goals in 21 games this season . . . F Coda Gordon had three assists for the Broncos. . . .

G Matt Hewitt stopped 43 shots as the Regina Pats dumped the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-2. . . . Regina got a goal and two assists from each of F Morgan Klimchuk and F Lane Scheidl. . . . Regina D Luke Fenske broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the season at 11:53 of the second. . . . Seattle D Jared Hauf, who took an interference major and game misconduct in a 5-3 loss in Brandon on Tuesday, wasn’t suspended and played in this one. . . . The Thunderbirds are 1-3-0 on a tour of the East Division. They play in Prince Albert on Friday and Saskatoon on Saturday. . . .

In Kelowna, F Rourke Chartier broke a 2-2 tie early in the third period and the Rockets beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . Chartier got his fifth goal at 3:04 of the final period. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle made his second straight start and stopped 25 shots. G Jordon Cooke hasn’t played since suffering an undisclosed injury in practice last week. . . . Whistle, who was 1-7-0 with the Vancouver Giants last season, is 4-0 with the Rockets this season. . . . Edmonton D Stephen Shmoorkoff scored his first goal at 4:38 of the first period. That ended the Rockets’ shutout streak at 179:59, one second shy of three games. . . . The Rockets have won four in a row. . . . Kelowna F Henrik Nyberg scored his third goal of the season and first in 10 games. . . . The Oil Kings, who had beaten the Blazers 2-1 in Kamloops on Tuesday, held a lengthy team meeting after the loss. . . .

In Calgary, F Brooks Macek and F Greg Chase scored in the circus as the Hitmen edged the Moose Jaw Warriors, 2-1. . . . Moose Jaw F Justin Kirsch shot first and scored. Macek tied it as Calgary’s first shooter. Chase, the sixth shooter, won it. . . . F Carter Hansen gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead at 1:51 of the second period and Calgary F Brendan Hurley tied it just 15 seconds later. . . . Hurley has three goals in seven games since joining the Hitmen from the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. . . . The Hitmen have won four straight. . . . There was a scary moment in the second period when Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly, the fifth overall selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL’s 2012 draft, went knee-on-knee with Calgary D Darian Henry. The hit was to Rielly’s right knee, the same one that was surgically repaired last season. He was slow getting to his feet but returned to action and appeared to be OK. . . . The Warriors had F Colton McCarthy, in from the junior B Nelson, B.C., Leafs, in the lineup. McCarthy was born in Moose Jaw and grew up in Salmon Arm, B.C. . . . Moose Jaw F Justin Kirsch was back after missing two games with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Warriors remain without F Myles Warkentine, 16, who has sat out the last 12 games. He suffered an undisclosed injury when hit into the boards from behind by F Tim Vanstone of the Prince Albert Raiders on Oct. 13. Warkentine did return to practice earlier this week. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Sam Mckechnie’s 10th goal stood up as the winner as the Hurricanes dumped the Victoria Royals, 4-2. . . . Mckechnie broke a 2-2 tie at 15:12 of the third period and F Brady Ramsay added an empty-netter at 19:56. . . . I mentioned here yesterday that Victoria D Tyler Stahl was expected to return from injury tonight. It turns out he returned Saturday and played in a 6-2 loss to the Winterhawks in Portland. . . . The Hurricanes are 8-1-2 in their last 11 games, while the Royals have lost five in a row. . . . Lethbridge is 11-7-2 and G Ty Rimmer, who stopped 32 shots, has started all 20 games. . . .

In Everett, the Red Deer Rebels scored the game’s first two goals and went on to beat the Silvertips, 4-2. . . . Everett had gone seven periods without a goal when F Tyler Sandhu scored at 1:36 of the second period. . . . The Silvertips have lost seven in a row and have scored just 10 goals in those games. . . . The Rebels are 2-2-0 on a five-game swing that ends Friday in Kelowna.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Ty McLean, Regina
F Taylor Crunk, Victoria
D David Musil, Edmonton

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Tri-City Americans F Lukas Walter (@Lukaswalter9): “Nap time after a hard day of nailing and hammering #cooked”
Walter and his teammates did some volunteer work with Habitat For Humanity on Wednesday.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jamie Lundmark (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 1998-2001) signed a one-year contract with Klagenfurt (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had eight goals and eight assists in 47 games with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL) this season.
———

MAX ADOLPH

In a column that appeared in The Daily News today and also is on this blog, I write about the retirement of Kelowna Rockets F Max Adolph.
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix spoke with Adolph on Tuesday and his story is right here.
“Although the Saskatoon native hasn't taken to the ice since suffering his latest concussion in a pre-season contest last September,” Nugent-Bowman writes, “he still can't jump around or move his head suddenly without suffering a headache.
“He won't be permitted to wakeboard at the lake this summer either.”
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Former NFL star running back Eric Dickerson, who is a Hall of Famer, has joined in a lawsuit against the NFL.
Dickerson, according to The Associated Press, is “the lead plaintiff among 15 men named in the suit filed Monday in federal court in Houston. Other plaintiffs include former Minnesota Vikings player John Randle and the estate of Ernie Stautner, a long-time Dallas assistant coach and former player in Pittsburgh.”
This is another lawsuit in a number that have been filed against the NFL over head injuries. Those lawsuits involved more than 1,000 former players.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Philadelphia Flyers fired Joe Paterson, the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms, on Tuesday. The Phantoms were 37-35-4 this season and didn’t make the playoffs. . . . Patterson took over from interim head coach John Paddock in the middle of last season and was 62-55-8 overall. Paddock had replaced the fired Greg Gilbert early in 2010-11. . . .
Todd Gill, the head coach of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs, has been named head coach of Canada's under-18 team that will play in the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament that is , scheduled from Aug. 13-18, 2012 in Piestany, Slovakia, and Breclav, Czech Republic. The assistant coaches will be Yanick Jean of the QMJHL's Victoriaville Tigres and Scott Walker of the OHL's Guelph Storm. Canada has won the Hlinka event each of the last four seasons.
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JUST NOTES:
D Benjamin Gallacher was the fifth overall selection, going to the Green Bay Gamblers, in the USHL‘s entry draft on Tuesday. Gallacher, who turns 20 on Sept. 11, is the son of Portland Winterhawks owner Bill Gallacher. The younger Gallacher has committed to attend Ohio State and play for the Buckeyes. . . .
F Peter Quenneville, a fourth-round selection by the Prince George Cougars in the WHL’s 2009 bantam draft, was taken 13th overall by the Dubuque Fighting Saints. . . .Quenneville, 18, played this season with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders and was the league’s MVP. He has committed to Quinnipiac. . . .
In the sixth round, the Fighting Saints took D Matt Benning, who played for the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. You may recall that Bob Tory, the GM of the Tri-City Americans, acquired Benning’s WHL rights from the Kootenay Ice for a couple of conditional bantam draft picks. That deal was made on Aug. 10. Benning, the son of former NHL/WHL D Brian Benning, never agreed to join the Americans. . . .
D Griffin Foulk, who finished this season with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, has signed with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. Foulk, 17, was an eighth-round selection by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2010 bantam draft. The Oil Kings dealt Foulk and a 2012 third-round bantam pick to Everett for F Tyler Maxwell, 20, on Nov. 24. . . . Foulk, who is from Broomfield, Colo., began the season with the major midget Colorado Thunderbirds (23-1-2—3) before joining the Storm in January. He had three assists and 26 penalty minutes in 29 games with the Storm. . . . He is represented by Turning Point Sports Management. . . .
The U of Alberta is down to a shortlist of four candidates in its search for a hockey coach. The new head coach of the Golden Bears is likely to be announced early next week. . . . A source told me Tuesday that Kootenay Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch, who attended the U of A and played there, isn't on that short list. . . .
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The Ottawa Senators have signed F Darren Kramer, who played the last two seasons with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs. Kramer was the Chiefs’ captain last season as he played out his eligibility. Ottawa selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL draft. In 139 regular-season games, he had 54 points and 506 penalty minutes. . . . He led the WHL in fighting majors in each of the last two seasons. Kramer was involved in 26 fights this season, which was 20 fewer than the previous season. . . . He also went from eight to 22 goals, and from 14 to 40 points. . . .
Two former Chiefs stars helped the Norfolk Admirals reach the AHL final on Tuesday night. G Dustin Tokarski stopped 29 shots and F Tyler Johnson scored the game’s second goal as the Admirals blanked the host St. John’s, Nfld., IceCaps, 4-0. The Admirals swept the best-of-seven series and now will play the winner of a series between the Toronto Marlies and Oklahoma City Barons. The Marlies lead that series, 2-1. . . . The Admirals are affiliated with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Marlies are with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Barons with the Edmonton Oilers. . . .
———
Mendel Dubuisson “represents the first American of Haitian heritage to be drafted by the WHL and could be the first Haitian-American to reach the NHL,” writes Rich Bolas of the West Valley News in Sun City, Ariz. . . . Dubuisson was selected by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the sixth round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.
Bolas’s complete story is right here.
———
Chad Jassman used to be Rroary, the Medicine Hat Tigers’ child-loving mascot. That was before he was left a paraplegic after a 2004 car accident. Now he’s an international-calibre wheelchair basketball player. Vicki Hall of the Calgary Herald has his story right here.

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Yesterday, you will recall, I mentioned that there were 32,262 fans in attendance at three hockey games on B.C.’s Lower Mainland on Friday night.
Just to recap, that was 18,890 at an NHL game in Vancouver, 7,044 at an AHL game in Abbotsford and 6,328 at a WHL playoff game in Vancouver.
An emailer has suggested that the total be added to, what with there having been 1,018 fans at a BCHL playoff game in Surrey at the same time.
So make the total 33,280.
Another emailer writes:
“The better bet for a (WHL) team to relocate would be to place a team in Langley . . . great facility and no sour aftertaste . . . too early for the Dub to go back to the ‘Wack. Just a thought . . .”
The 5,500-seat Langley Event Centre is home to the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen.
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Justice never sleeps.
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, has hit F Darren Kramer, the captain of the Spokane Chiefs, with a one-game suspension for shenanigans at the end of Game 5 in Vancouver on Friday night.
The Chiefs won the game, 5-1.
Kramer was given a roughing minor at 18:02 of the third period. At 20:00, he was penalized for roughing and for leaving the penalty box.
He won’t play tonight in Spokane as the teams meet in Game 6. The Chiefs hold a 3-2 lead.
Should Vancouver win, Game 7 will be played Wednesday in Vancouver.
The Tri-City Americans, who have to be hoping for a seventh game, await the winner of the series.
———
A Saturday night with nary a WHL game.
What are we to do?
Well, there was ch-ch-ching moment in the QMJHL, where Gilles Courteau, the commissioner, is certain to add to the league’s coffers after some comments made by Leo-Guy Morrissette, the owner of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
There was a time when the Morrissette brothers ruled the QMJHL, or at least tried to, but now Leo-Guy is the only one left. It’s nice that he helps out the media at times by reverting to the old days when owners, GMs and coaches weren’t afraid to speak their minds, even if they were putting feet in mouth at the same time.
In this instance, Morrissette is alleging that some owners are spending too much money, making it impossible for others to compete.
Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Sports wraps up this story right here.
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Here’s a good ready, nay, a great read for you. It’s been 50 years since Emile Griffith pummelled Benny (The Kid) Paret to death in a boxing match on live television. Dan Klores looks back right here in a story from the pages of The New York Times. It's amazing how some of the best of sports writing involves boxing or horse racing.
———
Some interesting numbers from Jeff Hollick, the radio voice of the Kootenay Ice.
On his blog (jeffhollick.blogspot.com), he points out that the Ice, the WHL’s defending champion, was 19-5-3 on Nov. 30 and was riding a six-game winning streak.
After which the roof fell in.
From that point through the end of the regular season, the Ice was 17-21-7 and never put together more than back-to-back victories.
Of course, the Ice then was swept from the playoffs by the Edmonton Oil Kings, which means Kootenay won only 17 of its final 49 games.
Hollick also points out that the Ice lost 25 games in which it led or was tied in the third period.
It’s apparent that, as things started to slide, the Ice became a very fragile team, something one might think wouldn’t happen to a team that was coming off a championship season.
But it just goes to show the difference between success and failure at this level can be a very fine line, indeed.
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ON THE MOVE:
G Kent Simpson of the Everett Silvertips has signed an ATO with the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. Simpson, 20, was a second-round selection by Chicago in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . F Shane McColgan of the Kelowna Rockets will be joining the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers. He was a fifth-round selection by the Rangers in the 2011 NHL draft. . . . If was a no-brainer, but it seems that F Troy Bourke of the Prince George Cougars has been the first player selected to play for Canada at the IIHF U18 World Championship in Brno and Znojmo, Czech Republic, April 12-22. . . . Two graduating members of the Calgary Hitmen have pretty much decided to go to school, F Jimmy Bubnick to the U of Saskatchewan, which is in his hometown of Saskatoon, and D Brock Sutherland to the U of Manitoba. Sutherland is from Brandon. . . .
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IN THE PROS:
G Calvin Pickard of the Seattle Thunderbirds came on in relief and stopped all eight shots he saw as his Lake Erie Monsters dropped a 4-0 decison to the host Texas Stars in an AHL game last night. Pickard came on with 16:59 left in the third period. D Duncan Siemens of the Saskatoon Blades also played for the Monsters. He was minus-1 with one shot on goal and a tripping minor. . . . G Damien Ketlo, who finished up with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, stopped 44 shots as the visiting Colorado Eagles beat the Las Vegas Wranglers 4-3 in an ECHL shootout. Ketlo also stymied four Las Vegas shooters in the circus.
———
And, finally, for all the hockey fans out there, right here is Jim Matheson’s Hockey World from the pages of the Edmonton Journal.


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Goaltender Ty Rimmer of the Tri-City Americans, sporting new pads and a new paint job
on his mask, is focused — check out the eyes — on the puck as he works
on his second shutout this season.
(Photo courtesy John Allen/AridAcres.com)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
The Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) announced that F Richard Mueller (Brandon, Saskatoon, Calgary, 1998-2003) won’t be offered a contract extension once his try-out contract ends on Oct. 23. Mueller is pointless in seven games with the Tigers, who have two
players returning from injury this weekend.
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Here’s one from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal:
“Best nickname in hockey these days? The Fish Line of Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi and centre Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild. Two Sharks and a Finn.”
Matty also wrote:
“If Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi buys the Stars for well over $200 million, he’s got a huge marketing campaign ahead of them to get fans back in the building. They announced a crowd of 6,300 on Columbus Day (Thanksgiving Monday) against Phoenix, but observers said there might have been 3,000 fans in the 18,532 American Airlines Arena. Then the Stars said they sold 7,499 tickets for the Blues game on Thursday, but they must have been counting both hands and feet.”
Check out Matty’s Hockey World right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Seattle Thunderbirds have won three straight games after doubling the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 on Saturday night. . . . Seattle had lost three in a row before winning three straight. . . . The host Red Deer Rebels beat the Regina Pats, 4-1. Regina was without F Dyson Stevenson, who was stretchered off the ice during a 6-3 victory over the Oil Kings in Edmonton on Friday. X-rays of an ankle were negative and he is shown as day-to-day. . . .
G Ty Rimmer, wearing new pads and a new stylized mask, posted his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career as the Tri-City Americans bounced the visiting Vancouver Giants, 5-0. Rimmer stopped 26 shots. . . . G Cole Cheveldave stopped 26 shots in his third WHL start to lead the Blazers to a 3-0 victory over the Prince George Cougars in Kamloops. Cheveldave, who is 3-0-0, recorded his first WHL shutout. The Cougars concluded a seven-game road trip at 2-5-0. That includes a 2-4-0 swing through the East Division. . . . The Cougars lost F Jordan Tkatch with what appeared to be an injury to his left knee. He will be re-evaluated first thing in the week. . . . Kamloops D Bronson Maschmeyer played in his 200th regular-season game. . . .
F Kevin Sundher had a goal and three assists as the host Victoria Royals got past the Kelowna Rockets, 4-3, in OT. D Jesse Zgraggen got the winner, 35 seconds into OT. It was Zgraggen’s first goal in nine games; last season, he had one goal in 62 games. . . . The Rockets have lost five straight after opening the season with three victories. . . . In Portland, F Sven Bartschi had two goals and two assists as the Winterhawks bounced the Brandon Wheat Kings, 6-1. Brandon F Mark Stone picked up one assist, to run his season-opening point streak to nine games. . . .
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 1-0 deficit with three third-period goals and beat the Everett Silvertips, 3-1. F Darren Kramer had a goal, his sixth, and an assist for the Chiefs. . . . Everett has lost four in a row and has just one victory in eight games this season. . . . F Taylor Vause scored three times — he has nine in 10 games — as the Swift Current Broncos beat the Hurricanes 9-3 in Lethbridge. Vause, 20, has two hat tricks already this season. . . . During the game in Lethbridge, the buzz throughout the league was that the Hurricanes had dealt G Brandon Anderson, 19, to the Spokane Chiefs. Anderson, who has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals, was scratched last night, as he was Friday as the Hurricanes lost 2-1 to the host Kootenay ice. However, Lethbridge G Damien Ketlo, 20, left last night’s game after five minutes with a groin injury. After the game, Anderson was told that he was going anywhere. . . . I have been told that there were two teams, Spokane and one other, in the chase for Anderson. . . .
In Cranbrook, F Max Reinhart drew three assists as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-1. . . . The Raiders wound up 2-3-1 on a six-game road trip than included five games in the U.S. Division. They lost one game in OT, two others by one goal and last night’s by two. . . . In Medicine Hat, G Tyler Bunz stopped 26 shots for his first shutout this season and the sixth of his career, 5-0 over the Calgary Hitmen. F Hunter Shinkaruk had two goals for the Tigers and, at one point, had nine goals and zero assists this season. However, he drew an assist on the Tigers’ last goal so is 9-1—10. Tigers F Emerson Etem didn’t score but he did set up four goals, leaving him at 13-8—21. . . . Etem, Victoria F Kevin Sundher and Brandon F Mark Stone are tied for the WHL scoring lead, each with 21 points. . . .
Keith Gretzky, once an assistant coach with the Tri-City Americans, now is scouting for the NHL’s Boston Bruins. That comes after a stint as the Phoenix Coyotes’ director of amateur scouting. . . . F Ryan Johansen, who played the last two seasons with the Portland Winterhawks, was a healthy scratch by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. That has been the case in three of the Blue Jackets’ five games. The fourth overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft, he has played 17 minutes 12 seconds in total this season. . . .
———
F Brett Connolly hs to play with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning or the Prince George Cougars this season. So far, he has played five games with the Lightning, the last two on a line with Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos.
Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune has more right here.

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

Ranford eager for return to action

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Brendan Ranford could only watch as his Kamloops Blazers teammates struck for 14 goals over their last two WHL games.
It was kind of like being the youngster who isn’t allowed into the new sandbox.
“We played well,” Ranford said following practice at Memorial Arena on Thursday, “but I wanted to be back in the lineup.”
That will happen tonight as the Blazers (2-1-0) welcome the Spokane Chiefs (1-1-1) to Interior Savings Centre. Game time is 7 o’clock; the game also will be televised by Shaw.
The Blazers then will bus to Everett for a Saturday night tilt with the Silvertips (0-1-2), before returning home to face the Medicine Hat Tigers on Monday at 2 p.m. The Tigers took a 2-2-0 record into a game last night in Victoria against the Royals last night.
Ranford, the Blazers’ high-scoring left winger, had to sit out the first three games of this regular season as he completed a six-game suspension left over from last season.
Without him, the Blazers went 2-1-0 in three home games, losing 1-0 to the Prince George Cougars, then swatting the Vancouver Giants 6-2 and the Royals, 8-2.
Ranford said he was especially excited with his team’s offensive production over the last two games.
“It shows that we do have the depth this season, “ he said, “and that I don’t have to score every game and we can still end up winning. It’s awesome to have that.
“We have a good team right now and in the three games we only gave up five goals.”
Ranford’s trials and tribulations in the second half of last season have been well documented — how he scored 30 goals in his first 39 games, but then counted only three times in his last 29 games, and how he came unravelled in Game No. 69, cross-checked linesman Kris Hartley, who was escorting him to the penalty box after a skirmish against the visiting Kelowna Rockets, and subsequently was suspended for six games.
To Ranford’s credit, he asked Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, to arrange a meeting with Hartley, who is from Kamloops.
“We had a meeting and I apologized to him,” Ranford said. “Mr. Doerksen was really genuine . . . it could have been more. He could have given me 15 games . . . it’s a good thing that he only gave me six.”
The finish to his season blurred the fact that Ranford still was able to put up 86 points in 68 games.
And he sees no reason why he can’t continue at that kind of pace, starting tonight.
“We had an awful second half but that’s over and done with,” Ranford said. “We have to be consistent this whole season. With the start that we’ve had, it should be a good one.”
Ranford will start the game back on a line with centre Chase Schaber and Jordan DePape.
“This will be a test for them,” Kamloops head coach Guy Charron said. “They played well together last season and had some chemistry.”
But, from what Ranford witnessed over the last two games, that line should have some help on offence.
The Blazers have gotten good production from a line that has Colin Smith between Tim Bozon and J.C. Lipon. They have combined for 15 points.
And, when J.T. Barnett returns from a knee injury, which could be sometime this weekend, perhaps even tonight, he will skate on a line with centre Matt Needham and Dylan Willick. Barnett had 21 goals two seasons ago with the Vancouver Giants, but fell off to 13 last season with the Blazers. They have moved him back tot he right side in the hopes that he can recapture his scoring touch.
“This should be a good test,” Ranford said, “with me and Barnett coming back . . . hopefully, we can play the same way we’ve been playing.”
———
Charron said the goaltending plan has Cam Lanigan starting tonight, with Taran Kozun backing up. On Saturday in Everett, Cole Cheveldave is scheduled to start, with Lanigan on the bench.
Charron said he isn’t in any rush to trim a goaltender from the roster, adding that he is quite prepared to wait for the situation to sort itself out.
With Barnett’s return to active duty, the Blazers will have 25 healthy bodies on their roster. And Charron sounds as though he would like to keep everyone around, at least through Christmas.
“We don’t want to get caught short in numbers again,” he said, referring to what happened in December when the Blazers lost players to Christmas tournaments and ended up playing with 15 skaters, three under the limit.
Carrying 22 skaters also allows the coaching staff more options.
As Charron said, “When you’re not playing well, you won’t be in.”
JUST NOTES: F Darren Kramer, who turns 20 on Nov. 19, is the Chiefs’ new captain. Kramer led the WHL in fighting majors (46) last season, the first of which came in Kamloops against D Corey Fienhage. Kramer had 14 points, including seven goals, in 68 games last season, after which he was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the sixth round of the NHL draft. This season, in two games, Kramer has two goals and one minor penalty. . . . F Liam Stewart (shoulder) won’t play for Spokane tonight. He is the 17-year-old son of actress Rachel Hunter and rock legend Rod Stewart. . . . Kamloops F Aspen Sterzer has been awarded an assist on his club’s last goal in the victory over Vancouver. That was his first WHL point and came in his 12th career game, 10 of which were played last season. . . . Following Sunday’s victory over Victoria, D Tyler Hansen lost an assist on his club’s sixth goal; it went to Smith, giving him a four-point night. Hansen then was given an assist on the Blazers’ fourth goal. . . . D Jordan Thomson, selected fourth overall by the Blazers in the 2011 bantam draft, has earned a spot on the Manitoba team for the U16 Western Challenge in Moose Jaw, Oct. 27-30. Thomson plays for the midget AAA Southwest Cougars, who play out of Souris, Man. . . . F Dallas Calvin, who has signed with the Blazers, was to have played with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters this season. However, Calvin, 16, left the Smokies after being a healthy scratch for one game and has returned to the KIJHL’s Beaver Valley Nitehawks.

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Taking Note on Twitter

Could it be that the WHL has found a way to eliminate concussions? Simply by not reporting them? If you haven’t yet seen this week’s WHL injury list, you should check it out. (To find it, go to the WHL website, click on NEWS, then WHL WEEKLY REPORT.)
Every injured player — every single one of them — is listed as having either an upper body or lower body inury. 

For instance, D Brodie Melnychuk of the Brandon Wheat Kings, who has a broken wrist, is shown to have an upper body injury. Brandon F Brenden Walker, who is recovering from a concussion suffered last season, also has an upper body injury.

Seattle Thunderbirds F Branden Troock, who is struggling with migraines, is shown as having an upper body injury.F Max Adolph of the Kelowna Rockets, who returned home to Saskatoon this week with another in a series of concussions, isn’t even listed on the injury report.

While everyone is pleading for transparency when it comes to head injuries, the WHL, a league in which players incurred more than 100 concussions last season, has taken a horrible step backwards.Here’s hoping someone in the Calgary office comes to their senses and returns the injury list to what it used to be.

———

Normally, I don’t pay a whole lot of attention to the Canadian Hockey League’s BMO CHL MasterCard top 10 rankings and it isn’t because of the ridiculously long title.

No, it’s because the rankings often are badly lacking in the credibility department.

However, when I noticed that the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, who are the defending Memorial Cup champions, are at No. 1 in the latest rankings, despite their ho-hum record (3-3-0), I chose to take a look.The Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, who appeared in the 2011 Memorial Cup as the host team, are No. 10, with a 2-0-0 record.

And what of the Kootenay Ice, the WHL’s defending champion?

Well, the Ice, despite being 2-0-1, despite having gotten G Nathan Lieuwen back from the Buffalo Sabres, despite having gotten F Max Reinhart back from the Calgary Flames, is nowhere to be found.

The WHL’s Red Deer Rebels (2-0-0) moved from ninth to third. The Portland Winterhawks (2-1-0) fell from third to fifth. The Kelowna Rockets (1-0-0) dropped from seventh to ninth despite winning their lone game, beating the Silvertips in Everett.

The Regina Pats (2-0-0) earned an honourable mention, never mind that they haven’t made the playoffs since the spring of 2008 and never mind that their two early victories both were over the Swift Current Broncos, a team that also has struggled in recent seasons.

The Kootenay Ice? If nothing else, the lack of respect gives head coach Kris Knoblauch more bulletin board material.

———

JUST NOTES: D Kyle Verdino, 20, has left the Seattle Thunderbirds after signing an ATO with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Verdino, who was acquired from the Swift Current Broncos over the summer, had one assist in Seattle’s lone game to this point in the season. . . . F James Henry of the Vancouver Giants tied a franchise record Wednesday night as he drew five assists in a 6-5 victory over the visiting Everett Silvertips. Henry now shares the record with F Craig Cunningham, who set it on Oct. 20 in a 7-5 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Giants were without C Brendan Gallagher, who remains with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, and D Neil Manning (back). . . . The Regina Pats improved to 3-0 with a 5-3 victory over the Tigers in Medicine Hat. The Pats had lost their last six appearances in Medicine Hat by a combined score of 32-12. . . . F Darren Kramer, who led the WHL in fighting majors (46) and penalty minutes (306) last season, has been returned to the Spokane Chiefs by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Kramer’s arrival will leave the Chiefs with four 20-year-olds on their roster, the others being F Steven Kuhn, F Matt Marantz and D Corbin Baldwin.

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Taking Note on Twitter

Dr. Robert Cantu has explained, perhaps clearer than anything else I have read, the relationship between young athletes and concussions.
In his weekly hockey notes, Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe leads with hockey and concussions.
As Shinzawa writes, Dr. Cantu, a co-director of Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, says that younger brains are not as myelinated, meaning they have less insulation than brains of adults. Also, boys’ necks are weaker than those of adults. Their heads are disproportionately large for their bodies.
“That sets up a younger person to have injuries to the brain that are greater than those sustained at a later age from the same force,’’ Dr. Cantu said. “It takes more force later on to produce the same injury.
“It’s important not to have a head injury at any age. It’s particularly important not to have it at a young age. Fighting is certainly to be discouraged, especially at young ages, for those reasons.’’
This really is serious stuff, and don’t think for a moment that signs are pointing away from fighting as being problematic.
“Presumably,” Dr. Cantu told Shinzawa, “those people were asymptomatic when they died. Presumably, had they lived into adulthood, the early-onset CTE would have progressed. At some point in life, they would have been symptomatic.
“For those with CTE early in life that can cause symptoms later in life, we have no idea of the prevalence of that right now. It’s beginning to be studied.’’
Dr. Cantu pulled no punches in stating that “no head trauma is good head trauma.”
“Avoid all head trauma that you can avoid,” he added. “If that means practising less, practise less. Don’t go out seeking fights. It’s not good to get hit in the head.
“Secondly, if you’re going to play a sport that’s at high risk for head injury like the collision sports — hockey, football, lacrosse — you better have a passion for that sport. Or I would recommend you not play it.’’
Shinzawa’s complete notebook is right here.
———
A big story in Canada today will deal with the Canadian Paediatric Society and American Academy of Pediatrics recommending that children and teenagers not be allowed to take part in boxing.
While today’s story centres on boxing, Dr. Claire LeBlanc, one of the authors of a statement that will get considerable play today, says that the CPS “will be making a statement” on youth hockey in the future.
For more, check out this story right here.
———
THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Wacey Rabbit (Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2001-07) was released by Jesenice (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga).
———
JUST NOTES: The Tri-City Americans have signed F Justin Gutierrez. The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder will turn 16 in December. He is from Anchorage, Alaska, and is the younger brother of Moises Gutierrez (Kamloops, Everett, 2002-07). . . . The Swift Current Broncos released G Derek Tendler, 19, on Sunday. The Regina native had brief stints with the Regina Pats and Vancouver Giants, as well as the Broncos. Swift Current dealt a 2011 sixth-round bantam draft pick to Vancouver for Tendler in October 2010. Since 2008, he has appeared in only 22 WHL games. . . . According to Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald, F Manraj Hayer, 19, of the Everett Silvertips has a broken fibula so will be out for a couple of months. He had 12 points in 61 games as a freshman last season. . . .
The Spokane Chiefs had 2,787 fans watch their intrasquad game Sunday, with Team Red beating Team White, 4-3. . . . Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur told Dave Trimmer of the Spokane Spokesman-Review that sophomore F Darren Kramer is “having a hell of a camp.” Kramer, who led the WHL in fights last season, was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the NHL’s 2011 draft. “He’s played hard since the start of camp,” Nachbaur continued. “His passion shows every time he steps on the ice. He scored five goals in one game. I think he scored in every scrimmage. . . . He came in great shape with a great attitude and he portrayed that every time he stepped on the ice. That’s not to say the other guys didn’t but he stood out, he stood out like a sore thumb.”
———
The Red Deer Rebels are hoping that Czech G Patrik Bartosak, who was selected in the 2011 CHL import draft, will be their starter this season. The 18-year-old Bartosak hopes so, too.
“The WHL is very good league and in Czech Republic there was no future,” Bartosak told Greg Meachem, the Red Deer Advocate’s sports editor, on Sunday.
Despite being passed over in the NHL’s 2011 draft, Bartosak has his sights set on an NHL career.
“The NHL is my dream from the start. I want to be picked in the NHL draft,” he told Meachem.
And what does he think of the hockey he witnessed early in the Rebels’ camp?
“The hockey is really fast, faster than in Czech Republic,” he said. “The rink is smaller so everything is fast and the players shoot from every angle.”
Check out the Advocate’s Rebels Central page right here.
———
G Tyler Bunz of the Medicine Hat Tigers is blogging, at least through training camp, and it's worth a look. You are able to follow him right here.

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Taking Note on Twitter

Tuesday . . .

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday that “Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi has emerged as the ledaing candidate to buy the Stars, according to two sources close to the sale.”
Gaglardi, of course, is the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers.
Heika’s piece is right here.
———
F Brayden Schenn had a goal, his first, and an assist and F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) set up three goals on Tuesday, leading the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs to a 6-3 playoff victory over the host Binghamton Senators. Manchester holds a 3-1 lead in the Atlantic Division semifinal with Game 5 in Binghamton tonight.
———
The Coaches Site is playing host to a hockey coaches conference at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Burnaby, B.C., July 29-30.
Included among the speakers are WHL head coaches Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants, Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets and Mike Johnston of the Portland Winterhawks. Also on hand will be former WHL head coaches Mark Holick (Kootenay Ice) and Kevin Constantine (Everett Silvertips).
According to news release:
“The goal of the conference is to share the experience and insight of professional coaches and experts in human performance with coaches at the grassroots levels. The two-day event will cover various topics, including tactical strategies, individual skill development and off-ice conditioning. It will also feature a charity reception for H.E.R.O.S (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society).”
For more info, visit thecoachessite.com or send an email to info@thecoachessite.com.
———
ON THE ICE TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 3-0 third-period deficit and beat the Tri-City Americans 5-4 in overtime to advance to the Western Conference final. . . . The Chiefs won the series 4-2 and will open against the Winterhawks in Portland on Friday. . . . F Levko Koper scored his third goal of these playoffs at 6:39 of OT. . . . The last three games in this series went to OT, with the Chiefs winning the last two. . . . The Chiefs got a goal and an assist from F Darren Kramer, who now has six points, five of them goals, in the playoffs. . . . He had 14 points, including seven goals, and 306 penalty minutes in 68 regular-season games. He has just six penalty minutes in the playoffs. . . . With the Americans leading 3-0 in the third period, the Chiefs struck for three goals in 1:57 and four in 7:41 to take the lead. Karmer got it started at 1:16, D Tanner Mort continued it at 2:35 with his first goal of the playoffs, and F Blake Gal, who scored in OT to win Game 5, tied it at 3:13. . . . Here is how Dan Mulhausen, the Americans’ media guru, described all that was involved with Gal’s goal: “In a heavily scrutinized play, (Tri-City G Drew) Owsley kicked out Kenton Miller’s shot, where it appeared to ricochet off of (Tri-City F Kruise) Reddick’s skate and into the slot. Blake Gal then crashed the net, poking the puck on goal before it was cleared by Tri-City. Play continued for almost two minutes before a stoppage allowed the video goal judge and the on-ice officials to review the play. After a lengthy discussion, video evidence showed Gal’s attempt crossed the goal line before being kicked out, overruling the original no-goal call on the ice and tying the game at 3.” . . . F Kenton Miller put the Chiefs out front at 8:57, only to have Tri-City F Adam Hughesman tie it at 12:39 on the PP. That was Hughesman’s second goal of the game. F Patrick Holland also scored twice for the Ams. . . . The Americans were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-for-1. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson was tossed with a kneeing major at 18:31 of the first period for a hit on F Brendan Shinnimin, who returned to the Tri-City bench but didn’t play again. . . . Johnson could be facing a suspension as the WHL will conduct its usual investigation into such a penalty. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 26 shots, seven fewer than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . Attendance was 6,083.
———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
This will be the ninth time that Spokane and Portland have met in the playoffs. Last season, the Winterhawks took the Chiefs out in a seven-game first-round series in which neither team could win on home ice. . . . These times have gone the distance five times in those seven meetings. . . . They have met twice before in Western Conference finals (1998 and 2001), with the Winterhawks winning both times. . . . Portland finished with 103 points this regular season, one more than the Chiefs. . . . However, Spokane won the season series, 5-3-1.

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Taking Note on Twitter

Saturday . . .

Boom! Boom! Out go the lights!!!
If you haven’t seen/heard this, check it out right here.
———
The Kamloops Blazers announced Saturday afternoon that their two assistant coaches won’t be back.
Here is the Blazers’ press release, in its entirety:
“The Kamloops Blazers have announced that Assistant Coaches Scott Ferguson and Geoff Smith will not be returning behind the bench this upcoming season.
“Ferguson has decided to pursue Head Coaching opportunities. While part-time Assistant Coach Geoff Smith has decided not to return due to other time considerations.
“Smith and Ferguson were both hired by the hockey club in July 2008 and spent the past three seasons with the Blazers.
“The Kamloops Blazers organization would like to thank Scott and Geoff for their efforts and wish them nothing but success in their future endeavours.”
———
SATURDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Chilliwack, G James Reid stopped 26 shots for the shutout as the Spokane Chiefs dropped the Bruins, 5-0. . . . The Chiefs lead the series 2-0 with Game 3 in Spokane on Wednesday night. . . . The arena in Spokane was booked for an NCAA women’s basketball region this weekend, thus the series opened in Chilliwack even though the Chiefs hold home-ice advantage. . . . The series is following a 2-3-1-1 format. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 42 shots. . . . Spokane F Darren Kramer, who scored twice including the winner in Friday’s 3-2 OT victory, added another goal. . . . Chilliwack F T.C. Cratsenberg drew a charging major and game misconduct at 19:33 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 3,217. . . .
In Portland, G Mac Carruth stopped 32 shots as the Winterhawks opened a first-round series with a 4-0 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Game 2 will be played in Portland today. . . . Everett remains without G Kent Simpson (ankle), so Luke Siemens started and made 41 stops. . . . Portland had a 19-3 edge in shots in the first period. . . . Attendance was 8,363. . . . F Ryan Johansen had a shorthanded goal and two assists. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., D Tyler Schmidt drew three assists as the Tri-City Americans scored a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Americans lead the series 2-0 with Games 3 and 4 in Vancouver on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . F Justin Feser had a goal and two assists for the Americans. . . . Vancouver was 2-for-9 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-5. . . . Attendance was 3,927. . . .
In Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game’s last four goals, all in the third period, and beat the Prince George Cougars, 7-4. . . . The Rockets take a 2-0 lead into Prince George for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. . . . The Cougars led 4-2 when Kelowna D Tyson Barrie scored at 16:20 of the second. . . . F Cody Chikie made it 4-4 at 7:04 of the third on the PP and F Jessey Astles got the eventual winner at 9:55. . . . Chikie also had two assists, while F Shane McColgan set up three goals. . . . Attendance was 6,085. . . . The Cougars were without F Brett Connolly, their leading scorer and a 2010 first-round draft pick of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. He was injured early in the first period of Game 1 on Friday. Dean Clark, the Cougars’ head coach, said before the second game that Connolly will be evaluated on a daily basis. There is speculation that Connolly has a separated shoulder. . . .
In Red Deer, F Adam Kambeitz had two goals and an assist to lead the Rebels to a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Rebels take a 2-0 lead into Game 3 in Edmonton on Monday. . . . F Brett Ferguson had three assists for Red Deer. . . . Attendance was 6,207. . . .
In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice took a 3-0 lead into the third period and went on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-2 to tie their series 1-1. . . . They’ll play Game 3 in Moose Jaw on Tuesday. . . . F Max Reinhart’s second-period shorthanded goal stood up as the winner. . . . Moose Jaw cut the deficit to 3-2 on goals from F Spencer Edwards and F Quinton Howden. . . . The Ice put it away when F Joe Antilla and F Brock Montgomery scored empty-netters. . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath picked up a charging major and game misconduct at 5:52 of the third period. Warriors assistant coach Trevor Weisgerber also was ejected at that time. . . . Attendance was 2,467. . . .
In Saskatoon, the regular season-champion Blades opened the playoffs with a resounding 8-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . They’ll play in Saskatoon again today. . . . The Blades got two goals from D Dalton Thrower and singles from six others. . . . F Matej Stransky had a goal and three assists, while linemate Chris Collins drew three assists. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford, who once played for the Raiders, stopped 33 shots. He is 7-0 against his former club. . . . Attendance was 8,144. . . . Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn scored once amid speculation that he might be one injury away from joining the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, who selected him fourth overall in the 2009 draft. . . . The Kings have lost F Justin Williams (shoulder) and F Anzi Kopitar (broken ankle) to serious injuries. Were the Kings to experience one more serious injury, they would be able, under emergency recall rules, to recall Schenn. . . . The Raiders will have D Antoine Corbin back for Game 2. He sat out Game 1 as he completed a two-game WHL suspension. . . . The Blades scratched F Ryan Olsen (upper body). . . .
In Medicine Hat, G Deven Dubyk started in place of the injury Tyler Bunz and backstopped the Tigers to a 5-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The series is 1-1 and heads to Winnipeg for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Thursday. . . . Brandon’s Westman Place, the home of the Wheat Kings, is occupied by the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. . . . Dubyk made 38 saves as his side was outshot 40-23. . . . Bunz, who didn’t finish Brandon’s 7-2 victory on Friday, sat this one out with an upper body injury. . . . Medicine Hat D Sebastian Owuya, who didn’t have a goal in 66 regular-season games, scored the game’s first goal at 4:59 of the first period. . . . Attendance was 3,952.
———
SATURDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Four minors:
Medicine Hat F Kale Kessy (double minor)
Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher (double minor)

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Taking Note on Twitter

Friday . . .

It's over! Kruise Reddick (11) and the Tri-City Americans' fans start celebrating after scoring in OT to beat the visiting Vancouver Giants 2-1 in overtime on Friday night.
(Photo by Doug Love / Tri-City Americans)

Dave Trimmer, who covers the Spokane Chiefs for the Spokane Spokesman-Review, blogged about fighting in hockey after reading the column I posted here yesterday.
Here’s part of what he wrote:
“But in the end, it's all fighting and I wouldn't miss it. The health of all hockey players is more important than short, entertaining mid- ice fisticuffs, no matter what the reason.
“I'm willing to bet that almost every team would take a hit in attendance if there was no fighting, which means it isn't going to be stamped out. The only thing that could hurt worse is if they quit selling beer, although that could lead to smarter fans who understand there is no need for fighting in hockey.”
Trimmer’s blog is right here.
———

FROM FRIDAY’S GAMES (all were openers, with Game 2 in same place tonight):
In Cranbrook, G Thomas Heemskerk stopped 30 shots to help the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 4-0 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . The Warriors led 3-0 after one; in fact, they led 3-0 at 8:01 of the first period. F Quinton Howden scored twice, including once while shorthanded. . . . Attendance was 2,486. . . . Moose Jaw was 0-for-9 on the PP; the Ice was 0-for-4. . . . Moose Jaw scratched F Cody Beach (knee), F Jordan Wyton (undisclosed), F Tanner Eberle (upper body) and F Brayden Cuthbert (concussion). . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath, who sat out a day or two of practice during the week, played and was the game’s first star. . . . Moose Jaw F Brett Lyon sat out the third game of a four-game WHL suspension. . . . With the scratches, the Warriors dressed F Torrin White, their first pick in the 2010 draft, and D Brandon Potomak, a second-pick in the same draft. . . . The Ice was without D Luke Paulsen (shoulder). . . .
In Medicine Hat, D Ryan Pulock had two goals and two assists to lead the Brandon Wheat Kings to a 7-2 victory over the Tigers. . . . Pulock is a late 1994-born player; he doesn’t turn 17 until Oct. 6. From Grandview, Man., he put up 42 points in 63 games during the regular season. . . . Attendance was 3,866. The Tigers had sold out all 36 regular-season home games, at 4,006. . . . Brandon was 3-for-8 on the PP; the Tigers were 2-for-6. . . .
In Red Deer, F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two goals and two assists to lead the Rebels to a 5-3 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Nugent-Hopkins broke a 3-3 tie with two third-period goals, at 14:25 and 15:31. . . . Kevin Lowe, the president of the NHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, who will have an early pick in June’s draft, was in the house. . . . F Josh Cowen (broken hand) returned to the Rebels’ lineup. He had been out since Feb. 19 when he was injured in a game against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. D Josh Caron, who was penalized for checking from behind on the play, served a three-game suspension. . . . Attendance was 5,568. . . .
In Kelowna, F Geordie Wudrick broke a 1-1 tie at 7:24 of the third period and the Rockets went on to a 4-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . F Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan had two goals for the Rockets, the last one into an empty net. . . . The Rockets were 2-for-7 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-for-2. . . . Prince George F Brett Connolly left early in the first period with an apparent arm injury and didn’t return. . . . The Cougars were penalized for delay of game on three occasions, each time for shooting the puck out of play from the defensive zone. . . . Attendance was 6,059. . . .
In Chilliwack, F Darren Kramer scored twice, including the winner at 10:00 of OT, as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Bruins, 3-2. . . . Kramer, who had seven goals and 306 penalty minutes in 68 regular-seaosn games, is a 19-year-old from Peace River, Alta. . . . He also drew an assist on F Tyler Johnson’s goal that tied the game 2-2 at 3:45 of the third. . . . . This was Kramer’s first multi-point WHL game. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 60 shots, while James Reid of the Chiefs turned aside 22. . . . Attendance was 2,962. . . . The start of the overtime period was delayed almost 15 minutes due to technical problems in the video review booth. . . . The Chiefs go in as the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed and with home-ice advantage in the first round. But they had to open on the road because there is an NCAA women’s basketball regional tournament being played in their home arena this weekend. . . . The series will follow a 2-3-1-1 format. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., F Carter Ashton scored with 2.2 seconds left in the first OT period to give the Tri-City Americans a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Ashton, on the power play, directed the puck toward the Vancouver net out of a corner and it had glance off G Mark Segal and into the net. . . . Vancouver F Andrej Stastny was off for tripping at the time. . . . F Brendan Rowinski gave the Giants a 1-0 lead with a PP goal at 17:39 of the first period. . . . F David Conrad tied it at 7:55 of the third. . . . Attendance was 3,406. . . . Segal stopped 44 shots, 19 more than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . The Giants were without F James Henry (knee) and he isn’t expected to play in Game 2. F Michael Burns (concussion) and D Tyler Hart (shoulder) were back in Vancouver’s lineup. . . . The Americans remain without F Adam Hughesman (knee), who had 39 goals.
———
D Tyson Barrie of the Kelowna Rockets has signed a three-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche, which selected him in the third round of the 2009 NHL draft. According to capgeek.com, Barrie’s AHL salary would be US$67,500 for each of three seasons, with NHL salaries of $615,000, $690,000 and $840,000. He got a $270,000 signing bonus, payable over three years.
———
JUST NOTES: The Kamloops Blazers have extended the contracts of Matt Recchi, their director of player personnel, and head scout Ken Fox. Lengths of the extensions weren’t announced. Both men have been with the Blazers since July 2008. Recchi works out of Kamloops, while Fox lives in Holdfast, Sask. . . Former WHL G Jacob DeSerres (Seattle, Brandon, 2005-10) stopped 19 shots as his Saint John Sea Dogs opened the QMJHL playoffs with a 10-0 victory over the visiting Cape Breton Screaming Eagles on Friday night. . . . Laury Ryan has announced his resignation after eight seasons as president of the Saskatchewan junior league. The league now is accepting applications as it searches for a replacement. . . .
———
Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun went to an OHL playoff game in Mississauga on Thursday night. He wasn’t impressed, which makes one wonder what is in store for the Memorial Cup that is to be played there in May. In fact, after reading this one wonders if Buffery’s ex-wife will get the Memorial Cup tickets. Buffery’s piece is right here.

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Taking Note on Twitter

Sunday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tyler Beechey (Kootenay, Calgary, 1997-2002) and D Jason Holland (Kamloops, 1992-96) signed one-year contract extensions with DEG Metro Stars Dusseldorf (Germany, DEL). Beechey had 20 goals and 26 assists in 51 games and Holland had eight goals and 19 assists in 51 games this season for the Metro Stars.
---
G Deven Dubyk of the Medicine Hat Tigers and G Mark Segal of the Vancouver Giants posted shutouts on Sunday, the final day of the WHL’s regular season.
That brought to 88 the number of blank jobs in the league this season, which equals last season’s total.
The WHL single-season record is 141 (2004-05), followed by 120 (2006-07). The last two seasons are the sixth-highest totals in WHL history.
Darcy Kuemper of the Red Deer Rebels led the WHL (and the CHL) with 13 shutouts, tying the WHL single-season record. He now shares it with Bryan Bridges (Seattle, 2004-05) and Kelly Guard (Kelowna (2003-04).
The Spokane Chiefs put up eight shutouts, second to Red Deer, with James Reid and Mac Engel each earning four.
The Swift Current Broncos, Prince George Cougars and Vancouver each put up six.
On the other side of the coin, the Everett Silvertips were blanked 10 times, while the Calgary Hitmen and Swift Current each was shut out nine times.
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JUST NOTES: F Garrett Mitchell of the Regina Pats will finish the season with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, as he did a year ago. Mitchell signed a contract with the parent Washington Capitals on Saturday. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft. . . . Two OHL general managers lost their jobs Sunday, the final day of the season. The Sarnia Sting fired Dave MacQueen, while the Soo Greyhounds did the same with Dave Torrie. Neither team qualified for the playoffs.
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THE MATCHUPS:
Eastern Conference:
Saskatoon (1) vs. Prince Albert (8)
Red Deer (2) vs. Edmonton (7)
Medicine Hat (3) vs. Brandon (6)
Kootenay (4) vs. Moose Jaw (5)
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Western Conference:
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Prince George (7)
Spokane (3) vs. Chilliwack (6)
Tri-City (4) vs. Vancouver (5)
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In Calgary, G Deven Dubyk stopped 40 shots for his second straight shutout as the Medicine Hat Tigers dumped the Hitmen, 2-0. . . . Dubyk earned his first career shutout Saturday in a 1-0 victory over the visiting Hitmen. . . . The victory allowed the Tigers to finish with 100 points. . . . F Emerson Etem scored both goals in Sunday’s game, giving him 45. . . . F Linden Vey had one assist, giving him 116 points. That assist made all the difference because he won the WHL scoring title by one point over Spokane F Tyler Johnson. . . . The Tigers haven’t had a scoring champion since Tom Lysiak (154 points, 1972-73). . . . Johnson had a goal, his WHL-leading 53^rd, and an assist in a 6-3 victory in Portland. . . .
In Vancouver, G Mark Segal stopped 28 shots as the Giants beat the Everett Silvertips, 5-0. . . . Segal put up six shutouts this season. . . . F Spencer Bennett scored twice, giving him 37 goals, and added an assist. . . . Everett was blanked 3-0 by G Lucas Gore and the host Chilliwack Bruins on Saturday night. . . . The Silvertips haven’t scored in more than 142 minutes. They have been shut out a WHL-high 10 times this season. . . . The victory allowed the Giants to move past the idle Chilliwack Bruins and into fifth place in the Western Conference. That puts Vancouver up against the Tri-City Americans in the first round. The Bruins will meet the Spokane Chiefs. . . .
In Kent, Wash., F Kruise Reddick scored his 20^th goal of the season at 2:39 of OT to give the Tri-City Americans a 4-3 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The loser point lifted the Thunderbirds into a ninth-place tie with the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Americans, who have won three in a row, went 9-0-0 against Seattle this season. . . .
In Portland, the Spokane Chiefs scored the game’s last five goals and beat the Winterhawks, 6-3. . . . The Chiefs rested D Jared Cowen, their captain, and had the C on the chest of F Darren Kramer. . . . F Connor Chartier, a second-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft, scored his first goal for the Chiefs. . . . F Ryan Johansen scored the game’s first two goals for Portland, giving him 40 on the season. . . . The Chiefs draw the Chilliwack Bruins in the first round. The Chiefs have home-ice advantage by virtue of being the No. 3 seed, but their building isn’t available so the series will open in Chilliwack on Friday.
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SUNDAY’S CFB COUNT:
One minor:
Everett D Rasmus Rissanen

This blog will be silent for a few days.
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Chances are that Greg Pankewicz woke up Sunday morning and thought: “What have I done?”
And by the time he sat down in front of a computer, exactly what it is that he did may well have at least started to sink in.
Because when you do what he did, well, in this Internet-ruled world there isn’t any hiding.
Pankewicz (Prince Albert, Regina, 1989-91) is an assistant coach with the Central league’s Colorado Eagles. He got a bit irate during an on-ice altercation on Saturday night and divested himself of a few items of clothing, including jacket, shirt and undershirt, all of which ended up on the ice.
If you haven’t seen it already, it’s right here.
Pankewicz isn’t the first coach to protest in this unusual fashion.
On Oct. 30, 1990, with his Swift Current Broncos having blown a 7-3 lead and now trailing the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, 9-8, Graham James, according to the Regina Leader-Post, “ran on to the ice and screamed at referee Kevin Muench. He charged the referee relentlessly and had to be restrained by Broncos players and both linesmen.
“He returned to the bench and threw sticks and water bottles on the ice. James then removed his jacket, tie, shirt and a shoe before his players escorted him back to the dressing room.”
Later, James was fined $2,000 and suspended for six games.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors held their annual skills competition on Sunday. Results are right here. . . . Hardest shot? F Joel Edmundson, who twice hit 98 miles per hour.
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I found a great quote in a story by Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman.
The Saskatoon Blades went into Cranbrook and beat the Kootenay Ice 5-3 on Saturday night. The Blades were presented with seven PP opportunities, while the Ice received three.
Following the game, Coxford wrote:
“Asked if he was willing to absorb a fine from the WHL by talking about the refereeing, (Ice head coach Kris) Knoblauch graciously declined.”
Well, Knoblauch didn’t really decline.
Here’s what he told Coxford: "I can comment if the officiating is good, and I can't comment on the officiating when it's bad, so I won't comment.”
I think the message got delivered.
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JUST NOTES: F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings is the WHL’s player of the week. He had 13 points and was plus-6 in three games, all of which Brandon won. . . . Michael Snider of the Calgary Hitmen is the WHL’s nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0, 0.96, .971 last week, with both victories coming on the road. . . .
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Some notes of interest from the Kootenay Ice’s weekly release:
The Ice will finish 2010-11 with an above-.500 record for the 12th consecutive season, which is the longest active streak in the WHL.
Kootenay has clinched a playoff spot for the 13th consecutive season and has tied Calgary for the longest active streak in the WHL.
Kootenay, which leads the League in shorthanded goals with 17, set a franchise single-season record for most shorthanded goals on Saturday against visiting Saskatoon. The previous record (16) was set in 2000-01 and tied in 2002-03.
Ice F Kevin King is tied for the WHL in shorthanded goals, with five. F Cody Eakin has four, all in just 13 games with the Ice.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Chandler Stephenson broke a 2-2 tie with 36.5 second left in the third period as the Regina Pats beat the Hitmen 3-2 in front of 20,888 fans. . . .  Stephenson, a 16-year-old from Saskatoon, has six goals. . . . The Hitmen had beaten the Pats 2-1 in a shootout in Regina on Friday. . . . The attendance set a CHL record, breaking the previous mark of 20,081 set on Dec. 20, 2004, at an OHL game between the Kingston Frontenacs and Ottawa 67’s at what was then known as the Corel Centre. . . . It was the second outdoor game in WHL history. On Jan. 15, in Spokane, the Chiefs beat the Kootenay Ice 11-2 before 7,075 fans at Avista Stadium. . . . Calgary F Kris Foucault tied the game 2-2 with his 20th goal at 8:46 of the third. . . . The Pats, who had lost three in a row, moved to within five points of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. They have 11 games remaining. . . . The Hitmen are 13 points out with 12 games remaining. . . .
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In Lethbridge, F Brody Sutter’s goal at 1:09 of OT gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The teams were scoreless into the third period. . . . F Colten Mayor scored for Red Deer at 5:45 of the third. . . . F Russell Maxwell tied it on a PP at 12:57. . . .. Sutter won it with his 10th of the season. . . . Lethbridge G Brandon Anderson stopped 30 shots, 10 more than Red Deer’s Darcy Kuemper. . . . Attendancee was 3,746. . . . The Rebels were in extra time for a fourth straight game. All four games ended in OT, with Red Deer winning twice. . . . The victory kept Lethbridge ninth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Prince Albert Raiders. The Hurricanes have a game in hand. . . . The Rebels were without F Josh Cowen (hand), F John Persson and D Matthew Dumba (knee). Cowen and Persson were injured in a 4-3 OT victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Saturday. . . . Cowen had surgery Sunday after suffering a broken hand when he was hit from behind by Kamloops D Josh Caron. The Red Deer Advocate reports that Cowen had a titanium plate and some screws put in the hand, and that he will be out at least three weeks. . . . Caron was hit with a three-game suspension. . . . Persson is said to be nursing bumps and bruises and should play later this week. . . . Dumba has been out for 10 days.
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In Kennewick, Wash., the Spokane Chiefs scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Tri-City Americans 5-1, moving to the top of the Western Conference standings in the process. . . . F Darren Kramer, who leads the WHL with 39 fighting majors, scored his sixth goal of the season at 15:44 of the first period to break a 1-1 tie. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 28 shots. . . . Spokane F Brady Brassart wasn’t able to score on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Attendance was 5,691. . . . The Chiefs moved one point ahead of the idle Portland Winterhawks, who hold two games in hand. . . .. The Americans, who have lost two in a row, are five points behind Portland with one game in hand. The Americans have three games in hand on the Chiefs.
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MONDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Two minors:
Calgary F Jimmy Bubnick
Spokane F Kenton Miller
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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After a two-day hiatus, there are three WHL games scheduled for Tuesday night and what appears to be the best matchup will be available via Shaw TV.
The Medicine Hat Tigers, who are fourth in the Eastern Conference, are at home to the Red Deer Rebels, who are second. The Tigers are one point behind the Kootenay Ice, which meets the visiting Regina Pats tonight.
The Tigers have two games in hand on the Ice and three on the Rebels.
Red Deer has won two in a row and is 9-1-0 in its last 10, while the Tigers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 and also have won their last two games.
Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate reports that the Rebels expect to have D Alex Petrovic back tonight. He didn’t play in Friday’s 8-1 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors after taking a punch for F Austin Connor of the Prince Albert Raiders. Connor later was hit with a three-game WHL suspension.
Tonight’s other game has the Prince George Cougars in Edmonton to face the Oil Kings. The Cougars are coming off a weekend sweep of the visiting Kelowna Rockets, while the Oil Kings will be playing their first home game since a four-game swing into the U.S. Division. Edmonton has lost three straight and is 2-6-2 in its last 10 outings.
The Oil Kings are sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points ahead of the Swift Current Broncos.
The Cougars are sixth in the Western Conference, just on epoint ahead of the Everett Silvertips.
Edmonton hockey fans should be interested in getting a look at Prince George D Martin Marincin, the Slovakian who was a second-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s 2010 draft. He has 46 points, including 13 goals, in 47 games with the Cougars.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes will celebrate their 25th season in 2011-12 and they have started working on season-ticket sales.
As one promotion aimed at next season, the Hurricanes will sell 2,500 season tickets for the 25th season at prices that are reduced by 25 per cent.
For all the prices and all the deals, check out the Hurricanes’ website.
Next season also will signal the completion of the renovations to the ENMAX Centre, and also should see the Hurricanes working hard to prepare their bid to serve as the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup.
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F Darren Kramer of the Spokane Chiefs leads the WHL in fighting majors and penalty minutes, and it isn’t even close.
So how has he done in the fighting department?
“I’d say my record is fairly decent,” he tells Dave Trimmer of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “I’ve lost a few pretty clean but for the majority of the time my hands are hurting more than my face. That’s a good thing. I like to be pretty honest and most of them come out draws.”
Read Trimmer’s story on Kramer and the impact he has had in the Chiefs’ dressing room right here.
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In Portland, the Winterhawks are continued fundraising efforts on behalf of Mitchell Lammert, a 12-year-old who plays for the Junior Hawks and is battling cancer.
The Winterhawks raised more than $2,500 at a recent pizza party and now will give the Lammert family all proceeds from the 50/50 draw and a silent auction during Friday’s game against the visiting Tri-City Americans.
With the Americans threatening to apply some heat to the Western Conference-leading Winterhawks, there could be a good crowd at Friday’s game.
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F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels is the WHL’s player of the week. He had 12 points, including five goals, in three games last week. . . . Ty Rimmer of the Prince George Cougars is the WHL nominee as the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 2-0-0 with a shutout last week. He had a 1.00 GAA and a .960 save percentage. . . . Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun reports that Vancouver Giants captain James Henry, who just returned after missing five weeks with a knee injury, will miss another couple of weeks. It seems he re-injured the knee during Friday’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Hitmen in Calgary. . . .
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As expected, the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Sagueneens have named Guy Carbonneau as their new head coach, at least through the end of this season.
Carbonneau, 50, is a former NHL player and also went 124-83-23 as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens before being fired late in 2008-09. He also played four seasons with the Sagueneens and now is part of their ownership group.
He replaced Richard Martel, who was in his eighth season with Chicoutimi when he was fired last week.
Carbonneau’s debut as head coach comes Wednesday in Val-d’Or.
Carbonneau had been working as the team’s president and governor. QMJHL rules prohibit a head coach from serving on the board of governors, so Marc Desforges has been named governor.
As well, Jos Canale is the new GM through the end of this season. Canale is a veteran QMJHL coach who also once did a turn as head coach of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter