A look at Lorne Frey . . . Still hope for WolfPack . . . Constantine pays for early exit

Lorne Frey of the Kelowna Rockets may have the longest title in the WHL -- assistant general manager, head scout and director of player personnel. Besides being one of the good guys, he has an eagle eye for talent. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has a video look at Frey right here. It’s good, and it’s 5:34 in length.
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F Tyler Nanne, an 18-year-old from Edina, Minn., has signed a national letter of intent with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Nanne, whose WHL rights belong to the Vancouver Giants, is expected to begin playing there next season. This season, he is with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede. A fifth-round selection by the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 2014 draft, he is a grandson to former NHL executive and player Lou Nanne.
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F Colt Conrad, whose WHL rights belong to the Brandon Wheat Kings, has signed a national letter of intent with the Western Michigan University Broncos. . . . Conrad, 17, is attending Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn. He is from St. Alphonse, Man. . . . Conrad was selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the third round of the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. On Nov. 16, his rights were dealt to Brandon. The Hurricanes sent D Ryan Pilon and Conrad to the Wheat Kings for D Nick Walters, F Taylor Cooper and D Tanner Browne. Should Conrad end up with Brandon, the Hurricanes would get a fifth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft.
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Mario Forgione, a former owner of the OHL’s Mississauga IceDogs, says CHL teams are making money on the backs of teenagers, who aren’t getting back nearly what they should. . . . “Fortunately,” offers CHL commissioner David Branch, he’s no longer an owner in our league. . . .” Rick Westhead of tsn.ca has that story right here.
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Trevor Bast, who heads up a group hoping to revive hockey at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, and Cam Weir, a WolfPack player, met with athletic director Ken Olynyk on Monday.
According to Bast, “The meeting . . . went great.”
While Bast didn’t get approval to restart the program that was axed prior to the start of this season, it seems that his proposal will move on to the next level.
That means waiting until after Dec. 2 when “the other decision-maker,” as he put it, returns from a business trip to China.
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JUST NOTES:

Kevin Constantine, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, has been fined $500 for talking his way out of Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the Winterhawks in Portland during the first period. . . . He is the second WHL head coach to be fined this season. Steve Konowalchuk of the Seattle Thunderbirds paid $750 for post-game comments concerning the officiating after a 2-1 loss in Everett on Oct. 25. . . .
F Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice has 160 career regular-season assists, two shy of the franchise record held by F Jarret Stoll (1998-2002). . . . The Ice is at home to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The MJHL’s OCN Blizzard has made a coaching change, with Jason Smith having replaced Clay Debray. . . . According to a news release, Debray resigned effective Nov. 13, with Smith, who had been the assistant coach, taking over for the remainder of this season. . . . The Blizzard, which plays out of The Pas, has a 10-13-1 record, good for seventh place in the 11-team league. . . .
The AJHL's Calgary Mustangs hired Chad Allen as their head coach earlier this month, replacing Derek Stuart, who was fired and has since returned to the Okotoks Oilers as an assistant coach. . . . The Mustangs are 7-18-1 and last in the eight-team South Division. . . . Stuart was in his second season as their head coach. He spent three seasons with Okotoks before signing with the Mustangs.

It's hard to say goodbye . . . Chase leaves Hitmen . . . Iron Commissioner drops hammer

Goaltender Austin Lotz of the Everett Silvertips played Wednesday's
game with a heavy heart following the death of Cole Hamblin
earlier in the day. After the game, Lotz tweeted a picture of the game
puck along with: "If I had a good enough arm I'd toss this up to you.
That one was for you. Thanks to everyone for the love and support."
(Photo: Chris Mast / mastimages.com)

G Daniel Spence (Calgary, 2004-09) has been released by Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan) by mutual agreement. In three games, he has a 3.39 GAA and .866 save percentage. . . .
F Jaroslav Svoboda (Kootenay, 1998-2000) has signed for the rest of this season with Martin (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had been on a one-month contract with Red Ice Martigny (Switzerland, NL B) that expired Oct. 3. In five games with Red Ice, he had a goal and two assists. . . .
F Jakub Šindel (Brandon, 2004-05) has been released by Kaltern/Caldaro (Italy, Serie A). He had eight points, including three goals, in 14 games.
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A SAD FAREWELL:

A few short months ago, Cole Hamblin was preparing to begin a new chapter in his life.
After a junior career that included stints with the Spokane Chiefs and Regina Pats, he was going to attend the U of Guelph and play hockey for the Gryphons.
It didn’t happen.
Hamblin died Wednesday morning at the age of 21.
A native of Ste. Adolphe, Man., Hamblin began experiencing lower pack pain and weight loss during the summer. He was found to have mucoepidermoid carcinoma; it was in Stage 4 when it was discovered.
Hamblin had been in hospital since Sept. 22 when he died.
Shortly after his death, his family posted an update to the GoFundMe page:
“For those who have not yet heard Cole passed away this morning with his family by his side. He will be greatly missed by everyone who had the chance to know him! He touched so many lives and for that we are all greatful for. All remaining donations that have not been used will be generously donated to Cancer Care! The family is in awe with the support received from everyone and is truly grateful for everything. Our continuous thoughts are with Cole and The Hamblins. We love you all!”
I never had occasion to meet Hamblin, but I am wishing that I had. Judging from the number of people who posted messages of condolences on Twitter, this young man touched a lot of lives in a positive fashion.
Hopefully that will in time provide his family with some solace.

Heartbroken by the news of Cole Hamblin's passing. One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. RIP big fella. ❤️❤️
— Brendan Leipsic (@28LEIP) November 5, 2014

Deepest condolences to the Hamblin family. Heaven gained a great guy. I was blessed with the opportunity to meet you. Rest in peace, Cole.
— Seth Swenson (@SethSwenson) November 5, 2014

Thoughts and prayers are with the Hamblin family today. Cole was one of the biggest, nicest, funniest players I ever got to play wit#RipCH18
— Joel Edmundson (@JEdmundson3) November 5, 2014

Prayers go out to the Hamblin family, friends, and teammates. Forever grateful for meeting you. RIP Cole.❤️ pic.twitter.com/pJoYVebBIU
— Laury Jones (@lauryjones) November 6, 2014

Heaven took you way too soon. You will forever be in my prayers. Love you Cole and may you rest in peace. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Lz2kMpdem6
— Brady Brassart (@BradyBrassart) November 6, 2014

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F Greg Chase has joined the parade of players to have walked out on WHL teams this season.
Chase, 19, didn’t play in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon. He was a healthy scratch from that one. On Wednesday, the Hitmen said it was “related to on-ice discipline.”
Prior to Wednesday’s game in Prince Albert, the Hitmen revealed, via Twitter, that Chase “has since requested a trade and has returned home.”
This season, in 15 games, Chase had 15 points, including two goals. On the Hitmen, only F Chase Lang, with 17, and F Adam Tambellini, with 16, had more points than Chase.
Interestingly, Chase is one of the forwards on the roster of the WHL team that is to play in the Subway Super Series.
A native of Sherwood Park, Alta., Chase was a seventh-round selection by the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s 2013 draft. That came after a season in which he had 49 points, including 17 goals, in 69 games. Last season, Chase scored 35 times and finished with 85 points, in 70 games.
From all reports, Chase had a tremendous training camp with the Oilers in September and they responded by signing him to a three-year entry-level contract.
In 219 regular-season WHL games, all with Calgary, he has 177 points, including 60 goals.
The Hitmen selected him with the 22nd overall in the 2010 bantam draft.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with the situation has confirmed to Taking Note that D Reid Zalitach, 18, has left the Moose Jaw Warriors. He becomes at least the fourth player to leave the Warriors since the season began.
Zalitach and D Taylor Green, 19, were roommates in Moose Jaw. Green left the Warriors on Oct. 29.
When Green departed, Moose Jaw general manager Alan Millar told the Moose Jaw Times-Herald that “it was a decision he felt was in his best interest to move on from the game at this time and pursue other options, in particular, his education.”
A source has told Taking Note that Green’s departure didn’t have anything to do with wanting to get on with his education and everything to do with not seeing eye-to-eye with head coach Tim Hunter.
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You had to think that David Branch, the commissioner of the OHL, would get it right. On Wednesday, the Iron Commissioner suspended two players for 15 games each for “recent social networking activity.” . . . Chris Peters of cbssports.com has more right here.---
The Everett Silvertips are in Vancouver to play the Giants on Friday night. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province writes right here about the relationship between the head coaches -- Kevin Constantine of the Silvertips and Troy Ward of the Giants.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province also reports that F Luca Leone, 18, who was released this week by the Swift Current Broncos, is taking his career to Italy. Leone has an Italian passport so won’t be classified as an import when he joins the Milan-based Milano Rossoblu, a team that plays in Serie A. . . . Leone had six points, two of them goals, in 33 games with the Giants last season. This season, he was pointless in seven games with the Broncos.
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports Canada does up a weekly set of CHL rankings that he has dubbed the Buzzing The Net Dynamic Dozen. If you aren’t aware of them, check out the latest rankings right here. Hint: Teams from the WHL occupy the top two slots and three of the top six. . . . It’s worth looking at the paragraph that follows the rankings to see just what goes into the compilation.
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F Dryden Hunt of the Regina Pats missed most of 2012-13 thanks to a pair of concussions. So you know how badly he feels now that he’s sitting out a two-game suspension for having been involved in a hit that left Saskatoon Blades D Adam Henry with a concussion. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
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Earlier in the week came word of a mother who had been ordered by a B.C. court not to contact various hockey coaches and officials on behalf of her sons. Today comes word of a minor hockey coach in North Delta, B.C., who was “fired for posting Nazi propaganda to his Facebook page,” according to this story right here by Tom Zytaruk of Surrey Now. . . . Obviously, there is a reason why it’s called the Left Coast.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

In Prince Albert, F Connor Rankin had a goal and two assists as the Calgary Hitmen beat the Raiders, 4-2. . . . Rankin has two goals this season. . . . Calgary F Radel Fazleev snapped a 2-2 tie with his seventh goal at 13:07 of the third period. He also had an assist. . . . Calgary F Adam Tambellini added the insurance, with his 11th goal at 17:21. . . . F Craig Leverton scored twice for the Raiders (8-10-0), giving him 11. . . . F Jordy Stallard added his first WHL goal for the Hitmen. . . . The Raiders welcomed back F Reid Gardiner after a five-game absence with a broken nose and a bad facial cut. . . . Hitmen G Evan Johnson stopped 36 shots, five more than Nick McBride of the Raiders. . . . Calgary (9-8-1) has won two in a row. . . .

In Everett, F Nikita Scherbak struck for three goals to lead the Silvertips to a 6-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Scherbak gave Everett (11-1-3) a 4-2 lead with a PP goal at 8:25 of the second period. He completed his first WHL hat trick with the game’s last two goals, the final one into an empty net. . . . Scherbak has 10 goals and 10 assists in 12 games. . . . F Conner Bleackley had two goals for the Rebels. He’s got five. . . . F Tyler Sandhu, acquired by Red Deer from Everett early in the season, scored his fourth goal to get his side to within one, at 3-2, at 3:21 of the second. . . . If you’re keeping track, Everett took two minor penalties, one fewer than Red Deer (8-8-2). . . . The Rebels had been 5-0-1 in their past six games. . . . After the first period, Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald tweeted: “Last night Red Deer and Seattle combined for 52 penalty minutes in 1st period. Tonight Everett and Red Deer combined for ZERO.” . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., G Eric Comrie turned aside 25 shots as his Tri-City Americans beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 1-0. . . . Comrie has one shutout this season and 10 in his career. . . . F Beau McCue scored the game’s only goal, his sixth, on a PP at 6:40 of the third period. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 20 shots. . . . F Richard Nejezchleb, acquired Tuesday from the Brandon Wheat Kings, drew the primary assist on McCue’s goal. . . . Edmonton (9-7-2) lost five times on its trip through the U.S. Division. . . . The Americans (10-9-0) have won their last two starts. . . .

In Kelowna, F Nick Merkley, the WHL’s scoring leader, had a goal and two assists to help the Rockets to a 5-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Merkley has 30 points, including a league-leading 24 assists, in 17 games. . . . F Rourke Chartier and D Madison Bowey also had a goal and two assists each for the Rockets (15-1-1). Chartier has a WHL-leading 15 goals, while Bowey has seven. Bowey leads all defencemen in points (25). . . . The Royals (9-8-2) took 65 of the game’s 128 penalty minutes, 68 of which came in the last two minutes of the third period.
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The Swift Current Broncos will finish the 2015-16 regular season on the road and if they qualify for the playoffs they will open on the road. That’s because the 2016 Ford World women’s curling championship will be played in the Credit Union i-plex, March 19-27. . . . The Broncos have experience in this situation because the 2010 championship also was held in Swift Current. . . .
The Ottawa Senators revealed on Wednesday that F Curtis Lazar, 19, is staying with the NHL team. Lazar, who was the 17th overall selection in the 2013 NHL draft, has two assists in nine games. Ottawa’s only other option with Lazar is to return him to the Edmonton Oil Kings, with whom he has played the past three seasons. . . .
At least two WHL players will be on the Russian team’s roster when the Subway Super Series opens in Saskatoon on Monday. D Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Kootenay Ice D Rinat Valiev officially have been added to the Russian team. Game 2 of the six-game series will be played in Brandon on Nov. 11, before the Russian team heads east for two games with the OHL and two with a QMJHL select team. . . . On Wednesday evening, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix tweeted: “Russian Super Series roster hasn't been released, but I've been told former Saskatoon Blade Nikita Scherbak will be playing vs. the WHL.” . . .
Rogers Sportsnet begins its CHL telecast schedule on Monday with the Super Series game in Saskatoon. Once again, the broadcast team features RJ Broadhead calling the play, with analysis by Sam Cosentino. The host of the show will be Rob Faulds. . . . The complete telecast schedule was released on Wednesday and is right here.
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Please tell me I'm not the first to notice this Joe Maddon and Harry Caray #cubs #chicago @CJNitkowski #holycow pic.twitter.com/9ZFkWlXgyc
— David Aardsma (@TheDA53) November 5, 2014

CHL facing class-action suit . . . Rebels, 'Tips cut a deal

F Hampus Gustafsson (Regina, Brandon, 2009-11) signed a one-year contract with Grenoble (France, Ligue Magnus) after a successful tryout. This season, he has three goals and an assist in two games with Grenoble. He started the season with Pantern Malmö (Sweden, Division 1) and was pointless in three games.
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THE COURT REPORT . . .

Student-athletes or employees or independent contractors . . . or something else altogether?
Just what are major junior hockey players?
That is at the crux of a class-action lawsuit that was filed Friday in Toronto.
The statement of claim is looking for $180 million from the Canadian Hockey League and its 60 teams. The lawsuit claims that the CHL pays its players less than the minimum wage in various jurisdictions and that these players should also be eligible for vacation and overtime pay.
Robert Cribb of the Toronto Star reported Monday that “an unprecedented class action lawsuit striking at the economic foundations of junior hockey in Canada alleges the Canadian Hockey League and its teams ‘conspired’ to force young players into signing contracts that breach minimum wage laws.”
Cribb adds that the lawsuit “seeks $180 million in outstanding wages, vacation, holiday and overtime pay and employer payroll contributions for thousands of young players given as little as $35 a week for practices, games, training and travelling that could add up to more than full-time hours.”
Cribb’s story is right here.
Later Monday, David Branch, Gilles Courteau and Ron Robison, the three men who head up the CHL’s three leagues -- the OHL, QMJHL and WHL, respectively -- issued a joint news release.
It reads, in part:
“In terms of the class action that was filed in Toronto late last week, the CHL, our member leagues and teams will vigorously defend ourselves against this action which will not only have a negative effect on hockey in Canada but through all sports in which amateur student athletes are involved.”
The news release also mentioned various areas of what the CHL refers to as “the player experience,” including the education program, “extensive health and safety, anti-doping and mentoring programs,” along with “a comprehensive mental health program in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association,” and “out-of-pocket expense coverage, equipment, billeting and travel costs.”
(Earlier this month, the OHL announced a partnership with the CMHA on a program named Talk Today. To this point there is no such program involving the WHL in partnership with the CMHA.)
For the last few years, the CHL and its member leagues and teams have gone to great lengths to claim that their players are student-athletes, and you can bet that will be at the crux of their defence, should it come to that.
However, we’re a long, long way from that point.
Ted Charney, the Toronto lawyer who filed the lawsuit, told Ryan Pyette of the London Free Press:
“Right now, it’s a proposed class-action. You need one representative plaintiff, which we have, and then you need to get it approved by a court. A judge has to decide whether or not to certify it as a class-action and the next step is to circulate a notice to the class members and they have 90 days to opt out, or they’re in.”
This, then, is Step 1. The speed at which the Canadian legal system works dictates that this action could take years to reach a conclusion, assuming that it proceeds that far.
The chances of it getting that far are, of course, awfully slim. The last thing the CHL wants to do is have its teams’ books opened for public perusal.
Still, it is going to be interesting watching this play itself out.
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There was one humorous bit to the news release issued by Messrs. Branch, Courteau and Robison.
The last paragraph of the news release reads:
“In addition, despite all mentions to the contrary, recent communications and social media posts by Glenn Gumbley of the CHLPA lead us to believe that the Gumbleys are still actively involved on the fringes of junior hockey in Canada and with this action. The CHL will once again issue warnings to our players and their parents cautioning them about the Gumbleys.”
The Gumbleys, it seems, are bothering the CHL the way the mosquito in the cartoon raises havoc in the nudist colony. While the CHL tries to let on that the Gumbleys aren’t a bother, its arm are swatting furiously in an attempt to drive them away.
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As is always the case in these situations, the CHL has instructed its teams not to comment on the filing of the lawsuit.
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Brandon Archibald, a native of Port Huron, Mich., who played four-plus seasons in the OHL, has written an essay providing his perspective on what it’s like playing major junior hockey. He also addresses why he chose the OHL over the NCAA route. That piece is right here.
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Bruce Gordon played three seasons in the WHL (Medicine Hat, Saskatoon, 1979-82). Eventually, he spent 28 years in law enforcement, most of that with the Saskatoon Police Service. He retired two years ago. Now, at the age of 51, Gordon is a student in the U of Saskatchewan’s college of law. . . . Jason Warick of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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John Chartrand, a former OHL and QMJHL goaltender, is suing the OHL’s Barrie Colts for $12 million, claiming that he was wrongly cleared to play shortly after being knock unconscious in a car accident. Rick Westhead of TSN reports on the lawsuit, that actually was filed on Dec. 12, 2012, right here.
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Jeremy Roenick says he experienced 13 concussions during his playing career. Now the former NHLer admits to having memory loss, some slurred speech and, at times, difficulty finding the right word. . . . Aaron Taube of businessinsider.com has more right here.
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The Red Deer Rebels have acquired F Tyler Sandhu, 18, from the Everett Silvertips in exchange for fourth-round selections in the 2015 and 2016 bantam drafts. . . . Sandhu was a second-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the 2011 bantam draft. Everett acquired him as part of the deal in which D Seth Jones went to the Winterhawks. . . . Sandhu, from Richmond, B.C., had 33 points, including 19 goals, in 62 games as a freshman (2012-13) with Everett and added 30 points, 13 of them goals, in 49 games last season. . . . This season, he has one goal in nine games. . . . This will be the first of what no doubt will be a number of moves by Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, general manager and head coach, aimed at strengthening his roster with the ultimate goal being the 2016 Memorial Cup, which will be held in Red Deer.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald wrote: “There was a discrepancy on why the trade took place. Everett general manager Garry Davidson said Sandhu was dissatisfied with his role on the team and requested a trade, while Sandhu said he didn’t request a trade and that it came as a surprise.”
Patterson’s story is right here.
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Great visit at the royal university hospital in Saskatoon today! Good to see everyone again thanks a lot pic.twitter.com/mDE23551hC
— Tim Bozon (@timbozon94) October 20, 2014

OHL teams up with CMHA . . . Tiger weighs in on need for enforcers

It was evident again Monday that David Branch, the commissioner of the OHL, is among the most progressive leaders in sports today. Not only has he cracked down on violence and illegal hits in his league, now he is leading the way in the area of mental health awareness. . . . “Seven months after the suicide of Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford,” writes Stephen Whyno of The Canadian Press, “the Ontario Hockey League is teaming up with the Canadian Mental Health Association to help players understand, recognize and treat mental health issues.” . . . Here’s more from Whyno: “As part of the program, each of the OHL's 20 teams will be assigned a mental health coach who will be available for players, coaches, parents, billets and other members of the organization to talk to. Other aspects include training on recognizing signs of suicide and depression and appointing "mental health champions" who can talk to the public about the league's efforts.” . . . Whyno’s complete story is right here. It is worth reading, especially for the anecdote near the end that involves the OHL’s Peterborough Petes. . . . Now that the OHL has shone a light on this subject, it’s to be hoped that the WHL is in the process of following suit. . . . Mental Health Awareness Week runs through Oct. 11.
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The WHL will announce the host team/city for the 2016 Memorial Cup on Wednesday afternoon.
There are two options -- the Red Deer Rebels or Vancouver Giants.
When the governors ponder the decision, they will be faced with:
1. Let’s go with the Giants, who played host to the tournament in 2007 and have the bigger building, something that means a lot more revenue to be shared; or,
2. Let’s go with the Rebels, who have been loyal partners, who, with taxpayers, sunk a lot of money into upgrades for their arena and who play in a province that hasn’t played host to the Memorial Cup since 1974.
“You break down all the elements and you certainly like to think that we have a legitimate shot (of being named tournament hosts), but at the end of the day it still comes down to what the governors think and what they want to do,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, general manager and head coach, told Greg Meachem, the Red Deer Advocate’s sports editor. “There’s no way of knowing that ahead of time, but you’d like to think you have a reasonable chance. But again, it will come down to what 20 other governors think.”
Meachem reports that the WHL struck a ‘hockey committee’ and had it evaluate both franchises in terms of how competitive the teams might be in 2015-16. That committee comprised Ryan Jankowski, Hockey Canada’s head scout; Stu MacGregor, the head scout for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers; and Kellyk McCrimmon, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
The report submitted by that committee now is in the hands of the governors.
“I’m going there with an open mind,” Sutter said of the meeting that is to be held in Calgary, “but I think we all know what the right thing is to do.”
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The Edmonton Oil Kings will have to make a move involving their import situation at some point this week. The Oil Kings have been carrying three imports, one over the limit, so one of them will have to go. They have veteran forwards Mads Eller, 19, and Edgars Kulda, who turns 20 on Nov. 13, on their roster, along with Russian D Marsel Ibragimov, 17. . . . Ibragimov has been scratched for six straight games. Because he’s in his first season, he can’t be traded so would have to be released. Either Eller or Kulda, as veteran imports, could be traded. . . . The Oil Kings also learned Tuesday that F Curtis Lazar, 19, will open the NHL season with the Ottawa Senators.
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It seems that there could be news this week involving the much-anticipated merger of the ECHL and CHL. Allan Muir of si.com has more right here. He also touches on the fact that some western-based NHL teams also are expected to move affiliates closer to them, meaning the face of minor professional hockey in North America is soon to undergo radical change.
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The good people of Portland are again trying to figure out what to do with Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the home of the Winterhawks. Brad Schmidt of The Oregonian has the latest on this ongoing story right here. . . . Included in this story are a few paragraphs in which Winterhawks president Doug Piper says the organization wasn’t sure it could survive the sanctions the WHL slapped on it almost two years ago.
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F Tyrell Goulbourne, 20, has returned to the Kelowna Rockets from the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, but a tender elbow will keep him out of the lineup at least for a few days. He had surgery on the elbow so wasn’t able to take part in the Flyers’ training camp. A third-round selection by the Flyers in the 2013 NHL draft, Goulbourne is to have the stitches removed from the elbow this week, so may not be too far away from game action. . . . His presence leaves the Rockets with four 20s, the others being D Cole Martin, F Colton Heffley and F Carter Rigby.
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Fighting in hockey took another stride towards the precipice on Monday as the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs cut enforcers Frazer McLaren and Colton Orr, both products of the WHL. . . . As Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star reports right here, the Maple Leafs chose to keep the likes of Carter Ashton and Brandon Kozun, two more ex-WHLers, over the scrappers. . . . Tiger Williams, a former Toronto toughie who also played in the WHL, doesn’t like the move at all. “You know,” he told Feschuk, “there’ll come a day when I’m not right about this. I don’t think that’s today, in my opinion. But I think that day’s going to come.”
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F Nic Petan made his season debut with the Portland Winterhawks as they fell 6-2 to the Royals in Victoria on Monday night. Petan, who was returned by the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, had one assist. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke, making his fifth straight start, was replaced by Adin Hill at 13:48 of the second period with his side down 4-0. . . . Victoria got a goal and two assists from D Jack Walker. . . . The Prince Albert Raiders have released F Dylan Williamson, 16, and he is scheduled to join the junior B Nelson Leafs of the Kootenay International Junior League. A Calgary native, he got into five preseason games with the Raiders, but didn’t see any regular-season action. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft.

Lazar, Oil Kings off to final; Dobber back in coaching game

G Chris Mason (Victoria/Prince George, 1993-97) has signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). This season with Ritten/Renon (Italy, Serie A), he was 2.18 and .927 in 36 games. He had the best GAA in Serie A as he led his club to the league championship. . . .
F Max Brandl (Prince Albert, Portland, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, DEL2). This season, with Landshut (Germany, DEL2), he had 22 points, including 10 goals, in 42 games.
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1. Four on-ice officials missed what should have been a major penalty in the first period on Thursday night when Montreal Canadiens F Brendan Prust drilled New York Rangers F Derek Stepan. . . . On Friday, Prust was given a two-game suspension. Also on Friday, the Rangers revealed that Stepan, who missed a couple of shifts before returning to finish the game, has a broken jaw and is out indefinitely. . . . Shortly after that hit, with emotions raw, New York F Daniel Carcillo was ejected after he got physical with a linesman during a scrum. On Friday, Carcillo was suspended for 10 games. . . . Thinking out loud: 1. How is it that four on-ice officials miss what should have been an easy call on Prust? 2. If that call is made, does the Carcillo incident happen? 3. Is bumping a linesman really five times as bad as breaking an opponent’s jaw?

2. What does Larry Brooks of the New York Post think of the NHL’s response to Prust’s hit on Stepan? Well, let’s say that he wasn’t impressed. Brooks’ piece is right here.

3. Can anyone explain why there were referees on the ice during the overtime periods in the Memorial Cup game on Friday night? Hey, if they aren’t going to call the obvious penalties, let’s get them off the ice so they aren’t getting in the way.

4. While the two referees didn’t see any penalties, OHL commissioner David Branch saw at least three suspendable offences.

5. The Brandon Wheat Kings aren’t likely to have any problems recruiting F Stelio Mattheos, the first overall selection in the 2014 WHL bantam draft. “My family and I, we’ve done our homework on the WHL,” Mattheos, a Winnipegger, told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun. “We think it’s a great league for development and that’s where I want to play. I want to play for the Wheat Kings one day.” . . . According to Henderson, Mattheos, who is attending Brandon’s prospects camp this weekend, is expected to play next season for the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jim Dobson (New Westminster, Portland, 1977-80) is going to help coach the Fort Vancouver Vipers of the Northern Pacific Hockey League. Dobson worked as an assistant coach with the Seattle Thunderbirds and also spent one season (1987-88) as their head coach. . . . Paul Danzer of the Vancouver Columbian reports that Dobson, known forever as Dobber, and Mike Dickerman will work together as the Vipers’ co-coaches. Dickerman is coming off his first season as a head coach; the Vipers didn’t win a game. In fact, they have won two of 80 games over the last two seasons. . . . Danzer writes that the eight-team NPHL is “a third-tier USA Hockey-sanctioned junior league for players ages 16-20.”
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MEMORIAL CUP
(at London, Ont., all times Eastern)
(all games televised by Sportsnet)
Friday: Val-d’Or 1, London 0 (8,863)
Saturday: Guelph 5, Edmonton 2 (8,842)
Sunday: Edmonton 5, London 2 (8,863)
Monday: Guelph 6, Val-d’Or 3 (8,796)
Tuesday: Val-d’Or 4, Edmonton 3 (2OT) (8,745)
Wednesday: Guelph 7, London 2 (8,863)
Thursday: No game scheduled.
Friday’s semifinal: Edmonton 4, Val-d’Or 3 (3OT) (8,776)
Saturday: No game scheduled.
Sunday: Guelph vs. Edmonton, 4 p.m.
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FRIDAY’S GAME:
F Curtis Lazar ended the longest game in Memorial Cup tournament history as the Edmonton Oil Kings beat the Val-d’Or Foreurs 4-3 in the semifinal game. . . . Lazar scored at 2:42 of the third OT period, redirecting a point shot by D Cody Corbett that followed a turnover in the Foreurs’ zone. . . . It was the first time in tournament history that a semifinal game went to double OT. . . . In the end, it was the longest game in Memorial Cup tournament erasing one from 2005. In that one, the Ottawa 67’s beat the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in 95:31. The 2005 tournament also was played in London. . . . In the round-robin portion, Val-d’Or got past Edmonton, 4-3, in double OT, as well. . . . Between that game and the semifinal, the two teams played 183:57, or more than nine periods. . . . Val-d’Or D Guillaume Gelinas, returning from a knee injury suffered on Monday, forced OT when he drifted a point shot through traffic and past G Tristan Jarry with 36 seconds left in the third period. . . . The QMJHL’s defenceman of the year, Gelinas went out with a knee injury during a 6-3 loss to Guelph on Monday. Obviously not 100 per cent, Gelinas wasn’t his usual explosive self, although he did make some plays in the third period before scoring his first goal of the event. . . . The Foreurs opened the scoring, with D Phil Pietroniro getting his first of the tournament at 1:49 of the first period, but then watched as the Oil Kings scored three in a row. . . . Pietroniro later left with a left shoulder/collarbone injury and didn’t return. . . . F Mads Eller got his first, at 9:00 of the opening period, with Edmonton getting the lead at 6:34 of the second when F Mitch Moroz struck on the PP. That was Moroz’s first goal of the week. . . . Edmonton F Edgars Kulda scored his third goal of the tournament at 9:45 of the second. . . . The Oil Kings seemed in control until Foreurs D Randy Gazzola got his second goal at 17::52 of the second period. . . . Jarry finished with 46 saves, five fewer than Antoine Bibeau of the Foreurs. . . . Edmonton was 1-for-3 on the PP; Val-d’Or was 0-for-4. . . . After handing out six minor penalties in the second period, referees Brett Iverson and Scott Oakman called just two in the game’s final 72:29. . . . The QMJHL had won the previous three tournaments. The WHL hasn’t won since 2008 in Spokane.
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From Neate Sager of Yahoo! Canada Sports: “First time since 1990 the same two #mcmemorialcup teams have played double overtime twice. Other time was the Oshawa-Kitchener classics.” That was in Hamilton, where Oshawa won them both -- 5-4 in the final round-robin game and 4-3 in the championship game.
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From Not Ron Robison (@NotRonRobison: “SportsNet guys said Val d'Or went mini golfing and Edmonton went bowling on their days off. Portland would've been figuring out how to win.”

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Silvertips move to top of standings

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Derek Meech (Red Deer, 1999-2004) has been released by Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). He had five assists in 23 games. There are reports that Meech has circulatory problems that may threaten his career.
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Shelley and Chris Moulton have been honoured as Volunteers of the Year at the 2013 Community and Business Excellence Awards in Fernie, B.C. Chris is the Spokane Chiefs' director of player personnel. . . . According to a news release from the Chiefs: "The Moultons founded and operated a new charity, Fernie Friends for Friends, dedicated to raising funds for cancer patients and their families living in Fernie. . . . More info is available at www.ferniefriendsforfriends.com. . . . And if you click right here you will find a Fernie Free Press story on the Moultons and their decision to found Friends for Friends.
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David Branch, the OHL commissioner, has suspended F Matt Rupert of the London Knights for 15 games for a headshot. . . . Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Sports has more right here, including the video of the hit.
———
During his professional career as an enforcer, Jim Thomson had 115 fights. He's retired now, though, and explains right here why he thinks there isn't any place in the game for fighting.
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FRIDAY:
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings held a 50-19 edge in shots as they beat the Saskatoon Blades, 6-2. . . . Brandon, which won 5-2 in Saskatoon on Wednesday, has won three in a row for the first time this season. . . . The Blades have lost four straight. . . . F Tim McGauley, a first-round selection by the Blades in the 2010 bantam draft, had two goals for Brandon. He has eight points, including three goals, in his last four games. . . . F Richard Nejezchleb had two assists for Brandon, giving him season totals of 17 goals and five helpers. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny started his seventh straight game with G Curtis Honey sidelined with an undisclosed injury. . . . Prior to the game, a moment of silence was observed in memory of Keith McCallum, who once owned a piece of the Wheat Kings and was the brother of the late Dunc McCallum, a former Brandon coach. Keith died a week ago. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Chance Braid opened the scoring with his first goal of the season and the Raiders skated to a 3-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Braid had nine goals in 67 games last season; this was his first score in 23 games this season. . . .

In Red Deer, the Rebels scored twice in the game's first 10 minutes and went on to a 4-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . D Haydn Fleury scored his fourth goal, via the PP, at 4:30 and F Dominik Volek got his seventh, shorthanded, at 9:45 to get the Rebels rolling. . . . Red Deer has won three straight. . . . Moose Jaw has lost four in a row. . . .

In Calgary, Russian F Radel Fazleev scored the only goal of the shootout as the Hitmen got past the Swift Current Broncos, 3-2. . . . The Broncos had won their previous nine games. . . . Fazleev, a freshman, has two goals in 21 games. . . . F Jay Merkley gave the Broncos a 2-1 lead with his ninth goal, on the PP, at 4:47 of the second. . . . D Kenton Helgesen forced OT with his third goal at 19:06 of the third. . . . F Jake Virtanen, with an undisclosed injury, was among Calgary's scratches. . . .

In Victoria, F Logan Nelson scored 52 seconds into OT to give the Royals a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Nelson has 10 goals this season. . . . Victoria F Brandon Magee forced OT with his sixth goal at 12:59 of the second. That was his fifth goal in three games. . . . The Thunderbirds now have lost six in a row. . . . Seattle had D Evan Wardley back after he served a four-game WHL suspension. . . .

In Everett, the Silvertips scored the game's first three goals and then held on for a 3-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . In the last three seasons, Portland won 26 of 30 games with Everett. . . . F Tyler Sandhu scored twice, at 8:57 of the first and 1:19 of the second, to give the home side a 3-0 lead. He's got five goals in his last two games. . . . The Winterhawks, outshot 32-13 through two periods, scored two third-period goals as they outshot Everett , 15-4. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist had one assist, running his point streak to 11 games. . . . F Nic Petan had two assists for Portland, giving him 201 points in 158 regular-season games. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz, who hadn't played since suffering an ankle injury on Oct. 26, stopped 26 shots. . . . The Silvertips (15-3-4) are tied with Portland (16-5-2) atop the overall standings. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans scored the game's first four goals and went on to a 5-3 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . F Brian Williams scored twice for the Americans, giving him 18. . . . F Marcus Messier of the Americans scored the game's first goal, a shorthanded effort in the first period. It was the first SHG allowed by the Pats this season. . . . G Nick Schneider started for the Pats. It was his first WHL appearance. . . .

In Spokane, F Mitch Holmberg, the WHL's leading scorer, had two goals and two assists as the Chiefs dumped the Prince George Cougars, 5-2. . . . Holmberg leads the WHL in goals (25) and points (55). He's the first skater in the entire CHL to get to 25 goals this season. He leads the WHL points derby by 10 points over Portland F Nic Petan. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow had three assists as he was in on each of the game's last three goals. Gow, who has yet to score this season, has 28 assists in 22 games. . . . The Chiefs scored the game's last four goals after F Todd Fiddler, who scored 42 goals for Spokane last season, gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead at 13:38 of the second period. . . .

In Vancouver, the Giants scored the game's first three goals and beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-2. . . . F Dalton Sward gave the Giants a 3-0 lead at 12:31 of the first period. . . . Vancouver D Dalton Thrower returned after missing two games after taking a headshot in a Nov. 5 game. 

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The CHL is the umbrella under which the three major junior leagues — the OHL, QMJHL and WHL — operate.
You might expect then that they would operate with the same rules and regulations.
And while that is true in some areas — two European players per team, three 20-year-olds, etc. — it turns out that it isn’t when it comes to the area of player benefits.
In fact, you may be as surprised as I was to find out how much difference there can be.
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On Nov. 28, when the WHL disciplined the Portland Winterhawks for spending money on what it called “illegal benefits,” some people involved with QMJHL teams must have gone: “Whoa! What’s the big deal?”
To refresh our memories, the WHL fined the Winterhawks $200,000, suspended GM/head coach Mike Johnston for the remainder of the season, prohibited them from taking part in the first five rounds of the 2013 bantam draft, and took away first-round draft picks in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The WHL was adamant that the sins of the Winterhawks didn’t include any thing to do with the illegal recruitment of players or education packages. There weren’t any payoffs to agents. There weren’t any under-the-table payments to players.
Instead, the Winterhawks were convicted of flying parents in to watch their sons play hockey, paying for some offseason workouts, and providing cell phones for team captains.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the Winterhawks, in committing those sins, spent $23,850 over a five-year.
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Meanwhile, in the QMJHL, it seems that there were some crazy things happening. And it all was perfectly legal and above board.
One agreement that has been making the rounds shows that one team ended up on the hook for potentially far more than $100,000 to one player who no longer is with that team and isn’t likely to play for it in 2013-14.
For starters, the education commitment to this one player works out to more than $100,000.
Here’s how part of the agreement reads:
“After the Player’s QMJHL career the Club will provide Educational Assistance to the Player in the amount of US$23,750 per year for four (4) years while the Player attends an accredited college or university on a full-time basis.
“Upon receiving official notification of the Player’s enrolment as a full-time student at an accredited university or college (the) Club will make payment of US$11,875 to the player. . . . These semi-annual payments by the Club will continue for four consecutive years while the player is a full-time university or college student. Total Educational Assistance will not exceed US$95,000.”
Under terms of the deal, the player has to begin his “full-time university or college studies no later than the year of his 23rd birthday.”
As well, the player forfeits all education assistance “if Player signs a contract with a National Hockey League Club.”
The QMJHL team also agreed to pay any educational costs incurred while the player was with the team.
“Such educational costs . . . shall be in addition to the US$95,000 payment for Post-QMJHL Educational costs stipulated in this Agreement,” the contract reads.
The WHL’s standard player agreement calls for a team to “pay or reimburse or cause to be paid . . . the player’s educational expenses to enroll in and attend a designated publicly funded post-secondary educational institution based on the assessment for a full-time student . . . including tuition fees, compulsory student fees and textbooks directly related to the Player’s course of study . . .”
Those educational expenses are believed to run about $5,000 per year in instances where a player has activated his education policy.
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As well, according to the agreement between the QMJHL team and the player in question, “The Club will provide US$3,000 per season to defray costs of Player’s family to travel to (the team’s city) during the time the Player is with the Club.”
There is nothing in the WHL’s standard player agreement covering such expenses. A player’s travel expenses incurred in reporting to the team and returning home at season’s end, and a return trip at Christmas, will be paid by his WHL team.
The WHL apparently has a set of rules and regulations in which it is stated that paying parental travel expenses is against the rules. However, the WHL has never shown those rules, regulations or bylaws to the media, despite repeated requests, especially from working media in the Portland area. (You may want to read this May 3 piece right here from Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune.)
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The QMJHL club also agreed to “provide to the Player an allowance of US$2,500 per season . . . to be used to defray the costs of the Player’s off-season conditioning.”
Again, there is nothing in the WHL standard player agreement covering off-season workout programs. Again, it apparently states in a different set of WHL rules that such payments aren’t allowed.
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While the agreeement between a QMJHL team and a player referred to earlier was legal and approved by the league office, all of that since has changed.
Three years ago, the QMJHL took a look at the situation regarding player benefits and chose to change whatever rules were in place.
According to QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau, teams now are able to offer a maximum of $10,000 per year in scholarship money.
“We made adjustments,” Courteau said Wednesday, “and since then a team is not allowed to give more than $10,000 per year on a scholarship package. That is what has been adopted.”
As well, a team is able to provide up to $5,000 per season to cover parental travel expenses should the money be needed.
Courteau explained: “We do give them a maximum of $5,000 per season . . . if a kid is playing in the Montreal area and his parents are living in the Montreal area, they won’t get anything. When we’re talking about travel, we’re talking about parents who have to travel a good distance and they have to stay overnight . . . we give them a maximum of $5,000 for travel expenses.”
Also, a QMJHL team now is able to provide a maximum of $1,500 in offseason training money if a player is in need of it.
“It’s not all of them,” Courteau said. “Just if a player needs to have some specific training . . . he can apply for offseason training to the team.”
In the case of the QMJHL, its office, under Courteau’s supervision, monitors all of this.
“Teams have to submit each and every player standard contract plus that special agreement has to be submitted to the league office for commissioner’s approval,” Courteau said.
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Asked about the specific contract that is referred to earlier in this piece, Courteau stated that it was not “a standard” agreement.
“It was a special case,” Courteau said. “It was an American player. For those American players, special scholarship packages were allowed for them.”
That isn’t the case now, though.
“That’s done,” Courteau said. “They have to go through the same rules as what we adopted three years ago.”
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CHL president David Branch, who also is the commissioner of the OHL, chose not to comment, referring questions to Courteau.
Branch, however, did allow that “each of the three leagues has different policies as relates to such matters.“
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One person who covers major junior hockey and whom I had occasion to come in contact with this week, offered this:
“One of my friends who used to be a QMJHL team media relations person asked me what Portland did . . . I can't even remember the particulars now, but basically everything I said (cell phones for players, plane tickets for parents) he said, ‘We did that, too.’
“And they never got busted.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tim Kraus (Vancouver, Regina, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had one goal and one assist in four games with the Wichita Thunder (CHL) and no points in one game with the Dayton Gems (CHL) last season. Kraus was in camp with the Denver Cutthroats (CHL) on a try-out basis earlier this month but did not make the Cutthroats' season-opening roster.
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The CHL’s weekly rankings came out Wednesday, as they always seem to, and the Kamloops Blazers are No. 1 for a second straight poll.
At 12-0-1, they remain the only one of the CHL’s 60 teams not have tasted defeat in regulation time. Combine that with last week’s 5-0-0 trip into the Central Division and it’s only right that the Blazers are No. 1.
Now I normally don’t pay a whole lot of attention to these polls, as they are public relations vehicles that aren’t worth much if only because there isn’t any inter-league play within the CHL’s three leagues.
But I am here today to question the lack of respect shown to the Tri-City Americans.
No, the Americans aren’t in the top 10. Yes, they are given an honourable mention. That’s not good enough. They should be in the top 10, maybe even in the top five.
Why?
Because they are 9-3-2.
Because they are 8-0-2 in their last 10 games.
Because included in their last 10 games was a 6-0-1 road swing.
Because included in that road swing was a 5-0-1 record in the East Division.
Because they are 7-1-1 on the road.
Because they are doing all of this after having lost their big three from last season — Patrick Holland, Adam Hughesman and Brendan Shinnimin.
Because their No. 1 goaltender, Eric Comrie, is the real deal.
For some reason, however, the Americans of GM Bob Tory and head coach Jim Hiller just don’t garner nearly the respect that is their due.
I mean, the Americans are there year after year. In fact, they now are gunning for their seventh straight 40-victory season. Only the Kamloops Blazers (1989-96) and Regina Pats (1979-86) have won 40 or more games in seven straight seasons.
Honourable mention? Uhh, no.
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F Brendan Persley, 19, of the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers had surgery Tuesday to repair a broken leg. Persley, who was in training camp with the Tri-City Americans prior to this season, played 55 games with the Chilliwack Bruins (2009-11) and nine with the Victoria Royals last season. . . . He is expected to be out of the Vernon lineup for at least six weeks.
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Fighting is down 32.1 per cent in the OHL this season, following the introduction of a rule that calls for suspensions for players as they surpass a 10-fight barrier.
Dave Nayor of TSN reports that “just five weeks into the 2012-13 season, the new measure has had a dramatic influence on the number of fights across the league.”
"I'm surprised, I really am," OHL commissioner David Branch told Naylor. "I didn't think there would be that kind of immediate, shall we say, impact on the number of (fights)."
It’s also interesting to note that about 27 per cent of fights in the OHL have included an instigator penalty.
The OHL, under Branch, once again proves to be one of the most, if not the most, progressive hockey leagues in the world.
Naylor’s piece is right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
G Cam Lanigan stopped 55 shots, including eight in OT, and wasn’t beaten in the circus as the host Medicine Hat Tigers got past the Kelowna Rockets, 4-3. . . . The Tigers had lost their last three games. . . . Kelowna held a 58-28 edge in shots. . . . Kelowna F Zach Franko forced OT with a goal with 24.7 seconds left in the third period and G Jordon Cooke on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk scored twice, running his goal streak to four games. . . . F Hunter Shinkaruk and F Elgin Pearce scored in the circus for the Tigers, while the Pats came up empty. . . .

G Teagan Sacher recorded his first WHL shutout as the Regina Pats went into Cranbrook and beat the Kootenay Ice, 3-0. . . . Sacher stopped 28 shots. He’s a Winnipegger who turns 18 on Dec. 1. . . . F Lane Scheidl scored twice, giving him six. . . .

The host Moose Jaw Warriors erased a 1-0 deficit with three second-period goals and went on to beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 3-2. . . . D Morgan Rielly’s fourth goal stood up as the winner. . . . The Warriors got their three goals in a span of 7:20. . . . F Sam Mckechnie scored his eighth goal of the season for the Hurricanes, who had points in each of their last four games. . . . Mckechnie had 13 goals in 72 games as a freshman last season. . . . Warriors D Reid Jackson left early with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Warriors continue to play without F Miles Warkentine and F Jordan Messier, both of whom are injured. . . .

The visiting Brandon Wheat Kings broke a 1-1 tie with PP goals 1:18 apart in the third period and went on to beat the Vancouver Giants, 3-2. . . . The Giants had Payton Lee, 16, in goal. Lee, who was in camp with the Giants but has been playing for the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, stopped 25 shots. . . . F Nick Buonassisi, who is from Coquitlam, B.C., scored twice for Brandon. He’s got six goals. . . . Brandon D Tyler Yaworski may be looking at a suspension after taking a major at 19:34 of the third period. The WHL’s online scoresheet records it as a checking-to-the-head penalty; however, Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun is reporting that it was a charging major. . . . The game was 1-1 until Buonassisi and F Tim McGauley scored PP goals 1:18 apart early in the third. . . . The Giants’ record slipped to 2-9-0; they have lost five in a row. . . .

The host Prince George Cougars snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Chiefs had won the first two games in what was a three-game series between the teams. . . . Attendance was announced as 1,371 and that’s 11 fewer than Tuesday night. . . . The Chiefs got the game’s first goal, then the Cougars got the next four.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Tyler Yaworski, Brandon (major)
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Tyler King (@tyler_king), the play-by-play voice of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons: “Am told Dauphin Kings (#MJHL) leading scorer Brendan Hurley has left the team to join the Calgary Hitmen (#WHL).”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) signed a one-year plus option contract with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga) after his release by Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A) on Sunday. Genève-Servette released Duda because they wanted to keep import space available for NHL players who might become available due to the lockout. The club filled Duda's roster spot with San Jose F Logan Couture on Tuesday. Duda finished second in scoring in the Czech Extraliga last season with 24 goals and 35 assists in 52 games with Plzen. . . .
D Andrew Ference (Portland, 1994-99) signed a lockout contract with Ceske Budejovice (Czech Repuiblic, Extraliga) and is scheduled to arrive in Ceske Budejovice the first week of October. He had six goals and 18 assists in 72 games with the Boston Bruins last season. Ference played 19 regular-season games and seven playoff games for Ceske Budejovice during the last lockout in 2004-05.
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As expected, the OHL on Wednesday announced a new approach to players who are involved in more than 10 fights during a season.
Here is the new rule:
    1. If a player is assessed a fighting major for the 11th to 15th time during the regular season, such player is assessed an automatic two-game suspension for each additional fighting major in addition to any other penalties assessed.
    2. If a player is assessed a fighting major for the 16th time or more during the regular season, such player is assessed an automatic two-game suspension and the hockey club is fined $1,000 for each additional fighting major in addition to any other penalties assessed.
    3. If a player is deemed to be the instigator in any of the fights above the 10-game threshold, such player would be assessed an automatic four-game suspension in addition to any other penalties assessed.
    Note: If a player is instigated upon, the fighting major is not included in the player’s total number of fights.
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports takes a look at the situation right here.
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN and TSN has his take on it all right here, and it includes some interesting reaction from the NHL’s Colin Campbell.
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A tweet from Paul Romanuk (@paul_romanuk), a former TSN hockey play-by-play man who now works and lives in London, England: “Commish Dave Branch showing, yet again, why he is one of the most enlightened leaders in the game.”
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Somewhere in what I read on Wednesday, I saw some figures attributed to OHL commissioner David Branch.
Over the last five seasons, he said, 92 per cent of OHL players have been involved in fewer than 10 fights. Last season, the OHL had 25 players with at least 11 fights.
If you are wondering, according to hockeyfights.com, the WHL had 28 players with 11 or more fights last season, with 11 more right at 10.
In 2010-11, there were 34 WHLers involved in at least 11 fights, with seven others at 10.
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The London Free Press, in an on-line poll, asked: “Do you agree with new penalties for frequent fighters in OHL?” . . . Early this morning, the poll had drawn 1,327 responses, with 51.24 per cent (680) voting YES and 48.76 per cent (647) voting NO.
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The OHL also made a couple of other changes . . .
Video Replay Rule 38.4:
    The following situations have been added to those areas subject to review by the Video Goal Judge:
    The puck is hand-passed to a teammate in the offensive zone who subsequently scores.
    The puck is high-sticked to a teammate in the offensive zone who subsequently scores.
Refusing to Play the Puck - Rule 72:
    In order to accentuate the speed and skill of the players, if in the opinion of the referee it is deemed that the game has come to a standstill due to no advancement of the puck, the whistle shall be blown with the resulting faceoff at centre ice with it understood that the teams are not permitted to make a line change.
    Note: Not advancing the puck shall include, but is not limited to a player remaining behind his net with the puck for an extended period of time or regrouping behind his net without moving the puck on more than two (2) consecutive occasions.
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Meanwhile, the WHL has adopted what perhaps should be called the Facebook Rule as it deals with staged fighting that occurs right off a faceoff. There have been times in the recent past when such fights apparently were arranged somewhere in the social media world.
Whatever. The WHL wants them out of its game.
Here is the WHL rule:
    1. Should a fight occur following a face-off, it will be considered a staged fight. Should a staged fight occur during a pre-season, regular season or playoff game, the players involved shall each receive an automatic game misconduct in addition to the major penalty. Should one player clearly initiate or instigate the fight, only that player will receive the game misconduct in addition to a minor penalty for instigating the fight.  Should the linesmen intervene and prevent the fight from starting, the players involved will each receive misconduct penalties.
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The WHL also has reminded folks of a couple of rules that were announced earlier in the summer:
    1. A delay of game penalty will be assessed any time a player places his hand over the puck while it is on the ice in order to conceal it from an opponent or to prevent an opponent from playing the puck.
    2. A delay of game penalty will be assessed to any player taking a face-off who uses his hand to direct the puck in any direction.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed D Brandon Carlo, 16, to a WHL contract. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Carlo is from Colorado Springs, Colo. He played last season for the U-16 Colorado Thunderbirds, putting up 17 points in 40 games, and will return to them for this season. Carlo was a 10th-round selection by the Americans in the 2011 bantam draft.
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The Saskatoon Blades have signed F Matt Revel, 16, who actually began this season with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs, picking up a goal in four games. The Blades listed Revel, who is from Abbotsford, B.C., in October as he was starting his season with the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins. He finished with 51 points in 40 games with the Bruins. . . . Revel is expected to play Friday against the host Prince Albert Raiders. . . . He chose not to attend the Blades’ training camp in order to maintain his NCAA eligibility, but changed his mind because of the opportunity to play in the Memorial Cup with the Blades. Saskatoon is the host team for the 2012 Memorial Cup.
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The Portland Winterhawks have settled on their goaltenders. Brendan Jensen’s name disappeared from their roster and he apparently is off to the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. That leaves Portland with sophomore Brendan Burke, 17, and veteran Cam Lanigan, 20. . . . Burke is the son of former NHL G Sean Burke, who now works with the Phoenix Coyotes. . . . Lanigan was acquired on waivers from the Kamloops Blazers. Interestingly, Lanigan was the backup in Kamloops last season and, after starter Cole Cheveldave was injured, started the last six games of a seven-game second-round playoff series with Portland. The Winterhawks won Game 7, 2-0, behind G Mac Carruth, who has signed with the Chicago Blackhawks and will report to their AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. . . . Depending on how things unfold, though, Carruth, 20, could end up back in Portland.
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The Swift Current Broncos have trimmed two players from their roster. . . . The Broncos’ news release stated that F Adam Smith, 18, will be joining the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers. Smith, however, tweeted that he will play for the Cowichan Valley Capitals. The Broncos got him from the Portland Winterhawks in October for F Dillon Wagner. Smith, who is from Nanaimo, had 34 penalty minutes in 20 games with the Broncos last season. . . . They also released F Adam Rossignol, 19, who came over from the Kootenay Ice for D Tanner Muth in January. A native of Surrey, B.C., he had 21 points in 71 games split between the Broncos and Ice last season.
With those moves, the Broncos appear prepared to open the season with four Saskatchewan freshmen on their roster — F Dakota Odgers, 16, of Spy Hill, F Tanner LeSann, 17, of Yorkton, F Zac Mackay, 17, of Swift Current, and F Justin Spagrud, 17, of Gull Lake.
I really liked something that Broncos GM/head coach Mark Lamb told Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Broncos.
"They're on the team," Lamb told Mullin. "I really like the way our training camp went but that's just one stage of the season. The date when you really made the team is Jan. 10. That's when the final trade deadline is."
That is something that all WHL players need to keep in mind.
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The Regina Pats trimmed G Adam Beukeboom and D Nathan Zimbaluk from their roster on Wednesday. . . . Beukeboom, 18, played in 19 games with Regina last season, going 5-6-2, 3.08, .898. . . . The 6-foot-3 Zimbaluk played 16 games for the Pats last season before joining the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs. He will be rejoining the Mustangs. . . . Dropping Beukeboom means the Pats will open the season with Matt Hewitt, 20, and  freshman Teagan Sacher, 18, who finished the exhibition season with a 0.66 GAA and a .980 save percentage.
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Evan Daum of the Edmonton Journal caught up with Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, this week.
“Regrets? Surely Jeff Chynoweth has a few, but the firing of Kris Knoblauch in the offseason isn’t one,” Daum writes right here.
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D Martin Gernat of the Edmonton Oil Kings has yet to play because of a shoulder injury. Head coach Derek Laxdal told Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal that Gernat is day-to-day.
“Hopefully, that’s true,” Matheson writes, “but so far it’s been week to week.”
Gernat isn’t expected to play tonight as the WHL season opens with the Oil Kings, the defending champions, playing host to the Kootenay Ice, who won the WHL title in 2010-11.
The Oil Kings also are without F Dylan Wruck, who is recovering from shoulder surgery.
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A Wednesday afternoon tweet from James Shewaga, the sports editor of the Brandon Sun: “Brandon Wheat Kings have now sold 2,489 season-ticket packages and 3,196 total tickets for Friday night’s season opener versus Regina.”
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Head Games, a movie that details the struggles faced by some athletes who have suffered concussions, debuted Wednesday at the Boston Film Festival.  Jesse Spector of sportingnews.com writes about the documentary right here, and, yes, there is ample mention of hockey players.

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