Blazers, Pats swing deal . . . Thunderbirds making changes . . . Cougars add coach

F Aki Kangasmäki (Chilliwack, 2006-07) has been loaned by KeuPa HT Keuruu (Finland, Mestis) to Lukko Rauma (Finland, Liiga). He started the season with Hokki Kajaani (Finland, Mestis), scoring three goals and adding three assists in nine games, before signing with KeuPa on Nov. 24. He had eight goals and seven assists in 12 games there. . . .

D Shaone Morrisonn (Kamloops, 1999-2002) has been traded by Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL) to Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL) for cash compensation. Morrisonn had two goals and four assists in 33 games with Medveščak. The deal was completed on Christmas Day, which was the trade deadline in the KHL this season.

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#WHL KAM/REG Trade:  Blazers were 65-49-6-4 (.565) when D. Davidson was in lineup in career;  .712 when he had point, .458 when not.

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) December 27, 2016

The Kamloops Blazers had an extra defenceman and badly needed to add a veteran centre. The Regina Pats had extra forwards and wanted another defenceman. So the Blazers dealt D Dawson Davidson, 18, to the Pats for F Luc Smith, 18.

The trade was announced on Tuesday morning, although Davidson was told about it on Christmas night.

The Blazers will be without F Matt Revel, 20, for perhaps two months after he suffered an undisclosed injury during a game against the host Edmonton Oil Kings on Dec. 10. Revel, a veteran centre, was a key part of the Blazers, who are hoping that Smith is able to at least help make up for the absence.

The 6-foot-5, 205-pound Smith has six goals and five assists in 29 games with the Pats this season. In 154 career games, all with Regina, the native of Stony Plain, Alta., has 12 goals and 14 assists.

DAWSON DAVIDSON

Davidson, from Moosomin, Sask., is a puck-moving defenceman who should fit in well with the Pats’ high-powered offence. The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder has three goals and 12 assists in 32 games this season. In 124 regular-season games, he had 12 goals and 51 assists. Last season, he finished with six goals and 33 assists in 59 games.

LUC SMITH

Davidson told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that he is excited about joining a contender — the Pats went into last night at 22-3-6 — and a team that is in the running to be the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup tournament.

“That’s why coming here is so special,” Davidson told Harder. “The Pats are very dangerous this year and, next year, if we can get the Memorial Cup that would be awesome. It’s an unbelievable opportunity.”

Interestingly, Davidson and Smith were both third-round selections in the 2013 bantam draft; in fact, they were taken two picks apart.

The Pats added Davidson almost a month after getting D Jonathan Smart, 17, from the Kelowna Rockets. Smart went into last night’s game with seven assists in eight games with Regina.

Kamloops also has brought in F Brodi Stuart from the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. He has nine goals and 11 assists in 19 games with the Thunderbirds. He was pointless in two earlier games with the Blazers this season.

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The Spokane Chiefs have add F Alex Mowbray, 20, to their rsoter. Mowbray, who is from Calgary, had been playing with the AJHL’s Camrose Kodiaks, In 32 games, he had 10 goals and 10 assists. . . . Mowbray had played the previous three season with the Medicine Hat Tigers, putting up 22 goals and 20 assists in 177 games. Medicine Hat selected him in the fourth round of the 2011 bantam draft. . . . He joins G Jayden Sittler and F Keanu Yamamoto as Spokane’s three 20-year-olds.

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The Seattle Thunderbirds have acquired D Aaron Hyman, 18, from the Calgary Hitmen for a third-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Hyman has a goal and seven assists in 28

AARON HYMAN

games this season. In 74 career regular-season games, he has two goals and 10 assists. The Thunderbirds, who lost a lot of size from their back end after last season with the departures of Jared Hauf and Jerret Smith, wanted to add some size and they have done that. . . . Calgary had been carrying nine defencemen, so something had to give. . . . The Hitmen selected Hyman in the third-round of the 2013 WHL bantam draft, using a pick acquired from Seattle for G Brandon Glover in 2012.

Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds have dropped D Bryan Allbee, 19, and F Layne Bensmiller, 19, from their roster, and are looking to trade D Brandon Schuldaus, who has asked out.

Allbee, from Prince George, was being used both on defence and as a fourth-line forward. This season, he had three assists in 33 games. In 146 career games, the first 88 with the Kootenay Ice, he had 11 goals and 28 assists. Seattle acquired Allbee from Kootenay on Jan. 4 for a fifth-round selection in the 2017 bantam draft.

“Allbee wants to play more and knows he won’t in our league so he is going to play in (junior A),” Seattle general manager Russ Farwell told Andy Eide of 710 ESPN Seattle.

Bensmiller, from Red Deer, was limited to seven games by an undisclosed injury. In 119 career games, he has 18 goals and 24 assists. He also has played with the Hitmen and Prince Albert Raiders. Seattle acquired Bensmiller and a conditional seventh-round 2017 draft pick from Prince Albert on Sept. 15, with F Nic Holowko going the other way.

Schuldaus, a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft, has two goals and three assists in 33 games this season. Last season, as a freshman, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Calgary native had two goals and four assists in 57 games.

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The Victoria Royals have signed G Riley Mathieson, 19, to a WHL contract. Mathieson is playing for the junior B Saanich Braves of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League and will remain there. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Mathieson, who is from Port Hardy, B.C., will join the Royals, according to general manager Cam Hope, “on an as-needed basis.” . . . With the Braves, who are 21-9-1, Mathieson is 3.25, .902.

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The Prince George Cougars have added Shawn Chambers, a two-time Stanley Cup winner as a player, to their staff as an assistant coach. A defenceman, Chambers played 625 regular-season and 94 playoff games in the NHL over 13 seasons. He won Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils (1995) and Dallas Stars (1999). He and Cougars head coach Richard Matvichuk were teammates in Dallas. . . . In Prince George, Chambers, a native of Sterling Heights, Mich., will work alongside Matvichuk and assistant coach Steve O’Rourke. . . . Chambers played 28 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 1986-87, after leaving the U of Alaska-Fairbanks. . . . He retired after playing four games with Dallas in 1999-2000.

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WHL commish Ron Robison said before season that "fighting is almost nonexistent in many ways today." WHL at 371 fighting majors this year.

— Brad E. Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) December 27, 2016

There's a 17-year-old in WHL who has fought 11 times so far this season. Nobody in NHL fought more than 12 times last season.

— Brad E. Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) December 27, 2016

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'Tips, Wheaties make deal . . . Blazers add 20-year-old d-man . . . Pats can't keep up with Jones

I've just decided that Reims will play ALL of the games versus the leafs this year...... #Matthews

— Strombone (@strombone1) October 13, 2016

F Gilbert Brulé (Vancouver, 2002-06) has been traded by Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL) to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) for “compensation.” This season, with Zagreb, he had six goals and four assists in 16 games. It appears that Brulé may have asked for a trade. According to Zagreb's website, “Brulé, in a mutual agreement with the club, has decided to continue his career in Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.” Nizhnekamsk reports that Brulé has signed a two-year contract with his new club.

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The Everett Silvertips have acquired F Brad Goethals, 18, from the Brandon Wheat Kings for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 WHL bantam draft. . . . Goethals is expected to join the Silvertips at some point over the weekend. . . . Last season, playing for the midget AAA Eastman Selects, he led the Manitoba Midget Hockey League in goals (41) and points (74) in 43 games. In 83 games in that league, he put up 129 points, including 73 goals. . . . Goethals is from Ile-des-Chenes, Man., the hometown of Everett G Mario Petit. Goethals was teammates on the Selects with Everett D Montana Onyebuchi. . . . There was a time when Goethals appeared head to Bemidji State, but he later changed his mind and was in Brandon’s training camp prior to last season.

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The Kamloops Blazers have claimed D Shaun Dosanjh, 20, off waivers from the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Blazers were looking to fill a roster spot created when they put veteran D Dallas Valentine, 20, on the long-term injury reserve list. He suffered an elbow injury during a 2-1 loss to the host Calgary Hitmen on Oct. 7. . . . From Richmond, B.C., Dosanjh was a third-round selection by the Vancouver Giants in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft. He has six points, two of them goals, in 128 regular-season games, 85 with the Giants and 43 with the Cougars. . . . He was pointless in four games with Prince George this season. . . . Dosanjh joins F Collin Shirley and F Matt Revel as the Blazers’ 20-year-olds. . . . The Cougars now have three 20s on their roster — F Colby McAuley, D Sam Ruopp and G Ty Edmonds.

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The Prince Albert Raiders trimmed two players from their roster on Wednesday. . . . F Evgeni Astrouski, 17, is expected to play for the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. A 10th-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft, he was pointless in one game with the Raiders. Evgeni is from Belarus but isn’t considered an import because he played some minor hockey in Edmonton. . . . D Lane Kirk, 16, is expected to join the MJHL’s Swan Valley Stampeders who play out of his hometown of Swan River. He was a fifth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. Kirk had one assist in three games with the Raiders this season.

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@AndyEide Strange Seattle has Osterman listed as a scratch tonight when they dropped him yesterday.

— Larry Osterman (@Larry_Osterman) October 12, 2016

Luke Osterman, 19, was selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the eighth round of the 2012 bantam draft. He is from Stillwater, Minn. . . . In 2014-15, as a freshman with the Thunderbirds, he had two goals in 45 games. Last season, he had one assist in 35 games. . . . The above tweet was posted Tuesday night, prior to Seattle’s 3-1 loss to the visiting Spokane Chiefs.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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It's pretty cool walking by the Gordie statue everyday. No matter the occasion or weather, there's always fresh flowers. pic.twitter.com/tN0V3VQnCR

— Tyler Wawryk (@wawryk16) October 12, 2016

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

At Kamloops, the Blazers got five goals from defencemen as they dusted the Spokane Chiefs, 6-1. . . . The Blazers have scored 15 goals in their only two games this season. They beat the Kelowna

Rockets, 9-2, on opening night. . . . D Dawson Davidson and D Ondrej Vala each scored twice for Kamloops, which got the game’s last six goals. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan gave Spokane the lead with a PP goal at 2:20 of the first period. . . . Vala tied it at 13:46 and F Collin Shirley gave Kamloops the lead on a PP at 15:15. . . . Davidson and Vala scored their first two goals of the season, while D Nolan Kneen got his first. . . . G Quinn Benjafield drew three assists and F Nick Chyzowski had two. Kneen added an assist to his goal. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram stopped 29 shots with Hockey Canada goaltending coach Fred Brathwaite in the house. . . . Spokane starter Dawson Weatherill was beaten five times on 18 shots, with reliever Jayden Sittler coming in to stop 16 of 17 in 29:58. . . . Kamloops was 2-3 on the PP; Spokane was 1-5. . . . The Blazers (4-5-0) have won two in a row. . . . The Chiefs are 2-4-0. . . . The game featured the WHL’s two winningest active coaches. Don Hay of Kamloops now has 679 regular-season victories, 12 more than Spokane’s Don Nachbaur. . . . F Eli Zummack, 16, made his WHL debut with the Chiefs. From Kelowna, he was a second-round pick by the Red Deer Rebels in the 2015 bantam draft. Zummack was part of a Jan. 1 exchange in which F Adam Helewska went to Red Deer. . . . On a night when F Auston Matthews scored four goals in his first NHL game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a reader of this blog points out that this game featured players named Sittler, Henderson, Mahovlich and Walton. . . . F Massimo Rizzo, taken 15th overall by the Blazers in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft, made his BCHL debut with the Penticton Vees on Wednesday night. He was pointless as the host Vees ran their winning streak to eight games with a 3-1 victory over the Langley Rivermen. Rizzo plays for the Burnaby Winter Club team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. . . . Announced attendance: 3,623.

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.@WHLHurricanes fans are good people. pic.twitter.com/Jp5bSoYnKf

— Lindsay Folk (@LindsayFolk) October 13, 2016

At Lethbridge, F Giorgio Estephan scored twice and added an assist to help the Hurricanes to a 5-2 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Estephan broke a 1-1 tie at 7:52 of the second period and the home boys scored the game’s next three goals. . . . F Brayden Burke added a goal and two assists for Lethbridge, while F Egor Babenko scored twice, giving him five. . . . The wines got 36 saves from G Stuart Skinner. . . . Victoria starter Griffen Outhouse gave up four goals on 23 shots in 44:07. Reliever Dylan Myskiw stopped three of four shots. . . . The Hurricanes (5-2-1) were 1-3 on the PP; the Royals (4-5-0) were 0-3. Victoria had won its previous two games. . . . The game marked the return of F Carter Folk, 20, to Lethbridge. After playing 171 games with the Hurricanes, he was dealt to Victoria on Sept. 12 as Lethbridge got down to three 20s. He was pointless last night. . . . Announced attendance: 2,757.

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At Prince George, D Kevin Davis broke a 2-2 tie at 15:54 of the first period and the Everett Silvertips went on to a 6-3 victory over the Cougars. . . . The Silvertips (6-1-1) swept the two-game series in Prince George. The Cougars (8-2-0) had been unbeaten going into Tuesday’s game. . . . F Patrick Bajkov had a goal and two assists in the first period for Everett. He scored the game’s first goal, at 5:29, then drew an assist on F Riley Sutter’s PP goal at 7:36. . . . F Brogan O’Brien and F Aaron Boyd scored nine seconds apart to pull the Cougars even. . . . Davis then broke the tie, with Bajkov getting the primary assist. . . . F Graham Millar’s sixth goal made it 4-2 at 1:38 of the second period. Sutter’s second goal, at 2:51, upped the lead to 5-2. . . . Davis added an assist to his goal. . . . G Carter Hart blocked 19 shots for Everett. . . . Prince George starter Nick McBride gave up five goals on 13 shots in 22:51. Ty Edmonds came on in relief and stopped 13 of 14. . . . Everett was 3-7 on the PP; Prince George was 1-4. . . . Announced attendance: 2,534.

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Last seasons #WHL leading scorer VS the leading scorer right now pic.twitter.com/Ye5qdFY1H3

— Chad Balcom (@hawkeyblog) October 13, 2016

At Regina, D Caleb Jones scored off a 2-on-1 break with 54.6 seconds left in OT to give the Portland Winterhawks a 5-4 victory over the Pats. . . . The teams were tied 1-1 going into the third period, where they evenly split six goals. . . . Portland took a 3-1 lead on goals by F Evan Weinger and Colton Veloso before the period was five minutes old. . . . The Pats scored the next three goals — F Adam Brooks (5:33), F Sam Steel (7:21, PP) and F Filip Ahl (10:12, PP). . . . Portland D Keoni Teixeira forced OT with a 5-on-3 pP goal at 17:05. . . . Jones and F Lane Gilliss each had a goal and an assist for Portland, with F Ryan Hughes adding two assists. . . . Last season, Hughes had three goals and 10 assists in 71 games. This season, the 17-year-old from Edmonton has three goals and 10 assists in 10 games. . . . Brooks, the reigning WHL scoring champ, scored twice in his first game since returning from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. . . . Steel added an assist to his sixth goal, while Ahl also had an assist, and D Connor Hobbs had two of them. . . . The game featured 103 shots on goal, 52 by Regina. . . . Portland G Michael Bullion stopped 47 shots, one more than Regina’s Tyler Brown. . . . Regina was 2-6 on the PP; Portland was 1-5. . . . Portland (7-3-0) went 4-2-0 on its East Division trip. . . . Regina (4-0-3) still is the only one of the WHL’s 22 teams not to lose in regulation time. . . . Announced attendance: 3,614.

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THURSDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Prince Albert at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Victoria at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Regina vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Prince George vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.

Everett at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Kamloops vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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

Kryski a good fit with Rockets . . . Silvertips waive veteran . . . Winterhawks, Broncos win again

It was only an exhibition game but, still, it was the first four-point game of F Jake Kryski’s WHL career.

The 18-year-old Vancouver native had two goals and two assists on Saturday night, helping the visiting Kelowna Rockets to a 6-3 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. One night earlier, he set up the

JAKE KRYSKI

game’s only goal as the host Rockets beat the Blazers, 1-0.

Kryski is preparing for his third WHL season, the first two of which were with the Blazers, who traded him to the Rockets on Aug. 18 in a deal that had the Gatenby brothers, Joe and Danny, both defencemen, come to Kamloops.

While Kryski spent most of his time with the Blazers patrolling left wing, the Rockets’ coaching staff has him playing centre, at least for now.

“We’re trying stuff,” said Kryski, noting that he last played centre with the Burnaby Winter Club bantam AAA side in 2012-13. “We’ll see how it goes. I’ll play wherever I’m needed.”

Of the difference between playing centre or on the wing, Kryski said: “There is more responsibility on the defensive side of things. Taking draws . . . I have to work on that to play centre and play well. But I like the challenge and I like having the responsibility. And I feel I have the puck more playing centre.”

Last season, he had 39 points, including 12 goals, in 67 games with the Blazers. In this preseason, he has seven points, including four goals, in four games.

“They’re coming,” he said of the points, “a bit more than last season, so that’s good.”

Some of that, he feels, is simply due to his having 132 regular-season games of experience in the WHL.

“I’m more confident holding onto the puck now,” he said. “And I’ve learned that I have to shoot the puck when I’m in scoring areas.”

That, of course, is something that head coach Don Hay and the Blazers’ staff tired to get him to do while he was in Kamloops.

“Yeah,” Kryski said with a smile. “Every coach (has tried that).”

The Rockets, who are down to 24 players, dressed only 17 skaters, including 11 forwards, in Kamloops on Saturday. As a result, Kryski is seeing a regular shift, as well as power-play and penalty-killing time.

“I don’t mind that at all,” he said. “I love getting out there.”

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The Everett Silvertips have waived veteran F Brandon Ralph, 20. A native of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., he had five goals and three assists in 55 games with the Silvertips last season. He had spent the previous two seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Ralph’s departure leaves Everett with two 20-year-olds — F Graham Millar and D Lucas Skrumeda, who turns 20 on Oct. 7.

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F Carter Folk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes has drawn a TBD suspension after he was hit with a headshot major and a game misconduct during a game against the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Friday night.

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While a lot of attention has been focussed on the final days of the career of Vin Scully, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ iconic play-by-play voice, another wonderful broadcaster is preparing to sign off for the final time. Dick Enberg, these days the voice of the San Diego Padres, will end his broadcasting career when this MLB season ends. . . . Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times has more on Enberg right here.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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SATURDAY’S GAMES:

In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks finished their exhibition schedule with a 6-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. The Winterhawks went 5-0-1. F Alex Overhardt scored twice for Portland, which got two assists from each of D Brendan De Jong and D Keoni Texeira. F Peyton Krebs and F Zak Zboroski had a goal and an assist each for the Ice (0-2-1). . . . F Brandon Hagel scored twice, giving him four in the preseason, to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 4-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. D Josh Mahura had two assists for the Rebels (3-1-0). G Riley Lamb stopped 29 shots for Red Deer. Czech freshman F Pavel Kousal scored for the Chiefs (2-3-0). He has two goals and two assists in five games. . . . The Tri-City Americans scored the game’s last two goals to beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-2. D Parker Wotherspoon, who also had an assist, broke a 2-2 tie at 8:33 of the third period and F Morgan Geekie added insurance with his second goal of the game at 13:07. F Jordan Topping had two assists for the Americans (3-3-0). The Thunderbirds are 3-2-0. . . . 

In Victoria, F Gunnar Wegleitner and F Jack Walker scored shootout goals to give the Royals a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . F James Malm scored for Vancouver (0-2-1), at 1:21 of the first period. . . . F Ethan Price got Victoria’s goal at 9:08 of the second. . . . The Royals are 3-1-0. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 39 shots for the Royals, while the Giants got 31 saves from G Ryan Kubic. . . . The teams meet again this afternoon, this time at the Ladner Leisure Centre. . . .

In Calgary, the Edmonton Oil Kings built up a 4-1 lead and hung on to beat the Hitmen, 4-3. . . . F Davis Murray had a goal and an assist for Edmonton (2-2-0). . . . Calgary (2-2-0) got a goal and an assist from D Jake Bean. . . . Announced attendance was 10,435. . . . 

In Kamloops, F Jake Kryski had two goals and two assists as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Blazers, 6-3. . . . The Rockets (3-1-0) acquired Kryski from the Blazers (1-3-0) last month. . . . F Kole Lind added a goal and two assists for Kelowna. . . . D Dawson Davidson had three assists for Kamloops (1-3-0). . . . There is a complete game story right here. . . . 

In Moose Jaw, F Tanner Jeannot, F Ryan Bowen and B Brett Howden each had a goal and an assist as the Warriors beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-1. . . . Moose Jaw G Zach Sawchenko stopped 32 shots, while Brandon’s Hunter Arps made 35 saves. . . . Warriors F Brayden Watts broke a 1-1 tie at 16:22 of the second period. . . . The Warriors improved to 3-2-0, while Brandon slipped to 0-2-0. . . .

In Regina, F Sam Steel’s second goal of the game, at 3:20 of OT, gave the Pats a 5-4 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Steel scored the game’s first goal, at 13:17 of the first period, and the team’s alternated goals right through game’s end. . . . F Austin Wagner also scored twice for Regina (3-2-0), while F Adam Brooks and F Riley Woods each had two assists. D Chase Harrison chipped in a goal and an assist. . . . The Tigers (2-2-0) got a goal and an assist from each of F Matt Bradley and F John Dahlstrom, with D Ty Schultz recording two assists. . . . 

In Warman, Sask., F Parker Kelly had a goal and two assists to help the Prince Albert Raiders to a 7-5 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . F Kirby Dach had two goals and an assist for the Blades. The second overall pick in the 2016 bantam draft, Dach gave the Blades a 5-4 lead at 9:34 of the third period. . . . The Raiders tied it on F Spencer Moe’s third goal of the preseason at 11:46 and went ahead when F Kolten OIynek scored on a PP at 14:03. . . . The Raiders (2-1-0) got a goal and an assist from each of F Luke Coleman, F Tim Vanstone and F Sean Montgomery. . . . F Lukus MacKenzie and F Jesse Shynkaruk each had two assists for the Blades (2-3-0). . . . Raiders F Drew Warkentine drew a cross-checking major at 13:25 of the second period. . . . 

In Swift Current, F Kaden Elder had two goals and an assist to lead the Broncos to a 5-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . F Aleksi Heponiemi had two assists for the Broncos (5-1-1) and F Tyler Steenbergen added a goal and an assist for the Broncos (4-1-1). . . . Heponiemi has a WHL-leading 12 points this preseason, including five goals. . . . F Tyler Wong had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (1-3-0).

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This is a week old but is just too good . . .

If I wasn't feeling Football Fever already... NOW IT'S ON!!! Yeah MUPHUGGAUZZZZ!!! pic.twitter.com/iXqYcuAFbn

— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) September 3, 2016

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Blazers movin' on up B.C. Division standings

When the Kamloops Blazers came back from the Christmas break and lost their first three games, you could be excused for writing off their playoff chances.
But as they take the ice tonight in Portland against the Winterhawks, the Blazers (19-25-6) find themselves alone in third place in the B.C. Division. In other words, they hold down the division’s last playoff spot, albeit by only two points over the Vancouver Giants (20-27-2) and Prince George Cougars (20-29-2), both of whom have been going in the wrong direction of late. (The Blazers are in Vancouver on Saturday night.)
So, you’re asking, what is responsible for the Blazers’ move up the standings?
They are 6-2-1 since losing those three post-Christmas games. In their last six games, they are 5-1-0.

CONNOR INGRAM

While the coaching staff no doubt would point to a number of things, including spending less time in their zone, nothing has been larger than the play of freshman G Connor Ingram, 17. He is 6-1-1 in his last eight decisions. This comes after head coach Don Hay pointed to inconsistent goaltending as being a primary reason for first-half woes.
Now, with Ingram having seized the starting role, the Blazers are playing with more confidence and it’s showing in the standings.
Ingram, an undrafted list player from Imperial, Sask., is no stranger to high-pressure hockey. He played last season for the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos and was the goaltender of record when they won the national championship in triple overtime.
He may well get tested tonight in Portland, as the Blazers may be without three of their top five defencemen.
Swiss freshman Michael Fora hasn’t played since being injured in Victoria a week ago, while I will be shocked if Slovakian freshman Patrik Maier doesn’t have a concussion after taking at least four punches to the face, including a violent overhand right, during a late third-period fight with F Nolan Volcan of the Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday night.
As well, Ryan Rehill has been suspended for one game, as has Seattle D Jared Hauf. They got into a staged fight — does that mean there can be an unstaged fight? — nine seconds into Wednesday’s game. (Kamloops and Seattle each was fined $250 for that bout. Ch-ch-ching!)
Should the Blazers be without Fora, Maier and Rehill and, if they don’t bring in anyone, they will be looking to veterans Brady Gaudet and Marc McNulty to eat up some major minutes.

DAWSON DAVIDSON

Look for Dawson Davidson, 16, to be put into a larger role, too. An offensively gifted player, he joined the Blazers from the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals after the Christmas break and continues to show improvement. He has a high hockey IQ and doesn’t often put himself in bad position. That’s important because, although the native of Moosomin, Sask., is listed on the roster at 5-foot-11 and 171 pounds, he doesn’t look to be anywhere near that large.
The other two defencemen on the Blazers’ roster are Cam Reagan and Travis Verveda, a pair of 17-year-olds who have been in 23 and 24 games, respectively.
One other note about the Blazers: Head coach Don Hay is the second-winningest coach in WHL history, his 628 regular-season victories trailing only Ken Hodge’s 742.
But before the Blazers got on a roll, Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur had closed to within two victories of Hay — 623-621. The Blazers then started winning, while the injury-riddled Chiefs hit the skids. The score now is 628-621.
It all got me to wondering if either of the WHL’s coaching Dons might one day surpass Hodge.
Hay will turn 61 on Feb. 13; Nachbaur is 56 as of today (Jan. 29).
Three 40 victory seasons would get either man within reach of Hodge’s total so, yes, it’s possible. However, neither man is likely to get to 40 victories this season, so three in a row isn’t at all a sure thing.

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Dorothy on top of the world . . . Sheldon Kennedy honoured . . . Blazers add two young d-men

Dorothy, aka Wonder Woman, was on
top of the world Friday in Kamloops.

A year ago, Dorothy, my good wife, wasn't strong enough to force down the foot rest on the recliner in which she sits when watching TV.
On Friday, she hiked to the top of Kenna Cartwright Park in Kamloops.
That is why she is known as Wonder Woman in these parts.
To those of you who have followed her story here and have offered support, we were thinking of you on our 50-minute walk. Your support means so much and we won't ever forget it.
From the four of us, including Joanna and Todd, we hope you had a Merry Christmas and a quiet Boxing Day, and that 2015 is full of good cheer.
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F Štěpán Novotný (Kelowna, Swift Current, 2008-11) has signed for the rest of this season with Nitra (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, with Žilina (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had 10 goals and five assists in 27 games. He was released by Žilina at his request. . . .
F Juraj Šimek (Brandon, 2006-07) has signed for the rest of this season with TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga). This season, with Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A), he had six goals and seven assists in 33 games.
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The word 'hero' often gets tossed around far too easily, like a dime, when it should be used more like a manhole cover. But it is entirely appropriate when referring to Sheldon Kennedy, the former WHL and NHL player who was sexually abused by former Swift Current Broncos general manager and head coach Graham James. On Friday, Kennedy, who now is an advocate for victims of child abuse, was named to the Order of Canada. . . . Kennedy, 45, works tirelessly on behalf of young people. . . . But, as he said, he isn't doing it for awards. “For me," he told The Canadian Press, "I’m not doing this work to win awards for Sheldon Kennedy. I’m doing this work because I understand the damage that this crime has on our kids And it’s killing our kids.” . . . Kennedy would know. He has been down that road. . . . If you haven't already, read his book, Why I Didn't Say Anything. . . . In the meantime, there are a couple of stories on the Order of Canada right here and right here. . . . Yes, Sheldon Kennedy is a true Canadian hero.

From everyone who works with you at the @yycCAC thank you @ShelKenn and congratulations on your Order of Canada! pic.twitter.com/ym9rDPeC2Z
— Sheldon Kennedy CAC (@yycCAC) December 27, 2014

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The Kamloops Blazers will get a look at D Dawson Davidson, 16, and D Conner McDonald, 15, over the next four games. . . . Davidson, a third-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft, is from Moosomin, Sask., and plays for the midget AAA Moose Gaw Generals. He has five goals and nine assists in 26 games. . . . McDonald, from Delta, B.C., was a second-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. He has six goals and six assists in 15 games with the Delta Hockey Academy prep team. . . . Meanwhile, D Nolan Kneen, who played in four games with the Blazers prior to Christmas, is back with the major midget Okanagan Rockets. He was the third overall pick in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . The Blazers will have D Patrik Maier in their lineup tonight when they meet the Rockets in Kelowna. He returned to the Blazers after not cracking the lineup of the Slovakian junior team. However, D Michael Fora will miss four games as he plays for Switzerland at the World Junior Championship. . . . Kamloops also should have D Brady Gaudet, 20, back in its lineup tonight. He has missed 18 games with a shoulder injury.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have brought in F Wyatt Bear, 15, who was a fifth-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. Bear is from Hodgson, Man., and plays for Interlake Lightning of the Manitoba Midget AAA League. In 25 games, he has six goals and eight assists. . . . The Thunderbirds are at home to the Portland Winterhawks tonight.
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Major junior hockey is under fire these days as it faces the possible unionization of its players, as well as at least three lawsuits. Eric Duhatschek of The Globe and Mail takes a look right here at just what's going on. ---
Lou Lamoriello, the long-time general manager of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, fired head coach Pete DeBoer on Friday. Rich Chere of nj.com takes a look right here at what's happening with the Devils. . . . BTW, speculation last night had former Ottawa Senators head coach Paul MacLean as the Devils' next head coach.
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The West Virginia Mountaineers won't have quarterback Clint Trickett in the lineup on ?? when they meet the Texas A&M Aggies in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Monday in Memphis. Trickett, a senior, has retired after suffering five concussions in 14 months. He hid two of those concussions from trainers. . . . There's more right here.
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#OrderofCanada appointments never happen without help. I want to thank the many many people that have helped me and continue to help #THANKS
— Sheldon Kennedy (@ShelKenn) December 26, 2014

Stands are full. Bars are full. TSN ad spots are full. Lots of people making lots of money from WJC, except, of course, the players.
— Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) December 27, 2014

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Walter goes to Saint John

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jakub Sindel (Brandon, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Fassa (Italy, Serie A). He had 23 goals and 33 assists in 42 games last season. . . .
F Björn Svensson (Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, 2003-06) signed a two-year contract with Malmö (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had three goals and three assists in 40 games with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, Elitserien) last season.
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As expected, the WHL’s board of governors voted unanimously Wednesday in Calgary to allow the Brodsky family to sell the Saskatoon Blades to Mike Priestner, an Edmonton-based auto dealer. The sale is expected to close this week.
Following the vote, Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, allowed himself to say a few words and then the cone of silence was put back in place. No one, including former owner Jack Brodsky, Priestner or Steve Hogle, the Blades’ new president, was permitted to speak before a news conference that is scheduled for today in Saskatoon.
Hogle, who had been the vice-president of hockey communications for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, takes over as the Blades’ president and alternate governor, while Colin Priestner, Mike’s son, will relocate to Saskatoon and will be the managing partner
The Blades are the only franchise to have played in every season of the WHL’s history, which began with the 1966-67 season. The Brodsky family has been involved in the Blades’ ownership since 1976.
All of which begs the question: There was no chance that Brodsky’s request to transfer ownership would be rejected, so why was this board of governors’ meeting held in Calgary? Why wasn’t it held in Saskatoon?
Had it been held in Saskatoon, the governors all could have attended a news conference and shown their respect for the Brodskys, and especially for Jack, who has been an active governor for a long time. The entire day could have been turned into a real testimonial for a long-time member of the fraternity, and one who just played an integral role in driving up the value of all franchises.
Priestner is reported to have paid more than $9 million for the Blades.
The way that the WHL has handled this story has become all too familiar, and that’s too bad. By trying to control the message, the WHL has missed a golden opportunity to gain some positive publicity.
Instead of once again dragging out the cone of silence, at the very least there should have been a conference call, allowing the national media to have access to all those involved.
Instead, the WHL worked to bury the story on Wednesday, when this was news. A day later, the news cycle has turned over and the sale of a franchise that occured on Wednesday is already old news.
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F Lukas Walter, 20, has joined the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. Walter had five points in 117 regular-season games with the Tri-City Americans over the last two seasons. He was released by the Americans over the summer and went to camp with the Portland Winterhawks, who released him late last month. . . . Walter, who is from Langley, B.C., is with the Sea Dogs on a tryout basis.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors announced Wednesday that Russian F Alexander Chirva, 17, has been cleared to play. According to the Warriors, Chirva “has received his visa and will be in Moose Jaw Thursday evening. Chirva is expected to skate with his teammates for the first time Saturday, 2:30 p.m., in Caronport.” . . . The Warriors selected Chirva in the 2013 CHL import draft.
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G Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Jarry, 18, was selected in the second round of the NHL’s 2013 draft. He was the Penguins’ first selection. . . . Last season, with the Oil Kings, Jarry was 18-7-0, 1.61, .936. He also put up six shutouts. . . . Jarry will be the Oil Kings’ starting goaltender this season.
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The Regina Pats and Saskatchewan Roughriders announced Wednesday that they have “entered into a partnership” that will cover the remainder of this CFL season and the approaching WHL regular season. According to a news release: “Fans of the Pats and Riders have the opportunity to join the ‘Sea of Green’ at Pats home games in 2013-14 with a special green section in the Brandt Centre.” . . . Players from the Roughriders will be making appearances in the Sea of Green. . . . The partnership will include a special price ($250) on Pats season-tickets for Roughriders season-ticket holders. . . . Pats season-ticket holders “will be provided with a special Ticketmaster code for discounted ticket specials to the final five Riders home games.”
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed D Dawson Davidson to a WHL contract. Davidson, from Moosomin, Sask., was a third-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. He will play this season with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, the host team for the Telus Cup, the national midget championship tournament. . . . Last season, he had 49 points in 25 games with the bantam AA Melville Millionaires.
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Brian Wiebe, who covers the BCHL like a blanket, tweeted last night that Surrey Eagles “D Tommy Stipancik (94) has retired due to an undisclosed injury.” . . . Stipancik, from Vancouver, was selected by the Saskatoon Blades in the third round of the 2010 bantam draft. However, brain injuries — he had four in three years — would limit him to 10 games in 2011-12 and 34 games in 2011-12. In fact, over the last four seasons, he played only 96 games in major midget, the BCHL and the WHL. . . . The Blades released him on Sept. 4, 2012.
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Former Tri-City Americans G Olaf Kolzig, who now owns a chunk of the WHL franchise, has taken over as the goaltender coach for the NHL’s Washington Capitals. . . . Tim Leone of pennlive.com has that story right here.
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F Morgan Klimchuk of the Regina Pats won’t be taking part in the Calgary Flames’ training camp. The NHL team reported Thursday that Klimchuk, the 28th overall selection in the 2013 draft, “suffered an abdominal wall strain injury during a recent pre-season game with the Regina Pats . . . and will be unable to participate in training camp with the Flames. Klimchuk will rehab his injury in Calgary with Flames’ personnel. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.”
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The Calgary Flames also announced that they have suspended F Ryan Howse “for failing to report to training camp. The club will have no further comment at this time.” . . . Howse (Chilliwack, 2006-11) was a third-round selection by the Flames in the NHL’s 2009 draft. He put up 217 points, including 140 goals, in 262 games with the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?).
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D Julius Honka of the Swift Current Broncos has become quite a story in the WHL’s exhibition season. From Jyvaskyla, Finland, Honka, 17, was selected by the Broncos in the CHL’s 2013 import draft. . . . Last night, Honka scored in his fourth straight exhibition game — he has five goals — as the Broncos beat the visiting visiting Saskatoon Blades, 9-4. . . . Last season, Honka had four goals and 11 assists in 42 games with the JYP U-20 side.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed D Kurtis Rutledge, an eight-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Rutledge, from Calgary, had seven points in 15 games with the Calgary Flames of the Alberta Midget Hockey League last season.


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