Sale of Ice will mark end of an era . . . Source: Robison wants it done by month's end

The Kootenay Ice dropped a 4-1 decision to the host Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night in a game that may have marked the end of an era.

If, as is being speculated, the Ice franchise is about to be sold that game may have been the last one played by a team that could boast of having the Chynoweth name on its masthead.

Should the sale occur, that game also will have signalled the end of the Chynoweth era in the WHL,

Jeff Chynoweth (left) and his father, Ed.
(Photo: chl.ca)

something that stretches back to 1970.

That is something that shouldn’t be ignored, because there hasn’t been a bigger name in WHL history and, indeed, in the history of junior hockey.

It all began with Ed Chynoweth, a native of Dodsland, Sask., who left a Saskatoon hotel and joined the Blades as assistant general manager in 1970.

By the 1972-73 season, Chynoweth was in the WHL office — it was the WCHL then — as assistant to the executive secretary, which is the title that Thomas K. Fisher carried.

Chynoweth was named the league’s president at its annual meeting in June 1973, an position in which he would continue through 1978-79. He spent 1979-80 as a part-owner and the general manager of the Calgary Wranglers. However, he returned to the WHL office after that season and ruled the roost through 1995-96.

At that point, he was granted an expansion franchise, the Edmonton Ice, that played two seasons in the Alberta capital before moving to Cranbrook, B.C., and morphing into the Kootenay Ice.

He was the Ice’s president and governor, and also served as the chairman of the WHL’s board of governors (1996-98, 2004-08). He was the chairman of the board when he died, at 66, on April 22, 2008.

Under Chynoweth, the Ice won the 2002 Memorial Cup, a trophy he had presented to his son, Dean, in

Ed Chynoweth got to present his son, Dean,
with the Memorial Cup.(Photo: Hockey Hall of Fame)

1988, when Dean, a rugged defenceman, was the captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Dean played three seasons (1985-88) with the Tigers and later would return to the WHL for four seasons (2000-04) has head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds. He would on from there and work for five seasons (2004-09) as general manager and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos.

Jeff is the Ice’s governor, president and general manager. He has been part of the WHL since 1986 and also has worked with the Spokane Chiefs (1986-87), Medicine Hat Tigers (1987-88), Brandon Wheat Kings (1988-89), Lethbridge Hurricanes (1989-91) and Red Deer Rebels (1991-95), before moving into the Ice’s front office in October 1995.

And, of course, there is Linda, the matriarch, who was married to Ed for 45 years. She has been there for all of it, from the day Ed joined the Blades’ organization through what will have been the family’s final days with the Ice. You can bet she has been a sounding board for more WHL-related decisions than any person in junior hockey history.

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Thank you to our corporate partners, billets, parents and FANS for your support of Kootenay ICE hockey this season!

— Kootenay ICE (@WHLKootenayICE) March 19, 2017

A source familiar with the Kootenay Ice situation has told Taking Note that Ron Robison, the WHL

commissioner, “is hoping to get things done with the Cranbrook group before the end of (March).”

That group, which includes former Ice F Colin Sinclair, made an offer to purchase the Ice in February. However, the group was informed that its offer wouldn’t be considered pending a March 11 referendum in Nanaimo, a Vancouver Island city in which the WHL badly wants to have a franchise. However, that referendum was soundly defeated, meaning the City isn’t able to borrow $80 million to build an events centre that was to include an arena.

Our source indicated that the Cranbrook group “pulled its previous offer earlier in the week after Nanaimo voters rejected building a new arena complex. That offer price-matched the Nanaimo offer, with the only difference being there would be no offer of a (general manager’s) job to the current owner/GM.”

That, of course, is in reference to Jeff Chynoweth, the Ice’s governor, president and general manager.

The source added that, with the referendum in the rearview mirror, the Cranbrook group now is “prepared to continue but at a different price point.”

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The OHL’s Erie Otters are the first team in Canadian Hockey League history to win at least 50 games in four consecutive seasons. On Saturday, the Otters beat the visiting Guelph Storm, 5-2, improving their record to 50-15-3. Starting in 2013-14, the Otters won 52, 50 52 and 50 regular-season games. . . . The Otters’ head coach in each of those seasons has been Kris Knoblauch, a native of Imperial, Sask., who played in the WHL with the Red Deer Rebels, Edmonton Ice, Kootenay Ice and Lethbridge Hurricanes (1995-99). . . . He also has coached with the Prince Albert Raiders (2006-07) and Kootenay (2007-12). He was the Ice’s head coach for two seasons (2010-12). . . . The WHL’s Kelowna Rockets (2012-15), Edmonton Oil Kings (2011-14) and Kamloops Blazers (1989-92), and the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs (2009-12) all had three-season runs. . . . The Otters have captured their third straight Midwest Division title with the victory and have clinched the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as the OHL’s regular-season champions for a second consecutive season.

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Winterhawks in front of 'Tips . . . Former WHLer next top cop in Toronto? . . . Gong show in NHL

F Stanislav Balán (Portland, 2005-06) has signed a one-year contract with Vítkovice Steel Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had 13 goals and 18 assists in 51 games. . . .
F Roman Horák (Chilliwack, 2009-11) has signed a one-year extension with Vityaz Podolsk (Russia, KHL). This season, he had 31 points, including 18 goals, in 53 games. . . .
D Michal Hlinka (Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, 2010-12) has signed a one-year extension with Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had 15 points, seven of them goals, in 43 games this season.
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THURSDAY’S GAME:

In Portland, the Winterhawks scored the game’s first five goals as they skated to a 5-3 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Portland takes a 2-1 lead into Game 4 tonight at home. . . . The teams hadn’t played since Saturday because of arena availability issues in Portland. . . . Portland D Anton Cederholm opened the scoring with his first goal at 17:52 of the second period. . . . By coincidence, freelancer Scott Sepich wrote a feature on Cederholm and his father, who is in Portland this week from Sweden, for The Oregonian. That piece is right here. . . . F Nic Petan got his sixth goal at 18:13 of the second, on a PP, and F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, giving him eight, in the third period. . . . F Dominic Turgeon upped it to 5-0 at 14:27. . . . Everett scored three times in 1:46 late in the period, with D Kevin Davis, F Ivan Nikolishin and F Graham Millar scoring. . . . Petan also had two assists for Portland, as did F Miles Koules and F Chase De Leo. . . . F Logan Aasman had two assists for Everett. . . . Winterhawks G Adin Hill stopped 16 shots. . . . Everett starter Carter Hart gave up four goals on 34 shots. Reliever Austin Lotz was beaten once on two shots in 6:26 of playing time. . . . Portland was 2-for-5 on the PP; Everett was 0-for-2. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl returned to the lineup after a five-game absence, but the Silvertips remain without D Noah Juulsen and D Tristen Pfeiffer. . . . Leedahl was involved in a fight with F Keegan Iverson at 10:27 of the second period, then took a cross-checking minor at 19:01. Leedahl didn’t return to serve out his penalty to start the third period. Nikolishin actually finished serving the penalty. . . . Attendance was 5,518.

Joke that'll kill at your next dinner party: Q: What do you call it when Everett hockey players pay gratuities in quarters? A: Silver tips
— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) April 17, 2015

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D Connor Hobbs of the Regina Pats has drawn one of those ‘tbd’ suspensions from the WHL for a hit in Game 4 against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday night. Hobbs took out Brandon D Ryan Pilon, whose status for Game 5 in Brandon tonight isn’t known.
Here’s Rob Henderson, the Brandon Sun’s sports editor, with some thoughts earlier Thursday:
“It would be in the Wheat Kings’ best interest to end the series as soon as possible. In addition to the obvious desire to not let the Pats force a Game 6 on Sunday in Regina, the physical series is also taking a serious toll on both teams’ lineups.
“Wheat Kings Jayce Hawryluk, Rihards Bukarts, Colton Waltz and Ryan Pilon have all been injured since the series began, with Pilon being knocked out of Game 4 by the hit that led to Hobbs’ major. . . . Pats defenceman Sergey Zborovskiy still has one game left in his suspension for the hit that sidelined Hawryluk, while Regina’s Rykr Cole and Chase Harrison have also gone down to injuries in the series.”
Henderson added that Kelly McCrimmon, Brandon’s general manager and head coach, “didn’t divulge any information when asked if any of his injured players would return for tonight’s game.”
Brandon F Morgan Klimchuk, who has sat out six games, took part in Thursday’s optional skate.
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The Calgary Hitmen can eliminate the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers tonight and book a berth in the Eastern Conference final. . . . The Hitmen are coming off a 2-1 OT victory in Medicine Hat on Wednesday night that gave them a 3-1 lead in the series. . . . Calgary F Adam Tambellini, who leads the WHL playoffs in assists (10) and points (19), missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury, but was back on skates Thursday. He likely will skate again this morning and then be re-evaluated. . . . You can bet that the Hitmen go into tonight’s game with their first-round series victory over the Kootenay Ice fresh in their minds. Calgary was ahead 3-1 in that series and it ended up going seven games. . . . The Tigers may be without F Blake Penner, who left Game 4 with an undisclosed injury. . . . Laurence Heinen wrote this story for the Calgary Herald.
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The NHL’s Colorado Avalanche is dropping its affiliation with the AHL’s Cleveland-based Lake Erie Monsters. . . . The NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets are expected to announce today that they are moving their affiliation from Springfield, Mass., to Lake Erie. . . . There is speculation that the Arizona Coyotes will hook up with Springfield, at least for one seasno. . . . Former WHL GM/coach/player Dean Chynoweth is Lake Erie’s head coach. . . . Jared Bednar, another former WHL player, is the head coach in Springfield. . . . Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, who broke the story, writes that the Springfield coaching staff, which includes another former WHLer in Nolan Pratt, would move to Lake Erie. . . . Portzline’s blog piece is right here. . . . Mike Chambers of the Denver Post reported last night that the Avalanche will affiliate with the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage, which had been hooked up with the Florida Panthers. Next season, Florida will be affiliated with the AHL’s Portland Pirates, who had been Arizona’s farm team. Arizona, of course, will end up cutting a deal with Springfield, and the circle will be complete.
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The Globe and Mail is reporting that former WHLer Dale McFee, who is the president of the Prince Albert Raiders, is the “wild card contender” to become Toronto’s next police chief. McFee, who played four seasons with the Raiders (1982-86), also is a former Prince Albert police chief; he now is Saskatchewan’s deputy minister of corrections. . . . Robyn Doolittle’s story is right here.
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SUN FRONT: Game 2 btw #Sens & #Habs goes Friday. All we gotta say is HEADS UP, P.K. #ottnews #NHLPlayoffs #slashgate pic.twitter.com/qYJwF18yTL
— Ottawa Sun (@ottawasuncom) April 17, 2015

As Pierre LeBrun of ESPN notes in this piece right here, the NHL series between the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators already has degenerated into a “gong show,” and it's only one game old. . . . It could be that Ottawa F Chris Neil, who didn’t play in Game 1, will be doing his thing tonight in Game 2.
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Just as things heat up in the NHL players and we are wondering if something might relieve the pressure, if only for a few minutes, along comes a video starring ESPN’s Britt McHenry. . . . If you haven’t seen it or read about what happened, well, it’s like something out of Dumb and Dumber and Dumbest. Seriously, you thought stuff like this only happened in Judd Apatow movies. . . . At one point, McHenry says to the attendant at a towing company’s lot: “Maybe if I was missing some teeth they would hire me, huh? . . I’m in television and you’re in a f------ trailer, honey.” . . . Sheesh, wouldn’t you think that someone who is in the TV business would realize that she just might be on camera in a place like that?
Richard Deitsch of SI.com has more right here.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed D Jarret Tyszka, who was the 16th overall selection in the 2014 bantam draft. From Langley, B.C., Tyszka played this season for the midget team at the Yale Hockey Academy, putting up 10 points, three of them goals, in 23 games.
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F Tyler Jeanson of the MJHL-champion Portage Terriers has signed a letter of intent with the Colgate University Raiders. Jeanson, 17, was selected by the Kamloops Blazers in the ninth round of the 2012 bantam draft. The MJHL’s rookie of the year last season, he had 54 points, including 23 goals, in 56 regular-season games this season.
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The Melfort Mustangs won the SJHL championship last night, beating the host Notre Dame Hounds 4-0 to win the series, 4-0. Trevor Blevins, the Mustangs’ head coach, is from Melfort. He was a player with the Mustangs when they last won the SJHL title, in 1996. . . . The Mustangs went 12-2 in their playoff run, with both losses coming in OT. . . . In the BCHL, the host Penticton Vees beat the Nanaimo Clippers 3-2 last night. The Vees take a 3-2 series lead into Nanaimo for Game 6 tonight. The Clippers had won Games 1 and 2, both in Penticton. . . . In the AJHL, the Spruce Grove Saints hold a 3-1 lead on the Brooks Bandits with Game 5 scheduled for Spruce Grove tonight. . . . Three teams — the host Fort McMurray Oil Barons, Melfort and the MJHL-champion Portage Terriers — now have spots in the Western Canada Cup. It runs in Fort McMurray, April 25 through May 3. The top two teams move on to the Royal Bank Cup, the national championship tournament. This year, it will be held in Portage la Prairie, Man.
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I hear contract talks with Canes head coach and GM Peter Anholt are proceeding and they hope to have him signed soon.
— Dylan Purcell (@dylpurcell) April 17, 2015

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A playoff game decided in shootout? It could happen!

Bruce Vance (left), the Prince Albert Raiders' business
manager, presents Tim Bozon and his parents, Philippe
and Helene, with a cheque from the WHL team for the
Tim Bozon Trust.

Bruce Vance, the business manager of the Prince Albert Raiders, made the trip to Saskatoon on Friday morning and made a stop at Royal University Hospital.
He was there to say hello to Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon, who has been there since being diagnosed with meningitis on March 1.
Vance also presented Bozon and his parents, Helene and Philippe, with a banner that had been signed by Raiders fans, along with a cheque for $1,715. The money was raised at the Ches Leach Lounge in the Art Hauser Centre on Tuesday as fans gathered to watch the Raiders play and win a tiebreaker against the Rebels in Red Deer.
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A trust fund has been established to assist the Bozon family with medical- and rehabilitation-related costs with which they now are faced.
You are able to make a donation at any BMO Bank of Montreal branch in Western Canada.
Should you live outside of that area, please mail donations to:
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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Sheesh! Now this should be embarrassing to the WHL.
It announced Friday that today’s playoff game in Edmonton between the Oil Kings and Prince Albert Raiders could end up being decided in a shootout. You know, the ol’ skills competition.
Seriously!
According to a WHL news release:
“NHL Regulations require that the ice in an NHL venue must be clear for three hours prior to one of their games. Prince Albert and Edmonton are scheduled to play at 1:30 pm on Saturday . . . in Rexall Place, followed by an NHL contest between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers at 8 p.m.
“Consequently, if the WHL game is tied and overtime is needed, there will only be time to play one overtime period. Should the game still be tied after the first overtime period, a shootout (as per WHL regular-season rules) will be held to determine the winning club.”
In the regular season, WHL games that remain tied after a five-minute overtime period (teams play 4-on-4) are decided in a shootout. However, the rules change in playoffs where games tied after regulation time are to be played to a decision by using 20-minute sudden-death overtime periods.
In the case of today's game, the WHL should have required the Oil Kings to scratch the same players who didn’t play Sunday when they were beaten 5-0 by visiting Red Deer, an outcome that forced a tiebreaker between the Rebels and Raiders on Tuesday night.
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F Troy Bourke, who played the last three seasons with the Prince George Cougars, made his professional debut on Friday night. And what a debut it was! Bourke, a 19-year-old from Onoway, Alta., had a goal and two assists as his Lake Erie Lock Monsters blanked the Rochester Americans, 5-0, in front of 12,685 fans. He took four shots and was plus-3. . . . Lake Erie is the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and is coached by former WHL player and coach Dean Chynoweth. . . . Bourke, who scored the game’s first goal at 11:20 of the first period, was a third-round selection by Colorado in the NHL’s 2012 draft.
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The Calgary Hitmen will be without two suspended players when they meet the visiting Kootenay Ice in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series tonight. F Joe Mahon drew a one-game suspension after he was hit with a game misconduct at game’s end on Thursday. F Linden Penner was given a ‘tbd’ suspension for a cross-check that got Ice F Zach McPhee in the face. . . . The Ice won the game, 5-2.
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The Regina Pats are expected to have D Kyle Burroughs, their captain, and D Colby Williams back in their lineup as they open a first-round series against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings tonight. . . . Burroughs and Williams, who have been out with head/neck injuries, practised Friday. . . . Regina F Dyson Stevenson, who has a broken hand, didn’t practice and is questionable for tonight. Stevenson had a team-high 38 goals in the regular season.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers have added F Matthew Bradley to their roster and, in fact, he made his WHL debut last night in Game 1 of a playoff series with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Bradley, a second-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft, had 71 points, including 39 goals, in 37 games with the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League. A native of Surrey, B.C., Bradley turned 17 on Jan. 22.
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Dwayne Gylywoychuk, a former Brandon Wheat Kings played, assistant coach and head coach, is working as an assistant coach with the team that is representing Canada at the IIHF’s under-18 women’s world championship in Budapest, Hungary. Canada plays its first game on Sunday against Japan. Laura Schuler is Canada’s head coach.
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The USHL’s Lincoln Stars fired head coach Jimmy McGroarty on Friday morning, with assistant coach Mike Berge stepping up as interim head coach.
From Brent C. Wagner of the Lincoln Journal Star:
“This is the second time McGroarty has been fired as head coach of the Stars. He previously was the head coach from 2007-10. After being fired after winning only 16 games in 2009-10, McGroarty was retained as associate head coach when Chad Johnson took over as head coach.
“McGroarty's second stint as head coach lasted just this season. He helped the team out by taking over as head coach when Johnson resigned because of health and personal reasons in September, just before the start of the regular season. Johnson died in November.
McGroarty did not have the title of interim head coach but still worked without a contract, unlike most USHL head coaches. He did so knowing the season could possibly be tough, with only five returning players from last year’s playoff team, and none of them being proven goal scorers.”
The Stars were 21-26-7 and fifth in their conference when the move was made. They won’t qualify for the playoffs.
According to Wagner, the team received “résumés or phone calls from more than 20 candidates“ within three hours of the move having been made.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, G Marek Langhamer stopped 25 shots to lead the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Tigers lead the best-of-seven first-round series 1-0 with Game 2 in Medicine Hat tonight. . . . F Curtis Valk got the Tigers on the board at 14:57 of the first period, with F Chad Butcher making it 2-0 at 2:55 of the third period. Butcher, who is from Kamloops, had six goals in the regular season. With F Anthony Ast having undergone an appendectomy and not likely to play in the series, Butcher moved up to play alongside Miles Koules and Markus Eisenschmid, each of whom drew an assist on the winner. . . . D Julius Honka scored for the Broncos, getting a PP goal at 8:40 of the third. . . . Broncos G Eetu Laurikainen made 28 saves. . . . The Broncos were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-3. . . . The Tigers, who sold out each of their 36 regular-season home dates (4,006), drew 3,512 fans to the opener.

In Portland, F Oliver Bjorkstrand’s second goal of the game, at 18:23 of the third period, broke a 3-3 tie as the Winterhawks got past the Vancouver Giants, 4-3. . . . The Winterhawks lead the first-round series 1-0 with the second game in Portland tonight. . . . The Giants were outshot 45-16, including 32-9 through two periods, but they hung in there. . . . F Jackson Houck gave the visitors the lead at 6:08 of the first period. . . . Portland took a 2-1 lead on goals 43 seconds apart by F Brendan Leipsic (12:37) and Bookstand (13:20). . . . F Thomas Foster pulled Vancouver into a tie at 17:22. . . . Leipsic got his second of the game at 18:19 of the second period, giving his side a 3-2 lead. . . . D Brett Kulak pulled the Giants even again, at 7:16. . . . F Taylor Leier, D Derrick Pouliot and D Mathew Dumba each had two assists for Portland. . . . Vancouver G Payton Lee stopped 41 shots, while Portland’s Brendan Burke turned aside 13. . . . Houck and Dumba got into a fight as the game ended. . . . Portland F Adam De Champlain was back in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 31. . . . The Portland power play was No. 1 in the WHL in the regular-season, at 27. 5 per cent. But after going 0-for-5 last night, that unit is 3-for-25 against Vancouver this season. . . . The Winterhawks now are 27-1-0 since Dumba played his first game with them on Jan. 17. . . . The first period ended prematurely as there was a problem with one of the gates at the Vancouver bench. The teams were sent to their dressing rooms, then, after repairs were made, they returned to play the final 2:52 of the period. Foster scored 14 seconds after play resumed, tying the score 2-2.
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):(x - if necessary)
(Graphics by Taking Note Graphic Department)

EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT (8)
Season series: Edmonton, 2-1-1; Prince Albert, 2-2-0.
Saturday: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Edmonton at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Edmonton at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite.
Prince Albert: D Graeme Craig, indefinite.
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
Season series: Brandon, 5-3-0; Regina, 3-3-2.
Saturday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Regina at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Friday: Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Regina vs. Brandon, at Dauphin, Man., 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Brandon: None.
Regina: D Kyle Burroughs, day-to-day; D Tye Hand, indefinite; G Daniel Wapple, day-to-day; D Colby Williams, day-to-day; F Dyson Stevenson, day-to-day.
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Kootenay leads, 1-0)
Season series: Calgary, 4-4-0; Kootenay, 4-2-2.
Thursday: Kootenay 5 at Calgary 2 (6,649)
Saturday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Monday: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Thursday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Landon Cross, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
(Medicine Hat leads, 1-0)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 2-2-0; Swift Current, 2-2-0.
Friday: Swift Current 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,512)
Saturday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, indefinite; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Steve Owre, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE

KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-4-0; Regina, 0-3-1.
Saturday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 5:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Tyson Baillie, day-to-day; D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Tri-City: F Phil Tot, day-to-day; F Taylor Vickerman, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
(Portland leads, 1-0)
Season series: Portland, 4-0-0; Vancouver, 0-3-1.
Friday: Vancouver 3 at Portland 4 (9,756)
Saturday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-Friday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Portland at Vancouver, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Vancouver: F Tyler Benson, indefinite; F Jakob Stukel, indefinite; D Dalton Thrower, indefinite; F Ty Ronning, day-to-day.
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
Season series: Victoria, 1-3-0; Spokane, 3-1-0.
Saturday: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Spokane at Victoria, 5:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 30: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
INJURIES
Victoria: None.
Spokane: F Jacob Cardiff, day-to-day; D Colton Bobyk, week-to-week; F Adam Hascic, day-to-day; F Blair Oneschuk, week-to-week.
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
Season series: Seattle, 5-4-1; Everett, 5-4-1.
Saturday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Seattle at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite.
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From Shawn Mullin (@shawnmullin), the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos: “If you can't play the game under the same rules as everyone else you should move it to a different day or different location.”
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More from Mullin: “The decision to change overtime rules for the PA/Edmonton game (today) compromises the integrity of the playoffs. Don't like that one bit.”
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From Brent Parker (@Patguy65), the former president and general manager of the Regina Pats: “Couldn’t agree more Shawn!”
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From ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo): “Despite over 11 million entries, there are no remaining perfect brackets in the ESPN Tournament Challenge.”


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Blazers get down to two goaltenders

If you haven't seen it, this is the new scoreclock at Interior
Savings Centre in Kamloops.
(Murray Mitchell / The Daily News)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
For the most part, the evaluation process is over, and so is training camp.
The Kamloops Blazers will get down to the routine of practising today as they get ready to play their first WHL exhibition games.
The Blazers will visit the Kelowna Rockets on Friday and return home to face the Vancouver Giants on Sunday, 6 p.m. (On Saturday, the Rockets will play the Giants in Ladner.)
On Wednesday night, the Blazers put the wraps on another training camp as Team Blue scored an 8-4 victory over Team White in the annual intrasquad game.
For veteran forwards JC Lipon and Colin Smith, both 20 years of age, it may have been their last time in a Blazers uniform.
Lipon leaves next week for Winnipeg and the camp of the NHL’s Jets, who selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft. Smith departs Friday and will end up in Denver at the Colorado Avalanche’s camp.
Lipon has yet to sign a pro contract; Smith is under contract to Colorado, which selected him in the seventh round in 2012.
“We’re moving forward without them,” Blazers head coach Dave Hunchak said. “If we get them back, great.
“Our plan is to move forward without them. Those are big holes we need to plug somehow. Veteran guys need to step in.”
Hunchak has talked with Dean Chynoweth, the general manager and head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters, the Cleveland-based AHL affiliate of the Avalanche.
Based on those conversations, Hunchak said: “I don’t expect to get Colin Smith back.”
As for Lipon, he could end up with the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps.
“He’ll do everything he can do stay there, as he should,” Hunchak said of Lipon. “For us to be sitting here and hoping that one of those guys comes back isn’t right. From an organizational standpoint, we want to move players up.”
Without Lipon and Smith, the Blazers are left with two 20-year-olds on their roster — defenceman Sam Grist and centre Joe Kornelsen. WHL teams are allowed to dress three such players per game.
Last night, the Blue guys erased a 1-0 deficit with three straight second-period goals, courtesy of Jake Kryski and Swiss imports Tim Bozon and Edson Harlacher. Cole Ully, with two, Deven Sideroff, Joe Kornelsen and Matt Needham also scored for Blue.
Team White got two goals from Chase Souto and singles from the Lipon brothers, Mitch and JC.
Hunchak quite liked what he saw, noting that the coaches have done some work on systems, some of which was evident on the ice.
“It was good as far as structure,” Hunchak said of the game, adding that some players had picked up the defensive-zone coverage and the forecheck in the neutral zone.
As for the much-watched scrap for the position backing up starting goaltender Taran Kozun, the winner is Cole Kehler, a youngster from Altona, Man., who played high school hockey last season. Kehler, who won’t turn 16 until Dec. 17, was beaten three times last night after coming on in relief of Kozun for Team Blue.
The Blazers released two 17-year-old goaltenders — Liam McLeod of Kamloops and Cameron Pateman of Regina — following the game. McLeod played Kozun to a 1-1 draw in the game’s first half; Pateman was beaten six times.
The Blazers also released forwards Jermaine Loewen and Laramie Kostelansky, along with defenceman Dawson Davidson and Cameron Trott.
Loewen, a 15-year-old from Arborg, Man., was a third-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He has signed with the Blazers and had a good camp.
Kostelansky, 16, from Fort MacLeod, Alta., was a 10th-round pick in the 2012 draft. Davidson, from Moosomin, Sask., was the 58th overall pick in the 2013 draft, while Trott, 16, from Port Moody, is the younger brother of Portland Winterhawks forward Jason Trott.
 JUST NOTES: The Blazers still have two 1998-born players on their roster — 2013 first-rounders Quinn Benjafield and Kryski. Both are expected to see game action this weekend. . . . Hunchak said he expects the Rockets to “dress a good team” on Friday. “They will be motivated from last season,” he said. . . . The Blazers swept Kelowna from a second-round playoff series last spring. . . . Hunchak also said the Blazers will be wanting to push the Rockets. “We want to make sure to put our best foot forward every game,” he said. . . . Colorado’s three-day rookie camp opens Sept. 8 in Denver, with main camp starting Sept. 12. Smith, who signed a three-year NHL contract earlier this season, is on the roster wearing No. 37. . . . Ryan Huska, who won three Memorial Cups as a player with the Blazers, has signed a three-year extension as head coach of the Rockets. Huska, 38,now is signed through 2016-17. He is going into his seventh season as the Rockets’ head coach and his 12th season with the organization.

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Well, that takes care of the trivia question about the oldest venue to have played host to an ice hockey game.
Here’s Martin Merk, writing at iihf.com:
“It’s a famous hockey trivia: Which is the oldest venue where ice hockey is played in?
“Knowledgeable hockey fans may say Northeastern University’s Matthews Arena in Boston, originally built in 1910, or the Colosseum in Calumet, Michigan, which has been used constantly since 1913.
“These venues will take a back seat this weekend to an ice rink that redefines the term ‘classic’. It is located in Arena Pula, a Roman amphitheatre built roughly 2,000 years ago between 27 BC and 68 AD in what is now modern-day Croatia.”
Check out Merk’s nifty story and pictures right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Medicine Hat Tigers have promoted Darren Kruger from assistant coach to associate coach. He works alongside GM/head coach Shaun Clouston and assistant coach Joey Frazer. . . . Kruger, who is prepping for eighth season with the Tigers, is a former WHL defenceman who played on the 1989 Memorial Cup-winning Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Tigers also assigned D Daniel Hansen to his home club in Denmark. Hansen, 17, was selected in the second round of the CHL’s 2012 import draft. . . . The Regina Pats have released D Keaton Lubin, 18. He was acquired last week from the Calgary Hitmen for a conditional sixth-round bantam draft pick. That pick now reverts to Regina. . . . The Pats also released F Matt Hughesman, 18. . . .
The Red Deer Rebels got their roster down to 25 on Friday by assigning F Trace Elson, who turns 18 on Nov. 25, to the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines. . . . F Michael St. Croix of the Edmonton Oil Kings has signed a three-year, entry-level deal with the NHL’s New York Rangers. He was a fourth-round selection in the 2011 NHL draft. St. Croix, 19, had 105 points, including 45 goals, with the Oil Kings last season. The Oil Kings selected the Winnipegger with the fourth overall pick of the 2008 bantam draft. . . . The Lethbridge Hurricanes got their roster down to 25 by assigning F Kolten Olynek, 16, to the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. Olynek, a second-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, is from Saskatoon. He had 50 points in 42 games with the Contacts last season. Lethbridge is carrying three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards. . . .
Jock Callander has worked in the Lake Erie Monsters’ front office for five seasons now, as director of hockey affairs and team services. And now he has added assistant coach to his title. Callander, who played in the WHL with the Regina Pats (1978-82), will help out first-year head coach Dean Chynoweth and assistant coach David Oliver with the AHL team. Oliver also is the director of AHL operations. . . . The Saskatoon Blades have assigned F Luke McColgan, 18, to the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars. He is the younger brother of F Shane McColgan. . . . The Blades also assigned D Ross Hnidy, 16, to the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Scott King (Kelowna, 1996-97) signed a one-year contract extension with the Hannover Scorpions (Germany, DEL). He had 15 goals and 20 assists in 52 games for the Scorpions last season.
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The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed F Luke Bertolucci, who was a 10^th round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. Bertolucci, from Montrose, B.C., played last season with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters, picking up 18 points in 47 games.
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The Vancouver Giants have acquired G Liam Liston, 19, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for two selections, in the third and sixth rounds, of the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Lethbridge acquired Liston from the Brandon Wheat Kings on Oct. 16, for G Brandon Anderson and D Spencer Galbraith. In 24 games with the Hurricanes, Liston was 7-13-0, 4.22, .881. . . . The Giants are looking to replace the graduated Adam Morrison and obviously will give Liston first chance. But they do have two young goaltenders – Jackson Whistle, 17, and Payton Lee, 16 – in the organization with considerable promise. However, head coach Don Hay much prefers a veteran goaltender, as was proven last season, again, when the Giants acquired Morrison from the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Hurricanes, meanwhile, acquired G Ty Rimmer, 20, from the Tri-City Americans on May 3, meaning Liston became expendable.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dean Chynoweth, a former WHL player, coach and GM, is the new head coach of the Lake Erie Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. . . . Chynoweth was dropped as an assistant coach by the New York Islanders when their season ended. . . . He had been with the Islanders for three seasons. . . . With the Monsters, he takes over from David Quinn, who was head coach for three seasons and now is an assistant coach with the Avalanche. . . .
Brent Thompson, another former WHL player, now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Islanders. He had been head coach of their AHL team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. . . . Two seasons ago, he was the head coach of the ECHL-champion Alaska Aces.
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What happened in Cranbrook?

Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, fired head coach Kris Knoblauch on Friday morning.
The news became public when a terse two-sentence press release was posted on the Ice’s website.
Here is that release in its entirety:
“Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the Club has terminated Kris Knoblauch’s contract effective immediately. No other comments will be given at this time.”
Knoblauch, 33, just completed his second season as the Ice’s head coach. In his first season, 2010-11, the Ice won the WHL championship.
When this season ended, Knoblauch had one year left on his contract. Earlier this month, Chynoweth, convinced that his head coach was staying put, gave him a one-year extension through 2013-14.
The U of Alberta Golden Bears, Knoblauch’s alma mater, has been looking for a head coach. They posted the position with an application deadline of May 15.
At that time, Chynoweth said he knew Knoblauch was interested in returning to the U of A. At the same time, Chynoweth said he didn’t know if he could wait until after May 15 to find out whether his coach was leaving.
When the job was posted, Stan Marple, the U of A’s general manager and assistant coach, called Knoblauch, who brought it to Chynoweth.
Chynoweth, who never did hear from the U of Alberta during this process, told Knoblauch that he would give him a one-week window to decide what he wanted to do.
Knoblauch went back to Marple but the U of A had already posted the job with the May 15 deadline so wasn’t able to make a move at that time.
When the Golden Bears’ selection committee revealed earlier this week that it had short-listed to four, there was speculation that Knoblauch was on that list.
When I asked Chynoweth early in the week if Knoblauch was “in the running,” the response I got was: “Nope, never really has been.”
On Thursday night, a source told me that Chynoweth had given Knoblauch a one-year extension. Chynoweth confirmed that this morning.
When I contacted Chynoweth late Thursday night to see if Knoblauch definitely was out of the U of A picture, I was told that “Kris is in Saskatchewan visiting his family and his wife’s family. He is driving back to Cranbrook next week.”
While Chynoweth isn’t commenting on Knoblauch’s dismissal, it would seem that sometime after that he became aware that Knoblauch indeed is a candidate for the Golden Bears’ head-coaching position and that, yes, he is on the short list.
Chynoweth, who did tell me that he is “bitterly disappointed” in what has transpired, had held talks with Knoblauch earlier this week involving the hiring of an assistant coach. Todd Johnson, the Ice’s former assistant, left after the season to sign on as head coach of the U of Regina Cougars.
When Chynoweth confirmed Friday morning that Knoblauch was pursuing the Golden Bears job, Chynoweth felt he had no choice but to relieve Knoblauch of his duties.
It was the first time in his career that Chynoweth has fired a coach or anyone in hockey management.
That leaves the Ice and Brandon Wheat Kings as WHL teams without head coaches at this time.
The Wheat Kings fired Cory Clouston last week with a year left on his contract. Clouston spent five seasons (2002-06) as the Ice’s head coach.
Yes, you will hear Clouston’s name as a possible replacement in Cranbrook. You almost certainly also will hear Dean Chynoweth’s name. Chynoweth, Jeff’s brother, lost his job as an assistant coach with the NHL’s New York Islanders after their season ended. Dean, a former captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers, has WHL coaching experience with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos.
Ryan McGill, who was the Ice’s head coach when it won the 2002 Memorial Cup, was dropped as an assistant coach by the Calgary Flames after the 2010-11 season. He now is in the oil and gas business in Calgary.

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