Foreurs, Oil Kings in semifinal; Stoll talks Yorkton and Terriers

F Mikhail Yakubov (Red Deer, 2001-02) has signed a one-year contract with Vityaz Podolsk (Russia, KHL). This season, with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL), he had 13 points, two of them goals, in 32 games. He was the team captain. . . .


F Alexander Kuvaev (Lethbridge, Vancouver, 2010-12) has signed a two-year extension with Severstal Cherepovets (Russia, KHL). This season, with Severstal, he had two assists in 10 games. He also played with Almaz Cherepovets (Russia, MHL), leading the team in scoring with 39 points, including 17 goals, in 35 games. . . . The MHL is Molodezhnaya Hokkeynaya Liga or Junior Hockey League, Russia's national junior league. . . .

F Toni Rajala (Brandon, 2009-10) has signed a three-year contract with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). This season, with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SEL), he had 30 points, including 13 goals, in 37 games. He was drafted in the fourth round of the KHL’s 2009 junior draft by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, which traded his rights to Yugra on Wednesday for Yugra's first-round selection in the 2015 KHL draft.
---

1. Jon Rosen, the former radio voice of the Everett Silvertips who now is the L.A. Kings Insider, took time out from a visit to Wrigley Field this week to chat with F Jarret Stoll. Mostly they talked about Stoll’s connection to Yorkton and to the SJHL’s Terriers. You may recall that Stoll arranged to pay for some team meals as the Terriers made a run to the RBC Cup title last week. As I suspected, it turns out that superstition had something to do with it. . . . Rosen’s piece is right here and it really does show that you can take the boy to Los Angeles but you can’t take Yorkton out of the boy. Great stuff!

2. The 2014 Hockey Coaches Conference has added more presenters to its roster. . . . Ryan Jankowski, Hockey Canada’s head scout, will do a presentation on player evaluation. . . . Mike Johnston, the general manager and head coach of the Portland Winter Hawks, will do a session on passing skills. . . . Enio Sacilotto, a long-time coach who now is an assistant with the Victoria Royals, will handle small area games. . . . Jeff Compton, who also is on the Royals’ staff, will deal with Hockey IQ. . . . For more info, click on the conference’s ad at the top of this page. . . . The conference is scheduled for July 18-19 at the U of British Columbia in Vancouver.

3. “Well, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are upon us and we’re staring down the barrel of a strike,” writes columnist George Johnson of the Calgary Herald. “And not a Gary Bettman sighting to be had.” . . . This time, it’s the CFL that’s on the verge of going over a cliff. Seriously. . . . Johnson’s take is right here.

4. D Derrick Pouliot, who completed his junior eligibility with the Portland Winterhawks this season, had shoulder surgery on Wednesday and will be out for up to six months., Pouliot was taken eighth overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL’s 2012 draft. He has signed an NHL contract. He was honoured this season as the WHL’s top defenceman.

5. The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings have signed general manager Mike Hawes to a three-year contract extension. Hawes had one year left on this contract, so now is signed through 2017-18. . . . He is preparing for his 10th season with the organization. He has been the GM since November 2010.
---
THE COACHING GAME:
The Allen Americans, who won the Central league championship earlier this month, have signed head coach Steve Martinson through 2015-16. He just completed his second season with the Americans and has won back-to-back championships.
---

Scott Hillman has resigned as head coach and director of hockey operations of the Central league’s Missouri Mavericks, who play out of Independence. He had filled those positions since the Mavericks began play in the league in 2009-10. . . . The Mavericks made the playoffs in each of Hillman’s five seasons with them. This season, they won a franchise-record 44 games and had the league’s best regular-season record.
---

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: Val-d'Or vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Saturday: No game scheduled.
Sunday: Final, 4 p.m.
---

WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
F Scott Kosmachuk scored his first three goals of the tournament to lead the OHL-champion Guelph Storm to a 7-2 victory over the London Knights. . . . The Storm (3-0) had already clinched a berth in Sunday’s final. . . . The loss eliminated the Knights (0-3) from the tournament. . . . Without the need for tiebreaker, today will be an off-day in London. . . . Friday’s semifinal will feature the QMJHL-champion Val-d’Or Foreurs (2-1) and the WHL-champion Edmonton Oil Kings (1-2). The Foreurs beat the Oil Kings 4-3 in double OT on Tuesday night. . . . Last night, Kosmachuk got the Storm started with two first-period goals, at 5:46 and 12:44, the latter via the PP. . . . London got on the board at 17:05 as F Brett Welchyka scored a PP goal. . . . F Tyler Bertuzzi restored Guelph’s two-goal lead with a PP goal at 2:23 of the second, only have London F Josh Anderson cut into that lead at 5:34. . . . However, the Storm took control on Bertuzzi’s second goal, and fifth of the tournament, at 16:05 and a PP goal by F Jason Dickinson at 1:20 of the third. . . . Kosmachuk completed the hat trick at 8:01. . . . Storm F Marc Stevens finished off the scoring at 1714. . . . Guelph G Justin Nichols stopped 45 shots. . . . London starter Anthony Stolarz turned was beaten three time on 17 shots, leaving at 2:23 of the second period with his side down 3-1. Reliever Jake Patterson stopped 17 of 21 shots. . . . Guelph was 3-for-6 on the PP; London was 1-for-4. . . . Storm F Zack Mitchell was ejected with a kneeing major at 6:56 of the first period. London F Dakota Mermis, who was on the receiving end of the hit, returned to the game. . . . The Storm was without D Chadd Bauman after he was suspended for the duration of the tournament for a kneeing major he incurred for a hit on Val-d’Or D Guillaume Gelinas on Monday night. Gelinas, who was named the QMJHL’s top defenceman this season, won’t play again in the tournament. . . . The Knights were appearing in their third straight Memorial Cup. They are the first team to play in three in a row and not win even one championship.
---

From Josh Brown (@BrownRecord), during last night’s game: “I'm thinking there is soon going to be tons of semi and final Mem Cup tix available soon.”


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.

Storm books spot in MC final; Pouliot taking injured shoulder to Pittsburgh

F Tomas Hricina (Regina, 2008-10) has signed a one-year contract with Arystan Temirtau (Kazakhstan, Vysshaya Liga). This season, with Bardejov (Slovakia, 1. Liga), Hricina had 65 points, including 43 assists, in 44 games. He led the league in assists and points.
---


1. If you’re wondering why the WHL’s championship final turned out the way it did, Megan, over at Shinny Stats has done a terrific statistical analysis of what went on between her Portland Winterhawks and the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . That breakdown is right here. . . . I also have linked to Megan’s blog over there on the right, because she is doing some nifty work involving Portland games.

2. Amid all the chatter about the injury to Montreal G Carey Price, who was bowled over by New York Rangers F Chris Kreider in Game 1 of that Stanley Cup, came the news that Canadiens F Brendan Gallagher leads the NHL in goaltender interference penalties. . . . And anyone who paid attention to the WHL when Gallagher was with the Vancouver Giants said: “That’s news?”

3. Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune reported Sunday evening that D Derrick Pouliot of the Portland Winterhawks “will be in Pittsburgh this week to have a shoulder injury evaluated by physicians.” . . . According to Rossi, Pouliot was injured during the WHL final, and the injury has prevented him from joining the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for their playoff run. . . . Pouliot was selected by Pittsburgh with the eighth overall pick of the NHL's 2012 draft.

4. The Los Angeles Kings are halfway through what they hope will be a run to the Stanley Cup, and Jon Rosen, a former radio voice of the Everett Silvertips, is along for the ride. If you are a hockey fan, you should check out his blog, L.A. Kings Insider, right here. It is updated daily . . . and sometimes hourly. Watch especially for the wit and wisdom of Kings head coach Darryl Sutter.

5. Unfortunately, the 2014 Memorial Cup is quickly turning into a dud. At least it is if you’re a hockey fan in search of some excitement. The scores to date -- 1-0, 5-2, 5-2, 6-3. . . . Of course, last year wasn’t much better. In Saskatoon, the scores from the first five games were 3-2, 7-4, 5-2, 6-3 and 9-2. In fact, of the nine games played in Saskatoon, two were decided by one goal, two by two goals, three by three goals, one by five goals and one by seven goals.

6. I don’t know how much money you spent on the weekend, but AT&T is about to drop US$48.5 billion (that’s with a B) on purchasing DirecTV. How big is the NFL? Well, it seems the whole deal hinges on DirecTV’s ability to renew its NFL Sunday Ticket contract. . . . Sports Business Daily has more on all the big, big numbers right here.

7. Bob Moore, now the editor of the El Paso Times, was 18 when he was bitten in the butt by a dog belonging to Jeb Magruder of Watergate fame. Magruder died last week and Moore recalls the dog-biting incident right here.

8. When F Riley Kieser was traded by the Vancouver Giants to the Edmonton Oil Kings prior to this season, it may have meant more to his family than it did to him. He is from Sherwood Park, Alta., where his family still lives. His father, Chris, has been confined to a wheelchair by multiple sclerosis. The trade, then, made it a whole lot easier for Dad to watch his son play hockey. John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal has more right here.

9. Today is Tuesday, May 22. The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens are two games into their Stanley Cup conference final. They will have two days off before Game 3 and then take two more days off before Game 4. Yes, they will play twice in seven days. Seriously. . . . Yes, it’s time to watch some NBA.
---




F Cam McLise, who played one season with the Edmonton Oil Kings (2009-10) before going on to be named the CJHL’s player of the year (2012-13), will attend Mount Royal U in Calgary and play for the Cougars. . . . However, he will have to redshirt in 2014-15 as he played last season for the U of New Brunswick. . . . After playing with the Oil Kings, McLise spent three seasons with the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits, winning two league titles and an RBC Cup. . . . The 22-year-old McLise is from Lacombe, Alta.
---
THE COACHING GAME:
The USHL’s Madison Capitols have yet to play their first game and they already have gone through one general manager/head coach. Steve Miller resigned on the weekend, saying he has “decided to return to Colorado and pursue other interests at this time.” . . . Miller was named the expansion club’s head coach on Oct. 22 after spending 20 years on the coaching staff of the U of Denver Pioneers. . . . The Capitols expect to gave a GM/head coach signed within the next week, according to managing partner Tom Garrity.
---

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: Edmonton vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: London vs. Guelph, 7 p.m.
Thursday: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7 p.m.
Friday: Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Saturday: No game scheduled.
Sunday: Final, noon.
---

MONDAY’S GAME:
The OHL’s Guelph Storm booked its berth in the Memorial Cup’s championship game with a 6-3 victory over the Val-d’Or Foreurs on Monday night. . . . The QMJHL-champion Foreurs and the WHL-champion Edmonton Oil Kings, each 1-1, are scheduled to play tonight. . . . The Storm is 2-0 and will meet the host London Knights (0-2) on Wednesday in the final game of the round-robin. A Guelph victory will eliminate the Knights. . . . The Storm got a goal apiece from six players -- F Kerby Rychel, F Zach Mitchell, F Jason Dickinson, F Robby Fabbri, F Pius Suter and F Tyler Bertuzzi, while F Scott Kosmachuk had three assists and Mitchell, F Brock McGinn and D Matt Finn each had two. . . . F Timotej Sille, F Anthony Beauregard and D Randy Gazzola replied for the Foreurs. . . . Guelph G Justin Nichols stopped 30 shots. . . . Val-d’Or starter Antoine Bibeau stopped 30 of 36 shots through two periods. Keven Bouchard came on for the third period and kicked out 13 shots. . . . Guelph D Chadd Bauman received a kneeing major and game misconduct at 7:50 of the third period for a hit on Foreurs D Guillaume Gelinas, who looked to have injured his left knee and needed help getting off the ice. . . . The Storm, the highest-scoring team in the CHL this season, with 340 goals, has scored 11 times in two games. . . . Guelph took control of this game with three goals in the first six minutes of the first period. . . . The Foreurs were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Storm was 0-for-6.
After the game, Alan Caldwell of Small Thoughts at Large, explained via Twitter what it all means:
4 possible outcomes of the Memorial Cup round-robin now . . .
1) Edmonton and Guelph win last 2 games. London goes home, Edmonton hosts Val-d'Or in semi.
2) Edmonton and London win last 2 games. Edmonton goes to semi. Val-d'Or hosts London in tiebreaker.
3) Val-d'Or and Guelph win last 2 games. London goes home, Val-d'Or hosts Edmonton in semi.
4) Val-d'Or and London win last 2 games. Val-d'Or goes to semi, Edmonton hosts London in tiebreaker.
---





From former WHL D Garrett Thiessen (@thies89): “I hate to say it Habs fans, but I scored on Tokarski back in 06. And if I can score on Tokarski. Anyone can score on Tokarski. #gohabs”
---
From the Edmonton Oil Kings (@EdmOilKings): “It's an off day for the #OilKings at the #MCMemorialCup, and they'll spend it with their families. Back in action (today) vs. @LesForeurs!”


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.

WHL final down to one game . . . Dead-puck era coming to end in WHL?

This deer, along with seven of his/her friends, strolled by our deck. When
asked, they said they were on their way to Portland for Game 7.

You don’t have to be a huge hockey fan to understand that analytics are beginning to play a role in the way management looks at the game.
It’s not that long ago when it dawned on those inside the game that faceoffs are of the utmost important, that you are so much better off to win the draw and have possession of the puck, rather than to lose and be chasing it.
These days, things quickly are progressing well past that point.
Analytics now looks at things like dump-ins vs. zone entry, shooting percentage, shot quality, even-strength save percentages, adjusted plus-minus rating and on and on it goes.
Of course, there is one other number that figures into all of this, and that is attendance.
It could be that when Ron Toigo, the majority owner of the Vancouver Giants, told Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province that he wants his team to score 300 goals, he is really drawing a line linking his team’s offence to tickets sold.
According to Ewen, Toigo wants the Giants to change their game. Rather than owning a team whose game plan comprises the big bang theory -- dump and chase, bang and crash -- Toigo wants, as Ewen wrote, a team that will “play a puck-possession, skill game.”
Of course, that can be easier said than done, but Toigo told Ewen that he feels that kind of game matches the talent on the Giants’ roster.
“We want to score 300 goals,” Toigo told Ewen.
You should know that the Giants, in this dead-puck era, have scored fewer than 300 goals in each of the last five seasons. Two seasons ago, they didn’t even score 200 goals.
In 2008-09, the Giants scored 319 goals, with centre Casey Pierro-Zabotel winning the scoring title, with 115 points, and Evander Kane scoring 48 goals. At the gate, the Giants averaged 8,470 fans per game as they went 57-10-2-3 to finish atop the Western Conference. (They lost the conference final to the Kelowna Rockets in six games.)
This season, the Giants scored 234 goals, went 32-29-11 and wound up seventh in the conference. They were swept from a first-round series by the Portland Winterhawks. In the regular season, Vancouver’s average attendance was 6,266, down from 7,205 the previous season and down more than 2,000 per game from 2008-09.
It is no wonder, then, that Toigo says the Giants’ new head coach, whomever that may be, will be a puck-possession guy.
Chances are good, I think, that you will see more teams headed in this direction as more and more owners/operators come to the realization that they are in the entertainment business and that more needs to be done to provide an entertaining product for the fans. With regular-season attendance having fallen in 19 of 22 WHL cities, some people are starting to realize that more offence just might mean more fannies in the seats.
After all, would you rather watch a game like the won in Edmonton on Sunday evening, in which the Portland Winterhawks beat the Oil Kings 6-5 in overtime, or the one in Chicago later that night in which the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild, 2-1?
Yes, this could be the beginning of the end for the dead-puck era, at least in the WHL.
---



1. For a look at some analytics from Game 6 of the WHL’s championship final, check out Megan’s Twitter account (@butyoucarlotta).

2. There had been speculation that Glen Hanlon could be the next head coach of the Vancouver Giants. However, Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province indicated early Saturday that Hanlon won’t be the man. . . . Hanlon, a former Giants assistant coach under head coach Don Hay, is the head coach of the Belarusian national team, the host team at the IIHF world championship that is ongoing in Minsk. . . . Ewen asked Hanlon about the Giants’ job and received this email: “It would be a great job for me and my family, but I’m under contract for next year.” . . . Ewen also reported: “There have been reports Hanlon, the former Vancouver Canucks goaltender, is taking over the Swiss men’s team.”

3. Congrats to old friend Bruce Enns, who was inducted into the Basketball BC Hall of Fame on Saturday night at the Langley Entertainment Centre. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Enns, then the head coach with the U of Winnipeg Wesmen men’s team, taught an eager, young sports reporter about the finer aspects of the game.

4. Did Pittsburgh Penguins F Sidney Crosby look like a frustrated hockey player last night, or what? Does he get fined for throwing a spear at New York Rangers F Brian Boyle? Does Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist get fined for squirting water in Crosby’s face? Do these guys adjourn to a sandbox when the game is over?

5. How big has the NFL draft become? Consider this from Richard Deitsch of SI.com: “Viewers could not get enough of it. The combined audience on Thursday night for ESPN and NFL Network's first round coverage was 12.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched first round ever. Taken separately, ESPN averaged 9,943,000 viewers during the first round, up 60 percent over 2013. The NFL Network's first-round coverage drew 2.4 million viewers, a 60 percent increase over last year's record (1.5 million viewers). As for the entire draft, ESPN's 15-plus hours on ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 4,121,000 viewers, a 36 percent gain over 2013 (3,035,000), while The NFL Network viewership was up 33 percent over last year. draft coverage of all rounds across ESPN, ESPN2, and NFLN averaged 5.4M viewers, the most-watched draft in history.” . . . Deitsch’s complete media column, which always is an excellent read, is right here.

6. The Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens are meeting in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 34th time. And one only needs to mention ‘Too Many Men’ for hockey fans to know . . . right here is Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated with a great read.
---
THE QMJHL FINAL:
In Val-d’Or, two goals from Pierre-Maxime Poudrier helped the Foreurs to a 6-3 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sunday. . . . The series is 3-3 with the championship to be decided Tuesday night in Baie-Comeau.
---
THE COACHING GAME:
The OHL’s Ottawa 67’s announced late Sunday night that they are in the market for a head coach. Chris Byrne, who had been their general manager and head coach, has stepped aside as head coach in order to focus on the GM’s duties. . . . The 67’s didn’t qualify for the playoffs this season.
---
Jamie Fiesel, the general manager and head coach of the Melville Millionaires, has signed an extension with the SJHL team that will take him through the 2015-16 season. Fiesel was named the SJHL’s coach of the year this season after the Millionaires finished 34-16-2-4.
---

THE FOURTH ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
WHL final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup
(All games televised live by Shaw)
(All games televised on delayed basis by Root Sports)
PORTLAND (2, West) vs. Edmonton (1, East)
(Series tied, 3-3)
Season series: Portland, 0-0-1; Edmonton, 1-0-0.
Saturday: Edmonton 2 at Portland 5 (10,947)
Sunday: Edmonton 1 at Portland 3 (10,645)
Tuesday: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (6,799)
Wednesday: Portland 0 at Edmonton 2 (7,859)
Friday: Edmonton 3 at Portland 2 (10,947)
Sunday: Portland 6 at Edmonton 5 (OT) (11,902)
Monday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
---

SUNDAY’S GAME:
In Edmonton,  F Keegan Iverson scored at 7:23 of OT as the Portland Winterhawks beat the Oil Kings 6-5 to force a seventh game in the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. . . . Game 7 is scheduled for tonight in Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum. . . . The teams shared a charter flight back to Portland following last night’s game. . . . Each of these teams has played on back-to-back nights in these playoffs. But neither team has played back-to-back in different cities. . . . The Winterhawks overcame 3-0 and 5-2 deficits to force extra time. . . . Iverson won it with his fourth goal of the playoffs, tipping in a shot by F Dominic Turgeon. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot, who had a goal and two assists, forced OT with his fifth goal at 11:14 of the third period. . . . The Oil Kings led 3-0 after one period, thanks to two goals from F Henrik Samuelsson, who has eight goals, six of them in the final, and one from F Edgars Kulda. . . . The Winterhawks cut into that lead in the second period, getting goals from D Mathew Dumba, on the PP, and D Anton Cederholm. . . . Edmonton got both those goals back before the period ended, with F Curtis Lazar scoring at 13:57 and Kulda getting his 10th at 14:46. . . . Dumba got the Portland comeback started with his eighth goal, via the PP, at 2:57 of the third. . . . D Keoni Texeira added his second goal at 6:09, setting the stage for Pouliot’s tying goal. . . . If you’re counting, Portland got its first five goals from defencemen. . . . Pouliot has 32 points, tying him for the playoff scoring lead with teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand. Bjorkstrand leads in goals (15); Pouliot is tops in assists (27). . . . A defenceman has never won a WHL playoff scoring title. . . . F Mitch Moroz and D Dysin Mayo each had two assists for Edmonton. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes surrendered three goals on 10 shots and left after the first period. Brendan Burke came on to stop 28 of 30 shots. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 35 shots. . . . Portland was 2-for-5 on the PP; Edmonton was 1-for-4. . . . The last time the WHL’s championship series went seven games was two seasons ago. The Oil Kings beat the visiting Winter hawks 4-1 in Game 7. . . .
---
Here’s Mike Johnston, Portland’s GM/head coach, to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: “We’ve had some sickness in this series and (Boes) was a little under the weather. . . . I thought his fatigue was showing in the first period with some of his rebounds. (It was) one of those gut things. You make a decision. Sometimes it works out. We did it in the Kelowna series, too.”
So who does Johnston start tonight? Perhaps a flu bug will make the decision for him.
---
A game story from Brian Swane of the Edmonton Sun is right here.
The game story filed by Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal is right here.
---







From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “May 11 - Since 1999, 14 WHL Championships have been decided between May 7th and the 14th... But none on May 11th.” . . . That was tweeted before Sunday's game, so you now can make it 15.
---
From Edmonton Sun sports columnist Terry Jones (@sunterryjones): “In WHL final history no visiting team has managed to win Game 7. Oil Kings in Portland on Monday night. Winner to Memorial Cup.”
---
From Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich): “Portland's never hosted a Game 7 of the WHL final. Also hasn't won WHL title in Portland since 1982.”


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.

Winterhawks win championship final opener

1. The Vancouver Giants are in the market for a head coach and I am told that management held “serious discussions” with former NHL coach Marc Crawford, but that things didn’t work out. Crawford, who last coached major junior from 1989-91 with the OHL’s Cornwall Royals, and his family have a home in North Vancouver. . . . I am told that Giants majority owner Ron Toigo spoke with Crawford but that Crawford, 53, has no desire at this time to go back to riding the bus. . . . Crawford, who spent 15 seasons as an NHL head coach with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings, has spent the last two seasons in Zurich as head coach of the ZSC Lions of the Switzerland’s National League A. The Lions won the league championship last month, sweeping the Kloten Flyers in the best-of-seven final. . . . During this season, Crawford agreed to a two-year extension that runs through 2015-16.

2. When Todd Lumbard was tending goal for the Brandon Wheat Kings and I was writing for the Brandon Sun, he was a favourite go-to guy. Why? Because he was thoughtful, soft-spoken and respectful, and always quick with a greeting and a smile. Today, he’s the president and part-owner of the Regina Pats. . . . There’s more right here from Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post.

3. After 10 years in Vancouver with the Giants, Don Hay is back in Kamloops as head coach of the Blazers. Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun talked with Hay and the resulting column is right here.

4. If you are a hockey junkie, this is for you. Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a website (larry-fisher.com) on which you will find a list that contains the names of every ex-NHLer who played overseas in 2013-14. . . . The numbers will blow you away. . . . For example, there were 183 in the KHL alone. . . . The list was compiled by Jesse Gill, who obviously has a love for hockey. . . . Check it out right here.

5. Matt Dunigan was forced to end his professional football career because of concussions. That was in 1996. Today, he still feels the pain as he takes his message to others. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
---




G Curtis Honey, 20, won’t be back with the Brandon Wheat Kings, who will run with Jordan Papirny as their starter. “I think he’s a good goalie,” Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner/GM/head coach, told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun of Honey, “and we went back and forth and decided that Jordan was the way to go at the end . . . We won’t carry a 20-year-old goaltender next (season). We’ll look to get him an opportunity elsewhere.” . . . Honey, from Edmonton, battled injury problems as he went 12-14-2, 4.07, .888. Over three seasons with Brandon, he was 23-33-6, 3.98, .890. . . . Honey’s twin brother, Connor, is a forward with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
---
D Dalton Thrower, who played out his eligibility with the Vancouver Giants this season, is to have surgery on his left ankle on Tuesday, reports Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province. . . . Thrower has ligament damage in the ankle and last played on Jan. 24. . . . Thrower was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the NHL’s 2012 draft while with the Saskatoon Blades, but has yet to sign with the Habs. . . . Saskatoon dealt him to the Giants in May 2013. . . . With the Giants, he had 38 points, including 12 goals, in 42 games.
---
THE QMJHL FINAL:
In Baie-Comeau, the Val-d’Or Foreurs got a PP goal from D Guillaume Gelinas at 7:24 of OT and beat the Drakkar, 4-3. . . . The goal was Gelinas’ second of the game and ninth of the playoffs. . . . The Foreurs forced OT when F Pierre-Maxime Poudrier got his fourth playoff goal at 18:27 of the third period. . . . The series is tied 1-1, the Drakkar having won 3-0 on Friday night. . . . Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Val-d’Or.
---
THE OHL FINAL:
Like the QMJHL, the OHL final is tied 1-1 and resumes Tuesday with the Guelph Storm travelling to North Bay to play the Battalion. . . . The Battalion is in its first season in North Bay after having moved there from Brampton last summer.
---

THE FOURTH ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
WHL final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup
(x - if necessary)
(All games televised live by Shaw)
(All games televised by Root Sports -- Game 2 live, others on delayed basis)
PORTLAND (2, West) vs. Edmonton (1, East)
(Portland leads, 1-0)
Season series: Portland, 0-0-1; Edmonton, 1-0-0.
Saturday: Edmonton 2 at Portland 5 (10,947)
Sunday: Edmonton at Portland, 5 p.m. (Moda Center)
Tuesday: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Friday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
x-Sunday, May 11: Portland at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Monday, May 12: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Edmonton: None.
---
SATURDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, the Winterhawks got four goals from three American-born forwards and beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 5-2. . . . This was Game 1 of a best-of-seven series for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Game 2 is scheduled for today, 5 p.m., at the Moda Center in Portland. . . . The defending-champion Winterhawks built a 3-0 first-period lead on the strength of single goals from F Keegan Iverson of St. Louis Park, Minn., F Paul Bittner of Crookston, Minn., and F Chase De Leo of La Mirada, Calif. . . . The latter two scored in the last two minutes of the period, at 18:07 and 19:04. . . . Iverson has three goals; De Leo now has eight. . . . The Oil Kings got two early second-period goals -- F Brett Pollock scored his 11th of these playoffs 20 seconds in and F Henrik Samuelsson got his third at 2:20. . . . But the Winterhawks, as they had done in the first period, scored late in the second, with D Mathew Dumba counting on a PP at 19:23 to restore the two-goal lead. . . . He’s got four goals in these playoffs. . . . Bittner added his second of the game and fourth of the playoffs at 3:41. . . . F Nic Petan drew three assists for Portland, while D Derrick Pouliot had two. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand had one assist; he leads the playoff scoring race 29 points, one more than Pouliot, who has a WHL-high 24 helpers. . . . Each goaltender, Corbin Boes of Portland and Tristan Jarry of Edmonton -- stopped 31 shots. . . . Portland was 1-for-5 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-for-4. . . . A post-game tweet from Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) of Yahoo! Sports: “I'm not going to go down that road with some of those calls." Edmonton Oil Kings coach Derek Laxdal on some of the penalties tonight. #WHL. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic, who has 27 points in 14 games, sat out the opener as he served a one-game WHL suspension left over from the Western Conference final. He was given a spearing major and game misconduct late in Game 5 against the host Kelowna Rockets. Leipsic is eligible to return for Game 2 tonight. . . . Samuelsson was hit with a double minor for spearing at the end of the third period last night. . . . Some observers felt that Samuelsson came after a play that was offside at the Portland line. Columnist Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun tweeted: “Replay shows linesman blew an offside call on Samuelsson goal.” . . . Edmonton F Mitch Moroz left in the second period, seemingly favouring his right leg, but was back to start the third. . . . The Winterhawks are 41-3 since Jan. 11, including a 29-1 run over the last two months. . . . Portland is 13-2 in the playoffs, including 8-0 at home. Edmonton now is 12-3. . . . These teams are meeting in the final for a third consecutive season. Edmonton won two years ago; Portland won last spring. . . .
Jones writes in the Sun that Jarry struggled in Game 1, but that Laxdal isn’t concerned. That column is right here.
---







From Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon (@timbozon94): “Thank you everyone at the cap Breton #cers made lots improvement and met really nice people...#lifeisgood #shapeisback”
---
From Roy MacGregor (@RoyMacG) of The Globe and Mail: “Maybe we can't abolish the Senate -- but how about a Canadian law to ban afternoon playoff games?”
---
From the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers): “Aaaand the @pdxwinterhawks take Game 1 of the WHL Finals … is there something in the PDX water?”


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.

Winterhawks into fourth straight WHL final

D Nathan Deck (Vancouver, Prince Albert, 2005-11) signed a one-year contract with Mora (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season with Stockton (ECHL), Deck had 19 points, including five goals, in 40 games. He signed with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, DEL2) on Jan. 31 and put up seven points, two of them goals, in 10 games. . . .

D Stefan Warg (Seattle, Prince Albert, 2008-10) signed a two-year contract with Malmö (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL), he had one assist in 21 games. He also had two assists in three games with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL). He signed with Skellefteå (Sweden, SHL) on Feb. 2 and went pointless in seven games.
---



1. The Portland Winterhawks advanced to their fourth straight WHL championship final on Friday night, beating the Rockets 7-3 in Kelowna to win the best-of-seven Western Conference final, 4-1. . . . But when the defending-champion Winterhawks begin the championship series, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, they may do it without F Brendan Leipsic, one of their top forwards. . . . Leipsic, who scored his 11th and 12th goals of these playoffs last night, was tossed from the game at 16:27 of the third period with a spearing major. . . . Leipsic is a repeat offender, so unless the WHL office overturns last night’s penalty -- for example, it could, on review, be turned into a slashing minor -- he almost certainly would be suspended. He already has served 10 games in suspensions this season. He sat out three games for an incident against the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Sept. 25 and drew a seven-game sentence after taking a match penalty against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Dec. 14.

2. After two off days, the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Oil Kings get back into the Eastern Conference final tonight in Edmonton. The Oil Kings hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. A victory will send them into their third straight WHL championship series, each of them against Portland. A loss sends the series back to Medicine Hat for Game 6 on Monday night. . . . A seventh game, if needed, would be played in Edmonton on Tuesday. . . . Including regular-season games, the Oil Kings are 8-1-1 against the Tigers this season.

3. The Winterhawks finished the regular season with 113 points, based on a 54-13-5 record. The Oil Kings wound up with 103 points (50-19-3). The Tigers (44-24-4) had 92 points. . . . All of which means Portland will have home-ice advantage in the final, regardless of which Eastern Conference team advances. . . . Speculation, and that is all it was as of late Friday, has the championship final opening in Portland with games on Saturday and Sunday.

4. When Dan Russell signs off from Sportstalk, his long-running Vancouver-based radio show, on Thursday night, he won’t be back, at least not on a nightly basis. Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun has more right here. . . . Whether you agree with Russell’s views or not, the Vancouver sports scene will be poorer for not having him there every night. He often provided a point of view that was different from the one being sold by most other observers, and that is never a bad thing.

5. Ryan Ohashi, who knows his way around the WHL, has a blog upon which I found a neat story involving the Lethbridge Hurricanes and some playoff hockey. Yes, it’s true. The Hurricanes once were in the playoffs. Anyway, Ohashi’s story is right here, just don’t read it on an empty stomach.

6. There was a huge Canadian moment on Friday night as umpire Stu Scheurwater of Regina made his Major League Baseball debut. He worked second base as the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers played at Chavez Ravine. Vin Scully, the legendary voice of the Dodgers, mentioned Scheurwater’s debut with this: "Special night and we wish him well."

7. The last Canadian to debut as an umpire in the majors? Ian Lamplugh, who made his debut in 1999. His big league career lasted about 200 games. Lamplugh was born in Great Britain and moved with his family to Canada at the age of four. He now lives in Victoria. . . . Jim McKean is the most well-known of the Canadian umpires. McKean, a Montreal native, worked MLB games from 1973 through 2001.

8. The OHL final will feature the Guelph Storm and the North Bay Battalion. . . . The Storm finished off the Erie Otters on Friday night, winning 5-0 in Guelph to take the Western Conference final in five games. . . . The Battalion is finishing up its first season in North Bay after moving from Brampton. . . . The best-of-seven final is scheduled to open Thursday in Guelph.

9. The QMJHL is the site of two thrilling conference finals. . . . The Blainville-Boisbrand Aramada beat the host Baie-Comeau Drakkar 3-2 in OT on Friday night to take a 3-2 lead in that series. They’ll play Game 6 on Sunday at Blainville-Boisbrand. . . . In the other series, the Halifax Mooseheads has come back from a 2-0 deficit to pull into a 2-2 tie with the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Foreurs won twice in Halifax, 5-2 and 4-2, with the Mooseheads then winning twice on the road, 6-5 in OT and 5-4. They haven’t played since Wednesday, and will resume tonight in Halifax.
---




The Saskatoon Blades and the Saskatoon Media Group have agreed on a four-year contract extension that will cover the team’s broadcast rights through 2017-18. The Blades games are heard on 92.9 The Bull. . . . The agreement calls for the station to carry a minimum of two exhibition games, along with all regular-season and playoff games each season. . . . The Blades have been partnered with SMG since 1994. . . . Les Lazaruk is preparing for his 21st season as the radio voice of the Blades.
---
Curtis Hawkins has signed on as the athletic therapist for Victoria HarbourCats, who play in baseball’s West Coast League. Hawkins is the athletic therapist for the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals. He also worked with the WHL’s Victoria Royals while attending Camosun College in Victoria.
---
Brian McNaughton, the president of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, and WHL commissioner Ron Robison are scheduled to appear before Lethbridge City Council on Monday. According to the council’s agenda, McNaughton and Robison will be there to talk about “the team’s three-year business and operational plan.” . . . Pat Siedlecki, the radio voice of the Hurricanes, has more on his blog right here.
---
F Hank Crone of Cedar Hill, Texas, whose WHL rights belong to the Portland Winterhawks, has decided to play next season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers and then move on to the Boston University Terriers. . . . Crone, who turned 16 on Feb. 19, had 40 points in 31 games this season as he played for the Dallas Stars elite under-16 team. . . . "Hank was added to the protected player list for the Winterhawks in the WHL,” Kristie, his mother, told Rita Cook of the Focus Daily News. "If you play major junior you lose your NCAA eligibility and he has always wanted to play college hockey.”
---
Officials with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives met with community supporters recently and have decided to proceed with the 2014-15 season. They will do it with head coach Dwayne Kirkup back running things. . . . “I am not surprised by this as Neepawa always seems to find a way to get it done,” general manager Myles Cathcart said in a news release. As for Kirkup, Cathcart said: “In terms of quality coaches in hockey, Kirkup is in the elite group. He is professional, works extremely hard, is approachable and the players work hard for him. He fits in with what we are doing. We want quality players and coaches within our organization.”
---

THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. MEDICINE HAT (4)
(Edmonton leads, 3-1)
Season series: Edmonton, 5-0-1; Medicine Hat, 1-5-0.
(All games on Shaw TV)
Friday: Medicine Hat 3 at Edmonton 8 (7,694)
Sunday: Medicine Hat 1 at Edmonton 3 (5,763)
Tuesday: Edmonton 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,189)
Wednesday: Edmonton 4 at Medicine Hat 1 (3,832)
Saturday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, day-to-day; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
---
WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
(Portland wins, 4-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-0-0; Portland, 0-4-0.
Friday: Portland 4 at Kelowna 5 (6,218)
Saturday: Portland 5 at Kelowna 3 (6,341)
Tuesday: Kelowna 3 at Portland 4 (OT) (9,259)
Wednesday: Kelowna 1 at Portland 5 (9,744)
Friday: Portland 7 at Kelowna 3 (6,331)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell (knee), week-to-week.
Portland: None.
---

FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Kelowna, the defending-champion Portland Winterhawks broke open a close game with three goals early in the third period and went on to a 7-3 victory over the Rockets. . . . Portland won its fourth straight Western Conference championship. . . . The Winterhawks will be the fourth team in WHL history to appear in four straight finals, joining the Flin Flon Bombers (1968-71), Edmonton Oil Kings (1969-72) and New Westminster Bruins (1975-78). . . . The Winterhawks, who scored three PP goals in the game, led 3-0 eight minutes into the second period, only to have the Rockets score two PP goals and get back into the game. . . . F Tyson Baillie, at 8:29, and D Jesse Lees, at 10:48, scored for the Rockets, who had the WHL’s best regular-season record and finished the regular season as the CHL’s top-ranked team. . . . Portland D Mathew Dumba got his third goal of these playoffs 59 seconds into the third period and F Brendan Leipsic scored his second goal of the game, and 12th of the playoffs, on a PP at 2:56 and school was out. . . . Leipsic was later ejected with a spearing major and could be facing a WHL suspension. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had two assists and was named the series’ MVP. He had 11 points, including seven assists, in the five games. . . . Portland F Taylor Leier had a goal and two assists, while F Oliver Bjorkstrand drew three assists. Bjorkstrand leads the playoffs in goals (15) and points (28). . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot leads in assists, with 22. He had two last night, giving him 55 in his career, the third-highest total in WHL history. . . . Pouliot and Leipsic have at least one point in each of Portland’s 14 playoff games this season. . . . Pouliot also played in his 78th career playoff game, passing D Troy Rutkowski and taking over the franchise record. Starting with his freshman season, Pouliot has played in 21, 22, 21 and 14 post-season games. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes stopped 35 shots, while Jordon Cooke of the Rockets turned aside 34. . . . The Rockets played the series without F Myles Bell (knee), who led them in goals (42) and points (77) in the regular season. Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska, speaking on the Rockets’ post-game radio show, said Bell “blew a lot of things out in his knee, he's got a lot of things going on in there."
---

From the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers (@VernonVipers): “Attention Vipers Alumni! If you're planning on attending the RBC Cup pls contact dave@vipers.bc.ca for some alumni event details #RBC2014”


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.