Showing posts with label Dominic Zwerger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dominic Zwerger. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Defending champs near elimination . . . Hitmen can't solve Steel . . . Hart blanks Royals


F Thomas Raffl (Kelowna, Swift Current, 2005-06) has signed a one-year extension with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he had 26 goals and 24 assists in 43 games. . . .
D Mike Card (Kelowna, 2002-06) has signed a one-year extension with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, DEL2). In 52 games this season, he had five goals and 22 assists. . . .
F Clarke Breitkreuz (Regina, Prince George, 2008-10) has signed a one-year extension with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, DEL2). This season, in 52 games, he had 16 goals and 12 assists. . . .
F Brent Raedeke (Edmonton, Brandon, 2007-10) has signed a three-year extension with Adler Mannheim (Germany, DEL). He had 16 goals and 17 assists in 52 games this season. . . .
F Joel Broda (Tri-City, Moose Jaw, Calgary, 2004-10) has signed a one-year extension with Linz (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, in 53 games, he had 28 goals and 20 assists. . . .
F Ondrej Vesely (Portland, Tri-City, 1996-98) has signed a one-year extension with Zlin (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had four goals and nine assists in 45 games this season, while serving as an alternate captain. . . .
F Kevin Sundher (Chilliwack/Victoria, Brandon, 2007-12) has signed a one-year extension with Olomouc (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and one assist in 10 games there this season. He started the season with the Reading Royals (ECHL), putting up five goals and 12 assists in 32 games. He signed with Olomouc on Feb. 2. . . .
F Thomas Raffl (Kelowna, Swift Current, 2005-06) has signed a one-year extension with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, in 53 games, he had 26 goals and 24 assists. . . .
D Layne Viveiros (Portland, 2011-15) has signed a one-year extension with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had nine goals and 13 assists in 54 games this season.
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The OHL came down on the Windsor Spitfires for comments and actions following their Sunday loss to the host London Knights.
You may have read or seen clips of Rocky Thompson, Windsor’s head coach, ripping into the referees and also accusing the Knights of diving.
From an OHL release that was issued Tuesday:
“It is the position of the league that the post-game media comments made by . . . Rocky Thompson were most inappropriate and detrimental to the welfare of the league.  As a result of his comments, and the Spitfires’ Twitter post including such comments which is not consistent with the league’s social media policy, the Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club is fined $7,500.
“In addition, Windsor Spitfires general manager Warren Rychel has been sanctioned by the league for certain actions including violating league policy concerning interaction with on-ice officials before, during, and after the game. The league reserves finalizing any further disciplinary action against Mr. Rychel and the Spitfires pending a hearing to be held on Friday, March 31.”
Last night, the host Spitfires posted a 3-1 victory over the Knights to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round series. Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday in Windsor, with Game 5 in London on Friday.
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If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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TUESDAY GAMES:


At Swift Current, F Thomas Foster scored twice to help the Moose Jaw Warriors  to a 4-3 victory over the
THOMAS FOSTER
Broncos. . . . Foster celebrated his 21st birthday by scoring his second and third goals of the series. . . . The Warriors now hold a 2-1 lead, with Game 4 in Swift Current tonight. . . . D Colby Sissons gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 6:49 of the first period. . . . The Warriors took a 2-1 lead on second-period goals by F Brayden Burke (2), at 2:16, and Foster, at 11:18. . . . The Broncos pulled even when F Glenn Gawdin (2) scored at 8:15. . . . F Jayden Halbgewachs (1) got the Warriors back into the lead at 15:34 of the third period, and Foster upped the lead to 4-2 at 18:34. . . . The Warriors got back to within a goal when F Ryley Lindgren scored, on a PP, at 19:31. . . . D Josh Brook and D Matt Sozanski each had two assists for Moose Jaw. . . . F Aleksi Heponiemi had two assists for the Broncos, with Gawdin adding one to his goal. . . . Moose Jaw G Zach Sawchenko stopped 32 shots, six fewer than Swift Current’s Jordan Papirny. . . . The Broncos were 1-3 on the PP; the Warriors were 0-2. . . . Announced attendance: 2,890.
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At Dauphin, Man., the Medicine Hat Tigers scored four third-period goals and beat the Brandon Wheat
DAVID QUENNEVILLE
Kings, 6-2. . . . The Tigers lead the series, 3-0, and get their first opportunity to eliminate the WHL’s defending champions tonight in Dauphin’s Credit Union Place. . . . The Wheat Kings had to take their first-round games on the road because the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair has taken over the Keystone Centre complex. . . . The Tigers got the only goal of the first period when F Steve Owre scored at 7:13. . . . Brandon F Ben McCartney, a 15-year-old from Macdonald, Man., tied it with his first WHL goal at 3:41 of the second period. He was a second-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. . . . Medicine Hat got that one back at 5:42, with F John Dahlstrom scoring his third goal in as many games. . . . Brandon F Reid Duke (2) pulled his guys even, on a PP, at 6:50. . . . The Tigers went back out front at 4:12 of the third period, with F Mark Rassell getting his fourth goal of the series, on a PP. . . . F Chad Butcher added insurance at 5:49, and F Ryan Jevne and D David Quenneville, into an empty net, closed it out. . . . Quenneville also drew three assists, with Owre and Butcher earning one each. . . . G Michael Bullion stopped 27 shots in his third straight playoff complete game for the Tigers. . . . Brandon got 41 saves from G Logan Thompson. . . . Brandon was 1-3 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-6. . . . The Wheat Kings were without injured F Nolan Patrick for a third straight game. . . . Medicine Hat scratched injured D Brad Forrest. . . . Announced attendance: 1,912. The arena has 1,763 seats.
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At Calgary, F Sam Steel, the WHL scoring champion, torched the Hitmen for three goals, leading the
SAM STEEL
Regina Pats to a 5-2 victory. . . . Regina, with a 15-5 edge in goals, leads the series, 3-0, and can end it Thursday night in Calgary. . . . Steel has nine points, four of them goals, in the first three games of this series. He had a goal and four assists in Regina’s 5-1 home-ice victory in Game 2 on Saturday. . . . Steel now leads the playoff scoring race with nine points, one more than D David Quenneville of the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Steel gave Regina a 2-0 with first-period goals at 1:02 and 9:31. . . . F Wyatt Sloboshan increased the lead to 3-0, on a PP, at 19:57. . . . F Dawson Leedahl scored his third goal of the series, on a PP, at 16:59 of the second period. . . . Steel completed his hat trick with a shorthanded goal, at 4:16 of the third period. . . . The Hitmen got third-period goals from F Matteo Gennaro (1), on a PP, and F Luke Coleman (1). . . . The Pats got two assists from D Connor Hobbs, with Leedahl adding one to his goal. . . . Regina G Tyler Brown had a solid night, with 41 saves and an assist on what turned out to be the winning goal. . . . The Hitmen got 30 saves from G Kyle Dumba. . . . Calgary held a 16-11 edge in second-period shots, and it was 17-10 in the third. . . . Regina was 2-3 on the PP; Calgary was 1-6. . . . The Pats had F Jeff de Wit back after a one-game absence with an undisclosed injury. . . . Announced attendance: 6,736.
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At Kamloops, the Blazers broke a 1-1 tie with two goals 28 seconds apart in the second period as they
JERMAINE LOEWEN
skated to a 4-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Kelowna holds a 2-1 edge in the series, with Game 4 in Kamloops tonight. . . . There were five WHL playoff games on Tuesday night and Kamloops was the only home team to post a victory. . . . F Lane Bauer opened the scoring for Kamloops at 8:06 of the first period. . . . The Rockets tied it when F Kole Lind scored his first WHL playoff goal at 16:28. He was playing in his 26th career post-season game. . . . The Blazers took advantage of a shoddy Kelowna change to take a 2-1 lead at 12:10, the goal coming from F Jermaine Loewen as he finished off a 3-on-2 break. Loewen, a fan favourite in Kamloops, was the most effective player in this one as he wreaked havoc with his physical play and constantly got under the skin of the visitors. . . . Just 28 seconds later, Blazers F Rudolfs Balcers split the defensive pairing of Cal Foote and Gordie Ballhorn, who put on a hook that resulted in a penalty shot. Balcers beat G Michael Herringer to the glove side for a 3-1 lead. It was Balcers’ first playoff goal. . . . Bauer’s second goal, at 18:07, provided a 4-1 edge. . . . Balcers also added an assist to his goal. . . . The last time Kamloops had a penalty shot goal in a playoff game was on April 14, 2012, when F Tim Bozon scored in a 7-2 victory over the host Portland Winterhawks. . . . G Connor Ingram stopped 37 shots in a solid night for Kamloops. . . . Herringer was good, too, with 34 saves. . . . Kelowna was 0-2 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-5. . . . Things got heated late in the third period, with the two coaching staffs exchanging words. . . . Kamloops F Luc Smith was injured in the second-last game of the regular season and has yet to play in this series. . . . Announced attendance: 3,878. . . . Prior to the game, Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, presented WHL Milestone Awards to Blazers trainer Colin (Toledo) Robinson and Kamloops head coach Don Hay. Robinson worked his 1,500th game as a WHL trainer earlier this season, while Hay recorded his 700th victory as a WHL head coach.
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At Victoria, G Carter Hart stopped 25 shots to help the Everett Silvertips to a 2-0 victory over the Royals. .
CARTER HART
. . Everett took a 2-1 lead in the series with Game 4 scheduled for tonight in Victoria. . . . Hart has two career shutouts, one this season and one a year ago. . . . The Silvertips scored both their goals via the PP. . . . F Patrick Bajkov counted his third goal of the series 22 seconds into the second period. . . . F Eetu Tuulola (1) added the insurance goal at 17:37 of the second. . . . F Dominic Zwerger drew two assists. . . . The Royals got 19 stops from G Griffen Outhouse. . . . Everett was 2-6 on the PP; Victoria was 0-3. . . . The Royals scratched F Jack Walker, who had two goals and two assists through the first two games. They remain without D Scott Walford. . . . Everett continues to be without F Riley Sutter and F Devon Skoleski, both with undisclosed injuries. . . . Announced attendance: 4,790.
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WEDNESDAY GAMES (all times local):

Lethbridge at Red Deer, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)
Seattle vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m. (Seattle leads, 2-0)
Prince George at Portland, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)
Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m. (Moose Jaw leads, 2-1)
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon, at Dauphin, Man., 7:30 p.m. (Medicine Hat leads, 3-0)
Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m. (Kelowna leads, 2-1)
Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m. (Everett leads, 2-1)

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 12:20 AM
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Friday, March 24, 2017

Stankowski steals show in Kent ... Papirny, Herringer perfect in goal ... Brooks sparks Pats

Scattershoot

 The first goal of the WHL playoffs was scored by D Clayton Kirichenko of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Kirichenko scored at 6:46 of the first period in their game against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. A 20-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., Kirichenko, the Tigers’ captain, has played in 239 regular-season games. This was his first playoff game — it was one to remember as he finished with two goals and an assist. . . . He split the first 130 of those regular-season games between the Saskatoon Blades and Vancouver Giants.
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When the series between the Calgary Hitmen and the Pats got started in Regina, there were two new pennants hanging from the Brandt Centre rafters. Prior to the game, the Pats were presented with the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s regular-season champs. They then raised the East Division and Regular Season championship banners. Presumably, the Eastern Conference championship banner was saved for prior to next season’s home-opener. . . . In Everett, the Silvertips raised their two new banners as U.S. Division and Western Conference champions. . . . These teams wouldn’t lower these banners and do it all over again on opening night next season, would they?
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Raising banners prior to the start of a playoff home-opener may not be a bad idea. It allows all the players to take part, something that wouldn’t be possible prior to the following season, what with graduating 20-year-olds and others who don’t return for one reason or another.
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Of course, F Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins should have drawn a suspension for the slash he put on the hands of Ottawa Senators D Marc Methot on Thursday night. Of course, Crosby wasn’t suspended. Having a superstar do something like that is a hockey disciplinarian’s worst nightmare, because they would rather suspend slugs than aces.
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If you haven’t noticed, Crosby has become quite the nifty swordsman with his hockey stick.
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F Nolan Patrick, who remains the consensus No. 1 selection for the 2017 NHL draft, sat out the Brandon Wheat Kings’ opening playoff game last night in Medicine Hat. After having sports hernia surgery in July, he played only 33 games during the regular season. I don’t know that being scratched last night was related to his previous problems, but sporting teams are starting to realize that recovery time from that kind of surgery is much longer than previously thought.
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The other notable scratches on the opening night of the WHL playoff were F Mathew Barzal and G Rylan Toth, both of the Seattle Thunderbirds. It would seem that Barzal continues to be bothered by the mumps, while Toth, who led WHL goaltenders in victories, has an undisclosed injury. Toth last played on March 11, when he left after the first period of a 6-3 victory over the host Portland Winterhawks. That was said to be a move made for precautionary reasons, but obviously things are more serious than that.
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I’m thinking USA Hockey has bitten off more than it can chew in its dispute with its national women’s team. On Friday, Dunkin’ Donuts, a major USA Hockey sponsor, said it continues to “support the current members of the U.S. team . . .” As well, the NHL and MLB players associations both issued statements of support for the women’s team, which is the defending IIHF world champion. It is scheduled to begin defence of that title in Plymouth, Mich., on March 31. . . . You’ve got to think that USA Hockey will fold its hand before then.
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Three former WHL coaches who now are head coaches in the OHL are a combined 3-0 in the playoffs. . . . Rocky Thompson’s Windsor Spitfires beat the host London Knights, the defending Memorial Cup champions, 4-3 on Friday night. . . . Earlier in the evening, Ryan McGill’s Owen Sound Attack trounced the visiting Kitchener Rangers, 9-1. . . . On Thursday, Kris Knoblauch’s Erie Otters, playing at home, beat the Sarnia Sting, 6-3. . . . Thompson, McGill and Knoblauch all played in the WHL, too.
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In the BCHL, the host Merritt Centennials beat the Penticton Vees, 2-1, in OT last night, forcing a Game 7 in their second-round series. F Tyrell Buckley won it at 10:23 of the first OT. They’ll meet again Monday, this time in Penticton. The Vees held a 52-48 edge in shots.
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 F Chad Bassen (Regina, Vancouver, Medicine Hat, Everett, 2000-04) has signed a one-year extension with Iserlohn (Germany, DEL). This season, he had 10 goals and five assists in 50 games. He has dual German-Canadian citizenship. . . .
D James Bettauer (Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2010-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had 10 goals and four assists in 48 games this season. Bettauer has dual German-Canadian citizenship. . . .
F Jesse Mychan (Everett, Tri-City, 2011-13) has signed a one-year contract with Innsbruck (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He started the season with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), scoring 23 goals and adding 14 assists in 34 games. He was pointless in five games while on loan to the San Antonio Rampage (AHL). He signed with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, DEL2) on Jan. 24, and had four goals and two assists in nine games there.
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 F Dillon Dube of the Kelowna Rockets celebrated the start of the WHL playoffs by signing his first NHL contract. Dube signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Calgary Flames, who selected him in the second round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . Dube, who was born in Golden, B.C., had 20 goals and 35 assists in 40 games with the Rockets this season, this third in Kelowna. Dube missed the first seven weeks of the season after returning from the Flames’ training camp with a knee injury. . . . He also played for Team Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championship. . . . According to capfriendly.com, Dube’s NHL salary would be US$742,500, $742,500 and $892,500, with a $70,000 salary in the minors. Their are performance bonuses of $182,500, $182,500 and $32,500, with three annual signing bonuses of $92,500.
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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
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The Everett Silvertips have signed F Mark Liwiski to a WHL contract. Liwiski, from Dauphin, Man., will turn 16 on Aug. 8. He was a third-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Liwiski played for the midget AAA Parkland Rangers of the Manitoba Midget Hockey League this season, putting up 54 points, including 25 goals, in 37 games. In his draft season, he played for Parkland’s bantam AAA side, totalling 91 points, 39 of them goals, in 35 games.
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Craig Mohr is returning for a fourth season as the general manager and head coach of the junior B Fernie Ghostriders of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. . . . Mohr, from Calgary, has coaching history with the junior B Golden Rockets and Beaver Valley Nitehawks, as well as the midget AAA Calgary Northstars and the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. . . . This season, the Ghostriders went 26-18-1-2 and finished third in the Eddie Mountain Division. They lost a best-of-seven first-round series in six games to the Kimberley Dynamiters.
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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
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FRIDAY GAMES (Game 1, best-of-sevens):

JORDAN PAPIRNY
At Moose Jaw, G Jordan Papirny stopped 40 shots to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 2-0 victory over the Warriors. . . . They’ll play Game 2 in Moose Jaw tonight. . . . Papirny was the starting goaltender for Brandon when the Wheat Kings won last season’s Ed Chynoweth Cup. . . . Papirny, 20, stopped 14 shots in each of the first and third periods in posting his second career playoff shutout. . . . F Tyler Steenbergen, a 51-goal man in the regular season, scored the game’s first goal, unassisted, at 11:18 of the second period. . . . F Glenn Gawdin provided insurance with an empty-netter at 19:48 of the third period. . . . There was one minor penalty called, that to Steenbergen for hooking, at 13:03 of the second period. . . . The Warriors got 31 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . Announced attendance: 3,353.
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CLAYTON KIRICHENKO
At Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored four PP goals en route to a 7-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Three of Medicine Hat’s first four goals came via the PP. . . . D Clayton Kirichenko got the Tigers started at 6:46 of the first period. . . . F Matt Bradley and F Mark Rassell followed with PP goals, at 18:57 of the first and 2:19 of the second, respectively. . . . F Stelio Mattheos scored for Brandon at 3:04, but Tigers F Zach Fischer got that one back, on a PP, at 8:55. . . . F Tyler Coulter counted for Brandon, on a PP, at 13:43, to make it 4-2. . . . Kirichenko scored again, at 14:48, with Rassell completing a hat trick with a PP goal at 12:32 and an even-strength score at 19:39. . . . The Tigers got three assists from D David Quenneville and two from Butcher. Kirichenko and Fischer had one apiece. . . . D Kale Clague had two assists for Brandon, with Mattheos getting one. . . . G Michael Bullion earned the victory with 26 saves. . . . Brandon G Logan Thompson stopped 45 shots. He faced 18 shots in the first period and 19 in the third. . . . The Tigers were 4-9 on the PP; the Wheat Kings were 1-6. . . . D Ty Schultz (broken leg) continues to rehab so was scratched by the Tigers. . . . F Nolan Patrick was among Brandon’s scratches. . . . Announced attendance: 3,583.
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At Regina, F Adam Brooks had two goals and an assist in the third period to lead the Pats to a 5-2 victory
ADAM BROOKS
over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Game 2 is in Regina tonight. . . . Brooks finished with two goals and two assists. . . . The Pats won it with a four-goal third period. . . . F Jake Kryski gave the Hitmen a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 10:50 of the second period. . . . Regina scored the next three goals. . . . D Josh Mahura tied it, on a PP, at 16:28. . . . Brooks, who had the primary assist on Mahura’s goal, provided Regina with the lead at 4:25 of the third period, then upped the lead to 3-1 at 6:03. . . . Kryski got Calgary back to within a goal at 9:04. . . . Regina closed it out on goals from F Bryan Lockner, at 14:14, and F Austin Wagner, shorthanded, at 16:59. . . . F Filip Ahl had two assists for Regina. . . . G Tyler Brown stopped 20 shots to earn the victory. . . . Calgary G Cody Porter turned aside 27 shots. . . . Regina was 1-2 on the PP; Calgary was 1-3. . . . Regina F Nick Henry served a one-game WHL suspension. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.
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At Kelowna, F Carsen Twarynski scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Rockets to a 4-0
CARSEN TWARYNSKI
victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Rockets got three of their goals from players acquired at the trade deadline. Twarynski came over from the Calgary Hitmen, while F Reid Gardiner’s rights were acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders. He was with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the time of the trade. . . . Twarynski opened the scoring at 17:20 of the first period. . . . F Tomas Soustal, who had missed the previous eight games with an injury, upped it to 2-0 just 28 seconds later. . . . Gardiner scored on a PP at 12:40 of the second period. . . . Twarynski added his second goal, on a PP, at 8:47 of the third period. . . . Soustal also had an assist. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer wasn’t particularly busy, stopping 15 shots to earn his third career playoff shutout. . . . The Rockets held a 15-3 edge on shots in the first period. It was 17-3 in the third. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram stopped 44 shots. . . . Kelowna was 2-4 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . The Blazers scratched F Luc Smith, who was injured in Game 71 of the regular season. . . . Announced attendance: 5,512.
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At Everett, the Silvertips scored the game’s first four goals, two of them on the PP, and went on to a 4-2
DOMINIC ZWERGER
victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . They’ll play Game 2 tonight in Everett. . . . D Kevin Davis gave the home guys a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 8:11 of the first period. . . . The Silvertips took a 4-0 lead with three goals in 4:20 late in the second period. . . . F Patrick Bajkov upped it to 2-0 at 12:04. . . . F Dominic Zwerger then scored twice, at 14:27 and 16:24, the second one coming via the PP. . . . F Jack Walker scored a PP goal for Victoria, at 19:03 of the second period. . . . Victoria F Dante Hannoun got the Royals’ other goal, on a PP, at 14:58 of the third. . . . Bajkov also had two assists, with Davis and Zwerger getting one each. . . . Walker added an assist to his goal. . . . Walker has tied the Royals’ record for career playoff goals (13), assists (16) and points (29). He shares all three with Brandon Magee (2011-15). . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 30 shots, nine more than Victoria’s Griffen Outhouse. . . . The Royals were 2-4 on the PP; the Silvertips were 2-5. . . . D Chaz Reddekopp and F Ryan Peckford both returned to Victoria’s lineup after being out with injuries. . . . Announced attendance: 3,241.
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At Kent, Wash., G Carl Stankowski stopped 33 shots to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-2 victory
CARL STANKOWSKI
over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Stankowski was starting in place of the injury Rylan Toth. . . . Stankowski, who turned 17 on March 9, was making only his eighth WHL appearance. In the regular season, he was 3-0-1, 2.18, .910. . . . He stopped 18 of 19 shots in the third period. That included a save on a penalty shot by F Morgan Geekie at 9:39 of the third period with Seattle leading, 3-2. Moments later, he beat F Parker AuCoin on a shorthanded breakaway. . . . The Thunderbirds got two goals from F Keegan Kolesar, including the game’s first score at 5:37 of the first period. . . . F Ryan Gropp made it 2-0, on a PP, at 8:50, with Kolesar earning the primary assist. . . . Tri-City F Jordan Topping cut into the deficit at 10:10. . . . D Austin Strand restored Seattle’s two-goal lead at 4:50 of the third period. . . . F Austyn Playfair pulled the Americans to within a goal when he scored shorthanded, at 7:26. . . . Kolesar put it away with his second goal, at 17:46. . . . Seattle D Ethan Bear had two assists. . . . Tri-City G Rylan Parenteau stopped 27 shots. . . . Seattle was 1-6 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-7. . . . The game was delayed for a couple of minutes in the second period after Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit’s clearing attempt struck referee Kevin Bennett in the head. He went down briefly, but didn’t miss a shift. . . . The Thunderbirds scratches also included F Mathew Barzal (mumps). . . . Announced attendance: 3,359.
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At Prince George, the Portland Winterhawks scored a pair of PP goals as they beat the Cougars, 4-2. . .
KEEGAN IVERSON
They’ll play Game 2 in Prince George on Sunday. . . . The visitors took a 1-0 lead when F Brendan De Jong scored, on a PP, at 4:34 of the first period. . . . The Cougars tied it at 17:49 when F Jared Bethune scored a PP goal. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s next two goals, with F Skyler McKenzie counting at 18:39 and F Keegan Iverson adding a PP goal at 3:06 of the second period. . . . F Jansen Harkins got the Cougars to within a goal at 2:43 of the third. . . . Portland put it away with an empty-netter from F Colton Veloso at 19:22. . . . D Caleb Jones had two assists for Portland. . . . The Cougars got two assists from F Colby McAuley. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 23 shots for Portland, while Prince George’s Ty Edmonds blocked 31. . . . Including the regular season, Kehler has posted nine straight victories. . . . Portland was 2-5 on the PP; Prince George was 1-3. . . . F Cody Glass, who missed the last five periods of Portland’s regular season, was in the lineup and drew one assist. . . . The Cougars again were without F Brad Morrison. He took the pregame warmup before being scratched. . . . Mike Johnston earned his 50th career victory as Portland’s head coach, the 18th man in WHL history to reach that milestone. Don Hay of the Kamloops Blazers is No. 1, at 106. . . . Announced attendance: 5,418.
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SATURDAY GAMES (all times local):

(All series best-of-seven)
Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (Game 1)
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. (Swift Current leads, 1-0)
Brandon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m. (Medicine Hat leads, 1-0)
Calgary at Regina, 7 p.m. (Regina leads, 1-0)
Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. (Kelowna leads, 1-0)
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m. (Everett leads, 1-0)
Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m. (Seattle leads, 1-0)
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SUNDAY GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Lethbridge, 6 p.m. (Game 2)
Portland at Prince George, 5 p.m. (Portland leads, 1-0)

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:32 PM
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Saturday, February 25, 2017

WHL teams working against mumps . . . Edmond sets P.G. record . . . Victoria d-man spins record, too




The WHL isn’t in lockdown mode, but it is into prevention in a big way as it hopes to avoid a full-blown outbreak of mumps.
The league issued a news release on Friday evening that began:
“The Western Hockey League was informed of confirmed cases of mumps within one of our member  clubs in early February. Since that time, the WHL has been working closely with its team services committee, all 22 WHL member clubs and their training staff members as well as the applicable health authorities to ensure proper steps are being taken to minimize the spread of the virus.”
To date, it has been confirmed that players and staff with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Medicine Hat Tigers have been diagnosed with mumps over the past couple of weeks. As well, Brent Sutter, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, indicated on Thursday while discussing the mumps outbreak with rdnewsNOW that “they had a situation occur in Swift Current” with the Broncos.
You can bet that all WHL teams are working on prevention.
“All WHL clubs were also asked to review vaccination histories of players and team staff and strongly recommend vaccination if necessary,” the WHL news release continued. “The medical and training staff members of each WHL club and the WHL office are on alert for anyone displaying mumps symptoms, including officials, and isolating individuals as required.”
In Kamloops, Blazers athletic trainer Colin (Toledo) Robinson, who worked his 1,500th game on Friday night, said he and his staff have been doing a lot of cleaning with bleach and are using their electrolysed washing system a lot more than they normally do. They also are making sure that water bottles are cleaned every day.
The WHL has asked teams to limit contact between players and fans, so teams are suspending minor hockey promotions and other appearances that might put players in close proximity to fans.
On Friday, for example, the Blazers, who were at home to the Kelowna Rockets, cancelled the pregame Timbits promotion that normally has a minor hockey player on the ice with them for the anthem. Security staff at the Sandman Centre also acted to limit post-game contact between players and fans in the arena’s lower reaches.
In Red Deer, the Rebels cancelled a post-game autograph session that would have have involved players and fans interacting.
The Rebels notified their fans via tweet: “There is currently a mumps outbreak and for player safety we cannot hold post-game autographs tonight.”
The Calgary Hitmen also cancelled a post-game autograph session last night.
This isn’t a problem affecting only the WHL. On Friday afternoon, the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks revealed that one player, D Troy Stecher, has been diagnosed with mumps and at least four others are showing symptoms.
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Andy Eide of ESPN 710 Seattle posted a Seattle Thunderbirds notebook prior to Friday’s games that included some interesting info. . . . D Ethan Bear now holds the Thunderbirds record for career goals by a defenceman, but he isn’t likely to reach the points record that is held by Shea Theodore. . . . Meanwhile, head coach Steve Konowalchuk needs three victories to tie Don Nachbaur for second place on the franchise’s career list. Nachbaur, now the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, ran the Seattle bench from 1994-2000. . . . Eide’s complete notebook is right here.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:


At Calgary, F Steve Owre scored twice and added an assist to help the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 5-4 victory over the Hitmen. . . . The Tigers took a 3-1 lead into the second period. . . . Calgary F Jakob
STEVE OWRE
Stukel gave his guys a 1-0 lead, on the PP, at 5:59 of the first period. . . . Owre tied it at 9:28 and D Brad Forrest’s second goal of the season gave the visitors the lead at 13:02. Owre, who assisted on Forrest’s goal, got No. 22 at 18:45 for a 3-1 lead. . . . Stukel’s 20th goal got the Hitmen to within a goal at 4:19 of the second period, but F Tyler Preziuso (4) got that one back at 4:51. . . . The Hitmen got back to within one when F Andrei Grishakov counted at 11:46. . . . The Tigers went ahead 5-3 as F Mason Shaw got his 24th at 17:02. . . . Grishakov closed the scoring with his ninth goal at 19:37 of the third period. . . . The Tigers got two assists from each of F Zach Fischer and F Chad Butcher. . . . Fischer wore No. 9 for the final time as the Tigers will retire it tonight in honour of the late Tom Lysiak. . . . Grishakov also had an assist, while F Matteo Gennaro had two of them. . . . Calgary D Jake Bean earned one assist, giving him 100 for his career. . . . The Tigers got 33 saves from G Nick Schneider, who earned his 31st victory. He has won his last nine starts against Calgary, six of them this season. . . . Calgary G Kyle Dumba stopped 25 shots. . . . Calgary was 1-3 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 0-2. . . . David Quenneville, one of the WHL’s highest-scoring defencemen, was back in the Tigers’ lineup. He had been out since Jan. 3 with a broken leg suffered while blocking a shot. When he was injured, he had 48 points, 20 of them goals, in 38 games. He was pointless and plus-2 last night. . . . The Tigers also had D Kristians Rubins and F Ryan Chyzowski back after their brushes with mumps, but F James Hamblin and D Jordan Henderson remained out. . . . Medicine Hat (43-18-1) is 6-0-0 against Calgary this season. The Tigers lead the Central Division by six points over Lethbridge. . . . The Hitmen (23-27-10) had points in their previous five games (4-0-1). They are tied with Saskatoon for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 6,031.
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At Everett, F Dominic Zwerger scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Silvertips to a 4-1
DOMINIC ZWERGER
victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . F Patrick Bajkov (24) gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 1:17 of the first period. . . . The Winterhawks tied it when F Joachim Blichfeld got No. 26, on a PP, at 15:08. . . . Zwerger broke the tie with his 24th goal, on a PP, at 17:50. . . . The Silvertips got insurance from D Jake Christiansen (5) at 14:20 of the second period. . . . D Noah Juulsen sealed the victory with his 12th goal at 11:59 of the third period. . . . F Matt Fonteyne had two assists for Everett, as did Bajkov. . . . G Carter Hart stopped 42 shots for Everett in posting his 79th career victory, 26 of them this season. He leads the WHL with a 1.93 GAA. . . . At the other end, Cole Kehler stopped 28 shots. . . . Everett was 1-4 on the PP; Portland was 1-6. . . . F Matt Revel (collarbone), who last played on Dec. 10, was in Portland’s lineup. The Winterhawks acquired him off waivers from Kamloops in January as the Blazers got down to three 20-year-olds. . . . The Silvertips (37-12-10) have won six in a row. They lead the U.S. Division by three points over Seattle and hold two games in hand. . . . Portland (32-26-4) has lost four straight (0-3-1). It holds down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 5,513.
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At Kamloops, F Cole Lind scored once and added three assists as the Kelowna Rockets dropped the Blazers, 8-2. . . . The Rockets had dropped seven straight games in Kamloops. . . . F Garrett Pilon gave
KOLE LIND
the Blazers a 1-0 lead at 1:28 of the first period, but the Rockets scored the next eight goals, the first three of those coming in the first period. . . . F Rod Southam’s 14th goal got Kelowna even at 4:31 of the first and F Tomas Soustal (18) gave the visitors the lead at 13:48. . . . F Nick Merkley’s 21st goal made it 3-1 at 18:19. . . . Kelowna added two more goals in the second period — D Lucas Johansen got No. 6, Lind scored his 28th, on a PP, and F Dillon Dube notched No. 10. . . . In the third period, F Reid Gardiner added his eighth goal, shorthanded, and F Carsen Twarynski got his 13th. . . . F Luc Smith (10) had the Blazers’ second goal. . . . The Rockets got two assists from each of F Calvin Thurkauf and Twarynski, and one each from Merkley, Southam and Dube. . . . G Michael Herringer stopped 23 shots to earn the victory. . . . Kamloops starter Connor Ingram allowed six goals on 26 shots in 28:30, with Dylan Ferguson finishing up, stopped 13 of 15 shots in 31:29. . . . Ingram went in riding back-to-back shutouts and a shutout streak of 178:07. That ended at 182:38. . . . The longest shutout streak in the WHL this season (193:48) belongs to Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertips. . . . Kelowna was 1-4 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . It was the first time the Blazers had given up at least eight goals since Jan. 22, 2016, when they lost 9-4 to the Cougars in Prince George. The last time Kamloops gave up eight goals at home? On Oct. 24, 2014, the Brandon Wheat Kings won 8-5 in Kamloops. . . . This was the final game of a season series that the Blazers won, 6-3-1. The Rockets finished 4-6-0. . . . Kamloops trainer Colin (Toledo) Robinson worked his 1,500th WHL game. Robinson is in his 11th season with the Blazers. He also spent five seasons with each of the Swift Current Broncos and Vancouver Giants. . . . The Rockets (36-20-5) have points in seven straight (6-0-1) to get to within three points of the second-place Blazers in the B.C. Division. Kelowna has two games in hand. . . . The Blazers (37-20-6) had won their previous three games. They trail B.C. Division-leading Prince George by three points. . . . Kamloops climbed on to its bus after the game and headed for Everett and date tonight with the Silvertips. The Rockets, meanwhile, went south for games with the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight and Spokane Chiefs on Sunday. Yes, three games in three different cities in fewer than 48 hours. . . . Announced attendance: 4,661.
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At Lethbridge, the Hurricanes built up a 4-1 lead en route to a 4-3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings.
MATT ALFARO
. . . F Giorgio Estephan (27) got Lethbridge started at 1:16 of the first period. . . . Brandon F Nolan Patrick tied it with his 16th goal, on a PP, at 5:37. . . . The Hurricanes scored the next three goals. . . . F Zak Zborosky (39) broke the tie at 7:13 of the first, with F Matt Alfaro making it 3-1 at 17:10. . . . Alfaro added his 20th goal of the season at 10:14 of the third period for a 4-1 edge. . . . The Wheat Kings made it interesting with third-period PP goals from F Ty Lewis (28), at 14:17, and F Tyler Coulter (25), at 17:28. . . . F Tyler Wong and D Brennan Menell had two assists each for the winners, while Zborosky added one. . . . Brandon got two assists from each of D Kale Clague and Lewis, with Patrick getting one. . . . G Stuart Skinner blocked 25 shots to earn the victory over Logan Thompson, who made 32 saves. . . . Brandon was 3-5 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-3. . . . Lethbridge (37-17-7) is second in the Central Division, six points behind Medicine Hat with a game in hand. . . . The Wheat Kings (28-24-9) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). They are fourth in the East Division, five points behind Swift Current. Brandon is in possession of the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot, nine points ahead of Calgary. . . . Announced attendance: 4,090.
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At Prince George, G Ty Edmonds set a franchise record for career victories as the Cougars beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-1. . . . Edmonds stopped 19 shots in earning his 27th victory of this season and No. 96 in his career with the Cougars. He had shared the record with Scott Myers (1996-2000). . . . F Jansen Harkins opened the scoring, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead with his 19th goal at 3:38 of the first period. . . . F Nikita Popugaev made it 2-0 with No. 26 at 7:07. . . . The Cougars took a 3-0 lead at 12:44 of the second period as F Jesse Gabrielle scored his 27th goal, shorthanded. . . . The Oil Kings got their goal from F Trey Fix-Wolansky (21), on a PP, at 7:14 of the third period. He broke the Oil Kings’ record for goals by a freshman that had been held by F Curtis Lazar (2011-12). . . . D Josh Anderson (2) scored the Cougars’ final goal, at 7:35. . . . Harkins and Gabrielle added an assist each. . . . Edmonton G Josh Dechaine stopped 38 shots. . . . Edmonton was 1-3 on the PP; Prince George was 0-5. . . . The Cougars lost F Colby McAuley to a headshot major and game misconduct at 9:56 of the second period after a hit on Edmonton F Ty Gerla, who left and didn’t return. . . . Prince George D Brendan Guhle (ankle) remains week-to-week, while F Tanner Wishnowski, who was acquired from Spokane in January, is back skating. He has been out with a concussion since Nov. 19. . . . Prince George (39-19-5) had lost seven of nine and was 0-2-1 in its previous three games. It leads the B.C. Division by three points over Kamloops. . . . Edmonton (20-37-5) has lost five in a row (0-4-1). . . . These teams will meet again tonight in Prince George. . . . Announced attendance: 4,040.
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At Red Deer, the Rebels got off to a 3-0 lead and went on to beat the Kootenay Ice, 6-4. . . . Red Deer
AUSTIN GLOVER
grabbed that lead with three goals in a span of 3:38 in the first period. . . . F Austin Pratt started it with No. 13 at 9:49. . . . F Cameron Hausinger added his seventh goal at 11:35. . . . F Austin Glover made it 3-0, shorthanded, at 13:27. . . . Ice D Cale Fleury’s ninth goal, on a PP, got his guys on the scoreboard at 13:53. . . . Red Deer F Evan Polei got that one back with his 27th, on a PP, 48 seconds into the second period. . . . The Ice got to within a goal when D Kurtis Rutledge (3) scored at 18:55 of the second and F Fedor Rudakov got No. 5 at 8:46 of the third period. . . . The Rebels put it away with two quick goals, F Michael Spacek getting his 26th, on a PP, at 12:23 and Glover adding his 19th at 13:06. . . . F Colton Kroeker scored the Ice’s last goal, his 14th at 19:24. . . . Polei and F Akash Bains had two assists each for Red Deer, while Glover and Spacek had one apiece. . . . The Ice got two assists from each of F Vince Loschiavo and F Michael King. . . . G Lasse Petersen stopped 25 shots for the Rebels. . . . The Ice got 33 stops from G Jakob Walter. . . . Red Deer was 2-7 on the PP; Kootenay was 1-7. . . . The Rebels (25-27-10) have points in three straight games (2-0-1). They are third in the Central Division, four points ahead of Calgary. . . . The Ice (13-37-10) has lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 4,477.
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At Regina, F Sam Steel erupted for four goals and also had an assist to lead the Pats to a 7-0 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Steel, who leads the WHL scoring race, had gone eight games
SAM STEEL
without a goal. He now has 111 points, 10 more than teammate Adam Brooks, who won the scoring title last season. . . . Regina G Tyler Brown stopped 15 shots in earning his fourth shutout of the season and the sixth of his career. . . . Steel scored the game’s first three goals, the first two coming via the PP, at 2:39 and 10:14 of the second period. He completed the hat trick at 18:12. His fourth goal, No. 43 on the season, made it 6-0 at 8:38 of the third period. . . . Regina also got goals from F Jeff de Wit (8), F Nick Henry (30) and D Connor Hobbs (27). . . . Henry, who also had three assists, is the Pats’ fourth 30-goal man, while Hobbs leads all WHL defencemen in goals. . . . F Dawson Leedahl and Brooks each had two assists. . . . The shots were 51-15 and that’s a palindrome. . . . The Broncos started G Jordan Papirny, who surrendered five goals on 37 shots in 42:55. Taz Burman finished up, allowing two goals on 14 shots in 17:04. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-2. . . . Regina is 5-0-0 in the season series. . . . The Pats dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. They scratched F Jake Leschyshyn, who is done for the season with a knee injury, D Jonathan Smart and F Filip Ahl. . . . The Broncos had F Lane Pederson back in the lineup for the first time since Feb. 8, but he left at 2:01 of the second period with a charging major and game misconduct. Regina F Robbie Holmes, who took the hit, left with an apparent shoulder injury and didn't return. . . . The Pats also lost F Braydon Buziak to an undisclosed injury during the game. . . . Regina (44-9-7) has won three in a row and leads the overall standings by eight points over Medicine Hat with two games in hand. . . . Swift Current (30-19-10) had points in its previous two games (1-0-1). The Broncos are third in the East Division, 10 points behind Moose Jaw and five ahead of Brandon. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.
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At Saskatoon, the Blades snapped a five-game losing skid with a 3-1 victory over the Prince Albert
BRAYLON SHMYR
Raiders. . . . F Josh Paterson gave the Blades a 1-0 lead with his 14th goal, at 12:41 of the second period. . . . F Curtis Miske (16) pulled the Raiders even at 14:26. . . . Saskatoon broke the tie when F Braylon Shmyr got his 28th goal, on a PP, at 15:03. . . . D Libor Hajek added insurance with his fourth goal at 15:19 of the third period. . . . The Blades got two assists from F Jesse Shynkaruk, while Shmyr added one. . . . Saskatoon G Logan Flodell stopped 29 shots, while the Raiders’ Ian Scott turned aside 20. . . . Saskatoon was 1-6 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-6. . . . The Blades have won four of the first five meetings between these teams this season. They will meet again tonight in Prince Albert. . . . Saskatoon (24-29-8) had been 0-3-2 in its previous five games. It is tied with Calgary for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . The Raiders (16-40-6) had points in each of their past two games (1-0-1). . . . Announced attendance: 3,541.
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At Kennewick, Wash., F Austyn Playfair scored two goals and added two assists as the Tri-City Americans dumped the Seattle Thunderbirds, 7-3. . . . Playfair had one goal and one assist over his
AUSTYN PLAYFAIR
previous 19 games. He now has seven points, three of them goals, in 27 games. . . . The Americans took a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals from F Kyle Olson, who has 17, at 0:53 and 3:43 of the first period. . . . D Jarret Tyszka (6) scored for Seattle at 8:51, but the Americans took control with the next four goals. . . . Playfair got it started 27 seconds into the second period. . . . F Nolan Yaremko (8) gave the home side a 4-1 lead at 3:09 and F Keltie Jeri-Leon (2) upped it to 5-1 at 4:47. . . . F Brett Leason added another Tri-City goal, his seventh, at 8:06. . . . F Keegan Kolesar (20) and D Austin Strand (7) also scored for Seattle. . . . Playfair added his third goal of the season at 19:28 of the second period. . . . Yaremko, D Parker Wotherspoon and F Max James had two assists apiece for the Americans. . . . Tri-City G Rylan Parenteau stopped 36 shots. . . . G Carl Stankowski made his fourth appearance of the season with Seattle, but only his first since Oct. 14. He is one of three goaltenders on the team’s roster. . . . Stankowski left after giving up two goals on five shots in 3:43. Rylan Toth came on and was beaten four times on eight shots in 24:22. Stankowski went back in and finished up, stopping 15 of 16 shots in 31:53. . . . Seattle was 2-7 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-4. . . . The Americans again were without F Michael Rasmussen, who hasn’t played since Feb. 1. As well, F Vladislav Lukin is expected to be out for two weeks with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Thunderbirds welcomed back F Nolan Volcan and F Keegan Kolesar back in the lineup. Volcan last played on Feb. 24, while Kolesar had missed one game. . . . The Americans (37-23-3) won their sixth straight game. They are third in the U.S. Division, four points behind Seattle and nine ahead of Portland. . . . The Thunderbirds (38-18-5) had won their previous two games. They are second in the U.S. Division, three points behind Everett. . . . Announced attendance: 5,318.
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At Langley, B.C., D Scott Walford tied a franchise record in leading the Victoria Royals to a 6-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Walford had a goal and three assists, his four points equaling the Royals
SCOTT WALFORD
record for points in a game by a defenceman. . . . Walford now shares the record with Chaz Reddekopp (2014-15), Joe Hicketts (2014-15), Travis Brown (2013-14 and 2014-15) and Brandon Manning (2009-10 and 2010-11). . . . Walford, who turned 18 on Jan. 12, has 23 points in 49 games this season. . . . The Royals also tied a franchise record for PP goals in one game, with five. The Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?) went 5-13 in a 6-1 victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Oct. 2, 2010. . . . F Vladimir Bobylev (6) gave the Royals a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 7:25 of the first period. . . . Vancouver F Ty Ronning (23) tied it at 10:07 of the second period. . . . Victoria F Jack Walker followed with two PP goals, giving him 27, at 12:39 and 17:55. . . . The Giants cut the deficit to one as D Matt Barberis scored his ninth at 19:10. . . . The Royals restored the two-goal lead when F Matt Phillips scored No. 43 just 39 seconds into the third period. . . . F Johnny Wesley (9), on a PP, pulled the Giants back to within one at 9:10, but Victoria put it away with the next two goals, both on the PP, as F Dante Hannoun (20) scored at 12:36 and Walford counted his sixth at 16:04. . . . Vancouver F Calvin Spencer closed the scoring with his 13th goal, at 18:08. . . . Phillips, Hannoun, Bobylev and F Regan Nagy each had two assists, with Walker adding one. . . . The Giants got two assists apiece from F Brayden Watts and F James Malm, and one from Wesley. . . . The Royals got 23 saves from G Griffen Outhouse, who earned his 31st victory, one shy of the franchise single-season record set last season by Coleman Vollrath. . . . G Ryan Kubic stopped 41 shots for the Giants. . . . Victoria finished 5-6 on the PP; Vancouver was 1-4. . . . The Royals (33-23-5) have points in three straight (2-0-1). They are fourth in the B.C. Division, six points behind Kelowna. Victoria holds down the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, three points ahead of Portland. . . . The Giants (19-37-5) now head to Victoria for games tonight and Sunday. . . . Announced attendance: 4,125.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Kamloops at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Lethbridge vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.
Brandon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Kelowna vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Victoria, 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.
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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 12:34 AM
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