THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Greg Kuznik (Seattle, 1995-98) signed a one-year contract with Fassa (Italy, Serie A). He had four goals and nine assists in 28 games with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) last season. This will be Kuznik's second tour of duty with Fassa, having played for them in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Fassa is coached by former NHL F Miroslav Frycer. . . .
F Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract with Kaufbeuren (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had 21 goals and 23 assists in 48 games for the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) last season.
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The Victoria Royals have named Cameron Hope as their general manager. Hope is a former assistant general manager responsible for hockey administration with the NHL’s New York Rangers. He was with the Rangers for seven seasons, the last four as assistant GM, before leaving prior to 2011-12. . . . Glen Sather, the Rangers’ president and general manager, was one of the owners of the Chilliwack Bruins, the franchise that was sold to RG Properties last summer and relocated to Victoria. . . . Hope has a law degree and spent the last year working in that area in his hometown of Edmonton. . . . Hope now is looking for a head coach for the Royals and said he hopes to sign someone over the next two weeks. . . . The Royals, of course, are replacing Marc Habscheid, who had been the franchise’s GM/head coach since June 3, 2009. He has been moved upstairs with the parent company, GSL Holdings Ltd.
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Texas Stars have hired Doug Lidster as an assistant coach under head coach Willie Desjardins. The Stars are the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. . . . Lidster, who had a lengthy NHL playing career (1983-99) that included a stop in Dallas, is a former assistant coach of the Canadian national women’s team. Lidster was an assistant coach with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2002-03 when Desjardins was the head coach. . . . For the last five seasons, Lidster, 41, has been the hockey director for the Victory Honda AAA youth program in Michigan. He also did a stint as head coach of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. . . .
Jeff Beukeboom is the new assistant coach with the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers. Hw had been an assistant coach with the OHL's Sudbury Wolves for three seasons. . . . Beukeboom replaces J.J. Daigneault, now an assistant coach with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. With the Whale, Beukeboom, 47, will work with head coach Ken Gernander and assistant coach Pat Boller.
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The CHL’s bad, horrible, terrible, horrendous anti-doping rule has struck again. This time, it’s F Steve Lebel, who played last season with the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens who will sit for eight games after testing positive for methylhexaneamine, a stimulant that appears on the list of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. . . . “Steve Lebel was very cooperative throughout this long process,” QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said in a news release. “After hearing the player's explanations, we are convinced that the player used a supplement without knowledge that it contained a prohibited stimulant," stated QMJHL Commissioner, Gilles Courteau.” . . . This is at least the fourth CHL player who has drawn an eight-game suspension and been branded a druggie and a cheat because of inadvertent use of a banned substance in a supplement. All four have tested positive for the same thing, methylhexaneamine. A lot of ingredients, many of them banned substances, often don’t appear on the list of ingredients in supplements. . . . Lebel, 20, is expected to play for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada next season. His suspension kicks in with the start of the season. Better he should have delivered a headshot and left an opponent concussed. Might only have gotten five games for that.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have traded D Shayne Gwinner, 18, to the Prince Albert Raiders for two bantam draft picks — a fourth-rounder in 2013 and a sixth in 2014. . . . Gwinner was a second-round pick by the Warriors in the 2010 draft. . . . He had 11 points and 51 penalty minutes in 51 games with Moose Jaw last season.
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D Dylan McIlrath, a product of the Moose Jaw Warriors, has had surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap suffered last week during the New York Rangers’ prospects camp in Greenburgh, N.Y. . . . McIlrath, 20, had surgery on Friday. McIlrath was the 10th overall selection in the 2010 NHL draft. He still has one season of WHL eligibility remaining, but is expected to begin the 2012-13 season with the Rangers or the AHL’s Connecticut Whale. . . . Early this morning, McIlrath tweeted: “Would like to thank every one for the wonderful support, looking forward to a fast and healthy recovery!”

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The gang at The Coaches Site — that’s their ad at the top of Taking Note’s home page — have interviewed a number of prominent hockey coaches.

The first of these is with Brent Peterson, a former assistant coach who now is the hockey operations advisor with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

That interview is right here. Enjoy!

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Alan Maki and David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail have taken a look at major junior hockey and the issue of fighting, and that piece is right here.
Interestingly, David Branch, who doubles as president of the Canadian Hockey League and commissioner of the OHL, seems intent on if not eliminating fighting at least getting rid of players who do most of the scrapping.
Branch points out, again, that major junior hockey’s top showcase events are the World Junior Championship and the MasterCard Memorial Cup and “there’s no fighting at these events.”
Maki and Shoalts add that Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, “is not part of the anti-fighting movement” because he says “WHL statistics show fighting is the cause of less than 10 per cent of the concussions sustained by players in the 2011-12 regular season.”
I’m sorry, but that just isn’t good enough.
The objective should be to get concussions out of the game. (Keep in mind that the WHL is less transparent about concussions and head injuries than the Chinese government is about dissidents.)
Granted, that will never happen in a contact sport. But if the WHL has identified that 9.9 per cent of the concussions suffered by its players are from fighting, then fighting should be eliminated. In fact, if the WHL has determined that 0.1 per cent of concussions eminate from fighting, then it should be working to eliminate fighting.
Or perhaps the WHL is going to wait for the lawyers to get involved.
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Peter Ruicci of the Sault Star reports right here that there may be more than booze to the suspensions of the Soo Thunderbirds’ head coach and an assistant coach. “The commissioner of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League confirmed Sunday that his league has been looking into alleged marijuana usage on the Soo Thunderbirds bus, during the club's return trip from Thunder Bay after winning the April 21 Dudley Hewitt Cup,” Ruicci writes.
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JUST NOTES: The Tri-City Americans announced Monday that F Justin Feser, 20, will be the club’s captain next season. Feser will be the 24th captain in franchise history. A native of Red Deer, he is preparing for his fifth season with Tri-City. He takes over from F Mason Wilgosh, who completed his junior eligibility this season. . . . D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors has joined the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers. McIlrath was selected with the 10th overall selection of the NHL’s 2010 draft. . . . Yes, the entire WHL final will be televised by Shaw. That means you get Dan Russell calling the play, with analysis by Bill Wilms. Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal also will be involved in the telecasts.
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The first round of the WHL’s Eastern Conference playoffs wrapped up on March 30. The second round began SEVEN days later, on April 6. . . . The second round concluded on April 11. The conference final began NINE days later, on April 20, and ended April 27.
In the Western Conference, the first round ended on April 1; the second round opened FIVE days later, on April 6. . . . The second round was over on April 18 and the third round began TWO days later, on April 20. It was over on April 26.
The WHL final is to open on Thursday, which is May 3. The Portland Winterhawks will have been off for SIX days, the Edmonton Oil Kings for FIVE.
The point of this exercise is to point out how much time off there has been between rounds since the WHL playoffs opened on March 23.
Why, then, is the WHL final, should it go seven games, scheduled to be played in such a compressed time period? It opens with three games in four nights -- which actually is three games in just over 72 hours. Should it go seven games, it will close in the same hurried fashion.
Would it not be far better to do away with some of the days off earlier in the playoffs, even if that means the conferences end up on a schedule that is a bit staggered?
Shouldn’t the objective be to provide the best hockey and the best entertainment to the paying customer, and isn’t that best accomplished with two teams that are reasonably fresh?
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Here are the dates for the WHL’s championship final (all times local):
Thursday, May 3: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 4: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 6: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 8: at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Thursday, May 10: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, May 12: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2001-04) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had a 3.12 GAA and a .908 save percentage in 27 games with CPH Hockey/Hvidovre Copenhagen (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) this season. CPH Hockey/Hvidovre has had some financial difficulties and has now moved to an all-Danish lineup. . . .
F Juraj Gracik (Try-City, 2004-06) was released by the Milton Keynes Lightning (England, Premier). He had 14 goals and 24 assists in 32 games for the Lightning this season.
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CALVIN PICKARD

G Calvin Pickard of the Seattle Thunderbirds has made a new fan after Sunday’s game in which he set the WHL career record for saves while opposing Payton Lee, the Vancouver Giants’ 15-year-old goaltender.
That fan sent me an email that reads, in part . . .
“Calvin Pickard, who is truly a great goaltender, stopped another Sunday night to become the all-time puck-stopper in the WHL. But he truly must be acknowledged for his sportsmanship.
“During the second period of Sunday’s game as is custom there was a timeout called around the 10-minute mark. During this timeout, as the players were skating towards their respective benches, the two goaltenders, Pickard and Payton Lee from the Giants, had to cross one another’s path to get to their benches. Pickard passed Lee quite close by and, in something I haven't seen in many a day, Pickard tapped Lee on the pads with his stick and skated to his bench.
“When the timeout was over, Pickard and Lee came together again and both tapped each other on the pads as they headed back to their respective goals.
It was quite a showing and it renews your faith in the true sportsmanship of the game.
“Also during the second period, after play had resumed, Lee made quite a spectacular glove save and I noticed that Pickard was slapping his stick on the ice as a kind of ‘Nice save, kid’ gesture.
“In this day and age, you just don't see that happening and I thought it should be acknowledged.
“In the third period, when Pickard had made the save that got him the record, the fans gave him quite an ovation when it was announced by the in-house public address announcer.
“Pickard also was given quite an ovation when he was selected one of the three stars and deservedly so.
“I have seen a lot of hockey in my day but Sunday’s game really brought me back to a place that I hadn't been to in a long, long time. It was most refreshing to see.”
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DEPT. OF DISCIPLINE:
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s hanging judge, has been busy over the last few days.
D Alex Roach of the Calgary Hitmen got three games for a Friday night check to the head that has left Prince George Cougars F Greg Fraser with a concussion.
Prince George F Campbell Elynuik came out of that game with five games in suspensions — an automatic one game for receiving his third game misconduct and four more for being involved in what the WHL calls a “one man fight.” In other words, Elynuik jumped a Calgary player.
F Austin Bourhis of the Prince Albert Raiders got hit was a three-game sentence for a charging major in a Friday game against the visiting Victoria Royals.
As well, F Dryden Hunt of the Regina Pats is out ‘tbd’ for a checking to the head of Moose Jaw Warriors F Andrew Johnson. The Warriors say Johnson isn’t concussed, but he isn’t expected to play tonight in Swift Current against the Broncos.
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Luke Siemens will be back in goal for the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight when they go up against the host Swift Current Broncos. Siemens, who is 22-9-4, 2.59, .909, wasn’t dressed for two games and spent the Warriors’ last game on the bench as Spencer Tremblay went the distance three times. When Siemens sat out the first game, head coach Mike Stothers told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald that Siemens needed to re-focus. On Monday, Stothers told Gourlie: “The re-focusing seems to have worked.” . . . Gourlie also reports that Moose Jaw F Andrew Johnson is out after taking a check to the head from Regina Pats F Dryden Hunt on Saturday. . . . Warriors D Dylan McIlrath, with six games left in an eight-game suspension, is in New York with the Rangers for a few days. They took him 10th overall in the NHL’s 2010 draft.
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The Saskatoon Blades have returned G Alex Moodie, 16, to the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild. With G Andrey Makarov (concussion) due to return this week, the Blades were able to complete the move they started early in January. But Makarov suffered a concussion on Jan. 7, so Moodie was kept on the roster. During his stay with the Blades, Moodie, who joined them on Dec. 27, won nine of 12 starts, going 9-3-0, 3.42, .895. . . . The Blades are expected to have Makarov in goal on Friday when they meet the Warriors in Moose Jaw.
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The WHL career of Prince Albert Raiders F Kellan Tochkin, 20, would appear to be over. The Raiders revealed Monday that Tochkin has a broken wrist that will keep him sidelined for up to five months. He is scheduled to see a specialist in Vancouver and is likely to have surgery next week. . . . The Raiders acquired Tochkin, who is from Abbotsford, B.C., from the Medicine Hat Tigers earlier this season. He had 29 points in 29 games with the Raiders, and also was a plus-7. He is under contract to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. . . . Tochkin began his WHL career with the Everett Silvertips. . . . In 256 regular-season games, he put up 243 points, including 91 goals.
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JUST NOTES: The Portland Winterhawks are at home to the Everett Silvertipts tonight. Portland will be looking to extend its franchise-record home-ice winning streak to 18 games. The WHL record belongs to the 1993-94 Kamloops Blazers (29). . . . The Winterhawks haven’t had a skater finish in the top five in the scoring race since F Josef Balej, who was fifth with 92 points in 2001-02. They haven’t had a play win the scoring race since F Todd Robinson did it with 134 points in 1996-97. F Ty Rattie leads the WHL in goals (42) and is tied with Regina Pats F Jordan Weal in points (81) at the moment. . . .
F Brett Boehm, a Calgary Hitmen list player, has made an oral commitment to the U of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. Boehm has 70 points in 33 games with the Saskatchewan midget AAA league’s Beardy’s Blackhawks. Boehm expects to play next season with the SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers. . . . Boehm’s father, Brad, played in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders and Moose Jaw Warriors (1988-90). . . .
The AHL’s Connecticut Whale has signed F Randy McNaught. McNaught, 21, is from Nanaimo, B.C. He joins the Whale after starting the season with the U of Calgary Dinos. He had 24 penalty minutes but no points in 12 games. Last season, an ankle injury limited him to eight games with the Vancouver Giants, who had acquired him from the Saskatoon Blades. He also played for the Chilliwack Bruins. In 154 regular-season WHL games, he had 27 points and 321 penalty minutes. . . . McNaught was a seventh-round selection by the New York Rangers in the NHL’s 2010 draft.
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David La Vaque of the Minneapolis Star Tribune takes a look at the options facing high school players in Minnesota as they decide between the major junior and NCAA routes. That story is right here.


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DEPT. OF CH-CH-CHING:
Pat Conacher, the head coach of the Regina Pats, has been fined $500 for comments he made to the Regina Leader-Post’s Greg Harder after a 3-2 OT loss to the visiting Kootenay Ice on Wednesday.
It always is interesting when someone associated with a team is critical of the officials because it hardly ever happens in the vanilla world of the WHL.
In the interests of clarity, here’s what happened. . . . The Pats lost 3-2 on a PP goal by Sam Reinhart scored on a back-door play at 3:32 of exta time. Regina D Brandon Davidson was in the penalty box at the time.
Anyway, here’s what Harder wrote (that applause you hear is coming from other WHL coaches, none of whom are likely to help Conacher pay the fine despite their feelings):
Afterwards, Pats head coach Pat Conacher was less-than impressed with the work of referees Chris Crich and Cole Hamm.
“Those guys don’t work hard enough to get down the ice and they’re definitely not together. They’re lazy getting up the ice,” said Conacher, who referred to the penalty against Davidson as a “very bad call both ways.”
“There should have been an interference call on Jordan Weal (late in the third) and there could have been a holding call on Dyson Stevenson at the blue line. Then they come down and call that on Brandon. I’m going, ‘Come on guys, give us a break.’ ”
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DEPT. OF JUSTICE:
Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey, hit D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors with an eight-game suspension on Friday, the result of a check to the head of Victoria Royals D Jesse Zgraggen on Wednesday.
As a result, McIlrath sat out the Warriors’ 6-5 OT victory over the visiting Kootenay Ice on Friday night. Zgraggen, who is concussed, sat out the Royals’ 6-4 victory over the Raiders in Prince Albert.
The WHL doesn’t do video explanations, but here is what was posted: “Primary contact was made to the head of the opponent. The hit resulted in an injury to the opponent. This is the second suspension the player has received this season.”
Doerksen is going to be busy for the next day or two, as well.
Three players left games last night with major penalties and game misconducts.
In Swift Current, Broncos D Colby Cave took a charging major and game misconduct for a hit on Edmonton Oil Kings F Mason Geertsen, who left the ice on a stretcher and was taken to hospital.
In Prince Albert, Raiders F Austin Bourhis was given a charging major and a game misconduct.
In Calgary, D Alex Roach of the Hitmen took a major and game misconduct for a check to the head.
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You often hear WHL players say something about “Living the life.” Oftentimes it is said with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Like this Friday afternoon tweet from Edmonton Oil Kings D Mark Pysyk before a game in Swift Current against the Broncos:
“If you absolutely love pasta I challenge you to join a hockey team for a year, and see if you still feel the same. #breakfast #lunch #dinner”
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And then there was this Twitter exchange between Regina D Brandon Davidson and Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz, both of whom are Edmonton Oilers’ draft picks . . . It went like this:
Bunz: “Game in Regina tonight against @bdavy3 . Keep your head up kid;) #throwingbows”
Davidson: “@tylerbunz wondering where to shoot tonight? Ill see if u got a quick chest first and go from there #cheese?;)”
Bunz: “@bdavy3 last time you went Chee it didn't go to well;) maybe if you shoot through screens like you always do you'll bury again #shothaseyes”
Davidson: “@tylerbunz ahhh true...true. Don't remind me :s #seeyaafter”
So what happened later? Well, Davidson had one assist and Bunz stopped 32 shots. And the Tigers won 3-2 in OT.
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JUST NOTES:
In the OHL, F Brody Silk of the Sudbury Wolves drew a 12-game suspension for a “blow to the head of an unsuspecting player.” Silk punched F Ryan Strome of the Niagara IceDogs in the head during a scrum on Jan. 13. Strome, selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the NHL’s 2011 draft, ended up with multiple facial fractures and a broken nose. He has undergone surgery. Strome played for Canada at the recently completed World Junior Championship. . . . In the BCHL last night, the Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to 24 games with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Westside Warriors. The Vees next play Sunday when they are at home to the Prince George Spruce Kings. . . .
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F Brett Connolly of the Tampa Bay Lightning played six minutes 28 seconds over 11 shifts in a 2-1 victory over the host Dallas Stars last night. He played six shifts in the first period, three in the second and two in the third. He didn’t have any shots on goal, but took two tripping minors. . . . Hello, Steve, this is Bob Tory calling. Yeah, Tri-City Americans. . . .
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 FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, F Cole Grbavac’s OT goal gave the Medicine Hat Tigers a 3-2 victory over the Pats. . . . Grbavac, the team captain, scored his seventh goal of the season at 2:07 of extra time. . . . Regina F Lane Scheidl forced OT with his 16th goal at 8:18 of the third. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 40th goal of the season for the Tigers. . . . Emerson now has at least one goal in nine straight games, the longest such streak in all of the CHL this season. . . . The Tigers are at home to the Swift Current Broncos tonight. . . . F Jordan Weal had a goal, his 29th, and an assist for Regina. . . . The Pats have lost three in a row. . . .

In Swift Current, D Mark Pysyk scored twice and added an assist to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 6-1 victory over the Broncos. . . . The victory was Edmonton’s 31st of the season, tying the modern franchise record that was set last season. . . . Pysyk has five goals this season. . . . The Oil Kings scored the game’s first six goals and took a 5-0 lead into the second period. . . . Edmonton F Tyler Maxwell opened the scoring for the fourth straight game. He finished with two goals, giving him 27. . . . Edmonton F Mason Geertsen was injured late in the game when he took a hit from D Colby Cave in front of the Oil Kings’ bench. Geertsen received attention from both trainers, a doctor and EMT personnel before leaving the ice on a stretcher. . . . Cave was given a charging major and game misconduct, so almost certainly is looking at a suspension. . . . The Broncos took 93 of the game’s 151 penalty minutes as handed out by referee Nathan Wieler. . . . There were eight fighting majors. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry, getting into his eighth game of the season, stopped 21 shots. Jarry, 16, is 5-2-0, 2.60, .906 . . . Shortly after the game had ended, the Oil Kings tweeted: “Mason Geertsen has gone to the hospital, hes conscious and alert the early indications seem positive.” . . . That was followed shortly after by: “Word from the Trainers is everything is OK with Mason Geertsen will remain in observation over night. #GetWellSoonMase” . . .

In Moose Jaw, F Andrew Johnson scored twice, including the OT winner, as the Warriors dumped the Kootenay Ice, 6-5. . . . Johnson, who has 13 goals, got the winner at 2:27 of OT. . . . Moose Jaw D Joel Edmundson tied the game with 51 seconds left in the third period. That was his first goal of the season. . . . F Brock Montgomery, who is from Moose Jaw, had given the Ice a 5-4 lead on the PP at 18:53 of the third. . . . F Jonathon Martin of the Ice had two goals, giving him four. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart scored his 16th goal of the season, setting a franchise record for 16-year-old skaters. F Nigel Dawes had scored 15 in 2001-02. . . . The Ice was 2-3 on the PP; the Warriors were 2-4. . . . For a second straight game, the Warriors went without G Luke Siemens. After he sat out Wednesday’s game, head coach Mike Stothers said Siemens needed to get “re-focussed.” . . . Hmmmm. . . . G Spencer Tremblay is expected to make his third straight start for the Warriors tonight in Regina, with Siemens backing him up. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Victoria Royals scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Raiders, 6-4. . . . F Austin Carroll broke a 4-4 tie at 7:48 of the third period and F Logan Nelson added insurance at 12:30 with his 19th score this season. . . . The Raiders had pulled into a 4-4 tie with two goals early in the third period, F Anthony Bardaro getting his 21st goal 40 seconds in and D Tyler Yaworski equalizing at 1:27. . . . Nelson and F Jamie Crooks each had a goal and two assists for the Royals, who are 2-3-0 on an East Division swing that wraps up tonight in Saskatoon. . . . Raiders F Justin Maylan celebrated his 21st birthday with three assists. He has 59 points, including 40 helpers, in 46 games. . . . The Royals were without F Tim Traber, who was injured in a fight on Wednesday in Moose Jaw, and D Jesse Zgraggen, who was injured on that hit from Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath. But D Zach Habscheid, who also left Wednesday’s game early, was back in the lineup. . . . Raiders F Austin Bourhis was given a charging major and game misconduct nine minutes into the second period. . . .

In Saskatoon, D Kyle Schmidt’s first goal of the season stood up as the winner as the Blades edged the Brandon Wheat Kings, 3-2. . . . The teams split a doubleheader, as Brandon had won 6-4 there on Wednesday. . . . That was Schmidt’s first goal in 36 games this season. He had three goals in 65 games with the Calgary Hitmen last season. Oh, he turned 19 on Friday. . . . Brandon G Brandon Anderson stopped 43 shots. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone got his 31st goal. . . . The Blades had a 20-8 edge in shots in the second period. . . . Saskatoon had F Josh Nicholls (knee) back in the lineup, but G Andrey Makarov (concussion) remains out. . . . G Alex Moodie stopped 33 shots for the Blades and was named the game’s first star. He is expected to rejoin the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild next week when Makarov returns to game action. . . .  Moodie has beaten Brandon twice in three starts while filling in for Makarov. . . .

In Calgary, F Victor Rask scored twice to help the Hitmen to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Rask has 19 goals this season. . . . Prince George F Jordan Tkatch got his side to within one at 2:55 of the second period, but F Alex Gogolev scored his 19th at 8:46 on the PP and the Hitmen were on their way. . . . The game featured two former Tri-City Americans goaltenders, with Chris Driedger stopping 18 shots for the Hitmen and Drew Owsley making 39 saves for the Cougars. . . . The Cougars took 62 of 105 penalty minutes. . . . Calgary D Alex Roach took a major and game misconduct for a check to the head at 6:57 of the third period. . . . According to the online game sheet, Calgary F Rob Trzonkowski took a fighting major by himself at 16:11 of the first period, while Prince George F Campbell Elynuik took a fighting major and game misconduct by himself at 17:36 of the third period. Interesting. . . .

In Kelowna, F Brody Sutter scored twice to lead his Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 6-3 victory over the Rockets. . . . Sutter now has 20 goals on the season. . . . He also had an assist. . . . Lethbridge D Landon Oslanski set up two goals as the Hurricanes finished a B.C. Division swing at 2-3. . . . The Hurricanes scored the game’s first five goals. . . . The Rockets cut the deficit to 5-3 before Lethbridge F Graham Hood iced it with an empty-netter. . . . F Colton Sissons got his 25th goal of the season for the Rockets. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., D Brenden Kitchton broke a 1-1 tie at 10:56 of the third period and the Spokane Chiefs went on to a 3-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The loss was only the third of the season for the Americans on home ice. . . . F Brian Williams gave the hosts a 1-0 lead at 7:19 of the first period. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel, who finished with 37 saves, shut the door after that goal. . . . F Dominik Uher added insurance with a shorthanded goal at 17:20 of the third period. . . . G Eric Comrie stopped 20 shots for the Americans. . . . F Connor Rankin returned to the Americans’ lineup for the first time since Dec. 17. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Kamloops Blazers ran their winning streak to eight games as they beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-3. . . . The victory lifted the Blazers into first place overall, one point ahead of the Tri-City Americans. Those two will meet tonight in Kennewick, Wash. . . . They have played twice before this season — the Americans won 3-2 in OT at home on Nov. 19; the Blazers won 3-2 at home in regulation on Jan. 11. . . . F Chase Schaber scored twice for Kamloops, the second one into an empty net after Seattle had closed to within one, at 4-3, on F Seth Swenson‘s goal at 17:07 of the third. . . . F Colin Smith and D Bronson Maschmeyer each had a goal and an assist for Kamloops. . . . G Cam Lanigan stopped 30 shots for Kamloops. It was Lanigan’s 11th start this season, but just his first since Dec. 30 and his third over the Blazers’ last 27 games. . . . F Chance Lund scored twice for Seattle, which got 36 saves from G Daniel Cotton. . . . Seattle was 0-for-6 on the PP, including a 5-on-3 that took up the last 40 seconds of the second and the first 1:20 of the third. . . .

In Vancouver, G Payton Lee made 19 saves in his WHL debut as the Giants beat the Everett Silvertips, 4-3. . . . Lee was a second-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft by the Giants, who are without G Adam Morrison (concussion). . . . D Brett Kulak scored twice for the Giants, giving him six on the season. His second goal, at 16:50 of the second on a PP, gave the Giants a 4-2 lead. . . . Down 2-0 in the first period, the Silvertips took advantage of a 5-on-3 PP to score twice. . . . In an interesting piece of numerology, the scorers bagged goals No. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in this game. . . . Vancouver F Riley Kieser got his third, Giants F Anthony Ast got his fourth, Kulak looked after five and six, Everett F Cody Fowlie got his seventh and eighth, and Everett F Kohl Bauml got his ninth. . . . The Giants continue to be without F Brendan Gallagher (shoulder), F Dalton Sward (shoulder), D David Musil (wrist) and Morrison. . . . During the game, the Giants’ twitter account carried this: “Big Brett Kulak with the HOWITZER from the point! Puts in his 5th on the PP. Giants lead 2-0, 12:18 into the 1st.” . . . Dear Mr. Giant: Please look up howitzer in your dictionary. Thank you. . . .
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Dylan Bumbarger, who blogs on all things Portland Winterhawks with a lot of WHL-related sidebars, has plotted the Western Conference race through games of Feb. 6. . . . His figurings make for an interesting read. Check it out right here.
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The NFL has been hit with another class action law suit with former players claiming long-term problems associated with post-concussion syndrome. This news release goes so far as the provide the symptoms with which some of the former players are suffering.
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If you’re looking for a good read, try this right here. It’s from Gene Pereira and the Barrie Examiner, and it’s all about the return of Bill Stewart, a coach who had been away from the OHL for 10 years. Why? Well, you could start with his twice putting a Ukrainian player in the luggage hold under the bus to get him over the U.S. border. . . . And it gets better from there.


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Rick Brodsky, the owner of the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, appeared on CKNW’s SportsTalk with Dan Russell on Thursday night. The three-hour talk show is based in Vancouver.
Brodsky, who has been involved at the ownership level in three cities and also did a lengthy stint as chairman of the WHL’s board of governors, displayed an honesty that really was a breath of fresh air in this day of upper- and lower-body injuries.
He told Russell that the Cougars’ problems in Prince George are, to a large degree, self-inflicted because the team hasn’t been the team management has wanted it to be. He also pointed out that the sinking lumber-based in that city economy has been a major factor in the dropoff in attendance.
Brodsky also admitted to Russell that he talked with Chilliwack interests last spring after the Bruins were sold and in the process of relocating to Victoria.
Furthermore, Brodsky said that the Cougars are solidly in Prince George and that he has absolutely zero interest in selling the franchise. But, he told Russell, he would look into any situation that might arise should there be anything viable out there.
Without that, Brodsky said, the Cougars are rolling up their sleeves and working hard.
Brodsky also talked about Winnipeg, Fort McMurray, Nanaimo . . . from his and the league’s perspective.
As mentioned, this was an interesting interview simply because Brodsky didn’t try to duck and run from any of Russell’s questions.
You are able to listen to the interview right here. It’s in Hour 3 of the Thursday, Jan. 19 program.
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Goodness knows there are enough stories out there about concussions and hazing and headshots and fighting and all the rest.
So how about one about how three players from the Prince Albert Raiders — Shane Danyluk, Josh Morrissey and Carson Perreaux — saved the life of a six-week-old puppy?
Hey, nothing like a warm-puppy story to warm the cockles of your heart on a cold January day.
The complete story is right here.
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WHL players have taken part in 1,004 fights to this point in the season. At the end of the 2010-11 regular season, there had been 1,713 scraps.
What this means is that fighting in the WHL is down marginally, from 2.16 fights per game last season to 2.02 this time around.
In last season’s 70 playoff games, there were 45 fights, an average of 0.64 per game.
Darren Kramer of the Spokane Chiefs led the WHL with 46 bouts last season and is the leader again this season, with 18.
The Chiefs will hold a bobblehead night in his honour on Saturday. Not only will the doll’s head bobble, but so will the gloves.
This is progress?
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JUST NOTES:
F Josh Nicholls is expected to return to the Saskatoon Blades’ lineup tonight as they play host to the Brandon Wheat Kings. Nicholls had 35 points, including 20 goals, in 30 games when he left a Dec. 3 game with a knee injury. Nicholls missed 16 games. . . . He has spent a few games helping the coaches run the Blades’ bench. On Thursday, Nicholls tweeted: “I have decided to step down from my duties as Assistant Coach with the Blades. I will remain with the team in another capacity #reggiedunlop” . . . Nicholls is expected to go right back onto the Blades’ top offensive line, alongside Matej Stransky and Brent Benson. . . . Meanwhile, G Andrey Makarov (concussion) has returned to practice but isn’t expected to play until next week. . . . Alex Moodie, 16, is expected to start for the Blades tonight and perhaps again Saturday against the visiting Victoria Royals. He has made 11 appearances since Dec. 29. . . .
The Regina Pats may have D Brandon Underwood back in the lineup tonight when they meet the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. Underwood has missed 18 games with a fracture ankle. He was injured Dec. 4 when he blocked a shot in a game against the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . .
An interesting tidbit from Dave (Crash) Cameron of the Edmonton Sun, on the Oil Kings line that has Tyler Maxwell with Michael St. Croix and Dylan Wruck: “Since acquiring Maxwell from the Everett Silvertips, the line combo of the Californian with St. Croix and Wruck wracked up 104 points in the 21 games together. Maxwell had 30 points (13G, 17A), Wruck 35 (13G, 22A) and St. Croix 39 (15G, 24A).”
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F Rocco Grimaldi, a second-round selection by the Florida Panthers in the NHL’s 2011 draft, has been shut down by the U of North Dakota hockey team. Grimaldi, who is to turn 19 on Feb. 8, is to have surgery to repair damage to a knee. Grimaldi’s WHL rights belong to the Portland Winterhawks.
The Grand Forks Herald has more on Grimaldi right here.
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D Dougie Hamilton of the OHL’s Niagara IceDogs has been suspended for 10 games for a check to the head of F Michael MacDonald of the Sudbury Wolves on Jan. 13. MacDonald came out of it with a concussion. Hamilton, who has 50 points in 34 games, was taken ninth overall by the Boston Bruins in the NHL’s 2011 entry draft. He played for the Canadian junior team at the recently completed World Junior Championship. . . . He will be eligible to return to the lineup on Feb. 12. . . .
Meanwhile, the QMJHL has suspended D Alex Filiatrault of the Val d'Or Foreurs for seven games after a knee-on-knee hit on F Anthony Duclair of the Quebec Remparts on Saturday. Filiatrault ended up with an automatic one-game suspension and the league added six more on Thursday. Duclair is expected to sit for more than a week with a bruised knee.
By the way, Patrick Roy, the Remparts’ GM and head coach, drew a $2,500 fine for referring to the on-ice officials as a “disgrace” after a Jan. 4 loss to the Victoriaville Tigres. Roy now has been fined three times this season for a total of $7,000.
Meanwhile, the Moose Jaw Warriors await word from the WHL office as to the length of suspension to D Dylan McIlrath, who took out Victoria Royals D Jesse Zgraggen with an elbow to the head on Wednesday night.
“I know my thought process coming in wasn’t to hit him up high,” McIlrath told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald on Thursday. “I wanted to ride him into the boards and make a routine hip check, like I’ve done so many times before,” McIlrath said. “It was just a bang-bang play. It’s unfortunate.
“I saw him on the ice. Obviously, I didn’t want to see anyone to get injured. I felt bad right after it happened. He went down pretty hard. It’s tough to see.”
McIlrath is a repeat offender, having sat out three games after a charging major he incurred on Nov. 23 for a hit on F Trevor Cheek of the Calgary Hitmen.
Prior to this season, McIlrath, a first-round selection by the New York Rangers in the 2010 NHL draft, had never been suspended.
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There was some tremendously interesting news out of the BCHL on Thursday after the board of governors held its semi-annual meeting in Richmond.
For starters, the governors voted to trim the number of regular-season games from 60 to 56.
That will cut down on the number of mid-week games, allowing teams to schedule the bulk of their games on Friday and Saturday nights.
The BCHL also will hold a massive showcase event on Sept. 7-9 in which each team will play twice. Those games will count as regular-season games, with the season beginning in earnest on Sept. 14. It will end on March 10, 2013.
What that means is that each team, with the exception of the team that plays host to the showcase, will play 27 home games.
For more, including a new conference alignment and more, check right here.
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David Shoalts of The Globe and Mail is reporting that “the results of an RCMP investigation into Len Barrie’s financial dealings with his former Bear Mountain golf resort and real-estate development” near Victoria have been turned over to the B.C. Attorney General’s office.
That story is right here.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Steve McCarthy (Edmonton/Kootenay, 1996-2000) signed a contract for the rest of this season with ZSC Zurich (Switzerland, NL A) after a successful tryout. He had three assists in 10 games during his tryout.
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In Spokane, the Chiefs outshot Everett 55-16 and beat the Silvertips, 8-1. . . . The Chiefs stretched a 3-1 second-period lead with five third-period goals. . . . .It was the end of a nine-game road swing for Everett, during which time it was 2-6-1. . . . The Silvertips, who are at home against the Prince George Cougars on Friday, have lost five straight. . . . Everett D Lucas Grayson was given a charging major for a hit on Spokane F Dominik Uher at 16:04 of the third period. Uher was hit as he scored the Chiefs’ seventh goal, his sixth of the season. . . . As Uher left the ice, he wasn’t able to put any weight on his right leg. . . .
In Regina, defence partners Brandon Davidson and Brandon Underwood each had three assists as the Pats beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-3 in OT. . . . Each team was 3-for-4 on the PP, with only the winning goal scored at even strength. . . . Regina freshman F Morgan Klimchuk won it at 1:34 of OT. . . . Regina freshman F Morgan Klimchuk won it at 1:34 of OT. . . . Tigers F Emerson Etem, who leads the WHL in goals (23) and points (39), had his 17-game point streak snapped. . . . F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings, who has 37 points, has points in each of his club’s 18 games this season. . . . The Pats had held a players-only meeting after losing 3-2 to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night. . . . The Tigers were without F Cole Grbavac, their captain, who took a charging major during Saturday’s 4-3 OT victory in Brandon. . . .
In Moose Jaw, the Warriors overcame a 2-0 deficit and beat the Calgary Hitmen 3-2 in OT on F Quinton Howden’s fourth goal of the season. . . . He scored on the PP at 1:22 of extra time. Calgary F Jimmy Bubnick was penalized for goaltender interference with 19.1 seconds left in the third period. . . . Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly had two assists before leaving with an apparent right leg injury in the third period. . . . The Warriors didn’t dress D Dylan McIlrath (undisclosed), who has missed four of the club’s last five games, and D Joel Edmundson (undisclosed), who sat out a month with a high ankle sprain before returning to play four games. McIlrath has played once game since taking an elbow to the head in Cranbrook on Oct. 22 so you have to wonder if he has a concussion. . . .
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports, who handles the Buzzing The Net blog, has his BTN Dynamic Dozen posted (in fact, it was up before midnight Pacific time). . . . It’s right here and it’s worth checking out.
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Jeff Bell of the Victoria Times Colonist has a neat story right here that involves the carpet and logo in the dressing room of the Victoria Royals.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Giants D Blake Orban will be out for a couple of weeks after suffering an undisclosed injury during Thursday’s practice. The Giants will play tonight and Saturday in Prince George and hope to have D Neil Manning (back) in the lineup again. When healthy, Manning makes the Giants’ PP go from the back end. . . . The Cougars will be without D Martin Marincin, who was hit with a four-game suspension for an intereference major he incurred on Tuesday in Vancouver. He has sat out one game. . . . Vancouver F Anthony Ast was injured on the play and may not play this weekend. . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings may have D Brodie Melnychuk, 20, in the lineup tonight for the first time this season. He suffered a broken wrist during training camp and finally has been cleared to return to game action. . . . The Wheat Kings are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors tonight. This is the Wheat Kings’ first home game since returning from a lengthy road trip, during which they acquired G Brandon Anderson and F Darian Dziurzynski in deals. . . . The Warriors hope to have D Dylan McIlrath back in their lineup tonight. He practised Thursday after sitting out a Wednesday game with an undisclosed injury. . . .
In Prince Albert, the Swift Current Broncos scored the game’s first three goals and went on to beat the Raiders, 6-3. Prince Albert has lost four straight and has changed goaltenders in midstream in each of the last two. . . . Former WHL D Bruin McDonald has joined the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express. McDonald, 19, is attending Douglas College. After playing two seasons (2008-10) with the Prince George Cougars, McDonald started last season with the Spokane Chiefs, then joined the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies, before making a five-game stoip with the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques. . . .
The Everett Silvertips have assigned D Tye Hand, 16, to the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. Hand hadn’t gotten into a game with Everett this season. . . . The Pipeline Show is reporting that the Edmonton Oil Kings are about to add D Cody Corbett, a Minnesota high school product, to their roster. There’s more right here.
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The OHL has announced another lengthy suspension, this time to Oshawa Generals F Christian Thomas. He drew a 10-game sentence for a high-sticking match penalty. The video is right here.
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Jess Rubenstein is a blogger who pays particular attention to New York Rangers’ prospects over at The Prospect Park. And, as you will see by reading what follows, he has a bone to pick with the WHL:
“Dylan McIlrath (NYR 2010 1st) was not in the lineup for the Moose Jaw Warriors as they faced off with the Prince Albert Raiders (on Wednesday night). We have a reliable source who tells us that McIlrath is ‘day to day’ due to an upper body injury.
“We do know that McIlrath took an elbow to the head on Saturday in the Warriors game against the Kootenay Ice and he missed practice on Monday. It is sad that the WHL were the ones who were the first to announce their ‘7 point plan’ aimed at reducing injuries but now they will not say whether or not a player has a concussion.
“How are we supposed to know whether or not concussions are truly being reduced when there isn't any actual coverage of when a player has in fact suffered a concussion? We are reduced to gossip and guessing games but more importantly it damages the WHL's credibility since we have no way to verify whether or not a player has suffered a concussion.
“And really do you want New York Rangers fans who are already wondering about the status of Marc Staal and his own concussion issues wondering about a top prospect?
“Whether it is the Rangers or any other league, concussions are now a legit issue that needs to be dealt with in an open and honest manner. How are we supposed to believe anyone claiming concussions are down when you will not tell us when they happen?”
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post checks in with Curtis Hunt, the former Regina Pats’ head coach who, it turns out, is keeping his finger in the coaching game. That piece is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

Fans of the Chilliwack Bruins gather outside Prospera Centre for a Keep the Bruins in Chilliwack Rally on Wednesday evening. There are more photos available at www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-the-Bruins-in-Chilliwack/147454271983957.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Chad Bassen (Regina, Vancouver, Medicine Hat, Everett, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with the Augsburger Panther (Germany DEL). He had five goals and four assists in 52 games for the Hamburg Freezers (Germany DEL) this season.
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The WHL has six players on the Canadian team that will play at the under-18 IIHF World Championship in Germany later this month.
Those WHLers are defencemen Morgan Reilly (Moose Jaw Warriors), Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips) and Reece Scarlett (Swift Current Broncos) and forwards Travis Ewanyk (Edmonton Oil Kings), Mark McNeill (Prince Albert Raiders) and Colin Smith (Kamloops Blazers).
The head coach is Mike Williamson of the Calgary Hitmen, while the assistants are Mark Lamb of Swift Current and Dale Hawerchuk of the OHL’s Barrie Colts.
The Canadian team leaves today for Germany.
Canada will play three exhibition games, against the U.S. on Saturday in Dresden, against Sweden on Monday in Crimmitschau and against Germany on Tuesday in Dresden.
The tournament runs April 14-24 in Dresden and Crimmitschau. Canada is in a Dresden-based pool with Czech Republic, Finland, Norway and Sweden, and will play its first round-robin game on April 15 against Czech Republic.
The other pool features Germany, Russia, Slovakia, Switzerland and the U.S.
The round-robin concludes on April 19, with the playoff round to start on April 21 and end on April 24.
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There was interesting news out of B.C. on Wednesday when a former hockey player who at 13 years of age had been sexually assaulted by his coach was awarded $605,000  by a B.C. Supreme Court Judge Dev Dley.
The Victoria Times Colonist has the story right here.
There is reaction from Theo Fleury in this Canadian Press story right here.
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The Tri-City Americans will announce today that they have signed G Eric Comrie, who was the 15th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft. Comrie, the son of Bill Comrie, who owns The Brick and once was involved at the ownership level in the CFL, is the younger brother of NHLer Mike Comrie and Paul Comrie, whose career was ended by post-concussion syndrome. He was 24 at the time. . . . Eric Comrie, who played this season for the L.A. Selects, had at least considered going the NCAA route, as he visited Denver University in January. His brother, Paul, was a star with the Pioneers (1996-99). . . . The Americans also are expected to announce the signing of F Brian Williams, who was an eighth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. That signing should be announced on Monday. Williams, from Claremont, Calif., also plays in the L.A. Selects program.
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Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that the Kootenay Ice should get two injured players back at some point during a second-round series with the Saskatoon Blades. D Luke Paulsen (separated shoulder) is questionable for Games 1 and 2 in Saskatoon on Friday and Saturday, but should play in Game 3 in Cranbrook on Tuesday. Paulsen missed almost a month with a concussion suffered Jan. 15, then injured his shoulder Feb. 22 and hasn’t played since then. F Drew Czerwinski (upper body) was hurt in Game 3 of the six-game series with the Moose Jaw Warriors. He is possible for the first two games against Saskatoon, but if he doesn’t play then should be ready for Game 3. . . . The Ice also is without F Brock Montgomery (mononucleosis) but has added F Sam Reinhart, 15, for the weekend. Reinhart will be rejoining his major midget team, the Vancouver-North West Giants, for the Telus Cup that opens April 18 in St. John’s Nfld.
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The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Chase Deleo, their ninth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. Deleo spent this season with the Los Angeles Selects U-16 team, putting up 39 points in 35 games. . . . Capgeek.com reports that Everett Silvertips D Rasmus Rissanen, who has signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, draws an AHL salary of $55,000 in each of the season with NHL salaries of $575,000 each season. He got a $150,000 signing bonus, payable over three years. . . . D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors will finish his season with the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers. McIlrath was the 10th overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft and signed a three-year deal with the Rangers last month. . . . F Quinton Howden of the Warriors has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Florida Panthers, who selected him 25th overall in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . Eric Lavigne has resigned as head coach of the QMJHL’s PEI Rocket. Lavigne, who had a year left on his contract, cited personal reasons and a desire to spend more time with his family as reasons for his leaving.
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Three Robservations from longtime WHL (R)observer Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post . . .
1. The future of Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Dave Hunchak is certain after the team's first-round ouster from the WHL playoffs. Although the playoffs were disappointing, it should be remembered that Hunchak is only the third head coach to extract 40 wins from the Warriors since the team moved from Winnipeg to Moose Jaw in 1984.
2. It could be said that a 40-win season in Moose Jaw is surprisingly unexpected. With that in mind, Hunchak should receive a contract extension -- a move which would be a welcome departure from tradition. Over the years, the Warriors have allowed too many first-rate coaches to get away (see: Lorne Molleken, Curtis Hunt, Mike Babcock). All three of those gentlemen coached in the NHL after leaving Moose Jaw.
3. Defenceman Ryan Murray, who is from White City, was named captain of the WHL's Everett Silvertips earlier this week. Thanks to the WHL's ridiculous partial interlocking schedule, Murray won't have an opportunity to play near his hometown until the 2012-13 season. Next season's only matchup between the Silvertips and Regina Pats will be in Everett, Wash. What kind of league is this? Every team should play in every arena every season. This should be fundamental. The players deserve this. The fans deserve this. Alas, it'll never happen.
(What Vanstone doesn’t mention is that Murray could be playing in the NHL come the 2012-13 season, which would mean he wouldn’t get to play in Regina. He has a late-1993 birth date (Sept. 27), already has played two WHL seasons and is being projected as an early selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft. He very well might be the WHL’s top defenceman next season. That being the case, it very well might depend on which NHL team selects him as to whether he is back in the WHL or moves on to the NHL in the fall of 2012. . . . By the way, White City is on the eastern outskirts of Regina.)

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Saturday . . .

Boom! Boom! Out go the lights!!!
If you haven’t seen/heard this, check it out right here.
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The Kamloops Blazers announced Saturday afternoon that their two assistant coaches won’t be back.
Here is the Blazers’ press release, in its entirety:
“The Kamloops Blazers have announced that Assistant Coaches Scott Ferguson and Geoff Smith will not be returning behind the bench this upcoming season.
“Ferguson has decided to pursue Head Coaching opportunities. While part-time Assistant Coach Geoff Smith has decided not to return due to other time considerations.
“Smith and Ferguson were both hired by the hockey club in July 2008 and spent the past three seasons with the Blazers.
“The Kamloops Blazers organization would like to thank Scott and Geoff for their efforts and wish them nothing but success in their future endeavours.”
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SATURDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Chilliwack, G James Reid stopped 26 shots for the shutout as the Spokane Chiefs dropped the Bruins, 5-0. . . . The Chiefs lead the series 2-0 with Game 3 in Spokane on Wednesday night. . . . The arena in Spokane was booked for an NCAA women’s basketball region this weekend, thus the series opened in Chilliwack even though the Chiefs hold home-ice advantage. . . . The series is following a 2-3-1-1 format. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 42 shots. . . . Spokane F Darren Kramer, who scored twice including the winner in Friday’s 3-2 OT victory, added another goal. . . . Chilliwack F T.C. Cratsenberg drew a charging major and game misconduct at 19:33 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 3,217. . . .
In Portland, G Mac Carruth stopped 32 shots as the Winterhawks opened a first-round series with a 4-0 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Game 2 will be played in Portland today. . . . Everett remains without G Kent Simpson (ankle), so Luke Siemens started and made 41 stops. . . . Portland had a 19-3 edge in shots in the first period. . . . Attendance was 8,363. . . . F Ryan Johansen had a shorthanded goal and two assists. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., D Tyler Schmidt drew three assists as the Tri-City Americans scored a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Americans lead the series 2-0 with Games 3 and 4 in Vancouver on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . F Justin Feser had a goal and two assists for the Americans. . . . Vancouver was 2-for-9 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-5. . . . Attendance was 3,927. . . .
In Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game’s last four goals, all in the third period, and beat the Prince George Cougars, 7-4. . . . The Rockets take a 2-0 lead into Prince George for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. . . . The Cougars led 4-2 when Kelowna D Tyson Barrie scored at 16:20 of the second. . . . F Cody Chikie made it 4-4 at 7:04 of the third on the PP and F Jessey Astles got the eventual winner at 9:55. . . . Chikie also had two assists, while F Shane McColgan set up three goals. . . . Attendance was 6,085. . . . The Cougars were without F Brett Connolly, their leading scorer and a 2010 first-round draft pick of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. He was injured early in the first period of Game 1 on Friday. Dean Clark, the Cougars’ head coach, said before the second game that Connolly will be evaluated on a daily basis. There is speculation that Connolly has a separated shoulder. . . .
In Red Deer, F Adam Kambeitz had two goals and an assist to lead the Rebels to a 5-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Rebels take a 2-0 lead into Game 3 in Edmonton on Monday. . . . F Brett Ferguson had three assists for Red Deer. . . . Attendance was 6,207. . . .
In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice took a 3-0 lead into the third period and went on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-2 to tie their series 1-1. . . . They’ll play Game 3 in Moose Jaw on Tuesday. . . . F Max Reinhart’s second-period shorthanded goal stood up as the winner. . . . Moose Jaw cut the deficit to 3-2 on goals from F Spencer Edwards and F Quinton Howden. . . . The Ice put it away when F Joe Antilla and F Brock Montgomery scored empty-netters. . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath picked up a charging major and game misconduct at 5:52 of the third period. Warriors assistant coach Trevor Weisgerber also was ejected at that time. . . . Attendance was 2,467. . . .
In Saskatoon, the regular season-champion Blades opened the playoffs with a resounding 8-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . They’ll play in Saskatoon again today. . . . The Blades got two goals from D Dalton Thrower and singles from six others. . . . F Matej Stransky had a goal and three assists, while linemate Chris Collins drew three assists. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford, who once played for the Raiders, stopped 33 shots. He is 7-0 against his former club. . . . Attendance was 8,144. . . . Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn scored once amid speculation that he might be one injury away from joining the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, who selected him fourth overall in the 2009 draft. . . . The Kings have lost F Justin Williams (shoulder) and F Anzi Kopitar (broken ankle) to serious injuries. Were the Kings to experience one more serious injury, they would be able, under emergency recall rules, to recall Schenn. . . . The Raiders will have D Antoine Corbin back for Game 2. He sat out Game 1 as he completed a two-game WHL suspension. . . . The Blades scratched F Ryan Olsen (upper body). . . .
In Medicine Hat, G Deven Dubyk started in place of the injury Tyler Bunz and backstopped the Tigers to a 5-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The series is 1-1 and heads to Winnipeg for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Thursday. . . . Brandon’s Westman Place, the home of the Wheat Kings, is occupied by the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. . . . Dubyk made 38 saves as his side was outshot 40-23. . . . Bunz, who didn’t finish Brandon’s 7-2 victory on Friday, sat this one out with an upper body injury. . . . Medicine Hat D Sebastian Owuya, who didn’t have a goal in 66 regular-season games, scored the game’s first goal at 4:59 of the first period. . . . Attendance was 3,952.
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SATURDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Four minors:
Medicine Hat F Kale Kessy (double minor)
Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher (double minor)

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca

     

gdrinnan.blogspot.com

     

Taking Note on Twitter

Thursday . . .

The WHL playoffs are here.
They officially arrived courtesy of a quote from Kootenay Ice F Matt Fraser, 20, who told Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman:
"We've all been frantically trying to dye our hair (black) the past couple of days to get everything in place, and we've told all our girlfriends that we're not going to be talking to them for a while because we've got business to take care of.”
When hockey players tell their girlfriends to take a timeout, you know things are serious!
It will be interesting to watch goings-on with the Ice in these playoffs, too.
General manager Jeff Chynoweth made the big deal on Jan. 9 to land F Cody Eakin. It will be interesting to see now how the Ice and its fan respond with the playoffs here.
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Some numbers, courtesy of capgeek.com:
F Garrett Mitchell of the Regina Pats signed a three-year deal with the Washington Capitals, who selected him in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2009 draft. He gets a US$67,500 salary in the AHL, an NHL salary of $575,000 each season, and a $150,000 signing bonus, payable over three years.
G Calvin Pickard of the Seattle Thunderbirds has signed a three-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, which grabbed him in the second round of the 2010 draft. His AHL salary each season is locked in at $67,500, with NHL salaries of $790,000, $840,000 and $900,000. His signing bonus totals $270,000 over three season.
D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors, the 10th overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft, signed a three-year deal with the New York Rangers. His AHL salary would be $67,500 each season, with NHL salaries of $650,000, $650,000 and $900,000. Like Pickard, he got a $270,000 signing bonus, payable over three years.
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With Portland having finished atop the Western Conference and about to open a first-round series with the Everett Silvertips, Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune take a look at how far the Winterhawks have come since ‘those’days. . . . And it is quite interesting to read about the plans the Winterhawks have for Memorial Coliseum.
That piece is right here.
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D Mike Reddington of the Lethbridge Hurricanes has joined the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies. Reddington, 20, signed a tryout agreement after putting up 23 points and 99 penalty minutes in 68 games with the Hurricanes this season. . . . D Antoine Corbin of the Prince Albert Raiders will sit out Saturday’s opener of their series with the Saskatoon Blades. That’s the second game of a two-game suspension he incurred for a kneeing major last weekend. He plans on being back for Game 2 in Saskatoon on Sunday. . . . F Justin Dowling of the Swift Current Broncos has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Abbotsford Heat, the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames. Dowling, 20, had 67 points in 63 games with the Broncos this season. . . .
Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the Warriors may not have F Cody Beach (knee) or F Jordan Wyton (undisclosed) for tonight’s opener in Cranbrook against the Kootenay Ice. Also missing will be F Brayden Cuthbert (concussion) and F Brett Lyon (WHL suspension). . . . The Ice is without D Luke Paulsen (shoulder), but F Brock Montgomery (hip) is back after missing 11 games. Montgomery will be anxious for this serious because he is from Moose Jaw. . . . Dale Saip, the Vancouver Giants’ vice-president of business development, won’t be running for the federal Conservatives in Delta-Richmond, after all. After a story broke on the Lower Mainland detailing past financial difficulties, the Conservatives revoked Saip’s nomination. Martin van den Hemel of the Richmond Review has that story right here.
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Today’s good read comes from Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who has noticed that some game officials are so empowered that they can even create time.
Check it out right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Tuesday . . .

Bob McKenzie, who has been around hockey for longer than he cares to remember, has weighed in on the subject of major junior hockey and concussions.
Check that out right here.
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Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail talks with Niagara IceDogs assistant coach Mike Van Ryn and Tim Speltz, the GM of the Spokane Chiefs, about concussions in major junior hockey.
That story is right here.
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F Evan Bloodoff of the Kelowna Rockets and F Brett Lyon of the Moose Jaw Warriors each drew four-game suspensions from the WHL office on Tuesday.
Bloodoff got a charging major for a high hit that resulted in Vancouver Giants D Joel Rogers needing a stretcher to get off the ice. He later was taken to hospital. Rogers, 20, had only been back for a few games after recovering from a concussion suffered in January.
Bloodoff will miss the first four games of the Rockets’ first-round series with the Prince George Cougars. There is no timetable for Rogers’ return to the Giants, who will meet the Tri-City Americans in the first round.
Lyon was suspended under supplemental discipline for an unpenalized hit on F Jake Trask of the Saskatoon Blades. Lyon sat out the last two games of the regular season, so will be eligible to return for Game 3 of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Kootenay Ice.
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JUST NOTES: The Prince Albert Raiders have added F T.J. Constant, 17, to their roster. Constant, who played five games with the Raiders earlier in the season, had 53 points and 41 penalty minutes in 57 games with the MJHL’s OCN Blizzard. . . . Dale Saip, the Vancouver Giants’ vice-president of business development, has won the federal Conservative’s nomination for the Delta-Richmond East riding in B.C. He also is a veteran on the Delta Board of Education. . . . The Red Deer Rebels hope to get F Josh Cowen (broken hand) back at some point during their first-round series with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He hasn’t played since Feb. 19. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the Warriors may be without F Cody Beach (knee) when they open in Cranbrook against the Kootenay Ice on Friday. Beach missed his club’s last three games. . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath didn’t practice Tuesday but head coach Dave Hunchak told Gourlie it was a maintenance day.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

Goaltender Luke Siemens of the Everett Silvertips thwarts forward Justin Feser
of the Tri-City Americans from in close last night at the Toyota Center
in Kennewick, Wash.
(Photo by John Allen/AridAcres.com)

Kim Davis is the commissioner of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Davis, who played in the WHL (Flin Flon, 1974-77), has dropped some big numbers on a couple of teams — like 86 games in suspensions and $4,000 in fines.
Jesse Enns of the Swan Valley Stampeders drew a 40-game suspension after he took a lengthy run at an opposing player with three seconds left in a playoff game with the Portage Terriers on Saturday night.
The kerfuffle took place as the Terriers were finishing off the Sher-Wood Division playoff series.
Two assistant coaches — Dallas Anderson of Swan Valley and Jim Tkachyk of Portage — each drew a 22-game sentence. Their sin? They duked it out at the benches following the game’s conclusion. Each coach also was fined $1,500.
As well, Swan Valley head coach Dwayne Kirkup drew a two-game suspension and a $1,000 fine for picking up a gross misconduct and for not having control of his bench.
So there you have it . . . 86 games and $4,000 in fines and only four people are involved. That has to be some kind of record.
If you haven’t seen the video, it’s right here.
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F Mitch Fadden’s days with the Tampa Bay Lightning are done.
Fadden (Seattle, Lethbridge, Tri-City, 2003-09) has been placed on waivers by the Lightning and managements intends to release him.
The move comes after Fadden, 22, was arrested earlier this month in Salmon Arm, B.C., and charged with impaired driving, failing to provide a breath sample, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and obstructing a peace officer. The Salmon Arm Observer report is right here.
Fadden was with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, an affiliate of the Lightning’s, but hadn’t played since January because of a blood clot in one leg. When he played, though, he was effective, witness 51 points in 37 games.
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In Saskatoon last night, the Blades got shootout goals from F Brayden Schenn and F Marek Viednesky as they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 3-2 in a shootout. . . . The Blades now have at least a point from each of their last eight games (7-0-1). . . . F Torrin White forced the OT with his first WHL goal at 10:29 of the third period. White, from Balzac, Alta., was the 21st overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft. His father, Terry, scouts for the Prince George Cougars. . . . Saskatoon lost F Jake Trask on the game’s first shift. Apparently, he may have a concussion. . . . The Blades will finish first in the overall standings; the Warriors are headed for a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. . . .
In Calgary, G Jamie Tucker stopped 34 shots to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 6-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . .With the victory, the Raiders clinched at least a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Lethbridge Hurricanes are ninth, four points back with two games to play. A tie for the last playoff spot would necessitate a sudden-death playoff game. . . .
In Portland, the Winterhawks scored the game’s first four goals and went on to beat the Vancouver Giants, 5-3. . . . F Brad Ross scored his 30th goal and added two assists for the Winterhawks. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 28 shots. . . . Portland remains atop the Western Conference, one point up on the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Giants, who have lost seven in a row, slipped a spot to sixth, one point behind the Chilliwack Bruins. . . .
In Spokane, Chilliwack G Lucas Gore put on perhaps the best display of goaltending in the WHL this season, but his Bruins still lost to the Chiefs, 2-1 in a shootout. . . . Gore stopped 77 shots — that’s right, 77 shots — through overtime. He turned aside 11 shots in the first period, 32 in the second and 29 of 30 in the third. . . . F Tyler Johnson and F Blake Gal outscored the visitors 2-0 in the shootout. . . . F Ryan Howse gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead with his 51st goal at 19:57 of the second. . . . F Matt Marantz tied it with his 19th at 8:52 of the third. . . . The victory kept the Chiefs within a point of the conference-leading Portland Winterhawks. . . . The loser point lifted the Bruins into fifth, one point ahead of the Vancouver Giants. . . . The fifth-place finisher will meet the Tri-City Americans in the first round; finish sixth and you get Portland or Spokane. . . .
In Kelowna, G Calvin Pickard stopped 23 shots to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-0 victory over the Rockets. . . . The shutout was the first of the season for Pickard. . . . Kelowna, which had won five in a row, has been blanked seven times. . . . The Rockets will finish first in the B.C. Division and be the conference’s second seed in the first round. . . . The Thunderbirds moved into a tie for ninth with the idle Kamloops Blazers, three points behind the Prince George Cougars. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., G Luke Siemens stopped 35 shots to lead the Everett Silvertips to a 2-1 victory over the host Tri-City Americans. . . . F Ryan Harrison broke a 1-1 tie with a PP goal at 9:17 of the third period. . . . Siemens, who is 7-10-2, was starting in place of Kent Simpson (ankle). Siemens last won Jan. 7 when he beat the Americans in Everett. . . . Everett ended a seven-game losing streak and moved past the idle Prince George Cougars and into seventh place in the Western Conference. . . . The Americans have dropped five of their last home games after earlier winning 13 in a row. . . . The Americans will finish fourth in the conference.
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WEDNESDAY’S CFB COUNT:
One minor:
Chilliwack D Brandon Manning
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JUST NOTES: D Tanner Sohn, 19, is back with the Saskatoon Blades. Sohn, a 13th round pick of the Blades in the 2006 bantam draft, began this season with the Vancouver Giants and finished it with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. In between, he was dealt to the Blades, who wanted him as a depth defenceman in the playoffs. . . . Capgeek.com has reported the terms of the three-year contract that F Wacey Hamilton of the Medicine Hat Tigers signed with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Hamilton, a 20-year-old free agent, gets US$67,500 per season in the AHL, with his NHL salaries pegged at $690,000, $715,000 and $740,000. He got a $270,000 signing bonus, at $90,000 per year. . . . The New York Rangers have signed D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors. He was the 10th overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft. . . . The Kamloops Blazers have signed 6-foot-3, 205-pound F Dallas Calvin, 16, to a WHL contract. Calvin was placed on the Blazers’ protected list in September. Calvin, who is from Trail, played this season with the junior B Beaver Valley Nitehawks, picking up 40 points in 40 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he had 17 points in 12 games. . . . F Josh Cowen of the Red Deer Rebels, out since Feb. 19 with a broken hand, may be back halfway through the first round of playoffs.
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If you are of the opinion that there is too much violence in hockey these days, you may be interested in signing this online petition. Check it out right here.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

The Kamloops Blazers might be without D Brandon Underwood (knee) and D Austin Madaisky (neck) for the remainder of the season. Both players were injured in a 2-1 victory over the visiting Chilliwack Blazers on Friday night. . . . Underwood left early in the first period and was unable to put any weight on his left leg as he was escorted to the dressing room. He is believed to have suffered ligament damage, but more will be known on Monday. . . . The Blazers are saying Madaisky suffered a fracture to his seventh cervical vertebrae. He was injured in the third period on a hit by Chilliwack D Brandon Manning, who dumped the puck into the Blazers zone and then raced in on the forecheck. He hit Madaisky, who went back first into the boards. Manning was given a boarding major and game misconduct; the WHL suspended him -- length to be determined -- on Saturday. . . . Underwood and Madaisky are veteran defencemen. Without them, Kamloops is down to five defencemen, including freshman Brady Gaudet, 16; veteran Josh Caron, who recently returned after missing 41 games with a broken collarbone; and, freshman Corey Fienhage, 20, who played a total of 51 games over the last three seasons with the USHL’s Indiana Ice and the NCAA’s North Dakota Fighting Sioux.
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DEPT. OF DISCIPLINE: Dave Hunchak, the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, has been fined $500 for throwing a water bottle onto the ice during the third period of an 8-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer on Friday night. . . . Chilliwack Bruins D Brandon Manning is on a TBD suspension for a boarding major and game misconduct during a 2-1 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops on Friday night. Manning hit Kamloops D Austin Madaisky in the third period. Madaisky left the game and didn’t report; he was scratched from Saturday’s rematch in Chilliwack. . . . Vancouver Giants D Darren Bestland also is on a TBD suspension for a charging major and game misconduct he incurred during Friday’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Hitmen in Calgary. . . .
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JUST NOTES: Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath left the Warriors’ 8-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer in the second period Friday and didn’t return. He apparently has a knee injury. . . . If you happen to be in Las Vegas and think you saw a familiar face or two, well, you just might be correct. The WHL’s board of governors and general managers are in the Nevada city for meetings on Monday and Tuesday. . . .
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James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail checks in on G James Reimer (Red Deer, 2005-08), who has taken the Maple Leafs and Toronto by storm. This, folks, is a neat story. Check it out right here.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, the Pats erased a 1-0 deficit with four first-period goals and went on to beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 5-4. . . . F Tanner Olstad had two goals and an assist for Regina, while F Jordan Weal had a goal and two helpers. . . . The Pats lead the season series, 4-2. . . . Prince Albert G Jamie Tucker left the game in the first period after sustaining a cut to his blocker hand. He stopped all six shots he faced. Eric Williams replaced him and was beaten five times on 32 shots. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt turned aside 36 shots. . . . Regina took 65 of 122 penalty minutes. . . . Attendance was 4,097. . . . The victory lifted Regina to within two points of the ninth-place Raiders and within three of eighth-place Brandon in the Eastern Conference standings. . . .
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In Swift Current, F Jordan Peddle broke a 3-3 tie with two late goals and the Broncos beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 5-3. . . . Swift Current had lost its last eight games. . . . Peddle, who also had an assist, scored his seventh goal of the season at 16:47 of the third period and later added an empty-netter. . . . F Justin Dowling drew three assists for the Broncos. . . . Swift Current D Tanner Muth scored his first WHL goal on a second-period PP. The 17-year-old Calgarian was playing in his 75^th career game. It was his 27^th game of this season. . . . Attendance was 1,921. . . . The Broncos are seventh, one point ahead of Brandon and three behind Edmonton. . . .
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In Saskatoon, G Steven Stanford stopped 23 shots to lead the Blades to a 5-0 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . It was Stanford’s second shutout of the season and the fourth for the Blades. . . . Lethbridge has been blanked seven times, twice by Saskatoon. . . . F Brayden Schenn had a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) for Saskatoon, which got two assists from each of F Marek Viedensky and D Darren Dietz. . . . Schenn’s scrap was with Lethbridge F Cam Braes in the third period. . . . Attendance was 4,791. . . . The Blades now hold a five-point lead atop the Eastern Conference and have two games in hand on the idle Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Hurricanes are tied for 10^th with Regina. . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice got two goals from F Cody Eakin as it skated to a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Eakin has 25 goals this season. . . . Ice D James Martin and F Matt Fraser each had a goal and an assist, while F Max Reinhart had two assists. . . . Eakin scored the Ice’s first two goals, the second coming shorthanded just seven seconds into the second period and breaking a 1-1 tie. . . . F Andrej Stastny had a goal, his sixth, and an assist for the Giants. . . . Attendance was 3,476, the largest crowd for a game in Cranbrook this season. . . . The Giants had won their last three games, all on the road. They don’t play again until Saturday when them meet the Kamloops Blazers in Whitehorse, Yukon. . . . The Giants remain the Western Conference’s second seed as they lead the B.C. Division by three points over Kelowna. . . . The Ice is eight points behind Red Deer. . . .
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In Medicine Hat, the Tigers got 36 saves from G Tyler Bunz as they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 4-1. . . . Tigers F Linden Vey, who leads the WHL scoring race with 84 points, was held to one assist. . . . Bunz lost his shutout bid when F Dylan Hood got his 24^th goal at 17:14 of the second period. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 29^th goal for the Tigers. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Warriors were without D Dylan McIlrath, who tweaked a knee in Friday’s 8-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer. . . . The victory lifted the fourth-place Tigers five points clear of the Warriors and kept them within one point of Kootenay. . . .
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In Chilliwack, the Bruins snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Blazers had beaten the Bruins 2-1 in Kamloops on Friday and 5-1 in Chilliwack the previous Saturday. . . . Kamloops took a 2-0 lead into the second period but the Bruins erased that with two quick goals by Ryan Howse. He got his 34^th goal 43 seconds into the period, then scored on the PP at 4:00. . . . Chilliwack F Roman Horak got his 22^nd goal just 24 seconds into the third period. . . . Bruins F Kevin Sundher had three assists. . . . Kamloops F Bernhard Keil scored his second goal of the season; it was his first goal since Oct. 13. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 36 shots. . . . The Blazers were without three injured veterans -- F Chase Schaber (leg), D Brandon Underwood (knee) and D Austin Madaisky (neck). . . . Attendance was 2,988. . . . This was an important victory for the Bruins, who are ninth in the Western Conference. They closed to within one point of the Blazers and hold four games in hand. . . . Next up for the Bruins are two games with Kelowna and two with Tri-City. . . .
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In Portland, the Winterhawks unleashed a 54-shot barrage as they beat the Tri-City Americans, 8-2. . . . F Craig Cunningham, F Ryan Johansen and D Tyler Wotherspoon each had a goal and two assists for Portland, with F Ty Rattie scoring twice. Rattie has 24 goals. . . . Portland led 3-0 before the game was 11 minutes old. . . . Portland was 3-for-7 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-8. . . . The Americans took 74 of the game’s 128 penalty minutes in a game that took two hours 46 minutes to play. . . . Attendance was 7,145. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin had his point streak stopped at 21 games. He had 46 points during the streak, the longest in the WHL this season. . . . Portland was without F Brad Ross (concussion), who was injured Friday. . . . The Winterhawks lead the Western Conference and are five points ahead of Spokane, which is second in the U.S. Division. . . . The Americans slipped back to third, a point behind Spokane. . . .
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In Prince George, G Ty Rimmer stopped 23 shots to lead the Cougars to a 3-0 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Cougars had beaten the Rockets 4-2 on Friday night. . . . The Cougars went into the weekend having lost six in a row to Kelowna. . . . It was Rimmer’s third shutout of the season and the Cougars’ fifth. . . . The Rockets have been blanked four times. . . . F James Dobrowolski got his 15^th goal for the Cougars at 19:18 of the first period. F Taylor Stefishen later added his 16^th and F Troy Bourke got his 14^th. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown was lifted after Bourke’s goal at 6:03 of the second. Brown stopped 11 of 14 shots. Reliever Jordon Cooke came on to stop 27 shots. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-8 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-for-7. . . . Attendance was 2,060. . . . Kelowna again was without F Mitchell Callahan (head), who was injured Wednedsay. . . . The Cougars are sixth in the conference, a point ahead of Everett, while Kelowna remains three points behind Vancouver. . . .
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In Everett, G Kent Simpson stopped 35 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Simpson lost his bid for a shutout when T.J. Foster scored his 20^th goal on a PP at 19:53 of the third period. . . . The Silvertips had killed off 29 opposition power plays in a row. . . . Simpson is 5-1-1 with a .956 save percentage over his last seven games. . . . Everett D Rasmus Rissanen scored his first goal of the season on a PP at 19:04 of the first period. A sophomore from Finland, Rissanen, 19, had four goals in 71 games last season. Last night, he played in his 50^th game of this season. . . . F Josh Winquist had two assists for Everett. . . . Attendance was 6,345. . . . The Oil Kings went 1-2-1 in their four-game swing into the U.S. Division. They didn‘t visit Spokane, a stop they made earlier in the season on a trip that took them, in order, to Prince George, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Spokane and Cranbrook. . . . Edmonton heads home in sixth place, three points ahead of Swift Current. . . . Everett is seventh in the Western Conference, one point behind Prince George and five ahead of Kamloops. . . .
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In Kent, Wash., F Mitch Holmberg scored two goals and added an assist to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 5-1 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Chiefs were 4-for-8 on the PP. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson got his WHL-leading 39^th goal and added two assists. He now has 86 points, one behind Medicine Hat F Linden Vey, who leads the WHL scoring race. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow and D Brenden Kichton each had two assists. . . . Chiefs G Mac Engel stopped 26 shots. F Luke Lockhart had Seattle’s goal, opening the scoring with a shorthanded marker at 5:04 of the first period. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 54 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,388. . . . The Chiefs moved past Tri-City and into second in the U.S. Division, five points behind Portland. . . . Seattle is 10^th, two points behind Kamloops, which holds down the conference’s last playoff spot. The Thunderbirds are in Kamloops on Wednesday.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Five minors:
Moose Jaw F Jesse Paradis
Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin
Tri-City D Sam Grist (two minors on two separate plays)
Spokane F Dominik Uher