Wheaties, Rockets up 2-0 . . . Great Dane beats 'Tips . . . Stovin fills hat for Mavs

SATURDAY’S GAMES:

In Brandon, the Wheat Kings scored three PP goals as they beat the Regina Pats, 5-2. . . . The Wheat Kings take a 2-0 series lead, and a six-game playoff winning streak, to Regina for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Brandon had won 5-1 on Friday. . . . The Pats have lost two straight after having won four in a row. . . . Brandon F Tyler Coulter scored shorthanded at 4:00 of the first period and F Jayce Hawryluk got his fifth goal, on the PP, at 13:01. . . . In the second period, Regina D Colby Williams scored a PP goal at 9:31, but Brandon D Ivan Provorov got that one back, on the PP, at 12:19. Pats F Pavel Padakin got his guys back to within one, at 3-2, at 16:24, on another PP. . . . However, Brandon D Macoy Erkamps scored with 2.5 seconds left in the period to restore the two-goal lead. . . . Brandon D Kale Clague scored the game’s final goal, on a PP, at 10:56 of the third. . . . Brandon F Rihards Bukarts had three assists, all on the PP, while F Nolan Patrick and D Eric Roy each had two helpers. . . . Brandon was 3-for-7 on the PP; Regina was 2-for-6. . . . Regina had gone into the game having killed off 11 of 12 opposition power plays. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 35 shots, one fewer than Regina’s Daniel Wapple. . . . Regina D Sergey Zborovsky took an interference major and game misconduct at 16:25 of the third period for a hit on Hawryluk, who didn’t return. The league will look into that play, for sure. . . . Brandon D Colton Waltz left in the first period and didn’t return, while Regina lost D Chase Harrison after a third-period hit by Hawryluk. . . . How does Brandon like to play the game? Perhaps this tweet from Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun best sums it up: “How much do Brandon's D like to rush? Clague carried the puck into the Regina zone but his D partner Roy was offside.” . . . Regina D James Hilsendager served the third-game of a three-game WHL-issued suspension. . . . The Pats also were without F Rykr Cole, who left in the first period of Game 1 with an undisclosed injury. . . . F Jared McAmmond got into his first playoff game in Cole’s absence. . . . Attendance was 4,752. . . . Henderson has a game story right here.

In Kelowna, F Tyson Baillie scored 58 seconds into OT to give the Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Rockets, who lead the series 2-0, have won all six of their playoff games this spring. They won the opener 5-0 on Friday. . . . The series now moves to Victoria for games Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Baillie’s second goal of the game and fifth of the playoffs came two seconds after the expiration of a Kelowna PP. . . . Royals D Chaz Reddekopp was penalized for checking from behind just 30 seconds after F Brandon Magee had forced OT. . . . Kelowna built a 3-0 lead on a first-period PP goal by F Tyson Baillie and second-period scores by F Tomas Soustal, at 4:11, and F Gage Quinney, at 11:16, on a PP. . . . Magee scored for Victoria at 18:02 of the second period, on a PP, ending Kelowna’s shutout streak at 218:02. It was the first goal the Rockets and G Jackson Whistle surrendered on home ice in these playoffs. This was their fourth home game. . . . Victoria F Alex Forsberg redirected a shot by D Joe Hicketts at 7:31 of the third, on a PP, and Magee tied it with his eighth goal of the playoffs, at 18:26. . . . Kelowna F Leon Draisaitl had three assists, giving him five helpers in two games. . . . F Austin Carroll had three assists for the Royals, with Hicketts getting two. . . . Whistle finished with 38 saves. . . . Victoria starter Coleman Vollrath left at 11:16 of the third period after giving up three goals on 15 shots. Justin Paulic was beaten once on 12 shots. . . . Kelowna was 2-for-8 on the PP; Victoria was 2-for-5. . . . Victoria F Greg Chase got the ol’ heave-ho at 18:44 of the first period. According to a tweet from Regan Bartel, the Rockets’ radio voice, Chase was tossed for “playing without a mouth guard and then throwing it on ice after he received a misconduct.” . . . Kelowna F Josh Morrissey, who returned from an ankle injury to play in Game 1, left after the first period. Morrissey had been out for six weeks before returning with a three-assist effort in Game 1. . . . Attendance was 5,473. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a game story right here.

In Everett, F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored 29 seconds into the second OT to give the Portland Winterhawks a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald tweeted: “Portland wins an offensive-zone faceoff, and Bjorkstrand works his way across the slot before burying a shot into the top corner.” . . . F Nic Petan won the draw that led to the GWG. . . . The series is 1-1 — Everett had won 5-3 on Friday — as the teams head for Portland and games on Thursday and Friday nights. . . . Game 5 will be played in Everett next Sunday. . . . Bjorkstrand, the Danish import who led the WHL in goals and points in the regular season, has six goals in these playoffs. . . . Portland D Adam Henry scored on a wraparound at 10:18 of the third period to force OT. . . . The Winterhawks had taken a 2-1 lead into the second period. . . . Everett F Jake Mykitiuk scored the game’s first goal, at 3:12 of the first. . . . Portland D Blake Heinrich tied it at 12:48 and F Chase De Leo, on a PP, gave the visitors the lead at 15:29. . . . Everett took the lead on two second-period goals by F Nikita Scherbak, who has three in these playoffs. His second goal came with 34.8 seconds left in the period. . . . Portland F Paul Bittner had two assists, as did Petan. . . . Everett D Cole MacDonald had two helpers, after earning three on Friday. . . . Portland G Adin Hill turned aside 41 shots, as did Everett’s Carter Hart. . . . G Austin Lotz wasn’t on the Everett bench to start the game. After the first period, Patterson tweeted: “For those wondering about Lotz, I think I saw him go off in pain during the warm-up. Probably why he's not on the bench.” . . . Lotz was back on the bench in the second period. . . . Portland was 1-for-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-for-3. . . . Everett has gone to multi-OT in three of eight playoff games. It’s previous single-season high was two. . . . Attendance was 4,579. . . . Patterson has a game story right here. . . . Freelancer Scott Sepich wrote this lead for The Oregonian.
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F Calder Brooks of the Spokane Chiefs has joined the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Islanders. Brooks, who finished up his junior eligibility this season, had 58 points, including 23 goals, in 52 games, 50 of them with Spokane. The Chiefs acquired him from the Prince Albert Raiders early in the season. He also played two-plus seasons with the Calgary Hitmen.
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F Brett Roulston, who played two seasons (2012-14) with the Prince George Cougars, scored 20 seconds into overtime as the Nanaimo Clippers beat the host Penticton Vees 2-1 last night. . . . The Clippers lead the BCHL’s best-of-seven final, 2-0. . . . Nanaimo had won 5-2 in Penticton on Friday. . . . Roulston, 20, is from Whitehorse. . . . The series resumes in Nanaimo with games scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
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G Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans earned his first pro victory last night as the host St. John’s IceCaps beat the Hershey Bears, 5-1. Comrie stopped 21 shots. Former Spokane Chiefs D Brenden Kichton had two assists, while former Kamloops Blazers F JC Lipon scored his fifth goal of the season. . . . D Shea Theodore of the Seattle Thunderbirds had two assists as the visiting Norfolk Admirals beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-2 in OT. Theodore’s first assist was primary and on the PP; his second assist was on the winner.
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On Friday night, F Brett Stovin scored three times to lead the ECHL’s Missouri Mavericks to a 4-1 victory over the host Brampton Be ast. Stovin, who played out his junior eligibility with the Saskatoon Blades this season, scored one in the first period and twice in the third, with the last one into an empty net. Stovin finished the regular season with six points, including five goals, in eight games with the Mavericks.
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THE COACHING GAME:

As mentioned here yesterday, the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings named Chad van Diemen as their new head coach. . . . Here’s more from Brian Wiebe’s blog Brian’s Banter: “With the departure of van Diemen, Powell River added Brock Sawyer to its team as a full-time assistant coach. Sawyer, who played for the Kings from 2006-08, was a part-time assistant to head coach Kent Lewis in 2014-15 following a two-year pro career in the Southern Professional Hockey League and a four-year NCAA Div. III career at Elmira College.” . . . If you want BCHL news, check out Brian’s Banter. There’s a link over there on the right.
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One happy Dane here tonight for the Portland Winterhawks #bjorkstrand pic.twitter.com/ymoGbxClzx
— Chris Mast (@MastImages) April 12, 2015

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Wheaties take out defending champs . . . Pats, Rockets complete sweeps . . . Big night in P.G.

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

In Edmonton, F John Quenneville scored at 8:58 of the second OT to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 3-2 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . Brandon won the series, 4-1. . . . The Oil Kings are the defending Memorial Cup champions. They also had won three straight Eastern Conference playoff titles. . . . The Wheat Kings will meet the Regina Pats in the second round. That series will begin April 10 and 11 in Brandon. . . . Quenneville, who is from Edmonton, won it with his third goal of the series. . . . Brandon F Tim McGauley opened the scoring at 14:10 of the first period, on a PP. . . . The Oil Kings tied it on a goal from F Ben Carroll, at 10:05 of the second, and took the lead when F Brett Pollock scored at 12:55, on a PP. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy scored at 5:01 of the third period and that’s the goal that forced OT. . . . Wheat Kings G Jordan Papirny was terrific in making 42 saves, 18 more than Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry. . . . Brandon was 1-for-1 on the PP; Edmonton was 1-for-6. . . . When the Oil Kings look back at this game, this will point a finger at a PP unit that failed to scored during 3:12 of 5-on-3 play. . . . McGauley’s goal was Brandon’s sixth PP score in the five games. . . . The Wheat Kings were without F Morgan Klimchuk for a second straight game. . . . Klimchuk and D Ryan Pilon, whose ice-time was limited in Game 4 and the first half of Game 5, can use the time off. . . . F Mads Eller returned to Edmonton’s lineup after a one-game absence, and D Blake Orban, who left in the third period of Game 4 after taking a puck to the face, also played. Orban needed eight stitches to repair the damage. . . . Attendance was 4,253. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun has a game story right here.

In Swift Current, G Daniel Wapple stopped 24 shots and F Adam Brooks had two goals as the Regina Pats beat the Broncos, 4-0. . . . The Pats won the series 4-0 and will play the Brandon Wheat Kings in the second round. . . . This will be Regina’s first trip to the second round since the spring of 2007. . . . The last time Regina swept a playoff series? In 1998, the Pats swept the Moose Jaw Warriors from a first-round series. . . . The shutout was Wapple’s first this season and his first career playoff shutout. . . . Brooks scored the game’s first goal, shorthanded, at 11:53 of the second period. . . . He also had a shorthanded score in Game 3. . . . Brooks added his second goal at 15:16 of the second for a 2-0 lead. . . . F Patrick D’Amico had a goal and an assist for the Pats. . . . Broncos G Landon Bow stopped 37 shots. . . . Regina was 1-for-4 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-for-3. . . . Swift Current D Dillon Heatherington was back in action. He took the warmup for Game 3 on Tuesday but illness prevented him from playing, even though he stayed on the bench. . . . The Broncos were without F Jake DeBrusk, who likely has a concussion after taking a hit from Regina D James Hilsendager in Game 3. Hilsendager, who wasn’t penalized, was hit with a TBD suspension yesterday, so didn’t play in Game 4. . . . Attendance was 2,523.

In Cranbrook, F Connor Rankin scored three times before the second period was 13 minutes old and the Calgary Hitmen went on to a 7-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Hitmen lead the series 3-1 and get their first opportunity to end it at home on Friday. The game will be televised by Shaw. . . . Rankin opened the scoring 1:12 into the first period with his second goal of the series. His second goal, at 3:49 of the second, gave Calgary a 3-1 lead. He completed the hat trick with a PP goal at 12:56 of the second, as Calgary took a 5-1 lead. . . . F Adam Tambellini, who scored three times, including in OT, in Game 3, had an assist on each of Rankin’s goals. Tambellini also scored his fifth goal of the series, this one an empty-netter. In the four games to date, he has nine points. . . . Calgary F Jake Virtanen had two assists, while D Travis Sanheim had a goal and an assist. . . . Calgary G Brendan Burke stopped 28 shots in going the distance. In each of Calgary’s first two victories, head coach Mark French had changed goaltenders in mid-stream. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin turned aside 34 shots. . . . Calgary was 1-for-6 on the PP; the Ice was 0-for-5. . . . F Jon Martin and F Zak Zborosky were among the Ice’s scratches. . . . D Jake Bean remains out of Calgary’s lineup. . . . Attendance was 2,147, an increase of 21 from Game 3.

In Red Deer, G Rylan Toth stopped 34 shots to lead the Rebels to a 2-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Medicine Hat holds a 2-1 lead in the series. They’ll play Game 4 tonight in Red Deer. . . . Game 5 is scheduled for Medicine Hat on Saturday. . . . The teams have combined for seven goals in three games. . . . Last night, the Rebels scored the game’s first two goals. . . . F Scott Feser opened the scoring at 12:10 of the first period. . . . F Wyatt Johnson upped the lead to 2-0 at 8:34 of the third. . . . The Tigers got a goal from F Cole Sanford at 11:53, but weren’t able to pull even. . . . Tigers G Marek Langhamer stopped 29 shots. . . . Medicine Hat was 0-for-4 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-for-2. . . . Bob Ridley, the long-time radio voice of the Tigers, called his 401st playoff game last night. That includes 20 Memorial Cup games. . . . Attendance was 5,371.

In Spokane, F Jake Mykitiuk scored in the second OT to give the Everett Silvertips a 2-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The Silvertips now lead the series, 2-1. They’ll play Friday in Spokane and Saturday in Everett. . . . Mykitiuk, who scored four goals in 40 regular-season games, finished off a 3-on-2 break to win it at 2:07 of the second OT. . . . The Chiefs drew first blood when F Adam Helewka scored his third goal of the series at 14:19 of the first period. . . . Everett F Brayden Low forced OT with a goal 52 seconds into the third period. . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 45 shots, nine more than Spokane’s Garret Hughson. . . . Each team was 0-for-4 on the PP. . . . The Silvertips were without D Ben Betker, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Game 2. But they did get back D Tristen Pfeifer, who hadn’t played since Feb. 27 because of an undisclosed injury. . . . Attendance was 3,624. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald has a game story right here.

In Kennewick, Wash., F Gage Quinney scored on Kelowna’s 71st shot to give the Rockets a 5-4 victory in OT over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Rockets won the series, 4-0, and now await the winner of a series between the Victoria Royals and Prince George Cougars. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 66 shots. . . . “We expect nothing less (from Comrie),” Kelowna D Madison Bowey told Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier. “He stood on his head for most of the series and he always gives his team
a chance to win, and he did just that. Kudos to him for hanging in there
and playing every 60 minutes to the fullest and to his best ability. He’s
a great goalie, for sure.” . . . Quinney’s first goal of the series came at 18:32 of the first OT period. . . . The Americans led 2-0 and 4-1 in this one. . . . The Rockets tied it on two goals by Bowey, at 18:13 of the second period, on a PP, and 37 seconds into the third period, and one from F Rourke Chartier, at 18:49 of the second. . . . That was Chartier’s second goal of the game and fourth of the series. . . . Bowey’s second goal tied the game 4-4. . . . Kelowna was 1-for-7 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-for-5. . . . The Rockets held a 15-0 edge in shots halfway through the first period. . . . D Dylan Coghlan scored the game’s first goal on Tri-City’s first shot, at 11:28 of the first period. . . . D Riley Stadel and F Nick Merkley each had two assists for Kelowna. . . . Coghlan and F Tyler Sandhu each had a goal and two assists for the Americans, with F Brian Williams adding two assists. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle was gone after surrendering four goals on 19 shots. He left at 17:57 of the second after F Beau McCue’s shorthanded goal gave the home side a 4-1 lead. . . . Michael Herringer relieved Whistle and stopped all 11 shots he faced. . . . Comrie, 19, is likely to be assigned by the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets to the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps. . . . Kelowna F Chance Braid and Tri-City F Max James were tossed for fighting just four seconds into the first period. Chances are there will be suspensions from that situation. . . . The Americans scratched F Justin Gutierrez. He may be concussed after taking a hit to the head from Kelowna F Tyson Baillie during the first period of Game 3 on Tuesday. The hit went unpenalized. . . . Attendance was 2,819.

In Prince George, the Cougars scored the game’s first three goals and went on to a 4-2 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Victoria leads the series, 2-1. . . . They’ll play Game 4 in Prince George tonight. Game 5 is scheduled for Victoria on Saturday night. . . . This was the first playoff game in Prince George since the spring of 2011. It was the Cougars’ first playoff victory since 2007 when they got to the Western Conference final. . . . F Chase Witala opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal at 13:23 of the first period. . . . F Jari Erricson, on the PP, and D Sam Ruopp added goals in the first half of the second. . . . The Royals got to within one before the period ended on a PP goal by F Tyler Soy, at 13:22, and F Logan Fisher’s goal at 14:06. . . . Prince George F Brad Morrison provided insurance with a goal at 6:06 of the third. . . . Ruopp and Erricson each had an assist. . . . Each team was 1-for-4 on the PP. . . . Cougars G Ty Edmonds stopped 22 shots, 16 fewer than Victoria G Coleman Vollrath. . . .  Attendance was 4,202.
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A scoring change means that Kootenay F Tim Bozon didn’t tie an Ice single-game playoff record on Tuesday night. Originally, Bozon was credited with six points, including two goals, in the Ice’s 8-7 OT loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen. That would have tied F Jaedon Descheneau’s franchise record set a year ago. However, a scoring change on the Ice’s seventh goal resulted in Bozon losing an assist. Ironically, the assist was given to Descheneau.
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#OilKings file off the ice for last time this season after heartbreaking double OT loss pic.twitter.com/nMNVPD69w5
— Brian Swane (@SunBrianSwane) April 2, 2015

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Best of the East . . . Coach resigns in Prince George . . . Cougars clinch playoff spot

Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has polled the WHL’s Eastern Conference teams about the best this and the best that. It’s an interesting read and it’s right here. . . . This part especially stood out for me: “Teams submitted two ballots — one filled out by a member of the coaching staff and another by a player representative, in most cases the captain. The Edmonton Oil Kings refused to distribute the player ballot, their reason being that the poll was conducted too close to playoff time. As a result, their coach's selections were counted twice.” . . . What we have here is a serious case of bush league-itis. You have a newspaper, the StarPhoenix, that does a terrific job of covering the WHL and is willing to dedicate resources — space and a writer, for starters — to a project like this, and one team refuses to allow its players to participate. Surely, the WHL office could — ch-ch-ching! — dip into the defending Memorial Cup champion's thick wallet for this egregious faux pas.
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Back in the 1980s, I knew her as Denise Lesiuk and she played the organ at Regina Pats’ games. Yes, she was good. Now, she is Denise Batters. She is a Canadian Senator and an advocate of mental-health issues. . . . Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail has more right here.
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Ron Toigo, the Vancouver Giants’ majority owner, says his team will be back in the Pacific Coliseum again next season. Toigo and Giants general manager Scott Bonner answered questions from fans prior to last night’s game against the visiting Kelowna Rockets. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:

Dave Dupas resigned as head coach of the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday. He cited family reasons. The Spruce Kings went 27-24-1-6 (one tie, six OT losses) and finished third in the Mainland Division. They beat the Langley Rivermen in six games in a first-round series, then lost to the Chilliwack Chiefs in four. . . . Dupas had been the Spruce Kings’ head coach since Nov. 25, 2010. . . . Dupas has a home in West Kelowna. His wife and two sons stayed there while he coached in Prince George. . . . “I have some potential replacements in mind and I’m going to make some calls over the next few days and have some conversations with guys that I feel would be a good fit,” GM Mike Hawes said in a news release. “We’re in no rush to fill the spot but that being said I would like to fill the vacancy sooner than later so that the new coach can be heavily involved in the recruiting and building of next season’s team.”
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THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION:
1. Brandon (1 game remaining) leads the overall standings by two points over Kelowna (1). Brandon needs one point to win its first Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy since 1995-96. . . . The Wheat Kings will meet Edmonton in the first round with the series opening in Brandon on Thursday. . . . At home to Moose Jaw tonight.
2. Regina (1) will finish second in division. Will meet third-place team in first round. . . . In Prince Albert tonight.
3. Swift Current (1) leads Moose Jaw by two points. . . . The Broncos need one point to clinch third place. . . . They entertain Lethbridge tonight.
4. Moose Jaw (1) is two points behind Swift Current. . . . Should the Broncos and Warriors end up tied, there would be a play-in game at the home of the team with the most victories. But if they end up tied, each team will have 33 victories. . . . The second tiebreaker is points in the season series. Each team has six of those. . . . The third tiebreaker is “highest ratio when taking goals for and subtracting goals against in regular-season play.”  The Broncos are minus-28; the Warriors are minus-38. . . . It would seem, then, that a tiebreaker, if needed, would be played in Swift Current. . . . The Warriors are in Brandon tonight and need a victory and a Broncos loss in regulation time to get to that tiebreaker. . . . Moose Jaw is expected to start Brody Willms, 16, in goal.
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CENTRAL DIVISION:
1. Calgary (1) has a one-point lead over Medicine Hat. . . . At home to Kootenay on Sunday afternoon.
2. Medicine Hat (1) is one point behind Calgary. . . . Each team has 44 victories. . . . At home to Saskatoon tonight in the final regular-season game in the history of The Arena.
3. Red Deer (1) will finish third in the division and meet the second-place team in the first round. . . . At home to Edmonton tonight.
4. Kootenay (1) has wrapped up the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Will meet the division’s first-place team in the first round. . . . In Calgary on Sunday afternoon.
5. Edmonton (1) will finish in the conference’s second wild-card spot, meaning a first-round series that opens Thursday in Brandon. . . . In Red Deer tonight.
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B.C. DIVISION:
1. Kelowna (1) trails Brandon by two points in the race for first place in the overall standings. The first tiebreaker is victories and they are tied, at 52. . . . The second tiebreaker is points in the season series; each team has two. . . . The third tiebreakers is the ratio in goals-for and goals-against. Kelowna is plus-119; Brandon is plus-114. . . . The Rockets are at home to Vancouver tonight.
2. Victoria (1) will finish second and meet Prince George in the first round. . . . That series opens Friday in Victoria. . . . The Royals are in Everett tonight.
3. Prince George (1) beat visiting Kamloops last night to clinch third place. . . . The Cougars will open a first-round series in Victoria on Friday. The Cougars were 3-3-2 in the season series; the Royals were 5-3-0. . . . Prince George is in Kamloops tonight.
4. Kamloops (1) can’t finish third in the division, but still could end up in the conference’s second wild-card spot. It is two points behind Tri-City (2). In order to force a play-in game, the Blazers need to beat visiting Prince George tonight and needs the Americans to lose in regulation tonight in Spokane and again Sunday at Portland. . . . Should that scenario play out, the Blazers and Americans would have a play-in game in Kennewick, Wash., likely on Tuesday. . . . Kamloops, which didn’t make the playoffs last season, has never been on the outside looking in two seasons in a row.
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U.S. DIVISION:
1. Everett (2) has a two-point lead over Portland. . . . At home to Victoria tonight.
1. Portland (2) trails Everett by two points. . . . Each team has 42 victories. . . . Visits Seattle tonight.
3. Seattle (1) will finish third in the division, so will meet the second-place team in the first round. . . . At home to Portland tonight.
4. Spokane (2) is locked into the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Visits Tri-City tonight.
5. Tri-City (2) holds the conference’s second wild-card spot, two points ahead of Kamloops. . . . The team that finishes in that spot gets Kelowna in the first round. . . . The Americans are at home to Spokane tonight.
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IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

Eastern Conference
Brandon vs. Edmonton
Calgary vs. Kootenay
Regina vs. Swift Current
Medicine Hat vs. Red Deer
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Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Tri-City/Kamloops
Everett vs. Spokane
Victoria vs. Prince George
Portland vs. Seattle
(NOTE: Team with home-ice advantage shown first.)
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:

In Edmonton, F Riley Sheen scored two goals and set up another as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Oil Kings, 6-2. . . . Attendance on Fan Appreciation Night was announced at 16,104, the third-largest in franchise history. . . . Sheen has 24 goals. . . . Red Deer D Nelson Nogier broke a 2-2 tie with his third goal at 3:30 of the third period. . . . Rebels F Wyatt Johnson upped the lead to 4-2 with his 25th goal, shorthanded, at 7:43. . . . F Brooks Maxwell scored his 27th goal, also shorthanded, and added two assists for Red Deer, while F Scott Feser scored his 17th goal and had an assist. . . . The Oil Kings got two assists from each of F Andrew Koep and D Ashton Sautner. . . . Edmonton was 1-for-7 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-for-1. . . . The Rebels (38-22-11) are 1-1-1 in their last three. . . . The Oil Kings (33-31-7) have lost two in a row. . . . The teams meet again tonight, this time in Red Deer. The Rebels expect to have F Conner Bleackley, their captain, in the lineup for the first time since Feb. 6. . . . Brian Swane of the Edmonton Sun has a game story right here. . . .

In Regina, F Kris Schmidli scored the only goal of a three-round shootout to give the Prince Albert Raiders a 5-4 victory over the Pats. . . . The Raiders trailed 3-1 in the second period and 4-2 with less than five minutes to play in the third period. . . . D Brendan Guhle scored his fifth goal at 15:17 of the third period and Schmidli tied it at 18:37 with his 12th. . . . F Jayden Hart had two assists for the Raiders, who got 33 saves from G Nick McBride. . . . Regina D Colby Williams, who was named the team’s player of the year prior to the game, scored his 11th goal and added two assists, while F Taylor Cooper also had two assists. . . . Pats G Daniel Wapple stopped 42 shots. . . . The Raiders were 1-for-7 on the PP; the Pats were 1-for-4. . . . The Raiders (30-37-4) won’t make the playoffs. . . . The Pats (37-24-10) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). . . .

In Moose Jaw, F Jack Rodewald and F Jesse Shynkaruk scored shootout goals to give the Warriors a 7-6 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Wheat Kings held a 3-1 lead early in the second period when the Warriors exploded for three goals in 28 seconds. F Tanner Eberle got his 33rd goal at 4:43; F Jayden Halbgewachs scored his fourth at 5:04; F Axel Blomqvist got No. 25 at 5:11. . . . Brandon D Kale Clague tied it with his third goal at 14:13. . . . The Warriors took the lead on Rodewald’s 34th goal 23 seconds into the third period. . . . F Nolan Patrick pulled Brandon back even with his 29th goal at 1:20. . . . F Brett Howden put Moose Jaw back in front with his 22nd goal at 1:47. . . . Brandon D Macoy Erkamps scored his second goal, at 7:05, to force OT. . . . Brandon G Alex Moodie stopped 25 shots, five fewer than Moose Jaw’s Zach Sawchenko. . . . Warriors F Brayden Point scored his 37th goal and added two assists. Eberle also had two assists. . . . F Braylon Shmyr scored twice for Brandon, giving him 18, while F John Quenneville and F Morgan Klimchuk each had two assists. . . . Moose Jaw was 0-for-4 on the PP; Brandon was 0-for-1. . . . Moose Jaw F Jaimen Yakubowski, 20, had shoulder surgery Friday, so his WHL career is over. . . . The Warriors (32-34-5) have won three in a row. . . . Brandon (52-11-8) had won its previous five games. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald has a game story right here. . . .

In Cranbrook, Calgary G Brendan Burke stopped 29 shots to help the Hitmen to a 2-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Calgary D Loch Morrison scored his fourth goal at 9:19 of the second period and F Jordy Stallard got his fifth at 14:57 as the visitors went ahead 2-0. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon got his 35th goal at 14:36 of the third, on a PP. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin stopped 29 shots. . . . The Ice was 1-for-4 on the PP; the Hitmen were 0-for-1. . . . The Hitmen (44-22-5) have won four in a row. . . . The Ice (37-30-4) had a four-game winning streak end. . . . Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has a game story right here. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Jake DeBrusk scored three goals and added an assist to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 5-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Lethbridge took a 2-0 lead after the first period, only to have the Broncus score the next five goals, four of them in the second period. . . . DeBrusk, who has 42 goals, gave his side a 3-2 lead with his second goal at 7:56 of the second. . . . Broncos F Colby Cave had two assists. . . . F Giorgio Estephan scored his 23rd goal for the Hurricanes. . . . Broncos G Landon Bow was key, with 43 saves, 10 more than Lethbridge’s Stuart Skinner. . . . The Broncos were 1-for-2 on the PP; the Hurricane’s PP unit never got on the ice. . . . The Broncos (33-33-5) had lost their previous game. . . . The Hurricanes (20-43-8) have lost seven in a row. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Chad Butcher broke a 1-1 tie at 16:55 of the second period and the Medicine Hat Tigers went on to a 3-1 victory over the Blades. . . . They’ll play again tonight in the last regular-season game in the history of the Medicine Hat Arena. . . . Butcher, who missed a chunk of the season with a concussion, has 20 goals. . . . F Dryden Hunt scored his 33rd goal, on a PP, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead at 15:40 of the first period. . . . F Nick Zajac tied it with his 11th goal at 17:47. . . . Tigers F Trevor Cox provided insurance with his 28th goal at 17:49 of the second. . . . Medicine Hat F Matt Bradley left in the first period with an undisclosed injury. . . . Tigers G Marek Langhamer stopped 21 shots, 23 fewer than Brock Hamm of the Blades. . . . The Blades scratched D Brycen Martin with an undisclosed injury. . . . Saskatoon also scratched G Nik Amundrud (groin), The Blades had Joel Grzybowski on the bench. An 11th round pick in the 2014 bantam draft, he played for the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers but has yet to sign with the Blades. . . . Attendance was announced as 8,929 and the 50-50 draw was worth $60,207.50. It was claimed by Ross and Carly Wiebe, who are father and daughter. Merry Christmas to them! . . . The Tigers (44-23-4) are 3-0-1 in their last four games. . . . The Blades (19-48-4) have lost eight straight. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has a game story right here. . . .

In Prince George, G Ty Edmonds turned aside 36 shots to lead the Cougars to a 3-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The 4,570 fans in attendance gave the Cougars a standing ovation at game’s end after they had clinched their first playoff spot since the spring of 2011. . . . F David Soltes gave the Cougars a 1-0 lead with his 13th goal at 2:01 of the second period. . . . F Kody McDonald upped that to 2-0 with his ninth goal 35 seconds into the third. . . . Kamloops F Cole Ully scored his 34th goal at 8:22. . . . Cougars F Colby McAuley added insurance with his fifth goal at 18:28. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram stopped 38 shots. . . . The Cougars were 0-for-6 on the PP; the Blazers were 0-for-3. . . . The Cougars (31-35-5) have won three in a row. . . . The Blazers (27-37-7) have lost three straight. . . . Prince George is in Kamloops tonight. The Cougars are 5-2-0 against the Blazers; the Blazers are 2-4-1 against the Cougars. . . .

In Spokane, F Ryan Gropp struck four times to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-2 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Gropp, who has 28 goals, scored once in the first period and three times in the third when Seattle struck five times. . . . F Mathew Barzal had three assists for the Thunderbirds. . . . F Adam Helewka scored his 42nd goal for Spokane. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 29 shots. . . . Seattle D Sahvan Khaira took a kneeing major and game misconduct at 5:12 of the second period. The Chiefs weren’t able to score on the five-minute PP. . . . Spokane was 0-for-3 on the PP; the Thunderbirds were 0-for-2. . . . The Chiefs had F Hudson Elyniuk back in their lineup. He hadn’t played since Dec. 28. . . . “For me, we weren't committed,” Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur told Chris Derrick of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “I mean, it looked to me, and it was apparent with the end result, that you're not going to win games unless you outwork the other team and we got outworked in everything we did. We were second to every puck and that was the choice we made. We chose not to play the game the right way and those are the results you get when you play like that.” . . . The Thunderbirds (37-25-9) have won three in a row. . . . The Chiefs (34-32-4) have dropped three straight. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., G Eric Comrie turned aside 43 shots to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 4-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Tri-City F Tyler Sandhu broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the game, and 16th of the season, at 10:15 of the third period. . . . F Beau McCue added his 26th goal, into an empty net, at 18:46. . . . The Americans got two assists from each of F Jordan Topping and F Richard Nejezchleb. . . . F Miles Koules scored his 27th goal and added an assist for Portland. . . . G Adin Hill stopped 29 shots for the Winterhawks. . . . Tri-City is 1-8-0 against Portland this season. . . . The Americans (30-37-3) had lost their previous two games. . . . The Winterhawks (42-22-6) had been 2-0-1 in their previous three games. . . .

In Victoria, the Everett Silvertips erased a 2-1 deficit with three straight goals and beat the Royals, 4-3. . . . F Austin Carroll’s 38th goal of the season gave the Royals a 2-1 lead at 12:38 of the second period. . . . Everett F Brayden Low tied it with his 15th at 14:45 and F Remi Laurencelle, who had two assists, got No. 22 at 17:02 to give the visitors the lead. . . . D Noah Juulsen got his eighth goal at 10:27 of the third period. . . . Victoria F Tyler Soy got his guys to within one with his 28th at 15:01. . . . F Nikita Scherbak had two assists for the Silvertips. . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 18 shots, six fewer than Victoria’s Coleman Vollrath. . . . Everett was 1-for-2 on the PP; Victoria was 1-for-3. . . . The Silvertips (42-20-8) are 2-0-1 in their last three. . . . The Royals (38-29-4) have lost two in a row. . . .

In Vancouver, D Madison Bowey scored on the PP at 1:05 of OT to give the Kelowna Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Giants. . . . The Giants’ playoff hopes had ended a few minutes earlier when the host Tri-City Americans beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-2. . . . Bowey, who also had an assist, has 17 goals. . . . Kelowna F Leon Draisaitl forced OT with his 17th goal, on a PP, at 15:54 of the third period. . . . Draisaitl also had three assists. . . . Giants F Dawson Holt, playing in his second WHL game, scored his first goal to pull the Giants into a 2-2 tie at 2:59 of the third. . . . The Giants took a 3-2 lead on F Alex Baer’s 13th goal at 10:14, via a PP. . . . Vancouver D Brennan Menell had two assists. . . . Attendance on Fan Appreciation Night was 11,644. . . . The Rockets are 7-0-0 against the Giants this season. . . . Kelowna was 3-for-5 on the PP; Vancouver was 2-for-5. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer, who is 5-0-0 against the Giants, stopped 23 shots. . . . Vancouver G Cody Porter made 22 saves. . . . Kelowna D Josh Morrissey is in a walking boot and isn’t expected to be ready for the opening round of the playoffs. He hasn’t played since Feb. 28. . . . This game was televised by Sportsnet and intermission panellists John Shannon and Todd Warriner were all over the Rockets for what they perceive as a lack of veteran leadership. They were echoing the comments made by owner/GM Bruce Hamilton in the Kelowna Daily Courier earlier in the week. . . . The Rockets (52-13-6) are 2-0-1 in their last three games. . . . The Giants are 27-40-4.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Kootenay at Calgary, 2 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 5 p.m.
Everett at Spokane 5:05 p.m.
END OF REGULAR SEASON
———

Hey @gdrinnan the MH News is calling for fav memories of the #MHArena final reg season game Saturday How about a retweet to the hockey world
— Collin Gallant (@CollinGallant) March 21, 2015

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.

It's hard to say goodbye . . . Chase leaves Hitmen . . . Iron Commissioner drops hammer

Goaltender Austin Lotz of the Everett Silvertips played Wednesday's
game with a heavy heart following the death of Cole Hamblin
earlier in the day. After the game, Lotz tweeted a picture of the game
puck along with: "If I had a good enough arm I'd toss this up to you.
That one was for you. Thanks to everyone for the love and support."
(Photo: Chris Mast / mastimages.com)

G Daniel Spence (Calgary, 2004-09) has been released by Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan) by mutual agreement. In three games, he has a 3.39 GAA and .866 save percentage. . . .
F Jaroslav Svoboda (Kootenay, 1998-2000) has signed for the rest of this season with Martin (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had been on a one-month contract with Red Ice Martigny (Switzerland, NL B) that expired Oct. 3. In five games with Red Ice, he had a goal and two assists. . . .
F Jakub Šindel (Brandon, 2004-05) has been released by Kaltern/Caldaro (Italy, Serie A). He had eight points, including three goals, in 14 games.
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A SAD FAREWELL:

A few short months ago, Cole Hamblin was preparing to begin a new chapter in his life.
After a junior career that included stints with the Spokane Chiefs and Regina Pats, he was going to attend the U of Guelph and play hockey for the Gryphons.
It didn’t happen.
Hamblin died Wednesday morning at the age of 21.
A native of Ste. Adolphe, Man., Hamblin began experiencing lower pack pain and weight loss during the summer. He was found to have mucoepidermoid carcinoma; it was in Stage 4 when it was discovered.
Hamblin had been in hospital since Sept. 22 when he died.
Shortly after his death, his family posted an update to the GoFundMe page:
“For those who have not yet heard Cole passed away this morning with his family by his side. He will be greatly missed by everyone who had the chance to know him! He touched so many lives and for that we are all greatful for. All remaining donations that have not been used will be generously donated to Cancer Care! The family is in awe with the support received from everyone and is truly grateful for everything. Our continuous thoughts are with Cole and The Hamblins. We love you all!”
I never had occasion to meet Hamblin, but I am wishing that I had. Judging from the number of people who posted messages of condolences on Twitter, this young man touched a lot of lives in a positive fashion.
Hopefully that will in time provide his family with some solace.

Heartbroken by the news of Cole Hamblin's passing. One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. RIP big fella. ❤️❤️
— Brendan Leipsic (@28LEIP) November 5, 2014

Deepest condolences to the Hamblin family. Heaven gained a great guy. I was blessed with the opportunity to meet you. Rest in peace, Cole.
— Seth Swenson (@SethSwenson) November 5, 2014

Thoughts and prayers are with the Hamblin family today. Cole was one of the biggest, nicest, funniest players I ever got to play wit#RipCH18
— Joel Edmundson (@JEdmundson3) November 5, 2014

Prayers go out to the Hamblin family, friends, and teammates. Forever grateful for meeting you. RIP Cole.❤️ pic.twitter.com/pJoYVebBIU
— Laury Jones (@lauryjones) November 6, 2014

Heaven took you way too soon. You will forever be in my prayers. Love you Cole and may you rest in peace. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Lz2kMpdem6
— Brady Brassart (@BradyBrassart) November 6, 2014

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F Greg Chase has joined the parade of players to have walked out on WHL teams this season.
Chase, 19, didn’t play in Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon. He was a healthy scratch from that one. On Wednesday, the Hitmen said it was “related to on-ice discipline.”
Prior to Wednesday’s game in Prince Albert, the Hitmen revealed, via Twitter, that Chase “has since requested a trade and has returned home.”
This season, in 15 games, Chase had 15 points, including two goals. On the Hitmen, only F Chase Lang, with 17, and F Adam Tambellini, with 16, had more points than Chase.
Interestingly, Chase is one of the forwards on the roster of the WHL team that is to play in the Subway Super Series.
A native of Sherwood Park, Alta., Chase was a seventh-round selection by the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL’s 2013 draft. That came after a season in which he had 49 points, including 17 goals, in 69 games. Last season, Chase scored 35 times and finished with 85 points, in 70 games.
From all reports, Chase had a tremendous training camp with the Oilers in September and they responded by signing him to a three-year entry-level contract.
In 219 regular-season WHL games, all with Calgary, he has 177 points, including 60 goals.
The Hitmen selected him with the 22nd overall in the 2010 bantam draft.
Meanwhile, a source familiar with the situation has confirmed to Taking Note that D Reid Zalitach, 18, has left the Moose Jaw Warriors. He becomes at least the fourth player to leave the Warriors since the season began.
Zalitach and D Taylor Green, 19, were roommates in Moose Jaw. Green left the Warriors on Oct. 29.
When Green departed, Moose Jaw general manager Alan Millar told the Moose Jaw Times-Herald that “it was a decision he felt was in his best interest to move on from the game at this time and pursue other options, in particular, his education.”
A source has told Taking Note that Green’s departure didn’t have anything to do with wanting to get on with his education and everything to do with not seeing eye-to-eye with head coach Tim Hunter.
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You had to think that David Branch, the commissioner of the OHL, would get it right. On Wednesday, the Iron Commissioner suspended two players for 15 games each for “recent social networking activity.” . . . Chris Peters of cbssports.com has more right here.---
The Everett Silvertips are in Vancouver to play the Giants on Friday night. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province writes right here about the relationship between the head coaches -- Kevin Constantine of the Silvertips and Troy Ward of the Giants.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province also reports that F Luca Leone, 18, who was released this week by the Swift Current Broncos, is taking his career to Italy. Leone has an Italian passport so won’t be classified as an import when he joins the Milan-based Milano Rossoblu, a team that plays in Serie A. . . . Leone had six points, two of them goals, in 33 games with the Giants last season. This season, he was pointless in seven games with the Broncos.
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports Canada does up a weekly set of CHL rankings that he has dubbed the Buzzing The Net Dynamic Dozen. If you aren’t aware of them, check out the latest rankings right here. Hint: Teams from the WHL occupy the top two slots and three of the top six. . . . It’s worth looking at the paragraph that follows the rankings to see just what goes into the compilation.
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F Dryden Hunt of the Regina Pats missed most of 2012-13 thanks to a pair of concussions. So you know how badly he feels now that he’s sitting out a two-game suspension for having been involved in a hit that left Saskatoon Blades D Adam Henry with a concussion. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
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Earlier in the week came word of a mother who had been ordered by a B.C. court not to contact various hockey coaches and officials on behalf of her sons. Today comes word of a minor hockey coach in North Delta, B.C., who was “fired for posting Nazi propaganda to his Facebook page,” according to this story right here by Tom Zytaruk of Surrey Now. . . . Obviously, there is a reason why it’s called the Left Coast.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

In Prince Albert, F Connor Rankin had a goal and two assists as the Calgary Hitmen beat the Raiders, 4-2. . . . Rankin has two goals this season. . . . Calgary F Radel Fazleev snapped a 2-2 tie with his seventh goal at 13:07 of the third period. He also had an assist. . . . Calgary F Adam Tambellini added the insurance, with his 11th goal at 17:21. . . . F Craig Leverton scored twice for the Raiders (8-10-0), giving him 11. . . . F Jordy Stallard added his first WHL goal for the Hitmen. . . . The Raiders welcomed back F Reid Gardiner after a five-game absence with a broken nose and a bad facial cut. . . . Hitmen G Evan Johnson stopped 36 shots, five more than Nick McBride of the Raiders. . . . Calgary (9-8-1) has won two in a row. . . .

In Everett, F Nikita Scherbak struck for three goals to lead the Silvertips to a 6-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Scherbak gave Everett (11-1-3) a 4-2 lead with a PP goal at 8:25 of the second period. He completed his first WHL hat trick with the game’s last two goals, the final one into an empty net. . . . Scherbak has 10 goals and 10 assists in 12 games. . . . F Conner Bleackley had two goals for the Rebels. He’s got five. . . . F Tyler Sandhu, acquired by Red Deer from Everett early in the season, scored his fourth goal to get his side to within one, at 3-2, at 3:21 of the second. . . . If you’re keeping track, Everett took two minor penalties, one fewer than Red Deer (8-8-2). . . . The Rebels had been 5-0-1 in their past six games. . . . After the first period, Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald tweeted: “Last night Red Deer and Seattle combined for 52 penalty minutes in 1st period. Tonight Everett and Red Deer combined for ZERO.” . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., G Eric Comrie turned aside 25 shots as his Tri-City Americans beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 1-0. . . . Comrie has one shutout this season and 10 in his career. . . . F Beau McCue scored the game’s only goal, his sixth, on a PP at 6:40 of the third period. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 20 shots. . . . F Richard Nejezchleb, acquired Tuesday from the Brandon Wheat Kings, drew the primary assist on McCue’s goal. . . . Edmonton (9-7-2) lost five times on its trip through the U.S. Division. . . . The Americans (10-9-0) have won their last two starts. . . .

In Kelowna, F Nick Merkley, the WHL’s scoring leader, had a goal and two assists to help the Rockets to a 5-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Merkley has 30 points, including a league-leading 24 assists, in 17 games. . . . F Rourke Chartier and D Madison Bowey also had a goal and two assists each for the Rockets (15-1-1). Chartier has a WHL-leading 15 goals, while Bowey has seven. Bowey leads all defencemen in points (25). . . . The Royals (9-8-2) took 65 of the game’s 128 penalty minutes, 68 of which came in the last two minutes of the third period.
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The Swift Current Broncos will finish the 2015-16 regular season on the road and if they qualify for the playoffs they will open on the road. That’s because the 2016 Ford World women’s curling championship will be played in the Credit Union i-plex, March 19-27. . . . The Broncos have experience in this situation because the 2010 championship also was held in Swift Current. . . .
The Ottawa Senators revealed on Wednesday that F Curtis Lazar, 19, is staying with the NHL team. Lazar, who was the 17th overall selection in the 2013 NHL draft, has two assists in nine games. Ottawa’s only other option with Lazar is to return him to the Edmonton Oil Kings, with whom he has played the past three seasons. . . .
At least two WHL players will be on the Russian team’s roster when the Subway Super Series opens in Saskatoon on Monday. D Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Kootenay Ice D Rinat Valiev officially have been added to the Russian team. Game 2 of the six-game series will be played in Brandon on Nov. 11, before the Russian team heads east for two games with the OHL and two with a QMJHL select team. . . . On Wednesday evening, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix tweeted: “Russian Super Series roster hasn't been released, but I've been told former Saskatoon Blade Nikita Scherbak will be playing vs. the WHL.” . . .
Rogers Sportsnet begins its CHL telecast schedule on Monday with the Super Series game in Saskatoon. Once again, the broadcast team features RJ Broadhead calling the play, with analysis by Sam Cosentino. The host of the show will be Rob Faulds. . . . The complete telecast schedule was released on Wednesday and is right here.
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Please tell me I'm not the first to notice this Joe Maddon and Harry Caray #cubs #chicago @CJNitkowski #holycow pic.twitter.com/9ZFkWlXgyc
— David Aardsma (@TheDA53) November 5, 2014