Special night for Americans

THE MacBETH REPORT:

D Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) has signed a two-year deal with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He has been cleared by doctors to resume playing after recovering from Guillaume-Barre Syndrome. Last season with Coventry, he had 15 points, including three goals, in 56 games.
———
Here is the lead to Annie Fowler's story in Friday's Tri-City Herald:
"The Tri-City Americans will honor one of their own tonight when they host the Regina Pats for the inaugural Shaun Vey Aware Down There Night.
"Vey, who played for the Americans from 2004-08, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in February. He is in the Tri-Cities to bring awareness and raise funds for men’s health issues. All funds raised will stay local and benefit the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation."
The complete story is right here.
———
Last week, when WHL commissioner Ron Robison was involved in a Q and A with fans in Kelowna, he admitted to some concerns regarding attendance in a few centres. One of the spots where things aren't what they used to be is Victoria. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
———
It would seem the WHL isn't the only sporting organization that may be keeping a wary eye on its crowd counts. Here's a tweet from Blake Price (@blakeprice1040) of Vancouver radio station Team 1040 from the Canucks' home game last night: "As I look at hundreds of empty seats here, let it be noted that even the LA Lakers said this week that their sellout streak was over at 320."
———
Bob Fitzsimmons was the lawyer for the late Mike Webster, the former Pittsburgh Steelers centre whose story is such a big part of League of Denial, both the TV show and the book. Fitzsimmons also is a director of TauMark, the firm that is using brain scans to test for CTE in living ex-football players. So far, nine players have been tested and all have come back positive. And more players, a lot more, want to be tested. There's more right here.
———
A bill before the state legislature in Albany, N.Y., would ban tackling in football for youngsters under the age of 14. Dr. Robert Cantu, perhaps the foremost concussion expert in the U.S. and a co-director of Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, appeared in Albany on Thursday.
"Youngsters are particularly vulnerable," said Dr. Cantu said. "We have six youngsters in our brain bank at BU who ... have chronic traumatic encephalopathy shown at the high school level. So this is an entity that is already developing in these players."
Jordan Carleo-Evangelist of the Albany Times Union has more right here.
———
Don't blame the Marsh Pegs for the injury suffered by Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos on Monday. Stamkos ended up with a broken right leg when he slid into a goal post during the second period of a 3-0 loss to the Bruins in Boston. Fred Marsh of Kamloops, who invented the pegs, told Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times that he has watched the collision a number of times and feels the pegs did what they are meant to do. . . . That story is right here.
———



D Eric Roy was back at practice with the Brandon Wheat Kings on Thursday. He missed Wednesday's 5-2 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon with an injury incurred when he blocked a shot in a Monday game. He likely will play in the rematch in Brandon on Friday. . . . F T.J. Dumonceaux of the Vernon Vipers isn't going to be suspended by the BCHL for the punch that floored linesman Ryan Dawson on Sunday. . . . There's more right here.
———
THURSDAY:
In Edmonton, D Griffin Reinhart had a goal and two assists to help the Oil Kings to a 6-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . This was the Oil Kings' first home game since Oct. 20. . . . They are 8-2-0 in their last 10 outings. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 14th goal of the season. . . . Edmonton (13-8-1) moved a point ahead of the idle Prince Albert Raiders and into third place in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Warriors have lost three and a row. They are 11th in the 12-team conference, four points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Oil Kings' PP, which hadn't scored in 23 opportunities, was 2-for-3. . . . What was the difference with the PP? “We got a great net-front presence and we got some better puck movement,” Edmonton head coach Derek Laxdal said on the team's website. “We changed it up, give it a different look, change sides on it and split up Curtis (Lazar) and Sammy (Henrik Samuelsson) to create some inner competition. If you want that heavy ice time, now you’ve got to go out and earn it.” . . . Before the game, the Warriors added F Erik Benoit, 20, to their roster. Benoit was released earlier by the Seattle Thunderbirds, for whom he had eight points, including three goals, in 19 games this season. Benoit, who played for the Warriors last night, also has played with the Kootenay Ice and Saskatoon Blades. . . . Benoit's presence gives the Warriors three 20-year-olds, the others being F Sam Fioretti and D Jesse Forsberg.
———





From Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff), of Vancouver radio station Team 1040: "#Canucks 1st rounder Hunter Shinkaruk watching warm-up from management box with Stan Smyl."
The Canucks were at home to the San Jose Sharks last night. Shinkaruk and his Medicine Hat Tigers meet the Giants in Vancouver tonight.
———
From Reid Wilkins (@Reid Wilkins) of Edmonton radio station 630 CHED: "Chris Nilan says fighting is slowly being weeded out of hockey. Will disappear from junior then the NHL."

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.

Thomson leaves Blazers; Hurricanes get Bell

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Adam Rehak (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has been released by Meran/Merano (Italy, Austria Nationalliga). He had 12 points, including seven goals, in 12 games.
———
D Jordan Thomson, the fourth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, has left the Kamloops Blazers and returned to his home in Wawanesa, Man., which is located just southeast of Brandon.
"Everything is all right," Thomson told me Tuesday evening. "(I) just need to clear my head."
Thomson has seven assists in 20 games this season. Last season, as a 16-year-old rookie, he had 14 points, two of them goals, in 47 games.
Earlier in the day, the Blazers issued a news release that stated Thomson had returned home "for an undetermined time due to a personal matter."
“At this point it’s all about Jordan," head coach Dave Hunchak told Adam Williams of the Kamloops Daily News last night. "We support him and he’s gone home in the best interests of him. We’re here for him 110 per cent and are going to support him.”
Hunchak said the team is taking a "week-to-week" approach with Thomson.
His departure leaves the Blazers with six defenceman on their 21-man roster.
The Blazers (6-12-3) are at home to the Medicine Hat Tigers (14-3-3) tonight.
———
First, the Lethbridge Hurricanes added a victory; then they added a defenceman.
After winning 5-3 in Moose Jaw to end a 10-game losing skid last night, the Hurricanes announced that they have acquired D Tyler Bell, 19, from the Warriors for a third-round 2014 bantam draft pick.
It seems that the general managers, Alan Millar of the Warriors and Lethbridge's Brad Robson, struck up a conversation during the game.
“It was discussed during the game and looked at seriously in the second intermission and then we completed it right afterwards,” Millar told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald.
The Hurricanes have been playing with six defencemen since last week when D Ryan Pilon left the team and returned home to await a trade.
The Warriors acquired Bell last season as part of a deal in which D Joel Edmundson moved to the Kamloops Blazers. Bell, from Regina, has five points, one of them a goal, in 23 games this season. In 146 career games, he has 26 points, including five goals.
Bell, who is expected to join his new club Thursday, will bring a physical presence to the Lethbridge back end.
———
The Red Deer Rebels have promoted Shaun Sutter to assistant general manager and director of player personnel. He had been working as the Rebels' senior scout since 2011. . . . Sutter played four WHL seasons (Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Calgary, 1997-2001) and was a fourth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the 1998 NHL draft. He played eight seasons of pro hockey and also worked as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats (2009-11). . . . He is the son of former NHL player and coach Brian Sutter.
———


D Dalton Thrower, the captain of the Vancouver Giants, was on the ice Tuesday. Thrower has missed two games after taking a headshot from F Mitch Moroz of the Edmonton Oil Kings on Nov. 5. Thrower was wearing a non-contact jersey at yesterday's practice. It isn't known if he will play Friday against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province also reports that F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft, skated with the Giants yesterday. Benson, who plays for the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, is scheduled to make his WHL debut on Saturday against the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . Andy Neal reports on his blog, Neal's Notes, that the Victoria Royals were missing five players when they practised on Tuesday. D Joe Hicketts, D Jordan Fransoo and D Keegan Kanzig didn't skate, nor did F Jack Walker and F Brandon Magee. All are believed to be injured with the exception of Magee. Head coach Dave Lowry told Neal that Magee was given a "maintenance day." . . . The Royals are home to the Seattle Thunderbirds for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. . . . D Eric Roy may not play for the Brandon Wheat Kings tonight when they meet the visiting Saskatoon Blades. Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Roy was injured while blocking a shot on Monday and didn't practice Tuesday. G Curtis Honey, who has missed five games with an undisclosed injury, also sat out practice.
———
TUESDAY:
In Prince Albert, the Raiders ended a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride, making his first career start at home, stopped 28 shots. . . . Blades G Alex Moodie, making his fifth straight start, stopped 42 shots. . . . Saskatoon D Ayrton Nikkel returned after missing seven games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Earlier in the day, the Raiders removed F Lance Yaremchuk, 17, from their roster. A native of Prince Albert, he had three points, including a goal, in eight games. He was a sixth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Lethbridge Hurricanes snapped their 10-game losing skid with a 5-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . F Axel Blomqvist scored the Hurricanes' first three goals, the third one forging a 3-3 tie at 16:55 of the second period. . . . F Russ Maxwell broke the tie at 17:24. . . . Blomqvist has eight goals. . . . F Josh Uhrich scored his fourth goal of the season for the Warriors and also added an assist. He has one goal in each of his last four games. . . . Moose Jaw lost F Jack Rodewald to a broken jaw in the second period. According to Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald he "was injured in a collision midway through the second period. . . . He returned to the bench, but left and did not return." Rodewald went for X-rays and his jaw was found to be broken in two places. He is to have surgery today. Rodewald, who was playing in his 150th career game, had career highs in goals (9), assists (8) and points (17) in 24 games. . . .

In Prince George, F Miles Koules scored twice to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 6-1 victory over the Cougars. . . . Koules has six goals this season. . . . The Tigers scored the game's last five goals, four of them in the third period. . . . The Cougars were playing their fourth game in five nights in four different cities. . . . Tigers G Daniel Wapple stopped 39 shots, 18 of them in the second period. . . . Medicine Hat D Matt Staples, who went into the game with two assists in 17 games, had his first WHL goal and an assist. He's a sophomore from Coppell, Texas. . . . Prince George D Joseph Carvalho left late in the second period after taking a shot high, perhaps off his face. He didn't return. . . . The Tigers are 7-0-1 in their last eight games. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks got five first-period goals from five different scorers en route to a 10-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Winterhawks, who lost two home games in a row during parent's weekend, now have won two straight. . . . Seattle now has lost five in a row. . . . After the first period, the Thunderbirds had been outscored 15-4 in their last four periods in Portland. . . . F Paul Bittner led Portland with his first WHL three-goal game and his first four-point outing. He wound up plus-5, as did D Derrick Pouliot, who had a goal and an assist. . . .Portland F Nic Petan had a goal and two assists. He leads the WHL in assists (31) and is second in points (43). He is eight points behind Spokane F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Portland twice has scored 10 goals against Seattle this season. On Sept. 28, the Winterhawks beat visiting Seattle, 10-4. . . . Seattle D Evan Wardley completed his four-game WHL suspension by sitting out this game. . . . Prior to the game, the Thunderbirds released F Erik Benoit, 20. That leaves them with F Seth Swenson and F Mitch Elliot as their 20-year-olds, meaning there is room for one more. Benoit had eight points, three of them goals, in 19 games with Seattle. . . . The Winterhawks are alone atop the overall standings, three points ahead of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Everett Silvertips, both of whom are 14-3-3.
———






From Lethbridge G Chris Tai (@chrisstopper95), who turned aside 36 shots and was the game's first star as the Hurricanes ended a 10-game losing skid: "So that's what winning feels like."
———
From Ryan Bittner (@17Bittner): "So proud of me little big brother @unclebittsy_7 and getting his first hat trick in the WHL! #SoProud"
———
From Prince George F Zach Pochiro (@Z_Pochiro): “Shoutout to @joecarvalho27 for blocking a shot with his face today. Kids a warrior #getbetter”

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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Benn Olson (Kamloops, Seattle, 2004-08) signed a one-year contract extension with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He had three goals and 12 assists in 53 games with the Blaze and led the league in PIM with 392, including 19 fighting majors. That total was 126 minutes more than the runner-up. Coventry director of hockey operations Paul Thompson: “Benn is the toughest guy in the league but he is also one hell of a defenceman. Benn ticks all the boxes, he is hugely popular with the fans and the league needs characters like him. He fills opposing rinks too, not just ours. We knew Benn was tough, he has that in abundance, but we also knew he could play. He got better as the season went on and had a lot of responsibility. I think he was under-rated by a lot of people in the league — but certainly not by us. He is still young but he is smart and he has been a rock-solid acquisition for us.” . . .

F Levi Nelson (Swift Current, 2004-08) was one of seven players who were told that they wouldn’t be offered contracts for next season by Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL). Nelson started the season as captain of the Bakersfield Condors (ECHL), getting 10 goals and 14 assists in 32 games before being traded on Dec. 31 to the Greenville Road Warriors. Nelson had three goals and three assists in Greenville before joining Wolfsburg on Jan. 31, where he had one goal and one assist in 11 regular-season games and two goals and three assists in 12 playoff games.
———
JUST NOTES:
The boys are back in town in Saskatoon. Yes, the Blades, the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup, are back and were on the ice Monday for the first time since they were swept from a first-round series by the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . F Erik Benoit (knee), who missed all of that first-round series, will be ready by the time the Memorial Cup gets here. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports that Benoit is skating by himself and should be practising inside of 10 days. . . . Nugent-Bowman also reports that D Shayne Gwinner “has been sent home and is no longer a member of the” Blades. Gwinner, who had been picked up from the Prince Albert Raiders for a fifth-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft, had eight points in 19 regular-season games. . . . Nugent-Bowman’s story is right here.
———
D Mathew Dumba of the Red Deer Rebels has joined the Houston Aeros, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. . . . The Wild selected Dumba with the seventh overall pick of the NHL’s 2012 draft. He had 42 points in 62 regular-season games with the Rebels this season.
———
The Everett Silvertips, who just completed their 10th WHL season, have signed a five-year lease with Comcast Arena that will run through the 2017-18 season. According to a news release: “The new five-year renewal comes on the heels of the club’s initial lease agreement, which spanned 10 seasons since the inception of the Silvertips and the construction of Comcast Arena at Everett in 2003.” . . . The Silvertips have made the playoffs in each of their 10 seasons in the WHL.
———
Three former players with the Brandon Wheat Kings, a one-time head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors and a former head coach of the Winnipeg Warriors are among the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2013 inductees. . . . Mike Ford, Bill Mikkelson and Vaughn Karpan, all of whom played for the Wheat Kings, will be among the inductees at the annual dinner on Oct. 5, as will former Moose Jaw head coach Gerry James, who was a tremendous athlete and played for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, and Bruce Southern, a longtime scout who once coached the Winnipeg Warriors before they relocated to Moose Jaw. . . . Also going into the hall will be former players Bill Watson and the late Ed Hoekstra, along with builders Wayne Fleming and Wayne Chernecki, both of whom will be inducted posthumously. . . . Others to be inducted are referee Ian Heather, builder Don MacKenzie, St. James Canucks founder Tom Miller, on-ice official Bob Thompson, veteran coach Al Tresoor and the 2003 Île-des-Chênes North Stars, the 2003 Allan Cup champions.
———
The Bentley Generals opened the Allan Cup tournament with a 2-0 victory over the Rosetown Red Wings on Monday at the Red Deer Arena. . . . The second goal came off the stick of G Dan Bakala, a 25-year-old Calgary native who played three seasons at Bemidji State. . . . Here’s Greg Meachem, the sports editor of the Red Deer Advocate: “With the Bentley Generals clinging to a late 1-0 lead, Bakala steadied a puck in front of the net and lifted the rubber over oncoming traffic, all the way down the ice and into the vacated Rosetown Redwings goal to seal a 2-0 win in the Allan Cup opener for both teams.” . . . Former Kelowna Rockets G Kelly Guard was in goal for Rosetown.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Leland Mack has left the major midget Greater Vancouver Canadians after four years. The Canadians play in the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. . . . Mack now is the head coach of the Burnaby Winter Club’s U-16 academy team. . . .
Mark Osiecki was fired Monday as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. According to athletic director Gene Smith, the decision was made because of “a difference of opinion over the management of the program that could not be resolved.” . . . Assistant coach Steve Rohlik now is running the program until a replacement is hired. . . . Osiecki was the Buckeyes’ head coach for three seasons, going 46-50-16. . . . There already is speculation that Ohio State will hire former U of Denver head coach George Gwozdecky. . . .
Jim Montgomery, the general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, is the new head coach of the U of Denver Pioneers. . . . Montgomery is completing his third season with Dubuque and will take over the Pioneers once the USHL season is over. . . . Montgomery has a 118-45-21 regular-season record with Dubuque, where the Fighting Saints won the Clark Cup as playoff champions in 2010-11, their inaugural season.
———

The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
Series opens Thursday in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV.
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
Series opens Friday in Portland.
———
MONDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (16):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (5):
None
———


From Shawn Mullin (@shawnmullin), the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos: “Congrats to Adam Lowry on getting his deal done with the Winnipeg Jets. He’s a safe bet to play in the NHL but what is his ceiling?”

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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Eric Johansson (Tri-City, 1997-2002) was released by mutual consent by Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had six goals and 23 assists in 41 games for Alba Volan this season.
———
The Tri-City Americans revealed Friday morning that G Eric Comrie won’t play again this season. Comrie, 17, is to undergo what the teams says is “minor hip surgery” in Vail, Colo., on Feb. 5. He is expected to be off the ice for up to four months.
Comrie, from Newport Beach, Calif., is in his second season with the Americans. This season, he went 20-14-3, 2.62, .915. . . . He was No. 2 among North American goaltenders in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-season rankings that were released earlier this week.
“It sucks right now,” Comrie told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “It is better to do it while it is minor. The doctors say I will be more flexible, have better range of motion and be pain free.”
This leaves the Americans with Luke Lee-Knight and Troy Trembley as their goaltenders. Lee-Knight, 19, goes into the weekend at 2-0-2, 2.91, .868, while Trembley, 18, just joined the Americans from the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires.
Will the Americans finish the season with Lee-Knight and Trembley as their goaltenders? General manager Bob Tory said Friday afternoon that he is exploring all of his options.
Fowler reports that the only other goaltender on the American’s protected list is Evan Sarthou, 15, of the U16 Los Angeles Jr. Kings. He was a third-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft.
Will the surgery have an impact on Comrie’s NHL draft status? That is unlikely, assuming that it is, indeed, “minor surgery.”
———
Kelly Lovering, a familiar figure on Saskatchewan’s hockey scene, is fighting cancer for a third time. But while it may have taken a piece out of him here and there – and more surgery is scheduled for Thursday – it hasn’t touched his sense of humour.
Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post has more right here.
———
“We’re learning that former NFL linebacker Junior Seau committed suicide while suffering from a form of dementia often associated with repeated blows to the head,” writes Bob Molinaro of the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot. “But what most stories don’t mention is that in his 20-year pro career, he was never diagnosed with a concussion. It doesn’t mean, of course, he didn’t suffer any. A casual disregard for head injuries has caught up with a lot of ex-players.”
———
You really are going to want to check out this blog right here to see how many Pinocchios were awarded to Lance Armstrong by The Washington Post’s Fact Checker following Part 1 of the disgraced cyclist’s visit to Oprah’s confessional.
———
I just finished reading Dream Team, by Jack McCallum, a longtime writer for Sports Illustrated. Yes, it is the story of the 1992 U.S. Olympic basketball team, and it is a terrific read. It is hugely entertaining and just as informative as McCallum delves into how so many giant egos came together for the common good in Barcelona, Spain. . . . Yes, there are a whole lot of colourful anecdotes, some of them laugh-out-loud hilarious. But the real story here is how, as the subtitle reads, “Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the greatest team of all time conquered the world and changed the game of basketball forever.” . . . Put this one on your list of must-reads.
———
Judy Seher, the Red Deer Rebels’ long-time billet co-ordinator is the recipient of the WHL’s Distinguished Service Award for 2012-13. She has been the team’s billet co-ordinator since 1992. . . . Seher’s son, Kurt, split four WHL seasons (1989-93) between the Swift Current Broncos and Seattle Thunderbirds.
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Leon Draisaitl drew three assists as the Prince Albert Raiders dumped the Wheat Kings, 3-2. . . . Prince Albert F Mark McNeill scored the game’s first two goals, both on the PP. He’s got 17 goals. . . . F Marek Kalus, acquired last week from the Spokane Chiefs, had both Brandon goals. Those are his first goals this season. . . . Prince Albert F Jonas Knutsen broked a 2-2 tie with his fourth goal at 5:39 of the third. . . . Brandon was 1-9 on the PP. The Raiders were 2-5. . . . Bruce Luebke, the radio voice of the Wheat Kings on CKLQ, reported via Twitter that he had spoken with F Tyrel Seaman, who is out with a concussion, and he “feels it’s highly unlikely he’ll return to the lineup this season.” . . .

In Regina, F Jaedon Descheneau scored twice as the Kootenay Ice edged the Pats, 2-1. . . . Descheneau, who has 12 goals, is on a nine-game point streak. . . . He tied the game at 15:03 of the second and won it at 1:16 of the third. . . . The Ice has won 10 of 11 and has moved from 12th place to ninth, four points out of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . There was one penalty called in the game, that to Regina D Colton Jobke for a check to the head at 19:32 of the third period. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 29 shots. . . . The Pats have dropped four straight. . . .

In Saskatoon, the Blades opened a 4-1 lead and hung on for a 5-4 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . F Lukas Sutter gave the Blades a 4-1 lead at 14:09 of the second and F Erik Benoit provided them with a 5-2 lead at 13:13 of the third. . . . The Warriors, who have lost eight in a row, made it close when F Sam Fioretti got his 22nd at 14:18 and D Spencer Morse got his first at 16:04. . . . Fioretti scored twice. . . . The Warriors had D Morgan Rielly back in their lineup after he returned earlier in the day from the camp of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. He had one assist and was minus-1. . . .

In Edmonton, F Trevor Cox had a goal and an assist as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Oil Kings, 2-1. . . . Edmonton has lost two in a row. . . . Cox scored his 13th goal at 14:41 of the first on a PP. . . . The Tigers went up 2-0 on F Elgin Pearce’s 20th goal at 11:03 of the second. . . . Edmonton D Keegan Lowe got his 11th at 15:16 of the second. . . . Among the Tigers’ scratches was F Hunter Shinkaruk (ill). . . . D Griffin Reinhart was back in the Oil Kings’ lineup after going to camp with the NHL’s New York Islanders. . . .

In Calgary, F Victor Rask scored moments after Prince George had a goal disallowed and the Hitmen went on to beat the Cougars, 5-3. . . . The victory lifted the Hitmen to the top of the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of Edmonton. . . . The Cougars thought they had tied the score 3-3 late in the second period. But it didn’t count and Rask, in his first game after playing for Sweden at the World Junior Championship, scored his fourth goal of the season moments later for a 4-2 lead. . . . Calgary lost D Alex Roach in the third period when a redirected puck struck him in the neck/throat area. He was treated by both trainers and a doctor before leaving the ice and being taken to hospital. Reports indicated that he was having trouble breathing. Early this morning, Carlos Sosa, who represents Roach, told me via text that Roach had been “released from hospital. Has pain but will be OK.” . . . Calgary F Calder Brooks, who has yet to play this season due to injury, took the warmup but didn’t play. . . .

In Vancouver, F Steven Hodges scored twice for the third straight game and the Victoria Royals dumped the Giants, 6-2. . . . Hodges, who has 18 goals, has four straight two-point games. . . . The Royals erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals. . . . F Alex Gogolev scored his 15th goal and added two assists. . . . Victoria F Tyler Soy, the eighth overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft, scored his first WHL goal. He is from Surrey so you know he had friends and family there for what was his third WHL game. . . . The Royals have won four in a row for the first time since they relocated from Chilliwack. . . .

In Spokane, G Jordon Cooke put up his 17th straight victory to lead the Kelowna Rockets to a 4-2 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Cooke, who stopped 38 shots, has won each of his last 17 starts. He last tasted defeat on Nov. 17 when the Rockets were beaten 3-2 by the host Tri-City Americans. . . . The Rockets, who are 10-0-1 in their last 11, dumped the Chiefs 5-3 in Kelowna on Wednesday. . . . F Ryan Olsen scored twice for Kelowna, giving him 23 goals. . . . Chiefs D Brenden Kichton scored his 15th goal as he ran his point streak to 10 games. . . . Among Kelowna’s scratches was F J.T. Barnett (ill). . . .  Spokane F Alessio Bertaggia, who had two assists, left late in the third period after being hit by Kelowna F Carter Rigby. Bertaggia appeared to be favouring his right arm. . . .

In Everett, F Kohl Bauml had two goals and an assist to help the Silvertips to a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Seattle’s losing streak has reached 15 games. . . . Seattle still holds the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. It is three points behind Everett and three ahead of Prince George. . . . F Ryan Harrison, who scored his seventh goal and added two assists, broke a 1-1 tie at 5:00 of the second period. . . . Seattle to 73 of the game’s 114 penalty minutes. . . . Seattle D Jerret Smith, a 17-year-old from Surrey, B.C., scored his first WHL goal. It came in his 44th game. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz turned aside 44 shots. . . . Seattle G Brandon Glover (flu) watched from the bench as Danny Mumaugh stopped 18 shots. . . . According to Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald: “Everett lost defenseman Austin Adam to injury when he took a hit into the boards midway through the first period.” Everett GM/head coach Garry Davidson told Patterson that Adam "had his bell rung.” . . .

In Portland, F Remi Laurencelle and F Reid Duke scored shootout goals as the Lethbridge Hurricanes got past the Winterhawks, 5-4. . . . Portland had won its previous 14 games. . . . It was Portland’s first shootout of the season, while the Hurricanes now are 2-6. . . . Lethbridge F Sam Mckechnie forced OT with his 20th goal, via the PP, at 14:03 of the third. . . . The Winterhawks held a 3-0 lead by 8:15 of the second. . . . Duke got the comeback started when he scored his sixth goal of the season — all six have come in the last five games — at 10:33 of the second. . . . Lethbridge F Harrison Harper, an 18-year-old from Calgary, scored his first WHL goal in his 35th game. . . . Lethbridge G Ty Rimmer stopped 43 shots. . . . Portland F Nic Petan, who leads the WHL scoring race, gave his side a 4-3 lead with his 30th goal at 12:50 of the third on the PP. Petan also had two assists. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic had a goal and an assist, extending his point streak to 13 games. . . . The Hurricanes hadn’t played in Portland since Oct. 3, 2010. . . . Among Lethbridge scratches were F Russ Maxwell, D Joel Topping and F Josh Derko. . . . Portland again scratched D Derrick Pouliot.

In Kennewick, Wash., F Colin Smith scored twice as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Tri-City Americans, 4-1. . . . Smith now has 30 goals. . . . The Blazers scored the game’s last four goals. . . . F Jesse Mychan scored for the Americans. He has six goals, with five of them coming over his last three games. . . . F Cole Ully had two assists for Kamloops, giving him six points in his last four games, all of them on the road. . . . Ully’s linemates, Matt Needham and Chase Souto, each had a goal and an assist. . . . Tri-City F Lukas Walter took a headshot major and game misconduct at 7:29 of the third period for a hit on Kamloops D Joel Edmundson. . . . Kamloops scratched F Tim Bozon and D Landon Cross, both of whom were ill.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Lukas Sutter, Saskatoon
F Josh Winquist, Everett
F Manraj Hayer, Everett

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Colton Jobke, Regina
F Lukas Walter, Tri-City (major)
———






From Tri-City G Eric Comrie (@ericcomrie1): “I would like to thank everyone for there support! Looking forward to coming back next season at 100%! Really going to miss the boys!”
———
From Kootenay Ice G Mackenzie Skapski (@Skaps29): “i wish @ericcomrie1 the speediest recovery #great kid #evenbetter goalie”
———
From Portland freelance writer Scott Sepich (@SSepich): “Carruth now jawing with Hurricanes, who are celebrating in front of him. Gave a shot to Leverton. Rimmer with a salute for him on way out.”
———
From Victoria Royals F Tyler Soy (@_SoySauce_): “On cloud nine right now #1stTuck #bigW”

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.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Doug Lynch (Red Deer, Spokane, 1998-2003) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) after his release by Frölunda Gothenburg (Sweden, Elitserien). He had two goals and two assists in 33 games with Frölunda this season. Lynch has spent the past three seasons and four of the last five with Red Bull.
———

The WHL trade deadline is due to arrive on Thursday.
There has been talk that the OHL may move its deadline until sometime next week.
The WHL, it seems, isn’t about to change anything. Asked on Sunday night if the WHL would move its trade deadline, an official with one WHL team quickly responded: “No.”
Some WHL teams, however, are going to lose players, perhaps for the remainder of this season.
Once NHL camps open next weekend, D Morgan Rielly of the Moose Jaw Warriors will report to the Toronto Maple Leafs, reports Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star right here.
As for other WHLers, D Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings will check in with the New York Islanders, while D Mathew Dumba of the Red Deer Rebels could go to camp with the Minnesota Wild.
———
SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Brady Brassart scored twice to lead the Hitmen to a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Brassart’s second goal, his 13th of the season, broke a 4-4 tie on the PP at 10:39 of the third period. . . . Calgary has won three in a row. . . . D Brett Kulak had a goal and two assists for the Giants. . . . Calgary G Mack Shields stopped 22 shots. . . . Vancouver G Payton Lee, in his first start since playing for Team Pacific at the U17 World Hockey Challenge, stopped 29 shots. . . . Having added G Jared Rathjen, 18, in a trade with the Victoria Royals last week, the Giants have assigned G Tyler Fuhr, 17, to an unspecified AJHL team. He went 4-8-0, 4.74, .830 with the Giants. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported after the game that Giants D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, their captain, suffered a hand injury while blocking a shot in a 5-0 loss in Edmonton on Saturday and will be out for at least four weeks. . . . Ewen also reported that F Rob Trzonkowski suffered a knee injury in the loss in Calgary and will be out indefinitely. Trzonkowski, 18, was acquired from Kamloops on Wednesday night in a deal that had F Kale Kessy, 20, move to the Blazers. . . .

In Regina, D Colton Jobke broke a 1-1 tie at 3:47 of the third period and the Regina Pats went on to beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 3-1. . . . The goal was Jobke’s second of the season. . . . Regina F Morgan Klimchuk iced it with an empty-netter at 19:08, his 21st goal of the season. . . . The Pats have won five in a row, while Brandon has lost four straight. . . . Brandon F Mike Ferland, 20, sat out his third straight game with an undisclosed injury. . . . This was the first time these teams have played each other since opening weekend. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Erik Benoit scored twice to lead the Kootenay Ice to a 3-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Ice has won five straight games. . . . Benoit broke a 1-1 tie at 10:44 of the third period and then upped the lead to 3-1 at 14:14. . . . Red Deer G Bolton Pouliot stopped 45 shots, 24 more than the Ice’s Mackenzie Skapski. . . . D Joey Leach had two assists for the Ice. . . .


In Lethbridge, F Reid Duke scored his first two goals this season to help the Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Duke, a 16-year-old from Calgary, had two goals in 12 games last season. He has two in 30 games this time around. . . . Duke was playing in his first game since returning from a stint with Team Pacific at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . F Jaimen Yakubowski also scored twice for Lethbridge, giving him 23 goals in 44 games this season. He had 16 goals in 68 games last season. . . . Lethbridge G Christopher Tai stopped 40 shots as he improved to 3-1-0. . . . Moose Jaw F Jordan Messier, 20, played in his 300th regular-season game. It was his 30th game with the Warriors, after playing 270 with the Tri-City Americans.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
———

From former WHL D Kevin Kraus (@KevinMKraus): “Thanks to whatever nice individual who cleared the foot of snow off my vehicle while we were on the road #nicepeople”
Kraus is the GM/head coach of the junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies of the Kootenay International Junior League.

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.