Greg and Beate Evtushevski (left) turned a 10th anniversary fund-raiser
into scholarships. Here, they present a cheque to Pauline Kirk and Anne
Pistawka of the Central Okanagan Bursary & Scholarship Society (COBSS).

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Brooks Laich (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) signed a lockout contract with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A). He had 16 goals and 25 assists in 82 games with the Washington Capitals last season.
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The Prince Albert Raiders announced a loss of $63,906 at their annual meeting on Thursday. Perry Bergson of the Prince Albert Daily Herald was there and his story is right here.
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When Greg Evtushevski (Kamloops, 1982-86) and his wife, Beate, set up shop in Kelowna following his hockey career, they had no idea what the future held for them.
Well, they recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of Chevy’s Source for Sports. And they did it in style, with a fund-raiser that included a silent auction.
When it was all over, they had raised more than $41,000, money that has been earmarked for two annual post-secondary scholarships worth $2,000 for graduating students in the Okanagan.
Well done, Beate and Chevy!
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F Kyle Haas, 18, has joined the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats after clearing WHL waivers. Haas, from Calgary, had four points and 106 penalty minutes in 46 games with the Saskatoon Blades last season.
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There was an interesting development in Saskatoon late Friday afternoon when the Blades named F Brenden Walker as captain. Walker, 20, was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings at the 2012 bantam draft.
In that deal, the Blades got Walker and a conditional second-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft for a second-round selection in 2012, a second-rounder in 2013 and a third-rounder in 2014. The Wheat Kings also have the option to swap 2014 first-round picks with Saskatoon.
Most teams name a captain and three alternates — some teams just go with alternates — with either the coaching staff doing the picking, or players voting on it.
In Saskatoon, GM/head coach Lorne Molleken and his staff selected Walker and will leave it up to him to choose his alternates, something that is likely to happen today.
What makes all of this even more interesting is that D Duncan Siemens, Saskatoon’s captain last season, is still with the Blades.
“We decided to go in a different direction this year,” Molleken told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
The Blades are the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup. Walker has experience in the tournament, having played in it with the host Wheat Kings in 2010.
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SOME FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHT STUFF:
The Calgary Hitmen won the Battle of Alberta, beating the Oil Kings 4-1 in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen improved to 3-0-0, while the Oil Kings slipped to 3-1-0. . . . The Oil Kings won their last 11 regular-season games last season and the first two of this season. Prior to last night, they last lost a regular-season game on Feb. 22 when the visiting Kelowna Rockets put up a 6-4 victory. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit became the franchise’s career leader in saves, passing Torrie Jung (2,437). . . . The Oil Kings were without D Cody Corbett, who is in Buffalo for tonight’s All-American Prospects Game. With Corbett gone, the Oil Kings brought in D Aaron Irving from the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs. Irving was the ninth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Edmonton also is without D Martin Gernat (shoulder) and D Keegan Lowe (undisclosed injury). . . .

The Kootenay Ice posted the franchise’s 600th victory, beating the visiting Regina Pats, 4-1. . . . The Pats remain without head coach Pat Conacher, who left the team early in the week to deal with an undisclosed family matter. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt (ill) sat this one out. G Teagan Sacher stopped 18 shots in his first WHL start. . . .

The Brandon Wheat Kings ran their record to 4-0 with a 5-4 shootout victory over the Broncos in Swift Current. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy got the winner. . . . The Broncos have lost three times in four games — twice in OT and once in a shootout — but have points in all four. . . . Brandon F Nick Buonassisi had two goals and an assist, with D Ryan Pulock adding one of each. They are leading the WHL scoring race, each with nine points in four games. . . .

F Dakota Conroy, acquired this week from the Victoria Royals, got the winner as the host Prince Albert Raiders dumped the Moose Jaw Warriors, 5-2. . . . G Luke Siemens, who spent last season with the Warriors, stopped 25 shots for the Raiders. “No better feeling than beating a team you used to play for,” he tweeted after the game. . . . The Raiders have started 2-0-1. . . . D Shayne Gwinner, another offseason acquisition from the Warriors, had a goal for the Raiders. . . .

The Medicine Hat Tigers, down 3-0 at 5:02 of the first period, roared back to beat the Rebels 5-4 in Red Deer. . . . Including playoff games, the Tigers have won 12 straight games in Red Deer. . . . The Rebels are 0-3 after giving up a shorthanded goal and two PP scores. . . . Rebels D Mathew Dumba completed his two-game suspension. . . .

The Prince George Cougars ran their record to 3-0 with a 4-3 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Cougars scored three straight goals to erase a 3-1 deficit. . . . Prince George got its first goal from F Colin Jacobs, on a penalty shot. Jacobs was acquired from Seattle over the summer for D Jesse Forsberg. . . The goal was Jacobs’ third of the season, with two of them coming via the penalty shot. . . . He has eight points in three games. . . . Cougars freshman D Mark McNulty left early with an undisclosed injury. . . .

G Cam Lanigan posted his first career shutout as the host Portland Winterhawks beat the Kelowna Rockets, 1-0. . . . Lanigan, 20, was picked up off waivers from the Kamloops Blazers over the summer. He made 31 saves in beating the Rockets. . . . Lanigan was appearing in his 115th regular-season game. . . . The Rockets (0-2-1) have lose three straight one-goal games. . . . Kelowna was without F J.T. Barnett (knee), D Mitchell Chapman (ankle) and D Jesse Lees (flu). . . . Portland D Seth Jones left after the game for Buffalo, where he will play in tonight’s All-American Prospects Game.

The Victoria Royals won their third straight game, beating the visiting Kamloops Blazers 4-3 in a shootout. . . . F Logan Nelson, who had a goal and an assist in regulation time, scored the only goal of the shootout. . . . Sophomore Kamloops F Cole Ully scored two first-period goals, the second two-goal game of his career. He scored nine goals last season, with two of them coming Oct. 21 in a 7-4 victory over the host Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Blazers were without G Cole Cheveldave (suspected knee injury), who backed up, D Tyler Hansen (concussion) and F Brendan Ranford (AHL-Hamilton Bulldogs). . . . Victoria D Tyler Stahl served the final game of a six-game suspension. . . .

The Everett Silvertips won their first game of the season, 5-3 over the Giants in Vancouver. . . . Everett is 1-2-1. . . . The Giants are 0-3-0. . . . Vancouver G Liam Liston gave up four goals on nine shots and left early in the third period. . . . Vancouver head coach Don Hay has indicated that freshman G Tyler Fuhr will start Sunday against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. . . . In three losses, the Giants have yet to hold a lead.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Brayden Cuthbert (@bcuthbert56), who has been dealing with post-concussion syndrome for more than 20 months: “Well, looks like I'll be in the line up tonight. First time since Jan.22/11. Its been a long road. #615days #LongTimeNoCelly #LETSGO #PUCK”
The Moose Jaw Warriors announced on Sept. 17 that they had assigned Cuthbert to the SJHL’s Melville Millionaires.
However, he’s now with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. He played Friday night and picked up two assists in a 4-3 loss to the visiting Portage Terriers. Cuthbert was named the game’s third start.
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For today’s good read, don’t miss this piece right here by Dan Bickley, a columnist with the Arizona Republic.
Bob Francis was the NHL’s coach of the year not that long ago. Now he needs a walker to help him get around. He doesn’t know what is wrong — he continues to search for answers — but wonders if his problems aren’t concussion-related.
“I used to pray for everyone but myself," Francis tells Bickley. "I thought it was hypocritical to ask for anything yourself. But I'll admit it: I pray for myself nowadays."

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That's the well-dressed Greg Etushevski (centre), accepting the award as Bauer's
Canadian Retailer of the Year in Orlando, Fla., recently. You're right . . .
Chevy never expected to end up at centre stage.

Chevy’s Source for Sports, the popular sporting goods shop in Kelowna that is owned by Greg Evtushevski (Kamloops, 1982-86), was named Canadian Retailer of the Year at the Bauer World Sports Expo in Orlando, Fla.
From a Bauer press release:
“Humbling and intimidating” are the words Greg Evtushevski used to describe the top honours his Kelowna sports store, Chevy’s Source for Sports, took recently at this year’s Bauer World Sports Expo in Orlando Florida.
“To be selected as the top store by Bauer, one of the world’s leading sports icons, from all other sports retailers across the country, is an achievement that still hasn’t quite sunk in,” said Evtushevski, after returning from Bauer’s global sports expo in Florida late last month.
The Expo, held annually by Bauer, previews new product launching for the upcoming year and draws attendance from around the world with resellers coming from as far away as Germany, Russia, Sweden, the United States and Canada.
In addition to workshops and product demos, Bauer celebrates industry leaders with an exclusive awards banquet, honouring sports stores representing the highest standards of sales performance, progressive leadership, community involvement and the overall customer in-store experience.
This year, it was Chevy’s Source for Sports singled out as the best of the best.
“This is something that you just never imagine winning,” Evtushevski said. “We’re talking about beating out every other sports store in the country. It’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to our store and I think it may be the biggest major acknowledgment ever awarded to a sports store in the Okanagan.”
Evtushevski was apologetic when asked about the official acceptance picture sent to him from Bauer.
“It’s embarassing. I honestly never dreamed we’d be accepting Bauer’s top honours at a world renowned event like Bauer World,” he said, “so I didn’t bother dressing up for it. Then they announced us as the winner, and there I am stepping up to accept the award in shorts and sandals! I had no speech, nothing.
“I was dumbstruck. It was absolutely amazing! A moment I’ll never forget”
For Evtushevski, the award is the highest recognition of a standard for excellence that has taken the Kelowna retailer years to build. Chevy’s Source for Sports is today considered the valley’s go-to source for the very best in expertise, value and brand name sports equipment.
It’s a reputation Evtushevski is proud to have earned and one that now is officially recognized globally by the very best in the industry.
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JUST NOTES: If you are interested in the Kootenay Ice, you should know that the WHL’s defending champion has its record book available online. Go to kootenayice.net and click on TEAM and go to RECORD BOOK. . . . F Hunter Shinkaruk of the Medicine Hat Tigers is the WHL’s player of the week. He had 11 points, including seven goals, in three games last week. . . . Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks is the WHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 3-0-0, 1.50, .949 last week.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The OHL’s Oshawa Generals have named Gary Agnew as head coach, while Chris DePiero, who had been general manager and head coach, remains as the GM. Agnew was an OHL coach from 1990-2000, doing two stints with the London Knights and one with the Kingston Frontenacs. He was an assistant coach with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets (2006-10). . . . The Generals had been looked upon as a possible contender this season but are 8-10-2 and fourth in the Eastern Conference’s East Division. At the same time, they are only six points out of first place in the conference.
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Greg Dicresce of the Winnipeg Sun offers up some thoughts on the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives, the hazing incident and the ensuing apology. That piece is right here.
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Today’s good read is one of the best reads of all time. . . . Seriously! . . . Mark Kram, righting for Sports Illustrated, has the story on the Thrilla in Manilla. . . . What kind of fight was it? "It was like death,” Muhammad Ali said after beating Joe Frazier in front of Imelda Marcos and a bunch of her closest friends. “Closest thing to dyin' that I know of."
Kram writes:
In his suite the next morning (Ali) talked quietly. "I heard somethin' once," he said. "When somebody asked a marathon runner what goes through his mind in the last mile or two, he said that you ask yourself why am I doin' this. You get so tired. It takes so much out of you mentally. It changes you. It makes you go a little insane. I was thinkin' that at the end. Why am I doin' this? What am I doin' here in against this beast of a man? It's so painful. I must be crazy. I always bring out the best in the men I fight, but Joe Frazier, I'll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I'm gonna tell ya, that's one helluva man, and God bless him."
Joe Frazier died Monday night, closing the book on one of sports’s greatest rivalries.
Kram’s story is right here. Don't miss it!

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

Wednesday . . .

Congratulations to old friend Greg Evtushevski! (Well, he’s not that old, but you know what I mean.) . . . Yes, that's him with the award in the photo at the top of this post. . . .

The Norm Bodle Memorial Award, the most prestigious annual award handed out by Sports Distributors of Canada, has been given to Greg Evtushevski, owner of Chevy’s Source For Sports in Kelowna. Evtushevski played for the Kamloops Jr. Oilers/Blazers from 1982-86 and his number has been retired. . . . SDC has more than 200 members under the Source For Sports, Source For Adventure and sporting goods and outdoor buying group divisions. The award was presented at its annual general meeting earlier this month in Hamilton. The award is named after the first managing director of SDC when it was incorporated in 1972. According to a news release, it “is given yearly to the member who is the most supportive of the group, and who encourages and supports other members within the organization. . . . As well as having his name engraved on the plaque which hangs in the lobby of the SDC headquarters in Burlington, Ont., Greg has donated the $1,000 that accompanies the honour to the Kelowna Christian School Scholarship for post-secondary education for a deserving student.”
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Matt Gallagher, the father of Ian Gallagher, the Vancouver Giants’ strength and conditioning coach, and grandfather of Giants F Brendan Gallagher, passed away last week in Edmonton. . . . Brendan and the Giants will keep his grandfather’s memory alive this season. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has that story right here.
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The Giants, who have some injury problems, have had a player walk out on them. The Province’s Steve Ewen reports that F R.J. Reed left the team late last week and now is with the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. . . . With D Tanner Sohn (knee) and D Tyler Hart (foot) hurt, the Giants have brought in D Brett Kulak, a ninth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. He attended Vancouver’s training camp and now is with the midget AAA St. Albert, Alta., Raiders.
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The Spokane Chiefs have named C Tyler Johnson, 20, as team captain, succeeding D Jared Cowen, 19, who is expected to at least open the season with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. . . . F Levko Koper, 20, is one alternate captain. . . . According to a news release from the Chiefs: “The other two alternate captains will be chosen on a nightly basis from a leadership core that includes key veterans.”
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The NHL’s Buffalo Sabres have returned D Brayden McNabb, 19, to the Kootenay Ice. McNabb, from Davidson, Sask., was a third-round pick in the NHL’s 2009 draft.
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The NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild has lost an assistant coach. Corey Voegele of the Wenatchee World reports that Tyson Terry has left the Wild, leaving head coach Paul Baxter and assistant coach Chris Clark to go it alone. The move apparently was a mutual decision. “I didn’t get fired. I didn’t quit. I just wanted to pursue other interests right now,” Terry told Voegele. . . . Terry was with the Wild for less than a month. He replaced Ryan McKelvie, now on staff with the U of Alaska-Anchorage.
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F Misha Fisenko, 20, is back with the Calgary Hitmen, his tryout with the Central league’s Laredo Bucks cut short for some reason. . . . His arrival leaves the Hitmen with five 20-year-olds, the others being D Kyle Aschim, F Tyler Fiddler, F Kris Foucault and D Zak Stebner. Aschim (shoulder) remains on the injured list. . . . Fisenko, who had 44 points in 55 games last season, also gives the Hitmen two imports, the other being Slovakian G Juraj Holly, 19.
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WEDNESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
BRANDON 5 at MOOSE JAW 2: D Darren Bestland scored two goals and drew an assist for the Wheat Kings (3-0-0-0). . . . Bestland, who turned 20 on Sept. 19, scored two goals in 70 games last season. . . . He gave Brandon a 2-0 lead with goals at 15:48 of the first period and 9:44 of the second. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone, who had a goal and five assists in two season-opening victories over the Regina Pats, had a goal and an assist. . . . F Quinton Howden had a goal and an assist for Moose Jaw (1-2-0-0). . . . The Wheat Kings started G Ty Rimmer, who made 21 stops, and had Corbin Boes on the bench. . . . Brandon held a 43-23 edge in shots. . . . Brandon was 2-for-7 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 0-for-2. . . . Brandon F Tyrel Seaman, 16, picked up 22 minutes in penalties after getting into two fights and adding an instigating minor and a misconduct. . . . Attendance was 2,502.
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KOOTENAY 2 at RED DEER 4: The Rebels went 2-for-3 on the PP in running their record to 3-0-0-0. . . . The Rebels broke a 1-1 tie with three goals in a 2:13 span midway through the second period. . . . F Adam Kambeitz scored shorthanded at 9:11, F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added another at 11:22 and F Turner Elson notched a PP marker at 12:24. . . . Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist, giving him five points in three games. . . . Red Deer F Byron Froese had two assists but was minus-2, while F Andrej Kudrna had a goal and an assist. . . . The Ice (1-1-0-0) was 0-for-5 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 3,861.
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SWIFT CURRENT 3 at REGINA 4: The Pats (1-2-0-0) won this one with three third-period goals. . . . F Dane Muench, who had four assists in six games with the Broncos last season, got the winner at 8:17, just 33 seconds after D Cody Carlson had tied it. . . . F Killian Hutt had gotten the Pats to within one at 6:59. . . . F Stepan Novotny had two goals, giving him four, and an assist for the Broncos. He had the Broncos (1-2-0-0) up 2-0 at 6:10 of the first period. . . . The Pats were 0-for-2 on the PP and now are 0-12 on the season. . . . The Broncos were 1-for-2 on the PP. . . . F Justin Dowling had two assists for the Broncos. . . . C Thomas Frazee and C Jordan Weal each had two assists for Regina. . . . Regina G Damien Ketlo stopped 12 of 15 shots but left after the Broncos took a 3-1 lead at 6:42 of the second period. G Dawson Guhle came on to stop the nine shots he faced. . . . Attendance was 3,123.
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PORTLAND 4 at VANCOUVER 3: The Winter hawks (2-1-0-0) erased a 1-0 deficit with four second-period goals and then withstood a late Vancouver (1-3-0-0) rally. . . . The Giants, who opened with a 9-4 victory over the visiting Chilliwack Bruins on Friday, now have lost three straight. . . . F Craig Cunningham set up all three Vancouver goals, including one from D David Musil at 2:16 of the first period. . . . F Brad Ross scored twice early in the second period, with F Spencer Bennett (7:54) and D Ty Rattie (10:59, PP) also scoring before the frame ended. . . . Vancouver got two third-period PP goals, by D Neil Manning at 10:52 and F Brendan Gallagher at 19:25. . . . Portland beat visiting Vancouver 7-2 on Monday. . . . Gallagher had a goal and an assist. He has nine points in four games. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 33 shots. (Portland has two goaltenders, Ian Curtis and Mac Carruth, out with injuries.) . . . Referees Brett Iverson and Jeff Ingram handed out 112 penalty minutes, with the Giants taking 61 of those. . . . Of that total, 53 minutes was shared by three players -- D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen (21), F Randy McNaught (17) and F Greg Lamoure (15). . . . Attendance was 4,823.
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TRI-CITY 4 at KELOWNA 3: The Americans ran their record to 3-0-0-0 by coming from behind 2-1 and 3-2 deficits. . . . F Patrick Holland tied the score with his second goal of the game at 4:53 of the third period. . . . F Connor Rankin. a 16-year-old from North Vancouver, got the winner, his first WHL goal, at 6:51. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin added two assists for the winners, who got 26 saves from G Drew Owsley. . . . Tri-City D Brock Sutherland had three assists. He went into the game with 14 assists in 126 career games. . . . The Rockets (0-2-0-0) lost for the second straight time at home. . . . Tri-City is 17-4 over Kelowna over the last four-plus seasons. That includes a 4-0 record last season. . . . The Americans were 2-for-7 on the PP; the Rockets were 1-for-6. . . . Referee Andy Thiessen handed out 126 penalty minutes, 64 to the Rockets. Of that, 102 minutes were dished out at 19:52 of the second period as a multi-fight situation took place. . . . The Rockets were without D Tyson Barrie (hamstring) and F Shane McColgan (tonsils). . . . Attendance was 6,026. . . . The teams will meet again Friday in Kennewick, Wash. . . . The Americans are 3-0 for the third time in their 23-year history. The only time they have opened 4-0 was 2007-08.
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EDMONTON 3 at PRINCE ALBERT 1: F Dylan Wruck scored twice to lead the Oil Kings (1-2-0-0). . . . Edmonton had been outscored 12-2 in two season-opening losses to the Red Deer Rebels. . . . In this one, Wruck’s two goals gave Edmonton a 3-0 lead late in the second period. . . . Wruck, 18, scored five goals in 53 games last season. . . . Wruck’s second goal came via the PP, ending a 0-for-14 season-opening drought for Edmonton. . . . F Jordan Hickmott, 20, scored the game’s first goal for Edmonton, which acquired him from the Raiders over the summer. . . . F Brandon Herrod scored for Prince Albert (0-3-0-0). He has four of his club’s eight goals this season. . . . Edmonton G Cam Lanigan stopped 36 shots, five more than Prince Albert’s Jamie Tucker. . . . Attendance was 1,916. . . . The Raiders are without D Jordan Rowley (wrist) who has returned to his home in Edmonton and will have an MRI.

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