Catching up . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Marek Kalus (Spokane, Brandon, 2010-13) signed a tryout deal with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga) after being released from a tryout with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had two assists in eight games during the tryout. Earlier this season, he had four assists in 12 games with Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . .
F Gilbert Brulé (Vancouver, 2002-06) signed for the rest of this season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL). This season, he had six goals and two assists in eight games with Portland (AHL). . . .
D Jim Vandermeer (Red Deer, 1997-2001) signed a one-year extension with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A). At the time of the signing, he had eight points, one of them a goal, in 24 games. . . .
F Brett McLean (Tacoma/Kelowna, Brandon, 1994-99) signed a one-year extension with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). This season, he has 24 points, 12 of them goals, in 25 games. That left him third in the NL A scoring race. . . .
F Marcin Kolusz (Vancouver, 2003-04) signed for the rest of the season with Tychy (Poland, Ekstraliga) after being released by Krynica for financial reasons. This season with Krynica, he had 27 points, eight of them goals, in 19 games. He was fourth in league scoring at the time of his release. Krynica also released three other players, including its leading scorer. . . .
F Clarke Breitkreuz (Regina, Prince George, 2008-10) has been loaned to Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (Germany, DEL) by Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga). This season with Löwen, he had 34 points, including 26 assists, in 13 games. He was leading the team in assists and points. . . .
F Adam Rehak (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) signed for one year plus an option with Cracovia Krakow (Poland, Ekstraliga). Rehak started the season with Meran/Merano (Italy, Austria Nationalliga), putting up 12 points, including seven goals, in 12 games. He Rehak wanted to move closer to hometown of Ostrava. . . .
F Justin Maylan (Moose Jaw, Prince George, Prince Albert, 2007-12) signed for the rest of the season with Herning (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). This season, Maylan had one assists in three games with South Carolina (ECHL) and was pointless in four games with Oklahoma City (AHL).
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You may be aware that 10 former NHL players have filed a class-action lawsuit against the league, the claim being that not enough has been done to protect players from brain injuries.
Eddie Pells of The Associated Press examines that situation right here.
You can bet that the WHL and its owners/operators are paying attention.
Earlier this year, after the NFL had settled a similar lawsuit brought against it by former players, I asked a legal expert if, in his opinion, hockey leagues were open to such action.
His response:
“I think hockey is in a different position than football because there are no allegations that the sport was sitting on information and not sharing it with players. Hockey was first out of the starting blocks with its baseline neurological testing program in 1997-98. “Hockey has not, in my view, had the sort of radical re-writing of the rulebook that the NFL recently undertook and so has not done enough to remove the unnecessary risks from the game.
“I think there will be hockey lawsuits (yeah, there’s already Boogaard but this case is singularly unique) in the NHL.
“I think where the CHL/WHL is vulnerable is that legally minors can’t consent and courts are taking a harsher and narrower view to inherent risks to the game (i.e. Could the game survive without fighting? That is the ultimate test of whether or not a risk is inherent. ‘Are the penalties for headshots sufficient to disincentivize teams, coaches and players? Or does the league consider it part of the game?’) especially now that teams are being bought and sold for nearly $10 million.”
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Was Tuesday’s deal between the NHL and Rogers Communications the death knell for TSN? And maybe for CBC-TV, too? . . . Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun opines right here.
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Over at the National Post, Scott Stinson writes: “Rogers will collect all of the revenues from the advertisements and sponsorships that are sold on Hockey Night in Canada, even the versions of it that appear on CBC. . . . The executives could talk up the partnership all they want, but it is Rogers that is piloting the ship, and the CBC trailing behind in its dingy. Four years from now, the rope could be cut.”
Stinson’s complete column is right here.
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F Henrik Nyberg, 19, has left the Kelowna Rockets and returned to his home in Danderyd, Sweden. Last season, Nyberg had 17 points, including eight goals, in 54 games. This season, he had three assists in 21 games. . . . "Henrik has come to the realization that playing in North America is not in his future and he wants to move on with his life," Rockets' head coach Ryan Huska said in a news release.
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A few things that occurred while Taking Note was in darkness . . .
The Kamloops Blazers traded F Aaron Macklin, 18, to the Prince George Cougars for F Carson Bolduc, 17, on Tuesday. . . . Bolduc, who is from Salmon Arm, B.C., had left the Cougars and asked for a trade. He had seven points in 54 games last season, and had two goals in 17 games this season. . . . Bolduc played bantam in Kamloops before being selected by the Cougars in the Macklin, from High River, Alta., had seven points, three of them goals, in 20 games this season. Last season, he had four points, one of them a goal, in 62 games.
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The Victoria Royals made two trades, the first one announced immediately following a 2-1 victory over the Blazers in Kamloops on Nov. 19.
In that deal, the Royals sent F Luke Harrison, 18, to the Blazers for a 2014 sixth-round bantam draft pick.
Harrison, from West Kelowna, was in his third season with the Royals. In 92 games, he had six points, including four goals. This season, he had three goals in 23 games with the Royals.
The next day, the Royals announced the acquisition of Swedish forward Axel Blomqvist, 18, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Royals also received an undisclosed conditional 2016 bantam draft pick, while surrendering fourth- and eighth-round selections in the 2014 draft.
The 6-foot-6, 212-pound Blomqvist had 13 points, eight of them goals, in 19 games with the Hurricanes this season. He becomes the Royals’ second import, alongside G Patrik Polivka. Last season, as a freshman, Blomqvist had 33 points, seven of them goals, in 59 games.
Undrafted, Blomqvist went to camp with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and later signed a three-year NHL contract.
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Jim Swanson, who spent a number of years covering the WHL and the Prince George Cougars for the Prince George Citizen, has signed on as the general manager of baseball’s Victoria HarbourCats, who play in the West Coast League. . . . Swanson is a long-time baseball guy and was heavily involved in the Prairie League, a now-defunct independent league that had franchises in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Minnesota. . . . He also has been heavily involved in baseball in Prince George and was a major push behind the World Baseball Challenge, the 2009, 2011 and 2013 editions having featured tremendous international competition. . . . He was the manager of the Prince George Axemen, who won the 2012 Canadian senior championship. . . . The HarbourCats are preparing for their second season in the WCL.
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The Vancouver Giants dealt F Scott Cooke, 19, to the Moose Jaw Warriors for a sixth-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. Cooke, who has yet to play this season after breaking his right leg in the exhibition season, is from White Rock, B.C. He was back practising this week so his return should be imminent. Cooke had one assist in 40 games last season, after putting up a goal and two helpers in 34 games in 2011-12.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings acquired G Christopher Tai, 18, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a conditional eighth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. The Wheat Kings needed some depth behind Jordan Papirny, as Curtis Honey has been out with an undisclosed injury. At the time of the trade, Papirny had made nine straight starts, most of them with an emergency backup on the bench. Tai became expendable in Lethbridge after the Hurricanes acquired G Teagan Sacher, who turns 19 on Dec. 1, from the Regina Pats to work in support of starter Corbin Boes, 20, who was acquired from Brandon over the summer.
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As all are aware, Nov. 22 marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK. . . . Right here is the column written by the legendary Jimmy Breslin following the assassination. This is one of the most remarkable newspaper pieces I have ever read. You won’t be wasting your time by giving it a look.
And right here is a piece in which Breslin explains the circumstances involved in his decision to write that particular column.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Frölunda Gothenburg (Sweden, Elitserien) announced they won’t offer a new contract to F Fredrik Sjöström (Calgary, 2001-03). Sjöström had five goals and five assists in 50 games this season. . . .



Ingolstadt (Germany, DEL) announced that they won’t offer new contracts to D Craig Weller (Kootenay, 2000-02) and D Chris Heid (Spokane, 1998-2003). Weller had one assist in 34 games and Heid had one goal in 38 games for Ingolstadt this season.
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F Kale Kessy of the Kamloops Blazers has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Kessy, 20, was a fourth-round selection by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2011 draft. The Oilers acquired him last week in exchange for F Tobias Rieder of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers. . . . This season, his fifth in the WHL, Kessy has played with the Medicine Hat Tigers (two games), Vancouver Giants (27) and Kamloops (31). He finished with 41 points, including 21 goals. . . . He scored seven goals, including two hat tricks, in the Blazers’ six-game first-round playoff victory over the Victoria Royals.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Edmonton leads, 1-0; Game 2, today, in Edmonton)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
(Calgary leads, 2-0; Game 3, Monday, in Red Deer)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Spokane (4)
(Portland leads 2-0; Game 3, Tuesday, in Spokane)
Kelowna (2) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Kamloops leads 1-0; Game 2, today, in Kelowna)
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Kelowna, F Brendan Ranford scored two first-period goals and the Kamloops Blazers went on to a 4-2 victory over the Rockets. . . . It was the first time in these playoffs that Kelowna lost in regulation time. Kelowna lost three times in OT during a seven-game first-round victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Ranford opened the scoring 30 seconds into the first period and the Blazers were never caught. . . . Kamloops outshot the Rockets 18-3 and outscored them 3-0 in the first period. . . . Kelowna’s penalty kill, which was 27-for-27 against Seattle, surrendered two PP goals in the first period. . . . Kamloops lost F Colin Smith, who was its leading regular-season scorer with 106 points, after he took a hit from F Tyson Baillie two minutes into the second period. Smith went to the dressing room and didn’t return. He will be re-evaluated today. . . . Baillie wasn’t penalized. . . . The Rockets had D Mitchell Wheaton back in the lineup. He had been out since Jan. 25 with a shoulder problem. Originally, it was though that he would need surgery, but that obviously hasn’t happened. . . . Kamloops F JC Lipon drew two assists and now leads the playoff scoring race with 16 points, one more than Portland F Ty Rattie. . . . The Blazers also got two assists from Matt Needham. . . . Kamloops F Aaron Macklin, a freshman from High River, Alta., who turned 18 on Jan. 17, scored his first WHL playoff goal on a first-period PP. He had one goal in 62 regular-season games. . . . F Henrik Nyberg had a goal and an assist for Kelowna. . . . Kamloops G Cole Cheveldave stopped 21 shots, eight fewer than Kelowna’s Jordon Cooke. . . . The entire Kamloops-Kelowna series is being televised by Shaw. . . .

In Portland, G Mac Carruth stopped 27 shots as the Winterhawks blanked the Spokane Chiefs, 3-0. . . . Carruth set two records with the shutout and the victory. He had been tied with former Red Deer Rebels G Cam Ward for the record for most playoff victories. Carruth now holds that record, with 39. . . . This was Carruth’s fourth career playoff shutout, giving him Portland’s franchise record. He had been tied with Lanny Ramage. . . . F Chase De Leo’s goal at 13:17 of the first period stood up as the winner. . . . F Brendan Leipsic had a goal and an assist, with F Ty Rattie getting two assists. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams made 40 saves. . . . Paul Buker of The Oregonian was there and his report is right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (12):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (5):
None
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Three observers with comments after Kamloops-Kelowna game . . .

Patrick King (@SNPatrickKing): “So Bowey gets a penalty I can’t comprehend and Baillie doesn’t for a late hit on Smith? Having a hard time seeing some consistency here . . .”
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From Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge): “same refs from the RDR/CGY game last night. The ones who needed video replay to see a major penalty that wasn’t there.”
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From Regan Bartel (@Reganrant): “I’m not a fan of Matt Kirk. Seems to stick it to team that dispues a call. Veteran guy with no feel for the game.”

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Blazers efficient in beating Rockets

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Brendan Ranford has grown from a boy into a man during his five seasons with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers.
But he still gets excited when his mother, Paula, is in the stands to watch him play.
She was inside Interior Savings Centre on Friday night as her son scored one goal and set up two others in leading the Blazers to a coolly efficient 4-2 WHL victory over the Kelowna Rockets.
The victory lifted the Blazers (39-15-5) to within five points of the B.C. Division-leading Rockets (42-14-4). The Blazers have 13 games remaining in the regular season; the Rockets have a dozen left to play.
The teams will meet again tonight, this time in Kelowna.
“It was a good game,” said Ranford, a 20-year-old from Edmonton, “and it’s always nice to have your mom in the stands.”
Ranford’s mother is from Edmonton. He also had a grandmother, from Red Deer, and an aunt, from Stettler, Alta., in the house to support him.
“They don’t come out as much as they did when I was 16,” he said, “but it’s nice to see them.”
The women will have left the arena with big smiles on their faces, because their boy — ahh, he’s likely still their baby! — was the best player on the ice.
Ranford, who now has 68 points in 57 games, set up the game’s first goal, scored his club’s third goal — his 16th of the season — and drew an assist on its fourth one.
And it was his goal, coming on a power play 34 seconds into the second period, that gave the Blazers control.
On the game’s first goal, centre Dylan Willick had charged to the Kelowna net and redirected a Ranford pass off the wall behind goaltender Jordon Cooke.
Ranford scored on a similar play, getting to the Kelowna net and shovelling a Colin Smith pass from the wall behind Cooke.
“It’s all about the speed, keep the puck moving and find the open guy,” Ranford said of playing with the man advantage. “It is a power play so there always is going to be one guy open.
“That’s what we had at the start of the season. We had a good set power play, and we did well against teams when we had a good power play.”
Last night, the Blazers scored twice on six opportunities, and that was enough for the victory.
“I thought that kind of set the tone a little bit for the game,” Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska said of his side’s propensity for taking early penalties. “We had four in the first period. You’re playing too few guys too many minutes and too many guys are sitting on the bench for too long.”
The game was 1-1 when Kelowna defenceman Colton Heffley was called for interference. Left-winger Tim Bozon scored off the rush 54 seconds later to give the Blazers a 2-1 lead.
Then, at 18:23, Jesse Lees, another Kelowna defenceman, took minors for checking from behind and unsportsmanlike conduct. Ranford scored on the second of those penalties, to give the home boys a 3-1 edge.
Huska said he would have liked to have gotten into the second period with a 1-1 tie.
“Any time you’re leaving a period on the road even, I think you’re doing something well,” he stated. “I thought we were OK 5-on-5 . . . the difference in the game was the two power-play goals they scored.
“Their power play did the job again tonight . . . it’s caused us some problems up here.”
The last time the Rockets were here, on Jan. 28, the visitors held a 5-3 lead midway through the third period, but then gave up three power-play goals and lost 6-5 in overtime.
On that night, Ranford was in on each of the last three goals, scoring the first one and setting up the last two.
“I like playing against the big teams,” he said. “I like to go up against Portland and Kelowna.”
He will, of course, get a another chance to play the Rockets tonight, and then the Portland Winterhawks are at the ISC on Wednesday night.
As for tonight in the Little Apple, Ranford said: “I don’t think it’ll be as wide open for us. It’s a great place to play and a tough place to play. They don’t lose too often there. We just have to go in with the same work ethic . . . work hard.”
Kamloops head coach Guy Charron was especially impressed with Ranford’s game.
“He’s a very dedicated athlete this season,” said Charron, noting that Ranford has battled weight issues in past seasons. “He works hard and wants to do everything he can to help the hockey team as 20-year-olds want to do. . . . He’s a very dominant guy and the energy he brings and the effort . . . there’s not much more I can say about him.”
Charron said his club had three goals going into the game — not to be outworked, win the special teams battle and be disciplined.
The Blazers won all three of those areas and then shut down the Rockets in the third period, limiting them to five shots.
“You’re going to be in situations where you may take a lead and if you can play a style of play that frustrates the other team, more power to you,” Charron said.
“We played very well. I thought it was a real good effort from everyone and a good win.”
Defenceman Marek Hrbas also scored for the Blazers, while the Rockets got goals from forwards Dylen McKinlay,  his 20th, and Henrik Nyberg, who got his first goal in 13 games.
Kamloops goaltender Cole Cheveldave stopped 26 shots, while Cooke turned aside 36.
JUST NOTES: Attendance was 5,127. . . . Kamloops D Sam Grist served a one-game WHL suspension for an accumulation of checking-from-behind penalties. WHL rules call for a one-game suspension for a fourth such penalty. Grist will be back in the lineup tonight. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Ranford: His puck; 2. Hrbas: Another terrific outing; 3. Smith: Lots of jump again. . . .  Former Blazers F Jordan DePape received a resounding standing ovation as he took part in the ceremonial faceoff. DePape, who now is with the Red Deer Rebels, was doing some promotional work here for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He is recovering from shoulder surgery and hopes to play again in mid-March.

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