If you haven’t noticed, hockey game programs in magazine format are all but a thing of the past.
That’s really too bad, but it’s simply a sign of the times.
A lot of WHL teams now post programs and lineups, in one form or another, on their

websites on game days. Fans are able to go online and read them or print them.
At a glance, none are any better than the one produced and posted by the Seattle Thunderbirds.
If you’re a Thunderbirds fan, you will want to be checking this out on game days; if you’re not in Seattle, well, it’s worth looking at anyway. And it’s available on game days at www.seattlethunderbirds.com/page/digital-program.
The program also is downloadable via iPhone, Android or Blackberry at games, so you are able to read it that way during a game.
“All of the corporate partners ads are clickable and will direct the user to the website of the corporate partner,” notes Ian Henry, the Thunderbirds’ media and public relations director.
The package also includes statistics and standings, game notes from that night’s two teams, and player profiles using the question-and-answer format. The content of the Q-and-A sessions will change every month, with anything statistically related changing every game.
“Having a digital program means we are not going to be selling paper programs at our games,” Henry said, adding that the digital program also is being promoted through the use of a  QR code.
He then explained: “We are going to have seat stuffers that we put in the seat cup holders that have a QR code on it that we want fans to scan with their mobile device to take them to the digital program page. All of our sales/information tables will have the QR code so that our Account Executives can tell fans what they need to do to get the free program.
“We will have the QR codes on posters on the walls of ShoWare Center where fans can walk up and scan the code.
“We have also made the digital program a customizable option on the T-Birds mobile app. When a fan downloads the app to their phone there are initial default settings. If the user chooses to customize the app they can pick the digital program as an option that shows when they open the app. This option will take them right to the digital program page where they can click on the link for the program PDF.”
Switching to a digital program also means that teams are able to drive traffic to their websites. The digital program is done using UberFlip and that process “tracks how many views, link clicks, downloads and social shares each program has,” Henry said. “This means we have hard data we can provide to our corporate partners that we can show them. We can them how they benefit from a partnership with us.”
UberFlip also provides another neat bit of information.
Again, Henry explains: “UberFlip tracks ‘zoom points.’ On the backend, a little green dot is shown for each spot on the page where a user touched the screen to zoom on the page. This is a very intriguing tool for us to show our partners. We can show them exactly where a user touched their ad. And we can work with them to make their ad as effective as possible with the user so they maximize their relationships with us. Several of our corporate partners are involved with us beyond just the digital program. So this strengthens our relationships with them as well, which is good.”
Back in the day, one person in a hockey team’s office would handle the program, contacting a writer or two about providing copy. Stories and statistics, if any, might be changed once a month. If a program included player mugshots, someone who had been traded away might be shown for a few weeks before changes were made.
Now something like that can be changed at any time.
The Thunderbirds’ digital program came about through a collaboration that involved graphic designer/creative director Brian Eldridge, Jason Thomsen, the director of corporate partnerships, vice-president Colin Campbell and Henry.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Milano Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A). He had four goals and seven assists in 14 games with Red
Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) earlier this season before being released by mutual agreement from Red Bull on Friday.
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Dale Earnhardt returns to NASCAR this weekend have taking time away due to post-concussion syndrome. In an Associated Press story, Earnhardt admits he was a “mess” after suffering a second concussion in a matter of weeks. And what has he learned from all of this? “"I’m definitely going to be honest with myself and honest with the doctors," he said. "I’m going to do whatever they tell me to do. I want to be able to live a full life and not have any issues down the road." . . . That story is right here.
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The Vancouver Giants became the first WHL team to cry ‘uncle’ this season as they did what most observers expected them to do and dealt D David Musil, 19, to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Tuesday.
Musil, the son of former NHLer Frantisek Musil, was swapped for D Mason Geertsen, 17, and a 2013 first-round bantam draft pick. Losing that draft pick won’t hurt Edmonton as, in all probability, it will be a late first-round selection and the Oil Kings right now hold two seconds — their own and one they acquired from the Portland Winterhawks in the middle of last season for the rights to Cam Reid.
The Giants originally acquired Musil from Kootenay for a first-round bantam draft pick after the Ice got his rights in a secret draft, the details of which never have been made public by the WHL. Interestingly, the WHL Guide states that Musil was a list player with Vancouver.
The Giants, who are on a five-game road trip, are 4-10-0 and in the Western Conference cellar. They are to play the Tigers in Medicine Hat tonight and should have the 6-foot-3, 200-pound Geertsen, who is from Rocky Rapids, Alta., in their lineup. (Rocky Rapids is in the Drayton Valley area.)
Musil, from Delta, B.C., was a second-round selection, 31st overall, by the Oilers in the NHL’s 2011 draft. The Oilers’ parent company, Rexall Sports, also owns the Oil Kings. Which is why there has been so much speculation surrounding Musil’s immediate future since the Giants started so poorly.
Musil, who should play for the Czech Republic at the world junior tournament, had 27 points and 104 penalty minutes in 59 games last season. This season, he has eight points and 18 penalty minutes in 14 games. In 206 career games, he has 92 points and 270 penalty minutes. He arrived in Edmonton late Wednesday night. The Oil Kings next play Friday against the Raiders in Prince Albert.
Geertsen, the 18th overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft, missed some time with a concussion last season. He had three assists and 70 penalty minutes in 34 games last season. This season, he has four assists and 32 penalty minutes in 15 games.
The Oil Kings have three other Oilers’ draft picks on their roster — D Martin Gernat 122nd, 2011), F Travis Ewanyk (74th, 2011) and F Mitchell Moroz (32nd, 2012). (In fact, the Oilers have four draft picks in the WHL and all four now are with the Oil Kings.)
Gernat, who had 55 points in 60 games last season, has had shoulder surgery and may not return until early in the new year. Getting him back then will be like the Oil Kings making a deal at the Jan. 10 trade deadline and not losing anything off their roster.
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Just for fun, I have added a poll to the blog. I will try to make this a regular feature, but remember it's just for fun. The first question pertains to Wednesday's trade between the Oil Kings and Giants. While I realize that no one will know for some time just who won this trade — maybe both teams win Memorial Cups over the next two or three seasons and it's a sawoff — what do you think? Give it your best shot and vote in the poll that is located over there on the right near the top of the page.
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The Prince Albert Raiders are working to trade D Shayne Gwinner, 18, who has gone home to Drumheller to await a move. Gwinner played in nine of the club’s 16 games, with a goal and four penalty minutes. . . . “It just wasn’t working out,” Bruno Campese, the Raiders’ GM, told Perry Bergson of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “There were expectations for him and it hasn’t been happening. He’s been in and out of the lineup and it’s something we didn’t see getting any better anytime soon with the guys ahead of him playing well. In his best interests, and the team’s because it becomes difficult, the decision was made to send him home.” . . . The Raiders acquired Gwinner from the Moose Jaw Warriors on July 6. It cost them two bantam draft picks -- a fourth-rounder in 2013 and a sixth in 2014. . . . Gwinner’s departure leaves the Raiders with 22 players, including seven defencemen and 13 forwards.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
The Portland Winterhawks erased a 1-0 deficit with three goals in less than seven minutes in the second period and went on to a 5-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . With the Los Angeles Lakers playing the Trail Blazers in the latter’s home-opener at the Rose Garden, attendance for the hockey game at Veterans Memorial Coliseum was 2,204. . . . Portland (10-3-1) now has won five straight games. . . . Portland next players Friday and Saturday nights when the Victoria Royals are in town for a double-dip.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) of Yahoo! Sports: “The only way this #CHLPA story could get any weirder is if aliens were involved. Real outer space aliens. #CoastToCoastAM”

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Tim Tisdale (left) and Darrin McKechnie took part in a pregame ceremony
in Regina on Friday night to commemorate the 25th anniversary of a bus
crash in which four members of the Swift Current Broncos - Trent Kresse,
Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff - were killed. Tisdale was on
that Broncos team, while McKechnie played for the 1986-87 Pats.
(Photos courtesy Regina Pats)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Robby Sandrock (Spokane, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Kelowna, 1994-99) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) after his release by mutual agreement by Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had two goals and three assists in nine games for Medvescak this season. . . .
F Marcel Hossa (Portland, 1998-2001) was released by Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had six goals and 11 assists in 35 games for Spartak this season.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have launched @TbirdsGameday – it’s right here. . . . According to Ian Henry, the director of media and public relations, “The idea is to separate our live game updates from other news and info we put out via Twitter. We are using Twitter a lot and there could be some fans who want to get just news and info from us but don’t want us jamming up their Twitter feed on game nights with a bunch of updates. This way those that want lots of updates and want to communicate with the team on game night have a separate Twitter to do this.”
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WHL TRADE TRACKER (since Dec. 27):Trades made: 3
Players: 9
Draft picks: 3
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Saskatoon, F Lukas Sutter scored three times as his Blades skated past the Prince Albert Raiders, 9-4. . . . Sutter, who has 14 goals, also had an assist and finished plus-5. . . . Saskatoon F Michael Burns had one assist and was plus-6. He wasn‘t able to beat Prince Albert G Cole Holowenko on a second-period penalty shot. . . . D Dalton Thrower had a goal and two assists in the first period as the Blades assumed a 4-1 lead. He finished with two goals, giving him six, and three helpers. . . . Saskatoon G Alex Moodie, in his first start, stopped 34 shots. . . . The Raiders had won five in a row. . . . Prince Albert F Kellan Tochkin was given a boarding major and game misconduct at 3:52 of the third period. . . .

In Brandon, F Michael St. Croix had two goals and an assist as the Edmonton Oil Kings dumped the Wheat Kings, 7-1. . . . F Dylan Wruck added a goal and two assists. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 41 shots. . . . St. Croix has 22 goals. . . . Brandon G Brandon Anderson, making his sixth straight start, left after two periods. Curtis Honey, 17, made his WHL debut with 10 saves on 12 shots. . . . Edmonton has won 14 of its last 16 games. . . . Congratulations to Bruce Luebke, the radio voice of the Wheat Kings on 880 CKLQ. He was honoured before the game for having called 1,300 regular-season games. He has been the voice of the Wheat Kings since 1993 and, including playoffs and Memorial Cup games, has called 1,533 games. Luebke is the longest-serving play-by-play man in Wheat Kings’ history. . . .

In Regina, F Jordan Weal had a goal and three assists to lead the Pats to a 4-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The game was played on the 25^th anniversary of the bus crash in which four Broncos players were killed. On Dec. 30, 1986, the Broncos were headed for Regina and a date with the Pats when their bus left the highway just east of Swift Current. . . . Weal has 58 points, including 21 goals, in 38 games. This was his 250^th regular-season game. He has 327 career points, including 115 goals. . . . Freshman F Coda Gordon scord his 16^th goal for the Broncos. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt stopped 31 shots. . . .

In Cranbrook, D Brendan Kichton scored in the sixth round of a shootout to give the Spokane Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . Spokane F Liam Stewart forced OT with his fourth goal, on the PP, at 7:02 of the third period. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 40 shots, two more than the Ice’s Mackenzie Skapski. . . . F Todd Fiddler, acquired Thursday from the Prince Albert Raiders, had a goal for the Chiefs. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers won their fifth straight game, beating the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 3-2. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 29 shots in improving to 21-8-4, 2.43, .925. He will be a candidate as the conference’s player of the year. . . . Lethbridge GM/head coach Rich Preston got tossed with 4:52 left in the third period so will be making a Happy New Year donation to the WHL office next week. . . . Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk gave his club a 3-1 lead just 10 seconds after Preston exited. . . . Lethbridge D Adam Henry got it to 3-2 at 17:56 but Bunz closed the door after that. . . .

In Kamloops, F Calder Brooks had a goal and two assists to help the Calgary Hitmen to a 6-3 victory over the Blazers. . . . Brooks has three goals this season. . . . The Hitmen erased a 1-0 Kamloops lead with five straight goals, three of them in the first period. . . . Kamloops D Austin Madaisky scored the game’s first goal; he has goals in four straight games. . . . The Blazers had won six in a row at home. . . . G Cam Lanigan was in goal for Kamloops, his first start since Dec. 2. He was gone after one period, though, having given up three goals on 10 shots. . . . Calgary F Jake Virtanen, the first overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, got his first WHL goal to erase the Blazers’ 1-0 lead. . . . Kamloops D Jordan Thomson scored his first WHL goal in his third game. The fourth overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, Thomson will be returning to midget AAA after a New Year’s Day game against the visiting Prince George Cougars. . . .

In Portland, F Ty Rattie had three goals and an assist to move into the WHL scoring lead as the Winterhawks snuck past the Victoria Royals, 7-6. . . . Portland beat visiting Victoria 6-3 on Wednesday night. . . . Portland has won 11 in a row at home. . . . Rattie has had three hat tricks this season. He now leads the WHL in goals (36) and points (67). . . . After playing to a 2-2 first-period draw, the teams combined for seven second-period goals, with Victoria emerging with a 6-5 lead on F Jamie Crooks’ third goal of the game and 20^th of the season. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic tied it at 4:41 of the third on the PP and D Derrick Pouliot got the winner at 6:14. . . . Leipsic had two goals and two assists for Portland. His first goal, at 7:12 of the second, was the 11,000^th in franchise history. . . . Portland F Brad Ross came up short on a late-second period penalty shot. The Winterhawks are 0-7 on penalty shots this season. . . . Ross did have three assists and now has a seven-game point streak going. . . . Victoria G Keith Hamilton stopped 47 shots, while Portland’s Mac Carruth turned aside 33. . . . Attendance was 8,836, giving Portland three straight home crowds of more than 8,000. . . .
In Vancouver, D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen scored his first WHL goal and it was the winner as the Giants beat the Prince George Cougars, 5-1. . . . Vannieuwenhuizen was playing in his 104^th career game. . . . After the teams played through a scoreless first period, the Giants scored four second-period goals to take a 4-1 lead. . . . Vannieuwenhuizen also had an assist and was plus-3. . . . The Giants are 5-3-0 with assistant coach Glen Hanlon at the controls while head coach Don Hay is with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. . . .

In Kent, Wash., G Calvin Pickard stopped 40 shots as his Seattle Thunderbirds blanked the Moose Jaw Warriors, 2-0, for their third straight victory. . . . The Warriors had won four in a row; they also had beaten Seattle in each of their last five meetings. . . . Pickard has three shutouts this season – and 10 in his career – and they haven’t been easy. He has stopped 43, 37 and 40 shots in them. . . . F Tyler Alos scored his second goal of the season at 18:46 of the second period, with F Burke Gallimore gettings his 16^th, via the PP, at 1:37 of the third. . . . The game was the first of Moose Jaw’s U.S. Division swing. The Warriors meet the Everett Silvertips tonight.
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FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Chance Braid, Prince Albert.
D Tyler Yaworski, Prince Albert.
F Brendan Hurley, Kootenay.
F Daulton Siwak, Prince George.
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In LaSalle, Ont., G Tristan Jarry (Edmonton) stopped 34 shots as Team Pacific beat the Czech Republic 4-0 to go to 2-0 at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge. . . . F Sam Reinhart (Kootenay) scored twice and leads the tournament with four. . . . F Curtis Lazar (Edmonton) and D Kyle Burroughs (Regina) also scored. . . . F Greg Chase (Calgary) had two assists. . . . Team Pacific plays Russia this afternoon in LaSalle. . . . Team West, which didn’t play Friday, will play the Czechs in Tecumseh, Ont., tonight. . . .
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Tim Tisdale, a former member of the Swift Current Broncos, took part in a ceremonial faceoff prior to last night’s game in Regina. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post talked with Tisdale and that story is right here.
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The legendary Ernie (Punch) McLean is in the news these days.
Here is the first paragraph of Darah Hansen’s story from the Vancouver Sun:
“An 84-year-old widow is suing a British Columbia Hockey Hall of Famer, alleging she gave him thousands of dollars in gold and silver and he won't give it back.”
Hansen’s complete story is right here.
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Tony Hand, who gave the WHL a whirl back in the day, has been named head coach of the Great Britain national team. That story is right here. Hand had eight points in three games with the Victoria Cougars in 1986-87 before choosing to return home.
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Damien Cox of the Toronto Star weighs in on the impact of speed on the NHL’s concussion problem. That piece is right here.

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.

A look at some Seattle Thunderbirds merchandise displayed
on a fleece blanket. Each season-ticket holder receives a blanket.

Marketing.
It is a word that is often heard around and throughout the WHL.
Should a team “market” while it is on the upside of the curve of success?
Or should it “market” during the seasons when it struggles on the ice and, in the successful seasons, let the winning do the “marketing” for it?
But what is “marketing?” Or is it another word for “promoting?”
The Seattle Thunderbirds left their long-time home during the 2008-09 season and moved into the brand new ShoWare Centre in Kent, Wash.
This season, although the team has struggled on the ice and is scuffling to make the playoffs in the 10-team Western Conference, attendance is up markedly over last season.
Like the chicken or the egg, or why the chicken crossed the road, you could argue for ages on why the Thunderbirds’ attendance is up that much.
But one thing you can’t argue about is how hard the team works to attract fans.
Ian Henry, the Thunderbirds’ director of public and media relations, says that his organization feels “we have the best marketing and promotional materials in not just the U.S. Division, but the entire WHL.”
You can bet there are other WHL teams that will take issue with that statement, but that’s not the point here. The point of this is to try and provide you with some idea of how hard teams work to attract and keep fans.


A Colin Jacobs' children's t-shirt.

Henry provided a list showing some of the special nights and items that have been made available during the Thunderbirds’ 2010-11 schedule. Taken individually, it might not seem like such a big deal — one game on one night with some kind of giveaway.
But when you look at the overall package, you start to realize what a huge production one WHL season is for some of these teams.
This season, here’s a quick look at some of what the Thunderbirds have done:
Sept. 25 — The first 6,000 fans received a T-Birds train whistle; all fans received a magnetic schedule.
Oct. 16 and Jan. 14 — The first 1,000 children received BECU T-Birds beanies. (BECU is a community credit union.)
For the games of Nov. 19, Jan. 21 and March 11, fans were able to purchase 10 tickets, 10 Pub Night t-shirts and 10 beers for $200.
On Nov. 20, the first 4,000 fans received Valley Medical Center T-Birds scarves.
On Nov. 27, the first 3,000 fans each got a bobblehead of goaltender Calvin Pickard. On Jan. 1, the handout, to the first 1,000 children, was a Colin Jacobs t-shirt.
Rather than do up sets of player cards, the Thunderbirds and the University of Phoenix chose to have the players photos put o playing cards. And the first 3,000 fans who showed up Feb. 5 each received a deck of cards.
If you were at the Thunderbirds’ game on Feb. 12, you will be aware that everyone in attendance received Valley Medical Center Thunderstix.
All fans attending the game on March 12 will receive a team poster, sponsored by Sterling Savings and Valley Medical Center.
On March 19, each of the first 2,500 fans through the doors will receive a University of Phoenix T-Birds umbrella.

Cool Bird bobblehead.

The Thunderbirds also cut a promotional deal with State Farm and had magnets made up that feature a different player on each one. They made a series of seven of these, each featuring a different player, and handed them out on Oct. 26, Nov. 2, Nov. 30 Dec. 14, Dec. 28, Jan. 18 and Feb. 1. These went to the first 2,500 fans at six games, the first 3,000 at another.
On top of all that, every fan in Calvin’s Corner, which includes 50 seats, receives a neon green cap. The Thunderbirds also have a children’s birthday party package with each participand receiving a blue Thunderbirds cap.
Meanwhile, if you purchased a season-ticket you received a T-Birds fleece blanket and a T-Birds license place holder.
And if you happened to purchase a 2010-11 Holiday Flex Pack, you received a Cool Bird Bobblehead — Cool Bird being the team’s mascot.
Phew!
And that doesn’t include the Thunderbirds’ calendar.
Keep in mind, too, that this stuff doesn’t happen overnight. Someone in the front office doesn’t wake up on game day and say, “Hmm! We should hand out Calvin Pickard bobbleheads tonight.”



Even the Calvin Pickard bobblehead makes the save!

The decision to have a bobblehead night has to be made months in advance. As Henry explained, a prototype has to be approved and production will take about six weeks. Most likely, the items are produced overseas, perhaps in China, so there is shipping time to take into consideration.Henry also explained that a decision has to be made on whether you have one bobblehead night or three or four. Let’s say you order 4,000 bobbleheads -- do you have one night and hand out one to each of the first 4,000 fans; or, do you have four nights and give one to each of the first 1,000 fans?

The Kamloops Blazers will hold the first bobblehead night in franchise history tonight when the Lethbridge Hurricanes are at Interior Savings Centre. The first 3,000 fans through the doors will receive Jarome Iginla bobbleheads. The team also made the decision to hold back what a press release described as “a limited quantity” and sell them during the last three regular-season games. Iginla, of course, played for the Blazers and is one of the team’s five owners.

The Blazers are coming off the largest crowd of their season. They drew 5,527 fans on Wednesday night. That was 900 people more than showed up for a Dec. 28 game against the Vancouver Giants.

The Wednesday crowed raised the Blazers’ average attendance this season from 4,084 to 4,130 fans per game.

And how did they do that?

Through marketing. It was the second annual First Nations Night, and the Stanley Cup was in the house.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Zdenek Blatny (Seattle, Kootenay, 1998-2001) signed a contract with Dukla Trencin (Slovakia Extraliga) after being released from his tryout with Kosice (Slovakia Extraliga) last week. Contract terms were not announced.
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The Kamloops Blazers are in Kent, Wash., where they will face the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight, and the T-Birds are going to do something that sounds really, really net.
One of the Seattle players is going to wear a wireless microphone.
According to a Monday release from the Thunderbirds:
“A select Seattle Thunderbirds player will wear a wireless microphone and be filmed during the game on Tuesday against the Kamloops Blazers for a special segment on Q It Up Sports on Sunday, Jan. 23.
“Q It Up Sports is a half-hour sports show hosted by Aaron Levine that airs every Sunday on Joe TV (KZJO 22) at 9:30 p.m. and on Q13 (KCPQ 13) at 10:30 p.m.”
According to Ian Henry, the Thunderbirds’ director of public relations, "Aaron contacted us recently about doing something similar to the very popular 24/7 Capitals/Penguins: Road to the Winter Classic HBO series.
“We thought this was a great idea and worked with Aaron to make it happen. We chose the Kamloops game because it coincides with our very popular 2-for-Tuesday promotion."
The Thunderbirds want their fans to help them decide who will wear the microphone tonight so, if you want to participate, visit the team’s Facebook and Twitter pages and make yourself heard.
By the way, the afore-mentioned 2-for-Tuesday promotion involves fans being able to purchase two tickets for the price of one, along with $2 hot dogs, $2 popcorn, $2 sodas and $2 beers.
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When the Kamloops Blazers climbed on their bus Monday morning and headed for Kent, Wash., there were some empty seats.
Forwards Jordan DePape (leg), Thomas Frazee (knee), Bernhard Keil (shoulder) and Chase Schaber (groin) didn’t make the trip, so will miss games against the Seattle Thunderbirds and Tri-City Americans tonight and Wednesday, respectively.
Forward Logan McVeigh, who left Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks in the first period with a leg injury, will try to play tonight in Kent.
It appears that the Blazers will have forward Ryan Hanes and defenceman Brandon Underwood in uniform. Both were given game misconducts after a scuffle at the game-ending buzzer on Saturday but it doesn’t appear that either will be suspended.
The Blazers, who will be playing their 12^th game in 23 nights since returning from the Christmas break, have lost four in a row and five of six, all this after they won four of five upon their return to action.
Kamloops (20-24-2) goes into tonight tied with the Everett Silvertips for ninth place in the Western Conference. The Thunderbirds (18-19-8) are seventh, but just two points ahead of the Blazers.
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If you follow the Portland Winterhawks don’t forget that their Saturday game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds will start at 2 p.m. It’s at Memorial Coliseum. . . . With four players at the Top Prospects Game, Portland has brought in F Nic Petan for tonight’s game against the visiting Tri-City Americans. Petan was the 16^th overall pick in the 2010 bantam draft. He made his WHL debut on Dec. 18 in Seattle, picking up one assist in a 4-2 loss to the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The 5-foot-8, 145-pound Petan plays for the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the B.C. major midget league. He has 33 points, including 11 goals, in 25 games. . . . G Darcy Kuemper of the Red Deer Rebels is the WHL player of the week. He was 3-0-0, 0.32, .988 last week. He put up two shutouts, giving him a WHL-leading eight on the season. He also leads the WHL in GAA (1.80), save percentage (.933) and victories (28). . . . Can you say MVP? . . . Chilliwack Bruins F Steve Oursov has had his suspension set at three games after the Jan. 12 knee-on-knee hit on which F Brett Connolly of the Prince George Cougars was injured. Oursov wasn’t penalized on the play, so was suspended under supplementary discipline. . . . As well, the Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes each were fined $250 for the multi-fight situation in which they became involved in Lethbridge on Jan. 14. . . . The Moose Jaw Warriors will be without F Spencer Edwards, their captain, for up to two weeks. He suffered a shoulder injury in a 3-2 victory over the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on Sunday. . . .