Winterhawks back on even ground; meet the bus driving radio man

With apologies to Elliotte Friedman, here are 10 thoughts . . .
1. Via Twitter, Friedman, of Hockey Night in Canada, explained the Quenneville-Lucic discipline discrepancy, of US$25,000 vs. $5,000: “Comparing Quenneville's fine to Lucic: players have a CBA, coaches don't. That's the difference. Drives coaches crazy.”
2. How many fighting majors have been handed out through four days of Stanley Cup play? Two? Four? Six? Eight?
3. There have been two fighting majors through 13 games, going into Sunday’s play. . . . Obviously, this is more proof that fisticuffs aren’t needed if hockey is to be entertaining.
4. You watch Boston Bruins F Milan Lucic spear D Danny DeKeyser of the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks D Brent Seabrook drill F David Backes of the St. Louis Blues, and you wonder where the respect factor has gone? Shouldn’t the game be about taking the puck from an opponent, rather than putting an opponent out of the game?
5. If you’re a sporting fan, you have to admit that it’s neat to see some basketball fever in Toronto. And it is going to be interesting to see how much NBA commissioner Adam Silver lightens the wallet of Raptors GM Masai Ujiri for his “(Bleep) Brooklyn” comment on Saturday. . . . I’m thinking the fine will be closer to Quenneville country than to Lucic country.
6. If you weren’t aware, Brooklyn Nets small forward Andrei Kirilenko, who didn’t get off the bench on Saturay in Toronto, is preparing to open the first Hooters restaurant in Russia. The grand opening is scheduled for Moscow on April 28. As Sam Laird of mashable.com wrote, the restaurant “will include 40 flat-screen TVs for sports-watching, as well as a gift shop featuring the Hooters merchandise Russians don't yet know they need.” (BTW, AK-47’s wife turned to Instagram to question why Nets head coach Jason Kidd kept her husband on the bench. Ahh, you just gotta love social media.)
7. If you were wondering, the two fighting majors went to F Brandon Prust of the Montreal Canadiens and D Radko Gudas of the Tampa Bay Lightning. They scrapped at 2:56 of the second period in Game 2 on Friday night.
8. By the time the Portland Winterhawks and Kelowna Rockets get through with each other, you wonder how much the survivor will have left. After two games, this is shaping up as one of those epic series that people will talk about for a long time. (If you’ve Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston, who is your starting goaltender for Game 3?)
9. If the Saskatoon Blades haven’t handed a blank cheque to Mike Williamson, who was deposed as head coach of the Calgary Hitmen a couple of days ago, you have to assume it’s only because it’s a long weekend in Canada and their banker was at the lake getting his cabin ready for summer, which may only be two months away.
10. You realize, of course, that five OT goals have been scored in these Stanley Cup playoffs and that three have come from WHL grads. D Barret Jackman (Regina Pats, 1997-2001) and F Matt Calvert (Brandon Wheat Kings (2007-10) scored in extra time for the St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. On Wednesday, F Dale Weise (Swift Current Broncos, 2005-08) scored an OT goal for the Montreal Canadiens.
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If you read one thing today, make it this column by Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun. It’s all about the legendary Bob Ridley, the bus driving radio man who is the voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers. This is good stuff.
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Joel Quenneville, the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, was fined US$25,000 for grabbing his man region as he expressed his disgust with the officiating in Game 1 of a playoff series against the St. Louis Blues the other night.
F Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins will be fined, perhaps $5,000, for a spear to the groin of Detroit Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser in Game 1 of their series on Friday evening.
Of course, the NHL is a bit confused.
Chris Peters of cbssports.com has more right here.
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D Jaynen Rissling, who played out his eligibility with the Calgary Hitmen this season, had his NHL rights dealt by the Washington Capitals to the Nashville Predators on Saturday for a seventh-round pick in the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . Rissling, who played five seasons with the Hitmen, had 37 points, including eight goals, in 54 games this season. He was Calgary’s captain. . . . He was a seventh-round selection by Washington in the 2012 NHL draft.
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THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. MEDICINE HAT (4)
(Edmonton leads, 1-0)
Season series: Edmonton, 5-0-1; Medicine Hat, 1-5-0.
(All games on Shaw TV)
Friday: Medicine Hat 3 at Edmonton 8 (7,694)
Sunday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, April 28: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 29: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, day-to-day; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
(Series tied, 1-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-0-0; Portland, 0-4-0.
Friday: Portland 4 at Kelowna 5 (6,218)
Saturday: Portland 5 at Kelowna 3 (6,341)
Tuesday: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Friday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 27: Kelowna at Portland, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 29: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
Portland: None.
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SATURDAY’S GAME:
In Kelowna, the Portland Winterhawks erased a 3-1 deficit with three quick second-period goals and went on to beat the Rockets, 5-3. . . . The Western Conference final is tied 1-1 with Games 3 and 4 scheduled for Portland on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Kelowna took a 2-0 lead into the second period, thanks to first-period PP goals from F Nick Merkley, at 12:05, and D Ryley Stadel, at 12:37. . . . Portland F Dominic Turgeon got his first playoff goal 24 seconds into the second period, but Kelowna D Madison Bowey got that one back, with his fifth, just 1:09 later. . . . The Winterhawks then struck three times in 2:10, with F Nic Petan getting it started on a PP at 9:54. F Oliver Bjorkstrand tied it with his 12th goal at 11:51, and F Brendan Leipsic gave his guys the lead, with his ninth goal, at 12:04. . . . F Alex Schoenborn provided Portland with some insurance at 8:45 of the third. . . . Petan also had two assists, while Portland D Derrick Pouliot had three assists. . . . Bjorkstrand and Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk lead the WHL, each with 12 goals. . . . With 8:54 left in the second period and Kelowna leading 3-2, Portland freelancer tweeted that the Winterhawks already had 26 shots “which are as many as it had in the entire game (Friday) night.” . . . Portland outshot its hosts 24-14 in the second period and had a 4-1 edge in goals. . . . Of course, Portland took a 4-3 lead into the third period on Friday, too, and ended up losing, 5-4. . . . Portland opened with Brendan Burke in goal. But he left at 1:33 of the second period, after giving up three goals on nine shots. Corbin Boes, a January acquisition from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, came on to stop all 15 shots he faced. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 48 shots. . . . The Rockets were outshot 17-4 in the third period. . . . The Rockets were 2-for-3 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 1-for-7, with three of those coming in the game’s last seven minutes. . . . Which goaltender does Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston start in Game 3. Here’s a post-game tweet from Sepich (@SSepich): “Mike Johnston noncommittal about Burke or Boes right now, though he thought Burke was out of position on 2 goals and a change was needed.” . . . Johnston also told Sepich: “"We played our game tonight. When we're on, our puck movement is really crisp, really sharp. We were snapping it around good.” . . . Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska told Sepich: “They were the better hockey club tonight. They were skating, when you stand around against them they'll do that to you.”
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From Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak) of the Calgary Sun: “Hate when coaches say, ‘I didn't see it.’ Makes them just as culpable. Show some leadership and admit your player has to stop that crap.”
That was after Boston head coach Claude Julien said he hadn’t seen video of Bruins F Milan Lucic spearing Detroit Red Wings D Danny DeKeyser in the groin.
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From Brad Ziemer (@BradZiemer) of the Vancouver Sun: “That cute Because it's the Cup #nhl marketing phrase takes on new meaning with Lucic incident.”
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From Kevin Paul DuPont (@GlobeKPD) of the Boston Globe: “Lucic $5k fine for DeKeyser spear. Coach Q weeps.”
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From Makenna (@Mak_Alberts24): “My sister got out of a speeding ticket by telling the officer we were on the way to the @pdxwinterhawks viewing party!”
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From Dan Russell (@DanRussellST): “Never's worked for me!”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a one-year contract extension with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had 35 goals and 43 assists in 57 games for the Stars this season; that was good for fifth place in league scoring. . . .


F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) signed a two-year contract with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had two goals and 12 assists in 19 games with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and 10 goals and 10 assists in 25 games with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .



D Tomas Voracek (Prince Albert, 2007-09) signed a three-year contract with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and three assists in 51 games with Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .




D Brett Palin (Kelowna, 2000-05) has declined a contract extension offer for next season from Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Palin had seven goals and 13 assists in 50 games for Chomutov this season.
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 Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail is following the NHL playoff series between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. . . . MacGregor, as only he can do, breaks down the reaction to the hit by Ottawa defenceman Eric Gryba on Montreal forward Lars Eller. . . . That piece is right here.
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D Jaynen Rissling of the Calgary Hitmen has signed an ATO with the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals. . . . Rissling was selected by the Capitals in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2012 entry draft. . . . The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Rissling has played four seasons with the Hitmen. This season, he had 28 points in 61 games. . . . He is a nephew of F Gary Rissling, who played in the WHL (Edmonton, Calgary, 1974-77) and also for Hershey.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Shane Kuss and Roger Ross will serve as co-head coaches with the junior B Delta Ice Hawks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League. . . . "You're going to see a scenario where Shane will be at 90-95 percent of our games," Peter Zerbinos, the Ice Hawks’ general manager and director of hockey operations, told Mark Booth of the Delta Optimist. "That's why we went with the co-coaching roles." . . . Booth’s story is right here.

Fran Gow, who resigned this week as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder, has signed on as the AJHL’s vice-president of hockey operations. . . . Gow had spent more than 20 years and 1,000 games coaching in the AJHL, the last four of them with the Thunder.
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Ron Robison, the commisioner of the 22-team WHL, met with the media in Portland prior to Game 1 of the championship final between the Winterhawks and Edmonton Oil Kings.
It was Robison’s first communication with the Portland press corps since before the WHL disciplined the Winterhawks for what the league calls “player benefit violations.”
So how did the tête-à-tête go?
Here’s Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune:
“Taking in WHL commissioner Ron Robison's response Friday night to reporters' questions about the ruthless sanctions imposed on the Winterhawks early this season brought to mind the famous line of distempered tennis legend John McEnroe: You can't be serious!"
At one point in his column, Eggers comes awfully close accusing Robison of not telling the truth.
Eggers apparently has seen the regulations that Robison says “are internal.”
“The regulations are absolutely not clear,” Eggers writes. “I looked through the WHL rulebook, which prohibits teams from paying for flights for family members during a team's annual ‘Parents Weekend.’ There is nothing, however, that specifically addresses any other time of year.
“The Hawks' contention was, ‘We didn't know flying in family members at other times wasn't legal.’ The league's contention was, ‘You should have known. It was understood by everyone in the league.’
“When asked a second time about the specific rules violations, Robison answered, ‘The regulations are internal. The information has been made very clear. There were violations. They're written down in the regulations, absolutely. The information was provided to the club, but for internal purposes only.’
“Wait a minute. They are written into the regulations, but kept secret from the general public? For what reason? It's like NBA Commissioner David Stern saying the Trail Blazers broke a rule for tampering with a player, and it's in the rulebook, but we're not going to let the public see it. You just have to take our word for it. Robison's stipulation is not only nonsensical, but untrue.”
Eggers’ complete column is right here.
Paul Buker of The Oregonian also was in attendance, and wrote:
"After arriving fashionably late — 10 minutes or so — for Friday’s scheduled WHL Finals series media availability, Robison was quickly inundated with questions about the sanctions levied against the hometown team on Nov. 28.
"'I’m hoping we don’t have to go into a lot of detail,' said Robison, who was true to his word on that one.
"No new ground was broken, and if anything, local media were left scratching their heads once again."
Buker's piece is right here.
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The OHL final opened last night with the host London Knights dropping a 4-2 decision to the Barrie Colts. . . . London scored first, but the Colts got the next three. Still, it was 3-2 for 10 minutes in the third period, until Barrie F Mark Scheifele iced it with an empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 9,046. . . . Game 2 is scheduled for London on Sunday night.
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The QMJHL final also opened last night. G Zach Fucale stopped 28 shots to lead the host Halifax Mooseheads to a 4-0 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. . . . Attendance was 10,595. . . . Game 2 is to be played tonight in Halifax.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Edmonton leads, 1-0)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Today, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, May 7, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, May 8, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, May 12, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Games 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Games 2 and 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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FRIDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, G Laurent Brossoit stopped 35 shots, 16 of them in the first period, and F Stephane Legault drew three assists as the Edmonton Oil Kings opened with a 4-1 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Winterhawks held a 16-6 edge in shots after one period but went into the second period trailing 1-0 on a goal by F Dylan Wruck at 2:03. That goal came on Edmonton’s first shot of the game. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson gave Edmonton a 2-0 lead at 11:17 of the second. . . . F Taylor Leier got Portland to within one at 3:00 of the third, but Samuelsson got his 11th of these playoffs just 47 seconds later. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar got his ninth at 10:03 to put this one away. . . . Portland was 0-for-4 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-for-1. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 25 shots. . . . Referees were Brett Iverson and Brett Montsion. . . . Legault, who turned 20 on March 3, has 22 points, including 16 assists, in 17 playoff games. In the last two seasons, he has 36 points in 37 playoff games. He is coming off a regular season in which he had 41 points in 57 games. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without injured D Griffin Reinhart and F Trevor Cheek. Reinhart won’t play in the series; Cheek isn’t expected to play in Game 2.
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“The Portland Winterhawks might want to file a police report,” writes Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal. . . . His story is right here.
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“Game 1 of the WHL Finals was a bucket of cold water in the faces of the Portland Winterhawks,” writes Paul Buker of The Oregonian right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Lethbridge Herald sports writer Dylan Purcell (@dylpurcell), after the Portland Winterhawks had a goal disallowed last night: “Ron Robison waves off the Portland goal.”
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From Calgary Sun sports writer Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak), after a late San Jose Sharks goal forced OT last night: “And writers on deadline swear. Sharks tie it 2-2 with 55.1 seconds remaining. Patrick Marleau with the tally.”
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From Portland fan Larisa Strode (@Hawkiemom): “I haven't been this excited to wear white since my wedding day #1997 #WhlFinals #whiteout #adversity hawks#"

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The Brandon Wheat Kings held their skills competition on Sunday. D Ryan Pulock had the hardest shot at 101 miles per hour. I’m thinking WHL goaltenders already knew that.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Jaynen Rissling scored at 2:13 of overtime to give the Calgary Hitmen a 2-1 victory over the Warriors. . . . The Hitmen went 3-0 as they played three games in as many nights. They also won in Regina and Brandon. . . . Calgary (11-4-3) also moved into first place in the Central Division, one point ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Oil Kings spent Sunday in Banff. They are en route to Kamloops and a Tuesday night date with the Blazers. . . . Moose Jaw F Andrew Johnson forced OT with a goal at 18:23 of the third period. A centring attempt by F Torrin White hit Johnson in the chest and beat G Mack Shields. . . . F Sam Fioretti, who leads the Warriors in goals (14) and points (24) was taken to hospital in the first period after blocking a shot that struck him high. He didn’t return to the game. . . .

F Hunter Shinkaruk had a goal and two assists to help the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Kootenay Ice. . . . Shinkaruk has 13 goals. He has 15 points in his last six games. . . . F Curtis Valk, who plays on a line with Shinkaruk, had three assists. . . . The Tigers have won six of their last seven games. . . . The Ice has lost seven in a row. . . . Medicine Hat got a goal from F Elgin Pearce, who was acquired from the Ice earlier in the season when he got caught up in the 20-year-old numbers game. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Justin Feser had three goals and an assist as the Tri-City Americans bounced the Vancouver Giants, 9-1. . . . F Brian Williams added two goals and an assist for the Americans, while F Marcus Messier also scored twice. . . . Feser, 20, has five WHL hat tricks — one in each of his seasons with the Americans. . . . Feser has 13 goals this season. . . . According to the terrific 25th anniversary Tri-City record book and guide that arrived on my desk last week, Feser has 270 career points, one fewer than Bill Lindsday (1989-92), who is 10th on the franchise’s all-time list. . . . Tri-City G Brenden Fiebelkorn stopped 14 shots in posting his first WHL victory in his first start of the season. . . . F Trevor Cheek, who scored Vancouver’s lone goal with the score 8-0 at 4:55 of the third period, hit a post on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Tri-City was 2-6 on the PP; the Giants were, uhh, 0-0. . . . The Americans (12-6-2) won their third game in as many nights and moved atop the U.S. Division. But they have played four more games than the second-place Portland Winterhawks (12-3-1). . . . The Giants went 2-3-0 on the five-game trip. . . . Vancouver D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen took a puck to the mouth in this one and may have lost a tooth or two. . . . Giants F Kale Kessy needed 10 stitches to close a cut over his left eyebrow after scrapping with Tri-City F Lukas Walter.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Tanner Eberle, Moose Jaw

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Sportstalk (@DanRussellCKNW): “And mercifully for the Giants their worst loss of the year is now over. 9-1 final. 3 losses and 3 trades on the road trip.”
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TWEET OF THE DAY II:
From Calgary Hitmen G Chris Driedger (@ChrisDriedger): “Playing Paul Brandt’s Alberta Bound on the bus after a 6 point weekend feels pretty damn good #successfulroady”

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Rattie, Howse still on fire

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Tomas Kudelka (Lethbridge, 2005-07) signed a one-year contract with TPS Turku (Finland SM-Liiga). He was pointless in nine games this season with Pardubice (Czech Republic Extraliga).
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? . . . G Scott Rideout, a native of Fruitvale, B.C., played for the Portland Winter Hawks, Calgary Hitmen and Edmonton Ice (1993-97), before going on to spend four years at the U of Calgary. He gave the pro game a try with brief stints with the WCHL’s Idaho Steelheads (2001-02) and the United league’s Fort Wayne Komets (2002-03). Today, Rideout is the equipment manager for the Mankato State Mavericks, a position he has held since the summer of 2008. Prior to that, he was the equipment manager for the MSU women’s team for two seasons. . . . Rideout’s wife, Mandy, is a former MSU hockey player. Scott is working towards his Masters in educational leadership. . . . You also may recall that his father, Dale, played goal for the Flin Flon Bombers (1974-76).
(Got info on someone you would like to see in Where Are They Now? Email the information to gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca.)
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After yesterday’s mention of the latest volley being fired in the war between College Hockey Inc. and the CHL, Ryan Pinder, the director of broadcasting and media relations with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, sent along a note:
“Always interesting to follow the whole NCAA vs. Maj Jr. debate.
“Another BCHLer who went to (Ohio State University) during the same time as Taylor Stefishen is Zac Dalpe.
“Dalpe played with Penticton in 07/08 and is now with the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes, after just a pair of season's at Ohio State.
“Again, going to show that there isn't one 'best route' so much as better fits for each individual player.”
And isn’t that the truth? After all, what works for one player often doesn’t work for another.
But it sure is going to be interesting watching this recruiting war play itself out. Or is it just going to go on and on and on and . . .
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By the time officials got through with scoring changes in Portland’s 8-6 victory over the Blazers in Kamloops on Friday, C Ty Rattie of the Winterhawks had five points and LW Sven Bartschi had four. Each of those two picked up an extra assist, giving Rattie three goals and two helpers and Bartschi a goal and three assists. . . . As well, the Blazers have asked that a third assist be given to D Brandon Underwood. In this third season, Underwood went into Friday, which was his 98th regular-season game, never having had even a two-point game. In fact, prior to Friday’s game, he had two goals and five assists in 97 outings.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors announced midweek that they have reached their goal of 2,200 season tickets, smashing the previous record of 1,845. Season tickets were sold for $350, the purchase of which promises a seat in the new multiplex when it opens for next season. . . . Hardy Sauter, who spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, came up a winner in his ECHL regular-season opener as his Idaho Steelheads blanked the Victoria Salmon Kings 5-0 in Boise on Friday. . . . G Jacob DeSerres stopped 21 shots Saturday, leading his new club, the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs, to a 2-0 victory over the visiting Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. DeSerres got caught up in the 20-year-old numbers game and was placed on WHL waivers by the Brandon Wheat Kings last week. After clearing waivers, he signed with Saint John. Attendance in Saint John’s harbour Station was 4,334.
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SATURDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
SASKATOON 4 at LETHBRIDGE 0: G Adam Morrison stopped 37 shots for his first shutout of the season. . . . D Stefan Elliott got the game’s first goal, shorthanded, at 11:35 of the first period. . . . F Marek Viedensky scored his seventh of the season for the Blades (8-1-0-0), while F Brent Benson and F Levi Bews each got his first. . . . The Hurricanes, who have lost three in a row, are 3-5-0-2. . . . Saskatoon was 1-for-6 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-for-6. . . . Lethbridge G Brandon Anderson stopped 30 shots. . . . Attendance was 2,895. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero. . . . Lethbridge remains without F Austin Fyten, who has a broken foot and not a knee injury and was mentioned here Saturday.
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BRANDON 1 at SWIFT CURRENT 4: F Stepan Novotny scored his ninth goal of the season and set up another as the Broncos (6-6-0-0) handed the Wheat Kings (4-6-0-0) their sixth straight loss. . . . This was the first in an eight-game Brandon road trip. . . . The Broncos had won 4-3 in Brandon on Friday and now have won four in a row. . . . Swift Current F Adam Lowry set up the game’s first two goals, from F Brad Hoban and Novotny in the second period. . . . Brandon F Michael Stone got his club on the board, with his sixth, via the PP, at 15:57 of the second. . . . F Cody Eakin, with his sixth, on the PP, upped the lead to 3-1 at 10:03 of the third and F Taylor Vause added the empty-netter. . . . The Broncos were 2-for-4 on the PP; Brandon was 1-for-4. . . . Swift Current G Mark Friesen stopped 30 shots, while Brandon’s Liam Liston turned aside 22. . . . D Jordan Fransoo (broken foot) was back in Brandon’s lineup after a three-game absence. . . . Attendance was 2,150. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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REGINA 4 at KOOTENAY 7: The Ice (5-3-0-1) got goals from seven players as it went 3-for-5 on the PP. . . . Regina (2-7-1-0) scored first, when F Carter Ashton counted at 4:15 of the first. . . . The Ice then scored three in a row. . . . Regina roared back to take a 4-3 lead on goals from F Jordan Weal, F Colin Reddin and F Thomas Frazee. The latter put the Pats ahead at 16:25 of the second. . . . The Ice then counted four in a row. . . . Kootenay F Joey Fraser forged a 4-4 tie at 18:11 of the second period, with F Steeler Boomer getting the winner, his first, at 4:50 of the third. . . . Boomer, F Kevin King, who had a goal, and F Drew Czerwonka had two assists each. . . . Weal also had two assists. . . . Regina was 2-for-6 on the PP. . . . Kootenay G Brett Teskey, who is from Regina, stopped 24 shots for his first WHL victory. . . . Attendance was 2,450. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Fraser.
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PRINCE GEORGE 8 at KAMLOOPS 1: The Blazers (4-6-0-1) scored first as LW Brendan Ranford counted his 10th of the season at 3:10 of the opening period. . . . Ranford has 13 points in a seven-game point streak. . . . The Cougars (5-4-1-0) then scored on each of their first five shots to take a 5-1 lead. . . . D Sena Acolatse had two goals and two assists for the Cougars, who are 4-2-1-0 on the road. They finished last season with a 4-28-1-3 road record. . . . Prince George is 3-0-1-0 in its last four games. . . . RW Brett Connolly had two goals, giving him him nine, and an assist, while C Charles Inglis also scored twice. He has six. . . . D Martin Marincin drew three assists — one each on three PP goals as the Cougars took a 3-1 lead. . . . The Cougars were 3-for-8 on the PP, scoring those three goals in a span of 1:51. . . . Prince George G James Priestner stopped 39 shots. . . . Kamloops G Jon Groenheyde allowed four goals on four shots. Jeff Bosch came on to surrender four on 32 shots. . . . Kamloops was 0-for-6 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 4,018. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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EDMONTON 4 at MEDICINE HAT 6: F Linden Vey had four assists for the Tigers (4-3-0-0), who got two goals from F Ryan Harrison and a goal and two helpers from F Tyler Pitlick. . . . The Tigers, who won 7-1 in Edmonton on Friday, led 2-0 before the game was nine minutes old, on goals by Pitlick and Harrison. . . . Edmonton three times closed to within one but could never catch up. . . . Edmonton F Josh Lazowski pulled the Oil Kings to within one, at 4-3, at 10:57 of the second. . . . Medicine Hat F Wacey Hamilton restored the two-goal lead at 2:59 of the third. . . . Edmonton F Travis Ewanyk cut the deficit in half at 11:20, but Tigers F Sam Dezman got the insurance goal at 18:38. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 30 shots. . . . Edmonton was 2-for-6 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-for-5. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Two minors, one to Medicine Hat F Reid Petryk, the other to Ewanyk.
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PRINCE ALBERT 2 at RED DEER 6: Rebels F Adam Kambeitz scored three goals, giving him seven. . . . Red Deer F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and D Alex Petrovic each had three assists, while F Byron Froese scored twice. . . . The Raiders (5-6-1-0) were wrapping up a six-game road swing on which they went 2-3-1-0. They had played in Prince George on Friday night. . . . P.A. F Mike Winther opened the scoring at 7:27 of the first period. . . . Kambeitz tied it 1:11 later and F Andrej Kudrna scored on the PP at 3:39 of the second and the Rebels were away. . . . Red Deer (8-3-0-0) was 3-for-7 on the PP; the Raiders were 0-for-1. . . . The teams combined for 114 minutes in penalties, 73 to the Raiders. . . . Prince Albert GM/head coach Bruno Campese received a game misconduct as part of a line brawl at 18:18 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 4,573. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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PORTLAND 5 at KELOWNA 1: RW Ty Rattie had two goals and an assist, giving him eight points in two nights, for the Winterhawks. . . . C Ryan Johansen also had two goals and an assist for Portland (8-2-0-1). . . . LW Sven Bartschi, the third member of that line, had three assists, giving him seven points over two games. . . . Rattie has 13 points in a five-game point streak. His 21 points have him one point behind WHL leader Craig Cunningham of the Vancouver Giants. . . . Bartschi has 12 points in his own five-game streak. . . . The Winterhawks had beaten the Blazers 8-6 in Kamloops on Friday. . . . The Winterhawks, who are 6-1 on the road, won all four games from Kelowna last season. . . . The Rockets (3-6-0-0) had won three of four. . . . Kelowna D Mitchell Chapman sat this one out. He was suspended for a kneeing major in Friday’s 4-3 victory over the Bruins in Chilliwack. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 32 shots, five more than Kelowna’s Adam Brown. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-5 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-1. . . . Attendance was 6,123. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Rattie.
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EVERETT 1 at SPOKANE 3: D Brenden Kichton, who had missed the Chiefs’ first seven games, drew assists on two PP goals. . . . Kichton had suffered a broken finger while with the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects team at a tournament in Traverse City, Mich., last month. . . . C Tyler Johnson added a goal and two helpers for Spokane (3-5-0-0), which has scored just 23 goals in eight games. . . . The Silvertips (5-2-1-1) were playing their first road game of the season. . . . Everett F Landon Ferraro was back after leaving with an apparent injury to his right leg in the third period of Friday’s 4-2 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen. . . . Everett F Clayton Cumiskey (concussion) missed his sixth game. . . . Everett G Luke Siemens stopped 42 shots. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 18 shots. . . . Spokane was 2-for-8 on the PP; Everett was 1-for-2. . . . Attendance was 5,716. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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VANCOUVER 3 at CHILLIWACK 6: F Ryan Howse struck for three PP goals in the span of just 58 seconds for the Bruins. He leads the WHL with 14 goals. . . . That was 34 seconds of the WHL record for fastest three goals by one player. C Jim Harrison of the Estevan Bruins scored three times in 24 seconds on Dec. 4, 1966, in a 6-5 victory over the visiting Regina Pats. The amazing thing about Harrison’s night was that the Bruins were trailing 5-3 late in the third period before Harrison scored at 19:31, 19:44 and 19:55. . . . Howse has goals in five straight games. . . . The Bruins (5-4-0-0) had lost three of four. . . . The Giants (5-5-1-1) have lost four of five. . . . F Robin Soudek had two goals and two assists for the Bruins, who got two assists from D Zach Habscheid as did D Brandon Manning. . . . F Craig Cunningham, the WHL’s leading scorer, had a goal and two assists for Vancouver. He has 22 points. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 28 shots. . . . Vancouver was 1-for-6 on the PP; Chilliwack was 2-for-7. . . . Attendance was 3,542. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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CALGARY 3 at SEATTLE 2 (OT): D Jaynen Rissling’s first WHL goal, on the PP at 3:27 of OT, gave the Hitmen the victory. . . . Rissling’s goal came just nine seconds after he exited the penalty box. He had been penalized for tripping. . . . The Hitmen (4-4-0-0) are 2-1-0-0 on their U.S. Division swing. . . . Seattle (5-2-1-0) had its four-game winning streak snapped. . . . Calgary was 2-for-2 on the PP. . . . Rissling played 36 games last season without scoring (he had eight assists) and this was game No. 8 this season. . . . Calgary F Justin Kirsch forced OT with his fourth goal at 19:33 of the second period on the PP. . . . Seattle D Brenden Dillon had two assists. . . . Seattle was 1-for-4 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 5,472. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero. 
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