Kamloops, Lethbridge, Vancouver shuffle forwards . . . Hitmen, Oil Kings make deal . . . Rockets add Braid

The WHL trade deadline arrives today at noon MT. That’s 11 a.m. Pacific and 1 p.m. Central.
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If you follow the WHL, make sure you check out Small Thoughts At Large, the blog where Alan Caldwell tracks all the WHL bantam draft picks.
He has created a spreadsheet for each season and tracks the transfer of picks via trade, also noting what was involved in each transaction.
It’s a tough job because not all of these trades are cut and dried, but Caldwell does a terrific job of sorting through it all.
His blog is right here and the link to the spreadsheets is on the right-hand side.
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Over the last while, Todd Harkins, the first-year general manager of the Prince George Cougars, has experienced the downside of the WHL’s trade deadline and he wishes that some people would take a look at how they operate.
"What people don’t realize in social media is these are kids,” he told Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, earlier in the week. “They are not pros. They play like pros and I think that is the misunderstanding. They love the game at this age and they just want to play and they are doing their best. We have to be careful how we treat them in those social media rings as fans.”
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THE NUMBERS:
(Since Dec. 10)
Trades: 30.
Players: 52.
Draft picks: 38.
Conditional draft picks: 6.
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FRIDAY’S TRADES:

Moments after dropping a 2-1 shootout decision to the visiting Kelowna Rockets, the Kamloops Blazers announced two trades, both involving 20-year-old forwards. . . . The Blazers sent Mike Winther to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for an eighth-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft and acquired F Joel Hamilton from the Vancouver Giants for a sixth-round pick in 2017. . . . Both players were healthy scratches on Friday night. . . . Winther, from Trochu, Alta., has 16 points, including six goals, in 40 games with Kamloops. He also has played with the Prince Albert Raiders and Calgary Hitmen. In 271 regular-season games, he has 158 points, including 76 goals. However, he hasn’t scored since Nov. 19 and has been a healthy scratch for two straight games. The Blazers had acquired him from Calgary for a 2015 fourth-round draft pick and a seventh-rounder in 2017. Taken 16th overall by Prince Albert in the 2009 bantam draft, he was a second-round pick of the Dallas Stars in the 2012 NHL draft, but was never signed. . . . Hamilton, from Cochrane, Alta., has 27 points, 10 of them goals, in 40 games with the Giants this season. He played two seasons with the Red Deer Rebels, before moving to the Giants, where he played last season for Don Hay, now the head coach in Kamloops. In 224 career games, he has 130 points, 37 of them goals. Vancouver gave up a third-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft to get Hamilton from Red Deer. Hamilton was a fourth-round pick by Red Deer in the 2009 bantam draft.
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The acquisition of F Mike Winther left Lethbridge with four 20-year-olds, a situation that was resolved when the Hurricanes dealt F Zane Jones to the Vancouver Giants for the rights to F Johnny Wesley, 17, who is with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles. . . . Jones, from Olds, Alta., has also played with the Everett Silvertips, Calgary Hitmen, Victoria Royals and Chilliwack Bruins. . . . The Bruins selected him in the fifth round of the 2009 bantam draft. . . . This season, he has 30 points, including 18 goals, in 36 games with Lethbridge. In 229 regular-season games, he has 134 points, including 66 goals. . . . Wesley, from White Rock, B.C., has 21 points, five of them goals, in 32 games with the Eagles. He scored one goal in his lone game with the Giants this season.
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The Kelowna Rockets added a third 20-year-old to their roster with the acquisition of F Chance Braid from the Prince George Cougars. In exchange, the Rockets gave up F Brogan O’Brien, 17, who is from Prince George. . . . The Cougars had gotten Braid from the Prince Albert Raiders over the summer. He had 13 points, including eight goals, in 35 games with the Cougars. A power forward-type, he’ll add some sandpaper to the Rockets’ roster. . . . O’Brien was a 10th-round pick by the Rockets in the 2010 bantam draft. He is playing with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings and had 15 points, including six goals, in 48 games going into weekend games.
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The Edmonton Oil Kings acquired D Marshall Donald, 19, from the Calgary Hitmen for a 2015 fourth-round draft pick. . . . Donald, from Edmonton, has eight points in 32 games in his first season with the Hitmen. He was a third-round pick by Calgary in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . Donald played the last three seasons with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. Prior to that, he was with the Edmonton-South Side Athletic Club program. . . . Donald is out with an undisclosed injury but is expected to join the Oil Kings early next week.
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TRADE DEADLINE DEALS:

(All draft picks in bantam draft unless otherwise noted)
Dec. 10 . . .
To Kelowna: D Josh Morrissey (95), F Gage Quinney (95).
To Prince Albert: D Jesse Lees (95), F Austin Glover (96), 2016 second-round pick, 2017 third-round pick.
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Dec. 12 . . .
To Red Deer: D Nelson Nogier (96), F Austin Adamson (96).
To Saskatoon: F Mason McCarty (97), 2015 second-round pick, 2016 first-round pick.
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Dec. 16 . . .
To Calgary: G Thatcher Demko, 19, who is at Boston College.
To Spokane: Conditional draft picks. Guy Flaming of The Pipeline Show tweeted that he had it as a second-rounder in 2015 and a second- or third-rounder in 2016.
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Dec. 27 . . .
To Swift Current: D Griffin Foulk, 19.
To Lethbridge: Conditional eighth-round pick in 2016.
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Dec. 27 . . .
To Red Deer: D Colton Bobyk, 18, and a 2016 fourth-round pick.
To Spokane: D Nick Charif, 19, a second-round 2015 pick and a conditional sixth-round 2016 selection.
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Jan. 2 . . .
To Brandon: F Morgan Klimchuk, 19.
To Regina: F Jesse Gabrielle, 17.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Medicine Hat: D Kyle Burroughs, 19, and F Dryden Hunt, 19.
To Regina: D Connor Hobbs, 17, and two draft picks -- second-rounder in 2016 and third-rounder in 2015.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Saskatoon: D Kolton Dixon, 19.
To Red Deer: G Trevor Martin, 18.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Red Deer: F Connor Gay, 19, and three bantam draft picks -- a first-rounder in 2016, a second in 2015 and a seventh in 2017.
To Regina: F Jake Leschyshyn, 15, and a fourth-round pick in 2017.
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Jan. 5 . . .
To Brandon: D Reid Gow, 20.
To Spokane: A fifth-round pick, Spokane’s option for 2015 or 2016.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Kelowna: F Leon Draisaitl, 19.
To Prince Albert: F Tomas Schmidli, 18, D Dalton Yorke, 18, and three bantam draft picks -- a first-rounder in 2015, a fourth-rounder in 2016 and a conditional fourth-rounder in 2016 or 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Prince George: D Tomas Andrlik, 19.
To Prince Albert: A 12th-round pick in 2015.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Moose Jaw: D Connor Clouston, 18.
To Kamloops: A fifth-round pick in 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Calgary: G Brendan Burke, 19.
To Portland: G Evan Johnson, 18, and a fourth-round pick in 2016.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Lethbridge: D Brady Reagan, 17.
To Regina: F Taylor Cooper, 19.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Victoria: F Alex Forsberg, 19, a third-round pick in 2015 and a fourth-round pick in 2016.
To Saskatoon: F Brayden Dunn, 16, and a first-round pick in 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Portland: D Adam Henry, 20.
To Saskatoon: A second-round pick 2017.
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Jan. 6 . . .
To Moose Jaw: F Axel Blomqvist, 19, a third-round pick in 2015 and a fifth-round pick in 2017.
To Victoria: D Alexey Sleptsov, 18, G Justin Paulic, 19, and a sixth-round pick in 2015.
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Jan. 7 . . .
To Tri-City: F Tyler Sandhu, 18.
To Red Deer: Fourth-round picks in 2015 and 2016.
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Jan. 7 . . .
To Kamloops: D Marc McNulty, 19, and a 2016 sixth-round draft pick.
To Prince George: D Josh Connolly, 19, and a 2015 sixth-round draft pick.
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Jan. 7 . . .
To Saskatoon: D Brycen Martin, 18, and a conditional 2017 fifth-round draft pick.
To Swift Current: D Jordan Thomson, 18, and a 2016 first-round draft pick (originally belonged to Red Deer).
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Jan. 8 . . .
To Kootenay: D Lenny Hackman, 19.
To Lethbridge: A 12th-round pick in the 2015 draft.
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Jan. 8 . . .
To Saskatoon: F Mitch Skapski, 18, and 2015 fifth-round draft pick.
To Victoria: A 2016 fifth-round draft pick.
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Jan. 8 . . .
To Lethbridge: G Jayden Sittler, 18.
To Victoria: A 2016 seventh-round draft pick.
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Jan. 8 . . .
To Seattle: F Cory Millette, 19.
To Prince Albert: A sixth-round pick in the 2015 or 2016 bantam draft.
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Jan. 9 . . .
To Kelowna: F Chance Braid, 20.
To Prince George: F Brogan O’Brien, 17.
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Jan. 9 . . .
To Edmonton: D Marshall Donald, 19.
To Calgary: A 2015 fourth-round draft pick.
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Jan. 9 . . .
To Kamloops: F Joel Hamilton, 20.
To Vancouver: A 2017 sixth-round draft pick.
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Jan. 9 . . .
To Lethbridge: F Mike Winther, 20.
To Kamloops: A 2017 eighth-round draft pick.
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Jan. 9 . . .
To Vancouver: F Zane Jones, 20.
To Lethbridge: F Johnny Wesley, 17.


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Bozon in critical condition

TIM BOZON

Helene and Philippe Bozon, the parents of Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon, indicated Wednesday afternoon that their son is in critical condition in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.
The WHL and the Ice issued a news release, stating that Bozon was admitted to RUH on Saturday and was “diagnosed with Neisseria Meningitis.”
His parents have been at his bedside since Sunday when they arrived from their home in Cureglia, Switzerland.
According to the news release: “Public health officials are in the process of reviewing the case to ensure all the necessary precautions are taken and anyone who had direct contact with the player receives appropriate treatment.
“The WHL requests the privacy of the family be respected during this most difficult time.”
According to a report by The Canadian Press, “While there are several varieties of meningitis, the particular type Bozon has, Neisseria meningitis, is bacterial and more contagious.”
Dr. Shovita Padhi, deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region, told CP that “he way bacterial meningitis spreads is through spit. You need to have very close contact or direct contact with the nose and throat secretions of the individual who became ill.”
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Helene and Philippe Bozon also tweeted a message, via Tim’s account: “Thank you so so much to @WHLKootenayICE and@bladeshockey for the help provided us during our stay by Timmy's side.”
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Many, many messages of support were tweeted on Wednesday, with this one from Brian Cheeseman, the Edmonton Oil Kings’ head athletic therapist, pretty much saying it all: “Sending thoughts & prayers for a speedy recovery out to @timbozon94 and his family. In times like this we are all on the same team #getwell”
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G Patrik Bartosak of the Red Deer Rebels has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Bartosak, 20, was a fifth-round selection by the Kings in the 2013 NHL draft. A native of Koprivnice, Czech Republic, Bartosak is 30-24-5, 2.81, .924 this season. In 140 appearances over three seasons, he is 77-48-11, 2.58, .927. . . .
D Cody Corbett of the Edmonton Oil Kings, an undrafted free agent, has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. According to cap geek.com, Corbett, 20, signed a contract that will pay him US$600,000, $625,000 and $625,000 each season in the NHL or $60,000 in the AHL. He also got a $150,000 signing bonus, payable over three years. . . . This season, Corbett has set Oil Kings’ records for most goals (16) and points (56) in a season by a defenceman. Corbett has been with Edmonton since the middle of the 2011-12 season. . . . He has 29 career goals, tying him with Griffin Reinhart for the club record, and has 124 points, which is one shy of Mark Pysyk’s franchise record. . . .
F Brady Brassart of the Calgary Hitmen, who signed earlier this week with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, will get US$742,500, $842,500 and $925,000 should he play in the NHL and $70,000 in the AHL, again according to cap geek.com. . . . His signing bonus of $277,500 is payable over three years.
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The Portland Winterhawks have added F Skyler McKenzie and D Justin Greer to their roster. . . . McKenzie was an eighth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, while Greer was taken in the fourth round in 2012. . . . McKenzie played this season with the midget AAA Sherwood Park, Alta., Kings, while Greer was with the midget AAA Edmonton-South Side Athletic Club Boston Pizza Athletics.
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Judging from his Twitter account, Seattle Thunderbirds F Russell Maxwell has received the assignment for the mission he will go on at some point after this WHL season.
Late Wednesday night, Maxwell (@Russizzle7) tweeted: “I have been called to the Italy Rome mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints!!”
Maxwell, 19, is from Magrath, Alta. Tyler Hansen, one of Maxwell’s best friends, didn’t return to the Kamloops Blazers for his 20-year-old season, choosing instead to go on his mission on behalf of the church. Hansen now is in Argentina.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Edmonton at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Everett at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Brayden Point and F Jack Rodewald enjoyed four-point outings as the Warriors dumped the Calgary Hitmen, 6-1. . . . Point had three goals, giving him 34, and an assist, while Rodewald had a goal, his 23rd, and three assists. . . . Rodewald, who had 13 points in 124 games over the past two seasons, has 49 points in 53 games this season. . . . Point has 83 points in 67 games after putting up 57 points, 24 of them goals, in 67 games last season. . . . Moose Jaw G Justin Paulic stopped 41 shots. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin, who left a Tuesday game in Brandon while favouring a shoulder, didn’t play in this one. . . . The Hitmen had picked up at least a point in 13 straight games going into this one. As well, Calgary F Brady Brassart had his point streak snapped at 16 games. . . . The Warriors (18-40-9) won’t make the playoffs. . . . Calgary (44-16-7) is tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings (46-17-3) atop the Eastern Conference. But Edmonton has the tiebreaker (most victories) and a game in hand. . . .

In Regina, F Edgars Kulda scored twice to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Pats. . . . The Oil Kings were playing their fourth game in five nights. . . . Kulda broke a 2-2 tie at 4:30 of the second period and then extended the lead to 4-2 at 7:39 of the third. He’s got 28 goals. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 36th goal, a shorthanded empty-netter, at 19:04 of the third. . . .Lazar also had two assists. . . . Edmonton D Ashton Sautner, whose father, Blaine, is a former head coach of the U of Regina Cougars hockey team, had two assists. . . . F Dryden Hunt scored both Regina goals, both via the PP, giving him 19. Hunt was back in the lineup for the first time after missing seven games with a brain injury. . . . F Boston Leier also returned to Regina’s lineup after being out with a brain injury. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple left the game at 4:49 of the second period after being wiped out in a goalmouth collision. He was later seen with a walking boot on one foot. Dawson MacAuley came on to finish up in goal. . . . Edmonton (46-17-3) is tied with Calgary atop the Eastern Conference, but the standings show the Oil Kings on top on the basis of more victories (46-44). . . . Regina (37-24-6) leads the East Division by three points over the Swift Current Broncos. Each team has five games remaining. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Conner Bleackley scored the only goal of the shootout as the Red Deer Rebels got past the Tigers, 2-1. . . . Medicine Hat had been 5-0 in shootouts this season. . . . F Anthony Ast scored for the Tigers, getting his 16th goal of the season at 7:23 of the second period. . . . Bleackley got his 28th at 17:46 of the second to pull the Rebels even. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 40 shots through OT and turned aside three shooters in the skills competition, while Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer turned aside 34 through OT. . . . Red Deer was 0-for-2 on the PP; Medicine Hat’s PP never got off the bench. . . . The victory moved Red Deer (32-30-5) into sole possession of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot, two points up on the Prince Albert Raiders (31-30-5), who hold a game in hand. . . . The Tigers (41-22-4) are headed to a fourth-place finish. They are eight points ahead of the Kootenay Ice (37-25-4). . . .

In Vancouver, F Joel Hamilton scored once and added an assist as the Giants got past the Kamloops Blazers, 2-1. . . . Hamilton broke a 1-1 tie with his 10th goal just 58 seconds into the third period. . . . F Cain Franson also scored for the Giants. He’s got 29 goals. . . . F Jackson Houck had two assists for the winners. . . . The Giants swept the season series, winning seven times in regulation and once in a shootout. . . . Vancouver G Payton Lee lost his shutout bid when F Matt Bellerive scored his 18th goal of the season at 19:08 of the third period. . . . Lee finished with 17 saves, 18 fewer than Bolton Pouliot of the Blazers. . . . Kamloops is on the road because the Tim Hortons Brier (the Canadian men’s curling championship) has taken over Interior Savings Centre. The Blazers are 1-7-0 since leaving home, with a weekend doubleheader scheduled for Victoria. . . . The Giants (31-26-10) are seventh in the Western Conference, five points behind the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Blazers (13-49-5) are last in the conference. . . .

In Kelowna, freshman F Nick Merkley scored two goals to lead the Rockets to a 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Merkley, a 16-year-old from Calgary, was the ninth overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He’s got 22 goals. . . . Merkley tied the game 1-1 on a PP at 19:57 of the first period and broke the tie at 1:25 of the third. . . . F Myles Bell and F Justin Kirkland each had two assists for Kelowna. . . . With the victory, the Rockets set franchise records for victories (53) and points (110) in a season. The 2012-13 Rockets won 52 games; the 2002-03 team put up 109 points. . . . The WHL record for most victories in a season is 60 (Victoria Cougars, 1980-81); the record for most points is 125 (Brandon Wheat Kings, 1978-79). . . . The Rockets have ?? games remaining, so those marks are out of reach. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 29 shots in winning for the 37th time this season. That equals his victory total from last season. This season, he is 37-6-4. In his career, he is 90-33-12. . . . The Rockets (53-10-4) lead the overall standings by 11 points over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Spokane (36-24-6) is fifth in the Western Conference, six points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and one ahead of the Everett Silvertips. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Portland now has 101 points, the fourth straight season it has reached the 100-point barrier. Only two other franchises have put together four straight 100-point seasons -- the Vancouver Giants (2005-09) and Kamloops Jr. Oilers/Blazers (1983-86). . . . The Winterhawks got goals from five players, including D Anton Cederholm, who got his third of the season, and D Josh Hanson, who scored his second. . . . F Chase De Leo got No. 37 for Portland. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes stopped 27 shots. . . . Winterhawks F Nic Petan drew one assist and moved into a tie with Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg atop the WHL scoring race, each with 107 points. Holmberg was held pointless in the Chiefs’ 3-1 loss in Kelowna. . . . The Winterhawks (48-13-5) will win the U.S. Division and will be the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. . . . The Americans (28-30-8) are eighth in the conference, eight points behind Vancouver.
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Please keep Tim Bozon (@timbozon94) and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
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Cougars win big one on road; Holmberg first to 50!

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Gal Koren (Kelowna, 2010-11) has signed with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga) for the rest of this season. He had one goal in 23 games with Medvescak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL) and eight points, four of them goals, in 15 games with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) this season. . . .

F Richard Rapac (Moose Jaw, Prince George, 2006-07) has signed with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga) for the rest of this season. This season, with Litvonov (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had two points in 17 games. He also was on loan to Most (Czech Republic, 1.Liga) and had two goals in six games.
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MONDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Victoria at Moose Jaw, 2 p.m.
Brandon at Regina, 2 p.m.
Prince Albert at Swift Current, 2 p.m.
Lethbridge at Edmonton, 2 p.m.
Red Deer at Calgary, 4 p.m.
(NOTE: Monday is a holiday as the Prairie provinces celebrate the end of winter or something like that.)
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Vancouver, the Giants scored three first-period goals, two of them via the PP, en route to a 7-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Giants ended a five-game losing streak. . . . D Tyler Morrison, with his sixth, D Mason Geertsen, with his third, and F Jackson Houck (28) got the Giants rolling in this one. . . . Houck hadn’t scored in 10 games. . . . Vancouver F ‘Citizen’ Cain Franson later got his 23rd, and then got No. 24. He also had two assists. . . . Vancouver F Joel Hamilton had a goal, his seventh, and three assists, while Houck also had two assists. . . . F Matt Bellerive, a former Vancouver skater, scored twice for Kamloops, giving him 13. . . . The Giants finished 3-for-4 on the PP. Kamloops was 0-for-3. . . . Vancouver held a 51-21 edge in shots. . . . Kamloops G Cole Kehler, 16, stopped 44 shots, 25 more than Vancouver’s Jared Rathjen. . . . F Johnny Wesley, who signed with the Giants earlier this month, made his WHL debut. . . . Kamloops had F Matt Needham, the team captain, on the bench in a coaching capacity. Injuries have limited Needham to 37 games, including just one since Dec. 29. He last played on Jan. 24. . . . Vancouver D Dalton Thrower (ankle) missed his 11th game. The Giants are 4-5-2 without him. . . . Vancouver (28-23-10) is in sole possession of sixth place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Blazers (12-43-5) are 2-18-1 in 2014. They are again tied with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (12-43-5) in the WHL’s cellar. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Prince George Cougars erased an early 3-0 deficit and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 6-4. . . . Seattle scored three times in the game’s first 6:48. . . . Prince George F Jansen Harkins broke a 3-3 tie at 5:48 of the second period and drove Seattle G Danny Mumaugh to the bench having allowed four goals on 23 shots. The Cougars promptly scored on their first two shots on G Taran Kozun, who relieved Mumaugh. . . . F Zach Pochiro scored twice, giving him 26, and added an assist for the Cougars, while F Troy Bourke got his 25th goal and had two helpers. . . . Prince George F Todd Fiddler had his 39th goal and an assist. . . . Cougars G Ty Edmonds came on in relief with his side down 3-0 and stopped 39 of 40 shots. . . . F Jaimen Yakubowski scored twice for Seattle, giving him nine goals. . . . Prince George D Wil Tomchuk missed the early part of the game with skate problems so wasn’t on the ice for any of Seattle’s early goals. At game’s end, he had one assist and was plus-4. . . . The Cougars (25-29-8) are two points behind the Tri-City Americans, who hold down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . Seattle (37-18-5) is fourth, five points behind the Victoria Royals and eight in front of the Spokane Chiefs. . . .

In Spokane, Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg became the WHL’s first 50-goal man this season in a 5-3 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Holmberg scored twice, giving him 51, and added an assist. The three points also moved him to 100 on the season and put him into a tie with Portland Winterhawks F Nic Petan for the lead in the points derby. . . . Spokane and Portland each has 13 regular-season games remaining. . . . Holmberg has 136 regular-season career goals, 10 behind F Pat Falloon (1988-91), who holds the franchise record. . . . F Mike Aviani helped the Chiefs with his 32nd goal and two assists, while F Adam Helewka had three assists. . . . Helewka, an 18-year-old sophomore from Burnaby, B.C., has 42 points, including 20 goals, in 49 games. Last season, he finished with 27 points, 10 of them goals, in 60 games. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist got his 38th goal of the season. . . . G Carter Hart, 15, made his WHL debut by starting for the Silvertips. He stopped 20 shots. A native of Sherwood Park, Alta., Hart is wearing No. 70. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams turned aside 34 shots. . . . This was Spokane’s 18th straight home-ice victory over Everett. . . . The Chiefs (33-20-5) are fifth in the Western Conference. . . . Everett (28-22-8) is seventh, two points behind Vancouver and four ahead of Tri-City.
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From Regan Bartel (@Reganrant), the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets: “The @WHLsilvertips should be excited about 1st round pick Tyson Jost. Had a 7 pt game today for @OkanaganRockets and set a franchise record.”
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More from Bartel: “Jost sets new @OkanaganRockets record for points in a season with 72. Old mark of 71 points was held by @TCAmericans Parker Bowles.”


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Giants take win over Blazers

For the first time in four exhibition games, the Kamloops Blazers outshot their opposition.
But it wasn’t enough as they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Vancouver Giants in a game played Sunday at Bill Copeland Arena in Burnaby.
“We played probably our best game that we’ve played to this point,” offered Kamloops head coach Dave Hunchak. “(It was) 2-1 going into the third period . . . we gave ourselves an opportunity to win on the road.
“They got a couple of goals . . . they got a few bounces and we didn’t. We had plenty of scoring chances and we outshot them, too.”
The Blazers, now 1-3 in the preseason, had been badly outshot in their first three outings. And this one started out like the earlier games.
“We gave up 12 shots in the first six minutes and ended up giving up 28 in total,” Hunchak said, “so there were some positives to take out of this game.”
Joel Hamilton opened the scoring for Vancouver, which lost 6-1 to the Rockets in Kelowna on Saturday, midway through the first period.
Defenceman Landon Cross pulled Kamloops even with a power-play goal at 8:53 of the second period.
Scott Cooke put the Giants (1-1-1) out front again, with a PP goal at 12:10.
The Giants put it away with three third-period goals, as Travis McEvoy, Ty Ronning and Blake Orban each scored his first goal of the exhibition season.
Freshman Cole Kehler started in goal for Kamloops, stopping 17 of 18 shots in the first half. Taran Kozun, who is expected to open the season as the Blazers’ starter, came on at 9:03 of the second period and stopped six of 10 shots.
“Kehler was excellent again,” Hunchak said of his backup, who won’t turn 16 until Dec. 17. “Taran Kozun has to step up here. As an older guy, he has to step up and start doing the job for us. He knows that.”
Still, Hunchak said he saw some positives following an undisciplined 4-0 loss to the visiting Rockets on Friday night.
“Structure-wise, guys understanding what’s expected of them,” Hunchak said, explaining the positives he felt he saw. “We got on pucks and we weren’t chasing the game. We had a lot of puck possession and that was all from a good forecheck. That’s what we have to keep building.”
The Blazers will conclude their exhibition season with a game in Prince George against the Cougars (4-0) on Saturday. Kamloops opens its regular season at home to the Rockets on Sept. 20.
JUST NOTES: Vancouver G Payton Lee stopped 28 shots. . . . Each team was 1-for-5 on the power play. . . . The game was played in two hours four minutes. “It was a physical game. It was a hard game,” Hunchak said. . . . F Tristan Sieben, who was acquired by the Blazers from Vancouver on Thursday, didn’t play. Hunchak said Sieben has a bit of “skate bite” and “we want that to heal up.” . . . The Blazers also were without F Devin Oakes, who has been suspended by the WHL for a hit to the head of Kelowna F Rourke Chartier on Friday. A length of the suspension has yet to be announced. . . . Kamloops F Cole Ully was pointless as his Dallas Stars scored a 2-1 shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild at a prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich., on Sunday. . . . Former Blazers D Austin Madaisky had his second goal of the tournament Sunday as the Columbus Blue Jackets doubled the New York Rangers 4-2 in Traverse City. . . . Blazers D Sam Grist played but didn’t get on the scoresheet in the San Jose Sharks’ 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at the Young Stars tournament in Penticton on Sunday.

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Freshman roomies spark Blazers

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Dylan Willick, the last captain of the Kamloops Blazers, no longer is with the WHL team, having played out his eligibility last season.
But you can bet there were some Blazers-related grins in the Willick family home on Sunday night.
That’s because goaltender Cole Kehler and left-winger Nathan Looysen, a pair of newcomers who are living with the Willicks, were front and centre in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Vancouver Giants at Interior Savings Centre.
Kehler, who won’t turn 16 until Dec. 17, was outstanding in making 41 saves, while Looysen got the game-winner just 53 seconds into overtime.
“Boys are super pumped and so are we!” Melissa Willick, Dylan’s mother, told The Daily News in a postgame tweet.
The goal by Looysen, a Saanichton native who will turn 17 on Nov. 24, brought to an end a rather spotty performance by a Kamloops team that dressed 10 freshmen, two more than did Vancouver.
“One thing with the young group, we have to learn to be consistent with our compete level,” Kamloops head coach Dave Hunchak said. “At times, we really pushed the pace the way we’re capable of doing. At other times, we sat back and watched and tried to think the game too much, instead of just playing the game.
“As a result, you get chasing around in your own end and once you get running around in your own end it’s a pretty tough game to play.”
On this night, whenever the Blazers got chasing their tails in their zone, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Kehler was there to bail them out in what was his WHL debut.
“It’s a fast game out there. It’s real fast,” said Kehler, who is from Altona, Man., where he played for a high school team last season. “I felt good. I felt I was in position a lot. It didn’t feel too overwhleming.
“I won’t lie . . . I was nervous to start. But after that first one goes in . . . you just have to tell yourself ‘don’t worry about it, get your mind right, make the next save and go from there.’ ”
The first goal Kehler gave up was his fault as he went out to play a puck with his side on a first-period power play. He left it beside the net, only to have Vancouver forward Joel Hamilton pick it up and snap it past him.
Other than that one, Kehler was on his game.
“He played very well. He was excellent,” Hunchak said.
It was because of Kehler that the Blazers only trailed 1-0 at the first intermission. The home boys were outshot 17-5 as they struggled to cope with Vancouver’s forechecking game.
“For (Kehler), it’s a big confidence boost, and for our team” Hunchak said. “Our team now knows that the young guy can play.”
The Blazers roared back with three second-period goals, two from Tim Bozon and another from Aspen Sterzer.
But the Giants spent more and more time in the attacking zone as the third period wore on. Defenceman Arvin Atwal got a point shot past a screened Kehler on a Vancouver power play at 9:09 and then, with goaltender Payton Lee on the bench and fewer than 13 seconds remaining, Alec Baer forced OT when he scored from a messy scramble in the crease area.
But the game ended on the first shot of extra time.
Looysen came off the bench, took a terrific cross-ice bounce pass off the side boards from defenceman Sam Grist and went in to beat Lee high to the stick side at 0:53.
Looysen admitted to being “extremely surprised” when the puck ended up on his stick.
“I came off the bench and . . . knew I wanted to get over to the far blue line,” he said. “I saw Sam with the puck and I just took off and he gave me a great pass.
“I knew there was a guy on my tail . . . I got a good shot off . . . stick-side high. I knew I’d catch (Lee) off guard and I didn’t want to try and cut in.”
Looysen made his debut on Friday in Kelowna and, like Kehler, was struck by the speed.
“It’s a lot faster than what I’m used to,” Looysen said, nothing that he played for the junior B Peninsula Panthers on Vancouver Island last season. “It’s something I’ll definitely have to adjust to over the next couple of games.”
He isn’t alone in that department.
The Blazers are 1-1 in the exhibition season, having fallen 4-3 in Kelowna on Friday night. Kamloops next plays Friday when the Rockets visit the ISC. Game time is 7 p.m.
JUST NOTES: The Giants finished with a 44-27 edge in shots. On Friday, the Rockets outshot the Blazers, 35-17. “We have to get our shots-against down,” Hunchak said. . . . The Blazers’ roster is down to 25 after F Jake Kryski, F Quinn Benjafield and D Travis Verveda were reassigned. Kryski (Okanagan Rockets) and Benjafield (Vancouver-Northwest Giants), both 15, are expected to play in the B.C. Major Midget League. Verveda, who signed a WHL contract on Sunday, will join the midget AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs. . . . F Cole Ully has left for the Dallas Stars’ camp; he was selected in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . Bozon leaves Wednesday to join the Montreal Canadiens. He was a third-round pick in 2012. . . .
Among Vancouver’s scratches were F Tyler Benson, the first overall pick in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, and F Ty Ronning, the son of former NHLer Cliff Ronning. . . . Giants F Jack McClelland, a native of Wichita, Kansas, is the son of former NHLer Kevin McLelland, who did a turn as head coach of the Prince Albert Raiders (1998-2000). He now is head coach of the Central league’s Wichita Thunder.

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The Portland Winterhawks have come a long way in a rather short period of time. And it doesn’t sound like they’re going to be leaving any time soon. . . . Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune takes a comprehensive look right here at how the Winterhawks got here from there.
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The Prince Albert Raiders have signed Duane Bartley, their athletic therapist, and Bruce Vance, the business manager and director of marketing, to new deals. Both agreed to contracts that call for two years and an option. Bartley and Vance have been with the Raiders since 2011. . . . The Raiders also have added Prince Albert native Tom Brown to their marketing staff. Brown played four years at Michigan Tech and graduated with a degree in management. Brown played for the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos who won the Telus Cup in 2006 and 2007. . . . The Raiders, who are without a head coach, have yet to announce the return of general manager Bruno Campese, but my understanding is that negotiations are on-going.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Malcolm Cameron is the new head coach of the Regina Pats, Cameron, an assistant coach for two years, replaces Pat Conacher. Cameron has signed a two-year contract with a club option on a third year. . . . It turns out that Conacher informed general manager Chad Lang on April 26 that he would be leaving the organization. Conacher was with the Pats for two seasons as head coach and had one year left on his contract. . . . Conacher joined the Pats from the staff of the then-Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Prior to joining the Pats, Cameron spent nine seasons coaching in the ECHL.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has more coverage, with a piece right here on Cameron and Conacher’s story right here. . . .

The BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks have signed Brandon West as their associate head coach. He will work alongside Troy Mick, the general manager and head coach. West just completed his first season as an assistant coach in Salmon Arm, after working as an assistant coach with the West Kelowna Warriors, whose head coach, Rylan Ferster, is a former Salmon Arm head coach.
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The Red Deer Rebels have dealt F Joel Hamilton to the Vancouver Giants for a third-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . Hamilton, who turns 19 on Sept. 9, is from Cochrane, Alta. He had 57 points, including 14 goals, in 114 games with the Rebels over two seasons. . . . He is the younger brother of former WHL F Wacey Hamilton (Medicine Hat, 2007-11).
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In the QMJHL, F Martin Frk had five points, two of them goals, as the visiting Halifax Mooseheads dumped the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, 7-4. . . . F Jonathan Drouin added a goal and three assists for the Mooseheads, who hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven final. . . . Game 5 is in Halifax on Friday.
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In the OHL, F Mark Scheifele scored four times in the third period to lead the host Barrie Colts to a 6-4 victory over the London Knights. . . . The Colts hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven final with Game 5 in London on Friday. . . . Barrie trailed 3-1 after the second period and promptly scored five times in the third period. . . . Scheifele now has 39 points in 19 playoff games. . . . London head coach Dale Hunter was not a happy camper after the game. “Actually, we played very well,” he said in a postgame news conference. “We had a 3-1 lead, and the last six minutes or so of the second period, they started diving. Belleville warned us about it, that Scheifele, these guys, love to dive and draw penalties. (They got) three in a row and it changed the course of the game that way.” . . . Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports takes a look right here at Hunter and his motives.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Portland leads, 2-1)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Saturday — Edmonton 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Game 3: Tuesday — Portland 3 at Edmonton 1 (8,513)
Game 4: Wednesday — Portland 2 at Edmonton 1 (8,400)
Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, 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 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Game 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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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
In Edmonton, the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first two goals and went on to a 2-1 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The Winterhawks, in their third straight final, are one victory from winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Game 5 is Friday in Portland’s Rose Garden and was declared a sellout early Wednesday. . . . A year ago, the Oil Kings beat the Winterhawks in a seven-game final. . . . F Brendan Leipsic had the game’s first goal, at 17:13 of the first period, and added an assist for Portland. . . . D Troy Rutkowski got Portland’s second goal, at 9:54 of the second. . . . F Mitch Moroz scored for Edmonton, knocking a puck out of mid-air at 4:45 of the third period. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth was outstanding, with 29 saves. In these playoffs, Carruth is 15-4, 1.60, .938. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 19 shots. . . . The Oil Kings were 0-for-4 on the PP; they are 0-for-29 since their last PP goal, which came in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final against the Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without injured D Griffin Reinhart and F Trevor Cheek, and judging by reports, the absences are taking a toll.
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Edmonton Journal columnist John MacKinnon writes that the Oil Kings “are on the brink of being deposed” but that “there will be no dishonour in losing to an opportunistic and very talented Winterhawks team.” . . . His column is right here.
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Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal has his game story right here. He writes a lot about a late-game penalty taken by Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson and the reaction by Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal.
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“You’re not likely to get to the Memorial Cup with an 0-for-29-and-counting power play run and by scoring one goal in a span 174 minutes and 44 seconds,” writes Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones right here.
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“The first goal was hard enough to get. The second proved impossible,” writes Dave (Crash) Cameron of the Edmonton Sun. “Despite frantic and furious efforts late in the third, the Edmonton Oil Kings are down 3-1 in the WHL finals to the Portland Winterhawks after the Oil Kings' 2-1 loss at Rexall Place on Wednesday. Again, no 'puck-luck' for the Oil Kings. And again, Hawks goalie Mac Carruth didn't help them find any.” . . . Cameron’s game story is right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Portland G Mac Carruth (@maccarruth31): “I need two tickets for Fridays game can anybody help me out”
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From Shawn Mullin (@shawnmullin), the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos: “@SCBroncos Coach/GM Mark Lamb will now face his 3rd Pats coach and 3rd Raiders coach. He's faced 2 Wheat Kings coaches & 2 Warrior coaches.”


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