Papirny, Gawdin, Kaspick off to AHL ... Three schools get coaches ... Broncos sign prospect

F Taylor Vause (Swift Current, 2007-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he had 13 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. . . . 

F Jens Meilleur (Brandon, 2010-14) has signed a one-year extension with the Kassel Huskies (Germany, DEL2). This season, he had eight goals and 10 assists in 36 games. He started the season with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL), going pointless in four games. He was loaned to Bayreuth (Germany, DEL2), where he had two assists in seven games. On to Blue Devils Weiden (Germany, Oberliga), he was pointless in one game. He signed with Kassel on Nov. 18. Meilleur had played for Kassel each of the previous two seasons.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed D Connor Horning to a WHL contract. From Kelowna, Horning was a third-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Horning, who will turn 16 on May 11, had a goal and six assists in 22 games with the Pursuit of Excellent 18U prep team. He also was pointless in four games with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors.

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G Jordan Papirny of the Swift Current Broncos has signed an ATO with the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. . . . Papirny, who moved to the Broncos from the Brandon Wheat Kings in a January deal, completed his junior eligibility this season. Last season, he backstopped the Wheat Kings to a WHL title. . . . Here’s a note from pensionplanpuppets.com: “There’s no better place to start than the Toronto Marlies, and they may have some practice time opening up for (Papirny). With the Orlando Solar Bears losing their starting goalie Ryan Massa to a head injury after a line brawl, the Marlies could send Kasimir Kaskisuo back to Orlando to help out the Bears as they try to advance through the ECHL playoffs.”

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F Glenn Gawdin, the captain of the Swift Current Broncos, and F Tanner Kaspick of the Brandon Wheat Kings have signed ATOs with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. . . . Gawdin, who turned 20 on March 25, has played four seasons with the Broncos. This season, he had 26 goals and 33 assists in 52 games. He was a fourth-round selection by the Blues in the NHL’s 2015 draft. If they don’t sign him by June 1, he will be available in the 2017 NHL draft. . . . Kaspick, 19, was selected by the Blues in the fourth round in 2016 draft. This season, Kaspick had 19 goals and 26 assists in 49 games. . . . The Wolves are involved in the first round of the AHL playoffs. They trail the Charlotte Checkers 2-1 in a best-of-five series that continues tonight (Tuesday) in Rosemont, Ill.

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Team USA won the IIHF U-18 World Championship on Sunday, beating Finland, last year’s winner, 4-2 in the final at Poprad, Slovakia. It was Team USA’s third championship in four years and its seven in the past nine years. . . . At this point in 2017, the IIHF has had four world titles decided and the U.S. has won them all -- the World Junior, the World Women’s, the Women’s U-18 and now the Men’s U-18. . . . There’s more right here. . . . Russia won the bronze medal with a 3-0 victory over Sweden in Poprad. Russia’s roster included D Mark Rubinchik of the Saskatoon Blades. It was Russia’s first medal in the competition since it won bronzie in 2011. Rubinchik had two goals and four assists in six games. . . . In Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia, Belarus won the best-of-three relegation series, 2-1, with a 3-1 victory over Latvia. D Vladislav Yeryomenko of the Calgary Hitmen had two goals and two assists in seven games with Belarus.

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Sven Butenschon, a former Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman (1993-96), is expected to be named the fulltime head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver today. . . . Howard Tsumura of varsity letters.ca reported the story on Monday afternoon. . . . Butenschon, 41, moved up from assistant coach after UBC dropped head coach Adam Shell just prior to the start of last season. Under Butenschon, who was the program’s fourth head coach in as many seasons, the Thunderbirds went 12-13-3 and made the Canada West playoffs, where it was swept by the Calgary Dinos in a best-of-three first-round series. Game 1 went to triple OT.

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Mel Pearson has left Houghton-based Michigan Tech to take over as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, who play out of Ann Arbor. At Michigan, he will replace the legendary Red Berenson, 77, who stepped aside following the season. . . . Pearson had spent 23 seasons (1983-2011) with the Wolverines as an assistant/associate coach before leaving to take over the Michigan Tech program. . . . Pearson was 118-92-29 at Michigan Tech, including a 75-34-14 run over the past three seasons. He has twice been named WCHA coach of the year. . . . Pearson’s father, Mel, played with the Flin Flon Bombers (1955-57) when they were in the SJHL — he played for them when they won the 1957 Memorial Cup — and later coached the Bombers for one season (1974-75). The people of Flin Flon haven’t forgotten him, either, as they annually hold the Mel Pearson Memorial Tournament for novice players.

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Jason Lammers is the new head coach of the Niagara U Purple Eagles. He replaces Dave Burkholder, who was dropped on March 13. Lammers is the third head coach in the program’s 21 years. Burkholder had been the head coach since 2001. Lammers will step into his job following the completion of the USHL playoffs. He is the head coach of the Dubuque, Iowa, Fighting Saints, who are involved in the second round of playoffs.

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Had to tell this reader that the story he hated ran online only. Bird will have to poop directly on the laptop. pic.twitter.com/JwaUNZWHac

— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) April 24, 2017

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MONDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)

Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)

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Broncos stun Pats in opener; Papirny, Lindgren in spotlight . . . Winterhawks sign top prospect

Some notes on a marathon game that was played in Finland last Friday . . .
It was playoff game in the Mestis semifinals, which is one level below Liiga, the top league. In Vantaa, just outside Helsinki, TuTo Turku and K-Vantaa played the longest game in Finnish hockey history at any level.

TuTo tied it 3-3 with the goalie pulled and 25 seconds left in the third period, but Vantaa won it on a PPG at 17:54 of the fifth OT period. The game started at 6:30 p.m. — that is the standard weeknight start time in Finland — and ended at 12:47 a.m., so it started in March and ended in April. It put Vantaa up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

The tough thing about all of this is that Game 3 was scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m., in Turku, slightly more than 14 hours after Game 2 had ended. Luckily, Vantaa and Turku are only two hours apart by car or bus. Vantaa won Game 3, but TuTo came back to won Games 4 and 5. Game 6 is Friday in Vantaa.

Now for some numbers from Game 2 . . .

Four defencemen for K-Vantaa played more than 60 minutes, with Paavo Ylipaino leading the way at 63:52 in 76 shifts. One of their d-men, Juho Rautanen, was injured in the first period and didn’t return. He played only 2:26 on four shifts in the first period. 

For TuTo, D Kristian Tuohilampi led the way with 68:12 in 82 shifts. He scored to tie the game at three and had 10 shots on goal. No one else played more than 60 minutes for TuTo.

The shots on goal were 65-62 for TuTo. Each team had one player with 20 or more shots on goal. RW Julius Rantaeskola for K-Vantaa had 24 shots on goal (57 shifts, 43:02), while RW Kalle Moisio (57, 36:10) had 20 for TuTo . Rantaeskola had two goals and an assist, all in regulation and all on the power play. In fact, all four of K-Vantaa goals were power-play goals. Moisio was held pointless.

Another note of interest: K-Vantaa had two video reviews go against it and wash out goals, one at 8:50 of the third period and the other at 15:15 of the first overtime. You can't tell from the summary what the ruling was on the ice so you don't know if video confirmed or overruled.

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Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post was chatting with John Paddock, the Regina Pats’ general manager and head coach, about the decrease in scoring in hockey. . . . Paddock pointed to two things — video and goaltending equipment. Along the way, Paddock said: “Shrinking the goalies’ equipment overall is probably the best you can do. (Pats goaltending coach and Regina Police Service constable) Rob Muntain can walk in here with a flak jacket on that can stop a bullet, but we have to have goalies with (pads) six inches above their shoulders. I think that (reducing the size of goalie equipment) is still the direction to go, myself.” . . . Vanstone’s entertaining read is right here.

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The Portland Winterhawks have signed D Clay Hanus of Minnetonka, Minn., to a WHL contract. Hanus, who turned 16 on March 25, is a list player. He was limited by injury to seven games this season as a freshman at Minnetonka High School. Last summer, he took part in a USA Selects U-15 camp that was held for the top 2001-born players in the U.S. . . . He attended the Winterhawks’ camp prior to his season. . . . “We believe Clay is one of the best defencemen in his age group in the United States,” Mike Johnston, Portland’s vice-president, general manager and head coach, said in a news release. . . . Interestingly, Hanus had committed to the U of Minnesota on Sept. 29, announcing it via his Twitter account. On Thursday, Chris Dilks of SB Nation wrote that “Hanus is regared as one of the top 2001-born defencemen in the nation. . . . He’s a smooth skater with a strong shot from the point.“ . . . His father, Tim, spent four seasons (1988-92) at St. Cloud State where he played for the Huskies.

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In the latter part of this WHL season, with the Brandon Wheat Kings having had an encounter with the mumps virus, freshman D Garrett Sambrook left the lineup with an illness. The Wheat Kings indicated at the time that he wasn’t out with the mumps. This week, Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun, wrote about Sambrook, a native of Medora, Man., who turned 17 on Jan. 30. . . . It turns out that Sambrook had a seizure early on Feb. 25 as the Wheat Kings were riding the bus to Medicine Hat after a game in Lethbridge. . . . “I woke up laying on the floor and everybody was pretty concerned,” Sambrook told Bergson.“I wasn’t real sure what was going on.” . . . Sambrook was taken to hospital in Medicine Hat, then returned to the family’s home where he had another seizure. . . . Needless to say, he underwent a battery of tests, before finally being diagnosed with epilepsy. He now is on medication to control it. . . . This week, he was medically cleared to play hockey again. . . . “(The doctors) said most
likely I’ll be good to go for the season,” Sambrook said. . . . This season, in 55 games, he had a goal and six assists.

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The OHL’s Guelph Storm dismissed head coach Jarrod Skalde on Thursday. Skalde, who had a year left on his contract, had been head coach since Dec. 19, 2015. The Storm missed the playoffs each of the past two seasons, finishing last in the Western Conference each time. The Storm also will soon with without a general manager as Mike Kelly said in February that he will be leaving when his contract is up on May 31.

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The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings announced a coaching change on Thursday, after Chad van Diemen stepped down after two seasons as head coach citing family reasons. . . . The Spruce Kings immediately promoted associate coach Adam Maglio to head coach. . . . In van Diemen’s first season, the Spruce Kings went 14-38-4-2, improving to 25-27-4-2 this season. They lost a first-round playoff series in seven games to the highly favoured Wenatchee Wild. . . . Maglio, a native of Nelson, B.C., has been with the Spruce Kings for two seasons.

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The ECHL’s Allen Americans have signed Steve Martinson, their general manager of hockey operations and head coach, to a contract that runs through the 2020-21 season. . . . All Martinson has done in his five seasons in Allen is win four league titles. If fact, in 20 years of coaching, his teams have won 10 titles. . . . Under Martinson, the Americans won the Central league championship in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The Americans then moved to the ECHL and promptly won back-to-back championships. . . . The Americans will open this season’s playoffs on Wednesday. Their opponent has yet to be determined.

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THURSDAY’S GAME:

We win!!!!!  Do you believe? Our game star!!!! pic.twitter.com/lXLKCkjcRa

— Liam Choo-Foo (@lchoo65) April 7, 2017

At Regina, G Jordan Papirny stopped 53 shots, including 18 in the first period, to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 2-1 OT victory over the Pats. . . . F Ryley Lindgren won it at 15:12 of the first OT period.

JORDAN PAPIRNY

He’s got six goals in these playoffs. . . . F Austin Wagner (4) had given the Pats a 1-0 lead at 17:36 of the first period. . . . Regina held a 19-2 edge in first-period shots. The Broncos had two PPs that period and failed to get a shot on goal. . . . Swift Current tied the game when F Lane Pederson (3) scored at 19:21 of the third period with Papirny on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . In OT, Broncos D Sahvan Khaira entered the Regina zone on the right side, then slipped the puck to F Aleksi Heponiemi, who fed Lindgren on the left side. Lindgren, who drew the lone assist on Pederson’s goal, snapped a shot past Regina G Tyler Brown, who finished with 34 saves. . . . Lindgren went into the playoffs with two goals and two assists in 12 career post-season games. This spring, he has 10 points in eight games. . . . Papirny is 5-3, 1.84, .953 in these playoffs. He backstopped the Brandon Wheat Kings to the WHL final two seasons ago and helped them win the Ed Chynoweth Cup last season. . . . Regina was 0-1 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-6. . . . Going back to the regular season, the Pats had won their previous 12 games. The Pats also had won seven of the eight regular-season games they played against the Broncos this season. . . . The Broncos have played five road games in these playoffs, and won four of them. . . . Sportsnet will televise Game 2 of the series tonight (Friday) from Regina and also will show Game 3 from Swift Current on Monday. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.

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FRIDAY GAMES (all times local):

Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m. (Game 1)

Portland at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. (Game 1)

Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m. (Swift Current leads, 1-0)

Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m. (Game 1)

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Ingram: That's just the way it is . . . Broncos take out Warriors . . . Winterhawks sideline Cougars

Let’s go back to Sunday night in Kamloops.

CONNOR INGRAM

It was 10 minutes into the third period and the hometown Blazers were trailing the Kelowna Rockets 2-0 in a game that Kamloops needed to win if it was to stay alive in these playoffs.

F Deven Sideroff of the Blazers parked himself in front of Kelowna G Michael Herringer, then got his raised stick on a point shot and deflected it into the net.

The call on the ice was a goal, so when it went to video review conclusive evidence showing Sideroff’s stick above the cross-bar when contact with the puck was made would have been needed to overturn it.

The replays shown on the big screen on the scoreclock certainly were inconclusive, so we have to assume that the video review official had a better quality picture or a different angle because the goal was disallowed. The Rockets went on to end the series, thanks to a 4-2 victory.

WHL commissioner Ron Robison in video-replay room discussing Sideroff call to come with off-ice officials. Not sure what protocol is there.

— Marty Hastings (@MarTheReporter) April 3, 2017

On Monday, the day after the night before, Blazers G Connor Ingram pretty much mirrored the feelings of the team and its fans when he told Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week:

“When it’s a goal on the ice, you usually have to have pretty conclusive evidence to (overturn) it. Like I said (Sunday) night, when you play Kelowna, you’re not going to get that call.

“The commissioner is in the building. He’s up in that room. You know as soon as he goes up there, you’re not going to get it.

“It’s disappointing, but that’s what happens when you play those guys and, with who runs their team, they’re going to get those calls. That’s just the way it is.”

Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, was in the building and, apparently, visited the video review booth at the time of the Sideroff non-goal.

Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ owner, governor, president and general manager who is the WHL’s chairman of the board, also was in the house.

No, he didn’t visit the video review booth.

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The B.C. Division had four teams in the playoffs when the first round started. The Kelowna Rockets are the only one left standing. . . . Last night, the Portland Winterhawks eliminated the Prince George Cougars, who had finished atop the division, winning the franchise’s first pennant since it relocated from Victoria over the summer of 1994. . . . The second-place Rockets, of course, knocked the third-place Blazers from the post-season on Sunday. . . . Also on Sunday, the Everett Silvertips took out the fourth-place Victoria Royals, although it took five OT periods in what was the longest game in CHL history. The Royals had qualified for the playoffs in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot.

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F Garrett Pilon of the Kamloops Blazers will be joining the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. The Capitals selected Pilon in the third round of the NHL’s 2016 draft and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract last week. Pilon, whose Blazers were eliminated from the WHL playoffs on Sunday night, had 65 points, 20 of them goals, in 67 games this season. . . . Pilon will turn 19 on April 13, so will have to play next season with the Capitals or the Blazers; he isn’t eligible to start next season in Hershey.

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D Jake Bean of the Calgary Hitmen has joined the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina selected Bean with the 13th overall pick of the 2016 NHL draft. . . . Bean had 45 points, including 37 assists, in 43 regular-season games this season. He missed a good chunk of the early part of the season with a hand injury, returning in time to play for Canada at the World Junior Championship. . . . Next season, Bean will be 19 and will have to play with the Hurricanes or be returned to the Hitmen.

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Three WHLers were among the first players added to the Canadian team that will play in the IIHF U-18 World Championship in Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia, April 13-23. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan of the Spokane Chiefs, F Stelio Mattheos of the Brandon Whet Kings and G Ian Scott of the Prince Albert Raiders are in Etobicoke, Ont., this week for a brief training camp before the team leaves for Slovakia on Wednesday, where it will play a pair of exhibition games. . . . As well, D Ty Smith of the Chiefs was invited to the training camp as an under-aged player in order to allow him to gain more international experience. . . . Canada will play Russia on Sunday in Bratislava and Switzerland on Monday in Piestany before opening the tournament against Latvia on April 13. . . . Steve Hamilton, the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings, is an assistant coach with Canada.

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Neate Sager, who freelances junior hockey pieces for Sportsnet, takes a look right here at Sunday’s marathon between the Everett Silvertips and host Victoria Royals, and he does it by the numbers. He also takes a look at some other CHL goings-on.

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F Calvin Spencer of the Vancouver Giants has signed with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. He split this season between the Swift Current Broncos and the Giants, putting up 29 points, including 16 goals, in 66 games. Spencer, who turned 21 on Feb. 29, played four seasons in the WHL, the first two with the Seattle Thunderbirds. In 230 regular-season games, the native of Brooklyn Park, Minn., had 66 points, including 32 goals.
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The Red Deer Rebels will be without F Evan Polei for Game 7 against the host Lethbridge Hurricanes tonight (Tuesday). Polei has been given a TBD suspension after he incurred a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Lethbridge F Tanner Nagel in Game 5 on Sunday. . . . Meanwhile, Red Deer D Alex Alexeyev skated Monday for the first time since having knee surgery in early February. He won’t play tonight but you can bet his presence gave his teammates a lift. . . . After a 4-1 loss to the visiting Hurricanes on Sunday, Brent Sutter, Red Deer’s owner, GM and head coach, told reporters: “You guys thought the Lethbridge Hurricanes were going to beat the Red Deer Rebels 4-0, because they had 20-some more points in the standings. “Our kids have played hard in this series. At the start of the series, if you’d have said we got to play to Game 7 against this team in their home building, we would take it.” . . . The conclusion of Game 7 will signal the end of the first round.

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The BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers are staying put and, in fact, the future looks good with a move underway to turn the team into a community-owned franchise. At a news conference on Monday, it was revealed that the process has begun to form the Nanaimo Clippers Hockey Society. . . . Greg Sakaki of the Nanaimo News-Bulletin writes: “Keeping the Clippers in the Harbour City involved a group of individuals contributing at least $50,000 each to allow the society to purchase a portion of the hockey club. There was sufficient commitment to satisfy the current ownership group.” . . . Sakaki’s story is right here.

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The OHL’s Niagara IceDogs have signed head coach Dave Bell to a three-year extension. Bell just completed his first season as head coach, after spending three seasons on staff as an assistant coach. The IceDogs finished 23-35-10 this season, good for eighth spot in the 10-team Eastern Conference. They were swept from a first-round series by the Peterborough Petes.

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MONDAY GAMES:

Should be noted that Portland getting blasted 7-1 in the reg season finale by non-playoff Spokane led to them playing PG instead of Seattle.

— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) April 4, 2017

At Portland, the Winterhawks, the Western Conference’s first wild-card team, beat the Prince George Cougars, 4-2, to advance to the second round of the WHL playoffs. . . . The Winterhawks won the

COLE KEHLER

series, 4-2. They had finished fourth in the U.S. Division, at 40-28-4. The Cougars won the B.C. Division pennant, at 45-21-6. . . . The Winterhawks next will face the Kelowna Rockets, who eliminated the Kamloops Blazers, 4-2, on Sunday night. This will be the fifth playoff meeting between these teams since 2011. . . . The Winterhawks and Rockets will get started in Kelowna on Friday night. . . . Last night, the Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals, all in the second period. . . . F Colton Veloso (2) made it 1-0 at 5:35, with F Ryan Hughes (2) counting at 7:18 and F Alex Overhardt (1) upping the lead to 3-0, on a PP, at 11:58. . . . The Cougars got on the scoreboard when F Kody McDonald (2) scored at 6:38 of the third period, seven seconds after the expiration of a PP. . . . The Winterhawks got that one back just 1:07 later as F Keegan Iverson got his third goal of the series. . . . F Colby McAuley (4) added a late PP goal for the Cougars, at 18:59. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 35 shots for the Winterhawks and was saluted as the game’s first star. . . . The Cougars got 38 stops from G Ty Edmonds. . . . Prince George was 1-2 on the PP; Portland was 1-5. . . . Prince George had F Tanner Wishnowski back after he served a one-game suspension for becoming involved with a fan during Game 4 in Portland on Thursday. . . . The Cougars again were without F Brad Morrison, a 20-goal scorer who was unable to recover sufficiently from ankle woes to contribute. Morrison, who missed the last three games of the series, was injured in a fight on Feb. 24 and played in only two games after that. . . . Announced attendance: 4,211.

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Great to see all our @SCBroncos fans here in MJ supporting our team pic.twitter.com/HTqvns8NGT

— Liam Choo-Foo (@lchoo65) April 4, 2017

At Moose Jaw, G Jordan Papirny stopped 39 shots to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 3-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . The Broncos, who won three times in Moose Jaw, took the first-round series, 4-

JORDAN PAPIRNY

3, and will open the second round in Regina against the Pats on Thursday. . . . The Warriors had finished second in the East Division, five points ahead of the Broncos, who were 24 points behind the first-place Pats. . . . Last season, Papirny, now 20, backstopped the Brandon Wheat Kings to the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Last night, he stopped 14 shots in the first period, 11 in the second and 14 in the third. . . . Papirny, who will turn 21 on Monday, went 2.02 and .947 in the seven games. He now has played in 56 playoff games, going 37-19, 2.77, .916. A year ago with Brandon, he went 16-5, 2.93, .897. . . . Last night, The Broncos took a 2-0 lead on goals from D Colby Sissons (2), at 4:30 of the first period, and F Tyler Steenbergen (6), on a PP, at 1:47 of the second. . . . F Justin Almeida (2) got the Warriors to within a goal at 7:49. . . . F Glenn Gawdin (3) restored Swift Current’s two-goal lead at 3:17 of the third period. . . . D Josh Brook (2) made things interesting when he scored for Moose Jaw at 14:59. . . . The Broncos got two assists from D Max Lajoie, with Steenbergen adding one to his goal. . . . Brook had an assist for the Warriors. You can bet he’ll be added to the Canadian U-18 team that will leave on Wednesday for the IIHF World Championship in Slovakia. . . . The Warriors got 27 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . The Broncos were 1-4 on the PP; the Warriors were 0-5. . . . Announced attendance: 4,585.

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TUESDAY GAME (all times local):

Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 3-3)

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Stankowski steals show in Kent ... Papirny, Herringer perfect in goal ... Brooks sparks Pats

The first goal of the WHL playoffs was scored by D Clayton Kirichenko of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Kirichenko scored at 6:46 of the first period in their game against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. A 20-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., Kirichenko, the Tigers’ captain, has played in 239 regular-season games. This was his first playoff game — it was one to remember as he finished with two goals and an assist. . . . He split the first 130 of those regular-season games between the Saskatoon Blades and Vancouver Giants.

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When the series between the Calgary Hitmen and the Pats got started in Regina, there were two new pennants hanging from the Brandt Centre rafters. Prior to the game, the Pats were presented with the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s regular-season champs. They then raised the East Division and Regular Season championship banners. Presumably, the Eastern Conference championship banner was saved for prior to next season’s home-opener. . . . In Everett, the Silvertips raised their two new banners as U.S. Division and Western Conference champions. . . . These teams wouldn’t lower these banners and do it all over again on opening night next season, would they?

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Raising banners prior to the start of a playoff home-opener may not be a bad idea. It allows all the players to take part, something that wouldn’t be possible prior to the following season, what with graduating 20-year-olds and others who don’t return for one reason or another.

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Of course, F Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins should have drawn a suspension for the slash he put on the hands of Ottawa Senators D Marc Methot on Thursday night. Of course, Crosby wasn’t suspended. Having a superstar do something like that is a hockey disciplinarian’s worst nightmare, because they would rather suspend slugs than aces.

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If you haven’t noticed, Crosby has become quite the nifty swordsman with his hockey stick.

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F Nolan Patrick, who remains the consensus No. 1 selection for the 2017 NHL draft, sat out the Brandon Wheat Kings’ opening playoff game last night in Medicine Hat. After having sports hernia surgery in July, he played only 33 games during the regular season. I don’t know that being scratched last night was related to his previous problems, but sporting teams are starting to realize that recovery time from that kind of surgery is much longer than previously thought.

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The other notable scratches on the opening night of the WHL playoff were F Mathew Barzal and G Rylan Toth, both of the Seattle Thunderbirds. It would seem that Barzal continues to be bothered by the mumps, while Toth, who led WHL goaltenders in victories, has an undisclosed injury. Toth last played on March 11, when he left after the first period of a 6-3 victory over the host Portland Winterhawks. That was said to be a move made for precautionary reasons, but obviously things are more serious than that.

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I’m thinking USA Hockey has bitten off more than it can chew in its dispute with its national women’s team. On Friday, Dunkin’ Donuts, a major USA Hockey sponsor, said it continues to “support the current members of the U.S. team . . .” As well, the NHL and MLB players associations both issued statements of support for the women’s team, which is the defending IIHF world champion. It is scheduled to begin defence of that title in Plymouth, Mich., on March 31. . . . You’ve got to think that USA Hockey will fold its hand before then.

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Three former WHL coaches who now are head coaches in the OHL are a combined 3-0 in the playoffs. . . . Rocky Thompson’s Windsor Spitfires beat the host London Knights, the defending Memorial Cup champions, 4-3 on Friday night. . . . Earlier in the evening, Ryan McGill’s Owen Sound Attack trounced the visiting Kitchener Rangers, 9-1. . . . On Thursday, Kris Knoblauch’s Erie Otters, playing at home, beat the Sarnia Sting, 6-3. . . . Thompson, McGill and Knoblauch all played in the WHL, too.

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In the BCHL, the host Merritt Centennials beat the Penticton Vees, 2-1, in OT last night, forcing a Game 7 in their second-round series. F Tyrell Buckley won it at 10:23 of the first OT. They’ll meet again Monday, this time in Penticton. The Vees held a 52-48 edge in shots.

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F Chad Bassen (Regina, Vancouver, Medicine Hat, Everett, 2000-04) has signed a one-year extension with Iserlohn (Germany, DEL). This season, he had 10 goals and five assists in 50 games. He has dual German-Canadian citizenship. . . .

D James Bettauer (Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2010-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had 10 goals and four assists in 48 games this season. Bettauer has dual German-Canadian citizenship. . . .

F Jesse Mychan (Everett, Tri-City, 2011-13) has signed a one-year contract with Innsbruck (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He started the season with the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), scoring 23 goals and adding 14 assists in 34 games. He was pointless in five games while on loan to the San Antonio Rampage (AHL). He signed with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, DEL2) on Jan. 24, and had four goals and two assists in nine games there.

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F Dillon Dube of the Kelowna Rockets celebrated the start of the WHL playoffs by signing his first NHL contract. Dube signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Calgary Flames, who selected him in the second round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . Dube, who was born in Golden, B.C., had 20 goals and 35 assists in 40 games with the Rockets this season, this third in Kelowna. Dube missed the first seven weeks of the season after returning from the Flames’ training camp with a knee injury. . . . He also played for Team Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championship. . . . According to capfriendly.com, Dube’s NHL salary would be US$742,500, $742,500 and $892,500, with a $70,000 salary in the minors. Their are performance bonuses of $182,500, $182,500 and $32,500, with three annual signing bonuses of $92,500.

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The Everett Silvertips have signed F Mark Liwiski to a WHL contract. Liwiski, from Dauphin, Man., will turn 16 on Aug. 8. He was a third-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Liwiski played for the midget AAA Parkland Rangers of the Manitoba Midget Hockey League this season, putting up 54 points, including 25 goals, in 37 games. In his draft season, he played for Parkland’s bantam AAA side, totalling 91 points, 39 of them goals, in 35 games.

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Craig Mohr is returning for a fourth season as the general manager and head coach of the junior B Fernie Ghostriders of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. . . . Mohr, from Calgary, has coaching history with the junior B Golden Rockets and Beaver Valley Nitehawks, as well as the midget AAA Calgary Northstars and the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks. . . . This season, the Ghostriders went 26-18-1-2 and finished third in the Eddie Mountain Division. They lost a best-of-seven first-round series in six games to the Kimberley Dynamiters.

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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

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———

QMJHL fines Drakkar GM Steve Ahern $2500 for saying he hopes Charlottetown wins the championship because it's probably their last year there

— Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) March 24, 2017

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FRIDAY GAMES (Game 1, best-of-sevens):

JORDAN PAPIRNY

At Moose Jaw, G Jordan Papirny stopped 40 shots to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 2-0 victory over the Warriors. . . . They’ll play Game 2 in Moose Jaw tonight. . . . Papirny was the starting goaltender for Brandon when the Wheat Kings won last season’s Ed Chynoweth Cup. . . . Papirny, 20, stopped 14 shots in each of the first and third periods in posting his second career playoff shutout. . . . F Tyler Steenbergen, a 51-goal man in the regular season, scored the game’s first goal, unassisted, at 11:18 of the second period. . . . F Glenn Gawdin provided insurance with an empty-netter at 19:48 of the third period. . . . There was one minor penalty called, that to Steenbergen for hooking, at 13:03 of the second period. . . . The Warriors got 31 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . Announced attendance: 3,353.

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CLAYTON KIRICHENKO

At Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored four PP goals en route to a 7-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Three of Medicine Hat’s first four goals came via the PP. . . . D Clayton Kirichenko got the Tigers started at 6:46 of the first period. . . . F Matt Bradley and F Mark Rassell followed with PP goals, at 18:57 of the first and 2:19 of the second, respectively. . . . F Stelio Mattheos scored for Brandon at 3:04, but Tigers F Zach Fischer got that one back, on a PP, at 8:55. . . . F Tyler Coulter counted for Brandon, on a PP, at 13:43, to make it 4-2. . . . Kirichenko scored again, at 14:48, with Rassell completing a hat trick with a PP goal at 12:32 and an even-strength score at 19:39. . . . The Tigers got three assists from D David Quenneville and two from Butcher. Kirichenko and Fischer had one apiece. . . . D Kale Clague had two assists for Brandon, with Mattheos getting one. . . . G Michael Bullion earned the victory with 26 saves. . . . Brandon G Logan Thompson stopped 45 shots. He faced 18 shots in the first period and 19 in the third. . . . The Tigers were 4-9 on the PP; the Wheat Kings were 1-6. . . . D Ty Schultz (broken leg) continues to rehab so was scratched by the Tigers. . . . F Nolan Patrick was among Brandon’s scratches. . . . Announced attendance: 3,583.

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At Regina, F Adam Brooks had two goals and an assist in the third period to lead the Pats to a 5-2 victory

ADAM BROOKS

over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Game 2 is in Regina tonight. . . . Brooks finished with two goals and two assists. . . . The Pats won it with a four-goal third period. . . . F Jake Kryski gave the Hitmen a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 10:50 of the second period. . . . Regina scored the next three goals. . . . D Josh Mahura tied it, on a PP, at 16:28. . . . Brooks, who had the primary assist on Mahura’s goal, provided Regina with the lead at 4:25 of the third period, then upped the lead to 3-1 at 6:03. . . . Kryski got Calgary back to within a goal at 9:04. . . . Regina closed it out on goals from F Bryan Lockner, at 14:14, and F Austin Wagner, shorthanded, at 16:59. . . . F Filip Ahl had two assists for Regina. . . . G Tyler Brown stopped 20 shots to earn the victory. . . . Calgary G Cody Porter turned aside 27 shots. . . . Regina was 1-2 on the PP; Calgary was 1-3. . . . Regina F Nick Henry served a one-game WHL suspension. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.

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15 shots... the fewest on goal the Blazers have had in a game this season. Rockets won most of everything including compete level. 4-0 F

— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) March 25, 2017

At Kelowna, F Carsen Twarynski scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Rockets to a 4-0

CARSEN TWARYNSKI

victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Rockets got three of their goals from players acquired at the trade deadline. Twarynski came over from the Calgary Hitmen, while F Reid Gardiner’s rights were acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders. He was with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the time of the trade. . . . Twarynski opened the scoring at 17:20 of the first period. . . . F Tomas Soustal, who had missed the previous eight games with an injury, upped it to 2-0 just 28 seconds later. . . . Gardiner scored on a PP at 12:40 of the second period. . . . Twarynski added his second goal, on a PP, at 8:47 of the third period. . . . Soustal also had an assist. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer wasn’t particularly busy, stopping 15 shots to earn his third career playoff shutout. . . . The Rockets held a 15-3 edge on shots in the first period. It was 17-3 in the third. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram stopped 44 shots. . . . Kelowna was 2-4 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . The Blazers scratched F Luc Smith, who was injured in Game 71 of the regular season. . . . Announced attendance: 5,512.

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Let's go @WHLsilvertips! 

A deep playoff run begins tonight up in Everett.  #LetsGoTips pic.twitter.com/XTnkI99m0a

— Mariners (@Mariners) March 24, 2017

At Everett, the Silvertips scored the game’s first four goals, two of them on the PP, and went on to a 4-2

DOMINIC ZWERGER

victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . They’ll play Game 2 tonight in Everett. . . . D Kevin Davis gave the home guys a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 8:11 of the first period. . . . The Silvertips took a 4-0 lead with three goals in 4:20 late in the second period. . . . F Patrick Bajkov upped it to 2-0 at 12:04. . . . F Dominic Zwerger then scored twice, at 14:27 and 16:24, the second one coming via the PP. . . . F Jack Walker scored a PP goal for Victoria, at 19:03 of the second period. . . . Victoria F Dante Hannoun got the Royals’ other goal, on a PP, at 14:58 of the third. . . . Bajkov also had two assists, with Davis and Zwerger getting one each. . . . Walker added an assist to his goal. . . . Walker has tied the Royals’ record for career playoff goals (13), assists (16) and points (29). He shares all three with Brandon Magee (2011-15). . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 30 shots, nine more than Victoria’s Griffen Outhouse. . . . The Royals were 2-4 on the PP; the Silvertips were 2-5. . . . D Chaz Reddekopp and F Ryan Peckford both returned to Victoria’s lineup after being out with injuries. . . . Announced attendance: 3,241.

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A big night for playoff hockey in the Northwest.

Good luck to @SeattleTbirds, the defending WHL Western Conference Champs! #WinTheCup pic.twitter.com/OKj52XclZz

— Mariners (@Mariners) March 24, 2017

At Kent, Wash., G Carl Stankowski stopped 33 shots to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-2 victory

CARL STANKOWSKI

over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Stankowski was starting in place of the injury Rylan Toth. . . . Stankowski, who turned 17 on March 9, was making only his eighth WHL appearance. In the regular season, he was 3-0-1, 2.18, .910. . . . He stopped 18 of 19 shots in the third period. That included a save on a penalty shot by F Morgan Geekie at 9:39 of the third period with Seattle leading, 3-2. Moments later, he beat F Parker AuCoin on a shorthanded breakaway. . . . The Thunderbirds got two goals from F Keegan Kolesar, including the game’s first score at 5:37 of the first period. . . . F Ryan Gropp made it 2-0, on a PP, at 8:50, with Kolesar earning the primary assist. . . . Tri-City F Jordan Topping cut into the deficit at 10:10. . . . D Austin Strand restored Seattle’s two-goal lead at 4:50 of the third period. . . . F Austyn Playfair pulled the Americans to within a goal when he scored shorthanded, at 7:26. . . . Kolesar put it away with his second goal, at 17:46. . . . Seattle D Ethan Bear had two assists. . . . Tri-City G Rylan Parenteau stopped 27 shots. . . . Seattle was 1-6 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-7. . . . The game was delayed for a couple of minutes in the second period after Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit’s clearing attempt struck referee Kevin Bennett in the head. He went down briefly, but didn’t miss a shift. . . . The Thunderbirds scratches also included F Mathew Barzal (mumps). . . . Announced attendance: 3,359.

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I'm not surprised that @pdxwinterhawks beat PG at home tonight. From Jan. 24 on, Portland is now 20-6-1. Prince George is 11-10-2. #WHL

— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) March 25, 2017

At Prince George, the Portland Winterhawks scored a pair of PP goals as they beat the Cougars, 4-2. . .

KEEGAN IVERSON

They’ll play Game 2 in Prince George on Sunday. . . . The visitors took a 1-0 lead when F Brendan De Jong scored, on a PP, at 4:34 of the first period. . . . The Cougars tied it at 17:49 when F Jared Bethune scored a PP goal. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s next two goals, with F Skyler McKenzie counting at 18:39 and F Keegan Iverson adding a PP goal at 3:06 of the second period. . . . F Jansen Harkins got the Cougars to within a goal at 2:43 of the third. . . . Portland put it away with an empty-netter from F Colton Veloso at 19:22. . . . D Caleb Jones had two assists for Portland. . . . The Cougars got two assists from F Colby McAuley. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 23 shots for Portland, while Prince George’s Ty Edmonds blocked 31. . . . Including the regular season, Kehler has posted nine straight victories. . . . Portland was 2-5 on the PP; Prince George was 1-3. . . . F Cody Glass, who missed the last five periods of Portland’s regular season, was in the lineup and drew one assist. . . . The Cougars again were without F Brad Morrison. He took the pregame warmup before being scratched. . . . Mike Johnston earned his 50th career victory as Portland’s head coach, the 18th man in WHL history to reach that milestone. Don Hay of the Kamloops Blazers is No. 1, at 106. . . . Announced attendance: 5,418.

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SATURDAY GAMES (all times local):

(All series best-of-seven)

Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (Game 1)

Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. (Swift Current leads, 1-0)

Brandon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m. (Medicine Hat leads, 1-0)

Calgary at Regina, 7 p.m. (Regina leads, 1-0)

Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. (Kelowna leads, 1-0)

Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m. (Everett leads, 1-0)

Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m. (Seattle leads, 1-0)

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SUNDAY GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Lethbridge, 6 p.m. (Game 2)

Portland at Prince George, 5 p.m. (Portland leads, 1-0)

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Broncos streaking . . . Pats end four-game skid, but lose veteran . . . Warriors romp past Ice

See earlier today in the #cityofpg. #HYPG #United pic.twitter.com/C9dP0chzZe

— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) March 6, 2017

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“The Prince George Cougars’ $5,950 donation to the BC Liberals was the biggest in the party’s unaudited report for Feb. 17-22,” writes Bob Mackin of theBreaker.news. “The Cougars donated almost exactly a year after Prince George-Valemount Liberal MLA (and notable Cougars’ fan) Shirley Bond signed a cabinet order excusing B.C.’s six Western Hockey League team owners from paying the scholarship-eligible players $10.85-an-hour.” . . . Mackin has more, including a look at how the WHL worked to get that exclusion, and it’s all right here.  

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The Brandon Wheat Kings, celebrating their 50th anniversary season, added five more players to their Dream Team on Sunday. . . . They announced that the third line comprises Marty Murray (1991-95), Eric Fehr (2000-05) and Ray Ferraro (1983-84), while the first defence pairing revealed features Keith Aulie (2005-09) and Kevin Cheveldayoff (1986-90). . . . Earlier, the Wheat Kings announced a fourth line of Matt Calvert, Mark Stone and Jordin Tootoo. . . . When completed, the team will comprise two goaltenders, six defencemen and 12 forwards.

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The BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors, the defending national junior A champions, aren’t going anywhere. They announced Friday night that ownership has been restructured, something that means they won’t be moving to North Delta, B.C. . . . The Warriors, playing at home, lost the opening two games of their first-round playoff series to the Merritt Centennials, 6-5 on Friday night and 5-4 in triple OT on Saturday night. The series resumes Monday in Merritt.

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———

No wonder it's so quiet in here. Thank you NBA & Knicks. No bells & whistles, just basketball. pic.twitter.com/oLJZXRG04r

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) March 5, 2017

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SUNDAY’S GAMES:

At Edmonton, the Swift Current Broncos erased a 2-1 deficit with three straight goals, then hung on for a

GLENN GAWDIN

4-3 victor over the Oil Kings. . . . F Davis Murray (3) gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 1:47 of the first period. . . . The Broncos tied it at 10:17 on F Glenn Gawdin’s 24th goal. . . . F Trey Fix-Wolansky put Edmonton in front with his 22nd goal, at 12:11. . . . The visitors pulled even again as F Kaden Elder (14) scored at 6:37 of the second period. . . . F Conner Chaulk’s seventh goal gave the Broncos their first lead, at 11:28. . . . F Aleksi Heponiemi scored No 26, on a PP, at 4:20 of the third period to give Swift Current a 4-2 lead. . . . The Oil Kings cut that to one when F Graham Millar (11) scored at 12:15. . . . Gawdin also had an assist, as did Fix-Wolansky. . . . G Jordan Papirny turned aside 34 shots to earn the victory over Josh Dechaine, who made 25 saves. . . . Swift Current was 1-3 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-2. . . . The Broncos (34-20-10) have won four in a row. They will finish third in the East Division. . . . The Oil Kings (20-40-5) have lost eight straight (0-7-1). Edmonton, in its 10th WHL season, has lost 40 games for the second time. The other was in 2009-10) when it dropped 43. . . . Announced attendance: 11,041.

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At Brandon, F Sam Steel snapped a 2-2 tie at 2:24 of the second period and the Regina Pats went on to a 4-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . The Pats, who were playing their third game in fewer than 48

SAM STEEL

hours, had lost their previous four games (0-3-1). . . . After losing 6-3 to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night, Pats GM/head coach John Paddock told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post: “If I wasn’t concerned I probably wouldn’t be doing my job. I’m not making any excuses. It’s just fact. We badly need rest. Every team has gone through it — a heavy schedule. We hit ours at the end of the year.” . . . The Pats are off now until Wednesday when they visit Swift Current. . . . On Sunday, F Adam Brooks got the Pats started with his 36th goal, shorthanded, at 15:12 of the first period. . . . That was Regina’s WHL-leading 20th shorthanded goal this season. . . . Brandon tied it when F Stelio Mattheos got No. 25, on a PP, at 1:07 of the second period. . . . D Connor Hobbs (28) put the Pats back out front, on a PP, at 15:06. . . . The Wheat Kings tied it again, this time on F Tyler Coulter’s 30th goal, at 16:29. . . . Steel, who leads the WHL with 119 points, including 46 goals, broke the tie and F Wyatt Sloboshan (9) added insurance with an empty-netter at 18:55. . . . Brooks, Hobbs and Steel each had an assist, as did Mattheos. . . . G Tyler Brown earned the victory with 36 saves. . . . Brandon got 53 saves from G Logan Thompson, who wasn’t beaten by F Austin Wagner on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Each team was 1-5 on the PP. . . . The Pats (45-12-8) lead the overall standings by five points over Medicine Hat. . . . Brandon (29-17-10) is likely to finish in the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 3,851. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Pats F Duncan Pierce will miss up to six weeks with a hairline fracture in his right fibula. He was injured on Saturday night. . . . On Sunday, the Pats lost F Dawson Leedahl in the second period after he absorbed a check from Brandon D Dmitry Osipov.

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It's Morty bobble head day at the @MJWARRIORS game! All proceeds to KidSport Moose Jaw. #citymj pic.twitter.com/gLrHEZTYnD

— Katie Brickman (@katiebrickman) March 5, 2017

At Moose Jaw, F Jayden Halbgewachs scored a goal and added three assists as the Warriors dumped the Kootenay Ice, 11-2. . . . The Ice was playing its third game in Saskatchewan in fewer than 48 hours. It

JAYDEN HALBGEWACHS

was outscored 23-2 in those games, having also lost 8-0 in Prince Albert and 4-0 in Saskatoon. . . . Moose Jaw led 3-1 and 7-1 at the period breaks. . . . The Warriors stretched that 3-1 lead to 5-1 with two goals in 44 seconds early in the second period. . . . Halbgewachs has 46 goals, two off the WHL lead that is held by F Tyler Wong of Lethbridge. . . . F Thomas Foster helped Moose Jaw his 21st goal and two assists. . . . F Noah Gregor scored twice for the Warriors, giving him 24, with singles from F Brayden Burke (18), F Branden Klatt (7), F Luka Burzan (14), D Dmitri Zaitsev (1), F Tanner Jeannot (19), F Justin Almeida (10) and F Brecon Wood (1). . . . Zaitsev, a Russian freshman, scored his first WHL goal in his 64th game. He also has 17 assists. . . . Wood, a 16-year-old freshman from Edmonton, has a goal and one assist in 55 games. . . . D Colin Paradis, D Josh Thrower and F Brett Howden each had three assists. Almeida and Burke had one each. . . . The Ice got goals from F Noah Philp (8) and F Barrett Sheen (8). . . . Moose Jaw G Brody Willms stopped 33 shots. . . . Kootenay starter Jakob Walter allowed five goals on 16 shots in 22:57. Payton Lee finished up, stopping 23 of 29 shots in 37:03. . . . The Ice was 1-2 on the PP; the Warriors were 0-1. . . . Moose Jaw (41-17-8) has won nine in a row. . . . Kootenay (14-41-19) has lost three straight. . . . Announced attendance: 3,476.

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MONDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Spokane vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash, 7:05 p.m.

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