DAN RUSSELL

Dan Russell, the voice of many WHL games on Shaw TV, is into the stretch run as the host of Sportstalk on Vancouver radio station CKNW.
Tom Plasteras, the station’s program director, informed staff via email on Thursday that “we are reviewing CKNW’s programming in the 9-Midnight time-slot with the intention of the taking the station in a new direction.
“As a result, we will not be renewing our contract with Dan Russell for his Sportstalk program when it expires on August 31, 2013.
“We will announce our plans at a later date.”
Sportstalk is into its 29th year and bills itself as “Canada’s longest running talk show.”
Russell recently returned to the show after a vacation. However, he hasn’t appeared on the show the last two nights after experiencing voice-related problems. Dave Sheldon, the regular weekend host, has handled Russell’s duties.
Russell is expected to be back in the host’s chair tonight or Monday.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province weighs in right here on which players he feels should win five of the Western Conference’s individual awards.
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D Kendall McFaull, 20, of the Moose Jaw Warriors will join the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons after the weekend. He has signed with the Barons, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, for the remainder of this season. McFaull was selected By the Atlanta Thrashers in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL draft, but never signed with them.

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The Carolina Hurricanes have signed Edmonton Oil Kings D Keegan Lowe to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Lowe was a third-round selection in the 2011 entry draft. He is the son of former NHL D Kevin Lowe, who now is the Edmonton Oilers’ president of hockey operations. . . . Keegan’s contract will pay him $610,000, $660,000 and $710,000 in the NHL. It carries an AHL salary of $67,500. There is a $235,000 signing bonus. . . . The contract figures were released by the Hurricanes, which is a pleasant change seeing as the numbers all become public anyway. . . . Lowe, 19, has 30 points, including 15 goals, in 63 games with the Oil Kings this season.
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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
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THURSDAY’S GAME:
In Kelowna, the Rockets won for the 50th time this season, beating the Prince George Cougars, 5-2. . . . Kelowna (50-16-4) and the Portland Winterhawks (54-12-3) are the only WHL teams with 50 victories, although the Edmonton Oil Kings (49-15-6) still may get there. . . . The Kelowna franchise record is 51 (2002-03) and the Rockets have two games remaining, both against the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Cougars scored the game’s first two goals, but F Colton Sissons got the home side on the board with his career-high 27th at 19:11 of the first period. . . . D Damon Severson tied the score at 12:22 of the second. . . . F Zach Franko broke a 17-game drought with his 22nd at 19:53 to break the tie. . . . According to Gord McGarva, the analyst on the Rockets' radio crew, Kelowna F Tyrell Goulbourne didn’t return after a second-period scrap with Prince George F Klarc Wilson. . . . The Rockets had F J.T. Barnett back after he missed a couple of weeks due to illness. . . . With Barnett in, F Tyson Baillie, who has 24 goals, didn’t dress. . . . Kelowna also went without D MacKenzie Johnston, who apparently lost four teeth when he was hit by puck at practice on Wednesday. . . . The Cougars are four points out of a playoff spot with two games remaining, both against Kamloops. The best the Cougars can hope for is a sudden-death play-in game with the Everett Silvertips, who have a four-point lead with three games remaining.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “If you’re wondering about my lack of tweets over the last 24 hrs, I’ve been kinda busy . . . (well, mostly my wife)”
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More from @WHLFacts: “Meet Penelope, future gold medallist in women’s hockey . . . #ProudPapa #DaddysLittleGirl #ZeroSleep”
For a peek at the really young Ms. @WHLFacts, click right here.

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With thanks to Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier, here are some facts and figures leading into tonight’s game that has the Portland Winterhawks in Kelowna to play the Rockets (they’ll also play there Saturday):
1. The Winterhawks (43-8-3) are atop the overall standings, but coming off a 4-3 loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Wednesday. Portland also is atop the CHL’s weekly rankings.
2. The Rockets (40-11-4) are third in the overall standings. They dropped a 5-0 decision to the host Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday. The Rockets are fourth in the CHL rankings.
3. The Rockets have won 23 straight home games. The franchise record was set in 1992-93 when the team was based in Tacoma. . . . The 24-game streak is the second-longest in WHL history, behind only the 1993-94 Kamloops Blazers (29).
4. Portland has eliminated Kelowna from the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
5. The Rockets have points in 19 of 20 games since the Christmas break. They have one regulation loss and two in OT over that span.
6. The Winterhawks have points in 17 of their last 19 games. They had an eight-game winning streak snapped Wednesday. They have two regulation losses and one in a shootout since Christmas.
7. The teams split two games played in Portland early in October, the Winterhawks winning 1-0 and the Rockets winning 4-3.
8. Portland has scored 245 goals this season; the Rockets are at 244.
Here’s what Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska told Fisher:
“I think it gets blown way out of proportion by the media. This is two of 72 (games in the regular-season schedule), and that's the reality of it.
"Over the course of the year, so far, I think we've proven ourselves to be a good hockey team and I don't necessarily think this is the be-all and end-all. But there are two very good hockey teams that are going to be playing a couple games here, and it should be entertaining to watch for the fans."
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It seems that the CHL is on the verge of changing some rules regarding its annual import draft. For years now, the draft has been driven by agents and that is something to which the CHL wants to put a stop. Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Sports has been on this story and her latest piece is right here.
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Chris Clark, an assistant coach with the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild, has been suspended until at least March 25 for his blind-man-on-the-ice routine on Jan. 26. Jon Frank of the Wenatchee World reports that Clark will be able to appy for reinstatement on March 25. . . . Bliss Littler, the Wild’s general manager and head coach, drew a five-game suspension. . . . Frank’s story is right here.

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, G Tristan Jarry made 23 saves as the Edmonton Oil Kings scored a 7-0 victory over the Pats. . . . Jarry has six shutouts this season and is tied for the WHL lead with Portland’s Mac Carruth and Andrey Makarov of Saskatoon. . . . Jarry now has put up four shutouts in his last six starts. . . . Edmonton has put up a shutout in 10 of its 56 games. . . . The Oil Kings have won 10 in a row and now lead the Eastern Conference by 13 points over the Calgary Hitmen. Edmonton also is second in the overall standings, four points behind Portland, which holds two gams in hand. . . . Edmonton got goals from seven different players, including D Martin Gernat, who scored his first this season. . . . D Cody Corbett had three assists. . . . Edmonton F Michael St. Croix scored his 28th goal – it was his 18th PPG this season and that leads the WHL. It also allowed him to tie the franchise record he set last season. He also is on an 11-game points streak. . . . Edmonton was 4-for-7 on the PP; in two games against Regina, the Oil Kings were 9-for-14 with the man advantage. . . . Edmonton D Keegan Lowe scored his 13th goal of the season, establishing a single-season franchise record for goals by a defenceman. Griffin Reinhart scored 12 last season. . . . A note from Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post: “Prior to the game, the Pats and the Shooting Stars Foundation (Mike Sillinger and Jamie Heward) presented former captain Kyle Deck with a cheque for more than $20,000. The money was raised through the Pats’ alumni game/skills competition on Jan. 28. Deck is suffering from kidney disease and is in need of a transplant.” . . .

In Kamloops, G Cole Cheveldave stopped 20 shots as the Blazers beat the Everett Silvertips, 6-0. . . . Cheveldave has three shutouts this season and seven in his two-season career. . . . F Cole Ully had two goals and an assist, while D Marek Hrbas scored once and was plus-5. . . . The Blazers have won three in a row and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 outings. . . . Kamloops, which is third in the Western Conference, clinched a playoff spot with the victory.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Curtis Lazar, Edmonton
F Lane Scheidl, Regina
D Martin Gernat, Edmonton

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Calgary Hitmen D Jaynen Rissling (@riznasty09): “went for a walk in Seattle today and couldn’t help but wonder, what if a vampire attacked me.”


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Mayor Sam Adams (centre) of Portland was at the Winterhawks' game last night
and purchased a Free Mike J t-shirt. His Honour later tweeted (@MayorSamAdams):
"I just bought one of these 'Free Mike J' t-shirts here at the #VMC from the great
@Winterhawks Boosters @PWHBC #pdx"

THE MacBETH REPORT:
Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic, Extraliga) exercised its contract option with F Ladislav Kohn (Brandon, Swift Current, 1993-95), keeping Kohn under contract with the club through the end of this season. Kohn's contract, signed in October, was to expire at the end of December but had a club option to extend it through the end of this season. He has two goals and eight assists in 14 games this season. Last season, Kohn had five goals and 14 assists in 37 games as an alternate captain with Trinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and one goal and three assists in eight games with Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland, NL A).
F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001) signed a "game-by-game" contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Elitserien). He had two goals and six assists in 21 games earlier this season for Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). AIK currently has eight players out with injuries, including two at Beech's centre position. Beech, released by Pardubice on Nov. 16, is expected to practice with AIK today and will play in their game Thursday, if the paperwork is completed in time. AIK,  currently in 11th place in the 12-team Elitserien halfway through its schedule, fired their head coach, Per-Erik Johnsson, on Monday and replaced him with former Vancouver Canuck D Anders Eldebrink. . . .
F Dana Tyrell (Prince George, 2004-09) signed an NHL lockout contract with Banska Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had five assists in 26 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and four goals and five assists in 18 games with the Norfolk Admirals (AHL) last season.
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The Swift Current Broncos are touring B.C. with a starting goaltender, an injured backup and a No. 3 who has been brought in from the junior B North Delta Devils.
Wait! There’s more.
Eetu Laurikainen, the 19-year-old starting freshman, will be leaving for his native Finland after a Saturday game against the Royals in Victoria.
Landon Bow, a 17-year-old freshman from Thompson, Man., has been backing up Laurikainen. But Bow went down in a goal-mouth collision duriing a 5-0 victory over the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday. Bow is hurting and wasn’t able to dress last night in Kamloops.
So they brought in Steve Myland, 18, from North Delta.
Mark Lamb, the Broncos’ general manager and head coach, said Bow wasn’t able to skate on Monday but he’s hopeful he’ll be ready by the weekend.
“We’re hoping,” Lamb said. “He’s not limping or anything so he should be all right.”
But what happens if Laurikainen is gone and Bow still can’t play?
Well, the Broncos could maybe bring in Travis Child of Killam, Alta. He was a second-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft.
“There’s a couple of of other options,” Lamb said. “Hopefully, we don’t have to get to that.”
The Broncos lost two forwards in Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops. Josh Derko and Levi Bews both were taken to Royal Inland Hospital with apparent leg injuries.
After the game, Lamb allowed that “it doesn’t look good.”
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Latvia’s preliminary 32-man roster for its national junior team includes three WHLers – D Rinalds Rosinskis of the Prince George Cougars, F Edgars Kulda of the Edmonton Oil Kings and F Roberts Lipsbergs of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Latvians will hold a camp in Broceni from Dec. 10-22. . . . Latvia is in the big tournament for the fourth time in five years. . . . G Andrey Makarov of the Saskatoon Blades is the lone WHLer on the Russian roster, while D Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks is the only WHLer on the U.S. roster. . . . The U.S. team will hold a camp in Tarrytown, N.Y., Dec. 16-18, and will name its final 23-man roster on Dec. 23 after it continues its camp in Helsinki, Finland. . . . When Makarov leaves Saskatoon, the Blades will bring in G Patrick Johnston to support Alex Moodie. Johnson plays for the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs. Makarov (ill) didn’t practice Tuesday but is expected to start tonight against the visiting Spokane Chiefs. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports that F Brett Stovin (shoulder) will be in the Blades’ lineup after an eight-game absence.
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D Keegan Lowe of the Edmonton Oilers is expected to miss a third straight game tonight with an ankle injury. The Oil Kings play the Hurricanes in Lethbridge tonight. . . . With D Griffin Reinhart and D David Musil to leave shortly for national team camps and with D Martin Gernat out with a shoulder problem, the Oil Kings hope to get Lowe healthy so that he can return by next week. . . . Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal also reports that F Travis Ewanyk (knee) didn’t make the bus ride to Lethbridge.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, the Spokane Chiefs scored three goals in the game’s last 3:03 and beat the Raiders, 7-4. . . . F Collin Valcourt broke a 4-4 tie at 16:57, with F Liam Stewart adding insurance at 17:35 and F Connor Chartier getting the empty-netter at 19:48. . . . F Mike Aviani had three goals and an assist for Spokane, while F Todd Fiddler, who started his WHL career with the Raiders, had a goal and two assists and was plus-4. . . . The Chiefs had a 4-1 lead late in the second period, only to have the Raiders come back and tie it on F Austin Daae’s first goal and two from F Dakota Conroy. . . . It was the first hat trick of Aviani’s career. He didn’t score at all in the first nine games of November, then scored twice as the Chiefs opened their East Division swing with a 7-2 victory in Swift Current on Friday. . . . Aviani, who had 13 goals in 70 games last season, has 15 in 28 games this season. . . . The Chiefs are 3-0-0 on their East Division tour. . . . Prince Albert F Jonas Knutsen left the game after hitting his head on the ice as a first-period scrap with Spokane F Carter Proft ended. Knutsen is scheduled to leave the Raiders today and join Norway’s national junior team for the IIHF Division I Group A U20 championship in Amiens, France. He told Dave Leaderhouse of the Prince Albert Daily Herald that he was knocked out and that he received a couple of stitches, both other than that he was OK. “I have to do a skate (today), but I leave real early so I am going to see Bruno (Raiders general manager Bruno Campese) right now and see what he says,” Knutse told Leaderhouse. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s last six goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 6-1. . . . F Greg Chase scored twice for the Hitmen, while F Victor Rask and F Brooks Macek each had a goal and two assists. . . .

In Prince George, G Brett Zarowny stopped 33 shots to lead the Cougars to a 2-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . F Jarrett Fontaine and F Daulton Siwak scored late in the first period to give Prince George a 2-0 lead. . . . F Sam Fioretti, with his 18th, got Moose Jaw on the board at 1:57 of the second. . . . Cougars F Troy Bourke, who hadn’t played since Nov. 9 due to an undisclosed injury, returned to action with one assist. He missed nine games. . . . The Cougars ended a three-game home losing streak. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored twice in the game’s last two minutes and beat the Swift Current Broncos, 2-1. . . . F Coda Gordon scored a PP goal for the Broncos at 2:46 of the second period. . . . With G Eetu Laurikainnen putting on a 30-save show, the Broncos lost in hearbreaking fashion. . . . Kamloops G Cole Cheveldave made two brilliant saves during a Swift Current PP in the second-half of the third period to keep his team’s hopes alive. They were the first shots he saw in the period. . . . F Colin Smith then tied the game at 18:16 and D Sam Grist got the winner at 18:47. . . . As mentioned above, Swift Current forwards Josh Derko and Levi Bews both were taken to hospital with apparent leg injuries during the game. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks erased a 4-1 deficit and beat the Everett Silvertips, 7-5. . . . Portland has won seven in a row. It also has won 12 straight at home. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic, named the WHL player of the month earlier in the day, had four goals, three of them in a row. With his side trailing 4-1, he scored three times. . . .  Leipsic, who has 20 goals, ran his point streak to 16 games. . . . His first three goals came at 8:46, 16:55 and 18:37 of the second. . . . It was Portland’s second four-goal game this season. F Ty Rattie did it in Swift Current on Oct. 13. . . . Portland D Seth Jones had three assists. He’s on an six-game point streak. . . . Despite scoring seven times, Portland had only seven players with points. . . . Everett F Trent Lofthouse gave his side a 5-4 lead at 2:08 of the third. . . . Leipsic tied it at 16:09, on a PP, and D Troy Rutowski got the winner at 16:49. . . . F Reid Petryk had three assists for Everett. . . . The Silvertips are 0-3 against Portland this season. Everett has lost its last 13 games in Portland.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F JC Lipon, Kamooops
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From Portland F Brendan Leipsic (@leip28), the WHL’s player of the month: “Great character win for the guys, also great seeing the best owner in the league tonight. #pesky hawks”
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From Vancouver Giants radio voice Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff): “#WHL named Portland Winterhawk Player of Month. League tried to call him to tell good news then remembered it had confiscated his phone”
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And now for something completely different.
Perhaps you have wondered what WHL players do on a night when they aren’t involved in a game.
Well, on Tuesday night, many of them were gathered around TV sets. In fact, if the players had their way this particular night would be a black night on the schedule every single season.
Why?
Well, here’s a few hints from Twitter:
From Seattle Thunderbirds G Brandon Glover (@BGlover31): “Lots of talk about guys finding future ‘wives’ on Victoria Secret fashion show tonight .. They must have amazing personalities .. Yeah?? Idk”
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From Calgary Hitmen D Kenton Helgesen (@Helgesen3): “Definitely got the Victoria secret fashion show recording tonight #dimes”
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From Seattle Thunderbirds D Griffin Foulk (@gfoulk95): “Can't wait to pick a future wife tonight #vsfashionshow #dimeshow”
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Former WHLers are caught in the web, too. Here’s ex-Kamloops G Daryl Reaugh (@Razor5Hole): “As a service to my followers, a reminder — @VictoriasSecret: The #VSFashionShow starts at 10/9c tonight on @CBS. #stockingstuffers”
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Saskatoon Blades F Josh Nicholls (@JNicks20): “These girls are all fine pieces of ace . . . trust me I know from experience #VSFashion Show”
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Edmonton Oil Kings F TJ Foster (@TJFosterr): “Why does such a douche bag get to perform at the VS fashion show. Biebs needs to figure his style out. Other than that I’m enjoying it”
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Saskatoon Blades D Graeme Craig (@craigstand6): “Is there a girl missing a tooth? #meanttobe #VSFashionShow”
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Lethbridge Hurricanes G Ty Rimmer (@Rimms35): “This has got to be the best thing on TV since . . . ever #VSFashionShow”
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Red Deer Rebels D Brandon Underwood (@BUND3RWOOD): “These girls are making Rihanna look like a dog #VSFashionShow”
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Edmonton Oil Kings F Curtis Lazar (@CurtisLazar95): “Finally the #VSFashionShow is over so I can now watch the Grinch!! #christmas #featurepresentation”

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Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, was behind a WHL bench for the 1,000th time on Saturday night as his side beat the visiting Tri-City Americans, 5-2.
As mentioned here yesterday, he is one of four men to have coached at least 1,000 games in the WHL.
The top 10, including last night’s games:
Ken Hodge, 1,114
Ernie McLean, 1,067
Lorne Molleken, 1,018
Don Nachbaur, 1,000
Peter Anholt, 973
Pat Ginnell, 963
Don Hay, 952
Dean Clark, 937
Jack Shupe, 887
Bob Lowes, 851
Of those in the top 10, Molleken, Nachbaur, Hay and Clark remain active.
Meanwhile, here’s the top 10 in WHL head-coaching regular-season victories, including last night’s games:
ADD IN SATURDAY GAMES
Ken Hodge, 742
Lorne Molleken, 570
Don Hay, 563
Ernie McLean, 548
Don Nachbaur, 534
Pat Ginnell, 518
Jack Shupe, 466
Dean Clark, 460
Bob Lowes, 453
Peter Anholt, 450
Remember that Molleken, Hay, Nachbaur and Clark are the active coaches on that list.
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It’s also worth noting that Mike Williamson, the head coach of the Calgary Hitmen, has gone over 350 victories, this despite two horrid seasons — with 19 and 17 victories — with the Portland Winterhawks. In fact, just this season Williamson has gotten his won-lost record over .500 — he’s at 352-347-73.
(A word here about coaching records. The decision to go to overtime and shootouts and not count them as losses has resulted in the bastardization of these coaching records because the WHL record book groups such losses in with ties. Williamson’s record, then, includes a total of 73 ties, overtime losses and shootout losses. As someone who values the historical significance of statistics this is simply appalling.)
Meanwhile, Ryan Huska, the head coach of the Kelowna Rockets, is at 200 victories thanks to a 9-2 victory over Molleken’s visiting Saskatoon Blades last night.
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Jeff McDill, who played in the WHL with the Flin Flon Bombers and Victoria Cougars (1973-76), died earlier this month in Swan River, Man., where he and his wife, Laureen, operated the Thunderhill Motel. In 1975-76, McDill put up 121 points, including 55 goals, in 72 games. He also had 197 penalty minutes. McDill was 56.
An obituary is right here.
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Nick Denis, an MMA fighter nicknamed The Ninja of Love, has retired. Too many blows to the head, he wrote on his blog.
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JUST NOTES: Former WHL G Barry Brust (Spokane, Calgary, 2000-03) set an AHL record for longest shutout streak on Saturday night. Brust, now with the Abbotsford Heat, had his streak at 251:41 after one period against the Rampage in San Antonio. That broke the record of 249:51 that had been held by the great Johnny Bower (Cleveland Barons, 1957-58). Brust ran the record to 268:17 before being scored upon by F James Wright (Vancouver, 2006-10). . . . Abbotsford went on to win the game 3-2, but not until a circus that went 11 rounds. F Carter Bancks, another former WHLer, was the 22nd shooter and he ended it. Two other former WHLers, Sven Baertschi and Roman Horak, also scored for the Heat in the shootout.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Dakota Conroy drew three assists to help the Raiders get past the Brandon Wheat Kings, 5-2. . . . The Raiders had won 6-0 in Brandon on Friday night. . . . Prince Albert broke a 1-1 tie with goals six seconds apart by F Leon Draisaitl and F Logan McVeigh. Conroy drew assists on both goals. . . . The WHL record for fastest two goals is two seconds. Seriously! . . . The Raiders have won five of seven, including four of six on a six-game road trip. . . . Conroy began his career with the Wheat Kings, before being deawlt to the Victoria Royals, who moved him to Prince Albert earlier this season. . . . Brandon D Ryley Miller played despite taking a kneeing major late in Friday’s game. . . . Brandon scratched D Ryan Pulock, F Alessio Bertaggia, F Tyrel Seaman and F Jens Meilleur, all with undisclosed injuries. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets scored five times in the first period en route to a 9-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The victory was No. 200 for Rockets head coach Ryan Huska, who holds the franchise career record. . . . The Blades, who won 3-2 in Kamloops on Friday, went 3-2-0 on their B.C. Division swing. . . . Kelowna got the five first-period goals on 14 shots and sent G Andrey Makarov to the bench at 4-0. . . . F Myles Bell had two goals and an assist for the Rockets. He has had back-to-back three-point games. . . . Kelowna D Colten Martin had two assists and was plus-5. . . . Fourteen of Kelowna’s 18 skaters had at least one point. . . . Saskatoon D Darren Dietz, who was outstanding in Kamloops on Friday, was minus-6 in this one. . . .

In Edmonton, D Keegan Lowe scored with one second left in OT to give the Oil Kings a 2-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Lowe has four goals this season. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson scored in the second period for Edmonton. . . . Medicine Hat F Dylan Bredo tied it, on a PP, at 13:40 of the third. . . . Edmonton penalty killers had killed off 46 straight shorthanded situations prior to Bredo’s goal. . . . Medicine Hat G Cam Lanigan, who began his WHL career with the Oil Kings, stopped 46 shots. . . . The Oil Kings have won three in a row. . . . The Tigers have lost seven in a row and continue to play without F Hunter Shinkaruk (skate cut). . . .

F Colin Smith scored two goals to help the Kamloops Blazers to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . Smith broke a scoreless tie with two second-period goals, giving him 19 on the season. . . . F Carter Popoff scored for Vancouver at 10:56 of the third period — the puck skittered off the left skate of Kamloops F Charles Inglis and over the goal line — but the Giants weren’t able to equalize. . . . It was the first meeting of the season between the B.C. Division rivals. . . . Kamloops F JC Lipon had two assists. He continues to lead the WHL in goals (21) and points (53). He has one more point than Smith, who holds the WHL lead in assists (33). . . . After the game, the Blazers trimmed F Brayden Gelsinger, 17, from their roster. He is expected to join the midget AAA Tisdale, Sask., Trojans or an SJHL team. He was pointless in 12 games with the Blazers. . . . 

F Tyler Sandhu scored twice to help the host Everett Silvertips to a 4-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Everett erased a 1-0 deficit when Sandhu scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season at 5:30 and 8:50 of the first period, the latter coming via the PP. . . . F Jon Martin tied it for the Ice at 9:21, only to have F Reid Petryk put Everett back in front just 15 seconds later. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist returned from a 13-game absence due to mononucleosis and set up two goals. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Brendan Leipsic continued to burn it up on behalf of the Portland Winterhawks as they beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 8-2. . . Leipsic ran his point streak to 13 games with two goals and two assists. He also has 11 straight multi-point games. He now has 15 goals. . . . F Ty Rattie had three assists for Portland, while F Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals. . . . Rattie has points in 18 of his last 19 games. He has 37 points in that span. . . . F Nic Petan scored his 16th goal for Portland. . . . Petan is on an eight-game point streak, with four straight multi-point games. . . .

In Victoria, D Brett Cote broke a 2-2 tie at 17:04 of the third period as the Royals beat the Prince George Cougars, 3-2. . . . Cote’s goal was his third of the season. . . . F Ben Walker scored twice for Victoria, giving him 10. He was unsuccessful on a penalty shot just 4:04 into the game. . . . After the game, Walker said the second goal actually belonged to F Alex Gogolev. . . . Prince George D Raymond Grewal opened the scoring with his first of the season. . . . The Royals were missing F Tim Traber for a sixth straight game with an undisclosed injury. F Austin Carroll (personal) missed his second game. . . . F Tyler Soy, the eighth overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with Victoria. . . . The Cougars were without D Michael Mylchreest, who drew a ‘tbd’ suspension under supplemental discipline for something that happened in Friday’s game. . . . The Cougars lost F Zach Pochiro the previous night when he left in the second period with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Cougars had won  5-4 on Friday night. . . . The same two teams will play Friday and Saturday in Prince George to conclude a four-game series. . . .

F Connor Bleackley scored in the fourth round of the circus to give the Red Deer Rebels a 2-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . F Justin Kirsch had given Moose Jaw a 1-0 lead with his 10th goal at 16:09 of the second. . . . Red Deer D Mathew Dumba tied it at 4:23 of the third on the PP. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 42 shots. . . .

The host Spokane Chiefs scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Tri-City Americans, 5-2. . . . Spokane’s Don Nachbaur was a winner in his 1,000th game as a WHL head coach. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg broke a 2-2 tie at 8:00 of the third period. . . . F Liam Stewart added two goals after that, the last one into an empty net. . . . There may have been a ch-ch-ching moment in this one as the on-line scoresheet shows five fighting majors — three to the Americans — at 19:17 of the third. . . . The Chiefs now head into the East Division with a six-game trip beginning Friday in Swift Current..
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Steven Hodges, Victoria (double minor)

CHECKING-T0-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Henrik Samuelsson, Edmonton
F Michal Holub, Seattle
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From Calgary Hitmen F Spencer Humphries (@shumper5): “Earned my first black eye of my career last night, even though my eye sight has taken a severe hit I don’t mind it at all! #punchingbag”
I don’t know if it had anything to do with the shiner, but he had scrap with F Jacob Doty of the Medicine Hat Tigers on Friday night.

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The WHL’s 20-year-old deadline arrives this afternoon.
Each WHL team has to declare a maximum of three such players by the deadline.
The Saskatoon Blades will have to make a move as they are carrying four 20s since acquiring F Adam Kambeitz from the Red Deer Rebels on Monday. The Blades also have D Connor Cox, F Josh Nicholls and F Brenden Walker on their roster.
The Portland Winterhawks also are carrying four 20s — G Cam Lanigan, G Mac Carruth, F Taylor Peters and D Troy Rutkowski. However, Carruth was just assigned to them by the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks, so the Winterhawks have 14 days from his arrival to get down to four 20s.
The Medicine Hat Tigers’ roster also includes four 20s — F Kale Kessy, F Elgin Pearce, D Derek Ryckman and D Alex Theriau. The situation here isn’t what it seems, however, as Theriau is on the injury list as he recovers from offseason hip surgery and, as you will read further on, Kessy, while under a WHL suspension, no longer is with the Tigers.
Two other teams — the Kamloops Blazers and Prince Albert Raiders — are keeping close tabs on a couple of AHL camps.
D Austin Madaisky has spent the last two-plus seasons with the Blazers. He has signed an NHL contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets and is with their AHL affiliate, the Springfield, Mass., Falcons. He is one of 10 defencemen on their roster as Saturday’s season-opener approaches. The Blazers have three 20s on their roster in F Jordan DePape, F Brendan Ranford and F Dylan Willick.
At the same time, the Prince Albert Raiders are watching the camp of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs because D Antoine Corbin is there. If he returns to Prince Albert, the Raiders will have 14 days to make a move involving him, F Anthony Bardaro, D Davis Vandane or G Luke Siemens.
Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oil Kings are at the other end of the spectrum, with two 20s — F T.J. Foster and F Dylan Wruck.
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When F Jordan Messier woke up Tuesday, you can bet he was thinking about the Tri-City Americans’ approaching swing into the East Division.
It wasn’t long, however, before Messier had a head start.
The Americans, who will head east today, dealt Messier, 20, to the Moose Jaw Warriors yesterday, getting back a 2014 fourth-round bantam draft pick. He was packing his gear, while his former teammates were preparing to head east.
In six games this season, his fifth in the WHL, Messier has three points.
Messier, from Canmore, Alta., has 163 points in 270 regular-season games, all of them with the Americans. Tri-City selected him in the second round of the 2007 bantam draft.
He is expected to make his Moose Jaw debut on Saturday against the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. The Americans, whose roster includes Jordan’s brother Marcus, 18, will play in Moose Jaw on Sunday.
Jordan met up with G Eric Comrie for lunch yesterday.
“I had a bite to eat with Eric and joked to let me slip one past him,” Messier told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “It will be good to see the boys so soon. I will definitely come out hard for that one.”
The deal leaves the Americans with three 20-year-olds — D Drydn Dowd, F Justin Feser and F Jesse Mychan.
To stay at three 20-year-olds, the Warriors promptly released F Austin Bourhis, who had one assist and 17 penalty minutes in four games this season. Bourhis, from Kipling, Sask., has split 117 regular-season games between the Medicine Hat Tigers, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.
The Warriors other 20-year-olds are F Justin Kirsch and D Kendall McFaull.
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The Everett Silvertips have traded F Ryan Chynoweth, 17, to the Tri-City Americans for a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. Chynoweth, the son of Kootenay Ice president/general manager Jeff Chynoweth, was the Silvertips’ first pick, going 24th overall, in the 2010 bantam draft.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that Ryan Chynoweth asked the Silvertips for a trade. Patterson also writes that the conditional pick “begins as a fifth-rounder, but could rise to as high as a third-rounder depending on how Chynoweth performs” in 2013-14.
Chynoweth, who was a healthy scratch for two weekend games, is pointless in four games this season. Last season, he had eight points, two of them goals, in 66 games.
If you’re wondering, there was no chance of his ending up with the Ice. Prior to the 2010 bantam draft, he told his father that he didn’t want to play at home. That holds true today.
“I never even pursued it,” Jeff Chynoweth told me via text yesterday. “It wouldn’t be fair to him or the team.”
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The Tri-City Americans were really busy yesterday, as they also dealt D Sam Grist, 19, to the Kamloops Blazers for a pair of bantam draft picks — a third-rounder in 2013 and a fifth-rounder in 2014. (For now, that fifth is the pick the Americans got from Everett for F Ryan Chynoweth. Of course, as noted, that pick could escalate to a third.)
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Grist is in his third WHL season. He has 15 points and 207 penalty minutes in 119 regular-season games.
“With the emergence of some of our younger defencemen like (Wil) Tomchuk and (Brodie) Clowes, who is close to returning to practice, we had to get our numbers down on defense,” Tri-City general manager Bob Tory said in a news release. “This move allows Sam to play on a good team, closer to home, while opening some ice time for our other players.”
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Following the Monday trade of F Adam Kambeitz, who was the team captain, the Red Deer Rebels have announced that F Turner Elson, 20, will wear the ‘C.’ Kambeitz, 20, was traded to the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Elson returned to the Rebels’ lineup last night in Swift Current after missing seven games with an undisclosed injury. . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a finalist in the Small Business category of the 2012 Manitoba Business Awards, which are into the final stages. The Small Business division comprises those with fewer than 30 employees. . . . Brandon businesses were nominated by the Economic Development Brandon office and the Brandon Chamber of Commerce submitted the applications. . . . Winners will be announced on Oct. 18 at the annual awards gala in Winnipeg. . . .
The Everett Silvertips left on their East Division swing Tuesday and there were three goaltenders on the bus when it hit the highway. G Austin Lotz (groin) was injured Saturday and unable to play Sunday, but he is on the trip. Also on the trip are Cole Holowenko, who was sharing time with Lotz, and Daniel Cotton, who was acquired Sunday from  the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . .
It seems that F Kale Kessy of the Medicine Hat Tigers is serving out his WHL suspension in the training camp of the AHL’s Portland Pirates. Kessy drew a 12-game suspension on Sept. 24 for a headshot major. Sean Rooney of the Medicine Hat News writes that “the Tigers quietly shipped off their fourth-most experienced player . . . two weeks ago. The only mention of the move from the team came in a note on their Oct. 2 injury report, found on the WHL’s website.” . . . Kessy, a fourth-round selection by the Phoenix Coyotes in the NHL’s 2011 draft, isn’t eligible to return to the Tigers’ lineup until Oct. 26. . . . D Ryan Pilon of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who was the subject of Kessy hit, hasn’t played since Sept. 22. . . . Rooney also reports that the Tigers should have freshman D Ty Stanton (undisclosed upper body injury) in the lineup tonight when they play host to the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . .
The Edmonton Oil Kings will be without F Stephane Legault for up to six weeks. He suffered a broken left foot when he blocked a shot by D Alex Roach during Sunday’s 6-5 OT loss to the Hitmen in Calgary. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without D Keegan Lowe (knee), but he skated Tuesday. Lowe has missed four games. . . .
The Saskatoon Blades will honour former star Gerry Pinder on March 8 prior to a game against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. He will have his number (7) retired. Actually, the number already is retired – F Brent Ashton wore it. Other numbers retired by the Blades are F Bob Bourne’s 12, F Wendel Clark’s 22, F Bernie Federko’s 15 and F Brian Skrudland’s 10. . . . Pinder played for the Blades in the early days. In fact, he set the WHL record for most points in one game (10) and that’s a mark that has been equalled but not broken. He had six goals and four assists in a 17-5 victory over the visiting Calgary Buffaloes on March 12, 1967. . . . Pinder put up 221 points in 109 games with the Blades.
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TUESDAY’S ACTION:
Sophomore F Brooks Maxwell scored his first goal of the season, a PP score at 17:30 of the third period, to break a 2-2 tie and give the Red Deer Rebels a 3-2 victory over the Broncos in Swift Current. . . . The Broncos (3-1-4) lost for the first time in regulation time this season. . . . It was a battle of import goaltenders, with Red Deer’s Patrik Bartosak, a Czech, and the Broncos’ Eetu Laurikainen, a Finn, each stopping 29 shots. . . . The Rebels ended up 3-2-1 on an swing through the East Division. . . . The Rebels will be without sophomore D Kayle Doetzel (broken jaw) for up to six weeks. He was injured on Oct. 3 in a 5-3 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon. . . .

F Lane Scheidl scored in OT to give the host Regina Pats a 3-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Scheidl’s fourth goal of the season came at 4:28 of extra time, just 28 seconds after the Pats had killed off a Portland PP. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt was huge with a 34-save effort. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke stopped 21 shots. G Mac Carruth, assigned to the team by the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks after a stint in camp with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, was on the bench, leaving Cam Lanigan as a healthy scratch. . . . Portland F Taylor Peters forced OT with his first goal of the season at 16:55 of the third. . . .

The Prince Albert Raiders continued to write the WHL’s best early-season success story as they ran their winning streak to seven games with a 4-1 victory over the Hurricanes in Lethbridge. . . . The Raiders now are 7-0-1. . . . According to WHL Facts (@WHLFacts), the Raiders last won seven in a row in February/March of 1999. . . . D Sawyer Lange, a sophomore from Prince Albert, scored his third goal in eight games and it stood up as the winner. He had one goal in 58 games last season. . . . The Hurricanes actually opened the scoring when veteran F Russell Maxwell scored 21 seconds into the game. That was the first time in seven games this season that Lethbridge had scored the game’s first goal. . . . Prince Albert F Mike Winther, who hadn’t played since Sept. 28 because of a groin injury, scored his first goal of the season. . . . The Raiders went 4-0 on a swing that took them to Edmonton, Calgary, Cranbrook and Lethbridge.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Portland F Joey Baker

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
F Ryan Chynoweth (@RChynowethh) has a scoop: “Going to miss the boys so much :(. Excited for a new start in tri city's!”
Chynoweth’s tweet announced his trade from Everett to Tri-City well in advance of either team issuing a news release.

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