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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Defenceman Willie Mitchell of the Los Angeles Kings doesn’t like the word ‘concussion.’ He prefers ‘brain injury.’ And he has been there on more than one occasion. . . . Right here then is his description, in his own words, of what life is like when you are in the throes of such a brain injury.
Give that a read and then stop and think for a moment about how many hockey players had such injuries this season. And then ask yourself this: Are the people with the power doing all they can to prevent concussions?
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In Norfolk, Va., G Dustin Tokarski (Spokane, 2006-09) stopped 30 shots Saturday night as the Admirals beat the Toronto Marlies, 4-2, in Game 2 of the AHL final for the Calder Cup. . . . The Admirals hold a 2-0 lead with Game 3 in Toronto on Thursday. . . . The winner came from F Brandon Segal (Calgary, 1999-2004). He gave Norfolk a a 3-1 lead at 8:26 of the third period. D Keith Aulie (Brandon, 2005-09) picked started the play that led to Segal’s goal. . . . Aulie finished with two assists. . . . D Radko Gudas (Everett, 2009-10) had a strong outing for Norfolk. . . . F Greg Scott (Seattle, 2005-09) had five shots on goal for the Marlies, while F Colton Orr (Swift Current, Kamloops, Regina, 1998-2003) had three.
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By now you are aware that Johan Santana threw a no-hitter for the New York Mets on Friday night. It was the first no-hitter in Mets’ history, coming in the franchise’s 8,020th game.
For a great read, check out this column by Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post.
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Keith Olbermann — yes, that Keith Olbermann — is a huge baseball fan. And, yes, he has a blog. His take on Santana’s no-hitter is right here. Interestingly, Olbermann was at the game but he had to leave after two innings. It was the second time in his life that he left a no-hitter in the early innings.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
Kladno (Czech Republic, Extraliga) announced the signings of F Jan Dalecky (Swift Current, 2007-09) and F Jan Eberle (Seattle, 2006-08) to one-year contract extensions. . . . Dalecky had 18 goals and eight assists in 25 games for Kladno U20 (Czech Republic, U20 Extraliga), was pointless in five games on loan to Berounsti Medvedi (Czech Republic, 1.Liga), and had two assists in nine games on loan to Pisek (Czech Republic, 1.Liga). . . . Eberle had four goals and four assists in 35 games with Kladno and eight goals and nine assists in 20 games on loan to Pisek this season. . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary, 1995-2000) signed a one-year contract extension with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). He had 12 goals and 32 assists in 62 games for the Devils this season. Smith was named the winner of the Devils' Coaches' Player of the Year award this season. . . .
D Doug Lynch (Red Deer, Spokane, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Frölunda Gothenburg (Sweden, Elitserien). He had 16 goals and 18 assists in 48 games for Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) this season.
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Taylor Vause, who played out his WHL eligibility with the Swift Current Broncos this season, is a talented young man. Highly skilled with graphics and a computer, he designs hockey-themed movie posters as a hobby. On Friday night, he posted one in tribute to the late Derek Boogaard.
It is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Ryan Parent is the new director of hockey operations and head coach of the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. He had been coaching the major midget prep team at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. In 2010-11, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks. . . . In Lloydminster, he replaces Brian Curran, who left for a five-year contract as GM and head coach with the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. . . .
Clarke Singer, the head coach of the U of Western Mustangs, who play out of London, Ont., will take a one-year sabbatical so will miss next season. Pat Powers, an assistant coach with the Mustangs, will serve as the interim head coach in Singer’s absence. . . .
There is ample speculation out there involving who will be the next head coach of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, who announced Thursday that they weren’t renewing the contract of Brent Sutter. . . . Mike Brophy of Sportsnet has said a “Calgary source” told him that Dallas Eakins, the head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, will get a serious look. Brophy also wrote that “other candidates being mentioned for the Flames' job include Troy Ward, head coach with Calgary's farm team, former Bruins coach Mike Sullivan, ex-Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, Bob Boughner and Bob Hartley.” . . . Roger Millions, who covers the Flames for Sportstnet, tossed out the name of Mike Johnston, the GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks. Johnston has NHL experience as an assistant coach under head coach Marc Crawford with the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings.
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In the AHL, the Norfolk Admirals ran their amazing winning streak to 26 games with a 5-1 victory over the host Albany Devils. D Keith Aulie, who played in Brandon, had two assists and was plus-3, while F Tyler Johnson (Spokane) had an assist and was plus-2. . . . G Dustin Tokarski (Spokane) was on the bench in a backup role.
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The Humboldt Broncos won their fourth SJHL title in six years on Friday, beating the Red Wings 6-0 in Weyburn to take the best-of-seven final in six games. . . . Dean Brockman, the Broncos’ general manager and head coach, has been there for all four titles; the others came in 2007, 2008 and 2009. . . . The Broncos will meet the MJHL-champion Portage Terriers in the Anavet Cup series. But the Broncos are the host team for the RBC Cup — the national junior A championship tournament — so the Terriers are automatically in, too.
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Followers of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting have this little-known tradition of throwing walleye — some may know them as pickerel — on the ice after their favourite team’s first goal of a game. . . . No more. . . . The OHL has lowered the boom, as Neate Sager of Buzzing The Net relates right here. . . . I will say that a dead walleye belongs in a frying pan, not on a sheet of ice in an arena. . . . Hey, do fans of the Flin Flon Bombers still toss moose hooves onto the ice?
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Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the Moose Jaw Warriors may get all three of their injured players back for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final. That series opens in Edmonton against the Oil Kings on Friday. . . . The Warriors have said that D Morgan Rielly (knee) is expected to play in the opener. . . . Gourlie writes that F Jordan Wyton and F Torrin White also might be ready. . . . Wyton suffered a broken hand during a March 13 practice. . . . White has been out since going knee-to-knee with Medicine Hat Tigers F Emerson Etem in Game 1 of their conference semifinal series. Etem drew a one-game suspension for the hit.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Kamloops Blazers F Jordan DePape (@papskos17): “Well, its already been 7 years today living strong and healthy with type 1 diabetes, almost 15,000 needles later! Time sure flys! #strength)
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FRIDAY’S GAME:
In Spokane, F Dominik Uher scored at 6:28 of OT to give the Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 in Kennewick, Wash., tonight. . . . They’ll play Game 6 in Spokane on Monday. . . . Uher beat Tri-City G Ty Rimmer on the shortside with a backhand shot from the right circle. . . . This was the fourth one-goal game of the series and the second decided in OT. . . . It was the 10th time in the last 17 playoff meetings between these teams that they needed OT to settle the issue. So if you’re going to tonight’s game, you should tell the babysitter that you’ll be late. . . . Spokane F Dylan Walchuk took off on a breakaway — Tri-City D Zach Yuen fell in the neutral zone — and hit a post with 1:40 left in the third period. . . . The Chiefs got first-period goals from F Colin Valcourt and F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Holmberg got his ninth of these playoffs on the PP. . . . The Americans tied it in the second, on goals by D Derek Ryckman and F Adam Hughesman, the latter scoring on the PP. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 33 shots, one fewer than Rimmer. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin was held off the scoresheet, ending his point streak at 30 games. The last time he went without a point was in a Jan. 29 game in Calgary. He put up 72 points, including 34 goals, in those 30 games.

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