Royals back in series with Winterhawks

The Okanagan Rockets will compete in the national midget hockey
championship tournament for the first time in franchise history. The
tournament is to be held in Moose Jaw later this month.

F Kevin Saurette (Regina, Tri-City, 1997-2000) has signed a one-year extension with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). This season, in 59 games, Saurette had 75 points, including 36 goals, good sixth in the league scoring race. He was named a UK Elite first team all-star. . . .
Also on UK Elite first all-star team: D Rob Sandrock (Spokane, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Kelowna, 1994-99) of the Belfast Giants. On the UK Elite second all-star team: D Tyson Marsh (Vancouver, 2001-05) of the Cardiff Devils and D Rory Rawlyk (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Prince Albert, Red Deer, 2000-03) of the Dundee Stars.
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A couple of months ago, the Moose Jaw Warriors unveiled the logo that they will use at times next season as part of their 30th anniversary season. The logo, however, doesn’t sit well with the Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee. In fact, the CDAC has written a letter protesting the logo to Moose Jaw City Council. Justin Crann of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald has more right here.


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Elliotte Friedman’s weekly 30 Thoughts begins with a look at the Winnipeg Jets and F Evander Kane. Where do they go from here? . . . The whole package is right here.
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The Kelowna-based Okanagan Rockets of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League beat the Optimist Chiefs in Red Deer on Sunday to win the Pacific Regional and earn a berth in the Telus Cup that begins next week in Moose Jaw. . . . Red Deer was the defending Canadian champion. . . . The Rockets won 3-2 in OT on Sunday in what was the third game of a best-of-three series. . . . The Rockets tied the game 2-2 on a goal by D Tanner Browne with eight minutes left in the third period and won it on a goal by F Liam Finlay five minutes into OT. . . . Browne was a second-round selection by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the 2012 WHL bantam draft, but was traded to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Nov. 16 deal that had D Ryan Pilon going the other way. . . . Finlay has committed to the U of Denver. . . . This will be the Rockets’ first appearance in the national tournament. . . . In order to gain their berth at the national tournament, the Rockets twice knocked off a five-time champion. First, they dethroned the Vancouver-Northwest Giants, who had won five straight BCMML titles. Red Deer has won five straight Alberta midget AAA titles and also took the last two Canadian championships. . . . The six-team Telus Cup also includes the Halifax Macs, the host Moose Jaw Generals, Prince Albert Mintos and Toronto Young Nationals. A Quebec representative has yet to be decided. The tournament runs April 21-27.
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THE SECOND ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. BRANDON (7)
(Edmonton leads, 2-0)
Season series: Edmonton, 3-1-0; Brandon, 1-2-1.
Thursday: Brandon 0 at Edmonton 5 (5,899)
Saturday: Brandon 0 at Edmonton 3 (7,115)
Tuesday: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Friday: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 16: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, day-to-day; D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Brandon: G Curtis Honey, day-to-day.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Series tied, 1-1)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 3-3-0; Kootenay, 3-3-0.
Saturday: Kootenay 4 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,750)
Sunday: Kootenay 2 at Medicine Hat 5 (3,755)
Wednesday: Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Thursday: Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
x-Monday: Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 16: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
(NOTE: Kootenay plays home games in Cranbrook, B.C.)
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. SEATTLE (4)
(Kelowna leads, 2-0)
Season series: Kelowna, 2-1-1; Seattle, 2-1-1.
Thursday: Seattle 2 at Kelowna 6 (4,581)
Saturday: Seattle 3 at Kelowna 6 (5,675)
Tuesday: Kelowna at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Kelowna at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Sunday: Kelowna at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 15: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite; F Jaimen Yakubowski, day-to-day.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VICTORIA (3)
(Portland leads, 2-1)
(Series televised by Shaw-TV in Canada;
Games 4, 6 and 7 on Comcast SportsNet in Portland area)
Season series: Portland, 1-1-2; Victoria, 3-1-0.
Friday: Victoria 2 at Portland 8 (6,152)
Saturday: Victoria 3 at Portland 6 (10,947)
Monday: Portland 1 at Victoria 2 (6,505)
Tuesday: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday: Victoria at Portland (Moda Center), 7, p.m.
x-Saturday: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday: Victoria at Portland (Veterans Memorial Coliseum), 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Victoria: None.
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MONDAY’S GAME:
In Victoria, the Royals scored two early power-play goals and went on to beat the Portland Winterhawks, 2-1. . . . Portland takes a 2-1 lead series lead into Game 4 in Victoria tonight. . . . The loss snapped Portland’s winning streak at 13, including six straight in these playoffs. . . . Victoria got first-period PP goals from F Brandon Magee, at 2:49, and F Austin Carroll, at 9:24. . . . Magee has three goals in the playoffs; Carroll has five. . . . Portland F Taylor Leier scored his third goal of these playoffs at 19:46 of the third period. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka was outstanding, with 38 saves, while Portland’s Brendan Burke turned aside 25 shots. . . . Victoria was 2-for-8 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-4. . . . Royals D Keegan Kanzig didn’t play as he completed a two-game WHL-issued suspension for his role in a skirmish late in Game 1.
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From Terry Jones (@sunterryjones) of the Edmonton Sun: “Yukon has a basketball team?”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract extension with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). Saurette started the season with Kaufbeuren (Germany, 2. Bundesliga), where he had 10 goals and 16 assists in 25 games. He then signed with the Giants just before Christmas and had 14 goals and 18 assists in 28 games. You can read about it  right here. . . .



F Konstantin Pushkaryov (Calgary, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). He had four goals and six assists in 28 games with Barys this season.
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A little of this and some of that . . .
1. The Saskatoon Blades’ season came to an end last night with a 6-1 loss to the London Knights in the tiebreaker game at the Memorial Cup. The Knights will play the Portland Winterhawks in the semifinal game tonight, with the winner meeting the Halifax Mooseheads in the final on Sunday. . . .
2. The Blades’ season was one to remember, but surely for a lot of the wrong reasons. After beating the host Edmonton Oil Kings 3-2 in a shootout on March 12, the Blades finished with one victory in their last 10 games.
3. With the Blades loss, we are left to wonder if we have witnessed the final game of Lorne Molleken’s WHL coaching career. Only Ken Hodge (742) has more WHL regular-season coaching victories than Molleken (603).
4. If Molleken does choose to step aside as head coach — he would, the theory goes, stay on as general manager — who replaces him? Three names you are certain to hear: David Struch, the Blades’ associate coach; Dean Brockman, who just finished his 12th season as head coach of the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos (he also is the GM); and Chad Mercier, who resigned as the general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs following the season
5. The moment that Saskatoon D Dalton Thrower raised his left arm, he was done. It was Wednesday night and Thrower was trying to stop an outside-in move by Portland F Taylor Leier. Thrower’s arm made contact with Leier’s head and now neither skater will play again in this Memorial Cup. . . . Thrower, who served a two-game suspension in October for a headshot in a game in Lethbridge, was suspended for the remainder of the Memorial Cup by NHL Hockey Operations (yes, that’s National Hockey League Hockey Operations), which handles disciplinary matters at this stage of the tournament. . . . With Thrower out, the Blades inserted D Kyle Schmidt, 19, into the lineup.
6. Thrower wasn’t penalized on the play, meaning you are free to wonder what it was the four on-ice officials were watching at the time.
7. Also Thursday morning, Portland head coach Travis Green told the media that Leier won’t play Friday and isn’t expected to play again in the tournament, which means he won’t play in Sunday’s final should the Winterhawks get there. Leier obviously has a brain injury after taking a hit to the head and then having his head strike the ice when he went down.
8. Kevin Mitchell, the sports editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, has spoken with Jack Brodsky, the Blades’ owner and governor, about the attendance at the Memorial Cup. That story is right here. . . .
“Grumblings have been heard about ticket prices,” Mitchell writes, “which for Wednesday's game between the Blades and Portland Winterhawks ranged from $66.25 (including service charges) to $113.75 in the lower bowl. Most upper-bowl tickets were $66.25, though $37.50 tickets could be had at the back of the arena.”
Brodsky told Mitchell: "I think ticket prices are where they should be. This is the national championship; this is the top teams in Canada playing. If you compare it to some of the NHL exhibition games we have in Saskatoon and the quality of hockey there . . . our prices aren't as high as some of those are. I think we're priced right."
Sorry, Jack, but you are asking some working stiff to pay $37.50 to sit in the Bob Uecker seats to watch a junior hockey game. That’s too much, never mind having to pay more than $100 for one ticket in the lower bowl.
We’re talking junior hockey, a sport whose fan demographic — families and seniors — isn’t rolling in that kind of dough.
Some WHL teams encountered problems selling playoff tickets when the prices got to the neighbourhood of $30 a pop, especially with games on live television.
When you’re talking $100 a ticket, well, that’s a lot of Netflix.
(If you’re a Saskatoon hockey fan who didn’t buy Memorial Cup tickets, either a package or singles, feel free to email me at gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca and let me know your opinion.)
9. I was told Thursday that the deal involving the sale of the BCHL’s Salmon Arms has been completed. “The i’s are dotted, the t’s crossed,” someone with knowledge of the situation told me. “It’s done.” . . . The ownership group, which includes Troy Mick, is to be announced next week. Mick will be the club’s general manager and head coach. . . . Randy and Terry Williams had owned the franchise for six seasons. Mick, who already owned a piece of the franchise, also will serve as the president.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jay Varady is the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, effective immediately. Varady spent the last two seasons in France as head coach of the Les Ducs d'Angers for the last two seasons. . . . Varady is a former associate and assistant coach with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. . . . He also was the video coach with the U.S. team that won the world junior champonship in 2010. . . .

Dale Hladun has resigned as head coach of the junior B Princeton Posse of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. Hladun had one season left on a three-year contract. . . . Shortly after posting that on Twitter on Thursday, George Elliott (@PosseWebcrew) followed with: “More resignations from Princeton Posse executive expected in the next few days.” . . . Elliott also tweeted: “In his letter of resignation, Head Coach Dale Hladun claims to be owed $15,000 by the Princeton Posse.” . . . One more tweet from Elliott: “There are a lot of rumours flying around about the Posse. Remember, there are two sides of the story. Be sure to seek the information.” . . .


The Colorado Avalanche has cut a deal with Patrick Roy, who will be the NHL team’s head coach and vice-president of hockey operations. He had been co-owner, general manager and head coach of the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. . . .



Benoit Desrosiers has joined the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix as an assistant coach. Desrosiers, 24, spent this season as an assistant coach with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
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From Portland Winterhawks F Taylor Peters (@thepistolpete25): “Congrats to @Jnicks20 on a great dub career”
@Jnicks20 is the Twitter handle for Saskatoon Blades F Josh Nicholls.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Lynn Loyns (Spokane, 1997-2001) signed a try-out contract with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had one goal and one assist in nine games with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) and three goals and four assists in 35 games with Dusseldorf (Germany, DEL) last season. . . .
D Logan Stephenson (Try-City, 2001-06) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Sparta Sarpsborg (Norway, GET-Bank Ligaen), six days after his release by Karlskrona (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had one assist in 21 games with Karlskrona. Stephenson played in the Get-Bank Ligaen last season with Vålerenga Oslo, getting eight goals and 15 assists in 28 games. . . .
F Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite) after obtaining his release from Kaufbeuren (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He leaves Kaufbeuren as the team's leading scorer so far this season with 10 goals and 16 assists in 25 games.
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A news release from CBC-TV regarding a show that everyone who is involved in sports should watch. . . .
“Are hockey and football players risking brain damage from repeated blows to the head? The Passionate Eye presents the World Premiere of HEAD GAMES, from acclaimed director Steve James (Academy Award-nominated Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters). The documentary is a wake-up call for parents and athletes who think concussions are just part of the game. Told through the personal stories of professional and amateur athletes who share their struggles in dealing with the devastating and long-term effects of concussions, and medical experts who want to reduce the risks to young players.
“HEAD GAMES is a revealing documentary about the concussion crisis, an epidemic fueled by the ‘leave everything on the field’ culture so prominent in North American sports. Inspired by events from the book 'Head Games' written by former Ivy League Football Player and WWE Wrestler Christopher Nowinski, the film contrasts the latest evidence and cutting-edge science on head trauma from the nation's leading medical experts with first-hand accounts from the athletes, coaches, and parents who must tread the difficult balance between sports excellence and basic self-preservation.
“Former National Hockey League player Keith Primeau reveals his struggles with the multiple concussions that forced him into early retirement. Former Olympian and U.S. professional soccer player Cindy Parlow Cone, who lives with the aftermath of concussion, is an example of the risk of head injury for young soccer players, especially female players, who are at greater risk from heading the ball.
“Featured in the film is the research of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University. Their latest findings, released last week, identified four stages of a degenerative disorder in the brains of some deceased athletes, including NHL players. It offers a glimpse into the potential long-term impact of brain injuries for athletes. And, earlier this week, a new Canadian study suggested that restrictions on bodychecking in minor hockey could help reduce injuries.
“HEAD GAMES will expose viewers to one of the leading public health issues of our time, raising the question: ‘How much of you are you willing to lose for a game?’ ”
It is scheduled to be shown Saturday, Dec. 22, on the CBC News Network beginning at 4 p.m. PT (7 p.m. ET).
If you can’t be home to watch it, record it. Just don’t miss it.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The OHL’s Peterborough Petes fired head coach Mike Pelino on Thursday. Assistant coach Jody Hull, a former NHLer, has taken over as head coach for the rest of this season. The Petes were 55-102-14 under Pelino, who is a former Spokane Chiefs assistant coach (1997-99). . . . Earlier in the season, the Petes fired general manager Dave Reid. . . . Peterborough (8-23-4) has the OHL’s poorest record and is 14 points out of a playoff spot.
Mike Davies of the Peterborough Examiner spoke with Pelino, who really opens up about what happened. I have a feeling that Pelino’s quotes could belong to just about any major junior coach who gets fired during a season. That piece is right here.
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F Keegan Iverson and F Dominic Turgeon of the Portland Winterhawks will play for the U.S. at the U17 World Hockey Challenge in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que., Dec. 28 through Jan. 4. . . . Iverson has four goals and four assists in 26 games. Turgeon, the son of former NHLer Pierre Turgeon, has one goal and two assists in 28 games. . . . They are the only two CHL players on the U.S. roster. . . . This means the Winterhawks will have had seven players off their roster involved in international play this month. . . . F Ty Rattie and D Tyler Wotherspoon will play for Canada in the World Junior Championship, while D Seth Jones is certain to be on Team USA. . . . Earlier in the month, F Oliver Bjorkstrand (Denmark) and D Layne Viveiros (Austria) played in the IIHF’s Division I Group A World Junior Championship in Amiens, France.
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Meanwhile, Jeff Z. Klein of The New York Times profiles Portland D Seth Jones right here. It seems the kid’s pretty good at basketball, too.
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From former Brandon Wheat Kings F Jordin Tootoo (@Jtootoo22): “2 yrs today I became a sober man. How time flys when you enjoy life to the fullest everyday. Thank you for all your support. #onedayatatime”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Greg Kuznik (Seattle, 1995-98) signed a one-year contract with Fassa (Italy, Serie A). He had four goals and nine assists in 28 games with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) last season. This will be Kuznik's second tour of duty with Fassa, having played for them in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Fassa is coached by former NHL F Miroslav Frycer. . . .
F Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract with Kaufbeuren (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had 21 goals and 23 assists in 48 games for the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) last season.
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The Victoria Royals have named Cameron Hope as their general manager. Hope is a former assistant general manager responsible for hockey administration with the NHL’s New York Rangers. He was with the Rangers for seven seasons, the last four as assistant GM, before leaving prior to 2011-12. . . . Glen Sather, the Rangers’ president and general manager, was one of the owners of the Chilliwack Bruins, the franchise that was sold to RG Properties last summer and relocated to Victoria. . . . Hope has a law degree and spent the last year working in that area in his hometown of Edmonton. . . . Hope now is looking for a head coach for the Royals and said he hopes to sign someone over the next two weeks. . . . The Royals, of course, are replacing Marc Habscheid, who had been the franchise’s GM/head coach since June 3, 2009. He has been moved upstairs with the parent company, GSL Holdings Ltd.
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Texas Stars have hired Doug Lidster as an assistant coach under head coach Willie Desjardins. The Stars are the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. . . . Lidster, who had a lengthy NHL playing career (1983-99) that included a stop in Dallas, is a former assistant coach of the Canadian national women’s team. Lidster was an assistant coach with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2002-03 when Desjardins was the head coach. . . . For the last five seasons, Lidster, 41, has been the hockey director for the Victory Honda AAA youth program in Michigan. He also did a stint as head coach of the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. . . .
Jeff Beukeboom is the new assistant coach with the Connecticut Whale, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers. Hw had been an assistant coach with the OHL's Sudbury Wolves for three seasons. . . . Beukeboom replaces J.J. Daigneault, now an assistant coach with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. With the Whale, Beukeboom, 47, will work with head coach Ken Gernander and assistant coach Pat Boller.
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The CHL’s bad, horrible, terrible, horrendous anti-doping rule has struck again. This time, it’s F Steve Lebel, who played last season with the QMJHL’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens who will sit for eight games after testing positive for methylhexaneamine, a stimulant that appears on the list of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. . . . “Steve Lebel was very cooperative throughout this long process,” QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau said in a news release. “After hearing the player's explanations, we are convinced that the player used a supplement without knowledge that it contained a prohibited stimulant," stated QMJHL Commissioner, Gilles Courteau.” . . . This is at least the fourth CHL player who has drawn an eight-game suspension and been branded a druggie and a cheat because of inadvertent use of a banned substance in a supplement. All four have tested positive for the same thing, methylhexaneamine. A lot of ingredients, many of them banned substances, often don’t appear on the list of ingredients in supplements. . . . Lebel, 20, is expected to play for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada next season. His suspension kicks in with the start of the season. Better he should have delivered a headshot and left an opponent concussed. Might only have gotten five games for that.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have traded D Shayne Gwinner, 18, to the Prince Albert Raiders for two bantam draft picks — a fourth-rounder in 2013 and a sixth in 2014. . . . Gwinner was a second-round pick by the Warriors in the 2010 draft. . . . He had 11 points and 51 penalty minutes in 51 games with Moose Jaw last season.
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D Dylan McIlrath, a product of the Moose Jaw Warriors, has had surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap suffered last week during the New York Rangers’ prospects camp in Greenburgh, N.Y. . . . McIlrath, 20, had surgery on Friday. McIlrath was the 10th overall selection in the 2010 NHL draft. He still has one season of WHL eligibility remaining, but is expected to begin the 2012-13 season with the Rangers or the AHL’s Connecticut Whale. . . . Early this morning, McIlrath tweeted: “Would like to thank every one for the wonderful support, looking forward to a fast and healthy recovery!”

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The gang at The Coaches Site — that’s their ad at the top of Taking Note’s home page — have interviewed a number of prominent hockey coaches.

The first of these is with Brent Peterson, a former assistant coach who now is the hockey operations advisor with the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

That interview is right here. Enjoy!

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
Kevin Saurette (Regina, 1997-99) signed a one-year contract with Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had 16 goals and 33 assists in 48 games for Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany Oberliga) this season. . . .
F Robin Figren (Calgary, Edmonton, 2006-08) signed a two-year contract with Linköping (Sweden Elitserien). He had 14 goals and 17 assists in 76 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) this season. Linköping GM Johan Hemlin: "It's great that Robin chose Linköping. He is an exciting forward who will be good for us."
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JUST NOTES: F Tyler Pitlick of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who hasn’t skated in six weeks, is due to return to the ice today. He has been out with a broken ankle. . . . The QMJHL has fined Patrick Roy, the GM and head coach of the Quebec Remparts, for “inappropriate comments.” This comes after Martin Mondou, the Shawinigan Cataractes’ GM, complained about security at the rink in Quebec City after fans dumped beer and assorted other stuff on his players. Roy responded by saying that Mondou “has a brain the size of a pea.” . . .
D Alex Petrovic signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Florida Panthers last week. Capgeek.com reports that his AHL salary will be US$67,500 per season, with NHL salaries of $760,000, $815,000 and $900,000. The signing bonus was $270,000, payable over three years. . . . Petrovic was the 36th overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft. . . . F Tyler Johnson of the Spokane Chiefs has been suspended by the WHL for the first game of the Western Conference final. That’s for a kneeing major he incurred in Game 6 of the conference semfinal against the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday. The Chiefs won that game 5-4 in OT. Johnson was ejected at 18:31 of the first period for a hit on Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin, who returned to the bench but didn’t play again. The Chiefs open the conference final in Portland against the Winterhawks on Friday. Johnson, the WHL’s second-leading scorer in the regular season, has nine points in nine playoff games this spring. He missed the last two games of the Chiefs’ first-round 4-1 series victory over the Chilliwack Bruins with a concussion. . .
Kevin Dickie, who did a stint as head coach of the Saskatoon Blades (2000-03), is the new athletic director at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. He had been the hockey coach at Acadia before joining the Blades. Most recently, Dickie was the athletic director at the U of New Brunswick in Fredericton. . . . Kris Mallette (Kelowna, Moose Jaw, 1996-2000) is the new head coach of the junior B North Okanagan Knights, who play in the Kootenay International junior league out of Armstrong, B.C. Mallette, 32, was an assistant coach and replaces Sylvan Leone. Mallette is a native of Kelowna. . . . Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice is the CHL’s goaltender of the week. He was 2-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a .965 save percentage last week.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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