Ex-WHL coach dead at 47 . . . Bjorkstrand atop the scoring race . . . Golden Bears defend title

Apologies for the brief absence. We were away for a couple of days and there were Internet issues in the hotel in which we stayed. . . . So now to get caught up . . .
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F David Hruška (Red Deer, 1995-96) has signed a one-year extension with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, in 50 games, he had 12 goals and 15 assists. He also was an alternate captain.
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Dale Marquette, a former WHL player and coach, died on the weekend. He was 47. His ex-wife Lisa Norman has said: “Due to complications with his diabetes he slipped into a coma and passed away.” . . . Marquette was from Prince George. . . . He played four seasons (1984-88) in the WHL, the first two with the Lethbridge Broncos and the last two with the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Wheat Kings traded F Sheldon Kennedy to the Broncos, who were moving to Swift Current, in exchange for Marquette. . . . In his final season, he finished with 103 points, including 51 goals, in 62 games. . . . He was a 10th-round selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL’s 1987 draft. . . . Later, he was the head coach of the Rocky Mountain Junior League’s Prince George Spruce Kings (1993-95), the WHL’s Prince George Cougars (1995-96) and the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires (2000-01).
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F Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Portland Winterhawks is the WHL’s scoring leader heading into the final week of regular-season play. Bjorkstrand had a goal and four assists in an 8-6 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Sunday. He now leads the WHL in goals (57) and points (108). . . . F Trevor Cox of the Medicine Hat Tigers is second, with 105 points, with Brandon Wheat Kings Tim McGauley at 103. . . . The last WHLer to score 57 goals in one season was Portland F Ty Rattie (2011-12). The last Portland skater with more than 57 goals was F Lonny Bohonos, who scored 62 in 1993-94.
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G Coleman Vollrath of the Victoria Royals is riding a shutout streak of 129 minutes 31 seconds. That includes back-to-back shutouts of the Vancouver Giants. The franchise record for longest shutout streak is held by Matt Esposito (153:56) of the Chilliwack Bruins. The Victoria record is 139:04 and belongs to Patrik Polivka (2013-14). . . . Vollrath’s second shutout of the Giants was his sixth of the season and that set a Victoria/Chilliwack single-season record. For one day, Vollrath, 19, had shared the record with Lucas Gore (2009-10, 2010-11) and Polivka (2013-14).
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The Victoria Royals, who will finish second in the B.C. Division, will open the playoffs at home on March 27 and 28. The third-place team, either the Prince George Cougars or Kamloops Blazers, will provide the opposition.
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G Wyatt Hoflin of the Kootenay Ice set franchise records for victories and saves in one season on the weekend. He posted his 35th victory of this season on Saturday in Red Deer, breaking a record that he had shared with Dan Blackburn (1999-2000), Jeff Glass(2004-05) and Mackenzie Skapski (2012-13). . . . Hoflin broke the single-season saves record that had been set by Tim Winters in 1996-97, the Ice’s inaugural season. Hoflin broke that record in a game against visiting Medicine Hat in Friday. The previous record had been 1,724.
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The U of Alberta Golden Bears won their second straight CIS men’s hockey championship, and their 15th overall, as they beat the UNB Varsity Reds 6-3 in Halifax on Sunday. . . . Former WHLers Stephane Legault, Jordan Hickmott, Johnny Lazo, Kruise Reddick, Levko Koper and Jordan Rowley had Alberta’s goals. Dylan Willick had one of New Brunswick’s goals and was named the Varsity Reds’ player of the game. Koper got the same honour for the Golden Bears. . . . G Kurtis Mucha, another former WHLer, faced just nine shots in Alberta’s goal. . . . Reddick, Hickmott, Alberta D Jesse Craige and UNB F Cam Braes, all former WHLers, were named tournament all-stars.
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F Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings may be the best 16-year-old in the WHL this season. Of course, his father also played for the Wheat Kings. But there’s more to the Patrick family story than that. Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun has that story right here.
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The Prince Albert Raiders made their final visit to the Medicine Hat Arena on Sunday. Marc Habscheid, the Raiders’ head coach, has been there more than a few times, both as a player and a coach. On Sunday, he took time to remember. “I took time before the game to walk the concourse and there are a lot of great old pictures up (there),” he told Myles Fish of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “We just wish this rink could talk because it could tell a lot of stories.”
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have lost two players to suspensions, both from incidents in a game at Calgary on Sunday. . . . D Kord Pankewicz will sit for two games after being hit with a match penalty. F Tyler Wong drew a one-game suspension for a slashing major and game misconduct. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks will finish first of second in the U.S. Division, meaning they will have home-ice advantage in the first round. They will open at Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, March 28. That game will begin at 6 p.m., thus avoiding a direct conflict with an NBA game that is to start at 7 p.m. The Winterhawks will play Game 2 of their series on March 29, 5 p.m., in the Moda Center. . . .
F Kailer Yamamoto scored twice as the Spokane Chiefs beat the visiting Tri-City Americans 5-2 on Saturday. Yamamoto has 22 goals, tying him with F Pat Falloon (1988-89) for most goals scored by a Chiefs’ 16-year-old. F Jason Podollan holds the franchise record, having scored 36 times in 1992-93. . . .
F Jansen Harkins of the Prince George Cougars set a Prince George franchise record for assists in a season when he got No. 59 in a 6-5 shootout victory over the host Portland Winterhawks on Saturday. The previous record had been held by F Quinn Hancock (1997-98). . . .
The Calgary Hitmen wrapped up their franchise-record 11-game road trip on Saturday with a 4-2 victory in Lethbridge. The Hitmen went 7-4-0 on the swing that was forced on them when the Tim Hortons Brier, the Canadian men’s curling championship, took over the Saddledome. . . . On Sunday, the Hitmen returned home and beat Lethbridge, 4-1. . . .
F Tim McGauley of the Brandon Wheat Kings had his 24-game point steak snapped in a 3-1 victory over the host Saskatoon Blades on Saturday. McGauley had 53 points, including 17 goals, in the 24 games. . . . Brandon F Morgan Klimchuk had his streak ended at 11 games in that same game. . . .
F Rourke Chartier returned to the Kelowna Rockets’ lineup on Saturday night, after an eight-game absence. He scored his 47th goal as the Rockets beat the visiting Kamloops Blazers, 2-1. . . .
The Prince Albert Raiders had their hopes of a playoff spot dashed on Saturday night when they dropped a 7-3 decision to the Broncos in Swift Current. . . . Raiders F Kris Schmidli returned from a 15-game absence in that game. . . .
The Swift Current Broncos ended a seven-game losing streak with two weekend victories over Prince Albert, losses that eliminated the Raiders from the playoff race. . . .
The Vancouver Giants snapped a nine-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Royals in Victoria on Sunday. The Giants now are four-points out of a playoff spot. If they are to make it, they need to sweep a weekend doubleheader from the Western Conference-leading Kelowna Rockets and also get some help.
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In a stunning move, linebacker Chris Borland, 24, has retired, ending his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers after one terrific season. He has told ESPN’s Outside the Lines that he is retiring in order to avoid further head trauma. "I just honestly want to do what's best for my health," Borland told Outside the Lines. "From what I've researched and what I've experienced, I don't think it's worth the risk.” . . . The complete story is right here.
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THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION:
1. Brandon (3 games remaining) leads the overall standings by two points over Kelowna (3). The Wheaties last finished first overall in 1995-96. . . . The Wheat Kings will play the conference’s second wild-card team, likely Edmonton, in the first round. . . . In Regina tonight.
2. Regina (3) will finish second in division. Will meet third-place team in first round. . . . At home to Brandon tonight.
3. Swift Current (3) leads Moose Jaw by four points. . . . The Broncos can clinch third place with a victory in Moose Jaw tonight.
4. Moose Jaw (3) now is four points behind Swift Current. . . . Entertains Swift Current tonight and needs a victory to stay alive. Moose Jaw isn’t expected to have either F Jaimen Yakubowski or F Tanner Eberle in its lineup. As well, D Ryan Gardiner (hip) is day-to-day after going hard into the boards during a Saturday skate.
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CENTRAL DIVISION:
1. Calgary (3) completed a franchise-record 11-game road trip with a one-point lead over second-place Medicine Hat. . . . At home to Red Deer on Wednesday.
2. . Medicine Hat (3) trails Calgary by one point. Each team has 42 victories. . . . In Prince Albert tonight.
3. Red Deer (3) got to within one point of first place, but now is four points behind Medicine Hat and five in arrears of Calgary. . . . D Colton Bobyk returned to Red Deer’s lineup on Saturday after a 12-game absence. . . . In Calgary on Wednesday.
4. Kootenay (3) holds down the conference’s first wild-card spot, three points ahead of Edmonton. . . . In Lethbridge on Wednesday.
5. Edmonton (2) is in the second wild-card spot, three points behind Kootenay. . . . At home to Red Deer on Friday.
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B.C. DIVISION:
1. Kelowna (3) has clinched first place in the Western Conference. . . . Trails Brandon by two points in the race for first place in the overall standings. . . . At home to Seattle on Wednesday.
2. Victoria (2) will finish second and meet the division’s third-place team in the first round. . . . At home to Everett on Friday.
3. Prince George (3) is two points ahead of Kamloops. . . . All three of its remaining games are against Kamloops, starting Wednesday and Friday in Prince George.
4. Kamloops (3) has two playoff options. It is two points behind third-place Prince George in the division and is tied with Tri-City (4) for the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Will meet Prince George three times this week — Wednesday and Friday in Prince George, and Saturday in Kamloops.
5. Vancouver (2) has one victory in its last 10 games and is hanging on by a hangnail It is four points out of the conference’s second wild-card spot but has only two games remaining, both against Kelowna. . . . At home to the Rockets on Friday.
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U.S. DIVISION:
1. Everett (3) leads the division by two points over Portland. . . . In Victoria on Friday.
2. Portland (4) is two points off the pace with a game in hand. . . . In Spokane on Wednesday as it closes with four games in five nights.
3. Seattle (4) trails Portland by 11 points so won’t finish second. . . . Is five points ahead of Spokane. . . . At home to Tri-City tonight.
4. Spokane (4) is five points behind Seattle and has clinched at least the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . At home to Portland on Wednesday.
5. Tri-City (4) is tied with Kamloops for the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Visits Seattle tonight.
(NOTE: If two teams tie for a conference’s last playoff spot, those teams will have a play-in game at the home of the team with the most victories. . . . For example, should Tri-City and Kamloops end up tied for the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, a play-in game will be played at the home of the team with the most victories. Tr-City leads, 29-27. . . . Should Prince George and Kamloops finish tied for third in the B.C. Division, the first tiebreaker is total victories. Prince George has a 29-27 edge.)
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IF THE WHL PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

Eastern Conference
Brandon vs. Edmonton
Calgary vs. Kootenay
Regina vs. Swift Current
Medicine Hat vs. Red Deer
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Western Conference
Kelowna vs. Tri-City/Kamloops
Everett vs. Spokane
Victoria vs. Prince George
Portland vs. Seattle
(NOTE: Team with home-ice advantage shown first.)
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TUESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Medicine Hat at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES

No Games Scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Regina, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Calgary vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna at Vancouver, 7:30 p.m.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Moose Jaw at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Lethbridge at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
Kootenay at Calgary, 2 p.m.
Tri-City at Portland, 5 p.m.
Everett at Spokane 5:05 p.m.
END OF REGULAR SEASON

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Of course, the Kitchener Rangers are upset by the report by Matt Slovin of the Michigan Daily that claims the OHL club offered up a $200,000 package in an attempt to land D Jacob Trouba.
Trouba, an 18-year-old from Rochester, Minn., was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the ninth pick of the 2012 NHL draft.
On Monday, Slovin wrote that an OHL source had told him the Rangers had made a “huge offer” to the Trouba family and that the package was in place of the standard education package.
The Rangers, a community-owned team, have denied all of that, of course.
In fact, COO/president Steve Bienkowski has told Yahoo! Sports “that the team has retained legal counsel and will be pursuing legal action against the Michigan Daily.”
“We’re going to look at every legal remedy we have against the newspaper,” Bienkowski told Yahoo’s Sunaya Sapurji, “the reporter and these so-called unnamed sources in the OHL who need to be held accountable for basically saying lies against our organization.”
Sapurji also wrote: “Unlike most OHL teams, the Rangers are community-owned and not a privately held company. As such, an external accounting firm audits their financial statements and those accounts are presented to season-ticket holders each year.”
Of course, the Kamloops Blazers once were community-owned and, as such, issued annual financial statements. And, you may recall, almost $1 million walked out the door over a number of years without anyone noticing for the longest time.
That’s not to say other teams don’t have better safeguards in place than the Blazers had at that time.
But, look, rumours of major junior teams making under-the-table payments of one kind or another have been around since Noah first put two defencemen on the ark and set sail.
But the accusers and rumour mongers have yet to offer up even one scrap of proof.
So until there’s proof, well, let’s just forget about it.
By the way, the Trouba family issued a release on Tuesday, saying Trouba will attend the U of Michigan and play for the Wolverines.
In other words, all this was much ado about nothing.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Nolan Baumgartner (Kamloops, 1992-96) has retired as an active player to become an assistant coach with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. Baumgartner, a two-time CHL defenceman of the year, was selected 10th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1994 NHL draft. . . . He went on to play 143 NHL games, splitting that between Washington, the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers and Dallas Stars. Last season, with the Wolves, he had 22 points in 60 games. . . .
Misha Donskov has left the OHL’s London Knights and joined the Ottawa 67’s. Donskov, who spent three seasons with London, had been assistant general manager and assistant coach with the Knights. He has joined Ottawa as its associate coach. . . .
Brent Demerais is the new general manager of hockey operations and head coach of the junior B Oceanside Generals, who play in the Vancouver Island junior league. . . . He has spent the last seven seasons coaching midget hockey in Alberni Valley. . . . He takes over from Dave Johnston, who now is an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals. After last season, the Generals actually renewed Johnston’s contract for one more season, but then had a change of heart late last month and released him. . . .
Veteran coach Craig Didmon has signed on as the assistant GM and associate coach with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies. He will work alongside GM/head coach Bill Bestwick. . . . Didmon had been an assistant coach with the WHL’s Victoria Royals.
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Steve Hendrickson has a Super Bowl ring, but there are times when he doesn’t have yesterday. "I can remember material I had before the concussions," Hendrickson says. "Twenty years ago seems so clear to me, but yesterday seems just . . . far away, foggy." . . . If you are wondering what it’s like to be 45 years of age and have a history of concussions, read this story by Howard Yune of the North County Times. This is frightening stuff, especially when you consider the impact on loved ones.
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The story is dated Dec. 19, 1994.
Michael Farber starts a lengthy Sports Illustrated piece by visiting with former NFL receiver Al Toon.
“The bad days are less frequent now,” Farber writes, “although Toon still can't watch his three children on a merry-go-round without getting dizzy. More than two years after his final concussion — the fifth or ninth or maybe the 13th of his NFL career, according to the various ways that concussions are defined and reported in football — Toon, a former New York Jets wide receiver, is suffering from postconcussion syndrome.”
Later, there is this from Dr. James P. Kelly, directory of the brain-injury program at the Rehabilitation Institue of Chicago and an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Medical School: “People are missing the boat on brain injuries. “It isn't just cataclysmic injury or death from brain injuries that should concern people. The core of the person can change from repeated blows to the head.
"I get furious every time I watch a game and hear the announcers say, 'Wow, he really got his bell rung on that play.' It's almost like, 'Yuk, yuk, yuk,' as if they're joking. Concussions are no joke."
And yet here it is, 2012, and some people still don’t get it.
Farber’s complete story, from the vaults of Sports Illustrated, is right here.
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If you are a follower of the CFL, you should check out this column by Kirk Pention of the Winnipeg Sun. He points out how the CFL is showing signs that it thinks it’s the NFL. Fans banned from practices. Assistant coaches not permitted to talk to the media. Upper-body and lower-body injuries. Say it ain’t so.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Shawn Limpright (Moose Jaw, 1998-2002) signed a one-year contract with Mulhouse (France, Ligue Magnus). He had 28 goals and 53 assists in 65 games for the Rapid City Rush (CHL) this season, which was good enough for fifth in CHL scoring. . . .
F Lance Monych (Brandon, 1999-2005) signed a one-year contract with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga). He had 29 goals and 30 assists in 27 games with Ratinger Ice Aliens (Germany, Oberliga) this season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Former WHL coach John Becanic is back in the game. Becanic, who has WHL coaching experience in Everett, Seattle and Vancouver, spent this season as head coach of the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild. He left the Wild at the end of the season. . . . He now is the head coach the Team Seattle Major Bantam Team. . . . Team Seattle is the combined rep teams for Seattle Junior Hockey and Sno-King Amateur Hockey. . . .
Ron Gay is the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Indiana Ice. Gay takes over from Charlie Skjodt, who is back to being the club’s president. Gay has been with the Ice since September 2011 when he signed on as skills development coach and head coach of the Indiana Jr. Ice U18 team.
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Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun has more right here on the 15-year-old hockey player who drew a suspension from some summer tournaments after he slashed a linesman during a game in Brandon. It turns out he is a draft pick of the Prince Albert Raiders.
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Just in case you don’t yet understand that major junior hockey is a big, big business, check out this piece right here by Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette.
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Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News notes right here that the agreement between the CHL and NHL is in need of an adjustment. It is time, he writes, that players drafted by NHL teams out of the CHL be provided with the same options as those drafted out of NCAA programs.
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Sean McMorrow, the former Rochester Americans tough guy, was sentenced to 24 months in a federal prison on Wednesday. Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has the story right here.
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“A culture is shifting sharply,” writes Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal. He is referring to football and its culture of violence. He points out that many mothers and fathers are having second thoughts about allowing their children to play football, and if there aren’t any feeder leagues – “those furthest from the paychecks” as Jonah Lahrer of Grantland.com puts it – there won’t be an NFL.
A world without the NFL? Don’t laugh.
Gay’s piece is right here.
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Today is the day for a number of WHL players who were selected in the 2010 NHL draft. If a player from that draft doesn’t sign an NHL contract by today, he becomes eligible for the 2012 draft.
As of late last night, D Alex Theriau, D Troy Rutkowski, D Tyler Stahl, D Brandon Davidson, D Ricard Blidstrand, F Brendan Ranford and F Josh Nicholls had yet to sign.
The Philadelphia Flyers aren’t expected to sign Blidstrand, but have been negotiating with Ranford’s agent, former WHLer Mark MacKay.
The Calgary Flames said Wednesday that they won’t sign Kootenay Ice D Joey Leach, who was a third-round selection.
Check out Alan Caldwell’s blog, Small Things at Large, for a list of who has signed and who hasn’t.
I would suggest the one real surprise here Rutkowski, who was a fifth-round selection by the Colorado Avalanche. Rutkowski had a terrific playoff and is a big-time shotblocker, something that seems to be popular in NHL circles these days.

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Monday . . .

MONDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Winnipeg, F Shayne Wiebe and F Matt MacKay had a goal and two assists each as the host Brandon Wheat Kings doubled the Medicine Hat Tigers 6-3. . . . The Wheat Kings lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for Winnipeg on Thursday. . . . With the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in Westman Place in Brandon, the Wheat Kings were forced to move first-round games to the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. It is the home of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. . . . The Tigers got a goal and two helpers from F Cole Grbavac. . . . Attendance was 5,063. . . . Medicine Hat F Kale Kessy sat out this one. He was suspended for one game after taking a double minor for checking from behind in Saturday’s Game 2. . . . The Tigers also were without G Tyler Bunz (concussion), F Tyler Pitlick (ankle) and D Dylan Busenius (foot). . . . Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun has a story on the game right here. Included is a bit on a third-period hit by Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk on Brandon F Brenden Walker. The hit went unpenalized, but Walker left the game. . . . Interesting. Penton’s father, Bruce, covered the Wheat Kings for the Brandon Sun in the early 1970s. . . .
In Edmonton, the Red Deer Rebels erased a 1-0 deficit with three third-period goals and beat the Oil Kings, 3-1. . . . F Byron Froese, with two, and F Daulton Siwak scored for Red Deer. Siwak broke a 1-1 tie at 18:08 and Froese provided insurance 20 seconds later. . . . F T.J. Foster had given Edmonton a 1-0 lead at 1:45 of the third. . . . The Rebels lead the series 3-0 with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday in Edmonton. . . . Red Deer F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two assists, giving him a WHL-high seven points in the series. . . . There were something like 23 NHL scouts on hand for the game.
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MONDAY’S CFB COUNT:
None.
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JUST NOTES: The 50/50 draw in Saskatoon on Sunday night was won by former WHL players Dan Hulak (Swift Current, Portland, 1997-2001) and Scott McQueen (Red Deer, Saskatoon, 1997-99). They ended up splitting around $44,000. Hulak is the brother of former Blades captain Derek Hulak. . . . F Brett Ferguson of the Red Deer Rebels is the WHL’s player of the week. He had a goal and four assists in the first two games of the Rebels’ series with the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks is the WHL’s goaltender of the week after going 2-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a .972 save percentage in the first two games of a series with the Everett Silvertips. . . . The NAHL is adding a franchise in Minot, N.D., and there are some former WHLers involved. The Minot Daily News has more right here.
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Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun speculates on whether the Vancouver Giants will have F James Henry (knee) back for Game 3 of their series with the Tri-City Americans. That game goes tonight in Vancouver; the Americans hold a 2-0 lead. . . . The Giants haven’t allowed Henry to chat with the media. . . . Pap’s story is right here.
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The best play-by-play man in the history of sports is about to start another season. To get you prepped, here’s a column on Vin Scully by T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times. Don’t miss the good read of the day.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

F Cody Eakin, who has been out with a hand injury, is getting ready to play his first game with his new WHL team, the Kootenay Ice, which acquired him on Jan. 9 in a blockbuster deal with the Swift Current Broncos. Eakin is from Winnipeg and Kirk Penton of the Winnipeg Sun chats with Eakin right here. . . . If you weren’t aware, Penton’s father, Bruce, covered the Brandon Wheat Kings in the early 1970s and now works at the Medicine Hat News.
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John Blanchette, a columnist with the Spokane Spokesman-Review, took in Saturday’s Rockstar Outdoor Hockey Classic, the first outdoor game in WHL history. His column is right here.


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Apologies to the SJHL. One of the league’s coaches got me pointed in the right direction. If you click on TRANSACTIONS on the website, the first thing that comes up is suspensions, with the transactions further down the page. . . . It would appear that SJHL teams were involved in 14 trades on Jan. 10.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, the Hitmen erased a 1-0 deficit with two goals 74 seconds apart and went on to beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 3-1. . . . It was the third straight game between the teams, who split Wednedsay and Friday games in Lethbridge. . . . F Chase Clayton, with his second goal of the season, and D Kyle Schmidt, with his third, scored at 13:00 and 14:14. . . . F Austin Fyten, with his 18th, had opened the scoring for Lethbridge. . . . D Spencer Humphries, with his third, got the empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 11,591. . . . Calgary G Brandon Glover stopped 34 shots, including 11 in the third period when the Hitmen were outshot 11-2. . . .
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In Moose Jaw, F Sebastian Svendsen broke a 2-2 tie early in the third period as the Warriors edged the Edmonton Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . The goal was Svendsen’s 18th this season, but his first since being acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders on Jan. 10. . . . F AJ Johnson got Moose Jaw on the scoreboard with his third of the season at 3:35 of the first period and the teams exchanged goals after that. . . . F Kristians Pelss scored both Edmonton goals, giving him seven. . . . D Dylan McIlrath got his fourth of the season for Moose Jaw on a second-period PP. . . . Moose Jaw was 2-for-6 on the PP. . . . The winner came via the PP just 35 seconds into the third period. . . . Attendance was 2,466. . . . Edmonton D Marek Hrbas likely will be hearing from the WHL office after taking a boarding major and game misconduct in the second period. . . . The start of the game was delayed 40 minutes due to a broken radiator hose on the Zamboni. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports: “The Warriors suffered a potential major blow when captain Spencer Edwards just failed to convert on a partial breakaway chance and was taken heavily into the boards by Edmonton defenceman Adrian Van de Mosselaer. Van De Mosselaer was given a penalty, but Edwards went straight to the locker room favouring his shoulder. His status was uncertain post-game and was expected to be updated today.” . . .
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In Swift Current, F Brett Ferguson had a goal and an assist to help the Red Deer Rebels to a 5-1 victory over the Broncos. . . . Ferguson, who has 12 goals, also was plus-4. . . . F Byron Froese got his 20th goal of the season for Red Deer. . . . F Justin Dowling, with his 13th, broke Red Deer G Dawson Guhle’s shutout bid at 16:31 of the third period. . . . Guhle finished with 23 saves. . . . Attendance was 1,787. . . . From Josh Aldrich of the Red Deer Advocate: “The game had an early first intermission when a pane of glass was broken by a shot in the Broncos’ end and a replacement could not be found. Eventually an old sign was cut to fit the slot and the final 5:51 of the first period was played after the break.” . . . The Rebels went 4-0 on a five-night swing into the East Division, also winning in Moose Jaw (4-0), Brandon (2-1, shootout) and Prince Albert (6-0). . . .
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In Everett, the Spokane Chiefs jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the game was four minutes old and went on to a 4-1 victory over the Silvertips. . . . D Jared Cowen, with his 10th goal, and F Tyler Johnson, with his WHL-leading 34th, had the Chiefs out front by the 1:28 mark. . . . Cowen’s goal was scored on a play in which the puck went through the mesh. Play continued and the goal was awarded via video review upon the next stoppage. . . . Everett head coach Craig Hartsburg replaced starting G Luke Siemens with Kent Simpson, but the Chiefs went up 3-0 when F Dominik Uher notched his 11th goal on the PP at 3:08. . . . F Ryan Harrison scored Everett’s goal, his 16th of the season, at 11:28 of the second. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 32 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,957. . . . Johnson also had an assist and now is second in the WHL scoring race, his 70 points just two behind F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . .
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In Kent, Wash., the Vancouver Giants came from behind to edge the host Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-3. . . . The victory put the Giants atop the B.C. Division, two points ahead of the idle Prince George Cougars. . . . F Marcel Noebels scored his 15th goal at 14:31 of the first period to give Seattle a 2-1 lead. . . . The Giants scored the next three goals, with F Brendan Gallagher equalizing with his 28th at 5:25, and F Spencer Bennett putting the Giants out front at 14:32 on the PP. . . . F Brendan Rowinski upped Vancouver’s lead to 4-2 at 9:06 of the third period. . . . F Travis Toomey had two goals for Seattle, giving him 15. . . . Bennett had two goals for Vancouver, giving him 21. He has 14 points, nine of them goals, in nine games with Vancouver, which acquired him from the Portland Winterhawks on Dec. 30. . . . Gallagher also had two assists. . . . Attendance was 3,176.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One minor:
Spokane D Jared Cowen

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