Minimum-wage exemption on way? . . . Hickman gets NHL deal . . . Golden Bears dominate opener

D Nick Ross (Regina, Kamloops, Vancouver, 2004-09) has signed a one-year extension with Innsbruck (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he has eight goals and 26 assists in 54 games. . . .
F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) has signed a one-year extension with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). In 40 games this season, he has eight goals and 24 assists.
———


The WHL was featured in a story on the front page of Thursday’s Seattle Times. That would be the front page of the newspaper, not the front sports page.
The story, by Walker Orenstein of the Times, details the WHL’s dealings with Washington state politicians as it attempts to get an exemption from some labor laws, such as having to pay minimum wage to its players.
“In Olympia, discourse has been one-sided,” Orenstein writes. “House Bill 1930 and Senate Bill 5893 — backed by a bipartisan coalition that includes pro-labor Democrats — passed the House Labor Committee unanimously and the Senate’s Commerce and Labor Committee without any ‘no’ votes. No opponents testified at either committee hearing. SB 5893 won Senate approval Tuesday by a 47-0 vote.”
It would seem, then, that the WHL will end up getting the exemption it wants.
In an interview with Orenstein, WHL commissioner Ron Robison said: “The new bill will provide the clarity that will remove the uncertainty for our clubs moving forward.”
Orenstein added: “Robison had no estimate of how much paying minimum wage would cost the league. He said at a Senate hearing that before factoring in the cost of paying players, WHL teams are already ‘very challenged to be in a position to continue to operate.’ ”
Orenstein’s complete story is right here.
———
WHL commissioner Ron Robison has told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that there isn’t much, if anything, wrong with the game the way it’s played in his league.
“We like our game the way it is,” Robison said in an interview. “It's very entertaining and great for the players' development. The quality of our on-ice product is outstanding and continues to get better each season.”
When asked by Nugent-Bowman about attendance being “down in most markets,” Robison replied: “There are markets where attendance is down. But we're pleased overall. All leagues, regardless of the sport, are challenged with attracting fans in-venue. Our teams have done an exceptional job under the circumstances.”
The interview, as it appeared on the newspaper’s website, is right here.
If you’re a stats geek, be forewarned. The WHL is in the dark ages in terms of feeding the modern fan even individual shots on goal and it seems unlikely to change in the near future.
———
F Tim Traber, who played five full seasons in the WHL (Chilliwack, Victoria, Vancouver, 2009-14), played last season in Switzerland, even though he could have returned to the WHL as a 20-year-old. At the time, Traber says someone from the WHL told him that playing in Switzerland wouldn’t jeopardize his education package. Now, however, Traber has told Rick Westhead that something has changed because he has been told that he no longer is eligible for that education package. . . . Westhead’s story is right here.
———
Not that long ago, the Vancouver Giants were third in the B.C. Division and it appeared as though they just might there, putting them into a first-round series with the second-place Victoria Royals. However, the Giants now have lost four straight games and have been blanked in three of those. . . . Vancouver has been shutout 12 times in 64 games. . . . Tonight, the Giants are at home to the Western Conference’s top team, the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The game is available via Shaw TV at 7:30 p.m.
———




F Justin Hickman of the Seattle Thunderbirds has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Boston Bruins. Hickman, 20, played more than four seasons with the Thunderbirds and was their captain this season and last. Hickman, from Kelowna, played only 31 games this season before shoulder problems resulted in his needing surgery. He had 28 points, including nine goals, this season. In 285 games, he had 132 points, 55 of them goals. . . . A free agent, his signing with the Bruins wasn’t a surprise as it was heavily rumoured to have happened in January. . . .
The buzz in the junior B Kootenay International Junior League has Ty Davidson as the next head coach of the Sicamous Eagles. Davidson announced in February that he would be leaving the KIJHL’s Golden Rockets after five seasons as general manager and head coach. At the time, Davidson said he wanted to work closer to his family in Salmon Arm. . . . The Eagles dropped long-time head coach Blair Davidson four games into what turned out to be a five-game first-round playoff loss to the Kamloops Storm. . . .
If the Kootenay Ice is to finish third in the Central Division, it will have to get past the Red Deer Rebels, who visit Cranbrook tonight. The Ice goes into the game seven points in arrears and time is running out. . . . Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has more right here. . . .
F Tim McGauley of the Brandon Wheat Kings takes a 20-game point streak into tonight’s game against the Raiders in Prince Albert. It’s the longest such streak in the WHL this season and the second-longest active streak in the CHL. F Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters is on a 25-game run. . . .
The U of Alberta Golden Bears opened the CIS Canada West’s best-of-three final with a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Dinos on Thursday night. It was Alberta’s 27th straight playoff victory over Calgary. . . . The game included 156 penalty minutes, 110 of those emanating from 11 misconducts. . . . According to the online game sheet, the Dinos had only nine shots on goal, with Golden Bears G Kurtis Mucha stopping seven of those. . . . Calgary starter Kris Lazaruk stopped 22 of 26 shots, with reliever Jacob DeSerres turning aside 12 of 13. . . . The rosters of both teams are full of ex-WHLers. . . . They’ll play again tonight in Edmonton.
———

THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

EAST DIVISION: Brandon (8 games remaining) has clinched first place in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1995-96. The Wheat Kings are tied with Kelowna (8) in the race for first place overall. . . . Regina (9) will finish second in the division. . . . Swift Current (8) is third, six points ahead of Moose Jaw (8). . . . The Warriors also are eight points behind Edmonton (7), which holds down the conference’s second wild-card berth. . . . Prince Albert (9) is six points behind Moose Jaw and 12 points out of a playoff spot.
CENTRAL DIVISION: Calgary (7) is atop the division, two points ahead of Medicine Hat (7). . . . Red Deer (8) is third, seven points behind Medicine Hat and seven ahead of Kootenay (8), which holds the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Edmonton (7) is two points behind Kootenay.
B.C. DIVISION: Kelowna (8) has clinched first place in the Western Conference. . . . Victoria (8) will finish second. . . . Prince George (8) is third, three points ahead of Vancouver (8) and Kamloops (8). . . . Vancouver and Kamloops are four points behind Tri-City (8), which holds down the conference’s second wild-card berth.
U.S. DIVISION: Everett (8) sits atop the division, four points ahead of Portland (10). . . . Seattle (8) is third, six points behind Portland and seven ahead of Spokane (10). . . . Spokane holds the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Spokane is seven points ahead of Tri-City (8), which holds down the conference’s second wild-card spot.
———

IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:

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

THURSDAY’S GAMES

(all times local)
No Games Scheduled.
———

FRIDAY’S GAMES

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


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Winterhawks win in OT; Tigers back in series; another WHL franchise sold

Clare Drake, the legendary U of Alberta hockey
coach, and Golden Bears goaltender Kurtis Mucha,
with the CIS's championship trophy.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Jesse Zgraggen (Chilliwack/Victoria, Calgary, Regina, 2010-14) has signed a two-year contract with Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland, NL A). This season, he had eight points, including one goal, in 16 games with Calgary, and added 29 points, four of them goals, in 54 games with Regina. . . . Zgraggen, who turned 21 on Sunday, has dual Canadian-Swiss citizenship. He had a tryout with Ambri-Piotta in August 2012.
---
It isn’t that long ago when you wouldn’t have pictured the WHL without the ownership involvement of the Brodsky and Parker families.
But as the 2013-14 season winds down that is exactly what is happening.
As this season began, Jack Brodsky and siblings Bob and Debbie sold the Saskatoon Blades to Edmonton-based auto dealer Mike Priestner and his son, Colin. The Brodskys had owned the Blades -- lock, stock and barrel -- since 1980.
Earlier this month, Rick Brodsky sold the Prince George Cougars to a local group headed up by businessman Greg Pocock and including NHL defencemen Eric Brewer and Dan Hamhuis. Both are former Cougars players. Brodsky was involved in the ownership of the Blades, along with his two brothers and sisters, until he purchased the Victoria Cougars in 1992.
The Prince George sale awaits approval from the WHL’s board of governors, something that is expected early next month.
On Tuesday, reports indicated that Calgarians Diane and Russ Parker have sold the Regina Pats to a group that is said to include local businessmen Gary Drummond, Todd Lumbard, a former Brandon Wheat Kings and Pats goaltender (1980-83), Anthony Marquart and Shaun Semple. The Parkers had owned the Pats since June 21, 1995, when they purchased the franchise from local businessmen Huddy Bell, Morley Gusway, Bill Hicke, Ted Knight and Jack Nicolle.
Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post reported that “Marquart is the president of Regina-based Royalty Developments, which is involved in a variety of major projects — including the 16-storey Brandt Place office building that is to be located on Rose Street. Royalty Developments also owns Regina's Wingate by Wyndham hotel.”
Lumbard played two seasons with the Wheat Kings, before closing out his WHL career with the Pats in 1982-83. His late father, Jack, owned the Brockie Donovan Funeral Home in Brandon, a business that Todd owned from 1995 to 2004. He now is the president of Regina’s Speers Funeral and Cremation Services.
More from Vanstone:
“Sale rumours have hovered over the franchise for most of (Russ) Parker's tenure. The speculation intensified after the 2012-13 season, when the Saskatoon Blades — who had been owned by the Brodsky family since 1976 — were sold to Edmonton businessman Mike Priestner for a reported $9 million.
“The conjecture persisted throughout the 2013-14 season, especially in light of attendance totals that the Pats' brass deemed disappointing. Parker acknowledged during the season that he had been involved in talks regarding a possible sale. . . .”
“The Pats averaged 3,956 spectators per regular-season home game in 2013-14. That was the third-lowest average attendance under the Parker regime, behind 3,203 (1995-96) and 3,898 (1997-98). Under the Parkers, the average peaked at a franchise-record 5,095 in 2007-08.”
Vanstone’s complete story is right here.
---



1. Masai Ujiri, the general manager of the Toronto Raptors, has been fined US$25,000 by the NBA for his use of an obscenity while addressing fans prior to Game 1 of a playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets. Ujiri yelled “Fuck Brooklyn” while working to gets fans excited prior to Game 1 in Toronto.

2. If you aren’t keeping track . . .
(a) Using an obscenity in such a fashion in the NBA: $25,000.
(b) An NHL head coach grabbing his crotch to show displeasure with officiating: $25,000.
(c) An NHL player using his stick to spear an opponent in the crotch: $5,000.
Do you see anything wrong with that picture, even if (c) is dictated by a CBA?

3. Early in last night’s NBA playoff game between the visiting Brooklyn Nets and the Toronto Raptors, Ed Tait (@WFPEdTait) of the Winnipeg Free Press tweeted: “Nobody asked me, but @Matt_Devlin and @jackarmstrong04 are as fun and energetic a play-by-play team as there is on TV right now. #Raptors.” . . . He's right.

4. The Raptors won that game, 100-95, to tie the series at 1-1. . . . Toronto won despite turning the ball over on 20 occasions. How did the Raptors win considering all the turnovers? Perhaps because the Nets missed eight free throws (New Jersey was 20-for-28 from the line).

5. I meant to post the above photo earlier this week. It shows Clare Drake, one of hockey’s greatest coaches, with goaltender Kurtis Mucha, the former WHLer who helped the U of Alberta Golden Bears to the CIS championship. . . . Mucha (@tooka31) tweeted the photo, along with: “Such an honour to have Clare Drake celebrate our national championship. #legend #thank you #gobears.” . . . It’s terrific that Drake is included in the Golden Bears’ celebrations.

6. BTW, Clare Drake isn't in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He should be.
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The Regina Pats have signed Greg Mayer, their athletic therapist and equipment, to a contract extension, the length of which wasn’t revealed. From a Pats’ news release: “Mayer is the longest-serving member of the Pats hockey operations staff, joining the Blue and White in 2004. With 17 years of experience in the WHL, he is fourth among those in his position for time in the league.”
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F Graham Black of the Swift Current Broncos has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils, who selected him in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . Black, who is from Regina, had 97 points, including 34 goals, in 69 games this season as he played out his junior eligibility. . . . He joined the Albany Devils, New Jersey’s AHL affiliate, when the Broncos’ season ended.
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D Dillon Simpson has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers, who selected him in the fourth round of the NHL’s 2011 draft. Simpson, the son of former NHLer Craig Simpson, played four seasons at the U of North Dakota. Now 21, Simpson was an eighth-round pick by the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL’s 2008 bantam draft.
---
Team Canada lost 3-2 in a shootout to Russia at the IIHF U-18 world championship in Imatra, Finland, on Tuesday. Still, Canada finished atop Pool A with a 3-0-1 record and now will play Switzerland in a quarterfinal on Thursday in Imatra. That game, which will be available on TSN, is to begin at 9 a.m. Pacific time.
Canada will be without F Brayden Point of the Moose Jaw Warriors for the remainder of the tournament. He was injured in the first period when he was on the receiving end of a hit by Russian F Danil Vovchenko in the first period. Vovchenko was given a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct.
Hockey Canada announced that Point, who was playing on both special teams and centring Canada’s No. line, would be held out of the remainder of the tournament for precautionary reasons.
Point had one assist in three-plus games.
Maxim Tretiak, the grandson of Vladislav Tretiak, the great Russian goaltender, started in goal for the Russians. He stopped 25 shots, but was replaced by Alexander Trushkov for the shootout. The Russians won the shootout, 2-0.
---
Ernie Sutherland, a part of the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers organization since 1982, has announced his retirement. Sutherland was an assistant coach with the Flyers this season. Over the years, he has been the team’s head coach (1983-86), assistant coach, director of player personnel, assistant general manager and trainer. He also has managed the team’s Peak Performance Hockey School.
---
The second game of the Subway Super Series will be played in Brandon on Nov. 11. When the schedule was announced earlier this month, the second date had yet to filled with a host city. The series opener, featuring Team WHL against a Russian side, will be played in Saskatoon on Nov. 10.
---
D Mark Drohan, who turns 16 on April 30, has signed with the AJHL’s Fort MacMurray Oil Barons. Drohan, from Calgary, played for the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes this season. The Tri-City Americans selected him in the third round of the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft.
---
Frank Maida, the head coach of the junior B Nelson Leafs of the Kootenay International junior league, has resigned, as has team president Russell Stocks. Maida leaves his position after three seasons; Stocks spent one season as vice-president and four as president. . . . The Leafs, who were 109-53-3-11 under Maida, were the host team for the recently completed Cyclone Taylor Cup, the Western Canadian junior B championship, that was won by the Beaver Valley Nitehawks. . . . There is more right here.
---

THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. MEDICINE HAT (4)
(Edmonton leads, 2-1)
Season series: Edmonton, 5-0-1; Medicine Hat, 1-5-0.
(All games on Shaw TV)
Friday: Medicine Hat 3 at Edmonton 8 (7,694)
Sunday: Medicine Hat 1 at Edmonton 3 (5,763)
Tuesday: Edmonton 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,189)
Wednesday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, day-to-day; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
---
WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
(Portland leads, 2-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-0-0; Portland, 0-4-0.
Friday: Portland 4 at Kelowna 5 (6,218)
Saturday: Portland 5 at Kelowna 3 (6,341)
Tuesday: Kelowna 3 at Portland 4 (OT) (9,259)
Wednesday: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Friday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday: Kelowna at Portland, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
Portland: None.
---
TUESDAY’S GAMES:

In Medicine Hat, G Marek Langhamer stopped 43 shots to lead the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Edmonton leads the Western Conference final 2-1 with Game 4 in Medicine Hat tonight. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 19 shots. . . . The Tigers are 7-1 at home in these playoffs. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar opened the scoring for the third straight game, this time at 5:14 of the first period. He’s got seven goals in these playoffs. He also has 47 career playoff points and that’s a franchise record. He also holds the records for most playoff games played (58) and most career playoff goals (25). . . . Medicine Hat D Tommy Vannelli tied the game with his second goal at 6:25 of the first period, and F Chad Labelle broke the tie with his fourth goal at 17:22 of the second. Labelle’s goal originally was credited to D Dylan Bredo, but was changed after the game. . . . Edmonton was 0-for-6 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 0-for-2. . . . The Oil Kings spent the final 1:06 on the PP after Bredo was sent off for delay of game -- he cleared the puck over the glass from the defensive zone -- but weren’t able to equalize. D Cody Corbett came close when he rang a shot off a post. . . . “I felt like we did pretty good today,” Oil Kings F Mads Eller said on the team’s website. “Give credit to (Tigers goalie Marek) Langhamer. He played amazing today for them and we just couldn’t beat him.” . . . After the game, Darren Steinke (@MHND_Steinke) tweeted: “Attendance at The Arena tonight was 3,189 – the lowest for an #MHTigers playoff game in their run of 12 straight playoff appearances.”


In Portland, the Winterhawks fired 65 shots at Kelowna G Jordon Cooke, but needed two late third-period goal and another in OT to beat the Rockets, 4-3. . . . The Winterhawks lead the Western Conference final 2-1 with Game 4 in Portland tonight. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice, his second goal, a PP effort at 17:01 of the third period, cutting Kelowna’s lead to 3-2. That goal came with a 6-on-4 advantage as Portland G Corbin Boes was on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic forced OT when he scored his 10th goal at 18:42. . . . The Winterhawks won it on F Taylor Leier’s fifth goal at 10:00 of extra time. . . . Kelowna D Ryley Stadel got the game’s first goal, his third, at 2:22 of the first period. . . . Bjorkstrand tied it at 6:26 of the second. . . . Kelowna D Colten Martin scored his first goal of this season -- it came in his 84th game -- just 13 seconds later. Martin, who turned 20 on March 15, is from Arlington, Texas, and is the unsung hero of the Kelowna defence. In the last two seasons, he has played in 143 of a possible 144 regular-season games. He has 43 points, two of them goals, and is plus-108, including plus-61 this season. . . . Martin now has three goals in 27 playoff games, one in each of his three seasons. . . . Kelowna F Ryan Olsen got his fourth goal at 14:50 of the third to give his side a 3-1 lead. . . . Rockets G Jordon Cooke turned aside 61 shots, including 21 in the second period and 18 in the third. . . . After all the speculation, the Winterhawks gave the start to Boes, meaning Brendan Burke was on the bench to start a game for the first time in these playoffs. Boes stopped 30 shots, including key OT stops on F Nick Merkley and F Marek Tvrdon. . . . At one point in the third period, Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich) tweeted: “Under 9 minutes left in the 3rd, Kelowna still up 2-1. Shots are 53-24 for Portland (plus 5 posts). . . . Portland has a 144-96 edge in shots in the three games, including 118-60  in the last two games. . . . The Rockets scratched F Kris Schmidli and put F Dillon Dube, a 15-year-old from Cochrane, Alta., in the lineup for the first time. He was the 21st overall pick in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Dube ended up plus-1 after his first WHL shift, too. . . . Bjorkstrand now leads the WHL playoffs in goals (14) and points (24), all accomplished in 12 games. Including the regular season, he has 133 points, 64 of them goals, in 81 games. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had two assists. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot had one assist, giving a WHL-high 17. . . . Pouliot and Leipsic ran their point streaks to 12 games. . . . Portland was 1-for-6 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-for-2. . . . The Rockets continue to be without F Myles Bell, who was their leading scorer in the regular-season. He hasn’t played since March 26 due to a leg injury.
---







From Terry Jones (@sunterryjones) of the Edmonton Sun: “So I climbed up to same exact seat I covered the 1973 playoff games in Medicine Hat. Booted out. Media no longer in press box. End of rink.”
---
More from Jones: “I will no longer complain about Detroit Red Wings press box in The Joe. At least it IS a press box.”
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From former NHL referee Paul Stewart (@PaulStewart22): “What suspension would I give Cooke if it were my call: 50 games. He's forfeited his right to play this game.”
---
From Helene Elliott (@helenenothelen) of the Los Angeles Times: “Playoff paranoia reaches new heights: teams not doing line rushes in morning skate or warmups, so opposing coach doesn't see lineup.”


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Hitmen back in first; Raiders, Rebels in dead heat

There were a couple of backup goaltenders with ties to the WHL on NHL benches on Tuesday night. That’s Pat Conacher Jr. (top), who backed up Vancouver starter Eddie Lack in Phoenix after the Canucks traded Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers. Conacher is the son of Pat Conacher, who was an assistant coach with the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?) in 2010-11 and the Regina Pats’ head coach in 2011-12. He now is director of hockey operations with the Utica Comets, the Canucks’ AHL affiliate. Conacher Jr. also is a scout with the WHL’s Victoria Royals. Meanwhile, in Edmonton, former Portland Winterhawks/Kamloops Blazers G Kurtis Mucha backed up the Oilers’ Ben Scrivens after they sent Ilya Bryzgalov to the Minnesota Wild. Mucha now plays for the U of Alberta Golden Bears and is a second-team Canada West all-star. (Top photo: Sportsnet screen grab; bottom photo: Edmonton Oilers)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Josh Green (Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Portland, 1993-98) has signed a one-year extension with Tappara Tampere (Finland, Liiga). In 41 games, he has 29 points, including 20 goals. Seventeen of those 20 goals have come at even strength. Green made the announcement of the extension himself, in Finnish in a video posted on the Tappara website.
---
F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice remains in a Saskatoon hospital, where he is being treated for meningitis.
On Tuesday morning, he parents, Helene and Philippe, posted this on their son’s Twitter account:
“Our Timmy is keeping fighting but...thank you so much for your wonderful wishes.helene and Phil Bozon”
Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
---
“We’re not for sale, nobody’s come, again, to talk to us about the sale of the hockey team. The board of directors of the hockey team are in charge of running the hockey team and that’s what we’re doing.” And, he added, the team hasn’t been sold. . . . That was Brian Wichers, the vice-president of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, in conversation with Dylan Purcell of the Lethbridge Herald. . . . Oh, Wichers also said the franchise still will be community-owned when next season gets here. . . . Purcell’s piece is right here.
---

The Kamloops Blazers are nearing the end of their 10-game stint away from home. They returned to Kamloops on Sunday morning, following a three-game swing into Alberta. But they remain out of Interior Savings Centre because of the Tim Hortons Brier. The Blazers, who are 1-6-0 in their last seven games, are to play the Giants in Vancouver tonight. Kamloops is expected to be without D Sam Grist and F Chase Souto, both of whom left a Friday game in Calgary with undisclosed injuries and didn’t play Saturday in Medicine Hat. . . .
The Giants are likely to be without D Dalton Thrower (ankle), G Jared Rathjen and F Dominik Voley, the latter two with undisclosed injuries. Thrower, who skated on Monday but left the ice after tweaking the ankle again, was wearing a walking boot on Tuesday. Thrower will sit out for the 17th straight game tonight. . . .
Prospera Credit Union, the home of the Kelowna Rockets, will maintain naming rights to Prospera Place in Kelowna for five more years, through January 2019. The credit union and RG Properties Ltd. made the announcement Tuesday morning. Prospera Place, built by RG Properties, opened in 1999 and the credit union has held naming rights since 20-03.
---
IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Calgary (1) vs. Red Deer/Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Edmonton (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
---
Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
---
WEDNESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Regina, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
---
TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, the Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s first five goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Calgary moved back into first place in the Eastern Conference with the victory. . . . The Hitmen have won three in a row and have points in 13 straight. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart had a goal, his 34th, and an assist as he ran his point streak to 16 games. . . . Calgary D Ben Thomas also had a goal, his sixth, and an assist. He has three goals in four games against Brandon. . . . F Connor Rankin of Calgary, who scored his 20th goal, via the PP, in the second period, left the game favouring a shoulder. . . . Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 23 shots. He lost his shutout bid at 18:31 of the third period when F Rihards Bukarts scored his 24th goal. . . . The Hitmen were 2-for-4 on the PP. They have at least one PP goal in each of their last 13 games. . . . Calgary (44-15-7) is atop the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Brandon (31-27-9) is seventh, four points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. . . .

In Swift Current, F Jay Merkley broke a 3-3 tie at 17:04 of the third period as the Broncos beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-3. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson had two goals, giving him 32, and an assist for the Oil Kings, his second goal, at 6:50 of the third period, giving them a 3-1 lead. . . . F Nate Burns scored his 24th at 12:58 and F Colby Cave tied the score with his 31st at 13:21. . . . Merkley has 28 goals this season. . . . F Jake DeBrusk had two assists for the Broncos, who got 26 saves out of G Eetu Laurikainen. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots. . . . The Broncos (34-25-9) are sixth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Oil Kings (45-17-3) are two points behind Calgary and hold a game in hand. . . .

In Prince Albert, D Josh Morrissey and F Leon Draisaitl each scored twice to help the Raiders to a 9-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Draisaitl, who has 32 goals, also had two assists. . . . Morrissey, who has 25 goals, added one helper. . . . Raiders D Tomas Andrlik had three assists. . . . Moose Jaw G Justin Paulic stopped 27 shots. With Zach Sawchenko, their other goaltender, unavailable because of illness, the Warriors had Logan Morhart of the midget AA Prince Albert Raiders on their bench as an emergency backup. The only way they could have lifted Paulic was due to injury. . . . F Brayden Point scored twice, giving him 31, for the Warriors. . . . Prince Albert G Nick McBride, making his third start in the team’s last four games, made 19 saves. He stopped F Torrin White on a first-period penalty shot. . . . The Raiders last scored nine times in a game when they beat the visiting Regina Pats 9-4 on Jan. 9, 2013. . . . The Raiders (31-30-5) are tied with the Red Deer Rebels for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Warriors (17-40-9) are 2-7-1 in their last 10. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 32 shots as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-0. . . . Bartosak has seven shutouts this season and 13 in his career. He is tied with Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings for the WHL lead this season. . . . Three of Bartosak’s shut outs this season have been against the Ice, all of them in Cranbrook. . . . According to Jeff Hollick, the radio voice of the Ice, it was the sixth time Kootenay has been shut out this season and the third time on home ice, both of which are franchise records. . . . F Aspen Sterzer and F Rhyse Dieno each had a goal and an assist. Sterzer has 26 goals, while Dieno, who got an empty-netter, has 23. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski turned aside 28 shots. . . . The Ice dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . Red Deer (31-30-5) is tied with Prince Albert for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. Each team has five games remaining. . . . The Ice (37-25-4) is fifth in the conference, one point ahead of Swift Current. . . .

In Everett, the Silvertips scored two first-period goals 22 seconds apart and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . F Jujhar Khaira, with his 16th, and D Ben Betker, with his sixth, scored at 11:07 and 11:29 of the first period to get the home boys started. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist scored twice, giving him 41, and added an assist. . . . Khaira also had two assists. . . . Winquist is within one of the franchise records for goals in one season (Shane Harper, 2009-10). . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 23 shots, losing his shootout on goal by F Justin Kirkland, his 15th, at 4:49 of the third period. . . . Everett had a 38-24 edge in shots. . . . Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Rockets, called his 1,000th Kelowna game. Back in the day, he also did 360 games with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Silvertips, who have won four in a row, had lost eight straight to the Rockets. . . . Everett (34-23-9) is sixth in the Western Conference, one point behind the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Kelowna (52-10-4) leads the overall standings.
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From Brad Robson (@BKCanes): “The @WHLHurricanes send their prayers to @timbozon94 , his family & to the @WHLKootenayICE organization. #keepfighting”
Robson, the general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, echoes the sentiments of the hockey world.

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Blazers end losing skid

A tip of the cap to the WHL for posting details of the Portland-Red Deer trade from Tuesday. . . . In that exchange the Winterhawks acquired D Mathew Dumba from the Rebels for F Presten Kopeck. Four conditional bantam draft picks were involved. . . . Should Dumba end up in Portland after the World Junior Championship, the Rebels will get second-round bantam picks in 2014, 2015 and 2016. There are conditions on the 2016 selection that could turn it into a third-round pick, all depending on when Dumba would be returned. . . . If Dumba doesn’t go to Portland, the Rebels cough up a third-rounder in 2014, meaning the deal would become Kopeck for that selection.
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The Saskatoon Blades have brought in D Nolan Reid from the midget AAA Notre Dame Argos. Reid, a 15-year-old from Deer Valley, Sask., was the Blades’ first pick, 41st overall, in the 2013 bantam draft. He has 19 points in 23 games with the Argos. . . . Reid is expected to practise with the Blades today and could play Friday and Saturday against the visiting Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Blades have lost D David Nemecek to the Czech Republic’s national junior team’s selection camp.
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The Portland Winterhawks, about to lose five players to Christmas tournaments, have brought in F Skyler McKenzie, F Colton Veloso and D Justin Greer. . . . McKenzie was an eighth-round pick in the 2013 draft. From Sherwood Park, Alta., McKenzie is playing with the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings. . . . Greer, who is from Edmonton, was taken in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. He is playing for the South Side Athletic Club midget AAA team in Edmonton. . . . Veloso, from Winnipeg, plays for the midget AAA Winnipeg Wild.
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The Victoria Royals have acquired F Braden Oleksyn, 17, from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for F Landon Welykholowa, 17. . . . Oleksyn, from Saskatoon, was pointless in seven games with the Hitmen this season. A third-round bantam draft pick by the Hitmen in 2011, he had 28 points, including 11 goals, in 50 games with the SJHL's La Ronge Ice Wolves last season. . . . Welykholowa, who is from Calgary, had one goal in 18 games with Victoria. He was a third-round pick by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2011 bantam draft. Last season, he played 34 games the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes, putting up 26 points, including 12 goals.
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The WHL’s Christmas trade moratorium runs from Dec. 15 through Dec. 27.
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The Everett Silvertips had lost 15 straight games to the Chiefs in Spokane going into last night’s game. It all began with a devastating setback on March 14, 2010. Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald examines the situation right here. . . . BTW, the skid now is at 16 after the Chiefs won 5-3 last night.
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WEDNESDAY:
In Prince Albert, F Curtis Lazar and F Mitch Moroz had two goals each to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 7-5 victory over the Raiders. . . . Edmonton has won seven in a row. . . . Lazar’s 20th goal of the season, at 16:03 of the first, gave the Oil Kings a 2-1 lead and they never trailed after that. . . . Lazar’s second goal, at 17:29 of the third, left Edmonton with a 6-4 lead. . . . Moroz has 19 goals in 31 games. Two seasons ago, he scored 16 times in 66 games; last season, he had 13 scores in 69 outings. . . . F Dakota Conroy had two goals for the Raidersd, giving him 15, while F Leon Draisaitl had a goal, his 18th, and two assists. Draisaitl, who will play for Germany at the World Junior Championship, extended his point streak to seven games. He has 19 points, including eight goals, over that stretch. He has multiple points in 10 of 16 games since Nov. 1. . . . Edmonton D Aaron Irving, in his first season, had a goal and an assist. He’s got 24 points, seven of them goals, in 31 games. . . . The Oil Kings (21-9-1) and Calgary Hitmen (19-7-5) each has 43 points, tops in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Raiders, who are tied for fifth with the Regina Pats, have lost four in a row. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Kelowna Rockets scored the game’s first four goals and went on to a 6-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . The victory, their eighth in a row, lifted the Rockets atop the overall standings. . . . F Myles Bell’s second goal of the game and 12th of the season, shorthanded at 6:47 of the second, gave Kelowna a 4-0 lead. . . . The Warriors got to within 4-3 when F Scott Cooke got his first goal of the season at 9:26 of the third. . . . F Carter Rigby restored Kelowna’s two-goal lead at 15:01. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 35 shots in running his record to 18-1-2. . . . Kelowna is 2-0 on its East Division swing. . . . The Warriors have lost six in a row and, at 8-20-6, are 14 points out of a playoff spot. . . .

In Regina, F Jesse Shynkaruk’s shootout goal gave the Kamloops Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Pats, snapping a franchise-record 13-game losing streak. . . . Shynkaruk, who is from Saskatoon, scored his first WHL goal in a 5-2 loss to the Wheat Kings in Brandon on Tuesday night. . . . The Blazers hadn’t won since beating the visiting Red Deer Rebels 4-1 on Nov. 5. . . . F Matt Needham gave the Blazers a 3-2 lead with his second goal of the game, and seventh of the season, at 19:07 of the third. . . . However, Regina F Boston Leier forced OT with his second goal of the game, and 22nd of the season, at 19:25. . . . Needham also had an assist, while linemate Cole Ully scored once, his 12th, and added two helpers. Ully’s goal pulled the Blazers into a 2-2 tie at 18:37 of the third. . . . Kamloops G Taran Kozun, who was on the bench when Ully scored, stopped 39 shots through OT. . . . Regina has points in its last three games (2-0-1). . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has more right here.

In Lethbridge, F Calder Brooks scored twice to lead the Calgary Hitmen to a 5-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Brooks has six goals this season. He gave his mates a 2-0 lead at 18:55 of the first and made it 3-1 at 5:33 of the second. . . . Calgary F Jake Virtanen had a goal, his 15th, and an assist. . . . The Hurricanes had won their previous two home games. . . . Lethbride F Reid Duke got his guys to within 4-3 with his fourth goal at 3:42 of the third. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart iced it with his 10th, into an empty net, at 19:38. . . . The Hitmen are 6-0-1 in their last seven and 8-1-1 in their last 10. . . .

In Spokane, F Mike Aviani broke a 3-3 tie with a PP goal at 16:12 of the third period as the Chiefs beat the Everett Silvertips, 5-3. . . . Spokane scored the game’s first three goals, taking a 3-0 lead on F Dominic Zwerger’s fifth goal at 4:19 of the second. . . . Zwerger was playing his first game since suffering an undisclosed injury on Nov. 8. . . . The Silvertips scored twice in the second and tied it on F Tyler Sandhu’s 13th goal at 8:19 of the third. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg scored twice, giving him a WHL-leading 35 goals, the last one into an empty net. . . . Holmberg also had an assist, giving him 70 points, four more than Portland Winterhawks F Nic Petan. . . . G Eric Williams stopped 34 shots for Spokane, 17 more than Everett’s Austin Lotz.
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HAVE A GOOD DAY:
Second baseman Robison Cano, who is in the process of cutting a rather large deal with the Seattle Mariners, will make $45 dollars a minute for the next 10 years. That computes to $65,753 each day for 10 years.
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From Barney Shynkaruk (@bshynk): “@jesseshynkaruk0 made Romans night by tossing him a puck in warm up. Then he scores on a dirty move for shootout winner. #proud parents”
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From former Portland/Kamloops G Kurtis Mucha (@tooka31): “Tweet #200. How to double up your followers? Get a quick NHL call up haha. #thankful #twittertips #bruins #lucky #gobears”
Mucha, who plays for the U of Alberta Golden Bears, practised with the Boston Bruins on Wednesday.

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The Major League Baseball season is soon to start, which means it won’t be long before we are once again treated to Vin Scully calling the play of games involving the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lyle Spencer of mlb.com chatted with Scully the other day and has a great read right here. It includes an anecdote about the time Scully and Jackie Robinson donned ice skates.
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Thanks to those folks who responded to my query of yesterday. It turns out that Matt Fonteyne is Val Fonteyne’s grandson. . . . Matt, a forward, signed with the Everett Silvertips on Tuesday. . . . Val played 820 NHL games and garnered only 26 penalty minutes. He also played 149 games in the WHA, compiling all of four penalty minutes. . . . He had 229 points in the NHL and 61 in the WHA. . . . Val was a star with the Seattle Americans and Totems of the professional Western Hockey League in the mid-1950s before going on to play in the NHL. . . . Oh, how I remember those photos — black-and-white, of course — in The Hockey News, back in the days of the Original Six when a young fan was on a first-name basis with every player on every roster.
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The Swift Current Broncos have added F Dakota Odgers, G Travis Child and D Zack Gonek to their roster. . . . Odgers, from Spy Hill, Sask., is a son of former WHLer/NHLer Jeff Odgers. Dakota had 47 points in 38 games with the midget AAA Yorkton Harvest. He was a second-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Gonek, from St. Albert, Alta., played for the midget AAA St. Albert Raiders. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Child, from Killam, Alta., went 5-4-10, 4.82, .893 with the midget AAA Camrose Vikings. He was a second-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft.
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I don't know that it has been officially announced, but judging from Twitter on Wednesday, the NHL’s Ottawa Senators have signed Portland Winterhawks D Troy Rutkowski, 20, to a three-year, entry-level contract. Rutkowski was selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL’s 2010 draft, but never signed a contract. This season, he has 61 points, including 20 goals, in 69 games.
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The Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans will meet in the first round of the WHL playoffs, but they don’t yet know who will have home-ice advantage. But because of the arena scheduling situation in Spokane, the series will begin with Games 1 and 2 in Spokane on March 22 and 23. . . . The series then will move to Kennewick, Wash., for Games 3 and 4 and, if necessary, 5 on March 26, 28 and 30. . . . A sixth game would be played in Spokane on April 2. The site of Game 7, set for April 3, will depend on which team finishes fourth in the Western Conference. . . . The arena in Spokane will be home to one of the NCAA women’s basketball regional tournaments, with games on March 30 and April 1. . . . The Chiefs hold a two-point lead over the Americans with each team having three games remaining. They will play each other in Spokane on Friday and in Kennewick on Saturday. On Sunday, the Americans wrap it up in Everett, while the Chiefs are to play in Portland. . . . Should the Chiefs and Americans end up tied for fourth, the first tiebreaker is victories. At the moment, Spokane has the edge, 42-40.
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Sorry, fans of the Portland Winterhawks.
You aren’t going to be given the opportunity to applaud WHL commissioner Ron Robison on Sunday as your favourite hockey team is presented with the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular-season champions.
The presentation will take place prior to the Winterhawks’ final regular-season game, against the Spokane Chiefs.
However, it won’t be the commissioner doing the presenting. Instead, it will be Richard Doersken, who is the WHL’s vice-president, hockey. Doerksen will do the honours following the presentation of the team’s individual awards.
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With the CIS championship to be held this weekend in Saskatoon, individual awards were handed out on Wednesday.
Former Kelowna Rockets F Lucas Bloodoff, who has played three seasons for the Saint Mary’s U Huskies, has been named the CIS player of the year. Bloodoff, who played four seasons (2006-10) with the Rockets, led the Atlantic conference in scoring, with 38 points, including 20 goals.
Former WHL G Kurtis Mucha (Portland, Kamloops, 2005-10) was named the CIS’s goaltender of the year. In his third season with the U of Alberta Golden Bears, who are the championship tournament’s top seed, Mucha led the CIS in GAA (1.30) and save percentage (.936), while going 13-2. He also became the first goaltender in Canada West history to be credited with scoring a goal. Late in the season, he put together a string of five straight shutouts as part of a shutout streak that lasted 335 minutes 6 seconds.
F Jordan Hickmott, a product of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, Prince Albert Raiders and Edmonton Oil Kings (2006-11), was named the most sportsmanlike player. He led the Golden Bears in goals (15) and points (35), while taking just two minor penalties in 28 regular-season games.
The All-Canadian first team included Mucha, Bloodoff and U of Manitoba F Blair Macaulay (Saskatoon, Tri-City, 2005-09).
On the second team: D Jesse Craige, Alberta (Lethbridge, Chilliwack, 2006-10); Andrew Clark, Acadia (Brandon, 2005-09); and Kyle Bortis, Saskatchewan (Swift Current, Calgary, 2005-09).
The all-rookie team included D Neil Manning, UBC (Vancouver, 2007-12); D Lane Werbowski, Toronto (Tri-City, Edmonton, 2007-10); and F James Henry, Manitoba (Vancouver, Moose Jaw, 2007-12).
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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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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, G Corbin Boes stopped 25 shots to help the Wheat Kings to a 4-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Wheat Kings had lost four in a row at home. . . . The Raiders have lost six straight. . . . F Marek Kalus had two assists for Brandon. . . . The Wheat Kings had F Jesse Gabrielle, a 15-year-old from the Minnesota high school ranks, in the lineup for the first time. . . . Brandon was without F Jayce Hawryluk, who suffered an undisclosed injury in practice on Tuesday. . . . The Raiders remain fifth in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. Each team has two games remaining. . . . The Raiders go home-and-home with the Saskatoon Blades; the Broncos will do the same with the Regina Pats. . . .

In Lethbridge, the Hurricanes scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-2. . . . F Graham Hood, who was honoured before the game for having played in 300 regular-season games, broke a 2-2 tie with his 11th goal at 4:23 of the third period.. . . D Lenny Hackman added insurance at 7:51. That was his first WHL goal. It came in the 70th game of his freshman season. . . . The Ice had beaten the visiting Hurricanes 3-1 on Tuesday, eliminating Lethbridge from the playoff picture. . . . Lethbridge G Christopher Tai stopped 27 shots as starter Ty Rimmer as given a rare night off. It was Tai’s 11th appearance this season. . . . Kootenay G Wyatt Hoflin, who last started on Jan. 30, turned aside 34 shots. . . . The Ice scratched F Brock Montgomery with an undisclosed injury, and lost D Tanner Muth to an undisclosed injury during the first period. . . . The loss means the Ice will finish seventh or eighth in the Eastern Conference, meaning a first-round engagement with Edmonton or Saskatoon.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Harrison Ruopp, Prince Albert

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None

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