THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) and F Tomas Vincour (Edmonton, Vancouver, 2007-10) each signed one-year contracts with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL). . . . Heshka had eight goals and 23 assists in 60 games helping Ässät Pori (Finland, SM-Liiga) win the Finnish championship. . . . Vincour had 18 goals and 21 assists in 53 games with the Texas Stars (AHL) and the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) and two goals and two assists in 17 games with the Dallas Stars (NHL) and Colorado Avalanche (NHL) this season.
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Is the CHL’s decision to ban European goaltenders legal? Is it in violation of Canada’s Competition Act? Might it be a violation of human rights laws? Yahoo! Sports has an interesting piece right here that was written by Fraser Mackinnon Blair, who is a recent graduate of law school.
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Lucas Aykroyd, who does a lot of writing for iihf.com, has an interesting take right here on the CHL’s ban on European goaltenders. He says it’ll be good for the European goaltenders because history shows that the best ones develop at home. He’s got the names and numbers to back that up, too.
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F Justin Feser, who played out his major junior eligibility with the Tri-City Americans this season, has decided to attend St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S., and play for the X-Men. . . . Feser, who is from Red Deer, played five seasons with the Americans. This season, he had 106 points, 44 of them goals, in 72 games. He was selected the Western Conference’s player of the year.
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If you haven’t noticed, ESPN is becoming a whole lot more about the sizzle than about the steak. If you don’t believe that, read this piece right here. The network has dumped the Schwab. Yes, that Schwab. The guy you couldn’t stump.
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The Prince Albert Raiders have signed F Dylan Williamson, who was a fourth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. Williamson had 41 points, 23 of them goals, in 30 games with the Alberta bantam league’s Calgary Bisons.
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D Brennan Evans (Seattle, Kootenay, 1999-2003) scored the winning goal as the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins won the AHL championship with a 5-2 victory over the Syracuse Crunch on Tuesday night. . . . The Griffins won the series 4-2 after winning the first three games. . . . F Mitch Callahan (Kelowna, 2008-11) had a goal and an assist for the Griffins, while F Landon Ferraro (Red Deer, Everett, 2007-11) had two assists. F Triston Grant (Lethbridge, Vancouver, 2000-05) added an assist for Grand Rapids. . . . This is the Griffin’s first championship in the franchise’s 17-year history and the first title in Grand Rapids’ 27-year history in the pro game. . . . The Griffins are the Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate; the Crunch is hooked up with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Adrian Dater of the Denver Post reports that the Colorado Avalanche won’t be taking Portland Winterhawks D Seth Jones with the first pick in t he NHL draft on June 30. Straight goods or posturing. That story is right here.
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The high cost of playing hockey is going up and up and up, kind of like the price of gas. Don Campbell of the Ottawa Citizen has a piece right here on how much it’s going to cost your son to play in the Central Canadian Hockey League, a junior a league based in the Ottawa area. If you must know, the price is going to be $3,750 per player and that’s a 400 per cent increase. . . . Perhaps Hockey Canada should be as concerned with the money factor as it is with the impact of European goaltenders over here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Mike Haviland is the new head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Haviland, 45, has been a pro coach for 14 seasons. He spent this season as associate coach with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals. . . . Haviland replaces Mark French, whose contract wasn’t renewed after four seasons behind the bench of the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. French has since signed on as head coach of the KHL’s Medvescak Zagreb, a Croatian team that is new to the KHL, having played in the Austrian league.

The NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes have extended the contracts of the coaching staff of their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. Head coach Ray Edwards and assistants John Slaney and Mike Minard. . . . Edwards, 42, is preparing for his fifth season as the head coach of the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate. He has been head coach for two seasons with each of the Pirates and, before that, the San Antonio Rampage. . . . Slaney is going into his third season as an assistant with the Pirates. He ended his pro career after the 2010-11 season when he played with Plzen HC in Czech Republic. . . . Minard is heading into his third season as the goaltending and video coach with the Pirates.

Matt Thomas, the head coach of the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder this season, is the new head coach of the U of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves. Thomas has coached in the ECHL for nine seasons, including the last four-plus with the Thunder. . . . With the Seawolves, he replaces Dave Shyiak, who was fired following the season, his eighth at the school.
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From Spencer Humphries (@shumper5), who completed his WHL eligibility this season with the Calgary Hitmen: “Its official, just signed my first Pro Contract! Ill be playing for Prague of the KHL this year. Leaving early July. #excited #tweetsfromCzech”
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From Regan Bartel (@reganrant): “After 13 seasons they aren’t tired of my act yet. AM1150 and #KelownaRockets have agreed on a new three-year radio deal.”


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1. It isn’t often that someone is invited back to coach a team that he used to coach. But it seems that Kevin Constantine is on his way back to the Everett Silvertips. . . . Constantine was the Silvertips’ first head coach, in 2003-04 when they were an expansion franchise. You may recall that the Silvertips reached the WHL final that season, only to be swept by the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Think about that for a moment: An expansion team all the way to the WHL final. . . . After Everett, he spent three seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Houston Aeros. Then it was on to HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss National League A. He was fired as head coach 14 games into the 2012-13 season, but was kept on the payroll and did some scouting. . . . Now I’m told that he is en route to Everett and will be introduced as the Silvertips’ head coach at a news conference on Thursday.

2. The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers are expected to name Dallas Eakins their next head coach, perhaps as early as today. Bob Duff of the Windsor Star has an interesting piece right here on that situation.

3. F Landon Ferraro (Red Deer, Everett, 2007-11) had a goal and two assists Sunday as the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins scored a 6-4 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Game 2 of the AHL final. . . . The Griffins lead the best-of-seven Calder Cup final 2-0 with Game 3 in Grand Rapids on Wednesday. . . . F Triston Grant (Lethbridge, Vancouver, 2000-05) also scored for the winners, while F Brett Connolly (Prince George, 2008-11) had a goal and an assist for the Crunch. . . . Yes, Ferraro is a son to Ray Ferraro.

4. If you spend any time watching the Toronto Blue Jays, are you wondering when they will learn to stop whimpering about the umpiring? Right-fielder Jose Bautista got tossed in the ninth inning of a 6-4 loss to the visiting Texas Rangers on Sunday. Gotta think it’ll be a while before he gets the benefit of the doubt from any of the men in blue.

5. The NBA final now is 1-1 with the Miami Heat and the Spurs heading to San Antonio for Game 3 on Tuesday. The Heat won 103-84 on Sunday in a game that was decided by a 30-5 Miami run in the second half. . . . And why is it called the NBA Finals, when it’s a single series?


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Saturday . . .

THE CHILLIWACK/VICTORIA BRUINS:
WHL officials have long said they wouldn’t go back to Vancouver Island unless there were two teams there. That, of course, means Victoria and Nanaimo.
Numerous reports have indicated that the Victoria deal is done — the Chilliwack Bruins have been sold and will be relocated. (With the Bruins having been eliminated from the playoffs Saturday night, there aren’t any tickets to be sold in Chilliwack, so perhaps news will be forthcoming.)
But what of Nanaimo?
"The biggest stumbling block that Nanaimo has is the city doesn't have an adequate facility," Ken Wagner, who owns a piece of the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, told Walter Cordery of the Nanaimo Daily News. "It's great news for hockey fans but I don't think it will affect us here in Nanaimo much at all. We haven't had any contact with the WHL but we know they have always said they would prefer to establish a second Island franchise if they were going to return to Victoria."
So what of a new facility for Nanaimo?
John Ruttan, the mayor of Nanaimo, told Cordery that he would love to have the WHL in his city but “not if they expect city taxpayers to underwrite the cost of a new arena."
Cordery’s story is right here.
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Glen Sonmor is one of the grand guys of hockey, and you can bet he has done and seen it all. Sonmor is 81 now and they’ll gather at Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday evening to honour Sonmor and maybe tell a tale or two. Maybe Sonmor will flash back to his days with the Brandon Wheat Kings when the fans would gather at the train station and serenade the team with When Irish Eyes are Smiling.
Anyway . . . Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has today’s good read, a feature look at Sonmor, and it’s a good one. It’s right here.
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From Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal:
DJ Bowen in Jasper has been working overtime to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Jasper Arena and he has the Oil Kings playing Prince George in an exhibition game there on Sept. 9. In 1961, the Oil Kings played the Edmonton Flyers to open the building. Glen Sather played for the Oil Kings that game and Doug Messier for the Flyers, and they’ll be hanging their jerseys in the arena to salute that long-ago game. Sather and Messier might not be there, but hopefully they can send video messages. They’re bringing in some of the players from those teams — Gregg Pilling and Vince Downey have committed as ex Oil Kings and they might get Roger Dejordy who played for the Flyers that day. They’re having a banquet on Sept. 8 with the NHL’s icemaker Dan Craig as guest speaker.
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The Kelowna Rockets and Portland Winterhawks will meet in the second round of the playoffs. That series will open games Thursday and April 10 in Portland’s Rose Garden. . . . The Rockets will welcome back F Evan Bloodoff, who missed the four-game sweep of the Prince George Cougars as he served a four-game suspension. . . . The other Western Conference semifinal will feature the Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans. It will begin with games Saturday and April 10 in Spokane. . . . F Landon Ferraro of the Everett Silvertips took a cross-checking major at the end of their last playoff game against the Portland Winterhawks. He drew a one-game suspension, so will sit out the first game of next season should he be back in the WHL as a 20-year-old. . . . F Justin Dowling, who played this season with the Swift Current Broncos, scored his first pro goal Saturday night, giving the host Abbotsford Heat a 1-0 AHL victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins. Dowling’s third-period PP goal stood up as former Everett Silvertips G Leland Irving record his sixth shutout of the season.
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Some notes from the Chiefs on their upcoming series with the Tri-City Americans:
The Chiefs won the 12-game season series against the Americans, 7-5-0. At one point, Spokane had won five in a row in the series. Tri-City earned a victory in the last game of the season by a 6-4 score on Saturday, March 19.
The match-up will be the fifth time the two franchises have met in the post-season and the first time since a seven-game Western Conference Championship series in 2008. That series featured five overtime games, including three that went into double overtime. Spokane won Game 7 in Kennewick and advanced to win the WHL final and Memorial Cup.
The Chiefs have won the last three playoff series between the two after the Americans earned a seven-game victory in 1995. The Chiefs won in four games and in five games in the first round in 2000 and 2002, respectively.
SPOKANE AND TRI-CITY PLAYOFF HISTORY
1995: Tri-City wins second-round series 4-3
2000: Spokane wins first-round series 4-0
2002: Spokane wins first-round series 4-1
2008: Spokane wins Western Conference final 4-3
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SATURDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Saskatoon, D Duncan Siemens, who was a game-time decision, had a goal and three assists as the Blades skated to an 8-0 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Blades hold a 3-2 edge in the series going into Game 6 tonight in Prince Albert. . . . Siemens left Game 4 with a lower-body injury and it wasn’t know whether he would play in Game 5 until he took the pregame skate. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford stopped 30 shots. . . . Saskatoon scored six second-period goals, four of them on the PP, after a scoreless first period. . . . The Blades outshot the Raiders, 54-30. . . . The Blades’ big line piled up 10 points, with Brayden Schenn getting a goal and three assists, Curtis Hamilton going two and one, and Jake Trask getting a goal and two helpers. . . . Saskatoon was 5-for-8 on the PP; the Raiders were 0-for-7. . . . Attendance was 10,034, the largest crowd in Saskatoon this season. . . . The Raiders took 63 of 104 penalty minutes. . . .
In Medicine Hat, the Tigers got goals from eight different players as they dropped the Brandon Wheat Kings, 9-5. . . . The Tigers hold a 3-2 edge in the series with Game 6 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg on Monday. . . . With the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in their home arena, the Wheat Kings are playing their first-round home games in Winnipeg. . . . F Matt MacKay gave Brandon a 2-1 lead at 6:08 of the second period, but the Tigers then scored four straight goals. . . . F Emerson Etem had two goals and an assist for the Tigers, with F Linden Vey and F Wacey Hamilton each adding a goal and two assists. . . . F Mark Stone had three assists for Brandon, which went the distance with G Corbin Boes, who stopped 30 shots. . . . Brandon G Liam Liston and Medicine Hat starter Tyler Bunz both are out with concussions. . . . G Michael Tadjdeh is serving as Boes’ backup. . . . Medicine Hat G Deven Dubyk stopped 29 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . .
In Spokane, F Blake Gal scored three times to lead the Chiefs to a 6-4 victory over the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . The Chiefs won the series, 4-1, and now will meet the Tri-City Americans. That series opens Saturday in Spokane. . . . Gal’s third goal, at 13:05 of the third period, broke a 4-4 tie. . . . The Bruins trailed 1-0, 3-1 and 4-3, but came back to tie the game each time. . . . F Mitch Holmberg had two goals for the Chiefs, with F Levko Koper helping out with a goal and two assists. . . . F Kevin Sundher had a goal and two assists for Chilliwack, while F Dylen McKinlay scored twice. . . . Sundher was unable to beat Spokane G James Reid on a second-period penalty shot with the Chiefs holding a 3-2 lead. . . . Reid made 21 saves, 16 fewer than Chilliwack’s Lucas Gore. . . . The Chiefs were without F Tyler Johnson for the second straight game. The WHL’s second-leading scorer in the regular season, Johnson hasn’t played since taking an elbow from Chilliwack D Tyler Stahl, who ended up with a major penalty and then was suspended for two games. . . . Attendance was 5,352.
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SATURDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Two minors:
Medicine Hat F Kale Kessy
Chilliwack D Emerson Hrynyk

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

Some Thursday notes . . .

The rumour has been out there for three weeks or more.
“There will be an announcement,” according to the rumour, “that the WHL is returning to Victoria. And the announcement will be made on Feb. 28.”
I thought the rumour died with February, but an NHL scout asked me about it on Wednesday night.
Seeing as it’s now March 4, and there hasn’t been an announcement, it’s safe to say the rumour is dead. At least for now.
Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times-Colonist was at an ECHL game in his city on Wednesday. Here’s a note from his story:
ECHL commissioner Brian McKenna, in town recently, addressed the increasing speculation Victoria may soon announce a jump to the junior Western Hockey League. “These (WHL) rumours have been there since Day 1 of Victoria joining the ECHL and are nothing new and we hear it on an annual basis,” said McKenna, who has astutely positioned the ECHL as the main development league in pro hockey below the AHL.
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As anticipated, Regina Pats head coach Curtis Hunt has been fined by the WHL for comments he made following a 5-3 loss to the Warriors in Moose Jaw on Tuesday night.
If you missed it, here’s what Hunt told the Regina Leader-Post:
"It's really hard to compete against two teams. The Moose Jaw Warriors are a good hockey team and I thought our guys worked hard. We just couldn't overcome the striped team tonight."
For that, Hunt was fined $500.
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Chase Martin has pads and will travel.
On Tuesday, Martin was the backup goaltender for the Tri-City Americans in a 6-5 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks. He was there in support of Chris Driedger, who has been starting while Drew Owsley recovers from a knee injury.
But now it seems that Martin, 18, is off to join the Medicine Hat Tigers, who lost backup Deven Dubyk to a shoulder injury during a 7-3 victory over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders on Saturday.
The Tigers had Dawson MacAuley, 16, backing up Tyler Bunz in a 4-2 victory over the Rebels in Red Deer on Tuesday, but he has gone back to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos.
Martin played his minor hockey in Medicine Hat. He’s available for spot duty now because his Cowichan Valley Capitals didn’t qualify for the BCHL playoffs.
Darren Steinke in the Medicine Hat News reports that Martin will be with the Tigers for two games through the weekend.
As well, F Cole Grbavac, who is having a solid season, suffered a head injury on Tuesday and is listed as questionable for the weekend.
Of course, the Tigers also have lost F Tyler Pitlick for up to eight weeks with a broken ankle.
If Grbavac is diagnosed with a concussion, he would become the fifth Tigers’ skater to be sidelined with that injury. Steinke reports that D Matthew Konan and D Jace Coyle are day-to-day, while D Scott Ramsay is week-to-week and F Sam Dezman remains out indefinitely.
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The Everett Silvertips might have F Landon Ferraro back in the lineup tonight when they meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. He had hernia surgery in January and returned to practice earlier this week. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald says that F Josh Birkholz, who has been out with a head injury, also might return tonight.



Goaltender Drew Owsley of the Tri-City Americans, sporting his
Nuclear Night jersey, makes a save Friday while Portland Winterhawks
forward Sven Bartschi watches. (Photo by Doug Love/Tri-City Americans)

 THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Andrew Schneider (Seattle, Swift Current, 1988-93) signed a contract for the rest of the season with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany 2.Bundesliga) after his release by Klagenfurt (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had one goal and 11 assists in 25 games with Klagenfurt this season. This is Schneider's second tour of duty with Schwenningen, having played for the Wild Wings from 1997 to 2000. . . .
D Mike Siklenka (Seattle, 1997-99) signed a contract for the rest of this season and the next three seasons with Klagenfurt (Austria Erste Bank Liga). The conract runs through the end of 2013-14. Siklenka had three goals and 10 assists in 36 games with the Chicago Wolves (AHL) this season. . . .
F Codey Burki (Brandon, 2002-07) has been recalled from loan to Thurgau (Switzerland NL B) by Lugano (Switzerland NL A) and loaned out to Lagenthal (Switzerland NL B) for the rest of this season. He had six goals and five assists in 12 games during his assignment to Thurgau.
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Mike Johnston, the general manager and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, is a finalist for the Slats Gill Award as Oregon‘s sportsperson of the year. The award goes annually to the outstanding coach, administrator or organization from an Oregon-based team at any level of competition. It will be awarded Sunday at the Oregon Sports Awards. . . . According to a Winterhawks release, the other nominees are Linfield College baseball coach Scott Brosius, Aloha High School football coach Chris Casey, University of Oregon football coach Chip Kelly and University of Oregon cross-country/track and field coach Vin Lananna. . . . The awards will be presented in the Tiger Woods Center at Nike’s headquarters. Former NFL player Ahmad Rashad will play host to the event, which will be televised later on Comcast Sports Northwest.
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The most recent eight-game suspension to a CHL player wasn’t for a positive drug test, a doping infraction as it is oftentimes called.
No. This one was for a flying elbow and it went to Kingston Frontenacs D Erik Gudbranson, who played for Canada at the World Junior Championship. Yes, this is the same fellow who was selected by the Florida Panthers with the third overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft.
Gudbranson was suspended for drilling Oshawa F J.P. Labardo, who ended up with a five-game suspension for his headshot on the Kingston goaltender.
Earlier this season, Gudbranson sat out a five-game sentence for a headshot on Cosimo Fontana of the Ottawa 67’s. Fontana remains sidelined with a concussion.
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George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press reports that F Landon Ferraro of the Everett Silvertips was to have hernia surgery on Friday. According to Sipple, who spoke with Detroit Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill, Ferraro was to have the surgery and should be on his way home Monday to begin rehab. He is expected to be out for up to two months. Ferraro has signed with the Detroit Red Wings, who selected him in the second round of the 2009 NHL draft.
Sipple’s story is right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Kootenay Ice has added D Mike Simpson, a sixth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft, to its roster while D Luke Paulsen recovers from a concussion. Paulsen tried to play earlier in the week but wasn’t able to finish. . . . The 6-foot-4 Simpson plays for the junior B Port Moody, B.C., Black Panthers. . . . Matt Coxford of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that G Mackenzie Skapski will make his first WHL start tonight against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. Skapski is a great story. He was selected by the Ice in the third round of the 2009 bantam draft and needed facial surgery after being injured when the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins’ bus went off the road during a trip to Prince George last season. Skapski plays for the junior B Ridge Meadow, B.C., Flames. . . . F Bretton Cameron and G Tyson Sexsmith both are back with the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. Cameron (Medicine Hat, 2005-10) had been up with the AHL’s Connecticut Whale. He picked up one assist in two games. Sexsmith (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, 2004-09) was with the AHL’s Worcester Sharks. Sexsmith has been injured and hasn’t played since Nov. 7. . . .
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Mark Stone broke a 3-3 tie at 11:11 of the third period to give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory over the Hitmen. . . . He’s got 25 goals. . . . The Wheat Kings won for the fourth time in five games and moved into sole possession of the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. . . . F Shayne Wiebe got his 27^th goal for Brandon. . . . D Alex Roach of Calgary and D Rene Hunter of Brandon each scored his second goal of the season. It was the second WHL goal for each player, as well. . . . F Matt MacKay had a goal and two assists for Brandon. . . . F Misha Fisenko had two assists for Calgary. . . . Attendance was 10,156. . . . The Wheat Kings are in Medicine Hat tonight, while the Hitmen travel to Red Deer.
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In Moose Jaw, the Crushed Can was hopping as the Warriors scored twice in the second half of the third period to beat the Regina Pats, 4-3. . . . Moose Jaw moved into a tie for fourth with the idle Medicine Hat Tigers in the Eastern Conference. They are one point behind the Kootenay Ice. . . . F Dylan Hood got his 23^rd to forge a 3-3 tie on a PP at 10:51. F Sam Fioretti got the winner, his seventh goal of the season, at 12:31. . . . Hood finished with two goals and an assist. . . . Moose Jaw F Antonin Honejsek had a goal and two helpers, while F Quinton Howden drew two assists. . . . Moose Jaw was 2-for-7 on the PP; Regina was 1-for-3. . . . Due to illness, the Pats only dressed 18 players and one or two of those saw limited playing time. . . . F Cody Beach didn’t dress for the Warriors. Head coach Dave Hunchak told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald that Beach was out for “failing to meet team standards.” . . . Attendance was 2,883. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Regina, and Beach is expected to play. . . . The Pats now are 11^th in the conference. They are only three points out of a playoff spot, but need to climb over three teams to get there. . . .
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In Saskatoon, F Chris Collins scored twice and set up another as the Blades beat the Swift Current Broncos, 6-3. . . . Saskatoon F Marek Viedensky and F Josh Nicholls each had a goal and two assists. . . . The Blades, who have won four in a row, scored the game’s first five goals. . . . D Dalton Reum scored his first goal of the season for the Broncos, who have lost five in a row. It also was his first WHL goal. The 18-year-old from Camrose, Atla., played 37 games last season and has gotten into 13 games this season. . . . The Broncos haven’t won since Jan. 15, when they won 3-2 to end Saskatoon’s 11-game home-ice winning streak. . . . The Saskatoon unit that features Brayden Schenn, Curtis Hamilton and Jake Trask was held pointless. . . . Attendance was 4,908. . . . There were four incidents of fisticuffs. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Swift Current. . . .
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In Lethbridge, the Kootenay Ice erased a 3-2 third-period deficit and beat the Hurricanes, 6-3. . . . D Daniel Johnston’s first goal of the season, in his 45^th game, gave the home team a 4-3 lead on a PP at 2:50 of the third period. . . . Ice F Kevin King tied it, with his 22^nd, at 5:09, on a PP, and D Hayden Rintoul’s first of the season, at 10:06, gave the visitors the lead. . . . Rintoul was playing in his 29^th game of the season. . . . F Elgin Pearce got his ninth on a PP at 14:28 and D Brayden McNabb got the empty-netter, at 19:02. . . . McNabb, who has 13 goals, also had two assists, while F Max Reinhart had three helpers. . . . F Austin Fyten pulled Lethbridge into a 2-2 tie with his 20^th and 21^st goals in the latter half of the second period. . . . Attendance was 3,229. . . . The Ice is third in the conference, one point ahead of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Ice and Hurricanes meet tonight in Cranbrook. . . .
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In Red Deer, it was another perfect night for G Darcy Kuemper as the Rebels blanked the Edmonton Oil Kings, 5-0. . . . Kuemper stopped 31 shots, including 11 in each of the first two periods, as he earned his CHL-leading 10^th shutout. It also was the 16^th of his career. He set franchise single-season and career shutouts earlier this season. . . . Red Deer has won 10 in a row and is 10-0-1 in its last 11. . . . The Rebels are three points behind the Eastern Conference-leading Saskatoon Blades, who hold two games in hand. . . . The Rebels got two goals from F Brett Ferguson, who has 17, and one from D Aaron Borejko, who has one. He got it in his 51^st game of the season. In his career, he now has three goals in 158 games -- two in 97 games with Red Deer, one in 61 games with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . F Ryan Nugent Hopkins and F Andrej Kudrna each had a goal and an assist. . . . D Colin Archer and D Alex Petrovic each had two assists. . . . The Oil Kings, who are 0-5-1 in their last six, have been blanked three times this season. . . . Attendance was 4,588. . . . Edmonton is at home to the Prince Albert Raiders tonight (it’s Michael Jackson Night, although the King of Pop isn’t likely to be in attendance), while the Rebels are at home to the Calgary Hitmen. . . .
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In Kelowna, F Cody Chikie had a goal and three assists to lead the Rockets to a 7-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Rockets led this one 2-0 before the game was two minutes old as F Colton Sissons, with his ninth, and F Shane McColgan, with his 18^th, both scored. F Geordie Wudrick made it 3-0 with his 26^th at 6:09. . . . The Cougars got to within 3-1 and 4-2 but that was it. . . . Chikie, a 19-year-old from St. Albert, Alta., had one three-point game to his credit before this one. . . . He’s got 10 goals this season. . . . Despite there being just one scrap, the teams combined for 112 penalty minutes, with the Rockets taking 59 of those. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-10 on the PP; the Cougars were 1-for-8. . . . Attendance was 6,088. . . . The Rockets meet the visiting Vancouver Giants tonight. Kelowna is second in the B.C. Division, a point behind the Giants. . . .
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In Vancouver, the Giants outshot Kamloops 38-17 as they beat the Blazers, 3-1. . . . Vancouver has won five straight games and 10 of 12. . . . F Spencer Bennett scored twice for the Giants, giving him 24. He broke a 1-1 tie at 4:42 of the second period and added insurance at 4:57 of the third on a PP. . . . Bennett has 21 points, including 12 goals, in 13 games with Vancouver since coming over from the Portland Winterhawks. He had 21 points, 12 of them goals, in 37 games with the Winterhawks. . . . The Giants have given up only eight goals in winning five in a row. . . . Vancouver G Brendan Rowinski had two assists. . . . G Mark Segal stopped 16 shots in winning his ninth straight start. . . . Kamloops has lost five in a row and nine of 10. . . . Attendance was 10,378. . . . The Blazers meet the Bruins in Chilliwack tonight, while the Giants visit Kelowna. Vancouver leads the B.C. Division by one point over the Rockets.
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In Spokane, the Chiefs scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Chilliwack Bruins, 5-3. . . . F Darren Kramer forged a 3-3 tie at 5:32 of the second and F Matt Marantz put the Chiefs out front at 7:00. . . . Kramer has five goals; Marantz has 15. . . . F Tyler Johnson, who leads the WHL with 37 goals, iced it at 9:13 of the third. Johnson also had an assist and pulled into a tie for the lead in the WHL scoring race. He and F Linden Vey of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who didn’t play Friday, are tied at 82 points. Johnson also is riding a 16-game point streak. . . . F Stephen Kuhn had a goal, his 14^th, and two assists for the Chiefs. . . . F Kevin Sundher had two assists for the Bruins. . . . Chiefs G Mac Engel stopped 18 shots, 20 fewer than Chilliwack’s Lucas Gore. . . . Spokane was 2-for-8 on the PP; the Bruins were 1-for-4. . . . Attendance was 7,521. . . . The Chiefs pulled to within one point of the Western Conference-leading Portland Winterhawks. Spokane is at home to the Tri-City Americans tonight. . . .
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In Everett, G Kent Simpson stopped 35 shots to help the Silvertips blank the Seattle Thunderbirds, 7-0. . . . The shutout was Simpson’s first of the season and third of his career. . . . The Silvertips have put up three shutouts this season, with Luke Siemens getting the other two. . . . Seattle has been blanked three times. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 20 of 26 shots before being relieved by Michael Salmon with 15:40 left in the third. . . . F Tyler Maxwell scored twice, giving him 31. . . . F Cody Fowlie had two goals and an assist. He went into the game with eight points, three of them goals, in 46 games. . . . Attendance was 8,045. . . . The Silvertips, Thunderbirds and Kamloops Blazers are tied for last in the Western Conference, one point behind the eighth-place Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Everett, Seattle and Kamloops are a combined 5-20-5 over each of their last 10 games. . . . The Prince George Cougars are in Everett tonight, while the Thunderbirds meet the visiting Portland Winterhawks. It’s Teddy Bear Toss Night at the game in Kent, Wash. . . .
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In Kennewick, Wash., F Kruise Reddick scored three goals and G Drew Owsley stopped 35 shots to lead the host Tri-City Americans to a 5-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks, who had won six in a row. . . . Tri-City is 4-1-1 against Portland this season. . . . Reddick, who now has three WHL hat tricks, scored the game’s first two goals, the opener at 3:06 of the first period on a PP, and the second at 10:31 of the first. . . . He completed his hat trick at 19:10 of the second, giving the home team a 4-0 lead on another PP. . . . The Americans, who have won 14 of 15 at home, were 2-for-7 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 2-for-8. . . . Reddick has 12 goals this season. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin had two assists for the Americans. . . . Portland D William Wrenn was even. He went into the game at plus-16 in 10 games. . . . Attendance was 6,032, the seventh largest in franchise history, on the second annual Nuclear Night. . . . One year ago, F Johnny Lazo had three goals as the Americans beat visiting Portland 6-2 on Nuclear Night. . . . The Americans are in Spokane tonight, while the Winterhawks meet the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash.
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FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Nine minors:
Regina F Garrett Mitchell (double minor)
Edmonton F Mark Reners
Prince George F James Dobrowolski
Prince George F Jaroslav Vlach
Prince George F Troy Bourke
Portland F Sven Bartschi
Tri-City F David Conrad (double minor)

Blazers complete weekend sweep

BRENDAN RANFORD

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
For awhile, it was as though Batman chose to be Robin’s caddy. Or the Green Hornet decided to spend a night as Kato’s assistant.
Left-winger Brendan Ranford, the WHL’s leading triggerman, turned playmaker Sunday night, setting up the Kamloops Blazers’ first two goals and getting them started towards a 3-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips before 3,920 fans at Interior Savings Centre.
Right-winger Jordan DePape scored those goals, both coming via the power play, and Ranford later iced this one with his 20th goal of the season as he completed this third straight three-point game. He has 11 points, including seven goals, over his last four games.
One night earlier, Ranford scored twice and set up a third, goaltender Jeff Bosch stopped 23 shots and the much-maligned penalty-killing unit was perfect in beating the visiting Kelowna Rockets, 4-0, in what was the Blazers’ best home-ice performance of the season.
The Blazers (11-9-1) knew going into the weekend that if things broke a particular way they could have been in the 10-team Western Conference cellar by Sunday night.
Instead, the two victories have them tied with the Prince George Cougars for fifth, just a point out of third.
Last night, the Blazers were facing an Everett team (8-8-4) that was playing its third game in as many nights and had won the first two. On Saturday, the red-hot Rockets (10-11-0) were in their third game in four nights.
“We beat two teams . . . this team was undefeated in three games,” Kamloops head coach Guy Charron said, “and (Saturday) night we beat a team that was undefeated in six games. Credit should be given to the hockey team.”
While the Blazers played Saturday what Charron called a “textbook” game, they weren’t able to repeat that effort against an Everett team that was quite structured.
“We thought for sure this would be a very similar situation (to Saturday’s game),” Charron said, “but sometimes it’s not within our control. The players want to but . . .”
The two DePape goals — he now has seven in 16 games — put the Blazers up 2-0, with winger Kellan Tochkin pulling the visitors to within a goal at 6:19 of the second period.
After that, though, Bosch closed the door. He finished with 38 saves, including 16 in the third period.
“Everyone except one guy wasn’t very good,” Charron said.
Bosch, who tweaked a knee and came out after the first period of a 5-4 victory over the Hitmen in Calgary on Nov. 5, said he “felt really confident and really strong” in both games.
Some of that, he said, was due to a couple of sessions he had last week with former NHL goaltender Bill Ranford and Blazers goaltending coach Dan DePalma.
“That really helped out, I thought,” Bosch said.
On Saturday, Bosch put up his second shutout of the season, and the 10th of his career, and the penalty killers were 7-for-7.
Bosch, who now has 10 career shutouts, also blanked the host Red Deer Rebels, beating them 1-0 on Oct. 20.
Ranford’s two goals lifted him into the WHL lead, one ahead of Brendan Gallagher of the Vancouver Giants. Ranford stretched that lead to two last night.
But it was the penalty killers, who according to the numbers were the worst in the league going into Saturday, who saved the game.
The Blazers walked into three minor penalties in a span of 1:59 early in the second period. Kamloops, which had a week between games to work on things, was more aggressive and more structured than it had been on the kill and it was able to keep the game scoreless.
Late in the period, the Blazers struck three times in 1:49 to beat the Rockets, who came in having won six in a row.
Chase Schaber and Colin Smith had the Blazers’ other goals.
JUST NOTES: On Sunday, the Blazers were 2-for-2 on the PP, while Everett was 1-for-2. . . . One of Everett’s scratches was F Landon Ferraro, who suffered an upper-body injury in Saturday’s 3-2 OT victory over the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. . . . The last time Kamloops blanked Kelowna? Dec. 1, 2006, when Dustin Butler stopped 11 shots in a 5-0 home-ice victory. . . . Saturday’s attendance was 4,496, the second-largest crowd of the season. . . . Schaber’s assist on Ranford’s second goal Saturday was the 100th point of his WHL career. . . . Former Blazers head coach Ken Hitchcock, who isn’t listed as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ front office staff but is working as a special advisor, took in both weekend games. He was fired as the Blue Jackets’ head coach last season despite having a contract that runs through 2011-12 at US$1.3 million per. . . . The Blazers will play their annual game against the local Special Olympics floor hockey team tonight at Brocklehurst Middle School. The fun starts at 7 o’clock. . . . It’s Team WHL against the Russians on Wednesday as the Subway Super Series comes to the ISC. The Blazers will be well represented on the WHL team with D Austin Madaisky, Ranford, Schaber, Charron and trainer Colin Robinson. Game time will be 7 p.m.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

Cougars preparing to bid on MC

If you are a regular visitor here, chances are that you have visited The Dub Hub, the blog over there on the right that has been maintained mainly by Steve Ewen, who has followed the Vancouver Giants and the WHL for a number of years now.
And you may have noticed a few weeks ago that Ewen’s postings to that blog suddenly stopped.
That’s because Ewen ran into some health issues. A tumour was discovered near his spinal cord -- he has been diagnosed with Solitary Plasmacytoma -- and now is into a radiation program.
And Ewen is writing about it all right here.
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The Prince George Cougars have told the WHL that they will be preparing a bid in hopes of landing the 2013 Memorial Cup.
Brandi Brodsky, the Cougars’ vice-president, told the Prince George Citizen that the team is using the Nov. 18 Subway Super Series game to be played there as something of a test run.
“The league will be looking at a number of things when they evaluate who would be the best host for the 2013 Memorial Cup,” Brodsky told Citizen sports editor Jim Swanson. “One of them is fan support, and how the city is supporting the team. We’re hoping to showcase Prince George to the CHL in an event of this calibre and show them this city can support an event as big as the Memorial Cup.”
Teams don’t have to file letters of interest until April, at which time there might be as many 10 teams expressing interest. The Lethbridge Hurricanes already are on the record as saying they will be involved in the bidding.
“The competition will be fierce,” Brodsky said. “The process is difficult to go through — it’s time-consuming, and it’s expensive. We certainly are serious about it.”
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The Chilliwack Bruins have changed the starting time for their Dec. 7 game against the visiting Swift Current Broncos, a move that will allow them to hold what they are calling the Great Canadian Oil Change “Celebrating Youth Field Trip.”
The Bruins expect more than 3,000 middle school students from throughout the district to be bused to Prospera Centre for, according to a news release, “a day that will be focused on healthy living and nutrition.”
“The educational component of the Bruins game will include workbooks for the students to fill out during the contest and will feature curriculum connections to social studies, math, art, music and health. The game also will include a full program of features using the overhead videotron and static displays at Prospera Centre with an emphasis on healthy living skills, fitness, nutrition and good citizenship.”
The game, originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., now is to start at 10:30 a.m.
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CapGeek.com has posted salary details of the three-year deal that Everett Silvertips F Landon Ferraro signed with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. The AHL salary each season will be US$65,000, with NHL salaries of $665,000, $715,000 and $765,000. . . . He gets a $270,000 signing bonus, payable in annual $90,000 increments. . . . Ferraro was selected by Detroit in the second round, 32nd overall, of the 2009 draft.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have assigned RW Jon Gaudet, 18, to the MJHL’s Winnipeg Saints. The former Manitoba high school player of the year had four points, including two goals, in 10 games with the Wheat Kings. . . . Brandon now is carrying 24 players, including two goaltenders and 14 forwards. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks opened their East Division swing by beating the Swift Current Broncos, 4-2. Portland now has won nine straight games. . . . The Winterhawks (15-2-1) will play the Pats in Regina tonight. . . . Swift Current G Mark Friesen stopped F Brad Ross on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen scored twice, including an empty-netter. He has seven on the season. . . . Portland F Sven Bartschi drew one assist to run his point streak to 11 games. Linemate Ty Rattie has his streak end at 10 games. . . . The Broncos had F Zac Mackay in their lineup. A fourth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft, he has 15 points with the midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires. . . . The Broncos’ injury list shows D Joel Rogers (ankle, day-to-day), D Tanner Muth (fractured clavicle, 4-6 weeks), D Jordan Evans (concussion, 1-2 weeks), F Brendan Silvester (back, indefinite), F Taylor Vause (hamstring, 2-3 weeks), F Cody Eakin (strained abdominal/hip flexor, day-to-day) and F Dillon Wagner (knee, week-to-week). . . .
In Saskatoon, Seattle F Luke Lockhart scored three times and F Marcel Noebels scored in regulation and in the shootout as the Thunderbird beat the Blades, 5-4. . . . D Brendan Dillon had three assists for Seattle, while F Curtis Hamilton scored twice for Saskatoon. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 32 shots. . . . Noebels, a freshman from Germany, is 4-for-7 in shootouts. . . . Seattle has had nine of its 16 games go to overtime. It has won four of those games, lost two in OT and won three in the shootout. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford, 20, remains sidelined with a concussion suffered Oct. 28 in practice. Adam Todd, 16, who plays for the major midget Kelowna-Okanagan Rockets, backed up Adam Morrison for a sixth straight game. . . .
G Darcy Kuemper stopped 34 shots to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 2-0 victory over the host Everett Silvertips. . . . It was his third shutout of the season and the ninth of his career. . . . In Chilliwack, F Mike Piluso’s fifth goal of the season, at 1:36 of OT, gave the Edmonton Oil Kings a 4-3 victory over the Bruins. Edmonton has followed a nine-game losing streak with two victories.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Three minors:
Swift Current F Justin Dowling
Seattle F Mitch Elliot
Chilliwack D Tyler Stahl

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

An 86-yard punt that takes 1:04?

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Craig Weller (Kootenay, 2000-02) signed a one-year contract with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). He had four goals and 14 assists in 74 games with the Houston Aeros, Providence Bruins and Chicago Wolves (all AHL) last season. . . .
F Mike Green (Edmonton/Kootenay, 1996-2000) announced his retirement. He had 15 goals and 20 assists for Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg (Germany DEL) last season. Green made his announcement through the team's website. . . .
F Mark Brown (Spokane, Prince Albert, 1996-99) signed a one-year contract with Zall am See (Austria Nationalliga). He had four goals and 12 assists in 25 games with Alleghe (Italy Serie A) last season. . . .
D Burke Henry (Brandon, 1995-99) signed a one-year contract with Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia, plays in Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had seven goals and four assists in 27 games with Olimpija last season. . . .
F Jason Reese (Vancouver, Moose Jaw, Tri-City, 2003-09) signed a tryout contract with Dortmund (Germany Oberliga). He had seven goals and 18 assists in 57 games split between the Texas Brahmas, Arizona Sundogs and Wichita Thunder (all Central Hockey League) season.
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Two days after F Curt Gogol, 19, was benched during a game, the Saskatoon Blades traded him to the Chilliwack Bruins. In exchange for Gogol and an eighth-round 2011 bantam draft pick, the Blades get F Chris Collins, 18.
The Blades acquired Gogol from the Kelowna Rockets in January.
In 58 games with the Blades, Gogol, the son of former WHLer Brent (Calgary, Victoria, Billings, 1976-79), had nine points and 208 penalty minutes.
Curt Gogol attended the San Jose Sharks’ camp as a free agent and came away with a three-year NHL contract.
Saskatoon GM/head coach Lorne Molleken, concerned with a lack of discipline, had Gogol on the bench for much of a 5-3 victory over the Hitmen on Sunday in Calgary.
“We took far too many unnecessary penalties and the decision has been made that if you take bad penalties, you don't play," Molleken told Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
On Saturday, in a 7-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer, Molleken benched freshmen forwards Lukas Sutter and Levi Bews.
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Marc Weber of the Vancouver Province reported Tuesday that the Giants may have lost Slovakian F Marek Tvrdon (right shoulder) for the season.
"He goes Thursday to see the surgeon," Giants GM Scott Bonner told the newspaper. "He's out 60 days minimum and, if he gets surgery, it's six months. I'm 90-per-cent sure he's getting surgery.
"He's had an MRI and CT scan already and none of them have been positive. The labrum has nothing to attach to."
Tvrdon, 17, last played Oct. 16 against the Chilliwack Bruins. He had 11 points, including six goals, in 12 games.
Earlier in the season, Swedish F Casper Carning, 19, left the Giants and went home.
So losing Tvrdon means the Giants wouldn’t have any import players on their roster.
However, after Carning left the Giants placed Slovakian F Andrej Stastny, 19, on their protected list. He had been selected by Saskatoon in the 2010 CHL import draft but the Blades weren’t able to secure his release.
The Giants hope to have Stastny join them after the 2011 World Junior Championship ends in Buffalo on Jan. 5.
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Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks is the Vaughn WHL goaltender of the month. Carruth, 18, was 6-1 with a 1.56 GAA and a .952 save percentage in October. . . . F Craig Cunningham of the Vancouver Giants is the Husky WHL player of the month. Cunningham 20, put up 36 points in 18 games in September and October. . . . F Andrej Kudrna of the Red Deer Rebels is the CHL player of the week. He had seven points, including four goals, in two games. . . . F Landon Ferraro, the captain of the Everett Silvertips, has signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. Ferraro, 19, was a second-round selection in the 2009 NHL draft. The Silvertips acquired Ferraro from Red Deer over the summer, in exchange for F Byron Froese, also 19. Ferraro has 11 points, including five goals, in 13 games with Everett. He is a son of former NHL/WHL player Ray Ferraro. . . . The Moose Jaw Warriors have assigned G Brandon Glover to the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals. Glover, 18, left the Warriors earlier this season and requested a trade. Last season, he was 9-8-6, 3.40, .890. . . . When Spokane beat the Pats 11-1 in Regina on Saturday, it was the first time the Chiefs had scored 11 goals in a road game since Jan. 16, 1999, when they beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 11-2. The last time Spokane scored 11 times at home? That would be Feb. 14, 2009, in an 11-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . It was the seventh time in franchise history that the Chiefs scored in double digits in one game. The record for most goals in one game is 16, set Jan. 30, 1988 in a 16-7 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. The team record for most goals in a road game is 12, set March 22, 1986, in a 12-9 victory over the Victoria Cougars. . . . The visiting Kingston Frontenacs scored a 4-2 victory over the Ottawa 67’s in a Tuesday OHL game. Get this -- the game began at 10:30 a.m. Yes, 10:30 a.m., on a school day. Attendance was 9,826 and, yes, there were a whole lot of school children there. . . . OK. Which WHL team will be first to try that? . . . F Jesse Sinatynski, 18, who was reassigned last week by the Kamloops Blazers, is on his way to the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. Originally, it was thought he might end up with the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons. . . . Ed Boychuk, who refereed in the WHL when it was the Western Major Junior Hockey League, died Monday in Regina. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has that story right here. . . .
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Patrick King of sportsnet.ca has an interesting take on Tyler Pitlick and the Medicine Hat Tigers. “The Medicine Hat Tigers are the Western Hockey League’s little, big market,” he writes. “The Tigers are disproving the myth that small market teams can’t compete with larger markets with recruiting high-profile American players.” . . . Read the entire column right here.
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Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports adds some thoughts -- mostly culinary in nature -- to the Pitlick piece. That is right here.
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And, finally, how about an 86-yard punt on a play that took one minute four seconds from start to finish? Seriously. Check it out right here.
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TUESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
CHILLIWACK 6 at KOOTENAY 2: G Lucas Gore stopped 32 shots for the Bruins (9-5-0), who have won five of six. . . . The Ice (11-4-1) had its seven-game winning streak snapped. . . . The Bruins scored the game’s first six goals, taking a 4-0 with three goals in a 3:44 span early in the second period. . . . F Kevin Sundher and F Robin Soudek each had two assists for the Bruins. . . . F Ryan Howse had a goal, his 15th, and an assist for Chilliwack, which was 2-for-5 on the PP. . . . The Ice was 1-for-5. . . . Ice F Adam Rossignol scored his first career goal to round out the scoring late in the third period. . . . Attendance was 2,259. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Two minors, to Soudek and Chilliwack D Brandon Manning.
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MEDICINE HAT 2 at CALGARY 1: F Linden Vey had a goal and an assist for the Tigers (8-5-0), who handed the Hitmen (4-11-0) their seventh straight loss and their sixth straight on home ice. . . . The Hitmen are 0-5 on a six-game homestand that ends Friday when the Kamloops Blazers hit town. . . . F Emerson Etem broke a 1-1 tie with his ninth goal, on the PP, at 7:52 of the third. . . . Vey, with his sixth, on the PP, scored at 17:12 of the second. . . . Calgary D Ben Wilson, with his first, tied it at 6:22 of the third, also on the PP. . . . Medicine Hat got two assists from F Wacey Hamilton. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 28 shots, seven more than Calgary’s Michael Snider. . . . Medicine Hat was 2-for-6 on the PP; Calgary was 1-for-6. . . . Attendance was 7,149. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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SPOKANE 3 at SASKATOON 2: The Chiefs scored three times in the first period and went on to hand the Blades their first home loss of the season. Saskatoon (11-5-0) is 7-1-0 at home. . . . D Jared Cowen, a native of Saskatoon, got what proved to be the winning goal when he scored his third at 19:22 of the first period. That gave the Chiefs (7-7-0) a 3-1 lead. . . . The Chiefs are 2-1-0 on their East Division swing. . . . D Brenden Kichton scored Spokane’s other two goals, at 1:10 and 7:08 of the opening period. He has three. . . . This was Kichton’s first two-goal game in his 134-game WHL career. . . . F Jake Trask, with his first of the season, pulled the Blades to within one at 10:05. . . . F Josh Nicholls, with his seventh, got the Blades to within one, again, at 17:33 of the second. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 22 shots, while Adam Morrison of the Blades turned aside 26. . . . Each team was 0-for-3 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 5,121. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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PRINCE GEORGE 2 at KELOWNA 6: F Mitchell Callahan had two goals and two assists for the Rockets (5-10-0), who had lost three in a row. . . . F Geordie Wudrick, with his second of the season, and Callahan, with his sixth, gave Kelowna a 2-0 lead heading into the third period. . . . F Zach Franko, with his fourth, upped that to 3-0 at 2:21 of the third, on the PP, before F Tayler Stefishen, with his third, got the visitors on the board. . . . The Rockets then put it away with three goals in 3:40, with Callahan, D Tyson Barrie, with his second, and D Colton Jobke, with his first, scoring. . . . It was Jobke’s first WHL goal and came in his 83rd game. . . . Barrie also had two assists. . . . The Cougars (9-7-1) had won their last two games, both on the road. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown stopped 28 shots, seven more than Prince George’s James Priestner. . . . Kelowna was 2-for-4 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-for-2. . . . Attendance was 6,018. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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RED DEER 1 at SEATTLE 4: F Burke Gallimore scored twice, giving him nine, for the Thunderbirds (6-3-4), who had lost five straight but now have points in 10 of their 13 games. . . . The Rebels (11-6-0) had a three-game win skein end. . . . Gallimore and F Colin Jacobs, with his fifth, scored in the second period. . . . Gallimore added another at 9:06 of the third, before D Matt Dumba got his third for Red Deer at 13:17 of the third on the PP. . . . F Charles Wells got an empty-netter at 19:20. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard, who has started all 13 of his side’s games, stopped 46 shots. He was coming off a 49-save effort in a 3-2 OT loss to the Blazers in Kamloops on Saturday. . . . Red Deer G Bolton Pouliot turned aside 13 shots. . . . Red Deer was 1-for-6 on the PP; Seattle was 1-for-3. . . . Attendance was 2,725. . . . The Thunderbirds open an East Division swing Saturday in Brandon. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Red Deer F Byron Froese.

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