Norm Johnston is stepping back from coaching, at least for now. Johnston, a veteran coach if ever there was one, spent the last five seasons as head coach of the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. The club got to the second round of playoffs and when it was over, even though it was the team’s most-successful season under him, Johnston decided it was time. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
———

The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
FIRST ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton wins 4-1)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat wins 4-0)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary wins 4-1)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer wins 4-0)
———
SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Game 1, Friday, in Edmonton)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
(Game 1, tonight, in Calgary)
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
FIRST ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Portland wins 4-2)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Kelowna wins, 4-3)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops wins 4-2)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane wins 4-1)
———
SECOND ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Spokane (4)
(Game 1, Friday, in Portland, Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Kelowna (2) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Game 1, Saturday, in Kelowna)
(Shaw TV will show this series)
———
Some notes from a Spokane news release:
The Western Conference semifinal series is the 10th time Spokane and Portland have met in the postseason.
Five of the series, including four of the last six, have gone the distance.
The Winterhawks won a nine-game series in 1985-86.
The Chiefs won a seven-game series in 1996 as they became the first team in WHL history to rebound from a 0-3 deficit.
Portland won in 1998 and went on to win the Memorial Cup in Spokane.
The Chiefs took Game 7 in 2003.
Their 2010 first round matchup, won by Portland, became the first in WHL history to have the road team win each game. Portland earned an overtime victory in Game 7 in the Spokane Arena.
Spokane had to win Game 6 in each seven-game series to force Game 7.
The Winterhawks won the last series, in 2011, in six games.
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
In Kelowna, F Tyson Baillie scored three times as the Rockets beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2 in overtime. . . . Baillie got the winner at 5:10 of extra time, tapping in a pass to the backdoor from D Madison Bowey for the winner. . . . Seattle F Luke Lockhart had forced OT with a goal at 19:53 of the third period. . . . Five of the seven games needed overtime. Seattle won Games 1, 2 and 3 in OT; the Rockets won Games 6 and 7. . . . The Rockets are the second team in WHL history to win a series despite losing the first three games. Their series-clinching victory came exactly 17 years after the Spokane Chiefs completed such a comeback against the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Kelowna was without seven regulars as D Jesse Lees, who took a check to the head from Seattle F Justin Hickman in Game 6, was scratched. . . . When Lees was injured, the Rockets were left with four defencemen. Last night, they added D Joe Gatenby, a second-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Gatenby, who is from Kelowna, made his WHL debut in this one. . . . Seattle was without Hickman and F Connor Honey, both of whom were serving WHL suspensions. . . . It isn’t likely that any of Kelowna’s scratches will be back for the second round – Lees, F J.T. Barnett (ill), F Rourke Chartier (back), D MacKenzie Johnston (shoulder), F Carter Rigby (shoulder, foot), F Colton Sissons (shoulder) and D Mitchell Wheaton (shoulder). . . . By the time the Rockets have played Game 4 of the second round, they will have played six games in nine nights.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (12):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (4):
None


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The AHL’s Manchester Monarchs have signed G Ty Rimmer to an ATO (amateur tryout agreement). Rimmer played out his junior eligibility with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, leading the WHL in miutes played (2,310) and saves (2,106). He finished 24-30-10, 3.19, .912. . . . Rimmer, who turns 21 today, is represented by Turning Point Sports Management. . . . The Monarchs are affiliated with the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.

———
The Edmonton Oilers have signed F Travis Ewanyk to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Ewanyk, 19, was a third-round selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft. He was limited to 11 games last season because of shoulder problems, but came back in time for the Oil Kings’ championship playoff run. This season, he put up 23 points and had 119 penalty minutes in 58 games.
Bruce McCurdy takes a really good look at the Ewanyk signing right here.
———
Brent Peterson, the former Portland Winterhawks player and coach, has written a book and it hit shelves (and amazon.com) on Friday. My Toughest Faceoff: My Life in Hockey and My Battle with Parkinson’s Disease was written with Jim Diamond.
It’s available right here.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Dan Olson of The Now, a newspaper on the Lower Mainland of B.C., has more right here on the decision by the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express to fire GM/head coach Jon Calvano with a year left on his contract. . . .
Taylor Dakers (Kootenay, 2003-07) has signed on as the goaltending coach of the junior B 100 Mile House Wranglers of the Kootenay International junior league. . . . Dakers is the goaltending coach with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips and the senior head instructor of the Calgary-based World Pro Goaltending. . . . Before moving into the WHL, Dakers played junior B for Wranglers head coach Doug Rogers.
———
Former WHL D Link Gaetz (New Westminster, Spokane, 1986-88) is facing an assault trial after an incident at a Dairy Queen outlet in Cache Creek, B.C., on April 20.
The Kamloops Daily News reports in its Saturday editions that Gaetz has been charged with assault and causing a disturbance. Gaetz has been charged with assaulting Jean Guye-Vuilleme in the restaurant.
The trial date of Oct. 8 has been set in Kamloops.
“We will be litigating the matter,” Jeremy Jensen, Gaetz’s lawyer, told the newspaper. “Legendary hockey figure aside, at this point the presumption is that he is innocent.”
Gaetz, 44, is from Vancouver.
———
After the piece here yesterday about the NHL’s Washington Capitals having requested that the Lethbridge Hurricanes change their logo, more than one person contacted me to point out that the BCHL’s Cowichan Capitals have a similar logo.
For the record, here are all three logos:
 

















———


The WHL’s first-round situation (all best-of-7):
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton leads 1-0; Game 2 on Sunday in Edmonton)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Medicine Hat)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary leads 2-0; Game 3 on Monday in Swift Current)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Red Deer)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Everett leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Portland)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Kelowna)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Kamloops)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Spokane)
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Saskatoon, G Cam Lanigan stopped 42 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Blades, 3-0. . . . The Tigers hold a 2-0 lead in the series after sweeping the Blades in a first-round series a year ago. . . . Lanigan has stopped 84 of 85 shots over two games. . . . Saskatoon now has lost 10 straight playoff games. . . . F Trevor Cox got his second goal in two nights, this one on the PP at 3:32 of the second, and it stood as the winner. . . . Medicine Hat F Mile Koules had a goal and an assist. . . . The Blades were without F Jessey Astles, who drew a ‘tbd’ suspension under supplemental discipline for a first-period hit on Medicine Hat F Matt Staples, who left the game and didn’t return. Staples, who has concussion-like symptoms, was scratched from Game 2, with F Steven Owre taking his place in the lineup. The length of Astles’ suspension is expected to be finalized on Monday. . . . The Blades inserted F Ryan Graham in Astles’ spot. Saskatoon also dressed D Kyle Schmidt and took out D Nelson Nogier. . . .  Saskatoon was without F Erik Benoit (undisclosed) for the first two games. . . .

In Edmonton, F Stephane Legault had a seven-point night as the Oil Kings whipped the Kootenay Ice, 9-0. . . . Legault scored three times, added four assists and was a plus-4. . . . The WHL record for most points in a playoff game is eight, shared by F Dave Chartier of the Brandon Wheat Kings (March 27, 1981) and F Alfie Turcotte of the Portland Winterhawks (March 26, 1983). Chartier had five goals and three assists in a 13-4 victory over the visiting Regina Pats. Turcotte was four and four in a 13-4 victory over the host Seattle Breakers. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 28 shots for his third career playoff shutout. . . . Edmonton struck for five goals in the last 12 minutes of the first period. . . . F Michael St. Croix had a goal and two assists, F Trevor Cheek had two goals and an assist — and was plus-5 — and D Martin Gernat had three assists. . . .

In Calgary, G Chris Driedger turned aside 39 shots to lead the Hitmen to a 3-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Hitmen led 3-0 before F Adam Lowry ruined Driedger’s shutout bid at 10:19 of the third on a PP. . . . F Cody Sylvester, F Greg Chase and F Victor Rask scored for Calgary, the first two in the second period, the latter in the third. . . .

In Red Deer, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 31 shots to lead the Rebels to a 3-0 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Bartosak was the Eastern Conference’s first-team all-star goaltender. . . . F Brooks Maxwell scored 25 seconds into the game — he tipped in a point shot by D Brady Gaudet — and the Rebels were never caught. . . . F Rhyse Dieno scored Red Deer’s second goal, at 19:04 of the first. Just before that, at 16:19, Dieno came up short on a penalty shot attempt. . . . Prince Albert G Luke Siemens made 27 saves. . . .

In Spokane, F Alessio Bertaggia broke a 1-1 tie at 11:15 of the first period and the Chiefs went on to a 4-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Mitch Holmberg scored twice for the Chiefs, while D Brenden Kichton and D Reid Gow each had two assists. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 26 shots. . . . D Brandon Carlo, a 16-year-old from Colorado Springs playing his first WHL game, scored for the Americans. He tied the game at 6:36 of the first period. Carlo is in the lineup replacing the injured Mitch Topping. . . .

In Portland, G Austin Lotz stopped 55 shots to lead the Everett Silvertips to a 4-3 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Lotz, who was making his first career playoff start, has performed this kind of larceny at least one other time. On Feb. 7, he turned aside 65 shots in a 4-3 OT loss in Kamloops. . . . The Silvertips had lost their previous 10 playoff games. . . . F Kohl Bauml scored twice for the Silvertips. His first goal, at 3:25 of the third, gave Everett a 3-1 lead. His second goal, at 12:46, gave Everett a 4-2 lead. . . . Portland fired 22 shots at Lotz in the third period and finally got a PP goal from F Nic Petan with 16 seconds remaining. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth turned aside 27 shots. . . .

In Kamloops, F JC Lipon broke a 2-2 tie at 4:37 of the third period and the Blazers went on to beat the Victoria Royals, 3-2. . . . Lipon scored twice, while F Steven Hodges had two goals for Victoria. . . . Kamloops G Cole Cheveldave stopped 22 shots, with 11 of those coming in the third period. He made four game-saving stops in the third period. . . . G Patrik Polivka, who hadn’t played since March 5, was back in goal for the Royals. He made 33 saves. . . . The Royals were without F Alex Gogolev, their leading scorer. He is out long-term after undergoing surgery to repair damage to a leg from a skate cut. . . . Victoria also was without D Tyler Stahl, its captain. Originally, the Royals had him in the lineup, with question marks beside D Ryan Gagnon and D Isaac Schacher. Stahl took the warmup and then was scratched, with Gagnon and Schacher both staying in and playing. . . .

In Kelowna, F Luke Lockhart scored the game’s last two goals as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Rockets, 5-4. . . . The Rockets took a 4-3 lead by scoring in the last minute of the second period (F Tyson Baillie on a PP at 19:02) and in the first minute of the third period (F Myles Bell at 0:59). . . . Lockhart scored at 13:30 to force OT and then won it at 19:09 of the first extra-time period. . . . Seattle G Brandon Glover stopped 35 shots, 10 fewer than Kelowna’s Jordon Cooke. . . . D Jesse Forsberg and F Roberts Lipsbergs each had a goal and two assists for Seattle. . . . Lipsbergs assists came on Lockhart’s goals. . . . D Damon Severson scored once and added two assists for Kelowna.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (4):
F Travis Ewanyk, Edmonton
D Graeme Craig, Saskatoon
F Reid Petryk, Everett
F Blake Gal, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (1):
D Derrick Pouliot, Portland
———

From injured Tri-City Americans F Ryan Chynoweth (@RChynowethh): “Well the trek for my grandpas trophy starts today #game1 #playoffs13 #gotime”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Taggart Desmet (Calgary, 2000-01) signed a one-year contract extension with Meran/Merano (Italy, Serie A2). He had 23 goals and 45 assists in 41 games for Meran/Merano this season. Desmet led the league in assists, finished fifth in goals, and finished fourth in scoring.
———
JUST NOTES:
F Devin Oakes, 17, and F Deven Sideroff, 15, have joined the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Oakes, a list player from Prince Rupert, B.C., had 21 points in 32 games with the junior B Kamloops Storm before being injured. He will stay with the Blazers through the end of their season. . . . Sideroff, from Summerland, B.C., plays for the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton and will return there after the weekend. He has 55 points in 49 games. . . .

The Everett Silvertips have added three 15-year-olds, all selections in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . D Kevin Davis, a first-round selection, played for the major midget Kamloops-based Thompson Blazers, while F Matt Fonteyne, a third-round selection, was with the midget AAA Leduc, Alta., Oil Kings, and D Noah Juulsen, who was taken in the fourth round, played with the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds in the B.C. major midget league. Davis was signed to a WHL deal earlier this season and has played five games with Everett. The signings of Fonteyne and Juulsen were announced yesterday. . . . Fonteyne, from Wetaskiwin, Alta., had 34 points in 34 regular-season games with the Oil Kings. . . . Juulsen, from Abbotsford, B.C., had 25 points in 35 games. . . . As an aside, F Val Fonteyne, who played in the NHL from 1959-72 and also played in the WHA, is from Wetaskiwin. Feel free to drop a note to gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca if you know that Val and Matt are related.
----
With the start of the WHL playoffs only 10 days away, the Victoria Royals have placed G Patrik Polivka (undisclosed) on the injury list. Polivka last played on March 5 when he started and went 40 minutes in a 6-0 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops. Polivka stopped 17 of 22 shots in that one before being replaced by Coleman Vollrath to start the third period.
Since then, Vollrath has gone the distance in five straight games — a 4-3 shootout loss to the Rockets in Kelowna on March 6, a 5-3 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants on Friday, a 3-1 loss in Vancouver on Saturday, a 5-2 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Sunday, and a 4-1 loss to those same Winterhawks last night in Victoria.
The Royals have brought in G Michael Herringer, a ninth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft, to back up Vollrath. Herringer, who was on the bench last night, had been with the junior B Victoria Cougars.
Meanwhile, the Royals continue to be without veteran Russian F Alex Gogolev, who is their leading scorer.
Mario Annicchiarico of the Victoria Times Colonist reports today that “sources say (Gogolev) is about to undergo surgery and is done for the season. The team would not confirm that.”
The Royals are to open the first round of playoffs in Kamloops on March 22.
———
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)
———
TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice wrapped up the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot with a 3-1 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . While the Ice qualified for the playoffs for a 15th straight season, the Hurricanes will miss for the fourth straight season. . . . The Ice scored the game’s last three goals, with F Jaedon Descheneau tying the game, with his 28th goal, at 13:26 of the first and F Brock Montgomery, with his 31st, breaking the tie at 2:33 of the second. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart later scored his 32nd goal. . . . The Ice had lost its previous three games. . . . Kootenay is eighth, three points behind the seventh-place Medicine Hat Tigers. The Ice has three games remaining. . . .

In Edmonton, F Shane McColgan scored the only goal of the circus as the Saskatoon Blades got past the Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . The Oil Kings led this one 2-0 at 10:44 of the second period. . . . F Brenden Walker got the Blades on the board, with his 32nd goal, at 4:13 of the third, and McColgan tied it with his 19th at 8:31. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov stopped 39 shots. . . . Edmonton had won six straight. . . . F Dylan Wruck had a goal, his 22nd, and an assist for Edmonton, while D David Musil drew two assists. . . . The Oil Kings lead the Eastern Conference, with 104 points, 12 more than the Blades, who top the East Division. . . .

In Victoria, the Portland Winterhawks tied a WHL record with their 28th road victory of the season as they beat the Royals, 4-1. . . . Portland shares the record with the Calgary Hitmen (1999-2000) and Saskatoon Blades (2008-09). Portland has one road game remaining; it is to play the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Saturday. . . . The Winterhawks, with three games to play, are two points shy of the franchise record for points in one season (113) set in 1980-81. . . . Portland swept the four-game season series from Victoria. . . . F Ty Rattie scored a goal, his 45th, and added an assist for Portland. . . . Rattie and linemates Brendan Leipsic and Nic Petan each has 45 goals, as does Saskatoon's Josh Nicholls, and that leads the WHL. . . .Leipsic, who got his 45th goal last night, leads the WHL with 115 points, while Petan has 112 and Rattie 104. . . . The Winterhawks make a goaltending change halfway through the third period with reports indicating that starter Mac Carruth may have left with an injury. . . .

In Moose Jaw, G Justin Paulic stopped 31 shots to help the Warriors to a 5-0 victory over the Regina Pats. . . .  The shutout was the first of Paulic’s career. . . . D Morgan Rielly had three assists for Moose Jaw. . . . Rielly, the fifth overall selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2012 NHL draft, is expected to join the AHL’s Toronto Marlies once the Warriors’ season ends on the weekend. . . . Moose Jaw F Ben Duperreault scored his first WHL goal in his third game. . . . Moose Jaw F Jordan Messier sat out the second of a three-game suspension. I erroneously wrote here yesterday that he was done for the season. He had served one game by the time the WHL announced the suspension, so actually will be eligible to return for the Warriors’ final game. . . .

At Kent, Wash., F Luke Lockhart had a goal and two assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent) dumped the Tri-City Americans, 8-3. . . . The victory put the Thunderbirds into the playoffs for the first time after a three-year absence. . . . Seattle will clash with either the Portland Winterhawks or Kelowna Rockets in the first round. . . . Lockhart opened the scoring with his 24th goal, on a PP, just 1:18 into the game, then broke a 1-1 tie with a shorthanded goal at 8:39. . . . He’s got 25 goals this season. . . . F Connor Honey, F Seth Swenson and F Roberts Lipsbergs each added a goal and two assists for Seattle. . . . Seattle G Danny Mumaugh stopped 28 shots to get his first WHL victory. . . . G Austin Smith, who played for the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers, backed up Mumaugh with G Brandon Glover serving Game 1 of a two-game suspension. Smith got into 20 games with the Swift Current Broncos last season. . . .

In Calgary, F Cody Sylvester had a goal, his 39th, and two assists as the Hitmen doubled the Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-3. . . . Sylvester’s shorthanded goal at 15:50 of the second period gave Calgary a 4-2 lead. . . . F Victor Rask scored his 14th goal and added two assists for Calgary. . . . Medicine Hat got a goal and two assists from F Hunter Shinkaruk. The Calgary native has 35 goals. . . . F Logan McVeigh added two goals, giving him 18, and an assist for the Tigers. . . . Medicine Hat F Boston Leier was unsuccessful on a third-period penalty shot on Calgary G Chris Driedger, who stopped 31 shots. . . . The Tigers changed goaltenders at 13:06 of the second period, removing starter Cam Lanigan with an undisclosed injury and sending in Marek Langhamer. . . .

In Spokane, the Chiefs scored the game’s first five goals and then hung on for 6-4 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . F Mike Aviani gave the Chiefs a 5-0 lead at 1:50 of the third period. He’s got 30 goals. . . . The Cougars then scored four times in a span of 7:44 to get to within a goal. . . . Spokane F Alessio Bertaggia got an empty-netter at 18:07. . . . The Cougars got two goals from D Dan Gibb, giving him five, while F Colin Jacobs had three assists and F Zach Pochiro scored his 14th goal and added two helpers. . . . Spokane F Markson Bechtold scored his first WHL goal in his fourth game. . . . The Chiefs are fourth in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Tri-City Americans. Each has three games remaining and will play each other twice more. . . . The Cougars are four points out of the playoffs with three games remaining.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Harrison Harper, Lethbridge
F Jack Rodewald, Regina

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Jordan Fransoo, Victoria

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Ahh, let the speculation begin.
Jim Toth of Winnipeg radio station CJOB reported Sunday via Twitter that True North Sports and Entertainment, the owners of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, “recently met with a #WHL franchise about purchasing the team & bringing it to #Winnipeg.”
The second half of Toth’s tweet read: “#TNSE deal for #WHL franchise did not work out, they are not currently searching for a team. Door is left open for the future.”
Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press reported: “True North spokesman Scott Brown would not discuss the matter, saying only the organization would not be addressing the report.”
Lawless also quoted Kelly McCrimmon, the owner and general manager of the Brandon Wheat Kings: “Certainly Winnipeg could be on the radar at some point given that the model has worked well in Calgary and Edmonton. It did not however come up at our recent board of governor meetings."
The WHL’s board of governors met in Las Vegas on Feb. 11 and 12.
———
The Tri-City Herald’s Best of the West poll results are right here. The most interesting part of it? A quarter of the participants left blank the part asking for the name of the WHL’s top referee.
———
The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton vs. Lethbridge
Saskatoon vs. Swift Current
Calgary vs. Medicine Hat
Prince Albert vs Red Deer

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland vs. Everett
Kelowna vs. Seattle
Kamloops vs. Victoria
Spokane vs. Tri-City
———
SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, F Michael St. Croix scored twice and added an assist as the Oil Kings dropped the Victoria Royals, 5-2. . . . The Oil Kings surrendered the game’s first two goals. . . . The Royals now have lost four in a row. . . . St. Croix, who has 30 goals, now has 299 career regular-season points in 267 games. . . . F Curtis Lazar also got his 30th goal for the Oil Kings. . . . F Brandon Magee, who is from Edmonton, drew two assists for Victoria, while F Steven Hodges had a goal, his 25th, and an assist. . . . G Michael Herringer made his WHL debut with the Royals, replacing Coleman Vollrath after Edmonton’s fifth goal. Herringer was brought in from the junior B Victoria Cougars to back up Vollrath after starter Patrick Polivka was injured in Red Deer on Friday. . . . Herringer faced just one shot in 13 minutes. . . .

In Calgary, F Victor Rask drew three assists as the Hitmen dumped the Regina Pats, 5-2. . . . Calgary F Zane Jones scoerd twice, giving him 20. He hadn’t scored in his previous nine games. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart scored his 25th goal in his 53rd game. The 19-year-old from Vernon, B.C., had 25 goals in 70 games last season. . . . Calgary F Colten Mayor, who hadn’t scored in 14 games since being acquired from Regina on Jan. 10, finally broke the ice with his 13th goal of the season. . . . The Hitmen have won seven in a row on home ice. . . . F Morgan Klimchuk and F Lane Scheidl each scored his 30th goal for Regina. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Luke Lockhart scored a shorthanded goal at 1:56 of OT to give the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent) a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Lockhart has 17 goals. . . . F Alex Delnov, with his 19th, gave Seattle a 1-0 lead on the PP at 4:32 of the second period. . . . F Brendan Rouse tied it at 19:11, with his 11th. Rouse, 20, was waived by Seattle on Jan. 10 and picked up by Vancouver. . . . The Giants needed extra time for a third straight game — they won one of those, beating host Seattle 3-2 on Friday. . . . Seattle now has sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Everett Silvertips.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From former Tri-City Americans F Patrick Holland (@PattyShwayz): “Every so often you get a fortunate combination of bread and cheese to create the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Today I have been blessed.”
Holland, 20, has 14 points in 47 games as a freshman professional with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Eric Schneider (Tri-City, 1995-96) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL). He had two goals and 10 assists in 10 games with the Bentley Generals (Alberta, Chinook Senior) this season. Last season, Schneider had 16 goals and 30 assists in 52 games with Munich (Germany, DEL), where he was an alternate captain. . . .

F Eric Johansson (Tri-City, 1997-2002) signed a contract for the rest of this season with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan) after being released a few days ago by Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had six goals and 23 assists in 41 games with Alba Volan this season. Västerås GM Niklas Johansson (no relation): “He's a two-way centre with a good drive and lovely set-up skills who can also play wing. We need to lift our offensive game and therefore it feels good to be able to snag a player like Eric.” Johansson has dual Canadian and Swedish citizenship so he doesn’t count as an import.
———
On my list of today’s best sports writers, two names are atop the list. There are Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post and Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail, and then there is everyone else.
They are essayists, wordsmiths . . . who regularly provide readers with the best they’ve got.
I mention this because Boswell spent a lot of time covering Earl Weaver when he really was the Earl of Baltimore. Weaver died Saturday at the age of 82, and Boswell came up with this piece right here.
———
The headline reads: Las Vegas Hooker Rear Ended.
The story, involving a player from a Mountain West Hockey League team, is right here.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, F Trevor Cheek and F Curtis Lazar each scored his 20th goal as the Oil Kings beat the Prince George Cougars, 6-1. . . . The Oil Kings erased a 1-0 first-period deficit with the game’s next three goals — they scored at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded — and took a 3-1 lead into the third period. . . . The first two periods included a combined 13 power-play opportunities. There was one minor penalty called in the third. . . . Edmonton F Edgars Kulda scored his fifth goal. His folks from Latvia were in the crowd. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson scored twice for Edmonton, giving him 24 goals. . . . Among the Cougars scratches was D Marc McNulty (undisclosed). . . . The Oil Kings, who had lost their previous two games, are back atop the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the idle Calgary Hitmen. . . .

In Vancouver, F Josh Winquist scored three times to lead the Everett Silvertips to a 4-0 victory over the Giants. . . . Winquist, who also had an assist, has 21 goals. . . . Everett G Daniel Cotton stopped 31 shots for his second shutout of the season, both against Vancouver. . . . The Silvertips swept a three-game weekend; earlier, they beat Seattle and Lethbridge at home. . . . Everett is 5-0-0 against Vancouver this season. . . . Everett F Manraj Hayer drew three assists. He’s from Vancouver and was celebrating his 19th birthday. . . .

In Kent, Wash., Lethbridge G Ty Rimmer stopped 54 shots through OT but gave up a goal in the circus and his Lethbridge Hurricanes dropped a 6-5 decision to the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent). . . . Seattle F Luke Lockhart, who shot first, scored the only goal of the shootout. . . . Seattle has won twice in as many nights after losing 15 in a row. . . . Lethbridge led 3-1 in the second period, only to have Seattle come back with four straight goals. . . . The Hurricanes trailed 5-3 in the third period. D Adam Henry got them to within one at 6:45. F Jaimon Yakubowski forced OT with his 26th goal at 16:18 of the third. . . . Seattle lost F Branden Troock late in the second period with an apparent shoulder injury after he went heavily into the boards. He didn’t return. . . . Lethbridge was playing its third game in as many nights and dressed only 16 skaters. It was missing six regulars. D Albin Blomqvist, D Dan Johnston, F Reid Duke, F Josh Derko and F Russell Maxwell all are hurt, while D Joel Topping was writing exams. . . .

In Medicine Hat, G Cam Lanigan stopped 26 shots as the Tigers beat the Red Deer Rebels, 3-0. . . . Lanigan, 20, has three career shutouts, all of them this season. He had one with Portland before joining the Tigers. . . . F Hunter Shinkaruk scored the game’s first goal, his 26th, at 10:51 of the second period. . . . Shinkaruk had sat out for a week with the flu. F Miles Koules now is ill and didn’t play. . . . F Curtis Valk, with his 27th, and F Logan McVeigh, with his 13th, also scored. . . .  The Tigers swept a three-game weekend, as they also won in Edmonton and beat visiting Calgary. The Tigers beat Edmonton 2-1 and Calgary 4-0. . . . Medicine Hat is seventh in the Eastern Conference, but just six points behind the fourth-place Rebels. . . . Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer are running 1-2-3 in the Central Division.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Martin Gernat, Edmonton
F Alex Delnov, Seattle
F Tyler Wong, Lethbridge

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Brandon Baddock, Edmonton
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From Portland F Brendan Leipsic (@leip28): “I eat because I’m unhappy, I’m unhappy because I eat.”


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