F Petr Vala (Seattle, 1997-98) signed a one-year contract extension with Zell am See (Austria, Inter-National-League). He had 22 goals and 26 assists in 23 games to finish third in league scoring this season. Vala also was captain of Zell am See this season. . . .
F Robin Soudek (Edmonton, Chilliwack/Victoria, 2008-12) requested and was granted his release by Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and one assist in 11 games this season before suffering a knee injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season. Soudek signed a two-year contract with the club last summer but asked for his release so he can return to Canada and go to school.———
F Justin Feser of the Tri-City Americans is the Western Conference’s player of the year. . . . . Feser, from Red Deer, completed his WHL eligibility this season and now is with the AHL’s Portland Pirates. . . . He finished his final season with 106 points, including 44 goals, in 72 games. He had 40 more points than Tri-City’s second-leading scorer. . . . He also set a WHL record by playing in 321 consecutive regular-season games. . . . Feser is the third Tri-City player to be so honoured in the last five years – F Brendan Shinnimin was saluted last season, while F Colton Yellowhorn was the pick in 2008. . . . F Adam Lowry of the Swift Current Broncos was named the Eastern Conference’s player of the year on Wednesday.———
On Wednesday, Wade Klippenstein, the Prince George Cougars’ assistant GM and director of player personnel, tweeted this from @CoachKlipp: “One more day, then off to see the best 1998 born players BC has to offer. #WHLBantamDraft13 #Bcbestever @BCHockey_Source”On Thursday morning, Klippenstein tweeted: “Thanks to everyone involved with the PG Cougars Its been a wonderful 6 years. Best of luck to all down the road. #Thanks”
Later in the day, the Cougars issued a press release that began: “Prince George Cougars General Manager Dallas Thompson has accepted the resignation of Assistant General Manager/Director of Player Personnel Wade Klippenstein effective immediately.”
Thompson found out about the resignation via an email from Klippenstein.
Klippenstein had spent the last four seasons as the assistant GM and director of player personnel.
Julie Stewart-Binks of CTV in Regina (@JSB_CTV) tweeted: “Klippenstein says he resigned over ‘philosophical differences’, but has no ill will toward anyone.”
All of this comes with the WHL’s bantam draft looming on the horizon. It is scheduled for May 2 in Calgary.
———
G Luke Siemens, who played out his eligibility with the Prince Albert Raiders, has committed to the U of Alberta Golden Bears. Seimens, from Delta, B.C., had a 2.89 GAA and a .912 save percentage this season and was named the Raiders’ MVP in the regular season and playoffs. . . . He also played with the Prince George Cougars, Everett Silvertips and Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .———
The Allan Cup semifinals in Red Deer will feature the Kenora, Ont., Thistles against the host Bentley Generals, while the Rosetown Redwings will meet the Clarenville, Nfld., Caribous. . . . Kenora advanced with an 8-2 victory over the Fort St. John Flyers on Thursday, while Rosetown dumped the Stony Plain Eagles, 4-1. . . . Former WHLers J.J. Hunter and Casey Lee each scored twice for Rosetown. . . . And how about Kenora D Mike Garrow, who is vice-principal at H.J. Cody High School in Sylvan Lake, Alta.? Danny Rode of the Red Deer Advocate reports that Garrow “flies to Kenora throughout the season to play weekend games with the Thistles,” whose roster comprises “players he grew up with and played with at the junior level.”———
They’re playing musical franchises in the AHL and the season isn’t even over. . . .On Thursday, the AHL’s board of governors approved the relocation of the Houston Aeros to Des Moines, Iowa. The franchise is affiliated with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and will be known as the Iowa Wild.
The board also OK’d the sale of the Peoria Rivermen from the St. Louis Blues to the owners of the Vancouver Canucks. According to an AHL news release: “No determination has been made relative to the operation of the franchise for the 2013-14 season.”
However, there is ample speculation that the franchise will be relocated to Abbotsford, B.C. The Calgary Flames, who own the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat, are said to be moving that franchise to Utica, N.Y.
Meanwhile, the Canucks also have an affiliation with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, with their two-year agreement ending after this season.
———
The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Calgary leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
Series opens tonight in Portland.
———
THURSDAY’S GAME:
In Edmonton, F Brady Brassart scored at 1:44 of OT to give the Calgary Hitmen a 3-2 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . Brassart has seven playoff goals, having scored three times in each of Calgary’s previous series-opening games. . . . Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 33 shots, while Edmonton’s Laurent Brossoit turned aside 16. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson forced OT with his seventh goal of the playoffs, on the PP, at 13:05 of the third period. His father, former NHLer Ulf Samuelsson, was in the stands. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar hit the crossbar just 13 seconds into OT. . . . The Oil Kings didn’t give up even one PP goal over their first two series. The Hitmen, however, scored on their first PP opportunity, taking a 2-0 lead on a goal by F Zach Jones at 3:32 of the second period. . . . The Hitmen were outshot 10-3 in the first period but scored on their first shot, by F Victor Rask, just 85 seconds in. . . . Rask has at least one point in each of Calgary’s 11 playoff games. . . . Calgary F Jake Virtanen, the first overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, had two assists. . . . F Trevor Cheek, who began his WHL career with Calgary in 2010-11, got Edmonton on the board at 13:42 of the second. . . . F Dylan Wruck had two assists for Calgary. . . . The Hitmen have played five road games in these playoffs and each one has gone to OT. They are 3-2 in those games. . . . It also was Calgary’s franchise-record sixth OT game of these playoffs. . . . Amazingly, the teams hadn’t played each other since concluding their regular-season series on Dec. 18.———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (16):
None
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (5):
None
———
From Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones (@sunterryjones): “Not huge crowd for Oil Kings-Hitmen. Thursday night a killer for family crowd? Backlash on Kevin Lowe comments? Series being shown on SHAW?”
———
From the Edmonton Journal’s Evan Daum (@evandaum): “6,337 in attendance tonight. Smallest Edmonton playoff crowd since Game 4 of 2011 conf. quarters. 5,938 watched Red Deer win 5-1 that night”
There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
on Wednesday night that he has “committed to Boston College.”
G Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans, who was shot down earlier this year because of hip problems, has undergone two surgical procedures and is well on the road to recovery.
In Brandon, D Brycen Martin scored at 1:05 of OT to give the Swift Current Broncos a 3-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . The Wheat Kings trailed 2-0 in the first period, but tied it on goals by F Quintin Lisoway, his second, at 8:07 of the second, and F Taylor Cooper, his ninth, at 14:26 of the third, on a PP. . . . Martin has two goals this season. . . . The night’s results mean the Wheat Kings won’t be in the playoffs for the first time since the spring of 2000 and only the second time since 1992. . . . The Broncos, seventh in the Eastern Conference, are two points behind Medicine Hat and a point ahead of Kootenay. . . . 
In Medicine Hat, G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 42 shots as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Tigers, 2-0. . . . Skapski has seven shutouts this season, including two in a row. He put up four shutouts in February. . . . F Brock Montgomery scored his 28th goal at 4:07 of the first, on a PP, while F Levi Cable got his 12th into an empty net at 19:49 of the third. . . . Tigers G Cam Lanigan stopped 38 shots. . . . Skapski is tied for the WHL lead in shutouts with Portland’s Mac Carruth and Saskatoon’s Andrey Makarov. . . . The Ice, which at one time was last in the overall standings, has won 22 of its last 28 games. . . . The Tigers are sixth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Red Deer. . . . The Ice, eighth in the conference, stayed five points ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . .
In Calgary, F Nathan Burns scored in the circus to give the Saskatoon Blades a 3-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . The Blades have won 17 straight games. . . . Saskatoon GM/head coach Lorne Molleken now has 599 WHL coaching victories. Saskatoon is at home to Brandon on Friday. . . . Burns was the only one of 10 shooters to score in the shootout. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart scored his 27th goal at 13:11 of the third period to force OT. . . . F Brett Stovin scored twice for Saskatoon, giving him nine goals, while F Lukas Sutter had two assists. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov made 46 saves. He leads the WHL with 34 victories. . . . This was Saskatoon’s 40th victory of the season, the fifth straight winter in which the Blades have gotten there. . . . The Blades lead the East Division by seven points over Prince Albert. In the overall standings, Saskatoon is two points behind Calgary, although the Hitmen hold a game in hand. . . . 
In Portland, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game's last three goals and beat the Winterhawks, 4-3. . . . It was the first meeting of these teams since the Oil Kings beat the Winterhawks in a seven-game championship final last spring. . . . Edmonton F Dylan Wruck, who missed that series with an injury, got his side to within one, at 3-2, with his 20th goal at 19:57 of the second period. . . . Edmonton F Trevor Cheek tied it with his 27th at 1:23 of the third. . . . The winner went to F Michael St. Croix, who got his 33rd, on a PP, at 18:57. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 26 shots, while Portland’s Mac Carruth turned aside 38. . . . Portland D Troy Rutkowski scored his 20th goal of the season, tying Saskatoon’s Darren Dietz and Spokane’s Brenden Kichton for the lead among defencemen. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had two assists, giving him 97 points and moving him into third in the scoring race. Linemates Brendan Leipsic (111), Nic Petan (109) and Rattie are 1-2-3 in the points derby. . . . Petan scored his 44th goal, tying Leipsic for the league lead in that department. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson was ejected with a spearing major at 18:01 of the first. . . . D Derrick Pouliot (ankle) wasn’t in the Winterhawks’ lineup. I have been told that he will play Saturday in Everett. . . . Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal won a Memorial Cup with the Winterhawks in 1982-83. . . . Portland leads the overall standings by 10 points over Edmonton. . . . 
In Kamloops, F Brendan Rouse scored twice as the Vancouver Giants beat the Blazers, 5-3. . . . The Blazers outshot the Giants 19-8 in the first period and took a 1-0 lead into the second. But the Giants held a 30-18 edge in shots the rest of the way. . . . Rouse broke a 2-2 tie at 5:53 of the third period and later added his 14th goal of the season on a PP. . . . F Cain Franson added his 26th goal for the Giants, who beat Kamloops for the first time in seven tries this season. . . . Vancouver G Jared Rathjen stopped 34 shots. . . . The loss prevented the Blazers from closing on the B.C. Division-leading Kelowna Rockets, who are at home to the Seattle Thunderbirds in tonight’s only game. . . . The Rockets are five points ahead of Kamloops and hold a game in hand. . . . Kamloops and Kelowna will play each other three times next week. . . . 
In Everett, D Brenden Kichton scored twice to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-1 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Kichton has 20 goals this season. . . . His 19th goal broke a 1-1 tie on a PP with 0.5 seconds left in the first period. . . . Spokane F Todd Fiddler got his 40th goal in the second period. . . . Spokane F Blake Gal, who has been playing some defence to cover for injuries, had two assists. . . . Everett holds down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. It is five points ahead of the Prince George Cougars. . . . The fifth-place Chiefs are one point behind the Tri-City Americans.
In Portland, G Mac Carruth was writing records again as the Winterhawks blanked the Spokane Chiefs, 4-0. . . . Carruth stopped 26 shots as he set a single-season franchise record with his sixth shutout. Lanny Ramage had set the record of five in 2000-01. . . . It also was Carruth’s 10th career shutout, extending his franchise record. . . . The Winterhawks also extended the team franchise record with this season’s 11th shutout. . . . As well, D Troy Rutkowski played in his 221st straight game, tying D Andrew Ference for the franchise’s iron man record. Ference set the record by playing from Feb. 18, 1995 through Oct. 11, 1998. . . . Rutkowski has played in 332 regular-season games. . . . F Taylor Leier got the game’s first goal, his 20th, at 14”22 of the first period. . . . Portland held a 21-1 edge in shots in the opening period. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic scored twice, giving him 36 goals this season and moving him into a tie for the WHL lead with teammate Nic Petan and F Colin Smith of Kamloops. . . . Petan, the WHL’s points leader, was held of the score sheet and now holds a three-point lead, 93-90, over Leipsix. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie also was blanked and had his 15-game point streak ended. . . .
In Saskatoon, F Michael Ferland scored three times to lead the Blades to a 4-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Saskatoon now has won four in a row. . . . Ferland, who also had an assist, broke a 1-1 tie with his second goal at 6:01 of the second and later added an empty-netter. He’s got six goals now. . . . Ferland was playing in his 200th regular-season game. . . . The Broncos have followed a seven-game winning streak by dropping three of four. . . .
In Brandon, F Jayce Hawryluk scored twice to help the Wheat Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Hawryluk, who has 15 goals, also scored twice Friday in Brandon’s 3-2 loss in Regina. After his first goal last night, he had been in on seven consecutive Brandon goals, scoring five of them. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock drew five assists for his first career five-point night. . . . Brandon lost D Tyler Yaworski to a headshot major that took Regina D Luke Fenske out of the game. . . .
In Prince George, F Alex Gogolev scored the lone goal of the circus as the Victoria Royals beat the Cougars, 2-1. . . . The Cougars had beaten the Royals 6-2 on Friday. . . . Gogolev gave Victoria a 1-0 lead with his 19th goal at 5:41 of the second period. . . . D Dallas Ehrhardt got his fifth to tie it at 18:26 of the third. . . . Gogolev was the seventh shooter in a four-round shootout. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka stopped 38 shots through OT. . . .
In Everett, F JC Lipon scored once in regulation time and again in the circus as the Kamloops Blazers got past the Silvertips, 3-2. . . . Everett D Landon Oslanski forced OT with his 12th goal, via the PP, at 11:54 of the second. . . . Lipon was the only scorer in a shootout that went four rounds. . . . Kamloops F Colin Smith scored his 36th goal. He has goals in five straight games. . . . Everett was able to dress only 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . On top of the injuries they had going into the weekend, Everett was without F Tyler Sandhu, who was injured in Friday’s 2-1 shootout loss to visiting Tri-City, and F Kohl Bauml (ill). . . . Of the 18 players Everett dressed last night, 12 were freshmen. . . . The teams meet again Thursday in Kamloops. . . .
In Kelowna, G Jordon Cooke stopped 22 shots to lead the Rockets to a 5-0 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Rockets had beaten the host Giants 5-1 on Friday. . . . Cooke has five shutouts, all this season. . . . The Rockets won their 23rd straight home game, one shy of a franchise record set in 1994-95 when the team played out of Tacoma. . . . F Myles Bell scored twice, giving him 31, and added an assist, while F Colton Sissons had three assists and now has an 11-game point streak. . . . The Rockets scored two shorthanded goals and one on the PP. . . .
In Kent, Wash., F Justin Feser scored the game’s last two goals as the Tri-City Americans beat the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent), 4-3, in overtime. . . . Feser tied the game at 18:27 of the third period and won it 27 seconds into OT. . . . Tri-City’s captain has 29 goals this season. . . . Americans G Luke Lee-Knight turned aside 32 shots.
Posts
