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F Petr Kalus (Regina, 2005-06) has been released by the Nottingham Panthers (England, UK Elite). He had one assist in four games. Earlier in the season, he was pointless in three games with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). . . .
F Adam Courchaine (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, 2001-05) has been released by Székesfehérvár (Hungary, Erste Bank Liga) by mutual agreement. He had five goals and five assists in 16 games.
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Sad day. RIP Marek Svatos. God bless my friend. #HockeyIsFamily— Robert (Bob) Tory (@BTORY) November 6, 2016
Nov. 6, 2001 - 15 years ago today, Marek Svatos scored the 3rd & 4th @WHLKootenayICE goals in a 4-3 win over Moose Jaw— WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) November 6, 2016
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Like a number of other hockey people, Jeff Chynoweth, the president and general manager of the Kootenay Ice, spent Sunday reflecting on the life of Marek Svatos.
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| Marek Svatos, here with the Colorado Avalanche, died on the weekend at the age of 34. (Photo: nhl.com) |
Svatos, who played for the Memorial Cup-champion Ice in 2001-02, was found dead on Saturday. Svatos died in Lone Tree, Colo., near Denver. He was 34.
According to the Denver Post:
“Lone Tree police responded to Svatos’ home on Bluffmont Street after a family member called shortly after midnight for medical aid, Sgt. Ryan Gallegos said Sunday. He didn’t divulge details of the call.
“A cause of death had not been confirmed as of Sunday afternoon.”
From Kosice, Slovakia, Svatos, who was selected by the Ice in the CHL’s 2000 import draft, played two seasons (2000-02) with the Ice, totalling 118 points, including 61 goals, in 92 games. In his second season, he put up 77 points, 38 of them goals, in 53 games.
He played 32 playoff games with Kootenay, scoring 19 goals and adding eight assists. In four Memorial Cup games, he had a goal and four assists.
“The news of his passing has hit the Ice family hard,” Chynoweth told Taking Note on Sunday morning, adding that he already had heard from a few former teammates. “It’s so sad. He gone way too young.”
Asked about his memories of Svatos, Chynoweth replied: “He always had a smile on his face.”
Svatos came over to Cranbrook after being drafted, but wasn’t able to play immediately for the Ice as his club team in Slovakia, HC Kosice, wouldn’t release him.
“We had to get a court injunction to get him released from his contract back home,” Chynoweth said. “But he made an immediate impact for us when he was cleared to play. He loved to score goals and went to the hard areas of the ice to do that. He was a great talent and teammate.”
En route to the Memorial Cup title, the Ice ran up against the Prince George Cougars in the first round. The Ice, then in the B.C. Division, had finished 38-27-0, two points behind the division-champion Kamloops Blazers and four ahead of the Cougars (34-27-2).
“Marek’s battles with (Prince George defenceman) Dan Hamhuis . . . stick out as another defining moment as they went tooth-and-nail against each other all series,” Chynoweth said. “Marek was tough as nails and played through shoulder and ankle injuries through our run to the Memorial Cup.”
Svatos went on to play 344 NHL games, all but 28 of them with the Colorado Avalanche, and put up 172 points, including 100 goals. His career was short-circuited by shoulder and knee injuries.
Svatos is survived by his wife, Diana, and two children.
Former Kootenay Ice (@WHLKootenayICE) player Marek Svatos passes away: https://t.co/IDB73Z5qYB pic.twitter.com/3A3nhkHXSQ— CranbrookTownsman (@CranTownsman) November 7, 2016
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Imagine the surprise on Mark Ferner’s face when the general manager and head coach of the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers discovered a stranger in the team’s dressing room prior to a game in Duncan, B.C., on Friday night.
“I asked who he was and what he was doing there,” Ferner told the Vernon Morning Star.
What happened next?
“He ran and I chased him,” Ferner said.
Ferner’s players were out and about on a pre-game run prior to playing the Cowichan Valley Capitals.
“They jumped on him and got their cash and jewellery back,” Ferner said. “He was 16 and the police know him.”
Later, the Vipers watched a 2-0 lead disappear as they lost, 5-2, to the Capitals.
The Morning Star’s story is right here.
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SUNDAY’S GAME:
Brutal stretch for @pdxwinterhawks. 8 straight losses, all were 1-goal games in the last 2 minutes.— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) November 7, 2016
At Portland, G Rylan Parenteau blocked 44 shots in leading the Tri-City Americans to a 3-2 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Tri-City overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit. . . . F Jake Gricius (2) and F Ryan Hughes (6) scored for Portland. . . . Tri-City F Kyle Olson started the comeback with his sixth goal at 8:45 of the second period. . . . The Americans tied it at 5:25 of the third period when F Michael Rasmussen counted his WHL-leading 16th goal on a PP. . . . The game-winner came from F Parker AuCoin, his seventh goal this season, at 11:14 of the third period. . . . Parenteau is 6-2-1, 3.57, .900 since the Americans acquired him from the Prince Albrert Raiders. This was his 50th regular-season victory. . . . G Cole Kehler turned aside 28 shots for Portland. . . . Tri-City was 1-3 on the PP; Portland was 0-4. . . . The Americans (12-6-1) have won four in a row. . . . The Winterhawks (8-11-0) have lost eight straight. . . . Announced attendance: 5,856.
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LEADERS
POINTS: F Sam Steel, Regina, F Mason Shaw, Medicine Hat, each 28; F Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane, 26; F Chad Butcher, Medicine Hat, 25; F Cody Glass, Portland, each 25.
GOALS: F Michael Rasmussen, Tri-City, 16; Steel, F Tyler Steenbergen, Swift Current, each 14; Yamamoto, F Zak Zborosky, Kootenay, each 13.
ASSISTS: Shaw, 23; F Brayden Burke, Lethbridge, Butcher, Glass, each 18; D Chase Harrison, Regina, F Steve Owre, Medicine Hat, F Aleksi Heponiemi, Swift Current, each 16.
VICTORIES: Nick Schneider, Medicine Hat, 11; Ty Edmonds, Prince George, Griffen Outhouse, Victoria, each 10; Carter Hart, Everett, Michael Herringer, Kelowna, each 9.
GAA: Hart, 1.89; Connor Ingram, Kamloops, 2.01; Ty Edmonds, Prince George, 2.29; Logan Flodell, Saskatoon, 2.34; Cody Porter, Calgary, 2.46.
SAVE %: Ingram, .937; Flodell, .932; Hart, .926; Edmonds, .921; Outhouse, Porter, Ian Scott, Prince Albert, each .920.
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MONDAY’S GAMES (all times local):
No Games Scheduled.
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involved in the bidding process. The home of the NHL’s Lightning has officially submitted its bid to USA Hockey, which will choose the host city. . . . Should Tampa Bay be the host city, Amalie Arena, the Lightning’s home arena, would be the primary site, with perhaps Germain Arena in Estero, Fla., the home of the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, as a secondary site. . . . Tampa Bay was the host city for the NCAA’s Frozen Four in 2012 and that even is scheduled to be held there again in 2016. . . . In mid-June, the Arizona Coyotes announced that they wouldn’t be bidding for the 2018 WJC, after earlier revealing that they were interested. . . . Also believed to be interested in bidding are Buffalo, Detroit and Pittsburgh. . . . The WJC has been held in the U.S. on six occasions: Minneapolis (1982), Anchorage (1989), Boston (1996), Grand Forks (2005) and Buffalo (2011). . . . The 2016 tournament is scheduled for Helsinki, Finland, with the 2017 event in Montreal and Toronto.
The NHL’s Florida Panthers made some organizational changes on Thursday, including the promotion of Scott Luce from director of scouting to director of player personnel. . . . The Panthers also announced that Brian Skrudland’s contract as director of player development wouldn’t be renewed. Skrudland is a former WHL player (Saskatoon, 1980-83). . . . The Panthers’ news release is 
Mark Ferner is going to coach his son, Mac, for the first time in 2015-16. The BCHL’s Vernon Vipers have acquired the younger Ferner from the West Kelowna Warriors in a deal that had D Mitch Meek go to the Prince George Spruce Kings and the rights to F Luke Harrison end up with West Kelowna. . . . Mac Ferner, who is heading into his 20-year-old season, had two goals and nine assists in 49 games last season; Meek, who will be 19, had 16 points in 50 games with Vernon. . . . Harrison, who is preparing for his 20-year-old season, is from West Kelowna. He is on the roster of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. He had 23 points, 12 of them goals, in 69 games last season. . . . Mark Ferner left the Blazers early last season — he was associate coach under Don Hay — to return to Vernon as the Vipers’ GM and head coach. Ferner has yet to coach his son at any level.
don't earn the minimum wage, whatever that might be in each jurisdiction. The CHL, meanwhile, claims that its players are student-athletes and that there is far more to their pay than money. 
In Regina, the Portland Winterhawks scored two PP goals and another shorthanded as they beat the Pats, 3-1. . . . The Winterhawks were 2-4 on the PP. . . . F Skyler McKenzie gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with his first goal, shorthanded, at 12:30 of the first period. . . . McKenzie ended up with a charging major at 19:49 of the third period. . . . The Winterhawks are 2-1-0 on their East Division swing. . . . The Winterhawks, who play the Broncos tonight in Swift Current, may be in a bit of a quandary with their goaltending. Starter Brendan Burke left in the third period last night after appearing to tweak something while make a save. Bolton Pouliot, who came over from Kamloops last week, came off the bench to finish up. Aden Hill, Portland's other goaltender, showed up on the injured list Tuesday; he's out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. . . . Burke finished with 24 saves on 25 shots and was selected as second star. Pouliot, who came on at 3:42 of the third period, stopped 10 shots. . . . 
In Prince Albert, the Raiders scored the game's last three goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 3-2. . . . F Jayden Hart got the winner at 13:43 of the third period. . . . The Ice led 2-0 on F River Beattie's first goal at 8:10 of the first period. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride stopped 28 shots. . . . The Raiders have won two straight after losing five in a row. . . . The Ice remains without F Tim Bozon, who is sidelined with an undisclosed injury, but did get F Vince Loschiavo back after a four-game absence with an undisclosed injury. . . . With F Colton McCarthy and F Dakota Conroy having left the team, Raiders head coach Cory Clouston had to do some line juggling. Left with 11 forwards, he also had to move a defenceman up front. . . . Jeff D’Andrea of panow.com has the game story 
on Friday at the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Awards gala. The Tigers were presented with the the 2014 Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce Southeast Alberta Shines Award, an award that used to be known as the Tourism Award of Distinction. The award, according to a news release, “recognizes a business, organization or group that has demonstrated outstanding achievement in putting Medicine Hat and/or Southeast Alberta 'on the map' as a great place to live, work and/or visit.” Dave Andjelic, the Tigers’ senior director, marketing and public relations, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
The Swift Current Broncos got down to the maximum three 20-year-olds by placing F Andrew Johnson and D Stephen Shmoorkoff on waivers. . . . That left the Broncos with F Carter Rigby, F Colby Cave and F Coda Gordon as their 1994-born players. . . . Johnson, from Saskatoon, got his walking papers on his 20th birthday. A second-round pick by Moose Jaw in the 2009 bantam draft, he also has played for the Warriors and Seattle Thunderbirds. In 262 regular-season games, he has 102 points, including 44 goals. . . . Shmoorkoff, from Edmonton, turned 20 on Sunday. He played the first 40 games of his WHL career with the Edmonton Oil Kings. In 95 career games, he had seven points, including one goal.
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix tweeted Tuesday night that F Gage Ramsay had left the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers and was bound for the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. . . . On Wednesday morning, the Giants issued a news release stating that Ramsay “has been added to the club’s active roster.” . . . Ramsay, from Saskatoon, was a third-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He turned 16 on Wednesday. Last season, with the midget AAA Notre Dame Argos, Ramsay had 45 points, 20 of them goals, in 35 games. This season, he had three points in three games with the Blazers. According to Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province, Ramsay had left the Giants during their training camp in order to play midget hockey.
Earlier, it was mentioned here that the Saskatoon Blades had posted the 1,600th victory in franchise history and that it came in game No. 3,507. . . . Les Lazaruk, the Blades’ long-time (that just means he’s getting old!) radio voice, checks in with some clarifying numbers:
D Jason Fram, the captain of the Spokane Chiefs, addressed the crowd prior to a game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday night. Fram, on behalf of his teammates, apologized for the inappropriate actions of a few teammates during the national anthem prior to Friday's game against visiting Seattle. . . . In that incident, players who were scratched from the lineup apparently made some inappropriate comments during the anthem. . . . Spokane general manager Tim Speltz addressed the issue prior to the Chiefs' 2-1 victory over the Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Tuesday. Speltz appeared on Spokane radio, explained what actions the team has taken and issued a broad apology.
fourth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft.
The Kamloops Blazers have their roster at 27, including three goaltenders and eight defencemen, after releasing two veterans -- D Austin Douglas, 18, and F Nathan Looysen, 18 -- on Monday. . . . The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Douglas, from Winnipeg, was acquired last season from the Seattle Thunderbirds, who had selected him in the second round of the 2011 bantam draft. Last season, he had one assist in 13 games with Seattle and one goal in 22 games with Kamloops. . . . Looysen, from Saanichton, B.C., had two goals and seven assists in 57 games as a freshman with the Blazers.
The Prince George Cougars got down to 29 players, including three goaltenders, by releasing six players on Monday. That included veteran G Adam Beukeboom, 20, who had been acquired from the Vancouver Giants on Jan. 9 for a seventh-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. . . . Beukeboom, who played in 19 games with the Regina Pats in 2011-12, was 5-8-0/4.25/,887 in 14 appearances with the Cougars last season. . . . As a 20-year-old this season, Beukeboom was up against it as Ty Edmonds, 18, is expected to be the Cougars’ starter. Beukeboom, who is from Sundre, Alta., played only 29 minutes in the exhibition season and stopped all 18 shots he faced. . . . The move leaves the Cougars with Edmonds, Matt Kustra, 17, and Tavin Grant, 16, as their goaltenders.
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