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

D Nick Ross (Regina, Kamloops, Vancouver, 2004-09) has signed a one-year extension with Innsbruck (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he has eight goals and 26 assists in 54 games. . . .
F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) has signed a one-year extension with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). In 40 games this season, he has eight goals and 24 assists.
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The WHL was featured in a story on the front page of Thursday’s Seattle Times. That would be the front page of the newspaper, not the front sports page.
The story, by Walker Orenstein of the Times, details the WHL’s dealings with Washington state politicians as it attempts to get an exemption from some labor laws, such as having to pay minimum wage to its players.
“In Olympia, discourse has been one-sided,” Orenstein writes. “House Bill 1930 and Senate Bill 5893 — backed by a bipartisan coalition that includes pro-labor Democrats — passed the House Labor Committee unanimously and the Senate’s Commerce and Labor Committee without any ‘no’ votes. No opponents testified at either committee hearing. SB 5893 won Senate approval Tuesday by a 47-0 vote.”
It would seem, then, that the WHL will end up getting the exemption it wants.
In an interview with Orenstein, WHL commissioner Ron Robison said: “The new bill will provide the clarity that will remove the uncertainty for our clubs moving forward.”
Orenstein added: “Robison had no estimate of how much paying minimum wage would cost the league. He said at a Senate hearing that before factoring in the cost of paying players, WHL teams are already ‘very challenged to be in a position to continue to operate.’ ”
Orenstein’s complete story is right here.
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WHL commissioner Ron Robison has told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that there isn’t much, if anything, wrong with the game the way it’s played in his league.
“We like our game the way it is,” Robison said in an interview. “It's very entertaining and great for the players' development. The quality of our on-ice product is outstanding and continues to get better each season.”
When asked by Nugent-Bowman about attendance being “down in most markets,” Robison replied: “There are markets where attendance is down. But we're pleased overall. All leagues, regardless of the sport, are challenged with attracting fans in-venue. Our teams have done an exceptional job under the circumstances.”
The interview, as it appeared on the newspaper’s website, is right here.
If you’re a stats geek, be forewarned. The WHL is in the dark ages in terms of feeding the modern fan even individual shots on goal and it seems unlikely to change in the near future.
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F Tim Traber, who played five full seasons in the WHL (Chilliwack, Victoria, Vancouver, 2009-14), played last season in Switzerland, even though he could have returned to the WHL as a 20-year-old. At the time, Traber says someone from the WHL told him that playing in Switzerland wouldn’t jeopardize his education package. Now, however, Traber has told Rick Westhead that something has changed because he has been told that he no longer is eligible for that education package. . . . Westhead’s story is right here.
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Not that long ago, the Vancouver Giants were third in the B.C. Division and it appeared as though they just might there, putting them into a first-round series with the second-place Victoria Royals. However, the Giants now have lost four straight games and have been blanked in three of those. . . . Vancouver has been shutout 12 times in 64 games. . . . Tonight, the Giants are at home to the Western Conference’s top team, the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The game is available via Shaw TV at 7:30 p.m.
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F Justin Hickman of the Seattle Thunderbirds has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Boston Bruins. Hickman, 20, played more than four seasons with the Thunderbirds and was their captain this season and last. Hickman, from Kelowna, played only 31 games this season before shoulder problems resulted in his needing surgery. He had 28 points, including nine goals, this season. In 285 games, he had 132 points, 55 of them goals. . . . A free agent, his signing with the Bruins wasn’t a surprise as it was heavily rumoured to have happened in January. . . .
The buzz in the junior B Kootenay International Junior League has Ty Davidson as the next head coach of the Sicamous Eagles. Davidson announced in February that he would be leaving the KIJHL’s Golden Rockets after five seasons as general manager and head coach. At the time, Davidson said he wanted to work closer to his family in Salmon Arm. . . . The Eagles dropped long-time head coach Blair Davidson four games into what turned out to be a five-game first-round playoff loss to the Kamloops Storm. . . .
If the Kootenay Ice is to finish third in the Central Division, it will have to get past the Red Deer Rebels, who visit Cranbrook tonight. The Ice goes into the game seven points in arrears and time is running out. . . . Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has more right here. . . .
F Tim McGauley of the Brandon Wheat Kings takes a 20-game point streak into tonight’s game against the Raiders in Prince Albert. It’s the longest such streak in the WHL this season and the second-longest active streak in the CHL. F Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters is on a 25-game run. . . .
The U of Alberta Golden Bears opened the CIS Canada West’s best-of-three final with a 5-2 victory over the Calgary Dinos on Thursday night. It was Alberta’s 27th straight playoff victory over Calgary. . . . The game included 156 penalty minutes, 110 of those emanating from 11 misconducts. . . . According to the online game sheet, the Dinos had only nine shots on goal, with Golden Bears G Kurtis Mucha stopping seven of those. . . . Calgary starter Kris Lazaruk stopped 22 of 26 shots, with reliever Jacob DeSerres turning aside 12 of 13. . . . The rosters of both teams are full of ex-WHLers. . . . They’ll play again tonight in Edmonton.
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THE WHL PLAYOFF PICTURE:

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

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

THURSDAY’S GAMES

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

FRIDAY’S GAMES

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


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Why didn't Green return to Portland? . . . NHL gets another Reinhart

The moon rises over the South Thompson River just east of Kamloops
on Saturday evening.

F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with Bolzano (Italy, Erste Bank Liga), he had a team-high 45 points, 14 of them goals, in 54 games. . . .
F Sean Ringrose (Medicine Hat, 2007-09) has signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with U of Alberta (CIS), he had 36 points, 15 of them goals, in 27 games. He was the team captain and a second-team All-Canadian. He also led his team in scoring and finished third in his conference.
---



1. Perhaps you’re wondering why Travis Green chose to remain as head coach of the AHL’s Utica Comets, rather than return to Portland as the Winterhawks’ general manager and head coach. . . . He has told TEAM1040, a Vancouver radio station, that it came down to a couple of things. For starters, he feels his road to the NHL goes through the AHL. There also was the matter of loyalty and the contract he had signed with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. . . . There’s a whole lot more right here.

2. The Buffalo Sabres have signed F Sam Reinhart, the second overall selection in the NHL’s 2014 draft, to a three-year entry-level contract. Reinhart is the Sabres’ highest draft pick since they took F Pierre Turgeon first overall in 1987. . . . Reinhart has played four seasons with the Kootenay Ice and is coming off a season in which he was named the WHL’s player of the year and most sportsmanlike player. . . . Last season, he had 105 points, including 36 goals, in 60 games. In his career, he has 254 points, 101 of them goals, in 203 games. . . . Reinhart, who turns 19 on Nov. 6, will play next season with the Sabres or the Ice. . . . Sam is the fourth member of his family to sign an NHL contract. Max, a forward, is in the Calgary Flames' organization, while Griffin, a defenceman, is with the New York Islanders. Their father, Paul, played 648 regular-season NHL games, split between the Atlanta Flames, Calgary and the Vancouver Canucks. . . . Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News has more right here.

3. In a piece headlined ‘Why I’m frustrated with sports media,’ author/journalist Jeff Pearlman sounds off. It’s short, to the point and hits a nail right on the head. . . . That piece is right here.

4. ESPN’s Wright Thompson has been in Brazil covering the World Cup. Or, rather, he’s been covering around the World Cup. In this piece right here, he writes about what’s in the water, and it isn’t pretty. He also writes about the Rio de Janeiro that the officials don’t want us to see. It isn’t pretty, either.

Thunderbirds sign goaltending coach

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mitch Wahl (Spokane, 2005-10) signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 19 goals and 40 assists in 45 games with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL), one goal in six games with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) and one goal and three assists in 15 games with the Adirondack Phantoms (AHL) last season. . . .


F Patrik Valcak (Lethbridge, Kelowna, 2003-04) was released after an unsuccessful tryout with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). He led Poland’s Ekstraliga in scoring and assists last season, getting 15 goals and 41 assists in 38 games for Polish champions Cracovia Krakow. Valcak had two assists in one exhibition game with Dinamo, an 8-1 victory over Toros Neftekamsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga) on Friday. . . .

F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) signed a one-year contract with Bolzano (Italy, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had five goals and 10 assists in 38 games with Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan) and two goals and four assists in 14 games with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan) last season.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed Ian Gordon as their new goaltending coach. Gordon (Saskatoon, Swift Current, 1992-95) has spent the last 13 seasons playing in Germany. He went to Europe after playing four seasons in the AHL and IHL. . . . With Seattle, Gordon takes over from Dusty Imoo, who has joined the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets as a developmental goaltending coach.
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You likely have had enough of A-Roid, Biogenesis and all the rest of that stuff.
But I am going to provide you with a couple of links to stories that are well worth reading.
This one right here, from Erik Malinowski of BuzzFeed.com, details what happened on Aug. 21, 1998, which is when writer Steve Wilstein of The Associated Press wrote about the bottle of androstenedione in the locker of St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire.
And then here’s this piece right here, by Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. . . . This is an intriguing look at Alex Rodriguez and what makes him tick.


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The Red Deer Rebels will wear sweaters similar to this one
when they honour the Red Deer Rustlers on Feb. 23.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Roman Teslyuk (Kamloops, Tri-City, 2003-07) was added to the roster of Buran Voronezh (Russia, Russia Vysshaya Liga) from Arlan Kokshetau (Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Vysshaya Liga). He had five goals and three assists in 17 games with Arlan this season. . . .


F Jordan Krestanovich (Calgary, 1997-2001) was replaced as head coach of the Braehead Clan (Scotland, UK Elite) by former NHL player and assistant coach Paul Gardner. Krestanovich has informed the club that he wishes to leave within the next two weeks; he was player-head coach. He has 11 goals and 22 assists in 36 games and had a 14-18-5-0 record as head coach this season. . . .

F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) signed a contract with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan) after his release by Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had four goals and nine assists in 34 games with Tingsryd this season, where he was team captain. In Västerås, Santorelli is reunited with his coach from last season in Tingsryd, Joakim Fagervall, who said: "He is a skilled player who will improve our offensive game. He works hard and is a good guy, on and off the ice."
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The Red Deer Rebels will salute the Red Deer Rustlers on Feb. 23.
With the Prince Albert Raiders in town, the Rebels will play host to Red Deer Rustlers Heritage Night.
The Rebels will wear replica jerseys of those worn by the 1979-80 Rustlers, who won the Centennial Cup as national junior A champions. (Junior A teams now play for the RBC Cup.)
The jerseys will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Central Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Cancer Society.
The Rustlers played in the AJHL from 1967-1989, although the franchise took a year’s leave of absence in 1985-86.  The Rustlers won the AJHL championship eight times and the Centennial Cup in 1971 and 1980.
Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, general manager and head coach, played on the 1979-80 Rustlers.
All Rustlers alumni are asked to contact the Rebels at 403-341-6000 or info@reddeerrebels.com for information about attending that night.
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The Edmonton Oil Kings visit Red Deer tonight and the Rebels, according to Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate, will have D Cody Thiel back from injury. However, D Mathew Dumba remains with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
Meachem reports that Dumba, who was expected to return to Red Deer today, will stay with the Wild through the weekend.
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A story recently appeared in the Toronto Star that about sums up the state of minor hockey in Canada. From the cost to the concussions, and everything in between, it’s all right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Sam Reinhart scored 26 seconds into OT as the Kootenay Ice got past the Raiders, 3-2. . . . Reinhart finished off a 2-on-1 with F Jaedon Descheneau to win it. . . . Reinhart finished with two goals, giving him 22 this season. . . . Descheneau scored his 10th goal and added two assists. Last season, in 54 games, he had 14 points, including three goals. This season, in 42 games, he’s got 39 points, 10 of them goals. . . . The Raiders led this one 2-0 at 9:15 of the first period. . . . Kootenay G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 38 shots. . . . The Ice has won nine of 10. . . . The Ice also has won back-to-back road games for the first time this season. . . .

In Vancouver, F Jesse Mychan scored three times to help the Tri-City Americans to a 9-5 victory over the Giants. . . . Mychan, a 20-year-old from Saskatoon, went into the game with two goals in 32 games this season. . . . The Americans, who have won three in a row, scored the game’s first five goals and led 5-0 early in the second period. . . . Mychan also had an assist. . . . D Drydn Dow and F Justin Feser each had a goal and two assists for the winners, while F Parker Bowles scored twice. . . . F Travis McEvoy had a goal and two assists for the Giants, who have lost five of six. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets won their 18th straight home game, beating the Spokane Chiefs, 5-3. . . . The Rockets scored the game’s first four goals, then watched as the Chiefs got back to within one. . . . F Alessio Bertaggia, in his first game with Spokane since being acquired from Brandon a week ago, scored twice. He scored shorthanded at 16:36 of the third period and on the PP at 17:53. . . . Kelowna F Zach Franko iced it with an empty-netter at 18:58. . . . The Rockets have won 24 of 29 games since Nov. 1. . . . Kelowna will play in Spokane on Friday. . . .

In Victoria, D Tyler Stahl scored in the eighth round of the circus to give the Royals a 3-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Stahl has five goals in 177 regular-season games, four of them coming in 30 games this season. . . . The Royals had beaten the Blazers 6-4 on Tuesday night. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges scored twice in each game. . . . Kamloops D Joel Edmundson was ejected from Tuesday’s game, with a boarding major and game misconduct, for a hit on Victoria F Alex Gogolev. The WHL rescinded that penalty yesterday, allowing Edmundson to play last night.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
———


From Portland Winterhawks F Chase De Leo (@Dels9): “Parents are flying in today, excited to see them! #BeenAwhile #Family”


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The expressions and body language from Nathan MacMaster of the Tri-City
Americans and Cole Wedman and Eric Williams of the Spokane Chiefs
say it all in this photo from Saturday's game in Kennewick, Wash.
(Photo by John Allen / AridAcres.com)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) signed a two-year contract extension with Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had 11 goals and 24 assists in 48 games with Tingsryd this season. . . .
F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) signed a one-year-plus-option contract with Djurgården Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had 23 goals and 18 assists in 50 games with Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan) this season. Djurgården GM and head coach Charles Berglund: "Dustin is a very good two-way centre who is good defensively and offensively, on the penalty kill and power play. He has delivered in Allsvenskan two years running. This is very important for us. He has been through this before and we need that kind of player on our team." Johner's 23 goals was fifth best in Allsvenskan this season. Djurgården was relegated to Allsvenskan from Elitserien earlier this week.
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———

“With former Edmonton Oil Kings goalie Doug Soetaert stupidly being cashiered as GM with the Western Hockey League Everett Silvertips, with a rebuilding team that still made the playoffs, where will he wind up? There’s talk that Marc Habscheid, who has the coach/GM job in Victoria, might want to just be coach. Maybe Soetaert will wind up there.” That’s from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. His complete weekend Hockey World is right here.
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Kevin Parnell of the Kelowna Capital News wants to write hockey stories, but the Rockets are done for the season. So what does he do? He profiles referee Steve Papp right here.
———
The ECHL lost a franchise on Friday when the Chicago Express folded, effective immediately. The Express’ roster included a couple of former WHLers in D Taylor Ellington and F Ryley Grantham. . . . All players on the Express roster now are unrestricted free agents. . . . The ECHL is expected to add teams in Orlando and San Francisco for 2012-13.
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In the AHL, the Norfolk Admirals ran their amazing streak to 25 straight victories last night as they dropped the visiting Binghamton Senators, 4-1. . . . F Tyler Johnson, who played out his eligibility with the Spokane Chiefs last season, scored his 31st goal of the season for the Admirals. . . . Former Spokane goaltender Dustin Tokarski stopped 30 shots for the victory. . . . The Norfolk roster also features D Radko Gudas (Everett), D Scott Jackson (Seattle) and F Brandon Segal (Calgary).
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The Seattle Thunderbirds and their fans are mourning the death of Scott Lowe, one of their off-ice officials. Lowe was 54 when he lost a battle with ALS, which also is known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He referee hockey for almost 40 years and worked as an off-ice official for WHL games for more than 20 years. . . . “He was a really nice guy and conscientious about his duties,” I was told last night. . . . A celebration of Lowe’s life is scheduled for April 22. . . . There are more details right here.
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The gang in Prince George that is well on its way to turning the World Baseball Challenge into a major event on the international sporting calendar has been nominated for three Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance PRESTIGE awards. WBC co-chair Jim Swanson, who covered the Prince George Cougars for years as sports editor of the Prince George Citizen, is one of three nominees for the CSTA’s community service award. . . . Ted Clarke of the Citizen has more right here.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
(If you want WHL facts and stats, get on Twitter and follow @WHLFacts)

Who would have thought the second round of the WHL playoffs would get off to such a bizarre start?
F Emerson Etem of the Medicine Hat Tigers led the WHL with 61 regular-season goals. But he got tossed from Game 1 against the Warriors in Moose Jaw on Friday night after going knee-to-knee with F Torrin White. Before the game, Etem was hit was a ‘tbd’ suspension so wasn’t in the lineup last night as the Warriors won 6-1 to take a 2-0 lead in that series.
Meanwhile, the Kamloops Blazers, on the advice of a team doctor, didn’t dress G Cole Cheveldave for Game 2 against the Winterhawks in Kamloops. That meant that G Cam Lanigan, 19, made his playoff debut as the Blazers dropped a 4-1 decision. . . . Cheveldave, a second-team Western Conference all-star, was injured at 18:36 of the third period on Friday when he was hit by Portland F Oliver Gabriel, who was killing a penalty with a 4-3 lead. Cheveldave moved into the trapezoid to play the puck and an on-rushing Gabriel chose not to pull up and ran over the goaltender. Gabriel, like Etem, sat out last night with a ‘tbd’ suspension. . . . The Winterhawks Booster Club was selling ‘Free Ollie’ buttons at its table last night. . . . No one with the Blazers is using the ‘c’ word, choosing to say only that Cheveldave has an “upper-body injury.” . . .

Cheveldave finished Game 1 but was re-examined by a team doctor following breakfast on Saturday. At that point, the doctor recommended that Cheveldave not play. . . . The Blazers had G Taran Kozun backing up Lanigan. Kozun started the season with the Blazers and made two starts before being assigned to the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks. . . . Lanigan, in his fourth WHL season, joined the Blazers last season from the Edmonton Oil Kings in a deal that had G Jon Groenheyde go the other way. Lanigan ended up backing up Cheveldave after the latter, the AJHL’s rookie of the year with the Drumheller Dragons last season, took the reins and wouldn’t let go. . . . Prior to last night, Lanigan last played on March 17 in the Blazers’ last regular-season game, a 4-2 loss to the Cougars in Prince George.
By the way, the Winterhawks also were fined $250 for what the WHL calls a warmup violation. The WHL didn’t identify a particular incident, but observers did see Portland F Sven Baertschi flip a puck in the direction of Kamloops F Tim Bozon. The two are friends from Switzerland.
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In Edmonton, the Oil Kings won their 17th straight game, beating the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-3. . . . Edmonton leads the series 2-0 with Games 3 and 4 scheduled for Brandon on Tuesday and Wednesday. . . . The Wheat Kings, who played their first-round home games in Winnipeg, haven’t played in Westman Place since March 17. The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair was in the arena during the first round of WHL playoffs. . . . Last night, the Oil Kings erased a 2-1 deficit with three goals in 2:27 midway through the second period. . . . Edmonton F Kristians Pelss tied it with his second of the game at 8:28. . . . F Travis Ewanyk gave Edmonton the lead at 9:54 and F Jordan Peddle added another goal at 10:55. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock scored at 19:59 of the second to get Brandon to within one. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 26 shots, five fewer than Brandon’s Corbin Boes. . . . Each team was 0-for-3 on the PP. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Warriors scored the game’s last six goals and beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-1. . . . The Warriors lead the series 2-0 with the next two games in Medicine Hat on Tuesday and Wednesday. . . . F Hunter Shinkaruk gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal at 18:02 of the first. . . . Moose Jaw F Quinton Howden scored at 9:50 and 10:35 of the second and the Warriors were off and scoring. . . . Moose Jaw D Kendall McFaull had four assists and was plus-4. . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath had one assist and also was plus-4. . . . The Warriors held a 40-15 edge in shots. Medicine Hat had four shots on goal in each of the last two periods. . . . In the two games, the Warriors hold an 83-32 advantage in shots on goal. . . . With F Emerson Etem suspended, the Tigers dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . Moose Jaw F Torrin White, who was hit by Etem, didn’t play last night. . . . Medicine Hat F Dylan Bredo, who took a major for a check to the head in Game 1, wasn’t suspended. . . . The Warriors had D Travis Brown back in their lineup after he missed four games. . . . The Tigers dressed F Cole Sanford and D Kyle Becker. Sanford, 16, is from Vernon, B.C., and played for the junior B Revelstoke Grizzlies. Becker, who turned 18 on Jan. 24, got into 11 games with the Tigers this season, but played most of the season with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans built up a 2-0 lead and hung on for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs. . . . The series is 1-1 as it heads to Spokane for games on Wednesday and Friday. Game 5 is scheduled for Kennewick on Saturday. . . . F Adam Hughesman opened the scoring at 13:21 of the first period and F Justin Feser added another at 4:01 of the third. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg scored on a PP at 18:35 of the third period. Holmberg has eight goals in these playoffs. . . . The Chiefs had won five straight playoff games. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin drew a first-period assist, meaning he has at least one point in each of his last 29 games. . . . Tri-City G Ty Rimmer stopped 23 shots, eight fewer than Spokane’s Eric Williams, who lost for the first time in six starts. . . . The Chiefs came awfully close to forcing OT when D Corbin Baldwin’s point shot got past Rimmer at the game-ending buzzer. However, video review showed that time had expired before the puck entered the net. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks broke open a scoreless game with three goals in 2:01 and went on to beat the Kamloops Blazers, 4-1. . . . Portland takes a 2-0 series lead into Games 3 and 4 in Kamloops on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Portland F Sven Baertschi opened the scoring at 19:14 of the second period. F Taylor Leier made it 2-0 just 56 seconds into the third and F Cam Reid upped it to 3-0 at 1:15. . . . Baertschi finished up with two goals. . . . Linemates Ty Rattie and Marcel Noebels each had one assist. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth made 39 saves. . . . Kamloops was 0-7 on the PP and now is 0-11 in the series. . . . With F Oliver Gabriel suspended, the Winterhawks inserted F Jason Trott into the lineup and moved F Joe Baker into Gabriel’s usual spot alongside Taylor Peters and Taylor Leier. . . . The Winterhawks have scored nine goals in the two games, with seven of them coming in the two third periods.
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For today’s good read, we take you to the Seattle Times where Danny O’Neil writes about the latest chapter in the life of Ryan Leaf. That piece is right here.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mark Santorelli (Chilliwack, 2006-08) signed a one-year contract with Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had eight goals and 13 assists in 64 games with Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) last season. . . . Santorelli won the WHL scoring title with 101 points in 2007-08.
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The Los Angeles Kings have assigned F Linden Vey, 20, the WHL’s defending scoring champion, to the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs. . . . Vey could still be returned to the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Meanwhile, the Tigers got F Emerson Etem, 19, back from the Anaheim Ducks. . . . The St. Louis Blues have sent D Brett Ponich, 20, to the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. He is signed but could still be returned to the Portland Winterhawks.
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SUNDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
The host Tri-City Americans built up a 5-0 lead and hung on to beat the Portland Winterhawks, 6-5. . . . Tri-City F Connor Rankin turned a 2-0 lead into 5-0 when he scored three times in the space of 1:53 in the first three minutes of the second period. . . . Rankin also had an assist, while Tri-City F Adam Hughesman had four helpers. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had two goals and an assist and now has six points in two games. . . . G Eric Comrie went the distance for the Americans. He stopped 32 shots, including 12 of 13 in the third period. . . . The Winterhawks, playing their third game in as many nights, opened with Brendan Burke in goal. Mac Carruth came on at 2:16 of the second period with his side trailing 4-0. . . .
In Red Deer, F Adam Kambeitz, the team captain, scored the game’s last two goals as the Rebels erased a 3-1 second-period deficit and beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-3 in OT. . . . Kambeitz scored his third goal of the season at 1:24 of extra time. . . . The Oil Kings held a 3-1 lead early in the second period when they were handed six straight minor penalties — they faced three 5-on-3s. The Rebels scored two PP goals, 1:01 apart, to tie the game. . . . Red Deer D Alex Petrovic, just back from the camp of the Florida Panthers, had three assists. . . . Red Deer F Turner Elson (upper body) didn’t play. . . . Yes, it’s the first week of the regular season and we’re into upper- and lower-body injuries. . . . By the way, Wayne Gretzky spent some time in Edmonton last week and left a note for the Oil Kings before he left. That’s it in the above photo.
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Last week, the BCHL suspended a player for 20 games for a hit that resulted in another player suffering a broken jaw.
So it will be interesting to see how it handles a line brawl that broke out Friday in a game between the Cowichan Valley Capitals and Victoria Grizzlies.
Now normally I wouldn’t write a word on something like this, but it happened to involve battling goaltenders -- Jamie Tucker, a former WHLer who is with the Grizzlies, and Derek Dun of the Capitals.
Dun’s post-fight comments to Don Bodger of the Cowichan News Leader Pictorial are just too good to ignore.
“That’s my first one,” Dun told Bodger. “It was on my bucket list.
“I’ve always wanted to do it. I never thought it was going to happen.”
If Dun spelled his surname Dunn, you might think he was related to Dickie Dunn.
“I heard (Tucker) broke his hand,” Dun continued. “He was hitting the ice most of the time. He got a couple of good shots, nothing too drastic.”
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Conversation from a recent night:
Reporter to WHL team owner: What’s it cost to take a bus over to Vancouver Island?
Owner: It used to be $150, so it might be about $300 now.
Reporter to WHL team general manager: How much does it cost to take you bus over to Vancouver Island?
GM: Oh, likely about $1,200 or $1,300.
Owner: WHAT!
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Mario Annicchiarico of the Victoria Times Colonist has some observations right here on the Victoria Royals’ home-opener in which they beat the Vancouver Giants, 5-3, on Saturday.
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For today’s good read, we bring you Jack Todd in the Montreal Gazette. You won’t agree with everything he writes, but his Monday column always is an interesting read. It’s right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca     
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