The Portland Winterhawks have come a long way in a rather short period of time. And it doesn’t sound like they’re going to be leaving any time soon. . . . Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune takes a comprehensive look right here at how the Winterhawks got here from there.
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The Prince Albert Raiders have signed Duane Bartley, their athletic therapist, and Bruce Vance, the business manager and director of marketing, to new deals. Both agreed to contracts that call for two years and an option. Bartley and Vance have been with the Raiders since 2011. . . . The Raiders also have added Prince Albert native Tom Brown to their marketing staff. Brown played four years at Michigan Tech and graduated with a degree in management. Brown played for the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos who won the Telus Cup in 2006 and 2007. . . . The Raiders, who are without a head coach, have yet to announce the return of general manager Bruno Campese, but my understanding is that negotiations are on-going.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Malcolm Cameron is the new head coach of the Regina Pats, Cameron, an assistant coach for two years, replaces Pat Conacher. Cameron has signed a two-year contract with a club option on a third year. . . . It turns out that Conacher informed general manager Chad Lang on April 26 that he would be leaving the organization. Conacher was with the Pats for two seasons as head coach and had one year left on his contract. . . . Conacher joined the Pats from the staff of the then-Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Prior to joining the Pats, Cameron spent nine seasons coaching in the ECHL.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has more coverage, with a piece right here on Cameron and Conacher’s story right here. . . .

The BCHL’s Salmon Arm SilverBacks have signed Brandon West as their associate head coach. He will work alongside Troy Mick, the general manager and head coach. West just completed his first season as an assistant coach in Salmon Arm, after working as an assistant coach with the West Kelowna Warriors, whose head coach, Rylan Ferster, is a former Salmon Arm head coach.
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The Red Deer Rebels have dealt F Joel Hamilton to the Vancouver Giants for a third-round selection in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . Hamilton, who turns 19 on Sept. 9, is from Cochrane, Alta. He had 57 points, including 14 goals, in 114 games with the Rebels over two seasons. . . . He is the younger brother of former WHL F Wacey Hamilton (Medicine Hat, 2007-11).
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In the QMJHL, F Martin Frk had five points, two of them goals, as the visiting Halifax Mooseheads dumped the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, 7-4. . . . F Jonathan Drouin added a goal and three assists for the Mooseheads, who hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven final. . . . Game 5 is in Halifax on Friday.
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In the OHL, F Mark Scheifele scored four times in the third period to lead the host Barrie Colts to a 6-4 victory over the London Knights. . . . The Colts hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven final with Game 5 in London on Friday. . . . Barrie trailed 3-1 after the second period and promptly scored five times in the third period. . . . Scheifele now has 39 points in 19 playoff games. . . . London head coach Dale Hunter was not a happy camper after the game. “Actually, we played very well,” he said in a postgame news conference. “We had a 3-1 lead, and the last six minutes or so of the second period, they started diving. Belleville warned us about it, that Scheifele, these guys, love to dive and draw penalties. (They got) three in a row and it changed the course of the game that way.” . . . Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports takes a look right here at Hunter and his motives.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Portland leads, 2-1)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Saturday — Edmonton 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Game 3: Tuesday — Portland 3 at Edmonton 1 (8,513)
Game 4: Wednesday — Portland 2 at Edmonton 1 (8,400)
Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Games 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Game 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAME:
In Edmonton, the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first two goals and went on to a 2-1 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The Winterhawks, in their third straight final, are one victory from winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Game 5 is Friday in Portland’s Rose Garden and was declared a sellout early Wednesday. . . . A year ago, the Oil Kings beat the Winterhawks in a seven-game final. . . . F Brendan Leipsic had the game’s first goal, at 17:13 of the first period, and added an assist for Portland. . . . D Troy Rutkowski got Portland’s second goal, at 9:54 of the second. . . . F Mitch Moroz scored for Edmonton, knocking a puck out of mid-air at 4:45 of the third period. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth was outstanding, with 29 saves. In these playoffs, Carruth is 15-4, 1.60, .938. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 19 shots. . . . The Oil Kings were 0-for-4 on the PP; they are 0-for-29 since their last PP goal, which came in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final against the Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without injured D Griffin Reinhart and F Trevor Cheek, and judging by reports, the absences are taking a toll.
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Edmonton Journal columnist John MacKinnon writes that the Oil Kings “are on the brink of being deposed” but that “there will be no dishonour in losing to an opportunistic and very talented Winterhawks team.” . . . His column is right here.
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Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal has his game story right here. He writes a lot about a late-game penalty taken by Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson and the reaction by Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal.
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“You’re not likely to get to the Memorial Cup with an 0-for-29-and-counting power play run and by scoring one goal in a span 174 minutes and 44 seconds,” writes Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones right here.
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“The first goal was hard enough to get. The second proved impossible,” writes Dave (Crash) Cameron of the Edmonton Sun. “Despite frantic and furious efforts late in the third, the Edmonton Oil Kings are down 3-1 in the WHL finals to the Portland Winterhawks after the Oil Kings' 2-1 loss at Rexall Place on Wednesday. Again, no 'puck-luck' for the Oil Kings. And again, Hawks goalie Mac Carruth didn't help them find any.” . . . Cameron’s game story is right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Portland G Mac Carruth (@maccarruth31): “I need two tickets for Fridays game can anybody help me out”
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From Shawn Mullin (@shawnmullin), the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos: “@SCBroncos Coach/GM Mark Lamb will now face his 3rd Pats coach and 3rd Raiders coach. He's faced 2 Wheat Kings coaches & 2 Warrior coaches.”


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) has signed a contract with an unnamed Kontinental Hockey League team, according to a press release by Ässät Pori (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had eight goals and 23 assists in 60 games for Ässät, the SM-Liiga champions this season, and had the best plus/minus during the SM-Liiga playoffs at +9 in 16 games. . . . Ässät GM Mika Toivola: “Heshka was a really big piece of our championship team. He is a great player and a great person. We wish Shaun good luck in his future challenges and I hope that one day he will return to Ässät.” Helsinki newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported Monday evening that Heska had signed a two-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan (KHL, Russia). . . .


G Jeff Glass (Kootenay, 2002-05) signed a one-year contract with Spartak Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had a 2.02 GAA and a .933 save percentage in 38 games with Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL) this season. . . .




D Petr Kubos (Prince George, 1997-99) signed a one-year plus option contract with Kometa Brno (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had eight goals and 12 assists in 51 games with Slavia Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season.
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Dwight Jaynes of Comcast Sportsnet, who is a long-time observer of the Portland sports scene, has weighed in on WHL commissioner Ron Robison’s meeting with the media there on Friday evening. Jaynes’ piece is right here, along with video of the news conference, if you are so inclined.
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In the OHL, F Mark Scheifele had five points, two of them goals, as the host Barrie Colts dumped the London Knights, 6-3. . . . The Colts lead the OHL final, 2-1, with Game 4 in Barrie on Wednesday night. . . . Scheifele, the Winnipeg Jets’ first pick, seventh overall, in the NHL’s 2011 draft, leads the OHL scoring race, with 34 points in 18 games. . . . Barrie F Anthony Camara wasn’t suspended for the charging major he was given after a hit on London F Max Domi in Game 2.
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Sources hit Twitter early Monday with the news that F Chris Wilkie, who turns 17 on July 10, is leaving the U.S. National Team Development Program. Wilkie, from Omaha, was a fourth-round selection by the Victoria Royals in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft. . . . There was speculation that Wilkie, who has made a committment to the U of North Dakota, isn’t considering a move to Victoria. However, a source familiar with the situation told me that Wilkie is exploring all of his options. . . . Perhaps his immediate future rides on where he is selected in today’s USHL draft. . . . Wilkie is the son of former WHL D David Wilkie (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1990-94). David was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the 20th pick of the NHL’s 1992 draft.
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With the Memorial Cup scheduled to open in their arena on May 17, the Saskatoon Blades — remember them? — continue to practice and practice and practice. On Monday, they had some familiar faces on the ice with them as they attempted to pick up the pace a bit. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has that story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dwayne Kirkup is the new head coach of the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. Kirkup guided the MJHL’s Swan Valley Stampeders to a 33-23-4 record this season, the last year of his contract. He was the MJHL’s 2009-10 coach of the year with the Stampeders. . . . With the Natives, Kirkup takes over from Ken Brooks, who went 13-40-7 this season.
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In winning Game 2 of the WHL final, the Portland Winterhawks “showcased their ‘A’ game, and a discombobulating, speed-based blur it is, when it gets rolling,” writes John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal.
He continues: “The 3-0 score on Saturday night — the Edmonton Oil Kings won Game 1 by a score of 4-1 — doesn’t really capture the fashion in which the Winterhawks unleashed a transition game in which they switch from defence to high-octane offence in an eyeblink.”
MacKinnon’s column is right here.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Series tied, 1-1)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Saturday — Edmonton 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Game 3: Today, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, May 8, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Games 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Game 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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MONDAY’S GAME:
No Game Scheduled.

CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None

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.

Lipon hears from Team Canada

Right-winger JC Lipon (34) of the Kamloops Blazers likes to play his game
deep in the other team's zone, even if it means mixing it up with a goaltender
like Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans.
(HUGO YUEN / KAMLOOPS DAILY NEWS)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers will have a player in the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp next week for the first time in six years.
Right-winger JC Lipon, a 19-year-old fourth-year player from Regina, was one of 11 WHLers on the 37-player roster that was released by Hockey Canada on Monday.
“I heard Sunday night,” Lipon said Monday evening. “I was pretty excited, especially after the game I had . . . it made me a little happier.”
Lipon and the Blazers dropped a 3-1 decision to the host Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday.
The last time the Blazers had a player in camp and on Team Canada was 2006 when goaltender Devan Dubnyk made the grade.
This is a dream come true for Lipon, who is most familiar with the heroics of Reginan Jordan Eberle with Team Canada at past tournaments.
A midget-aged player then, Lipon remembers being at a Regina Pats game when a Team Canada was put up on the Jumbotron.
“No one was watching the real hockey game, everyone was watching the Canada game,” a chuckling Lipon said.
Although he doesn’t play golf, Lipon is a regular attendee at Eberle’s annual tournament in Regina so he knows the Edmonton Oilers winger who, with the NHL lockout in progress, now is with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons.
Lipon has led the WHL in goals — he has 22 — and points for most of this season, although he now is tied for the points lead with linemate Colin Smith. Each has 55 points.
They will try to increase their totals tonight when the Blazers entertain the Swift Current Broncos. Game time at Interior Savings Centre is 7 o’clock.
Lipon and Smith, a 19-year-old centre from Edmonton, skated for Team WHL in one game during last month’s Subway Super Series against a Russian team. However, Smith, who has experience in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence, isn’t on the selection camp roster.
Smith, who has a WHL-leading 34 assists, would have had to be among Canada’s top six forwards and that would have been a tough nut to crack. Unfortunately for him, he won’t get that opportunity.
“It’s sad to see a guy like that passed over,” Lipon said. “But at the same time I have to be excited for myself and be proud, too.”
The Canadian roster includes four centres — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of AHL-Oklahoma City, Jonathan Huberdeau of the Saint John Sea Dogs, Mark Scheifele of the Barrie Colts and Ryan Strome of the Niagara Ice Dogs — all of whom likely would be playing in the NHL were it not in lockout mode. All four were top 10 selections in the NHL’s 2011 draft, by the Oilers, Florida Panthers, Winnipeg Jets and New York Islanders, respectively.
Lipon is a more physically dominant player than Smith and will be looking for a spot on the bottom half of the roster.
“I’m just going to try to play my same game, maybe think a little more about finishing every hit and being really responsible in the (defensive) zone,” Lipon said. “I want to be reliable whether it’s a third- or fourth-line position I’m battling for.”
“I’m going there to make the team,” he added, “but it should be just a great experience overall. Hopefully, I’ll learn some things from those guys.”
He also knows that his speed and work ethic will hold him in good stead as he skates with the country’s top junior-aged players.
“Maybe one guy will complement me just like Smitty and it’ll work out,” Lipon said.
The Blazers will be without Lipon for at least two games — Dec. 11 in Calgary and Dec. 12 in Edmonton — but he will miss at least eight games if he makes the final roster.
Lipon is one of 21 forwards on the camp roster. There also are four goaltenders and 12 defencemen listed. There are 18 players from the OHL, seven from the QMJHL and one from the AHL. (A complete roster is in Scoreboard.)
Huberdeau, Scheifele, Strome, forward Boone Jenner (Oshawa Generals) and defencemen Dougie Hamilton (Niagara) and Scott Harrington (London Knights) are the only players invited to camp who were on the Canadian team that finished third a year ago when the tournament was held in Calgary and Edmonton.
The camp opens Monday in Calgary, with the final 23-player roster — three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 13 forwards — to be announced early on Dec. 13.
The hopefuls will play an intrasquad game on Dec. 11, then will play against university teams on Dec. 12 and 13. Canada flies out of Calgary on Dec. 15 for a pre-competition camp in Finland.
The World Junior Championship opens Dec. 26 in Ufa, Russia. The tournament is returning to a larger international ice surface this month, after a four-year stint on smaller surfaces in North America.
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Blazers D Marek Hrbas was named officially to the Czech Republic’s 27-player selection camp roster yesterday. He will leave the Blazers after playing Dec. 12 in Edmonton. His chances of making the Czech roster are excellent — he played in the WJC last year. That being the case, he will miss at least six WHL games.
The five-day Czech camp opens in Rokycany on Dec. 15, with the team leaving for Russia on Dec. 20.
Two other WHL players — G Patrik Bartosak of Red Deer and D David Musil of Edmonton — are on the Czech roster.
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The Blazers (21-7-3) go into tonight’s game having lost two straight games.
They concluded a seven-game homestand with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday. Kamloops went 4-1-2 in those seven games.
“These last few games leading up to that camp I have to start playing my best hockey again and get in a groove,” Lipon said.
The Blazers will play the Prince George Cougars here on Saturday. That will be Kamloops’ final home game before Christmas.
The Cougars will be without F Colin Jacobs, who has been suspended for six games for a headshot he delivered in a game against the visiting Victoria Royals on Friday.
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JUST NOTES: The Blazers’ power play is 1-for-25 over its last six games. . . . The Broncos (12-13-5) don’t have any B.C. players on their roster. However, F Glenn Gawdin, their first-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft, is from Richmond. Gawdin, the fifth overall selection, is with the major midget Greater Vancouver Canadians. . . . The Broncos will be missing F Daniel Dale, who will be completing a two-game suspension for instigating a fight late in a 7-2 loss to the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Friday. . . . The Broncos, who arrived in Kamloops early on Sunday evening, are 5-5-0 in their last 10 games. They last played Saturday when they blanked the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings, 5-0. . . . The Broncos started G Landon Bow in that game, but he left in the first period with an undisclosed injury. It’s expected that Steve Myland, 18, of the junior B North Delta Devils will be the back up tonight. . . . Swift Current G Eetu Laurikainen, 19, is scheduled to leave to join Finland’s world junior team after playing against the Royals in Victoria on Saturday. He’s 12-12-4, 2.52, .918 in his first WHL season. . . . The Broncos have acquired D Brett Lernout, 17, from the Saskatoon Blades for a fourth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. Lernout, from Winnipeg, was pointless in 18 games with the Blades.

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