Special night for Americans

THE MacBETH REPORT:

D Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) has signed a two-year deal with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He has been cleared by doctors to resume playing after recovering from Guillaume-Barre Syndrome. Last season with Coventry, he had 15 points, including three goals, in 56 games.
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Here is the lead to Annie Fowler's story in Friday's Tri-City Herald:
"The Tri-City Americans will honor one of their own tonight when they host the Regina Pats for the inaugural Shaun Vey Aware Down There Night.
"Vey, who played for the Americans from 2004-08, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in February. He is in the Tri-Cities to bring awareness and raise funds for men’s health issues. All funds raised will stay local and benefit the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation."
The complete story is right here.
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Last week, when WHL commissioner Ron Robison was involved in a Q and A with fans in Kelowna, he admitted to some concerns regarding attendance in a few centres. One of the spots where things aren't what they used to be is Victoria. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
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It would seem the WHL isn't the only sporting organization that may be keeping a wary eye on its crowd counts. Here's a tweet from Blake Price (@blakeprice1040) of Vancouver radio station Team 1040 from the Canucks' home game last night: "As I look at hundreds of empty seats here, let it be noted that even the LA Lakers said this week that their sellout streak was over at 320."
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Bob Fitzsimmons was the lawyer for the late Mike Webster, the former Pittsburgh Steelers centre whose story is such a big part of League of Denial, both the TV show and the book. Fitzsimmons also is a director of TauMark, the firm that is using brain scans to test for CTE in living ex-football players. So far, nine players have been tested and all have come back positive. And more players, a lot more, want to be tested. There's more right here.
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A bill before the state legislature in Albany, N.Y., would ban tackling in football for youngsters under the age of 14. Dr. Robert Cantu, perhaps the foremost concussion expert in the U.S. and a co-director of Boston University's Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, appeared in Albany on Thursday.
"Youngsters are particularly vulnerable," said Dr. Cantu said. "We have six youngsters in our brain bank at BU who ... have chronic traumatic encephalopathy shown at the high school level. So this is an entity that is already developing in these players."
Jordan Carleo-Evangelist of the Albany Times Union has more right here.
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Don't blame the Marsh Pegs for the injury suffered by Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos on Monday. Stamkos ended up with a broken right leg when he slid into a goal post during the second period of a 3-0 loss to the Bruins in Boston. Fred Marsh of Kamloops, who invented the pegs, told Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times that he has watched the collision a number of times and feels the pegs did what they are meant to do. . . . That story is right here.
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D Eric Roy was back at practice with the Brandon Wheat Kings on Thursday. He missed Wednesday's 5-2 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon with an injury incurred when he blocked a shot in a Monday game. He likely will play in the rematch in Brandon on Friday. . . . F T.J. Dumonceaux of the Vernon Vipers isn't going to be suspended by the BCHL for the punch that floored linesman Ryan Dawson on Sunday. . . . There's more right here.
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THURSDAY:
In Edmonton, D Griffin Reinhart had a goal and two assists to help the Oil Kings to a 6-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . This was the Oil Kings' first home game since Oct. 20. . . . They are 8-2-0 in their last 10 outings. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 14th goal of the season. . . . Edmonton (13-8-1) moved a point ahead of the idle Prince Albert Raiders and into third place in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Warriors have lost three and a row. They are 11th in the 12-team conference, four points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Oil Kings' PP, which hadn't scored in 23 opportunities, was 2-for-3. . . . What was the difference with the PP? “We got a great net-front presence and we got some better puck movement,” Edmonton head coach Derek Laxdal said on the team's website. “We changed it up, give it a different look, change sides on it and split up Curtis (Lazar) and Sammy (Henrik Samuelsson) to create some inner competition. If you want that heavy ice time, now you’ve got to go out and earn it.” . . . Before the game, the Warriors added F Erik Benoit, 20, to their roster. Benoit was released earlier by the Seattle Thunderbirds, for whom he had eight points, including three goals, in 19 games this season. Benoit, who played for the Warriors last night, also has played with the Kootenay Ice and Saskatoon Blades. . . . Benoit's presence gives the Warriors three 20-year-olds, the others being F Sam Fioretti and D Jesse Forsberg.
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From Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff), of Vancouver radio station Team 1040: "#Canucks 1st rounder Hunter Shinkaruk watching warm-up from management box with Stan Smyl."
The Canucks were at home to the San Jose Sharks last night. Shinkaruk and his Medicine Hat Tigers meet the Giants in Vancouver tonight.
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From Reid Wilkins (@Reid Wilkins) of Edmonton radio station 630 CHED: "Chris Nilan says fighting is slowly being weeded out of hockey. Will disappear from junior then the NHL."

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Whatever happened to Doug Soetaert?

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) has been released by the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite) due to illness. According to Coventry’s press release, Egener, the captain of the Blaze, “has been diagnosed with Guillain–Barré Syndrome, a rare and serious condition affecting the peripheral nervous system. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system. Whilst his symptoms appear to have reached a plateau, he now faces an extended recovery period as his body gradually repairs the nerve damage that has taken place. The diagnosis was confirmed by a neurologist in Canada earlier this week and after review with the club’s own medical staff, it was determined that Egener was in no condition to be able to take his planned flight to the UK (Friday evening) and that his recovery may well take many weeks. After an extended discussion between Head Coach Matt Soderstrom and Egener on Thursday evening, it was agreed that his focus now needs to be on returning to full health rather than playing for the Blaze at some point this season.” . . . Egener had three goals and 12 assists in 56 games with the Blaze last season.
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Taylor Vickerman didn’t report to the Vancouver Giants’ training camp and speculation was that he wanted to be traded closer to home. Well, he got his wish. Vickerman, 17, is from Kennewick, Wash., and he has been dealt to the Tri-City Americans, who play out of the Toyota Centre in Kennewick. . . . The Giants received a second-round 2015 bantam draft pick in return. . . . Vickerman told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald:  “I’m at a loss for words. I’m still kind of in shock. Still in disbelief. I’m just glad they saw the value in me. I know I will play a bigger role here, put up some points and help the team win.” . . . Vickerman, a sixth-round selection by the Giants in 2011, had nine points in 52 games last season. . . . According to Fowler: “Vickerman is just the second Mid-Columbia player to earn a spot on the Americans’ roster. Defenseman Justin Togiai (2001-03) of Kennewick was the first.”
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Mark Johnston is back with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Johnston, a defenceman with the Wheat Kings back in the day (1971-73), was named the club’s head scout on Friday. The move came one day after Wade Klippenstein was named the team’s director of scouting. . . . Johnston, a 58-year-old native of Wawanesa, Man., also has worked as an assistant coach with Brandon. He had been a Manitoba scout for the Kelowna Rockets for 12 years.
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Jamie Novakoski is the Edmonton Oil Kings’ new director of scouting. Novakoski, 41, had been on the Oil Kings’ scouting staff since prior to the 2007 expansion draft. Novakoski takes over the position previously filled by Randy Hansch, who now is the club’s general manager. Hansch was promoted after GM Bob Green moved up to the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers as director of amateur free-agent scouting. . . . Novakoski and Hansch are rather familiar with each other, having spent 11 seasons scouting together with the Kamloops Blazers.
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Doug Soetaert, who did such a good job as general manager of the Everett Silvertips before  being fired on Feb. 2, 2012, now is working as a scout with the Austrian team Red Bull Salzburg. . . . Don Jackson, the head coach in Salzburg, spent one season as head coach of the IHL’s Kansas City Blades while Soetaert was the GM there. . . . Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun has more right here on Eetu Selanne, 15, who is in the Calgary Hitmen’s rookie camp. . . . A pair of undrafted Medicine Hat Tigers forwards — Curtis Valk and Jacob Doty — will go to camp with the St. Louis Blues’ prospects as free-agent invitees. They will be on the Blues’ entry at the tournament in Traverse City, Mich.
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If you’re wondering what has happened to the Los Angeles Angels, you may gain some insight from this terrific piece by Scott Miller, the senior baseball columnist at cbssports.com. . . . It’s mostly about the night last season when Torii Hunter and Albert Pujols almost came to blows.
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One of the biggest stories in sports today involves ESPN ending its relationship with the public affairs TV series Frontline, apparently under some pressure from the NFL. James Andrew Miller and Ken Belson of The New York Times explain right here how all of this came to pass.
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Linda Ronstadt could sing. Oh, could she! And there was timne when a whole lot of males of a certain age — likely a bunch of females, too — were in love with her. . . . Well, Ronstadt revealed on Friday that she has Parkinson’s disease, something that means she won’t sing again.
If you’ve forgotten just what a great singer she was, or if you weren’t aware, check this out right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Ian Gordon (Swift Current, Saskatoon, 1992-95) announced his retirement through the Ingolstadt (Germany, DEL) website. Gordon had a 2.49 GAA and a .909 save percentage in 33 games for Ingolstadt this season. After five seasons in the AHL and IHL, Gordon headed for Germany, where he played 13 seasons in the DEL with Schwenningen and Frankfurt, and the past three seasons with Ingolstadt. He won a DEL championship with Frankfurt in 2003-04 and played in the DEL All-Star game in 2007-08 and 2008-09. . . .

F Roman Psurny (Medicine Hat, 2004-06) signed a one-year plus option contract extension with Litvinov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had five goals and nine assists in 42 games with Litvinov and had one goal and one assist during a three-game loan assignment to Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) this season. . . .

F Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract extension with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He had three goals and 12 assists in 56 games with the Blaze this season.



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Here’s an ad that was posted on alberta.kijiji.ca on April 1:

Slightly worn out WHL franchise for sale. NO LEASING!!! Treated with care and appreciation in it’s first few years and left to crumble more recently.

Includes:
A fantastic place to practice and perform.
Minimal backseat driving.
A healthy schedule of roadtrips.

Requirements:
WHL/NHL regulations dictate a brand new paint job before it hits the ice again.
A caring/knowledgeable owner to get under the hood and find out why it’s been stuck in neutral the past few years(occasionally locks into reverse).
A driver without vision problems.
Just a few more parts to beef up horsepower, speed and a fresh set of tires for MORE TRACTION and dependability.
NO KEY JINGLERS!

If interested please contact current board of directors directly.
Sincerely,
Fans of the Lethbridge Hurricanes
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A few Memorial Cup-related thoughts from Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post:
“There is not a classier owner in junior hockey than Jack Brodsky, whose family has operated the Blades since 1976. If anyone deserves a Memorial Cup ring, it is Brodsky. But if the Blades capture major-junior hockey's greatest prize despite failing to register a single WHL playoff victory, it will not be the finest moment in CHL history. There has to be a better way.
“Here is one suggestion: Continue to rotate the host leagues. The champion of the host league earns a Memorial Cup berth, and some time off while a playoff is held to determine the other finalist. If the WHL is hosting, for example, the OHL and QMJHL champions would meet to determine the other Memorial Cup participant. A best-of-seven, Stanley Cup-style Memorial Cup championship series would ensue, with games being played in the home rinks of the two finalists. Such a format would ashcan the flawed host-team exemption and reward the fans of each league champion.
“Are there glitches in this proposal? Of course. The travel would be gruelling, although the NHL has overcome such obstacles when the New Jersey Devils have met the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks for Lord Stanley's grail. There is also the question of whether a Memorial Cup final could feasibly be held in a small centre such as Swift Current, where the Credit Union i-Plex seats 2,879. But, honestly, could this proposed format be any worse than the current blueprint?”
No, it couldn’t be worse.
Yes, it is time to go to a format that features two teams in a best-of-seven final for the Memorial Cup.
That is all.
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JUST NOTES:
The Seattle Thunderbirds will be without F Connor Honey for their next two games, including tonight’s Game 6 of a first-round series with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Honey has been suspended for three games for a hit from behind on Kelowna D MacKenzie Johnston in Game 4 of that series. . . . Honey sat out Game 5, so has two games left to serve. . . . Johnston will be out for up to two months with a shoulder injury. . . .

The Chicago Blackhawks have assigned F Mark McNeill of the Prince Albert Raiders to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. McNeill had 67 points, including 25 goals, in 65 games this season. . . . He was the 18th overall selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft. . . .



F Nick Buonassisi, who finished his junior eligibility with the Brandon Wheat Kings last month, has joined the Central league’s Quad City Mallards. Buonassisi had 34 points in 69 games this season. . . . The Mallards are trailing the Fort Worth Brahmas 2-0 in a first-round best-of-seven series and have suffered two serious injuries. . . . The series resumes Wednesday in the Quad Cities.

THE COACHING GAME:
Danny Flynn is out as head coach of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats, although he will stay on as the director of hockey operations. . . . The Wildcats were 42-33-3 this season, then were eliminated in five games by the Victoriaville Tigres in a first-round series. . . .


The U of Denver has fired George Gwozdecky, the long-time coach of the WCHA’s Pioneers. In his 19 years at Denver, he won two NCAA titles. Gwozdecky had one season left on a 12-year contract. . . . According to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post: “DU is the only Division I hockey team to have won 20 games in each of the past 12 seasons. However, the Pioneers recently lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the past six years, part of the reason the sources said Gwozdecky was fired. An inability for the school and Gwozdecky to reach a contract extension also figured into the decision.” . . . Chambers’ complete story is right here. . . .

Keith Cassidy won’t be back as the general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. Cassidy, 38, completed two seasons with the club and the board of directors chose not to exercise an option for a third season. . . . This season, the Bruins finished fifth in the Sherwood Division, sidelined the Kindersley Klippers in a survivor series and then lost a best-of-seven series to the Yorkton Terriers in five games. . . . Josh Lewis of the Estevan Mercury has more right here.
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The WHL’s first-round 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)
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SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Portland wins 4-2)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 3-2; Game 6 tonight in Kent, Wash.)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops wins 4-2)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane wins 4-1)
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Two more Western Conference series ended last night, leaving only the Kelowna Rockets and Seattle Thunderbirds left to settle the issue.
The No. 7 Thunderbirds take a 3-2 edge into tonight’s home game against the No. 2 Rockets.
Should Seattle win, the second round will feature the No. 1 Portland Winterhawks against Seattle and the No. 3 Kamloops Blazers versus the No. 4 Spokane Chiefs.
Should Kelowna win tonight, Game 7 of that series will be played in the Little Apple on Wednesday.
Should Kelowna win that series, the Rockets would face Kamloops in the second round, with Portland meeting Spokane.
No matter which team the Winterhawks play, they’ll be in Portland on Friday and Saturday.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Everett, F Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals and two assists as the Portland Winterhawks dumped the Silvertips, 5-1. . . . Portland held a 52-13 edge in shots, including 20-4 in the second period and 15-1 in the third. . . . D Seth Jones had two Portland goals, his first of the series. . . . F Reid Petryk gave the Silvertips a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal at 2:14 of the first period. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 47 shots. . . .

In Victoria, F Kale Kessy scored three times to help the Kamloops Blazers to a 6-2 victory over the Royals. . . . Kessy leads the WHL with seven playoff goals. He also scored three times in Game 4, a 5-4 OT victory by the visiting Blazers. . . . Kessy played his first 284 regular-season and playoff games without a hat trick. He now has two in three game. . . . F Cole Ully and Kessy scored the game’s first two goals and the Blazers were never caught. . . . Kamloops F JC Lipon had a goal and two assists; he leads the playoff scoring race with 14 points. He was in on 14 of the Blazers’ 23 goals against the Royals. . . . D Joel Edmundson and F Brendan Ranford each had three assists for the Blazers. . . . D Keegan Kanzig scored one of Victoria’s goals. It was his first WHL goal, and came in his 143rd game, 133 of which are regular-season tilts.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (11):
D Jordan Fransoo, Victoria

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (4):
None
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From Edmonton Oil Kings F Trevor Cheek (@trevorcheekAZDK): “Agreed to terms with the Avalanche. Could not be more excited! Still a lot of unfinished business to take care of this year!”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jannik Hansen (Portland, 2005-06) signed a lockout contract with Tappara Tampere (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had 16 goals and 23 assists in 82 games with the Vancouver Canucks last season. Hansen arrived in Finland on Tuesday and will be in Tappara's lineup Thursday against KalPa Kuopio. . . .
D Brendan Mikkelson (Portland, Vancouver, 2003-07) signed a lockout contract with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had three goals and 12 assists in 33 games with the Abbotsford Heat (AHL) and one goal and two assists with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season. Mikkelson is expected to join the club, which includes fellow NHL locked-out players F Mikael Backlund (Kelowna, 2008-09) and F Patrik Berglund in time for Thursday's game against Mora. Mikkelson's signing puts Västerås one over the limit of two non-EU players allowed per team, the other two being Brady Leisenring and David Lundbohm, both Americans. Västerås GM Niklas Johansson says: "We are fully aware and have a plan we will follow. It's no secret that our great need right now is on the back end." Leisenring and Lundbohm are both forwards, with Leisenring having eight goals and seven assists in 13 games to lead the team in scoring so far this season. Lundbohm just returned from a loan to TuTo Turku (Finland, Mestis), where he had five goals and five assists in 15 games, and has yet to play a game for Västerås this season. . . .
F Joffrey Lupul (Medicine Hat, 2000-03) signed a lockout contract with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (Russia, KHL). He had 25 goals and 42 assists in 66 games with Toronto Maple Leafs last season. . . .
F Brett McLean (Tacoma/Kelowna, Brandon, 1994-99) signed a one-year contract extension with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). He has four goals and seven assists in 17 games with Lugano this season. McLean signed a one-year extension with Lugano in March after joining the club in January from the Rockford Ice Hogs (AHL). The current extension now ties McLean to Lugano through the end of next season.
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Here’s a little extra from The MacBeth Report, who writes that he “came across this little bit from Greg Wyshynski (Puck Daddy). A fan went after Benn Olson after the game between Coventry and Cardiff in Cardiff on Sunday. Olson and Mike Egener, both with Coventery, are involved.”
Olson and Egener are former WHLers.
The video is right here.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
F Shane McColgan scored on the PP to break a 2-2 tie and give the visiting Saskatoon Blades a 3-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Regina F Lane Scheidl pulled the Pats even at 12:10, only to have McColgan score his third goal of the season 53 seconds later. . . . Scheidl also scored a first-period PP goal that ended a Blades’ run of 22 consecutive successful kills. . . . Saskatoon G Andrew Makarov made his ninth straight start. . . . The Blades had a 10-day layoff prior to this game. . . . Regina has lost three straight games now. . . . The Pats lost freshman D Colby Williams in the first period after he took a hit to the head and suffered a deep cut. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Leon Draisaitl scored the only goal of the circus as the Raiders beat the Swift Current Broncos, 2-1. . . . Draisaitl scored his third goal of the season, at 2:47 of the third, via the PP, to tie the score 1-1. . . . A 17-year-old from Cologne, Germany, Draisaitl had three assists in a 5-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday. His mother and sister have been in attendance at his last two games. . . . Prince Albert G Luke Siemens improved to 9-3-2 with a 30-save effort . . . The Broncos have played 11 games against East Division and have lost six of them. However, they got loser points in five of those so are 5-1-5, which is a .682 winning percentage. . . . Dave Leaderhouse of the Prince Albert Herald reports that the Raiders scratched F Dakota Conroy, D Shayne Gwinner and F Davis Vandane, all of whom were “suspended for violating team rules.” . . .

F Nathan Burns scored the only goal of the circus as the Vancouver Giants beat the Hurricanes 4-3 in Lethbridge. . . . Burns was the only one of eight shooters to score. . . . Vancouver F Dalton Sward forced OT with his third goal of the season at 19:10 of the third. . . .  F Marek Tvrdon had two assists as he ran his point streak to a career-best nine games. . . . Vancouver G Liam Liston, who played 24 games with the Hurricanes last season, stopped 26 shots for his first victory this season. He’s 1-6-0. . . . F Russell Maxwell had his 11th goal and two assists for Lethbridge. He has 19 points after totalling 31 points, including 15 goals, in 72 games last season. . . .

F Colin Smith scored the only goal of the circus to give the Kamloops Blazers a 3-2 victory over the Silvertips in Everett. . . . The victory allowed the Blazers to set a franchise record for consecutive victories (14). . . . The Blazers are 16-0-1 and remain the CHL’s only team not have been beaten in regulation time. . . . Everett F Ryan Harrison scored his club’s first goal and it was his 200th career regular-season point. . . . The last WHL team to win 14 in a row? Everett and the Kootenay Ice did it in 2009-10. The Edmonton Oil Kings went on a 22-game run last season that overlapped with the playoffs.

D Mike Aviani had two goals and two assists to lead the host Spokane Chiefs to an 8-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Aviani has 10 goals this season. . . . Chiefs D Brenden Kichton scored his club’s seventh goal — it was his 50th career goal and 200th point. . . . Spokane D Tyler King had a goal and two assists. . . . Spokane F Todd Fiddler scored his ninth and 10th goals. . . . The Chiefs are 7-0-0 at home and 11-5-0 overall.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Sam Grist, Kamloops

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Tanner Moar, Vancouver.
F Jackson Houck, Vancouver.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From WHL fan Terry Massey (@TerryMassey): “Dear @whl why do the pucks keep breaking? #cheap #noslapshotsrestofthegame #rubberpuckshereonin”
This was after two pucks broke just seconds apart during the first period of last night’s game in Regina.
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From Dan Russell (@DanRussellCKNW): “Can a WHL win in October be classified as ‘huge’??? If so, that was a huge win for Saskatoon tonight in Regina.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Tyson Marsh (Vancouver, 2001-04) signed a one-year contract with the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite). He had two goals and one assist in 16 games with Riessersee (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) and one goal and six assists in 33 games with the Alaska Aces (ECHL) last season. . . .
D Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). He had one goal and nine assists in 33 games with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season. Egener's 235 PIM were the most in the league.
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Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada filed his latest 30 Thoughts piece on Monday afternoon and it’s right here. As usual, it’s entertaining and informative.
And make sure you read all the way to the bottom because the last item may be where the most juice is.
Brian Burke, over to you!
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The QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles are the latest major junior team to separate the hockey and business operations. Pierre Rioux was named general manager of hockey operations last month. Now the Screaming Eagles have named Peter MacDonald as the general manager of business operations. He has been the club’s director of marketing for seven years.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Clark Donatelli has been named head coach of the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. He had been the interim head coach since replacing Stan Drulia in December. Drulia left Wheeling to join the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals as an assistant coach. . . . Wheeling was 26-20-9 under Donatelli. . . . The Nailers are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, a 12-year relationship that also has been renewed. . . .
Curt Fraser has signed on as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Dallas Stars. He had spent the last four seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Fraser fills the spot vacated by associate coach Willie Desjardins, who now is head coach of the Texas Stars, Dallas’s AHL affiliate. . . .
Phil Housley, the former all-star NHL defenceman, has been named head coach the U.S. national junior team that will play in Ufa, Russia, beginning on Dec. 26. . . . Housley, from South St. Paul, Minn., has coached at Stillwater High School in Minnesota for eight seasons and was an assistant coach on the U.S. junior team that finished third in Buffalo in 2011 and the bronze medal-winners in 2007. . . . The U.S. team also announced its selection camp roster and it includes D Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks, F Logan Nelson of the Victoria Royals and F Henrik Samuelsson of the Edmonton Oil Kings. The camp will be held Aug. 4-11 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

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Wednesday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Matt MacKay (Moose Jaw, Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Brandon, 2008-11) signed a one-year contract with Kölner Haie (Germany, DEL). He had 29 goals and 51 assists in 71 games with Vancouver Giants and Brandon Wheat Kings this season. Köln CEO Thomas Eichin: "Matt is a top talent. We are glad we were able to get him because he fits into our scheme. Young and hungry. He also has the right professional genes. His father was a very successful player." . .  . Matt's father Mark (Moose Jaw, 1984-1985), who is a Calgary-based player agent, played 12 seasons in Germany and made 50 appearances with the German national team. . . .
D Mike Egener (Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had two goals and six assists in 44 games for the Florida Everblades (ECHL). Esbjerg head coach (and former N.Y. Islanders D) Tomas Jonsson: "He's a big, strong guy and he will help us a lot with the game in our own zone. We have long wished for a defenseman of that caliber and Mike comes with some power, so I very much look forward to working with him." . . .
F Garrett Bembridge (Saskatoon, 1997-2001) signed a one-year contract with Valpellice (Italy, Serie A). He had 25 goals and 17 assists in 48 games for Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, 2.Bundesliga) this season. . . .
G Jeff Glass (Kootenay, 2002-05) signed a two-year contract extension with Barys Astana (Kazakhstan, KHL). He had a 2.95 GAA and a .911 save percentage in 23 games for Astana this season.
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JUST NOTES: D Tyler Bell, 17, has signed to play with the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins, unless he sticks with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. Bell spent the last two seasons with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. Right now, he would seventh at best on the Blazers’ depth chart. . . . The Blazers, by the way, are expected to announce the signing of an assistant coach today. Head coach Guy Charron is heading into the second year of a two-year deal, so perhaps an extension will be in order for him. . . . Kamloops didn’t renew the contracts of assistants Scott Ferguson and Geoff Smith after last season ended. . . . Interesting goings-on in the NorPac Junior Hockey League where officials have suspended four of its 12 teams for next season. Matt Baldwin of the Whitefish Pilot has that story right here. . . . F Taylor Piller, who won four championships in as many SJHL seasons, has decided to attend Simon Fraser University and play hockey there. Piller won two championships with the Humboldt Broncos and two more with the La Ronge Ice Wolves. . . .
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THE COACHING GAME: Pat Bingham is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals. Bingham (Kamloops, New Westminster, 1985-89) is the ninth head coach in franchise history. He spent the last four seasons on the coaching staff of the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, taking over as head coach in November. . . . Former Prince George Cougars head coach Lane Lambert will be named today as an assistant coach by the NHL’s Nashville Predators. He has been the head coach of Nashville’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, for four seasons. . . . Former WHL D Ian Herbers, an assistant under Lambert for two seasons, is a candidate to take over as Milwaukee’s head coach. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post updates the situation involving the Regina Pats and contract negotiations with a few members of the organization. That piece is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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