Tragedy struck the hockey world Wednesday with the death of Patrick Steel, an 18-year-old forward from Sherwood Park, Alta., who was in his freshman season with the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles.
According to the AJHL, Steel died of unexplained causes. An autopsy is scheduled; the RCMP has said it doesn’t consider the death as suspicious, but it is investigating.
Steel, who played last season for the midget AAA Canadian Athletic Club in Edmonton, was pointless in 13 games with the Steel.
Andrew Milne (Spokane, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, 1995-99), a former assistant coach in Swift Current and Kamloops, is the Eagles’ general manager and head coach.
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In Regina, the Moose Jaw Warriors ran their winning streak to six games by beating the Pats, 3-1. . . . Moose Jaw D Dallas Ehrhardt drew two assists. . . . Warriors G Luke Siemens stopped 37 shots. . . . Moose Jaw F Tanner Eberle, who is from Regina, scored the eventual game-winner, giving his side a 2-0 lead at 19:38 of the first period. . . . The Warriors had D Joel Edmundson (ankle) back in the lineup, but D Dylan McIlrath (undisclosed) sat out again. They also were without D Morgan Rielly (knee) and F Cody Beach (coach’s decision). . . . Moose Jaw F Sebastian Svendsen (knee) played for the first time since Oct. 10. . . . The Pats visit Moose Jaw tonight.
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Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News reports that “if everything works out” a news conference will be held in Dallas on Nov. 21 to introduce Tom Gaglardi as the new owner of the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, has been working for months to purchase the NHL franchise out of bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy hearing that was to have been held in Delaware on Nov. 23, now is scheduled for Nov. 18.
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Today’s good read is right here. It’s a column by Lisa Olson, a columnist with AOL FanHouse, and it’s on the scandal at Penn State. You won’t want to miss it.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Showing posts with label Mike Heika. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Heika. Show all posts
Thursday, October 20, 2011
 |
| Patrick Holland of the Tri-City Americans fights through traffic in an attempt to get a shot off on Saskatoon Blades goaltender Andrey Makarov on Wednesday night in Kennewick, Wash. (Photo by John Allen / AridAcres.com) |
F Derek LeBlanc (Brandon, Calgary, 2003-07) requested and was granted his release by the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite) for personal reasons. He had four goals and nine assists in 12 games for the Giants this season. . . .
G Dusan Salficky (Tri-City, 1990-91) has been loaned by Litomerice (Czech Republic, 1.Liga) to Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for at least one game. Salficky has yet to appear in a game this season. Last season, he had a 3.88 GAA and a .885 save percentage in 12 games with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga), a 2.73 GAA and a .927 save percentage in nine games with Litomerice, and a 1.14 GAA and a .963 save percentage in six games with Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic, 1.Liga).
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F Austin Connor, who was acquired by the Vancouver Giants from the Prince Albert Raiders on Monday, has chosen to retire. The Raiders, instead, have sent the Giants a fourth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. The Raiders got F Teal Burns and F Tyler Hart in the deal, with D Arvin Atwal going to Vancouver.
Connor, who is from Beechy, Sask., has decided he would rather farm than play hockey.
Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has that story right here.
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Rob Vanstone, in the Regina Leader-Post: “The WHL is transmitting mixed messages. While vowing to crack down on headshots, with the laudable goal of reducing concussions, the league refuses to provide specific injury information on its website. Instead, the site typically refers to upper- and lower-body injuries. In this case, the WHL’s collective big brains should give their heads a shake.”
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Vanstone, continued: “Let’s amend that: They should give their upper bodies a shake.”
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I am told that D Matt Benning of the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints has been offered a scholarship to Minnesota-Duluth, starting with the 2013-14 season. Benning is the son of Brian Benning, a defenceman with the Portland Winterhawks and Kamloops Blazers for parts of two seasons (1983-85). The younger Benning was a second-round bantam draft pick by the Kootenay Ice in 2009. His rights were dealt this summer to the Tri-City Americans, but he chose not to report as he wanted to keep his NCAA options open. It would seem that the NCAA option now has materialized.
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JUST NOTES: The Tri-City Americans have assigned F Justin Gutierrez to the NAHL’s Wichita Falls Wildcats. Gutierrez, who turns 16 on Dec. 22, was pointless in one game with the Americans. He is the younger brother of former WHLer Moises Gutierrez. . . . Rick Brodsky, who owns the Prince George Cougars, is a co-owner of the Wichita Falls franchise. . . . Head coach Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants will be the head coach of the WHL team that will meet a touring Russian side in the annual Subway Super Series. He will be assisted by Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets and Lorne Molleken of the Saskatooon Blades. Of course, Hay also is head coach of Canada’s national junior team, and Huska is one of his assistants. . . . The WHL team will meet the Russians in Regina on Nov. 16 and in Moose Jaw on Nov. 17. . . . Greg Mayer of the Regina Pats, Curtis Amiot of the Moose Jaw Warriors and Jamie LeBlanc of the Swift Current Broncos will serve as the WHL team’s training staff.
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Some Wednesday highlights:
In Edmonton, D Griffin Reinhart scored his first two goals to lift the Oil Kings to a 2-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Reinhart forged a 1-1 tie at 13:20 of the second period, while on the PP, then got the winner at 18:28 of the third. . . . F Michael St. Croix assisted on both Edmonton goals. . . . Moose Jaw took 50 of 82 penalty minutes. . . . Edmonton held a 42-18 edge in shots. . . .
In Red Deer, the Rebels scored the game’s last three goals, the final one into an empty net, and beat the Kamloops Blazers, 4-2. . . . All three goals were unassisted efforts, with F Tyson Ness and F Chad Robinson erasing a 2-1 deficit with goals 24 seconds apart early in the third period. . . . F Turner Elson got the empty-netter at 19:41. . . . Red Deer’s Patrik Bartosak, the CHL’s goaltender of the week, stopped 30 shots. . . .
In Everett, the Brandon Wheat Kings got two goals and an assist from each of F Darian Dziurzynski and F Paul Ciarelli and beat the Silvertips, 8-2. . . . There have been reports that Dziurzynski scored three goals, but the online scoresheet shows him with two. . . . F Brenden Walker and F Michael Ferland each had a goal and two helpers. . . . Brandon G Brandon Anderson stopped 30 shots. He’s 2-0 since being acquired Sunday from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Dziurynski has three (or four) goals in two games since being acquired from the Saskatoon Blades, also on Sunday. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone had a goal as he ran his season-opening point streak to 11 games. . . . The Wheat Kings were without F Bruno Mraz, who left Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Thunderbirds after hitting his head on the boards. . . . The Silvertips had three players leave with injuries — D Ryan Murray, F Josh Birkholz and F Ryan Harrison. . . . Murray, one of the WHL’s top defencemen, left in the first period after taking a hit from Stone. Murray was on crutches after the game. . . . The Wheat Kings next play Friday in Medicine Hat against the Tigers. That game will mark the second time the Clouston brothers have clashed as head coaches. Cory is in his first season as Brandon’s head coach; Shaun is the Tigers’ second-year head coach. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun notes that the two met on Jan. 3, 2003, when the Kootenay Ice, with Cory running things, beat the Tri-City Americans, with Shaun as head coach, 4-1, in Kennewick, Wash. . . . It’s believed that the only other brothers to have opposed each other in the WHL was the Sauters, Doug with the Calgary Wranglers and Mike with the Lethbridge Broncos, in 1979-80. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., F Justin Feser scored twice and set up another as the Tri-City Americans got past the Saskatoon Blades, 5-2. . . . Feser’s second goal, at 18:00 of the third, gave the Americans a 4-2 lead and F Brendan Shinnimin iced it with an empty-netter 38 seconds later. . . . Tri-City G Ty Rimmer stopped 33 shots, three fewer than Saskatoon’s Andrey Makarov. . . . The Blades have lost three in a row in the U.S. Division after opening the swing with a victory in Everett. . . . The Americans will spend the weekend in Prince George. Tri-City won last season’s series 2-1-0-1, but the Americans hold a 20-3-0-1 edge since 2005-06.
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Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has been following the impending sale of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. Tom Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, is hoping to purchase the Stars out of bankruptcy and there is an important deadline arriving on Saturday.
Heika’s latest piece is right here.
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A report in the Estevan Mercury indicates that the four western Canadian junior A leagues are seriously considering abandoning the RBC Cup and starting up their own championship.
Why?
“According to the document,” the newspaper reports, “a major reason for the change is to get away from Hockey Canada’s overbearing rules for hosting tournaments, which restrict profit for the host community by forcing them to change most or all of their advertising to Hockey Canada sponsors.
“The document cites ‘Hockey Canada exclusivities’ and ‘administrative fees for event management’ among the reasons for taking this initiative.”
The Mercury’s complete story is right here.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday . . .
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday that “Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi has emerged as the ledaing candidate to buy the Stars, according to two sources close to the sale.”
Gaglardi, of course, is the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers.
Heika’s piece is right here.
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F Brayden Schenn had a goal, his first, and an assist and F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) set up three goals on Tuesday, leading the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs to a 6-3 playoff victory over the host Binghamton Senators. Manchester holds a 3-1 lead in the Atlantic Division semifinal with Game 5 in Binghamton tonight.
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The Coaches Site is playing host to a hockey coaches conference at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Burnaby, B.C., July 29-30.
Included among the speakers are WHL head coaches Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants, Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets and Mike Johnston of the Portland Winterhawks. Also on hand will be former WHL head coaches Mark Holick (Kootenay Ice) and Kevin Constantine (Everett Silvertips).
According to news release:
“The goal of the conference is to share the experience and insight of professional coaches and experts in human performance with coaches at the grassroots levels. The two-day event will cover various topics, including tactical strategies, individual skill development and off-ice conditioning. It will also feature a charity reception for H.E.R.O.S (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society).”
For more info, visit thecoachessite.com or send an email to info@thecoachessite.com.
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ON THE ICE TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 3-0 third-period deficit and beat the Tri-City Americans 5-4 in overtime to advance to the Western Conference final. . . . The Chiefs won the series 4-2 and will open against the Winterhawks in Portland on Friday. . . . F Levko Koper scored his third goal of these playoffs at 6:39 of OT. . . . The last three games in this series went to OT, with the Chiefs winning the last two. . . . The Chiefs got a goal and an assist from F Darren Kramer, who now has six points, five of them goals, in the playoffs. . . . He had 14 points, including seven goals, and 306 penalty minutes in 68 regular-season games. He has just six penalty minutes in the playoffs. . . . With the Americans leading 3-0 in the third period, the Chiefs struck for three goals in 1:57 and four in 7:41 to take the lead. Karmer got it started at 1:16, D Tanner Mort continued it at 2:35 with his first goal of the playoffs, and F Blake Gal, who scored in OT to win Game 5, tied it at 3:13. . . . Here is how Dan Mulhausen, the Americans’ media guru, described all that was involved with Gal’s goal: “In a heavily scrutinized play, (Tri-City G Drew) Owsley kicked out Kenton Miller’s shot, where it appeared to ricochet off of (Tri-City F Kruise) Reddick’s skate and into the slot. Blake Gal then crashed the net, poking the puck on goal before it was cleared by Tri-City. Play continued for almost two minutes before a stoppage allowed the video goal judge and the on-ice officials to review the play. After a lengthy discussion, video evidence showed Gal’s attempt crossed the goal line before being kicked out, overruling the original no-goal call on the ice and tying the game at 3.” . . . F Kenton Miller put the Chiefs out front at 8:57, only to have Tri-City F Adam Hughesman tie it at 12:39 on the PP. That was Hughesman’s second goal of the game. F Patrick Holland also scored twice for the Ams. . . . The Americans were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-for-1. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson was tossed with a kneeing major at 18:31 of the first period for a hit on F Brendan Shinnimin, who returned to the Tri-City bench but didn’t play again. . . . Johnson could be facing a suspension as the WHL will conduct its usual investigation into such a penalty. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 26 shots, seven fewer than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . Attendance was 6,083.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
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This will be the ninth time that Spokane and Portland have met in the playoffs. Last season, the Winterhawks took the Chiefs out in a seven-game first-round series in which neither team could win on home ice. . . . These times have gone the distance five times in those seven meetings. . . . They have met twice before in Western Conference finals (1998 and 2001), with the Winterhawks winning both times. . . . Portland finished with 103 points this regular season, one more than the Chiefs. . . . However, Spokane won the season series, 5-3-1.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Gaglardi, of course, is the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers.
Heika’s piece is right here.
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F Brayden Schenn had a goal, his first, and an assist and F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) set up three goals on Tuesday, leading the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs to a 6-3 playoff victory over the host Binghamton Senators. Manchester holds a 3-1 lead in the Atlantic Division semifinal with Game 5 in Binghamton tonight.
———
The Coaches Site is playing host to a hockey coaches conference at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Burnaby, B.C., July 29-30.
Included among the speakers are WHL head coaches Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants, Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets and Mike Johnston of the Portland Winterhawks. Also on hand will be former WHL head coaches Mark Holick (Kootenay Ice) and Kevin Constantine (Everett Silvertips).
According to news release:
“The goal of the conference is to share the experience and insight of professional coaches and experts in human performance with coaches at the grassroots levels. The two-day event will cover various topics, including tactical strategies, individual skill development and off-ice conditioning. It will also feature a charity reception for H.E.R.O.S (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society).”
For more info, visit thecoachessite.com or send an email to info@thecoachessite.com.
———
ON THE ICE TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 3-0 third-period deficit and beat the Tri-City Americans 5-4 in overtime to advance to the Western Conference final. . . . The Chiefs won the series 4-2 and will open against the Winterhawks in Portland on Friday. . . . F Levko Koper scored his third goal of these playoffs at 6:39 of OT. . . . The last three games in this series went to OT, with the Chiefs winning the last two. . . . The Chiefs got a goal and an assist from F Darren Kramer, who now has six points, five of them goals, in the playoffs. . . . He had 14 points, including seven goals, and 306 penalty minutes in 68 regular-season games. He has just six penalty minutes in the playoffs. . . . With the Americans leading 3-0 in the third period, the Chiefs struck for three goals in 1:57 and four in 7:41 to take the lead. Karmer got it started at 1:16, D Tanner Mort continued it at 2:35 with his first goal of the playoffs, and F Blake Gal, who scored in OT to win Game 5, tied it at 3:13. . . . Here is how Dan Mulhausen, the Americans’ media guru, described all that was involved with Gal’s goal: “In a heavily scrutinized play, (Tri-City G Drew) Owsley kicked out Kenton Miller’s shot, where it appeared to ricochet off of (Tri-City F Kruise) Reddick’s skate and into the slot. Blake Gal then crashed the net, poking the puck on goal before it was cleared by Tri-City. Play continued for almost two minutes before a stoppage allowed the video goal judge and the on-ice officials to review the play. After a lengthy discussion, video evidence showed Gal’s attempt crossed the goal line before being kicked out, overruling the original no-goal call on the ice and tying the game at 3.” . . . F Kenton Miller put the Chiefs out front at 8:57, only to have Tri-City F Adam Hughesman tie it at 12:39 on the PP. That was Hughesman’s second goal of the game. F Patrick Holland also scored twice for the Ams. . . . The Americans were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-for-1. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson was tossed with a kneeing major at 18:31 of the first period for a hit on F Brendan Shinnimin, who returned to the Tri-City bench but didn’t play again. . . . Johnson could be facing a suspension as the WHL will conduct its usual investigation into such a penalty. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 26 shots, seven fewer than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . Attendance was 6,083.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
This will be the ninth time that Spokane and Portland have met in the playoffs. Last season, the Winterhawks took the Chiefs out in a seven-game first-round series in which neither team could win on home ice. . . . These times have gone the distance five times in those seven meetings. . . . They have met twice before in Western Conference finals (1998 and 2001), with the Winterhawks winning both times. . . . Portland finished with 103 points this regular season, one more than the Chiefs. . . . However, Spokane won the season series, 5-3-1.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday . . .
The Prince Albert Raiders have dealt disgruntled F Marc Mackenzie to the Chilliwack Bruins for a 12th-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. MacKenzie, who turns 17 on Nov. 5, left the Raiders and returned to his Kelowna home on the weekend in a dispute over playing time and alleged broken promises. “There was never any promises made to Marc, or his dad, concerning that he would never be scratched (from the lineup),” Raiders GM/head coach Bruno Campese told John MacNeil of the Prince Albert Daily Herald. “It’s just not something that you do, for obvious reasons. . . . We’ve never made promises of the sort to our first-round draft picks, or any of our high-end draft picks.”
Check out MacNeil's story right here.
The Raiders are carrying 24 players now, including two goaltenders and nine defencemen.
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Congratulations to Kelly McCrimmon, the owner/GM/head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings. When his side beat the Pats 3-1 in Regina on Sunday, it was McCrimmon’s 300th WHL head-coaching victory. He is the 17th coach in WHL history to reach that milestone. . . . McCrimmon is second on Brandon’s all-time list, behind Bob Lowes (363). . . . Next up? Marc Habscheid of the Chilliwack Bruins is at 285. Of course, he also coached with the Kamloops Blazers and Kelowna Rockets.
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If you are a fan of the Seattle Thunderbirds — or even if you aren’t — you will be able to chat with G Calvin Pickard and head coach Rob Sumner today (Tuesday, Sept. 28) from noon to 1 p.m. (Pacific time). . . . The Seattle Times sports department does weekly live chats with people from that area’s sports scene, and Sumner and Pickard are up today. . . . So if you’ve got a question, you may log on right here and fire away.
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ON THE MOVE: The Tri-City Americans have released D Cody Castro, an 18-year-old from Pasadena, Calif. He had one assist in 19 games with the Americans last season, after earning three points in 49 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in 2008-09. Lethbridge selected him in the 11th round of the 2007 bantam draft. . . . The Portland Winterhawks welcomed back F Riley Boychuk (Buffalo), D Brett Ponich (St. Louis) and F Brad Ross (Toronto) from NHL camps. They were back in time to play in the home-opener against the Vancouver Giants on Monday. The Winterhawks then reassigned D Stephane Robidoux and D David Watt. . . . Portland players still away: F Ryan Johansen (Columbus), F Nino Niederreiter (New York Islanders) and F Luke Walker (Lake Erie, AHL). . . . The Edmonton Oil Kings got D Mark Pysyk back from the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
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Junior Hockey’s Royal Franchise: The Regina Pats, a book written by Darrell Davis and Ron Johnston, has won an award in the International Sports Heritage Association’s (ISHA) 2010 Communication Awards.
According to a news release, the book, “published under the auspices of the (Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum’s) Sport History Project, won in the category of Books or Exhibit Catalogues for an institution with an operating budget exceeding $250,000.” . . . The book was co-published by the Regina Leader-Post Foundation. . . . If you’re a hockey fan and don’t have a copy, well, Christmas is coming.
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F Tyler Maxwell of the Everett Silvertips is the first Boston Pizza player of the week. He had five points in two season-opening victories. Maxwell, 19, is from Manhattan Beach, Calif. . . . G Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice is the WHL’s nominee as CHL goaltender of the week. He stopped 25 shots in a 4-0 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Saturday.
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Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has a thorough update on the situation involving the impending sale of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. If you’ve been following it, you’ll find it interesting. It’s right here.
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The SJHL has lowered the boom on F Justin Ducharme of the La Ronge Ice Wolves. He drew a 16-game suspension for a hit on Andrew Dommett, the captain of the Kindersley Klippers on Sept. 19. The league called it a “late and blind-side hit.” . . . According to the Regina Leader-Post, “Dommett suffered a broken jaw on both sides and also lost several teeth. The injuries could cause him to miss up to two months.” . . . Ducharme will be eligible to return on Nov. 19.
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Last season, F James Wright opened with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning before eventually — having played in 48 games — being returned to the Vancouver Giants. Now, he is with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. That story is right here.
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MONDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
VANCOUVER 2 AT PORTLAND 7: F Spencer Bennett scored twice to lead the Winterhawks (1-1-0-0) in their home-opener. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 30 shots. . . . The Giants (1-2-0-0) went with Derek Tendler, who made 33 saves. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow earned three assists. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning had a tough night and was minus-4. . . . .It should be pointed out that Red No. 23 (aka Seth Swenson) scored one of Portland’s goals. . . . Portland, outshot 27-17 but leading 4-2 through two periods, had a 23-5 edge in shots in the third period. . . . Attendance was 4,068. . . . The teams meet again Wednesday in Vancouver.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Check out MacNeil's story right here.
The Raiders are carrying 24 players now, including two goaltenders and nine defencemen.
———
Congratulations to Kelly McCrimmon, the owner/GM/head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings. When his side beat the Pats 3-1 in Regina on Sunday, it was McCrimmon’s 300th WHL head-coaching victory. He is the 17th coach in WHL history to reach that milestone. . . . McCrimmon is second on Brandon’s all-time list, behind Bob Lowes (363). . . . Next up? Marc Habscheid of the Chilliwack Bruins is at 285. Of course, he also coached with the Kamloops Blazers and Kelowna Rockets.
———
If you are a fan of the Seattle Thunderbirds — or even if you aren’t — you will be able to chat with G Calvin Pickard and head coach Rob Sumner today (Tuesday, Sept. 28) from noon to 1 p.m. (Pacific time). . . . The Seattle Times sports department does weekly live chats with people from that area’s sports scene, and Sumner and Pickard are up today. . . . So if you’ve got a question, you may log on right here and fire away.
———
ON THE MOVE: The Tri-City Americans have released D Cody Castro, an 18-year-old from Pasadena, Calif. He had one assist in 19 games with the Americans last season, after earning three points in 49 games with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in 2008-09. Lethbridge selected him in the 11th round of the 2007 bantam draft. . . . The Portland Winterhawks welcomed back F Riley Boychuk (Buffalo), D Brett Ponich (St. Louis) and F Brad Ross (Toronto) from NHL camps. They were back in time to play in the home-opener against the Vancouver Giants on Monday. The Winterhawks then reassigned D Stephane Robidoux and D David Watt. . . . Portland players still away: F Ryan Johansen (Columbus), F Nino Niederreiter (New York Islanders) and F Luke Walker (Lake Erie, AHL). . . . The Edmonton Oil Kings got D Mark Pysyk back from the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
———
Junior Hockey’s Royal Franchise: The Regina Pats, a book written by Darrell Davis and Ron Johnston, has won an award in the International Sports Heritage Association’s (ISHA) 2010 Communication Awards.
According to a news release, the book, “published under the auspices of the (Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum’s) Sport History Project, won in the category of Books or Exhibit Catalogues for an institution with an operating budget exceeding $250,000.” . . . The book was co-published by the Regina Leader-Post Foundation. . . . If you’re a hockey fan and don’t have a copy, well, Christmas is coming.
———
F Tyler Maxwell of the Everett Silvertips is the first Boston Pizza player of the week. He had five points in two season-opening victories. Maxwell, 19, is from Manhattan Beach, Calif. . . . G Nathan Lieuwen of the Kootenay Ice is the WHL’s nominee as CHL goaltender of the week. He stopped 25 shots in a 4-0 victory over the visiting Calgary Hitmen on Saturday.
———
Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News has a thorough update on the situation involving the impending sale of the NHL’s Dallas Stars. If you’ve been following it, you’ll find it interesting. It’s right here.
———
The SJHL has lowered the boom on F Justin Ducharme of the La Ronge Ice Wolves. He drew a 16-game suspension for a hit on Andrew Dommett, the captain of the Kindersley Klippers on Sept. 19. The league called it a “late and blind-side hit.” . . . According to the Regina Leader-Post, “Dommett suffered a broken jaw on both sides and also lost several teeth. The injuries could cause him to miss up to two months.” . . . Ducharme will be eligible to return on Nov. 19.
———
Last season, F James Wright opened with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning before eventually — having played in 48 games — being returned to the Vancouver Giants. Now, he is with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. That story is right here.
———
MONDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
VANCOUVER 2 AT PORTLAND 7: F Spencer Bennett scored twice to lead the Winterhawks (1-1-0-0) in their home-opener. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 30 shots. . . . The Giants (1-2-0-0) went with Derek Tendler, who made 33 saves. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow earned three assists. . . . Vancouver D Neil Manning had a tough night and was minus-4. . . . .It should be pointed out that Red No. 23 (aka Seth Swenson) scored one of Portland’s goals. . . . Portland, outshot 27-17 but leading 4-2 through two periods, had a 23-5 edge in shots in the third period. . . . Attendance was 4,068. . . . The teams meet again Wednesday in Vancouver.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
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