Oil Kings back in final . . . Voice of Tigers will be back!

F Mikhail Fisenko (Vancouver, Calgary, 2008-11) has signed a two-year extension with Amur Khabarovsk (Russia, KHL). This season, he had six points, including one goal, in 25 games. . . .
D Deron Quint (Seattle, 1993-96) has been traded by CSKA Moscow to Spartak Moscow (both Russia, KHL) for monetary considerations. Quint was traded by Spartak to CSKA on Jan. 15 for monetary considerations. This season, he led all KHL defencemen in goals, with 13. He finished with 28 points in 51 games.
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1. The biggest (and best) news in the WHL on Tuesday came out of Medicine Hat. Actually, it came late Monday night when Bob Ridley (@BobRidley_CHAT) tweeted: “I wish to thank chat radio and t.v for allowing me to semi retire. Will remain as tigers play by play man.” . . . Yes, the Tigers’ bus-driving play-by-play man will be back for another season, and that’s great news.

2. Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada has his weekly 30 Thoughts right here. Mike Johnston, the GM/head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, as the next head coach of the Vancouver Canucks? Hey, why not?

3. Ben Cooper, who did a turn as an assistant coach with the Victoria Royals, is back in the WHL as a regional scout with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He also is a coach at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C.

4. Attendance at Game 3 in each of the three major junior championship finals on Tuesday night: Val-d-’Or, 2,890 (seats, 2,140; capacity, 3,504); North Bay, 4,248 (sellout); Edmonton, 6,799.

5. Michael Kim won’t be in the outfield or on the mound this spring as the baseball season begins in Mississauga, Ont. But he is an angel in the outfield. Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun wrote this story right here in 2006, about a young man who lost his life and whose organs benefited eight people.
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After 17 years with the Prince George Cougars, general manager Dallas Thompson worked his last day with the organization on Tuesday. With the franchise going through the sale process, he won’t be returning.
Late Monday night, Thompson posted this on Facebook:
“Not much for updates, however, tomorrow will by my last day going to work for the Prince George Cougars. It has been a great 17 years. We did not get to the place we wanted but we touched a lot of hearts along the way. Thank you Prince George! You were kind and I wish you all the best along the way. ‪#‎princegeorgecougars‬ All the best.”
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have acquired D Cole Wedman, 20, from the Spokane Chiefs for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Wedman, from Edmonton, had 29 points, including eight goals, in 181 regular-season games over three seasons with the Chiefs. . . . He was a sixth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . Wedman’s brother, Matthew, a forward, was selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the second round of last week’s bantam draft. . . . The Chiefs are left with five 1994-born players on their roster -- D Reid Gow, the team captain, F Connor Chartier, F Marcus Messier, F Carter Proft and F Liam Stewart. . . . The Warriors now have four such players on their roster -- Wedman, along with F Scott Cooke, F Tanner Eberle and F Jack Rodewald. . . . The deadline for teams to get down to three 20-year-old players is Oct. 16.
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If you’re interested in the names of players with ties to the WHL who were selected in Phase 2 of the USHL’s draft on Tuesday, there’s a list right here.
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THE OHL FINAL:
In North Bay, the Guelph Storm scored twice in the last minute of the third period and beat the Battalion 4-3 to take a 2-1 lead in that series. . . . F Zack Mitchell tied the game at 19:30 of the third period and F Brock McGinn got the winner at 19:49. . . . The Battalion had leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. . . . Game 4 is scheduled for tonight in North Bay.
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THE QMJHL FINAL:
In Val-d’Or, the Foreurs dropped the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 5-2 and now lead that series, 2-1. . . . F Anthony Mantha had two goals and an assist for the winners, who scored the game’s last four goals, three of them in the third period. . . . Mantha gave the Foreurs a 3-2 lead 6:41 and added insurance at 16:57. He’s got 20 goals in these playoffs. . . . The Foreurs are scheduled to play host to Game 4 tonight.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Former UBC Thunderbirds head coach Milan Dragicevic (Regina, New Westminster, Victoria, Spokane, Tri-City, 1986-90) has signed on as director of hockey development for the Richmond, B.C., Minor Hockey Association. Dragicevic, 43, spent 14 seasons as head coach of the Thunderbirds before being fired in March. He was the head coach of the Vancouver Giants in their first two WHL seasons.
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THE FOURTH ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
WHL final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup
(x - if necessary)
(All games televised live by Shaw)
(All games televised on delayed basis by Root Sports)
PORTLAND (2, West) vs. Edmonton (1, East)
(Portland leads, 2-1)
Season series: Portland, 0-0-1; Edmonton, 1-0-0.
Saturday: Edmonton 2 at Portland 5 (10,947)
Sunday: Edmonton 1 at Portland 3 (10,645)
Tuesday: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (6,799)
Wednesday: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Friday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
x-Sunday: Portland at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Edmonton: None.
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TUESDAY’S GAME:
In Edmonton, the Oil Kings scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 3-2. . . . The Winterhawks lead the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, 2-1, with Game 4 in Edmonton tonight. . . . Game 5 is scheduled for the Moda Center in Portland on Friday. . . . F Chase De Leo, at 2:38, and D Mathew Dumba, at 3:30, scored first-period goals for the Winterhawks. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson got a PP goal at 4:11 of the second period and F Luke Bertolucci pulled his guys even at 11:04. . . . F Edgars Kulda gave the Oil Kings their first lead of the series at 13:13 of the third period, and it stood up as the winner. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 35 shots, as did Portland’s Corbin Boes. . . . The Oil Kings were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 0-for-4. . . . The Winterhawks now are 42-4 since Jan. 11. . . . In Game 1, the Oil Kings trailed 1-0 at 2:50 of the first period. In Game 2, Portland scored at 2:12 and 3:14 of the first period. Last night, the Winterhawks scored at 2:38 and 3:30 of the opening period. . . . Portland has outscored Edmonton 7-0 in the first periods of this series. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic had one assist, giving him 30 points in 16 games. He now is tied for the playoff scoring lead with teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand, who leads in goals (15). . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot had an assist, leaving him at 29 points. He leads in assists, with 25.
John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal writes right here that Game 3 looked over early, but now it’s a series.
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From Fake GAINER (@fakeGAINER): “#Saskie Derrick Pouliot 29 pts in WHL Playoffs - absolutely crazy for a defenseman. Another product of the Weyburn AllUCanEat KFC Buffet.”


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Shaw-TV to show Calgary-Kootenay

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Radim Valchar (Portland, Lethbridge, 2007-10) has signed a one-year extension with Gap (France, Ligue Magnus). In 26 games, he had 31 points, including 12 goals. He led the team in assists (19) and points. . . .
F Viktor Gibbs Sjödin (Portland, 2006-08) has signed a contract with the Melbourne Mustangs (Australia, AIHL). The AIHL season runs from April 12 to Aug. 31. This season, with Enköping (Sweden, Division 1), Sjödin had 24 points, including six goals, in 27 games. With Ferencváros Budapest (Hungary, MOL Liga), he had nine points, three of them goals, in 12 games.
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F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice remains in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon as he battles Neisseria meningitis. . . . The WHL has established a trust fund to help Tim and his family with medical and rehabilitation costs. You are able to contribute at any BMO Bank of Montreal in Western Canada. . . . Should you live outside of that area, please mail donations to
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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Milan Dragicevic (Regina, New Westminster, Victoria, Spokane, Tri-City, 1986-90) was fired Monday as head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds. With the hockey program among those under fire at the school, Dragicevic spent much time in the second half of the season working to save it. It seems he did that but now he won’t be around to see the fruits of his and others labours. Howard Tsumura of the Vancouver Province has more right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed Blake Bargar, a forward from Torrance, Calif., who was a seventh-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. He spent this season in the Arizona Bobcats 98 AAA program.
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F Brady Ramsay and F Josh Derko, a pair of 20-year-olds from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, are on their way to the ECHL. . . . With the Hurricanes’ season having ended, Ramsay, who has turned 21, signed on with the Stockton Thunder, while Derko is joining the Gwinnett Gladiators. Both signed ATOs. . . . Ramsay had 129 points, including 53 goals, in 255 games over four seasons with the Hurricanes. Unfortunately for him, he never once appeared in the playoffs. . . . A knee injury limited Derko to 42 games this season, including the last five. In 207 career games, split between the Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge, he had 53 points, including 29 goals.
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D Tommy Vannelli of the Medicine Hat Tigers has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. Vannelli, 19, was a second-round pick by the Blues in the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . Vannelli, from Minnetonka, Minn., had 41 points, including 27 assists, in 59 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
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If you subscribe to Shaw-TV, you will be able to watch the first-round WHL playoff series between the Calgary Hitmen, the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed, and the No. 6 Kootenay Ice. The series opens Thursday night in Calgary. . . . Shaw will televise one series in each of the first two rounds, as well as a conference final and the WHL’s championship final. . . . The opening round will feature Dan Russell calling the play, with analysis from Bill Wilms. The rinkside hosts will be Alanna Nolan and Stu Walters. . . . The telecasts also will feature Andy Neal, Peter Loubardias and Kevin Sawyer.
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TUESDAY’S TIEBREAKER GAME (all times local):
Prince Albert at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
(Eastern Conference one-game tiebreaker; winner finishes eighth.)
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT/RED DEER (8)
Saturday: at Edmonton, 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite.
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
Saturday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Regina at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Regina vs. Brandon, site TBA, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Brandon: None.
Regina: D Kyle Burroughs, day-to-day; D Tye Hand, indefinite; G Daniel Wapple, indefinite; D Colby Williams, day-to-day.
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
Thursday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Monday, March 24: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Thursday, March 27: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Radel Fazleev, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Landon Cross, 1 week; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months; D Landon Peel, 1 week.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
Friday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE






KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
Saturday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 5:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday, March 28: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Tyson Baillie, 1-2 weeks; D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Tri-City: F Phil Tot, day-to-day; F Taylor Vickerman, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
Friday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.Saturday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-Friday, March 28: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Portland at Vancouver, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: F Adam de Champlain, day-to-day.
Vancouver: F Tyler Benson, indefinite; G Jared Rathjen, day-to-day; F Jakob Stukel, indefinite; D Dalton Thrower, indefinite; F Cain Franson, day-to-day.
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
Saturday: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Spokane at Victoria, 5:05 p.m.
Wednesday, March 26: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday, March 27: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 30: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
INJURIES
Victoria: None.
Spokane: F Jacob Cardiff, day-to-day; D Colton Bobyk, week-to-week; F Adam Hascic, day-to-day; F Blair Oneschuk, week-to-week.
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
Saturday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Seattle at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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From Kootenay Ice athletic trainer Cory Cameron (@coryjcameron): “Amazing to spend the day with @timbozon94 yesterday, and meet @HeleneBozon and Philipe in YXE. #fighter #inspiring #TB20 @WHLKootenayICE”
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From Helene Barbier Bozon (@Helene Bozon), Tim’s mother: “Our most profound gratitude for @coryjcameron @WHLKootenayICE who saved our @timbozon94 #fast #smartreaction.”
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From the Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS): “On behalf of Warriors Fans, $1,000 has been donated to Tim Bozon Trust. Players also donating $200 for a total of $1200 #getwelltim.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Sebastian Svendsen (Vancouver, Edmonton, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, 2009-12) signed a two-year contract with Aalborg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). Svendsen started the season with Moose Jaw, getting two goals and two assists in 11 games. He returned to Denmark in December, where he played four games with Hvidovre (Denmark, U20 Liga), getting four goals and two assists in four games, and 12 games with Copenhagen Hockey, (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga), scoring three goals and four assists to go along with 49 PIMs. . . .
F Erik Christensen (Kamloops, Brandon, 1999-2004) signed a one-year contract with Lev Prague (Czech Republic, KHL). He had one goal and four assists in 20 games with the New York Rangers, two goals and one assist in five games with Connecticut Whale (AHL), and six goals and one assist in 29 games with Minnesota Wild this season.
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JUST NOTES:
Rob Morphy of Kamloops has been named director of scouting/head scout by the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. It’s a reunion of sorts for Morphy and Troy Mick, the Silverbacks’ new GM and head coach. The two worked together with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers and won the 1999 Royal Bank Cup. . . . Morphy also is a veteran WHL scout, most recently having worked with the Chilliwack Bruins and Tri-City Americans. . . .
The Tri-City Americans have signed D Tyler Fraser, who was a third-round pick, 55th overall, in the 2012 bantam draft. Fraser, from Surrey, B.C., played for the bantam AAA Cloverdale Colts; in fact, he was the team captain. He also was partnered with Parker Wotherspoon, the Americans’ first-round selection in the 2012 draft. . . .
Hockey Now has named F Mathew Barzal of the Burnaby Winter Club and F Jansen Harkins of the North Shore Winter Club as co-winners of its B.C. minor hockey player-of-the-year award. . . . Barzal was selected first overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft. . . . Harkins went second overall to the Prince George Cougars. . . . There’s more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Steve Johnson has signed on as an assistant coach with the U of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. He will work alongside head coach Dean Blais. Johnson and Blais both are former head coaches of the USHL’s Fargo Force. In fact, Johnson replaced Blais for the 2009-10 season. For the last two seasons, Johnson has been an assistant coach at St. Cloud State. . . . Back in the day, Johnson spent four seasons as a player at the U of North Dakota; Blais was an assistant coach with the Fighting Sioux at the time. . . .
Gary Graham is the new head coach of the Southern Professional league’s Pensacola Ice Flyers. Graham is coming off four seasons as an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Komets, who played in the IHL and the Central league and now are making the move to the ECHL. Graham worked under veteran coach Al Sims with the Komets.
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The 2012 Hockey Coaches Conference is all set for July 20-21 at the Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre. And it promises to be the best one yet, with presenters like Ken Hitchcock, Mike Keenan, Don Hay, Glen Hanlon, Brent Peterson, Milan Dragicevic and Troy Ward.
There’s more on the conference right here. In fact, if you’re a coach — or an aspiring coach — you should have this site bookmarked.

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The Spokane Chiefs are holding an auction on Saturday to benefit the family of Chris Moulton, their director of player personnel.
From a Chiefs’ news release:
“In November 2011, Chris’ wife Shelly was re-diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (A.L.L.) after initially beating it in 2002.   “Shelly has undergone chemotherapy and had a bone marrow stem cell transplant on January 26, 2012. Her road to recovery is long and for the next two years Shelly will require constant monitoring.
“The Moulton’s live in Fernie, B.C., but Shelly’s treatments are in Calgary. Taylor, Chris and Shelly’s 13-year-old daughter, has had to remain in Fernie with family while attending school; this time apart has been extremely difficult for all concerned. Chris and Shelly have had to remain in Calgary for an underdetermined amount of time for monitoring to be close to the hospital for treatments and any infection can prove to be very serious with her compromised immune system.”
Available in the auction will be a number of autographed jerseys, including one from Chiefs F Liam Stewart that has been signed by him as well as his parents, Rachel Hunter and Rod Stewart.
There is more info right here.
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The Montreal Canadiens have signed Tri-City Americans F Patrick Holland to a three-year deal. A seventh-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2010 draft, they dealt him to Montreal on Jan. 12, along with F Rene Bourque and a 2013 second-round draft pick, for F Mike Cammalleri, G Karri Ramo and a 2012 fifth-round draft pick. . . . This season, Holland has 103 points, including a WHL-leading 79 assists.
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The Calgary Flames announced Wednesday afternoon that they had recalled F Sven Baertschi from the Portland Winterhawks. The Flames invoked an emergency-recall situation in order to recall the Swiss winger. Baertschi, a first-round pick in the 2011 NHL draft, was to have played for the Winterhawks against the host Kamloops Blazers last night. Instead, he traveled from Kamloops to Calgary in order to practise with the Flames today. He is expected to make his NHL debut against the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Friday night. . . . Baertschi also will miss the Winterhawks game against the Silvertips in Everett on Friday. . . . Baertschi’s arrival in Calgary means there are three 19-year-old NHLers who could still be playing in Portland. F Nino Niederreiter (New York Islanders) and F Ryan Johansen (Columbus Blue Jackets) have been in the NHL all season. . . . Baertschi is the only player in the WHL who is averaging two points per game; he has 94 points, including 61 assists, in 47 games.
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BOOM! The WHL has fired a shot across the bow of the NCAA’s ship. . . . The WHL announced Wednesday that it will hold a prospects camp at in Calgary, March 23-25. What is interesting about this camp is that it is open, according to a news release, to “Major Pee Wee (1999-born) AA players across Alberta.” . . . Again, according to the news release, the camp “will be the first in a series of prospect camps the WHL will be staging, focusing on player development and education.” . . . Players attending that camp will be 12 and 13 years of age. . . . The WHL also holds an annual U.S. prospects camp in Anaheim, which is in California, and will hold a camp for 1998-born players in Calgary in August.
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Milan Dragicevic, a former WHL player and coach, has been named Canada West’s hockey coach of the year. Dragicevic, who played with the Regina Pats, New Westminster Bruins, Tri-City Americans, Spokane Chiefs and Victoria Cougars (1986-90) and coach with the Americans and Vancouver Giants, just completed his 10th season as head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds. Picked in the preseason coaches’ poll to finish last, the Thunderbirds went 12-12-4, good for fifth and a playoff spot.
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The Swift Current Broncos have added D Brycen Martin to their roster for the remainder of the season. Martin, the second overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, had 16 points in 23 games with the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes. Martin should play Friday against the Raiders in Prince Albert.
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ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
Mr. Commissioner, about the camp for 1999-born prospects that the WHL announced on Wednesday. How much is it going to cost the parents of one of those 12- or 13-year-old players for their son to attend that camp?
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, G Andrey Makarov stopped 34 shots to help the Saskatoon Blades to a 2-0 victory over the Raiders. . . . Makarov, in his first WHL season, has two shutouts. . . . Saskatoon F Jake Trask got his 20th goal at 19:08 of the first period and F Lukas Sutter got his 27th at 19:23 of the second. . . . The Blades were 2-6 on the PP; the Raiders were 0-3. . . . Saskatoon D Dalton Thrower was helped off the ice after absorbing a heavy check in the second period. He appeared to be favouring his left arm. . . . The Blades had D Duncan Siemens, their captain, back after a 13-game concussion-related absence. . . . The Blades moved into a tie with Regina for sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind Kootenay and one ahead of Brandon. . . .

In Regina, F Michael Ferland scored three times to lead the Brandon Wheat Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Pats. . . . Ferland got his 44th goal into an empty net at 17:08 of the third. . . . D Ryan Pulock added a goal, his 18th, and two assists for Brandon. . . . Each team scored twice on the PP. . . . Regina F Jordan Weal had two assists. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone drew three assists. . . . The Wheat Kings were able to dress only 16 skaters, two under the maximum, including two players recalled from midget AAA — D Colton Waltz and F Tim McGauley. . . . Brandon scratched eight players — G Brandon Anderson (personal), F Brenden Walker (ill), D Dylan Kuczek (shoulder), F Daniel Asham (knee), F Tyrel Seaman (concussion), F Jason Swyripa (ill), D Rene Hunter (upper body) and F Kevin Sundher (concussion). . . . Regina and Brandon are 2-2-2 in their season series. They will go home-and-home on the season’s final weekend. . . . Brandon is eighth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind Saskatoon and Regina. . . . The Brandon victory leaves ninth-place Red Deer 10 points out of a playoff spot with six games remaining. . . .

In Edmonton, F Kristians Pelss scored at 1:02 of OT to give the Oil Kings a 3-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Edmonton, which has clinched its first Central Division pennant, now leads the Eastern Conference by seven points over Moose Jaw. . . . The Oil Kings have won six in a row and have allowed just seven goals in those games. . . . They are 28-5-2 at home. . . . Edmonton F Stephane Legault scored twice, giving him 15. His second one, at 14:02 of the third, forced OT. . . . Pelss has 25 goals. . . . F Tyler Maxwell was scratched by the Oil Kings. “We have some team rules we follow by. It doesn’t matter who you are. . . .,” Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal said prior to the game on the Team 1260 pregame show. . . . The Warriors clinched first place in the East Division before their game ended. That became official with the end of Brandon’s 5-2 victory over the Pats in Regina. . . . Moose Jaw last finished on top of the East Division in 2005-06. . . . Edmonton’s victory also lifted it into a tie with Tri-City for first place in the overall standings. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reported: “For the second straight game Daniel Wapple from the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers backed-up (Luke) Siemens. Goalie Spencer Tremblay and defenceman Shayne Gwinner both didn’t make the trip to Alberta. (Head coach Mike) Stothers would only say that both players were healthy and wouldn’t elaborate on their transgression or their availability for Friday’s game in Regina.” . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Luke Philp’s first WHL goal stood up as the winner as the Kootenay Ice beat the Tigers, 2-1. . . . Philp, a 16-year-old from Canmore, Alta., was playing in his 14th game. . . . F Brock Montgomery, with his 21st, gave the Ice a 1-0 lead at 6:14 of the second. . . . Philp scored at 11:25 of the second. . . . Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem got his 56th at 19:28 of the third. . . . The Ice clinched a playoff spot for the 14th straight season, the longest streak in the WHL. . . . The legendary Bob Ridley was honoured in a pregame ceremony. The radio voice of the Tigers was doing his 2,998th regular-season game. He’ll hit 3,000 on Saturday in Lethbridge. . . . The Tigers are third in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Calgary. Each team has five games left. . . . The Ice is fifth, three points behind Calgary. . . .

In Vancouver, F Justin Feser scored on a power play in OT to give the Tri-City Americans a 2-1 victory over the Giants. . . . Feser scored his 36th goal at 2:09 of OT, 86 seconds after Vancouver F Jordan Martinook was called for tripping. . . . On Sunday, Feser scored in the game’s last minute to give Tri-City a 4-3 victory in Portland. . . . Vancouver F Dalton Sward scored his 11th goal at 5:07 of the first period. . . . Tri-City F Adam Hughesman got his 41st goal at 16:34 of the second. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin, the WHL’s leading scorer, drew an assist on the winner to run his points streak to 18 games. . . . Tri-City F Patrick Holland had two assists as he extended his streak to 15 games with at least one assist. . . . Holland’s first assist was his 200th career point. . . . The Americans, who won the season series 3-0-1, were 1-7 on the PP; the Giants were 0-2. . . . The Giants inducted Winnipeg Jets F Evander Kane into their Ring of Honour. . . . Feser has matched single-season career highs in goals (36) and points (73). . . . Tri-City has won 22 road games, one off the franchise record set in 2007-08. . . . The Americans, who have won eight of 10, moved back on top of the overall standings — they are tied with Edmonton — and the U.S. Division, one point ahead of Portland. . . . The loser point kept Vancouver in a fourth-place tie with Spokane, which holds a game in hand. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reported earlier in the day that F Austin Vetterl (leg surgery) and F Anthony Ast (high ankle sprain) may not play again this season. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored five third-period goals and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 5-1. . . . Kamloops trailed 1-0 going into the tihrd period when it got goals from five players. . . . F Colin Smith tied it with his 32nd at 3:22 and F Chase Souto got his ninth at 6:30. . . . Kamloops held a 44-25 edge in shots, including 20-9 in the third period. . . . The Blazers scratched F Chase Schaber, their captain, with what is believed to be a leg injury. . . . The Winterhawks went into the game leading the overall standings and now is third, a point behind Edmonton and Tri-City. . . . The Blazers, who will finish first in the B.C. Division, are two points behind Edmonton and Tri-City. . . .

In Prince George, D Jesse Forsberg broke a 1-1 tie in the second period and the Cougars went on to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Forsberg scored his third goal of the season at 5:13 on the PP. . . . His brother, Alex, got his 13th into an empty net at 19:59 of the third. . . . Cougars G Drew Owsley stopped 31 shots as he ran his career record against Seattle to 15-3. Most of those decisions were while he was with the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Thunderbirds had beaten the Cougars 3-1 on Tuesday. . . . Cougars D Cody Carlson played in his 300th regular-season game. . . . The Cougars remain 10th in the Western Conference, but now are four points out of a playoff spot. . . . Seattle is two points ahead of Prince George and two behind Victoria, which holds down the conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Everett, D Ryan Murray drew two assists and was plus-3 to help the Silvertips to a 3-2 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Silvertips, who mustered 13 shots in the game, scored twice on two third-period shots. . . . F Manraj Hayer broke a 1-1 tie with his third goal of the season at 2:47 of the third. . . . F Ryan harrison got his 19th at 14:58. . . . F Robin Soudek, who has 27 goals, scored twice for Victoria. His second goal came at 18:09 of the third. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson turned aside 35 shots. . . . The victory, its third in a row, lifted Everett into seventh in the Western Conference, a point ahead of Victoria. . . .

In Spokane, D Jesse Lees and D Myles Bell scored in the circus to give the Kelowna Rockets a 3-2 victory over the Chiefs. . . . F Mitch Holmberg scored for the Chiefs in the shootout. His goal tied it and set the stage for the Bell to toll. . . . F Dominik Uher, who has 31, scored both Spokane goals. . . . Franko forced OT with his 13th goal at 6:08 of the third on a PP. . . . Kelowna was 2-3 on the PP. . . . The Chiefs were 1-5. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 41 shots, 18 more than Spokane’s Mac Engel. . . . The Chiefs remain tied with Vancouver for fourth in the Western Conference. These two teams will meet in the first round. . . . The Rockets, who have won three in a row, will finish sixth in that conference.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Mark McNeill, Prince Albert.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Dylan McIlrath, Moose Jaw.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES
None.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES
Saskatoon at Brandon
Medicine Hat at Kootenay
Calgary at Lethbridge
Swift Current at Prince Albert
Edmonton at Red Deer
Moose Jaw at Regina
Portland at Everett
Victoria at Kelowna
Tri-City at Spokane
Kamloops at Vancouver

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