THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tomas Karpov (Moose Jaw, Calgary, 2007-09) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Telford Tigers (England, Premier). He had three goals and 11 assists in 22 games with Berounsti Medvedi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) this season.
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The Everett Silvertips changed up their coaching staff on Tuesday as they fired head coach Mark Ferner and assistant coach Chris Hartsburg.
General manager Garry Davidson has taken over as the interim head coach. Davidson said he will finish this season and then begin the search for a head coach.
Former Everett D Mitch Love is left as the lone assistant coach and Davidson said there aren’t any plans to add another one at this time.
Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald summed up the situation in his blog:
“The crux of the change was a difference in philosophies between Davidson and Ferner. Ferner was hired not by Davidson, but by Davidson's predecessor, Doug Soetaert. Davidson is a proponent of attacking, offensive hockey. Ferner is a proponent of hard-working, defensively-responsible hockey. These differences were known from the beginning, when Davidson was hired last February. Davidson gave it some time to see if the two could come to reach some sort of middle ground, but that never happened. Both Davidson and Ferner acknowledged the difference in philosophies.”
More from Patterson’s blog:
“Davidson said he'd been growing frustrated with the team's style of play the past couple months, and essentially came to the conclusion over the Christmas break that a change needed to be made. That explains why the move was made now, despite the Tips winning three of five since the break. He also wants the team accustomed to playing a more offensive game by the time a new coach is brought in.”
Patterson has more right here.
Patterson also spoke with Ferner and that story is right here.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have released D Ryley Miller in order to get down to the maximum of three 20-year-old players. That leaves them with F Nick Buonassisi, F Michael Ferland and D Tyler Yaworski as their 20s. . . . Miller, a second-round pick by Brandon in the 2007 bantam draft, played 241 games with the Wheat Kings, recording 37 points and 537 penalty minutes. This season, he had six points and 99 penalty minutes in 38 games.
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The Kelowna Rockets announced Tuesday that D Mitchell Chapman, 20, won’t play again this season. He suffered an ankle injury on the opening day of training camp and hasn’t played at all this season. . . . That leaves the Rockets with three 20s — F JT Barnett, F Cody Fowlie and F Dylen McKinlay.
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If you haven’t yet heard about this, there was a standoff of sorts between a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League team and one from the BCHL on Saturday in Trail. It involved a bus and a player, but no trade. At least not yet! Anyway, HQKootenay.com has some details right here.
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F Daulton Siwak, 19, has left the Prince George Cougars and returned home to Olds, Alta. . . . "He told us that he was going to go home and ponder his life and think about what he wants to do," Cougars GM Dallas Thompson told the Prince George Citizen. . . . Siwak had 17 points in 38 games this season.
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The Saskatoon Blades had a new old goaltender at practice on Tuesday. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports that Tim Cheveldave, the team’s goaltending coach and a veteran of three seasons (1985-88) with the Blades, put on the pads. That’s because Russian G Andrey Markarov hasn’t yet returned from the World Junior Championship.
Nugent-Bowman wrote: “Before stepping on the ice, the 44-year-old joked with backup Alex Moodie, telling him to ‘do as I say, not as I do.’ ”
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, the Calgary Hitmen scored nine seconds into the game and went on to beat the Wheat Kings, 7-2. . . . F Brooks Macek set a club record for fastest goal to start game. F Brad Moran had scored 12 seconds into a game on Jan. 22, 1999. . . . According to @WHLFacts, Macek’s goal was the quickest to start a WHL game this season. . . . F Brady Brassart had a goal and two assists for Calgary, which scored two empty-netters. . . . The Hitmen had won five in a row; Brandon has lost six straight and has fallen into the Eastern Conference basement in the process. . . . Calgary F Zane Jones scored his 15th goal, running his goal streak to five games. . . . Brandon F Richard Nejezchleb suffered an undisclosed injury in the third period. . . . F Michael Ferland (undisclosed injury) was back in Brandon’s lineup after a three-game absence, while F Alessio Bertaggia, who played for Switzerland at the World Junior Championship, was back after missing 10 games. . . . The victory lifted the Hitmen into first place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Hitmen remain without F Victor Rask, who played for Sweden at the World Junior Championship. He is expected back later this week. . . .

In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice dumped the Edmonton Oil Kings 2-1 and vacated the Eastern Conference basement. . . . The Ice, which has won six straight, now is one point ahead of Brandon with two games in hand. . . . The Oil Kings had a four-game winning streak end. . . . F T.J. Foster’s 19th goal gave Edmonton a 1-0 first-period lead. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau, 17, continued his fine season — he has 31 points in 38 games — with a goal at 18:06 of the second and D Joey Leach got the winner, his third, on a 5-on-3 PP at 1:12 of the third. . . . Edmonton D Martin Gernat (shoulder) has received medical clearance to return but was scratched. He will get a few practices under his belt before returning. . . .

In Medicine Hat, G Cam Lanigan stopped 31 shots as the Tigers dropped the Vancouver Giants, 4-0. . . . The shutout was the first of the season for the Tigers. . . . Lanigan, 20, has three career shutouts, two of this season. The first one came while he was with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . F Blake Penner, 16, scored his first WHL goal just 1:21 into the game. He has played 33 games with the Tigers, 27 of them this season. . . . F Jacob Doty got his eighth goal of the season as he ran his goal streak to four games. . . . The Giants are without D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen (hand) and F Rob Trzonkowski (knee), and they lost D Scott Cooke (arm) in the first period. . . .

In Portland, D Tyler Wotherspoon enjoyed the first four-point night of his career as the Winterhawks beat the Prince George Cougars, 6-4. . . . Wotherspoon, in his first game back after playing for Canada at the World Junior Championship, had his first two-goal game, as well. . . . The Winterhawks have won 11 in a row. . . . F Ty Rattie also was back in Portland’s lineup after being with Team Canada. He had two assists. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot returned from an undisclosed injury. . . . Portland D Seth Jones, who won gold with Team USA at the world junior, didn’t play. . . . Winterhawks F Paul Bittner scored his eighth goal as he ran his goal streak to four games. He has the game-winner in each of those games. . . . The Cougars dress just 16 skaters. . . . The same teams play in Portland again tonight. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Liam Stewart broke a 3-3 tie at 6:12 of the third period to give the visiting Spokane Chiefs a 4-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Stewart had nine goals this season. . . . F Mike Aviani scored his 20th goal at 19:07 of the second period to pull the Chiefs into a 3-3 tie. . . . Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur was back with Chiefs for the first time since early December when he left to join the Canadian national junior team as an assistant coach. . . . The Thunderbirds have lost 11 straight games. . . . These teams play again tonight in Spokane.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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From Red Deer Rebels D Brady Gaudet (@bgooday23): “On our way to the land of living skies! Where beauties are born #306”
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From former WHL F Jake Trask (@Jtrask29): “Gonna be a stressful next few days for #Whl guys. Cant say I miss that. #Deadline #Cyyyaa”

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The WHL’s trade deadline arrives on Thursday. Here is a look at trades since the end of the WHL’s Christmas trade moratorium:

Jan. 1: Medicine Hat trades D Dylan Busenius, 19, F Jayden Hart, 18, and a 2014 sixth-round bantam draft pick to Prince Albert for F Logan McVeigh, 18, D Zach Hodder, 19, F Connor Hobbs, 15, and a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick.

Jan. 2: Vancouver trades F Kale Kessy, 20, to Kamloops for F Rob Trzonkowski, 18, and a 2015 fifth-round bantam draft pick.

Jan. 3: Everett trades F Trent Lofthouse, 18, to Victoria for a 2014 sixth-round bantam draft pick.

Jan. 3: Victoria trades G Jared Rathjen, 18, to Vancouver for a 2013 eighth-round bantam draft pick.

Jan. 7: Victoria trades D Jesse Zgraggen, 19, to Calgary for a 2013 fourth-round bantam draft pick.

Jan. 7: Lethbridge trades F Jay Merkley, 17, to Swift Current for F Josh Derko, 19, and a 2014 third-round bantam draft pick.

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B.C. Division chase set to resume

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The chase resumes tonight.
The Kelowna Rockets were 18 points behind the Kamloops Blazers when November began.
The teams resume the WHL schedule tonight in Kelowna with the Rockets needing a victory to close the gap to four points.
While the Blazers (25-9-4) continue to lead the B.C. Division, they are 9-9-3 since taking a 14-game winning streak into Kelowna on Nov. 1. The Rockets won that game, 3-0.
The Blazers also went into Christmas having lost three in a row in Alberta.
Still, Kamloops is second in the Western Conference, five points behind the hard-charging Portland Winterhawks (29-5-1), and second in the overall standings.
Meanwhile, the Rockets (23-10-2), who hold three games in hand, have won 16 of their last 20 games, including a 4-1-0 pre-Christmas trip into the Central Division. Furthermore, they are 13-2-0 at Prospera Place, where they now have won 12 in a row.
Kelowna’s offence now is second in the WHL, with 143 goals, while its defence is third, having allowed just 87 goals.
The Blazers, who are fourth in offence (133) and sixth in defence (98), hold a 2-1-0 edge against the Rockets. The teams will clash six more times after tonight.
Both teams will be missing a number of players due to injuries and tournament commitments.
The Blazers are without right-winger JC Lipon (Canada) and defenceman Marek Hrbas (Czech Republic), both of whom are at the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, and defenceman Jordan Thomson, who is with Team West at the U17 World Hockey Challenge in Drummondville and Victoriaville, Que.
The Blazers also are awaiting the return of forwards Dylan Willick (broken ankle) and Cole Ully (mononucleosis).
Willick hasn’t played since being injured on Nov. 2; in fact, he was named the Blazers’ captain while he was out. Willick was scheduled to take part in a full practice Wednesday – the Blazers skated at 9 p.m. – for the first time since being injured but isn’t likely to play tonight.
Ully, who has missed 10 games, last played on Nov. 24. The Blazers are hoping he will play tonight, but he has yet to receive medical clearance, something that could happen today.
The Blazers also have brought in defenceman Connor Clouston, from the midget AAA Medicine Hat Tigers, and forward Mitch Lipon, JC’s younger brother, from the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. Clouston was a third-round selection in the 2011 WHL bantam draft. Lipon was placed on the Blazers’ list after attending training camp last fall and signed a WHL contract last week.
The Rockets, meanwhile, are hoping to have their captain, centre Colton Sissons, back soon. He hasn’t played since suffering a concussion on Nov. 30. That injury cost him a trip to the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp in Calgary.
Defenceman Mitchell Chapman, 20, has yet to play this season due to an ankle injury, while defenceman MacKenzie Johnston (knee) and forward Henrik Nyberg (undisclosed) were hurt as the Christmas break began.
The Rockets have three players at the U17 World Hockey Challenge – forwards Rourke Chartier and Austin Glover are with Team West, while defenceman Riley Stadel is with Team Pacific.
The Rockets also had both of their goaltenders – starter Jordon Cooke and backup Jackson Whistle – suffer undisclosed injuries on an Alberta trip that concluded on Dec. 16.
They are bringing in goaltender Jake Morrissey, a fifth-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft, as insurance. Morrissey, from Calgary, is the younger brother of Prince Albert Raiders defenceman Josh Morrissey.
Kelowna also has brought in forward Justin Kirkland, a fifth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. Kirkland, 16, is from Camrose, Alta.
JUST NOTES: The Rockets are 8-2-0 in their last 10 games; the Blazers are 5-3-2. . . . The Blazers are at home to the Vancouver Giants on Saturday. Game time at Interior Savings Centre is 7 p.m. . . . Kamloops F Colin Smith leads the WHL in assists (37) and goals (62). . . . Myles Bell, a career defenceman who has been moved to the forward ranks, leads the Rockets in goals (20) and points (48).

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Ty Morris (Swift Current, Vancouver, Red Deer, 2003-05) signed a try-out contract through Oct. 31 with Munich (Germany, DEL), one day after he was released from a try-out with the Ravensburg Towerstars (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had one goal in two games during his trial with Ravensburg. Last season, Morris had five goals and 24 assists in 31 games with the Bietigheim Steelers (Germany, 2.Bundesliga).
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JUST NOTES:
NHL linesman Vaughan Rody is the Prince George Cougars’ new power-skating coach. Rody operates Pro Edge Skating, is a triathlete and also a personal training. He is a former WHL linesman who has been in the NHL since 2000-01. . . .
D Martin Gernat, 19, of the Edmonton Oil Kings had shoulder surgery in Europe on Wednesday and won’t rejoin his teammates until late next month. Gernat put up 55 points for the Oil Kings last season. Evan Daum of the Edmonton Journal has more right here. . . .
D William Wrenn, who captained the Portland Winterhawks last season, has signed with the ECHL’s Alaska Aces. He is a native of Anchorage. . . . Wrenn was a second-round selection by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL’s 2009 draft and is in camp with their AHL affiliate, the Worcester Sharks. Should he not play for the AHL Sharks, he will join the Aces. . . .
The Kelowna Rockets will be without F J.T. Barnett (knee) for up to a month. He was injured on his first shift of a season-opening 6-5 OT loss to the Blazers in Kamloops. An MRI showed that has a sprain. . . . The Rockets also are without D Mitchell Chapman (ankle). He has yet to play this season and likely won’t until late next month. . . . Barnett and Chapman are two of the Rockets’ 20-year-olds. . . . The Rockets are in Portland for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. Kelowna also will be without D Jesse Lees. The sophomore was a healthy scratch for the first two games but now is sidelined with the flu and didn’t make the trip south. . . . The Winterhawks will have D Seth Jones in the lineup tonight but not Saturday. After playing tonight, he will head for Buffalo and Saturday’s All-American Prospects game. . . .
It’s the WHL’s version of the Battle of Alberta tonight and it should be a good one. The Edmonton Oil Kings, who are 3-0-0, play host to the Calgary Hitmen, who are 2-0-0. Have fun!
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THURSDAY’S GAME:
The Tri-City Americans got their first victory after two losses, beating the visiting and winless Everett Silvertips, 3-1. . . . The Silvertips (0-2-1) are in Vancouver tonight where something has to give as the Giants also are winless (0-2-0). . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser scored an empty-net goal last night, giving him 250 career points.

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