Ingram: That's just the way it is . . . Broncos take out Warriors . . . Winterhawks sideline Cougars

Let’s go back to Sunday night in Kamloops.

CONNOR INGRAM

It was 10 minutes into the third period and the hometown Blazers were trailing the Kelowna Rockets 2-0 in a game that Kamloops needed to win if it was to stay alive in these playoffs.

F Deven Sideroff of the Blazers parked himself in front of Kelowna G Michael Herringer, then got his raised stick on a point shot and deflected it into the net.

The call on the ice was a goal, so when it went to video review conclusive evidence showing Sideroff’s stick above the cross-bar when contact with the puck was made would have been needed to overturn it.

The replays shown on the big screen on the scoreclock certainly were inconclusive, so we have to assume that the video review official had a better quality picture or a different angle because the goal was disallowed. The Rockets went on to end the series, thanks to a 4-2 victory.

WHL commissioner Ron Robison in video-replay room discussing Sideroff call to come with off-ice officials. Not sure what protocol is there.

— Marty Hastings (@MarTheReporter) April 3, 2017

On Monday, the day after the night before, Blazers G Connor Ingram pretty much mirrored the feelings of the team and its fans when he told Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week:

“When it’s a goal on the ice, you usually have to have pretty conclusive evidence to (overturn) it. Like I said (Sunday) night, when you play Kelowna, you’re not going to get that call.

“The commissioner is in the building. He’s up in that room. You know as soon as he goes up there, you’re not going to get it.

“It’s disappointing, but that’s what happens when you play those guys and, with who runs their team, they’re going to get those calls. That’s just the way it is.”

Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, was in the building and, apparently, visited the video review booth at the time of the Sideroff non-goal.

Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ owner, governor, president and general manager who is the WHL’s chairman of the board, also was in the house.

No, he didn’t visit the video review booth.

——

The B.C. Division had four teams in the playoffs when the first round started. The Kelowna Rockets are the only one left standing. . . . Last night, the Portland Winterhawks eliminated the Prince George Cougars, who had finished atop the division, winning the franchise’s first pennant since it relocated from Victoria over the summer of 1994. . . . The second-place Rockets, of course, knocked the third-place Blazers from the post-season on Sunday. . . . Also on Sunday, the Everett Silvertips took out the fourth-place Victoria Royals, although it took five OT periods in what was the longest game in CHL history. The Royals had qualified for the playoffs in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot.

——

F Garrett Pilon of the Kamloops Blazers will be joining the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. The Capitals selected Pilon in the third round of the NHL’s 2016 draft and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract last week. Pilon, whose Blazers were eliminated from the WHL playoffs on Sunday night, had 65 points, 20 of them goals, in 67 games this season. . . . Pilon will turn 19 on April 13, so will have to play next season with the Capitals or the Blazers; he isn’t eligible to start next season in Hershey.

——

D Jake Bean of the Calgary Hitmen has joined the Charlotte Checkers, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina selected Bean with the 13th overall pick of the 2016 NHL draft. . . . Bean had 45 points, including 37 assists, in 43 regular-season games this season. He missed a good chunk of the early part of the season with a hand injury, returning in time to play for Canada at the World Junior Championship. . . . Next season, Bean will be 19 and will have to play with the Hurricanes or be returned to the Hitmen.

——

Three WHLers were among the first players added to the Canadian team that will play in the IIHF U-18 World Championship in Poprad and Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia, April 13-23. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan of the Spokane Chiefs, F Stelio Mattheos of the Brandon Whet Kings and G Ian Scott of the Prince Albert Raiders are in Etobicoke, Ont., this week for a brief training camp before the team leaves for Slovakia on Wednesday, where it will play a pair of exhibition games. . . . As well, D Ty Smith of the Chiefs was invited to the training camp as an under-aged player in order to allow him to gain more international experience. . . . Canada will play Russia on Sunday in Bratislava and Switzerland on Monday in Piestany before opening the tournament against Latvia on April 13. . . . Steve Hamilton, the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings, is an assistant coach with Canada.

——-

Neate Sager, who freelances junior hockey pieces for Sportsnet, takes a look right here at Sunday’s marathon between the Everett Silvertips and host Victoria Royals, and he does it by the numbers. He also takes a look at some other CHL goings-on.

——

F Calvin Spencer of the Vancouver Giants has signed with the ECHL’s Tulsa Oilers. He split this season between the Swift Current Broncos and the Giants, putting up 29 points, including 16 goals, in 66 games. Spencer, who turned 21 on Feb. 29, played four seasons in the WHL, the first two with the Seattle Thunderbirds. In 230 regular-season games, the native of Brooklyn Park, Minn., had 66 points, including 32 goals.
——

The Red Deer Rebels will be without F Evan Polei for Game 7 against the host Lethbridge Hurricanes tonight (Tuesday). Polei has been given a TBD suspension after he incurred a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Lethbridge F Tanner Nagel in Game 5 on Sunday. . . . Meanwhile, Red Deer D Alex Alexeyev skated Monday for the first time since having knee surgery in early February. He won’t play tonight but you can bet his presence gave his teammates a lift. . . . After a 4-1 loss to the visiting Hurricanes on Sunday, Brent Sutter, Red Deer’s owner, GM and head coach, told reporters: “You guys thought the Lethbridge Hurricanes were going to beat the Red Deer Rebels 4-0, because they had 20-some more points in the standings. “Our kids have played hard in this series. At the start of the series, if you’d have said we got to play to Game 7 against this team in their home building, we would take it.” . . . The conclusion of Game 7 will signal the end of the first round.

——

The BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers are staying put and, in fact, the future looks good with a move underway to turn the team into a community-owned franchise. At a news conference on Monday, it was revealed that the process has begun to form the Nanaimo Clippers Hockey Society. . . . Greg Sakaki of the Nanaimo News-Bulletin writes: “Keeping the Clippers in the Harbour City involved a group of individuals contributing at least $50,000 each to allow the society to purchase a portion of the hockey club. There was sufficient commitment to satisfy the current ownership group.” . . . Sakaki’s story is right here.

——

The OHL’s Niagara IceDogs have signed head coach Dave Bell to a three-year extension. Bell just completed his first season as head coach, after spending three seasons on staff as an assistant coach. The IceDogs finished 23-35-10 this season, good for eighth spot in the 10-team Eastern Conference. They were swept from a first-round series by the Peterborough Petes.

——

If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.

———

MONDAY GAMES:

Should be noted that Portland getting blasted 7-1 in the reg season finale by non-playoff Spokane led to them playing PG instead of Seattle.

— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) April 4, 2017

At Portland, the Winterhawks, the Western Conference’s first wild-card team, beat the Prince George Cougars, 4-2, to advance to the second round of the WHL playoffs. . . . The Winterhawks won the

COLE KEHLER

series, 4-2. They had finished fourth in the U.S. Division, at 40-28-4. The Cougars won the B.C. Division pennant, at 45-21-6. . . . The Winterhawks next will face the Kelowna Rockets, who eliminated the Kamloops Blazers, 4-2, on Sunday night. This will be the fifth playoff meeting between these teams since 2011. . . . The Winterhawks and Rockets will get started in Kelowna on Friday night. . . . Last night, the Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals, all in the second period. . . . F Colton Veloso (2) made it 1-0 at 5:35, with F Ryan Hughes (2) counting at 7:18 and F Alex Overhardt (1) upping the lead to 3-0, on a PP, at 11:58. . . . The Cougars got on the scoreboard when F Kody McDonald (2) scored at 6:38 of the third period, seven seconds after the expiration of a PP. . . . The Winterhawks got that one back just 1:07 later as F Keegan Iverson got his third goal of the series. . . . F Colby McAuley (4) added a late PP goal for the Cougars, at 18:59. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 35 shots for the Winterhawks and was saluted as the game’s first star. . . . The Cougars got 38 stops from G Ty Edmonds. . . . Prince George was 1-2 on the PP; Portland was 1-5. . . . Prince George had F Tanner Wishnowski back after he served a one-game suspension for becoming involved with a fan during Game 4 in Portland on Thursday. . . . The Cougars again were without F Brad Morrison, a 20-goal scorer who was unable to recover sufficiently from ankle woes to contribute. Morrison, who missed the last three games of the series, was injured in a fight on Feb. 24 and played in only two games after that. . . . Announced attendance: 4,211.

——

Great to see all our @SCBroncos fans here in MJ supporting our team pic.twitter.com/HTqvns8NGT

— Liam Choo-Foo (@lchoo65) April 4, 2017

At Moose Jaw, G Jordan Papirny stopped 39 shots to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 3-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . The Broncos, who won three times in Moose Jaw, took the first-round series, 4-

JORDAN PAPIRNY

3, and will open the second round in Regina against the Pats on Thursday. . . . The Warriors had finished second in the East Division, five points ahead of the Broncos, who were 24 points behind the first-place Pats. . . . Last season, Papirny, now 20, backstopped the Brandon Wheat Kings to the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Last night, he stopped 14 shots in the first period, 11 in the second and 14 in the third. . . . Papirny, who will turn 21 on Monday, went 2.02 and .947 in the seven games. He now has played in 56 playoff games, going 37-19, 2.77, .916. A year ago with Brandon, he went 16-5, 2.93, .897. . . . Last night, The Broncos took a 2-0 lead on goals from D Colby Sissons (2), at 4:30 of the first period, and F Tyler Steenbergen (6), on a PP, at 1:47 of the second. . . . F Justin Almeida (2) got the Warriors to within a goal at 7:49. . . . F Glenn Gawdin (3) restored Swift Current’s two-goal lead at 3:17 of the third period. . . . D Josh Brook (2) made things interesting when he scored for Moose Jaw at 14:59. . . . The Broncos got two assists from D Max Lajoie, with Steenbergen adding one to his goal. . . . Brook had an assist for the Warriors. You can bet he’ll be added to the Canadian U-18 team that will leave on Wednesday for the IIHF World Championship in Slovakia. . . . The Warriors got 27 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . The Broncos were 1-4 on the PP; the Warriors were 0-5. . . . Announced attendance: 4,585.

——

TUESDAY GAME (all times local):

Red Deer at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 3-3)

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Final WHL weekend: What's on the line? . . . Nanaimo team may move . . . Sacilotto off to Croatia

F Jeremy Williams (Swift Current, 2000-04) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). This season, he had 19 goals and 17 assists in 43 games. . . .

F Dan DaSilva (Portland, 2002-05) has signed a one-year extension with Linz (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He was second in the league’s scoring race this season, putting up 70 points, including 31 goals, in 53 games. . . .

F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) has announced his retirement. This season, he had four goals and 15 assists in 35 games with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He was team captain for two seasons. . . . Ritchie has yet to fully recover from a concussion he suffered in January. Ritchie told Örnsköldsvik newspaper Allehanda: "I do not know if I understand it yet, to be honest. It is a strange feeling that I never had. I have not been able to train at all. I've only been walking the dogs. In the afternoons and evenings, I often get headaches and fatigue. It affected me a lot the first month. I slept really all the time, but now I can live normally. Except that I can't work out. I'm going to focus on being a father now. I want to be involved in my children's sports activities. It feels good that I can focus on the family now."

———

We are into the final three days of the WHL’s 2016-17 regular season, and you are wondering what’s up for grabs.

Well, of the 16 available playoff spots only one — the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot — is still available.

The Calgary Hitmen have a three-point edge over the Saskatoon Blades, each team having two games remaining. The Hitmen will go home-and-home with the Kootenay Ice, while the Saskatoon Blades do the same with the Prince Albert Raiders. To the winner goes a first-round matchup with the Regina Pats, the best team in the WHL during this regular season.

In the East Division, the second-place Moose Jaw Warriors and third-place Swift Current Broncos will meet in the first round. They will play a home-and-home series this weekend — the Warriors hold a 3-1-0 edge — which means these teams could end up playing nine straight games against each other.

In the Central Division, the pennant-winning Medicine Hat Tigers and the defending-champion Brandon Wheat Kings will be first-round opponents. The Wheat Kings will be the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card team. The Tigers won three of the four regular-season games between the teams. Don’t forget that Brandon will play its first-round home games in Dauphin, Man., where the Credit Union Centre has 1,763 seats and room for 247 standees.

Meanwhile, the second-place Lethbridge Hurricanes will tangle with the third-place Red Deer Rebels. The Hurricanes are 23 points ahead of the Rebels going into the final weekend. In the season series, Lethbridge was 5-0-1; Red Deer was 1-4-1.

In the Western Conference, we know the eight playoff teams . . . we just don’t know where they will finish. Seriously! Not one of the eight teams knows where it will wind up or who it will meet in the opening round.

In the B.C. Division, the first-place Prince George Cougars hold a two-point lead over the Kelowna Rockets, who are three points ahead of the Kamloops Blazers. All three have two games remaining — the Cougars go home-and-home with the Blazers, while the Rockets to the same with the Vancouver Giants.

The fourth-place Victoria Royals can’t advance within the division but will go into the playoffs as a wild-card entry. They hold down the first wild-card spot, one point ahead of the Tri-City Americans. The Royals will finish up against the Everett Silvertips, playing one at home and one on the road. The Americans will go home-and-home with the Spokane Chiefs, before a Sunday meeting with the Silvertips.

The Americans also are fourth in the U.S. Division, three points behind the Portland Winterhawks, who have two games remaining. The Winterhawks, who can’t move up in the division, have two games left — against the Seattle Thunderbirds and Spokane Chiefs.

The Thunderbirds go into the weekend leading the U.S. Division by a point over the Silvertips. If it comes down to Sunday night, the Thunderbirds are at home to Vancouver, while the Silvertips visit the Americans.

No matter how it all unfolds, though, the playoffs will begin on March 24.

——

The WHL has suspended F Tyler Coulter of the Brandon Wheat Kings for three games after he took a charging major and game misconduct during a 6-3 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday. Coulter sat out Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over the Warriors in Moose Jaw and will miss Brandon last two regular-season games this weekend. . . . The Tri-City Americans will be without F Landon Fuller for one game after he was suspended for a charging major and game misconduct during a 6-1 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday. . . . The Americans will get back D Dakota Krebs after he served a one-game suspension for a cross-checking major and game misconduct during a 5-1 loss to the visiting Everett Silvertips on Saturday.

——

The WHL honoured the late Norbert Heinzelmann with one of its 2016-17 Distinguished Service Awards prior to a game in Kelowna on Wednesday night. Heinzelmann, who died on Sept. 2 at the age of 57, was Kelowna’s head scorekeeper and also the head of its off-ice officials since the franchise relocated from Tacoma, Wash., in 1995.

In Kamloops, the Blazers, their off-ice officials and some media members raised $1,015 in memory of Pat Rozek and presented it to the Darcy Robinson Memorial Foundation. The foundation helps Kamloops children who otherwise couldn’t afford to play hockey.

Rozek, who died on Dec. 22 at the age of 64, had been the Blazers’ official scorekeeper for 25 years. He also worked the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and numerous other such events.

Rozek would seem to be a prime candidate for a Distinguished Service Award, too.

——

Ken Wagner, the majority owner of the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, told a news conference on Thursday that the franchise needs help. In fact, Wagner said that without some local ownership, the team may move elsewhere on Vancouver Island. . . . Wagner told the news conference: “We’ve hit a wall in Nanaimo as an ownership. We’ve tried for a lot of years to make it work. . . . We are done writing cheques. We’re spent out. . . . The business side of it is the numbers are the numbers. The emotional side is we don’t want to move the club.” . . . If local ownership isn’t found in the next two weeks, Wagner said he is looking at moving the franchise or shutting it down. . . . Greg Sakaki of the Nanaimo News Bulletin has more right here.

——

If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.

———

ENIO SACILOTTO

Enio Sacilotto of the Victoria Royals has been named head coach of the Croatian national team that will play in the 2017 IIHF World Championship (Division 1, Group B) in Belfast, Ireland, from April 23 through April 29. . . . Sacilotto was an assistant coach with the Royals from 2011-16 before being named director of prospect development and WHL scout prior to this season. . . . Croatia will be in a group with Estonia, Great Britain, Japan, Lithuania and the Netherlands. The tournament winner will be promoted to Division 1, Group A. . . . Sacilotto isn’t a stranger to Croatia, having worked as the Croatian Ice Hockey Federation’s U-18 and U-20 head coach in 2009-10. He also was head coach of Medvescak Zagreb, a Croatian team, when it was in the Austrian league in 2009-10. . . . Sacilotto, who is from Vancouver, B.C., will return to the Royals when the tournament in Ireland is over.

———

Players of the national women's team of Russia support your decision #BeBoldForChange pic.twitter.com/9c7Qnr6fV0

— Ludmila Belyakova (@belyakova9) March 16, 2017

———

If the playoffs began today . . . 

Eastern Conference

Regina vs. Calgary

Medicine Hat vs. Brandon

Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current

Lethbridge vs. Red Deer

—

Western Conference

Seattle vs. Tri-City

Prince George vs. Victoria

Kelowna vs. Kamloops

Everett vs. Portland

——

THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

——

FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:35 p.m.

Calgary vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.

Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

——

SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Kelowna vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

——

SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Edmonton, 4 p.m.

Spokane at Portland, 5 p.m.

Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 5:05 p.m.

Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 5:05 p.m.

END OF REGULAR SEASON

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

McCrimmon signs with Vegas; injuries take out Everett defenceman

F Colton Gilles (Saskatoon, 2004-08) has signed a one-year contract with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL) after a successful tryout. Last season, with Banská Bystrica (Slovakia, Extraliga), he had six goals and five assists in 28 games. . . .

F Colin Long (Kelowna, 2005-09) has signed a one-year contract with Asiago (Italy, Alps HL). Last season, he had seven goals and 14 assists in 40 games with Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan). . . .

D Andrej Meszároš (Vancouver, 2004-05) has signed a one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, with Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL), he had six goals and three assists in 28 games.

———

Las Vegas NHL expansion team has hired Kelly McCrimmon as its assistant general manager per owner Bill Foley. Official announcement Tuesday.

— Steve Carp (@stevecarprj) August 2, 2016

Yes, the NHL’s Las Vegas franchise, which is to begin play in 2017-18, has hired Kelly McCrimmon as an assistant general manager. McCrimmon, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, will work alongside Las Vegas general manager George McPhee. . . . McCrimmon is to be introduced at a news conference in Las Vegas today (Tuesday). At that point, perhaps he will enlighten folks as to his plans for the Wheat Kings, who are the WHL’s reigning champions. . . . Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal has a bit more right here.

——

D Tristen Pfeifer revealed on Monday that he won’t be returning to the Everett Silvertips for a third season. “I am saddened to announce that I will not be returning to Everett next season because of health concerns,” he wrote on social media. “Would like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my hockey career. A special thanks to the Silvertips organization, my coaches, the fans, the city, my billets, and most importantly the guys for making these last couple years unforgettable. I’m very blessed and grateful for my time as a Tip.” . . . Pfeifer, from Phoenix, played two seasons with Everett, but was limited by injuries — shoulder and concussions — to 49 games as a freshman and 60 games last season when he wasn’t able to play in the playoffs. . . . He totalled four goals and 18 assists in 109 regular-season games. . . . Pfeifer showed enough as an 18-year-old freshman that NHL Central Scouting ranked him No. 135 among North American skaters prior to the 2015 draft. However, he went undrafted. . . . Without Pfeifer, the Silvertips are left with three 20-year-olds on their roster — F Lucas Skrumeda, F Graham Millar and F Brandon Ralph.

——

The Spokane Chiefs have signed F Carter Chorney, who was a second-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. The 6-foot-0, 170-pounder is from Sherwood Park, Alta. Last season, he had 66 points, including 31 goals, in 36 games with the bantam AAA Sherwood Park Flyers. He added 14 points, six of them goals, in 10 playoff games.

———

Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

———

Mark Holick is the new head coach of HC Pustertal Wolfe, an Italian team that plays in the Alps HL out of Bruneck. . . . Holick, 47, is a native of Penticton, B.C., who has been coaching since 1994. He spent the previous three-plus seasons as head coach of the WHL’s Prince George Cougars. That relationship ended after the 2015-16 season, although Holick had one year left on his contract. This will be Holick’s first coaching assignment in Europe.

——

Dustin Donaghy, a former WHLer, has joined the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers as an assistant coach. He will work alongside general manager/head coach Mike Vandekamp. Donaghy, 27, was with the Spokane Chiefs when they won the 2008 Memorial Cup. He also played in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . He went on to play five seasons in the Central league. . . . From Cranbrook, he has been living in Spokane. He has coaching experience at the Compete Hockey Academy in Spokane and the Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy.

——

The midget AAA Eastman Selects, who play out of Beausejour, Man., went 40-1-3 in 2015-16, the best record in franchise history, before losing to the second-place Winnipeg Wild in the league final. . . . So why did the Eastman Minor Hockey Association dump the general manager and the coaching staff. Well, it seems the board “has determined to go in a different direction.” . . . Terry Frey of The Carillon has the story right here.

———

Matthew Tkachuk said he's healthy but needs some rest so he's staying off the ice at #NJEC pic.twitter.com/O8I9i7t5uE

— Adam Kimelman (@NHLAdamK) August 2, 2016

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Blazers' roster taking shape

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers, their roster resting at 25, will trim a defenceman and a forward or two before opening the WHL’s regular season.
It doesn’t appear that they will be tinkering with their goaltending.
The Blazers went into their intrasquad game a week ago with four goaltenders on their roster. Immediately after the game, they chose to keep sophomore Taran Kozun, 19, and freshman Cole Kehler, while releasing Liam McLeod of Kamloops and Regina’s Cam Pateman, both 17.
Getting down to two goaltenders so quickly may have caught some observers by surprise. But head coach Dave Hunchak said it was the best move for all involved.
“We felt that committing a year’s school to guys when (Kehler) is already signed didn’t make any sense from an organization standpoint, or to those two other kids,” Hunchak said after the Blazers beat the visiting Vancouver Giants 4-3 in overtime on Sunday night. “We have to make decisions based on kids’ careers, and if we’re not sure if they’re going to be a part of our program for the long term, then we’re not going to bring them.”
———
Kehler, meanwhile, was the story of Sunday’s victory. He stopped 41 shots, including 16 of 17 in the first period, as his teammates struggled against a strong Vancouver forecheck.
Kehler, who won’t turn 16 until Dec. 17, was a sixth-round selection by the Blazers in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft.
Kehler is the youngest of three children; his father, Ernie, owns a John Deere dealership in Altona.
He had hoped to play midget AAA with the Morden-based Pembina Valley Hawks last season, but, he said, “they elected to go with an older goalie.” So he ended up playing high school hockey with the W.C. Miller Aces. His numbers weren’t much — 2-14-0, 5.00, .864 — but the team was only 4-17.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder arrived in Kamloops wanting “to make the team, obviously. That was a big goal for me . . . as a 16-year-old to come in and make the team.”
He did just that, thanks to a strong training camp.
“I had a good camp,” he said. “I felt I was very consistent.”
He admits to being “a little bit” surprised at the decision the team’s management made to get down to two goaltenders before the exhibition season had even begun.
“I felt I had some strong competition,” he said. “I think it shows that they have confidence in me and that they really like me.”
His strengths, he said, are “seeing the puck and being calm. I really think my mental toughness . . . to bounce back afer a goal.”
Had Kehler not stuck with the Blazers, he would have attended the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton.
———
Meanwhile, McLeod has surfaced with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers.
He is one of three goaltenders on general manager/head coach Mike Vandekamp’s roster, the others being Jayson Argue, a 20-year-old from Swan River, Man., who played 28 games in Nanaimo last season, and Connor LaCouvee, 19, from Qualicum Beach. He got into 20 games with the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals last season.
Last season, McLeod was 1-8-0, 4.69, .857 in 14 games with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings.
“The first thing with Liam, he’s 17 years old, and we wanted to have a look at him based on his age,” Vandekamp told Josh Aldrich of the Nanaimo Daily News. “I don’t know much about him yet, but he came to us from the Blazers. I know some people there, we talked about it and it made some sense to us to have a look at it as a possibility within our age categories of our roster.”
———
The Blazers are at home to the Kelowna Rockets on Friday, 7 p.m., then meet the Giants at Burnaby’s Bill Copeland Arena on Sunday, 3 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.