Kosterman on the move

Czech F Jiri Fronk won’t be joining the WHL’s Victoria Royals this season. . . . Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist reports that the Royals “lost to the KLH Chomutov Under-20s without a puck being fired.” . . . The Royals selected Fronk, 19, in the CHL’s 2013 import draft, but the IIHF has ruled that his contract with Chomutov is valid. . . .  “It was a reasoned written decision. That’s that,” Cam Hope, the Royals’ general manager, told Dheensaw. “It’s obviously disappointing but there’s nothing we can do about it. We have to respect the process because we rely on it both ways.” . . . The Royals are left with one import on their roster — G Patrik Polivka, 19, from Plzen, Czech Republic. . . . Dheensaw’s story is right here.
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The Prince George Cougars have acquired D Peter Kosterman, 20, from the Calgary Hitmen for two bantam draft picks — a fourth-rounder in 2014 and sixth in 2015. . . . The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Kosterman, who is from Calgary, is preparing for his fifth WHL season. He was a first-round selection, 19th overall, by the HItmen in the 2008 bantam draft. He had 32 points in 234 games with Calgary. . . . The Cougars now have two 20-year-olds on their roster, the other being F Klarc Wilson.
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It was mentioned here yesterday that Calgary Hitmen F Pavel Padakin and Kamloops Blazers F Devin Oakes, both of whom drew three-game WHL suspensions, would miss one exhibition game and two regular-season games. . . . Actually, each already had served one game, so were left with one exhibition game and one regular-season game to serve.
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The Red Deer Rebels have added F Kailum Gervais, 18, to their roster. Gervais, 6-foot-0 and 200 pounds, played the last two seasons with the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers, putting up 48 points, including 16 goals, and 126 penalty minutes in 85 games. . . . Gervais is coming off a knee injury, so will be given some time to skate his way into shape with the Rebels. . . . Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate has more right here.
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D Tyler Yaworski, who played the last four seasons in the WHL, has signed with the Central league’s Quad City Mallards where he will play for former WHL player and coach Terry Ruskowski. . . . Yaworski played last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings, putting up 12 points in 63 games. In 227 regular-season games, he had 47 points and 595 penalty minutes. . . . Yaworski is scheduled to go to camp with the AHL’s Iowa Wild.
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The AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm announced late Wednesday morning that it has “parted company with general manager Blaine Bablitz due to philosophical differences.” . . . The move came three weeks after Bablitz stepped aside as head coach to become a full-time GM. . . . Head coach Matt Hughes now also is the general manager. . . . Logan Clow of the Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune has more right here.
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Oscar De La Hoya always wanted to shut up Floyd Mayweather. But the Golden Boy was never able to accomplish that in a boxing ring. And now, when his guy, Saúl Álvarez, who also is known as Canelo, has the opportunith to do just that on Saturday, De La Hoya won’t be there — he is back in rehab, trying to deal with his demons. . . . Greg Bishop of The New York Times takes a look right here.
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From Pat Siedlecki (@radiopat258), the radio voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes: “Great news for the @WHLHurricanes. (D) Ryan Pilon cleared by doctors to practice. He's been out with mono. Might play game 3 of reg season.”
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From Chris Dilks (@ChrisDilks) of westerncollegehockeyblog.com: “Maple Grove HS forward Josh Passolt will play for Prince Albert (WHL) this year.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
Val Pusteria/Brunico (Italy, Serie A) announced on its website that D Keith Seabrook (Calgary, 2007-09) has told the team he is retiring from hockey, effective immediately. He had eight goals and 10 assists in 18 games with Val Pusteria this season.
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If you scroll down a bit, you will find the Name The Line contest. Take part and win a signed copy of Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos.
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F Rhett Gardner of the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals suffered a shoulder injury during The Hockey Academy Showcase in Grand Forks, N.D. Gardner was the Spokane Chiefs’ second-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft but chose not to report to the Chiefs’ training camp prior to this season as he keeps his options open. . . . Gardner, the Generals’ leading scorer, has 23 points in 15 games, good for fourth place in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA league’s scoring race. . . . The Generals went 1-3 at that tournament, losing three games in shootouts. . . .
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, D Peter Kosterman broke a 2-2 tie at 12:43 of the third period and the Hitmen beat the Swift Current Broncos, 4-2. . . . Ukrainian freshman F Pavlo Padakin scored twice, including an empty-netter, for Calgary. . . . F Graham Black scored both Swift Current goals. He’s got 12. . . . The Broncos have lost two in a row and four of six. . . . Calgary had F Victor Rask in its lineup for the first time this season. A 33-goal man last season, he had been with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. . . . As well, Hitmen captain Cody Sylvester returned from a two-game absence with an undisclosed injury to score the game’s first goal. . . . The Hitmen moved one point ahead of idle Edmonton and trails Eastern Conference-leading Prince Albert by one point with two games in hand. . . .

In Everett, F Carson Stadnyk scored twice to give the Silvertips a 2-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Stadnyk, 17, from Saskatoon, has three goals in 25 games. . . . He broke a 1-1 tie at 12:43 of the third period. . . . F Curtis Valk got his 16th goal for the Tigers, this one via the PP. . . . Everett G Daniel Cotton stopped 40 shots. . . . The Tigers, who have lost four straight, had a 41-18 edge in shots. . . . The Tigers scratched F Hunter Shinkaruk, who suffered a skate cut to a knee that took 14 stitches on Saturday in Portland, and F Miles Koules (ankle), who also was injured in Portland. . . . Everett was without D Ryan Murray (shoulder). The Silvertips are 2-0-0 since Murray was injured on Friday in Victoria. He should have an MRI early this week in an attempt to get a precise diagnosis. . . . Everett also remains without F Ryan Harrison (knee) and F Josh Winquist (mononucleosis). . . .

In Vancouver, the Saskatoon Blades broke a 2-2 tie with three goals in a span of 4:10 in the third period as they beat the Giants, 5-2. . . . F Nick Zajac broke a 2-2 tie at 11:27 of the third period, with F Matej Stransky scoring at 15:25, on the PP, and D Duncan Siemens scoring at 15:37. . . . D Kyle Schmidt had three assists. . . . Stransky had two goals. . . . The Blades have points in six of their last seven games. After that horrid start, they now are 10-10-1. . . . F Trevor Cheek notched his 10th goal for Vancouver; he is on a six-game goal streak. . . . The Giants were without F Cain Franson for an 11th straight game. He is believed to have a concussion. . . .

The Brandon Wheat Kings, having lost twice to the host Kootenay Ice over the previous two nights, went into Lethbridge and beat the Hurricanes, 5-3. . . . The Hurricanes led 2-1 in the second period when Brandon scored three times in 5:10. . . . Wheat Kings F John Quenneville doubled his goal count to four by scoring twice. . . . Lethbridge D Daniel Johnston had two assists. He has 18 points, including six goals, in 22 games. Last season, in 55 games, the 20-year-old had 30 points, two of them goals. . . . Brandon, which had lost four straight, scratched F Alessio Bertaggia, its leading scorer, with an undisclosed injury. . . .

In Red Deer, the Rebels won their second straight game under interim head coach Brent Sutter, this time beating the visiting Prince Albert Raiders, 6-1. . . . F Matt Bellerive had a goal and two assists for the Rebels, who got three assists from F Joel Hamilton. . . . G Rylan Parenteau made his WHL debut with the Raiders, stopping two of three shots over nine minutes in the third period. Parenteau, who turned 16 on Nov. 6, joined the Raiders earlier in the weekend from the midget AAA Saskatoon Contacts. He was a third-round selection by the Raiders in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . G Andy Desautels, who normally backs up Luke Siemens, has been nursing a broken finger and may have banged it up a bit more late last week. . . . Siemens started this one, but was given a rest after stopping 42 shots over 51:06. . . . The Raiders are 5-1-0 in Alberta this season. Last season, they went 2-8-0 in games played in Alberta. . . . Prince Albert captain Mark McNeill, who played in both Subway Super Series games last week, played in his fifth game in as many nights.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Craig Leverton, Lethbridge
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Edmonton Oil Kings F Michael St. Croix (@stixy18): “Terrible news that my buddy @papskos17 has to retire from junior hockey due to injury. You are inspiration to all. See you soon!”

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