WHL playoffs nearing . . . Krebs family reunion . . . New hockey team in Nanaimo

F Axel Blomqvist (Lethbridge, Victoria, Moose Jaw, 2012-15) has signed for the rest of this season with Kristianstad (Sweden, Division 1). He had been released Sunday at his request by Södertälje (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He was pointless in seven games there.

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All of the WHL’s 22 teams have either played two-thirds of their regular season or are within an outing or two of the 48-game mark.

So . . . let us pause for a look at the playoff picture.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

East Division: The Regina Pats are atop the division, four points ahead of the Moose Jaw Warriors and with four games in hand. Regina has six regulation-time losses; the Warriors have a dozen. Regina’s point percentage is .784; Moose Jaw’s is .677. Yes, it will be hard for the Warriors to reach the top. . . . The Swift Current Broncos are third, seven points behind Moose Jaw and seven ahead of the Brandon Wheat Kings, who have three games in hand. The Wheat Kings are in possession of the conference’s first wild-card spot. They are five points in front of the Saskatoon Blades. . . . We could be looking at Moose Jaw and Swift Current in the first round, with the Wheat Kings crossing over to play the Central Division’s first-place finisher. . . . The Saskatoon Blades have won five in a row and are in position to get into the playoffs for the first time since the spring of 2013. If they stay in the conference’s second wild-card spot, they likely would meet up with Regina in the first round. Could that fire up what once was a tremendous rivalry?

Central Division: The Medicine Hat Tigers hold down first place, but are only four points ahead of the hard-charging Lethbridge Hurricanes. The Tigers are without D David Quenneville and D Ty Schultz, both of whom suffered broken bones while blocking shots. The Hurricanes have points in eight straight games (6-0-2), but the Tigers have one game in hand. They will meet each other three more times, including a home-and-home series on the regular-season’s final weekend. . . . The Red Deer Rebels, whose season has been a myriad of inconsistencies, are headed to a third-place finish. . . . Three of the division’s six teams end up on the outside looking in. The Calgary Hitmen are four points out of a playoff spot, while the Edmonton Oil Kings have trended the wrong way since the trade deadline, and the Kootenay Ice won’t make it. Again.

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WESTERN CONFERENCE

B.C. Division: The Prince George Cougars lead the division by 10 points over the Kamloops Blazers, who hold two games in hand. The Cougars, who beat the Vancouver Giants, 2-1 in a shootout, in Langley, B.C., on Monday night, will play three games in Alberta this weekend before going home for six in a row — doubleheaders with the Kelowna Rockets, Vancouver and the Spokane Chiefs. The Cougars and Blazers will meet five more times. Yes, they will go home-and-home to finish the regular season. . . . The Blazers are three points ahead of Kelowna, with the Victoria Royals two points in back of the Rockets. . . . Victoria holds the conference’s first wild-card spot at the moment, nine points ahead of the Portland Winterhawks. So it would seem that playoff spot will go to a B.C. Division team. . . . Vancouver is nine points out of a playoff spot.

U.S. Division: The Everett Silvertips lead the way by eight points and have five games in hand on the Tri-City Americans. The Silvertips have yet to experience their six-game East Division swing, one on which the Americans went 6-0-0. . . . Tri-City is seven points ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who hold six games in hand even though their eastern trip is behind them. . . . Seattle is a comfortable seven points ahead of Portland and the Spokane Chiefs, who are tied for the conference’s second wild-card spot. It could well be that either Portland or Spokane won’t make it, with the survivor getting Everett or Prince George, whichever has the better record, in the first round.

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Peyton (left), Maddison and Dakota Krebs.
(Photo: Tri-City Americans)

It was a big night for the Krebs family on Friday when the Kootenay Ice paid a visit to the Tri-City Americans. . . . Peyton, the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft, was in the Ice’s lineup. Dakota, 17, is a defenceman with the Americans. . . . Sister Maddison, 19, an up-and-coming country singer, handled both anthems. . . . Their parents, Cindy and Greg, along with another son, 13-year-old Drew, were on hand to take it all in. . . . “That was the hardest game I have had to watch,” Cindy told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. “I didn’t want Dakota to get scored on, but I wanted Peyton to score — just not against Dakota.” . . . Neither Peyton nor Dakota garnered a point but Dakota got bragging rights with a 7-4 victory. . . . Fowler’s story is right here.

The Ice returned Peyton to the midget AAA Foothills Bisons on Sunday, while also returning D Loeden Schaufler, 16, to the midget AAA Notre Dame Hounds of Wilcox Sask. . . . Still, the Ice has six players on the injury list, with F Barrett Sheen, D Nikita Radzivilyuk and D Sam Huston all out a week or more, with D Cale Fleury, F Vince Loschiavo and D Ryan Pouliot all day-to-day.

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There will be a new hockey team in Nanaimo when the 2017-18 season arrives. The Vancouver Island University Mariners will play out of the Ice Centre, which is near the school’s campus. The team will bring membership in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League to six teams. Other teams play out of Selkirk College in Castlegar, B.C., Trinity Western U in Langley, Eastern Washington U in Cheney, Simon Fraser U in Burnaby and the U of Victoria. . . . Steven Paul is the Mariners’ volunteer general manager and head coach. . . . The Mariners will operate as a club team, meaning it will responsible for its own operating budget. . . . The team will hold a spring camp, April 7-9. . . . The original roster could include D Ryan Coghlan, 21, a student at VIU who has played in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders.

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The QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques have fired head coach Mario Duhamel, replacing him with assistant coach Éric Landry. Duhamel was in in his first season with the Olympiques, having replaced Benoit Groulx, who now is the head coach of Syracuse Crunch, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. . . . Duhamel spent four seasons (2009-13) as the head coach of the Drummondville Voltigeurs and was an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team at the 2013 World Junior Championship. He also worked with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche as the video coach for two seasons (2013-15). Last season, he was the assistant general manager with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. . . . Landry, who is from Gatineau, has been with the Olympiques since 2012 after he ended a pro career that included NHL stops with the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens. . . . The Olympiques, who have lost four straight games, are 19-24-4.

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MONDAY’S GAME:

At Langley, B.C., the Prince George Cougars scored three times in a shootout to beat the Vancouver Giants 2-1. . . . F Nikita Popugaev, F Radovan Bondra and F Jansen Harkins all scored for the Cougars in the shootout, with F James Malm and F Brayden Watts counting for the Giants. . . . F Jared Bethune (13) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 5:45 of the second period and they nursed that lead into the final five minutes of the third period. . . . The Giants tied it when F Dawson Holt scored his sixth goal, shorthanded, at 15:49 of the third period. . . . G Nick McBride made 30 saves for the Cougars, three fewer than Vancouver’s Ryan Kubic. . . . Each team was 0-5 on the PP. . . . Vancouver had D Bowen Byram, the third overall pick in the 2016 bantam draft, in its lineup. He has 16 points, including 14 assists, in 11 games with the Yale Hockey Academy’s prep team in the CSSHL. . . . The Giants had eight scratches, including F Tyler Benson, D Darian Skeoch, D Matt Barberis and F Ty Ronning. . . . The Cougars had D Sam Ruopp back in their lineup. . . . The Cougars lead the eight-game season series 5-1-0, while the Giants are 1-4-1. . . . Prince George (34-13-3) had lost its previous two games (0-1-1). The Cougars lead the overall standings by two points over the Everett Silvertips and Regina Pats. . . . Vancouver (17-27-4) had lost two in a row and is nine points from a playoff spot. . . . The Cougars next play Friday against the host Red Deer Rebels and will stop off in Banff for a couple of days en route. After Red Deer, the Cougars will play a Saturday-Sunday night-day doubleheader against the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Announced attendance: 2,964.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Kamloops at Portland, 7 p.m. (ppd. from Jan. 8)

Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, 7 p.m.

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Now that's a lot of words, miles . . . Another hat for Gennaro . . . Krebs sparkles for Ice

pic.twitter.com/xmXmCIXItG

— Terry Mosher (@TerryMosher1) January 18, 2017

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D Colton Jobke (Kelowna, Regina, 2009-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL). He has three assists in 31 games.

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Up in the SaskTel Centre press box, @Bladesvoice calls his 1,700th game as the play-by-play voice of the @BladesHockey. #WHL. pic.twitter.com/rfb1wJ3uFD

— Darren Steinke (@StanksSports) January 19, 2017

When the Medicine Hat Tigers met the Blades in Saskatoon on Wednesday night, you might say there was some experience in the broadcast booth. . . . The Blades were celebrating game No. 1,700 by Les Lazaruk, their radio voice. . . . Bob Ridley, the legendary voice of the Tigers, was in the other booth and Darren Steinke, who used to work at the Medicine Hat News, points out that ‘Rids’ was calling game No. 3,745. . . . Those two gentlemen, who are two of hockey’s really good guys, have travelled a few miles to bring us all of those games, too.

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The Seattle Thunderbirds were to have met the Chiefs in Spokane on Wednesday night, but horrible travel conditions resulted in the game being postponed. It has been rescheduled for Tuesday Jan. 24, 7:05 p.m. . . . Seattle, which has won five straight, would have been playing its fourth game in five nights. Now the Thunderbirds next play Friday when they visit the Everett Silvertips. The Thunderbirds beat visiting Everett, 3-1, on Tuesday. . . . It was the third time in recent days that a game has had to be postponed. Inclement weather forced the Portland Winterhawks to move two games. The Everett Silvertips were to have visited on Jan. 7, but now will play there on Jan. 31. The Kamloops Blazers will play in Portland on Jan. 24, rather than Jan. 8.

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Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet tops his weekly 30 Thoughts with a few memories of Boris Fistric, a former WHL defenceman and tough hombre who died last week at the age of 56. . . . That is right here.

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JUST NOTES:

The Kamloops Blazers have changed the starting time for a Saturday, March 11 game against the Vancouver Giants. Originally scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., it now will start at 5 p.m. The reason? The Blazers have had some success at the gate with recent 5 o’clock starts. . . .

When Victoria blanked the host Vancouver Giants 3-0 on Tuesday night, G Griffen Outhouse tied the Royals’ franchise record for career shutouts, with eight. He shares the mark with Coleman Vollrath, The Victoria/Chilliwack franchise record is held by Lucas Gore, who put up 10 with the Bruins. . . .

The Worcester, Mass., Railers will begin play in the ECHL next season. The ECHL’s board of governors, meeting in Glens Falls, N.Y., during all-star festivities, unanimously approved full membership status for the franchise. Worcester had been granted a tentative franchise on Feb. 8. . . .

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.@mnwildfound unveils new 11-foot tall Herb Brooks statue in his famous pose outside of @HerbiesPark. pic.twitter.com/L6HQvw5uFc

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 19, 2017

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

At Calgary, F Matteo Gennaro scored three goals for a second straight game to lead the Hitmen to a 4-1

MATTEO GENNARO

victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Gennaro, who has two career hat tricks in 242 regular-season games, has goals in eight of his past nine games. In that span, he has scored 14 times and added five assists. . . . This season, the 19-year-old from St. Albert, Alta., has 25 goals and 23 assists in 40 games. Last season, which he split between Calgary and the Prince Albert Raiders, he finished with career highs in goals (18), assists (25) and points (43). . . . F Jake Kryski (15) gave Calgary a 1-0 lead at 5:44 of the first period. . . . Gennaro got the game’s next two goals, at 13:44 of the first and 14:36 of the second, the latter via the PP. . . . F Lane Zablock’s 12th goal got the visitors on the scoreboard at 4:15 of the third period. . . . Gennaro completed the scoring at 8:19. . . . D Jake Bean had two assists for the Hitmen. . . . Calgary G Trevor Martin stopped 22 shots, as did Red Deer’s Lasse Petersen. . . . Calgary was 1-6 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-4. . . . The Hitmen (17-20-6) have won two in a row. They are two points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Rebels (20-19-7) have lost three straight (0-2-1) but remain a comfortable third in the Central Division. . . . Announced attendance: 5,324.

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At Kelowna, F Brayden Burke’s OT goal gave the Moose Jaw Warriors a 3-2 victory over the Rockets. . . .

BRAYDEN BURKE

Burke, who also had an assist, scored his 14th goal of the season on a wrist shot from the high slot at 3:05 of extra time. . . . The Warriors took a 2-0 lead on second-period goals from D Matt Sozanski, his second, at 2:30, and F Brett Howden, his 23rd, on a PP, at 14:39. . . . Kelowna F Nick Merkley’s 11th goal got his guys to within one, at 17:59. . . . F Calvin Thurkauf pulled the Rockets even with his 20th goal, at 4:16 of the third period. . . . D Lucas Johansen had two assists for Kelowna. . . . Sozanski added an assist to his goal. . . . G Brody Willms stopped 30 shots for Moose Jaw. . . . G Michael Herringer turned aside 25 shots for Kelowna. . . . The Warriors were 1-4 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-7. . . . F Reid Gardiner was among Kelowna’s scratches. He didn’t return to a Monday game in Everett after a collision with teammate Calvin Thurkauf. . . . The Warriors (27-12-7) had lost their previous two games. They remain second in the East Division, three points ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. The Warriors are 2-2-0 on a five-game B.C. Division swing that wraps up Friday in Prince George. . . . The Rockets (26-16-4) have lost two in a row (0-1-1) and are third in the B.C. Division, one point behind the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Announced attendance: 5,271.

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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Peyton Krebs, the first pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, scored his first WHL goal and added three assists to spark the Kootenay Ice’s 6-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . .

PEYTON KREBS

He finished with the winning goal and a pair of PP assists. . . . Krebs, who is to turn 16 on Jan. 26, is from Okotoks, Alta. He went into last night with two assists in three earlier games with the Ice, so he now has a goal and five helpers in four games. . . . Krebs was brought in because the Ice has five players out with injuries. He plays for the midget AAA UFA Bisons and has 29 points, including 12 goals, in 23 games. . . . The Raiders actually scored the game’s first two goals, with D Zack Hayes getting his first WHL score at 1:48 of the first period and F Adam Kadlec scoring his fourth at 3:04 of the second. . . . The Ice came back with three second-period goals. . . . F Brett Davis (9) scored, on a PP, at 3:58. . . . F Noah Philp’s fifth goal tied the score, at 7:24. . . . F Max Patterson put the Ice out front, at 16:59. . . . The Raiders tied the score on F Jordy Stallard’s 11th goal, at 2:40 of the third period. . . . Krebs scored what turned out to be the winner at 9:29. . . . The Ice went up by two when F Colton Kroeker (8) scored at 10:20. . . . Patterson’s second goal, and fifth of the season, was an empty-netter, on a PP, at 18:32. . . . The Ice got two assists from D Kurtis Rutledge, while Kroeker, Davis and Patterson added one apiece. . . . D Max Martin had two assists for the Raiders. . . . G Payton Lee stopped 40 shots for the Ice. . . . At the other end, Ian Scott turned aside 21. . . . Kootenay was 2-7 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-5. . . . The Ice (11-27-8) had lost its previous three games. It is 12 points out of a playoff spot and nine points up on the Raiders. . . . The Raiders (8-34-5) have lost 11 in a row (0-8-3). . . . Prince Albert is playing without F Simon Stransky, F Tim Vanstone and F Drew Warkentine, all with undisclosed injuries. . . . Announced attendance: 1,631.

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Stuart Skinner's new profile pic: pic.twitter.com/2KcRidArbL

— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 19, 2017

At Lethbridge, F Ryan Vandervlis broke a 1-1 tie with back-to-back goals and the Hurricanes went on to

RYAN VANDERVLIS

beat the Swift Current Broncos, 5-1. . . . F Giorgio Estephan (24) gave the home team a 1-0 lead at 14:28 of the first period. . . . F Conner Chaulk (6) pulled the Broncos into a tie, on a PP, at 7:10 of the second period. . . . Vandervlis, who has four goals, snapped the tie at 17:09 of the second and added insurance at 6:43 of the third period. . . . F Jordy Bellerive scored his 21st goal at 11:01 and F Zak Zborosky got his 30th at 15:57. . . . F Zane Franklin had two assists for the winners, with Zborosky adding one to his goal. . . . G Stuart Skinner blocked 41 shots to earn the victory over Jordan Papirny, who made 33 saves. . . . The Broncos were 1-3 on the PP; the Hurricanes were 0-2. . . . The Hurricanes won the season series, 3-1-0; the Broncos were1-2-1. . . . Lethbridge (25-15-7) has points in seven straight games (5-0-2). The Hurricanes are second in the Central Division, four points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Broncos (25-14-8) are 1-1-1 in their past three games. They are third in the East Division. . . . Announced attendance: 3,588.

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At Prince George, F Radovan Bondra and F Jansen Harkins scored in a shootout to give the Cougars a 6-5 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . One night earlier, the Cougars had erased a 3-1 deficit as

BRAD MORRISON

they beat the Winterhawks, 4-3. . . . Last night, the Winterhawks overcame 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4 deficits to get to OT. . . . The Cougars got started early when F Brad Morrison, who also had two assists, scored his 19th goal just 10 seconds into the game. . . . Portland F Ryan Hughes, who has goals in five straight games, tied it at 3:07. . . . Harkins (14) put the Cougars back out front at 3:48. . . . Portland F Brad Ginnell tied it with his third goal, on a PP, at 6:43. . . . Prince George went back out front on F Brogan O’Brien’s eighth goal, 35 seconds into the second period. . . . Hughes tied it with his 19th goal, at 8:08. . . . Bondra gave the home team a 4-3 lead with his 23rd goal, at 13:43. . . . The Winterhawks pulled even when F Alex Overhardt (8) scored, on a PP, at 4:33 of the third period. . . . F Colby McAuley put the Cougars back in front with his 15th goal, on a PP, at 8:39. . . . F Jake Gricius scored his third goal, at 14:06, to force OT. . . . McAuley, O’Brien and Bondra each added an assist. . . . Portland got two assists from F Colton Veloso and one from Ginnell. . . . Morrison has goals in three straight games. . . . G Nick McBride stopped 36 shots for the Cougars, while Portland G Cole Kehler blocked 48 shots. . . . Portland was 2-5 on the PP; Prince George was 1-6. . . . The Cougars were without D Sam Ruopp (undisclosed injury) and F Jesse Gabrielle (Game 2 of three-game suspension). . . . Among Portland’s scratches were D Caleb Jones and F Cody Glass, both of whom were ill, and F Keegan Iverson (undisclosed injury). . . . Prince George (33-12-2) has won five in a row. The Cougars are atop the overall standings, three points ahead of the Regina Pats. . . . Portland (22-20-2) has lost three straight (0-2-1). The Winterhawks hold down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 2,707.

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#MHTigers goalie Michael Bullion gives #Saskatoon #Blades right-winger Caleb Fantillo the business. #WHL. pic.twitter.com/4MfolZ9d3e

— Darren Steinke (@StanksSports) January 19, 2017

At Saskatoon, the Blades, with G Logan Flodell making 48 saves, jumped out to a 4-0 lead en route to a

LOGAN FLODELL

5-3 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Saskatoon scored its first four goals in the span of 7:25 over two periods. . . . F Braylon Shmyr started it on a PP at 14:37 of the first period. . . . F Jesse Shynkaruk followed at 16:32. . . . Shmyr scored his second of the game and 24th of the season at 19:11. . . . F Logan Christensen (9) made it 4-0 at 2:02 of the second period. . . . The Tigers cut the deficit in half on goals from D Kristians Rubins (3), on a PP, at 9:49, and F James Hamblin (11), on a penalty shot, at 10:15. . . . Earlier, at 14:19 of the first period, Medicine Hat F Steve Owre came up short on a penalty shot. . . . Shynkaruk got his second goal, and 19th of the season, on a PP, at 15:45 of the second period for a 5-2 Saskatoon lead. . . . Medicine Hat got its last goal from F Ryan Jevne (6) at 2:25 of the third period. . . . Saskatoon got two assists from F Josh Paterson, with Shmyr and Christensen adding one each. . . . G Michael Bullion turned aside 23 shots for the Tigers. . . . Saskatoon was 2-7 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-6. . . . The Blades (18-22-6) have won three in a row and are in sole possession of the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot. . . . The Tigers (30-14-1) lead the Central Division by four points over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Announced attendance: 2,608.

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THURSDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Victoria at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

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CHL, teams file financials with court . . . Toigo into B.C. Hall . . . Outhouse with back-to-back shutouts

F Zdeněk Bahenský (Saskatoon, 2004-06) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Sterzing/Vipiteno (Italy, Alps HL). He was released last week released from a tryout contract with Mladá Boleslav (Czech Republic, Extraliga) that was signed on Jan. 10. He didn’t appear in a game for Mladá Boleslav. Earlier this season, he had two goals and nine assists in 22 games with Nové Zámky (Slovakia, Extraliga). He was released on Dec. 31.

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The CHL, along with 22 WHL teams and 20 from the OHL have obeyed a court order and turned over tax and financial statements dating back to 2011 as a potential class-action lawsuit continues to make its way through the courts. Rick Westhead of TSN reports that “the CHL has asked a judge to seal those records, which will be used to establish the profitability of teams and major junior leagues.” . . . There now are “at least 351 current and former players” involved in the lawsuit that asks that major junior players be paid at least minimum wage. . . . What’s next? Arguments over the sealing of the financial records are to be heard in Calgary on Jan. 24. . . . Westhead’s complete story is right here.

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Major junior operators have stated that if they were to pay minimum wage to players, some of their franchises would be forced out of business. If that’s the case, why not simply make all the tax and financial information available? That’s what Ken Campbell of The Hockey News wonders right here.

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They call it ‘Welcome to the World’ and it’s one of the best annual promotions in major junior hockey.

For a second straight season, the Saskatoon Blades are staging a ‘Welcome to the World’ promotion, with this one set for Jan. 22 as they play host to the Swift Current Broncos at 2 p.m.

The Blades and Ecologik, with help from the Open Door Society, will welcome newcomers to Canada to the game and will help turn it into a real experience.

From a Blades news release:

“Prior to the game, they will go through a ‘Hockey 101’ to learn all things about hockey. Then they will take in the Blades and Swift Current Broncos game, and afterwards they will all hit the ice with the Blades and try it out for themselves for the first time. There also will also be a citizenship ceremony taking place for 20 newcomers. This will mark the first time a junior hockey team has staged a citizenship ceremony in Western Canada.”

Last season, there were 400 newcomers on hand to take part in the event.

The Blades and Ecologik will take care of tickets and transportation for the newcomers. Bob Behari, Ecologik’s founder, arrived in Canada from India in 1977.

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John Diefenbaker was the prime minister of Canada when he rose in the House of Commons in Ottawa on April 29, 1966 and said: “I mention the historic nature of Prince Albert. I am not here for the purpose of advertising my constituency, but we are the only constituency in Canada that has ever been represented by three Prime Ministers.”

With 2017 being Canada’s 150th birthday, the Raiders will wear commemorative sweaters bearing the likenesses of Diefenbaker, Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King during a game against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Jan. 27.

The backs of the sweaters are the really neat part, as they contain quotes from each of those men.

Diefenbaker: “I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I think wrong and free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.”

Mackenzie King: “A true man does not only stand up for himself, he stands up for those that do not have the ability to.”

Laurier: “We do not anticipate, and we do not want, that any individuals should forget the land of their origins or their ancestors. Let them look to the past, but let them also look to the future; let them look to the land of their ancestors, but let them look also to the land of their children.”

From a Raiders news release:

“The jerseys will be available through silent auction, beginning Wednesday, January 18 at 10 a.m. CT. Bids open at $250, but a jersey can be bought outright for $450. Online bidding will continue until 5 p.m. CT on Jan. 27. Any jerseys left unsold will be available through silent auction during the game. The winners will be declared five minutes into the third period.”

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Mark Cheyne, the owner of the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors, is in talks with the junior A league’s board of governors as he hopes to get the OK to move his franchise to North Delta, B.C., where it would play out of the Sungod Arena.

The governors’ two-day meetings wrap up today (Wednesday) in Richmond, B.C.

What makes Cheyne’s request so interesting is that the Warriors are the defending national champions.

“It’s about a chance to break even there because we just can’t break even here, you know,” Cheyne told Tom Zillich of Surrey Now. “It’s just a better move financially. With the Rockets here and everything, it’s just a case of (people) don’t support it here as well as they need to, that’s for sure, even with a national championship, a really good team last (season). I was told all along, for 10 years, that once we get over that hump, win the division, win something, things will change here drastically, but that’s just not the case.”

The Lower Mainland already is home to three other BCHL franchises -- the Coquitlam Express, Langley Rivermen and Surrey Eagles.

BCHL commissioner John Grisdale told Zillich before the meetings that “there may or may not be a decision on that. The league will look where it’s at, where its existing franchises are, to see what’s best for the league. We have 17 franchises, and we have to consider what’s best for them.”

It’s believed that the governors also would be talking about the possibility of a WHL franchise landing in Nanaimo in time for next season. Nanaimo has been home to a BCHL franchise, the Clippers, since 1972.

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The future of a new $86.6-million arena in Nanaimo will hinge on the outcome of a referendum that is likely to be held on March 11.

On Monday, Nanaimo city council approved a $130,000 budget for a referendum that it recommended be held on March 11.

Tamara Cunningham of the Nanaimo News Bulletin reports that the next steps are “for council to give the initial readings of a loan authorization bylaw, set the question for the vote, and for the chief election officer to formally give the election date.”

Cunningham’s story is right here.

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Ron Toigo, the majority owner and president of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants, is among those who will be inducted into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame on July 28 in Penticton.

Thomas Gradin and Tony Tanti, a pair of former Vancouver Canucks forwards, also will be inducted, while Dave Nonis, a former Canucks general manager, Brad Lazarowich, a one-time WHL on-ice official who went on to a lengthy career as an NHL linesman, and John Shannon of Rogers Sportsnet will join Toigo in the builders’ category.

Toigo was first involved in the WHL as the owner of the Tri-City Americans, a franchise he sold in 2000 when he purchased the Giants as an expansion franchise. He has been instrumental in bringing numerous events to Vancouver, including two World Junior Championships and a Memorial Cup tournament.

Also being inducted will be the Powell River Regals, who captured the 1997 Allan Cup title as Canada’s senior men’s champions.

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Former WHL star Joe Sakic will be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on May 21 in Cologne, Germany. That is the final day of the 2017 IIHF World Championship.

During his playing career, Sakic helped Team Canada win the 1988 World Junior Championship, 1994 World championship and 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Sakic, 47, played two seasons (1986-88) with the Swift Current Broncos. He was the Eastern Division’s most valuable player in 1986-87 and the league’s MVP for 1987-88. In 139 regular-season games, Sakic put up 293 points, including 138 goals.

Sakic now is the executive vice-president of hockey operations and general manager with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.

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JUST NOTES:

Ryan Flaherty of Global TV in Saskatoon reports that Blades F Mason McCarty has “had a setback in his rehab” and will be out 3-4 more weeks. . . . McCarty last played on Nov. 25. He has 23 points, including 14 goals, in 26 games. . . . 

The Kootenay Ice has brought in F Peyton Krebs, who will turn 16 on Jan. 26, from the midget AAA UBA Bisons. From Okotoks, Alta., Krebs has 29 points, including 12 goals, in 23 games with the Bisons. He was the first-overall pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. He has two assists in three earlier games with Kootenay. . . . 

The Ice has named D Cale Fleury as team captain. F Vince Loschiavo, F Austin Wellsby and D Kurtis Rutledge are the alternate captains. The Ice played the first half of the season without a captain. 

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PM @JustinTrudeau took some time to meet with @ThomasChabot1 & @ju_gauth12 today #prettycool #WJC2017 #qmjhl #Qnation @SJSeaDogs pic.twitter.com/7fPZLbaF6J

— QMJHL (@QMJHL) January 18, 2017

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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Kamloops, G Connor Ingram made his first start for the Blazers since Dec. 4 and they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 4-1. . . . Ingram stopped 24 shots, losing his shutout bid at 11:24 of the third period when F

CONNOR INGRAM

Thomas Foster (12) scored on a PP. . . . Ingram spent the better part of a month with Canada’s national junior team and then got to spent a few days relaxing at his family’s home in Imperial, Sask. In his absence, G Dylan Ferguson made 15 straight starts. . . . F Garrett Pilon gave the Blazers a 1-0 lead with his 10th goal, at 9:50 of the first period. . . . D Joe Gatenby’s sixth goal, on a PP, 45 seconds into the second period would prove to be the winner. That was Gatenby's sixth goal in 45 games with Kamloops. He played his first 174 games with the Kelowna Rockets and have five goals. . . . F Deven Sideroff added his 26th goal, on another PP, at 1:31 of the third period, and F Rudolfs Balzers got his 24th goal at 10:09. . . . F Lane Bauer had two assists for Kamloops, with Pilon, Gatenby and Sideroff adding one apiece. . . . The Warriors got 32 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . Kamloops was 2-4 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 1-3. . . . It was the 705th regular-season victory of Don Hay’s WHL head-coaching career. . . . With Ingram back, the Blazers returned G Max Palaga to the Kamloops-based Thompson Blazers of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. . . . Kamloops (27-16-3) has won two in a row and is second in the B.C. Division, two points ahead of the Kelowna Rockets, who are at home to the Warriors tonight. . . . Moose Jaw (26-12-7) has lost two in a row and is 1-2-0 on a B.C. Division swing. The Warriors are second in the East Division, a point ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Announced attendance: 3,295.

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At Prince George, the Cougars erased a 3-1 third-period deficit and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-3. . . . The teams are scheduled to meet again tonight in Prince George. . . . F Radovan Bondra got the

BRAD MORRISON

comeback started just 22 seconds into the third period with his 22nd goal. . . . F Kody McDonald tied the score with No. 10 at 9:15. . . . F Brad Morrison (18) broke the tie at 11:45. . . . F Jansen Harkins had given the home team a 1-0 lead with his 13th goal, at 9:07 of the first period. . . . Portland scored the next three goals. . . . F Ryan Hughes ran his goal streak to four games with No. 17, at 13:21 of the first. . . . F Skyler McKenzie got his 29th, shorthanded, at 4:03 of the second. . . . F Alex Overhardt made it 3-1 with a PP goal at 6:37. He’s got seven goals. . . . Harkins and McDonald added an assist. . . . D Henri Jokiharju had two assists for Portland. . . . G Ty Edmonds stopped 33 shots for the Cougars. . . . G Shane Farkas, making his first WHL start for the Winterhawks, made 34 saves. . . . Portland was 1-2 on the PP; Prince George was 0-3. . . . D Sam Ruopp and F Jesse Gabrielle were among the Cougars’ scratches. Ruopp has an undisclosed injury. Gabrielle sat out Game 1 of a three-game suspension. That was for a cross-checking major and game misconduct he incurred at the final buzzer of a game in Calgary on Jan. 14. . . . The Winterhawks are without F Keegan Iverson, their 20-year-old captain, who was hurt on Friday in a game against the visiting Spokane Chiefs and didn’t play Saturday in the rematch. Iverson isn’t on this four-game road trip. . . . Portland also scratched D Shaun Dosanjh, their other active 20-year-old. . . . Portland had F Ty Westgard in their lineup. Westgard, who turned 19 on Jan. 1, has been playing with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles. The Winterhawks acquired his rights from the Victoria Royals earlier this season. . . . The Cougars (32-12-2) have won four in a row. They are back atop the overall standings, one point ahead of the Regina Pats, who do hold five games in hand. . . . The Winterhawks (22-20-1) have lost two straight. They hold down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 2,555.

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Going back to last season, the @SeattleTbirds have won 4 straight regular season home games vs Everett. First time since 3/08-1/09.

— TBird Tidbits (@TBirdTidbits) January 18, 2017

At Kent, Wash., Seattle’s big line accounted for six points as the Thunderbirds beat the Everett Silvertips, 3-1. . . . Seattle F Ryan Gropp, playing on a line with Mathew Barzal and Keegan Kolesar, had two

RYAN GROPP

assists, giving him 200 career points. He has 93 goals and 107 assists in 228 games. . . . Barzal (4) scored the game’s first goal, at 12:42 of the first period. . . . Everett F Matt Fonteyne tied it with his 14th goal, on a PP, at 15:59. . . . Kolesar’s eighth goal, at 12:28 of the second period, would prove to be the winner. . . . Seattle F Alexander True put his 13th goal into an empty net at 19:29 of the third period. . . . Barzal and Kolesar each had an assist. . . . G Rylan Toth turned aside 23 shots for the Thunderbirds. . . . The Silvertips got 30 saves from G Carter Hart. . . . Everett was 1-4 on the PP; Seattle was 0-2. . . . The Silvertips were playing their fourth game (3-0-1) in five nights and their fifth in seven. They now get two days off before going into a three-game weekend. When that’s over, they will have played eight games in 12 days. . . . The Thunderbirds had beaten the host Silvertips, 4-3 in OT, on Saturday night. . . . Everett was without F Devon Skoleski, who didn’t finish Monday’s 5-4 victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets. . . . Linesmen Zach Brooks left in first period with an undisclosed injury. . . . Seattle (24-14-5) has won six straight and is a comfortable third in the U.S. Division, seven points behind the Tri-City Americans and seven ahead of the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Everett (28-6-8) had points in each of its previous five games (3-0-2). The Silvertips are third in the overall standings, one point behind the Regina Pats and two in arrears of the Prince George Cougars. . . . Announced attendance: 5,019.

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At Langley, B.C., G Griffen Outhouse stopped 25 shots to lead the Victoria Royals to a 3-0 victory over

GRIFFEN OUTHOUSE

the Vancouver Giants. . . . Outhouse has four shutouts this season and eight in his two-season career. He has posted back-to-back shutouts, stopping 61 combined shots, since giving up seven goals in a 9-2 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets on Friday. . . . D Ryan Gagnon gave the Royals a 1-0 lead at 6:35 of the first period and that was the only goal Outhouse would need to post his 24th victory this season. . . . The Royals got insurance from F Tyler Soy (19), at 4:32 of the second period, and F Matt Phillips (29), on a PP, at 11:45 of the third. . . . Vancouver G Ryan Kubic stopped 39 shots. . . . Victoria was 1-3 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-2. . . . These teams will meet again later this month when they clash on Jan. 27, 28 and 29. The first of those is scheduled for Langley, with the last two in Victoria. . . . Including this game, eight of Victoria’s final 27 games will be against Vancouver. . . . Vancouver F Tyler Benson missed his seventh straight game with an undisclosed injury. . . . Victoria (24-18-4) has won two in a row. The Royals are fourth in the B.C. Division, three points behind the Kelowna Rockets. Victoria is in possession of the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Vancouver (16-26-3) has suffered six straight losses and is 10 points out of a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 3,675.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Prince Albert vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Portland at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 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.

Tortorella: We practice too much; we coach too much ... 'Tips overpower Hitmen ... Cougars real road warriors

20-year-old Maxim Tretyak (grandson of the legend Soviet goalie Vladislav Tretyak) has recorded his first KHL win (3:2 OT, #ADMvsMNK). pic.twitter.com/IwR90AEn5r

— KHL (@khl_eng) November 16, 2016

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F Mitch Wahl (Spokane, 2005-10) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Västervik (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, he had one goals and three assists in 16 games with Ilves Tampere (Finland, Liiga) before being released on Oct. 30.

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Granted that it’s on an experimental basis, but who would have thought that head coach John Tortorella of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets would be the guy to bring an end to the morning skate on the day of a game? . . . "When I can, I want to start trying to keep the team away from the morning,” he told Cory Wilkins in a story posted at thescore.com. “We bring them in here one time a day during practice days, but on game days we bring them in twice. It doesn't make any sense. With our schedule coming up the way it is, we are trying to get our guys out of the building as much as we can." . . . No, it doesn’t make sense and it hasn’t for a number of years. It also will be interesting to see if less time on the practice ice, even as loose as morning skates can be, will result in fewer injuries. . . . Tortorella also said: "When we get (the schedule) in July, I look for days off, not to see how many days we can practice. I do not want to practice two days in a row at all this year. We practice too much, we coach too much. If we don't have them here, then we don't have to coach them." . . . The Blue Jackets are into a stretch of seven games in 12 days. It will be interesting to see how they do. . . . Wilkins’ complete story is right here.

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D Ryan Gardiner, 19, and the Moose Jaw Warriors have “mutually agreed” to go their separate ways, according to the WHL team. . . . Gardiner, from Winnipeg, is expected to join the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers. . . . A third-round selection by the Warriors in the 2012 WHL bantam draft, he was in his third season with Moose Jaw. This season, he had two assists in 17 games. . . . In 158 regular-season games, he had one goal and 29 assists.

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The Edmonton Oil Kings have added G Josh Dechaine, 18, to their roster. Dechaine had been with the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. From St. Albert, Alta., he also has had stints with the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines and Whitecourt Wolverines. He also has been in training camp with the Brandon Wheat Kings each of the past three years. . . . Dechaine, who has been practising with the Oil Kings, will replace freshman G Liam Hughes on the Edmonton roster. Hughes is out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury. . . . G Boston Bilous, 15, who had been backing up Patrick Dea since Hughes was hurt, has returned to the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League.

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The Moose Jaw Warriors announced Tuesday that brothers Kevin and Ryan Smyth will be the 2016 inductees into the Conexus Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame. . . . It all will take place on March 3, with the Hall of Fame Game against the Medicine Hat Tigers on March 4. . . . Kevin finished his WHL career (1990-93) with 242 points, including 104 goals, in 201 games with the Warriors. He is seventh on Moose Jaw’s career points list. He was a fourth-round selection by the Hartford Whalers in the 1992 NHL draft. In 58 NHL games, he had six goals and eight assists. He played nine years of pro hockey, with stops in the AHL, IHL and WCHL. . . . The Warriors selected Ryan in the second round of the 1991 WHL bantam draft. He went to play 188 regular-season games with them, putting up 110 goals and 114 assists. He is 13th on the team’s all-time scoring list. In 1993-94, he had 105 points, including 50 goals. He was drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL‘s 1994 draft. His NHL career included time with Edmonton, the New York Islanders, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. He also had an extensive international career on various Canadian teams.

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The Okanagan Hockey Group, which is based in Penticton, B.C., has released an economic impact study that includes some numbers of interest.  According to the study, OHG had an economic impact of $19.91 million from September 2015 through August 2016. . . . From an OHG news release: “Okanagan Hockey Group Ltd. directly injects $3.95 million into the local economy. . . . Okanagan Hockey Academy activities contribute $7.7 million in direct spending in the City of Penticton. . . . As a result of Okanagan Hockey Camps offering eight weeks of programming the local economy benefited by an additional $4.8 million in direct spending.” . . . OHG provides 30 full-time and 100 part-time jobs with an annual payroll in excess of $1.76 million. . . . What I found especially interesting was that “47 families relocated to Penticton” with 15 of those relocating for the school year and 32 spent the entire year there. Those 47 families resulted in more than “$2.98 million of new dollars being spent in the local economy.” As well, visiting families spent $1.51 million, while visiting teams (1,671 visitors) spent $365,000. . . . According to the release, the study was conducted by “an independent third party, Lochaven Management Consultants Ltd., a company with 30 years of experience and a global reputation for excellence, (that) is internationally recognized for its work in private sector development.” . . . I am well aware that economic impact studies are to be read with caution, but these numbers can offer an interesting take on the impact of a business like OHG on a community the size of Penticton.

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Steve Payne was a sniper; Michel Petit was a banger. They don’t know each other; they know of each other. Their NHL careers were ended by brain injuries and now both ex-players have joined the concussion-related lawsuit against the NHL. . . . Payne is adamant that he isn’t involved because he is looking for money. "I hope I don't become one of those guys, because that means I'm having trouble and problems that are beyond my ability to handle," he tells Joshua Kloke of sports.vice.com."I just want (the NHL) to be there for these guys and help them get the treatment they need to at least live as normal a life as they can under the circumstances.” . . . What Payne and Petit have gone through is an eye-opener and worth a read. Kloke’s story is right here.

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JUST NOTES:

The Kootenay Ice is expected to have F Peyton Krebs, 15, in the lineup for the first time (tonight) when it meets the Hurricanes in Lethbridge. Krebs, from Okotoks, Alta., was the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft. Krebs is spending this season with the midget AAA UFA Bisons. He has 21 points, nine of them goals, in 12 games. . . . 

The Saskatoon Blades have a flu bug going through the dressing room. G Logan Flodell and D Libor Hajek, two key individuals, weren’t able to practice on Tuesday. The Blades are at home to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Thursday. 

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Our 2 present day goalies with Ivan McLelland, a goalie from 1955 Penticton Vees, who beat Russia 5-0 to win the World Championship pic.twitter.com/oloUL0lP05

— Kimberley Dynamiters (@nitroshockey) November 15, 2016

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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

100% - The @WHLsilvertips were a perfect 5 for 5 on the Power Play tonight. The rest of the league? #NotSoMuch A combined 6 for 49 (12.2%)

— WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) November 16, 2016

At Everett, the Silvertips struck four times on a five-minute power play en route to a 6-1 victory over the

DOMINIC ZWERGER

Calgary Hitmen. . . . Calgary F Travis Sanheim took a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct for a first-period hit on Everett D Noah Juulsen, who went to the dressing room. . . . Juulsen returned to start the second period, played a couple of PP shifts and then returned to the room. He finished the game in the press box. . . . The penalty occurred at 19:51 with the game at 0-0. . . . Eight seconds later, F Dominic Zwerger scored Everett’s first goal. He got its second, and his 10th, at 3:05 of the second period, with Juulsen getting the secondary assist. . . . F Eetu Tuulola added his fifth at 3:40 and D Kevin Davis got his second at 4:29. . . . The Silvertips will play in Davis’s hometown of Kamloops tonight (Wednesday). . . . Zwerger also drew two assists. Bajkov and F Sean Richards (4) each had a goal and two assists, while F Devon Skoleski had two helpers. Davis and Tuulola had an assist apiece. . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 27 shots, losing his shutout bid to F Matteo Gennaro (5) at 15:04 of the second period. . . . Calgary starter Cody Porter allowed six goals on 34 shots in 47:07. Kyle Dumba finished up by stopping all four shots he faced. . . . Everett was 5-5 on the PP; Calgary was 0-5. . . . The Silvertips (15-2-3) are 7-0-2 in their past nine games. . . . The Hitmen (7-7-2) have lost two in a row. The Hitmen have been outscored 15-3 in two games since opening a U.S. Division swing with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Friday. . . . Announced attendance: 3,012.

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At Kelowna, F Colby McAuley had two goals and an assist to lead the Prince George Cougars to a 4-2

COLBY McAULEY

victory over the Rockets. . . . The Cougars (16-4-2) continue to lead the overall standings. They are 4-0-0 against Kelowna this season. Prince George hadn’t beaten Kelowna four times in a season since 2006-07 when the Rockets won the season series, 6-4-0. . . . The Cougars also are 11-1-0 in the B.C. Division. . . . The Rockets, who had been 8-2-0 in their past 10 games, are 11-10-0. . . . The Cougars scored the game’s first two goals, with F Yan Khomenko getting his eighth goal at 6:23 of the second period and F Colby McAuley scoring No. 6 at 9:48. . . . F Tomas Soustal (9) got Kelowna on the board with a PP goal at 16:48. . . . McAuley scored again at 4:26 of the third period. . . . Kelowna F Calvin Thurkauf got his ninth, on a PP, at 8:51 of the third. . . . The Cougars closed the scoring on F Josh Boyd’s third goal at 18:45. . . . F Josh Curtis had three assists for the visitors, while Boyd added one to his goal. . . . G Ty Edmonds stopped 22 shots for the Cougars. . . . The Rockets got 32 saves from G Michael Herringer. . . . The Rockets were 2-4 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-5. . . . The Cougars are 10-1-1 on the road. . . . F Kody McDonald returned to the Cougars’ lineup after serving a three-game sentence, while D Sam Ruopp served Game 4 of an eight-game sentence. . . . Announced attendance: 4,521.

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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Mark Rassell scored once and added two assists to help the Medicine Hat Tigers

MARK RASSELL

to a 5-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Tigers, who are 8-2-0 on the road, outshot the Ice 38-13 as they took a 3-2 lead into the third period. . . . The visitors scored the game’s first two goals — F James Hamblin (4) at 2:07 of the second period and D Ty Schultz (1) at 5:47. . . . F Zak Zborosky’s 14th goal got the Ice to within one at 12:24, but Medicine Hat F Matt Bradley (9) got that one back 1:03 later. . . . F Noah Philp’s second goal pulled the Ice back to within a goal at 16:02. . . . The Tigers put it away with two quick third-period goals. Rassell, who has 12 goals, scored shorthanded at 4:17 and Bradley added another at 6:44. . . . F Mason Shaw had two assists for the winners. . . . G Nick Schneider stopped 19 shots for the victory. . . . The Ice got 50 saves from G Payton Lee. . . . Kootenay was 0-6 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 0-7. . . . The Tigers (14-5-1) have won three in a row. . . . The Ice (3-12-5) has lost five straight (0-4-1). . . . Announced attendance: 1,565.

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At Spokane, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the game’s first two goals and the last three in beating the

REECE HARSCH

Chiefs, 5-2. . . . Seattle F Keegan Kolesar was in the lineup for the first time this season, and he started on a line with F Mathew Barzal and F Ryan Gropp. Kolesar had undergone surgery for a supraumbilical hernia in late Septembrer while in camp with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. . . . D Brandon Schuldhaus got Seattle started with his first goal, at 1:22 of the opening period. F Scott Eansor made it 2-0 at 14:32. . . . The Chiefs tied the score with two quick goals, F Kailer Yamamoto scoring No. 16 at 17:14 of the first and F Hudson Elynuik getting his sixth just 13 seconds into the second. . . . F Ryan Gropp broke the 2-2 tie with his third goal at 3:54 of the third period. Kolesar and Barzal had the assists. . . . F Alexander True (6) made it 4-2 at 9:02 and F Nolan Volcan (8) got the empty-netter at 19:11. . . . D Reece Harsch and Barzal each had two assists for Seattle, with Eansor and True each getting one. . . . G Rylan Toth stopped 31 shots in earning the victory. . . . The Chiefs got 27 saves from Dawson Weatherill. . . . Each team was 0-3 on the PP. . . . The Thunderbirds (9-8-1) have won two straight. . . . The Chiefs (7-7-5) had points in seven straight (4-0-3) before this one. . . . Announced attendance: 3,317.

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At Swift Current, D Artyom Minulin scored at 2:03 of OT to give the Broncos a 3-2 victory over the Red

ARTYOM MINULIN

Deer Rebels. . . . It was the seventh time in their past nine games that the Broncos went to OT. . . . Minulin has five goals this season. . . . He also had an assist. . . . Last season, Minulin finished with five goals and 28 assists in 72 games. This season, he has five goals and 16 assists in 22 games. . . . The Broncos scored the game’s first two goals, with F Tyler Steenbergen getting No. 15, on a PP, at 8:22 of the first period and F Cole Johnson scoring his second, at 2:41 of the second. . . . D Josh Mahura got Red Deer’s first goal, his eighth, on a PP, at 17:49. . . . The Rebels tied it when F Michael Spacek scored his 13th goal, shorthanded, at 7:14 of the third period. . . . The Broncos got 23 saves from G Taz Burman. . . . Red Deer G Lasse Petersen turned aside 27 shots. . . . The Rebels were 1-1 on the PP; the Broncos were 1-4. . . . Swift Current (11-6-5) had lost three in a row (0-1-2). . . . The Rebels (10-9-3) have lost two straight. . . . This was Red Deer’s eighth straight road game (2-5-1). . . . Announced attendance: 1,708.

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At Victoria, F Tyler Soy scored once and added two assists as the Royals dumped the Prince Albert

TYLER SOY

Raiders, 3-1. . . . F Jared Dmytriw’s seventh goal, at 3:06 of the first period, on a PP, gave the home side a 1-0 lead. . . . D Loch Morrison tied it with his first goal at 16:11 of the second period. . . . Victoria F Matt Phillips (13) snapped the tie at 2:21 of the third period. . . . Soy iced it with an empty-netter at 19:36. That was his 11th goal of the season and 101st of his career. That equals the Royals’ career record that was held by F Brandon Magee, who also scored 12 times for the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Soy has 204 points in 233 regular-season games. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 25 shots for the Royals, while the Raiders’ Nick Sanders turned aside 27. . . . The Raiders were 1-4 on the PP; the Royals were 1-7. . . . The Royals improved to 12-8-2. . . . The Raiders (5-14-1) have lost three in a row, all in the B.C. Division. . . . This was the third game in a row for Prince Albert head coach Marc Habscheid against a former team. He also coached the Kamloops Blazers and Kelowna Rockets before ending up in Victoria. He was the head coach of the Chilliwack Bruins for two seasons and made the move with them to Victoria. . . . Announced attendance: 3,192.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

Everett at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

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

Prince Albert vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

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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.