THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Quinn Hancock (Tacoma/Kelowna, Calgary, Prince George, 1994-98) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Hannover Indians (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had 14 goals and 30 assists in 39 games with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga) last season.
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It was about 8 p.m. in the Pacific time zone when the news, accompanied by a video link, hit Twitter.
Within an hour, TSN was using it on SportsCentre.
By today, Chris Clark, an assistant coach with the NAHL’s Wenatchee, Wash., Wild will be an Internet sensation. The clip in which he stars is going viral. Bet on it.
The Wild dropped a 2-1 decision to the visiting Kenai River Brown Bears on Saturday night.
As Jon Frank of the Wenatchee World reports right here, the Wild lost head coach Bliss Littler and Clark to game misconducts.
“Dressed in a bow tie and sporting sunglasses,” Frank writes, “the assistant coach walked onto the ice using a hockey stick to imitate a walking stick as a means of commentating on the night’s officiating. The fans loved it — the officiating staff did not.”
I have a feeling even the men in stripes will laugh at this one. I also have a feeling that the Wild will be short an assistant coach for a few games in the immediate future.
But why do I wish I had been in the arena in Wenatchee on Saturday night?
You’re right. We just don’t see enough of this kind of spur-of-the-moment emotional display these days.
If you haven’t yet seen it, the video is right here.
And, hot damn, but it’s funny.
Chris Clark, thanks for the chuckles. I think you made your point, now enjoy the time off.
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The NHL’s Minnesota Wild have returned D Mathew Dumba, 18, to the Red Deer Rebels. Dumba, the seventh selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft, was with the Wild through the abbreviated training camp and four regular-season games. But he wasn’t dressed for even one game.
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Former NFL kicker Tom Dempsey, who once kicked a 63-yard field goal, is suffering from dementia. Why? Might the fact that he loved to hit people and sometimes served as the wedge-buster on the kickoff team have anything to do with it.
Brett Michael Dykes of The New York Times has that story right here.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, G Mack Shields earned his second shutout of the season as the Hitmen beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 5-0. . . . Shields stopped 16 shots. . . . The Hitmen had lost their previous two games. . . . The Hitmen went 4-0 against Brandon this season, outscoring the Wheaties, 26-6. . . . Up next for the Hitmen: A nine-game road trip. . . . Brandon G Curtis Honey faced 48 shots less than 24 hours after facing 52 in a 5-2 loss to the Oil Kings in Edmonton. . . . The game was scoreless until Calgary F Chase Lang scored his fourth goal on a shorthanded breakaway at 12:28 of the second period. . . . Sophomore F Calder Brooks, 18, played in his first game of the season with the Hitmen. After putting up 24 pints in 53 games last season, he underwent shoulder surgery and wasn’t cleared to return until recently. . . .

In Edmonton, F Henrik Samuelsson had a goal and three assists as the Oil Kings bounced the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 7-1. . . . It was t he second straight game in which Samuelsson had three assists. . . . In 51 games, Samuelsson has 61 points, including 26 goals. He has put up 10 points in his last four games. . . . Ch-ching! There was a multiple-fight situation at 17:54 of the third period, one that included both goaltenders, Laurent Brossoit of the Oil Kings and Ty Rimmer of the Hurricanes. . . . More ch-ching! Lethbridge GM/head coach Rich Preston got tossed during all of this. . . . “I didn't see the (goaltenders’) fight develop, I was having a discussion with Mr. Preston at the time," offered Edmonton head coach Derek Laxdal. . . . Lethbridge took 113 of 186 penalty minutes. . . . The Oil Kings, who have won five in a row, got two goals from F Michael St. Croix and a goal and two assists from F Dylan Wruck. . . . The Oil Kings, with the WHL’s top PP unit, were 4-for-9 with the man advantage. . . . Edmonton D Dysin Mayo, a 16-year-old from Victoria, scored his first WHL goal in his 34th game and it stood up as the winner. . . .

In Saskatoon, G Andrey Makarov stopped 27 shots as the Blades dumped the Moose Jaw Warriors, 5-0. . . . Makarov has five shutouts this season, which ties him for the WHL lead with Portland’s Mac Carruth and Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry. . . . Makarov also has seven in his career, and is tied with Braden Holtby for th franchise record. . . . Saskatoon F Lukas Sutter ran his goal-scoring streak to five games with his 10th of the season. He has seven of those 10 goals since Jan. 1.
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From Tri-City Americans G Luke Lee-Knight (@LukeLeeknight): “It’s so annoying when my girlfriend interrupts me on the phone to ask if I am ‘over 18 and have a major credit card available?’ ”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Quinn Hancock (Tacoma/Kelowna, Calgary, Prince George, 1994-1998) signed a one year contract with SønderjyskE Vojens (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had four goals and 14 assists in 22 games with Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) last season.
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The body of former WHLer Rick Rypien (Regina, 2001-05) was discovered in his home near Coleman, Alta., early Monday afternoon. Rypien, 27, had signed with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets earlier this summer.
The RCMP has said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
Rypien, a cousin to former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien, played parts of six season with the Vancouver Canucks. During his time in the Vancouver organization, he also played for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, a team that was based in Winnipeg.
He twice took leaves of absence from the Canucks in order to deal with personal issues. He returned to the Moose in March after his most recent leave, one that lasted four months.
During his time with the Pats, he was one of the team’s most popular players.
When the news was confirmed Monday, Brent Parker, the Pats’ president, issued this release:
“The entire Regina Pats organization is deeply saddened to hear of the tragic news of the passing of former Regina Pats captain Rick Rypien. Rick was a tremendous friend, teammate and role model during his time in Regina and he epitomized everything we want our young men to be as people and as players. We would like to express our deepest sympathies to the Rypien family and all of his friends and teammates during this difficult time.”
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Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press takes a look at the Rick Rypien story right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Joey Baker, 18, who played last season with the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters. Baker was listed by the Winterhawks in September. He had 12 points in 57 games with Trail. . . . Alex Kermidas is the new equipment manager with the Spokane Chiefs. He was the assistant equipment manager with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators as they won the AHL championship in 2010-11. That was his second season with the Senators; the previous season he filled the same role under head coach Don Nachbaur, now the Chiefs’ head coach. . . . D Brendon Wall (Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Kelowna, 2007-11) will attend the U of British Columbia and play for the Thunderbirds this season. He started last season with the Kelowna Rockets and finished with the SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The Regina Pats have added Rob Muntain to their coaching staff. Muntain (Brandon, 1995-96) was named goaltender coach. He takes over from Ryan Cyr, whose contract wasn’t renwed after last season. Cyr had been there for four seasons and has since joined the Spokane Chiefs. Muntain has worked extensively with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association as head goaltending consultant. He is an officer with the Regina Police Service. . . .
Don Granato is the new head coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.. He will guide the U.S. U-17 team this season. Granato has been in coaching since 1993. He spent last season scouting for the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Prior to that, he was head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves (2008-10). Granato takes over from Ron Rolston, who left the NTDP after seven seasons to take over as head coach of the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

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