MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TAKING NOTE
The streets were a mess on Monday, and there were two accidents in downtown Kamloops. Slow down and enjoy the holiday season, folks. . . . To mellow things out a bit, right here is Celtic Woman with . . . Do You Hear What I Hear?
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F Radek Meidl (Seattle, Tri-City, 2006-08) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, he had a goal and three assists in 27 games with Frýdek-Místek (Czech Republic, 1. Liga).
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Could the WHL have a team in Nanaimo, B.C., when the 2017-18 season begins?
There are still a number of stumbling blocks, including a possible referendum on a new arena, but the return of Nanaimo to the WHL may be closer today than at any time since the Islanders completed their only season (1982-83) in the city.
Kendall Hanson of CHEK-TV on Vancouver Island reported Monday that city staff has asked city council for direction on entering “into negotiations with the Western Hockey League and (a) WHL team leading to a memorandum of understanding in contemplation of (the) location of (a) WHL team in the city of Nanaimo beginning with the next WHL season — this even though the proposed Events Centre couldn’t be built before September of 2019.”
According to Hanson, Councillor Bill Bestwick said: “What we do know is that a team is available and what we do know is that Frank Crane Arena is 45 years old and what we do know is that if we wait five or 10 or 15 more years there might not be a team available and assuredly the event centre would cost $5-, $10-, $15-, $20-million more.”
While Nanaimo continues to talk about building an $86-million entertainment centre a decision whether to go ahead hasn’t been made. Discussions on exactly that were ongoing at a council meeting on Monday night.
Should the city choose to proceed with the project, the next step would be to hold a referendum. Hanson reported that while organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Improvement Association and Port Authority are in favour, there is opposition, starting with the Protection Island Neighbourhood Association.
Should the project get the go-ahead at some point in the not-too-distant future, it would mean a WHL team in Nanaimo would have to spend at least two seasons in the Frank Crane Arena, a facility that seats around 2,400 and is home to the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers.
The obvious candidate, of course, is the Kootenay Ice, a franchise that is owned by the Chynoweth family and has been for sale since 2012.
This season, after 19 home dates, the Ice is averaging 1,672 fans per game based on announced attendances. That is the poorest average attendance in the 22-team WHL. It also is a decrease of 285 from last season.
You have to wonder if the franchise might be better off drawing 2,400 fans in Nanaimo — assuming, that is, that it would be able to attract that many fans — than watching its fan base disappear in Cranbrook.
Jeff Chynoweth, the Ice’s governor, president and general manager, told Taking Note last night that he has “not spoken to anyone from Nanaimo.”
“But,” he added, “with everyone knowing our franchise is for sale, I am sure we will get lumped (in with) any potential new city or building.”
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The Regina Pats have never won 50 games in a WHL regular season. So they definitely have something to shoot for after getting to the Christmas break with a 22-3-6 record.
While they are fourth in the overall standings, four points being Prince George, the Pats hold five games in hand on the Cougars. Regina is three points behind the second-place Everett Silvertips, with the Pats holding two games in hand. The Medicine Hat Tigers are third, one point ahead of Regina, which holds five games in hand.
“If you would have told us when we started camp that on Dec. 17 we’d have three regulation losses, we would have probably said you had too much to drink,” John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post in a story that is right here. “In saying that, there are some factors to it. To start with, we took advantage of all the (early) home games but we’ve also gone out and played pretty good on the road. We rode that wave.”
Obviously, the Pats are going to have a busy second half, having played only 31 games going into the break.
The 1978-79 Brandon Wheat Kings hold the single-season record for fewest losses (5). They finished that season at 58-5-9, with the 9 representing ties.
That season, the Wheat Kings went into an 18-day Christmas break with a 26-1-5 record. It is rather doubtful that the Pats can play their final 41 games without losing more than twice, although some might say that Regina actually has lost nine games to date.
Anyway . . . when that Brandon team broke for Christmas, it already had three players — linemates — with at least 40 points. Left-winger Brian Propp had 99 points, including 46 goals, in 31 games. Right-winger Ray Allison had 85 points, 31 of them goals, in 28 games. Centre Laurie Boschman was at 80 points, including 36 goals, in 32 games. Propp and Allison were running 1-2 in the scoring race.
It is interesting that the Wheat Kings had an 18-day break that season. Propp, Allison and D Brad McCrimmon joined the New Westminster Bruins during the break and played in the World Junior Championship in Sweden. Boschman, G Rick Knickle, D Mike Perovich and D Tim Lockridge played in the Labatt Cup, a junior tournament that was held in various Ontario cities.
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Team Canada dumped Finland 5-0 in a Monday night exhibition game between two national junior teams at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Both teams are preparing for the 2017 World Junior Championship that is scheduled to begin in Toronto and Montreal on Dec. 26. . . . Canada got two goals from each of F Tyson Jost (North Dakota) and F Taylor Raddysh (Erie Otters), with F Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds) adding one. Goaltender Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips) earned the shutout with 25 saves. . . . Next up for Canada is an exhibition game against Czech Republic in Ottawa on Wednesday. Canada also will play Switzerland, in Toronto on Friday.
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D Slava Demin, 16, of the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild has committed to the U of Denver where he will play for the Pioneers. Demin, from Cypress, Calif., was a sixth-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. He has 16 points, including four goals, in 30 games with the Wild.
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Brent Parker has hung up the ‘Gone Fishing’ sign. The former president, governor and general manager of the Regina Pats announced Monday that he has “taken a sales and marketing position with Rodgers Fishing Lodge in Eliza Inlet on the beautiful West Coast of Vancouver Island.” . . . According to Parker, the lodge is “one of the oldest and most established lodges in B.C., and provide a luxury fishing experience for small groups or large corporate parties.” . . . So if you are wanting to fish for salmon, halibut or tuna, you may want to think about sending Parker an email at brentparker@sasktel.net for some info. . . . Sounds like a good spot for a meeting of the WHL board of governors and/or general managers.
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Two stepsons of Brent Stark, the owner and president of the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines, were found dead in an apparent murder-suicide involving their father in Spruce Grove, Alta., on Monday. The bodies of the boys, ages 11 and 13, were found when Stark and their mother, Tracy, arrived to pick them up and take them to Whitecourt for holidays. . . . “We both showed up to the home and a coward of a father took his life and his two boys’ lives,” Stark told Andrea Ross of CBC News. . . . There’s more right here.
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MAILBAG:
L C (not sure if that’s his/her real name) writes:
“Great blog Greg (sic), but I'm getting tired of seeing all the Lefty bashing / tweets of soon to be President Trump. If you have to insist on getting political, maybe include some sweet heart Justin Trudeau bashing to even it out. I'm starting to think this is a CBC / Left Wing Media affiliated blog.”
(Editor’s note: L C, I am wondering if you’re related to the late L.C. Greenwood? What a fine footballer he was. . . . Just want you to know that I am neither a left wing, nor a right wing. I’m a centre.)
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DEC. 19-26:
No Games Scheduled.
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.
The WHL team made the announcement via a press release Sunday evening, during halftime of the Grey Cup, the annual championship game of the Canadian Football League that this year was held in Vancouver. 
The BCHL's Victoria Grizzlies are bringing in Craig Didmon to replace general manager and head coach Brad Knight. The move wll be made official today at a news conference. The Grizzlies are 11-10-0-5, good for fourth spot in the Island Division, four points out of third and five points out of second. . . . Didmon, who is taking over on an interim basis, had been with the Grizzlies, but he resigned in June. . . . Independent Sports News has the story 
In Everett, D Tyler King scored at 3:08 of OT as the Kootenay Ice erased a 3-0 deficit and beat the Silvertips, 4-3. . . . Kootenay trailed 3-0 early in the third period when F Tim Bozon scored his ninth goal at 1:35. . . . Ice D Rinat Valiev got his side to within a goal with his fourth goal at 5:40, via a PP. . . . D Tanner Faith scored his first goal of the season at 13:52 of the third to force OT. . . . F Nikita Scherback (bruised thigh) returned to the Everett lineup and had his 12th goal and an assist. . . . The Silvertips also had F Remi Laurencelle (ankle) back in the lineup. . . . Kootenay F Sam Reinhart had his point streak snapped at 10 games. . . . The Ice is 9-2-0 with Reinhart in the lineup. . . . The Ice (13-15-0) has won two in a row. . . . Everett is 16-5-4. . . . Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has more 
In Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds scored three PP goals and beat the Spokane Chiefs, 4-1. . . . Only the game's first goal, from Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit, didn't come via the PP. . . . F Ryan Gropp scored twice for Seattle, giving him 12 goals this season. Gropp played six games without a goal after last scoring on Nov. 8. . . . F Justin Hickman had two assists for Seattle. . . . F Calder Brooks had Spokane's lone goal, his 11th. . . . Seattle D Sahvan Khaira gave his side a 3-1 lead with his first goal at 10:03 of the second period. . . . The Thunderbirds scratched F Mathew Barzal (knee) and D Shea Theodore (undisclosed). . . . The Thunderbirds improved to 11-12-4, while the Chiefs (14-8-3) had a five-game winning streak end.
That’s it. Four words. Simple.
At Swift Current, G Landon Bow stopped 25 shots to help the Broncos to a 5-0 blanking of the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Bow has a WHL-leading five shutouts in 22 appearances this season. . . . Broncos F Coda Gordon had a goal, his 12th, and an assist as he ran his point streak to 15 games, best in the WHL this season. He also finished plus-4. . . . F Calvin Leth’s first goal of the season, and fourth in 73 career games, stood up as the winner. . . . Brandon was 0-for-5 on the PP; the Broncos were 0-for-2. . . . The Broncos (13-8-4) have points in five straight (3-0-2) and closed to within five points of the East Division-leading Wheat Kings (17-5-1). . . . Brandon continues to play without D Kale Clague, who returned from the U-17 World Hockey Challenge with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Broncos meet the Raiders in Prince Albert on Friday, while the Wheat Kings return home to face the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . 
At Moose Jaw, F Brett Pollock scored the game’s last two goals to give the Edmonton Oil Kings a 3-2 victory in OT over the Warriors. . . . Pollock tied the game at 18:21 of the third period and won it at 4:14 of OT. He’s got nine goals this season. . . . F Brayden Point scored both Moose Jaw goals, his 13th of the season, on the PP, giving it a 2-1 lead at 4:23 of the third. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 30 shots, five fewer than Moose Jaw’s Justin Paulic. . . . The Oil Kings (12-8-3) have points in four straight (3-0-1) as they head for Brandon and a weekend doubleheader. . . . The Warriors (9-10-3), who meet the Hitmen in Calgary on Friday, had won their previous two games. . . . 
At Cranbrook, F Trevor Cox scored three times and added an assist to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 7-3 victory over the Kootenay Ice, which had its five-game winning streak come to an end. . . . The Tigers (16-4-2) took a 5-0 lead into the third period. . . . Cox, who has five goals, scored in the first and last minutes of the second period and completed his first WHL hat trick at 15:26 of the third. . . . Tigers D Tommy Vannelli scored his ninth goal and added two assists. . . . The Ice got a goal and two assists from each of F Tim Bozon and F Sam Reinhart. . . . Reinhart tied F Jarret Stoll’s franchise record for career assists, with 162. . . . The Tigers have points in their last three games (2-0-1). . . . Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has a game story 
At Kamloops, the Blazers ended a seven-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Blazers (10-10-4), who were 0-4-3 on that slide, got 41 saves from G Connor Ingram. . . . Kamloops F Cole Ully scored his 10th goal and added an assist, while F Colin Shirley had two assists. . . . The Blazers were missing F Matthew Campese, who was acquired Tuesday from the Victoria Royals, and veteran D Brady Gaudet. According to Jon Keen, the radio voice of the Blazers, Gaudet has a shoulder injury and will be out indefinitely. . . . The Winterhawks (9-12-3) had been 2-0-1 in their previous three games. . . . Trailing 2-0 early in the second period, the Winterhawks had two 3-on-1 breaks and a 2-on-1 and came up empty each time. . . . The Winterhawks will meet the Rockets in Kelowna on Friday and Saturday, while the Blazers entertain the Prince George Cougars on Friday. . . . 
At Prince George, F Chase Witala and F Cal Babych each scored twice as the Cougars dumped the Vancouver Giants, 6-1. . . . Vancouver had won 6-4 on Tuesday night. . . . Babych broke a 1-1 tie at 16:03 of the first period and made it 3-1 at 14:17 of the second. He’s got three goals. He went into the game with a goal and an assist in 12 games. . . . Witala has 13 goals this season. . . . F Haydn Hopkins helped the Cougars’ cause with three assists. . . . F Zach Pochiro, who was returned to the Cougars by the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, had one assist. With him in the lineup, the Cougars scratched G Jared Rathjen to stay at the mandate three 20-year-olds. The other two are F Jari Erricson and F Chance Braid. The latter had a goal, his sixth, and an assist. . . . The Cougars (12-12-0), who visit Kamloops on Friday, had lost their previous four games. . . . The Giants slipped to 9-13-0. They are at home to the Regina Pats on Friday. The Pats arrived in Vancouver on Wednesday, while the Giants were playing in Prince George. . . .
At Victoria, D Jesse Lees scored twice and added an assist to lead the Kelowna Rockets to a 5-3 victory over the Royals. . . . The Rockets led 3-0 when Lees scored his second goal, and fifth of the season, at 10:14 of the first period. . . . D Joe Hicketts, who scored his sixth goal and added two assists, cut the Royals’ deficit to 4-3 at 18:17 of the third period, but Kelowna F Nick Merkley scored an empty-netter at 19:44. . . . Rockets F Rourke Chartier scored his WHL-leading 24th goal. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer, whose rights belong to the Royals when this season began, stopped 30 shots. . . . The Royals (12-11-2) had won their previous two games. . . . The Rockets (21-1-2) are 11-0-2 over their last 13 outings. . . . The game ended with something of a melee that could result in fines and/or suspensions. As well, Victoria F Brandon Magee picked up a spearing major and game misconduct. Magee missed the start of this season as he waited out a 12-game suspension left over from a playoff series with the Portland Winterhawks last spring. . . . The Royals are at home to the Everett Silvertips on Friday. . . . The Rockets, who went 4-0-1 on a five-game road trip, will meet visiting Portland on Friday and Saturday nights.
Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Vancouver Giants D Dalton Thrower, the team captain, won't play Saturday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. . . . Ewen tweets that Thrower didn't skate Thursday after taking a "hit to head Tuesday from Edmonton's Mitch Moroz early in third. He did finish game, though." . . . Ewen has more 
With G Mackenzie Skapski out with an undisclosed injury, the Kootenay Ice is going to use three different backup goaltenders, including two from the junior B Kimberley Dynamiters, over its next three games. . . . Trevor Crawley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman has the details 
In Brandon, the Saskatoon Blades scored three second-period goals and beat the Wheat Kings, 3-1. . . . F Brett Stovin scored the game's first two goals, getting his third and fourth of the season at 5:2 and 7:58. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak ran his point streak to 12 games with a second-period assist. . . . This was Brandon's first home game since Oct. 19. The Wheat Kings had gone 2-4 on a swing on which they won their last two games. . . . The Blades halted a four-game losing streak. . . . Attendance was announced as 2,926. . . . With G Curtis Honey injured, the Wheat Kings had Tyson Verhelst on the bench backing up Jordan Papirny. Verhelst, from Brandon was a third-round pick by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . F Peter Quenneville, 19, who left Quinnipiac to join the Wheat Kings, scored Brandon's goal in his first WHL game.
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