Memorial Cup semifinal set . . . Remparts coach pays price for rant . . . Pats shuffle their deck

D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SHL). This season, with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL), he had one goal and five assists in 22 games. He was traded to Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL) on Oct. 31, and had 13 points, including two goals, in 35 games there. . . .

F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) signed a one-year contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Växjö (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals in 21 games. He also had one goal and one assist in 21 games with Lulea (Sweden, SHL). On loan to Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had one goal in four games, and he had three goals in 12 games with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL). . . .

Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) has signed a one-year contract as a full-time assistant coach with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). This season, with Sheffield, the defenceman had six goals and 19 assists in 65 games. . . . Hay, the son of Kamloops Blazers head coach Don Hay, remains registered as an active player for Sheffield for next season.
———

It’ll be the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets and the host Quebec Remparts in the Memorial Cup semifinal tonight in Quebec City. . . . The winner will meet the OHL-champion Oshawa Generals in Sunday’s final. . . . The Remparts advanced with a 5-2 victory over the QMJHL-champion Rimouski Oceanic before only 6,533 fans on Thursday night. . . . Attendance through seven games is 59,669, an average of 8,524. . . . I seem to recall attendance, or the perceived lack of same, being something of a story when the tournament was held in Saskatoon in 2013. That tournament featured nine games and drew 82,503 fans, an average of 9,167. . . . There should be more than 10,000 fans in Quebec City tonight. . . . This was the 17th time these two teams have met this season; the Oceanic finished with a 10-5-2 edge. Rimouski also went into

the tiebreaker having won its last six games against the Remparts at the Pepsi Colisée. . . . The Oceanic had posted a 4-0 victory over the Remparts in a round-robin game on Wednesday. After that game, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher ripped the officiating — both referees were from the QMJHL. On Thursday, Boucher was fined $10,000. . . . The Kelowna Rockets were fined $500 after someone from their organization was critical of the officiating following a 4-3 tournament-opening loss to the Remparts. . . . Presumably, the difference is that Boucher performed his surgery in public, while the Kelowna official did it in private to CHL officials. . . . Adam Proteau of The Hockey News has more on Boucher and his rant right here. . . . After last night’s game, Boucher told reporters: “"I told my daughter there's no vacation this summer.” . . . Last night’s referees were Brett Iverson of the WHL and the OHL’s Mike Cairns. . . . Quebec F Jerome Verrier scored twice, his first goals in 15 games, while F Anthony Duclair and F Marc-Olivier Roy scored their first goals in nine games. . . . Verrier and Duclair had both left Wednesday’s game with injuries. . . . F Jeremy Lepine pulled Rimouski into a 2-2 tie at 16:07 of the second period. . . . However, Quebec F Adam Erne scored 47 seconds later and Verrier made it 4-2 at 19:19. . . . Roy iced it with his goal at 11:31 of the third. . . . Quebec G Zach Fucale, who didn’t finished one night earlier, stopped 30 shots, four more than Rimouski’s Philippe Desrosiers. . . . The Remparts were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Oceanic was 1-for-3. . . . This is the final hockey event to be held in the Pepsi Colisée, and you can bet the Remparts are using that for motivation.

(1.) Rimouski & Quebec playing each other for 17th time this season. Announcer says "Unheard of!". How cute....

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

(2.). @SeattleTbirds and @pdxwinterhawks played each other 18 times this season. Have played 19 times in a season in the past.

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

——
Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday, May 28 (tiebreaker): Quebec 5 vs. Rimouski 2 (6,533)
Friday (semifinal): Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday (championship): Oshawa vs. Kelowna/Quebec winner, 7 p.m.
———




The Regina Pats did a bit of shuffling in their front office on Thursday. . . . John Paddock now is the senior vice-president of hockey operations, general manager and head coach, while assistant coach Dave Struch has added assistant GM to his duties. . . . Gord Pritchard, the director of corporate affairs, now is the assistant to the general manager. . . . The Pats also have extended the contracts of goaltender coach Rob Muntain, athletic therapist Greg Mayer and equipment manager Gord Cochran. . . . As well, they announced that assistant coach Darrin McKechnie won’t be returning. According to a news release, McKechnie, “an Inspector with the Regina Police Service (RPS), recently received a promotion.” . . . The Pats now are looking to add an assistant coach to their staff.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Struch’s promotion is all part of the Pats’ succession plan.
From Harder’s story:
“There’s no question that we think Dave is our next head coach,” offered Pats president Todd Lumbard. “John has indicated that potentially his coaching days may be coming to an end, not right away, but at some point (in the not-too-distant future). Dave is the logical successor. If the timing can work out, that would be our plan for sure. John would move fully into the GM’s role and Dave would become our head coach. It’s not written in stone but that’s something we have talked about.”
Harder added: “The tentative plan is for the 60-year-old Paddock to remain behind the bench for the duration of his four-year contract, which he signed last summer to become the team’s head coach and senior vice-president of hockey operations. He absorbed the general manager’s title on Thursday as part of a minor shuffling of the hockey operations department, highlighted by Struch accepting a larger role.”
Harder also reported: “Although Struch was already under contract for the next three seasons, the Pats felt compelled to make a pre-emptive strike in order to keep him. He was regarded as a potential candidate for WHL head-coaching vacancies with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kootenay Ice and Vancouver Giants.
All three clubs are believed to have asked the Pats for permission to speak to him. According to sources, he was a leading candidate for the job in Lethbridge before pulling himself out of the running to stay in Regina.”
——
Bruce Vance worked his last day with the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday. He spent seven years with
the Lethbridge Hurricanes and 14 with the Raiders. He now is moving on to work for the City of Prince Albert.
In honour of his leaving the Raiders, we have this note from Liane Sadlemyer Vance:

BRUCE VANCE

I am posting this for Carrie Georgeson, Eryn Georgeson-Tait, Kim Pagé who have expressed sadness on this day that Bruce Vance is leaving the Prince Albert Raiders. I have known Bruce for almost 30 years and his nicknames and sayings get in your head and won't go away (just ask his children)!! So here are the top 10 Bruce Vance(isms) for you ladies to give you a laugh. And remember when you catch yourself saying them over and over again, you have Bruce to thank (please note these are Bruce Vance Raider(isms), he makes up new sets depending on his environment.
10. ARGOOOOOOOSSSS!!!! (This would be yelled at random times, not necessarily when the Argos are playing)
9. Corksoaker!
8. 4,5, 6!!
7. Meow (this is more of a sound as opposed to a saying)
6. Smile and nod...
5. It's a great day for hockey
4. NUGGET what are you doing????
3. NOTHING!!!
2. Let's do this, it's our time
1. Win or lose..........
———

THE COACHING GAME:

Geoff Grimwood, who had been working with the Victoria Royals, is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. . . . Grimwood spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Royals. He also oversaw the major midget South Island Royals for parts of three seasons. . . . Before that, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings for two seasons. . . . He replaces Rockie Zinger, whose contract wasn’t renewed.
——
If your organization is making a change or has vacancies that you are trying to fill, email Taking Note at gregg@takingnote.ca, and I’ll let the hockey crowd that follows this blog know all about it.
———



In the AHL, the visiting Utica Comets scored a 4-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins last night, to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal. F Sven Baertschi scored Utica’s first three goals. . . . Baertschi, who was acquired by the parent Vancouver Canucks from the Calgary Flames during the season, scored three second-period goals in a span of 8:36. . . . Utica F Jake Virtanen, who played this season with the Calgary Hitmen, drew an assist on Baertschi’s third goal. That was Virtanen’s first professional point. . . . Attendance was 5,122. . . . The Comets and Griffins will play again tonight and Sunday in Grand Rapids. . . .
——
F Radel Fazleev of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Fazleev, 19, was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . A native of Kazan, Russia, he had 51 points, including 18 goals, in 71 games this season, his second with the Hitmen. . . .
——

The Brandon Wheat Kings revealed earlier in the week that they have sold more than 1,200 season-tickets with two weeks left before their early bird deadline. A year ago, with two weeks to the deadline, the Wheat Kings said they had sold 1,100 season-tickets. A year ago, when the deadline arrived in June, that total was at 1,600. . . . The Wheat Kings, who lost in the WHL’s championship final earlier this month, are expected to contend again next season.
———







“Rowan Stringer’s fatal head injury on a high school rugby field could have been prevented if those around her had some basic knowledge of concussion management, an internationally renowned concussion expert told an inquest Thursday into the teenager’s death,” writes Chris Cobb of the Ottawa Citizen. “Despite the proliferation of publicly available information about concussions and concussion management, Toronto neurologist Charles Tator said, it is a major concern that none of it appears to have reached Rowan, her peers, coaches or teachers.” . . . Stringer, 17, died in May 2013, four days after being injured. . . . The inquest in Ottawa has been ongoing and the jury is expected to bring back recommendations next week. . . . Cobb’s story is right here.
——
These are interesting days with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, with Klay Thompson appearing to have suffered a concussion on Wednesday night, just a couple of nights after Steph Curry, the league’s MVP, took a hard fall and landed on his head. . . . Jesus Gomez of sbnation.com has more right here.
———

And so it begins. #newboards #whlcanes #yql pic.twitter.com/t1zp2C9DzJ

— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) May 28, 2015

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.

Oilers return Draisaitl . . . Hitmen shoot down Pats . . . Hill, Koules lead Winterhawks

THE LATEST ON LEON . . .

The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers announced Sunday that they have returned German F Leon Draisaitl “to the Canadian Hockey League.”
Later, the Prince Albert Raiders, with whom Draisaitl played the previous two seasons, issued this two-sentence news release: “The Edmonton Oilers have released Leon Draisaitl back to the Prince Albert Raiders pending a trade of his WHL rights. More details to follow in the coming days.”
It is believed that a trade will be announced on Tuesday. That exchange is expected to have Draisaitl move to the Kelowna Rockets, perhaps for a player and a first-round bantam draft pick.
Draisaitl was selected by Edmonton with the third-overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft. In 37 games with the Oilers, he had two goals and seven assists.
Joanne Ireland of the Edmonton Journal has more right here.
The Rockets are scheduled to be in Edmonton for a game with the Oil Kings on Jan. 28.
---



Rene Fasel, the president of the IIHF, met with the media at the WJC in Toronto on Sunday and address the attendance situation involving games played in Montreal. . . . In discussing ticket prices, he said: “I was really surprised. If you would do this pricing in Europe, you would have nobody in the arena.” . . . The Canadian Press has a story from the news conference and it’s right here. It also includes a look at the various levels of ticket prices.
Ken Campbell of The Hockey News also was in attendance at Fasel’s news conference. Campbell blogged about it right here.
---

SUNDAY’S GAMES:

In Regina, the Calgary Hitmen scored twice in the shootout and beat the Pats, 3-2. . . . Calgary F Radel Fazleev got the winner. Earlier, F Adam Tambellini had scored for the Hitmen, with Dryden Hunt counting for Regina. . . . The Pats erased a 1-0 deficit when F Connor Gay and Hunt scored 17 seconds apart in the final minute of the first period. Gay has 20 goals; Hunt has 14. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin forced OT with his 18th goal at 5:09 of the third. . . . Hunt also drew an assist as he ran assist and point streaks to 10 games. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 31 shots, three more than Calgary’s Mack Shields. . . . The Pats had freshman F Sam Steel back after he missed two games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Prior to the game, the Pats announced that they have returned F Erik Gardiner, 15, to the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos. He had one assist in two games with Regina. . . . The Pats (24-12-3) are 4-0-1 in their last five. . . . The Hitmen improved to 21-15-3. . . .

In Portland, F Miles Koules scored three times and G Adin Hill earned his second straight shutout as the Winterhawks beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-0. . . . Hill has two career shutouts. . . . He stopped 29 shots for this one. . . . Koules has 17 goals. He opened the scoring at 19:28 of the first period, made it 3-0 on a PP 41 seconds into the third period, and closed the scoring into an empty net at 18:10. . . . Seattle was 0-for-5 on the PP; Portland was 1-for-3. . . . Seattle had scored first in each of its previous five games, and had won all five. . . . Linesman Jacob Hill left early in the game after taking a clearing attempt by Portland D Brendan De Jong up high. Jarrod Boman came out of the stands and finished up. . . . Portland F Keegan Iverson left with a match penalty at 3:06 of the first period. He was penalized for having tape on a hand while injuring an opponent during a fight with F Luke Osterman. . . . Portland (21-17-3) has won two in a row. . . . The Thunderbirds (19-16-4) had a season-high six-game winning streak end.
---

@KIBIHT. Retired KIBIHT referees after party in Toronto pic.twitter.com/UgDuISxjPY
— Lee-Gaye Hicketts (@lhicketts) January 5, 2015

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.

News from Austria . . . Neat feat for Koules . . . Americans cool off Ice

F Florian Baltram of the Seattle Thunderbirds will play for Austria at the IIHF’s U-20 World championship (Division I, Group A). The tournament runs Dec. 14 through Dec. 20 in Asiago, Italy. . . . Austria will compete with Belarus, Italy, Latvia, Norway and Slovakia. . . . The winner in Asiago will move up to play with the big boys in the 2016 World Junior Championship. . . . Baltram, 17, is in his first season with the Thunderbirds. He has four assists in 29 games. . . . The Portland Winterhawks have indicated that D Layne Viveiros, 19, has declined an invitation to play for the Austrian national junior team in that tournament. Viveiros, who was with the national junior team last year, has a bigger role with the Winterhawks this season and apparently wants to get some rest over the Christmas break. He also wants some family time at Christmas.
---
A glance at the WHL standings shows that 16 of the 22 teams, eight in each conference, boast a winning percentage of at least .500. . . . If you go by wins and losses, there are 12 teams, six in each conference, at .500 or better.
---

SUNDAY’S GAMES:

In Calgary, the Hitmen dumped the Moose Jaw Warriors, 8-3. . . . F Radel Fazleev scored the Teddy Bear goal at 1:38 of the first period, getting his 11th of the season on the game’s first shot. . . . Attendance was 17,543, the largest crowd in the WHL this season. . . . The Warriors, who were playing their third game in less than 48 hours, led 3-2 late in the first period. . . . Calgary F Kenton Helgesen tied it with his ninth goal, at 16:13 of the first. . . . The Hitmen then added five more, with F Chase Lang breaking the 3-3 tie with his 13th goal at 6:10 of the second. That was the first of three straight PP goals by Calgary. . . . The Hitmen were 3-for-3 on the PP. . . . Helgesen finished with two goals and two assists, while Lang also had two assists. F Jake Virtanen scored twice, giving him nine goals. D Jake Bean and D Travis Sanheim each had three assists. . . . F Jack Rodewald scored his 17th goal and added two assists for the Warriors, who also battled the flu bug over the weekend. F Brayden Point and F Tanner Eberle, linemates with Rodewald, each had a goal and an assist. Point has 17 goals; Eberle has 15. . . . The Hitmen (17-11-3) have won three in a row. . . . The Warriors (13-14-3) played in three straight Teddy Bear games as they went 1-2-0 in Alberta. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals en route to a 4-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . F Miles Koules, acquired by Portland from Medicine Hat earlier this season, got the game’s first goal, his 12th, at 6:37 of the first period. . . . Andy Kemper, who works alongside Portland play-by-play voice Todd Vrooman, tweeted: “With the first-period goal, Miles Koules now has at least one point against all 22 teams in the WHL, including MH and PORT.” . . . F Oliver Bjorkstand scored his 21st goal of the season for Portland, a shorthanded empty-netter. . . . F Cole Sanford got his 19th of the season for the Tigers. . . . Portland F Nic Petan drew two assists, giving him 302 career points, including 201 assists, in 224 regular-season games. . . . Portland G Adin Hill stopped 41 shots, 10 more than Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer. . . . The Tigers were 0-for-8 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 0-for-4. . . . Portland F Alex Scheonborn left at 1:42 of the first period with a boarding major and a game misconduct. . . . Medicine Hat was without F Mason Shaw, who is scheduled for season-ending knee surgery. As well, German F Markus Eisenschmid didn’t return from injury over the weekend as had been hoped. The Tigers also lost F Chad Butcher during last night’s game with an undisclosed injury. ““We lost Chad Butcher in the first period tonight, and we’re kind of not sure where he’s at,” Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM and head coach, told Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News. “That was kind of challenging.” . . . The Winterhawks (17-13-3) have won two in a row. . . . Medicine Hat (21-7-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Beau McCue and F Parker Bowles each had a goal and three assists to help the Tri-City Americans to a 5-4 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . McCue has 12 goals; Bowles has nine. . . . Tri-City D Riley Hillis scored his first goal at 17:12 of the second period to give the Americans a 5-2 lead. . . . Tri-City F Richard Nejezchleb scored his seventh goal and added two assists. . . . F Tim Bozon scored twice for the Ice, giving him 12 this season. Bozon didn’t score in his first two games, but since has goals in 10 of his past 14 games. . . . Ice D Rinat Valiev drew three assists. . . . Kootenay F Sam Reinhart had one assist, running his point streak to 14 games, while F Jaedon Descheneau had two assists and now is on a 13-game point streak. . . . Reinhart has 27 points over those 14 games, while Descheneau has 21 points during his streak. . . . F Coda Gordon of the Swift Current Broncos owns the longest point streak in the WHL this season (15 games). . . .  Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 31 shots. . . . The Americans (16-13-0) had lost their previous two games. . . . The Ice (15-16-0) had a four-game winning streak end. . . .

In Spokane, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored two goals in the game’s first five minutes and went on to a 4-1 victory over the Chiefs, who have lost five in a row. . . . F Nolan Volcan, F Evan Wardley and F Keegan Kolesar each had a goal and an assist for Seattle, while F Donovan Neuls had two assists. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 24 shots. He has started Seattle’s past 11 games against Spokane and is 7-3-1. . . . Spokane G Tyson Verhelst turned aside 28 shots. Seattle F Ryan Gropp failed to score on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Veteran F Justin Hickman (ill) was among the Seattle scratches. . . . Seattle improved to 13-13-4, while the Chiefs slipped to 14-12-3.
 shutouts as a TBird vs the Chiefs.

---

@Asuchak16 Snapped these today. Heard the goal was your first in AHL so thought you might like to see. Congrats. pic.twitter.com/UQnou5kNVc
— Joshua Mondshein (@JoshM3212) December 8, 2014

Silvertips move to top of standings

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Derek Meech (Red Deer, 1999-2004) has been released by Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). He had five assists in 23 games. There are reports that Meech has circulatory problems that may threaten his career.
———
Shelley and Chris Moulton have been honoured as Volunteers of the Year at the 2013 Community and Business Excellence Awards in Fernie, B.C. Chris is the Spokane Chiefs' director of player personnel. . . . According to a news release from the Chiefs: "The Moultons founded and operated a new charity, Fernie Friends for Friends, dedicated to raising funds for cancer patients and their families living in Fernie. . . . More info is available at www.ferniefriendsforfriends.com. . . . And if you click right here you will find a Fernie Free Press story on the Moultons and their decision to found Friends for Friends.
———
David Branch, the OHL commissioner, has suspended F Matt Rupert of the London Knights for 15 games for a headshot. . . . Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Sports has more right here, including the video of the hit.
———
During his professional career as an enforcer, Jim Thomson had 115 fights. He's retired now, though, and explains right here why he thinks there isn't any place in the game for fighting.
———
FRIDAY:
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings held a 50-19 edge in shots as they beat the Saskatoon Blades, 6-2. . . . Brandon, which won 5-2 in Saskatoon on Wednesday, has won three in a row for the first time this season. . . . The Blades have lost four straight. . . . F Tim McGauley, a first-round selection by the Blades in the 2010 bantam draft, had two goals for Brandon. He has eight points, including three goals, in his last four games. . . . F Richard Nejezchleb had two assists for Brandon, giving him season totals of 17 goals and five helpers. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny started his seventh straight game with G Curtis Honey sidelined with an undisclosed injury. . . . Prior to the game, a moment of silence was observed in memory of Keith McCallum, who once owned a piece of the Wheat Kings and was the brother of the late Dunc McCallum, a former Brandon coach. Keith died a week ago. . . .

In Prince Albert, F Chance Braid opened the scoring with his first goal of the season and the Raiders skated to a 3-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Braid had nine goals in 67 games last season; this was his first score in 23 games this season. . . .

In Red Deer, the Rebels scored twice in the game's first 10 minutes and went on to a 4-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . D Haydn Fleury scored his fourth goal, via the PP, at 4:30 and F Dominik Volek got his seventh, shorthanded, at 9:45 to get the Rebels rolling. . . . Red Deer has won three straight. . . . Moose Jaw has lost four in a row. . . .

In Calgary, Russian F Radel Fazleev scored the only goal of the shootout as the Hitmen got past the Swift Current Broncos, 3-2. . . . The Broncos had won their previous nine games. . . . Fazleev, a freshman, has two goals in 21 games. . . . F Jay Merkley gave the Broncos a 2-1 lead with his ninth goal, on the PP, at 4:47 of the second. . . . D Kenton Helgesen forced OT with his third goal at 19:06 of the third. . . . F Jake Virtanen, with an undisclosed injury, was among Calgary's scratches. . . .

In Victoria, F Logan Nelson scored 52 seconds into OT to give the Royals a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Nelson has 10 goals this season. . . . Victoria F Brandon Magee forced OT with his sixth goal at 12:59 of the second. That was his fifth goal in three games. . . . The Thunderbirds now have lost six in a row. . . . Seattle had D Evan Wardley back after he served a four-game WHL suspension. . . .

In Everett, the Silvertips scored the game's first three goals and then held on for a 3-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . In the last three seasons, Portland won 26 of 30 games with Everett. . . . F Tyler Sandhu scored twice, at 8:57 of the first and 1:19 of the second, to give the home side a 3-0 lead. He's got five goals in his last two games. . . . The Winterhawks, outshot 32-13 through two periods, scored two third-period goals as they outshot Everett , 15-4. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist had one assist, running his point streak to 11 games. . . . F Nic Petan had two assists for Portland, giving him 201 points in 158 regular-season games. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz, who hadn't played since suffering an ankle injury on Oct. 26, stopped 26 shots. . . . The Silvertips (15-3-4) are tied with Portland (16-5-2) atop the overall standings. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans scored the game's first four goals and went on to a 5-3 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . F Brian Williams scored twice for the Americans, giving him 18. . . . F Marcus Messier of the Americans scored the game's first goal, a shorthanded effort in the first period. It was the first SHG allowed by the Pats this season. . . . G Nick Schneider started for the Pats. It was his first WHL appearance. . . .

In Spokane, F Mitch Holmberg, the WHL's leading scorer, had two goals and two assists as the Chiefs dumped the Prince George Cougars, 5-2. . . . Holmberg leads the WHL in goals (25) and points (55). He's the first skater in the entire CHL to get to 25 goals this season. He leads the WHL points derby by 10 points over Portland F Nic Petan. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow had three assists as he was in on each of the game's last three goals. Gow, who has yet to score this season, has 28 assists in 22 games. . . . The Chiefs scored the game's last four goals after F Todd Fiddler, who scored 42 goals for Spokane last season, gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead at 13:38 of the second period. . . .

In Vancouver, the Giants scored the game's first three goals and beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-2. . . . F Dalton Sward gave the Giants a 3-0 lead at 12:31 of the first period. . . . Vancouver D Dalton Thrower returned after missing two games after taking a headshot in a Nov. 5 game. 

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.