Improvements coming to Regina arena? ... Ice season tickets past 1,700 ... Benson skates with Oilers

F Liam Stewart (Spokane, 2011-15) has signed a one-year contract with the Guildford Flames (England, UK Elite). Last season, he had nine goals and 11 assists in 49 games with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). . . .

F Sergei Drozd (Tri-City, 2009-10) has signed a one-year extension with Dinamo Minsk (Belarus, KHL). Last season, he had a goal and six assists in 46 games.

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The Regina Pats will be the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup tournament, which is bound to be extra-special because it’ll be the 100th anniversary of the fabled trophy. When the Pats bid on the tournament, they knew that their home, the Brandt Centre, would need some improvements. With that in mind, the Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. has asked the city for $1.3 million for renovations. . . . Craig Baird of the Regina Leader-Post has more right here.

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The Kootenay Ice’s Drive to 25 campaign ended on Friday with the team having sold 1,713 season tickets. The team made that announcement on Tuesday. . . . “We are off to a good start towards our goal of 2,500 season seats and we feel like there is some momentum gathering,” Matt Cockell, the franchise’s president and general manager, said in a news release. “Our entire staff is excited to do the work and continue to get out in the community and talk about the value of being a season-ticket holder; our goal of 2,500 season-seat holders continues to be the target.” . . . That news release is right here.

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F Tyler Benson has struggled through two injury-filled seasons with the Vancouver Giants. These days, he’s hoping they all are permanently in his rear-view mirror. Benson has been in Jasper, Alta., skating at the Edmonton Oilers’ development camp and he reports that things are going well. He had surgery to repair a sports hernia in April and in Jasper was almost up to full speed. . . . Postmedia’s Rob Tychkowski has more right here.

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There is a huge developing story ongoing in the KHL where 42 players whose rights belonged to Dynamo Moscow all have been declared “unlimited free agents.” That includes F Klim Kostin, who was selected by the Kootenay Ice with the first pick of the CHL’s 2016 import draft but chose not to report. He was selected by St. Louis with the 31st overall pick of the NHL’s 2017 draft and is expected to sign with the Blues, perhaps as soon as this week. . . . The Dynamo situation all has to do with a change in ownership, a power struggle and an organization that is in debt to the tune of somewhere near Cdn$43 million — that’s about two billion rubles. . . . Patrick Conway has a whole lot more on that story right here.

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Mel Rothenburger, the editor of the Kamloops Daily News, makes a couple of points on the resolution of things that have gone on in these parts over the last three weeks. He does it right here on his blog.
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Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, who covers the Saskatoon Blades on a daily basis, weighs in on the situation right here.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post, who covers the Regina Pats for that newspaper, offers up his opinion right here.
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And, finally, I think my 15 minutes is pretty much up after an appearance on CBC Radio’s As It Happens. . . . That happened on Wednesday and it’s right here. I am told that it’s somewhere near the end of Part Two.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Adrian Foster (Saskatoon, Brandon, 1999-2002) was released by Örebro (Sweden Allsvenskan) at the end of his one-month tryout contract. He was pointless in seven games. . . .
G Scott Reid (Tri-City, Seattle, Kamloops, Saskatoon, 1994-97) and D Evan Schafer (Prince Albert, 2002-06) were granted their releases from Edinburgh Capitals (UK Elite). Reid has a 5.26 GAA and a .867 save percentage in 34 games. Schafer has three goals and seven assists in 34 games for the Capitals this season. The Capitals are in financial difficulties and have seen their coach and eight of their 11 import players leave the team. . . .
F Tim Konsorada (Brandon, 1999-2005) signed a contract for the rest of the season with Selb (Germany Oberliga) after obtaining his release from Merano (Italy Serie A2). He had 10 goals and 14 assists in 24 games for Merano this season.
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JUST NOTES: The OHL’s Soo Greyhounds fired head coach Denny Lambert on Tuesday, with general manager Dave Torrie stepping in on an interim basis. The Greyhounds are 14-21-5 and last in the Western Conference. Lambert, a former NHL player, took over from Craig Hartsburg for 2008-09. Lambert was an assistant under Hartsburg for four seasons. Hartsburg now is in his second season as head coach of the Everett Silvertips. . . . Ice F Matt Fraser had a goal and two assists. . . .
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:   
In Edmonton, the Oil Kings played one of those day games aimed at the youngsters and drew 7,066 fans as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the Kootenay Ice. . . . Ice F Drew Czerwonka had a goal and two assists. He was a sixth-round draft choice of the Edmonton Oilers in 2010. . . . Ice F Max Reinhart got bragging rights, at least for now, with two goals and two assists. He was plus-4. His brother, Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart, was pointless and minus-3. . . . The teams were on their best behaviour with nary a scrap in front of all the school children. . . .
In Moose Jaw, G Darcy Kuemper stopped 32 shots as the Red Deer Rebels dumped the Warriors, 4-0. . . . Kuemper leads the WHL with seven shutouts, and he has 13 in his career — both franchise records. He had three shutouts in each of his last two seasons. . . . F Brett Ferguson had a goal and two assists for the Rebels. . . .
In Prince Albert, F Jonathan Parker continued with the best season of his WHL career, scoring three times and adding two helpers in an 8-4 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Parker, a 19-year-old from Solana Beach, Calif., has 27 goals. He is in his third WHL season — in his first two, he had 17 and then 15 goals. Parker has 53 points in 45 games. He had 39 in his first season (2008-09) with the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Parker has two career hat tricks — one with the Raiders and one with Seattle. . . . Raiders D Tyler Yaworski, who had missed the previous seven games with mononucleosis, had a goal and two assists, and was plus-5. . . . Raiders F Brandon Herrod also had a goal and two assists, while F Mark McNeill got his 20th goal of the season. . . . The Raiders have beaten Brandon three times in nine days. Those are tough losses for the Wheat Kings because the Raiders, who hold down the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot, are five points ahead of Brandon. . . . John MacNeil of the Brandon Sun notes: “Wheat Kings D Brodie Melnychuk, who suffered a leg injury while blocking a shot in Tuesday’s 5-4 shootout loss at Saskatoon, sat out Wednesday, snapping a 208-game ironman streak for the Balgonie, Sask., native.” . . .
In Regina, G Matt Hewitt stopped 59 shots through overtime and the Pats went on to beat the Saskatoon Blades, 4-3, in a shootout. . . . Hewitt stopped 22 shots in the first period, 17 in the second and 16 in the third. He then was perfect in OT as the Blades outshot Regina, 4-0. . . . The Pats outscored the Blades 3-2 in the shootout. . . . F Jordan Weal had two assists for the Pats. . . .
In Lethbridge, the Calgary Hitmen forced OT at 19:02 of the third period and beat the Hurricanes, 4-3, in a shootout. . . . Calgary D Kyle Schmidt scored his second goal of the season late in the third period. . . . Lethbridge had taken a 3-1 lead into the third period. Caglary F Justin Kirsch got Calgary to within one with his 20th, at 5:52. . . . Calgary scored the only two goals of the shootout, one of them coming from F Brooks Macek, who was acquired Monday from the Tri-City Americans. . . .
In Chilliwack, D Jesse Zgraggen got his first goal of the season to help the Bruins to a 5-2 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Zgraggen, a 17-year-old from Lethbridge, had been pointless in his first 33 games. . . . Prince George D Cody Carlson finished at minus-5, while D Daniel Gibb was minus-4. . . . Chilliwack also got a goal each from three of its top guns — Kevin Sundher (15), Roman Horak (16) and Ryan Howse (27). . . . The Bruins will head north and meet the Cougars in Prince George on Friday and Saturday. . . .
In Kamloops, Medicine Hat F Linden Vey moved into the WHL scoring lead as the Tigers got past the Blazers, 4-1. . . . Vey scored one goal and set up another, giving him 67 points. That’s one more than Kamloops F Brendan Ranford, who went pointless. . . . Vey was playing on a line with Emerson Etem, who scored his 23rd goal of the season, and Kellan Tochkin, who was acquired from the Everett Silvertips on Monday. . . . Tochkin had one assist. . . . The Tigers had only one two-minute PP — their other one lasted 11 seconds — but head coach Shaun Clouston started it with five forwards, the first time he has done that this season. The five were Vey, Tochkin, Etem, Wacey Hamilton and Tyler Pitlick. . . . Emerson’s goal was the Tigers’ WHL-leading 12th shorthanded score of the season. . . .
In Portland, the Spokane Chiefs built up a 4-1 lead and hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Portland got third-period goals from F Riley Boychuk, at 12:33, and F Sven Bartschi, his 23rd, at 13:04, but couldn’t get the equalizer. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 29 shots. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson took over the WHL goal-scoring lead with his 31st. He has one more than Kamloops F Brendan Ranford. . . . The Chiefs now are two points behind the Western Conference-leading Winterhawks and Spokane holds three games in hand. . . . Spokane has lost three fewer games than Portland.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Three minors:
D Connor Cox, Saskatoon.
F Shayn Neigum, Regina (double minor)

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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A couple of Robservations from Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post:
“If you are a member of a junior hockey team, how much fun can it possibly be to play a robotic, chip-and-chase, dump-it-in style of game? Too many coaches, at all levels of junior hockey, are seemingly determined to extract the fun and creativity from what should be a free-flowing game.
“Something is wrong with the WHL when a premier player like Everett Silvertips defenceman Ryan Murray — the pride of White City — visits his home province once every two years. The league's partial interlocking schedule is ridiculous. Every team should play in every building every season. Period.”
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D Bruin McDonald made his QMJHL debut on Friday night as his Gatineau Olympiques dropped a 4-3 decision to the visiting Victoriaville Tigres. McDonald, who started his season with the Spokane Chiefs, was pointless and plus-1. The teams were 3-3 after one period, with the Tigres getting the winner on a third-period PP. . . . The Olympiques are home to the Rimouski Oceanic today.
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The Saskatoon Blades have traded D Tyler Kizuik, 18, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a sixth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . The Hurricanes held two sixth-round picks, their own and Seattle’s. Even after this trade, Lethbridge still holds four selections in the first four two rounds of the 2011 draft. . . . The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Kizuik, who is from Indian Head, Sask., was a third-round pick of the Prince George Cougars in the 2009 bantam draft. He had nine points in 48 games last season. . . . Kizuik should be in the Hurricanes’ lineup tonight when they play host to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
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A note from Kevin Paul Dupont in today’s Boston Globe:
A league source with direct knowledge of the negotiations reports that the sale of the Dallas Stars would have been concluded a month ago to Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi, but for commissioner Gary Bettman insisting the selling price ($175 million?) was too low. Gaglardi, majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League, subsequently bowed out of the process. Another serious Canadian bidder, Bill Gallacher, also walked. Gaglardi, with partner Ryan Beedie, once tried to buy the Canucks. He’s serious about hockey and a serious businessman, traits that often have been lacking among the Lords of the Boards. As of Feb. 4, the Stars will have been up for sale for one year.
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Some highlights from Saturday’s WHL games . . .
In Prince Albert, the Raiders scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Everett Silvertips, 5-1. . . . F Brandon Herrod scored twice for the Raiders. He has 14 on the season. . . . F Mark McNeill had a goal, his 15^th, and an assist for Prince Albert, which spent the night celebrating its 40^th anniversary season. . . . The game was tied 1-1 until Herrod scored at 15:35 of the second period and McNeill got his goal at 19:23. . . . Everett G Luke Siemens was credited with 47 saves. . . . F Jonathan Parker got his 17^th goal for the Raiders. He had 15 last season -- 13 with the Seattle Thunderbirds and two with P.A. -- and 17 as a freshman with Seattle in 2008-09. . . . G Eric Williams stopped 28 shots for the Raiders. . . . Attendance was 2,418. . . . Raiders D Jordan Rowley was plus-4, while D Ryan Button had one assist and also was plus-4. . . . Everett finished its East Division tour at 3-3-0 after a 3-1-0 start. . . .
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In Brandon, the Kootenay Ice scored twice in the shootout and beat the Wheat Kings, 3-2. . . . That was Brandon’s 11^th straight loss. . . . The Ice led 2-0 on first-period goals by F Elgin Pearce, his sixth on the season and fourth in two games, and F Max Reinhart, his 16^th. . . . The Wheat Kings tied it on second-period PP goals from F Shayne Wiebe, his 16^th, and F Mark Stone, his 18^th. . . . F Matt Fraser and Reinhart scored in the shootout for the Ice, while Brandon F Scott Glennie and F Michael Ferland were foiled. . . . D Joey Leach had two assists for the Ice. . . . Attendance was 4,343. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 34 shots, two more than Brandon’s Corbin Boes. . . . Kootenay was without D Brayden McNabb, who is in camp with the Canadian national junior team, and F Kevin King (infected elbow), who is its leading scorer. . . . Brandon was without F Brayden Schenn, who also is in camp with the Canadian team. . . .
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In Edmonton, F T.J. Foster broke a 1-1 tie at 5:27 of the third period as the Oil Kings beat the Kelowna Rockets, 2-1. . . . The Oil Kings are 7-1-1 in their last nine games. . . . F Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan scored for Kelowna, his 15^th, on a PP, at 1:01 of the second. . . . F Mike Piluso, with his sixth, pulled Edmonton even at 15:25 of the second. . . . Edmonton F Michael St. Croix had one assist. . . . Attendance was 4,502. . . . Foster, who has 10 goals, also had an assist. . . . Edmonton G Jon Groenheyde stopped 28 shots, five fewer than Kelowna’s Adam Brown. . . .
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In Medicine Hat, F Kevin Sundher scored twice to lead the Chilliwack Bruins to a 4-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . F Jamie Crooks added two assists for the Bruins. . . . Sundher has 11 goals this season. . . . The Bruins took control by breaking a scoreless draw with three second-period goals, started by Sundher’s shorthanded score at 8:08. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 19^th of the season for the Tigers. That was their Teddy Bear goal. . . . Bruins G Braden Gamble stopped 31 shots, 11 more than Medicine Hat’s Tyler Bunz. . . .
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In Red Deer, the Regina Pats outscored the Rebels 3-2 in the shootout and posted a 3-2 victory. . . . F Jordan Weal, F Colin Reddin and F Thomas Frazee all scored for Regina in the circus, with F Daulton Siwak and F Brett Ferguson counting for the Rebels. . . . The teams exchanged goals in regulation, with F Josh Cowen getting Red Deer on the board with his second goal, on the PP, at 13:07 of the second period. . . . Regina F Andrew Rieder, with his fifth, equalized at 12:27 of the third. . . . F Byron Froese got his 12^th to give Red Deer the lead at 17:49 of the third. . . . F Garrett Mitchell pulled Regina into a tie at 19:41 with his 10th. . . . Attendance was 4,074. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt stopped 35 shots. Red Deer’s Dawson Guhle, who was acquired earlier in the season from the Pats, turned aside 26. . . .
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In Spokane, F Tyler Johnson had a career-high six points, including four assists, to lead the Chiefs to a 10-5 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . In the Blazers’ last visit to Spokane, on Nov. 24, they were beaten 10-1. . . . The Chiefs, who fired 64 shots on two Blazers goaltenders, have won five straight games. . . . F Dominik Uher had three goals for the Chiefs. . . . Last season, Uher had four goals in 53 games. He went into last night with one goal in 24 games this season. . . . Spokane was 4-for-7 on the PP. . . . Uher also had an assist, while F Levko Koper had a goal and three assists. . . . Spokane D Tyler Vanscourt, D Brendon Kichton and F Brady Brassart each had two assists. . . . D Brady Gaudet scored three times for Kamloops. It was his first WHL hat trick and came in his 22^nd game of the season. He now has four goals this season. . . . Kamloops LW Brendan Ranford had one assist and moved into the WHL scoring lead with 50 points, one more than Medicine Hat Tigers F Linden Vey, who is in camp with the Canadian national junior team. . . . Ranford also leads the WHL in goals, with 26. . . . Kamloops F Shayne Neigum got his first goal of the season and also had two assists. . . . Kamloops ended up without both of Ranford’s linemates. RW Jordan DePape has been suspended after a Friday night hit on F Killian Hutt of the Swift Current Broncos. C Chase Schaber was given a game misconduct following a first-period fight with D Brenden Kitchton. Schaber was given the game misconduct for making an inappropriate gesture and is likely looking at a suspension. It was his sixth game back after serving a three-game suspension for making physical contact with an official. . . . The Chiefs have scored 10 goals on three occasions this season. . . . Attendance was 5,460. . . .
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In Vancouver, the Swift Current Broncos scored the game’s first four goals and went onto a 4-1 victory over the Giants. . . . The Broncos, who lost 3-2 in Kamloops on Friday night, were without three of their top forwards, with Cody Eakin having left for the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp and Killian Hutt and Stepan Novotny both injured. . . . The Broncos scored three times in the last half of the first period, with F Brad Hoban getting his 13^th, D Kyle Verdino his second and F Dillon Wagner his third in nine games since returning from offseason knee surgery. . . . Vancouver G Mark Segal, the first star in each the last three games, was lifted after that first period. . . . F Adam Lowry had two assists for the Broncos. . . . Swift Current G Mark Friesen stopped 26 shots, losing his shutout bid to F James Henry at 13:24 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 6,391. . . .
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In Portland, the Winterhawks broke a 3-3 tie with four third-period goals and beat the Prince George Cougars, 7-4. . . . Attendance on Teddy Bear Night in the Rose Garden was 10,558. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie got the Teddy Bear goal at 12:44 of the first period, and fans tossed 12,178 stuffed toys onto the ice. . . . Rattie has 16 goals. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 44 shots as the Cougars held a 48-26 edge in shots. . . . Rattie and D Joe Morrow each had a goal and two assists. . . . Portland F Riley Boychuk broke a 3-3 tie with his ninth goal at 2:36 of third on a PP. . . . F Taylor Peters added insurance with his third of the season at 7:30. . . . Portland F Sven Bartschi had two assists, as did countryman Nino Niederreiter. . . . F Jaroslav Vlach, in his third game since returning from a broken thumb suffered in October, got his first goal of the season for the Cougars. . . . The Winterhawks had beaten the visiting Cougars 4-1 on Friday. . . .
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In Kent, Wash., the visiting Tri-City Americans scored the game’s first five goals and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-1. . . . Tri-City has won seven of its last nine games. . . . F Jordan Messier led the Americans with two goals, giving him 18. . . . F Brooks Macek, F Brendan Shinnimin and F Neal Prokop each had two assists for the Americans. . . . With G Calvin Pickard in camp with Canada’s national junior team, Seattle gave Michael Salmon his second start of the season. He made 28 saves. . . . Attendance was 3,577. . . . The Americans had beaten the visiting Thunderbirds 4-1 on Friday and now are 5-0 against Seattle this season. . . . The Americans were late arriving in Kent because of tough travel conditions in the mountain passes.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (yes, there were 11 -- count 'em, 11 -- checking-from-behind calls made last night; do you think there might be a problem here, or was there a full moon?):
One major:
Red Deer F John Persson
Ten minors:
Edmonton D Adrian Van de Mosselaer
Medicine Hat F Dylan Bredo
Regina F Colin Reddin
Red Deer F Daulton Siwak
Red Deer F Adam Kambeitz
Vancouver F Brett Lyon
Vancouver D Tyler Hart
Seattle D Dave Sutter
Portland D Brett Ponich
Kamloops D Brandon Underwood

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter