Lots for MacBeth to report . . . Rockets lose forward indefinitely . . . Virtanen off to AHL

F Sebastian Svendsen (Vancouver, Edmonton, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, 2009-12) has signed a one-year contract with Frederikshavn (Denmark, Metal Ligaen). This season, with Herlev (Denmark, Metal Ligaen), he had seven goals and two assists in 34 games. He was an alternate captain. . . .
D Tomáš Voráček (Prince Albert, 2007-09) has been assigned on loan by Libbers to Mladá Boleslav (both Czech Republic, Extraliga) for next season. This season, he had five assists in 39 games with Liberec. . . .
D Tomáš Andrlik (Prince Albert, Prince George, 2013-15) has signed a tryout contract with Plzeň (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, with Prince Albert and Prince George, he had four goals and four assists in 62 games. . . .
D Renat Mamashev (Moose Jaw, 2000-01) has signed a one-year contract with Sochi (Russia, KHL). This season, with Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL), he had two goals and 11 assists in 33 games. . . .
F Ned Lukacevic (Spokane, Swift Current, 2001-06) has signed a one-year contract with the Coventry Blaze (England, UK Elite). This season, with the Fife Flyers (Scotland, UK Elite), he had a team-high 65 points, including 27 goals, in 60 games. . . .
F Kris Schmidli (Kelowna, Prince Albert, 2013-15) has signed a one-year contract with the GCK Lions Zurich (Switzerland, NL B). This season, with Kelowna and Prince Albert, he had 12 goals and 22 assists in 50 games. . . .
F Kris Foucault (Swift Current, Kootenay, Calgary, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with the GCK Lions Zurich (Switzerland, NL B). This season, with the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had 22 goals and 25 assists in 54 games. He led the Capitals in goals, assists and points. . . .
F Lukáš Vantuch (Calgary, Lethbridge, 2005-07) has signed a one-year extension with Hradec Králové (Czech Republic, Extraliga). This season, with Landshut (Germany, DEL2), he had three assists in six games; and five goals and one assist in 25 games with Hradec Králové. . . .
F Cody Sylvester (Calgary, 2008-13) has signed a one-year extension with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). This season, with the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL), he had seven goals and 10 assists in 25 games. With Iserlohn, with whom he signed on Jan. 26, he had a goal and two assists in eight games.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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GOULBOURNE

The Kelowna Rockets will be without F Tyrell Goulbourne tonight when they meet the Winterhawks in Portland in Game 6 of the WHL’s Western Conference final. . . . Goulbourne, 21, underwent surgery after Game 5 on Friday night to repair damage to his left leg. He suffered a skate cut to his calf muscle in the second period after he initiated contact with Portland F Keegan Iverson. According to a tweet from the Rockets, their doctors “say it was successful surgery, he will make a full recovery. To be re-evaluated on week to week basis.” . . . The Rockets report that he is out indefinitely. . . . Goulbourne, who has signed with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers, is the leader of Kelowna’s physical game. He had 45 points, 22 of them goals, in 62 regular-season games. In 12 playoff games, he has one goal and one assist.
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The Kelowna Rockets lead the Western Conference final 3-2 going into tonight’s game against the Winterhawks in Portland. The Winterhawks are trying to reach the WHL’s championship final for a fifth straight season. . . . Four of the first five games have been decided by one goal; the exception was Game 3, which was won 7-3 by host Portland.
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The WHL’s championship final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, will begin with games in Brandon on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets for those games will go on sale in Brandon on Monday morning. . . . The series will follow a 2-3-2 format. . . . The Wheat Kings last met the Kelowna Rockets in the final in the spring of 2005. The Rockets won that series in five games. . . . The last time Brandon and Portland met in the final, in 1998, the Winterhawks won, 4-0.
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Dave Anderson, who covered many a boxing match, has taken a look back at how things worked when he covered the big fights, and how things are now. In between, he tells some stories. This right here is good stuff.
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F Jake Virtanen of the Calgary Hitmen is expected to report to the AHL’s Utica Comets on Monday. The Comets are the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, who selected Virtanen in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2014 NHL draft. The Comets, who are coached by former Portland Winterhawks assistant GM/assistant coach Travis Green, defeated the visiting Chicago Wolves 4-2 last night to take that best-of-five first-round series, 3-2.
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In the OHL, F Connor McDavid had a goal and four assists to lead the Erie Otters to a 7-3 victory over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Otters won the Western Conference final, 4-2. . . . The game was 2-2 in the second period when Soo F Hayden Verbeek was given a match penalty for slewfooting Erie G Devin Williams. The Otters scored twice on the PP. . . . McDavid has 42 points, including 19 goals, in 15 games in these playoffs. . . . The Oshawa Generals lead the Eastern Conference final 3-2 with Game 6 scheduled for today in North Bay.
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#WHA #Jets #Aeros #Nordiques up next on Pay Per View... Campbell versus Baxter $0.19 much better value. :)

— Scott Campbell (@NHL_Campbell) May 3, 2015

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An ex-player's point of view . . . Raiders point finger at BCHL's Vipers . . . Skinner stands tall in hometown

F Vitali Karamnov (Everett, 2007-08) was reassigned by Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL) to Yermak Angarsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga). He was pointless in two games during his recall with Novosibirsk. In seven games with Angarsk, he has two assists. . . .
D Renat Mamashev (Moose Jaw, 2000-01) has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk (Russia, KHL). Mamashev was in training camp with New Jersey (NHL), but was never offered a contract. Last season, with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL), he was pointless in four games; he had one assist in two games with Chelmet Chelyabinsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga); and he had 12 points, five of them goals, in 32 games with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk. . . .
F Lukáš Vantuch (Calgary, Lethbridge, 2005-07) has been released by Landshut (Germany, DEL2). He was under contract through Nov. 4. He had three assists in six games. Last season, with Landshut, he had 49 points, including 17 goals, in 53 games.
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THE EMAIL BAG:

When all is said and done, the class-action lawsuit that was filed against the CHL on Friday may well come down to the legality of the drafts that are held by the CHL's three leagues -- the OHL, QMJHL and WHL -- and the legality of their standard player contracts.
For now, though, people are talking about the money. The lawsuit claims that CHL players are underpaid in that they don't earn the minimum wage, whatever that might be in each jurisdiction. The CHL, meanwhile, claims that its players are student-athletes and that there is far more to their pay than money.
On Tuesday, I received an email from a former WHL player who has taken advantage of his education package. Here are a few thoughts from this player, who I found to be mature beyond his years when he was in the WHL:
"I don't see why the CHL can't pay the players a bit more. When I was 16, I got $160 a month, so $40 a week. C'mon. Really? I would like to see a breakdown of something like $200 a month for gas (or make it dependent on which city you play in, Seattle driving vs. Moose Jaw driving is obviously way different).
"Players don't get a per diem on the road so give them like $200 a month for food/snacks on the long bus trips, and then, say, $200 a month for entertainment (movies and other stuff).
"I'd start 16-year-olds at $600 a month and then go up $100 per age so 20-year-olds get $1,000 a month.
"As has been documented, junior life isn't always that great if you aren't a top NHL prospect. You miss out on a lot of family/life events, deal with crappy coaches, stress . . . all that stuff. I feel there should be more compensation to put up with that or at least enough to break even and not have to constantly go to parents for money . . . especially when the owners make lots of money.
"I know some teams lose money for sure, so they would have to do a revenue-sharing model of some sort like the NHL, which would piss off the successful owners.
"I was fortunate. Once my gas money was up, my parents gave me a MasterCard and I'd fill up the tank with their money. They'd let me use it for some meals and whatnot once my monthly stipend was gone.
"I'm sure if increased wages come up then the CHL will want to scrap the education packages (which truly are amazing and helpful), but then the CHL vs. NCAA tilts towards the NCAA possibly?
"It's a tough subject to figure out IMO. The players need more money to live. They don't need thousands of dollars a month, just give them enough so they can enjoy life as teenagers and not always have to awkwardly ask people for money and whatnot.
"I don't know where this will go, but for anyone to deny that $160 a month is enough to live on and enjoy your time is delusional."
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F Colton McCarthy, 18, left Prince Albert last week and the Raiders are claiming that there was some tampering involved. Head coach Cory Clouston is saying that the BCHL's Vernon Vipers were involved in McCarthy's decision. "If that happens in our league, it's tampering," Clouston said on radio station CKBI's Faceoff. . . . Mark Ferner, the Vipers' GM and head coach, told Jeff D'Andrea of panow.com that he had talked with Raiders GM Bruno Campese. . . . D'Andrea's story is right here.
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TUESDAY'S REPORT:

In Regina, the Portland Winterhawks scored two PP goals and another shorthanded as they beat the Pats, 3-1. . . . The Winterhawks were 2-4 on the PP. . . . F Skyler McKenzie gave the visitors a 2-0 lead with his first goal, shorthanded, at 12:30 of the first period. . . . McKenzie ended up with a charging major at 19:49 of the third period. . . . The Winterhawks are 2-1-0 on their East Division swing. . . . The Winterhawks, who play the Broncos tonight in Swift Current, may be in a bit of a quandary with their goaltending. Starter Brendan Burke left in the third period last night after appearing to tweak something while make a save. Bolton Pouliot, who came over from Kamloops last week, came off the bench to finish up. Aden Hill, Portland's other goaltender, showed up on the injured list Tuesday; he's out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. . . . Burke finished with 24 saves on 25 shots and was selected as second star. Pouliot, who came on at 3:42 of the third period, stopped 10 shots. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders scored the game's last three goals and beat the Kootenay Ice, 3-2. . . . F Jayden Hart got the winner at 13:43 of the third period. . . . The Ice led 2-0 on F River Beattie's first goal at 8:10 of the first period. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride stopped 28 shots. . . . The Raiders have won two straight after losing five in a row. . . . The Ice remains without F Tim Bozon, who is sidelined with an undisclosed injury, but did get F Vince Loschiavo back after a four-game absence with an undisclosed injury. . . . With F Colton McCarthy and F Dakota Conroy having left the team, Raiders head coach Cory Clouston had to do some line juggling. Left with 11 forwards, he also had to move a defenceman up front. . . . Jeff D’Andrea of panow.com has the game story right here . . .

In Edmonton, G Stuart Skinner stopped 47 shots through OT and added three more in the shootout as the Lethbridge Hurricanes got past the Oil Kings, 2-1. . . . Skinner, who is from Edmonton, won't turn 16 until Nov. 1. He was the 17th overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Edmonton had won four in a row. . . . The Hurricanes snapped a six-game losing skid. . . . F Tyler Wong of Lethbridge broke a scoreless tie at 1:50 of the third. . . . Edmonton F Andrew Koep tied it with his sixth goal of the season at 10:53. . . . Lethbridge F Jamal Watson scored in the shootout to win it.
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Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that the Silvertips are without F Dawson Leedahl (knee). He has had an MRI and the team is awaiting the results. According to Patterson, Leedahl will be out either four to six weeks or four to six months. He’s a big part of the Silvertips’ shutdown line. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers came out winners on Friday at the Chamber of Commerce’s Business Awards gala. The Tigers were presented with the the 2014 Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce Southeast Alberta Shines Award, an award that used to be known as the Tourism Award of Distinction. The award, according to a news release, “recognizes a business, organization or group that has demonstrated outstanding achievement in putting Medicine Hat and/or Southeast Alberta 'on the map' as a great place to live, work and/or visit.” Dave Andjelic, the Tigers’ senior director, marketing and public relations, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.
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A 6 year old today told me I look like Justin Bieber... Not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult
— Isaac Schacher (@ShockDoctor27) October 21, 2014

Seattle derails Portland; rumours flying in Lethbridge

D Ty Wishart (Prince George, Moose Jaw, 2004-08) has signed a one-year extension with the Schwenninger Wild Wings (Germany, DEL). In 49 games this season, he has 16 points, including five goals. . . .
F Ashton Rome (Moose Jaw, Red Deer, Kamloops, 2002-06) has signed a one-year contract, with a club option for more, with the Schwenninger Wild Wings beginning next season. This season with Düsseldorf (Germany, DEL), Rome has 21 points, 12 of them goals, in 31 games. . . .
D Renat Mamashev (Moose Jaw, 2000-01) has been released by Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) by mutual agreement. With Neftekhimik, he had 12 points, including five goals, in 32 games. Mamashev started the season with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL), going pointless in four games. He also played two games with Chelmet Chelyabinsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga), picking up one assist.
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Will they, or won’t they?
The Lethbridge Hurricanes, of course. Will the team that is owned by local shareholders be sold to private concerns before another WHL season gets here?
Only time will tell but, in the meantime, let the rumour mill start smoking. And you can bet that there is going to be a whole lot of rumour, speculation and innuendo in the next little while.
The only thing that will stop it will be for Hurricanes president Brian McNaughton to stand up and say that the franchise absolutely won’t be sold or that it has been sold. On second thought, that might not even stop the grist mill from churning.
In the meantime . . .
On Saturday, Darrell Romuld of CTV-Regina tweeted: “Hearing the cash strapped Leth Hurricanes will be forced to sell at seasons end. NHLer Kris Versteeg maintains his interest in buying it.”
Romuld followed that up with: “ ‘I don't deal in rumor but will say I still have a strong interest in (owning) the team’ - Versteeg on possibility Canes hit the market.”
After which, Fred Jack, the analyst on Hurricanes’ home radio broadcasts, tweeted: “Sources confirming for me this morning the Lethbridge Hurricanes will make one of their largest announcements in franchise history after end of season but by May 1.”
And then Dylan Purcell of the Lethbridge Herald chimed in with: “I'm pretty sure if you want to buy a WHL team, one's up for sale, @FreddieJack643. Unless they're already sold. League's paying bills now.”
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Versteeg, who played in the WHL with the Hurricanes, Kamloops Blazers and Red Deer Rebels (2002-06), spent Saturday night playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in an outdoor game against the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins.
Here’s a tweet from Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada: “With his goal tonight, betting Kris Versteeg is only player to score at United Center, Wrigley Field and Soldier Field.”
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If you choose to read one essay today, I would suggest you make it this piece right here that was written by Scott Burnside of ESPN.com. It is headlined: Celebrating a friend, hockey bonds. . . . It’s about rides and friends and late night hockey and life. It’s terrific.
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The Minnesota Wild announced Saturday morning that it has signed F Brady Brassart of the Calgary Hitmen to a three-year entry-level contract. . . . Brassart, 20, was an undrafted free agent. . . . This season, Brassart, who is from Vernon, B.C., has 75 points, including 33 goals. . . . In 315 career regular-season games, he has 259 points, including 110 goals. . . . Brassart was a second-round selection by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2008 bantam draft. On Aug. 18, 2011, he was dealt to the Hitmen for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. “Brady fell behind in his development with our forwards at the similar age,” Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said at the time of the trade. “That said, we felt it would be best for Brady to get a fresh start with another WHL team.” . . . Prior to this season, Brassart was in camp with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning.
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The Kamloops Blazers have added D Cam Reagan and F Deven Sideroff, both 16, to their roster for the remainder of this season. . . . Reagan, from Sherwood Park, Alta., played on Saturday night against the Tigers in Medicine Hat. He was a fourth-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft. This season, with the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings, he had 25 points, four of them goals, in 35 games. Last night marked his fifth game this season with the Blazers. . . . Sideroff, a list player from Summerland, B.C., is expected to join the Blazers on Monday. He has three assists in six games with them this season. He spent the winter with the Okanagan Hockey Academy midget prep team in Penticton, B.C., putting up 66 points, including 30 goals, in 39 games.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Calgary (1) vs. Red Deer/Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Edmonton (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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SUNDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Saskatoon at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Brandon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Everett at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, the Calgary Hitmen took over sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-2 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . F Greg Chase had three assists for Calgary. . . . The Hitmen got off to a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by F Elliott Peterson, his 11th, and F Connor Rankin, his 19th. . . . F Edgars Kulda got Edmonton on the board with his 26th, at 1:50 of the second, but Calgary D Kenton Helgeson restored the two-goal lead at 12:31 of the second. That was his ninth goal and came via the PP. . . . Edmonton F Mitch Moroz got his 32nd goal at 13:46 of the third. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson had two assists for Edmonton. . . . Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 38 shots, seven more than Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart, who signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild earlier in the day, had one assist as he ran his point streak to 15 games. . . . According to WHL Facts (@WHLFacts), that is the longest streak by a Calgary skater since F Brandon Kozun strung together a 16-gamer in October-November 2009. . . . The Hitmen (43-15-7) lead the Oil Kings (44-16-3) by two points atop the conference. Edmonton has two games in hand. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders surrendered the first two goals and then roared back to beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-2. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart had his 22-game point streak and his 15-game assist streak come to an end. Both are franchise single-season records. . . . Raiders F Carson Perreaux tied the game 2-2, with his 16th goal, at 19:20 of the second period and F Leon Draisaitl scored his 30th at 3:25 of the third to put his guys out front. . . . D Landon Peel had two assists for the Ice. . . . Referees Jonathan Spurgeon and Colin Watt handed out only one minor penalty, that to Perreaux. . . . The Ice was able to dress only 16 skaters, two under the maximum. Included in the scratches was F Tim Bozon, as it went with nine forwards and seven defencemen. . . . The Raiders (30-30-5) are tied for eighth with the idle Red Deer Rebels (30-30-5) in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Ice (37-24-4) appears headed to a fifth-place finish. . . .

In Swift Current, D Julius Honka scored twice to help the Broncos to a 7-4 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Broncos led 3-0 before the game was 13 minutes old, only to have the Hurricanes come back and tie it. . . . Swift Current then scored the next three goals to take control. . . . Honka, a freshman defenceman from Finland, has 16 goals. . . . F Graham Black and F Colby Cave each scored his 30th goal of the season for the Broncos. Black also had two assists. . . . The Broncos (32-24-9) are sixth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Kootenay and three points ahead of Brandon. . . . The Hurricanes (12-50-5) have lost nine straight games as they head towards the end of the poorest season in franchise history. The 1972-73 Winnipeg Jets finished with 42 points (16-42-10).  The 1987-88 Hurricanes went 20-48-4, for 44 points. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Jayce Hawryluk enjoyed a five-point outing to lead the Brandon Wheat Kings to an 8-5 victory over the Blades. . . . Hawryluk, who turned 18 on Jan. 1, had two goals and three assists, giving him 62 points, including 22 goals, in 56 games this season. The sophomore from Roblin, Man., had 43 points, 18 of them goals, in 61 games last season. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock scored his 21st goal of the season. It was the 62nd goal of his career and broke the Wheat Kings’ record for most goals by a defenceman in a career that had been held by the late Brad McCrimmon. . . . “It’s an honour,” Pulock told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “It’s a pretty special record in the organization with Brad holding that record. I’m kind of emotional. I’m proud to be the holder of that record.” Pulock is the Wheat Kings’ captain, a position McCrimmon once held. . . . F Nick Zajac scored twice for the Blades, giving him 11. . . . Hawryluk broke a 3-3 tie with a shorthanded goal at 11:44 of the second period and F Tim McGauley, with his 19th goal, added a PP score at 15:55. . . . The Blades have lost five in a row; they also have lost eight straight home games. . . . Brandon was 3-for-4 on the PP and counted three times while shorthanded; the Blades were 0-for-6 on the PP. . . . Brandon (31-26-8) is three points behind the sixth-place Swift Current Broncos in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Blades (16-44-5) won’t appear in the playoffs. . . .

In Moose Jaw, D Dmitry Sinitsyn and F Morgan Klimchuk, both of whom missed a game earlier in the week due to illness, scored two goals each to lead the Regina Pats to a 7-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . Sinitsyn, who also had two assists, has eight goals; Klimchuk has 28. . . . Regina scored four power-play goals to lead 5-1 before the second period was 13 minutes old. . . . The Pats went 4-for-8 on the PP; the Warriors were 2-for-10. . . . F Brayden Point scored his 29th goal and added an assist for the Warriors. . . . The Pats, who swept the season series from the Warriors 8-0-0, clinched a playoff spot with the victory. . . . Regina (37-23-6) leads the East Division by seven points over Swift Current. . . . The Warriors (17-39-9) are 10th in the Eastern Conference. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Curtis Valk and F Trevor Cox each scored two goals and added two assists to help the Tigers to a 7-1 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Valk, who was plus-5, has 40 goals on the season. He has 81 points in 66 games. Last season, he finished with 91 points, including 46 goals, in 71 games. . . . Cox has 75 points, including 23 goals, in 64 games. Last season, as a sophomore, he had 39 points, 16 of them goals, in 72 games. . . . F Cole Sanford, the third member of that line, scored his 30th goal and added an assist. . . . Medicine Hat F Miles Koules had three assists. . . . Tigers G Nick Schneider stopped 30 shots. He lost his shutout at 18:51 of the third period when F Matt Bellerive scored his 17th goal. . . . Kamloops was without D Sam Grist and F Chase Souto, both of whom suffered undisclosed injuries in Friday’s 5-1 loss to the Hitmen in Calgary. Souto had missed eight games before playing in Calgary. . . . Kamloops D Connor Clouston, the son of Tigers’ GM/head coach Shaun Clouston, played his first game in his hometown. . . . The Tigers (41-22-3) are fourth in the Eastern Conference, six points behind Edmonton. . . . The Blazers (13-48-5) have lost four in a row. . . .

In Prince George, F Axel Blomqvist broke a 1-1 tie at 12:34 of the second period as the Victoria Royals beat the Cougars, 2-1. . . . One night earlier, the Royals beat the Cougars, 5-3. . . . Blomqvist, who was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes earlier in the season, has 22 goals. . . . F Todd Fiddler got the Cougars on the board with his 45th goal at 8:52 of the first. . . . Victoria F Jack Walker tied it with his sixth goal at 6:50 of the second. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka stopped 31 shots, 12 more than the Cougars’ Ty Edmonds. . . . Fiddler ran his point streak to 18 games, the longest active streak in the WHL. . . . The Royals will have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. . . . The Royals (45-17-4) are third in the Western Conference, five points behind the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Cougars (26-24-8) are four points out of a playoff spot with four games remaining. . . .

In Vancouver, F Marek Tvrdon broke a 1-1 tie at 6:19 of the second period and the Kelowna Rockets went on to a 3-1 victory over the Giants. . . . Tvrdon, who has 10 goals, was acquired from the Giants in January. . . . On Friday, before Kelowna scored a 6-0 home-ice victory over the Giants, Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Rockets, tweeted: “ ‘If he figures it out he may play in the NHL. If he doesn't figure it out he may be playing back in Slovakia.’ - Don Hay on Marek Tvrdon. . . . Gee, do you think Tvrdon was aware of the comments from the Giants’ head coach? . . . The Rockets tied the franchise record for most victories in a season (52) set by last season’s club. . . . Kelowna also clinched the B.C. Division title. . . . F Cain Franson scored his 28th goal, via the PP, to give the Giants the lead at 12:51 of the first period. . . . F Rourke Chartier got his 21st, at 5:15 of the second, to tie it. . . . Tvrdon, who scored on the PP, has 21 points in 22 games since joining the Rockets from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 32 shots in winning for the 36th time this season. He is 36-5-4 after going 37-14-3 last season. . . . The Rockets (52-9-4) lead the overall standings. . . . The Giants (30-26-10) clinched a playoff spot when Prince George lost at home to Victoria. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks’ winning streak ended at 21 games, thanks to a 4-1 loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Portland fell one game short of tying the WHL single-season record that is held by the 1967-68 Estevan Bruins. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s first goal, by F Chase De Leo, his 36th, at 2:43 of the first period. However, they weren’t able to beat G Taran Kozun again. He finished with 41 saves. . . . Kozun is 13-4-1, 1.80, .944 with the Thunderbirds. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore tied the game at 6:55 of the first, getting his 18th goal on the PP. . . . Seattle F Alexander Delnov broke the tie with his 27th goal at 11:16. . . . F Justin Hickman, with his 21st, and F Branden Troock, with his 22nd, later added insurance. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes stopped 21 shots as he lost for the first time (12-1-1) in regulation time since being acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Seattle (39-19-6) last won 40 games in 2007-08 when it finished 42-23-7. It is fourth in the Western Conference, six points ahead of Spokane. . . . Portland (47-13-5) is nine points behind Kelowna in the conference. . . .

In Spokane, G Eric Comrie stopped 34 shots to lead the Tri-City Americans to a 3-0 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Comrie has three shutouts this season and eight in his career. . . . The Chiefs have been blanked in back-to-back games since they scored nine times in beating the visiting Kamloops Blazers 9-4 on Feb. 23. . . . F Parker Bowles scored the game’s first goal, his 11th, at 3:30 of the first period, via the PP. . . . D Brandon Carlo, with his third, and F Brian Williams, with his 36th, also scored. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 26 shots. . . . Tri-City (28-29-8) holds down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot, four points up on Prince George. . . . Spokane (36-23-6) is fifth, five points ahead of the Everett Silvertips.
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “17 - The number of points recorded by @MJWARRIORS Jack Rodewald (@_JRodey) this February, which is 3 more than he had in all of 2012-13.”
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From Mark Edwards (@MarkEdwardsHP): “Ref tosses fan in Sarnia for heckling. He comes back wearing a wrestling mask and sits in a different seat. Just another night in the #OHL.”


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Some notes from Tuesday

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tyler Mosienko (Kelowna. 2000-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Esbjerg (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had 18 goals and 26 assists in 39 games for Esbjerg last season. . . .

F Frank Banham (Saskatoon, 1992-96) signed a two-year contract extension with Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 19 goals and 19 assists in 51 games for Alba Volan last season. . . .


D Renat Mamashev (Moose Jaw, 2000-01) signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL). Mamashev led all KHL defencemen in scoring and assists with 10 goals and 32 assists in 52 games with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) last season.
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The Tri-City Americans have added two former WHL players — Curtis Brown (Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, 1992-1996) and Mike Green (Edmonton Ice, Kootenay Ice, 1996-2000) — to their scouting staff. . . . Brown will work in Northern California and the NAPHL. . . . Green will work in the Calgary area.
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Jay Hart of Yahoo! Sports has the latest right here on the case involving former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. I don’t think you want to pick him for your fantasy team.
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It is one of the most indelible scenes in baseball history. Umpire Tim McClelland points at the Kansas City Royals’ dugout and makes an out sign, and George Brett storms from the dugout to home plate. Yes, it was the ‘Pine Tar Game.” And it turns out the guy who was the bat boy blames himself for the whole mess. Daniel Barbarisi of The Wall Street Journal has that story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Mark Osiecki has signed on as an assistant coach with the Rockford IceHogs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. He’ll work alongside head coach Ted Dent. . . . Osiecki, 44, was the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes (2010-13).
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The ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones are looking for a head coach after Jarrod Skalde left for an assistant coaching position with the Norfolk Admirals, the AHL affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks. . . . The Cyclones have said that assistant coach Matt Macdonald will stay on staff.
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The USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks have added Trevor Nill to their staff as an assistant coach. Nill played for the Michigan State Spartans (2008-12) and this is his first coaching job. . . . Nill is the son of Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill.
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From Mike McKenna (@MikeMcKenna56): “Most surreal moment of my life. A guy named Scooter at a gas station in Hilton Head with a 10-foot gator tied to the roof of his Camaro.”
McKenna, a goaltender, signed with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets last week.


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