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| The Swift Current Broncos unveiled a new look for 2014-15 on Tuesday. Colby Cave (left) and Justin Spagrud (right) of the Broncos join Monty Reich of sponsor South West Terminal Ltd. to show off the new look. (Photo: Swift Current Broncos) |
G Ville Kolppanen (Lethbridge, 2009-10) has signed a two-year contract with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL). Last season, with Ilves Tampere (Finland, Liiga), he was 2.18 and .927 in 48 games. That save percentage was the fourth-best in the league.
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1. On June 14, 1994, as the New York Rangers celebrated a Stanley Cup championship down below, two men stood up in the stands and held up a sign: NOW I CAN DIE IN PEACE. . . . With the Rangers back in the Stanley Cup final that opens Wednesday night, Steve Politi of the New Jersey Star-Ledger has the story of those two men and the past 20 years. . . . It’s right here and it’s great stuff.
2. Almost two years of planning came to fruition on Tuesday when the Swift Current Broncos unveiled a new look for the 2014-15 season. From a news release: “The Broncos have brought back the blue and green colours and updated the fan favourite horseshoe logo. A new shoulder crest was also created to represent the Southwest’s agriculture routes with wheat sheaves and incorporating the City of Swift Current logo. . . .“Brandon Wiebe, a graphic designer and former Swift Current resident, gave the logo and jersey (their) refreshed feel.”
3. Two teams in the same WHL division, the East, have introduced blue-themed promotions for 2014-15. . . . On Monday, as they introduced Bob Woods as their new GM/head coach, the Saskatoon Blades launched A Whole New Blue. . . . On Tuesday, the Swift Current Broncos, in unveiling their new look, launched Branded Blue. . . . The Regina Pats also have blue in their colour scheme, so one supposes the next move is up to them.
4. It’s early June and the Stanley Cup has yet to be awarded. The AHL and ECHL playoffs also are in progress. . . . But if you care about the IIHF World Junior Championship, well, the schedule for the 2015 tournament with games in Toronto and Montreal has been released. There is more right here. . . . If you happen to win a lottery between now and then, and if you’re not married with children, you may be able to afford tickets. Jason Kay of The Hockey News (@JKTHN) tweeted: “A 19-game ticket pkg at ACC in Toronto, where medal round will be played, will run you between $636 and $2301.”
“It is impressive how hard these guys have worked to reach the NHL’s biggest stage . . . they are doing the WHL proud,” Muench told me via email on Tuesday. “It was also great to see 2 more WHL alumni and current NHL referees, Brad Meier and Kelly Sutherland, in the gold medal game at the Sochi Olympics.”
5. The Everett Silvertips have signed F Addison Runey, 17, to a WHL contract. Runey, from McKinney, a suburb of Dallas, was listed by the Silvertips late last season. He joined the Silvertips in the spring and practised with them during the playoffs. . . . “We’ve made it a point of emphasis recently to have a stronger presence recruiting U.S.-born players,” Everett GM Garry Davidson said in a news released, “and Addison is the first of what we hope will be many American prospects to become part of our organization.” . . . Runey played last season with the Dallas Stars Elite U16 team, putting up 44 points, 21 of them goals, in 41 games.
6. The Spokane Chiefs have signed F Jaret Anderson-Dolan, the 14th overall pick in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. From Calgary, Anderson-Dolan had 126 points, including 79 goals, in 59 games with the bantam AAA Calgary EDGE Mountaineers last season.7. The U of Manitoba Bisons have added D Rene Hunter and F Chad Robinson, both of whom played last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings, to their roster. . . . Hunter, from Ebb and Flow, Man., spent four seasons with the Wheat Kings, recording 68 points, including 10 goals, in 247 regular-season games. . . . Robinson, from Minnedosa, Man., spent two seasons with the Red Deer Rebels before being acquired by Brandon. He earned 109 points, 29 of them goals, in 260 regular-season WHL games.
8. F Evan Richardson won’t be joining the Victoria Royals. Instead, he is transferring to the U of Connecticut. It was revealed earlier in the week that Richardson, the 15th overall selection in the 2009 WHL bantam draft, was leaving Boston College after getting into only four games during his freshman season. . . . Will Moran, the radio voice of the UConn Huskies, reports that Richardson will be playing for head coach Mike Cavanaugh, who was an associated coach at BC and recruited him to the Eagles. . . . In the WHL, Richardson was drafted by the Swift Current Broncos, who later dealt his rights to the Royals. From Nanaimo, B.C., Richardson is preparing for his 20-year-old season.
9. D Josh Morrissey, who played the last three seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders, was the game’s third star Tuesday night as the St. John’s IceCaps dumped the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 5-0, to win the AHL’s Eastern Conference final in six games. . . . Morrissey had one assist, giving him eight points, including two goals, in 15 playoff games. He had one assist in eight games as he finished up the AHL regular season with St. John’s. . . . Morrissey, from Calgary, was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft. He turned 19 on March 28, meaning he will have to play with the Jets or the Raiders next season. . . . In Game 7, the IceCaps got two assists from D Brenden Kichton (Spokane, 2008-13), a goal and an assist from F Jason Jaffary (Kootenay, Swift Current, 1998-2002) and a goal from F Adam Lowry (Swift Current, 2009-13).
10. In the AHL’s Western Conference final, the host Texas Stars scored the game’s last six goals and beat the Toronto Marlies, 6-2, in Game 7. . . . F Justin Dowling (Swift Current, 2006-11) had a goal and two assists for the Stars, while F Matej Stransky (Saskatoon, 2010-13) added a goal and D Derek Meech (Red Deer, 2000-04) had one assist. . . . Toronto F Frazer McLaren (Portland, Moose Jaw, 2003-08) had opened the scoring. . . . The AHL final opens Sunday in Cedar Park, Texas.11. Dan Marino, the ex-quarterback who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has withdrawn his name from the list of plaintiffs in a concussion-related lawsuit that was filed against the NFL last week. The MMQB has more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies announced Tuesday that general manager Brad Knight also will handle the head coaching duties in 2014-15. The move came as head coach Craig Didmon revealed that he will be taking a year off for personal reasons. . . . Didmon replaced Bill Bestwick as head coach in December. Knight was hired as GM in April.
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Glenn Detulleo, the head coach of the SPHL’s Huntsville Havoc, has signed a five-year contract extension that runs through 2018-19. Detulleo was headed into the option season of his original contract.
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Kris MacDonald has been hired to work as an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan. MacDonald, who played for the Titan in 2005-06, spent last season working with a midget AAA team at the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
Wonder if people buying those Toronto WJC tickets know they can see many of the same kids for $20 a game in Mississauga?
— Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) June 3, 2014
Congrats to Kozari on 1st Cup Final. 1st WHL game was w/him & had to put his contact lenses in his eyes 5 mins b4 gametime. #nerves #shaky
— Kris Hartley (@stripes81) June 3, 2014
A friendly reminder as NHL & NBA get ready for championships, they're playing the Final. Not Finals. No matter what the leagues tell you.
— David Larkins (@LarkinsWSun) June 3, 2014
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.
In Regina, F Myles Bell scored his second OT goal in as many nights as the Kelowna Rockets got past the Pats, 5-4. . . . After a scoreless third period, Bell, who played two seasons with the Pats, scored his 15th goal of the season at 3:07 of extra time. . . . On Friday night, Bell scored in OT as the Rockets beat the Wheat Kings 6-5 in Brandon. . . . Last night, Kelowna F Tyson Baillie had a goal, his 13th, and three assists. He has a goal and six helpers since being snubbed by those who picked the rosters for the Top Prospects game. . . . D Colby Williams scored twice for Regina, which held 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 leads. . . . The Rockets are 4-0 on their East Division swing and have won 11 straight road games. . . . Overall, Kelowna has won 10 in a row and 19 of 20. The Rockets (26-3-2) are atop the overall standings. . . . The Pats have points in five straight and are tied for fifth with Brandon in the Eastern Conference. . . . 
In Saskatoon, F Carson Bolduc scored twice to help the Kamloops Blazers to a 3-2 victory over the Blades. . . . The goals were the first for Bolduc with the Blazers since he was acquired from the Prince George Cougars on Nov. 26. . . . Bolduc’s second goal broke a 2-2 tie at 8:19 of the third period. . . . Saskatoon D Nolan Reid had tied the score with a PP goal at 1:17 of the third. Reid, a 15-year-old from Deer Valley, Sask., scored his first WHL goal in his second game. . . . The Blazers have won three in a row for the first time this season. . . . Saskatoon has dropped nine in a row. . . .
In Brandon, the Wheat Kings scored the game’s first two goals and went on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 4-1. . . . Brandon D Rene Hunter assisted on each of the first two goals en route to a three-assist game. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny turned aside 37 shots. . . . The Wheat Kings have points in four straight games. . . . The Warriors have lost seven in a row. . . .
In Cranbrook, F Tim Bozon and F Luke Philp had shootout goals as the Kootenay Ice edged the Swift Current Broncos, 3-2. . . . Swift Current F Graham Black broke a 1-1 tie at 5:32 of the third period, only to have Ice F Jaedon Descheneau tie it at 17:54. . . . Black has 17 goals; Descheneau has 23. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 41 shots and was perfect on two shootout attempts. According to WHL Facts (@WHLFacts), Skapski is 11-for-11 in shootout stops this season, after stopping 24 of 25 last season. . . . The Broncos have lost three in a row. . . . 
In Red Deer, the Rebels scored a 3-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes by winning a six-round shootout. . . . Red Deer F Nell Meyer, who has one goal in 29 games, scored in the sixth round to win it. . . . Lethbridge F Reid Duke forced OT with his sixth goal at 16:13 of the third period. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak turned aside 42 shots and was beaten only once in the shootout. . . . Red Deer F Lukas Sutter scored his fifth goal on a penalty shot at 13:31 of the third. . . . The victory left Red Deer at 16-16-2, making it the 17 of the WHL’s 22 teams to have at least a .500 winning percentage. . . . 
In Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored the only two goals of the shootout and beat the Victoria Royals, 4-3. . . . F Curtis Valk and F Miles Koules both scored for the Tigers in the shootout. . . . Royals F Austin Carroll forced OT with goals at 8:02 and 9:35 of the third period. . . . He’s got 17 goals. . . . Victoria D Chaz Reddekopp, a 16-year-old from West Kelowna, scored his first WHL goal in his 28th game, 27 of which he has played this season. . . . 
In Portland, F Paul Bittner scored three times in the third period to help the Winterhawks to a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Bittner tied the score 2-2 with his seventh goal 14 seconds into the third, via the PP. . . . He gave his side its first lead at 10:30, on another PP, and later added an empty-netter. . . . It was his second three-goal game this season, both against Seattle. . . . F Scott Eansor, a 17-year-old from Englewood, Colo., scored his first goal in his 30th game for Seattle. . . . F Chase De Leo and D Garrett Haar each had three assists for the Winterhawks. . . . Portland D Keoni Texeira, a 16-year-old from Fontana, Calif., scored his first WHL goal at 4:43 of the second and it was the Teddy Bear goal. It came in his 32nd game. . . . D Adam Henry had two goals, giving him five, for Seattle, which had won eight straight. . . . The Thunderbirds dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic took a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Seattle F Keegan Kolesar at 9:12 of the third. . . . The score was 2-2 at the time, but Seattle took three minor penalties on Leipsic’s major. . . . The Winterhawks trail the Kelowna Rockets by four points in the race for first overall. . . . Kelowna holds three games in hand. . . .
In Everett, the Vancouver Giants scored five of the game’s last six goals and beat the Silvertips, 6-3. . . . F Jackson Houck had two goals, giving him 17, and an assist for Vancouver. . . . F Josh Winquist got his 24th goal and an assist for Everett. . . . Houck tied the game 2-2 at 5:46 of the second period. . . . F Carter Popoff gave the Giants their first lead with his ninth goal, via the PP, 53 seconds into the third. . . . Houck then stretched the lead to two at 7:04. . . . F Alex Baer drew assists on both Houck goals. . . . The Giants, who have won four in a row, had beaten the visiting Silvertips 3-0 on Friday night. . . . Everett has lost three in a row and five of six. . . . Vancouver is 7-1-2 in its last 10. . . .
In Spokane, the Chiefs struck for four first-period goals and they went on to beat the Prince George Cougars, 6-3. . . . WHL scoring leader Mike Holmberg and F Mike Aviani each had a goal and two assists in the first period. . . . Holmberg finished with two goals and two assists. He leads the WHL in goals (37) and points (74). His first goal, at 4:35 of the first, was the Teddy Bear goal. . . . Aviani finished his 25th goal and four helpers. . . . The Chiefs were 3-for-8 on the PP. . . . The Cougars scored three second-period goals to cut the Spokane lead to 4-3. . . . Former Spokane F Todd Fiddler had a goal, his 15th, and two assists for Prince George. . . . The Chiefs put it away with two third-period goals, from D Jeff Rayman, who scored his first WHL goal in his eighth game, and Holmberg. 
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