Bozon in critical condition

TIM BOZON

Helene and Philippe Bozon, the parents of Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon, indicated Wednesday afternoon that their son is in critical condition in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.
The WHL and the Ice issued a news release, stating that Bozon was admitted to RUH on Saturday and was “diagnosed with Neisseria Meningitis.”
His parents have been at his bedside since Sunday when they arrived from their home in Cureglia, Switzerland.
According to the news release: “Public health officials are in the process of reviewing the case to ensure all the necessary precautions are taken and anyone who had direct contact with the player receives appropriate treatment.
“The WHL requests the privacy of the family be respected during this most difficult time.”
According to a report by The Canadian Press, “While there are several varieties of meningitis, the particular type Bozon has, Neisseria meningitis, is bacterial and more contagious.”
Dr. Shovita Padhi, deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region, told CP that “he way bacterial meningitis spreads is through spit. You need to have very close contact or direct contact with the nose and throat secretions of the individual who became ill.”
---
Helene and Philippe Bozon also tweeted a message, via Tim’s account: “Thank you so so much to @WHLKootenayICE and@bladeshockey for the help provided us during our stay by Timmy's side.”
---
Many, many messages of support were tweeted on Wednesday, with this one from Brian Cheeseman, the Edmonton Oil Kings’ head athletic therapist, pretty much saying it all: “Sending thoughts & prayers for a speedy recovery out to @timbozon94 and his family. In times like this we are all on the same team #getwell”
---

G Patrik Bartosak of the Red Deer Rebels has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Bartosak, 20, was a fifth-round selection by the Kings in the 2013 NHL draft. A native of Koprivnice, Czech Republic, Bartosak is 30-24-5, 2.81, .924 this season. In 140 appearances over three seasons, he is 77-48-11, 2.58, .927. . . .
D Cody Corbett of the Edmonton Oil Kings, an undrafted free agent, has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. According to cap geek.com, Corbett, 20, signed a contract that will pay him US$600,000, $625,000 and $625,000 each season in the NHL or $60,000 in the AHL. He also got a $150,000 signing bonus, payable over three years. . . . This season, Corbett has set Oil Kings’ records for most goals (16) and points (56) in a season by a defenceman. Corbett has been with Edmonton since the middle of the 2011-12 season. . . . He has 29 career goals, tying him with Griffin Reinhart for the club record, and has 124 points, which is one shy of Mark Pysyk’s franchise record. . . .
F Brady Brassart of the Calgary Hitmen, who signed earlier this week with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, will get US$742,500, $842,500 and $925,000 should he play in the NHL and $70,000 in the AHL, again according to cap geek.com. . . . His signing bonus of $277,500 is payable over three years.
---
The Portland Winterhawks have added F Skyler McKenzie and D Justin Greer to their roster. . . . McKenzie was an eighth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, while Greer was taken in the fourth round in 2012. . . . McKenzie played this season with the midget AAA Sherwood Park, Alta., Kings, while Greer was with the midget AAA Edmonton-South Side Athletic Club Boston Pizza Athletics.
---
Judging from his Twitter account, Seattle Thunderbirds F Russell Maxwell has received the assignment for the mission he will go on at some point after this WHL season.
Late Wednesday night, Maxwell (@Russizzle7) tweeted: “I have been called to the Italy Rome mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints!!”
Maxwell, 19, is from Magrath, Alta. Tyler Hansen, one of Maxwell’s best friends, didn’t return to the Kamloops Blazers for his 20-year-old season, choosing instead to go on his mission on behalf of the church. Hansen now is in Argentina.
---
IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
---
Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
---
THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
---
FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Edmonton at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Everett at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
---
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Brayden Point and F Jack Rodewald enjoyed four-point outings as the Warriors dumped the Calgary Hitmen, 6-1. . . . Point had three goals, giving him 34, and an assist, while Rodewald had a goal, his 23rd, and three assists. . . . Rodewald, who had 13 points in 124 games over the past two seasons, has 49 points in 53 games this season. . . . Point has 83 points in 67 games after putting up 57 points, 24 of them goals, in 67 games last season. . . . Moose Jaw G Justin Paulic stopped 41 shots. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin, who left a Tuesday game in Brandon while favouring a shoulder, didn’t play in this one. . . . The Hitmen had picked up at least a point in 13 straight games going into this one. As well, Calgary F Brady Brassart had his point streak snapped at 16 games. . . . The Warriors (18-40-9) won’t make the playoffs. . . . Calgary (44-16-7) is tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings (46-17-3) atop the Eastern Conference. But Edmonton has the tiebreaker (most victories) and a game in hand. . . .

In Regina, F Edgars Kulda scored twice to help the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 5-2 victory over the Pats. . . . The Oil Kings were playing their fourth game in five nights. . . . Kulda broke a 2-2 tie at 4:30 of the second period and then extended the lead to 4-2 at 7:39 of the third. He’s got 28 goals. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 36th goal, a shorthanded empty-netter, at 19:04 of the third. . . .Lazar also had two assists. . . . Edmonton D Ashton Sautner, whose father, Blaine, is a former head coach of the U of Regina Cougars hockey team, had two assists. . . . F Dryden Hunt scored both Regina goals, both via the PP, giving him 19. Hunt was back in the lineup for the first time after missing seven games with a brain injury. . . . F Boston Leier also returned to Regina’s lineup after being out with a brain injury. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple left the game at 4:49 of the second period after being wiped out in a goalmouth collision. He was later seen with a walking boot on one foot. Dawson MacAuley came on to finish up in goal. . . . Edmonton (46-17-3) is tied with Calgary atop the Eastern Conference, but the standings show the Oil Kings on top on the basis of more victories (46-44). . . . Regina (37-24-6) leads the East Division by three points over the Swift Current Broncos. Each team has five games remaining. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Conner Bleackley scored the only goal of the shootout as the Red Deer Rebels got past the Tigers, 2-1. . . . Medicine Hat had been 5-0 in shootouts this season. . . . F Anthony Ast scored for the Tigers, getting his 16th goal of the season at 7:23 of the second period. . . . Bleackley got his 28th at 17:46 of the second to pull the Rebels even. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 40 shots through OT and turned aside three shooters in the skills competition, while Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer turned aside 34 through OT. . . . Red Deer was 0-for-2 on the PP; Medicine Hat’s PP never got off the bench. . . . The victory moved Red Deer (32-30-5) into sole possession of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot, two points up on the Prince Albert Raiders (31-30-5), who hold a game in hand. . . . The Tigers (41-22-4) are headed to a fourth-place finish. They are eight points ahead of the Kootenay Ice (37-25-4). . . .

In Vancouver, F Joel Hamilton scored once and added an assist as the Giants got past the Kamloops Blazers, 2-1. . . . Hamilton broke a 1-1 tie with his 10th goal just 58 seconds into the third period. . . . F Cain Franson also scored for the Giants. He’s got 29 goals. . . . F Jackson Houck had two assists for the winners. . . . The Giants swept the season series, winning seven times in regulation and once in a shootout. . . . Vancouver G Payton Lee lost his shutout bid when F Matt Bellerive scored his 18th goal of the season at 19:08 of the third period. . . . Lee finished with 17 saves, 18 fewer than Bolton Pouliot of the Blazers. . . . Kamloops is on the road because the Tim Hortons Brier (the Canadian men’s curling championship) has taken over Interior Savings Centre. The Blazers are 1-7-0 since leaving home, with a weekend doubleheader scheduled for Victoria. . . . The Giants (31-26-10) are seventh in the Western Conference, five points behind the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Blazers (13-49-5) are last in the conference. . . .

In Kelowna, freshman F Nick Merkley scored two goals to lead the Rockets to a 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Merkley, a 16-year-old from Calgary, was the ninth overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He’s got 22 goals. . . . Merkley tied the game 1-1 on a PP at 19:57 of the first period and broke the tie at 1:25 of the third. . . . F Myles Bell and F Justin Kirkland each had two assists for Kelowna. . . . With the victory, the Rockets set franchise records for victories (53) and points (110) in a season. The 2012-13 Rockets won 52 games; the 2002-03 team put up 109 points. . . . The WHL record for most victories in a season is 60 (Victoria Cougars, 1980-81); the record for most points is 125 (Brandon Wheat Kings, 1978-79). . . . The Rockets have ?? games remaining, so those marks are out of reach. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 29 shots in winning for the 37th time this season. That equals his victory total from last season. This season, he is 37-6-4. In his career, he is 90-33-12. . . . The Rockets (53-10-4) lead the overall standings by 11 points over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Spokane (36-24-6) is fifth in the Western Conference, six points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and one ahead of the Everett Silvertips. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Portland now has 101 points, the fourth straight season it has reached the 100-point barrier. Only two other franchises have put together four straight 100-point seasons -- the Vancouver Giants (2005-09) and Kamloops Jr. Oilers/Blazers (1983-86). . . . The Winterhawks got goals from five players, including D Anton Cederholm, who got his third of the season, and D Josh Hanson, who scored his second. . . . F Chase De Leo got No. 37 for Portland. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes stopped 27 shots. . . . Winterhawks F Nic Petan drew one assist and moved into a tie with Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg atop the WHL scoring race, each with 107 points. Holmberg was held pointless in the Chiefs’ 3-1 loss in Kelowna. . . . The Winterhawks (48-13-5) will win the U.S. Division and will be the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. . . . The Americans (28-30-8) are eighth in the conference, eight points behind Vancouver.
---
Please keep Tim Bozon (@timbozon94) and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
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.

Milestone tonight for Blades' radio voice

D Colten Teubert (Regina, 2005-10) has signed two-year extension with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). This season, he has six points, including one goal, in 33 games. . . .
D Joel Kwiatkoiwski (Tacoma/Kelowna, Prince George, 1994-98) has signed a two-year extension with Fribourg-Gottéron (Switzerland, NL A). In 46 games this season, he has 22 points, five of them goals. At plus-22, Kwiatkowski is second in the league in  plus/minus, behind only Marc-André Bergeron of the Zurich Lions, who is plus-27.
---

Congratulations to old pal Les Lazaruk, the radio voice of the Saskatoon Blades, who will call his 1,500th WHL game tonight when the Blades met the Rebels in Red Deer. That’s a lot of miles on the vocal cords. . . . It was heart-warming to see so many congratulatory messages on Twitter over the last couple of days. . . . Considering his record in Strat-O-Matic Baseball, back in the day, the old redhead made the right career choice!
---
Bruce Vance, the Prince Albert Raiders’ business manager and director of marketing, is battling cancer. When he isn’t working his day job, he manages the A&W Bears, and the players are showing their support for him. Jeff D’Andrea of paNOW.com has more right here.
---
The Vancouver Giants will salute Brendan Gallagher tonight by inducting him into their Ring of Honour. Gallagher, the Giants’ all-time leading goal scorer (136) and point man (280), now plays for the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens. . . . If you never saw him play with the Giants, but have seen him in action with the Habs, you should know that he hasn’t changed his game. Which is why tonight’s ceremony should take place right on the lip of a goal crease and not at centre ice.
---
The QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs have signed head coach Ross Yates to a two-year extension that runs through 2015-16. Yates, 54, signed on as an assistant coach prior to 2012-13. He stepped up as co-general manager, with Christian Vermette, and head coach on Oct. 30. . . . Earlier in the week, the Sea Dogs announced that Darrell Young had signed a three-year deal as general manager, a post he will assume on March 1. Young, 55, has spent six seasons as an amateur scout with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. He also is a former director of hockey operations with the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats. . . . With Young’s signing, Vermette has moved over to become head scout.
---
The Borowitz Report from The New Yorker addresses right here the friendly US$45-billion acquisition involving Comcast and Time Warner Cable. Now this is hitting the nail squarely on the head.
---
SATURDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Victoria at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Calgary at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
---
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Boston Leier scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Regina Pats a 5-4 victory over the Raiders. . . . Regina led this one 3-1 in the second period, only to have the Raiders roar back with three straight goals. . . . Regina F Dryden Hunt forced OT with his 17th goal at 11:35 of the third period. . . . Leier scored his 31st goal and added an assist. . . . The Raiders, who were 4-for-6 on the PP, got two goals and an assist from F Leon Draisaitl, but he came up short on a penalty shot in OT. . . . He’s got 25 goals. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple made his sixth straight start. He’s 5-1-0 in those starts. . . . Regina F Chandler Stephenson counted his WHL-leading seventh shorthanded goal. WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) tweeted that Stephenson “has the most single season SHG's for a @WHLpats player since Brett Lysak's 7 in 2000-01.” . . . Stephenson has 27 goals this season. . . . Raiders D Sawyer Lange had three assists. . . . Prince Albert F Jayden Hart will be hearing from the WHL office after taking an interference major and game misconduct at 8:13 of the first period. . . . The Pats (30-22-5) have won three in a row and now lead the East Division by a point over the Swift Current Broncos and Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Raiders (26-27-4) are four points out of the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Swift Current, Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk ran his point streak to 17 games as the Tigers dropped the Broncos, 7-3. . . . Valk scored two goals, giving him 33, and added an assist. He is one game shy of the longest point streak in the WHL this season. . . . The Tigers trailed 2-1 just 23 seconds into the second period but scored the next five goals. . . . Tigers F Miles Koules, whose father Oren also played for Medicine Hat back in the day, notched his 20th goal of the season. . . . F Cole Sanford added a goal, his 27th, and two helpers for the Tigers. . . . The Tigers (35-20-3) have won three straight. They are a comfortable fourth in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Broncos (28-22-8) are tied for sixth with Brandon. . . .

In Brandon, F Matt Alfaro scored to end a five-round shootout and give the Kootenay Ice a 3-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Alfaro, a 17-year-old freshman from Calgary, has two regulation-time goals in 51 games. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon forced OT with his 27th goal at 11:14 of the third period. He also had an assist. . . . Kootenay F Sam Reinhart got his 30th goal and added an assist as he ran his point streak to 16 games. . . . Brandon F Brett Kitt, who went into the game with two goals and had been a healthy scratch in five of the last seven outings, scored both his side’s goals. . . . The same teams will do it again tonight in the Wheat City. . . . The Ice (32-22-4) is 8-2-0 in its last 10 and is fifth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Medicine Hat and four in front of Swift Current and Brandon. . . .

In Calgary, D Alex Roach scored 11 seconds into OT to give the Hitmen a 6-5 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Roach, who has six goals this season, also scored in the third period to pull his side into a 4-4 tie. . . . Calgary F Greg Chase scored his 30th goal at 15:21 of the third. He also had two assists. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak scored twice, the second one forcing OT at 17:30 of the third. He has six goals in three games against Calgary this season. . . . Scherbak was back for the first time since Jan. 29. . . . The Hitmen have won five in a row. . . . With G Chris Driedger having been suspended by the team, Mack Shields went the distance, making 19 saves. Evan Johnson, a 17-year-old from Winnipeg, was backing up. . . . Saskatoon G Troy Trombley stopped 43 shots. . . . The Hitmen (37-15-6) are two points behind the Edmonton Oil Kings, who lead the Eastern Conference and the Central Division. Edmonton (40-14-2) holds two games in hand. . . . The Blades (15-39-5) have lost three in a row. . . .

In Edmonton, F Scott Feser scored three times, the last one in OT, as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . Feser, who has 10 goals, forced OT with a goal at 5:35 of the third period. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 450 shots, 30 more than Edmonton’s Tristan Jarry. . . . The Rebels snapped a seven-game losing streak. . . . The Oil Kings went in having won 16 of their previous 17 games. . . . F Mats Eller had two assists for the Oil Kings. . . . Edmonton F Mitch Moroz was tossed with a charging major just 42 seconds into the second period. . . . Red Deer (28-26-4) is eighth in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of Prince Albert and four behind Swift Current and Brandon. . . . The Oil Kings (40-14-2) are 8-1-1 in their last 10. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Ben Duperreault broke a 2-2 tie at 5:56 of the second period and the Moose Jaw Warriors went on to a 4-2 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Moose Jaw G Zach Sawchenko, making his fourth appearance in 2014, stopped 27 shots. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that Sawchenko suffered a skate cut “near his rib cage” with two minutes left in the second period. While Justin Paulic came on in relief, Sawchenko went to the dressing room for stitches, then came back to play the third period. . . . Gourlie also reports that Moose Jaw F Sam Fioretti “didn’t play in the third period as he began to feel the effects of a high hit” from earlier. . . . Moose Jaw F Jack Rodewold scored his 19th goal and added an assist on his 20th birthday. . . . F Torrin White also had a goal, his 16th, and an assist for Moose Jaw. . . . The Warriors were without F Scott Cooke, who drew a two-game WHL suspension under supplemental discipline for a hit on Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon on Feb. 11. Bozon sat out one game with an injury incurred in that hit, but returned last night. . . . Neither Moose Jaw (15-33-8) nor Lethbridge (12-42-5) will make the playoffs. . . .

In Kamloops, the Portland Winterhawks scored four first-period goal and went on to post their 15th straight victory by beating the Blazers, 7-4. . . . The Winterhawks tied a franchise record for consecutive victories (1979-80, 1997-98); they can break the record tonight when they meet the Giants in Vancouver. . . . The Blazers have lost 11 in a row. . . . F Taylor Leier scored his 30th goal in the second period, giving Portland five 30-goal men on its roster. The 1986-87 Blazers hold the single-season record, with nine 30-goal scorers on their roster. . . . Leier finished with two goals and two assists. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had a goal, his 31st, and two assists. He leads the WHL in assists (67) and points (98). He leads the points derby by five points over Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Portland F Dominic Turgeon had two goals, giving him nine, and an assist, while F Brendan Leipsic had a goal, his 32nd, and two helpers. . . . Turgeon, who enjoyed his first career three-point outing, has eight points over his last five games. . . . Kamloops got two goals from F Cole Ully, who has 26 this season. The second one was a shorthanded penalty shot in the second period. . . . Portland was 4-for-6 on the PP. . . . With G Brendan Burke ill, G Corbin Boes started for Portland, which had Adin Hill from the AJHL’s Calgary Canucks backing up. Hill, 17, is a list player who signed with the Winterhawks on Aug. 30, 2012. . . . Portland (41-12-5) is second in the overall standings, nine points behind the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Blazers (11-42-5) have the WHL’s poorest record. . . .

In Kelowna, F Rourke Chartier scored twice, the second one breaking a 2-2 tie at 19:35 of the third period, as the Rockets doubled the Prince George Cougars, 4-2. . . . The Cougars, who had won four straight road games, took a 2-1 lead into the third period, only to have F Carter Rigby tie it at 5:34. . . . Chartier, who has 19 goals, got an empty-netter at 19:50. . . . Cougars F Troy Bourke had two assists, making him the Prince George franchise’s all-time leader, with 141. F Blake Robson held the previous mark. . . . The Rockets are 5-0-0 against the Cougars this season. . . . Prince George D Mark McNulty scored his 16th goal, running his point streak to nine games. . . . The Rockets (46-8-4), who have won three in a row, lead the overall standings. . . . The Cougars (24-29-7) are five points out of the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . .

In Everett, D Kevin Davis scored his first career goal in OT to give the Silvertips a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Davis, a freshman from Kamloops, was the 11th overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He has played in 56 regular-season games. . . . Everett F Dawson Leedahl scored his fifth goal at 7:14 of the second. He hadn’t scored in his previous 32 games; he last scored on Nov. 19. . . . Vancouver F Joel Hamilton tied it, with his sixth goal, at 3:48 of the third. . . . Everett G Carter Hart, 15, was backing up Austin Lotz, who stopped 26 shots. . . . The Silvertips welcomed back F Manraj Hayer, who hadn’t played since Jan. 25. They still are without F Zane Jones and F Tyler Sandhu. . . . Everett also played without G Daniel Cotton and F Darcy DeRoose, who have been suspended by the team. . . . Vancouver G Jared Rathjen stopped 29 shots. . . . The Giants were without D Dalton Thrower (ankle) for a ninth straight game. . . . Everett (28-21-8) has won two straight and now is tied for sixth with Vancouver (27-22-10) in the Western Conference. . . . The Giats have lost four in a row. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Russell Maxwell scored with 25.6 seconds left in the third period to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 4-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Maxwell has 12 goals this season, two in 15 games with Seattle since coming over from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Seattle led this one 3-0 with less than 11 minutes to play in the third period. . . . The Americans got goals from F Lucas Nickles (shorthanded at 9:25), F Parker Bowles (PP at 13:43) and F Beau McCue (17:15) to tie it. . . . McCue’s goal came with G Eric Comrie on the bench for the extra attacker as Tri-City head coach Jim Hiller rolled the dice early. . . . Seattle F Keegan Kolesar scored his second goal of the season in the second period for a 2-0 lead. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore had two assists. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 37 shots, 16 more than Eric Comrie. . . . Tri-City D Justin Hamonic left in the second period, having left some blood on the ice, after taking a slapshot from Seattle D Shea Theodore up high. Hamonic returned in the third period wearing a face shield. . . . There was a multi-fight situation at 8:33 of the third period, meaning fines may be in order. . . . Seattle finished the game with 90 penalty minutes to Tri-City’s 61. . . . Seattle (36-17-5) is fourth in the Western Conference, four points behind the Victoria Royals, who open an East Division swing tonight, and eight ahead of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Americans (27-25-6) hold down the conference's last playoff spot, five points ahead of Prince George.
---

From Kirk Luedeke (@kluedeke29): “Just heard the excellent hockey book ‘Sudden Death’ by Culp, Drinnan & Wilkie being made into a movie. Must read about SC Broncos bus tragedy.”


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.

Seattle pick visiting Wisconsin

THE MacBETH REPORT:


F Stepan Novotny (Kelowna, Swift Current, 2008-11) has been loaned by Plzen to Brno (both Czech Republic, Extraliga) for the rest of this season. He had three goals and an assist in 17 games. . . .

F Ivan Dornic (Portland, 2003-05) and F Roman Tvrdon (Spokane, 1999-2001) have signed for the rest of this season with Unia Oswiecim (Poland, Ekstraliga). . . . This season, Dornic, with Zilina (Slovakia, Extraliga), had one assist in 12 games, while Tvrdon, with Povazska Bystrica (Slovakia, 1.Liga), had a goal and four assists in nine games. . . .
F Tomas Fojtik (Portland, 2003-04) signed a short-term contract with the Swindon Wildcats (England, Premier). Swindon is short players due to injury and the Division 1 Group B World Junior Championship. Fojtik lives and works in Swindon. This season with Slouth (England, Premier), he had five assists in 11 games before being released on Oct. 21. . . .

F Ryan Hollweg (Medicine Hat, 1999-2004) signed a two-year extension with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He has three goals in 18 games this season.
———

F Dante Fabbro is spending the weekend in Madison, Wisc., checking out the University of Wisconsin campus and the men’s hockey program. The Seattle Thunderbirds selected Fabbro, who is from Coquitlam, B.C., with the eighth overall pick in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . There’s more on Fabbro and his visit right here.
———
The SJHL’s Melfort Mustangs have fired general manager/head coach Gavin Holcomb. . . . Trevor Blevins has stepped in as interim head coach. Blevins is a former Melfort player and assistant coach. . . . Dwight Kulchysky will remain on as assistant coach and also will serve as the interim general manager. . . . The Mustangs are 10-12-0-4 after beating the visiting Estevan Bruins 4-2 on Friday night. Melfort is fourth in the four-team Sherwood Division, four points behind the division-leading Nipawin Hawks.
———
Over at greatesthockeylegends.com, Joe Pelletier has named his 2013 Hockey Book of the Year. . . . The honour goes to Keon and Me, by Dave Bidini. . . . If you haven’t already, you really should visit Pelletier’s website. If you are a reader of hockey books, this is a great site as Pelletier keeps tabs on what’s on the shelves and what’s on the way.
———
The Brandon Wheat Kings have traded G Christopher Tai, 18, to the Medicine Hat Tigers for an undisclosed 2015 bantam draft pick. With the move, Brandon made room for G Curtis Honey, who missed 14 games with an undisclosed injury. He played the third period of Brandon’s 4-3 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncos Friday night. . . . Tai played in one game with Brandon, after coming over from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He gave up one goal in 30 minutes with the Wheat Kings. Tai is expected to arrive in Medicine Hat on Monday. . . . The Tigers need a goaltender with G Marek Langhamer soon to leave for the selection camp of the Czech Republic national junior team.
———
FRIDAY NIGHT:
In Brandon, the Swift Current Broncos erased a 2-1 first-period deficit with three second-period goals in a 7:16 span and beat the Wheat Kings, 4-3. . . . The Broncos (19-11-3) have won three in a row and lead the Eastern Conference by four points. . . . F Dakota Odgers opened the game’s scoring for the Broncos with his first WHL goal. It came in his 13th game, four of which have come this season. . . . F Andrew Johnson’s fourth goal, at 13:36 of the second, stood up as the winner. . . . Broncos G Eetu Laurikainen stopped 38 shots. . . . The Wheat Kings were without F Jayce Hawrulyk, their scoring leader, who served the first game of a two-game suspension. He drew the punishment under supplemental discipline for a hit on Regina D Kyle Burroughs on Wednesday night. Burroughs, who is going through the WHL’s concussion protocol, didn’t play Friday night. . . . Regina F Max Kammerer also is concussed. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Regina Pats scored two shootout goals to beat the Warriors, 5-4. . . . The Warriors actually took a 4-2 lead into the third period. . . . F Dyson Stevenson got the Pats to within one with his 16th goal at 12:26 of the third, with F Chandler Stephenson forcing extra time with his second goal of the game, and his 13th this season, at 16:26. . . . Stephenson also had an assist. . . . F Brayden Point scored twice, giving him 11, and added an assist for Moose Jaw, which got three assists from D Jesse Forsberg. . . . F Boston Leier and Stevenson scored for the Pats in the shootout, while the Warriors got a goal from F Torrin White. . . .

In Edmonton, F Mitchell Moroz and F Reid Petryk scored shootout goals to give the Oil Kings a 5-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Winterhawks erased a late 4-2 third-period deficit to force OT. F Taylor Leier scored twice, giving him 22, at 17:13 and 19:04. . . . F Edgars Kulda had his ninth goal and an assist for Edmonton, which has won four straight. . . . F Nic Petan had a goal and two assists for Portland, giving him 64 points and moving him to within two points of the WHL points lead. He also had Portland’s lone goal in the shootout. . . . Portland (21-5-4) has points in seven straight (5-0-2) and leads the overall standings by two points over the Kelowna Rockets and Everett Silvertips. . . . This was a meeting of the two teams that appeared in the last two WHL finals, Edmonton winning the first title and the Winterhawks now the defending champions. . . . Edmonton D Dyson Mayo scored the game’s second goal at 15:20 of the first period; it was the Teddy Bear goal. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot had a goal and two assists. . . .

In Lethbridge, the Hurricanes beat the Prince Albert Raiders 3-1 for their third victory in their last 18 games. . . . The Hurricanes (4-23-4) had lost seven in a row. . . . Lethbridge F Russell Maxwell opened the scoring late in the second period with the Teddy Bear goal. . . . F Tyler Wong gave the home side a 2-0 lead with his 12th goal at 1:07 of the third period. . . . F Riley Sheen put it away with an empty-netter at 18:55. . . . Sheen has six goals. . . . Lethbridge G Teagan Sacher stopped 31 shots. . . . Only two minor penalties were called, both against Lethbridge. . . .

In Kamloops, F Tim Bozon burned his former team for two goals and two assists as the Kootenay Ice beat the Blazers, 7-3. . . . Bozon has 19 points, including six goals, since being acquired by the Ice from Kamloops. He has nine goals on the season. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau had two goals, giving him 21, and an assist for Kootenay, while F Sam Reinhart had two assists. . . . F Eric Krienke scored his first WHL goal for the Blazers. He’s a 17-year-old freshman from Calgary. . . . Kamloops D Sam Grist was hit with a match penalty for attempt to injure during a third-period scrap with Ice F Jon Martin. Grist apparently used Martin’s helmet to strike the Ice player. . . . The Blazers are at home to the Everett Silvertips tonight, so Grist may have to sit out depending on how the WHL office views the matter. . . . Ice F Ryan Chynoweth was among the scratches. He was injured when hit from behind during a game in Vancouver on Wednesday night. . . . Kamloops, which has lost 11 in a row, is without F Aspen Sterzer, who suffered an undisclosed injury on Nov. 29 against visiting Kelowna. Sterzer isn’t expect to play tonight, either. . . .

In Prince George, F Braden Purtil scored his third goal of the season at 4:21 of OT as the Tri-City Americans beat the Cougars, 4-3. . . . Cougars F Todd Fiddler forced OT with his 11th goal at 18:15 of the third period. . . . F Lucas Nickles had a goal, his seventh, and two assists for the Americans, who have won three in a row. . . . Americans G Eric Comrie turned aside 38 shots. . . . Prince George F Troy Bourke completed a three-game suspension. . . . The Cougars are hurting through sickness and injuries. Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen reports that the Cougars had just six forwards available for one practice this week. . . . Prince George F Zach Pochiro (concussion) was symptom free only to have headaches return. Also out with concussions are F Jari Erricson, D Tate Olson and F Brad Morrison. . . . Also out of the Cougars lineup are D Raymond Grewal (ankle), F David Soltes (knee) and G Brett Zarowny (groin). . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Everett Silvertips, 3-1. . . . Kelowna F Ryan Olsen got his fifth goal, on the PP, at 10:55 of the second and D Damon Severson, with his eighth on a PP just 57 seconds into the third, broke the 1-1 tie. . . . Olsen, whose first goal was the Teddy Bear score, later scored his second of the game. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 26 shots. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist had his point streak snapped at 18 games. He had 40 points, including 16 goals, over that stretch. That is the longest point steak in the league this season. . . . The Rockets, who have the WHL’s best winning percentage (.846), have won five straight. . . .

In Victoria, F Brandon Magee scored twice, the last one into an empty net, as the Royals doubled the Vancouver Giants, 4-2. . . . Magee has 10 goals. . . . Royals F Taylor Crunk snapped a 2-2 tie with his third goal at 9:50 of the third. . . . Vancouver lost F Tim Traber, who spent two seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins and two with the Royals, to a boarding major and game misconduct at 10:44 of the first period. . . . The Giants had earned at least a point in each of their previous 11 games. . . .

In Spokane, F Branden Troock struck for three goals and added an assist as the Seattle Thunderbirds dropped the Chiefs, 7-3. . . . Troock, who enjoyed his first WHL hat trick, has 13 goals. . . . Seattle, which won 5-1 in Spokane on Sunday, has won five in a row. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore had four assists for the first time in his career, with D Jarret Smith scoring his first goal and adding two helpers for his first three-point outing. Smith has two goals in 101 regular-season games. . . . F Adam Helewka had two goals, giving him 14, and an assist for Spokane. . . . Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg, who leads the WHL in goals (32) and points (66), was held pointless and, in fact, was ejected after becoming involved in a multi-fight situation at 17:41 of the third period. . . . Seattle held a 25-15 edge in shots on goal.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

The Kootenay Ice has traded F Elgin Pearce, 20, to the Medicine Hat Tigers for a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Pearce, from Port Coquitlam, B.C., was in his fourth season with the Ice. . . . Pearce had 35 points, including 21 goals, in 69 games last season. . . . The move leaves the Ice with three 20-year-olds – D Joey Leach, F Brock Montgomery and F Drew Czerwonka, the latter not having played this season due to an undisclosed injury. . . . In Medicine Hat, the Tigers now have four 20-year-olds on their roster, with Pearce joining F Kale Kessy, D Alex Theriau and D Derek Ryckman. Kessy is serving a 12-game suspension, while Theriau continues to recover from offseason hip surgery. . . . Theriau is on the injured list and won’t return until after the mid-October 20-year-old deadline. When he does return, the Tigers will have two weeks to get down to three.
———
It is never too soon to point out the silliness of the loser point.
Look, this season isn’t even 10 days old and if you can’t laugh at this, there’s something wrong.
The Swift Current Broncos have played five games.
They have one victory. They have four losses, each of which has been worth a loser point.
That means they are on pace for 14.4 victories and 86.4 points.
Last season, 86 points would have left them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
In their first five games this season, the Broncos have one victory, three overtime losses and a shootout loss.
On Saturday night, they lost 2-1 in OT to the visiting Saskatoon Blades.
Despite having won just one game, the Broncos have six points. They are tied for third in the Eastern Conference, just two points out of top spot.
They may have lost four times but they are one of seven teams not to have tasted defeat in regulation time.
Seriously!
———
BTW, the other 21 teams have earned a total of six loser points.
———
SATURDAY NIGHT:
The Red Deer Rebels won for the first time in four games, and they did it by beating the Hitmen 3-2 in OT in Calgary. . . . That was Calgary’s first loss in four games, although it wasn’t a regulation-time setback. . . . The Hitmen led 2-0 on a pair of first-period PP goals. . . . F Charles Inglis, one of four 20-year-olds on Red Deer’s roster, had two goals, including the winner. He has four goals over his last two games. . . . The winner came via the PP, after Calgary F Zack Jones was called for goaltender interference. . . . Prior to that goal, the Hitmen had killed off 16 straight opposition power-play chances. . . . Red Deer D Mathew Dumba returned from a two-game suspension but didn’t get a warm welcome in his hometown. Here’s Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun: “Hitmen fans were still steamed over Dumba’s high hit against winger Joe Kornelsen in the season-opener last week and booed the Rebels blueliner whenever he had the puck.” . . .
The Lethbridge Hurricanes went into Cranbrook and doubled the Kootenay Ice, 4-2. . . . F Russell Maxwell was in on all four Lethbridge goals, scoring twice. . . . Maxwell was ejected with a fighting major and game misconduct in what would appear to be a multi-fight incident at 18:49 of the third period. . . . This was the first four-point game of Maxwell’s WHL career, which is in its third season. He scored three goals in the final game of the 2011-12 regular season. . . . He went into last night’s game pointless in three games. . . .
F Sam Fioretti enjoyed his first WHL hat trick and four-point night in leading the host Moose Jaw Warriors to a 6-1 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . That was Brandon’s first regulation-time loss this season. The Wheaties now are 4-1-0. . . . Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk played his first game after missing the exhibition season and four regular-season games with a concussion. . . .
F Josh Nicholls scored at 2:28 of OT as the Saskatoon Blades beat the Broncos 2-1 in Swift Current. . . . Saskatoon F Matej Stransky forged a 1-1 tie with a PP goal at 17:57 of the third period. The Broncos, who have had trouble staying out of the box in the early going, were one man short at the time, but had just been two men down for 1:21. . . . Swift Current G Landon Bow stopped 42 shots in his first WHL start. . . .
F Hunter Shinkaruk had a goal and three assists as the host Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Regina Pats, 5-1. . . . The Tigers were 3-for-9 on the PP. . . . The Tigers, having won three in a row, now head into the B.C. Division for three games, starting Wednesday in Victoria against the Royals. . . . F Elgin Pearce, acquired Saturday from the Kootenay Ice, is expected to join the Tigers before Wednesday’s game. . . .
F Zach Franko broke a 3-3 tie at 19:01 of the third period to give the Kelowna Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Winterhawks in Portland. . . . Kelowna had lost its last nine regular-season games in Portland. . . . The Rockets, another team that has had discipline issues early in the season, took 43 of the 72 penalty minutes. Portland was 2-8 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-1. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 43 shots. . . . The Rockets, now 1-2-1, had lost three straight one-goal games prior to this one, with one of those losses coming in OT. . . . Myles Bell, normally a defenceman, played up front for the Rockets and had two goals and an assist. He also got into a couple of scraps. . . . Portland came back with G Brendan Burke, despite Cam Lanigan having posted the first shutout of his career on Friday. Burke stopped 20 shots. . . . The Winterhawks now head into the East Division as they open a six-game swing in Brandon on Friday. Portland doesn’t appear at home again until Oct. 20. . . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds tied the game late and then scored in OT to beat the Cougars 2-1 in Prince George. . . . Seattle F Seth Swenson batted a loose puck out of the air and into the net to tie the game 1-1 at 19:51 of the third period with G Brandon Glover on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . F Shea Theodore won it at 2:00 of OT. . . . Prince George’s home-opener on Friday drew 4,238 fans. Last night, attendance was announced at 1,971. . . . The Cougars, at 3-0-1, have yet to lose in regulation time. They lead the Western Conference and the B.C. Division by a point. . . .
F Mitch Holmberg scored three times in Spokane as the Chiefs opened their home schedule with a 5-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . It was the second three-goal game of Holmberg’s career. . . . The Chiefs are 2-0-0 this season and Holmberg already has six points, four of them goals. . . . Both games have been against the Americans, who lost their home-opener 5-2 to the Chiefs a week earlier. . . . Tri-City F Jesse Mychan left with an undisclosed injury after going heavily into the boards late in the first period.
———
CHECKING FROM BEHIND COUNT:
D Jan Bittner, Red Deer
F Jaedon Descheneau, Kootenay
F Ty McLean, Regina (twice in same game)
F Austin Ferguson, Kelowna
D Troy Rutkowski, Portland
———
CHECKING TO THE HEAD COUNT:
D Joey Leach, Kootenay
D Spencer Galbraith, Lethbridge
F Matej Stransky, Saskatoon

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.

It was on March 16, 2002, when a deflected puck flew into the stands in the Nationwide Arena in Columbus and struck a young girl named Brittanie Cecil in the head. Soon to turn 14, she died two nights later.
Following her death, leagues, teams and arenas everywhere were quick to install netting to protect fans. You may recall the hue and cry at the time. “People wouldn’t want to look through netting.” “The game has been played all these years without netting, so why now?” . . . And on and on it went.
Steve Macfarlane of the Calgary Sun looks back at the incident right here.
Which brings us to Don Sanderson. Remember him?
He was playing senior hockey for the Whitby, Ont., Dunlops when he got into a fight, lost his helmet and hit his head on the ice.
That was on Dec. 14, 2008. Sanderson, who had been in a coma, died on Jan. 2, 2009.
Three years later, nothing has changed. Yes, there is more concussion awareness at all levels of hockey. But the powers-that-be still allow teenagers to punch themselves in the face for the entertainment of others.
While there is netting in place to protect the fans from flying pucks, what has been done to protect the players from flying fists? Or have we already forgotten about Don Sanderson?
———
ASK THE COMMISSIONER:
There really isn’t a question here; it is more of a statement and some opinion, but it’s from a former WHL coach who continues to be heavily involved in coaching . . .
Dear Commissioner:
If somebody fights with another person — who doesn't want to fight and tries to get out of there or turtles — why isn't this considered assault and dealt with as a criminal offence? Particularly with you and your league continuing to demonstrate a grievous lack of leadership and understanding in regards to prevailing attitudes in the real world? In simpler terms — if you can't police yourselves and OUTLAW fighting and headshots, then turn it over to the police.
Second to that, Mr. Commisioner, if you won't outlaw headshots and fighting, I PROMISE I will educate as many parents as I possibly can on the misguided lack of leadership by hockey — specifically the WHL — while steering my child, and any other children I teach/coach, into safer individual and team sports where they learn the important life lessons of RESPECT and SPORTSMANSHIP. After all, hockey is just a game and for 99.99 per cent of all who play it, it ends with minor hockey or beer leagues. I want my children to be able to function as contributing citizens in real life without scrambled brains or confusion brought on at least in part because what is acceptable in hockey isn't acceptable on the streets or in the courts — where DEMOCRATIC LAW governs and prevails. Get on it, Mr. Commissioner. Time is ticking and with every concussion and fight that happens on your watch it is yet another mark against you and your legacy.
"Silence in the face of wrongdoing is complicity." — Marcus Luttrell.
———
Congrats to old friend Andy Murray, whose Western Michigan Broncos won the Mason Cup as CCHA tournament champions on Saturday with a 3-2 victory over the Michigan Wolverines at Joe Louis Arena. . . . Murray is in his first season as the Broncos’ head coach. . . . You can bet G.D. and Ab are smiling.
———
Pour some coffee and give Jim Matheson’s Hockey World a read. The piece from the Edmonton Journal is right here.
———
The NHL’s Calgary Flames returned F Sven Baertschi to the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday. He scored three goals in five games while with the Flames on emergency recall due to a rash of injuries. With one or two of those injured players returning, the Flames were obligated to return Baertschi. . . . The Winterhawks went 2-3 while Baertschi was away, playing all five games on the road. . . . I’ll let you decide whether the Flames had an impact on the Western Conference playoff picture. . . . Without Baertschi, they got swept in Victoria and those two victories all but put the Royals into the playoffs. Now, assuming Baertschi is in the lineup today, the Winterhawks can ruin the Seattle Thunderbirds chance at getting into the playoffs.
———




THE MATCHUPS
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Moose Jaw (2) vs. Regina (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Brandon (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Saskatoon (5)
———
Western Conference
Tri-City (1) vs. Everett/Seattle (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Victoria (7)
Portland (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
Vancouver (4) vs. Spokane (5)
———
TODAY’S GAME:
Seattle at Portland
If Seattle wins, the Thunderbirds would be tied with Everett for eighth place in the Western Conference. Those two teams would meet Tuesday in Kent, Wash., in a sudden-death game for that last spot. . . . If Portland wins, Everett finishes eighth and plays the Tri-City Americans in the first round.
(End of regular season)
———
SATURDAY’S GAMES:
(For lots of good WHL stuff, get on Twitter and follow @WHLFacts. Some of the numbers below are from @WHLFacts.)

In Brandon, F Mark Stone had two goals and two assists to lead the Wheat Kings to a 7-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Stone finished the season with 123 points, which would have won the scoring title in any of the last 12 seasons. Instead, he is second, 11 behind Tri-City’s Brendan Shinnimin. Portland F Ty Rattie is five points behind Stone with one game left. . . . F Brenden Walker had four assists for Brandon, with D Eric Roy drawing three assists. . . . The Wheat Kings put this one away with four goals in a 5:51 span in the second period. . . . F Darian Dziurzynski scored his 30th goal of the season for Brandon. . . . Brandon D Brodie Melnychuk playing in his 318th regular-season game, scored twice, giving him eight this season and 25 in his career. . . . Brandon G Corbin Boes, making his 10th straight start, stopped 22 shots. . . . For the second straight night, Brandon F Kevin Sundher (concussion) skated in the warmup and then was scratched. . . . Brandon will be in Calgary for Games 1 and 2 against the Hitmen on Thursday and Friday. . . . The Wheat Kings will play first-round home games at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg because the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair takes over Westman Place. . . . Games 3 and 4 in Winnipeg will be played on March 25 and 27. . . . If necessary, they’ll play Game 5 in Winnipeg on March 29. . . . The Pats will open against the Warriors in Moose Jaw on Friday. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Warriors scored six times in the second period and beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 7-1. . . . Warriors G Justin Paulic, a 16-year-old from Thompson, Man., the hometown of former WHL coach Jack Sangster, stopped 24 shots in his WHL debut. He was an eighth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . The Warriors set franchise records for victories (45) and points (98). . . . F Kenton Miller scored twice for Moose Jaw, giving him 35 goals, while F Sam Fioretti also had two goals and finished with 21. . . . The Warriors and Regina Pats open Friday in Moose Jaw. . . .

In Calgary, G Chris Driedger stopped 25 shots as the Hitmen blanked the Kootenay Ice, 3-0. . . . It was Driedger’s third shutout of the season and the third of his career. . . . D Peter Kosterman scored the game’s first goal, his second of the season, at 16:13 of the second. . . . F Greg Chase had three assists. . . . F Jimmy Bubnick scored twice, giving him 36. . . . One night earlier, the Ice overcame a 4-0 first-period deficit and beat the Ice 6-5 in OT in Cranbrook. . . . The Ice scratched F Drew Czerwonka and F Max Reinhart, both of whom are injured. Kootenay is hoping both will be ready for the playoffs. . . . Among Calgary’s scratches was F Cody Sylvester. . . . Interestingly, the Ice, which began life as the Edmonton Ice, will meet the Edmonton Oil Kings in the first round. That series opens Friday in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen will open at home on Thursday against the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Driedger’s shutout was the 63rd in the WHL this season, the lowest total since 1999-2000 when there were 61. The record is 120 from 2006-07. . . . Tri-City led the WHL with eight shutouts; Tri-City G Ty Rimmer and Seattle’s Calvin Pickard had a WHL-leading five each. . . .

In Saskatoon, Christian Magnus scored twice and added an assist to help the Swift Current Broncos to a 7-3 victory over the Blades. . . . F Graham Black helped the winners with a goal and two assists, and F Ryon Moser had three assists. . . . Swift Current freshman F Coda Gordon got his 30th goal. . . . Broncos G Jon Groenheyde stopped 23 shots in his final WHL game. . . . Saskatoon was 1-4 on the PP; the Broncos were 0-0. . . . The Blades finished 6-2-0 against the Broncos. . . . Saskatoon D Matt Pufhal returned after missing 21 games with an ankle injury. . . . The Blades will meet Medicine Hat in the first round and they’ll open on the road on Friday. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Russell Maxwell scored three times in regulation and then added the winner in the circus as the Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the Tigers 6-5 in a shootout. . . . Lethbridge F Graham Hood scored his 16th of the season with 16.5 seconds left in the third period to force OT. . . . Maxwell finished with 15 goals. . . . The Hurricanes trailed 3-1 after the first period and 4-2 halfway through the second. . . . Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk scored twice to finish with 49 goals in 66 games. A pure talent, Shinkaruk had 42 points, including 14 goals, as a 16-year-old. This season, he had 91 points. . . . Tigers F Emerson Etem, who didn’t score, led the WHL with 61 goals. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz finished with 39 victories. . . . Lethbridge F Brody Sutter got his 30th goal in his final WHL game. . . . D Matthew Konan had a goal and two assists for the Tigers. . . . The Tigers will open at home against Saskatoon on Friday. . . .

In Red Deer, the Edmonton Oil Kings beat the Rebels 7-3 and win the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for finishing atop the WHL’s overall standings. . . . Somewhere, ‘Wild’ Bill Hunter is giving it to Scotty and Ed Chynoweth is refereeing. . . . The Oil Kings closed out the season by winning their 50th game and 11 in a row. . . . F Curtis Lazar scored twice for Edmonton, giving him 20 goals. He was the second overall pick in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . F Kristians Pells added a goal, his 28th, and two assists for Edmonton. . . . The Rebels hung in there — the score was 3-3 eight minutes into the second period — but simply ran out of gas as Edmonton scored the last four goals. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson left at 18:29 of the first period after being hit with a clipping major and game misconduct. He already has served two suspensions since joining the team after Christmas. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit won his 42nd game. . . . Red Deer D Alex Petrovic had a goal and an assist in what no doubt was his final WHL game. Petrovic, 19, will join the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage early next week. The Rampage is the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers. . . . The Rebels, whose season was devastated by injuries, finished by dressing only 15 skaters, three under the maximum, for their final game. . . . Early Saturday, the Rebels thought they would be without F Dexter Bricker, a recall from midget AAA. According to a tweet from the Rebels, he was out “with an upper body injury, after taking a punch to the head from behind (Friday) night.” . . . However, Bricker’s name is on the online scoresheet. . . . The Oil Kings will open at home to the defending-champion Kootenay Ice on Friday. . . . That matchup could be tough on the the Reinhart family. Griffin is a defenceman with the Oil Kings; Max and Sam are forwards with the Ice. Max is out with a concussion but the Ice is hoping he’ll be ready to go by Friday. . . .

In Kelowna, F Zach Franko scored the only goal of the circus to give the Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Giants tied the score with two third-period goals. F Scott Cooke got his first WHL goal at 14:36 and F Marek Tvrdon added his 31st, and second of the game, while shorthanded at 17:31. . . . The Giants, having locked up fourth place, left G Adam Morrison, D Neil Manning and F Brendan Gallagher at home. . . . Vancouver G Jackson Whistle, who is from Kelowna, stopped 44 shots. . . . The Giants will have home-ice against Spokane with the series opening Friday in Vancouver. . . . The Rockets will open in Portland on Friday. . . . Tvrdon led all freshmen in points (74), finishing three points ahead of F Tim Bozon of Kamloops, who was tops in goals (36). D Martin Gernat of Edmonton had the most assists (46). . . .

In Prince George, F Spencer Asuchak scored twice to help the Cougars to a 4-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Asuchak, who is from Kamloops, was playing his final WHL game. He finished with 18 goals this season. . . . Attendance was announced as 4,582. . . . F Troy Bourke had two assists. The 17-year-old sophomore, who hasn’t had a whole lot of pub with the Cougars, finished with 56 points in 71 games. The first assist was his 100th career point. He has 101 points in 144 games. . . . Prince George G Devon Fordyce stopped 38 shots. . . . The Kamloops line of Brendan Ranford, Brandon Herrod and Jordan DePape was pointless and a combined minus-8. One night earlier, they had 10 points in a 10-4 Blazers victory in Kamloops. . . . The Kamloops loss guaranteed the idle Portland Winterhawks of home-ice advantage in the second round, should they get there. . . . The Blazers will be at home to Victoria on Friday. . . . The Royals are expected to be without F Brandon Magee, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Friday's 3-1 victory over visiting Portland.

In Kent, Wash., the Everett Silvertips got their first lead late in the third period and then hung on to beat the host Seattle Thunderbirds, 6-4. . . . They exchanged goals until Everett F Zach McPhee tied it 4-4 with his fifth goal at 8:31 of the third. . . . F Cody Fowlie gave Everett its first lead with his 14th goal at 15:11 and F Ryan Harrison iced it with an empty-netter at 19:41. Harrison finished with 20 goals. . . . F Connor Honey had two goals, giving him 10 and an assist for Seattle. . . . Seattle F Luke Lockhart scored his 16th goal on a second-period penalty shot. . . . F Jari Erricson set up three goals for Everett. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 29 shots, while Seattle’s Calvin Pickard turned aside 35. . . . The victory left Everett out of games and in eighth place in the Western Conference. Seattle is two points back with one game left — in Portland this evening. . . . There are some good play-by-play voices in the WHL but none are better than Thom Beuning, who calls the play for the Thunderbirds on 710AM ESPN. He has great pipes and doesn’t lean too far one way. . . . Don’t believe me? Give him a listen when he calls Seattle’s game out of Portland tonight. . . . By the way game time is 5 p.m. Pacific. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Dylan Walchuk broke a 2-2 tie at 8:31 of the third period to give the Spokane Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Walchuk’s 10th goal came via the PP. . . . D Brendan Kichton had a goal, his 17th, and an assist for the Chiefs. . . . D Reid Gow, who could be a key for the Chiefs, had two assists. Gow played only 54 games due to injuries and missed most of February. . . . Tri-City F Patrick Holland scored his 25th goal at 4:512 of the first on a PP to run his points streak to 20 games. However, his assists streak ended at 19 games. . . . Holland led the WHL in assists, with 84, two more than Brandon’s Mark Stone. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin had an assist to run his point streak to a franchise-record 23 games, the first time two WHLers had 20-game streaks in the same season since 2003. . . . The Americans got a goal from F Jesse Mychan in his first game back after missing 15 with a hand injury. . . . Chiefs F Steve Kuhn played in his 288th consecutive game. He has played 72 games in each of his four seasons. . . . The Chiefs will open in Vancouver on Friday. . . . The Americans will meet Everett or Seattle, depending on what happens tonight in Portland and then maybe Tuesday in Kent, Wash.
———
SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Josh Derko, Swift Current.
F Graham Hood, Lethbridge.
———
SATURDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.


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.