Giants owner issues news release

This news release issued on Saturday needs no further comment:
VANCOUVER, BC — Vancouver Giants owner Ron Toigo has issued the following statement regarding Giants players Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck:
Due to an incident that took place on August 18 at a Tsawwassen house party, both players will be in court on November 20th to have these matters dealt with.
We cannot comment on the charges or the likely outcome at this time, and hopefully this will all be behind us after that court date.
What we can say is that our players are held to a higher standard and, for the most part, live up to that.
This is the first instance that we have had a player have to go to court and that is unfortunate.
Both Jackson and Brett have been, and are, exceptional people.
They have been good students, and have put in many hours of community service hours through school visits and the Read to Succeed program, Odd Squad with Chris Graham of the Vancouver Police, and hospital visits with the Giants' Christmas program.
Both these players have been, and are, very good citizens and have been good members of our community.
It is unfortunate that one negative incident gets the attention instead of all the good things that have been done.
They are both prepared to deal with whatever the court decides.
Please appreciate and understand that the players and anyone from the Vancouver Giants organization cannot comment on any of these legal matters.
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There isn't much doubt that the biggest challenge facing minor hockey in Canada is the cost of playing the game.
A friend with five-year-old twins found that out this autumn as the boys were equipped and registered to play in an initiation 'Fun Hockey' program.
Here's a look at what it cost to get started:
Skates were $89 each.
Equipment was $138.50 each.
Registration was $205 each.
They owned helmets, otherwise the cost would have been even more. As it was, he said they spent $964 total.
The friend added that had he and his wife registered their boys in the initiation program operated by their city's minor hockey association, the registration fee would have been $620 each and he estimated it would have ended up costing $1,795 in total.
"Next year," he figures, "we would have the hockey gear costs except for new elbow pads, helmets and skates and we are still looking at $1,400. Hopefully, all of their gear fits but I know the elbow pads won't."
On the same subject, James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail takes a look at minor hockey and the costs right here. Should my friend's two boys end up playing rep hockey, he had better hope he wins a lottery in order to pay their way.
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Congratulations to Brian Coates and Tom Thompson, two men with ties to the WHL, both of whom are among the 2014 class of inductees to the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame. . . . Coates (Brandon, 1971-72) is from Roland, Man., while Thompson was the last general manager of the Winnipeg Warriors, before the WHL franchise picked up and moved to Moose Jaw in 1984.
From the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame news release:
"Brian Coates . . . was an outstanding batter, fielder, pitcher, competitor, and leader by example, for the great Carman Goldeyes Junior and Senior dynasties of the 1970s and '80s. When not pitching, Brian played 1st or 3rd base and was always one of their top performers. He was a feared batter for both average and power and often a league leader in several offensive categories. In his career, Brian played on many all-star teams highlighted by winning the Western Canada Senior Championship in Nanaimo, B.C., with the the Redboine all-stars in 1978. Brian also enjoyed a successful professional hockey career after being drafted by the Boston Bruins in 1972."
"From 1972 to 1991, Tom (Thompson) was a driving force on the Winnipeg and Manitoba baseball scene. He began his coaching career with the Issac Brock Royals and achieved immediate success by capturing Manitoba Bantam titles in 1973 and ’74 and Provincial Midget titles in 1975 and '76. Tom was one of the founding members of the reformed Manitoba Junior Baseball League in 1977. He became owner, operator, and coach of the South End Chiefs for 10 years and his teams were highly competitive and annually one of the top teams in the league. In 1981, Tom coached Team Manitoba at the Canada Summer Games. In 1987, Tom took over the Elmwood Giants Junior Team and in his first year at the helm captured the MJBL crown and the Western Canada Junior championship and then added another MJBL title in 1990. Over the years, Tom also served on the MBA executive as Competition and Development Chair and served in similar capacities with the Winnipeg Minor Baseball Association."
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G Spencer Tremblay, 19, who has had stints with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Red Deer Rebels and Regina Pats, now is with the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs. They have acquired the Winnipegger from the MJHL's Waywayseecappo Wolverines for future considerations.
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SUDBURY SATURDAY NIGHT:
In Swift Current, the Broncos ran their winning streak to seven games with a 6-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Swift Current took control with four goals before the game was 15 minutes old. . . . Broncos F Colby Cave had two goals and an assist, while D Julius Honka drew three assists. . . . Swift Current G Eetu Laurikainen made 40 saves. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Torrin White scored at 3:59 of OT to give the Moose Jaw Warriors a 4-3 victory over the Blades. . . . Still, the Blades went 2-0-1 in playing three games in three nights in three different cities. . . . The Warriors had lost five straight. . . . White, who has six goals, finished with two goals and an assist. . . . Saskatoon D Ryan Coghlan forced OT with a PP goal at 12:44 of the third period as the Blades erased a 3-1 deficit. . . . Moose Jaw F Josh Uhrich, who scored his first goal of the season Friday, added another one in this game. Uhrich, 17, also added an assist as he doubled his point total. He's got four in 21 games. Last season, as a freshman, he had four points, one of them a goal, in 58 games. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak had his point streak snapped at 13 games. . . .

In Lethbridge, the Red Deer Rebels scored three PP goals and beat the Hurricanes, 4-3. . . . The Rebels finished a six-game road swing at 3-3. . . . The Hurricanes, now 2-16-3, have lost nine in a row. . . . Red Deer D Haydn Fleury had three assists. . . . F Rhyse Dieno gave the visitors a 4-1 lead with his seventh goal, on the PP, at 10:50 of the second. . . . The Hurricanes got late second-period goals from F Jamal Watson and F Brady Ramsay, but couldn't beat G Patrick Bartosak in the third period. . . .

In Calgary, F Curtis Valk scored the only goal of the shootout as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Hitmen, 3-2. . . . Medicine Hat G Daniel Wapple stopped 36 shots through OT and added three more in the skills competition. . . . Calgary D Kenton Helgesen scored with 10.3 seconds left in the third period to tie it 2-2. . . . Calgary has lost three straight. . . . Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk scored in his second game back from a hip injury. He hadn't played since Oct. 23. He has 11 points, five of them goals, in nine games. . . . Shinkaruk also scored an 'own' goal, beating Wapple through the five-hole early in the first period. “I hadn’t been back in the lineup for awhile,” a joking Shinkaruk told Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun. “I thought I might as well get my first goal and work on it from there.” In explaining what happened, Shinkaruk added: “I saw it there and I panicked. I tried to take it to the corner and I guess I picked (Wapple’s) five-hole pretty good. It was a little bit of a tough skate back to the bench, but luckily enough, I got another one (at the other end) to even it out.” . . .

In Kelowna, G Jordon Cooke stopped 25 shots to help the Rockets to a 2-0 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . With the victory, their seventh straight, the Rockets (14-2-2) moved into a tie with the Portland Winterhawks (14-4-2) atop the overall standings. . . . Cooke has two shutouts this season and seven in his career. . . . WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) notes that, going back to last season, Cooke is 16-0-2 in his last 18 regular-season starts. . . . The Oil Kings had put up three shutouts in a row going into this one. . . . The shutout streak ended at 257 minutes 44 seconds when F Justin Kirkland scored his fourth goal, via the PP, at 9:34 of the second period. . . . The Oil Kings, who were 0-for-8 on the PP, had a four-game winning streak ended as they finished 6-2-0 in a road swing. They were playing their fifth game in seven nights. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Regina Pats began a U.S. Division tour with a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds, who now have lost four in a row. . . . Regina held a 54-31 edge in shots. . . . F Morgan Klimchuk scored twice for Regina, which has won three straight. He got the Pats' first two goals, at which point he had figured in six straight Regina scores. . . . Regina F Braden Christoffer broke a 2-2 tie at 8:50 of the third period and F Boston Leier made it 4-2 at 11:18 on the PP. . . . Regina D Connor Gay had a career-high three assists. . . . Seattle D Ethan Bear, 16, didn't play after leaving the previous night's game in the second period with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Pats arrived in Kent on Friday and watched the first two periods of the Thunderbirds' 5-3 loss to the Victoria Royals. . . . Seattle F Justin Hickman took a boarding major and game misconduct at 3:03 of the third period for a hit on Regina D Tye Hand. . . . Hand, who needed help leaving the ice and didn't return, was playing his fifth game since returning from a suspected brain injury. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Wyatt Hoflin stopped 23 shots to help the Kootenay Ice to a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Hoflin is shouldering the load with G Mackenzie Skapski injured. . . . F Austin Vetterl's fourth goal, a PP snipe at 18:49 of the second period, gave the home side a 3-1 lead and stood up as the winner. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg became the first WHLer to 50 points as he notched his 23rd goal and an assist. He leads the WHL in goals, assists (28) and points (51). . . . F Mike Aviani, the other half of Spokane's Daily Double, got his 18th goal. . . . Spokane F Dominic Zwerger, who I don't believe returned to Friday night's game after getting into a fight with F Brady Ramsay of the host Lethbridge Hurricanes just nine seconds into the first period, was scratched. Zwerger, 17, is a freshman from Austria. That was the first fight of his WHL career and came in his 13th game. His only other penalty this season? A headshot major in his first game. . . . The Ice scratched F Jaeden Descheneau, its second-leading scorer. The move was a coach's decision. . . .

In Vancouver, the Giants scored the game's last four goals and beat the Prince George Cougars, 5-1. . . . D Brett Kulak scored twice for the Vancouver. . . . D Dmitry Osipov, the first selection in the CHL's 2013 import draft, scored his first WHL goal in the second period and it stood up as the winner. . . . Kulak has nine goals this season. . . . The Cougars have lost seven in a row. . . .

In Portland, F Brandon Magee scored 31 seconds into OT was the Victoria Royals beat the Winterhawks, 3-2. . . . That was Magee's second goal of the game. . . . The Royals ventured into the U.S. Division and won twice in two nights. They beat the host Seattle Thunderbirds 5-3 on Friday night. . . . Victoria G Coleman Vollrath turned aside 41 shots. . . . Magee has five goals this season. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored his 16th goal as he ran his point streak to 14 games, the longest in the WHL at the moment. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Brian Williams scored a PP goal 18 seconds in OT to give the Tri-City Americans a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Williams, who has 16 goals, scored twice and set up another. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist scored his 15th goal at 4:58 of the third period, on a PP, to force OT. . . . Tri-City F Ty Comrie and F Phil Tot, both of whom sat out Friday's game, were back for this one. . . . The Silvertips had won three in a row.

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1. Someone out there isn't at all upset that the WHL has chosen not to print its once-annual Guide this season:
"A paragraph on the WHL not printing a media guide? It's called the internet Gregg. There's more to than your blog. All the info that used to be in the guide can be found online.
"A paragraph about kids playing hockey year 'round?
"Stop whining. I come here to get informed and end up feeling sorry for you. You've made your living covering hockey, but clearly hate the sport.
"What does that say about you?"
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And then there is this tweet from @schm0869: "First, glad your wife is doing well! Second, I remember begging my dad to spend $8 on the 85-86 WHL Guide, it's a shame."

2. When F Ryan Gropp revealed earlier this week that he was leaving the BCHL's Penticton Vees to join the Seattle Thunderbirds, he told Mark Hunter of the Kamloops Daily News that his insertion in the lineup would be delayed until paperwork related to his visa was completed.
The Thunderbirds are saying that wasn't the case at all.
An email from Ian Henry, the Thunderbirds' director of public and media relations, included what he said has become the response from general manager Russ Farwell: "Not true. He was on our petition originally and is not playing due to his injury."
It turns out that Gropp has a groin injury and will play once it is healed, perhaps as early as this weekend.

3. If you were watching The Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday, you may have noticed that Chris Zasche, the bass guitarist from the Seattle-based group The Head and the Heart, was wearing a Seattle Thunderbirds sweater while performing. If you missed it, the peformance is right here.
The afore-mentioned Ian Henry sends word that "Tim Shaw, who does corporate sales and marketing (for the Thunderbirds), plays on a men’s league team with Chris. Chris emailed Tim that he was going to wear the jersey."
And there he was, right on Letterman. It's hard to get better exposure than that.

4. The Everett Silvertips have dealt F Mitch Skapski to the Victoria Royals for the rights to D Mark Nerland, who is playing with the AJHL's Camrose Kodiaks. Both players were born in 1996.
Skapski, 17, had gotten into just one game with the Silvertips. Last season, he played in 34 games, scoring twice. Skapski, from Abbotsford, B.C., was a fourth-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in th 2011 bantam draft. He was acquired by Everett in the deal that had D Seth Jones move to Portland. Skapski also has two brothers with WHL connections — G Mackenzie Skapski is with the Kootenay Ice, while Marshall, a defenceman, was a third-round selection by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the 2013 bantam draft.
Nerland, from Okotoks, Alta., won't turn 17 until Dec. 17. He has two assists in eight games with the Kodiaks. Last season, he played with the midget AAA Strathmore UFA Bisons.

5. The Regina Pats have dropped G Spencer Tremblay, 18, from their roster, as they got down to two goaltenders. . . Tremblay, who had played 46 minutes this season, is expected to join the MJHL's Waywayseecappo Wolverines. . . . That leaves Regina with Dawson MacAuley, 18, and Mac Engel, 20, as its goaltenders.

6. The Kelowna Rockets have lost F Austin Glover, 17, for what is estimated to be between two and four months. Glover, from Clavet, Sask., suffered a broken ankle in the third period of Wednesday's 6-0 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . He had three points, one of them a goal, in five games this season, after putting up four points, including one goal, in 31 games last season. . . . The Rockets also are without D Jesse Lees, who suffered a wrist injury in a 4-3 shootout loss to the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds a week ago. According to Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier, Lees had a cast on one forearm on Thursday. "We're not sure how long Jesse is going to be out, but hopefully it's not that long," Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska told Fisher.

7. The NHL season is young, but the Nashville Predators sure do like what they have seen so far from D Seth Jones. Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times has more right here.

8. A tweet from Dylan Purcell of the Lethbridge Herald: "I'm gonna guess Jonny Hogue has been released by the Hurricanes, based on tweets from teammates."
Hogue, a 17-year-old goaltender gave up six goals in his only appearance with Lethbridge this season. . . . His departure would leave the Hurricanes with two goaltenders — Corbin Boes, 20, and Chris Tai, 18.

9. G Cole Bruns of the USHL's Omaha Lancers had his season-opening shutout run come to an end on Thursday night. Bruns opened with five straight shutouts. But the streak ended at 309 minutes 41 seconds last night in a 4-2 loss to the Waterloo BlackHawks.

10. F Greg Chase's shootout goal gave the host Calgary Hitmen a 4-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades last night. The Blades, who tied the game with two third-period goals, still have points in seven straight games.

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Warriors' Jackson retires, cites post-concussion syndrome

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bernhard Keil (Kamloops, 2010-11) has been assigned on loan by the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) to Kaufbeuren (Germany, DEL2). He had two assists in 40 games with Straubing and one goal and three assists in nine games on loan to Regensburg (Germany, Oberliga) last season. . . .
F Trent Whitfield (Spokane, 1993-98) signed a one-year contract with Bolzano (Italy, Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had six goals and six assists in 48 games for the Providence Bruins (AHL). Whitfield was captain of the Bruins last season. . . .
F Tomas Polak (Red Deer, 2007-09) had his tryout contract with Landshut (Germany, DEL2) terminated due to injury. Polak suffered a broken wrist in his second exhibition game with Landshut on Monday. The injury will force him out of action for two to three months. Last season, Polak had one goal in one game with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, Extraliga), three assists in 11 games on loan to Most (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), and two assists in 27 games on loan to Berounsti Medvedi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga).
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After 168 regular-season games over four WHL seasons, D Reid Jackson has retired.
“With the number of concussions I've had over my WHL career, my family and I decided it was time to stop,” he told me Thursday night in a lengthy conversation via Facebook.
“I haven't been able to work out at full capacity since last October and my memory isn't as good as it used to be.”

REID JACKSON

Under normal circumstances, Jackson, who is from Weyburn, Sask., and whose father, Les, is the assistant GM of the NHL’s Dallas Stars, would be preparing for his 20-year-old season.
However, Reid is suffering from post-concussion syndrome.
Asked how many concussions he incurred during his WHL career, Jackson replied: “I would say anywhere between five and eight in my four seasons.”
Jackson began his WHL career with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, playing 50 games in 2009-10. Early in the 2011-12 season, he was dealt to the Prince George Cougars. On May 3, 2012, the Cougars traded him to the Moose Jaw Warriors.
He played only 12 games with Moose Jaw, shutting it down after an Oct. 24 game against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Jackson said he has tried working in construction but had some “episodes” and now has decided to go to school.
“I did have episodes where I would have to stop and take a break from being light-headed or dizzy,” he said, adding that he “just recently took a few weeks off to recover and decided to get out of a physical labour career and go to school.”
Jackson also had issues with depression, something “my doctor and I believe has stemmed from the injuries.”
While he fights this latest battle, Jackson said he keeps in contact with his agent, Jason Taylor, and that he regularly hears from the Warriors.
The Warriors, he said, call to “see how things are going” and suggesting that if he ever needs anything to let them know.
Interestingly, Jackson and Brent Benson, another WHLer who has had to quit hockey due to post-concussion syndrome, are the best of friends.
“We have been since childhood,” Jackson noted.
As Jackson attempts to resume something of a ‘normal’ lifestyle, he said that he is able to watch TV and to read without experiencing any issues.
“Living an every day lifestyle is pretty normal,” he said, “but there isn't any chance of any more contact sports.”
Jackson was a defenceman who played a gritty game. Now having been forced into retirement, he said one of the keys to dealing with brain injuries rests with players who have been injured.
“I don't think they can be avoided,” he said. “I think the players with concussions need to be more honest with their symptoms so the chances of them getting another are less and they won't suffer the long-term effects.
“I think hockey should stay as a rough sport. I think they just need to teach kids to protect themselves at a young age, rather than punish kids for playing the game the way it is meant to be played.”
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Wade Klippenstein has signed on as the Brandon Wheat Kings’ new director of scouting. He takes over from Al Macpherson, who stepped down as director of player personnel earlier this summer after being with the club since 1986. . . . Klippenstein, 43, was born in Boissevain, which is about six slapshots south of Brandon, and raised in Dauphin, which is that far north of Brandon. He spent the last six seasons with the Prince George Cougars. For the last four seasons, he was assistant general manager and director of player personnel. Klippenstein left the Cougars just before the 2013 bantam draft; neither he nor the Cougars have explained the obvious falling out. . . . Klippenstein also is the head scout for Team Pacific, which will play in the U-17 World Hockey Challenge.
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F Tanner Eberle of the Moose Jaw Warriors will go to camp with the Montreal Canadiens’ prospects, Sept. 5-9. “I was pretty excited,” the undrafted Eberle, 19, told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. “This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I’ve kind of stuck in the shadows until I got my chance and hopefully I can break out. Getting to go to a camp is a big deal for me and that’s something I’ve wanted to do since I got to the WHL.” . . . Eberle had 36 points in 65 games last season.
Gourlie reports that two other Warriors — D Morgan Rielly (Toronto) and D Travis Brown (Chicago) — also will go to NHL camps.
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Greg Meachem, the sports editor at the Red Deer Advocate, reports that the Red Deer Rebels will have players going to NHL camps — D Mathew Dumba, Minnesota; G Patrik Bartosak, Los Angeles; F Rhyse Dieno, Minnesota; D Kayle Doetzel, Nashville, and F Lukas Sutter, Winnipeg. . . . Dumba, Bartosak and Sutter are NHL draft picks, while Dieno and Doetzel are free-agent invitees.
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F Logan Nelson, 20, of the Victoria Royals will play for the Buffalo Sabres’ prospects in the annual tournament at Traverse City, Mich., Sept. 5-9. Nelson was a fifth-round selection by the Sabres in the 2012 NHL draft. . . . Royals F Ben Walker, 20, also will play in that tournament. He is a free-agent invitee to the Minnesota Wild’s camp. . . . Victoria D Keegan Kanzig, a third-round pick by Calgary in the 2013 draft, will play for the Flames at the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C., Sept. 5-9. . . . Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Time Colonist also reports that F Steven Hodges was to attend the Florida Panthers’ prospects camp but that he may have to sit this one out because “of an injury that might require minor surgery.” He was a third-round selection by Florida in 2012.
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F Eetu Selanne, 15, will be in camp with the Calgary Hitmen rookies today. Yes, he is Teemu’s son. Eetu was born in Coto de Caza, Calif. . . . F Brayden Cuthbert, 19, who last played in the WHL in 2010-11, is in camp with the Saskatoon Blades. Cuthbert played 39 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2010-11 before his season was ended by a brain injury. He last played on Jan. 22, 2011. Cuthbert didn’t play in 2011-12, and spent last season with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. . . . G Spencer Tremblay, 19, who got into one game with the Red Deer Rebels last season after playing 20 for the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2011-12, is in camp with the Saskatoon Blades, as is F Daniel Wray, 18, who had one assist in 31 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season. . . .
F Daniel Nachbaur, the son of Spokane Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur, is in camp with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials. Daniel will turn 18 on Sept. 30. . . . The Centennials opened the BCHL preseason last night with a 2-1 victory over the visiting Salmon Arm SilverBacks. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that F Taylor Vickerman, 17, hasn’t reported to the Vancouver Giants “and scuttlebutt around the league is that the sophomore left winger would prefer a trade closer to his Kennewick, Wash., home.”
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Richard Sandomir of The New York Times has an interesting piece right here.
He writes: “ESPN on Thursday ended its official association with ‘Frontline,’ the public television public affairs series, on a two-part documentary about concussions in the N.F.L. that is scheduled to be televised in October. After 15 months on the venture, ESPN chose to strip its name, logo and credit from the films, ‘League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis.’ ”
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And now for some really good news. . . .
The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to announce today that the legendary Vin Scully will be back calling the play in 2014. Scully, 85, will be calling baseball for a 65th season in 2014.
The Los Angeles Times has more right here.


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The Seattle Thunderbirds have traded D Reid Fritzke, 16, to the Swift Current Broncos for a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Fritzke, an eight-round pick by Seattle in the 2011 bantam draft, is from Swift Current and plays for the midget AAA Legionnaires. He has 11 points in 26 games. . . . The WHL is under a trade moratorium at the moment, one that runs through Dec. 26. However, a Broncos news release that was issued Monday points out this deal was approved by the WHL office on Friday.
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The Red Deer Rebels will have Bolton Pouliot in goal tonight as they play host to the Kootenay Ice. Patrik Bartosak, the Rebels’ starter, is with the Czech national junior team. Spencer Tremblay injured a knee in Saturday’s 6-1 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets and won’t play for a while. Tremblay had been brought in to compete with Pouliot while Bartosak was away. . . . “It’s a tough one for Spence,” Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, general manager and head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “He won’t be ready to play for maybe three weeks, so the decision now is that Bolton will stay here for sure. We’ll get Spence to a junior A team and look at bringing him back next fall.”
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The Saskatoon Blades are hunting for a seventh straight victory tonight as they meet the  Broncos in Swift Current. As well, Saskatoon F Matej Stransky is riding a seven-game goal streak, tied for the longest in the WHL this season. F Brendan Leipsic of the Portland Winterhawks had a seven-gamer from Oct. 28 through Nov. 10. . . . Saskatoon F Josh Nicholls leads the league with goals (26). Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix points out that the Blades haven’t had a skater lead the WHL in goals since Frank Banham scored 83 times in 1995-96.
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The Vancouver Giants have signed D Michael Eskra, 15, who is with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Eskra, who is from Regina, has nine points in 26 games this season. The Giants selected him with the 110th pick of the 2012 bantam draft.
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The Prince George Cougars are going to take a look at D Sam Ruopp, 16, of the midget AAA Regina Pa Canadians after the Christmas break. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder has 12 points in 25 games this season. He was a fourth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Ruopp, from Zehner, Sask., is the younger brother of Prince Albert Raiders D Harrison Ruopp, who also played for the Pat Canadians. . . . The Cougars return from the break with two games in Victoria against the Royals, on Dec. 28 and 29.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Derek Dorsett (Medicine Hat, 2004-07) signed a lockout contract with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 12 goals and eight assists in 77 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. The contract with Red Bull is for the rest of this season with a release clause should the lockout end before the end of the season. . . .
F Zack Smith (Swift Current, 2004-08) signed a lockout contract with Frederikshavn (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga). He had 14 goals and 12 assists in 81 games with the Ottawa Senators last season. The contract is for the rest of this season with a release clause should the lockout end before the end of the season.
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D Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks is likely to be the first or second player chosen in the NHL’s 2013 draft in June, assuming the lockout doesn’t kill that, too. But what does it mean? What would be the impact if Jones was the No. 1 selection?
Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports takes a look at that right here.
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The Red Deer Rebels have added G Spencer Tremblay, 18, to their roster as a third goaltender. He joins Patrik Bartosak, 19, and Bolton Pouliot, 18. . . . Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ owner, general manager and interim head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate that he’s looking down the road a month or so. . . . “We have a situation here where there’s a good possibility Bartosak is going to leave for the world junior championship, which means he’d be gone for a month,” Sutter told Meachem. “During that time we’re going to need two goaltenders who can give us opportunities to win games. I didn’t want to take a 15- or 16-year-old out of a midget program, I just felt it was best if we could get a more experienced guy to come in here and compete with Bolton for the backup job for the rest of the (calendar) year.” . . . Tremblay got into 20 games with the Moose Jaw Warriors last season. They released him prior to the start of this season and after clearing WHLwaivers he joined the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats. They let him go earlier this month after he played in three games. . . . Tremblay practised with the Rebels on Monday. The Rebels next play Friday when they entertain t he Medicine Hat Tigers.
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F Alessio Bertaggia might be back in Brandon’s lineup tonight as the Wheat Kings visit the Broncos in Swift Current. Bertaggia missed weekend games with an undisclosed injury. Brandon D Ryan Pulock isn’t likely to play tonight, while F Jens Meilleur and F Tyrel Seaman are out. They, too, have undisclosed injuries. . . . The Wheat Kings and Broncos will play each other three times over the next five nights. They’ll play again Wednesday in Brandon and then meet Saturday in Swift Current. . . .
D Martin Gernat of the Edmonton Oil Kings skated Monday for the first time this season. He had shoulder surgery in his native Czech Republic in September. Gernat, 19, isn’t expected to play again until after Christmas. On Monday, he skated for a few minutes but was only wearing sweats. He had 55 points in 60 games as a freshman last season. . . .
The Saskatoon Blades returned home Sunday from a five-game B.C. Division swing. But there isn’t much chance to rest as they play host to the Lethbridge Hurricanes tonight. . . . Saskatoon F Adam Kambeitz (flu) missed practice on Monday. If he can’t play tonight, the Blades will be able to dress only nine forwards. . . . “If you look at some our players’ faces, there are lots of bruises and lots of stitches,” Lorne Molleken, the Blades general manager and head coach, told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “Obviously, we had lots of upper-body injuries out there.” . . . The Blades expect to have D Duncan Siemens back in the lineup. He missed the last two games while spending time with his ill father, Errol, in Sherwood Park, Alta. . . .
The WHL’s top six scorers as the week begins all come from two forward lines — the Kamloops unit that features Colin Smith between Tim Bozon and JC Lipon, and the Portland line that has Brendan Leipsic playing between Ty Rattie and Nic Petan. . . . Lipon has 53 points, followed by Smith (52), Petan (44), and Bozon, Leipsic and Rattie ( each 38). . . .
As I sit here pounding on the keyboard, I am listening to Holiday Favourites (GXY36). And, hey, it’s Liam Stewart’s dad and Dolly Parton with Baby, It’s Cold Outside. . . .
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From Prince Albert Raiders D Josh Morrissey (@Morrissey_10): “Really hoping the NHL gets back on because I’m tired of my twitter feed being full of NHL Legal stuff I don’t get . . . And tweets like this”

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The QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats have released one former WHL goaltender and added another. . . . Spencer Tremblay, an 18-year-old from Winnipeg who played with the Moose Jaw Warriors last season, was dropped after going 1-0-0, 4.42, .849. . . . The Wildcats now will take a look at Cole Holowenko, 19, who is from Penticton. Holowenko was released by the Everett Silvertips, who had acquired him from the Prince Albert Raiders. On Saturday, Holowenko served as an emergency backup with the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Holowenko should be with Moncton tonight when they visit the Blainville-Broisbriand Armada.
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F Darren Kramer, who captained the Spokane Chiefs last season, has been moved by the NHL’s Ottawa Senators from the AHL-Binghamton Senators to the ECHL-Elmira Jackals. . . . Kramer scored his first pro goal last night as the Jackals dropped a 6-3 decision to the Florida Everblades. . . . Kramer led the WHL in fighting majors each of the last two seasons. Last season, he also had 40 points, including 22 goals. . . . He was a sixth-round selection by Ottawa in the 2011 NHL draft.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed G Logan Flodell, who was a third-round selection in the 2012 WHL bantam draft. Flodell, from Regina, plays for the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He also played for Team Saskatchewan at the Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup in Calgary last weekend. . . . The Thunderbirds now have signed three 2012 draft picks, the others being F Keegan Kolesar and D Ethan Bear. Kolesar was their second first-round pick; F Mathew Barzal, the first overall selection, has yet to sign. Bear was a second-round pick. . . . The Thunderbirds announced the Flodell signing before playing the Pats in Regina last night.
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The Kamloops Blazers will be without F Tim Bozon when they open a three-game swing into the U.S. Division on Friday night against the Spokane Chiefs. Bozon drew a one-game suspension for an altercation following the final buzzer on Wednesday night, when the Blazers dropped a 2-1 decision to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Bozon became involved with Edmonton D Keegan Lowe and ended up with a game misconduct after spitting at the Oil Kings player. . . . The league suspended Bozon on Wednesday. . . . Bozon, 18, is one-third of what was the WHL’s hottest line through 17 games. But in their last three games, Bozon, centre Colin Smith and right-winger JC Lipon haven’t managed even one point as the Blazers have gone 1-2-0. . . . Bozon will be eligible to return on Saturday when the Blazers meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash.
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The OHL has suspended D Chris Buonomo of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for 15 games for leaving his feet and delivering a headshot on F Connor Brown of the Ottawa 67’s on Friday. Brown wasn’t injured on the play. . . . Buonomo is eligible to return on Dec. 12.
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The Brooks Bandits set an AJHL record last night when they beat the host Drumheller Dragons, 2-0. . . . The Bandits are 19-0-0 and now hold the AJHL record for longest winning streak to open a season. . . . The Olds Grizzlies began 1993-94 with 18 straight victories. . . . The AJHL record for longest winning streak (21 games) is held by the 1987-88 Calgary Canucks.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
F Mark McNeill had a goal and three assists to lead the host Prince Albert Broncos to a 6-5 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Broncos led 4-3 halfway through the third period when the Raiders hit for three goals, with F Mike Winther in on all of them. He drew an assist on D Harrison Ruopp’s first goal of the season, at 10:21, then got his sixth and seventh at 13:10 and 18:47, the latter into an empty net. . . . F Colby Cave had three goals and an assist for the Broncos. Cave, who turns 18 on Dec. 26, is a sophomore from Battleford, Sask. He had six goals in 70 games last season. After last night’s effort, he has seven goals in 21 games this season . . . F Coda Gordon had three assists for the Broncos. . . .

G Matt Hewitt stopped 43 shots as the Regina Pats dumped the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-2. . . . Regina got a goal and two assists from each of F Morgan Klimchuk and F Lane Scheidl. . . . Regina D Luke Fenske broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the season at 11:53 of the second. . . . Seattle D Jared Hauf, who took an interference major and game misconduct in a 5-3 loss in Brandon on Tuesday, wasn’t suspended and played in this one. . . . The Thunderbirds are 1-3-0 on a tour of the East Division. They play in Prince Albert on Friday and Saskatoon on Saturday. . . .

In Kelowna, F Rourke Chartier broke a 2-2 tie early in the third period and the Rockets beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 3-2. . . . Chartier got his fifth goal at 3:04 of the final period. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle made his second straight start and stopped 25 shots. G Jordon Cooke hasn’t played since suffering an undisclosed injury in practice last week. . . . Whistle, who was 1-7-0 with the Vancouver Giants last season, is 4-0 with the Rockets this season. . . . Edmonton D Stephen Shmoorkoff scored his first goal at 4:38 of the first period. That ended the Rockets’ shutout streak at 179:59, one second shy of three games. . . . The Rockets have won four in a row. . . . Kelowna F Henrik Nyberg scored his third goal of the season and first in 10 games. . . . The Oil Kings, who had beaten the Blazers 2-1 in Kamloops on Tuesday, held a lengthy team meeting after the loss. . . .

In Calgary, F Brooks Macek and F Greg Chase scored in the circus as the Hitmen edged the Moose Jaw Warriors, 2-1. . . . Moose Jaw F Justin Kirsch shot first and scored. Macek tied it as Calgary’s first shooter. Chase, the sixth shooter, won it. . . . F Carter Hansen gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead at 1:51 of the second period and Calgary F Brendan Hurley tied it just 15 seconds later. . . . Hurley has three goals in seven games since joining the Hitmen from the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. . . . The Hitmen have won four straight. . . . There was a scary moment in the second period when Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly, the fifth overall selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL’s 2012 draft, went knee-on-knee with Calgary D Darian Henry. The hit was to Rielly’s right knee, the same one that was surgically repaired last season. He was slow getting to his feet but returned to action and appeared to be OK. . . . The Warriors had F Colton McCarthy, in from the junior B Nelson, B.C., Leafs, in the lineup. McCarthy was born in Moose Jaw and grew up in Salmon Arm, B.C. . . . Moose Jaw F Justin Kirsch was back after missing two games with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Warriors remain without F Myles Warkentine, 16, who has sat out the last 12 games. He suffered an undisclosed injury when hit into the boards from behind by F Tim Vanstone of the Prince Albert Raiders on Oct. 13. Warkentine did return to practice earlier this week. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Sam Mckechnie’s 10th goal stood up as the winner as the Hurricanes dumped the Victoria Royals, 4-2. . . . Mckechnie broke a 2-2 tie at 15:12 of the third period and F Brady Ramsay added an empty-netter at 19:56. . . . I mentioned here yesterday that Victoria D Tyler Stahl was expected to return from injury tonight. It turns out he returned Saturday and played in a 6-2 loss to the Winterhawks in Portland. . . . The Hurricanes are 8-1-2 in their last 11 games, while the Royals have lost five in a row. . . . Lethbridge is 11-7-2 and G Ty Rimmer, who stopped 32 shots, has started all 20 games. . . .

In Everett, the Red Deer Rebels scored the game’s first two goals and went on to beat the Silvertips, 4-2. . . . Everett had gone seven periods without a goal when F Tyler Sandhu scored at 1:36 of the second period. . . . The Silvertips have lost seven in a row and have scored just 10 goals in those games. . . . The Rebels are 2-2-0 on a five-game swing that ends Friday in Kelowna.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Ty McLean, Regina
F Taylor Crunk, Victoria
D David Musil, Edmonton

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Tri-City Americans F Lukas Walter (@Lukaswalter9): “Nap time after a hard day of nailing and hammering #cooked”
Walter and his teammates did some volunteer work with Habitat For Humanity on Wednesday.


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