Conference finals resume Friday night

D Brett Festerling (Tri-City, Vancouver, 2001-07) signed a four-year contract with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL), where he joins twin brother Garrett. This season with Nuremberg (Germany, DEL), Brett had 11 points, including two goals, in 31 games. The Festerlings hold dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .
F Daine Todd (Medicine Hat, 2003-08) has signed a two-year contract with Jokerit Helsinki (Finland, KHL). This season, with Portland (AHL), he had 32 points, four of them goals, in 54 games. . . .
F Curtis Huppe (Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Tri-City, 1995-2000) has signed a one-year extension with the Guildford Flames (England, Premier). Huppe missed most of this season due to injury, but did have seven points, including four goals, in eight games with the Flames.
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Queen City Sports & Entertainment has confirmed the names of its partners as it works through the process of purchasing the Regina Pats from Diane and Russ Parker of Calgary.
Anthony Marquart, who heads up QCSE, is joined by former WHL goaltender Todd Lumbard, Jason Drummond of DGC Entertainment Inc., and Shaun and Gavin Semple of Brandt Entertainment Inc., all of Regina. (Gavin and Shaun Semple are father and son, respectively. Jack Semple, a Canadian guitar player of note, is another son.)
According to a QCSE news release, “Marquart also said that in the coming weeks they will be sitting down with all Pats management, coaches, and employees to discuss their needs, their ideas, their goals, and their career aspirations. Once they’ve done that, they’ll be rolling out a business plan that will chart a course for a successful future for all of the Pats stakeholders – especially the fans.”
The WHL’s board of governors is expected to approve the sale on April 30 in Calgary.
(If you are at all curious about the Semple family, you may want to give this right here a read. It’s from the Prairie Policy Centre and details the growth of the Brandt brand.)
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1. If you watched Canada beat Switzerland 3-2 in a quarterfinal game at the IIHF U-18 world championship on Thursday, you saw a prime example of how puck possession is most times more important than playing dump and chase. . . . Canadian D Travis Sanheim of the Calgary Hitmen mishandled a pass at the Swiss blueline and had to retreat into the neutral zone. He got control of the puck, with his head up, then stepped up and then around a Swiss defenceman to create 2-on-1 with F Travis Konecny, who took the pass, deked to the backhand and got the winner. . . . I’m thinking Sanheim’s draft standing, at least with a few NHL teams, jumped a few spots on that one play alone. He was at No. 53 among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s last rankings.

2. I’m still trying to get my mind around the fact that New York Yankees starter Michael Pineda drew a 10-game suspension for using pine tar, while F Matt Cooke of the Minnesota Wild got seven games for a knee-on-knee collision that took an opponent out for what is expected to be four to six weeks.

3. What makes the Pineda suspension even more confusing is that virtually every baseball person who has spoken about this admits that most pitchers use pine tar, or another foreign substance, to help their grip on the baseball, especially in cooler weather.

4. What makes the Pineda suspension even more confusing than that . . . hitters say they don’t mind pitchers using pine tar to improve their grip, something that gives them better control. No pine tar might mean more hit batters and who wants that?

5. The adage “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’ ” used to belong to NASCAR. These days, it apparently belongs to Major League Baseball.

6. Rick Reilly, once of Sports Illustrated, now of ESPN.com, has written a column that is full of some truths that he has discovered over time. Of course, they all are true, including: “The best sports book ever written was Ball Four. Everything else has just been an attempt to copy it.” . . . That column is right here.

7. It was in the third period when TSN’s Gord Miller, calling the Boston at Detroit Stanley Cup game, said it was “Hudson Bay rules” and you knew right then that the Red Wings were done. Detroit GM Ken Holland and head coach Mike Babcock need to admit that the Red Wings won’t win anything unless they find another Bob Probert or Joey Kocur to ride shotgun and create room for the skaters.

8. Detroit F Henrik Zetterberg returned to action for the first time since a back injury took him out of the Sochi Olympics. Can we just give him the Grizzly Adams Award for best beard in the playoffs?

9. If the Portland Winterhawks and Edmonton Oil Kings both win their next games, it will set up the third straight WHL championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup between these two teams. . . . It also will be Portland’s fourth straight trip to the final. . . . Portland is in Kelowna tonight with a 3-1 lead on the Rockets; the Oil Kings are at home on Saturday and hold a 3-1 edge on the Medicine Hat Tigers.

10. Team Canada beat Switzerland 3-2 in a quarterfinal game at the IIHF U-18 world championship in Finland on Thursday. Canada will meet the Czechs in a Saturday semifinal game. The game starts at 9 a.m. Pacific time and will be shown on TSN. The other semifinal features Sweden and the U.S. It starts at 5 a.m. Pacific.
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F Dyson Stevenson, who played out his junior eligibility with the Regina Pats this season, has signed a one-year deal with the AHL’s Portland Pirates. Stevenson had 76 points, including 38 goals, in 68 games with the Pats this season. In 252 career regular-season games with Regina, he had 168 points, including 75 goals.
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The OHL’s Owen Sound Attack has signed general manager Dale DeGray, head coach Greg Ireland, assistant coach Drew Bannister and athletic therapist Andy Brown to contract extensions. . . . DeGray now is signed through 2016-17, which will be his 10th season as GM. . . . Ireland, who has been head coach for three seasons, is signed through 2015-16. . . . Bannister has been with the Attack for two seasons. . . . Brown, who has been with the Attack since 2005-06, is signed through 2016-17.
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After playing three seasons (2010-13) with the Edmonton Oil Kings, F Stephane Legault didn’t play hockey in 2013-14, choosing not to play his 20-year-old season. Instead, he attended NAIT in Edmonton. . . . Now, Legault, who had 105 points in 172 regular-season games with the Oil Kings, has committed to attend the U of Alberta and play for the CIS-champion Golden Bears in the fall. Legault, who turned 21 on March 3, is from Edmonton.
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THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. MEDICINE HAT (4)
(Edmonton leads, 3-1)
Season series: Edmonton, 5-0-1; Medicine Hat, 1-5-0.
(All games on Shaw TV)
Friday: Medicine Hat 3 at Edmonton 8 (7,694)
Sunday: Medicine Hat 1 at Edmonton 3 (5,763)
Tuesday: Edmonton 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,189)
Wednesday: Edmonton 4 at Medicine Hat 1 (3,832)
Saturday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Edmonton at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, day-to-day; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
(Portland leads, 3-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-0-0; Portland, 0-4-0.
Friday: Portland 4 at Kelowna 5 (6,218)
Saturday: Portland 5 at Kelowna 3 (6,341)
Tuesday: Kelowna 3 at Portland 4 (OT) (9,259)
Wednesday: Kelowna 1 at Portland 5 (9,744)
Friday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday: Kelowna at Portland, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
Portland: None.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.

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Brain injuries put Muth into retirement

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Mark Isherwood (Medicine Hat, 2005-10) signed a one-year contract with Angers (France, Ligue Magnus). He had five goals and 12 assists in 37 games with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL), one goal and two assists in 13 games with the San Francisco Bulls (ECHL), and was pointless in two games with the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) last season.
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If you missed it here yesterday, here’s another plug for Alan Caldwell over at Small Thoughts At Large. . . . He’s endeavouring to keep track of WHL training camp rosters. . . . Which is why every team in the WHL should be making sure that Caldwell receives their most up-to-date rosters ASAP. Here is an opportunity for WHL teams to get some exposure at no cost to them. . . . So come one teams, get those rosters to Caldwell. There are no excuses for you not to get your rosters posted on Small Thoughts At Large.
The email address is: smallatlarge@gmail.co.
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D Tanner Muth, 20, of the Kootenay Ice won’t be back for a fifth season in the WHL. Muth is suffering with post-concussion syndrome. Last season, the Calgary native had nine points in 60 games with the Ice. He also has played with the Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos. . . . Muth’s departure leaves the Ice with two 20-year-olds on its roster — F Zach McPhee and D Jagger Dirk — as it opens camp. . . . Muth is the fourth WHL player to have announced his retirement recently due to previous brain injuries. He joins D Reid Jackson of the Moose Jaw Warriors, and F Shea Howorko and F Brent Benson of Swift Current. As well, F Tyrel Seaman, who has had at least three concussions over the last two seasons, won’t be in camp with the Brandon Wheat Kings when it opens this week, and D Tanner Mort of the Spokane Chiefs has retired due to what the team says is a neck injury. Mort suffered a brain injury during a game in Kamloops last season. . . . F Tyler Alos, 20, who was limited to 10 games with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season due to a brain injury, actually announced in December that he was done with playing. The Thunderbirds have since added him to their coaching staff.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed F Cole Johnson, the 34th overall selection in th 2013 WHL bantam draft. From Marwayne, Alta., Johnson had 71 points in 33 games with the bantam AAA Lloydminster Heat last season.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers will have 10 eligible players attending NHL rookie or training camps in the next while — F Hunter Shinkaruk, Vancouver Canucks; G Marek Langhamer, Phoenix Coyotes; D Tyler Lewington, Washington Capitals; F Boston Leier, Washington; D Spenser Jensen, San Jose Sharks; D Ty Stanton, Winnipeg Jets; F Miles Koules, Minnesota Wild; D KyleBecker, Anaheim Ducks; and F Jake Doty and F Curtis Valk, both St. Louis Blues. . . . Shinkaruk, Langhamer and Lewington all are draft picks; the others are free-agent invitees.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers signed D Marshall Skapski and F Caleb Fantillo, both 2013 bantam draft selections, on Monday. . . . Skapski, from Abbotsford, B.C., is the younger brother of Kootenay Ice G Mackenzie Skapski and Everett Silvertips D Mitchell Skapski. Marshall was the 54th overall pick in the bantam draft. He had 40 points in 48 games with the Abbotsford Hawks (Bantam A1 Tier 1) last season. . . . Fantillo, from Coquitlam, B.C., was the 123rd selection in the draft. He had 83 points in 60 games with the Coquitlam Chiefs, another Bantam A1 Tier 1 team.
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F Stephane Legault, 20, has chosen not to return to the Edmonton Oil Kings for a fourth season. Legault, from Edmonton, has decided to attend NAIT. In 186 regular-season games, Legault had 108 points. Last season, he put up 41 points in 57 games. . . . His departure leaves the Oil Kings with perhaps one 20-year-old on their roster – D Cody Corbett.
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The Kootenay Ice is to open its training camp on Wednesday with 60 players on hand. It looks like Russian D Rinat Valiev, 18, won’t be among them. Valiev, whose rights were selected in the 2013 CHL import draft, is among those players who has been able to get his visa due to a Canadian foreign service workers’ strike. Jeff Chynoweth, the Ice’s president and GM, has told Trevor Crawley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman that Valiev’s IIHF transfer has been approved and that he will be in Cranbrook once he gets his visa.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed F Austyn Playfair, 16, to a WHL contract. Playfair, from Scottsdale, Ariz., was listed by the Americans in October. He is the son of former WHLer Jim Playfair, who now is an associate coach with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, and the brother of Spokane Chiefs F Jackson Playfair. . . . Austyn, 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, had 11 points in 41 games with the Phoenix Jr. Coyotes of the Tier 1 Elite Midget Hockey League.
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The Kelowna Rockets have nine players off their roster heading to NHL camps — F Myles Bell, New Jersey Devils; D Madison Bowey, Washington Capitals; F Tyrell Goulbourne, Philadelphia Flyers; F Colton Heffley, Minnesota Wild; D Jesse Lees, Boston Bruins; F Ryan Olsen, Winnipeg Jets; D Damon Severson, New Jersey; F Colton Sissons, Nashville Predators; and D Mitchell Wheaton, Detroit Red Wings.
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Three players off the Portland Winterhawks’ roster have been invited to play in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Pittsburgh on Sept. 26. F Chase DeLeo, F Keegan Iverson and F Dominic Turgeon, all of them eligible for the 2014 NHL draft, will play in the game in the Consol Energy Center. . . . There’s more right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Ryan Bowen and G Brody Willms, both of whom are from Penticton where they play at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. . . . Bowen was a fifth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, while Willms was taken in the eighth round.
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From Dylan Walchuk (@Wally19): “Wont forget that experience for the rest of my life! Best...day...ever @HockeyCanada #thanksforthegoodies #goodluck #Sochi2014”
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F Dylan Walchuk, who played as a 20-year-old with the Spokane Chiefs last season, played some ball hockey with prospective Canadian Olympians on Monday in Calgary. There are 45 NHLers in Calgary for an orientation camp that won’t include ice time. So head coach Mike Babcock and his staff had the players doing some ball hockey run throughs on Monday. With Claude Giroux (thumb) and Joe Thornton (ill child) unable to attend, Walchuk, who will attend the U of Calgary, filled in on a line with Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal. . . . Walchuk is from McBride, B.C., and played some of his minor hockey in Kamloops. He had 60 points in 70 games with the Chiefs last season.
Aaron Vickers of nhl.com has more on Walchuk’s day right here.
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The Regina Pats and Harvard Broadcasting have signed a multi-year deal that will keep the WHL team on 620 CKRM, which has been home to games since 1995-96. . . . The exact length of the contract wasn’t revealed. . . . Phil Andrew will be back calling the play, with Daniel Fink the analyst for a second season.
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Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun reports that Russian D Dmitri Osipov, whom the Vancouver Giants took with the first pick in the 2013 import draft, “has been unable to scrimmage due to a shoulder problem that was discovered during team testing. He is skating, however.” . . . Head coach Don Hay told Pap that Osipov is “week-to-week.” . . . That means he isn’t likely to play Saturday in Ladner, B.C., against the Kelowna Rockets or Sunday in Kamloops against the Blazers.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a one-year contract extension with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had 35 goals and 43 assists in 57 games for the Stars this season; that was good for fifth place in league scoring. . . .


F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) signed a two-year contract with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had two goals and 12 assists in 19 games with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and 10 goals and 10 assists in 25 games with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .



D Tomas Voracek (Prince Albert, 2007-09) signed a three-year contract with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and three assists in 51 games with Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .




D Brett Palin (Kelowna, 2000-05) has declined a contract extension offer for next season from Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Palin had seven goals and 13 assists in 50 games for Chomutov this season.
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 Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail is following the NHL playoff series between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. . . . MacGregor, as only he can do, breaks down the reaction to the hit by Ottawa defenceman Eric Gryba on Montreal forward Lars Eller. . . . That piece is right here.
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D Jaynen Rissling of the Calgary Hitmen has signed an ATO with the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals. . . . Rissling was selected by the Capitals in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2012 entry draft. . . . The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Rissling has played four seasons with the Hitmen. This season, he had 28 points in 61 games. . . . He is a nephew of F Gary Rissling, who played in the WHL (Edmonton, Calgary, 1974-77) and also for Hershey.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Shane Kuss and Roger Ross will serve as co-head coaches with the junior B Delta Ice Hawks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League. . . . "You're going to see a scenario where Shane will be at 90-95 percent of our games," Peter Zerbinos, the Ice Hawks’ general manager and director of hockey operations, told Mark Booth of the Delta Optimist. "That's why we went with the co-coaching roles." . . . Booth’s story is right here.

Fran Gow, who resigned this week as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder, has signed on as the AJHL’s vice-president of hockey operations. . . . Gow had spent more than 20 years and 1,000 games coaching in the AJHL, the last four of them with the Thunder.
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Ron Robison, the commisioner of the 22-team WHL, met with the media in Portland prior to Game 1 of the championship final between the Winterhawks and Edmonton Oil Kings.
It was Robison’s first communication with the Portland press corps since before the WHL disciplined the Winterhawks for what the league calls “player benefit violations.”
So how did the tête-à-tête go?
Here’s Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune:
“Taking in WHL commissioner Ron Robison's response Friday night to reporters' questions about the ruthless sanctions imposed on the Winterhawks early this season brought to mind the famous line of distempered tennis legend John McEnroe: You can't be serious!"
At one point in his column, Eggers comes awfully close accusing Robison of not telling the truth.
Eggers apparently has seen the regulations that Robison says “are internal.”
“The regulations are absolutely not clear,” Eggers writes. “I looked through the WHL rulebook, which prohibits teams from paying for flights for family members during a team's annual ‘Parents Weekend.’ There is nothing, however, that specifically addresses any other time of year.
“The Hawks' contention was, ‘We didn't know flying in family members at other times wasn't legal.’ The league's contention was, ‘You should have known. It was understood by everyone in the league.’
“When asked a second time about the specific rules violations, Robison answered, ‘The regulations are internal. The information has been made very clear. There were violations. They're written down in the regulations, absolutely. The information was provided to the club, but for internal purposes only.’
“Wait a minute. They are written into the regulations, but kept secret from the general public? For what reason? It's like NBA Commissioner David Stern saying the Trail Blazers broke a rule for tampering with a player, and it's in the rulebook, but we're not going to let the public see it. You just have to take our word for it. Robison's stipulation is not only nonsensical, but untrue.”
Eggers’ complete column is right here.
Paul Buker of The Oregonian also was in attendance, and wrote:
"After arriving fashionably late — 10 minutes or so — for Friday’s scheduled WHL Finals series media availability, Robison was quickly inundated with questions about the sanctions levied against the hometown team on Nov. 28.
"'I’m hoping we don’t have to go into a lot of detail,' said Robison, who was true to his word on that one.
"No new ground was broken, and if anything, local media were left scratching their heads once again."
Buker's piece is right here.
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The OHL final opened last night with the host London Knights dropping a 4-2 decision to the Barrie Colts. . . . London scored first, but the Colts got the next three. Still, it was 3-2 for 10 minutes in the third period, until Barrie F Mark Scheifele iced it with an empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 9,046. . . . Game 2 is scheduled for London on Sunday night.
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The QMJHL final also opened last night. G Zach Fucale stopped 28 shots to lead the host Halifax Mooseheads to a 4-0 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. . . . Attendance was 10,595. . . . Game 2 is to be played tonight in Halifax.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Edmonton leads, 1-0)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Today, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, May 7, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, May 8, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, May 12, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Games 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Games 2 and 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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FRIDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, G Laurent Brossoit stopped 35 shots, 16 of them in the first period, and F Stephane Legault drew three assists as the Edmonton Oil Kings opened with a 4-1 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Winterhawks held a 16-6 edge in shots after one period but went into the second period trailing 1-0 on a goal by F Dylan Wruck at 2:03. That goal came on Edmonton’s first shot of the game. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson gave Edmonton a 2-0 lead at 11:17 of the second. . . . F Taylor Leier got Portland to within one at 3:00 of the third, but Samuelsson got his 11th of these playoffs just 47 seconds later. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar got his ninth at 10:03 to put this one away. . . . Portland was 0-for-4 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-for-1. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 25 shots. . . . Referees were Brett Iverson and Brett Montsion. . . . Legault, who turned 20 on March 3, has 22 points, including 16 assists, in 17 playoff games. In the last two seasons, he has 36 points in 37 playoff games. He is coming off a regular season in which he had 41 points in 57 games. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without injured D Griffin Reinhart and F Trevor Cheek. Reinhart won’t play in the series; Cheek isn’t expected to play in Game 2.
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“The Portland Winterhawks might want to file a police report,” writes Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal. . . . His story is right here.
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“Game 1 of the WHL Finals was a bucket of cold water in the faces of the Portland Winterhawks,” writes Paul Buker of The Oregonian right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None
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From Lethbridge Herald sports writer Dylan Purcell (@dylpurcell), after the Portland Winterhawks had a goal disallowed last night: “Ron Robison waves off the Portland goal.”
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From Calgary Sun sports writer Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak), after a late San Jose Sharks goal forced OT last night: “And writers on deadline swear. Sharks tie it 2-2 with 55.1 seconds remaining. Patrick Marleau with the tally.”
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From Portland fan Larisa Strode (@Hawkiemom): “I haven't been this excited to wear white since my wedding day #1997 #WhlFinals #whiteout #adversity hawks#"

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The AHL’s Manchester Monarchs have signed G Ty Rimmer to an ATO (amateur tryout agreement). Rimmer played out his junior eligibility with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, leading the WHL in miutes played (2,310) and saves (2,106). He finished 24-30-10, 3.19, .912. . . . Rimmer, who turns 21 today, is represented by Turning Point Sports Management. . . . The Monarchs are affiliated with the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.

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The Edmonton Oilers have signed F Travis Ewanyk to a three-year, entry-level NHL contract. Ewanyk, 19, was a third-round selection in the NHL’s 2011 draft. He was limited to 11 games last season because of shoulder problems, but came back in time for the Oil Kings’ championship playoff run. This season, he put up 23 points and had 119 penalty minutes in 58 games.
Bruce McCurdy takes a really good look at the Ewanyk signing right here.
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Brent Peterson, the former Portland Winterhawks player and coach, has written a book and it hit shelves (and amazon.com) on Friday. My Toughest Faceoff: My Life in Hockey and My Battle with Parkinson’s Disease was written with Jim Diamond.
It’s available right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dan Olson of The Now, a newspaper on the Lower Mainland of B.C., has more right here on the decision by the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express to fire GM/head coach Jon Calvano with a year left on his contract. . . .
Taylor Dakers (Kootenay, 2003-07) has signed on as the goaltending coach of the junior B 100 Mile House Wranglers of the Kootenay International junior league. . . . Dakers is the goaltending coach with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips and the senior head instructor of the Calgary-based World Pro Goaltending. . . . Before moving into the WHL, Dakers played junior B for Wranglers head coach Doug Rogers.
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Former WHL D Link Gaetz (New Westminster, Spokane, 1986-88) is facing an assault trial after an incident at a Dairy Queen outlet in Cache Creek, B.C., on April 20.
The Kamloops Daily News reports in its Saturday editions that Gaetz has been charged with assault and causing a disturbance. Gaetz has been charged with assaulting Jean Guye-Vuilleme in the restaurant.
The trial date of Oct. 8 has been set in Kamloops.
“We will be litigating the matter,” Jeremy Jensen, Gaetz’s lawyer, told the newspaper. “Legendary hockey figure aside, at this point the presumption is that he is innocent.”
Gaetz, 44, is from Vancouver.
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After the piece here yesterday about the NHL’s Washington Capitals having requested that the Lethbridge Hurricanes change their logo, more than one person contacted me to point out that the BCHL’s Cowichan Capitals have a similar logo.
For the record, here are all three logos:
 

















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The WHL’s first-round situation (all best-of-7):
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton leads 1-0; Game 2 on Sunday in Edmonton)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat leads 2-0; Game 3 on Tuesday in Medicine Hat)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary leads 2-0; Game 3 on Monday in Swift Current)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Red Deer)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Everett leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Portland)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Kelowna)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Kamloops)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 1-0; Game 2 tonight in Spokane)
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Saskatoon, G Cam Lanigan stopped 42 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Blades, 3-0. . . . The Tigers hold a 2-0 lead in the series after sweeping the Blades in a first-round series a year ago. . . . Lanigan has stopped 84 of 85 shots over two games. . . . Saskatoon now has lost 10 straight playoff games. . . . F Trevor Cox got his second goal in two nights, this one on the PP at 3:32 of the second, and it stood as the winner. . . . Medicine Hat F Mile Koules had a goal and an assist. . . . The Blades were without F Jessey Astles, who drew a ‘tbd’ suspension under supplemental discipline for a first-period hit on Medicine Hat F Matt Staples, who left the game and didn’t return. Staples, who has concussion-like symptoms, was scratched from Game 2, with F Steven Owre taking his place in the lineup. The length of Astles’ suspension is expected to be finalized on Monday. . . . The Blades inserted F Ryan Graham in Astles’ spot. Saskatoon also dressed D Kyle Schmidt and took out D Nelson Nogier. . . .  Saskatoon was without F Erik Benoit (undisclosed) for the first two games. . . .

In Edmonton, F Stephane Legault had a seven-point night as the Oil Kings whipped the Kootenay Ice, 9-0. . . . Legault scored three times, added four assists and was a plus-4. . . . The WHL record for most points in a playoff game is eight, shared by F Dave Chartier of the Brandon Wheat Kings (March 27, 1981) and F Alfie Turcotte of the Portland Winterhawks (March 26, 1983). Chartier had five goals and three assists in a 13-4 victory over the visiting Regina Pats. Turcotte was four and four in a 13-4 victory over the host Seattle Breakers. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 28 shots for his third career playoff shutout. . . . Edmonton struck for five goals in the last 12 minutes of the first period. . . . F Michael St. Croix had a goal and two assists, F Trevor Cheek had two goals and an assist — and was plus-5 — and D Martin Gernat had three assists. . . .

In Calgary, G Chris Driedger turned aside 39 shots to lead the Hitmen to a 3-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Hitmen led 3-0 before F Adam Lowry ruined Driedger’s shutout bid at 10:19 of the third on a PP. . . . F Cody Sylvester, F Greg Chase and F Victor Rask scored for Calgary, the first two in the second period, the latter in the third. . . .

In Red Deer, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 31 shots to lead the Rebels to a 3-0 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Bartosak was the Eastern Conference’s first-team all-star goaltender. . . . F Brooks Maxwell scored 25 seconds into the game — he tipped in a point shot by D Brady Gaudet — and the Rebels were never caught. . . . F Rhyse Dieno scored Red Deer’s second goal, at 19:04 of the first. Just before that, at 16:19, Dieno came up short on a penalty shot attempt. . . . Prince Albert G Luke Siemens made 27 saves. . . .

In Spokane, F Alessio Bertaggia broke a 1-1 tie at 11:15 of the first period and the Chiefs went on to a 4-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Mitch Holmberg scored twice for the Chiefs, while D Brenden Kichton and D Reid Gow each had two assists. . . . Spokane G Eric Williams stopped 26 shots. . . . D Brandon Carlo, a 16-year-old from Colorado Springs playing his first WHL game, scored for the Americans. He tied the game at 6:36 of the first period. Carlo is in the lineup replacing the injured Mitch Topping. . . .

In Portland, G Austin Lotz stopped 55 shots to lead the Everett Silvertips to a 4-3 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Lotz, who was making his first career playoff start, has performed this kind of larceny at least one other time. On Feb. 7, he turned aside 65 shots in a 4-3 OT loss in Kamloops. . . . The Silvertips had lost their previous 10 playoff games. . . . F Kohl Bauml scored twice for the Silvertips. His first goal, at 3:25 of the third, gave Everett a 3-1 lead. His second goal, at 12:46, gave Everett a 4-2 lead. . . . Portland fired 22 shots at Lotz in the third period and finally got a PP goal from F Nic Petan with 16 seconds remaining. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth turned aside 27 shots. . . .

In Kamloops, F JC Lipon broke a 2-2 tie at 4:37 of the third period and the Blazers went on to beat the Victoria Royals, 3-2. . . . Lipon scored twice, while F Steven Hodges had two goals for Victoria. . . . Kamloops G Cole Cheveldave stopped 22 shots, with 11 of those coming in the third period. He made four game-saving stops in the third period. . . . G Patrik Polivka, who hadn’t played since March 5, was back in goal for the Royals. He made 33 saves. . . . The Royals were without F Alex Gogolev, their leading scorer. He is out long-term after undergoing surgery to repair damage to a leg from a skate cut. . . . Victoria also was without D Tyler Stahl, its captain. Originally, the Royals had him in the lineup, with question marks beside D Ryan Gagnon and D Isaac Schacher. Stahl took the warmup and then was scratched, with Gagnon and Schacher both staying in and playing. . . .

In Kelowna, F Luke Lockhart scored the game’s last two goals as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Rockets, 5-4. . . . The Rockets took a 4-3 lead by scoring in the last minute of the second period (F Tyson Baillie on a PP at 19:02) and in the first minute of the third period (F Myles Bell at 0:59). . . . Lockhart scored at 13:30 to force OT and then won it at 19:09 of the first extra-time period. . . . Seattle G Brandon Glover stopped 35 shots, 10 fewer than Kelowna’s Jordon Cooke. . . . D Jesse Forsberg and F Roberts Lipsbergs each had a goal and two assists for Seattle. . . . Lipsbergs assists came on Lockhart’s goals. . . . D Damon Severson scored once and added two assists for Kelowna.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (4):
F Travis Ewanyk, Edmonton
D Graeme Craig, Saskatoon
F Reid Petryk, Everett
F Blake Gal, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (1):
D Derrick Pouliot, Portland
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From injured Tri-City Americans F Ryan Chynoweth (@RChynowethh): “Well the trek for my grandpas trophy starts today #game1 #playoffs13 #gotime”


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