Doing some scattershooting ... Dahlstrom returns to Sweden ... Nachbaur off to NHL

The Vancouver Canucks fired John Tortorella and now he’s the NHL’s coach of the year. The Canucks fired Mike Sullivan and now he’s the head coach of back-to-back Stanley Cup winners. I’m thinking things look good for Willie Desjardins.

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Does anyone know what’s going on with the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes? That’s what I thought.

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Hey, Alberta and B.C., you should get rid of those highway signs that encourage drivers to stay right and allow others to pass. Why? Because it seems there are a lot of drivers out there who can’t read.

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With the news that Floyd Mayweather will scrap with Conor McGregor in Las Vegas on Aug. 26, Vancouver comic Torben Rolfsen pointed out: “It will also be P.T. Barnum Bobblehead Night.”

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Jeff Pearlman, a well-known author, has penned a book on the USFL, which, of course, involved Donald Trump. Notes Pearlman: “One thing I can say with authority: Donald Trump is the biggest liar I’ve ever written about. Zero integrity.”

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From Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Express: “Buck Martinez is a decent broadcaster when he is sitting beside Dan Shulman.” . . . I caught some of the Toronto Blue Jays game on Thursday afternoon and noted that analyst Pat Tabler has dropped any pretence of independence and now sprinkles “we” into  his chattering.

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Greg Cote, in the Miami Herald: “Want the exact definition of ‘your football career is over’? Comeback-attempting Vince Young got cut by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.”

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You take a look at the roster of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and you realize that US$500 million doesn’t buy much these days.

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Did you chuckle the other day when NHL commish Gary Bettman said the NHL isn’t ready for another expansion just yet? Hey, wave US$500 million in front of Bettman’s face and you’ll have a franchise lickety-split.

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Headline at SportsPickle.com: Kevin Durant silences all the critics who said he could never help a 73-9 team win a championship. . . . Headline at TheKicker.com: Durant to spend offseason travelling around booing Rihanna’s concerts.

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Dwight Perry, in the Seattle Times: “With another NBA season coming to an end, commissioner Adam Silver gets to return to his other job: Holding the pitchfork in American Gothic.”

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F John Dahlstrom, 20, won’t be returning to the Medicine Hat Tigers for a second season. He has

signed a two-year contract with Almtuna in his native Sweden. Almtuna plays in the Allsvenskan, which is one level below the SHL. . . . Dahlstrom, a seventh-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL’s 2015 draft, had 30 goals and 29 assists in 63 games with the Tigers last season. . . . He will attend a Chicago prospects camp next month. . . . Had Dahlstrom returned to the Tigers, he would have been a two-spotter — a 20-year-old import. Latvian D Kristians Rubins, the Tigers’ other import last season, also is a two-spotter. . . . Including Rubins, Medicine Hat still has seven 20s on its roster, the others being G Michael Bullion, D Jordan Henderson, D Ty Schultz, D Brad Forrest, F Zach Fischer and F Mark Rassell.

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The Swift Current Broncos have revealed that as of Thursday morning they had sold 1,493 season-ticket packages, “including 137 new season-ticket holders.” . . . The Broncos have stated that their goal is 1,700 before the start of the 2017-18 WHL season. . . . The Broncos have a number of prizes up for grabs, all tied into season-ticket sales, and one fan will receive a season-ticket for life if the goal of 1,700 is reached.

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D Shaun Dosanjh, who played with four different WHL teams last season, will attend York U and play for the Lions in 2017-18. Dosanjh, now 21, is from Richmond, B.C. He began his WHL career with the Vancouver Giants, and finished it up last season with stints with the Prince George Cougars, Kamloops Blazers, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Portland Winterhawks. . . . In 173 regular-season games, he put up four goals and 10 assists. . . . Dosanjh was a third-round pick by the Giants in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft. . . . Victor Findlay (@Finder_24) reports that the Lions also have landed G Keelan Williams, 21, of Calgary. He played 13 games with the Kootenay Ice over two seasons (2014-16). Last season, he was with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles.

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The Kamloops Blazers have signed D Trevor Thurston to a WHL contract. Thurston, from Delta, B.C., was a fourth-round selection in the 2017 bantam draft. Last season, Thurston had nine goals and 11 assists in 20 games with a bantam prep team at the Delta Hockey Academy, where he will play again in 2017-18. . . . Trevor is the son of Brent Thurston, who played for the Victoria Cougars and Spokane Chiefs (1988-92). . . . The Blazers now have signed their top three picks from the 2017 bantam draft.

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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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Travis Green has accomplished his goal of becoming a head coach in the NHL. But Green, who is preparing for his first season as the Vancouver Canucks’ head coach, knows that the work is just beginning. Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune has spoken with Green and they talked about that and a whole lot more. It’s all right here.

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Don Nachbaur, the third-winningest coach in WHL regular-season history, has joined the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings as an assistant coach. Nachbaur spent the previous seven seasons as the head coach of the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs, but they parted company after the 2016-17 season despite there being one year left on his contract. . . . Nachbaur, who also coached the Seattle Thunderbirds (1994-2000) and Tri-City Americans (2003-09), has 692 regular-season victories, behind only Ken Hodge (742) and Don Hay (720). . . . Nachbaur and Stevens have a history, having played together with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers and AHL’s Hershey Bears and coached together with the AHL‘s Philadelphia Phantoms (2000-02). . . . In Los Angeles, Nachbaur joins head coach John Stevens, who was promoted on April 24, and assistant coach Dave Lowry, who joined the Kings after being the head coach of the WHL’s Victoria Royals.

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Stu Barnes, a former WHL/NHL player who owns a piece of the Tri-City Americans, has been added to the Dallas Stars’ coaching staff. Barnes, 46, spent the previous two seasons on the coaching staff at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. In 2016-17, he was the head coach of the one of the academy’s midget prep teams. . . . Barnes also was an assistant coach in Dallas from 2008-12. . . . He played 16 seasons in the NHL after spending three seasons (1987-90) in the WHL with the New Westminster Bruins and the Americans. . . . In Dallas, he will work alongside head coach Ken Hitchcock. The Stars also have added Rick Wilson to their coaching staff as an assistant. Wilson, a career assistant, was with the St. Louis Blues last season. Wilson spent 15 seasons (1993-2004, 2005-09) on the Stars’ staff. He is a former assistant coach and head coach of the Prince Albert Raiders (1980-88).

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Trevor Letowski, the new head coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, has been named an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team. With Team Canada, he replaces Kris Knoblauch, the former head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters, who now is an assistant with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. In Windsor, Letowski took over from Rocky Thompson, who now is head coach of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. . . . Dominique Ducharme of the QMJHL’s Drummondiville Voltigeurs is back as Canada’s head coach, with Tim Hunter of the Moose Jaw Warriors returning as the other assistant coach.

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The 2019 RBC Cup will be held in Brooks, Alta., May 11-19. The AJHL’s Brooks Bandits will be the host team. This will be the seventh time the event has been held in Alberta. It was in Lloydminster in 2016. The Bandits, who won the RBC Cup in 2013, are the AJHL’s defending champions. The 2018 RBC Cup is scheduled to be played in Chilliwack, B.C. . . . 

Tickets for the seventh annual Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C., will go on sale on July 7. The six-game preseason tournament will run from Sept. 8-11, featuring teams of prospects from the host Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets.

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Scooter on Memorial Cup format ... Warriors set hockey operations ... Ex-WHLer suffers two strokes

F Dominic Zwerger (Spokane, Everett, 2013-17) has signed a three-year contract with Ambri-Piotta (Switzerland, NL A). This season, he had 28 goals and 47 assists in 67 games with Everett. . . . Zwerger is Austrian but qualifies as a non-import because he played minor hockey in Switzerland. . . .

F Dane Byers (Prince Albert, 2001-06) has signed one-year contract with the Manchester Storm (England, UK Elite). This season, with Cologne (Germany, DEL), he had seven goals and five assists in 49 games. He plans on studying for his MBA at the University of Salford while playing for the Storm.

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With the on-going debate about the Memorial Cup and its format, it’s only fitting that Taking Note should hear from Dean (Scooter) Vrooman, who was there in 1983 when the four-team tournament, featuring a host team, first was held.

Here’s Scooter:

“Since Portland was the first host team in 1983 and won it, I remember all the angst about how that would

DEAN VROOMAN

destroy the tournament, but it should be pointed out that only seven host teams have won the Cup in the 35 years of this format without also winning their league championship.

“And Windsor was the first team in 35 years of this format to win the Cup without winning at least one playoff series.

“The host team had lost its opening game six straight years from 2009-14 until Quebec beat Kelowna 4-3 in 2015. Red Deer also lost its first game in 2016.

“So, overall, one could argue the teams that ‘earn their way in’ have done very well in this format.

“Every time a host team wins, the format will come into question — but the very small crowds in Hull, Que., at the 1982 Cup (the last three-team tournament) was what really motivated Brian Shaw to champion the host team format, both from a financial standpoint and from the atmosphere standpoint.

“He felt that the event was worthy of bigger crowds and most of the time during this 35-year run that has happened. The atmosphere has been really good.”

Vrooman, now the Portland Winterhawks’ director, sponsorship sales and service, was a long-time radio voice of the team.

Shaw was the co-owner and general manager of the Winterhawks at the time and he really championed the move from a three-team tournament to a four-team affair that provides automatic entry to a host team.

One other thing that has to be remembered in discussing the Memorial Cup and its format is this: After the 2013 tournament was held in Saskatoon, each of the WHL’s teams received $148,913, a figure that was $118,477 following the 2016 event in Red Deer.

If you are thinking about a new format, you need to take that into consideration because that, as much as anything, is why it won’t change in the near future.

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Warriors unveil new look jerseys for 2017-2018. pic.twitter.com/nYGO56Scff

— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) June 2, 2017

The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed general manager Alan Millar and head coach Tim Hunter to what a news release says are “multi-year” contract extensions. . . . The Warriors didn’t release any information as to length of contracts or when they might expire. A source familiar with the situation told Taking Note late in the regular season that the board of directors of the community-owned team had agreed to terms with Millar on a five-year extension but had yet to announce it. . . . Millar is entering his eight season with the Warriors. . . . Hunter, 56, has been the Warriors’ head coach for three seasons. He has 14 years as an NHL assistant coach on his resume. He also was an assistant coach with Canada’s national junior team at the 2017 World Junior Championship and will be back in that role for the 2018 tournament. . . . The Warriors are 110-83-23 under Hunter, having made the playoffs each of the past two seasons. They lost in the second round of the playoffs last season and to the Swift Current Broncos in seven games in this season’s first round. Moose Jaw had gone 42-21-9 in the regular season, good for second in the East Division, five points ahead of the Broncos. . . . The Warriors also announced contract extensions to assistant coaches Mark O’Leary and Scott King, Doug Gasper, the director of scouting, and Brooke Kosolofski, the head athletic therapist. . . . The Warriors also have hired Tanner Arnold as equipment manager. He spent the past two seasons as the trainer/equipment manager with the SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers.

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The Tri-City Americans have signed F Isaac Johnson, 18, to a WHL contract. Johnson, from Andover, Minn., played this season with the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers, scoring 14 goals and adding 14 assists in 47 games. . . . NHL Central Scouting has the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Johnson ranked No. 97 among North American skaters for this month’s NHL draft.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed F Noah Boyko, who was the 16th overall selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. Boyko, from St. Albert, Alta., had 25 goals and 27 assists in 36 regular-season games with the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers of the Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League this season. He added seven goals and 11 assists in 14 playoff games as the Rangers won the provincial title. He then recorded six goals and four assists in five games at the Western Canadian championship.

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F Michael Spacek of the Red Deer Rebels has signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Winnipeg Jets, who selected him in the fourth round of the NHL’s 2015 draft. The contract has an annual average value of US$833,300. . . . Spacek, 20, had a team-high 85 points, including 30 goals, in 59 games with the Rebels this season. In two seasons with them, he had 139 points, 48 of them goals, in 120 games. . . . A native of Czech Republic, he finished this season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, earning one assist in four games. . . . He also played for Czech Republic in three straight World Junior Championships. . . . Because he was drafted out of Czech Republic, he is eligible to play in the Jets’ system in 2017-18, or he could return to the WHL as a two-spotter — a 20-year-old import.

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A group that includes former Moose Jaw Warriors F Ryan Smyth has purchased the AJHL’s Spruce Grove Saints. The AJHL announced Thursday that its board of governors has unanimously approved the sale. . . . Darren Myshak had owned the Saints fo rthe past 14 seasons. . . . The new ownership group, known as Silent Ice, also includes Lindsey and Dan Leckelt, owners of Silent-Aire, an engineering and manufacturing company. Silent Ice also owns the senior AAA Stony Plain Eagles. Smyth, who played three seasons (1992-95) with the Warriors before going on to play 1,270 regular-season NHL games, is the Eagles’ captain. . . . Smyth will be the Saints’ president and is looking for a general manager and head coach after it was revealed that Mike Ringrose “has decided to leave the Saints to pursue other opportunities” after just one season. . . . Smyth also announced that Steven Goertzen (Seattle, 2001-04) is on board as hockey skills development coach. Goertzen is a native of Stony Plain.

Meanwhile, the AJHL’s board of governors also approved the sale of the Drayton Valley Thunder from a community group to a group that includes Cindy and Monte Waronek and Judy Sweet, all of whom, according to a news release, “are longtime residents and business owners in Drayton Valley.” . . . You have to wonder if Ringrose might surface with the Vancouver Giants, who have an opening for an assistant coach. Vancouver head coach Jason McKee spent 10 seasons with the Saints, and Ringrose was there for six of them.

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After a tough day following his initial stroke, hearing that ex Leaf  Bob McGill doing a little better in hospital.

— Lance Hornby (@sunhornby) June 1, 2017

Bob McGill, a former WHL defenceman, revealed via Twitter on Thursday morning that he has suffered a stroke. . . . Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun later reported that McGill “is in a Peterborough-area hospital after suffering a blood clot-related stroke.” According to Hornby, “McGill, 55, fell ill Wednesday at his cottage, according to friends. He tweeted about his condition early Thursday, wryly noting he ‘survived 705 NHL games and 190 fights, but in for my toughest fight now,’ while confirming the clot and the stroke.” . . . Later Thursday, Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star reported that McGill suffered two strokes — one at his cottage and another while in hospital. . . . McGill, a native of Leduc, Alta., played two seasons (1979-81) with the Victoria Cougars, totalling eight goals, 54 assists and 525 penalty minutes in 136 games. . . . The Toronto Maple Leafs selected him in the second round of the NHL’s 1980 draft. He went on to play 705 NHL games, splitting them between Toronto, the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders and Hartford Whalers. He finished his NHL career with 17 goals, 55 assists and 1,766 penalty minutes in 705 games. . . . McGill spent a lot of this season on the broadcast crew for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

BTW, if you want to contact me with some information or just feel like commenting on something, you may email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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The Swift Current Broncos have signed Dave Rathjen as their goaltending coach. Rathjen actually joined the Broncos late this season on an interim basis through the end of the playoffs. Rathjen is a former WHL goaltender, having played 11 games with the Tri-City Americans in 1997-98. . . . From Penticton, B.C., he owns and operates Above the Crease Goaltending LTD.

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DAVID WILKIE

Former WHL D David Wilkie has been named head coach of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. Wilkie played for the Lancers and was part of their championship team in 1990-91. . . . Wilkie, 43, has spent the past seven seasons coach with the Omaha AAA Hockey Club. Most recently, he has been its director of hockey operations and the head coach of the U-18 and U-16 teams. . . . Wilkie also has coaching experience as an assistant with the U of Nebraska-Omaha in 2007-08 and as head coach of the ECHL’s Augusta Lynx in 2002-03. . . . He split four WHL seasons (1990-94) between the Seattle Thunderbirds, Kamloops Blazers and Regina Pats. He was part of the Blazers’ 1992 Memorial Cup-winning team.

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Scott Atkinson is the new head coach of the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks. He also will work as the assistant general manager, alongside Troy Mick, the organization’s president and GM. . . . Atkinson, from Calgary, had been coaching at the Edge School in Calgary since 2009. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the U of Calgary Dinos in U Sports’ Canada West conference. He also spent 11 seasons as the head coach at Mount Royal College in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. . . . In Salmon Arm, he takes over from Misko Antisin, who stepped down at season’s end. Antisin started the season as the head coach of the Steamboat, Colo., Wranglers of the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League, but returned to Salmon Arm in November when head coach Brandon West was fired.

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Former NHL D Moe Mantha has signed on as the new general manager and head coach of the NAHL’s Brookings Blizzard. He replaces Dan Daikawa, the head coach for the past three seasons whose contract wasn’t renewed. . . . Mantha played 12 seasons in the NHL. He has coached with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and Saginaw Spirit. . . . This season, he coached the French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League while scouting for Saginaw.

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Thunderbirds bow out of Memorial Cup ... Sea Dogs win, 7-0 ... Love staying in Everett

F Radek Meidl (Seattle, Tri-City, 2006-08) has signed a one-year extension with Orlik Opole (Poland, PHL). This season, he had three goals and an assist in four games there. He began the season with Frydek-Mistek (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), scoring a goal and adding three assists in 27 games, before joining Dukla Trencin (Slovakia, Extraliga), where he had one assist in 10 games. . . .

F Cody Sylvester (Calgary, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2). This season, with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had nine goals and 20 assists in 50 games. . . .

F Stanislav Balán (Portland, 2005-06) has signed a one-year contract with Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). This season, he had a goal and an assist in 30 games with Vítkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Balán's contract has an option clause that extends it by one year should Karlovy Vary win promotion to Extraliga next season. . . .

F Dylan Wruck (Edmonton, 2008-13) has signed a one-year contract with Cologne (Germany, DEL). This season, with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL), he had eight goals and 16 assists in 52 games.

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Likely due to yesterday's event in Manchester, but increased security and bag checking at WFCU Centre in Windsor tonight.

— Loosepucks (@loosepucks) May 23, 2017

The WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds bowed out of the Memorial Cup tournament in Windsor, Ont., on Tuesday night after losing 7-0 to the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs. . . . The Thunderbirds lost all three of their games and were outscored 18-3 in the process. . . . While the Thunderbirds are finished, the Sea Dogs advanced to Friday’s semifinal where they will meet the loser of Wednesday’s game between the host Windsor Spitfires (2-0) and the OHL-champion Erie Otters (2-0). The winner moves on to Sunday’s final. . . . Without the need for a tiebreaker, Thursday is a day off, as is Saturday. . . . 

Last night, Seattle and Saint John played through a goalless first period before the Sea Dogs exploded for six goals in the second period. . . . F Joe Veleno opened the scoring at 1:14. The next five goals came in the span of 3:09, starting at 14:04. . . . Veleno finished with two goals and an assist, with F Bokondji Imama adding a goal and two assists. F Spencer Smallman, F Mathieu Joseph, D Chase Stewart and F Cole Reginato also had goals. . . . G Callum Booth recorded the shutout with 31 saves. . . . Seattle head coach Steve Konowalchuk went back to G Carl Stankowski after lifting him after he gave up three goals, in 38 seconds, on six shots to start Sunday’s 7-1 loss to the host Windsor Spitfires. Against Saint John, Stankowski was beaten four times on 14 shots in 34:57. Rylan Toth came off the bench to stop 11 of 14 shots. . . . Seattle was 0-2 on the PP; Saint John was 0-3. . . . 

Seattle made one lineup change, inserting F Luke Ormsby and scratching D Anthony Bishop. . . . The WHL champion now is 0-6 in the last two Memorial Cup tournaments, the Brandon Wheat Kings having gone 0-3 a year ago in Red Deer. . . . Announced attendance: 5,062.

Andy Eide of 710 ESPN Seattle has a game story right here.

Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun has a game story right here.

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The number of empty seats at Memorial Cup games in the WCFU Centre in Windsor, which has a capacity of 6,500, is becoming a story in its own right.

They haven’t come close to a sellout through five games in the four-team tournament, this despite the fact the host Spitfires are 2-0 and proving to be highly competitive. The announced attendances, in order, have been: 5,926, 5,259, 5,237, 5,114 and 5,062. Games 1 and 3 featured the Spitfires.

So where are the fans? Well, perhaps junior hockey fans have a problem paying $70 or more for a single ticket.

As pensionplanpuppets.com points out right here, the cheapest adult season-ticket for the Spitfires (34 games) could be had for $425, while the cheapest Memorial Cup pass (nine games) was $672.35, tax included.

The piece at pensionplanpuppets.com is headlined: I love you Memorial Cup, but we need to talk about ticket prices.

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The Prince George Cougars have signed F Tyson Phare to a WHL contract. Phare, from Maple Ridge, B.C., was the 18th overall selection in the 2017 bantam draft. He played this season with the Yale Hockey Academy Lions in Abbotsford, B.C., putting up 18 goals and 22 assists in 28 games.

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The Swift Current Broncos have signed F Ben King, who was the 13th overall selection in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. King, from Vernon, B.C., played this season with the Pursuit of Excellence’s bantam prep team, putting up 16 goals and 30 assists in 22 regular-season games.

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Matt Cockell, the Kootenay Ice’s new president and general manager, is getting settled in Cranbrook and has begun the work aimed at re-establishing the WHL franchise in the area. Cockell, 38, is a former WHL goaltender and is eager to get things rolling. Brad McLeod of the Cranbrook Townsman has a piece on Cockell right here.

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Chase Souto has been named assistant general manager of hockey operations for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings organization. Souto, who is from Yorba Linda, Calif., played four seasons (2010-14) with the Kamloops Blazers before his career was ended by concussion problems. . . . Souto, 22, has been coaching with the Jr. Kings for three seasons. With his new title, he also will work as an assistant coach with three teams from midget to pee wee. . . . There’s more on Souto and his new position right here.

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The Mississauga Steelheads, fresh off their first appearance in the OHL’s championship final, have parted company with general manager James Boyd. He told John Matisz of Postmedia that “we were unable to come to an agreement on a contract moving forward.” According to Matisz, Boyd said the parting was “amicable” and that the decision was “mutual.” . . . Boyd had been the Steelheads GM/head coach for five seasons (2011-16). Prior to this season, James Richmond stepped in as head coach, allowing Boyd to focus on the GM’s duties. On Tuesday, after Boyd’s departure was made public, the Steelheads announced that Richmond now is the GM and head coach, and that he had signed a five-year contract. . . . Boyd is expected to interview with the Ottawa 67’s, who are looking for a GM and head coach to replace Jeff Brown. . . . Matisz reported that assistant GM Jan Egert also is gone from Mississauga, his contract having expired. . . . Matisz’s story is right here.

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The U of Waterloo, Ont., Warriors have commitments from two players who finished up their junior eligibility this season in the WHL. . . . G Trevor Martin, who was with the Calgary Hitmen, and F Markson Bechtold, who finished the season with the Saskatoon Blades, both have chosen to attend Waterloo. . . . Martin, from Androssan, Alta., also played with the Saskatoon Blades and Red Deer Blades. He spent some time with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar this season before joining the Hitmen. . . . From Strathmore, Alta., Bechtold was dealt to the Blades by the Spokane Chiefs this season. In 231 career regular-season games, he had 38 goals and 62 assists. . . . Stick tap to Victor Findlay on the tweets about both players. He keeps tabs on the Canadian university hockey scene at @Finder_24.

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In the USHL, F Tyler Gratton scored at 11:30 of OT to give the visiting Chicago Steel a 2-1 victory over the Sioux City Musketeers in the final game of the championship series. The Steel won the best-of-five series, 3-2. . . . That goal was the first point in 14 playoff games for Gratton, a 17-year-old from Pottstown, Pa. . . . The Musketeers had a 46-25 edge in shots on goal. . . . Jay Varady, who is in his fourth season as the Musketeers’ director of hockey operations and head coach, spent eight seasons (2003-11) on the coaching staff of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. . . . Mark LeRose, in his third season as Sioux City’s GM, was an assistant coach in Everett for three seasons (2007-09, 2013-14).

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Mitch Love will be returning as an assistant coach with the Everett Silvertips, who introduced Dennis Williams, their new head coach, to their fans on Monday. Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald reported that Love’s signing to a two-year extension should be announced shortly. . . . Love played five seasons (2000-05) in the WHL, the last two with the Silvertips. He is heading into his sixth season on their coaching staff. He spent four seasons alongside head coach Kevin Constantine, whose contract wasn’t renewed after this season. . . . Geleynse also reported that the Silvertips will employ only one assistant coach this season, a decision having been made not to replace Brennan Sonne, now the head coach of the pro team in Angers, France. . . . Geleynse’s story is right here.

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The OHL’s Sudbury Wolves are in the market for a head coach after parting company with Dave Matsos on Tuesday. Matsos had been with the Wolves since 2013 when he was the associate coach. He took over as head coach in January 2015. Matsos had a year left on his contract when, according to a news release from the Wolves, the parties “mutually agreed to part ways.” . . . Rob Papineau, the Wolves’ vice-president of hockey operations and general manager, said in a news release: “We considered options on contract extensions but we were unable to come to an agreement moving forward.” . . . Assistant coach Barry Smith also is gone. He joined the Wolves in mid-November when assistant coach Drake Berehowsky left to take over as head coach of the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears.

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At my 150th consecutive #MCMemorialCup game tonight. Seattle's goalie was 2 months old when it started. #old pic.twitter.com/UMWLsFRtsI

— Terry Doyle (@Terry_Doyle) May 23, 2017

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Papirny, Gawdin, Kaspick off to AHL ... Three schools get coaches ... Broncos sign prospect

F Taylor Vause (Swift Current, 2007-12) has signed a one-year extension with the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he had 13 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. . . . 

F Jens Meilleur (Brandon, 2010-14) has signed a one-year extension with the Kassel Huskies (Germany, DEL2). This season, he had eight goals and 10 assists in 36 games. He started the season with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL), going pointless in four games. He was loaned to Bayreuth (Germany, DEL2), where he had two assists in seven games. On to Blue Devils Weiden (Germany, Oberliga), he was pointless in one game. He signed with Kassel on Nov. 18. Meilleur had played for Kassel each of the previous two seasons.
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The Swift Current Broncos have signed D Connor Horning to a WHL contract. From Kelowna, Horning was a third-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. Horning, who will turn 16 on May 11, had a goal and six assists in 22 games with the Pursuit of Excellent 18U prep team. He also was pointless in four games with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors.

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G Jordan Papirny of the Swift Current Broncos has signed an ATO with the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. . . . Papirny, who moved to the Broncos from the Brandon Wheat Kings in a January deal, completed his junior eligibility this season. Last season, he backstopped the Wheat Kings to a WHL title. . . . Here’s a note from pensionplanpuppets.com: “There’s no better place to start than the Toronto Marlies, and they may have some practice time opening up for (Papirny). With the Orlando Solar Bears losing their starting goalie Ryan Massa to a head injury after a line brawl, the Marlies could send Kasimir Kaskisuo back to Orlando to help out the Bears as they try to advance through the ECHL playoffs.”

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F Glenn Gawdin, the captain of the Swift Current Broncos, and F Tanner Kaspick of the Brandon Wheat Kings have signed ATOs with the Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. . . . Gawdin, who turned 20 on March 25, has played four seasons with the Broncos. This season, he had 26 goals and 33 assists in 52 games. He was a fourth-round selection by the Blues in the NHL’s 2015 draft. If they don’t sign him by June 1, he will be available in the 2017 NHL draft. . . . Kaspick, 19, was selected by the Blues in the fourth round in 2016 draft. This season, Kaspick had 19 goals and 26 assists in 49 games. . . . The Wolves are involved in the first round of the AHL playoffs. They trail the Charlotte Checkers 2-1 in a best-of-five series that continues tonight (Tuesday) in Rosemont, Ill.

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Team USA won the IIHF U-18 World Championship on Sunday, beating Finland, last year’s winner, 4-2 in the final at Poprad, Slovakia. It was Team USA’s third championship in four years and its seven in the past nine years. . . . At this point in 2017, the IIHF has had four world titles decided and the U.S. has won them all -- the World Junior, the World Women’s, the Women’s U-18 and now the Men’s U-18. . . . There’s more right here. . . . Russia won the bronze medal with a 3-0 victory over Sweden in Poprad. Russia’s roster included D Mark Rubinchik of the Saskatoon Blades. It was Russia’s first medal in the competition since it won bronzie in 2011. Rubinchik had two goals and four assists in six games. . . . In Spisska Nova Ves, Slovakia, Belarus won the best-of-three relegation series, 2-1, with a 3-1 victory over Latvia. D Vladislav Yeryomenko of the Calgary Hitmen had two goals and two assists in seven games with Belarus.

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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

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Sven Butenschon, a former Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman (1993-96), is expected to be named the fulltime head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds in Vancouver today. . . . Howard Tsumura of varsity letters.ca reported the story on Monday afternoon. . . . Butenschon, 41, moved up from assistant coach after UBC dropped head coach Adam Shell just prior to the start of last season. Under Butenschon, who was the program’s fourth head coach in as many seasons, the Thunderbirds went 12-13-3 and made the Canada West playoffs, where it was swept by the Calgary Dinos in a best-of-three first-round series. Game 1 went to triple OT.

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Mel Pearson has left Houghton-based Michigan Tech to take over as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, who play out of Ann Arbor. At Michigan, he will replace the legendary Red Berenson, 77, who stepped aside following the season. . . . Pearson had spent 23 seasons (1983-2011) with the Wolverines as an assistant/associate coach before leaving to take over the Michigan Tech program. . . . Pearson was 118-92-29 at Michigan Tech, including a 75-34-14 run over the past three seasons. He has twice been named WCHA coach of the year. . . . Pearson’s father, Mel, played with the Flin Flon Bombers (1955-57) when they were in the SJHL — he played for them when they won the 1957 Memorial Cup — and later coached the Bombers for one season (1974-75). The people of Flin Flon haven’t forgotten him, either, as they annually hold the Mel Pearson Memorial Tournament for novice players.

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Jason Lammers is the new head coach of the Niagara U Purple Eagles. He replaces Dave Burkholder, who was dropped on March 13. Lammers is the third head coach in the program’s 21 years. Burkholder had been the head coach since 2001. Lammers will step into his job following the completion of the USHL playoffs. He is the head coach of the Dubuque, Iowa, Fighting Saints, who are involved in the second round of playoffs.

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Had to tell this reader that the story he hated ran online only. Bird will have to poop directly on the laptop. pic.twitter.com/JwaUNZWHac

— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) April 24, 2017

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MONDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)

Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 1-1)

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Steel sparks Pats past Broncos ... 'Canes, Tigers set for Game 7 ... Iverson off to AHL

I can’t remember the last time ticket scalpers, of the Internet or street-corner variety, were interested in a WHL game but that was the case Monday in Regina prior to the Pats meeting the Swift Current Broncos in Game 7 of an Eastern Conference second-round series. When I asked columnist Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post when was the last time that had happened, he responded: “I can’t recall a precedent for that.”

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The Broncos went into Game 6 on Saturday night with a 3-2 series lead over the visiting Pats. The Broncos then went on to build up a 3-1 lead in Game 6. However, the Pats scored the last four goals in that one, for a 5-3 victory, then opened Game 7 in Regina on Monday by scoring the first four goals en route to a 5-1 victory.

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Regina hadn’t played host to a Game 7 in 45 years. In 1972, the Pats beat the visiting Flin Flon Bombers, 3-2, in Game 7 to win a first-round series, 3-2-2. That was an eight-point series — the first team to eight points won — and there wasn’t any OT. . . . According to Pats historian Kevin Shaw, this also was the first time in franchise history that the Pats had won a series after trailing 3-1. The Pats are the oldest junior franchise in existence.

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F Adam Brooks was on the Pats’ bench for a third straight game Monday, and for a third straight game he didn’t get on the ice. Brooks, who put up 250 points over the past two regular seasons, injured a knee in Game 2 of the second-round series. He is in his final junior season, and it had to provide motivation for his teammates to have him there. You know that teammates would look down the bench, see Brooks and think: “We don’t want his season to end like this.” . . . Now we will have to wait and see if he’ll be able to play in the Eastern Conference final.

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A memorial was built, a winning team was iced and our town rallied behind @SCBroncos in a way many haven't seen in their life. Good year.

— Ryan Swïtzer (@ryan_switzer) April 18, 2017

The Broncos may have bowed out in the second round but you can bet that the community-owned team’s board of directors will look at this as a successful season. They got six home playoff dates and that will make a huge difference to their bottom line, likely guaranteeing a profit for the 2016-17 season. That’s rather important for the team that plays in the 60-team CHL’s smallest market.

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If you have info you would like to share or just a general comment, send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Tigers are in Medicine Hat for their own Game 7 tonight. The Hurricanes needed seven games to get past the Red Deer Rebels in the first round, while the Tigers were sweeping the Brandon Wheat Kings. The Hurricanes scratched five regulars — D Calen Addison, F Matt Alfaro, F Zane Franklin, F Ryan Vandervlis and F Zak Zborosky — from Game 6 so you’re free to wonder if/when fatigue sets in. . . . “There’s times that I expected them to look a little more tired than they have,” Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM and head coach, told Sean Rooney of the Medicine Hat News. “What (Tyler) Wong and (Giorgio) Estephan have done this series has been unbelievable, it’s been spectacular. They’ve played an absolute ton every night, almost like two lines. Now the challenge is can they keep it going? So far they’ve been very effective at doing that. We have to expect them to be able to do that again and match it.”

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While flipping channels last night, I happened to hear the first two rules of baseball, according to Chicago White Sox broadcaster Ken (Hawk) Harrelson: “First rule. Not hitting, not pitching or anything. You got to catch the ball. Can’t give that other team 28, 29, 30 outs when you’re getting 27. The next rule in baseball is don’t mess with Joe West.”

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With the visiting Washington Capitals and Toronto headed to OT on Monday night, Bryce Thoma, an assistant coach with the Saskatoon Blades, picked Tyler Bozak to win it for the Maple Leafs. Bingo! Bozak’s goal gave Toronto a 4-3 victory. . . . That came one day after Thoma picked Ottawa D Dion Phaneuf to score in OT against the visiting Boston Bruins. Bingo!! Phaneuf won that one. . . . Thoma was last seen headed for a lottery kiosk.

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You are aware, of course, that the Toronto Maple Leafs have as many victories in these playoffs (2) as the Toronto Blue Jays have in the 2017 regular season.

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You are aware, too, that Canadian teams now are 8-7 in the NHL playoffs, which comes after starting 0-5. Canadian teams also are leading in four series. Sorry, NBC-TV. . . . OK. You may have seen that coming. But no way you saw Dart Man as a first-round star.

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F Axel Blomqvist (Lethbridge, Victoria, Moose Jaw, 2012-15) has signed a one-year contract with Osby (Sweden, Division 2). This season, he had two goals in six games with the Tulsa Oilers (ECHL); went pointless in seven games with Södertälje (Sweden, Allsvenskan); and had a goal and two assists in seven games with Kristianstad (Sweden, Division 1).

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F Keegan Iverson of the Portland Winterhawks has joined the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Iverson, who played out his junior eligibility this season, had 70 points, including 26 goals, in 55 regular-season games with Portland. In five seasons with the Winterhawks, he had 80 goals and 110 assists in 293 games. He also may be the only player in WHL history to have played at least one playoff game in six consecutive seasons. . . . Iverson, from St. Louis Park, Minn., was selected by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2014 NHL draft but never signed.

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Two days after being named to Team Canada’s roster, F Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks scored twice and added an assist in a 7-3 victory over Switzerland at the IIHF U-17 World Championship in Poprad, Slovakia, on Monday. Glass and the Winterhawks were eliminated from the WHL playoffs on Friday in Kelowna; he was added to Team Canada’s roster on Saturday morning. . . . F Stelio Mattheos of the Brandon Wheat Kings also scored for Canada, giving him at least a goal in three straight games. F Tate Olson of the Tri-City Americans scored for Canada, too. . . . Finland (3-0-0-0) leads Group A with nine points. Canada (2-1-0-0) is second, with eight. Teams get three points for a regulation victory, two for an OT victory and one for an OT loss. . . . Canada meets Finland today as the round-robin portion of the tournament ends.

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It was like dominoes falling in the OHL on Monday. . . . The Sudbury Wolves announced that Barclay Branch had stepped down as general manager. Later in the day, he was named vice-president of hockey operations and general manager of the Flint Firebirds. . . . In Flint, Branch replaces George Burnett as GM. You may recall that the OHL sent Burnett into Flint a year ago to, according to an OHL news release, “re-establish the team both on and off the ice.” . . . Later on Monday, Burnett was named GM and head coach of the Guelph Storm and, to complete the circle, Rob Papineau now is the GM in Sudbury. . . . There’s more on these announcements at ontariohockeyleague.com.

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Reports late Monday night indicated that Grant Potulny, an assistant coach with the Minnesota Gophers, will be introduced today as the head coach of the Northern Michigan Wildcats. Potulny, 37, is from Grand Forks, N.D., and is a cousin to former Portland Winterhawks F Paul Gaustad. . . . Potulny played four seasons at Minnesota, then went on to a pro career that ended after the 2008-09 season. He has been on staff at Minnesota for eight seasons and also has twice been an assistant coach with USA Hockey’s national junior team. . . . At Northern Michigan, he will take over from Walt Kyle, whose contract wasn’t renewed after 15 seasons there.

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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.

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Just the most inspiring thing I've seen in forever: @NHL legend Bobby Carpenter pushing @dlaing14 across the #BostonMarathon finish line. pic.twitter.com/iekFNuQybp

— Lisa Altobelli (@Lisa_Altobelli) April 17, 2017

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MONDAY’S GAME:

The #Regina #Pats charge on to the ice to celebrate their Game 7 victory of a #WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series. pic.twitter.com/6dtI4h9Wce

— Darren Steinke (@StanksSports) April 18, 2017

At Regina, the Swift Current Broncos didn’t have an answer for the Man of Steel as the Pats posted a 5-1 victory in Game 7 of a second-round series. . . . The Pats will open the Eastern Conference final at home on Friday night. The opponent will be the winner of tonight’s Game 7 between the host Medicine Hat Tigers and Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Regina hasn’t been in the conference final since the spring of 1993. . . . Regina F Sam Steel, the WHL’s reigning scoring champ, went into last night with three goals and six assists in the first six games against the Broncos. He gave the Pats a 1-0 lead at 2:19 of the first period and made it 3-0 at 9:19 of the second period, with his seventh goal of these playoffs. Both of last night’s goals came on rebounds. . . . In between, F Filip Ahl added his second goal, at 4:57 of the first period, scoring on a breakaway after two Broncos defencemen collided at their blue line. . . . F Austin Wagner increased Regina’s lead to 4-0 at 15:36 of the second. . . . Trailing 4-0 and on the PP with six minutes left in the third period, the Broncos pulled G Jordan Papirny for an extra attacker and F Conner Chaulk (2) got them on the scoreboard at 14:33. . . . Shortly after, the Pats took another penalty and Papirny was back on the bench. This time, Wagner scored a shorthanded goal into the empty net. He’s got 10 goals now. . . . The Pats got three assists from D Connor Hobbs, with Ahl adding an assist to his goal. . . . The Broncos were without F Lane Pederson for a second straight game. . . . Swift Current was 1-6 on the PP; Regina was 0-5. . . . The Pats got 23 saves from G Tyler Brown, while Papirny blocked 38. . . . Papirny ended his career with a combined 159 regular-season (119) and playoff (40) victories. That is believed to be second in WHL history, behind Mac Carruth, who put up 166 (117 and 49) victories with the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Papirny recorded 145 victories with the Brandon Wheat Kings, who dealt him to the Broncos in January. . . . G Tyson Sexsmith is believed to hold the WHL record for regular-season victories, having put up 120 with the Vancouver Giants. He also had 30 playoff victories. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484, the 20th sellout of this season in Regina.

Job well done @WHLPats As much as it hurts to see the @SCBroncos run end, u deserve a stick tap for handling adversity very well. Good luck!

— Liam Choo-Foo (@lchoo65) April 18, 2017

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TUESDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 3-3)

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Broncos, Pats going to Game 7 ... Wagner big for Regina ... Mattheos sparks Canada

@thewhl all going according to plan. No suspension for 27Pats, scores 2 goals. Your master plan is working so far.

— Bryce Martin (@84brycemartin) April 16, 2017

The WHL chose not to suspend F Austin Wagner of the Regina Pats after he took a kneeing major and game misconduct in Game 5 of their series with the Swift Current Broncos on Friday night. That means Wagner was in the lineup last night for Game 6 in Swift Current. . . . Oh, was he! . . . He had two goals and an assist, and was named the game’s first star, as the Pats posted a 5-3 victory and tied the second-round series, 3-3. . . . One night earlier, Wagner had been tossed at 8:52 of the third period after hitting Broncos F Ryley Lindgren. . . . Lindgren went down and left the ice, but returned a couple of minutes later.

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The Pats also had F Adam Brooks dressed for a second straight game. Brooks, who suffered a knee injury in Game 2, didn’t play even one shift in Game 5 on Friday and didn’t get on the ice in Game 6, either. . . . So why was he in uniform? Brooks, who is in his final season of junior eligibility, had a brilliant career with Regina — he put up 250 points over the past two seasons and won last season’s scoring title. The Pats went into Friday trailing 3-2 in the series and John Paddock, the Pats’ general manager and head coach, felt that if they were to be eliminated, Brooks deserved to be in uniform for the end of his junior career. . . . Brooks isn't expected to play on Monday, either.

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The Swift Current Broncos were without F Lane Pederson as they met the visiting Regina Pats in Game 6 of their series last night. Pederson left Game 5 in the first period after taking a check from Regina F Dawson Leedahl. . . . F Logan Barlage went into the spot created by Pederson’s absence.

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The Broncos and Pats will play Game 7 in Regina on Monday night. Don’t forget that the Broncos have already played in a Game 7 on the road in these playoffs. They went into Moose Jaw and beat the Warriors, 3-2, on April 3. . . . In fact, the Broncos are 4-3 on the road in these playoffs.

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According to Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, F Reid Gardiner’s six-point outing on Friday night was a franchise playoff single-game record. . . . Gardiner had four goals and two assists in a 6-2 victory over the visiting Portland Winterhawks. . . . Bartel didn’t indicate who held the previous record. . . . BTW, Gardiner has two hat tricks in these playoffs, both of them in series-clinching victories.

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The WHL has lost two of its division winners, and the other two are hanging on. . . . The Regina Pats, who won the East Division and finished atop the overall standings, now are tied 3-3 with the Swift Current Broncos. They’ll play Game 7 in Regina on Monday. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers, who were first in the Central Division, face elimination tonight when they meet the host Lethbridge Hurricanes, who lead the series, 3-2. A seventh game would be played Tuesday in The Hat. . . . The Prince George Cougars, who won the B.C. Division by a point over the Kelowna Rockets, were eliminated in the first round. . . . The Everett Silvertips, who finished first in the U.S. Division by two points over Seattle, were swept by the Thunderbirds on Friday night.

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The Western Conference final, featuring the Rockets and Thunderbirds, will open with games Friday and Saturday in Kent, Wash. . . . The Eastern Conference final also is expected to begin on Friday. Who and where has yet to be determined.

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The Anaheim Ducks got a couple of breaks in their 3-2 victory over the visiting Calgary Flames on Saturday and that’s enough to think they just may win the Stanley Cup. . . . The Flames had a goal disallowed on video review and the winning goal bounced off Calgary F Lance Bouma, who was 20 feet from the Flames’ net.

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Of course, you are aware that Anaheim now has won 29 straight home games — regular season and playoff — from Calgary. Is that the whackiest streak in sports today? . . . At one point last night, the Anaheim crowd was chanting: “You can’t win here.” . . . Hard to argue with that.

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F Stelio Mattheos scored in OT to give Team Canada a 4-3 victory over Slovakia at the IIHF U-18 World Championship in Poprad, Slovakia, on Saturday. Mattheos, who plays for the Brandon Wheat Kings, had two goals in the game, the second coming at 2:38 of OT. . . . F Kyle Olson of the Tri-City Americans also scored for Canada, which got 26 saves from G Ian Scott of the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Finland (2-0-0-0) leads Group A with six points, while Canada (1-1-0-0) is a point behind. In IIHF events, teams get three points for a regulation victory, two for an OT victory, one for an OT loss and nothing for a regulation loss. . . . Team Canada next plays Monday when it meets Switzerland. On Tuesday, Canada will face Finland in its final round-robin game.

Meanwhile, Hockey Canada has added F Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks to its roster. Glass, who will be an early first-round selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft, had 94 points, 32 of them goals, in 69 regular-season games with the Portland Winterhawks this season.

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Croatian head coach Enio Sacilotto

Former Spokane Chiefs F Liam Stewart is on the roster of Great Britain’s team that will play in the IIHF World Championship (Division 1, Group B) in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from April 23-29. . . . This will be Stewart’s first appearance at a world tournament. He was selected to Great Britain’s team two years but couldn’t play due to injury. . . . Stewart, now 24, played four seasons (2011-15) with Spokane. This season, the son of rocker Rod Stewart and actress/model Rachel Hunter played in Great Britain for the Coventry Blaze. He had 20 points, including nine goals, in 49 games. . . . The Croatian team that will play in Belfast is coached by Enio Sacilotto, the director of prospect development for the WHL’s Victoria Royals. . . . The tournament also features teams from the Netherlands, Japan, Estonia and Lithuania. Croatia and Great Britain open the tournament by facing each other on April 23.

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MORE ON THE MOVE: According to Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald, G Carter Hart of the Everett Silvertips will be joining the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers. He was a second-round selection by the Flyers in the 2016 NHL draft. Hart signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Flyers in October.

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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.

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Being in this rink brings back so many great memories of road trips with @gdrinnan. pic.twitter.com/cLaAfhd69g

— Rob Vanstone (@robvanstone) April 16, 2017

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SATURDAY’S GAME:

45 years ago tomorrow - the last time the @WHLPats played a Game 7 at home. The 1971-72 Pats defeated Flin Flon 3 games to 2 with 2 ties.

— Kevin ShaWWWWWWW (@theblueliner) April 16, 2017

At Swift Current, Regina linemates Filip Ahl, Wyatt Sloboshan and Austin Wagner each had three points

AUSTIN WAGNER

as the Pats beat the Broncos, 5-3. . . . The Pats, who scored the game’s last four goals as they erased a 3-1 deficit, have won two in a row to tie the series, 3-3. . . . They’ll decide it Monday in Regina. . . . One night earlier, the Pats stayed alive with a 3-2 home-ice victory in Game 5. . . . Last night, Wagner finished with two goals and an assist, while Sloboshan and Ahl each had a goal and two helpers. Each finished plus-4. . . . Sloboshan is the centre on that line, filling the spot that normally belongs to the injured Adam Brooks. . . . Wagner gave the Pats a 1-0 lead at 7:24 of the first period. . . . D Artyom Minulin (2) pulled the Broncos into a 1-1 tie at 11:41. . . . Swift Current appeared to take control with two early second-period goals, F Arthur Miller getting his first playoff goal at 0:29 and F Glenn Gawdin (6) scoring at 2:27. . . . Regina got back into it with two goals in the last 1:30 of the second period. . . . D Josh Mahura (2), who was plus-5, got the Pats to within a goal at 18:36. . . . Sloboshan (2) tied it at 19:35. . . . Wagner’s eighth playoff goal, coming at 1:15 of the third period, proved to be the winner. . . . Ahl’s first playoff goal provided insurance at 5:48. . . . Regina D Sergey Zborovskiy had an assist and was plus-5. . . . Gawdin added two assists to his goal, while Miller also had an assist. . . . Regina G Tyler Brown stopped 34 shots, 11 more than the Broncos’ Jordan Papirny. . . . Regina was 0-2 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-3. . . . Announced attendance: 2,890. Tickets went on sale Saturday morning and the game was sold out in eight minutes. . . . Darren Steinke, the Travellin’ Blogger, was there and his blog post is right here. . . . Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post was there, too, and his story is right here.

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SUNDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 6 p.m. (Lethbridge leads, 3-2)

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MONDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m. (Series tied, 3-3)

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.