Two Giants facing charges

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Bernhard Keil (Kamloops, 2010-11) has signed for the rest of this season with Red Bull Munich (Germany, DEL).
———
Vancouver radio station CKNW reported Friday night that two veteran players with the Vancouver Giants — F Jackson Houck and D Brett Kulak — are facing criminal charges stemming from an Aug. 18 house party in Delta. B.C. According to CKNW, the players, who continue to play with the Giants, have already made three court appearances. . . . Kulak leads the Giants in points (20), while Houck has a team-high eight goals. . . . The Giants, who were idle last night, are at home to the Prince George Cougars tonight. . . . The CKNW report is right here.
———
On Wednesday night, F Brandon Baddock of the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings left Victoria Royals D Keegan Kanzig woozy and wobbly following a late second-period fight. (Kanzig was scratched from Victoria's game with the host Seattle Thunderbirds last night.)
Which got me to wondering what the numbers are looking like, so I scurried over to hockeyfights.com and checked things out.
According to hockeyfights.com, in 2011-12, there were 790 fights during the WHL's regular season.
In 2012-13, there were 666 fights during the WHL's regular season, a decrease of 15.7 per cent.
This season, through Friday's action, there have been 206 fights in 217 games, leaving the WHL on a 752-fight pace. If that plays out, it would be a 12.9 per cent increase over last season.
———
Brent Sapergia, who played with the Saskatoon Blades and Medicine Hat Tigers (1979-81), got caught up in a drug ring and found himself in a New York court room last month. . . . The New York Post story is right here. . . . And right here is a story from the Winnipeg Free Press.
———
A fourth former NFL player has demonstrated signs of CTE. Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Mark Duper confirmed it to CBS Sports on Friday. That story is right here.
———
Elliotte Friedman's weekly column — 30 Thoughts — is right here. At the end of it, he writes:
"Here are the eight NHL teams to watch for my Nov. 1 stat, ie. if you're four points out of the playoffs after games on that date, you are in a brutal spot to make it. The teams: Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia and Winnipeg (five points back), Calgary (7), Florida (8), Buffalo and Edmonton (11). Some of you think the new format will change things. We'll all find out together."
I don't know if Friedman's theory applies to the WHL and its 72-game regular season, but if it does only the Kamloops Blazers, Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge Hurricanes were at least four points out of the playoffs after Friday's games. The Blazers were four points out in the Western Conference; the Warriors were four points back in the Eastern Conference, with the Hurricanes 13 off the pace.
———
The Vancouver Giants won't have D Dalton Thrower, their captain, in the lineup tonight when they play host to the Prince George Cougars. According to Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province:
"The Giants aren't saying what's wrong with the Montreal Canadiens prospect, but Thrower took a blindside hit to the head from Edmonton Oil Kings winger Mitch Moroz behind the Vancouver net on the first shift of the third period in Tuesday's 3-0 home side defeat at the Coliseum.
"Thrower stayed down for a time, but went to the bench without assistance and remained in the game. He later challenged Moroz to a fight. Moroz declined and Thrower was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
"Moroz didn't get a penalty for the check.
"Thrower did suffer a concussion last season while with the Saskatoon Blades, the result of a fight in practice in early November. He ended up missing 11 games."
Ewen's story is right here.
Meanwhile, the WHL injury list shows Vancouver F Rob Trzonkowski as being out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury. However, the team's stats page has an 'x' beside his name, indicating that he no longer is with the team. Trzonkowski, 19, had one point, a goal, in three games.
———
The Regina Pats have dealt G Teagan Sacher, 19, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a fifth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. Sacher, from Winnipeg, played 26 games with the Pats last season (8-13-2, 3.87, .883), but was limited to two games this season because of injury. Sacher left the Pats on Oct. 15  with the team stating that he was going to "pursue academic interests at the University of Winnipeg." . . . Sacher is to join the Hurricanes before they play in Brandon on Monday. . . . The Hurricanes have two goaltenders on their roster -- Corbin Boes, 20, and Christopher Tai, who turns 18 on Dec. 1. They also are working to trade D Ryan Pilon, 17, who has left the team and is at home awaiting a deal.
———
FRIDAY:
In Moose Jaw, F Nate Burns had a goal and two assists as the Saskatoon Blades opened a 4-0 lead and hung on to beat the Warriors, 4-3. . . . The Warriors are 0-5-3 on home ice since beating the Vancouver Giants 2-1 on Oct. 5. . . . Saskatoon F Nikita Scherback had two assists as he ran his point streak to 13 games. The Russian freshman has 11 goals and 10 assists over that stretch. . . . Saskatoon D David Nemecek was bleeding and went to the dressing room after a third-period scrap with Moose Jaw D Jesse Forsberg. . . .

In Brandon, F Jake DeBrusk enjoyed a four-point second period to help the Swift Current Broncos dump the Wheat Kings, 6-3. . . . A freshman, DeBrusk went into the game with six points in 20 games. . . . Swift Current has won six in a row, while Brandon has dropped two straight, both at home. . . . The Broncos erased a 2-1 first-period deficit with five straight goals, four of them in the second period. . . . Swift Current D Jordan Harris, 17, scored his first WHL goal in his 38th game. He played 17 games with the Prince George Cougars last season. The Cougars selected the Prince Albert native with the 10th pick of the 2011 bantam draft. . . . With G Curtis Honey hurt, Brandon G Jordan Papirny made his fourth consecutive start. Honey was on the bench, though. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 19 shots to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 3-0 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Bartosak has one shut out this season and seven in his career. . . . It was School Spirit Night, and attendance was 2,908. . . . The Rebels snapped a three-game losing skid. They are 2-3-0 on a six-game road swing that ends tonight in Lethbridge. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Mitch Holmberg became the WHL's first 20-goal scorer this season as he led the Spokane Chiefs to a 6-2 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Holmberg scored three times, giving him 22 goals, and added an assist. He leads the WHL in goals and points (49). . . . Holmberg's first goal tied the game 2-2 and his second gave his side a 3-2 lead. It stood up as the winner, giving him a league-high six GWG this season. . . . There were three fights in the game's first eight minutes. . . . The Hurricanes now have lost eight straight. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Cole Sanford scored twice and added an assist to lead the Tigers to a 5-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Sanford has 12 goals in 18 games this season. He had two goals in 53 games last season. . . . Tigers F Trevor Cox, who chipped a front tooth in his previous game and posted a 'Sorry, Mom' photo on Twitter, had three assists. . . . Raiders F Shane Danyluk drew a cross-checking major and game misconduct for a hit on Sanford late in the third period. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game's last five goals and beat the Prince George Cougars, 5-2. . . . The Cougars led 2-0 late in the second period and took a 2-1 edge into the third. . . . Kelowna held a 51-28 shot advantage, including 19-5 in the second period. . . . F Todd Fiddler, 20, played his first game with the Cougars after being acquired from the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .

In Everett, G Daniel Cotton stopped 14 shots for the shutout as the Silvertips beat the Tri-City Americans, 2-0. . . . Everett held a 35-14 edge in shots. . . . Cotton has two shutouts this season and four in his career. . . . He is the go-to guy in Everett as Austin Lotz rehabs an ankle injury. . . . The second intermission was extended by about 45 minutes when a pink breast cancer awareness logo came through the ice and got caught by a Zamboni. . . . The Americans were missing F Ty Comrie, F Marcus Messier, F Philip Tot and F Taylor Vickerman. . . . Tri-City, which had won six of seven, has been blanked twice this season, both times by Everett. . . .

In Kamloops, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored four times in 4:20 early in the second period en route to a 5-0 victory over the Blazers. . . . Edmonton G Tyler Santos posted his first WHL victory and shutout in his third start. . . . Tristan Jarry, the Oil Kings' No. 1 goaltender, has posted two straight shutouts. Overall, the Oil Kings are riding a shutout streak of 228 minutes 10 seconds. . . . The Oil Kings have won four in a row and seven of eight. . . . Edmonton F Brandon Ralph, from Fort McMurray, Alta., scored twice, his first two WHL goals coming in his seventh game. . . . Santos, a 19-year-old from Edmonton, finished with 33 saves, including turning aside freshman F Eric Krienke on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Santos also has stopped Kootenay F Sam Reinhart on a penalty shot this season. . . .

In Kent, Wash, G Coleman Vollrath stopped 43 shots to spark the Victoria Royals to a 5-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . At one point in the second period, Seattle held a 20-5 edge in shots and was trailing 2-0. . . . F Tyler Soy, the eighth overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft, had a goal, his fourth, and two assists for the Royals. . . . D Shea Theodore scored all three Seattle goals.
———





From Hecklers Row (@Hecklers_Row): "half way threw the first and the chiefs coach has already yelled at us, love it @WHLHurricanes @Jordancjoc @CanesCast"
———
From ESPN's John Buccigross (@Buccigross): "University of Minnesota women's hockey team (11-0-0, 9-0-0 WCHA) recorded its 60th-straight victory with a 4-1 win over St. Cloud State"
———
From Iain MacIntyre (@imacVanSun) of the Vancouver Sun: "Once asked Alex Edler how he treats himself at dinner out. 'Maybe have french fries instead of a baked potato.' Look out, LA!"

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.

1. F Ryan Gropp, the sixth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, won't make his WHL debut in his hometown of Kamloops tonight (Wednesday) as the Seattle Thunderbirds meet the Blazers. Gropp left the BCHL's Penticton Vees to join the Thunderbirds on Tuesday, also giving up his commitment to the U of North Dakota in the process. He had said he would attend UND in the fall of 2014.
Mark Hunter of the Kamloops Daily News reports that "because of paperwork issues involved with playing for a team based in the U.S., Gropp can’t play in tonight’s game, and might not even make it into the lineup until next week."
Gropp has a late 1996 birthday (Sept. 16, one day after the NHL draft cutoff) and is projected as an early selection in the NHL's 2015 draft. He had eight points, three of them goals, in 10 games with the Vees this season, after putting up 31 points, including 12 goals, in 50 games last season.
If you have paid attention to the Gropp saga, you won't have been surprised by his decision. He didn't commit to UND until earlier this summer. Obviously, then, there have been some doubts in his mind, and you can bet that he has been hearing from Seattle freshman F Mathew Barzal, the first overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft who has put up 14 points in his first 10 WHL games, and good friend Joe Hicketts, the sophomore defenceman with the Victoria Royals. Barzal leads the Thunderbirds, who are 8-2-0, in assists (11) and points (14).

2. Chris Peters, the editor of the United States of Hockey, also writes for cbssports.com. In his latest essay, he makes a strong case that the time has come to stop the fighting. The final straw as far as Peters is concerned? The horrible incident in the USHL on Saturday night. . . . Peters' piece is right here.

3. League of Denial, the documentary that aired last week on Frontline, created quite a stir. Of course, there was quite a stir weeks before it aired when ESPN moved to distance itself from the show. Robert Lipsyte is ESPN's ombudsman; if you aren't aware of him, he also is a wonderful writer. Right here, he takes a look at all that went on from start to finish and then some.

4. Another note from a WHL fan about the league's decision not to print a Guide this season:
"I couldn't agree more with you and the others about the lack of a WHL Guide this year. As someone who lives on the U.S. East Coast and listens to games over the Internet, it has been absolutely indispensable. I can't fathom the short-sightedness of the people who manage the league."

5. It was early this year when Brent Sutter, the owner, GM and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, told Jason Gregor of the Edmonton Journal: "You just don’t have as many players today that are as good athletes as they used to be. Too much today, especially in young players, is focused on hockey 12 months a year. They don’t play soccer, they don’t play baseball or tennis or the other things that people used to do.” . . . It turns out there are a whole lot of one-sport athletes out there and it seems to be causing a bunch of problems. The headline reads: Injuries exploding as youths focus on one sport. . . . Ron Kroichick's story from sfgate.com is right here.




The Swift Current Broncos have released F Jordan Wittman, 17, from their roster and he will join the SJHL's Kindersley Klippers. A third-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, Wittman, from Stewart Valley, Sask., had yet to play in a regular-season game, after putting up two points in six preseason games. . . .
The Regina Pats have added G Mac Engel, 20, to their roster after G Teagan Sacher, who turns 19 on Dec. 1, left the team to attend the U of Winnipeg. . . . Sacher, who is from Winnipeg, has had an undisclosed injury and played in just two games. Last season, in 26 games, he was 8-13-2, 3.87, .883. . . . Engel was claimed off waivers from the Prince George Cougars. He has career numbers of 52-51-14, 2.91, .894 in 135 games with the Spokane Chiefs and Prince George. . . . Engel's arrival leaves the Pats with three 20-year-olds, the others being F Boston Leier and F Dyson Stevenso. . . . Regina's roster includes two other goaltenders — Dawson MacAuley and Spencer Tremblay, both 18. . . .
The visiting Prince Albert Raiders and the Edmonton Oil Kings were 1:26 into the first period at Rexall Place last night when the lights went out. They stayed out for almost two hours, with play resuming at 9 p.m. . . . Naturally, the game went all the way to a shootout after Prince Albert F Reid Gardiner tied it at 2 with 16.6 seconds left in the third period. . . . In the end, Raiders G Cole Cheveldave stopped 37 shots and three more in the circus, helping his side to a 3-2 victory.

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.

Game called because of . . . fog!

A bear peeks over a ridge just off Shuswap Road east of Kamloops on Saturday evening.
Unfortunately, all I had with me was my BlackBerry Bold.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Robin Kovar (Vancouver, Regina, 2001-04) signed a one-year contract with the Manchester Phoenix (England, Premier). He had 26 goals and 17 assists in 49 games with Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) last season. The English Premier League opens their regular season Saturday, Sept. 14.
———
The Regina Pats are down to two goaltenders after releasing Adam Beukeboom, 19, on Saturday. . . . Beukeboom, from Sundre, Alta., played 19 games with Regina in 2011-12 and spent last season with the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons. . . . His release leaves Regina with Teagan Sacher and Dawson MacAuley, both 1994-born players, as its two goaltenders.
———
The Medicine Hat Tigers were leading the visiting Swift Current Broncos 3-2 after one period on Saturday night when officials chose to call the game for, according to the WHL website, “player safety (fog).” . . .  The game was being played at the Kinplex in Medicine Hat. This was the only home game the Tigers scheduled for this exhibition season.
———
F Adam Rossignol had three assists Saturday as the Portland Winterhawks, the WHL’s defending champions, wrapped up their exhibition season with a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds at the Tri-City Americans’ tournament in Kennewick, Wash. . . . The Winterhawks finished the preseason at 3-2; the Thunderbirds are 4-1. . . . Portland opens its regular season at home on Sept. 20 when it hoists its championship banners before a game against the Prince George Cougars.
———
F Rourke Chartier, who took a headshot from Kamloops Blazers F Devin Oakes on Friday night, had a goal and two assists Saturday as the host Kelowna Rockets beat the Vancouver Giants, 6-1. . . . Oakes drew one of those TBA suspensions from the WHL office so, for starters, he won’t play Sunday against the Giants in Burnaby’s Bill Copeland Arena. . . . Chartier played with a full cage to protect a small cut near his right eye. . . . Kelowna F Tyson Baillie also had a goal and two helpers. He’s got eight points in four games. . . . The Rockets finished the preseason at 3-1.
———
In Prince George, the Cougars improved to 4-0 with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. Freshman F Jansen Harkins had an assist for the Cougars; he’s got nine points in four games and is tied with Everett F Manraj Hayer atop the preseason scoring leaderboard.
———
In another game in Kennewick, the Everett Silvertips got past the Kootenay Ice 8-6 to improve to 5-0. . . . F Manraj Hayer had two goals and an assist for Everett. . . . The Silvertips have outscored the opposition, 27-15.
———

Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reports that Barry Smith, who played more than four seasons (1975-80) for the AHL’s Rochester Americans “died on Saturday of an apparent heart attack in Tennessee, where he had made his home for two decades. He was 58.” . . . Smith was from Surrey, B.C., and played five seasons (1970-75) in the WHL, when it was the Western Canada Hockey League. He played one season with the Estevan Bruins, 71 games over two seasons with the Vancouver Nats, and 162 with the New Westminster Bruins over three seasons. . . . Oklobzija has more right here.
———






From Elliott Pap (@ElliottPap) of the Vancouver Sun: “Jackson Houck, Oiler prospect and VanGiant, appears ok after being hit from behind and leaving prospects game vs Jets. Has 3 facial cuts.”
———
From Regan Bartel (@Reganrant), the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets: “Some fans here at Prospera Place in mid season form by leaving early. That ten minute trip back home is a killer.”
———
From Medicine Hat Tigers F Chad Labelle (@chad_labelle): “Broken glass in warmy, o canada sung by the crowd, game fogged out after first #SeriesOfUnfortunateEvents”


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.

F Shane McColgan of the Saskatoon Blades returned home Wednesday after suffering a suspected concussion on Tuesday night during the Blades 5-2 loss to the Royals in Victoria. . . . McColgan was injured when he fell and struck his head on the ice after colliding with Victoria F Luke Harrison in the second period. . . . McColgan won’t play Friday in Kamoops or Saturday in Kelowna. . . . The Blades also have lost F Nick Zajac, who took a hit from behind from Victoria D Tyler Stahl. Zajac is day-to-day with — wait for it — an upper body injury. Stahl has drawn one of those tbd suspensions. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix also reports that D Matthew Pufahl is skating but his status for Friday is up in the air. Pufahl suffered an undisclosed injury Friday in Prince George. Cougars F Caleb Belter drew a three-game suspension for the hit on Pufahl. . . .
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Mark McNeill broke a 2-2 tie at 15:57 of the third period as the Prince Albert Raiders beat the Warriors, 3-2. . . .The Raiders led 2-0 late in the second period when the Warriors got back in it on F Sam Fioretti’s 16th goal at 19:07 on the PP. . . . F Jordan Messier tied it 45 seconds into the third period. He’s got three goals. . . . Raiders G Luke Siemens, who was sent north by the Warriors over the summer, stopped 29 shots. . . . In their last nine games, the Warriors have lost six times by one goal. But four of those losses came in OT or the circus, so they picked up four loser points. . . . Moose Jaw now heads out o a seven-game road trip. . . .

In Calgary, F Jake Virtanen, the first overall pick in the WHL’s 2011 bantam draft, scored with 27 seconds left to give the Hitmen a 3-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Hitmen have won three in a row and eight of nine. . . . The Hurricanes are 1-5 in their last six. . . . On Tuesday, the Hitmen were outshot 44-20 in Lethbridge and won 3-2. Last night, Calgary held a 49-16 edge in shots. . . .

In Kamloops, G Teagan Sacher made 40 saves and F Lane Scheidl scored twice as the Regina Pats got past the Blazers, 2-1, in overtime. . . . Kamloops held a 41-13 edge in shots and, by the Blazers’ count, a 28-9 edge in scoring chances. . . . F Tim Bozon got a PP goal for the Blazers at 6:25 of the third, with Scheidl equalizing, on the PP, five minutes later. . . . In OT, the Blazers turned over the puck in the neutral zone, Kamloops F Colin Smith and D Tyler Hansen collided and fell down, and Scheidl found room on the left side to blast a shot past G Taran Kozun, who finished with 11 saves. . . . In a game that featured more holding than a high school dance, eight of the game’s 13 minors were for roughing. . . .

In Spokane, F Todd Fiddler scored twice to help the Chiefs to a 3-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Chiefs are 11-2-0 at home. . . . Spokane broke a 1-1 tie with two third-period goals. . . . D Reid Gow broke a 1-1 tie at 4:41 of the third, with Fiddler later adding an empty-netter. . . .

In Portland, G Brendan Burke recorded his first WHL shutout as the Winterhawks beat the Vancouver Giants, 3-0. . . . Burke stopped 18 shots in putting up Portland’s four shutout in 23 games this season. Three different goaltenders have shutout with Portland, as Mac Carruth has two and Cam Lanigan one. The latter now is with the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic had three assists as he ran his point streak to 11 games. He also has 11 straight multi-point games. . . . F Ty Rattie scored Portland’s first goal, his 15th, while F Nic Petan got the other two, giving him 13. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Alex Delnov and and F Riley Sheen each had a goal and three assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds dumped the Kootenay Ice, 7-4. . . . F Roberts Lipsbergs scored his sixth goal for Seattle, running his goal streak to four games. . . . The Ice trailed 3-2 early in the third period when Seattle F Luke Lockhart scored twice, at 7:20 and 8:34, to all but put it away.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Dawson Leedahl, Everett

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None

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

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Tim Kraus (Vancouver, Regina, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had one goal and one assist in four games with the Wichita Thunder (CHL) and no points in one game with the Dayton Gems (CHL) last season. Kraus was in camp with the Denver Cutthroats (CHL) on a try-out basis earlier this month but did not make the Cutthroats' season-opening roster.
———
The CHL’s weekly rankings came out Wednesday, as they always seem to, and the Kamloops Blazers are No. 1 for a second straight poll.
At 12-0-1, they remain the only one of the CHL’s 60 teams not have tasted defeat in regulation time. Combine that with last week’s 5-0-0 trip into the Central Division and it’s only right that the Blazers are No. 1.
Now I normally don’t pay a whole lot of attention to these polls, as they are public relations vehicles that aren’t worth much if only because there isn’t any inter-league play within the CHL’s three leagues.
But I am here today to question the lack of respect shown to the Tri-City Americans.
No, the Americans aren’t in the top 10. Yes, they are given an honourable mention. That’s not good enough. They should be in the top 10, maybe even in the top five.
Why?
Because they are 9-3-2.
Because they are 8-0-2 in their last 10 games.
Because included in their last 10 games was a 6-0-1 road swing.
Because included in that road swing was a 5-0-1 record in the East Division.
Because they are 7-1-1 on the road.
Because they are doing all of this after having lost their big three from last season — Patrick Holland, Adam Hughesman and Brendan Shinnimin.
Because their No. 1 goaltender, Eric Comrie, is the real deal.
For some reason, however, the Americans of GM Bob Tory and head coach Jim Hiller just don’t garner nearly the respect that is their due.
I mean, the Americans are there year after year. In fact, they now are gunning for their seventh straight 40-victory season. Only the Kamloops Blazers (1989-96) and Regina Pats (1979-86) have won 40 or more games in seven straight seasons.
Honourable mention? Uhh, no.
———
F Brendan Persley, 19, of the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers had surgery Tuesday to repair a broken leg. Persley, who was in training camp with the Tri-City Americans prior to this season, played 55 games with the Chilliwack Bruins (2009-11) and nine with the Victoria Royals last season. . . . He is expected to be out of the Vernon lineup for at least six weeks.
———
Fighting is down 32.1 per cent in the OHL this season, following the introduction of a rule that calls for suspensions for players as they surpass a 10-fight barrier.
Dave Nayor of TSN reports that “just five weeks into the 2012-13 season, the new measure has had a dramatic influence on the number of fights across the league.”
"I'm surprised, I really am," OHL commissioner David Branch told Naylor. "I didn't think there would be that kind of immediate, shall we say, impact on the number of (fights)."
It’s also interesting to note that about 27 per cent of fights in the OHL have included an instigator penalty.
The OHL, under Branch, once again proves to be one of the most, if not the most, progressive hockey leagues in the world.
Naylor’s piece is right here.
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
G Cam Lanigan stopped 55 shots, including eight in OT, and wasn’t beaten in the circus as the host Medicine Hat Tigers got past the Kelowna Rockets, 4-3. . . . The Tigers had lost their last three games. . . . Kelowna held a 58-28 edge in shots. . . . Kelowna F Zach Franko forced OT with a goal with 24.7 seconds left in the third period and G Jordon Cooke on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . Medicine Hat F Curtis Valk scored twice, running his goal streak to four games. . . . F Hunter Shinkaruk and F Elgin Pearce scored in the circus for the Tigers, while the Pats came up empty. . . .

G Teagan Sacher recorded his first WHL shutout as the Regina Pats went into Cranbrook and beat the Kootenay Ice, 3-0. . . . Sacher stopped 28 shots. He’s a Winnipegger who turns 18 on Dec. 1. . . . F Lane Scheidl scored twice, giving him six. . . .

The host Moose Jaw Warriors erased a 1-0 deficit with three second-period goals and went on to beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 3-2. . . . D Morgan Rielly’s fourth goal stood up as the winner. . . . The Warriors got their three goals in a span of 7:20. . . . F Sam Mckechnie scored his eighth goal of the season for the Hurricanes, who had points in each of their last four games. . . . Mckechnie had 13 goals in 72 games as a freshman last season. . . . Warriors D Reid Jackson left early with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Warriors continue to play without F Miles Warkentine and F Jordan Messier, both of whom are injured. . . .

The visiting Brandon Wheat Kings broke a 1-1 tie with PP goals 1:18 apart in the third period and went on to beat the Vancouver Giants, 3-2. . . . The Giants had Payton Lee, 16, in goal. Lee, who was in camp with the Giants but has been playing for the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, stopped 25 shots. . . . F Nick Buonassisi, who is from Coquitlam, B.C., scored twice for Brandon. He’s got six goals. . . . Brandon D Tyler Yaworski may be looking at a suspension after taking a major at 19:34 of the third period. The WHL’s online scoresheet records it as a checking-to-the-head penalty; however, Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun is reporting that it was a charging major. . . . The game was 1-1 until Buonassisi and F Tim McGauley scored PP goals 1:18 apart early in the third. . . . The Giants’ record slipped to 2-9-0; they have lost five in a row. . . .

The host Prince George Cougars snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Chiefs had won the first two games in what was a three-game series between the teams. . . . Attendance was announced as 1,371 and that’s 11 fewer than Tuesday night. . . . The Chiefs got the game’s first goal, then the Cougars got the next four.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Tyler Yaworski, Brandon (major)
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Tyler King (@tyler_king), the play-by-play voice of the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons: “Am told Dauphin Kings (#MJHL) leading scorer Brendan Hurley has left the team to join the Calgary Hitmen (#WHL).”

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.