Wheat Kings into final . . . Rockets one win away . . . Rochester needs a coach

 

FRIDAY’S GAMES:

In Brandon, the Wheat Kings advanced to the WHL final with an 8-2 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Brandon won the series 4-1 to reach the championship series for the first time since the spring of 2005. . . . Brandon has won each of its three playoff series this spring in five games, taking out the Edmonton Oil Kings and Regina Pats

before Calgary. . . . The series for the Ed Chynoweth Cup will open in Brandon with games on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9. . . . The Wheat Kings outscored the Hitmen 29-13 in the five games, twice scoring eight goals and once getting nine. . . . For the second game in a row, the Wheat Kings broke it open with five goals in the second period. In Game 4, Brandon scored five times in 10:25. Last night, it was five times in 6:48. . . . The Hitmen took a 1-0 lead into the second period after F Pavel Karnaukhov scored his sixth goal, on the PP, at 17:22. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy tied it with his third goal at 8:35 of the second and D Ryan Pilon, with his first goal, put the Wheaties out front at 9:41. . . . Brandon F Nolan Patrick got his seventh goal 10 seconds later and the home team was off and running. . . . Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk scored twice, giving him 10, and added two assists, while F John Quenneville also scored twice, giving him 10. Patrick added two assists to his goal, and F Rihards Bukarts drew three assists. . . . Calgary F Adam Tambellini scored his 13th goal. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny turned aside 31 shots. . . . The Hitmen opened with Mack Shields in goal, after Brendan Burke had started the previous three games. . . . Shields surrendered three goals on 18 shots before Burke came on to give up four on 15. . . . Brandon F Tim McGauley scored his sixth goal, a shorthanded effort, into an empty net at 15:24 of the third. . . . Brandon was 2-for-3 on the PP; Calgary was 1-for-3. . . . The referees were Brett Iverson and Sean Raphael. . . . Attendance was 5,337. . . . Laurence Heinen wrote this game story for the Calgary Herald.

In Kelowna, F Tyson Baillie scored at 14:55 of OT to give the Rockets a 2-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Rockets lead the Western Conference final, 3-2. They’ll play Game 6 in Portland’s Moda Center on Sunday. . . . Each team now is 3-1 in OT in these playoffs. . . . Despite giving up the winner, Portland G Adin Hill almost stole the show in OT. Kelowna had a 20-4 edge in shots in extra time. . . . Hill finished with 47

saves, five more than Kelowna’s Jackson Whistle. . . . Baillie’s eighth goal, and his second OT goal this spring, came off some good work by F Dillon Dube, a 16-year-old from Cochrane, Alta. . . . Baillie also scored the OT goal, 58 seconds into extra time, in Game 2 against the Victoria Royals. . . . Riley Stadel, a defenceman who has been turned into a forward due to Kelowna’s injury situation, scored the game’s first goal at 17:35 of the first period. . . . Portland F Nic Petan ran his point streak to 16 games with the game-tying goal at 16:27 of the third period. He’s got 10 goals. . . . That 16-game streak tied the franchise record set a year ago by F Brendan Leipsic. . . . Petan also tied the WHL record for most career playoff games. This was his 87th game — it’s the fifth season in a row in which the Winterhawks have played into May. He now shares the record with F Shay Stephenson (Red Deer, 2000-04). . . . In four seasons, Stephenson played in 22, 23, 23 and 19 playoff games. Petan has played in 7, 22, 21, 21 and 16 games. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-2 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-1. . . . The referees were Adam Byblow and Steve Papp. . . . The Rockets had F Justin Kirkland back after a two-game absence with an apparent illness. The Rockets haven’t said if it was an upper- or lower-body illness. . . . Kelowna lost F Tyrell Goulbourne in the second period after he checked Portland F Keegan Iverson. Goulbourne left the ice immediately and may have suffered a skate cut to his left leg. . . . One fan who was seated near Kelowna’s bench tweeted that Goulbourne “was screaming in pain as he got on the bench.” . . . Attendance was 6,261. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a game story right here.
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In the OHL, the host Oshawa Generals bounced the North Bay Battalion 4-1 to take a 3-2 lead in that semifinal series. Oshawa F Cole Cassels had a goal and an assist. They’ll play Game 6 in North Bay on Sunday. . . . The Erie Otters lead the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-2 in the other series. They’ll meet in Game 6 tonight in Erie.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The Buffalo Sabres have fired Chadd Cassidy, who was the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. He had been head coach since February 2013, taking over from Ron Rolston, when the latter was promoted to the Sabres. . . . The Americans went 29-41-6 this season and didn’t make the playoffs. . . . The announcement was made by Sabres general manager Tim Murray. According to Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: “The Sabres organization did not make Murray available to explain why he fired Cassidy, whose contract expires at the end of the season. They have not made Murray available since the Amerks season ended on April 17.” . . . Oklobzija also wrote: “Assistant coaches Chris Taylor, John Wroblewski and Bob Janosz weren't mentioned in the news release so it is not known if they will be retained.”
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Incredible night in Brandon yet again! The #BWK have advanced to the #WHL Finals for the first time in 10 years! pic.twitter.com/ApGnvgoVaA

— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) May 2, 2015

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Wheaties, Rockets up 2-0 . . . Great Dane beats 'Tips . . . Stovin fills hat for Mavs

SATURDAY’S GAMES:

In Brandon, the Wheat Kings scored three PP goals as they beat the Regina Pats, 5-2. . . . The Wheat Kings take a 2-0 series lead, and a six-game playoff winning streak, to Regina for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Brandon had won 5-1 on Friday. . . . The Pats have lost two straight after having won four in a row. . . . Brandon F Tyler Coulter scored shorthanded at 4:00 of the first period and F Jayce Hawryluk got his fifth goal, on the PP, at 13:01. . . . In the second period, Regina D Colby Williams scored a PP goal at 9:31, but Brandon D Ivan Provorov got that one back, on the PP, at 12:19. Pats F Pavel Padakin got his guys back to within one, at 3-2, at 16:24, on another PP. . . . However, Brandon D Macoy Erkamps scored with 2.5 seconds left in the period to restore the two-goal lead. . . . Brandon D Kale Clague scored the game’s final goal, on a PP, at 10:56 of the third. . . . Brandon F Rihards Bukarts had three assists, all on the PP, while F Nolan Patrick and D Eric Roy each had two helpers. . . . Brandon was 3-for-7 on the PP; Regina was 2-for-6. . . . Regina had gone into the game having killed off 11 of 12 opposition power plays. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 35 shots, one fewer than Regina’s Daniel Wapple. . . . Regina D Sergey Zborovsky took an interference major and game misconduct at 16:25 of the third period for a hit on Hawryluk, who didn’t return. The league will look into that play, for sure. . . . Brandon D Colton Waltz left in the first period and didn’t return, while Regina lost D Chase Harrison after a third-period hit by Hawryluk. . . . How does Brandon like to play the game? Perhaps this tweet from Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun best sums it up: “How much do Brandon's D like to rush? Clague carried the puck into the Regina zone but his D partner Roy was offside.” . . . Regina D James Hilsendager served the third-game of a three-game WHL-issued suspension. . . . The Pats also were without F Rykr Cole, who left in the first period of Game 1 with an undisclosed injury. . . . F Jared McAmmond got into his first playoff game in Cole’s absence. . . . Attendance was 4,752. . . . Henderson has a game story right here.

In Kelowna, F Tyson Baillie scored 58 seconds into OT to give the Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Rockets, who lead the series 2-0, have won all six of their playoff games this spring. They won the opener 5-0 on Friday. . . . The series now moves to Victoria for games Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Baillie’s second goal of the game and fifth of the playoffs came two seconds after the expiration of a Kelowna PP. . . . Royals D Chaz Reddekopp was penalized for checking from behind just 30 seconds after F Brandon Magee had forced OT. . . . Kelowna built a 3-0 lead on a first-period PP goal by F Tyson Baillie and second-period scores by F Tomas Soustal, at 4:11, and F Gage Quinney, at 11:16, on a PP. . . . Magee scored for Victoria at 18:02 of the second period, on a PP, ending Kelowna’s shutout streak at 218:02. It was the first goal the Rockets and G Jackson Whistle surrendered on home ice in these playoffs. This was their fourth home game. . . . Victoria F Alex Forsberg redirected a shot by D Joe Hicketts at 7:31 of the third, on a PP, and Magee tied it with his eighth goal of the playoffs, at 18:26. . . . Kelowna F Leon Draisaitl had three assists, giving him five helpers in two games. . . . F Austin Carroll had three assists for the Royals, with Hicketts getting two. . . . Whistle finished with 38 saves. . . . Victoria starter Coleman Vollrath left at 11:16 of the third period after giving up three goals on 15 shots. Justin Paulic was beaten once on 12 shots. . . . Kelowna was 2-for-8 on the PP; Victoria was 2-for-5. . . . Victoria F Greg Chase got the ol’ heave-ho at 18:44 of the first period. According to a tweet from Regan Bartel, the Rockets’ radio voice, Chase was tossed for “playing without a mouth guard and then throwing it on ice after he received a misconduct.” . . . Kelowna F Josh Morrissey, who returned from an ankle injury to play in Game 1, left after the first period. Morrissey had been out for six weeks before returning with a three-assist effort in Game 1. . . . Attendance was 5,473. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a game story right here.

In Everett, F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored 29 seconds into the second OT to give the Portland Winterhawks a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald tweeted: “Portland wins an offensive-zone faceoff, and Bjorkstrand works his way across the slot before burying a shot into the top corner.” . . . F Nic Petan won the draw that led to the GWG. . . . The series is 1-1 — Everett had won 5-3 on Friday — as the teams head for Portland and games on Thursday and Friday nights. . . . Game 5 will be played in Everett next Sunday. . . . Bjorkstrand, the Danish import who led the WHL in goals and points in the regular season, has six goals in these playoffs. . . . Portland D Adam Henry scored on a wraparound at 10:18 of the third period to force OT. . . . The Winterhawks had taken a 2-1 lead into the second period. . . . Everett F Jake Mykitiuk scored the game’s first goal, at 3:12 of the first. . . . Portland D Blake Heinrich tied it at 12:48 and F Chase De Leo, on a PP, gave the visitors the lead at 15:29. . . . Everett took the lead on two second-period goals by F Nikita Scherbak, who has three in these playoffs. His second goal came with 34.8 seconds left in the period. . . . Portland F Paul Bittner had two assists, as did Petan. . . . Everett D Cole MacDonald had two helpers, after earning three on Friday. . . . Portland G Adin Hill turned aside 41 shots, as did Everett’s Carter Hart. . . . G Austin Lotz wasn’t on the Everett bench to start the game. After the first period, Patterson tweeted: “For those wondering about Lotz, I think I saw him go off in pain during the warm-up. Probably why he's not on the bench.” . . . Lotz was back on the bench in the second period. . . . Portland was 1-for-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-for-3. . . . Everett has gone to multi-OT in three of eight playoff games. It’s previous single-season high was two. . . . Attendance was 4,579. . . . Patterson has a game story right here. . . . Freelancer Scott Sepich wrote this lead for The Oregonian.
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F Calder Brooks of the Spokane Chiefs has joined the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Islanders. Brooks, who finished up his junior eligibility this season, had 58 points, including 23 goals, in 52 games, 50 of them with Spokane. The Chiefs acquired him from the Prince Albert Raiders early in the season. He also played two-plus seasons with the Calgary Hitmen.
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F Brett Roulston, who played two seasons (2012-14) with the Prince George Cougars, scored 20 seconds into overtime as the Nanaimo Clippers beat the host Penticton Vees 2-1 last night. . . . The Clippers lead the BCHL’s best-of-seven final, 2-0. . . . Nanaimo had won 5-2 in Penticton on Friday. . . . Roulston, 20, is from Whitehorse. . . . The series resumes in Nanaimo with games scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
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G Eric Comrie of the Tri-City Americans earned his first pro victory last night as the host St. John’s IceCaps beat the Hershey Bears, 5-1. Comrie stopped 21 shots. Former Spokane Chiefs D Brenden Kichton had two assists, while former Kamloops Blazers F JC Lipon scored his fifth goal of the season. . . . D Shea Theodore of the Seattle Thunderbirds had two assists as the visiting Norfolk Admirals beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-2 in OT. Theodore’s first assist was primary and on the PP; his second assist was on the winner.
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On Friday night, F Brett Stovin scored three times to lead the ECHL’s Missouri Mavericks to a 4-1 victory over the host Brampton Be ast. Stovin, who played out his junior eligibility with the Saskatoon Blades this season, scored one in the first period and twice in the third, with the last one into an empty net. Stovin finished the regular season with six points, including five goals, in eight games with the Mavericks.
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THE COACHING GAME:

As mentioned here yesterday, the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings named Chad van Diemen as their new head coach. . . . Here’s more from Brian Wiebe’s blog Brian’s Banter: “With the departure of van Diemen, Powell River added Brock Sawyer to its team as a full-time assistant coach. Sawyer, who played for the Kings from 2006-08, was a part-time assistant to head coach Kent Lewis in 2014-15 following a two-year pro career in the Southern Professional Hockey League and a four-year NCAA Div. III career at Elmira College.” . . . If you want BCHL news, check out Brian’s Banter. There’s a link over there on the right.
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One happy Dane here tonight for the Portland Winterhawks #bjorkstrand pic.twitter.com/ymoGbxClzx
— Chris Mast (@MastImages) April 12, 2015

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Warriors make a change . . . Another blank job for Sarthou . . . Rehill wins one for Blazers

F Adam Courchaine (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, 2001-05) has signed for the rest of this season with Olten (Switzerland, NL B). This season, with the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL), he had 11 goals and 12 assists in 27 games. He was released at his request by Krefeld on Jan. 13.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors fired Rob MacLachlan, their assistant general manager and head scout, on Friday. MacLachlan, who had been with the Warriors for 14 years, is under contract through next season. . . . “I felt in discussions and where we were at it was time to make a change for the hockey club to move forward," Warriors general manager Alan Millar told Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald."We thought it was fair to both Robert and the hockey club to make the decision and have the discussion now, as opposed to going through the next three-and-a-half months with the potential question mark in terms of what we were doing.” . . . McLachlan, who lives in Okotoks, Alta., told Gourlie: “"I'm proud of what we did. When I started with the organization I don't think we had a lot of respect out there. The work of everybody — the scouting staff, the people in the office and everyone else — has brought the level of respect up in the league to the point where we're one of the most respected teams in the league. . . . It's a weight lifted off of my shoulders and I feel somebody else can take a stab at it,"
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Is hockey under siege in the state of Minnesota? Cory Zurowski of City Pages has a terrific read right here that takes a look at lots of happenings in Minnesota hockey circles.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:

In Regina, F Jack Rodewald scored at 3:44 of OT to give the Moose Jaw Warriors a 4-3 victory over the Pats. . . . Attendance was announced at 6,484 on a night when the Pats unveiled their new scoreclock/video screens. . . . Rodewald’s 22nd goal came via the PP. . . . Regina had won 11 straight games over the Warriors. . . . The Warriors led 3-1 with five minutes to play in the third period. . . . Regina F Taylor Cooper scored his 19th goal, on a PP, at 15:10 and F Pavel Padakin tied it, with his 14th, at 16:26. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 35 shots, 17 more than Moose Jaw’s Zach Sawchenko. . . . Moose Jaw D Dustin Perillat had two assists, while Rodewald, F Jaimen Yakubowski and Axel Blomqvist each had a goal and an assist. . . . Cooper also had an assist for the Pats, while D Chase Harrison had two assists. . . . The Warriors were 2-for-6 on the PP; the Pats were 1-for-5. . . . The Warriors (20-24-4) have won two in a row. They are to play in Saskatoon tonight. . . . The Pats (26-16-5) have lost four straight (0-2-2). They’ll play in Brandon tonight. . . . A post game tweet from Warren Woods of Regina radio station CJME: “Pats HC John Paddock says they were fortunate to get a point tonite but were " screwed by the officials" in OT. . . . Ch-ch-ching! . . .

In Brandon, F Tanner Kaspick’s first goal of the season stood up as the winner as the Wheat Kings dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 4-1. . . . Kaspick’s goal, at 16:45 of the first period, gave Brandon a 2-0 lead. . . . F Tim McGauley, in his 200th regular-season game, scored twice for Brandon, giving him 29 this season. He scored the game’s first and last goals. . . . The Wheat Kings opened a four-game homestand with this one. . . . Wheat Kings F John Quenneville and D Eric Roy each had two assists. . . . Brandon G Alex Moodie stopped 31 shots, one more than Prince Albert’s Rylan Parenteau. . . . Brandon F Braylon Shmyr came up short on a penalty shot 37 seconds into the game. . . . The Wheat Kings continue to play without F Jayce Hawryluk and D Kale Clague, while the Raiders scratched two of their leading scorers in D Craig Leverton and F Simon Stransky. . . . The Wheat Kings (34-9-4), who entertain Regina tonight, have won five straight. They continue to lead the Eastern Conference and are one point behind Kelowna, which leads the overall standings. . . . The Raiders (19-26-1), who won’t play tonight, have lost three straight. . . .

In Calgary, G Mack Shields earned his first shutout of the season as the Hitmen beat the Swift Current Broncos, 8-0. . . . Shields stopped 24 shots. He also picked up his seventh assist of the season. He holds the franchise’s career record, with 13. . . . F Radel Fazleev scored his 14th goal 14 seconds into the game and the Hitmen were off to the races. . . . F Terrell Draude scored twice, giving him six goals, and added an assist. . . . F Kenton Helgesen got his 13th goal and had two assists, while F Adam Tambellini scored his 30th goal. . . . D Jake Bean scored his third goal and had an assist, and was plus-5. . . . D Travis Sanheim had one assist and also was plus-5. . . . Broncos D Dillon Heatherington left in the first period with an undisclosed injury. . . . Calgary D Colby Harmsworth returned after missing 19 games with a knee injury. . . . The Hitmen (25-17-5) have won two straight. They will travel to Edmonton tonight. . . . The Broncos ((21-21-5), who play in Cranbrook tonight, have lost two in a row. . . .

In Lethbridge, G Cody Porter turned aside 20 shots to help the Vancouver Giants to a 3-2 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Vancouver F Alex Baer broke a 1-1 tie with his 10th goal at 19:45 of the first period and F Carter Popoff upped the lead to 3-1 with his 18th goal, on a PP, at 16:26 of the second. . . . F Tyler Wong scored both goals for Lethbridge, giving him 18. . . . Both of Wong’s goals came via the PP as the home side went 2-for-6. . . . D Arvin Atwal had two assists for Vancouver. . . . F Zane Jones, acquired from Lethbridge at the trade deadline, scored for Vancouver. He’s got 21 goals, three of them with the Giants. . . . The Giants were 1-for-2. . . . Lethbridge G Stuart Skinner stopped 25 shots. . . . Lethbridge remains without F Jamal Watson, its captain, who is out with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Giants (20-25-2), who are in Red Deer tonight, had lost five in a row. They now are tied with Prince George and Kamloops for third place in the B.C. Division. . . . The Hurricanes (10-28-6) now have lost five straight. They are at home to Prince George tonight. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Curtis Sanford scored twice to lead the Tigers to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Sanford, who also had an assist, now has 39 goals, tying him with Kelowna F Rourke Chartier for the WHL lead. . . . Tigers F Trevor Cox, who leads the WHL points race, scored his 19th goal and added an assist. He has 78 points, eight more than Sanford. . . . Tigers F Dryden Hunt notched his 21st goal and also had an assist. He now is on an 18-game point streak, the longest in the WHL this season. . . . F Markus Eisenschmid scored his 13th goal and also had an assist for the winners. . . . Tigers D Kyle Burroughs took a headshot major and game misconduct at 4:19 of the third period for a hit on Cougars F Jari Erricson. . . . The Tigers (32-12-2) have won three in a row. They’re off tonight. . . . The Cougars (20-27-2) have lost eight in a row (0-6-2) and now are tied with Vancouver and Kamloops for third in the B.C. Division. . . . Prince George goes into Lethbridge tonight. . . .

In Portland, F Chase De Leo scored twice to help the Winterhawks to a 4-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . De Leo, who has 20 goals, scored twice in the second period as Portland extended its lead to 4-0. . . . F Paul Bittner scored the game’s first goal, giving him 20 this season. He also had an assist. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand drew two assists. . . . Portland G Adin Hill stopped 33 shots. . . . Spokane G Garret Hughson made 27 saves before being ejected at 15:10 of the third period after becoming mixed up with Portland F Keegan Iverson. . . . The Winterhawks (26-19-3) have won three straight. . . . Spokane (23-18-4) has lost four in a row (0-3-1). . . . The Winterhawks will meet Seattle in Kent, Wash., tonight, while the Chiefs are at home to Tri-City. . . .

In Kelowna, F Tyson Baillie scored twice as the Rockets got past the Everett Silvertips, 5-3, in a matchup between the Western Conference’s division leaders. . . . They’ll play again tonight in Kelowna. . . . Baillie has 29 goals this season. . . . Rockets F Rourke Chartier broke a 1-1 tie with his 39th goal, via the PP, at 6:49 of the second period. . . . Baillie stretched the lead to 3-1 at 1:19 of the third period. . . . F Leon Draisaitl had three assists for Kelowna, while D Josh Morrissey picked up two. . . . Kelowna F Tyrell Goulbourne scored his 15th goal and added an assist. . . . Everett F Ivan Nikolishin scored his 12th goal and had two assists, while F Patrick Bajkov picked up his 16th goal and had an assist. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle stopped 28 shots, seven more than Everett’s Austin Lotz. . . . Kelowna was 2-for-2 on the PP; Everett was 1-for-4. . . . The Rockets (35-8-3) lead the Western Conference and the B.C. Division. . . . The Silvertips (30-13-4), who had a six-game winning streak snapped, lead the U.S. Division. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., G Evan Sarthou stopped 25 shots to help the Tri-City Americans to a 4-0 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Sarthou, who was making his 18th straight start, has posted three shutouts in his last four starts. He has five shutouts this season. . . . Seattle has been blanked in each of its last two games. . . . F Parker Bowles scored twice, giving him 12, and added an assist, while F Richard Nejezchleb and D Parker Wotherspoon each had two assists. . . . Bowles was playing his third game since being out since Jan. 2 with an undisclosed injury. . . . F Beau McCue scored the game’s first goal, his 17th, at 11:35 of the first period and also had an assist. . . . Tri-City D Riley Hillis returned after being out since Jan. 2 with an undisclosed injury. . . . Seattle F Mathew Barzal played for the first time since Nov. 4. He had been out with a knee injury. . . . Seattle F Ryan Gropp and Tri-City D Brandon Carlo didn’t play as they weren’t able to get back from the Top Prospects game in time. That game was played in St. Catharines, Ont., on Thursday night. . . . The Americans (23-22-2) are fifth in the U.S. Division, one point behind Seattle and two in back of Spokane. . . . The Americans travel to Spokane tonight, while Seattle is at home to Portland. . . .

In Victoria, D Ryan Rehill scored at 1:25 of OT to give the Kamloops Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Royals. . . . Rehill snapped a shot from the top of the left circle that got through G Coleman Vollrath. . . . After scoring four goals in 118 games over his first two sesaons, Rehill has six goals in 45 games this season. . . . Attendance was announced as 7,006. . . . F Quinn Benjafield, a 16-year-old freshman, had his first two-goal game for the Blazers. His third goal of the season, at 15:21 of the third period, forced OT. . . . F Matthew Phillips of the Royals, playing his first WHL game, gave his side a 3-2 lead at 13:55 of the third. Phillips, the 33rd overall pick in the 2013 bantam draft, is from Calgary where he plays for the midget AAA Buffaloes. . . . Vollrath stopped 41 shots, 13 more than Kamloops’ Connor Ingram, who has started seven of his club’s last 10 games. . . . Kamloops D Michael Fora suffered an undisclosed injury in the first period and didn’t play in the last two periods. . . . The Blazers (18-24-6) have won four in a row, the first time they have won more than two straight this season. The run has pulled them into a tie with Prince George and Vancouver for third place in the B.C. Division. . . . The Royals (25-19-4) had won their previous five games. . . . The Blazers and Royals will play in Victoria again tonight.
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Making Quesnel proud. My buddy, @KelownaCourier Doyle Potenteau kick'n it on @WHLonShawTV. pic.twitter.com/7xVB7ldTTB
— Regan Bartel (@Reganrant) January 24, 2015

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Some Saturday WHL highlights, and a coaching change in the PJHL

D Josh Hanson was back in the Portland Winterhawks' lineup on Saturday night. Hanson missed the regular season's first six games with a hand injury. He is one of four 20-year-olds on the Portland roster, so Travis McEvoy sat this one out. The other 20s with Portland are D Josh Smith and F Miles Koules, who was acquired earlier in the week from the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds have released F Kevin Wolf, 18, and he is expected to join the AHL's Canmore Eagles. From Cuomo, Minn., Wolf was pointless in three games with Seattle this season. Last season, he had a goal and two assists in 27 games. In 2012-13, he had one assist in 20 games. Seattle selected him in the 10th round of the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Seattle G Danny Mumaugh had the scoop on this move on Thursday when he tweeted: "Going to miss (Kevin Wolf)! Sad to see him go after living with him for the past 2 years. Good luck big."
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Brandon F John Quenneville left early with an undisclosed injury as the Wheat Kings dropped the visiting Red Deer Rebels 7-1 on Saturday night. . . . The Kootenay Ice lost F Jon Martin with an undisclosed injury during a 6-4 loss to the Hitmen in Calgary on Saturday. Ice head coach Ryan McGill told Taylor Rocca of the Cranbrook Townsman that Martin is day-to-day. . . . The Hitmen got a goal and three assists from F Chase Lang in the victory. . . . The Ice blew a 4-1 lead in that one and McGill wasn't a happy camper at game's end. Rocca has more right here. . . .
The Kelowna Rockets, missing four injured defencemen, ran their record to 6-0-0 with a 6-4 victory over the Silvertips in Everett on Saturday. D Mitchell Wheaton didn't play, after being injured Friday night. Also on the shelf with undisclosed injuries are Joe Gatenby, Jesse Lees and Cole Martin. . . . The Rockets got three goals from F Roarke Chartier and four assists from F Nick Merkley. . . . Kelowna F Tyson Baillie scored an empty-netter, giving him a WHL-leading eight goals in six games. He has at least a goal in each of the six games. . . .
G Zach Sawchenko of the Moose Jaw Warriors put up his second straight shutout on Saturday, stopping 25 shots in a 5-0 victory over the visiting Tri-City Americans. On Thursday night, in his previous start, Sawchenko and the Warriors beat the visiting Red Deer Rebels, 3-0. . . . Sawchenko, who turns 17 on Dec. 30, had zero shutouts in 26 appearances with the Warriors last season. He now is riding a shutout streak of 170 minutes 56 seconds. . . .
F Matt Needham, the captain of the Kamloops Blazers, had a tough Saturday night in Medicine Hat. He took five minors and a fighting major in a 5-1 loss to the Tigers. In 187 regular-season games, he has 169 penalty minutes. Last season, he took 37 minutes in 48 games. . . . F Chase Witala had a goal and three assists as the Prince George Cougars beat the host Spokane Chiefs, 6-2. . . .
G Landon Bow stopped 35 shots and F Glenn Gawdin scored in OT as the Swift Current Broncos beat the Royals 2-1 in Victoria. . . . The Portland Winterhawks won their first game this season (1-5-1), getting an OT goal from F Alex Schoenborn to beat the Silvertips 3-2 in Everett. . . . The Silvertips have released F Addison Runey from their roster. He is expected to join the NAHL's Amarillo Bulls. Runey, 17, is from McKinney, Texas. . . . Everett now is carrying 24 players, including 14 forwards and eight defencemen.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The junior B Port Moody, B.C., Panthers of the Pacific Junior Hockey League have fired head coach Kevin Flather, with Ron Johnson, the team's director of hockey development, stepping in on an interim basis. General manager Frank Iantorno indicated that the search for a replacement has begun. . . . Flather joined the Panthers in May after spending last season as head coach of the Kootenay International Junior League's Grand Forks Border Bruins. . . . The Panthers lost 8-1 to the host North Vancouver Wolf Pack on Wednesday and 7-0 at home on Saturday. Those results dropped Port Moody's record to 0-8-0-1 and left it last in the five-team league.

Kootenay cracks the Ice in Calgary

A number of the signed banners and photos that were sent to Tim Bozon at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon are adorning walls there. Helene Bozon, Tim’s mother, tweeted the above photos on Thursday. They are from the Edmonton Oil Kings (top), Kamloops Blazers (middle) and Moose Jaw Warriors.
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A trust fund has been established to assist the Bozon family with medical- and rehabilitation-related costs that they face because of Tim’s battle with meningitis.
You are able to make a donation at any BMO Bank of Montreal branch in Western Canada.
Should you live outside of that area, please mail donations to:
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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The WHL may be coming to Dauphin, Man. Should the first-round series between the Regina Pats and Brandon Wheat Kings get to a Game 6, it would be played in Dauphin’s Credit Union Place on March 31, 7:30 p.m. . . . Brandon’s usual home arena, Westman Communications Group Place, will be occupied by the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair from March 31 through April 5. . . . The arena in Dauphin, which opened on April 7, 2006, is home to the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. It has 1,763 seats and room for 752 standees. . . . Three players on Brandon’s roster grew up in that area of Manitoba. D Ryan Pulock is from Grandview, while F Jayce Hawryluk and D Rene Hunter are from Roblin. . . .
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The WHL announced its all-star teams and some of its award winners. A complete list is available right here.
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The WHL has updated its bantam draft lottery coverage to include a look at the first two rounds that points out selections that have been traded. . . . You will find that right here.
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The Vancouver Giants may not have freshman F Ty Ronning available for Game 1 of their first-round series with the Portland Winterhawks. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province tweeted Thursday morning that Ronning was ill and not at practice. “Doubtful for Game 1 in Portland,” Ewen reported. . . . Game 1 is scheduled for tonight in Portland.
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The Kelowna Rockets expect to have F Tyson Baillie in their lineup Saturday when the open a first-round series against the visiting Tri-City Americans. Baillie hasn’t played since Feb. 10 when he suffered a leg injury. Baillie, who put up 55 points in 56 games, returned to full-contact practice this week.
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The immediate future of the remaining members of the Saskatoon Blades’ coaching staff could be decided today as majority owner Mike Priestner is to meet with head coach Dave Struch. Struch just completed his first season as head coach, with the franchise undergoing an ownership change in mid-stream. . . . Goaltending coach Tim Cheveldae has told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that he will join the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers if the Blades don’t have him back. . . . There’s more on that story right here.
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WHL commissioner Ron Robison was in Kelowna on Thursday to attend a pre-playoff news conference. Later in the day, Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, tweeted: “Had good talk with WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. Biggest take away from interview was league seriously looking at reducing number of games.”
Each of the WHL’s 22 teams plays 72 regular-season games; in the 20-team OHL and 18-team QMJHL, they play 68-game schedules.
Bartel also tweeted: “Belief is owners will lose revenue, but attendance per game may actually go up. When Kelowna plays PG 3 straight times, fans lose interest.”
It seems that reducing the number of games in the regular-season schedule has been discussed but, as one owner put it last night, “not seriously this time yet.”
The owner also said reducing the schedule was “looked at a few years ago. There wasn’t the support (then), don’t think there is at this time, either.”
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THURSDAY’S GAME:
In Calgary, F Sam Reinhart scored two goals and set up another and F Zach Franko had two goals as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Hitmen, 5-2. . . . The Ice was 3-for-7 on the PP; the Hitmen were 0-for-1. . . . F Greg Chase of the Hitmen scored the game’s first goal, at 4:06 of the first period. . . . The Ice scored the game’s next four goals. . . . Reinhart tied it at 10:28 of the first, on the PP. . . . F Luke Philp, on another PP, gave the Ice its first lead at 4:52 of the second and Franko upped the lead to 3-1 at 17:01. . . . Reinhart gave his guys a 4-1 lead at 8:31 of the third and Franko added his second of the game, on a PP, at 16:17. . . . . F Brady Brassart had Calgary’s other goal, a shorthanded effort at 19:00 of the third. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 27 shots, two fewer than Calgary G Chris Driedger. . . . In seven regular-season games against the Hitmen, Reinhart had 17 points, including 14 assists. . . . The Hitmen went into the game having won their last four games, while the Ice had lost four in a row. . . . Calgary F Radel Fazleev returned to the lineup after being out since Jan. 2. He missed 34 games. . . . Calgary F Linden Penner was ejected with a cross-checking major at 16:49 of the third period after his stick came into contact with the face of Ice F Zach McPhee. McPhee left and didn’t return. . . . The Ice played a lot of the game with only four defencemen. Already without the injured Tanner Faith and Landon Cross, the Ice lost Tyler King at 5:12 of the first period after he was checked by Calgary F Brady Brassart, who was given a boarding minor. . . . Ice D Landon Peel, who hasn’t played since March 8, was dressed but saw limited, if any, playing time. That left Kootenay with Troy Murray, Jordan Steenbergen, Jagger Dirk and Rinat Valiev to eat up the minutes. . . . Ice F Jaedon Descheneau was awarded a penalty shot at 15:06 of the second period with his side up 2-1. He went forehand, backhand, forehand and was beaten by Driedger’s left toe. . . . According to Jeff Hollick, the radio voice of the Ice, this was the first playoff penalty shot in franchise history. This was playoff game No. 152.
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT (8)
Season series: Edmonton, 2-1-1; Prince Albert, 2-2-0.
Saturday: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 1:30 p.m.
Sunday: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Edmonton at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Edmonton at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Prince Albert at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite.
Prince Albert: D Graeme Craig, indefinite.
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
Season series: Brandon, 5-3-0; Regina, 3-3-2.
Saturday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Regina at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Regina vs. Brandon, site TBA, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Brandon: None.
Regina: D Kyle Burroughs, day-to-day; D Tye Hand, indefinite; G Daniel Wapple, indefinite; D Colby Williams, day-to-day; F Dyson Stevenson, day-to-day.
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Kootenay leads, 1-0)
Season series: Calgary, 4-4-0; Kootenay, 4-2-2.
Thursday: Kootenay 5 at Calgary 2 (6,649)
Saturday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Monday: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Thursday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Landon Cross, 1 week; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 2-2-0; Swift Current, 2-2-0.
Friday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, indefinite; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE

 KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-4-0; Regina, 0-3-1.
Saturday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 5:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday, March 28: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Tyson Baillie, day-to-day; D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Tri-City: F Phil Tot, day-to-day; F Taylor Vickerman, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
Season series: Portland, 4-0-0; Vancouver, 0-3-1.
Friday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Portland at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
x-Friday, March 28: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, March 30: Portland at Vancouver, 2 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 1: Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: F Adam de Champlain, day-to-day.
Vancouver: F Tyler Benson, indefinite; G Jared Rathjen, day-to-day; F Jakob Stukel, indefinite; D Dalton Thrower, indefinite; F Cain Franson, day-to-day; F Ty Ronning, day-to-day.
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
Season series: Victoria, 1-3-0; Spokane, 3-1-0.
Saturday: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Spokane at Victoria, 5:05 p.m.
Wednesday: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 30: Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
INJURIES
Victoria: None.
Spokane: F Jacob Cardiff, day-to-day; D Colton Bobyk, week-to-week; F Adam Hascic, day-to-day; F Blair Oneschuk, week-to-week.
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
Season series: Seattle, 5-4-1; Everett, 5-4-1.
Saturday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Sunday: Seattle at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
Tuesday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Friday, March 28: Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
x-Saturday, March 29: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, March 31: Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 2: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite.
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From Helene Barbier Bozon (@HeleneBozon), Tim Bozon’s mother: “Thank you all the @TheWHL @WHLFacts teams for sending amazing banners to decorate @timbozon94 bedroom. Big support,thankful hockey family.”
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From F Jake Doty (@dotes_28) of the Medicine Hat Tigers: “Great news hearing @timbozon94 is awake, moving and out of the icu. #keepfighting”
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From Regan Bartel (@Reganrant), the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets: “Liked @TCAmericans GM Bob Tory's comment. ‘Make no mistakes this is David vs. Goliath. We are looking for 20 sling shots.’ ”
The Americans are in Kelowna to open a first-round series on Saturday.


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