Quiet Thursday rocked by two WHL trades; d-man, goalie on move ... Hey, Tri-City, Eli's coming!

Kelly Olynyk and Connor McDavid now make the same money. Take a drink. A big one.

— Kevin Paul Dupont (@GlobeKPD) July 7, 2017

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G Ville Kolppanen (Lethbridge, 2009-10) has signed a one-year contract with Rögle Ängelholm (Sweden, SHL). Last season, with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL), he was 9-14-3, 2.80, .917 in 30 games. He also had two shutouts. . . .

D Alex Plante (Calgary, 2004-09) has signed a one-year extension with Anyang Halla (South Korea, Asia HL). Last season, he had 12 goals and 12 assists in 48 games. He led all Asia League defencemen in goals. Plante has dual South Korean-Canadian citizenship.

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The Saskatoon Blades have acquired D Seth Bafaro, 17, from the Tri-City Americans in exchange for a

SETH BAFARO

pair of WHL bantam draft picks — a third-rounder selection in 2019 and a fifth-round pick in 2020.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Bafaro, who is from Revelstoke, B.C., had one assist in 28 games with the Americans last season as a 16-year-old freshman. He battled injuries through the season, which limited his playing time.

Tri-City selected him in the third round of the 2015 bantam draft.

With the addition of Bafaro, the Blades could have seven defencemen in training camp with WHL experience. Only Bryton Sayers, who has used up his eligibility, won’t be back.

The Americans, with a surplus of young defencemen, were able to move Bafaro and get a decent return in a pair of draft picks.

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The Spokane Chiefs have acquired G Declan Hobbs from the Kootenay Ice for a seventh-round selection in the 2018 WHL bantam draft.

A third-round pick by the Ice in the 2013 draft, Hobbs, who is scheduled to turn 19 on Aug. 19, got into

DECLAN HOBBS

three games with Kootenay last season, going 0-3, 7.16, .800. He spent most of last season with the SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks (1.94, .929 in 13 games).

In 2015-16, Hobbs, who is from Saskatoon, made 24 appearances with the Ice, going 2-14-3, 4.66, .873.

With the acquisition of Hobbs, the Chiefs now have one goaltender from each of five age groups on their depth chart, the others being Dawson Weatherill, 18; Donovan Buskey, 17; Ross Hawryluk, 16; and Campbell Arnold, 15. Hawryluk, a fifth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, and Arnold, taken in the second round in 2017, aren’t signed to WHL contracts.

Weatherill was 11-14-6 in 36 games last season, while Buskey, in four games, went 0-2-1, 4.25, .866.

Hobbs is the younger brother of Regina Pats D Connor Hobbs, who has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals.

Barring more moves, the Ice is expected to go into camp with Mario Petit, 20, and Jakob Walter, 18, scrapping for the starting role. Petit was acquired from the Everett Silvertips in May for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

In Everett, Petit backed up veteran workhorse Carter Hart. In 22 games, Petit was 11-5-4, 2.93, .896.

Walter, a second-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft, got into 30 games while backing up Payton Lee, then 20, last season. Walter finished 4-17-2, 5.02, .868.

Also on the Ice depth chart are the likes of Jesse Makaj and Carter Woodside, both 16. Makaj, from North Vancouver, was a second-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, while Woodside, from Asquith, Sask., was a sixth-round selection in that same draft.

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I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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“Former B.C. Lions’ defensive lineman Rick Klassen may have died of lymphoma in December, but an autopsy of his brain has shown extensive chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurological disease that has led to such suspected symptoms as erratic behaviour and dementia,” writes Allan Maki of The Globe and Mail. . . . This one hits close to home, because Klassen’s son, Chad, is an acquaintance as he is a reporter with CFJC-TV here in Kamloops. As well, Rick Klassen played in the CFL while I was involved in coverage for the Regina Leader-Post. . . . One really has to wonder how many more stories like this one will develop as players of Rick Klassen’s generation reach 60 years of age? . . . Maki’s story is right here.

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The Tri-City Americans have hired Eli Wilson as their goaltending coach. He replaces Rejean Beauchemin, who had been with the Americans for two seasons. . . . Wilson is a veteran goaltending coach who has worked with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. He also has been on staff with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. . . . Jerry Price, the father of G Carey Price of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, remains with the Americans as a goaltending consultant. Carey spent four seasons (2003-07) with the Americans.

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Jason Christie, a former WHL player, is the new head coach of the ECHL’s Jacksonville IceMen, who are affiliated with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. Christie is a veteran ECHL coach, having put up a record of 547-349-111 in 14 seasons. He also has a history with the Jets, having worked with previous affiliates in Ontario and Tulsa. He spent the past two seasons as the Tulsa Oilers’ head coach. Prior to that, he was the Ontario Reign’s director of hockey operations and head coach for four seasons. . . . Christie, from Gibbons, Alta., played four seasons (1986-90) with the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Jacksonville franchise has morphed from the Muskegon Fury (1992-2008) to the Muskegon Lumberjacks (2008-10) to the Evansville IceMen (2010-16). The franchise sat out the 2016-17 season.

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Floor is coming along now at the @InnovationCU #iplex. Heat lines in & final layer of sand going down @SCBroncos home opener in 13 weeks! pic.twitter.com/vs5enKNFjN

— Jamie LeBlanc (@Butter_29) July 6, 2017

Brand NEW rinkboards being installed today by the great staff @ProsperaPlace #NewSeason #NewBoards #PuckMarks #Gerry #Kelowna 🚀🐉🌞 pic.twitter.com/eENYQDz59n

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) July 6, 2017

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Glass on waivers, or not? . . . Merry Christmas for Lernout, Ully . . . and for Broncos' radio voice

There were conflicting reports Friday as to whether G Jeff Glass (Kootenay, 2002-05) was placed on waivers by Lada Togliatti (Russia, KHL) after his interview on the status of the KHL was published in The Hockey News. This season, in 10 games, Glass is 1-6-0, 3.66, .880. . . . Later Friday it became evident there were conflicting reports as to whether Glass was on waivers. It wasn’t on Friday’s waiver wire per the KHL’s Russian-language website. Still, some reports had him on waivers. There also were harsh comments by former KHL president Medvedev so the KHL powers weren’t happy with that interview. Per @SlavaMalamud, Medevdev said: "Let Glass run off and play in a water-mill league somewhere." . . .
F Marcel Hossa (Portland, 1998-2001) was one of four players assigned by Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL) to Liepāja (Latvia, Virslīga) after clearing waivers. This season, Hossa, the team captain, had seven goals and nine assists in 38 games with Dinamo Riga. . . . Per the KHL website, the contract between Hossa and Dinamo Riga was terminated by mutual agreement. . . . Dinamo Riga is having financial issues, so the move was possibly related to that. Dinamo waived three others players along with Hossa. . . .
F Alex Gogolyov (Calgary, Victoria, 2011-13) has been released by Lada Togliatti and has signed to two-way contract with Dynamo Moscow (both Russia, KHL). This season, with Lada's farm club Ariada Volzhsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga), he had four goals and five assists in 21 games. . . .
G Ville Kolppanen (Lethbridge, 2009-10) was placed on waivers by Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL). In 20 games, he was 2-13-4, 3.52, .897. . . . Kolppanen, Dan Sexton and Tim Stapleton refused to practice or play over non-payment of salary. . . . On Friday, Stapleton was traded to Metallurg Magnitogorsk for Yevgeni Grigorenko. . . .
D Tomas Slovak (Kelowna, 2001-03) was released by Hradec Králové (Czech Republic, Extraliga) at his request. He had two goals and 15 assists in 30 games. . . .
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In yesterday’s piece on the WHL playoffs, I erred by using the word ‘re-seed’ in referring to the second round.
Instead, the WHL is using hard brackets, meaning first-round winners within each bracket play each other in the second round with home-ice advantage going to the team with the most regular-season points.
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Merry Christmas to D Brett Lernout of the Swift Current Broncos and F Cole Ully of the Kamloops Blazers, both of whom have signed three-year NHL deals. . . . Lernout, 19, signed with the Montreal Canadiens, who selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . Lernout has 18 points, including eight goals, in 34 games this season. From Winnipeg, he had 22 points, eight of them goals, in 72 games last season. . . . Ully, 19, signed with the Dallas Stars, who selected him in the fifth round of the 2013 NHL draft. He is from Calgary. This season, he has 48 points, including 16 goals, in 35 games. He missed three games with an illness. Last season, he finished with 72 points, 30 of them goals, in 69 games.
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Belarus has won the IIHF U20 World championship Division I Group A title in Asiago, Italy. That means Belarus will advance to play with the big boys next season. There is more on the Asiago tournament right here.
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If you haven’t seen it yet, the Pittsburgh Penguins have done up a terrific Christmas (Vacation) video. It’s right here.
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Vin Scully -- yes, that Vin Scully -- had a bit of a scare the other day during a shopping trip to his favourite Costco. Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times has that story right here.
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Danny Watkins of West Kelowna, B.C., really hadn’t played a lot of football when the Philadelphia Eagles made him a first-round selection in the NFL’s 2011 draft. Really, though, all he wanted to be was a firefighter. . . . Emily Kaplan of the Monday Morning Quarterback website has his story right here, and it’s a great read.
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If you are into Christmas music, as I am, you will love this piece right here from Deadspin. The gang over there has ranked the top Christmas songs. Hint: Silent Night is No. 1. . . . Note that they didn’t include any Christmas tunes from after 1960, and that means that Fairytale of New York isn’t included. It’s by The Pogues, featuring Kirsty MacColl, and if you haven’t heard/seen it, check it out right here. It’s top five material, for sure.
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THE BLOG:

On Friday, someone dubbed it The Technology Fund. Whatever it is, it’s special. As of late Friday, the blog master’s computer fund was at $1,280. . . . If you would like to help, click on the donate button, and thank you in advance. . . . Yes, we are almost there!
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Erin and I were thrilled to welcome Audrey Blair Mullin yesterday at 10:27am. She's 8lbs, 8 ounces and amazing. pic.twitter.com/ojoZhFW3DP
— Shawn Mullin (@shawnmullin) December 19, 2014

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Broncos get new look; Morrissey shines for IceCaps

The Swift Current Broncos unveiled a new look for 2014-15 on
Tuesday. Colby Cave (left) and Justin Spagrud (right) of the Broncos
join Monty Reich of sponsor South West Terminal Ltd. to show off the new look.
(Photo: Swift Current Broncos)

G Ville Kolppanen (Lethbridge, 2009-10) has signed a two-year contract with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL). Last season, with Ilves Tampere (Finland, Liiga), he was 2.18 and .927 in 48 games. That save percentage was the fourth-best in the league.
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1. On June 14, 1994, as the New York Rangers celebrated a Stanley Cup championship down below, two men stood up in the stands and held up a sign: NOW I CAN DIE IN PEACE. . . . With the Rangers back in the Stanley Cup final that opens Wednesday night, Steve Politi of the New Jersey Star-Ledger has the story of those two men and the past 20 years. . . . It’s right here and it’s great stuff.

2. Almost two years of planning came to fruition on Tuesday when the Swift Current Broncos unveiled a new look for the 2014-15 season. From a news release: “The Broncos have brought back the blue and green colours and updated the fan favourite horseshoe logo. A new shoulder crest was also created to represent the Southwest’s agriculture routes with wheat sheaves and incorporating the City of Swift Current logo. . . .
“Brandon Wiebe, a graphic designer and former Swift Current resident, gave the logo and jersey (their) refreshed feel.”

3. Two teams in the same WHL division, the East, have introduced blue-themed promotions for 2014-15. . . . On Monday, as they introduced Bob Woods as their new GM/head coach, the Saskatoon Blades launched A Whole New Blue. . . . On Tuesday, the Swift Current Broncos, in unveiling their new look, launched Branded Blue. . . . The Regina Pats also have blue in their colour scheme, so one supposes the next move is up to them.

4. It’s early June and the Stanley Cup has yet to be awarded. The AHL and ECHL playoffs also are in progress. . . . But if you care about the IIHF World Junior Championship, well, the schedule for the 2015 tournament with games in Toronto and Montreal has been released. There is more right here. . . . If you happen to win a lottery between now and then, and if you’re not married with children, you may be able to afford tickets. Jason Kay of The Hockey News (@JKTHN) tweeted: “A 19-game ticket pkg at ACC in Toronto, where medal round will be played, will run you between $636 and $2301.”

4. You can’t blame Kevin Muench, the WHL’s veteran director of officiating, if he’s sporting a bit of a smile these days. After all, three former WHL on-ice officials have been selected to work the Stanley Cup final. . . . Referee Brad Watson of Regina will be in his eighth final and his third in a row. Earlier, he worked five of six finals, a stretch that ended with the 2008 series. . . . Watson worked his 1,000th regular-season NHL game on Jan. 21 in Denver. . . . Steve Kozari of Penticton, who has been paired with Watson since the second round of these playoffs, is making is championship series debut. He and Watson are to officiate Game 1. . . . Shane Heyer, a linesman from Summerland, B.C., will be working his fourth final and second in a row. . . . All three came up through the WHL. . . . Also selected are referees Dan O’Halloran of Essex, Ont., and Wes McCauley of Toronto, who is the son of the late John McCauley, who also was an NHL referee, and linesmen Derek Amell of Port Colborne, Ont., Scott Driscoll of Montreal and Brad Kovachik of Woodstock, Ont.
“It is impressive how hard these guys have worked to reach the NHL’s biggest stage . . . they are doing the WHL proud,” Muench told me via email on Tuesday. “It was also great to see 2 more WHL alumni and current NHL referees, Brad Meier and Kelly Sutherland, in the gold medal game at the Sochi Olympics.”

5. The Everett Silvertips have signed F Addison Runey, 17, to a WHL contract. Runey, from McKinney, a suburb of Dallas, was listed by the Silvertips late last season. He joined the Silvertips in the spring and practised with them during the playoffs. . . . “We’ve made it a point of emphasis recently to have a stronger presence recruiting U.S.-born players,” Everett GM Garry Davidson said in a news released, “and Addison is the first of what we hope will be many American prospects to become part of our organization.” . . . Runey played last season with the Dallas Stars Elite U16 team, putting up 44 points, 21 of them goals, in 41 games.

6. The Spokane Chiefs have signed F Jaret Anderson-Dolan, the 14th overall pick in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. From Calgary, Anderson-Dolan had 126 points, including 79 goals, in 59 games with the bantam AAA Calgary EDGE Mountaineers last season.

7. The U of Manitoba Bisons have added D Rene Hunter and F Chad Robinson, both of whom played last season with the Brandon Wheat Kings, to their roster. . . . Hunter, from Ebb and Flow, Man., spent four seasons with the Wheat Kings, recording 68 points, including 10 goals, in 247 regular-season games. . . . Robinson, from Minnedosa, Man., spent two seasons with the Red Deer Rebels before being acquired by Brandon. He earned 109 points, 29 of them goals, in 260 regular-season WHL games.

8. F Evan Richardson won’t be joining the Victoria Royals. Instead, he is transferring to the U of Connecticut. It was revealed earlier in the week that Richardson, the 15th overall selection in the 2009 WHL bantam draft, was leaving Boston College after getting into only four games during his freshman season. . . . Will Moran, the radio voice of the UConn Huskies, reports that Richardson will be playing for head coach Mike Cavanaugh, who was an associated coach at BC and recruited him to the Eagles. . . . In the WHL, Richardson was drafted by the Swift Current Broncos, who later dealt his rights to the Royals. From Nanaimo, B.C., Richardson is preparing for his 20-year-old season.

9. D Josh Morrissey, who played the last three seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders, was the game’s third star Tuesday night as the St. John’s IceCaps dumped the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 5-0, to win the AHL’s Eastern Conference final in six games. . . . Morrissey had one assist, giving him eight points, including two goals, in 15 playoff games. He had one assist in eight games as he finished up the AHL regular season with St. John’s. . . . Morrissey, from Calgary, was selected by the Winnipeg Jets with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft. He turned 19 on March 28, meaning he will have to play with the Jets or the Raiders next season. . . . In Game 7, the IceCaps got two assists from D Brenden Kichton (Spokane, 2008-13), a goal and an assist from F Jason Jaffary (Kootenay, Swift Current, 1998-2002) and a goal from F Adam Lowry (Swift Current, 2009-13).

10. In the AHL’s Western Conference final, the host Texas Stars scored the game’s last six goals and beat the Toronto Marlies, 6-2, in Game 7. . . . F Justin Dowling (Swift Current, 2006-11) had a goal and two assists for the Stars, while F Matej Stransky (Saskatoon, 2010-13) added a goal and D Derek Meech (Red Deer, 2000-04) had one assist. . . . Toronto F Frazer McLaren (Portland, Moose Jaw, 2003-08) had opened the scoring. . . . The AHL final opens Sunday in Cedar Park, Texas.

11. Dan Marino, the ex-quarterback who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has withdrawn his name from the list of plaintiffs in a concussion-related lawsuit that was filed against the NFL last week. The MMQB has more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies announced Tuesday that general manager Brad Knight also will handle the head coaching duties in 2014-15. The move came as head coach Craig Didmon revealed that he will be taking a year off for personal reasons. . . . Didmon replaced Bill Bestwick as head coach in December. Knight was hired as GM in April.
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Glenn Detulleo, the head coach of the SPHL’s Huntsville Havoc, has signed a five-year contract extension that runs through 2018-19. Detulleo was headed into the option season of his original contract.
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Kris MacDonald has been hired to work as an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Acadie-Bathurst Titan. MacDonald, who played for the Titan in 2005-06, spent last season working with a midget AAA team at the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:

Wonder if people buying those Toronto WJC tickets know they can see many of the same kids for $20 a game in Mississauga?
— Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) June 3, 2014

Congrats to Kozari on 1st Cup Final. 1st WHL game was w/him & had to put his contact lenses in his eyes 5 mins b4 gametime. #nerves #shaky
— Kris Hartley (@stripes81) June 3, 2014

A friendly reminder as NHL & NBA get ready for championships, they're playing the Final. Not Finals. No matter what the leagues tell you.
— David Larkins (@LarkinsWSun) June 3, 2014

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Jason Beckett (Seattle, 1997-2000) signed a one-year contract with Kallinge/Ronneby (Sweden, Division 1). He had one goal and five assists in 39 games with Jesenice (Slovenia, Austria Erste Bank Liga) last season. Beckett was introduced to the local media Friday and is expected to be in the lineup for Sunday's game. . . .
F Codey Burki (Brandon, 2002-07) has been assigned on loan by Lugano (Switzerland, NL A) to La Chaux-de-Fonds (Switzerland, NL B). He had seven goals and five assists in four games on loan to Thurgau (Switzerland, NL B) last season. The loan agreement is on a game-by-game basis. Lugano says that Burki is awaiting Swiss citizenship. . . .
F Marek Curilla (Kootenay, Medicine Hat, 2005-06) has been assigned on loan by Slovan Ustecti Lvi (Czech Republic, 1.Liga) to Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga) until Oct. 31. He had 15 goals and 11
assists in 40 games for Slovan last season and was pointless in three games thus far this season. . . .
G Ville Kolppanen (Lethbridge, 2009-10) has signed a two-year contract extension with Ilves Tampere (Finland, SM-Liiga). He was recalled from loan to LeKi Lempäälä (Finland, Mestis), and assigned on loan to Snezhnye Barsy Astana (Kazakhstan, Russia MHL, the top Russian junior league) until the end of January. He had allowed two goal in two games with a .969 save percentage for LeKi this season. Last season, Kolppanen had a 2.89 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 19 games for Ilves A-Juniors (Finland, A-Junior SM-Liiga). The contract extension runs through the 2013-14 season.
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There are a lot of great people in hockey and Glen Hanlon, the Vancouver Giants’ assistant coach, is one of them.
So it was great to chat with him before the Giants game in Kamloops on Friday night.
He also is one of hockey’s great story tellers.
He said he got quite a chuckle one day when a Giants player asked him if he had gone to the NHL draft when he was eligible to be selected.
“Yeah,” Hanlon said. “I went to the Brandon Sun and spent the draft hunched over the teletype machine watching for my name.”
He didn’t have to wait too long. He was selected in the third round, 40th overall of the NHL’s 1977 draft. He also was a third-round pick in the WHA draft, taken 30th overall, by the Houston Aeros.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers got three goals from F Emerson Etem on Friday as they beat the Oil Kings 5-3 in Edmonton. It was the fourth time in his career that Etem has scored at least three goals in a game. However, it was the first time he has done it since his freshman season. That season, he scored 37 times, including two-three-goal games and a four-goal effort. Last season, Etem struck for 45 goals but never scored more than two goals in a game, something he did on 10 occasions. Etem now has 149 points, including 86 goals, in 139 career regular-season games. . . . The Oil Kings drew 7,273 fans to their home-opener. . . .
F Max Reinhart had two goals and two assists to lead the host Kootenay Ice to a 5-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . It was Regina’s first loss in four games this season. The Pats hadn’t started 3-0 since 1984-85. . . . It was the fifth time Reinhart has had at least four points in a game. Last season, he enjoyed a five-point outing and two four-point games. . . . Regina got a shorthanded goal from D Brandon Underwood, who now has two scores in four games this season. He went into the season with two career goals in 149 regular-season games with the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Ice also got a goal and two helpers from F Dylen McKinlay, an offseason acquisition from the Victoria Royals. . . .
Morgan Rielly, one of the WHL’s bumper crop of defencemen, helped the Warriors to a 6-5 shootout victory over the visiting Prince Albert Raiders. The Warriors trailed 5-3 when Rielly scored at 16:50 of the third period and then drew the lone assist on a PP goal by F Sebastian Svendsen at 19:14. Rielly then scored the shootout goal that ended the game. . . . F Brandon Herrod had two goals and two assists for the Raiders. It was the second four-point night of his career, the first since 2009-10. . . . Attendance in Moose Jaw was 3,545. . . .
In Prince George, G Keith Hamilton stopped 48 shots through overtime as the Victoria Royals went on to a 5-4 shootout victory over the Cougars. . . . Neither of Prince George’s two shootout participants was able to beat Hamilton, who also came out the winner on a second-period penalty shot by F Tayler Thompson. . . . Attendance in Prince George was 4,530. . . . On Sept. 24, Hamilton made 48 saves as the Royals beat the visiting Vancouver Giants, 4-3. . . . The Royals acquired Hamilton, a 19-year-old from Kelowna, from the Portland Winterhawks over the summer. . . .
The Swift Current Broncos won for the first time in four games, beating the Wheat Kings 5-4 in a shootout. . . . That left the Broncos at 1-2-1. . . . Brandon now is 0-2 at home. . . . The Broncos, who were without F Dillon Wagner (knee), lost F Andy Blanke, who left after a first-period scrap with Brandon F Michael Ferland. . . . Brandon had F Brenden Walker in the lineup for the first time since he suffered an concussion in a playoff game against the Medicine Hat Tigers last spring. . . .
In Portland, G Ty Rimmer improved to 2-0 as the Tri-City Americans beat the Winterhawks, 4-1. Rimmer stopped 32 shots as the Americans moved to 3-0 for the second straight season. . . . Tri-City meets the Chiefs in Spokane tonight.
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JUST NOTES: The U of Calgary Dinos and the WHL announced Friday the creation of the Ed Chynoweth Memorial Hockey Award. It wwill go annually to a former WHL player who is attending the U of Calgary and playing for the Dinos. . . . If you’re a long-time hockey fan, you may remember hearing about Sven Tumba, or Sven Johansson, as he was born. The Swedish hockey star also was known to some as Tumba Johansson. Tumba, who was one of the first Europeans to skate in an NHL training camp, died today in Stockholm. He was in camp with the Boston Bruins back in the day. There’s more on Tumba right here.
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Ken Dryden, who knows a thing or two about hockey and about writing, has put fingers to keyboard and come up with a brilliant piece about headshots in sports. It you haven’t already seen it, it is right here, and it is only the best piece written on this subject to date. Dryden’s piece explains better than anything else I have seen exactly why headshots -- intentional, accidental and incidental -- and fighting must be taken out of the game of hockey, and why it has to happen now. Not tomorrow. Right now.
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Ken Dryden and Globe and Mail columnist Roy MacGregor are preparing for an online discussion on “why we need to rethink hockey.” It will begin Monday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT).
For more info, click right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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