Wednesday's over . . .

It's going to be a big night in Chilliwack on Sept. 19 as the Bruins kick off what they're calling Big League Weekend. They're bringing in Tom Cochrane -- the pride of Lynn Lake, Man. -- for a concert on Sept. 19, one night before they open the season against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. Visit the Bruins' website for ticket info. . . . Tom Cochrane. . . . Big League Weekend. . . . Get it? . . . Of course you do.
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The Portland Winter Hawks have signed F Ty Rattie, the second overall selection in the WHL’s 2008 bantam draft. Rattie, from Airdrie, Alta., played bantam in his hometown last season and led the Alberta Major Bantam League in goals (75) and points (131). He was second in assists (56). Rattie is in camp with the Winter Hawks, but is a year too young to be able to make their roster. He is expected to play this weekend in the Everett Silvertips’ preseason tournament.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that C Kirt Hill’s future with the Regina Pats is “in limbo.” Hill, 20, had surgery Wednesday to repair a fractured thumb. He was injured in a bout with C Scott Doucet, 20, in the Pats’ intrasquad game on Tuesday night. Hill is likely to miss at least two months. . . . The Pats still don’t have LW Rudolf Cerveny in camp. He’s at a Czech national junior team camp. . . . Harder also reports that the Pats “are close” to signing D Tyler Borstmayer, their second-round pick in the 2008 bantam draft.
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D Lyon Messier, who bounced around the WHL a bit early last season, will play for the New York Rangers’ prospects team in a tournament at Traverse City, Mich. Messier, 21, is the son of former NHL star Mark Messier. . . . D Tysen Dowzak, 20, of the Kelowna Rockets also is on the Rangers’ roster, as is LW Matt Meropoulis, 19, of the Chilliwack Bruins. Rangers president/GM Glen Sather is one of the Bruins’ owners. RW Dale Weise, 20, of the Swift Current Broncos also will play for the Rangers.
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Jay Mariotti, the venom-spewing columnist of the Chicago Sun-Times, has left the newspaper. It’s a big, big story in Chitown. It isn’t often a columnist, or a writer for that matter, leaves a paper and gets skewered on his way out the door. You may have seen Mariotti on the ESPN show Around The Horn. Anyway, take a look right here to get a feel for what’s happening with this story.