Friday's stuff . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT: D Mark Ardelan (Brandon/Vancouver/Prince Albert), released earlier this week by Lukko Rauma (Finland SM-Liiga), has signed with Iserlohn Roosters (Germany DEL) through the end of this season. . . . F Derek Couture (Saskatoon/Seattle) has been released from his try-out contract by Alba Volan Szekesfehervar (Hungarian team, plays in Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had one goal, two assists, and 97 penalty minutes in 10 games with Alba Volan and had just received a 12-game suspension from the league. . . . F KC Timmons (Tri-City) has been released by Eaters Geleen (Netherlands). Timmons had four goals and four assists in 11 games for Geleen. . . . F Sergei Varlamov (Swift Current) has been released by Severstal Cherepovets (KHL). Varlamov had four assists in 20 games and was a team-worst minus-14.
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F Jadon Potter, the captain of the Chilliwack Bruins, is believed to have suffered a separated shoulder and a possible concussion in a scary incident Friday night. The Bruins would drop a 2-0 decision to the visiting Tri-City Americans, but that was secondary to Potter’s healthy. Potter was injured at 3:31 of the second period when he slid headfirst into the boards behind the Bruins’ net. He was on the ice long enough that both teams were sent to their dressing rooms. After about 30 minutes, Potter was placed on a stretcher and taken to hospital in an ambulance. . . . According to Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress: “The first Americans goal came on the play that Potter got injured on. With the Bruins on a power play, (Chilliwack’s) Andy Smith bobbled the puck at the point, sending Mitch Fadden away on a shorthanded breakaway. Potter pursued and dove at the last second, trying to sweep the puck away.” . . . Potter’s momentum carried him hard into the boards. . . . Again, according to Welsh: “Unofficial word on Potter's injury was that he sustained a separated shoulder and a possible concussion. He was moving his extremities and talking as he was taken off the ice. He was taken to Chilliwack General Hospital for observation.”
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To build, or not to build. That is the question. And, in Moose Jaw, it goes on and on and on and . . . z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z. . . . Actually, that’s not fair. This is a big deal in Moose Jaw and, unfortunately, it involves the future of the city’s WHL franchise. The citizens there are embroiled in a rather ugly debate about whether to build, and if you build, where to build. . . . The latest saga to this chapter took place in a Regina courtroom – is there some irony in that, or what? – and there are two links to what happened. One his here and the other is here.
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In the meantime, I got an email from a Moose Jaw hockey fan and this just may indicate the mindset . . .
“I don't think morale could get any worse at this point here in the so called Friendly City.
Some serious questions are starting to be asked . . .
1. Is this team safe from a WHL standpoint?
2. Is this team safe when this arena is built . . . can it afford the massive lease payments or will the city be left with a massive cash cow that no junior or midget AAA team could afford to play out of?
3. What events will come to this building (if it has) fewer than 90 parking spots.
4. Will/can the community support this team in the new building; there was another dismal crowd Friday night at the Civic Centre.
5. Have too many people become fed up and embarrassed by all of this and are they just wishing the whole dilemma would go away?
It's frustrating right now . . . and I am a proud hockey fan. It is just very uncertain times right now.”
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JUST NOTES: D Scott Gabriel, 20, was claimed on waivers by Regina from the Portland Winter Hawks on Thursday has told the Pats that he isn’t going to report. He is expected to play for the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders, although Regina asked him to think things over. . . . The Pats opened an eight-game road swing with a 4-1 loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Friday. The Broncos were without five regulars: D Andrew Hewett (knee), D Derek Claffey (hip), F Cody Eakin (ankle), D Ryan Molle (chest) and F Jordan Peddle (concussion). . . . F Brett Sonne had two goals and an assist as the Calgary Hitmen won their ninth straight game, beating the visiting Prince Albert Raiders, 6-1. Sonne now leads the WHL scoring race, with 39 points. . . . Attendance in Calgary was a season-high 11,920. . . . F Mitch Fadden scored two shorthanded goals and G Chet Pickard stopped 26 shots as the visiting Tri-City Americans beat the Chilliwack Bruins, 2-0. Fadden has two goals and six assists in six games since coming over from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . In Vancouver, the Giants erased a 3-1 first-period deficit with five straight goals and beat the Kamloops Blazers, 6-4. Attendance was a season-high 12,262, along with the Stanley Cup. The Giants wore vintage Vancouver Millionaires uniforms – the moneymen are the only Vancouver team to have won the Stanley Cup. They did it in 1915. . . . The Giants now are 19-1-0-3. . . . The Everett Silvertips have added D Trevor Bauer, 18, to their roster. He got into 22 games with the Prince George Cougars last season but was released after six games this season. The Silvertips had been going with six defencemen – Shayne Brown is out with a hip injury – so Bauer gives them some insurance. . . . In the OHL, the Kingston Frontenaces beat the visiting Belleville Bulls 5-4 in OT on Friday, giving head coach Doug Gilmour a victory in his first game. Gilmour left the AHL’s Toronto Marlies earlier in the week – he had been an assistant coach – and signed a three-year deal to replace Larry Mavety as head coach in Kingston. Mavety remains on as general manager. Attendance in the K-Rock Centre was 4,571. . . . The Frontenacs will have to get along without Zack Fenwick for 15 games. He has been suspended by OHL commissioner David Branch after receiving a match penalty in a game against the host Oshawa Generals on Nov. 16. Conor Stokes of the Generals came out of that mess with a head injury. Here is Branch’s statement: “The League is persuaded that player Fenwick did not intend to injure the Oshawa player, and although player Fenwick has shown deep remorse, and such actions are uncharacteristic, they were most inappropriate and concerning and we must all work to eliminate these type of bullying tactics from our game. We are most fortunate that player Stokes of the Oshawa Generals was not more seriously injured. It is the position of the Ontario Hockey League that player Zack Fenwick of the Kingston Frontenacs Hockey Club be suspended for fifteen (15) games effective immediately." . . . If you’re wondering what could warrant a 15-game suspension, you can watch it right here. As the video starts, watch right behind the net.