Monday . . .

Annika Sorenstam concluded her wonderful career on the LPGA Tour on Friday when she missed the cut at the ADT Championship in West Palm Beach, Fla.
As one of the greatest golfers in history, Sorenstam should have been greeted with applause and accolades. Instead, she was given a tin cup – or whatever the drug testers hand you – and told to fill it.
Despite the fact, she had been tested two weeks earlier, Sorenstam, following the final round of her professional career, was tested again.
Her name, apparently, had been randomly selected and, as LPGA general counsel Jill Pilgrim put it: “We followed our protocol. Nobody is treated differently or special.”
Well, there are times when protocol should be ignored. That was one of those times.
Another one of those times involves the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge that moves into Swift Current on Wednesday and Prince Albert on Thursday. A team of WHL players will meet a touring Russian side in both venues as the visitors conclude their six-game visit.
Unfortunately, followers of the Broncos and Raiders, who are being asked to fork over hard-earned dollars for these games, won’t get to watch any of their favourites play against the Russians.
Officials from Hockey Canada, the CHL and the WHL will tell you, as it says in a press release posted on the WHL website, that “the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge is an important part of the selection process” for the national junior team. Which it may well be.
But that doesn’t excuse the WHL’s powers-that-be for what is a monumental error. If the league is going to ask two of its cities to play host to these games every year, then fans who are being asked to purchase tickets should be guaranteed, in return, that they will be able to watch one or two of their favourite players.
There is no reason why, for example, D Eric Doyle of the Broncos shouldn’t play Wednesday in Swift Current, or why LW Dustin Cameron or G Steven Stanford of the Raiders shouldn’t be on the ice Thursday in Prince Albert. It is absolutely shameful that the local teams won’t be represented in the WHL team’s lineup. And, no, such players shouldn’t be added as injury replacements – they should have been on the original roster.
The Russians played Monday night in St. Catharines, Ont., where the Niagara IceDogs were represented by D Alex Pietrangelo and F Andrew Agozzino.
The tour opened in Sydney, N.S., where the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles had three players in the QMJHL team’s lineup – G Olivier Roy, D Mathieu Brodeur and F Nick MacNeil.
When the tour moved to Saint John, N.B., the Sea Dogs were represented by D Alex Grant, D Yann Sauve, D Simon Despres and F Steven Anthony.
And when it stopped in Guelph, the OHL’s Storm had F Peter Holland F Anthony Nigro in the OHL team’s lineup.
Only fans in Swift Current and Prince Albert won’t get to watch any of their favourites.
This simply is one more time when protocol should have been ignored.
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F Evander Kane of the Vancouver Giants won’t play in the ADT Challenge games, despite having been named to the WHL team. But he hopes to return from a heel injury and play Friday against the host Chilliwack Bruins. Kane, who has missed three games, was the WHL’s leading scorer when he went out with a bruised heel. . . . D Thomas Hickey of the Seattle Thunderbirds will captain the WHL team that is to play a touring Russian side in the last two games of the 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge. Alternates will be F Zach Boychuk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, F Tyler Ennis of the Medicine Hat Tigers and F Dana Tyrell of the Prince George Cougars. . . . F Mikhail Fisenko of the Vancouver Giants will play for the Russian team in both those games. Fisenko, 18, is in his first WHL season. He is from Magnitogorsk and has 11 points in 22 games with Vancouver.
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Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress is reporting that Bruins forward Jadon Potter, who was injured Friday when he crashed headfirst into the endboards, has “damage to his sixth and seventh veterbrae and that means a return to the ice is not a 100 per cent sure thing.” . . . Potter was injured during a 2-0 loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . “It’s going to be a long and slow healing process,” Bruins GM Darrell May told Welsh. “I’ve been told he’ll be wearing a neck brace for eight weeks. Any damage to the neck and that area is very serious. It’s certainly as bad as we’ve seen around here.”
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JUST NOTES: F Scott Glennie of the Brandon Wheat Kings is the Boston Pizza WHL player of the week. He had eight points, six of them goals, as the Wheaties went 2-0-0-1 last week. . . . Ryan Holfeld of the Medicine Hat Tigers is the WHL nominee as the CHL’s ADT goaltender of the week. He had a 1.00 GAA and a .970 save percentage in going 2-0-0-0 last week. . . The Wheat Kings should have D Colby Robak (shoulder) back for a three-game road swing that opens against the Hurricanes in Lethbridge on Friday. He has missed four games. . . . Brandon F Jesse Hall (knee) has missed three weeks but is close to returning. . . . D Scott Gabriel, 20, who was claimed by Regina off waivers from the Portland Winter Hawks last week, has told Pats GM Brent Parker that he won’t report. Gabriel wants to finish his junior career with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. Gabriel is from Edmonton. . . . The Prince George Cougars have released F Colby Kulhanek, 19. He had 11 points and 48 penalty minutes in 27 games with the Cougars. Kulhanek, who is from Port Coquitlam, B.C., also has played with the Chilliwack Bruins and Red Deer Rebels. . . . The QMJHL has suspended F Frederick Roy of the Quebec Remparts for 15 games after he cross-checked an opponent in the face during a game against the Montreal Juniors on Friday. That includes a one-game automatic suspension for the game misconduct that accompanies the cross-checking major. According to a QMJHL press release: “This gesture took place after a stoppage in play, hits were exchanged with a final blow going to the face of the opposing player. The decision was rendered after reviewing the videotape of the incident and consulting all concerned parties.” And, yes, Frederick is one of Patrick Roy’s sons, which means he is the brother to Jonathan, the Remparts goaltender who drew a seven-game suspension for his part in a one-sided fight last season. And, yes, the latest Roy shenanigans are available on YouTube. Check it out right here.