Taking Note

Riley Sheen of the Medicine Hat Tigers tweeted this picture,
showing the damage after a Friday night fight.

A TALE FROM THE WHL:
There is an arena that is home to a WHL team and there is a parking lot in behind that arena. Before and during the early portion of every game, said parking lot is patrolled by an attendant, who makes sure that drivers park in some kind of organized fashion.
Without the attendant’s work, chances are the rear entrance to the arena would end up blocked, thus keeping emergency vehicles from having access, if necessary.
Anyway . . .
This attendant rules with an iron fist.
And so it was that a vehicle full of on-ice officials pulled into the parking lot a couple of hours before a recent game.
The attendant approached the vehicle.
Attendant: What are you guys doing here?
One official: What do you mean?
Attendant: There’s no game here tonight.
One official, glancing at other vehicles in parking lot: What do you mean?
Attendant: Cirque de Soleil is here tonight.
One official: Ahh, (crap)! Well, is it OK if we park here while we make a phone call?
Attendant nods, turns and walks away.
Moments later, the official, pointing a finger, tells the attendant: That was a good one. But, remember, I don’t get mad . . . I get even.
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JUST NOTES:
You have to admire the spunk of F Riley Sheen of the Medicine Hat Tigers. He got into a scrap with F Jordan Wyton of the host Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday night. It happened at 7:06 of the second period. Sheen, who was bloodied in the exchange, didn’t return. However, he later tweeted the photo that is seen above. . . .
F Connor Sanvido has been dropped by the Seattle Thunderbirds. He had 13 points, four of them goals, in 47 games. An 18-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., Sanvido was the 14th overall selection in the 2008 bantam draft. In 101 career regular-season games, he had 20 points, including seven goals. He last played for the Thunderbirds on Feb. 6. . . . Asked by blogger Mike Caccioppoli what happened, Seattle head coach Steve Konowalchuk replied: “He wasn't putting in the work we needed so we sent him home.” . . . On the Seattle stats page on the WHL website, Sanvido’s name now carries the red ‘x’ of a player no longer on the roster. . . .
When Matt Kassian played in the WHL (Vancouver, Kamloops, 2003-07), he always was a good interview. Obviously, that hasn’t changed. Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune talks with Kassian right here about his role as an enforcer with the Minnesota Wild.
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The QMJHL wraps its season around the Quebec school system schedule, which is why it starts its training camps in mid-August. This season, the QMJHL is going to open its regular season later than it has in the past, which means . . . well, here’s Willy Pavov of the Halifax Chronicle to tell us exactly what it means.
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Somewhere on high the Dipsy Doodle Dandy from Delisle is smiling. The Delisle Chiefs of the junior B Prairie Junior Hockey League set a league record with a regular season-ending 23 straight victories as they ran their record to 32-8-0-0. They finished three points ahead of the Saskatoon Royals, who went 30-9-0-1 (the last digit represents ties), in the North Division. . . . In the South Division, Fort Knox is 31-5-0-3 with a game to play. . . . The Chiefs, under head coach Dave Norris, haven’t lost since Nov. 26 when they were beaten 5-2 by visiting Fort Knox. . . . The PJHL’s regular season ends with two games today. . . . For you youngsters out there, the late, great Max Bentley, a Hall of Famer, will forever be known as the Dipsy Doodle Dandy from Delisle. He was one of the brothers from one of hockey’s first families.
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In the OHL, G Mark Visentin set a single-season shutout record as the Niagara IceDogs got past the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 3-0. It was his 10th shutout of the season, breaking the record that had been held by Don Lockhart (Toronto Marlies, 1949-50). . . . Visentin, who has twice played for Canada’s national junior team, has put up his 10 shutouts in only 36 starts.
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With the Tampa Bay Lightning clearly in a selling mode, you have to think there is hope for the Tri-City Americans and their fans. . . . F Brett Connolly played seven shifts totaling 5 minutes 15 seconds in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 victory over the visiting Washington Capitals on Saturday night.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Blaine Sautner, the head coach of the University of Regina Cougars, has decided to retire. Ian Hamilton of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Sautner is “headed home to run a ranch.” . . . According to Hamilton, Sautner and a brother plan on operating the family ranch near Flaxcombe, Sask. . . . Sautner, 43, is the father of Edmonton Oil Kings D Ashton Sautner, 17. . . . Blaine Sautner announced his decision after the Cougars (5-20-3) ended their season with a 4-1 loss to the visiting Saskatchewan Huskies on Saturday. . . . He has been the U of R head coach since 2005-06.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Portland, F Ty Rattie had a five-pointer as the Winterhawks whipped the Seattle Thunderbirds, 11-2. . . . Rattie finished with three goals, giving him 48 on the season, and two assists. He also was plus-5. . . . That gave Rattie 97 points, two fewer than F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings, who was in action later in the day. . . . It was Rattie’s fourth hat trick of the season. . . . Rattie is on pace to become the first Portland skater with 50 goals since F Josef Balej scored 51 in 2001-02 and the first 100-point man since F Todd Robinson finished with 109 in 1997-98. . . . The Winterhawks’ played host to an afternoon game and left the curtains open in Veterans Memorial Coliseum to let the sun shine in. . . . They will have the curtains open again Monday when the Prince George Cougars are in town for a matinee on Presidents Day. . . . Portland F Sven Bartschi had three assists and he now is on a two-point-per-game pace, with 78 points in 39 games. He has 56 assists, the fourth-best total in the league. . . . Portland F Marcel Noebels, who was acquired at the trade deadline, had two goals and an assist, as did teammate Brad Ross. . . . Ross broke a 1-1 tie with a PP goal at 11:10 of the first period. . . . Portland took that 2-1 lead into the second when it scored five times. . . . Seattle G Daniel Cotton went the distance, stopping 37 shots. . . . Portland G Brendan Burke also stopped 37 shots. . . . Talk about a tough month: Seattle D Dave Sutter has had back-to-back minus-4 outings and now is minus-17 in nine February games. . . . Portland has won six in a row. . . . The Winterhawks hadn’t scored 10 goals in a home game since Nov. 27, 2002, when they beat the Cougars, 10-2. . . . Portland last scored 11 in a game on Jan. 17, 1997, when they won 12-1 in Kamloops. . . . Portland F Oliver Gabriel had a goal, his 13th, as he ran his points streak to 10 games. . . .

In Brandon, F Michael Ferland scored the game’s first three goals and F Mark Stone became the first WHLer this season to reach 100 points as the Wheat Kings. . . . Ferland finished with four goals, giving him 40, and an assist. . . . Stone, who had two assists, got to 100 points with an assist on the game’s second goal, a PP score by Ferland late in the first period. Stone is the first Wheat Kings skater with back-to-back 100-point seasons since F Peter Schaefer (1995-97), the pride of Yellow Grass, Sask. . . . F Brenden Walker had three assists for Brandon, his third three-point outing in his last four games. He now has 66 points in 58 games. . . . The Wheat Kings, who have won four in a row,s were without F Alessio Bertaggia, F Kevin Sundher, F Jason Swyripa and F Tyrel Seaman, all out with injuries. . . .

In Swift Current, it was Sheldon Kennedy Day and the Broncos responded with an 8-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The City of Swift Current honoured Kennedy, a former Broncos captain who now is an advocate for those in abusive situations, with a proclamation declaring Saturday as Sheldon Kennedy Day. . . . F Coda Gordon had two goals for the Broncos, giving him 27. It was his third straight two-goal game. . . . Swift Current F Levi Bews also had two goals for the Broncos, while F Colby Cave and F Brad Hoban each had three assists. . . . The Blades, who beat the visiting Broncos 7-3 on Friday, had been 5-0-0 against Swift Current. . . . Broncos G Jon Groenheyde stopped 33 shots. . . . The toughest person in the WHL on Saturday night may have been the anthem singer at this game. A tweet from Cody Nickolet, who does colour on Blades’ broadcasts: “Credit to the anthem singer in Swift Current tonight, he slipped on his way on the ice. Did the anthem with a bloody forehead.”

In Cranbrook, F Chandler Stephenson broke a 2-2 tie with a PP goal at 15:57 of the third period as the Regina Pats beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-2. . . . The Pats led this one 2-0 before the Ice scored two goals 1:12 apart early in the third period. . . . D Luke Paulsen got his second goal at 3:05 on a PP and F Max Reinhart tied it with his 23rd at 4:17. . . . Regina F Lane Scheidl iced it with another PP score at 19:26 of the third. . . . Stephenson’s goal was his 16th. . . . Regina F Jordan Weal scored his 34th goal. . . . Regina D Brandon Davidson and D Martin Marincin each had two assists. . . . The Ice lost D Jeff Hubic to a charging major and game misconduct at 13:00 of the third period. . . . Regina was 2-9 on the PP; the Ice was 0-2. . . . The Ice is listing F Drew Czerwonka as being out week-to-week with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Ice will bring in F Luke Philp from the AJHL’s Canmore Eagles, who didn’t make the playoffs. He had 46 points, including 16 goals, in 48 games with the Eagles. He already has played 10 games with the Ice and has one assist. . . . A tweet after the second period from Jeff Holick, the radio voice of the Ice: “Asst Coach Jerry Bancks gm misc for clapping hands. Was encouraging his team, Ref thought he was being mocked.” . . . Bancks is an assistant coach with the Ice. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers turned the tables on the Moose Jaw Warriors and beat them, 6-0. . . . Playing in Moose Jaw on Friday, the Warriors had beaten the Tigers, 6-0. . . . Medicine Hat G Kenny Cameron stopped 36 shots for his first WHL shutout and his second career victory. . . . F Boston Leier led the Tigers last night with two goals, giving him 12, and an assist. . . . F Chad Labelle, playing his third game, scored his first WHL goal. . . . The Tigers continue to be without G Tyler Bunz, F Kale Kessy, F Hunter Shinkaruk and F Curtis Valk, all out with injuries. . . . The Tigers had Dawson MacAuley from the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers backing up Cameron in both weekend games. . . . The Warriors had won six in a row. . . .

In Kamloops, F Jimmy Bubnick scored his 100th regular-season goal and set up two others as the Calgary Hitmen edged the Blazers, 5-4. . . . Kamloops D Austin Madaisky was ejected with a cross-checking major at 6:01 of the first period. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester scored two goals on the resulting PP, giving him 20 this season, and the Hitmen never trailed. . . . Kamloops did tie it on goals by F Colin Smith, his 30th, at 16:46 of the first and F Dylan Willick at 10:09 of the second. . . . Calgary F Victor Rask broke the 2-2 tie at 16:35 of the second. . . . Bubnick has 27 goals this season. . . . Willick finished with two goals; he’s got 25. . . . Calgary was 3-5 on the PP; Kamloops was 2-3. . . . Calgary F Alex Gogolev, who took the hit from Madaisky, finished the game. . . . The Blazers continue to lead the overall standings. They now are three points ahead of the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings and the Tri-City Americans and Portland Winterhawks, who are tied atop the U.S. Division. . . . The Hitmen moved into fourth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers and one ahead of the Kootenay Ice. . . .

In Everett, F Ryan Chynoweth scored on a spin-o-rama in the shootout to give the Silvertips a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . F Brendan Gallagher gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the shootout. . . . F Kohl Bauml tied it for Everett. . . . Vancouver F Jordan Martinook had broken a 1-1 tie with two goals, giving him 34. . . . The Silvertips pulled even on two second-period goals by F Jordyn Boyd, who now has six scores. . . . Everett now is 2-8 in shootouts. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 39 shots through OT. . . . The Silvertips had F Michal Urbaniak make his WHL debut. Urbaniak, who turned 17 on Jan. 17, plays for the junior B North Van Wolf Pack. He has 12 points and 80 penalty minutes in 36 games. . . . Vancouver had a three-game winning streak come to an end. . . . The Giants went 4-1-1 in winning the season series with the Silvertips. . . .

In Kelowna, D Damon Severson opened the seventh round of the circus with a goal that gave the Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . F Shane McColgan, Kelowna’s third shooter, gave his side a 1-0 lead. . . . Red Deer F Charles Inglis answered with a goal to tie it all up. . . . The Rebels led this one 2-0, only to have the Rockets score three straight goals. . . . Kelowna F Brett Bulmer broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal of the game, and 24th of the season, at 5:00 of the third. . . . D Mathew Dumba pulled Red Deer even with his 17th goal at 19:28 of the third. . . . Red Deer G Deven Dubyk stopped 38 shots. Kelowna F Brett Lyon failed to score on Dubyk on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Red Deer D Devan Fafard, playing his 11th game this season and the 34th of his career, scored his first goal. . . . The Rebels fell one point further back in their attempt to get to the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. With 14 games remaining, they are nine points behind Brandon. . . . Kelowna is destined to finish fifth in the Western Conference. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Brendan Shinnimin scored twice to help the Tri-City Americans to a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . It was the Americans’ 40th victory this season, the sixth straight season they have reached that milestone. The Americans have gotten there in each of head coach Jim Hiller’s three seasons with them. . . . The Chiefs led 2-0 before the game was six minutes old, with F Liam Stewart getting his 10th, on a PP, and F Marek Kalus getting his 17th. . . . Shinnimin got his 40th of the season, on the PP, at 14:01 of the first and then tied it at 14:55 of the second, on another PP. . . . D Derek Ryckman got the winner at 15:48 of the second. He has three snipes this season. . . . Shinnimin has matched his point total (96) from last season and has 299 for his career. . . . Tri-City F Patrick Holland had three assists and F Adam Hughesman drew two. Hughesman has 200 assists, the fourth Tri-City player to get there. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 31 shots, 12 more than Tri-City’s Ty Rimmer. . . . The Chiefs have lost four in a row for the first time this season and now trail the fourth-place Vancouver Giants by five points. Spokane does hold two games in hand. . . .

In Victoria, G Drew Owsley stopped 28 shots as the Prince George Cougars beat the Royals, 3-1. . . . The Cougars built up a 3-0 first period lead on an even-strength goal by D Dan Gibb, his first, a power-play score by F Caleb Belter, his fourth, and a shorthanded tally by F Greg Fraser, his 14th. . . . The latter two goals came at 16:39 and 18:55. . . . D Hayden Rintoul scored his 14th of the season at 19:22 of the first, on a PP, for the Royals. . . . Victoria G Jared Rathjen stopped all 17 shots he faced after relieving Keith Hamilton following Victoria’s third goal. . . .

Here’s the deal on the chase for the Western Conference’s last two playoff spots. . . . Seattle, with 14 games remaining, and Victoria (13) are tied for seventh, with 42 points. Everett (14) is ninth, with 41, and Prince George (15) is 10th, with 40. . . . The teams that finish seventh and eighth will draw the B.C. and U.S. Division winners in the first round.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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Kenn Oliver of the St. John’s Telegram has a piece right here on Brad Yetman, a former QMJHL player whose competitive career was ended by concussions. Yetman is 21 years of age.
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Oliver also has a second concussion-related story right here. This one is about Ryan Graham, a former QMJHL player who isn’t sure how many concussions he suffered during his career. He suffered another one last seeing while playing for the Acadia Axemen, a Canadian university team. That one scared him.
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Mike Raptis has an interesting story in today’s Vancouver Province about a minor hockey coach who admits that he “cuffed” a 12-year-old player. And now the Burnaby Minor Hockey Association is having fingers pointed at it and is facing accusations of being an old boys' club. Yikes! Not in minor hockey!!



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