F Adam Rehak (Medicine Hat, 2011-12) has been released by Meran/Merano (Italy, Austria Nationalliga). He had 12 points, including seven goals, in 12 games.
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D Jordan Thomson, the fourth overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft, has left the Kamloops Blazers and
returned to his home in Wawanesa, Man., which is located just southeast of Brandon."Everything is all right," Thomson told me Tuesday evening. "(I) just need to clear my head."
Thomson has seven assists in 20 games this season. Last season, as a 16-year-old rookie, he had 14 points, two of them goals, in 47 games.
Earlier in the day, the Blazers issued a news release that stated Thomson had returned home "for an undetermined time due to a personal matter."
“At this point it’s all about Jordan," head coach Dave Hunchak told Adam Williams of the Kamloops Daily News last night. "We support him and he’s gone home in the best interests of him. We’re here for him 110 per cent and are going to support him.”
Hunchak said the team is taking a "week-to-week" approach with Thomson.
His departure leaves the Blazers with six defenceman on their 21-man roster.
The Blazers (6-12-3) are at home to the Medicine Hat Tigers (14-3-3) tonight.
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First, the Lethbridge Hurricanes added a victory; then they added a defenceman.
After winning 5-3 in Moose Jaw to end a 10-game losing skid last night, the Hurricanes announced that they
have acquired D Tyler Bell, 19, from the Warriors for a third-round 2014 bantam draft pick.It seems that the general managers, Alan Millar of the Warriors and Lethbridge's Brad Robson, struck up a conversation during the game.
“It was discussed during the game and looked at seriously in the second intermission and then we completed it right afterwards,” Millar told Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald.
The Hurricanes have been playing with six defencemen since last week when D Ryan Pilon left the team and returned home to await a trade.
The Warriors acquired Bell last season as part of a deal in which D Joel Edmundson moved to the Kamloops Blazers. Bell, from Regina, has five points, one of them a goal, in 23 games this season. In 146 career games, he has 26 points, including five goals.
Bell, who is expected to join his new club Thursday, will bring a physical presence to the Lethbridge back end.
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The Red Deer Rebels have promoted Shaun Sutter to assistant general manager and director of player personnel. He had been working as the Rebels' senior scout since 2011. . . . Sutter played four WHL seasons (Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Calgary, 1997-2001) and was a fourth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the 1998 NHL draft. He played eight seasons of pro hockey and also worked as an assistant coach with the Regina Pats (2009-11). . . . He is the son of former NHL player and coach Brian Sutter.———
D Dalton Thrower, the captain of the Vancouver Giants, was on the ice Tuesday. Thrower has missed two games after taking a headshot from F Mitch Moroz of the Edmonton Oil Kings on Nov. 5. Thrower was wearing a non-contact jersey at yesterday's practice. It isn't known if he will play Friday against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province also reports that F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the 2013 bantam draft, skated with the Giants yesterday. Benson, who plays for the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna, is scheduled to make his WHL debut on Saturday against the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . Andy Neal reports on his blog, Neal's Notes, that the Victoria Royals were missing five players when they practised on Tuesday. D Joe Hicketts, D Jordan Fransoo and D Keegan Kanzig didn't skate, nor did F Jack Walker and F Brandon Magee. All are believed to be injured with the exception of Magee. Head coach Dave Lowry told Neal that Magee was given a "maintenance day." . . . The Royals are home to the Seattle Thunderbirds for a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. . . . D Eric Roy may not play for the Brandon Wheat Kings tonight when they meet the visiting Saskatoon Blades. Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Roy was injured while blocking a shot on Monday and didn't practice Tuesday. G Curtis Honey, who has missed five games with an undisclosed injury, also sat out practice.
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TUESDAY:
In Prince Albert, the Raiders ended a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride, making his first career start at home, stopped 28 shots. . . . Blades G Alex Moodie, making his fifth straight start, stopped 42 shots. . . . Saskatoon D Ayrton Nikkel returned after missing seven games with an undisclosed injury. . . . Earlier in the day, the Raiders removed F Lance Yaremchuk, 17, from their roster. A native of Prince Albert, he had three points, including a goal, in eight games. He was a sixth-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . .In Moose Jaw, the Lethbridge Hurricanes snapped their 10-game losing skid with a 5-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . F Axel Blomqvist scored the Hurricanes' first three goals, the third one forging a 3-3 tie at 16:55 of the second period. . . . F Russ Maxwell broke the tie at 17:24. . . . Blomqvist has eight goals. . . . F Josh Uhrich scored his fourth goal of the season for the Warriors and also added an assist. He has one goal in each of his last four games. . . . Moose Jaw lost F Jack Rodewald to a broken jaw in the second period. According to Katie Brickman of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald he "was injured in a collision midway through the second period. . . . He returned to the bench, but left and did not return." Rodewald went for X-rays and his jaw was found to be broken in two places. He is to have surgery today. Rodewald, who was playing in his 150th career game, had career highs in goals (9), assists (8) and points (17) in 24 games. . . . 
In Prince George, F Miles Koules scored twice to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 6-1 victory over the Cougars. . . . Koules has six goals this season. . . . The Tigers scored the game's last five goals, four of them in the third period. . . . The Cougars were playing their fourth game in five nights in four different cities. . . . Tigers G Daniel Wapple stopped 39 shots, 18 of them in the second period. . . . Medicine Hat D Matt Staples, who went into the game with two assists in 17 games, had his first WHL goal and an assist. He's a sophomore from Coppell, Texas. . . . Prince George D Joseph Carvalho left late in the second period after taking a shot high, perhaps off his face. He didn't return. . . . The Tigers are 7-0-1 in their last eight games. . . .
In Portland, the Winterhawks got five first-period goals from five different scorers en route to a 10-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Winterhawks, who lost two home games in a row during parent's weekend, now have won two straight. . . . Seattle now has lost five in a row. . . . After the first period, the Thunderbirds had been outscored 15-4 in their last four periods in Portland. . . . F Paul Bittner led Portland with his first WHL three-goal game and his first four-point outing. He wound up plus-5, as did D Derrick Pouliot, who had a goal and an assist. . . .Portland F Nic Petan had a goal and two assists. He leads the WHL in assists (31) and is second in points (43). He is eight points behind Spokane F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Portland twice has scored 10 goals against Seattle this season. On Sept. 28, the Winterhawks beat visiting Seattle, 10-4. . . . Seattle D Evan Wardley completed his four-game WHL suspension by sitting out this game. . . . Prior to the game, the Thunderbirds released F Erik Benoit, 20. That leaves them with F Seth Swenson and F Mitch Elliot as their 20-year-olds, meaning there is room for one more. Benoit had eight points, three of them goals, in 19 games with Seattle. . . . The Winterhawks are alone atop the overall standings, three points ahead of the Medicine Hat Tigers and Everett Silvertips, both of whom are 14-3-3.———
From Lethbridge G Chris Tai (@chrisstopper95), who turned aside 36 shots and was the game's first star as the Hurricanes ended a 10-game losing skid: "So that's what winning feels like."
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From Ryan Bittner (@17Bittner): "So proud of me little big brother @unclebittsy_7 and getting his first hat trick in the WHL! #SoProud"
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From Prince George F Zach Pochiro (@Z_Pochiro): “Shoutout to @joecarvalho27 for blocking a shot with his face today. Kids a warrior #getbetter”
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