Hicketts close to returning

D Joe Hicketts of the Victoria Royals, who hasn’t played since Oct. 26, will soon be back in action. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist reports that Hicketts needs medical clearance and then could return this weekend. Hicketts had surgery to repair a torn tendon in one arm. . . . The Vancouver Giants visit Victoria on Friday and Saturday. If Hicketts doesn’t play then, he could return Tuesday or Wednesday against the visiting Calgary Hitmen.
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F Nikita Scherbak of the Saskatoon Blades isn’t likely to play tonight against the Pats in Regina. Scherbak was injured during a late-game scrum in a 10-6 loss to the visiting Prince George Cougars on Wednesday. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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The Kamloops Blazers are expected to have F Jake Kryski, who will turn 16 on March 8, in their lineup for a home-and-home set with the Kelowna Rockets this weekend. They’ll play tonight in Kamloops and Saturday in Kelowna. . . . Kryski was selected by the Prince Albert Raiders with the 12th overall pick in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. The Blazers acquired him in a deal that had G Cole Cheveldave, 20, move to the Raiders. . . . Kryski, who is from Vancouver, has 32 points in 28 games with the major midget Okanagan Rockets. He earlier played two games with the Blazers, picking up two assists.
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According to the Twitter account of G Stuart Skinner (@ssskipy_74), he will be in the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ lineup tonight. . . . “Can't wait to play with the @WHLHurricanes tomorrow against red deer! Get to play with my old teammate @Gestephan_9 #canetrain,” he tweeted. . . . Skinner, who won’t turn 16 until Nov. 1, was selected by the Hurricanes with the 17th pick of the 2013 WHL bantam draft. A native of Edmonton, he is playing for the midget AAA South Side Athletic Club Athletics.
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F Mike Aviani of the Spokane Chiefs drew a three-game suspension for a hit to the head of D Connor Clouston of the host Kamloops Blazers on Tuesday night. Aviani has sat out one game to date. Aviani won’t play tonight against the Winterhawks in Portland or Saturday against the Silvertips in Everett. . . . F Rihards Bukarts of the Brandon Wheat Kings got a one-game suspension for a kneeing major he took against the host Red Deer Rebels on Wednesday night. Bukarts will sit tonight as the Wheat Kings meet the host Calgary Hitmen.
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From former WHL/NHL star Mike Modano (@9modano): “Justin Bieber arrested for assault. Not surprising since he's been doing it to my ears for years”

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Raiders' family in mourning

F Sam Fioretti, the captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors, will sit for three games after being suspended under supplemental discipline. Fioretti, who has 40 points in 49 games, was disciplined after an incident during a game against the host Kootenay Ice on Saturday. . . .
F Mike Aviani of the Spokane Chiefs didn’t play Wednesday night against the Rockets in Kelowna. He is awaiting word on a suspension for a hit on D Connor Clouston of the host Kamloops Blazers during a game on Tuesday night.
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When his Tri-City Americans to meet the Oil Kings in Edmonton on Friday, general manager Bob Tory will be back home. He’s from Edmonton and owns a home there; in fact, Oil Kings head coach Derek Laxdal is living in it. . . . Curtis Stock of the Edmonton Journal takes a look at Tory and what he has accomplished in the WHL right here.
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The Regina Pats had three players lose considerable time to skate cuts last season. On Saturday night, they came awfully close to losing F Boston Leier, their leading sniper, to a similar injury. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has that story right here.
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F Todd Fiddler has been lighting it up since joining the Prince George Cougars in November. He had one goal, his 31st, in a 10-6 victory over the host Saskatoon Blades lat night. Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more on Fiddler right here.
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Warren Harper, who played for the 1981-82 Centennial Cup-winning Prince Alberrt Raiders, died Wednedsay after a battle with cancer. He was 50.
From the Raiders:
“Warren passed away . . . surrounded by family and friends, including former Raiders teammates, at Prince Albert's Victoria Hospital after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
“Harper played for the Raiders from 1980-83 and is one of only a few players to play for the Raiders in both the Saskatchewan Junior and Western Hockey Leagues. He was born and raised in Prince Albert, and was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1981 NHL Entry draft.
“Harper was a member of the 1981-82 Raiders team that won the Centennial Cup, which was recently announced as one of the 2014 inductees into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame.
Funeral arrangements are pending.”
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
It was a wild night in Saskatoon where the Prince George Cougars scored five goals in the first 12 minutes and went on to beat the Blades, 10-6. . . . It ended with Saskatoon D MacKenzie Johnston having to be restrained at the Cougars’ dressing room. . . . F Brad Morrison, 16, had a goal and three assists for the Cougars, who got two goals from each of F Jansen Harkins and F Zach Pochiro. . . . The Cougars scored their first five goals on seven shots. . . . Saskatoon G Nathan Alalouf, in from the junior B Osoyoos, B.C., Coyotes, made his WHL debut in relief of G Troy Trombley after Prince George’s fifth goal. Alalouf, who is replacing the injured Alex Moodie, gave up two goals on eight shots and Tremblay was back to start the second. . . . Saskatoon F Cameron Hebig came up empty on a second-period penalty shot with his side trailing 7-3. . . . Johnston was upset after Cougars F Aaron Macklin roughed up Saskatoon F Nikita Scherbak at 19:18 of the third period. . . . The Cougars (20-26-7) remain eight points out of the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. . . . The Blades (14-34-4) are 11th in the Eastern Conference. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix was there and his report is right here. . . .

In Calgary, the Tri-City Americans scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Hitmen, 4-1. . . . F Greg Chase got Calgary on the board with his 28th goal at 1:24 of the third period. . . . Tri-City F Brian Williams, with his 30th, got his side even at 3:04 and F Braden Purtill got his eighth at 11:34. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 39 shots, while his younger brother, Ty, scored his third goal of the season, giving the Americans a 3-1 lead at 16:46 of the third period. . . . Williams later added an empty-netter. . . . Tri-City F Phil Tot, 20, who is from Calgary, had two assists as he played in his hometown for the final time. . . . The Americans (25-21-5) are 5-0-1 in their last six games; they are eighth in the Western Conference, three points behind the Everett Silvertips and Vancouver Giants. . . . The Hitmen (31-13-6) are second in the Central Division, three points behind the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . .

The Lethbridge Hurricanes scored the game’s last three goals and beat the visiting Prince Albert Raiders, 3-2. . . . D Josh Morrissey scored twice for the Raiders, his 16th and 17th goals giving them a 2-0 lead by 8:04 of the first period. . . . F Jamal Watson got Lethbridge on the board at 13:14 of the first, on the PP. He’s got 13 goals. . . . F Taylor Cooper, with his 10th, got the Hurricanes even at 16:48 of the second and F Brady Ramsay, with his 12th, won it at 13:25 of the third. . . . Lethbridge G Jonny Hogue turned aside 41 shots for his first WHL victory. . . . According to Jeff D’Andrea of paNOW.com, the Raiders are 6-15-1 since Dec. 1, while the Hurricanes are 7-17-1. . . . The Raiders, who are 2-7-1 in their last 10, are ninth in the Eastern Conference, five points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Hurricanes (10-38-5), who had lost eight straight, are last in the conference. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers opened up a 5-0 lead in the second period and went on to a 6-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Tigers were 3-for-4 on the PP. . . . F Trevor Cox had a goal, his 15th, and two assists for Medicine Hat, while D Tyler Lewington drew three assists. . . . Among the Ice’s scratches was F Jaeden Descheneau, who has an undisclosed injury. . . . Tigers F Curtis Valk picked up a goal to run his goal-scoring streak to eight games. That’s two games longer than anyone else in the WHL this season. . . . Ice F Luke Philp scored once as he ran his point streak to 11 games, the longest ongoing streak in the WHL. . . . The Tigers (29-17-3) are fourth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the Calgary Hitmen and three ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Ice (25-21-4) is eighth in the conference, five points ahead of Prince Albert and one behind the Regina Pats. . . .

F Brooks Maxwell of the Red Deer Rebels ended a seven-round shootout and gave his guys a 4-3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Brandon F Peter Quenneville had forced OT with his 16th goal at 18:18 of the third period. . . . Brandon is 0-1-1 as it plays four games in five nights on an Alberta tour. . . . Brandon F Rihards Bukarts was tossed with a kneeing major at 13:13 of the first period. He had scored his 19th goal of the season at 6:43. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak stopped 39 shots. . . . Brandon F Kord Pankewicz didn’t play again after a first-period scrap with Red Deer F Evan Polei. . . . The Rebels (27-21-2) have won five in a row and are sixth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Swift Current and one ahead of Regina. . . . The Wheat Kings (26-18-6) used the loser point to pull into a tie with the Broncos atop the East Division. . . .

F Paul Bittner had two goals and two assists to help the host Portland Winterhawks to an 8-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . It was the third meeting between these teams in the last six days, with Portland going 3-0-0 (5-1 and 8-1 at home; 6-2 in Everett). . . . Bittner, who has 14 points in his last seven games, scored his side’s first two goals, breaking a 1-1 tie at 13:20 of the first period with his 16th goal. . . . Portland D Garrett Haar and D Mathew Dumba each had two assists and was plus-4. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic scored his 30th goal of the season. . . . The Winterhawks have won eight straight games. . . . Everett, which was 1-for-9 on the PP, has lost a season-high five in a row. . . . The Winter hawks (34-12-5) are 9-0-1 in their last 10; they are atop the U.S. Division, six points ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Everett (25-18-8) is tied with the Vancouver Giants for sixth in the Western Conference, eight points behind the Spokane Chiefs. . . .

At Vancouver, F Dalton Sward had two goals and an assist as the Giants beat the Kamloops Blazers, 4-3. . . . Sward has 15 goals. . . . The Giants, who are 6-0-0 versus Kamloops this season, opened up a 3-0 lead in the first period, only to have the Blazers get two goals from F Cole Ully, who has 22. . . . Sward then restored the two-goal lead, only to have Kamloops F Collin Shirley get his eighth at 13:40 of the third. . . . Vancouver F Cain Franson iced it with his 18th goal at 14:49. . . . Vancouver F Travis McEvoy came up empty on a first-period penalty shot. . . . Kamloops G Cole Kehler, 16, stopped 26 shots, 10 more than Vancouver’s Payton Lee. . . . Vancouver was without D Dalton Thrower (ankle) and F Trent Lofthouse (undisclosed). As well, a flu bug has been making its way through the room and it kept D Brett Kulak, F Luca Leone and F Ty Ronning out of the lineup. . . . The Giants had F Tyler Benson, the first pick in the 2013 bantam draft, in the lineup for his third game this season. He has 72 points in 37 games at the Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. . . . Vancouver also dressed D Ryely McKinstry, who was the 23rd overall selection in the 2014 draft. McKinstry, who has 20 points in 28 games with the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes, made his WHL debut. . . . The Blazers, who lost D Sam Grist and D Connor Clouston to undisclosed injuries on Tuesday, had D Cameron Reagan, 16, and F Quinn Benjafield, who turns 16 on Feb. 2, make their WHL debuts. Also added to the roster was F Deven Sideroff, 16, who played his third game this season. . . . The Giants (25-19-8) are tied with Everett for sixth in the Western Conference. . . . The Blazers (11-35-5) have lost four in a row as they prepare to go home and home with the Kelowna Rockets this weekend. . . .

In Kelowna, the Spokane Chiefs scored the last three goals of regulation time and then scored the lone goal of a six-round shootout to beat the Rockets, 6-5. . . . Kelowna had one nine in a row at home. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow scored the first and last goals of regulation time, his fourth goal of the season, on the PP at 15:24 of the third period, forcing OT. . . . Chiefs D Jason Fram scored the only goal of the skills competition. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg, who leads the WHL points derby, had a goal and two assists. He leads the WHL in goals (46) and points (90). . . . Spokane F Adam Helewka had three assists. . . . F Ryan Olsen and D Damon Severson each had a goal and two assists for Kelowna. . . . Attendance was 4,628. . . . The Rockets (40-7-3) are atop the overall standings, 12 points ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Chiefs (31-15-4) are fifth in the Western Conference, one point behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and two behind the Victoria Royals.
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From the Saskatoon Blades (@bladeshockey): “FACT: (Last night’s) Blades-Cougars game featured former @bladeshockey turned coaches: Struch/Leschshyn/Engele vs. Holick/Becker. #BleedBlue”

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Blazers lose game, two defencemen

G Rastislav Stana (Moose Jaw, Calgary, 1998-2000) has signed for the rest of this season with Kosice (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had been practising with the team for the past week. Stana was released by CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) two weeks ago. In 25 games, he had a 2.31 GAA and .912 save percentage. . . . .
D Patrik Vrana (Moose Jaw, Prince George, 2006-07) has signed for the rest of this season with Cracovia Krakow after being released by Polonia Bytom (both Poland, Ekstraliga) last week. With Bytom, he had 11 points, including four goals, in 32 games. . . .
F Kirill Starkov (Red Deer, 2006-07) has been barred, at least temporarily, from playing with his new club, Red Ice Martigny (Switzerland, NL B), because the Danish Ice Hockey Union (DIF) cannot release his transfer card. DIU Director Enver Hansen: "If there is a risk that a player can get a suspension, we must according to IIHF rules not release his transfer card, and we must of course follow this until there is further clarification on the matter and a measurement of a possible suspension."
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Will they, or won’t they?
I refer, of course, to the Prince George Cougars. Will they, or won’t they, be operating in the northern B.C. city when the 2014-15 WHL season gets here?
Owner Rick Brodsky isn’t about to provide a definitive answer, at least not at this point in time.
But he did tell me that he hasn’t spoken with anyone from True North Sports and Entertaintment, the owners of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. There has been ample speculation that TNSE would love to purchase a WHL franchise and operate it out of the MTS Centre, following the business models that are used by the Calgary Flames with the Hitmen and the Edmonton Oilers with the Oil Kings.
At this point in time, the Cougars don’t seem to be part of that conversation.
“I have never talked to anyone from True North. We have never had any discussion. Period,” Brodsky told me last week, and it’s impossible to be more definitive than that.
Through 25 home games, the Cougars’ average attendance is 1,685. That’s down from last season’s final average of 1,840.
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One of the highlights of the 1972 Summit Series was the writing of John Robertson, a legendary Canadian sports writer who then was with the Montreal Star. . . . Robertson died Saturday in Gimli, Man., at the age of 79. . . . Lordy, but the man could write. Before the series began, he wrote a column predicting that the Soviets would win twice in Canada and then take all four games back home. Oh, the outrage! A nation erupted. . . . Oh yes, Robertson also said he would eat his column with Russian dressing if Canada won the series. . . . And he later did exactly that. I still remember the photo! . . . There’s more right here. . . .
And if you click right here you’ll find Robertson’s column after the famous 1975 New Year’s Eve game between the host Montreal Canadiens and the Red Army side.
Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post remembers Robbie, who also was known as Coconut Willie, right here.
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Greg McAuley has stepped down as head coach of the SPHL’s Fayetteville FireAntz in order to spend more time with his ailing mother. McAuley was in his first season as Fayetteville’s head coach; the team was 14-15-3. Assistant coach Sean Edwards has moved up and will run the bench.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
The Brandon Wheat Kings scored the game’s first and last goals, but host Edmonton got four in between and the Oil Kings skated to a 4-2 victory before 11,339 fans. . . . It was Hockey Hooky in Edmonton, so the game, which started at 11:30 a.m., was attended by a whole lot of students. . . . F Brett Pollock scored twice for Edmonton, giving him 19. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson had two assits. He’s got 65 points, including 42 helpers, in 43 games. . . . Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk got his 14th goal; he hadn’t scored in his previous 12 games. . . . The Oil Kings (35-13-1) have won six straight. They lead the Central Division by three points over the Calgary Hitmen (31-12-6). . . . Brandon (26-18-5) is fifth in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers and two ahead of the Regina Pats. . . . Alicja Siekierska of the Edmonton Journal reports that Pollock and teammates Dysin Mayo and Aaron Irving “woke up at 6 a.m. to write exams.” Her game story is right here. . . .
In Kamloops, F Mitch Holmberg scored his WHL-leading 44th and 45th goals to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 6-3 victory over the Blazers. . . . Holmberg scored on a first-period 5-on-3 PP at 15:55. . . . F Dominic Zwerger got the Chiefs’ second goal just 1:31 later, the goal coming just as the second PP expired. . . . Spokane F Mike Aviani was ejected in the second period for a headshot on Kamloops D Connor Clouston, who didn’t return. . . . The Chiefs scored two shorthanded goals on the Aviani penalty, the first coming via a penalty shot by F Liam Stewart. . . . The Chiefs lead the WHL with 14 shorthanded goals. . . . F Cole Ully and F Chase Souto each scored his 20th goal of the season for Kamloops. . . . D Sam Grist, who likely leads the Blazers in minutes played, left in the first period and didn’t return after absorbing a hit from Aviani. . . . The Blazers already were without F Matt Needham, F Luke Harrison and F Tyson Ness, all veterans who are injured. . . . With the injuries to Grist and Clouston, the Blazers, who were down to five defenceman, announced after the game that they had added D Cameron Reagan, 16, to their roster. Reagan, a fourth-round bantam draft pick in 2012, plays for the midget AAA Sherwood Park J. Ennis Kings, for whom he has 20 points, including three goals, in 31 games. He will make his WHL debut tonight in Vancouver against the Giants. . . . The Blazers wrapped up a seven-game homestand at 1-5-1. . . . The Blazers meet the Giants in Vancouver tonight, then go home-and-home with the Kelowna Rockets on Friday and Saturday, before opening a six-game homestand. Kamloops then will play 10 in a row on the road as the Tim Hortons Brier -- the Canadian men’s curling championship -- takes over the Interior Savings Centre. . . . The Chiefs (30-15-4) have won three in a row. They are fifth in the Western Conference, three points behind the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Blazers, with three straight losses, are 11-34-5 and last in the Western Conference.


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Pochiro shoots way out of PG doghouse

D Bryce Lampman (Kamloops, 2002-03) has signed for the rest of this season with Lørenskog (Norway, GET-Ligaen). This season, with Florida (ECHL), he had five points, including one goal, in eight games. . . .
F Kirill Starkov (Red Deer, 2006-07) has signed with Red Ice Martigny (Switzerland, NL B) for the rest of the season, with an option. (Red Ice contacted the Danish federation and inserted a termination clause should Starkov be suspended by the IIHF over a Danish betting case.)
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George Johnson, the Calgary Herald’s sporting columnist, is one of Canada’s best wordsmiths. He was in attendance Sunday as the hometown Hitmen dropped a 3-2 OT decision to the Edmonton Oil Kings, and his report is right here.
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Things appear to be going from bad to worse for the Kamloops Blazers. They have the WHL’s second-poorest record (11-33-5) and have only one victory in their last 10 outings. And now, as they prepare to play four games in five nights, they have lost two veterans to what they are calling “long-term injuries.”
F Luke Harrison, 18, suffered an undisclosed injury during a 4-0 loss to the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday. Harrison, who missed time earlier this season with a brain injury, was involved in a heavy collision with Tigers D Scott Allan at 14:13 of the third period. Harrison needed help from trainer Colin Robinson and left with gauze in his mouth.
One night earlier, F Tyson Ness, 20, suffered a broken jaw when struck by a puck during a 7-2 loss to the visiting Victoria Royals. Ness is expected to be lost for the remainder of the season, although he has told team officials that he badly wants to play in one more game.
The Blazers also are missing freshman F Eric Krienke and veteran F Matt Needham, their captain, with undisclosed injuries. According to the team, Krienke is out one to two weeks, while Needham is week-to-week.
With the injuries, the Blazers have added F Deven Sideroff, 16, to their roster for this week. He has 55 points, 26 of them goals, in 33 games with the midget prep team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy.
G Cole Kehler, 16, also has rejoined the Blazers and will stay with the team while G Justin Myles, who was acquired from the Seattle Thunderbirds at the trade deadline, recovers from an undisclosed injury. Kehler also attends the Okanagan Hockey Academy and plays for the midget prep team for whom he has a 19-4 record. He has gotten into six games with the Blazers this season.
The Blazers are at home to the Spokane Chiefs on Tuesday night, then visit the Giants in Vancouver on Wednesday. F Quinn Benjafield, the Blazers’ first pick, 19th overall, in the 2013 bantam draft, is expected to make his WHL debut in Vancouver, which happens to be his hometown. Benjafield, 15, has 34 points, including 14 goals, in 27 games with the major midget Vancouver-North West Giants.
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The ECHL’s San Francisco Bulls folded on Monday. The Bulls had an affiliation with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. . . . “We regret to inform you that the SF Bulls are ceasing operations, effective immediately,” president/GM/head coach Pat Curcio wrote to season-ticket holders. “The team was hoping to secure new ownership, however the terms of an updated deal were unable to be finalized, cancelling the remainder of the season.” . . . Included on the roster was D Kalvin Sagert (Kamloops, Lethbridge, Regina, 2002-08). Sagert now is an unrestricted free agent, as are any Bulls players who don’t have AHL or NHL contracts.
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Ron Judd of the Seattle Times starts your Super Bowl preparations -- it’s the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos on Sunday -- with a piece that includes this: “Denver’s Gates Corporation is the world’s largest producer of automotive belts and hoses. Seattle’s Gates Foundation is the world’s largest curer of global hunger and disease.” . . . There’s more right here.
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 The Portland Winterhawks, who have won seven in a row, have earned 17 of a possible 18 points since Jan. 4. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic has 20 points in the nine games he has played since serving a seven-game suspension. He has 63 points in 38 games this season. . . . If you were wondering, the Winterhawks are 5-0-0 since D Mathew Dumba joined them after getting some rest following the World Junior Championship. He’s got six points, including two goals, and is plus-10. . . .
Don’t look now but things are heating up in the WHL’s scoring derby. Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg continues to lead, with 85 points in 48 games, but Portland F Nic Petan is on the move, with 79 points in 41 games. . . . Holmberg leads the WHL in goals, with 43, and that’s 10 more than Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand, who is third in the points derby, with 70. . . . Petan leads the league in assists, with 55. . . . Leipsic and Petan shared the scoring title last season, each with 120 points. . . .
The Brandon Wheat Kings, who are 4-0-1 in their last five games, open a four-game road swing in Edmonton against the red-hot Oil Kings today. If you’re in the area, not that the game is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. Yes, they are calling it Hockey Hooky. . . .
Kootenay Ice F Luke Philp is on a 10-game point streak, with 16 points in that time, while F Tim Bozon is riding a nine-game tear. He has 15 points over that stretch. . . . Philp has the longest ongoing streak in the WHL at the moment. . . .
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The Prince George Cougars were without three of their top eight scorers as they dropped a 6-3 decision to the Wheat Kings in Brandon on Saturday night. Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen reports that “centre Alex Forsberg (concussion) and winger Chase Witala (upper body) were out with injuries and centre Zach Pochiro was scratched as punishment for his undisciplined play after he took three straight minor penalties in the first period of the Regina game.” . . . The Cougars had lost 8-0 to the Pats in Regina on Friday. . . .
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MONDAY’S GAME:
In Prince Albert, F Zach Pochiro, back in the lineup after sitting out a game as a healthy scratch, forced OT and then won the game in the shootout as the Prince George Cougars beat the Raiders, 6-5. . . . Pochiro tied the game right off a faceoff with 15.4 seconds left in the third period. He then was the only one of eight skaters to score in the shootout. . . . F Todd Fiddler scored twice for the Cougars, giving him 30 goals this season. . . . The Raiders led five times in this one -- 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-3 and 5-4. . . . The Raiders (23-23-3), who had scored five regulation-time goals in their previous five games, are ninth in the Eastern Conference, five points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Cougars (19-26-7) are ninth in the Western Conference, eight points out of the playoffs.
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From Francis Costello (@FrankCostello_): “Welcome back. I actually had to scroll box scores! Business idea alert: $10 annual subscription. I’d gladly play!!”
Hmmm . . . seeing as I’m unemployed . . .

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Oil Kings complete sweep

SUNDAY GAMES:
The Portland Winterhawks won their seventh straight game Sunday, beating the Silvertips 6-2 in Everett. . . . F Oliver Bjorkstrand scored three times and added an assist for Portland (33-12-5). He’s got 33 goals. . . . Portland, which is 8-0-1 in its last nine, broke a 1-1 tie with three second-period goals. . . . Winterhawks F Brendan Leipsic scored for a fifth straight game. He‘s got 29. . . . The same teams will meet in Portland on Wednesday. That will be the Winterhawks’ third straight game against the Silvertips; Portland won 5-1 at home on Friday. . . . The Silvertips have lost four in a row. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that the Silvertips, who were playing for the fourth time in five nights, “has a hard enough time handling Portland at full strength . . . it becomes a near impossible task when the Tips are down six regulars, including two overagers.” . . . Everett was without F Manraj Hayer, F Tyler Sandhu, both of whom suffered undisclosed injuries in a loss to Seattle on Saturday, D Matt Pufahl (ribs), D Ben Betker (undisclosed), F Zane Jones (undisclosed) and F Logan Aasman (finger). . . .
F Mitch Moroz scored his 26th goal of the season at 3:34 of OT as the Edmonton Oil Kings beat the host Calgary Hitmen, 3-2. . . . The victory left Edmonton (34-13-1) with a one-point lead over Calgary (31-12-6) atop the Eastern Conference. . . . The Oil Kings have won five in a row. They had beaten Calgary 7-3 in Edmonton on Friday. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart played in his 300th regular-season game. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson had a goal, his 23rd, and two assists for Edmonton. His goal at 19:39 of the second period forced OT. . . . Oil Kings G Tristan Jarry stopped 20 shots in running his record to 30-11-1. He is the first goaltender in the CHL this season to post 30 victories. . . . Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 24 shots and now is just 12 saves shy of Martin Jones’ franchise record for most career saves (3,374, 2006-10). . . . The Oil Kings played without D Reid Petryk, who played in his 300th game on Saturday. He was ejected at 3:10 of the first period in that one, thanks to a boarding major. . . . Calgary F Pavel Padakin, who was hit by Petryk, didn’t play Sunday. . . .
G Taran Kozun turned aside 33 shots to help the host Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Kozun now is 6-0-0 since joining Seattle from Kamloops in a deadline-day deal last month. . . . F Roberts Lipsbergs scored his 30th goal of the season for Seattle. He is the first Thunderbirds skater with back-to-back 30-goal seasons since F Greg Scott did it (2007-09). . . . Kelowna (40-7-2) was playing its fourth game in five nights, having won the first three, all at home. . . . Seattle (31-15-5) is fourth in the Western Conference, a point behind the Victoria Royals. The Thunderbirds have won nine of their last 10 games.

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A bra on the ice? In a WHL game?

Two former WHL players have had their contracts terminated by Esbjerg Energy, a pro team in Denmark’s Al-Bank Liga.
F Tyler Mosienko (Kelowna, 2000-05) and F Kirill Starkov (Red Deer, 2006-07), along with backup goaltender David Jones, admitted, according to Lokalavisen.dk, before the Danish Ice Hockey Federation (DIF), having bet that “Rungsted would score at least one goal in the 1st period” of a Jan. 3 game. Rungsted scored three times in the first period, en route to a 7-4 victory.
Lokalavisen.dk reported that team president Christian Rølmer Christensen was “both surprised and disappointed about the matter.”
After tweeting about this on Friday, The MacBeth Report checks in with:
“Players were told at the start of the season that they were prohibited from betting on their own games – this is the government lottery, not some back-alley bookie deal. A Rungsted player told someone in Esbjerg’s management that they were suspicious about what happened in the first period. The club went to the Danish Federation. The three players admitted to the bets to the DIF and Esbjerg terminated their contracts immediately. The DIF Match Fixing Committee is investigating and will report to the DIF board in about three weeks. I would guess that DIF could ban the players for a period of time. This would probably be honoured by other federations, so their careers may be done.”
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“The process of determining who gets to host the Memorial Cup is broken,” writes Tony Saxon of the Guelph Mercury. . . . This comes after the news that the 2013 tournament, which was held in Saskatoon, fell quite a bit short of the pre-tournament profit guarantee of $3.5 million. . . . Saxon’s column is right here.
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The junior career of Tyson Ness, 20, may have ended Friday night when the Kamloops Blazers forward took a puck to the face and suffered a broken jaw during a 7-2 loss to the visiting Victoria Royals. Ness, who had 24 points, including 12 goals, in 48 games, may need surgery. He has told people in the Blazers’ organization that he wants to come back and play one more game, so perhaps he’ll suit up for the team’s final regular-season game. . . .
F Curtis Valk of the Medicine Hat Tigers ran his goal-scoring streak to seven games, the longest in the WHL this season, in a 4-0 victory over the host Blazers on Saturday night. He has a team-high 26 goals. . . . G Nick Schneider, 16, earned the shutout for the Tigers. He stopped 19 shots in his first start since coming over from the Regina Pats in January. . . . The Tigers, playing their fourth game in five nights, outshot the Blazers, 34-19, including 17-9 in the third period. . . . The Blazers, who are 1-4-1 under head coach Guy Charron since he replaced Dave Hunchak on Jan. 11, were without F Matt Needham, who was injured again in Friday’s game, and lost F Luke Harrison in the third period last night following a collision with Medicine Hat D Scott Allan. Harrison, who has missed time this season with a brain injury, was attended to by trainer Colin Robinson and left with gauze in his mouth. . . . Kamloops G Justin Myles remains out with an undisclosed injury. G Al Duncan, who plays for the junior B Chase, B.C., Heat, backed up Bolton Pouliot last night. . . . 
You may have seen this tweet from Bob Ridley, the Tigers’ legendary broadcaster, on Friday night: “Can't understand why the classy Prospera Place in Kelowna can't provide visiting broadcasters with a decent broadcast location.” . . . It turns out that he had problems broadcasting the Tigers’ 6-2 loss to the Rockets because he struggled to see past the TV cameras that were perched in front of his location. . . .
F Peter Quenneville had two goals to lead the host Brandon Wheat Kings to a 6-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. Quenneville has 35 points, including 14 goals, in 30 games since leaving Quinnipiac University for the Wheat Kings earlier this season. He had four assists in five games with the Bobcats. . . .
The host Edmonton Oil Kings scored the game’s first five goals en route to a convincing 7-3 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. The victory left Edmonton at 33-13-1 and atop the Eastern Conference. The Oil Kings are tied in points (67) with Calgary (31-12-5), but have played one fewer game and have two more victories. . . . The Oil Kings are 9-1-0 in their last 10 and have won four in a row. . . . The same teams will meet today in Calgary. . . . 
G Patrik Bartosak stopped 41 shots as the Red Deer Rebels went into Regina and beat the Pats, 4-0. He has five shutouts this season and 11 in his career. . . . One night earlier, the Pats blanked visiting Prince George, 8-0. . . .
They saluted the Brodsky in Saskatoon last night -- the family owned the Blades for 37 years -- and the Blades then went out and got past the Swift Current Broncos 3-2 in OT. D MacKenzie Johnston, who is from Swift Current, got the winner at 3:16 of extra time. . . .
F Sam Reinhart struck for three goals, giving him 24, as the host Kootenay Ice dropped the Moose Jaw Warriors, 6-2. . . . Moose Jaw actually led 2-0 midway through the first period before giving up the game’s last six goals. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon scored his 20^th goal of the season. He has 41 points, including 17 goals, in 36 games with the Ice, who acquired him from the Kamloops Blazers 13 games into the season. . . .
The Victoria Royals, who may be the WHL’s best defensive team these days, got 32 saves from G Patrik Polivka and beat the Giants 3-1 in Vancouver. . . . The Royals have allowed 120 goals in 41 games. At 33-16-2, they are third in the Western Conference, three points ahead of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Victoria needs two more victories to tie the franchise’s single-season record that was set last season. . . . Vancouver D Dalton Thrower (ankle) sat out as his side played its sixth game in nine nights. . . . The Royals and Giants will meet again Friday and Saturday, this time in Victoria. . . . 
G Jackson Whistle stopped 26 shots as the host Kelowna Rockets dumped the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 5-0. The Kelowna native posted the first shutout of the season and the third of his career. . . . The Hurricanes, who have lost eight in a row, were outscored 27-3 in a four-game swing into B.C. . . . The Rockets, who lead the overall standings, won for the 40^th time this season. . . .
In Kent, Wash., F Roberts Lipsbergs scored his 29^th goal this season at 1:48 of OT as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Everett Silvertips, 4-3. . . . Lipsbergs scored via the PP. . . . Seattle F Ryan Gropp had tied the game 3-3 with a PP goal at 14:19 of the third. . . . Seattle was 4-for-5 on the PP. . . . F Josh Winquist scored his 30^th goal of the season for Everett. He is the eighth skater in franchise history to reach 30 goals in a season. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 25 shots. He’s 5-0-0, 1.35, .952 since coming over in a deadline-day swap with Kamloops, where he was 5-19-3, 3.95, .897. . . . It was a Teddy Bear Game and Seattle D Shea Theodore scored the goal. He also had three assists. . . .
The Spokane Chiefs outscored Tri-City 3-2 in the shootout and beat the Americans, 2-1. . . . Attendance was 10,325. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 35 shots, 15 more than Eric Williams of the Chiefs. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow scored his second goal of the season, to go with his 40 assists, all in 41 games.
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From Victoria Royals F Jack Walker: “Got the win and some lady threw her bra on the ice what more could you ask for? #2pts”

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F Jakub Langhammer (Spokane, 2002-04) has been loaned to Sparta Prague by Hradec Kralove (both Czech Republic, Extraliga) for the rest of this season. In 33 games, he had six points, including four goals. . . .
D Deron Quint (Seattle, 1993-96) has been traded to CSKA Moscow by Spartak Moscow (both Russia, KHL) for monetary compensation. In 43 games, he had 23 points, 11 of them goals. . . . Quint was the fourth-highest scoring defenceman at the time of the move. He played in Saturday’s KHL All-Star Game and won the shooting accuracy in the skills competition. The West won the game, 18-16. Quint had one assist.
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Thanks to Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix for his kind words as he wrapped up a WHL notebook that is right here.
I agree with him on D Aaron Ekblad of the OHL’s Erie Otters. Were I a rating service, Ekblad would be No. 1 on my list of players eligible for the 2014 NHL draft. Yes, I also would have had Seth Jones atop my 2013 rankings. There isn’t anything like a big, skilled defenceman.
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Former WHLer Travis Young (Brandon, Prince Albert, 1998-04) is the new head coach of the Bridgewater Lumberjacks of the junior A Maritime Hockey League. Young is from Souris, Man., the hometown of the likes of Andy Murray, the head coach at Western Michigan, and Garry Davidson, the GM of the Everett Silvertips. . . . Young is the Lumberjacks’ third head coach this season. Their record (2-29-5) may have something to do with that. . . . Young, 31, replaces Matt Church, who resigned. Church had taken over from Ron Watkins, who was fired early in the season. . . . Young played three seasons at Acadia U in Wolfville, N.S., and was an assistant coach with the Axemen for six seasons before doing some coaching in Europe.
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Mike Johnston, the GM and head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, and his wife, Myrna, became naturalized U.S. citizens on Wednesday. Danny Moran of The Oregonian has more right here.
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G Cole Kehler has joined the Kamloops Blazers and will be on the bench for weekend home games against the Vancouver Giants on Friday and the Seattle Thunderbirds on Saturday. He will back up Bolton Pouliot. . . . G Justin Myles, acquired last week from Seattle, is out with an undisclosed injury. . . . Kehler, a sixth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, has appeared in four games with Kamloops this season. From Altona, Man., he plays with the midget prep team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy. He is 17-4-0.
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The headline in Kamloops This Week reads — Lawyer: Tom Gaglardi, Northland are guilty. . . . The lawyer in question here is Rob Bruneau, a Kamloops defence lawyer, who is representing Gaglardi, the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers, his father, Bob, and Northand Properties Corp. They have been charged with two counts of harmful altertation of a fish habitat. . . . Tim Petruk of KTW has more right here.
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Keith Olbermann took a swipe at Vancouver Canucks F Tom Sestito the other night on ESPN2, after the latter picked up 27 penalty minutes in one second of playing time. Sestito’s 13-year-old sister later came to her brother’s defence on Twitter. If you missed all of this, Brent Axe of syracuse.com has the story right here.
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Every year, columnist Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers up the Trite Trophy, and he does it in a column that is well worth reading. The 2013 version is right here.


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