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Two of the WHL’s 22 teams have yet to lose in regulation time. The Prince George Cougars are 8-0-0; the Regina Pats are 4-0-2. Who had the Cougars perfect at this point, especially when they opened with four road games?
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The WHL’s two winningest active head coaches will meet in Kamloops on Wednesday as the Spokane Chiefs meet the Blazers. Don Hay of the Blazers has 678 victories, No. 2 on the all-time list, while Spokane’s Don Nachbaur is No. 3 at 666. However, the teams are a combined 4-8-0 so you know neither is too pleased at this point of the season.
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The Blazers opened the season at home — you may recall they thrashed the Kelowna Rockets, 9-2 — then went on the road for seven games, during which they went 2-5.
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Mike Williamson, the head coach of the Tri-City Americans, is soon to become the seventh member of the WHL’s 500 Club. He has 497 regular-season coaching victories, split among the Portland Winterhawks, Calgary Hitmen and Tri-City Americans. He’s an aww-shucks kind of guy, but he should wear the milestone with pride, especially when you consider the lean seasons he had in Portland.
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The late Pat Ginnell is No. 6 on the all-time list, at 518 victories, meaning Mike Williamson should pass him this season. . . . There are only two other active WHL head coaches with at least 400 victories. Brent Sutter of the Red Deer Rebels is at 414, while Marc Habscheid of the Prince Albert Raiders has 405.
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The start of the NHL’s regular season can’t get here quickly enough. Because hopefully it will mean an end to those gawd-awful Sportsnet commercials that feature Ron MacLean trying to be the voice of God.
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And then there’s that other Sportsnet commercial for Hockey Night in Canada that features Brian Burke, an American, telling viewers how hockey is the heart of Canada. Puh-leeze!
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If you have spent part of any summer in Regina, you will know all about the Milky Way. It closed for the season on Sunday, meaning winter officially has arrived in the Queen City.
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F Nolan Patrick didn’t play for the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday night when they dropped a ?? decision to the Pats in Regina. The party line had him out with an illness, although there was a report that he had been given a maintenance day after playing at home on Friday night. Patrick is coming off sports hernia surgery in July. A note to Brandon head coach David Anning: Please, no maintenance day for Patrick when you’re in Kamloops on Dec. 4.
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How mind-boggling is it that someone like Donald Trump has gotten this close to being POTUS?
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Thanksgiving Bird ready. Canadian thanksgiving in the USA. pic.twitter.com/YL6T0keJKr— Robert (Bob) Tory (@BTORY) October 10, 2016
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Was a privilege to play, and become men with you brotha, all the best this season @clouston25 ❤️ #drinks— Chad Butcher (@c_butcher21) October 6, 2016
It would appear that the Medicine Hat Tigers have gotten down to three 20-year-olds by waiving D Connor Clouston, the son of Shaun Clouston, the team’s general manager and head coach. . . . Clouston's name no longer is on the Tigers’ roster, where the 20s are F Steve Owre, F Chad Butcher and D Clayton Kirichenko. . . . A third-round pick by the Kamloops Blazers in the 2011 bantam draft, Clouston has played in 158 regular-season games, split between the Blazers (81), Moose Jaw Warriors (21) and the Tigers (56). He has three goals and eight assists. . . . Clouston hadn’t played in any of the Tigers’ first seven games this season.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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@SCBroncos will be wearing great unis tomorrow. Bid on one (or several) and support the fight against cancer. 2:00 puck drop #pinkintherink pic.twitter.com/0nReeBrRnw— Jamie LeBlanc (@Butter_29) October 10, 2016
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SUNDAY’S GAME:
Going further back Edmonton has won 16 of last 19 meetings and have just 1 regulation loss in that stretch.— Corey Graham (@CoreyGraham) October 9, 2016
At Saskatoon, F Lane Bauer’s goal in OT gave the Edmonton Oil Kings a 3-2 victory over the Blades. . . . The Oil Kings won the faceoff to open OT and the Blades never had possession before Bauer scored his third goal this season. . . . F Colton Kehler gave the Oil Kings a 1-0 lead at 18:14 of the first period. . . . The Blades took a 2-1 lead on goals from F Logan Christensen, at 4:00 of the second period, and D Bryton Sayers, at 2:16 of the third. . . . F Adam Berg forced extra time with a PP goal at 3:21. . . . Bauer added an assist to his goal. . . . The Blades got two assists from D Libor Hajek. . . . G Liam Hughes stopped 22 shots for Edmonton, with Brock Hamm blocking 31 for Saskatoon. . . . Edmonton was 2-6 on the PP; Saskatoon was 1-6. . . . The Oil Kings (3-3-1) had been 0-3-1 in their previous four games. They have won each of their last six games in ’Toontown. . . . The Blades (4-2-1) had won three in a row. . . . It was an afternoon game, meaning the Blades started a second game about 16 hours after finishing a Saturday night affair. . . . The Blades open a road swing against the Rockets in Kelowna on Friday. . . . Announced attendance: 2,758.
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MONDAY’S GAMES (all times local):
Vancouver at Calgary, 4 p.m.
Kootenay at Swift Current, 2 p.m.
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