Välimäki feted in Finland . . . Brooks' streak at 20 . . . Blades stun Warriors

Juuso Välimäki (centre) of the Tri-City Americans shakes hands
with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, who is behind his
wife Jenni Haukio (in purple). (YLE screen grab)

Juuso Välimäki is greeted by Finnish First Lady Jenni Haukio.(YLE screen grab)

D Juuso Välimäki of the Tri-City Americans was in Helsinki, Finland, on Tuesday where he was among those feted in that country’s Independence Day celebrations that included the Linnan Juhlat — Palace Ball — which, according to The MacBeth Report, “is a REALLY big deal . . . it is televised live and garners high ratings.

Välimäki was among the honourees because he captained the Finnish team that won the U-18 IIHF world championship in Grand Forks, N.D., in April.

Here’s more from The MacBeth Report:

It begins with the reception line, where everyone is individually greeted by the President (currently Sauli Niinistö) and spouse/significant other (wife in this case, Jenni Haukio).

The first people through the line are war veterans, led this year by 91-year- old General Jaakko Valtanen, former Commander of the Finnish Armed Forces. These are veterans of the Winter War and Continuation War, two wars fought during the Second World War, when the Soviet Union twice attacked Finland. The veterans are dwindling in number every year, just like here.

Afterwards, it's dinner, then dancing. 

Anyway . . . 

From Turun Sanomat (Turku's daily newspaper), a story that includes a picture of Välimäki arriving at the Palace is right here.

There are more pictures of the reception line right here.

And there is more coverage right here, in Finnish, from the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE).

As best as we can tell, Välimäki was the youngest guest at age 18. A Finnish singer named Robin Packalén also is 18, but Välimäki is about six weeks younger. The oldest was a veteran aged 101.

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The Brandon Wheat Kings have acquired F Meyer Nell, 19, from the Red Deer Rebels for a conditonal 10th-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft. Nell is from Boissevain, Man., which is south of Brandon and is playing for the Boissevain Border Kings of the Tiger Hills Hockey League while attending the U of Manitoba in Winnipeg. He spent two seasons with the Rebels, picking up nine goals and 15 assists in 121 games. . . . The Rebels selected Nell in the fifth round of the 2012 bantam draft. . . . Nell is expected to join the Wheat Kings after the Christmas break.

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F Vladimir Bobylyov chose to return to Russia this season, rather than play a second season with the Victoria Royals. Now, according to News 1130 Sports, a Vancouver radio station, Bobylyov, 19, may be coming back to Victoria. Bobylyov — he was Bobylev in his first stint in the WHL — had 67 points, including 28 goals, in 72 games with the Royals last season, after putting up three goals and six assists in 52 games with the Vancouver Giants in 2014-15. After last season, he was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. . . . He hasn’t been productive in Russia, recording one goal and two assists in 20 games with Spartak Moskva of the KHL before being sent to the VHL’s Khimik Voskresensk. He has a goal and an assist in two games there. . . . The Royals have only one import — Russian D Marsel Ibragimov — on their roster so there is room for Bobylyov.

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The WHL handed out 16 games worth of suspensions and $500 in fines on Tuesday. . . . F Zach Fischer of the Medicine Hat Tigers was given a five-game suspension for becoming “engaged with an unsuspecting opponent.” He hit F Matt Fonteyne of the host Everett Silvertips during a Friday game. Fischer has missed two games and will be eligible to return on Dec. 13 against the visiting Kelowna Rockets. He will miss games divisional games against the Red Deer Rebels, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Calgary Hitmen. . . . F Baron Thompson of the Brandon Wheat Kings was hit with a three-game suspension after taking a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on F Connor Bruggen-Cate against the host Kelowna Rockets on Saturday. He already has sat out one game and will miss another tonight (Wednesday) when the Wheat Kings play the Cougars in Prince George. . . . F Kolby Johnson of the Prince Albert Raiders was given four games for a headshot major and game misconduct after hitting D Chase Harrison of the host Regina Pats on Saturday. Harrison began this week in concussion protocol. Johnson began his suspension by missing Tuesday’s game against the visiting Calgary Hitmen. . . . D Ryan Gagnon of the Victoria Royals will sit for four games after taking a charging major and game misconduct in a Saturday game against the Cougars in Prince George. . . . The Medicine Hat Tigers and Seattle Thunderbirds each were fined $250 for warm-up violations prior to their Saturday game in Kent, Wash. Ch-ch-ching! Just in time for the WHL office’s Christmas party!

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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that the Vancouver Giants were missing two players from Monday’s practice. F Radovan Bondra suffered a leg injury on Friday night against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings and is expected to return Friday against the visiting Everett Silvertips. D Darian Skeoch watched with his right foot/ankle in an air cast. According to Ewen, Skeoch is week-to-week.

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F Pavel Kousal of the Spokane Chiefs will be leaving the team to play for his native Czech Republic at the World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta., Dec. 11-17. Kousal, who is eligible for the 2017 NHL draft, has seven goals and two assists in 24 games in his first season with the Chiefs.

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Patrick Conway offers up his latest look at the KHL and its teams and it’s all right here.

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If you’ve got a comment, some information you would like to pass along, or if you just want to say hello, feel free to contact me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If you would like to donate to the cause, please visit the bottom of this post and go right ahead.

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20+ - WHL 20+ Game Point Streaks, Last 5 seasons:
McGauley (24, 2014-15)
S.Reinhart (22, 2013-14)
Lowry (21, 2012-13)
Brooks (20*, 2016-17)

— WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) December 7, 2016

TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Cranbrook, B.C., F Riley Woods scored at 2:20 of OT to give the Regina Pats a 5-4 victory over the

RILEY WOODS

Kootenay Ice. . . . Woods has four goals this season. . . . Regina F Adam Brooks ran his point streak to 20 games with a third-period goal. He leads the WHL with 46 points, two more than teammate Sam Steel. . . . F Jake Leschyshyn (11) gave Regina a 1-0 lead at 10:47 of the first period. . . . The Ice then took a 3-1 lead on second-period goals from F Vince Loschiavo (7), at 0:33; F Noah Philp (4), at 1:01; and F Zak Zborosky, on a PP, at 5:02. . . . Zborosky has 22 goals and is tied for the WHL lead with F Jayden Halbgewachs of the Moose Jar Warriors. . . . Steel pulled Regina even with two goals, giving him 19, at 10:55 and 15:39. . . . Brooks gave the Pats a 4-3 lead with his 13th goal, at 3:27 of the third period. . . . Loschiavo forced OT with a goal at 11:07. . . . Regina D Sergey Zborovskiy had three assists, giving him 12 points, including nine assists, over his past three games. . . . The Pats got two assists from D Jonathan Smart, who has five points in three games since being acquired from the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Leschyshyn added an assist to his goal. . . . Zborosky added two assists to his goal. . . . It was Zborovskiy versus Zborosky and each had three points. . . . The Pats got 46 saves from G Tyler Brown, while Payton Lee stopped 39 for the Ice. . . . Kootenay was 1-8 on the PP; Regina was 0-1. . . . The Pats (20-2-4) are 4-0-1 in their past five games and now are tied with the idle Everett Silvertips for first place in the overall standings. . . . The Ice (6-17-8) has points in three straight (1-0-2). . . . Announced attendance: 1,538.

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🚨🚨🚨MICHAEL FARREN!!!!!!!! BLADES WIN!!!!🎉🎉🎉#RiseWithUs pic.twitter.com/ylMiCLvI3G

— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 7, 2016

At Moose Jaw, the Saskatoon Blades scored twice in the last two minutes of the third period and then

MICHAEL FARREN

beat the Warriors, 4-3, in a shootout. . . . F Michael Farren scored in the fifth round of the shootout to give the Blades the victory. . . . It was the first shootout of the season for both teams. . . . With the Warriors leading 3-1, Saskatoon F Chase Wouters (3) scored a PP goal at 18:05. . . . The Blades tied it when F Jesse Shynkaruk got No. 8 at 19:01. . . . The last two goals came with G Brock Hamm out for the extra attacker. . . . The Warriors had taken a 2-0 lead into the third period on goals from F Brett Howden (13), at 11:34 of the first period, and F Noah Gregor (13), on a PP, at 19:06 of the second period. . . . F Caleb Fantillo’s second goal of the season allowed the Blades to halve the deficit at 1:36 of the third period. . . . Warriors F Jayden Halbgewachs gave his guys a 3-1 lead, on a PP, at 12:34. The goal gave Halbgewachs the WHL’s goal-scoring lead. F Zak Zborosky of the Kootenay Ice scored his 22nd later in the evening. . . . Halbgewachs also had an assist, while F Nikita Popugaev had two of them. . . . Farren, a 16-year-old from Surrey, B.C., also had two assists for the Blades, as did F Kolten Olynek. . . . Hamm finished with 33 saves through OT and added four more in the shootout as he won for the second time this season. He hadn’t gotten a victory since Oct. 1. . . . Zach Sawchenko stopped 31 shots for the Warriors. . . . Moose Jaw was 2-3 on the PP; Saskatoon was 1-2. . . . The Blades (11-17-2) had been 0-2-1 in their previous three games. . . . Moose Jaw D Matt Sozanski missed his second game with what is believed to be a shoulder injury. . . . The Warriors (16-6-5) had D Matthew Benson, 16, make his WHL debut. Benson has two goals and six assists in 14 games with the Delta Hockey Academy team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. . . . The Blades had F Tyler Lees, 16, in their lineup. He has six goals and 14 assists in 19 games with the midget AAA Regina Pats Canadians. He was a fifth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Some notes from Les Lazaruk, the youthful radio voice of the Blazers: “The victory ended a three-game winless streak, was the Double Blue's first win over the Warriors after five straight losses and was the first win at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw after eight consecutive setbacks, dating back to Nov. 8, 2013. Add in the fact that the Blades were 0-14-0 when trailing after two periods this season and had only won once previously in 18 games when the opposition opened the scoring, and the result was remarkable.” . . . Announced attendance: 2,808.

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At Prince Albert, F Jordy Stallard broke a 2-2 tie at 15:47 of the third period as the Calgary Hitmen got

JORDY STALLARD

past the Raiders, 3-2. . . . Stallard scored his fourth goal on a PP. . . . F Carsen Twarynski (9) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 2:29 of the second period. . . . The Raiders tied it when F Sean Montgomery scored his eighth goal at 4:36. . . . Calgary took the lead right back, with F Beck Malenstyn (7) scoring at 7:07. . . . That lasted until 19:10 when F Simon Stransky (12) pulled the Raiders into a 2-2 tie. . . . Stransky also had an assist. . . . The Hitmen got 22 saves from G Cody Porter, while Ian Scott of the Raiders blocked 39 shots. . . . Calgary was 1-6 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-3. . . . The Hitmen (9-14-2) had lost their previous five games. . . . The Raiders 6-22-1 have lost two in a row. . . . F Justyn Gurney, 16, made his WHL debut with the Hitmen. From Delta, B.C., he has 25 points, including eight goals, in 17 games with the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. Gurney was a sixth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Announced attendance: 1,824.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Tri-City at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Regina at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Calgary at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Victoria at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

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TEDDY BEAR, TOQUE AND MITTEN TOSS GAMES:

Friday, Dec. 9: Moose Jaw at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 9: Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 9: Kootenay at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Prince Albert at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Kamloops at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Kelowna at Kootenay, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Everett at Portland, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Seattle at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10: Victoria vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 16: Saskatoon at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 16: Portland vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17: Brandon at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17: Portland at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17: Vancouver at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 21: Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Nov. 26: D Micheal Zipp, 19:47 1st period, Lethbridge 4 at Calgary 2.

Dec. 2: D Artyom Minulin, 13:24 1st period, Calgary 1 at Swift Current 5.

Dec. 2: F Jordy Bellerive, 14:00 1st period, Red Deer 3 at Lethbridge 5.

Dec. 3: F Adam Musil, 14:27 1st period, Lethbridge 2 at Red Deer 3 (OT).

Dec. 3: D Ondrej Vala, 10:38 1st period, Vancouver 2 at Kamloops 5.
Dec. 3: F Nick Merkley, 6:54 2nd period, Brandon 1 at Kelowna 3.

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Blazers release one vet, trade another . . . Winterhawks have decision to make . . . Wheaties drop Thompson brothers

F Tyler Redenbach (Prince George, Swift Current, Lethbridge, 2001-05) has signed a one-year contract with Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Last season, he had nine goals and 16 assists in 41 games with Pardubice. However, he was without a contract and was training in Finland. He arrived back in Pardubice on Saturday evening.

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The Kamloops Blazers have moved out two players off last season’s roster. . . . F Matt Campese, who turns 19 on Dec. 10, was released, while D Cam Reagan, 19, was traded to the Prince Albert Raiders

for a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2019 bantam draft. . . . Campese was a third-round pick by the Victoria Royals in the 2012 bantam draft. He had one assist in two games with the Blazers this season, after recording eight goals and four assists in 56 games last season. In 95 career regular-season games, 16 of them with Victoria, he has 10 goals and six assists. He is the son of former WHL GM, coach and goaltender Bruno Campese, who now scouts for the NHL’s Las Vegas franchise. . . . Reagan, from Sherwood Park, Alta., was a fourth-round pick by Kamloops in the 2012 bantam draft. He had five assists in 61 games last season, but didn’t get into either of the Blazers’ first two games this season. . . . The Blazers, who next play Friday against the host Royals, now have 26 players on their roster, including three goaltenders and nine defencemen. . . . That includes three players at NHL camps — G Connor Ingram (Tampa Bay Lightning), F Garrett Pilon (Washington Capitals) and F Deven Sideroff (Anaheim Ducks).

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Among the latest players to return to the WHL from NHL teams:

Brandon Wheat Kings — F Tanner Kaspick, St. Louis Blues; D Kale Clague, Los Angeles Kings.

Kelowna Rockets — D Devante Stephens, Buffalo Sabres; D Braydyn Chizen, Minnesota Wild.

Medicine Hat Tigers — F John Dahlstrom, Chicago Blackhawks.

Moose Jaw Warriors — G Zach Sawchenko, Nashville Predators.

Portland Winterhawks — F Keegan Iverson, Minnesota Wild; F Rodrigo Abols, Vancouver Canucks.

Prince Albert Raiders — D Vojtech Budik, Buffalo Sabres.

Prince George Cougars — D Josh Anderson and F Brogan O’Brien, Colorado Avalanche; D Tate Olson, Vancouver Canucks.

Red Deer Rebels — F Brandon Hagel, Buffalo Sabres.

Vancouver Giants — F Radovan Bondra, Chicago Blackhawks; D Darian Skeoch, Anaheim Ducks.

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With the Portland Winterhawks getting back F Keegan Iverson (Minnesota Wild) and Latvian F Rodrigo Abols (Vancouver Canucks) back on Monday, they now have two 20-year-olds on their roster. . . . The Winterhawks’ roster also features two freshmen imports — F Joachim Blichfeld of Frederikshavn, Denmark, and D Henri Jokiharju of Oulu, Finland. Now that Abols is back, the Winterhawks will have to trade him or release one of the other two. . . . Teams aren’t allowed to trade first-year imports; they can only be released, in which case they are placed on waivers and can be claimed by another team. . . . You can bet that Portland GM/head coach Mike Johnston was paying attention Sunday when the Everett Silvertips gave up a third-round bantam draft pick to get Austrian F Dominic Zwerger, who also is 20, from the Spokane Chiefs.

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The Brandon Wheat Kings have dropped brothers Baron and Tyler Thompson from their roster. Neither was in the Brandon lineup for its season-opening weekend games. . . . The Thompsons are from Lakeville, Minn. . . . Tyler, 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, had two goals and an assist in eight games with the Victoria Royals last season. He was a third-round pick by the Royals in the 2014 bantam draft. . . . The Wheat Kings acquired both Thompsons in an Aug. 31 deal with Victoria that featured five players, four bantam draft picks and a conditional pick. . . . The Wheat Kings have 21 players in town, with two others — F Reid Duke (New York Rangers) and D Ivan Provorov (Philadelphia Flyers) — at NHL camps. . . . D Kale Clague was returned by the Los Angeles Kings on Monday.

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The Prince George Cougars visit the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C., in Tuesday’s only WHL game. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province has a look right here at what’s in store for the two teams, who’s hurt, who’s back from the NHL and who isn’t.

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Darren Steinke, a former Medicine Hat News sports reporter who now freelances out of Saskatoon, was in attendance on Sunday as the Blades celebrated the lives of Gordie Howe and his wife, Colleen. . . . How did the Blades do? . . . “The Blades hit all the positive checkmark points,” he writes on his blog, “which included ones you didn’t even think of.” . . . His complete report is right here. . . . And a big tip of the cap to Blades president Steve Hogle for the work he put into this really special event.

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JUST NOTES:

We got the first ch-ch-ching of the season on Monday when the WHL fined the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers $500 apiece for the multi-fight situation (aka garage sale) they staged on Saturday night in The Hat. . . . 

The Lethbridge Hurricanes have returned F Connor Lyons, 17, to the midget AAA Hurricanes. Lyons, a list player, has signed a WHL contract. The son of former Hurricanes sniper Corey Lyons, Connor was pointless in three exhibition games and Friday’s regular-season opener. Last season, he had 23 points, seven of them goals, in 34 games with the midget AAA club. . . . The WHL Hurricanes are down to 25 players, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen. . . . 

The Tri-City Americans have signed D Tyler Jette, 18, to a WHL contract. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Jette is from Farmington, Minn. Jette, who is expected to join the Americans today (Tuesday), is coming off three seasons with the Farmington High team of the USHSL. Last season, he had 22 points, including five goals, in 22 games. . . . Jette actually started last season with the USHL’s Bloomington Thunder. He was pointless in two games before returning to his high school team. . . . He was nominated for the 2015-16 Reed Larson Award as the top senior defenceman in Minnesota. Jette also was one of 10 finalists for the Mr. Hockey Award that goes to the state’s top high school player. . . . 

The OHL’s Erie Otters have released F Haydn Hopkins “in support of his pursuit to play out his 19-year-old season closer to home in Western Canada,” according a news release from the team. . . . Hopkins, from Victoria, was a 12th-round pick by the Saskatoon Blades in the 2012 bantam draft. He has three goals and seven assists in 53 regular-season WHL games, split among the Blades (4), Prince George Cougars (33) and Vancouver Giants (16). . . . Last season, he had a goal and three assists in 31 games with the Otters. He was pointless in the first two games of 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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MONDAY GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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TUESDAY GAME (all times local):

Prince George vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

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Seattle defenceman retires . . . Giants, Raiders deal . . . KC shows sense of humour!

F Matt Fraser (Red Deer, Kootenay, 2006-11) has signed a one-year contract with Rögle Ängelholm (Sweden, SHL). Last season, with the Manitoba Moose (AHL), he had five goals and nine assists in 44 games. He also played 21 games with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL), recording two goals and five assists.

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D Jared Pelechaty of the Seattle Thunderbirds has retired from hockey. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Pelechaty, 17, is from Winnipeg. He had yet to play in an exhibition game this training camp. News of his retirement got out Friday. Andy Eide, who covers the Thunderbirds for ESPN, tweeted that Pelechaty’s retirement wasn’t “due to a current injury; rather to congenital issue, playing further not recommended.” . . . Last season, Pelechaty had seven points, including two goals, in 39 games with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. In nine games with the Thunderbirds, he had one goal. . . . Seattle brought him in late in the season when it ran into injuries on its back end.

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The Vancouver Giants have acquired F Cal Babych, 19, from the Prince Albert Raiders for an undisclosed conditional selection in the 2018 bantam draft. He was dropped by the Raiders earlier in the week. . . . Babych, a fourth-round pick by the Calgary Hitmen in the 2012 bantam draft, also has played with the Prince George Cougars. . . . Last season, the North Vancouver native had five goals and nine assists in 56 games with the Raiders. In 149 regular-season games, he has 15 goals and 20 assists. . . . He is the son of former WHL/NHL D Dave Babych. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that the Giants are without F Alec Baer, F Brendan Semchuk and F Dawson Holt, all with undisclosed injuries.

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The Brandon Wheat Kings have signed F Baron Thompson, 17, to a WHL contract. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Thompson is from Lakeville, Minn. He and his brother, Tyler, were acquired last week from the Victoria Royals. They selected Baron in the third round of the 2014 bantam draft. . . . He had two goals and two assists in 26 games with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints last 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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On Thursday, the Everett Silvertips came from behind for a 5-4 shootout victory over the Portland Winterhawks, all of which resulted in today's chuckle:

Thx to comeback 10th annual TC tourney bus ride home had a fresher scent.

— Kevin Constantine (@KlcCoach) September 9, 2016

FRIDAY’S GAMES:

In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Prince George Cougars, 3-1. The Cougars (2-3-0) were wrapping up a nine-game preseason road trip by playing their third game in less than 72 hours. F Colton Veloso had a goal and an assist for Portland (4-0-1). G Cole Kehler stopped 16 shots in going the distance for the winners. . . . F Nick Holowko scored the only goal of a shootout as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-3. F Peyton Krebs gave the Ice a 3-2 lead with a shorthanded goal at 18:53 of the third period, only to have Seattle F Matthew Wedman force OT with a PP goal at 19:41. Wedman also had an assist, with F Nolan Volcan also getting a goal and an assist for Seattle. . . . F Brandon Hagel’s goal at 13:00 of the third period snapped a 3-3 tie as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Tri-City Americans, 4-3. Tri-City F Michael Rasmussen had tied the game at 11:49. F Michael Spacek had a goal and two assists for the winners, while D Josh Mahura and F Akash Bains each had two assists, and F Grayson Pawlenchuk had a goal and an assist. D Parker Wotherspoon drew three assists for Tri-City, with F Morgan Geekie getting two. . . . 

In Brandon, F Nikita Popugaev scored twice to help the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 3-2 victory over the Wheat Kings. Popugaev, coming off knee surgery, has three preseason goals. . . . This was Brandon’s first exhibition game; the Warriors are 2-1-1. . . . They’ll play again tonight, this time in Moose Jaw. . . .

In St. Albert, Alta., the Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s last two goals, both in the third period, to score a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . D Micheal Zipp pulled Calgary into a tie at 9:29 of the third period and F Aaron Hyman got the winner two minutes later. . . . Zipp and Hyman each added an assist, while D Vladislav Yeryomenko had a goal and an assist. . . . Edmonton got a goal and an assist from each of F Jesse Roach and F Tyler Robertson, with F Carter Souch drawing two assists. . . . Calgary G Kyle Dumba stopped 28 shots. . . . The teams play again tonight, this time in Calgary. . . .

In Kelowna, G Michael Herringer stopped 23 shots to earn the shutout as the Rockets beat the Kamloops Blazers, 1-0. . . . They’ll go at it again tonight in Kamloops. . . . F Dillon Dube scored the game’s only goal, taking a pass from former Blazers F Jake Kryski and putting the puck over G Dylan Ferguson, at 4:09 of the third period. . . . Kamloops G Dylan Ferguson stopped 39 shots. . . . 

In Lethbridge, F Aleksi Heponiemi had a goal and two assists to lead the Swift Current Broncos to a 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes. The WHL’s Finnish Flash, who is preparing for his first WHL season, continues to be perhaps the biggest story of the exhibition season, with 10 points, including five goals, in four games. . . . The Broncos (3-1-1) got a goal and an assist from each of F Glenn Gawdin and D Max Lajoie. . . . F Colton Kroeker scored twice for Lethbridge (2-1-0), with F Brayden Burke drawing two assists. F Egor Babenko had a goal and an assist. . . . G Travis Child stopped 23 shots for Swift Current, with Stuart Skinner turning aside 26 at the other end. . . . Lethbridge F Carter Folk left at 18:35 of the second period with a headshot major and game misconduct. . . . 

In Wainwright, Alta., the Medicine Hat Tigers scored a 5-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . F Mason Shaw, who is from Wainwright, scored his second preseason goal for the Tigers. . . . F Nick Henry scored his third goal for the Pats (2-2-0).

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Weird seeing former @nitroshockey coach Jerry Bancks in the stands instead of behind the bench.

— Josh Lockhart (@joshuaklockhart) September 10, 2016

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Big signing day in WHL, especially for Pats . . . Wheaties, Royals swing deal . . . Victoria signs assistant coach

F Marcel Hossa (Portland, 1998-2001) had signed a one-year contract with Dukla Trenčín (Slovakia, Extraliga). Last season, with with Plzeň (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had eight goals and eight assists in 20 games. He also had one assist in two games with Třinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). . . . Hossa's contract with Trenčín includes an out clause should he get an offer from outside Slovakia.

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The Regina Pats enjoyed quite a day on Thursday as they signed F Bryan Lockner and F Nick Henry, both of whom were believed to be leaning towards taking the NCAA route. . . . The 6-foot-0, 190-

Nick Henry is welcomed to the Regina Pats by John Paddock,
the WHL teams' general manager and head coach.
(Regina Pats photo)

pound Henry, from Portage la Prairie, Man., was the MJHL’s rookie of the year with his hometown Portage Terriers last season. He put up 61 points, including 26 goals, in 50 games, then added 18 points, 10 of them goals, in 17 playoff games. . . . Henry, 17, was acquired from the Everett Silvertips, who took him in the third round of the 2014 bantam draft. With his having signed, Everett will get a second-round pick in the 2017 draft and a 2016 sixth-round selection. . . . Henry had verbally committed to attend Western Michigan U. . . . Henry, who scored Regina’s lone goal in a 6-1 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncons on Thursday, told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that being closer to home was definitely a factor. “I’m extremely excited about it,” Henry said. “That was a big factor in this decision. Hockey-wise, I think this is my best place to be right now, with the players I’m going to play with and the coaching here in Regina. I talked to lots and lots of people who have played in the Western League, played NCAA. Really, I didn’t have a wrong way to go but for the time being this is the right place for me.” . . . Lockner, a 6-foot-1, 210-pounder from Windsor, Colo., was a third-round pick by the Pats in the 2015 bantam draft. A shoulder injury limited him to four games last season with the Colorado Thunderbirds of the Tier One Elite League. Lockner, 16, had two assists in four playoff games. . . . “I’m excited with my decision,” Lockner told Harder. “I’ve been thinking about it pretty much this whole summer — either go here or go to college. I feel like this is the best route for me. Obviously the coaching staff is one of the best coaching staffs around. They have great ownership and Regina is a good city. They’re an older team this year so they’re going to try to make it to the finals. That’s a plus for me, playing with older guys and learning from them.”

The Pats also signed F Braydon Buziak, 18, and D Owen Williams, who will turn 16 on Sept. 26. . . . Buziak, 6-foot-0 and 205 pounds, is from North Battleford, Sask. He had 19 points, including six goals, with the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars last season. He is a listed player. . . . Williams, from Delta, B.C., put up 17 points, 15 of them assists, in 42 games with the midget AAA Notre Dame Hounds last season. He was a ninth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft.

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Grant Armstrong, who is in his first days as the general manager of the Brandon Wheat Kings, spent the past four seasons in the Victoria Royals’ front office. So perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the teams swapped five players and some bantam draft picks on Thursday. . . . The Wheat Kings acquired D Jordan Wharrie and two brothers — F Tyler and F Baron Thompson — a 10th-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft and a third-rounder in 2018. . . . The Royals acquired two unsigned prospects — F Jeremy Klessens and G Brendan Benoit — along with a third-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft, a seventh-rounder in 2018 and a conditional pick in 2019. . . . Wharrie, 19, is from Port Moody, B.C. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder was a fifth-round pick by the Everett Silvertips in the 2012 bantam draft. Last season, in 34 games with the Royals, he had one goal and one assist. In 91 career games, he has three goals and three assists. . . . The Thompsons are from Lakeville, Minn. The 19-yet-old Tyler, 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, had two goals and an assist in eight games with the Royals last season. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Baron, 17, had two goals and two assists in 26 games with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints last season. The Royals selected him in the third round of the 2014 bantam draft, but has committed to attend the U of Maine. . . . According to the Wheat Kings, all three players are expected in Brandon this weekend. . . . The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Klessens, from Red Deer, had eight goals and 13 assists in 49 games with the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys last season. The 17-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Wheat Kings in the 2014 bantam draft. The 5-foot-10 145-pound Benoit, a 16-year-old from Winnipeg, was 23-0-1, 2.03, .910 with the midget AAA Eastman Selects last season. Brandon picked him in the 10th round of the 2015 bantam draft. 

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The Saskatoon Blades have signed F Michael Farren, a 16-year-old list player who is from Richmond, B.C. Last season, the 5-foot-10 160-pounder had 48 points, including 15 goals, in 40 games with the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League.

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The Lethbridge Hurricanes signed four players — D Alex Cotton, F Shawn Harke, F Evan Ladouceur and G Adam Swan. . . . Cotton, 15, was a fifth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. From Langley, the 5-foot-11, 150-pounder played last season at the Yale Hockey Academy, putting up three goals and five assists in 25 games with the bantam prep team. . . . Harke, 16, is from Leduc, Alta. Harke, 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds, was a seventh-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, he played for the OHA-Edmonton prep team in the Canadian Sports School Hockey League, scoring six goals and adding 13 assists in 30 games. . . . Ladouceur, 15, was a sixth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. The 6-foot-1, 160-pounder had 13 goals and 12 assists in 32 games with the bantam AAA Fort Saskatchewan Rangers last season. . . . Swan, 16, was an 11th-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is from Ashern, Man. He was 5-14-0, 5.45, .873 with the Interlake Lightning, a midget AAA team.

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The Tri-City Americans have signed D Colten Gerlib, 17, to a WHL contract. Gerlib, from Kamloops, played last season for the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League. He had 25 points, including seven goals, in 45 games. . . . The Americans listed him in January after the Mac’s tournament in Calgary.

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The Vancouver Giants have signed F Hunor Torzsok, 16, to a WHL contract. From Cloverdale, B.C., Torzsok played last season with the Delta Hockey Academy Elite 15s. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is a listed player. He had 30 points, including 10 goals, in 33 games. 

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The Kamloops Blazers have signed D Tylor Ludwar and F Scott Mahovlich. . . . Ludwar, from Regina, had 16 points, including seven goals, in 40 games with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians last season. The Blazers placed him on their list in November 2014. . . . Mahovlich, from Abbotsford, B.C., had nine points, three of them goals, in 33 games with the Yale Hockey Academy’s midget prep team. The Blazers listed him in January 2015.

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The Kootenay Ice has signed D Bobby Russell, 16, who was a sixth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. From Langley, B.C., the 5-foot-10, 155-pounder had 15 points, 13 of them assists, in 29 games with the B.C. Major Midget League’s Valley West Hawks last season.

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The Edmonton Oil Kings have signed F Scott Atkinson, a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft, and Belarusian F Artyom Baltruk, who was picked in the CHL’s 2016 import draft. . . . Atkinson, a 16-year-old from Vancouver, had 14 points, including five goals, with the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the B.C. Major Midget League last season. . . . Baltruk, 17, had 12 points, including five goals, in 28 games with Dinamo-Raubichi of the Belarus2 league last 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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The Victoria Royals have signed Dan Price, 41, as an assistant coach. Price, from St. Albert, Alta., has spent the past two seasons with the U of Toronto Varsity Blues. He was the team’s assistant coach in 2014-15, and was assistant coach and manager of athletic recruitment last season. . . . Price has WHL experience, having coached with the Tir-City Americans (2012-14) and Chilliwack Bruins (2006-09). . . . The Royals needed an assistant coach after moving Enio Sacilotto from behind the bench into the position of director of prospect development and scout. That came about after Grant Armstrong, their assistant GM, player personnel.

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

The Saskatoon Blades scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-3 in a game played in Regina. F Ryan Bowen and F Brett Howden each had a goal and an assist for Moose Jaw. Saskatoon F Josh Paterson also had a goal and an assist, the goal breaking a 3-3 tie at 19:19 of the third period. F Matthew Mosher also had a goal and an assist for the Blades. . . . In the other game in Regina, F Glenn Gawdin scored the game’s first two goals and the Swift Current Broncos went on to a 6-1 victory over the Pats. Gawdin finished with three goals, while D Artyom Minulin drew three assists, and F Aleksi Heponiemi had two goals and two assists.

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Hockey weeps and remembers . . . Oil Kings lose a coach . . . Two WHL draft picks opt for NCAA

In a treasured photo from the Hicketts family album, here's the late Pat Quinn
with brothers, Matt, left, and Joe, after the latter, now a defenceman
with the Victoria Royals, had been named Hockey Now's B.C. minor hockey
player of the year for 2010-11.
(Photo courtesy Lee-Gaye Hicketts)

F Curtis Huppe (Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Tri-City, 1995-2000) has been released by the Guildford Flames (England, Premier). He had two goals and an assist in three games.
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What a tough day for hockey!
First came news of the death in Moscow of Soviet/Russian hockey coach Viktor Tikhonov, the man who guided the then-USSR team through the Summit Series in 1972.
Tikhonov, 84, died after a long illness.
That was followed by the news that Pat Quinn, one of the most respected people in all of hockey, had died in Vancouver after an illness. He was 71.
The hockey world also lost Murray Oliver, who died Sunday of a heart attack. Oliver, who lived in Edina, Minn., was 77. Oliver played, and played well, for three of the NHL’s Original Six franchises.
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Eric Duhatschek of The Globe and Mail remembers Pat Quinn right here.
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Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun has his own thoughts on Pat Quinn right here.
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Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun reminisces about the Big Irishman right here.
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Ken Campbell of The Hockey News was a young reporter with the Toronto Star and his beat was the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were coached by Pat Quinn. Campbell remembers that and more right here.
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Most times standing in front of the players’ bench, Viktor Tikhonov coached teams to three Olympic gold medals and eight World championship titles between 1979 and 1992. . . . He also was the Soviet team’s coach during the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. . . . The IIHF’s website has more right here.
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Dmitry Chesnokov, over at Puck Daddy, has a look right here at the life and legacy of Viktor Tikhonov.
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On the ice, Tikhonov’s grandson, Viktor Jr., had two goals and an assist for SKA in a KHL game on Monday. But his SKA side dropped a 5-3 decision to his grandfather’s team, CSKA Moscow. There’s more on the game right here.
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The Minneapolis StarTribune has more on Murray Oliver right here.
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On Monday evening, Dave Hodge of TSN flipped his pencil into the air and tweeted: “Jan. 7, 1980. MIN 7 PHIL 1. Flyers' 35-game unbeaten streak ends. PHIL head coach was Pat Quinn. MIN ass't was Murray Oliver. May both RIP.”
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Have you heard about the 41-year-old Swede who was the only person in the Philadelphia concert hall for a show by Bob Dylan on Sunday afternoon? Check out that story right here.
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Earlier this month, a couple of OHL players were suspended after getting tangled up in a situation on Tinder, one of those social media things. Chris Dilks of sbncollegehockey.com has a story right here that involves NCAA hockey players and Tinder. Privacy on the Internet? Uhh, no!
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The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers fired goaltending coach Frederic Chabot on Monday, replacing him with Dustin Schwartz, who had been the goaltending coach for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Of course, the Oilers own the Oil Kings.
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Dr. Nigel Painter, who is listed in the WHL Guide as the Prince Albert Raiders’ team physician, won’t be practising medicine for at least a year. The College of Physicians and Surgeons has taken away his licence for having sex with a patient. There’s more right here.
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F Colton Kehler, who was a seventh-round pick by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL’s 2012 bantam draft, has committed to attend Clarkson University and play for the Golden Knights. Kehler, 17, is from Port Coquitlam, B.C. He presently is with the BCHL’s Langley Rivermen.
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F Baron Thompson, a 15-year-old from Lakeville, Minn., has committed to the U of Maine and the Black Bears. A third-round pick of the Victoria Royals in the 2014 bantam draft, he is playing for the Omaha AAA Lancers U16 team this season.
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Thanks everyone for all the prayers and thoughts this weekend. Feeling much better now and hope to be back on the ice soon!
— nikita scherbak (@nikscherbak) November 24, 2014