Why was K9 a healthy scratch? ... AHL's 2015 man of year joins Seattle ... Toth heading to school

D Patrik Maier (Kamloops, Moose Jaw, 2014-16) has signed a tryout contract with Benátky nad Jizerou (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Last season, he had a goal and three assists in 53 games with Nové Zámky (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . . 

F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) has signed a one-year contract with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). Last season, with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had 13 goals and 26 assists in 54 games.

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I remember when we had to scratch K9 because we got threats faxed to our office after Puckhead got attacked in MJ the night before

— Brent Parker (@Patguy65) July 20, 2017

In this space on Thursday, there was a revisitation of a confrontation between a couple of WHL head coaches. Yes, there was photographic evidence, too.

The picture and story prompted all kinds of responses, including the above tweet from Brent Parker, who was the Regina Pats’ general manager for 15 years so was front and centre in a lot of the rivalry with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

In the tweet, he referred to the shenanigans that went on during a home-and-home series on March 24 and 25, 2000.

The series opened in the Moose Jaw Civic Centre, aka the Crushed Can.

At the time, the Warriors had a mascot with the moniker of Puckhead and it looked pretty much like you might imagine — with a giant puck for a head.

At one point during the game, Puckhead was taunted by a few fans who apparently were pals of Pats F Ryan Thomas. One thing led to another and a couple of the fans bodychecked Puckhead. When Puckhead shoved back, one of the fans, according to a piece at CBC.ca, began punching her.

Yes, Puckhead’s outfit was inhabited by a woman, the late Doreen Gurnsey, who was in her sixth season as the mascot. (Gurnsey passed away on Oct. 1, 2007.) 

“I’ve been kicked," she told CBC a few days later. “I’ve had beer poured over me. One fellow one time gave me a shove towards the ice. I mean that's down to the bleachers towards the ice. And it was just lucky that I had straddled the railing and was able to grip on. I'm quite sure I might not have lived through that.”

Anyway, during the altercation, Puckhead’s head came off. You know that the two fans were surprised to see a woman’s face looking back at them, and they quickly and quietly exited stage right.

In a recollection that is posted at rodpedersen.com, veteran Pats/Warriors observer Kelly Remple wrote:

“Following the game, Pats head coach Tim Tisdale sat quietly in the front of the bus, waiting to depart for the Queen City. A lunatic sporting black, red, and white approached the bus and banged on the door. The bus driver opened the door to hear what this maniac was shouting. As the door opened, the crazed fan looked at Tisdale and, like Jack Nicholson in The Shining, said: ‘Your dog is dead. DEAD! You understand me. Your dog is DEAD!’ A concerned Tisdale called home and asked his wife, ‘Honey, is the dog OK?’ ”

There were reports of threatening phone calls to the Pats’ office the following day and, of course, Parker made reference to threatening faxes.

For the record, the Warriors won the Friday game, 6-3, in front of 3,074 fans. The next night, the Pats posted a 3-2 victory before 6,231 fans. Yes, there was a line brawl. No, K9 wasn’t there to witness it.

As @WHLPats organist then, I played #PopGoesTheWeasel when Theo on ice (or kicked out of game) for @MJWARRIORS. He even put it in his book! https://t.co/TKh8xqgmKy

— Sen. Denise Batters (@denisebatters) July 20, 2017

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Just what this @WHLsilvertips @SeattleTbirds rivalry needed. Coaches who used to scrap each other, right @KyleHagel  https://t.co/vkqB2ZaOsH

— Mitch Love (@mlovehockey) July 20, 2017

The rivalry between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips may have taken another turn away from love on Thursday. That’s because the Thunderbirds, the WHL’s reigning champions, have hired Kyle Hagel as an assistant coach.

As is evident from the above tweet, Hagel and Mitch Love, Everett’s assistant GM/assistant coach, are

KYLE HAGEL
(Photo: seattlethunderbirds.com)

quite familiar with each other.

There is a whole more to Hagel than a scrap, however.

Hagel, 32, is from Hamilton. He played four seasons at Princeton before going on to a pro career that ended after last season. A defenceman who sometimes played on left wing, he played the last three seasons with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

After 2014-15, Hagel was honoured as the AHL’s IOA/American Specialty AHL man of the year. He was presented with the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, which is awarded annually, according to the AHL, to a player “for his outstanding contributions to his local community and charitable organizations.” That was the fifth time that Hagel had been nominated by his AHL team for the award.

Hagel also is a co-founder of HP4K (Hockey Players for Kids), a non-profit organization that, according to its website, is “made up of hockey players around the world who are dedicated to positively impacting the communities they play in. . . . HP4K believes that promoting player interaction with children is the best way they can achieve this impact, and acts as a catalyst in connecting players with kids in their communities.”

O’Dette and Hagel met for the first time when they were teammates for part of the 2008-09 season with the ECHL’s Fresno Falcons. That was Hagel’s first season as a pro player, while it was O’Dette’s last one.

The Thunderbirds will hire one more assistant coach before the season. One vacancy was created when the Thunderbirds moved Matt O’Dette from assistant to head coach after Steve Konowalchuk left for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. The other spot came open when assistant coach Tyler Alos chose to leave the organization.

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G Rylan Toth, who played out his junior eligibility with the Seattle Thunderbirds last season, has decided to attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds in 2017-18. . . . Toth led WHL goaltenders in regular-season victories (36) last season. He had a 2.75 GAA and .902 save percentage. He suffered an undisclosed injury late in the season and didn’t play again until getting into two games during the Memorial Cup tournament. . . . Toth also played two seasons with the Red Deer Rebels. . . . In 158 regular-season games, the Saskatoon native was 90-51-13, 2.76, .906.

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The BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals have signed Brian Passmore as their new general manager and head coach. He takes over from Bob Beatty, who has resigned after four seasons with the Capitals. Beatty had spent 17 seasons in the SJHL before signing with the Capitals prior to the 2013-14 season. . . . Passmore, 37, has been the head coach of the bantam prep team at Shawnigan Lake School for the past two seasons. . . . Passmore also has coaching experience in the junior B Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League, having spent two seasons with the Peninsula Panthers and one with the Westshore Wolves. . . . The Capitals also announced that Dan Whiteford will be back for a second season as assistant coach, while Darren Rodney, who had been the assistant GM,  now is director of hockey operations.

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Mike Fraser, who scouts for the Brandon Wheat Kings, also has been writing a weekly column for the Brandon-based Westman Journal. In this week’s ponderings, who looks back at five years with the Wheat Kings. That column is right here. . . . With the Journal undergoing a change in the editor’s office, Fraser has chosen to step back, so next week’s column will be his last one. 

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Darren Steinke, the wandering blogger, spent a lot of the 2016-17 WHL season visiting various arenas. On Thursday, he blogged about his travels and how much fun he had. It’s all right here.

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If you’re a regular here, and even you aren’t, feel free to contribute to the feeding of the Drinnan family by making a donation to the cause. You are able to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.

If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).

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Excuse me Constable, can you tell me where my wife and I can register as evacuees? #BCWildfires https://t.co/FeZCZET7Pv pic.twitter.com/z0R0UOslMN

— BCRCMP (@BCRCMP) July 20, 2017

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Sorry, folks, but this concussion thing just isn’t going to go away.
In fact, the story continues to get bigger and bigger. Sooner or later, the pooh-bahs who run major junior and professional hockey are going to outlaw fighting to show they are serious about eliminating concussions from the game.
Maybe it would help if we stopped calling them concussions and started referring to them as brain injuries. . . .
“The numbers are kind of insane — there are currently 25 players out with concussions, or ‘upper body injuries’ that include ‘concussion-like symptoms.’ ”
So begins a story on concussion in the NHL that was posted on Deadspin on Tuesday afternoon.
That complete report is right here.
There also is link there to a CBC report that claims that 88 NHL players missed 1,697 man-games with concussions last season.
There are 30 NHL teams. In the WHL, where there are 22 teams, it is believed that at least 100 players suffered concussions last season.
While the WHL is secretive when in the area of injuries, especially when it comes to concussions, it would appear that the league is headed into that same territory again this season.
The WHL’s last injury report, dated Feb. 25, indicates that 37 players are out with “upper body” injuries. Of those 37, I would suggest that more than 20 are out with concussions or concussion-like symptoms. That injury list doesn’t include players who have suffered concussions this season and are back playing, a number that may be has high as 50. Nor does it include players who haven’t been able to play because of concussions suffered prior to this season.
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Jeff Z. Klein of The New York Times weighs in right here on the NHL and its recent wave of brain injuries.
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Meanwhile, Eric Russell of the Portland, Me., Press Herald reported on Feb. 16 that “a former University of Maine student-athlete has become the first hockey player to join a class-action lawsuit that claims the National Collegiate Athletic Association has failed to do enough to address and prevent concussions.”
It seems that a lawsuit was filed in September 2011 in Northern Illinois.
Russell’s story is right here. The story details problems encountered by former Maine player Kyle Solomon, as well as three other former NCAA athletes who suffered career-ending concussions.
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There has been speculation that D Derrick Pouliot could return to the Portland Winterhawks’ lineup tonight against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. Pouliot, who has been rehabbing a high ankle sprain, originally was injured on Dec. 18. He came back to play four games in January (on the 8th, 9th, 11th and 25th) but hasn’t played since then. . . . Pouliot has been skating for a couple of weeks now and Travis Green, the acting head coach, told Paul Buker of The Oregonian that the defenceman “is close.” . . . Green also said: “I’m not sure if it will be this week, or this weekend. But it’s more day to day now than week to week.” . . . As for Pouliot playing tonight, Green told Buker: “It’s possible, but I don’t suspect he will play.”
What is certain is that Pouliot will play during the playoffs, which makes Portland just that much more formidable.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The BCHL’s Cowichan Capitals announced Tuesday that Bob Beatty has signed on as general manager and head coach. Beatty had been with the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. Beatty will take over the Capitals once their 20012-13 season has ended.


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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Medicine Hat (6)
Prince Albert (4) vs Red Deer (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Tri-City (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, F Mike Winther scored twice and the Prince Albert Raiders dumped the Warriors, 4-1. . . . Winther has 21 goals this season. . . . F Mark McNeill added three assists for the winners. . . . Raiders F Dakota Conroy, who had gone 19 games without a goal, opened the scoring with his 19th goal. . . . Raiders G Luke Siemens stopped 41 shots in posting his 32nd victory. Last season, he put up 35 victories for the Warriors. . . . With the victory, the Raiders moved back into a tie for fourth with the Red Deer Rebels in the Eastern Conference. The Raiders hold a game in hand. . . .

In Red Deer, the Saskatoon Blades ran their winning streak to 16 games and clinched a playoff spot with a 4-0 victory over the Rebels. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov stopped 24 shots as he set a single-season franchise record with his seventh shutout. The previous record had been held by Braden Holtby (2008-09). Holtby, now with the Washington Capitals, also put up a shutout last night, beating the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, 3-0. . . . F Brenden Walker scored twice for the Blades, with F Michael Ferland and F Brett Stovin each drawing two assists. . . . Walker has a career-high 27 goals. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak turned aside 42 shots. . . . The Rebels had won the first three games of the season series from the Blades, outscoring them 11-4. . . . The Blades remain atop the East Division, seven points ahead of Prince Albert. . . .

In Kent, Wash., F Henrik Samuelsson and F Michael St. Croix each had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oil Kings beat the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent), 6-2. . . . The Oil Kings had lost their previous three games, including two on this U.S. Division swing. . . . Edmonton is to meet the Winterhawks in Portland tonight. The Oil Kings beat Portland in seven games in last springs championship final. . . . Samuelsson and St. Croix each has 32 goals. . . . Edmonton F T.J. Foster scored his 26th goal of the season. It was his 100th career goal and 250th career point. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 34th goal. . . . Oil Kings G Laurent Brossoit picked up his fourth assist this season, breaking the franchise’s single-season record that he set last season. . . . Seattle F Alex Delnov scored his 20th goal. . . . Edmonton was 3-for-3 on the PP. . . . The Oil Kings moved back into second in the overall standings a point ahead of the idle Kelowna Rockets. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-2. . . . Tri-City F Parker Bowles tied the game 2-2 with his 20th goal at 17:55 of the second period. . . . The Americans report that Bowles, 17, who has 20 goals, is the “youngest Americans rookie to reach 20 goals in a season.” F Jaroslav Kristek was an 18-year-old rookie when he scored 20 goals in 1997-98. . . . Tri-City F Connor Rankin snapped the tie with his 24th at 6:42 of the third. . . . F Beau McCue had two assists for the winners. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie scored his 40th goal. He is the sixth WHLer to reach 40 this season. . . . Portland D Shaun McPherson opened the scoring with his fourth goal. He turned 19 yesterday. . . . Tri-City F Justin Feser scored his 39th goal of the season — and the 150th of his career — in his 311th consecutive game. That ties the WHL record held by D Dwayne Newman (Brandon, Victoria, 1987-92). . . . Tri-City G Troy Trombley continued his terrific run. He made 37 saves in his sixth straight start — he is 6-0-0. He now has beaten the Winerhawks twice, having turned aside 41 shots in a 6-2 victory in Portland on Feb. 15. . . . The Winterhawks had won five in a row. . . . The Americans, who have won six in a row, have three victories over Portland this season. . . . Tri-City is fourth in the Western Conference, now with a three-point edge over the idle Spokane Chiefs. Each team has 10 games remaining.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Matej Stransky, Saskatoon
D David Musil, Edmonton

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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 From Moose Jaw Warriors F Josh Uhrich (@96uhrich): “Feeling sorry for all the girls in Saskatoon having to deal with all the boys getting their hair done for playoffs”



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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Domenic Pittis (Lethbridge, 1991-94) was loaned by Visp (Switzerland, NL B) to Zug (Switzerland, NL A). He has 11 goals and 35 assists in 30 games for Visp this season. The loan is through the end of this season's NL A playoffs, which start on Saturday. Visp was eliminated from the Swiss NL B playoff quarterfinals on Sunday, losing its series against Lausanne, four games to one. Pittis is under contract with Visp through the 2014-15 season.
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Skate-inflicted cuts have been in the news recently. . . . With that in mind, here are a couple of stories involving such incidents and what might be done to prevent them. . . . This one right here is by Sean Gordon of The Globe and Mail and deals with the way hockey seemingly shrugs its shoulders at such injuries. . . . And this piece right here, written by Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun, deals with just how sharp skates are in this day and age.
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Dave Waddell of the Windsor Star writes:
“For 22-year-old Spencer Jean, the fight during a Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League game six years ago was a life-changing event.
“The Wheatley Sharks' rookie, who was then 16, suffered a blow to the head and the first of 10 to 15 concussions.
In the process he had become a statistic in what many researchers call the silent epidemic of youth concussions.
“A Statistics Canada survey found there are approximately 30,000 concussions or related head injuries reported annually among the 12-to-19-year-old age group. Sixty six per cent of those concussions are related to sports activity.”
Waddell’s complete story is right here.
This story should be mandatory reading for anyone involved in sports at any level. Despite his young age, Jean knows that he is a prime candidate for early-onset dementia. This is scary stuff.
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The Spokane Chiefs have added F Jacob Cardiff, 16, to their roster, while returning D Colton Bobyk, 16, to the midget AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs. . . . Cardiff, a seventh-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, had 41 points in 42 games with the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds this season. He will say with the Chiefs through three road games this week. . . . Bobyk got into two games with the Chiefs. He will rejoin Red Deer for the AMHL playoffs.
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The Portland Winterhawks take a five-game winning streak into a game tonight in Kennewick, Wash., against the Tri-City Americans. The Winterhawks then will return home to face the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday. . . . Portland leads the overall standings with 105 points, 13 more than the Kelowna Rockets and 14 ahead of Edmonton. . . . The Oil Kings beat the Winterhawks in seven games in last spring’s championship final. . . . From a Winterhawks’ news release: “The ‘Hawks already have fifth-highest point total in team history with nine games still to play, and with a winning percentage of .833, are looking to become the first team to play .800 hockey over a full season since Calgary (.847, 122 points) and Vancouver (.826, 119 points) both did it in 2008-09.” . . . The Winterhawks have a franchise-record 26 road victories this season. They have five road games remaining, meaning the WHL record (28) that is held by the Calgary Hitmen (1999-2000) and Saskatoon Blades (2008-09) is within reach.
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The Kootenay Ice looked as done as Tiger Williams’ dinner when the WHL broke for Christmas. But here the Ice is, having won its last four games and in possession of a playoff spot with 10 regular-season games remaining. In fact, the Ice, which is eighth in the Eastern Conference, is just one point behind the Swift Current Broncos and Kootenay holds a game in hand. The Ice also is five points up on the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The Ice has done this by going 21-6-1 since Christmas. And it has won its last 12 home games, tying the franchise record set in 2006-07.
Ryan McGill as the Eastern Conference’s coach of the year? Why not?
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THE COACHING GAME:
The SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves announced Monday that general manager/head coach Bob Beatty had tendered his resignation and that it had been accepted. Beatty spent  nine seasons with La Ronge, which won the SJHL title in 2010 and 2011. This season, La Ronge finished 20-31-3 and didn’t make the playoffs. . . . There was almost immediate speculation that Beatty would be taking over the BCHL’s Cowichan Capitals, but as of late last night I don’t believe that move had been confirmed. The Capitals changed coached on Jan. 29, with assistant coach Aaron Plumb replacing Jim Ingram.
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The matchups, if the WHL playoffs opened today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Medicine Hat (6)
Red Deer (4) vs. Prince Albert (5)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
Tri-City (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
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From former Kelowna Rockets D Mitch Chapman (@chapstar5): “Surgery tomorrow!”
An ankle injury kept Chapman, 20, from playing even one game this season.
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From Red Deer Rebels F Turner Elson (@turnermeatelson): “I’m done I will never watch bachelor again #whatajoke @seansaloser”
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From Portland Winterhawks D Troy Rutkowski (@TRutter2): “Repeatedly losing respect for some teammates every Monday night #BachelorTweets #keepittoyourself”
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And if you weren’t witness to it live, you may want to hunt up the exchange that took place Monday on Twitter between Dan Russell (@DanRussellCKNW) of Vancouver radio station CKNW and Jason Botchford (@botchford) of the Vancouver Province.


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Thursday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Craig Weller (Kootenay, 2000-02) signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had 16 goals and 36 assists in 41 games for the Cardiff Devils (Wales, UK Elite) last season and was named UK Elite Ice Hockey League Player of the Year, Defenceman of the Year, and a first team all-star.
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CRAIG HARTSBURG

As of early, early this morning, Craig Hartsburg still was the head coach of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. That was according to the WHL team’s website.
However, at least one media outlet was reporting that he had quit.
“Craig Hartsburg, who has stepped down as head coach of the WHL's Everett Silvertips,” read a report at sportsnet.ca, “is a top candidate to become right-hand man to head coach Brent Sutter, according to a member of the (Calgary) Flames staff. The spokesperson said there is work to be done but Hartsburg is of interest.”
Steve MacFarlane of the Calgary Sun wrote it this way:
The Calgary Flames have nothing to announce just yet.
But a reunion for Craig Hartsburg and Flames head coach Brent Sutter doesn’t sound far off.
“Craig Hartsburg is a top candidate for a coaching job with the Calgary Flames,” Flames vice-president of communications Peter Hanlon said Thursday after TSN’s Bob McKenzie told the Twitterverse earlier in the day he expected Hartsburg to be named associate coach in Calgary sooner than later.
“However, there is work to be done before any official announcement.”
That complete story is right here.
As for Hartsburg leaving Everett, well, you know what they say about where there’s smoke. . . .
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For all the Kyle Beach fans out there, Cody Pugh, a contributor to bleacherreport.com, takes a look back to see what the enigmatic former WHLer has accomplished to date and where he’s at in terms of making the roster of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks.
That piece is right here.
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The Portland Winterhawks have dealt G Keith Hamilton, 19, to the Victoria ???? for third-, fourth- and eighth-round selections in the 2012 WHL bantam draft.
Hamilton, a second-round selection by Portland in the 2007 bantam draft, was 17-6-2, 2.91, .914 in backing up Mac Carruth last season.
It would seem that the Winterhawks got decent return for a goaltender who would have been in tough at training camp with Carruth, also 19, the No. 1 guy at this time.
The Winterhawks also have signed G Brendan Burke, the son of former NHLer Sean Burke, and G Jarrod Schamerhorn, and needed to make room for one of them as the backup for next season.
Burke was a third-round selection in the 2010 draft; Schamerhorn, who played for the major midget Kootenay Ice last season, was added to Portland’s list after the 2010 training camp.
Coincidentally, Hamilton and Schamerhorn both are from Kelowna.
Victoria, which finished the season as the Chilliwack Bruins, had Lucas Gore and Braden Gamble on its roster at season’s end. Gore was 20, so played out his eligibility. Gamble, now 20, was 2-8-1 in 19 games during the regular season.
Hamilton “will push for the starting job this year, and has solidified our goaltending corps as we now have three quality goaltenders at different age ranges in Hamilton, Braden Gamble and Jared Rathjen,” Marc Habscheid, Victoria’s GM/head coach, said in a press release.
Rathjen is a list player who is from Prince George. He played last season for the major midget Cariboo Cougars, who play out of P.G.
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Before you start thinking that the ???? paid a steep price for a 19-year-old goaltender with minimal experience at the WHL level, here’s a note from Alan Caldwell at Small Thoughts At Large, which is linked over there on the right:
“An eagle-eyed reader has just pointed out to me that Portland traded their own 2012 3rd, 4th, and 8th round picks to Victoria back at the draft in return for Victoria's 2nd round pick, which the Hawks used on Zach Patterson. So it looks like this deal was just to get the picks back, essentially making the deal Hamilton for the 2nd rounder. Since Portland was still playing at the time of the draft, they couldn't actually trade Hamilton at that time.”
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If you missed Game 2 of the NBA final on Wednesday night, well, you cheated yourself. A game like this is why we watch. And here’s hoping you didn’t change channels when the Miami Heat held a 15-point lead.
Dwyane Wade made a three from in front of the Dallas bench for an 88-73 lead with 7:14 to play, and he posed for three or four seconds.
Whoops!
(The pose came after some big-time strutting by LeBron and Chris Bosh after put-back dunks. Yes, the Heat makes it awfully easy to dislike it.)
Because the Dallas Mavericks went on a 20-2 run and eventually won when, with the score tied at 93, Dirk Nowitzki romped past defender Chris Bosh and laid in the winning points. With the Heat out of timeouts, it had to inbound from under its basket and Wade missed a desperation three at the buzzer.
Bruce Arthur of the National Post went back and looked at the game’s last seven minutes a second time. He came up with this:
“Heat misses last 7:15: Chalmers 3; LBJ layup; CB J; LBJ fade J; CB TO; UH J; LBJ pullup shot-clock 3 (twice); Wade pullup 3; Wade running 3.”
So it’s 1-1 heading to Dallas for three games, with the first on Sunday. You won’t want to miss it.
I have turned into something of an NBA watcher after being unable to watch NHL playoffs in a hotel in Mt. Vernon, Wash., a few weeks ago. Instead of watching Game 7 between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks — the hotel didn’t provide access to Versus (or CBC) — I watched NBA playoff action. And I haven’t stopped.
Thank you, Mr. Bettman.
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The afore-mentioned Bruce Arthur has today’s good read, too. It’s a farewell of sorts to Shaq.
And it’s right here.
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Condolences to the family of Tom Mangan, a member of the Kamloops Blazers’ board of directors (2003-06), who died Thursday afternoon after battling prostate cancer. He was 64. . . . Mangan was active in the Kamloops sporting world. . . . He also served on the board of the Kamloops Blazers Sports Foundation, which handed out more than $1 million in grants before the WHL franchise was sold over the summer of 2007. And he was on the committee that backed the 2010 World Masters athletics championship that was in Kamloops.
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There are a couple of comments posted on the blog after yesteday’s comment about Game 1 of the Stanley Cup not being televised by Seattle’s NBC outlet.
A couple of hockey fans — and friends — from the Seattle area also emailed me to point out that it really isn’t a big deal.
“KING5, the NBC affiliate, never shows prime-time NHL games,” noted one fan. “Because they would rather show the news.
“So they have a sister station, KONG, which they move the game to. KING is channel 5, KONG is channel 6.
“The problem used to be that Comcast didn’t carry KONG in HD. But they have added to it.
“But, as I always point out . . . Anyone with basic Comcast cable still gets CBUT on channel  99. And if they have Comcast HD, they get the HD feed. And who the heck would want to watch NBC when you can have CBC.”
The second fan wrote:
“No big deal here – Everyone watches HNIC anyway. Can’t miss Coaches Corner.”
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Chris Rumble, a defenceman with the NAHL’s Wenatchee, Wash., Wild, is working on a 90-minute documentary that should be worth a watch. He spent the 2010-11 season getting video and audio — he even had referees mic’d up in four gmes — for the doc that he is editing more than 80 hours of video right now. The hopes to have two shows — one PG, the other uncensored — ready in August.
Corey Voegele of the Wenatchee World has the story right here.
By the way, Rumble is the son of former NHL D Darren Rumble, who spent last season on the coaching staff of the QMJHL’s Lewiston Maineiacs. That franchise, of course, folded earlier this week, meaning Rumble is available. He was shortlisted for a couple of QMJHL head-coaching spots and has been in contact with at least one WHL team.
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The Saskatoon Blades and Credit Union Centre have agreed in principle on a three-year lease. Why just three years? Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has that story right here.
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THE COACHING GAME: The SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves have signed GM/head coach Bob Beatty to a five-year contract extension. Beatty has completed seven seasons as the Ice Wolves’ head coach. They have won the last two SJHL championships. . . . I mentioned here yesterday that Wes Werhun, a new assistant coach with the AJHL’s St. Albert Steel, had been with the midget AAA St. Albert Raiders. It turns out he was with the St. Albert Merchances of the Capital Junior B league. Thanks to the sharp-eyed reader for the note on that one. . . . The BCHL’s Langley Rivermen have hired Steve O’Rourke, 36, as their general manager and head coach. He had been an assistant coach with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat for two seasons. Assistant coaches will be Bobby Henderson, a son of co-owner Roy Henderson, and Jordan Emmerson. Bobby Henderson, who was on the coaching staff of the junior B Mission, B.C., Ice Breakes last season, played with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chief before attending the U of Nebraska-Omaha. Emmerson, who is form Abbotsford, played for hte BCHL’s Penticton Panthers before going on to the U of Alaska-Fairbanks.
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Four of the 16 goaltenders invited to Hockey Canada’s sixth annual goaltending camp are from the WHL. Tyler Bunz (Medicine Hat), Calvin Pickard (Seattle) and Kent Simpson (Everett) are among the 10 who will attend the under-20 camp, while Chris Driedger (Tri-City) is on the under-18 list. . . . If you’re at the U-20 camp, you are at least on the radar of the Canadian national junior team’s scouting staff. . . . The camp is scheduled fro the Norma Bush Arena in Calgary, June 9-12. . . . F Taylor Stefishen, who had 67 points in 68 regular-season games with the Prince George Cougars last season, had his NHL rights traded on Thursday. Stefishen, who played two seasons at Ohio State before joining the Cougars for his 20-year-old season, was a fifth-round selection by the Nashville Predators in the 2008 NHL draft. On Thursday, the Preds dealt him to the Washington Capitals for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft. Nashville gets the pick if Stefishen appears on the Capitals’ reserve list during either of the next two seasons.

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Segal moving on

MARK SEGAL

G Mark Segal won’t be returning for his 20-year-old season with the Vancouver Giants.
Segal has informed the Giants that he is leaving to attend McGill University in Montreal, where he will play for the Redmen.
Segal, a Vancouverite who turns 20 on Aug. 31, played in 91 regular-season and 20 playoff games with the Giants over the last two seasons. This season, he went 27-18-4, 3.07, .891 in 55 games.
Brendan Jensen, an 18-year-old from El Granada, Calif., played in 30 games with the Giants, going 8-13-1 in support of Segal.
The Giants’ website shows three goaltenders on their list who are eligible to play in 2011-12 — Jackson Whistle, who turns 16 on June 9, of Kelowna; Scott legault, who will be 17 on Sept. 25; and, Stephen Heslop, who turns 16 on Sept. 15, of Victoria.
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Today’s good read comes from Bucky Gleason of the Buffalo News.
It’s almost a week old, but I just discovered it Sunday morning.
Yes, it is about pro hockey and the impact of concussions.
Gleason leads with the difficulties faced by former NHL tough guy Matthew Barnaby, who now wonders how badly he damaged his brain during this playing career and whether that is the reason for the changes he has noticed in his personality.
It isn’t all about Barnaby, though. At one point, Dr. Robert Cantu is quoted on the subject of former Buffalo Bills great O.J. Simpson:
"There's a brain I would love to study. I don't know, but I really wonder. With his inability to handle frustrating circumstances, violence and all that stuff, it could be.
"It's hard to know. I'm not suggesting I know the answer, but if and when the time comes I would give anything for him to be on our registry."
Dr. Cantu is a clinical professor neurosurgery at Boston University School of Medicine, which is home to Sports Legacy Institute, where a lot of the research into CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is taking place.
Pour yourself a cup of coffee and sit down for today’s good read. It’s long and worthwhile. And it’s right here.
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THE COACHING GAME: Wanting experience as a head coach, former WHLer Brad McCrimmon, 52, has signed on with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League. McCrimmon, an all-star defenceman with the Brandon Wheat Kings (1976-79) and the head coach of the Saskatoon Blades (1998-2000), was an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings for the last three seasons. . . . Cole Zahn has signed on as assistant coach with the SJHL’s Estevan Bruins. Keith Cassidy, the Bruins’ new GM/head coach, worked together on the coaching staff of the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers and got that squad to the RBC Cup in 2007. Zahn will continue to scout for the Vancouver Giants. . . . Ron Holloway, the head coach of the junior B Ochapowace Thunder of the Prairie Junior league, has signed on as an assistant coach with the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves. He will work alongside head man Bob Beatty as the Ice Wolves chase a third straight SJHL championship.
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F Byron Froese, who turned 20 on March 12, has signed a three-year deal with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. Capgeek.com reports that his salaries will be US$67,500 in the AHL and $590,000 in the NHL. . . . He got a $195,000 signing bonus over three years. . . . Froese was selected in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL draft off the Everett Silvertips’ roster. They traded him to the Red Deer Rebels last summer for F Landon Ferraro.
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Michael Traikos of the National Post writes about the week that was at the Memorial Cup. The headline sums it up: Memorial Cup a flop everywhere but the box office. . . . Of course, the CHL knew that would happen when it awarded the tournament to Mississauga, which makes one ask: Why did they award it to Mississauga? . . . That piece is right here.
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You have to feel good for G Jacob DeSerres, who backstopped the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs to a 3-1 victory over the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors in the final game of the Memorial Cup on Sunday evening. . . . DeSerres, who played in the Memorial Cup with the host Brandon Wheat Kings a year ago and then was waived through the WHL, stopped 34 shots in what was his final game of major junior hockey. . . . He wasn’t named to the tournament all-star team, nor was he selected as the tournament’s top goaltender. No matter, though. He got the ring. . . . The Sea Dogs, the CHL’s top-ranked team through much of the regular season, are the first team from the Maritimes to win major junior hockey’s top prize.
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By the way, a fan of the Portland Winterhawks has a request: Would members of the media please stop referring to the Memorial Cup as a national championship. . . . There are eight Americans teams in the CHL so, as this fan points out, it is more than a national championship. . . . The fan asks: “Had Portland somehow advanced and won the Cup this year, would the Winterhawks have been national champions of Canada . . . or the U.S.?”
Joe Fan has a point, eh? 
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Dave Cameron, Mississauga’s head coach, and Majors’ captain Casey Cizikas have suffered three heart-breaking losses in a five-month period. . . . Both were on Canada’s national junior team when it surrendered a 3-0 lead and lost 5-3 to Russia in the championship game at the World Junior Championship in Buffalo in January. . . . The Majors lost the OHL championship series in seven games to the Owen Sound Attack. Mississauga held 2-0 and 3-2 leads in that series, then lost Game 7 in OT. "They say losing toughens you," Cameron said Sunday night. "Well, right now, I feel like a 10-cent steak, to tell you the truth.” . . . Cameron is almost certain to land on the coaching staff of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Eugene Melnyk, who owns the Senators, also owns the St. Michael’s Majors.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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