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| Tim Bozon (left) meets with Kootenay Ice athletic therapist Cory Cameron prior to Saturday night's game in Cranbrook. Bozon"s father, Philippe, credits Cameron with having saved Tim's life. (Photo from Cory Cameron's Twitter feed) |
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| Tim Bozon waves to the fans in Cranbrook as he takes part in a ceremonial faceoff prior to Saturday's WHL playoff game. (Photo from the WHL's Twitter feed) |
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| Players from the Calgary Hitmen come off their bench to shake hands with Tim Bozon during Saturday's night's ceremonial faceoff in Cranbrook. (Photo by Trevor Crawley / Cranbrook Daily Townsman) |
You are able to make a donation at any BMO Bank of Montreal branch in Western Canada.
Should you live outside of that area and want to donate, please mail donations to:
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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According to Carlos Sosa of Turning Point Sports Management, F Mike Aviani of the Spokane Chiefs has signed an ATO with the Utica Comets, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. Aviani is a free agent. . . .
The Calgary Flames announced Saturday that D Brett Kulak of the Vancouver Giants has been assigned to the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. Kulak, a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NHL draft, has signed with the Flames. . . .
F Morgan Klimchuk of the Regina Pats also has been assigned to Abbotsford. Klimchuk was a first-round selection by the Flames in the 2013 NHL draft. . . . Meanwhile, D Kyle Burroughs, the Pats’ captain, is to finish up with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He was a seventh-round selection by the New York Islanders in the 2013 NHL draft.
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If you are a subscriber to Shaw-TV, you will be able to watch the second-round series between the Portland Winterhawks and Victoria Royals. In the first round, Shaw televised all six games of the series between the Calgary Hitmen and Kootenay Ice. . . . The Winterhawks and Royals will open with games in Portland on Friday and Saturday nights. During the regular season, these teams met four times -- Portland went 1-1-2; Victoria was 3-1-0. . . . The Winterhawks are the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed; the Royals are No. 3.
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT (8)(Edmonton wins, 4-0)
Season series: Edmonton, 2-1-1; Prince Albert, 2-2-0.
Saturday: Prince Albert 3 at Edmonton 5 (6,534)
Sunday: Prince Albert 1 at Edmonton 3 (6,584)
Tuesday: Edmonton 4 at Prince Albert 3 (2,881)
Wednesday: Edmonton 6 at Prince Albert 2 (2,727)
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
(Brandon wins, 4-0)
Season series: Brandon, 5-3-0; Regina, 3-3-2.
Saturday: Brandon 6 at Regina 3 (6,200)
Sunday: Brandon 8 at Regina 4 (5,014)
Wednesday: Regina 4 at Brandon 5 (3,547)
Friday: Regina 1 at Brandon 5 (4,705)
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Kootenay wins, 4-2)
Season series: Calgary, 4-4-0; Kootenay, 4-2-2.
Thursday: Kootenay 5 at Calgary 2 (6,649)
Saturday: Kootenay 0 at Calgary 5 (9,019)
Monday: Calgary 7 at Kootenay 6 (OT) (1,992)
Tuesday: Calgary 4 at Kootenay 5 (2,102)
Thursday: Kootenay 6 at Calgary 5 (6,826)
Saturday: Calgary 3 at Kootenay 5 (3,916)
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
(Medicine Hat leads, 3-2)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 2-2-0; Swift Current, 2-2-0.
Friday: Swift Current 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,512)
Saturday: Swift Current 2 at Medicine Hat 4 (3743)
Tuesday: Medicine Hat 1 at Swift Current 3 (2,840)
Wednesday: Medicine Hat 2 at Swift Current 3 (OT) (2,890)
Saturday: Swift Current 1 at Medicine Hat 4 (4,006)
Sunday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, indefinite; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
(Kelowna wins, 4-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-4-0; Tri-City, 0-3-1.
Saturday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 3 (5,827)
Sunday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 3 (5,041)
Tuesday: Kelowna 3 at Tri-City 4 (2,010)
Wednesday: Kelowna 5 at Tri-City 3 (2,189)
Friday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 4 (4,875)
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
(Portland wins, 4-0)
Season series: Portland, 4-0-0; Vancouver, 0-3-1.
Friday: Vancouver 3 at Portland 4 (9,756)
Saturday: Vancouver 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Tuesday: Portland 6 at Vancouver 3 (5,680)
Wednesday: Portland 6 at Vancouver 1 (5,142)
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
(Victoria wins, 4-0)
Season series: Victoria, 1-3-0; Spokane, 3-1-0.
Saturday: Spokane 1 at Victoria 2 (OT) (6,615)
Sunday: Spokane 3 at Victoria 4 (OT) (4,629)
Wednesday: Victoria 6 at Spokane 1 (3,412)
Thursday: Victoria 4 at Spokane 2 (3,711)
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
(Seattle wins, 4-1)
Season series: Seattle, 5-4-1; Everett, 5-4-1.
Saturday: Everett 1 at Seattle 2 (4,650)
Sunday: Seattle 3 at Everett 1 (4,150)
Tuesday: Everett 3 at Seattle 4 (OT) (5,176)
Friday: Seattle 1 at Everett 6 (4,908)
Saturday: Everett 0 at Seattle 4 (3,526)
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite; D Noah Juulsen, day-to-day; D Cole MacDonald, day-to-day; F Tyler Sandhu, day-to-day.
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THE SECOND ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. BRANDON (7)
Season series: Edmonton, 3-1-0; Brandon, 1-2-1.
Thursday: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Brandon at Edmonton, noon
Tuesday, April 8: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Friday, April 11: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Monday, April 14: Edmonton at Brandon, 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday, April 16: Brandon at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite; F Reid Petryk, day-to-day.
Brandon: None.
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MEDICINE HAT (4)/SWIFT CURRENT (5) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 3-3-0; Kootenay, 3-3-0.
Season series: Swift Current, 1-2-1; Kootenay, 3-1-0.
Dates to be announced.
INJURIES
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA 1 vs. SEATTLE (4)
Season series: Kelowna, 2-1-1; Seattle, 2-1-1.
Thursday: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8: Kelowna at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9: Kelowna at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Friday, April 11: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 13: Kelowna at Seattle, 5:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 15: Seattle at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, day-to-day; D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VICTORIA (3)
(Series televised by Shaw-TV)
Season series: Portland, 1-1-2; Victoria, 3-1-0.
Friday: Victoria at Portland (Veterans Memorial Coliseum), 7 p.m.
Saturday: Victoria at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Monday, April 7: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Thursday, April 10: Victoria at Portland (Moda Center), 7, p.m.
x-Saturday, April 12: Portland at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday, April 14: Victoria at Portland (Veterans Memorial Coliseum), 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Victoria: None.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, F Chad Butcher scored his third goal of the series, and his third game-winner, as the Tigers dropped the Swift Current Broncos, 4-1. . . . The Tigers lead the series 3-2 -- yes, Butcher has all three of his club’s game-winners -- and can wrap it up tonight in Swift Current. . . . Butcher, who is from Kamloops, went into these playoffs with eight goals in 101 regular-season games, including six goals in 63 games this season. . . . Butcher and F Jaedon Descheneau of the Kootenay Ice lead the playoffs, each with three GWG. . . . After a scoreless first period, the Tigers got a second-period goal from F Trevor Cox, who finished with two goals and an assist. . . . Medicine Hat then took control with goals 64 seconds apart early in the third period by Butcher (2:26) and Cox (3:30). . . . F Nate Burns scored for the Broncos at 10:18, on the PP. . . . The Tigers got an empty-netter from Cole Sanford as time ran out. . . . Sanford also had two assists, as did teammate Dylan Bredo. . . . The battle of the European goaltenders continued, as Medicine Hat’s Marek Langhamer stopped 45 shots, five more than Eetu Laurikainen of the Broncos. . . . The Broncos were 1-for-2 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-2.
In Cranbrook, the Calgary Hitmen simply couldn’t contain the Kootenay forward duo of Jaedon Descheneau and Sam Reinhart again, as the Ice scored a 4-1 victory and won the first-round series in six games. . . . The Hitmen had finished the regular-season with 103 points, 20 more than the Ice. Calgary went in as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed; the Ice were No. 6. . . . Descheneau and Reinhart each scored 17 points in the six games. They are tied for the lead in the WHL postseason scoring race. . . . Last night, Descheneau scored three times, giving him a WHL-leading seven goals, and added an assist, while Reinhart had three assists. . . . The Ice scored the game’s first three goals, before F Brady Brassart got Calgary on the board at 4:28 of the third period. . . . Descheneau got that one back, on the PP, at 11:02. . . . Calgary head coach Mike Williamson pulled G Chris Driedger for the extra attacker with about four minutes to play. Descheneau promptly hit a post, and the Hitmen went down the ice and got a goal from F Adam Tambellini, his fifth, to get to within two. . . . Just 1:12 later, Calgary F Radel Fazleev scored to cut the deficit to 4-3. . . . However, Descheneau got his third goal of the night into an empty net with 36.9 seconds left. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin stopped 36 shots, five more than Driedger. . . . Kootenay was 1-for-5 on the PP; Calgary was 0-for-4. . . . Ice F Tim Bozon, who spent the last month in Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon battling meningitis, took part in a ceremonial faceoff. The Calgary players came off the bench to shake Bozon’s hand. . . . Attendance was announced at 3,917, the largest crowd in Cranbrook since April 4, 2007, when the Hitmen beat the Ice 3-2 in Game 7 of a first-round series. The attendance that night was 4,654.
In Kent, Wash., F Branden Troock scored twice and G Taran Kozun stopped 24 shots to lead the host Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-0 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Thunderbirds, the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, next will meet the No. 1 Kelowna Rockets. Last season, these teams met in a first-round series that Kelowna won in seven games, with five of the games needing OT. The Rockets won the first three games of that series, only to have the Thunderbirds come back to win the next three. . . . F Scott Eansor scored the game’s first goal last night, his third of the series, at 12:59 of the second period. He scored three goals in 52 games in the regular season. . . . Kozun is seeing his first career playoff action in this series. This was his first shutout. He went 2.27, .927 in the five games. . . . The Thunderbirds hadn’t won a playoff series since the spring of 2008. They lost in the first round last season, missed the playoffs each of the three seasons before that, and were ousted in the first round in 2009. . . . Seattle F Mitch Eliot, 20, had a goal and an assist, his first career playoff points in 12 games. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 26 shots. . . . The Silvertips were without two of their top four defencemen, as Noah Juulsen and Cole MacDonald both were out with undisclosed injuries. Juulsen was injured in Game 3, while MacDonald went down in Game 4. . . . By the way, it’s worth listening to Seattle play-by-play man Thom Beuning, just to hear his line -- “You can’t handle the Troock!” -- on the occasions when Troock scores.
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From Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon(@timbozon94): “Unforgettable night at the ice game tonite! Thank you so much everyone for great support was good to see everyone! Great win #goice”
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From Kootenay Ice F Jaedon Descheneau (@jdescheneau14): “Unforgettable night watching Timmy walk onto the ice. Brought a tear to my eye knowing how far he came since that night Love ya @timbozon94”
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “4 - In the 7 years since the WHL began the 1-8 format, the 7 has upset the 2 four times in the East. The 7s won a total of 4 games out West.”
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In Edmonton, D Dysin Mayo broke a 1-1 tie at 12:41 of the third period and the Oil Kings went on to beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-1. . . . The Oil Kings hold a 2-0 edge as the series heads for Prince Albert and games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . After two scoreless periods, Prince Albert F Dakota Conroy got the game’s first goal 20 seconds into the third period. . . . Edmonton F Riley Kieser tied it on a PP at 8:06. . . . Edmonton F Luke Bertolucci added insurance at 15:32. . . . Kieser, who also had an assist, scored his first WHL PP goal. He and Bertolucci are on Edmonton’s third line, along with F Mads Eller. . . . For the first two games, the Oil Kings assigned F Curtis Lazar the task of checking Prince Albert F Leon Draisaitl. . . . Oil Kings G Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots, two more than Prince Albert’s Cole Cheveldave. . . . 
In Everett, Seattle F Branden Troock’s first WHL playoff goal, at 2:58 of the third period, broke a 1-1 tie and sent the Thunderbirds on their way to a 3-1 victory over the Silvertips. . . . This is the only first-round series that is alternating venues with each game. Seattle takes a 2-0 series lead back to its home arena in Kent for Tuesday night. . . . Troock has battled injury problems throughout his three-year career and is only now playing in his first playoff games. . . . Everett F Carson Stadnyk opened the scoring at 3:51 of the first period. . . . Seattle F Roberts Lipsbergs tied it on a PP at 5:01 of the second. . . . Seattle F Russ Maxwell added insurance with his second goal of the series at 8:45 of the third. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun stopped 26 shots, while Everett’s Austin Lotz turned aside 13. . . . Seattle D Shea Theodore had two assists. . . . Seattle was 1-for-4 on the PP; Everett was 0-for-5. . . . 
In Kelowna, F Ryan Olsen snapped a 1-1 tie at 17:18 of the first period and the Rockets went on to beat the Tri-City Americans, 3-1. . . . The Rockets lead the series 2-0 as it heads to Kennewick, Wash., for games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . As in Edmonton and Everett, the visiting team scored first and then surrendered three straight goals. . . . F Phil Tot scored for the Americans at 10:37 of the first period, but the Rockets got that one back when F Myles Bell counted on the PP at 14:40. . . . Rockets D Joe Gatenby scored his first WHL goal at 3:01 of the second period to provide some breathing room. Gatenby, a 16-year-old from Kelowna, had six assists in 43 regular-season games. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke stopped 24 shots, 20 fewer than Tri-City’s Eric Comrie. . . . The Rockets were 1-for-5 on the PP; the Americans were 0-for-4. . . . 
In Victoria, F Logan Nelson’s OT goal gave the Royals a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Royals have won 2-1 in OT on Saturday night, so take a 2-0 series lead to Spokane for games on Wednesday and Thursday nights. . . . Nelson scored his first goal of the series, banging home the rebound of a point shot from D Ryan Gagnon, at 2:18 of extra time. . . . The Chiefs had erased a 3-1 deficit on goals by F Liam Stewart at 4:33 of the second period and D Reid Gow, on the PP, at 9:07 of the third. . . . Spokane F Dominic Zwerger opened the scoring 47 seconds into the game. . . . The Royals scored the next three goals, with F Logan Fisher counting at 1:27 and F Brandon Magee at 9:31 of the first, and F Tyler Soy getting his first WHL playoff goal at 3:47 of the second. . . . I don’t know if it means anything, but Victoria’s scorers wear Nos. 17, 18, 19 and 20. . . . D Jason Fram had two assists for Spokane. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka kicked out 28 shots, while Spokane’s Eric Williams turned aside 41. . . . Polivka set a franchise record for career playoff victories (4) by a goaltender, passing the mark that had been held by Lucas Gore. . . . The Chiefs were 1-for-5 on the PP; the Royals were 0-for-5. . . . 
In Regina, F Tim McGauley scored twice and added an assist as the Brandon Wheat Kings dropped the Pats, 8-4, to take a 2-0 lead in their series. . . . They’ll now head for Brandon and games on Wednesday and Friday nights. . . . The Wheat Kings went into Regina and outscored the Pats 14-7 in winning the first two games. . . . As in Sunday’s other four games, the home side scored first as F Connor Gay got his second goal of the series at 1:37 of the first period. . . . Brandon scored twice before the first period ended and added two more goals early in the second to take control. . . . Brandon F Richard Nejezchleb had a goal and two assists, while F Tyler Coulter drew two assists. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock had a goal and an assist, giving him 12 points, including eight assists, in his last five games. . . . The Wheat Kings also got a goal from F Nolan Patrick, the fourth overall pick in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . D Jesse Zgraggen had two assists for Regina. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 27 shots, while Regina’s Dawson MacAuley kicked out 36. . . . Brandon was 2-for-8 on the PP; the Pats were 0-for-3. . . . Regina F Dyson Stevenson, who sat out Game 1 with a broken hand, was back for this one but was held off the scoresheet. . . . F Peter Quenneville and veteran D Eric Roy were among Brandon’s scratches. Quenneville, who was in Game 1, played the last two regular-season games, and scored five times, after being out since Feb. 17. Roy left Game 1 with an undisclosed injury.
D Nikolai Ladygin (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 2001-02) has signed for the rest of this season with the Hull Stingrays (England, UK Elite). He started this season with the Generals Kiev (Ukraine, PHL); no statistics are available. Last season, he had six points, two of them goals, in 35 games with Yuzhny Ural Orsk (Russia, Vysshaya Liga).
In Prince Albert, F Bryson Gore broke a 2-2 tie with two third-period goals to lead the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 4-3 victory over the Raiders. . . . F Reid Gardiner pulled the Raiders into a 2-2 tie at 3:14 of the third period. . . . Gore than struck for his fourth and fifth goals of the season, at 12:06 and 18:28, the latter into an empty net. . . . Raiders D Dylan Busenius got his side to within one at 19:21 of the third. . . . The Warriors, who have won two in a row, had three defencemen — Travis Brown, Jesse Forsberg and Reid Zalitach — each get two assists. . . . The Raiders have lost seven in a row and now are tied with the Red Deer Rebels for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . 
In Swift Current, the Broncos overcame an early 2-0 deficit with five straight goals and went on to dump the Kamloops Blazers, 6-3. . . . Kamloops got PP goals from F Cole Ully and F Aspen Sterzer at 11:10 and 11:51 of the first. . . . Ully has 15 goals; Sterzer has 14. . . . The Blazers were without F Chase Souto who suffered a suspected brain injury in a fight with F Bryson Gore of the host Moose Jaw Warriors on Sunday. . . . F Colby Cave got the Broncos even with his 19th and 20th goals, at 3:35 and 10:47 of the second. The latter came via the PP. . . . Cave also had an assist, while F Graham Black had three helpers. . . . F Collin Shirley had two assists for Kamloops. . . . The Blazers finished 3-3-0 on their East Division swing, but lost the last two. . . . The Broncos had lost four in a row. . . . 
In Saskatoon, the Kelowna Rockets finished running the East Division table as they dropped the Blades, 7-1. . . . Kelowna, which has won 12 in a row, went 6-0 on its East Division trek. . . . The Rockets set a franchise record with their 13th straight road victory. . . . Kelowna (28-3-2) leads the overall standings by eight points over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Blades have lost 11 straight. . . . The Rockets scored the game’s last six goals. . . . F Carter Rigby scored twice for Kelowna, while D Mitchell Wheaton had a goal and three assists and F Rourke Chartier, who is from Saskatoon, had a goal and two helpers. . . . Kelowna held a 51-28 edge in shots. . . . Rockets G Jackson Whistle stopped 27 shots. . . . Kelowna F Myles Bell had a goal and an assist. He totalled seven goals and three assists on the six-game jaunt. Prior to the trip, he had one goal in eight games. . . . The Blades were without F Logan Harland, F Brett Stovin, F Collin Valcourt and F Nick Zajac, all of whom are injured. As well, D Nelson Nogier suffered an undisclosed injury Sunday in Edmonton and, according to the Blades, “is expected to miss several weeks.” . . . Thus, the Blades had three prospects arrive in time for this game. D Turner Ottenbreit, a 16-year-old from Yorkton, Sask., was a 12th-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. F Parker Smyth, 15, was a second-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, while F Cody Prevost, 16, is a list player. Smyth, from Red Deer, is a nephew to Edmonton Oilers F Ryan Smyth. . . .
In Calgary, the Hitmen scored the game’s first six goals and went on to a 6-3 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . The Hitmen have points in their last 10 games (9-0-1) and now lead the Eastern Conference by two points over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Calgary F Greg Chase scored twice, giving him 19 goals, while F Radel Fazleev had three assists. . . . The Hitmen were 2-for-4 on the PP and also had two shorthanded goals. . . . Earlier Tuesday, the NHL’s Calgary Flames announced they had signed Regina F Morgan Klimchuk to a three-year entry-level contract. Klimchuk, a Calgarian who is out with a hip injury suffered in the Subway Super Series, was the 28th overall pick in the 2013 NHL raft. He has 29 points, including 12 goals, in 26 games. His contract is worth US$832,500. A $92,500 signing bonus is payable each season. The AHL salary is $70,000. . . . 
In Edmonton, the Victoria Royals fell behind early but roared back for a 5-3 victory over the Oil Kings, who had won their previous nine games. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka stopped 37 shots. . . . Royals F Brandon Magee had a goal, his 12th, and two helpers. The goal was an EN. . . . F Mitch Moroz gave Edmonton a 1-0 lead, with his 21st goal, at 4:30 of the first. . . . F Matt Dykstra, a 16-year-old from Edmonton, pulled Victoria even with his first WHL goal in his third goal this season at 11:37 and F Axel Blomqvist gave the Royals the lead, with his 11th, at 16:36. . . . Victoria scored four straight goals before Edmonton cut the lead to 4-3. . . . The Royals took the game’s first five minor penalties, all in the second period, but surrendered only one PP goal. . . . Victoria went 3-1-1 on a road swing that featured stops in Vancouver, Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Edmonton. . . . The Royals are tied for third with the Everett Silvertips in the Western Conference, just two points behind the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Oil Kings trail the Eastsern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen by two points. . . . 
In Red Deer, F Lukas Sutter scored twice and F Conner Bleackley had a goal and two assists as the Rebels beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 5-2. . . . F Curtis Valk opened the scoring for the Tigers, getting his 15th goal, on the PP, at 1:33 of the second. . . . The Rebels scored the next four goals, with Sutter getting his sixth and seventh, and Bleackley adding his 17th. . . . Red Deer G Patrik Bartosak kicked out 46 shots. . . . Red Deer was without four of its top six scorers — F Matt Bellerive, F Rhyse Dieno and F Brooks Maxwell are injured, while F Dominik Volek is in the Czech Republic national junior team’s selection camp. . . . Greg Meachem, the sports editor of the Red Deer Advocate, also reports that Red Deer F Vukie Mpofu left after the warmup. Mpofu a 17-year-old freshman, was injured during a Monday practice and apparently aggravated the injury during the warmup. . . . F Brayden Burke, a 16-year-old from Edmonton, made his WHL debut with the Rebels. He was a seventh-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . The Rebels have won three straight and now are tied with the Prince Albert Raiders for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . 
In Kent, Wash., F Branden Troock scored twice and set up another as the host Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Tri-City Americans, 5-2. . . . Troock, who was plus-4, has 7 goals. . . . F Alexander Delnov helped Seattle with a goal, his 16th, and three assists. He was plus-4. . . . Seattle F Ryan Gropp, the third member of that line, had one goal, his fifth, and also was plus-4. . . . Seattle is 9-1-0 in its last 10 and is just four points behind the U.S. Division-leading Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Thunderbirds dressed 16 skaters. Among the scratches was F Keegan Kolesar, who took a headshot from Portland F Brendan Leipsic on Saturday. Leipsic drew a seven-game suspension. . . . The Americans have lost four in a row. . . . 
In Portland, F Josh Winquist scored twice as the Everett Silvertips halted a four-game losing skid with a 4-2 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Silvertips had lost six of seven. They also had dropped 16 straight regular-season decisions in Portland. . . . Winquist, whose second goal was into an empty net, has 26 goals. . . . According to the WHL website, Everett G Austin Lotz made 14 saves in the game’s first 26:37, then was replaced by Daniel Cotton, who stopped seven of nine shots. . . . According to the Everett Herald, Lotz was injured “after taking a knee to head from Portland’s Shane McColgan.” The Herald has the injury occurring late in the first period, with Lotz not returning for the second. Lotz, according to the newspaper, stopped all seven shots he saw, with Cotton coming in to stop 13 of 15. . . . Earlier in the day, Portland F Brendan Leipsic was suspended for seven games for a headshot on Seattle F Keegan Kolesar. Leipsic, who has 43 points, 20 of them goals, in 29 games, will be eligible to return on Jan. 8 against the host Silvertips. . . . Leipsic served a three-game suspension earlier this season
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