Showing posts with label Brandon Hagel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brandon Hagel. Show all posts

Sunday, March 19, 2017

WHL's playoff stage is set . . . Last pairings set on final day . . . Post-season begins Friday




F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) has signed a two-year contract extension with Skellefteå (Sweden, SHL). He had 11 goals and 11 assists in 26 games this season. Holloway started the season with CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) and had three goals and six assists in 12 games when he was released on Nov. 18. He signed with Skellefteå on Dec. 1.
———



The rant is legendary. The NFL’s New York Jets were 2-5 in 2002 and head coach Herm Edwards wasn’t happy.
Addressing a news conference on Oct. 30, Edwards said: “This is what the greatest thing about sports is: You play to win the game. Hello! You play to win the game.”
And then along came the loser point.
The Prince George Cougars, in their 23rd season in the northern city, won their first B.C. Division pennant on Saturday night, despite losing 2-1 in a shootout to the visiting Kamloops Blazers.
This isn’t to slight the Cougars’ accomplishment. After all, you play the hand you’re dealt — and you play by the rules as they are put in front of you — and that’s exactly what the Cougars did. At the end of a gruelling 72-game regular season, the Cougars stood tallest. There is no taking that away from them and the entire organization should hold its head high.
But regulation time on Saturday came to something of a strange conclusion, and it’s something at which the pooh-bahs who are enamoured with the loser point need to look.
Here’s Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen, explaining what happened:
“The game was heading into overtime with 80 seconds to play when Cougars defenceman Brendan Guhle got the puck behind the net and just stood there running time off the clock. Guhle wisely figured it was better to play it safe and lock away the point to clinch than try to go for the win in regulation and run the risk of the Blazers popping one in. He stayed behind the net a full 40 seconds.”
The Cougars went into the game with a two-point edge over the second-place Kelowna Rockets. Prince George, then, needed one point to wrap up first place. With the score 1-1 late in the game, the Cougars knew that the single point was all they needed. 
The loser point, then, has brought us to a point where, as Herm Edwards might say, “There are times when you don't play to win the game.”
——

The stage is set for the WHL playoffs to open on Friday and you can bet that teams have fingers crossed in the hopes that the mumps virus doesn’t show up along the trail.
The most recent WHLers to show symptoms — G Jordan Papirny of the Swift Current Broncos and F Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds — may be ready to return to the ice. However, the playoffs also signal the start of the WHL’s secret season, so we may not know how healthy they are until we see the Game 1 lineups.
Papirny hasn’t played since March 7. Barzal, the Western Conference’s top player this season, took part in the warmup on March 10, prior to a game against the visiting Everett Silvertips, but left the ice and hasn’t played since. He has missed five games.
The virus continues to lurk around Western Canadian arenas, too. On Sunday, the NHL’s Calgary Flames revealed that F Michael Ferland has been isolated while they await test results for mumps.
“We’ll probably know in the next day or so,” Brad Treliving, the Flames’ general manager, told Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson. “When you start not feeling well, start to show some symptoms, then you have to push pause and make sure that gets checked out.
“That’s the key thing — this is precautionary right now. But until such time that we get a diagnosis one way or another, we’re going to take precautions.”
If Ferland tests positive, the Flames will be the third NHL team impacted by mumps this season, along with the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild.
At least five WHL teams — Seattle, Swift Current, the Brandon Wheat Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers and Victoria Royals — have had players and coaches with symptoms.
——-
The Vancouver Giants raised $12,102 for the Kidney Foundation of Canada during a recent promotion that involved them wearing sweaters in honour of Don Cherry, and then auctioning them off. . . . Roxanne Hooper of the Langley Advance has more right here, including the news that “an original Don Cherry ensemble, complete with a signed Don Cherry jacket, shirt and tie . . . fetched the largest donation of $1,810.”
——

Jimmy Breslin, a legendary New York City newspaperman, had died at the age of 86. No writer has put grit on a newspaper page the way Breslin did. In fact, he was New York City. . . . He was in bed on the night John Lennon was shot. In two hours, Breslin wrote this column right here. . . . If you haven’t read it, it’s also worth your while to chase down the column he wrote after the assassination of JFK. . . . And if you want more of Breslin’s brilliance, click right here and you’ll find three columns that he wrote about the man who now is POTUS. These columns are from 1990, 1989 and 1988.
———
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
———


——

THE STAGE IS SET . . . 

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Regina vs. Calgary: Opens with games Friday and Saturday in Regina. . . . Regina won season series, 3-1-0; Calgary was 1-2-1.
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon: Opens in Medicine Hat, Friday and Saturday. . . . Season series went to Medicine Hat, 3-1-0.
Lethbridge vs. Red Deer: Opens in Lethbridge on Saturday and Sunday. . . . Lethbridge was 5-0-1 in season series; Red Deer was 1-4-1.
Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current: They’ll start with games Friday and Saturday in Moose Jaw. . . . The Warriors won the season series, 4-2-0.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Everett vs. Victoria: They are scheduled to open Friday and Saturday in Everett. . . . The Silvertips were 4-0-0 in the season series; the Royals were 0-3-1.
Prince George vs. Portland: It starts with games Friday and Saturday in Prince George. . . . In the season series, the Cougars were 2-2-0; the Winterhawks were 2-1-1. . . . Interestingly, the WHL website includes dates for only the first four games. Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks’ GM/head coach, told the Portland Tribune that he would prefer a 2-3-2 format. The Cougars want to play 2-2-1-1-1. This one might take some negotiating.
Seattle vs. Tri-City: They’ll get started in Kent, Wash., on Friday and Saturday. . . . Seattle won the season series, 6-2-0.
Kelowna vs. Kamloops: The series begins in Kelowna on Friday and Saturday. . . . Kamloops was 6-3-1 in the season series; the Rockets were 4-6-0.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES:


At Edmonton, F Riley Stadel completed his WHL career with an OT goal that gave the Oil Kings a 5-4
RILEY STADEL
victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Oil Kings (23-43-6), who won’t be in the playoffs, concluded their season with three straight victories, the last two over Red Deer. In fact, five of Edmonton’s 23 victories came against Red Deer (30-29-13), which finished third in the Central Division. . . . The Oil Kings scored the game’s first two goals and the last three. . . . D Ethan Cap gave the home side a 1-0 lead at 6:54 of the first period and F Tyson Gruninger (3) made it 2-0 at 8:07 of the second. . . . The Rebels scored the next four goals. . . . F Evan Polei (33) got them to within a goal at 9:38. . . . F Brandon Hagel, who had two goals and two assists, tied it, on a PP, at 19:17. . . . Hagel (31) gave his guys the lead at 11:47 of the third period and F Austin Glover (22), who had two assists, stretched the lead at 14:13. . . . The Oil Kings got close when F Trey Fix-Wolansky got No. 24, on a PP, at 18:29, and F Colton Kehler (18) tied it at 18:59. . . . Stadel won it with his seventh goal of the season. . . . Edmonton got three assists from F Davis Koch and two from F Graham Millar. . . . G Patrick Dea stopped 23 shots for Edmonton, with G Riley Lamb turning aside 32 at the other end. . . . Edmonton was 1-3 on the PP; Red Deer was 1-6. . . . Edmonton F Adam Berg got tossed with a charging major and game misconduct at 4:48 of the third period. . . . The Rebels rested D Colton Bobyk and F Michael Spacek. . . . Announced attendance: 18,102.
——

At Portland, it was a memorable night for the Yamamoto brothers as they led the Spokane Chiefs to a 7-2 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Chiefs (27-33-12) won’t be in the playoffs, so this was the final
KEANU YAMAMOTO
game for F Keanu Yamamoto, 20. Head coach Don Nachbaur, with an obvious feel for the moment, had Keanu on a line with his younger brother, Kailer. . . . Keanu finished with two goals, an assist and a fight, while Kailer helped out with three assists. . . . F Riley Wood had a goal and two assists for the Chiefs. . . . Spokane took a 1-0 lead on F Alex Mowbray’s fourth goal, at 5:57 of the first period. . . . Woods (12) increased that lead, on a PP, at 8:04, after Portland was given a bench minor for having an ineligible player on the bench. F Brett Clayton was listed as a scratch but was dressed. Because he was scratched, he was ineligible. . . . D Henri Jokiharju (9) got Portland on the scoreboard, on a PP, at 11:43, but the Chiefs scored the next four goals. . . . Keanu Yamamoto got two of those, to run his total to 26, with F Eli Zummack (9) and F Hudson Elynuik (29) getting the others. . . . F Riley McKay (3) had Spokane’s other goal, while F Keegan Iverson (26) also scored for Portland. . . . Elynuik and Zummack added an assist each. . . . Jokiharju and Iverson each had an assist for Portland. . . . G Jayden Sittler recorded the victory with 30 saves. . . . Portland G Shane Farkas blocked 27 shots. . . . Spokane was 3-6 on the PP; Portland was 2-4. . . . F Cody Glass, who didn’t play in the final two periods of Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds, was among Portland’s scratches. . . . The Winterhawks (40-28-4) had won their previous three games. They finished in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot and now will move into a first-round playoff series with the Prince George Cougars, who finished atop the B.C. Division. . . . Announced attendance: 9,114.
——

At Kent, Wash., F Alexander True and F Nolan Volcan each scored twice to lead the Seattle
AUSTIN STRAND
Thunderbirds to a 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Seattle (46-20-6) finished second in the U.S. Division. This victory lifted it two points clear of the Prince George Cougars, something that could come into play in deciding home-ice advantage down the playoff trail. . . . The Thunderbirds will open against the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Giants (20-46-6) lost their last three games. They missed the playoffs for a third straight season and the fourth time in five years. . . . True, who finished with 25 goals, gave Seattle a 1-0 lead 30 seconds into the first period. . . . Volcan, who had 16 goals, made it 2-0 at 8:34. . . . F Elijah Brown (4), and F Matthew Wedman (6) also scored for Seattle. . . . F Johnny Wesley scored his 11th goal for Vancouver, at 15:15 of the third period. . . . D Austin Strand and F Keegan Kolesar each had two assists for Seattle. . . . Strand led the WHL in games played, with 74. He opened the season with the Red Deer Rebels, playing 38 games there before being dealt to Seattle, where he played the final 36 games. . . . Seattle G Carl Stankowsi stopped 19 shots. . . . Vancouver starter David Tendeck allowed six goals on 25 shots through two periods. Ryan Kubic played the third, stopping all nine shots he faced. . . . Seattle was 1-4 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-3. . . . Announced attendance: 4,067.
——
At Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans were this close ( ) to a first-round series with the Prince George Cougars when they scored three quick goals and beat the Everett Silvertips, 6-5, in OT. . . . The
JORDAN TOPPING
Silvertips twice held third-period leads — 4-2 and 5-3 — and it appeared that the Americans would end up fourth in the U.S. Division and in possession of the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, meaning a first-round hookup with the Cougars, who won the B.C. Division. . . . However, F Jordan Topping, who had three goals, cut the deficit to one, at 17:44, and D Dylan Coghlan (15) tied it at 18:33, with Topping drawing an assist. . . . Topping, who finished with 28 goals, won it 2:40 into extra time. . . . F Brandson Hein gave Everett a 1-0 lead at 3:07 of the first period, before Tri-City scored twice — F Morgan Geekie (35), on a PP, at 6:12 of the first period, and D Juuso Valimaki (19), at 2:48 of the second. . . . Everett took a 4-2 lead on goals from F Riley Sutter (20), who later left with an apparent injury, at 4:42, Hein (6), at 13:22, and F Brian King (4), at 4:29 of the third period. . . . Topping pulled his side to within a goal at 6:25, only to have Everett F Connor Dewar (14) get it back at 13:48. . . . All that did was set up the Americans for the big finish. . . . Tri-City F Tyler Sandhu had three assists, D Parker Wotherspoon and Coghlan each had two, and Valimaki had one. . . . King and Hein had an assist each for Everett. . . . Tri-City G Rylan Parenteau earned the victory in relief of Evan Sarthou. Parenteau stopped six of seven shots in 17:36, after Sarthou was beaten four times on 23 shots in 44:29. . . . Everett got 39 saves from Mario Petit. . . . Tri-City was 1-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-5. . . . The Silvertips rested D Noah Juulsen, D Lucas Skrumeda, F Dominic Zwerger, F Patrick Bajkov and F Matt Fonteyne. . . . Everett F Devon Skoleski left early with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Silvertips (44-16-12) won the U.S. Division and Western Conference titles and will meet the Victoria Royals, the conference’s second wild-card entry, in the first round. . . . Everett finished with points in its last four games (3-0-1). . . . The Americans (41-28-3) played three games in fewer than 48 hours to close out the regular season. They won all three, twice in OT and once in a shootout. . . .. . . . Announced attendance: 4,190.
——
END OF REGULAR SEASON

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket
Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:21 PM
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Alberta Hall salutes Sutters . . . Seattle clings to U.S. lead . . . Rebels win keeps Blades alive


Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia) has left the KHL and will rejoin the Austria-based Erste Bank Liga as a full member for next season, the league announced Wednesday. Medveščak left Erste Bank Liga and spent the past four seasons in the KHL, making the playoffs once (its first year). Helsinki newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported that the KHL helps finance new clubs for three seasons and with the absence of league aid this season, Medveščak had serious financial difficulties.
———

With the IIHF World Women’s Championship scheduled to be held in Plymouth, Wash., from March 31 through April 7, the defending champions it could be that the defending champions won’t be there. Players on the U.S. women’s national team said Wednesday that they will boycott the tournament if USA Hockey, that country’s governing body, doesn’t provide more support.
Team USA won its seventh title in nine years in Kamloops a year ago.
As Christine Brennan of USA Today points out right here, this is a scrap that USA Hockey can’t win.
Brennan writes:
“This simple act of defiance — so bold, so natural and so right — is an urgent call for change within the U.S. Olympic world in the 21st century, for respect for women in a sport led by men and for the acknowledgment of a job well done by a nation that craves winning more than almost anything else.
“It’s a timely call to action that was immediately praised by, among others, 1980 U.S. ‘Miracle on Ice’ team captain Mike Eruzione, who told the team on Twitter, ‘You have my support.’ ”
Even The Wall Street Journal has taken notice of this story, with Matthew Futterman filing this piece right here.
——
The seven Sutter brothers and their parents, Grace and Louis, will be among the 2017 inductees into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame. The gala induction ceremony is scheduled for July 23 in Canmore. . . . Brent, Brian, Darryl, Duane, Gary, Rich and Ron Sutter will go into the hall with six of them having totalled 4,994 regular-season NHL games. . . . The other 2017 inductees will be Mel Davidson, a former coach of the Canadian women’s national hockey team; Glen Sather, a former NHL player who made his name as the GM and head coach of the Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton Oilers; former NHLer Bill Hay, who spent 15 years as chairman and CEO of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto; Tony Kollman, who had success in Alberta at a senior hockey player; and Perry Pearn, now an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks. . . . The Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Red Deer.
——
They are going to have a party before the BCHL’s Penticton Vees play their final round-robin game in the Western Canada Cup on May 4. That’s because Paul Kariya and Brendan Morrison will be added to the team’s Ring of Honour in a pregame ceremony. . . . “The creation of the Ring of Honour was a huge part of our Western Canada Cup bid,” David Michaud, the WCC’s chairman, said in a news release. “We felt it would add tremendous character to the South Okanagan Events Centre, and the additions of Brendan Morrison and Paul Kariya were obvious choices for the WCC. We thank them for coming back and celebrating this big night in person with us.” . . . Kariya played two seasons (1990-92) with the Penticton Panthers, putting up 244 points, including 92 goals, in 94 games. . . . Morrison played with the Panthers in 1992-93, recording 94 points, 35 of them goals, in 56 games. . . . Kariya and Morrison both went on to successful NCAA and professional careers. . . . The WCC runs from April 29 through May 7 in Penticton. . . . Already in the Vees’ Ring of Honour: Ivan McLelland, George McAvoy, Grant Warwick, Bruce Affleck, Grant Mulvey, Larry Lund, Bob Nicholson, Gordie McKay, Kevin Maxwell, Chris Parker, Andy Moog, Rick Kozuback and Ray Ferraro.
——
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
———


Jon Rosen, a former radio voice of the Everett Silvertips, will do play-by-play tonight (Thursday) as the Los Angeles Kings play host to the Buffalo Sabres.
———
If the playoffs began today . . . 
Eastern Conference
Regina vs. Calgary
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon
Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current
Lethbridge vs. Red Deer
—
Western Conference
Seattle vs. Tri-City
Prince George vs. Victoria
Kelowna vs. Kamloops
Everett vs. Portland
——

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:


At Kelowna, D Kevin Davis had a goal and two assists to help the Everett Silvertips to a 4-1 victory over
KEVIN DAVIS
the Rockets. . . . Davis scored his eighth goal of the season, on a PP, for a 1-0 lead at 5:30 of the first period. . . . Kelowna F Dillon Dube tied it with No. 20 just 11 seconds later. . . . D Aaron Irving’s 18th goal gave Everett a 2-1 lead at 9:26. . . . Everett’s other two goals came from F Dominic Zwerger, who has 28 goals. He scored at 8:38 of the second period and then added an empty-netter at 18:54 of the third. . . . G Carter Hart stopped 26 shots for Everett. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer blocked 25 shots. . . . Everett was 1-3 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-5. . . . Kelowna F Reid Gardiner had a 15-game point streak come to an end. . . . The Silvertips (42-16-11) are second in the U.S. Division, one point behind the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Rockets (43-22-5), who had scored at least three goals in 15 straight games, had won their previous seven games. They are second in the B.C. Division, two points behind the Prince George Cougars. Each team has two games remaining. . . . Announced attendance: 5,073.
——
At Lethbridge, F Giorgio Estephan scored three times and added an assist as the Hurricanes dumped the
GIORGIO ESTEPHAN
Kootenay Ice, 8-1. . . . The Hurricanes took control with four first-period goals, the first one from Estephan, on a PP, at 5:45. . . . F Alec Baer (14), F Jordy Bellerive (27) and D Calen Addison (8) also scored in the opening period. . . . Estephan got his second goal at 10:22 of the second period and completed the hat trick with his 35th goal of the season at 16:06 of the third period. . . . F Egor Babenko (23) and F Ryan Vandervlis (7), shorthanded, also scored for the winners. . . . The Ice got its goal from F Colton Kroeker (18) at 5:00 of the third period. . . . Babenko, Vandervlis and F Ryan Bowen each had two assists for the winners, with Baer adding one. . . . G Stuart Skinner earned the victory with 33 saves, four fewer than Kootenay’s Jakob Walter. . . . Lethbridge was 1-5 on the PP; Kootenay was 0-4. . . . The Hurricanes (44-19-7) had lost their previous two games. They will meet the Red Deer Rebels in a first-round playoff series. Lethbridge was 5-0-1 against Red Deer this season. . . . The Ice (14-44-12) has lost eight in a row (0-6-2). . . . Announced attendance: 3,617.
——
At Moose Jaw, the Brandon Wheat Kings erased a 1-0 deficit and went on to beat the Warriors, 3-1. . . . This game was to have been played on March 8 but was postponed by impassable road conditions. . . .
LOGAN THOMPSON
With the victory, Brandon clinched the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot, meaning the defending-champion Wheat Kings will draw the Central Division-champion Medicine Hat Tigers in the first round. . . . D Jett Woo had given the Warriors a 1-0 lead with his fifth goal at 8:49 of the second period. . . . The Wheat Kings tied it on F Connor Gutenberg’s 13th goal, at 12:49 of the second period, and went ahead when F Reid Duke got No. 37, at 14:17. . . . F Caiden Daley added insurance with his second goal of the season, at 13:27 of the third period. . . . G Logan Thompson stopped 28 shots for Brandon, with Brody Willms turning aside 21 at the other end. . . . Each team was 0-2 on the PP. . . . The Wheat Kings were without F Tyler Coulter, who drew a TBD suspension for a charging major and game misconduct he incurred in Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncos. He was suspended in October for two games after taking a checking-from-behind major. . . . Brandon also scratched D Kale Clague and F Tanner Kaspick, with undisclosed injuries, and D Garrett Sambrook (ill). . . . The Wheat Kings (31-29-10) had lost their previous 10 road games. . . . The Warriors (41-20-9) have lost four straight (0-3-1) for the first time this season. They are second in the East Division and will meet the third-place Swift Current Broncos in the first round. . . . Announced attendance: 3,108.
——
At Red Deer, F Brandon Hagel scored twice and added two assists — for the second straight game — as
BRANDON HAGEL
the Rebels beat the Calgary Hitmen, 5-1. . . . Hagel, an 18-year-old from Morinville, Alta., has 67 points, including 29 goals, in 63 games. He has 11 points, seven of them goals, over his past four games. . . . The Rebels (30-28-12) wrapped up third place in the Central Division, setting up a first-round series with the second-place Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Red Deer has points in seven straight games (5-0-2). . . . The Hitmen (28-32-10) had won their previous three games. They could have clinched a playoff spot, eliminating the Saskatoon Blades, with a victory. . . . Hagel scored the game’s first two goals, both via the PP, at 12:51 of the first period and 2:48 of the second. . . . F Michael Spacek upped it to 3-0 with No. 30, at 11:48. . . . The Hitmen got a shorthanded goal from F Beck Malenstyn, who has 29 goals, at 14:25. . . . F Jordan Roy (5) and F Dawson Martin (10) added third-period goals for Red Deer. . . . D Colton Bobyk and Spacek each had two assists, with Martin adding one. . . . The Rebels got 26 stops from G Riley Lamb. . . . G Cody Porter turned aside 24 shots for Calgary. . . . Red Deer was 2-4 on the PP; Calgary was 0-4. . . . The Rebels (30-28-12) have points in seven straight (5-0-2). . . . The Hitmen (28-32-10) had won their previous three games. . . . Announced attendance: 4,221.
——
At Regina, D Connor Hobbs tied a franchise record for goals in a season by a defenceman as the Pats defeated the Swift Current Broncos, 6-2. . . . Hobbs scored his 30th goal of the season, on a PP, at 16:21
DAWSON LEEDAHL
of the second period, tying John Miner (1984-85) for that mark. . . . The Pats also set a franchise record for victories in a season (50). They had shared that record with the 1980-81 team. . . . The Pats took a 3-0 lead into the second period on goals from F Adam Brooks (40), F Dawson Leedahl (34) and D Sergey Zborovskiy (7). . . . The Broncos cut into the home team’s lead when F Lane Pederson got his 25th, at 3:15 of the second period. . . . But the Pats responded with the next three goals, from F Nick Henry (35), on a PP, Hobbs, and F Filip Ahl (26). . . . F Ryley Lindgren (26) got the Broncos’ last goal on a third-period PP. . . . The Pats got three assists from F Sam Steel, who leads the WHL with 130 points, seven more than Brooks, the defending scoring champion. . . . Brooks also had two assists, for a three-point night, as did Leedahl. Henry added one assist. . . . F Glenn Gawdin had two assists for the Broncos. . . . G Jordan Hollett stopped 24 shots for Regina. . . . The Broncos got 35 stops from G Taz Burman. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Swift Current was 1-6. . . . F Kaden Elder was among the Broncos’ scratches, after being injured in Tuesday’s 6-3 victory over the Wheat Kings in Brandon. He was injured on a play in which Brandon F Tyler Coulter drew a charging major and game misconduct. . . . The Broncos also scratched G Jordan Papirny (ill) for a fourth straight game. . . . Regina (50-12-8) has won six in a row and will meet either the Calgary Hitmen or Saskatoon Blades in the first round. . . . Swift Current (38-22-10) had won its previous three games. The Broncos will finish third in the East Division and meet the Moose Jaw Warriors to start the playoffs. . . . Announced attendance: 5,366.
——
At Spokane, the Seattle Thunderbirds hung on to first place in the Western Conference and the U.S. Division with a 4-2 victory over the Chiefs. . . . F Taylor Ross (7) gave the home boys a 1-0 lead at 11:00
RYAN GROPP
of the first period. . . . Seattle responded with the next three goals. . . . F Ryan Gropp tied it, on a PP, at 17:27. . . . The Thunderbirds took the lead at 2:08 of the third period when F Zack Andrusiak scored his sixth goal. . . . Gropp, who has 34 goals, upped it to 3-1 at 3:15. . . . Gropp equalled his career-high for goals in a season that he set last season. In the past three seasons, he has scored 30, 34 and 34 goals. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s 37th goal got the Chiefs to within one at 5:29. . . . Seattle D Austin Strand iced it with his ninth goal, at 9:02. . . . F Keegan Kolesar had two assists for Seattle. He has 32 assists in 52 games, beating his single-season high of 31 that he had in 64 games last season. . . . In the absence of F Mathew Barzal, who is being tested for the mumps virus, F Alexander True played in the middle between F Keegan Kolesar and F Ryan Gropp on Seattle’s big line. . . . Asked if he had seen test results on Barzal, Seattle GM Russ Farwell, who was in Spokane with his team, responded: “Not as of yet.” . . . G Carl Stankowski stopped 15 shots for Seattle. . . . At the other end, Donovan Buskey blocked 32 shots in his first career WHL start. . . . Seattle was 1-2 on the PP; Spokane was 0-2. . . . Aside from Barzal, the Thunderbirds also scratched G Rylan Toth, D Jarret Tyszka, D Reede Harsch and F Scott Eansor. . . . The Thunderbirds (45-19-6) have won four in a row. They have a one-point lead over the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Chiefs (26-33-10) have dropped seven straight (0-6-1). . . . Announced attendance: 4,102.
——

THURSDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.
——

FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Prince George at Kamloops, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:35 p.m.
Calgary vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Spokane vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
——

SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Spokane at Portland, 5 p.m.
Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 5:05 p.m.
Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 5:05 p.m.
END OF REGULAR SEASON 

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket
Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:16 PM
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Royals get two positive tests . . . Blazers' pick joining Vees . . . Pats clinch top spot



The Victoria Royals confirmed on Monday that head coach Dave Lowry and D Mitchell Prowse have tested positive for mumps. At the same time, D Ralph Jarratt was cleared.
The team made the announcement on its Facebook page.
Lowry and Prowse, who had been isolated from the team as it awaited the test results, are expected to rejoin the Royals this week in preparation for a weekend home-and-home series with the Everett Silvertips.
Jarratt, meanwhile, is shown on the WHL’s weekly roster report as being out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
According to the team’s statement, “no further members of the Royals organization have been infected by the virus. Both Lowry and Prowse have recovered from their mild symptoms and have cleared the contagious stage.”
Lowry missed a third straight game on Tuesday as the Royals dropped a 5-3 decision to the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C. With Lowry missing, assistant coach Dan Price again ran the bench, with help from assistant Doug Bodger, who usually works only home games.
——
It seems that the mumps outbreak also has touched the BCHL.
Taking Note has been told that a player with the Penticton Vees was diagnosed with mumps two weeks ago. He was quickly isolated and the viral disease doesn’t appear to have spread within the organization.
The player in question returned to practice this week.
——
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
——
F Massimo Rizzo will be joining the BCHL’s Penticton Vees for the remainder of their playoff run that begins Friday against the Merritt Centennials.
MASSIMO RIZZO
Rizzo was a first-round selection, 15th overall, by the Kamloops Blazers in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft. He played in three games with the Vees during the regular season.
Last season, Rizzo put up 137 points, including 60 goals, in 61 games with the Burnaby Winter Club’s Tier 1 bantam team. This season, with the BWC midget prep team in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, he had 78 points, including 59 assists, in 43 games. Rizzo’s club will conclude its season this weekend, after which he will join the Vees.
Rizzo was pointless in his first three games with the Vees. Of course, F Tyson Jost didn’t get a point in his first three games with the Vees, either, when he was an AP in 2013-14 while playing for the major midget Okanagan Rockets.
Jost went on to enjoy 45- and 104-point seasons with the Vees before being the 10th overall selection by the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL’s 2016 draft. Jost now is completing his freshman season at North Dakota.
The Hockey News, in its Future Watch issue, wrote: “. . . college coaches are swooning for him. Some say he’s better than Tyson Jost at the same age.”
Rizzo spent some time in mid-February on the U of Wisconsin campus in Madison. Maco Balkovec, his coach at BWC, was a Wisconsin defenceman for four seasons (1991-95).
——
The Everett Silvertips have signed F Conrad Mitchell, who was a seventh-round selection in the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft. From Thorsby, Alta., Mitchell played this season with the minor midget AAA Leduc Oil Kings, recording 35 points, 17 of them goals, in 35 games. 
——
G Austin McGrath, 19, has committed to Cornell where he will play for the Big Red. McGrath, from Lloydminster, Alta., was a fourth-round selection by the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft. His WHL rights later ended up with the Edmonton Oil Kings, who dealt them to the Everett Silvertips on May 11 for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. . . . McGrath played this season with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats.
——
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet spent the past week hunting and gathering. The result is the latest edition of 30 Thoughts and it’s right here.
——
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
———
Coaching

Aus-HLRob Daum, a former WHL coach, has been dropped by the Linz Black Wings of the Erste Bank 
Eishockey Liga after six seasons as their head coach. Daum, 59, was under contract with the Austrian club through 2017-18. . . . The Black Wings were eliminated from the Erste Banke playoffs on March 7. . . . Under Daum, the Black Wings won the EBEL championship in 2011-12, his first season with them. . . . With 237 victories during his time with Linz, Daum is No. 1 on the Erste Bank career list. He also was the league’s longest-serving coach. . . . “We are of the opinion that the club . . . needs a new direction after six years under the same coaching,” team president Peter Freunschlag said in a news release. . . . Daum coached in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders, Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge Hurricanes (1989-95).
——
Dean Blais won’t be returning for a ninth season as head coach of the U of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. Blais and the school’s athletic department made the announcement Tuesday. . . . Blais, 66, was 146-133-30 with the Mavericks, appeared in two NCAA tournaments and reached the Frozen Four on one occasion. This season, UNO was 17-17-5. . . . UNO’s season ended Sunday with a ?? OT loss to the Western Michigan Mustangs, after which Blais seemed to indicate that he would be returning. It would appear, however, that something changed between then and Tuesday morning. . . . During a 10-season (1994-2004) stint at North Dakota, Blais won two NCAA championships. . . . Adam Wodon of College Hockey News has a whole lot more right here.
———


———
If the playoffs began today . . . 
Eastern Conference
Regina vs. Calgary
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon
Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current
Lethbridge vs. Red Deer
—
Western Conference
Seattle vs. Tri-City
Prince George vs. Victoria
Kelowna vs. Kamloops
Everett vs. Portland
——

TUESDAY’S GAMES:


At Brandon, the Swift Current Broncos broke a 2-2 tie with a pair of goals 53 seconds apart late in the second period en route to a 6-3 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . The Broncos started with a pair of first-
CONNER CHAULK
period PP goals, from D Artyom Minulin (8), at 11:31, and F Tyler Steenbergen, at 17:54. . . . Steenbergen leads the WHL with 51 goals. . . . The Wheat Kings tied it on two second-period goals, 37 seconds apart, from F Tanner Kaspick (19), at 0:26, and F Nolan Patrick (20), at 1:03. . . . F Riley Stotts (8) snapped the tie at 15:46 and F Lane Pederson (24) made it 4-2 at 16:39. . . . The Broncos went ahead 5-2 when F Glenn Gawdin (25) counted at 6:32 of the third period. . . . Brandon F Ty Lewis scored his 30th goal, at 7:32. . . . The Broncos ended the scoring as F Arthur Miller (7) struck on a PP, at 12:19. . . . The Broncos got three assists from F Conner Chaulk and two from F Ryley Lindgren, with Pederson, Steenbergen and Minulin each had one. . . . Lewis added an assist to his goal. . . . The Broncos got 24 saves from G Taz Burman. . . . G Jordan Papirny, who played the first four-plus seasons of his WHL career with Brandon, wasn't able to make the trip east due to illness. He now has sat out three straight games. . . . With Papirny out, the Broncos had Bailey Brkin on the bench. The 6-foot-4 Brkin, 17, is from Sherwood Park, Alta. He played this season with the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs. . . . Brandon G Logan Thompson stopped 36 shots. . . . Swift Current was 3-3 on the PP; Brandon was 0-2. . . . D Kale Clague was among Brandon’s scratches, while D Aiden Mucenski made his WHL debut with the Wheat Kings. Mucenski, who turned 18 on Jan. 1, is from Calgary. He had 20 points, 19 of them assists, with the midget AAA Calgary Flames this season. . . . D Colton Sissons was among Swift Current scratches. . . . The Wheat Kings lost F Tyler Coulter to a charging major and game misconduct at 13:38 of the first period for a hit on Broncos F Kaden Elder. . . . The Broncos (38-21-10) have won three in a row. They also have won six straight on the road. Swift Current is third in the East Division, five points Moose Jaw with each team having three games remaining. They will wrap up the regular season with a home-and-home series on the weekend. . . . The Wheat Kings (30-29-10) have lost 12 of their past 15 games. They hold down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 4,009. . . . The Wheat Kings completed the roster of their 50th anniversary Dream Team with Ray Allison (1975-79), Bill Derlago (1974-78) and Brian Propp (1976-79) on the first line, with Brad McCrimmon (1976-79) and Ivan Provorov (2014-16) on the first defence pairing and Ron Hextall (1981-84) in goal.
——
At Cranbrook, B.C., F Colton Kehler scored at 1:17 of OT to give the Edmonton Oil Kings a 3-2 victory
COLTON KEHLER
over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Kehler has 17 goals this season. . . . This was Edmonton’s first victory since Feb. 15 when Kehler’s OT goal gave the Oil Kings a 3-2 victory over the visiting Ice. . . . F Brett Davis (18) gave the home side a 1-0 lead 51 seconds into the second period. . . . Edmonton tied it when F Tyson Gruninger scored his second goal of the season at 19:46. . . . The Ice went back in front on F Jake Elmer’s seventh goal, at 4:46 of the third period. . . . Edmonton forced OT when F Davis Koch scored No. 21 at 6:51. . . . Edmonton G Josh Dechaine blocked 20 shots. . . . The Ice got 32 saves from G Payton Lee. . . . Edmonton was 0-1 on the PP; Kootenay was 0-2. . . . The Oil Kings (21-43-6) have lost their previous 12 games (0-10-2). . . . The Ice (14-43-12) has lost seven in a row (0-5-2). . . . Neither of these teams will be in the playoffs. . . . Announced attendance: 1,672.
——

At Medicine Hat, the Red Deer Rebels scored three shorthanded goals, two on the same penalty, en
BRANDON HAGEL
route to an 8-3 victory over the Tigers. . . . Red Deer, which clinched a playoff spot, broke it open with four goals, including two shorties, in a span of 2:15 in the third period. . . . The Tigers actually held a 2-1 lead halfway through the game, thanks to a pair of PP goals. . . . F Matt Bradley (34) gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead at 8:34 of the first period. . . . The Rebels tied it when F Lane Zablocki got his 27th goal, shorthanded, on a penalty shot, at 7:38 of the second period. . . . Medicine Hat went back out front at 7:53 as F Zach Fischer got his 34th goal. . . . F Brandon Hagel got the Rebels even, again, at 10:34 and F Jordan Roy’s third goal put the visitors in front at 17:25. . . . Hagel’s 27th goal, at 6:42 of the third period, started the Red Deer explosion. . . . F Austin Glover scored his 21st at 7:46, with F Evan Polei (32) and F Michael Spacek (29) scoring shorties at 8:37 and 8:57, respectively. . . . F Max Gerlach added a PP goal for the Tigers, at 9:25, before Roy scored again, at 13:12. . . . Red Deer got three assists from D Jared Freadrich and two each from F Matt Campese and Hagel, with Polei, Glover and Spacek adding one each. . . . Hagel’s four-point night made him a point-a-game guy, with 63 points in 62 games. . . . Gerlach and Bradley had assists for the Tigers. . . . G Lasse Petersen earned the victory with 37 saves. . . . The Tigers got 14 saves on 18 shots from starter Michael Bullion, in 51:02, while Nick Schneder allowed four goals on seven shots in 8:57. . . . Medicine Hat was 3-4 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-2. . . . The Rebels (29-28-12) are 4-0-2 in their past six games. They are third in the Central Division, four points ahead of Calgary. . . . The Tigers (49-20-1) had won their previous three games. They will finish atop the Central Division. . . . Announced attendance: 3,089.
——
At Moose Jaw, F Simon Stransky’s 20th goal at 1:29 of OT gave the Prince Albert Raiders a 3-2 victory
SIMON STRANSKY
over the Warriors. . . . D Max Martin’s eighth goal gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 4:13 of the first period. . . . The Warriors tied it on D Dmitri Zaitsev’s second goal, on a PP, at 14:15. . . . The next two goals came in the third period. . . . F Parker Kelly (20) gave the Raiders a 2-1 lead at 3:09. . . . The Warriors forced extra time when F Noah Gregor got No. 25, at 18:54, with G Zach Sawchenko on the bench for an extra attacker. . . . F Curtis Miske had two assists for Prince Albert, while Kelly had one. . . . The Raiders got a big night from G Nick Schneider with 41 saves. . . . At the other end, Sawchenko stopped 31 shots. . . . The game featured two penalty shots, neither of which was successful. F Cavin Leth of the Raiders came up empty at 8:08 of the first period, with F Jayden Halbgewachs of the Warriors coming up short at 17:36 of the second. . . . Moose Jaw was 1-1 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-3. . . . The Raiders improved to 20-43-7. . . . The Warriors (41-19-9) have lost three in a row (0-2-1) and remain second in the East Division. . . . Announced attendance: 3,013.
——

At Regina, F Sam Steel and F Adam Brooks, the Pats’ big guns, combined for six points as the Pats beat
CONNOR HOBBS
the Saskatoon Blades, 5-4, to clinch first place in the WHL’s overall standings. . . . The Pats last finished atop the overall standings in the spring of 1974. That year, they went on to win the Memorial Cup at the Corral in Calgary. . . . Steel scored his 49th goal and added two assists, with Brooks chipping in three assists. . . . Steel leads the WHL with 127 points, seven more than Brooks, who won last season’s scoring title with 120 points. . . . Brooks leads the WHL in assists (81), three more than Steel. . . . The Blades, who are fighting for their playoff lives, took a 3-1 lead into the second period. . . . F Caleb Fantillo (5) gave Saskatoon a lead at 3:04 of the first period. . . . F Nick Henry (34) tied it with a PP goal at 5:38. . . . The Blades took a 3-1 lead on goals from F Dryden Michaud, his first WHL goal in his 27th game, at 16:23, and F Josh Paterson (16), at 16:51. . . . Regina F Jeff de Wit, celebrating his 19th birthday, got the Pats to within a goal with his ninth, at 3:43 of the second period. . . . Steel tied it at 13:37. . . . D Josh Mahura (17) gave Regina its first lead, at 18:16. . . . Regina D Connor Hobbs, who also had an assist, scored his 29th goal, on a PP, at 15:22, for a 5-3 lead. Hobbs leads all WHL defencemen in goals and points (81). . . . Saskatoon made it interesting when F Michael Farren scored his seventh goal, on a PP, at 18:43. The Blades held a two-man advantage and then pulled G Logan Flodell for an extra attacker at the time. . . . Fantillo added an assist to his goal. . . . G Tyler Brown earned the victory with 22 saves. . . . Flodell stopped 30 shots. . . . Regina was 2-7 on the PP; Saskatoon was 1-7. . . . The Pats (49-12-8) have won five in a row and have tied a franchise record with 49 victories. . . . The Blades (27-34-9) have lost three straight. They are three points out of a playoff spot and have just two games remaining. . . . Regina went 5-0-1 in the season series. . . . Announced attendance: 4,695.
——
At Kennewick, Wash., F Keegan Iverson ran his point streak to 10 games as he scored twice to help the
KEEGAN IVERSON
Portland Winterhawks to a 6-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Winterhawks (39-27-4) are third in the U.S. Division, three points clear of the Americans (38-28-3), who have lost five in a row. . . . Tri-City holds down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, one point behind Victoria. . . .  Iverson has put together seven two-point games in his past eight outings. In 53 games, he has 68 points, including 25 goals. . . . The Winterhawks took control with the game’s first four goals, three of them in the first period. . . . The first three goals came from F Skyler Mckenzie (42), Iverson, on a PP, and F Lane Gilliss (6). . . . F Jake Gricius (10) made it 4-0 at 6:49 of the second period. . . . F Kyle Olson scored Tri-City’s goal, his 20th, at 12:59 of the third period. . . . Iverson and F Brett Clayton (2) added late goals for Portland. . . . The Winterhawks got two assists from each of D Caleb Jones and F Ilijah Colina, with McKenzie adding one. . . . Portland G Cole Kehler turned aside 35 shots. . . . Tri-City got 31 stops from G Rylan Parenteau. . . . Portland was 1-2 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-6. . . . The Americans lost F Landon Fuller to a charging major and game misconduct at 9:41 of the first period. . . . Announced attendance: 3,092.
——

At Langley, B.C., F James Malm scored two goals and added two assists to lead the Vancouver Giants to a 5-3 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Malm, who had two assists in 25 games last season, has 50
JAMES MALM
points, including 20 goals, in 66 games this season. . . . The Giants scored the game’s first two goals, from F Brayden Watts (7), at 3:03 of the first period, and Malm, at 9:48 of the second. . . . Victoria F Matt Phillips got his guys on the scoreboard at 9:58. . . . The Giants got that one back when D Jordan Wharrie got his fifth goal, on a PP, at 14:48. . . . The Royals cut the deficit to one when Phillips scored his 50th goal, on a penalty shot, at 1:16 of the third period. . . . The Giants went back up by two on F Ty Ronning’s 25th goal, at 2:39. . . . The Royals wouldn't go away, though, and F Blake Bargar cut the host’s lead to one with his sixth goal, at 7:06. . . . Malm iced it at 12:18. . . . Watts added two assists to his goal, with F Johnny Wesley and F Calvin Spencer also getting two assists apiece. . . . Vancouver G David Tendeck earned the victory with 39 saves. . . . The Royals got 28 stops from G Griffen Outhouse. . . . Vancouver was 1-3 on the PP; Victoria was 0-3. . . . The Royals went 0-4-1 on a five-game road trip that included an introduction to mumps. Head coach Dave Lowry and defencemen Ralph Jarratt and Mitchell Prowse missed the last three games. . . . Victoria D Ryan Gagnon has tied the franchise record for career games played (318). F Brandon Magee played in 66 games with the Chilliwack Bruins and 252 with the Royals. Gagnon will break the record if he plays Friday against the visiting Everett Silvertips. . . . F Jack Walker played in his 316th regular-season game with the Royals last night. . . . The Royals won eight of 10 games in the season series. . . . The Giants (20-43-6) had lost their previous eight games (0-7-1). . . . The Royals (37-27-6) have lost five in a row (0-4-1). They are in possession of the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, a point ahead of Tri-City. . . . Announced attendance: 4,158.

——

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Everett at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m. (ppd., from March 8)
Calgary at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket
Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:35 PM
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  © Design byThirteen Letter

Back to TOP