New lease in Lethbridge; look back at Schenn deal

G Thomas Heemskerk (Kootenay, Everett, Moose Jaw, 2007-11) has signed a one-year contract with Miskolci Jegesmedvék (Hungary, MOL Liga). Last season, with the Quad City Mallards (CHL), he was 2.73 and .907 in 31 games. . . .
D Richie Regehr (Kelowna, Portland, 1998-2004) has signed a one-year contract with Red Bull Munich (Germany, DEL). Last season, with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SEL), he had 22 points, including six goals, in 52 games. He was an alternate captain. . . .
F Alexander Delnov (Seattle, 2012-14) signed a two-year, two-way contract with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). Last season, with Seattle, he had 63 points, including 29 goals, in 71 games.
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1. With G Dustin Tokarski having gotten the call with the Montreal Canadiens, Elliotte Friedman got to wondering: Whatever happened to Devan Dubnyk? . . . Friedman, of HNIC fame, answers that question and more in his latest 30 Thoughts. It’s all right here.

2. The Lethbridge Hurricanes have a new 15-year lease from the City of Lethbridge for the Enmax Centre. The lease, which runs through 2028-29, actually is for 17 years as it covers two seasons retroactively. Yes, negotiations actually began in April 2011. According to a news release from the City: “The new agreement includes a limited risk-reward structure that will result in fluctuating annual lease payments to the City based on 12 per cent of net ticket revenues each season. Also included is a commitment by the Hurricanes to pay the remainder of the club’s $2.5-million capital contribution to the (facility) renovations in 13 annual installments of $166,667, beginning in 2016. Two initial installments have already been paid.”

3. The AJHL held its annual meeting on the weekend in Red Deer and came up with a couple of interesting rule changes. It has the adopted the rule that prohibits a team that ices the puck from making any player substitutions. It also has decided that it won’t allow player substitutions by an offending team when “any player, excluding the goaltender, shoots or bats the puck directly out of the playing surface while in the defensive zone.” . . . After striking a committee to study whether to hold a player draft, and after hearing from that committee, the AJHL’s board of governors voted not to move forward in that area. . . . Each of the AJHL’s 16 teams will play 60 games in a regular season that will open on Sept. 5.

4. The junior B Port Moody Panthers, who play in the Pacific Junior Hockey League, made it official on Monday. They have hired the ubiquitous Brian Wiebe as their director of media and communications. According to a news release, he “volunteered with the Panthers in the same role in 2013-14, but will expand his duties in the upcoming season.” . . . Here’s more from that news release: “In addition to working with Port Moody, Wiebe is the assistant instructor and admissions co-ordinator for the Radio Arts and Entertainment Program at BCIT. He is also the play-by-play voice for SFU men's hockey, media relations director for BC Superweek, media manager for the Odlum Brown VanOpen and podcast host for the BC Intercollegiate Hockey League.” . . . As a writer, Wiebe contributes to the BCHL’s Smart Hockey magazine and has a blog, Brian’s Banter, that covers a whole lot of hockey. There’s a link to it over there on the right.

5. The Swift Current Broncos have signed D Dominic Schmiemann, who was the 12th overall selection in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. The 6-foot-3, 170-pound Schmiemann, from James River Bridge, Alta., had 15 points, three of them goals, in 33 games with the bantam Notre Dame Hounds last season.

6. The Regina Pats have signed F Luc Smith, a 6-foot-5, 202-pounder who was taken in the third round of the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft. Smith had 11 points, including eight goals, with the midget AAA St. Albert Sports Raiders last season. Smith took part in the Pats spring prospects camp on the weekend.

7. The BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs are hoping the city will give them a break in the cost of renting ice so that they can at least get into a breakeven situation over the next couple of seasons. Eric Plummer of the Alberni Valley Times has a piece right here that includes some numbers, if you are wondering what it costs to operate a junior A franchise.

8. It was a tough day for the New York Mets, who lost a game, their hitting coach, a veteran reliever and a top pitching prospect. First, the Mets were beaten, 5-3, by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Then, New York fired its hitting coach, Dave Hudgens, and released reliever Jose Valverde, who gave up four runs over the final two innings in what was a horrible collapse. As well, Noah Syndergaard, a top prospect, was diagnosed with a strained elbow. Tim Rohan of The New York Times has more right here on what was not a good day for the Mets.

9. On Jan. 9, 2011, F Brayden Schenn was with the Brandon Wheat Kings and was one of the top skaters in the WHL. The next day, the Wheat Kings dealt him to the Saskatoon Blades. . . . How did that trade work out? More than three years later, Alan Caldwell of Small Thoughts At Large has an intriguing look at it right here.

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Tuesday . . .

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News reported Tuesday that “Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi has emerged as the ledaing candidate to buy the Stars, according to two sources close to the sale.”
Gaglardi, of course, is the majority owner of the Kamloops Blazers.
Heika’s piece is right here.
———
F Brayden Schenn had a goal, his first, and an assist and F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) set up three goals on Tuesday, leading the AHL’s Manchester Monarchs to a 6-3 playoff victory over the host Binghamton Senators. Manchester holds a 3-1 lead in the Atlantic Division semifinal with Game 5 in Binghamton tonight.
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The Coaches Site is playing host to a hockey coaches conference at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Burnaby, B.C., July 29-30.
Included among the speakers are WHL head coaches Don Hay of the Vancouver Giants, Ryan Huska of the Kelowna Rockets and Mike Johnston of the Portland Winterhawks. Also on hand will be former WHL head coaches Mark Holick (Kootenay Ice) and Kevin Constantine (Everett Silvertips).
According to news release:
“The goal of the conference is to share the experience and insight of professional coaches and experts in human performance with coaches at the grassroots levels. The two-day event will cover various topics, including tactical strategies, individual skill development and off-ice conditioning. It will also feature a charity reception for H.E.R.O.S (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society).”
For more info, visit thecoachessite.com or send an email to info@thecoachessite.com.
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ON THE ICE TUESDAY NIGHT:
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 3-0 third-period deficit and beat the Tri-City Americans 5-4 in overtime to advance to the Western Conference final. . . . The Chiefs won the series 4-2 and will open against the Winterhawks in Portland on Friday. . . . F Levko Koper scored his third goal of these playoffs at 6:39 of OT. . . . The last three games in this series went to OT, with the Chiefs winning the last two. . . . The Chiefs got a goal and an assist from F Darren Kramer, who now has six points, five of them goals, in the playoffs. . . . He had 14 points, including seven goals, and 306 penalty minutes in 68 regular-season games. He has just six penalty minutes in the playoffs. . . . With the Americans leading 3-0 in the third period, the Chiefs struck for three goals in 1:57 and four in 7:41 to take the lead. Karmer got it started at 1:16, D Tanner Mort continued it at 2:35 with his first goal of the playoffs, and F Blake Gal, who scored in OT to win Game 5, tied it at 3:13. . . . Here is how Dan Mulhausen, the Americans’ media guru, described all that was involved with Gal’s goal: “In a heavily scrutinized play, (Tri-City G Drew) Owsley kicked out Kenton Miller’s shot, where it appeared to ricochet off of (Tri-City F Kruise) Reddick’s skate and into the slot. Blake Gal then crashed the net, poking the puck on goal before it was cleared by Tri-City. Play continued for almost two minutes before a stoppage allowed the video goal judge and the on-ice officials to review the play. After a lengthy discussion, video evidence showed Gal’s attempt crossed the goal line before being kicked out, overruling the original no-goal call on the ice and tying the game at 3.” . . . F Kenton Miller put the Chiefs out front at 8:57, only to have Tri-City F Adam Hughesman tie it at 12:39 on the PP. That was Hughesman’s second goal of the game. F Patrick Holland also scored twice for the Ams. . . . The Americans were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-for-1. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson was tossed with a kneeing major at 18:31 of the first period for a hit on F Brendan Shinnimin, who returned to the Tri-City bench but didn’t play again. . . . Johnson could be facing a suspension as the WHL will conduct its usual investigation into such a penalty. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 26 shots, seven fewer than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . Attendance was 6,083.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
———
This will be the ninth time that Spokane and Portland have met in the playoffs. Last season, the Winterhawks took the Chiefs out in a seven-game first-round series in which neither team could win on home ice. . . . These times have gone the distance five times in those seven meetings. . . . They have met twice before in Western Conference finals (1998 and 2001), with the Winterhawks winning both times. . . . Portland finished with 103 points this regular season, one more than the Chiefs. . . . However, Spokane won the season series, 5-3-1.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Sunday . . .

In the OHL, the Windsor Spitfires, who have won the last two Memorial Cup titles, are into the Western Conference final after finishing off the Sarnia Sting on Sunday. The Spitfires won 5-0 to take the series in six games.
With the victory, the Spitfires established an OHL record — it was their 10th straight series victory. They have been tied with the Peterborough Petes, who won nine straight (1978-80).
———
According to the gang at capgeek.com, Medicine Hat Tigers F Tyler Pitlick will get NHL salaries of US$865,000, $900,000 and $900,000 under terms of the three-year deal he signed with the Edmonton Oilers. His AHL salary each season would be $67,500. And he got a $270,000 signing bonus, payable over three years. Pitlick, who hasn’t played since early March because of a broken ankle, was a second-round selection in the 2010 NHL draft. He left Minnesota State-Mankato to join the Tigers prior to this season. He had 62 points, including 27 goals, in 56 games when he was injured.
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F Brayden Schenn made his AHL playoff debut with the Manchester Monarchs on Sunday. He had an assist and was plus-3 as the Monarchs scored a 5-4 OT victory over the host Binghamton Senators. The Monarchs, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, lead the best-of-seven first-round series, 2-1. Schenn joined the Monarchs after his Saskatoon Blades were eliminated from the WHL playoffs on Wednesday night.
———
The WHL now has three teams having moved into conference finals.
The Portland Winterhawks got there Sunday, with a 4-2 victory over the Rockets in Kelowna. That gave Portland a 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal.
The Winterhawks will meet either the Spokane Chiefs or Tri-City Americans in the conference final. The Chiefs beat the host Americans 3-2 in OT on Sunday and will take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 in Spokane on Tuesday.
The Eastern Conference final will open Friday, with the Kootenay Ice visiting the Medicine Hat Tigers.
———
In Kelowna, F Sven Bartschi had a goal and two assists to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-2 victory over the Rockets. . . . The Winterhawks took control with goals 51 seconds apart in the first period. F Ty Rattie broke a scoreless tie at 6:44 and Bartschi made it 2-0 at 7:35. . . . F Craig Cunningham made it 3-0 at 3:14 of the second. . . . The Rockets got to within one on goals from F Geordie Wudrick, at 13:03 of the second, and F Brett Bulmer, 54 seconds into the third on a PP, but couldn’t get the equalizer. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow closed out the scoring with an empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 4,821. . . . The Rockets, a team that averaged more than 6,000 fans per game in the regular season, drew crowds of 6,059 and 6,085 for first-round games with the Prince George Cougars. However, crowds were under 5,000 for the three home games against Portland. Strange, no? . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 45 shots, 10 more than Kelowna’s Adam Brown. . . . The Winterhawks last appeared in the Western Conferencee final in 2001. That series is to open Friday in the Rose Garden in Portland. . . .
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In Kennewick, Wash., F Blake Gal came out of the penalty box in OT to score the winner as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Tri-City Americans, 3-2. . . . The Chiefs lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 in Spokane on Tuesday. . . . The Chiefs led this one 2-0 on goals by D Jared Cowen, hust 27 seconds in, and F Matt Marantz, at 4:32 of the second. . . . The Americans tied it on third-period goals from D Tyler Schmidt, at 3:24, and F Carter Ashton, at 18:59. . . . Gal went off for high-sticking at 2:46 of OT, but the Americans weren’t able to beat G James Reid, who made 33 saves. . . . Six seconds after getting out of stir, Gal put the winner past G Drew Owsley, who stopped 40 shots. . . . Owsley had opened OT with five saves as the Chiefs started extra time on the PP. . . . The goal was Gal’s sixth of these playoffs. . . . Attendance was 4,014. . . . If they need a Game 7, it’ll be played in Spokane on Wednesday. . . . The series winner will open the Western Conference final in Portland on Friday.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Two minors:
Portland F Craig Cunningham.
Spokane F Darren Kramer.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Thursday . . .

Defenceman Tyler Schmidt has scored the OT winner and the Tri-City Americans and their fans explode in joy.
(Photo by Doug Love / Tri-City Americans)

In Kennewick, Wash., D Tyler Schmidt scored at 2:32 of the second overtime period to give the host Tri-City Americans a 4-3 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . It was the night’s only WHL playoff game. . . . The series now is tied 2-2. Game 5 is Sunday in Kennewick with Game 6 in Spokane on Tuesday. . . . The Chiefs had won the previous two games in the series. . . . The goal was Schmidt’s first of these playoffs. He sat out Game 3 with a one-game suspension after taking a clipping major in Game 2. . . . “It felt good to get that overtime winner,” Schmidt told Dave Trimmer of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “I’ve never had one before in my career. I got lucky at the end. We needed this win.” . . . The Americans had a glorious opportunity to end it at 18:36 of the first OT when F Brendan Shinnimin was awarded a penalty shot. Spokane G James Reid kept it going with a right pad save. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson forced OT with his second goal of the game, via the PP, at 12:17 of OT. . . . The Chiefs led this one 2-0 early in the second period, only to have the Americans score three goals before the period ended. . . . Reid finished with 46 saves, one more than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . Owsley set a franchise record with his 18th playoff victory, one more than Chet Pickard. . . . Attendance was 3,888.
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THURSDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One minor:
Spokane F Kenton Miller.
———
The Portland Winterhawks are at home tonight with a 3-1 lead over the Kelowna Rockets. The Winterhawks also will welcome back F Brad Ross, who has served a three-game suspension for a charging major he took in Game 1. Kelowna F Zach Franko, who took that hit by Ross, was left with a broken nose and a concussion, and isn’t expected to play.
Meanwhile, the Red Deer Rebels and Medicine Hat Tigers don’t play again until Saturday. The Tigers will take a 3-1 edge into the next game, which is to be played in Red Deer. The Rebels were without G Darcy Kuemper (ankle) for Game 4 — Dawson Guhle stopped 19 shots in a 1-0 victory — and it isn’t known yet if he will be able to dress, or play, in Game 5. The Rebels are still alive, despite having scored only three goals in four games.
———
The Kootenay Ice will spend the next few days enjoying what they have accomplished to this point in the WHL playoffs.
“Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we would have swept this series,” Ice president and general manager Jeff Chynoweth said via text shortly after his club had swept the highly favoured Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday night. “Having said that, in all my years with the Ice, that is probably as good a four-game stretch as we have ever had.
“We will enjoy it for a few days, rest up and heal a bit, and get ready for The Hat or Red Deer, because it will not get any easier from here on out.”
The Medicine Hat Tigers take a 3-1 lead into Red Deer for Game 5 with the Rebels on Saturday.
If you were wondering, the Ice was 2-5-1 against Red Deer during the regular season and 4-1-1 versus Medicine Hat.
———
If you’re wondering why the Blades went out the way they did, perhaps you should look no further than two statistics.
The Blades scored five goals in the four games and went 0-for-16 on the PP.
———
The NHL’s Los Angeles Kings assigned Saskatoon Blades F Brayden Schenn to the Manchester Monarchs, their AHL affiliate.
As Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times tweeted: “Kings decision to send Brayden Schenn to AHL is based on their desire that he not feel pressure to relace (Anze) Kopitar when he's different player.”
———

JAY VARADY

Jay Varady, a long-time member of the Everett Silvertips’ coaching staff, is leaving the WHL. Varady, who has been with Everett through all eight of its seasons in the league, has stepped down as associate head coach to sign on as head coach of the Ducs d’Angers, a club that plays in Ligue Magnus, which is France’s top professional league.
Varady, 33, was an assistant coach with the Silvertips (2003-07), before being named associate head coach. He helped the Silvertips to a Western Conference championship and three U.S. Division titles. The team also was in the playoffs in each of his eight seasons there.
The Cahokia, IL native won a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championships with USA Hockey as the team’s video co-ordinator.
———
Jason Vondersmith of the Portland Tribune takes a look at Mike Johnston and Travis Green, the braintrust behind the success the Portland Winterhawks are enjoying. That story is right here.
———
Willy Palov of the Halifax Chronicle Herald takes a look at the names being bandied about as at least four QMJHL teams look for head coaches. That piece is right here.
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Today’s good read comes from Pulitzer Prize-winner Buzz Bissinger, who writes about Tiger Woods. That piece is good and it’s right here.


gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

THE CHILLIWACK-TO-VICTORIA SAGA, Chapter 44:
It’s official. Not that it really was ever in doubt.
The Prince George Cougars aren’t going anywhere.
WHL commissioner Ron Robison has told CKPG-TV in Prince George that “there’s never been any application made to the WHL for a move.”
Robison went on to say that “these rumours come up from time to time. I think any time you have a franchise that . . . is struggling with attendance, as Prince George has, for a lengthy period fo time, you’re going to see these types of rumours surface.  But the ownership is still committed to the Prince George market and hoping that things can turn around soon.”
This all started, of course, because the WHL has allowed the majority owners of the Chilliwack Bruins to sell their franchise for $5.5 million. Eventually, the WHL will announce that Vancouver-based RG Properties has purchased the franchise and will relocate it to Victoria.
Once the WHL confirmed that the Bruins had been sold, the speculation was immediate that the Cougars were likely to head south. That just isn't going to happen.
But what Robison didn’t mention to CKPG-TV — or, if he did, the TV station didn’t use it — is that Moray Keith, one of the Bruins’ minority owners, made an attempt to purchase the Cougars.
Keith first tried to buy the Bruins, but his offer of $6.2 million — not $7.75 million as was reported about a month ago — wasn’t even considered, apparently because majority owners Darryl Porter, Brian Burke and Glen Sather had already accepted RG Properties’ offer.
Keith found out that the Cougars aren’t for sale, at least not for what he was offering, and now the good people of Chilliwack appear likely to have a BCHL franchise moving into their city in the near future.
———
Bob Sales, the president of the BCHL’s Quesnel Millionaires, has confirmed to CKPG-TV that, yes, “the team is for sale.”
And, furthermore, there have been talks with . . .
“We haven’t had any firm offers from Chilliwck,” Sales told the TV station, “but we have talked to Chilliwack.”
———
THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Byron Ritchie (Lethbridge, 1993-97) signed a two-year contract with Bern (Switzerland NL A). He had 23 goals and 21 assists in 53 games with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden Elitserien) this season, good for fifth in league scoring.
———
A tip of the cap to the American Hockey League for trimming four games from each team’s regular-season schedule.
Yes, the AHL announced Wednesday that each of its teams will play 76 games next season, down from 80.
At the same time, the AHL said it will lengthen the amount of time it takes to play its regular-season schedule by one week. And it will reduce its first-round playoff series to best-of-five from best-of-seven.
The regular-season scheduling changes will mean teams no longer will be required to play four games in five nights.
"As our league has grown in recent years, we have been working closely with the National Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players' Association to seek a solution to what has become a very onerous playing schedule," David Andrews, the AHL president, said.
"As our league has grown and our game has become faster and more physical, the wear and tear on our players has begun to affect player development and at times the quality of competition.
“These steps are intended to provide a safer environment for our players through increased rest and recovery time, and also to provide our fans with an even higher calibre of play as a result of reduced player fatigue."
Hurrah for the AHL!
———
There is an interesting story developing in the OHL where the Soo Greyhounds are expected to introduce Kyle Dubas as their general manager today. Dubas, at 25 years of age, is a player agent. In fact, he is the youngest player agent to be certified by the NHLPA.
Peter Ruicci of the Sault Star has more right here.
———
The New York Islanders will make a coaching change with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, their AHL affiliate. Pat Bingham, an assistant coach who took over as head coach when Jack Capuono moved up to the Islanders in November, won’t be returning.
The Sound Tigers went 24-30-11 under Bingham, who is a former WHL player (Kamloops, New Westminster, 1985-89).
———
F Tyler Pitlick of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who hasn’t played in a month because of a broken ankle, has signed a three-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers, who selected him in the second round of the 2010 NHL draft.
Pitlick, 19, put up 62 points, including 27 goals, in 56 games in his first WHL season. He joined the Tigers from the NCAA’s Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks.
Pitlick wsa able to dump his crutches earlier this week, but isn’t expected back in the Tigers’ lineup in the near future.
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ON THE ICE:
In Medicine Hat, the Red Deer Rebels stayed alive with a 1-0 victory over the Tigers. . . . G Dawson Guhle, starting in place of Darcy Kuemper (ankle), turned aside 21 shots for the shutout. . . . Guhle, an 18-year-old from Daysland, Alta., played in 15 games during the regular season — five with the Regina Pats and 10 with Red Deer. . . . Bolton Pouliot, a 16-year-old from Calgary, served as Guhle’s backup. . . . F Byron Froese scored the game’s only goal, his fourth, at 11:27 of the third period. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz turned aside 23 shots. . . . The Tigers had won six straight games. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers take a 3-1 series lead into Game 5 in Red Deer on Saturday. . . . “(Guhle) made some key saves at key times, some big saves,” Jesse Wallin, the Rebels’ head coach, told Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate. “We know he has that capability and at times this season he’s played real well and shown us what he’s got. But talk about a tough situation to step into, because he hasn’t played a lot of games this season. Good for him. I’m real proud of him and I thought the boys battled real hard in front of him, keeping things to the outside and letting him see the puck and make the first stop. We did a good job of that and yet at playoff time you need big-time goaltending.” . . .
———
In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and finished off the Saskatoon Blades, 5-2. . . . The Ice, the Eastern Conference’s fourth seed, swept the Blades, who had finished with the WHL’s best regular-season record. . . . The Ice is the first team to advance to a conference final. . . . F Matt Fraser scored twice and added two assists for the Ice. He leads the playoffs with 10 goals and is third in points (15). . . . F Max Reinhart also scored twice for the Ice. He’s got seven in these playoffs. . . . Ice G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 33 shots, five fewer than Saskatoon’s Steven Stanford. . . . Attendance was 3,021. . . . The Blades won a WHL-high 56 regular-season games. However, they scored only five goals in four games against the Ice. . . . The Los Angeles Kings, who open the NHL playoffs tonight against the Sharks in San Jose, are expected to recall Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft. Schenn has played eight NHL games, so two more would result in him using up one year of his three-year contract. . . . Cody Nickolet, who provides colour on Blades’ radio broadcasts, tweeted late last night that “Schenn will speak to (Kings GM) Dean Lombardi on Thursday to learn where he is headed.” . . . Nickolet also tweeted that F Curtis Hamilton and D Stefan Elliott will be bound for AHL teams. Hamilton, a second-round NHL draft pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2009, likely will sign an ATO with the Oklahoma City Barons, while Elliott, who has signed with the Colorado Avalanche, is to join the AHL’s Lake Eric Monsters.
———
In Kelowna, F Nino Niederreiter drew three assists to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-2 victory over the Rockets. . . . The Winterhawks, having won three in a row, hold a 3-1 edge and get their first chance to end the series at home on Friday night. . . . The Winterhawks took a 2-0 on goals 39 seconds apart by F Ty Rattie, at 12:25 of the first, and F Taylor Peters and never trailed. . . . F Shane McColgan got his eighth goal on the PP at 17:39 of the first. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow got that one back on a PP at 2:30 of the third. . . . F Brett Bulmer pulled Kelowna to within one just over 10 minutes later, but the Rockets weren’t able to equalize. . . . Portland F Ryan Johansen, with his seventh point in the last three games, got his sixth goal at 16:11 to provide some insurance. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth, who is 7-1 in these playoffs, stopped 24 shots, while Kelowna’s Adam Brown turned aside 35. . . . Attendance was 4,763.
———
WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Some Sunday stuff . . .

Regular visitors to this site will notice the Twitter feed is missing from the top right corner.
Repeated efforts to get that feed to show the origination of retweets has led me to have it deleted.
When something is retweeted, there should be an avatar appear on the left side, showing where the tweet originated. Unable to get it to work properly, I have chosen to simply delete it.
You are still able to follow me on twitter (twitter.com/gdrinnan) and get tweets and retweets there.
---
THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Max Brandl (Prince Albert, Portland, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract extension with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had eight goals and 13 assists in 46 games for the Cannibals this season. . . .
F Ty Morris (Swift Current, Vancouver, Red Deer, 2003-05) signed a one-year contract with the Bietigheim Steelers (Germany 2.Bundesliga). He had 17 goals and 29 assists in 42 games with the Landshut Cannibals (Germany 2.Bundesliga) this season.
———
Might F Jaden Schwartz of the Colorado College Tigers end up with the Tri-City Americans? The speculation has started and some of it is right here. The Americans selected him in the eighth round of the 2007 bantam draft.
———
It’s doubtful that many people had a week like the one Dale Saip experienced.
Saip, the Vancouver Giants’ vice-president of business development, was nominated Monday as the federal Conservative candidate for the Lower Mainland riding of Delta Richmond.
But then came a story by Jeff Lee of the Vancouver Sun that detailed Saip’s personal and financial history.
It didn’t take long after that for the Conservative Party to change its mind and move Saip to the sideline.
In Saturday’s Vancouver Sun, columnist Craig McInnes looked at the situation involving Saip and wondered why anyone would want to get involved in Canadian politics.
Having read all of this, and more, on this situation, I’m thinking Saip might well be a great fit as a politician. If nothing else, because of everything he has been through and all that he has dealt with to get here from there, he might be closer to understanding the problems faced almost daily by the average citizen than many of the politicians we see in action these days.
———
SUNDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Saskatoon, the Blades went home with a 5-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders and one fan — or maybe two — took home $44,000. . . . F Brayden Schenn scored twice to lead the Blades, who take a 2-0 series lead into Game 3 in Prince Albert on Wednesday. . . . The 50/50 draw was worth somewhere near $44,000. The total pool during Friday’s first game reached $40,000, with $20,000 of that ticketed for the winner. But no one claimed the pot, so it rolled over to Sunday night and someone went home within around $44,000. . . . Word after the game was that a couple of former WHL players had won the draw. . . . Prince Albert started G Eric Williams, who had come in for starter Jamie Tucker during the opener. . . .
In Portland, F Nino Niederreiter and F Craig Cunningham each scored twice as the Winterhawks dumped the Everett Silvertips, 7-2. . . . Portland won the opener 7-1 on Saturday. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 37 shots. . . . The Silvertips, with starter Kent Simpson unable to dress because of an ankle problem, again went with Luke Siemens in goal. He finished with 39 saves. . . . Attendance was 6,119. . . . The series now shifts to Everett for games on Wednesday and Thursday. . . .
———
SUNDAY’S CFB COUNT:
One minor:
Portland F Riley Boychuk
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JUST NOTES: John MacNeil of the Brandon Sun is reporting today that Medicine Hat Tigers G Tyler Bunz will sit out at least two more games due to a concussion. Bunz sat out the last two weeks of the regular season with a concussion. He told MacNeil that he got bumped during Brandon’s 7-2 victory in Game 1 and some symptoms returned. . . . Late last night, Bunz tweeted: “Roomin with the other injured Tyler in winnipeg, biggest band aids in the league.” . . . Bunz rooms with F Tyler Pitlick, who is out with a broken ankle. . . . The Tigers and Wheat Kings resume their series — they’re tied 1-1 — tonight in Winnipeg. The Wheat Kings had to move their first-round games to the Manitoba capital because their home arena is occupied by the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. . . . One other series resumes tonight with the Red Deer Rebels taking a 2-0 lead into Edmonton to play the Oil Kings.
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Taking Note on Twitter

Friday . . .

Goaltender Drew Owsley of the Tri-City Americans gets a close-up look at
Kevin Sundher of the Chilliwack Bruins during a game in the Toyota Center
at Kennewick, Wash., on Friday night.
(Photo by John Allen/AridAcres.com)

If you read only one thing today, make it this piece right here. Written by Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail, it features Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier and his view on the problem of concussions in hockey. MacGregor is the best sports essayist in Canada today, and one of the best in North America, and Regier is one of the most progressive thinkers in the game.
———
After Friday’s WHL games, here are some things that we know:
1. The Saskatoon Blades, with the WHL’s best record, will meet the Prince Albert Raiders in the first round. The Raiders locked up the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot last night.
2. The Red Deer Rebels will be the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed. They clinched that with a victory in Edmonton and will face either the Oil Kings or Brandon Wheat Kings in the first round.
3. The Lethbridge Hurricanes won’t be in the playoffs. That was assured when Prince Albert won and the Hurricanes lost at home to the Kootenay Ice.
4. The Moose Jaw Warriors will finish fifth and play either the Medicine Hat Tigers or Kootenay in the first round.
5. The Kamloops Blazers won’t be in the playoffs for only the second time in the franchise’s 30-year history in that city. They were finished when they lost 3-2 in a shootout to the visiting Prince George Cougars.
Here are some things we don’t know:
1. Who will finish third and fourth in the Eastern Conference? The Medicine Hat Tigers, with two games left, are third, one point ahead of the Kootenay Ice, which has one game left. The Tigers are at home to the 12th-place Calgary Hitmen tonight and then visit Calgary Sunday. The Ice is at home to Lethbridge tonight.
2. Who will finish sixth and seventh in Eastern Conference? The Brandon Wheat Kings are sixth, two points ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. The Wheat Kings are at home to Moose Jaw tonight, while the Oil Kings wrap things up in Red Deer. Should Brandon lose in regulation and should Edmonton win, both would have 71 points. Edmonton would win the tiebreaker on victories, 32-31.
3. What will be the first-round matchups in the Western Conference? We don’t know any of them. The Kelowna Rockets will be the No. 2 seed; the Tri-City Americans will be No. 4. Everything else is up in the air.
4. Which other Western Conference team will join Kamloops on the outside looking in? . . . Seattle is four points behind eighth-place Everett, with both teams having two games remaining. Seattle needs two victories and two Everett losses in regulation to force a sudden-death game for the final playoff spot. That game would be played in Kent, Wash., as Seattle would have more victories — 29-28. . . . Everett is in Chilliwack tonight and in Vancouver on Sunday. . . . The Thunderbirds are at home to Portland tonight and Tri-City on Sunday.
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In Edmonton, the Red Deer Rebels beat the Oil Kings 4-3 to clinch the Central Division pennant and the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed for the first round of the playoffs. . . . Attendance was 12,960. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Red Deer. . . . The Oil Kings are seventh, two points behind the sixth-place Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Wheat Kings are at home to Moose Jaw tonight. . . .
In Prince Albert, the Raiders doubled the Swift Current Broncos 6-3 and locked up the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The eighth-place Raiders can start preparing for a first-round matchup with the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Raiders lost D Antoine Corbin to a kneeing major and game misconduct at 5:01 of the third period. . . . Attendance was 3,366. . . . They play again tonight in Swift Current. . . .
In Regina, F Brayden Schenn scored in OT to give the Blades a 2-1 victory over the Pats. . . . Schenn has 22 goals in 27 games with the Blades. . . . F Jordan Weal scored the game’s first two goals for Regina, giving him 42. . . . The Pats won’t be in the playoffs for a third straight season. . . . The teams will play again tonight in Saskatoon. . . .
In Lethbridge, the Kootenay Ice dumped the Hurricanes, 5-3. . . . The Hurricanes had needed a victory and a Prince Albert loss to have any chance to make the playoffs. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Cranbrook. . . .
In Moose Jaw, the Warriors beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 2-1 in a shootout in the last regular-season game to be played in the Civic Centre (aka the Crushed Can). . . . Attendance was 2,945. . . . Former Warriors captain Mark MacKay dropped the puck for the ceremonial opening faceoff. In a nice touch, his son, Matt, took the draw for the Wheat Kings. . . . The Warriors will move into the new Multiplex in time for next season. . . . Moose Jaw F Antonin Honejsek scored in the shootout in his first game back after missing 16 with a broken ankle. . . . Moose Jaw won for the 40th time this season, the third time in franchise history that it has reached 40. . . .
In Kamloops, F Charles Inglis, the 14th shooter, scored the only goal of the shootout as the Prince George Cougars beat the Blazers, 3-2. . . . The loss dashed the Blazers’ hopes of making the playoffs. . . . Kamloops has lost seven in a row. . . . The teams meet again tonight in Prince George. . . . F Brett Connolly scored twice for the Cougars, giving him 45. . . .
In Portland, the Winterhawks got two goals from F Nino Niederreiter, who has 40 now, as they came from behind to beat the Everett Silvertips, 4-3. . . . The Winterhawks continue to lead the Western Conference by one point over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Portland, with 101 points, broke the century mark for the first time since 1997-98. . . . If you believe in omens, the Winterhawks won the Memorial Cup that season. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth got the victory in his first appearance since he was injured during the pregame warmup on March 4. . . . Everett continues to be without F Landon Ferraro (groin) and G Kent Simpson (ankle). . . . The Winterhawks meet the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., tonight, then return home to face Spokane on Sunday, 5 p.m., at the Rose Garden. . . . The Silvertips are eighth in the Western Conference so may end up meeting the Winterhawks in the first round. . . .
In Spokane, G Mac Engel stopped 23 shots as the Chiefs beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-0. . . . Engel has four shutouts. . . . The victory allowed the Chiefs to reach the 100-point barrier and to stay within one point of the Western Conference-leading Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Chiefs visit Tri-City tonight — they have beaten the Americans five straight times — and are in Portland on Sunday. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., F Mason Wilgosh scored once in his return from injury as the Tri-City Americans dumped the Chilliwack Bruins, 5-1. . . . Wilgosh had missed 11 games. . . . The Toyota Center was sold out (5,929). . . . The Bruins had picked up at least one point in each of their last 10 games. . . . Tri-City also had F Neal Prokop (leg) back in the lineup. He sat out 28 games since being injured on Jan. 14. . . .
In Vancouver, F Geordie Wudrick scored twice as the Kelowna Rockets got past the Giants, 3-1. . . . Wudrick has 42 goals. . . . The Giants lost their eighth straight game. . . . Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher (concussion) returned to action. . . . The Giants are sixth in the Western Conference, one point behind Chilliwack. Vancouver can finish no lower than sixth. . . . The Giants are in Kelowna tonight and at home to Everett on Sunday. . . . The Bruins meet visiting Everett tonight.
———
FRIDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Two minors:
D Graeme Craig, Swift Current
F Andrew Rieder, Regina
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

Goaltender Luke Siemens of the Everett Silvertips thwarts forward Justin Feser
of the Tri-City Americans from in close last night at the Toyota Center
in Kennewick, Wash.
(Photo by John Allen/AridAcres.com)

Kim Davis is the commissioner of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Davis, who played in the WHL (Flin Flon, 1974-77), has dropped some big numbers on a couple of teams — like 86 games in suspensions and $4,000 in fines.
Jesse Enns of the Swan Valley Stampeders drew a 40-game suspension after he took a lengthy run at an opposing player with three seconds left in a playoff game with the Portage Terriers on Saturday night.
The kerfuffle took place as the Terriers were finishing off the Sher-Wood Division playoff series.
Two assistant coaches — Dallas Anderson of Swan Valley and Jim Tkachyk of Portage — each drew a 22-game sentence. Their sin? They duked it out at the benches following the game’s conclusion. Each coach also was fined $1,500.
As well, Swan Valley head coach Dwayne Kirkup drew a two-game suspension and a $1,000 fine for picking up a gross misconduct and for not having control of his bench.
So there you have it . . . 86 games and $4,000 in fines and only four people are involved. That has to be some kind of record.
If you haven’t seen the video, it’s right here.
———
F Mitch Fadden’s days with the Tampa Bay Lightning are done.
Fadden (Seattle, Lethbridge, Tri-City, 2003-09) has been placed on waivers by the Lightning and managements intends to release him.
The move comes after Fadden, 22, was arrested earlier this month in Salmon Arm, B.C., and charged with impaired driving, failing to provide a breath sample, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and obstructing a peace officer. The Salmon Arm Observer report is right here.
Fadden was with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, an affiliate of the Lightning’s, but hadn’t played since January because of a blood clot in one leg. When he played, though, he was effective, witness 51 points in 37 games.
———
In Saskatoon last night, the Blades got shootout goals from F Brayden Schenn and F Marek Viednesky as they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 3-2 in a shootout. . . . The Blades now have at least a point from each of their last eight games (7-0-1). . . . F Torrin White forced the OT with his first WHL goal at 10:29 of the third period. White, from Balzac, Alta., was the 21st overall selection in the 2010 bantam draft. His father, Terry, scouts for the Prince George Cougars. . . . Saskatoon lost F Jake Trask on the game’s first shift. Apparently, he may have a concussion. . . . The Blades will finish first in the overall standings; the Warriors are headed for a fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. . . .
In Calgary, G Jamie Tucker stopped 34 shots to lead the Prince Albert Raiders to a 6-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . .With the victory, the Raiders clinched at least a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Lethbridge Hurricanes are ninth, four points back with two games to play. A tie for the last playoff spot would necessitate a sudden-death playoff game. . . .
In Portland, the Winterhawks scored the game’s first four goals and went on to beat the Vancouver Giants, 5-3. . . . F Brad Ross scored his 30th goal and added two assists for the Winterhawks. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 28 shots. . . . Portland remains atop the Western Conference, one point up on the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Giants, who have lost seven in a row, slipped a spot to sixth, one point behind the Chilliwack Bruins. . . .
In Spokane, Chilliwack G Lucas Gore put on perhaps the best display of goaltending in the WHL this season, but his Bruins still lost to the Chiefs, 2-1 in a shootout. . . . Gore stopped 77 shots — that’s right, 77 shots — through overtime. He turned aside 11 shots in the first period, 32 in the second and 29 of 30 in the third. . . . F Tyler Johnson and F Blake Gal outscored the visitors 2-0 in the shootout. . . . F Ryan Howse gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead with his 51st goal at 19:57 of the second. . . . F Matt Marantz tied it with his 19th at 8:52 of the third. . . . The victory kept the Chiefs within a point of the conference-leading Portland Winterhawks. . . . The loser point lifted the Bruins into fifth, one point ahead of the Vancouver Giants. . . . The fifth-place finisher will meet the Tri-City Americans in the first round; finish sixth and you get Portland or Spokane. . . .
In Kelowna, G Calvin Pickard stopped 23 shots to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-0 victory over the Rockets. . . . The shutout was the first of the season for Pickard. . . . Kelowna, which had won five in a row, has been blanked seven times. . . . The Rockets will finish first in the B.C. Division and be the conference’s second seed in the first round. . . . The Thunderbirds moved into a tie for ninth with the idle Kamloops Blazers, three points behind the Prince George Cougars. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., G Luke Siemens stopped 35 shots to lead the Everett Silvertips to a 2-1 victory over the host Tri-City Americans. . . . F Ryan Harrison broke a 1-1 tie with a PP goal at 9:17 of the third period. . . . Siemens, who is 7-10-2, was starting in place of Kent Simpson (ankle). Siemens last won Jan. 7 when he beat the Americans in Everett. . . . Everett ended a seven-game losing streak and moved past the idle Prince George Cougars and into seventh place in the Western Conference. . . . The Americans have dropped five of their last home games after earlier winning 13 in a row. . . . The Americans will finish fourth in the conference.
———
WEDNESDAY’S CFB COUNT:
One minor:
Chilliwack D Brandon Manning
———
JUST NOTES: D Tanner Sohn, 19, is back with the Saskatoon Blades. Sohn, a 13th round pick of the Blades in the 2006 bantam draft, began this season with the Vancouver Giants and finished it with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats. In between, he was dealt to the Blades, who wanted him as a depth defenceman in the playoffs. . . . Capgeek.com has reported the terms of the three-year contract that F Wacey Hamilton of the Medicine Hat Tigers signed with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Hamilton, a 20-year-old free agent, gets US$67,500 per season in the AHL, with his NHL salaries pegged at $690,000, $715,000 and $740,000. He got a $270,000 signing bonus, at $90,000 per year. . . . The New York Rangers have signed D Dylan McIlrath of the Moose Jaw Warriors. He was the 10th overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft. . . . The Kamloops Blazers have signed 6-foot-3, 205-pound F Dallas Calvin, 16, to a WHL contract. Calvin was placed on the Blazers’ protected list in September. Calvin, who is from Trail, played this season with the junior B Beaver Valley Nitehawks, picking up 40 points in 40 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he had 17 points in 12 games. . . . F Josh Cowen of the Red Deer Rebels, out since Feb. 19 with a broken hand, may be back halfway through the first round of playoffs.
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If you are of the opinion that there is too much violence in hockey these days, you may be interested in signing this online petition. Check it out right here.
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Taking Note on Twitter

Brenden Dillon, a defenceman with the Seattle Thunderbirds, has signed
a three-year contract with the NHL’s Dallas Stars.
(Photo by Kyle Scholzen/Seattle Thunderbirds)

As was first reported Monday night by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, the NHL’s Dallas Stars have signed D Brenden Dillon of the Seattle Thunderbirds to a three-year NHL contract. Dillon, 20, was a free agent.
Here is the press release that was issued Tuesday by the Thunderbirds:
Kent, March 1, 2011 - Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Brenden Dillon signed a three-year entry level contract this afternoon with the Dallas Stars of the NHL.
"I have appreciated the attention and interest from NHL teams," said Dillon. "I am excited and looking forward to being a part of the Stars organization."
Dillon, a 20-year-old, is in his fourth season with the T-Birds. He is currently second on the team in scoring with 50 points on six goals and 44 assists. Dillon also has 128 penalty minutes this season. Dillon will remain with the T-Birds until the end of the 2010-11 season.
"We are happy to hear Brenden has finalized his contract with Dallas," said T-Birds general manager Russ Farwell. "He has worked very hard over his junior career to earn his chance and it is great to see him rewarded by signing an NHL contract. He has matured a great deal this year and is ready to move on to pro hockey and the next step in his career."
Dillon has played in 271 games in his four seasons with the T-Birds and has nine goals and 76 assists for 85 points with 365 penalty minutes.
"It was a tough decision for Brenden with so many quality teams interested" said Dillon's agent Jarret Bousquet, of Titan Sports Management. "This was the right decision at the right time for Brenden."
And here is the release that was issued by the Stars:
The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed defenseman Brenden Dillon to a three-year entry level contract, beginning with the 2011-12 season. Dillon will remain with his current club, the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL), for the rest of the 2010-11 season.
Dillon, 21, spent the last four seasons with the Thunderbirds, collecting 85 points (9g, 76a) in 271 games. The Surrey, British Columbia, native has appeared in 63 games this season for Seattle with 50 points (6g, 44a), setting career highs in both goals and assists in a single season. Dillon currently leads the Thunderbirds in assists and is second in overall points.
The 6-3, 209-pound defenseman participated in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2009 training camp. Prior to his four seasons with Seattle, Dillon played with the Hope Icebreakers of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL), a junior league team in British Columbia during the 2006-07 season and scored four goals and 27 assists along with 54 penalty minutes.
———
One of the week’s best hockey reads comes from Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada. This week’s offering is right here.
———
F Brayden Schenn of the Saskatoon Blades is the WHL’s player of the month for February. Schenn, 19, had 32 points, including 13 goals, in 13 games. . . . As Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix tweeted: “(Schenn) also solved the Caramilk secret.” . . . The WHL’s goaltender of the month is Mac Engel of the Spokane Chiefs. Engel, 17, got his chance to play when James Reid went out with an injury. In February, Engel was 9-2-0, 1.83, .930, and he had two shutouts. . . . The 13th annual Hockey Challenge, which was held last weekend at the ShoWare Centre in Kent, Wash., raised $170,000 for Ronald McDonald House charities of Western Washington and Alaska. The Seattle Thunderbirds and RMHC made the announcement Tuesday. The Hockey Challenge has raised more than $4 million over 13 years. . . .
In  Swift Current, the Prince Albert Raiders, with F Justin Maylan enjoying a five-point night, posted a 6-2 victory over the Broncos, who have lost eight in a row. . . . Raiders F Jonathan Parker scored twice, giving him 41. . . . The victory lifted the eighth-place Raiders two points ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Broncos now are eight points out with seven games left. . . . Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Swift Current Broncos, reports that F Killian Hutt may return to action next week. Hutt hasn’t played since suffering a concussion during a game in Kamloops on Dec. 10. According to Mullin, Hutt finally is symptom free and has rejoined the Broncos. . . .
F Dylan Hood scored three goals to lead the host Moose Jaw Warriors to a victory over the Regina Pats. The Pats lost G Damien Ketlo in the second period when he took a Spencer Edwards shot off the mask. Ketlo stayed in the game for a few minutes, but then skated to the Pats’ bench and was replaced by Matt Hewitt. . . . The Warriors erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits. . . . Hood has 28 goals. His 27th broke a 3-3 tie at 11:03 of the third period. . . . Moose Jaw head coach Dave Hunchak (ill) sat this one out, meaning assistant coach Mike Vandenberghe ran the bench. . . . The Warriors clinched a playoff spot with the victory; they are fifth and likely will finish there. . . . Regina, with eight games to play, is five points behind Prince Albert. . . . The Pats will be back in Moose Jaw on March 12 for their final regular-season appearance in the Crushed Can. Perhaps former Pats radio voice Kevin Gallant could put in an appearance wearing that Donald Duck costume. Ahh, the memories from the Crushed Can. . . . .
G Tyler Bunz stopped 40 shots as the Medicine Hat Tigers skated out of Red Deer with a 4-2 victory over the Rebels. It was the Tigers’ 40th victory and lifted them to within four points of the Central Division-leading Rebels. . . . Medicine Hat came out of the first period with a 2-0 lead, despite being outshot 21-9. . . . Medicine Hat F Linden Vey had a goal, his 41st, and an assist. He leads the WHL with 107 points, three more than Spokane Chiefs F Tyler Johnson. . . . Medicine Hat is within four points of the Central Division-leading Rebels. The Tigers have a game in hand. . .
The Seattle Thunderbirds got two goals and two assists from F Burke Gallimore, who now has 30, and beat the visiting Vancouver Giants, 4-2. . . . The Thunderbirds move into a tie for ninth with the Chilliwack Bruins, five points out of the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Giants remained two points behind the B.C. Division-leading Kelowna Rockets. . . .
In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks got four points from each of their Swiss imports, F Nino Niederreiter and F Sven Bartschi, as they got past the Tri-City Americans, 6-5. . . . The Winterhawks, who top the Western Conference, now are three points ahead of the Spokane Chiefs and 11 up on the Americans. . . . Niederreiter had two goals and two assists; Bartschi was one and three. . . . The Americans dressed 16 skaters as they have F Adam Hughesman (knee), F Mason Wilgosh (knee), F Jordan Messier (shoulder), F Neal Prokop (charley horse) and G Drew Owsley (knee) all listed as being out week-to-week.
———
TUESDAY’S CFB COUNT:
One minor:
Regina D Brandon Davidson

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Taking Note on Twitter

Some Saturday stuff . . .

Brendan Shinnimin (24) and his Americans teammates
were in the pink Friday night. And you’ve gotta love the tie
on the gentleman just over Shinnimin’s right shoulder. Well done, sir!
(Photo by John Allen, AridAcres.com)

The Tri-City Americans donned their pink jerseys Friday night when they entertained the Seattle Thunderbirds at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Wash.
The Americans won the game, 5-2, before 5,673 fans on was the sixth annual Fred Meyer Breast Cancer Awareness Night.
The fans set a record as the fund-raiser raised a total of $22,258.71, a 10.5-percent increase over last year. It also was the sixth straight season that the total has increased. All told, Americans fans have contributed $92,813 over the event’s history.
———
The recruiting war involving American players isn’t going away. Robert Mays in the Boston Globe writes that the NCAA’s Division 1 Legislative Council voted down a proposal that would have swung things in the CHL’s favour. Mays’s story is right here.
———
The Swift Current Broncos have lost seven in a row and their playoff hopes are fading. It doesn’t help that F Killian Hutt (concussion) hasn’t played since Dec. 10 and F Justin Dowling (ankle), F Taylor Vause (ankle), F Jordan Evans (concussion) and F Jordan Peddle (two-game suspension) are out. . . . The Broncos lost 4-3 to the visiting Regina Pats on Friday night. That was Regina’s seventh victory in as many games against the Broncos this season. . . . The Broncos have brought back G Derek Tendler, who turned 19 on Jan. 1. Acquired from the Vancouver Giants earlier in the season, he later was assigned to the MJHL’s Winnipeg Saints. . . .
F Brayden Schenn of the Saskatoon Blades should be prepared to hear his name a lot in NHL trade talks as Monday’s deadline arrives. Here’s the latest, via Twitter, from Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector: “Hemsky-to-LA trade a non-starter w/o Brayden Schenn coming back to Oil. LA not ready to deal Schenn today. This is a Monday deal, if at all.” . . . Spector also columnized on the subject and that piece is right here. . . .
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The NHL’s Nashville Predators’ lineup on Saturday included D Jon Blum, a product of the Vancouver Giants who is from Long Beach, Calif., and F Blake Geoffrion, who is from Nashville. . . . In other words, the NCAA vs. CHL war isn’t going to end soon. . . .
———
There was some ownershjip news in the QMJHL on Saturday, as a chunk of the Quebec Remparts changed hands. The Montreal Gazette has more right here. . . . Meanwhile, the Moncton Times and Transcript reports that the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats badly want to hold an outdoor game. That story is right here.
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On the Ice in the QMJHL, the Victoriaville Tigers beat Saint John 2-1, handing the Sea Dogs their first regulation loss in 2011. The Sea Dogs had picked up points in 22 straight games, going 21-0-1. . . .
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F Shayne Wiebe scored twice last night, and the first one was the 100th of his WHL career, as his Brandon Wheat Kings went on to beat the visiting Regina Pats, 9-3. The Wheat Kings have won nine in a row on home ice. Overall, they have won seven of eight and 13 of 17. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay had an assist to run his point streak to 17 games. He has 35 points, including 13 goals, over that stretch. Only Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin (21 games) has had a longer streak this season. . . . The Wheat Kings have scored at least seven goals in five of their last 10 games. . . .
———
Barring a playoff meeting, the Saskatoon Blades made their final visit to the Crushed Can in Moose Jaw last night. You can bet it was a fun place to be, what with 2,869 fans in the pews. . . . The Blades won 2-1 on F Curtis Hamilton’s shootout goal. . . . Gotta think Blades GM/head coach Lorne Molleken took a long look around before he exited. He has a long history as a player, coach and GM in that building. . . . Actually thought he might toss a water bottle or a stick or something, you know, just for old time’s sake. . . .
———
Edmonton D Adrian Van de Mosselaer played in his 209th regular-season game last night and had his first two-goal game in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. He has 15 career goals, seven of them this season. . . . Attendance in Edmonton was a season-high 8,361. . . . The Oil Kings were without D Mark Pysyk, their captain, after he left Friday’s 6-3 loss in Lethbridge in the second period with an upper body injury. . . . F Tyler Pitlick had his first three-goal game as the host Medicine Hat Tigers dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 7-3. Pitlick, a draft pick of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, has 62 points in 55 games. . . . The Tigers got two goals from F Emerson Etem, who now has 38 goals in 56 games, and that is one more than he scored in 72 games last season as a freshman. . . . The Tigers welcomed back D Patrik Parkkonen (shoulder) last night. . . . Medicine Hat F Linden Vey drew three assists and now leads the WHL with 105 points, two more than Spokane F Tyler Johnson. . . .
———
F Geordie Wudrick scored the game’s last two goals as the Kelowna Rockets skated to a 4-3 OT victory over the Hitmen in Calgary. Wudrick, who has 36 goals, tied it at 16:33 of the third and won it 59 seconds into OT. . . . Kelowna F Colton Sissons, a 17-year-old from North Vancouver, is turning into a force with which to be reckoned. He had a goal and two assists in Calgary, and now has 35 points in 57 games. He has 12 points over his last seven games. . . . Portland F Nino Niederreiter had two goals, including the winner with 33.9 seconds left in the third, as the Winterhawks beat the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent), 4-3, in Kent, Wash. . . . The victory was the 100th in the WHL for Winterhawks GM/head coach Mike Johnston. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 28 shots in his second straight start in the absence of Mac Carruth. He hasn’t played since being hit by Prince George F Spencer Asuchak on Tuesday. Asuchak, who was given a major and game misconduct, is serving a three-game suspension. . . . Last night, Portland F Ty Rattie left in the third period and didn’t return. . . .
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After a run of five straight OT games, the Kamloops Blazers finally won in regulation, beating the host Kootenay Ice 8-5 in Cranbrook. . . . The Blazers went 4-0-1 on a swing through the Central Division. . . . Kamloops RW Jordan DePape, who is playing on the back end with three defenceman out, had a goal and two assists, and was plus-4. . . . This was the Ice’s first home game since Jeff Chynoweth, the franchise’s president, governor and GM, admitted frustration at attendance figures. On this night, the attendance was 2,514, which is 24 above the season average. . . .
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When Vancouver beat the host Chilliwack Bruins 5-1 last night, it was victory No. 518 for Giants head coach Don Hay. That ties him with the late Pat Ginnell for third on the WHL’s all-time list. . . . Vancouver G Brendan Jensen stopped 16 shots in his first start since Jan. 15. . . . The Spokane Chiefs have beaten Tr-City four straight times after a 3-1 victory over the visiting Americans last night. The Chiefs lead the season series, 6-4-0, with two games remaining. . . . The Americans can clinch a playoff spot with a victory in Vancouver tonight. Tri-City has beaten Vancouver six straight times, including twice this season.
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And now there are five Eastern Conference teams assured playoff spots, with the Edmonton Oil Kings and Brandon Wheat Kings looking like they’ll finish sixth and seventh, or seventh and sixth. That leaves the Prince Albert Raiders and Lethbridge Hurricanes to scrap over the last spot. They’re tied right now, with the Regina Pats three points back. Each of those three teams has nine gmes remaining. . . .
In the Western Conference, the Chilliwack Bruins and Seattle Thunderbirds have some catching up to do. The Bruins are six points behind the eighth-place Prince George Cougars. Yes, Chilliwack has three games in hand but those aren’t worth anything if you don’t win them. . . . The Thunderbirds are eight points shy of that last spot. . . . And how about those Kamloops Blazers. Two weeks ago, they were struggling to hang on to that eighth spot and looking at a five-game trip in the Central Division, that included stops in Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Kootenay, where the Eastern Conference’s Nos. 2, 3 and 4 seeds live. . . . The Blazers lost in OT in Red Deer, won in OT in Medicine Hat and beat the Ice in regulation. Kamloops now is seventh, just a point behind Everett and one up on Prince George.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

A few notes after some time away from here . . .
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When last seen on this site, Greg Pankewicz, an assistant coach with the Central league’s Colorado Eagles, was disrobing at the bench in protest over what he perceived as rotten officiating. . . . The league responded by suspending him for the balance of the regular season. . . . There’s more right here.
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The Prince George Cougars and the local Memorial Cup committee issued a plea to that city’s hockey fans on Wednesday night. The committee is prepared to bid to be the host city for the 2013 Memorial Cup tournament, but attendance at Cougars` games hasn’t been much of a positive advertisement to this point in the season. And the fans didn’t do the cause any favours when only 1,771 fans showed up to watch the Portland Winterhawks edge the Cougars 6-5 that same night. . . . Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen has more right here.
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The Saskatoon Blades have wrapped up the East Division pennant. After not winning a division title since 1993-94, the Blades have won two in the last three seasons. . . . The Blades beat the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings 7-4 on Wednesday, and the Wheaties are back in Saskatoon tonight. . . . The Blades go into this one with 47 victories. A Saskatoon team hasn’t won 50 in a season since 1982-83 when it won 52. That season, the Blades were led by F Roger Kortko, who put up 161 points. . . .
Saskatoon F Brayden Schenn had five points Wednesday and I’m wondering just how much we will hear his name on Monday, which just happens to be the NHL trade deadline. Schenn has 39 points in 16 games with the Blades. His NHL rights belong to the Los Angeles Kings, who selected him with the fifth overall selection in the 2009 draft. If the Kings are interested in buying at the deadline, you wonder if they might end up sacrificing Schenn or if his recent play has made him untouchable. It’s believed that the Kings have some interest in Edmonton F Ales Hemsky and you’ve got think that Schenn would be a good fit with the fleet of young forwards the Oilers have put together. . . . Schenn, by the way, now has 301 points in 213 regular-season WHL games. . . .
The WHL will holds its awards luncheon on May 4 and the 2011 bantam draft on May 5. Both are scheduled for Calgary. . . . The Moose Jaw Warriors have promoted Rob MacLachlan. Formerly their director of scouting and player development, MacLachlan now is assistant director of hockey operations. He has been with the organization for nine seasons, six as director of scouting and player development. . . . Interestingly, the WHL’s 2010-11 Guide shows Warriors head coach Dave Hunchak as wearing two hats, the other being assistant director of hockey operations. Although their website shows Hunchak as strictly the head coach. . . . Alan Millar is in his first season as director of hockey ops. . . .
Former WHL G Chad Mercier (Regina, 1992-97) is the GM/head coach of the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs, and he has been named that league’s coach of the year. What that means is that you can expect to hear Mercier’s name mentioned in every coaching rumour involving what offseason openings might occur in the WHL. . . . You also can expect to hear the name of Rob Daum, who has WHL coaching experience. And considering Daum’s record when he was the head coach at the U of Alberta, you have to wonder why he isn’t back in the game. . . . Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun reports that the Giants may get C James Henry, their captain, back from a knee injury tonight as they play host to the Chilliwack Bruins. That story is right here. . . .
D Colton Jobke is eligible to return to the Kelowna Rocket’s lineup tonight as they meet the Rebels in Red Deer. He hasn’t played since Feb. 11. That’s when he incurred a major for interference in a game against the visiting Chillwack Bruins and ended up with a seven-game suspension. Chilliwack F Tim Traber came out of that play with a broken leg and won’t play again this season. . . . The Bruins will get back D Brandon Manning, who is their captain, for their game in Vancouver. Manning has served a seven-game suspension that came out of a Feb. 4 game in Kamloops. He was hit with a boarding major for a hit on Kamloops D Austin Madaisky, who came out of it with a broken C-7 vertebrae and won’t play again this season. . . .
Former WHL G Kyle Moir (Swift Current, 2002-06) has signed an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with the ECHL‘s Utah Grizzlies. Moir, 24, played four seasons at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., after graduating from the Broncos. He was a fifth-round pick by the Nashville Predators in the NHL’s 2007 draft. . . . The Grizzlies also got F Ryley Grantham on assignment from the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. Grantham (Moose Jaw, Kelowna, 2006-09) was a sixth-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2008 draft. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that D Brodie Melnychuk (broken leg) and D Spencer Galbraith (shoulder) skated with the Wheat Kings on Thursday and might play this weekend. Brandon is in Saskatoon tonight and at home to the Regina Pats on Saturday. . . . Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports that Blades F Marek Viedensky (groin) and F Brent Benson (knee) also may return this weekend.

G Shannon Szabados, who once got some exhibition-season playing time with the Tri-City Americans, was the goaltender when the Canadian national women’s team won the Olympic gold a year ago. However, she didn’t get to partake in the immediate post-game celebration. Later, a Canadian men’s curler slashed her on a hand and drew blood. . . . That story, and it’s an entertaining read, by the Edmonton Journal’s Curtis Stock is right here.
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The Hextall name has carried a lot of weight in hockey circles for a long time, and it’s even larger in the Poplar Point, Man., area. The folks there are planning on honouring the Hextall clan Feb. 1-3, 2013. By that time, the Poplar Point Community Club, which is being restored, should be ready. Part of the celebration will include an appearance by the Detroit Red Wings alumni team.
There’s more, from the Portage Daily Graphic, right here.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Swift Current, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored the game’s first five goals and went on to beat the Broncos, 6-5. . . . The Broncos cut into the deficit with four straight goals before Brandon F David Toews got his 15th at 13:43 of the third. That stood up as the winner when Swift Current F Trevor Cameron got his fifth with 1.5 seconds left in the third. . . . The Wheat Kings had beaten the visiting Broncos 10-1 on Friday. One night later, the Wheat Kings struck for five goals in the first 11 minutes. . . . The Wheat Kings couldn’t have picked a better time to win a season-high five straight. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay had a goal, his 24th, and an assist, running his point streak to 14 games and his goal streak to seven games. He has five straight multi-point games. He has 29 points in his last 14 games and has nine goals over the last seven games. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone had a goal, his 32nd, and three assists. He is riding an 11-game point streak, with 27 points over that stretch. He is third in the WHL scoring race, with 86 points. . . . Brandon got two goals from F Shayne Wiebe, who now has 35. . . . Attendance was 2,233. . . . Brandon, 8-2-0 in its last 10, is seventh in the Eastern Conference, one point behind Edmonton. . . . The Broncos, losers of five straight, slid to 10th, six points out of a playoff spot. . . .
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In Moose Jaw, the Prince Albert Raiders built up a 3-0 lead and hung on for a 3-2 victory over the Warriors. . . . The Warriors had beaten the host Raiders 6-3 on Friday night. . . . F Mark McNeill had a goal, his 25th, and added an assist for the Raiders. . . . D Jordan Rowley’s fourth goal at 2:19 of the second, stood up as the winner. . . . F Quinton Howden got his 38th for the Warriors at 10:40 of the third and F Sebastian Svendsen added his 23rd at 17:53. . . . The Raiders held an 18-6 edge in first-period shots, but the Warriors had a 34-22 edge over the last two periods. . . . Prince Albert G Eric Williams stopped 38 shots, 19 of them in the third period. . . . Moose Jaw’s Thomas Heemskerk made 37 saves. . . . Attendance was 2,736, which means the Crushed Can, which has six regular-season games left plus playoffs, was rocking. . . . The Warriors are fifth in the conference and likely will finish there. . . . The Raiders hold down the conference’s last playoff spot by five points over Lethbridge. . . .
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In Lethbridge, the Hurricanes scored a 6-5 shootout victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings in the night’s wildest game. . . . Edmonton held a 3-1 lead with 13 minutes left in the third period and was ahead 4-2 when F Kristians Pelss scored his second of the game, and 11th of the season, at 10:40. . . . The Hurricanes then scored three straight goals and Edmonton needed a score from F Jordan Hickmott, his 25th, at 15:52, to force OT. . . . Lethbridge F Mitch Maxwell had the only goal of the three-round shootout. . . . Maxwell had two assists in regulation time. . . . Lethbridge F Graham Hood had a goal and two assists. . . . Edmonton got two assists from F Stephane Legault and F Michael St. Croix. . . . Attendance was 3,300. . . . The Hurricanes, who have 13 games left, are five points out of the conference’s last playoff spot. . . . Edmonton is sixth, one point ahead of Brandon. . . .
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In Medicine Hat, G Tyler Bunz stopped 22 shots to lead the Tigers to a 4-0 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . He has three shutouts this season and five in his career. . . . The victory was the 70th of Bunz’s WHL career which has him fifth on the Tigers’ career list. . . . Regina has been blanked three times. . . . Medicine Hat F Boston Leier scored the game’s first and third goals. They were his first two WHL goals. The 17-year-old from Saskatoon was playing in his 37th game this season. He also played three games last season. . . . Tigers F Linden Vey, who leads the WHL scoring race, had a goal, his 40th, and an assist. He has 98 points. . . . F Emerson Etem scored his 33rd goal for the Tigers. It came shorthanded at 19:12 of the first period. . . . F Reid Petryk and D Alex Theriau each had two assists. . . . The Tigers, already without D Matthew Konan (concussion) and D Scott Ramsay (concussion), lost D Jace Coyle on Friday with an undisclosed injury. . . . Medicine Hat dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers, who have clinched a playoff spot, moved into a tie with Kootenay for third in the conference. . . . Medicine Hat is at home to Saskatoon tonight. . . . The Pats are 11th and, with 12 games left, are seven points out of a playoff spot. . . .
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In Red Deer, F Brett Ferguson scored in OT to give the Rebels a 4-3 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Ferguson, who is riding a 16-game point streak, got his second goal of the game, and 21st of the season, at 1:40 of extra time. He has 25 points over those 16 games. . . . The Rebels coughed up 2-0 and 3-2 leads to the Blazers, who went 3-for-8 on the PP while keeping the Rebels’ PP scoreless in seven tries. . . . That included a major penalty for checking from behind to Kamloops D Josh Caron at 6:14 of the second period. Red Deer F Josh Cowen didn’t return after taking that hit. . . . Kamloops G Jeff Bosch, who stopped 46 shots in a 4-3 OT victory in Edmonton on Friday night, turned aside 42 shots in this one, includig 16 in the second period. . . . Red Deer G Darcy Kuemper stopped 24 shots in earning his 38th victory. . . . Kamloops F Thomas Frazee had two assists. . . . Kamloops D Bronson Maschmeyer forced OT with his seventh goal at 12:32 of the third. . . . Each team has gone to OT in its last three games. . . . The Blazers beat visiting Tr-City 3-2, then won in Edmonton. . . . The Rebels have gone to OT in three straight home games, losing 4-3 to Prince George, then beating Lethbridge 2-1. . . . Attendance was 5,566. . . . Red Deer is second in the Eastern Conference, six points behind Saskatoon, which holds two games in hand. . . . The Blazers are in possession of the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot and they now are four points ahead of Chilliwack, which holds four games in hand. . . .
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In Cranbrook, F Brayden Schenn scored two goals and added an assist as the Saskatoon Blades scored a 5-3 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . Saskatoon F Marek Viedensky broke a 3-3 tie with his 27th goal at 17:53 of the third period. . . . Saskatoon F Jake Trask scored his 25th goal into an empty net at 19:18. . . . Schenn has 14 goals this season. . . . The Ice, which was down 3-1 going into the third period, got a shorthanded goal from F Kevin King, his 29th, at 3:55 and F Jesse Ismond’s second of the game, and 15th of the season, at 12;15. . . . Saskatoon was 3-for-7 on the PP; the Ice was 1-for-3. . . . D Hayden Rintoul had two assists for the Ice. . . . Saskatoon is 18-1-0 against the Central Division, including 14 straight victories. . . . The Blades are 3-0 against the Ice. . . . Attendance was 3,083. . . . Saskatoon, which is in Medicine Hat tonight, continues to lead the Eastern Conference. . . . The Ice is tied for third with Medicine Hat. . . .
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In Portland, F Nino Niederreiter scored three times to lead the Winterhawks to a 6-3 victory over the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . The Winterhawks clinched a playoff spot. . . . It was Niederreiter’s first hat trick of this season and the second of his career. . . . Niederreiter has 27 goals in 41 games after scoring 36 in 65 last season. . . . Niederreiter, the 18-year-old Swiss sophomore, also had an assist. The four points give him 107 points in 106 career regular-season games. . . . Portland D Taylor Aronson and D William Wrenn each had two assists. Wrenn has 11 points and his plus-21 in 18 games. . . . Portland F Craig Cunningham had a goal, his 22nd, and an assist, while F Ryan Johansen also scored once, giving him 30, and drew an assist. . . . Portland led 2-0 when the Bruins stormed back and tied with on PP goals by F Robin Soudek and F Ryan Howse. . . . The goal was his 42nd and his franchise-record 17th PP goal of the season. . . . Niederreiter and Johansen then scored at 4;01 and 6:47 of the second period. . . . The Bruins allowed a franchise single-game record 61 shots, which allowed G Braden Gamble to set a single-game record with 55 saves. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 19 shots. . . . Chilliwack F Roman Horak, who was scratched minutes before a 6-2 loss to the host Tri-City Americans on Friday, was back in the Bruins’ lineup. . . . Attendance was 10,145. . . . Portland, which is 8-2-0 in its last 10 leads the U.S. Division by a point over Spokane. The Winterhawks hold a game in hand. . . . Chilliwack is ninth in the conference, four points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Bruins are in Kent, Wash., to face the Seattle Thunderbirds tonight. . . .
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In Prince George, the Everett Silvertips jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never trailed as they beat the Cougars, 4-3. . . . The Silvertips had beaten the host Cougars 4-1 on Friday. . . . Everett F Ryan Harrison got his 20th goal at 18:49 of the second period and it proved the winner. . . . Prince George F Taylor Stefishen got his 20th at 9:27 of the third. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson, making his 14^th straight start, stopped 28 shots. . . . Prince George F Charles Inglis, who earlier had scored his 24th goal, failed to score on a penalty shot at 13:50 of the third period with the visitors leading 4-3. . . . Everett F Tyler Maxwell scored his 38th goal, while Prince George F Brett Connolly got his 36th. . . . Attendance was 2,418. . . . The victory lifted the Silvertips into a tie with the Cougars for sixth in the conference. Each has 13 games remaining. . . . The Cougars do have three more victories. . . .
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In Kennewick, Wash., the Spokane Chiefs scored three second-period PP goals as they beat the host Tri-City Americans, 6-2. . . . The game turned after Tri-City D Sam Grist was tossed with a boarding major at 7:14 of the second period. . . . The Chiefs, who clinched a playoff spot with their third straight victory, scored three PP goals to break open what had been a 1-1 game. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson and D Brenden Kichton each had two goals and an assist. . . . Johnson has a WHL-high 45 goals. His 978 points leave him second in the scoring race, one point behind Medicine Hat F Lindey Vey. . . . Spokane F Levko Koper had two assists, giving him 70 points in 59 games. He has hit career highs in goals (30), assists (40) and points (70). . . . F Blake Gal added a goal and two assists for the Chiefs, who got two assists from F Mitch Holmberg. . . . Gal has six goals in eight games against the Americans this season. . . . F Adam Hughesman scored his 39th goal for the Americans. . . . The Chiefs were 3-for-4 on the PP; the Americans were 2-for-5. . . . Attendance was 5,829. . . . The Chiefs kept pace with Portland and continue to trail the U.S. Division leaders by one point. . . . The Americans are four points behind the Chiefs but do hold three games in hand. . . . The Chiefs are back in Kennewick on Monday to play a game that was postponed due to poor ice conditions on New Year’s Eve. It will be the ninth of 12 meetings, with each team having won four times. . . .
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In Kelowna, F Evan Bloodoff scored the game’s first two goals and the Rockets went on to a 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Bloodoff, who has 19 goals, scored shorthanded at 3:06 of the first period and added a PP score at 8:09. . . . The Giants got to within 2-1 and 4-3 but weren’t able to equalize. . . . Kelowna was 3-for-7 on the PP; the Giants were 0-for-3. . . . F Geordie Wudrick got his 32nd goal for the Rockets, while Kelowna F Mitchell Callahan closed out the scoring with his 20th. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown and Vancouver G Mark Segal each stopped 27 shots. . . . Attendance was 6,134. . . . Doyle Potenteau has the game story over at DubNation. . . . This was the fourth straight game in which the Rockets have beaten the Giants. It also lifted Kelowna back atop the B.C. Division. They are tied with 67 points, but the Rockets, who have one game in hand, have two more victories. . . . The Giants don’t play again until Friday, when they entertain Chilliwack. On that night, Vancouver will induct Boston Bruins F Milan Lucic into its Ring of Honour. Yes, Lucic will be in the house. Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald talked with Lucic about it and the story is right here.
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SATURDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Two minors:
Chilliwack F Roman Horak
Spokane D Cogbin Baldwin
One major:
Kamloops D Josh Caron