Showing posts with label Bud Holloway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bud Holloway. 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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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END OF REGULAR SEASON

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Saturday, November 19, 2016

Memorial Cup contender in P.G.? . . . Ex-WHLer hospitalized after collapsing . . . Pats' streak meets Royal end

F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) has been released by CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL). He had three goals and six assists in 12 games.
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So . . . did D Brendan Guhle win a game or lose one on Friday night in Prince George?
Moments after the host Cougars had beaten Guhle and the Prince Albert Raiders, 4-2, the veteran was informed that he had been traded to Prince George.
In fact, once the Raiders had been informed of the trade — the Cougars gave up D Max Martin, 18, F Kolby Johnson, 17, a 2017 first-round bantam draft pick and a 2019 third-round pick — Guhle walked into the Cougars’ dressing room and met his new teammates.
“Obviously I’m excited,” Guhle, who was selected as the game’s third star, told Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen. “It was mixed emotions at first when I found out, but they’re obviously a great team, looking at their record they’re 17-4 and I’m excited to join a team that’s already very good.”
Talk about going from the outhouse to the penthouse.
The Raiders have the WHL’s poorest record; the Cougars, after Friday’s victory, were alone atop the 22-team league’s overall standings.
“I was obviously a little upset at first,” Guhle continued. “I got drafted by Prince Albert and have been there 4½ years and it was tough. They were great to me and the coaching staff is awesome.
“But I’m excited to hopefully win a championship here in Prince George. My No. 1 goal coming back from Buffalo this year was to win a championship. It didn’t happen in Prince Albert and they were generous enough to let me go to a place where they felt I could win and put me in a good position here and I’m excited about that.”
The Raiders selected Guhle with the third-overall pick in the 2011 WHL bantam draft. The Buffalo Sabres picked him in the second round of the NHL’s 2015 draft and has signed a three-year, entry-level deal with them.
While Guhle didn’t find out about the trade until after the game, the other two players involved — D Max Martin, 18, and F Kolby Johnson, 17 — were told before the game that they had been dealt to Prince Albert. Neither played in the game.
“It was a weird situation,” Johnson told Clarke, “because I came to the rink and my old team was battling my new team and I was just wondering who to cheer for.
“It’s hard because every year since I was 14 I’ve been coming to this camp and I’ve been putting on that jersey for a few years now. These are the only guys I know and we’re so close together. It’s such a unique experience here because we travel so much and we’re always together.”
This is a huge deal for the Cougars, who have erased any doubts anyone may have had about their intentions this season. Their roster features 26 players, including nine defencemen and 15 forwards. The oldest team in the WHL, they are carrying 10 1997-born players and three 20-year-olds.
Before leaving Prince George, Martin took time to mention the MC. Yes, he did.
Guhle, Martin said, is “the real-deal defenceman and he’ll just put this team over the top. They’re a Memorial Cup contender if not one of the favourites . . . he’ll just really boost them that much.”
Guhle is expected to be in the Cougars’ lineup on Tuesday when they play host to the red-hot Regina Pats.
The Raiders, who went 0-5-0 on their B.C. Division tour, next play Wednesday when they entertain the Swift Current Broncos.
When you are a community-owned team and play in a smaller arena as do the Raiders, it never is easy for management to make the decision to trade a player like Guhle in an attempt to solidify the future. It will be interesting to see the impact of the decision on the Raiders’ attendance.
To this point, through nine home games, they are averaging an announced attendance of 2,140 fans. Last season, their final figure was 2,369, which was down from 2,431 in 2014-15.
Clarke’s complete trade story is right here.
www.princegeorgecitizen.com/sports/hockey/cougars-get-guhle-in-trade-from-prince-albert-1.2943570
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The Saskatoon Blades have released F Luke Gingras, 18, while signing F Dryden Michaud, 18, and adding him to their roster. . . . Gingras, from Langley, B.C., was a fourth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. He had two goals and an assist in 15 games this season. He was in his third WHL season. In 109 games, he put up 13 points, six of them goals. . . . Michaud has been skating with the Blades for two weeks and made his debut in a 6-3 loss to the host Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday night. From Maple Ridge, B.C., he started this season with the junior B Abbotsford Pilots, scoring four goals and adding four assists in five games. Last season, he had 40 points, 18 of them goals, in 43 games with the Pilots.
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Former WHL F Craig Cunningham, the captain of the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, is in hospital today after collapsing on the ice prior to a game against the visiting Manitoba Moose on Saturday night.
Cunningham received medical attention, including CPR, on the ice before being removed and taken to hospital.
The game subsequently was postponed.
Later Saturday, John Chayka, the general manager of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, released this statement:
“Craig Cunningham suffered a medical emergency on the ice prior to the start of tonight’s game . . . at the Tucson Convention Center. Cunningham was taken to a local hospital where he is receiving medical treatment. Our thoughts and prayers are with Craig and his family. We will provide a medical update once we receive more information.”
Cunningham went into Saturday’s game with 13 points, including four goals, in 11 games.
Cunningham, 26, is from Trail, B.C. He played five seasons in the WHL, four-plus with the Vancouver Giants and 35 games with the Portland Winterhawks. In 330 regular-season games, he had 264 points, including 103 goals. He added 63 points, 25 of them goals, in 79 playoff games.

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Before going on to a life loaded with small arenas, minor hockey games and penalty of Starbucks product, Mike Fraser was an ink-stained wretch. Well, perhaps he wasn’t ink-stained, newspapers having been taken over by computers by the time he started writing in Brandon. . . . These days, between scouting assignments and his day job, Fraser writes a highly readable column for the Brandon-based Westman Journal. . . . His last two columns have involved anecdotes from the scouting trail. The latest one is right here and the first one also is available on the paper’s website. . . . Enjoy, and try not to snicker or raise your eyebrows, especially while reading Part 2.
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JUST NOTES:

G Shannon Szabados, who once was in camp with the Tri-City Americans, has signed with the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs of the Chinook Hockey League. The Chiefs are a senior AAA team that competes for the Allan Cup. Szabados was released by the SPHL’s Peoria Rivermen last month. Szabados, 30, played the previous two seasons with the SPHL’s Columbus Cottonmouths.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:

At Brandon, F Ty Lewis scored twice and added an assist as the Wheat Kings skated to a 6-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . One night earlier, the Wheat Kings scored five PP goals in beating the visiting Blades, 8-1. . . . Brandon (12-7-3) has won five in a row. . . . The Blades (9-14-1) have lost three straight. . . . This time, Brandon was 0-3 on the PP; the Blades were 1-6. . . . The Wheat Kings led 3-0 before the game was seven minutes old, with F Rylan Bettens (1) scoring at 2:10, Lewis getting No. 13 at 3:46 and F Tyler Coulter (9) counting at 6:53. . . . The Blades got to within one when F Braylon Shmyr (7) scored at 10:26 of the first and D Bryton Sayers (3) added another at 9:09 of the second period. . . . However, Lewis stretched the lead to two at 16:15. . . . F Lukus MacKenzie (1) pulled the visitors close again, at 18:34. . . . Brandon put it away with third-period goals from F Reid Duke (13) at 3:53 and F Tanner Kaspick (10) at 5:37. . . . Brandon got two assists from F Stelio Mattheos, while Kaspick added one to his goal. . . . G Jordan Papirny earned the victory with 30 saves, two more than Saskatoon’s Logan Flodell. . . . The Wheat Kings continue to play without F Nolan Patrick. . . . Announced attendance: 3,742.
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At Everett, F Tyler Wong’s breakaway goal broke a 1-1 tie as the Lethbridge Hurricanes got past the Silvertips, 2-1. . . . Wong scored his 11th goal of the season, off a pass from D Brennan Menell, at 11:35 of the third period. . . . F Ryan Vandervlis (1) gave Lethbridge a 1-0 lead at 19:17 of the first period. . . . D Lucas Skrumeda (1) pulled Everett into a tie at 3:52 of the second period. . . . G Stuart Skinner stopped 30 shots for the visitors, with Carter Hart making 22 saves for Everett. . . . The Silvertips were 0-1 on the PP; the Hurricanes were 0-2. . . . The Hurricanes (8-11-3) had lost their previous five games (0-4-1). . . . Everett (15-3-4) had been 7-0-3 in its last 10. . . . Announced attendance: 5,322.
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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Beck Malenstyn scored twice as the Calgary Hitmen snapped a four-game losing skid with a 4-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Malenstyn, who has five goals, opened the scoring at 11:00 of the first period. . . . The Hitmen, who have won 12 straight games from the Ice, went up 3-0 on goals from F Lucas Cullen (2) at 14:39 of the first period and F Mark Kastelic (3), on a PP, at 2:31 of the second. . . . F Matt Alfaro’s seventh goal got the Ice on the board at 5:19. . . . Malenstyn got that one back at 14:04. . . . F Zak Zborosky scored his 18th goal for the Ice, on a PP, at 12:58 of the third period. . . . F Matteo Gennaro had two assists for Calgary. . . . Alfaro added an assist to his goal. . . . Calgary got 29 saves from G Cody Porter. . . . Ice starter Jakob Walter blocked eight of 10 shots in the first period. Payton Lee finished up, giving up two goals on 17 shots. . . . Each team was 1-4 on the PP. . . . F Bryce Bader, a second-round pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, made his WHL debut with Calgary. From Sherwood Park, Alta., he plays for the midget AAA Sherwood Park Kings. . . . The Hitmen, who were playing their fourth road game in five nights, improved to 8-9-2. All told, it was a six-game road trip; Calgary went 2-4-0. . . . The Ice slipped to 4-13-6. . . . Announced attendance: 1,809.
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At Medicine Hat, F Matt Bradley scored in the shootout to give the Tigers a 5-4 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . F Max Gerlach also scored for the home side in the circus, with F Aleksi Heponiemi scoring for the visitors. . . . F James Hamblin had two goals and an assist for the Tigers, his second goal, and sixth of the season, providing them with a 4-2 lead at 2:20 of the third period. . . . Broncos D Max Lajoie (3) trimmed the lead at 3:14 and Heponiemi forced OT with his sixth goal at 12:38. . . . F Max Gerlach had a goal (13) and an assist for the Tigers. . . . The Broncos got two assists from F Tyler Steenbergen. . . . G Nick Schneider stopped 21 shots for the Tigers, while the Broncos got 44 saves from Travis Child. . . . Each team was 0-2 on the PP. . . .The Broncos are 0-4 in shootouts this season. . . . The Tigers (16-5-1) have won five in a row. . . . The Broncos (11-7-6) have lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 4,015.
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At Portland, F Ryan Hughes scored twice, his second goal coming in OT and giving the Winterhawks a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Hughes, who has nine goals, won it at 2:17 of extra time. . . . F Colton Veloso (5) and Hughes gave Portland a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals at 14:41 and 19:50. . . . Seattle roared back and took a 3-2 lead in the second period, with F Scott Eansor (10) scoring, on a PP, at 3:53; D Turner Ottenbreit getting his third at 10:25; and F Nolan Volcan (9) counting on another PP, this one at 15:55. . . . Porlland F Joachim Blichfeld (7) tied it at 19:30. . . . F Alexander True (10) put Seattle back out front at 5:16 of the third period, only to have Portland F Keegan Iverson (10) tie it, on a PP, at 7:00. . . . F Cody Glass had two assists for Portland, with Hughes, Iverson, Blichfeld and Veloso each getting one. . . . Seattle got two assists from F Sami Moilanen, while True, Ottenbreit and Volcan each had one. . . . G Cole Kehler came up with 42 saves for Portland, while Seattle got 23 from Rylan Toth. . . . Seattle was 2-5 on the PP; Portland was 2-7. . . . The Winterhawks (10-12-0) have won two in a row. They had been 1-9-0 in their past 10. . . . The Thunderbirds (10-8-2) had won three in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 5,457.
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At Spokane, F Garrett Pilon had a goal and two assists to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 6-4 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Spokane scored the game’s first two goals, but the Blazers took control with the
GARRETT PILON
next five. . . . F Spencer Bast (3) got the visitors into a 2-2 tie at 18:42 of the first period and F Collin Shirley’s 11th goal, on a PP, broke the tie at 19:55. . . . D Joe Gatenby (3) and Pilon (4) upped that lead to 5-3 with goals at 6:11 and 7:25 of the second. . . . The Chiefs got to within one on two goals from F Keanu Yamamoto (7), at 15:51 of the second and 2:01 of the third. . . . Blazers F Rudolfs Balcers iced it with his 14th goal at 6:22. . . . Kamloops continues to be led by Pilon’s line, which has Balcers and Deven Sideroff on the wings. Sideroff had two assists and Balcers had one. . . . Kamloops also got a goal and an assist from F Nick Chyzowski, who has nine goals. . . . F Hudson Elynuik had two assists for the Chiefs. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram was sharp, with 42 saves. . . . Spokane starter Dawson Weatherill gave up four goals on nine shots in 26:11. Jayden Sittler finished up, allowed two goals on 13 shots. . . . Kamloops was 3-9 on the PP; Spokane was 1-4. . . . Spokane received the game’s first two and last two PP opportunities. In between, the Blazers had nine in a row. . . . The Blazers (14-10-1) have won three in a row, all against U.S. Division opponents. . . . The Chiefs (8-8-5), who are scheduled to play in Kamloops on Wednesday, have lost seven straight to the Blazers. . . . The Chiefs lost F Kailer Yamamoto and F Ethan McIndoe to undisclosed injuries in the first period. Neither returned to the game. . . . Announced attendance: 5,336.
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At Kennewick, Wash., F Kobe Mohr scored two goals, including the OT winner, as the Edmonton Oil Kings got past the Tri-City Americans, 5-4. . . . Edmonton took a 4-2 lead into the last half of the third period, only to watch it disappear. . . . D Juuso Valimaki (6) cut the home team’s deficit to one at 12:59 and F Michael Rasmussen tied it with his WHL-leading 20th goal, at 16:28. . . . Rasmussen, who is in his draft season, has 20 goals in 24 games. Last season, he finished with 18 goals in 63 games. . . . F Adam Berg had a goal and an assist for Edmonton, which got three assists from F Lane Bauer and two from F Trey Fix-Wolansky. . . . Valimaki finished with two goals and an assist, while F Tyler Sandhu had two assists and Rasmussen had one. . . . G Patrick Dea stopped 27 shots for the Oil Kings, with Evan Sarthou blocking 36 at the other end. . . . Each team was 1-5 on the PP. . . . The Oil Kings (10-10-2) have won two in a row. . . . The Americans (14-8-2) have lost two straight. . . . Announced attendance: 3,754.
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At Victoria, it took 19 games but the Regina Pats finally lost in regulation time as they dropped a 5-3 decision to the Royals. . . . The Pats (15-1-3) had won their previous 10 games. . . . The Royals (13-8-2) have won two in a row. . . . Victoria F Tyler Soy opened the scoring with his 12th goal, on a penalty shot, at 6:16 of the first period. That gave him the Royals’ career goal record, with 102, breaking the mark he had shared with F Brandon Magee. Soy got there in 234 games, while Magee played in 252. The franchise record, which incorporates the Royals and Chilliwack Bruins, is held by F Ryan Howse, who put up 140 goals in 262 games, all with the Bruins. . . . F Dante Hannoun upped Victoria’s lead to 2-0 with his ninth goal, on a PP, at 19:01 of the first. . . . D Connor Hobbs scored a PP goal at 10:39 of the second period to get Regina started. . . . Victoria D Chaz Reddekopp (3) restored the Royals’ two-goal lead at 12:45. . . . The Pats got back to within one when D Chase Harrison, who also had an assist, got his sixth goal at 19:46. That ran his point streak to 14 games, the longest in the WHL this season. . . . Victoria F Carter Folk, with his first goal of the season, gave the Royals a 4-2 edge at 17:06 of the third period. . . . Hobbs got his ninth goal at 17:36. . . . Victoria F Jack Walker (12) iced it with the empty-netter at 19:56. . . . Walker and Hannoun each had an assist. . . . The Pats got two assists from F Adam Brooks, who has at least a point in each of the 13 games he has played this season. . . . G Griffen Outhouse sparked the Royals with 43 saves, while Tyler Brown made 20 saves for Regina. . . . Victoria was 1-4 on the PP; Regina was 1-5. . . . Announced attendance: 6,619.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Lethbridge at Portland, 5 p.m.
Regina vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 4 p.m.
Kelowna at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:57 PM
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Saturday, May 17, 2014

Storm stings Oil Kings

Mr. Lazuli Bunting stopped by and said hello. Also said
he was on his way to London for the Memorial Cup. I
just hope he knows which London.






F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) has signed a one-year contract with Bern (Switzerland, NL A). This season with Skellefteå (Sweden, SEL), he had 33 points, including 10 goals, in 53 games. . . .
F Bohdan Višňák (Saskatoon, 2006-07) has signed a one-year contract with Nice (France, Division 1). This season with Montpellier (France, Division 1), he had 11 points, four of them goals, in 16 games.
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1. So what happened to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday afternoon? According to Jack Todd, in the Montreal Gazette, it was  a combination of speed and sympathy. His piece is right here.

2. Remember J.P. Arencibia? He was a catcher with the Toronto Blue Jays, until last season ended. Arencibia says he no longer is with the Blue Jays because of unfavourable media coverage last season. Never mind that he couldn’t hit and struggled on defence. Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star has more right here.

3. A Saturday afternoon tweet from Cathal Kelly of The Globe and Mail: “A silent prayer for the all the sportswriters who will have to cover the Belmont Stakes, having never watched a horse race in their lives.” . . . That comes after California Chrome won the Preakness Stakes, becoming the third horse in the last 10 years to win the first two legs of the Triple Crown.

4. If you knew that Big Brown (2008) and I’ll Have Another (2012) were the other two, you know your thoroughbreds.

5. In watching the Stanley Cup playoffs and the first two games of the Memorial Cup tournament, it has become rather apparent that the unpenalized cross-check has returned to the game of hockey.

6. Does the performance by F Milan Lucic in these playoffs, from the chest-thumping to the handshake line the other night, say more about him or a lack of leadership on the Boston Bruins’ roster? Shouldn’t one of the more veteran players have taken him aside earlier and suggested he refocus his energies on what he does best, which is forecheck and cause a ruckus in the offensive zone? Or could it be that Lucic sees himself as the next Brad Marchand?

7. Will Lucic spend the off-season getting ready for the welcome he is going to receive in enemy arenas next season?
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F Ethen Frank has committed to attending Western Michigan U and playing for the Broncos. Frank, who played this season with his hometown U-16 Omaha AAA Lancers, was selected by the Victoria Royals in the fourth round of the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft.
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CJHLAt the RBC Cup in Vernon, B.C., the host Vipers of the BCHL lost a semifinal game, 6-3, to the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers, whose pregame meal, again, was paid for by F Jarret Stoll of the Los Angeles Kings. Have to think Stoll is buying again before today’s final. . . . The Terriers scored two empty-net goals to put away that victory. . . . In the other semifinal, the CCHL’s Carleton Place Canadians got past the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings, 5-3, with an empty-netter. . . . Today’s final is to begin at 4:30 p.m. Pacific (7:30 Eastern), and it’s scheduled to be televised by TSN.
---
The junior B Pacific Junior Hockey League has done some juggling of its conferences, what with the North Delta Devils moving to Langley and becoming the Langley Knights. They will play out of the George Preston Recreation Centre.
Thus, the Knights have moved to the Harold Brittain Conference, with the Port Moody Panthers shifting to the Tom Shaw Conference.
Here is the new alignment:
TOM SHAW CONFERENCE
Delta Ice Hawks
Grandview Steelers
North Vancouver Wolf Pack
Port Moody Panthers
Richmond Sockeyes
HAROLD BRITTAIN CONFERENCE
Abbotsford Pilots
Aldergrove Kodiaks
Langley Knights
Mission City Outlaws
Ridge Meadows Flames
---

MEMORIAL CUP
(at London, Ont., all times Eastern)
(all games televised by Sportsnet)
Friday: Val-d’Or 1, London 0 (8,863)
Saturday: Guelph 5, Edmonton 2 (8,842)
Sunday: London vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Monday: Guelph vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Edmonton vs. Val-d’Or, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: London vs. Guelph, 7 p.m.
Thursday: Tiebreaker, if necessary, 7 p.m.
Friday: Semifinal, 7 p.m.
Saturday: No game scheduled.
Sunday, May 25: Final, TBD.
---

SATURDAY’S GAME:
The OHL-champion Guelph Storm scored the game’s last four goals and beat the WHL-champion Edmonton Oil Kings, 5-2, on Day 2 of the Memorial Cup tournament. . . . Guelph went 2-for-3 on the PP, scoring its first two goals with the man advantage. . . . Guelph got two goals from each of F Kerby Rychel and F Tyler Bertuzzi. Rychel is the son of former NHLer Warren Rychel, who now owns a piece of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires and is the team’s general manager. Bertuzzi is a nephew to Detroit Red Wings F Todd Bertuzzi, who also played for the Storm. . . . Rychel scored the game’s first goal, with 4.2 seconds left in the first period, scoring on the PP after a soft roughing penalty to Edmonton D Aaron Irving. . . . The Oil Kings roared back early in the second period, getting goals 27 seconds apart from F Henrik Samuelsson (1:19) and D Ashton Sautner (1:46). . . . Guelph G Justin Nichols, who stopped 37 shots, was perfect after that. . . . Rychel tied the game at 7:40 of the second, giving Guelph goals on its first two PP shots of the game. That goal came as Jarry left his net to play the puck, a move that resulted in Edmonton F Mads Eller rifling an attempted clearance off Rychel and into the net. . . . At that point, Rychel had scored his club’s last four goals, as he scored the tying and winning goals as the Storm eliminated the North Bay Battalion in the OHL final. . . . F Brock McGinn gave Guelph its first lead at 14:52. . . . Bertuzzi added his goals at 5:46 and 15:49 of the third period. . . . Edmonton was 0-for-5 on the PP. . . . Jarry stopped 27 shots. . . . The Oil Kings have a quick turnaround as they meet the host London Knights tonight.
---





From Edmonton Sun columnist Terry Jones (@sunterryjones): “Good gawd. Attempt from behind own net by Mads Eller to ice puck on power play hits Rychel and in off Jarry. Steve Smith flashback. It's 2-2.”
---
From Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge): “Not a must-win game for the Knights and Oil Kings (today), but loser almost certainly needs to go through tiebreaker game to win Cup. Hard.”


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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:29 PM
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Friday, April 26, 2013


THE MacBETH REPORT:
SELF Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) signed a one-year contract extension with Skellefteå (Sweden, Elitserien). The contract has an out-clause should he sign an NHL contract. Holloway was named Elitserien Most Valuable Player, winning the league scoring championship with 20 goals and 51 assists in 55 games. Skellefteå beat Luleå four games to none to win their second-ever Elitserien championship — the first was in 1977-78. There is an interview video (in English) with Holloway on the club website, which you can find right here. . . .

Aus-HLF Ryan Kinasewich (Medicine Hat, Tri-City, 1998-2004) signed a one-year plus option contract with the Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). He had four goals and seven assists in 14 games with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) and 16 goals and 10 assists in 25 games for Milan Rossoblu (Italy, Serie A) this season. . . .

DELD Jame Pollock (Seattle, 1995-99) signed a one-year contract extension with the Nuremburg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had eight goals and 18 assists in 46 games this season. Nuremburg also announced that it won’t offer contracts for next season to seven players, including D Sven Butenschön (Brandon, 1993-1996). Butenschön had two goals and one assist in 50 games for the Ice Tigers this season. . . .

F Nathan Rempel (Saskatoon, 1994-98) won’t be offered a contract for next season by the Guildford Flames (England, Premier). He had 19 goals and 20 assists in 43 games for the Flames this season.
———
It will be interesting to see what kind of welcome is afforded F Chase Souto and the Kamloops Blazers tonight in Portland.
The Blazers trail 3-1 in the Western Conference final with the Winterhawks.
After being beaten 3-0 in Game 4 in Kamloops on Wednesday night, Souto was quoted by Marty Hastings of Kamloops This Week as saying: “We did it last year. I think we're going to go in their barn, cause a ruck and shut their fans up. Bunch of losers down there. … just gonna give it our all."
A year ago, in the second round, the Blazers were trailing 3-1 when they went into Portland and won, 7-2.
Souto’s comment was met with a predictable response.
Portland F Nic Petan told Paul Buker of The Oregonian: “We kind of heard it on the bus today. Not much you can do about it, just let it go. Our focus is on winning the game, and not making comments like that.”
D Derrick Pouliot added: “He can say whatever he wants. We’ve got amazing fans here. They’re loud, and proud.”
The loudest stuff, as usual, came from the fans.
Among the comments on the Winterhawks Booster Club’s Facebook page, where the graphic at the top of this entry was posted, were these:
“Wow, what a great example of terrible sportsmanship. Even if the Hawks lost, the fans would never shut up — Hawks' fans aren't fair weather fans.”
“No one shuts up we just shutout.”
“If your going to the game boo him enough for me please.”
“Suoto literally has a face only a mother can love. Go Hawks!!! Skates To Asses tomorrow night from the first puck drop till the final horn!!!”
“Chase Souto mouthing off, down 3-1? Shocker. Someone forgot to lock the chicken coop…”
“We should boo him every time he touches the puck. Just to remind him of his comment and how loud we can really be!”
There also was this:
“As much as it was pretty classless for Souto to make this statement... in my opinion it was wrong of the Winterhawks to create this and share it on their Facebook page. Seriously. Be the better team and show them on the ice...not on social media. This is a professional organization and posting this on their page is completely unprofessional.”
Meanwhile, over on Twitter, there was this:
From WinterhawksEgo (@WinterhawksEgo): “Way to stay classy @blazer hockey, chase souto. You're still losing Saturday night, don't fools yourselves.”
Uhh, someone may want to tell WinterhawksEgo that the game is tonight and tonight is Friday. Uhh, there isn’t a game scheduled for Saturday. So, WinterhawksEgo, don’t fools yourself into thinking there is a game on Saturday.
———
And then there was Portland freelance writer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who noted: “If the Winterhawks want to get casual PDX sports fans outraged, they should point out that Chase Souto is from CA and prob. a Lakers fan.”
———
In the WHL, we get chirping. In the QMJHL, they get really down and dirty.
QMJHLQMJHLYou have to love the QMJHL. You watched video of the the post-game donnybrook between the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Baie-Comeau Drakkar and you go to bed. You wake up Thursday morning and the suspensions and fines already have been handed out. No wasting time. Everyone knows where they stand. Wonderful! . . . All told, 12 players, including all four goaltenders, drew suspensions, which means you may be on the bench as a backup goaltender for one of the teams. . . . There’s more on the suspensions and fines right here. . . . The series is 2-2 with Game 5 scheduled for Baie-Comeau tonight. . . . After Game 2, the Armada dropped F Stefane Matteau, who was a first-round selection by the New Jersey Devils in the 2012 NHL draft. Provided with a plane ticket home from Baie-Comeau, he chose to ride home on a fan bus. His father, former NHLer Stephane, is an assistant coach with the Armada, although he now is on leave from the team.
———
Former NHLer Jim Peplinski suggests bodychecking be banned from all levels of hockey until players are at least 16 years of age. . . . “I’d question whether I’d have kids in hockey as it’s currently organized,” Peplinski said. “I don’t think I would. The image, the money, it completely fogs people’s judgments.” . . . Mark Howell, the head coach of the U of Calgary Dinos, says hitting shouldn’t be introduced until players are 13 to 15 years of age. . . . “Kids cannot learn to hit,” Howell said. “Kids need to learn the game of hockey without the fear of body contact at a young age.” . . . Dawn Walton of The Globe and Mail has more right here.
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It would appear that D Griffin Reinhart’s season is over. That being the case, his WHL career may be over. The Edmonton Oil Kings announced Thursday that Reinhart has undergone surgery to repair a torn tendon in a foot and won’t play for perhaps six weeks. . . . Reinhart suffered a cut to one foot during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference with the Calgary Hitmen. Reinhart, 19, was a first-round selection, fourth overall, by the New York Islanders in the 2012 NHL draft. . . . Edmonton D Cody Corbett (knee), who missed Games 3 and 4, is back skating. . . . With the series tied 2-2, Game 5 of the conference final is tonight in Edmonton. . . . The Hitmen will get back F Jake Virtanen, who served a two-game suspension for the hit that injured Corbett.
———

ECHLD Landon Oslanski, who played out his junior eligibility with the Everett Silvertips, has joined the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder. He made his pro debut last night, picking up an assist in a 5-3 playoff victory over the visiting Anchorage Aces.
———

THE COACHING GAME:
Jerry Bancks is the new general manager/head coach of the junior B Kimberley Dynamiters of the Kootenay International Junior League. Bancks had been an assistant coach with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice. In the past, Bancks has done two stints on the Dynamiters’ coaching staff, both times as an assistant. . . .
Aaron Wilburn has resigned as head coach of the junior B Richmond Sockeyes, who won the Keystone Cup as Western Canadian champions last week. Wilburn, 32, told Mark Booth of the Richmond News that his business interests have become too all-encompassing. Among other things, Wilbur is president of The Coaches Site and organizes coaching clinics. . . . Booth’s story is right here.
———
2013 Playoffs
The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Series tied 2-2; Game 5 tonight in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland leads series, 3-1; Game 5 tonight at the Rose Garden in Portland.)
———
THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No Games Scheduled.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (20):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (6):
None
———

From Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell): “Have to wonder where parity has gone in Jr. hockey. In OHL, QMJHL, WHL there have been 36 playoff series, only one has gone seven games.”


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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 1:23 AM
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