Conference finals open tonight . . . Pucklandia rocks . . . Giants' prospect staying home

#RedWings employee Al Sobotka swings an octopus prior to Game 4 agst #Lightning. (@GettySport) http://t.co/1OzMil4KTM pic.twitter.com/k0VLYrIaeC
— Sports Photos (@sportsphotos) April 24, 2015

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.
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BRANDON VS. CALGARY: These teams are meeting in the playoffs for the sixth time in 11 seasons. . . . They last clashed in the spring of 2012 with the Wheat Kings winning a first-round series in five games. . . . Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk, who sat out the last three games of the second round, is back skating and could play tonight. . . . Brandon D Colton Waltz and F Rihards Bukarts of the Wheat Kings, both of whom went down in Game against Regina, should be available tonight. Both resumed skating on Monday. . . . Brandon F Reid Duke, injured in Game 5 against Regina, isn’t skating yet. . . . The Hitmen were missing F Chase Lang when the second-round ended, while F Adam Tambellini, who leads the post-season points race, and F Connor Rankin had missed time with undisclosed injuries. . . . The Wheat Kings will open with Jordan Papirny in goal; the Hitmen likely will start Mack Shields. . . . Shaw TV will be on the air tonight from Brandon. In fact, it will show the entire Eastern Conference final between the Wheat Kings and Calgary Hitmen. You’ll have Dan Russell calling the play, with analysis by Bill Wilms. Andy Neal will be the host. . . . F Morgan Klimchuk of the Wheat Kings is from Calgary and his NHL rights belong to the Calgary Flames. Yes, he is looking forward to playing the Hitmen. Perry Bergson of the Brandon Sun has more right here. ——

KELOWNA VS. PORTLAND: The Winterhawks are in their fifth straight conference final. One year ago, they took out the Rockets in five games. The Rockets were without F Myles Bell, their leading scorer, for that series. . . . This time, both teams appear healthy. Of course, this being the playoffs, we won’t know for sure until lineups are posted. . . . Dan Lambert, in his first season as Kelowna’s head coach after five seasons as an assistant, has been on the losing side of three series with Portland, including 2011 and 2012. . . . Despite rumbling to the contrary, G Jackson Whistle will open for the Rockets, while the Winterhawks, as expected, will counter with Adin Hill. Lambert actually told Whistle on Saturday that he would be starting Game 1. . . . Whistle has put up three shutouts in these playoffs. . . . The teams haven’t played each other since Nov. 21 and 22, so you can forget about trying to read anything into the season series.
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I made a return appearance on the Pucklandia podcast on Thursday evening. If you’ve got some time, feel free to give it a listen. It’s just two guys sitting around and talking all things WHL. . . . It’s right here.
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The WHL announced its conference nominees for the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as its outstanding player this season. It’ll be either F Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Portland Winterhawks or F Tim McGauley of the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Bjorkstrand, who turned 20 on April 10, led the WHL in goals (63) and points (118). He was a third-round selection by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . McGauley, who will be 20 on July 23, finished third in the scoring race with 105 points, including 42 goals. . . . McGauley is eligible for the NHL’s 2015 draft. . . . We’ll find out who wins the award when the WHL holds its awards ceremony in Calgary on May 6.
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The Prince Albert Raiders announced the signing of head coach Marc Habscheid to a four-year contract this week. But they have yet to announce whether general manager Bruno Campese will be back. What’s up with that? . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has that story right here.
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Dennis Coates, a longtime Kamloops lawyer who helped keep junior hockey in Kamloops back in the day, is involved in a lawsuit over a 1926 Model T. . . . Coates was a shareholder when the Junior Oilers/Blazers were community-owned and today is a director with the Kamloops Blazers Sports Society’s sports legacy fund. He received the WHL’s Distinguished Service Award in 2014. . . . Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week has more on the lawsuit right here.
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“Depression and anxiety are the worst kept secrets in professional sports,” writes Hayley Wickenheiser, perhaps the greatest female hockey player in history, at The Players’ Tribune. “In every locker room across the NHL, there are guys who are struggling with the fear of everything — the fear of a bad shift, the fear of pissing off their coach, the fear of getting traded or cut and letting down their family. What also happens in every locker room is that there are teammates, trainers and staff who stay silent too long when a guy struggles.” . . . Wickenheiser was friends with the late Steve Montador and she pours out her heart in this piece right here. . . . At one point, she writes: “We need to do more. The entire hockey community, including league officials, teammates, coaches, trainers, the NHLPA, and the hundreds of former players out there, need to come together and solidify a comprehensive support system for those struggling with depression, anxiety and the aimlessness that comes with finding a second life after hockey. Not in the future. Not next season. Right now.” . . . She’s right!
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F Owen Hardy has decided to play next season with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers. Hardy, who is from Nanaimo, was selected by the Vancouver Giants with the 42nd overall pick in the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. . . . "I knew the coach (Mike Vandekamp) and I liked him very much," Hardy told Scott McKenzie of the Nanaimo Daily News. "I didn't really know who the Giants coach was going to be, so it just seemed like the safer place to go, and it seemed like a very good place to go just from practicing and being with the team all year.” . . . Hardy played this season with Nanaimo’s major midget team. . . . McKenzie’s story is right here.
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From the Prince Albert Daily Herald: “Former Prince Albert Raiders goalie Travis Laycock has been honoured for saving two lives. Brad Wall presented Laycock and seven others with the Saskatchewan Premier’s Commendation Award in Regina on Tuesday to honour the individuals’ various courageous actions. Last July, Laycock jumped into a slough near Bruno to save a couple whose car had gone into the water. Laycock, 43, was a goalie with the Raiders from 1989-92.”
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The SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings held their AGM on Wednesday. Earlier this season, they had announced that they were close to $200,000 in debut and in danger of not answering the bell for 2015-16. At the AGM, it was revealed that the debut has been reduced to about $70,000. Ticket sales increased by about $80,000 after the team went public with its problems in January.
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If you threw your hat on the ice for the @Cavemn10 Hat-Trick we have them signed by Colby at @SC_Stable. Come claim yours!
— SC Broncos (@SCBroncos) April 23, 2015

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Well done, Matthew Marotta!

The world of minor hockey is full of ugly stories, like the one that was mentioned here yesterday involving an incident during a tournament in Winnipeg.
Well, right here is a story that starts out ugly but, by the end, will bring tears to your eyes and a smile to your face.
The story is told in a letter to the editor that appeared in the Prince George Citizen. The game in question was part of the 43rd annual Vernon Coca-Cola Invitational pee wee tournament.
The player who showed such courage and intelligence, who stood up to be counted and set such a fine example, is Matthew Marotta of the Prince George Viking Construction peewee Tier 1 Cougars. His parents have to be extremely proud. As of right now, Matthew is on my all-time all-star team. All leagues. All sports. All time. Period.
I also would suggest that he is Prince George’s minor hockey player of the year, if there is such an award. In fact, here’s a nomination for Matthew as Prince George’s citizen of the year.
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The Kelowna Rockets, who lead the WHL’s overall standings, put a three-game winning streak on the line tonight as they play host to the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Rockets are without F Tyson Baillie, who has an undisclosed injury. Baillie, 18, has 55 points, including 22 goals, in 56 games. In his third season, he has a career-high 33 assists. He is four goals and one point from career highs set last season. . . . The Rockets are hoping that D Jesse Lees, who hasn’t played since Jan. 31, will return this weekend when they play a doubleheader in Prince George. Injuries have limited Lees, 18, to 37 games this season.
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The Red Deer Rebels have lost F Lukas Sutter, 20, for the remainder of this season. According to the Rebels, he is in need of reconstructive shoulder surgery. He had 23 points, 10 of them goals, in 45 games. In 265 career regular-season games, Sutter put up 126 points, including 55 goals. . . . The Winnipeg Jets selected Sutter in the second round of the NHL’s 2012 draft. He is the son of former NHLer/WHLer Rich Sutter.
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G Patrik Bartosak of the Red Deer Rebels stopped 29 shots during a 7-1 loss to the Hitmen in Calgary on Sunday. That allowed Bartosak, a 19-year-old from Koprivnice, Czech Republic, to set a franchise record for most saves in a single season. He now has made 1,739 saves this season; the previous record of 1,727 was held by Shane Bendera (1999-2000).
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The Vancouver Giants are in Alberta this week, starting tonight against the Hurricanes in Lethbridge. D Dalton Thrower (ankle) has missed 11 games and won’t play tonight. However, Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Giants general manager Scott Bonner expects Thrower, the team captain, to return before the end of the regular season. . . . The Giants have added D Matt Barberis, a first-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, to their roster. Barberis, from Surrey, plays for the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget League. He turned 16 on Jan. 19.
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D Colton Waltz of the Brandon Wheat Kings drew a TBD suspension under supplemental discipline for an unpenalized hit on F Dryden Hunt in the first period of Monday’s 4-0 loss to the Pats in Regina. Hunt left the game in the first period and didn’t return. Hunt, who has a history of brain injuries, is shown on the WHL injury report as being out indefinitely with an “upper body“ injury. . . . F Carter Amson of the Lethbridge also drew a TBD suspension after taking a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct in a 12-0 loss to the Oil Kings in Edmonton on Monday. . . . Meanwhile, D Macoy Erkamps of the Hurricanes got a one-game sentence for a kneeing major and game misconduct he incurred during Saturday’s 8-1 loss to the visiting Calgary Hitmen. He served that suspension on the weekend. . . . F Jessey Astles of the Tri-City Americans got hit with a seven-game sentence for a headshot major and game misconduct he took during Saturday’s 7-0 loss to the host Spokane Chiefs. In its reasons for discipline, the WHL stated: “The player targeted the opponent’s head . . . The player jumped to make the hit . . . The player is a repeat offender . . . The opponent was not injured on the play.” . . . Astles’ suspension equals the longest handed down by the WHL office this season. On Dec. 17, Portland Winterhawks F Brendan Leipsic got a seven-game suspension after taking a match penalty during a Dec. 14 game against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds.
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The CHL and Sportsnet have signed a 12-year “partnership extension” that runs through 2025-26 and covers CHL regular-season and playoff games, as well as the MasterCard Memorial Cup “in Canada.”
The exact phrasing is that Sportsnet continues “its tradition as the exclusive broadcaster of the CHL and MasterCard Memorial Cup in Canada.”
Does that mean that is the exclusive broadcaster of those events when they are held in Canada? Or does it mean that it is the exclusive Canadian broadcaster?
More from the news release:
“The new agreement, which begins with the 2014-15 season, features a comprehensive suite of multimedia rights including television, online and mobile, delivering more than 50 CHL games each year, including CHL playoff games and the Memorial Cup.”
Don’t forget that Sportsnet also begins a 12-year deal with the NHL next season, and also is the regional broadcaster of the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks.
The total of 50 games includes playoff and Memorial Cup games. It may also include Subway Super Series games and the Top Prospects game.
As Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix tweeted on Tuesday afternoon: “CHL and Sportsnet announce 12-yr extension, beginning 2014-15 . . . With all the NHL games, hope CHL doesn't get buried.”
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WEDNESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Victoria at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Regina at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Prince Albert at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
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TUESDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, the Winterhawks ran their franchise-record winning streak to 17 games as they beat the Prince George Cougars, 5-1. . . . Prince George F Todd Fiddler got the game’s first goal, at 6:49 of the first period, via the PP, but the visitors never scored again. That was Fiddler’s 40th goal this season. . . . Portland got a goal, his 41st, and two assists from F Oliver Bjorkstrand. He tied the game on a PP at 19:49 of the first. . . . D Derrick Pouliot, who scored twice, gave the Winter hawks a 2-1 lead at 19:56 of the second, also on a PP. He’s got 17 goals. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had two assists. He has at least one assist in 13 straight games, the longest such streak in the WHL this season. . . . Petan leads the WHL in points (102), two more than F Mitch Holmberg of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Bjorkstrand is third, with 91 points. . . . Portland F Dominic Turgeon picked up an assist, giving him a seven-game point streak. He’s got 12 points in those seven games. . . . With G Brendan Burke (ill) still out, Corbin Boes started again for Portland and came up with 30 saves. . . . Portland was 3-for-7 on the PP; Prince George was 1-for-6. . . . It’s worth noting that Portland F Adam De Champlain is shown on the WHL injury report as being out four to six weeks, after having been listed as day-to-day. . . . Portland will go for 18 in a row on Friday when it plays host to the Kamloops Blazers. . . .
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “70x2 - @pdxwinterhawks Nic Petan has become the first WHLer to have back-to-back 70-assist seasons since Todd Robinson in 1996-97 & 1997-98.”

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Stop the presses! Stop the presses!!
That party to honour the WHL’s Mr. 3,000? Put it on hold. At least for a few days.
The Medicine Hat News reports that Bob Ridley, the radio voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers, won’t be broadcasting his 3,000th game tonight with the Kootenay Ice in town.
That, according to The News, will be No. 2,998.
Which means that Ridley will call No. 3,000 on Saturday night when the Tigers are in Lethbridge. (No. 2,999 will come on Friday when the Tigers meet the Ice in Cranbrook.)
No matter. They are going to go ahead and salute the play-calling bus driver tonight, as well they should.
Besides, as pointed out here the other day, when you throw in playoff and Memorial Cup games, Ridley long ago went past 3,000.
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I don’t know the process involved in nominating someone for the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. But should someone who is involved in that process happen to read this, I would suggest that Bob Ridley would be a worthy recipient.
According to the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award page on Facebook, the award is “presented by the Hockey Hall of Fame to members of the radio and television industry who make outstanding contributions to their profession and the game of ice hockey during their broadcasting career. The award winners are selected by the NHL Broadcasters' Association.”
I would suggest that Ridley more than meets that criteria.
Failing that, he should be nominated for the Bus Drivers’ Hall of Fame.
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Peter Maher, the radio voice of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, recently called his 3,000th game. So he knows what that is all about.
But he can’t comprehend what Bob Ridley has done and continues to do.
"It's a real tribute to his stamina and his abilities to be able to travel as much as they do and broadcast all those games," Maher, who is a Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winner, told Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald.
"And driving the bus on top of all that? I can't comprehend doing what he's done.
"Pretty incredible."
Odland’s complete story is right here.
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The Portland Winterhawks have welcomed back Dean (Scooter) Vrooman as their director of corporate sponsorships. Vrooman was the radio voice of the Winterhawks for 25 seasons (1982-2007) before leaving the organization during its dog days prior the franchise being purchased by Bill Gallacher. Since then, Vrooman had been working with First Independent Bank in Vancouver, Wash. According to a news release, “In his new role, Vrooman will work with Rich Franklin and Garrett McFall to develop strong corporate partnerships for the organization.” . . . Vrooman is expected to make the occasional appearance on radio broadcasts; after all, his son, Todd, is the club play-by-play voice and broadcast communications manager.
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Medicine Hat Tigers G Tyler Bunz has had his impaired driving case move to Morinville, Alta., and put over to March 22. Bunz, whose NHL rights belong to the Edmonton Oilers, was to have been in court Monday in St. Albert, Alta., after being charged there in May 2011. Bunz, 21, was a fifth-round selection by the Oilers in the NHL’s 2010 draft.
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F Jordan Messier of the Tri-City Americans has been suspended for three games under supplemental discipline. He wasn’t penalized for whatever happened during a Saturday game against the Silvertips in Everett. Sometime after the game, the Silvertips requested supplemental discipline from the WHL office. . . . Messier began his suspension by sitting out Sunday’s 4-3 victory over the Winterhawks in Portland.
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The Everett Silvertips have signed D Michael Zipp to a WHL contract. Zipp, a fourth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft, is in Everett working out with the team . . . A native of Edmonton, Zipp played for the midget AAA Canadian Athletic Club team. He had eight assists and 32 penalty minutes in 34 games.
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The 2013 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will be played at the Halifax Metro Centre, home of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads, on January 16.
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From Elliotte Friedman’s highly popular weekly notes package, 30 Thoughts:
27. The Ontario Hockey League is going to have some kind of additional fighting penalty next season, but elimination of fisticuffs isn't going to happen. "I'm 99 per cent in favour of abolishing it, but I'm worried about 'the rat' taking over junior hockey," said one GM. Said another: "I don't hate fighting, I hate the bull (bleep) that comes with it." He's referring to staged fights, players taunting via social media and guys who can't do anything else.
28, The other thing they want to eliminate is fisticuffs after clean hits. Limiting the number of fighting majors a player can get during the season should cut down those kinds of brawls. Let's say the maximum is 10. Fight number 11 gets two games. Fight number 12 is four, and so on. You'd probably cut down on a lot of that.
29. Will the OHL do this on its own? Yes, if necessary. The WHL has little interest and the QMJHL is a tossup.
Friedman’s complete piece is right here.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings have added D Colton Waltz, 16, to their roster. He spent the season with the AJHL's Bonnyville Pontiacs. A third-round selection in the 2010 bantam draft, Waltz had 12 points, three of them goals, in 41 games with the Pontiacs. In five playoff games, he had a goal and an assist.
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According to the WHL’s weekly roster report, the Portland Winterhawks have added F Dominic Turgeon to their roster. The son of former NHLer Pierre Turgeon, Dominic was a third-round selection in the 2011 bantam draft and has signed a WHL contract. He is out of the Colorado Thunderbirds’ program.
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According to that same roster report, the Brandon Wheat Kings are without veteran G Brandon Anderson. The reason he is out is shown as “personal.” No further details are available although, as I understand it, Anderson is expected back within 10 days. . . . Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that the Wheat Kings, who meet the Pats in Regina tonight, had F Tyrel Seaman (concussion) back at practice on Tuesday. Seaman was hurt Nov. 25, came back for one game after Christmas and hasn’t played since then. . . . Brandon F Kevin Sundher (concussion) has played one game since Feb. 14 and didn’t practise yesterday.
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In the BCHL, the Penticton Vees whipped the visiting Trail Smoke Eaters 10-0 on Tuesday for their 41st consecutive victory. That broke the Canadian junior record that had been shared by the Sudbury Wolves (1989-90) and the now-defunct Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (1999-2000). . . . The victory also was the Vees’ 53rd of the season and that’s a BCHL record. . . . As the hockey gods would have it, last night’s victory came on the 57th anniversary of the biggest victory in Penticton hockey history. On the afternoon of March 6, 1955, the Vees beat Russia 5-0 in Krefeld, Germany, to win the world amateur championship.
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D Mike Hellyer (Prince Albert, 2003-07) has signed with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. Hellyer, a 25-year-old from Brandon, has spent the last four seasons with the U of Manitoba Bisons, whose season ended last weekend. Hellyer had 18 points in 26 games with the Bisons this season. In four seasons there, he had 82 points in 110 games.
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The Saskatoon Blades are scheduled to get their captain back tonight. D Duncan Siemens, who has missed 13 games with a concussion, should be in the lineup tonight as the Blades meet the Raiders in Prince Albert. . . . Siemens was injured on Feb. 4 on a hit from Medicine Hat Tigers F Brendan Hurley, who later drew a six-game suspension. . . . The Blades, who have lost four in a row and eight of 10, won just four of 13 games with Siemens sidelined.
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F Taylor Peters of the Portland Winterhawks, who knows his way around a keyboard, has seen the movie Goon and he offers up a player’s view right here.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Swift Current, F Adam Rossignol broke a 3-3 tie at 15:10 of the third period as the Broncos beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-3. . . . Rossignol, 18, played the first 39 games of this season with the Ice, before being traded to the Broncos. . . . He has eight goals this season, two in 28 games with Swift Current. . . . F Christian Magnus had two goals, giving him nine, and an assist and also was plus-4 for the Broncos. Magnus’s second goal gave the Broncos a 3-2 lead at 19:38 of the second. . . .. F Joe Antilla, with his 13th, tied it for the Ice at 12:04 of the third. . . . Broncos G Jon Groenheyde, named the CHL’s goaltender of the week earlier in the day, stopped 32 shots, two more than the Ice’s Nathan Lieuwen. . . . The Ice is fifth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Calgary and just one up on Regina. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Phil Tot snapped a 1-1 tie at 11:19 of the third period to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 decision over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Lethbridge G Damien Ketlo turned aside 37 shots, 22 more than Moose Jaw’s Luke Siemens. . . . Tot has 14 goals this season. . . . F Russ Maxwell gave Lethbridge a 1-0 lead at 19:28 of the second. . . . Moose Jaw F Cody Beach equalized at 4:04 of the third. . . . The result prevented Moose Jaw from clinching first place in the East Division. . . . The Warriors hold a 12-point lead over second-place Regina in the division. . . . Moose Jaw is six points behind the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings. Each team has six games remaining. They are scheduled to meet tonight in Edmonton. . . .

In Red Deer, the Calgary Hitmen escaped with a 3-2 victory over the Rebels. . . . F Brady Brassart scored his 22nd goal at 9:53 of the second period to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. . . . F Chase Clayton stretched the lead with his 12th at 17::32 of the third. . . . D Mathew Dumba got his 19th at 19:55 of the third. . . . Calgary G Brandon Glover stopped 33 shots, seven fewer than Red Deer’s Deven Dubyk. . . . The Hitmen, who won for the 40th time this season, are fourth in the Eastern Conference and now are five points clear of Kootenay and just two behind Medicine Hat. . . . The Rebels are eight points out of the conference’s final playoff spot but have just six games left. . . . Red Deer got F Cory Millette back from injury but are still missing seven regular contributors. . . .

In Prince George, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Cougars, 3-1. . . . F Austin Daae got the Cougars on the board with his second goal at 3:27 of the second. . . . The Thunderbirds then got second-period goals from D Brad Deagle, his third, and F Luke Lockhart, his 13th. . . . F Connor Sanvido finished it off with his seventh at 11:01 of the third. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 21 shots. . . . G Drew Owsley of the Cougars turned aside 23 shots. . . . Prince George F Alex Forsberg reteurned after an 11-game absence with an injury. . . . Cougars D Cody Carlson will play in his 300th game as the teams meet again tonight. . . . The Thunderbirds are ninth in the Western Conference, just one point behind Everett, which holds down the last playoff spot. . . . The loss hurts the Cougars’ chances. They are 10th, five points out of a playoff spot with six games remaining.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None.
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TUESDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES
Eastern Conference:
Moose Jaw at Edmonton: The top two teams in the Eastern Conference meet. The Oil Kings have won five in a row.
Kootenay at Medicine Hat: The Ice is fifth, one point ahead of Regina. The Tigers are third, two points ahead of Calgary.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert: The Blades, who have lost four in a row and eight of 10, are one point ahead of Brandon.
Brandon at Regina: The Wheat Kings were in Regina on Saturday when the Pats erased a 4-0 deficit with the game’s last six goals. Brandon is eighth, three points behind Regina and one in back of Saskatoon. Regina F Jordan Weal has 109 points, the most by a Pats skater since Ronald Petrovicky put up 113 in 1997-98.
Western Conference:
Portland at Kamloops: The Winterhawks lead the overall standings by one point over Edmonton and Tri-City, and three on Kamloops, which has clinched the B.C. Division title.
Tri-City at Vancouver: The Americans are coming off a 4-3 victory in Portland on Sunday. The Giants are tied with Spokane for fourth; they will meet in the first round but don’t yet know who has home-ice advantage.,
Kelowna at Spokane: The Rockets took two from Kamloops on the weekend and know they will finish sixth. The Chiefs are 3-0-1 in their last four.
Victoria at Everett: The Royals, who are starting a four-game road trip with this one, are seventh, one point ahead of the Silvertips.
Seattle at Prince George: The Thunderbirds beat the Cougars 3-1 last night. Seattle is ninth, one point behind Everett and four up on Prince George.

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