Writer vs. broadcaster! . . . Beautiful music in Prince George

D Mike Card (Kelowna, 2002-06) has signed a one-year contract with Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany, DEL2). Last season, with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, DEL2), he had nine points, including three goals, in 46 games. Card has dual Canadian-German citizenship. . . .

F Jan Eberle (Seattle, 2006-08) has signed a one-year extension with Kladno (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). Last season, with Kladno in Extraliga, he had eight points, one of them a goal, in 41 games. He was pointless in seven games while on loan to České Budějovice (Czech Republic, 1. Liga). With Kladno in Extraliga relegation and qualification series, he had 13 points, including four goals, in 18 games.
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1. There’s nothing better than a good, old-fashioned pithing match between an ink-stained wretch and a talking head. Right? . . . On Thursday, Regan Bartel, the veteran voice of the Kelowna Rockets, opined on the move by F Tyson Jost to turn his back on the Everett Silvertips, at least for now, and join the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. In brief, Bartel wrote that the 16-year-old Jost likely feels that he wouldn’t get much playing time under “defensive-minded” Kevin Constantine, Everett’s head coach. . . . On Friday, Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald sat down at his keyboard and poked holes in Bartel’s theory, also pointing out that Constantine hasn’t had any problems putting 16-year-olds on the ice. . . . Bartel’s piece is right there -- it’s the second-last item in a notebook. . . . Patterson’s blog piece is right here. . . . Gentlemen, will it be swords or pistols? . . . OK. OK. So it's not really a big pithing match. But, hey, it helps to kill a slow day, doesn't it?

2. The good people of Prince Albert held a Relay For Life overnight and into this morning. One of the teams taking part is Team Brucester, comprising members of the Prince Albert Raiders’ staff, along with Jessica and Briane Vance. They are the daughters of Bruce Vance, the Raiders’ business manager and director of marketing, who was diagnosed with colon cancer late in 2013. Sarah Stone of paNOW has a piece right here on the Vance girls and their reaction to the support he is receiving.

3. The Prince George Cougars are hoping that Marnie Hamagami is able to recapture the magic and make beautiful music with their fans. Hamagami is leaving her position as general manager of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra to take over as the Cougars’ director of sales and marketing. She beings her new job on Monday. . . . Hamagami spent two seasons with the PGSO. According to a Cougars’ news release: “Since Hamagami took the helm, ticket sales are up 15 per cent, labour relations with the musicians are in excellent shape and the whole feel of the organization is one of positive growth and change.”

4. G Mackenzie Skapski of the Kootenay Ice has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the New York Rangers, who selected him in the sixth round of the 2013 NHL draft. . . . Skapski, from Abbotsford, B.C., was 28-20-4, 2.70, .916 last season, his third with the Ice. . . . He will turn 20 on June 15. . . . People may have forgotten that Skapski was with the major midget Fraser Valley Bruins when their bus hit some black ice near Williams Lake, B.C., and ended up on its side. As Dan Kinvig reported in the Abbotsford, B.C., News: “Skapski suffered the most serious injuries of anyone on the team – he sustained a broken nose and a fractured orbital bone, and had surgery to place a couple of plates in (one) cheek and to remove a blood clot beside his brain. During his convalescence, he lost 30 pounds, dropping from 155 to 125.” . . . One of the results of the rehabbing was that he got into only 19 games with the Ice in his freshman season -- of course, he also was playing behind Nathan Lieuwen -- and was bypassed in the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . But knowing what Skapski has been through, and how hard he has worked, it makes it awfully easy to pull for him.

5. The Montreal Canadiens have signed D Dalton Thrower (Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2009-14) to a three-year entry-level contract. Thrower was a second-round selection by Montreal in the NHL’s 2012 draft. Last season, one that was ended prematurely by ankle problems, Thrower had 39 points, including 12 goals, in 42 games. The 20-year-old from Squamish, B.C., was the Giants’ captain.

6. The Los Angeles Kings lost 4-3 to the visiting Chicago Blackhawks in Friday night’s Stanley Cup game. That series is tied 3-3 with the teams headed to Chicago and Game 7 on Sunday. . . . After the game, Kings head coach Darryl Sutter was asked: “What did you say to the team after the loss?” . . . His response: “We fly at 11.”

7. If you’re wondering why anyone would pay US$2 billion for an NBA franchise, which is almost four times the record price for an NBA franchise, Ken Belson and Richard Sandomir of The New York Times have the answer right here.

8. D Nick Nonis, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis, has committed to playing for the BCHL’s Powell River Kings in 2014-15. From Hampton Falls, N.H., Nonis has committed to the U of New Hampshire and is expected to play there starting in 2015-16 or the following season. . . . Nonis, who turns 19 on Dec. 19, has played the past three seasons at The Governors Academy, a prep school in Byfield, Mass. . . . His father was a defenceman with the BCHL’s Burnaby Bluehawks in 1982-83 before going on to play four seasons at the U of Maine.


9. The QMJHL has slashed the amount of money its teams pay 20-year-old players, putting it more in line with the OHL and WHL. Mike Sanderson of Yahoo! Canada Sports has more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Eric Wellwood has joined the OHL’s Oshawa Generals as an assistant coach. Wellwood, the brother of former NHLer Kyle Wellwood, ended his playing career after suffering a serious leg injury in April 2013 while with the AHL’s Adirondack Phantoms. . . . In the OHL, he played for the Windsor Spitfires, winning two Memorial Cup titles with them.
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Clint Mylymok is the new head coach of the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds, who play out of the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. . . . Mylymok spent last season as the head coach of the Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association. For two seasons prior to that, he was an assistant coach with the Hounds. Mylymok replaces Kevin White, who had been the head coach since the summer of 2010.
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From Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) of Yahoo! Canada Sports: “Under the OHL's new contracts overagers would make in the area of $900 per month (that includes $470 monthly reimbursement plan). #QMJHL”

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Winterhawks win championship final opener

1. The Vancouver Giants are in the market for a head coach and I am told that management held “serious discussions” with former NHL coach Marc Crawford, but that things didn’t work out. Crawford, who last coached major junior from 1989-91 with the OHL’s Cornwall Royals, and his family have a home in North Vancouver. . . . I am told that Giants majority owner Ron Toigo spoke with Crawford but that Crawford, 53, has no desire at this time to go back to riding the bus. . . . Crawford, who spent 15 seasons as an NHL head coach with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings, has spent the last two seasons in Zurich as head coach of the ZSC Lions of the Switzerland’s National League A. The Lions won the league championship last month, sweeping the Kloten Flyers in the best-of-seven final. . . . During this season, Crawford agreed to a two-year extension that runs through 2015-16.

2. When Todd Lumbard was tending goal for the Brandon Wheat Kings and I was writing for the Brandon Sun, he was a favourite go-to guy. Why? Because he was thoughtful, soft-spoken and respectful, and always quick with a greeting and a smile. Today, he’s the president and part-owner of the Regina Pats. . . . There’s more right here from Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post.

3. After 10 years in Vancouver with the Giants, Don Hay is back in Kamloops as head coach of the Blazers. Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun talked with Hay and the resulting column is right here.

4. If you are a hockey junkie, this is for you. Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a website (larry-fisher.com) on which you will find a list that contains the names of every ex-NHLer who played overseas in 2013-14. . . . The numbers will blow you away. . . . For example, there were 183 in the KHL alone. . . . The list was compiled by Jesse Gill, who obviously has a love for hockey. . . . Check it out right here.

5. Matt Dunigan was forced to end his professional football career because of concussions. That was in 1996. Today, he still feels the pain as he takes his message to others. . . . Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix has more right here.
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G Curtis Honey, 20, won’t be back with the Brandon Wheat Kings, who will run with Jordan Papirny as their starter. “I think he’s a good goalie,” Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner/GM/head coach, told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun of Honey, “and we went back and forth and decided that Jordan was the way to go at the end . . . We won’t carry a 20-year-old goaltender next (season). We’ll look to get him an opportunity elsewhere.” . . . Honey, from Edmonton, battled injury problems as he went 12-14-2, 4.07, .888. Over three seasons with Brandon, he was 23-33-6, 3.98, .890. . . . Honey’s twin brother, Connor, is a forward with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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D Dalton Thrower, who played out his eligibility with the Vancouver Giants this season, is to have surgery on his left ankle on Tuesday, reports Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province. . . . Thrower has ligament damage in the ankle and last played on Jan. 24. . . . Thrower was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the NHL’s 2012 draft while with the Saskatoon Blades, but has yet to sign with the Habs. . . . Saskatoon dealt him to the Giants in May 2013. . . . With the Giants, he had 38 points, including 12 goals, in 42 games.
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THE QMJHL FINAL:
In Baie-Comeau, the Val-d’Or Foreurs got a PP goal from D Guillaume Gelinas at 7:24 of OT and beat the Drakkar, 4-3. . . . The goal was Gelinas’ second of the game and ninth of the playoffs. . . . The Foreurs forced OT when F Pierre-Maxime Poudrier got his fourth playoff goal at 18:27 of the third period. . . . The series is tied 1-1, the Drakkar having won 3-0 on Friday night. . . . Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Val-d’Or.
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THE OHL FINAL:
Like the QMJHL, the OHL final is tied 1-1 and resumes Tuesday with the Guelph Storm travelling to North Bay to play the Battalion. . . . The Battalion is in its first season in North Bay after having moved there from Brampton last summer.
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THE FOURTH ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
WHL final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup
(x - if necessary)
(All games televised live by Shaw)
(All games televised by Root Sports -- Game 2 live, others on delayed basis)
PORTLAND (2, West) vs. Edmonton (1, East)
(Portland leads, 1-0)
Season series: Portland, 0-0-1; Edmonton, 1-0-0.
Saturday: Edmonton 2 at Portland 5 (10,947)
Sunday: Edmonton at Portland, 5 p.m. (Moda Center)
Tuesday: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Wednesday: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Friday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
x-Sunday, May 11: Portland at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Monday, May 12: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Edmonton: None.
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SATURDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, the Winterhawks got four goals from three American-born forwards and beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 5-2. . . . This was Game 1 of a best-of-seven series for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. Game 2 is scheduled for today, 5 p.m., at the Moda Center in Portland. . . . The defending-champion Winterhawks built a 3-0 first-period lead on the strength of single goals from F Keegan Iverson of St. Louis Park, Minn., F Paul Bittner of Crookston, Minn., and F Chase De Leo of La Mirada, Calif. . . . The latter two scored in the last two minutes of the period, at 18:07 and 19:04. . . . Iverson has three goals; De Leo now has eight. . . . The Oil Kings got two early second-period goals -- F Brett Pollock scored his 11th of these playoffs 20 seconds in and F Henrik Samuelsson got his third at 2:20. . . . But the Winterhawks, as they had done in the first period, scored late in the second, with D Mathew Dumba counting on a PP at 19:23 to restore the two-goal lead. . . . He’s got four goals in these playoffs. . . . Bittner added his second of the game and fourth of the playoffs at 3:41. . . . F Nic Petan drew three assists for Portland, while D Derrick Pouliot had two. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand had one assist; he leads the playoff scoring race 29 points, one more than Pouliot, who has a WHL-high 24 helpers. . . . Each goaltender, Corbin Boes of Portland and Tristan Jarry of Edmonton -- stopped 31 shots. . . . Portland was 1-for-5 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-for-4. . . . A post-game tweet from Sunaya Sapurji (@sunayas) of Yahoo! Sports: “I'm not going to go down that road with some of those calls." Edmonton Oil Kings coach Derek Laxdal on some of the penalties tonight. #WHL. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic, who has 27 points in 14 games, sat out the opener as he served a one-game WHL suspension left over from the Western Conference final. He was given a spearing major and game misconduct late in Game 5 against the host Kelowna Rockets. Leipsic is eligible to return for Game 2 tonight. . . . Samuelsson was hit with a double minor for spearing at the end of the third period last night. . . . Some observers felt that Samuelsson came after a play that was offside at the Portland line. Columnist Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun tweeted: “Replay shows linesman blew an offside call on Samuelsson goal.” . . . Edmonton F Mitch Moroz left in the second period, seemingly favouring his right leg, but was back to start the third. . . . The Winterhawks are 41-3 since Jan. 11, including a 29-1 run over the last two months. . . . Portland is 13-2 in the playoffs, including 8-0 at home. Edmonton now is 12-3. . . . These teams are meeting in the final for a third consecutive season. Edmonton won two years ago; Portland won last spring. . . .
Jones writes in the Sun that Jarry struggled in Game 1, but that Laxdal isn’t concerned. That column is right here.
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From Kootenay Ice F Tim Bozon (@timbozon94): “Thank you everyone at the cap Breton #cers made lots improvement and met really nice people...#lifeisgood #shapeisback”
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From Roy MacGregor (@RoyMacG) of The Globe and Mail: “Maybe we can't abolish the Senate -- but how about a Canadian law to ban afternoon playoff games?”
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From the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers): “Aaaand the @pdxwinterhawks take Game 1 of the WHL Finals … is there something in the PDX water?”


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Hitmen back in first; Raiders, Rebels in dead heat

There were a couple of backup goaltenders with ties to the WHL on NHL benches on Tuesday night. That’s Pat Conacher Jr. (top), who backed up Vancouver starter Eddie Lack in Phoenix after the Canucks traded Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers. Conacher is the son of Pat Conacher, who was an assistant coach with the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?) in 2010-11 and the Regina Pats’ head coach in 2011-12. He now is director of hockey operations with the Utica Comets, the Canucks’ AHL affiliate. Conacher Jr. also is a scout with the WHL’s Victoria Royals. Meanwhile, in Edmonton, former Portland Winterhawks/Kamloops Blazers G Kurtis Mucha backed up the Oilers’ Ben Scrivens after they sent Ilya Bryzgalov to the Minnesota Wild. Mucha now plays for the U of Alberta Golden Bears and is a second-team Canada West all-star. (Top photo: Sportsnet screen grab; bottom photo: Edmonton Oilers)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Josh Green (Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Portland, 1993-98) has signed a one-year extension with Tappara Tampere (Finland, Liiga). In 41 games, he has 29 points, including 20 goals. Seventeen of those 20 goals have come at even strength. Green made the announcement of the extension himself, in Finnish in a video posted on the Tappara website.
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F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice remains in a Saskatoon hospital, where he is being treated for meningitis.
On Tuesday morning, he parents, Helene and Philippe, posted this on their son’s Twitter account:
“Our Timmy is keeping fighting but...thank you so much for your wonderful wishes.helene and Phil Bozon”
Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
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“We’re not for sale, nobody’s come, again, to talk to us about the sale of the hockey team. The board of directors of the hockey team are in charge of running the hockey team and that’s what we’re doing.” And, he added, the team hasn’t been sold. . . . That was Brian Wichers, the vice-president of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, in conversation with Dylan Purcell of the Lethbridge Herald. . . . Oh, Wichers also said the franchise still will be community-owned when next season gets here. . . . Purcell’s piece is right here.
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The Kamloops Blazers are nearing the end of their 10-game stint away from home. They returned to Kamloops on Sunday morning, following a three-game swing into Alberta. But they remain out of Interior Savings Centre because of the Tim Hortons Brier. The Blazers, who are 1-6-0 in their last seven games, are to play the Giants in Vancouver tonight. Kamloops is expected to be without D Sam Grist and F Chase Souto, both of whom left a Friday game in Calgary with undisclosed injuries and didn’t play Saturday in Medicine Hat. . . .
The Giants are likely to be without D Dalton Thrower (ankle), G Jared Rathjen and F Dominik Voley, the latter two with undisclosed injuries. Thrower, who skated on Monday but left the ice after tweaking the ankle again, was wearing a walking boot on Tuesday. Thrower will sit out for the 17th straight game tonight. . . .
Prospera Credit Union, the home of the Kelowna Rockets, will maintain naming rights to Prospera Place in Kelowna for five more years, through January 2019. The credit union and RG Properties Ltd. made the announcement Tuesday morning. Prospera Place, built by RG Properties, opened in 1999 and the credit union has held naming rights since 20-03.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Calgary (1) vs. Red Deer/Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Edmonton (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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WEDNESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Regina, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Vancouver, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, the Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s first five goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Calgary moved back into first place in the Eastern Conference with the victory. . . . The Hitmen have won three in a row and have points in 13 straight. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart had a goal, his 34th, and an assist as he ran his point streak to 16 games. . . . Calgary D Ben Thomas also had a goal, his sixth, and an assist. He has three goals in four games against Brandon. . . . F Connor Rankin of Calgary, who scored his 20th goal, via the PP, in the second period, left the game favouring a shoulder. . . . Calgary G Chris Driedger stopped 23 shots. He lost his shutout bid at 18:31 of the third period when F Rihards Bukarts scored his 24th goal. . . . The Hitmen were 2-for-4 on the PP. They have at least one PP goal in each of their last 13 games. . . . Calgary (44-15-7) is atop the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Brandon (31-27-9) is seventh, four points ahead of the Red Deer Rebels. . . .

In Swift Current, F Jay Merkley broke a 3-3 tie at 17:04 of the third period as the Broncos beat the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-3. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson had two goals, giving him 32, and an assist for the Oil Kings, his second goal, at 6:50 of the third period, giving them a 3-1 lead. . . . F Nate Burns scored his 24th at 12:58 and F Colby Cave tied the score with his 31st at 13:21. . . . Merkley has 28 goals this season. . . . F Jake DeBrusk had two assists for the Broncos, who got 26 saves out of G Eetu Laurikainen. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots. . . . The Broncos (34-25-9) are sixth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Oil Kings (45-17-3) are two points behind Calgary and hold a game in hand. . . .

In Prince Albert, D Josh Morrissey and F Leon Draisaitl each scored twice to help the Raiders to a 9-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Draisaitl, who has 32 goals, also had two assists. . . . Morrissey, who has 25 goals, added one helper. . . . Raiders D Tomas Andrlik had three assists. . . . Moose Jaw G Justin Paulic stopped 27 shots. With Zach Sawchenko, their other goaltender, unavailable because of illness, the Warriors had Logan Morhart of the midget AA Prince Albert Raiders on their bench as an emergency backup. The only way they could have lifted Paulic was due to injury. . . . F Brayden Point scored twice, giving him 31, for the Warriors. . . . Prince Albert G Nick McBride, making his third start in the team’s last four games, made 19 saves. He stopped F Torrin White on a first-period penalty shot. . . . The Raiders last scored nine times in a game when they beat the visiting Regina Pats 9-4 on Jan. 9, 2013. . . . The Raiders (31-30-5) are tied with the Red Deer Rebels for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Warriors (17-40-9) are 2-7-1 in their last 10. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 32 shots as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-0. . . . Bartosak has seven shutouts this season and 13 in his career. He is tied with Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings for the WHL lead this season. . . . Three of Bartosak’s shut outs this season have been against the Ice, all of them in Cranbrook. . . . According to Jeff Hollick, the radio voice of the Ice, it was the sixth time Kootenay has been shut out this season and the third time on home ice, both of which are franchise records. . . . F Aspen Sterzer and F Rhyse Dieno each had a goal and an assist. Sterzer has 26 goals, while Dieno, who got an empty-netter, has 23. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski turned aside 28 shots. . . . The Ice dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . Red Deer (31-30-5) is tied with Prince Albert for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. Each team has five games remaining. . . . The Ice (37-25-4) is fifth in the conference, one point ahead of Swift Current. . . .

In Everett, the Silvertips scored two first-period goals 22 seconds apart and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . F Jujhar Khaira, with his 16th, and D Ben Betker, with his sixth, scored at 11:07 and 11:29 of the first period to get the home boys started. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist scored twice, giving him 41, and added an assist. . . . Khaira also had two assists. . . . Winquist is within one of the franchise records for goals in one season (Shane Harper, 2009-10). . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 23 shots, losing his shootout on goal by F Justin Kirkland, his 15th, at 4:49 of the third period. . . . Everett had a 38-24 edge in shots. . . . Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Rockets, called his 1,000th Kelowna game. Back in the day, he also did 360 games with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Silvertips, who have won four in a row, had lost eight straight to the Rockets. . . . Everett (34-23-9) is sixth in the Western Conference, one point behind the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Kelowna (52-10-4) leads the overall standings.
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From Brad Robson (@BKCanes): “The @WHLHurricanes send their prayers to @timbozon94 , his family & to the @WHLKootenayICE organization. #keepfighting”
Robson, the general manager of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, echoes the sentiments of the hockey world.

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Thrower's season over?

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Fredrik Pettersson (Calgary, 2005-07) has signed a two-year extension with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A). His contract now runs through 2016-2017. This season, with Donbass Donetsk (Ukraine, KHL), Pettersson was pointless in five games. He was released in October and signed a two-year deal with Lugano in November. In 20 games with Lugano, he has 20 points, including seven goals.
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F Jackson Houck and D Brett Kulak of the Vancouver Giants have been told that charges stemming from an incident last summer have been dropped. . . . They had been charged with assault causing bodily harm following a house party in Delta, B.C., on Aug. 18. Kulak also was facing a charge of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm. . . . "It's behind them now and everyone's happy they'll be able to move on," Peter Toigo, the Giants’ vice-president of operations, told Brian Morton of the Vancouver Sun. . . . Toigo told Morton that both players were required to do community service related to the situation.
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D Dalton Thrower’s season may be over, according to Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province. . . . Thrower, the Vancouver Giants’ best player and their captain, “had to be helped off the ice midway through a session at South Delta Recreation Centre on Monday morning after re-injuring his left ankle. The team isn’t saying yet, but it’s likely that the overage defenceman is finished for the season. He was on his way to hospital before his teammates got off the ice.” . . . Thrower, 20, has missed the Giants’ past 16 games and there was hope he would return Wednesday against the visiting Kamloops Blazers. . . . Ewen also reports that G Jared Rathjen, who appeared to injure a shoulder in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the visiting Kelowna Rockets, wasn’t on the ice Monday, while F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the WHL‘s 2013 bantam draft, was there. . . . Ewen’s complete report is right here.
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The Kootenay Ice is 19-8-1 since returning from the Christmas break, including 11-2-0 in February, but may not have F Tim Bozon for the remainder of this season. Bozon has been diagnosed with meningitis and is in hospital in Saskatoon. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart, who set franchise records for consecutive games with a point (22) and an assist (15) last month, has 60 assists, six off the franchise record that his held by F Jarret Stoll (2000-01). . . . The Ice is at home to the Red Deer Rebels tonight.
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The Portland Winterhawks didn’t skate Monday, no doubt still savouring their second consecutive U.S. Division title and their third in the last four seasons. With 99 points, the Winterhawks are about to surpass the century mark for a fourth-straight season. That will be a first in franchise history. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic has 291 career points with seven games left in the regular season. He needs five more points to tie F Brian (Bunny) Shaw for 10th on the franchise’s all-time list. Leipsic also is looking to become the 10th play in franchise history with 300 career points. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot has 198 career points as he strives to become the sixth defenceman in franchise to reach 200 points. He is seven points shy of Kevin Haupt, who is fifth among Portland defencemen on the career list. . . . The Winterhawks meet the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., on Wednesday.
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F Mitch Holmberg of the Spokane Chiefs goes into the week atop the WHL’s scoring race. He has 107 points, one more than F Nic Petan of the Portland Winterhawks and 10 more than Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand. . . . The Chiefs meet the Rockets in Kelowna on Wednesday and then head to Prince George for Friday and Saturday dates with the Cougars. . . . Prince George F Todd Fiddler will take an 18-game point streak into the weekend series against his former team. That’s the longest active streak in the WHL.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer/Prince Albert (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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TUESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Calgary at Brandon, 7 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Red Deer at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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From ScanBC (@ScanBC): “#Vancovuer Fire crews are on scene at 52 E Hastings St after a male woke and found his pants on fire.”
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One more from ScanBC on Monday: “#Vancouver Police are at 6542 Fraser St, A male stole $250 from Moneymart and is now buying a coffee from Starbucks next door.”


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Outdoor game for Portland?; long arm of law looking for Gaetz

F Kris Beech (Calgary, 1996-2001) has been loaned to the Vienna Capitals (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) by the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) for the rest of this season. With Straubing, Beech had 24 points, including eight goals, in 36 games. . . .
D Kenton Smith (Calgary, 1995-2000) has returned to the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite) for the rest of the season. Smith left Clan a month ago to be with his family in Cardiff. This season, in 33 games, he has 11 points, three of them goals.
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F Tyler Benson, the first overall selection in the 2013 WHL bantam draft, is expected to play for the Vancouver Giants against the Rockets in Kelowna tonight. Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that Benson is expected to join the Giants on a full-time basis next week. . . . Benson, who is pointless in three games with the Giants, has been playing for the Kelowna-based Pursuit Of Excellence under-18 prep team. He put up 91 points, including 35 goals, in 46 games. That team’s season ends this weekend, freeing Benson up to join the Giants. . . .
Ewen also reports Giants F Dominik Volek didn’t practise Thursday because of an undisclosed injury. D Dalton Thrower (ankle) has yet to return to the ice. According to Ewen, “both are unlikely for Friday in Kelowna.“
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Regan Bartel, the radio voice of the Kelowna Rockets, was in Kennewick, Wash., on Wednesday night. Here’s a note from his blog:
“In talking to Annie Fowler, the beat writer for the Americans, it was confirmed that the Tri-City Herald Best of the West Poll has met its end. The poll, which allowed players, coaches/management and media to vote on several categories has been a staple for the last 25 years and has always been an interesting conversation piece. The process is time consuming and receiving ballots from teams was always a chore.” . . .
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F Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice takes a 21-game point streak into Saskatoon for a game with the Blades tonight. He has 47 points, 18 of them goals, in the streak that has tied F Mike Comrie for the franchise record. . . . Reinhart also is riding a 14-game assist streak. . . . Both streaks are the longest in the WHL this season.
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Prince George is at home for Friday-Saturday doubleheader with the Victoria Royals, and Cougars F Troy Bourke is closing in on the club’s career point record. Bourke has 229 points in 270 regular season games; the record is held by F Eric Hunter (2002-07), who put up 233 points in 323 games. . . . Note that this doesn’t include the Victoria Cougars. . . . Prince George F Todd Fiddler goes into the weekend on a 16-game point streak. He has 30 points, 15 of them goals, over that stretch.
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Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune brings word that the Portland Timbers and Portland Winterhawks have chatted about the possibility of a playing an outdoor WHL game at Providence Park, the home of the MLS team that could seat 20,000 for such a contest. . . . Eggers has more on that right here. . . . There have been two outdoor games played featuring WHL teams. In Spokane, the Chiefs beat the Kootenay Ice 11-2 before 7,075 fans in Avista Stadium on Jan. 15,2011. The Regina Pats beat the host Calgary Hitmen 3-2 in a game played at McMahon Stadium before 20,888 fans on Feb. 21, 2011. (If you are so inclined, there is a list right here of every outdoor game played since Oct. 6, 2001, and there have been more than 100 of them. So much for the novelty!)
Eggers also writes about Winterhawks GM/head coach Mike Johnston’s niece, Rebecca, who was a major contributor to the Canadian women’s Olympic hockey team. Oh, and Eggers also confirms that Winterhawks G Brendan Burke has been out with mononucleosis.
Meanwhile, in The Oregonian, Molly Blue talks with Burke, and updates his status. That report is right here.
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The long arm of the law is reaching out in an attempt to locate Link Gaetz. The former WHL defenceman (New Westminster, Spokane, 1986-88) has failed to appear in a Kamloops court room, nor has he been in touch with his lawyer. The result is that an arrest warrant has been issued for Gaetz. There’s more right here from Kamloops This Week.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Lethbridge at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
No games scheduled.
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From Geoff Baker (@gbakermariners) of the Seattle Times: “Just returned from Seattle delegation trip to Vancouver for (Wednesday) night's #Canucks game. Interesting time. Lots of #NHL optimism brewing.”
The story that Baker filed is right here.
 
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