1. The Interior Savings Centre in Kamloops is getting a new scoreboard that includes a four-sided videoboard with screens larger than the clock that now hangs in the facility. The new toy, from OES Scoreboads, apparently will be similar to the one in use at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s, N.L. . . . For a look at what the new clock looks like, click right here.

2. D Davis Vandane, who played out his junior eligibility with the Prince Albert Raiders last season, has rediscovered his love for lacrosse. Unfortunately, a sprained right ankle suffered in a game while playing for the Yorkton Bulldogs has him on crutches. Jeff D’Andrea of paNOW has more right here.

3. D Derek Ryckman, a veteran of five WHL seasons, has committed to attend the U of P.E.I. in Charlottetown and play for the Panthers. Ryckman, a native of Red Deer, played for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Tri-City Americans and Medicine Hat Tigers. He completed his junior eligibility with the Tigers this season, putting up sven points in 65 games.

4. The two WHL home games in the Subway Super Series will be played in Red Deer on Nov. 27 and Lethbridge on Nov. 28. . . . The series, which features a Russian team against major junior league all-star teams, is scheduled to open in Gatineau, Que., on Nov. 18, with a second game in Sherbrooke, Que., on Nov. 20. The OHL games are to be played in Oshawa on Nov. 21 and Sudbury on Nov. 25. . . . All six games will be televised by Sportsnet.

5. Cliff Mapes, who has been in the Regina Pats’ front office since the summer of 2005, has been promoted to vice-president of business operations. He had been the director of marketing/corporate sales for eight seasons. Among other things, he also has represented the East Division on the WHL’s marketing executives board. . . . Before joining the Pats, Mapes worked in the advertising department at the Regina Leader-Post, where he spent ample time hanging out in the sports department picking up pointers. LOL!

6. Scott Hoyer is back with the Kelowna Rockets as their athletic therapist. Hoyer was with the Rockets from 2000-06, a stint during which they made three straight trips to the Memorial Cup, winning it all as the host team in 2004. Since then, he has worked with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers and two hockey academies, the Pursuit of Excellence and Okanagan Hockey Academy. . . . Hoyer takes over from Jeff Thorburn, who has moved on to UBC-Okanagan.

7. No one does a better job of keeping track of goings-on in any one hockey league than Brian Wiebe. His blog, Brian’s Banter, is where you want to go to find out what’s going on in the BCHL, especially in the area of player moves. There’s a link to Brian’s Banter over there on the right. Check it out.

8. There was an interesting baseball game in Seattle on Wednesday, with the Mariners dropping a 7-5 decision to the Chicago White Sox in 16 innings. . . . The teams were scoreless going into the 14th inning. . . . The ChiSox took a 5-0 lead in the top of 14. . . . The Mariners scored once and then tied it on a grand slam by Kyle Seager. (Hawk Harrelson, the White Sox’ homerish play-by-play man, apparently greeted Seager’s dinger with 40 seconds of silence, which no doubt left a lot of listeners hoping for more.) . . . David Schoenfield of ESPN.com has more on this game right here.

9. The NBA final starts tonight. Who you got? My son has the Miami Heat in seven; I went with the San Antonio Spurs in six. Has Tim Duncan ever been better? He'll have to continue to play this well. I'm also thinking the Heat having had to go seven games to shake the Indiana Pacers may catch up with LeBron and Co.

10. Yes, Jaromir Jagr should have been penalized for hooking on the play that led to the Boston Bruins’ winning goal in the second OT period last night. But, as we know, a hook isn’t always a hook in the NHL.

11. Tonight, it’s the Chicago Blackhawks visiting the Los Angeles Kings. Chicago holds a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference final. . . . I don’t know who will win the game, but the score will be 2-1 for someone (or 3-1 with an empty-netter).

12. The Blackhawks will be without D Duncan Keith, who drew a one-game suspension for the axe-like attack to the face of Kings F Jeff Carter in Game 3. The more times I see the replay, the more I believe five games would have been more appropriate. That was a nasty and brutal one-handed slash to Carter’s face.


There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
The mind behind The MacBeth Report really does pay particular attention to goings-on in Europe. Here’s an interesting file on what has been happening in Sweden . . .
From Sweden, a note on the economics of being relegated from Elitserien, the top league.
In Elitserien qualification games Thursday night, Örebro beat Rögle Ängelholm 5-2 in Ängelholm and Leksand beat Timrå 8-3 in Timrå.
The series includes the bottom two teams from Elitserien (Rögle Ängleholm and Timrå) and four from Allsvenskan (Leksand, Södertälje, Västerås, and Örebro) and is a double round-robin. The top two teams in the series play in Elitserien next season while the remaining four teams play in Allsvenskan.
With three games left in the series, Örebro has clinched one of the two places in Elitserien for next season and Leksand has pretty much done the same with the second available place. None of the other four teams can catch Örebro, and Timrå can only tie Leksand.
However, the tie-breaker is goal differential and Leksand at +17 has a 24-goal advantage over Timrå (—7).
Rögle and Timrå will be demoted to Allsvenskan for next season.
For Örebro, this is a return to Elitserien after an absence of 34 years; Leksand has been out of Elitserien for only six years.
Örebro made it without the services of Jared Aulin (Kamloops, 1997-2002), who won the scoring championship in Allsvenskan this season with 16 goals and 34 assists in 48 games but was hurt with two games to go in the regular season and hasn’t played since. But Aulin gets to reap the rewards as he is under contract with Örebro for next season.
This was a devastating loss for Timrå. The home club of Henrik Zetterberg (his number 20 is retired), Magnus Pääjärvi and Mats Näslund, Timrå has been in Elitserien since 2000.
Before and after the game, Timrå club management went public with the economic issues they face in trying to return to Elitserien. Standard Elitserien contracts have a clause that the contracts terminate on May 1 if a team is relegated to Allsvenskan, which means that the 12 players under contract to Timrå for next season suddenly become free agents; the other 12 players were on contracts that were already set to expire after this season.
Management estimates that their revenue will drop from SEK 95-100 million ($14.5-$15.4 million) this season to about SEK 60-65 million ($9.2-$10 million) for next season. They will lose SEK 24 million ($3.7 million) in Elitserien television revenue and an additional SEK 10 million ($1.5 million) in advertising, sponsorship, and ticket sales.
Management figures they will need to cut their player budget by two-thirds, from SEK 29 million ($4.5 million) to SEK 10-12 million ($1.5-$1.8 million).
Leksand had their own problems during their six years in Allsvenskan. The team was very agressive financially during the first two seasons in Allsvenskan in an effort to return to Elitserien and almost went bankrupt as a result, avoiding liquidation by undergoing a court-monitored restructuring instead.
Players were paid for a while from the government salary guarantee fund and they were almost relegated to Division 1 because of the financial problems.
However, this run through the qualification series has resulted in all five of their home games being sold out, including their two remaining games which now appear to have no meaning. This has added SEK 6-8 million ($900,000-$1.2 million) in revenue to the club's bank account.
Timrå has said that they will be fiscally prudent and will not follow Leksand's aggressive plan.
———
The injury bug has taken another couple of bites out of the Kelowna Rockets. Down 3-1 in their first-round series with the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed will be without veteran D MacKenzie Johnston (shoulder) and freshman F Rourke Chartier (undisclosed) for up to eight weeks.
Johnston was injured when hit from behind by Seattle F Connor Honey in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Honey, who was given a double minor, was handed a ‘tbd’ suspension on Friday. According to the Rockets, Johnston has a “2nd-degree shoulder separation.”
Chartier was injured in Game 3 on Tuesday when he was hit by Seattle D Evan Wardley.
The Rockets already are without F Colton Sissons (shoulder), F Carter Rigby (shoulder, foot) and D Mitchell Wheaton (shoulder), each of whom is long-term. As well, F J.T. Barnett (ill) has played in only three games since Feb. 15.
The Rockets play host to the Thunderbirds in Game 5 tonight.
———

D Davis Vandane, who completed his junior eligibility this season with the Prince Albert Raiders, has signed a PTO with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. . . . The Raiders acquired the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Vandane from the Spokane Chiefs as this season started. He started his career with the Saskatoon Blades, and then played two seasons with the Chiefs. . . . This season, in 65 games with the Raiders, he had 36 points, 12 of them goals. . . .

Paul Buker of The Oregonian gets to the bottom of the Chase De Leo story right here. Finally, we learn the proper pronunciation of De Leo. . . . And there is a photo here that features De Leo and Seth Jones that, well, you have to see it. . . .

The Saskatoon Contacts won the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League championship on Friday, beating the host Prince Albert Mintos, 3-1. Dave Leaderhouse of the Prince Albert Herald was there — he describes it as a thrilling game — and his story is right here.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
The U of Alaska-Anchorage has announced that Dave Shyiak won’t be back as head coach in 2013-14. Shyiak, 46, is from Brandon. He played four seasons at Northern Michigan and has been coaching since 1995-96. He just finished his eighth season at Alaska-Anchorage. . . . The Seawolves have finished last in the WCHA in each of the last two seasons. In fact, the Seawolves joined the WCHA in 1993-94 and have yet to experience their first winning season. . . .

The USHL’s Fargo Force has signed head coach John Marks to a two-year contract extension. At the time of the announcement, the Force was 35-16-7 and in second place in the Western Conference. He has been with the Force since the summer of 2011 when he left the MJHL’s Winkler Flyers and headed to Fargo.
———

The WHL’s first-round situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
FIRST ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Edmonton wins 4-1)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat wins 4-0)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary wins 4-1)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer wins 4-0)
———
SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
———
The Eastern Conference’s first round is over. The second round will feature the defending-champion Edmonton Oil Kings, the top seeds, against the No. 7 Medicine Hat Tigers, and the No. 3 Calgary Hitmen versus the No. 4 Red Deer Rebels.
The Tigers and Oil Kings will open with games in Edmonton on Friday and Sunday, April 7.
The Hitmen and Rebels will begin Thursday and Friday in Calgary, with Games 3 and 4 in Red Deer on April 8 and 9.
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Portland leads series 3-1; Game 5 tonight in Everett)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 3-1; Game 5 tonight in Kelowna)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 3-1; Game 5 tonight in Kamloops
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 3-1; Game 5 tonight in Kennewick, Wash.)
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, F Curtis Lazar scored twice to help the Oil Kings to a 4-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . Lazar had the winner and an empty-netter. He broke a 1-1 tie at 11:35 of the second period. . . . Ice D Jagger Dirk left with a boarding major and game misconduct at 5:02 of the third period. F Mitch Moroz, the nail, wasn’t injured. . . . The Oil Kings outscored the Ice 25-4 in the five games, thanks to 9-0 and 7-1 victories in Games 1 and 3. . . . A year ago, the Oil Kings began their march to the championship by sweeping the Ice in the first round. . . . A tweet from columnist Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun: “With extra gate Edmonton outdraws Kootenay 22,756 to 4,236.” . . . To which Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer), the analyst on Edmonton Oilers broadcasts, added: “How much longer can Jeff Chynoweth keep team in Cranbrook?” . . . Is it too soon to start calling them the Winnipeg Polar Bears? . . .

In Everett, F Ty Rattie scored three times and set up two others as the Portland Winterhawks beat the Silvertips, 11-4. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic added two goals and three assists, and F Nic Petan, the third member of that line, had two assists. . . . Rattie and Leisic each was plus-5; Petan was plus-4. . . . Portland D Tyler Wotherspoon had two goals and two assists. . . . Leipsic tied a franchise single-game playoff record with four first-period points. He now shares the record with Ray Ferraro (April 16, 1983) and Adam Deadmarsh (Arpil 20, 1994). . . . Rattie has 69 career playoff points, tying him with Dennis Holland and leaving him two shy of Heath’s franchise record. . . . F Josh Winquist scored twice for Everett. . . . This was Portland’s first playoff double-digit explosion since the Winterhawks dumped Spokane 11-2 on March 25, 1987. That was Game 1 of a best-of-nine first-round series.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (9):
None
CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (4):
None
———






From Portland F Chase De Leo (@Dels9): “Got dusted in the back of the helmet with a quarter from the stands tonight! Always wear a helmet kids! #SafetyFirst #Rude”
———
From Paul Buker of The Oregonian (@Pnbuker), who was in Everett last night: “Refs re-appear to the kind of reception Ron Robison might get in the Rose Garden”
This was prior to the start of the third period.


There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

Andrew Rieder, then of the Regina Pats, and two young fans — brothers
Styles (left) and Ty Acoose.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Vladimir Sicak (Medicine Hat, 1998-2000) signed a one-year contract with Sparta Prague (Czech Republic, Extraliga) after his release by Pardubice (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He has one assist in eight games with Pardubice this season. Last season, Sicak had three goals and 14 assists in 41 games with Pardubice. . . .
F Stanislav Balan (Portland, 2005-06) signed a one-year contract with HK Poprad (Slovakia, Extraliga). He had one goal and one assist in 16 games with Lev Poprad (Slovakia, KHL) before he was released. Balan then signed with SKP Poprad (Slovakia, Extraliga) and scored 10 goals and 16 assists in 26 games. . . .
F Mikael Backlund (Kelowna, 2008-09) signed a lockout contract with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had four goals and seven assists in 41 games with the Calgary Flames last season. Västerås announced that Backlund will arrive in Sweden today and will be in their lineup for Tuesday's game against Leksand if all goes as planned. . . .
F Stepan Novotny (Kelowna, Swift Current, 2008-11) was released by Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He was pointless in six games this season. . . .
F Tomas Netik (Medicine Hat, 2000-01) signed a one-year contract with Niftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (Russia, KHL) after his release by Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had three goals and three
assists in seven games with Liberec this season. Netik had 17 goals and 11 assists in 42 games with Lev Poprad (Slovakia, KHL) and one goal and one assist in 12 games on loan to Växjö (Sweden, Elitserien) last season. . . .
G Tyson Sexsmith (Vancouver, 2004-09) signed a one-year contract with Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Russia, KHL). He had a 2.33 GAA and a .916 save percentage in 34 games with Worcester Sharks (AHL) last season.
———
It has become a rite of fall, like carving a Thanksgiving turkey or the falling of the leaves.
Another 20-year-old is sent packing and everyone says all the right things.
But in the end another 20-year-old is gone, cut by a WHL team simply because of a rule. He isn’t dropped because he isn’t good enough to play. He isn’t released because he isn’t a good person.
In this instance, the player is Andrew Rieder. He ws released by the Regina Pats on Friday because he’s 20 years of age.
Each WHL team is allowed to dress a maximum of three 20-year-olds per game. And each team must declare its 20-year-old players on Oct. 10, which is Wednesday.
The Pats on Friday said farewell and thanks for everything to Rieder, who from all reports is a player with terrific work ethic on and off the ice. Rieder, who is from Regina, has been rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery. He received medical clearance to return to action on Wednesday. Just 48 hours later, he was gone.
“He’s an ultimate Pat, really,” Regina head coach Pat Conacher told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post on Thursday, before the team had made its decision public. “He has been here his whole junior career. He has done so much for us on and off the ice. That’s the tough part.”
In a news release, GM Chad Lang offered: “This has been a very difficult decision to make as Andrew is everything we want our players to be. He has been a great ambassador of our hockey club in our community, a tremendous teammate and leader.”
The above photo was taken in January 2011 in the Rieder family home in Regina. Rieder’s mother had invited a couple of young fans over to meet her son.
“I can't begin to tell you how good he was with the boys — he asked them lots of questions, showed them some of his hockey keepsakes and even gave each of them an autographed stick,” offered the boys’ foster father. “From that day forward we became big Andrew Rieder fans.
“Perhaps the best part is that this wasn't a one-time deal. He always makes a point to say hi to the boys when he sees them at the rink (or even at a mall in Saskatoon). Andrew is a great kid and we'll definitely miss seeing him in a Pats jersey.”
Unfortunately for Rieder his only sin is that he is 20. So it’s thanks for everything and see ya.
Rieder had surgery May 11 on his left shoulder. His right shoulder also has caused him problems. So, really, the Pats didn’t have any choice as they kept D Colton Jobke, G Matt Hewitt and F Lane Scheidl.
Earlier, the Pats released F Tanner Olstad and traded D Brandon Underwood to the Red Deer Rebels. Both were victims of the 20-year-old game in Regina.
For years, I have felt the WHL needs to go to four or even five 20-year-olds. I even like the idea that was broached earlier this season — I think it was by Conacher, as a matter of fact — about giving teams five spots to share among 20-year-olds and imports. A team would be allowed to have a maximum of two imports, but if it only had one, it could go with four 20-year-olds. If a team didn’t have an import, it could have five 20s.
I just don’t understand how teams invest so much in some of these players, some of whom have been with the same organization for four years, and then cut them adrift simply because of the 20-yer-old rule.
But, as you may have guessed, it’s all about the money.
One WHL owner told me recently that the NHL wants the WHL developing the younger players (i.e. 16-year-olds) and not the 20s. In other words, a loosening of the 20-year-old rule likely would mean a tightening of the NHL’s purse strings.
And that isn’t something the WHL can afford to let happen.
———
The Spokane Chiefs have dealt D Davis Vandane, 20, to the Prince Albert Raiders for a conditional eighth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Vandane, from Yorkton, Sask., has 43 points in 123 regular-season games. Last season, he had 25 points in 68 games. . . . The gets the Chiefs down to three 20-year-olds — D Brenden Kichton, who is the team captain, F Blake Gal and F Dylan Walchuk. . . . The Raiders, meanwhile, now have four 20s on their roster, the others being G Luke Siemens, F Anthony Bardaro and D Antoine Corbin. However, Corbin remains in camp with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs. Should Corbin be assigned to the Raiders, they would have two weeks after his arrival to get down to three 20-year-old players.
———
Later Friday, the Chiefs announced that G Mac Engel, 19, has been released “and is awaiting a trade to another WHL team.” . . . That leaves the Chiefs with Eric Williams, 19, and Garret Hughson, 17, as their two goaltenders. . . . Engel, who was entering his third season in Spokane, was 42-28-7 in 88 appearances with the Chiefs. Last season he was 28-19-4, 2.52, .909. . . . Spokane is carrying 25 players, including eight defencemen and 15 forwards.
———
As mentioned earlier, the Regina Pats got down to three 20-year-olds on Friday by releasing F Andrew Rieder, who has been working to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. Rieder, who is from Regina, played in 177 regular-season games with the Pats, putting up 51 points, including 25 goals. . . . Last season, he had 25 points, 13 of them goals, in 52 games. . . . The Pats are left with D Colton Jobke, G Matt Hewitt and F Lane Scheidl as their 20-year-old players.
———
A Friday tweet from Andrew Rieder (@Rieder28): “Want to thank everyone in the @WHLpats organization for the last 5 years couldn't have ask for more. I feel honored.”
———
The OHL’s Windsor Spitfires have waived Slovakian F Juraj Bezuch, who played last season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Bezuch was pointless in four games with the Spitfires, who have claimed Russian F Alex Khokhlachev and are hoping to be able to recruit the talented 19-year-old who is with the KHL’s Moscow Spartak. The Spitfires had dealt two 20-year-olds and a seventh-round 2014 OHL draft pick to get Bezuch from the Kitchener Rangers late in training camp. “It just didn’t work out,” Windsor head coach Bob Boughner told Jim Parker of the Windsor Star.
———
FRIDAY'S SCOREBOARD:
D Brendan Kichton had five points, including two goals, as the host Spokane Chiefs got past the Victoria Royals, 5-3. . . . It was the first five-point game of Kichton’s career. He had had one four-point game. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg scored twice, giving him seven goals in four games. . . .

LW Brendan Ranford, in his first game since being released by the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, had a goal and four assists as the Kamloops Blazers beat the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds, 7-2. . . . It was Ranford’s third five-point game of his WHL career. . . . The Blazers are playing their three 20-year-olds on one line. Ranford, C Dylan Willick (two goals and an assist) and RW Jordan DePape (one of each) combined for 10 points. . . . The Blazers’ other big line totalled eight points with RW JC Lipon putting up a goal and three assists, Tim Bozon getting a goal and two assists, and C Colin Smith scoring once. . . . Kamloops broke a 2-2 tie with five unanswered third-period goals. . . .

The Portland Winterhawks opened their six-game East Division swing with a 2-1 victory over the Wheat Kings in Brandon. . . . Portland G Cam Lanigan stopped 18 shots, while Brandon’s Corbin Boes turned aside 41. . . . Freshman F Alex Schoenborn broke a 1-1 tie at 12:15 of the second period with his first WHL goal. . . . Schoenborn, who turns 17 on Dec. 12, is from Minot, N.D., which isn’t that far south of Brandon, so you can bet he had some fans in the house. . . . With 30 minutes left until puck drop, scouts from at least 13 NHL teams had signed in for this one. They were there to watch Brandon D Ryan Pulock and Portland D Seth Jones. . . . Portland F Taylor Leier (abdominal tear) played for the first time this season. . . .

F Justin Feser had a goal and two assists as the host Tri-City Americans beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 4-1. . . . G Ty Rimmer, who spent last season with the Americans, stopped 24 shots for the Hurricanes. . . . Lethbridge had a 17-7 edge in shots in the third period, but struggled to beat a superb Eric Comrie, who finished with 36 saves. . . . The Americans were without F Jesse Mychan, who hopes to return from an undisclosed injury when Tri-City opens an East Division swing on Oct. 13 in Brandon.

The Vancouver Giants scored three times in the game’s first 5:11 and went on to beat the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-1. . . . Vancouver G Tyler Fuhr stopped 20 shots and now has backstopped both his team’s victories. He’s expected to start again Sunday when the Victoria Royals are the visitors and will be playing their third game in three days. . . . Medicine Hat G Marek Langhamer was gone after being beaten three times on eight shots. . . . Vancouver F Marek Tvrdon, who has yet to score, had two assists. . . . Among Vancouver’s scratches was D John Neibrandt, 20. . . .

F Chandler Stephenson’s goal with 15.4 seconds left in the third period gave the host Regina Pats a 3-2 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . D Colton Jobke, named Regina’s captain earlier in the day, scored the game’s first goal. He was playing his first game since being assigned to the Pats by the AHL’s Houston Aeros. . . .

F Adam Lowry had two goals and two assists as the Swift Current Broncos went into Saskatoon and hammered the Blades, 10-1. . . . The Broncos were 5-5 on the power play. In the second period, the scored four PP goals on six shots. . . . Saskatoon is 0-3 at home. . . . “It was, to be honest with you, unbelievable,” Lorne Molleken, the Blades’ general manager and head coach, told Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix. “We’ve hit rock bottom here and now it’s just a matter of starting all over again.” . . . The Blades are to be the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup. . . . Swift Current scored seven second-period goals and led 9-1 going into the third. . . . The Broncos are 2-0-4. . . . The Blades scratched veteran D Dalton Thrower. Why? Molleken told Nugent-Bowman that Thrower has been “playing by his own rules.” . . . F Ryan Graham, who has been out with back problems, was in the Blades’ lineup for the first time this season. . . . Swift Current F Graham Black (ill) sat this one out. . . .

The Prince Albert Raiders, who have yet to lose in regulation time, went into Calgary and scored a 5-4 shootout victory over the Hitmen. . . . F Mark McNeill got the shootout winner. . . . The Raiders got a goal and two assists from D Josh Morrissey, who is from Calgary. . . . The Raiders were 3-7 on the PP, scoring twice while up two men. . . . Prince Albert now is 5-0-1. . . . The 3-0-2 Hitmen also haven’t yet been beaten in regulation time. . . . The Raiders have won all three of their road games this season; last season they didn’t win a third road game until Dec. 11. . . . Prince Albert continues to play without F Mike Winther (groin). . . . Interestingy, the Hitmen had only two minus players in the game, while the Raiders had eight, including three who were minus-3. . . . Calgary was 0-3 on the PP. . . . D Davis Vandane, acquired earlier in the day from Spokane, didn't play for the Raiders. . . .

The Prince George Cougars scored five first-period goals and beat the visiting Kelowna Rockets, 6-3. . . . The Cougars are 5-0-1. . . . F Zach Pochiro, an 18-year-old from Las Vegas, scored his first two WHL goals and added two assists and was plus-3 for the Cougars. . . . Pochiro played last season for the NAHL’s Wichita Falls Wildcats, a team that then had Cougars owner Rick Brodsky in its ownership group. . . . Pochiro got tossed as part of a two-fight situation at 19:31 of the third period. Up until then, only six minors had been assessed. . . . The Cougars are 4-0-1 and tied with Kamloops atop the Western Conference. Attendance last night was 1,907.
———
CHECKING FROM BEHIND COUNT:F Connor Chartier, Spokane
F Jaimen Yakubowski, Lethbridge
———
CHECKING TO THE HEAD COUNT:
None.
———
TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Edmonton Oil Kings assistant coach Steve Hamilton (@hamilton_steve): “There is no worse post-event interview than MMA winner. ‘Thank you Lord for allowing me to pummel and choke that man repeatedly’ #ironic?”
———
For today’s good read, we go to ESPN.com where Jeff MacGregor takes a look at New York’s relationship with Yankess shortstop Derek Jeter. It’s right here. Read closely and ask yourself if you could be reading about Wayne Gretzky near the end of his playing career.


There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Mark Ardelan (Brandon, Vancouver, Prince Albert, 1999-2004) signed a one-year extension with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). He has six goals and 19 assists in 43 games for the Roosters this season.
———
There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Alessio Bertaggia scored twice as the Wheat Kings beat the Swift Current Broncos, 6-3. . . . Brandon now has won three in a row as it snapped a six-game home-ice losing skid. . . . The Broncos, with 16 games remaining, now are 13 points behind Brandon, which holds down the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. Swift Current has lost four in a row. . . . Bertaggia has 211 goals. . . . Brandon F Darian Dziurzynski added a goal and two assists. . . . F Troy Vause scored his 30th goal of the season for the Broncos. . . . Swift Current G Austin Smith stopped 35 shots, including a toe save on Brandon F Kevin Sundher at 9:02 of the second period on a penalty shot. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy had one assist and was plus-4. . . . Brandon F Michael Ferland was given an interference major (the online game sheet shows that it was a minor, but it wasn’t — it was a major) and game misconduct at 14:48 of the third period for a hit on Swift Current F Christian Magnus. . . . The WHL office will look into Ferland’s penalty and a suspension is possible. . . . The Broncos have won just one of seven games with Brandon this season. . . .

In Calgary, F Kenton Miller had a goal and two assists to lead the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 4-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . Miller had scored the game-winner in each of his club’s last five victories. In this one, F James Henry got the winner, his 11th, on a PP at 14:20 of the second. . . . Miller got his 22nd at 19:36 of the third, into an empty net. . . . F Cam Braes, with his 31st, and Henry scored PP goals 43 seconds apart in the second. . . . The Hitmen led this one 2-0 just 16 seconds into the second period. . . . Moose Jaw was 2-for-7 on the PP; Calgary, which has lost four of five, was 0-for-2. . . . F Jimmy Bubnick had a goal, his 26th, and an assist for Calgary. . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath played his first game after serving an eight-game suspension. . . . The Warriors lead the East Division by five points over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Hitmen, who are fifth in the Eastern Conference, fell two points back of the fourth-place Blades. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Deven Dubyk stopped 24 shots to lead the Red Deer Rebels to a 2-0 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . Dubyk has two shutouts this season and four in his career. . . . Red Deer D Alex Petrovic got the winner, his eighth, on a PP at 4:15 of the first. . . . F Brooks Maxwell had the other goal, in the second period. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 19 shots. . . . The Rebels stayed within four points of the eighth-place Brandon Wheat Kings in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Ice is one point behind the fifth-place Calgary Hitmen. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Matej Stransky scored twice and set up another as the Saskatoon Blades doubled the Hurricanes, 6-3. . . . Saskatoon got three assists from each of D Dalton Thrower and F Josh Nicholls. . . . The Blades were 4-for-6 on the PP. . . . Stransky now has 31 goals this season. . . . The Hurricanes scored the game’s first two goals, leading 2-0 when D Tyler Kizuik, a former Saskatoon player scored his third goal at 10:16 of the first. . . . But the Blades got the next five goals. . . . There were campers outside the Enmax Centre but they weren’t there for the hockey game. Rather, they were there because tickets to an Elton John concert were to go on sale this morning. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Emerson Etem ran his point streak to 17 games as the Tigers downed the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-1. . . . Etem didn’t score — he now has 49 goals in 49 games — but did draw an assist on D Alex Theriau’s second goal of the season early in the second period. . . . F Cole Grbavac and F Rhyse Dieno gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead with first-period PP goals. . . . Prince Albert F Mark McNeill got his 26th at 11:22 of the second, on a PP, to get the Raiders to within two, at 3-1. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz, who turns 20 today, stopped 29 shots, nine fewer than the Raiders’ Cole Holowenko. . . .

In Kamloops, F Chase Schaber’s goal at 4:32 of OT gave the Blazers a 5-4 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Schaber banged home a long rebound of a shot by D Austin Madaisky. . . . F Brett Bulmer scored two first-period goals as the Rockets took a 4-1 lead. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford tied it at 8:04 of the third on a PP. . . . Kamloops has won eight in a row at home. . . . The Blazers now lead the overall standings by three points over the Edmonton Oil Kings and are six points up on the Tri-City Americans atop the Western Conference. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan came on in relief of Cole Cheveldave to start the second period and stopped all 12 shots he faced to run his record to 12-4-0. . . . The Rockets are destined for a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference as they are 12 points out of fifth and 15 points from seventh. . . . The Blazers will play in Kelowna tonight. . . .

In Prince George, F Campbell Elynuik’s fifth goal of the season, at 2:14 of OT, gave the Cougars a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . F Daulton Siwak of the Cougars forced extra time with his second goal of the game 12th of the season at 10:12 of the third period. . . . Prince George G Drew Owlsey stopped 48 shots. Earlier in the day, Owsley had tweeted that it would be nice to win one for his sister, who underwent surgery earlier in the week. . . . D Cody Carlson and F Troy Bourke each had two assists for the Cougars. . . . F Michael St. Crox had two goals and an assist for Edmonton and now is one point off the lead in the WHL scoring race. . . . F Alex Forsberg returned from injury to scored his 12th goal and set up another for the Cougars. They also got Owsley, F Caleb Belter and D Reid Jackson back, but still were without D Dan Gibb, F John Odgers, F Brock Hirsche and D Shane Pilling. . . . The Cougars are 10th in the Western Conference but now are just four points out of the last playoff spot. . . . The Eastern Conference-leading Oil Kings are in Prince George again tonight. . . .

In Spokane, D Davis Vandane drew three assists as his Chiefs edged the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-4. . . . The Chiefs scored the game’s last two goals. F Marek Kalus got his 15th goal at 5:47 of the third period and D Cole Wedman won it with his second of the season at 6:22. . . . F Branden Troock had given Seattle a 4-3 lead with his 10th goal at 4:40 of the third. . . . The Chiefs had D Tanner Mort back from injury. . . . The victory kept the Chiefs two points ahead of the fifth-place Vancouver Giants in the Western Conference. . . . The Thunderbirds are tied for the last playoff spot with the idle Victoria Royals. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Portland Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals as they skated to a 4-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . F Ty Rattie, back in the lineup after missing a couple of games with an undisclosed injury, scored his 43rd goal at 8:28 of the third, via the PP, to give the visitors a 3-0 lead. . . . F Justin Feser, with his 27th, and F Brendan Shinnimin, with No. 32, got the Americans to within one. Shinnimin’s goal came with G Eric Comrie on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . F Brad Ross, with his 32nd, put it away for Portland with an empty-netter. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 30 shots for his 33rd victory, just two shy of Brent Belecki’s franchise single-season record. . . . Rattie and Brandon Wheat Kings F Mark Stone now are tied for the WHL scoring lead, with 88 points. . . . The Winterhawks lost D Joe Morrow with a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct at 17:30 of the second period. . . . Comrie stopped 33 shots. . . . The Winterhawks now are within one point of the U.S. Division-leading Americans. . . . After losing five in a row to Tri-City, the Winterhawks now have beaten the Americans in each of the last two meetings. . . .

In Vancouver, F Brendan Gallagher tied a franchise record as his Vancouver Giants edged the Everett Silvertips, 3-2. . . . Gallagher scored his 126th regular-season goal, tying the record held by Adam Courchaince. . . . D Neil Manning gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead at 16:37 of the first on a PP and F Cain Franson upped that to 3-1 with his 22nd at 6:08. . . . Everett F Reid Petryk scored his 11th at 19:29 of the third to make it 3-2. . . . The Giants are in Everett tonight. . . . The Silvertips are one point ahead of the Prince George Cougars and three out of the Western Conference’s final playoff spot.
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Connor Cox, Saskatoon.
D Brady Gaudet, Kamloops.
F Carson Perreaux, Prince Albert.
D Dylan Busenius, Medicine Hat.
F Blake Gal, Spokane.
D Joe Morros, Portland (major).
F Taylor Makin, Vancouver.
D Tyler Vanscourt, Vancouver (double minor).
———
FRIDAY’S CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
F Colby Cave, Swift Current.
———
You are free to wonder when people are going to learn that hazing simply is not an acceptable of sports. Yes, there has been another hazing incident with a hockey team, this one at a high school in Quebec.
———
Ivan Pravilov was found dead in his cell at the Federal Detention Centre in Philadelphia on Friday morning. Pravilov, 49, apparently committed suicide while in custody on child-molestation charges.
Go back a few years and Pravilov was the head coach of Druzbha-78, a U-18 team based in Kharkiv, Ukraine, that toured Alberta and B.C. in December 1993. Pravilov developed the reputation as a coach who was incredibly hard on his players. That trip, and a whole lot more, is documented in a book titled Reign of Fear. If you can find a copy or hunt it up on the Internet, do it. . . . The Druzbha-78 roster included at least two future WHLers — D Andrei Lupandin and D Hennadiy (Gennady) Razin.
There is more on Pravilov and his death right here.
———
Dr. Ross Outerbridge of Kamloops has been formally reprimanded by the B.C. College of Physicians and Surgeons, bringing to a close a story that included the filing of a lawsuit by former Blazers D Josh Morrow. He was awarded $1.5 million in that lawsuit after Outerbridge was found to have botched shoulder surgery on Morrow.
Michele Young of the Kamloops Daily News has more right here.
———
Mike Vellucci, the GM and head coach of the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers, has had some memorable run-ins with the on-ice officials. If you go right here you will find video from three of them. Feel free to vote for the one that you feel is the ‘greatest ejection.’