Wheaties even series . . . Ice get past Hitmen . . . Stadnyk sinks Chiefs

D James Bettauer (Chilliwack, Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2008-09, 2010-12) has signed one-year extension with Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). This season, with Augsburg, he had nine goals and 17 assists in 50 games. The contract contains a summer opt-out clause should Bettauer sign a North American contract. Bettauer has dual Canadian-German citizenship.
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:

In Brandon, F John Quenneville had a goal and three assists to lead the Wheat Kings to an 8-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Edmonton had won the series opener, 4-1, on Thursday night. . . . The next three games will be played in Edmonton, starting on Sunday. Games 4 and 5 are to be televised by Sportsnet. . . . On Friday, Brandon scored the game’s first seven goals. . . . F Tyler Coulter opened the scoring 36 seconds into the first period. One night earlier, Edmonton scored its first goal 11 seconds into the game. . . . F Tim McGauley had two goals and an assist for Brandon, with F Jayce Hawryluk scoring twice. D Ivan Provorov had three assists. . . . Brandon got a goal and an assist from each of D Eric Roy, F Rihards Bukarts and Coulter. . . . Brandon D Colton Waltz had one assist and was plus-4. . . . G Jordan Papirny stopped 33 shots for Brandon. Edmonton starter Tristan Jarry was beaten five times on 29 shots before being relieved by Patrick Dea with 14:08 left in the third. Dea gave up three goals on 12 shots. . . . Dea did turn aside Hawryluk on a penalty shot. . . . Brandon was 3-for-6 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-for-6. . . . Attendance was 4,102, which is 1,016 more than attended the opener.

In Regina, F Pavel Padakin scored two goals to help the Pats to a 4-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . Game 2 of the series is scheduled for tonight in Regina. . . . Broncos F Glenn Gawdin got the game’s first goal, at 2:01 of the first period. . . . Regina F Patrick D’Amico tied it at 12:38. . . . Padakin gave the Pats a 3-1 lead with goals 59 seconds part late in the first period. . . . The Broncos got back to within one on F Jay Merkley’s goal at 10:53 of the second. . . . The score stayed at 3-2 until Regina F Braden Christoffer scored an empty-netter at 19:42 of the third. . . . Each team was 0-for-1 on the PP. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 35 shots, including 17 of 18 in the first period. . . . Swift Current’s Landon Bow turned aside 28 shots. . . . Attendance was 5,361.

In Calgary, F Jaedon Descheneau’s shorthanded goal stood up as the winner as the Kootenay Ice beat the Calgary Hitmen, 4-3. . . . Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday in Calgary and will be televised by Shaw. . . . Ice F Luke Philp broke a 2-2 tie with his second goal, at 17:17 of the second period. . . . Descheneau scored his shortie at 9:57 of the third. . . . Philp and D Tyler King gave the visitors a 2-0 lead before the first period was 15 minutes old. . . . Calgary D Jake Bean scored a PP goal at 19:44 of the first and F Kenton Helgesen tied it at 4:23 of the second. . . . Calgary F Connor Rankin got his side’s final goal, at 13:07 of the third. . . . Bean was playing his first game since suffering a wrist injury on Feb. 28 in Kelowna. He missed the last nine games of the regular season. . . . Philp also had an assist, and F Austin Vetterl had two of them. . . . D Radel Fazleev had two assists for Calgary. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin turned aside 29 shots, two more than Calgary’s Brendan Burke. . . . The Ice was 1-for-3 on the PP; the Hitmen were 1-for-4. . . . The Hitmen had won their last five games of the regular season, the last two of which were against the Ice. . . . Attendance was 8,256.

In Victoria, F Brandon Magee scored three times in the second period as the Royals got past the Prince George Cougars, 5-3. . . . They’ll play Game 2 in Victoria tonight. . . . The Cougars got first-period PP goals from D Tate Olson and F Chase Witala to take a 2-0 lead. . . . Magee tied it with goals at 4:59 and 5:59 of the second. . . . Victoria F Greg Chase gave his guys their first lead at 12:20 and Magee filled his hat at 18:44. . . . Cougars F Kody McDonald cut the deficit to one with a PP goal at 6:32 of the third. . . . Victoria F Taylor Crunk scored an empty-netter at 19:27. . . . D Joe Hicketts and F Alex Forsberg, who began his career with the Cougars, each had two assists. . . . F Brad Morrison had two assists for Prince George. . . . Victoria G Coleman Vollrath stopped 28 shots, eight more than Prince George’s Ty Edmonds. . . . The Cougars were 3-for-4 on the PP; the Royals were 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 4,629.

In Kelowna, G Jackson Whistle stopped 18 shots for the first shutout of these playoffs, as the Rockets dumped the Tri-City Americans, 6-0. . . . Game 2 is scheduled for Kelowna tonight. . . . Whistle’s shutout came in his first career playoff start. . . . F Rourke Chartier scored the game’s first goal, at 2:06 of the first period. . . . Chartier scored twice, getting the second one while shorthanded in the third period. F Nick Merkley also scored a shorthanded goal. . . . Chartier also had an assist, while Merkley had two of them. . . . Rockets D Madison Bowey had a goal and an assist, and was plus-4. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 24 shots. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-4 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-for-5. . . . Attendance was 5,369.

In Everett, F Carson Stadnyk scored three goals early in the third period as the Silvertips erased a 1-0 deficit and beat the Spokane Chiefs, 5-1. . . . They’ll play Game 2 in Everett tonight. . . . Spokane F Liam Stewart scored the game’s first goal, at 13:55 of the second period. . . . Everett scored five goals on 12 third-period shots. . . . Stadnyk tied it 17 seconds into the third, then gave his guys the lead at 1:34. He completed the hat trick at 4:03. . . . He scored three times in 3:46. The WHL playoff record for fastest three goals by one player is 2:39 by F Doug Saunders of the Kamloops Jr. Oilers. He did it on April 14, 1984, in the third period of a 10-5 victory over the host Portland Winter Hawks. . . . Stadnyk also drew an assist on F Ivan Nikolishin’s first of two PP goals in the latter half of the third period. . . . Everett was 2-for-8 on the PP; Spokane was 0-for-4. . . . The Chiefs took 87 of the 156 penalty minutes that were handed out, with 138 of those coming after Everett went ahead 3-1. . . . Everett G Carter Hart stopped 22 shots, five fewer than Spokane’s Garret Hughson. . . . Attendance was 3,358.
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Condolences to former Portland Winterhawks head coach Mike Johnston on the death of his mother. Johnston is in his first season as head coach of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.
From a Penguins’ news release:
“Sheila Margaret (Mickey) Johnston . . . passed away Friday in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She was 81.
“Funeral services will be held Tuesday.
“Mike will coach both games this weekend, then travel to Nova Scotia for the funeral.”
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Former Brandon Wheat Kings D Don Dietrich has been to the top of the world — well, kind of — and back, and he loved every minute of it. There’s more right here from the Winnipeg Free Press.
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Tim Hunter, the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, has been named head coach of the Canadian U-18 team that will play in the IIHF World championship that runs April 16-26 in Lucerne and Zug, Switzerland. . . . Hunter, 54, has just completed his first season with the Warriors. A former NHL player and NHL assistant coach, he will be making his first appearance behind a Team Canada bench. . . . His assistant coaches will be Ian Herbers, a former WHLer who is the head coach of the CIS-champion U of Alberta Golden Bears, and Louis Robitaille, an assistant coach with the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs.
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“As a former NHL player, Sheldon Kennedy spent eight years skating for three teams, but his true life’s work has been focused on being a champion for millions of abuse survivors,” reads a news release issued by the University of Guelph on Friday. “It is because of his ability to stand up in the face of adversity and create positive change that the University of Guelph and College of Business and Economics will recognize him with the Lincoln Alexander Outstanding Leader Award on May 27.” . . . The complete news release is right here.
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Rudy Poeschek, a former NHLer who played in the WHL with the Kamloops Jr. Oilers/Blazers (1983-87) has been charged with assault, driving while prohibited and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. . . . Tim Petruk of Kamloops This Week has more right here.
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Fight in the first. Puck in the face in the second #hockey pic.twitter.com/g9eRIoW6gt
— Ryan Olsen (@rolsen94) March 28, 2015

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Victoria fined 10 grand; WHL interested in Lower Mainland . . . again!

D James Bettauer (Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2010-12) has signed a one-year deal with the Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL). This season, with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL), Bettauer had seven points, including three goals, in 50 games. . . .
F Vaclav Varada (Tacoma/Kelowna, 1994-96) has announced his retirement. This season with Trinec (Czech Republic, Extraliga), he had nine points, four of them goals, in 36 games. Varada was a player-assistant coach this season; next season he will be strictly an assistant coach for Trinec.
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The Victoria Royals and two of their players have paid the price for some silliness that occurred during Game 5 of their second-round playoff series with the Portland Winterhawks on Friday night.
The Royals were fined $10,000 for, according to the WHL, “actions by club deemed detrimental to the league.”
F Brandon Magee, who turned 20 on Jan. 23, was given a 12-game suspension after he took a match penalty for attempt to injure. According to the WHL, “It is the second match penalty for the player this season. There were separate cross-checks to the heads of two opponents during incident.”
If you haven’t seen the video, Magee cross-checked Portland F Nic Petan on the back of the head and then cross-checked an onrushing Brendan Leipsic in the face area.
Victoria F Steven Hodges, who turned 20 on May 5, got five games after taking a game misconduct in the same game. According to the WHL, “He threw two separate punches at an unsuspecting opponent during altercation.”
Portland won the game, which was televised by Shaw, 5-1 and took the series, 4-1. Hodges was tossed at the end of the second period. Magee’s match penalty occurred at 15:10 of the third period.
(Unfortunately, the WHL has yet to take advantage of the media that is available to it by posting video of such incidents, along with having a league official explain the reasoning behind the disciplinary decisions. The NHL and the OHL, to name two leagues, provide such information; it’s time for the WHL to do it, too.)
Meanwhile, F Richard Nejezchleb of the Brandon Wheat Kings drew a two-game suspension for a clipping major and game misconduct in Game 5 against the host Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday. Nejezchleb, a Czech, will be a 20-year-old next season, so, as a two-spotter is unlikely to return to the WHL.
Ryan McGill, the head coach of the Kootenay Ice, was touched for $500 after he was hit with a game misconduct following Game 6 against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Monday night. Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News reports that McGill was “shouting at the officials."
The Tigers won that game 2-1 to even the second-round series, 3-3. They will decide the issue tonight in Medicine Hat.
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The WHL, having failed once on the Lower Mainland of B.C., is interested in setting up shop there again, now that the Abbotsford Heat, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Calgary Flames, are leaving the area.
WHL commissioner Ron Robison told Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun that “the market is of interest to us and now that it appears to be available, we will certainly put it on our radar screen.
“At this point, we don’t have any franchises that are considering relocation and there is no expansion coming in the foreseeable future. In our view, we’ve expanded sort of beyond our ideal number of 20-22 teams. So the only way we could be there is through relocation.
“We do believe the Fraser Valley would support a WHL franchise, but we just felt that the impact of having both Abbotsford and Chilliwack sharing, to some extent, the Fraser Valley market, it was difficult to operate under those circumstances.”
The Chilliwack Bruins operated for five seasons before the franchise was sold and relocated to Victoria, where it has operated as the Royals for three seasons.
Brian Burke, the Flames’ president of hockey operations, was a part-owner of the Bruins.
At a Tuesday news conference announcing the Heat’s departure, Bruce Banman, Abbotsford’s mayor, said that the city would be interested in attracting a WHL team as the facility’s anchor tenant.
Pap’s story is right here.
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Elliotte Friedman’s weekly 30 Thoughts is right here. Yes, it’s always worth reading. No, it doesn’t include anything on his future after Hockey Night in Canada.
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The Chicago Wolves, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, have signed F Zach Pochiro to a PTO. Pochiro played out his junior eligibility with the Prince George Cougars this season, putting up 66 points, including 27 goals, in 63 games. . . . He then joined the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings with who he picked up two assists in nine games. . . . He was a fourth-round selection by the Blues in the NHL’s 2013 draft.
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G Chris Driedger, who completed his junior eligibility this season with the Calgary Htimen, has joined the AHL’s Binghamton Senators on an ATO. Driedger, a third-round pick by the parent Ottawa Senators in the 2012 NHL draft, was 28-14-7, 2.64, .918 with the Hitmen this season. . . . After the Hitmen were eliminated from the playoffs, he joined the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals. He got into four games there, going 1-2-0, 3.92, .893.
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The NHL’s Dallas Stars have signed F Branden Troock of the Seattle Thunderbirds to a three-year, entry-level contract. Troock was a fifth-round selection in the NHL’s 2012 draft. . . . Troock has battled injuries during his WHL career. He had 28 points, including 14 goals, in 58 games in 2011-12, then was limited to 19 games -- he had 11 points -- in 2012-13. This season, in 58 games, he put up 58 points, including 24 goals. . . . Troock, from Edmonton, turned 20 on March 20.
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The OUA’s Windsor Lancers have received a commitment from F Daulton Siwak (Red Deer, Prince George, 2008-13). Siwak, 20, has used up his junior eligibility. He played this season with the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings and the SJHL’s La Ronge Ice Wolves.
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F Mitch Holmberg, who won the WHL scoring title this season with the Spokane Chiefs, has signed with the ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors, who have placed him on their playoff roster. . . . After the Chiefs’ season ended, Holmberg joined the Oklahoma City Barons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, who own the Condors.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The junior B Kelowna Chiefs, who play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, have named Jason Tansem as their new head coach. Tansem was an assistant coach with the Chiefs. . . . Grant Sheridan remains as the Chiefs’ general manager, while former head coach Ken Andrusiak is assistant GM and video coach. . . . The Chiefs just finished their fourth season in Kelowna after making the move from Chase, B.C., over the summer of 2010.
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When you talk about the greatest defenceman in WHL history, Barry Beck has to be in the conversation. He played for the New Westminster Bruins (1974-77) and they won the WHL championship in each of his three seasons. . . . So where is Beck these days? He’s coaching in Hong Kong. . . . Daniel Gerber has more right here.
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THE SECOND ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. BRANDON (7)
(Edmonton wins, 4-1)
Season series: Edmonton, 3-1-0; Brandon, 1-2-1.
Thursday: Brandon 0 at Edmonton 5 (5,899)
Saturday: Brandon 0 at Edmonton 3 (7,115)
Tuesday: Edmonton 5 at Brandon 2 (3,522)
Wednesday: Edmonton 2 at Brandon 5 (3,246)
Friday: Brandon 1 at Edmonton 5 (6,356)
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Series tied, 3-3)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 3-3-0; Kootenay, 3-3-0.
Saturday: Kootenay 4 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,750)
Sunday: Kootenay 2 at Medicine Hat 5 (3,755)
Wednesday: Medicine Hat 1 at Kootenay 3 (2,461)
Thursday: Medicine Hat 4 at Kootenay 7 (2,578)
Saturday: Kootenay 2 at Medicine Hat 9 (3,624)
Monday: Medicine Hat 2 at Kootenay 1 (2,732)
Wednesday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
(NOTE: Kootenay plays home games in Cranbrook, B.C.)
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Landon Cross, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. SEATTLE (4)
(Kelowna wins, 4-0)
Season series: Kelowna, 2-1-1; Seattle, 2-1-1.
Thursday: Seattle 2 at Kelowna 6 (4,581)
Saturday: Seattle 3 at Kelowna 6 (5,675)
Tuesday: Kelowna 5 at Seattle 4 (5,029)
Wednesday: Kelowna 5 at Seattle 2 (2,219)
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VICTORIA (3)
(Portland wins, 4-1)
Season series: Portland, 1-1-2; Victoria, 3-1-0.
Friday: Victoria 2 at Portland 8 (6,152)
Saturday: Victoria 3 at Portland 6 (10,947)
Monday: Portland 1 at Victoria 2 (6,505)
Tuesday: Portland 4 at Victoria 3 (6,745)
Thursday: Victoria 1 at Portland 5 (8,083)
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THE THIRD ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. PORTLAND (2)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-0-0; Portland, 0-4-0.
Friday: Portland at Kelowna, 7:30 p.m. (Sportsnet)
Saturday: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
Tuesday: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, April 23: Kelowna at Portland (Moda Center), 7 p.m.
x-Friday, April 25: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
x-Sunday, April 27: Kelowna at Portland, 5 p.m.
x-Tuesday, April 29: Portland at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Kelowna: F Myles Bell, week-to-week.
Portland: None.
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. MEDICINE HAT (4)/KOOTENAY    (6)
Season series: Edmonton, 5-0-1; Medicine Hat, 1-5-0.
Season series: Edmonton, 4-2-0; Kootenay, 2-2-2.
Friday: Medicine Hat/Kootenay at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Medicine Hat/Kootenay at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Other dates TBA.
INJURIES
Edmonton: D Blake Orban, day-to-day.
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From Bob Ridley (@BobRidley_CHAT), the Medicine Hat Tigers’ legendary radio voice and bus driver: “Tigers had bus egged by idiot Kootenay ice fans (Monday) nite. Not classy at all.”
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From Ron Jones (@hockeydraft411): “What the hell happened to Burke's hair? I don't feel so bad balding after that. #eaglefromthemuppets”

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Here is the photographic evidence: It was a game in Regina in the mid-1980s
when Theo Fleury of the Moose Jaw Warriors tucked his stick between his legs
and scored on goaltender Stacey Nickel, who tried to stop him with a pad stack.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D James Bettauer (Chilliwack, Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2008-09, 2010-12) signed a one-year contract extension with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL). He has three goals and five assists in 31 games with the Freezers this season. Bettauer now is under contract through the end of the 2013-2014 season.
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Bob Tory, the general manager of the Tri-City Americans, has advised me that F Marcus Messier, who returned to the lineup this week after a nine-game absence, wasn’t out with a concussion.
Messier was injured on Nov. 30 during the second period of a game against the host Kamloops Blazers when he was checked by F Aspen Sterzer. There wasn’t a penalty on the play.
Messier was shown as being out with an upper-body injury. I was wrong in assuming it was a concussion.
Apologies to all involved.
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If you haven’t seen it yet, the documentary Head Games should be on your ‘must-see’ list.
It is 95 minutes in length and is a great look from all angles at the problem of concussions in sports.
Here’s the blurb from imdb.com: “A documentary that follows football player and wrestler Chris Nowinski's quest to uncover the truth about the consequences of sports related head injuries.”
Nowinski is a graduate of Harvard who played football while in university. He later worked as a professional wrestler.
His athletic career was ended by post-concussion syndrome. He went on to write the book Head Games and now is co-director of the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University.
One segment of the documentary deals with Owen Thomas, a 21-year-old linebacker at the U of Pennsylvania, who committed suicide. His brain was found to contain CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in its early stages.
As Nowinski puts it: “Twenty-one-year-olds shouldn’t have this from playing a game.”
Find this documentary and watch it. You owe it to yourself, to your children, to your players . . .
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The Kamloops Blazers scored a 4-2 victory over the Giants in Vancouver on Wednesday night.
Immediately following the game, the Giants dealt F Kale Kessy, 20, to the Blazers for F Rob Trzonkowski, 18, and a fifth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft.
Kessy was pointless and minus-2 without any penalty minutes in his final game with Vancouver.
The Giants had acquired Kessy from the Medicine Hat Tigers for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft.
At the time, it was reported that the pick would be paid to the Tigers if Kessy was on the Giants’ roster on Jan. 10. However, Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province tweeted early this morning: “Conditional status of Giants trade with MH for Kessy was for suspension or AHL call-up. They still owe pick, even with Blazer trade.”
At the time Kessy was dealt to Vancouver, he was serving a 12-game suspension that was levied for a headshot he delivered to D Ryan Pilon of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. That was the seventh suspension of Kessy’s WHL career.
A fourth-round selection by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2011 NHL draft, Kessy has 18 points and 62 penalty minutes in 29 games this season. He had two goals in two games with the Tigers and seven goals and nine assists in 27 games with the Giants.
In 222 career regular-season games, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder has 87 points, including 34 goals, and 467 penalty minutes.
The Blazers began the season with three 20-year-old forwards — Jordan DePape, Brendan Ranford and Dylan Willick. They lost DePape to shoulder problems in November and tried to fill the void by acquiring F Charles Inglis from the Red Deer Rebels.
That didn’t work out and Inglis was released following a game in Edmonton on Dec. 12. He now is with the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines.
DePape has had shoulder surgery and said Tuesday that he should be ready to play again in mid-March. Because he’s 20, he would have to be on the Blazers’ roster on Jan. 10, the WHL trade and roster deadline, if he was to play for Kamloops again this season.
The Blazers obviously weren’t prepared to wait. They are believed to have placed DePape on 48-hour waivers. Should he clear, he will become a free agent. He also has expressed interest in returning to junior A, perhaps with a team primed for a run at the 2013 RBC Cup, which is to be played in Summerside, P.E.I.
The Blazers’ roster is at 23, including eight defencemen and 13 forwards.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Trzonkowski, who was acquired by Kamloops from the Calgary Hitmen during the summer, has five points and 45 penalty minutes in 41 games. The Blazers gave up a 2014 fourth-round bantam draft pick in that exchange.
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The NBA suspended Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat for one game without pay recently. I read somewhere that the suspension would cost Wade $154,764.
So I got to wondering: How much a one-game suspension would cost a 20-year-old WHL player?
Well, I understand a 20-year-old WHLer gets $600 per month, before taxes. So if we set the WHL regular-season on a six-month scale, that’s $3,600, again before taxes.
A team plays 72 games in a regular season, so a one-game suspension without pay would cost a 20-year-old WHL player $50, which would be $154,714 less than what it cost Wade.
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The AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats fired Ryan Parent, their director of hockey operations and head coach, on Wednesday. . . . Garry VanHereweghe, the director of player personnel, has taken over as general manager, with assistant coach Kyle Tapp now the interim head coach. . . . The Bobcats are 11-23-6 and in last place in the eight-team North Division. . . . Parent was in his first season.
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Another former NFL player has filed a concussion-related lawsuit against the NFL. Otis Taylor, now 70, was a two-time All-Pro receiver with the Kansas City Chiefs. According to the lawsuit obtained by NFLConcussionLitigation.com, Taylor requires “constant medical care and supervision. . . . He is currently bedridden, cannot verbally communicate, is unable to walk, and relies on a feeding tube for all his sustenance.”
There is more right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Hunter Shinkaruk had two goals and an assist to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 5-2 victory over the Raiders. . . . Shinkaruk has 22 goals. . . . The game was played a day after the teams swapped five skaters and a couple of draft picks. F Logan McVeigh was pointless and plus-1 for the Tigers, while D Zach Hodder was pointless and minus-1. Raiders F Jayden Hart scored a goal and was minus-1, while D Dylan Busenius had an assist and was plus-1. . . . The Tigers held a 36-15 edge in shots. . . . F Curtis Valk scored his 22nd goal for the Tigers. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Luke Philp scored twice as the Kootenay Ice got past the Red Deer Rebels, 4-1. . . . Philp has 11 goals. . . . He gave the Ice a 2-0 lead at 11:48 of the first and a 3-1 edge at 14:13 of the third on a PP. . . . F Rhyse Dieno scored his 10th of the season for the Rebels. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski made 29 saves. . . . Ice F Jeff Hubic scored his first WHL goal into an empty net at 19:47 of the third. Hubic, an 18-year-old from Regina, was playing in his 93rd regular-season game. . . . The Rebels have lost three in a row. . . .

In Calgary, F Brooks Macek scored three times and set up another and D Alex Roach had four assists to lead the Hitmen to a 10-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . That was Macek’s second career hat trick. . . . His first three-goal game came on Jan. 25 in a 7-2 victory over visiting Brandon. . . . The Hitmen were 5-for-9 on the PP. . . . Calgary F Chase Lang, a 16-year-old from Nanaimo, B.C., had two goals and an assist for his first WHL points. They came in his 21st game. . . . Calgary F Austin Calladine, a 17-year-old from Saskatoon, also got his first goal. It came in his 22nd game. . . . With F Mike Ferland out with an undisclosed injury, F Nick Buonassisi get back in after twice being scratched. They are two of Brandon’s four 20-year-olds, one of whom will have to be moved. . . . F Braylon Shmyr, a first-round selection, 12th overall, in the 2012 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Wheat Kings and scored his first goal. Shmyr, who turned 16 on New Year’s Day, is playing with the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes. . . . According to the Brandon Sun: “It was the first time the Wheat Kings have surrendered double-digits in a game since a 10-1 loss to the Hitmen in a playoff game on April 8, 2005.” . . .

In Kelowna, F Jordon Cooke stopped 30 shots as the Rockets beat the Victoria Royals, 4-2. . . . Kelowna has won 15 in a row on home ice. . . . F Alex Gogolev and F Logan Nelson, the Royals’ top two scorers, didn’t make the trip to Kelowna. Both are out with undisclosed injuries. . . . Kelowna was 3-for-6 on the PP; the Royals were 0-for-9. . . . The Rockets remain two points behind the Kamloops Blazers, who lead the B.C. Division. . . . Victoria F Ben Walker, who scored his 13th goal to conclude the game’s scoring at 5:29, was taken off the ice on a stretcher following a neutral zone collision. Walker was taken to hospital and later released. . . . From Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier: “One minute after closing out the scoring at 5:29 of the third period, Victoria’s Ben Walker got caught up in a massive collision at the Royals’ blue-line. Victoria’s Tyler Stahl lined up, then exploded into Kelowna’s Tyrell Goulbourne, who was carrying the puck. Walker was closely trailing Goulbourne and got caught in the hit. Walker fell to the ice and play was immediately stopped. Emergency personnel attended to Walker, slowly moving him onto a spine board, and then a stretcher before taking him to hospital” for precautionary measures.” . . .

In Vancouver, F Tim Bozon broke a 2-2 tie at 11:17 of the third period and the Kamloops Blazers beat the Giants, 4-2. . . . The Giants held a 2-1 lead before Kamloops F Dylan Willick scored a shorthanded goal with 51.7 seconds left in the second period. . . . Willick, 20, returned from a 21-game absence. He suffered a broken ankle on Nov. 2. He also was named teamp captain while he was injured, meaning last night was the first time this season that the Blazers had a player wearing the ‘C’ and in the lineup. . . . Bozon also had two assists. . . . Kamloops F Colin Smith, the WHL scoring leader, had two assists. He leads the league in assists (41) and points (68). . . . The Giants were without F Taylor Vickerman, who drew a five-game suspension for a kneeing major in a game against the visiting Prince George Cougars on Dec. 30. . . . Prince George D Joe Carvalho was injured on that play. Carvalho is out indefinitely and will be re-evaluated once the swelling in the knee goes down.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None
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An interesting exchange between Portland F Chase De Leo (@Dels) and Winterhawks D Seth Jones (@seth_jones04), who is with the U.S. team at the World Junior Championship:

De Leo: “What's a good TV series to start on Netflix? #Ideas #Help”
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Jones: “@Dels9 it's a really good one.. US vs. CAN”
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De Leo: “@seth_jones04 Fine ill just watch it to see your face. #MissYou”

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The WHL’s trade deadline arrives on Jan. 10. Here is a look at trades since the end of the WHL’s Christmas trade moratorium:

Jan. 1: Medicine Hat trades D Dylan Busenius, 19, F Jayden Hart, 18, and a 2014 sixth-round pick to Prince Albert for F Logan McVeigh, 18, D Zach Hodder, 19, F Connor Hobbs, 15, and a 2013 second-round pick.
Jan. 2: Vancouver trades F Kale Kessy, 20, to Kamloops for F Rob Trzonkowski, 18, and a 2015 fifth-round pick.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
D/F James Bettauer (Chilliwack, Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, 2007-08, 2010-12) signed a one-year contract with the Hamburg Freezers (Germany, DEL). He had 21 goals and 37 assists in 74 games with Prince Albert Raiders and Medicine Hat Tigers this season. According to the Freezers press release, Bettauer has claim to a German passport and won’t count as an import. The Freezers plan to use him as a defenceman. . . .
D Shawn Belle (Regina, Tri-City, 2000-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Adler Mannheim (Germany, DEL). He had three goals and five assists in 46 games for Adler this season.
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KEEPING UP WITH JONES:
OK.
Everyone who figured D Seth Jones would go to the U of North Dakota after the Portland Winterhawks had obtained the right to talk to him raise your right hand.
That’s what I thought.
Jeff Spiegel of the Portland Tribune reported early Monday evening that Jones, who is projected as an early selection in the NHL’s 2013 draft, signed with the Winterhawks on Saturday and that an official announcement will be made tonight, prior to Game 4 of the WHL championship final in Portland.
The Winterhawks gave up an undisclosed conditional bantam draft pick to acquire the negotiating rights to Jones from the Everett Silvertips. They had selected Jones with the 11th overall pick of the 2009 bantam draft.
Doug Soetaert, then Everett’s general manager, made that selection and also put a lot of time and effort into recruiting Jones. However, Soetaert was fired in February and Garry Davidson, the Winterhawks’ director of player personnel, was named GM shortly thereafter.
A couple of weeks ago, Jones’ representative – please remember that NCAA regulations don’t allow college-eligible players to have agents (wink! wink!) – informed Everett that Jones wouldn’t play for the Silvertips. They then dealt negotiating rights to Portland.
Obviously, it will cost the Winterhawks a whole lot more now that they have signed him.
"We have the framework for that deal, and everyone is comfortable with it if we are able to sign him," Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks’ GM and head coach, told The Tribune after acquiring the negotiating rights.
While the Winterhawks are to announce the signing tonight, chances are they won’t reveal the terms of the trade with the Silvertips. It could be that such a transaction will include a player or two off the Winterhawks’ present roster.
Spiegel’s entire story is right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Dale Vossen is the new head coach of the midget AAA Swift Current Home Hardware Legionnaires, as Shawn Mullin, the play-by-play voice of the Swift Current Broncos has reported. Vossen replaces Jason Johns, who was dropped as head coach in March. . . . Vossen is no stranger to hockey in Western Canada, having scouted for the Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers, and having coached at various levels in minor hockey in and around Swift Current and Regina. He was an assistant coach with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians who won the Air Canada Cup in 1988 and got back to the final the following season only to lose to the Calgary Buffaloes. . . . Vossen also spent two seasons (1991-93) as an assistant coach with the Pats. Brad Tippett, brother to Phoenix Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett, was the Pats’ head coach. Oh, could those two, along with Al Dumba, the other assistant coach, tell some stories. . . . Vossen’s son, Evan, scored the OT goal last month that gave the McGill Redmen a 4-3 victory over the Western Mustangs in the CIS championship game. The Redmen are recognized as the oldest hockey team in the world — the club was wrapping up its 136th season — and this was its first championship.
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Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that the Vancouver Giants’ search for a goaltender will continue. Adam Morrison played out his eligibility with the Giants this season. Jackson Whistle and Payton Lee, who also saw action with the Giants last season, are deemed too young to take over the starting role. The Giants, Ewen has reported, had hoped to land Matt Tomkins, who played this season with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders but he apparently has decided to go the NCAA route.
Ewen’s complete report is right here.
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Chris Rumble, the son of Seattle Thunderbirds assistant coach Darren Rumble, was diagnosed with leukemia about five weeks ago. Chris just happens to know his way around a video camera and a computer, so while at Seattle Children’s Hospital on the weekend he put together a music video that is a must-see. He filmed it on Saturday, then did the editing on Sunday and then published it online. Check it out right here.
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With the Portland Winterhawks playing in the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup for a second straight season, it’s easy to forget how bad this franchise was not that long ago. Jim Beseda of The Oregonian takes a look back right here and writes about how times have changed.
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Ch-ch-ching! As expected, head coach Derek Laxdal of the Edmonton Oil Kings paid a small price for his officiating-related comments after Game 2 of the WHL final. No, he wasn’t talking about how good he felt the officiating has been. And it cost him $500. The WHL announced the fine on Monday.
Laxdal twice said “no comment” to officiating-related questions following Game 3 on Sunday night.
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F Henrik Samuelsson won’t be in the Edmonton Oil Kings’ lineup tonight for Game 4 of the WHL final against the Winterhawks in Portland. Samuelsson drew a one-game suspension under supplementary discipline for a cross-checking incident in Game 3 on Sunday. He drew a double-minor on the play.
After the suspension was announced there were a couple of interesting tweets.
Here’s one from Todd Vrooman, the play-by-play voice of the Winterhawks: “Samuelsson suspended for Game 4 for blatant cross check to the face of Joey Baker in Game 3.”
OK.
Now here are two tweets from Corey Graham, the radio voice of the Oil Kings:
“Just a bizarre situation. WHL suspends Henrik Samuelsson 1 game for protecting himself on a hit by Joey Baker.”
“But the WHL looks other way when Wren hits Moroz from behind during goal celebration, and when Brad Ross shoves one of their officials #???”
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Here is the schedule for the WHL’s championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup (all times local):
Thursday, May 3: Portland 2 at Edmonton 3 (7,466)
Friday, May 4: Portland 5 at Edmonton 1 (10,720)
Sunday, May 6: Edmonton 3 at Portland 4 (10,947)
Tuesday, May 8: at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 10: at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Saturday, May 12: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.

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The first time I saw Chad Lang, then the general manager of the Moose Jaw Warriors, he was in the press box in the arena in Kamloops. I thought he was one of that night’s scratches from the Moose Jaw lineup. Today, he is the general manager of the Regina Pats. Andrew Matte of the Regina Leader-Post has Lang’s interesting story right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
The Edmonton Oil Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors have advanced to the Eastern Conference final. The Oil Kings go in having won all eight of their playoff games, while the Warriors are 4-1. . . . They’ll begin with games in Edmonton on April 20 and 22. . . .

In Brandon, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored four first-period goals and went on to beat the Wheat Kings, 6-0. . . . Edmonton swept the Eastern Conference semifinal, running its playoff record this spring to 8-0. . . . The Oil Kings now have won 19 straight games. . . . The Wheat Kings scratched their top two forwards, Mark Stone and Michael Ferland. Stone has whiplash, while Ferland has a broken finger. Neither finished Game 3 on Tuesday night. . . . With those two out, F Daniel Asham an d F Tim McGauley made their playoff debuts. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 24 shots for his second shutout of these playoffs. . . . Edmonton got two goals from D Martin Gernat, who was celebrating his 19th birthday. . . . Edmonton F T.J. Foster had a goal and two assists. He and Gernat each finished plus-4. . . . Edmonton F Dylan Wruck left the game in the third period with an apparent shoulder injury. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock is expected to heard for Czech Republic where he will play for Canada at the IIHF U-18 world championship. . . .

In Medicine Hat, F Brayden Point continued to pen an amazing story as his PP goal in overtime gave the Moose Jaw Warriors a 4-3 victory over the Tigers. . . . The Tigers won the Eastern Conference semifinal, 4-0. . . . Point, the 14th overall pick in the 2011 bantam draft, has eight points, including five goals, in nine playoff games. He leads the WHL with three game-winners — two of them in OT — in the playoffs. This one came on the PP at 8:50 of OT. . . . D James Bettauer scored twice in the first period as the Tigers got out front 3-1 with three PP goals. . . . Moose Jaw F Kenton Miller scored on a PP at 3:08 of the second and F Sam Fioretti forced OT when he scored at 15:51 of the third. . . . Moose Jaw F Cam Braes had two assists as he ran his point streak to nine games. . . . The Tigers were 3-6 on the PP; the Warriors went 2-4. . . . Medicine Hat scratched D Alex Theriau, while the Warriors remain without D Morgan Rielly (knee). . . .

In Spokane, the Tri-City Americans scored the game’s first two goals and went on to a 2-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . The Americans take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 in Spokane on Friday. . . . Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday in Kennewick, Wash. . . . F Nathan MacMaster scored his first goal at 9:20 of the first period and F Brendan Shinnimin added his fifth at 14:56. . . . Shinnimin, who won the WHL scoring race, has at least one point in each of his last 30 games. . . . Spokane F Steven Kuhn scored at 12:16 of the third period. . . . Tri-City G Ty Rimmer stopped 24 shots, three fewer than Spokane’s Eric Williams. . . . The Chiefs won the opener 3-2 in OT; the Americans have won the last two, both 2-1. . . .  The Americans have won their last four games in Spokane. . . . Spokane F Marek Kalus sat out his second straight game. He has an upper-body injury and may not play again in the series. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers scored the game’s last five goals and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 5-4. . . . The Winterhawks, who lead the series 3-1, led 4-0 at 10:58 of the first period. . . . Game 5 is to be played in Portland’s Rose Garden on Saturday. . . . Kamloops F Dylan Willick broke a 4-4 tie with a PP goal at 7:37 of the third period. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford had a goal and two assists, including a faceoff win that led to Willick’s winner. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie left the game 12 minutes into the first period after taking a heavy hit from Kamloops F J.C. Lipon. He was favouring his back as he left the bench and went to the dressing room. He never did return to the game. . . . Kamloops G Cam Lanigan gave up four goals on eight shots but then stopped the last 23 shots he faced. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth turned aside 29 shots. . . . Kamloops was 2-5 on the PP; Portland was 0-5. . . . After the game, the Portland coaching staff was contemplating asking the WHL office for supplemental discipline for two checks delivered by Kamloops players. Check my game story elsewhere on this blog for more details.

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The Swift Current Broncos have assigned F Trevor Cameron, 19, to a yet-to-be-named junior A team. Cameron, from Mission, B.C., has five points in 20 games this season. . . . Last season, Cameron had 11 points in 33 games.
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WEDNESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
In Medicine Hat, G Tyler Bunz, dropped earlier in the day by Canada’s national junior team, stopped 33 shots as the Tigers beat the Red Deer Rebels, 5-2. . . . Bunz now has 94 regular-season victories and is tied with Mark Fitzpatrick for third on the Tigers’ career list. . . . D James Bettauer had a goal, his 14th, and two assists for the Tigers. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 30th goal of the season for the Tigers and also added an assist. . . . Etem has 61 points, four behind Brandon Wheat Kings F Mark Stone, who is with the Canadian junior team. . . . Of course, Etem will be joining the U.S. national junior team. . . . The Tigers had D Patrik Parkkonen and F Boston Leier back from injuries. Each had an assist. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Graham Hood scored 21 seconds into OT to give the Hurricanes a 6-5 victory over the Hitmen. . . . Hood scored twice in the game, giving him six this season. . . . Lethbridge F Cam Braes forced OT with his third goal of the game with 25 seconds left in the third period. . . . Braes has 19 goals. . . . The Hitmen trailed 4-2 when they struck for three third-period goals to take the lead. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester broke a 4-4 tie at 15:13, only to have Braes tie it 4:22 later. . . . Calgary F Victor Rask had three assists. He will play for Sweden in the World Junior Championship. . . .

In Regina, D Colten Martin scored at 2:33 of overtime to give the Kelowna Rockets a 3-2 victory over the Pats. . . . The goal was Martin’s first of the season. A 17-year-old freshman from Arlington, Texas, he has six points in 31 games. . . . Regina F Morgan Klimchuk scored a PP goal at 19:27 of the the third period to force extra time. . . . The Rockets are 1-2-1 on their East Division swing. . . . F Brett Bulmer opened the scoring for Kelowna just 21 seconds into the game. He got to Regina and played after being released by Canada’s national junior team in the morning. . . .

In Edmonton, F Michael St. Croix had a goal and three assists as the Oil Kings ran their winning streak to 10 games with a 6-3 victory over the Victoria Royials. . . . F Dylan Wruck had two goals and F Tyler Maxwell had a goal and an assist as both ran their point streaks to 12 games. . . . Edmonton was 2-for-2 on the power play. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Aspen Sterzer scored twice to help the Kamloops Blazers to a 6-3 victory over the Blades. . . . Sterzer, a freshman from Canal Flats, B.C., went into the game with two goals in 25 games this season. . . . He scored his second shorthanded goal and second game-winner at 10:28 of the second period to give Kamloops a 4-2 lead. . . . F Tim Bozon had one goal  for Kamloops. He has five on the first four games of the Blazers’ East Division tour. They are 2-2-0 on the trip. . . . The Blazers also got a goal from F Logan McVeigh, who is from Kenaston, 75 kilometres south of Saskatoon. . . . The Blades got the game’s first goal from Ryan Graham, a 15-year-old from Calgary who was a fifth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . Kamloops F J.C. Lipon had an eight-game point streak halted.

In Spokane, F Steven Kuhn scored at 4:14 of OT to give the Chiefs a 3-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips, who saw their losing streak reach 10. . . . Everett F Kohl Bauml forged a 2-2 tie at 12:25 of the third period. . . . According to the online scoresheet, Spokane enjoyed a 47-16 edge in shots, including 18-1 in the second period. . . . The Chiefs are 5-0 against the Silvertips. The teams meet again Friday in Everett.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Mason Geertsen, Edmonton.
F Locke Muller, Red Deer.
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Like a lot of people, Ed Willes, today a sports columnist with the Vancouver Province, wonders how he missed seeing what was going on with Graham James and young hockey players, in particular Sheldon Kennedy.
Willes writes about that today and it’s right here.
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The Saskatoon Blades remembered an old friend with a donation to the StarPhoenix’ Sporting Christmas. Thanks to Jack Brodsky, Lorne Molleken and the Blades for keeping alive the memory, the smiles and the laughter of a good friend.
That story is right here.
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Wednesday’s tweet of the night, from Moose Jaw Warriors D Kendall McFaull:
“Thanks to the @MJWARRIORS for our unreal christmas presents, customized blackberry playbooks! #soexcited #unreal”
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And then there was this . . .