Oilers fire scouts . . . Kennedy: No fixing pedophiles . . . Dom's in the picture

There’s nothing like the off-season for cooling in-season rivalries . . .

Thank you Gravelbourg for inviting @SCBroncos Charlie Horse to #SummerSolsticeFestival. Even ran into an old friend. pic.twitter.com/WyS2UB17tb

— Leigh Duquette (@LeighADuquette) June 21, 2015

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F Jordan Peddle (Swift Current, Edmonton, 2008-12) signed a contract for the rest of this season with CBR Brave Canberra (Australia, AIHL). Last season, with the Mississippi Surge (SPHL), he had 10 goals and 18 assists in 56 games. . . .
F Myles Bell (Regina, Kelowna, 2008-14) signed a one-year contract with Stjernen Fredrikstad (Norway, GET-Ligaen). Last season, with the Albany Devils (AHL), he was pointless in two games and had 10 goals and nine assists in 41 games with the Evansville Icemen (ECHL).
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With the NHL draft scheduled to start Friday in Sunrise, Fla., the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers dropped the axe on a few of their scouts on Saturday evening. Morey Gare, the head of their pro scouting department, was fired, as was head amateur scout Stu MacGregor. . . . Two other amateur scouts also were dropped, although their names weren’t available last night. . . . MacGregor, who I am told had one year left on his contract, once scouted for the Kamloops Blazers, and then was the team’s general manager for three seasons (1995-98). He left the Blazers to scout for the Dallas Stars, then joined the Oilers’ scouting staff in 2000. On Sept. 10, 2007, he was named the team’s director of amateur scouting.
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Graham James, the former general manager and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos, had two years added to the jail sentence he already is serving when he pleaded guilty to more sexual abuse-related charges on Friday. During the proceedings, Barb Pacholik of the Regina Leader-Post reported, “Defence lawyer Robert Skinner told court that when the 62-year-old offender is one day released, he intends to find a job ‘but he would also like to consider something in the education field, dealing with counsellors and coaches and teachers to tell them about his experience, so as they don’t make the same serious mistakes.’ ” . . . Pacholik continued: “At that comment, former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, another victim of James who came to support the latest complainant, raised his eyebrows and looked incredulous.” . . . Kennedy later told Pacholik: “There is no fixing (pedophiles.) There’s managing.” . . . Pacholik’s story is right here.
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During the NBA Finals, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers felt the urge to tell the world that he is “the best player in the world.” . . . Right here, William C. Rhoden of The New York Times takes a look at the reaction resulting from that statement.
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If you are familiar with Dom’s story, you know how special this picture is . . .

Our good luck charm. Come back anytime, champ. #PlaidForDad #GoDomGo pic.twitter.com/uZ7vMesVzk

— MedHat Mavericks (@mhmavericks) June 20, 2015

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Ryan Clark of the Fargo, N.D., Forum spoke with Popeye Jones earlier this week and the father of D Seth Jones said it was a “no-brainer” for his son to choose to continue his hockey career with the Portland Winterhawks. Check out that piece right here.
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With the Portland Winterhawks having appeared in the last two WHL championship finals, it’s sometimes hard to remember that it wasn’t that long ago when this team was the laughingstock of major junior hockey.
Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune has a piece right here on how the Winterhawks climbed from the outhouse to the penthouse.
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The OHL on Thursday morning approved the sale of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors by Eugene Melnyk to Elliott Kerr, a well-known Mississauga businessman who owns Landmark Sports Group, and partner David Livingston. . . . Melnyk owns the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. . . . The Mississauga franchise will undergo a change of name and colours before all is done. . . . James Boyd, the team’s GM and head coach, will remain in place. . . .
With Kerr purchasing the Majors, he had to divest himself of his ownership share in the OHL’s Guelph Storm. So, yesterday afternoon, the Storm announced that partners Rick Gaetz, Rick Hoyle and John Heeley had bought “the interest in the team previously held” by Kerr and Livingston. At the same time, Guelph head coach Scott Walker, the team announced, “has joined the Storm ownership group.”
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Art Monk, a Hall of Fame receiver, is the lead plaintiff in yet one more lawsuit filed against the NFL and Riddell Inc., the helmet manufacturer, over the issue of head injuries. According to the claim, Moss, who played 14 seasons with the Washington Redskins, has “short-term memory loss, headaches and speech difficulties” from multiple concussions.
The latest lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles and has 63 plaintiffs. The NFL now is facing lawsuits involving more than 2,000 former players.
There is more right here.
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I didn’t see/hear Ron MacLean’s intro for Hockey Night in Canada on Wednesday night (sorry, but if I never hear another of his puns it will be too soon), but I certainly read all about it later. If you’re on the Internet, how could you miss it? Anyway . . . Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star has a terrific piece right here on MacLean’s ramble and more.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The SPHL’s Hunstville Havoc removed the interim from head coach Glenn Detulleo’s title on Thursday. He now is the permanent director of hockey operations and head coach. Detulleo served as interim head coach for the last five games of the regular season and two rounds of playoff games. He had been an active player before retiring on March 8 and moving behind the bench to replace Randy Murphy. Detulleo now has a three-year contract in his hip pocket. . . .
The BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters have signed Randy Buffie as director of scouting and assistant general manager. He had been working as a B.C. regional scout for the Prince George Spruce Kings. . . . The Smoke Eaters also announced that they have hired Brent Demerais and Bill Spring as B.C.-based scouts.
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THE WHL FINAL:
Game 5 . . .
In Edmonton, D Mark Pysyk’s goal with 55.2 seconds left in the third period gave the Oil Kings a 4-3 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Oil Kings lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 in Portland on Saturday night. . . . A seventh game, if needed, would be played Sunday in Edmonton. . . . Pysyk, the Oil Kings’ captain, was the franchise’s first bantam draft pick, taken third overall in 2007. . . . Portland F Marcel Noebels scored at 1:45 of the first period to get things rolling. . . . Edmonton F Jordan Peddle tied it at 18:00. . . . Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart gave his side its first lead at 4:44 of the second, only to have Portland F Ty Rattie tie it on the PP at 5:27. . . . Rattie’s 19th goal of these playoffs tied Portland’s single-playoff record set by F Dan Woodley in 1987. . . . Peddle, who drew an assist on Reinhart’s goal, then got his second of the game, at 7:20, to give the Oil Kings a 3-2 edge. . . . Peddle, who turned 21 on March 5, is from Elbow, Sask. He was acquired from the Swift Current Broncos early in the season. He finished with 25 points in 70 games, going 10-12–22 in 66 games with the Oil Kings. In 18 games in these playoffs, he has 12 points, including six goals. . . . At 5:07 of the third, Portland F Sven Baertschi scored his 14th goal of the spring to tie the score. . . . Baertschi has seven goals in this series and has scored in six straight games. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 28 shots, three fewer than Portland’s Mac Carruth. . . . Portland was 1-4 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-3. . . . Attendance was 11,077. . . . Game 6 in Portland already is sold out.
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Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal was at the game and writes right here about F Jordan Peddle of the Oil Kings and the playoff run he is on.
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Allow me to remind you once again that if you are on Twitter you should be following @WHLFacts. . . . He tweeted Thursday afternoon: “Tonight, Troy Rutkowski & Joe Morrow will tie Troy Mick for the 2nd most playoff games played in @pdxwinterhawks franchise history (54).”
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In the QMJHL, the Saint John Sea Dogs swept the Rimouski Oceanic from the championship final last night to become the first team, other than the host Shawinigan Cataractes, to qualify for the MasterCard Memorial Cup. The Sea Dogs are defending MC champs.
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John MacKinnon of the Edmonton Journal writes right here about the Edmonton Oil Kings and attendance at home playoff games. Why, he wonders, haven’t there been 15,000 fans at some games?
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Portland D Troy Rutkowski, who tweeted this on Thursday afternoon: “Thanks to the Sutton for putting us above construction #ruinedmynap #32swingspernail #youshouldbefired”
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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: Edmonton 4 at Portland 3 (OT) (10,947)
Thursday, May 10: Portland 3 at Edmonton 4 (11,077)
Saturday, May 12: at Portland (Rose Garden), 6 p.m.
x-Sunday, May 13: at Edmonton, 6 p.m.
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Finally, have you heard about the Bikini Hockey League? No. . . . Keith Whitmire has the story right here.

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Here’s Jim Matheson, in the Edmonton Journal:
“Derek Laxdal loves working with the Oil Kings and has done a fantastic job with the kids but with every win in the playoffs you wonder whether pro people outside of Edmonton are noticing. The Dallas Stars are looking for an AHL farm coach in Austin and the New York Islanders just let two assistants go, including former Swift Current Broncos coach-GM Dean Chynoweth. Laxdal used to coach the Stars’ ECHL club in Idaho. He was drafted by the Leafs the same year (1984) as Isles’ head coach Jack Capuano and they played together in Newmarket (Ont.) and Springfield.”
Matty’s Hockey World is right here.
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Jerry Toppazzini, who played in the six-team NHL with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks and Detroi Red Wings, died Saturday at the age of 81.
The Sudbury Star has more right here.
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F Brett Bulmer, who played this season with the Kelowna Rockets, had the game’s only goal as the visiting Houston Aeros beat the Oklahoma City Barons 1-0 in an AHL playoff game on Sunday. The Barons lead the best-of-five series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Tuesday in Oklahoma City. . . . The Aeros are affiliated with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild; the Barons are with the Edmonton Oilers. . . . Former Moose Jaw Warriors G Mike Brodeur put up the shutout.
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According to the Winnipeg Sun, the MJHL has called an emergency board meeting for tonight at which the much-rumoured sale of the Winnipeg Saints to interests in Virden, Man., will be discussed. There has been speculation that the franchise already has been sold to a Virden group.
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SUNDAY’S GAME:
There was one Eastern Conference game on Sunday night, with the Edmonton Oil Kings putting up a second straight 6-1 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . This is the seventh Eastern Conference series this spring; the tally is 26-2. There have been four sweeps and two series decided in five games. . . . The Western Conference final resumes Wednesday with the host Portland Winterhawks holding a 2-0 edge over the Tri-City Americans. . . .

In Edmonton, G Laurent Brossoit stopped 48 shots to lead the Oil Kings to a 6-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Oil Kings, who now have won 21 straight games, including 10 in a row in these playoffs, lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final, 2-0. . . . Edmonton had won the opener, also 6-1, on Friday. . . . The series now heads for Moose Jaw and games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. . . . Brossoit was especially busy in the second period when he stopped 23 of 24 shots. . . . The CHL’s reigning goaltender of the week, Brossoit has won 19 straight starts. . . . F Jordan Peddle scored twice for Edmonton, giving him three goals in these playoffs. He got the game’s first goal and later made it 5-1 with an empty-netter as Moose Jaw lifted G Luke Siemens for the extra attacker with 3:30 to play. . . . Edmonton F Klarc Wilson had two assists, giving him five points in the two games. . . . Siemens finished with 26 saves. . . . Brossoit lost his shutout when F Kenton Miller scored on the PP at 11:37 of the second period. That cut the Edmonton lead to 2-1, but D Martin Gernat restored the two-goal lead on a PP just three minutes later. . . . According to Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald: “The 49 shots (Brossoit) was the most he had faced since his first WHL start. Brossoit made 49 saves in a 2-1 loss to Kootenay in his second career appearance on March 13, 2010 when he was 16.”. . . The Oil Kings continue to play without injured forwards Dylan Wruck (shoulder) and Kristians Pelss (undisclosed). As well, F Travis Ewanyk suffered an apparent arm injury last night. Ewanyk, who turned 20 on March 29, played only 11 regular-season games after undergoing shoulder surgery in September. He returned to Edmonton's lineup on Feb. 24.

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Kamloops goaltender Cam Lanigan watches the puck slide wide of his net
while teammate Chase Schaber (10) and Jordan Peddle of the Edmonton Oil Kings
battle for position in front of the crease.
(Photo by Keith Anderson / Kamloops Daily News)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Give the Edmonton Oil Kings the lead after two periods and, like death, taxes and bad Adam Sandler movies, it was a sure thing.
Until Tuesday night, that is.
In a battle of WHL conference leaders, the Kamloops Blazers, who trailed 2-0 after two periods, got a goal from forward Matt Needham at 19:01 of the third period to beat the Oil Kings 3-2 at Interior Savings Centre for their fifth straight victory and ninth in a row at home.
The Oil Kings went into the game with a 30-0-2 mark when leading after two periods. The Blazers, meanwhile, were 1-9-2 when trailing after the second period.
Kamloops’ other late third-period comeback? That was Friday when the Blazers scored twice in the third and then beat the visiting Kelowna Rockets 5-4 in overtime.
That one ended when defenceman Austin Madaisky took a shot from the point and captain Chase Schaber scored on the rebound.
Last night, it was Madaisky, again, with the point shot. This time, it was Needham banging home the rebound for his 10th goal of the season and second winner.
“I think tonight may have been the most I shot the puck all season,” said Madaisky. “Every chance I got . . . I was finding lanes and I wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to put it on the net.”
The Oil Kings, who lead the Eastern Conference at 37-13-7, were the better team through two periods, but forward Kristians Pelss walked into an interference penalty — he picked Schaber in the Kamloops zone — at 2:03 of the third period.
The Blazers’ power play was 0-for-2 at that point and really hadn’t accomplished much as the Oil Kings had little problem corraling dump-ins and firing pucks up the middle of the ice.
But the Blazers made a couple of adjustments, moving a defenceman off the wall and also trying to keep the puck away from goaltender Laurent Brossoit.
“They were never rimming it,” Madaisky stated. “Behind the net, their guy would take one stride and fire it up the middle.”
Which is what Edmonton tried to do with Pelss off. But defenceman Marek Hrbas got off the wall in time to knock down the attempted clearance. The play then went tic-tac-toe — Schaber to Brendan Ranford to Brandon Herrod — and it was 2-1.
“Hrbas made a great read at the beginning of the period,” Madaisky said. “Little things like that all add up at the end of the game.”
Just 1:44 after Herrod’s 22nd goal, Madaisky took yet another shot from the point. The puck got through traffic  — Kamloops forwards Colin Smith and Tim Bozon were in front of Brossoit — and into the net.
The Blazers, now 41-12-4 and with a seven-point lead over the Tri-City Americans atop the Western Conference, looked half-a-step behind for much of the first 40 minutes. They picked it up in the third period, though, and outshot the visitors 13-2 in outscoring them 3-0.
After the second period, Madaisky said, they talked about “getting back to the game plan . . . working their (defencemen) down low. As soon as we started to do that, it opened up those high-low and low-high passes and gave our defence a lot of opportunities to shoot the puck.
“Then guys like (Needham) could get to the net and put in the rebound. It was huge.”
The Blazers got a huge 24-save effort from goaltender Cam Lanigan, who is 2-0 this season against the team that traded him here on Nov. 4, 2010.
“It’s definitely nice to get that one,” Lanigan said, “in kind of dramatic fashion . . . a storybook ending. If it was possible, I think we one-upped the Kelowna game.”
Lanigan didn’t have a chance on Edmonton’s first goal as Pelss scored on a quick backdoor pass, but felt he should have stopped the second one, a screen shot by Jordan Peddle that got through Kamloops defenceman Brady Gaudet.
“I heard the shot,” Lanigan said. “I was kind of slow going down to make a block save. I’ll take the onus on it . . . I should have been more ready. Maybe I was a little bit lazy on that one.”
The Blazers ended up 1-for-4 on the power play — they also got a late one when Edmonton’s T.J. Foster was flagged for high-sticking at 16:07 of the third period. The Oil Kings’ power play, which is No. 2 in the WHL at 27.1 per cent, never got off the bench.
“I thought they got more calls than we did,” Edmonton head coach Derek Laxdal said. “I thought they let us play a little bit . . . but they could have let it go on the (Pelss penalty).”
In the vernacular of the pre-obstruction days, referees Mike Campbell and Pat Smith “let them play.” The result was a game with a lot of skating and few stoppages.
This was the first of a four-game homestand for the Blazers, who are scheduled to entertain the Red Deer Rebels on Friday and the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday, with the Victoria Royals making their final regular-season appearance here on Feb. 22.
JUST NOTES: Attendance was 5,044. . . . Laxdal rejoined the Oil Kings for last night's game after missing a Friday-Saturday doubleheader in Prince George so he could attend the funeral of his father. John Laxdal died Sunday at the age of 75. A funeral service was held Sunday in Stonewall, Man. . . . The Blazers are 17-3-2 since Christmas. . . . Ranford ran his point streak to eight games with the assist on Herrod’s goal. . . . Pelss became the Oil Kings’ fifth 20-goal man. The Blazers have six skaters with at least 20 goals. . . . Kamloops F Dylan Willick played in his 200th regular-season game, while D Bronson Maschmeyer was in No. 201. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Madaisky: Man, he was good; 2. D Martin Gernat: Great first impression here; 3. F Colin Smith, Kamloops: His line shut down Edmonton’s big guns. . . . Kevin Lowe, the president of hockey operations with the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, was in the house. His son, Keegan, is a defenceman with the Oil Kings. . . . Steve Tambellini, the Oilers’ GM, also was in attendance.

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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Swift Current, G Jon Groenheyde picked up his first career shutout as the Broncos got past the Red Deer Rebels, 4-0. . . . Greonheyde, 20, was playing in his 133rd game. . . . He made 25 saves as the Broncos blanked an opponent for the first time this season. . . . Groenheyde played the first 60 games of his career with the Kamloops Blazers, then was with the Edmonton Oil Kings for 35 appearances. This was his 38th game with Swift Current. . . . F Andy Blanke’s second goal of the season, at 1:02 of the first, stood up as the winner. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Lukas Sutter had two goals and two assists to help the Blades to an 8-6 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Sutter has 19 goals. . . . The Raiders took a 3-2 lead into the secod period when the Blades scored three times on four shots. The Raiders twice got back to within a goal but couldn’t equalize. . . . Saskatoon G Alex Moodie stopped 40 shots and picked up his first WHL assist. . . . Prince Albert F Anthony Bardaro and F Justin Maylan each scored his 20th goal. . . . Saskatoon D Duncan Siemens scored his sixth goal of the season, one more than he counted last season. . . . Raiders D Josh Morrissey, who is 16 and having a terrific season, had a goal and three assists. He has  24 points, including five goals, in 41 games. . . . The Blades have won four in a row. . . .

In Brandon, F Ben Walker’s shootout goal gave the Victoria Royals a 4-3 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . Walker had two assists in regulation time as Victoria snapped a 10-game losing skid. . . . The Wheat Kings, who are 0-2-1 in their last three home games, have lost 10 straight shootouts. . . . Brandon is 1-5-1 in its last seven games. . . . The Royals erased a 3-1 deficit when F Jamie Crooks scored at 16:56 of the second and F Brandon Magee tied it at 13:43 of the third. . . . The Royals held a 20-8 edge in shots in the third. . . . F Mark Stone got his 30th of the season for Brandon. . . . Victoria F Dakota Conroy scored his first goal for the Royals, and it came against the team that traded him away on Monday. . . . F Kevin Sundher, who went to Brandon in that exchange, had two assists. . . . Brandon G Curtis Honey, in his first start at home, stopped 46 shots, seven more than Victoria’s Keith Hamilton. . . .

In Edmonton, F Jordan Peddle’s goal at 3:06 of OT gave the Oil Kings a 3-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Oil Kings now lead the Eastern Conference by eight points over Kootenay and the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Edmonton F Henrik Samuelsson had forced OT with his first WHL goal at 8:30 of the third. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart scored his 13th goal, giving him 34 points in 38 games. Jeff Hollick, the Ice’s radio voice, reports that Reinhart has tied F Jarret Stoll and F Nigel Dawes for the franchise record for points in a season by a 16-year-old forward. D Steve McCarthy holds the record, with 40 points at 16 years of age. . . . Kootenay F Drew Czerwonka, the team captain, left the game in the first period and didn’t return. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored the game’s last three goals, two into an empty net, as they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 6-3. . . . F Emerson Etem had two goals, giving him 37 this season. He has goals in seven straight games, totalling nine goals in that span. . . . Etem broke a 3-3 tie at 10:48 of the third. . . . F Curtis Valk also scored twice for Medicine Hat. . . . Tigers G Tyler Bunz stopped 35 shots in posting his 100th regular-season victory. . . . Moose Jaw F Cam Braes, acquired Monday from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, scored his 100th career goal. He has played in 322 games. . . . Tigers D Patrik Parkkonen had three assists. . . .

In Kamloops, F Tim Bozon scored twice to help the Blazers to a 5-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Bozon, a Swiss freshman, was 39th in the NHL Central Scouting midseason rankings of draft-eligible North American skaters that came out earlier in the week. But he wasn’t named to the CHL Top Prospects Game. . . . Go figure! . . . Bozon has 22 goals. . . . Bozon is riding a seven-game point streak during which time he has 12 points, including six goals. . . . Kamloops F Brandon Herrod scored his 20th goal of the season, 18 of which came with the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Kamloops now has five 20-goal men on its roster. . . . The Blazers have won six in a row and now are just one point the Tri-City Americans, who lead the overall standings and the Western Conference. . . . Kamloops D Austin Madaisky didn’t pick up even one point but he was plus-4. . . . Everett D Ryan Murray, who was third in those same Central Scouting rankings, scored his sixth goal of the season. He has 12 points in 17 games. . . . The Silvertips had planned on heading to Kamloops immediately following a 4-3 overtime victory over the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Friday night. However, their departure was delayed for an hour when one of their players was selected for a drug test and, uhh, wasn’t able to go. As a result, they didn’t arrive here until 5 a.m. . . .

In Prince George, the Cougars broke a 1-1 tie with three straight third-period goals and beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 4-2. . . . The Cougars had beaten the Hurricanes 6-3 on Friday. . . . Prince George F Jordan Tkatch snapped a 1-1 tie at 4:47 of the third. . . . Prince George F Troy Bourke had two assists, giving him five in the two-game series. . . . Cougars G Drew Owsley stopped 39 shots. . . . Lethbridge F Brady Ramsay scored his 16th goal in his 43rd game. Last season, he scored once in 57 games. . . . The Cougars are ninth in the Western Conference, but now are just one point behind the Seattle Thunderbirds and Victoria Royals, who are tied for seventh. . . .

In Vancouver, G Adam Brown turned aside 36 shots as the Kelowna Rockets edged the Giants, 4-3. . . . The Giants overcame a 3-1 third-period deficit, tying the game with two goals 29 seconds apart. F Riley Kieser scored his second goal in as many games, at 6:17, and D Tyler Vanscourt tied it on the PP at 6:46. . . . Kelowna F Carter Rigby got the winner at 7:32. He’s got 13 this season. . . . The Giants were without F Brendan Gallagher and F Dalton Sward, both of whom were injured in Friday’s 11-4 loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . Gallagher took a big hit from Tri-City F Patrick Holland in the first period and, later on the same shift, took a hard fall into the end boards, possibly injuring his right shoulder. . . . Tweeting about Gallagher’s injury, Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province wrote: “They are saying nothing, which, to me, says a lot. I think it is serious.” . . . Vancouver also was without G Adam Morrison. He got the hook in that loss and wasn’t on the bench in the third period, although head coach Don Hay said later that “there’s nothing wrong with Mo.” . . . With Morrison out, Alexander Ahnert, 18, came in from the junior B Delta Ice Hawks and backed up Jackson Whistle, 16. . . . Ewen reports that the Giants are believed to be bringing in G Payton Lee, 15, from Pursuit of Excellence in Kelowna. . . .Vancouver D David Musil (wrist), who didn’t play Friday, also sat out. . . . The Giants are saying that Gallagher, Morrison and Sward are day-to-day and will be re-evaluated on Monday. . . .

In Kent, Wash., G Mac Carruth stopped 25 shots as the Portland Winterhawks blanked the host Seattle Thunderbirds, 4-0. . . . Carruth has two shutouts this season — both against Seattle — and four in his career. He blanked the Thunderbirds 2-0 on Dec. 31. . . . Portland has won three straight games. . . . The Thunderbirds have lost six in a row. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie scored his WHL-leading 39th goal of the season. . . . The Winterhawks also got a goal from F Marcel Noebels, who was acquired Tuesday from Seattle. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow had an assist to run his points streak to six games. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 48 shots. . . .

In Spokane, F Dominik Uher had two goals and an assist to lead the Chiefs to a 5-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Uher has 14 goals. . . . Spokane F Dylan Walchuk broke a 3-3 tie with a PP goal at 7:05 of the third. He has two goals in two games since joining the Chiefs this week. . . . Tri-City D Sam Grist had tied the game 3-3 with his first WHL goal in 96 games at 11:28 of the second. . . . F Todd Fiddler scored for Spokane. He had 10 points in 35 games with the Prince Albert Raiders. Since joining the Chiefs, he has 10 points, five of them goals, in nine games. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 31 shots. He is 6-0-0 in his last six starts.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Manraj Hayer, Everett.
F Tim Bozon, Kamloops.
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In the BCHL on Saturday night, the Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to 23 games with a 4-0 victory over the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings. . . . The Vees next play Friday when they are at home to the Westside Warriors.
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If you watched last spring’s Memorial Cup, you may have seen D Brayden McNabb’s hit on Owen Sound Attack F Joey Hishon. You may even recall that McNabb ended up with a one-game suspension for a hit that left Hishon with a concussion. Well, McNabb now is with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, while Hishon continues his recovery and hasn’t skated since that incident. (McNabb may have suffered a concussion in Buffalo’s 3-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday.)
Sean Fitz-Gerald of the National Post has more right here.
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Congratulations to old friend Dennis Pottage and all of those who have been named to the first induction class for the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame.
Also to be inducted are players Sid Abel, Doug Bentley, Max Bentley, Johnny Bower, Glenn Hall, Gordie Howe, Elmer Lach, Metro Prystai, Fred Sasakamoose and Bryan Trottier; builders Ed Chynoweth, Bill Hunter, Gordon Juckes, Father Athol Murray and Doc Seaman; grassroots contributor Bill Ford; and, Pottage as an official.
As well, five teams will be inducted — the 1989 Swift Current Broncos, the 1974 Regina Pats, the 1985 Prince Albert Raiders, the 1982-83 U of Saskatchewan Huskies and the 1955-64 Semans Wheat Kings.
The Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame is to be located in the Credit Union iplex, the home of the Broncos. The induction banquet is scheduled for July 28.
All I know is that I’m glad I wasn’t on the selection committee. With all of the great hockey players and contributors to the game who came out of Saskatchewan, I can’t imagine the angst that must have gone into picking the first inductees.
And when you look at those names, one thing is for certain — that induction dinner is going to be a storyteller’s delight.
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Brent Peterson, a former player and coach with the Portland Winterhawks, will be inducted into the WHL team’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony prior to a Feb. 3 game with the visiting Everett Silvertips.
He will join former owner Brian Shaw, former owner, GM and coach Ken Hodge and former player Dennis Holland in the club’s Hall of Fame.
“Brent is deserving,” Winterhawks president Doug Piper told Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune. “He was our first captain, a very good player, and he coached us to a Memorial Cup title. He is one of the most popular members the organization has ever had. And his contributions to hockey are outstanding at all levels.”
Peterson couldn’t be more thrilled.
“It’s awesome,” Peterson told Eggers. “What an honor. I know it’s not (former Hawk) Cam Neely being in the NHL Hall of Fame, but it probably means as much to me.
“The Winterhawks are my favorite team in the world. Every time I see a (former) Winterhawk in the NHL, even if I didn’t coach him, I always make sure to say hello. We all have that bond, that special relationship. You are proud to be a part of an organization that has done so well for so long.”
Peterson, 53, now works with the NHL’s Nashville Predators. He was on the coaching staff until Parkinson’s disease forced him to step back.
The Winterhawks also have said they will hold and auction and fund-raiser to benefit the Peterson Foundation for Parkinson’s.
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The Minnesota State High School Hockey League will activate new rules Monday aimed at cracking down on tough hits. A check from behind, boarding or head contact will carry with it at least a major penalty. It is the first time the league has implemented such rule changes in midseason. The move comes after Jack Jablosnki, a player with Benilde-St. Margaret’s, was hit from behind and left paralyzed.
David La Vaque of the Minneapolis Star Tribune has more right here.
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Today’s good read comes from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. It’s his weekly notes package and it is topped with an item on a former WHL player box who now is an NHL referee.
Pour yourself a cuppa and enjoy this right here.

Jason Hills of the Edmonton Sun has spoken with Dr. Michael Czarnota, the consulting neurophysiologist for the WHL and OHL.
Here is part of what Hills wrote:
Czarnota worries about what the future may hold for some players down the road.
"I haven't worked with these guys long enough to see the true impact yet, but I have to be honest, it's something I worry about," said Czarnota.
"I'm almost obsessed to do everything I can to make it least likely to occur as possible. But I would be deluding myself in feeling I can keep that from happening completely, but we're going to do everything we can to try and eliminate these terrible head injuries."
Hill’s complete story is right here.
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The WHL released the second injury report of the new season on Tuesday and, as in the first, injuries are categorized as lower body or upper body.
Why?
“One of the reasons we’re doing that is just the competitiveness of the game, nobody wants other players targeting areas of injuries,” Spokane Chiefs GM Tim Speltz told Dave Trimmer of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. “Nobody is trying to hide anything, we’re just trying to protect the players. It’s not something the opposition needs to know.”
That being the case, it sounds as though a league that has outlawed headshots — and so far as issued seven- and 10-game suspensions for same — is concerned about players targeting other players’ heads.
Perhaps the headshot problem runs deeper than we thought.
Besides, with the manner in which hockey players at all levels use social media these days, you can bet there no longer are any secrets involving injuries.
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Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s disciplinarian, dropped the sledge hammer on Tuesday, suspending F Charles Inglis of the Prince George Cougars for 10 games.
Inglis picked up a major and game misconduct for delivering a check to the head of Victoria Royals D Tyler Stahl, who left the Saturday game and is out indefinitely with a concussion.
“These are the types of hits all leagues are trying to get out of the game,” Prince George general manager Dallas Thompson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we had an incident. Now the suspension has come down. We move on.”
Inglis, who had 32 goals last season and has three in as many games this season, will be eligible to return Oct. 26 when the Cougars meet the Rockets in Kelowna.
The Cougars, in their first game without Inglis, opened an East Division swing Tuesday night with a 6-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders.
Inglis now holds the dubious distinction of owning the longest suspension handed out by Doerksen this season. F Cody Beach of the Moose Jaw Warriors is serving a seven-game suspension for an opening night hit on F Bruno Mraz of the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Meanwhile, Doerksen also doled out four other suspensions on Tuesday.
F Brendan Leipsic of the Portland Winterhawks got five games under supplemental discipline for an incident against the visiting Tri-City Americans on Sept. 30. (Already this season, the Americans have plucked a player off the Winterhawks’ roster via waivers and the Winterhawks asked for, and received, supplemental discipline against Tri-City’s Jordan Messier – he was suspended for two games – after an earlier game. Some rivalry!)
F Marcus Messier of the Tri-City Americans will sit out four games for a checking from behind incident in a game at Spokane on Saturday. Tri-City D Justin Hamonic was given a double minor at the time, but it turns out the culprit was Messier.
D Cason Machacek of the Seattle Thunderbirds got a two-game sentence for “one man fight and repeat offender” in a game at Portland on Saturday.
F Klarc Wilson of the Edmonton Oilers will miss one game for a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct in a game at Medicine Hat on Saturday.
(The OHL handed out three suspensions Tuesday, each of them for a check to an opponent’s head. Those suspensions were for 15, 10 and eight games. For details, and video, check out the OHL’s website. The OHL already has dished out four suspensions of at least 10 games.)
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It would seem the goaltending shuffle is in high gear in the WHL.
On Monday, the Moose Jaw Warriors acquired G Luke Siemens, who turns 19 in November, from the Everett Silvertips. That move prompted the Warriors to waive G Deven Dubyk, 20, and release G Brandon Stone, 19.
On Tuesday, two more veteran goaltenders were on the move, Jon Groenheyde  shifting from the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Swift Current Broncos and Adam Morrison going from the Saskatoon Blades to the Vancouver Giants.
Groenheyde and Morrison both are 20 years of age.
Groenheyde was acquired by Edmonton last season, with G Cam Lanigan going to the Kamloops Blazers in exchange. This season, Groenheyde has gotten into just one game with Edmonton, which is going with Laurent Brossoit, 18, as its starter. Tristan Jarry, 16, now backs up Brossoit.
In exchange for Groenheyde, the Broncos gave up F Jordan Peddle, 20, who has spent three seasons in Swift Current. Peddle has 64 points in 198 regular-season games.
Groenheyde is expected to play Saturday when the Lethbridge Hurricanes visit Swift Current.
The Giants, meanwhile, acquired G Adam Morrison, 20, and F Levi Bews, 17, from the Saskatoon Blades in exchange for F Michael Burns, 20, D Zach Hodder, 18, and a fourth-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft.
The Giants are trying to plug what has been a leaky defence – they have given up 22 goals over their last four games – and are hoping Morrison, who is from White Rock, B.C., will be at least part of the answer.
Morrison, a third-round pick by the Blades in the 2006 bantam draft, was in his fourth season in Saskatoon and has a career record of 44-22-6. His acquisition leaves the Giants with three goaltenders, the others being Brendan Jensen, 18, who has been starting, and freshman Jackson Whistle, 16. The Giants now are expected to move Jensen and keep Whistle to back up Morrison.
Bews, 17, had seven points in 52 games with the Blades last season.
The Giants are at home to the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday night and expect to have Morrison and Bews available. Morrison, in fact, is expected to get the start.
The Giants remain with three 20-year-olds on their roster, the others being F James Henry and D Neil Manning.
The Blades, meanwhile, also are carrying three 20-year-olds, with Burns joining F Jesse Paradis and F Jake Trask. Saskatoon also shows F Darian Dziurzynski on its roster but he is with the AHL’s Portland Pirates, at least for now.
The Giants had acquired Burns from the Edmonton Oil Kings last season, while Hodder, the 20th overall selection in the 2008 bantam draft, had been at home in Delta., B.C., awaiting a trade.
The departure of Morrison left the Blades with Russian freshman Andrey Makarov, 18, as the only goaltender on their roster. However, they later recalled G Adam Todd from the BCHL’s Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Todd was a fourth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft.
Burns, Hodder and Todd all are expected to be in uniform Wednesday night against the visiting Prince George Cougars.
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D Matt MacKenzie, 20, has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. MacKenzie, who was acquired by the Tri-City Americans from the Calgary Hitmen, remains with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, at least for now. He was a third-round selection by Buffalo in the 2010 NHL draft. He has 98 points and 180 penalty minutes in 225 regular-season WHL games.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings, already without veteran D Brodie Melnychuk (broken wrist), have lost F Dominick Favreau and D Rene Hunter to injuries.
Favreau has a lower-body injury and the team says he could miss three weeks.
Here’s Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun on Hunter’s situation:
Meanwhile, the club’s injury report lists Hunter, 18, as out one week after he took a hit to the head from Saskatoon Blades forward Nick Zajac on Saturday.
When asked whether Hunter sustained a concussion, Wheat Kings head coach Cory Clouston would only tell the Sun that it was an “upper body” injury.
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JUST NOTES: The WHL website now includes the transaction involving D Braeden (Bunny) Laroque, 19. It turns out he was dealt by the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Seattle Thunderbirds for a fourth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. . . . The Portland Winterhawks have assigned D Matthew Franczyk, 18, to the MJHL’s Winnipeg South Blues. He was pointless in one game with Portland this season. Last season, he played one game with the Swift Current Broncos and 12 with the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .
F Brett Connolly, 19, has made the season-opening roster of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Connolly played the last three seasons with his hometown Prince George Cougars, although injuries limited him to 16 games in 2009-10. In order to keep Connolly, the sixth overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft, on its roster, the Lightning sent F Dana Tyrell to the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals. Tyrell and Connolly once were linemates with the Cougars. . . . F Mark Stone of the Brandon Wheat Kings is the CHL’s player of the week. He had nine points, including four goals, in three games last week. . . .
The Red Deer Rebels have lost freshman F Brooks Maxwell, 17, for up to six weeks with a broken wrist. He was injured Saturday in a 7-2 loss to the Raiders in Prince Albert.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

The Kamloops Blazers might be without D Brandon Underwood (knee) and D Austin Madaisky (neck) for the remainder of the season. Both players were injured in a 2-1 victory over the visiting Chilliwack Blazers on Friday night. . . . Underwood left early in the first period and was unable to put any weight on his left leg as he was escorted to the dressing room. He is believed to have suffered ligament damage, but more will be known on Monday. . . . The Blazers are saying Madaisky suffered a fracture to his seventh cervical vertebrae. He was injured in the third period on a hit by Chilliwack D Brandon Manning, who dumped the puck into the Blazers zone and then raced in on the forecheck. He hit Madaisky, who went back first into the boards. Manning was given a boarding major and game misconduct; the WHL suspended him -- length to be determined -- on Saturday. . . . Underwood and Madaisky are veteran defencemen. Without them, Kamloops is down to five defencemen, including freshman Brady Gaudet, 16; veteran Josh Caron, who recently returned after missing 41 games with a broken collarbone; and, freshman Corey Fienhage, 20, who played a total of 51 games over the last three seasons with the USHL’s Indiana Ice and the NCAA’s North Dakota Fighting Sioux.
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DEPT. OF DISCIPLINE: Dave Hunchak, the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, has been fined $500 for throwing a water bottle onto the ice during the third period of an 8-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer on Friday night. . . . Chilliwack Bruins D Brandon Manning is on a TBD suspension for a boarding major and game misconduct during a 2-1 loss to the Blazers in Kamloops on Friday night. Manning hit Kamloops D Austin Madaisky in the third period. Madaisky left the game and didn’t report; he was scratched from Saturday’s rematch in Chilliwack. . . . Vancouver Giants D Darren Bestland also is on a TBD suspension for a charging major and game misconduct he incurred during Friday’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Hitmen in Calgary. . . .
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JUST NOTES: Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath left the Warriors’ 8-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer in the second period Friday and didn’t return. He apparently has a knee injury. . . . If you happen to be in Las Vegas and think you saw a familiar face or two, well, you just might be correct. The WHL’s board of governors and general managers are in the Nevada city for meetings on Monday and Tuesday. . . .
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James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail checks in on G James Reimer (Red Deer, 2005-08), who has taken the Maple Leafs and Toronto by storm. This, folks, is a neat story. Check it out right here.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Regina, the Pats erased a 1-0 deficit with four first-period goals and went on to beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 5-4. . . . F Tanner Olstad had two goals and an assist for Regina, while F Jordan Weal had a goal and two helpers. . . . The Pats lead the season series, 4-2. . . . Prince Albert G Jamie Tucker left the game in the first period after sustaining a cut to his blocker hand. He stopped all six shots he faced. Eric Williams replaced him and was beaten five times on 32 shots. . . . Regina G Matt Hewitt turned aside 36 shots. . . . Regina took 65 of 122 penalty minutes. . . . Attendance was 4,097. . . . The victory lifted Regina to within two points of the ninth-place Raiders and within three of eighth-place Brandon in the Eastern Conference standings. . . .
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In Swift Current, F Jordan Peddle broke a 3-3 tie with two late goals and the Broncos beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 5-3. . . . Swift Current had lost its last eight games. . . . Peddle, who also had an assist, scored his seventh goal of the season at 16:47 of the third period and later added an empty-netter. . . . F Justin Dowling drew three assists for the Broncos. . . . Swift Current D Tanner Muth scored his first WHL goal on a second-period PP. The 17-year-old Calgarian was playing in his 75^th career game. It was his 27^th game of this season. . . . Attendance was 1,921. . . . The Broncos are seventh, one point ahead of Brandon and three behind Edmonton. . . .
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In Saskatoon, G Steven Stanford stopped 23 shots to lead the Blades to a 5-0 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . It was Stanford’s second shutout of the season and the fourth for the Blades. . . . Lethbridge has been blanked seven times, twice by Saskatoon. . . . F Brayden Schenn had a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight) for Saskatoon, which got two assists from each of F Marek Viedensky and D Darren Dietz. . . . Schenn’s scrap was with Lethbridge F Cam Braes in the third period. . . . Attendance was 4,791. . . . The Blades now hold a five-point lead atop the Eastern Conference and have two games in hand on the idle Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Hurricanes are tied for 10^th with Regina. . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice got two goals from F Cody Eakin as it skated to a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Eakin has 25 goals this season. . . . Ice D James Martin and F Matt Fraser each had a goal and an assist, while F Max Reinhart had two assists. . . . Eakin scored the Ice’s first two goals, the second coming shorthanded just seven seconds into the second period and breaking a 1-1 tie. . . . F Andrej Stastny had a goal, his sixth, and an assist for the Giants. . . . Attendance was 3,476, the largest crowd for a game in Cranbrook this season. . . . The Giants had won their last three games, all on the road. They don’t play again until Saturday when them meet the Kamloops Blazers in Whitehorse, Yukon. . . . The Giants remain the Western Conference’s second seed as they lead the B.C. Division by three points over Kelowna. . . . The Ice is eight points behind Red Deer. . . .
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In Medicine Hat, the Tigers got 36 saves from G Tyler Bunz as they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 4-1. . . . Tigers F Linden Vey, who leads the WHL scoring race with 84 points, was held to one assist. . . . Bunz lost his shutout bid when F Dylan Hood got his 24^th goal at 17:14 of the second period. . . . F Emerson Etem got his 29^th goal for the Tigers. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Warriors were without D Dylan McIlrath, who tweaked a knee in Friday’s 8-1 loss to the Rebels in Red Deer. . . . The victory lifted the fourth-place Tigers five points clear of the Warriors and kept them within one point of Kootenay. . . .
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In Chilliwack, the Bruins snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Blazers had beaten the Bruins 2-1 in Kamloops on Friday and 5-1 in Chilliwack the previous Saturday. . . . Kamloops took a 2-0 lead into the second period but the Bruins erased that with two quick goals by Ryan Howse. He got his 34^th goal 43 seconds into the period, then scored on the PP at 4:00. . . . Chilliwack F Roman Horak got his 22^nd goal just 24 seconds into the third period. . . . Bruins F Kevin Sundher had three assists. . . . Kamloops F Bernhard Keil scored his second goal of the season; it was his first goal since Oct. 13. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 36 shots. . . . The Blazers were without three injured veterans -- F Chase Schaber (leg), D Brandon Underwood (knee) and D Austin Madaisky (neck). . . . Attendance was 2,988. . . . This was an important victory for the Bruins, who are ninth in the Western Conference. They closed to within one point of the Blazers and hold four games in hand. . . . Next up for the Bruins are two games with Kelowna and two with Tri-City. . . .
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In Portland, the Winterhawks unleashed a 54-shot barrage as they beat the Tri-City Americans, 8-2. . . . F Craig Cunningham, F Ryan Johansen and D Tyler Wotherspoon each had a goal and two assists for Portland, with F Ty Rattie scoring twice. Rattie has 24 goals. . . . Portland led 3-0 before the game was 11 minutes old. . . . Portland was 3-for-7 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-8. . . . The Americans took 74 of the game’s 128 penalty minutes in a game that took two hours 46 minutes to play. . . . Attendance was 7,145. . . . Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin had his point streak stopped at 21 games. He had 46 points during the streak, the longest in the WHL this season. . . . Portland was without F Brad Ross (concussion), who was injured Friday. . . . The Winterhawks lead the Western Conference and are five points ahead of Spokane, which is second in the U.S. Division. . . . The Americans slipped back to third, a point behind Spokane. . . .
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In Prince George, G Ty Rimmer stopped 23 shots to lead the Cougars to a 3-0 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Cougars had beaten the Rockets 4-2 on Friday night. . . . The Cougars went into the weekend having lost six in a row to Kelowna. . . . It was Rimmer’s third shutout of the season and the Cougars’ fifth. . . . The Rockets have been blanked four times. . . . F James Dobrowolski got his 15^th goal for the Cougars at 19:18 of the first period. F Taylor Stefishen later added his 16^th and F Troy Bourke got his 14^th. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown was lifted after Bourke’s goal at 6:03 of the second. Brown stopped 11 of 14 shots. Reliever Jordon Cooke came on to stop 27 shots. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-8 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-for-7. . . . Attendance was 2,060. . . . Kelowna again was without F Mitchell Callahan (head), who was injured Wednedsay. . . . The Cougars are sixth in the conference, a point ahead of Everett, while Kelowna remains three points behind Vancouver. . . .
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In Everett, G Kent Simpson stopped 35 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 3-1 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Simpson lost his bid for a shutout when T.J. Foster scored his 20^th goal on a PP at 19:53 of the third period. . . . The Silvertips had killed off 29 opposition power plays in a row. . . . Simpson is 5-1-1 with a .956 save percentage over his last seven games. . . . Everett D Rasmus Rissanen scored his first goal of the season on a PP at 19:04 of the first period. A sophomore from Finland, Rissanen, 19, had four goals in 71 games last season. Last night, he played in his 50^th game of this season. . . . F Josh Winquist had two assists for Everett. . . . Attendance was 6,345. . . . The Oil Kings went 1-2-1 in their four-game swing into the U.S. Division. They didn‘t visit Spokane, a stop they made earlier in the season on a trip that took them, in order, to Prince George, Chilliwack, Kelowna, Spokane and Cranbrook. . . . Edmonton heads home in sixth place, three points ahead of Swift Current. . . . Everett is seventh in the Western Conference, one point behind Prince George and five ahead of Kamloops. . . .
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In Kent, Wash., F Mitch Holmberg scored two goals and added an assist to help the Spokane Chiefs to a 5-1 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Chiefs were 4-for-8 on the PP. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson got his WHL-leading 39^th goal and added two assists. He now has 86 points, one behind Medicine Hat F Linden Vey, who leads the WHL scoring race. . . . Spokane D Reid Gow and D Brenden Kichton each had two assists. . . . Chiefs G Mac Engel stopped 26 shots. F Luke Lockhart had Seattle’s goal, opening the scoring with a shorthanded marker at 5:04 of the first period. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 54 shots. . . . Attendance was 4,388. . . . The Chiefs moved past Tri-City and into second in the U.S. Division, five points behind Portland. . . . Seattle is 10^th, two points behind Kamloops, which holds down the conference’s last playoff spot. The Thunderbirds are in Kamloops on Wednesday.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Five minors:
Moose Jaw F Jesse Paradis
Tri-City F Brendan Shinnimin
Tri-City D Sam Grist (two minors on two separate plays)
Spokane F Dominik Uher