Showing posts with label Kailer Yamamoto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kailer Yamamoto. Show all posts

Sunday, March 19, 2017

WHL's playoff stage is set . . . Last pairings set on final day . . . Post-season begins Friday




F Bud Holloway (Seattle, 2003-08) has signed a two-year contract extension with Skellefteå (Sweden, SHL). He had 11 goals and 11 assists in 26 games this season. Holloway started the season with CSKA Moscow (Russia, KHL) and had three goals and six assists in 12 games when he was released on Nov. 18. He signed with Skellefteå on Dec. 1.
———



The rant is legendary. The NFL’s New York Jets were 2-5 in 2002 and head coach Herm Edwards wasn’t happy.
Addressing a news conference on Oct. 30, Edwards said: “This is what the greatest thing about sports is: You play to win the game. Hello! You play to win the game.”
And then along came the loser point.
The Prince George Cougars, in their 23rd season in the northern city, won their first B.C. Division pennant on Saturday night, despite losing 2-1 in a shootout to the visiting Kamloops Blazers.
This isn’t to slight the Cougars’ accomplishment. After all, you play the hand you’re dealt — and you play by the rules as they are put in front of you — and that’s exactly what the Cougars did. At the end of a gruelling 72-game regular season, the Cougars stood tallest. There is no taking that away from them and the entire organization should hold its head high.
But regulation time on Saturday came to something of a strange conclusion, and it’s something at which the pooh-bahs who are enamoured with the loser point need to look.
Here’s Ted Clarke of the Prince George Citizen, explaining what happened:
“The game was heading into overtime with 80 seconds to play when Cougars defenceman Brendan Guhle got the puck behind the net and just stood there running time off the clock. Guhle wisely figured it was better to play it safe and lock away the point to clinch than try to go for the win in regulation and run the risk of the Blazers popping one in. He stayed behind the net a full 40 seconds.”
The Cougars went into the game with a two-point edge over the second-place Kelowna Rockets. Prince George, then, needed one point to wrap up first place. With the score 1-1 late in the game, the Cougars knew that the single point was all they needed. 
The loser point, then, has brought us to a point where, as Herm Edwards might say, “There are times when you don't play to win the game.”
——

The stage is set for the WHL playoffs to open on Friday and you can bet that teams have fingers crossed in the hopes that the mumps virus doesn’t show up along the trail.
The most recent WHLers to show symptoms — G Jordan Papirny of the Swift Current Broncos and F Mathew Barzal of the Seattle Thunderbirds — may be ready to return to the ice. However, the playoffs also signal the start of the WHL’s secret season, so we may not know how healthy they are until we see the Game 1 lineups.
Papirny hasn’t played since March 7. Barzal, the Western Conference’s top player this season, took part in the warmup on March 10, prior to a game against the visiting Everett Silvertips, but left the ice and hasn’t played since. He has missed five games.
The virus continues to lurk around Western Canadian arenas, too. On Sunday, the NHL’s Calgary Flames revealed that F Michael Ferland has been isolated while they await test results for mumps.
“We’ll probably know in the next day or so,” Brad Treliving, the Flames’ general manager, told Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson. “When you start not feeling well, start to show some symptoms, then you have to push pause and make sure that gets checked out.
“That’s the key thing — this is precautionary right now. But until such time that we get a diagnosis one way or another, we’re going to take precautions.”
If Ferland tests positive, the Flames will be the third NHL team impacted by mumps this season, along with the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild.
At least five WHL teams — Seattle, Swift Current, the Brandon Wheat Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers and Victoria Royals — have had players and coaches with symptoms.
——-
The Vancouver Giants raised $12,102 for the Kidney Foundation of Canada during a recent promotion that involved them wearing sweaters in honour of Don Cherry, and then auctioning them off. . . . Roxanne Hooper of the Langley Advance has more right here, including the news that “an original Don Cherry ensemble, complete with a signed Don Cherry jacket, shirt and tie . . . fetched the largest donation of $1,810.”
——

Jimmy Breslin, a legendary New York City newspaperman, had died at the age of 86. No writer has put grit on a newspaper page the way Breslin did. In fact, he was New York City. . . . He was in bed on the night John Lennon was shot. In two hours, Breslin wrote this column right here. . . . If you haven’t read it, it’s also worth your while to chase down the column he wrote after the assassination of JFK. . . . And if you want more of Breslin’s brilliance, click right here and you’ll find three columns that he wrote about the man who now is POTUS. These columns are from 1990, 1989 and 1988.
———
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
———


——

THE STAGE IS SET . . . 

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Regina vs. Calgary: Opens with games Friday and Saturday in Regina. . . . Regina won season series, 3-1-0; Calgary was 1-2-1.
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon: Opens in Medicine Hat, Friday and Saturday. . . . Season series went to Medicine Hat, 3-1-0.
Lethbridge vs. Red Deer: Opens in Lethbridge on Saturday and Sunday. . . . Lethbridge was 5-0-1 in season series; Red Deer was 1-4-1.
Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current: They’ll start with games Friday and Saturday in Moose Jaw. . . . The Warriors won the season series, 4-2-0.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Everett vs. Victoria: They are scheduled to open Friday and Saturday in Everett. . . . The Silvertips were 4-0-0 in the season series; the Royals were 0-3-1.
Prince George vs. Portland: It starts with games Friday and Saturday in Prince George. . . . In the season series, the Cougars were 2-2-0; the Winterhawks were 2-1-1. . . . Interestingly, the WHL website includes dates for only the first four games. Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks’ GM/head coach, told the Portland Tribune that he would prefer a 2-3-2 format. The Cougars want to play 2-2-1-1-1. This one might take some negotiating.
Seattle vs. Tri-City: They’ll get started in Kent, Wash., on Friday and Saturday. . . . Seattle won the season series, 6-2-0.
Kelowna vs. Kamloops: The series begins in Kelowna on Friday and Saturday. . . . Kamloops was 6-3-1 in the season series; the Rockets were 4-6-0.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES:


At Edmonton, F Riley Stadel completed his WHL career with an OT goal that gave the Oil Kings a 5-4
RILEY STADEL
victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Oil Kings (23-43-6), who won’t be in the playoffs, concluded their season with three straight victories, the last two over Red Deer. In fact, five of Edmonton’s 23 victories came against Red Deer (30-29-13), which finished third in the Central Division. . . . The Oil Kings scored the game’s first two goals and the last three. . . . D Ethan Cap gave the home side a 1-0 lead at 6:54 of the first period and F Tyson Gruninger (3) made it 2-0 at 8:07 of the second. . . . The Rebels scored the next four goals. . . . F Evan Polei (33) got them to within a goal at 9:38. . . . F Brandon Hagel, who had two goals and two assists, tied it, on a PP, at 19:17. . . . Hagel (31) gave his guys the lead at 11:47 of the third period and F Austin Glover (22), who had two assists, stretched the lead at 14:13. . . . The Oil Kings got close when F Trey Fix-Wolansky got No. 24, on a PP, at 18:29, and F Colton Kehler (18) tied it at 18:59. . . . Stadel won it with his seventh goal of the season. . . . Edmonton got three assists from F Davis Koch and two from F Graham Millar. . . . G Patrick Dea stopped 23 shots for Edmonton, with G Riley Lamb turning aside 32 at the other end. . . . Edmonton was 1-3 on the PP; Red Deer was 1-6. . . . Edmonton F Adam Berg got tossed with a charging major and game misconduct at 4:48 of the third period. . . . The Rebels rested D Colton Bobyk and F Michael Spacek. . . . Announced attendance: 18,102.
——

At Portland, it was a memorable night for the Yamamoto brothers as they led the Spokane Chiefs to a 7-2 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Chiefs (27-33-12) won’t be in the playoffs, so this was the final
KEANU YAMAMOTO
game for F Keanu Yamamoto, 20. Head coach Don Nachbaur, with an obvious feel for the moment, had Keanu on a line with his younger brother, Kailer. . . . Keanu finished with two goals, an assist and a fight, while Kailer helped out with three assists. . . . F Riley Wood had a goal and two assists for the Chiefs. . . . Spokane took a 1-0 lead on F Alex Mowbray’s fourth goal, at 5:57 of the first period. . . . Woods (12) increased that lead, on a PP, at 8:04, after Portland was given a bench minor for having an ineligible player on the bench. F Brett Clayton was listed as a scratch but was dressed. Because he was scratched, he was ineligible. . . . D Henri Jokiharju (9) got Portland on the scoreboard, on a PP, at 11:43, but the Chiefs scored the next four goals. . . . Keanu Yamamoto got two of those, to run his total to 26, with F Eli Zummack (9) and F Hudson Elynuik (29) getting the others. . . . F Riley McKay (3) had Spokane’s other goal, while F Keegan Iverson (26) also scored for Portland. . . . Elynuik and Zummack added an assist each. . . . Jokiharju and Iverson each had an assist for Portland. . . . G Jayden Sittler recorded the victory with 30 saves. . . . Portland G Shane Farkas blocked 27 shots. . . . Spokane was 3-6 on the PP; Portland was 2-4. . . . F Cody Glass, who didn’t play in the final two periods of Saturday’s 4-1 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds, was among Portland’s scratches. . . . The Winterhawks (40-28-4) had won their previous three games. They finished in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot and now will move into a first-round playoff series with the Prince George Cougars, who finished atop the B.C. Division. . . . Announced attendance: 9,114.
——

At Kent, Wash., F Alexander True and F Nolan Volcan each scored twice to lead the Seattle
AUSTIN STRAND
Thunderbirds to a 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Seattle (46-20-6) finished second in the U.S. Division. This victory lifted it two points clear of the Prince George Cougars, something that could come into play in deciding home-ice advantage down the playoff trail. . . . The Thunderbirds will open against the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Giants (20-46-6) lost their last three games. They missed the playoffs for a third straight season and the fourth time in five years. . . . True, who finished with 25 goals, gave Seattle a 1-0 lead 30 seconds into the first period. . . . Volcan, who had 16 goals, made it 2-0 at 8:34. . . . F Elijah Brown (4), and F Matthew Wedman (6) also scored for Seattle. . . . F Johnny Wesley scored his 11th goal for Vancouver, at 15:15 of the third period. . . . D Austin Strand and F Keegan Kolesar each had two assists for Seattle. . . . Strand led the WHL in games played, with 74. He opened the season with the Red Deer Rebels, playing 38 games there before being dealt to Seattle, where he played the final 36 games. . . . Seattle G Carl Stankowsi stopped 19 shots. . . . Vancouver starter David Tendeck allowed six goals on 25 shots through two periods. Ryan Kubic played the third, stopping all nine shots he faced. . . . Seattle was 1-4 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-3. . . . Announced attendance: 4,067.
——
At Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans were this close ( ) to a first-round series with the Prince George Cougars when they scored three quick goals and beat the Everett Silvertips, 6-5, in OT. . . . The
JORDAN TOPPING
Silvertips twice held third-period leads — 4-2 and 5-3 — and it appeared that the Americans would end up fourth in the U.S. Division and in possession of the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, meaning a first-round hookup with the Cougars, who won the B.C. Division. . . . However, F Jordan Topping, who had three goals, cut the deficit to one, at 17:44, and D Dylan Coghlan (15) tied it at 18:33, with Topping drawing an assist. . . . Topping, who finished with 28 goals, won it 2:40 into extra time. . . . F Brandson Hein gave Everett a 1-0 lead at 3:07 of the first period, before Tri-City scored twice — F Morgan Geekie (35), on a PP, at 6:12 of the first period, and D Juuso Valimaki (19), at 2:48 of the second. . . . Everett took a 4-2 lead on goals from F Riley Sutter (20), who later left with an apparent injury, at 4:42, Hein (6), at 13:22, and F Brian King (4), at 4:29 of the third period. . . . Topping pulled his side to within a goal at 6:25, only to have Everett F Connor Dewar (14) get it back at 13:48. . . . All that did was set up the Americans for the big finish. . . . Tri-City F Tyler Sandhu had three assists, D Parker Wotherspoon and Coghlan each had two, and Valimaki had one. . . . King and Hein had an assist each for Everett. . . . Tri-City G Rylan Parenteau earned the victory in relief of Evan Sarthou. Parenteau stopped six of seven shots in 17:36, after Sarthou was beaten four times on 23 shots in 44:29. . . . Everett got 39 saves from Mario Petit. . . . Tri-City was 1-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-5. . . . The Silvertips rested D Noah Juulsen, D Lucas Skrumeda, F Dominic Zwerger, F Patrick Bajkov and F Matt Fonteyne. . . . Everett F Devon Skoleski left early with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Silvertips (44-16-12) won the U.S. Division and Western Conference titles and will meet the Victoria Royals, the conference’s second wild-card entry, in the first round. . . . Everett finished with points in its last four games (3-0-1). . . . The Americans (41-28-3) played three games in fewer than 48 hours to close out the regular season. They won all three, twice in OT and once in a shootout. . . .. . . . Announced attendance: 4,190.
——
END OF REGULAR SEASON

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket
Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 10:21 PM
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Ice close to new ownership? . . . Mumps not finished with WHL yet . . . Hitmen grab last playoff spot




F Kyle Beach (Everett, Lethbridge, Spokane, 2005-10) has signed a two-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, with the Graz 99ers (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), he had a team-high 30 goals, along with 15 assists, in 54 games. . . .
F Brandon Kozun (Calgary, 2006-10) has signed a one-year extension with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Russia, KHL). He led the team in scoring this season, with 56 points, 23 of them goals, in 59 games. Kozun was named the KHL’s forward of the week three times in the regular season and once during the playoffs.
———

 Guy Flaming, the host of The PipeCast and the analyst on Edmonton Oil Kings broadcasts, tweeted Friday evening that the Kootenay Ice franchise was “very close” to being sold to “the local group in Cranbrook.”
That group is believed to include Colin Sinclair, a former Ice captain who has a business degree and an MBA. Among other things, he is the controller and co-founder of Spartan Scaffolding Ltd., a Cranbrook-based business.
A native of Brooks, Alta., Sinclair, 35, played five seasons (1998-2003) with the Ice. He attended the U of New Brunswick for four years, before going on to a brief professional career.
When news of this group first surfaced early this season, it was believed to also included two former WHL/NHL defencemen — Robyn Regehr and Rhett Warrener. Regehr spent three seasons with the Kamloops Blazers; Warrener played three seasons with the Saskatoon Blades. Regehr and Warrener were teammates with the NHL’s Calgary Flames from 2003-08.
The Ice played its final home game last night, losing 6-1 to the Calgary Hitmen before 2,139 fans. According to figures compiled by the WHL, the Ice averaged 1,754 fans per game this season. Last season, that figure was 1,957, down from 2,239 in 2014-15.
The WHL had hoped to have the Ice under new ownership and relocated to Nanaimo in time to start the 2017-18 season. But any hopes of that happening were dashed a week ago when Nanaimo voters resoundingly defeated a referendum by which the city asked for the OK to borrow $80 million in order to build an events centre that would include an arena. The WHL had gone so far as to enter into a memorandum of understanding through which it guaranteed a franchise to Nanaimo, along with a 20-year lease.
The Chynoweth family has been trying to sell the Ice since at least 2012.
——

It seems the mumps virus isn’t through with the WHL just yet.
A source familiar with the situation told Taking Note on Friday night that G Jordan Papirny of the Swift Current Broncos has the WHL’s latest confirmed case of mumps.
JORDAN PAPIRNY
Papirny, 20, hasn’t played since March 7. He wasn’t in uniform again last night as the Broncos posted a 2-1 victory over the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors.
Papirny, who was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings in January, has 119 career victories, which may be one shy of the WHL record for regular-season victories by a goaltender. Unofficially, that record is shared by Tyson Sexsmith (Vancouver Giants, 2004-09) and Corey Hirsch (Kamloops Blazers, 1988-92).
The Broncos close out their regular season tonight in Moose Jaw.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Thunderbirds haven’t yet released results of tests involving F Mathew Barzal. He took the warmup prior to March 10 game against the visiting Everett Silvertips but was feeling ill and went to the dressing room before the game started. He now has missed three games.
The Thunderbirds are scheduled to entertain the Portland Winterhawks tonight in Kent, Wash.
At the same time, the Edmonton Oil Kings have cancelled their traditional post-game autograph session that was to be held after Sunday’s game against the Red Deer Rebels. That move comes despite it being the last game of the Oil Kings’ season. They won’t be in the playoffs.
“Due to the number of recent cases of outbreaks of mumps in Canada and the United States, our organization is continuing to commit to refraining from any direct interaction with fans,” reads a news release from the Oil Kings. “While there is still an extremely low risk of spectators contracting the virus, our main concern is for the health and welfare of our fans and players.
“While we appreciate this is the final game of the season, with there being more cases as of late it unfortunately became necessary to cancel this event for the protection of the fans and players. While our team staff and players have shown no symptoms of the virus, confirmed cases within our league and other leagues have been reported as recently as this week.”
——
Ron Toigo, the majority owner of the Vancouver Giants, said Friday that the decision to move the franchise from the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver to the Langley Events Centre “was very good . . . the
RON TOIGO
team was not.”
Speaking on Vancouver radio station TSN 1040, Toigo added that “we identified we need to really build for the future and made that decision before the trading deadline. At the trading deadline, we went all-in.
“It’s been rough for the guys since then, but overall I think the (season) was successful for being at Langley. The building’s certainly going through a transition on how to manage events of this size. They’re certainly light years ahead of where they were at the beginning of the (season) and I think next (season) will even be that much better. We enjoy being there. We enjoy the ambience there, the fan interaction . . . it’s a lot of fun to be there, even the way the team’s been playing.”
The Giants were 16-23-3 at the Jan. 10 trade deadline. Since then, they are 4-21-3. 
The LEC seats 5,276, a figure that includes 24 suites. According to figures compiled by the WHL, the Giants go into their final home game averaging 3,831 fans per game. They will miss the playoffs for a third straight season and for the fourth time in five seasons.
Still, Toigo said, the response at the ticket office has been great.
“We’ve basically been sold out for the season,” he said, “even though there’s been a lot of no-shows. It’s been standing room only for the last couple months even with the way the team’s been playing.
“When we start winning, and we’ll be a lot better next (season), it’s going to be a lot of fun to be there.”
——
The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed D Koletrane Wilson to a WHL contract. Wilson, 17, was a fourth-round selection in the 2014 WHL bantam draft. A native of Edmonton, Wilson, 17, played this season with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders, putting up one goal and 10 assists in 45 games. . . . The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder is the younger brother of former WHL F Klarc Wilson (Brandon, Edmonton, Prince George, 2009-14).
——
The WHL has honoured Herman Elfring, a longtime member of the Lethridge Hurricanes’ board of directors, with a 2016-17 Distinguished Service Award. Elfring was on the Hurricanes’ board for 23 seasons, including 21 (1994-2016) as governor. He also spent 10 years on the WHL’s finance committee. . . . Elfring retired as governor prior to this season.
——
While two B.C.-based junior hockey teams — the WHL’s Kootenay Ice and the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers — have For Sale tags hanging from them, the junior B Port Moody Panthers have been sold.
The Panthers, who play in the Pacific Junior Hockey League, have been sold by a group led by Dennis Obcena and Frank Iantorno to a new ownership groups. Partners in the new group prefer to remain anonymous.
The transfer of ownership has been approved by the nine other PJHL governors.
The Panthers’ new owners have already brought in a new general manager, with Peter Zerbinos taking over from Obcena.
Zerbinos isn’t a stranger to the PJHL, having spent eight seasons with the Delta Ice Hawks, six as director of hockey operations and two as general manager. Under Obcena, the Ice Hawks won the PJHL title in 2012 and also reached the championship final in 2010.
This season, the Panthers finished 16-27-0-1, leaving them fifth in the five-team Tom Shaw Conference. They didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
The 2017-18 season with be the Panthers’ 12th in Port Moody.
——
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
If interested, you also are able to follow me on Twitter at @gdrinnan.
———


———
If the playoffs began today . . . 
Eastern Conference
Regina vs. Calgary
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon
Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current
Lethbridge vs. Red Deer
—
Western Conference
Everett vs. Victoria
Prince George vs. Tri-City
Kelowna vs. Kamloops
Seattle vs. Portland
——

FRIDAY’S GAMES:


At Kamloops, F Jesse Gabrielle scored two goals to lead the Prince George Cougars to a 3-1 victory over
JESSE GABRIELLE
the Blazers. . . . The teams will meet again tonight in Prince George, with the Cougars (45-21-5), who have won three in a row, needing one point to clinch first place in the B.C. Division. They go into the game with a two-point lead over the Kelowna Rockets, who will finish up against the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C. If the Cougars and Rockets end up tied for first place, Kelowna will win it on the third tiebreaker. Each will have 45 victories and they split the season series, 4-4-0. The Rockets will end on having a better goals-for minus goals-against ratio. . . . The Blazers (41-24-6) have won their previous three games. They will meet the second-place finisher in the first round of playoffs. . . . Last night, the Cougars, who dominated the neutral zone and forced an untold number of turnovers, scored the game’s first three goals. . . . F Kody McDonald scored his 17th goal at 18:08 of the first period. . . . Gabrielle, who has 35 goals, scored at 3:47 and 7:36 of the second period, with F Nikita Popugaev getting the primary assist on both goals. . . . F Nic Holowko (7) scored for Kamloops at 9:37 of the second. . . . The Cougars got two assists from D Josh Anderson. . . . G Ty Edmonds stopped 24 shots to earn his 100th career regular-season victory. . . . The Blazers got 35 stops from G Connor Ingram. . . . Prince George was 0-2 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-4. . . . Announced attendance: 4,973.
——
At Kelowna, F Kole Lind had a goal and three assists to help the Rockets to a 7-0 victory over the
KOLE LIND
Vancouver Giants. . . . The Rockets (44-22-5) are second in the B.C. Division, two points behind the Prince George Cougars. If the Cougars lost at home to the Kamloops Blazers tonight and Kelowna beats Vancouver in Langley, B.C., the Rockets will finish atop the B.C. Division. . . . The Giants (43-23-5) have lost two in a row. . . . Kelowna is 6-1-0 in the season series. In winning the last four games, the Rockets have posted three shutouts and outscored the Giants 26-1. . . . G Michael Herringer stopped 21 shots to record his second shutout this season and the fifth of his career. . . . The Giants got 31 saves from G David Tendeck. . . . F Reid Gardiner gave the Rockets a 1-0 lead with his 17th goal just 52 seconds into the game. . . . F Nolan Foote upped it to 2-0 with No. 18, on a PP, at 12:15. . . . F Rod Southam added two goals, giving him 19, with F Kyle Topping (14), D James Hilsendager (6) and Lind (29) also scoring. . . . F Nick Merkley and F Calvin Thurkauf each had two assists, with Gardiner and Foote each picking up one. . . . Kelowna was 3-8 on the PP; Vancouver never got even one opportunity. . . . The Giants took 52 of the game’s 78 penalty minutes. . . . Announced attendance: 5,438.
——
At Cranbrook, B.C., F Beck Malenstyn scored three times, sparking the Calgary Hitmen to a 6-1 victory
BECK MALENSTYN
over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Hitmen (29-32-10) clinched the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card playoff spot with the victory and will meet the Regina Pats in the first round. . . . The Ice (14-45-12) has lost nine in a row (0-7-2). . . . Calgary took control with three goals in a span of 1:48 early in the second period. . . . F Jake Kryski scored his 20th goal at 4:16. . . . F Tyler Mrkonjic (8) made it 2-0 at 5:12. . . . Malenstyn upped it to 3-0 at 6:04. . . . F Max Patterson (8) scored for the Ice, on a PP, at 15:03. . . . Calgary put it away with three third-period goals. Malenstyn scored at 3:59. F Matteo Gennaro got No. 43, on a PP, at 5:15. Malenstyn completed the hat trick with his 32nd goal, shorthanded, at 11:59. . . . D Jake Bean had three assists for Calgary, with Kryski and Gennaro adding one each. . . . Calgary G Cody Porter stopped 20 shots. . . . G Payton Lee turned aside 32 shots for Kootenay. Lee, 20, is from Cranbrook so was playing the final game of his WHL career at home. . . . Kootenay was 1-3 on the PP; Calgary was 1-5. . . . D Sam Huston and F Keenan Taphorn, both out with shoulder injuries, were among the Ice’s scratches. Taphorn was injured on Tuesday during a 3-2 OT loss to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. In the second period, with the Ice on the long change, Edmonton G Josh Dechaine was headed to the bench on a delayed penalty when he collided with Taphorn, who obviously got the worst of it. . . . Announced attendance: 2,139.
——

At Lethbridge, F James Hamblin scored two goals as the Medicine Hat Tigers skated to a 5-1 victory over
JAMES HAMBLIN
the Hurricanes. . . . The Tigers scored the game’s first three goals. . . . F John Dahlstrom (30) got it started with a PP goal at 12:52 of the first period. . . . Hamblin scored at 18:30. . . . F Chad Butcher made it 3-0 with his 27th goal at 3:30 of the second period. . . . F Ryan Bowen (11) got Lethbridge’s goal, shorthanded, at 7:33 of the second period. . . . Medicine Hat got that one back when F Mark Rassell (35) counted at 9:31. . . . Hamblin’s 21st goal closed out the scoring at 12:08 of the third period. . . . D Clayton Kirichenko had three assists for the winners, while Butcher had one. . . . G Michael Bullion stopped 32 shots for the Tigers. They were without G Nick Schneider (personal), so had Duncan McGovern backing up Bullion. . . . Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News later tweeted that Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM/head coach, had “confirmed that Schneider has gone home for medical reasons but is (expected) to return for playoffs.” . . . The Hurricanes got 37 stops from G Stuart Skinner. . . . Medicine Hat was 1-4 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-8. . . . The Tigers lost F Matt Bradley to a spearing major and game misconduct at 19:56 of the first period. . . . The Hurricanes continue to play without F Matt Alfaro and F Zak Zborosky. . . . The Tigers (50-20-1) have won at least 50 games for the fourth time in franchise history. . . . The Hurricanes (44-20-7) will finish second in the Central Division. . . . Announced attendance: 5,203.
——

At Regina, F Adam Brooks scored two goals and added two assists, while F Sam Steel scored his 50th goal, as the Pats beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 7-1. . . . Steel, who leads the WHL with 131 points,
BRAYDON BUZIAK
became the league’s third 50-goal man. . . . Brooks, who won the scoring title with 120 points last season, has 127 points, including a WHL-leading 85 assists. . . . Regina scored the game’s first three goals. . . . Brooks got it started just 34 seconds into the game. . . . Steel got No. 50, on a PP, at 8:29 of the first period. . . . F Braydon Buziak (11) made it 3-0 with a shorthanded goal at 6:23 of the second period. . . . D Daniel Bukac (2) scored for Brandon at 9:05. . . . F Austin Wagner (29), who also had two assists, Brooks and F Filip Ahl (27) added second-period goals for Regina, with F Wyatt Sloboshan finishing the scoring with his 11th goal, on a PP, at 16:15 of the third period. . . . Regina D Connor Hobbs had two assists, while Ahl had one. . . . G Tyler Brown record the victory with 21 saves, eight fewer than Brandon’s Travis Child. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Brandon was 0-4. . . . Brandon F Nolan Patrick left in the first period favouring a knee, but returned for the second period. . . . Brandon later lost F Reid Duke with an undisclosed injury. . . . The Wheat Kings were without D Kale Clague and F Tanner Kaspick, with undisclosed injuries, D Garrett Sambrook (ill) and F Tyler Coulter (suspended). . . . The Pats (51-12-8) have won seven in a row. They will finish atop the overall standings and open the playoffs against the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Bruce Luebke, the former longtime radio voice of the Wheat Kings, tweeted that Brandon (31-30-10) finished the season with nine road victories, its lowest such total since 1991-92. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484. . . . That was Regina’s 14th sellout of the season. The Pats set a franchise record with an average attendance of 5,456. The previous record (5,095) was set in 2007-08.
——

At Saskatoon, G Logan Flodell turned aside 36 shots in leading the Blades to a 5-3 victory over the
CHASE WOUTERS
Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Despite the victory, the Blades (28-24-9) will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. They haven’t qualified since being the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup tournament. . . . The Raiders (20-44-7) won’t be in the playoffs, either. . . . F Cavin Leth (23) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 8:13 of the first period, but the Blades responded with the next four goals. . . . F Jesse Shynkaruk, a 20-year-old from Saskatoon, scored his 31st goal at 13:49 in his final home game. . . . F Braylon Shmyr (35) scored on a PP at 2:05 of the second period to give Saskatoon the lead. . . . F Michael Farren (8) made it 3-1 at 6:21 and F Gage Ramsay (9) scored shorthanded at 10:21. . . . The Raiders made it interesting with third-period goals from F Parker Kelly (21), shorthanded, at 4:53, and F Spencer Moe (6), at 8:39. . . . Saskatoon F Josh Paterson (17) put it away with an empty-netter at 19:59. . . . F Chase Wouters had three assists for Saskatoon, with Shmyr getting one. . . . G Nic Sanders started for the Raiders and allowed three goals on 14 shots in 26:21. Ian Scott finished up by stopping 10 of 11 shots in 31:27. . . . Saskatoon was 1-3 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-4. . . . Announced attendance: 10,030. . . . Darren Steinke, the wandering blogger, was in attendance and filed an emotional piece that is right here.
——

At Swift Current, F Aleksi Heponiemi broke a 1-1 tie at 17:35 of the third period as the Broncos beat the
ALEKSI HEPONIEMI
Moose Jaw Warriors, 2-1. . . . These teams will meet in the first round of the playoffs. They also will play again tonight in Moose Jaw. . . . The Broncos (39-22-10) will finish third in the East Division, while the Warriors (41-21-9), who are 0-4-1 in their last five games, in second spot. . . . D Matt Sozanski gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead with his third goal at 8:09 of the first period. . . . The Broncos tied it on F Glenn Gawdin’s 26th goal, at 5:58 of the second period. . . . Heponiemi won it with his 28th goal. . . . F Ryley Lindgren had two assists for the Broncos. . . . G Taz Burman earned the victory with 34 saves. . . . The Warriors got 21 stops from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . Each team was 0-3 on the PP. . . . The Broncos had F Logan Barlage, who turned 16 on Jan. 12, in their lineup. Barlage, from Humboldt, Sask., was the fourth-overall pick in the 2016 bantam draft. He was pointless in two earlier games with the Broncos. With the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos, he had 76 points, including 37 goals, in 44 games this season. . . . D Josh Brook was among Moose Jaw’s scratches, while the Broncos were without, among others, G Jordan Papirny (ill), D Colby Sissons, F Kaden Elder and D Max Lajoie. . . . Announced attendance: 2,890.
——
At Kennewick, Wash., F Morgan Geekie scored his second goal of the game 28 seconds into OT to give
MORGAN GEEKIE
the Tri-City Americans a 5-4 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The victory lifted the Americans (39-28-3), who had lost their previous five games, into the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, one point ahead of the Victoria Royals. Tri-City is fourth in the U.S. Division, one point behind the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Chiefs (26-33-11) have lost eight in a row (0-7-1). . . . Geekie, who has 34 goals, gave the Americans a 4-3 lead at 15:13 of the third period. . . . The Chiefs tied it as F Kailer Yamamoto, who had three goals, counted at 18:58 and again at 19:24. He’s got 42 goals. . . . F Vladislav Lukin, back after missing eight games with an undisclosed injury, got his 25th goal at 19:35 of the first period to give Tri-City a 1-0 lead. . . . Yamamoto tied it at 16:52 of the second. . . . Yes, the teams combined for six third-period goals. . . . Tri-City D Dylan Coghlan (14) scored at 0:22 and F Tyler Sandhu (22) gave the home side a 3-2 lead at 7:31. . . . F Hudson Elynuik had Spokane’s other goal, his 28th, on a pp, at 12:28. . . . D Jordan Topping had two assists for the Americans, with Coghlan, Geekie and Lukin each getting one. . . . Elynuik, D Ty Smith and F Keanu Yamamoto had two assists each for the Chiefs. . . . G Evan Sarthou stopped 32 shots for the Americans. . . . The Chiefs got 27 stops out of G Jayden Sittler. . . . Spokane was 2-5 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-4. . . . The Americans also had F Max James back from a three-game absence. . . . Announced attendance: 4,579.
——
At Victoria, F Matt Fonteyne scored two goals to help the Everett Silvertips to a 4-2 victory over the
MATT FONTEYNE
Royals. . . . The Silvertips (43-16-11) moved back into first place in the Western Conference standings, one point ahead of the idle Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Royals (37-28-6) have lost six in a row (0-5-1) and slipped a spot into the conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . F Jack Walker’s 30th goal, on a PP, gave the home side a 1-0 lead at 5:56 of the first period. . . . The visitors took a 2-1 lead on goals from D Kevin Davis (9), on a PP, at 8:24, and Fonteyne, at 11:44. . . . Walker scored again, 22 seconds into the second period, to get the Royals even. That was his 100th career regular-season goal. . . . F Eetu Tuulola (18) restored the Everett lead at 1:32 and Fonteyne’s 19th goal added insurance at 2:59. . . . Everett got two assists from each of F Dominic Zwerger and F Patrick Bajkov. . . . D Scott Walford had two assists for Victoria. . . . G Carter Hart blocked 25 shots for Everett, while Victoria’s Griffen Outhouse turned aside 18. . . . Each team was 1-3 on the PP. . . . F Tyler Soy returned to Victoria’s lineup after missing 13 games with an undisclosed injury, while head coach Dave Lowry was back behind the bench after sitting out three games with the mumps. With assistant coach Dan Price running the bench, the Royals went 0-2-1. . . . Victoria D Mitchell Prowse also was back after recovering from the mumps. . . . D Ryan Gagnon set a Royals franchise record for career regular-season games played, with No. 319. That is one more than F Brandon Magee (Chilliwack/Victoria, 2009-15). . . . Announced attendance: 7,006.
——

SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
Lethbridge at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Portland vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Kelowna vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.
——

SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Spokane at Portland, 5 p.m.
Vancouver vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 5:05 p.m.
Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 5:05 p.m.
END OF REGULAR SEASON

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket
Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 12:53 AM
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Priestner not going anywhere ... Giants to stage special night ... Sideroff ties WHL record


The Saskatoon Blades are losing money and they just might miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. However, owner Mike Priestner says they aren’t going anywhere, nor is he interested in selling them. “I’m a thousand per cent patient,” he told Kevin Mitchell of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix in a story that is right here. . . . Priestner wouldn’t talk about the lawsuit that is making its way through the legal system asking that teams pay minimum wage and other benefits to players — there is a WHL directive instructing teams not to discuss it — but he does talk about wins and losses, profits and losses, and more.
——
A tip of the cap to the Vancouver Giants for going the extra mile to promote organ donor awareness.
The Giants are teaming up with Don Cherry, his family and the Kidney Foundation of Canada to hold Don Cherry Night on March 14 when the Giants play host to the Victoria Royals at the Langley Events Centre.
From a Giants news release:
“The Giants will wear special Don Cherry jerseys for the game as part of a national effort to increase both awareness and organ transplant rates by 50 per cent over five years. Canada has fallen to 23rd in the world in terms of organ donation rates, and approximately 4,500 Canadians are waiting for an organ with about 80 per cent of those needing a kidney. This is a cause that hits close to home for the Cherry family.”
Don Cherry said: “When I was coaching the Boston Bruins, my son Tim had a transplant. Lucky for him, his sister, Cindy, gave him a kidney. We’re promoting organ transplants here, you can do your job, do your part, and step up to the plate.”
——
D Jacob Bernard-Docker, a fifth-round selection by the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft, has committed to attend the U of North Dakota and play for the Fighting Hawks starting in 2019-20. From Canmore, Alta., Bernard-Docker has 20 points, including seven goals, in 52 games with the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers.
——
The MJHL’s OCN Blizzard will be around for a while longer, after all. The Opaskwayak Cree Nation had announced that the Blizzard would be suspending operations before another season arrives. On Wednesday, however, the Blizzard announced that it has been saved. From a news release: “The Opaskwayak Cree Nation Chief and Council announced they’ve passed a motion to allow the OCN Blizzard Jr. A hockey club the opportunity to self-sustain in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for the 2017-18 season, upon MJHL approval.” . . . The complete news release is right here.
——
If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
———

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

At Brandon, F Giorgio Estephan scored 46 seconds into OT as the Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the Wheat
GIORGIO ESTEPHAN
Kings, 3-2. . . . The Wheat Kings didn’t touch the puck in extra time before Estephan won it with his 28th goal of the season. . . . F Ryan Vandervlis gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 13:24 of the first period. . . . The Wheat Kings went ahead 2-1 on goals from F Tyler Coulter (27), at 19:20, and F Nolan Patrick (17), at 9:17 of the second period. . . . F Alec Baer’s 13th goal of the season, at 14:37 of the second, tied it. . . . The Hurricanes got two assists from each of D Brennan Menell and D Calen Addison. Baer added an assist to his goal. . . . Coulter also had an assist. . . . The Hurricanes got 32 saves from G Stuart Skinner. . . . G Logan Thompson stopped 36 shots for the home side. . . . Lethbridge was 1-6 on the PP; Brandon was 0-2. . . . The Hurricanes (40-17-7) have won four in a row. They remain second in the Central Division, four points behind Medicine Hat. . . . The Wheat Kings (28-26-10) have dropped six in a row (0-4-2). They hold down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 4,177.
——

At Edmonton, F Colton Kroeker and F Vince Loschiavo each had a goal and two assists to help the
VINCE LOSCHIAVO
Kootenay Ice to a 5-2 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The Ice took a 2-0 lead on goals from D Cale Fleury (11), on a PP, at 3:55 of the first period and Loschiavo (24) at 5:15. . . . F Davis Koch scored his 20th goal, at 8:30, to get the Oil Kings to within a goal. . . . The Ice took control on second-period goals from D Dallas Hines (4), on a PP, at 1:48, and Kroeker (16), at 19:04. . . . D Conner McDonald scored his seventh goal, getting the Oil Kings to within two, at 17:18 of the third period. . . . F Brett Davis (17) iced it for the Ice with an empty-netter at 18:38. . . . G Payton Lee stopped 30 shots to earn the victory. . . . Edmonton G Patrick Dea stopped 25 shots. . . . Kootenay was 2-5 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-3. . . . The Ice (14-38-10) had lost its previous three games. . . . The Oil Kings (20-39-5) have lost seven in a row (0-6-1). . . . Announced attendance: 6,671.
——
At Everett, F Kailer Yamamoto was in on each Spokane goal as the Chiefs beat the Silvertips, 4-1. . . . Yamamoto scored Spokane’s second goal, his 36th, and drew assists on the other three. A Spokane
KAILER YAMAMOTO
native who is expected to be a first-round selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft. Yamamoto has 81 points in 55 games this season. In 180 career games, he has 209 points, including 78 goals. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s 34th goal, on a PP, at 11:17 of the first period, gave Spokane a 1-0 lead. . . . Yamamoto made it 2-0 at 17:25 of the second period. . . . The Chiefs went up 3-0 on F Keanu Yamamoto’s 24th goal, on a PP, at 1:13 of the third period. . . . Everett got its goal from F Riley Sutter (17), on a PP, at 13:35. . . . Spokane F Riley Woods (11) put it away with an empty-netter at 17:34. . . . The Chiefs got two assists from F Hudson Elynuik, while Anderson-Dolan added one. . . . G Jayden Sittler earned the victory with 32 saves. . . . The Silvertips got 29 saves from Carter Hart. . . . Spokane was 2-6 on the PP; Everett was 1-5. . . . Mitch Love, an Everett assistant coach, got the ol’ heave-ho 56 seconds into the third period. He did it up right, though, as he took a minor penalty before getting ejected and then another one on the way out. . . . The Chiefs (26-27-9) had lost their previous three games. They have 10 games remaining and are nine points away from a playoff spot. . . . The Silvertips (38-14-10) have lost two in a row. They are tied with Seattle for first place in the U.S. Division. Everett has two games in hand.. . . Announced attendance: 3,519.
——

At Kamloops, F Deven Sideroff scored at 1:52 of OT to give the Blazers a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . All four games of the season series went to extra time, with each team going 2-0-2. . . . Kamloops won twice in OT; Seattle won once in OT and once in a shootout. . . . Kamloops G Connor
DEVEN SIDEROFF
Ingram made a right pad save on Sea F Donovan Neuls, who had gotten away from Sideroff to go in alone, moments before Sideroff went down the right side and scored the winner, his second goal of the game and 35th this season. It was his 10th game-winner, tying him for the WHL lead with F Tyler Wong of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Ingram got the lone assist on the winner, his third assist this season. Those assists have come in his past seven games after he went 146 games before getting No. 1. . . . Sideroff’s fifth OT goal this season ties the WHL’s single-season record. He now shares that mark with F Eric Fehr, who did it with the 2004-05 Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . If you’re wondering, F Brian Propp of the Wheat Kings holds the single-season record for game-winning goals (16), from 1978-79. . . . Kamloops took a 1-0 lead at 8:47 of the first period when F Garrett Pilon’s centring pass was deposited into the Seattle net by Thunderbirds F Ryan Gropp, a Kamloops native who, barring playoffs, was playing his last WHL game in his hometown. . . . Pilon has 18 goals. . . . The Blazers went up 2-0 at 9:41 when F Luc Smith scored No. 11. . . . Seattle tied it on a pair of Gropp goals, at 11:15 of the first and 18:11 of the second period. He’s got 31 goals. . . . F Keegan Kolesar gave Seattle a 3-2 lead at 3:22 of the third period. . . . Kamloops D Dallas Valentine (2) tied it at 5:30 and Sideroff put his guys out front at 10:02. . . . The Thunderbirds forced OT when Kolesar scored his 24th goal, with 12.4 seconds left on the clock and G Rylan Toth on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . The Blazers got two assists from each of F Rudolfs Balcers and F Quinn Benjafield, while Pilon added one. . . . F Mathew Barzal had three assists for Seattle, with Gropp picking up one. . . . Ingram finished with 31 saves, three more than Toth. . . . Seattle was 0-3 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-4. . . . The Thunderbirds were without D Jarret Tyszka, F Scott Eansor and D Ethan Bear, three top-end skaters who are sidelined with injuries. They had D Jake Lee, 15, from Sherwood Park, Alta., and F Ian Briscoe, 17, from Winnipeg, in the lineup. . . . The Blazers (38-21-6) had lost their previous two games. With this victory, they clinched a playoff spot and moved to within three points of the B.C. Division-leading Prince George Cougars. . . . The Thunderbirds (40-18-6) have points in three straight (2-0-1). The loser point allowed them to move into a tie with Everett atop the U.S. Division. . . . Announced attendance: 3,560.
——
At Kelowna, F Calvin Thurkauf scored two goals and set up another to lead the Rockets to a 5-1 victory
CALVIN THURKAUF
over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Thurkauf, who has 32 goals, gave the Rockets a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 4:27 of the second period. . . . F Kyle Topping (13) made it 2-0 at 9:53. . . . Thurkauf scored again at 11:08, for a 3-0 lead, and F Nick Merkley’s PP goal at 15:32 made it 4-0. . . . Merkley has 23 goals. . . . The Cougars got a goal from F Radovan Bondra, his 30th, at 1:04 of the third period. . . . Kelowna F Dillon Dube (13) closed out the scoring, on a PP, at 15:17. . . . The Rockets got two assists from each of F Reid Gardiner and D Cal Foote, with Dube adding one. . . . Kelowna G Michael Herringer turned aside 25 shots. . . . The Cougars got 32 stops from G Ty Edmonds. . . . The Rockets were 3-10 on the PP; the Cougars were 0-2. . . . Prince George was without F Colby McAuley (one-game suspension), D Brendan Guhle and F Brad Morrison, the latter two out with undisclosed injuries. . . . The Rockets (38-21-5) have won two in a row. They are third in the B.C. Division, a point behind Kamloops. . . . The Cougars (40-20-5) journeyed south for a single game. They now return home to face the Kamloops Blazers in a Friday-Saturday doubleheader. The Cougars lead the B.C. Division by three points over Kamloops, each with seven games remaining. . . . Announced attendance: 5,121.
——
At Moose Jaw, F Yan Khomenko broke a 3-3 tie at 9:36 of the third period as the Warriors edged the
YAN KHOMENKO
Calgary Hitmen, 4-3. . . . Khomenko won it with his 14th goal of the season. . . . The Warriors led this one 3-0 early in the second period, only to have the visitors tie it in the third period. . . . The Warriors went up 3-0 on goals from F Brett Howden (34), at 5:29 of the first period, F Tanner Jeannot (17), at 13:08, and F Jayden Halbgewachs (45), at 5:29 of the second. . . . The Calgary comeback began when F Jake Kryski scored No. 17, at 9:14 of the second. . . . F Matteo Gennaro got his 38th at 1:54 of the third, and D Brady Reagan (6) tied it at 8:08. . . . D Matt Sozanski and D Josh Brook each had two assists for Moose Jaw, with Halbgewachs getting one. . . . The Warriors got a big game from G Zach Sawchenko, who stopped 33 shots. . . . Calgary starter Trevor Martin gave up two goals on 10 shots in the first period before leaving with an apparent ankle injury. Kyle Dumba finished up with 16 saves on 18 shots over 38:35. . . . Moose Jaw was 1-3 on the PP; Calgary was 0-2. . . . The Warriors (39-17-8) have won seven in a row. They are second in the East Division, 10 points behind Regina and 12 ahead of Swift Current. . . . The Hitmen (24-29-10) have lost two straight. They hold down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, two points ahead of Saskatoon. . . . Announced attendance: 2,843.
——

At Prince Albert, the Medicine Hat Tigers scored the game’s last three goals, including one in OT from F
STEVE OWRE
Steve Owre, to beat the Raiders, 6-5. . . . F D-Jay Jerome’s eighth goal, at 5:56 of the third period, had given Prince Albert a 5-3 lead. . . . F John Dahlstrom got the Tigers to within a goal with his 25th, at 9:14, and F Mark Rassell tied it, on a PP, at 14:04. He’s got 32 goals. . . . Owre won it with his 23rd goal of the season. . . . The Tigers opened the scoring when F Mason Shaw (26) counted at 6:42 of the first period. . . . The Raiders took a 2-1 lead on goals from F Curtis Miske (18), on a PP, at 7:56, and F Cavin Leth (20), at 5:19 of the second period. . . . Rassell tied it while shorthanded at 14:39. . . . Goals from Leth, at 1:19 of the third period, and F Parker Kelly (14), at 4:01, gave the home side a 4-2 lead. . . . The Tigers cut into that when F Matt Bradley got No. 30, at 5:13. . . . Bradley, Owre and Shaw each had one assist. . . . Miske had two assists for the Raiders, with Kelly getting one. . . . G Michael Bullion earned the victory with 36 stops. . . . The Raiders started G Ian Scott, who gave up four goals on 30 shots in 50:23. Nic Sanders finished up, allowing two goals on 11 shots in 10:08. . . . Each team was 1-3 on the PP. . . . Medicine Hat (45-18-1) has won three straight. The Tigers lead the Central Division by four points over Lethbridge. . . . The Raiders (17-40-7) were eliminated from the playoff picture with the loss. . . . Announced attendance: 2,005.
——
At Langley, B.C., F Keegan Iverson and F Jake Gricius had two goals each as the Portland Winterhawks
KEEGAN IVERSON
unleashed a 55-shot attack in a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Iverson, who has 20 goals, scored a pair of PP goals, giving his guys a 1-0 lead at 8:23 of the first period and putting them ahead 3-0 at 15:51 of the second. . . . In between, Gricius scored his eighth goal. . . . D Matt Barberis (10) scored for Vancouver, on a PP, at 2:47 of the third period. . . . F Matt Revel (8) scored his first goal for the Winterhawks, an empty-netter, at 18:10. Revel started the season with the Kamloops Blazers but suffered a collarbone injury in December. The Winterhawks picked him up on 20-year-old waivers in January. . . . Gricius got Portland’s last goal at 19:02. . . . The Winterhawks got two assists from D Caleb Jones. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 17 shots for Portland. . . . Vancouver G Ryan Kubic blocked 51 shots. . . . The Winterhawks were 3-5 on the PP; the Giants were 1-3. . . . Portland (33-26-4) had lost its previous four games (0-3-1). The Winterhawks are in the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, five points behind Victoria. . . . Vancouver (19-40-5) has lost four straight. . . . The Giants and Winterhawks will meet in Portland on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . Announced attendance: 3,113.
——

THURSDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.
——

FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Calgary at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Kelowna at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
Vancouver at Portland, 7 p.m.
Lethbridge at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Regina 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.
Spokane at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket
Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 12:09 AM
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  © Design byThirteen Letter

Back to TOP