Hmm, Las Vegas or Nanaimo? ... Chiefs sign coach to extension ... Former SJHL coach dies at 49

Scattershooting, after watching Patrick Marleau score No. 500. . . . 

The WHL pooh-bahs are flocking to Las Vegas this weekend for their semi-annual meeting, once again thumbing their noses at the cities that are inhabited by their franchises. Why not go to Prince Albert or Swift Current or Cranbrook or Brandon or . . . 

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Or, hey, why not take the semi-annual show into Nanaimo and give the fans there a taste of the league while throwing around some cash? After all, the WHL is hoping that taxpayers there will build them an $80-million arena that would be home to the transplanted Kootenay Ice. 

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On the subject of the Ice, F Adam Cracknell, who played with it from 2002-06, has written a letter to the Kootenay Advertiser, pleading with fans to support the team so that it doesn’t leave Cranbrook. “If we can keep the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, we all win,” writes the Dallas Stars forward, who makes his offseason home in Cranbrook. “Without it, our town stands way more to lose than just the team. Supporting the Ice means supporting Cranbrook, and that’s good for everyone. Don’t just sit back and let them go. Get your friends and family together and get out to a game.” . . . The complete letter is right here.

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Last summer, Ken Hitchcock, the head coach of the St. Louis Blues and a sure-fire Hall of Famer, said this would be his final season as an NHL head coach. Hitchcock was fired on Wednesday, victimized by poor goaltending as much as anything. You have to think that Hitchcock isn’t going to want a firing to be his final chapter. Hello, Vegas Golden Knights. . . . 

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These are tough times for some Kamloops Blazers legends. Ken Hitchcock, who holds the franchise record for regular-season victories by a head coach, has been fired. Meanwhile, F Shane Doan (Arizona Coyotes) and F Jarome Iginla (Colorado Avalanche), both of whom own chunks of the Blazers, aren’t going to see the NHL playoffs unless they get traded. Both have let it be known that, yes, a change of scenery would be OK.

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Asked on Wednesday for his take on the temporary travel ban placed on some refugees by the U.S. government, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell bailed, saying: “As commissioner of the NFL, I’m singularly focused on the Super Bowl right now.” . . . Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who died in 1321, is credited with having said: “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”

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Bill Belichick, the head coach of the New England Patriots, will get the seat to Goodell’s right. When Belichick was asked about those refugee-related goings-on, he responded: “I’m focused on the Atlanta Falcons.” . . . He was asked a second time. The reply: “I’m focused on Atlanta.”

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Brent Sutter, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, has said that he is doing to take a look at a lot of things as he ponders a number of serious, long-term injuries that have hit his club over the past two seasons. Will the WHL schedule be one of them? Yes, that same schedule that too many times has teams playing three games in fewer than 48 hours or four games in five nights.

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We are into February and the WHL’s 2016-17 Official Guide and Record Book still isn’t available for download. Wouldn’t it be nice if the WHL put an explanation up on its website, something that let its fan know what has gone wrong and when/if the Guide might be available?

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Howard Tsumura provided top-notch coverage of high school and university sports for the Vancouver Province until Postmedia let him walk earlier this week. A couple of days later, Tsumura announced a new sponsored website (varsityletters.ca) that will be a one-stop shop for all of his coverage. So now those interested in B.C.’s high school and university athletic scenes don’t have to bother with a newspaper or its website. 

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F Kevin Sundher (Chilliwack/Victoria, Brandon, 2007-12) has signed a contract with Olomouc (Czech Republic, Extraliga) for the rest of this season. He had five goals and 12 assists in 23 games with the Reading Royals (ECHL) this season before requesting his release.

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The #OilKings pay their respects before heading to Brandon pic.twitter.com/ReBDmOKNjH

— Corey Graham (@CoreyGraham) February 2, 2017

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On Wednesday, Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald tweeted that Kevin Constantine, the Everett Silvertips’ head coach, had said that he doubted any team had been scheduled to play seven games in nine days “in the history of the league.”

The Silvertips, of course, are into one such stretch.

On Thursday, we learned otherwise.

The MacBeth Report flashed back about 30 years with this:

“Constantine's claim that no one has ever done seven games in nine nights is incorrect. When I was with the Victoria Cougars in the 1980s, we always did our eastern swing — back when you played every team in the other conference twice — as eight games in 10 nights in eight different cities. We played Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.”

You knew that TBird Tidbits would do some research, too. That’s what happened and it resulted in this tweet: “I'm assuming some sarcasm but it has happened before. Most recently for TBirds was Feb 9-17, 2008.(Actually happened 2x that season.)”

The Silvertips finish the 7-in-9 stretch on Saturday when they entertain the Vancouver Giants.

Everett then heads out for its East Division tour when it will play six times in nine days.

When it meets the Broncos in Swift Current on Feb. 18, Everett will have played 13 games in 23 days.

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The Spokane Chiefs have signed assistant coach Scott Burt to a contract extension that runs through the end of next season. Burt, 39, is in his fourth season on the Chiefs’ coaching staff. He joined the Chiefs after spending two seasons as an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Alaska Aces. From Mackenzie, B.C., Burt played four seasons in the WHL, making stops with the Seattle Thunderbirds, Swift Current Broncos, Edmonton Ice and Red Deer Rebels.

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The Everett Silvertips made a couple of roster moves on Thursday. . . . They returned F Cal Babych, 20, to the BCHL’s Coquitlam Express, while F Dawson Butt, 16, has gone back to the U-16 Everett Jr. Silvertips. . . . Both players got into two games with the Silvertips and were pointless.

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Sorry to hear of the passing of former @SJHLTerriers Coach Lee Odelein, who was living in Honduras.  He was 49.

— SJHL (@theSJHL) February 2, 2017

Lee Odelein, from Quill Lake, Sask., was a brother to Lyle and Selmar Odelein, both of whom played in the WHL. Lee was the head coach of the Yorkton Terriers from 1993-98. . . . He was the owner/manager of a bar named Rehab in Honduras. . . . Selmar played three seasons (1983-86) with the Regina Pats; Lyle spent three seasons (1985-88) with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

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Look who stopped in at practice today! @DierksBentley pic.twitter.com/lxia238Gjt

— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) February 2, 2017

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Edmonton at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.

Portland at Everett, 7:35 p.m.

Moose Jaw vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Red Deer at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Kelowna at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Regina at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Kamloops vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.

Calgary vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.

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The Swift Current Broncos held a news conference on Tuesday and introduced Dianne Sletten as their new assistant general manager — business operations. . . . According to a news release from the Broncos: “Dianne will be the first female Assistant General Manager in the Western Hockey League.” . . . “That is what we believe,’’ Sletten told Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post. “So far, nobody has been able to tell us differently. I was really surprised, to be honest. I guess it’s always nice to be first at something. I never, ever thought that was the case.’’ . . . There are other women in WHL front offices. For example, Brandi Brodsky is the vice-president of the Prince George Cougars. In Kamloops, Angie Mercuri is the executive director of business operations with the Blazers. . . . And in the WHL office, Yvonne Bergmann is the vice-president, operations. . . . Interestingly, Sletten used to work for Swift Current radio station CKSW as a reporter and, in fact, was involved in coverage of the Dec. 30, 1986 crash of the Broncos’ bus in which four players died. . . . In recent years, she has worked in communications, sales, program development and project management in the public and private sectors. And she has been a Broncos’ season-ticket holder.
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JUST NOTES:
F Kevin Sundher of the Brandon Wheat Kings is off the join the Rochester Americans, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Sundher was selected by the Sabres in the third round of the 2010 NHL draft and has since signed with them. . . . Meanwhile, Wheat Kings G Brandon Anderson will finish the season with the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Anderson attended the Capitals’ 2011 training camp as a free agent and earned a contract with the NHL team. . . .
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William Wise, who once owned the OHL’s Cornwall Royals, has surrendered to authorities and is in San Francisco to face charges involving conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering. It’s all part of an alleged US$129.5-million Ponzi scheme.
Betsy Powell of the Toronto Star has that story right here.


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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Paul Deniset (Kamloops, Swift Current, Vancouver, Prince Albert, 1989-2002) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Belfast Giants (Northern Ireland, UK Elite). He had 18 goals and 20 assists in 21 games for Amiens (France, Ligue Magnus) last season.
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Monday in the Western Hockey League:
EDMONTON OIL KINGS—Traded F Cam Reid, 20, to Portland Winterhawks for 2012 eight-round bantam draft pick.
LETHBRIDGE HURRICANES–Traded F Cam Braes, 20, to Moose Jaw Warriors for a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick and a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick.
MOOSE JAW WARRIORS–Traded D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, to Vancouver Giants for a 2012 fifth-round bantam draft pick.
TRI-CITY AMERICANS–Traded D Riley Guenther, 17, to Prince Albert Raiders for a 2013 fifth-round bantam draft pick.
VANCOUVER GIANTS–Traded F Levi Bews, 17, to Swift Current for a 2012 sixth-round bantam draft pick.
VICTORIA ROYALS—Traded F Kevin Sundher, 19, to Brandon Wheat Kings for D Jordan Fransoo, 18, F Dakota Conroy, 17, and a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick.
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DRAFT TRACKER (since Dec. 27):
Trades made: 13
Players: 23
Bantam draft picks: 13
Deadline: Tuesday, Jan. 10, 3 p.m. MT
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The Brandon Wheat Kings added F Kevin Sundher, 19, from the Victoria Royals but it cost them a 2012 first-round bantam draft pick, as well as D Jordan Fransoo, 18, and F Dakota Conroy, 17. . . . Sundher, a third-round selection by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2010 NHL draft, has 64 points in 40 games this season, leaving him seventh in the WHL scoring race. . . . From Surrey, B.C., Sundher was the seventh overall pick in the 2007 bantam draft, taken by the Chilliwack Bruins. He goes to Brandon with 240 points in 254 career regular-season games. He is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and is second in games played. . . . “It’s been a crazy day,” Sundher said in a Wheat Kings news release. “The (Royals were) just heading out for the prairies and I was pulled off the bus and told about the trade. I play to win and I'm looking forward to joining a team that has a chance to go far." . . . Fransoo, a seventh-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL draft, is in his sophomore season. From North Battleford, Sask., he has 11 points in 41 games this season. A good skater with a big shot, he was a fifth-round bantam pick by Brandon in 2008. . . . Conroy, a third-round bantam draft pick in 2009, Conroy has eight points in 37 games this season. He is from Edmonton and is projected as a top-six forward in time. . . . The Wheat Kings hope to have Sundher in their lineup Wednesday against the visiting Saskatoon Blades. . . . Interestingly, the Royals are scheduled to play in Brandon on Saturday.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors picked up a top-six forward with the acquisition of F Cam Braes, who turns 21 on Thursday, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. But it cost them a first-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft and a second-rounder in 2013. That may seem like a steep price to pay for a player who is in his final season of eligibility. But obviously the Warriors felt they needed at least one more forward — a first-line centre — in order to keep up with the Eastern Conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Braes, from Shawnigan Lake, B.C., was the Hurricanes’ captain. He has 203 points, including 99 goals, in 320 regular-season games with Lethbridge. This season, he has 45 points, 24 of them goals, in 44 games. . . . He was a third-round selection in the 2006 bantam draft. . . . Only Shane Peacock (336) played more games in a Hurricanes’ uniform than Braes.
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The Prince Albert Raiders acquired D Riley Guenther, 17, from the Tri-City Americans for a fifth-round pick in the 2013 bantam draft. Guenther, from Calgary, had one assist and six penalty minutes in 10 games with the Americans. He played last season with the midget AAA Calgary Northstars. . . . The Americans selected him in the third round of the 2009 bantam draft.
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The Vancouver Giants acquired D Tyler Vanscourt, 19, from the Moose Jaw Warriors for a 2012 fifth-round bantam draft pick that originally belonged to the Prince George Cougars. He had a goal and three assists in 14 games with Moose Jaw after being acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders. All told, he has 21 points in 40 games this season. . . . Vanscourt is from Corona, Calif., and was a seventh-round selection of the Kootenay Ice in the 2007 bantam draft.
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The Swift Current Broncos acquired F Levi Bews, 17, from the Vancouver Giants for a 2012 sixth-round bantam draft pick. . . . Earlier this season, Bews went from the Saskatoon Blades to the Giants in a four-player deal. . . . He was a second-round pick, 42nd overall, by the Blades in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . The Giants had assigned him last week to the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. . . . In 38 WHL games this season, he has nine points, three of them goals. . . . Bews is from Longview, Alta.
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The Portland Winterhawks have dealt a 2012 eighth-round bantam draft pick to the Edmonton Oil Kings for the rights to F Cam Reid, 20, who is with the St. Cloud State Huskies. . . . A sophomore, Reid has 15 points, including six goals, in 22 games this season. Last season, in 37 games, he had 29 points, eight of them goals, in 37 games. . . . The Nashville Predators selected Reid, who is from Delta, B.C., in the seventh round of the 2009 NHL draft. . . . Before heading to St. Cloud State, Reid played 167 BCHL games with the Victoria Grizzlies and Westside Warriors, putting up 138 points. . . . Reid’s WHL rights originally belonged to the Vancouver Giants, who selected him in the seventh round of the 2006 bantam draft. The Giants sent him to Edmonton in lieu of the Oil Kings selecting a player off their roster in the expansion draft prior to the 2007-08 season. . . . Reid’s arrival in Portland — and he is leaving school — will leave Portland with four 20-year-olds, meaning one of D William Wrenn, F Oliver Gabriel or F Dillon Wagner will have to go. Or it could be that Gabriel, who suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 30 and hasn’t play since then, could be headed to the long-term injury list.
Reid told Mick Hatten of the St. Cloud, Minn., Times that he got a call from Portland on Sunday night, telling him he had 24 hours to make a decision to stay or join the Winterhawks.
“They offered to have me play center on the first line with their top two players,” Reid said. “I talked it over with my parents, and it was something I couldn’t pass up or say no to.”
That being the case, Reid will join Ty Rattie, the WHL’s scoring leader, and Sven Bartschi on Portland’s top line.
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JUST NOTES:
Regina Pats D Brandon Underwood, who hasn’t played since Dec. 4 when he broke a bone in a foot while blocking a shot, has been cleared to skate again. He still is a week or two from getting back in the lineup. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Alex Schoenborn, 16, who is from Minot, N.D. He is expected to finish the season with the Omaha Jr. Lancers, an under-16 AAA team that plays in the North American Prospects league. He has 27 points in 13 games with the Lancers. . . . The Lancers are coached by David Wilkie (Seattle, Kamloops, Regina, 1999-94). . . .
Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress has spoken with D Jesse Pauls, 19, who retired from the Victoria Royals last week. That story is right here. . . .
The Portland Winterhawks will play host to the Kelowna Rockets twice this week, on Wednesday and Friday. The Winterhawks go into the series having won their last 14 home games, two shy of the franchise record that was set in 1993-94. . . .
Don Nachbaur, the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs, is on the verge of becoming the sixth coach in WHL history to win 500 games. Nachbaur is at 499 going into two straight games with the Everett Silvertips. They’ll play in Spokane on Wednesday and in Everett on Friday. . . . Ken Hodge (742), Ernie McLean (548), Pat Ginnell (518), Lorne Molleken (543) and Don Hay (541) also have more than 500 victories. . . . Nachbaur also has served as head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds (202 victories) and Tri-City Americans (229). He has three times been named winner of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as coach of the year, once with each team.
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An interesting observation from columnist Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun, following the move by Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins to submarine Canucks defenceman Sami Salo in a game on Saturday:
“It’s a curious thing, but a current listing of NHL villains will turn up several members of Canada’s world junior squads over the past 15 years or so, which may reveal an unflattering pattern to the way Hockey Canada carefully constructs its rosters. Though some confined their borderline sociopathic behaviour primarily to their junior days, these Team Canada alumni/incendiary devices include Matt Cooke (1998), Raffi Torres (2001), Jordin Tootoo (2003), Steve Downie (2006-07), Brad Marchand (2007-08) — how’s that for a start to the all-cheap-shot-team? — and, more recently, Patrice Cormier (2009-10) and Zack Kassian (2011).
“Cooke, mind you, has renounced his evil ways and joined the choirboys, and Cormier and Kassian haven’t really got their pro careers properly warmed up yet.”
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Paul Kelly, the executive director of College Hockey Inc., was in Winnipeg on the weekend and Arctic Ice Hockey was able to get an interview. Perhaps the battle between College Hockey Inc. and the CHL is heating up again. That complete interview is right here.


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JUST NOTES:
D Reece Willcox of the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials has committed to the Cornell University Big Red effective next season. Wilcox was a third-round selection by the Portland Winterhawks in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . Willcox has 24 points in 77 games over two seasons. . . . In 2011, the Winterhawks used a 10th-round selection to take his brother, Rhett. . . . The Willcox boys are from Surrey, B.C.
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C Kevin Sundher of the Victoria Royals has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. They selected him in the third round of the NHL’s 2010 draft. Sundher, one of the WHL’s more under-appreciated players, has 53 points, including 21 goals, in 33 games. He is sixth in the WHL points derby. Sundher is the Chilliwack/Victoria franchise scoring leader with 230 points in 248 career games. . . . The Royals are scheduled to meet the Hurricanes tonight in Lethbridge. Victoria F Robin Soudek is eligible to return after having served a four-game suspension.
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Veteran WHL referee Derek Zalaski will work the World Junior Championship that opens Dec. 26 in Calgary and Edmonton. Curtis Stock of the Edmonton Journal profiles Zalaski right here.
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Alan Caldwell, over on the right at Small Thoughts At Large, has his annual list of players who are scheduled to play in the Mac’s midget tournament and their WHL rights holders. So, if you’re interested, pay his blog a visit.
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Thursday’s tweet of the day:
From Sheldon Kennedy, fresh off his appearance in Washington, D.C., before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on child abuse:
“Thx 4 all the support. Takes all of us pulling on the rope. We need persistence and patience for change to happen. Onward and upward.”
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Jon Rosen, who used to hang out in WHL arenas as the radio voice of the Everett Silvertips, now is with Fox Sports West. If you click right here, you’ll find his latest blog entry. He tops it off with some concussion talk but then gets into the Kelowna Rockets and their penchant for finding quality defencemen.
———In the U.S., a number of concussion-related lawsuits have been filed against the NFL in recent months. Perhaps you are wondering whether the same thing might happen involving the NHL and some of its past and/or present players? Paul Waldie of The Globe and Mail addresses that situation right here.
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Just when you think you’ve heard it all, well, you haven’t. If you haven’t already heard the story about the guy who did a No. 2 in another player’s hockey glove, uhh, here it is. Please don’t read this while you’re eating breakfast.

Blazers win, deal Caron

CHASE SCHABER

JOSH CARON

Chase Schaber and Brendan Ranford lit up Victoria’s Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Tuesday night.
Schaber scored three goals and Ranford drew four assists as the Kamloops Blazers escaped with a 4-3 WHL victory over the host Victoria Royals.
The game ended with the Royals holding a 6-on-4 advantage — they were on the power play and goaltender Keith Hamilton was on the bench. However, the home team wasn’t able to beat Kamloops goaltender Cole Cheveldave.
Following the game, the Blazers announced they have traded veteran defenceman Josh Caron, 20, to the Everett Silvertips for a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. The two teams had been talking about this trade since at least Thursday. Caron, who didn’t make the trip to Victoria, completed a three-game suspension when he sat out last night’s game.
Caron, one of the toughest players and most-feared scrappers in the WHL, played 128 games with the Blazers, picking up 15 points and 375 penalty minutes. Caron never was selected in the NHL draft, but he went to camp with the Minnesota Wild prior to last season and signed a contract before returning to the Blazers.
This was the second recent deal between these teams. On Nov. 14, the Blazers sent right-winger J.T. Barnett to Everett for a third-round selection in the 2013 draft.
Interestingly, the Silvertips are scheduled to play in Kamloops on Dec. 7.
The Blazers have been carrying eight defencemen, meaning freshmen Tyler Bell and Landon Cross haven’t been able to get into the lineup on a consistent basis. Cross was a healthy scratch last night.
By moving Caron, the Blazers also open up a spot for a 20-year-old player. A WHL team is allowed to have three such players on their roster; the Blazers other two are Schaber and defenceman Bronson Maschmeyer.
The Silvertips had room for a 20-year-old after sending centre Tyler Maxwell to the Edmonton Oil Kings last week. Their other 20-year-olds are F Josh Birkholz and D Brennan Yadlowski.
Caron also becomes one of nine defencemen on the Everett roster, although Silvertips fans aren’t likely to see Ryan Murray until some time in January. He is out with an ankle injury and isn’t likely to play for them before head for the Canadian national junior team’s selection camp early next month.
Schaber, who has played hurt for most of the last month, finished last night’s game with the second three-goal game of his WHL career; it came in his 241st regular-season game. He also scored three times in a 6-3 victory over the Tigers in Medicine Hat on Feb. 27, 2010.
Ranford enjoyed the first four-assist game of his career; he had drawn three assists in a game on four occasions. He now has six points in his last two games after recording a goal and an assist Saturday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds.
This was the start of a stretch of four games in five nights for the Blazers. They will play in Victoria again tonight, then return home to face the Prince George Cougars on Friday and the Royals on Saturday.
The Blazers (17-7-1) remain fourth in the Western Conference, but are only one point behind the Vancouver Giants (17-9-2) and Portland Winterhawks (17-9-2). Kamloops, which is 9-2-0 against B.C. Division opponents, is 5-1-1 in its last seven games.
The Royals, meanwhile, are 11-15-1. They have lost four in a row and eight of nine, and are seventh in the 10-team conference.
Last night, Schaber scored the game’s first, third and fifth goals. He gave the Blazers a 1-0 lead, then broke 1-1 and 2-2 ties, his third goal coming at 5:33 of the third period.
Right-winger J.C. Lipon upped the Blazers’ lead to 4-2 at 14:54 of the third period. That goal proved important as centre Logan Nelson pulled Victoria to within one just a minute later.
Jamie Crooks had Victoria’s first two goals.
Cheveldave, an 18-year-old freshman from Calgary, stopped 26 shots as he made his sixth straight start. He also improved his record to 10-3-1.
Hamilton also finished with 26 saves.
JUST NOTES: Announced attendance was 4,400. . . . Lipon’s ninth goal was his 22nd point this season. He had 21 points in 65 games last season. . . . Kamloops D Brady Gaudet had two assists, giving him five over his last two games. He also has nine in 17 games this season; last season, he finished with seven in 56 games. . . . The Blazers were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Royals were 0-for-3. . . . Victoria F Kevin Sundher picked up two assists. The first was his 218th regular-season point. That broke the franchise’s career record that had been held by F Ryan Howse, who now is with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat. . . . The Blazers scratched F Jordan DePape (shoulder), Caron, Cross and F Chase Souto. . . . When the Cougars are at Interior Savings Centre on Friday night, it’ll be the annual Teddy Bear/Toque Toss.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Charles Inglis of the Prince George Cougars drew a charging major
for this hit on Josh Birkholz (10)
of the host Everett Silvertips on Saturday night.(Photo by Christopher Mast / mastimages.com)

In Calgary, the Hitmen scored the game’s first three goals and the last three, and beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 6-2. . . . F Alex Gogolev had two goals and two assists for Calgary, which was 3-for-5 on the PP. . . . Gogolev has 15 points, seven of them goals, in 19 games. . . .
In Cranbrook, goaltender Andrey Makarov stopped 36 shots to lead the Blades to a 2-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Blades have won five in a row and now are atop the Eastern Conference. . . . F Brent Benson’s fourth goal, on the PP, broke a 1-1 tie at 15:49 of the third period. . . . D Darren Dietz had given Saskatoon a 1-0 lead with a PP goal at 2:56 of the first period. . . . Kootenay’s Max Reinhart tied it with his ninth goal of the season, on the PP, at 19:13 of the first. . . . The Ice will play its next nine games on the road. . . .
In Vancouver, F James Henry’s shootout goal gave the Giants a 4-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Henry, who scored the shootout’s only goal, also had a goal and an assist in regulation time. He is 3-for-3 in shootouts this season. . . . Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher forced OT with a goal at 18:47 of the third period. . . . Vancouver has won four straight. . . . Prince George was without F Charles Inglis, who has drawn a ‘tbd’ suspension after taking a charging major and game misconduct for a hit on F Josh Birkholz of the Silvertips in Everett on Saturday night. Check out the dynamite photo by Chris Mast of the moment of impact. . . . Also missing from the Cougars’ lineup was D Jesse Forsberg and F Brock Hirsche, both of whom suffered injuries on Saturday. . . . Vancouver was without F Nathan Burns (ankle). He was injured in Saturday’s 3-2 OT victory over the visiting Kelowna Rockets. . . .
In Victoria, F Robin Soudek and F Logan Nelson had shootout goals as the Royals got past the Red Deer Rebels, 4-3. . . . Victoria F Steven Hodges tied the score 3-3 at 19:24 of the third period. . . . The Rebels, who are 5-0-1 on a road trip, had five shots in OT and hit four posts during the game. . . . The Royals had lost three games in a row on home ice. They finished a seven-game homestand at 3-3-1. . . . The Royals were without F Kevin Sundher (undisclosed) but he is expected to return to practice today. . . . The Rebels picked up seven points on their four-game swing into the B.C. Division.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One night after there were 10 minor penalties called, there weren’t any handed out. Well done!
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Michael Russo, in the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
“In a neat thing, the Wild recalled goalie prospect Darcy Kuemper from ECHL Ontario (Calif.) so he can take the ice during the Wild's optional morning skate Sunday at Anaheim's Honda Center. That means Kuemper, 21, the Western Hockey League's Player and Goalie of the Year last season, will earn his first NHL paycheck and a day's per diem before being reassigned — likely Monday.”
Kuemper was the Red Deer Rebels’ starter last season in what was his 20-year-old season.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City City Americans
and Spokane Chiefs goaltender Mac Engel get up close
and personal on Saturday night.
(Photo by John Allen / AridAcres.com)

If you haven’t already, please go on over to loveforlokomotiv.com and make a donation.
As it reads on that website:
“On Sept 7, 2011, 44 lives were lost in the worst tragedy in professional hockey history. A plane carrying crew members, hockey personnel, coaches and players of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team went down, breaking the hearts of their loved ones near and far.
“In a united effort to show support for the grieving families, hockey wives and girlfriends from around the world have created this website in hopes to raise money for their dear friends.”
Please visit the website and make a donation. You also are able to get memory bracelets there.
Don’t wait. Do it now.
Please and thanks.
———
Former Kamloops Blazers head coach Ken Hitchcock could be back as head coach of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets as early as Monday.
The Columbus Dispatch’s hockey blog — Puck-Rakers Blog — reported early this morning that team president Mike Priest has talked with Hitchcock, who was fired as head coach by the Blue Jackets but still is under contract to the team. He would replace Scott Arniel.
The complete report is right here.
———
In Brandon, F Mark Stone scored his 11th goal of the season to help the Wheat Kings to a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Stone, who now is tied for second in the WHL’s scoring race, is riding a season-opening 15-game point streak. He has 31 points, one behind Victoria Royals F Kevin Sundher. . . . Stone also is on a five-game goal-scoring streak. . . . Edmonton D Mark Pysyk was a late scratch. That allowed D Cody Corbett, who was signed out of the Minnesota high school ranks earlier in the week, to make his WHL debut. . . . Corbett was pointless but did finish plus-1. . . . It was the Wheat Kings’ 1,500th regular-season WHL victory. . . .

In Calgary, F Trevor Cheek’s fourth goal of the season broke a 1-1 tie and the Hitmen went on to a 3-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Cheek’s goal, a shorthanded effort, came at 19:33 of the second period. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson, who turned aside 52 shots Friday in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rebels in Red Deer, made 39 saves, 16 of them in the first period. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Erik Benoit and F Max Reinhart each scored twice as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Portland Winterhawks 4-1 in a rematch of last season’s championship final. . . . The Ice, which hsa won four in row now, won that series in five games. . . . Reinhart broke a 1-1 tie with a shorthanded goal at 17:58 of the second period. He later added his eighth goal of the season, into an empty net. . . . Benoit has five goals. . . . Obviously, the rivalry built up in last season’s final is still alive, witness the Ice taking 39 of 68 penalty minutes. All told, referee Sean Raphael whistled 27 infractions. . . . Attendance was 2,751. . . . The Winterhawks went 2-3-1 on their Central Division swing. They will play the Blazers in Kamloops on Wednesday, then go into Kelowna for a Friday-Saturday double-dip with the Rockets. . . .

In Lethbridge, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 29 shots to help the Red Deer Rebels to a 5-0 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Bartosak, an 18-year-old Czech freshman, is 9-3-0, 1.81, .941. . . . This was his first shutout. . . . D Matt Dumba had two PP goals, giving him five snipes this season. . . . The Hurricanes now have lost 13 in a row after opening 2-0-1. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Warriors scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Regina Pats, 3-2. . . . It was the Pats’ first visit to Mosaic Place and the joint was sold out (4,513). . . . Regina held 1-0 and 2-1 first-period leads. . . . F Quinton Howden tied it at 19:04 of the second period and F Brett Lyon won it on the PP at 2:02 of the third. . . . Lyon, 20, has seven goals in 15 games. He went into this season with eight goals in 158 career regular-season games. . . . Each team took five minor penalties. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Saskatoon Blades ruined Steve Young’s debut as the Raiders’ head coach, as they posted a 4-3 victory. . . . Young was promoted from assistant GM/associate coach to head coach on Friday. He replaced Bruno Campese as head coach; Campese stays on as GM. . . . The Blades, trailing 1-0 midway in the first period, responded with three straight goals. . . . Saskatoon F Jake Trask returned after being out since Oct. 5 with an injury. . . . Saskatoon G Andrey Makarov stopped 31 shots as his club was outshot 34-18. . . .

At Medicine Hat, G Tyler Bunz stopped 30 shots and F Emerson Etem became the WHL’s first 20-goal man as the Tigers dumped the Swift Current Broncos, 5-0. . . . Etem scored three goals, giving him 21, and added an assist. He has 31 points in 15 games, one point of the WHL scoring lead. . . . Etem scored the game’s first three goals. . . . Bunz recorded his second shutout this season and the seventh of his career as he picked up his 10th victory of the season. . . . F Trevor Cox, the great grandson of the legendary Cyclone Taylor, scored his second career goal. He had picked up his first goal one night earlier as the Tigers lost 3-2 in Swift Current. . . . Emotions got heated in the Gas City, too. As Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Broncos tweeted: “We nearly had a goalie fight there... Jon Groenheyde took down Kale Kessy and eventually called out Tyler Bunz... but no deal.” . . .

In Prince George, F Alex Forsberg scored a PP goal at 16:16 of the third period to give the Cougars a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . G Drew Owsley of the Cougars stopped 28 shots as his side was outshot 29-18. . . . The Cougars had lost their previous eight games. . . . The Giants, who had won four straight, had beaten the host Cougars 4-2 one night earlier and 6-2 on Tuesday in Vancouver. . . .

In Kelowna, F Dylan Willick scored twice for the second time in two nights as the Kamloops Blazers beat the Rockets, 4-3. . . . Willick has nine goals, all coming over his last 10 games. . . . He scored twice Friday as the Blazers beat the visiting Rockets, 5-2. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford’s ninth goal, at 18:26 of the third, gave his side a 4-2 lead and proved the winner. . . . The Blazers, who didn’t make the playoffs last season, are 11-3-0 and have won four in a row. They boast the WHL’s top winning percentage (.786) and are tied with the Tri-City Americans (11-5-0) atop the Western Conference. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Brendan Shinnimin broke a 1-1 tie at 12:59 of the third period and the Tri-City Americans went on to a 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Shinnimin, who took a misconduct at 14:42 of the first period, also scored the game’s first goal. . . . F Adam Hughesman drew assists on both of Shinnimin’s goals. . . . F Justin Feser iced it with an empty-netter. . . . Spokane F Blake Gal, who scored his club’s goal, was ejected with a boarding major at 19:33 of the first period. . . . The Americans lead the 12-game season series, 2-1. . . .

In Victoria, F Kevin Sundher enjoyed a five-point night in leading the Royals to a 7-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Sundher scored four times and added an assist to move into the WHL scoring lead. He has 32 points, one more than Brandon F Mark Stone and Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem. . . . Sundher, who has 11 goals, had 23 points over his last 11 games. That includes two four-point outings and the five-pointer. . . . His career high going into this season was four points. He did that once last season. . . . One of the WHL’s most under-appreciated players, Sundher, 19, has 209 points in 232 career regular-season games. . . . Victoria F Robin Soudek had a goal and four helpers. He had played 201 regular-season games and had never had more than three points in a game.
———
Brent Peterson, a former Portland Winterhawks player and coach, continues his scrap with Parkinson’s diseason. Peterson told Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal that he wants a better quality of life so will undergo surgery in December as doctors at Vanderbilt University in Nashville implant a neurostimulator in his brain.
Matheson’s complete story on Peterson is right here. Peterson hasn’t lost his sense of humour and there are a couple of good anecdotes here.
———
The hazing story involving the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives isn’t going away any time soon. It has legs, as they say. Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press has a terrific piece on the whole mess right here. . . . And there were reports late Saturday that the Natives have traded at least three players.
———
Every hockey parent should read The Lost Dream, a book written by Toronto Sun sports columnist Steve Simmons. The book’s subtitle is The Story of Mike Danton, David Frost, and a Broken Canadian Family. . . . This book tells an ugly, ugly story, one with which you may be familiar as Danton — he was Mike Jefferson before changing his name. . . . There are so many angles to this story that it is impossible to list them all there. . . . Just read the book if you get the opportunity. . . . My only real quibble is with the book’s title. It should be: The Lost Family.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

A touch of hockey history in a WHL game

TREVOR COX

There was a little bit of hockey history involved in a game in Swift Current on Friday night.
Trevor Cox, a 16-year-old forward from Surrey, B.C., scored his first WHL goal for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Cox, playing his seventh game of the season, scored at 12:46 of the first period, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead in a game they would lose, 3-2.
Cox, who wasn’t selected in the 2010 bantam draft, was added to the Tigers’ list and made the team in training camp prior to this season. He was the leading scorer with the Valley West Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League last season. They play out of Langley, Surrey and Cloverdale on the Lower Mainland. In fact, Trevor’s twin brother, Matt, is playing with the Hawks this season.
And now for the history part of this . . .
The Cox boys are great grandsons of the late, great Fred (Cyclone) Taylor, who played for, among other teams, the Vancouver Millionaires, who won the 1915 Stanley Cup. Yes, the Millionaires are the only Vancouver team to have won the Stanley Cup. Taylor scored six of the Millionaires’ 26 goals as they swept the visiting Ottawa Senators — 6-2, 8-3 and 12-3 — in the 1915 final.
Taylor, considered one of the greatest players of hockey’s early days, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947. He died on June 9, 1979.
The Cox boys also are nephews of Mark Taylor, who played three games for the Kamloops Chiefs in 1975-76 and then moved on to the U of North Dakota Fighting Sioux, with whom he won the NCAA’s championship in the spring of 1980.
Taylor later played 209 NHL games, split among the Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. He was a sixth-round pick by the Flyers in the NHL’s 1978 draft.
For more on Cyclone Taylor and the Cox brothers, check out this story from Peter Mansbridge of CBC’s The National. It was done last spring during the Vancouver Canucks’ playoff run. (Check out Mark Taylor wearing Cooperall's with the Philadelphia Flyers!)
———
JUST NOTES: F Luke Gordon, who had gotten into one game with the Calgary Hitmen, now is with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers. Gordon, 17, is from Terrace, B.C. . . . The Portland Winterhawks have assigned F Ryley Bennefield to the AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm. Bennefield, 17, is from Wetaskiwin, Alta. He was pointless in three games with Portland. He was a second-round selection by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2009 bantam draft. Portland acquired Bennefield from Lethbridge in January, in exchange for the rights to D Branden Scheidl, a fourth-round pick in the 2010 bantam draft. . . . The Edmonton Oil Kings announced Friday that they have signed D Cody Corbett, who won’t turn 18 until Dec. 14. He is from Lakeland, Minn. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Corbett didn’t play last night in Regina. The Oil Kings are in Brandon tonight. . . . Just in case you missed it, the Edmonto Oilers revealed Friday that they will keep F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the first pick in the NHL's 2011 draft, rather than return him to the Red Deer Rebels. This, of course, means that the first year of his contract kicks in. The Oilers could still return him to the Rebels at a later date.
———
In Brandon, G Cody Beach had two goals and three assists as the Moose Jaw Warriors beat the Wheat Kings, 8-4. . . . G Brandon Anderson, acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, made his first home start for the Wheat Kings but was gone after surrendering seven goals on 34 shots. . . . F Justin Kirsch, acquired this week by Moose Jaw from Calgary, had two PP goals in his first game with his new squad. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone had a goal and an assist, running his season-opening point streak to 14 games. . . . Stone leads the WHL with 30 points. . . . The Warriors erased a 1-0 deficit by scoring five goals in a span of 12:39, the key goal being Beach’s PP goal at 19:59 of the first that gave the visitors a 4-1 lead. . . . Moose Jaw D Dylan McIlrath sat out his second game with an undisclosed injury, while D Kendall McFaull missed his fourth game. . . . This was Brandon’s first home game in three weeks, following a road swing that took it into the U.S. Division. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re NHL, junior, whatever, that first game back always seems to be very difficult,” Brandon head coach Cory Clouston told Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun, “and credit to Moose Jaw, they came out, played well, they deserved the game. But we know we can be a lot better and it’s just managing the puck and being a lot more sure of the puck.” . . . The Wheat Kings play host to the Edmonton Oil Kings tonight. . . .

In Swift Current, F Taylor Vause broke a 2-2 tie just 17 seconds into the third period and the Broncos hung on to beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-2. . . . It was Vause’s 11th goal of the season. . . . Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem scored his 100th regular-season goal in his 151st game. It was his WHL-leading 18th goal in 14 games this season. . . . The Broncos, who have won two in a row, and Tigers will play again tonight in Medicine Hat. . . .

In Prince George, F Jordan Martinook enjoyed his first career three-goal game as the Vancouver Giants beat the Cougars 4-2. . . . Martinook, who scored 11 goals in 72 games last season, has nine in 15 outings this season. . . . The Giants, who won for the first time in six road games, have won their last four games. . . . The Cougars have lost eight in a row. . . . Former Cougars head coach Ed Dempsey was among the 1,806 spectators. . . . Vancouver F Jackson Houck will be hearing from the WHL office after taking a major for checking to the head in the second period. . . .

In Lethbridge, Portland D William Wrenn had two assists and was plus-4 as the Winterhawks dropped the Hurricanes, 4-1. . . . Portland is 2-3-0 on its nine-game road trip. . . . The Hurricanes, who opened the season with two victories and a shootout loss, now are 2-12-1, and have lost 12 in a row. . . . Portland F Brad Ross, who is from Lethbridge, had a goal and an assist. . . . The Winterhawks will meet the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook tonight in a rematch of last season’s championship final. . . .

In Regina, F Jordan Weal set up two PP goals as the Pats got past the Edmonton Oil Kings, 4-1. . . . Weal, with 21 points in 14 games, now has 290 regular-season points in 226 career games. . . .

In Red Deer, the Everett Silvertips came back from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Rebels 3-2 in a shootout. . . . The shootout went five rounds, Everett’s last three shooters all scoring. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 52 shots through OT. That was one save shy of the Silvertips’ single-game franchise record. He has a .912 save percentage to go along with a 3.42 GAA. . . . Leland Irving holds the Everett record for saves (53) in a game from a February 2008 game in Spokane. . . .

In Victoria, the Seattle Thunderbirds gave up the tying goal at 18:35 of the third period then beat the Royals 4-3 in a shootout. . . . Victoria F Kevin Sundher tied the game 3-3 with G Keith Hamilton on the bench for the extra attacker. . . . Seattle scored twice in the four-round shootout. . . . Sundher has 27 points and is tied with Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem for second in the points derby. . . . Victoria took a 2-0 lead in the third periods first two minutes by scoring two shorthanded goals on the same penalty.
———
Has the return of the Winnipeg Jets to the Manitoba capital had any impact on the Brandon Wheat Kings? Tim Wharnsby of CBC Sports takes a look right here.
———
Four players have left the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives, the team that has become embroiled in a hazing scandal. Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press has that story right here.
It is worth noting that former WHLer Sheldon Kennedy has called the 15-year-old player who was a victim in the hazing. Kennedy gave the player his cell phone numbrer and told him he was available 24 hours if need be.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Goaltender Ty Rimmer of the Tri-City Americans, sporting new pads and a new paint job
on his mask, is focused — check out the eyes — on the puck as he works
on his second shutout this season.
(Photo courtesy John Allen/AridAcres.com)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
The Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) announced that F Richard Mueller (Brandon, Saskatoon, Calgary, 1998-2003) won’t be offered a contract extension once his try-out contract ends on Oct. 23. Mueller is pointless in seven games with the Tigers, who have two
players returning from injury this weekend.
———
Here’s one from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal:
“Best nickname in hockey these days? The Fish Line of Dany Heatley, Devin Setoguchi and centre Mikko Koivu of the Minnesota Wild. Two Sharks and a Finn.”
Matty also wrote:
“If Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi buys the Stars for well over $200 million, he’s got a huge marketing campaign ahead of them to get fans back in the building. They announced a crowd of 6,300 on Columbus Day (Thanksgiving Monday) against Phoenix, but observers said there might have been 3,000 fans in the 18,532 American Airlines Arena. Then the Stars said they sold 7,499 tickets for the Blues game on Thursday, but they must have been counting both hands and feet.”
Check out Matty’s Hockey World right here.
———
JUST NOTES: The Seattle Thunderbirds have won three straight games after doubling the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 on Saturday night. . . . Seattle had lost three in a row before winning three straight. . . . The host Red Deer Rebels beat the Regina Pats, 4-1. Regina was without F Dyson Stevenson, who was stretchered off the ice during a 6-3 victory over the Oil Kings in Edmonton on Friday. X-rays of an ankle were negative and he is shown as day-to-day. . . .
G Ty Rimmer, wearing new pads and a new stylized mask, posted his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career as the Tri-City Americans bounced the visiting Vancouver Giants, 5-0. Rimmer stopped 26 shots. . . . G Cole Cheveldave stopped 26 shots in his third WHL start to lead the Blazers to a 3-0 victory over the Prince George Cougars in Kamloops. Cheveldave, who is 3-0-0, recorded his first WHL shutout. The Cougars concluded a seven-game road trip at 2-5-0. That includes a 2-4-0 swing through the East Division. . . . The Cougars lost F Jordan Tkatch with what appeared to be an injury to his left knee. He will be re-evaluated first thing in the week. . . . Kamloops D Bronson Maschmeyer played in his 200th regular-season game. . . .
F Kevin Sundher had a goal and three assists as the host Victoria Royals got past the Kelowna Rockets, 4-3, in OT. D Jesse Zgraggen got the winner, 35 seconds into OT. It was Zgraggen’s first goal in nine games; last season, he had one goal in 62 games. . . . The Rockets have lost five straight after opening the season with three victories. . . . In Portland, F Sven Bartschi had two goals and two assists as the Winterhawks bounced the Brandon Wheat Kings, 6-1. Brandon F Mark Stone picked up one assist, to run his season-opening point streak to nine games. . . .
In Spokane, the Chiefs erased a 1-0 deficit with three third-period goals and beat the Everett Silvertips, 3-1. F Darren Kramer had a goal, his sixth, and an assist for the Chiefs. . . . Everett has lost four in a row and has just one victory in eight games this season. . . . F Taylor Vause scored three times — he has nine in 10 games — as the Swift Current Broncos beat the Hurricanes 9-3 in Lethbridge. Vause, 20, has two hat tricks already this season. . . . During the game in Lethbridge, the buzz throughout the league was that the Hurricanes had dealt G Brandon Anderson, 19, to the Spokane Chiefs. Anderson, who has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals, was scratched last night, as he was Friday as the Hurricanes lost 2-1 to the host Kootenay ice. However, Lethbridge G Damien Ketlo, 20, left last night’s game after five minutes with a groin injury. After the game, Anderson was told that he was going anywhere. . . . I have been told that there were two teams, Spokane and one other, in the chase for Anderson. . . .
In Cranbrook, F Max Reinhart drew three assists as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-1. . . . The Raiders wound up 2-3-1 on a six-game road trip than included five games in the U.S. Division. They lost one game in OT, two others by one goal and last night’s by two. . . . In Medicine Hat, G Tyler Bunz stopped 26 shots for his first shutout this season and the sixth of his career, 5-0 over the Calgary Hitmen. F Hunter Shinkaruk had two goals for the Tigers and, at one point, had nine goals and zero assists this season. However, he drew an assist on the Tigers’ last goal so is 9-1—10. Tigers F Emerson Etem didn’t score but he did set up four goals, leaving him at 13-8—21. . . . Etem, Victoria F Kevin Sundher and Brandon F Mark Stone are tied for the WHL scoring lead, each with 21 points. . . .
Keith Gretzky, once an assistant coach with the Tri-City Americans, now is scouting for the NHL’s Boston Bruins. That comes after a stint as the Phoenix Coyotes’ director of amateur scouting. . . . F Ryan Johansen, who played the last two seasons with the Portland Winterhawks, was a healthy scratch by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night. That has been the case in three of the Blue Jackets’ five games. The fourth overall pick in the 2010 NHL draft, he has played 17 minutes 12 seconds in total this season. . . .
———
F Brett Connolly hs to play with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning or the Prince George Cougars this season. So far, he has played five games with the Lightning, the last two on a line with Marty St. Louis and Steven Stamkos.
Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune has more right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

Wednesday . . .

One of the great traditions in sports — the Tri-City Americans and
Vancouver Giants shake hands after going hard at each other for four games.
The Americans completed a series sweep on Wednesday night.
(Photo by CJ Relke)

If you believe in the theory that where there’s smoke, there’s fire, well, you’ve got to think the Chilliwack Bruins will be in Victoria when another season gets here.
Tyler Olsen of the Chilliwack Times has the latest right here. It’s interesting that there aren’t any denials and that some people seem to be ducking and running from the media.
Take that for whatever you want.
Of course, the Bruins could extend the suspense, and perhaps even delay a press conference or two, by continuing their playoff run, couldn't they?
———JUST NOTES: F Hunter Shinkaruk won’t play tonight for the Medicine Hat Tigers as they try to even their series with the Brandon Wheat Kings. Shinkaruk has been suspended for one game by the WHL for a hit on Brandon F Brenden Walker in Game 3. Tonight’s game will be played at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg. . . . The Wheat Kings are out of their home arena because of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. . . . The Tigers remain without G Tyler Bunz (concussion) and F Tyler Pitlick (ankle). . . . Former Wheat Kings F Mark Derlago set a franchise record Wednesday by scoring three times to lead the Idaho Steelheads to a 7-2 ECHL victory over the Utah Grizzlies in Boise, Idaho. Derlago finished the regular season with 43 goals, one more than the record he established last season.
———
WEDNESDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Prince Albert, the Raiders got two goals from each of F Igor Revenko and F Brandon Herrod in beating the Saskatoon Blades, 6-3. . . . The Blades lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 in Prince Albert tonight. . . . The Raiders, who lost the first two games in Saskatoon, went back to G Jamie Tucker for this one and he came up with 37 saves. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford stopped 44 shots. . . . Attendance was 2,868. . . . The 50/50 was worth $7872.50. . . .
In Moose Jaw, G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 25 shots to lead the Kootenay Ice to a 5-0 victory over the Warriors. . . . That series is 2-2 with Game 5 in Cranbrook on Friday. . . . Three of the first four games have ended in shutouts, with the Warriors twice winning by 4-0 scores. . . . A gem from Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald: “The Civic Centre crowd and the Warriors bench were howling for offside before the opening goal went in. The crowd sarcastically cheered every offside call against the Ice the rest of the evening.” . . . Attendance was 2,744. . . . And here is Gourlie’s injury report: “The Warriors gave defenceman Travis Brown his WHL playoff debut. Matt Franczyk sat in his place. Dallas Ehrhardt (upper body), Cody Beach (knee), Brayden Cuthbert (concussion) along with Matt Grant, Torrin White and Tanner Eberle were all scratched. The Ice only dressed 19 skaters. Drew Czerwonka had his left arm in a sling after taking a big hit in Game 3. Fellow forward Jesse Ismond (upper body) was also out for the second game in a row, along with defenceman Luke Paulsen (shoulder).” . . . The Warriors took 59 of 94 penalty minutes. Gee, do you think this one is starting to heat up? . . .
In Prince George, F Shane McColgan had two goals as the Kelowna Rockets doubled the Cougars 4-2 to sweep that series. . . . The Rockets got off to a 2-0 lead at 3:27 of the second period and were never headed. . . . Kelowna F Mitchell (Dirty Harry) Callahan had two assists. . . . The Cougars were again without F Brett Connolly (separated shoulder). . . . Attendance was 2,346. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown stopped 33 shots, four more than Prince George’s Ty Rimmer. . . .
In Everett, the Portland Winterhawks erased a 3-2 deficit with two goals 13 seconds apart and went on to beat the Silvertips, 5-4. . . . The Winterhawks lead the series 30 with Game 4 in Everett tonight. . . . Everett D Rasmus Rissanen gave his side a 3-2 lead at 9:40 of the second period, via the PP. . . . But F Nino Niederreiter (17:14) and F Ty Rattie (17:27) erased that lead and sent the Winterhawks on their way. . . . Rissanen had two goals for Everett, while F Landon Ferraro had three assists. . . . Attendance was 2,331 and that is not a typo. . . . Everett G Luke Siemens, playing in place of the injuried Kent Simpson (ankle), stopped 45 shots, including a third-period penalty shot attempt by F Sven Bartschi. . . .
In Spokane, the Chilliwack Bruins scored the game’s last four goals and beat the Chiefs 4-3 in OT. . . . F Kevin Sundher got the winner at 3:20 of extra time after G Lucas Gore had made 54 saves. . . . The Chiefs take a 2-1 series lead into tonight’s fourth game in Spokane. . . . The Bruins, down 3-0, tied it with three third-period goals, from F Ryan Howse (3:04), F Robin Soudek (9:22, PP) and Sundher (11:44). . . . Sundher also had an assist. . . . Spokane G James Reid made 21 saves. . . . Attendance was 4,737. . . . Chilliwack D Tyler Stahl may be looking at a suspension after taking an elbowing major and game misconduct at 15:19 of the second period. . . .
In Vancouver, F Mason Wilgosh had two goals and an assist as the Tri-City Americans beat the Giants 5-1 to sweep the first-round series. . . . Last year, the Americans took out the Giants in the Western Conference final. . . . Vancouver head coach Don Hay hadn’t been swept from a playoff series since 1999-2000 when he was coaching the Americans. . . . Hay and former Portland head coach Ken Hodge remain tied for the most playoff victories (101) in WHL history. . . . Tri-City outshot the home side, 28-18. . . . Attendance was 7,064. . . .
———
WEDNESDAY’S CFB COUNT:
Three minors:
Portland F Brad Ross
Spokane F Brady Brassart (double minor)

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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Taking Note on Twitter

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
The Kamloops Blazers have been waiting for Colin Smith to score.
Perhaps the wait is over.
Smith scored three goals Friday to lead the Blazers to a 5-2 WHL victory over the Chilliwack Bruins before 4,102 fans at Interior Savings Centre.
Smith, the seventh overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft, was a prolific scorer in the bantam AAA and midget AAA ranks in Edmonton. He arrived with such fanfare it's sometimes hard to remember that he still is only 17 years of age.
Smith finished last season with 26 points, including five goals, in 48 games, the start of his season delayed by a broken arm suffered when he lost a collision with a net in training camp.
Last night, Smith upped his goal total to 10 - he also has 16 assists - in 42 games. He scored twice in the game's first 8:24 and finished the hat trick at 4:18 of the third period.
The Blazers, however, continue their policy of not making anyone in the organization available to this reporter, who thus wasn't able to speak with Smith.
The Blazers improved to 20-20-2 and now have won five of seven games since the Christmas break, with all five victories over conference opponents. The Blazers and Kelowna Rockets, who fell 3-1 to the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., are tied for sixth in the conference.
Kamloops is in Kelowna tonight.
The Bruins, meanwhile, have lost four in a row and have fallen into the conference cellar, four points out of a playoff spot.
This was not a game loaded with footage fit for a highlight reel. In fact, the ISC boards likely are sore this morning. There was a lot of chip it in and chip it out one way, and chip it out and chip it in the other way.
And, in the end, the Bruins had a chance but feel they had it taken away from them early in the third period. The way the visitors saw it, they should have been on the power play when the Blazers scored their fourth goal to all but put this one in the safe.
The Bruins felt that Kamloops defenceman Austin Madaisky should have been penalized for checking from behind after putting Bruins forward Tim Traber hard into the end boards in the Blazers zone.
"That was a check from behind. Without question," Marc Habscheid, the Bruins' general manager and head coach, offered.
Neither referee - Ryan Benbow or Trevor Hanson - chose to make the call.
"They thought he tripped, I think," Habscheid said. "That was textbook (checking from behind)."
Benbow heard from Habscheid right after the non-call; Hanson heard from him after the Blazers scored.
While the Bruins thought they should have been headed to the power play, the Blazers moved the puck up ice and finished the play with Smith scoring his third goal.
"Game over," Habscheid said.
The Blazers all but owned the first period, but emerged with only a 3-2 lead despite having a 15-5 edge in shots.
"That first period was not good," Habscheid said. "I'll say that nicely. It wasn't good from a work ethic or a passion standpoint."
"A game like this . . . division game . . . you have to be able to show up," said Chilliwack centre Kevin Sundher. "We had our worst period in the first period . . . worst period of the season. We didn't do enough. We still had a chance but we didn't do enough."
Right-winger Jordan DePape had the Blazers' other first-period goal, while Dylan Willick scored an empty-netter late in the third. Steve Oursov and Sundher scored for the Bruins.
Chilliwack goaltender Lucas Gore, a Kamloops native who had been 4-1 in his last five appearances against the Blazers, finished with 25 saves. At the other end, Jeff Bosch turned aside 16.
JUST NOTES: The Blazers were 1-for-6 on the PP; the Bruins were 1-for-4. . . . Smith's hat trick was the third three-goal game by a Kamloops player this season. LW Brendan Ranford and D Brady Gaudet have the others. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Smith: His night; 2. Willick: Works so hard; 3. Oursov: Brought his lunch bucket. . . . The Blazers were without D Josh Caron (collarbone, two weeks) and C Chase Schaber (leg, day-to-day). Schaber was injured in the third period of Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Bruins are at home to Seattle on Sunday.


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F Kyle St. Denis apparently has told the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies that he won’t report to them. . . . St. Denis, 20, spent the last three seasons with the Kelowna Rockets. But after playing in 64 games his first season, he played just 22 and 26 each of the last two seasons as he ran into concussion problems. The Rockets placed him on the injury list to begin this season and apparently released him from that list recently. . . . His junior A rights belonged to the Vernon Vipers, who dealt him to the Grizzlies. . . . However, St. Denis has said he would like to play with his hometown Trail Smoke Eaters, whose roster includes his younger brother, Travis. . . . A source indicated last night that it “looks like (Kyle) St. Denis may wait out the Dec. 1st deadline for teams to have their final rosters in and if Victoria does not make a deal with Trail he will not play hockey for the remainder of the season.” . . .
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Some highlights from Saturday WHL games:
In Chilliwack, F Colin Reddin’s shootout goal gave the Regina Pats a 3-2 victory over the Bruins. . . . Chilliwack has never beaten Regina in five meetings since coming into the WHL. . . . Regina F Thomas Frazee has an eight-game point streak after picking up two assists. . . . The Pats had lost five straight. They now are 1-1-0 on their B.C. Division swing that continues Tuesday in Kamloops. . . . F Kevin Sundher had a goal and an assist for the Bruins. He had a goal and two assists Friday in a 4-3 victory over the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . Regina G Damien Ketlo stopped 45 shots. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore turned aside 39 shots. . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice scored three shorthanded goals, tying a franchise record in the process, as they dropped the Prince Albert Raiders, 6-1. . . . The three shorthanded goals actually were scored consecutively, by F Max Reinhart, D Jagger Dirk and F Kevin King. . . . The Ice also scored twice on the PP as it improved to 16-5-2. . . . Kootenay had a 17-1 edge in shots in the third period. . . . The Raiders got their goal from F Jonathan Parker in the second period. That goal halted Ice G Brett Teskey’s shutout string at 124:47. . . .
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In Portland, F Nino Niederreiter scored twice to lead the Winterhawks to a 6-4 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Winterhawks have won 14 of their last 15. . . . This was their first home game since they went 5-1-0 on an East Division swing. . . . This game was marred by a multi-fight situation at the end of the second period that involved battling goaltenders. Jeff Bosch of the Blazers and Portland’s Mac Carruth were ejected after the melee that included all the players from both teams on the ice and mostly milling around. . . . But there were three fights so it will be ch-ch-ching time. . . . Teams will be fined for battling goaltenders and for the multi-fight situation. . . . Just in time for Christmas shopping, too. . . . Kamloops ended up taking 101 of the 166 penalty minutes handed out. . . . Portland D Taylor Aronson had a goal and two helpers. . . . The Winterhawks now are 20-3-1. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford got his 21st goal of the season and also had two assists. . . . Kamloops F Chase Schaber had a goal and an assist, as he ran his point streak to 10 games before getting tossed in that mess at the end of the second period. . . . F Sven Bartschi had two assists for Portland. . . .
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In Brandon, the Moose Jaw Warriors staged a late rally and beat the Wheat Kings, 4-2. . . . F Quinton Howden broke a 2-2 tie with 1:12 left in the third period as the Warriors scored three times in the last 3:07. . . . Moose Jaw F Cody Beach, who was acquired Tuesday from the Calgary Hitmen in a five-player deal, had a scrap with Brandon D Ryley Miller. . . . Big deal, you say. . . . Each of the last three teams these guys have met, they have scrapped. . . . Brandon has lost three in a row. . . . Moose Jaw F Mackenzie Royer got the rally started with his first goal since moving to the Warriors in that deal with Calgary. . . . Yes, the Hitmen are scheduled to play in Moose Jaw tonight. . . . Yes, the Crushed Can will be hopping. . . .
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In Edmonton, G Laurent Brossoit earned his first WHL shutout as the Oil Kings beat the Red Deer Rebels, 3-0. . . . Brossoit, 17, stopped 33 shots. . . . F Dylan Wruck scored twice for the Oil Kings. . . . Red Deer G Dawson Guhle, in his first start since being acquired earlier in the week from the Regina Pats, stopped 30 shots. . . . Edmonton F Josh Lazowski had two assists. . . .
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In Lethbridge, the Saskatoon Blades improved to 16-6-1 with a 5-3 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Saskatoon fell behind 2-0 early and then got goals from five different players. . . . According to the online game sheet, Lethbridge GM/head coach Rich Preston was dismissed from the proceedings at 16:09 of the third period by referees Trent Knorr and Brent Montsion. . . . The Hurricanes ended up taking 83 of the game’s 96 penalty minutes.
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In Medicine Hat, F Linden Vey scored his club’s first three goals and the Tigers went on to a 7-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . F Tyler Pitlick added two Medicine Hat goals. . . . Vey also had an assist. . . . The Broncos got two goals from F Justin Dowling. . . . The Tigers have won three in a row and are at home to Prince Albert tonight. . . .
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In Prince George, the Kelowna Rockets beat the Cougars 2-1 in overtime to complete a weekend doubleheader sweep. . . . The Rockets had won 4-2 on Friday night. . . . F Evan Bloodoff scored the winner at 1:13 of OT. It was his third goal of the season and ended an 18-game drought. . . . Kelowna’s other goal came from F Andreas Stene, his first of the season, just 15 seconds into the game. . . . D Tyson Barrie assisted on both Kelowna goals. . . . F Brett Connolly got his 18th of the season for the Cougars. He scored all three of their goals in the two games. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown, who had something of a sore knee earlier in the week and didn’t play Friday, stopped 28 shots. . . .
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At Kent, Wash., F Tyler Maxwell’s two goals helped the Silvertips to a 3-2 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Maxwell scored 27 seconds apart as Everett took a 3-0 lead in the first period. He has 16 goals this season. . . . F Kellan Tochkin, who had three goals in Everett’s 4-2 victory over visiting Kamloops on Friday, drew assists on both Maxwell goals. . . . Maxwell also assisted on the game’s first goal, by F Josh Winquist. . . . The game featured the two goaltenders who played for the WHL in the Subway Super Series. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 30 shots, one more than Everett’s Kent Simpson. . . . Attendance was 5,143. . . .
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At Kennewick, Wash., the host Tri-City Americans whipped the Spokane Chiefs, 8-3. . . . F Brendan Shinnimin and F Mason Wilgosh both scored twice for the winners. . . . F Patrick Holland added a goal and two assists for the Americans, with F Adam Hughesman getting three assists. . . . The Americans snapped a five-game losing streak before 5,818 fans. . . . The teams have split their first four meetings this season. They won’t face each other again until the annual New Year’s Eve gala at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Two minors:
Both to Kootenay F Brock Montgomery.

 

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