Rich Preston, the GM and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, put on quite a show in Kelowna on Saturday night.
And I would suggest to you that every coach in the WHL was thinking the same thing: “Good on you, Rich. Go for it.”
Preston was ejected from a 5-3 loss to the Rockets after his side had a goal disallowed at 16:20 of the third period, apparently because a linesman chose to call a spearing penalty against F Graham Hood of the Hurricanes.
“The Hurricanes thought they had scored a power-play goal with 2:59 left,” wrote Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier, “when Brody Sutter knocked in a loose puck in the crease. However, the goal was waived off, with the reason being a double spearing minor to Graham Hood that apparently took place earlier in the play. Following a lengthy review, the goal was disallowed.
“Then Kelowna scored, Geordie Wudrick with his 38th of the season on the ensuing power play, and, shortly after, Preston began littering the ice with water bottles and his clipboard.”
By the time Preston departed the bench area, there were six or seven water bottles, a clipboard and a Gatorade jug and its lid littering the ice surface. (What! No sticks?) However, an observer reports that Preston only tossed five water bottles; two others apparently were thrown by players.
As Gord McGarva, who rides shotgun with Rockets’ radio voice Regan Bartel, mentioned, the cost might be about $100 a bottle with more tacked on for the extras.
“I’ve never seen (anything like it) in all my years,” Preston told Potenteau. “The linesman made a call, but the two referees didn’t see it. And then we changed and (Hood) was sitting on the bench for a good minute because we had another line out there — our other line was out there for a minute and then scores.
“So we think we score, and then all of a sudden it was a phantom penalty call by the linesman. We might as well have three referees now because the linesman is calling penalties. Two referees isn’t enough.”
While Saturday’s incident may not have had anything directly to do with the number of officials on the ice, you can bet that frustration with the WHL officiating was an undercurrent in what happened.
There isn’t a GM or a head coach in the league who will speak on the record about the officiating in the WHL, but every one of them yearns for a return to the one-man refereeing system. They all talk off the record about how the coaching in the WHL has never been better, but how the officiating is the weak link. They all talk about how there simply aren’t enough good referees available to work the two-man system. They all will tell you — again, off the record — that the best-officiated games involve one referee.
On Saturday in Kelowna, the referees were Devin Klein and Ryan Bonnett, while Ward Pateman and Alex Teichroeb were on the lines.
Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska came awfully close to offering unconditional support to Preston when he told Potenteau: “I’ve never been a part of (throwing water bottles), to be honest. But I would probably be a little upset as well. So I can’t say I would have done anything different than Rich.”
Preston, by the way, is on the WHL’s officiating committee. Wouldn’t you like to be the fly on the wall the next time that committee meets?
In the meantime, Preston will write a cheque early this week.
Ch-ch-ching!
The Preston implosion — actually, it wasn’t an implosion; he should get full marks for being cool and collected while he was tossing things — is right here.
The video is rather disappointing, however, as the camera isn't on the Lethbridge bench the whole time so misses a lot of the action.
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Why aren’t there enough good officials? Check out this editorial from the Winnipeg Sun.
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Meanwhile, on the Chilliwack Bruins front:
1. Len Barrie, a former WHL player and NHL owner who now owns the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies, has denied reports that he is involved with RG Properties in an attempt to purchase the Chilliwack Bruins. “That’s false,“ Barrie told the Victoria Times Colonist. “I am not looking to buy the Bruins.” (RG Properties manages the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria; the arena is owned by the city.)
2. I have been told that Oren Koules, who partnered with Barrie on the ownership of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning before it all fell apart, “has been sniffing around trying to get a WHL franchise.” . . . So perhaps it’s Koules, and not Barrie, who is involved here. . . . Koules also is a former WHL player, who now is a producer of movies, including the Saw franchise.
3. There is one train of thought out there that has the WHL wanting badly to put expansion teams into Victoria and Nanaimo. The Victoria team would be owned by RG Properties, with the Nanaimo team going to Hockey Night in Canada analyst Kelly Hrudey and some of his partners in the ownership group of the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers.
4. Don’t be expecting to hear anything out of RG Properties. Dave Dakers, the president of its sports and entertainment division, told the Times Colonist: "All comments regarding the WHL and Victoria have been made previously. To discuss rumours on a one-by-one basis is irresponsible. If and when there is any news to report, we will hold a press conference."
5. Annie Fowler, who covers the Tri-City Americans for the Tri-City Herald, was on the beat when Darryl Porter, now the Bruins’ governor, was involved in the Americans’ ownership group. She, uhh, isn’t a fan. Check out her blog right here.
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JUST NOTES: The Everett Silvertips have been fined $250 “for failure to have player appear for star of game award at Tri-City” on Friday night. Hmmm! Wonder what it’s worth when the three stars aren’t announced after a game, as happened in Kamloops that same night? . . . The Vancouver Giants lost F Brendan Gallagher, their leading scorer, on the first shift of Saturday’s 5-0 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks. Although he was feeling better Sunday, he may have a concussion. . . . Gallagher didn’t play in the Giants’ 5-1 loss to the visiting Tri-City Americans on Sunday. The Giants were without D Darren Bestland (back) and D Tyler Hart (shoulder) on the weekend. On Sunday, they lost F Spencer Bennett (hand) and F Teal Burns (shoulder) in the first period. . . . Gallagher, Bennett and Burns are to be re-evaluated today. . . .
D Brandon Manning scored three times Sunday to lead the host Chilliwack Bruins to a 6-2 victory over Portland. With 20 goals, Manning is two shy of the franchise record for goals in a season by a defenceman, set by Nick Holden in 2007-08. . . . F Ryan Howse of Chilliwack got his 48th goal, a career high, and moved into a tie with Spokane C Tyler Johnson for the WHL lead. . .. . More importantly, the Bruins have won five in a row and now are seventh in the Western Conference, three points ahead of the idle Prince George Cougars and Kamloops Blazers. . . .
A release from the Brandon Wheat Kings indicates that they won’t be increasing season-ticket prices if fans renew before June 10. This is the third straight year in which Brandon has chosen not to increase prices. . . . An adult season-ticket purchased by June 10 will cost $325; it’s $350 after the deadline. Youth tickets (18 and under) go for $175. . . . According to the Wheat Kings, “A recent study of season-ticket prices throughout the WHL shows that western Manitoba hockey fans pay more than $100 less for their season-tickets than fans of any other club.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Showing posts with label Len Barrie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Len Barrie. Show all posts
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
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| That's owner Len Barrie (centre) behind the bench of the Victoria Grizzlies on Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy Evan Hammond) |
Len Barrie, who owns a piece of the Victoria Grizzlies, took a turn coaching as the Grizzlies skated to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
Former WHLer Kyle St. Denis had three assists for the Grizzlies.
Sharie Epp of the Victoria Times Colonist has the story right here. And, yes, Barrie says he’ll be coaching through the end of the season.
(By the way, the Bulldogs showed up without their jerseys so wore practice jerseys belonging to the major midget South Island Thunderbirds.)
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The WHL’s governors and general managers spent Monday and Tuesday in Las Vegas. They are believed to have been holding meetings there.Perhaps they were checking out the area’s viability for a WHL franchise.
Surely it only was a coincidence that all the WHL big shots were in Las Vegas on Tuesday, the same day a story in the Las Vegas Sun dealt with a proposed three-stadium complex. That story is right here.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that the SHA will have a province-wide bantam AA league up and running in time for next season. Interestingly, the 18-team league won’t include any teams from Saskatoon. Harder’s story is right here.
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When the Vancouver Giants and Kamloops Blazers meet in Whitehorse on Saturday, the referees will be Steve Papp and Trevor Hanson, while Chris Sweeting and Nathan Van Oosten will be working the lines. . . . F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Red Deer Rebels is the CHL player of the week. He had 12 points in three games last week. . . . The New York Islanders had former WHL G Joel Martin (Lethbridge, Tri-City, Vancouver, Calgary, 2000-03) on the bench for the third period of a 5-3 loss to the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. Martin, 28, signed with the Islanders on Feb. 4 and was with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers when he was recalled Tuesday on an emergency basis.———
A note from Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada: Great days to be a reporter in the QMJHL's East Division. Chicoutimi is reportedly to hire Guy Carbonneau as coach, meaning two more games against Quebec and Patrick Roy. While the two have been close for a long time, their relationship is strained right now. Carbonneau went on RDS recently and said Patrick's son, Frederick, should receive a lengthy suspension for a dirty hit. (He got three games.) Needless to say, Roy, who thought the hit was shoulder to shoulder, wasn't amused.
Friedman’s weekly blog posting, 30 Thoughts, is a must if you’re a hockey fan. You will find this week’s posting right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
Seattle at Kamloops: The Thunderbirds have one victory in their last 10 games but are just two points behind Kamloops, which holds down the Western Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Blazers are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games; they also are down to five healthy defencemen.
Regina at Lethbridge: The Pats and Hurricanes have played 54 games and they’re tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference, three points out of a playoff spot.
Prince George at Medicine Hat: The Cougars blew a chance to get some breathing room when they lost 6-5 in Edmonton last night. The Tigers will be looking for a victory that will lifted them into third place in the Eastern Conference.
Swift Current at Prince Albert: The Broncos won their last start but are 2-8-0 in their last 10 and are clinging to seventh in the Eastern Conference, a point ahead of Brandon and two ahead of Prince Albert. The Raiders are 3-6-1 in their last 10.
Moose Jaw at Saskatoon: The Warriors are comfortably in fifth place, seven points our of fourth and 11 out of sixth. They’ve lost three in a row but have won two of three with the Blades this season. The Eastern Conference-leading Blades have won eight straight and nine of 10.
Portland at Spokane: This one is the game of the night. The Winterhawks have won their last thhree, are 9-1-0 in their last 10 and hold a five-point lead over the Chiefs, who hold two games in hand.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM TUESDAY’S GAMES:
In Edmonton, the Oil Kings exploded for four third-period goals and beat the Prince George Cougars, 6-5. . . . The Cougars had taken a 4-1 lead into the second period and led 5-2 going into the third. . . . Edmonton F Travis Ewanyk got it started at 5:51 of the third, and that was followed by goals from F Jordan Hickmott (10:24), F Mike Piluso (13:55) and F Dylan Wruck (18:27). . . . The Oil Kings outshot the visitors 26-5 in the third. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit, who relieved starter Jon Groenheyde to start the second, stopped 17 of 18 shots. . . . Edmonton F Cameron Abney had three assists. . . . There wasn’t a special teams goal scored in the game. . . . Prince George F Spencer Asuchak returned from an eight-game suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance. He was pointless and minus-4. . . . Attendance was 3,370. . . . The Oil Kings are sixth in the Eastern Conference, but now are five points clear of the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Cougars are sixth in the Western Conference, a point up on the Everett Silvertips. . . .———
In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice erased a 2-0 deficit with six straight goals and went on to beat the visiting Regina Pats, 7-4. . . . F Kevin King scored three times for the Ice. He’s got 26. . . . D Brayden McNabb drew four assists for the Ice, while F Cody Eakin had a goal, his 25th, and two helpers. . . . F Jordan Weal had two assists for Regina. . . . Ice G Brett Teskey stopped 19 shots. . . . Regina G Damien Ketlo stopped 37 shots. . . . The Ice was 3-for-6 on the PP. . . . Regina had F Nils Moser back after he sat out 16 games with a knee injury. . . . Attendance was 2,164. . . . The Ice, third in the Eastern Conference, moved to within six points of the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Pats remain 10th, three points out of a playoff spot. . . . ———
In Red Deer, the Medicine Hat Tigers scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Rebels, 3-1. . . . F Byron Froese gave the Rebels a 1-0 lead with his 31st goal at 19:41 of the first period. . . . That lead held up into the third period when F Kellan Tochkin tied it at 1:27 on a PP. He’s got 20 goals. . . . Medicine Hat F Cole Grbavac broke the 1-1 tie with his 12th goal at 13:19 and F Emerson Etem added his 30th, on a PP, at 15:18. . . . Medicine Hat F Linden Vey, the WHL’s scoring leader, had one assist and now has 88 points. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 37 shots, three more than Red Deer’s Darcy Kuemper. . . . With two games left, the Tigers hold a 3-1 edge in the season series. . . . Attendance was 4,358. . . . Medicine Hat was 2-for-3 on the PP; the Rebels were 0-for-1. . . . The Tigers were without D Scott Ramsay (concussion) who was hurt in a 4-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. . . . The Tigers remain fourth in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind Kootenay and seven in front of Moose Jaw. . . . The Rebels are five points behind the conference-leading Saskatoon Blades, who now hold three games in hand.———
TUESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Three minors:
Kootenay D Brock Montgomery
Red Deer F Chad Robinson
Red Deer D Colin Archer
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Lorne Molleken is the fifth head coach in WHL history to reach 500 victories. He got there Wednesday night when his Saskatoon Blades got past the Oil Kings 4-3 in Edmonton.
The other four are Ken Hodge, Ernie McLean, Pat Ginnell and Don Hay. Only Hay, the head coach of the Vancouver Giants, is still active.
(Interestingly, Molleken’s first coaching job (1985-86) was with the SJHL’s Swift Current Indians. He replaced Ginnell, who had moved on to the WHL’s New Westminster Bruins. The assistant GM with the Indians was Lorne Frey, now the assistant GM, head scout and director of player personnel with the Kelowna Rockets.)
The fact that Molleken is on that list is testament to the manner in which he now lives his life.
To say that Molleken was a free spirit is something of an understatement.
My favourite Molleken story goes back to the mid-1970s when he was a hard-living goaltender with the Winnipeg Clubs, who were coached by the gravelly voiced Muzz MacPherson.
Legend has it that Molleken was doing the scarecrow routine in goal during a practice session one day in the Winnipeg Arena.
MacPherson was at centre ice running drills and looking on with more and more smoke coming out of his ears.
Finally, MacPherson yelled at Molleken: “Hey, Mooner, you going to try to stop some pucks today?”
Molleken replied: “Muzz, see that thing up above you?”
MacPherson, in telling the story, would say, “Like a fool I looked up.”
And he saw the score clock.
Seeing MacPherson look up, Molleken said: “When it starts, I start.”
Over the years, Molleken hasn’t lost his sense of humour. He did, however, manage to lose a few bad habits. He has grown into one of those coaches whose players will go to the wall for him.
You just know that Molleken, 54, will be spending a lot of time today on the phone and the computer, returning congratulatory messages.
It couldn’t happen to a better man.
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Dave Shoalts of The Globe and Mail reports: “Len Barrie’s misadventures in leading the Bear Mountain golf resort and real-estate development into bankruptcy left more than 100 angry investors and creditors in his wake, including 18 current and former National Hockey League players who lost a total of more than $13-million.” . . . That story is right here.
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Tony Gallagher, a sports columnist with the Vancouver Province, checks in with former Portland Winterhawks player and coach Brent Peterson. Now an assistant coach with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, Peterson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago. That piece is right here. If you read one thing today, make this your choice.
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JUST NOTES: With G James Reid (ankle) on the shelf, the Spokane Chiefs have brought in Adam Iwan, 17, to back up Mac Engel. Iwan was a 10th-round selection of the Saskatoon Blades in the 2008 bantam draft. He has been playing with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. . . . Did you know: The WHL weekly update of roster moves that is dated Jan. 25 includes 11 players listed as being out with concussions and seven others with head injuries. . . . One of those players with a concussion is F Steve Oursov of the Chilliwack Bruins. He is attempting something of a comeback after battling post-concussion syndrome. . . .
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Linden Vey, the WHL’s scoring leader, broke a 2-2 tie at 9:46 of the second period as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Raiders, 3-2. . . . Vey has 33 goals. With 82 points, he holds a two-point lead over Spokane Chiefs F Tyler Johnson. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 35 shots, one more than Prince Albert's Jamie Tucker. . . . The Tigers led this one 2-0 on first-period PP goals by F Kellan Tochkin, his 19th, and F Kale Kessy, his eighth. . . . The Raiders scored twice early in the second, with F Brandon Herrod getting his 20th at 3:37 and F Jonathan Parker his 29th just 29 seconds later. . . . Attendance was 2,066. . . . Medicine Hat F Tyler Pitlick didn’t play. . . .
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In Edmonton, F Marek Viedensky broke a 3-3 tie at 7:28 of the third period as the Saskatoon Blades skated to a 4-3 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The victory was No. 500 as a WHL head coach for Saskatoon’s Lorne Molleken. He is the fifth coach in WHL history to reach that milestone. . . . The Blades held 2-0 and 3-2 leads, only to have Edmonton tie it 2-2 and 3-3. . . . Viedensky and F Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist for Saskatoon, with F Chris Collins getting two assists. . . . Edmonton F Jordan Hickmott was ejected with a boarding major, so could be looking at a WHL suspension. . . . Attendance was 4,711. . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored three times in the third period and skated away with a 5-4 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . The victory lifted Brandon to within one point of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. . . . F Brenden Walker scored three goals for Brandon, giving him 19. He tied the score 2-2 at 18:03 of the second and gave Brandon a 3-2 lead at 2:33 of the third. . . . Brandon F Scott Glennie upped that to 4-2 with a shorthanded score at 8:45. . . . Ice F Elgin Pearce made it 4-3 on the PP at 9:29. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay provided some breathing room at 11:07. . . . Ice F Cody Eakin got his 21st at 13:53 to make things interesting. He also had two assists. . . Brandon G Corbin Boes stopped 34 shots. . . . The Ice has lost three in a rwo for the first time this season. . . . Attendance was 2,220. . . .
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In Red Deer, the Rebels went 4-for-9 on the PP as they romped to a 10-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Red Deer, which has won nine in a row, led 9-0 early in the third period before F Cam Braes scored two PP goals for the visitors. . . . F Turner Elson scored three times and added an assist for Red Deer. He’s got 15 goals this season. He scored twice on the PP and once while shorthanded. . . . F Daulton Siwak added a goal and three assists for the Rebels, while F Byron Froese scored twice, giving him 24. F Brett Ferguson had a goal and two assists. . . . Attendance was 3,859. . . .
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In Portland, four Winterhawks forwards had four-point games in a 9-2 thrashing of the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Brendan Leipsic had two goals and two assists, while Craig Cunningham, Riley Boychuk and Sven Bartschi each had a goal and three helpers. . . . F Ty Rattie also scored twice for Portland. . . . Roman Horak, Ryan Howse and Robin Soudek, who are Chilliwack linemates, were a combined minus-17. . . . Portland D Taylor Aronson and D William Wrenn didn’t have a point between them but each was plus-5. . . . Portland has won six in a row. . . . The Winterhawks’ nine goals was a season-high; they have twice scored eight times. . . . Portland’s 51 shots also was a season-high. . . . Attendance was 2,346. . . .
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In Prince George, F Brett Connolly returned to the Cougars’ lineup and enjoyed a four-point outing in a 9-5 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . That was a single-game high for the Cougars’ offence this season. . . . A knee injury had kept Connolly sidelined since Jan. 12. . . . Connolly scored twice, giving him 27, and added two assists. . . . F Nick Buonassisi and F Charles Inglis each had a goal and three assists. . . . F Greg Fraser had two goals for the Cougars, with D Cody Carlson scoring once and adding two assists. . . . Prince George D Daniel Gibb got his first goal of the season. He has a goal and three assists in 46 games. Last season, he had a goal and three assists in 69 games. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford scored twice, giving him 32. He hadn’t scored in his previous 10 games. . . . Prince George was 4-for-7 on the PP; the Blazers were 3-for-5. . . . Kamloops has lost four in a row and eight of nine. . . . The Cougars are 5-1 against the Blazers, with a 32-20 edge in scoring. . . . Attendance was 1,789. . . .
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In Spokane, G Mac Engel earned his first WHL victory as the Chiefs blanked the Everett Silvertips, 3-0. . . . Engel is playing in place of injured starter James Reid. . . . Engel went into the game with a 0-4-3 record in 13 appearances. . . . A 17-year-old from Red Deer, he stopped 18 shots in earning his first shutout. . . . It was Spokane’s fifth shutout of the season; the other four belong to Reid. . . . Everett has been blanked a WHL-leading seven times. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 45 shots. . . . Spokane F Matt Marantz opened the scoring with his 14th of the season at 4:56 of the second period. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson ran his point streak to 15 games with an assist on F Levko Koper’s empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 3,758.
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WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Three minors:
Red Deer F Josh Cowen
Kamloops F Thomas Frazee
Spokane F Mike Aviani
The other four are Ken Hodge, Ernie McLean, Pat Ginnell and Don Hay. Only Hay, the head coach of the Vancouver Giants, is still active.
(Interestingly, Molleken’s first coaching job (1985-86) was with the SJHL’s Swift Current Indians. He replaced Ginnell, who had moved on to the WHL’s New Westminster Bruins. The assistant GM with the Indians was Lorne Frey, now the assistant GM, head scout and director of player personnel with the Kelowna Rockets.)
The fact that Molleken is on that list is testament to the manner in which he now lives his life.
To say that Molleken was a free spirit is something of an understatement.
My favourite Molleken story goes back to the mid-1970s when he was a hard-living goaltender with the Winnipeg Clubs, who were coached by the gravelly voiced Muzz MacPherson.
Legend has it that Molleken was doing the scarecrow routine in goal during a practice session one day in the Winnipeg Arena.
MacPherson was at centre ice running drills and looking on with more and more smoke coming out of his ears.
Finally, MacPherson yelled at Molleken: “Hey, Mooner, you going to try to stop some pucks today?”
Molleken replied: “Muzz, see that thing up above you?”
MacPherson, in telling the story, would say, “Like a fool I looked up.”
And he saw the score clock.
Seeing MacPherson look up, Molleken said: “When it starts, I start.”
Over the years, Molleken hasn’t lost his sense of humour. He did, however, manage to lose a few bad habits. He has grown into one of those coaches whose players will go to the wall for him.
You just know that Molleken, 54, will be spending a lot of time today on the phone and the computer, returning congratulatory messages.
It couldn’t happen to a better man.
---
Dave Shoalts of The Globe and Mail reports: “Len Barrie’s misadventures in leading the Bear Mountain golf resort and real-estate development into bankruptcy left more than 100 angry investors and creditors in his wake, including 18 current and former National Hockey League players who lost a total of more than $13-million.” . . . That story is right here.
---
Tony Gallagher, a sports columnist with the Vancouver Province, checks in with former Portland Winterhawks player and coach Brent Peterson. Now an assistant coach with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, Peterson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease eight years ago. That piece is right here. If you read one thing today, make this your choice.
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JUST NOTES: With G James Reid (ankle) on the shelf, the Spokane Chiefs have brought in Adam Iwan, 17, to back up Mac Engel. Iwan was a 10th-round selection of the Saskatoon Blades in the 2008 bantam draft. He has been playing with the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. . . . Did you know: The WHL weekly update of roster moves that is dated Jan. 25 includes 11 players listed as being out with concussions and seven others with head injuries. . . . One of those players with a concussion is F Steve Oursov of the Chilliwack Bruins. He is attempting something of a comeback after battling post-concussion syndrome. . . .
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince Albert, F Linden Vey, the WHL’s scoring leader, broke a 2-2 tie at 9:46 of the second period as the Medicine Hat Tigers beat the Raiders, 3-2. . . . Vey has 33 goals. With 82 points, he holds a two-point lead over Spokane Chiefs F Tyler Johnson. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 35 shots, one more than Prince Albert's Jamie Tucker. . . . The Tigers led this one 2-0 on first-period PP goals by F Kellan Tochkin, his 19th, and F Kale Kessy, his eighth. . . . The Raiders scored twice early in the second, with F Brandon Herrod getting his 20th at 3:37 and F Jonathan Parker his 29th just 29 seconds later. . . . Attendance was 2,066. . . . Medicine Hat F Tyler Pitlick didn’t play. . . .
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In Edmonton, F Marek Viedensky broke a 3-3 tie at 7:28 of the third period as the Saskatoon Blades skated to a 4-3 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The victory was No. 500 as a WHL head coach for Saskatoon’s Lorne Molleken. He is the fifth coach in WHL history to reach that milestone. . . . The Blades held 2-0 and 3-2 leads, only to have Edmonton tie it 2-2 and 3-3. . . . Viedensky and F Brayden Schenn each had a goal and an assist for Saskatoon, with F Chris Collins getting two assists. . . . Edmonton F Jordan Hickmott was ejected with a boarding major, so could be looking at a WHL suspension. . . . Attendance was 4,711. . . .
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In Cranbrook, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored three times in the third period and skated away with a 5-4 victory over the host Kootenay Ice. . . . The victory lifted Brandon to within one point of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. . . . F Brenden Walker scored three goals for Brandon, giving him 19. He tied the score 2-2 at 18:03 of the second and gave Brandon a 3-2 lead at 2:33 of the third. . . . Brandon F Scott Glennie upped that to 4-2 with a shorthanded score at 8:45. . . . Ice F Elgin Pearce made it 4-3 on the PP at 9:29. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay provided some breathing room at 11:07. . . . Ice F Cody Eakin got his 21st at 13:53 to make things interesting. He also had two assists. . . Brandon G Corbin Boes stopped 34 shots. . . . The Ice has lost three in a rwo for the first time this season. . . . Attendance was 2,220. . . .
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In Red Deer, the Rebels went 4-for-9 on the PP as they romped to a 10-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Red Deer, which has won nine in a row, led 9-0 early in the third period before F Cam Braes scored two PP goals for the visitors. . . . F Turner Elson scored three times and added an assist for Red Deer. He’s got 15 goals this season. He scored twice on the PP and once while shorthanded. . . . F Daulton Siwak added a goal and three assists for the Rebels, while F Byron Froese scored twice, giving him 24. F Brett Ferguson had a goal and two assists. . . . Attendance was 3,859. . . .
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In Portland, four Winterhawks forwards had four-point games in a 9-2 thrashing of the Chilliwack Bruins. . . . Brendan Leipsic had two goals and two assists, while Craig Cunningham, Riley Boychuk and Sven Bartschi each had a goal and three helpers. . . . F Ty Rattie also scored twice for Portland. . . . Roman Horak, Ryan Howse and Robin Soudek, who are Chilliwack linemates, were a combined minus-17. . . . Portland D Taylor Aronson and D William Wrenn didn’t have a point between them but each was plus-5. . . . Portland has won six in a row. . . . The Winterhawks’ nine goals was a season-high; they have twice scored eight times. . . . Portland’s 51 shots also was a season-high. . . . Attendance was 2,346. . . .
---
In Prince George, F Brett Connolly returned to the Cougars’ lineup and enjoyed a four-point outing in a 9-5 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . That was a single-game high for the Cougars’ offence this season. . . . A knee injury had kept Connolly sidelined since Jan. 12. . . . Connolly scored twice, giving him 27, and added two assists. . . . F Nick Buonassisi and F Charles Inglis each had a goal and three assists. . . . F Greg Fraser had two goals for the Cougars, with D Cody Carlson scoring once and adding two assists. . . . Prince George D Daniel Gibb got his first goal of the season. He has a goal and three assists in 46 games. Last season, he had a goal and three assists in 69 games. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford scored twice, giving him 32. He hadn’t scored in his previous 10 games. . . . Prince George was 4-for-7 on the PP; the Blazers were 3-for-5. . . . Kamloops has lost four in a row and eight of nine. . . . The Cougars are 5-1 against the Blazers, with a 32-20 edge in scoring. . . . Attendance was 1,789. . . .
---
In Spokane, G Mac Engel earned his first WHL victory as the Chiefs blanked the Everett Silvertips, 3-0. . . . Engel is playing in place of injured starter James Reid. . . . Engel went into the game with a 0-4-3 record in 13 appearances. . . . A 17-year-old from Red Deer, he stopped 18 shots in earning his first shutout. . . . It was Spokane’s fifth shutout of the season; the other four belong to Reid. . . . Everett has been blanked a WHL-leading seven times. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 45 shots. . . . Spokane F Matt Marantz opened the scoring with his 14th of the season at 4:56 of the second period. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson ran his point streak to 15 games with an assist on F Levko Koper’s empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 3,758.
---
WEDNESDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Three minors:
Red Deer F Josh Cowen
Kamloops F Thomas Frazee
Spokane F Mike Aviani
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday . . . NHL deal for Stefan Schneider
THE MacBETH REPORT: D Mark Ardelan (Brandon, Vancouver, Prince Albert, 1999-2004) signed a two-year contract extension with the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany DEL). Ardelan has eight goals and 23 assists in 56 games for the Roosters this season. . . .
Eisbären Berlin (Germany DEL) has announced that F Denis Pederson (Prince Albert, 1991-95) will retire at the end of this season. Pederson, who is in his seventh season with Eisbären, is quoted on the team website: "The decision is not easy for me but it was primarily a family decision." He led the team in scoring during the regular season with 19 goals and 33 assists in 54 games. The first-place Eisbären open their quarterfinal against Augsburg on Tuesday.
---
A source has told me that F Stefan Schneider of the Portland Winterhawks has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. The undrafted Schneider is a 20-year-old from Vernon, B.C. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Schneider had 23 points, including 12 goals, and 42 penalty minutes in 72 games in the regular season. He has one goal in four playoff games this season.
---
Fred Pittendreigh, the owner of the junior B Chase, B.C., Chiefs, had said he would make an announcement Friday regarding the future of his Kootenay International Junior Hockey League franchise. . . . Well, Friday came and Friday went and there wasn’t any news. . . . The Chiefs, who have been members of the 17-team junior B league since 2007, have been rumoured to be on their way to Kelowna’s Rutland district. Pittendreigh, who owns the Chiefs, said Wednesday that an announcement would be made Friday. No press release was sent out Friday, and Pittendreigh didn’t return multiple phone messages left by the Kamloops Daily News. . . . If Pittendreigh did want to sell or relocate the franchise, he would have to get it OK’d by the rest of the member franchises. The next league meeting is scheduled for April 11.
Mark Hunter of the Kamloops Daily News also reported:
According to the KIJHL constitution, “applications for relocation are accepted up to November 1,” meaning Pittendreigh would have had to have put the wheels in motion for a move months ago.
KIJHL president Bill Ohlhausen refused to talk about whether Pittendreigh filed the paperwork before Nov. 1.
“That’s confidential information between him and I,” Ohlhausen said Friday. “I could have that information as of Nov. 1.”
---
The Federal Hockey League now is up to six teams with the addition of the Brooklyn Aviators. There is more right here.
---
It’s business as usual for the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies, despite the financial woes of former WHL/NHL player Len Barrie, who owns 51 per cent of the junior A team. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
---
WHL PLAYOFF NOTES: The Moose Jaw Warriors will have a second chance to upset the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night in the Crushed Can. The Warriors, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed, hold a 3-2 series edge on the Hitmen, who finished atop the overall standings. The Warriors have gotten this far without F Quinton Howden, their leading scorer, who is out with a broken collarbone. He is skating with the team but no one is saying when he will return. . . . D Ryan Funk, whose WHL career ended Wednesday when his Kamloops Blazers were swept by the Vancouver Giants, was in uniform with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads on Friday night. He was pointless as the Steelheads lost 1-0 to the visiting Victoria Salmon Kings before 4,796 fans. . . . D Jordan Hale of the Brandon Wheat Kings has been suspended for three games for a charging major he took in Game 3 of their sweep of the Swift Current Broncos. Hale will sit out the first two games of Brandon’s next series.
---
FRIDAY . . .
FIRST ROUND
(Best-of-7)
(All times local)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary (1) vs. Moose Jaw (8)
(Moose Jaw leads series 3-2)
Saturday: Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
———
Brandon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
(Brandon wins series 4-0)
———
Saskatoon (3) vs. Red Deer (6)
(Saskatoon wins series 4-0)
———
Kootenay (4) vs. Medicine Hat (5)
(Medicine Hat leads series 3-2)
Friday: Medicine Hat 5 at Kootenay 2
Sunday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Chilliwack (8)
(Tri-City leads series 3-2)
Friday: Chilliwack 4 at Tri-City 3 (OT)
Sunday: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 5 p.m.
———
Vancouver (2) vs. Kamloops (7)
(Vancouver wins series 4-0)
———
Everett (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
(Everett leads series 3-2)
Friday: Kelowna 0 at Everett 4
Saturday: Everett at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
———
Spokane (4) vs. Portland (5)
(Series tied 2-2)
Friday: Portland 4 at Spokane 2
Saturday: Portland at Spokane, 7 p.m.
Monday: Spokane at Portland, 7 p.m. (Rose Garden)
---
In Cranbrook, the Medicine Hat Tigers erased a 1-0 deficit and went on to beat the host Kootenay Ice, 5-2. . . . The Tigers lead the series 3-2 and can wrap it up at home on Sunday. . . . F Kevin King scored his fourth goal of the series to give the Ice a 1-0 lead at 1:22 of the first period. . . . The Tigers took control with four goals before the period ended, as D Matt Konan, D Jace Coyle and F Kale Kessy all found the range. . . . F Dominik Pacovsky got the Ice back to within one with a PP goal at 4:32 of the second. . . . The Tigers put it away with third-period goals by F Linden Vey and F Bretton Cameron, the latter into an empty net. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 31 shots, including 17 in the second period. . . . The Ice started G Todd Mathews but he left after one, having stopped 11 of 14 shots. Nathan Lieuwen came on to play the last two periods, stopping seven of nine. . . . The Ice was 1-for-2 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-4. . . . Attendance was 2,598. . . . Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that the Ice plans on sending video to the WHL office of an elbow by Medicine Hat F Cole Grbavac to the face of Kootenay F Matt Fraser. Ice head coach Mark Holick told Bromley that Fraser appears to have a cracked cheekbone below his right ear. He returned to the game wearing a full shield.
---
In Spokane, F Chris Francis scored twice as the Portland Winterhawks doubled the Chiefs, 4-2. . . . The series is tied with Game 5 in Spokane on Saturday night. . . . Portland has played six times in Spokane this season and has won them all. . . . Spokane actually opened this series by winning twice in Portland. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals, two of them in the first period. F Luke Walker (6:15) and Francis (12:26) both scored their first goals of the series. . . . Francis added a PP score at 7:26 of the second. . . . F Tyler Johnson scored for the Chiefs on the PP at 11:19 of the second, but Portland got that one back when F Nino Niederreiter got his second of the series at 4:09 of the third. . . . F Kyle Beach scored on the PP 32 seconds later but that was as close as the Chiefs could get. . . . Beach has four goals in the series. . . . Beach’s goal came six seconds after Portland F Tayler Jordan was hit with a major for charging. . . . D Eric Doyle had two assists for Portland. . . . Spokane was 2-for-4 on the PP; Portland was 1-for-4. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth, who is turning into a real story in this series, stopped 29 shots. Carruth, who turned 18 on Thursday, has a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage in going the distance in each of the first four games. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 24 of 28 shots, although he spent some time on the bench after Portland’s second goal. Michael Tadjdeh played the last 7:34 of the first period, stopping the only shot he faced. . . . Attendance was 5,718.
---
In Kennewick, Wash., the Chilliwack Bruins, down 3-1 heading into the third period, rebounded for a 4-3 overtime victory over the host Tri-City Americans. . . . F Roman Horak got the winner at 7:16 of the first OT period. Horak, who also had two assists, has two goals in the series. . . . The Americans lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 in Chilliwack on Sunday. . . . Tri-City got two goals from F Brooks Macek as it took a 3-1 through two periods. . . . F Alexander Wiklund, with his second of the game at 2:30 of the third, on the PP, and F Ryan Howse, with his fifth goal of the series, at 18:26 forced OT. . . . F Sergei Drozd and D Tyler Schmidt each drew two assists for the Americans. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 44 shots, 14 more than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . The Bruins were 1-for-2 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-8. . . . Attendance was 3,667.
---
In Everett, G Kent Simpson stopped 21 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 4-0 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Everett takes a 3-2 edge into Game 6 in Kelowna on Saturday. . . . Everett F Tyler Maxwell scored his first two goals of the series, opening the scoring at 1:00 of the first period and giving his mates a 3-0 lead with a shorthanded score at 11:00 of the second. . . . F Shane Harper added his fifth goal of the series and F Dan Iwanski got his second. . . . Kelowna G Mark Guggenberger stopped 29 shots. . . . Everett was 1-for-5 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 4,361. . . . Everett continues to play without D Radko Gudas (upper body) and now D Chris de la Lande (upper body) has joined him on the sideline.
Eisbären Berlin (Germany DEL) has announced that F Denis Pederson (Prince Albert, 1991-95) will retire at the end of this season. Pederson, who is in his seventh season with Eisbären, is quoted on the team website: "The decision is not easy for me but it was primarily a family decision." He led the team in scoring during the regular season with 19 goals and 33 assists in 54 games. The first-place Eisbären open their quarterfinal against Augsburg on Tuesday.
---
A source has told me that F Stefan Schneider of the Portland Winterhawks has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. The undrafted Schneider is a 20-year-old from Vernon, B.C. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Schneider had 23 points, including 12 goals, and 42 penalty minutes in 72 games in the regular season. He has one goal in four playoff games this season.
---
Fred Pittendreigh, the owner of the junior B Chase, B.C., Chiefs, had said he would make an announcement Friday regarding the future of his Kootenay International Junior Hockey League franchise. . . . Well, Friday came and Friday went and there wasn’t any news. . . . The Chiefs, who have been members of the 17-team junior B league since 2007, have been rumoured to be on their way to Kelowna’s Rutland district. Pittendreigh, who owns the Chiefs, said Wednesday that an announcement would be made Friday. No press release was sent out Friday, and Pittendreigh didn’t return multiple phone messages left by the Kamloops Daily News. . . . If Pittendreigh did want to sell or relocate the franchise, he would have to get it OK’d by the rest of the member franchises. The next league meeting is scheduled for April 11.
Mark Hunter of the Kamloops Daily News also reported:
According to the KIJHL constitution, “applications for relocation are accepted up to November 1,” meaning Pittendreigh would have had to have put the wheels in motion for a move months ago.
KIJHL president Bill Ohlhausen refused to talk about whether Pittendreigh filed the paperwork before Nov. 1.
“That’s confidential information between him and I,” Ohlhausen said Friday. “I could have that information as of Nov. 1.”
---
The Federal Hockey League now is up to six teams with the addition of the Brooklyn Aviators. There is more right here.
---
It’s business as usual for the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies, despite the financial woes of former WHL/NHL player Len Barrie, who owns 51 per cent of the junior A team. Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist has more right here.
---
WHL PLAYOFF NOTES: The Moose Jaw Warriors will have a second chance to upset the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday night in the Crushed Can. The Warriors, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed, hold a 3-2 series edge on the Hitmen, who finished atop the overall standings. The Warriors have gotten this far without F Quinton Howden, their leading scorer, who is out with a broken collarbone. He is skating with the team but no one is saying when he will return. . . . D Ryan Funk, whose WHL career ended Wednesday when his Kamloops Blazers were swept by the Vancouver Giants, was in uniform with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads on Friday night. He was pointless as the Steelheads lost 1-0 to the visiting Victoria Salmon Kings before 4,796 fans. . . . D Jordan Hale of the Brandon Wheat Kings has been suspended for three games for a charging major he took in Game 3 of their sweep of the Swift Current Broncos. Hale will sit out the first two games of Brandon’s next series.
---
FRIDAY . . .
FIRST ROUND
(Best-of-7)
(All times local)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary (1) vs. Moose Jaw (8)
(Moose Jaw leads series 3-2)
Saturday: Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
———
Brandon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
(Brandon wins series 4-0)
———
Saskatoon (3) vs. Red Deer (6)
(Saskatoon wins series 4-0)
———
Kootenay (4) vs. Medicine Hat (5)
(Medicine Hat leads series 3-2)
Friday: Medicine Hat 5 at Kootenay 2
Sunday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Chilliwack (8)
(Tri-City leads series 3-2)
Friday: Chilliwack 4 at Tri-City 3 (OT)
Sunday: Tri-City at Chilliwack, 5 p.m.
———
Vancouver (2) vs. Kamloops (7)
(Vancouver wins series 4-0)
———
Everett (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
(Everett leads series 3-2)
Friday: Kelowna 0 at Everett 4
Saturday: Everett at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
———
Spokane (4) vs. Portland (5)
(Series tied 2-2)
Friday: Portland 4 at Spokane 2
Saturday: Portland at Spokane, 7 p.m.
Monday: Spokane at Portland, 7 p.m. (Rose Garden)
---
In Cranbrook, the Medicine Hat Tigers erased a 1-0 deficit and went on to beat the host Kootenay Ice, 5-2. . . . The Tigers lead the series 3-2 and can wrap it up at home on Sunday. . . . F Kevin King scored his fourth goal of the series to give the Ice a 1-0 lead at 1:22 of the first period. . . . The Tigers took control with four goals before the period ended, as D Matt Konan, D Jace Coyle and F Kale Kessy all found the range. . . . F Dominik Pacovsky got the Ice back to within one with a PP goal at 4:32 of the second. . . . The Tigers put it away with third-period goals by F Linden Vey and F Bretton Cameron, the latter into an empty net. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 31 shots, including 17 in the second period. . . . The Ice started G Todd Mathews but he left after one, having stopped 11 of 14 shots. Nathan Lieuwen came on to play the last two periods, stopping seven of nine. . . . The Ice was 1-for-2 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-for-4. . . . Attendance was 2,598. . . . Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman reports that the Ice plans on sending video to the WHL office of an elbow by Medicine Hat F Cole Grbavac to the face of Kootenay F Matt Fraser. Ice head coach Mark Holick told Bromley that Fraser appears to have a cracked cheekbone below his right ear. He returned to the game wearing a full shield.
---
In Spokane, F Chris Francis scored twice as the Portland Winterhawks doubled the Chiefs, 4-2. . . . The series is tied with Game 5 in Spokane on Saturday night. . . . Portland has played six times in Spokane this season and has won them all. . . . Spokane actually opened this series by winning twice in Portland. . . . The Winterhawks scored the game’s first three goals, two of them in the first period. F Luke Walker (6:15) and Francis (12:26) both scored their first goals of the series. . . . Francis added a PP score at 7:26 of the second. . . . F Tyler Johnson scored for the Chiefs on the PP at 11:19 of the second, but Portland got that one back when F Nino Niederreiter got his second of the series at 4:09 of the third. . . . F Kyle Beach scored on the PP 32 seconds later but that was as close as the Chiefs could get. . . . Beach has four goals in the series. . . . Beach’s goal came six seconds after Portland F Tayler Jordan was hit with a major for charging. . . . D Eric Doyle had two assists for Portland. . . . Spokane was 2-for-4 on the PP; Portland was 1-for-4. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth, who is turning into a real story in this series, stopped 29 shots. Carruth, who turned 18 on Thursday, has a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage in going the distance in each of the first four games. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 24 of 28 shots, although he spent some time on the bench after Portland’s second goal. Michael Tadjdeh played the last 7:34 of the first period, stopping the only shot he faced. . . . Attendance was 5,718.
---
In Kennewick, Wash., the Chilliwack Bruins, down 3-1 heading into the third period, rebounded for a 4-3 overtime victory over the host Tri-City Americans. . . . F Roman Horak got the winner at 7:16 of the first OT period. Horak, who also had two assists, has two goals in the series. . . . The Americans lead the series 3-2 with Game 6 in Chilliwack on Sunday. . . . Tri-City got two goals from F Brooks Macek as it took a 3-1 through two periods. . . . F Alexander Wiklund, with his second of the game at 2:30 of the third, on the PP, and F Ryan Howse, with his fifth goal of the series, at 18:26 forced OT. . . . F Sergei Drozd and D Tyler Schmidt each drew two assists for the Americans. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 44 shots, 14 more than Tri-City’s Drew Owsley. . . . The Bruins were 1-for-2 on the PP; the Americans were 1-for-8. . . . Attendance was 3,667.
---
In Everett, G Kent Simpson stopped 21 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 4-0 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Everett takes a 3-2 edge into Game 6 in Kelowna on Saturday. . . . Everett F Tyler Maxwell scored his first two goals of the series, opening the scoring at 1:00 of the first period and giving his mates a 3-0 lead with a shorthanded score at 11:00 of the second. . . . F Shane Harper added his fifth goal of the series and F Dan Iwanski got his second. . . . Kelowna G Mark Guggenberger stopped 29 shots. . . . Everett was 1-for-5 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-for-3. . . . Attendance was 4,361. . . . Everett continues to play without D Radko Gudas (upper body) and now D Chris de la Lande (upper body) has joined him on the sideline.
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