AHS connects Tigers to mumps cases . . . Aces falling from ECHL deck . . . Another lengthy OHL suspension

Tommi Virkkunen (Kamloops, Victoria, 1989-90) has been named the new CEO of Kärpät Oulu (Finland, Liiga), effective May 1. Virkkunen has been chairman of Kärpät's board the past seven years and an executive VP for Finnish company Ahlsell Oy for 10 years.

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Alberta Health Services (AHS) has said that the nine confirmed cases of mumps in the province’s South Zone all are connected to the Medicine Hat Tigers. This is the first such outbreak in the province in 10 years.

AHS believes the Tigers came in contact with the viral infection during a game against the visiting

Brandon Wheat Kings on Jan. 28, as they were starting to fight the illness.

Dr. Vivien Suttorp, the South Zone Medical Officer of Health, told Matt Nemeth of CHAT News Today in Medicine Hat that people who have come in contact with mumps may be symptom-free for as long as 25 days before feeling ill.

Dr. Suttorp told Nemeth: “Before developing symptoms of swollen glands, headaches, feeling unwell, individuals may have already shared the wealth of this virus with others.”

As Nemeth noted, the Tigers have played 10 other teams since they met the Wheat Kings.

In fact, chances are that all of the WHL’s 22 teams have come in contact with one of the teams involved in one way or another, with the Everett Silvertips having completed a recent six-game swing through the East Division.

Meanwhile, it seems the Swift Current Broncos also had to deal with mumps, meaning it has been in at least three WHL dressing rooms.

“They had a situation occur in Swift Current (recently) and it happened in Brandon,” Brent Sutter, the owner, general manager and head coach of the Red Deer Rebels, told rdnewsNOW on Thursday. “Then Medicine Hat happened to go and play Brandon and now they’re dealing with it to some degree.”

Dr. Digby Horne, the AHS Central Zone’s Medical Officer of Health, told rdnewsNOW that there aren’t any cases in that zone.

The Rebels, like other teams, are taking precautions in the hopes of avoiding an outbreak.

“Just manage and control (things),” Sutter said, “make sure we’re dealing with it the right way. Everybody is informed, from the medical side of it, on what we have to do as far as the (WHL) teams. Hopefully, Medicine Hat will get through this and it won’t carry on to another team.”

The Tigers could get some relief tonight (Friday) as they play the host Calgary Hitmen tonight.

Besides having to sit players and one coach because of mumps, they also have been without two top defencemen as David Quenneville and Ty Schultz have been recovering from broken legs suffered while blocking shots. Quenneville, who has missed 21 games, has received medical clearance to return and could be in the lineup against the Hitmen. Schultz, however, still is listed as week-to-week on the WHL roster report.

F Ryan Chyzowski is feeling better and could play in Calgary, while assistant coach Joe Frazer also has returned to the team. D Kristians Rubins and D Jordan Henderson are day-to-day, while F James Hamblin isn’t likely to play.

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The ECHL’s Alaska Aces, who play out of Anchorage, will suspend operations after this season. 

According to Terry Parks, the ownership group’s managing partner, the franchise has lost more money in 2016-17 than in the previous two seasons combined. He said attendance is down 1,500 per game from two seasons ago. . . . From an Aces news release: “Parks says as a result of the economic downturn, sponsorships are down $600,000, season-ticket sales are down $262,000 and attendance is down about 1,500 spectators per game from just a couple seasons ago.” . . . Also from the news release: “With thousands of job losses in Alaska and more likely to come, Parks says, the team expects this downward trend to continue.” . . . The Aces are completing their 15th season in Anchorage.

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The Regina Pats beat the host Saskatoon Blades, 4-1, on Wednesday night, with F Adam Brooks scoring once and being credited with an assist. Brooks won the WHL scoring title last season, with 120 points. That assist gave Brooks 100 points, at least for the moment. . . . However, a post-game scoring change took the assist away from Brooks, leaving him at 99 points. He gets another opportunity to get to 100 tonight (Friday) against the visiting Swift Current Broncos.

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Mike Fraser scouts for the Brandon Wheat Kings and also writes a weekly column for the Brandon-based Westman Journal. This week, he writes about how “listening to a fan or parent yell and mock a 14-year-old kid is hard to digest and let go.” . . . That piece is right here.

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Mike Kelly, the general manager of the Guelph Storm, will leave the OHL team when his contract expires at the end of this season. . . . “Mike has informed us that he and his wife, Denise, will be relocating to the Niagara region to be closer to their children and grandchildren,” Storm president Rick Hoyle said in a news release. “We respect Mike’s decision to prioritize his family.” . . . Kelly joined the Storm for the 1991-92 season and was the GM for six seasons, before signing on as the amateur scouting co-ordinator with the NHL’s Calgary Flames in 1997. He returned to the Storm in November 2010 for a second go-round as GM. . . . From the Storm’s news release: “During his 13 seasons with the club, he led the Storm to three division titles, three OHL regular-season titles, three appearances in the OHL championship series and the franchise’s last OHL championship in 2013-14.” He was the OHL’s executive of the year for 1994-95.

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The OHL has suspended F Max Jones of the London Knights for 10 games after he took a cross-checking major and game misconduct for a hit on F Jonah Gadjovich of the Owen Sound Attack on Feb. 17. Jones will be eligible to return on March 14. . . . Jones was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the NHL’s 2016 draft. He has 32 points, including 14 goals, in 29 games this season, one that has been interrupted twice by injuries. . . . Jones is a repeat offender, having been hit with a 12-game suspension for a blindside during a first-round playoff game last season. . . . The latest suspension comes a day after the OHL hit F Christiano DiGiacinto of the Windsor Spitfires with a 10-game suspension after he incurred a headshot major and game misconduct. 

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Medicine Hat at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Portland at Everett, 7:35 p.m.

Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Seattle vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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

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A little of this and some of that . . .
1. Mike Johnston, the suspended GM/head coach of  the Portland Winterhawks, was said to be in Credit Union Centre on Monday, the first time he had watched his club play in person since an 8-2 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Nov. 24. I haven’t been able to find out if he was using the Bobby Valentine disguise, though. (Can’t remember? Go ahead and Google ‘Bobby Valentine disguise.’)

2. Are the Winterhawks back? They beat the London Knights 6-3 last night, after a 7-4 loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday. . . . They got two goals from Ty Rattie, superior goaltending from Mac Carruth, and another terrific night in the faceoff circle from Taylor Peters. . . . Oh, and D Seth Jones was plus-4, so perhaps he’s at least back on a par with Halifax F Nathan MacKinnon.

3. You have to wonder how many coaches look at Rattie and his long stick and are tempted to get him to shorten it. A stick that length for a highly skilled talent goes against the traditional grain of hockey, but Rattie is a magician with it. So perhaps he should stick with it!

4. Les Lazaruk, the veteran radio voice of the Saskatoon Blades, is calling every Memorial Cup game on 92.9 The Bull. But you’ve got to wonder if there is a Plan B should his voice disappear. Hello, Roger . . . Roger Millions! . . . No. What about Kevin Waugh?

5. The attendance for Portland-London on Monday night was 7,575. And there was more social media abuse piled on the City of Saskatoon and the Blades. . . . Look for more of the same tonight as the London Knights and Halifax Mooseheads clash.

6. A note from a Portland fan: “Huge ‘props and kudos’ for the Saskatoon radio station that is covering the tourney — 90 minute pre-game show featuring Dave Hunchak and Peter Loubardias . . . every game broadcast . . . extended post-game show . . . The Bull has done a great job covering this tourney.”

7. I’m sorry, but looking at all the permutations and trying to figure out what might happen over the rest of the week gives me a headache. Let’s just allow things to play out. It’s more fun that way.

8. With the Everett Silvertips, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Prince Albert Raiders each in need of a head coach, I’m not hearing too many rumours. . . . But I have heard that Brian Pellerin may be the Raiders’ next head coach. A native of Hinton, Alta., he played four seasons (1987-91) with the Raiders and has WHL coaching experience (2004-08) as an assistant in Portland. These days, he is the head coach of the prep team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton.

9. When Patrick Roy steps behind the Colorado Avalanche bench for the first time as head coach, will he still have his Stanley Cup rings in his ears?

10. In my business, you grow inured to a lot of the things that happen in our world. I spend a lot of evenings at my desk, periodically checking photos that are sent our way from around the world. Whenever tragedy strikes, the photos are right there; a lot of them aren’t pretty. Having been doing this as long as I have, the vast majority don’t have an impact on me. But that wasn’t the case on Monday when the pictures began to come in from the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., a suburb of Oklahoma City. The school had found itself in the way of a tornado that hit during the afternoon. . . . As you make your way around your world today, please keep the folks and families from that area of our world in your thoughts.
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Jim Donlevy, who is leaving his role as the head of the WHL’s education program in June, has been named the 2013 recipient of the WHL Governors Award. . . . He was given the award during a reception in Saskatoon on Sunday. . . . According to a news release, the award “is presented annually to an individual, who through their outstanding achievements and service to the league, has contributed to the growth and development of the WHL.” . . . Donlevy has headed up the education program since 1992. . . . He is leaving his position as the director of education services at the end of June.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Adrian Dater of the Denver Post reports that “Patrick Roy will be the next coach of the Avalanche, according to Roy’s brother, Stephane.” . . . That story is right here.
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From Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who is covering the Memorial Cup for The Oregonian: “Dominic Turgeon made it through a shift without Dale Hunter jumping off the bench to blast him into the boards.”


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A little of this and some of that:
1. For the sake of the television viewers, those Halifax Mooseheads sweaters that have green numbers on red have got to go.
2. That was an all-world meltdown by Portland Winterhawks G Mac Carruth on Saturday in Saskatoon. His history shows that it won’t bother him, though, so he’ll be ready for the London Knights come Monday evening. At least the Winterhawks hope so.
3. In this day and age, when the jackals of the Internet are poised to tear you to shreds for any little misstep, you don’t want to forget the words to a national anthem when you’re on national TV.
4. I had a coach tell me recently that Portland’s Taylor Peters is the best faceoff man in the Canadian Hockey League. Watch for him to make a difference before the week is out.
5. It was just one game, so don’t let anyone tell you that Halifax F Nathan MacKinnon beat Portland D Seth Jones. It’s a team game and Halifax won, thus MacKinnon won.
6. Just wondering, but are there any WHL people pulling for Portland? Other than those folks with the Winterhawks, of course?
7. The NHL has fined the San Jose Sharks $100,000 after general manager Doug Wilson publicly disagreed with the decision to suspend F Raffi Torres. When told of that fine, Portland GM Mike Johnston said: “A hundred grand? Pffft! That’s chump change.”
8. If you are still watching the NHL playoffs, do you have any idea what is – and what isn’t – a penalty?
9. The Mooseheads have played 86 games this season. They have won 75 of them. Yes, they’re that good.
10. When December arrives and we look for the best story in hockey in 2013, we won’t have to look past the Swiss national men’s team. That’s some story that it is writing at the world championship, even if it loses to Sweden in today’s final.
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Morris Dalla Costa of the London Free Press reports that the London Knights, the host team for the 2014 Memorial Cup, appear likely to partner with Rogers Sportsnet on a TV series similar to On The Edge, the all-access show that followed the Saskatoon Blades on the road to the 2013 Memorial Cup. That story is right here. . . . Something tells me that the next such series, no matter which team it involves, will be a whole lot tamer than the one that has featured Lorne Molleken and his Blades. . . . BTW, when Kamloops Blazers head coach Dave Hunchak was asked on Saskatoon radio station The Bull’s pregame show on Friday if he would OK such a show were his club the host team, he issued a resounding: “NO!” Simply put, he said, and I’m paraphrasing, something like that is too much of a distraction and the players are too young to be under such scrutiny.
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Toby Gorman of the Nanaimo News Bulletin has more right here on the situation involving the Vancouver Island city and a potential new multiplex. But here’s what Mayor John Ruttan told Gorman: “In the absence of having strong support for it, when Coun. Bill Bestwick, who is still in hockey today, is on record and pooh-poohs the idea of a multiplex, I would think we’ll be hard pressed to find somebody else on council to lobby aggressively for it. I’d need to see more of a business case to support it, though I’m interested.”
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The Brooks, Alta., Bandits and the host Summerside Western Capitals are to clash today in the final of the 2013 RBC Cup, which goes to the national junior A champion. . . . On Saturday, the Bandits, the AJHL champions, beat the Minnesota Wilderness 5-4 in OT in one semifinal, while the Western Capitals of the Maritime Hockey League took out the BCHL-champion Surrey Eagles 3-2 in OT. . . . Brooks F Mark Reners, who has played in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Vancouver Giants and Edmonton Oil Kings, scored at 8:30 of extra time. The Bandits actually trailed 4-2 after two periods and 4-3 with less than a minute to play. F Dakota Mason forced OT when he scored from behind the Wilderness net. . . . The AJHL hasn’t won the RBC Cup since 2001 when the Camrose Kodiaks turned the trick.
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THE COACHING GAME:
The OHL’s Saginaw Spirit added on year to head coach Greg Gilbert’s contract earlier this week, meaning he is signed through 2015-16. Gilbert has been with the Spirit since December 2011. He was the OHL’s coach of the year for 2011-12 after going 20-10-6. The Spirit has lost out in the playoffs to the London Knights in each of the last two seasons, first in the second round and then in the first round.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From Portland freelancer Scott Sepich (@SSepich), who is covering the Memorial Cup for The Oregonian: “When Mike Johnston does arrive, he can’t interact with the team.”
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From Steve Ewen (@Steve Ewen) of the Vancouver Province: “Is there a Mike Johnston cop, making sure he behaves?”

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Bob Lemieux, a tough customer during his hockey career, has made the decision to donate his brain to research. He thinks he suffered at least seven severe concussions during his career. Jane Taber of The Globe and Mail has his story right here.
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Pitcher Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees has said he will retire at the conclusion of this season. That means that he is on his farewell tour. But this isn’t your average such tour. Check out this story right here from the Kansas City Star.
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In the OHL on Saturday night, F Ryan Rupert’s second goal, 90 seconds into overtime, gave the visiting London Knights a 5-4 victory over the Barrie Colts. . . . The championship final is tied 3-3 with Game 7 scheduled for London on Monday night. . . . Rupert’s first goal of the game, at 16:50 of the second period, gave London a 4-0 lead. . . . Barrie stormed back with four third-period goals, F Mitchell Theoret forcing OT with a goal at 19:18. . . . Attendance was 4,241. . . . This is the 10th time since 1987 that the OHL final has gone to seven games. . . . Barrie was without F Anthony Camara, who was suspended prior to Game 6 for the remainder of the OHL playoffs. He was ejected from Game 5 with a charging major. Camara would be eligible for the Memorial Cup, should the Colts win the OHL title. . . . As well, the Colts lost D Michael Webster in Game 5 when he slid into the boards and suffered a broken collarbone.
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In the Central league, F Todd Robinson’s goal at 2:47 of OT gave the host Allen Americans a 3-2 victory over the Wichita Thunder in Game 7 of the league’s championship series. . . . The Americans trailed 2-0 with 13 minutes left in the third period. . . . F Jarret Lukin (Kamloops, Medicine Hat, 2000-05) scored at 7:13 and F Trevor Hendrikx tied it at 17:41. . . . Robinson, a 34-year-old from Trail, B.C., played five seasons (1994-99) with the Portland Winterhawks. A prolific pointman throughout his career, he led the league in playoff scoring, with 22 points.
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The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Portland leads, 3-2)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday, May 3 — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Saturday, May 4 — Edmonton 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Game 3: Tuesday — Portland 3 at Edmonton 1 (8,513)
Game 4: Wednesday — Portland 2 at Edmonton 1 (8,400)
Game 5: Friday, Edmonton 3 at Portland 2 (OT) (10,947)
Game 6: Today, Portland at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Game 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Game 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
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SATURDAY’S GAME:
No Game Scheduled.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (7):
None


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THE MacBETH REPORT:

F Tyler Maxwell (Everett, Edmonton, 2008-12) was released by Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga) and signed a contract with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL). He had seven goals and seven assists in 23 games with Red Bull.

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The OHL’s London Knights won their 23rd straight game last night, beating the host Plymouth Whalers, 4-2. . . . The Knights now own the second-longest winning streak in OHL history, surpassing the 2009-10 Barrie Colts, who won 22 in a row. . . . The OHL record is 25, held by the 1983-84 Kitchener Rangers. . . . The Knights will play the Sting in Sarnia on Monday and the teams will stage a rematch Tuesday in London. Should the Knights sweep that series, they would go for the record on Jan. 4 against the visiting Saginaw Spirit.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Portland, F Paul Bittner had three points as the Winterhawks got past the Tri-City Americans, 4-3. . . . The Winterhawks have won eight in a row. . . . Portland had beaten host Tri-City 4-3 on Friday noght. . . . Bittner, who went into the game with two goals in 21 games, scored twice and set up another. . . . Bittner’s second goal, at 11:15 of the third period, came via the PP and broke a 3-3 tie. . . . F Nic Petan got his 25th goal of the season for Portland and F Brendan Leipsic added his 23rd. . . . Portland has taken four of five from Tri-City this season. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth picked up his 104th regular-season victory, one shy of the franchise record held by Darrell May Sr. (1978-82). . . .

In Saskatoon, F Anthony Bardaro struck for three goals in a span of 7:38 in the first period as the Prince Albert Raiders dumped the Blades, 4-2. . . . Bardaro has 14 goals this season. . . . F Logan McVeigh drew an assist on each of Bardaro’s goals. . . . Raiders G Luke Siemens stopped 40 shots. . . . The Raiders had beaten the visiting Blades 5-4 on Friday, with Bardaro scoring once and adding three assists. . . . Despite being outshot 12-6 in the first 20 minutes, the Raiders had a 4-1 lead. . . . It was Dalton Thrower Bobblehead Night and he scored the game’s first goal. Thrower, a 19-year-old defenceman, scored his third goal of the season at 7:02 of the first period. . . . G Daniel Johnson made his first WHL start, and second appearance, for the Blades. He stopped 19 shots. . . . The Blades have lost three in a row. . . .

In Moose Jaw, the Regina Pats scored the game’s first five goals and went on to a 5-1 victory over the Warriors. . . . Regina F Marc McCoy scored twice, giving him four this season. . . . The Warriors had beaten the Pats 4-3 in Regina on Thursday and then gone into Brandon and beat the Wheat Kings 4-3 on Friday. . . . Regina D Colton Jobke returned last night after missing 17 games with a cut hand. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Zach Jones, F Brady Brassart and D Jaynen Rissling each scored his 10th goal as the Calgary Hitmen dumped the Hurricanes, 4-1. . . . The Hurricanes had won 2-1 in Calgary on Friday. . . .


In Medicine Hat, F Trevor Cox had a goal and two assists as the Tigers beat the Swift Current Broncos, 4-1. . . . Cox opened the scoring with his 11th goal at 10:34 of the first period. . . . Tigers G Marek Langhamer stopped 36 shots. . . . Swift Current F Adam Lowry had his goal-scoring streak snapped at eight games, the longest in the WHL this season. . . . Medicine Hat F Hunter Shinkaruk missed most of the third period. “It was the knee that he got stitches on (in November), when he was out for a long time,” Shaun Clouston, the Tigers’ GM/head coach, told Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News. “There is still some scar tissue there. He went into the boards and hit the ice pretty hard. It just swelled up to the point, where he just wasn’t able to go. Hopefully, it is nothing very serious. We don’t think it is going to affect him too long.” . . . The Tigers were without D Spenser Jensen (concussion), who was injured on Friday. . . .

In Kamloops, F Tim Bozon and F Cole Ully each scored three times as the Blazers dumped the Vancouver Giants, 9-4. . . . F Chase Souto added a goal and three assists for the Blazers. He was playing on the right wing with Bozon and C Colin Smith, who scored his WHL-leading 27th goal. Smith also leads the WHL in assists (38) and points (65). . . . Ully, playing his second game since returning from a bout of mononucleosis, has 11 goals; Bozon has 24. . . . The Blazers, who had lost their last four games, have surrendered 28 goals over their last five games. . . . Kamloops D Tyler Hansen (ill) left the game in the final minute of the second period. . . . The Blazers also got three assists from each of D Sam Grist and F Matt Needham. . . . F Jackson Houck had three goals for Vancouver, while F Cain Franson had a goal and two assists. . . . The Blazers last scored nine times in a game on March 16 when they beat the Cougars 10-4 in Prince George. . . .

In Everett, F Josh Winquist scored twice as the Silvertips edged the Seattle Thunderbirds, 2-1. . . . Winquist, who has 14 goals, got the winner at 1:56 of OT. . . . Seattle F Seth Swenson forced OT with his 12th goal at 15:27 of the third. . . . Everett G Austin Lotz stopped 34 shots. . . . Seattle F Connor Honey left in the second period with an undisclosed injury and didn’t return. . . . The Silvertips had beaten the host Thunderbirds 2-1 on Friday. . . . Seattle now has lost seven in a row. . . .

In Spokane, F Sam Reinhart had two goals and an assist as the Kootenay Ice exploded for a 7-3 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Reinhart has 13 goals. . . . The Chiefs led this one early in the second period when Reinhart scored on the PP at 4:26 for a 3-3 tie. . . . Ice F Levi Cable broke the tie at 14:19 and D Tanner Faith got his first goal at 16:46 to provide insurance. . . . Ice F Jaedon Descheneau had three assists. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 39 shots. . . . The Chiefs had beaten the Ice 1-0 in Cranbrook on Friday. . . .

In Victoria, the Royals overcame a 3-0 third-period deficit and beat the Prince George Cougars 4-3 in the circus. . . . F Chase Witala had two goals, giving him six, and an assist as the Cougars led 3-0 at 6:28 of the second period. . . . F Brandon Magee pulled the Royals into a 3-3 tie at 17:21 of the third. . . . Magee and F Steve Hodges scored shootout goals to win it. . . . One night earlier, the Royals beat the Cougars, 5-1.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
 F Joey Santucci, Prince Albert
F Marek Kalus, Spokane

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Dan Gibb, Prince George
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From Portland Winterhawks F Taylor Peters (@thepistolpete25): “Most goals in the league and not a single nod in the plays of the first half video . . . #typical”

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