Memorial Cup semifinal set . . . Remparts coach pays price for rant . . . Pats shuffle their deck

D Shaun Heshka (Everett, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with MODO Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, SHL). This season, with Ak Bars Kazan (Russia, KHL), he had one goal and five assists in 22 games. He was traded to Admiral Vladivostok (Russia, KHL) on Oct. 31, and had 13 points, including two goals, in 35 games there. . . .

F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) signed a one-year contract with AIK Stockholm (Sweden, Allsvenskan). This season, with Växjö (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals in 21 games. He also had one goal and one assist in 21 games with Lulea (Sweden, SHL). On loan to Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had one goal in four games, and he had three goals in 12 games with HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL). . . .

Darrell Hay (Tri-City, 1996-2000) has signed a one-year contract as a full-time assistant coach with the Sheffield Steelers (England, UK Elite). This season, with Sheffield, the defenceman had six goals and 19 assists in 65 games. . . . Hay, the son of Kamloops Blazers head coach Don Hay, remains registered as an active player for Sheffield for next season.
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It’ll be the WHL-champion Kelowna Rockets and the host Quebec Remparts in the Memorial Cup semifinal tonight in Quebec City. . . . The winner will meet the OHL-champion Oshawa Generals in Sunday’s final. . . . The Remparts advanced with a 5-2 victory over the QMJHL-champion Rimouski Oceanic before only 6,533 fans on Thursday night. . . . Attendance through seven games is 59,669, an average of 8,524. . . . I seem to recall attendance, or the perceived lack of same, being something of a story when the tournament was held in Saskatoon in 2013. That tournament featured nine games and drew 82,503 fans, an average of 9,167. . . . There should be more than 10,000 fans in Quebec City tonight. . . . This was the 17th time these two teams have met this season; the Oceanic finished with a 10-5-2 edge. Rimouski also went into

the tiebreaker having won its last six games against the Remparts at the Pepsi Colisée. . . . The Oceanic had posted a 4-0 victory over the Remparts in a round-robin game on Wednesday. After that game, Quebec head coach Philippe Boucher ripped the officiating — both referees were from the QMJHL. On Thursday, Boucher was fined $10,000. . . . The Kelowna Rockets were fined $500 after someone from their organization was critical of the officiating following a 4-3 tournament-opening loss to the Remparts. . . . Presumably, the difference is that Boucher performed his surgery in public, while the Kelowna official did it in private to CHL officials. . . . Adam Proteau of The Hockey News has more on Boucher and his rant right here. . . . After last night’s game, Boucher told reporters: “"I told my daughter there's no vacation this summer.” . . . Last night’s referees were Brett Iverson of the WHL and the OHL’s Mike Cairns. . . . Quebec F Jerome Verrier scored twice, his first goals in 15 games, while F Anthony Duclair and F Marc-Olivier Roy scored their first goals in nine games. . . . Verrier and Duclair had both left Wednesday’s game with injuries. . . . F Jeremy Lepine pulled Rimouski into a 2-2 tie at 16:07 of the second period. . . . However, Quebec F Adam Erne scored 47 seconds later and Verrier made it 4-2 at 19:19. . . . Roy iced it with his goal at 11:31 of the third. . . . Quebec G Zach Fucale, who didn’t finished one night earlier, stopped 30 shots, four more than Rimouski’s Philippe Desrosiers. . . . The Remparts were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Oceanic was 1-for-3. . . . This is the final hockey event to be held in the Pepsi Colisée, and you can bet the Remparts are using that for motivation.

(1.) Rimouski & Quebec playing each other for 17th time this season. Announcer says "Unheard of!". How cute....

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

(2.). @SeattleTbirds and @pdxwinterhawks played each other 18 times this season. Have played 19 times in a season in the past.

— Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning) May 29, 2015

——
Here is the Memorial Cup schedule (all games on Sportsnet; all times Eastern):
Friday, May 22: Kelowna 3 vs. Quebec 4 (9,497)
Saturday, May 23: Rimouski 3 vs. Oshawa 4 (8,409)
Sunday, May 24: Quebec 4 vs. Oshawa 5 (OT) (10,970)
Monday, May 25: Rimouski 3 vs. Kelowna 7 (6,981)
Tuesday, May 26: Oshawa 2 vs. Kelowna 1 (7,002)
Wednesday, May 27: Quebec 0 vs. Rimouski 4 (10,277)
Thursday, May 28 (tiebreaker): Quebec 5 vs. Rimouski 2 (6,533)
Friday (semifinal): Kelowna vs. Quebec, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday (championship): Oshawa vs. Kelowna/Quebec winner, 7 p.m.
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The Regina Pats did a bit of shuffling in their front office on Thursday. . . . John Paddock now is the senior vice-president of hockey operations, general manager and head coach, while assistant coach Dave Struch has added assistant GM to his duties. . . . Gord Pritchard, the director of corporate affairs, now is the assistant to the general manager. . . . The Pats also have extended the contracts of goaltender coach Rob Muntain, athletic therapist Greg Mayer and equipment manager Gord Cochran. . . . As well, they announced that assistant coach Darrin McKechnie won’t be returning. According to a news release, McKechnie, “an Inspector with the Regina Police Service (RPS), recently received a promotion.” . . . The Pats now are looking to add an assistant coach to their staff.
Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that Struch’s promotion is all part of the Pats’ succession plan.
From Harder’s story:
“There’s no question that we think Dave is our next head coach,” offered Pats president Todd Lumbard. “John has indicated that potentially his coaching days may be coming to an end, not right away, but at some point (in the not-too-distant future). Dave is the logical successor. If the timing can work out, that would be our plan for sure. John would move fully into the GM’s role and Dave would become our head coach. It’s not written in stone but that’s something we have talked about.”
Harder added: “The tentative plan is for the 60-year-old Paddock to remain behind the bench for the duration of his four-year contract, which he signed last summer to become the team’s head coach and senior vice-president of hockey operations. He absorbed the general manager’s title on Thursday as part of a minor shuffling of the hockey operations department, highlighted by Struch accepting a larger role.”
Harder also reported: “Although Struch was already under contract for the next three seasons, the Pats felt compelled to make a pre-emptive strike in order to keep him. He was regarded as a potential candidate for WHL head-coaching vacancies with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kootenay Ice and Vancouver Giants.
All three clubs are believed to have asked the Pats for permission to speak to him. According to sources, he was a leading candidate for the job in Lethbridge before pulling himself out of the running to stay in Regina.”
——
Bruce Vance worked his last day with the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday. He spent seven years with
the Lethbridge Hurricanes and 14 with the Raiders. He now is moving on to work for the City of Prince Albert.
In honour of his leaving the Raiders, we have this note from Liane Sadlemyer Vance:

BRUCE VANCE

I am posting this for Carrie Georgeson, Eryn Georgeson-Tait, Kim Pagé who have expressed sadness on this day that Bruce Vance is leaving the Prince Albert Raiders. I have known Bruce for almost 30 years and his nicknames and sayings get in your head and won't go away (just ask his children)!! So here are the top 10 Bruce Vance(isms) for you ladies to give you a laugh. And remember when you catch yourself saying them over and over again, you have Bruce to thank (please note these are Bruce Vance Raider(isms), he makes up new sets depending on his environment.
10. ARGOOOOOOOSSSS!!!! (This would be yelled at random times, not necessarily when the Argos are playing)
9. Corksoaker!
8. 4,5, 6!!
7. Meow (this is more of a sound as opposed to a saying)
6. Smile and nod...
5. It's a great day for hockey
4. NUGGET what are you doing????
3. NOTHING!!!
2. Let's do this, it's our time
1. Win or lose..........
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THE COACHING GAME:

Geoff Grimwood, who had been working with the Victoria Royals, is the new general manager and head coach of the SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers. . . . Grimwood spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Royals. He also oversaw the major midget South Island Royals for parts of three seasons. . . . Before that, he was an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings for two seasons. . . . He replaces Rockie Zinger, whose contract wasn’t renewed.
——
If your organization is making a change or has vacancies that you are trying to fill, email Taking Note at gregg@takingnote.ca, and I’ll let the hockey crowd that follows this blog know all about it.
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In the AHL, the visiting Utica Comets scored a 4-1 victory over the Grand Rapids Griffins last night, to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal. F Sven Baertschi scored Utica’s first three goals. . . . Baertschi, who was acquired by the parent Vancouver Canucks from the Calgary Flames during the season, scored three second-period goals in a span of 8:36. . . . Utica F Jake Virtanen, who played this season with the Calgary Hitmen, drew an assist on Baertschi’s third goal. That was Virtanen’s first professional point. . . . Attendance was 5,122. . . . The Comets and Griffins will play again tonight and Sunday in Grand Rapids. . . .
——
F Radel Fazleev of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers. Fazleev, 19, was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round of the NHL’s 2014 draft. . . . A native of Kazan, Russia, he had 51 points, including 18 goals, in 71 games this season, his second with the Hitmen. . . .
——

The Brandon Wheat Kings revealed earlier in the week that they have sold more than 1,200 season-tickets with two weeks left before their early bird deadline. A year ago, with two weeks to the deadline, the Wheat Kings said they had sold 1,100 season-tickets. A year ago, when the deadline arrived in June, that total was at 1,600. . . . The Wheat Kings, who lost in the WHL’s championship final earlier this month, are expected to contend again next season.
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“Rowan Stringer’s fatal head injury on a high school rugby field could have been prevented if those around her had some basic knowledge of concussion management, an internationally renowned concussion expert told an inquest Thursday into the teenager’s death,” writes Chris Cobb of the Ottawa Citizen. “Despite the proliferation of publicly available information about concussions and concussion management, Toronto neurologist Charles Tator said, it is a major concern that none of it appears to have reached Rowan, her peers, coaches or teachers.” . . . Stringer, 17, died in May 2013, four days after being injured. . . . The inquest in Ottawa has been ongoing and the jury is expected to bring back recommendations next week. . . . Cobb’s story is right here.
——
These are interesting days with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, with Klay Thompson appearing to have suffered a concussion on Wednesday night, just a couple of nights after Steph Curry, the league’s MVP, took a hard fall and landed on his head. . . . Jesus Gomez of sbnation.com has more right here.
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And so it begins. #newboards #whlcanes #yql pic.twitter.com/t1zp2C9DzJ

— LethbridgeHurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) May 28, 2015

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

WHL's playoff picture . . . No one hotter than Bjorkstrand . . . Zamboni driver did what?

The WHL’s regular season is winding down. Two teams, Portland and Prince George, have fewer than 20 games remaining. So let’s take a look at the playoff picture as it is right now . . . Keep in mind that the top three teams from each of the four divisions qualify for the playoffs. Also getting in are two wild-card teams in each conference — the two teams with the most points, regardless of division. . . . Remember, too, that it is awfully tough to gain ground when some games actually are worth three points. So teams that are six or eight points out of the playoffs at this point really have their work cut out to make up that much ground in a 20-game period.
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
EAST DIVISION
            PTS    GR
Brandon        79    21
Regina        60    22
Swift Current    51    21
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CENTRAL DIVISION
Medicine Hat    73    22
Calgary        63    21
Red Deer        62    22
—-
WILD CARD
Kootenay        55    20
Edmonton        54    20
Moose Jaw        44    22
Prince Albert    43    22
—-
THE MATCHUPS, if the playoffs opened tonight:
Brandon vs. Edmonton
Medicine Hat vs. Kootenay
Regina vs. Swift Current
Calgary vs. Red Deer
—-
NOTES: If Moose Jaw and/or Prince Albert are to make the playoffs, it appears they will have to catch Swift Current and get in as the East Division’s third-place team. . . . Moose Jaw is seven points behind third-place Swift Current and Prince Albert is eight points back. Moose Jaw is 10 points out of a wild-card spot. . . . The Warriors are at home to Prince Albert on Wednesday and Spokane on Friday. Moose Jaw then heads out on a seven-game road trip as the Saskatchewan women’s curling championship takes over Mosaic Place. . . . Red Deer, which slid into third in the Central Division while enjoying a six-game homestand, is off to B.C. for a three-game swing that opens Wednesday in Kamloops.
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
B.C. Division
            PTS    GR
Kelowna        82    21
Victoria        60    20
Kamloops        46    20
—-
U.S. DIVISION
Everett        66    22
Portland        65    19
Seattle        56    22
—-
WILD CARD
Spokane        52    23
Tri-City        51    21
Vancouver        43    21
Prince George    42    19
——
THE MATCHUPS, if the playoffs opened tonight:
Kelowna vs. Tri-City
Everett vs. Spokane
Victoria vs. Kamloops
Portland vs. Seattle
——
NOTES: Vancouver and Prince George are sliding out of the wild-card race, but are involved in a tight race for third place in the B.C. Division. . . . Prince George, which is 0-10-2 in its last 12 games, is at home to Edmonton on Friday and Saturday, then will play seven of eight on the road. The Canada Winter Games are in Prince George from Feb. 21 to March 1. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province takes a look at the Vancouver Giants’ playoff chances right here.
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F Juraj Šimek (Brandon, 2006-07) has signed for the rest of this season with Lugano (Switzerland, NL A) after asking for his release from TPS Turku (Finland, Liiga). This season, with Genève-Servette (Switzerland, NL A), he had six goals and seven assists in 33 games. In 15 games with TPS, he had two goals and six assists. . . .
F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) has been recalled by Luleå (Sweden, SHL) from loan to Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan) and loaned to HV71 Jönköping (Sweden, SHL). This season, with the Växjö Lakers (Sweden, SHL), he had two goals in 21 games. In 14 games with Luleå, he had one goal and one assist. He had one goal in four games with Asplöven.
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D Haydn Fleury of the Red Deer Rebels, who suffered a skate cut to one leg on Saturday, may not miss any action. Fleury needed eight stitches after cutting himself with his own skate blade during the first period; he didn’t return. The Rebels play in Kamloops on Wednesday. . . .
F Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants is ill and didn’t practise on Monday. He had missed Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Giants also are without F Matt Bellerive, who is ill. . . .
No one was hotter in January than Portland Winterhawks F Oliver Bjorkstrand. Since returning from the WJC, where he played for Denmark, Bjorkstrand has put up 30 points, including 14 goals, in 12 games. He now has 70 points, including 35 goals, in 40 games, leaving him tied for third in the WHL scoring race. . . . F Nic Petan, who plays on a line with Bjorkstrand, has 18 points, 14 of them assists, in nine games after returning from the WJC, where he played for Canada. . . . The Winterhawks visit the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Friday and play in Everett on Sunday. . . .
Bjorkstrand is tied with F Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets, each with 70 points. They trail F Trevor Cox of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who has 85 points, and Tigers F Cole Sanford, who has 78. . . . Sanford and F Rourke Chartier of Kelowna lead the WHL in goals (41). Cox is No. 1 in assists (63). . . .
Jordan Papirny of the Brandon Wheat Kings and Jackson Whistle of the Kelowna Rockets lead WHL goaltenders in victories, each with 30. . . . Taran Kozun of the Seattle Thunderbirds has the top GAA (2.34), with Whistle second (2.46). . . . The top save percentage (.927) belongs to Portland’s Adin Hill, with Tri-City’s Eric Comrie next, at .921. . . . Landon Bow of Swift Current and Tri-City’s Evan Sarthou lead in shutouts, each with six. . . . 

The junior B Extreme Hockey Regina Capitals and Traveland RV Storm, who play in the Prairie Junior Hockey League, will play a doubleheader this weekend that is being called the Pankewich-Neumann Memorial Classic. The Saturday-Sunday games are being used as a fund-raiser for the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. . . . They’ll play Saturday, 7:30 p.m., at the Pilot Butte Recreation Centre and Sunday, 2:15 p.m., at the Al Ritchie Arena in Regina. . . .
Archie Ingersoll of the Grand Forks Herald has more right here on the Zamboni driver from Fargo, N.D., who has been charged with DUI. It turns out he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.30, well over the 0.08 legal limit.
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Congratulations to my good friend @CoachStanButler on his 600th OHL victory! Great feat by a great Coach! #youdaman #happybirthday
— Don Nachbaur (@HCChiefs42) February 1, 2015

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Winterhawks streak at 13

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) has been loaned by Växjö (Sweden, SHL) to Troja-Ljungby (Sweden, Allsvenskan) for three games during the SHL’s Olympic break. Strömwall played one game with Troja-Ljungby in the autumn, recording one assist.
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Two full-patch Hells Angels drew 15-year jail sentences last week for their roles in an attack that left former WHL F Dain Phillips dead. Phillips played 82 WHL games (1978-80), 34 with the Lethbridge Broncos and 48 with the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Kim Bolan of the Vancouver Sun has more right here.
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TUESDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Kootenay at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Prince George, the Portland Winterhawks ran their winning streak to 13 games as they dumped the Cougars, 8-4. . . . The Cougars went into the game having won six in a row. . . . Portland scored four times on eight power-play opportunities and twice while shorthanded. . . . The Cougars were 3-for-8 on the PP. . . . Portland’s franchise record for consecutive victories is 15 (1979-80, 1997-98). . . . The Winterhawks play in Prince George again on Wednesday. . . . Portland F Chase De Leo tied a career single-game high with five points, two of them goals. He‘s got 31 goals. . . . Portland F Taylor Leier had a goal and three assists. He‘s got 28 goals. . . . Portland F Nic Petan had one assist as he moved to within one point of Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg, who leads the WHL with 93 points. . . . The visitors had a 50-32 edge in shots. . . . F Zach Pochiro scored twice for the Cougars. Pochiro, who has 24 goals this season, has scored seven times in his last seven games. . . . During their winning streak, the Winterhawks have outscored the opposition, 76-23. . . . The Cougars dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. Scratched with injuries were F Jari Erricson, F Alex Forsberg, D Zach Gonek, D Peter Kosterman, F David Soltes, F Chase Witala and G Brett Zarowny. . . . The Winterhawks (29-12-5), who are 14-0-1 in their last 15 outings, are second in the overall standings, nine points behind the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Cougars (24-27-7) slipped four points behind the Tri-City Americans in the chase for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. . . .

In Vancouver, the Victoria Royals completed a weekend road sweep with a 3-2 victory over the Giants. . . . D Travis Brown won it with his 11th goal of the season, via the PP, at 17:13 of the third period. . . . The Royals won in Kamloops (3-1) on Friday night and in Kelowna (6-4) on Saturday. . . . The Giants held leads of 1-0 and 2-1. . . . Vancouver F Dominik Volek scored his 19th goal, on the PP, at 16:44 of the first period. The Giants had been 0-for-19 on the PP over their previous three games. . . . Victoria F Logan Fisher tied it, with his sixth, just 33 seconds into the second. . . . Vancouver took the lead again when F Cain Franson got his 22nd at 3:41 of the second. . . . The Royals tied it on F Austin Carroll’s 28th, just 1:42 later. . . . Attendance was a season-high 11,621. . . . The Giants continue to be without D Dalton Thrower (ankle). . . . The Royals (38-16-4) are 8-0-2 in their last 10 and hold a five-point lead over the fourth-place Seattle Thunderbirds in the Western Conference. . . . The Giants (27-22-9) have lost three in a row and are six pints behind the fifth-place Spokane Chiefs. . . .

In Kamloops, F Taylor Vickerman was credited with the winning goal as the Tri-City Americans beat the Blazers, 2-1. . . . This was a game between two teams that struggle to score and the lack of offensive confidence was glaring in both offensive zones. . . . The winner came when Vickerman redirected a point shot by D Mitch Topping past G Bolton Pouliot for his third goal of the season at 15:00 of the third period. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 30 shots and held the Blazers at bay in the last minute when they won four straight faceoffs, three by F Matt Revel, in the Americans' zone. . . . Revel scored the game's first goal, at 3:30 of the third, tucking a Cole Ully centring pass in behind Comrie. . . . Tri-City F Jessey Astles equalized at 5:23, going wide on a defender and ripping a rolling puck past Pouliot off the left wing. . . . Pouliot finished with 29 saves. . . . The Americans won the season series 4-0-0, outscoring the Blazers, 11-5. . . . It's the third time a team has swept the season series. The Americans went 4-0-0 in 2009-10, while the Blazers were 5-0-0 in 2002-03. . . . The Americans now are 8-8-0 against teams in the B.C. Division. . . . With six players scratched due to injury, the Blazers added F Deven Sideroff, 16, to their lineup. D Connor Clouston, F Luke Harrison, G Justin Myles, F Matt Needham, F Tyson Ness and F Chase Souto all are out with injuries. . . . The Blazers , who have lost 10 in a row, slipped into a tie with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL cellar. Each team is 11-41-5. . . . Kamloops also was officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. . . . The Americans (27-24-5) are eighth in the Western Conference, three points behind the Everett Silvertips and four ahead of Prince George. . . .

In Kelowna, F Tyrell Goulbourne scored twice and added an assist to help the Rockets to a 7-3 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Goulbourne has 11 goals. . . . He also find time to accumulate 19 minutes in penalties. . . . The Rockets, who had lost their previous two games, both at home, led 6-0 early in the third period. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle stopped 27 shots. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun, who has been on such a run, started but didn't get through the second period. He stopped 15 of 19 shots before Danny Mumaugh came on at 7:28 of the second period. . . . Kelowna lost F Tyson Baillie with an injury to his right leg after a collision with Seattle D Jared Hauf in the second period. Baillie didn’t return to the game. . . . The Rockets (44-8-4) are atop the overall standings, nine points up on Portland and 11 ahead of the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Seattle (35-17-5) is fourth, five points behind Victoria.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Marek Curilla (Kootenay, Medicine Hat, 2005-06) signed for the rest of the season with Csíkszereda Miercurea-Ciuc (Romania, MOL Liga). Last season, Curilla had 17 points, six of them goals, in 40 games with Most (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) and seven points, including two goals, in 10 games with Zvolen (Slovakia, Extraliga). . . .
F Joni Lindlöf (Kelowna, Lethbridge, 2002-04) has been loaned to Almtuna (Sweden, Allsvenskan) by Wings Arlanda (Sweden, Div 1). With the Wings, he had 18 points, including 10 goals, and was plus-15 in 12 games. . . .
F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) had been loaned to Troja-Ljungby (Sweden, Allsvenskan) by Växjö (Sweden, SHL). This season, he has one assist in 14 games with Växjö.
———
1. The Brandon Wheat Kings have dropped D Dominic Thom, 17, from their roster. He is expected to join the AJHL's Calgary Mustangs. . . . Thom was selected in the ninth round of the 2011 bantam draft. He had one assist and was plus-3 in two games with the Wheat Kings this season. . . . Brandon is taking 24 players, including two goaltenders and 15 forwards, on its U.S. Division swing that opens Friday in Spokane against the Chiefs.

2. The female football fan who got punched by the guy wearing a New York Jets sweater? She has been charged with simple assault and disorderly content. There's more right here.

3. The Monday Morning Quarterback site is doing a lot of work this week with concussion-related stories. There's a good one right here, written by Richard Deitsch, about network television and the tightrope it walks in reporting on the issue.

4. It was a big night for the Thrower family on Wednesday, what with the Calgary Hitmen in Vancouver to play the Giants. Dalton, a defenceman, is the captain of the Giants. Younger brother Josh is a defenceman with the Hitmen. . . . Their sister, Danae, sang O Canada prior to the game. . . . Their parents, Melanie and Murray, were in the stands. . . . Andy Prest of the North Shore News has a good read right here on the Thrower family — it hasn't been easy for them to get to this point in their lives.

5. Someone asked me the other day if I had read any good books lately. Well, I have had some time on my hands, so the answer is "Yes!" . . . Here are a few titles. . . .
Detroit: An American Autopsy, by Charlie LeDuff, is an incredible look at the Motor City and provides more than a hint at how the city ended up in such dire straits. I think I read something the other day about a former mayor drawing a 38-year jail sentence. . . . Highly recommended. . . .
Whitey Bulger: America's Most Wanted Gangster and the Manhunt that Brought Him to Justice, written by Boston Globe reporters Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy, reads like fiction but isn't. . . . Best book I've read to this point in 2013. . . .
An Accidental Sportswriter, by Robert Lipsyte, provides a neat look at the life of a newspaper columnist who spent a whole lot of time around Muhammad Ali. Lipsyte now is ESPN's ombudsman and is a superb essayist. . . .
Northern Light (The enduring mystery of Tom Thomson and the woman who loved him), written by Roy MacGregor, explores the demise of artist Tom Thomson from every angle. An engrossing read. . . .
Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap Stories, written by, yes, Randy Bachman, is similar to his CBC radio program, only without the music, unless you want to supply that on your iPod. Lots of good stories here. . . .
What the Dog Saw: And Other Adventures is another essay-filled work by author Malcolm Gladwell. Lots of food for thought here. . . .
There has been some fiction, too. . . . The Racketeer, by John Grisham, is good mind candy, as is The Innocent, by David Baldacci. This was the first Baldacci book I have read, and I will certainly read more of his stuff. . . . I also enjoyed Black Fridays, by Michael Sears, about a bad boy trying to do good in the world of high finance. . . .

6. So . . . when did the St. Louis Cardinals lose the ability to catch a baseball? Oh boy, that was embarrassing. . . . According to ESPN Stats & Info, "Game 1 winner: wins World Series 62% of time; has won 21 of last 25 World Series."

7. The Tri-City Americans have added F Devon McAndrews, 18, to their roster. They acquired his rights from the Medicine Hat Tigers a year ago for a conditional sixth-round 2014 bantam draft pick. . . . McAndrews has been with the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound McAndrews had two assists and 27 penalty minutes in 13 games with the Saints this season, after getting 15 points, five of them goals, and 71 penalty minutes in 52 games last season. . . . "He’s a guy I identified over a year ago who I thought would help our team,” Bob Tory, the Americans' general manager, told Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald. "The fact he is coming now is good news for us. We are in a transition with our team. The ability to add a new players gives up depth and options to look at things in the future. Obviously we can’t carry 16 forwards when everyone is healthy, so it puts pressure on the players here to perform.” . . . Fowler adds that McAndrews' father, Stewart, was a linebacker with the U of Albert Golden Bears and played one season with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos.

JUST NOTES:
In Vancouver, F Alec Baer, 16, had a goal and two assists in the first period and the Giants went on to a 4-3 overtime victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . F Tim Traber got the winner at 2:04 of extra time. . . . The Giants, who led 3-0 in the first period, have won two in a row at home after an eight-game losing skein. . . .
In Regina, the Pats had a six-game winning streak snapped as they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Raiders G Nick McBride, 16, stopped 42 shots to earn his first WHL victory in his second start. . . . G Mac Engel, 20, made his first start for the Pats. . . .
In Medicine Hat, the Portland Winterhawks ran their winning streak to six games with a 5-3 victory over the Tigers. . . . Portland F Shane McColgan, 20, who was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades over the summer, played his first game after offseason surgery. . . . Todd Vrooman, the radio voice of the Winterhawks, pointed out that there were 17 American-born players involved in this one -- 11 with Portland and six with Medicine Hat. . . .
The Edmonton Oil Kings opened an eight-game road swing with a 3-1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Oil Kings were without D Cody Corbett, D Dysin Mayo and D Griffin Reinhart, all out with undisclosed injuries.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Michal Lukac (Prince George, 2001-02) signed a one-year contract extension with Kladno (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and eight assists in 36 games with Kladno and was pointless during a three-game loan assignment to Pisek (Czech Republic, 1. Liga) this season. . . .


F Malte Strömwall (Tri-City, 2011-13) signed a two-year contract with Växjö (Sweden, Elitserien). Strömwall, who turns 19 on Aug. 24, is from Luleå, Sweden. He had 21 goals and 45 assists in 66 games with the Americans this season. He put up 27 points, including 11 goals, in his freshman season of 2011-12. . . .

D Craig Schira (Regina, Vancouver, 2003-09) signed a one-year plus option contract with HPK Hämeenlinna (Finland, SM-Liiga). He had 17 goals and 18 assists in 45 games with Frisk Asker (Norway, GET-Ligaen) this season. Schira was the second-leading point-getter among defencemen in GET-Ligaen.
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The news that Russian forward Dmitri Uchaykin had died after taking a hit to the head during a game in Kazakhstan a couple of weeks ago brought memories flooding back to Barret Kropf.
Kropf, a veteran hockey coach, was coaching Briercrest College in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference “almost 10 years ago” and was part of a group of ACAC, CIS and junior players who made trip to Kazakhstan to play a few games.
“In our third game against their first league pro teams,” he writes, point out that this was prior to the advent of the KHL, “one of our players, Dan Hesje, was violently sucker-punched with a running, full strides haymaker.”
According to Kropf, Hesje “was out before his head smashed on the ice.”
In fact, Kropf writes, “Running from the bench, I thought he was dead . . . blood everywhere.”
How bad was it?
Kropf says that “only a miracle kept him alive that night in hospital.” He adds that the hit ended Hesje’s hockey career and Hesje still feels its affects.
As for the player who delived the below, Kropf says that he “got two minutes for roughing.”
So the ACAC team left the ice in protest.
“After some hallway negotiations,” Kropf recalls, “we agreed to replay the next night” when the arena was expected to be sold out. But the team agreed to play only if the offending player didn’t suit up.
“However,” Kropf remembers, “the next night he was out for the warmup. So we skated right off the ice.”
And that’s when the fun began.
As Kropf recalls it:
“There was a knock on the door and it was a Mafia-looking dude. Through an interpreter, we heard how he dragged their player and coach into the hallway and tore strips offf them . . . left them sitting in the hallway, cowering and in tears.
“These Mafia (businessmen!) then apologized profusely and begged us to play on.”
As the ACAC team made its way to the ice surface, players and coaches had to walk past the other team’s coach and the player in question.
“They were in the hallway crying as we walked by,” Kropf writes.
As for that night’s game, he notes: “We enjoyed a safe, high-skilled, fun game. Both teams took the high road and played a safe game with lots of skill.”
Having been through this so many years ago, having had those memories reawakened and having watched hockey evolve to where it now is, Kropf concludes:
“Maybe North America needs some Russian-styled businessmen to set the tone for headshot punishment!”
———
Mark Lamb, the GM and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos, says a change is coming in terms of how the WHL uses video review.
The host Broncos lost Game 4 of a first-round series with the Calgary Hitmen when on-ice officials missed a glove pass in overtime that led to the winning goal by the visitors. That left Calgary with a 3-1 lead in the series and heading home for Game 5, which it won.
"They have to deal with that and they're going to deal with it," Lamb told Shawn Mullin, the radio voice of the Broncos on The Eagle 94.1 FM. "It was one of the worst things that's ever happened in hockey . . . not just in our league. When you're in overtime and there's a glove pass and there's an overtime goal, it's devastating to the franchise. They're going to acknowledge it and there's going to be some changes."
Mullin’s interview with Lamb, in which they look back and ahead, is right here.
———

The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Edmonton wins, 4-0)
Calgary (3) vs. Red Deer (4)
(Calgary leads, 3-1; Game 5, tonight, in Calgary)
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
SECOND ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Spokane (4)
(Portland wins, 4-0)
Kelowna (2) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Kamloops wins, 4-0)
———
Three series ended in sweeps last night. Yikes! This means that of the 11 series that have been completed this spring, five have ended in four games and three others have gone five.
The Calgary Hitmen are in position to take out the visiting Red Deer Rebels in five games tonight in the only series left standing.
The Kamloops Blazers and Portland Winterhawks will open the Western Conference final with games in the Oregon city on April 19 and 20. Yes, they now will enjoy eight days off before they play again.
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, the Edmonton Oil Kings erased a 2-1 deficit with goals 39 seconds apart in the third period and beat the Tigers, 4-2. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson scored twice for Edmonton and F Dylan Wruck drew three assists. . . . Tigers F Hunter Shinkaruk gave his side its first lead of the series when he scored shorthanded at 5:41 of the first. . . . That also was the first time in these playoffs that Edmonton had trailed. . . . Samuelsson forged a 2-2 tie at 12:40 of the third, and D Griffin Reinhart broke the tie at 13:19. . . . Samuelsson, who also had an assist, later added an empty-netter. . . . Edmonton G Laurent Brossoit stopped 32 shots, while Medicine Hat’s Cam Lanigan blocked 38. . . . The Oil Kings have outscored their opponents 44-9 in nine playoff games. . . .

In Kamloops, F Kale Kessy scored a PP goal in overtime to give the Blazers a 4-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Kessy got his second goal of the game and 11th of these playoffs after Kelowna D Madison Bowey was penalized for delay of game. . . . The Blazers were 3-for-11 on the PP; the Rockets were 0-for-1. . . . Yes, PPs were 11-1. . . . Kamloops F Brendan Ranford had three assists, giving him nine points in the four-game sweep over the Rockets. . . . Kamloops F JC Lipon, who leads the playoff scoring race, had two assists. He remains the only player in the WHL with at least one point in each of his team’s playoff games. Lipon leads the scoring race with 21 points, two more than Portland F Ty Rattie and Ranford. . . . The Rockets trailed 3-1 going into the third after D Marek Hrbas and F Matt Needham scored in the last three minutes of the second. . . . F J.T. Barnett and F Cole Linaker pulled Kelowna even with goals at 5:03 and 9:24 of the the third. . . .Bowey went off 27 seconds into OT and the Blazers fired seven shots at G Jordon Cooke before Kessy scored. . . . Kessy shares the playoff goal-scoring lead with Rattie. . . .

In Spokane, G Mac Carruth stopped 30 shots to help the Portland Winterhawks to a 5-0 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Carruth has two shutouts in these playoffs and five in his career. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie scored once, giving him 11 goals in these playoffs. That was his 41st career playoff goal, tying him for second with Reg Leach (Flin Flon, 1967-70). The record of 47 goals is held by Mark Pederson (Medicine Hat, 1984-88). . . . F Taylor Peters scored a shorthanded goal and added an assist. . . . Portland outscored Spokane 18-3 in the four games. . . . Among the Chiefs scratches were F Todd Fiddler and F Jackson Playfair. Fiddler had a team-high 42 goals during the regular season. . . . Portland is into the conference final for a third straight season.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (16):
D Madison Bowey, Kelowna

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (5):
None
———

From Paul Buker (@Pnbuker) of The Oregonian: “I asked Travis Green if he was good enough to get traded for 3 players. He shot back, ‘if you ask Medicine Hat, they would probably say no.’ ”
Green, the Portland Winterhawks’ interim GM and head coach, was Spokane’s leading scorer on Jan. 26, 1990, when the Chiefs dealt him to the Tigers for F Mark Woolf, F Frank Esposito and D Chris Lafreniere.


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