Showing posts with label Matt Bradley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matt Bradley. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Pats, Tigers swing deal . . . Regina gets sniper . . . Medicine Hat adds goaltender


The Regina Pats, who will be the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup, added 34-goal scorer Matt Bradley to their roster on Tuesday, acquiring him from the Medicine Hat Tigers in a deal that sent G
MATT BRADLEY
Jordan Hollett the other way.
The Pats also acquired a second-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft and a fifth-rounder in 2019 in the deal.
Bradley, 20, had 34 goals and 43 assists in 70 games with the Tigers this season. From Surrey, B.C., he was a fifth-round pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2015 NHL draft but has yet to sign a pro contract.
In 209 career regular-season games, Bradley has 74 goals and 94 assists.
No doubt the Pats will be looking for Bradley to replace some of the offence lost with the graduation of F Adam Brooks, the team captain who put up 250 points and won a scoring title over the past two seasons.
The Pats now have six 20-year-olds on their roster, with the others being G Tyler Brown, D Connor Hobbs, D Sergey Zborovskiy, F Filip Ahl, F Austin Wagner and F Wyatt Sloboshan. It’s doubtful that Ahl, who is from Sweden, and Zborovskiy, a Russian, would be back as two-spotters, so that would narrow the field with each team allowed three 20s.
Don't forget, too, that Hobbs has signed with the NHL's Washington Capitals, while Wagner has a deal with the Los Angeles Kings and Zborovskiy with the New York Rangers. Ahl's NHL rights belong to the Ottawa Senators.
At this point, the Pats may be prepared to go into the season with Brown and Max Paddock, a 17-year-old from Brandon, as their goaltenders. Paddock, a 10th-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft, is a
JORDAN HOLLETT
nephew to Regina general manager and head coach John Paddock.
Hollett, from Langley, B.C., was selected by the Pats in the first round of the 2014 WHL bantam draft, the first time Regina had taken a goaltender in the opening round. He was 25-9-3, 3.30, .892 in 43 appearances with the Pats over three seasons. This season, he was 15-2-2, 2.83, .901. Hollett is eligible for next month’s NHL draft.
The Tigers’ depth chart includes three other goaltenders, but two of them — Michael Bullion and Nick Schneider — are 20 years of age. Also there is Duncan McGovern, 17, who was a fifth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft.
Other 20s on the Tigers’ roster are D Jordan Henderson, D Ty Schultz, Latvian D Kristians Rubins, D Brad Forrest, F Zach Fischer, F Mark Rassell and Swedish F John Dahlstrom.
With that many 20s, albeit two of them would be two-spotters, we likely can look forward to another deal or two from the Tigers over the summer.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 12:38 PM
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Friday, March 10, 2017

Royals await mumps test results . . . Rockets, Tigers romp . . . T-Birds back on top in U.S.



Like a monster in a horror movie, just when you thought the mumps had left the WHL, the illness may have raised its ugly head again.
The Brandon Wheat Kings, Medicine Hat Tigers and Swiift Current Broncos have dealt with mumps
outbreaks in the recent past. But with no new cases in the past week or two it was hoped that the worst was over.
However, the Victoria Royals, in Kamloops for a Wednesday/Friday doubleheader with the Blazers, isolated head coach Dave Lowry and one play before the second game after they showed symptoms of mumps.
Cam Hope, the Royals’ general manager, told Taking Note that no one was yet sure if it is the mumps, “but always better to be safe than sorry until test results (come) back.”
Hope added that the Royals had “isolated a player and coach as per protocol.”
Prior to Friday’s game in Kamloops, arena security posted warnings throughout the arena, asking fans to stay away from players. This is the same protocol that was followed last month.
With Lowry gone, assistant coach Dan Price controlled the bench with help from Hope, who ran the defence.
Price said prior to the game that he couldn’t remember the last time he had flown solo behind a bench, so was grateful to have Hope there.
Doug Bodger, the Royals’ other assistant coach, wasn’t in Kamloops with the team, but is expected to get to Kelowna in time for a Saturday game with the Rockets.
The Royals, playing their third game in four nights, lost 6-2 to the Blazers last night. Victoria will play its fourth game in five nights today in Kelowna.
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If you’re a hockey fan, this piece right here may be the best thing you will read in 2017. Eric Duhatschek of The Globe and Mail explores how coaching in the NHL got from there to here, and it’s fantastic.
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The owners of the Elmira Jackals have informed the ECHL that they won’t return for another season. The ECHL’s board of governors already has approved the request for a voluntary suspension of operations. The Jackals have been in operation for 17 years. . . . This follows on the heels of an announcement by the Anchorage-based Alaska Aces that they won’t be back for another season. . . . At the moment, the ECHL includes 27 teams -- one in Canada and 26 scattered across the U.S. It once was known as the East Coast Hockey League but now simply is the ECHL.
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If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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Coaching

 Mike Reagan will be back for an 11th season with the SJHL’s Flin Flon Bombers. It will be his 11th season as the team’s head coach. For the past five seasons, he also has been the general manager. The Bombers will make their 10th playoff appearance under Reagan this season. He was working under a one-year contract that was agreed to in May. A Toronto native, Reagan will turn 38 on March 18. He played two seasons (1998-2000) with the Bombers before spending four seasons at Sacred Heart University. . . . Reagan has a 316-206-48 regular-season record with the Bombers, who reached the championship final last season. This season, they finished 39-14-5 and atop the Sherwood Division.
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After 15 seasons, Walt Kyle is out as head coach of the Northern Michigan U Wildcats, who play out of Marquette. The school made the announcement early Friday.
Later in the day, the Marquette Country Sheriff’s Office arrested Kyle. He was charged with one count each of residential mortgage fraud and forgery of documents. He was released on bond. According to Sam Ali of ABC 10 Sports in Marquette, “The case alleges that Kyle committed forgery and fraud with River Valley Bank while obtaining a mortgage in 2014.”
George Hyde, Kyle’s attorney, released this statement on Friday night:
"These charges against my client, Mr. Walt Kyle, are extremely unfortunate and a prime example of misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the facts.
"The facts are the following: while married to his former wife, his former wife granted him a general power of attorney on her behalf, which authorized him to sign her name on her behalf on any financial documents. While still married, Mr. Kyle and his then wife, Ann Kyle, jointly decided to refinance an existing bank loan in order to complete certain home repairs. Mr. Kyle did nothing more than sign his wife's name to the loan documents, with his wife's full knowledge and consent. The home repairs were completed while Mr. Kyle and Ann Kyle were still married.
"During subsequent divorce proceedings, Ann Kyle sought to avoid responsibility for the loans by falsely claiming no knowledge of them. That didn't work, and the judge in the divorce correctly determined that the loan was a joint debt. This loan was paid in full during the divorce proceedings.
"Undeterred, Ann Kyle has since convinced a local sheriff deputy to seek charges against Mr. Kyle, despite the existence of the valid power of attorney that Ann Kyle had granted her husband.
"The bottom line is this: Mr. Walt Kyle did nothing wrong and broke no laws whatsoever. These charges are the unfortunate result of his former wife's campaign to disparage him, which is ironic given her criminal behavior during their divorce proceedings that until now Mr. Kyle has been reluctant to report to the authorities."
Kyle was 265-263-68 as the Wildcats’ head coach, including 13-22-4 this season. Their season ended with a three-game loss to Bemidji State in the WCHA quarterfinals. . . . Kyle spent nine seasons (1981-92) as an assistant coach at NMU. . . . He played his junior and senior seasons with the Wildcats, captaining the team both seasons. . . . Kyle spent two seasons in the WHL (1992-94) as head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
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If the WHL playoffs began today . . . 
Eastern Conference
Regina vs. Saskatoon
Medicine Hat vs. Brandon
Moose Jaw vs. Swift Current
Lethbridge vs. Red Deer
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Western Conference
Seattle vs. Portland
Prince George vs. Victoria
Kelowna vs. Kamloops
Everett vs. Tri-City
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FRIDAY’S GAMES:


At Calgary, the Hitmen erased 2-0 and 3-2 deficits en route to a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . They meet again tonight in Lethbridge. . . . F Jakob Stukel pulled Lethbridge into a 3-3 tie
JAYDAN GORDON
with his 22nd goal at 19:58 of the second period. . . . Calgary D Jaydan Gordon won it with his second goal of the season, at 5:10 of the third period. . . . Gordon has three goals in 167 regular-season games over three seasons, the first two with the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Hurricanes had taken an early 2-0 lead on first-period goals from F Giorgio Estephan (31), at 2:14, and F Tanner Nagel (9), at 3:58. . . . The Hitmen moved into a 2-2 tie on second-period PP goals from F Matteo Gennaro (41), at 2:55, and F Beck Malenstyn, at 6:02. . . . Estephan put the visitors back in front, on a PP, at 18:59. . . . D Jake Bean, F Mark Kastelic and D Vladislav Yeryomenko had two assists each for Calgary. . . . F Tyler Wong drew two assists for Lethbridge. . . . Calgary got 21 saves from G Cody Porter. . . . G Stuart Skinner stopped 18 shots for the Hurricanes. . . . Calgsry was 2-4 on the PP; Lethbridge was 1-2. . . . F Matt Alfaro and F Zak Zborosky, who were acquired from the Kootenay Ice in January, were among Lethbridge’s scratches for a second straight game. . . . The Hitmen (26-31-10) closed to within a point of the Saskatoon Blades, who hold down the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. . . . The Hurricanes (43-18-7) had won their previous seven games. The now trail the Central Division-leading Medicine Hat Tigers by four points. . . . Announced attendance: 6,328.
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At Kamloops, the Blazers scored a 6-2 victory over Victoria, completing a Wednesday/Friday doubleheader sweep of the Royals. . . . Kamloops had won 5-2 two nights earlier. . . . The Blazers scored
RUDOLFS BALCERS
the game’s first four goals to lead 4-0 late in the second period. . . . F Garrett Pilon got it started with his 20th goal, at 15:10 of the first period. . . . F Nic Holowko (6) followed at 19:07. . . . F Erik Miller (5) made it 3-0 at 4:01 of the second period and F Rudolfs Balcers (38) upped it to 4-0 at 16:26. . . . The Royals got to within two on goals from F Matt Phillips (48), on a PP, at 19:35 of the second period, and F Blake Bargar (5), 27 seconds into the third. . . . The Blazers put it away on third-period goals by F Nick Chyzowski (16) and F Quinn Benjafield (15), on a PP. . . . Kamloops got two assists from D Luke Zazula and one each from Holowko, Chyzowski, Balcers and Benjafield. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram blocked 29 shots. . . . Victoria starter Griffen Outhouse surrendered six goals on 38 shots in 52:38. Dylan Myskiw finished up, stopping two shots in 7:22. . . . Kamloops was 2-7 on the PP; Victoria was 1-6. . . . These two teams don’t like each other. In this one, they combined for 100 penalty minutes, 54 to Kamloops. . . . F Jared Dmytriw of the Royals and F Deven Sideroff and D Ondrej Vala of the Blazers didn’t play after they came out of Wednesday’s affair with one-game suspensions. . . . Due to injuries, illness and a suspension, the Royals dressed only 16 skaters for their third game in four nights. . . . The Blazers (40-23-6) have won two in a row. They are third in the B.C. Division, three points behind the Kelowna Rockets and seven ahead of Victoria, which has four games remaining. . . . The Royals (37-26-5) have lost three in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 3,851.
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At Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game’s first eight goals en route to an 8-1 victory over the Vancouver
DILLON DUBE
Giants. . . . The home team started with first-period goals from F Carsen Twarynski (17), on a PP, at 9:55, and F Dillon Dube, at 12:23. . . . Dube added his second of the game and 17th of the season, on a PP, at 7:20 of the second period for a 3-0 edge. . . . The Rockets also got goals from D James Hilsendager (5), D Cal Foote (6), F Leif Mattson (8), F Reid Gardiner (15) and D Devante Stephens (12). . . . The Rockets got three assists from F Calvin Thurkauf. F Nick Merkley and F Erik Gardiner had two assists each, with Hilsendager, Gwarynski, Dube and Foote adding one apiece. . . . Reid Gardiner ran his point streak to 14 games. He has nine goals and 11 assists during that stretch. . . . Vancouver’s goal came from F James Malm (18), on a PP, at 9:06 of the third period. . . . Kelowna G Brodan Salmond stopped 20 shots, 19 fewer than Vancouver’s David Tendeck. . . . Kelowna was 2-4 on the PP; Vancouver was 1-4. . . . The Rockets (42-21-5) have won six in a row; they are 15-2-1 since Feb. 1. They are second in the B.C. Division, two points behind Prince George. . . . The Giants (19-42-6) have lost seven straight (0-6-1). . . . Announced attendance: 5,006.
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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Brandon Hagel scored twice to help the Red Deer Rebels to a 4-1 victory over the
BRANDON HAGEL
Kootenay Ice. . . . The teams will meet again tonight, this time in Red Deer. . . . F Vince Loschiavo gave the Ice a 1-0 lead with his 27th goal, on a PP, at 9:00 of the first period. . . . Red Deer tied it on F Evan Polei’s 30th goal, at 3:32 of the second, and took the lead when Hagel sniped at 12:56. . . . F Michael Spacek (28) added insurance at 15:48 of the second, and Hagel got his 24th, on a PP, at 17:21. . . . Spacek and D Jared Freadrich had two assists each for the winners. . . . Red Deer G Lasse Petersen stopped 32 shots, two more than the Ice’s Payton Lee. . . . Kootenay was 1-2 on the PP; Red Deer was 1-4. . . . The Rebels (27-28-12) have points in four straight (2-0-2). They are third in the Central Division, four points ahead of the Calgary Hitmen. . . . The Ice (14-42-11) has lost five in a row (0-4-1). . . . The Ice has two home games remaining — the Edmonton Oil Kings are to visit on March 14, with the Hitmen there on March 17. Will those be the last two home games in the history of Cranbrook’s WHL franchise? . . . If voters in Nanaimo go YES in a referendum being held today that would lead to a new arena being built, it’s expected the Ice will be sold and relocated. . . . Announced attendance: 1,868.
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At Medicine Hat, F Matt Bradley and F Zach Fisher each scored three times as the Tigers rolled over the Edmonton Oil Kings, 9-3. . . . The Tigers are to visit Edmonton tonight. . . . Fischer and Bradley, each of whom has 33 goals, accounted for five of Medicine Hat’s first six goals. . . . Fischer opened the scoring at 8:13 of the first period, with Edmonton F Colton Kehler (16) tying it, on a PP, at 9:34. . . . Bradley scored twice before the period ended for a 3-1 lead. . . .Fischer got his second goal at 3:49 of the second period, with Bradley completing his hat trick at 4:36. . . . The Tigers completed an eight-goal outburst on goals from D David Quenneville (22), F Tyler Preziuso (5), F Chad Butcher (26) and Fischer, who filled his hat at 1:36 of the third period. . . . D Brayden Gorda (4) and F Kobe Mohr (6) added late Edmonton goals. . . . F Steve Owre and F Mason Shaw each had three assists for Medicine Hat, with D Brad Forrest, Quenneville and Butcher getting two apiece. . . . G Nick Schneider earned the victory with 18 saves. . . . Edmonton starter Josh Dechaine allowed seven goals on 30 shots in 32:15. Patrick Dea finished up with 19 saves on 21 shots in 27:45. . . . Edmonton was 1-4 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 0-5. . . . Gorda left at 18:30 of the third period with a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct for a hit on Medicine Hat F Ryan Chyzowski. Chyzowski was down for a bit but left under his own power. . . . The Tigers (48-19-1) have won two in a row. They are five points behind the Regina Pats, who lead the overall standings. . . . The Oil Kings (20-41-6) have lost 10 straight (0-8-2). . . . Announced attendance: 3,465.
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At Prince Albert, F Cole Fonstad snapped a 1-1 tie at 17:18 of the third period as the Raiders posted a 3-
ZACK HAYES
1 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Fonstad has 10 goals. . . . Raiders F Parker Kelly had a chance to break a 1-1 tie when he was awarded a penalty shot at 15:34 of the third period. However, Brandon G Travis Child turned aside a backhand attempt. . . . D Zack Hayes’ second goal of the season put the home team ahead 1-0 at 12:10 of the first period. . . . F Tanner Kaspick (18) pulled Brandon even at 18:22 of the second period. . . . F Curtis Miske (19) iced it with an empty-netter at 19:29 of the third period. . . . F Cavin Leth had two assists for the Raiders. . . . G Ian Scott earned the victory with 29 saves, one fewer than Child. . . . Prince Albert was 0-3 on the PP; Brandon was 0-2. . . . With the return of Kaspick from the injured list, the Wheat Kings had all players on deck for the first time this season. . . . The Raiders improved to 19-42-7. . . . Brandon (29-28-10) lost for the 10th straight time on the road. It is in possession of the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . The Raiders will play in Brandon tonight. . . . Announced attendance: 2,168.
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At Regina, F Sam Steel, who leads the WHL in points, had two goals and two assists to lead the Pats to a 5-0 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Pats clinched first place in the East Division with the
TYLER BROWN
victory as they set a franchise record for points (102) in one season. The previous record (100) was established in 1980-81. . . . The rematch goes tonight in Moose Jaw, with the Pats holding a 4-3-0 edge in the season series. . . . Regina G Tyler Brown turned aside 26 shots to earn his fifth shutout of the season. He has seven in his career. . . . F Adam Brooks gave Regina a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 11:44 of the first period. . . . D Josh Mahura got No. 16 at 2:19 of the second and F Nick Henry scored his 33rd at 3:27. . . . Steel scored Regina’s last two goals, at 12:50 of the second, on a PP, and at 12:41 of the third. . . . Steel leads the WHL with 123 points, including 48 goals. . . . Brooks, who also had an assist, is second, with 114 points, including 37 goals. . . . D Connor Hobbs recorded two assists. . . . The Warriors got 38 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . Regina was 2-5 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 0-6. . . . Regina (47-12-8) has won three in a row. It continues to lead the overall standings, by five points over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Warriors (41-18-9) had a nine-game winning streak end. They will finish second in the East Division and meet the third-place Swift Current Broncos in the first round of the playoffs. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.
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At Saskatoon, the Swift Current Broncos erased a 2-0 deficit with four straight goals and went on to beat
ALEKSI HEPONIEMI
the Blades, 5-3. . . . The rematch goes tonight in Swift Current. . . . The home team took a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by F Braylon Shmyr, who has 34, at 11:43 and 13:23 of the first period. The second one came via the PP. . . . The Broncos tied it with the only goals of the second period, F Aleksi Heponiemi (27) scoring at 12:37 and F Tyler Steenbergen counting, on a PP, at 17:27. . . . The Broncos took the lead when F Conner Chaulk (8) scored at 2:06 of the third period. . . . Steenbergen followed with his 49th, at 7:47. . . . Saskatoon got back to within a goal when D Evan Fiala (4) scored at 9:48, but the Broncos put it away on F Lane Pederson’s 23rd goal, on a PP, at 14:21. . . . Heponiemi added two assists, with Pederson getting one. . . . Fiala and Shmyr had one each for the Blades. . . . The Broncos got 33 saves from G Taz Burman. . . . G Brock Hamm turned aside 23 shots in his 100th appearance with the Blades. . . . Swift Current was 2-4 on the PP; Saskatoon was 1-4. . . . The Broncos (36-21-10) will finish third in the East Division and meet Moose Jaw in the opening round. . . . The Blades (27-32-9) had points in each of their previous four games (3-0-1). They hold down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, one point up on the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Announced attendance: 4,285.
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At Kent, Wash., D Ethan Bear broke a 2-2 tie at 7:45 of the third period as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat
ETHAN BEAR
the Everett Silvertips, 3-2. . . . The victory lifted Seattle (43-19-6) back atop the Western Conference and the U.S. Division, one point ahead of Everett (40-15-11). . . . Seattle has won two in a row. . . . Everett had points in its previous three games (2-0-1). . . . F Mathew Barzal of the Thunderbirds took part in the pregame warmup, but took ill and left for the dressing room before the anthem. He didn’t return. . . . Everett F Sean Richards (7) gave his side a 1-0 lead at 1:38 of the second period. . . . Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit (7) tied it just 48 seconds later. . . . F Alexander True’s 22nd goal, shorthanded, at 4:18 gave the home team a 2-1 lead. . . . Everett tied it at 19:11 when F Connor Dewar got his 13th goal. . . . Seattle got two assists from F Sami Moilanen, but F Keegan Kolesar had a 15-game point streak end. . . . G Rylan Toth stopped 16 shots for Seattle, including a second-period penalty shot by Richards. . . . Everett got 19 saves from G Carter Hart. . . . Seattle was 0-2 on the PP; Everett was 0-3. . . . D Aaron Irving was among Seattle’s scratches. . . . A mid-game tweet from Andy Eide of 710 ESPN Seattle: “Have confirmed with T-Birds that Wyatt Bear has left the team and gone home.” . . . Announced attendance: 5,204.
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At Spokane, F Cody Glass scored two goals as the Portland Winterhawks skated to a 4-2 victory over the
CODY GLASS
Chiefs. . . . Glass, with 31 goals, opened the scoring at 4:38 of the first period. . . . Spokane F Kailer Yamamoto tied it with No. 38, at 4:44 of the second period. . . . The Winterhawks went back out front when D Caleb Jones (8) scored at 11:34 of the third period. . . . Glass got his second of the night, on a PP, at 14:04. . . . The Chiefs got to within a goal when F Taylor Ross scored his sixth goal, shorthanded, at 16:33. . . . Portland iced it when F Skyler McKenzie put his 39th goal into an empty net at 19:30. . . . McKenzie also had an assist, while F Keegan Iverson had two of them. . . . Glass, a certain first-round selection in the NHL’s 2017 draft, has 91 points in 65 games. Last season, as a freshman, he finished with 27 points, 10 of them goals, in 65 games. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 23 shots for Portland. . . . Spokane got 45 stops from G Jayden Sittler. . . . Portland was 1-6 on the PP; Spokane was 0-2. . . . The Winterhawks (37-26-4) have won five in a row. They hold down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, one point behind Victoria. The Winterhawks also are fourth in the U.S. Division, one point behind the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Chiefs (26-31-10) have lost five in a row (0-4-1). . . . Announced attendance: 5,759.
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At Kennewick, Wash., FJesse Gabrielle scored twice to help the Prince George Cougars to a 6-1 victory
JESSE GABRIELLE
over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Gabrielle got the Cougars started, on a PP, at 4:06 of the first period. . . . The Americans tied it at 6:28 when F Kyle Olson scored his 19th goal. . . . Prince George F Jared Bethune (21) broke the tie at 6:39, with Gabrielle adding insurance with his 33rd goal, on another PP, at 2:01 of the second period. . . . The Cougars added second-period goals from D Sam Ruopp (4) and F Radovan Bondra (32), before F Jansen Harkins added his 21st, on a PP, in the third period. . . . Bondra also had one assist. . . . G Ty Edmonds earned the victory with 29 stops. . . . Tri-City starter Rylan Parenteau gave up four goals on 23 shots in 26:32. Evan Sarthou finished up with 23 stops on 25 shots in 33:28. . . . The Cougars were 3-3 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-1. . . . The Americans remain without F Vladislav Lukin, while F Michael Rasmussen (wrist) may not play again this season. . . . The Cougars are still without F Brad Morrison (ankle). . . . Prince George (43-21-5) leads the B.C. Division by two points over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Americans (38-26-3) have lost three in a row. They remain third in the U.S. Division, but now are just two points ahead of the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Announced attendance: 4,035.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Prince Albert at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kamloops, 5 p.m.
Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Calgary at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.
Regina at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 6 p.m.
Kootenay at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Prince George at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Saskatoon at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Everett vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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Posted by Gregg Drinnan at 11:35 PM
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Saturday, February 18, 2017

Regina home to 2018 Memorial Cup party . . . Royals lose key defenceman . . . Raiders unhappy with Johnson call




The 100th anniversary of the Memorial Cup will be celebrated in Regina with the Pats as the host team for the annual four-team tournament. The announcement was made Saturday afternoon.
The Pats also will celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017-18, so this obviously seems to be a match made in hockey heaven.
As Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post writes right here:
“The circumstances were aligned in the Pats’ favour, especially when the team’s long-standing military connection was factored into the equation. The Memorial Cup is dedicated to all Canadian military personnel who have lost their lives during combat.
“Consider, too, that Regina is expected to ice another top-flight team during the 2017-18 season.
“Simply put, there was a check mark beside every box when the Pats’ proposal was submitted. There wasn’t any choice but to select Regina.”
The other finalists both were from the OHL — the Hamilton Bulldogs and Oshawa Generals.
If you are wanting to book your vacation, the 2018 Memorial Cup is to be held May 17-27.
The news release issued by the Pats is right here.
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The injury bug continues to nibble away at the Victoria Royals.
Already without F Tyler Soy (week-to-week) and F Ryan Peckford (six to seven weeks) with undisclosed injuries, the Royals now have lost D Chaz Reddekopp.
“Chaz will be out for the rest of the regular season, but you never know how these things heal,” Cam Hope, the Royals’ general manager, told Cleve Cheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist.
Reddekopp suffered a broken foot while blocking a shot in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Tigers in Medicine Hat and didn’t play in Friday’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Hurricanes in Lethbridge. 
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Reddekopp was a seventh-round selection by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2015 NHL draft.
“Obviously, he’s a big piece of our blue-line,” Reddekopp said. “But injuries happen. That’s why we have the depth we do. The other guys stepped up (Friday in Lethbridge).”
The Royals completed a three-game swing into the Central Division with a 4-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook on Saturday night. Victoria went 1-1-1 on the trip.
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The Prince Albert Raiders were without F Kolby Johnson on Saturday night after he was hit with a TBD suspension after incurring a charging major and game misconduct for a hit on F Orrin Centazzo of the Everett Silvertips in a Friday game.
Centazzo was scratched from Everett’s lineup as it completed an East Division swing in Swift Current against the Broncos last night. Jesse Geleynse of the Everett Herald tweeted Saturday that Centazzo will miss “some time.”

The Raiders weren’t happy with the penalty to Johnson, who apparently first was given a minor penalty.
According to Jeff D’Andrea of pa.NOW, referees Jonathan Spurgeon and Cody Rude “didn’t give the major penalty right away. . . . A minor was up on the clock for at least three real-time minutes while the officials talked to the Raiders’ bench first, and then the Silvertips' bench. After talking to both head coaches, Spurgeon and Rude then conferred in front of the scorer’s table and changed the call from a minor to a major.”
Marc Habscheid, the Raiders’ head coach, wasn’t impressed.
“You know what?” D’Andrea quoted Habscheid as saying. “I’ve been in this game a long time. (Associate coach) Dave Manson’s been in the game, and (skills coach) Mark Odnokon and (assistant coach) Brandin Cote, and not one of us has seen that before. It’s one thing to make a call, but I’ve never seen a call made, then go to the bench with a foul, and then go back and change the call. I’ve never seen that. I’ve never seen that in my life.”
Johnson, who was acquired from the Prince George Cougars as part of a Nov. 18 deal that sent D Brendan Guhle the other way, is a repeat offender. Johnson served a four-game suspension in December after taking a headshot major.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:

At Brandon, G Ian Scott turned aside 33 shots to help the Prince Albert Raiders to a 4-1 victory over the
AUSTIN CROSSLEY
Wheat Kings. . . . He was especially sharp in the third period when Brandon held a 15-3 edge in shots but only was able to score once, that from F Reid Duke (33), on a PP, at 10:27. . . . D Austin Crossley had given the Raiders a 1-0 lead with his first goal, at 5:53 of the first period. Crossley, a 17-year-old freshman from Fort St. John, B.C., scored his first WHL goal in his 21st game this season. . . . F Cavin Leth gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at 11:22. . . . The Raiders went up 3-0 when F D-Jay Jerome counted No. 7 at 16:15 of the second period. . . . Prince Albert’s final goal came from F Parker Kelly (13), on a PP, at 15:42 of the third period. . . . G Travis Child stopped 23 shots for Brandon. . . . Brandon was 1-4 on the PP; Prince Albert was 0-7. . . . The Wheat Kings played without F Tanner Kaspick and D Kale Clague. . . . The Raiders lead the season series, 4-0-1; Brandon is 1-3-1. . . . Prince Albert (16-39-5) has won six of its last eight road games to move out of the WHL cellar. It is one point ahead of Kootenay. . . . Brandon (28-23-8) looks like it will finish in the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 4,480.
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At Kelowna, the Rockets erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals en route to a 5-2 victory over the
JAMES HILSENDAGER
Prince George Cougars. . . . F Colby McAuley, who had both Prince George goals, gave his guys a 1-0 lead at 9:59 of the first period. . . . The Rockets get even on F Tomas Soustal’s 16th goal, on a PP, at 18:37. . . . D Devante Stephens gave the home boys the lead with his 10th goal at 6:06 of the second period. . . . D James Hilsendager (4) made it 3-1 at 11:53 and F Nick Merkley (19) scored, shorthanded, at 13:57. . . . McAuley’s 22nd goal pulled the Cougars to within two 41 seconds into the third period. . . . F Calvin Thurkauf’s 30th goal of the season iced the victory for Kelowna at 18:39. . . . Soustal and Merkley each added an assist. . . . F Brad Morrison had two helpers for the Cougars. . . . The Rockets got 25 stops from G Michael Herringer, while Nick McBride stopped 38 at the other end. . . . Kelowna was 1-4 on the PP; Prince George was 0-5. . . . The Rockets (34-20-5) have points in five straight (4-0-1). They are third in the B.C. Division, four points ahead of Victoria and three behind Kamloops . . . The Cougars (38-18-4) continue to lead the B.C. Division by four points over Kamloops. The Cougars are scheduled to visit the Blazers today (Sunday). . . . Announced attendance: 5,761.
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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Jack Walker broke a 1-1 tie at 8:03 of the second period and the Victoria Royals
JACK WALKER
went on to a 4-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . F Regan Nagy gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 3:58 of the first period. . . . The Ice got that one back at 11:46, as F Jake Elmer (6) scored on a PP. . . . Walker’s 25th goal gave Victoria a 2-1 lead. . . . F Matt Phillips counted No. 42 at 8:03 of the third period for some insurance. . . . F Carter Folk sealed the victory with his seventh goal, an empty-netter, at 18:42. . . . Phillips also had an assist. . . . G Dylan Myskiw stopped 26 shots in earning the victory. . . . The Ice got 34 saves from Payton Lee. . . . Kootenay was 1-4 on the PP; Victoria was 1-5. . . . Victoria F Jared Dmytriw completed a three-game suspension by missing this one. He was suspended after taking a headshot major and game misconduct for hit on F Deven Sideroff of the Kamloops Blazers on Feb. 11 in Victoria. Sideroff missed one game before returning for Saturday’s 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C. . . . Victoria (32-23-5) had lost its previous three games (0-2-1). It holds down the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, two points ahead of Portland. . . . Kootenay (13-36-10) had points in its previous two games (1-0-1). . . . Announced attendance: 2,424.
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At Lethbridge, F Matt Alfaro scored three goals and added an assist to lead the Hurricanes to a 6-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Alfaro, who has 18 goals, gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 5:08
MATT ALFARO
of the first period, on a PP. Later, he increased their lead to 3-1 at 15:34 of the second period. He completed the hat trick with a shorthanded goal at 8:08 of the third period. . . . Alfaro has 12 points, five of them goals, in 12 games with Lethbridge after being acquired from the Kootenay Ice. He had 39 points, including 13 goals, in 41 games with the Ice. . . . Saskatoon F Logan Christensen (10) tied it 1-1, on a PP, at 19:27 of the first period. . . . Lethbridge F Tyler Wong broke the tie at 9:33 of the second period and Alfaro made it 3-1 six minutes later. . . . F Tyler Lees scored his first goal at 5:26 of the third period, getting Saskatoon to within a goal, but Lethbridge put it away with the last three goals. . . . Lees, 16, scored in his sixth game. From Regina, he was a fifth-round selection in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . D Brady Poteau (1) and F Zak Zborosky (38), on a PP, also scored for the winners. . . . Poteau has one goal in 19 games with Lethbridge, after going without a goal in 18 games with the Regina Pats. . . . Wong and Zborosky each added three assists, while F Giorgio Estephan had two. . . . G Ryan Gilchrist stopped 22 shots to earn the victory. . . . Saskatoon’s Brock Hamm turned aside 28 shots. . . . Lethbridge was 2-6 on the PP; Saskatoon was 1-7. . . . The Blades lost F Cole Johnson to a goaltender interference major and game misconduct after a collision with Gilchrist at 4:20 of the first period. . . . Lethbridge (36-16-7) has won three in a row. It is second in the Central Division, six points behind Medicine Hat. . . . The Blades (23-27-8) had points in each of their previous five games (3-0-2). They hold down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, two points ahead of Calgary. . . . Announced attendance: 3,709.
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At Medicine Hat, the Tigers broke a 2-2 tie with three goals in 2:22 late in the second period en route to a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Medicine Hat took a 2-0 lead on first-period goals from F
TREY FIX-WOLANSKY
Mark Rassell, at 9:32, and F Matt Bradley, at 10:49. . . . F Trey Fix-Wolansky scored three times for the visitors, giving him 20 goals in his freshman season. . . . He tied the score with goals at 14:36 of the first period and 1:00 of the second. The latter goal came via the PP. . . . The Tigers broke it open as F Chad Butcher scored his 23rd goal, shorthanded, at 17:33 of the second. Bradley (29) made it 4-2 at 19:24 and Rassell added his 29th just 31 seconds later. . . . F James Hamblin increased the lead to 6-2 at 2:53 of the third period. . . . Fix-Wolansky completed his first WHL hat trick at 4:42. . . . Medicine Hat F Max Gerlach (31) scored on a PP at 11:42. . . . The game’s last goal came from Edmonton F Davis Koch (18) at 12:54. . . . Hamblin added two assists his goal, with D Brad Forrest, F Mason Shaw and F Tyler Preziuso also getting two helpers apiece. . . . Rassell and Butcher added one each. . . . Koch had an assist for Edmonton. . . . Medicine Hat G Nick Schneider stopped 14 of 17 shots in 44:42, leaving after Fix-Wolanky’s third goal cut Edmonton’s deficit to 6-3. Michael Bullion finished up, allowing a goal on six shots in 15:17. Still, Schneider picked up his 30th victory. . . . At the other end, Josh Dechaine stopped 40 shots. . . . Medicine Hat was 2-2 on the PP; Edmonton was 1-3. . . . The Tigers, with the mumps in their dressing room, dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. They scratched seven players, including five who are ill. The latest to join that bunch is D Kristians Rubins. On Friday, Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News reported that F John Dahlstrom and D Jordan Henderson had been diagnosed with the mumps, while F Zach Fischer and F Ryan Chyzowski are awaiting test results. . . . D David Quenneville and D Ty Schultz remain sidelined, both having suffered broken legs while blocking shots. . . . Medicine Hat did have F Josh Williams play his second game, this time making his home-ice debut. Williams, who will turn 16 on March 8, is from Langley, B.C. He was the fifth overall selection in the 2016 bantam draft. . . . Edmonton had D Jordan Dawson in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 27. . . . Medicine Hat (42-17-1) is four points behind Regina, which leads the overall standings, but the Pats have three games in hand. . . . Edmonton (20-34-5) had points in each of its previous three games (2-0-1). It is nine points out of a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 3,754.
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At Moose Jaw, G Zach Sawchenko stopped 37 shots to lead the Warriors to a 4-0 victory over the Regina
ZACH SAWCHENKO
Pats. . . . It was the first time this season that the Pats have been blanked. . . . Sawchenko, who has two shutouts this season, stopped 13 shots in the first period and 14 in the second. . . . He has eight career shutouts. . . . D Josh Brook gave the home team a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 17:39 of the first period. . . . F Jayden Halbgewachs made it 2-0 with his WHL-leading 44th goal at 15:11 of the third period. . . . F Brett Howden scored his 30th into an empty net at 18:46. . . . F Branden Klatt got his fifth goal, on a PP, at 19:52. . . . Howden and Brook also had an assist apiece. . . . The Pats got 24 saves from G Tyler Brown. . . . Moose Jaw was 2-5 on the PP; Regina was 0-1. . . . Regina’s Connor Hobbs didn’t finish the game. He was hit with a headshot major and game misconduct at 18:46 of the third period. . . . Hobbs, who leads all WHL defencemen in goals and points, was in the starting lineup — at right wing alongside Austin Wagner and Adam Brooks. . . . Moose Jaw (34-17-8) has won two in a row. It is second in the East Division, six points ahead of Swift Current. . . . Regina (41-9-7) has lost two straight. It leads the East Division by 13 points over Moose Haw. . . . The Warriors are 3-2-1 in the season series; the Pats are 3-3-0. . . . Announced attendance: 4,715.
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At Kent, Wash., D Ethan Bear had two goals and two assists to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-3 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Seattle won with three third-period goals as it overcame a 3-2
ETHAN BEAR
deficit. . . . Bear, who has 25 goals, gave Seattle a 1-0 lead at 19:20 of the first period. . . . Portland tied it when D Henri Jokiharju (8) scored, on a PP, at 1:08 of the second period. . . . Bear got that one back at 3:36. . . . The Winterhawks took a 3-2 lead on goals from D Caleb Jones (6), at 8:29 of the second, and F Keegan Iverson (17), at 3:20 of the third. . . . D Donovan Neuls scored his 12th goal, on a PP, at 9:50 of the third period to get Seattle into a tie. Initially, some fans thought Bear had scored to complete a hat trick and, yes, some caps hit the ice. . . . F Tyler Adams’ third goal broke the tie at 13:13 and F Ryan Gropp’s 25th goal provided insurance at 14:42. . . . Gropp also had an assist in running his point streak to 16 games. He has 21 points, including 14 goals, in that stretch. . . . F Mathew Barzal and F Keegan Kolesar each had two assists for Seattle, with Neuls getting one. . . . Iverson had two helpers for Portland, with Jones adding one. . . . G Rylan Toth stopped 25 shots for Seattle in earning his WHL-leading 31st victory. . . . Portland got 27 saves from Shane Farkas. . . . Portland was 1-3 on the PP; Seattle was 1-6. . . . Seattle (37-17-5) is second in the U.S. Division, three points behind Everett. . . . Portland (32-24-3) had won its previous two games. It holds down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot and is third in the U.S. Division, six points behind Tri-City. . . . Announced attendance: 5,702.
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At Swift Current, F Eetu Tuulola scored at 2:53 of OT to give the Everett Silvertips a 3-2 victory
EETU TUULOLA
over the Broncos. . . . The Silvertips went 5-1-0 on their East Division trip. . . . Tuulola won it with his 15th goal of the season. . . . F Glenn Gawdin, who has 21 goals, scored twice for the Broncos. He gave them a 1-0 lead at 1:53 of the first period and forced OT at 18:27 of the third. . . . D Noah Juulsen’s 11th goal, on a PP, pulled Everett into a 1-1 tie at 13:54 of the second period. . . . The Silvertips took a 2-1 lead when F Devon Skoleski scored his 12th goal at 12:15 of the third period. . . . Skoleski also had two assists. . . . G Carter Hart stopped 27 shots to earn his 25th victory this season. He has won each of his last six starts, allowing only six goals. . . . The Broncos got 30 saves from G Taz Burman. . . . Everett was 1-3 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-4. . . . Everett (36-12-10) has won five in a row. It remains atop the U.S. Division, three points ahead of Seattle. . . . Swift Current (30-18-10) has points in two straight (1-0-1). It is third in the East Division, six points behind Moose Jaw with a game in hand. . . . Announced attendance: 2,367.
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At Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans scored the game’s last three goals, all via the PP, and beat
EVAN SARTHOU
the Spokane Chiefs, 5-1. . . . F Parker AuCoin gave the home side a 1-0 with his 20th goal at 15:55 of the first period. . . . F Nolan Yaremko (7) made it 2-0 with a shorthanded score at 15:46 of the second period. . . . The Chiefs halved the deficit when F Kailer Yamamoto got No. 34 at 4:22 of the third period. . . . D Juuso Välimäki’s 18th goal, at 9:24, provided insurance. . . . F Tyler Sandhu added his 17th, at 18:26, and F Brett Leason got his sixth at 19:12. . . . D Dylan Coghlan and F Morgan Geekie had two assists each for Tri-City, with Välimäki and Sandhu adding one each. . . . Tri-City G Evan Sarthou stopped 38 shots and picked up an assist on the game’s last goal. . . . The Chiefs got 23 saves from G Dawson Weatherill. . . . Tri-City was 3-5 on the PP; Spokane was 0-3. . . . Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur, who was struck in the head by a puck during the second period of Friday’s game in Kelowna, was behind the Chiefs’ bench. One night earlier, he left for stitches and returned for the third period. . . . The Americans (35-23-3) have won four straight. They are third in the U.S. Division, six points behind Seattle. . . . The Chiefs (25-25-9) are eight points out of a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 5,562.
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At Langley, B.C., F Ty Ronning and F Jack Flaman scored shootout goals to give the Vancouver Giants a
RYAN KUBIC
4-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . F Owen Hardy had given the Giants a 1-0 lead 56 seconds into the first period. . . . The Rebels then scored two quick ones to take a 2-1 lead. F Lane Zablocki counted, on a PP, at 2:45, with F Akash Bains getting No. 8 at 4:13. . . . Ronning tied it with his 22nd goal, at 19:54 of the second period. . . . Zablocki put the visitors back out front with his 20th goal, at 5:06 of the third period. . . . The Giants forced OT when F Tyler Popowich scored his seventh goal, at 13:05. . . . Ronning drew the lone assist on Popowich’s goal. . . . F James Malm had two assists for Vancouver. . . . Vancouver started G David Tendeck, but he was gone after allowing two goals on as many shots in 4:13. Ryan Kubic earned the victory by stopping 35 of 36 shots in 60:47. . . . The Rebels got 19 saves from Riley Lamb. . . . Red Deer was 1-2 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-1. . . . The game was delayed at 15:14 of the third period with the score 3-3 as arena staff had to replace a pane of broken glass. . . . D Bowen Byram, a first-round pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft, played in his sixth game with the Giants. Earlier in the day, he played for his club team, Yale Academy, in a 6-5 OT victory over Delta Academy. . . . The Giants (19-36-5) had lost their previous four games. . . . The Rebels (23-27-10) have lost eight in a row (0-7-1). They are third in the Central Division, four points ahead of Calgary. . . . Announced attendance: 3,959.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Saskatoon at Calgary, 4 p.m.
Prince George at Kamloops, 5 p.m.
Seattle at Portland, 5 p.m.

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Saturday, January 28, 2017

Player, family need our help ... Records for Harkins, Sandhu, Wotherspoon, Outhouse ... 'Hawks stun Rockets


F Blair Jones (Red Deer, Moose Jaw, 2002-06) has been released by the Iserlohn Roosters (Germany, DEL). He had seven goals and 12 assists in 30 games.
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 Brevin Gervais, a fourth-round selection by the Calgary Hitmen in the 2015 bantam draft, underwent
BREVIN GERVAIS
emergency surgery for a brain hemorrhage at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops on Friday.
Gervais, a defenceman who also is a terrific baseball player, turned 17 on Jan. 15. From Prince George, he was playing with the junior B 100 Mile House Wranglers of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. The 6-foot-2, 17-pounder had two goals and eight assists in 36 games.
According to a Facebook posting that included a link to a gofundme site, Gervais underwent a nine-hour operation. The posting indicated that he “has shown great signs since then but still faces a long road to recovery.”
His family indicated that he “has opened eyes for a longer period of time and responded on both sides of body moving both legs and both hands.”
If you would like to help out the family cover travel expenses, the gofundme site is right here.
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D Cale Fleury of the Kootenay Ice was named Saturday as an injury replacement for the Top Prospects Game that is scheduled for Monday in Quebec City. From Calgary, Fleury is in his third season with the Ice. He has eight goals and 22 assists in 49 games. . . . Fleury replaces D Jarret Tyszka of the Seattle Thunderbirds, who was injured in a game on Tuesday and hasn’t played since then.
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If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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The WHL didn’t schedule any games for Wednesday and Thursday of last week, but is playing right through the Top Prospects Game that is scheduled for Monday in Quebec City.
So if one of your favourite players isn’t in the lineup for the next day or three, it may have nothing to do with an injury.
The WHLers who are scheduled to play in the TPG: D Cale Fleury, Kootenay Ice; D Cal Foote, Kelowna Rockets; F Cody Glass, Portland Winterhawks; D Henri Jokiharju, Portland; F Jake Leschyshyn, Regina Pats; F Kole Lind, Kelowna; F Stelio Mattheos, Brandon Wheat Kings; D Artyom Minulin, Swift Current Broncos; F Nolan Patrick, Brandon; F Nikita Popugaev, Prince George Cougars; F Michael Rasmussen, Tri-City Americans; G Ian Scott, Prince Albert Raiders; G Stuart Skinner, Lethbridge Hurricanes; D Juuso Valimaki, Tri-City; and F Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane Chiefs.
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I stopped being a typical fan a long time ago. That’s what more than 40 years in sports journalism does to you. I can sit at home and watch a game and talk to the TV screen. But I can’t go to a game and watch live with anything but a critical eye. . . . In a piece right here at seattlepi.com, Jim Moore explains all of that and more.
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If you enjoy stopping off here and would care to make a donation to the cause, please feel free to do so by clicking on the DONATE button and going from there.
If you have some information you would like to share or just a general comment, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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SATURDAY’S GAMES:


At Edmonton, F Jansen Harkins wrote his name in the Prince George Cougars’ record book during an 11-3 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . Harkins drew three assists, the first of which allowed him to become
JANSEN HARKINS
Prince George’s all-time assists leader with No. 153. The previous record had been held by F Troy Bourke (2009-14). . . . F  Radovan Bondra gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 1:16 of the first period. . . . The Oil Kings tied it on D Will Warm’s eighth goal at 2:28. . . . The Cougars went back out front at 6:15 when F Jesse Gabrielle (23) scored, on a PP, at 6:15. . . . Edmonton tied it again, this time on a goal from F Tyler Robertson (12) at 14:14. . . . The Cougars then scored the next seven goals, including three more in the first period. . . . Bondra added another goal, giving him 25, while F Colby McAuley also scored twice. He’s got 18. D Tate Olson (6), F Brad Morrison (20), F Brogan O’Brien (9), F Kody McDonald (11) and D Josh Anderson (1) also scored. . . . The Cougars got two assists from each of D Sam Ruopp, McAuley, O’Brien, McDonald and F Jared Bethune. . . . Morrison picked up one assist, the 100th of his career. . . . F Graham Millar had two assists for Edmonton. . . . G Nick McBride blocked 19 shots in earning the victory. . . . The Oil Kings started G Patrick Dea, who was beaten eight times on 29 shots in two periods. Josh Dechaine gave up three goals on 15 shots in one period. . . . The Cougars went 4-4 on the PP; the Oil Kings were 1-3. . . . According to Corey Graham, the radio voice of the Oil Kings, it was the third time in franchise history that they have allowed 11 goals in one game. . . . The Cougars (35-14-3) are tied with Regina atop the overall standings, but the Pats have six games in hand. . . . The Oil Kings (18-27-4) have lost 10 in a row and haven’t won since the Jan. 10 trade deadline. They are six points out of a wld-card spot. . . . These same teams will meet again this afternoon in Edmonton. That may have had something to do with the teams combining for 106 penalty minutes, 65 to the Oil Kings. . . . Announced attendance: 9,321.
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At Kelowna, F Joachim Blichfeld scored at 19:56 of the third period to give the Portland Winterhawks a 5-4 victory over the Rockets. . . . Blichfeld, a freshman from Frederikshavn, Denmark, also had two assists.
JOACHIM BLICHFELD
The 18-year-old has 38 points, 16 of them goals, in 40 games. . . . The Rockets held a 4-1 lead early in the second period before Portland roared back. . . . F Nick Merkley (12) gave Kelowna a 1-0 lead at 2:53 of the first period, only to have F Colton Veloso tie it with his 12th goal, on a PP, at 3:58. . . . The Rockets got the next three goals, with D Gordie Ballhorn (2) scoring at 13:45 and F Kyle Topping (10) counting at 14:34. F Reid Gardiner got his third goal at 4:29 of the second period. . . . Merkley assisted on the last two of those goals. . . . F Skyler McKenzie started the comeback with his 31st goal, on a PP, at 8:34 of the second. . . . F Ryan Hughes (22) cut the deficit to one at 9:25 of the third period and F Jake Gricius (4) tied it at 12:51 of the third period. . . . McKenzie also had two assists, including one on the game-winner. The second one was his 100th career point. . . . McKenzie, who turned 19 on Jan. 20, has 59 points in 49 games. He went into this season with 41 points, including 12 goals, in 138 games. . . . G Shane Farkas, who turned 18 on Jan. 12, stopped 31 shots. The Penticton, B.C., native is 2-2-0. . . . The Rockets got 31 saves from G Michael Herringer. . . . Portland was 2-6 on the PP; Kelowna was 1-5. . . . The Winterhawks (25-21-3) have won three in a row. They hold down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, five points ahead of the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Rockets (27-19-4) have lost two straight and have fallen to fourth in the B.C. Division, two points behind the Victoria Royals. Kelowna does hold down the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 5,318.
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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Jakob Stukel and D Jake Bean enjoyed four-point nights as the Calgary Hitmen
JAKOB STUKEL
dumped the Kootenay Ice, 8-3. . . . Stukel scored once, his 16th, and added three assists, while Bean recorded four assists. . . . The Hitmen actually fell behind 2-1 in the first period before opening the second period with four straight goals. . . . Calgary took a 1-0 lead when F Matteo Gennaro scored, on a PP, at 1:01. . . . F Vince Loschiavo and F Brett Davis (12) scored PP goals, at 9:20 and 11:18, to give the Ice that 2-1 edge. . . . Stukel tied it with another PP goal, at 1:19 of the second period and F Luke Coleman (10) gave Calgary the lead at 3:41. . . . Goals from F Andrew Fyten (5) at 4:23 and F Tyler Mrkonjic (5) at 10:50 put the visitors in control. . . . Loschiavo added another goal, his 18th, and also had an assist. . . . Gennaro ended up with two goals, giving him 31 this season. He has 21 goals in January. Last season, he totalled a career-high 18 goals in 42 games with the Prince Albert Raiders and 28 with Calgary. . . . F Beck Malenstyn (20) and F Mark Kastelic (9) also scored for the Hitmen. . . . Calgary got three assists from D Vladislav Yeryomenko, two from F Andrei Grishakov, and one each from Coleman and Mrkonjic. . . . F Colton Kroeker had two assists for the Ice, giving him five points in two games, while D Dallas Hines had two and Davis added one. . . . G Trevor Martin stopped 15 shots for Calgary. . . . Ice starter Jakob Walter allowed seven goals on 27 shots over 50:06, with Payton Lee stopping five of six shots over 9:54. . . . The Hitmen were 3-4 on the PP; the Ice was 3-6. . . . Calgary (18-21-9) had lost four in a row (0-1-3). It now is one point out of a wild-card spot. . . . The Ice slipped to 12-31-8. . . . Announced attendance: 1,783.
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At Medicine Hat, F Matt Bradley had a goal and two assists to help the Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Tigers had to overcome a 2-1 deficit in the latter part of the second p
MATT BRADLEY
eriod. . . . Medicine Hat took a 1-0 lead on F Mason Shaw’s 18th goal, at 2:13 of the first period. . . . Brandon took a 2-1 lead on goals from F Connor Gutenberg (11), on a PP, at 1:58 of the second and F Ty Lewis (23) at 13:05. . . . The Tigers tied it at 13:49 when F James Hamblin scored his 12th goal and took the lead at 19:33 on F Ryan Jevne’s goal. . . . Bradley upped the lead to 4-2 with his 21st goal, on a PP, at 3:46 of the third. . . . F Tanner Kaspick’s 16th goal, at 4:00, got Brandon to within a goal, but the Tigers put it away with goals from F Chad Butcher, his 22nd, at 16:50 and an empty-netter from Jevne, his second goal of the game and eighth of the season. . . . F Zach Russell (3) scored for Brandon at 19:08. . . . The Tigers got two assists from D Kristans Rubins. . . . The Tigers lost Hamblin and Shaw in the first period, both leaving while bleeding from facial injuries. . . . Hamblin, who was injured when he was checked and fell into the boards, returned. Shaw didn’t return after taking a skate to the face. . . . G Michael Bullion stopped 18 shots for the Tigers, while Brandon’s Logan Thompson turned aside 29. . . . The Wheat Kings were 1-3 on the PP; the Tigers were 1-4. . . . Medicine Hat (34-15-1) has won three in a row and is tied with the Everett Silvertips for third place in the overall standings. . . . The Wheat Kings (23-19-5), who play their third game in fewer than 48 hours today in Calgary, have lost two in a row. They are in the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Announced attendance: 3,732.
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At Prince Albert, F Cavin Leth tied the game and then set up the winning goal as the Raiders beat the Moose Jar Warriors, 5-4. . . . Moose Jaw overcame a 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead, only to have Leth tie
CAVIN LETH
the score with his 15th goal, shorthanded, at 4:12 of the third period. . . . The Raiders won it when Leth set up F Cole Fonstand for his ninth goal, on a PP, at 13:35. . . . F Justin Almeida had given Moose Jaw a 1-0 lead at 4:12 of the first period. . . . Prince Albert responded with three straight goals. . . . F Parker Kelly (9) scored at 7:34 of the first period, with F Curtis Miske getting his 10th at 8:15. F Simon Stransky’s 14th goal, on a PP, 15 seconds into the second period gave the home said a 3-1 lead. . . . The Warriors skated to a 4-3 lead with goals from F Brayden Burke, his 16th, on a PP, at 4:03; Almeida, with his second of the game and sixth of the season, at 4:47, and F Thomas Foster (13), at 1:18 of the third period. . . . Stransky also had an assist. . . . Foster and Burke each had an assist for the Warriors. . . . The Raiders got 27 saves from G Nic Sanders. . . . Moose Jaw starter Brody Willms allowed three goals on 11 shots in 20:15. Zach Sawchenko finished up by stopping 12 of 14 shots in 38:26. . . . Prince Albert was 2-2 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 1-5. . . . The Raiders improved to 12-35-5. . . . The Warriors (30-13-7) had a four-game winning streak come to an end. They are second in the East Division. . . . Announced attendance: 2,023.
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At Red Deer, G Tyler Brown stopped 31 shots in leading the Pats to a 4-1 victory over the Rebels. . . . Brown earned his 20th victory — he is 20-4-6 — in his first appearance since Jan. 13. . . . The Pats
TYLER BROWN
scored the game’s first three goals. . . . F Filip Ahl got it started with No. 22, on a PP, at 7:40 of the first period. . . . F Adam Brooks made it 2-0 with another PP goal, this one at 19:43. . . . Regina had a 17-4 edge in first-period shots. . . . Brooks scored again, giving him 28, at 3:17 of the second period. . . . Red Deer’s goal game from F Adam Musil, his 18th, on a PP, at 5:49 of the second. . . . F Wyatt Sloboshan got Regina’s last goal, his fifth, at 3:18 of the third. That was Sloboshan’s first goal in 11 games with the Pats since being acquired from the Spokane Chiefs on Jan. 2. . . . Sloboshan also had an assist. . . . The Rebels got 34 stops from G Lasse Petersen. . . . Regina was 2-3 on the PP; Red Deer was 1-5. . . . The Rebels lost D Alexander Alexeyev with an injury to his right leg in the third period. Later, Brent Sutter, the Rebels’ general manager and head coach, told reporters that “he’s in quite a bit of pain right now. I’m not sure exactly what it is. It doesn’t look good, though.” . . . Regina (33-6-7) has won four in a row and remains tied with the Prince George Cougars atop the overall standings. . . . The Rebels (22-21-7) had won their previous two games. They are third in the Central Division, six points ahead of the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Announced attendance: 5,505.
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At Saskatoon, F Jordy Bellerive scored two goals to help the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 3-1 victory over
JORDY BELLERIVE
the Blades. . . . The Hurricanes now have points in 10 straight games (8-0-2). . . . F Zak Zborosky’s 32nd goal gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 16:21 of the second period. . . . Bellerive made it 2-0 at 17:49. . . . The Blades got to within a goal when D Jake Kustra scored his first goal at 18:14. . . . That was Kustra’s second career goal and came in his 85th game. . . . Bellerive put it away with a shorthanded goal at 12:14 of the third period. He’s got 23 goals. . . . G Ryan Gilchrist stopped 27 shots for the Hurricanes as he improved to 4-2-2 this season. With G Stuart Skinner away at the Top Prospects Game, the Hurricanes didn’t list a backup goaltender on the online game sheet. . . . The Blades got 27 saves from G Logan Flodell. . . . Lethbridge was 0-4 on the PP; Saskatoon was 0-7. . . . The Hurricanes (28-15-7) are a comfortable second in the Central Division. . . . The Blades (20-24-6) have lost two straight after winning five in a row. They are in the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot but hold only a one-point lead over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Announced attendance: 4,124.
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At Kent, Wash., D Ethan Bear scored at 18:51 of the third period to break a 2-2 tie and give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 3-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Everett, the league’s least-penalized team,
ETHAN BEAR
surrendered a 2-1 lead on two PP goals in the second half of the third period. . . . The Silvertips took a 1-0 lead when F Dominic Zwerger scored his 21st goal at 16:00 of the first period. . . . Seattle F Keegan Kolesar tied it at 3:56 of the second period. . . . Everett went back out front when F Patrick Bajkov got No. 21 at 15:20. . . . That lead held until 12:54 of the third period when Kolesar got his second goal of the game, and 10th of the season, tipping in a Bear shot on a PP. . . . Bear then won it with his 16th goal of the season. . . . F Mathew Barzal had three assists, while Kolesar had one. . . . Bajkov also had an assist. . . . Seattle G Matt Berlin, in his first start since Dec. 28, stopped 21 shots. . . . The Silvertips got 27 saves from G Carter Hart. . . . Seattle was 2-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-2. . . . The Thunderbirds (28-15-4) have won four straight. They are third in the U.S. Division, three points behind the Tri-City Americans and with five games in hand. . . . The Silvertips (30-8-9) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). They are tied for third in the overall standings, four points from the top rung. . . . F Dawson Butt, a 16-year-old from Buckley, Wash., played his second game with the Everett. He was a sixth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. Dawson is the son of Jamie Butt, who played four seasons (1992-96) with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets. . . . Announced attendance: 5,075.
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At Kennewick, Wash., D Dylan Coghlan and F Kyle Olson each had a goal and three assists as the Tri-City Americans skated to an 8-3 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Tri-City took control of this one with
TYLER SANDHU
three goals before the game was five minutes old. . . . Olson scored his 13th goal at 1:27 of the first period, with Coghlan getting No. 8 at 2:16 and D Parker Wotherspoon counting his eighth, while shorthanded, at 4:26. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s 24th goal got Spokane on the scoreboard at 5:59, but the Americans got that one back when F Vladislav Lukin scored his 20th goal at 9:36. . . . F Hudson Elynuik (18) pulled the Chiefs to within two at 9:00 of the second period, but F Jordan Topping restored the three-goal margin with his 14th just three minutes later. . . . Spokane F Eli Zummack (7) made it 5-3 at 16:44. . . . The Americans put it away with three third-period goals. . . . F Tyler Sandhu got his 13th goal, and his 200th career point, at 13:25. He has split 298 regular season games between Tri-City, the Everett Silvertips and Red Deer Rebels. . . . F Morgan Geekie (27) and F Vladislav Lukin (21) added goals before the period ended. . . . Geekie also had two assists, with Topping, Lukin and Wotherspoon picking up one apiece. . . . Wotherspoon’s assist was No. 132 in his career, tying him for first in the franchise’s record book with Tyler Schmidt (2006-11). . . . Anderson-Dolan and Elynuik had an assist each for Spokane. . . . G Rylan Parenteau blocked 35 shots for the Americans. . . . G Dawson Weatherill gave up six goals on 19 shots in 42:16 for the Chiefs, with Jayden Sittler stopping two of four shots in 17:44. . . . The Americans were 0-1 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-4. . . . Tri-City (30-19-3) had lost its previous two games. It is second in the U.S. Division, six points behind the Everett Silvertips, who have five games in hand. . . . Spokane (20-22-8) has lost three in a row (0-2-1) and is five points from a playoff spot. . . . Announced attendance: 5,015.
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At Victoria, F Dante Hannoun and F Matt Phillips had two goals each to help the Royals to a 7-1 victory
DANTE HANNOUN
over the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Royals had beaten the Giants, 3-1, in Langley, B.C., on Friday night. . . . They’ll play again today, 5:05 p.m., in Victoria. . . . F Jordan Borstmayer’s fourth goal gave the Giants a 1-0 lead at 12:58 of the first period. . . . Victoria scored the next seven goals. . . . Phillips tied it with No. 36 at 17:52 and Hannoun gave the home team a 2-1 lead with his 16th at 6:03 of the second period. . . . Phillips later got No. 37. He’s second in the WHL, one behind F Jayden Halbgewachs of the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Royals also got goals from D Scott Walford (4), F Ethan Price (6) and F Carter Folk (4). . . . Victoria got two assists from each of D Chaz Reddekopp and F Regan Nagy, with Walford and Phillips adding one apiece. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 25 shots to pick up his WHL-leading 28th victory, one more than Nick Schneider of the Medicine Hat Tigers. He has started a franchise record 23 straight games. He broke the previous record (21), that had been held by Lucas Gore (Chilliwack Bruins, 2010-11). . . . Vancouver G David Tendeck turned aside 26 shots. . . . Victoria was 1-4 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-3. . . . The Royals (28-19-4) have won two straight and have moved into third in the B.C. Division, three points behind the Kamloops Blazers and two ahead of the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Giants (17-29-4) have lost four in a row (0-3-1) and seven of eight since the trade deadline. . . . Announced attendance: 5,604.
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SUNDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Brandon at Calgary, 4 p.m.
Prince George at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
Kamloops at Everett, 4:05 p.m.
Tri-City vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 5:05 p.m.
Prince Albert at Swift Current, 4 p.m.
Vancouver at Victoria, 5:05 p.m.

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