THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a one-year contract extension with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had 35 goals and 43 assists in 57 games for the Stars this season; that was good for fifth place in league scoring. . . .


F Radek Duda (Regina, Lethbridge, 1998-2000) signed a two-year contract with Plzen (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had two goals and 12 assists in 19 games with Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga) and 10 goals and 10 assists in 25 games with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .



D Tomas Voracek (Prince Albert, 2007-09) signed a three-year contract with Liberec (Czech Republic, Extraliga). He had one goal and three assists in 51 games with Vitkovice Ostrava (Czech Republic, Extraliga) this season. . . .




D Brett Palin (Kelowna, 2000-05) has declined a contract extension offer for next season from Chomutov (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Palin had seven goals and 13 assists in 50 games for Chomutov this season.
———



 Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail is following the NHL playoff series between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. . . . MacGregor, as only he can do, breaks down the reaction to the hit by Ottawa defenceman Eric Gryba on Montreal forward Lars Eller. . . . That piece is right here.
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D Jaynen Rissling of the Calgary Hitmen has signed an ATO with the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals. . . . Rissling was selected by the Capitals in the seventh round of the NHL’s 2012 entry draft. . . . The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Rissling has played four seasons with the Hitmen. This season, he had 28 points in 61 games. . . . He is a nephew of F Gary Rissling, who played in the WHL (Edmonton, Calgary, 1974-77) and also for Hershey.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Shane Kuss and Roger Ross will serve as co-head coaches with the junior B Delta Ice Hawks of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League. . . . "You're going to see a scenario where Shane will be at 90-95 percent of our games," Peter Zerbinos, the Ice Hawks’ general manager and director of hockey operations, told Mark Booth of the Delta Optimist. "That's why we went with the co-coaching roles." . . . Booth’s story is right here.

Fran Gow, who resigned this week as general manager and head coach of the AJHL’s Drayton Valley Thunder, has signed on as the AJHL’s vice-president of hockey operations. . . . Gow had spent more than 20 years and 1,000 games coaching in the AJHL, the last four of them with the Thunder.
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Ron Robison, the commisioner of the 22-team WHL, met with the media in Portland prior to Game 1 of the championship final between the Winterhawks and Edmonton Oil Kings.
It was Robison’s first communication with the Portland press corps since before the WHL disciplined the Winterhawks for what the league calls “player benefit violations.”
So how did the tête-à-tête go?
Here’s Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune:
“Taking in WHL commissioner Ron Robison's response Friday night to reporters' questions about the ruthless sanctions imposed on the Winterhawks early this season brought to mind the famous line of distempered tennis legend John McEnroe: You can't be serious!"
At one point in his column, Eggers comes awfully close accusing Robison of not telling the truth.
Eggers apparently has seen the regulations that Robison says “are internal.”
“The regulations are absolutely not clear,” Eggers writes. “I looked through the WHL rulebook, which prohibits teams from paying for flights for family members during a team's annual ‘Parents Weekend.’ There is nothing, however, that specifically addresses any other time of year.
“The Hawks' contention was, ‘We didn't know flying in family members at other times wasn't legal.’ The league's contention was, ‘You should have known. It was understood by everyone in the league.’
“When asked a second time about the specific rules violations, Robison answered, ‘The regulations are internal. The information has been made very clear. There were violations. They're written down in the regulations, absolutely. The information was provided to the club, but for internal purposes only.’
“Wait a minute. They are written into the regulations, but kept secret from the general public? For what reason? It's like NBA Commissioner David Stern saying the Trail Blazers broke a rule for tampering with a player, and it's in the rulebook, but we're not going to let the public see it. You just have to take our word for it. Robison's stipulation is not only nonsensical, but untrue.”
Eggers’ complete column is right here.
Paul Buker of The Oregonian also was in attendance, and wrote:
"After arriving fashionably late — 10 minutes or so — for Friday’s scheduled WHL Finals series media availability, Robison was quickly inundated with questions about the sanctions levied against the hometown team on Nov. 28.
"'I’m hoping we don’t have to go into a lot of detail,' said Robison, who was true to his word on that one.
"No new ground was broken, and if anything, local media were left scratching their heads once again."
Buker's piece is right here.
———

The OHL final opened last night with the host London Knights dropping a 4-2 decision to the Barrie Colts. . . . London scored first, but the Colts got the next three. Still, it was 3-2 for 10 minutes in the third period, until Barrie F Mark Scheifele iced it with an empty-netter. . . . Attendance was 9,046. . . . Game 2 is scheduled for London on Sunday night.
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The QMJHL final also opened last night. G Zach Fucale stopped 28 shots to lead the host Halifax Mooseheads to a 4-0 victory over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. . . . Attendance was 10,595. . . . Game 2 is to be played tonight in Halifax.
———



The WHL’s playoff situation:
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Portland vs. Edmonton
(Edmonton leads, 1-0)
(All times local)
Game 1: Friday — Edmonton 4 at Portland 1 (10,097)
Game 2: Today, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, May 7, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Game 4: Wednesday, May 8, at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Game 5: Friday, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x-Game 6: Sunday, May 12, at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Game 7: Monday, May 13, at Portland (Rose Garden), 7 p.m.
x – if necessary.


All games are being televised by Shaw in Canada. They also will be televised in Portland, with Games 3, 4, 5 and 6 on Comcast SportsNet, and Games 2 and 7 on Root Sports.
Comcast and Roots will pick up the Shaw telecast that feature play-by-play man Dan Russell, along with Bill Wilms, Peter Loubardias and Andy Neal.
———
FRIDAY’S GAME:
In Portland, G Laurent Brossoit stopped 35 shots, 16 of them in the first period, and F Stephane Legault drew three assists as the Edmonton Oil Kings opened with a 4-1 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Winterhawks held a 16-6 edge in shots after one period but went into the second period trailing 1-0 on a goal by F Dylan Wruck at 2:03. That goal came on Edmonton’s first shot of the game. . . . F Henrik Samuelsson gave Edmonton a 2-0 lead at 11:17 of the second. . . . F Taylor Leier got Portland to within one at 3:00 of the third, but Samuelsson got his 11th of these playoffs just 47 seconds later. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar got his ninth at 10:03 to put this one away. . . . Portland was 0-for-4 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-for-1. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth stopped 25 shots. . . . Referees were Brett Iverson and Brett Montsion. . . . Legault, who turned 20 on March 3, has 22 points, including 16 assists, in 17 playoff games. In the last two seasons, he has 36 points in 37 playoff games. He is coming off a regular season in which he had 41 points in 57 games. . . . The Oil Kings continue to be without injured D Griffin Reinhart and F Trevor Cheek. Reinhart won’t play in the series; Cheek isn’t expected to play in Game 2.
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“The Portland Winterhawks might want to file a police report,” writes Chris O’Leary of the Edmonton Journal. . . . His story is right here.
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“Game 1 of the WHL Finals was a bucket of cold water in the faces of the Portland Winterhawks,” writes Paul Buker of The Oregonian right here.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (21):
None

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






From Lethbridge Herald sports writer Dylan Purcell (@dylpurcell), after the Portland Winterhawks had a goal disallowed last night: “Ron Robison waves off the Portland goal.”
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From Calgary Sun sports writer Randy Sportak (@SUNRandySportak), after a late San Jose Sharks goal forced OT last night: “And writers on deadline swear. Sharks tie it 2-2 with 55.1 seconds remaining. Patrick Marleau with the tally.”
———
From Portland fan Larisa Strode (@Hawkiemom): “I haven't been this excited to wear white since my wedding day #1997 #WhlFinals #whiteout #adversity hawks#"

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
G Brett Jaeger (Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Saskatoon, 2001-04) signed a one-year contract extension with the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). Jaeger started last season with Copenhagen Hockey (Denmark, AL-Bank Liga), where he had a 3.12 GAA and a .908 save percentage in 27 games, before transferring to the Fischtown Pinguins. With the Pinguins, he had a 3.00 GAA in seven games. . . .
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a one-year contract with the Dundee Stars (Scotland, UK Elite). He had four goals and 13 assists in 20 games with the Braehead Clan Glasgow (Scotland, UK Elite) last season. . . .
D Brett Festerling (Tri-City, Vancouver, 2001-07) signed a two-year contract with the Nuremberg Ice Tigers (Germany, DEL). He had three goals and 15 assists in 52 games with St. John's Ice Caps (AHL) and was pointless in five games with the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) last season.
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Another 20-year-old goaltender is on the move with the Brandon Wheat Kings having sent Brandon Anderson to the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Wheat Kings moved Anderson and a 2013 fifth-round bantam draft pick to the Silvertips for F Geordie Maguire, 17, who played last season for the Winnipeg Wild and led the Manitoba midget AAA league in scoring. . . . Maguire, a fifth-round selection by Everett in the 2010 bantam draft, put up 77 points, 40 of them goals, in 42 games with the Wild. . . . Anderson has signed with the NHL’s Washington Capitals; should he be assigned to Everett, the Wheat Kings would get back the fifth-round pick. . . .
Anderson finished up each of the last two seasons with the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, but didn’t see any game action. . . . Anderson was a free agent when he went to camp with the Capitals two years ago and came away with a contract. The Lethbridge Hurricanes later dealt him to Brandon, where he was 13-14-2, 3.96, .889 in 31 games last season. In six games with Lethbridge before the trade, he went 2-3-1, 3.78, .894. He also missed part of the season as he left the Wheat Kings and went home for reasons that never were disclosed. In 2010-11, after signing with the Capitals, he was 17-26-12, 3.77, .888. . . . Everett is looking for a goaltender to take over from Kent Simpson, 20, who has signed with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and is expected to open in their organization. If neither Anderson nor Simpson is back, Austin Lotz, 17, will get first crack at starting. . . . Should Anderson end up in Everett, he would become the fourth 20-year-old on the roster, along with F J.T. Barnett, F Cody Fowlie and F Ryan Harrison.
The deal leaves the Wheat Kings with Corbin Boes, 19, as the starter going into training camp, which is no surprise. Chances are he’ll be supported by Curtis Honey, 18, although Jordan Papirny, 16, may well be in the picture, too, before all is said and done. . . .
Anderson is the fourth 20-year-old goaltender to be traded this offseason. . . . Luke Siemens, who turns 20 on Nov. 6, went from the Moose Jaw Warriors to the Prince Albert Raiders, while Ty Rimmer moved from the Tri-City Americans to Lethbridge, and Brandon Glover, who will be 20 on Aug. 21, was dealt by the Calgary Hitmen to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
———
Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports has the story right here of the Memorial Cup and the beating it has taken at the hands of the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes. Hey, don’t sweat it because the Cataractes weren’t partying with the real thing.
But, geez Louise, just because you are passing around a replica is not reason to use it and abuse it.
After all, the Memorial Cup has some history behind it and deserves to be shown a bit more respect than it apparently has been getting.
With all the money a lot of these major junior teams are making, perhaps it’s time the CHL assigned an employee to babysit the Memorial Cup in these situations.
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D Paul Sohor (Everett, Tri-City, 2007-11) played out his junior eligibility last season with the MJHL’s Selkirk Steelers and now has decided to attend York University and play for the Lions. . . . He had 32 points in 50 games last season in Selkirk.
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Robbie Ftorek, the 60-year-old head coach of the OHL’s Erie Otters, and his family are in shock after the death Saturday of Anna Ftorek, a 23-year-old daughter. She died suddenly at the family home in Wolfeboro, N.H. There is more right here.
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THE COACHING GAME:
Jared Bednar has signed on with the Springfield Falcons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, as an assistant coach. Bednar spent the last two seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen. In Springfield, he’ll work alongside head coach Brad Larsen and assistant coach Nolan Pratt. . . . Bednar played in the WHL with the Prince Albert Raiders, Medicine Hat Tigers, Spokane Chiefs and Saskatoon Blades (1990-1993). . . . The Falcons announced that Bednar got a “multi-year” deal. They also announced that Pratt has received a “contract extension beyond the 2012-2013 season.” He is heading into his second season on the Falcons’ staff. . . .
Barry Smith is headed for the Netherlands where he will work as head coach of the Tilburg Trappers, who play in the country’s top league. Smith, who coached the Kamloops Blazers (2008-10), replaces Theo van Gerwen, who was named technical director of the Dutch Hockey Association after two seasons with the Trappers. Smith signed a one-year deal with Tilburg. (This signing actually happened late in May and I somehow missed it. Apologies for that.)
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If you’ve got 20 or 30 minutes to invest in a great read, give this right here a look. Jason Schwartz of Boston Magazine takes a look at 38 Studios, the video-game company owned by former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling that imploded and left behind quite a mess.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Braehead Clan (Scotland, UK Elite). He had two assists in six games for the Carstairs Redhawks (Alberta, Chinook Senior) this season. . . .
G Todd Ford (Swift Current, Prince George, Vancouver, 2000-04) was released at his request for personal reasons by the Heilbronner Falken (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had a 2.76 GAA in 31 games for the Falcons this season. Ford went out in style, getting the shutout in Heilbronn's 4-0 victory over Ravensburg on Sunday evening. . . .
F Jakub Sindel (Brandon, 2004-05) agreed to extend his tryout contract with Kärpät Oulu (Finland, SM-Liiga) for another week, which includes three games. It was set to expire Sunday. He has three assists in eight games with Kärpät. Earlier this season, Sindel had two assists in five games with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A) before breaking his jaw, and one goal in 21 games with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). Sindel has some roots in Finland. He has played in Finland two of the past three seasons and he spent five years as a child in Finland while his father, G Jaromir Sindel, played in SM-Liiga.
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The Kootenay Ice left Cranbrook on Monday, headed for Regina and a Wednesday night engagement with the Pats.
As of late Monday night/early Tuesday morning, the Ice was sitting in the parking lot of a grocery store in Sparwood, B.C., waiting for Highway 3 to reopen.
Such is life in the WHL.
“Exactly,” tweeted Ice G Mackenzie Skapski. “Anything can happen. They are obstacles you have to overcome.”
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Three players from the UBC Thunderbirds, each with ties to the WHL, will join assistant coach Tyler Kuntz and assorted other UBC hockey alumni in the Ride to Conquer Cancer.
That ride will take them from Vancouver to Seattle on June 16 and 17.
Each of the riders is hoping to raise $2,500 for the cause.
F Scott Wasden (Medicine Hat, Kamloops, 2004-09), F Justin McCrae (Saskatoon, Spokane, 2003-09) and F Wyatt Hamilton, whose brother Wacey played in the WHL, will take part in the ride.
Wasden and Hamilton are in their third years at UBC and both are in the Sauder School of Business. McCrae also is in his third year; he is enrolled in kinesiology. When he done his undergraduate degree, he plans to attend law school.
If you are interested in more info on the Thunderbirds, who are coached by old friend Milan Dragicevic, check out Kuntz’s blog right here.
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Brent Stecker of the Wenatchee World reports that USA Hockey has blocked a proposed move by the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild to the BCHL. Stecker’s story is right here.
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Ryan Johansen could still be with the Portland Winterhawks. Instead, he is with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, who are hoping he will become the franchise centre they have long needed..
Corey Masisak of NHL.com has more right here.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Spokane, F Seth Swenson scored twice as the Seattle Thunderbirds stunned the Chiefs, 3-2. . . . Seattle ended a seven-game losing streak. . . . Swenson was in the penalty  box when F Justin Hickman scored shorthanded at 14:36 of the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie. . . . Swenson, who has three goals this season, had tied the game at 11:35 of the third. . . . Swenson was acquired a week ago from the Portland Winterhawks in a deal that had F Marcel Noebels and two first-round bantam draft picks to the other way. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 31 shots, 10 more than Spokane’s Mac Engel. . . .  The season series now is 1-1 with six games remaining. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks set a franchise record as they beat the Tri-City Americans, 5-1. . . . This was the Winterhawks’ 17th straight victory on home ice, erasing the record set in 1993-94. . . . Portland F Oliver Gabriel enjoyed the first three-goal game of his career, In fact, he broke a 1-1 tie with the game’s next three goals. . . . The Winterhawks won their 30th game of the season. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie scored his WHL-leading 40th goal of the season. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth leads the WHL with 28 victories. He has won nine straight starts. . . . Tri-City leads the season series, 5-1-0. . . . Portland had F Sven Baertschi back in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 16. He picked up a concussion while playing for Switzerland at the World Junior Championship. He had one assist in his first game back. He was back with Rattie and they had Cam Reid at centre. . . . The Americans were without F Brendan Shinnimin, who served a one-game suspension for an accumulation of embellishment penalties. . . . You don’t get suspended for an accumulation of charging penalties or high-sticking penalties or tripping penalties or interference penalties. But you get suspended for too many embellishment penalties? What is wrong with this picture? . . . The Americans will play their fifth game in seven days when they are at home tonight to the Seattle Thunderbirds, who have lost 19 in a row at the Toyota Center. . . . The Americans have won their last 13 home games.
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MONDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Tyler Wotherspoon, Portland.

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A WHL franchise and the economy . . .

Pats captain Garrett Mitchell (left), Jordan Weal
and Carter Ashton model the jerseys the club will wear Saturday night.

The Regina Pats are to stage their fifth annual Breast Cancer Awareness Night on Saturday as they play the visiting Spokane Chiefs.
Most, if not all, WHL teams are involved in breast cancer awareness promotions, in one way or another. The Pats, however, will wear special jerseys that night — they are pictured above and, I’m thinking, they are looking awfully spiffy.
The jerseys will be auctioned off, via silent auction, and presented to their new owners immediately following the end of the game. According to a Pats press release:
“The proceeds from the auction, as well as the sales of the Pats pink scarves this season, will go to the Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer research.
“Over the past four years, the Pats have raised more than $50,000 towards breast cancer research through their jersey auctions and sales of pink hats, scarves and lollipops. All of the money raised stays in Saskatchewan.”
A pink scarf? If you’re interested, they’re available for $15 through the Pats’ online store right here.
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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) was released by Skövde (Sweden Division 1) with one week left on his contract. He had three goals and one assist in seven games this season. The club said that Wirll has been hampered with a back injury. . . .
D Ross Lupaschuk (Lethbridge, Prince Albert, Red Deer, 1996-2001) was released by the Cologne Sharks (Germany DEL). He had two goals and one assist in 15 games this season.
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What is a WHL franchise worth to a city’s economy? Kenneth Carlaw, an associate professor of economics at Kelowna’s UBC-Okanagan, has completed a study and come up with a figure of $31 million. Doyle Potenteau of DubNation takes a look at that story right here . . . . Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ president and general manager, plans on using the report to help as the club prepares to bid on the 2013 Memorial Cup.
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The midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires have lost their general manager and their head coach. GM Scott Rumpel and head coach Regan Darby resigned following 7-1 and 9-0 losses to the Prince Albert Mintos that left the Legionnaires at 2-6-1. Andy Schneider, a former Swift Current Broncos forward, now is helping assistant coaches Todd Hornung and Sheldon Reinhart with the team. . . . Hornung played five seasons in the WHL, split between the Portland Winterhawks, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Swift Current. . . . F Walker Wintoneak, who played out his WHL eligibility last season with the Saskatoon Blades, has signed with the Central league’s Missouri Mavericks. He played four seasons with the Blades.
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Remember Pavel Brendl? Well, he’s 29 years of age now and has just signed on with his 10th professional organization. There’s more right here.
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WEDNESDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
KOOTENAY 3 at CALGARY 0: G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 22 shots for his third shutout of the season and the sixth of his career. . . . The Ice (10-3-1), which has won six in a row, got a shorthanded goal from F Max Reinhart, his seventh, at 15:27 of the first period. . . . F Jesse Ismond scored on the PP at 15:08 of the third. . . . F Matt Fraser added an empty-netter at 19:00 of the third. . . . The Hitmen (4-8-0) have lost four in a row; they are 2-4-0 at home. . . . Calgary G Michael Snider stopped 27 shots. . . . Kootenay was 1-for-7 on the PP; Calgary was 0-for-6. . . . D Brayden McNabb was back in the Ice lineup after being out with a shoulder injury. However, D Hayden Rintoul (collarbone) didn’t play. He was injured in Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over the Tigers in Medicine Hat. . . . Attendance was 7,210. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Kootenay D Luke Paulsen.
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CHILLIWACK 2 at EDMONTON 1: Bruins G Lucas Gore stopped 37 shots. . . . The Bruins (7-4-0) took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by F Roman Horak, at 9:49, and F Brendan Persley, at 14:24. . . . Edmonton (5-8-1) got its goal from F Stephane Legault at 14:52 of the third. . . . The Oil Kings have lost seven in a row. . . . Edmonton G Cam Lanigan stopped 18 shots. . . . The Bruins were 0-for-1 on the PP; the Oil Kings were 0-for-2. . . . Attendance was 3,566. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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BRANDON 6 at KAMLOOPS 4: D Ryan Pulock, who turned 16 on Oct. 6, scored his first WHL goal and added two assists as the Wheat Kings won their second straight game. . . . Brandon (6-9-0) ended a nine-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over the Rockets in Kelowna on Tuesday. . . . Pulock went into last night’s game with two assists in 10 games. . . . Brandon scored the game’s first five goals and then watched as Kamloops (7-7-1) scored four in a row. . . . The Blazers had won their last three games, all on the road. . . . F Mark Stone had a goal and two assists for Brandon. . . . F Scott Glennie had three assists for Brandon. Glennie, a first-round selection by the Dallas Stars in the NHL’s 2009 draft, has been getting heat from some corners for what is seen as a slow start, but Wheat Kings owner/GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon said that the criticism is unfair. “He just hasn’t been scoring,” McCrimmon said. “But he’s been just fine.” Glennie now has two goals and nine assists in 13 games. . . . Brandon was 3-for-10 on the PP; Kamloops was 1-for-7. . . . Attendance was 3,808. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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VANCOUVER 5 at LETHBRIDGE 2: F Craig Cunningham, the WHL’s scoring leader, had three assists for the Giants. . . . He now has 34 points. . . . The Giants (9-5-2) scored three goals in the game’s first 10 minutes, driving Lethbridge starter Dylan Tait to the bench. He stopped four of seven shots. Tanner Kovacs, 16, from Innisfail, Alta., came on in his WHL debut to stop 27 of 29 shots. . . . Lethbridge starter Brandon Anderson wasn’t available due to illness. . . . Vancouver G Brendan Jensen, in his third straight start, stopped 25 shots. . . . Lethbridge (5-5-3) got two goals from F Alex Kuvaev, who now has four. . . . Vancouver F Brendan Gallagher, who leads the WHL with 15 goals, had two assists, as did F James Henry. . . . The Burns brothers, Michael and Nathan, each scored for the Giants. One of them has three goals; the other has one. . . . The Giants now have won four in a row. . . . Lethbridge was 2-0-1 in its last three games. . . . The Giants were 1-for-6 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-fo4-6. . . . Vancouver went east without F Randy McNaught (ankle), F Marek Tvrdon (shoulder), D Zach Hodder (shoulder) and F Connor Redmond (shoulder). . . . Attendance was 2,543. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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MOOSE JAW 5 at PRINCE ALBERT 4 (SO): F Antonin Honejsek, who had two assists in regulation time, scored the only goal of the shootout. He was the first of the six shooters who took part. . . . The Raiders (5-7-3), who have lost five in a row, led 3-1 midway in the second period and 4-3 late in the third period. . . . The Raiders’ last two losses have been via shootout. . . . F Sebastian Svendsen, with his second of the game, gave the Raiders a 4-3 lead on the PP at 16:53. . . . He has seven goals this season. . . . Moose Jaw D Morgan Rielly, with his second of the season, forced OT at 18:21. . . . The Warriors, who had lost their last two games, are 5-8-1. . . . Svendsen also had an assist, for a three-point night. F Jonathan Parker of the Raiders had a goal and two assists. . . . The Warriors got two assists from F Jordan Wyton. . . . Moose Jaw G Thomas Heemskerk stopped 45 shots, 10 more than P.A.’s Jamie Tucker. . . . Moose Jaw D Dallas Ehrhardt played his first game of the season. He suffered a knee injury while in the Edmonton Oilers’ training camp. . . . The Raiders again were without three injured defencemen — Jordan Rowley (wrist), Nathan Deck (knee) and Emerson Hrynyk (shoulder). . . . The Raiders were 2-for-5 on the PP; the Warriors never had even one opportunity. . . . Attendance was 1,917. . . . Checking-from-behind count: Zero.
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PRINCE GEORGE 3 at SPOKANE 7: The Chiefs (5-6-0) scored four of the game’s last five goals. . . . The Chiefs finished 2-for-5 on the PP and also had a shorthanded goal. . . . The Cougars (7-6-1) were 1-for-3 with a shorthanded tally. . . . The Chiefs went 3-3-0 on a six-game homestand. They now head east where they will play six games in eight nights. They open Friday in Moose Jaw. . . . Spokane D Tyler Vanscourt scored his first goal of the season, and second of his career, at 19:59 of the second period, giving his side a 4-2 lead. . . . D Brendan Kichton had a goal and two assists for Spokane. He has played four games and has seven points. . . . Spokane D Garrett Leedahl and F Dominik Uher each had two assists. . . . F Brett Connolly got his 14th goal of the season for Prince George. . . . Spokane G James Reid stopped 29 shots, five fewer than Prince George’s James Priestner. . . . Attendance was 3,514. . . . Checking-from-behind count: One minor, to Kichton.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
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