Showing posts with label Myles Bell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Myles Bell. Show all posts

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Oilers fire scouts . . . Kennedy: No fixing pedophiles . . . Dom's in the picture

There’s nothing like the off-season for cooling in-season rivalries . . .

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F Jordan Peddle (Swift Current, Edmonton, 2008-12) signed a contract for the rest of this season with CBR Brave Canberra (Australia, AIHL). Last season, with the Mississippi Surge (SPHL), he had 10 goals and 18 assists in 56 games. . . .
F Myles Bell (Regina, Kelowna, 2008-14) signed a one-year contract with Stjernen Fredrikstad (Norway, GET-Ligaen). Last season, with the Albany Devils (AHL), he was pointless in two games and had 10 goals and nine assists in 41 games with the Evansville Icemen (ECHL).
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With the NHL draft scheduled to start Friday in Sunrise, Fla., the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers dropped the axe NHLon a few of their scouts on Saturday evening. Morey Gare, the head of their pro scouting department, was fired, as was head amateur scout Stu MacGregor. . . . Two other amateur scouts also were dropped, although their names weren’t available last night. . . . MacGregor, who I am told had one year left on his contract, once scouted for the Kamloops Blazers, and then was the team’s general manager for three seasons (1995-98). He left the Blazers to scout for the Dallas Stars, then joined the Oilers’ scouting staff in 2000. On Sept. 10, 2007, he was named the team’s director of amateur scouting.
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Graham James, the former general manager and head coach of the Swift Current Broncos, had two years added to the jail sentence he already is serving when he pleaded guilty to more sexual abuse-related charges on Friday. During the proceedings, Barb Pacholik of the Regina Leader-Post reported, “Defence lawyer Robert Skinner told court that when the 62-year-old offender is one day released, he intends to find a job ‘but he would also like to consider something in the education field, dealing with counsellors and coaches and teachers to tell them about his experience, so as they don’t make the same serious mistakes.’ ” . . . Pacholik continued: “At that comment, former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy, another victim of James who came to support the latest complainant, raised his eyebrows and looked incredulous.” . . . Kennedy later told Pacholik: “There is no fixing (pedophiles.) There’s managing.” . . . Pacholik’s story is right here.
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During the NBA Finals, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers felt the urge to tell the world that he is “the best player in the world.” . . . Right here, William C. Rhoden of The New York Times takes a look at the reaction resulting from that statement.
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If you are familiar with Dom’s story, you know how special this picture is . . .


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Thursday, March 27, 2014

Cougars sale falling apart? . . . Bozon to be released today . . . Things going well with Hawryluk . . . Royals win series for first time

The sale of the Prince George Cougars has yet to be completed.
And some observers are beginning to wonder if cracks are starting to show.
As recently as a week ago, the sale of the WHL franchise by long-time owner Rick Brodsky to a group headed by Prince George businessman Greg Pocock was believed to be a slam dunk. Pocock’s group includes NHL defencemen Eric Brewer and Dan Hamhuis, both of them former Cougars.
But now I am told that nothing has been signed, no money has changed hands, and patience may be wearing thin.
At one time there was a second local group interested in purchasing the Cougars, that one believed to include T.J. Grewal, the father of Cougars defenceman Raymond Grewal.
A source familiar with the situation told me late last night that while Brodsky has been negotiating strictly with the Pocock group, he has had “a thought” about seeing if there is any other interest alive in the community.
True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, has been rumoured as a potential WHL franchise owner, if only because of the success the Calgary Hitmen and Edmonton Oil Kings have had under the ownership umbrella of NHL teams in those cities.
If TNSE, indeed, is interested in owning a franchise, you wonder if it might get involved with Brodsky at this particular time.
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F Tim Bozon of the Kootenay Ice is scheduled to be released from Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon this morning.
TIM BOZON
As he tweeted on Thursday: “Last night at the hospital after 1 month battling through this sickness! #cant wait #win #proud #nevergaveup”
Bozon, who turned 20 while in RUH, was hospitalized on March 1 when he was diagnosed with Nesseria meningitis. His parents, Helene and Philippe, the latter a former NHL player, have been with him since arriving from their home in Switzerland on March 2.
For part of time, Tim was in critical condition and in a medically induced coma.
Also on Thursday, Bozon tweeted this:
“Would like to thank everyone for this amazing support! Couldn't do it without you guys! Thank you so much from everyone in the @TheWHL”
And this:
“And most important my teammates in @WHLKootenayICE that have been with me since day one #loveyouguys”
It is anticipated that Bozon will be in Cranbrook in time to take in Game 6 of the Ice’s first-round series with the Calgary Hitmen. A 6-5 victory in Calgary on Thursday night has the Ice leading the best-of-seven affair, 3-2. Bozon is to take part in a ceremonial faceoff prior to that game.
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A trust fund has been established to assist the Bozon family with medical- and rehabilitation-related costs with which they now are faced.
You are able to make a donation at any BMO Bank of Montreal branch in Western Canada.
Should you live outside of that area and want to donate, please mail donations to:
Western Hockey League
c/o Tim Bozon
Father David Bauer Arena
2424 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 3Y9
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Meanwhile, in Brandon, Wheat Kings F Jayce Hawryluk spent a lot of Thursday undergoing tests at the Brandon Regional Health Centre.
Hawryluk was taken to the hospital in an ambulance on Wednesday night, after he scored
JAYCE HAWRYLUK
three goals and set up another in a 5-4 victory over the Regina Pats. That victory gave the Wheaties a 3-0 lead in the first-round series, with Game 4 scheduled for tonight in Brandon.
Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reported Thursday evening that “optimism and relief are slowly replacing the worry” over Hawryluk’s situation.
“We don’t know a lot today other than everything’s gone well,” Kelly McCrimmon, the Wheat Kings’ owner, general manager and head coach, told Henderson. “Jayce is completely normal, feeling fine. Of course, they’re doing lots of different tests to see if there’s anything that they can identify as a concern or a cause of what happened, and we haven’t been given any feedback as to how any of that has gone other than to have been told there’s no red flags, nothing alarming at this point.
“So we’re optimistic that it’s not as serious as what these things sometimes can be or what you sometimes let your mind fear.”
According to McCrimmon, Hawryluk, who turned 18 on Jan. 1, experienced light-headedness and breathing problems immediately after the game. He is from Roblin, Man., which is about 200 km northwest of Brandon,
The Wheat Kings held a team meeting last night to discuss the situation, with management looking to put the players’ minds at ease.
“I think lots of the players themselves have been in contact with Jayce today, so I think that gives them some peace of mind,” McCrimmon told Henderson.
Hawryluk leads Brandon with eight points in the four games against Regina. He led the Wheat Kings with 64 points in 59 regular-season games.
If you are wondering whether Hawryluk will play in Game 4 tonight, it is in the hands of doctors, who as of last night hadn’t provided team management with any kind of prognosis.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds will be without F Jaimen Yakubowski tonight as they travel to Everett in search of a first-round sweep of the Silvertips. . . . Yakubowski drew a one-game WHL suspension after taking a double minor for checking from behind in Game 3 on Tuesday in Kent, Wash. Yakubowski hit Everett D Noah Juulsen in the first period. Juulsen left the game and didn’t return. . . . Nick Patterson of the Everett Herald reports that Juulsen didn’t practice on Thursday, so likely won’t play tonight. . . .

The Kelowna Rockets have a 3-1 series lead going into tonight’s game with the Tri-City Americans. The game will be televised in Canada by Sportsnet. . . . Kelowna F Myles Bell left Game 4 late in the second period with an undisclosed injury and didn’t return. As Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald reported, “The Rockets were not forthcoming about his status for tonight’s game.” . . . Fowler also reports that Tri-City F Jessey Astles “took a puck to the foot at the end” of Game 4. Americans head coach Jim Hiller, who almost always is forthcoming, told Fowler that Astles is expected to play tonight, but may not be well enough to take a regular shift. . . .

The ECHL’s Bakersfield Condors have signed two former WHLers, both of whom played for the Alberta Golden Bears, who won the Canadian university championship on Sunday. D Ian Barteaux (Kootenay, 2005-09) and D Colin Joe (Kelowna, Saskatoon, 2004-09) both played five seasons with the Golden Bears.
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THE FIRST ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
(x - if necessary)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
EDMONTON (1) vs. PRINCE ALBERT (8)
(Edmonton wins, 4-0)
Season series: Edmonton, 2-1-1; Prince Albert, 2-2-0.
Saturday: Prince Albert 3 at Edmonton 5 (6,534)
Sunday: Prince Albert 1 at Edmonton 3 (6,584)
Tuesday: Edmonton 4 at Prince Albert 3 (2,881)
Wednesday: Edmonton 6 at Prince Albert 2 (2,727)
INJURIES
Edmonton: F Brandon Baddock, 3-5 weeks; D Blake Orban, indefinite; F Reid Petryk, day-to-day.
Prince Albert: D Graeme Craig, indefinite.
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REGINA (2) vs. BRANDON (7)
(Brandon leads, 3-0)
Season series: Brandon, 5-3-0; Regina, 3-3-2.
Saturday: Brandon 6 at Regina 3 (6,200)
Sunday: Brandon 8 at Regina 4 (5,014)
Wednesday: Regina 4 at Brandon 5 (3,547)
Friday: Regina at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
x-Saturday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Regina vs. Brandon, at Dauphin, Man., 7 p.m.
x-Wednesday: Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Brandon: F Jayce Hawryluk, day-to-day; F Peter Quenneville, day-to-day.
Regina: D Tye Hand, indefinite.
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CALGARY (3) vs. KOOTENAY (6)
(Kootenay leads, 3-2)
Season series: Calgary, 4-4-0; Kootenay, 4-2-2.
Thursday: Kootenay 5 at Calgary 2 (6,649)
Saturday: Kootenay 0 at Calgary 5 (9,019)
Monday: Calgary 7 at Kootenay 6 (OT) (1,992)
Tuesday: Calgary 4 at Kootenay 5 (2,102)
Thursday: Kootenay 6 at Calgary 5 (6,826)
Saturday: Calgary at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
x-Monday: Kootenay at Calgary, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Calgary: F Cal Babych, day-to-day; F Connor Rankin, day-to-day.
Kootenay: F Tim Bozon, indefinite; F Ryan Chynoweth, indefinite; D Tyler King, day-to-day; D Tanner Faith, 3-5 months.
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MEDICINE HAT (4) vs. SWIFT CURRENT (5)
(Series tied, 2-2)
Season series: Medicine Hat, 2-2-0; Swift Current, 2-2-0.
Friday: Swift Current 1 at Medicine Hat 2 (3,512)
Saturday: Swift Current 2 at Medicine Hat 4 (3743)
Tuesday: Medicine Hat 1 at Swift Current 3 (2,840)
Wednesday: Medicine Hat 2 at Swift Current 3 (OT) (2,890)
Saturday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: Medicine Hat at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Swift Current at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
INJURIES
Medicine Hat: F Anthony Ast, indefinite; F Gavin Broadhead, day-to-day; F Hunter Shinkaruk, indefinite.
Swift Current: None.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
KELOWNA (1) vs. TRI-CITY (8)
(Kelowna leads, 3-1)
Season series: Kelowna, 4-4-0; Tri-City, 0-3-1.
Saturday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 3 (5,827)
Sunday: Tri-City 1 at Kelowna 3 (5,041)
Tuesday: Kelowna 3 at Tri-City 4 (2,010)
Wednesday: Kelowna 5 at Tri-City 3 (2,189)
Friday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:30 p.m.
x-Saturday: Kelowna at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
x-Tuesday: Tri-City at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Tri-City plays home games in Kennewick, Wash.)
INJURIES
Kelowna: D Jesse Lees, indefinite.
Tri-City: F Taylor Vickerman, indefinite.
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PORTLAND (2) vs. VANCOUVER (7)
(Portland wins, 4-0)
Season series: Portland, 4-0-0; Vancouver, 0-3-1.
Friday: Vancouver 3 at Portland 4 (9,756)
Saturday: Vancouver 0 at Portland 3 (10,947)
Tuesday: Portland 6 at Vancouver 3 (5,680)
Wednesday: Portland 6 at Vancouver 1 (5,142)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Vancouver: F Tyler Benson, indefinite; G Jared Rathjen, day-to-day; F Jakob Stukel, indefinite; D Dalton Thrower, indefinite.
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VICTORIA (3) vs. SPOKANE (6)
(Victoria wins, 4-0)
Season series: Victoria, 1-3-0; Spokane, 3-1-0.
Saturday: Spokane 1 at Victoria 2 (OT) (6,615)
Sunday: Spokane 3 at Victoria 4 (OT) (4,629)
Wednesday: Victoria 6 at Spokane 1 (3,412)
Thursday: Victoria 4 at Spokane 2 (3,711)
INJURIES
Victoria: None.
Spokane: D Colton Bobyk, week-to-week; F Adam Hascic, day-to-day; F Blair Oneschuk, week-to-week.
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SEATTLE (4) vs. EVERETT (5)
(Seattle leads, 3-0)
Season series: Seattle, 5-4-1; Everett, 5-4-1.
Saturday: Everett 1 at Seattle 2 (4,650)
Sunday: Seattle 3 at Everett 1 (4,150)
Tuesday: Everett 3 at Seattle 4 (OT) (5,176)
Friday: Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
x-Saturday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
x-Monday: Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.
x-Wednesday: Everett at Seattle, 7:05 p.m.
(NOTE: Seattle plays home games in Kent, Wash.)
INJURIES
Seattle: F Connor Honey, indefinite.
Everett: F Kohl Baum, indefinite; D Noah Juulsen, day-to-day; F Tyler Sandhu, day-to-day.
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THURSDAY’S GAMES:
WHL team logo
In Calgary, F Sam Reinhart had a goal and four assists to help the Kootenay Ice to a 6-5 victory over the Hitmen. . . . The Ice leads the series 3-2 and has an opportunity to win it at home on Saturday night. . . . Calgary got on the board first, when F Adam Tambellini scoed at 2:04 of the first period, on a PP. It was the fourth time in five games that Calgary scored first. . . . The Ice scored the next three goals and the Hitmen chased for the rest of the night. . . . F Jaeden Descheneau, who had two goals and an assist, tied the game at 5:56 of the first, via the PP, and Reinhart made it 2-1 at 19:15. . . . Ice F Levi Cable stretched the lead to 3-1 just 55 seconds into the second period. . . . Calgary F Elliott Peterson got one back at 2:44, but Ice F Matt Alfaro restored the two-goal lead at 5:18, at which time Calgary G Chris Drieder, who gave up four goals on 10 shots, was relieved by Mack Shields, who would stop 10 of 14. . . . Ice F Luke Philp, at 6:23, and Calgary D Kenton Helgesen, at 18:28, on the PP, traded goals and the Ice had a 5-3 lead. . . . Descheneau then scored what seemed a controversial goal as TV replays appeared to show no time left on the clock when the puck crossed the goal line. However, the goal was allowed after video review, with the WHL later explaining that there was a discrepancy between the official clock and the one seen on the TV replays. . . . Calgary scored twice in the third period, with F Greg Chase and Tambellini each getting their fourth of the series, but it wasn’t able to equalize. . . . Ice G Wyatt Hoflin went the distance, stopping 26 shots. That included an unsuccessful penalty shot by Helgesen. . . . Calgary was 2-for-5 on the PP; Kootenay was 1-for-4. . . . Ice D Landon Cross, who came back from an undisclosed injury during the series and then left Game 4 with an apparent injury, was back for this one. . . . These two teams have combined for 45 goals in five games, with Calgary owning 23 of them. . . . Reinhart has been in on 14 of the Ice’s 22 goals; he leads playoff scorers with 14 points. Descheneau has 13. . . . Reinhart and F Brendan Leipsic of the Portland Winterhawks lead in goals (5). Descheneau and Reinhart lead in assists (9).
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Here is the statement from the WHL office on Descheneau’s second goal, which stood up as the game-winner:
“The video evidence in the Video Goal Judge booth clearly showed the puck had crossed the line with 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock. The Video Goal Judge booth is considered the official time clock when reviewing goals and is the same system utilized by the NHL.”
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Alan Caldwell (@smallatlarge), who operates the blog Small Thoughts at Large, tweeted: “So a clock seen by only 1 or 2 people is the official time and what the rest of the world sees is not. There has to be a better system.”
Caldwell followed that with: “It may be the right call but the optics of this are terrible for the league.”

WHL team logo
In Spokane, the Victoria Royals won a series for the first time in franchise history, beating the Chiefs 4-2 to sweep the first-round affair. . . . The Royals, the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, are likely to meet the No. 2 Portland Winterhawks in the second round. . . . Royals F Austin Carroll broke a 2-2 tie with his third goal of the series, and second winner, at 10:06 of the third period. . . . F Logan Nelson, 20, who was scratched from Game 1, scored his third goal of the series to add insurance at 15:41. He also had an assist, as did Carroll. . . . Spokane D Tyson Helgesen scored his first playoff goal for Spokane, at 19:02 of the first period and also had an assist. Oddly, he scored about the same time that his brother, Kenton, was scoring for the Hitmen in Calgary. . . The Royals led 2-1 after the first period and took that lead into the third, when F Connor Chartier pulled the Chiefs even at 3:32. . . . Victoria D Jordan Franson had a goal, his second, and an assist, while F Steven Hodges drew two assists. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg, the WHL’s regular-season scoring champ, was held to one assist in the four games. In four regular-season games against the Royals, Holmberg and F Mike Aviani had a combined 22 points. Aviani had two assists in the series. . . . “"They say good players find holes and I didn't find them this series," Holmberg told Chris Derrick of the Spokane Spokesman-Review. "It's going to haunt me for a while, that's for sure." . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka stopped 32 shots, while Spokane’s Eric Williams turned aside 17. . . . The Royals were 0-for-4 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-for-3. . . . Prior to this series, the Royals had lost two first-round series, while in their previous life as the Chilliwack Bruins they had dropped four first-round series. In those six series, they had gone 6-24.
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From Jeff Peel (@peel23): “Good luck to @lpeel34 tonight! Remember: talk is cheap and it takes money to buy oats!”
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From Spokane Chiefs F Mitch Holmberg (@mitchholmberg17): “Speechless.”


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Wednesday, February 26, 2014

WHL going camping


F Carsen Germyn (Kelowna, Red Deer, 1998-2003) has been loaned to AIK Stockholm (Sweden, SHL) by the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) for the rest of this season. With Straubing this season, Germyn has 37 points, including 16 goals, in 49 games. Straubing is in 12th place in the DEL, and with three games left can't finish 10th and make the playoffs. AIK is last in the SHL with five games left and can't finish higher than 11th. It will play in SHL Kvalserien in an attempt to keep its place in the SHL for next season.
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The WHL is taking the recruiting war with junior A and the NCAA to another level by launching a series of what it calls “combine camps.”
These camps, according to a news release, are “designed to assist minor hockey players with their skill development by participating in a new state of the art testing system.”
The WHL has forged partnerships with Okanagan Hockey Schools of Penticton, B.C., and Sport Testing Inc., in order to hold these camps throughout Western Canada and the
Each camp will comprise one day of on- and off-ice testing, instructional tips, a player development seminar, and a presentation on the WHL player experience, according to the WHL.
In the beginning, camps will be open to bantam- and midget-aged players, with all 22 WHL teams having access to all test results.
Okanagan Hockey Schools will provide instructors and testing personnel for each camp, with Toronto-based Sport Testing Inc., providing the testing systems.
Camps will run this year, from April through August, in Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Brandon, Winnipeg, Minneapolis, Denver, Dallas, Phoenix and Anaheim.
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John Branch of The New York Times reports: “Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head, has been found posthumously in a 29-year-old former soccer player, the strongest indication yet that the condition is not limited to athletes who played sports known for violent collisions, like football and boxing.” . . . Branch’s complete story is right here.
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F Nolan Volcan, a second-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft, has joined the Seattle Thunderbirds. Volcan played for the midget AAA Maple Leaf Athletic Club United Cycle Maple Leafs, whose season has ended. . . . Volcan’s father, Marty, is a former WHLer, having played for the Portland Winterhawks, Seattle Breakers and Victoria Cougars (1984-86).
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The Portland Winterhawks will be chasing their 21st straight victory when they meet the Chiefs in Spokane on Friday night. The WHL record for longest winning streak in one season (22 games) belongs to the Estevan Bruins of 1967-68. . . . The Winterhawks have won all seven games with Spokane this season; in fact, Portland has won its last 15 meetings with the Chiefs. . . . The Winterhawks are scheduled to play the Seattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash., on Saturday and then visit the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash., on Wednesday.
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First place in the Eastern Conference will be on the line Saturday when the Edmonton Oil Kings play host to the Calgary Hitmen in the opener of a Battle of Alberta doubleheader. . . . The two WHL teams will play at 2 p.m., at Rexall Place, with the NHL’s Calgary Flames to meet the Edmonton Oilers there that evening.
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IF THE PLAYOFFS BEGAN TODAY:
Eastern Conference
Edmonton (1) vs. Red Deer (8)
Regina (2) vs. Brandon (7)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
Medicine Hat (4) vs. Kootenay (5)
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Western Conference
Kelowna (1) vs. Tri-City (8)
Portland (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Victoria (3) vs. Everett (6)
Seattle (4) vs. Spokane (5)
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THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Lethbridge at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m.
Kootenay at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.
Kamloops at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Medicine Hat at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Portland at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.
Tri-City at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Brandon, F Jayce Hawryluk scored twice and set up another to lead the Wheat Kings to a 6-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Brandon broke a 1-1 tie with four second-period goals. . . . Hawryluk has 57 points, including 20 goals, in 55 games. Last season, he totalled 43 points, 18 of them goals, in 61 games as a freshman. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pilon, playing at home against his former club for the first team, drew two assists, as did D Ryan Pulock and F John Quenneville. . . . Lethbridge F Tyler Wong, playing his second game after being out since Jan. 11, scored his 14th goal. . . . Brandon G Curtis Honey stopped 36 shots, four fewer than Jonny Hogue of Lethbridge. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy picked up 29 penalty minutes in one foul sweep, as he got nailed with minors for instigating and unsportsmanlike conduct, a fighting major, a misconduct and game misconduct at 3:51 of the third period. . . . The Hurricanes took 24 minutes in penalties. . . . Brandon (30-26-8) is seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Hurricanes (12-48-5) have lost seven in a row. . . .

In Moose Jaw, F Sam Reinhart scored twice and added an assist as the Kootenay Ice dropped the Warriors, 5-1. . . . The teams were tied 1-1 going into the third period. . . . Reinhart is on a 21-game point streak and a 14-game assist streak, both the longest in the WHL this season. . . . Reinhart, who has 34 goals this season, has tied the franchise record (F Mike Comrie, Sept. 23 to Nov. 10, 2000) for longest point streak in one season. . . . F Tim Bozon also had two goals and an assist for the Ice. He’s got 32 goals. . . . F Jaedon Descheneau added his 39th goal and also had an assist. . . . Reinhart has 93 points, while Descheneau has 88. . . . Bozon has 68 points, with 61 of those coming in 49 games with the Ice after he came over from the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 22 shots. . . . G Zach Sawchenko of the Warriors turned aside 37. . . . The Ice dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum, then lost F Zach Franko in the second period. . . . The Ice (36-23-4) is a comfortable fifth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind the Medicine Hat Tigers and six ahead of the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Warriors (16-38-9) are 10th in the 12-team conference. . . .

In Swift Current, F Jake DeBrusk scored twice to help the Broncos to a 6-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . DeBrusk, a 17-year-old freshman from Edmonton, has 27 points, 12 of them goals, in 63 games. This was his first multi-goal game. . . . F Coda Gordon had a goal, his 23rd, and two assists for the Broncos, who scored the game’s first five goals, three of them in the first period. . . . Swift Current got two assists from each of F Graham Black and F Nathan Burns. . . . The Broncos were 3-for-7 on the PP; the Pats were 0-for-5. . . . F Rykr Cole, a third-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Pats. He has 45 points, including 23 goals, in 41 games with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals. . . . Regina scratched F Morgan Klimchuk and D Dmitry Sinitsyn, both of whom were ill. They still are without injured F Boston Leier. . . . The Broncos have won all five games with the Pats this season. . . . Regina (35-23-6) went into this one leading the East Division by eight points over the Broncos (31-24-8). That lead, of course, now is six points. . . . While the Pats, as East Division leaders, are the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, the Broncos are sixth. . . .

In Edmonton, F Blake Penner’s goal at 3:00 of OT gave the Medicine Hat Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . The Tigers, who clinched a playoff spot with the victory, erased a 3-1 deficit with two third-period goals. . . . F Chad Butcher scored his fifth goal at 3:20 and F Curtis Valk tied it, with his 37th, at 6:36. . . . Penner has 10 goals this season. . . . Valk had two goals, while D Dylan Bredo had two assists. . . . Edmonton F Edgars Kulda had a goal, his 25th, and an assist. He scored shorthanded at 1:33 of the second to give his guys a 1-0 lead. . . . Medicine Hat G Marek Langhamer stopped 37 shots, eight more than Tristan Jarry of Edmonton. . . . Edmonton had won 5-2 in Medicine Hat on Tuesday. . . . The Tigers were without F Markus Eisenschmid. The German freshman drew a ‘tbd’ suspension for a boarding major and game misconduct he incurred against the visiting Oil Kings on Tuesday. . . . The Tigers (39-22-3) are fourth in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind the Calgary Hitmen and five in front of the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Oil Kings (44-15-3) are atop the Eastern Conference, two points in front of the Hitmen. . . .

In Red Deer, G Patrik Bartosak stopped 32 shots as the Rebels blanked the Kamloops Blazers, 2-0. . . . Bartosak has six shutouts this season, but this was the first on home ice. He also has 12 in his career. . . . Red Deer F Vukie Mpofu scored his eighth goal at 12:12 of the first period and F Rhyse Dieno got his 22nd at 14:24. . . . Kamloops G Bolton Pouliot stopped 34 shots. . . . The Blazers are 3-16-2 since Guy Charron replaced Dave Hunchak behind the Blazers’ bench. . . . The Blazers are 1-4-0 as they play 10 in a row away from the home. The Tim Hortons Brier, the Canadian men’s curling championship, begins in Interior Savings Centre on Saturday. . . . The victory lifted the Rebels (30-30-4) back into eighth in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Blazers (13-46-5) need seven points in their last eight games to avoid the worst record in franchise history (Kamloops Jr. Oilers, 18-53-1, 1981-82). . . .

In Everett, the Silvertips scored the game’s last five goals and beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 5-1. . . . F Shane Danyluk gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with his seventh goal at 4:58 of the first, but it was all Silvertips after that. . . . F Brayden Low tied it at 12:13 of the first, with his seventh goal, and D Noah Juulsen, a 16-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., scored his first WHL goal at 16:15. The goal came in his 52nd career game, 51 of which have been played this season. . . . Everett F Josh Winquist scored his 39th goal, while F Ivan Nikolishin had two assists. . . . Everett was 3-for-6 on the PP. . . . The Raiders went 3-2-1 on this road swing. . . . The Silvertips (31-23-9) moved into sixth in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Vancouver Giants. . . . The Raiders (29-30-5) slid into ninth in the Eastern Conference, a point behind the Red Deer Rebels. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., F Myles Bell scored the only goal of the shootout as the Kelowna Rockets bet the Tri-City Americans, 4-3. . . . The Rockets led this one 2-0 after one period, but had to come back from a 3-2 deficit to force OT. . . . F Marek Tvrdon, with his eighth goal, and Bell, with his 40th, shorthanded, gave the Rockets the first-period lead. . . . F Brian Williams, with his 35th, got the Americans on the board in the second period. . . . F Beau McCue scored his 19th to get Tri-City even at 2:19 of the third and D Michal Plutnar, with his third, tied it at 3:35, on the PP. . . . Tvrdon forced OT at 14:45 of the third. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle stopped 25 shots, 14 fewer than Tri-City’s Eric Comrie. . . . The Rockets, who were 52-16-4 last season, have won 50 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history. The WHL record is three, held by the 1989-92 Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Americans are without F Taylor Vickerman, 17, whose season is over, thanks to a knee injury. He was scheduled for surgery on Wednesday. Vickerman, a native of Kennewick, was acquired from the Vancouver Giants but played just 30 games as a shoulder injury cut into the first half of his season. . . . Also missing from Tri-City lineup last night were F Jessey Astles, who has three games left on a seven-game WHL suspension, and F Phil Tot, who hasn’t played since Feb. 1. . . . The Rockets (50-9-4) lead the overall standings by seven points over the Portland Winterhawks. Each team has nine games remaining. . . . The loser point lifted the Americans (27-28-8) two points clear of the ninth-place Prince George Cougars in the Western Conference.
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From Brandon Sun sports editor James Shewaga (@JamesShewaga): “The @bdnwheatkings list RW Peter Quenneville, who was in a walking boot last weekend, out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.”


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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Sam Reinhart burning it up


Earlier in the week, there was a link her to a blog post from Gregg Sutch, a former OHL player who detailed how he came to lose his love for hockey. . . . John Matisz of QMI Agency has spoken with Sutch and follows up the blog post quite nicely. That report is right here.
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The Saskatoon Blades have signed F Chasetan Braid, who has been on their list since early 2013. He first attended their training camp in 2012. From Chauvin, Alta., Braid has 47 points, including 15 goals, in 35 games with the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Midget AAA League.
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An NHL team in Seattle in time for the 2015-16 season? Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times reports that there soon will be talks between the NHL and various parties on expansion fees. That piece is right here.
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THURSDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
No games scheduled.
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FRIDAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
Medicine Hat at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
Victoria at Regina, 7 p.m.
Calgary at Brandon, 7:30 p.m.
Swift Current at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Spokane at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Kamloops at Portland, 7 p.m.
Kelowna at Prince George, 7 p.m.
Prince Albert at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m.
Seattle at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Moose Jaw, the Calgary Hitmen ran their winning streak to a season-high eight games with a 6-4 victory over the Warriors. . . . Calgary F Pavel Padakin had two goals and an assist, while F Jake Virtanen scored twice. Padakin has 24 goals; Virtanen has 38. . . . Calgary F Brady Brassart ran his point streak to 11 games with three assists. . . . With the victory, the Hitmen clinched a playoff spot for the 16th time in their 19-year history. . . . D Jaynen Rissling, Calgary’s captain, was back after serving a two-game suspension. . . . F Colton McCarthy scored twice for Moose Jaw, giving him four, while F Brayden Point got his 27th goal and added two assists. . . . Ice G Mack Shields started his sixth straight game -- he‘s 6-0-0. G Chris Driedger, who missed three games with a team-issued suspension, was on the bench for a second straight game. He hasn’t played since beat the Giants 5-0 in Vancouver on Feb. 7. . . . The Hitmen (40-15-6) are tied with the Edmonton Oil Kings for first place in the Central Division and the Eastern Conference. The Oil Kings have the tiebreaker with more victories (42-40) and have three games in hand. . . . The Warriors (15-35-9) have lost three in a row. . . .

In Brandon, the Victoria Royals scored four first-period goals and went on to beat the Wheat Kings, 5-3. . . . The Royals have won seven straight games now; they also have won nine straight on the road, including the first three stops on this five-game East Division swing. On top of that, they have at least a point in 14 straight games. . . . The Wheat Kings have lost seven in a row. . . . Brandon D Ryan Pulock opened the scoring with his 18th goal at 4:42 of the first. . . . Victoria F Logan Nelson got his 20th 16 seconds later and F Tyler Soy, with his 12th, gave the Royals their first lead at 8:50. . . . F Steven Hodges, with his 19th, and F Austin Carroll, with his 31st, added Victoria goals before the period ended. . . . Hodges also had two assists, while D Brett Cote had two helpers, too. . . . The Royals held a 49-26 edge in shots. . . . Victoria G Patrik Polivka went the distance in his second straight start after not playing since Jan. 31. . . . The Wheat Kings dressed only 16 skaters, two under the maximum. Brandon was without D Colten Waltz, who is sitting out a suspension. . . . Brandon also was without the Quenneville brothers, Paul and John, and F Jayce Hawryluk, all with injuries. D Rene Hunter and F Rihards Bukarts were back, though. . . . Victoria, 24-3-3 since Dec. 12, is third in the Western Conference, three points behind the Portland Winterhawks, who almost certainly will be the second seed because they are comfortably atop the U.S. Division. . . . The Wheat Kings (28-25-8) are seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the Swift Current Broncos. . . .

In Saskatoon, F Logan McVeigh broke a 2-2 tie at 16:41 of the third period as the Regina Pats beat the Blades, 4-2. . . . McVeigh has 10 goals this season. . . . Regina F Morgan Klimchuk scored the game’s first two goals as the Pats grabbed the lead early in the second period. . . . The Blades tied it early in the third on goals by D Ayrton Nikkel, his fifth, and F Chase Clayton, his 10th. . . . Klimchuk completed his hat trick, getting his 23rd goal into an empty net at 19:55 of the third period. . . . Prior to the game, the Blades honoured Les Lazaruk, their longtime radio voice, for having worked his 1,500th game on the weekend. . . . The Blades, who were the host team for the 2013 Memorial Cup, were eliminated from the playoff race; this will be the first time since 2008 that they aren’t in the postseason. After the game, WHL Facts (@WHLFacts)t weeted: “2 - This will be the 2nd straight season that a Memorial Cup host missed the playoffs the following season (Shawinigan).” . . . Regina went 8-0-0 against Saskatoon this season. . . . The Pats (32-22-6) are 5-0-1 in their last six and lead the East Division by four ponts over Swift Current. . . . The Blades (16-40-5) are 11th in the Eastern Conference. . . .

In Cranbrook, F Sam Reinhart had a goal and three assists to lead the Kootenay Ice to a 5-2 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Reinhart ran his point streak to 18 games. . . . F Curtis Valk of the Tigers had his point streak snapped at 18 games. . . . Reinhart has 32 goals. He also has 88 points in 48 games, three more than he totalled in 72 games last season. . . . In Reinhart’s 18-game tear, he has a five-point game, a four-point outing and seven three-pointers. He has multiple points in 12 of those games. He has 26 points in nine February games. . . . The Ice ended this game with two empty-netters, one from Reinhart and the other from Tim Bozon, who got his 29th. . . . Ice F Jaedon Descheneau had a goal, his 38th, and two assists. . . . The Tigers led this one 2-1 with five minutes left in the third period. . . . Ice F Luke Philp tied it, getting his 26th goal at 15:51. Descheneau broke the tie at 17:37. . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 40 shots. . . . The Ice (34-22-4) has won three in a row; it’s fifth in the conference, three points behind Medicine Hat (36-21-3). Each team has 12 games remaining. . . .

In Lethbridge, F Jackson Houck drew three assists to help the Vancouver Giants to a 5-2 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . The Giants opened a three-game Alberta swing by getting goals from five players. . . . Vancouver F Cain Franson scored his 25th goal and added an assist, while F Dominik Volek had two assists. . . . The Giants outshot the Hurricanes, 48-29. . . . Vancouver (29-23-10) is sixth in the Western Conference, five points behind the Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Hurricanes (12-45-5) have the WHL’s poorest record. They have lost four straight. . . .

In Red Deer, the Edmonton Oil Kings unleased a 54-shot attack as they beat the Rebels 4-1. . . . Edmonton F Curtis Lazar scored his 33rd goal, while F Henrik Samuellson notched No. 29. . . . Edmonton D Griffin Reinhart was back on the ice after missing three games with the flu. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 14 shots. . . . The Oil Kings (42-14-2) are tied with Calgary atop the Central Division and the Eastern Conference. Edmonton owns the tiebreaker by virtue of more victories (42-40). . . . Red Deer (28-29-4) is tied with the Prince Albert Raiders for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Rebels, 1-8-1 in their last 10, have lost three in a row. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets scored three first-period goals en route to a 5-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . The Rockets outshot the visitors 51-16, including 20-5 and 19-5 in each of the first periods. . . . Kelowna F Myles Bell scored his 39th goal. . . . Kelowna G Jordon Cooke lost his shutout bid when Tri-City F Rodney Southam scored his third goal at 18:42 of the third period. . . . Kelowna (47-8-4) leads the overall standings by seven points over Portland. . . . The Americans (27-27-6) are eighth in the Western Conference, two points ahead of the Prince George Cougars. Tri-City holds three games in hand. . . .

In Spokane, F Shane Danyluk scored two second-period goals to spark the Prince Albert Raiders to a 4-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . Danyluk, who turned 20 on Jan. 19, is from Salmon Arm, B.C. He was playing in his 236th regular-season game and has 23 goals. This was his third career two-goal game. . . . Raiders G Cole Cheveldave stopped 36 shots. . . . D Dakota Conroy also had two goals for the visitors, his second, No. 24 this season, into an empty net at 17:29 of the third. . . . Raiders F Chance Braid had two assists. . . . The Raiders (28-28-4) moved into a tie with Red Deer for the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Chiefs (34-21-5) are a comfortable fifth in the Western Conference.
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From WHL Facts (@WHLFacts): “15 - With tonight's victory, the @WHLKootenayICE have guaranteed themselves a 15th straight .500+ season... A new WHL record (KAM 1982-96).”
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Also from WHL Facts: “7 - After tonight's loss, the @TCAmericans’ WHL record-tying streak of 7 consecutive 40+ win seasons will come to an end this year.”

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Saturday, February 1, 2014

Goaltender credited with a snipe; Cougars are rolling







D Harlan Pratt (Seattle, Red Deer, Prince Albert, Regina, Portland, 1994-99) has signed with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga West). Last season, with Alba Volan Székesfehérvár (Hungary, Austria Erste Bank Liga), Pratt had 28 points, seven of them goals, in 53 games. . . .
G Ian Gordon (Swift Current, Saskatoon, 1992-95) has signed with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga West) as a precautionary third goalie. Last season, Gordon was with Ingolstadt, going 2.49 and .909 in 33 games. He presently is the goaltending coach with the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL). . . .
(Note: Frankfurt’s signings of Pratt and Gordon are both as precautions. The signing deadline in Germany was Friday if a player is to be eligible to play this season. . . . Frankfurt’s record this season is 34-0-0, with one overtime victory. It has scored 267 goals and allowed 60 as it pushes for promotion to DEL2 for next season. . . . Frankfurt’s GM is Rich Chernomaz (Saskatoon, Victoria Cougars, 1979-83). Chernomaz also was the head coach of Hungary at WJC D2 this season.)
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BCHLIn the MJHL, the Selkirk Steelers’ franchise-record winning streak ended at 20 games as they dropped a 5-4 shootout decision to the host Portage Terriers on Saturday night. The Steelers tied the MJHL’s single-season record on Friday night, beating the Steinbach Pistons 3-2, and now share that mark with the 2012-13 Dauphin Kings, who also put together a 20-game winning streak.
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G Chris Driedger of the Calgary Hitmen, who was credited with a goal on Saturday night, set a franchise record in the first period of Friday’s 7-4 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. During that period, he made his 3,375th career save, breaking the record that had been held by Martin Jones (2006-10). . . . Jones now is with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.
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Neate Sager has more right here on the Friday night fisticuffs between F Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice and D Josh Morrissey of the Prince Albert Raiders. As Sager points out, not only was it the first bout of Reinhart’s WHL career, but he had spent only 65 seconds in the penalty box to that point in the entire season.
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If you are in the market for a major junior team, the Sarnia Observer reports that the OHL’s Sarnia Sting franchise is for sale. That story is right here.
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TODAY’S WHL GAMES (all times local):
None scheduled. Hey, it’s Super Bowl Sunday. Enjoy! . . . Despite my respect for Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning, I’ve got the swaggering Seattle Seahawks, by three.
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SATURDAY'S WHL GAMES:
F Chandler Stephenson had a goal and two assists and was plus-4 as he led the host Regina Pats to a 5-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Stephenson has 24 goals. . . . The Pats are 7-0 against the Warriors this season. . . . F Jack Rodewald, a former Regina skater, had both Moose Jaw goals, giving him 16. . . . Regina G Daniel Wapple stopped 33 shots. . . . The victory lifted Regina (27-21-5) to within one point of the fifth-place Swift Current Broncos in the Eastern Conference. . . . The Warriors (13-31-8) are 10th in the conference. . . .

In Swift Current, F Troy Bourke scored twice and added an assist to help the Prince George Cougars to a 6-2 victory over the Broncos. . . . It was the sixth game in nine nights in the East Division for the Cougars, who lost the first two and then won four in a row. . . . Bourke has 19 goals this season. He also has a career-high 57 points in 52 games, one more than he scored in 71 games in 2011-12. . . . F Klarc Wilson also scored twice for the Cougars; he’s got 22. . . . Cougars F Todd Fiddler had two assists. . . . Prince George G Adam Beukeboom turned aside 38 shots in evening his record at 3-3-0. . . . Broncos F Nate Burns scored his 20th goal. He’s got 14 points, including four goals, in 12 games since moving from Saskatoon in a January deal. On the season, he has 57 points in 52 games. . . . The Cougars (22-26-7) are six points out of the last Western Conference playoff spot. . . . The Broncos (26-19-8) are one point behind the fourth-place Medicine Hat Tigers in the Eastern Conference. . . .

F Rihards Bukarts scored twice to help the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings to a 4-1 victory over the Blades in Saskatoon. . . . Bukarts, who served a one-game suspension earlier in the week, has 21 goals. . . . The Wheat Kings halted a three-game losing streak as they played their fourth game in in a five-night road swing. . . . Brandon D Rene Hunter and F Tim McGauley each had two assists. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 33 shots. . . . The Wheaties were 2-for-9 on the PP; the Blades were 0-for-5. . . . The Blades had F Ty Mappin in their lineup as they brought him in from the AJHL’s Olds Grizzlys. They had acquired Mappin at the trade deadline, getting him from the Everett Silvertips for a conditional seventh-round 2015 bantam draft pick. He was the seventh overall selection in the 2011 bantam draft. . . . The Wheat Kings (27-19-6) are tied with Swift Current atop the East Division, but more victories (27-26) puts them in first place. . . . The Blades (14-36-4) are 11th in the 12-team Eastern Conference. . . .

In Cranbrook, G Chris Driedger of the Calgary Hitmen was credited with the game’s first goal, but the Kootenay Ice came back to score a 5-2 victory. . . . Driedger is the sixth goaltender in WHL history to be credited with a goal, the first since Jordan McLaughlin of the Prince George Cougars scored against the Vancouver Giants on March 5, 2003. The other goaltenders with goals -- Jason Clague, Red Deer Rebels, March 28, 1994; Jeff Calvert, Tacoma Rockets, Dec. 29, 1992; Chris Osgood, Medicine Hat Tigers, Jan. 3, 1991; and, Olaf Kolzig, Tri-City Americans, Nov. 29, 1989. . . . Driedger was credited with the goal when he was the last Calgary player to touch the puck before the Ice scored an own goal in trying to move the puck back to the point in the offensive zone while a delayed penalty was waiting to be called. . . . The Hitmen led this one 2-0 at 5:54 of the first period, but gave up the game’s last five goals. . . . F Tim Bozon scored twice for the Ice, giving him 23, while F Austin Vetterl got his ninth and 10th. . . . Ice F Sam Reinhart had three assists, running his point streak to 10 games. . . . Ice F Luke Philp had his 12-game point streak halted. . . . Kootenay’s last two goals came into an empty Calgary net. . . . The Ice (27-21-4) is 7-2-1 in its last 10 and is seventh in an awfully tight Eastern Conference where six teams are separated by four points. . . . The Hitmen (32-14-6) are five points behind the Central Division-leading Edmonton Oil Kings. . . .

In Red Deer, F Brian Williams had a goal and two assists as the Tri-City Americans doubled the Rebels, 4-2. . . . Williams has 33 goals. . . . Tri-City G Eric Comrie stopped 27 shots in running his record to 23,17-5. He has a 2.29 GAA with a .932 save percentage. . . . The Americans were 1-for-9 on the PP; the Rebels were 2-for-8. . . . Americans D Josh Thrower was tossed at 18:41 of the first period with a headshot major. . . . The Americans (26-22-5) are eighth in the Western Conference, three points behind the Everett Silvertips. . . . The Rebels (27-22-3) own the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot. They are one point behind Kootenay and eight up on the Prince Albert Raiders. . . .

In Medicine Hat, the Edmonton Oil Kings ran their winning streak to eight games with a 5-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . F Mitch Moroz scored twice for Edmonton, giving him 29 goals this season and tying him for the team led with F Curtis Lazar, who had one goal. . . . Edmonton D Cody Corbett drew three assists. . . . F Curtis Valk of the Tigers scored the game’s first goal, his 28th. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 25 shots. He’s now 33-11-1, 2.28, .912. . . . The Oil Kings have won 14 of their last 15 games. . . . The Oil Kings (37-13-1) lead the Eastern Conference. . . . The Tigers (29-19-3) are fourth, one point ahead of Brandon and Swift Current. . . .

In Portland, G Brendan Burke put up his second shutout in as many nights as the Winterhawks ran their winning streak to 10 games with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Burke stopped 16 shots in posting his third shutout this season. . . . One night earlier, he beat the visiting Spokane Chiefs, 6-0. . . . Seattle G Taran Kozun turned aside 46 shots as his record slipped to 7-1-0 since he was acquired from the Kamloops Blazers at the trade deadline. . . . The Winterhawks held a 22-2 edge in shots in the second period. . . . Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal, his 37th, and an assist. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot had two assists. . . . Seattle F Keegan Kolesar drew a fighting major and game misconduct when he tried to scrap with an unwilling Brendan Leipsic. On Dec. 17, Leipsic drew a match penalty and a seven-game suspension for a hit that left Kolesar with a concussion. . . . Portland was 2-for-8 on the PP as it received the game’s first seven man-advantage situations. . . . Seattle was 0-for-2. . . . The Winterhawks have outscored the opposition 53-13 during its 10-game winning streak. This is their second 10-game win streak this season; they won 11 straight from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2. . . . Seattle F Branden Troock returned to the lineup after not having played since Jan. 4. . . . Portland (36-12-5) is 10 points behind the Western Conference-leading Kelowna Rockets. . . . Seattle (32-16-5), which is 8-2-0 in its last 10, is fourth, two points in back of the Victoria Royals. . . .

In Everett, F Ivan Nikolishin scored his 13th goal, via the PP, at 4:24 of OT to give the Silvertips a 5-4 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Everett had lost its last six games. . . . Spokane F Mitch Holmberg had forced OT with his WHL-leading 47th goal at 8:34 of the third. . . . Injuries limited Everett to 16 skaters, two under the maximum. . . . Everett F Kohl Bauml had a goal, his 12th, and two assists, while F Josh Winquist scored his 33rd goal and set up two others. . . . Spokane F Mike Aviani completed a three-game WHL suspension for a headshot on Kamloops D Connor Clouston on Tuesday. . . . Spokane got two goals from F Colton Bobyk, who now has four on the season. . . . Each team used both of its goaltenders in this one. . . . Everett (26-19-8) is seventh in the Western Conference, a point behind the Vancouver Giants and three ahead of Tri-City. . . .

In Kelowna, F Myles Bell scored four times and added two assists as the Rockets dumped the Kamloops Blazers, 7-3. . . . With the victory, the Rockets became the first WHL team to clinch a playoff spot. They have 20 regular-season games remaining. . . . One night earlier, in Kamloops, Bell had two goals and an assist in a 4-2 Kelowna victory. . . . On the season, Bell has 61 points, including 35 goals, in 50 games. . . . F Collin Shirley scored twice for Kamloops; he’s got 10. . . . D Austin Douglas scored his first WHL goal for Kamloops. It came in his 22nd game, the first 13 of which were played with Seattle. . . . The Rockets were 2-for-3 on the PP; on Friday night, they were 3-for-5. . . . Kelowna is 7-0-0 against Kamloops this season and has a 34-14 edge in goals. . . . The Blazers hadn’t scored more than two goals in any of the first six games. . . . The Rockets (42-7-3) lead the overall standings by 10 points over Portland. . . . The Blazers (11-37-5) won’t make the playoffs. . . .

D Joe Hicketts scored 36 seconds into OT to give the host Victoria Royals a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . One night earlier, the Giants had beaten the Royals 5-4 in a shootout. . . . Hicketts, who returned to the lineup Friday for the first time since Oct. 26, has five goals this season. He had two assists in his return Friday after missing 34 games. . . . Vancouver erased a 2-0 deficit and forced OT on goals by F Cain Franson, his 20th at 15:10 of the second, and F Ty Ronning, his sixth at 6:22 of the third. . . . Victoria F Logan Nelson had a goal, his 16th, and an assist. . . . F Ben Walker got his 20th goal of the season for the Royals. . . . Attendance was 7,006 on a Pink the Rink night. . . . The Royals (34-16-3) are third in the Western Conference, six points behind Portland and two ahead of Seattle. . . . The Giants (26-19-9) are sixth.
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From Thom Beuning (@ThomBeuning), the radio voice of the Seattle Thunderbirds: “After starting 0-3, @SeattleTbirds finish January 10-4. Last time they had double digit wins in a month, 6 years ago, February 2008 (10-4).”
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From Kootenay Ice G Mackenzie Skapski (@Skaps29): “Got absolutely sniped by @ChrisDriedger. Yes. I repeat. I got sniped by the other teams goalie.... #scoring machine.”

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