Rockets headed to final . . . Portland's Drive for Five ends . . . Santa Claus dies in Philly

SUNDAY’S GAME:

In Portland, the Kelowna Rockets erased a 3-0 first-period deficit and went on to beat the Winterhawks, 8-4. . . . The Rockets won the Western Conference final, 4-2, closing it out with three straight victories. . . . Kelowna will travel to Brandon to open the WHL championship final for the Ed Chynoweth Cup with games on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . The final will be played using a 2-3-2 format. . . . The Rockets last appeared in

the WHL final in the spring of 2009 when they beat the Calgary Hitmen in six games. . . . The Winterhawks were attempting to reach their fifth straight WHL final. . . . Portland led 3-0 before the first period was 14 minutes old, on goals from F Chase De Leo, his sixth, D Adam Henry (5) and De Leo, again. . . . De Leo drew an assist on Henry’s goal, for a three-point period. . . . D Madison Bowey scored his first of two goals to get the Rockets on the board at 14:45 of the first. . . . Kelowna F Dillon Dube, with his third, at 4:12, and Bowey, with a shorthanded goal, at 12:18, got the Rockets even. . . . Bowey has seven goals in these playoffs. . . . F Tyson Baillie gave Kelowna its first lead with his ninth goal, at 6:58 of the third. . . . Portland D Layne Viveiros tied it with his first goal at 8:12. . . . The Rockets then took control with goals from F Justin Kirkland, his second, at 10:35 and F Cole Linaker, his fourth, at 12:18. . . . Dube added his second of the game into an empty net with 1:32 to play and F Chance Braid got another empty-netter, his third goal of the playoffs, before game’s end. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle, the first start in Games 4 and 5, got the hook after being beaten three times on eight shots. Michael Herringer came on to earn the victory, stopping 30 of 31 shots. . . . Portland G Adin Hill made 34 saves. . . . Baillie, F Gage Quinney, F Nick Merkley and D Cole Martin each had two assists for the Rockets. Martin was plus-5. . . . Dube added an assist to his two goals. . . . Portland F Nic Petan set a WHL record by playing in his 88th career playoff game. F Shay Stephenson (Red Deer, 2000-04) had held the record, at 87. . . . Petan had two assists as he set a franchise record by running his playoff point streak to 17 games. The previous record (16) was set by F Brendan Leipsic last season. . . . F Paul Bittner had two assists for Portland, while De Leo added one to his two goals. . . . Each team was 0-for-3 on the PP. . . . Attendance was 8,490. . . . Hodges Heroes has a look right here at some of the numbers and other things from Friday’s Game 5.
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The Brandon Wheat Kings and Kelowna Rockets, the WHL’s two best teams in the regular season, will play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup. . . . That series will follow a 2-3-2 format, opening with games in Brandon on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . The Wheat Kings have home-ice advantage because they finished with 114 regular-season points (53-11-8), while the Rockets had 112 (53-13-6). . . . The last time the top two regular-season teams met in the WHL final was 2003 when the Rockets (51-14-7) beat the Red Deer Rebels (50-17-5) in six games. . . . Cody Nickolet points out via Twitter that “Brandon and Kelowna were also the top two WHL teams in goal differential during the regular season, too. Kelowna +122, Brandon +121.” . . . Each of Brandon’s three playoff series has gone five games; Kelowna has played a four, a five and a six, in that order. . . . The Wheat Kings and Rockets met once this season, with Kelowna skating to a 6-1 victory at home on Oct. 25. F Nick Merkley had a goal and three assists in that one. . . . Going into the final, Portland F Nic Petan leads all playoff scorers with 28 points, two more than Calgary F Adam Tambellini. . . . Petan and Merkley lead in assists (18), while Tambellini and Portland F Oliver Bjorkstrand each had 13 goals. . . . Kelowna F Leon Draisaitl, who had one assist last night, is the leading active scorer, with 21 points. He had points in 13 of Kelowna’s 15 games. . . . F John Quenneville is Brandon’s top scorer, with 19 points.
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During the first intermission of Sunday’s game, Regan Bartel, the play-by-play voice of the Kelowna Rockets, played an interview with Richard Doerksen, the WHL’s vice-president, hockey. One of the topic of conversations dealt with the use of cut-resistant socks in the WHL. This comes after Rockets F Tyrell Goulborne needed surgery to repair damage to his left calf after he suffered a skate cut during Game 5 of their series with the Portland Winterhawks on Friday night. . . . Doerksen told Bartel that the wearing of such socks has been discussed but that it is up to individual teams and players whether players wear them. . . . Shortly after the interview played, Greg Mayer, the Regina Pats’ athletic therapist, tweeted: “It's mandatory for all Pats players to wear cut resistant socks. Saved two players this year from Achilles' tendon injuries!” . . . And then Rogan Dean, the Edmonton Oil Kings’ head equipment manager, tweeted: “It's mandatory for everybody to wear them on the @EdmOilKings also. Has saved many players the last few years. #Kevlar.”
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It was in December 1968 when fans of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles booed Santa Claus. Seriously! Well, Frank Olivo, the man who was Santa Claus that day, has died. There is more right here.
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In the OHL, the Oshawa Generals beat the host North Bay Battalion 2-1 on Sunday to win that semifinal series, 4-2. . . . The Generals will meet the Erie Otters in the OHL final. . . . The QMJHL final features the Rimouski Oceanic and Quebec Remparts. Both of those teams are in the Memorial Cup because the Remparts are the host team.
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Rob Sandrock, who played in the WHL with the Spokane Chiefs, Swift Current Broncos, Medicine Hat Tigers and Kelowna Rockets (1994-99), is working to acquire a junior B franchise in the Kootenay International junior league for his hometown of Williams Lake, B.C. The Williams Lake Tribune has more right here.
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.sittin w PDX media legends @kerryeggers @dwightjaynes and Scooter Vrooman @pdxwinterhawks game 6 vs @kelownarockets pic.twitter.com/hWv7TQLcqg

— ron callan (@roncallan) May 3, 2015

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Wheat Kings into final . . . Rockets one win away . . . Rochester needs a coach

 

FRIDAY’S GAMES:

In Brandon, the Wheat Kings advanced to the WHL final with an 8-2 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Brandon won the series 4-1 to reach the championship series for the first time since the spring of 2005. . . . Brandon has won each of its three playoff series this spring in five games, taking out the Edmonton Oil Kings and Regina Pats

before Calgary. . . . The series for the Ed Chynoweth Cup will open in Brandon with games on Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9. . . . The Wheat Kings outscored the Hitmen 29-13 in the five games, twice scoring eight goals and once getting nine. . . . For the second game in a row, the Wheat Kings broke it open with five goals in the second period. In Game 4, Brandon scored five times in 10:25. Last night, it was five times in 6:48. . . . The Hitmen took a 1-0 lead into the second period after F Pavel Karnaukhov scored his sixth goal, on the PP, at 17:22. . . . Brandon D Eric Roy tied it with his third goal at 8:35 of the second and D Ryan Pilon, with his first goal, put the Wheaties out front at 9:41. . . . Brandon F Nolan Patrick got his seventh goal 10 seconds later and the home team was off and running. . . . Brandon F Jayce Hawryluk scored twice, giving him 10, and added two assists, while F John Quenneville also scored twice, giving him 10. Patrick added two assists to his goal, and F Rihards Bukarts drew three assists. . . . Calgary F Adam Tambellini scored his 13th goal. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny turned aside 31 shots. . . . The Hitmen opened with Mack Shields in goal, after Brendan Burke had started the previous three games. . . . Shields surrendered three goals on 18 shots before Burke came on to give up four on 15. . . . Brandon F Tim McGauley scored his sixth goal, a shorthanded effort, into an empty net at 15:24 of the third. . . . Brandon was 2-for-3 on the PP; Calgary was 1-for-3. . . . The referees were Brett Iverson and Sean Raphael. . . . Attendance was 5,337. . . . Laurence Heinen wrote this game story for the Calgary Herald.

In Kelowna, F Tyson Baillie scored at 14:55 of OT to give the Rockets a 2-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Rockets lead the Western Conference final, 3-2. They’ll play Game 6 in Portland’s Moda Center on Sunday. . . . Each team now is 3-1 in OT in these playoffs. . . . Despite giving up the winner, Portland G Adin Hill almost stole the show in OT. Kelowna had a 20-4 edge in shots in extra time. . . . Hill finished with 47

saves, five more than Kelowna’s Jackson Whistle. . . . Baillie’s eighth goal, and his second OT goal this spring, came off some good work by F Dillon Dube, a 16-year-old from Cochrane, Alta. . . . Baillie also scored the OT goal, 58 seconds into extra time, in Game 2 against the Victoria Royals. . . . Riley Stadel, a defenceman who has been turned into a forward due to Kelowna’s injury situation, scored the game’s first goal at 17:35 of the first period. . . . Portland F Nic Petan ran his point streak to 16 games with the game-tying goal at 16:27 of the third period. He’s got 10 goals. . . . That 16-game streak tied the franchise record set a year ago by F Brendan Leipsic. . . . Petan also tied the WHL record for most career playoff games. This was his 87th game — it’s the fifth season in a row in which the Winterhawks have played into May. He now shares the record with F Shay Stephenson (Red Deer, 2000-04). . . . In four seasons, Stephenson played in 22, 23, 23 and 19 playoff games. Petan has played in 7, 22, 21, 21 and 16 games. . . . Kelowna was 0-for-2 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-1. . . . The referees were Adam Byblow and Steve Papp. . . . The Rockets had F Justin Kirkland back after a two-game absence with an apparent illness. The Rockets haven’t said if it was an upper- or lower-body illness. . . . Kelowna lost F Tyrell Goulbourne in the second period after he checked Portland F Keegan Iverson. Goulbourne left the ice immediately and may have suffered a skate cut to his left leg. . . . One fan who was seated near Kelowna’s bench tweeted that Goulbourne “was screaming in pain as he got on the bench.” . . . Attendance was 6,261. . . . Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier has a game story right here.
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In the OHL, the host Oshawa Generals bounced the North Bay Battalion 4-1 to take a 3-2 lead in that semifinal series. Oshawa F Cole Cassels had a goal and an assist. They’ll play Game 6 in North Bay on Sunday. . . . The Erie Otters lead the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-2 in the other series. They’ll meet in Game 6 tonight in Erie.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The Buffalo Sabres have fired Chadd Cassidy, who was the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. He had been head coach since February 2013, taking over from Ron Rolston, when the latter was promoted to the Sabres. . . . The Americans went 29-41-6 this season and didn’t make the playoffs. . . . The announcement was made by Sabres general manager Tim Murray. According to Kevin Oklobzija of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle: “The Sabres organization did not make Murray available to explain why he fired Cassidy, whose contract expires at the end of the season. They have not made Murray available since the Amerks season ended on April 17.” . . . Oklobzija also wrote: “Assistant coaches Chris Taylor, John Wroblewski and Bob Janosz weren't mentioned in the news release so it is not known if they will be retained.”
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Incredible night in Brandon yet again! The #BWK have advanced to the #WHL Finals for the first time in 10 years! pic.twitter.com/ApGnvgoVaA

— Brandon Wheat Kings (@bdnwheatkings) May 2, 2015

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Wheaties one win from final . . . Rockets pull even with 'Hawks . . . Howse is coach of year

F Dustin Cameron (Saskatoon, Prince Albert, 2004-10) has signed a one-year contract with Bad Nauheim (Germany, DEL2). This season, with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, DEL2), he had 19 goals and 31 assists in 51 games. He led his team in goals, assists and points. . . .
F Danis Zaripov (Swift Current, 1998-99) has signed a two-year extension with Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Russia, KHL). This season, in 60 games, he had 64 points, including 24 goals. An alternate captain, he was third in the league’s scoring race.
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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:

In Calgary, the Brandon Wheat Kings struck for five second-period goals as they ran away with a 8-3 victory over the Hitmen. . . . The Wheat Kings lead the Eastern Conference final 3-1 and get their first chance to wrap it up at home on Friday night. . . . The Wheat Kings have outscored the Hitmen 21-11 in the four games. . . . Last night, Calgary F Layne Bensmiller’s first WHL playoff goal gave his side a 1-0 lead at 13:46 of the first period. . . . That goal also gave the Hitmen their first lead of the series; they won Game 3 in OT. . .

. However, the Wheat Kings scored the game’s next five goals. . . . Brandon F John Quenneville tied it with his eighth goal, as he tipped home a point shot by D Reid Gow at 19:00 of the first. . . . F Jayce Hawrylyk (8), F Braylon Shmyr (3), F Morgan Klimchuk (2) and F Nolan Patrick (6) scored in a span of 9:10 as the visitors took control. . . . Shmyr and Klimchuk both are from Calgary, while Klimchuk was a first-round selection by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2013 draft. . . . Klimchuk’s goal resulted in a goaltending change for Calgary, with Mack Shields replacing Brendan Burke. The Wheat Kings then scored on each of their first two shots on Shields. . . . Calgary F Pavel Karnaukhov got his fifth goal at 15:58 of the second period, cutting the Brandon lead to 5-2. However, the Wheat Kings got that one back 30 seconds later when F Tyson Coulter scored his fifth goal. . . . By the time it was over, the Wheat Kings had eight separate goal scorers. . . . F Peter Quenneville scored his seventh and added two assists, while Klimchuk added two helpers to his goal, and F Tim McGauley drew two assists. . . . Hawryluk and F John Quenneville each had a goal and an assist. . . . D Jake Bean and D Travis Sanheim each had two assists for Calgary. . . . On the PP while trailing 7-3, Calgary put Burke on the bench for the extra attacker with more than seven minutes left in the third period. Brandon D Colton Waltz hit the empty net for his first WHL playoff goal at 12:49. . . . If you are looking for a key, it may have been each team’s PP. Calgary was 0-for-3 on the PP when Brandon scored on its first PP, that goal coming from Hawryluk at 6:03 of the second period. . . . Brandon was 2-for-4 on the PP; Calgary was 1-for-7. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny stopped 28 shots. . . . Brandon scored eight goals on 30 shots. . . . The Wheat Kings again scratched, among others, D Kale Clague, F Reid Duke and F Tanner Kaspick. . . . The Hitmen were again without F Chase Lang, F Connor Rankin and F Jake Virtanen. Virtanen served Game 3 of a three-game suspension for a hit on Kaspick in Game 1. . . . Calgary F Elliott Peterson left in the third period after absorbing a hit from Brandon F John Quenneville. . . . The referees were Matt Kirk and Steve Papp. . . . The attendance was 5,672. . . . Laurence Heinen wrote this game story for the Calgary Herald.

In Portland, F Tyrell Goulbourne’s first goal of these playoffs stood up as the winner as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Winterhawks, 3-2. . . . The series is tied 2-2. . . . Game 5 is scheduled for Kelowna on Friday night, with Game 6 back in Portland on Sunday. . . . The Rockets held a long team meeting after dropping a 7-3 decision on Tuesday night. . . . Last night, Portland F Chase De Leo opened the scoring with his fifth goal, just 1:12 into the first period. . . . Kelowna scored the game’s next three goals. . . . F Leon Draisaitl tied the score with his sixth goal at 7:50 of the first. . . . F Chance Braid broke the tie

with his second playoff goal, at 2:40 of the second. . . . Goulbourne, who had come up short on two earlier shorthanded breakaways, stretched the lead to 3-1 at 9:16 of the second, on a PP. . . . Portland F Nic Petan ran his point streak to 15 games with his ninth goal at 12:03 of the second. He also set a franchise record by playing in his 86th career playoff game. The previous record had been held by D Derrick Pouliot. . . . Petan is tied with Calgary F Adam Tambellini for the playoff scoring lead, each with 25 points. . . . Portland was presented with a late PP when Kelowna D Madison Bowey took a delay-of-game penalty at 19:04 of the third period. The Winterhawks put G Adin Hill on the bench for the extra attacker but weren’t able to equalize. . . . Rockets F Nick Merkley had two assists, while Draisaitl added an assist to his goal. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle was the game’s first star, with 40 saves, just one night after being yanked. . . . Hill turned aside 25 shots. . . . The Rockets added F Rourke Chartier to their scratches. With him out, perhaps with a shoulder injury, D Mitchell Wheaton checked into the lineup. . . . The Rockets continued to play without F Gage Quinney and F Justin Kirkland. . . . With Chartier out and Wheaton back in, D Devante Stephens moved up to the forward ranks. . . . Kelowna was 1-for-3 on the PP; Portland was 0-for-6. . . . The referees were Jeff Ingram and Brent Iverson. . . . Attendance was 8,629.
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Marty Klyne, a long-time Regina businessman, has joined the Regina Pats as their chief operating officer. According to a news release, Klyne “will be responsible for all facets of the business, focusing on fan experience and operational excellence. His responsibilities include revenue, sales growth, costs and financial goal management.” . . . Klyne is a former publisher and CEO of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Regina Leader-Post. He also was president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation and COO of the Regina Regional Economic Development Authority (now the Regina Regional Opportunities Commission.
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It appears that the Wenatchee Wild be in the BCHL’s Mainland Division when next season gets here. Brian Wiebe, over at Brian’s Banter, has more, including a chart showing the mileage between Wenatchee and the other Mainland Division teams. Keep in mind that the Prince George Spruce Kings are in that division. . . . Brian’s Banter is right here. There also is a link to it over there on the right.
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In the QMJHL, the Rimouski Oceanic blanked the host Val-d’Or Foreurs 6-0 last night to sweep the semifinal series, 4-0. The Oceanic will meet the Quebec Remparts in the championship final. Because the Remparts are the host team for the Memorial Cup, both teams advance to the championship tournament.
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In the OHL, D Stephen Desrocher broke a 2-2 tie at 8:23 of the third period to give the visiting Oshawa Generals a 3-2 victory over the North Bay Battalion. . . . That semifinal is 2-2 with Game 5 in Oshawa on Friday night. . . . The other series, with the Erie Otters holding a 3-1 lead on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, continues tonight in the Soo. Erie has won three straight games in that series.
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Ryan Howse, who starred with the WHL’s Chilliwack Bruins (2007-11), has been named Prince George’s minor hockey coach of the year for his work with a Bantam Tier 2 team. Howse, 23, was a third-round pick by the Calgary Flames in the NHL’s 2009 draft.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The OHL’s Kitchener Rangers have fired head coach Troy Smith, while re-signing general manager Murray Hiebert. . . . Smith’s contract was to expire in July. . . . Hiebert now is signed through 2017-18. . . . The Rangers went 32-26-10 in the regular season, then lost a first-round playoff series to the London Knights in six games. . . . It is believed that assistant coach Mike Van Ryn, a former NHLer, is in the running as the next head coach. The Rangers also are negotiating for the return of Mike McKenzie, another assistant coach.
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The AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats have announced that Gord Thibodeau now is their general manager and head coach. Garry VanHereweghe, who also is a coach with the Bobcats, had been the GM. VanHereweghe stays on as coach and assistant GM. All of this was agreed to when Thibodeau was hired on May 1. . . . The Bobcats also announced that assistant coach Kris Wiebe is returning, as are Curtis Johnson, the strength and conditioning coach, and athletic therapist Jeff Sotkowy. They also have hired Tom Keca as head scout.
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Brent Clarke has resigned as head coach of the Federal Hockey League’s Watertown Wolves, this season’s playoff champions. The Wolves, in their inaugural season, won the regular-season title and went on to win the Commissioner’s Cup. Clarke was named the FHL’s coach of the year.
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If I followed hockey more I'd probably know in advance that I'm about to get all these stupid tweets... Still not a hockey coach.

— Michael T. Babcock (@mikebabcock) March 13, 2015

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'Sudden-Death' Tambellini strikes again . . . 'Hawks romp past Rockets . . . Petan ties franchise mark

F Dustin Johner (Seattle, 1999-2004) has signed a one-year contract with Villach (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). This season, with Västerås (Sweden, Allsvenskan), he had 23 goals and 23 assists in 51 games. He led his team in goals, assists and points, and was fifth in the league’s scoring race. . . .
F Robin Kovář (Vancouver, Regina, 2001-04) has signed a one-year extension with the Manchester Phoenix (England, Premier). This season, he had 30 goals and 46 assists in 48 games. He led the Phoenix in assists and was fifth in the league’s scoring race.
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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

Flames @ferdaddy27 taking in the @WHLHitmen playoff series at the 'Dome Kinda think he's cheering for the Wheat Kings pic.twitter.com/hGm1HSPPfB
— Cayla Spiess (@CaylaSpiess) April 29, 2015

In Calgary, F Adam Tambellini scored twice, the second one at 3:07 of OT, as the Hitmen beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 2-1. . . . The Wheat Kings lead the Eastern Conference final 2-1 with Game 4 in Calgary tonight. . . . They’ll play Game 5 in Brandon on Friday night. . . . Brandon had won Game 2, 3-2, in OT on Saturday night when F

Tyler Coulter scored 51 seconds into extra time. . . . Brandon now is 4-1 in OT. . . . The Hitmen now have played in a franchise record eight OT games in these playoffs. They are 5-3, with Tambellini having scored three of the winners. . . . ‘Sudden-Death’ Tambellini? Why not? You may have heard of ‘Sudden-Death’ Mel Hill. He scored three OT goals in one series, sparking the Boston Bruins to a seven-game victory over the New York Rangers in a Stanley Cup semifinal in the spring of 1939. Hill scored in OT in Games 1, 2 and 7. . . . Interestingly, Hill was from Glenboro, Man., which is a couple of slapshots southeast of Brandon. . . . But we digress. . . . Last night, Brandon F John Quenneville opened the scoring at 4:23 of the second period. The Wheat Kings have scored first in each of the three games in this series. . . . Quenneville has a team-high seven playoff goals. . . . Tambellini tied the game, on a PP, at 10:41 of the third period. . . . His winner came from the high slot after Brandon D Ivan Provorov, who uses a freakishly long stick, lost control of the puck as he came out from behind his net. . . . Tambellini now has 12 goals in these playoffs, one behind Portland Winterhawks F Oliver Bjorkstrand, who leads the WHL. Tambellini leads all skaters with 24 points, one more than Bjorkstrand and Portland F Nic Petan. . . . Calgary G Brendan Burke stopped 33 shots, three more than Brandon’s Jordan Papirny. . . . Calgary was 1-for-3 on the PP; Brandon was 0-for-2. . . . Referees were Chris Schlenker and Reagan Vetter. . . . Brandon has won just two of 10 regular-season games in Calgary over the past five seasons. . . . Brandon now is 4-2 on the road in the playoffs; the Hitmen are 5-3 at home. . . . Calgary F Jake Virtanen sat out the second game of a three-game suspension for a hit on Brandon F Tanner Kaspick in Game 1. . . . Kaspick hasn’t played since absorbing that hit early in the third period. . . . D Kale Clague and F Reid Duke also were among Brandon’s scratches, while the Hitmen were without F Chase Lang and F Connor Rankin. . . . Attendance was 5,387. . . . Laurence Heinen wrote this game story for the Calgary Herald.

In Portland, the Winterhawks scored four PP goals en route to a 7-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . .  Portland leads the Western Conference final 2-1 with Game 4 scheduled for tonight, again in the Moda Center in Portland. . . . The Winterhawks opened a 3-0 lead with two early second-period goals and went on to take a 4-1 lead into the third period where they outscored the visitors, 3-2. . . . F Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals and two assists for Portland. He leads playoff scorers with 13 goals. His 24 points are one shy of

Calgary F Adam Tambellini, who leads in that category. . . . Portland F Nic Petan drew three assists as he ran his point streak to 14 games. He has a WHL-high 16 assists. . . . Petan also played in his 85th post-season game, tying the franchise record that had belonged to D Derrick Pouliot. Petan should break that record tonight. The WHL record (87) belongs to F Shay Stephenson (Red Deer, 2000-04). . . . The Winterhawks got two assists from D Adam Henry, and the other goals from F Dominic Turgeon, his eighth, D Keoni Texeira (1), F Chase De Leo (4), F Alex Schoenborn (3) and F Paul Bittner (4). . . . F Leon Draisaitl (5), F Cole Linaker (3) and F Riley Stadel (2) countered for Kelowna. . . . Stadel, a defenceman by trade, started on a wing with Leon Draisaitl and Tyson Baillie. The latter had two assists. . . . The Rockets scratched F Justin Kirkland, who played the first two games of the series after returning from injury, and F Gage Quinney, who left Game 1 with an undisclosed injury. . . . Portland G Adin Hill turned aside 41 shots. That included a terrific second period in which he stopped 22 of 23 shots. . . . Kelowna starter Jackson Whistle gave up four goals on 18 shots, leaving for Michael Herringer at 13:51 of the second period. Herringer was beaten three times on 22 shots. . . . Portland was 4-for-8 on the PP; Kelowna was 1-for-4. . . . Portland scored three PP goals while Kelowna F Tyrell Goulbourne was in stir. . . . Attendance was 8,510. . . . Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier filed this game story.

Including playoffs, Bjorkstrand has now played a full WHL regular season's worth of games (72). He's scored 76 goals.
— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) April 29, 2015

Leon Draisaitl has not taken a shift in the 3rd period. Rourke Chartier also stapled to bench for #Rockets, said to be "shoulder problem."
— Larry Fisher (@LarryFisher_KDC) April 29, 2015

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D Chad Pietroniro of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar has drawn a 14-game QMJHL suspension for an incident that occurred against the Val-d’Or Foreurs on April 21. From the QMJHL website:
“At the end of the game, both teams start discussing a video that was projected on the giant screen. Two players, including the player at fault, started a fight.
“The linesman broke them up. He then accompanied the player at fault and directed him towards the exit door of the Baie-Comeau bench. The player resisted and then left the ice.
“When both skates had left the ice surface the player turned around and head-butted the linesman, helmet to helmet. A major penalty (code 4.92, category 3) was given to the Baie-Comeau player for physical abuse towards an official.
“The rule is clear in these circumstances, a minimum 20 game suspension should be granted.
“However the Director of Player Safety considered the frustration caused by the inappropriate video, the fact the official wasn’t injured and that the headbutt wasn’t at maximum force when making his decision.”
Pietroniro, who turns 19 on July 8, is from Prescott, Ariz. He had one assist in 19 regular-season games with the Drakkar. Last season, he had one assist in seven games with the Foreurs.
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The Everett Silvertips have had a couple of list players commit to NCAA schools. . . . D Myles Cunningham, a 17-year-old from Minneapolis, has said he will attend Brown University in Providence, R.I. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder played this season at Blake School, a prep school in Hopkins, Minn. . . . G Dayton Rasmussen, a 16-year-old from Eden Prairie, Minn., is off to Denver U. Rasmussen, 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, played this season for the Colorado Thunderbirds U-16 side.
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In the QMJHL, the host Quebec Remparts dumped the Moncton Wildcats 7-0 to sweep that semifinal series, 4-0. . . . F Kurt Etchegary had three goals and two assists, with F Anthony Duclair picking up a goal and four assists. . . . G Zach Fucale stopped 25 shots for the shutout. In his last nine starts, he is 9-0 with a .935 save percentage. . . . The Remparts, the host team for the Memorial Cup, will face either the Rimouski Oceanic or Val-d’Or Foreurs in the final. Last night, in Val-d’Or, the Oceanic won 4-2 to take a 3-0 lead. They’ll play again tonight in Val-d’Or. . . .

In the OHL, F Nick Baptiste had four goals and F Connor McDavid drew four assists as the host Erie Otters beat the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 7-5. Erie leads that series 3-1 as it returns to the Soo for Game 5 on Thursday. . . . McDavid has 14 points in the first four games of the semifinal. In  13 playoff games, he’s got 18 goals and 17 assists. . . . In last night’s other game, F Ryan Kujawinski scored at 10:28 of OT to give the host North Bay Battalion a 2-1 victory over the Oshawa Generals. The Battalion has a 2-1 lead going into Game 4 tonight in North Bay.
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THE COACHING GAME:

The QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders have fired head coach Gordie Dwyer, never mind that the team won its first playoff series in 11 years. The Islanders won a first-round series from the Sherbrooke Phoenix in six games, than was swept by the Quebec Remparts, who will play host to this season’s Memorial Cup. Dwyer, 37, had been there for four seasons.
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Congratulations to @BCHockey_Source Referee Brett Iverson on his Gold Medal Assignment at the World U18 tournament pic.twitter.com/83g9hrAM01
— BCHockeyOfficials (@BCHockey_Refs) April 27, 2015

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