MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM TAKING NOTE
While I quite enjoy Christmas music, this one right here has come to be a favourite over recent years. It’s The Pogues, featuring Kirsty MacColl, with . . . Fairytale of New York.
———
 |
It is generally believed that the Teddy Bear Toss, something that has become such a holiday tradition with so many hockey teams, originated with the Kamloops Blazers. But . . . maybe not. Tal Pinchevsky of ESPN.com has done up a neat feature on the Teddy Bear Toss and he talked to a former Blazers general manager who thinks it all started with the Regina Pats. . . . That piece is right here.
——
Pat Rozek, a member of the Kamloops Blazers’ off-ice officiating crew, has died. He was 64. Rozek was the official scorekeeper at Blazers’ games, the person who visited both head coaches before games and got their lineups and scratches. He had worked as a volunteer off-ice official for more than 25 years and was involved whenever there was a Hockey Canada, CHL or WHL event in the area. He also worked as an off-ice official during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. . . . When the Kamloops Daily News was publishing and I was the writer behind their Christmas Cheer Fund, Rozek always approached me with an envelope full of cash before the Blazers’ last home game prior to Christmas. He enjoyed getting the other off-ice officials involved in contributing to the fund. . . . You can bet his smile will be missed.
——
If you aren’t aware, or even if you are, of the legend of Fred Sasakamoose, you should check it out right here. Marty Klinkenberg of The Globe and Mail takes a look at Sasakamoose, a great Canadian, who survived the tragedy of the native residential schools and went on to play in the NHL. Also, if you ever have the opportunity to hear Sasakamoose tell his story, don’t miss the chance.
——
Richard Deitsch of si.com puts together an annual year-end look at the sports media. This year is no different and this one, as with the previous ones, is well worth your time. It is right here.
——
Mark Bomersback, 34, has been hired by the AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm as their head scout and associate general manager. He will work alongside Matt Keillor, who took over as GM/head coach earlier in December. Bomersback played in the AJHL with the Bow Valley/Canmore Egles (1999-2003) and was the league’s MVP in 2002-03. For the past two seasons, he worked as a scout for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
———
Dec. 19 through Monday:
No Games Scheduled.
——
TUESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):
Kamloops at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.
Lethbridge vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.
Calgary at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.
Saskatoon at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Red Deer, 7 p.m.
Brandon at Regina, 7 p.m.
Spokane vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Moose Jaw at Swift Current, 7 p.m.
Portland vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.
Prince George at Victoria, 7:05 p.m.
There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.
The Vancouver Giants have added D Jeff Rayman, 20, to their roster after claiming him off waivers from the Tri-City Americans. They placed him on waivers last week after acquiring G Rylan Parenteau, 20, from the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Rayman, from Fernie, B.C., had a goal and seven assists in 86 games over two seasons (2013-15) with the Spokane Chiefs. He had three goals and two assists in 54 games with the Americans last season, and was pointless in seven games this season. . . . With the Giants, he joins F Thomas Foster and Russian D Dmitry Osipov as the 20-year-olds. . . . The Giants, who have won four in a row, all on the road, next play Wednesday when the Saskatoon Blades come calling to Langley, B.C.
tonight in Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum. . . . The teams shared a charter flight back to Portland following last night’s game. . . . Each of these teams has played on back-to-back nights in these playoffs. But neither team has played back-to-back in different cities. . . . The Winterhawks overcame 3-0 and 5-2 deficits to force extra time. . . . Iverson won it with his fourth goal of the playoffs, tipping in a shot by F Dominic Turgeon. . . . Portland D Derrick Pouliot, who had a goal and two assists, forced OT with his fifth goal at 11:14 of the third period. . . . The Oil Kings led 3-0 after one period, thanks to two goals from F Henrik Samuelsson, who has eight goals, six of them in the final, and one from F Edgars Kulda. . . . The Winterhawks cut into that lead in the second period, getting goals from D Mathew Dumba, on the PP, and D Anton Cederholm. . . . Edmonton got both those goals back before the period ended, with F Curtis Lazar scoring at 13:57 and Kulda getting his 10th at 14:46. . . . Dumba got the Portland comeback started with his eighth goal, via the PP, at 2:57 of the third. . . . D Keoni Texeira added his second goal at 6:09, setting the stage for Pouliot’s tying goal. . . . If you’re counting, Portland got its first five goals from defencemen. . . . Pouliot has 32 points, tying him for the playoff scoring lead with teammate Oliver Bjorkstrand. Bjorkstrand leads in goals (15); Pouliot is tops in assists (27). . . . A defenceman has never won a WHL playoff scoring title. . . . F Mitch Moroz and D Dysin Mayo each had two assists for Edmonton. . . . Portland G Corbin Boes surrendered three goals on 10 shots and left after the first period. Brendan Burke came on to stop 28 of 30 shots. . . . Edmonton G Tristan Jarry stopped 35 shots. . . . Portland was 2-for-5 on the PP; Edmonton was 1-for-4. . . . The last time the WHL’s championship series went seven games was two seasons ago. The Oil Kings beat the visiting Winter hawks 4-1 in Game 7. . . . 
F Igor Valeev (Lethbridge, Saskatoon, Swift Current, 1998-2000) has been reassigned by Traktor Chelyabinsk (Russia, KHL) to Chelmet Chelyabinsk. Valeev will be captain of Chelmet (Vysshaya Liga). This season, he was pointless in six games with Traktor, after putting up six points, two of them goals, in 13 games with Chelmet.
The OHL's Erie Otters had their 11-game winning streak come to an end Sunday afternoon when they dropped a 6-2 decision to the Knights in London. Former WHL player and coach Kris Knoblauch is the head coach of the Otters, who establishd a franchise record with the streak. . . . Meanwhile, the Guelph Storm is on a 10-game winning streak after beating the visiting Sudbury Wolves, 3-1, on Sunday. Here’s Tony Saxon in the Guelph Mercury: “It was the first time in the past nine home games that the Storm has failed to score at least five goals and send the crowd home with free chicken wings as part of an in-house promotion.” . . . The Storm next plays Thursday in London.
In Regina, the Pats scored three first-period goals and went on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors, 3-1. . . . F Boston Leier scored the game's first two goals, giving him 12 on the season. . . . The Pats broke open a scoreless game with three goals in 4:15 in the last five minutes of the period. They scored one at even strength, one on the PP and one shorthanded. . . . After the game, the Pats released veteran G Mac Engel, 20, and acquired D Jesse Zgraggen, 20, from the Calgary Hitmen for a fourth-round pick in the 2014 bantam draft. Zgraggen became available because D Alex Roach, 20, returned to the Hitmen from the Los Angeles Kings organization. . . . Zgraggen was acquired by Calgary from the Victoria Royals last season. This season, he had eight points, one of them a goal, in 16 games with the Hitmen. . . . Engel wasn't eligible to play yesterday because he and Pats F Dyson Stevenson are awaiting suspension news from the WHL office for their roles in some antics late in Friday's 8-1 loss to the host Prince Albert Raiders. . . . Regina did have F Connor Gay back in the lineup after he missed four games with a brain injury. . . . With Engel suspended, Regina had Braven MacPherson of the junior B Regina Capitals on the bench in support of G Dawson MacAuley. . . .
In Lethbridge, F Jayce Hawryluk enjoyed his second consecutive three-goal game as the Brandon Wheat Kings dumped the Hurricanes, 6-2. . . . Hawryluk, who has nine goals, also had an assist. He has eight points, including six goals, in two games since being a healthy scratch. In 17 games, he has 19 points. . . . The Wheat Kings finished their road swing at 2-4. They are 9-9-0 overall. . . . The Hurricanes have played 18 games, meaning they are at the one-quarter pole, and have only two victories. . . . Lethbridge F Tyler Wong, who had five goals in 54 games as a freshman last season, scored once. He now has 15 points, including eight goals, in 18 games. . . .With G Curtis Honey out with an undisclosed injury, Brandon again had Jason Hadaller on the bench backing up Jordan Papirny. Hadaller, 16, is from Seattle and is the first player out of Everett Youth Hockey to dress for a WHL game. . . . Lethbridge G Corbin Boes, who was acquired over the summer from Brandon, went the distance with 27 saves. . . .
In Calgary, the Edmonton Oil Kings opened a five-game road trip with a 4-2 victory over the Hitmen. . . . The Oil Kings scored the game's last three goals, including one from F Curtis Lazar, who has 11 snipes this season. . . . Edmonton D Cody Corbett had two assists in his first game after not playing since Oct. 11 because of an undisclosed injury. . . . D Alex Roach, 20, played his first game with the Hitmen after being returned by the NHL's Los Angeles Kings. . . . Calgary D Jaynen Rissling scored his fifth goal of the season in his 17th game. That equals his output in each of his previous three seasons, in 61, 55 and 67 games. . . .
In Cranbrook, the Tri-City Americans scored the game's last two goals to beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-2. . . . F Brian Williams broke a 2-2 tie with his 13th goal at 10:21 of the third period and F Marcus Messier later added an empty-netter. . . . Tri-City's Comrie Connection struck again, too. G Eric Comrie stopped 30 shots, while younger brother Ty scored his second goal in as many games. . . . F Parker Bowles had three assists for the Americans, giving him five points in three games since he came off the injured list. . . . The attendance was announced at 1,987. Ice owner/GM Jeff Chynoweth confirmed that it's the smallest crowd in Kootenay franchise history. . . . The Americans went 2-0-1 as they played three games in as many nights in the Central Division.
Posts
