Steel, Brooks spark Pats . . . Zborosky, Ice calm Hurricanes . . . Steenbergen, Broncos drop Warriors

TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Kelowna, F Conner Bruggen-Cate’s second goal of the season, an empty-netter, was the winner as

CONNER BRUGGEN-CATE

the Rockets beat the Kamloops Blazers, 3-2. . . . F Collin Shirley’s 15th goal had given the Blazers the lead at 2:12 of the first period. . . . Kelowna F Kole Lind tied with when he scored No. 20, on a PP, at 17:29. . . . The Rockets took their first lead when F Nolan Foote got No. 8, on a PP, at 5:00 of the second period. . . . Bruggen-Cate scored his empty-netter, at 19:17 of the third period. . . . Kamloops F Erik Miller then got his third goal of the season, at 19:35. . . . F Nick Merkley had two assists for the Rockets. . . . G Michael Herringer stopped 30 shots for the Rockets, while Dylan Ferguson also stopped 30 for Kamloops. . . . Kelowna was 2-6 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . The Rockets (23-12-2) have points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . Kamloops (21-14-2) is third in the B.C. Division, four points behind Kelowna. . . . D Kaedan Korczak, 15, made his WHL debut with the Rockets. From Yorkton, Sask., the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder has six goals and 12 assists in 26 games with the midget AAA Yorkton Maulers. He was the 11th overall selection in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. . . . Kamloops F Luc Smith, who was acquired from the Regina Pats on Tuesday, wasn’t in the Blazers’ lineup. He flew into Kelowna but didn’t get there in time to play. . . . Announced attendance: 6,238.

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At Cranbrook, B.C., F Zak Zborosky struck for three goals to lead the Kootenay Ice to a 6-4 victory over

ZAC ZBOROSKY

the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . It was Zborosky’s second career hat trick. He also had one last season when he scored 32 times in 58 games. . . . The Ice got out to a 2-0 lead on goals from F Jake Elmer (3), at 7:27 of the first period, and Zborosky, at 8:55. . . . F Brett Davis (3) pulled Lethbridge to within one at 15:10. . . . The Ice restored its two-goal lead as F Tanner Sidaway (2) scored 28 seconds into the second period. . . . Lethbridge’ F Zane Franklin (4) got that one back at 2:07. . . . The Ice then put it away with three straight goals, Zborosky scored at 5:19 and 12:48 of the second period, and F Austin Wellsby (3) counting at 13:50. . . . Zborosky now has 26 goals, second in the WHL to F Jayden Halbgewachs of the Moose Jaw Warriors, who has 29. . . . The Hurricanes got the game’s last two goals, both from F Tyler Wong, who haas 23. . . . The Ice got two assists from F Matt Alfaro, while Elmer added one to his goal. . . . D Igor Merezhko and D Brandon Menell each had two helpers for the visitors. . . . G Payton Lee stopped 30 shots for the Ice. . . . The Hurricanes started G Stuart Skinner, who gave up four goals on 13 shots in 25:19. Ryan Gilchrist finished up by stopping 12 of 14 shots over 25:19. . . . Kootenay was 1-3 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-5. . . . The Ice (7-22-8) had lost its previous six games (0-5-1). . . . The Hurricanes (18-13-5) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). . . . Announced attendance: 1,839.

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At Medicine Hat, F Max Gerlach scored the only goal of a three-round shootout as the Tigers got past the

MAX GERLACH

Calgary Hitmen, 5-4. . . . The Tigers had to come from behind to get to OT. Trailing 4-2 late in the third period, D Clayton Kirichenko (4) scored, on a PP, at 15:28 and F John Dahlstrom, who assisted on Kirichenko’s goal, tied it, at 17:58. . . . Dahlstrom has 17 goals. . . . F Beck Malenstyn gave Calgary a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 5:33 of the first period. . . . The Tigers scored the next two goals, with F Ryan Chyzowski (5) counting at 9:59 and F James Hamblin (8) scoring at 1:42 of the second period. . . . The Hitmen then appeared to take control with three straight goals. . . . F Mark Kastelic (5) scored at 13:47, Malenstyn (12) got his second of the night at 15:51 and F Jakob Stukel scored his 11th at 2:15 of the third period. . . . The Hitmen got two assists from each of F Matteo Gennaro and D Micheal Zipp, with Stukel and Malenstyn adding one apiece. . . . Medicine Hat G Nick Schneider stopped 33 shots. He leads the WHL with 24 victories. He has won his last five decisons. . . . The Hitmen got 42 stops from G Cody Porter. . . . Calgary was 1-2 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-5. . . . The Tigers lost F Chad Butcher, their leading scorer, at 5:55 of the second period after he was given a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Calgary F Murphy Stratton. . . . The Tigers (26-10-1) have won five in a row and are one point behind the Everett Silvertips and Prince George Cougars, who are tied atop the overall standings. . . . Calgary now is 13-16-3. . . . Announced attendance: 3,808.

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@PARaidersHockey playing 1 skater short...10 forwards and 7 defencemen; @BladesHockey with 11 F and 7 D dressed, but @kustra_99 playing C.

— Les Lazaruk (@Bladesvoice) December 28, 2016

At Prince Albert, the Raiders scored the game’s first three goals and went on to beat the Saskatoon

CODY PAIVARINTA

Blades, 5-3. . . . D Cody Paivarinta got the Raiders on the scoreboard with his first career goal, in his 50th game, at 4:35 of the first period. That was the Raiders’ first goal against the Blades this season, in two-plus games. . . . F Luke Coleman made it 2-0 with No. 6, at 12:24, and F Cole Fonstad (6) upped it to 3-0 at 15:45, on a PP. . . . Saskatoon F Jake Christensen (8) scored shorthanded, at 18:04. . . . F Drew Warkentine’s second goal, at 16:57, restored the Raiders’ two-goal lead. . . . The Blades cut into the deficit at 19:05 when F Braylon Shmyr scored on a PP. . . . The Raiders got insurance from F Cavin Leth (9), at 5:32, with Shmyr (16) finishing the scoring at 8:05. . . . F Tim Vanstone had two assists for the winners, with Warkentine and Coleman each adding one. . . . Christensen also had an assist for Saskatoon. . . . The Raiders got 38 stops from G Ian Scott, while Logan Flodell blocked 27 at the other end. . . . Saskatoon was 2-6 on the PP; Prince Albert was 1-6. . . . The Raiders had D Rhett Rhinehart in their lineup as he made his WHL debut. Rhinehart, who turned 15 on Nov. 27, was the 13th overall selection in the 2016 bantam draft. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is eligible for the NHL’s 2020 draft. Rhinehart, who is from Lloydminster, Alta., has four goals and 14 assists in 13 games with the Yale Hockey Academy prep team in Abbotsford, B.C. . . . F Austin Glover (ill) was among the Raiders’ scratches, as was D Vojtek Budik, who is with the Czech Republic’s national junior team although he isn’t on its roster. . . . D Libor Hajek, who was dropped by the Czech Republic’s national junior team before the World Junior Championship began, wasn’t in Saskatoon’s lineup. . . . Saskatoon had F Matt Mosher, 16, in its lineup. From White Rock, B.C., he was a third-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. He has six goals and five assists in 16 games with the prep team at the Delta, B.C., Hockey Academy. . . . The Blades had been 2-0-0 against the Raiders, having posted shutouts in both games. . . . Prince Albert (8-26-2) had lost its previous three games. . . . Saskatoon (13-20-4) has lost four in a row (0-2-2). . . . Announced attendance: 2,313.

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At Red Deer, the Rebels got shorthanded goals 16 seconds apart as they beat the Edmonton Oil Kings,

RILEY LAMB

3-0. . . . G Riley Lamb stopped 28 shots, 13 of them in the first period, in recording the third shutout of his freshman season. . . . Red Deer F Evan Polei scored his 16th goal, while shorthanded, at 11:45 of the second period. . . . F Matt Campese notched his first with the Rebels, also while shorthanded, at 11:57. . . . F Brandon Hagel, who also had an assist, scored No. 17 at 14:51 of the third period to put this one away. . . . The Oil Kings got 39 saves from G Patrick Dea, 19 of them in the first period. . . . Each team was 0-6 on the PP. . . . Red Deer (17-14-6) had lost its previous three games (0-2-1). . . . The victory allowed the Rebels, who are third in the Central Division, to move four points ahead of Edmonton. . . . The Oil Kings (16-16-4) had points in their previous four games (2-0-2). . . . Announced attendance: 5,392.

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#WHL BDN/REG:  @WHLPats Austin Wagner falls to 0-for-5 in career in penalty shots.  He and J. Papirny also faced off on Dec. 5, 2014.

— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) December 28, 2016

At Regina, F Adam Brooks and F Sam Steel each had five points as the Pats got past the Brandon

SAM STEEL

Wheat Kings, 7-4. . . . Brooks has 10 points over his last two games, including back-to-back hat tricks. . . . Brandon F Tyler Coulter (12) scored the game’s first goal, at 14:29 of the first period. . . . Regina replied with three straight as F Austin Wagner got No. 15 at 19:33, Brooks scored at 8:30 of the second and F Dawson Leedahl (15) counted at 10:25. . . . The last two of those came via the PP. . . . The Wheat Kings got to within one, at 3-2, when F Reid Duke got his 19th, shorthanded, at 11:24. . . . However, D Connor Hobbs (15), shorthanded, at 15:58 and Brooks, at 3:31 of the third period, but the home side back in control. . . . Still, the visitors got back to within a goal when Coulter scored, at 4:14, and F Ty Lewis added his 17th at 11:00. . . . Steel, who has 24 goals, provided some insurance, at 11:46, and Brooks got No. 20 into an empty net, at 19:04. . . . When the dust had cleared, Steel was leading the scoring race with 59 points, one more than Brooks. . . . Wagner and Leedahl each added an assist, as did Coulter and Duke. . . . G Tyler Brown blocked 31 shots for the Pats. With G Jordan Hollett still injured, Max Paddock of the midget AAA Brandon Wheat Kings backed up Brown. Paddock is a nephew to John Paddock, the Pats’ GM and head coach. . . . Brandon G Jordan Papirny made 29 saves. Wagner was unable to beat him on a third-period penalty shot. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Brandon was 0-10. . . . The Wheat Kings again were without F Nolan Patrick, who hasn’t played since Oct. 11. . . . Regina D Connor Hobbs left at 12:50 of the third period with a kneeing major and game misconduct. . . . D Dawson Davidson, acquired earlier in the day from the Kamloops Blazers, was in Regina’s lineup, but was pointless. . . . F Ben McCartney, a second-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, has joined the Wheat Kings for a few days, although he didn’t play in this one. A native of Portage la Prairie, Man., he has 13 goals and 12 assists with a prep team at the Okanagan Hockey Academy in Penticton, B.C. . . . Regina (23-3-6) has won two in a row and is two points out of first place in the overall standings. The Pats have five games in hand on the Prince George Cougars and two on the Everett Silvertips, who are tied atop the standings. . . . Brandon (15-15-4) had won its previous two games. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.

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At Kent, Wash., F Sami Moilanen broke a 2-2 tie at 12:12 of the third period as the Seattle Thunderbirds

SAMI MOILANEN

beat the Spokane Chiefs, 3-2. . . . D Ethan Bear (11) gave Seattle a 1-0 lead at 9:39 of the first period, only to have F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (18) pull Spokane even at 15:50. . . . Seattle went back out front on F Scott Eansor’s 17th goal, at 6:02 of the second period. . . . D Tyson Helgesen (4) tied it for the Chiefs at 10:28 of the third period. . . . Moilanen won it with his 12th goal. . . . Bear and Eansor each had an assist. . . . F Kailer Yamamoto drew two assists for the Chiefs. . . . Seattle got 41 stops from G Rylan Toth, while Dawson Weatherill stopped 21 for Spokane. . . . The Thunderbirds were 0-1 on the PP; the Chiefs were 0-2. . . . F Alex Mowbray, 20, who was added to the Chiefs’ roster earlier in the day, was in Spokane’s lineup. . . . The Chiefs also welcomed back F Curtis Miske, who hadn’t played since Nov. 27. . . . However, F Wyatt Sloboshan, who didn’t return from the Christmas break, and F Kolby Morrisseau were among Spokane’s scratches. . . . Morrisseau is out with an injury after taking a hit from Seattle D Turner Ottenbreit on Dec. 13 in Kent. Morrisseau, 16, needed attention from both trainers before leaving the ice. He spent some time in hospital after leaving a Sept. being injured during a Sept. 3 exhibition game against the Portland Winterhawks in Everett. That day, Morrisseau left the ice on a stretcher in the third period. . . . The Chiefs had been 2-0-0 in Kent this season, while the Thunderbirds are 1-0-0 in Spokane. . . . Seattle (18-13-3) has won two straight. . . . Spokane (14-14-6) has lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 6,200.

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At Swift Current, F Tyler Steenbergen scored three goals and added an assist to help the Broncos to a 6-

TYLER STEENBERGEN

1 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . The Broncos had lost seven straight games to the Warriors. . . . Swift Current took control with three first-period goals. . . . G Glenn Gawdin (9) scored at 3:05, with F Aleksi Hopinieme (11) making it 2-0 at 5:28. Steenbergen followed with three straight goals — at 7:42 of the first period, 13:10 of the second and 6:30 of the third. He’s got 25 goals in 36 games after finishing his freshman season with 20 in 67. This was his first career hat trick. . . . Moose Jaw F Brett Howden scored his 16th goal at 17:46, with Broncos F Lane Pederson (16) getting that one back at 18:16. . . . Heponiemi also had two assists, with D Max Lajoie getting two and Pederson adding one. . . . The Broncos got 28 saves from G Taz Burman. . . . Moose Jaw started Zach Sawchenko allowed five goals on 40 shots in 55:30. Reliever Brody Willms stopped eight of nine shots in 5:30. . . . The Broncos were 1-4 on the PP; the Warriors’ unit never saw action. . . . The Broncos (19-10-7) have points in five straight (4-0-1). The victory moved them into a second-place tie with the Warriors in the East Division. . . . The Warriors (20-9-5) have lost two in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 2,342.

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At Kennewick, Wash., F Parker AuCoin and F Michael Rasmussen each scored twice to help the Tri-City

PARKER AuCOIN

Americans to a 6-2 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Rasmussen now has 25 goals. . . . AuCoin, who didn’t have even one point over his last 14 games prior to the Christmas break, now has 11 goals. . . . F Skyler McKenzie scored both Portland goals, his first giving the visitors a 1-0 lead at 2:57 of the opening period. His second got Portland to within a goal, at 3-2, at 5:40 of the third period. He’s got 24 goals. . . . Rasmussen tied the game, 1-1, at 3:32 of the second period, on a PP. . . . AuCoin scored back-to-back goals, at 19:07 of the second and 2:14 of the third, for a 3-1 lead. . . . Tri-City F Tyler Sandhu (9) added insurance at 13:41 of the third period, with Rasmussen getting his second goal, on a PP, at 16:13 and F Vladislav Lukin (15) adding another PP goal, at 18:50. . . . D Dylan Coghlan drew three assists for the winners, while D Parker Wotherspoon had two and Rasmussen, Sandhu and Lukin each added one. . . . G Evan Sarthou stopped 23 shots for Tri-City, while Cole Kehler blocked 26 for Portland. . . . The Americans were 3-9 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 1-3. . . . The Americans have taken five of seven games from Portland this season. Tri-City last won five games from Portland in 2011-12. . . . The Americans (20-15-3) had lost their previous four games. . . . The Winterhawks (19-17-1) have lost three in a row. . . . Announced attendance: 4,080.

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🎉🎂 Happy Birthday, @KlcCoach! 🎉🎂 pic.twitter.com/4H1SllewW4

— Everett Silvertips (@WHLsilvertips) December 27, 2016

At Langley, B.C., F Ty Ronning scored 31 second into OT to give the Vancouver Giants a 5-4 victory over

TY RONNING

the Everett Silvertips. . . . Ronning won it with his 12th goal of the season. It was his second straight OT winner. . . . F James Malm had forced OT, completing his first career three-point game — on his father’s birthday — with his ninth goal at 17:08 of the second period. . . . F Eetu Tuulolo (9) gave Everett a 1-0 lead at 4:09 of the first period. . . . The Giants responded with the next three goals. . . . F Alec Baer (3) scored on a PP, at 10:16 of the first period and F Brendan Semchuk (5) counted just 14 seconds later. . . . Vancouver F Owen Hardy (2) made it 3-1 at 12:27. . . . Everett scored three times in the second period to take a 4-3 lead. . . . F Dominic Zwerger, who has 15 goals, got the first two, at 0:41 and 11:45. . . . F Connor Dewar (5) broke the tie at 13:44. . . . F Tyler Benson had two assists for Vancouver, with Baer and Semchuk adding one each. . . . G Ryan Kubic turned aside 30 shots to earn the victory. . . . Everett’s Mario Petit stopped 21 shots. . . . Vancouver was 1-4 on the PP; Everett was 1-6. . . . Everett had been 3-0-0 against Vancouver these season and is 8-0-3 against teams from the B.C. Division. . . . The Giants (14-18-3) have won three in a row. . . . The Silvertips (24-4-6) have points in four straight (3-0-1) and are tied with the Prince George Cougars atop the overall standings. Everett holds three games in hand. . . . Vancouver D Ryan Jones, who suffered a shoulder injury during the exhibition season, played his first game of this season. With only 17 skaters dressed, Jones played on a forward line. . . . Everett head coach Kevin Constantine celebrated his 58th birthday by taking a game misconduct at 9:46 of the second period. According to Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province, Constantine was “angry about Zwerger dive call” at 6:49. . . . Announced attendance: 4,317.

A man shouldn't work on his birthday?

— Kevin Constantine (@KlcCoach) December 28, 2016

FWIW: In KRKO post-game interview Tips assistant Mitch Love said this was 2nd time Kevin Constantine has been tossed by ref Mike Campbell.

— Jesse Geleynse (@JesseGeleynse) December 28, 2016

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At Victoria, F Tyler Soy returned to the Royals’ lineup with a bang, his three goals and an assist leading

TYLER SOY

them to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Soy, 19, hadn’t played since suffering an undisclosed injury on Nov. 19. . . . He scored Victoria’s last three goals, giving him 15 goals in 22 games, and his second hat trick this season. He has four in his career, including two in 2014-15. . . . F Matt Phillips (25) and Soy gave the Royals a 2-0 lead, with goals at 1:18 of the first period and 7:31 of the second. . . . F Brad Morrison’s 16th goal got the Cougars close at 8:31. . . . Soy completed his three-goal game by scoring at 15:05 of the second and 28 seconds into the third. . . . D Chaz Reddekopp (6) got Victoria’s last goal, at 15:13. . . . D Ryan Gagnon had two assists for the Royals, while Reddekopp had one. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 42 shots for the Royals. . . . G Ty Edmonds, who stopped 19 shots, made his 189th career regular-season appearance with Prince George, setting a franchise record in the process. . . . Victoria was 0-1 on the PP; Prince George was 0-4. . . . The Royals (18-15-4) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). . . . The Cougars (26-9-2) had a five-game winning streak snapped. . . . Announced attendance: 5,285.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Regina at Brandon, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Red Deer at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

Vancouver at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Kelowna at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Kootenay at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.

Tri-City at Portland, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Saskatoon, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Spokane, 7:05 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.

Hosting MC expensive proposition . . . Broncos having Black Friday sale . . . Cougars beat Pats

pic.twitter.com/PoFGO2mQxR

— brendan leipsic (@19LEIP) November 23, 2016

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F Konstantin Panov (Kamloops, 1998-2001) has signed a one-year extension with Yuga Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL). In 32 games, the team captain has seven goals and three assists.

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If you are wondering why your favourite Canadian WHL team hasn’t gotten involved in trying to play host to a Memorial Cup tournament, well, it likely comes down to dollars and sense.

Here’s Sunaya Sapurji of Yahoo! Sports:

“Hosting the Memorial Cup has become a big financial commitment for many cities and teams. When the OHL’s London Knights hosted the event in 2005, for example, their financial guarantee was between $1.5 and $1.9 million. The Knights are one of the OHL’s banner franchises and their arena, the Budweiser Gardens, seats 9,090 for hockey. It was no surprise when they were also awarded the 2014 hosting rights.

“When Saskatoon hosted the event in 2013 their tournament guarantee fell short, leaving taxpayers on the hook for close to $700,000. Profits fell about $1 million short, so the province had to pay $667,797 with the city of Saskatoon covering the remainder. The Blades had given the CHL a guarantee of $3.5 million to host the tournament at the Credit Union Centre which seats roughly 13,000.”

Sapurji’s complete story is right here.

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The Victoria Royals have acquired F Spencer Gerth, 18, from the Everett Silvertips for a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2018 WHL bantam draft. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Gerth, from Langley, adds some size to the Royals’ forward ransk. He has two goals in 14 games with Everett this season. . . . Last season, in 52 games, he had one assist. In 2014-15, he had eight goals and 14 assists in 52 games with the junior B Golden Rockets of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.

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The Swift Current Broncos are getting in on the Black Friday madness. According to a news release: “As part of Black Friday, the Broncos will have 2016-17 season-tickets for sale at half price. This includes tickets to all 24 remaining regular-season home games at the Credit Union i-Plex.” . . . A trip to the Broncos’ website shows that their top-priced season-tickets carry regular prices of $589.86, $438.53, $424.68 and $374.58. . . . The sale runs Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a “limited number of select seats available at half price. . . . The promotion is in-person only and all tickets must be paid in full at time of purchase.”

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The grand pooh-bahs of hockey have been talking some of late about the draft. Recent conversation included representatives from the NHL, NHLPA, CHL, NCAA, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and the USHL. . . . Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has more on what’s going on in his weekly 30 Thoughts, and it’s all right here.

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Interested in what has been happening in the KHL? Patrick Conway has his weekly team-by-team look right here.

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If you’ve got a comment, some information you would like to pass along, or if you just want to say hello, feel free to contact me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

If you enjoy stopping here on a regular basis, please feel free to help the cause by visiting the bottom of this post and making a donation. This is more a labour of love than anything else, and every little bit helps keep coffee and donuts on the table.

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JUST NOTES:

The Portland Winterhawks have signed F Jaydon Dureau, 15, who was an eighth-round selection in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. Dureau, who will turn 16 on Jan. 20, is from White City, Sask. Last season, he had 37 points, 12 of them goals, in 38 games with the bantam AAA Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox, Sask. This season, he has 10 points, including six goals, in 13 games with the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers. . . .

The Brandon Wheat Kings have dropped F Tak Anholt, 18, from their roster.  There was no word on where Anholt, who is from North Vancouver, might play. He had one goal and one assist in 15 games with the Wheat Kings. . . . He was a second-round pick by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2013 WHL bantam draft. . . . The Wheat Kings are carrying 24 players, including eight defencemen and 14 forwards. . . .

The Calgary Hitmen have dropped G Nik Amundrud, 19, from their roster and he has joined the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors. Amundrud, who is from Melfort, Sask., hadn’t played for the Hitmen since the exhibition season due to an undisclosed injury.

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Happy 73rd b'day to '66 Calder runner-up Bert Marshall. The hard-nosed D-man was a -39 for Golden Seals in 72-73 & +48 for Isles in 76-77. pic.twitter.com/uMNT0LgUu8

— O-Pee-Chee Stars (@opeecheestars) November 23, 2016

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TUESDAY’S GAMES:

At Calgary, F Adam Musil scored three times and G Riley Lamb recorded the shutout as the Red Deer

ADAM MUSIL

Rebels beat the Hitmen, 3-0. . . . Lamb stopped 26 shots in earning the second shutout of his freshman season. . . . Musil, who went into the game with three goals, got things started at 19:24 of the first period. . . . He added a second goal at 16:01 of the second and completed the hat trick with an empty-netter at 19:17 of the third. . . . It was Musil’s first three-goal game and came in his 217th regular-season game. . . . F Michael Spacek and F Brandon Hagel each had two assists. . . . Calgary G Cody Porter stopped 24 shots. . . . The Rebels were 0-4 on the PP; the Calgary PP didn’t get off the bench. . . . The Rebels (11-10-3) had last their previous three games (0-2-1). . . . The Hitmen are 8-10-2. . . . The Hitmen welcomed back D Jakob Lapointe, F Andrew Fyten and F Jordy Stallard from injuries and F Taylor Sanheim from suspension. . . . Announced attendance: 5,418.

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At Moose Jaw, the Medicine Hat Tigers erased a 2-1 second-period deficit with four straight goals en route to a 6-3 victory over the Warriors. . . . The Tigers (17-5-1) have won six in a row. . . . The Warriors (13-5-4) had earned points in each of their previous four games (2-0-2). . . . F Matt Bradley gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with his 13th goal at 15:17 of the first period. . . . F Jayden Halbgewachs (15) then scored twice for the Warriors, getting a shorthanded goal at 19:27 and adding a PP score at 5:45 of the second period. . . . F John Dahlstrom (11) pulled the visitors even at 10:27 and F Zach Fischer (14) put them out front at 15:58. . . . The Tigers really took control as F Max Gerlach (14) struck on a PP at 5:37 of the third period and D Ty Schultz (2) made it 5-2 at 9:30. . . . F Nikita Popugaev scored his 17th goal for the Warriors at 14:55 of the third period. F Brayden Burke picked up an assist on the goal for his first point in three games since being acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . F Steve Owre and F Mason Shaw each had two assists for the Tigers. . . . F Noah Gregor had two assists for Moose Jaw. . . . G Nick Schneider blocked 24 shots for Medicine Hat, while Moose Jaw’s Zach Sawchenko turned aside 39. . . . Schneider has won nine straight starts to improve to 16-2-0. He leads the WHL in victories. . . . Moose Jaw was 1-2 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 1-4. . . . Announced attendance: 3,038.

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Congratulations are definitely in order tonight for Equip. Manager @chicodhanjal who's working his 600th career @TheWHL game tonight in PG! pic.twitter.com/DK0lwzLUHL

— PG Cougars (@PGCougars) November 23, 2016

At Prince George, the Cougars scored the game’s first three goals, all in the first period, and went on to score a 5-2 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Prince George (18-4-2) has won four in a row. . . . Regina (16-2-3) lost for the second time in regulation time on this B.C. Division trip. . . . Going into the game, the Cougars were 7-2-1 in their previous 10 games, and the Pats had been 9-1-0. . . . D Brendan Guhle, in his first game with the Cougars since being acquired from the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday, scored his third goal, on a PP, at 9:30 of the first period. . . . F Jansen Harkins (5) made it 2-0 at 13:05 and F Colby McAuley (9) upped it to 3-0 just 25 seconds later. . . . F Austin Wagner (10) got Regina on the scoreboard at 16:10. . . . The teams played a goal-less second period, before D Sergey Zborovskiy (2) pulled the visitors to within a goal, on a PP, at 2:55 of the third. . . . The Cougars put it away with empty-netters from F Kody McDonald (6) and F Jesse Gabrielle (12). . . . Harkins, McAuley and McDonald each had one assist. . . . Regina D Chase Harrison ran his point streak to a WHL-best 16 games with a third-period assist. . . . F Adam Brooks of the Pats also had an assist, running his point streak to 15 games. . . . G Ty Edmonds stopped 27 shots for the winners, while Tyler Brown stopped 24 at the other end. . . . Each team was 1-3 on the PP. . . . Prince George D Sam Ruopp sat out the sixth game of an eight-game suspension. . . . Regina has brought in G Curtis Chapman from the MJHL’s Portage Terriers after G Jordan Hollett was injured Sunday in Victoria. . . . The Cougars will get another test on Saturday when they meet the Silvertips in Everett. . . . Prince George F Josh Curtis left in the first period and didn’t return after taking a hit from Regina D Connor Hobbs. . . . Announced attendance: 3,287.

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The last 5-game goal streak for the T-Birds was by Branden Troock in 2013-14, Roberts Lipsbergs had a six-gamer in 2012-2013

— Andy Eide (@AndyEide) November 23, 2016

At Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds scored the game’s first four goals and went on to a 5-2 victory

SCOTT EANSOR

over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Seattle took a 3-0 lead into the second period on goals from D Jarret Tyszka (1) at 2:26, F Donovan Neuls (5) at 6:29 and F Scott Eansor (11) at 19:50. . . . Eansor, who was playing in his 200th regular-season game, now has goals in five straight games. . . . D Reece Harsch (2) made it 4-0 at 1:18 of the third period. . . . The Oil Kings made it interesting as they cut the deficit in half on goals from F Tyler Robertson (7) at 10:20 and D Brayden Borda (2) at 11:21. . . . Seattle F Sami Moilanen scored his fifth goal into an empty net, at 19:02. . . . F Nolan Volcan had two assists for the Thunderbirds, while Tyszka, Eansor, Moilanen and Neuls each had one. . . . G Rylan Toth made 23 stops for the Thunderbirds. . . . Edmonton G Patrick Dea, making his ninth straight start, turned aside 32 shots. . . . Seattle was 0-3 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-5. . . . The Thunderbirds (11-8-2) are 4-0-1 in their past five games. . . . The Oil Kings (10-11-2) had won their previous two games. They also had won three straight road games. . . . The Thunderbirds have added G Matt Berlin to their roster with G Carl Stankowski out with an undisclosed injury. Berlin had been with the AJHL’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. . . . Announced attendance: 5,006.

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At Swift Current, F Ryan Graham and F Lane Pederson each had a goal and three assists to help the

TYLER STEENBERGEN

Broncos to a 5-1 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Broncos acquired Graham from the Blades on Sunday as Saskatoon got down to the maximum of three 20-year-olds. . . . Graham, who has two goals this season, scored the game’s second goal, at 18:35 of the first period, and it turned out to be the winner. . . . Pederson’s 12th goal, a PP score, got things started at 9:50 of the first period. . . . F Tyler Steenbergen scored twice, giving him 18 goals in 25 games. Last season, he finished with 20 goals in 67 games. He also leads the WHL in power-play goals, with 10, three more than he scored last seaosn. . . . F Logan Christensen scored for the Blades, getting a PP goal at 18:59 of the third period. He’s got six goals. . . . The Broncos got 30 saves from G Travis Child. . . . Brock Hamm stopped 25 shots for the Blades. . . . The Broncos were 2-5 on the PP; the Blades were 1-4. . . . The Broncos (12-7-6) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). . . . The Blades (9-15-1) have lost four in a row. They had won five in a row in Swift Current before this one. . . . Announced attendance: 1,758.

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At Victoria, F Matt Phillips enjoyed a four-point night in leading the Royals to a 6-2 victory over the

MATT PHILLIPS

Kelowna Rockets. . . . Two nights earlier, the visiting Rockets had won, 5-1. . . . The Royals (14-9-2) were 4-7 on the PP. . . . The Rockets (13-11-0) had won their previous two games. . . . Phillips, who has 15 goals, snapped a 2-2 tie, on a PP, at 16:37 of the second period. . . . F Ryan Peckford (7) added insurance at 7:09 of the third period. . . . Phillips and D Mitchell Prowse (1) added PP goals before game’s end. . . . D Scott Walford and D Chaz Reddekopp each had two assists for the winners, while F Jack Walker and Peckford each had a goal and an assist. . . . Kelowna F Kole Lind scored his 12th goal. He has goals in six of his past seven games. . . . Victoria G Griffen Outhouse turned aside 35 shots, two more than Kelowna’s Michael Herringer. . . . The Royals were 0-7 on the PP. . . . Victoria now is 6-0-0 on Tuesdays this season. . . . The Royals were without F Tyler Soy, who could miss three weeks with a shoulder injury. He was injured in the Royals’ 5-3 victory over the visiting Regina Pats on Saturday. . . . Announced attendance: 3,452.

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WEDNESDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Medicine Hat at Brandon, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Spokane at Kamloops, 7 p.m.

Red Deer vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.
Vancouver vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

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WHL suspends two veterans . . . Cougars run victory skein to eight . . . Blazers stop Tigers' win streak

Two veteran players sat out Saturday night WHL games with suspensions that were handed out by the WHL office following incidents on Friday night.

The Moose Jaw Warriors, playing at home against the Kootenay Ice, were without D Josh Thrower, who drew a one-game suspension for instigating a fight in the last five minutes of Friday’s 5-2 loss to the visiting Portland Winterhawks. Thrower instigated a fight with F Rodrigo Abols of the Winterhawks at 15:28 of the third period.

The Warriors also were fined $500.

Meanwhile, F Austin Wagner of the Regina Pats missed last night’s game against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. He drew a TBD suspension after taking a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct for a hit on F Kaeden Taphorn of the visiting Kootenay Ice at 9:50 of the first period on Friday.

Taphorn left the game, which the Ice won, 4-3, in OT, and didn’t return. According to Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post, Taphorn “was bloodied by the hit and sporting a large bandage on his swollen forehead after the game.”

Taphorn was scratched from Saturday’s nights game in Moose Jaw.

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The Spokane Chiefs and Seattle Thunderbirds announced a deal involving G Matt Berlin late on Friday night.

In that deal, Berlin, 18, moved from the Chiefs to the Thunderbirds for what both teams said was a conditional selection in the WHL’s 2018 bantam draft.

For those of you keeping track, it turns out to be a conditional ninth-round selection.

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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.

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Today it's "every kid gets a trophy" but there was once a time when the rule was "only Bobby Orr gets a trophy." pic.twitter.com/1wFXLdnji5

— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) October 8, 2016

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SATURDAY’S GAMES:

Chyzowski brothers go head to head tonight when Tigers host Kamloops .  7.30 game time at Canalta.

— Bob Ridley (@BobRidley_CHAT) October 8, 2016

At Medicine Hat, the Kamloops Blazers scored two shorthanded goals in the second period en route to a 5-1 victory over the Tigers. . . . The Blazers (3-5-0) snapped a three-game skid. They ended a seven-game road trip at 2-5. . . . The Tigers (5-2-0) had a five-game winning streak snapped. . . . The home side led 1-0 on a goal by F James Hamblin at 18:11 of the first period. . . . Kamloops F Quinn Benjafield tied it, on a PP, at 12:13 of the second period. . . . F Garrett Pilon, who left Friday’s 2-1 loss to the host Calgary Hitmen after taking a hard check in the second period, gave the Blazers a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal at 12:13 and F Matt Revel added another shorthanded snipe at 19:07. . . . Revel later added his fifth goal into an empty net. . . . Pilon added an assist to his goal, with D Ondrej Vala picking up two assists. . . . Kamloops G Connor Ingram was strong, with 39 saves. . . . The Tigers got 21 saves from G Duncan McGovern. . . . Kamloops was 1-7 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 0-5. . . . The Blazers were without D Dallas Valentine (undisclosed injury). . . . The game featured a brother act as F Nick Chyzowski of the Blazers, who is in his third season, and freshman F Ryan Chyzowski of the Tigers faced each other for the second time in their WHL careers. Nick had a goal and an assist; Ryan was blanked. . . . Announced attendance: 4,028.

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At Moose Jaw, the Warriors scored four goals in the second period and went on to a 6-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . F Brett Howden, who had a goal and three assists, gave the Warriors a 2-1 lead at 1:34 of the second period with his sixth goal and they were off to the races. . . . F Nikita Popugaev scored his fourth goal and also had three assists for Moose Jaw, while F Jayden Halbgewachs scored twice, giving him six, and added an assist. . . . Warriors D Josh Brook had a goal and an assist, and D Dmitri Zaitsev had two assists. . . . F Zak Zborosky had a goal, his seventh, and an assist for the Ice (1-4-2). . . . The Warriors (4-1-2) got 20 saves from G Zach Sawchenko. . . . Ice starter Declan Hobbs was beaten six times on 24 shots in 41:39, with reliever Payton Lee stopping all 14 shots he saw. . . . The Warriors were 3-7 on the PP; the Ice was 1-2. . . . Announced attendance: 3,223.

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Another packed house for Cougars post game show. Tonight was awesome, and we do it all over again Tues & Wed! pic.twitter.com/Tx8CekkMrW

— Andy Beesley (@Andy_Beesley) October 9, 2016

At Prince George, F Brad Morrison scored the game’s last two goals to give the Cougars a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants and their eight straight victory. . . . F Bartek Bison and F Kody McDonald gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old. . . . However, the Giants took a 3-2 lead by scoring three times in a span of 50 seconds — F Radovan Bondra (6:21), F Ty Ronning (7:00) and F Jack Flaman (7:11) getting the goals. . . . Prince George pulled even when F Jesse Gabrielle scored at 12:00 of the first, only to have F Johnny Wesley give the Giants the lead again, at 18:51. . . . Morrison, who has four goals this season, tied it at 18:51 of the second and won it at 7:26 of the third. . . . While the Cougars improved to 8-0-0, the Giants fell to 1-7-0. . . . Prince George got two assists from F Jansen Harkins, while McDonald added two assists to his goal. Gabrielle also had an assist. . . . G Nick McBride stopped 22 shots for the winners, with David Tendeck turning aside 19 for the Giants. . . . Prince George was 2-4 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-2. . . . The Cougars next put their season-opening eight-game winning streak on the line on Tuesday and Wednesday against the visiting Everett Silvertips (4-1-1). . . . Announced attendance: 3,320.

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We'd like to explicitly thank the @Kelowna_Rockets and @blazerhockey for the weather they brought with them this week.  😞 pic.twitter.com/XVyuFR74so

— Red Deer Rebels (@Rebelshockey) October 9, 2016

At Red Deer, freshman G Riley Lamb stopped 38 shots to post his first WHL shutout as the Rebels beat the Kelowna Rockets, 5-0. . . . Lamb, who turned 18 on Sept. 28, is from Rivers, Man. The blank job came in his sixth appearance this season. . . . The Rebels (3-3-2), who had lost six of their last seven games with the Rockets, took control with two second-period goals, F Michael Spacek scoring at 6:20 and F Dawson Martin at 19:02. . . . Spacek and Martin each scored twice, while D Colton Bobyk had a goal and two assists, and D Austin Strand and F Akash Baines each had two assists. D Josh Mahura had one assist, running his point streak to six games. . . . The Rockets (3-5-0) have been blanked twice this season. They had won their previous two games. . . . Kelowna G Brodan Salmond, who turned 18 on Saturday, stopped 24 shots. . . . Red Deer was 1-4 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-5. . . . Announced attendance: 4,515.

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At Regina, F Sam Steel had a goal and two assists to lead the Pats to a 5-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Regina (4-0-2) has yet to lose in regulation time. . . . The Wheat Kings are 2-2-1. . . . The Wheat Kings scratched F Nolan Patrick, the team captain, who forced OT with a late goal on Friday and then scored the shootout winner in a 4-3 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos. Brandon head coach David Anning told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that Patrick was scratched due to illness. . . . F Jake Leschyshyn scored his fourth goal, at 12:06 of the first period, giving Regina a 2-1 lead. . . . Regina D Connor Hobbs made it 3-1 at 1:48 of the second period. . . . F Ty Lewis got Brandon to within one at 16:36 but that was it for the visitors. . . . Steel added insurance at 3:00 of the third period and set up F Braydon Buziak for the empty-netter at 18:54. . . . Steel and Buziak each has five goals. . . . Leschyshyn and Hobbs each added an assist, while F Dawson Leedahl had two helpers. . . . Regina G Tyler Brown stopped 18 shots, while Brandon’s Jordan Papirny turned aside 30. . . . Brandon was 2-6 on the PP; Regina was 2-8. . . . Announced attendance: 4,131.

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Goaltender Logan Flodell backstopped the Saskatoon
Blades to a victory on Saturday night.(Photo: Darren Steinke)

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks, who leads the
WHL points derby, was held off the board Saturday night.(Photo: Darren Steinke)

At Saskatoon, G Logan Flodell turned aside 34 shots to help the Blades to a 3-1 victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . The Blades (4-2-0) have won three straight. . . . The Winterhawks (5-3-0) had won their previous two games. They are 2-2-0 on a six-game East Division tour. . . . F Braylon Shmyr broke a 1-1 tie at 17:16 of the second period and the Blades nursed the lead until F Josh Paterson got the empty-netter at 18:56 of the third. . . . F Jake Gricius, a Colorado Springs native who turns 17 on Oct. 13, had his first WHL goal for Portland. . . . The Winterhawks got 20 saves from G Cole Kehler, who lost for the first time in five decisions this season. . . . The Blades were 0-3 on the PP; the Winterhawks were 0-5. . . . The Winterhawks scratched Latvian F Rodrigo Abols, 20, for the fourth time in five games. . . . Announced attendance: 3,016.

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At Spokane, F Tyler Soy scored twice to help the Victoria Royals to a 4-1 victory over the Chiefs. . . . F Jared Dmytriw and Soy gave the Royals a 2-0 lead, the former scoring at 18:12 of the first period and the latter at 4:12 of the second. . . . Spokane F Ty Smith got his first WHL goal at 6:22 of the third. . . . Victoria F Matt Phillips stretched the lead at 14:44 and Soy got the empty-netter at 19:26, his third goal of the season. . . . D Ryan Gagnon had two assists for the Royals (3-4-0), who got 34 saves from G Griffen Outhouse. . . . The Chiefs (1-3-0) got 31 saves from Dawson Weatherill. . . . Each team was 0-3 on the PP. . . . Announced attendance: 4,918.

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At Swift Current, the Broncos scored the game’s last two goals and beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 4-3. . . . F Arthur Miller continued to write quite a first act to his career with the Broncos as he opened the scoring with his third goal of the season, at 2:42 of the first period. He’s got three goals. . . . The Raiders went in front when F Tim Vanstone scored at 17:26. . . . D Max Lajoie pulled the Broncos even at 6:38 of the second period. . . . F Luke Coleman, at 8:23 of the second, and F Austin Glover, on a PP, at 4:15 of the third, put the Raiders back out front. . . . The Broncos tied it when F Riley Stotts scored his fourth goal, on a PP, at 6:27 of the third and won it on F Calvin Spencer’s third goal at 16:36. . . . F Aleksi Heponiemi had three assists for the Broncos (5-2-1), who are 3-0-1 in their last four games. . . . The Raiders (2-5-0) have lost three in a row. . . . G Tax Burman made 29 saves for the Broncos. . . . Raiders G Ian Scott stopped 35 shots, 19 of them in the first period. . . . Announced attendance: 1,994.

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At Kennewick, Wash., the Tri-City Americans scored three times in a four-round shootout and beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes, 6-5. . . . Lethbridge’s first two shooters, F Giorgio Estephan and F Tyler Wong, both scored, but the Americans responded with goals from F Morgan Geekie, F Michael Rasmussen and F Parker AuCoin. . . . Tri-City F Nolan Yaremko forced OT with his first goal of the season, on a PP, at 18:03 of the third period. . . . Wong had given Lethbridge a 5-4 lead, on a PP, at 13:36 of the third. . . . The Hurricanes held leads of 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-2 and 5-4. . . . Max James had two goals and an assist for the Americans. The 19-year-old James had 10 points, including three goals, in 64 games last season. He had five goals and five assists in 58 games as a freshman in 2014-15. This season, he has four goals and an assist in five games. . . . D Parker Wotherspoon had a goal and four assists for the winners, with D Dylan Coghlan adding two assists and AuCoin picking up a goal and an assist. . . . F Jesse Zaharichuk scored three goals and added an assist for Lethbridge. It was his first WHL hat trick. He went into the game with 16 goals in 113 regular-season games, including a pair of two-goal games. . . . Lethbridge got two assists from each of F Brayden burke and D Kord Pankewicz. . . . Tri-City starter Beck Warm gave up three goals on 10 shots in 24:20, with Nic Sanders coming on to stop 13 of 15. . . . Lethbridge G Ryan Gilchrist, in his first career start, stopped 31 shots. . . . Tri-City (4-3-0) was 3-7 on the PP; Lethbridge (4-2-1) was 2-7. . . . Announced attendance: 3,103.

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SUNDAY’S GAME (all times local):

Edmonton at Saskatoon, 2:05 p.m.

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MONDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Vancouver at Calgary, 4 p.m.

Kootenay at Swift Current, 2 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.