Halifax wants 2019 Memorial Cup . . . Czechs load up on WHLers . . . Coaching change in AJHL

D Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Brandon, 2002-04) has signed a two-year extension with Färjestad Karlstad (Sweden, SHL). He has two goals and three assists in 25 games. He also is an alternate captain.

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The QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads announced on Thursday that they plan on submitting a bid in the hopes of playing host to the 2019 Memorial Cup tournament. . . . From the Mooseheads news release: “The 2018-19 season will celebrate the 25th anniversary season of the Mooseheads. It will also be 20 seasons since the club hosted its only previous Memorial Cup in 2000 when the hometown team electrified the City of Halifax and garnered national attention for the franchise. The fans were possibly the biggest story of the event in the spring of 2000 as 79,877 packed the Scotiabank Centre (then Metro Centre) for the eight-day tournament which at the time was the second-highest total in the history of the Memorial Cup.” . . . Halifax won its only Memorial Cup title in Saskatoon in 2013, beating the Portland Winterhawks, 6-4, in the final. . . . The 2017 tournament will be played in Windsor, Ont. . . . The 2018 tournament, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Memorial Cup, is to be played in Hamilton, Oshawa or Regina.

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The Czech Republic’s national junior team includes seven WHLers on its 22-man roster. . . . Three of the eight defencemen are from the WHL — Vojtěch Budik of the Prince Albert Raiders, Libor Hájek of the Saskatoon Blades and Ondrej Vala of the Kamloops. . . . As well, four of the 12 forwards are from WHL teams — Adam Musil and Michael Špaček of the Red Deer Rebels, Simon Stransky of Prince Albert and Tomas Soustal of the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The WHLers are expected to join their Czech teammates in Montreal on Sunday.

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It was 36 years ago last night — Dec. 8, 1980 — when John Lennon was shot down on a sidewalk in New York City. Jimmy Breslin, the legendary columnist, was with the New York Daily News. He was at home that night when he got the call. . . . This link right here will take you to the column he wrote on deadline. This is what newspapering used to be.

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Ryan Howse no longer is an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings. According to a news release, Howse “has stepped down . . . for personal and family reasons.” . . . Last season, he was the head coach of the Prince George Coast Inn of the North Cougars, a midget Tier 1 team that won the B.C. championship. . . . Howse played four WHL seasons (2007-11) with the Chilliwack Bruins.

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The AJHL’s Grande Prairie Storm has fired general manager/head coach Kevin Higo and replaced him with Matt Keillor. . . . Higo had the rest of this season left on a three-year contract. . . . Keillor has spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Storm, while also working as head coach of the midget AAA Storm. . . . The AJHL’s Storm is 7-22-5 and in sixth place in the Viterra AJHL North, 14 points out of fifth. . . . Under Higo, the Storm was 33-108-13.

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The SJHL’s Kindersley Klippers have added Larry Wintoneak to their staff as an assistant coach. He will work alongside GM/head coach Geoff Grimwood. . . . Wintoneak, who has coached in the SJHL with the Flin Flon Bombers, La Ronge Ice Wolves and the Klippers, has been Kindersley’s strength-and-conditioning coach for the past two years. He will continue with those responsibilities while also working as an assistant coach.

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Tweet of the Day

2.12 - Over the past 2 1/2 weeks, @C_Hart70 has improved his career GAA to 2.12, now tied with Cam Ward for the 6th best in WHL history https://t.co/Vixo6A9MCC

— WHL Facts (@WHLFacts) December 8, 2016

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THURSDAY’S GAMES:

No Games Scheduled.

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FRIDAY’S GAMES (all times local):

Red Deer at Calgary, 7 p.m.

Brandon at Edmonton 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Victoria at Portland, 7 p.m.

Moose Jaw at Prince Albert, 7 p.m. (TBG)

Seattle at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Regina, 7 p.m. (TBG)

Kootenay at Spokane, 7:05 p.m. (TBG)

Kelowna vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.
Everett vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.
TBG: Teddy Bear Game.

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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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Walter goes to Saint John

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jakub Sindel (Brandon, 2004-05) signed a one-year contract extension with Fassa (Italy, Serie A). He had 23 goals and 33 assists in 42 games last season. . . .
F Björn Svensson (Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, 2003-06) signed a two-year contract with Malmö (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had three goals and three assists in 40 games with MoDo Örnsköldsvik (Sweden, Elitserien) last season.
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As expected, the WHL’s board of governors voted unanimously Wednesday in Calgary to allow the Brodsky family to sell the Saskatoon Blades to Mike Priestner, an Edmonton-based auto dealer. The sale is expected to close this week.
Following the vote, Ron Robison, the WHL commissioner, allowed himself to say a few words and then the cone of silence was put back in place. No one, including former owner Jack Brodsky, Priestner or Steve Hogle, the Blades’ new president, was permitted to speak before a news conference that is scheduled for today in Saskatoon.
Hogle, who had been the vice-president of hockey communications for the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, takes over as the Blades’ president and alternate governor, while Colin Priestner, Mike’s son, will relocate to Saskatoon and will be the managing partner
The Blades are the only franchise to have played in every season of the WHL’s history, which began with the 1966-67 season. The Brodsky family has been involved in the Blades’ ownership since 1976.
All of which begs the question: There was no chance that Brodsky’s request to transfer ownership would be rejected, so why was this board of governors’ meeting held in Calgary? Why wasn’t it held in Saskatoon?
Had it been held in Saskatoon, the governors all could have attended a news conference and shown their respect for the Brodskys, and especially for Jack, who has been an active governor for a long time. The entire day could have been turned into a real testimonial for a long-time member of the fraternity, and one who just played an integral role in driving up the value of all franchises.
Priestner is reported to have paid more than $9 million for the Blades.
The way that the WHL has handled this story has become all too familiar, and that’s too bad. By trying to control the message, the WHL has missed a golden opportunity to gain some positive publicity.
Instead of once again dragging out the cone of silence, at the very least there should have been a conference call, allowing the national media to have access to all those involved.
Instead, the WHL worked to bury the story on Wednesday, when this was news. A day later, the news cycle has turned over and the sale of a franchise that occured on Wednesday is already old news.
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F Lukas Walter, 20, has joined the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. Walter had five points in 117 regular-season games with the Tri-City Americans over the last two seasons. He was released by the Americans over the summer and went to camp with the Portland Winterhawks, who released him late last month. . . . Walter, who is from Langley, B.C., is with the Sea Dogs on a tryout basis.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors announced Wednesday that Russian F Alexander Chirva, 17, has been cleared to play. According to the Warriors, Chirva “has received his visa and will be in Moose Jaw Thursday evening. Chirva is expected to skate with his teammates for the first time Saturday, 2:30 p.m., in Caronport.” . . . The Warriors selected Chirva in the 2013 CHL import draft.
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G Tristan Jarry of the Edmonton Oil Kings has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. Jarry, 18, was selected in the second round of the NHL’s 2013 draft. He was the Penguins’ first selection. . . . Last season, with the Oil Kings, Jarry was 18-7-0, 1.61, .936. He also put up six shutouts. . . . Jarry will be the Oil Kings’ starting goaltender this season.
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The Regina Pats and Saskatchewan Roughriders announced Wednesday that they have “entered into a partnership” that will cover the remainder of this CFL season and the approaching WHL regular season. According to a news release: “Fans of the Pats and Riders have the opportunity to join the ‘Sea of Green’ at Pats home games in 2013-14 with a special green section in the Brandt Centre.” . . . Players from the Roughriders will be making appearances in the Sea of Green. . . . The partnership will include a special price ($250) on Pats season-tickets for Roughriders season-ticket holders. . . . Pats season-ticket holders “will be provided with a special Ticketmaster code for discounted ticket specials to the final five Riders home games.”
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The Kamloops Blazers have signed D Dawson Davidson to a WHL contract. Davidson, from Moosomin, Sask., was a third-round selection in the 2013 bantam draft. He will play this season with the midget AAA Moose Jaw Generals, the host team for the Telus Cup, the national midget championship tournament. . . . Last season, he had 49 points in 25 games with the bantam AA Melville Millionaires.
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Brian Wiebe, who covers the BCHL like a blanket, tweeted last night that Surrey Eagles “D Tommy Stipancik (94) has retired due to an undisclosed injury.” . . . Stipancik, from Vancouver, was selected by the Saskatoon Blades in the third round of the 2010 bantam draft. However, brain injuries — he had four in three years — would limit him to 10 games in 2011-12 and 34 games in 2011-12. In fact, over the last four seasons, he played only 96 games in major midget, the BCHL and the WHL. . . . The Blades released him on Sept. 4, 2012.
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Former Tri-City Americans G Olaf Kolzig, who now owns a chunk of the WHL franchise, has taken over as the goaltender coach for the NHL’s Washington Capitals. . . . Tim Leone of pennlive.com has that story right here.
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F Morgan Klimchuk of the Regina Pats won’t be taking part in the Calgary Flames’ training camp. The NHL team reported Thursday that Klimchuk, the 28th overall selection in the 2013 draft, “suffered an abdominal wall strain injury during a recent pre-season game with the Regina Pats . . . and will be unable to participate in training camp with the Flames. Klimchuk will rehab his injury in Calgary with Flames’ personnel. He is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.”
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The Calgary Flames also announced that they have suspended F Ryan Howse “for failing to report to training camp. The club will have no further comment at this time.” . . . Howse (Chilliwack, 2006-11) was a third-round selection by the Flames in the NHL’s 2009 draft. He put up 217 points, including 140 goals, in 262 games with the Chilliwack Bruins (remember them?).
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D Julius Honka of the Swift Current Broncos has become quite a story in the WHL’s exhibition season. From Jyvaskyla, Finland, Honka, 17, was selected by the Broncos in the CHL’s 2013 import draft. . . . Last night, Honka scored in his fourth straight exhibition game — he has five goals — as the Broncos beat the visiting visiting Saskatoon Blades, 9-4. . . . Last season, Honka had four goals and 11 assists in 42 games with the JYP U-20 side.
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The Tri-City Americans have signed D Kurtis Rutledge, an eight-round selection in the 2012 bantam draft. Rutledge, from Calgary, had seven points in 15 games with the Calgary Flames of the Alberta Midget Hockey League last season.


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Saturday . . .

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Justin Keller (Kelowna, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract
extension with Linz (Austria Erste Bank Liga). He had 21 goals and 12 assists in 34 games for Linz this season.
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If you read one thing today, make it this piece from Saturday’s Globe and Mail. Written by Ken Dryden, the former Montreal Canadiens goaltender, the headline on the piece is -- Ken Dryden on hockey violence: How could we be so stupid?
The piece is right here.
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In Everett, F Nino Niederreiter ran his goal-scoring streak to seven games as his Portland Winterhawks beat the Silvertips, 2-1. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton, starting again in place of the injured Mac Carruth, made 36 saves. . . . Hamilton is 15-5-2. . . . Niederreiter, who has 38 goals, has 11 goals over that seven-game run. . . . Everett has lost seven in a row, including a 6-3 loss to visiting Portland on Friday. . . . Attendance was 8,423, the Silvertips’ largest crowd this season. . . . The Winterhawks remain atop the Western Conference, one point up on the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Everett slipped into eighth, one point behind Prince George and two ahead of Kamloops. . . .
In Kelowna, shootout goals by F Geordie Wudrick and D Tyson Barrie gave the Rockets a 1-0 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . Kelowna G Adam Brown stopped 33 shots, seven fewer than Jeff Bosch, who made his 22nd straight start for Kamloops. . . . F Thoms Frazee had a shootout goal for Kamloops. . . . The Blazers, who lost 5-1 to the visiting Rockets on Friday night, now have lost five in a row. . . . Kamloops was without F Brendan Ranford, who is under WHL suspension after he was hit with a game misconduct for cross-checking linesman Kris Hartley on Friday night. . . . The Rockets are in Chilliwack today. . . .
In Kent, Wash., the Prince George Cougars scored four times in the latter half of the third period and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-1. . . . F Spencer Asuchak broke a 1-1 tie at 11:02 of the third. . . . The victory lifted the Cougars into seventh place in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Everett. . . . The Thunderbirds, with four games left, are four points behind Everett. . . . The Cougars will be in Kennewick, Wash., today to play the Tri-City Americans. . . .
In Spokane, the Chiefs got a shootout goal from F Levko Koper to beat the Kootenay Ice, 4-3. . . . Koper was the ninth shooter in what was a five-round event. . . . Spokane F Tyler Johnson had a goal, his WHL-leading 51st, and an assist. . . . The Chiefs have won seven in a row but continue to trail Western Conference-leading Portland by a point. . . . The Ice is fourth in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Medicine Hat with three games left. . . .
In Lethbridge, F Kellan Tochkin had two goals to lead the Medicine Hat Tigers to a 5-1 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . The Tigers were without F Linden Vey (neck), who leads the WHL’s points derby. . . . The Tigers are two points behind the Central Division-leading Red Deer Rebels. Each team has three games left. . . . The Hurricanes are ninth, two points behind Prince Albert, with each team having three games left. . . .
In Moose Jaw, the final meeting in the Crushed Can between the Warriors and the Regina Pats went to a shootout before the home team won, 2-1. . . . The game drew 2,945 fans, which is a couple of hundred more than capacity. Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that fans “stood five-deep to watch the game.” . . . How much did the game mean to Moose Jaw? Here’s Warriors head coach Dave Hunchak talking to Gourlie: “Our whole focus was to try to win the game for the city of Moose Jaw and our supportive fans. Coaches come and go. Players come and go. But the fans have been supportive and consistent and behind this team for 26 years. It’s not that it didn’t mean a lot to us — because it did — it was focus of ours. To be able to pick up that puck in our building meant an awful lot to the fans that support our hockey team year in and year out.” . . . One more note from Gourlie: “Warriors left-winger Cody Beach left the game in the third period after Neigum ducked out of the way of a hit and Beach landed awkwardly after being undercut. Beach left the ice favouring his left leg and was taken to hospital post-game for further evaluation.” . . . The Warriors will finish fifth and look to be headed to a first-round matchup with Kootenay. . . . The Pats are six points out of a playoff spot with three games left. . . .
In Brandon, F Mark Stone picked up two assists, giving him 101 points, as the Wheat Kings dumped the Prince Albert Raiders, 7-3. . . . Stone is the first Brandon skater to surpass 100 points since F Eric Fehr (2004-05), who now is with the NHL’s Washington Capitals. . . . Brandon F Scott Glennie had a goal and three assists to get to 90 points for the first time in his career. . . . Prince Albert F Jonathan Parker left in the second period with an elbowing major and the accompanying game misconduct. . . . The Wheat Kings now are sixth in the Eastern Conference, three points ahead of Edmonton. . . . Prince Albert continues to cling to the conference’s last playoff spot, two points up on Lethbridge. . . .
In Saskatoon, the Blades blanked the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-0 to set a franchise record with their 53rd victory of the season. . . . G Steven Stanford stopped 35 shots to earn the shutout, his third this season and the fifth of his career. . . . D Stefan Elliott had a goal and an assist, giving him the franchise record for career points by a defenceman. He has 240. The previous record had been held by Pat Price (1970-74). . . . The Oil Kings still were able to clinch a playoff spot. They are seventh in the conference. . . . The Blades will finish first overall. . . .
In Red Deer, G Darcy Kuemper stopped 31 shots as the Rebels blanked the Swift Current Broncos, 5-0. . . . Kuemper has 13 shutouts this season and that ties the WHL’s single-season record. He now shares it with Bryan Bridges (Seattle, 2004-05) and Kelly Guard (Kelowna, 2003-04). . . . The Rebels have three games remaining. . . . F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three goals and two assists, to get to 101 points. The last Red Deer skaters to get to 100 were F Justin Mapletoft and F Kyle Wanvig, both of whom did it in 2000-01. . . . The Rebels, who meet the Hitmen in Calgary today, are the conference’s second seed, two points up o Medicine Hat. . . . The Broncos won’t be in the playoffs. In Chilliwack last night, the Bruins got two goals from F Ryan Howse as they dumped the Vancouver Giants, 8-5. . . . Attendance was 4,193. . . . Howse has 50 goals, the second WHLer, behind Spokane F Tyler Johnson, to get there this season. . . . Vancouver, which still was able to clinch a playoff spot, has lost six straight for the first time this season and has been outscored 28-6 in the process. . . . The Bruins had beaten the Giants 6-2 in Vancouver on Wednesday. . . . F Spencer Bennett scored four times for the Giants, giving him 34 on the season. . . . The Bruins, who clinched a playoff spot with the victory, have closed to within a point of the Giants, who are fifth in the Western Conference. Each team has four games remaining. . . . The Bruins are at home to the Kelowna Rockets today. . . .

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca

     

gdrinnan.blogspot.com

     

Taking Note on Twitter

Friday's stuff . . .

The Medicine Hat Tigers played before their 286th straight regular-season sellout (4,006) on Friday night. They were leading the Kamloops Blazers 5-1 midway through the third period, when they gave up four straight power-play goals and eventually lost 6-5 in a shootout. Kamloops scored two PP goals in the last minute, each coming with G Jeff Bosch on the bench for an extra attacker that gave the visitors a 6-on-3 advantage. . . . F Colin Smith had three goals for Kamloops. It was his second hat trick of the season. F Thomas Frazee drew four assists, and F Dylan Willick scored the two late PP goals that forced OT. . . . The Blazers, who have been scuffling along in eighth place in the Western Conference, now are seventh, a point ahead of the Prince George Cougars. . . . On the subject of comebacks, the Brandon Wheat Kings twice overcame three-goal deficits to beat the Blades 7-6 in Saskatoon last night. . . . Brandon F David Toews got the winner with 3:12 left in the third period. . . . Brandon F Matt MacKay had a goal and two assists for Brandon and now has 37 points in 22 games since coming over from the Vancouver Giants. He also is riding a 16-game point streak. . . . Brandon D Brodie Melnychuk (broken leg) was back after missing 16 games. . . . Saskatoon was without F Marek Viedensky (groin) and F Brent Benson (knee). . . . Blades F Jake Trask had his seventh two-goal game of this season. . . .

Former Wheat Kings F Matt Calvert played his 20th game with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets last night. Calvert, who had never experienced a two-goal game, struck for three goals in a 5-3 victory over the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. . . . Calvert broke a 2-2 tie with his first goal, at 2:37 of the second period. He made it 5-2 as he, in fact, scored three straight goals. . . . Calvert, who also had an assist, has 14 points, including nine goals, in his short NHL career. . . . Everett G Kent Simpson stopped 45 shots and the Silvertips scored two shorthanded goals as they beat the visiting Portland Winterhawks 2-0 last night. . . . Everett F Tyler Maxwell got No. 39. . . .

The Washington Capitals have signed G Todd Ford (Swift Current, Prince George, Vancouver, 2000-04) to a one-year deal worth US$500,000 at the NHL level and US$40,000 in the AHL. Ford has played this season with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays and the Hershey Bears, who are Washington’s AHL affiliate. . . . F Ryan Howse of the Chilliwack Bruins scored twice in a 6-4 victory over the host Vancouver Giants last night. He has goals in nine straight games to equal Oscar Moller’s franchise record. Howse has 46 goals and is tied for the WHL lead, with Spokane C Tyler Johnson. . . . Howse is one shy of his career high in goals. His 74 points are a single-season high. He had 72 last season. . . . Howse’s second goal, the 135th of his career, was his first empty-netter. . . . The Bruins now are chasing eighth-place Prince George. Chilliwack is four back with three games in hand. . . . The Giants had C James Henry, their captain, back after he missed 22 of the last 23 games with a knee injury. . . . Chilliwack D Brandon Manning, who is the Bruins’ captain, returned after sitting out a seven-game suspension. . . .

C Tyler Johnson of the Spokane Chiefs is the second WHLer to reach 100 points this season. He got there with a goal and three assists in an 8-0 victory over visiting Prince George last night. He and Medicine Hat C Linden Vey are tied, with 102 points, atop the points derby. . . . Johnson is the first Spokane player since 1993-94 to get to 100 points. That season, the Chiefs had three 100-point men — Ryan Duthie, Maxim Betts and Valeri Bure. . . . G Adam Brown stopped 27 shots and F Geordie Wudrick got his 34th goal as the Kelowna Rockets beat the Rebels 1-0 in Red Deer last night. Kelowna, which is 2-1-0 on a Central Division swing, leads the B.C. Division by four points over Vancouver and finishes its trip in Calgary against the Hitmen tonight. . . . Kelowna D Colton Jobke was back after serving a seven-game suspension. . . . Bob McKenzie of TSN tweeted early this morning that the Chicago Blackhawks and D Brent Seabrook (Lethbridge, 2000-05) are “on verge of finalizing big contract extension, hearing five years at a shade under $30 million.”

The Regina Pats moved to within three points of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot by beating the Broncos 4-3 in Swift Current when F Shayne Neigum broke a 3-3 tie at 17:25 of the third period. . . . The Broncos, however, are going the other way. They have lost seven in a row and are six points out of a playoff spot with eight games left. . . . The midget AAA Swift Current Legionnaires have named Jason Johns as their new GM/head coach. He has spent the last two seasons as assistant GM/head coach of the Thorhild Titans of the North Eastern Alberta junior B league. . . . F Blake Geoffrion is expected to make his NHL debut with the Nashville Predators today against the Dallas Stars. If he does, he will become the first fourth-generation player in NHL history. He also will become the first player from the Nashville area to get into the Predators’ lineup. His great- grandfather (Howie Morenz) and grandfather (Bernie ‘Boom Boom’ Geoffrion) both starred for the Montreal Canadiens. And his father, Dan, played with the Winnipeg Jets and Canadiens.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Olaf Kolzig was back in a Tri-City
Americans jersey on Saturday.
(Photo by John Allen/AridAcres.com)

Olaf Kolzig thanks the crowd for its
applause on Saturday night.
(Photo by John Allen/AridAcres.com)

 Olie the Goalie
back with Ams

The Tri-City Americans’ fans, as it turns out, did have something to cheer about on Saturday night.
While there may not have been much to cheer about as their favourite team dropped a 6-2 victory to the arch-rival Spokane Chiefs, they did greet Olaf Kolzig’s appearance with some rousing applause.
Kolzig is a former NHL goaltender who also played for the Americans and now is one of the WHL team’s owners.
On Saturday, he was on the ice between periods taking shots in a charity event.
“The fans loved it,” offered Tri-City GM Bob Tory. “Maybe the league will approve him to be our emergency backup.”
The Americans have been going with Chris Driedger, 16, as their starter, with Cam Gorchynski of the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies backing him up. This is because starter Drew Owsley has been out with a knee injury.
The Americans are at home tonight to the Spokane Chiefs.
Tonight’s game originally was to have been played on New Year’s Eve. You will recall that the teams got started on Dec. 31 only to have the game postponed by a problem with the ice.
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JUST NOTES: Tri-City Americans D Sam Grist has drawn a two-game suspension for the boarding major he incurred in the second period of a 6-2 loss to the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Saturday. Grist, who hit Spokane F Steven Kuhn on the play, will sit out tonight’s game against visiting Spokane and a Tuesday night home game against the Everett Silvertips. . . . Kamloops Blazers D Josh Caron also has been suspended. He picked up a checking-from-behind major in a 4-3 OT loss to the Rebels in Red Deer. F Josh Cowen, who was on the receiving end, left the game and didn’t return. Caron has been suspended tbd — to be determined. . . .
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The WHL goes outdoors today for a game between the Calgary Hitmen and the visiting Regina Pats at McMahon Stadium, the home of the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders.
The Calgary Flames blanked the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 there on Sunday, in front of 41,022 fans.
As of late Sunday, the WHL game, which begins at noon and will be televised by Rogers Sportsnet, had sold close to 21,000 tickets.
The WHL single-game attendance record of 19,305 was set in Calgary on March 16, 2008 as the Hitmen beat the Kootenay Ice, 6-1.
The CHL record is 20,081 from an OHL game between the visiting Kingston Frontenacs and the Ottawa 67’s at the Corel Centre.
This will be the second outdoors game in CHL history, but the first to be played in Canada. On Jan. 15, in the Rockstar Outdoor Hockey Classic, the Spokane Chiefs beat visiting Kootenay 11-1 before 7,075 fans at Avista Stadium.
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Medicine Hat, F Tyler Pitlick scored twice and added an assist to help the Tigers to a 5-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Pitlick has 24 goals. . . . F Wacey Hamilton gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with his 19th goal just 44 seconds into the game. . . . Saskatoon F Curtis Hamilton tied it with his 20th less than a minute later. . . . F Reid Petryk got his 10th for the Tigers at 8:31 and Saskatoon F Marek Viedensky equalized, with his 28th, at 16:37 on a PP. . . . Pitlick then gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead, on a PP, at 16:37 of the first. . . . Medicine Hat F Emerson Etem got his 34th, on a PP, late in the second and Pitlick scored another in the third. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz stopped 31 shots, three fewer than Saskatoon’s Steven Stanford. . . . Medicine Hat D Alex Theriau had one assist and was plus-4. . . . Attendance was 4,006. . . . The Tigers moved into third in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Kootenay and seven behind the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The conference-leading Blades are six points ahead of Red Deer. . . . The Rebels are in Lethbridge this afternoon. . . .
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In Kent, Wash., the host Seattle Thunderbirds erased a 3-1 third-period deficit and beat the Chilliwack Bruins 4-3 in a shootout. . . . Seattle F Mitch Elliot got his fifth goal of the season at 11:40 of the third to get his side to within one. . . . F Colin Jacobs, with his 19th, tied it at 18:12 on a PP. . . . Seattle was 2-for-5 on the PP; the Bruins were 0-for-4. . . . F Burke Gallimore and Jacobs scored for Seattle in the shootout. . . . D Brenden Dillon had two assists for Seattle. . . . F Ryan Howse was the only one of three Chilliwack shooters to score in the circus. . . . Howse had two goals in regulation, giving him 44 on the season. He has scored in eight straight games, one shy of F Oscar Moller’s franchise record. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore set a franchise single-season record for saves in one game (64). The previous record (55) was set by Braden Game in a 6-3 loss to the Winterhawks in Portland on Saturday. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 37 shots. . . . Attendance was 5,319. . . . The loser point lifted the Bruins, who have lost four straight, to within three points of eighth-place Kamloops in the Western Conference. The Bruins hold three games in hand. . . . The Thunderbirds are two points behind the Bruins.
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SUNDAY’S CFB COUNT:
One minor:
Saskatoon D Teigan Zahn

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Roy MacGregor of The Globe and Mail is the best essayist/sports columnist in Canada today.
His column in Saturday’s paper carries this headline: How to break Neanderthals’ grip on hockey?
It starts with this sentence:
“If hockey is truly ‘a man’s game,’ then why are the games brought to us by Cialis and Viagra?”
As he writes later in the piece: “It is a great game, but it surely needs some work.”
This is your must-read piece for today and it is right here.
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Interestingly, MacGregor wrote and filed his column before the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders staged that embarrassing exhibition on Friday evening.The NHL had quite a week, didn’t it?
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While enjoying some time off this week, I heard someone -- it may have been Bob McCown on The Fan 590 out of Toronto -- mention that there were, at that particular time, 43 NHL players out with concussions.
I don’t know where that number came from, but I went on TSN’s website late Friday night and started counting. I found 23 players listed as being out with a concussion, concussion symptoms or a head injury. There are a bunch of players on the list with undisclosed injuries, so perhaps there is another list out there somewhere that showed 43 concussed NHLers.
Regardless, it got me to wondering: How many WHL players have suffered concussions this season?
So I spent some time perusing the WHL injury/transaction update that is posted on the league’s website early each week.
Interestingly, six of the WHL’s 22 teams have reported a number of head injuries but not even one concussion. On the other hand, 10 teams have reported concussions but no head injuries.
Including the injury report of Feb. 8, WHL teams have listed a total of 78 players as having suffered head injuries or concussions. Of those, 43 have suffered concussions and 35 are listed as having had head injuries.
(Another five players are shown to have incurred neck injuries.)
Of course, there is nothing here to indicate how these injuries happened. For example, there are goaltenders on the list who were concussed when struck on the mask by a shot or a stick.
But there also are two players on the list who suffered season-ending concussions and one other who hasn’t played since Dec. 10.
As of the Feb. 8 list, there were 13 players out with concussions or head injuries.
No matter how you look at it, there are far too many head injuries, certainly at this level of hockey and in the NHL.
The message, whatever it is, isn’t getting through.
Consider, too, that Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier is reporting: “Last season, the WHL handed out 110 games in suspensions; this season, it’s already at 135.”
That doesn’t include an impending suspension to Kelowna Rockets F Colton Jobke. He was hit with an interference major on Friday night for a hit that ended the season of Chilliwack Bruins F Tim Traber, who suffered a broken leg.
Here’s what Kelowna head coach Ryan Huska, speaking after the game, told Potenteau: “I didn’t think it was a good hit. Traber didn’t have the puck, and, from what I saw originally — and I haven’t looked at since — I thought it wasn’t a very good hit. Even though he’s our player, it’s one of the hits where I wouldn’t want to see one of our guys get hit that way.”
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A look at WHL teams and the number of concussion and head injuries each has reported through Feb. 8 (first number is concussions; second number is head injuries):
Brandon 0-0
Calgary 0-6
Chilliwack 5-0
Edmonton 2-4
Everett 8-0
Kamloops 5-0
Kelowna 0-5
Kootenay 1-2
Lethbridge 0-4
Medicine Hat 3-0
Moose Jaw 2-1
Portland 0-0
Prince Albert 0-3
Prince George 1-0
Red Deer 3-0
Regina 3-0
Saskatoon 5-0
Seattle 2-0
Spokane 0-4
Swift Current 2-1
Tri-City 3-0
Vancouver 3-0
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SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM SATURDAY’S GAMES:
In Whitehorse, F Brendan Gallagher scored twice to help the Vancouver Giants to a 3-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The game was played in a soldout Takhini Arena, which has 1,535 seats. . . . This was the first WHL regular-season game to be played in the Yukon, although the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Kootenay Ice played two exhibition games in Yellowknife, North West Territories, in 2005. . . . The arena didn’t include glass that meets WHL standards so both teams agreed to have the officials ignore what would have been delay-of-game penalties in WHL arenas. . . . The victory was No. 516 in the WHL for Vancouver head coach Don Hay, who is fourth on the all-time list. Pat Ginnell is No. 3, at 518. . . . The Giants have won 14 of their last 18 games. . . . Gallagher broke a 2-2 tie when he tipped a shot by F Spencer Bennett past G Jeff Bosch. . . . Gallagher has 38 goals. . . . Bennett set up both of Gallagher’s goals. . . . Vancouver G Mark Segal stopped 26 shots, two fewer than Bosch. . . . Vancouver remains atop the B.C. Division, meaning it is the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed. It now is four points ahead of Kelowna. . . . The Blazers slipped into ninth, one point behind Chilliwack. . . .
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In Chilliwack, the Bruins, without three veteran defencemen, beat the Kelowna Rockets, 4-1. . . . F Ryan Howse scored twice, giving him 39 goals, and added an assist. . . . F Max Adolph gave Kelowna a 1-0 lead with his second goal of the season in the first period. . . . F Brandon Magee tied it for the Bruins at 3:25 of the second and F Kevin Sundher, with his 18th, gave them the lead at 17:20. . . . Howse added two third-period goals. . . . The Bruins were without veteran defencemen Brandon Manning, who is serving a seven-game suspension, and the injured Jeff Einhorn and Zach Habscheid. . . . F Curt Gogol dropped back to the blue line and Turner Popoff, 16, was brought in from the junior B Richmond Sockeyes and made his WHL debut. . . . The Bruins also were without F Tim Traber, who will miss the rest of this season with a broken right leg suffered in Friday’s 5-4 shootout victory in Kelowna. Rockets F Colton Jobke was hit with an interference major on the play in which Traber was injured. Jobke has been suspended, although the length of that suspension isn’t yet known. . . . Chilliwack G Lucas Gore stopped 26 shots. . . . The Rockets were 0-for-2 on the PP; the Bruins were 0-for-1. . . . Attendance was 2,909. . . . The victory lifted the Bruins into eighth in the Western Conference, one point ahead of Kamloops. Chilliwack holds four games in hand on Kamloops. . . . The Bruins are at home to Tri-City tonight. . . . The Rockets travel to Everett to face the Silvertips tonight. . . .
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In Kent, Wash., F Ryan Johansen had his first WHL three-goal game, leading the Portland Winterhawks to an 8-2 victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Winterhawks, who lead the Western Conference, are one victory away from clinching a playoff spot. . . . Portland scored its first five goals on the PP as it went 6-for-7 with the man advantage. . . . Johansen has 30 goals. . . . Portland D Joe Morrow had a goal and three assists. . . . Seattle had a 17-5 edge in first-period shots but went into the second period trailing 1-0. . . . The Winterhawks outshot Seattle 20-7 in the second and emerged with a 5-1 lead. . . . Portland G Keith Hamilton stopped 35 shots. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard was beaten seven times on 35 shots before Michael Salmon came on. He was beaten once on two shots. . . . Attendance was 4,771. . . . The Winterhawks lead the Western Conference and hold a five-point lead over Spokane in the U.S. Division. . . . Seattle, with one victory in 10 games, is 10th in the conference and now is five points out of a playoff spot. . . . Spokane visits the Thunderbirds tonight. . . .
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In Brandon, F Matt MacKay scored three times to lead the Wheat Kings to a 6-4 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . MacKay’s third goal, his 21st of the season, came into an empty net with 11.6 seconds left in the third period. . . . F T.J. Foster scored three times for Edmonton, while F Dylan Wruck earned four assists and set the franchise’s modern day record for points (64) in a season. . . . Brandon has won six straight home games. . . . Foster has 23 goals. . . . D Ryan Pulock and F Brenden Walker each had two assists for Brandon. . . . Pulock, a 16-year-old from Grandview, Man., has 27 points in 49 games and certainly is in the conversation when the discussion is about the Eastern Conference’s top rookie. . . . Attendance was 4,120. . . . Brandon is back in action Tuesday when the Saskatoon Blades and F Brayden Schenn come calling. The Wheat Kings dealt Schenn to Saskatoon on Jan. 10. . . . The Wheat Kings, seventh in the Eastern Conference, closed to within three points of the sixth-place Oil Kings. Edmonton has one game in hand. . . . The Oil Kings move on to Swift Current tonight. . . .
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In Moose Jaw, F Marek Viedensky and F Jake Trask each scored twice for Saskatoon as the Blades beat the Warriors, 5-3. . . . The Blades have won 11 in a row. . . . Viedensky has 27 goals. . . . Trask, whose second goal was into an empty net, now has 21 goals. . . . F Cody Beach had a goal and two assists for the Warriors. . . . Moose Jaw G Thomas Heemskerk stopped 43 shots. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford stopped 26 shots and now is 32-3-0. I’m thinking he has the Cy Young Award locked up. . . . After Beach gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead, the Blades scored three times, twice on the PP, to take a 3-1 lead into the second. . . . The Warriors tied it before Viedensky broke the 3-3 deadlock at 18:22 of the third. . . . Referees Derek Zalaski and Cole Hamm handed out nine roughing minors and six for unsportsmanlike conduct. There were only two scraps, though. . . . Attendance was 2,730. . . . The Blades lead the WHL in victories (44), points (90) and winning percentage (.804). In fact, only one other team (Red Deer, .716) is over .700. . . .The Warriors are fifth and appear likely to finish there. . . .
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In Regina, the Pats got two shootout goals and beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-2. . . . The Pats led 2-0 in the second period, on goals by D Brandon Davidson and F Lane Scheidl, only to have the Tigers come back and tie it. D Jace Coyle scored at 13:40 of the second and F Kellan Tochkin tied it at 6:52 of the third. . . . Medicine Hat F Linden Vey had two assists and now has 92 points. He is tied for the scoring lead with Spokane F Tyler Johnson. . . . F Shayne Neigum and Scheidl scored for Regina in the SO, while only F Wacey Hamilton was able to beat G Matt Hewitt for the Tigers. . . . Hewitt stopped 32 shots through OT and three more in the SO. . . . Medicine Hat G Tyler Bunz made 34 saves. Regina D Myles Bell was unable to beat him on a second period penalty shot. . . . Attendance was 3,996. . . . The Pats are tied for 10th with Lethbridge, just two points behind Prince Albert and Swift Current, who are tied for eighth. . . . Medicine Hat is fourth, one point behind Kootenay. . . .
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In Swift Current, F Max Reinhart scored two goals 34 seconds apart as the Kootenay Ice beat the Broncos, 6-4. . . . The Ice, which has clinched a playoff spot, led 3-0 after one period and 4-1 late in the second, only to have the Broncos tie it 4-4 on F Andy Blanke’s fifth goal of the season at 6:59 of the third. . . . F Joe Antilla got the winner at 14:42 and D James Martin nailed the empty-netter at 19:44. . . . F Cody Eakin, traded to the Ice by the Broncos on Jan. 9 for five players and three draft picks, had one assist in his return to Swift Current. . . . F Drew Czerwonka had three assists for the Ice. . . . Reinhart, who scored the game’s first two goals, has 29 this season. . . . Attendance was 2,525. . . . The Ice is third in the Eastern Conference, six points behind Red Deer and one up on Medicine Hat. . . . The Broncos, with one victory in 10 games, are tied with Prince Albert for the conference’s last playoff spot. . . . The Broncos are at home again tonight, this time to Edmonton. . . .
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In Calgary, G Brandon Glover stopped 32 shots to lead the Calgary Hitmen to a 4-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Hitmen scored three times in the first period, with F Justin Kirsch getting his 22nd at 4:12. . . . F Kris Foucault, with his 17th, and F Misha Fisenko, with his seventh, also scored in that first period. . . . F Brett Connolly got his 33rd on the PP at 7:44 of the second. . . . Foucault later added his 18th into an empty net. He also had an assist. . . . Calgary F Brendan Santini had two helpers. . . . Cougars G Ty Rimmer stopped 18 shots. . . . Attendance was 9,385. . . . The Hitmen are 12th in the Eastern Conference and, barring a miracle, won’t make the playoffs. . . . The Cougars are sixth in the Western Conference, four points behind Kelowna and three ahead of Everett. . . . The Cougars have a game in Red Deer tonight. . . .
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In Lethbridge, G Darcy Kuemper stopped 27 shots as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Hurricanes, 3-0. . . . Kuemper, a 20-year-old from Saskatoon, leads all of the CHL with 11 shutouts. He has 17 in his career. . . . He had three in each of his previous two seasons. . . . F Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored his 20th goal, while F Byron Froese had a goal, his 34th, and an assist, and F Andrej Kudrna got his 25th goal. . . . With Red Deer short on the back end, Froese dropped back and played a lot on defence. . . . Lethbridge G Brandon Anderson stopped 39 shots. . . . Red Deer F Brett Ferguson had an assist to run his point streak to 13 games, the longest active streak in the league today. He has 21 points over that stretch. . . . Attendance was 3,790. . . . Lethbridge is tied with Regina for 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points out of a playoff spot. . . . Red Deer leads the Central Division and is seven points behind conference-leading Saskatoon. . . . Red Deer is at home to Prince George tonight. . . .
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In Spokane, F Levko Koper drew four assists as the Chiefs dumped the Tri-City Americans, 7-2. . . . The Chiefs were 4-for-7 on the PP, while the Americans were 0-for-6. . . . F Tyler Johnson had two goals and an assist for the Chiefs. He leads the WHL with 43 goals and his 92 points have on the top rung alongside Medicine Hat F Linden Vey. . . . Spokane D Brenden Kichton had a goal and two assists. . . . Spokane G Mac Engel stopped 22 shots. . . . Tri-City G Drew Owsley left early in the second period with an apparent knee injury. . . . Attendance was 10,475. . . . The Chiefs are second in the U.S. Division, five points behind Portland with two games in hand. . . . The Americans are three points in back of Spokane. Tri-City holds three games in hand on Spokane and five on Portland. . . . The Americans play in Chilliwack tonight, while the Chiefs are in Kent, Wash., to face Seattle.
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SATURDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
Three minors:
Medicine Hat F Kale Kessy
Kelowna F Evan Bloodoff
Tri-City D Sam Grist

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Austin Madaisky wasn’t aware how badly he was injured until he entered Royal Inland Hospital on Saturday morning.
The Kamloops Blazers defenceman had crumpled to the ice during a game the previous night and he was sore from the check, one that drove him back first into the boards at Interior Savings Centre.
Still, he never expected to be diagnosed with a fractured cervical vertebrae — a C-7 fracture — that has ended his season.
“Yeah, it’s over,” the 18-year-old Madaisky, who is from Surrey, said on Sunday. “It’s over.”
Madaisky admitted that hearing he had a fractured vertebrae was scary but that “you have to stay optimistic.”
As it turned out, his season ended when he was taken hard into the boards by Chilliwack Bruins defenceman Brandon Manning at 8:01 of the third period of what would be a 2-1 Kamloops victory. Manning was assessed a boarding major and game misconduct and has been suspended — length to be determined — by the WHL.
“I knew he was there,” said Madaisky of Manning, who had dumped the puck into the Kamloops zone and then raced in on the forecheck. “I didn’t know really exactly what he was going to do, whether he was going to try to hit me right away or rub me out. I just tried to kind of brace myself, I guess.
“It looked like we just got kind of tangled up and I got thrown backwards into the boards. I can’t even remember how I really went in.”
Madaisky, who had yet to watch a replay of the incident, said he doesn’t know what he could have done differently.
Earlier in that game, the Blazers had lost defenceman Brandon Underwood, a third-year player from Carlsbad, Calif., with a knee injury. He left at 3:30 of the first period, unable to put any weight on his left leg, and didn’t return. Underwood, 18, is believed to have suffered ligament damage and his season, too, may be over.
Thus, the Blazers had only five defencemen in the lineup Saturday when they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Bruins in Chilliwack.
Kamloops forward Bernhard Keil forged a 3-3 tie with his second goal of the season — his first came on Oct. 13 — at 2:30 of the third period. But the Bruins got the winner less than four minutes later when forward Brandon Magee beat goaltender Jeff Bosch for his eighth goal.
Ryan Howse scored twice for Chilliwack, giving him 35, and Roman Horak also scored in support of goaltender Lucas Gore, who turned aside 36 shots in posting his 20th victory of the season. Gore, who is from Kamloops, tied the single-season franchise record that he established last season.
The Blazers had taken a 2-0 lead into the second period on goals by Dylan Willick and Thomas Frazee.
The Blazers remain in sole possession of the 10-team Western Conferenceís eighth and final playoff spot, one point ahead of Chilliwack and two in front of the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Meanwhile, Madaisky expects to be fitted with an Aspen Cervical Collar today, after which he plans on flying home with his father, Pat, who arrived Saturday.
“In terms of a mental state,” Austin said, “I think I’m doing pretty well. It’s going to heal . . . it’s just a matter of time. It’s another broken bone, obviously a little more serious being in the neck, but the doctor said it broke nicely so it should heal just fine.”
Madaisky also said he has been instructed not to “do anything unnecessary.” He also was told that, if all goes well, the injury will be 100 per cent healed in three months.
“So,” he said, “after a month or two I’ll be back doing regular things and will be back in the gym and skating.”
Madaisky, who was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen just over a year ago, was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the fifth round of the NHL’s 2010 draft. He has heard from the Blue Jackets, who “want the doctor here to contact their doctor. Then they’ll decide what they want to do.”
In the meantime, Madaisky plans on following instructions.
“I’ll let it heal and then hit the physio,” he said.
JUST NOTES: Despite some nastiness in their previous two meetings, only eight minor penalties were called Saturday, four to each team. . . . The Blazers continue to be without F Chase Schaber, their captain, who now has missed 14 of the last 16 games with leg injuries. He may return Wednesday against visiting Seattle. . . . G Taran Kozun, 16, flew back to Prince Albert after Saturdayís game and has rejoined the midget AAA Mintos. He backed up Bosch for three games while Cam Lanigan (concussion) was out. Lanigan will undergo tests today to determine whether he will be able to dress for Wednesday’s game.
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Ryan Howse of the Chilliwack Bruins fires the game's first
goal past Kamloops Blazers goaltender Jeff Bosch.
(Photo by Shane Kurki/Kamloops Daily News)

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor

Standing at the middle point in overtime, his team on the power play, defenceman Brandon Manning’s experience told him something.
“When you’re 4-on-3 there’s going to be a lane to shoot,” said Manning, who shot and scored 21 seconds into OT to give the Chilliwack Bruins a 3-2 WHL victory over the Kamloops Blazers before 4,367 fans at Interior Savings Centre.
The Bruins were on the power play because Kamloops forward Dylan Willick had been fingered for hooking at 19:14 of the third period. With 54.5 seconds left in the period, the Blazers had lost a faceoff in their zone and Willick got  his stick tangled in the midsection of Chilliwack winger Robin Soudek.
Chilliwack then won it on the only shot of extra time, as Manning blasted the puck high and over goaltender Jeff Bosch.
“We had a set play set up,” said Manning, a 20-year-old native of Prince George who is in his third season with the Bruins. “They weren’t giving us much and they gave us a shot, so I took it.
“I’ve been known to shoot the puck so I just put it on net and it found a hole for me.”
Manning, who signed a three-year contract as a free agent with the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers in late November, now has 14 goals.
The victory lifted the Bruins (21-20-3) into a tie for seventh in the Western Conference. They are even with the Blazers (21-25-3) and Seattle Thunderbirds (18-20-9), who lost 6-3 to the visiting Kelowna Rockets last night. The Bruins, who meet the visiting Prince George Cougars tonight and play the Giants in Vancouver on Sunday, hold five games in hand on the Blazers.
Kamloops, which is at home to the B.C. Division-leading Giants tonight, led this one 2-1 heading into the latter stages of the third period, thanks to winger JT Barnett’s ninth goal of the season.
He capitalized on some good work by centre Colin Smith in behind the Chilliwack net. Smith outworked a defenceman and threw the puck out front to a wide-open Barnett, who whipped a shot through goaltender Lucas Gore.
The lead stood up until 16:15 when thumper Curt Gogol knocked down an airborne puck in front of Bosch and whacked it home for his fifth of the season.
“The way the standings are, every point is pretty important,” said Smith, a 17-year-old sophomore who continues to look more and more comfortable. “There are certain games that you battle and it just doesn’t turn out for you.”
Make no mistake . . . this one was a battle. There wasn’t a whole lot of room out there for a lot of it.
“It was pretty tight out there,” Smith said. “It was one those games where you just had to keep sticking with it. Unfortunately, they regrouped at the end.”
Smith picked up one assist and now has 12 points over his last 13 games and 31 points in 49 games overall.
“I’m just trying to play,” said Smith, who was the seventh overall pick in the 2008 bantam draft. “I’m just battling through the ups and downs. I’m starting to feel it might be headed in the right direction and I’m just trying to keep on getting better.
“I just want to keep playing every game hard and hopefully good things will happen.”
The teams went into the third period even at 1-1 after Ryan Howse scored his 31st of the season for Chilliwack in the first period and freshman centre Matt Needham replied with his third in the second period.
Howse, who also is from Prince George, finished with the goal and an assist on the winner, giving him 184 career points and the franchise’s career record, one more than Mark Santorelli (2006-08). A third-round selection by Calgary in the 2009 NHL draft, Howse signed with the Flames on Dec. 21.
“It’s great to see guys have success like that,” Manning said of his teammate. “Ryan’s been great for Chilliwack and to have some personal success and do something like that is great. Good for him.”
JUST NOTES: Referee Pat Smith gave each team five minors and a major, with the Bruins (Gogol) taking the lone misconduct. . . . The Bruins were 1-for-4 on the PP; the Blazers were 0-for-4. . . . Bosch was sharp, making 26 saves. Chilliwack G Lucas Gore, who is from Kamloops, stopped 28 shots. . . . The Daily News Three Stars: 1. Manning — the Bruins’ leader on the back end; 2. Willick — no one works like he does; 3. Howse — first goal was an NHL shot. . . . Kamloops LW Brendan Ranford remains stalled at 30 goals. He hasn’t scored in 11 games and has just two in 16 outings.
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The NHL’s Calgary Flames signed F Ryan Howse of the Chilliwack Bruins to a three-year deal on Tuesday. Capgeek.com reports that the contract calls for NHL salaries of US$615,000, $615,000 and $690,000, with AHL salaries of $65,000, $67,500 and $67,500. The signing bonus is three annual payments of $90,000. . . . Howse was a third-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft.
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Mike Boyle, the radio voice of the Spokane Chiefs, will be the new radio voice of baseball’s Spokane Indians. He replaces Bob Robertson, a legend in the Pacific Northwest who handled the job for 12 years but has left in order to spend more time with his family. Boyle is in his ninth season of calling Chiefs’ games. For the last four baseball seasons, Boyle has done play-by-play of Tri-City Dust Devils games. . . . The Indians are a Class A short-season affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
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When the break is over, Edmonton and Swift Current will announce a deal that will have the rights to F Graham Black, 17, move from the Oil Kings to the Broncos. Black, who is from Regina, is playing for the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians. He leads the Saskatchewan midget AAA league in goals (32) and points (51), in 27 games. . . . The Broncos would like to add Black to their roster this season but are prepared to wait until next season. . . . For a neat look at the multi-talented Black, check out this story right here from the Regina Leader-Post. . . .
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Mandi Schwartz, the native of Wilcox, Sask., who has been battling acute myeloid leukemia, continues the battle. Tim Switzer of the Regina Leader-Post has the latest right here.

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The WHL has extended the Christmas break for four of its players by hitting them with brief suspensions for infractions that occurred in Saturday games.
Defenceman Sena Acolatse of the Prince George Cougars and forward Kale Kessy of the Medicine Hat Tigers each will sit out two games. Acolatse incurred a match penalty for attempt to injury at the end of a 3-2 victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers, while Kessy was hit with a double minor for checking from behind during a 5-3 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Defenceman Brandon Underwood of the Blazers will sit for one game after taking a kneeing major and game misconduct against the Cougars, while Lethbridge D Cason Machacek also got one game, his for a warmup violation against the Tigers.
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D Matt Delahey (Regina, Chilliwack, 2004-10) has left the ECHL’s Ontario Reign and will enrol at the U of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Delahey, 21, was a fourth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils in the NHL’s 2008 draft. . . . F Jonathan Parker of the Prince Albert Raiders is the CHL’s player of the week. He had nine points in three games last week. . . . The MJHL’s Neepawa Natives have extended GM/head coach Bryant Perrier’s contract through 2012-13. Perrier is in his second season with the Natives. . . . The NHL’s Calgary Flames have signed F Ryan Howse of the Chilliwack Bruins to a three-year contract. Howse, who is from Prince George, was a third-round pick in the NHL’s 2009 draft. In his fourth season with the Bruins, Howse has 39 points, including 23 goals, in 32 games.

Thursday . . .

This is the design of the jerseys being auctioned off by the Everett Silvertips.

The Everett Silvertips are at home to the Tri-City Americans tonight and it’s Pink the Rink night.
There will be a whole lot of things happening, with proceeds going to the Providence General Foundation.
Included will be a chuck-a-puck promotion; a ticket package that includes an upper-level ticket, an ‘I Pinked the Rink’ Silvertips t-shirt, and a $6 donation to the PGF, all for $20; and, an online auction involving commemorative pink-trimmed Silvertips jerseys.  Bids on each jersey start at $150 — email bids to auctions@everettsilvertips.com.
Notes from a Silvertips release: “In the subject line please place the name of the player that you are bidding on and in the body of the email please include your bid amount as well as a day-time phone number that we can use to contact you should you be the highest bidder. If you are submitting an online bid and will be in attendance please indicate that in your email.” Email bids will be accepted until today at 3 p.m.; bidding resumes in-person once the doors open on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and will continue through the end of the second period. Winning bids will be posted in the third period.
After the game, jerseys will be presented to the highest bidders.
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The Kamloops Blazers will conclude their Pink Power Play fund-raiser on Saturday as they play host to the Seattle Thunderbirds.
It’s all part of their efforts to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
As well, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation will continue its WestJet Raffle through the second period, with the winner announced during the third period.
The Blazers are auctioning off specially designed Bauer Vapor x60 Composite Sticks. Bid sheets will be out for Saturday's game, with the auction ending as the second period begins. Email bids will be accepted at aneuls@blazerhockey.com. For more info, or to check on bids, visit the Blazers’ website or the team’s Facebook page.
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The Saskatoon Blades are on the road this weekend and may not have the services of G Steven Stanford, 20, who left Thursday’s practice with a possible concussion.
As a result, the Blades have recalled G Adam Todd, a fourth-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft. Todd is to join the Blades in time for a Saturday game against the Rebels in Red Deer. The Blades then will meet the Hitmen on Sunday afternoon in Calgary.
Todd is in his first season with the major midget Okanagan Rockets. He is 3-2-0, 3.01, .894.
With Todd on the move, the Rockets plan on giving two weekend starts to freshman Connor De Melo, 15, who is 3-2-0, 3.04, .871. The Rockets have a weekend doubleheader with the Cariboo Cougars.
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The Kamloops Blazers have assigned F Jesse Sinatynski, 18, to junior A. He is expected to play somewhere in the AJHL. Sinatynyski, who is from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., was acquired Oct. 14 from the Brandon Wheat Kings for a fifth-round pick in the 2011 bantam draft. He played three games with the Blazers, scoring once, and was a healthy scratch for one game. . . . Kamloops now is carrying 24 players, including two goaltenders and eight defencemen. That includes D Josh Caron, who is out for another month with a broken collarbone.
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Head coach Craig Hartsburg has returned to the practice ice with the Everett Silvertips. But he won’t be on the bench Friday when the Tri-City Americans are in town. Hartsburg underwent a heart catheterization last week and will undergo open hart surgery on Wednesday in Everett to repair an ascending aortic aneurysm. . . . Hartsburg will attend Friday’s game, but associate coach Jay Varady and assistant coach Chris Hartsburg will work the bench, as they did for three games last week. . . . After the surgery, Hartsburg won’t be back coaching until sometime in the new year. . . . The Americans lost three road games without Hartsburg -- 2-0 to the Portland Winterhawks, 4-3 to the Kelowna Rockets and 3-1 to the Vancouver Giants.
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It was a busy day for the Portland Winterhawks. First, they got F Nino Niederreiter back from the NHL’s New York Islanders. Then they announced that G Ian Curtis, 20, had cleared WHL waivers.
Niederreiter should play for the Winterhawks in a weekend doubleheader against the Kelowna Rockets. They’ll play twice at Memorial Coliseum tonight and Saturday night.
The fifth overall pick in the NHL’s 2010 draft,  Niederreiter, 18, had a goal and an assist in nine games with the Islanders. Because of his age and the fact that he was drafted off a CHL team’s roster, Niederreiter, who is from Switzerland, either had to play with the Islanders or be returned to Portland.
Last season, his first in the WHL, Niederreiter had 60 points, including a team-high 36 goals. He added 16 points, eight of them goals, in the playoffs. And, of course, he got a lot of pub during the World Junior Championship when he led Switzerland into the semifinals and was named a tournament all-star. And he played for Switzerland at the 2010 IIHF world championship.
It will be interesting to see how GM/head coach Mike Johnston and assistant Travis Green fit in Niederreiter among their top six forwards. He also is the third forward on the roster with an NHL contract as F Ryan Johansen, the fourth pick in the 2010 NHL draft, and F Oliver Gabriel, a free agent, have signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. (D Brett Ponich, a second-round pick by St. Louis in 2009, has signed with the Blues.)
Later in the day, the Winterhawks announced that Curtis would be on the move as they have decided to go with their two 18-year-old goaltenders — Mac Carruth and Keith Hamilton.
The original plan was to go with Curtis and Carruth. But when both of them went down with injuries, Hamilton carried the mail through the season’s first couple of weeks and was outstanding.
Curtis is 2-0, 3.50, .909 this season. Last season, he went 27-21-3, 3.39, .906. He also has played with the Swift Current Broncos and Prince George Cougars.
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The Calgary Flames had a guest — F Ryan Howse of the Chilliwack Bruins — at their Thursday night game against the visiting Colorado Avalanche. Howse, a third-round selection by the Flames in the 2009 NHL draft, watched the Flames fall, 6-5. . . . Chilliwack plays the Hitmen in Calgary tonight. . . . The BCHL’s Langley Chiefs recently have added three former WHLers to their roster. D Brad Haber, who was released by the Red Deer Rebels, is with the Chiefs, as are the Scholten brothers, Dillon and Brandon, both of whom had been with the Vancouver Giants. Haber is 20, as is Dillon Scholten, a defenceman. Brandon Scholten, 18, is a forward. . . . Calgary Hitmen F Kris Foucault (shoulder) is questionable for a game tonight against the visiting Chilliwack Bruins. He was injured during Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to visiting Kootenay when he absorbed a clean hit from Ice D Brayden McNabb.
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