Portland goaltender Mac Carruth had the answers as he blanked the Blazers
3-0 in Kamloops on Wednesday night.
(Murray Mitchell /Kamloops Daily News)

THE MacBETH REPORT:
D Patrick Baum (Swift Current, 1997-98) signed a one-year contract extension with Heilbronner Falken (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had one goal and seven assists in 30 games for the Falken this season. Heilbronn also announced that it won’t offer contracts for next season to 13 players, including G Kevin Nastiuk (Medicine Hat, 2001-05). Nastiuk had a 2.21 GAA in 26 games this season. . . .

F Wacey Rabbit (Saskatoon, Vancouver, 2001-07) signed a two-year contract extension with Lørenskog (Norway, GET-Ligaen). He had 19 goals and 34 assists in 44 games this season. . . .

G Justin Pogge (Prince George, Calgary, 2003-06) signed a one-year contract with Karlskoga (Sweden, Allsvenskan). He had a 2.37 GAA and .925 save percentage in 44 games with Ritten/Renon (Italy, Serie A) this season. . . .

F Zdenek Okal (Medicine Hat, 2008-10) and F Ondrej Vesely (Portland, Tri-City, 1996-98) signed one-year contract extensions with Zlin (Czech Republic, Extraliga). Okal had seven goals and four assists in 46 games with Zlin, one goal in a one-game loan to Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic, 1. Liga), and was named Extraliga rookie of the year. . . . Vesely had 10 goals and 31 assists in 52 games with Zlin.
———

If you haven’t seen it by now, right here is what the hockey world will be talking about today. The QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar had quite a brawl following a game last night. . . . They are to meet again on Friday, so the QMJHL is going to have to make some disciplinary decisions in a hurry.
———

“Hockey parents are in shock after learning their kids are not covered for brain injury in a concussion-plagued sport.” . . . So begins a rather interesting piece written by Elaine O’Connor and Frank Luba of the Vancouver Province. . . . The complete story is right here.
———

Former Kamloops Blazers F Chase Schaber played this season with the U of Lethbridge Pronghorns, but has since turned pro and is with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads. Chris Langrill of the Idaho Statesman has Schaber’s story right here, including the injury in last season’s playoffs that almost cost him one leg.
———

D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen, who played out his junior eligibility with the Vancouver Giants this season, has decided to attend UBC and play for the Thunderbirds next season. Vannieuwenhuizen, the Giants’ captain this season, played four seasons with Vancouver. . . . F Greg Fraser, who played four seasons with the Prince George Cougars (2008-12) before playing this season with the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, also has committed to the Thunderbirds.
———
THE COACHING GAME:
Steve Rohlik is the new head coach at Ohio State. He spent three years as the associate coach under Mark Osiecki, who was fired earlier this month. When Osiecki was dropped, Rohlik was named interim head coach. . . . Rohlik, who is a head coach for the first time, also spent 10 seasons as an assistant at Minnesota-Duluth and three at Nebraska-Omaha.
———

 The WHL’s playoff situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Edmonton (1) vs. Calgary (3)
(Series tied 2-2; Game 5 on Friday night in Edmonton; all games on Shaw TV, with Dan Russell calling the play.)
———
WESTERN CONFERENCE
THIRD ROUND
Portland (1) vs. Kamloops (3)
(Portland leads series, 3-1; Game 5 on Friday night at the Rose Garden in Portland.)
———
WEDNESDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, the Edmonton Oil Kings scored four times in the first 10:15 of the opening period and went on to beat the Hitmen, 7-3. . . . Edmonton F T.J. Foster scored the game’s first two goals, in the opening 2:10, giving him three in the playoffs. . . . Oil Kings F Michael St. Croix finished with a goal and three assists. . . . Edmonton D Martin Gernat had a goal and an assist, and was plus-5. . . . The Oil Kings, who took a 5-1 lead into the second period, have twice enjoyed five-goal periods in this series, while Calgary has done it once. . . . Calgary F Brooks Macek scored on a second-period penalty shot. . . . Calgary F Elliott Peterson, who had four goals in 38 regular-season games, got his fifth in his 14th playoff game. . . . The Oil Kings were without D Griffin Reinhart, who left in the third period of Game 3 with an undisclosed injury, and F Luke Bertolucci, who departed in the second period after absorbing a stiff check by Calgary D Jaynen Rissling. . . . Edmonton inserted F Cole Benson and D Stephen Shmoorkoff into the lineup. . . . Reinhart actually returned to Edmonton in order to be re-evaluated. . . .

In Kamloops, G Mac Carruth stopped 29 shots and F Nic Petan scored twice as the Portland Winterhawks dumped the Blazers, 3-0. . . . Carruth has two shutouts in this series, four in these playoffs and seven in his career. . . . Portland F Nic Petan scored twice, giving him eight this spring, and had an assist. . . . For the second straight game, the Winterhawks got an early 1-0 lead with a 5-on-3 PP goal. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie had three assists, upping his career playoff total to 88 points. He passed former Kamloops F Rob Brown (1983-87) and moved into third on the WHL’s all-time list. Former Kamloops D Greg Hawgood (1983-88) is next on the list, with 100 points. . . . Rattie leads the WHL playoff scoring derby, with 29 points in 14 games. . . . Portland F Keegan Iverson drew a charging major and game misconduct for a third-period hit that knocked Kamloops F Brendan Ranford out of the game. . . . Blazers head coach Guy Charron wasn’t able to provide an update on Ranford’s condition after the game. . . . There’s a video featuring that Iverson hit on Ranford right here.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (20):
D Joel Edmundson, Kamloops

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (6):
None
———






From Cody Nickolet (@WHLFromAbove): “Shaw TV replay shows Griffin Reinhart's skate getting sliced in a collision last night. Ouch. He's not playing tonight in Game 4.”
———
From Jesse Spector (@jessespector): “You hate to see a guy hurt his undisclosed at this time of year.”
———
From Paul Buker (@Pnbuker) of The Oregonian: “Thanks to WHL Live for the video feed. Can my $7.95 go towards the 'FREE MIKE' fund? Is that OK? No?”

There has never been a subscription fee for this blog, but if you enjoy stopping by here, why not consider donating to the cause? Just click HERE. . . and thank you very much.

THE MacBETH REPORT:
The Augsburger Panther (Germany, DEL) announced that they won’t re-sign six players to contracts for next season, including D Nick Ross (Regina, Kamloops, Vancouver, 2004-09). Ross started the season with Red Bull Salzburg (Austria, Erste Bank Liga), getting one goal and three assists in nine games, before signing with Augsburg, where he had two goals and seven assists in 24 games.
———
Another day and another logo similar to the one used by the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
This time a poster to this blog lets us know that the “Central Plains Capitals of the Manitoba Midget AAA League and Female Midget AAA team both use the Capitals logo as well.”
Here’s their logo . . .



———
The fog has lifted for Brian Roberts, who is working to get back to what he once was — the Baltimore Orioles’ starting second baseman. He has gone through two concussions but it appears that he is fine now. If you are suffering with post-concussion syndrome or know someone who is, read this piece right here. It’s written by Ken Rosenthal of foxsports.com and it will show you what a long, long road recovery can be.
———
JUST NOTES:
The Portland Winterhawks set a franchise playoff record when they allowed just 11 shots in beating the visiting Everett Silvertips 4-1 in Game 2 on Saturday. In the 2005 playoffs, the Winterhawks limited Everett to 14 shots in a game, although the Silvertips won that one, 3-0. . . . Portland D Troy Rutkowski now has played in a franchise record 58 playoff games, one more than F Ty Rattie. Going into these playoffs, Rutkowski had been tied with former Winterhawks D Joe Morrow. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth has played in 56 postseason games. . . . If you missed it, Morrow was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, going to the Dallas Stars in a deal that had former Winterhawks F Brendan Morrow go the other way. No, the two aren’t related. . . .

The WHL has suspended Saskatoon Blades F Jessey Astles for two games for his hit on Medicine Hat Tigers F Matt Staples in Game 1 of that series. Astles sat out Game 2 and will miss Game 3 tonight in Medicine Hat. . . . Staples is believed to have suffered a concussion. . . .
Daniel Nugent-Bowman of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix reports that Blades F Erik Benoit, 19, won’t play in the series. Benoit is expected to be out for up to two weeks. . . . “Benoit hasn’t played since sustaining a lower-body injury March 15 in Prince Albert,” Nugent-Bowman reports. “He has been seen around Credit Union Centre with a brace on his left knee.” . . .

Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald reports that the Americans will have D Mitch Topping and F Tyson Dallman available tonight as they resume their series with the Spokane Chiefs. The Americans, down 2-0, will play host to the next two games — and three, if necessary — in the series. . . . Topping hasn’t played since March 8 and has missed nine games. Dallman has been out since Feb. 22. . . . The Americans have lost their last seven games, four of them to the Chiefs. . . .

The Edmonton Oil Kings will again be without F T.J. Foster, who missed the first two games of their series with the Kootenay Ice, with an undisclosed injury. He didn’t make the trip to Cranbrook for Games 3 and 4. . . .
The Oil Kings drilled a bull elk on their way to Cranbrook for tonight’s third game of their series with the Kootenay Ice. “The elk is deceased,” writes columnist Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun. “The bus is disabled.”
Jones’ column is right here.
———

The WHL’s first-round situation:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Edmonton (1) vs. Kootenay (8)
(Series tied 1-1; Game 3 tonight in Cranbrook)
Saskatoon (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
(Medicine Hat leads 2-0; Game 3 tonight in Medicine Hat)
Calgary (3) vs. Swift Current (6)
(Calgary leads 2-1; Game 4 tonight in Swift Current)
Red Deer (4) vs Prince Albert (5)
(Red Deer leads 2-0; Game 3 tonight in Prince Albert)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Portland (1) vs. Everett (8)
(Series tied 1-1; Game 3 on Wednesday in Everett)
Kelowna (2) vs. Seattle (7)
(Seattle leads 2-0; Game 3 tonight in Kent, Wash.)
Kamloops (3) vs. Victoria (6)
(Kamloops leads 2-0; Game 3 tonight in Victoria, Bear Mountain Arena)
Spokane (4) vs. Tri-City (5)
(Spokane leads 2-0; Game 3 tonight in Kennewick, Wash.)
———
MONDAY’S GAME:
In Swift Current, F Colby Cave’s second goal of the game, at 10:14 of OT, gave the Broncos a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . Calgary leads the series 2-1 with Game 4 in Swift Current tonight. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester, who scored twice, forced OT with a goal with 33.2 seconds left in the third period. Sylvester scored with the goaltender on the bench for the extra attacker. The Broncos had two chances to clear the zone before Sylvester scored. Swift Current D Reece Scarlett, who drew an assist on each of his side’s first two goals, was off for delay of game — yes, it was for clearing the puck over the glass — at the time. . . . F Adam Lowry had Swift Current’s other goal and also had two assists. . . . Sylvester and Lowry have three goals each in the three games. . . . Broncos G Eetu Laurikainen stopped 43 shots, 17 of them in the first period. . . . G Chris Driedger of the Hitmen turned aside 39 shots. . . . This was the Broncos’ first home playoff game since the spring of 2009. The Broncos didn’t qualify in either of the last two seasons and in 2010 were bumped from their home arena by the world women’s curling championship.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT (5):
None

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT (2):
None
———


From Swift Current D Reece Scarlett (@reecescartlett7): “What a roller coaster of emotions. Still trying to take a deep breath . . . #whyweplay”


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.

Last night, the Swift Current Broncos honoured the memories of four players
who died when the team's bus crashed on Dec. 30, 1986. Board signs in memory
of Scott Kruger, Trent Kresse, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff were unveiled, and
Medicine Hat Tigers associate coach Darren Kruger, Scott's brother, took part
in a ceremonial faceoff.
(Swift Current Broncos photo)

The latest issue of DubNation is available and you can get to it by clicking on the cover — that’s JC Lipon of the Kamloops Blazers — right over there on the right.
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The Lethbridge Hurricanes have lost D Albin Blomqvist, perhaps for the remainder of this season, with a concussion.
Blomqvist, who turns 20 on Jan. 8, has been placed on the 30-day injured list and is at home in Sweden. He went home to Osby for Christmas and will remain there while he hopefully is able to make a full recovery.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Blomqvist, the 12th selection in the CHL’s 2011 import draft, had six points and 117 penalty minutes in 69 games with Lethbridge over two seasons.
Blomqvist, whose 17-year-old brother Axel is a freshman forward with the Hurricanes, hasn’t played since Dec. 5.
Albin Blomqvist is one of more than 37 players to have suffered concussions to this point in the WHL season.
While the league and its teams go to great lengths to hide injury-related information, close scrutiny of the weekly injury reports combined with information compiled from numerous sources reveals that the WHL is likely to finish this season with players having suffered more than 80 concussions.
As the Christmas break began, at least 37 players had suffered concussions, and that doesn’t include players like F Brayden Cuthbert, D Shane Pilling and F Shae Howorko, who suffered concussions last season and have yet to play in the WHL this season. The list does include Kelowna Rockets F Spencer Main, Seattle Thunderbirds F Tyler Alos and Moose Jaw Warriors D Reid Jackson, all of whom have had their seasons or careers ended by concussions this season.
Players like Kootenay F Brock Montgomery and Regina Pats D Dryden Hunt, who have suffered two concussions this season, are counted once.
While the number I have come up with is 37, I would suggest it is more than that, simply because the league and teams aren’t forthcoming with this information and there no doubt is some concussion-related information that has been hidden better than others.
No matter, though. The point is that the WHL needs to do more than it is doing to get the concussion number down a lot lower than it is. Two seasons ago, WHL players incurred around 100 concussions. At that point, the WHL stopped identifying injuries, choosing instead to go to the silly system of reporting injuries as being of the upper- or lower-body variety.
———
F Alex Forsberg, the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2010 bantam draft, chose not to return to the Prince George Cougars following the Christmas break and has asked for a trade. . . . Forsberg, 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, is from Waldheim, Sask. He will turn 18 on Jan. 4. . . . He went home on Dec. 17 and didn’t return as the Cougars resumed play with a 5-1 loss to the Royals in Victoria last night. . . . Forsberg had 40 points, including 15 goals, in 51 games last season. This season, he has 19 points, nine of them goals, in 31 games. . . . His 19-year-old brother Jesse played three seasons with the Cougars and was the team captain when he asked for a trade last summer. He now is with the Seattle Thunderbirds, who gave up F Colin Jacobs, 19. Seattle also got two 2013 bantam draft picks (fifth- and seventh-rounders). . . .
Before the Christmas break, Cougars head coach Dean Clark, in speaking of Forsberg, told Sheri Lamb of the Prince George Citizen:
“Points aren’t just going to happen. With his skills he’s going to create something but it’s not just going to happen, you have to put the effort out there all the time. Mentally he has to get a little bit stronger.
“If he can understand he has to come back in some half-decent shape he’ll be fine.”
Instead, Forsberg chose not to come back at all.
———
The Kamloops Blazers will be without D Ryan Rehill when they play host to the Vancouver Giants tonight. Rehill will be serving a one-game suspension. He was hit with a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct in a 7-3 loss to the Rockets in Kelowna on Thursday night. The penalty later was changed to a boarding major and he has been handed a one-game suspension.
———
Darcy Pindus will work as the head coach of the SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings, at least through the end of this season. Pindus, an assistant coach, takes over from the legendary Dwight McMillan, who decided to step aside over the Christmas break after almost 40 years behind the bench. McMillan, 69, had decided this would be his final season, but he has decided to retire just a bit earlier than that. Other than two seasons in the late 1980s, McMillan had been the Red Wings’ coach since 1972. . . . Scott Sabados, the team president, has told Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post that the position will be re-evaluated after this season. . . . “What (McMillan) has done for the organization can't be measured," Sabados told Harder. "Through some of the times the team has been through, there may not be a Weyburn Red Wings had it not been for a man like Dwight McMillan. It's going to be hard (to see him go). Only time will tell whether it's a goodbye or just a moving forward.”
———
G Mitch Gillam of the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs was credited with a goal on Friday night. . . . Gillam, 20, is from Peterborough, Ont., and has committed to Cornell starting next season. . . . He was credited with the game’s first goal, an empty-netter, at 8:36 of the first period. . . . The Chiefs went on to drop a 5-3 decision to the host Surrey Eagles.
———
Ken Campbell, veteran columnist with The Hockey News, takes a look right here at how Donald Fehr has played the tune that NHL owners are dancing to during the lockout.
———
FRIDAY’S GAMES:
F Anthony Bardaro had a goal and three assists to help the host Prince Albert Raiders to a 5-4 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Bardaro’s 11th goal broke a 4-4 tie at 15:04 of the third. . . . The teams play again tonight in Saskatoon. The East Division-leading Raiders go in with a 10-point edge on the Blades. . . . Saskatoon F Brett Stovin returned from a six-game absence. He had been out with an undisclosed injury. . . .

In Swift Current, the Broncos overcame a 4-1 deficit and beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 6-4. . . . Broncos F Adam Lowry scored his 24th goal as he ran his goal streak to eight games, the longest in the WHL this season. . . . Lowry also had three assists. . . . F Coda Gordon helped out with two goals and three assists. . . . F Colby Cave, the third member of the line, had two goals and an assist. . . . Prior to the game, a ceremonial faceoff was held to remember the four Broncos – Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff – who were killed when the team bus crashed on its way to Regina on Dec. 30, 1986. Darren Kruger, Scott’s brother, dropped the puck in the ceremonial faceoff. Darren, the Tigers’ associate coach and Scott‘s brother, played for the 1988-89 Broncos, who won the Memorial Cup. . . . The teams play tonight in Medicine Hat. . . .

In Brandon, D Travis Brown’s eighth goal of the season broke a 3-3 tie and gave the Moose Jaw Warriors a 4-3 victory over the Wheat Kings. . . . F Tanner Eberle had a goal and two assists for Moose Jaw, giving him seven points over his last four games. . . . The Wheat Kings had F Michael Ferland, 20, back in their lineup after the Brandon native was reassigned earlier in the day by the NHL’s Calgary Flames. Ferland was a fifth-round pick by the Flames in the 2010 NHL draft. He had 96 points, including 47 goals, with the Wheaties last season. . . . The Wheat Kings now have four 20-year-olds on their roster, with Ferland joining F Nick Bounassisi, D Ryley Miller and D Tyler Yaworski. Brandon has 14 days to get down to the maximum of three. . . . Miller was a healthy scratch last night. . . .

F Todd Fiddler’s unassisted goal at 18:18 of the second period stood up as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Kootenay Ice 1-0 in Cranbrook. . . . G Eric Williams stopped 29 shots for his second shutout this season and the fourth of his career. . . . The Ice had three injured players back in the lineup. F Brock Montgomery had missed six games, while D Joey Leach sat out eight and D Tanner Muth missed seven. . . . They’ll play a rematch tonight in Spokane. . . .

F T.J. Foster had a goal and two assists to lead the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 6-1 victory over the host Red Deer Rebels. . . . Foster, who has 18 goals, also was stymied on a penalty shot late in the third period. . . . The game was officiated by the four C’s – referees Chris Crich and Colin Stefanyk, and linesmen Cody Huseby and Cory Lundquist. . . . Edmonton F Michael St. Croix scored his 14th PP goal of the season, and that’s five more than any other WHLer has this season. . . . The Rebels had won 5-3 in Edmonton on Thursday night. . . . Red Deer is without D Brady Gaudet, who had his right arm in a cast after being injured in Edmonton on Thursday. . . .

G Ty Rimmer stopped 36 shots to lead the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the Hitmen in Calgary. . . . F Sam Mckechnie’s 17th goal of the season, at 13:31 of the second, gave Lethbridge a 2-0 lead and stood up as the winner. . . . The Hurricanes had D Adam Henry, 18, in the lineup for the first time this season. He was diagnosed with a heart condition (myocarditis) over the summer and hadn’t been cleared to play. He had 21 points in 60 games as a freshman last season. . . . The teams will clash again tonight in Lethbridge. . . .

G Brendan Burke stopped a career-high 43 shots to help the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-3 victory over the host Tri-City Americans. . . . The Winterhawks have won seven in a row and are atop the WHL’s overall standings, seven points ahead of the idle Kamloops Blazers. . . . F Taylor Leier and F Oliver Bjorkstand each scored his 15th goal for Portland. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic came up empty on a first-period penalty shot. . . . F Justin Feser scored twice for Tri-City. He has passed F Brendan Shinnimin and tied F Brian Sakic for fifth on the Americans’ all-time goals list, with 132. Feser also tied Kruise Reddick for seventh on the team’s games-played list, at 315. . . . The Americans, who have lost four straight at home, continue to be without F Marcus Messier (undisclosed injury) and F Phil Tot (undisclosed). . . . Among Portland’s scratches was D Derrick Pouliot (undisclosed). . . . The Americans and Winterhawks will play today, 3 p.m., in Portland. . . .

In Victoria, F Ben Walker had two goals and an assist as the Royals skated to a 5-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . They’ll play in Victoria again tonight. . . . Walker has 12 goals. . . . Victoria F Taylor Crunk broke a 1-1 tie at 18:58 of the first with his second goal of the season. . . . Victoria F Jamie Crooks had a goal and two assists, and F Brandon Magee had three helpers. . . .

In Vancouver, the Kelowna scored two third-period goals and beat the Giants, 5-3. . . . The Rockets now are within two points of the B.C. Division-leading Kamloops Blazers, who are at home to the Giants tonight. . . . Kelowna G Jackson Whistle, who started the season with the Giants, stopped 24 shots. . . . F Dylen McKinlay scored twice for Kelowna, giving him 12. His second one, the game’s last goal, was shorthanded. . . . D Colten Martin had a goal and two assists for the Rockets. . . . Vancouver F Cain Franson was unsuccessful on a second-period penalty shot but made amends when he scored with 4.8 seconds left in the frame to forge a 3-3 tie. . . . The Giants scored three goals in the second period when they enjoyed a 17-3 edge in shots. . . . The Rockets beat the visiting Kamloops Blazers 7-3 on Thursday but had just eight shots on goal through two periods last night. Ahh, the vagaries of junior hockey. . . . The Giants, losers of six of seven, had G Alex Ahnert, 19, on the bench in support of starter Tyler Fuhr. Ahnert plays for the junior B Delta Ice Hawks. . . . The Giants are short a goaltender with No. 1 Payton Lee with Team Pacific at the U17 World Hockey Challenge and Liam Liston having retired earlier in the week. . . . Again among the Rockets’ scratches were G Jordon Cooke (foot) and F Colton Sissons (concussion). . . . With Cooke out, Jake Morrissey, a fifth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, backed up Whistle. . . . Sissons and Cooke both could return Sunday against visiting Everett.

In Kent, Wash., the Everett Silvertips got 38 saves from G Austin Lotz and beat the Seattle Thunderbirds (of Kent), 2-1. . . . It was Everett’s first victory in five games with Seattle this season. . . . Everett erased a 1-0 deficit on goals by F Carson Stadnyk, at 4:56 of the second, and F Kohl Bauml, at 10:53 of the third. . . . F Ryan Harrison had two assists for Everett. . . . The Thunderbirds have lost six in a row. . . . The teams play again tonight in Everett.
———
CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Jesse Mychan, Tri-City

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
D Tyler Yaworski, Brandon
D Nick Walters, Everett


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The Tri-City Americans held a Christmas party
with their booster club on Sunday evening and
defencemen Justin Hamonic (left) and Drydn
Dow broke out the seasonal sweaters for
the occasion. Well done, merry gentlemen!

THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Jakub Rumpel (Medicine Hat, 2006-07) has signed a contract until the end of this season after a successful try-out with Löwen Frankfurt (Germany, Oberliga). He has 12 goals and five assists in seven games for Löwen.
———
In the OHL, the London Knights ran their winning streak to 21 games on Sunday, beating the visiting Kingston Frontenacs 6-5 in OT. . . . The 1983-84 Kitchener Rangers hold the OHL record, at 25 straight.
———
SUNDAY’S GAMES:
In Calgary, F Brooks Macek had two goals and an assist to help the Hitmen to a 6-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . The Rockets had won the first four games of a five-game Alberta swing and had won six straight overall. . . . Calgary F Cody Sylvester scored his 20th goal while the Hitmen were two men short early in the second period. . . . Calgary F Chase Clayton left the game in the first period after absorbing a heavy check from Kelowna F Tyrell Goulbourne. . . . The Rockets were without G Jordon Cooke (undisclosed injury), so brought in Jake Morrissey, a fifth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft, to back up Jackson Whistle. Morrissey, the younger brother of Prince Albert D Josh Morrissey, is from Calgary where he plays for the midget AAA Royals. . . . Whistle went down in the second period with an apparent leg injury and Morrissey came on to play the third, giving up three goals on 10 shots in his WHL debut. . . . The Hitmen are 15-3-1 in their last 19 games, with the Edmonton Oil Kings coming to town Tuesday. . . .

In Edmonton, F Michael St. Croix, who hadn’t scored in eight games, struck for four goals as the Oil Kings dropped the Regina Pats, 8-1. . . . The Oil Kings have won four in a row. . . . St. Croix, who has 19 goals, scored all four goals on the PP as the Oil Kings went 5-for-7 with the man advantage. . . . He scored once in the second and three times in the third. . . . F T.J. Foster added two goals, giving him 18, and two assists for Edmonton, while F Dylan Wruck had four helpers. . . . Foster has the only other four-goal game in the Oil Kings’ modern-day history. He did it earlier this season. . . . The Oil Kings close out the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule by meeting the Hitmen in Calgary on Tuesday. . . .

In Prince George, G Brett Zarowny stopped 35 shots as the Cougars edged t he Vancouver Giants, 2-1. . . . The teams played three games in three nights. Vancouver, playing at home, won 2-1 on Friday. The scene shifted to Prince George for a Saturday game, which the Cougars, and Zarowny, won, 6-0. . . . Last night, F Trevor Cheek gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead at 14:33 of the second period. . . . Cougars F Alex Forsberg tied it at 17:47, and F Carson Bolduc won it with his second goal of the season at 6:02 of the third. . . . Attendance on Teddy Bear Night was announced at 4,029. . . . Forsberg also scored the Cougars’ Teddy Bear goal last season, albeit in a 3-1 loss to Vancouverr. . . .

In Prince Albert, G Luke Siemens stopped 35 shots to lead the Raiders to a 3-0 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Siemens has four shutouts this season and 10 in his career. . . . F Carson Perreaux, who is from Brandon, had his sixth goal and an assist for the Raiders. . . . Brandon G Corbin Boes returned from an undisclosed injury to stop 40 shots. . . . The Raiders, who won 21 games all of last season, go into the Christmas break with a 22-11-3 record. . . . Prince Albert leads the East Division by eight points over the Saskatoon Blades (19-14-1). . . . Those two teams will come off the break and go home-and-home, playing Dec.28 in Prince Albert and Dec. 29 in Saskatoon. . . .

In Everett, the Portland Winterhawks ran their winning streak to five games as they got past the Silvertips, 3-2. . . . Portland is 5-0-0 against Everett this season. . . . F Nic Petan’s 22nd goal gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at 7:34 of the second period and Everett wasn’t able to catch up. . . . Portland F Brendan Leipsic left with a charging major and game misdoncut at 15:32 of the second period. . . . The Winterhawks, who lead the WHL’s overall standings by three points over the Kamloops Blazers, visit the Spokane Chiefs on Tuesday. . . . Portland F Paul Bittner shot wide on a third-period penalty shot against Everett G Austin Lotz, who stopped 28 shots. . . .

In Swift Current, G Landon Bow stopped 20 shots and F Adam Lowry scored the game’s last three goals as the Broncos dumped the Kootenay Ice, 4-0. . . . The shutout was the first of Bow’s WHL career. . . . Lowry, who has three hat tricks this season, was playing in his 200th career regular-season game. He now has 21 goals and is on an 11-game point streak. Last season,  . . . Ice G Mackenzie Skapski stopped 50 shots.
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CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
F Colin Jacobs, Prince George (double minor)

CHECKING-TO-THE-HEAD COUNT:
None.
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TWEET OF THE DAY:
From former WHLer Spencer Asuchak (@Asuchak16): “@alexforsberg27 guaranteed me he would score the teddy bear goal. Even bet me a 24 pack of coke and 6 bags of chips. #greats @PGCougars”


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