Oilers sign potential Rockets coach . . . Tory backs city council candidate . . . Patterson gets married

F Colin Long (Kelowna, 2005-09) signed a one-year contract with Asplöven Haparanda (Sweden, Allsvenskan). Last season, with the Krefeld Pinguine (Germany, DEL), he had seven goals and six assists in 30 games. . . .
G Barry Brust (Spokane, Calgary, 2000-04) signed a one-year contract with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, with Medveščak Zagreb (Croatia, KHL), he was 2.15, .933 with two shutouts in 19 games; in 22 games with Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia, KHL), he was 2.70, .916 with two shutouts. . . .
F Dylan Sylvester (Kootenay, 2004-10) signed a one-year contract with Dornbirn (Austria, Erste Bank Liga). Last season, with the Vienna Capitals, he had 10 goals and seven assists in 48 games.
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Bruce Hamilton, the president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets, thought that Ian Herbers might be his team’s next head coach.
That thought ended Sunday when the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers signed Herbers, until then the head coach of the U of Alberta Golden Bears, as an assistant coach.
On Monday afternoon, Larry Fisher of the Kelowna Daily Courier, who covers the Rockets, tweeted that “Ian Herbers from University of Alberta has been hired by @EdmontonOilers as assistant coach to round out Todd McLellan's staff. “
Herbers, 47, has spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Golden Bears, who have won the last two CIS championships.
“We were very high on him,” Hamilton told Fisher. “He would’ve been a slam-dunk in my mind, but that’s the way it goes.
“Now we’ll go through and dig in a little deeper and try to get as much information as we can on each guy before we start to decide who I want to bring in (for interviews).”
Hamilton is working to find a replacement for Dan Lambert, who resigned last week after one season as the Rockets’ head coach. Lambert, who had been on staff as an assistant coach for five seasons before that, now is an assistant coach with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
McLellan is preparing for his first season as the Oilers’ head coach. He spent the past seven seasons as head coach of the San Jose Sharks.
McLellan and Herbers’ paths have crossed on numerous occasions.
They were both WHL players and played at the same time for one season, Herbers with the Swift Current Broncos and McLellan with the Saskatoon Blades. Later, they spent one season together with the IHL’s Cleveland Lumberjacks, McLellan as the head coach and Herbers one of the team’s defencemen.
As for the Rockets, Fisher reports that Hamilton has heard from more than 50 men who are interested in the job.
“We’ve got lots of real good possibilities,” Hamilton told Fisher. “I’m working my way through, trying to figure out who we’re interested in and researching them out.
“My first preference is to find somebody with some experience. If we don’t, then we’ll work our way down to the best young guy (who) is available.”
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The Vancouver Giants made it official on Monday morning -- they have hired Tyler Kuntz to work as an assistant coach under new head coach Lorne Molleken. . . . Kuntz, 36, is from Lumsden, Sask. He spent the last five seasons with the UBC Thunderbirds, serving as head coach last season. . . . The Giants also said that Matt Erhart, who came on board as an assistant coach two years ago, “will remain on staff.”
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All of this means that there are a couple of high-profile CIS jobs available, what with UBC and Alberta, both of which play in Canada West, in need of head coaches.
The Alberta job will garner a lot of interest because it is the No. 1 hockey school in Canada. There is speculation, however, that Herbers will take, or be given, a one- or two-year leave of absence from the Golden Bears, so perhaps that will cut down at least a bit on the amount of interest in that job.
The UBC job isn’t as attractive, if only because the athletic department there has been in a state of upheaval in recent times. (For more on that, check out this piece right here, from October 2013, by Iain MacIntyre of the Vancouver Sun.)
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It isn’t often that WHL team officials get involved in civic politics, at least not in a fashion that would be visible to the public.
However, Bob Tory, who owns a piece of the Tri-City Americans and is the team’s governor and general manager, has stepped outside that safe zone.
On Monday, Tory tweeted: “I support Matt Boehnke for Kennewick City Council.”
Tory has been stumping for a new arena to replace the Toyota Centre, the Americans’ home arena that is located in Kennewick. It’s likely safe to assume that Boehnke would like to see a new arena, too.
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They don’t make them like Ken Stabler these days. The former quarterback of the NFL’s Oakland Raiders died last week at the age of 69. . . . In 1980, Pete Axthelm, one of sports writing’s all-time greats, wrote a terrific piece on Stabler. It’s right here.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Scott Gordon as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Gordon, 52, last coached with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach for three seasons (2011-14). Before that, he spent parts of three seasons as head coach of the New York Islanders. He also spent parts of six seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Providence Bruins. . . . The Flyers also announced that Riley Cote (Prince Albert, 1998-2002) will be back as an assistant coach with the Phantoms. Cote, 33, is preparing for his sixth season with the Phantoms. . . . Terry Murray had been the Phantoms’ head coach before he signed on as an assistant with the Buffalo Sabres.
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Bill Muckalt was introduced Monday as the new general manager and head coach of the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, which plays out of Kearney, Neb. Muckalt, who played two seasons with the BCHL’s Merritt Centennials before going on to Michigan and then to a pro career, has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach at Michigan Tech. . . . With the Storm, he replaces Jim Hulton, now the head coach of the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders.
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The NHL’s New Jersey Devils have signed F John Quenneville of the Brandon Wheat Kings to a three-year entry-level contract. Quenneville, 19, was the 30th overall selection in the NHL’s 2014 draft. Last season, the Edmonton native had 17 goals and 30 assists in 57 games.
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F Chase Lowry, a 15-year-old from Edmonton, has signed with the Red Deer Rebels. He was a third-round selection by the Rebels in the 2015 bantam draft. Last season, Lowry played for the bantam AAA South Side Athletic Club Lions, putting up 36 points, 16 of them goals, in 21 games.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors, one of four publicly owned WHL franchises, will hold their annual general meeting on Thursday, 7 p.m., at the Heritage Inn. A year ago, the Warriors announced a net profit of $61,566, down from $343,890 the previous season and $394,656 the season before that.
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I meant to post this Sunday night, but it slipped through the cracks. Nick Patterson, a friend who covers the Everett Silvertips for the Everett Herald, tweeted this . . .

I don't often post personal stuff. But yeah, this just happened. pic.twitter.com/NvgK3Cb4Sh

— Nick Patterson (@NickHPatterson) July 12, 2015

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Giants hire assistant coach . . . OHL's Greyhounds get head coach . . . Nachbaur to Wenatchee

Peter Young, an old friend and a former CTV sportscaster, sent me this
photo from Winnipeg on Friday. That's Chicago Blackhawks captain
Jonathan Toews leading some boys to a Winnipeg park for a game
of ball hockey. Yes, they played for the Stanley Cup.

F Edgars Kulda (Edmonton, 2012-15) signed a tryout contract with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). Last season, with Edmonton, he had 13 goals and 17 assists in 47 games. . . .
F Johnny Lazo (Tri-City, 2006-10) signed a one-year contract with Sterzing/Vipiteno (Italy, Serie A). Last season, with the University of Alberta (CIS), he had 19 points, 10 of them goals, in 24 games. He was an alternate captain. . . .
D Cam Barker (Medicine Hat, 2001-06) signed a one-year extension with Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia, KHL). Last season, he had nine assists in 18 games.
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The Medicine Hat Tigers haven’t increased their portion of season-ticket prices, but fees associated with a new building have resulted in an increase. That includes a $77.40 city-imposed facility fee. As well, a new Ticketmaster service charge has been implemented. . . . Peggy Revell of the Medicine Hat News has more right here.
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The five teams in the AHL’s Pacific Division will play 68 games in 2015-16, while all other teams will play 76. On Friday, the league announced how it will determine its playoff teams:
“Teams will receive two points for a win and one point for an overtime or shootout loss. The top four teams in each division ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available) will qualify for the 2016 Calder Cup playoffs, with one exception in each conference: if the fifth-place team in the Atlantic or Central Division finishes with a better points percentage than the fourth-place team in the North or Pacific Division, it would cross over and compete in the other division’s bracket.”
This will be interesting to watch unfold because of the three-point games that feature the loser point.
The AHL also will use the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime periods, followed by the three-skater shootouts, if necessary.
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Got a tip or some information you feel could be useful to me, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com.
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A source familiar with the situation told Taking Note on Friday afternoon that the Vancouver Giants have hired Tyler Kuntz as an assistant coach. He spent last season as the head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds. . . . Prior to taking over as head coach, Kuntz was a UBC assistant coach for four seasons. . . . He also played five seasons with the Thunderbirds. . . . In the Vancouver area, he also worked as an assistant coach with the BCHL’s Burnaby Express and the major midget North West Giants.
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The OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds named Drew Bannister their newest head coach on Friday evening. He replaces Sheldon Keefe, who now is head coach of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. . . . Bannister, 41, spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach with the Owen Sound Attack. . . . A defenceman in his playing days, Bannister played four seasons with the Greyhounds, winning two OHL titles and appearing in three straight Memorial Cups. He was on the Soo team that won it all in 1993. He went on to play 18 years as a pro.
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The BCHL’s Merritt Centennials have added Matt Samson as an assistant coach. He had been the general manager and head coach of the junior B North Van Wolf Pack of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
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The Seattle Thunderbirds are in the market for an equipment manager after announcing Friday that Ben Calkins is joining the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Calkins will be a co-equipment manager, with Matt Brayfield, with the Gulls. Calkins spent four seasons with the Thunderbirds. . . . If you are interested in the Thunderbirds’ position, send cover letter and resume to Hunter Cherni, the team’s hockey operations assistant, at hunter@seattlethunderbirds.com.
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F Daniel Nachbaur, 20, has been traded by the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings to the Wenatchee Wild. He is the first player with previous BCHL experience to be added to the Wild’s roster as it prepares for its first season in the league. . . . Nachbaur, the son of Spokane Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur, was traded for future considerations. He had four points in an injury-plagued 2014-15 season split between the Merritt Centennials and Prince George. . . . He is no stranger to Wenatchee, having played for a U-18 team there in 2011-12.
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Andrei Platonov dissolved his contract with Spartak, will join @tigershockey #WHL #hockey #prospect

— AlessandroSerenRosso (@AlexSerenRosso) July 10, 2015

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Ownership transfers on tap today

F Lukáš Zeliska (Prince Albert, 2006-07) has signed a one-year extension with Bordeaux (France, Division 1). This season, he had 38 points, including 13 goals, in 26 games. . . .
G Eetu Laurikainen (Swift Current, 2012-14) has signed  a one-year-plus-option deal with the Espoo Blues (Finland, Liiga). This season with the Broncos, he was 2.90 and .914 in 54 games.
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The WHL’s board of governors will meet today in Calgary and is expected to sign off on the transfer of two franchises -- the Prince George Cougars and Regina Pats -- to new ownership groups.
In both instances, the franchises being sold have been under the guidance of long-time owners, the Cougars by Rick Brodsky and the Pats by Diane and Russ Parker, and are being sold to groups, each of which appears to have at least five or six members.
In Prince George, I am told the local businessman Greg Pocock, the front man for the group, is in for 35 per cent, while NHL defencemen Eric Brewer and Dan Hamhuis, both of whom are ex-Cougars, each will own 15 per cent. As yet unnamed partners will share the remaining 35 per cent, with one in for 20 per cent and two others each at 7.5 per cent. The Prince George Citizen has reported that “sources close to the deal say it is worth $7 million.”
In Regina, no one has yet said anything about who will own how much of the Pats. The Queen City Sports and Entertainment Group is led by Anthony Marquart and includes four other Regina-based businessmen in Todd Lumbard, who is a former Brandon Wheat Kings and Pats goaltender, Jason Drummond, and Gavin and Shaun Semple. The Regina Leader-Post has reported that “the price tag is believed to be in the neighbourhood of $7.5 million.”
Earlier this season, Jack, Bob and Debbie Brodsky, Rick’s siblings, sold the Saskatoon Blades to Edmonton-based auto dealer Mike Priestner and his son, Colin. The Saskatoon StarPhoenix has reported that “a source close to the negotiations said the transaction is worth around $9 million.”
If the board of governors approves both transfers today, as it almost certainly will do, it will mean six of the WHL’s 22 teams will have changed hands since the summer of 2007.
None of them has had near the success of the Portland Winterhawks, who were purchased by Calgary-based businessman Bill Gallacher during the summer of 2008.
Prior to Gallacher stepping in, the Winterhawks were worse than abysmal -- they won 17 games in 2006-07 and 11 in 2007-08. The franchise was often thought to have one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel.
In Lethbridge, where the Hurricanes have hit fallen upon hard times and haven‘t appeared in the playoffs since the spring of 2009, WHL commissioner Ron Robison admitted Monday that such challenges aren’t “isolated to Lethbridge.”
He told City Council that there have been times when he “was concerned” whether certain franchises were “going to make it or not.”
One of those franchises, he said, was Portland.
“The Portland one was a great example,” Robison told councillors. “It is privately owned. To the credit of the current ownership . . . (he) had to go in and invest heavily in order to turn that franchise around. Now it is arguably a model franchise within our league.”
It is interesting that Portland, which is into the WHL’s championship final for a fourth straight season, has had great success under Gallacher’s ownership, but no other franchise has tried to follow the plan that got the Winterhawks’ rolling.
While it was common knowledge late in the summer of 2008 that Gallacher was in the process of purchasing the franchise, the sale didn’t close until Oct. 23, well after the season had started. In the meantime, Gallacher, who is believed to have paid Cdn$7.5 million for the franchise, put together new business, management and coaching teams, that included president Doug Piper and general manager/head coach Mike Johnston.
When the deal closed, the new people moved in and the rest is history.
The Winterhawks went 19-48-5 in 2008-09, but followed that up with seasons in which they won 44, 50, 49, 57 and 54 games. Today, they are the WHL’s defending champions.
The Kamloops Blazers had gone from being community-owned to private ownership during the summer of 2007, a year before Portland changed hands. But the new owners in Kamloops chose to maintain the status quo.
So did the Victoria Royals, who were the Chilliwack Bruins until being sold during the summer of 2011.
After the sale, Kamloops struggled through four mediocre seasons before enjoying back-to-back 47-victory seasons and a trip to last season’s Western Conference final. However, the Blazers just completed the worst season in franchise history.
The Royals weren’t good in their first season in Victoria, but then underwent major changes, with Cam Hope coming on board as general manager and Dave Lowry as head coach. They won 35 games in 2012-13 and just completed a season in which they won 48 games and enjoyed the franchise’s first 100-point season.
The Blades’ new owners, meanwhile, maintained the status quo, then brought out the brooms after a 16-victory season. The Priestners have yet to hire a general manager or a coaching staff.
In Regina, no one has indicated what might happen with general manager Chad Lang or the coaching staff, although Marquart, the only one of the group who has spoken with the media, hasn’t even hinted at change.
In Prince George, Pocock hasn’t given any indication what might happen, but there is ample speculation that general manager Dallas Thompson won’t be back. No one from Pocock’s group is believed to have spoken with head coach Mark Holick or assistant coach Jason Becker.
“These things can get turned around but it (doesn’t) happen overnight. It was a process,” Robison told Lethbridge’s City Council. “The plan is the key. We’ve taken the success models, if you will, from other franchises and addressed that with the Hurricanes and have asked them to follow a very similar model to ultimately achieve the kind of success you’re looking for.”
It would seem that owners could do worse than follow the plan used by the model franchise that the Winterhawks have become.
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In his appearance before City Council in Lethbridge, WHL commissioner Ron Robison indicated that the process by which the WHL selects host cities for the Memorial Cup tournament may be in for a change.
This occurred after Robison was asked by Councillor Joe Mauro about the chances of Lethbridge ever being selected to play host to a Memorial Cup tournament.
Mauro pointed out that the city has “spent a whole pile of money” on the Enmax Centre.
“Our dream and our goal is to host the Memorial Cup,” Mauro said. “What I’m hearing out there is that we’ll never do it . . . the Memorial Cup will go to a privately-owned team before it’ll ever go to a community-owned team.
“Realistically, do we have a chance of hosting a MC in the near future?”
Robison’s reply:
“Maybe I can tell you a little bit more after our June (annual) meeting because we have some recommendations in front of our board of governors at that time which I think are going to change the course of our selection process for the Memorial Cup.
“I’m a believer that every community that meets the criteria that we have for hosting events of this magnitude should get that opportunity to host the event.
“Quite frankly, my view of it is that it is driven by the quality of the hockey program. It comes back to the hockey program because in order to generate excitement in the community you need a quality team. In the particular case of hosting the Memorial Cup, you need a team that is a championship-calibre team, first and foremost.
“Secondly, then you have to look at why have we gone to certain locations in recent years and why has the World Junior Championship moved to major markets like Toronto and Montreal? It’s because of economics, no question, and it’s because of provincial governments, quite frankly, stepping in and providing significant financial support for those events.
“If I have my way, it’s going to be a hockey-driven decision next time . . . not just the largest venue or the best economic offer that we have on the table.”
Robison pointed out that the Memorial Cup hasn’t been held in Alberta “for more than 40 years.”
“It’s too long in my opinion,” he said. “It’s something that is on our agenda for discussion.”
The Memorial Cup was last held in Alberta in 1974 when the Regina Pats won it in the Calgary Corral. The Red Deer Rebels were thought to be a favourite to play host to the 2013 tournament, but it ended up going to Saskatoon.
The WHL next will play host to the Memorial Cup in 2016. The Vancouver Giants, who were the host team in 2007, have indicated that they are building towards the 2015-16 season and are expected enter a bid.
The Memorial Cup hasn’t been held in a U.S. Division city since 1998 when it was in Spokane.
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1. The WHL bantam draft is scheduled for Thursday in Calgary. As usual, you won’t be able to read about it on this blog. Instead, you will want to spend the day with Alan Caldwell, over at Small Thoughts At Large. He assures me that he is ready with all the statistics and info you might want.

2. If you haven’t seen this right here, it’s worth a read. Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury News reported on his blog that the Golden State Warriors had a plan to boycott Tuesday night’s NBA playoff game if commissioner Adam Silver had gone soft on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

3. I was told on Tuesday that Tyler Kuntz is soon to be named the new head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds men’s hockey team. Kuntz, who is from Regina, just completed his sixth season as an assistant coach with the Thunderbirds. . . . A defenceman during his playing days, Kuntz played five seasons at UBC. . . . He will succeed Milan Dragicevic, who was fired in March after 12 seasons as the team’s head coach.

4. For the first time in QMJHL history, both semifinal series went seven games, and both were decided last night. . . . The Val-d’Or Foreurs went into Halifax, where they had won the first two games, and beat the Mooseheads, the defending Memorial Cup champions, 3-2. Val-d’Or trailed 2-1 after the first period and won it with two second-period scores. F Maxime Presseault broke a 2-2 tie with his first goal at 13:59, while G Antoine Bibeau, who was acquired from the Charlottetown Islanders for a first-round draft pick (along with two other picks) in December, stopped 39 shots. . . . Meanwhile, in Baie-Comeau, the Drakkar rode two first-period goals to a 2-1 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Aramada, 2-1. . . . The final will open Friday in Val-d’Or. . . . Neate Sager of Yahoo! Sports has more on the two QMJHL games right here.

5. F Mike Baird of the North Bay Battalion has been hit with a 20-game suspension by the OHL for physical abuse of an official during a playoff game on April 10. . . . Baird, in his first OHL season, missed six games while under indefinite suspension and won’t play in the OHL final which opens Thursday with the Battalion in Guelph to play the Storm. . . . Baird, who turned 17 on March 25, had one assist and 27 penalty minutes in 28 regular-season games.

6. The NHL playoffs will feature three Game 7s tonight. I’m thinking there will be a lot of unanswered phone calls in homes across North American tonight and a lot of wives going shopping.

7. I’m thinking my friend Brad Hornung will be in front of a TV set tonight, because there isn’t a bigger hockey fan anywhere. It’s hard to believe that more than 27 years have passed us by since he was left a quadriplegic after an unfortunate incident during a WHL game in Regina. . . . The one thing that wasn’t damaged that evening was his spirit. . . . You owe it to yourself to read this story right here, by Austin M. Davis of the Regina Leader-Post.
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THE FOURTH ROUND (best-of-seven; all times local):
WHL final, for the Ed Chynoweth Cup
(x - if necessary)
(All games televised live by Shaw)
(All games televised by Root Sports -- Game 2 live, others on delayed basis)
PORTLAND (2, West) vs. Edmonton (1, East)
Season series: Portland, 0-0-1; Edmonton, 1-0-0.
Saturday: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (Moda Center)
Sunday: Edmonton at Portland, 5 p.m. (Moda Center)
Tuesday: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 7: Portland at Edmonton, 7 p.m.
x-Friday, May 9: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (TBA)
x-Sunday, May 11: Portland at Edmonton, 4 p.m.
x-Monday, May 12: Edmonton at Portland, 7 p.m. (TBA)
INJURIES
Portland: None.
Edmonton: None.
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TUESDAY’S GAME:
No game scheduled.
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From Neate Sager (@neatebuzzthenet) of Yahoo! Sports: “Population of the cities of 6 teams left in #WHL, #OHL and #LHJMQ playoffs: 1.16 million; 600,000; 141,000; 64,000; 33,265; 28,789.”
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One more from Sager: “Both #LHJMQ cities could fit inside North Bay, those 3 fit inside Guelph; those 4 fit inside Portland & all 5 could fit inside Edmonton.”

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Mike Wirll (Brandon, Prince Albert, Prince George, Lethbridge, 1997-2003) signed a contract for the rest of this season with the Braehead Clan (Scotland, UK Elite). He had two assists in six games for the Carstairs Redhawks (Alberta, Chinook Senior) this season. . . .
G Todd Ford (Swift Current, Prince George, Vancouver, 2000-04) was released at his request for personal reasons by the Heilbronner Falken (Germany, 2.Bundesliga). He had a 2.76 GAA in 31 games for the Falcons this season. Ford went out in style, getting the shutout in Heilbronn's 4-0 victory over Ravensburg on Sunday evening. . . .
F Jakub Sindel (Brandon, 2004-05) agreed to extend his tryout contract with Kärpät Oulu (Finland, SM-Liiga) for another week, which includes three games. It was set to expire Sunday. He has three assists in eight games with Kärpät. Earlier this season, Sindel had two assists in five games with Kloten (Switzerland, NL A) before breaking his jaw, and one goal in 21 games with Dinamo Riga (Latvia, KHL). Sindel has some roots in Finland. He has played in Finland two of the past three seasons and he spent five years as a child in Finland while his father, G Jaromir Sindel, played in SM-Liiga.
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The Kootenay Ice left Cranbrook on Monday, headed for Regina and a Wednesday night engagement with the Pats.
As of late Monday night/early Tuesday morning, the Ice was sitting in the parking lot of a grocery store in Sparwood, B.C., waiting for Highway 3 to reopen.
Such is life in the WHL.
“Exactly,” tweeted Ice G Mackenzie Skapski. “Anything can happen. They are obstacles you have to overcome.”
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Three players from the UBC Thunderbirds, each with ties to the WHL, will join assistant coach Tyler Kuntz and assorted other UBC hockey alumni in the Ride to Conquer Cancer.
That ride will take them from Vancouver to Seattle on June 16 and 17.
Each of the riders is hoping to raise $2,500 for the cause.
F Scott Wasden (Medicine Hat, Kamloops, 2004-09), F Justin McCrae (Saskatoon, Spokane, 2003-09) and F Wyatt Hamilton, whose brother Wacey played in the WHL, will take part in the ride.
Wasden and Hamilton are in their third years at UBC and both are in the Sauder School of Business. McCrae also is in his third year; he is enrolled in kinesiology. When he done his undergraduate degree, he plans to attend law school.
If you are interested in more info on the Thunderbirds, who are coached by old friend Milan Dragicevic, check out Kuntz’s blog right here.
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Brent Stecker of the Wenatchee World reports that USA Hockey has blocked a proposed move by the NAHL’s Wenatchee Wild to the BCHL. Stecker’s story is right here.
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Ryan Johansen could still be with the Portland Winterhawks. Instead, he is with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, who are hoping he will become the franchise centre they have long needed..
Corey Masisak of NHL.com has more right here.
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MONDAY’S GAMES:
In Spokane, F Seth Swenson scored twice as the Seattle Thunderbirds stunned the Chiefs, 3-2. . . . Seattle ended a seven-game losing streak. . . . Swenson was in the penalty  box when F Justin Hickman scored shorthanded at 14:36 of the third period, breaking a 2-2 tie. . . . Swenson, who has three goals this season, had tied the game at 11:35 of the third. . . . Swenson was acquired a week ago from the Portland Winterhawks in a deal that had F Marcel Noebels and two first-round bantam draft picks to the other way. . . . Seattle G Calvin Pickard stopped 31 shots, 10 more than Spokane’s Mac Engel. . . .  The season series now is 1-1 with six games remaining. . . .

In Portland, the Winterhawks set a franchise record as they beat the Tri-City Americans, 5-1. . . . This was the Winterhawks’ 17th straight victory on home ice, erasing the record set in 1993-94. . . . Portland F Oliver Gabriel enjoyed the first three-goal game of his career, In fact, he broke a 1-1 tie with the game’s next three goals. . . . The Winterhawks won their 30th game of the season. . . . Portland F Ty Rattie scored his WHL-leading 40th goal of the season. . . . Portland G Mac Carruth leads the WHL with 28 victories. He has won nine straight starts. . . . Tri-City leads the season series, 5-1-0. . . . Portland had F Sven Baertschi back in the lineup for the first time since Dec. 16. He picked up a concussion while playing for Switzerland at the World Junior Championship. He had one assist in his first game back. He was back with Rattie and they had Cam Reid at centre. . . . The Americans were without F Brendan Shinnimin, who served a one-game suspension for an accumulation of embellishment penalties. . . . You don’t get suspended for an accumulation of charging penalties or high-sticking penalties or tripping penalties or interference penalties. But you get suspended for too many embellishment penalties? What is wrong with this picture? . . . The Americans will play their fifth game in seven days when they are at home tonight to the Seattle Thunderbirds, who have lost 19 in a row at the Toyota Center. . . . The Americans have won their last 13 home games.
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MONDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
D Tyler Wotherspoon, Portland.

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