F Brooks Laich of the Washington Capitals is making headlines again.
Laick (Moose Jaw, Seattle, 2000-03) has been nominated for a prestigious award — Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year.
Last spring, while on the way home after a Game 7 loss to the visiting Montreal Canadiens, Laich stopped to help when he noticed a car with a flat tire on the side of a freeway.
It turned out that the car belonged to a Capitals fan who was on the way home from the game.
In nominating Laich, Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated wrote: "Many of the men and women who have earned the award have changed their sports, their communities and sometimes even the world. This year there should be consideration for a man who changed a tire."
The winner is scheduled to be announced on Nov. 30.
Other nominees: Pitcher Roy Halladay of the Philadelphia Phillies, LPGA star Lorena Ochoa, Alabama Crimson Tide QB Greg McElory and the Butler University men’s basketball team.
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Former WHLer Jonathan Milhouse (Everett, 2005-07) made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Victoria Salmon Kings in a 3-2 victory over the visiting Idaho Steelheads on Tuesday. F Mark Derlago (Brandon, 2003-07), playing his eighth game, scored his eighth goal of the young season for Idaho in that one. That gave him a share of the league lead. . . . F David Toews (high ankle sprain) may return to the Brandon Wheat Kings’ lineup tonight as they meet the visiting Spokane Chiefs. Rob Henderson of the Brandon Sun reports that Toews, who hasn’t played in a month, skated Thursday on a line with Mike Ferland and Scott Glennie. . . . The Wheat Kings also will have F Jens Meilleur (broken hand), D Ryley Miller (jaw, concussion) and F Shayne Wiebe (leg) available tonight. . . . However, Brandon has had illness in its dressing room and F Hampus Gustafsson and D Eric Roy didn’t practise Thursday. . . . One of the WHL’s best rivalries resumes tonight as the Moose Jaw Warriors visit the Regina Pats. Regina will be without F Andrew Rieder (shoulder), while the Warriors are listing F Joey Kornelson (shoulder) and F Brendan Rowinski (knee) as day-to-day. Rowinski, a 30-goal man last season, had major knee surgery over the offseason and is getting awfully close to returning. . . . This also is the first meeting between Moose Jaw and Regina since the Pats hired former Warriors general manager Chad Lang as their GM. . . . Regina hasn’t played since absorbing an 11-1 beating at the hands of the visiting Spokane Chiefs on Saturday night. . . . And, yes, the teams will meet again Saturday, this time in the Crushed Can. . . . Rowinski just may return to the Moose Jaw lineup on Saturday. . . . Spokane F Levko Koper had six points, including two goals, in that Saturday victory. The last Chiefs player to enjoy a six-point game? F Ned Lukacevic had three goals and three assists in a 7-4 victory over the visiting Portland Winterhawks on Dec. 15, 2004. . . . Spokane F Anthony Bardaro, who had 11 points in 63 games last season, is enjoying a six-game point streak. He has all four of his goals and seven of his nine assists over his last six games. . . . The Saskatoon Blades have assigned D Davis Vandane, 18, to the SJHL’s Yorkton Terriers, while moving F Austin Daae, 17, to an as-yet-unnamed junior A team. . . . F Joel Ridgeway (Tri-City, Portland, 2006-10) of the Selkirk Steelers is the MJHL’s RBC player of the month. He put up 26 points, including 13 goals, in his first 18 games.
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The Saskatoon Blades introduced their Canadian tuxedo jerseys earlier this week. They certainly have been getting a lot of publicity, which can only be a good thing. And what kind of reaction has there been to the jerseys with the denim look. Cory Wolfe of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix checks that out right here.
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F Brendan Shinnimin of the Tri-City Americans is nearing the end of his 12-game suspension. You will recall that he was disciplined after a hit from behind on F Josh Nicholls of the Saskatoon Blades. Shinnimin will be eligible to return Nov. 13 when the Americans play the Chiefs in Spokane. . . . And what of Nicholls? He wasn’t seriously injured but it took him a few games to get back into the swing of things. Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star has that story right here.
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Eddie Litzenberger, who played in two Memorial Cups with the Regina Pats, died on Monday. He was 78. . . . His name is one of the magic ones and he captain the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks in 1960-61. Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post has the Litzenberger story right here.
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Patrick Roy’s Quebec Remparts are the best team in the QMJHL to this point in the season and just may be the top club in the 60-team CHL. Roy, never one to say “No comment,” is in the headlines again after being somewhat critical of former Drummondville Voltigeurs head coach Guy Boucher, who now is the head coach of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning. Roy was critical of the defensive style of game coached by Boucher when he was in the QMJHL. Needless to say, there has been plenty of reaction. . . . Stephanie Myles, writing in the Montreal Gazette, noted that former NHL coach Bob Hartley, had a couple of good lines on a Montreal radio station. “I hope Patrick doesn’t light his barbecue too often because when he does, the entire province goes up in flames,” Hartley joked. . . . Hartley also noted: “And Patrick will never have an ulcer, because whatever he has in his gut, he lets it out.” . . . Myles’ complete story is right here and it’s a good read.

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

Thursday . . .

The Medicine Hat Tigers have decided on their three 20-year-olds. They’ll go with D Thomas Carr, D Jace Coyle and F Wacey Hamilton, meaning they are trying to trade F Joey Frazer. . . . Alan Caldwell, over there at Small Thoughts At Large, did a count and found 76 20-year-olds on 22 WHL rosters. Of course, teams have until Oct. 14 to declare a maximum of three such players. As of Caldwell’s count, the Everett Silvertips, Kamloops Blazers and Regina Pats were the teams with openings. Every other team had three or more.
And I will mention it one more time . . . Yes, it’s time for the WHL to increase the maximum to four, or even five, 20-year-olds. Frazer, from Brainerd, Minn., played two full seasons with the Tigers and would be playing a third if it wasn’t for the 20-year-old rule. So the Tigers invest two years in him and then they are forced simply to cast him aside.
Why? Especially when the board of governors could implement a rule change and keep some of those good, mature players in the league.
How about the Brandon Wheat Kings having to dump G Andrew Hayes? He played three seasons there and put up some of the best numbers in franchise history. So what. Too bad. You’re 20. See ya!
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Frazer put up 30 points, including 18 goals, in 70 games last season.
“(Frazer) is a kid that can play in the league and is a good player,” Tigers GM Brad McEwen told Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News. “We hope that he gets an opportunity somewhere.
“It felt like this was the way we had to do it. We just felt that we needed to do it now and make that decision.”
McEwen said the Tigers’ brass chose to make a decision now so that everyone knew where they stood, and that the defensive depth provided by keeping Carr and Coyle was a major reason for the decision being made this way.
“Once we looked at the depth of our team when everybody was back, and we went through a lot of scenarios,” said McEwen, “we (decided we) needed both defencemen for depth. (Carr and Coyle) bring qualities that we need.”
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The Swift Current Broncos are breathing easier after finding out that the Washington Capitals have decided to return F Cody Eakin. A third-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft, Eakin had two goals in three exhibition games with Washington.
"He's very close," Washington head coach Bruce Boudreau told The Washington Post’s Katie Carrera. "If this was a different team and different circumstances he wouldn't be gone, but he's of junior age and with the world juniors and everything that he should be a part of we didn't think it was fair to him or to us.”
Eakin scored 47 goals last season with the Broncos and then joined the AHL’s Hershey Bears for a playoff run that ended with a Calder Cup title.
"He played in the final last year,” Boudreau said. “If you can play in the final of the Calder Cup you should be able to play in the regular season in the American Hockey League.
"We probably in a selfish way wish he could be in Hershey, but at the same time, from my experience, when you have a chance to play your last year junior -- and this is totally from me -- and I had a chance to turn pro and they said, 'Play your last year junior,' and you're a captain and you win the Memorial Cup, it's a memory that will last forever."
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Kristen Odland of the Calgary Herald takes a look at two of the Hitmen 20-year-olds -- D Kyle Aschim and F Misha Fisenko. One of them wants to play right now, but can’t; the other would rather be in Texas, by the sound of things. That story is right here.

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The Saskatoon Blades continue to work towards clearing up their 20-year-old logjam. They placed F Jeremy Boyer on waivers earlier in the week and he has cleared. That means he is a free agent. . . . Boyer had 32 points in 65 games last season after coming over from the Seattle Thunderbirds. He had spent three seasons in Seattle. . . . Saskatoon still has four 20-year-olds on its roster -- F Sena Acolatse, F Marek Viedensky, D Teigan Zahn and G Steven Stanford. As well, F Gaelan Patterson is with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat, . . . The Blades also re-assigned D Jesse Williamson, 18, to the AJHL’s Bonnyville Pontiacs. . . . Interestingly, Boyer and Williamson both are from Saskatoon.
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The Spokane Chiefs will hold their home-opener on Saturday, with the Tri-City Americans providing the opposition. According to a Chiefs’ news release: “It will be the 19th time in the last 21 years Spokane has opened at home versus the Americans.” . . . The Chiefs won eight of 12 meetings last season, including six of the last seven. . . . With former Americans head coach Don Nachbaur now with the Chiefs, the rivalry is heating up. . . . The Brandon Wheat Kings revealed Wednesday that they have sold 3,020 season tickets, the second-highest total in franchise history. They sold more than 3,600 a year ago, when they were preparing to pay host to the Memorial Cup. Before last season, the franchise high was 2,780, from 2008-09. . . . Brandon is 3-0-0-0 and holds its home-opener Friday against the Saskatoon Blades, who are 2-0-0-0. . . . The Blades will start G Adam Morrison, 19, who returned from the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers this week. . . . The Prince Albert Raiders (0-3-0-0) are expected to give freshman G Eric Williams his first start Friday night against the host Swift Current Broncos (1-2-0-0). He made a relief appearance in a loss to the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday. . . . The Raiders will be without D Jordan Rowley, 20, this weekend. He is at home in Edmonton with a wrist injury. . . . The Kootenay Ice will be without F Steele Boomer (wrist) this weekend. As well, G Nathan Lieuwen is nursing a bruised knee, so Todd Mathews will be the go-to guy in goal Friday against the visiting Spokane Chiefs.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

Thursday . . .

Bruce Hamilton, the president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets and the chairman of the WHL’s board of governors, has been named Kelowna’s 2010 Business Leader of the Year. . . . He will be honoured at the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award dinner on Oct. 21. . . . Hamilton moved the Rockets to Kelowna from Tacoma in time for the 1995-96 season and the franchise now is one of the best in the 60-team CHL.
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D Josh Caron of the Kamloops Blazers attended the Minnesota Wild’s camp on a free-agent tryout deal and came away with a three-year NHL contract. The Wild announced Thursday that it had signed Caron, 19, who is from Campbell River, B.C. Last season, Caron had six points and 190 penalty minutes. He has returned to the Blazers and will be in their lineup Friday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. . . . The Wild also signed D Colton Jobke, 18, from the Kelowna Rockets, and D Jared Spurgeon, who completed his WHL eligibility with the Spokane Chiefs last season. . . . Jobke had eight assists and 71 penalty minutes in 69 games with Kelowna last season. Like Caron, Jobke was on a free-agent tryout deal with the Wild. . . . Spurgeon had 51 points with the Chiefs. He was a sixth-round pick of the New York Islanders in 2008.
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D Mike Reddington has been named the 19th captain in the history of the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He takes over from F Carter Bancks, who has graduated. Reddington was acquired a year ago from the Spokane Chiefs.
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As was reported earlier, G Brandon Anderson of the Lethbridge Hurricanes has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Washington Capitals after attending their camp on a free-agent tryout deal. . . . CapGeek.com reports the contract is worth a maximum of US$1.62 million. . . . Anderson, 18, will get $50,000, $55,000 and $60,000 in the AHL over the three seasons, with NHL salaries of $535,000, $560,000 and $525,000. . . . The signing bonus is $35,000 this season and another $35,000 next season.
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You may recall that Kelly McCrimmon, the GM/head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings, got the ol’ heave-ho from a WHL exhibition game last weekend. But, if you’ve been paying attention, his name has yet to show up on the WHL’s list of those who have been disciplined. Well, it turns out he has escaped unscathed. When it was suggested to one WHL official that perhaps McCrimmon hadn’t shown enough “truculence” to warrant discipline, the official replied: “Well, there are different levels. . . .” . . . McCrimmon, who missed the third period of a game with the Moose Jaw Warriors after losing a debate with on-ice officials, apparently didn’t go far enough to get even a fine.
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F Landon Ferraro has been named the captain of the Everett Silvertips. Ferraro was acquired from Red Deer over the offseason; he wore an ‘A’ with the Rebels last season. Ferraro, 19, was a second round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2009 NHL draft and has just returned from their camp. He is the eighth captain in franchise history. . . . Named as alternate captains were D Rasmus Rissanen, 19,  Clayton Cumiskey, 20, F Kellan Tochkin , 19, and D Ryan Murray, 17.
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C Tyler Johnson, 20, is back for a fourth season with the Spokane Chiefs. Johnson, one of the WHL’s top faceoff men, had been in camp with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. He returned with an “upper body injury,” according to the Chiefs, so many not play Saturday when Spokane opens against the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. . . . D Jared Cowen, 19, is the lone Spokane player in an NHL camp. He is with the Ottawa Senators and is expected to start the season there. . . . The Chiefs have assigned G Chris Sharkey and F Skyler Hladun to unnamed junior A teams, leaving their roster at 24, including two goaltenders and 14 forwards. . . . Spokane opens the season with veteran James Reid, 20, and freshman Mac Engel, 17, as its goaltenders. Reid put up a WHL-high 38 victories with a 2.41 GAA and a .920 save percentage last season. Engel was with the midget AAA Red Deer Optimist Chiefs.
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Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post reports that C Jordan Weal should be in the Regina Pats’ lineup when they open Friday in Brandon against the Wheat Kings. Weal has been in camp with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. He had 102 points with the Pats last season. . . . That leaves F Carter Ashton (Tampa Bay Lightning) as the only Regina player still in the NHL.
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The Wheat Kings will open without D Mark Schneider (hip flexor) and RW Jens Meilleur, who will miss up to six weeks with a broken hand. . . . Brandon continues to carry five goaltenders and GM/head coach Kelly McCrimmon hadn’t named a Game 1 starter as of Thursday night.
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D Tyson Barrie is the new captain of the Kelowna Rockets. Barrie led the Rockets in scoring last season, with 72 points. . . . The alternates are D Colton Jobke, 18, D Kevin Smith, 19, and F Evan Bloodoff, 20. . . . Barrie has been out with a partially torn hamstring since Sept. 2 and may not be ready when the Rockets open Saturday against the visiting Prince George Cougars. . . . He succeeds F Lucas Bloodoff as team captain. Bloodoff graduated after last season. . . . The Rockets will be without RW Shane McColgan, who had 69 points as a 16-year-old last season. He had his tonsils out earlier this month and needs more time.
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F Spencer Edwards has been named captain of the Moose Jaw Warriors. Edwards, who turns 20 on Nov. 16, wasn’t even on the team’s 50-player list a year ago. But he earned a spot on the roster and put up 40 points in 72 games. . . . Alternates will be D Collin Bowman, F Quinton Howden, D Kendall McFaull and D Dylan McIlrath.
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The Swift Current Broncos are down to 26 players after re-assigning D Brody Luhning, 18, who played 30 games with them last season, and F Robbie Newton, 16. . . . Luhning had one assists in those 30 games. He was a seventh-round pick in the 2007 bantam draft. . . . Newton was acquired last season from the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Both players may join the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars, who hold their junior A rights. . . . Swift Current F Cody Eakin, 19, remains with the NHL’s Washington Capitals, while the Broncos have placed F Dillon Wagner (knee surgery) on injured reserve.
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The Kootenay Ice had assigned G Mackenzie Skapski, 16, to the junior B Ridge Meadow Flames, meaning Brett Teskey, 17, will be the No. 2 goaltender, behind either Todd Matthews, 20, or Nathan Lieuwen, 19. . . . Ice D Brayden McNabb, 19, remains with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. . . . The Ice is down to 25 players (three goaltenders, seven defencemen and 15 forwards). That number includes MacNabb.
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The Tri-City Americans will have an interesting decision(s) on their hands now that the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins have returned Russian G Alex Pechurskiy, 20. He becomes one of four 20-year-olds on their roster, along with D Tyler Schmidt, F Mike Brown and F Kruise Reddick. . . . Pechurskiy is one of two imports on the roster, with D Nikita Kardashev, 18, being the other. However, Russian D Nikita Nesterov, another 2010 import draft selection, is still working to get clearance to play over here.
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The latest players to rejoin WHL teams from NHL camps: F Emerson Etem, to Medicine Hat from Anaheim; D Colton Jobke, to Kelowna from Minnesota; F Tyler Johnson, to Spokane from Minnesota; D Ricard Blidstrand, to Regina from Philadelphia; D Josh Caron, to Kamloops from Minnesota; D Austin Madaisky, to Kamloops from Columbus.
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
Taking Note on Twitter

Sunday . . .

 THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Martin Podlesak (Tri-City, Lethbridge, 2000-02) has been assigned on loan to Ceske Budejovice (Czech Republic Extraliga) by Sparta Prague (Czech Republic Extraliga). The loan agreement is until the end of October, and Ceske Budejovice has the option to extend the loan until the end of the season. Podlesak had six goals and four assists in 46 games for Sparta last season.
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Former WHL coach Rob Daum is back at the U of Alberta where he is serving as senior director of player personnel. Daum was a long-time Golden Bears head coach before he ventured into the pro game. He spent last season with the Springfield Falcons, then the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers. He’ll help Golden Bears head coach Eric Thurston, who lost assistant coaches Russ Hewson and Stan Marple to NAIT where they are coaching the Ooks. . . . Meanwhile, Rocky Thompson, who was dropped as an assistant coach by the Edmonton Oil Kings after last season, is on staff with the Oklahoma City Barons, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers.
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The Saskatoon Blades made a move with their goaltenders on Sunday, assigning Tyler Oswald, 17, to the MJHL’s Dauphin Kings. That leaves the Blades with three goaltenders on their roster — Steven Stanford, 20; Adam Morrison, 19; and, Adam Iwan, 17. . . . Morrison remains in camp with the Philadelphia Flyers.
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The Red Deer Rebels have assigned F Mason Burr, 16, to the midget AAA UFA Bisons, who play out of Strathmore, Alta. Burr had two assists in four exhibition games with the Rebels. He was a second-round pick, 27th overall, in the 2009 bantam draft. . . . After that move, the Rebels were down to 27 players on their roster, including four players in NHL camps — F Byron Froese (Chicago Blackhawks), G Darcy Kuemper (Minnesota Wild), D Alex Petrovic (Florida Panthers) and D Justin Weller (Phoenix Coyotes).
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F Mark Parrish (Seattle, 1997-98) is in camp with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. Parrish, 33, played last season with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and its AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. He didn’t score in 16 NHL games, but had 17 goals in 56 AHL games. His NHL career includes six 20-goal seasons. "He's a guy that can score goals and maybe can supply some depth that we want to take a look at," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff told the Buffalo News. "He's been a goal scorer at the NHL level so we're taking a look."
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The Washington Capitals returned G Brandon Anderson, 18, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Sunday. He was in the Capitals’ camp on a free-agent tryout deal.
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F Jason Jaffray (Kootenay, Swift Current, 1998-2002) suffered what appears to be a serious knee injury during a Saturday scrimmage in the camp of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. According to Lindsay Kramer of the Syracuse Post-Standard, “An MRI showed a MCL sprain and also an ACL tear to his left knee. He will be examined Tuesday to determine his exact treatment plan.”
gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
gdrinnan.blogspot.com
     
Taking Note on Twitter

Thursday . . .

FIRST ROUND
(Best-of-7)
(All times local)
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Calgary (1) vs. Moose Jaw (8)
(Moose Jaw leads series 3-2)
Thursday: Moose Jaw 2 at Calgary 5
Saturday: Calgary at Moose Jaw, 7 p.m.
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Brandon (2) vs. Swift Current (7)
(Brandon wins series 4-0)
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Saskatoon (3) vs. Red Deer (6)
(Saskatoon wins series 4-0)
Thursday: Saskatoon 5 at Red Deer 2
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Kootenay (4) vs. Medicine Hat (5)
(Series tied 2-2)
Friday: Medicine Hat at Kootenay, 7 p.m.
Sunday: Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 6 p.m.
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WESTERN CONFERENCE
Tri-City (1) vs. Chilliwack (8)
(Tri-City leads series 3-1)
Friday: Chilliwack at Tri-City, 7 p.m.
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Vancouver (2) vs. Kamloops (7)
(Vancouver wins series 4-0)
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Everett (3) vs. Kelowna (6)
(Series tied 2-2)
Friday: Kelowna at Everett, 7:35 p.m.
Saturday: Everett at Kelowna, 7 p.m.
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Spokane (4) vs. Portland (5)
(Spokane leads series 2-1)
Friday: Portland at Spokane, 7 p.m.
Saturday: Portland at Spokane, 7 p.m.
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THURSDAY’S PLAYOFF GAMES:
In Calgary, the Hitmen stayed alive with a 5-2 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Moose Jaw, the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, holds a 3-2 edge in the series. Game 6 is Saturday at the Crushed Can. Methinks the joint will be hopping. . . . F Brandon Kozun, the WHL’s regular-season scoring leader, led Calgary with a goal and three assists. . . . Moose Jaw scored first, when F Antonin Honejsek scored his third of the series at 18:59 on the PP. . . . The Hitmen scored the next five goals, before Honejsek closed the scoring with his fourth at 13:53 of the the third period. . . . Calgary was 3-for-5 on the PP; Moose Jaw was 1-for-6. . . . Attendance was 7,138.
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In Red Deer, the Saskatoon Blades scored a 5-2 victory over the Rebels to sweep the first-round series. . . . F Adam Kambeitz scored shorthanded for Red Deer at 1:47 of the first period. . . . Saskatoon scored the next four goals, starting with one from D Stefan Elliott on the PP at 8:06 of the first period. . . . F Jeremy Boyer put the Blades out front at 113:11 of the second and F Curtis Hamilton notched the eventual winner at 4:23. . . . Saskatoon G Steven Stanford, beaten only three times in four games, stopped 31 shots and finished the series with a .977 save percentage. . . . Red Deer G Kraymer Barnstable turned aside 32 shots. . . . Red Deer was 1-for-8 on the PP; Saskatoon was 1-for-4. . . . Attendance was 3,800. . . . The Rebels played without F Landon Ferraro and F Andrej Kudrna. “This was a big game, a game we needed to win to survive to play the next day, and those two guys weren’t at 100 per cent physically,” Red Deer head coach Jesse Wallin told Greg Meachem, the sports editor of the Red Deer Advocate. “We just felt that to give ourselves the best chance we needed 20 guys on the ice who were 100 per cent, who were ready to compete at that level. We had healthy bodies available and although it was a difficult decision, we decided that was the right way to go.” 
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MEANWHILE . . .
With Swift Current having been eliminated, Broncos F Cody Eakin is to join the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals. Eakin, who had 91 points, including 47 goals, this season was a third-round pick by Washington in the NHL’s 2009 draft.
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With the Kamloops-Vancouver series over, Shaw TV shifts its attention to the series between the Kootenay Ice and Medicine Hat Tigers. That series is 2-2 with Game 5 in Cranbrook on Friday night. Shaw won’t televise that game, but will show Game 6 from Medicine Hat on Sunday and, if necessary, Game 7 from Cranbrook on Tuesday.
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The U of Manitoba Bisons staged quite a comeback as the CIS hockey championship began at Fort William, Ont., Gardens. F Mike Heller got his second goal, at 1:51 of OT, to give the No. 5 Bisons a 5-4 victory over the No. 2 McGill Redmen. . . . McGill led that one 4-1 going into the third period. . . . Manitoba tied it on goals by F Kyle Howarth (Medicine Hat, Spokane, Prince Albert, 2003--06), Hellyer (Prince Albert, 2003-06) and F Ian Duval (Regina, Calgary, Moose Jaw, Kelowna, 2003-09). Duval tied it with 4.8 seconds left in the third period. Duval also made the pass that set up Hellyer’s winner.
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How did the Vancouver Giants celebrate their four-game sweep of the Kamloops Blazers that was completed Wednesday night? Well, they spent a couple of hours sitting on their broken down bus between Kamloops and Vancouver. . . . Steve Ewen of the Vancouver Province reports that the Giants’ bus broke down not far from Kamloops and the team had to wait a couple of hours for a replacement. Instead of getting back to their homes by 3 a.m., they didn’t get home until around 6. . . . As Ewen pointed out, the Giants’ bus has had a tough season. “The bus has already had difficulties on trips from Chilliwack and Regina and there was the flat tire just outside Binscarth, Man., that caused a six-hour delay during their extended Eastern Conference roadswing brought about by the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.”
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The SJHL’s Nipawin Hawks have hired Doug Johnson as their next head coach. He presently is an assistant coach with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers. Johnson, from Bracken, Sask., is a former Hawks player. . . . He replaces Colin O’Hara who resigned on Feb. 10.