THE BEDARD REPORT: F Connor Bedard scored his 60th goal of the season on Wednesday night but it didn’t mean a whole lot as his Regina Pats dropped a 3-2 decision to the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Bedard, who was playing in his 49th game of the season, is the first WHLer with 60 goals since 2017-18 when F Jayden Halbgewachs of the Moose Jaw Warriors finished with 70 in 72 games. . . . The last Regina skater to get to 60 goals was F Ronald Petrovicky, who finished the 1997-98 season with 64 in 71 games. . . . Bedard leads the WHL in goals (60), assists (64) and points (124). However, he has only one point in his past two games. . . . Next up? The Pats, with eight games remaining in the regular season, venture into Alberta for two games — Friday in Lethbridge and Saturday in Medicine Hat.
If the WHL playoffs started today:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Winnipeg (1) vs. Swift Current (8)
Red Deer (2) vs. Medicine Hat (7)
Saskatoon (3) vs. Regina (6)
Moose Jaw (4) vs. Lethbridge (5)
——
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Seattle (1) vs. Kelowna (8)
Kamloops (2) vs. Vancouver (7)
Portland (3) vs. Tri-City (6)
Prince George (4) vs. Everett (5)
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WEDNESDAY’S WHL HIGHLIGHTS:
In Red Deer, the Rebels clinched the Central Division title with a 2-1 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Red Deer last finished on top of the division in 2010-11. . . . F Kai Uchacz got his 47th goal for Red Deer in the first period, but it was F Jhett Larson’s 15th, shorthanded, at 14:04 of the second that was the winner. . . . D Chase Pauls (6) scored for Lethbridge with 17 seconds left in the third period. . . . G Chase Coward, in his first appearance this season, stopped 20 shots to earn the victory. The Rebels had announced prior to training camp that Coward, who turned 20 on Jan. 19, would be out for a while as he dealt with a medical situation. Last season, as a freshman, he was 22-10-2, 2.51, .906. . . . Red Deer (40-17-5) has points in three straight (2-0-1). It is 15 points ahead of the second-place Hurricanes (32-23-6), who have seven games remaining. . . .
Here’s more on Coward, this from Elliotte Friedman’s latest 32 Thoughts, which is right here:
“(I) wanted to recognize 20-year-old Chase Coward of WHL Red Deer. Coward is scheduled to start for the Rebels Wednesday night against Lethbridge. Last summer, Coward, not drafted by an NHL team, was invited to the Canadian World Junior Team’s summer camp, and also to Buffalo’s development camp. However, he failed his physical due to hip injuries, although the Sabres kindly allowed him to stay.
“In August, Rebels uberboss Brent Sutter announced Coward ‘underwent testing and discovered a congenital defect to his lower body. At this time Chase has decided he will not attend training camp or be a part of the Rebels roster to start the season, and we support him as he navigates through the process.’ There was concern Coward’s hockey career was over at waaaaaaaaaay too young an age. As I write this, I’m not 100 per cent sure of the procedures he went through, but it was a gruelling process and recovery against big odds. Wishing Chase good luck as he returns to action.” . . .
F Josh Pillar scored twice to help the Saskatoon Blades to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos. . . . Pillar, who turned 21 on Feb. 14, missed a good chunk of the season with an undisclosed injury. He has six goals in 21 games. He didn’t play between Nov. 26 and Feb. 17; these were his first two goals in nine games since returning to the lineup. . . . The Blades got out to a 3-0 lead — D Tanner Molendyk (8) made it 3-0 at 7:33 of the second period — and were never headed. . . . The Broncos twice got to within a goal but weren’t able to equalize. . . . F Brandon Lisowsky (32) iced it with the empty-netter. . . . F Josh Filmon (43) scored twice for the Broncos. . . . The Blades got 36 stops from G Ethan Chadwick (21-8-2, 2.53, .903). . . . Saskatoon (43-13-5) has points in 11 straight (10-0-1). . . . Swift Current (28-29-3) has lost two in a row and is clinging to the Eastern Conference’s last playoff spot, one point ahead of Calgary and Brandon. . . .
The Edmonton Oil Kings, owners of the poorest record in the WHL, snapped an 11-game losing skid with a 3-2 victory over the Pats in Regina. . . . F Marshall Finnie (7) snapped a 1-1 tie at 15:36 of the first period and F Gavin Hodnett (12) made it 3-1, on a PP, at 12:20 of the second. . . . G Kolby Hay earned his sixth victory of the season with 31 saves. . . . Edmonton (9-48-3) won’t be in the playoffs this season after winning the championship last season. . . . Regina (31-26-3) has lost two straight. It is sixth in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of Medicine Hat. . . .
G Nick Jones earned his first WHL shutout with 26 saves as the host Brandon Wheat Kings beat the Medicine Hat Tigers, 2-0. . . . F Zakhar Polshakov (7) gave Brandon a 1-0 lead at 5:19 of the second period and that’s all the offence that Jones needed. . . . Jones, an 18-year-old from Calgary, was a fifth-round pick in the WHL’s 2019 draft. This season, he is 4-12-3, 4.17, .865. . . . Brandon (25-28-8) has won two in a row and is only one point from a playoff spot. . . . Medicine Hat (26-26-9) has lost two straight and is seventh in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Swift Current. . . .
The Kamloops Blazers scored the game’s first four goals and went on to a 7-1 victory over the Silvertips in Everett. . . . D Owen Zellweger, who was acquired from Everett in January, had a goal (25) and two assists. He leads all WHL defencemen in goals. . . . F Jakub Demek also had a goal (2) and two assists. . . . The Blazers were without F Logan Stankoven, who left a 3-2 shootout victory over the host Seattle Thunderbirds in the second period on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury and didn’t return. The team is listing him as being out day-to-day. . . . Kamloops (42-11-6) has won four in a row and will finish atop the B.C. Division. . . . Everett (30-27-3) has lost three straight. It is tied with Tri-City for fifth in the Western Conference. . . .
The Prince George Cougars scored four times on the PP en route to a 6-2 victory over the Rockets in Kelowna. . . . The Cougars broke a 2-2 tie with four third-period goals, three of them on the PP. . . . F Riley Heidt recorded three assists, giving him 60 and Prince George’s single-season record for most assists. The previous record (59) was held by F Jansen Harkins 2014-15). . . . D Hudson Thornton also had three assists for the Cougars. . . . The visitors were 4-for-7 on the PP; the home side was 0-for-5. . . . Prince George had a 47-18 edge in shots. . . . The Rockets were without G Talyn Boyko (undisclosed injury) for a second straight game. . . . Prince George (31-24-5) has points in three straight (2-0-1). It is fourth in the Western Conference, four points ahead of Everett and Tri-City. . . . Kelowna (23-34-3) has lost three in a row. It is eighth in the conference and appears headed for a first-round meeting with Seattle. The Thunderbirds will open at home with games on March 31 and April 1. They announced last night that tickets for those two games will go on sale on March 15.
JUST NOTES:
D Chloe Primerano, 16, led the Canada Winter Games women’s hockey tournament in scoring, with 14 points, including nine assists, in six games as her U-18 B.C. team won gold. You may recall that the Vancouver Giants selected her in the 13th round of the 2022 WHL draft and she attended their training camp. . . . This season, the North Vancouver native is playing for the U-18 female team at the Rink Hockey Academy in Kelowna, and the Giants are contemplating bringing her back to camp prior to next season. . . . In the meantime, she will be getting advice on her hockey-playing future from the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). The chances are far greater of her playing NCAA hockey than in the WHL and CAA will provide her with guidance. . . . Steve Ewen of Postmedia has more right here. . . .
The BCHL has announced that it will hold its annual Showcase featuring all 18 teams in Seattle next season. This will be the first time since the inaugural event was held in 2012 that it hasn’t been held in Chilliwack. . . . The 2023 Showcase will be held in the Kraken Community Iceplex, the practice facility for the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. The facility includes three rinks and 12 dressing rooms. . . . Each BCHL team will play two regular-season games during four days in October. The precise dates have yet to be announced. . . .
The Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) is in Penticton for the long haul. From a Wednesday news release: “The CSSHL and its partners Okanagan Hockey Group, OVG360, Travel Penticton and the City of Penticton has reached an agreement for a 10-year agreement (five years, with an additional five-year renewal clause) to host the Western Championships beginning in March 2024.” . . . Also from that news release: “This month’s tournament features 86 teams and roughly 1,900 players and staff who are competing in the CSSHL Western Championships over a period of two weeks. Roughly 4,000 spectators are expected to attend the event. The sponsorship agreement, worth $100,000 per year, will see the number of participants increase to 95 Western Division teams next season as Penticton becomes host of the CSSHL’s Western championships.” . . .
Nela Lopušanová, the Slovakian Sensation, will leave home next season to play for the U-19 Bishop Kearney Selects, a program that is based in Rochester, N.Y. Lopušanová, who turned 15 on Feb. 26, is from Zilina. She perhaps first came to prominence earlier this season when, as a 14-year-old, she put up 12 points, nine of them goals, at the World Women’s U-18 tournament. She has 43 points, 18 of them goals, in 14 games with Zilina’s U-16 team, and has 28 goals and 21 assists in eight games with a Zilina club in a Slovakian women’s league.
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St. Paul’s Hospital
6A Providence Building
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
Tel: 604-806-9027
Toll free: 1-877-922-9822
Fax: 604-806-9873
Email: donornurse@providencehealth.bc.ca
——
Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney
Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre
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Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
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——
Or, for more information, visit right here.
whether the Ice ownership will be building an arena in the Rural Municipality of Macdonald.
was a second team on Vancouver Island. After all, it was turning out to be rather costly to ride a ferry there and back from the mainland to, in most instances, play one game. The logical place for another team would be Nanaimo, which had a population of about 90,500 in 2016. (That population grew to around 103,500 by 2022.)
Wednesday night. It was his first game back following the death of his father, Tim, at 52, from Alzheimer’s Disease.
Frisco, Texas, on Thursday, beating Russia, 5-3, in the final. . . . Canada last won this tournament in 2013 in Sochi, Russia. . . . Sweden won the bronze medal, whipping Finland, 8-0, earlier in the day. . . . Canada got two goals F Shane Wright, its captain, F Brennan Othmann, F Logan Stankoven and F Connor Berard. . . . Stankoven, who plays for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, gave Canada a 4-2 lead at 16:39 of the second period and that goal stood as the winner. . . . Stankoven finished with four goals and four assists in seven games. . . . Russian F Matvei Michkov was named the tournament MVP. He scored his tournament-leading 12th goal in the final. He also led the tournament with 16 points. . . . F Shane Wright, Team Canada’s captain, and Bedard tied for second, with 14 points. Wright, who played five of his team’s seven games, had a team-high nine goals. . . . Bedard had a goal and an assist, to finish the tournament with seven goals and seven assists in seven games. He tied the tournament record for most points (14) by a 15-year-old and now shares it with F Connor McDavid, who did it in Sochi in 2013.
action at home tonight against the Seattle Thunderbirds, and they will have five sections open to fans who have been vaccinated. . . . Fans will have to show proof of vaccination. . . . From a news release: “There will not be refunds or exchanges if you cannot show proof of vaccination. A face-covering must be worn at all times except while actively eating or drinking. Children ages 2-15 may sit in the vaccinated section, but only with proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72-hours of the game.” . . . Meanwhile, there were two WHL games last night . . . 
Medicine Hat Tigers, 3-0. . . . Edmonton finished its season at 20-2-1 with its second straight win, while the Tigers wound up at 14-8-1. . . . This was the final game of the schedule involving the five Alberta teams. . . . Cossa, who is eligible for the NHL’s 2021 draft, put up four shutouts in 19 appearances. Last season, as a freshman, he had four shutouts in 33 games. This season, he finished 17-1-1, 1.57, .941. . . . F Scott Atkinson, the Oil Kings’ captain who was playing his final WHL game, opened the scoring with his sixth goal at 10:26 of the first period. . . . F Logan Dowhaniuk (5) made it 2-0, on a PP, at 16:32 of the second. . . . F Kaid Oliver (11) got the empty-netter. . . . F Ethan Cap, also playing his final WHL game, drew two assists. . . . The Tigers got 25 stops from G Garin Bjorklund. . . . 
and F Matthew Seminoff as they beat the Victoria Royals, 5-1. . . . The Blazers, who have won three in a row, now are 15-4-0. They went 6-0-0 against Victoria in this developmental season. . . . The Royals (2-15-2) have lost three straight (0-2-1). . . . Centazzo, who has five goals, opened the scoring at 4:00 of the first period and made it 2-0, on a PP, at 1:26 of the second. . . . Seminoff made it 3-0 at 6:01 and F Caedan Bankier (9) upped the lead to 4-0 at 7:22. . . . F Tarun Fizer (6) got Victoria’s goal 12 seconds into the third period. . . . Seminoff finished the scoring with his 10th goal at 12:12. . . . F Josh Pillar helped out with three assists. . . . G Dylan Garand stopped 28 shots for Kamloops. He is 13-3-0, 2.36, .915.
selection of the NHL’s 2020 draft. He began the 2020-21 season with the Swiss League’s ZSC Lions, which is where he was when he contracted COVID-19 in November. . . . He later was cleared to play for Austria in the World Junior Championship in Edmonton, where he got into four games. . . . “The doctors told me if I played one more game in the World Junior Championship, this could have ended completely different,” Rossi told Michael Russo of The Athletic. “I’m thankful to God that he supported me. . . . I’m just happy that I’m still alive.” . . . After the WJC, Rossi had planned to take part in Minnesota’s training camp, but he didn’t get through the cardiac screening part of his medical — he was found to have myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart that can come from COVID-19. So he was sent home to Austria. . . . “Every time before I went to sleep, I was so scared that I won’t wake up anymore,” Rossi told Russo. “Every night, before sleep, I was really sad and always crying because I was scared of that. I told my parents, ‘Could you sleep right next to my bed and be here ’til I fall asleep?’ And every day I woke up in the morning, I was so glad that I woke up. It was really hard.” . . . Rossi, who is 19 years of age, is believed to be on the road to recovery, but he still hasn’t been given clearance to resume training. . . . If you have a subscription to The Athletic, you are able to find Russo’s story there.
resounding 12-1 victory over Sweden in Group A on Tuesday night. Andrew Podnieks of 
cleared to return to game action after experience two positive tests in their group. The first positive test was discovered on April 16, with another one popping up while everyone was in isolation. . . . All individuals tested negative in the last go-round so the team was cleared to get back into game action. Their first game back is scheduled for Wednesday against the host Spokane Chiefs. . . . The WHL won’t be rescheduling the five Americans games that were impacted. That means that if there aren’t any further disruptions, the Portland Winterhawks are the only U.S. Division team that will play 24 games. the Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds will each get in 23; the Chiefs 21; and the Americans 19.
victory over the Regina Pats in the Regina hub. . . . The Ice (18-5-1) finished its season with points in seven straight (6-0-1). . . . The Pats (9-12-3) lost their last two games. . . . Winnipeg got started with first-period goals from F James Form (3) and D Mike Ladyman (3), with F Conor Geekie (9) making it 3-0 at 2:50 of the second period. . . . F Zack Smith scored while shorthanded for Regina at 15:55, but the Ice iced it with the game’s next two goals — from F Michael Milne, on a PP, at 17:28 of the second and F Zach Benson (10), at 1:22 of the third. . . . F Carter Messier (5) scored for Regina at 6:12, with Milne (6), who also had an assist, getting his second goal at 9:47 for a 6-2 lead. . . . Smith completed his first career three-goal game with two PP goals, at 17:11 and 17:32. Smith, who also had one assist, finished with seven goals. . . . G Carl Stankowski of the Ice, who backstopped the Seattle Thunderbirds to a WHL title at 16, stopped 24 shots in his final WHL game. He turned 21 on March 9. . . . Ice F Peyton Krebs had one assist to run his franchise-record point streak to 23 games. He finished with 43 points and leads the Regina hub by six points over F Ben McCartney of the Brandon Wheat Kings, who has one game remaining. . . . 
victory over the Portland Winterhawks. . . . Everett (14-3-0) has won five in a row and leads the U.S. Division by nine points over Portland (8-6-3). . . . F Jacob Wright (7) gave Everett a 1-0 lead at 2:43 of the second period, with Portland F Tyson Kozak (2) equalizing on a PP at 8:51. . . . Everett got the next two goals, with F Gage Goncalves (11) notching its first shorthanded goal this season 39 seconds into the third period and F Cole Fonstad (12) stretching the lead at 5:40. . . . F Jaydon Dureau (4) pulled Portland to within a goal at 14:40. . . . This season, Wolf is 13-2-0, 1.67, .945. . . . Associate coach Kyle Gustafson ran Portland’s bench with Mike Johnston, the general manager and head coach, in Texas watching the IIHF U18 World championship. . . .
Kamloops Blazers to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants. . . . Kamloops (12-2-0) has won five straight. . . . Vancouver (9-6-0) has lost three in a row. . . . D Tanner Brown (1) gave the Giants a 1-0 lead at 13:25 of the second period. . . . Pillar tied the score at 14:36, then snapped the tie with his seventh goal, on a PP, at 7:38 of the third. . . . Kamloops was 1-for-3 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-for-6. . . . The Giants held 11-2 and 14-9 shot advantages in the first two periods respectively, but could only get one behind Garand, who now is 10-2-0, 2.16, .918. . . . Vancouver got 21 stops from G Trent Miner, who is 6-5-0, 1.61, .935. . . . 
to a 4-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Rockets, designated as the visitors for this one, are 6-2-0 and have won three straight. . . . The Royals (1-13-1) have lost 10 in a row. . . . Kelowna opened a 3-0 lead on a goal by F David Kope (3) just 26 seconds in and second-period scores by F Mark Liwiski (6), on a PP, and F Scott Cousins (1). . . . Cousins, an undrafted skater who turned 17 on Jan. 6, scored his first WHL goal in his sixth game. . . . D Matthew Smith (1) got Victoria on the board, on a PP, at 14:09 of the second period, but F Trevor Wong (6) got that one back, on a PP, at 15:36. . . . Kelowna D Tyson Feist (2) got the empty-netter. . . . Kope added two assists for a three-point outing. . . . The Rockets gave G Nicholas Cristiano, 16, his first WHL start, while the Royals did the same with Keegan Maddocks, 18. Both are from Langley, B.C. . . . Cristiano finished with 31 saves, one more than Maddocks. . . . Kelowna was 2-for-5 on the PP; Victoria was 1-for-9.
took the NHL to task on Wednesday.
morning, the first time they have skated since they went into a 14-day quarantine after seven positive tests within the organization. An eighth positive was discovered during the quarantine period, but because it happened to someone already in isolation it didn’t impact the 14 days off.
the Swift Current Broncos, 3-0, in Regina. . . . The Blades (13-2-2) have points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . The Broncos (3-13-1) have lost six in a row. . . . Maier now shares the Saskatoon franchise record for career shutouts with Andrei Makarov (115 games, 2011-13). . . . Maier, who has made 151 appearances in three-plus seasons, stopped 27 shots in posting his second shutout of this season. . . . F Blake Stevenson scored twice, at 10:35 and 12:21 of the first period for a 2-0 lead. He’s got seven goals. . . . F Chase Wouters also scored his seventh goal of the season. . . . 
Winnipeg Ice, 5-3, in Regina. . . . McCartney, who has 11 goals, completed his evening with the empty-netter. . . . The Wheat Kings (13-3-2) opened an early 2-0 lead on goals from F Riley Ginnell (4) and F Brett Hyland (2). . . . The Ice halved the deficit at 4:55 of the second period on F Connor McClennon’s 11th goal, but McCartney got that one back at 9:07. . . . F Conor Geekie (7) got Winnipeg back to within at goal at 13:36, but McCartney counted again at 7:18 of the third. . . . F Owen Pederson (8) again pulled the Ice to within a goal, this time at 14:47, but McCartney put it away at 19:51. . . . Ice F Peyton Krebs had an assist to run his point streak to 16 games, while McClennon has points in 10 straight. . . . The Wheat Kings were handed all six of the game’s minor penalties and gave up two PP goals. . . . The Ice (12-5-0) had won its previous six games. . . . Brandon G Connor Ungar stopped 38 shots. He is 5-1-1, 2.57, .915 in the Regina hub. . . . Brandon is 3-0-0 against Winnipeg this season — 3-2, 4-3 and 5-3 — with one meeting left. . . .
3 OT victory over the host Portland Winterhawks. . . . Zummack, who has five goals, tied the game on a PP at 19:29 of the third period, then won it at 3:27 of OT. . . . Zummack is on a real roll at the moment. He scored a shorthanded goal and added an assist in Portland’s 7-6 victory on Saturday, then had a goal and three assists in a 4-3 victory over the host Everett Silvertips on Tuesday. . . . F Simon Knak (8) and F Kyle Chyzowski (3) gave the Winterhawks a 2-0 first-period lead. . . . The Chiefs tied it on goals from F Blake Swetlikoff (3), at 6:17 of the second, and F Adam Beckman (9), at 5:35 of the third. Beckman has goals in six straight games. . . . F Tyson Kozak’s first goal gave Portland a 3-2 lead at 9:10. . . . D Bobby Russell assisted on each of Zummack’s goals. . . . G Mason Beaupit was outstanding for the Chiefs, making 48 saves, 25 more than Portland’s Dante Giannuzzi. . . . The Chiefs now are 4-5-3; the Winterhawks are 5-4-3. . . . These teams played each other three times since Friday with Spokane winning twice. . . . D Sage Weinstein, a 15-year-old from Edmonton who was the 18th overall selection in the 2020 bantam draft, made his WHL debut with the Chiefs. . . . 
added F Lucas Cullen, 19, to their roster. . . . Cullen spent the season with the BCHL’s West Kelowna Warriors, putting up 50 points, including 26 goals, in 49 regular-season games, then adding seven goals and three assists in seven playoff games. . . . Cullen is from Kelowna. The Calgary Hitmen selected him in the fifth round of the WHL’s 2014 bantam draft. He played 48 games with them over three seasons, scoring four times and adding five assists.
be renewing Steve Mullin’s contract. Mullin spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Flyers, then took over as head coach prior to this season when Ken Pearson stepped aside to focus on his general manager’s duties. The Flyers and Pearson parted company on Feb. 19, he since has been named GM and head coach of the MJHL’s Neepawa Natives. . . . This season, the Flyers finished 23-32-5 and missed the playoffs for the first time since the spring of 1981. . . . Jeff Jeanson has taken over the general manager’s duties.
over the Wheat Kings in Brandon. . . . Moose Jaw (38-20-8) will finish third in the East Division and meet the Saskatoon Blades in a first-round series. . . . Brandon (30-28-8) has lost four in a row. It is four points from a playoff spot with only two games remaining. . . . Moose Jaw won the season series, 5-3-1; Brandon was 4-4-1. . . . Moose Jaw went ahead 3-0 on first-period goals from F Yegor Buyalski (6), at 3:46; F Brayden Tracey (36), at 12:56; and F Tristin Langan (51), on a PP, at 14:30. . . . The Wheat Kings got to within a goal as F Stelio Mattheos (44) scored, at 14:54 of the first period, and F Caiden Daley (9) counted at 1:41 of the third. . . . The Warriors put it away with the game’s last three goals, the final two into an empty net. . . . F Daemon Hunt (6), who is from Brandon, added insurance at 5:53. . . . D Dalton Hamaliuk and F Cameron Sterling (1) got the empty-netters. . . . Moose Jaw got 29 saves from G Adam Evanoff. . . . G Jiri Patera stopped 25 shots for Brandon. . . . Tracey was unsuccessful on a first-period penalty shot with his guys ahead, 2-0.
7-4 victory over the visiting Red Deer Rebels. . . . Medicine Hat (34-26-6) has won two in a row and has clinched a wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. . . . Red Deer (33-27-6) has lost two straight. It holds down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, two points behind Medicine Hat and four ahead of Brandon, which has two games remaining. . . . Medicine Hat won the season series, 6-0-0. . . . F Jeff de Wit (17) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 7:48 of the first period, only to have F James Hamblin (33) tie it at 8:04. . . . F Zak Smith (13) put Red Deer back out front 57 seconds into the second period. . . . The Tigers took control with the next three goals, in a span of 3:29, from F Ryan Chyzowski, at 3:19, and two from Kemp, on a PP at 4:20 and at 6:48. . . . F Josh Tarzwell (11) got the Rebels to within a goal at 11:35. . . . Chyzowski (26) restored the two-goal lead, on a PP, at 12:59, and Kemp (31) completed his first career WHL hat trick at 7:26 of the third period. . . . F Brandon Hagel (41), who also had two assists, got Red Deer’s fourth goal, at 9:03. . . . F Logan Christenssen (7) finished Medicine Hat’s scoring at 13:07. . . . Hamblin and Chyzowski added two assists apiece. . . . Medicine Hat F Elijah Brown, who was injured in a Feb. 28 practice, was back in the lineup. . . . Red Deer F Alex Morozov sat out as he completed a two-game suspension. . . . The Rebels, of course, are without D Alex Alexeyev (knee). . . . Medicine Hat scratched F Bryan Lockner (ill).
to an 8-0 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . Kamloops (27-32-7) has won four in a row. The Blazers are fourth in the B.C. Division, one point behind the Kelowna Rockets, who got a loser point last night. Kamloops will play home-and-home with the fifth-place Prince George Cougars on Friday and Saturday, while the Rockets finish with a home-and-home set with the first-place Vancouver Giants. . . . The third-place finisher will open a first-round series in Victoria on March 22. . . . Victoria (33-29-4) has lost four straight. . . . Victoria won the season series, 5-3-1; Kamloops was 4-5-0. The Blazers won the last three games in the series. . . . Stuart went into the game with 19 goals and 14 assists in 65 games, then enjoyed his first career five-point outing. He now has 20 goals and 18 assists. . . . The Blazers took a 1-0 lead into the second period on Stuart’s goal at 12:51 of the first period. Kamloops then put it away with five second-period goals. . . . F Josh Pillar finished with his seventh goals and three assists, while F Zane Franklin had two goals, giving him 28. . . . F Jermaine Loewen (26), who also had two assists, F Connor Zary (28), F Kyrell Sopotyk (12) and F Ryley Appelt (4) also scored. . . . G Dylan Garand, 16, made his fourth straight start for the Blazers, who have won all four of those games. Garand, a freshman from Victoria, is starting because Dylan Ferguson was injured in a 6-0 loss the visiting Vancouver Giants on March 6. . . . On the season, Garand, who stopped 22 shots, is 10-7-2, 2.89, .904 with one shutout. . . . Victoria dressed 15 skaters, three under the maximum, and that included D Kaden Reinders and D Noah Lamb, both of whom are APs. The Royals scratched nine skaters — D Ralph Jarratt, D Jameson Murray, D Scott Walford, D Matt Smith, F Tyus Gent, F Sean Gulka, F Kody McDonald, D Jake Kustra and F Kaid Oliver. 
victory over the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash. . . . Seattle (29-29-8) has clinched the Western Conference’s second wild-card berth, meaning all five U.S. Division teams will be in the playoffs for a second straight season. The Thunderbirds will play the conference’s top seed, either the Vancouver Giants or Everett Silvertips, in the first round. Seattle will open that series on the road on March 22. . . . Tri-City (34-26-6) has lost two in a row (0-1-1). It will finish in the conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Seattle went 4-2-2 in the season series; Tri-City was 4-3-1. . . . The Thunderbirds held a 4-2 lead eight minutes into the third period, then watched as the Americans scored three times to take the lead. . . . Seattle forced OT at 16:04 when F Nolan Volcan completed a hat trick with his 26th goal. . . . F Nolan Yaremko had given the Americans a 1-0 lead 31 seconds into the second period. . . . Yes, the first period was scoreless. . . . Seattle took a 2-1 lead on goals from Volcan, at 3:53, and F Matthew Wedman, on a PP, at 13:09. . . . Tri-City tied it at 15:02 when F Krystof Hrabik got No. 20. . . . Seattle took the 4-2 lead as Wedman (39) scored, on a PP, at 0:28 of the third period, and Volcan counted at 4:59. . . . Tri-City went ahead 5-4 on goals from F Parker AuCoin (41), on a PP, at 8:18; F Sasha Mutala (20), at 9:15; and Yaremko (27), on a PP, at 15:23. . . . The Thunderbirds got four assists from F Henri Rybinski. He’s got seven goals and 24 assists in 31 games since being acquired from the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Wedman added one assist to his two goals. . . . The Americans got two assists from each of Hrabik and AuCoin, with Yaremko getting one.
OT to give the Spokane Chiefs a 6-5 victory over the Rockets in Kelowna. . . . Spokane (38-21-7) is third in the U.S. Division, three points behind the Portland Winterhawks, each with two games remaining. . . . Spokane will finish home-and-home with the Tri-City Americans, while Portland goes home-and-home with the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Kelowna (26-32-8) has lost three in a row (0-1-2) and now is only one point ahead of the fourth-place Kamloops Blazers in the B.C. Division, each with two games remaining. . . . The Chiefs went 3-0-1 in the season series; the Rockets finished 1-2-1. . . . Spokane led this one 5-2 with fewer than 10 minutes left in the third period. . . . F Nolan Foote (36) got Kelowna to within two goals at 10:49. . . . The Rockets tied it on goals from D Kaedan Korczak (4), at 17:31, and F Kyle Topping (23), on a PP, at 19:20. . . . The Chiefs got the game’s first goal at 0:12 of the first period when F Jack Finley, who is from Kelowna, scored his ninth goal. . . . Foote tied it at 3:54. . . . Anderson-Dolan, who has 20 goals, gave Spokane a 2-1 lead at 8:39, and F Luke Toporowski (20) added to the lead at 17:26. . . . F Ethan McIndoe (15) made it 4-1 at 3:11 of the second period. . . . F Michael Farren (3) scored for Kelowna at 1:58 of the third, only to have D Nolan Reid (16) reply for the Chiefs at 10:03. . . . Anderson-Dolan now shares the club record for longest goal-scoring streak with F Adam Helewka (2014-15), F Marian Cesar (1997-98), F Brent Gilchrist (1986-87) and F Terry Perkins (1985-86). . . . Korczak added three assists to his goal, while Foote had an assist so finished with three points. . . . F Luc Smith and D Filip Kral were among Spokane’s scratches. . . . The Rockets are without D Lassi Thomson, who is in concussion protocol. He hasn’t played since taking a hit from Kamloops F Jermaine Loewen in the Blazers’ 2-1 shootout victory on home ice on Friday night. . . . Kelowna also was without F Mark Liwiski, as he completed a three-game suspension.
a third-round pick in the 2020 WHL bantam draft.
over the Warriors in Moose Jaw. . . . Medicine Hat improved to 14-14-3. . . . Moose Jaw (15-7-4) has lost two in a row. . . . D Jett Woo had a goal, his fifth, and three assists for the Warriors. . . . D Joel Craven, playing only his third game after being out since Oct. 19, scored his first goal of the season for the Tigers. . . . F James Hamblin (14) gave the Tigers a 5-3 lead, on a PP, at 16:10 of the second period. . . . D Josh Brook (9) got Moose Jaw to within a goal, on a PP, at 18:08. . . . F Keennan Taphorn (7) pulled the Warriors into a tie at 4:01 of the third. . . . Jevne, who has 12 goals, won it on a PP at 1:16 of OT. He also had an assist. . . . D Daniel Baker scored his first career goal and added two assists for the Tigers. A 17-year-old freshman from Edmonton, Baker’s first goal and first multi-point night came in his 42nd game, 31 of them this season. . . . F Ryan Chyzowski had three assists for Medicine Hat. . . . Warriors F Tristin Langan scored his 19th goal and added an assist as he played his 200th regular-season game. . . . F Kjell Kjemhus, who was acquired this week from the Prince George Cougars, and F Luke Ormsby, who came over from the Everett Silvertips, both made their Moose Jaw debuts. . . . They started on a line with F Tate Popple, who was back after a one-game absence. . . . Ormsby’s fourth goal of the season, at 19:44 of the first period, cut into the Tigers’ 3-1 lead. . . . Medicine Hat, which held a 46-45 edge in shots, was 2-3 on the PP. The Warriors were 3-4.
6-1. . . . Edmonton (15-11-5) had lost its previous five games (0-3-2). . . . Regina (8-21-0) has lost six in a row. . . . F Riley Krane (4) gave the Pats a 1-0 lead at 8:00 of the first period. . . . But it was all Oil Kings after that point. . . . F Trey Fix Wolansky, who also had three assists, tied it with his 20th goal at 19:47. . . . F Dylan Guenther, the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2018 bantam draft, broke the tie with his first career goal at 5:47, on a PP. Guenther scored in his third game; he also played on Nov. 2 and 3. . . . Guenther, from Edmonton, has 20 goals and 18 assists in 18 games with the Northern Alberta X-Treme prep team. . . . The Oil Kings were 3-5 on the PP. . . . F Vince Loschiavo scored his 13th goal and added two assists. . . . The Oil Kings were without F Vladimir Alistrov and F Andrei Pavlenko, both of whom are with the Belarusian team at the IIHF World Junior Championship (Division 1 Group A) that opens Sunday in Fussen, Germany. . . . Regina F Sebastian Streu also is there as he hopes to crack Germany’s roster.
Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook, B.C. . . . Lethbridge (15-8-5) has points in seven straight (6-0-1). . . . Kootenay (7-20-5) has lost 10 in a row (0-8-2). . . . The visitors took a 1-0 lead when D Alex Cotton (2) scored at 8:24 of the first period. . . . The Ice went in front on second-period goals from F Cole Muir (6) and F Jakin Smallwood (2). . . . F Jake Leschyshyn (18) got Lethbridge into a tie at 16:28 of the second. . . . Cozens won it with his 15th goal at 1:17 of extra time. . . . Leschyshyn also drew the primary assist on the winner. . . . The Hurricanes got 28 saves from G Reece Klassen, eight fewer than the Ice’s Jesse Makaj. . . . The Ice is without F Connor McClennon, who has one foot in a walking boot.
Americans, 4-3. . . . Kelowna (13-15-2) has points in three straight (2-0-1). . . . Tri-City has lost four in a row (0-2-2). . . . The Rockets held a 3-0 lead late in the second period on goals from F Erik Gardiner (5) and F Liam Kindree (6) in the first period, and F Nolan Foote (17), at 1:54 of the second. . . . The Americans got back into it with two PP goals from F Parker AuCoin, at 19:56 of the second and 8:53 of the third. He’s got 15 goals. . . . D Aaron Hyman (6) forced OT with a goal at 17:24. . . . That was Hyman’s first goal with the Americans, who acquired him from the Regina Pats. . . . Kelowna held a 3-1 edge in OT shots. . . . Kelowna shot first in the shootout and got goals from Foote and F Leif Mattson, their second and third shooters. . . . Tri-City was 2-7 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-2. . . .The Rockets got 28 saves from G James Porter. . . . G Talyn Boyko, who turned 16 on Nov. 16, made his second career start for the Americans. He made 24 saves. Boyko was a third-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft.
. . . Everett (23-7-1) has points in nine straight (8-0-1) and has closed to within six points of the Prince Albert Raiders (26-1-1), who lead the overall standings. The Raiders do hold three games in hand. . . . Spokane (14-10-4) has lost three straight (0-2-1). . . . The Silvertips grabbed a 3-0 lead on goals from F Jackson Berezowski (5), at 17:33 of the first period, and F Bryce Kindopp (11), at 1:47 of the second, and D Jake Christiansen (7), on a PP, at 14:48. . . . The Chiefs made it interesting with third-period PP goals from Ethan McIndoe (8), at 0:48, and F Riley Woods (21), at 9:26. . . . F Sean Richards (9) gave Everett some breathing room with an empty-netter, at 18:25. . . . F Max Patterson, acquired this week from the Swift Current Broncos, made his Everett debut and drew an assist on Berezowski’s goal. . . . G Dustin Wolf stopped 25 shots for Everett. He now is 21-7-1, 1.93, .923. . . . The Silvertips lost F Martin Fasko-Rudas aat 15:31 of the first period after he was hit in the neutral zone by Spokane F Egor Arbuzov, who was penalized for interference. . . . Former NHL D Kevin Bieksa took part in the ceremonial faceoff. He has been skating with the Silvertips as he prepares to play for Canada at the Spengler Cup that begins on Dec. 26 in Davos, Switzerland.
return to Winnipeg could be only months away from coming to fruition.” . . . Veteran sports reporter Mike Sawatzky, who is familiar with the WHL having covered the Brandon Wheat Kings more than a few years ago, writes: “Owners of the WHL’s Kootenay Ice are believed to be considering a plan to move their franchise to Winnipeg in time for the start of the 2019-20 season, sources have told the Free Press.” . . . According to Sawatzky, the relocated Ice would play at the U of Manitoba’s Wayne Fleming Arena until a new 5,000-seat arena is built in conjunction with “the Rink Hockey Academy’s new training facility currently under construction at the west end of South Landing, just off McGillivray Boulevard.” . . . Sawatzky’s complete story is 
Thursday. He takes over from Ryan Oulahen, who was in his third season when he resigned earlier this month. At that point, the Firebirds were 0-7-0. Then then lost two more games under interim head coach Greg Stefan. . . . Wellwood, whose NHL career was halted by injuries, was an associate coach with the Firebirds in 2016-17, under Oulahen. As a player with the Windsor Spitfires, Wellwood won two Memorial Cups. He won another as an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals.
Wheat Kings dumped the Everett Silvertips, 5-2. . . . Everett (6-4-0), which had won three in a row, started its East Division swing with the game. . . . Mattheos now has 11 goals for Brandon (6-1-2). . . . G Jiri Patera continued his fine start for Brandon, this time with 36 stops. The Czech freshman is 6-1-1, 3.00, .919. . . . Everett F Connor Dewar was given a cross-checking major and game misconduct at 14:32 of the third period. . . . Jordin Tootoo, who played his major junior career with the Wheat Kings, announced his retirement from hockey at a pregame news conference, then took part in the ceremonial faceoff.
Thunderbirds, 4-2, in Kennewick, Wash. . . . Seattle (6-2-1) had points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . The Americans improved to 4-4-0. . . . F Parker AuCoin broke a 2-2 tie at 14:51 of the third period, then added the empty-netter for his sixth goal. . . . F Nolan Yaremko drew three assists for the winners. . . . The Americans will play their next 11 games on the road, starting tonight against the Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash. The road trip also includes a six-game swing through the East Division. They won’t play at home again until Nov. 23. 
over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Hagel has eight goals this season. He gave the Rebels a 2-0 lead at 1:08 of the first period, made it 3-1 at 1:16 of the second, completed his fourth career hat trick at 8:04 of the second for a 4-2 lead, and rounded out the scoring with his fourth goal, at 7:25 of the third. . . . G Ethan Anders blocked 41 shots for Red Deer. . . . The Rebels (6-3-1) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). . . . Edmonton (5-7-1) opened the season with five victories, but has gone 0-7-1 since then.
the Saskatoon Blades a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Dach tied the game, 2-2, at 19:59 of the second period and won it with his seventh goal of the season just 37 seconds into extra time. . . . Dach, who almost certainly will be a top 10 pick in the NHL’s 2019 draft, has 22 points, including 15 assists, in 12 games. . . . The Blades (8-3-1) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). . . . The Chiefs (6-2-3) are 3-1-1 on their East Division swing. . . . Saskatoon D
Vancouver Giants, 5-3. . . . F Cody Glass (4) tied the score, 3-3, at 12:29 of the third period and F Reece Newkirk (7) have Portland its first lead at 13:39. . . . F Ryan Hughes (3) added the empty-netter. . . . Glass also added an assist, while linemate Joachim Blichfeld had two helpers. . . . F Jake Gricius scored two Portland goals in his 150th career game. . . . Portland (6-3-1) will meet the Giants again tonight, this time in Langley, B.C. . . . Vancouver (9-2-1) had points in eight straight (7-0-1). . . . The Winterhawks had D Matthew Quigley back for the first time since he was injured during a game in Kamloops on Oct. 5. Blazers F Jermaine Loewen drew a four-game suspension for the high hit, a suspension he completed Friday night. 
Moose Jaw. . . . F Mark Kastelic (8) scored twice and added an assist for Calgary (3-6-2) which has won two in a row. . . . The Warriors (4-3-2) had points in each of their previous six games (4-0-2). . . . G Carl Stankowski stopped 30 shots for the Hitmen. . . . Calgary was 2-for-3 on the PP.
penalty shot as they beat the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes, 4-3. . . . The Hurricanes had a 3-1 lead with less than two minutes left in the third period when F Tyler Preziuso (4) scored at 18:09 to get the Tigers to within a goal. . . . F Ryan Jevne (4) tied it at 19:06. . . . F James Hamblin (6) won it on a penalty shot at 4:08. . . . Tigers D Linus Nassen finished with a goal, his second, and two assists. . . . Medicine Hat (6-5-1) has won three in a row. . . . Lethbridge (4-4-3) has lost three straight (0-1-2). . . . They’ll play again tonight, this time in Lethbridge.
whipped the Royals, 8-2, in Victoria. . . . F Dante Hannoun (6) gave the Royals a 2-1 lead at 10:47 of the second period but it was all Rockets after that. . . . Thomson finished with two goals, giving him six, and two assists, with Kindree adding his second goal and three assists. . . . Kelowna (3-9-0) was 4-for-6 on the PP and 6-for-6 on the PK. . . . The Royals (8-2-0) are 6-2-0 at home. . . . The Royals scratched G Griffen Outhouse, who had started eight of the team’s first nine games. With him out, Brock Gould made his second start, stopping 16 of 22 shots in 40:51. Joel Grzybowski was brought in from the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars to back him up and came on in the third period to stop eight of 10 shots. . . . A note from the Royals’ post-game news release points out that Gould “stopped Kelowna’s Leif Mattson on a penalty shot. Since their inaugural season in 2011-12, Victoria has had 19 penalty shots taken against it and has only allowed three goals.”
against the Kelowna Rockets in 25 straight tries, dating to a 4-3 triumph at Prospera Place on March 19, 2011, when their lineup featured current Montreal Canadiens stalwart Gallagher, as well as the likes of Neil Manning, Wes Vannieuwenhuizen and James Henry.” . . . Tonight’s game, then, will be a good test for a Vancouver team that is third in the B.C. Division, four points behind the Rockets and Victoria Royals. . . . Ewen also reports that Vancouver F Milos Roman has she the walking boot but there’s no timeline for his return. Roman has missed the team’s past nine games. . . . Ewen’s piece is 
The latest addition to the list is D Kristians Rubins (UB), who will be out up to four weeks. Also out: D Joel Craven (UB), week-to-week; G Jordan Hollett (UB), four-to-six weeks; D Linus Nassen (UB), two-to-three weeks; F Hayden Ostir (broken finger), three-to-five weeks; and F Mason Shaw (knee), indefinite. . . . The Tigers have added D Daniel Baker, 16, to their roster. He has nine goals and 17 assists in 20 games with the Alberta X-Treme prep team of the CSSHL. A second-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft, Baker was pointless in three earlier games with the Tigers. . . . With Hollett out, they will be riding G Michael Bullion, 20. The Tigers are scheduled to entertain the Edmonton Oil Kings tonight, and are expected to have Garin Bjorklund backing up Bullion. Bjorklund, 15, was a first-round selection in the 2017 bantam draft. He plays for the midget AAA Calgary Buffaloes.
fourth in the East Division, but now is just two points behind Brandon (29-19-5). . . . Regina has beaten Brandon three times in a row and won the season series, 5-3-0. . . . F Marcus Sekundiak (2) gave Brandon a 1-0 lead at 2:52 of the first period. . . . Regina scored the next three goals. . . . Gabrielle, who has nine goals, scored on a PP at 12:53 of the first period, then gave his guys a 2-1 lead 50 seconds into the second. . . . F Jared Legien (19) upped it to 3-1 at 10:13. . . . F Luka Burzan (9) got Brandon to within a goal at 6:14 of the third period. . . . Hebig, who has 38 goals, put it away with goals at 15:25, on a PP, and 17:52, into an empty net. . . . F Sam Steel drew the primary assist on each of Regina’s last three goals. He now has 202 assists in 242 regular-season games. . . . Legien added an assist to his goal. . . . Regina was 2-3 on the PP; Brandon was 1-4. . . . The visitors outshot the Wheat Kings 17-9 in the first period and 21-4 in the second. . . . The Pats got 22 saves from G Max Paddock, who was playing in his hometown. . . . Brandon G Logan Thompson stopped 46 shots. . . . F Baron Thompson was among Brandon’s scratches. He drew a TBD suspension after being hit with a boarding major and game misconduct on Saturday in a 4-3 OT victory over the visiting Red Deer Rebels. . . . D Colin Paradis, who absorbed the hit from Thompson, is out indefinitely with an undisclosed injury. . . . Announced attendance: 3,424.
Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, two points ahead of Prince Albert, which holds two games in hand. . . . Kootenay (23-27-3), which opened a four-game Saskatchewan tour with this one, has lost four straight. It is third in the Central Division, seven points behind Lethbridge and six ahead of Red Deer. . . . Farren opened the scoring, on a PP, at 2:47 of the second period. . . . The Ice tied it at 5:37 when F Colton Kroeker (11) scored. . . . Farren (6) broke the tie at 7:33, and F Bradly Goethals (10) stretched the lead with a shorthanded goal at 14:13. . . . F Max Gerlach (25), who also had an assist, gave the Blades a 4-1 lead at 5:12 of the third period. . . . The Ice made it interesting on goals from F Colton Veloso (18), at 17:14, and F Peyton Krebs (15), at 18:06. . . . Saskatoon iced it when F Chase Wouters (15) got the empty-netter at 19:06. . . . Veloso added two assists for the Ice, with Krebs and Kroeker each getting one. . . . Saskatoon was 1-3 on the PP; Kootenay was 0-3. . . . G Nolan Maier earned the victory with 21 saves. Maier, who turned 17 on Jan. 10, is 17-10-1, 3.24, .902 in his freshman season. . . . G Matt Berlin stopped 29 shots for Kootenay. . . . The Ice was without G Dustin McGovern, who served a one-game suspension for a match penalty he incurred in a 6-3 loss to the visiting Swift Current Broncos on Saturday. Kootenay had Jesse Makaj backing up in this one. . . . The Ice also had F Blake Allan, 16, make his WHL debut. From Humboldt, Sask., he has nine goals and 20 assists in 36 games with the midget AAA Saskatoon Blazers. He was a third-round selection in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. . . . F Keenan Taphorn (undisclosed injury) was among Kootenay’s scratches. . . . Announced attendance: 2,861.
previous two games (0-1-1). The victory lifted it out of a tie with Spokane and into the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Tri-City (27-17-8) has lost two in a row (0-1-1). It is third in the U.S. Division, one point ahead of Seattle and three ahead of Spokane. . . . Tri-City leads the season series, 4-2-1; Seattle is 3-2-2. . . . F Nolan Yaremko (17) gave the Americans a 1-0 lead at 10:57 of the first period. . . . Seattle went ahead 2-1 on goals from F Donovan Neuls (19), at 13:37 of the first, and Volcan (25), shorthanded, at 14:00 of the second. . . . The Americans forced OT when F Morgan Geekie (20) scored at 18:15 of the third period. . . . Yaremko added an assist to his goal. . . . Seattle was 0-2 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-5. . . . Seattle G Liam Hughes earned the victory with 46 saves through OT and four more in the shootout. . . . The Americans got 40 saves from G Beck Warm. . . . Announced attendance: 4,152.
TAKING NOTE 