Ex-WHLer, family leave Ukraine for Saskatoon . . . Are you able to help them? . . . Hurricanes halt Ice’s 15-game tear

If you have been a follower of the WHL for a few seasons, the name Andrei Lupandin should ring a bell.

A native of Kharkov, Ukraine, he played four seasons (1995-99) with the Brandon Wheat Kings, putting up 159 points, 56 of them goals, in 239 regular-season games. He also had 23 points, including 17 assists, in 43 playoff games. He then went on to a pro career that had him play in the IHL, WCHL, CHL, ECHL, AHL and UHL. Lupandin wrapped up his career after playing six seasons in Belarus and three more in Ukraine.

After that, Lupandin, now 44, returned to Kharkov where he and his wife, Antonina, started a family. They have two boys — Ilya, 14, and Denys, 12.

Unfortunately, their home became a casualty of the Russian war on Ukraine. With the boys unable to attend school, the Lupandins chose to leave everything behind and move to Saskatoon in the hopes of getting a new start.

A GoFundMe page now is up and running in the hopes of raising some money to help the family get that start.

On the GoFundMe page, it explains: “They escaped to Slovakia and made the decision to start a new life in Canada, leaving family, friends and their life behind. They have moved to Saskatoon due to the large Ukrainian population, (arriving) with little more than a hockey bag and one suitcase for the family of four.

“They have no work and need to start over. We are raising funds to help them with buying essentials, saving money to live and for future accommodations and household items.”

Also from that page: “As they left Slovakia to come to Canada, Andrei’s father died. Andrei wasn’t able to go say goodbye. Now he has no family remaining in the Ukraine and wants to make a better life for his boys.

“Please consider supporting this strong and brave family as they try to make Canada their home.”

That GoFundMe page is right here.


Juggler


The WHL’s Dept. of Discipline added $1,500 to its Christmas shopping fund following a Saturday night skirmish between the visiting Prince George Cougars WHLand Victoria Royals. Each organization was fined $500 for a “multiple fight situation” that broke out as the final buzzer sounded. As well, the Royals were fined an additional $500 for “instigator in last five minutes” of the game. F Alex Edwards of the Royals drew the only suspension out of the incident; he will miss one game for being the instigator in the game’s last five minutes. . . .

Elsewhere, three players got one-game sentences out of penalties issued in Saturday games. . . . F Colton Dach of the Kelowna Rockets will sit out after taking a headshot major and game misconduct against the visiting Tri-City Americans. . . . F Jace Isley was suspended after taking a goaltender interference major and game misconduct against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . D Sam McGinley of the Swift Current Broncos will miss a game after taking a game misconduct against the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors.


Nose


The Moose Jaw Warriors got down to three 20-year-olds on Monday by trading F Riley Ginnell to the Regina Pats for a fifth-round selection in the WHL’s 2026 Reginadraft. . . . Ginnell had one goal and two assists in 14 games with the Warriors this season. They acquired him from the Brandon Wheat Kings on Oct. 11 for a fifth-rounder in 2024. In 113 regular-season games over four seasons with Brandon, he had 21 goals and 26 assists. Last season, he had single-season highs in goals (14), assists (20) and points (34). . . . Ginnell’s father, Erin, is a former WHLer who played with the Swift Current Broncos, Calgary Wranglers, New Westminster Bruins, Seattle Thunderbirds and Regina Pats. He played in 27 games with the Pats in 1986-87, putting up 10 goals and 12 assists. . . . Erin is in his seventh season as an amateur scout with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. . . . Riley’s grandfather, Pat, was a the WHL’s coach of the year in four different seasons. . . .

The Warriors found themselves with four 20-year-olds, one over the maximum, when the New York Rangers returned F Ryder Korczak last week. By moving Ginnell, the Warriors have chosen to go with Korczak, D Cole Jordan and G Connor Ungar. . . . Ginnell joins F Jakob Brook, D Luke Bateman and D Tanner Brown as Regina’s 20-year-olds. With four on the roster, another move can be expected here. The Pats are two games into a 10-game road trip, and Ginnell is expected to join them in time for a game against the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C., on Friday. . . .

If you were wondering, there have been 11 trades since Oct. 25 with teams moving 18 players, 26 draft picks and three conditional draft picks.



TUESDAY IN THE WHL:

The Lethbridge Hurricanes rode a pair of first-period goals to a 2-1 victory over Lethbridgethe host Winnipeg Ice. . . . Lethbridge improved to 12-9-1 as it ended Winnipeg’s 15-game winning streak. The Ice now is 20-2-0. . . . Winnipeg is 8-1-0 at home; Lethbridge is 5-5-0 on the road. . . . F Tristan Zandee (2) scored on a PP at 6:14 of the opening period, and F Tyson Zimmer (5) made it 2-0 at 18:20. . . . F Brayden Edwards had the primary assist on each of those goals. . . . F Ty Nash, who was acquired by the Ice from Lethbridge earlier this season, scored his ninth goal of the season, at 1:28 of the third period, to get the home side to within a goal. . . . G Harrison Meneghin, the game’s first star, turned aside 36 shots. . . . The Ice, which was outshot 19-10 in the first period, got 37 stops form Mason Beaupit. . . . Ice F Conor Geekie extended his point streak to 12 games with an assist. . . . These same teams will play again tonight in Winnipeg.


D Steven Holtz of the Michigan Wolverines was hospitalized and on a ventilator last week as a virus made its way through some team members. He now has been released from hospital, and was at practice on Tuesday. However, head coach Brandon Naurato said Holtz has a ways to go before he’s back on the ice. . . . There’s more right here from collegehockeynews.com.


Suitcase


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


LoanShark

Recovering Leonard could use some $$ help . . . Ice victory streak at 15 . . . Winterhawks are rolling, too

Seth Leonard played games in six WHL seasons (1998-2004), spending time with the Kelowna Rockets (133 games) and Prince Albert Raiders (166). In his final season, he struck for 50 goals and added 40 assists in 72 games with the Raiders.

Now he could use some help from the hockey world.

Gina Ratcliffe, a family friend, has started a GoFundMe after Leonard was in a car accident near his hometown of Nakusp, B.C.

Leonard, writes Ratcliffe, “was on his way to Nakusp to pick up his daughter when he was in an bad accident due to the road conditions.”

According to Ratcliffe, Leonard’s back was broken “in three different spots.” He was taken to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, where he underwent surgery. He now will be returning home to begin his recover.

Leonard’s girlfriend, Brittany, has taken time off work and there is no indication as to when Leonard will be able to return to work. Yes, they now find themselves in a financial pinch.

If you are able to help that GoFundMe is right here.


Headline at fark.com — Former FIFA boss says giving the World Cup to Qatar was a mistake. It sure took a long time for that check to clear.


SATURDAY IN THE WHL:

F Evan Herman, the Prince Albert Raiders’ new captain, scored twice and added PrinceAlbertan assist in a 5-4 victory over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The Raiders (8-12-2) have won three straight. . . . The Tigers (6-10-5) had points in each of their previous four games (2-0-2). . . . Herman, who has four goals this season, was named captain after the Raiders dealt D Nolan Allan to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday. . . . F Sloan Stanick (6) also scored twice and had an assist for the winners. His second goal broke a 3-3 tie at 10:56 of the third period and Herman made it 5-3 at 16:53. . . . The Raiders were 2-11 on the PP; the Tigers were 1-5. . . .

G Connor Ungar turned aside 33 shots to lead the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors to WarriorsNewa 6-0 victory over the Swift Current Broncos. . . . The Warriors (13-8-0) have won two in a row. They beat the Broncos 5-4 in Moose Jaw on Friday night. . . . Swift Current (9-11-0) has lost two straight. . . . Ungar, a 20-year-old from Calgary, posted his first shutout of this season and the third of his career. . . . F Brayden Yager’s 10th goal, a shorthanded effort at 3:25 of the first period, stood up as the winner. . . . F Jagger Firkus scored once as he ran his scoring streak to 14 games. He has 10 goals and 10 assist over that stretch. . . . The Warriors are carrying four 20-year-olds, and D Cole Jordan was the odd-man out for a second straight game. The Warriors had Ungar, F Ryder Korczak, who had two assists, and F Riley Ginnell, who had one helper, in the lineup. . . .

The Edmonton Oil Kings won their second straight game, beating the EdmontonHurricanes, 4-2, in Lethbridge. . . . Edmonton now is 4-17-1. . . . The Hurricanes (11-9-1) had points in their previous seven games (6-0-1). . . . Trailing 2-1 with fewer than seven minutes remaining in the third period, the Oil Kings scored three times in 6:05, with the winner coming from F Marshall Finnie (4) at 19:42. . . . Finnie is from Lethbridge. . . . F Carson Golder, who has seven goals, figured in Edmonton’s last three goals, scoring twice and assisting on Finnie’s score. . . . The Oil Kings are without F Jaxsen Wiebe, who is serving a seven-game suspension. . . .

F Ryan McCleary struck late in OT to give the host Portland Winterhawks a 3-2 Portlandvictory over the Kamloops Blazers. . . . The Winterhawks (16-1-2) have points in 10 straight (9-0-1). . . . The Blazers (9-4-4) have points in four in a row (2-0-2). Kamloops is 0-3 in OT this season. . . . Portland is 3-0-0 against Kamloops this season, winning twice in OT. . . . Kamloops took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals from F Matthew Seminoff (7) and F Daylan Kuefler (9), the latter on a PP. . . . F Marcus Nguyen (8) scored for Portland, on a PP, at 19:41. . . . D Luca Cagnoni (8) got the home team even at 2:30 of the second period. . . . McCleary’s fourth goal ended it at 4:45 of OT. . . . G Michael Schnattinger made his first start for the Blazers since Oct. 22 and he was just fine, with 41 stops. . . . It was a battle of Czech goaltenders, with Jan Špunar stopping 32 shots for Portland. . . . Portland scratched F Kyle Chyzowski after he suffered an undisclosed injury late in Friday’s 4-1 victory over visiting Everett. . . . Kamloops F Logan Stankoven drew an assist on the first goal as he ran his point streak to 13 games. He has 27 points, 12 of them goals, in that streak. . . .

The Brandon Wheat Kings snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 Brandonvictory over the Rebels in Red Deer. . . . The Wheat Kings (8-13-2) went 1-4-0 on a five-game road trip. . . . Red Deer (16-4-2) had points in each of its previous two games (1-0-1). . . . Brandon erased a 2-1 deficit with the game’s last three goals. . . . F Nolan Ritchie (9) tied it at 16:48 of the second period, on a PP, and F Nate Danielson (11) scored the next two goals, at 11:29 and 18:44 of the third, the latter into an empty net. . . . Red Deer F Jace Isley, who scored his 13th goal, was ejected at 13:45 of the second period with a major penalty for interference on a goaltender. . . . The Wheat Kings got 40 saves from G Nick Jones, an 18-year-old from Calgary who recorded his first WHL victory and was chosen as the game’s first star. A fifth-round pick in the WHL’s 2019 draft, he was 0-1-0 last season and began this season with five straight losses. . . . 

F Gracyn Sawchyn’s goal in OT gave the Seattle Thunderbirds a 2-1 victory over Seattlethe Everett Silvertips in Kent, Wash. . . . Seattle (13-3-1) has points in four straight (3-0-1). . . . Everett (12-7-1) has lost three in a row (0-2-1). . . . This was Everett’s first visit to Kent this season. In the other meeting between these teams, in Everett, the Thunderbirds rang up an 11-3 victory. . . . F Roan Woodward (2) gave Everett a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 4:52 of the second period. . . . F Kyle Crnkovic (8) got Seattle even, on a PP, at 8:19 of the third. . . . Sawchyn’s fifth goal of the season won it at 2:04 of extra time. . . . The Thunderbirds had D Nolan Allan, who was acquired this week from the Prince Albert Raiders, and D Kevin Korchinski paired together and in the starting lineup. Both are first-round NHL draft selections of the Chicago Blackhawks and both are from Saskatoon. . . .

The Calgary Hitmen unleashed a 60-shot attack in skating to a 6-2 victory over Calgarythe host Spokane Chiefs. . . . The Hitmen (11-5-3) had lost their previous two games (0-1-1). They went 3-1-1 on a U.S. Division swing. . . . The Chiefs (4-13-1) have lost two in a row. . . . Calgary held an 18-9 edge in shots in the first period and 29-8 in the second. . . . D Grayden Siepmann  (6) and F Carson Wetsch (4) each had a goal and two assists for the Hitmen. . . . G Dawson Cowan, a recent acquisition from the Winnipeg Ice, got his first start for Spokane. He went the distance, making 54 stops. . . .

In Winnipeg, the Ice erased a 1-0 deficit with four second-period goals and WinnipegIcewent on to beat the Regina Pats, 5-2. . . . Winnipeg (20-1-0) has won 15 in a row. . . . Regina (9-11-2) has lost three straight. . . . The Pats are 0-3-0 on their 10-game road trip that picks up Friday in Langley, B.C., against the Vancouver Giants. . . . After F Connor McClennon (16), playing in his 200th regular-season game, got the Ice even at 1-1 at 2:51 of the second, F Zach Benson (13) scored twice for a two-goal lead. His first goal game while shorthanded; the second came via the PP. . . . Benson also had two assists for a four-point outing. . . . Regina F Connor Bedard had two assists in extending his point streak to 21 games. He leads the WHL in goals (19), assists (29) and points (48). . . . G Mason Beaupit, acquired last week from the Spokane Chiefs, made his first start for the Ice. G Daniel Hauser, who is 14-0-0 this season, was scratched. . . . According to the online game sheet, the Ice didn’t dress a backup goaltender. . . . The Pats lost F Jaxsin Vaughan to a boarding major and game misconduct at 8:34 of the second period. . . .

The visiting Prince George Cougars ran their winning streak to three games PrinceGeorgewith a 5-2 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Cougars now are 12-9-0. . . . The Royals (3-16-3) have lost seven in a row (0-6-1). . . . The Cougars had cruised to a 10-3 victory in Victoria on Friday night. . . . F Cole Reschny’s first WHL goal pulled Victoria into a 2-2 tie at 15:17 of the second period. . . . But the Cougars, who got two goals from F Cole Dubinsky (8), scored the next three goals — in a span of 2:48 before the period ended. . . . Things got a bit heated in the game’s final minute with the officials handing out 132 penalty minutes, including 12 fighting majors and six game misconducts. . . . Cougars F Koehn Ziemmer extended  his scoring streak to 13 games with an assist. He has 23 points, 10 of them goals, in that stretch. . . . Cougars D Hudson Thornton also had an assist and now is on a 13-game streak. He has five goals and 18 assists in that time. . . .

In Kelowna, the Rockets scored the game’s last four goals as they beat the Tri-KelownaCity Americans, 5-3. . . . Kelowna (8-8-1) has won two in a row. . . . The Americans are 8-12-0. . . . The Americans held a 3-1 lead early in the second period but couldn’t hold it. . . . D Jackson DeSouza’s second goal of the game — and second of the season — got the Rockets to within one at 3:47 of the second. They were shorthanded at the time. . . . F Adam Kydd (9) tied it at 9:57, and F Andrew Cristall (15) broke the tie at 7:18 of the third. . . . Kydd (10) added an empty-netter. . . . F Gabriel Szturc had three assists for Kelowna, as did Cristall. . . . The Americans got a goal and two assists from F Ethan Ernst, who was acquired from the Rockets early last season. He has career highs in goals (13), assists (14) and points (27) in just 19 games. . . . Tri-City D Lukas Dragicevic ran his point streak to 14 games with two assists. He has 22 points, 18 of them assists, in that streak. . . . The Rockets lost F Colton Dach, their captain, to a headshot major and game misconduct at 19:00 of the second period.


YardSale


IT’S NOT OVER — From The New York Times: “John Kerry, the United States special envoy for climate change, has tested positive for Covid-19, a State Department spokeswoman said, a development that will sideline him at a crucial moment in the waning hours of negotiations at United Nations climate talks. Mr. Kerry, 78, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday morning and worked from his hotel all day, said his spokeswoman, Whitney Smith, who described Mr. Kerry’s condition as ‘mild.’ ” . . . Kerry is at the COP27 conference in Sharm el-Sheikh Egypt.


Moonshine


JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Marty Williamson, the head coach of the Barrie Colts, picked up his 500th OHL regular-season victory on Saturday night, a 3-2 OT triumph over the visiting Sarnia Sting. . . . The retired Brian Kilrea is atop the victory list, with 1,194. . . .

Apologies to the BCHL’s Penticton Vees. They have won so many games in a row to open this season that I am unable to keep up. Yes, I shortchanged them by one here on Friday night, when they actually extended that streak to 19 games. . . . And, on Saturday night, they made it 20 in a row with a 4-1 victory over the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings. . . . The Vees are 12-0-0 on home ice. . . . Next up for the Vees? The Salmon Arm Silverbacks (11-7-1) will be in town on Wednesday, then it’s off to visit the Alberni Valley Bulldogs (Friday) and Powell River Kings (Saturday). . . . If anyone knows the BCHL record for consecutive victories to open a season, please email me at greggdrinnan.gmail.com. Thank you! . . .

F Jadon Joseph of the U of Calgary Dinos set a Canada West record for fastest three goals in one game on Saturday in a 5-2 victory over the Trinity Western Spartans in Langley, B.C. . . . Joseph actually red-shirted with the Spartans last season before transferring to Calgary over the summer. . . . With Calgary leading 2-1 in the second period when Joseph struck at 13:29, 14”13 and 15:05. . . . Three goals in 1:36 smashed the previous record of 5:17 that had been held by F Connor Rankin of the Mount Royal U Cougars since 2016. . . . Joseph, 23, played four seasons in the WHL, spending time with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Regina Pats, Vancouver Giants, Moose Jaw Warriors, Kelowna Rockets and Tri-City Americans. . . . The Dinos have won nine games in a row.


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Fajita

Hurricanes make room for Thomson’s return in goal . . . Americans add depth in Picklyk . . . Savoie’s six-pack leads Ice past Pats


The Lethbridge Hurricanes were involved in two trades on Thursday, both of them the result of adding G Bryan Thomson, 20, to their roster from the injured Lethbridgelist. With WHL teams limited to three 20-year-olds, bringing back Thomson meant another move was in order.

So . . . the Hurricanes dealt F Alex Thacker, 20, to the Victoria Royals for a fourth-round selection in the 2026 WHL draft. . . . Thacker, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., was one of Lethbridge’s alternate captains. . . . He was taken by the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL’s 2017 draft and later was traded to Lethbridge in a deal that included D Wyatt Wilson, who now is with the Royals. . . . In 164 regular-season games with VictoriaRoyalsLethbridge, Thacker had 22 goals and 91 assists. Last season, he put up 14 goals and 50 assists in 68 games. This season, in 16 games, he has a goal and six assists. . . . Thacker’s departure leaves the Hurricanes with three 20-year-olds — Thomson, F Jett Jones and F Cole Shepard. . . .

The Royals now have four 20s on their roster — Thacker, F Caleb Willms, F Riley Gannon and F Jake Poole — so there will be another move coming here before long. . . .

Lethbridge also traded G Jared Picklyk, 19, to the Tri-City Americans for a Tri-Citysixth-round pick in the 2024 draft. The Hurricanes had selected him in the seventh round of the 2018 WHL draft. From Kelowna, he was 14-14-2, 3.25, .879 in 38 regular-season games with Lethbridge. This season, he is 4-5-0, 3.50, .877. . . .

The Hurricanes are left with two goaltenders on their roster — Thomson and freshman Harrison Meneghin, 18. Thomson has made 93 regular-season appearances over four seasons with the Hurricanes. He underwent off-season surgery to repair an undisclosed injury and has yet to play this season. . . .

The Americans acquired Picklyk to provide goaltending depth because starter Tomas Suchanek is soon to join the Czechia team that will compete at the 2023 World Junior Championship.

“As a result,” Americans general manager Bob Tory said in a news release, “we needed to add another goaltender. For the short term, we will carry three goaltenders. Jared is an experienced WHL goaltender who will provide depth to our team.”

The Americans’ other goaltender is sophomore Nick Avakyan, 18, a native of Glendale, Calif., who is 0-4-0, 5.74, .825 this season.

——

Yes, the Seattle Thunderbirds made another trade on Thursday, their second in Seattletwo days and third since Oct. 25. . . . In the latest deal, Seattle acquired F Ty Hurley, 18, and a seventh-round selection in the 2025 WHL draft from the Swift Current Broncos for fifth-round picks in 2023 and 2025. . . .

Pay attention here because this gets complicated. . . . On Dec. 27, the Broncos acquired D Eric Van Impe and a seventh-rounder in 2025 from Seattle for D Chase Lacombe and a 2025 fifth-rounder. . . . Those two draft picks are the same ones involved in Thursday’s exchange. So . . . the seventh goes back to Seattle SwiftCurrentand the fifth is returned to Swift Current. . . . Got that? . . .

From Sherwood Park, Alta., Hurley is in his second WHL season after the Broncos took him in the fourth round of the 2019 WHL draft. He has one assist in 16 games this season, after recording a goal and two assists in 31 games last season. . . .

The Broncos also released D Rayan Bettahar on Thursday. From Rodgau, Germany, he was in his second season with them after being selected in the CHL’s 2021 import draft. In 77 games, Bettahar, 18, had one goal and 15 assists. This season, he had one assist in 14 games. . . .

That move leaves the Broncos without any import players on their roster.


Yes, this once was a junior hockey palace. Stop and think for a moment about the 1986-87 and 1987-88 WHL seasons when Joe Sakic was with the Swift Current Broncos, Mike Modano sparked the Prince Albert Raiders and Theo Fleury led the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Oh boy, were there some shows put on in the Crushed Can! . . . And we won’t even get into the stuff that went on between the Warriors and the Regina Pats and the fans. . . . Yes, those were the days!


THURSDAY IN THE WHL:

F Matt Savoie picked up six points in leading the Winnipeg Ice to a 9-5 victory over the visiting Regina Pats. . . . The Ice (19-1-0) has won 14 in a row. . . . Regina (9-10-2) has lost two in a row. . . . They’ll play in Winnipeg again on Saturday. . . . Savoie (9) enjoyed his first career three-goal game and also had three assists. . . . This game actually was tied, 4-4, going into the third period. . . . Savoie broke the tie at 2:58 and the Ice put it away with three more goals in 1:28. . . . The Ice got two goals and two assists from F Owen Pederson (12), a goal and three assists from F Connor McClennon (15), and F Zach Benson (11) added a goal and two assists. . . . F Connor Bedard had a goal and two assists for the Pats, the goal coming 10 seconds into the game. He leads the WHL in goals (19), assists (27) and points (26). He also is riding a 20-game point streak. He was blanked in the season-opener and has at least one point in every game since then. . . . Winnipeg G Mason Beaupit stopped 21 shots in his first appearance since being acquired from the Spokane Chiefs on Nov. 10.


The No. 3 U of Michigan Wolverines men’s hockey team has been hit hard by some kind of virus that left it so short-staffed that its third-string goaltender, Tyler Shea, was used as a forward in a 5-2 home-ice loss to the No. 2 Minnesota Gophers on Thursday night. . . . The Wolverines were without six players, all of whom are ill. . . . Among the players to have been stricken is junior D Steven Holtz, who was admitted a hospital’s intensive care unit earlier this week. His mother, Sylvia Jacobs-Holtz, posted on Facebook that her son was on a ventilator after being admitted with “a virus and complications.”


JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The junior B Castlegar Rebels of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League have fired Arnie Caplan, their head coach and general manager. He was in his second season with the Rebels, having been hired on Sept. 17, 2021. . . . Assistant coach Nick Headrick has taken over as the head coach. . . . The Rebels are 5-12-1 this season, after finishing 16-24-2 last season.


Lottery


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Trash

Storm wins KIJHL’s long game . . . Heidt sparks Cougars in front of large crowd . . . Big crowd in Saskatoon for Blades victory . . . Hitmen run winning streak to seven

Mask


KamStormnewThe junior B Kamloops Storm scored twice in the shootout to defeat the Columbia Valley Rockies, 5-4, in a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game that began on Friday night and finished Sunday afternoon in Invermere, B.C. . . . The Storm and Rockies were tied, 1-1, with 1:05 left in the third period on Friday when an ammonia alarm sounded in the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena. . . . They weren’t able to finish the game that night. With both teams scheduled to play Saturday, the KIJHL chose to have the Storm, which travelled to Creston and beat the Thunder Cats, 5-4 in OT, return to Invermere to finish up on Sunday. . . . Repairs were made to the refrigeration plant in time for the Rockies to drop a 4-1 decision to the Kimberley Dynamiters on Saturday. . . . On Sunday, Kamloops got shootout goals from F Jake Phillips-Watts and F Evan Douglas, with F Keenan Ingram counting for the Rockies. . . . If you’re wondering, the KIJHL picked up any extra expenses incurred by the Storm during their extra time on the road.



SUNDAY IN THE WHL:

The host Prince George Cougars scored five first-period goals and went on to PrinceGeorgebeat the Vancouver Giants, 6-4. . . . The Cougars (10-9-0) had lost their previous two games, including a 5-4 setback at the hands of the visiting Giants on Saturday night. . . . Vancouver (7-8-4) had been 3-0-1 in its previous four games. . . . The Giants actually led this one 2-0 before it was five minutes old. But the Cougars counted five times before the first period ended, two of them from F Riley Heidt, to take control. . . . Heidt (10) completed his hat trick at 17:01 of the second period for a 6-2 lead. . . . Vancouver got a goal and an assist from F Samuel Honzek (12) in the third period to get within two. . . . The Giants, who had five shots on goal in the first period and four in the second, held a 13-0 edge in the third. . . . The announced attendance was 4,821, the Cougars’ largest home crowd this season. They announced 4,463 on Saturday. . . . Those are the two largest crowds in the CN Centre since Feb. 17, 2020, when the Cougars dropped a 4-2 decision to the Red Deer Rebels before a crowd that was announced at 5,971. . . .

The Saskatoon Blades scored the game’s first three goals en route to a 5-2 Saskatoonvictory over the visiting Regina Pats. . . . The Blades (14-4-0) have won three in a row. . . . The Pats (9-9-2) had points in three straight (2-0-1) before this one. . . . The Pats were playing their fourth game in five days and third in fewer than 48 hours. This also was the first outing in a 10-game road trip that will taken them into the B.C. Division. . . . F Jayden Wiens (5) scored two PP goals for Saskatoon. . . . F Connor Bedard ran his point streak to 19 games with a goal (18) and an assist. . . . The Pats had D Corbin Vaughan back in the lineup after he completed his second four-game suspension since Oct. 13. . . . Attendance was announced at 7,868, the largest in Saskatoon since 9,188 showed up to watch the Blades beat the Prince Albert Raiders, 3-2, on March 15, 2019. . . .

In Everett, the Calgary Hitmen scored the game’s last four goals to beat the CalgarySilvertips, 6-3. . . . Calgary (10-4-2) has won seven in a row, including the first two games of a U.S. Division tour. . . . Everett (12-6-0) had a four-game winning streak snapped. . . . Everett took a 3-2 lead into the third period. . . . F Zac Funk pulled Calgary even at 1:01, then gave his mates a 4-3 lead with his fourth goal of the season, on a PP, at 2:24. . . . D Tyson Galloway (3) scored once and added two assists for Calgary as he figured in each of the last three goals.


——


Eyes


Headline at The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) — Elon Musk suspended from Twitter for impersonating competent businessman.


CNN



Shark


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Fox

KIJHL teams experience ammonia scare; will finish game today . . . Ice winning streak at 13 . . . Big night for Giants’ captain


The Kamloops Storm and Columbia Valley Rockies were nearing the end of the kijhlthird period in a Kootenay International Junior Hockey League game in the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena in Invermere, B.C., on Friday night when an ammonia alarm sounded. The junior B game was halted — it was 1-1 with about one minute remaining in the third period — and the arena evacuated. The Kamloops players ended up back on their bus, only this time wearing their equipment. They ended up spending the night, before journeying on to Creston for a Saturday game in which they beat the Thunder Cats, 5-4 in OT.

And now they will have to head back to Invermere to complete the suspended game today. It is to resume at 1:40 p.m. Pacific time.

Jeff Dubois, the KIJHL’s commissioner, confirmed to Taking Note last night that the league will pay the Storm’s expenses incurred as they spend an extra night on the road.

As for the ammonia alarm, according to e-know.ca, “It was determined there was a small leak contained within the heat floor component inside the refrigeration plant.”

Repairs were made on Saturday in time for the Rockies to entertain the Kimberley Dynamiters last night. The Dynamiters won, 4-1.


Sandals


SATURDAY IN THE WHL:

The Medicine Hat Tigers snapped a seven-game winless drought by going into MedicineHatMoose Jaw and beating the Warriors, 5-1. . . . The Tigers (5-9-4) had been 0-4-3 in their previous seven games. . . . The Warriors (11-7-0) had won their previous two games. . . . F Brayden Yager (9) gave Moose Jaw a 1-0 lead at 2:56 of the first period; the Tigers scored the next five goals, getting two each from F Brendan Lee (8) and F Brayden Boehm (6). . . . F Gavin McKenna, the first overall selection in the WHL’s 2022 draft, had an assist for the Tigers. McKenna, who will turn 15 on Dec. 20, now has six assists in seven games. . . . Warriors F Jagger Firkus drew an assist and now is on an 11-game points streak. . . . Yager’s goal pushed his point streak to 10 games. . . . The Warriors had beaten the Tigers, 5-4 in OT, in Medicine Hat on Friday. . . .

In Regina, the Pats broke a 1-1 tie with five straight goals en route to a 6-2 Reginavictory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . Regina (9-8-2) has points in three straight (2-0-1). . . . The Rebels have followed up that 15-game season-opening win streak with four straight losses (0-3-1). . . . Red Deer was playing its fourth game in five nights, while Regina was in its third outing in four nights. And the Pats will play again this afternoon, this time in Saskatoon. . . . The Pats got two goals and two assists from F Tanner Howe (9), while F Borya Valis scored his ninth goal — he has six goals over his past six games — and added two assists. . . . As for Pats F Connor Bedard, well, he had a goal and an assist to run his point streak to 18 games. He leads the WHL in goals (17), assists (24) and points (41). . . . Regina was 3-3 on the PP. . . Red Deer held a 38-20 edge in shots, but Pats G Matthew Kieper was the game’s first star. . . . The Pats will play their next 10 games on the road. . . .

G Ethan Chadwick stopped 21 shots to record his first WHL shutout and lead the Saskatoonhost Saskatoon Blades to a 5-0 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Blades (13-4-0) have won two straight; the Oil Kings (2-16-1) have lost four in a row. . . . Chadwick, an 18-year-old from Saskatoon, is in his second season with the Blades. He was a third-round pick in the WHL’s 2019 draft. This season, he is 6-3-0, 1.90, .926. . . . The shutout came in Chadwick’s 21st appearance, nine of which have come this season. . . . Saskatoon F Egor Sidorov scored his eighth goal and added three assists. . . . The Oil Kings were 0-3 on the PP, meaning the Blades now have killed off 21 straight penalties. . . . The Blades without F Conner Roulette and F Josh Pillar. . . . Edmonton F Jaxsen Wiebe got tossed 33 seconds into the second period after taking a checking-from-behind major. He already has served a four-game suspension under supplemental discipline for a knee-on-knee hit that took out Pillar on Oct. 23. . . . The Blades are expecting their largest crowd of this season today as F Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats come calling at 4 p.m. . . . Saskatoon’s largest crowd this season is 6,302 on opening night. . . .

The Lethbridge Hurricanes scored the game’s last two goals to beat the visiting LethbridgeSwift Current Broncos, 2-1. . . . Lethbridge (10-8-1) has points in six straight (5-0-1). . . . Swift Current (8-9-0) had won its previous two games. . . . F Logan Wormald (6) got Lethbridge into a tie at 17:37 of the second period, on a PP. . . . D Nolan Bentham (4) broke the tie at 12:32 of the third. . . . The announced attendance of 3,435 was Lethbridge’s second-largest this season, behind only the 4,193 on opening night. . . .

The Vancouver Giants got a goal and four assists from F Zack Ostapchuk, their Vancouvercaptain, as they beat the Cougars, 5-4, in Prince George. . . . The Giants (7-7-4) have points in four straight (3-0-1), all on the road. . . . The Cougars (9-9-0) have lost two in a row. . . . The game drew an announced crowd of 4,463, the first time this season (nine games) that it topped 3,000 in Prince George. . . . They’ll play again in Prince George this afternoon. Yes, a day game after a night game. . . . F Ty Thorpe (9) broke the tie at 18:55 of the second period and F Jaden Lipinski (7) got what turned out to be the winner, on a PP, at 1:42 of the third. . . . Vancouver scored three PP goals. . . . F Samuel Honzek (11) had two goals and two assists for the Giants. . . . Ostapchuk has six goals and 12 assists in 12 games this season. He has nine points over his past four games. . . . D Hudson Thornton had two assists for the Cougars to run his point streak to 10 games. Thornton has two assists in each his last five games. . . . F Koehn Ziemmer had a goal and an assist, and also is on a 10-game streak for the Cougars. He has five goals and three assists over his past four games. . . .


The Calgary Hitmen opened a U.S. Division trip with a 2-1 OT victory over the CalgarySeattle Thunderbirds in Kent, Wash. . . . F Oliver Tulk (8) ended it at 1:57 of extra time. . . . Calgary (9-4-2) has won six in a row. . . . Seattle (12-3-1) has points in three straight (2-0-1). . . . F Luke Prokop (1) had Seattle’s goal, his first with the Thunderbirds. He began his WHL career with the Hitmen, who dealt him to the Edmonton Oil Kings early last season. The Thunderbirds acquired him from the Oil Kings last month, and the NHL’s Nashville Predators assigned him to Seattle last week. . . . F Jared Davidson earned an assist for Seattle to run his point streak to 10 games. . . . Calgary’s penalty-killers were 8-8, including 2-2 in the last four minutes of the third period and early in OT. . . .

The Portland Winterhawks have points in eight straight games after dumping Portlandthe host Victoria Royals, 7-4. . . . The Winterhawks (13-1-2) are 6-0-2 in their past eight games. . . . The Royals (3-14-3) have lost five straight (0-4-1). . . .  The Winterhawks had won, 4-1, in Victoria on Friday. . . . F Aidan Litke had a goal (4) and three assists for Portland, with F Robbie Fromm-Delorme adding a goal (10) and two assists. . . . Portland F Gabe Klassen scored his 14th goal in his 12th game. . . . The Royals got two goals from F Riley Gannon (5). . . . The announced attendance was 3,462, the second-largest crowd in Victoria’s nine home games this season, behind only the 3,837 from opening night. . . .

The Winnipeg Ice ran its winning streak to 13 with an 8-3 victory over the WinnipegIcevisiting Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . The Ice now is 18-1-0, with that one loss having been by a 4-1 count to the Warriors in Moose Jaw on Oct. 8. . . . Brandon now is 7-10-2. . . . Last night, the Ice broke a 2-2 tie with the only three goals of the second period, then added three more early in the third. . . . F Zach Benson (10) had two of Winnipeg’s goals, the first coming while shorthanded, and an assist. . . . Ice F Matthew Savoie added a goal (7) and two assists. . . . G Daniel Hauser stopped 32 shots to earn the victory. This season, he is 14-0-0, 2.42, .915. In his 62-game career, he is 55-3-2, 2.24, .912. . . . G Mason Beaupit, acquired by Winnipeg from the Spokane Chiefs earlier this week, was on the bench. . . .

In Kamloops, the Blazers struck four times in the first period en route to a 6-1 Kamloopsvictory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Kamloops (8-4-3) had lost its previous two games (0-1-1). . . . Kelowna (6-8-1) had won its past two outings. . . . Kamloops held a 15-3 edge in shots in that first period. . . . Blazers F Logan Stankoven had a goal (11) and an assist as he ran his point streak to 11 games. . . . Kamloops G Dylan Ernst stopped 19 shots. He is 7-4-2, 2.60, .913 this season. . . . F Shea Van Olm, acquired this week from the Edmonton Oil Kings, had one assist in his Kamloops debut. . . . The announced attendance was 5,361, the Blazers’ largest crowd this season. . . .

The Spokane Chiefs ended a nine-game losing skid with a 7-3 victory over the Spokanevisiting Tri-City Americans. . . . Spokane (4-11-1) was 0-8-1 in its past nine games. . . . Tri-City (7-11-0) has lost three in a row. . . . The Chiefs got two goals and two assists from F Cade Hayes (5), while F Chase Bertholet (7) added a goal and two assists. . . . Americans D Lukas Dragicevic (6) ran his point streak to 12 games with a first-period goal and an assist. He has two points in each of his past four games. . . . The announced attendance was 6,115, the third-largest crowd through Spokane’s first 10 home games.

——

For even more WHL info and numbers, go to Twitter and follow Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow). You won’t be disappointed.


HouseHunters


JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Bruce Luebke, a former longtime radio voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings, will be appointed acting deputy mayor when Brandon city council meets on Monday. It will be the new council’s first regular meeting since last month’s civic election, and councillors will receive various appointments and committee positions. Luebke, who is beginning his second term on council, was acclaimed this time. . . . Luebke had been the play-by-play voice of the Wheat Kings since 1993 when he left before the 2016-17 season. . . .

Scott Radley of the Hamilton Spectator reported Saturday that the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs are going to have to find a new home for most of two seasons (2023-25) as their home arena undergoes renovations. . . . “Right now I’m so pissed off,” Bulldogs owner Michael Andlauer told Radley. “We won a championship for the city and I’ve just been kicked out by the city.” . . . Radley’s complete story is right here. . . .

In a Saturday night OHL trade, the Peterborough Petes acquired F Brennan Othmann from the Flint Firebirds for D Artem Guryev and three draft picks — a second-rounder in 2024 that originated with the Hamilton Bulldogs, a third-rounder in 2023 and a third-rounder in 2026. The latter two both belonged to the Petes. . . . Othmann, 19, was the New York Rangers’ first-round selection in the NHL’s 2022 draft. He is second in the OHL points derby, with 24, including 11 goals, in 16 games. . . . Guryev, 19, is a Russian who was a fifth-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in the NHL’s 2021 draft. . . .

The Penticton Vees ran their season-opening winning streak to 18 games on Saturday, beating the Smoke Eaters (7-8-2), 2-1 in a shootout, in Trail . . . The Vees next are scheduled to play on Friday and Saturday when they entertain the West Kelowna Warriors and Prince George Spruce Kings (10-5-2). . . . The Warriors also are off to a terrific start (12-3-2), but still trail the Vees by 10 points in the Interior Division.



If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Tree

Ice, Chiefs in goaltender swap . . . Short-staffed Wheat Kings sting Rebels . . . Ex-WHLer headed for ECHL Hall of Fame

The Winnipeg Ice has added some goaltending experience with the acquisition of Mason Beaupit from the Spokane Chiefs. . . . In exchange for Beaupit, 19, and WinnipegIcean eighth-round selection in the WHL’s 2023 draft, the Ice gave up G Dawson Cowan, 17, and three draft picks — a fourth-rounder in 2025 and third- and sixth-rounders in 2026. . . . In 71 regular-season games with the Chiefs, Beaupit was 24-35-7, 3.83, .888. . . . He was a fourth-round pick in the WHL’s 2018 draft. . . . Following last season, he was named the Chiefs’ player of the year, after going 20-22-4, 3.63, .893. . . . This season, with the Chiefs’ clearly in a major rebuild, he was 0-8-0, 5.58, .833 Spokanein nine games. . . . From Surrey, B.C., Beaupit’s NHL rights belong to the San Jose Sharks, who took him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. . . . Beaupit will team with Daniel Hauser as Winnipeg’s goaltenders. Hauser, 18, went into Friday games at 13-0-0, 2.37, .915. . . . Cowan, from Warren, Man., was 3-1-0, 2.52, .901 in five appearances with the Ice this season. . . . The Chiefs now have two 17-year-old freshman goaltenders on their roster — Cowan and Cooper Michaluk, who is 3-2-1, 4.97, .853. Michaluk started against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday night, with Cowan backing up.


FRIDAY IN THE WHL:

The host Brandon Wheat Kings scored three times in the shootout as they got past the Red Deer Rebels, 3-2. . . . The Wheat Kings (7-9-2) snapped their six-Brandongame losing streak (0-5-1). . . . The Rebels (15-2-1), who opened the season with 15 straight victories, now have lost three in a row (0-2-1). . . . The Wheat Kings got shootout goals from F Brett Hyland, F Nolan Ritchie and F Jake Chiasson. F Kai Uchacz scored in the shootout for the Rebels, He also scored once in regulation time, taking over the WHL goal-scoring lead (16). A few hours later, F Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats scored twice to pull into a tie with Uchacz. . . . Red Deer F Craig Armstrong tied the score, 2-2, at 15:48 of the third period. . . . Red Deer remains without veteran F Ben King, who led the league in goals (52) last season. . . . Brandon was able to dress only 16 skaters, including four defencemen. . . . Lucas Punkari of the Brandon Sun reported that D Mason Ward is injured, while Eastyn Mannix and Zach Turner both were “unable to dress due to illness.” The Wheat Kings then lost Owen Harris to injury in the first period, so F Calder Anderson slipped into the rotation. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders jumped out front 12 seconds into the first period PrinceAlbertand never looked back en route to a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . The Raiders improved to 6-12-2; the Oil Kings, who have lost three in a row, are 2-15-1. . . . F Harrison Lodewyk’s second goal of the season gave the Raiders the early lead and away they went. . . . F Carson Latimer had a goal and two assists for the winners, who were 2-2 on the PP. . . .

The Swift Current Broncos overcame a 2-0 deficit and then coughed up a 4-2 SwiftCurrentlead before scoring in OT to beat the visiting Regina Pats, 5-4. . . . The Broncos (8-8-0) have won two in a row. . . . The Pats are 8-8-2. . . . D Owen Pickering won it 58 seconds into extra time. . . . The Broncos got a goal and two assists from F Connor Hvidston. . . . F Alexander Suzdalev had a goal and three assists for Regina, which got two scores and a helper from F Connor Bedard. . . . The tweet posted above features some Bedard numbers going into Friday’s games. Last night, Bedard ran his point streak to 17 games. He has 17 points over his past five games. . . .

D Denton Mateychuk’s shootout goal gave the Moose Jaw Warriors a 5-4 victory WarriorsNewover the Tigers in Medicine Hat. . . . The Warriors (11-6-0) have won two straight. . . . The Tigers (4-9-4) have lost seven in a row (0-4-3). . . . D Bogdans Hodass pulled the Tigers into a 4-4 tie at 12:56 of the third period. . . . The Warriors had scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the opening period but weren’t able to hold the lead. . . . F Jagger Firkus gave them a 4-3 lead at 11:07 of the third, only to have Hodass tie it 1:49 later. . . . F Noah Degenstein, a second-round pick in the WHL’s 2022 draft, made his debut with the Warriors. From Airdrie, Alta., he plays for his hometown U18AAA CFR Bisons. . . . These same two teams will play tonight in Moose Jaw. . . .

In Spokane, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored on each of their first three shots en Seattleroute to a 7-2 victory over the Chiefs. . . . F Gracyn Sawchyn, F Nico Myatovic and D Kevin Korchinski all scored unassisted goals for Seattle before the first period was five minutes old. . . . The Thunderbirds (12-3-0) have won two in a row. . . . The Chiefs (3-11-1) have lost nine straight (0-8-1). . . .  F Jared Davidson was back in Seattle’s lineup after not playing since Nov. 1; he missed three games. He had a goal and two assists in this one, and has points in 10 of 11 games as he rides a nine-game streak. . . .

In Kennewick, Wash., the Everett Silvertips built up a 4-0 lead early in the Everettsecond period and hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Everett (12-5-0) has won four straight. . . . Tri-City (7-10–0) has lost two in a row. . . . F Ryan Hofer scored twice — he’s got 12 — as Everett grabbed a 4-0 lead at 1:30 of the second period. . . . F Tyson Greenway pulled the Americans to within one at 3:50 of the third period, but they weren’t able to equalize. . . . D Lukas Dragicevic had two assists in running his point streak to 11 games. He has two points in each of his last two games, and has 23 points, including five goals, in 17 games. . . .

D Luca Cagnoni and F Robbie Fromm-Delorme each scored twice to help the Portland Winterhawks to a 5-1 victory over the Royals in Victoria. . . . Portland led 4-0 by 11:23 of the second period. . . . The Winterhawks (12-1-2) have points in seven straight (5-0-2). . . . The Royals (3-13-3) have lost four in a row (0-3-1). . . . Portland was 3-6 on the PP. . . . They’ll do it again tonight in Victoria.


“Northwestern freshman Michael Cole couldn’t find a taker for one of the $8.50 tickets he bought to the Oct. 26, 1984 Chicago Bulls game, so he kept it,” reports Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. “And finally sold it this year — for $468,000. Seems there’s still a market for the NBA debut of Michael Jordan.”


And you thought it was over. . . . Henrik Sedin is one of the 2022 inductees who COVIDwill be going into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto on Monday. Unfortunately, he wasn’t available to attend Friday’s news conference and ring presentation as he is recovering from COVID-19. By taking an extra day to recover, he is hopeful of attending Monday night’s ceremony and perhaps other events over the weekend. . . . Mask up!

BTW, Perry Bergson began covering the Brandon Wheat Kings for the Brandon Sun in 2015. And he hadn’t missed a home game . . . until Friday’s contest against the Red Deer Rebels. . . . “I’m about to miss my first home game — pre-season, regular season or playoff — since I began covering the Wheat Kings in 2015,” he tweeted, “as I deal with round two of COVID. Happily, this time it’s just a bad cold.” . . . Mask up!



THINKING OUT LOUD — Looking for an interesting read? You won’t go wrong with Rising From the Deep: The Seattle Kraken, a Tenacious Push for Expansion, and the Emerald City’s Sports Revival. Written by Geoff Baker, who covers the Kraken for the Seattle Times, this is an engrossing look at what went on financially and politically as the Kraken arrived in Seattle ahead of an NBA team. . . . In 2019-20, the WHL’s average announced attendance for 694 games was 4,154. Last season, for 748 games, the number was 3,205. This season, going into Friday games, that average was 3,182 for 177 games. On a scale of 1-10, how much concern do you think there is among the governors? . . . So the NHL stages its annual Hall of Fame game in Toronto on Friday night — and there is a wonderfully emotional story there involving Börje Salming — and the game isn’t shown nationally. Sheesh, NHL, what were you thinking?




JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

Victor Gervais, a former high-scoring WHL forward, will be inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in January. . . . Gervais, from Prince George, played four seasons (1985-90) with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, putting up 119 and 160 points in the last two. . . . From a news release: “Gervais notched 462 points in just 266 career ECHL games, an average of nearly 1.75 points-per-game. He racked up 305 assists over his career in the league, making him just one of 31 players all-time to record at least 300 helpers. During the 1992-93 season, he led the ECHL with 80 assists while finishing second with 118 points in 59 games. In 1993-94, he racked up 53 assists in just 31 games, an average of 1.71 assists-per-game which ranks as the best single-season average in ECHL history. Gervais’ 1.15 assists-per-game average over his career is tied for the top spot in league history.” . . . The induction ceremony will take place on Jan. 16 in Norfolk, Va., in conjunction with the ECHL’s All-Star Classic. . . .

The BCHL’s Penticton Vees ran their season-opening record to 17-0-0 on Friday night, beating the visiting Vernon Vipers, 6-2. . . . The Vees are scheduled to visit the Trail Smoke Eaters tonight.


Usher


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Quartet

Evason: ‘He’s from Manitoba. Right?’ . . . Ice completes doubleheader sweep of Rebels . . . Four WHLers enjoy five-point nights

There was a rather funny moment during Wednesday night’s NHL game Wildbetween the visiting Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks. . . . Wild F Connor Dewar, a product of the Everett Silvertips who is a native of The Pas, Man., got into a second-period scrap with D Nathan Beaulieu. . . . A few minutes later, Darren Pang, who was the TNT reporter at ice level, chatted with Wild head coach Dean Evason. “Young kid fighting, too . . . gotta like that,” Pang said. . . . Evason, who wears intensity like a fitted suit, smiled as much as he ever does during a game and replied: “He’s from Manitoba. Right?” . . . Evason, former WHL player and coach, was born in Flin Flon and grew up in Brandon. . . . Dewar let set up former WHL D Matt Dumba for what turned out to be the game-winner in a feisty 4-1 victory.


THE WHL ON WEDNESDAY . . .

The Winnipeg Ice ran their winning streak to 12 games with a 7-4 victory over WinnipegIcethe visiting Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Rebels arrived in Winnipeg riding a season-opening 15-game winning streak. The Ice beat them, 3-1, on Tuesday, then completed the doubleheader sweep last night. . . . While Winnipeg improved to 17-1-0, Red Deer now is 15-2-0. . . . The Ice took control early, scoring four times before the first period was 16 minutes old. . . . The Ice, which was 4-5 on the PP, got two goals and three assists from F Owen Pederson, two and two from F Connor McClennon, and two and one from Skyler Bruce. . . . Pederson, who enjoyed his first career five-point night, has nine goals and 19 assists in 18 games. . . .

F Borya Valis scored three times and added an assist, and F Connor Bedard had five points in leading the host Regina Pats to a 7-4 victory over the Edmonton ReginaOil Kings. . . . F Marshall Finnie pulled Edmonton into a 2-2 tie at 10:51 of the second period, but Regina scored the next five goals with Bedard scoring once and setting up three others. He finished with a goal and four assists in running his point streak to 16 games. . . . This was Bedard’s second five-pointer in three games; he has three goals and nine assists in the three games. He also had two five-point outings last season. . . . Bedard leads the WHL in assists (22) and points (36). His 14 goals are one behind the leaders (F Kai Uchacz of the Red Deer Rebels and F Koehn Ziemmer of the Prince George Cougars). . . . Valis, an 18-year-old sophomore from Boulder, Colo., enjoyed his first career hat trick and his first four-point outing. He has eight goals and seven assists in 15 games. . . . Edmonton F Luca Hauf, an 18-year-old freshman from Krefeld, Germany, had had goal and two assists. . . . The Pats improved to 8-8-1; Edmonton now is 2-14-1. . . . F Zane Rowan, an 18-year-old from Torrence, Calif., was back in Regina’s lineup after not playing since Sept. 29. . . . F Zack Shantz, 17, made his Regina debut after being acquired from the Prince George Cougars in a Nov. 4 deal that had F Cole Dubinsky, 20, go the other way. . . .

In Lethbridge, the Hurricanes scored the game’s first two goals and hung on for Lethbridgea 2-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders. . . . The Hurricanes (9-8-1) have points in five straight (4-0-1). . . . The Raiders (4-12-2) have lost three in a row. . . . Lethbridge got goals from F Tyson Laventure and D Joe Arntsen, the latter providing a 2-0 lead at 6:12 of the third period. . . . C Carson Latimer got the Raiders to within a goal at 16:57. . . . G Harrison Meneghin stopped 21 shots for Lethbridge. . . .

F Reid Schaefer’s 14th goal of the season, at 1:24 of OT, gave the Seattle SeattleThunderbirds a 2-1 victory over the Blazers in Kamloops. . . . F Caedan Bankier had given the Blazers a 1-0 lead at 18:26 of the first period. . . . F Sam Popowich pulled Seattle even with a shorthanded goal at 1:19 of the second. . . . Seattle (11-3-0) had lost its previous two games. . . . Kamloops (7-4-3) has lost two in a row. . . . Kamloops F Logan Stankoven drew an assist to run his point streak to 10 games. He has 21 points, 10 of them goals, in that stretch. . . . G Thomas Milic stopped 38 shots for the visitors, including a stop on a Stankoven penalty shot attempt in OT. . . . D Luke Prokop, 20, who was added to Seattle’s roster on Tuesday, was in the starting lineup, but the Thunderbirds remain without F Jared Davidson. . . .

F Adam Kydd scored three times and added two assists to help the Kelowna KelownaRockets to a wild 8-6 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . It was the first WHL three-goal game — and first five-pointer, too — for Kydd, who has eight goals. . . . F Andrew Cristall drew five assists for the Rockets, who held leads of 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 4-3, 5-3, 6-5, 7-6 and, finally, 8-6. . . . F Rilen Kovacevic snapped a 6-6 tie at 16:44 of the third period and F Colton Dach added the empty-netter, his second goal of the game. . . . Cristall has 27 points, including 11 goals, in 14 games this season. This was his second five-point outing; he had two goals and three assists in an 8-4 victory over the visiting Vancouver Giants on April 9. . . . F Riley Heidt had four assists for the Cougars, who got two goals and an assist from each of F Chase Wheatcroft and F Koehn Ziemmer. . . . Kelowna (6-7-1) has won two in a row; Prince George (9-8-0) had a three-game winning streak ended. . . . F Cole Dubinsky, 20, who was acquired from Regina on Nov. 4, was in the Cougars’ lineup for the first time. He scored once and added an assist.


Sewer


Allen Lazard, a receiver with the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, suffered a shoulder injury in a game with the Washington Commanders this season. He explains the feeling: “A pop, a crack — snap, crackle, pop. Three Rice Krispies men showed up, too. Not the good kind. All three of them.”


Dennis Williams, the head coach of the Everett Silvertips, will be the head coach HockeyCanadaof Team Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship. . . . The tournament is to open on Dec. 26 in Halifax and Moncton. . . . Williams was an assistant coach on the 2022 Canadian team that won a gold medal in Edmonton. . . . Canada’s assistant coaches will be Stephane Julien of the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix, Brent Kisio of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Alan Legant of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting. . . . Kelly Guard of the Prince Albert Raiders will serve as the goaltending consultant. . . . While Hockey Canada hasn’t yet announced a selection camp roster, that camp is scheduled to be held in Moncton, from Dec. 9-12.


Congratulations to California voters for a couple of decisions they made on Tuesday. Here’s Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Two California ballot props that would have legalized and expanded sports wagering went down in flames.

Our lovable state remained the largest market in America closed to legal sports betting. We overwhelmingly rejected the promised riches that would have come from allowing casinos and racetracks to offer in-person sports betting (Prop. 26), and from allowing online and mobile sports betting for adults (Prop. 27). For some reason, we don’t trust people in the gambling industry when they say, ‘Trust us.’ ”


“The Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant — who called for coach Steve Nash’s ouster last summer — said he was ‘shocked’ when Nash was fired last week,” notes Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times. “Somewhere, Steve Urkel is giggling.”


Morgue


JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Kamloops Blazers have acquired 2004-born F Shea Van Olm from the Edmonton Oil Kings for a conditional seventh-round selection in the WHL’s 2024 draft. . . . Van Olm, from Calgary, was a fourth-round pick by the Oil Kings in the 2019 draft. This season, he has two goals and an assist in 16 games. . . . In 74 games over three seasons, Van Olm had 10 goals and seven assists with Edmonton. . . . Van Olm didn’t play for the Blazers last night against the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . .

The Vancouver Giants have made an adjustment to their 20-year-old situation. They have signed D Dylan Anderson, while releasing D Tom Cadieux, who had been one of their alternate captains. . . . Anderson, from Langley, B.C., started this season with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks after spending three seasons with the Everett Silvertips. . . . He totalled five goals and 26 assists in 143 regular-season games with Everett. Last season, he put up three goals and 17 assists in 62 games. . . . Cadieux, from Saskatoon, also has played with the Tri-City Americans and Regina Pats. In 179 regular-season games, he has six goals and 27 assists. This season, in 11 games, he earned three assists. . . . The Giants had acquired Cadieux from Regina on Jan. 17, surrendering a 2022 fifth-round WHL draft pick and a third in 2023. . . .

G Keegan Maddocks, 19, has joined the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters. He had been with the Winnipeg Ice before being released on Oct. 27. . . . Maddocks also has made WHL stops with the Victoria Royals and Kamloops Blazers. . . .

If you were wondering, the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, who are 16-0-0 to open the season, next are scheduled to play Friday when the Vernon Vipers (7-7-2) are to visit. On Saturday, the Vees are to face the host Trail Smoke Eaters (7-8-1). . . . It’s worth noting that the Vees closed out last season by winning their last 16 playoff games. . . . Yes, Penticton has won its last 32 games.


Keith


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Unsub

Punch hits 90! Happy Birthday!! . . . Aldridge: We have lost the impact of shame in our society . . . Svatos’ brain showed CTE


David Aldridge of The Athletic wrote a superb column on the latest imbroglio involving Kyrie Irving and the New York Nets. Here is just one paragraph:

“We have lost the impact of shame in our society. The notion that certain things shouldn’t be done, and certain things shouldn’t be said, because they would bring shame to us and embarrassment to our families. You didn’t steal candy from the store not just because you feared getting caught and arrested; you didn’t steal because it was wrong, and because if you got caught, you would be ashamed of what you did. So this isn’t just about Kyrie Irving. It’s about a team that, in the pursuit of a championship, seems incapable of self-reflection, of someone saying ‘Whoa. Maybe we shouldn’t do this.’ ”

And then along came the Boston Bruins on Friday to announce the signing of F Mitchell Miller, a player who was a fourth-round selection by the Arizona Coyotes in the NHL’s 2020 draft.

The Coyotes later did some due diligence and discovered an extremely unsavoury situation in Miller’s past, so they renounced his rights. As Sportsnet reported: “Miller . . . had assaulted, bullied and abused a Black classmate with a learning disability.” The victim has said that this went on for years.

No matter. The Bruins, without speaking with the victim’s family, signed Miller to a three-year entry-level deal. He will report to the AHL’s Providence Bruins.


“Marek Svatos, who played parts of eight NHL seasons and skated for Slovakia in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, had the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) at the time of his death in 2016,” writes Rick Westhead of TSN. “Svatos’ wife, Diana, confirmed his posthumous diagnosis in a series of recent interviews with TSN. Diana – who said the date of her husband’s death has been misreported on the Internet – wanted to speak publicly about Svatos’ life and death because she says it was more complicated than media reports have portrayed.

“Svatos died Nov. 4, 2016, at the age of 34 in his home in Lone Tree, Colo. A coroner reported Svatos had codeine, morphine and anti-anxiety medication in his system when he died, The Denver Post reported at the time. His official cause of death was an accidental overdose, Diana said.”

Svatos played two seasons (2000-02) with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice.

Westhead’s complete story — it’s a tough but important read — is right here.


Prince


“An upstart Okanagan hockey program is coming under fire by a parent who claims allegations of hazing and cyber bullying within the program are being dismissed,” Wayne Moore of castanet.net wrote earlier this week. “James Kellett levelled those accusations against Okanagan HC which operates three teams (U18, U15 and U14) within the new Junior Prospect Hockey League. The accusations are at this point unproven, but have triggered a public statement and investigation from the league.

“Accusations include hazing, what Kellett termed sexual misconduct involving cyber bullying and other off ice infractions involving the organization. Many came about during a road trip from Sept. 20 to 25 in Edmonton.”

Moore’s complete story is right here.

On Friday, Carli Berry of infotel.ca reported that the RCMP is investigating the situation after “receiving information about misconduct” within the Okanagan HC.

Berry wrote: “RCMP initiated the investigation after receiving information Nov. 3 about misconduct and it is being handled by the Kelowna Vulnerable Persons Section as it involves people under the age of 18, according to a RCMP media release.”



Friday in the WHL . . .

If you aren’t already following Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) on Twitter for WHL stats and info, you should be.

The Red Deer Rebels ran their season-opening record to 14-0-0 with a 4-1 victory over the host Swift Current Broncos. . . . The 1967-68 Estevan Bruins RedDeerhold the WHL record for longest season-opening winning streak, at 22 games. . . . The Rebels tied a franchise record with 14 straight victories; the 2001-02 team also won 14 in a row. . . . The Broncos had won their previous four games. . . . F Kai Uchacz scored twice, giving him 13, and added an assist. . . . Uchacz now is tied for the WHL goal-scoring lead, along with F Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats, F Austin Roest of the Everett Silvertips and F Reid Schaefer of the Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . The Rebels had a 41-20 edge in shots, including 20-8 in the third period. . . . Next up for the Rebels? Their nine-game road trip continues tonight with stop No. 3, a visit to the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . .

The Tri-City Americans overcame a 3-1 third-period deficit and beat the host Tri-CityBrandon Wheat Kings 4-3 on a goal by D Lukas Dragicevic at 3:11 of OT. . . . Dragicevic, 17, has three goals and nine assists in a nine-game point streak. On the season, he has five goals and 14 assists in 15 games. . . . Tri-City snapped a three-game losing skid; Brandon has lost five straight. . . . The Americans are 2-3-0 in a six-game swing into the East Division that will end with a game tonight against the Winnipeg Ice. . . . The Americans trailed 3-1 early in the third period, then tied it on goals from F Jake Sloan, at 7:47, on a PP, and F Ethan Ernst, at 15:16. . . . F Nate Danielson scored one of Brandon’s goals while it was two-men short. . . . F Cash Koch, the 24th overall selection in the 2022 WHL draft, made his Tri-City debut. Koch, 15, is from Calgary. . . .

F Rhett Melnyk’s fourth goal of the season, at 3:57 of OT, gave the host Edmonton Oil Kings a 4-3 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . F Carson Golder, a former Victoria player, gave Edmonton a 3-1 lead at 17:52 of the second period. . . . The Royals tied it on goals from F Alex Edwards, at 19:30, and F Anthony Wilson, at 3:56 of the third. . . . Victoria went 1-4-1 on its Central Division trip and now is 3-12-3. . . . The Oil Kings, who had lost nine in a row, are 2-12-1. . . .

The Calgary Hitmen ran their winning streak to five with a 5-1 victory over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . The game was played at the 2,000-seat Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on the Tsuut’ina First Nation. Announced attendance was 1,096. . . . F Riley Fiddler-Schultz had a goal and two assists for the Hitmen. . . . The Tigers have lost four straight (0-2-2). . . .

F Samuel Honzek and F Jaden Lipinski scored shootout goals to give the visiting VancouverVancouver Giants a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Honzek and Lipinski also had regulation-time goals for the Giants, who completed their Central Division trip with a 3-2-1 record. . . . F Ty Thorpe had a goal and two assists for the Giants. . . . F Cole Shepherd scored once and drew two assists for Lethbridge, which acquired Shepherd, 20, from the Giants prior the start of the season for a third-round pick in the WHL’s 2023 draft. . . .

F Robbie Fromm-Delorme set up three goals, two of them on the PP, to lead the PortlandPortland Winterhawks to a 5-1 victory over the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds. . . . Portland scored the game’s first four goals. . . . Seattle F Kyle Crnkovic had his point streak end at 11 games. Acquired from the Saskatoon Blades as the season was getting started, he had at least one point in each of Seattle’s first 11 games. He has seven goals and 10 assists in 12 games. . . . F Jared Davidson, Seattle’s leading scorer, was scratched with an undisclosed injury, while F Mekai Sanders played his first game this season. Sanders last played a game on March 18; he missed all of Seattle’s run to the 2022 WHL final thanks to a knee injury. . . . These two teams will meet 12 times this season, with a second meeting tonight, this time in Kent, Wash. . . .

The Moose Jaw Warriors scored the game’s final two goals to beat the host Prince Albert Raiders, 3-2. . . . F Riley Ginnell tied it at 4:19 and F Jagger Firkus snapped the deadlock with a shorthanded goal at 5:25. . . . The Warriors are without head coach Mark O’Leary, who is one of the Canadian coaches at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge ongoing in Langley, B.C. . . .

D Ty Gibson scored twice to help the Everett Silvertips to a 5-3 victory over the EverettBlades in Saskatoon. . . . Gibson, a 19-year-old from Victoria, went into the night with three goals in 98 career regular-season games. This season, he has three goals and an assist in 15 games. . . . F Austin Roest scored his 13th goal of the season and added an assist for Everett. This was his fourth straight game with a goal and an assist. . . . The Silvertips are 3-2-0 on a six-game East Division trip that concludes tonight against the Prince Albert Raiders. . . .

The Prince George Cougars got two goals from F Chase Wheatcroft in a 7-2 victory over the Chiefs in Spokane. . . . The Chiefs have lost six in a row. . . . The Cougars got three assists from Slovakian D Viliam Kmec. It was the sophomore’s first three-point game; he had four two-pointers last season, the final one on Dec. 10. . . . He has six points, all assists, in 15 games this season.



Grouchy


JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

F Ben Thornton doesn’t have a timeline for returning to play with the Brandon BrandonWheat Kings, but has been cleared to fly so will be rejoining his teammates on Monday. He has been doing what his father, Erin, told Taking Note is “very light exercise this week” and is waiting to see how he responds to that. . . . Thornton was injured on Oct. 14 during a game against the Vancouver Giants in Langley, B.C. He absorbed a nasty hit, was taken off the ice on a stretcher and then went via ambulance to Royal Columbia Hospital in New Westminster. He spent on night in hospital and since then has been at the family home in Chilliwack while dealing with concussion-related issues. . . .

The BCHL’s Penticton Vees are 15-0-0 after beating the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings, 4-0, on Friday night. . . . The Vees are scheduled to entertain the Wenatchee Wild tonight. . . . The Wild improved to 3-9-1 with a 5-4 OT victory over the visiting Merritt Centennials last night. . . .

The Prince George Cougars acquired F Cole Dubinsky, who is to turn 20 on Dec. 4, from the Regina Pats on Friday, giving up F Zackary Shantz, 17, and third-round selection in the 2023 WHL draft in the exchange. . . . The Cougars now have the maximum three 2002-born players on their roster, the others being F Noah Boyko and F Chase Wheatcroft. . . . Dubinsky, from Ardrossan, Alta., was a fourth-round pick by Regina in the 2017 WHL draft. He put up 38 goals and 65 assists in 203 regular-season games with Regina. This season, he had two goals and five assists in 11 games. . . . Shantz, from Sucker Creek, Alta., was a third-round pick by the Cougars in the 2020 WHL draft. A WHL freshman, he is pointless in four games this season. . . . Regina now is carrying three 20-year-olds — F Jakob Brook, D Luke Bateman and D Tanner Brown. . . .

The Kam River Fighting Walleye of the Superior International Junior Hockey League fired head coach Matt Valley on Friday. The Walleye, which plays out of the municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, Ont., was 49-12-2-1 in Valley’s two and a half seasons behind the bench, and he was the SIJHL’s coach of the year for 2021-22. . . . “It was a tough decision for our organization,” general manager Kevin McCallum said, “but we believed we had to make a decision on bringing in a full-time coach.” . . . McCallum and Vern Ray, the hockey operations advisor, will handle the coaching duties while a search for a replacement continues.


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Zeuss

Vanstone honoured with Ridley award . . . Hitmen crown Royals . . . Pats’ radio voice big on geckos

Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post is the most-deserving recipient of the WHL’s 2022 Bob Ridley Award. He has covered the WHL and the Regina Pats for more than 30 years. . . . At one point, he was part of a sports department that featured 12 or 13 people. That same sports department today is down to two writers and he continues to provide the WHL and the Pats with great coverage. . . . The award was unveiled on Feb. 27, 2021, and immediately presented to, yes, Bob Ridley, the longtime radio voice of the Medicine Hat Tigers. Vanstone is the second recipient of the award. . . . According to the WHL, the award “is presented annually to a distinguished member of the radio, television, and print journalism industry in recognition of their outstanding contributions to sports journalism and the WHL.”


In a game postponed from Wednesday night, the Calgary Hitmen beat the CalgaryVictoria Royals, 5-2, on Thursday. The game was played in the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on Tsuut’ina Nation, which is located at Calgary’s southwest edge. . . . Inclement weather in Calgary and area on Wednesday resulted in the postponement. . . .  F Riley Fiddler-Schultz scored Calgary’s last two goals, giving him nine this season. . . . Calgary has won four straight. . . . D Kalem Parker had a goal for Victoria. He has eight points, including seven assists, over his past six games. . . . The Royals are 1-4-0 on a trek through the Central Division that wraps up Friday night against the Edmonton Oil Kings.


Pic1
Kamloops experienced its first snowfall of the season on Monday. Shortly after it began, a visitor stopped by our front yard to take a break. She wanted to stay off the roads and highways, which turned into a real mess.


On Wednesday in the WHL . . .

F Ryan Hofer scored three times to lead the Everett Silvertips to a 6-3 victory Everettover the Wheat Kings in Brandon. . . . Hofer, who is from Winnipeg, has 10 goals. He had scored once on Tuesday in a 5-4 loss to the Ice in Winnipeg. . . . F Joby Baumuller made his debut with the Wheat Kings. He was a first-round pick by Brandon in the WHL’s 2022 draft. Baumuller, 15, plays for the U18AAA Notre Dame Hounds in his hometown of Wilcox, Sask. . . . The Wheat Kings have lost four in a row. . . . They also lost G Carson Bjarnason and D Mason Ward during the game. Bjarnason left early in the second period and didn’t return when he came up ill, while Ward left in the third period after a collision with Hofer.

In Saskatoon, F Trevor Wong had a goal and two assists as the Blades beat the SaskatoonTri-City Americans, 5-1. . . . D Lukas Dragicevic had the Americans’ goal as he ran his point streak to eight games. He’s got two goals and eight assists during that time. . . . The Americans were without F Reese Belton, who started a two-game suspension after taking a headshot major and game misconduct in Prince Albert on Tuesday.

D Sam McGinley scored at 2:57 of OT to give the host Swift Current Broncos a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . McGinley, who finished plus-4, has two goals this season. . . . Vancouver had erased a 4-2 deficit on third-period goals from F Jaden Lipinski and F Samuel Honzek. . . .

In Portland, F Noah Boyko’s goal in the fifth round of a shootout gave the Prince George Cougars a 4-4 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . The Cougars forced OT on third-period goals 49 seconds apart by F Hudson Thornton and F Ondrej Becher, his second of the game.


Pic2
The doe’s rest was interrupted by the arrival of four friends, three of whom are pictured here. While all of this was happening, there were eight deer in a field to the east of here.



Bob Irving, the longtime radio voice of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers who retired following the 2021 season, is exactly right with his thoughts on the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and Gerry James, whose coaching history includes a stint with the Moose Jaw Warriors. If you aren’t aware of James’ exploits as a football-playing hockey player — or was he a hockey-playing football player? — let Google be your friend.


Dante De Caria, the radio voice of the Regina Pats, lives with a few pets. That includes, according to Drew Postey of CTV News Regina, “two crested geckos, Reginatwo gargoyle geckos, three pink tongue skinks and a black and white Argentine tegu.” . . . Yes, De Caria has quite an interest in reptiles. . . . “The geckos,” he told Postey, “are kind of from the same family tree, an island called New Caledonia, a French colony very close to Australia, the pink tongue skinks come from the east coast of Australia and the black and white Argentine tegu hails from Argentina or South America.” . . . De Caria is in his second season with the Pats, who will be boarding their bus late this month and heading into the B.C. Division for the first time since mid-November, 2018 — hey, the Kootenay Ice (remember them?) were still in the WHL. Before the Pats head west this time, you have to think the players will do a reptile check before letting De Caria on the bus. Right? . . . Postey’s complete story is right here.


Sign


JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

The Edmonton Oil Kings have added G Jake Pilon to their roster. Pilon, 16, plays for the U18AAA Calgary Flames. . . . Andrew Peard, the Oil Kings’ play-by-play voice, reports that G Alex Worthington “sustained a minor injury in practice earlier this week and likely won’t be available this weekend.” Peard also notes that Pilon is the son of Jeff Pilon, a former offensive lineman with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders. . . .

The Red Deer Rebels have added D Luke Vlooswyk, 15, to their roster as they head out on a swing into the East Division. Vlooswyk, who plays for the U18AAA Calgary Buffaloes, was a first-round selection in the WHL’s 2002 draft. . . . The Rebels, who are 13-0-0 this season, open an eight-game road trip tonight against the Swift Current Broncos. The Rebels are on the road because the Canadian Finals Rodeo has taken over the Centrium. . . .

F Ethan Rowland, 20, who began this season with the Kamloops Blazers, has joined the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. They acquired his rights from the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers on Thursday in exchange for future considerations. . . . Rowland lost his spot on the Kamloops roster because of a rule that limits WHL teams to three 20-year-old players. . . . Rowland will join his younger brother, Jackson, in Okotoks. Jackson, 18, is in his first season with the Oilers. . . . F Kobe Verbicky, 19, who also started this season with Kamloops, had his BCHL rights dealt by Vernon to the Cowichan Capitals on Thursday.


Yale


If you are interested in being a living kidney donor, more information is available here:

Living Kidney Donor Program

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

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

——

Or, for more information, visit right here.


Whisper

Benson lifts Ice past Silvertips . . . Crnkovic, Schaefer rolling with Thunderbirds . . . Bucks, Donald agree to six-year deal

F Zach Benson’s eighth goal, at 13:31 of the third period, broke a 4-4 tie as the host Winnipeg Ice beat the Everett Silvertips, 5-4, on Tuesday night. . . . F WinnipegIceConnor McLennon had two goals — he’s got 10 — and two assists for Winnipeg. . . . F Austin Roest scored his 11th for the visitors. . . . G Daniel Hauser stopped 37 shots for the Ice as he posted his 11th straight victory. His career regular-season record now is 52-3-2. . . . Everett has two Winnipeggers on its roster — F Ryan Hofer and F Caden Zaplitny — and they each scored once. . . . The Ice (14-1-0) has won nine in a row, with its next eight games on home ice where it is 2-0. . . . F Connor Geekie and D Graham Sward, who was acquired on the weekend from the Spokane Chiefs, were among Winnipeg’s scratches. Geekie was serving a one-game suspension after being penalized for slew-footing in a game against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday. . . .

F Jaden Lipinski’s OT goal gave the Vancouver Giants a 3-2 victory over the VancouverTigers in Medicine Hat. . . . F Zack Ostapchuk, the Giants’ captain, pulled his guys into a 2-2 with 5.4 seconds left in the third period. . . . Lipinski won it at 3:28 of OT. . . . F Gavin McKenna, 14, the first pick in the WHL’s 2022 draft, played his second game with the Tigers. He was in the lineup on Sept. 24 and had four assists in a 9-1 victory over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes. He was held off the scoresheet last night. . . .

In Prince Albert, the Raiders coughed up a 4-0 lead before beating the Tri-City PrinceAlbertAmericans, 5-4. . . . F Landon Kosior broke a 4-4 tie on a PP at 1:09 of the third period. . . . Kosior finished with two goals and two assists. F Carson Latimer had three assists for the winners. . . . F Luke Moroz, a first-round selection in the WHL’s 2022 draft, made his debut with the Raiders. He was added to the roster after F Cole Peardon and F Ryder Ritchie headed to Langley, B.C., and the U-17 World Hockey Challenge that is to begin on Thursday. Moroz, 15, is playing with the Regina Pat Canadians of the SMAAAHL. . . . The Raiders began the game with nine forwards, then lost F Zach Wilson after a couple of scraps 12 minutes into the first period. . . .

In Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds led 2-0 at 1:11 of the first period en Seattleroute to a 5-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . The Thunderbirds, now 10-1-0, got a goal and two assists from F Kyle Crnkovic, who has points in 11 straight games. Yes, he has a point in every game this season. . . . F Reid Schaefer had his second three-goal game this season for Seattle, giving him 13. He is tied for the WHL lead with F Connor Bedard of the idle Regina Pats. . . . F Kevin Korchinski added three assists for Seattle. . . . This completed a tripleheader between these teams. They split on Friday and Saturday in Prince George, with the Thunderbirds winning 5-4 and the Cougars winning 4-1. . . . Seattle F Jared Davidson had two assists but his five-game goal streak was halted. . . .

D Nolan Bentham scored two goals to help the host Lethbridge Hurricanes to a Lethbridge5-1 victory over the Victoria Royals. . . . The Hurricanes scored the game’s last four goals. . . . F Deegan Kinniburgh, who is from Taber, Alta., made his WHL debut with the Royals. Kinniburgh, who plays for the U18AAA Hurricanes, was a ninth-round pick in the WHL’s 2021 draft.


Myth


A long-time WHL fan from the Portland area has what he says is a “pet peeve” that he asked me to pass along . . .

“Dear WHL announcers based in Canada:

“Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash., are NOT part of Canada . . . they are NOT part of the nation of Canada.

“Yes, their WHL teams both are ranked in the Top 10 of the CHL poll . . . but that does NOT make them the ‘nation’s third-ranked’ team or ‘the nation’s seventh-ranked’ team, etc., etc.

“Thank you for your understanding.”


Space


Before Everett played the Pats in Regina on Sunday, Casey Bryant, the radio voice of the Silvertips, walked fans from the bottom level of the Brandt Centre to the press box. Yes, it’s quite a hike. It’s interesting that the Brandt Centre crew didn’t show him to the freight elevator, though.

BTW, just kidding about the freight elevator.



JUNIOR JOTTINGS:

D Corbin Vaughan of the Regina Pats has been suspended for four games after he was hit with a headshot major and game misconduct against the visiting Tri-City Americans on Sunday. He was playing his second game after having served a four-game suspension that was a issued under supplemental discipline after a game against the Prince Albert Raiders on Oct. 12. . . .

The BCHL’s Cranbrook Bucks and Ryan Donald, their general manager and head coach, have agreed on a six-year contract extension. The Bucks are 39-41-7 since Donald was named head coach in March 2020. He is the only coach the team has known since it entered the BCHL. . . . The news release didn’t indicate when the extension would expire, but Donald signed a four-year contract on March 24, 2020. That deal started with the beginning of the 2020-21 season, so would have gone through 2023-24. Six seasons on top of that would take the Bucks and Donald through 2029-30. . . . If you were wondering, hockeydb.com shows the Bucks’ announced average attendance at 2,341, third-best in the BCHL. The Penticton Vees (2,710) and Chilliwack Chiefs (2,585) are ahead of them.


Cornea


THINKING OUT LOUD — The NBA’s Brooklyn Nets won a game on Monday, improving to 2-5, and head coach Steve Nash was gone the next morning. Gotta think Nash is relieved about no longer having to deal with Dr. Kyrie Irving on a daily basis. . . . The Nets dropped a 108-99 decision to the visiting Chicago Bulls last night. . . . The NFL’s trade deadline came and went on Monday. Perhaps the most interesting deal had the Atlanta Falcons trade WR Calvin Ridley to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Uhh, Ridley is serving an indefinite suspension — he can apply for reinstatement in February — for betting on games. At one point last season, he bet on the Falcons to beat the Jaguars. . . . Houston Astros 0 at Philadelphia Phillies 7. The Phillies lead 2-1 and are in a position to win the World Series at home. Five homers in each of the next two games will do it.



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Living Kidney Donor Program

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

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Vancouver General Hospital Living Donor Program – Kidney 

Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

Level 5, 2775 Laurel Street

Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9

604-875-5182 or 1-855-875-5182

kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

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Body