Saturday in the WHL: Record for Hay . . . Two goals for Rasmussen in return . . . Four points for Budik . . . Ice sweeps Wheat Kings

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Scoreboard

SATURDAY:

At Prince Albert, D Vojtech Budik had a goal and three assists to lead the Raiders to a 9-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings. . . . Prince Albert (20-20-9) has points in five straight PrinceAlbert(4-0-1). The Raiders are four points behind Saskatoon, which holds down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Edmonton (13-29-7) has lost four in a row (0-3-1). . . . F Cole Fonstad gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 9:25 of the first period. . . . F Parker Kelly (21) made it 2-0 at 10:12. . . . F Trey Fix-Wolansky got Edmonton on the scoreboard 28 seconds into the second period. . . . Fonstad (15) got that one back at 4:38 and Budik (8) made it 4-1, on a PP, at 9:23. . . . Fix-Wolansky (20) cut into the deficit at 19:07. . . . The Raiders put it away with five third-period goals, two of them from F Kody McDonald, who has 25 goals, and one each from F Justin Nachbaur (5), D Zack Hayes (2) and F Nikita Krivokrasov (1). . . . The Raiders got two assists from each of D Brayden Pachal and D Max Martin, with Hayes, Fonstad and Nachbaur getting one each. . . . F Tomas Soustal had two assists for Edmonton. . . . Prince Albert was 2-5 on the PP; Edmonton was 0-2. . . . G Ian Scott recorded the victory with 18 saves. . . . Edmonton starter Todd Scott allowed six goals on 25 shots in 44:00. Josh Dechaine finished up with six saves on nine shots in 16:00. . . . Raiders F Regan Nagy (knee) took the pregame warmup but didn’t play in this one. . . . Announced attendance: 1,865.


At Swift Current, F Glenn Gawdin scored twice to lead the Broncos to a 3-1 victory over the Regina Pats. . . . Swift Current (34-12-4) had lost its previous three games (0-2-1). The SCBroncosBroncos lead the season series, 3-0-0. . . . Swift Current is second in the overall standings, nine points behind Moose Jaw. . . . Regina (25-21-5) had points in each of its previous two games (1-0-1). The Pats are fourth in the East Division, six points behind Brandon. . . . The Pats held a 16-11 edge in first-period shots, but mustered only seven shots through the final 40 minutes. . . . D Libor Hajek (10) gave Regina a 1-0 lead at 7:35 of the first period. . . . Gawdin tied it at 8:48 of the second period, then gave his guys a 2-1 lead with his 39th goal, on a PP, at 11:38 of the third. . . . D Artyom Minulin (10), who also had an assist, got the empty-netter, at 19:28. . . . Regina was 1-4 on the PP; Swift Current was 1-5. . . . The Broncos got 22 stops from G Stuart Skinner, while Regina’s Ryan Kubic turned aside 42. . . . While F Jake Leschyshyn and F Emil Oksanen returned to Regina’s lineup, the Broncos were without D Sahvan Khaira and F Kole Gable. . . . These teams will play in Regina this afternoon. . . . Announced attendance: 2,879.


At Saskatoon, F Josh Paterson scored in the sixth round of a shootout to give the Blades a 4-3 victory over the Prince George Cougars. . . . Saskatoon (25-23-3) has won two in a row Saskatoonand now is two points behind Regina, which holds down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . Prince George (18-24-8) is 0-1-1 on its East Division swing and now is 11 points out of the playoffs. . . . Paterson had given the Blades a 1-0 lead with his 25th goal at 11:39 of the first period. . . . The Cougars took a 2-1 lead on goals from D Joel Lakusta (6), at 18:18 of the second period, and F Ilijah Colina (5), at 0:53 of the third. . . . Saskatoon F Braylon Shmyr (26) got the Blades even, on a PP, at 6:50. That was his 100th career goal in his 279th game. He has 70 goals in 151 games with the Blades, who acquired him from Brandon. . . . D Ryan Schoettler (4) gave the visitors a 3-2 lead at 14:05. . . . The Blades thought they had tied it, 3-3, with 56 seconds left in the third period when F Caleb Fantillo tipped a point shot from D Evan Fiala. But it was ruled that the puck was contacted by a high stick. . . . F Max Gerlach (24) tied it for real just 16 seconds later. . . . F Chase Wouters had two assists for the winners, with Shmyr adding one. . . . The Blades were 2-4 on the PP; the Cougars were 1-4. . . . G Tyler Brown stopped 35 shots through OT for Saskatoon. At the other end, Isaiah DiLaura blocked 36 shots. . . . The Blades had Fiala back after he served a one-game WHL suspension. D Dawson Davidson also returned after missing one game due to illness. . . . Announced attendance: 3,817.


At Red Deer, F Kristian Reichel’s OT goal gave the Rebels a 3-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Red Deer (12-25-11) has won two in a row. It had lost its previous eight OT Red Deergames. . . . Kelowna (31-14-4) has points in four straight (3-0-1). This was the third straight game in which it went to OT. It went 2-0-1. . . . The Rockets lead the Western Conference by one point over Everett. . . . F Leif Mattson (17) put the Rockets out front at 14:41 of the second period. . . . Red Deer took a 2-1 lead on goals from F Mason McCarty (25), at 17:33, and F Josh Tarzwell (5), shorthanded, at 1:25 of the third period. . . . The Rockets forced OT when F Kole Lind (26) struck at 19:27. . . . Reichel (17) won it at 2:46 of extra time. . . . Red Deer was 0-2 on the PP; Kelowna was 0-4. . . . The Rebels got a big game from G Ethan Anders, who stopped 41 shots. . . . G Cole Tisdale stopped 19 shots for the Rockets as the 15-year-old made his third WHL start. . . . Kelowna had F Dillon Dube back after a two-game absence. He picked up one assist. . . . Announced attendance: 4,644.


At Cranbrook, B.C., F Peyton Krebs scored twice to spark the Kootenay Ice to a 3-2 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Kootenay (23-23-3) has won three in a row, including Kootenaynewa 6-2 victory over Brandon on Friday night. It is third in the Central Division, one point behind Lethbridge. . . . Brandon (28-17-5) has lost eight straight (0-5-3). The Wheat Kings were 0-5-2 on a seven-game road trip that ended with this one. They are third in the East Division, 11 points behind Swift Current. . . . Krebs gave his guys a 1-0 lead at 19:29 of the first period. . . . F Cameron Hausinger (15) made it 2-0 at 12:46 of the second. . . . Brandon F Stelio Mattheos (33) cut into the lead at 12:56. . . . Krebs, who has 13 goals, made it 3-1 at 18:18. . . . The Wheat Kings got back to within a goal on F Luka Burzan’s eighth score, shorthanded, at 5:47 of the third period. . . . Burzan also had an assist. . . . Brandon was 0-1 on the PP; Kootenay was 0-2. . . . G Matt Berlin stopped 19 shots for Kootenay, while Brandon’s Logan Thompson turned aside 32. . . . Before the game, the Ice announced that it had returned D Nolan Orzeck to the midget AAA Calgary Northstars. Orzeck, 16, got into two games this time, after making his WHL debut in October. . . . Announced attendance: 3,474. That’s the largest announced crowd of the season. The announced attendance for their home-opener was 3,392.


At Medicine Hat, the Tigers scored twice on a five-minute PP in the second period en route to a 5-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors. . . . Medicine Hat (26-19-6) has points Tigers Logo Officialin three in a row (2-0-1). It leads the Central Division by eight points over Lethbridge. . . . Moose Jaw (39-8-3) had won its previous four games. It leads the overall standings by nine points over Swift Current. . . . F Brayden Burke (24) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 18:41 of the first period. . . . The Tigers tied it when F Ryan Chyzowski (16) scored at 3:55 of the second period. . . . F Tanner Jeannot (33) put the Warriors out front just 34 seconds later. . . . At 12:11, Moose Jaw F Barrett Sheen was given a headshot major and game misconduct for a hit on Tigers D Joel Craven, who had to be helped off the ice. . . . The Tigers scored twice on the ensuing PP, with D David Quenneville counting at 13:07, and F James Hamblin (15) making it 3-2 at 16:25. . . . The Tigers went up 4-2 at 1:57 of the third period as F Mark Rassell (42) scored. . . . F Ryan Peckford (18) got the visitors back to within a goal at 12:11. . . . Quenneville, who has 21 goals, iced it with the empty-netter at 19:58. . . . The Tigers got three assists from F Ryan Jevne, with Hamblin, Rassell, Chyzowski and Quenneville adding one each. . . . D Kale Clague drew two assists for the Warriors, with Jeannot adding one. . . . The Tigers were 2-7 on the PP; the Warriors were 0-0 as the Tigers weren’t assessed even one penalty. . . . G Jordan Hollett stopped 33 shots to earn the victory. . . . The Warriors got 19 stops from G Adam Evanoff. . . . The Tigers scratched F Tyler Preziuso, who left Friday’s 4-3 OT loss to visiting Kelowna after being struck on the head by a puck. . . . Moose Jaw D Jett Woo remains out of the lineup. . . . Announced attendance: 3,268.


At Kamloops, Don Hay became the winningest head coach in WHL history as his Blazers erased a 2-0 first-period deficit and beat the Portland Winterhawks, 4-2. . . . Hay now has Kamloops1743 regular-season victories, one more than Ken Hodge, who retired as Portland’s head coach after 1992-93. . . . Kamloops (23-23-3) has won five in a row. It remains six points away from a playoff spot. . . . Portland (28-17-4) has lost two straight. It dropped a 5-2 decision in Kamloops on Friday. The Winterhawks are third in the U.S. Division, five points behind Everett. . . . The teams headed for Portland immediately after this one. They’ve got a date there today at 5 p.m. . . . The Winterhawks got first-period goals from F Skyler McKenzie (37), shorthanded, at 4:29, and F Jake Gricius (11), at 12:06. . . . The Blazers tied it in the second period as F Connor Zary (6), at 5:37, and F Luc Smith (13), at 11:31, found the range. . . . F Quinn Benjafield (17) broke the 2-2 tie 43 seconds into the third period. . . . F Luc Smith (14) got the empty-netter at 18:56. . . . D Nolan Kneen had two assists for the Blazers. . . . Kamloops was 0-2 on the PP; Portland was 0-4. . . . G Dylan Ferguson earned the victory with 32 saves. . . . G Shane Farkas stopped 32 shots for Portland. . . . The Winterhawks were without D Matthew Quigley, who drew a two-game suspension for an elbow to the head that took out Kamloops F/D Tylor Ludwar on Friday. Quigley wasn’t penalized on the play, but was suspended after the Blazers filed for supplementary discipline. . . . These teams will play again today in Portland, so Quigley will sit out that one, too. . . . It’s safe to assume that Ludwar is in the concussion protocol and won’t play today, either. . . . The Winterhawks again were without F Cody Glass and F Kieffer Bellows, both out with undisclosed injuries. No word on whether either one might return today. . . . Announced attendance: 3,651.


At Kent, Wash., D Austin Strand scored the only goal of a three-round shootout to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 3-2 victory over the Everett Silvertips. . . . Seattle (26-17-6) had Seattledropped a 3-1 decision in Everett on Friday. It is third in the U.S. Division, two points behind Portland. . . . The Silvertips (31-16-3) have points in nine straight (8-0-1). They are second in the Western Conference, one point behind Kelowna. . . . Everett took a 1-0 lead when F Connor Dewar scored at 3:44 of the first period. . . . F Blake Bargar (10) tied it at 7:34 of the second period. . . . Dewar, who has 25 goals, put the visitors back out front at 7:41 of the third period. . . . F Matthew Wedman (10) scored on a PP at 10:25 as Seattle pulled even again. . . . Strand was the first shooter of the third round. . . . F Garrett Pilon had two assists for Everett. . . . Seattle was 1-3 on the PP; Everett was 0-2. . . . G Liam Hughes earned the victory with 34 saves through OT. . . . G Carter Hart turned aside 29 shots for Everett. . . . Seattle was in a shootout for the third straight home game and it won all of them. . . . F Sami Moilanen was among Seattle’s scraches after leaving Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury. . . . F Payton Mount, who turned 16 on Jan. 19, made his debut with the Thunderbirds. From Victoria, he was a first-round pick in the 2017 WHL bantam draft. He plays at the Delta Hockey Academy. . . . Announced attendance: 5,476.


At Kennewick, Wash., D Dylan Coghlan’s second goal of the game, in OT, gave the Tri-City Americans a 5-4 victory over the Spokane Chiefs. . . . Tri-City (24-16-7) has points in four TriCity30straight (2-0-2). It holds down the Western Conference’s second wild-card spot, one point behind Spokane. . . . Spokane (26-19-4) has points in five straight (5-0-1). . . . The Americans overcame a 4-1 deficit by scoring the game’s last four goals. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (25), at 5:37 of the first period, and F Ethan McIndoe (15), at 1:15 of the second, gave the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. . . . Coghlan halved the deficit on a PP, at 2:43. . . . The Chiefs then got two quick goals to go up 4-1. D Ty Smith (7) scored at 3:46 and F Zach Fischer (22) counted at 4:39. . . . F Michael Rasmussen started the comeback at 10:26, and F Riley Sawchuk (6) cut the deficit to a goal at 14:11. . . . Rasmussen (18) tied it at 19:00 of the third. Coghlan then won it with his 15th goal at 1:14 of extra time. . . . The tying goal originally was credited to Coghlan, which would have meant the winner gave him a hat trick. But the Americans said after the game that the goal will be credited to Rasmussen. . . . F Jordan Topping drew three assists for the Americans, while Rasmussen, in his first game since Dec. 16, added one, as did F Isaac Johnson. . . . Rasmussen had wrist surgery before Christmas. . . . The Chiefs got two assists from D Filip Kral, with Anderson-Dolan getting one. . . . Tri-City was 1-1 on the PP; Spokane was 0-2. . . . G Patrick Tea recorded the victory with 33 saves, seven more than Spokane’s Dawson Weatherill. . . . Tri-City remains without D Juuso Valimaki, D Roman Kalinichenko and F Kyle Olson. . . . Announced attendance: 5,022.


At Victoria, F Tanner Kaspick and F Matthew Phillips each scored twice as the Royals beat the Calgary Hitmen, 4-1. . . . Victoria (29-17-4) has won two in a row. It is second in VictoriaRoyalsthe B.C. Division, four points behind Kelowna. . . . Calgary (15-27-6) will play in Victoria again today in Game 2 of a seven-game road trip. . . . The Royals got out to a 3-0 lead on a goal from Phillips at 1:01 of the first period and two from Kaspick, at 12:03 of the first and at 3:22 of the second, the latter on a PP. . . . F Luke Coleman (10) scored Calgary’s goal, on a PP, at 12:57. . . . Phillips got his 35th goal, on a PP, at 14:52. . . . F Tyler Soy had three assists for Victoria. . . . Kaspick has six goals and two assists in seven games since Victoria acquired him from Brandon at the trade deadline. Four of those six goals have been game-winners. . . . Victoria was 2-3 on the PP; Calgary was 1-9. . . . Victoria G Griffen Outhouse stopped 21 of 22 shots in 58:59. Dean McNabb finished up with two saves in 1:01. . . . Calgary got 18 saves from G Nick Schneider. . . . F Jakob Stukel, with a team-high 22 goals, was among Calgary’s scratches. . . . Announced attendance: 5,638.


SUNDAY (all times local):

Swift Current at Regina, 4 p.m.

Lethbridge at Red Deer, 5 p.m.

Spokane at Everett, 4:05 p.m.

Kamloops at Portland, 5 p.m.

Seattle vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 5:05 p.m.

Calgary at Victoria, 5:05 p.m.


TWEET OF THE DAY

Free beer at WHL game . . . Savoie family may ask for exceptional status . . . Rebels snap ugly streak . . . Thunderbirds win, again

A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

Will free beer draw fans to a hockey game?

The Vancouver Giants may find out tonight (Wednesday) when they play host to the Spokane VancouverChiefs at the Langley Events Centre.

If you are of legal drinking age, you need to get a wristband prior to entering the facility. In order to get that wristband, you will have to show two pieces of ID.

That will allow you to get one free Trading Post Lager. If you aren’t yet 19 years of age, you will be able to get a free can of pop.

Rob Williams of dailyhive.com has the beer story and more on the Giants right here.


Two more messages on Tuesday means two more sets of twins in the WHL, although they didn’t play together.

Of course, a trade could change that for 18-year-olds Beck and Will Warm. Beck, a goaltender, is in his second season with the Tri-City Americans, while Will, a defenceman, is completing his second season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. They are from Whistler, B.C.

I also have been reminded of the Russell brothers. Now 30, the twins are from Red Deer. Kris played four seasons (2003-07) with the Medicine Hat Tigers and now is in his 11th NHL season. Ryan played with the Kootenay Ice for four seasons (2003-07). He last played in 2015-16 with the Cardiff Devils of the British Elite league and now is an amateur scout with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks.

So put the Becks and the Russells on a list with Connor and Curtis Honey as twins who played in the WHL but not on the same team.

Bob and Ted McAneeley, Rich and Ron Sutter, Darren and Trevor Kruger, and Trevor and Troy Pohl are twins who were teammates in the WHL. Of course, the Kaphorn twins, Kaeden and Keenan, now are with the Kootenay Ice.

And we can’t forget Chad and Cody Huseby, twin brothers who work as WHL linesmen based in Red Deer.


The WHL has yet to grant exceptional status to a 15-year-old player, a move that would allow him to play an entire season. Matthew Savoie may become No. 1 on the WHL’s list.

A rule prohibits WHL teams from using 15-year-olds for more than five games, although whlexceptions are made for players selected in the bantam draft under emergency conditions. Savoie, though, won’t turn 15 until Jan. 1, 2019, so isn’t eligible for the WHL bantam draft until 2019.

From St. Albert, Alta., he has 61 points, including 20 goals, in 19 games with the Northern Alberta X-Treme bantam prep team.

Were his family to apply for and be granted exceptional status, Savoie would become eligible for the 2019 bantam draft and could play a full-time role in 2019-20.

His family also is looking at the NCAA route. In fact, Matthew’s brother Carter, who turned 16 on Tuesday, already has made a verbal commitment to the U of Denver. Carter has 40 points, 13 of them goals, in 24 games with the X-Treme prep team in the CSSHL. He was a ninth-round selection by the Regina Pats in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft.

Dhiren Mahiban of The Canadian Press has more right here.


A few roster notes (all injuries undisclosed unless otherwise noted): The Edmonton Oil Kings list G Boston Bilous as being out week-to-week with an illness. Here’s hoping the mumps haven’t made a return. . . . The Kelowna Rockets have two goaltenders out — James Porter is week-to-week and Roman Basran is indefinite. That may mean a lengthy stay on the roster for G Cole Tisdale, 15, of the minor midget AAA Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Moose Jaw Warriors are listing D Jett Woo as week-to-week. . . . F Regan Nagy of the Prince Albert Raiders is out indefinitely. He appeared to injure his right knee during Saturday’s 3-2 OT victory in Medicine Hat. . . . The Seattle Thunderbirds show F Tyler Carpendale as having a season-ending injury. A freshman from Powell River, B.C., he had three goals and two assists in 19 games. Carpendale, who will turn 18 on Friday, was a sixth-round pick in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . The Tri-City Americans continue to list four top-end players on their injury list — D Roman Kalinichenko, four weeks; D Juuso Valimaki, one week; F Michael Rasmussen, one week; F Kyle Olson, four-to-six weeks. . . . The Victoria Royals show D Chaz Reddekopp as being out four-to-six weeks.


F Sean Richards of the Everett Silvertips has drawn a two-game suspension for match penalty he was given at 14:59 of the third period of Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the visiting Swift Current Broncos. . . . Richards, who has 18 goals and 21 assists in 46 games, served a one-game suspension for a headshot major earlier in the season. . . . He will miss a home-and-home weekend series with the Seattle Thunderbirds, then be eligible to return for Sunday’s game against visiting Spokane.


Scoreboard

TUESDAY:

At Cranbrook, B.C., the Kootenay Ice scored four times in a span of 2:39 in the second period en route to a 7-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . The Ice (21-23-3) is Kootenaynewthird in the Central Division, three points behind the Hurricanes (22-21-4). . . . Kootenay is 1-1-0 on a seven- game homestand. . . . The Hurricanes went 2-2-1 on a trip into B.C. They hurried home from Cranbrook because they’re home to the Kelowna Rockets tonight. . . . F Jordy Bellerive (30) gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 11:14 of the first period. . . . The Ice responded with five straight goals. . . . F Brad Ginnell (7) got it started at 18:05. . . . F Peyton Krebs (10) started the second-period explosion, on a PP, at 0:56. . . . F Kaeden Taphorn (4) made it 3-1 at 1:37. His twin brother, Keenan, upped it to 4-1 with his sixth goal, at 2:28. . . . The home team went up 5-1 when F Brett Davis scored at 3:35. . . . The Hurricanes got the next two goals, from F Keltie Jeri-Leon (4), at 12:44, and F Brad Morrison (17), at 17:35. . . . The Ice put it away with third-period goal from F Colton Veloso (16), on a PP, at 0:26, and Davis (16), shorthanded, at 17:38. . . . Kootenay got three assists from F Colton Kroeker, two from D Martin Bodak, and one each from Veloso, Krebs and Ginnell. . . . Jeri-Leon added two helpers for Lethbridge, with Morrison and Bellerive each getting one. . . . Kootenay was 2-4 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-2. . . . The Ice got 24 saves from G Duncan McGovern. . . . Lethbridge stared Logan Flodell gave up five goals on 21 shots in 23:35. Reece Klassen finished up, stopping nine of 10 shots in 35:14. . . . The Ice had F Gillian Kohler back in the lineup after he received medical clearance following the second concussion of his season. The Swiss freshman hadn’t played since Jan. 1. . . . D Calen Addison was among Lethbridge’s scratches. He is at the Top Prospects Game in Guelph Ont. . . . The Hurricanes remain without F Dylan Cozens (week-to-week) and F Taylor Ross (day-to-day), both of whom are out with undisclosed injuries. . . . The Ice scratched D Dallas Hines, who is listed as day-to-day on the WHL’s weekly roster report. They also scratched D Loeden Schaufler and D Bobby Russell, who weren’t on the report. . . . Before the game, the Ice announced it has brought back D Nolan Orzeck, 16, and he was in the lineup last night. From Calgary, Orzeck has three goals and 10 assists in 24 games with the midget AAA Calgary Northstars. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. Orzeck played one game with the Ice earlier in the season. . . . Announced attendance: 2,054.


At Red Deer, F Mason McCarty scored twice to help the Rebels end a 13-game losing skid Red Deerwith a 4-1 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Red Deer (11-25-11) had been 0-7-6 in its previous 13 outings. . . . Medicine Hat (24-19-5) has lost four in a row (0-2-2). It leads the Central Division by five points over Lethbridge. . . . The visitors took a 1-0 lead when F Jaeger White (7) scored at 4:42 of the first period. . . . McCarty, who has 24 goals, got the next two goals, at 13:53 of the first period and 16:23 of the third. . . . F Grayson Pawlenchuk (16) gave the Rebels a 3-1 lead at 17:52, and F Kristian Reichel (16) added the empty-netter at 18:28. . . . Pawlenchuk also had an assist. . . . Each team was 0-1 on the PP. . . . G Ethan Anders stopped 36 shots for Red Deer, eight more than Medicine Hat’s Michael Bullion. . . . The Rebels were without D Alex Alexeyev, who has returned to Russia following the sudden death of his mother on Monday morning. . . . Announced attendance: 3,392.


At Kent, Wash., the Seattle Thunderbirds erased a three-goal deficit and then scored three times in the shootout to beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 6-5. . . . Seattle (25-16-6) has Seattlewon five in a row. It is third in the U.S. Division, four points behind Portland. . . . Brandon (28-15-5) has lost six in a row (0-3-3). It is third in the East Division, nine points behind Swift Current and eight ahead of Regina. . . . The Wheat Kings went 0-3-2 in the U.S. Division. . . . Brandon’s road trip continues with games in Cranbrook, B.C., against the Kootenay Ice on Friday and Saturday. . . . The Wheat Kings got the game’s first two goals, from F Connor Gutenberg (15), at 6:55 of the first period, and F Ty Lewis, at 10:16. . . . F Donovan Neuls (18) got Seattle on the scoreboard at 15:25. . . . Brandon went ahead 4-1 on second-period goals from F Stelio Mattheos (32), shorthanded, at 3:15, and F Linden McCorrister (14), on a PP, at 8:56. . . . The Thunderbirds closed to within a goal as D Jake Lee (3) scored at 14:48 and F Noah Philp got his 11th at 17:22. . . . Lewis (28) restored Brandon’s two-goal lead at 4:53 of the third period. . . . Seattle tied it on goals from F Dillon Hamaliuk (12), at 12:29, and F Zack Andrusiak (22), at 18:46. . . . Andrusiak also had two assists, giving him two goals and five helpers over his past two games. In a seven-game point streak, he has four goals and nine assists. . . . Philp, F Blake Bargar and Neuls scored for Seattle in the shootout, with only Lewis counting for Brandon. . . . Philp and Lee each had an assist for Seattle. . . . F Evan Weinger and Lewis each picked up two assists for Brandon, with McCorrister and Mattheos adding one apiece. . . . Brandon was 1-4 on the PP; Seattle was 0-4. . . . The Thunderbirds got 24 saves from G Dorrin Luding, while Brandon’s Logan Thompson stopped 35 shots. . . . The Thunderbirds had G Liam Hughes back from injury and backing up Luding, so G Cole Schwebius has been returned to the major midget Okanagan Rockets. . . . The Wheat Kings were without F Luka Burza, who is taking part in the Top Prospects extravaganza in Guelph, Ont. . . . Announced attendance: 4,362.


At Spokane, D Filip Kral, with his mother in the stands, had two goals to lead the Chiefs to a 4-2 victory over the Swift Currrent Broncos. . . . Spokane (25-19-3) has won three in a SpokaneChiefsrow and will play its next seven games on the road. Spokane and Tri-City are tied for the Western Conference’s two wild-card spots. They also are three points behind third-place Seattle in the U.S. Division. . . . The Chiefs went 6-0-0 against the East Division this season. . . . The Broncos (33-12-4) have lost three straight (0-2-1). They went 2-2-1 in the U.S. Division, and remain second in the overall standings, nine points behind Moose Jaw. . . . F Kailer Yamamoto (6) gave the Chiefs the lead 31 seconds into the game. . . . F Giorgio Estephan (23) tied it, on a PP, at 16:39 of the first period. . . . Kral, who is from Czech Republic, gave Spokane a 2-1 lead at 17:26. . . . The Broncos tied it on D Artyom Minulin’s ninth goal at 4:31 of the second period. . . . F Ethan McIndoe snapped the tie with his 14th goal, at 16:15 of the second period. . . . Kral (5) added insurance at 13:10 of the third. . . . Spokane got two assists from each of F Jaret Anderson-Dolan and D Jeff Faith, with McIndoe and Yamamoto each getting one. . . . Broncos F Aleksi Heponiemi had his 28-game point streak snapped. He put up 19 goals and 50 assists during the streak. . . . Swift Current was 1-5 on the PP; Spokane was 0-2. . . . The Chiefs got 28 saves from G Dawson Weatherill, who hadn’t played since Jan. 6 due to injury. . . . G Stuart Skinner stopped 21 shots for the Broncos. . . . D Ty Smith of the Chiefs was scratched. He’s at the Top Prospects Game in Guelph, Ont. . . . Announced attendance: 3,410.


WEDNESDAY (all times local):

Saskatoon at Regina, 7 p.m.

Medicine Hat at Edmonton, 7 p.m.

Kelowna at Lethbridge, 7 p.m.

Spokane vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

WHL officials: We were robbed! . . . Tale of twins continued . . . Izzy golden for Rockets . . . Saturday in the WHL

A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

First, a couple of housekeeping items . . .

Please note that Taking Note has a new domain name — greggdrinnan.com — that came into effect on Saturday morning. In order to reach this page, that’s all you have to type into your browser or save in your bookmarks.

Feel free to spread the word.

Also, there now is a DONATE button over there on the right. Thanks in advance.


You will recall the piece here yesterday about the Lethbridge Hurricanes having signed twin brothers Adam and Justin Hall, 16, Edmontonians who were selected in the eighth whland seventh rounds, respectively, of the WHL’s 2016 bantam draft.

Mention was made of the Taphorn twins — Kaeden and Keenan, 17 — who are playing with the Kootenay Ice.

Emails on Saturday provided more twins info, which is provided here in chronological order . . .

Bob and Ted McAneeley, now 67, were the league’s first twins. From Cranbrook, B.C., they played with the Calgary Buffaloes in the league’s first season (1966-67). Bob, a forward, played for the Calgary Centennials in 1967-68, while Ted, a defenceman, was with the Edmonton Oil Kings. The twins were together again, in 1968-69, with the Oil Kings.

Unfortunately, the McAneeley boys just missed the Oil Kings run of seven straight Memorial Cup appearances (1960-66), during which time they won two titles (1963 and 1966).

The Sutter twins — Rich and Ron — played together for three seasons (1980-83) with the Lethbridge Broncos. From Viking, Alta., they both were forwards. The twins, now 54, played with the Broncos in the 1983 Memorial Cup, but weren’t fortunate enough to win a championship.

The Pohl brothers — Trevor and Troy — are from Vernon, B.C. Now 50, they played together with the Portland Winterhawks in 1986-87 and 1987-88. Both forwards, they were with Portland for all of the 1986-87 season and some of 1987-88.

The 49-year-old Kruger twins — Darren, a defenceman, and Trevor, a goaltender — are from Swift Current and played for the Broncos. Darren played there for two seasons (1987-89), while Trevor was there for three (1986-89). They were key contributors to the Broncos’ 1989 Memorial Cup championship. The Krugers are believed to be the only twins to have played together on a Memorial Cup winner from the WHL.

Thanks a bunch to those of you who took the time to email.


Three WHL on-ice officials were robbed of their equipment in Marysville, Wash., on Friday afternoon.

The three were en route from Vancouver to Kent, Wash., to work the Friday night game between the Seattle Thunderbirds and the visiting Kelowna Rockets.

They stopped in Marysville for their pregame meal. After eating, they returned to their vehicle and noticed that a bag that had been inside now was missing. There also was some damage to one of the door handles.

Aware that someone had been inside the vehicle, they checked the trunk and discovered that all of their equipment bags and suitcases were gone.

Kevin Muench, the WHL’s director of officiating, explained the rescheduling that had to be done:

“One referee was already in Seattle and we were able to contact two of our linesmen in Everett and have them go to Seattle. One of the referees scheduled to work (the game in Langley, B.C., between the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants) was redirected to Seattle.”

The game in Kent began with three officials on the ice, but the fourth official arrived early in the first period.

“We were able to make another assignment change with the help of another league to get a second referee to Vancouver in time for the game there,” Muench said.


Myles Mattila has done a whole lot in the world of mental health awareness in recent times, and he’s only 18 years of age. Mattila, this season a forward with the KIJHL’s  Kelowna Chiefs, was featured in a piece on Sportsnet that is well worth watching. . . . Mattila is a special young man who hasn’t let any of the publicity get to him. He just continues to do great work and to spread the word that help is available. . . . The Sportsnet feature is right here.


The junior B Golden Rockets of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League started Izzy Palumbo, 15, in goal on Saturday as they beat the visiting Columbia Valley Rockies, 7-4. . . . Palumbo stopped 28 shots in leading the Rockets to only their third victory in 38 games. . . . Palumbo, who plays for a Tier 3 midget team in Revelstoke, has always played on a boys’ team. She was signed as an AP with the Rockets in December.


If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).


Scoreboard

SATURDAY:

At Saskatoon, the Blades got 45 saves from G Nolan Maier and an OT goal from F Eric Florchuk as they beat the Regina Pats, 4-3. . . . Saskatoon (23-21-3) had lost its previous Saskatoontwo games. It holds down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, four points behind the Pats. . . . Regina (24-20-5) has lost two in a row (0-1-1). It is fourth in the East Division, seven points behind Brandon. . . . Florchuk, who has nine goals, opened and closed the scoring in this one. . . . He opened the scoring at 9:17 of the first period. . . . F Chase Wouters (13) made it 2-0 at 16:22. . . . Regina scored the next three goals, with F Jesse Gabrielle (5) counting at 18:13 of the first period, former Blades F Cam Hebig (32) getting one at 5:32 of the second, and F Sam Steel (17) scoring at 18:43. . . . Saskatoon D Evan Fiala (5) tied it 3-3 at 12:22 of the third period. . . . Florchuk won it at 1:37 with boyhood pal Kirby Dach getting the lone assist. . . . Florchuk was acquired from Victoria at the trade deadline. . . . Dach was back in the lineup after not playing since Dec. 27. . . . Hebig and Steel each had an assist for the Pats. . . . Saskatoon was 0-1 on the PP; Regina was 0-4. . . . G Max Paddock, who hadn’t played since Dec. 27, stopped 28 shots for Regina. . . . The Pats were without F Jake Leschyshyn for a second straight game. On Friday, John Paddock, the Pats’ GM/head coach, told Rob Vanstone of the Regina Leader-Post that Leschyshyn is “hurting. . . . He’s got a little bit of stuff going on, that’s all.” . . . Announced attendance: 4,346.


At Red Deer, G Dylan Ferguson stopped 25 shots in his ninth straight start to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 3-1 victory over the Rebels. . . . Kamloops (20-23-3) has won two in Kamloops1a row, both on this quick three-game trip into the Central Division, but remains eight points from a playoff spot. The Blazers will play their third game in fewer than 48 hours this afternoon in Edmonton. . . . Red Deer (10-25-11) has lost 13 in a row (0-7-6). . . . F Josh Tarzwell (4), who is from Red Deer, scored his first goal with the Rebels at 10:07 of the first period. He started the season with Lethbridge. . . . F Jackson Shepherd (4) got Kamloops into a tie at 12:24 of the second period, and F Travis Walton (2) broke the tie at 16:30. . . . F Orrin Centazzo (8) put it on ice for Kamloops at 17:54 of the third period. . . . Red Deer was 1-4 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . G Riley Lamb stopped 23 shots for Red Deer. . . . Don Hay of the Blazers now has 740 regular-season victories as a WHL head coach. He is two away from tying Ken Hodge for the most regular-season coaching victories in WHL history. . . . The Blazers are in Edmonton this afternoon, then return home for two games against Hodge’s former team, the Portland Winterhawks. They actually will play three straight games — Friday and Saturday in Kamloops, and Sunday in Portland. . . . Announced attendance: 4,374.


At Medicine Hat, D Vojtech Budik scored in OT to give the Prince Albert Raiders a 3-2 victory over the Tigers. . . . Prince Albert (18-20-8) has won two in a row. It is five points PrinceAlbertaway from a playoff spot. . . . Medicine Hat (24-18-5) has lost three straight (0-1-2), but still leads the Central Division by five points over Lethbridge. . . . F Mark Rassell (39) gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead at 9:27 of the second period. . . . The Raiders took a 2-1 lead on goals from F Curtis Miske (15), at 11:01, and F Regan Nagy (21), on a PP, at 17:48. . . . Medicine Hat tied it at 2:25 of the third period when F Josh Williams (5) scored. . . . Budik (7) won it with his fourth goal in three games, this one coming 1:00 into OT. . . . F Jordy Stallard had two assists for the Raiders, with Miske adding one. . . . Prince Albert was 1-3 on the PP; Medicine Hat was 0-7. . . . G Ian Scott earned the victory with 33 saves, nine more than Medicine Hat’s Michael Bullion. . . . Nagy appeared to injure his right knee when he came together with Tigers D Dalton Gally. Nagy wasn’t able to put any weight on his right leg as teammates helped him off the ice. . . . The Raiders are 2-0-0 in their trip into the Central Division. They will play their third game in fewer than 48 hours this afternoon in Calgary. . . . Announced attendance: 3,475.


At Prince George, the Cougars scored the game’s last three goals en route to a 4-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Prince George (18-23-7) had lost its previous three PrinceGeorgegames. It is eight points from a wild-card spot. . . . Lethbridge (22-20-4) was 5-0-1 in its previous six games. it is second in the Central Division, five points ahead of Kootenay. . . . The Cougars broke a 2-2 tie with third-period goals 16 seconds apart by F Max Kryski (6), at 10:38, and F Josh Curtis (8), at 10:54. . . . F Jared Bethune (16) had given the home side a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 3:27 of the first period. . . . Lethbridge took a 2-1 lead on first-period goals from F Keltie Jeri-Leon (3), at 12:45, and F Jake Elmer (14), at 13:22. . . . D Austin Crossley pulled the Cougars into a 2-2 tie with his first goal, at 3:39 of the second period. . . . Prince George was 1-7 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-3. . . . G Tavin Grant made 28 saves to earn the victory over Logan Flodell, who stopped 28 shots. . . . The Hurricanes dressed 17 skaters, one under the maximum. They were without F Taylor Ross and F Dylan Cozens, who have been playing alongside Logan Barlage. . . . Lethbridge is 2-1-1 on a five-game swing into B.C. that ends Tuesday in Cranbrook against the Kootenay Ice. . . . Announced attendance: 2,704.


At Langley, B.C., G Shane Farkas recorded the shutout as the Portland Winterhawks beat the Vancouver Giants, 2-0. . . . Portland (27-15-4) had lost its previous three games (0-2-1). PortlandIt is second in the U.S. Division, two points behind Everett. . . . Vancouver (25-15-7) had points in each of its previous 10 games (7-0-3). It is third in the B.C. Division, one point behind Victoria. . . . Farkas stopped 31 shots to earn his first WHL shutout. It came in his 22nd appearance. He is 6-4-0, 3.41, .904 as the backup to Cole Kehler. . . . F Ty Kolle (5) gave Portland a 1-0 lead at 13:32 of the third period, and F Mason Mannek (7) got the empty-netter, at 19:07. . . . Portland was 0-1 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-3. . . . The Giants got 25 saves from G David Tendeck. . . . F Ryan Hughes (ill) and F Cody Glass were out of Portland’s lineup for a second straight game, while F Kieffer Bellows missed his third game. It all meant that Portland again dressed eight defencemen and 10 forwards. . . . Mike Johnston, Portland’s general manager and head coach, was back behind the bench after a one-game absence while he was on a scouting trip. . . . Announced attendance: 4,154.


At Kelowna, F Kole Lind had a goal and three assists and G Cole Tisdale, 15, got his first WHL victory as the Rockets doubled the Victoria Royals, 8-4. . . . Kelowna (29-14-3) is atop KelownaRocketsthe Western Conference standings, one point ahead of Everett. . . . Victoria (27-17-4) had lost its previous four games. It is three points behind Kelowna. . . . Tisdale, 15, stopped 23 shots in his first WHL start. Tisdale is from Lethbridge, but he spent one year living in Kelowna. Before the game, he told Rockets play-by-play man Regan Bartel: “I came to a few Rockets games, but I always had to wait until after the Ogopogo head went up because I was scared of it.” If you haven’t been to a game in Kelowna, an Ogopogo likeness is lowered to the ice prior to the game and the Rockets make their entrance by skating through it. . . . Tisdale was an eighth-round pick by the Rockets in the 2017 bantam draft. He normally plays for the minor midget Lethbridge Hurricanes, but is with the Rockets because James Porter Jr. and Roman Basran are injured. . . . Victoria starter Griffen Outhouse blocked 32 of 39 shots in 52:08. Dean McNabb finished up with two saves in 5:32. . . . Kelowna took control of this one with three goals in the first 8:20 of the first period. . . . Lind (22) got it started at 3:18, with D Cal Foote (9) scoring at 4:33 and F Dillon Dube (21) making it 3-0, on a PP, at 8:20. . . . Victoria F Tyler Soy, in his 300th regular-season game, got his 22nd goal, on a PP, at 16:32. . . . F Kyle Topping (17) upped Kelowna’s lead to 4-1, on a PP, 31 seconds into the second period. . . . The Royals then got to within a goal on PP scores from F Matthew Phillips (32), at 12:23, and F Dante Hannoun (20), at 14:14. . . . But the Rockets put it away with four straight goals, starting with F Leif Mattson (15), shorthanded, at 17:03 of the second. F Jack Cowell added a pair in the third period, giving him 10, while F Carsen Twarynski got his 30th. . . . Cowell’s second goal, at 14:28 of the third, was into an empty net. . . . Victoria F Igor Martynov (15) closed out the scoring on a late penalty shot. . . . Kelowna got two assists from each of D James Hilsendager, Nolan Foote and Conner Bruggen-Cate, with Dube, Cal Foote and Mattson getting one apiece. . . . F Tanner Kaspick and Phillips each had two helpers for Victoria and Hannoun added one. . . . Victoria was 3-7 on the PP; Kelowna was 2-6. . . . The Royals are without 6-foot-3 D Kade Jensen (WHL suspension) and 6-foot-4 D Chaz Reddekopp (undisclosed injury). . . . Announced attendance: 5,941.


At Everett, G Carter Hart stopped 25 shots to record the shutout as the Silvertips beat the Brandon Wheat Kings, 4-0. . . . Everett (29-16-2) has won six in a row and leads the U.S. EverettDivision by two points over Portland. . . . Brandon (28-14-4) has lost four straight (0-2-2). It is 0-2-1 and has been blanked twice on its U.S. Division trip. The Wheat Kings are third in the East Division, 10 points behind Swift Current. . . . Hart now has six shutouts this season and 25 in his career. The WHL career shutout record (26) belongs to Tyson Sexsmith (Vancouver, 2005-09). Sexsmith played in 179 games; Hart has made 169 appearances. . . . F Matt Fonteyne, who opened the scoring at 16:16 of the first period, had two goals and an assist. He’s got 27 goals. . . . Everett also got three points — a goal and two assists — from F Patrick Bajkov. He’s got 258 regular-season points now, and that’s just four off the franchise record held by F Zach Hamill (2003-08). . . . F Connor Dewar (22) had Everett’s other goal. . . . D Kevin Davis picked up two assists. Davis, 20, has six goals and 40 assists in 46 games. He has had 12 games with two or more assists. . . . Everett was 1-4 on the PP; Brandon was 0-1. . . . G Logan Thompson made 41 saves for Brandon. . . . The Wheat Kings will play their third game in fewer than 48 hours this afternoon in Portland. . . . Announced attendance: 5,917.


At Kent, Wash., D Turner Ottenbreit, who has 21 goals in 259 career regular-season games, scored in the eighth round of a shootout as the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the SeattleSwift Current Broncos, 7-6. . . . Seattle (24-16-6) has won four in a row and now is third in the U.S. Division, four points behind Portland. . . . Swift Current (33-10-4) has points in nine straight (7-0-2), and is 2-0-1 on a U.S. Division trip. It is second in the overall standings, seven points behind Moose Jaw. . . . The teams were tied 2-2 going into the second period, F Glenn Gawdin (37) and D Colby Sissons (11) having scored for the visitors, with F Nolan Volcan (24), on a PP, and F Sami Moilanen (19) having done the same for Seattle. . . . The Thunderbirds took a 5-2 lead on second-period goals from F Donovan Neuls (17), on a PP, at 0:58, F Matthew Wedman (9), at 7:59, and F Zack Andrusiak (21), at 14:42. . . . F Giorgio Estephan on a PP, got one back for the Broncos at 16:40, but F Noah Philp got that one back for Seattle just 40 seconds later. . . . Swift Current then erased a 6-3 third-period deficit on goals from F Tyler Steenbergen (36), at 6:29, Estephan (22), on a PP, at 17:03 and F Beck Malenstyn (5), at 18:46. . . . The Broncos twice scored in the shootout (Steenbergen and D Artyom Minulin), only to have Neuls and D Austin Strand tie it. . . . Andrusiak added two assists to his goal, with Neuls and Wedman getting one each. . . . Steenbergen also had four assists, with F Aleksi Heponiemi getting three as he ran his point streak to 27 games. Estephan and Malenstyn added one each. . . . The Broncos were 2-3 on the PP; the Thunderbirds were 2-5. . . . Seattle G Dorrin Luding stopped 26 shots. The Thunderbirds got a scare late in the third period when Luding went down and got a visit from trainer Phil Varney. With two other goaltenders injured, Seattle had Cole Schwebius, 15, on the bench backing up Luding. . . . This was Seattle’s Teddy Bear Toss game, with Volcan getting the goal at 5:14 of the first period. . . . The Broncos were without F Matteo Gennaro (undisclosed injury) for a second straight game. . . . Announced attendance: 6,142.


At Spokane, F Kailer Yamamoto scored in OT to give the Chiefs a 5-4 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Spokane (24-19-3) has won two in a row. The Chiefs hold down the SpokaneChiefsWestern Conference’s second wild-card spot, two points behind the Americans, who now are fourth in the U.S. Division. . . . Tri-City (23-16-7) has points in three straight (1-0-2). . . . The Chiefs got out to a 3-0 lead on goals from F Ethan McIndoe (13) and F Jake McGrew (11), on a PP, in the first period, and F Zach Fischer (20), at 4:32 of the second period. . . . Tri-City cut into the lead on second-period goals from D Jake Bean (8) and F Isaac Johnson (13). . . . Spokane F Luke Toporowski (3) restored the two-goal lead at 10:43 of the third period. . . . The Americans tied it on goals from F Sasha Mutala (7), at 14:21, and D Mitchell Brown (2), at 15:33. . . . Yamamoto, who also had two assists, won it with his fifth goal 47 seconds into OT. . . . Yamamoto has nine points, three of them goals, in four games since returning from the WJC. . . . McIndoe added an assist to his goal. . . . The Americans got two assists from D Dylan Coghlan and one each from Mutala and Bean. . . . Spokane was 1-2 on the PP; Tri-City was 0-3. . . . G Bailey Brkin stopped 31 shots for Spokane. . . . Tri-City starter Beck Warm allowed two goals on 14 shots in the first period. Patrick Dea finished up with 27 saves on 30 shots in 40:47. . . . Announced attendance: 10,397.


SUNDAY (all times local):

Moose Jaw at Saskatoon, 2:05 p.m.

Prince Albert at Calgary, 4 p.m.

Kamloops at Edmonton, 4 p.m.

Swift Current at Everett, 4:05 p.m.

Brandon at Portland, 5 p.m.


TWEET OF THE DAY

Hockey loses writing legend . . . It’s twins for the Hurricanes . . . Halbgewachs is first sniper to 50 . . . Bellerive, Topping, Volcan fill their hats

A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

Many observers are in agreement that the newspaper business is headed for an abyss.

If that, indeed, is the case, it is a tragedy that generations to come won’t ever enjoy the thrill of waiting for their daily newspaper to be delivered in order to read the likes of Red Fisher, who died Friday at the age of 91.

When I was a youngster, I delivered the Winnipeg Tribune. It arrived in our town via a train, which came in three nights a week. That meant I delivered two papers at a time. First, though, I would camp under a street light and read Jack Matheson. Later, in the mid-1970s, I was fortunate enough to spend five years working for Matty, which is how I came to meet the legendary Jim Coleman, who was the national columnist for Southam, which owned a number of Canada’s major dailies.

Coleman was one of the greats, and so was Fisher.

Back in the day, newspapers entered into exchanges with other newspapers. We would send you a copy of our product; you would reciprocate. That’s how I came to read Fisher on a regular basis.

As Michael Farber, no slouch himself, wrote on Friday for the Montreal Gazette, Fisher’s “career touched seven decades.” Think about that for a moment or two.

Think about this, too — the first Montreal Canadiens game that Fisher covered, as Farber pointed out, “was the Richard Riot, that singular marriage of hockey, sociology and, ultimately, mythology that has marked Quebec for generations.”

Take a minute today and think about Fisher and all that he stood for as a journalist who was there when teams and writers travelled via train and was still writing when Twitter arrived.

He really did see it all, and he wrote it all, too.

Do yourself a favour at some point today. Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee, and read Farber’s story celebrating the life and career of Red Fisher. It is right here.


I continue to hear from people wondering if I’m back writing again, or if it’s all over. So please don’t be afraid to tell your friends and neighbours that I’m back up and pass along the address. Thank you.


Danny Flynn made his debut as a WHL head coach on Friday night as the host Portland Winterhawks dropped a 5-3 decision to the Swift Current Broncos.

With Mike Johnston, Portland’s general manager and head coach, on a scouting trip, PortlandFlynn took over. Johnston, who apparently was at the bantam AAA John Reid Memorial tournament in St. Albert, Alta., on Friday,

is expected to rejoin the Winterhawks back for tonight’s game in Langley, B.C., against the Vancouver Giants.

Of course, it’s not like Flynn doesn’t have any experience as a head coach. For starters, he was in the Memorial Cup last season as head coach of the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. He also has been head coach of the OHL’s Belleville Bulls and Soo Greyhounds, and the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.

Flynn and Johnston both are from Dartmouth, N.S., which had a lot to do with Flynn’s joining the Winterhawks as an assistant coach prior to this season.

Evan Richardson, the play-by-play voice of the Winterhawks, pointed out via Twitter that Flynn is the fourth person to serve as a head coach in all three major junior leagues, joining Mike Kelly (Brandon, Windsor/North Bay, Saint John), Ron Harris (Spokane, Windsor, Saint-Jean) and Joe Canale (Medicine Hat, Sarnia, Shawinigan/Chicoutimi/Beauport/Sherbrooke).


The Lethbridge Hurricanes have signed twin brothers Adam and Justin Hall, both of whom were selected in the 2016 WHL bantam draft. . . . The twins, 16, are from Edmonton. Justin was a seventh-round selection; Adam was taken in the eighth round. . . . This season, they are playing for the midget AAA CAC Edmonton Canadians. Justin has 10 goals and eight assists in 27 games, while Adam has seven goals and 13 assists in 27 games.

While there have been a number of brother acts in the WHL, twins are a whole lot rarer. Of course, the Taphorn brothers — Kaeden and Keenan — are with the Kootenay Ice. The 17-year-olds are from Yorkton, Sask.

Know of any other twin acts? Email me at greggdrinnan@gmail.com.


Hartley Miller, in his weekly Hart Attack column, wonders if winning is enough to draw hockey fans to an arena these days. He notes that the Prince George Spruce Kings are in the hunt for first overall in the BCHL, but their attendance is off about 10 per cent over last season and is the poorest it has been since 2010-11. . . . Miller points out, too, that the Spruce Kings are running a “Friday night promotion where they practically give away their product.” If you go to Save-On-Food, you are able to purchase the Friday Family Special — four tickets, including two adult, four soft drinks and four popcorn for $19.72. The regular price would be $68. . . . Now that’s a promotion. . . . Miller’s column is right here.


On Thursday, Jim Matheson, the Hockey Hall-of-Famer who covers the Edmonton Oilers for Postmedia, tweeted that he has been hearing that the annual Young Stars preseason tournament in Penticton, B.C., might be done.

The 2017 tournament was the eighth annual, but according to Matheson “many NHL scouts” have been saying that it “was disappointing for (the) calibre of kids taking part.”

However, Andrew Jakubeit, a former WHL on-ice official who now is the mayor of Penticton, told infonews.ca that all of this is news to him.

Jakubeit, who also is the event’s chairman, said that “we are still working with the (Vancouver) Canucks to finalize the details of the Young Stars tournament. It is our intention to host the event again this year.”


If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).


If you enjoy stopping by here, and even if you don’t, feel free to make a donation to the cause by visiting my old site, taking note.ca, and clicking on the DONATE button. Thank you, in advance.


Scoreboard

FRIDAY:

At Regina, F Jayden Halbgewachs scored twice, giving him 50 goals in 47 games, to lead the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 5-3 victory over the Pats. . . . Moose Jaw (37-7-3) has won MooseJawWarriorstwo in a row and continues to lead the overall standings by eight points over Swift Current. . . . Regina (24-20-4) had points in each of its previous five games (4-0-1). It holds down the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot. . . . The Warriors took control with four first-period goals, two of them via the PP, as they outshot their hosts, 22-8. . . . Halbgewachs got it started, on a PP, at 5:46. . . . F Vince Loschiavo (14) made it 2-0 at 7:30, and D Dmitri Zaitsev (5) scored, on a PP, at 14:37. . . . F Tanner Jeannot (32) upped it to 4-0 at 19:34. . . . F Jesse Gabrielle (4) scored for Regina, on a PP, at 5:59 of the second period, but the Warriors got that one back when Halbgewachs got No. 50 at 3:35 of the third. . . . Halbgewachs joins F Theo Fleury and Kent Hayes as the only players in Warriors history to enjoy two 50-goal seasons. Halbgewachs finished last season with 50 goals in 71 games. Fleury had 61 in 1986-87 and 68 the following season. Hayes had 56 goals in 1984-85 and 50 in 1985-86. . . . The Pats’ last two goals came from D Josh Mahura, who has 16, at 8:53 and 19:09. . . . F Brayden Burke and D Kale Clague each had two assists for the Warriors, with Loschiavo adding one. . . . Mahura also had an assist to go with his two goals. . . . Moose Jaw was 2-3 on the PP; Regina was 2-4. . . . G Brody Willms earned the victory with 42 saves, 21 of them in the third period when his guys were outshot 23-5. . . . G Ryan Kubic stopped 32 shots for the Pats. . . . F Jake Leschyshyn was among Regina’s scratches. . . . Announced attendance: 6,484.


At Calgary, G Dylan Ferguson turned aside 32 shots to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 2-1 Kamloops1victory over the Hitmen. . . . Kamloops (19-23-3) had lost its previous three games. It is eight points out of a playoff spot. . . . Calgary (14-26-6) is 13 points out of a playoff spot. . . . Don Hay of the Blazers now has 739 regular-season victories as a WHL head coach, three short of the all-time record that has belonged to Ken Hodge since the end of the 1992-93 season. . . . Ferguson was particularly busy in the third period when he stopped 19 shots. . . . The Blazers got their goals in the second period, from F Luc Smith (12), at 17:29, and F Quinn Benjafield (13), at 18:54. . . . D Vladislav Yeryomenko (11) scored for Calgary, on a PP, at 16:58 of the third period. . . . Calgary was 1-4 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-5. . . . The Hitmen got 34 stops from G Nick Schneider. . . . Announced attendance: 6,196.


At Red Deer, D Vojtech Budik scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Prince PrinceAlbertAlbert Raiders to a 5-1 victory over the Rebels. . . . Prince Albert (17-20-8) is five points behind Saskatoon, which holds down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Red Deer (10-24-11) has lost 12 in a row (0-6-6) and has fallen into the league’s basement. . . . Budik, who has six goals, scored at 1:50 and 11:00, the latter via the PP, of the first period, then drew an assist on D Jeremy Masella’s fourth goal at 16:01. . . . F Jordy Stallard (31) made it 4-0, on a PP, at 4:55 of the second period. . . . D Alex Alexeyev (6) scored for Red Deer, on a PP, at 19:06. . . . The Raiders got their last goal from F Parker Kelly (19), shorthanded, at 7:00 of the third period. . . . Kelly also drew two assists. . . . The Raiders were 2-3 on the PP; the Rebels were 1-5. . . . Prince Albert got 29 saves from G Ian Scott. . . . Red Deer starter Ethan Anders allowed two goals on seven shots in 11:00. Riley Lamb came on in relief to stop 24 of 27 shots in 49:00. . . . Announced attendance: 3,987.


At Cranbrook, B.C., F Brendan Semchuk and F Colton Kehler each scored two first-period goals to get the Edmonton Oil Kings started towards a 5-1 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . EdmontonOilKings. . Edmonton (13-26-6) had lost its previous two games. . . . Kootenay (20-23-3), which opened a seven-game homestand, had won its past two games. It is third in the Central Division, five points behind Lethbridge. . . . Semchuk opened the scoring at 3:37 with his first goal since being acquired from Vancouver at the trade deadline. . . . Kehler, who has 20 goals, made it 3-0 with goals at 4:27 and 8:19, the latter via the PP. . . . Semchuk got his 10th goal at 14:54. . . . F Sebastian Streu (6) got the Ice’s goal, on a PP, at 4:43 of the second period. . . . Edmonton F Carter Souch (2) closed out the scoring at 13:49. . . . F Tomas Soustal had two assists for Edmonton, with Kehler adding one. . . . The Oil Kings were 1-2 on the PP; the Ice was 1-6. . . . Edmonton got 43 saves from G Todd Scott, 20 of those in the second period. . . . G Matt Berlin allowed five goals on 19 shots in his first start for the Ice since being acquired from Seattle at the trade deadline. He hadn’t played since Dec. 29 due to an undisclosed injury. . . . Announced attendance: 2,431.


At Portland, F Aleksi Heponiemi had three assists as he ran his point streak to 26 games in the Swift Current Broncos’ 5-3 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Swift Current (33-10-SCBroncos3) has points in eight straight (7-0-1) and is 2-0-0 on its U.S. Division trek. The Broncos are second in the overall standings, eight points behind Moose Jaw. . . . Portland (26-15-4) has lost three in a row (0-2-1). It is second in the U.S. Division, two points behind Everett. . . . G Giorgio Estephan (20) gave the Broncos a 1-0 lead at 4:45 of the first period. That was the 300th regular-season point of his career. He later added two assists and now has 302 points in 301 games, the first 297 of those with Lethbridge. . . . F Skyler McKenzie (35) got Portland into a 1-1 tie at 14:11. He’s got five goals in his past three games and 14 goals in 13 games. . . . D Colby Sissons put the Broncos back out front at 7:50 of the second period, only to have F Alex Overheard (11) tie it, on a PP, at 15:20. . . . The Broncos took a 4-2 lead on third-period goals from F Beck Malenstyn (4), at 1:05, and Sissons (11), on a PP, at 11:21. . . . Portland F Joachim Blichfeld (15) cut into the lead at 17:55, but the Broncos iced it on an empty-netter from F Tanner Nagel (5) at 19:56. . . . Portland got two assists from D Dennis Cholowski, with Blichfeld and McKenzie adding one each. . . . Each team was 1-3 on the PP. . . . The Broncos got 34 saves from G Stuart Skinner. At the other end, Cole Kehler blocked 21 shots. . . . Cody Glass, Kieffer Bellows and Ryan Hughes (ill) were Portland’s scratches, each of them a top-six forward. . . . Portland did get back F Lane Gilliss and F Jake Gracious from injury-related absences. . . . The Winterhawks have added F Jaydon Dureau to their roster. An eighth-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft, Dureau has 27 goals and 31 assists in 28 games with the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians this season. . . . Still, Portland only has 10 healthy forwards on its roster, so Dureau slotted in on Portland’s fourth line with defencemen John Ludvig and Conor MacEachern. Yes, the Winterhawks are running short of forwards, which may have something to do with GM/head coach Mike Johnston missing this game while on a scouting/recruiting assignment. . . . F Matteo Gennaro was among Swift Current’s scratches after having a run-in with a goal post during the Broncos’ 3-2 OT victory over the host Tri-City Americans on Wednesday. . . . Announced attendance: 5,300.


At Prince George, F Jordy Bellerive scored three times to help the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 6-2 victory over the Cougars. . . . Lethbridge (22-19-4) has points in six straight (5-0-1). LethbridgeIt is second in the Central Divison, four points behind Medicine Hat. . . . Prince George (17-23-7) has lost three in a row and is eight points from a playoff spot. . . . Bellerive, who has a career-high 29 goals in 44 games, picked up his first WHL hat trick. He scored 27 goals in 70 games last season. This season, he also career highs in assists (34) and points (63). . . . F Owen Blocker (2) gave Lethbridge a 1-0 lead at 5:32 of the first period. . . . The Cougars tied it at 8:14 as F Josh Curtis scored. . . . The Hurricanes scored the next three goals, all in the second period. . . . Bellerive scored at 1:46, with F Brad Morrison (16) counting at 4:08 and F Jake Elmer (13) at 4:33. . . . Morrison, who also had an assist, is from Prince George and played the first 260 regular-season games of his WHL career with the Cougars. They traded him to Vancouver prior to the start of this season, and he dealt to Lethbridge earlier this month. . . . Curtis (7) cut into the lead at 14:46. . . . Bellerive completed his hat trick with goals at 15:20 of the second period and 17:09 of the third. . . . Lethbridge got three assists from D Igor Merezhko. . . . D Joel Lakusta had two assists for the Cougars. . . . Lethbridge was 0-4 on the PP; Prince George was 0-5. . . . G Logan Flodell earned the victory with 22 saves. . . . G Taylor Gauthier started for the Cougars. He gave up four goals on 13 shots in 24:33 before being lifted in favour of Isaiah DiLaura, who stopped 13 of 15 shots in 35:27. . . . Announced attendance: 5,138.


At Kennewick, Wash., F Jordan Topping completed a three-goal night with a PP goal in OT to give the Tri-City Americans a 4-3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . .Tri-City TriCity30(23-16-6) had lost its previous five games (0-4-1). It and Seattle are tied for third in the U.S. Division, four points behind Portland. . . . Brandon (28-13-4) has lost three straight (0-1-2) and is 0-1-1 on its swing into the U.S. Division. Still, the Wheat Kings are third in the overall standings. . . . The Americans took a 2-0 lead on first-period goals from Topping, on a PP, at 10:07, and F Isaac Johnson (12) at 11:26. . . . The Wheat Kings tied it on PP goals from F Baron Thompson (13) at 3:01 of the second period and F Stelio Mattheos (31) at 7:19 of the third. . . . Topping put Tri-City back out front at 12:28. . . . Brandon forced OT when F Evan Weinger (20) scored at 19:18 with the extra attacker on the ice. . . . Topping won it with his 26th goal at 2:49 of extra time. . . . Tri-City got three assists from D Dylan Coghlan and two from F Morgan Geekie. . . . F Ty Lewis had two helpers for Brandon, with Mattheos and Thompson getting one each. . . . Brandon was 2-2 on the PP; Tri-City was 2-3. . . . The Americans got 35 saves from G Patrick Dea, who was making his 150th regular-season appearance. . . . G Dylan Myskiw stopped 32 shots for Brandon. . . . The Americans had F Max James back from a four-game absence, the first three of which were due to a WHL suspension, but remain without D Juuso Valimaki, F Michael Rasmussen, F Kyle Olson and D Roman Kalinichenko. Rasmussen, who had pre-Christmas wrist surgery, is back skating, but he’s wearing a non-contact sweater and isn’t shooting the puck especially hard. . . . Earlier in the day, the Wheat Kings named D James Shearer, who is from Brandon, as the team captain. He takes over from F Tanner Kaspick, who was traded to the Victoria Royals on Jan. 10. . . . Announced attendance: 3,463.


At Langley, B.C., F Tanner Kaspick scored in the sixth round of a shootout to give the Victoria Royals a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Giants. . . . Victoria (27-16-4) has won VictoriaRoyalsfour straight and is second in the B.C. Divison, one point behind Kelowna and one ahead of Vancouver. . . . Vancouver (25-14-7) has points in 10 straight (7-0-3). . . . F Ty Ronning gave the Giants a 1-0 lead at 5:23 of the first period. . . . Victoria went ahead 2-1 on goals from F Dante Hannoun (19), on a PP, at 17:20 of the first and F Jeff de Wit (9), at 4:48 of the second. . . . Ronning, who has 42 goals, tied it at 11:11. . . . Victoria went back out front at 1:00 of the third period on F Tyler Soy’s 21st goal. . . . The Giants tied it again on D Dylan Plouffe’s eighth goal, at 7:51. . . . F Tyler Benson and F Owen Hardy each had two assists for Vancouver. . . . Victoria was 1-2 on the PP; Vancouver was 0-2. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 40 shots through OT for the Royals. At the other end, David Tendeck made 22 saves. . . . The Giants remain without Slovakian F Milos Roman, who last played on Jan. 9. He has eight goals and 21 assists in 34 games. On Friday, the CHL announced that Roman, a freshman, won’t be playing in the Top Prospects Game on Thursday in Guelph. He was replaced by F Liam Foudy of the OHL’s London Knights. . . . The Giants did have D Darian Skeoch in the lineup after he sat since Jan. 9 with an undisclosed injury. . . . Announced attendance: 3,637.


At Kent, Wash., F Nolan Volcan scored three goals to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets. . . . Seattle (23-16-6) has won three in a row and is Seattletied with Tri-City for third in the U.S. Division. . . . Kelowna (28-14-3) leads the Western Conference by one point over Victoria and Everett. . . . Seattle scored the game’s first three goals. F Zack Andrusiak (20) got it started 59 seconds into the first period. Volcan made it 2-0 at 8:01. . . . F Noah Philp (9) upped it to 3-0 at 6:07 of the second period. . . . F Dillon Dube (20) got the Rockets on the scoreboard, on a PP, at 10:20. . . . The Thunderbirds reply with three more goals, from Volcan, at 12:00, D Turner Ottenbreit (6), at 13:40, and F Blake Bargar (9), at 6:43 of the third period. . . . F Conner Bruggen-Cate (13) got Kelowna’s second goal at 10:34. . . . Volcan, who has 23 goals, completed his hat trick, on a PP, at 17:33. . . . Seattle got three assists from each of D Jarret Tyszka and F Sami Moilanen. . . . The Thunderbirds were 2-6 on the PP; Kelowna was 1-4. . . . G Dorrin Luding blocked 27 shots for Seattle. . . . The Rockets opened with G Brodan Salmond, who was beaten five times on 16 shots in 33:40. Cole Tisdale, 15, came on in his WHL debut and stopped 15 of 17 shots in 26:20. . . . Announced attendance: 6,057.


SATURDAY (all times local):

Regina at Saskatoon, 7:05 p.m.

Kamloops at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Medicine Hat, 7:30 p.m.

Lethbridge at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Portland vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7 p.m.

Victoria at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Brandon at Everett, 7:05 p.m.

Swift Current vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Tri-City at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.


TWEET OF THE DAY

This actually was from Thursday, but it holds up with the Tigers not playing on Friday . . .

First call for Memorial Cup ducats . . . Goaltender’s WHL days over . . . Giants get trade acquisition signed . . . Royals short on D, beat hurting ‘Hawks

MacBeth

F Ryan Olsen (Saskatoon, Kelowna, 2009-14) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Orli Znojmo (Czech Republic, Erste Bank Liga). This season, he had eight goals and 17 assists in 34 games with the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL). . . .

G Mac Carruth (Portland, 2009-13) has signed a one-year extension with Fehérvár AV19 Székesfehérvár (Hungary, Erste bank Liga). In 26 games, he is 2.82 and.923. He is fourth in the league in save percentage.


A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

If you are planning to attend the 2018 Memorial Cup in Regina, you now are able to call your banker and tell him the size of the loan you will be needing.

Ticket packages for what will be the Memorial Cup’s 100th anniversary will go on sale to MemCupRegRegina Pats season-ticket holders today (Thursday).

From a news release:

“Ticket packages for the 10-day event will include eight guaranteed games (plus a tie-breaker if needed), with season-ticket holder pricing set at $695 for Centennial-level seating and $645 for Festival-level seating.

“Regina Pats season-ticket holders will also enjoy an exclusive ticket presale opportunity from Jan. 18-26. Season-ticket holders aren’t guaranteed their current seat but the host committee in conjunction with the Regina Pats will do all they can to limit seat relocation.”

The complete news release is available at the Pats’ website (reginapats.com).

Tickets will be released to the general public on Jan. 30. At that time, those packages will be priced at $750 and $700.

If you visit mastercardmemorialcup.ca and click on TICKETS, you will be taken to a ticketmaster site that includes this message: “If selected, you will receive a specific seat allocation. All tickets packages are $847.50 including tax.”

Last year, in Windsor, Ont., regular bowl ticket packages went for $595 plus tax, with platinum packages at $885 plus tax.

When it came to single-game tickets in Windsor, round-robin games not including the Spitfires were $75, while games including the Spitfires were $90. The semifinal game was $95, with the final set at $115. You had to add HST to each of those prices, too.


The Victoria Royals were without two veteran defencemen as they beat the host Portland Winterhawks, 4-2, on Wednesday night. . . . Chaz Reddekopp (undisclosed injury) will be missing for up to six weeks. He was injured in Saturday’s 5-4 victory over visiting Kamloops. . . . Kade Jensen, meanwhile, began serving a four-game suspension that was delivered after he took a cross-checking major after the final buzzer of Saturday’s game. That was for a hit on Kamloops D Luke Zazula during a late scrum. . . . Dan Price, the Royals’ head coach, told Cleve Dheensaw of the Victoria Times Colonist that Jensen’s penalty had nothing to do with a lack of discipline. The way Price saw it, Jensen was “trying to protect (Matthew Phillips) and sometimes things happen in the moment.” . . . With Reddekopp and Jensen out, the Royals have added D Remy Aquilon, 16, to their roster. He has been playing for the Kelowna-based Okanagan Rockets of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. He got into two games with Victoria earlier in the season.


The Edmonton Oil Kings revealed via this week’s WHL roster report that G Travis Child’s EdmontonOilKingsjunior hockey career is over. According to the report, Child has a “season-ending” upper-body injury. Child, 20, is from Killam, Alta. He also played with the Swift Current Broncos and Brandon Wheat Kings. This season, with Edmonton, he was 6-13-2, 4.21, .868, but last played on Dec. 15. . . . Edmonton acquired him from Brandon on May 31, giving up a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft in the swap. . . . In 107 regular-season appearances, Child was 33-39-10, 3.39, .893.

The Oil Kings are left with three goaltenders on their roster — Josh Dechaine, 19, Todd Scott, 17, and Boston Bilous, 16. Scott was acquired last week from the Vancouver Giants.


After choosing not to sign with the Swift Current Broncos, D Joel Sexsmith signed with VancouverVancouver on Wednesday, 10 days after being acquired by the Giants. . . . The Broncos selected Sexsmith ninth overall in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. He refused to sign with the Broncos and observers thought he might be taking the NCAA route. Instead, he signed with the Giants, who gave the Broncos a first-round pick in the 2019 bantam draft for his rights. . . . This season, he has two goals and nine assists in eight games with the Calgary-based Edge School elite 15s. . . . Sexsmith is the last of the 22 first-round selections from the 2017 bantam draft to sign a WHL deal.


The BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings and general manager Mike Hawes have signed a three-year contract extension that runs through May 31, 2021. His present deal was due to expire on May 31. . . . Hawes joined the Spruce Kings as an associate coach for 2005-06. After two seasons, he was named assistant GM and director of player personnel a role he filled for four seasons. He took over as GM during the 2010-11 season. . . . The Spruce Kings have made the playoffs in six of the past seven seasons.


A full 117 days since the start of the 2017-18 regular season, the WHL’s Official Guide, with the Seattle Thunderbirds on the cover, is available for download. Featuring what appear to be training camp rosters, it arrived quietly this week, a few days after the league’s roster-shuffling trade deadline passed us by.


If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).


If you enjoy stopping by here, and even if you don’t, feel free to make a donation to the cause by visiting my old site, taking note.ca, and clicking on the DONATE button. Thank you, in advance.


Scoreboard

WEDNESDAY:

At Prince Albert, F Matt Bradley scored twice to help the Regina Pats to a 4-3 victory over the Raiders. . . . Regina (24-19-4) has points in five straight (4-0-1) and now has won more ReginaPats100games (24) than it has lost (23). The Pats are fourth in the East Division, seven points behind Brandon. . . . Prince Albert (16-20-8) is seven points away from a wild-card spot. . . . D Vojtech Budik (4) gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 5:02 of the first period. . . . Regina tied it when F Jake Leschyshyn (15) scored at 19:55. . . . F Curtis Miske (14) put the Raiders back out front at 17:47 of the second period. . . . Bradley tied it at 18:12. . . . The Pats opened the third period by surviving a 5-on-3 disadvantage for 1:02, then scored two PP goals. . . . The first two came from Bradley, at 5:19. . . . F Jesse Gabrielle (3) gave the Pats a two-goal lead, at 6:54. . . . Prince Albert got to within a goal when F Jordy Stallard (30) scored while shorthanded at 15:07. . . . F Cam Hebig had two assists for Regina. . . . Prince Albert got two assists from F Regan Nagy, with Miske adding one. . . . Regina was 2-4 on the PP; Prince Albert was 1-5. . . . G Ryan Kubic earned the victory with 34 saves, five more than the Raiders’ Curtis Meger. . . . F Cole Fonstad of the Raiders came up short on a penalty shot at 1:48 of the first period. . . . Regina leads the season series, 5-0-0; Prince Albert is 0-3-2. . . . Announced attendance: 2,045.


At Medicine Hat, F Brett Davis scored with 4.2 seconds left in the third period to give the Kootenay Ice a 4-3 victory over the Tigers, who coughed up a three-goal lead. . . . KootenaynewKootenay (20-22-3) has won two in a row. The Ice is third in the Central Division, three points behind Lethbridge. . . . Medicine Hat (24-18-4) had points in its previous two games (1-0-1). The Tigers lead the Central Division by six points over Lethbridge. . . . The Ice went ahead 1-0 when D Martin Bodak scored, on a PP, at 6:04 of the first period. . . . The Tigers scored the next three goals, all of them in the first period. . . . F Mark Rassell (38) got it started at 7:17. . . . F James Hamblin (14) gave the home side a 2-1 lead at 9:59. . . . F Ryan Chyzowski (15) upped the lead to 3-1 at 13:00. . . . Bodak (3) got the Ice to within a goal at 16:51 of the second period. . . . Kootenay F Michael King (7) tied the score at 11:20. . . . Davis snapped the tie with his 14th goal of the season. . . . Ice F Colton Veloso, playing in his 250th regular-season game, had two assists, but missed on a first-period penalty shot. . . . F Peyton Krebs also had two assists for the Ice. . . . Hamblin added an assist for Medicine Hat. . . . The Ice was 1-3 on the PP; the Tigers were 0-3. . . . G Duncan McGovern stopped 34 shots and picked up an assist for the Ice. . . . The Tigers got 19 saves from G Jordan Hollett. . . . In its previous nine games in Medicine Hat, the Ice had lost nine times and been outscored 54-20. . . . Announced attendance: 2,817.


At Portland, F Matthew Phillips had a goal and two assists to lead the Victoria Royals to a 4-2 victory over the Winterhawks. . . . Victoria (26-16-4) has won three straight. It is tied VictoriaRoyalswith Vancouver for second in the B.C. Division, three points behind Kelowna. . . . Portland (26-14-4) had points in each of its previous five games (4-0-1). The Winterhawks are second in the U.S. Division, two point behind Everett with two games in hand. . . . F Tanner Kaspick (14), who was acquired from the Brandon Wheat Kings a week earlier, broke a 2-2 tie at 11:14 of the third period. . . . Phillips, who has 31 goals, made it 4-2 at 12:02. . . . F Tyler Soy (20) had given Victoria a 1-0 lead, while shorthanded at 8:28 of the first period. . . . F Skyler McKenzie (34) pulled Portland into a tie, on a PP, at 9:09. . . . The Royals went back out front when D Matthew Smith (3) scored at 15:06 of the second period. . . . F Cody Glass (25) tied it for Portland, on a PP, at 7:21 of the third period. . . . Portland got two assists from each of D Henri Jokiharju and D Dennis Cholowski. . . . Portland was 2-3 on the PP; Victoria was 0-3. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 28 shots for the Royals, one fewer than Portland’s Cole Kehler. . . . F Kieffer Bellows was among Portland’s scratches after suffering an undisclosed injury on Saturday against visiting Everett. . . . Portland dressed nine forwards and eight defencemen, then lost F Ryan Hughes to an undisclosed injury in the first period. . . . With the shortage of forwards, Portland used D Conor MacEachern and D John Ludvig up front. . . . Announced attendance: 2,838.


At Prince George, the Seattle Thunderbirds scored five of the game’s last six goals and beat the Cougars, 7-4. . . . Seattle (22-16-6) had beaten the host Cougars, 5-2, on Tuesday Seattlenight. The Thunderbirds are tied with Tri-City for third in the U.S. Division. . . . Prince George (17-22-7) has lost two straight and is eight points out of a playoff spot. . . . Seattle F Mike MacLean scored his first WHL goal at 7:53 of the first period, but Prince George F Aaron Boyd (9) tied it one minute later. . . . F Matthew Wedman (8) gave the Thunderbirds a 2-1 lead at 9:36. . . . The Cougars took a 3-2 lead on goals by F Max Kryski (5), at 11:11, and F Josh Maser (21), on a PP, at 13:53. . . . Seattle followed with the next three goals for a 5-3 lead. . . . F Jaxan Kaluski (3) scored at 7:14 of the second period, with F Sami Moilanen (18), on a PP, counting at 11:29. F Dillon Hamaliuk (11) got the fifth goal at 4:55 of the third period. . . . Hamaliuk, who had one goal in 17 games last season, has 29 points in 44 games this season. He’s got four goals and five assists in his past four games. . . . D Jack Sander (2) pulled the Cougars to within a goal, on a PP, at 7:47. . . . The Thunderbirds iced it on goals from F Zack Andrusiak (19), on a PP, at 16:31, and F Nolan Volcan (20) at 17:39. . . . Seattle got two assists from F Donovan Neuls, and one each from Andrusiak, Wedman, Hamaliuk, Volcan and MacLean. . . . The Cougars got two assists from D Ryan Schoettler. . . . The Cougars were 2-5 on the PP; the Thunderbirds were 2-6. . . . Seattle got 18 saves from G Darrin Luding. . . . G Taylor Gauthier blocked 37 shots for the Cougars. . . . Announced attendance: 2,454.


At Kelowna, D Cal Foote scored in overtime to give the Rockets a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Kelowna (28-13-3) leads the Western Conference by one point over Everett. . . . Lethbridge (21-19-4) has points in five straight games (4-0-1). It is second in the Central Division, six points behind Medicine Hat. . . . The Hurricanes started OT on the PP — Foote was in stir for delay of game after he knocked the Rockets’ net off its moorings late in the third period — and hit two posts in extra time. . . . F Jordy Bellerive (26) put Lethbridge out front 42 seconds into the first period. . . . Kelowna F Dillon Dube (19) tied it at 8:08. He also drew the lone assist on the winning goal. . . . Dube was in the lineup for the first time since the WJC ended in Buffalo. Dube, who last played for Kelowna on Dec. 9, had been out with the flu. Team Canada’s captain last played for Kelowna on Dec. 9; all told, he missed 13 games. . . . F Kole Lind (22) gave the home boys a 2-1 lead at 4:05 of the second period. . . . The Rockets went ahead 3-1 when F Conner Bruggen-Cate (11) scored shorthanded, at 8:52. . . . D Tate Olson (1) got Lethbridge to within a goal at 13:27. . . . The visitors tied it when F Taylor Ross (14) scored at 12:27 of the third period. . . . Foote, who also had an assist, won it with his eighth goal of the season, at 2:55 of OT. . . . Lethbridge got two assists from F Dylan Cozens. . . . Kelowna was 0-3 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-5. . . . G Brodan Salmond stopped 31 shots for the Rockets. Salmond played for the first time since Nov. 4. Prior to that, he last played on Oct. 15. Cole Tisdale, 15, was on the bench in support of Salmond. G James Porter Jr. (day-to-day) and Roman Basran (week-to-week) are out with undisclosed injuries. . . . Tisdale, an eighth-round pick in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft, played in his hometown for the minor midget Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . G Reece Klassen turned aside 33 shots for Lethbridge. (No, Logan Flodell didn’t start). . . . The Rockets remain without F Erik Gardiner (concussion), who hasn’t played since Oct. 28. He took a puck to the visor the previous night, played in the next game but hasn’t played since then. He may have suffered a setback, however, as he is shown as being out week-to-week on the Jan. 9 roster report, after being shown as day-to-day one week earlier. . . . Announced attendance: 5,103.


At Spokane, G Bailey Brkin recorded his first WHL shutout to led the Chiefs to a 3-0 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. . . . Spokane (23-19-3) holds down the Western SpokaneChiefsConference’s second wild-card spot, but is only one spot out of third in the U.S. Division. . . . Brandon (28-13-3) opened a U.S. Division swing with its first regulation loss in six games. It had been 3-0-2 in its previous five games. The Wheat Kings are third in the East Division, eight points behind Swift Current. . . . Brkin stopped 21 shots. The 18-year-old was acquired from the Kootenay Ice on Jan. 8 for a 2019 eighth-round bantam draft pick. He has been with the Chiefs with Dawson Weatherill out with an undisclosed injury. . . . F Kailer Yamamoto (4) scored the game’s first goal, at 14:40 of the first period, then set up F Ethan McIndoe (12) at 18:34. . . . F Milos Fafrak (6) rounded out the scoring at 17:57 of the second. . . . Yamamoto has two goals and four assists in three games since returning from the WJC where he played for the U.S. . . . Each team was 0-5 on the PP. . . . Brandon got 32 saves from G Logan Thompson. . . . Announced attendance: 3,113.


At Kennewick, Wash., F Aleksi Heponiemi’s second goal of the game, in overtime, gave the Swift Current Broncos a 3-2 victory over the Tri-City Americans. . . . Swift Current (32-SCBroncos10-3) has points in seven straight games (6-0-1). The Broncos are second in the overall standings, eight points behind Moose Jaw. . . . Tri-City (22-16-6) has lost five in a row (0-4-1). It is tied with Seattle for third in the U.S. Division. . . . The Broncos took a 2-0 first-period lead on goals from F Matteo Gennaro (30), at 14:58, and Heponiemi, at 19:03. . . . Tri-City tied it on goals from F Jordan Topping (23), on a PP, at 10:52 of the second period and D Jake Bean (7), at 16:59 of the third period. . . . Heponiemi won it with his 23rd goal of the season at 2:23 of OT. . . . F Morgan Geekie had two assists for the Americans. . . . The Americans were 1-5 on the PP; the Broncos were 0-1. . . . G Stuart Skinner recorded the victory with 24 saves. . . . The Americans got 37 stops from G Patrick Dea. . . . Tri-City F Max James was eligible to return after serving a three-game suspension, but he was scratched. . . . The Americans remain without D Juuso Valimaki, F Michael Rasmussen, D Roman Kalinichenko and F Kyle Olson, all of whom are injured. . . . Announced attendance: 2,428.


THURSDAY (all times local):

No Games Scheduled.


FRIDAY (all times local):

Moose Jaw at Regina, 7 p.m.

Kamloops at Calgary 7 p.m.

Prince Albert at Red Deer, 7 p.m.

Edmonton vs. Kootenay, at Cranbrook, B.C., 7 p.m.

Swift Current at Portland, 7 p.m.

Lethbridge at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Brandon vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

Victoria vs. Vancouver, at Langley, B.C., 7:30 p.m.

Kelowna vs. Seattle, at Kent, Wash., 7:35 p.m.

A Punch for Team Canada? . . . Hitmen welcome Nielsen back . . . Flodell stones Blazers . . . Neuls leads Thunderbirds

A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

Could Ernie (Punch) McLean help out as an assistant coach with Team Canada at the 2019 World Junior Championship that is to be shared between Victoria and Vancouver?

Hey, why not?

McLean told Rick Dhaliwal of NEWS 1130 and Sportsnet 650 in Vancouver that, according to Dhaliwal, he “is planning to apply . . . because it is being held in Vancouver.”

“The worse thing they can say is no,” McLean told Dhaliwal. “I want to help these kids.”

McLean has WJC experience, having been Team Canada’s coach in 1978 (Montreal) and 1979 (Sweden). Canada wound up third in Montreal and fifth in Sweden.

McLean, 85, is the fifth-winningest coach in WHL regular-season, having run the Esteven Bruins and New Westminster Bruins.


D Kade Jensen of the Victoria Royals will sit for four games after taking a cross-checking whlmajor and game misconduct at the end of a 5-4 victory over the visiting Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night. Jensen hit Kamloops D Luke Zazula during the play in question. . . . On Dec. 10, Jensen drew a three-game suspension after taking a kneeing major and game misconduct during a game with the host Prince George Cougars. . . . He also drew one- and two-game suspensions in 2015-16. . . . Jensen will miss tonight’s game in Portland and also will sit out games against host Vancouver (Friday and Jan. 26) and in Kelowna on Saturday. . . . The Royals are third in the B.C. Division, three points behind Kelowna and two behind Vancouver.


If you would like to contact Taking Note with information, have a question or just feel like commenting on something, feel free to send an email to greggdrinnan@gmail.com. I’m also on Twitter (@gdrinnan).


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Scoreboard

TUESDAY:

At Calgary, F Tristen Nielsen returned from a 20-game absence to help the Hitmen to a 6-5 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . Calgary (14-25-6) had lost its previous four Calgarygames. The Hitmen are fourth in the Central Division, seven points behind Kootenay. . . . Saskatoon (22-21-3) has lost two in a row and holds down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot. . . . Nielsen, who was out with a wrist injury, had a goal and an assist. He also came up short on a second-period penalty shot. . . . F Braylon Shmyr gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, on a PP, at 3:34 of the first period. . . . F Riley Stotts (11) got Calgary into a tie, at 13:16. . . . The Blades went back out front when F Brandon Machado scored his first WHL goal, at 3:28 of the second period. . . . Calgary took a 3-2 lead on second-period goals from F Jakob Stukel (21), at 4:08, and Nielsen (8), at 11:26. . . . Shmyr (24) got Saskatoon back into a tie, on a PP, at 15:49. . . . Calgary took control with the next three goals. . . . D Vladislav Yeryomenko (10) counted, on a PP, at 17:38 of the second. F Hunter Campbell (4) added a goal at 9:20 of the third period, and F Jake Kryski (10) made it 6-3 at 10:02. . . . Saskatoon made it interesting when F Chase Wouters (12) scored, on a PP, at 13:21, and F Max Gerlach got his 20th goal, at 16:53. . . . Kryski and Stotts each had two assists for Calgary, with Stukel adding one. . . . The Blades got three assists from D Jackson Caller, two from Wouters, and one from Shmyr. . . . Saskatoon was 3-5 on the PP; Calgary was 1-4. . . . Calgary got 22 stops from G Nick Schneider. At the other end, Nolan Maier made 23 saves. . . . F Mark Kastelic was among Calgary’s scratches, while Saskatoon scratched D Mark Rubinchik. Both have undisclosed injuries. . . . All told, the two teams combined to scratch nine injured players. . . . Announced attendance: 4,868.


At Kamloops, G Logan Flodell stopped 37 shots to lead the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 4-2 victory over the Blazers. . . . Lethbridge (21-19-3) has won four in a row. It is second in Lethbridgethe Central Division, seven points behind Medicine Hat. . . . Kamloops (18-23-3) has lost three in a row and is eight points out of a playoff spot. . . . Lethbridge got out to a 3-0 lead on goals from F Taylor Ross (13), at 1:23 of the first period, F Brad Morrison (15), at 17:45, and F Zane Franklin, at 12:36 of the second period. . . . Morrison’s goal was the 100th of his career. . . . Kamloops got close on two third-period goals from F Jermaine Loewen, at 12:06 and 9:21, the latter on a PP. . . . Loewen has 20 goals in 38 games this season. He went into the season with 14 goals in 170 games. He also has five goals over his past three games. . . . Franklin put it away with his second goal of the game, and 13th of the season, into an empty net at 18:38. . . . Franklin added an assist to his two goals, with Morrison adding two assists to his one score. . . . Lethbridge also got two assists from F Jordy Bellerive. . . . Kamloops was 1-4 on the PP; Lethbridge was 0-2. . . . Flodell’s evening included one particular 10-bell save in the third period, when he got across and caught a puck with his blocker hand, taking what appeared to be a sure goal away from F Quinn Benjafield. . . . The Blazers got 24 saves from G Dylan Ferguson. . . . Announced attendance: 3,472.


At Prince George, F Donovan Neuls scored twice to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-2 victory over the Cougars. . . . Seattle (21-16-6) had lost its previous three games (0-2-1). It Seattlenow holds down the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot, one point ahead of Spokane. . . . Add a victory to the above tweet that was posted before the game. . . . Prince George (17-21-7) is fourth in the B.C. Division, six points out of a playoff spot. . . . F Max Kryski (4) gave the home side a 1-0 lead at 7:08 of the first period. . . . Seattle took control by scoring the next four goals. . . . F Donovan Neuls tied it at 8:37, with F Nolan Volcan (19) giving Seattle the lead at 19:29. . . . D Austin Strand (15) added insurance at 8:26 of the second period and Neuls (16) scored at 9:00. . . . F Jackson Leppard (11) got Prince George’s other goal, on a PP, at 18:30. . . . F Blake Bargar (8) got Seattle’s last goal, into an empty net, at 18:54. . . . Strand added an assist to his goal. . . . Volcan’s goal has him with 45 points in 43 games, one more than he had in 64 games last season. . . . Prince George was 1-4 on the PP; Seattle was 0-3. . . . G Dorrin Luding, who is from Prince George, earned the victory, with 28 saves. . . . The Cougars got 29 saves from G Tavin Grant. . . . With G Liam Hughes out with an undisclosed injury, Seattle brought in Cole Schwebius, 16, to back up Luding. From Kelowna, Schwebius plays for the major midget Okanagan Rockets. Seattle selected him in the 10th round of the 2016 bantam draft. . . . Before the game, the Cougars added F Edge Lambert, 16, to their roster. He was a seventh-round selection in the 2016 bantam draft. This season, he has 13 goals and 13 assists in 28 games with his hometown midget AAA Grande Prairie Storm. . . . Lambert didn’t play last night, but is expected to be in the lineup in tonight’s rematch. . . . Announced attendance: 2,474.


WEDNESDAY (all times local):

Regina at Prince Albert, 7 p.m.

Kootenay at Medicine Hat, 7 p.m.

Victoria at Portland, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Prince George, 7 p.m.

Lethbridge at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m.

Brandon at Spokane, 7:05 p.m.

Swift Current vs. Tri-City, at Kennewick, Wash., 7:05 p.m.

The numbers are in: Since Nov. 13 … 58 trades … 110 players … 77 bantam draft picks … 12 conditional picks

WHEELING AND DEALING …

NUMBER OF TRADES (since Nov. 13): 58

PLAYERS: 110

BANTAM DRAFT PICKS: 77

CONDITONAL BANTAM DRAFT PICKS: 12

THE DEADLINE: It came and went on Wednesday, Jan. 10.


Why did I start counting on Nov. 13? Because that’s the day when the trading season got serious; that is the day when the Regina Pats, the host team for the 2018 Memorial Cup, went out and got D Cale Fleury from the Kootenay Ice.


THE DEAL: The Portland Winterhawks acquired D Dennis Cholowski, 19, and G Ty Taylor, 18, from the Prince George Cougars for F Ilijah Colina, 17, F Connor Bowie, 16, Portlandfirst- and third-round picks in the 2020 WHL bantam draft, and second-rounders in 2018 and 2019.

THE NUMBERS: The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Cholowski, in his first WHL season, had 13 goals and 26 assists in 37 games with the Cougars. Among WHL defencemen, he is second in goals and sixth in points. . . . The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Taylor is 16-3-3, 1.90, .929 in 22 games with the BCHL’s Vernon Vipers. Last season, also with Vernon, he was 13-12-2, 2.96, .908. . . . Colina had four goals and 23 assists in 83 career games with Portland. This season, he had three goals and 12 assists in 37 games. . . . Bowie, 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, is playing for the NEBC Yukon Trackers in the Northern Alberta Midget AA Hockey League, where he has 20 goals and 15 assists in 18 games. He had a goal and four assists with Portland in the exhibition season.

THE INFO: Cholowski was the Cougars’ captain. From Langley, B.C., Cholowski was a first-round pick, 20th overall, by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL’s 2016 draft. He has PrinceGeorgesigned with the Red Wings. The Cougars selected him in the 10th round of the 2013 bantam draft. . . . The Winterhawks selected Taylor’s brother Trey in the ninth-round of the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. Neither Taylor has signed a WHL contract. . . . Colina, from Delta, B.C., was an eighth-round pick by Portland in the 2015 bantam draft. . . . Bowie, from Fort St. John, B.C., was a seventh-round pick by Portland in the 2016 bantam draft.

WHY: Cholowski, one of the WHL’s top defencemen, should be a perfect fit with the Winterhawks. As GM/head coach Mike Johnston put it in a news conference: “It’s always been our philosophy to have transitional defencemen on our back end and he fits in perfectly with out style of play.” . . . The Cougars, reloading after going all-in last season, have added a roster forward, a prospect and draft picks to the cupboard.


THE DEAL: The Moose Jaw Warriors acquired D Kale Clague, 19, from the Brandon Wheat Kings for F Luka Burzan, who turned 18 on Jan. 7, D Chase Hartje, who turned 18 MooseJawWarriorson Dec. 17, first-round selections in the WHL’s 2019 and 2021 bantam drafts, and a second-round pick in 2018.

THE NUMBERS: Clague, 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, had 10 goals and 37 assists in 28 games with Brandon this season. His 47 points have him second among WHL defencemen. In 169 career games, he has 25 goals and 118 assists. In 40 playoff games, he has eight goals and 13 assists. He was part of Brandon’s 2015-16 championship roster. . . . Burzan, 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, has six goals and 13 assists in 42 games this season. Last season, as a freshman, he had 14 goals and 13 assists in 27 games. . . . The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Hartje had four goals and 21 assists in 25 games with Bemidji, Minn., High School last season. He had 17 assists in 31 games with the Warriors.

THE INFO: Clague, from Lloydminster, Alta., is fresh of winning a gold medal with Team BrandonWKregularCanada at the WJC in Buffalo; he won silver with Team Canada at the previous year. The Wheat Kings selected him in the first round, sixth overall, of the 2013 bantam draft. Clague was picked by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the NHL’s 2016 draft and he has signed with them. . . . Moose Jaw selected Burzan, who is from Surrey, B.C., with the sixth overall pick of the 2015 bantam draft. In his draft season, he had 80 goals and 51 assists in 62 games with a bantam A1-T1 team at the North Shore Winter Club. . . . Hartje was listed by the Warriors. Last season, he also played in 16 games with Great Plains of a U.S. high school league and had two goals and four assists in nine games with the NAHL’s Bismarck Bobcats.

WHY: The Wheat Kings, third in the overall standings and third in the East Division, behind Moose Jaw and Swift Current, who were buying, decided the prices were too high so they sold. This deal, and the one below with Victoria, has allowed Brandon to feel positive about its future. . . . The Warriors, meanwhile, add one of the WHL’s top defencemen, something that allows it to keep pace with Swift Current and Regina, at least on paper.


THE DEAL: The Victoria Royals acquired F Tanner Kaspick, 19, and F Cameron MacDonald, 15, from the Brandon Wheat Kings for D Jonathon Lambos, who will turn 17 on Jan. 14, F Ty Thorpe, who will turn 16 on Jan. 27, and first-round picks in the WHL’s 2019 and 2021 bantam drafts.

THE NUMBERS: Kaspick had 11 goals and 25 assists in 35 games with the Wheat Kings VictoriaRoyalsthis season. Last season, he had 19 goals and 26 assists in 49 games with his hometown team. In 191 career games, he has 45 goals and 86 assists. . . . MacDonald has 22 goals and 14 assists in 20 games with the West Valley Hawks of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League. The 5-foot-8, 160-pounder also has two assists in four games with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings. . . .

Lambos, 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, has two goals and 12 assists in 21 games with the Rink Hockey Academy’s prep team in Winnipeg. He played last season in the Omaha Lancers organization. . . . Thorpe has seven goals and eight assists in 18 games with the Rink Hockey Academy Prep team.

THE INFO: Kaspick was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round of the NHL’s 2016 draft and he has signed with them. The Wheat Kings picked him in the second round of the WHL’s 2013 bantam draft. He was part of the Brandon team that won the 2016 WHL title. . . . MacDonald, who is from Surrey, B.C., was picked by Brandon in the fifth round of the 2017 bantam draft. He has yet to sign a WHL contract. . . . Lambos, from Winnipeg, was a third-round pick by Victoria in the 2016 bantam draft. He hasn’t yet signed a WHL deal. . . . The 5-foot-11, 145-pound Thorpe, from Brandon, was a third-round pick by Victoria in the 2017 bantam draft. He also hasn’t yet signed a WHL contract.

WHY: As Royals president and GM Cam Hope said in a news release: “There are very few opportunities to acquire a player with Tanner’s skill, character and experience.” Kaspick will fit nicely into Victoria’s top six forwards. . . . Hope and Brandon GM Grant Armstrong also moved three prospects; keep in mind that Armstrong worked with the Royals before signing with Brandon prior to 2016-17. Armstrong also got two more first-round draft picks for his scouts to drool over, at least for now.


THE DEAL: The Lethbridge Hurricanes acquired F Keltie Jeri-Leon, 17, from the LethbridgeKamloops Blazers for a seventh-round pick in the WHL’s 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Jeri-Leon had a goal and two assists in 21 games with the Blazers. Last season, he had two goals and an assist in 46 games with Tri-City. He was pointless in two games there this season.

THE INFO: The Blazers acquired Jeri-Leon, who is from West Kelowna, B.C., from the Tri-City Americans on Oct. 8 for a seventh-round bantam pick in 2018. . . . He turns 18 on Jan. 19. . . . The Americans selected him in the fifth round of the 2015 bantam draft.

WHY: Kamloops gets a draft pick for a player they acquired but was having trouble getting into their lineup. . . . Lethbridge adds a depth forward.


THE DEAL: The Everett Silvertips acquired F Spencer Gerth, 19, from the Victoria Royals Everettfor a seventh-round selection in the 2019 WHL bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: This season, Gerth, an undrafted list player, had three goals and three assists in 43 games with the Royals. In 156 games split between Victoria and, yes, Everett, he has five goals and five assists.

THE INFO: Gerth, from Langley, is 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. The Royals acquired him from Everett on Nov. 22, 2016, for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft.

WHY: Gerth is an energy guy and that’s what the Silvertips wanted.


THE DEAL: The Everett Silvertips acquired F Bronson Sharp, who turned 18 on Dec. 29, from the Portland Winterhawks for a fifth-round pick in the WHL’s 2020 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Sharp had two goals and one assist in 38 games with Portland this season. In 84 career games, all with Portland, he has two goals and three assists. . . . He had 16 goals and 21 assists in 22 games with the Yale Hockey Academy prep team in the CSSHL in 2015-16.

THE INFO: From Mission, B.C., the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Sharp was listed by Portland.

WHY: Sharp will add more depth to Everett’s forward ranks.


THE DEAL: The Lethbridge Hurricanes acquired the WHL rights to F Michael Horon, 16, from the Everett Silvertips for a sixth-round selection in the WHL’s 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Horon has nine goals and 13 assists in 24 games with the midget AAA Lethbridge Hurricanes. . . . Last season, he had 77 points, including 38 goals, in 37 games with the minor midget Hurricanes.

THE INFO: From Lethbridge, Horon was a ninth-round pick by Everett in the 2016 bantam draft.

WHY: The Hurricanes have the opportunity to recruit a hometown lad into their organization.


THE DEAL: The Seattle Thunderbirds acquired F Jaxan Kaluski, 18, from the Moose Jaw SeattleWarriors for a sixth-round selection in the WHL’s 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Kaluski had two goals and an assist in 22 games with the Warriors this season. He had one assist in 16 games last season.

THE INFO: Kaluski, from Lloydminster, Alta., was listed by the Warriors. He was limited to 16 games by a fractured ankle that required surgery.

WHY: Kaluski adds depth and energy to Seattle’s roster.


THE DEAL: The Regina Pats acquired D Aaron Hyman, 19, from the Seattle Thunderbirds ReginaPats100for F Owen Williams, 17, and a second-round pick in the WHL’s 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Hyman had a goal and six assists in 26 games with Seattle. Last season, he had a goal and six assists in 20 playoff games. . . . The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Williams, a freshman, had one goal and six assists in 26 games with the Pats.

THE INFO: If he stays healthy, Hyman will get a chance to play in a second straight Memorial Cup tournament. He was on Seattle’s championship team last season. From Calgary, Hyman was selected by the Hitmen in the third round of the 2013 bantam draft. They traded him to Seattle on Dec. 27, 2016, for a third-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft. . . . Williams, from Delta, B.C., was picked by Regina in the ninth round of the 2015 bantam draft.

WHY: The Pats wanted size and they got it in Hyman, who is 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds. He’ll play hard in his zone. . . . The Thunderbirds move him for a defenceman with some upside and an early draft pick.


THE DEAL: The Regina Pats acquired D Brady Pouteau, who turned 20 on Tuesday, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a seventh-round pick in the WHL’s 2018 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Poteau had a goal and 10 assists in 31 games with Lethbridge this season. In 122 career games, the first 61 with Regina, he has four goals and 26 assists.

THE INFO: Poteau, from Oak Bluff, Man., was selected by the Pats in the fourth round of the 2013 bantam draft. They traded him to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Jan. 5, 2017 for a seventh-round pick in the 2018 bantam draft.

WHY: The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Poteau brings more size and experience to Regina’s back end.


THE END

Tuesday’s WHL deals: If Broncos weren’t all-in before, they are now . . . Hurricanes land Barlage . . . Three other deals, too

WHEELING AND DEALING …

NUMBER OF TRADES (since Nov. 13): 41

PLAYERS: 78

BANTAM DRAFT PICKS: 49

CONDITONAL BANTAM DRAFT PICKS: 8

THE DEADLINE: Wednesday, Jan. 10 (2 p.m. PT, 3 p.m. MT, 4 p.m. CT)


THE DEAL: The Swift Current Broncos acquired F Giorgio Estephan, 20, F Tanner Nagel, 19, and G Stuart Skinner, 19, from the Swift Current Broncos for F Logan Barlage, 16, F Owen Blocker, 17, D Matthew Stanley, 19, G Logan Flodell, 20, first- and third-round selections in the 2020 WHL bantam draft and a conditional second-round pick in 2021.

THE NUMBERS: Estephan, the Hurricanes’ captain, put up 297 points, including 119 SCBroncosgoals, in 297 regular-season games with Lethbridge. This season, he had 58 points, including 18 goals, in 39 games. . . . Estephan is fifth on the Hurricanes’ career list for games played (297), tied for seventh in points (297), nine in goals (119) and fourth in assists (178). . . . Last season, he finished with 35 goals and 54 assists in 68 games, then added 11 goals and 13 helpers in 18 playoff games. . . . Nagel was acquired from the Portland Winterhawks on Sept. 16, 2016. He has played 107 games with Lethbridge, recording 13 goals and 11 assists. This season, Nagel has three goals and five assists in 35 games. . . . Skinner made 182 appearances with the Hurricanes, going 88-66-13, 3.30, .907. He is first in franchise history in four career categories — games played (182), minutes played (9,885), saves (5,318) and victories (88). . . .

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Barlage has one goal and six assists in 37 games with the Broncos this season. Last season, he had 37 goals and 39 assists in 44 games with the midget AAA Prince Albert Mintos. In 2015-16, his draft season, Barlage put up 60 goals and 65 assists in 30 games with the bantam AA Humboldt Broncos. . . . Blocker, 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, has one goal in 27 games this season. In 71 career games, he has one goal and one assist. . . . In 40 games this season, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound. . . . This season, Stanley has four assists in 40 games. In 91 career games, he has five assists. . . . Flodell made 35 appearances with the Broncos this season, going 24-8-3, 3.07, .913 with three shutouts. The Broncos acquired him from the Saskatoon Blades earlier in the season.

THE INFO: The Broncos now have five first-round selections from the 2013 bantam draft Lethbridgeon their roster — D Josh Anderson (Prince George), F Tyler Steenbergen (their own pick), Skinner, F Beck Malenstyn (Calgary) and F Kaden Elder (Seattle). However, the Broncos have traded away all of their first-rounders from 2014 through 2020 — D Dominic Schmiemann, 2014 (Calgary), F Riley Stotts, 2015 (Calgary), Barlage, and D Joel Sexsmith, 2017 (Vancouver). . . . The Broncos did get a 2019 first-round pick from Vancouver for the rights to Sexsmith. . . . Estephan, from Edmonton, was the fourth-overall selection in the 2012 bantam draft. He was a sixth-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL’s 2015 draft, but was never signed. . . . Nagel, who turns 20 on Jan. 27, is from Mossbank, Sask., but pretty much grew up in Swift Current. He was an alternate captain with the Hurricanes. . . . Lethbridge selected Skinner in the first round of the 2013 bantam draft. The Edmonton Oilers picked him in the third round of the NHL’s 2017 draft. He has yet to sign a pro contract. . . .

The Broncos selected Barlage, who is from Humboldt, Sask., with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 bantam draft. He will turn 17 on Friday and is eligible for the NHL’s 2019 draft. . . . In 2013-14, with a peewee AA team in Humboldt, Barlage had 274 points, including 175 goals, in 56 games. . . . From Oakbank, Man., Blocker was selected by the Broncos in the second round of the 2015 bantam draft. . . . The Broncos picked Stanley in the 12th round of the 2013 bantam draft. He’s from Balmoral, Man. . . . Flodell, from Regina, was a third-round pick by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2012 bantam draft. Last season, with Saskatoon, he was an Eastern Conference second-team all-star.

WHY: Swift Current’s braintrust apparently felt it was one rung below Moose Jaw — at the time of the deal, the Warriors led the overall standings by eight points over the Broncos — and chose to try and do something about it. So the Broncos struck in a big way, but the price was steep. You have to think they know that’s the way it would be when Manny Viveiros, their director of hockey operations and head coach, first inquired about getting both Estephan and Skinner. . . . At the same time, the Hurricanes were eager to get their hands on Barlage. As Lethbridge GM Peter Anholt said in a news release: “To be able to get Barlage in the trade was the key to this move. He’s a big, young guy who has a lot of potential and we think he will be a real good player who will be an important piece to us now and (in the) future.”


THE DEAL: The Swift Current Broncos acquired F Andrew Fyten, 19, from the Calgary Hitmen for the rights to D Ethan Martini, 17, or a conditional third-round selection in the 2020 WHL bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Fyten had six goals and 10 assists in 40 games with the Hitmen this Calgaryseason. In 155 career games, all with Calgary, the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has 14 goals and 21 assists. . . . Martini is in his second BCHL season with his hometown Trail Smoke Eaters after playing at the Edge School in Calgary. He has six assists in 40 games this season. Last season, he had a goal and four assists in 58 games.

THE INFO: From Sundre, Alta., Fyten was a fifth-round pick by the Everett Silvertips in the 2013 bantam draft. He was dealt to Calgary on May 8, 2015, for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2016 bantam draft. . . . The Broncos selected Martini in the third round of the WHL’s 2015 bantam draft. Under the terms of the deal, if he doesn’t sign with Calgary, the Hitmen will get that third-round pick in the 2020 bantam draft.

WHY: The Broncos added some depth and some grit to their forward group, while the Hitmen get to take a shot at recruiting Martini, who has been a pretty solid junior A defender.


THE DEAL: The Medicine Hat Tigers acquired F Elijah Brown, who turned 18 on Jan. 5, from the Seattle Thunderbirds for a second-round pick in the 2018 WHL bantam draft Tigers Logo Officialand a conditional third-round pick in 2019.

THE NUMBERS: Brown had six goals and 14 assists in 80 games with Seattle. He had a goal and an assist in two games in 2015-16 and four goals and nine assists in 64 games last season. This season, he had a goal and four assists in 14 games when he chose to go home.

THE INFO: The Thunderbirds selected Brown, who is from Edmonton, in the first round of the 2015 bantam draft. . . . He had been on Seattle’s suspended list since Nov. 1 when he chose to leave the club due to what he felt was a lack of playing time. . . . Medicine Hat assistant coach Bobby Fox and Brown were together on Team Alberta at the Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup in 2015.

WHY: The Tigers get to add a former first-rounder who has some upside to their roster, while the Thunderbirds get a couple of assets for someone who didn’t fit with them.


THE DEAL: The Prince George Cougars acquired D Cameron MacPhee, 18, from the PrinceGeorgeMedicine Hat Tigers for a seventh-round pick in the 2018 WHL bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder, who is from Edmonton, had one goal in 20 games with the Tigers this season. Last season, he had one assist in 16 games.

THE INFO: The Tigers had dropped MacPhee from their roster in November, saying that he had gone home to deal with a personal matter.

WHY: The Cougars didn’t pay a whole lot to get a half-season look at someone who could spend the next two seasons with them. . . . The Tigers add a draft pick for a player who wasn’t coming back to them.

Monday’s WHL deals: Pats, Blades make big trade . . . Ice adds, subtracts goaltender . . . Portland acquires some muscle . . . Kelowna rolls dice

WHEELING AND DEALING …

NUMBER OF TRADES (since Nov. 13): 37

PLAYERS: 67

BANTAM DRAFT PICKS: 45

CONDITONAL BANTAM DRAFT PICKS: 5

THE DEADLINE: Wednesday, Jan. 10 (2 p.m. PT, 3 p.m. MT, 4 p.m. CT)


THE DEAL: The Regina Pats acquire D Libor Hajek, 19, from the Saskatoon Blades for D Dawson Davidson, 19, F Tristen Robins, 16, and a first-round pick in the 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Interestingly, the Blades and Pats are tied for the Eastern Conference’s ReginaPats100two wild-card spots. They are 10 points behind third-place Brandon in the East Division and seven points ahead of Prince Albert in the wild-card chase. . . . The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Hajek has eight goals and 17 assists in 33 games with the Blades this season. In 167 games, all with the Blades, he has 15 goals and 62 assists. . . . Davidson, 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, has nine goals and 28 assists in 83 games with Regina after being acquired from the Kamloops Blazers. In 207 career WHL games, he has 100 points, including 21 goals. This season, he has seven goals and 20 assists in 43 games. . . . Robins plays at the Rink Hockey Academy in Winnipeg, where he has 10 goals and 12 assists in 17 games for the midget prep team in the CSSHL.

THE INFO: The Pats and Blades next play each other on Jan. 20 in Saskatoon. . . . Hajek, an alternate captain with the Blades, played well for his native Czech Republic in the SaskatoonWorld Junior Championship in Buffalo. He had a goal and seven assists in seven games as the Czechs placed fourth. He was a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL’s 2016 draft and has signed an NHL contract. . . . The Pats acquired Davidson, who is from Moosomin, Sask., from the Kamloops Blazers on Dec. 27, 2016. Kamloops had picked him in the third round of the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Robins is the son of former WHL G Trevor Robins, who played three seasons (1989-92) with the Blades and one (1992-93) with Brandon. Tristen was a fourth-round pick by the Pats in the 2016 bantam draft. . . . The acquisition of Hajek left Regina with three imports, one over the limit, so it placed Russian D Egor Zamula, 17, on waivers. He has seven assists in 38 games as a freshman. . . . Finnish F Emil Oksanen, 19, is Regina’s other import.

WHY: The Pats are of the opinion that they needed another top-end defenceman, even after acquiring Cale Fleury from the Kootenay Ice on Nov. 13. They are hoping Hajek fills that role. . . . The Blades add a solid defenceman who may return as a 20-year-old and a prospect who scored 51 goals in bantam AAA last season in Winnipeg. Saskatoon also gets a first-round draft pick in 2019, the draft that follows the Pats’ Memorial Cup-hosting season. As Blades GM Colin Priestner put it in a news release: “If history is an indicator, Regina’s first-round pick next year has a serious chance of being a lottery pick as Memorial Cup host teams often go through a tough phase. So to have that first pick next year . . . we feel that gives us a good chance at selecting a star player.”


THE DEAL: The Kootenay Ice acquired G Matt Berlin, 19, from the Seattle Thunderbirds for a fifth-round selection in the 2018 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: Berlin made 24 appearances with the Thunderbirds this season, going Kootenaynew12-7-3, 3.40, .893, with one shutout. . . . Last season, Berlin was 7-2-2, 2.82, .902 in helping the Thunderbirds to the WHL championship. . . . In 44 career appearances, seven with Spokane and 37 with Seattle, Berlin is 20-10-7, 3.33, .891.

THE INFO: Berlin joins Duncan McGovern, 17, as the Ice’s goaltenders. . . . Berlin was a seventh-round pick by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . Seattle is left with three goaltenders on its roster, in Liam Hughes, 18, who has made four straight starts, Dorrin Luding, 18, and Carl Stankowski, 17. However, Stankowski has yet to play this season due to hip problems. . . . The Thunderbirds had been without a fifth-round pick, having dealt their 2018 and 2019 fifth-rounders to the Ice for F Noah Philp on Sept. 11.

WHY: Seattle is able to get a draft pick for a player who likely wouldn’t be on its roster next season. . . . The Ice, meanwhile, continues its search for a goaltender. Since May 24, Ice general manager Matt Cockell has traded for five goaltenders — Mario Petit (Everett), Bailey Brkin (Swift Current), Kurtis Chapman (Regina), McGovern (Medicine Hat) and Berlin.


THE DEAL: The Spokane Chiefs acquired G Bailey Brkin, 18, from the Kootenay Ice for an eight-round selection in the WHL’s 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: In 23 appearances with the Ice, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Brkin, a SpokaneChiefsfreshman, was 7-12-2, 4.51, .874.

THE INFO: The native of Sherwood Park, Alta., played last season with the AJHL’s Calgary Mustangs (45 games, 5.19, .890). . . . He won’t be joining the Chiefs, at least not right away; instead, he will play for the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. . . . Brkin was a list player with the Swift Current Broncos, who dealt him to Kootenay earlier this season.

WHY: With Brkin having some WHL experience, the Chiefs added some depth to the organization’s goaltending. They also have Dawson Weatherill (12-9-3, 3.23, .888) and Donovan Buskey (8-6-0, 3.51, .874) on their roster. On Monday, they brought back Arnold Campbell, 15, and he is expected to be in Kamloops on Tuesday when the Chiefs meet the Blazers. Arnold was a second-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. Arnold, from Nanaimo, B.C., plays at the Yale Hockey Academy in Abbotsford, B.C. . . . You are free to specualte if Weatherill or Buskey is injured, or if another move is in the works.


THE DEAL: The Portland Winterhawks acquired F Lukus MacKenzie, 18, from the Red Deer Rebels for a sixth-round pick in the WHL’s 2020 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: This season, in 30 games — 13 with the Saskatoon Blades and 17 with PortlandRed Deer — the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder has eight assists. In 138 career games, he has eight goals and 20 assists.

THE INFO: The Rebels dropped the Calgarian from their roster on Thursday and he joined the AJHL’s Okotoks Oilers. He was pointless in one game with the Oilers. . . . Saskatoon selected him in the third round of the 2014 bantam draft.

WHY: The Winterhawks obviously wanted to add some toughness to their lineup because MacKenzie was one of the Eastern Conference’s toughest players when he was on a roster. . . . He has 163 penalty minutes in his WHL career, but don’t forget that the WHL chooses not to include some penalties, such as misconducts and game misconducts, in its penalty totals.


THE DEAL: The Vancouver Giants acquired D Brennan Riddle, 20, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for F Brad Morrison, who turned 21 on Jan. 4.

THE NUMBERS: Riddle has a goal and five assists in 37 games this season. In 216 career Lethbridgegames, he has five goals and 29 assists. . . . This season, Morrison has 11 goals and 24 assists in 42 games with the Giants. In 302 career regular-season games, split between Vancouver and the Prince George Cougars, he has 96 goals and 127 assists.

THE INFO: Lethbridge acquired Riddle, who is from Balgonie, Sask., from the Prince Albert Raiders early last season. This season, Riddle was an alternate captain in Lethbridge. The Calgary Hitmen selected him in the first round of the 2012 bantam draft. VancouverHe never played for the Hitmen, who dealt him to Lethbridge on Jan. 7, 2014. . . . Morrison was selected by the Prince George Cougars with the seventh overall pick in the 2012 bantam draft. He is from Prince George. The Giants acquired him from the Cougars on June 2. The New York Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the NHL’s 2015 draft, but he was never signed. Prior to this NHL season, he was in the Calgary Flames’ rookie camp.

WHY: It isn’t often that WHL teams are involved in a straight-up swap of two 20-year-olds, but that’s the case here. After three seasons out of the playoffs, Vancouver finds itself in contention for top spot in the Western Conference and wants to tighten up defensively. . . . The Hurricanes want more offence and should get that from Morrison and linemates. Morrison is a tremendous playmaker.


THE DEAL: The Calgary Hitmen acquired G Nick Sanders, 19, from the Prince Albert Raiders for a sixth-round pick in the 2019 bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: The 6-foot-2 Sanders was 8-13-5, 3.91, .888 in 38 appearances over two Calgaryseasons with the Raiders. He got into four games with the Raiders this season (0-1-1, 4.89, .854) before being dropped from their roster. He has been with the AJHL’s Lloydminster Bobcats (6-5-2, 2.95, .915). . . . In 67 career games, split between the Raiders and Tri-City Americans, he is 19-22-6, 3.61, .890.

THE INFO: The Raiders acquired Sanders, who is from Calgary, from Tri-City on Oct. 13, 2016. . . . Bothered by hip issues, Sanders had offseason surgery and was late starting training camp with the Raiders. . . . He was selected by the Americans in the sixth round of the 2013 bantam draft.

WHY: The Hitmen have started a major rebuilding program, so are looking for competition at all positions. They are hoping Sanders can provide that among the goaltenders this season, and then compete for a 20-year-old spot prior to next season. . . . Also on the Calgary roster are Nick Schneider, 20, and Matthew Armitage, 18. Schneider is the starter, at 13-16-6, 3.51, .888. Armitage, a freshman, is 0-6-0, 3.70, .878.


THE DEAL: The Kelowna Rockets acquired F Ryan Bowen, 19, from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for an eight-round selection in the 2019 WHL bantam draft.

THE NUMBERS: This season, Bowen had one goal and five assists in 13 games with the KelownaRocketsHurricanes. In 143 career games, between the Moose Jaw Warriors and Lethbridge, he has 21 goals and 36 assists.

THE INFO: Bowen was on Lethbridge’s suspended list after refusing an earlier trade to an unnamed team. From Chilliwack, he now is with the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs, although he has yet to play a game with them. . . . Bowen was a fifth-round pick by Moose Jaw in the 2013 bantam draft. . . . His younger brother, Ethan, a forward, was a second-round pick by Kelowna in the 2017 bantam draft. He hasn’t signed with the Rockets, choosing instead to commit to the U of North Dakota for 2020-21.

WHY: The Rockets rolled the dice, giving up a late draft pick in the hopes that they will be able to convince Ryan to join them. Of course, should that happen, it might allow them to get a foot in the door in terms of trying to get Ethan signed. . . . “We’re working to see if we can get (Ryan) here, but it looks like he may play junior A this (season),” Bruce Hamilton, the Rockets’ president and GM, said in a news release. “But he’s a prospect that we will certainly have as an affiliate player and we’ll try to get him in eventually.”

Americans’ Valimaki on shelf . . . Winning debut for McDonald in P.A. . . . No stopping Blades or Giants

MacBeth

F Chase Witala (Prince George, 2010-16) has signed a contract for the rest of this season with Žilina (Slovakia, Extraliga). This season, he had three goals and seven assists with the Atlanta Gladiators (ECHL), and was pointless in five games with the Norfolk Admirals (ECHL).


A LITTLE OF THIS . . .

The Tri-City Americans, already without F Michael Rasmussen for up to eight weeks, are going to have to play without D Juuso Valimaki for the next while.

Valimaki has been with the Finnish national junior team at the World Junior TriCity30Championship in Buffalo.

The 19-year-old Valimaki is in his third season with the Americans. The Calgary Flames selected him in the first round of the NHL’s 2017 draft.

Wes Gilbertson, who covers the Flames for Postmedia, tweeted Saturday evening that Valimaki “was playing through injury” at the WJC.

Valimaki went from Buffalo to Calgary where he was examined by the Flames’ medical staff. According to Gilbertson, any injury isn’t major, but is enough to keep Valimaki on the shelf for “likely . . . a couple of weeks.”

Valimaki has five goals and 15 assists in 19 games with Tri-City, but missed five games between Nov. 18 and Dec. 8 with an undisclosed injury. He returned to play three games and then left to join Finland’s national junior team.

Of course, when Valimaki does return, he will get to skate with D Jake Bean, one of the WHL’s top players, who was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen last night.

Rasmussen, meanwhile, had surgery before Christmas to repair a damaged wrist. A first-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL’s 2017 draft, he has 31 points, including 16 goals, in 22 games this season. However, he didn’t play between Nov. 18 and Dec. 2, then came back to play five games. He last played on Dec. 16.


The Prince Albert Raiders got down to three 20-year-olds on Saturday by releasing F Devon Skoleski. The move became necessary after the Raiders acquired F Regan Nagy, 20, from the Victoria Royals earlier in the week. . . . From St. Adolphe, Man., Skoleski had eight goals and nine assists in 38 games this season, his third in the WHL. He played the previous two seasons with the Everett Silvertips. In 169 regular-season games, he has 31 goals and 39 assists. . . . The move leaves the Raiders with Nagy, F Curtis Miske and F Jordy Stallard as their 20-year-old players.


The Kootenay Ice has signed D Benjamin Zloty, who was a sixth-round selection in the WHL’s 2017 bantam draft. From Calgary, he has three goals and six assists in 11 games with the midget AAA Calgary Royals this season. . . . The Ice now has signed seven of the 10 players it selected in the 2017 bantam draft.


Scoreboard

SATURDAY:

At Prince Albert, F Kody McDonald, acquired in a trade earlier in the day, scored in OT to give the Raiders a 2-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels. . . . The Raiders (15-17-8) have PrinceAlbertpoints in three straight (2-0-1). They now are five points out of a wild-card playoff spot. . . . The Rebels (10-21-9) have lost seven straight (0-3-4). . . . The Raiders had D Vojtech Budik back after his stint with Czech Republic at the World Junior Championship and he opened the scoring with his third goal of the season, 48 seconds into the second period. . . . That goal came after a first period in which the home side held a 17-0 edge in shots. . . . F Reese Johnson (13) pulled the Rebels even at 19:33 of the second. . . . McDonald won it at 1:08 of extra time with his 20th goal of the season. . . . Budik earned an assist on the winner. . . . Prince Albert was 0-2 on the PP; Red Deer was 0-3. . . . G Curtis Meger earned the victory with 18 saves. . . . Red Deer got 33 saves from G Ethan Anders. . . . Both teams will make it three games in fewer than 48 hours today as they hit the road — the Rebels will play in Swift Current, while the Raiders are in Regina. . . . Announced attendance: 1,901.


At Swift Current, the Broncos broke a 2-2 tie with two third-period goals and beat the Regina Pats, 4-2. . . . Swift Current (28-10-3) has points in three straight (2-0-1). The SCBroncosBroncos are second in the overall standings, 10 points behind Moose Jaw and six ahead of Brandon. . . . Regina (20-19-3) had won its previous four games. The Pats hold down the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot, five points ahead of Prince Albert. . . . The Broncos took a 2-0 lead on first-period goals from F Kaden Elder, at 9:34, and F Matteo Gennaro, at 11:42. . . . Regina tied it in the second period as F Bryan Lockner (6) scored, on a PP, at 4:41 and F Nick Henry (7) counted at 18:46. . . . Gennaro (26) broke the tie at 15:15 of the third period and Elder (11) added insurance at 18:31. . . . D Josh Mahura had two assists for the Pats. . . . Regina was 1-4 on the PP; Swift Current was 0-3. . . . The Broncos got 33 saves from G Logan Flodell. . . . Regina starter Tyler Brown allowed two goals on 11 shots in 11:45 before being relieved by Jacob Wassermann, who made his WHL debut by stopping 15 of 17 shots in 48:15. Wassermann, who plays for the SJHL’s Humboldt Broncos, is on the Pats’ roster while G Max Paddock is sidelined. . . . F Austin Pratt, acquired earlier in the day from Red Deer, was in the Pats’ lineup. However, F Jesse Gabrielle and D Jonas Harkins, who came over to Regina from Prince George on Friday, didn’t play. . . . D Artyom Minulin played for the Broncos after returning from the World Junior Championship where he played for Russia. . . . Announced attendance: 2,284.


At Saskatoon, the Blades ran their winning streak to seven games with a 4-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. . . . The Blades (21-17-3) now have won 10 of their past 11 games. They Saskatoonare in the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot, two points ahead of Regina. . . . The Ice (18-21-3) has lost five in a row, going 0-4-1 as it played five games in six nights. This also was its eight game in 11 nights since the end of the Christmas break. Kootenay remains second in the Central Division, two points ahead of Lethbridge. . . . F Gage Ramsay, who went into the game with two goals this season, got his guys off to a quick start by scoring twice in the first period, at 3:07 and 12:46. . . . F Josh Paterson (20) made it 3-0 at 17:13. . . . Saskatoon F Cam Hebig (30) upped the lead to 4-0 at 8:33 of the third period. . . . The Ice got two late third-period goals from F Keenan Taphorn (4), at 15:48, and F Brett Davis (11), at 18:44. . . . Ramsay added an assist to his two goals, while Hebig had two helpers. . . . D Zachary Patrick had two assists for the Ice. . . . Kootenay was 0-1 on the PP; Saskatoon was 0-2. . . . Saskatoon G Nolan Maier stopped 27 shots. He’s got 10 victories in his past 10 starts. . . . Kootenay starter Bailey Brkin was beaten three times on 17 shots in the first period. Duncan McGovern finished up by stopping 14 of 15 shots in 38:51. . . . This was the first meeting of four between these teams this season. . . . D Libor Hajek, who played so well for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship, was back in the Blades’ lineup. . . . The Blades will make it three games in fewer than 48 hours when they meet the Wheat Kings in Brandon today. The Wheat Kings were idle last night. . . . Announced attendance: 3,241.


At Edmonton, F Jayden Halbgewachs, the WHL’s top sniper, scored twice to help the Moose Jaw Warriors to a 7-2 victory over the Oil Kings. . . . Moose Jaw (33-6-3) has points MooseJawWarriorsin eight straight (7-0-1) and is 10 points clear atop the overall standings. . . . The Oil Kings (10-24-6) have lost three in a row (0-2-1). . . . The Warriors jumped out front 2-0 on first-period goals form F Tanner Jeannot (31) and Halbgewachs, at 5:05 and 10:32. . . . Edmonton tied it before the period ended on PP goals from F Davis Koch (18) and F Trey Fix-Wolansky (17). . . . The Warriors scored the game’s last five goals. . . . F Luka Burzan (6) broke the tie at 12:00 of the second period, and F Justin Almeida added insurance at 17:18. . . . Almeida (24) scored again at 2:14, Halbgewachs (44) got his second of the game, while shorthanded, at 14:25, and F Tate Popple (4) finished the scoring at 17:32. . . . F Brayden Burke, who leads the WHL points race, had three assists. . . . Fix-Wolansky and Koch each had an assist for Edmonton. . . . The Oil Kings were 2-7 on the PP; the Warriors were 1-4. . . . The Warriors got 16 saves from G Brody Willms, while Edmonton’s Josh Dechaine stopped 25 shots. . . . Moose Jaw lost D Matthew Benson to a headshot major and game misconduct at 3:23 of the third period. . . . The Oil Kings were without F Colton Kehler, who served a one-game suspension after a slew-footing incident in Medicine Hat on Friday night. . . . Announced attendance: 7,375.


At Lethbridge, F Andrew Fyten scored Calgary’s first two goals and the Hitmen went on to a 6-1 victory over the Hurricanes. . . . Calgary (13-21-6) has won four straight from CalgaryLethbridge and leads the season series, 4-2-0. Calgary is fourth in the Central Division, five points behind Lethbridge. . . . Lethbridge (17-19-3) has lost two in a row. It is 2-3-1 in the series with Calgary. The Hurricanes are third in the division, two points behind Kootenay with three games in hand. . . . Fyten gave his guys a 1-0 lead at 5:38 of the first period. . . . Lethbridge F Jordy Bellerive (24) tied it at 15:05 with his seventh goal in six games. . . . Fyten (6) put the Hitmen back out front at 17:34. . . . The visitors took control with three second-period goals, from F Luke Coleman (8), at 1:34; D Jameson Murray (1), at 6:34; and F Riley Stotts (9), at 8:53. . . . F Cael Zimmerman (4) closed out the scoring, on a PP, at 19:19 of the third period. . . . James and F Jake Kryski each had two assists for Calgary, with Coleman and Stotts each adding one. . . . The Hitmen were 1-4 on the PP; the Hurricanes were 0-3. . . . Calgary G Nick Schneider stopped 37 shots. . . . The Hurricanes started G Stuart Skinner, who allowed five goals on 17 shots in 28:53. . . . Reece Klassen played the final 31:07, stopping 16 of 17 shots. . . . Calgary F Jakob Stukel came up short on a second-period penalty shot. . . . The Hitmen will play their third game of the weekend today when they entertain the Kelowna Rockets, who didn’t play last night. . . . Announced attendance: 3,773.


At Medicine Hat, the Vancouver Giants scored the game’s last two goals to beat the Tigers, 5-3. . . . Vancouver (23-14-5) has points in six straight (5-0-1) and has won six straight road Vancouvergames. The Giants, who have missed the playoffs each of the previous three seasons, are tied with Kelowna for first place in the B.C. Division. . . . Medicine Hat (22-16-3) had been 3-0-1 in its previous four games. It leads the Central Division by eight points over Kootenay. . . . F Tyler Preziuso (11) scored a shorthanded goal at 2:08 of the first period to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. . . . F Dawson Holt pulled the visitors even at 6:51. . . . The Tigers went back out front when F Ryan Chyzowski (14) scored, on a PP, at 2:53 of the second period. . . . Vancouver pulled even again just 55 seconds later when F Brad Morrison (11) scored. . . . The Giants took their first lead at 8:27 as F Brayden Watts (12) scored while shorthanded. . . . Medicine Hat tied it at 9:53 when F Gary Haden (10) scored while on the PP. . . . The Giants won it with two third-period goals. . . . F Ty Ronning (36) broke the tie, on a PP, at 5:38, and Holt (6) provided insurance with his second goal of the game at 11:36. . . . Morrison and Watts had an assist each for Vancouver. . . . Chyzowski added an assist to his goal, too. . . . Medicine Hat was 2-7 on the PP; Vancouver was 1-4. . . . G Todd Scott stopped 23 shots for the Giants, two fewer than Medicine Hat’s Jordan Hollett. . . . F Ryan Jevne of the Tigers completed a three-game suspension by sitting out this one. . . . Announced attendance: 3,353.


At Kamloops, the Victoria Royals erased a 3-0 first-period deficit and beat the Blazers, 5-4 in OT. . . . Victoria (23-15-4) has won two in a row and is third in the B.C. Division, one VictoriaRoyalspoint behind Kelowna and Vancouver. . . . Kamloops (17-19-3) now is eights points out of a playoff spot. . . . The Blazers got first-period goals from F Nick Chyzowski (13), at 0:51; F Garrett Pilon (18), who ended a six-game drought, at 4:44; and F Travis Walton, with his first goal in his 21st game, at 19:08. . . . F Tyler Soy (18) got Victoria on the scoreboard at 14:52 of the second period, but D Joe Gatenby (9) got it back for Kamloops just 1:07 later. . . . The Royals got to within two goals at 16:52 as F Dino Kambeitz scored his ninth goal. . . . D Jared Freadrich (9) made it 4-3, on a Victoria PP, at 10:12, and F Matthew Phillips (30), who was the game’s best player and also had two assists, tied it at 14:36. . . . The game ended on the first shot of OT at 0:23. Soy won a puck battle deep in the Royals’ zone, and rifled the puck up ice to send Phillips and D Chaz Reddekopp in 2-on-1. Phillips made the pass to give Reddekopp a look at an open net and he didn’t miss for his fifth goal of the season. . . . Soy and Reddekopp also had an assist each. . . . The Blazers got two assists from D Nolan Kneen and one each from Pilon and Gatenby. . . . Victoria was 1-3 on the PP; Kamloops was 0-3. . . . G Griffen Outhouse stopped 32 shots to record the victory over Dylan Ferguson, who made 30 saves. . . . The Blazers had F Justin Sigrist back after his time with Switzerland at the World Junior Championship. . . . F Jeff de Wit, who finished Friday’s 5-0 victory over visiting Everett, was among Victoria’s scratches. . . . The Royals left immediately after the game for Everett where they are scheduled to play the Silvertips today. . . . Announced attendance: 4,740.


At Prince George, F Parker AuCoin scored two third-period goals to force OT then got the only goal of a shootout as the Tri-City Americans, who had trailed 4-1, came back to beat TriCity30the Cougars, 6-5. . . . Tri-City (21-12-5) had lost its previous two games. It is third in the U.S. Division, one point behind Everett. . . . Prince George (15-18-7) has points in four straight (2-0-2) and is tied with Kamloops, eight points out of a playoff spot. . . . F Jared Bethune, who had scored three times in the Cougars’ 4-3 victory on Friday night, got his 13th goal at 7:32 of the first period for a 1-0 lead. . . . F Aaron Boyd (7) made it 2-0 at 8:51. . . . F Sasha Mutala (5) cut into the deficit, on a PP, at 16:40. . . . The Cougars went ahead 4-0 with a pair of second-period PP goals just 1:31 apart — F Jackson Leppard (9) scored at 11:24 and D Dennis Cholowski (13) followed up at 12:55. . . . The Americans got to within a goal by scoring twice before the period ended, as F Jordan Topping (20) scored at 13:11 and F Max James got his sixth goal at 15:55. . . . The Cougars went ahead 5-3 at 3:30 of the third period when F Max Kryski got the third goal of his freshman season. . . . The Americans tied it on a pair of AuCoin PP goals, at 10:41 and 12:16. He’s got 10 goals. . . . AuCoin, the shootout’s first shooter, scored and his goal held up as the winner. . . . The Americans got two assists from each of D Mitchell Brown and Topping, with James getting one. . . . Leppard and D Joel Lakusta had two assists apiece for the Cougars, with Cholowski and Bethune adding one each. . . . Lakusta, who went into his third season with three goals and 16 assists in 104 games, has four goals and 16 helpers in 40 games this season. He has recorded six assists in his past four games. . . . Tri-City was 3-5 on the PP; Prince George was 2-4. . . . G Beck Warm stopped 38 shots for the Americans, and that included a save on F Josh Curtis on a penalty shot at 1:19 of OT. . . . The Cougars got 34 saves from G Tavin Grant. . . . Newly acquired F Kjell Kjemhus, who came over from Regina, and D Rhett Rhinehart (Prince Albert) made their Prince George debuts. . . . The Americans were fined $250 on Saturday for a “warm-up violation” prior to Friday’s game. . . . Tri-City will complete a three-game weekend today in Kamloops. . . . Announced attendance: 2,841.


At Everett, F Jake Gricius scored at 19:21 of the third period to give the Portland Winterhawks a 4-3 victory over the Silvertips. . . . Portland (23-13-3) had lost its previous Portlandthree games (0-1-2). The victory lifted it past Everett and into first place in the U.S. Division. . . . Everett (23-16-2) has lost two straight. . . . Portland scored the game’s first three goals. . . . Gricius opened the scoring at 17:41 of the first period, and F Ryan Hughes (6) made it 2-0 just 17 seconds later. . . . F Ilijah Colina (3) upped the lead to 3-0, on a PP, at 1:39 of the second period. . . . Everett tied it with the next three goals, all via the PP. . . . F Wyatte Wylie (3) made it 3-1 at 8:11 of the second period. . . . F Matt Fonteyne made it a one-goal game, at 9:49, then tied it with his 20th goal, at 7:59 of the third period. . . . The teams appeared headed to OT when Gricius won it with his ninth goal of the season. . . . F Mason Mannek had two assists for the Winterhawks. . . . Everett got two assists from each of D Kevin Davis and F Patrick Bajkov. . . . Everett was 3-5 on the PP; Portland was 1-2. . . . G Cole Kehler stopped 36 shots for the Winterhawks, two more than Everett’s Dustin Wolf. . . . The Silvertips brought in D Dylan Anderson from the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds of the B.C. Major Midget Hockey League, but he wasn’t in the lineup. Anderson, 15, was a fourth-round pick in the 2017 bantam draft. . . . Announced attendance: 7,019.


At Kent, Wash., F Donovan Neuls scored twice and added an assist as the Seattle Thunderbirds dumped the Spokane Chiefs, 4-1. . . . Seattle (20-14-5) has points in eight Seattlestraight (7-0-1). . . . Spokane (21-16-3) is tied with Seattle for fourth in the U.S. Division, two points behind Tri-City. Seattle and Spokane hold down the Western Conference’s two wild-card spots. . . . Neuls opened the scoring at 18:10 of the first period. . . . Seattle D Jarret Tyska (6) made it 2-0 at 6:36 of the second period. . . . F Jaret Anderson-Dolan (22) scored for Spokane at 12:44 of the second period. . . . Neuls (13) restored the two-goal lead, on a PP, at 16:05. . . . Seattle F Matthew Wedman (7) stretched the lead, on another PP, at 5:54 of the third period. . . . F Zack Andrusiak and D Turner Ottenbreit each had two assists for the winners. . . . Andrusiak, 19, went into this season with six goals and five assists in 67 games. This season, he has 18 goals and 20 assists in 39 games. . . . Seattle was 2-5 on the PP; Spokane was 0-6. . . . G Liam Hughes earned the victory with 39 saves, 10 more than Spokane’s Dawson Weatherill. . . . Announced attendance: 5,180.


SUNDAY (all times local):

Saskatoon at Brandon, 4 p.m.

Red Deer at Swift Current, 4 p.m.

Prince Albert at Regina, 4 p.m.

Kelowna at Calgary 4 p.m.

Victoria at Everett, 4:05 p.m.

Tri-City at Kamloops, 5 p.m.


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