WHL Playoffs: Western Conference Preview

The WHL Playoffs begin tonight, with the Western Conference teams starting tomorrow. Prior to the season, it was thought that Kelowna would be a favorite to repeat as champions. Now, Victoria is in the driver's seat as the Scotty Munro Champions while Kelowna is struggling with injuries. Meanwhile, Seattle is finally starting to live up to their billing, as they took home the U.S. Division title, but the race to be the Western Conference representative in the WHL Finals appears to be wide open.

Victoria Royals vs. Spokane Chiefs

Don't let Victoria's defense fool you, they can also score. However, it does begin with the goaltending, as the duo of Coleman Vollrath and Griffen Outhouse man the nets ably. Their offense is balanced, as three players scored over 80 points while rookie Matthew Phillips contributed 76 points. Everything begins with MVP candidate Joe Hicketts, as he has been everything for the Royals. The Chiefs needed the last weekend to clinch a spot in the playoffs, and while there is talent in Kailer Yamamoto, asking them to contend this season is a bit much.

Prediction: Royals in 5

Kelowna Rockets vs. Kamloops Blazers

The Rockets looked like they were going to lock up the top spot in the Western Conference, but then injuries to Nick Merkley and Jackson Whistle derailed those chances. They still have Tyson Baillie, but seeing as there's almost a 30 point gap between him and the next highest scorer, it will be imperative that the Rockets get a team effort, particularly since Michael Herringer is untested in the playoffs. Kamloops doesn't score as much as Kelowna, but they got strong goaltending from Connor Ingram, and they've played their best hockey lately. An upset is not out of the cards here.

Prediction: Blazers in 7

Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Prince George Cougars

The Thunderbirds are led by Matt Barzal and Ryan Gropp, but are also getting contributions from players like Ethan Bear and Donovan Nelus. However, it was the mid-season pickup of Landon Bow from Swift Current that put the Thunderbirds over the top on the way to the U.S. Division title. If Seattle hopes to win a league title, this year is their best shot yet. The Cougars are led by Chase Witala, and along with players like Tate Olson and Jesse Gabrielle, the Cougars will need to pick up their offensive output, as their defense has been at its best in recent history.

Prediction: Thunderbirds in 6

Everett Silvertips vs. Portland Winterhawks

The Silvertips are riding Carter Hart's goaltending into the playoffs, but with a goal differential of just +10, it will be imperative that their offense shows up because if it doesn't, it's possible that they will be wasting Hart's efforts. In Portland, it's been a time of transition, as they struggled to get to the playoffs this season. They haven't been able to replace the scoring of recent seasons adequately, and they give up goals in bunches. However, it is the playoffs, and the Winterhawks have surprised before (see: last season) when their backs have been against the wall.

Prediction: Winterhawks in 7

WHL Playoff Picture: Western Conference

In the WHL Western Conference, things are less certain as to who will make the playoffs, as every team is still in it, and only 12 points is all that separates the sixth spot from dead last.

VICTORIA ROYALS: Thought to have been nothing more than a middle of the road team prior to the season, they find themselves a point ahead of Kelowna for the Scotty Munro Trophy, thanks to the second best offense and second best defense in terms of goals for and against. However, Kelowna does have two games in hand over Victoria, so the Royals' historically great season will have to be just that for the remainder of the season.

KELOWNA ROCKETS: Just a point behind Victoria and with two games in hand, the Rockets were dealt a blow recently when their best player Nick Merkley was lost for the season to injury. However, the Rockets are still a balanced attack that can do some damage come playoff time.

PRINCE GEORGE: Third in the B.C. Division, they still have to look over their shoulder for Kamloops, who sit five points back for that final division spot.

EVERETT SILVERTIPS: The best team in the goals against category, the Silvertips are also the U.S. Division leaders and a win over their nearest competitor Seattle last weekend helped add to their slim cushion. However, they are tied for second fewest goals for, so they are banking on Carter Hart to carry the team, which could be a recipe for disaster come playoff time.

SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS: Thought to have been the favorite to claim the U.S. Division crown prior to the season, the T-Birds are instead trying to catch up to Everett while also trying to fend off the Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs, as five points is all that separates the three teams. Whether Logan Flodell can elevate his game in goal when the stakes get higher remains to be seen.

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS: A loss to Calgary last night did not help in their quest to stay within the division spots. Four points is all that separates them from missing the playoffs, as Tri-City sits that far back and with a game in hand.

SPOKANE CHIEFS: Holders of the first wild card spot, it's rather tenuous, at best, as Tri-City is just three points back. While the Chiefs are most likely going to be contenders next season, they have to deal with this season, which will be painful.

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS: Like Portland and Spokane, they also have to look over their shoulder for Tri-City, who are just two points back of Kamloops and with a game in hand. Of the teams in that block, Portland and Tri-City have been playing their best hockey in the last 10 games, and Kamloops cannot afford too many slip-ups if they want to avoid missing the playoffs for the third straight season.

TRI-CITY AMERICANS: They are just two points out of a playoff spot, but have also played their best hockey lately, going 7-2-0-1 in their last 10 games. They have a good chance to make the playoffs if they can do well against their division rivals.

VANCOUVER GIANTS: They sit 10 points out of a playoff spot, but are still alive, with games against division rivals still to go. If they can win games like last weekend, they could sneak in, but it won't be easy if only Tyler Benson is regularly contributing.

2015-16 WHL Season BC Division Preview

With training camp coming soon, today is a look at the BC Division.

The Kamloops Blazers missed out on the playoffs for the second straight season, and worse, they say their first round in this year's Bantam Draft go to Moose Jaw in a trade two seasons ago.  They have decisions to make as far as who to keep as their three overagers, which include Cole Ully, Matt Needham, and Ryan Rehill.  The good news is that besides a year of being drama-free, thanks to Don Hay's return behind the bench, they will also have both Deven Sideroff and Connor Ingram returning.  If the Blazers wish to make the playoffs once again, Jake Kryski will have to take the next step forward.

The Kelowna Rockets came within a goal of being the Memorial Cup Champions, and now, they have to break in another new head coach, as Dan Lambert was lured away to Buffalo as an assistant coach.  Brad Ralph steps in, and unlike the previous season, it is not known what he will bring to the team.  The Rockets will also have holes to fill on the blue line, as both Madison Bowey and Josh Morrisey are turning pro, as will Leon Draisaitl.  Jackson Whistle could return as an overager, which would solidify things in goal.  Besides the losses, the Rockets do maintain a good roster, at least up front, as Nick Merkley, Rourke Chartier, and Justin Kirkland all return, with Tyson Baille potentially being one of three overagers.

Prince George experienced a revival of sorts thanks to ownership that is committed to the team and the city.  The results showed, as the Cougars made the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.  Defensively, the Cougars are still outright bad, which places a huge onus on the offense to produce.  Jansen Harkins and possibly Chase Witala will spearhead the offense from the front.  The Cougars will need all the offense they can get until things get better from the blue line, as Ty Edmonds is good, but he's nowhere near elite.

The Vancouver Giants had a wild season, as they canned Troy G. Ward just months into his first season as Giants coach and didn't retain Claude Noel after he finished the season as interim coach.  Lorne Molleken will step behind the bench, and while he inherits a top talent in Tyler Benson, there's little else that inspires confidence in the Giants.  Their biggest question mark is in goal, as Payton Lee took a big step back and he isn't even assured of a roster spot this season.

The Victoria Royals are as steady as it gets, and it is a near certainty that Coleman Vollrath will be one of the team's overagers this season.  The Royals aren't spectacular in any fashion, but they get the job done, a reflection of the coaching job that Dave Lowry has done since taking over as head coach in 2012.  Joe Hicketts leads the way on the blue line, and scoring is almost by committee every season, something that doesn't figure to change.

Changing Blazers

Over the weekend, the Kamloops Blazers decided to make some changes, with their primary logo undergoing a rather minor change while they will also be gaining a new secondary logo.  To give you an idea what their previous primary logo looked like, here it is:

Compare it to the newer logo, and the only change you see is the "Kamloops" being removed from the logo.  As for the secondary logo, it looks like they took the template from the Calgary Flames' secondary logo on their alternate jersey.  Again, for comparison purposes, here is the Flames' alternate logo:

Where the Blazers make it their own is the fact that the emphasis on the main parts of the logo are on the landscapes that are characteristic of the region that Kamloops is in.  Overall, the logo changes won't have a major effect on the Blazers' uniforms, as only the secondary logo will be featured more on the shoulders of both the home and road uniforms.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

The player you see is Collin Valcourt, and he currently plays for Mountfield HK in the Czech Republic.  Why would I be writing about a player that is currently playing on a team in the Czech Republic?  Well, Valcourt was one of the players acquired by the Saskatoon Blades in 2013 in their ultimately ill-fated run to the Memorial Cup that year. Valcourt was acquired by the team from Spokane that year in exchange for a first round pick in 2015, and as luck would have it (for Spokane), the Blades would finish dead last this year, thus giving the Chiefs a great chance at winning the first overall pick in this year's bantam draft.  The lottery was held yesterday, and true to form, the Chiefs will be picking first, meaning they will have benefited from yet another brain fart from the previous management of the Blades (Brandon and Vancouver were the beneficiaries in last year's draft).

Speaking of benefiting from other people's mistakes, the Moose Jaw Warriors hold the fourth and sixth overall picks in this year's bantam draft.  The Warriors have their own sixth overall pick plus the fourth overall pick that comes from Kamloops in a 2013 trade for Joel Edmundson in the Blazers' ultimately unsuccessful attempt to topple the Portland Winterhawks' reign at the top of the Western Conference, which is now at four years.

The Fight to the Finish

It's the last weekend in the 2014-15 WHL season, and there are spots left to be filled before the playoffs begin.  The Central and U.S. Division winners will be determined this weekend, as Calgary and Medicine Hat are looking to claim the top spot in the Central while Everett and Portland will be fighting for the U.S. Division crown.  Meanwhile, three spots remain, as the last spot in the East Division and a spot in the B.C. Division and the last wild card in the Western Conference have to be filled.  In the East Division, Swift Current holds a two point lead on Moose Jaw, with Swift Current having a home and home with Lethbridge while Moose Jaw has a home and home with Brandon.  Conventional wisdom favors Swift Current here, but Brandon has everything sewn up as far as home ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.  In the Western Conference, the last B.C. Division spot is up for grabs, as Prince George and Kamloops duke it out with each other this weekend, and Prince George is close to claiming that spot, as they only need a point to secure that spot.  Meanwhile, Kamloops could still claim the last wild card spot, but they also have a game less to play than Tri-City, who have games against Portland and Spokane this weekend, with the Portland games being a home and home tonight and Sunday.  Vancouver is all but eliminated, as they would need to win out and have both Tri-City and Kamloops lose in regulation to force a tiebreaker.  Their path to a miracle goes through a home and home with Kelowna, who themselves are assured of home ice advantage in the Western Conference.

WHL Playoff Picture: Western Conference

With a couple of big trades in the NHL in the last week, I had not been able to get to the Western Conference playoff picture in the WHL.  With a flurry of deals expected between now and the March 2 deadline, right now is the time to do it, so before it gets out of hand, here is what the Western Conference looks like right now:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

U.S. Division

1. Everett Silvertips: They hold a six point lead over Portland, but Portland has played well since the turn of the new year and there is the matter of division games to be played for both teams.

2. Portland Winterhawks: A slow start at the start of the season is the only reason why Portland is not leading the U.S. Division right now.  However, they are a hot streak away from taking the lead, as they are just six points back and have not yet peaked this season.

3. Seattle Thunderbirds: Eleven points back of Everett in the division, the Thunderbirds have done fairly well considering the injuries at various points in the season to their two best players in Shea Theodore and Matthew Barzal.  A lack of offense likely means they will have to start on the road for the first round of the series.

B.C. Division

1. Kelowna Rockets: 24 points clear of the next best team in the division, the Rockets are the only team in the Western Conference to clinch a playoff spot, and given that they're also 16 points ahead of the next best team in the conference, home ice advantage may not be far behind.

2. Victoria Royals: Comfortably in second place in the division, the Royals are looking to gain momentum heading into the playoffs, and not having much at stake could present issues once the Royals get to the playoffs.

3. Vancouver Giants: Their hold on the last guaranteed spot in the division is a tenuous one, as one point is all that separates them from Prince George and Kamloops, who are both on the outside looking in at the moment.

Wild Card

1. Spokane Chiefs: Seven points behind Seattle for the last guaranteed spot, the Chiefs are woefully short on depth, and as such, their hold on a playoff spot is also tenuous.

2. Tri-City Americans: The worst offensive team in the league, the Ams hold a five point lead over the two teams outside the playoff picture right now.  However, not beating Portland this season is doing them no favors right now.

3. Kamloops Blazers: Just a point behind Vancouver and five behind Tri-City, the Blazers can still make the playoffs.  The good news is that they will have games against Vancouver and Prince George, the two teams they're fighting with over the last guaranteed playoff spot.

4. Prince George Cougars: Like Kamloops, the Cougars are fighting for their playoff lives.  However, they give up the most goals in the league, and that has been their undoing the last few years.  At this rate, it may be that way again this year.

Winterhawks Weekly: Owning Kelowna

In their three game road trip through central British Columbia, the Portland Winterhawks saw dominance over one team come to an end while dominance over another team continued.  Wednesday, the Winterhawks were thoroughly outclassed in a 4-1 loss in Kamloops, ending the team's dominance that dates back to the 2012 Conference semifinals.  Meanwhile, their back-to-back in Kelowna over the weekend extended the Winterhawks' (mostly) dominace over the league leading Kelowna Rockets, but it almost didn't happen.  Down 3-0 after one period on Friday, the Winterhawks would force overtime thanks to three unanswered goals before Alex Schoenborn would put in the winner in overtime to make it a 4-3 win for the Winterhawks.  Saturday, the Winterhawks would jump out to the big lead, but needed a Miles Koules goal to hold off a Rockets rally in a 4-3 win.

The Winterhawks welcome the Victoria Royals on Tuesday and will play against Kootenay on Friday before heading out to Kennewick for their first meeting of the season against Tri-City.

Winterhawks Weekly: Still Trying to Find Their Way

Last week, the Portland Winterhawks won one game and dropped the other, with their 5-4 loss at home to Red Deer and a 4-3 overtime win against Kamloops.  That means the Winterhawks are still looking for their first three game winning streak, and while the Winterhawks have done fairly well lately, the inability to put together a winning streak of more than two games has them last (although a point is all that separates last from third place).

The task does not get any easier, as they will have a home and home with Everett, with Friday's game in Everett and Sunday's game will be at home.

Help Wanted: A Coach for a Vancouver Team

The city of Vancouver, BC has two hockey teams, and coincidentally, they are looking for a head coach for their respective teams.  In the NHL, the widely speculated fate of John Tortorella was decided when the President of Hockey Operations Trevor Linden decided that he wanted his own guy.  Unfortunately for Tortorella, that meant he was not it.  He lasted a year in the Canucks organization and will be most remembered for his tirade against Calgary after a line brawl in the first few seconds of the game and subsequent charge into the Flames' locker room after the first period.

Not too far away, the WHL's Vancouver Giants are also looking for a new head coach after Don Hay decided to return to the Kamloops Blazers, the team he led to consecutive championships in 1994 and 1995.  Hay was the Giants' head coach for ten seasons, one that saw them claim five BC Division titles, one WHL title, and a Memorial Cup.  Last season, he broke the 600 career win mark in a game against the Blazers.  Hay's departure was somewhat unexpected, but he will get to return home to a franchise that he has achieved considerable success with and to be closer to his family.

Winterhawks Weekly: No Longer a Teen

The Portland Winterhawks are now closing in on the single-season record for most wins (22 by the Estevan Bruins in 1967) and the league record for most wins in a row (24 by the Victoria Cougars in the 1980-81 season, a streak that included the playoffs), as well as the Canadian Hockey League record for most wins in a row (Kitchener won 25 in a row in 1984).

Tuesday, they took care of the Prince George Cougars at home by a 5-1 score.  From there, they beat Kamloops 4-2 behind a strong second period and Prince Albert 6-3 on Saturday thanks to another strong effort in the second period.  However, win number 20 was the most difficult, as Everett wasn't about to give in on Sunday.  A scoreless game for most of the time, Everett got on the board early in the third period on an Ivan Nikolishin goal.  However, Portland would tie things up later in the period on an Oliver Bjorkstrand goal.  Regulation and overtime were not enough, and a shootout was needed, where Bjorkstrand would score the only goal in the shootout while Corbin Boes played well again in giving the Winterhawks a 2-1 win over the Silvertips.  Austin Lotz continues to show flashes of brilliance against the Winterhawks, as he was equal to the task despite a losing effort.

The Winterhawks will look to tie the single season record this weekend, as they hit the road to take on Spokane on Friday and Seattle on Saturday.

Winterhawks Weekly: A New Record

The Portland Winterhawks have done it: they have set a new record for most consecutive wins in a season and will look to add to that record this week.  Monday, the Winterhawks beat the Prince George Cougars in the first of two games at the CN Centre 8-4 and on Wednesday, they won 6-4 for their 14th straight wins and in the process, became the second team to clinch a playoff spot.  Friday, they tied the then-record for most consecutive wins with a 7-4 win at Kamloops and on Saturday, a new record was set as they beat Vancouver 7-4.  16 wins in a row and 18 consecutive games with a point (17 of those came in wins), the Winterhawks are making their case to repeat as WHL champions, but they will need to go through Kelowna in all likelihood, as the Rockets still have the top spot in the Western Conference.

The Winterhawks will attempt to make it 17 wins in a row with a Tuesday game at home against Prince George.  Friday and Saturday will also be home games against Kamloops and Prince Albert, respectively, before they hit the road for a game at Everett on Sunday.

Needing a Flicker

Photo by Kelvin Harrison

Before I get to the topic of the day, Canada has looked good in their first two games, but will need to figure out who their starting goaltender moving forward, as Carey Price and Roberto Luongo have started a game each.  The U.S. (as of this writing) is in a deadlock with Russia entering the second period.

Now, on to the topic at hand, and the reason for the picture above.  I know what you're thinking, and no, I won't wax poetic about the Portland Winterhawks this time.  Rather, today is about the fall from grace that the Kamloops Blazers have endured this season.  As of this morning, the Blazers are waking up to a now 11-game losing streak and are currently dead last in the WHL standings.  Yes, that means Lethbridge is no longer the worst team in the WHL.  So, what went wrong for the Blazers, who were in the Conference Finals just last year and took Portland to seven games in the semis the year before that?  Prior to the season, Guy Charron stepped down as head coach and Dave Hunchak was named to take his spot.  Last month, Hunchak was exiled from the team and Charron stepped back in on an interim basis.  This would be an indication that the players on the team were clearly tuning out Hunchak, who simply seemed in over his head on a Blazers team that lost their top two scorers from last season in J.C. Lipon and Colin Smith, as well as Brendan Ranford to graduation and Cole Cheveldae in a trade.  Early in the season, Tim Bozon asked for and received a trade to Kootenay, further weakening a Blazers team that needed all the offense they could get.  Taran Kozun played pretty well despite the lack of offense, but now, he's putting up better numbers in Seattle.  As for the last time Kamloops won, it was January 22, when they beat Lethbridge (yes, the same team that was the worst for much of the season) 7-1.  The Blazers are currently the second worst offense in the league, with Lethbridge being worse, and are the fourth worst defensive team in the league.  Cole Ully is currently the only player who is above the 50 point mark and Chase Souto is the only other player besides Ully to have 20 goals or more.  Goaltending isn't as bad as people think, as no one on the current roster has a GAA above 4.00.  However, none of them have a GAA below the 3.50 mark.  Part of that can be attributed to a defense that simply hasn't been there, with Josh Connolly being a chief offender with a -30 rating despite being the team's second leading scorer.

It's been a bad season for the Kamloops Blazers, and certainly, they are in line for the first overall pick in the Bantam Draft.  Where the help will come from is anyone's guess, and figuring out who will coach the team next season is most likely a question they will need to answer, as Charron is likely finishing out the season for his handpicked successor that couldn't finish the season.

WHL Western Conference Playoff Picture

It is a little more than a month before the WHL playoffs begin, and there are still some things that need to be decided before that begins, especially in the Western Conference.  With that in mind, here is how it stands as of this morning:

1. Kelowna Rockets:  They're the only team to clinch a playoff spot so far, and they hold a nine point lead over Portland for home ice advantage and a 12 point lead over Victoria in the B.C. Division.  Health will be a major concern moving forward, as it was what felled their playoff run last season.

2. Portland Winterhawks: They lead the Seattle Thunderbirds by six points in the U.S. Division, and they are riding a 12-game winning streak.  They are getting hot at the right time, and provided that Brendan Leipsic doesn't get suspended again, the Winterhawks could make it four Conference titles in a row.

3. Victoria Royals: Most likely headed for a third or fourth seed, they are far from flashy, as they don't score as much as the other teams in the Conference, but make up for it by being the best defensive team in the Conference.  Goaltending will be a critical element to how far they go, as Patrik Polivka (2.56 GAA) and Coleman Vollrath (2.17 GAA) have played well despite splitting time.

4. Seattle Thunderbirds: They went all in with trades for Sam McKechnie, Jaimen Yakubowski, Adam Henry, Russell Maxwell, and Taran Kozun.  The result is that they are currently six points behind Portland in the U.S. Division, and are playing some of their best hockey at the right time.  A dark horse to take it all, Kozun's play will determine if the Thunderbirds are for real come March.

5. Spokane Chiefs: They would be a great team right now, but they haven't been able to solve either Portland or Seattle this season.  Consistency is an issue, and that won't cut it against the better teams.

6. Vancouver Giants: Struggled mightily in the early going, but they have righted the ship enough to at least get into the playoffs.  Potentially a deep sleeper team, they still need another year to be serious contenders for the Western Conference crown.

7. Everett Silvertips: In November, they were leading the U.S. Division.  Now, they are a mere seven points ahead of Prince George, who themselves are only two points out of a playoff spot.  Their last 10 games haven't been kind to them, and the games against Portland in that stretch have been particularly brutal, with one of those games making national television...for the wrong reasons.  They still have a good defense, but will they score enough?

8. Tri-City Americans: The only reason they occupy a playoff spot is because of Eric Comrie's heroics in net.  They can't score (fourth worst team on offense in the league), and they gave up 17 goals in their last two games.  Comrie can't stop everything, and the offense will likely be the cause for the team missing the playoffs if it comes to that.

9. Prince George Cougars: Absolutely terrible on defense despite Ty Edmonds' presence in net, yet they're only two points out of a playoff spot thanks to an offense that only Kelowna and Portland top in the Conference.  They are currently on a six game winning streak, and games against Portland today and Wednesday will go a long way in determining if the Cougars will make some noise in the playoffs...if they get there, that is.

10. Kamloops Blazers:  They'd like to forget that this season ever happened.  Fighting with Lethbridge over who gets the first overall pick in the Bantam Draft was not what the Blazers had in mind, and that was even with the idea that they were rebuilding after two straight Conference Finals appearances.

Winterhawks Weekly: Division Rivals Clawing Away

The Portland Winterhawks started the week on top of the U.S. Division and ended the week the same way...barely.  Tuesday, the Winterhawks welcomed a Seattle Thunderbirds squad that hasn't fared so well since the trade for Jaimen Yakubowski and Sam McKechnie a few weeks ago (their former team Lethbridge has since traded another disgruntled player Ryan Pilon to Brandon and just now cracked the double digit point total for the season).  It was not a good night if you were a goaltender for Seattle this night, as the Winterhawks skated out to a 5-0 lead after one period on goals from Brendan Leipsic, Paul Bittner, Chase De Leo, Derrick Pouliot, and Nic Petan, with Pouliot's goal forcing the Thunderbirds to switch goaltenders, as Justin Myles was chased for Danny Mumaugh.  Bittner would put Portland up 6-0 before Shea Theodore would finally put Seattle on the board to make it 6-1 heading into the third period.  Taylor Leier would get in on the scoring, making it 7-1, with Bittner making the hats fly on his third goal of the night to make it 8-1.  Oliver Bjorkstrand and De Leo would sandwich a Justin Hickman goal to make the final 10-2 and give Brendan Burke the win in a relatively easy game for the team as they hit the road for the weekend.

Friday, the Winterhawks travelled to Everett to take on the Silvertips, who finally have the results (again) to go with their tough play that has identified them through their existence.  Manraj Hayer and Tyler Sandhu put Everett up 2-0 after one period, with Sandhu (who was the key player for Everett in a trade that saw Seth Jones go to Portland a couple of seasons ago) adding another in the second period to make it 3-0.  Bjorkstrand and Pouliot made it a game for the Winterhawks, but they could not get any closer, falling 3-2 and into a first place tie with Everett...for the evening.  Burke took the loss.

Saturday was expected to be a tough game at Kamloops with the shortened time for preparation, as the Everett game started later than most games the previous evening.  However, special teams lived up to its title, as the Winterhawks crushed a Blazers team that doesn't have the offensive talent of recent years.  It was close early on, as the Winterhawks and Blazers combined for five goals.  Leipsic opened the scoring, but Chase Souto and Cole Ully would put Kamloops ahead. midway through the period.  However, it would not last, as Leier and Leipsic would give the Winterhawks the lead after the period.  Souto tied the game, but that would be where the good for Kamloops ended, as the Winterhawks dominated the rest of the way.  Pouliot and De Leo added goals on the power play to make it 5-3 after two periods.  Petan and De Leo would add shorthanded goals 27 seconds apart to give the Winterhawks a 7-3 win and Burke his second win in three contests for the week.  Combined with the SIlvertips' loss to Prince George the same evening, the Winterhawks escape with the U.S. Division lead for the week.

The Winterhawks play on Friday against Spokane and on Saturday against Seattle, with the Winterhawks looking to pad their lead on their division rivals.

Winterhawks Weekly: Flying Around

This week, the Portland Winterhawks only had one game, which was the Pink the Rink game against Kamloops on Saturday.  Because it ran in direct conflict with something else that I had going on, I went back and forth on whether to sneak in the game before the show.  I did (for a short time), and there will be pictures to follow after this report.

As for the game, the Winterhawks opened the scoring in the first period when Adam Rossignol put one past Taran Kozun, but Kamloops would tie it on an Aspen Sterzer goal to end the period.  Derrick Pouliot and Brendan Leipsic would put the Winterhawks up two to begin the second frame before Chase Souto would bring the Blazers within one.  However, Presten Kopeck would put the Winterhawks back up two before an Oliver Bjorkstrand penalty shot ended Kozun's night and in would come Bolton Pouliot.  Souto and Alex Schoenborn would exchange goals to end the period with the Winterhawks up 6-3.  Cole Ully would pull the Blazers within two, but that's as close they would get the rest of the way, as Derrick Pouliot added an empty net goal to end the scoring in favor of the good guys 7-4.

Next week, the Winterhawks welcome Tri-City on Wednesday and Swift Current on Friday before hitting the road to Kennewick, WA to face the Americans on Saturday.

And as promised, here are a few pictures from the game in what amounted to the nosebleeds.

Rebuilding a Fire

KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

2012-13 record: 47-20-2-3 (Lost to Portland in Conference Finals)

The Kamloops Blazers started off hot, gaining at least a point in every game for the first five weeks.  A mid-season lull, combined with provincial rival Kelowna's home winning streak saw them lose their grip on the B.C. Division title at the end.  However, the Blazers would rediscover their momentum in time for the playoffs, beating Victoria and Kelowna before falling to Portland in five games.  For all of the talk about their offensive talent, their defense was actually ranked fourth in the league, behind only Edmonton, Portland, and Kelowna.  Dylan Willick, Brendan Ranford, and Kale Kessy are leaving, since they were the three overagers at the end of the season, and Cole Cheveldae was traded to Prince Albert in the offseason, leaving a major hole to fill in goal, something that now falls onto the shoulders of Taran Kozun.  Tim Bozon is expected back, which should ease the pain of rebuilding, but it is likely that either Colin Smith or JC Lipon will not be coming back as an overager this year, since two spots are spoken for at the moment.  Even then, offensive consistency was an issue last season, and it came back to haunt them in the Portland series.  Coaching is also an unknown, as Guy Charron stepped down and Dave Hunchak takes over, but without a proven track record.

Prediction: 7th in the West

Kamloops will be where Vancouver was last year, as they will be going younger this season and likely without many of their proven players from last season.  It is possible that they could miss the playoffs, with an improving Everett team and a Seattle team that can score quite a bit.

The Balance of Power Shift?

Photo by Jon Howe

In a move that is likely to cause a shift in power in the Eastern Conference, the Prince Albert Raiders have traded their first round pick from this year's Bantam Draft Jake Kryski and a seventh round pick in next year's Bantam Draft to the Kamloops Blazers and will get goaltender Cole Cheveldae in return.

Cheveldae will take his 70-27-3-4 record and 2.50 GAA to a Raiders team that faded badly down the stretch, ultimately getting swept in the first round by Red Deer.  This off-season, the Raiders hired Cory Clouston as head coach, a move that was widely lauded in Prince Albert.  Along with Josh Morrissey (first round pick of the Winnipeg Jets this year) and Leon Draisaitl, who is a top prospect in next year's draft, the Raiders have a foundation in which to work with.  Now, with Cheveldae in the fold, that effectively solves the team's goaltending issues that caused their downslide.

As for the Blazers, they are a team that is likely in rebuilding mode, and having moved Cheveldae, that means the Blazers now have four players vying for three over-aged spots on the roster.  Kryski is expected to be a major player in that rebuild, and it will keep him closer to his home in Vancouver, something that played a role in the trade, as Kryski had concerns about playing so far from home.  In his last season, Kryski averaged a hair more than a goal and an assist a game, with 59 of each in 58 games.

Answering the Call (of the Hall)

The class of 2013 has been announced, and there will be four players and one coach going into the Hockey Hall of Fame this fall.  Scott Niedermayer, Chris Chelios, Brendan Shanahan, Geraldine Heaney, and Fred Shero will be entering the Hall of Fame, with Niedermayer and Chelios both being first ballot entries while Shanahan gets in on the second try.

Niedermayer was taken in the first round of the 1991 NHL Draft by the Devils after a successful junior league year in Kamloops, where he won a Memorial Cup in 1992.  He would make his NHL debut in the 1992-93 season, and would go on to win four Stanley Cups (1995, 2000, 2003, and 2007), two gold medals in the Olympics (2002 and 2010), a World Championship and World Cup of Hockey (both in 2004) and a World Junior Championship (1991).  He also took home a Conn Smythe Trophy in 2007 and a Norris Trophy in 2004.  His numbers don't tell the whole story, but his ability to lead players (he was captain of the Ducks' 2007 Stanley Cup run, as well as the 2010 Olympic team that won gold) was one reason why he won a lot during his career.

Chelios made the Hall of Fame at 51 years old, meaning that from the time he was drafted in 1981 by Montreal until his retirement at age 48 (as a member of the Atlanta Thrashers), he played a lot of hockey, and at a high level for much of that time (his peak years were in Chicago and Detroit).  He took home the Norris Trophy in 1986, 1993, and 1996, and was a Stanley Cup Trophy winner in 1986, 2002, and 2008.  He also represented the United States in international play, taking home a silver medal in 2002.

Shanahan was drafted in the first round by the Devils in 1987, and he would go on to play with the Devils, Blues, Whalers, Red Wings, and Rangers and amass 656 goals for his career.  He was never the leading man (the year in Hartford, notwithstanding), but was an integral part of the Red Wings teams that won it all in 1997, 1998, and 2002.  A World Championship in 1994 and Olympic gold in 2002 were some of his highlights when he represented Canada in international play.

Heaney will be the third woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, after Cammie Granato and Angela James.  Heaney represented Canada in tournaments, winning gold in the 2002 Olympics and silver in the 1998 Olympics.  She was also on the Canada team that won seven World Women's Championships between 1990 and 2001.

Fred Shero was the head coach when the Philadelphia Flyers won the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975, but his greatest contributions to the game were before the games, as he started the morning skate routine that teams use today, as well as incorporating elements of hockey philosophies from the (then) Soviet Union and was the first to hire a full-time assistant coach.  He was also the first Jack Adams award winner in 1974.

WHL Award Winners

Yesterday was the day the award winners in the WHL were announced.

Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (Player of the Year): Adam Lowry, Swift Current
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year): Seth Jones, Portland
Del Wilson Trophy (Goaltender of the Year): Patrik Bartosak, Red Deer
Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (Defenseman of the Year): Brenden Kichton, Spokane
Brad Hornung Trophy (Sportsmanlike Player of the Year): Dylan Wruck, Edmonton
Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy (Scholastic Player of the Year): Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert
Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy (Humanitarian of the Year): Cody Sylvester, Calgary
Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (Coach of the Year): Ryan McGill, Kootenay
Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy (Executive of the Year): Bob Green, Emdonton
WHL Marketing/Business Award: Kamloops Blazers
WHL Scholastic Team of the Year: Portland Winterhawks
Allen Paradice Memorial Trophy (Top Official): Nathan Wieler
Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy (Regular Season Champions): Portland Winterhawks
Bob Clarke Trophy (Leading Scorer): Brendan Leipsic and Nic Petan, Portland