Regina Pats GM Brent Parker diagnosed with cancer in back, shoulder

cp.org — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:38:00 -0400

REGINA - Regina Pats GM Brent Parker has been diagnosed with a form of soft tissue cancer in his upper back and shoulder.

"To this point I have undergone one procedure and will undergo further tests and procedures in the coming days and weeks that will determine the extent of what lies ahead," Parker said in a statement Monday.

Parker, 42, has been the general manager of the Pats for 13 seasons. The Pats finished the regular season second in the Eastern Conference with a 44-22-4-2 record. They were eliminated in the first round of the WHL playoffs by the Swift Current Broncos.

Rangers finally put Bulls away in Game 7 of OHL final

cp.org — Tue, 13 May 2008 02:20:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - The Kitchener Rangers proved they're champs, not chokers.

The Memorial Cup-host Rangers finally put Belleville away in the Ontario Hockey League final Monday night before 6,754 at the Aud, beating the Bulls 4-1 to claim the OHL playoff crown in seven games.

It sure wasn't easy.

The Rangers let a 3-0 series lead slip away but turned in a commanding performance in Game 7 to ensure they enter the Memorial Cup through the front door as both hosts and OHL champs.

Rangers top gun Justin Azevedo was named OHL playoff MVP after leading the league with 36 playoff points.

Brandon Mashinter, Nick Spaling, Mike Duco and Nazem Kadri scored for the Rangers, who open the four-team Memorial Cup tournament against the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Gatineau Olympiques on Friday.

The Bulls also advanced to the national championship tournament as the second Ontario entry. They play the Western Hockey League champion Spokane Chiefs on Saturday afternoon.

Belleville showed much heart in beating the top-ranked club in Canada three straight times to force Game 7.

But the Rangers dominated Monday night in winning the franchise's fourth OHL playoff title, including crowns in 1981, 1982 and 2003.

Belleville goalie Mike Murphy, the OHL netminder of the year, kept the Rangers from blowing the game open in the first last night.

Murphy made several outstanding stops as the Rangers outshot the Bulls 21-8. The playoff debut of Bulls star centre Shawn Matthias, who hadn't played since March 14 due to mono, had little effect out of the gate.

The Rangers struck in the 18th minute, when Scott Timmins carried an Eric Tangradi giveaway to the Belleville net. While a delayed penalty call caused the Bulls to let up, Mashinter swept in the loose puck to make it 1-0.

In the second, Murphy couldn't locate a rebound. A diving Spaling swept it home from the slot to make it 2-0.

Matthias gave the Bulls life with a power-play goal mid-way through the game. His snap shot beat Rangers goalie Josh Unice to the blocker side.

Six minutes into the third, Murphy blocked a Kadri drive but the puck flipped high and bounced in as the net was knocked off. After a lengthy video review, the goal stood and a nervous Kitchener crowd exhaled a little.

Duco added an empty-netter.

Unice flung his mask and stick in the air in celebration as time expired.

The Rangers were without blue-liners Yannick Weber (ankle) and Robert Bortuzzo (shoulder). Forward Scott Tregunna filled in on defence.

Bulls win third straight to force Game 7 of OHL final against Kitchener

cp.org — Sun, 11 May 2008 04:21:00 -0400

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - The Belleville Bulls scored three unanswered goals in the third period to beat the Kitchener Rangers 6-3 on Saturday night and push the Ontario Hockey League final to the limit.

The Rangers had led the series 3-0, but it's now tied 3-3 after three straight Bulls wins, with Game 7 set for Monday night in Kitchener.

The Bulls got two goals from captain Matt Beleskey, including an empty-netter, before a crowd of 3,707 at Yardmen Arena.

The are attempting to become only the third team in OHL history to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The 2005 Windsor Spitfires and 1988 Ottawa 67's previously turned the trick.

Justin Azevedo scored twice for Kitchener in a losing cause.

Both teams go to the Memorial Cup starting Friday night in Kitchener but only one will enter the tourney as OHL champs.

Gatineau Olympiques win QMJHL title, advance to Memorial Cup

cp.org — Sat, 10 May 2008 02:51:00 -0400

ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. - The Gatineau Olympiques are going to the Memorial Cup.

Matthew Pistilli scored three goals and added an assist as the Olympiques wrapped up their seventh Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship Friday night with a 7-3 win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Gatineau, which captured the league title in five games, joins the host Kitchener Rangers, the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League and the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League in the Canadian junior hockey championship beginning May 16.

The Olympiques captured their third title in the past six years, after winning back-to-back QMJHL championships in 2003 and 2004. The Huskies fell short in their first final appearance since the franchise moved to Rouyn-Noranda.

A pair of Gatineau players capped the special night with milestones. Claude Giroux had a goal and two assists, establishing a new franchise record for points in a single post-season (51). Ryan Mior stopped 36 shots to earn the win for Gatineau, while extending his record for most career QMJHL games played by a goaltender (270).

Pistilli had two of the Olympiques' four first-period goals, and Gatineau cruised from there as they finished the QMJHL post-season with a record of 16-3.

The Huskies entered the final on a 12-game winning streak, with four-game sweeps of the Val-d'Or Foreurs, the Rimouski Oceanic and the Saint John Sea Dogs. Yet Rouyn-Noranda couldn't keep the high-powered Gatineau offence off the scoresheet, allowing a whopping 29 goals in the five-game series - highlighted by a 10-4 rout in Game 3 on Tuesday night.

Gatineau captain Jean-Philip Chabot had a goal and an assist in the victory, while Michael Stinziani and Alexandre Quesnel also scored. Paul Byron added two assists.

Michael Dubuc countered with a pair of goals for the Huskies, who boasted the best regular-season record in the league. Sebastien Piche added a single, while Maxim Gougeon and Milan Pucholt combined to make 22 saves in defeat.

Chiefs complete sweep of Hurricanes; next stop Memorial Cup

cp.org — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:58:00 -0400

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - The Spokane Chiefs will represent the Western Hockey League at the Memorial Cup after sweeping the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL final.

The Chiefs beat the Hurricanes 4-1 in Game 4 on Wednesday to advance to the Canadian Hockey League championship, which begins later this month in Kitchener, Ont.

The Chiefs, who won the Cup in 1991, will start their quest for a second championship May 17 against either Kitchener or Belleville.

Mitch Wahl, Tyler Johnson, David Rutherford and Ondrej Roman scored for Spokane, while Nicholas Hotson had the only goal for the Hurricanes.

Dustin Tokarski stopped 17 shots for the win. Juha Metsola made 21 saves in a losing cause.

Tangradi nets game-winner as Bulls force Game 6 with 2-1 win over Rangers

cp.org — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:44:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - The Belleville Bulls beat the Kitchener Rangers 2-1 Thursday night before 6,773 at the Kitchener Auditorium to stay alive in the Ontario Hockey League finals.

The Memorial Cup-host Rangers still lead the best-of-seven series three games to two. But the Bulls, who had trailed 3-0 in the series, can even it up at home at the Yardmen Arena Saturday night at 7:15 ET.

Eric Tangradi scored with 6:37 to play in the third last night to break a 1-1 tie and send Belleville to victory.

Olympiques beat Huskies; one win away from Memorial Cup

cp.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:49:00 -0400

GATINEAU, Que. - Paul Byron had a goal and two assists and the Gatineau Olympiques moved away from a berth in the Memorial Cup with a 4-1 win over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Wednesday.

Gatineau leads the best-of-seven Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final 3-1. The Olympiques are looking to represent the QMJHL at the Memorial Cup for the third time in the past six seasons.

Claude Giroux had a goal and an assist for Gatineau. He now has 48 points in the post-season, tying the club record set in 1988 by Marc Saumier.

Jean-Philip and Darryl Smith also scored for Gatineau.

Jeff Desjardins had the only goal for the Huskies.

Game 5 is Friday at Rouyn-Noranda, Que.

Generals fire Selwood; DePiero new interim GM

cp.org — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:40:00 -0400

OSHAWA, Ont. - A trip to the Eastern Conference final couldn't save Brad Selwood's job as general manager of the Oshawa Generals.

Selwood was fired as GM of the Ontario Hockey League franchise Wednesday, despite taking the Generals to their first conference final appearance since 1999.

"The time is right for a change in leadership," Generals alternate governor Rocco Tullio said in a statement. "We will continue our commitment to deliver the kind of hockey fans deserve."

Assistant GM and head coach Chris DePiero will take over GM duties on an interim basis.

The Generals posted an impressive 38-17-6-7 regular-season record, but fell in five games to the Belleville Bulls in the conference championship.

Petes not renewing contracts of coach and assistant

cp.org — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:51:00 -0400

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - The Peterborough Petes have decided to make a coaching change.

The Ontario Hockey League team announced Wednesday that it will not renew the contracts of head coach Vince Malette and assistant Darren Keily. The Petes squeaked into the playoffs with a 28-36-1-3 record this season and were eliminated in the first round by the Belleville Bulls.

Malette's amassed a 52-75-0-9 record in two seasons at the helm. The Petes missed the playoffs last year.

Malette joined the Petes prior to the 2006-07 season after working as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Brian Kilrea of the Ottawa 67's for nine seasons.

Keily, who also served as the club's assistant general manager, had been with the team for five seasons.

Bulls stay alive in OHL final series with Rangers

cp.org — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:55:00 -0400

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - The Kitchener Rangers were poised for a series sweep, but Matt Beleskey had other plans.

The Belleville Bulls captain scored a power-play goal at 8:57 of overtime Tuesday night to give the Bulls a 5-4 victory in Game 4 of the Ontario Hockey League final.

Beleskey's first shot was blocked by sprawling Rangers forward Nick Spaling. However, Beleskey gathered up the loose puck and snapped a low shot past screened Rangers goalie Josh Unice.

The Rangers lead the best-of-seven affair three games to one going into Thursday's Game 5 at the Kitchener Auditorium.

The Bulls showed heart last night in coming back from deficits of 3-0 and 4-1 to force overtime.

The Rangers ran up a 3-0 lead in the first thanks to goals from Matt Halischuk, Spaling and Nazem Kadri.

Halischuk outraced a Bulls defender to reach a crafty Spaling dump-in before Belleville goalie Mike Murphy could poke the puck away. Halischuk then speared the puck home for a short-handed goal on what was the Rangers' first shot of the game.

The Bulls got one back before the end of the first on P.K. Subban's power-play slapshot.

The Rangers went up 4-1 early in the second as Mike Mascioli swept home a loose puck.

Keaton Turkiewicz got one back for Belleville five minutes later but the Bulls still trailed 4-2 after two.

Then, Belleville summoned up its best period of the series.

Turkiewicz pushed a puck past Unice's outstretched stick a minute in. Then, with 8:49 to play, Turkiewicz appeared to tie the game by swatting a puck in out of mid-air. However, the refs and video judges ruled it was batted in with a high stick.

The Bulls kept plugging.

With 4:18 to play, Eric Tangradi banked a wrap-around shot in off Unice's glove to make it 4-4.

The Rangers were forced into overtime for just the second time in the playoffs. In the second round, the Rangers went three overtimes before prevailing against 3-2 in Sarnia.

Belleville began overtime on a power play after Scott Tregunna took a hooking penalty late in the third.

Matt Pepe and Nazem Kadri also took penalties on overtime. Kadri was in the box when Beleskey scored.

The Bulls outshot the Rangers 9-1 in the extra period.

Game 6, if necessary, will be in Belleville on Saturday.

Johnson scores in OT as Spokane defeats Lethbridge

cp.org — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:06:00 -0400

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - The Lethbridge Hurricanes are on the brink of elimination.

Tyler Johnson scored off a wild scramble 6:20 into overtime to give the Spokane Chiefs a 2-1 victory over the Hurricanes in Game 3 of the WHL championship series on Tuesday. Johnson's goal capped a late rally by the Chiefs, who now lead the series 3-0 and are just one win from advancing to the Memorial Cup. A Chris Bruton goal with just 2:04 to play in the third period knotted the score at 1-1, while Dustin Tokarski made 22 saves to get the win in net.

Lethbridge's Dwight King scored with just three seconds to play in the second period to give the Hurricanes their first lead of the series but it wouldn't stand up. Juha Metsola made 24 saves in net.

The Hurricanes host Game 4 on Wednesday.

Byron scores four as Olympiques take series lead over Huskies

cp.org — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:49:00 -0400

GATINEAU, Que. - Paul Byron scored four goals and added two assists as the Gatineau Olympiques defeated the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 10-4 Tuesday and took a 2-1 lead in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final series.

Game 4 is Wednesday in Gatineau. Claude Giroux had two goals and two assists, while Gerrit Fauser, Michael Stinziani, Alexandre Touchette and Darryl Smith also scored.

Michael Dubuc, with two goals, Brad Ouskun and Jeff Desjardins replied for Rouyn-Noranda.

Ryan Mior made 18 saves for Gatineau while Maxim Gougeon and Milan Pucholt combined for 23 saves for Rouyn-Noranda.

Rangers beat Bulls, now one win from OHL title

cp.org — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:24:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - Mike Duco scored twice as the Kitchener Rangers moved within a game of taking the Ontario Hockey League championship with a 5-3 win over the Belleville Bulls on Sunday.

The Rangers lead the OHL final 3-0 and can complete the sweep Thursday in Belleville, Ont.

Both teams already qualified for the Memorial Cup, which the Rangers will host.

Matt Halischuk, Nick Spaling and Scott Tregunna also scored for the Rangers.

Stephen Johnston, Jan Mursak and Eric Tangradi replied for the Bulls.

Josh Unice made 26 saves for the Rangers, while Parker Van Buskirk stopped 45 shots for the Bulls.

Rutherford has three points as Chiefs beat Hurricanes in Game 2

cp.org — Sun, 04 May 2008 04:43:00 -0400

SPOKANE, Wash. - The Spokane Chiefs second line played first-rate hockey on Saturday night at the Spokane Arena.

David Rutherford finished with a goal and two assists and Ondrej Roman and Judd Blackwater finished with a goal and an assist each as the Chiefs defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-2 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Hockey League championship series.

Zach Boychuk scored two goals for the Hurricanes and goalie Juha Metsola made 26 saves in the loss.

Chiefs goalie Dustin Tokarski turned aside 22 shots for his 14th victory of the playoffs.

The 7,815 Arena fans on hand very realistically may have watched the Chiefs final home game of the season, as the series now shifts north to Alberta, where the next three games in the best-of-7 series - if a fifth is necessary - will be played at Lethbridge's Emmax Center on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Dubuc scores twice, Huskies even QMJHL final with Olympiques

cp.org — Sun, 04 May 2008 02:29:00 -0400

Michael Dubuc scored twice and added an assist as the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies defeated the Gatineau Olympiques 6-2 Saturday, evening the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final at one game apiece.

The Huskies used home-ice advantage to exact revenge on the Olympiques, who took Game 1 by the same score in the friendly confines of the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Que.

Hugo Carpentier, Maxime Macenauer, Sebastien Piche and Brett Morrison also scored for the Huskies, who opened the scoring with four straight power-play goals and led 5-0 after 40 minutes.

Jean-Philip Chabot and Patrik Prokop replied for the Olympiques.

Maxim Gougeon made 29 saves for the Huskies.

Ryan Mior and Maxime Clermont combined for 24 stops for Gatineau, which hosts Game 3 on Tuesday.

Wolves select John McFarland first at OHL draft

cp.org — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:46:00 -0400

The Sudbury Wolves selected John McFarland of Richmond Hill, Ont., first overall in the Ontario Hockey League draft Saturday morning.

The centre had 96 goals and 69 assists for 165 points to go along with 176 penalty minutes in 76 games played with the Greater Toronto Hockey League champion Toronto Jr. Canadiens during the 2007-08 season.

Teammates Gregg McKegg (Erie Otters) and Steven Shipley (Owen Sound Attack) of the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs went second and third, respectively, followed by Erik Gudbranson of the Ottawa Jr. 67's to the Kingston Frontenacs.

The Peterborough Petes selected Ryan Spooner from the Ottawa Jr. Senators fifth overall.

Bowman scores twice as Chiefs beat Hurricanes in Game 1 of WHL final

cp.org — Sat, 03 May 2008 07:09:00 -0400

SPOKANE, Wash. - Drayson Bowman scored twice as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-1 in Game 1 of the Western Hockey League final.

Judd Blackwater and Tyler Johnson added goals for the Chiefs who took an early lead in the series. Adam Chorneyko scored the only goal for Lethbridge. Chiefs' goalie Dustin Tokarski stopped 13 shots for the win while at the other end Juha Metsola made 21 saves.

The series continues Saturday in Spokane.

Huskies' unbeaten playoff run ends with a thud

cp.org — Sat, 03 May 2008 03:22:00 -0400

ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. - The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies' unbeaten playoff run ended with a resounding thud Friday.

Jean-Philip Chabot had a hat trick as the Gatineau Olympiques used a dominant power-play and a four-goal third period to beat the Huskies 6-2 Friday night in Game 1 of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship.

The loss was the first of the playoffs for Rouyn-Noranda, which breezed to four-game victories over Val-d'Or, Rimouski and Saint John. The Huskies are making their first Presidents Cup appearance since arriving in Rouyn-Noranda in 1996.

Gatineau rode a red-hot power play to victory Friday night, scoring four times on six man-advantage opportunities. Chabot was the ultimate opportunist, scoring a pair of power-play goals nine seconds apart in the third period.

Paul Byron added a man-advantage goal to open the third period while Gerrit Fauser added an empty netter for the Olympiques, who are seeing their seventh QMJHL title. Claude Giroux chipped in with a goal and three assists, while Ryan Mior stopped 25 shots to improve to 13-1 in the post-season.

Yannick Riendeau and Tyler Hawes replied with power-play goals for the Huskies, who led 2-1 after one period. Maxim Gougeon made 30 saves in defeat.

Boedker, Duco score as Kitchener beats Belleville in Game 2

cp.org — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:59:00 -0400

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - Mikkel Boedker and Mike Duco each had a goal and an assist as the Kitchener Rangers beat the Belleville Bulls 5-2 in Game 2.

Brandon Mashinter, Matt Halischuk and Justin Azevedo also scored for the Rangers who now lead the Bulls 2-0 in the series. Matt Beleskey and Stephen Blunden scored the Bulls only goals.

Rangers goalie Josh Unice made 23 saves for the win while at the other end Parker Van Buskirk stopped 30 shots.

Game 3 will start Sunday in Kitchener.

Sudbury will take John McFarland with top pick in OHL draft

cp.org — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:02:00 -0400

TORONTO - The Sudbury Wolves will take John McFarland with the first overall pick in the 2008 Ontario Hockey League selection draft on Saturday.

He had 96 goals and 69 assists for 165 points with the Greater Toronto Hockey League's Toronto Jr. Canadiens this season.

"The Sudbury Wolves are extremely proud to be selecting John as our first overall selection on Saturday," Wolves general manager Mike Foligno said in a release. "John is extremely talented and possesses all the skills necessary to succeed at the next level. He will be a valuable addition to our young and talented team."

The Wolves and OHL made the announcement Friday. The draft begins Saturday at 9 a.m. ET.

Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Gatineau Olympiques clash in QMJHL championship series

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:21:00 -0400

They'll be hanging from the rafters at tiny David Keon Arena in Rouyn-Noranda, Que., on Friday when the Huskies open the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship series against the visiting Gatineau Olympiques.

The Huskies have never won a QMJHL title in franchise history and the franchise goes all the way back to 1972 when they were the Montreal Bleu-Blanc-Rouge.

The Huskies are understandably the buzz in a city with a population of 45,000, so Friday's Game 1 in the 2,200 arena will resemble a Volkswagen-stuffing contest.

"In seven minutes, all the tickets were sold out," head coach and general manager Andre Tourigny said Thursday from Rouyn-Noranda.

"Everywhere the players or the coaches go, people talk about the series and congratulate the players for the run they've had. At the same time, we try and keep our players away from that because we want our players to stay focused."

The winner represents the QMJHL at the Memorial Cup in Kitchener, Ont., from May 16 to 25.

The Kitchener Rangers lead the Belleville Bulls 1-0 in the OHL final and both clubs are bound for the Memorial Cup as host and OHL runner-up respectively.

The Western Hockey League championship series opens Friday with the Spokane Chiefs hosting the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The Huskies won the QMJHL's regular-season title with 47-20-2-1, while Gatineau was four points behind in third at 43-19-6-2.

Rouyn-Noranda took the quickest route possible to the final with four-games sweeps of Val-d'Or, Rimouski and Saint John.

The Olympiques took slightly longer with five-games series against Shawnigan and Quebec before sweeping Halifax.

Gatineau is one of those model franchises that finish above .500 and make the playoffs annually even in the cyclical world of junior hockey in which teams build to peak in Year 3 and then start all over again.

The Olympiques won back-to-back QMJHL titles in 2003 and 2004 and reached the Memorial Cup final both times under head coach Benoit Groulx, who has won 14 of 18 playoff rounds in his six seasons at the helm.

"He's the best coach in our league and one of my best friends in the league," Tourigny said. "I know he will be a big factor in the series, but in the meantime this is the fourth time I've coached him in the playoffs and I know how he'll react and what he can do.

"I'll try to do my job and not focus too much on him. I think I can do my job."

Rouyn-Noranda is 3-5 versus Gatineau during the regular season, but won their last two meetings 6-5 and 7-4.

They chased Olympiques goaltender Ryan Mior from the net after two periods of their last game on March 14.

"We know what happened during the regular season is not a reflection of what will happen in this series," Tourigny said.

"Everything is about the first period of the first game. After the first period, if we get the momentum and we're able to take the lead in that game, we'll take a big lead in that series, but if they get momentum we'll have to stay focused and not panic and stay on the job."

He calls Gatineau's top line of Claude Giroux, Paul Byron and Matthew Pistilli the best in the league.

"We have to keep them away from our net and stay away from the box," he said.

The Huskies generate a lot of their offence from the back end with Marc-Andre Bourdon, Ivan Vishnevskiy and Sebastien Piche among the highest scoring defencemen in the league.

"That makes a difference because we can attack from everywhere," Tourigny said. "That's important because we didn't have guys who finished at the top of the scoring race."

After striking out with a couple of 20-year-old goaltenders to start the season, the Huskies gave up a first-round draft pick to get Maxim Gougeon from Drummondville at the trade deadline.

He's carrying a 2.21 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage in a dozen playoff games.

Mior, from St. John's, N.L., set QMJHL records this season in career games played (239 ) and career shutouts with 15. He got six of those shutouts this season.

Mior has maintained a 2.35 goals-against-average and .908 save percentage in 14 post-season games.

While the pressure is on the Huskies as the regular-season champions, Tourigny says his team can handle it.

"For sure people expect a lot," he said. "We're used to playing with that and we're happy about that because we want people to believe in us and the people do."

Lethbridge Hurricanes, Spokane Chiefs set to battle for WHL championship

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:36:00 -0400

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are feasting in the playoffs after years of famine.

The Hurricanes open the Western Hockey League championship final on the road Friday against the Spokane Chiefs.

Lethbridge last won a WHL title in 1997 and then didn't win another playoff series again until this year.

The Hurricanes opened with a six-game win over the Brandon Wheat Kings, then took out the Kootenay Ice in five games, before a shocking four-game sweep of the favoured Calgary Hitmen in the Eastern Conference final.

So the Hurricanes have had time to put their feet up during the last week, while the Chiefs and Tri-City Americans wore each other out in a seven-game Western Conference final that ended Tuesday.

"We've had a long layoff, but at the same time I think we've used it wisely," head coach Michael Dyck said Thursday from Spokane. "It was important to get that rest, mentally more than anything."

The winner represents the WHL at the Memorial Cup in Kitchener, Ont., from May 16 to 25.

The host Kitchener Rangers were ahead 1-0 in the OHL final against the Belleville Bulls. Both teams will play in the Memorial Cup. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship series starts Friday with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies hosting the Gatineau Olympiques.

Lethbridge may be the more rested team heading into the WHL final, but Spokane is battle-hardened after taking down the Americans, who were the regular-season winners.

"I don't know if we've been rubbing our hands together in glee because we know that Spokane will be ready to play us tough tomorrow night," Dyck said. "Them going seven games with Tri-City, they're obviously a really good team."

Lethbridge and Spokane finished second in their respective divisions behind Calgary and Tri-City and were thus the third-seeded teams in their conferences heading into the playoffs.

The Chiefs had the best power play in the league during the regular season, but it went cold in the playoffs. Spokane's penalty kill, however, tops all WHL teams in the post-season.

Goaltender Dustin Tokarski from Watson, Sask., leads all goalies in the post-season with a goal-against average of 1.41, a save percentage of .945 and three shutouts.

He's rated in the top-10 North American goaltending prospects by Central Scouting for this year's NHL entry draft.

Up front, Drayson Bowman, Mitch Wahl, Ondrej Roman and Chris Bruton do the bulk of work on offence, but Judd Blackwater, David Rutherford and Levko Koper have also chipped in during the post-season.

There's less of a gap between Lethbridge's power play and penalty kill and the Hurricanes have been consistently good at both.

Lethbridge can also spread the scoring around and even the foot soldiers have scored goals at key moments.

Austin Fyten, a 16-year-old call-up from the midget triple-A team in Strathmore, Alta., scored the overtime goal in Game 2 against Calgary to give the 'Canes a 2-0 lead going back to their own building.

Zach Boychuk, who won a gold medal at the world junior hockey championship with Canada, is the player to watch in the Hurricanes lineup. Central Scouting ranks him No. 8 among North American skaters for the draft.

"He's one of our offensive catalysts, brings a lot of energy and brings more to his game than just offence," Dyck said. "He's transformed himself into a good two-way player.

"He's killing penalties for us and we've put him out in different situations, down a goal with a minute left as well as up a goal with a minute left."

Mike Manigao played the majority of games in Lethbridge's net during the regular season, but Juha Metsola from Finland won the starting job in playoffs with his performance during the last six weeks of the season.

"He doesn't let anything get to him. He's got an even keel not only to his game, but his personality as well," Dyck said. "That's helped him in some of these situations he's gone through."

The Chiefs ended the regular season ranked second in the Canadian Hockey League behind the Kitchener Rangers, while the Hurricanes were No. 10.

The Hurricanes heard the rumblings of discontent in Lethbridge when they were three games below .500 last October, but the young team has come a long way since then.

"I don't think this is a cocky group," Dyck said. "We've got a bit of a swagger. We're certainly a team that has the confidence that if we play our game we can have success against anybody."

Colborne wins junior A player of year award

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:48:00 -0400

CALGARY - Joe Colborne of the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Camrose Kodiaks was named the Canadian Junior A Hockey League player of the year Thursday.

He finished second in AJHL scoring over the regular season with 90 points (33-57).

Colborne was named playoff MVP after leading his team with 16 points (8-8). The Kodiaks won their second consecutive AJHL title and advanced to the RBC Cup, Canada's national junior A championship.

Riendeau of Rouyn-Noranda Huskies named CHL player of the week

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:47:00 -0400

TORONTO - Forward Yannick Riendeau of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies was named Canadian Hockey League player of the week Thursday.

He had three goals and five assists for eight points in two playoff games last week. Riendeau scored two game-winning goals to help the Huskies sweep the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Telus Division final.

Mike Duco of the Kitchener Rangers was the Ontario Hockey League nominee and Carter Bancks of the Lethbridge Hurricanes was the Western Hockey League nominee.

Hurricanes goalie Metsola named CHL goalie of the week

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 17:47:00 -0400

TORONTO - Juha Metsola of the Lethbridge Hurricanes was named Canadian Hockey League goaltender of the week Thursday.

He was 2-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and .960 save percentage in two playoff games last week.

Metsola made 25 saves in the Hurricanes' 6-0 win over the Calgary Hitmen in Game 3 of their Western Hockey League Eastern Conference final. He allowed two goals on 25 shots in a 4-2 victory in Game 4 to help the Hurricanes complete a four-game sweep.

John Unice of the Kitchener Rangers was the Ontario Hockey League nominee and Ryan Mior of the Gatineau Olympiques was the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League nominee.

Red Deer takes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins first overall in WHL bantam draft

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:42:00 -0400

CALGARY - The Red Deer Rebels selected centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins from Burnaby, B.C., first overall in the Western Hockey League's bantam draft Thursday.

The five-foot-10, 145-pound captain of the Burnaby Winter Club Bruins was named most valuable player at the Western Canada bantam championship in April with 10 goals and four assists in five games.

This year's WHL bantam draft features players born in 1993 (age 14 and 15).

The Rebels earned the first pick in the draft by winning a lottery of non-playoff teams.

Bulls lose Game 1, and more, in OHL final series with Rangers

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:15:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - The Kitchener Rangers won Wednesday night's opening of the Ontario Hockey League final 5-2 over Belleville, and that was just the beginning of the damage they inflicted on the Bulls.

Belleville's OHL goalie of the year Mike Murphy got hurt in mid-game, and their No. 5 blue-liner Nick Pageau was also lost to injury. Even the Bulls bench door gave out in the third period and needed repair.

Meanwhile, top Bulls forward Shawn Matthias has yet to return from mono. The Rangers, with their speed and tenacity, caused and fed off the Bulls misery Wednesday night.

The Bulls will hope for better fortune at home with Game 2 in the best-of-seven series set for Friday night at 7:15 at Yardmen Arena.

Kitchener's Mikkel Boedker snapped a goal past the blocker of Murphy five minutes into Wednesday's opener, to the delight of the 6,471 fans at the Kitchener Auditorium.

Yannick Weber hit the post to Murphy's right three minutes later.

After that, Rangers winger Brandon Mashinter crunched Pageau with a brutal hit and the Rangers had all the early momentum.

Pageau, who recently returned from a high-ankle sprain, may have re-injured it. He didn't return to the game.

But on Belleville's first true shot of the game, P.K. Subban blasted a blue-line snapshot off of Rangers goalie Josh Unice to tie it up.

Oddly, after allowing that softy, Unice shone by making the next 15 saves as the Bulls surged.

Unice's best series of stops came as A.J. Perry, Matt Beleskey and Subban swarmed the Rangers net. Later, Geoff Killing broke in alone on Unice, who shut down Killing's five-hold bid.

The Rangers took over in the second, outshooting the Bulls 13-8 and scoring three times to make it 4-1.

First, Nazem Kadri picked off a Shawn Lalonde pass en route to a marvellous short-handed goal. Kadri undressed Bulls defender Nigel Williams and beat Murphy blocker side.

A minute later, Rangers captain Matt Pepe jumped into the rush with a five-hole goal.

With five minutes left in the period, Nick Spaling swept a power-play goal home. Murphy stretched out awkwardly along the ice in a bid to make the save and appeared to pull something. He left the game and was replaced by veteran Parker VanBuskirk.

Spaling scored again in the third.

Williams replied for Belleville.

Game 3 is Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Aud.

Karl Alzner named WHL player of year and top defenceman

cp.org — Thu, 01 May 2008 02:11:00 -0400

CALGARY - The captain of Canada's golden junior hockey team was named both the Western Hockey League's player of the year and top defenceman Wednesday.

If this was Karl Alzner's last season with the Calgary Hitmen, it was a banner one for the 19-year-old from Burnaby, B.C.

He earned the WHL's highest individual honour in winning the Four Broncos Trophy, given annually by the WHL to its top player in memory of four Swift Current Broncos who died in a bus crash in 1986.

Alzner also became the second straight player to win both the Four Broncos Trophy and the Bill Hunter Trophy as top defenceman following Kris Russell of the Medicine Hat Tigers last year.

Russell played for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets this season.

"It's incredibly nice to be honoured for something like this," Alzner said. "A guy like Kris Russell, I respect him so much, and he did it the year before me so I'm happy to follow in his footsteps.

"I think I have a fairly decent resume right now which I'm proud to show people. I've got the opportunity to see so much and do so much and learn from so many coaches and players."

Alzner had seven goals and 29 assists and was plus-26 in 60 games with the Hitmen this season.

In his four seasons in Calgary, Alzner compiled 19 goals and 98 assists in 260 regular-season games and added another eight goals and 17 assists in 59 post-season games.

The Hitmen were swept in four games by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final. Lethbridge and the Spokane Chiefs open the WHL final Friday in Spokane.

Alzner, a smart, stay-at-home defenceman, was a calming influence on a young Canadian team that beat Sweden in overtime for the gold medal at the world junior championship in January.

It was Alzner's second gold in that tournament. He was Canada's lone 18-year-old on a blue-line full of 19-year-olds at the 2007 world junior championship.

"Winning a gold medal, hoisting the trophy is spectacular. That's one of the best feelings I've ever had," Alzner said.

He was selected fifth overall by the Washington Capitals in last year's NHL entry draft. Agent J.P. Barry is currently in negotiations on a three-year, entry-level contract for him.

The idea of playing alongside Alex Ovechkin with the Capitals as early as next season makes Alzner both excited and nervous at the same time.

"I've been very fortunate to have perfect timing for a lot of things and this is another one because they're taking in young guys and getting better and better and are people's second-favourite team next to their home team," Alzner said.

"I don't know how it's going to be playing with a guy like Ovechkin. I don't want to mess up any passes or shoot the puck too high when he's in front of the net."

Tri-City Americans forward Colton Yellow Horn was runner-up for the Four Broncos Trophy.

Brandon Wheat Kings forward Brayden Schenn took the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, Tri-City's Chet Pickard won the Del Wilson Trophy for the league's top goalie while Tri-City bench boss Don Nachbaur won the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy for coach of the year.

Alzner proved his durability in a gruelling 95-game season that included 18 with Canada's junior team and an exhibition game with the Capitals.

Washington invited him to join their AHL team in Hershey, Pa., when the Hitmen were knocked out of the playoffs, but the Bears were on the verge of elimination and Alzner said he was worn out.

"I was feeling really bad with a little bit of a flu and a little bit of a cold," Alzner said. "A little bit of bad timing."

Alzner leads on the ice by playing mistake-free hockey and using his six-foot-two, 209-pound frame to break up the opposing team's attack.

Off the ice, he approaches the game with refreshing sense of humour and joked Wednesday that with his 15 penalty minutes this season, he should have won the WHL's sportsmanship award too.

"He's a calming influence on everybody," Hitmen coach and GM Kelly Kisio said. "He taught our young guys a lot about preparing for games and preparing to be a pro and he dragged a lot of guys with him.

"When he comes to the rink, he's a pro."

Previous winners of the Four Broncos Trophy include Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward (Red Deer Rebels, 2004) and Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla (Kamloops Blazers, 1996).

Alzner is one of three candidates for the Canadian Hockey League's MVP award which will be announced at the Memorial Cup in Kitchener, Ont., in May.

The other nominees are Kitchener Rangers forward Justin Azevedo, who was named the Ontario Hockey League's outstanding player Tuesday, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League MVP Francis Pare of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

Taylor Hall named OHL rookie of the year

cp.org — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:09:00 -0400

TORONTO - Windsor Spitfires forward Taylor Hall was named winner of the Emms Family Award as the Ontario Hockey League's rookie of the year Wednesday.

The 16-year-old from Kingston, Ont., led all rookies with 45 goals. He also had 39 assists and finished second among OHL freshmen with 84 points in 63 games.

Hall also helped Canada win gold at the under-18 world championship last week in Russia.

He received 89 points in voting by OHL general managers, well ahead of Mikkel Boedker from the Kitchener Rangers who was second with 31. Casey Cizikas of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors was third with 28 points.

The trio was also named to the OHL all-rookie team, with Hall on the left wing, Cizikas at centre and Boedker on the right side.

Ryan Ellis of Windsor and Cameron Gaunce of Mississauga were named the defencemen while Josh Unice of Kitchener was chosen in goal.

Chiefs advance to WHL final with victory over Americans

cp.org — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:30:00 -0400

KENNEWICK, Wash. - Judd Blackwater scored two third-period goals to lead the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-1 victory over the Tri-City Americans in Game 7 of the Western Hockey League Western Conference final.

The Chiefs will face the Lethbridge Hurricanes for the Ed Chynoweth Cup in the WHL final.

"Words can't explain how we are feeling right now," Blackwater said. "We had a little talk in the dressing room after the second period, we had to come out a little harder than we did the first two periods, we were a little sloppy. We came out and took it to them."

Drayson Bowman and David Rutherford also scored in the third for the Chiefs. Dustin Tokarski, who was named the series MVP, made 31 saves.

Colton Yellow Horn scored the lone goal for the U.S. Division champion Americans, while Chet Pickard made 16 saves.

The Chiefs won their first conference title since 2000. The WHL final will begin Friday at Spokane Arena.

OHL final first for Belleville, Kitchener...then it is Memorial Cup

cp.org — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:22:00 -0400

The Ontario Hockey League's championship series won't spell the end of the playoff line for the loser.

Both the Kitchener Rangers and Belleville Bulls will play in the Memorial Cup because Kitchener is already in as the host team of the Canadian Hockey League championship May 16-25.

But the Rangers and Bulls covet an OHL title for the swagger it would give them heading into the Memorial Cup, along with the knowledge they'd already beaten one of their opponents at the tournament more than once.

The best-of-seven OHL championship series opens Wednesday in Kitchener.

"You wouldn't want to enter the Memorial Cup on a losing streak,"Bulls captain Matt Belesky said Tuesday during a conference call. "It would mean a lot to go in through the front door."

The Quebec and Western league finals both open Friday. The Gatineau Olympiques and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies do battle for the QMJHL title.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes awaited Tuesday's Game 7 winner between the Tri-Cities Americans and Spokane Chiefs to find out their opponent in the WHL championship series.

"It's the second time in the last five years we've had the fortune of playing in the finals and there's nothing like it this time of year," Rangers coach Pete DeBoer said. "The eyes of the hockey world are on only six teams left playing across Canada."

The Rangers were the best team in the OHL's regular season ahead of the Bulls at No. 2.

Two prominent storylines in the final are the absence of Kitchener Rangers goaltender Steve Mason, who is currently rehabilitating from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his knee suffered April 8, and when centre Shawn Matthias will make his return to Belleville's lineup following mononucleosis.

Both are impact players on their respective squads and were teammates on the Canadian team that won a gold medal at the world junior championship in January.

Mason was Canada's starting goaltender in the playoff round and was chosen the tournament's best goaltender and MVP. Kitchener acquired his rights from the London Knights while he played in the world junior tournament.

He was twice called up by the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets as an emergency backup this season although he didn't see any game action.

Mason likes to handle and pass the puck a lot, which helped Kitchener's transition game.

But he left the ice late in the second period of Game 3 of a Western Conference semifinal against Sarnia. He was replaced by 18-year-old rookie Josh Unice, who has gone 5-1 in the post-season since then.

DeBoer expects Mason will be healthy enough to play in the Memorial Cup and places his confidence in Unice in the meantime.

"As a team, we're confident in either guy," he said. "At the end of the day, they both win games. Josh proved during the regular season he's one of the best in the league."

Matthias was a major contributor at both ends of the ice for Canada and set up the winning goal in overtime, scored by Rangers forward Matt Halischuk.

The Florida Panthers called Matthias up for a short stint in January. He scored his first two NHL goals versus Washington before he was returned to Belleville.

The six-foot-four, 213-pound forward has yet to play in the OHL post-season, but Bulls head coach George Burnett says he'll play in the final.

"We'd love to have Shawn in our lineup and we expect him in the series," Burnett said. "If he's not in there (Wednesday), other individuals will respond collectively to the opportunity presented to them."

The Bulls will be trying to get to Unice, while the Rangers aim to keep the puck away from the Bulls and firmly on the sticks of players such as Justin Azevedo, the OHL's leading scorer and MVP, Halischuk and Nick Spaling.

Those three players lead the OHL in post-season scoring.

"They have a lot of offence, they have the leading scorer and a lot of guys on that first page (of OHL statistics), so we've got to be prepared for them, which I think we are," said Belesky, who is the Bulls leading scorer in both the regular season and playoffs.

The two clubs are alternating games, so Game 2 will be in Belleville's Yardmen Arena, which is the only OHL arena with international-sized ice. It's four metres wider than other rinks around the league.

The Rangers went 2-0 against Belleville in the regular season and were ranked No. 2 in the CHL for most of the year.

The Rangers swept Plymouth and Sarnia in the playoffs before needing five games to get past the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Belleville opened the post-season by beating Peterborough in five games, then sweeping Barrie in four before downing the Oshawa in five.

Kitchener won OHL titles in 1981, 1982 and 2003 and won the Memorial Cup the latter two years. The Belleville Bulls won their lone OHL title in 1999.

Justin Azevedo named OHL's most outstanding player

cp.org — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:59:00 -0400

Kitchener Rangers head coach Pete DeBoer told Justin Azevedo he'd lead the Ontario Hockey League in scoring one day.

DeBoer was prophetic. The 20-year-old centre from West Lorne, Ont., was named the OHL's outstanding player Tuesday after compiling a league-high 124 points in 67 games for the Rangers.

Azevedo scored 43 goals and added 81 assists in 2007-08.

"I think Pete was the one who said I would be leading the league in scoring one of these years, but I didn't think I'd actually be receiving this award," Azevedo said during a conference call Tuesday from Kitchener, Ont.

"But I knew I could be successful in this league."

Azevedo earned the Red Tilson Trophy, which is voted on by OHL media, as the league's top player.

The five-foot-eight, 180-pound forward hasn't been drafted by an NHL team. Azevedo attended the Atlanta Thrashers' rookie camp two years ago.

"The nice thing about Justin is he doesn't know he's five foot eight. No one has told him that yet," DeBoer said. "He plays a lot bigger. This is the kind of kid who is going to find a way to put the puck in the net."

Azevedo's consistency and competitiveness helped the Rangers weather extended absences of top forwards Matt Halischuk and Nick Spaling this season due to injury and illness.

Kitchener finished first in the OHL at the end of the regular season.

The Rangers face the Belleville Bulls in the opener of the league's championship series Wednesday and the Rangers host the Memorial Cup from May 16 to 25.

Azevedo has six goals and 21 assists in 13 playoff games.

OHL commissioner David Branch believes the crackdown on obstruction and interference by the OHL in recent years has helped smaller, skilled players such as Azevedo.

"The whole focus of the new standards of enforcement was to open up the game and allow the skilled players to perform and clearly that is the case with Justin," Branch said. "He is arguably the most, exciting dynamic player in our league today."

Azevedo agreed the enforcement of rules helped him, but DeBoer says his star centre would have been successful in the OHL regardless.

"I saw Justin play and our scouts saw him play under the old rules playing Junior B and he was just as successful and just as dynamic and just as dominant playing under the old rules," DeBoer said.

Azevedo isn't sure what his pro prospects are, but he's preoccupied now with the OHL final and the Memorial Cup.

"I'm trying not to think about it too much. I think I'll get a tryout somewhere, but I don't think anybody really knows what will happen,"Azevedo said.

"I think you've got to prove yourself no matter where you go. I am a smaller guy and I've been trying to prove to everybody that I can play at a higher level my whole life growing up. It's nothing new to me."

Oshawa Generals forward John Tavares won the Red Tilson Trophy in 2007.

Previous winners of the OHL's highest award for an individual player include Anaheim Ducks forward Corey Perry (2005, London Knights), San Jose Sharks defenceman Brian Campbell (1999, Ottawa 67's) and Nashville Predators forward David Legwand (1998, Plymouth Whalers).

"I wouldn't say I had my fingers crossed, but I had the year I wanted to have," Azevedo said. "I did my best to lead this team and we've been doing a good job so far.

"I didn't expect to get it. I was just hoping for the best."

Reddick's OT goal leads Americans over Chiefs, forces Game 7

cp.org — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:20:00 -0400

SPOKANE, Wash. - Kruise Reddick's overtime power-play goal led the Tri-City Americans a 2-1 win over the Spokane Chiefs on Monday and forced a decisive Game 7 in the Western Hockey League semifinal series.

Reddick snapped a shot from the slot that deflected past Spokane's Dustin Tokarski for the game winner. It was just Tri-City's second power-play goal of the series. The final game goes Tuesday night in Kennewick, Wash. The winner will meet the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL Championship series.

Spokane's Judd Blackwater scored his third goal in two games, giving the Chiefs a 1-0 lead 4:09 into the first period with a shot from the high slot. Mitch Wahl and Jared Cowen assisted on the play.

Tri-City tied it up at 18:32 of the second as Petr Stoklasa's wrist shot from the slot found the top of the net for his first goal of the post-season.

Spokane outshot the Americans 14-1 in the third period and 36-20 in the game but Chet Pickard stood up to the test with 35 saves for the Americans.

Tokarski made 19 saves.

In six games of this series, the Chiefs and Americans have played into the overtime period five times. Spokane has won a pair of double overtime games with the Americans winning three times, including twice in Spokane.

Hurricanes' forward Carter Bancks named WHL Player of the Week

cp.org — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 03:45:00 -0400

CALGARY - Forward Carter Bancks of the Lethbridge Hurricanes was named WHL Player of the Week on Monday.

Bancks netted four goals in two playoff games over the last week, helping the Lethbridge Hurricanes win the Eastern Conference Championship series over the Calgary Hitmen 4-0.

With the Hurricanes leading the series 2-0, Bancks scored two goals, including the game-winner, as the Hurricanes took a 3-0 series lead with a 6-0 victory over the Hitmen.

Bancks had another two-goal performance in Game 4, as the Hurricanes defeated Hitmen 4-2 and advance to the WHL Championship series.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes will now face off against either the Spokane Chiefs or Tri-City Americans in the WHL Championship series.

Spokane earns 4-3 double-OT win over Tri-City in WHL Western Conference final

cp.org — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:49:00 -0400

KENNEWICK, Wash. - Judd Blackwater's second goal of the game 2:28 into double overtime lifted the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-3 win over the Tri-City Americans in Game 5 of the WHL's Western Conference final Saturday night.

The victory gives Spokane a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 goes Monday in Spokane, while Game 7, if necessary, will be played Tuesday in Kennewick.

Saturday's game was wild from the start, with Spokane scoring the opening goal of the game just 1:06 into the contest, as Blackwater buried a rebound of a shot by Chris Bruton.

Drew Hoff evened things up at 7:34, taking a pass from Colton Yellow Horn underneath a sliding Jared Cowan and burying the puck behind Spokane goalie Dustin Tokarski.

The Americans took the lead at 3:17 of the second with a goal by Jason Reese, but Spokane's Drayson Bowman responded with a pair of goals in a span of 1:20 for a 3-2 lead the Chiefs would cling to until the end of the period.

Radek Meidl scored the tying goal for the Americans at 13:10 of the third.

Bowman, looking for a hat trick, was pulled down from behind by T.J. Fast and was awarded a penalty shot at 7:51 of the first overtime. Bowman went straight down the slot on Tri-City goalie Chet Pickard, but shot the puck over the net.

Pickard finished with 34 saves.

Olympiques sweep Mooseheads to advance to QMJHL finals

cp.org — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 02:49:00 -0400

GATINEAU, Que. - Jean-Philip Chabot and Paul Byron each scored twice as the Gatineau Olympiques swept the Halifax Mooseheads to advance to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League finals.

Claude Giroux also scored for the Olympiques in the 5-2 win while goaltender Ryan Moir made 22 saves.

Andrew White and Colby Pridham scored for the Mooseheads and Mark Yetman stopped 28 shots.

The Olympiques will face the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the final.

Drew Doughty wins OHL defenceman award

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:27:00 -0400

TORONTO - Drew Doughty of the Guelph Storm won the Ontario Hockey League's Most Outstanding Defenceman award on Thursday.

The 18-year-old London, Ont., native won the Max Kaminsky Trophy after scoring 13 goals and 37 assists for 50 points in 58 games this season with the Storm. Doughty also helped Team Canada win the gold medal at the World Junior championships and participated in the Canada-Russia Challenge in November.

Doughty, a top rated prospect for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, finished first in voting among the OHL Coaches Poll in the Best Offensive Defenceman category and second in the Best Defensive Defenceman category for the Western Conference.

Last year's winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy was Marc Staal of the Sudbury Wolves, who is currently competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the New York Rangers.

Doughty will be formally presented with the trophy during the 2007-08 OHL Awards Ceremony, which will be held on June 4 at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Boychuk, Pickard each pick up CHL Player of the Week honours

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:50:00 -0400

TORONTO - Zach Boychuk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and goalie Chet Pickard of the Tri-City Americans won CHL Player of the Week awards Thursday.

Boychuk scored four goals and one assist for five points to go along with a plus-4 plus-minus rating in two playoff games that helped the Hurricanes jump out to a 2-0 lead over the Calgary Hitmen in their WHL Eastern Conference championship series.

The 18-year-old from Airdrie, Alta., leads all WHL playoff scorers with 11 goals and is third with 19 points in 13 games.

Pickard, meanwhile, went 1-1 with a 0.36 goals against average and .988 save percentage in two playoff games.

He opened the WHL Western Conference championships against the Spokane Chiefs with a 36-save performance in a 1-0 double overtime loss on Friday. He followed up with a 45-save shutout in a 1-0 double overtime win in Game 2 on Sunday to help the Americans tie the series. He was named first star of both games.

The 19-year-old from Winnipeg has a 10-3 post-season record to go along with a 1.64 goals against average and .942 save percentage and three shutouts in 13 games.

Steven Stamkos rated top prospect for draft in NHL Central Scouting final rankings

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:17:00 -0400

TORONTO - Sarnia Sting centre Steve Stamkos topped Central Scouting's final rankings for the 2008 entry draft, but defencemen dominated the top of the list of North American skaters.

Stamkos, a six-foot, 176-pound forward from Toronto, had 58 goals in 61 games to finish second in Ontario Hockey League.

He also helped Canada win gold at the world junior hockey championship at age 17.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have the No. 1 pick in the draft June 20-21 in Ottawa after winning the lottery held earlier this month. Los Angeles picks second with the Atlanta Thrashers having the third selection.

Four defencemen followed Stamkos in Central Scouting's rankings of North American players.

Peterborough Petes defenceman Zach Bogosian of Massena, N.Y., was No. 2 followed by Drew Doughty of the Guelph Storm at No. 3.

Doughty, from London, Ont. was selected the top defenceman at the world junior championship.

Two Kelowna Rockets blue-liners followed with Tyler Myers of Houston and Luke Schenn of Saskatoon at fourth and fifth respectively.

Niagara IceDogs defencemen Alex Pietrangelo was sixth.

Central Scouting picked the Storm's Thomas McCollum of Amherst, N.Y., as the best North American prospect in goal. His record was 25-17-3-3, his goals-against average was 2.50 and his save percentage was .914.

Russian left-winger Nikita Filatov was the top-ranked European prospect. Filatov had 32 goals and 34 assists in 32 games for CKSA and had four goals and five assists in seven games at the world junior tournament for Russia.

Bancks strikes twice as Hurricanes sweep Hitmen

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:55:00 -0400

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - Carter Bancks scored a pair of goals for the second straight game as the Lethbridge Hurricanes beat the Calgary Hitmen 4-2 Wednesday to sweep the Western Hockey League Eastern Conference final.

Bancks scored the game's opening goal nine seconds into the second period, then capped off the Lethbridge win with an empty-net marker in the dying seconds. Craig Orfino and Dan Iwanski also scored for the Hurricanes, while Juha Metsola made 23 saves for his 12th win of the playoffs.

Calgary, swept for the first time in franchise history, got goals from Kyle Bortis and Michael Stone. Dan Spence made 24 saves in net.

Lethbridge now awaits the winner of the Western Conference final series between the Tri-City Americans and the Spokane Chiefs. That series is tied 2-2.

(Lethbridge Herald)

Wednesday's QMJHL Roundup

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:57:00 -0400

Yannick Riendeau scored the game winner as the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies advanced to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League finals with a four-game sweep of the Saint John Sea Dogs.

Riendeau broke the tie at 12:18 in the third period to push the Huskies past the Sea Dogs 5-4.

At Saint John, N.B., Jeff Desjardins led the Huskies with two goals and an assist. Tyler Hawes and Pier-Luc Giguere also scored for the Huskies.

Scott Howes scored twice for the Sea Dogs with Michael Kirkpatrick and Keven Guerette-Charland adding extra tallies.

Maxim Gougeon stopped 33 shots for the Huskies while at the other end Travis Fullerton made 38 saves.

Meanwhile, at Gatineau, Que., the Olympiques are one win away from facing Rouyn-Noranda in the finals after beating the Halifax Mooseheads 6-1.

Paul Byron and Alexandre Quesnel both scored twice for the Olympiques, who chased Mooseheads starting goaltender Mark Yetman in the third period. Jean-Philip Chabot and Joey Ryan also scored for Gatineau.

Colby Pridham scored the only goal for the Mooseheads.

Ryan Mior made 21 saves for the Olympiques while Yetman and backup goalie Pier-Olivier Pelletier combined for 30 saves.

Game 4 will be played Thursday in Gatineau.

Bulls charge into OHL final with 11-0 rout of Generals

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:11:00 -0400

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - Matt Beleskey had three goals and an assist as the Belleville Bulls charged into the Ontario Hockey League final with an 11-0 thrashing of the Oshawa Generals on Wednesday.

The Bulls won the Eastern Conference final 4-1. They will face Kitchener for the league title after the Rangers downed Sault Ste. Marie 5-0 Wednesday.

Adam Perry had two goals and two assists, Jan Mursak added a goal and two assists, and Cory Tanaka, Shawn Lalonde, Keaton Turkiewicz, Andrew Self and Stephen Blunden had singles for the Bulls. Bryan Cameron added three assists.

The offensive support was overkill for Belleville goaltender Mike Murphy, who made 28 saves to earn the shutout.

Daryl Borden made 36 saves for Oshawa.

Rangers advance to OHL final with 5-0 win over Greyhounds

cp.org — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:09:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - Matt Halischuk scored twice and the Kitchener Rangers advanced to the Ontario Hockey League final with a 5-0 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Wednesday.

Kitchener won the Western Conference final 4-1. The Rangers will play Belleville in the league final.

Leading 2-0 after 40 minutes, the Rangers broke the game open in the third period. An undisciplined Greyhounds team took five straight penalties, and the Rangers took advantage with three power-play goals.

Mike Duco, Nick Spaling and Scott Tregunna also scored for Kitchener. Nazem Kadri added three assists.

Josh Unice made 25 saves for the shutout.

Kyle Gajewski stopped 37 shots for the Greyhounds.

Reddick scores in overtime as Americans even series with Chiefs

cp.org — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:15:00 -0400

SPOKANE, Wash. - Kruise Reddick scored 2:07 into overtime as the Tri-City Americans beat the Spokane Chiefs 3-2 on Tuesday in Western Hockey League playoff action.

Reddick scored the game winner after Drew Hoff forced Chiefs goaltender Dustin Tokarski to misplay the puck behind the net. Hoff tipped it out to Reddick in front of the net and he fired it in. The Americans evened the Western Conference final at 2-2. Three of the four games have gone to overtime.

Game 5 of the series is Saturday in Kennewick, Wash.

Mitch Wahl opened the scoring for Spokane when tapped a cross-ice pass from Chris Bruton past Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard.

Colton Yellow Horn tied the game with a power-play goal at 19:20 of the first. It was Tri-City's first regulation goal of the series. Jarrett Toll gave the Americans the lead 19 seconds later.

Drayson Bowman scored his first goal of the series on a power play at 18:49 at the second period to tie the game 2-2.

Pickard made 18 saves for Tri-City. Tokarski stopped 30 shots for Spokane.

Hurricanes hammer Hitmen to take control of WHL East final

cp.org — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 03:57:00 -0400

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - Carter Bancks scored a pair of goals and Juha Metsola made 25 saves as the Lethbridge Hurricanes routed the Calgary Hitmen 6-0 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night.

Craig Orfino, Adam Chorneyko, Mitch Fadden and Jeff May also added goals as the Hurricanes grabbed a 3-0 stranglehold on the series with Game 4 Wednesday in Lethbridge.

After playing to a scoreless tie through 20 minutes, Bancks opened the scoring on a wrap-around try just 28 seconds into the second period. Lethbridge would stretch the lead to 3-0 by the end of the frame and put the game away with a three-goal third. for Metsola, it was his third shutout of the playoffs and 11th victory.

Dan Spence started in net for Calgary, making 13 saves before being relieved by Martin Jones after the third goal. Jones made 11 stops.

(Lethbridge Herald)

Hugo Carpentier scores a hat trick as Rouyn-Noranda took a 3-0 series lead

cp.org — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:18:00 -0400

SAINT JOHN, N.B. - Rouyn-Noranda is firmly in the driver's seat in its series with Saint John.

Hugo Carpentier scored three goals as the Huskies pounded the Sea Dogs 8-1 to take a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven QMJHL series Tuesday.

Yannick Riendeau had two goals and four assists for Rouyn-Noranda, while Alex Emond, Maxime Macenauer and Pier-Luc Giguere also scored.

Alexandre Leduc replied with the lone goal for Saint John.

Rouyn-Noranda goalie Maxim Gougeon made 28 saves for the win, while Travis Fullerton and Robert Mayer combined for 26 stops at the other end.

Former WHL president Ed Chynoweth dies at age 66

cp.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:44:00 -0400

CALGARY - Canadian junior hockey has lost one of its most influential men with the death of Ed Chynoweth of cancer at age 66.

The longtime head of the Western Hockey League and the Canadian Hockey League that encompasses the Western, Ontario and Quebec major junior leagues was a powerful figure in junior hockey for 37 years.

The WHL office in Calgary said Chynoweth died Tuesday morning.

He was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2006 and had recently entered a palliative care facility in Calgary.

Chynoweth, from Dodsland, Sask., was commissioner of the WHL from 1972 to 1995, with the exception of the 1979-80 season when he was GM of the Calgary Wranglers.

He was also president of the CHL from 1975 to 1995 before stepping down from both positions to purchase an expansion franchise in the WHL.

Chynoweth continued to influence the game as owner of the Kootenay Ice. He was WHL's chairman of the board twice and held that position at the time of his death.

Despite failing health, he chaired his last meeting on Feb. 4.

"He was like a second father to me because he was my mentor," Kelowna Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton said Tuesday. "It's a tough day for me."

There is little in major junior hockey that his doesn't have Chynoweth's fingerprints on it.

He brought the Western, Ontario and Quebec leagues together in 1973 to form one entity, which is now 60 teams stretching from Sydney, N.S., to Vancouver as well as eight franchises in the United States.

"He was the architect of the Canadian Hockey League as we know it today," said David Branch, OHL commissioner and Chynoweth's successor as head of the CHL.

"Our country was going through some challenges in terms of views and attitudes politically and Ed was able to bring three leagues together and there was always a sense of fairness and a passion for the game."

Canada's team at the world junior hockey championship is a result of Chynoweth convincing team owners to give up their best players for four weeks in December and January and let them play in the tournament.

"Ed was a big leader in that and a lot of people were against that because it took away prime hockey players from those prime dates when all our teams draw the best outside playoff time," said longtime Portland Winter Hawks executive Ken Hodge.

"I think the world juniors has become a huge factor in how each of the three leagues are perceived and the type of product they put forward and the type of players they develop for the National Hockey League."

The Memorial Cup, the annual championship tournament of the CHL, is a premiere hockey event coveted by host cities and watched by hundreds of thousands of people on television and in person.

Chynoweth saw the worth of having major junior teams in smaller cities, where the arenas weren't large, but where people would fill them every night.

"I think what is overlooked is why we have so many small communities owning teams is because of him," Hamilton said. "Being from Saskatchewan, he believed the Swift Currents, the Moose Jaws and the Prince Alberts of the world had to have those teams because it was a way of life in those communities and still is."

The CHL is considered the No. 1 producer of NHL players and Hamilton credits Chynoweth for forging that relationship.

"He was so overly respected from the National Hockey League level," he said. "When they became partners with us, I think they knew Ed was going to take the direction they wanted us to go and he felt was right for us."

Chynoweth saw the WHL through fractious periods, including the Graham James sex scandal in Swift Current in 1997.

"He kept the Western Hockey League together through some very difficult times, financial and otherwise," Hodge said.

"He certainly carried the torch very, very high for the Western Hockey League. We're proud to have been associated with him."

Handling the large egos of hockey boardrooms, where everyone wants an advantage, required Chynoweth's strong personality.

Hamilton says while Chynoweth listened to the opinions of others, he wasn't afraid to put people in their place.

"The boardroom was just like a hockey game and when he was in the boardroom, he competed." Branch said. "When he left the boardroom, the game was over, he'd put his arm around you and say "Where are we going to eat tonight?"'

Under Chynoweth's tenure, the WHL developed a scholarship program that provides post-secondary funding for the league's graduates.

"At the end of the day, the one thing about Ed, the players meant everything to him," Hamilton said.

His son Dean played nine seasons in the NHL and is currently head coach and general manager of the Swift Current Broncos, while another son Jeff is general manager of the Ice, who won WHL titles in 2000 and 2002 and the Memorial Cup in 2002.

The WHL's championship trophy was re-named the Ed Chynoweth Cup last year and will be awarded for the first time at the conclusion this year's playoffs.

"From the stability of our franchises coast-to-coast, not only in the Western Hockey League, to very important steps in our evolution such a full scholarship program for our players, he has been instrumental in virtually every area of our business," said Ron Robison, commissioner of the WHL.

Chynoweth was named to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2000 and had been a member of the selection committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1990.

He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Linda, and his two sons.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

Tokarski makes 25 saves; Chiefs blank Americans

cp.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:28:00 -0400

SPOKANE, Wash. - Dustin Tokarski made 25 saves for his second shutout of the series and the Spokane Chiefs beat the Tri-City Americans 2-0 in Western Hockey League playoff action Monday.

The Chiefs lead the WHL Western Conference final 2-1. Wednesday's game was the first in the series to end in regulation after the first two went to double overtime. Game 4 is Tuesday in Spokane.

David Rutherford and Ondrej Roman scored for Spokane.

Chet Pickard made 34 saves for Tri-City as both goaltenders continued their excellent play in the series.

Duco scores twice as Rangers take 3-1 series lead against Greyhounds

cp.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:15:00 -0400

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. - Mike Duco scored two goals as the Kitchener Rangers trounced the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 7-3 Monday in Game 4 of their Western Conference final.

The win gives the Rangers a commanding 3-1 series lead, with Game 5 set for Wednesday in Kitchener.

Kitchener's Mikkel Boedker and Justin Azevedo had a goal and two assists each, while Scott Timmins, Matt Halischuk and Nazem Kadri chipped in with singles.

Duco and Halischuk both have 11 goals in the post-season.

Josh Godfrey, Brandon Biggers and Brandon MacLean scored for the Greyhounds, who went 1-for-6 with the man advantage.

Josh Unice made 24 saves for the Rangers.

Generals stay alive with 5-0 victory over Bulls

cp.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:52:00 -0400

OSHAWA, Ont. - The Oshawa Generals staved off elimination with a 2-1 win over the Belleville Bulls on Monday in Game 4 of the Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference final.

Brett Parnham was credited with the winning goal 6:44 into the third period when the puck was inadvertently knocked into the net by Bulls defenceman Shawn Lalonde.

That broke a 1-1 tie and led the Generals to their first win of the series. The Bulls still carry a 3-1 lead into Game 5 in Belleville Wednesday.

Jan Mursak opened the scoring 6:10 into the game for the Bulls during a 5-on-3 power play.

Dale Mitchell tied the game late in the period right after a Generals' power play had ended.

Daryl Borden made 32 saves in goal for Oshawa, while Mike Murphy made 29 stops for Belleville.

The Bulls were 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Generals were 0-for-6.

Boychuk, Beleskey win Player of the Week awards

cp.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:51:00 -0400

Forward Zach Boychuk of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Matt Beleskey of the Belleville Bulls won Player of the Weeks awards on Monday.

Boychuk took the WHL honour, while Beleskey received the OHL distinction.

Boychuk picked up four goals and one assist to go with a plus-four rating in two playoff games over the last week, helping the Lethbridge Hurricanes jump out to a 2-0 series lead over the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL Eastern Conference championship series.

Beleskey scored one goal and added five assists for six points in three playoff games, helping the Bulls jump out to a 3-0 lead over the Oshawa Generals in the OHL Eastern Conference championship series.

Giroux scores in double overtime, Olympiques beat Mooseheads

cp.org — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:09:00 -0400

HALIFAX - Claude Giroux scored his second goal of the game 7:06 into double overtime and the Gatineau Olympiques beat the Halifax Mooseheads 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action Sunday.

Gatineau beat Halifax in overtime for the second time in as many nights to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven semifinal series.

Game 3 is Wednesday in Gatineau, Que.

Alexandre Quesnel and Paul Byron also scored for Gatineau.

Bryce Swan, Peter-James Corsi and Tomas Knotek replied for Halifax.

Ryan Mior was stellar for the Olympiques, making 47 saves, including 16 in the first overtime, to get the win.

Mooseheads goalie Mark Yetman made 33 saves in a losing cause.

Spaling scores twice, Rangers take 2-1 lead over Greyhounds

cp.org — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:08:00 -0400

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. - Nick Spaling scored twice and the Kitchener Rangers beat the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 6-3 in Ontario Hockey League playoff action Sunday.

The Rangers lead the Western Conference final 2-1. Game 4 is Monday in Sault Ste. Marie.

Scott Timmins, Mike Duco, Nazem Kadri and Matt Halischuk also scored for Kitchener.

Arron Alphonso, Dylan King and Jacob Muzzin repleid for Sault Ste. Marie.

Josh Unice made 25 saves for the Rangers. Kyle Gajewski stopped 19 saves for the Greyhounds.

Cameron helps Bulls put chokehold on Oshawa

cp.org — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:45:00 -0400

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - Bryan Cameron scored the eventual-winner as the Belleville Bulls downed the Oshawa Generals 5-2 Saturday to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Nigel Williams opened the scoring for the Bulls, but Patrick Asselin and Kory Nagy put Oshawa up 2-1 less than three minutes later in the first period.

But that's all they would get.

Jan Mursak tied it six seconds later and Cameron put the Bulls up 3-2 with less than a minute to play in the first.

Andew Self and Cory Tanaka scored in the third to round out the scoring.

Mike Murphy made 32 saves for Belleville, while Daryl Borden blocked 38 of 43 shots for the Generals.

Game 4 is Monday in Oshawa, Ont.

Gatineau opens series with 2-1 win over Halifax

cp.org — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:41:00 -0400

Paul Byron scored both goals for Gatineau, including the overtime-winner as the Olympiques beat the Halifax Mooseheads 2-1 Saturday to take Game 1 of their QMJHL semifinal.

Ryan Mior was solid or Gatineau, stopping 32 of 33 shots he faced. Claude Giroux assisted on both goals.

Elsewhere in QMJHL playoff action, it was: Huskies 7, Sea Dogs 5.

At Halifax, Jakub Voracek scored for the Mooseheads, his fifth of the playoffs.

Game 2 is Sunday in Halifax.

Huskies 7, Sea Dogs 5

At Rouyn-Noranda, Que., Tyler Hawes, Hugo Carpentier, Yannick Riendeau and Pier-Luc Giguere each scored a goal and an assist to lead the Huskies over Saint John, taking a 2-0 series lead in their semifinal.

Jeff Desjardins, Michael Dubuc and Marc-Andre Bourdon also tallied for Rouyn-Noranda.

Scott Howes had a goal and two assists to lead the Sea Dogs, while Pascal Amyot, Christopher DiDomenico, Alexandre Picard-Hooper and Ryan Sparling also tallied.

Game 3 is Tuesday in Saint John, N.B.

Roman scores double-overtime winner as Chiefs beat Americans 1-0

cp.org — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:34:00 -0400

KENNEWICK, Wash. - Judd Blackwater knocked the puck away from Colton Yellow Horn and fed Ondrej Roman for the game winner just 49 seconds into double-overtime, leading the Spokane Chiefs to a 1-0 victory over the Tri-City Americans in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals Friday night.

Americans goalie Chet Pickard, had gone 166 minutes and 45 seconds without allowing a goal until Roman found daylight at the right post. Pickard finished with 36 saves.

Spokane's Dustin Tokarski stopped all 24 of the Americans' shots for his second shutout of the playoffs.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will be Sunday at Toyota Center, while Games 3 and 4 will be Monday and Tuesday at Spokane Arena.

Fyten notches OT winner, Hurricanes edge Hitmen

cp.org — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:10:00 -0400

CALGARY - Austin Fyten his first goal of the Western Hockey League playoffs at 2:37 of overtime to lead the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 4-3 win over the Calgary Hitmen on Friday night.

With the win, the Hurricanes head back to Lethbridge with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final. Games 3 and 4 of the series will be played at the Lethbridge Enmax Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Zach Boychuk had two goals and an assist for the Hurricanes, while Adam Chorneyko also scored.

Brett Sonne set up Bostjan Golicic for his first-ever WHL playoff goal in the first period before scoring to give the Hitmen a 2-1 lead in the second.

After Kyle Bortis scored a power-play goal to put the Hitmen up by two goals at 14:54 of the middle frame, Boychuk scored his second of the game and 11th of the playoffs for the Hurricanes 31 seconds later.

In the third, the Hurricanes pressed hard to tie the game and their hard work paid off as Boychuk set up Chorneyko for his first goal of the playoffs to tie the contest at 3-3 with 3:58 left in regulation.

Lethbridge goalie Juha Metsola stopped 24 shots to pick up his 10th win of the post-season. Meanwhile Dan Spence made 33 saves, including 17 in the third period, in the losing cause.

Friday's QMJHL Roundup

cp.org — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:42:00 -0400

ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. - Jarrad Struthers scored twice in the second period Friday to power the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to a 5-3 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs in Game 1 of their QMJHL semifinal.

Brett Morrison, Michael Dubuc and Hugo Carpentier, his ninth of the playoffs, also scored for Rouyn-Noranda, which went 2-for-8 on the power play. Sebastien Piche contributed two assists.

Christopher DiDomenico and Scott Howes had a goal and an assist each for Saint John, while Alexandre Picard-Hooper added a single.

Maxim Gougeon stopped 18 shots for the Huskies.

Robert Mayer and Travis Fullerton combined for 43 saves for the Sea Dogs.

Game 2 is Saturday in Rouyn-Noranda.

Van Buskirk makes 28 saves as Bulls edge Generals

cp.org — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:21:00 -0400

OSHAWA, Ont. - Parker Van Buskirk made 28 saves in relief as the Belleville Bulls charged back from an early 3-0 deficit for a 4-3 win over the Oshawa Generals Friday in Game 2 of the OHL Eastern Conference final.

With the win, Belleville takes 2-0 series lead. Oshawa jumped out to the 3-0 lead just 3:56 into the game, but the Bulls responded when Mike Murphy was pulled in favour of Van Buskirk at that point.

Second-period goals by Adam Perry, Eric Tangradi, Shawn Lalonde and captain Matt Beleskey gave the Bulls the lead, and Van Buskirk made 10 saves in the third period to preserve it.

Corey Cowick had two chances to tie the game late, but fanned on one shot and was robbed by Van Buskirk on another.

The Bulls now own a 2-0 series lead with Game 3 Saturday in Belleville, Ont.

Dale Mitchell staked the Generals to the lead with two goals before the game was 1:31 old, and Brett Parnham made it 3-0 on a power play, driving Murphy to the bench.

John Tavares was held off the scoresheet for the Generals and also gave the puck away on Beleskey's winner late in the second period.

Generals goalie Daryl Borden made 44 saves as Belleville outshot the Generals badly for the second straight game, this time 48-33.

Oshawa went 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Bulls were 0-for-6.

Yellow Horn and Alzner named WHL award nominees

cp.org — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:54:00 -0400

CALGARY - Tri-City Americans forward Colton Yellow Horn and Calgary Hitmen blue-liner Karl Alzner were nominated Friday for the WHL Player of the Year award.

Yellow Horn is the Western Conference finalist while Alzner was named in the East. Yellow Horn, a 20-year-old from Brocket, Alta., scored a WHL-leading 48 goals while adding 49 assists for 97 points and a +19 rating in 67 games.

His efforts helped the Americans to a franchise-best 52-16-2-2 record for 108 points as the team captured the U.S. Division and Western Conference regular-season titles for the first time in franchise history.

He led all WHL players with 20 power play goals and eight shorthanded goals, and also netted a team-leading eight game-winning goals, tying him for fifth in the WHL in that category.

Alzner, a 19-year-old product of Burnaby, B.C., tallied seven goals and 29 assists for 36 points to go with a solid +26 rating in 60 regular-season games for the Hitmen.

His efforts helped lead the Hitmen to a 47-20-1-4 record for 99 points as the team captured their first Central Division and Eastern Conference regular-season banners since the 1999-00 season.

The two finalists for WHL Player of the Year were determined through voting by General Managers, coaches, broadcast and media representatives of all WHL clubs.

Boychuk scores twice to lead Hurricanes over Hitmen

cp.org — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:09:00 -0400

CALGARY - Zach Boychuk scored twice to lead the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 5-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen in Western Hockey League playoff action Tuesday night.

With the win, the Hurricanes jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final series with Game 2 slated for Friday night back at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Ben Wright, Colton Sceviour and Dwight King also scored for the Hurricanes, while Mitch Fadden set up three goals.

Michael Stone had a goal and an assist for the Hitmen, while Carson McMillan scored his first goal of the post-season.

Lethbridge goalie Juha Metsola made 17 saves to pick up the win, while Calgary netminder Martin Jones stopped 14 shots at the other end.

Gajewski stops 43 as Greyhounds even series with Rangers

cp.org — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:59:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - Matt Caria scored the game-winner and Kyle Gajewski made 43 saves as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defeated the Kitchener Rangers 3-1 to even their Western Conference final at 1-1.

Caria scored his sixth goal of the playoffs in the second period on the power play. Wayne Simmonds also scored for the Greyhounds and Andrew Campbell added an empty-netter. Scott Tregunna replied for the Rangers.

Josh Unice stopped 16 of 18 shots for Kitchener.

Game 3 is Sunday in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Unice makes 35 saves, Kitchener beats Sault Ste. Marie

cp.org — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:28:00 -0400

KITCHENER, Ont. - Josh Unice made 35 saves to help the Kitchener Rangers pull out a 3-1 win over Sault Ste. Marie in the opening game of the OHL's Western Conference final Wednesday.

Justin Azevedo, Nick Spaling and Mikkel Boedker scored for Kitchener.

Arron Alphonso replied for the Greyhounds, who got 22 saves for Kyle Gajewski.

The Rangers host Game 2 on Thursday.

Bulls draw first blood with 3-2 win over Generals

cp.org — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:36:00 -0400

BELLEVILLE, Ont. - Adam Perry scored two goals, including the game-winner, and the Belleville Bulls opened the Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference final with a 3-2 win over the Oshawa Generals on Wednesday.

Cory Tanaka also scored for Belleville. Matt Beleskey added three assists for the Bulls, who lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.

Brett Parnham and Brett MacLean replied for Oshawa.

Mike Murphy made 27 saves for the Bulls while Daryl Borden stopped 45 shots for the Generals.

Game 2 is Friday in Oshawa, Ont.

White leads Hitman to win CHL Player of the Week

cp.org — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:32:00 -0400

TORONTO - Ryan White of the Calgary Hitmen won the CHL Player of the Week award on Tuesday.

White scored four goals and eight assists for 12 points in four playoff games, helping the Hitmen to a six-game playoff series win over Swift Current.

The 20-year-old native of Brandon, Man., is tied for second in WHL playoff scoring with six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 12 games. The third round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2006 scored 28 goals and 44 assists for 72 points in 68 games in his fourth season with the Hitmen.

Meanwhile, Juha Metsola of the Lethbridge Hurricanes won Goaltender of the Week honours after going 3-0 with a shutout, as well as a 0.89 goals against average and .958 save percentage in three games.

Metsola stopped 11 shots in a 5-2 win over the Kootenay Ice in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semi-final series on Tuesday. The following night, Metsola stopped 28 shots in a 2-1 double overtime win and then he stopped all 29 shots he faced in a 3-0 series-clinching win in Game 5 on Friday.

In the American Hockey League, Barry Brust of the Houston Aeros was named the Goaltender of the Month for April. Brust stopped 110 of 116 shots in five appearances, posting a 1.22 goals-against average and .948 save percentage to help Houston secure a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Syracuse Crunch centre Derick Brassard is the AHL Rookie of the Month. Brassard registered 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) and a plus-7 rating in seven games as the Crunch closed out the regular season on a 15-game winning streak.

Chiefs eliminate Giants from WHL playoffs

cp.org — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:21:00 -0400

SPOKANE, Wash. - Ondrej Roman scored the series-winning goal and the Spokane Chiefs eliminated the Vancouver Giants from the Western Hockey Playoffs with a 3-1 win Monday.

The Chiefs won the Western Conference semifinal 4-2 and will meet the Tri-City Americans in the next round, guaranteeing a team from the state of Washington will make the WHL final. Jared Cowan and Chris Bruton also scored for Tri-City, while Dustin Tokarski made 16 saves.

Mario Bliznak scored for the Giants, who got 23 saves from Tyson Sexsmith.

Azevedo captures CHL's top scorer award

cp.org — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:14:00 -0400

TORONTO - Justin Azevedo of the Kitchener Rangers is the winner of the Canadian Hockey League's top scorer award.

Azevedo, 20, of West Lorne, Ont., registered 43 goals and 81 assists for 124 points in 67 regular-season games with the Ontario Hockey League team. He becomes the first Rangers player ever to win the CHL scoring title.

Azevedo helped the Rangers set club records for wins (53) and points (110) in a season.

Gajewski named OHL's player of the week

cp.org — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:14:00 -0400

TORONTO - Goaltender Kyle Gajewski, who won all three of his starts last week with the Sault Ste. Greyhounds, was named the Ontario Hockey League's player of the week Monday.

Gajewski posted a 3-0 record with a 1.33 goals-against average and .957 save percentage. He helped the Greyhounds sweep the Guelph Storm 4-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series.

Gajewski, 21, of London, Ont., is 8-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .936 save percentage in nine playoff games. He was 39-16-1-3 with a 2.44 GAA and .913 save percentage in 60 regular-season games.

White named WHL player of the week

cp.org — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:11:00 -0400

CALGARY - Forward Ryan White of the Calgary Hitmen was named the WHL's player of the week Monday.

White had four goals and eight assists in four playoff games last week, helping Calgary beat the Swift Current Broncos 4-2 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

White, of Brandon, Man., was selected in the third round of the 2006 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens.

Sea Dogs advance to QMJHL semifinals

cp.org — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:39:00 -0400

BATHURST, N.B. - Payton Liske scored 2:16 into overtime and the Saint John Sea Dogs advanced to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League semifinals with a 5-4 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Sunday.

The Sea Dogs won the second-round series with the Titan 4-2.

With their season on the line, Drew Paris scored at 8:26 of the third period to give the Titan a 4-3 lead. But Christopher DiDomenico sent the game to overtime with a goal with 3:42 left in regulation.

Ryan Sparling, David Stich and Francois Gauthier also scored for Saint John, which will play the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the next round.

Tomy Joly, with two, and Tomas Svoboda had Acadie-Bathurst's other goals.

Travis Fullerton made 40 saves for the Sea Dogs, while Nicolas Champion stopped 33 shots for the Titan.