Scout
09-27-2008, 05:43 AM
Gregg Drinnan
Saturday, September 27, 2008
FRIDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
In Brandon, the Moose Jaw Warriors scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Wheat Kings, 6-3. . . . The Warriors (2-2-0-0) got goals each from C Joel Broda and C Thomas Frazee, the latter getting his second into an empty net. . . . Brandon (2-1-0-0) got all three of its goals via the PP but was outscored 5-0 when the teams played 5-on-5. . . . Brandon LW Andrew Clark and C Matt Lowry, both 20, each was minus-4, while D Matt McCue, 20, and D Keith Aulie, 19, each was minus-3. . . . G Kyle Birch, in his first appearance since Moose Jaw acquired him from the Tri-City Americans, stopped 33 shots. . . . Brandon lost C Jay Fehr to injury early in the game and he didn’t return.
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In Edmonton, the Oil Kings erased a three-goal deficit beat the Red Deer Rebels, 5-4, in a shootout. . . . Edmonton (2-2-0-0) scored three times in the circus, with C Brenden Dowd getting the last one to win it. . . . Red Deer (2-2-0-0) got two shootout goals. . . . Edmonton G Dalyn Flette stopped Red Deer RW Willie Coetzee to preserve the victory. . . . Dowd had scored the game’s first goal. But the Oil Kings then fell behind 4-1, giving up three PP goals in the process. . . . Edmonton got three third-period goals, the last one, from C Brent Raedeke, coming with 3:52 left. . . . Edmonton, in its second season, set a franchise record with 55 shots on goal. . . . In the third period, Edmonton set another franchise record by holding Red Deer to two shots.
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In Everett, G Kent Simpson of Edmonton stopped 28 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 2-0 victory over the Portland Winter Hawks. . . . Simpson, 16, was making his first WHL start. The Silvertips’ first pick in the 2007 bantam draft stopped 17 shots in the second period. . . . D Mike Alexander’s PP goal at 5:39 of the second period was the winner as the Silvertips (1-1-1-0) won for the first time. . . . G Kurtis Mucha, in his first start since returning from the Phoenix Coyotes, stopped 27 shots for Portland (1-2-0-0). . . . Everett was 1-for-5 on the PP and is 2-for-19 in three games. . . . The Winter Hawks actually thought they had scored about five minutes into the game when LW Brad Ross beat Simpson. But it turned out that play had been whistled dead because of a fight — Everett’s Jordan Mistelbacher vs. Portland’s Ryan Kerr — behind the play. . . . Everett lost RW Matt Ius in the second period when he took an elbow from Portland D Travis Ehrhardt, who was hit with a major and game misconduct. Ius didn’t return.
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In Kamloops, the Kelowna Rockets scored four PP goals and beat the Blazers, 6-2. . . . The Rockets (1-2-0-0) got goals from Colin Long and Cody Almond, both of whom were playing their first games after stints with NHL teams. . . . Kelowna was 4-for-11 on the PP. . . . The Blazers (2-1-0-1) lost in regulation time for the first time this season.
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice halted a three-game skid with a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . LW Jesse Ismond’s second goal of the season broke a 1-1 tie at 8:15 of the second period and stood up as the winner for the Ice (2-2-0-1). . . . The Hitmen (2-2-0-0) were outshot 41-17. . . . Calgary C Brett Sonne, who had seven points in his first three games, was held pointless.
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In Lethbridge, C Dwight King’s goal 18 seconds into overtime gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Lethbridge G Juha Metsola stopped 19 shots for his second straight shutout. . . . Medicine Hat G Ryan Holfeld stopped 25 shots. . . . The Hurricanes are a perfect 3-0-0-0, while the Tigers are 1-0-1-1. . . . Lethbridge C Cam Braes took a hit to the head in the first period and didn’t return.
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In Prince Albert, the Raiders erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and beat the Regina Pats, 4-3. . . . Freshman C Jordan Weal, the WHL’s player of the week with five points in two games, scored the game’s first goal for Regina (0-2-0-1). . . . The Raiders (2-2-0-0) travel to Regina for a Saturday rematch. . . . P.A. took a 4-1 lead into the third and gave up goals with 1:11 and 30 seconds remaining in the third period. . . . Regina had RW Jordan Eberle, RW Brett Leffler, D Colten Teubert and D Matt Delahey in the lineup after their having been in NHL camps. G Linden Rowat is due back Saturday from the Los Angeles Kings.
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In Swift Current, D Spencer McAvoy broke a 1-1 tie with goals at 4:43 and 7:07 of the third period to lead the Broncos to a 3-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Broncos (3-0-0-0) got 30 saves from G Mark Guggenberger, five fewer than Saskatoon’s Braden Holtby. . . . Saskatoon (1-2-0-0) was 0-for-5 on the PP and is 1-for-16 in three games. . . . The teams play again tonight in Saskatoon. . . . Blades D Jyri Niemi, 18, arrived back in Saskatoon from the camp of the New York Islanders with a fractured bone in his lower back. He won’t play for up to four weeks.
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In Kennewick, Wash., LW Adam Hughesman scored twice as the Tri-City Americans dumped the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-3. . . . C Jason Reese, in his 250th regular-season game, added his fourth goal in two games for the Americans (2-0-0-0). . . . C Johnny Lazo, who had four points in the Ams’ first game, added two assists. . . . Seattle G Jacob DeSerres stopped 25 shots in his first game since returning from the Philadelphia Flyers’ camp. . . . Head coach Rob Sumner of the Thunderbirds (0-3-0-0) was hit with a game misconduct by referee Sean Raphael at 19:56 of the third period. . . . F David Richard scored twice for Seattle. . . . The Americans are expected to start G Chet Pickard on Saturday when they play the Chiefs in Spokane. It will be his first start since his return from the Nashville Predators.
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In Vancouver, Craig Cunningham and Neil Manning had two goals each as the Giants dumped the Prince George Cougars, 7-3. . . . The Giants (2-0-0-1) drew 9,069 to their home-opener. . . . The Giants won this one in the second period, outshooting the Cougars (2-1-0-0) 21-11 and outscoring them 5-1. . . . Gordie Howe and Pat Quinn, each minority owners of the Giants, took part in the ceremonial faceoff.
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NOTES: Someone had inquired a few days ago about the status of Phil Gervais. I‚m told that he was in camp with the Edmonton Oil Kings and was cut. Rather than play junior A, he has chosen to retire. . . . D Taylor Ellington, 20, was returned to the Everett Silvertips on Friday. . . . The OHL’s Oshawa Generals will retire Bobby Orr’s No. 4 on Nov. 27. And you’re wondering why that hasn’t happened before now, considering that Orr, then 14, began his junior career there in 1962? Well, my understanding is that Orr didn’t give his approval for the move until recently. . . .
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A note from the Canwest News Service:
Nineteen-year-old Colton Gillies might not quite have the Minnesota Wild's GM in his corner yet, but he has the coach.
Jacques Lemaire didn't hide much when asked if he thought the Western Hockey League star is ready to make the jump to the NHL this season.
"My boss decides that," Lemaire said with a chuckle to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, referring to general manager Doug Risebrough. "I made up my decision on (Gillies), but the boss is still the boss."
Lemaire added that he doesn't think Gillies has much to gain with another season in the WHL with Saskatoon.
"I think he's progressing very well," Lemaire added. "I like what he does on the ice. He's a good skater, he plays a physical game. He's quick. You know, he's fast for his size. He has a presence.
"We'll have to work on his shot, around the net, his hands, so he'll get some points, but I'm very pleased the way he's playing."
———
"I'm not afraid to take a few,” Jon (Nasty) Mirasty told the Columbus Dispatch before making his NHL debut on Friday with the Blue Jackets. “Getting punched in the face kind of pumps you up. It's like getting that first check of the game, it gets you going. I like to fight wide open, that's my style and I think it's the most entertaining."
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Mirasty played four shifts covering four minutes 13 seconds. He got into his first NHL fight just 2:27 into the game as he scrapped with Nashville’s Josh Gratton. The Blue Jackets won the game, 4-3.
Scout
Saturday, September 27, 2008
FRIDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:
In Brandon, the Moose Jaw Warriors scored the game’s last three goals and beat the Wheat Kings, 6-3. . . . The Warriors (2-2-0-0) got goals each from C Joel Broda and C Thomas Frazee, the latter getting his second into an empty net. . . . Brandon (2-1-0-0) got all three of its goals via the PP but was outscored 5-0 when the teams played 5-on-5. . . . Brandon LW Andrew Clark and C Matt Lowry, both 20, each was minus-4, while D Matt McCue, 20, and D Keith Aulie, 19, each was minus-3. . . . G Kyle Birch, in his first appearance since Moose Jaw acquired him from the Tri-City Americans, stopped 33 shots. . . . Brandon lost C Jay Fehr to injury early in the game and he didn’t return.
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In Edmonton, the Oil Kings erased a three-goal deficit beat the Red Deer Rebels, 5-4, in a shootout. . . . Edmonton (2-2-0-0) scored three times in the circus, with C Brenden Dowd getting the last one to win it. . . . Red Deer (2-2-0-0) got two shootout goals. . . . Edmonton G Dalyn Flette stopped Red Deer RW Willie Coetzee to preserve the victory. . . . Dowd had scored the game’s first goal. But the Oil Kings then fell behind 4-1, giving up three PP goals in the process. . . . Edmonton got three third-period goals, the last one, from C Brent Raedeke, coming with 3:52 left. . . . Edmonton, in its second season, set a franchise record with 55 shots on goal. . . . In the third period, Edmonton set another franchise record by holding Red Deer to two shots.
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In Everett, G Kent Simpson of Edmonton stopped 28 shots to lead the Silvertips to a 2-0 victory over the Portland Winter Hawks. . . . Simpson, 16, was making his first WHL start. The Silvertips’ first pick in the 2007 bantam draft stopped 17 shots in the second period. . . . D Mike Alexander’s PP goal at 5:39 of the second period was the winner as the Silvertips (1-1-1-0) won for the first time. . . . G Kurtis Mucha, in his first start since returning from the Phoenix Coyotes, stopped 27 shots for Portland (1-2-0-0). . . . Everett was 1-for-5 on the PP and is 2-for-19 in three games. . . . The Winter Hawks actually thought they had scored about five minutes into the game when LW Brad Ross beat Simpson. But it turned out that play had been whistled dead because of a fight — Everett’s Jordan Mistelbacher vs. Portland’s Ryan Kerr — behind the play. . . . Everett lost RW Matt Ius in the second period when he took an elbow from Portland D Travis Ehrhardt, who was hit with a major and game misconduct. Ius didn’t return.
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In Kamloops, the Kelowna Rockets scored four PP goals and beat the Blazers, 6-2. . . . The Rockets (1-2-0-0) got goals from Colin Long and Cody Almond, both of whom were playing their first games after stints with NHL teams. . . . Kelowna was 4-for-11 on the PP. . . . The Blazers (2-1-0-1) lost in regulation time for the first time this season.
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In Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice halted a three-game skid with a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. . . . LW Jesse Ismond’s second goal of the season broke a 1-1 tie at 8:15 of the second period and stood up as the winner for the Ice (2-2-0-1). . . . The Hitmen (2-2-0-0) were outshot 41-17. . . . Calgary C Brett Sonne, who had seven points in his first three games, was held pointless.
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In Lethbridge, C Dwight King’s goal 18 seconds into overtime gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. . . . Lethbridge G Juha Metsola stopped 19 shots for his second straight shutout. . . . Medicine Hat G Ryan Holfeld stopped 25 shots. . . . The Hurricanes are a perfect 3-0-0-0, while the Tigers are 1-0-1-1. . . . Lethbridge C Cam Braes took a hit to the head in the first period and didn’t return.
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In Prince Albert, the Raiders erased a 1-0 deficit with four straight goals and beat the Regina Pats, 4-3. . . . Freshman C Jordan Weal, the WHL’s player of the week with five points in two games, scored the game’s first goal for Regina (0-2-0-1). . . . The Raiders (2-2-0-0) travel to Regina for a Saturday rematch. . . . P.A. took a 4-1 lead into the third and gave up goals with 1:11 and 30 seconds remaining in the third period. . . . Regina had RW Jordan Eberle, RW Brett Leffler, D Colten Teubert and D Matt Delahey in the lineup after their having been in NHL camps. G Linden Rowat is due back Saturday from the Los Angeles Kings.
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In Swift Current, D Spencer McAvoy broke a 1-1 tie with goals at 4:43 and 7:07 of the third period to lead the Broncos to a 3-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades. . . . The Broncos (3-0-0-0) got 30 saves from G Mark Guggenberger, five fewer than Saskatoon’s Braden Holtby. . . . Saskatoon (1-2-0-0) was 0-for-5 on the PP and is 1-for-16 in three games. . . . The teams play again tonight in Saskatoon. . . . Blades D Jyri Niemi, 18, arrived back in Saskatoon from the camp of the New York Islanders with a fractured bone in his lower back. He won’t play for up to four weeks.
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In Kennewick, Wash., LW Adam Hughesman scored twice as the Tri-City Americans dumped the Seattle Thunderbirds, 5-3. . . . C Jason Reese, in his 250th regular-season game, added his fourth goal in two games for the Americans (2-0-0-0). . . . C Johnny Lazo, who had four points in the Ams’ first game, added two assists. . . . Seattle G Jacob DeSerres stopped 25 shots in his first game since returning from the Philadelphia Flyers’ camp. . . . Head coach Rob Sumner of the Thunderbirds (0-3-0-0) was hit with a game misconduct by referee Sean Raphael at 19:56 of the third period. . . . F David Richard scored twice for Seattle. . . . The Americans are expected to start G Chet Pickard on Saturday when they play the Chiefs in Spokane. It will be his first start since his return from the Nashville Predators.
———
In Vancouver, Craig Cunningham and Neil Manning had two goals each as the Giants dumped the Prince George Cougars, 7-3. . . . The Giants (2-0-0-1) drew 9,069 to their home-opener. . . . The Giants won this one in the second period, outshooting the Cougars (2-1-0-0) 21-11 and outscoring them 5-1. . . . Gordie Howe and Pat Quinn, each minority owners of the Giants, took part in the ceremonial faceoff.
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NOTES: Someone had inquired a few days ago about the status of Phil Gervais. I‚m told that he was in camp with the Edmonton Oil Kings and was cut. Rather than play junior A, he has chosen to retire. . . . D Taylor Ellington, 20, was returned to the Everett Silvertips on Friday. . . . The OHL’s Oshawa Generals will retire Bobby Orr’s No. 4 on Nov. 27. And you’re wondering why that hasn’t happened before now, considering that Orr, then 14, began his junior career there in 1962? Well, my understanding is that Orr didn’t give his approval for the move until recently. . . .
———
A note from the Canwest News Service:
Nineteen-year-old Colton Gillies might not quite have the Minnesota Wild's GM in his corner yet, but he has the coach.
Jacques Lemaire didn't hide much when asked if he thought the Western Hockey League star is ready to make the jump to the NHL this season.
"My boss decides that," Lemaire said with a chuckle to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, referring to general manager Doug Risebrough. "I made up my decision on (Gillies), but the boss is still the boss."
Lemaire added that he doesn't think Gillies has much to gain with another season in the WHL with Saskatoon.
"I think he's progressing very well," Lemaire added. "I like what he does on the ice. He's a good skater, he plays a physical game. He's quick. You know, he's fast for his size. He has a presence.
"We'll have to work on his shot, around the net, his hands, so he'll get some points, but I'm very pleased the way he's playing."
———
"I'm not afraid to take a few,” Jon (Nasty) Mirasty told the Columbus Dispatch before making his NHL debut on Friday with the Blue Jackets. “Getting punched in the face kind of pumps you up. It's like getting that first check of the game, it gets you going. I like to fight wide open, that's my style and I think it's the most entertaining."
———
Mirasty played four shifts covering four minutes 13 seconds. He got into his first NHL fight just 2:27 into the game as he scrapped with Nashville’s Josh Gratton. The Blue Jackets won the game, 4-3.
Scout