WHL THIS WEEK: LOOKING AHEAD…
Calgary, AB – The 2009-10 Western Hockey League regular season enters its first weekend of action in December with 20 games scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
In WHL circles, December is the month for Teddy Bear and Toque Toss celebrations. Fans celebrate the home team’s first goal of the game by launching a barrage of stuffed animals and/or toques and mittens onto the ice. Stuffed animals are then brought by the players to local hospitals and given to children in need, while toques and mittens find their way to local social service organizations for distribution to those in need during the winter months.
This weekend, seven WHL Clubs will be holding the ever-popular Teddy Bear / Toque Toss events. Friday night will see the Chilliwack Bruins, the Regina Pats and the Swift Current Broncos hold their events. On Saturday, the Kootenay Ice, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the Red Deer Rebels and the Spokane Chiefs get in on the fun with their Teddy Bear / Toque Toss events.
In Kamloops, B.C., Friday night is Food Bank Night when the Blazers host the Saskatoon Blades. Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items or a toonie for donation to the Kamloops Food Bank.
17 WHL PLAYERS INVITED TO CANADA’S WORLD JUNIOR SELECTION CAMP…
TORONTO, Ont. – Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced on Monday that 39 of Canada’s top junior-aged hockey players (born in 1991 or later) have been invited to take part in Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, December 12-15, 2010 at the MasterCard Centre in Toronto, Ont.
Among the 39 players invited, 17 are currently playing in the Western Hockey League, including the Spokane Chiefs’ Jared Cowen who helped Canada earn the silver medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Regina and Saskatoon, SK.
For more, click HERE…
GIANTS’ BRETT LYON HELPS PROMOTE LITERACY…
A former Grand Forks student and current winger from the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Vancouver Giants is helping to promote literacy in BC’s Lower Mainland.
Brett Lyon, who attended Hutton Elementary and spent time at Grand Forks Secondary, before heading to the coast to play with the Giants, said that the WHL team’s Read to Succeed program helps students with both mental and physical fitness.
“The program is mostly about trying to get kids to read a little bit more and to have a lot of physical activity going on in their day,” Lyon explained…
For the entire article, click HERE…
BLAZERS’ WILLICK AND SMITH EARN ACADEMIC HONORS…
Kamloops, BC – The Kamloops Blazers have announced that 18-year-old forward Dylan Willick and 17-year-old forward Colin Smith have both won academic awards for their performance in the first term of the school year.
Read more HERE…
FRIDAY NIGHT WHL HOCKEY ON SHAW…
Brendan Gallagher and the Vancouver Giants take on Jimmy Bubnick and the Calgary Hitmen in Western Hockey League action on Friday night
Friday’s contest between the Giants and Hitmen can be seen live throughout western Canada on SHAW and SHAW Direct channel 299 (7:30pm PST).
The Giants are coming off a 2-1 defeat to the visiting Saskatoon Blades on Tuesday night for their third straight setback. Giants’ head coach Don Hay is still seeking his 500th career regular-season coaching win in the WHL. Gallagher ranks second among all WHL players with 22 goals this season.
The Hitmen suffered a 4-3 loss in Prince George to the Cougars on Wednesday night, becoming the first team in the WHL to hit the 20-loss mark this season. Three of the Hitmen’s last four defeats have been by a 4-3 score line. Bubnick scored all three of his team’s goals on Wednesday in Prince George.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the Hitmen and Giants. Calgary won all three meetings versus Vancouver last season, and has won five straight games versus the Giants.
SHAW will broadcast 30 WHL games during the 2010-11 season. For the entire WHL on SHAW broadcast schedule, click HERE
KEY WEEKEND MATCH-UPS…
Portland Winterhawks vs Tri-City Americans
Friday, Dec. 3
Brad Ross and the Portland Winterhawks host Jordan Messier and the Tri-City Americans on Friday for a battle between U.S. Division rivals.
The Winterhawks fell 5-3 to the visiting Kootenay Ice on Wednesday night for their fourth straight defeat, but remain in first place in the U.S. Division and overall WHL standings. The Winterhawks had lost just five times through their first 26 games before hitting their currently losing skid. Ross snapped a five-game pointless drought with a goal in Wednesday’s loss to the Ice.
The Americans defeated the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 4-1 on Wednesday night, putting an end to the Tigers’ eight-game win streak while stretching their own win streak to four games. The Americans currently sit in second place in the U.S. Division, but are nine points back of Portland for top spot in the division. Messier is currently riding a six-game point streak.
It’s the second meeting of the season and second meeting inside a week between the teams. The Americans edged the visiting Hawks 3-2 in a shootout last Saturday in Kennewick, WA.
Kootenay Ice vs Medicine Hat Tigers
Saturday, Dec. 4
Kevin King and the Kootenay Ice host Linden Vey and the Medicine Hat Tigers for a battle between two of the Eastern Conference’s top clubs on Saturday.
The Ice claimed a 5-3 win over the League-leading Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday night for their third straight victory to close out a U.S. Division road trip. The Ice are 13-0 when leading after two periods. King leads the Ice in scoring with 14 goals and 33 points this season.
The Tigers suffered a 4-1 loss to the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, WA, on Wednesday night, putting an end to their eight-game winning streak, and currently trail the Ice by five points for first place in the Central Division. The Tigers have scored an Eastern Conference-leading 103 goals this season. Vey saw an eight-game point streak snapped on Wednesday.
It’s the second meeting of the season between the Ice and Tigers. The Ice edged the Tigers 3-2 in Medicine Hat on October 26th in the first encounter. The Tigers are in Spokane to face the Chiefs on Friday before heading to Cranbrook on Saturday.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE – December 3 – 4
All times local
WATCH WHL HOCKEY LIVE ON WHL LIVE ON DEMAND
Friday, Dec. 3
Kelowna @ Chilliwack; 7:30
Brandon @ Edmonton; 7:00
Saskatoon @ Kamloops; 7:00
Tri-City @ Portland; 7:00
Seattle @ Prince George; 7:00
Prince Albert @ Red Deer; 7:30
Moose Jaw @ Regina; 7:00
Medicine Hat @ Spokane; 7:00
Everett @ Swift Current; 7:00
Calgary @ Vancouver; 7:30 **Live on SHAW**
Saturday, Dec. 4
Calgary @ Kamloops; 7:00
Saskatoon @ Kelowna; 7:05
Medicine Hat @ Kootenay; 7:00
Prince Albert @ Lethbridge; 7:00
Everett @ Moose Jaw; 7:00
Seattle @ Prince George; 7:00
Brandon @ Red Deer; 7:30
Swift Current @ Regina; 7:00
Portland @ Spokane; 7:00
Chilliwack @ Vancouver; 7:00
