New kid can't wow them all the time

Ed Willes, The Province

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

If the game had followed the buildup, Milan Lucic would have obliterated the glass and a member of the Vancouver Canucks with a seismic hit, as he did with Toronto's Mike Van Ryn last week.

Or Lucic would have scored three goals, as he did two nights later against the Atlanta Thrashers. Or he would have engaged one of the Canucks in a fight, as he did throughout his rookie season when the legend was growing in Boston.

But the scriptwriters didn't get it exactly right Tuesday night in the kid from East Van's homecoming. After being feted like he'd returned from a moon landing, Lucic didn't score, didn't land the big hit and didn't fight in his version of the non-Gordie Howe hat trick.

Canucks' Henrik Sedin keeps track of Boston's Milan Lucic at GM Place on Tuesday.

Nick Procaylo, The Province

He looked, in fact, like a lot of 20-year-old kids trying to make his way in the best league in the world and not the second coming of, pick one, Cam Neely, Terry O'Reilly or John Ferguson.

"I was a little bit nervous," admitted Lucic after the Bruins' 1-0 win.

"The legs felt a little heavy at the start but I was able to relax and play my game in the second and the third.

"This is a place I call home. It's really special when you get to play here and tonight was special. You always remember the first one."

So, you sense, will a few others, and nothing could diminish what this night meant to Lucic, his 100-person support system and the Vancouver Giants who turned out en masse to honour their most famous alum.

In an artless, tractor pull of a game, Lootch-fest '08 came to a close after a 48-hour cycle in which the second-year NHLer received more coverage in Vancouver than the federal election.

The legend in the making played 161/2 minutes on the Bruins' first line with Marc Savard and Phil Kessel, didn't figure in what passed for scoring, and his most visible moment came when he almost kayoed Roberto Luongo with a rising slapper midway through the third period.

True, Lucic was named the game's third star but that selection had more to do with sentimentality than performance. That also seemed beside the point because this trip and this game were about so much more for Lucic.

It started in the morning when the Bruins filed out out of their hotel and saw the Giants' bus waiting for them.

Lucic then walked into the Boston Bruins' locker room, where he was greeted by the full-page baby portrait which adorned the back page of Tuesday's Province.

"The big thing is I was a good-looking baby," he said, glancing up at the picture. "What happened? I think my head stayed the same and my nose grew."

Finally, Michelle Toigo, the wife of Giants owner Ron Toigo, presented Lucic with a replica Memorial Cup ring to replace the one which had been stolen this summer.

"It's nice," he said, "to have one back."

So, add it all up and it was a memorable couple of days for Lucic, who's just five years removed from being passed over in the WHL's bantam draft and four years from being cut by the Coquitlam Express.

It's difficult, in fact, to process everything that's happened since he caught on with the Giants just three years ago, but that's what makes his story so appealing.

There was the '06 draft in Vancouver, where he was picked by the Bruins in the second round.

There was the Vancouver Giants' Memorial Cup victory in '07. There was making the Bruins as a teenager last season -- and immediately exciting comparisons to some of Beantown's greatest legends, even as he seemed to revive something in the proud, old franchise.

"I'd see the Giants' brass [last season] and they'd ask, 'When are we getting Lucic back?'" said Bruins scout and longtime hockey man Tom McVie. "I'd tell them, 'Maybe in the summer when you can play golf with him.'"

As luck would have it, McVie grew up with Ferguson in East Van a lifetime ago. Some fifty years later, it's almost like he's seeing Fergie's ghost in a Bruins' uniform.

"He's a dead ringer for Fergie," McVie said. "Isn't that great? They come from the same part of town. They even look the same. It's just such a great

story."

And it's only getting better.




© The Vancouver Province 2008

CHL considering Euro restrictions

Major Junior leagues to discuss the matter in November

Steve Ewen, The Province

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The Russians may not be coming, at least in the same numbers. When it comes to WHL teams, the same goes for the Swedes, Czechs and Finns.

Worried both about clubs abroad not releasing players and agents here playing favourites with where top talents end up, the WHL is considering altering its import rules. Teams are currently permitted to have two Europeans, with a push to drop it to one.

The OHL and QMJHL abide by the same guidelines and they're discussing limiting to one import or nixing the use of Euros altogether. The three leagues, who choose Euros through the CHL Import Draft, would have to come to a consensus. It will be discussed again at the next CHL meetings, which are slated for Nov. 10-11.

European imports like onetime Vancouver Giant Michal Repik (26) may soon take a big hit from Canadian junior hockey.

Nick Procaylo, Province Files

"We'd consider reducing the number, but not eliminating them," said WHL commissioner Ron Robison. "There are different views within the three leagues and we'd have to come to an agreement.

"We have to make sure that the quality of players is still going to be available to the leagues."

Vancouver Giants owner Ron Toigo thinks that things should remain status quo, and calls the talk of limiting Europeans "shortsighted."

"They bring a different dynamic to the game," said Toigo. "If you're the best league in the world at that level, you have to have the best players in your league. And I think there are still a lot of pretty good Europeans out there.

"At one time the NHL was like that. Where would the NHL be without Europeans?"

There are those in the league who will say, albeit anonymously, that Vancouver is proof that the teams can have an unfair advantage with imports due to relationships with agents. Prior to this season, every Euro the Giants have had was represented by the Edmonton agency led by Rich Winter and Gerry Johannson. That included Czech goaltender Marek Schwarz, who went 17th in the NHL entry draft and 40th in the CHL import draft in 2004.

"We've got that inverse order bantam draft to identify young players and that seems to work well for the league, but the Euro draft is very difficult to get a handle on, because you seem to have agents trying to place players for whatever reason," said Spokane Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz, who declined to name names. "Whether it's location, big market ... who knows the reason? I don't know if teams are doing anything wrong themselves, but it makes it difficult when you can't get information from an agent because he's trying to hide a player.

"You get into situations where you'll call and the agent will say, 'Oh, no, I've already got him placed.' Exactly how is the system going to work then?"

Prince George Cougars general manager Dallas Thompson added simply: "It's hard to really call it a 'draft.'"

General manager Scott Bonner admits the Giants have had success with Euros of late, but they didn't exactly have memorable import players their first few years in the league.

"And we still stuck with Gerry and those guys," said Bonner. "You work with Ron Toigo and you learn that business is about building relationships. This league is like that. You treat people well and they will help you."

Johannson pointed out that his agency has put Euros with other teams -- they represented NHL defencemen Zdeno Chara and Michal Rozsival when they played for Prince George and the Swift Current Broncos, for instance. He admits, though, that an agent can be finicky about where a player ends up, since there's more at stake than with the North American player.

"The regular bantam draft happens before agents are involved usually," said Johannson. "With the imports, they're coming a long way from home, and chances are it's for the first time and they don't speak English that well. Their parents are trusting you with them, so you want them with people you know and trust.

"The road runs right through the agents in most cases with European players. The teams need us to help them get the players and the players need us to help them get settled."

Thompson, for one, is suggesting the players need to be forced to opt into the import draft, which would create a general draft list and hinder agents from hiding players for certain teams.

It still wouldn't settle all the problems. Czech winger Ondrej Roman, 19, was supposed to come back to Spokane for his third WHL season. His club team, Vitkovice, had only given him a two-year release to play in North America and have balked at him returning. At last word, he had two goals and five points in 16 games with their men's team.

Vancouver nearly went through the same thing with Czech winger Michal Repik last year. His club team back home, Sparta Prague, only gave him a release for a third WHL season after he signed a contract with the NHL team that drafted him, the Florida Panthers. At last word, Roman hadn't signed with his NHL squad, the Dallas Stars.

"It was like reaching over the fence to steal a home run away," Johannson, Repik's agent, said of how close he came to not playing in Vancouver last season.

Also in play is the fact that players are getting more chances to make money playing pro in Europe.

If the three leagues agree on change, it's hard to suggest when it might start, although it's a good bet that there will be some sort of phase-in period. The Giants have two rookie Euros this year, Russian centre Mikael Fisenko, 18, and Slovak winger Andrej Kudrna, 17. They're both represented by Calgary agent J.P. Barry.




© The Vancouver Province 2008

WHL's Dons near big mark

Coaches Hay and Nachbaur approach milestone

Steve Ewen, The Province

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Two of Don Hay's least favourite things to talk about are individual stats and individual opponents.

So when the Vancouver Giants coach waxed on Tuesday about both he and Tri-City Americans bench boss Don Nachbaur closing in on 400 career regular season wins in the WHL, it was a considerable hint about how he regards the man in charge of the opposing bench at the Pacific Coliseum tonight (7 p.m., CISL 650).

Hay (398 wins) and Nachbaur (393), the league's active victory leaders, are looking at joining exclusive company. Only eight coaches have hit 400 wins in league history.

For Giants' Don Hay, coaching has never been about personal records.

Les Bazso, The Province

"It's always fun coaching against Don Nachbaur's teams," said Hay. "They're always honest, they're always competitive. His style has changed the past few years because his personnel has changed. You adapt to your personnel.

"Don and I have been in the league a long time facing each other. I have a lot of respect for him. He's done a good job in Seattle and Tri-City. He left for pro for a couple of years and came back. I left for pro for a couple of years and came back. Our careers have their parallels."

Hay is so firmly focused on the Giants' team goals that he can rarely be enticed away from that topic. The only other WHL coach he's ever talked about for any length of time is Willie Desjardins of the Medicine Hat Tigers, another veteran bench boss.

Hay certainly isn't keen on speaking about numbers either. He didn't even realize that he had surpassed one of his mentors, Ken Hitchcock, on the playoff win chart when he did it in April 2007. (Hay sits third, with 81 wins. Hitchcock is fifth, at 66.)

Hay worked under Hitchcock with the Kamloops Blazers before taking on the head job there. He later sandwiched NHL gigs, including head-coach stints with the Calgary Flames and Phoenix Coyotes, around a two-year turn with the Americans. He followed that with some time in the minors before joining up with the Giants for the 2004-05 season.

Nachbaur has an extra season as a WHL head man on Hay, sandwiching six campaigns with Seattle and now a sixth with Americans between two years as a minor-league assistant.

"It means I've coached some really good teams and in good organizations and I've been around a long time," Hay said, laughing, of the 400-win milestone. "I've never thought much about it. I've always worried about getting our next win. That's my job."

To get that next win and have a chance at remaining the WHL's lone unbeaten team in regulation, Vancouver (10-0-0-3) will have to shut down one of the league's quicker teams in Tri-City (10-3-0-0). The formerly rough and rugged Americans are now known for a potentially explosive offence, led by former Giant Jason Reese.

Giants defenceman Mike Berube said that will be stressed in Vancouver's dressing room before what should be a goaltending duel between Vancouver's Tyson Sexsmith and fellow Canadian world junior team candidate Chet Pickard of the Americans. Berube insists that the 400-win chase won't be a topic.

"There are guys that know about it, but if he's not going to say anything about it to us, we're not going to talk about it," said Berube. "Ever since I've been here, everything is about team."

- - -

WHL CAREER WIN LEADERS

Ken Hodge (Por/Edm) 742

Ernie McLean (NW/Est) 548

Pat Ginnell (FF/NW/Vic/MH/Leth) 518

Jack Shupe (MH/Vic) 466

Bob Lowes (Sea/Brd/Reg) 453

Peter Anholt (PA/Sea/Kel/Rd) 450

Doug Sauter (Cal/MH/Reg/Brd) 417

Marcel Comeau (Cgy/Sas/Tac/Kel) 411

Don Hay (Kam/TC/Van) 398

Bryan Maxwell (MH/Spo/Leth) 397

Don Nachbaur (Sea/TC) 393




© The Vancouver Province 2008

Selfish can be good

Giants' sniper Evander Kane wants the puck, delivers with it

Ian Walker, Vancouver Sun

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

NEXT GAME

Tonight

Giants vs Tri-City Americans

WHL scoring leader Evander Kane, a Vancouver native, is on a 13-game points streak with the Giants.

Bill Keay, Vancouver Sun

7 p.m. at Pacific Coliseum

CISL

- - -

Vancouver Giants' Evander Kane is as selfish as they come.

Now, before you dash to your computers to express your displeasure with slandering the likeable 17-year-old winger, he's also a confident, determined, courageous and skilled young man with a quick release and fast feet.

Still, talent alone does not a goal scorer make. One needs to look no further than former Giant Tim Kraus to see that.

Rather, it's Kane's willingness to embrace the dark underbelly of his trade that has the sophomore winger leading the Western Hockey League in scoring with 10 goals and 25 points in 13 games to start the season.

To many, selfishness evokes a negative connotation -- by definition alone the act enotes the precedence given in thought or deed to the self; of placing one's own needs or desires above the needs or desires of others -- and rightly so.

But when it comes to scoring goals, altruism and a quarter will buy you seven minutes at a downtown parking meter. If not a reserved spot at the end of the bench.

"No doubt about it, goal scorers are selfish guys and there's nothing wrong with that," said Giants head coach Don Hay before Tuesday's practice at the team's training facility in Ladner.

"All good players are selfish to a point, but they also have to be focused on the team and what the team needs to succeed. Evander doesn't play outside our team structure, but you also have to let players like him have that freedom."

Nothing brings Kane more joy than scoring goals. Be it during a game, in practice or with his friends on the street. It's why the Giants went off the board to take the Vancouver native 19th overall in the 2006 WHL bantam draft.

"All he's ever done is score and we were looking to take someone who could replace Gilbert Brule in that department," said Giants general manager Scott Bonner, who credits his scouting department for the find.

"He just loves to score. Plain and simple. He'll score in practice and you'd think it was the Memorial Cup winner.

"But that's his schtick. He practises like he plays. He's been everything we hoped he'd be knowing we needed to fill the offensive void after Gilbert went pro."

The similarities between Kane and Brule, the Giants' first overall pick in the 2002 draft, don't end at the back of the net.

Both are products of the North Shore Winter Club. And both bring an element of grit to their game.

Brule was the league's rookie of the year in 2004 with 25 goals and 60 points as a 16-year-old. Kane had 24 goals and 41 points and was the Western Conference nominee for top rookie last season.

More to the point, Brule too, was admittedly a selfish player.

"I'm a guy who wants the puck on his stick when the game's on the line; if that's selfish, then I guess I am," said Kane, who will look to keep a 13-game point streak in tact tonight when the Giants face the Tri-City Americans at the Pacific Coliseum.

"You've got to be a little selfish when you want to score goals."

But Kane's also quick to give credit where it's due. His torrid start, he says, is thanks in part to linemates Casey Pierro-Zabotel and Mike Piluso. Pierro-Zabotel sits third in league scoring and first with 21 assists.

"Casey's a great complement to my style, he's more of a passer and really slows things down with his ability to hang on to the puck," said Kane, projected to be a top 10 pick in June's NHL draft. "Our line as a whole is really clicking. I couldn't ask for more right now."

Goal scorers don't think it's selfish to shoot, they believe it's selfish if they don't.

It's their responsibility to score. In their eyes, by shooting, they're putting the team ahead of themselves.

Selfish never sounded so good.

iwalker@vancouversun.com




© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Giants replace Lucic's stolen Memorial Cup ring

The 2007 tournament MVP praises 'classy organization' after losing original ring in break-in

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Milan Lucic again has a ring for his finger.

The former Vancouver Giants star, who was at GM Place Tuesday with the Boston Bruins, was presented with a replacement Memorial Cup ring

after his original was stolen from his family's east Vancouver home in July.

Lucic, of course, was an integral part of the Giants' 2007 Memorial Cup victory and was named tournament MVP. Michelle Toigo, wife of Giants' owner Ron Toigo, brought the new ring to GM Place Tuesday morning .

"It mean a lot," Lucic said. "If it wasn't for the Giants, I probably wouldn't be here right now. So it just shows how classy the organization is to replace something special like that.

"Obviously it means a lot for them and they obviously know how much it means to me. So it's nice to get that piece of memorabilia back.

"It sucks that I don't have my original one anymore, but I'm really happy the Giants were able to make me a new one."

Lucic still considers the Memorial Cup win his biggest thrill in hockey even though he has since captained the Canadian national junior team in the 2007 Super Series against Russia and scored a hat trick in the NHL.

Asked where he would keep the new ring, the 20-year-old winger replied: "Not in the same spot, that's for sure."

epap@vancouversun.com




© The Vancouver Sun 2008

East Van kid shares glory

Lucic credits Bruins goalie Thomas for 'outplaying' Luongo

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

When the big NHL home coming was over for the East Van kid, Milan Lucic didn't mind bowing in the direction of Boston Bruin teammate Tim Thomas, who stole most of the thunder Tuesday at GM Place.

"Timmy was really great," said Lucic after the Bears edged the Canucks 1-0.

"He went up against arguably the best goalie in the league in Roberto Luongo and he outplayed him. I'm happy for Timmy. That's two games in a row he has stood on his head and that's why we're 2-0 on this road trip."

Boston Bruins forward and Vancouver product Milan Lucic gets a big hometown welcome from the many Bostons fans in the crowd at GM Place.
Mark van Manen, Vancouver Sun

Lucic, the 20-year-old former Vancouver Giant star, had a rough first shift, and first period, but performed better as the night progressed.

He finished with five shots on goal and eight hits. His hit total was only two fewer than the entire Canuck team.

He even dinged Luongo with a shot to the collarbone area in the third period, although Luongo was able to finish the game.

"Our line was in the defensive zone for most of the first period and I think that had to do with me being a little nervous," Lucic said.

"It's been a while since I played here and that had a lot to do with the nerves. Vancouver is a special place for me so I just wanted to go out there and have a good game.

"I was able to relax and play my game a little more in the second and third periods."

ICE CHIPS: Canuck head coach Alain Vigneault conceded that Thomas played "a phenomenal game"against his skaters... Vancouver won the faceoff battle 30-27 with Jason Krog, Kyle Wellwood and Henrik Sedin all going 6-for-8... The Canucks power play went 0-for-3 against the Bruins, who came into the game as the NHL's second worst penalty killing team.

epap@vancouversun.com




© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Jung cool as Ice in shutout win

Oil Kings' recently acquired netminder blanks Kootenay in third start with new team

Paul Owen, Special to The Journal

Published: 2:32 am

The Edmonton Oil Kings may have finally found the answer to their questionable goaltending.

Torrie Jung stopped all 29 shots he faced for his first shutout as an Oil King in his third game with the team, and Edmonton downed the Kootenay Ice 4-0 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday night at Rexall Place.

"Every time you get a shutout it's a good feeling, but all the credit goes to the (defencemen) and the forwards.

Edmonton Oil Kings goaltender Torrie Jung makes a save against Kootenay Ice's Tylan Stephens during WHL action at Rexall Place on Tuesday.

Larry Wong, the Journal

"I saw every shot tonight, so it was a full team effort," said the 19-year-old goaltender.

Jung, who was acquired Oct. 22 from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a sixth-round pick in the 2010 WHL entry draft, is now 2-0-0-1 in three starts for the Oil Kings, giving up only five goals in that span, after an eight-game stretch that saw Oil Kings netminders Dalyn Flette and Cam Lanigan combine to go eight straight games giving up at least five goals in each.

"He's played three real good games in a row. ... He's really stabilized our whole team right now," said Edmonton head coach Steve Pleau.

Jung's experienced presence on the back end has also been a welcome addition to a very young Oil Kings lineup that is missing a pair of veteran defencemen in Drew Nichol and Adrian Van de Mosselaer.

"Torrie's been awesome since he's come here," said Oil Kings captain Jeff Lee.

"He's really talkative in the room, helps with our leadership too, and then he's great on the ice." "(Flette and Lanigan) need to learn from (Jung). They're young guys, and they've got to watch Torrie in his preparation, his practices, and they've got to be ready when called upon," Pleau added.

Jung started the season as the property of the Kelowna Rockets, where he was the backup for the past two years, but sat at home in Nanaimo, B.C., for the first part of the schedule before being traded to Lethbridge on Oct. 16 for a sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft. He spent a total of four days in Lethbridge before being dealt once again to Edmonton last week.

"I haven't played in God knows how long. I've been itching to get back," he said.

Tuesday's game was a rough affair, with four fights breaking out, including two with eight seconds to go in the game, an incident that led to Edmonton assistant coach Rocky Thompson's and Kootenay bench boss Mark Holick's ejections after they got into a shouting match behind the benches.

"We just watch each other's back, and if we think a player on the other team is going to take advantage of us, we try to step in there and help each other out, no matter who it is," Lee said.

Tomas Vincour scored what proved to be the winner on the power play 12:49 into the first period, banging home a loose puck at the side of the net.

Logan Proulx, Brent Raedeke and T.J. Foster also tallied for the Oil Kings, and defenceman Tyler Hlookoff pitched in with a pair of assists for the home side, who outshot their opponents 31-29 en route to victory.




© The Edmonton Journal 2008

Mitchell's confidence making a comeback

Greg Harder, Leader-Post

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Garrett Mitchell can finally breathe a little easier.

After being held without a goal in the first 10 games of the WHL regular season, it was with a sigh of relief that Mitchell lit the lamp on Oct. 15 in the Regina Pats' 7-5 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The 17-year-old Regina product now has three goals in his past six games, including back-to-back contests on the weekend.

"Hockey is like any sport, you lose your confidence sometimes," offered Pats head coach Dale Derkatch. "Even the best guys in the world lose their confidence and go through (dry) spells. He was having a tough time. I'm sure he's feeling pretty good now and he deserves it because he worked through it. That's the way you have to do it."

Mitchell was bursting with confidence in the summer after helping lead the Canadian under-18 team to a gold medal in Slovakia. Combined with the fact he was coming off a solid rookie campaign in 2007-08 -- eight goals in 62 games -- Mitchell felt he was poised for a breakout season with the Pats.

It didn't start out that way.

"I came in off the under-18 stuff and I thought maybe I'd play a little bigger role, but things just didn't go very well," said the feisty winger, who's second on the team with 35 penalty minutes. "(The coaches) sat me down and we just kind of talked. My game is high energy, but I can put the puck in the net. You have to sit down and breathe sometimes. You can't get worked up about stuff. I've been fortunate the last couple games putting the puck in the net. Now I just have to keep it going."

Mitchell's goals -- the last two in particular -- have been anything but garden variety. His marker in Friday's 5-3 win over the Portland Winter Hawks was a pretty toe-drag move, followed by a laser into the top corner. He unleashed a similar shot on a rush down his off-wing in Sunday's 8-3 drubbing of the Prince Albert Raiders.

"Those aren't just goals, those are highlight-reel goals, those are top shelf," noted Derkatch. "He deserves them. He's a heart-and-soul guy. If someone wants to model themselves after a player with the attitude and effort and commitment, he's the guy. You can rely on him to give you 100 per cent every game."

Turns out there's a little magic in his stick too, a revelation which hasn't gone unnoticed by his teammates. Leading scorer Matt Strueby chuckled when asked if he showed Mitchell any of his recent moves.

"No, that was all Mitchy," Strueby insisted. "That (toe-drag) was unbelievable. I didn't even know what to say. I was just like, 'Wow!' "

Mitchell credits some of his recent success to the persistence of Derkatch and assistant coach Terry Perkins in emphasizing the need to bear down on scoring chances. Derkatch also gives his players the green light to try creative things in the offensive zone -- provided they take care of their own end first.

"(Derkatch's philosophy) went back to the Detroit Red Wings," explained Mitchell. "They said if (Pavel) Datsyuk back-checked hard he could do whatever he wanted with the puck on the other side of the red line. I think that shows. Guys are working hard to get back and when they get that chance offensively they're making that move to put them in a good scoring (zone). Dale has given us that opportunity and guys are taking it."




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Duval makes his way back to Saskatchewan

Greg Harder, Leader-Post

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

After spending the first three seasons of his WHL career exercising an inherent right to hate the Moose Jaw Warriors, Ian Duval is ready to find out if the grass is greener on the other side of the WHL's longest-running feud.

"It's actually pretty funny," he said while preparing for tonight's clash at the Brandt Centre. "I was talking to my parents about how I started off in Saskatchewan and now I'm ending my career in Saskatchewan. It's fun. Obviously there's a rivalry there. It has been going on for years. It's good to be on the other side of things, see how it goes here in Moose Jaw. It's pretty funny how it happened."

Moose Jaw acquired the 20-year-old centre on Oct. 15 from the Calgary Hitmen, who had a glut of overage players. Little did he know he'd end up with the Warriors, who routinely laid beatings on the Pats during a tour of duty which ended early in 2006-07 when he was sent to Calgary for Mike Reich.

"I would say (what he remembers most are) the line brawls which occurred pretty much every game," Duval said with a laugh. "When I was a younger guy coming into the league, you don't see fights too often and then everyone is shedding the mitts, five guys going on five guys, sometimes even the goalies would get into it because we had (Dustin) Slade back then. He was a little rambunctious. They were very intense games. It was basically a battle on the ice."

Asked what went through his mind when all hell was breaking loose, Duval laughed while replying: "Hopefully I'm not on the ice."

"I'm not used to that kind of stuff," he said. "I got in one when I was in Moose Jaw. I think it was against Dan Mercer and I played with him in Calgary for a couple years. We were talking about it and how it's a coincidence that we ended up on the same team. The rivalry is a big thing for both teams."

Duval is getting a late start this season due to a bout of mononucleosis that kept him out of action for over a month. It also prevented him from fighting for a spot on Calgary's roster.

"They couldn't see me play because I was sitting out so they had to make a move," said Duval, who had 22 goals and 50 points in 71 games with Calgary last season. "It's unfortunate I didn't get a chance to show them what I can do, but it's part of the league."

As for his illness, Duval initially didn't know what to make of it.

"It felt like I had the flu," he said. "I kept on feeling weak after skates. I just played in one exhibition game and went to the doctor and they told me I had mono. It was pretty rough. I was basically doing nothing for a month. I just had to sit around and couldn't really do much physical activity -- which sucks -- or else you could rupture your spleen and that would not be good."

Duval was finally cleared to resume skating about three weeks ago and made his long-awaited Warriors' debut last week. He has now dressed for three games, recording one goal and one assist.

"It's going pretty good," he said. "We're struggling right now but I'm getting lots of opportunity, which is good. I'm trying to use my speed and create as much offence as possible. This year my biggest thing is consistency. I'm going to try to be more consistent and be a leader. We have a young group of guys. They don't really know right now what it takes to win in this league. You have to play for 60 minutes. That's our biggest thing right now. I've learned from my five years in the 'Dub what you have to do to win in this league. Hopefully I can bring that to the Moose Jaw Warriors."




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Scouting Report

The Leader-Post

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

MOOSE JAW (5-8-0-1) at REGINA (8-5-1-2)

Today, 7 p.m., Brandt Centre

Radio: 620 CKRM

Key injuries: REGINA -- C Mitch Czibere (knee, 1-2 weeks); RW Cody Hanson (shoulder, 1-2 weeks), D Alex Pym (shoulder, day-to-day); MOOSE JAW -- C Neal Prokop (quad, day-to-day).

Overview: Moose Jaw has hit a rough spot in its schedule, having lost three straight games and six of the past seven, dropping to last place in the six-team East Division. The lone victory during that stretch was a 5-4 squeaker over the Portland Winter Hawks, who own the worst record in the WHL . . . The Warriors had three days off after their last game, a 6-0 pounding at the hands of the host Red Deer Rebels on Saturday . . . Regina has won two straight games, plus four in a row against the Warriors dating back to last season . . . The Pats dumped Moose Jaw 7-3 at the Brandt Centre on Oct. 1, the first of eight meetings between the clubs this season . . . Regina has the league's 18th-ranked power play (15.1 per cent), one spot better than Moose Jaw (15 per cent). The Warriors are 16th on the penalty kill (77.4 per cent), one notch above the Pats (76.5 per cent) . . . Regina has a 5-1-1-2 home record. The Warriors are 2-5-0-0 on the road . . . Moose Jaw has allowed 4.43 goals per game (second-worst in the WHL behind Portland) while scoring at a clip of 2.93. Regina has scored 3.75 goals per game and allowed 3.69 . . . The Pats have three players among the league's top 20 in scoring: LW Matt Strueby (12-9--21, 16 GP), C Jordan Weal (6-15--21, 16 GP) and RW Jordan Eberle (10-8--18, 14 GP). Strueby's 12 goals place him in a tie for second in the WHL . . . Eberle is riding a seven-game point streak (6-4--10) . . . Moose Jaw's top scorer is C Joel Broda (9-5--14, 12 GP), followed by Regina product Jason Bast (5-6--11, 14 GP) . . . The Warriors' goalie tandem comprises veteran Todd Mathews (4.45 GAA) and rookie Devin Dubyk (3.68 GAA).




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Warriors hope to end losing streaks

Matthew Gourlie, Saskatchewan News Network; Moose Jaw Times-Herald

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

In the big picture, the Moose Jaw Warriors are trying to snap a pair of losing streaks tonight.

To do that, the Warriors are focused on the details.

While the Warriors are riding a three game losing streak heading into tonight's game against the host Regina Pats, head coach Dave Hunchak feels that upon closer inspection the team is playing better than their 6-0 loss Saturday to the host Red Deer Rebels might indicate.

"There's a lot of things from the weekend that we learned that were good," said Hunchak. "A bounce here or a bounce there and we maybe have two wins instead of two losses. I know that maybe sounds a little crazy with the 6-0 score."

The trick the Warriors are learning is to trust their systems and their approach even if they fall behind.

"Just because we get scored on once or maybe twice we seem to want to change the way we play when the way we're playing is fine," said Hunchak. "We out-chanced them and out-shot them during the game and we still lost 6-0. You're doing everything you can, you just need to finish on your opportunities."

The one constant in the Warriors' three-game losing streak was bad starts on the road. In each game they dug themselves a 3-0 hole.

"We have to get off to a better start," said new Warriors forward Ian Duval, who has played three games with the team since being acquired from the Calgary Hitmen. "We've been having some pretty brutal starts and you can't keep giving teams 3-0 leads. It's tough to come back in this league.

"The guys seem to be ready to go. But if you're ready to go, you have to perform on the ice and we're just not doing that in the first period."

A good start won't mean much without a 60-minute effort. The Warriors learned that in their other trip to the Brandt Centre this season. That night, Warriors saw a 2-1 first-period lead evaporate in a 7-3 Pats win.

The Warriors have lost four straight games to the Pats dating back to last season. To stop that skid, Hunchak feels his team needs to play a smart, simple, turnover-free hockey game.

"It's all of the little detail things building towards the game against our arch-rivals," said Hunchak. "Starts are obviously important, but the thing we tried to do was break the game down into six 10-minute periods rather than three 20s. Obviously that first 10 is really important."

The Pats have won two straight games after beating the Prince Albert Raiders 8-3 on Sunday. Regina boasts one of the most-explosive offences in the WHL.

"They're a team right now that if you give them room, they can put the puck in the net," said Hunchak. "They have two lines that are doing some scoring for them. We're going to have to be a very good defensive unit as a group of six and make sure we get in shooting lanes and limit time and space for them."

The Warriors have some injury question marks heading into the game. Defenceman Travis Hamonic missed practice Tuesday and is questionable. Fellow defenceman Ryan Stanton is also questionable. He missed Saturday's game after taking a big hit in Calgary on Friday. Centre Neal Prokop will miss his third straight game due to a quad strain.

Hunchak has not decided who he will start in goal and had a short meeting Tuesday and told Todd Mathews and Deven Dubyk to both be ready.




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Johnston officially Hawks' new head coach

The Leader-Post

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Mike Johnston is the new head coach and general manager of the WHL's Portland Winter Hawks.

The move, which had been the subject of widespread speculation, was made official Tuesday when the WHL confirmed the Winter Hawks' transfer of ownership to Bill Gallacher.

Johnston replaces Rich Kromm as head coach and Ken Hodge as general manager. Hodge, who has been with the organization since the 1970s, will remain involved as a consultant. Kromm, a former Winter Hawks player, has been offered an unspecified position within the organization.

Johnston has spent nine years in the NHL as an associate coach with the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. Internationally, Johnston has coached for Canada at nine world men's hockey championships, two world junior championships and the Olympic Games.

Travis Green, a 14-year NHLer, has been named the Winter Hawks' assistant coach and assistant GM.

The sale of the Winter Hawks to Gallacher was announced earlier this month. The Winter Hawks were previously owned by Jim Goldsmith, John Bryant and Jack Donovan. That trio purchased the Winter Hawks in 2006. Gallacher is a director of Avenir Capital Corporation, based in Calgary.

Portland has occupied the WHL basement in each of the past two seasons and has a league-worst 2-12-0-0 record this season.

n The Swift Current Broncos closed the gap on the first-place Saskatoon Blades on Wednesday, winning 4-1 at the Credit Union Centre.

Saskatoon has an 11-5-1-10 record and 23 points, one more than Swift Current (11-5-0-0) in the East Division standings. Swift Current has one game in hand.

The game was tied 1-1 before Joel Rogers and Jan Dalecky scored for Swift Current early in the third period. Eric Doyle and Taylor Vause also scored for the Broncos. Mike Reich replied for Saskatoon.




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

Hitmen put Plante dispute behind them

Calgary loses to Prince Albert

Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Calgary 2 - Prince Albert 3 OT

- - -

Dave Lowry made sure the message rang loud and clear regarding Alex Plante and the leadership in his Calgary Hitmen dressing room.

And the past, according to the club's head coach, is just that.

"Understand one thing," said Lowry, after Plante was named one of the club's assistant captains Tuesday morning. "What was said at the beginning of the year, we sat down and talked about it.

"Alex has been a very important player on our hockey team. He's one of the more vocal guys in the dressing room and the length of service he's given to this organization -- he deserved (the letter)."

Before the Western Hockey League season began, the six-foot-four defenceman had publicly demanded a trade following a frustrating, injury-plagued 2007-08 season.

But Plante and the Hitmen resolved their differences and the 19-year-old assumed his post on the blueline back on Sept.27 and has been a force since.

"Business is business," said Lowry. "And I think that everyone has to understand is that the day Alex came back, we moved forward."

Meanwhile on Tuesday night in Prince Albert, the Hitmen found themselves needing leadership in the third period on the wrong side of a 2-1 score until Brandon Kozun's powerplay marker knotted the game and sent it into overtime.

But 1:28 in, the Raiders' Ryan Harrison snuffed out Calgary's six-game winning streak as they dropped to 13-4 and Prince Albert improved to 10-8.

Minnesota Wild product Carson McMillan, who will share the Hitmen 'C' with Kyle Bortis scored the lone tally in the first period Tuesday.

McMillan and Bortis, both 20-year-olds in their final season with the Hitmen, replace Washington Capitals defenceman Karl Alzner who led the squad last year.

kodland@theherald.canwest.com

- - -

Online Features

CalgaryHerald.com

Hitmen Insider: John Down blogs on Calgary decision to hand the 'C' to two players




© The Calgary Herald 2008

New boss overhauls Winter Hawks staff

Herald News Services

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

- Hockey - New Portland Winter Hawks owner William Gallacher of Calgary didn't waste any time leaving his stamp on the team.

On the same day the Western Hockey League confirmed the sale of the franchise, Gallacher named Mike Johnston as the team's new general manager and head coach.

Johnston joins the organization having spent the past nine years in the National Hockey League as an associate coach with the Vancouver Canucks and Los Angeles Kings.

Former head coach Richard Kromm has been offered reassignment within the organization. Assistant coach Brian Pellerin and trainer Innes Mackie were fired.




© The Calgary Herald 2008

Blades bounced

Broncos 4, Blades 1

Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix

Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The house bounces didn't go the Saskatoon Blades' way Tuesday.

The Swift Current Broncos put three pinballing pucks past Blades goaltender Braden Holtby and those goals were the difference as the Broncos went on to a 4-1 victory at Credit Union Centre.

Strangely, Monday's Girlicious concert might've been partially responsible for the less-than-predictable bounces.

Ryan Funk (right) of the Blades squares off with Broncos' Spencer McAvoy Tuesday

Gord Waldner, The StarPhoenix

"There were some weird bounces, but we know that there's stuff going on here," said Holtby. "The ice and the boards here are always going to be bad after a concert. We know that and we can't use that as an excuse. We should be prepared for that and I should be (prepared) -- especially on that first bounce."

Holtby was referring to Eric Doyle's first-period goal that tied the score 1-1. The Swift Current defenceman missed the net with a point shot, but after bouncing off the end boards, the puck found a hole between Holtby's left pad and the post.

Following a scoreless middle frame, the Broncos got a couple of weird ones 1:59 apart to start the third. A long shot by Joel Rogers hit a Blade and changed direction before beating Holtby. Soon after, Holtby left the crease to play the puck and unwittingly left it for Matt Tassone. The Bronco chipped it out front and Jan Dalecky scored into an empty net.

Taylor Vause added a late insurance goal.

"The boys really came out in the third period and helped me out," said Broncos goaltender Mark Guggenberger, who improved to 6-1 lifetime against the Blades. "We had to have a big bounce-back game because they took one in our barn (Oct. 15)."

The Blades (11-5-1-0) lost in regulation for the first time since a 4-2 loss Oct. 1 against Edmonton. They're 10-1-1-0 in their last 12 starts and remain one point ahead of Swift Current (11-5-0-0) in the East Division.

"Saskatoon was the hottest team in the league, so we wanted to catch them in the standings," said Doyle. "They're still a point ahead of us, but we wanted to get up there with them. We were real desperate for the win out there."

A season-high crowd of 5,026 watched the Blades struggle to convert their chances. Most notably, a puck sat on the goal-line behind Guggenberger in the third period. Travis Toomey and Adam Chorneyko both took stabs at it but failed to nudge the disc the necessary inches into the net.

Saskatoon is 9-1-0-0 on the road, but a less impressive 2-4-1-0 at home.

"We know we have to be better," said Holtby. "The worst part about it is that the fans have to watch it and we're trying to get that winning image around Saskatoon with the Blades and our performances at home aren't helping out. But we believe we can turn that around."

Blades pugilist Mike Reich opened the scoring with a fancy conversion midway through the first period. Sam Klassen started the play with a stretch pass that was almost broken up by Broncos defender Derek Claffey at centre-ice, but the puck bounced through to Josh Nicholls at the far blue-line. Nicholls subsequently dished to Reich, who deked to his backhand in close quarters and beat Guggenberger.

The Blades would score no more, though. Their power play went 0-for-8.

"Obviously the stars didn't align for us," said Holtby, "but we have to look forward to (tonight)."

The Eastern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen visit Credit Union Centre tonight for a 7 p.m. clash.

BLADE BITS: For the second time this month, a pane of glass shattered in the visitors' end during warm-up. Fortunately, Tuesday's game was not delayed like the Oct. 5 match against Medicine Hat which ended up being 30 minutes behind schedule.

cwolfe@sp.canwest.com

THE SP's THREE STARS:

1. Broncos G Mark Guggenberger -- 24 saves to improve to 6-1 versus Blades.

2. Broncos LW Geordie Wudrick -- Played pesky, forced turnover on Swift's third goal.

3. Blades LW Mike Reich -- Pugilist used hands for good rather than evil on pretty deke that opened scoring.




© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2008