[truebluefan]

T-Birds trade Klinkhammer to Portland

Seattle, September 27, 2006 - Seattle Thunderbirds General Manager Russ Farwell today announced the team has traded left wing Robert Klinkhammer to the Portland Winter Hawks for a fourth round bantam pick in 2007.

"We had four 20-year-olds on our roster and could only keep three," said Farwell. "We liked having Rob on our team but we had to make a tough decision in regards to our 20-year-olds. We think this trade will give Rob the chance to play and be a good player in this league."

Klinkhammer was acquired in a trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the trading deadline last year. He played 32 games in a T-Birds uniform and had eight points on three goals and five assists. He has played 165 games in the WHL and has 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points with 154 penalty minutes. The T-Birds home opener is Saturday, September 30, against the Vancouver Giants at 7:05 p.m. at KeyArena.

Thunderbird tickets are currently on sale for all regular 2006-07 regular season home games. Tickets are priced at $20, $16 & $12 Tickets may be purchased by calling 206 628-0888 or 206 448 PUCK (7825) or online at www.seattlethunderbirds.com. Tickets may also be purchased at all TicketMaster Outlets, the KeyArena's West Box Office Monday - Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM and The Hockey Store located at 14326 124th Ave NE in Kirkland. For additional ticket information on Season Tickets and Group Rates please call 206 448 PUCK.

 

[truebluefan]

Chiefs Acquire Courchene

The Spokane Chiefs have acquired 20-year-old Corey Courchene from the Brandon Wheat Kings in exchange for a third round selection in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft. Courchene is in his fourth season in the WHL and recorded career highs in goals (11), assists (13), points (24) and penalty minutes (150) last season in 56 games. From Fort Alexander, Manitoba, Courchene has played 175 career games, including one this year. Courchene was originally a fourth round selection in the 2001 WHL Bantam Draft.

"Corey Courchene will be a good addition for our team," Chiefs General Manager Tim Speltz said. "He has size, grit and good skill. Cory is a versatile player who can play forward and defense."

Courchene joins forward Derek Ryan and defenseman Evan Haw as the three 20-year-olds on the Chiefs, the maximum number allowed on WHL rosters.

The Chiefs will continue their four game road stretch to open the 2006-07 season on Saturday night versus the Tri-City Americans. Mike Boyle will go on the air at 6:30 with Comcast Hockey Tonight with the play-by-play beginning at 7:00 on KJRB 790 the Fan.

Spokane will open the home portion of their schedule against the Americans on Saturday, October 7th on Bud Light Opening Night and Black Book by Hagadone Directories Magnet Schedule Giveaway. Tickets for all home games are available by calling the Chiefs office at (509) 535-PUCK or TicketsWest at (800) 325-SEAT.

 

[truebluefan]

Rockets move Bauer to Kootenay

Kelowna, BC - Bruce Hamilton, President and General Manager of the Kelowna Rockets, announced today that 19-year-old forward CLAYTON BAUER has been traded to the Kootenay Ice.

In return the Rockets receive 1990 born goaltender DANIEL SALAMANDYK and a 5th Round Pick in the 2007 Bantam Draft.

SALAMANDYK currently plays for the Okanagan Landmark Oil and Gas AAAA Midget Rockets based in Kelowna.

"We felt that perhaps Clayton needed a change of scenery after three years with his hometown Rockets, and the opportunity to acquire a goaltender in this age group was a big factor in making the deal. I think Clayton will do well in Kootenay and we look forward to being able to have goaltending Coach Kim Dillabaugh chart Daniel's progress right here in Kelowna," stated Bruce Hamilton.

 

[truebluefan]

Warriors Falter On The Road

The Warriors are back at practice today, and all indications from last night say it won't be an easy skate by any means.

The Warriors fell 6-4 on the road to the Saskatoon Blades last night, in a game that just wouldn't go Moose Jaw's way.

5 of the Blades' 6 goals were either bouncing pucks right in the slot, deflections off a Warrior player, or a shot goaltender Joey Perricone would want back.

Perricone's started all 3 Moose Jaw games so far, going one and 2, giving up 11 goals in 3 games.

Warriors' Assistant Coach Rene Lemire told us during last night's pre-game show it was a "total team collapse, from goaltending all the way out to the forwards."

comlplete article

 

[truebluefan]

Blazers scour for a Silvertip lining

Cleaving their home-opener weekend in two, the Kamloops Blazers notched one to remember and one to forget against Portland and Everett on Friday and Sunday.

Chalking Sunday's 4-0 shellacking up to experience, Blazers head coach Dean Clark said his club could learn something from the league's No. 1-ranked Everett Silvertips in terms of team cohesion and effort.

"I think the biggest thing is their team is committed to the loose pucks and winning those battles," Clark said. "They're very quick and they support each other very well."

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Kisio calls out veterans

Kelly Kisio is waiting for some of his veterans to realize the 2006-07 WHL season has started.

Last night the Hitmen (2-1) lost their first game of the season, 5-2 in Regina against the Pats, and the Calgary GM/head coach said he just wasn't seeing a quality effort from some of the senior members.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

New scoreboard delayed again

The new scoreboard featuring video replay has been delayed again and may not be in CN Centre until the end of February, according to city arenas manager Diane Rogers

The system was originally anticipated to be in place by the start of the 2006-07 Cougars hockey season, but then was delayed until Christmas and now 2007.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Courchene odd-man out as Wheat Kings deal with Chiefs

There should be no more sleepless nights for Brandon Wheat Kings centre Jeff Topilko.

Topilko’s place in the lineup was secured when the Wheat Kings traded left-winger Corey Courchene to the Spokane Chiefs late Tuesday night for a third-round pick in the 2007 WHL bantam draft, as Brandon settled on Topilko and fellow 20-year-old forwards Teegan Moore and Mark Derlago as the club’s three overagers.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Pats rob Hitmen

Rookie Derek Hulak scored twice as the Regina Pats skated to a 5-2 win over the Calgary Hitmen in Western Hockey League action on Wednesday.

Ian Duval, Niko Snellman and Justin Bernhardt also scored for the Pats (2-1). Brodie Dupont and Keegan Dansereau replied for the Hitmen (2-1). David Reekie made 22 saves for the Pats while Dan Spence stopped 27 shots for the Hitmen.

 

[truebluefan]

Hurricanes blow away Ice

The Lethbridge Hurricanes scored six unanswered goals en route to a 6-3 win over the Kootenay Ice on Wednesday in the Western Hockey League.

Dwight King, Kris Hogg, Michael Wuchterl, Lukas Vantuch, Jesse Craige and Travis Bobbee scored for Lethbridge (2-0-1-0). Ryan Russell, Ben Maxwell and Steve DaSilva replied for Kootenay (1-2-0-0).

Justin Leclerc stopped 19 shots for Lethbridge while Kris Lazaruk made 35 saves for Kootenay.

 

[truebluefan]

T-birds trade Klinkhammer

The Seattle Thunderbirds announced Wednesday the trade of left wing Robert Klinkhammer to the Portland Winter Hawks for a fourth-round bantam choice in 2007.

"We had four 20-year-olds on our roster and could only keep three," Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell said in announcing the deal. "We liked having Rob on our team, but we had to make a tough decision in regards to our 20-year-olds. We think this trade will give Rob the chance to play and be a good player in this league."

Klinkhammer was acquired by the Thunderbirds in a trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the trading deadline last year. He played 32 games with Seattle and had eight points on three goals and five assists.

He has played 165 games in the Western Hockey League and has 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points with 154 penalty minutes.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Cougars brush off purchase offer by Prince George group

“Maybe for $30 million we’d think about it, but we have no desire to do anything but own and operate the Prince George Cougars and continue to focus on making this a successful season. We’re not selling our team or leaving town. I think the folks involved with the Spruce Kings would be better off spending their time preparing for the Royal Bank Cup, than worrying about how they can become Prince George Cougars.” — Brandi Brodsky, the Cougars’ business manager, daughter of owner Rick Brodsky and wife of GM Dallas Thompson, after Rick turned down a $5.5-million offer from a group that included two members of the executive — the president and the treasurer — of the BCHL’s Prince George Spruce Kings.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Rockets exercise patience with young lineup

Two goals in two games isn’t exactly what the Kelowna Rockets had planned on.

Neither was it totally unexpected.

With the likes of Justin Keller (51 goals), Troy Bodie (28 goals), Blake Comeau (74 points), and Mike Card (55 points) no longer available to supply the offense, the Rockets have been forced to tap into some new resources to fill the need.

“It’s not all going to come at once,” said Rockets head coach Jeff Truitt. “You’re asking some guys who didn’t play a lot last year to step up and that’s going to take some time. We need all the guys going and we really have to bear down. If we stay with it and work hard, it’s going to come.”

Captain Chris Ray, with 24 goals, is the highest scoring returnee for the Rockets in 2006-07. Clayton Bauer (14) and Troy Ofukany (12) were the only other current Rockets to break the 10-goal barrier last season.

complete article

 

[truebluefan]

Canes comeback thaws Ice

Bad start. Excellent finish.
Six unanswered goals scored by six different players lifted the Lethbridge Hurricanes to a 6-3 comeback victory Wednesday night over the host Kootenay Ice in Western Hockey League action.
Back in the Central Division this season, the Ice scored two goals in the opening frame and potted a third goal, a power-play marker, just five minutes into the second period to take an early 3-0 lead over their divisional foes.
“It didn’t start the way we wanted it to, that’s for sure,” Hurricanes coach Michael Dyck said, his team improving to 2-0-1-0. “But we turned it around and played a lot better in the final two periods.”
Dwight King found the back of the net on a five-on-three power play and put the ’Canes on the scoreboard seven minutes into the second period. Roughly 10 minutes later, captain Kris Hogg added another goal with the man advantage to cut the deficit to one. With 14 seconds remaining the period, Yashar Farmanara sent in Mike Wuchterl all alone on Ice goalie Kris Lazaruk and beat him on a backhand deke to knot the score at 3-3 after 40 minutes.
Lukas Vantuch’s first goal of the season stood to be the eventual game-winner early in the third, which gave the Hurricanes their first lead at 4-3. Jesse Craige and Travis Bobbee both scored in the final minute to round out the scoring.
The loss drops Kootenay to 1-2-0-0, while the two points gives Lethbridge five out of a possible six points versus Central Division opponents after three games.
Ryan Russell, Ben Maxwell and Steven DaSilva scored for Kootenay.
Justin Leclerc made 19 saves to earn the win in goal. The Hurricanes outshot the Ice 41-22, holding a decisive 15-2 edge in the third period.
Same two teams are back at it Friday in Lethbridge, with a 7 p.m. start time.