Game Day @ Kamloops

Fourth road game in 5 nights.  It's like being back on the eastern swing--except not out east.

"I'm really happy with how we played" against Chilliwack on Sunday, said Tri-City coach Jim Hiller. "We played really well under travel constraints and emotional games against Portland (Friday) and Spokane (Saturday), and we need the same tomorrow."

"I don't know if there is any rhyme or reason to it, but we haven't been in Kamloops and they are good at home," Hiller said.

Chris Driedger will get the start in goal tonight in place of injured Drew Owsley, who suffered a knee injury Saturday against Spokane.

"He has a sprained knee," said Tri-City general manager Bob Tory, who is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the Canada Winter Games. "We have to wait until some of the swelling and pain subsides for a better evaluation. It doesn't look like there is any structural damage, but at the same time, our first priority is that it is evaluated properly and that we take the right course of rehab. It's unfortunate, but you have to march ahead." (Herald)

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It seems that seven is the number in the WHL these days.
F Colton Jobke of the Kelowna Rockets was hit with a seven-game suspension Monday, the second time in less than a week that a WHL player has drawn a seven-game sentence.

Jobke was suspended after he hit Chilliwack F Tim Traber during the Bruins’ 5-4 shootout victory in Kelowna on Friday. Traber ended up with a season-ending broken right leg; Jobke was hit with and interference major and game misconduct.

Jobke will be eligible to return on Feb. 25 when the Rockets are in Red Deer to visit the Rebels.

Last week, Chilliwack D Brandon Manning was given a seven-game suspension after a hit that left Kamloops Blazers D Austin Madaisky with a fracture to his C-7 vertebrae. Madaisky won’t play again this season. (Taking Note)

So because neither Jobke nor Manning were given a check-from-behind penalty, it's only seven games as opposed to 12 (or more)?  Jobke was given interference major, Manning a boarding major (both also received game misconducts). Way to have some balls WHL.  I know they can't penalize based on the injury, but Shinnimin's hit on Nicholls gave him a concussion (not saying that's a minor thing, believe me) and Nicholls missed, what, one game?  Traber and Madaisky are out the rest of the season, Madaisky's lucky to not be paralyzed.  And those warrant only seven games?  SMH.

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As usual, we'll be liveblogging the game this evening, starting around 6:45.  Click on the "Read More" to join the fun.