THE WEDNESDAY THRILLER … WITH PHIL ANDREWS

Voice of the Pats Phil Andrews

– The WHL Championship series has been quite a surprise for me considering the Kelowna Rockets can sweep the Brandon Wheat Kings with a win tonight. I did not see a 3-0 Kelowna lead to start the series coming at all. Jordan Papirny has been average in the Wheat Kings goal and he hasn’t had much help in front of him. Brandon keeps digging themselves holes and can’t quite get out. They have trailed 3-1 in all three games, it even went to 4-1 in game 3. I wouldn’t count them out however, the Wheat Kings had not lost three straight games all year long and with a day off between games they will come out ready. They won’t win four straight I don’t think but I see them forcing a game 5.

– In the OHL Championship series Oshawa leads Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters 2 games to 1 with game 4 tonight in Erie. In the QMJHL the Memorial Cup host Quebec Ramparts lead Rimouski 2-1 as well with game 4 tonight in Rimouski. Both those teams are already into the Memorial Cup Tournament.

– Former Regina Pats captain Braden Christoffer has signed a one year AHL contract with the Oklahoma City Barons, the Edmonton Oilers farm team. That’s according to www.eliteprospects.com. The Barons are being re-located and will become the Bakersfield Condors next season. Christoffer will attend Edmonton’s summer prospect camp as well as the Oilers rookie tournament in the fall. Great news! Couldn’t be happier for Braden.

– Former Pats forward Patrick D’Amico will be attending the New Jersey Devils development camp in July. Patrick is certainly a New Jersey type player, skates well, strong and has some skill. He has a few ECHL contract offers as well, one of which from the Evansville IceMen. Real good news for Patrick who had a great 20-year-old season. Wishing him all the best.

– Pavel Padakin who also graduated after last year has yet to get an invite or a contract offer.

-Jordan Weal scored a hattrick in game 4 of the Manchester Monarchs 5-3 win over the Wilkes-Barry/Scranton Penguins on Monday. Last night the Monarchs won 2-1 and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. The former Regina Pats star leads the AHL in playoff scoring with 15 points, 10 of them goals. Only Teemu Pulkkinen of the Grand Rapids Griffins has more with 11. Manchester could play the Hershey Bears in the Conference Finals. Former Pats Chandler Stephenson and Garrett Mitchell are with that squad. Chandler has 3 assists in 8 playoff games while Mitchell has a helper. The Bears and Hartford Wolf Pack are tied 2-2 in their series with game 5 tonight.

– The Melfort Mustangs continue the round robin at the RBC Cup tonight against the Carelton Place Canadians. Carelton, Penticton and Portage are all tied at 2 and 1 while Melfort is 1 and 1. The other team is the Soo Thunderbirds and they are oh and 3 which means the Mustangs are guaranteed a semi-final spot because they beat the T-Birds already. Melfort will wrap up the round robin tomorrow against Portage.

– I honestly thought the Montreal Canadiens were going to force a game 7 and then beat the Tampa Bay Lightning. However last night the Lightning were the much better team and won 4-1 Steven Stamkos scored which is a good sign for Tampa. Though I don’t think the Stanley Cup Champion is coming out of the East.

– Washington and New York go tonight in game 7 of their second round series. The winner will play Tampa. My heart wants Washington to win but my head says New York will take it.

– I think the New England Patriots discipline is a little over the top. I agree completely with Arash Madani who said on last nights Sportscage that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could be coming down hard after screwing up the whole Ray Rice fiasco. Seems to me there isn’t a lot of proof in the whole deflategate saga and I wouldn’t be surprised if the appeal sees the sanctions reduced. Quite the story that’s for sure.

– The Riders went WR, DL, FB, DB, DL, RB, DL in the CFL draft last night. Thought the Green and White might go with Addison Richards of the U of R Rams at 6 but took Nic Demski out of Manitoba. Richards was selected by the Blue Bombers in round 2, 11th overall. Rams DB Tevaughn Campbell went in the third round to the Stampeders. Calgary also selected U of S Huskies DB Dexter Janke in the 5th round and Rams OL Aaron Picton in the 6th. 4 players out of Saskatchewan’s two universities selected and three of them are in Calgary.

That’s it from me today, have a great week!

Phil
@PhilTheThrill18