Already-Thin Chiefs Lose Vandermeer Key Defenseman Suffers Broken Hand, Unavailable As Second Half Of Season Begins
The Spokane Chiefs, their ranks thinned by commitments to international tournaments, lost another key player over the holiday break.
Defenseman Dan Vandermeer suffered a broken hand during his time away from the Western Hockey League club, coach Mike Babcock said Wednesday. Vandermeer will be unavailable when the Chiefs launch the second half of their season this week in Prince George.
Spokane is at Prince George Saturday and Sunday nights.
To fill in, the Chiefs have added Brice Reynoldson, a former Moose Jaw Warriors defenseman who has enrolled at the University of Regina.
Four Chiefs are at the World Junior Tournament that starts today. Ty Jones is with Team USA, skating on a line with his friend from Eagle River, Alaska, Scott Gomez, Babcock said.
Gomez is the rookie star with the Tri-City Americans.
Spokane’s Brad Ference and Zenith Komarniski are with defending champion Team Canada. Chiefs scoring leader Marian Cisar is co-captain with Portland’s Marian Hossa on the Slovakian team.
Team Canada split a weekend exhibition series, losing 4-3 to Sweden but beating Switzerland 4-2 on two goals from Brett McLean, of the WHL Kelowna Rockets.
The Canadians, who have won five straight gold medals, play in Group A with Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Germany.
Team USA, winner of the silver medal a year ago, is in Group B with Russia, Switzerland, Slovakia and Kazakhstan.
The top four from each group enter the medal round.
Spokane’s Jones and Cisar face each other this morning when the United States takes on the Slovakians. Canada opens later in the day with Finland.
Meanwhile, Babcock will try to stretch his thin Chiefs lineup through two games in Prince George, and the annual New Year’s Eve date at Tri-City.
Three Spokane players, Cole Fischer, Brandin Cote and Mark Forth, are involved in the under-17 championships in Swift Current.
“We just don’t have many players (left),” Babcock said. “Our goalie is going to get some shots. He’s got to make some saves.”
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