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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

WHL notes: Chiefs sport decals in honor of Cole Hamblin

The “CH” decal on the back of Chiefs helmets honors former defenseman Cole Hamblin, who died of cancer at age 21. (Jesse Tinsley)

The Spokane Chiefs will wear helmet decals with the letters “CH” for the rest of the Western Hockey League season in honor of former defenseman Cole Hamblin, who died of cancer last Wednesday at age 21.

Hamblin, a native of St. Adolphe, Manitoba, played 19 games for the Chiefs during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Hamblin also played eight games during 2012-13 for the WHL’s Regina Pats, and 94 games with four teams in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, including 35 last year with the Virden Oil Capitals.

Hamblin was set to play for the University of Guleph in Ontario this season, but he was admitted to Victoria Hospital in Winnipeg on Sept. 22 after he had lost 30 pounds and was suffering from severe lower- back pain.

Doctors diagnosed stage-four mucoepidermoid carcinoma, a rare cancer that spread to his lymph nodes and spine.

Chiefs veterans Jason Fram and Liam Stewart wore Hamblin’s No. 6 during warmups before Tuesday’s home game against Kelowna.

Yamamoto shines

Chiefs 16-year-old forward Kailer Yamamoto amassed three goals and three assists in six games while playing for Team USA during the World U17 Hockey Challenge in Ontario.

Yamamoto finished fifth on the team in scoring and eighth overall at the tournament.

The U.S. team finished first in Group B with a record of 5-1-0-0 and dropped a 2-1 decision to Russia in the gold-medal game.

Tigers don’t miss beat

The Medicine Hat Tigers have the luxury of playing a backup goaltender with an undefeated record while wearing the orange and black.

Nick Schneider made 24 saves last Saturday to guide a 4-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors. The win boosted the 17-year-old’s record to 5-0 this season and 11-0 in two seasons.

“It feels awesome,” Schneider told Ryan McCracken of the Medicine Hat News. “It’s definitely nice to have. I didn’t think it would happen this way. It’s kind of hard to believe.”

Tigers starting goaltender Marek Langhamer is 9-3-1-0 record this season with a goals-against average of 2.30 and a .910 save percentage. Schneider has a 1.40 GAA and .937 save percentage.

Around the league

Kelowna forward Rourke Chartier was named WHL Player of the Week after recording four goals and four assists during three Rockets victories. The 18-year-old, a third-year player in the league, led all WHL players with 18 goals through 18 games headed in to Tuesday’s game at Spokane. The Tri-City Americans’ Eric Comrie was named WHL Goaltender of the Week after allowing just four goals in 88 shots, including a shutout against Edmonton, during a 3-0-0-0 week. The 19-year-old was chosen in the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets. … The Red Deer Rebels will reassign 18-year-old Cole Chorney to a junior A team. Chorney played in 58 games last season, recording six goals and five assists, but he had been limited to one assist in six games this season. … Tri-City’s Richard Nejezchleb, acquired in a recent trade with the Brandon Wheat Kings, had one goal and three assists last Friday during a 5-2 victory over Kamloops.