WHL grants T-C sale, gives Chilliwack franchise

CALGARY, Alberta – Ron Robison, commissioner of the Western Hockey League, announced Friday that the WHL Board of Governors has granted conditional approval for the sale of the Tri-City Americans and has awarded Chilliwack, British Columbia, an expansion franchise for the 2006-07 season.

The current Tri-City ownership group, consisting of Brian Burke, Glen Sather and Darryl Porter, has agreed to sell the Americans franchise to a group of investors that includes current NHL players and WHL alumni Stu Barnes and Olaf Kolzig, current Americans general manager Bob Tory, and local businessman Dennis Loman.

The new Chilliwack franchise will join the WHL for the 2006-07 season, bringing the total number of WHL member clubs to 21.

•Captain Tim Konsorada scored a pair of goals to lead the Brandon Wheat Kings to a 4-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders in the opening game of the WHL’s best-of-7 Eastern Conference final at Brandon, Manitoba.

•Shea Weber scored two third-period goals to lead the Kelowna Rockets to a 4-2 win over the Kootenay Ice in the opening game of the WHL’s best-of-7 Western Conference final at Cranbrook, British Columbia. Blake Comeau had the other two goals for the winners. James Cherewyk and Adam Cracknell scored for Kootenay.