WHL Notebook: Sutherland hoping to stick

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This article was published 28/09/2011 (5302 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Battling with his Western Hockey League career at stake, Brandon’s Brock Sutherland made a statement on the opening weekend of the season that the Tri-City Americans should keep him in mind.

The 20-year-old defenceman posted a plus/minus of +5 as the Americans began the regular season with a pair of wins. Sutherland is one of four overagers on the Tri-City roster, competing with forwards Brendan Shinnimin, Adam Hughesman and Mason Wilgosh for three spots.

“Even though the season’s started, we’re still trying out for the team and we all want to be here more than anything,” Sutherland said. “We all love it here.”

The waters would be muddied even further should defenceman Matt MacKenzie be returned by the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres.

However the situation plays out, the Americans showed their respect for Sutherland by making him a member of a five-man rotation that will act as the team’s captains for the time being. He was an alternate for the season opener, then wore the ‘C’ for Sunday’s 6-5 victory over the Portland Winterhawks.

“I’ve never worn a letter before, so it was definitely a huge honour to wear that,” said Sutherland, who was +4 in the game.

WESTMAN ROUNDUP: The opening weekend of the season was a mixed bag for other Westman players spread around the WHL. Here’s a look at how they fared.

•Despite his team’s 0-2 start, Brandonite Carson Perreaux had a solid weekend for the Prince Albert Raiders. The 17-year-old forward had an assist in his WHL debut Friday against the Saskatoon Blades and finished the weekend with a +2 plus/minus.

• Cody Nelson, a 17-year-old rookie forward from Brandon, made his WHL debut with the Spokane Chiefs and had a late fight with Tri-City Americans forward Lukas Walter. Second-year Chiefs defenceman Reid Gow, a 17-year-old from Killarney, had a minor penalty in the same game.

•Chad Robinson, an 18-year-old forward from Minnedosa, got into both of the Red Deer Rebels’ victories, going scoreless with a plus/minus of -1.

•Rookie defenceman Landon Peel, 17, of Virden was scratched from both of the Regina Pats’ victories.

•A pair of Brandonites, 18-year-old defenceman Joel Edmundson (ankle, week to week) and 17-year-old forward Brayden Cuthbert (out long term with a concussion), missed the Moose Jaw Warriors’ opening home-and-home series with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

• Landon Cross, a 17-year-old rookie defenceman from Brandon, was scratched for the Kamloops Blazers’ season-opening 1-0 loss to the Prince George Cougars.

• Two other Westman skaters had their WHL seasons end before they could begin. John Lawrence, a 19-year-old veteran forward from Newdale, was let go by the Calgary Hitmen on Friday, while the Saskatoon Blades reassigned forward Hudson Morrison, 17, of Souris after the weekend.

Morrison is headed for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Waywayseecappo Wolverines, while Lawrence’s destination was not immediately available.

AROUND THE WHL: Moose Jaw has received star LW Quinton Howden back from the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers, although Howden has a concussion and it’s not known when he’ll be ready to play … Moose Jaw and Regina have both cut 19-year-old veterans, with the Warriors dropping LW Markus McCrea, while the Pats reassigned RW Mikael Jung … The WHL handed out two suspensions on Tuesday, sitting Spokane C Dominik Uher three games for a checking behind major and Tri-City RW Jordan Messier two games under supplemental discipline … Former Wheat Kings captain Shayne Wiebe was one of two Brandonites assigned to American Hockey League camps by their NHL on Tuesday. Wiebe was sent to St. John’s of the AHL by the Winnipeg Jets, while the Montreal Canadiens assigned Brock Trotter to their farm team in Hamilton.