Saturday night, Zach Yuen's head appeared to bounce off the wall like a rag doll after he was hit by Spokane's Blake Gal.
Video replay wasn't very pretty. I was concerned. I'm sure his mom Mary was horrified. WHL disciplinarian Rick Doerksen was not pleased. He suspended Gal for three games, which will begin Saturday when the Americans visit the Chiefs.
For Yuen, it's just another day at the rink.
"Last year, I had a few stitches and lost a tooth," said the Americans veteran defenseman. "It just seems my face is a magnet for pucks and sticks."
A week before the hit by Gal, Yuen took a stick to the face in Prince George from Spencer Asuchak. No stitches, but that doesn't mean it didn't smart a bit.
The hit by Gal?
"It wasn't as bad as it looked," Yuen said. "I put my hand up at the last second to keep my head from hitting too hard. It's just part of the game. We play with half a visor — you are bound to get a stick or puck in the face at some point. It's a little price to pay for hockey."
-----------------
Spokane acquired 17-year-old Carter Proft from the Brandon Wheat Kings in exchange for a 2012 fifth-round bantam selection.
Proft has appeared in 13 games this season and scored one goal with 10 penalty minutes. He will join the Chiefs for the weekend when they host the Americans on Saturday and Everett on Sunday.
-----------------
Despite a loss to Victoria last week the Americans moved from fifth to third in this week's CHL poll. Also from the WHL, the Kamloops Blazers are 7th and the Kootenay Ice are 9th. Spokane got an honorable mention vote.
Here is this week's poll:
1. London Knights (13-2-0-1)
2. Saint John Sea Dogs (14-5-0-0)
3. Tri-City Americans (11-5-0-0)
4. Victoriaville Tigres (14-6-0-1)
5. Miss. St. Michael's Majors (10-3-0-2)
6. Sarnia Sting (11-2-0-3)
7. Kamloops Blazers (11-3-0-0)
8. Shawinigan Cataractes (13-5-1-2)
9. Kootenay Ice (11-3-0-2)
10. Quebec Remparts (11-4-2-1)
-----------------------
A few additions to the Subway Super Series were announced Thursday.
Because of an injury, Everett 's Ryan Murray will be unable to participate and has been replaced by Edmonton defenseman Griffin Reinhart for the game in Regina. Also added to the Team WHL roster to compete in Regina are Kelowna's Brett Bulmer and Zach Franko, along with Kamloops' Colin Smith. For the final game in Moose Jaw, Team WHL added Edmonton's Michael St. Croix and Moose Jaw's Cody Beach.
Also, Saskatoon Blades goaltender Andrey Makarov will play for Team Russia in the Nov. 16 game in Regina.
------------------
In the WHL dog house: Darian Dziurzynski of the Brandon Wheat Kings received a 2-game suspension for the charging major in a 7-3 victory over Swift Current on Tuesday night. ... Brady Brassart of Calgary was given a 1-game suspension for a checking-from-behind major and a game misconduct against Prince Albert on Tuesday. ... Jordyn Boyd of Everett was suspended 1 game for a clipping major and a game misconduct Wednesday against Lethbridge.
