Sun, sea and sand.

I just got back from two weeks of vacation, but I may have to put in for another day.

Trying to plan vacation and days off without the Americans schedule is no easy task. With my son playing high school football, Friday nights will become football nights in the Fowler family. With one kid, he comes before the 20 or so who will invade Toyota Center from August to April. I've only missed two home games since I started covering the Americans oh so many years ago, but football is one night a week, and the Americans are bound to be on the road for a few of those Friday nights.

At each end of the Toyota Center sits a goal judge, who flips the switch when the Americans or their opponent scores a goal.

Former Kelowna coach Marc Habscheid has been hired to coach the woeful Chilliwack Bruins. He also will be the team's GM after owner Darryl Porter cleaned house last season.

The Americans are having a press conference Friday at Kimo's. There's supposed to be a surprise announcement, some food and later a story for me to write.

The great thing about being a part of a writer's group is getting updates and stories from around the WHL. Coming through my e-mail Thursday were the following:

The mighty Kelowna Rockets are about to blast off into the Memorial Cup stratosphere. A win tonight over Calgary will give the Rockets a sweep of the once mighty Hitmen, who won 17 of their last 20 regular-season games and won the Scotty Munro trophy with 122 points.

When scouts and GMs sit down and plan their strategy for the WHL bantam draft, I find it hard to believe that they can honestly put the future of their team in the hands of a 5-foot-6, 130-pound kid who looks more like a jockey than a hockey player.

Game 6 of the Capitals-Rangers first-round series last Sunday had such poor ratings on NBC that it tied with a taped poker event.

You know you've been covering the WHL for a long time when players you have watched over the years are now assistant coaches in the league.

It's Easter Sunday and I'm sitting in a hotel room blogging for my few readers.

News from the Prince George Citizen:

The Americans' bus just started up in the parking lot. I know it's not quite 4 p.m., but the players have to load up everything -- sticks, pucks and pillows -- for the ride home tonight after the game. They will leave for Prospera Place just before 5 p.m., giving the players plenty of time to loosen up before the game.

For those of you who have never been to Kelowna, it is one of the most beautiful places in the Northwest.

The Kelowna Rockets have a unique system of communicating during games. Assistant coach Ryan Cuthbert is up in the press box keeping a close eye on things and relays information to the team bench via a wireless transmitter to goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh. Similar to football, but at a faster pace.

The hardest working man on the ice is back in action.

After a season worth of blogging about other people, places and things, I find myself as an item in Kelowna Rockets radio announcer Regan Bartel's blog -- Regan's Rant.

Neither rain, snow nor the unexpected end to my book on CD could keep me from returning from Everett this morning. I'd had enough of eating out and the Seattle-area traffic for one week. Hopefully tonight will result in a Tri-City victory and I can stay on this side of the mountain come Monday.

Everett mascot Lincoln the bear wears No. 72 on his jersey in honor of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), whose home port is Everett. The aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1989, is 1,092 feet long and has a flight deck of 4 1/2 acres. The ship is scheduled to move to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on April 17.

The benefit to arriving early at the rink is to see the behind-the-scenes activities. Here at the Everett Events Center, the ice is beautiful. I was down on the team bench talking to new trainer Innes Mackie when the Zamboni was doing it's thing. It hadn't even gotten around to the other side of the rink and the ice in front of us was dry. What a sight to behold.

It was foggy early this morning here in Everett, but by mid-morning the sun had come out and it's been a pretty nice day since. I would never willingly get up at 6:30 a.m. while on the road. I do at home so I can be at the gym by 8, but usually I can keep my eyes shut until at least 7:30 in a quiet hotel room. But with my window being on the side of the hotel facing the freeway, I could hear the traffic zipping by ... and by ... and by.

It seems as if Ben Kilgour has been playing at the University of Alberta for a million years.

After an uneventful drive across the mountains that included a little snow, a little fog and plenty of rain, we are just 15 minutes from the drop of the puck here at Comcast Arena in Everett.

Spencer Asuchak, who received a 2-game suspension for a hit Sunday against PG's Colin Scherger, stopped by in the press box. The suspension was his second this season and will extend to the first game of the playoffs.

Rookie goalie Drew Owsley has stopped by to give his thoughts on the first two periods of the game.

Tonight's game sheet has Chet Pickard backing up Brett Martyniuk. Chet missed a few games after suffering a concussion after being run by Spokane Ryan Letts two weeks ago. When I saw Chet Friday night, he had that sparkle in his eyes. We'll see if Don gives him a few minutes on the ice against the Cougars.

Chet Pickard just stopped by for a chat. He's up in the owner's box with Bob Tory. He looks good, says he feels good.

It's an hour and a half before game time and the Spokane Arena is quiet.

I got Chet to sit down and type a few words for the fans back home.

Doors are open and the first people I see are wandering into the Molson beer garden across the way (fancy that at a hockey game).

Up until Saturday night, I had the utmost respect for the Spokane Chiefs.

When Kyle Beach left the Everett Silvertips in January, he packed his attitude and hauled it all the way to Lethbridge. Unfortunately, the controversial forward failed to keep the evil genie in the bottle.

The weekly rankings of the Canadian Hockey League’s Top 10, as selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

The weekly rankings of the Canadian Hockey League's Top 10, as selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts.

When Kyle Beach left the Everett Silvertips in January, he packed his attitude and hauled it all the way to Lethbridge. Unfortunately, the controversial forward failed to keep the evil genie in the bottle.

Donating blood and platelets is a selfless act. For hundreds of high school students to volunteer to take the time shows they are thinking of things other than the mall, pizza and video games.

Every so often, I get e-mails asking about former players. I always give the standard answer -- if they are still playing you can find them by typing in their name at hockeydb.com.

There are likely to be more than 4,500 people at tonight's Tri-City/Chilliwack game at Toyota Center. I can pretty much guarantee you that Bruins owner Darryl Porter (and now GM since he fired Darrell May) will not be one of those people plopping his butt in an orange seat.

Taylor Procyshen has pledged $2 for every goal the Americans score this season to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Former Americans defenseman T.J. Fast scored his first AHL goal Jan. 23 in the Peoria Rivermen's 5-2 road loss to the Houston Aeros. In 21 games, Fast has one goal, three assists and is a plus-3.

My brother Nick has been home this past two weeks on leave from Iraq, leaving the fighting and the sand thousands of miles away.

While trying to make sense of the Americans' recent roller coaster ride through the WHL, Don Nachbaur said something Tuesday night that put things into perspective -- "we've only lost 14 games."

I'm sure most of you have noticed the construction going on in and under the press box at Toyota Center. In an effort to expand the area for working media, visiting radio and WHL officials, the Toyota Center staff has been working to provide acceptable working conditions for everyone.

I’ve been covering the WHL long enough to have seen dozens of players go through the Americans dressing room.

Hockey fans can buy an Americans jerseys for about $100 at the team store.

You know it has to be a big game when people are looking for tickets and others have tickets for sale on Craig's List.

I read an on-line story Thursday that quoted an American soldier saying "Christmas is just another day" in Iraq.

The second half of the season gets under way today for most teams, and for the Seattle Thunderbirds that means moving into their new digs in Kent -- the $84.5-million ShoWare Center.

My son got out of school for Christmas vacation today and I can proudly say his grades are the best they have ever been at this time of the year.