Wheat Kings forward Scott Glennie is expected to be in the lineup on Friday night.

BY PATRICK KING
sportsnet.ca

BRANDON, Man. -- Calgary's not so secret weapon is ready to be deployed after Brandon Kozun skated in practice for the second straight day.

Kozun will be ready to play in Friday's MasterCard Memorial Cup semifinal.

The Hitmen forward injured his right ankle in the final game of the Western Hockey League championship series and played sparingly in Calgary's first game of the tournament. But he had a hop in his step Friday morning and is anxious to play.

"I'm a pretty quick healer," Kozun noted. "It's been tough to watch, but now that I'm finally going to get in the lineup it's going to be fun to play.

Kozun skated on a line with Cody Sylvester and Joel Broda in practice. Sylvester missed Wednesday's game with the flu and is also ready for the Hitmen on Friday. Hitmen coach Mike Williamson would not reveal whether those line combinations carry over to the game.

"I don't even know if I would tell you if I knew myself," Williamson said.

Although he did not play in Wednesday's game against the host Brandon Wheat Kings, its head coach, Kelly McCrimmon, is not surprised he will be in the lineup Friday.

"We anticipated that he would be in the lineup tonight and that he wouldn't be in the lineup on Wednesday," McCrimmon said. "We're more used to playing Calgary with him in the lineup than without so I don't think it changes much from our perspective."

GLENNIE RETURN

Wheat Kings forward Scott Glennie also practiced Friday morning and will be available for Friday's game. Glennie missed the second and third periods of Wednesday's round robin game.

"It was just basically a little banged up and I guess it was just a decision from the trainer and Kelly (McCrimmon) not to play me the rest of the game," Glennie said.

When asked if he wanted to get back in the game, he said: "Rest is a good thing. Quite honestly, it's a big game today and just to rest up for the rest of the game was necessary."

HITMEN HOME ICE

Schultz is hoping for a nice homecoming in Brandon after the Hitmen obtained home ice advantage for Friday's semifinal.

"I've said it before earlier in the week that I love playing here," said Schultz, who is also ready to play after injuring his hand in the tournament. "It gets the emotions going, it gets your blood pumping a little bit when you hear someone chanting your name or booing you. You just use it as motivation."

So are the fans going to cheer for Calgary now that the Hitmen are designated the home team?

"I don't think so," Schultz said. "You'd think that eh, but I'm pretty sure it will be pretty hostile here and I'd kind of be disappointed if it was anything less."

BRANDON GOALTENDING

McCrimmon named his started to the media for the first time prior to a game in this tournament. Jacob De Serres, who started the last two round robin games, will get the nod against the Hitmen.

Calgary beat De Serres on five of 14 shots in the first period of Wednesday's game, but the starter drew positives from his finish.

"I don't think it was necessarily fighting the puck, I just think it was anxious and trying too hard," he said.

Many of Calgary's goals came in tight quarters, which De Serres is familiar with having played the Hitmen in the playoffs.

"It's no surprise to us," he said. "It's not like they came out and did that and 'Oh my God, what happened?' They've done that all year and they've done that all playoffs. They battle hard in front of both nets."

CHL PRESS CONFERENCE

The Canadian Hockey League will hold a press conference on Friday afternoon with all three league commissioners along with top prospects Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin in attendance.