Six-foot-four call-up Mike Simpson will take a spot on the Kootenay Ice left vacant by defenceman Luke Paulsen.

Paulsen did not finish Wednesday's game - his first in a week-and-a-half - as he felt concussion-like symptoms return while playing. The sophomore is still a week or two from getting back in the lineup.

Matt Fraser is expected to be back in time for a home-and-home with Calgary that starts next Tuesday in Cranbrook. Also out with a concussion, the winger will have a hard skate Saturday before his return is officially given the okay.

As much as head coach Kris Knoblauch would love to have centre Steele Boomer back in the lineup, the team is still being cautious with his ankle. Like Paulsen, he is a week or two away.

Defenceman Joey Leach had some bone fragments extracted from his ankle recently. He won't be able to do much physical activity for the next couple of weeks, until the incision heals.

TOUGH SLEDDING

Wednesday night's game against Brandon marked just the second time in 15 games that the Ice played a team with a losing record.

That trying stretch - in which they went 8-7-0 - saw them face top-5 clubs Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Spokane nine times.

The upcoming stretch of the schedule is a bit more forgiving, with seven of their next eight games against clubs currently below .500.

That includes home-and-home series against bottom-5 clubs Lethbridge, Calgary and Regina.