Kootenay bows out to the Wheat Kings

The Score – Brandon 4 – Kootenay 3 – Wheat Kings win best-of-seven series 4-0

What Happened – The Wheat Kings cashed in on almost every opportunity they had, Kootenay didn’t.

The Goals – Kootenay didn’t do themselves any favours to start their last game of the season by spotting the Wheat Kings two straight power plays but after killing them off and actually generating some sustained pressure another bad pinch by Eric Frere sent one pass to Brayden Schenn and another to Matt Calvert on a breakway. With his hot-hand he didn’t even get a shot off and it still rolled between Mathews legs… Another odd-man rush began the Wheaties second goal two minutes later but the Wheat Kings didn’t score, at least not on the rush. Brandon recovered the puck and pretty three-way passing play had Andrew Clark in the slot with a open net. He didn’t miss … Kootenay starts off on the right foot to begin the second period when Hayden Rintoul found Kevin King on a rush. King rung a great shot off the post and in… In the third some good work down low by Scott Glennie and Jay Fehr left Brodie Melnychuk wide open in the deep slot. He beat Mathews with a nice wrist shot stick-side to give the Wheaties a commanding 3-1 lead… Andrew Bailey, playing in his last junior hockey game, wasn’t going to go away quietly. The Wheaties got into penalty trouble and Bailey made them pay for it. With Calvert in the box for goalie interference and a flurry of chances around Andrew Hayes Bailey throws a slider along the ice from about 12 feet that eludes Hayes and gives the Ice, and the building, some life… Five minutes later with Colby Robak in the box Bailey deflects Brayden McNabb’s point-shot past Hayes to tie the game just nine seconds into the infraction and send the crowd into a frenzy… After a myriad of chances by the Ice Kootenay got sloppy in their own end at the worst time. A clearing attempt around the boards by Brayden McNabb doesn’t get out and the Wheaties throw it back towards the goal. The puck somehow lands on Brayden Schenn’s stick at the side of the net, who then slips the puck under Mathews and breaks the hearts of Ice fans with 2:40 to go.

The Posts – Winning was just not meant to be on this night for the home side as the five posts/crossbars – four in the second period alone – would attest.

The Penalty Shot – After some good pressure by the Ice, including another post this time by Tylan Stephens, Matt Calvert was sprung on a breakaway. Dominic Pacovsky desperately dove and sent Calvert flying into Todd Mathews with 4.6 seconds left in the second period. On the ensuing penalty shot Calvert tried the same shot that won the game in OT 24 hours earlier. This time Mathews stopped him.

The Turning Point – As obvious as it should be with Schenn’s game-winner late you can look a little earlier in the period, once Kootenay had tied the game at three and had the Wheat Kings firmly planted on their heels. Kootenay couldn’t convert on any of their five or six solid chances and another youthful mistake sealed their fate.

The End – Andrew Bailey, Ian Barteaux and Eric Frere saw their junior hockey careers end on this night.

The Crowd – 2443. Small, boisterous and got their money’s worth.

KNA Three Stars
1. C Brayden Schenn – game-winner
2. RW Andrew Bailey – two goals to tie it
3. C Scott Glennie – took a beating and notched three helpers
Honourable Mention – D James Martin – the 17-year-old had his best game in an Ice uniform

What it means – Kootenay’s done for the year and with 18 roster players 18 or younger looks forward to a bright future.

Up Next – Training camp in September.



Game Summary:

Wheat Kings 4 @ Ice 3

Brandon wins best of seven quarter-final series 4-0

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Kootenay Ice; March 25, 2009

Brayden Schenn scored with less than three minutes to go to break a 3-3 tie and give the Brandon Wheat Kings a 4-3 win and a first round series sweep over the Kootenay Ice in WHL playoff action Wednesday night.

The Wheat Kings opened the scoring in the first period on goals by Matt Calvert and Andrew Clark. Kootenay cut the lead in half 43 seconds into the second period when Kevin King scored his second of the playoffs. Brodie Melnychuk gave the Wheat Kings a 3-1 lead 4:39 into the third period on a wrist shot from the slot that beat Ice starter Todd Mathews.

Kootenay scored two power play goals, both by 20-year-old captain Andrew Bailey who was playing in his last junior hockey game, to tie it but Schenn's fourth of the series late sealed the win for the Wheat Kings.

Andrew Hayes stopped 28 of 31 shots to get the win while Todd Mathews turned aside 22 of 26 shots to take the loss.
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First Period
1. Brandon, Calvert 4 (Schenn, Glennie) 6:42
2. Brandon, Clark 3 (Lowry, Fehr) 8:48


Penalties -- King Ktn (hooking) 0:43, Martin Ktn (dbl roughing - served by Ismond) Stone Bdn (roughing) 3:32, Brandon Bench (too many men - served by Lewadniuk) 9:56, Schenn Bdn (tripping) 10:53.


Second Period
3. Kootenay, King 2 (Rintoul, Stephens) 0:43



Penalties -- Glennie Bdn (goaltender interference) 1:24, Stephens Ktn (interference) 1:27, Erb Bdn (roughing) 3:14, Frere Ktn (tripping) 7:27, Ismond Ktn (charging) 16:55, Melynchuk Bdn King Ktn (roughing) 19:26.


Third Period
4. Brandon, Melnychuk 1 (Glennie, Fehr) 4:39
5. Kootenay, Bailey 1 (King, McNabb) 7:47 (pp)
6. Kootenay, Bailey 2 (Barteaux, McNabb) 12:04 (pp)
7. Brandon, Schenn 4 (Calvert, Glennie) 17:20


Penalties -- Lowry Bdn Barteaux Ktn (fighting) 0:11, Calvert Bdn (goaltender interference, roughing - served by Lewadniuk) Mathews Ktn (roughing - served by Ismond) 7:09, Robak Bdn (hooking) 11:55, Barteaux Ktn (slashing, misconduct) 20:00.


Penalty Shot -- Calvert Bdn 19:55 of second; stopped.


Shots on goal by
Brandon: 12 8 6 - 26
Kootenay: 10 11 10 - 31

Goal -- Kootenay: Todd Mathews (L, 0-4); Brandon: Andrew Hayes (W, 4-0).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Brandon: 0-5
Kootenay: 2-6


Referee -- Devin Klein, Sean Rapheal. Linesman -- Darren Holeha, Brad Yoshida.

Attendance -- 2443 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (concussion - indefinite), Cason Machacek (shoulder - day-to-day), Dustin Sylvester (ankle - indefinite), Tyler Vanscourt (healthy), Michael Cassivi (healthy).
Brandon: Ryley Miller (healthy), Sanfred King (broken leg - out for season), Jesse Hall (healthy), Paul Ciarelli (healthy), Stephane Robidoux (healthy).

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Kootenay NewsAdvertiser