Will McNabb join U-18?

A pretty good source tells me that Kootenay Ice D Brayden McNabb will be named to the Canadian entry into the U-18 World Championships to be held in Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota. Whether or not fellow d-man Hayden Rintoul did enough to impress Hockey Canada scouts over the last few months to join him is an intriguing question. As for G Nathan Liuewen, who would be a lock for the club if he was healthy, he'll be resting his concussion issues for most of the summer... Everett C Byron Froese has already been named to the club, though unofficially, when the 'Tips bowed out against the Americans. Froese was third in scoring for the Tips with 19 goals and 38 assists this season... Sources are telling the PG Citizen's Jim Swanson that super-rookie Brett Connolly, who is only 16 and a year shy of most of the players that play in this tournament, will also be named to the club.

On that note I wonder how much the tournament will undoubtedly be affected by the Red River turmoil that region is going through. Fargo's North Dakota State men's basketball got into the NCAA tournament and their coach had a great quote to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune - "Usually when Fargo makes it on TV it's on the Weather Channel."... Let's hope mother nature cooperates for those folks in the upcoming days...

Now that the Medicine Hat Tigers have upset the Swift Current Broncos in seven games with their 4-1 win over the Broncos in Speedy Creek tonight a couple of aspects can be discussed. Gone are 20's G Travis Yonkman, D Spencer McAvoy and RW Keegan Dansereau to graduation. Also gone are former Ice D John Negrin who is signed and will likely play - close to home - in Abbotsford next season with the Calgary Flames AHL club if the franchise transfer goes through. C Matt Tassone, the Dallas Stars 6th round pick, will undoubtedly be signed before the NHL Draft this June rather than Tassone heading back into the draft. Meaning the chances of him playing in Swift Current are slim next season. Candidates for the Broncos' 20-year-olds next season are D Derek Claffey, D Ryan Molle - a 7th round pick of the New Jersey Devils who is as of yet unsigned - and D Eric Doyle, along with forward Michael Stickland. Could one of the d-men be a 20-year-old option for Kootenay next season? I know it's early but still something to chew on...

On that - the trading relationship between the two brothers Dean and Jeff - could that be coming to an end? Dean took a big risk to upgrade his roster for a run this spring in acquiring Negrin and Stickland at the deadline and the risk didn't pay-off with anything more than a first round exit. Though both additions performed up to par and to be fair, Chynoweth lost Doyle, Dansereau and Tassone to injury and with those three in the line-up I still think it's the Broncos moving on and not the Tiger, questions remain whether or not Dean Chynoweth will be the coach and GM next season...

Mr. Drinnan has some great stuff on his blog (link over on the right) today including the Prince George Citizen's Jim Swanson writing about PG being the latest destination for Marc Habscheid. The third in a line including Moose Jaw and his hometown of Swift Current, where he currently resides...

The second round of the playoffs is shaping up with only one series still left to be decided. I still had the Broncos in seven but it'll be the Tigers waiting to see if they get Brandon or Calgary with the Blades and Hurricanes going to a seventh game tommorrow night in Toon town. I had the Blades in six but the Jekyll and Hyde Hurricanes delayed that a bit. It'll still be the Blades, by a bunch...

If the Blades hold I'll be 7/8 in the first round, though my games were out a bit on a few. The second round, at least in the west, will be that much harder, but here goes:

Vancouver - Spokane; Not having Cowen hurts but the Chiefs will battle right to the end. Giants in seven.

Kelowna - Tri-Cities; The high-powered Rockets are deeper, both up front and on the bluelin, but the I still think the Ams have better goaltending. It won't matter though as it'll be the Rockets in six.

In the East, if the Blades hold up as the winners.

Calgary - Medicine Hat; The upstart Tigers will be no match for the Hitmen. The only question here is if the Hitties wake up late for their second round match-up and give one to the Tigers. Calgary in five. I'll clarify the prediction with the same result if Hurricanes get through.

Saskatoon - Brandon; The Blades should be battle tested having survived the Hurricanes. Their inconsistency, should it show up against the Wheat Kings, could mean their demise. That said, they're still my choice to go up against the Hitmen in the conference final, not that they'll have any gas left. Blades in seven. If it's a Wheat Kings - Tigers match-up, which will start in the Hat for the first two games even though the Wheaties have home-ice advantage, take the Wheat Kings in seven. The series would likely go 2-3-1-1.

More on the U-18 roster Thursday once it's announced.

Friday fodder...

Some Friday morning fodder for you to ponder. Forward Kris Foucault, he of the four goals for the Hitmen in the playoffs and holding the hot hand for the nation's number one ranked team playing alongside Brett Sonne and Kyle Bortis, was sent home in September, cut from the Kootenay Ice after playing in a fourth-line role last season. Dealt at the deadline to the Hitmen for forward Ryan Fox, is Foucault one that got away? Or the benefactor of two pretty good linemates? Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun has a great story here. Feel free to discuss...
UPDATE - Thanks to a reader - Dave in Medicine Hat who found this little tidbit to further the debate on Foucault. If he gets drafted in a seven-round draft you could officially rank him right up there with Kyle Wanvig as one who got away. In Wanvig's case in 2000, he wanted out and it wasn't necessarily a case that he wasn't good enough to play. Funny thing is that I talked to two scouts about the cousins - Ty Stephens, 19, and Foucault - and both said that if either had a shot it would be Stephens. Now Foucault and the 2009 NHL Draft are being mentioned in the same sentence. The debate continues...

On another note here's some video of Marian Gaborik hitting Markus Naslund as he stretches for a pass in the Rangers 2-1 win over Minnesota the other night. That hit looks a lot like another familiar hit. Something to chew on...

Some alumni stuff including the CIS Men's University Hockey championships at Fort Williams Gardens in Thunder Bay. Alberta - with Ice alumni Dale Mahovsky and Derek Price - are the West representative after defeating the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in two straight games. Lakehead (hosts) list Devin Welsh on their roster... Husky forward and former Ice captain Steve Da Silva becomes the first player to be named both rookie of the year and MVP.

Lastly LW Kevin King was named Kootenay's playoff MVP this morning, scoring two goals and adding an assist in four games.

Kootenay's Future

For the News-Advertiser...

Future bright for young Ice

by Jeff Bromley

As much as Kootenay Ice fans might not want to look at the first round opposition as a successful model, the Wheat Kings success this season is a template for the local squad next season. For the Ice, they were young, they overachieved and they were swept from the first round of the WHL Playoffs. Mission accomplished. Scratch your head at that statement if you must but for those who were looking for a cup parade of some sort down second avenue this spring, a reality check is sorely needed.


No, the Kootenay Ice was never going to win a championship this season. At least not when their best player and leading scorer broke in Dustin Sylvester broke his ankle December 27 in Lethbridge, sealing their fate and sending the club into rebuilding mode just two weeks before the WHL’s trade deadline. With the deal that sent their best defenseman and a good chunk of the offence they had left in John Negrin and Michael Stickland to the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for D James Martin, 17, and forward Christian Magnus, 16 along with a second and fourth round pick in the 2010 bantam draft, Kootenay’s aspirations for a championship were put on the 1-2 year layaway plan.


That plan, despite the first round sweep by the Wheat Kings, is decidedly ahead of schedule. Truth be told, once the deadline had passed this club was left for dead, or at least out of playoff contention, by most pundits including this one. The balance of the season was to be used as training for next-year-land. Finding positives in a 4-0 playoff sweep is usually difficult but experience for a young squad in the post-season, even the losing kind, is invaluable.

That experience will come in handy next season when the club is expected to compete and perhaps even challenge for a Central Division title.

Here’s a snapshot of what Kootenay’s line-up will look like next season:

Graduated – RW Andrew Bailey, D Eric Frere and D Ian Barteaux; Bailey’s offence will be missed but there’s enough talent in the line-up to make up for it. Making up for the Barteaux’s graduation, along with Frere, will be more difficult.


20-year-olds – C Dustin Sylvester, C Tylan Stephens; With only two players to fit into the three 20-year-old spots, for first time in the club’s history they’ll be shopping for an overage player to add depth. Sylvester, unless the unexpected happens with a pro offer, will be looking to rebuild a great junior career hampered by injury this season. Complicating things could be Stephens wrestling with the possibility of starting his post-secondary education next year instead of returning for his overage season.


19-year-olds – LW Kevin King, LW Dominic Pacovsky, LW Matt Fraser, C Steele Boomer, RW Ryan Fox, G Todd Mathews; A solid nucleus that will have to score more next season.


18-year-olds – D Brayden McNabb, D Hayden Rintoul, D James Martin, D Cason Machacek, LW Joe Antilla, LW Jesse Ismond, LW Michael Cassivi, G Nathan Lieuwen; The blueline, while far from suspect, will still be considered young. McNabb and Rintoul will be counted upon heavily. Those first four names will be their top four, for the time being. Look for the extra 20-year-old spot to be filled on the blueline via the trade wire or a 19-year-old import.


17-year-olds – C Max Reinhart, LW Drew Czerwonka, RW Christian Magnus, D Tyler Vanscourt, D Joey Leach; The rookies this season, most of them exceeded expectations. Next year they’ll be counted upon for more.


16-year-olds – Forward Brendan Hurley will play full-time next season but will be brought along slower than his predecessors, or at least that will be the plan. D Michael King and forward Adam Rossignol will also compete for spots.


Among the unencumbered optimism with next year’s club and even beyond, some glaring questions stand out. Goaltending, once thought to be the deepest position on the club, is now surrounded with uncertainty. Will Nathan Lieuwen recover from post-concussion syndrome enough to challenge Todd Mathews between the pipes next season? Is Mathews, who performed valiantly in a role he wasn’t originally acquired for to get the club to the post season, ready for prime-time? Will another prospect from that 2007 Bantam Draft class, 2nd round pick Elgin Pearce – who played with the BCHL’s Langley Chiefs and made noises about taking the NCAA route, rethink his future? Is another 2007 draft pick, Winnipeg Midget Wild forward Brendan O’Donnell, who finished second in league scoring with 92 points in 44 games in Manitoba Midget, a lost cause? He’s verbally committed to the NCAA’s North Dakota but isn’t eligible to play for them until 2010-11. There's still time to sell him on coming here or perhaps the Wheat Kings, a lot closer to home and due to host the Memorial Cup 2010, might be interested.


Key Dates – April 30; The WHL Bantam Draft. Kootenay picks 13th; NHL Draft June 27-28in Montreal. D Brayden McNabb, D Hayden Rintoul and G Nathan Lieuwen will all get consideration. CHL Import Draft June 30; Sept 3, 2009 – Opening day of 2009-10 Kootenay Ice training camp.

Wheat Kings put Kootenay on ice...

For the News-Advertiser...

Kootenay bows out to Brandon in straight sets

by Jeff Bromley

Kootenay Ice captain Andrew Bailey was determined that Wednesday night was not going to be his last game in junior hockey. But even his two-goal third period wasn’t enough to extend his and his teammates season, falling to the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-3 at the Cranbrook Rec Plex. In the end the youthful exuberance that got them to the WHL playoffs combined with Kootenay’s inability to score when they had to sealed their fate. “In the second and third period we left it all on the ice,” said a red-eyed Bailey, who, along withe d-men Ian Barteaux and Eric Frere, watched their WHL careers end Wednesday night. “We were buzzing, finally got some breaks and tied it up. But then they got a bounce and put one in.”



A sluggish start to what would be the final game of the season for the Ice threatened to give it away to the Wheat Kings in a romp less than halfway through the first period. Some early penalty trouble put Kootenay on the defensive but it was an ill-advised pinch by D Eric Frere that sent Ice-killer Matt Calvert in alone on a breakaway. Calvert mishandled the puck but it still trickled between Todd Mathews’ legs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead 6:42 into the game. Two minutes later a pretty three-way passing play found Andrew Clark in the slot with a wide-open net to put his 3rd of the playoffs into and the Wheat Kings had a 2-0 lead headed into the first intermission. Kootenay cut that lead to one just 17 seconds into the second period when Kevin King finished off a three-on-two rush by ringing one off the post – one of six on this night, though this one went in – and behind Wheat King netminder Andrew Hayes.



The middle frame was all Kootenay but Brandon’s speed nearly spoiled a good effort when Calvert got in on another breakaway in the dying seconds. Dominic Pacovsky’s desperation dive sent Calvert into the net instead of the puck, forcing referee Devin Klein to signal a penalty shot. With 4.6 seconds left in the period Calvert looked to beat Mathews in the same spot his overtime winner did 24 hours earlier. This time Mathews was up to the task and stopped the Wheat King sniper. “Mathews made a huge save to keep it a 2-1 game with five seconds to go on the penalty shot,” said Wheat Kings coach and GM Kelly McCrimmon. “It could’ve been a pivotal goal for our team.”



Brandon got that pivotal goal 4:39 into the third period when Brodie Melynchuk snuck into the slot and took a pass from Scott Glennie – with one of three assists on this night for the Brandon forward – and buried a wrist-shot over the blocker of Mathews to give the visitors a commanding 3-1 lead. It was then the captain took matters into his own hands and capitalized on two power play attempts for the Ice. First, with Calvert off for goaltender interference, Bailey slid a shot along the ice past Hayes to pull Kootenay within one and then with Colby Robak off for hooking Bailey neatly deflected his second of the night and of the playoffs past Hayes to tie it just over four minutes later, sending the 2443 in attendance into a frenzy.



Chance after chance to take the lead materialized for the Ice in the final eight minutes but it was a defensive lull in their own zone and a failed clearing attempt that deflected back to Brayden Schenn to Todd Mathews left that did the home side in. Schenn spun around and managed to get enough of the puck to cross the line and send Kootenay to the playoff sidelines. “Definitely that was one of the biggest goals I’ve scored in my career,” said Schenn, a lock to be a first round NHL Draft pick in June. “Just to see that go over the goal line, just barely, felt great. And to get the sweep against Kootenay, a very good team, is also a good accomplishment.”



Despite the loss Ice coach Mark Holick had nothing but accolades for his young hockey club. “There was no quit in our guys,” he said. “There was no indication of any sort of packing it in and cruising off into the sunset. We were outstanding tonight and we did everything we could and at the end of the day they throw a puck at the net and get a bounce that we were looking for at the other end.”



“We juggled the lines to try and create some sort of offence somewhere but at the end of the day we have to work for our goals and needed a break or two. Tonight we deserved a better fate.”



Quick Hits – Attendance Wednesday was 2443 as both playoff dates drew almost 600 fans less than the season average. The announced season average, including playoffs, was 3035… Kootenay’s leading scorer in the playoffs was 17-year-old d-man Brayden McNabb with five assists. Three of Kootenay top playoff scorers were defenseman with Ian Barteaux and Hayden Rintoul tying with LW Kevin King with three points… Along with Brandon, Vancouver, Kelowna and the Calgary Hitmen, lead in goal-scoring by former Ice forward Kris Foucault, swept their first round series… The Wheat Kings now await the winner of Saskatoon-Lethbridge or Swift Current-Medicine Hat for round two of the WHL playoffs that scheduled to start April 3.

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.
.

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

Ice down 3-0 to Wheat Kings...

For the News-Advertiser...

Ice face brink of playoff elimination


by Jeff Bromley

It took the Kootenay Ice three games to show the Brandon Wheat Kings their best but in the end it still wasn’t enough. Brandon forward Matt Calvert scored at 2:55 of overtime to give the Wheat Kings a 4-3 victory and a 3-0 stranglehold on the Eastern Conference best-of-seven quarterfinal series Tuesday night at the Cranbrook Rec Plex. It was an ill-advised pinch by defenseman Eric Frere, a theme on this night that enabled Wheat King forward Mark Stone to send Calvert away on a 2-on-1 and then wired a perfect shot over Todd Mathews’ shoulder to give the visitors the overtime win. “When you make mistakes against good players it can come back to haunt you,” said Ice head coach Mark Holick who, despite the loss, was happy with the effort of his charges. “It’s was a little bit of an indecisive play and it’s one that happens five or six times a night. But you have to tip your hat to (Calvert). It’s a goal scorer’s goal and they found a way to score.”

After being out-scored 11-3 in the series first two games Holick changed Kootenay’s gameplan for game three. Gone was the trap, though it was slowly being phased out over the last two weeks of the season anyway, and in it’s place was a strategic forecheck. A gameplan that might have produced the run and gun, firewagon style of game a small gathering of 2344 saw Tuesday night. The change in tactics almost worked.

The Wheat Kings took the play to the Ice to start the game and emerged from the first period with a 1-0 lead after Brayden Schenn bunted his third of the playoffs past Mathews when Keith Aulie’s point shot bounced off the end boards for Schenn to knock into the net. Kootenay tied it in the second when Brayden McNabb fired his first of the playoffs that changed direction on Wheat King goaltender Andrew Hayes. The Ice took their first lead of the series when Hayden Rintoul jumped into the play and fed Kevin King for a 2-1 lead. The lead was short-lived however as Calvert took a pass from Schenn that sprung the 19-year-old in on Mathews, went five-hole and tied the game at two. The Wheat Kings weren’t done yet as Matt Lowry gave the visitors the lead back on a blast as he streaked down the right wing that fooled Mathews in the last minute of the period. “Kootenay played an awesome game tonight,” offered Calvert. “They had a response all night. It was back and forth but we still took a few penalties in the third and we tried to hold them off but they just kept pushing.”

“In overtime we got a lucky chip and I just happened to put it behind Mathews.”

In the third period Kootenay came out with some energy and the Wheat Kings looked sluggish for the first time in the series, taking three straight penalties in the first half of the period. With defenseman Mark Schneider off for tripping Dominic Pacovsky hit the cross-bar and then not long after looked to score the tying goal when he deflected Hayden Rintoul’s point-shot past Hayes. Referee Derek Zalaski waved it off immediately and then for the first time ever used the building’s video replay system to affirm the call. The Wheat King’s third penalty would cost them when McNabb dished the puck to Tylan Stephens who tied it with a snap shot from the top of the right circle halfway through the third.

With the daunting task of winning four straight games before them the 19-year-old Stephens refuses to give-in. “We’re never of the mindset that it’s over,” said Stephens. “No matter what it looks like from everybody else’s point of view, as players we can’t give up or you’re already defeated.”

Quick Hits – Tuesday’s crowd of 2344 was the second-smallest playoff crowd since the club moved to the Rec Plex in 2000, beating only game three of the first round of the 2004 playoffs when the Ice were swept by the Kelowna Rockets… 16-year-old defenseman Joey Leach has joined the club for the playoffs from the Saskatchewan Midget Tisdale Trojans… Nathan Lieuwen (concussion - indefinite), Cason Machacek (shoulder - day-to-day), Dustin Sylvester (ankle - indefinite), Joey Leach (healthy), Michael Cassivi (healthy), were Kootenay’s scratches.

The Score - Wheat Kings/Ice

The Score – Brandon 4 – Kootenay 3 OT – Wheat Kings lead Best-of-seven series 3-0

What Happened – Kootenay gave their best effort of the series and Wheat King forward Matt Calvert made sure it still wasn’t enough.

The Goals – Out-shooting the Ice in the first five minutes of the game 7-0 the Wheat Kings capitalized when Brayden Schenn bunted a Keith Aulie point-shot out of the air that came off the end boards behind Todd Mathews…The Ice tied it shortly into the second period when Brayden McNabb, after a solid minute of play in the Wheat Kings zone, wired a wrist shot that changed direction on Andrew Hayes… Kootenay took their first lead of the series on a broken break-out which almost went the other direction, Hayden Rintoul jumped into the play with speed and fed Kevin King who beat Hayes high to the stick-side… The Wheat Kings tied it when Brayden Schenn made a pass to Matt Calvert who snuck in behind the Ice defence and beat Mathews five-hole. What’s not known is whether the stick Stone used to pass the puck was broken before or after he made the pass. He dropped it right away. I suspect the former but no one from the Ice complained too loudly… In the last minute of the second period Matt Lowry burned down the right wing and let a howitzer go that fooled Mathews and gave the lead back to the Wheat Kings. One Mathews would want back… On an ugly power play that was going nowhere Brayden McNabb jumped in to take a pass, held on long enough to keep his club on-side and draw two defenders to him, dished to Stephens who wired his first of the playoffs… An ill-advised pinch by Eric Frere sent Matt Calvert away on a 2-on-1 three minutes into overtime. He ripped his second of the game over the shoulder of Todd Mathews sending the Ice to the brink of playoff elimination.

Your Hot and then Cold – Todd Mathews play was at times head-shaking and then at others, head-scratching. During one penalty kill in the second period Mathews stopped Wheat Kings sniper Brayden Schenn five times from in close to preserve Kootenay’s 2-1 lead, for the time being. He’d likely want Lowry’s last minute goal, which handcuffed him from about 45 feet, back.

The Video Replay – Made its first appearance at the Rec Plex this spring. Cameras overtop each end of the arena covering the nets gave the video replay official a birds-eye view of each goal. It came in handy to reaffirm referee Derek Zalaski’s wave-off of Dominic Pacovsky’s tying goal with the club on the power play six minutes into the third. Pacovsky, who hit the crossbar 15 seconds earlier, had his stick above the crossbar this time when he deflected the puck past Andrew Hayes. Good call.

The Injury - 3:12 into the game Kevin King pasted Wheat King d-man Colby Robak into the end boards, drawing a boarding penalty. Robak didn't return and it's suspected he has a concussion and won't play Wednesday.

The Turning Point – In this end-to-end barn-burner look no further than game-winner.

Feel the Pinch – All night long Kootenay was aggressive on the forecheck, especially along the offensive half-wall in the Wheat Kings zone, causing an abnormal amount of odd-man rushes for the speedy Wheat Kings in the other direction on this night. Play with fire often enough and you will get burned.

The Crowd – 2344. Loud, but still the second-smallest crowd since the club moved to the Rec Plex in 2000. Is the economy finally starting to have an effect?

KNA Three Stars
1. LW Matt Calvert – Two goals and the game-winner.
2. D Keith Aulie – rock solid on the Brandon blueline
3. D Brayden McNabb – A goal and an assist

What it means – Kootenay faces virtually an insurmountable climb down 3-0.

Up Next – The Ice are on the edge of playoff elimination tomorrow night in Game four at the Rec Plex. Gametime is 7PM.



Game Summary:

Wheat Kings 4 @ Ice 3

Brandon leads best of seven quarter-final series 3-0

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Kootenay Ice; March 24, 2009
Matt Calvert scored two goals, including the overtime game-winner, as the Brandon Wheat Kings beat the Kootenay 4-3 in overtime to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven quarter-final conference series in WHL playoff action Tuesday night.
The Wheat Kings opened the scoring 5:23 into the game when Brayden Schenn batted his third of the playoffs out of the air and plast Ice goaltender Todd Mathews. The Ice tied it in the second period on Brayden McNabb's first goal of the playoffs and then took the lead when Kevin King beat Andrew Hayes for his first of the post-season. The Wheat Kings stormed right back on goals by Calvert and Matt Lowry to take a 3-2 lead into the final frame.
Kootenay tied the game on Tylan Stephens first of the playoffs when he wired a McNabb pass past Hayes at 9:52.
Hayes stopped 30 of 33 shots to get the win while Todd Mathews turned aside 33 of 37 shots to take the loss.

First Period
1. Brandon, Schenn 3 (Aulie, Calvert) 5:23


Penalties -- Hale Bdn (interference) 2:58, King Ktn (boarding) 3:12, Fraser Ktn Bestland Bdn (roughing) 12:13, Schenn Bdn (unsportmanlike - diving) Barteaux Ktn (tripping) 18:52.


Second Period
2. Kootenay,McNabb 1 (Barteaux, Fox) 2:40
3. Kootenay, King 1 (Rintoul, Fraser) 7:49 (pp)
4. Brandon, Calvert 2 (Stone, Schenn) 14:36
5. Brandon, Lowry (Clark, Fehr) 19:19



Penalties -- Czerwonka Ktn Jeffries Bdn (fighting) 2:42, Ismond Ktn (hooking) 3:35, Cowan Bdn (checking-from-behind) 6:18, Erb Bdn Reinhart Ktn (roughing) 6:20, Frere Ktn (interference - served by Ismond) 9:32.


Third Period
6. Kootenay, Stephens 1 (McNabb, Antilla) 9:52 (pp)



Penalties -- Stone Bdn (kneeing) 3:10, Schneider Bdn (tripping) 5:50, Bestland Bdn (roughing) 8:55.


Overtime
7. Brandon, Calvert 3 (Stone, Jeffries) 2:55


Penalties -- None.


Shots on goal by
Brandon: 11 16 7 3 - 37
Kootenay: 10 9 14 0 - 33

Goal -- Kootenay: Todd Mathews (L, 0-3); Brandon: Andrew Hayes (W, 3-0).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Brandon: 0-3
Kootenay: 2-5


Referee -- Ryan Thompson, Derek Zalaski. Linesman -- Tyler Adair, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 2344 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (concussion - indefinite), Cason Machacek (shoulder - day-to-day), Dustin Sylvester (ankle - indefinite), Joey Leach (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

Wheat Kings in driver's seat...

For HockeyNow....

Ice take playoff start on the chin

by Jeff Bromley

The high powered offence of the Brandon Wheat Kings was all that was advertised as the Kootenay Ice were outscored 11-3 in the first two games of their Eastern conference quarter-final playoff, dropping the first two games of the best of seven affair in the Manitoba city over the weekend. For nine of the WHL’s youngest club in the playoffs their first post-season taste was a bitter one but it was also a bit of wake-up call. “The difference is really noticeable,” said rookie forward Drew Czerwonka, 16, who played his first playoff game Friday in Brandon. “It’s a lot faster and everyone is more intense. It’s a higher tempo.”

Watching his charges take ten minors and give up four power play goals to the high-scoring Wheat Kings in a 7-2 romp in game one, Kootenay head coach Mark Holick offered up an astute description for his young squad. “We looked like a deer in the head lights,” said Holick following practice Monday afternoon. “A lot of our young guys were watching instead of moving. We have to move first and then react and make plays. Our feet weren’t moving at all.”

Down 3-0 going into the third period the Wheat Kings scored four power play goals to blow away the Ice in game one, something Holick hopes his young club can learn from, quickly. Two more losses and the much-ballyhooed talk of the 1400 km travel between the two cities will be moot point, with the Wheaties only having to make one trip. In game two Holick thought his club had made strides in the right direction in a 4-1 loss. “Our second game was a far better complete effort. We had a couple of passengers and we spoke to those guys this morning on how important it is to have everybody going.”

“You have to make plays a lot faster and we didn’t do that,” added Czerwonka. “We were throwing pucks away and it got us into trouble.”

In game two the Wheat Kings went up early on a goal that went off a player’s pants and behind Ice goaltender Todd Mathews 25 seconds into the game - a goal that was reviewed by the league mandated video review used throughout the WHL playoffs this season - and ruled it to be a goal that was credited to Andrew Clark. Kootenay tied it on a short-handed marker by Dominic Pacovsky ten minutes later and rode the stellar goaltending of Mathews most of the night. The Wheat Kings got the eventual game-winner in the second by Aaron Lewadniuk before giving up another fortunate one in the third period, this time on a wrap-around by Matt Lowry. An empty-net goal by Scott Glennie sealed the win for the Wheat Kings and put Brandon in the series’ drivers seat. “They send 3-on-2’s at you all night,” said defenseman Hayden Rintoul, who also saw his first playoff action. “We need to make sure we have a high-guy so that we can counter that attack and just play more of the game in their zone, that would help.”

Quick Hits - Abbotsford product Nathan Lieuwen continues to view the playoffs from the sidelines for what’s been termed ‘precautionary reasons’. After returning from a 20-game absence due to post-concussion syndrome Lieuwen lasted a period in his first game March 14. Lieuwen was bowled over by defenseman Ian Barteaux while he was chasing Hurricane forward Zach Boychuk. “It’s very frustrating,” said Lieuwen. “Especially that first game back it was really hard for me to accept the fact that I’d been hit again. There’s nothing I can do to prevent something like that so I’m just going to work hard to try and get back in there.” Todd Mathews, 18, is now the Ice starter and is being backed-up by 19-year-old Cranbrook product Scott Orth while Lieuwen, who was ranked 12th among North American goaltenders for this June’s NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting, is on the mend… D Cason Machacek, who separated his shoulder in a fight with Hurricane forward Austin Fyten March 13, is still day-to-day… 16-year-old Joey Leach, a third round pick in the 2007 Bantam Draft from Wadena, Saskatchewan, joined the club for the playoffs. The 6-foot-two 175-pound Leach played this season with the Tisdale, Saskatchewan Midget Trojans… Wheat King forward Matt Lowry scored a goal and added four assists in the series first two games garnering the Boston Pizza WHL Player of the Week honour.

Ice down 2-0 headed back to Cranbrook..

For those wondering I'm out of town at a year-end Atom tournament so no recap from Games one or two in Brandon... More tonight or early tommorrow, depending on the 15cm of snow in Cowtown and still falling.

Playoff Predictions....

WHL Playoff prediction time

by Jeff Bromley

Half the fun when playoff time rolls around is doing your best imitation of Kreskin, predicting who will move on and how many games it’ll take them. One quick glance down the 16-team invite list to the WHL playoff dance and you’ll see a stark trend. This season, perhaps unlike any other, there is a strict line between the top four and the bottom four in each conference. That said, it should be easy picking who will move on and who will be golfing – or shovelling, depending on how long winter really lasts around these parts – and who will still chasing the Ed Chynoweth Cup. If only my stock picks were this easy....

Western Conference

Vancouver vs Prince George – The perennial David vs Goliath that appears in almost every edition of the spring season except this time David’s sling shot won’t do a lot of damage. The Giants finished a whopping 66 points ahead of the Cougars in the regular season standings and were the class of the Western Conference in almost every category. Jonathon Blum, Evander Kane, WHL scoring-title holder Casey Pierro-Zabotel and goaltender Tyson Sexsmith highlight a Giant club that will barely break a sweat against the Cougars. The Giants out-scored their Northern BC rivals 40-11 during a regular season series that finished 8-0 in favour of the G-men. The Cougars, lead by 16-year-old Brett Connolly, the Western Conference rookie of the year nominee and my pick for WHL rookie of the year, will gain some experience but will be keyed on by the Giants. Oh, and the Giants will get power forward Lance Bouma back from a hand injury. Giants in four.

Tri-Cities vs Everett – For the first time in their short history the Silvertips are playing like a rebuilding club and finished the regular season with a 10-0 loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds. The Americans, who captured their second-straight U.S. Division title, have something to prove after last season’s playoff loss to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Spokane Chiefs. Former Ice goaltender Thomas Heemskerk has brought some stability to the nets of the Silvertips but it won’t be enough. Two wins out of ten regular season meetings with four of the losses a one goal difference won’t make a difference for the Tips this spring. Tri-City all-star Chet Pickard hasn’t started since suffering a concussion February 28 and if he doesn’t the Silvertips could steal a game or two. If Pickard starts the series it’ll be sweep. Ams in four.

Kelowna vs Kamloops – The Rockets mopped the floor with the Blazers all season long, sweeping the season series with nine wins as the Blazers garnered but one point from the match-up – a shoot-out loss December 27 - all season long. The Rockets shored up their goaltending at the deadline dealing for Mark Guggenberger from the Broncos and sending former Ice goaltender Kris Lazaruk packing. That, along with the addition of Swedish sensation Mikael Backlund after the World Junior tournament, adding toughness and experience in forwards Ryley Grantham and Ian Duval, has the Blazers facing the hottest team in the WHL going into the playoffs. The Blazers haven’t made it out of the first round of the playoffs since 1999 and nothing’s going to change this year. The Blazers will steal one but that’ll be it. Rockets in five.

Spokane vs Seattle – The closest series of the Western Conference’s four, the defending Memorial Cup champions have stumbled somewhat to finish the season but are no match for the enigma that is the T-Birds. On paper this should be a better club but on the ice you don’t know what you’ll get. Will it be the team that smoked the Silvertips 10-0? Beat Tri-City 6-0 or lost the Winter Hawks 9-1, all in the last five regular season games. The T-Birds took a beating on the road to start the season as their new digs, the Sho-Ware Centre, was being completed. The defending champs are the stingiest team in the league with only 145 goals against and that’s the difference in the playoffs. The loss of D Jared Cowen will hurt but not in the first round. Chiefs in six.



Eastern Conference

Calgary vs Edmonton – The WHL finally gets a battle of Alberta with the two big markets duking it out in the first round after the Oil Kings beat the Raiders in the one-game showdown to go to the dance. In the interest of full-disclosure my deadline came just after the Hitmen dumped the Oil Kings in game one 5-0. The other three won’t get any easier for the Oil. Hitmen in four.

Saskatoon vs Lethbridge – One of the most intriguing match-ups this post-season as the Hurricanes edge the T-Birds for the WHL's team mystery award. The Hurricanes are top to bottom one of the best clubs in the league, on paper at least. Boychuk, Beach, Sbisa (three 1st round NHL Draft picks) Mestery (2nd round), King, Sceviour (both 4th rounders); throw in goaltender Juha Metsola; forward Carter Ashton – expected to a 1st rounder this June – and Carter Bancks and why this team is in 7th place in mystery right up there with the Caramilk secret. The Blades are a team that’s built for the playoffs. Big, strong, physical, and should beat the Hurricanes if the same team that glided through the regular season shows up. Metsola, who suffered a neck strain Saturday in Cranbrook against the Ice, won’t play Friday but should be back for game two. I don’t think it’ll help. Blades in Six.

Swift Current vs Medicine Hat – Finally, a first round match-up that is worthy of, well, a first round playoff match-up. The teams don’t like each other; there’s a decent rivalry and they can both score by the bucketful. The Broncos bolstered their line-up by adding the experience of two 19-year-olds in D John Negrin and RW Michael Stickland at the deadline. Keegan Dansereau and Geordie Wudrick are likely both in their final year of junior hockey and have something to prove, though the Broncos will miss the firepower of forward Matt Tassone (shoulder – indefinite). The Tigers are stumbling at the wrong time going 4-6 in their last ten games and the speedy Tiger leaders in Brennan Bosch and Tyler Ennis – both making their final playoff appearances, will have to carry the load against the Broncos. The Tigers will make it a battle but look for the Broncos in seven.

Some notes...

Was remiss over the last few days in not mentioning the firing of Cranbrook product Jim Hiller ... This from an owner, after firing GM Darrell May at the end of January said that Hiller was safe. “I believe we have an exceptional head coach who’s had to overcome a lot of obstacles,” Porter to Eric Welsh of the Chilliwack Progress back on Jan. 30. “What I’m most proud of is this team is still working its tail off, and I believe this is still a playoff team. Jim will be our head coach next year.”... Wonder what changed his mind... If you haven't read it already Gregg Drinnan has a great piece on the story here... The AHL-to-Abby story has some great legs and has some Lower Mainland clubs worried. Ron Toigo, the colourful owner of the Vancouver Giants said it would kill junior hockey in the valley... Wonder if that's some of the thinking behind the move to let Hiller go. A big name coach - a la Vancouver Giants Don Hay - could help move the Bruins to the next level. But in reality Scotty Bowman probably couldn't have got that club to the post-season. I mean, let's face it, Hiller didn't have a lot to work with this season. Oscar Moller sticks with the LA Kings; The Evan Pighin saga after he split and went to play with the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL didn't help; Lost C Jaden Potter to a broken neck; the list goes on and on. Maybe Hiller should blame Ice coach Mark Holick. Going through a somewhat similar situation this season Holick set the bar unbelievably high for overachieving teams. Hiller will, and should be, back... Apparently Mr. Porter took the advice of part-owner Glen Sather, GM for the New York Rangers who had to make a tough decision to let another Cranbrook product - Tom Renney - go a few weeks back in favour of John Tortorella. Welsh's full story can be read here. The story also goes on to say that Renney might be a candidate in Chilliwack. Marc Habscheid's contract with Boston ends this season doesn't it? (He's still being paid after being let go as an assistant last season) Maybe he can be convinced to head to the Fraser Valley.

Make note of the last paragraph and season tickets. I am of the firm belief that season ticket totals in certain markets, at least in BC, are going to nose-dive next season. Forestry-based towns (Kamloops, PG) - and of course us here in Cranbrook are particularly vulnerable. With over 1000 high-paying jobs on hold right now - along with another 400 or so contractors still off and staying off for the next month at the very least - 250-300 of those are Ice season ticket holders who usually renew through payroll deduction. Tough to do when there's no payroll. I hope I'm wrong...

Also over at Mr. D's blog is the second annual power poll of the mover and shakers of the WHL. Kelowna owner and GM Bruce Hamilton tops the list while Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth checks in at the number 10 spot. It's an interesting read and also includes a tidbit near the end about Regina owner Russ Parker wanting to swap franchises with Kootenay. Parker lives with the constant rumours (sound familiar?) of he wanting to move/obtain a franchise for Victoria. Parker owns an expansion baseball team there and of course the Chynoweth family owned - or still does own - the WHL rights to the region. The issue has gone by the wayside with the 15-year lease Kootenay signed with the Rec Plex in January but it still makes for an interesting read.

Congratulations to the Edmonton Oil Kings, who defeated the Prince Albert Raiders 2-1 in OT tonight in PA. Took you three tries but you finally get your first playoff berth and it's a Battle of Alberta to boot. Hey, if the series won't be long at least the line-ups at the concessions will.

Wheat Kings - Ice Playoff Primer

Ice - Wheat Kings Playoff Preview '09

By Jeff Bromley

History – None. The two clubs have never met in the playoffs. The 1300 KM, 14 hour drive by bus is the longest geographical playoff match-up in Kootenay’s history, besting the Prince George-Kootenay series in 2002 by five hours and almost 500 KM.

Head to Head – Kootenay (35-29-2-6; 78 pts) finished 23 points back of Brandon (48-19-3-2; 101 pts) in the Eastern Conference standings. Due to the goofy scoring system that awards points for losing games, the two clubs both finished with a 2-1-0-1 record against each other this season. Both games in Brandon went to a shootout, with each team winning one while both games in Cranbrook finished with a 3-2 result, with each team winning a game.

Top Scorers - C Andrew Clark (7g - 3a, 10pts) lit it up against the Ice in four games. C Tylan Stephens (2g - 4a, 6pts) was Kootenay top point-getter.

Key Injuries - RW Sanfred King (broken leg - done for season) is out while D Keith Aulie's status for game one (broken hand) is now a state secret that the playoffs have arrived. D Mark Schneider is day-to-day with a shoulder injury while C Scott Glennie (elbow) returned to the lineup last week. For the Ice C Dustin Sylvester (ankle 2-3 weeks) is out unless the Ice make the Memorial Cup. In other words for the rest of the season. D Cason Machacek (shoulder) is out at least another week while LW Matt Fraser (shoulder) will play Friday. C Steele Boomer (concussion) returned to the line-up after missing 25 games and G Nathan Lieuwen (concussion) should back-up Todd Mathews Friday in Brandon.

Goaltenders – The Wheat Kings’ starter Andrew Hayes enjoyed his coming out party this season as the number one goaltender in Brandon with a 30-11-2-1 record, a 2.84 goals against average and a .901 save percentage. The only question mark is the lack of playoff experience as Hayes was on the bench behind Joe Caligiuri in a six-game first round loss to the Hurricanes last season. A team deep in goaltenders to start the season Kootenay had to rely on Moose Jaw cast-off Todd Mathews after he was acquired from the Lethbridge Hurricanes and salvaged Kootenay’s season with a 14-11-0-2 record since joining the club after Christmas, notching a 2.86 GAA and a .904 save percentage in the process. Mathews, who like Hayes road the pine backing up Joey Perricone in Moose Jaw’s six-game first round loss to the Hitmen, has done everything he’s been asked of since joining the club, can he continue that success in the playoffs? Edge – Pick ‘em.

Defence – If there’s a kink in the armour of the Brandon Wheat Kings it might be their blueline. 19-year-old behemoth Keith Aulie broke his hand two weeks ago and missed the Wheaties last five games. He’s skating now and the club won’t divulge whether or not he’ll play. For the Ice Ian Barteaux, Eric Frere and Brayden McNabb have playoff experience but after that must rely on rookies Hayden Rintoul, James Martin and Tyler Vanscourt. The Wheat Kings still have Chad Erb, Brodie Melnychuk and Colby Robak with playoff experience but without Aulie the Ice hold the slight edge. If Aulie plays it’ll even the odds. Edge - Slight to Kootenay

Offence – Here’s where the Wheat Kings shine. The club can score by the bucketful and seemingly at will. Brandon scored 295 goals this season - third among all WHL teams behind Calgary and Vancouver - while the Ice scored a measly 220, with no player scoring 30 (Andrew Bailey - 28) for the first time in the club’s history. Brandon had three that reached the 30 goal plateau and two more - Matt Calvert and Scott Glennie - that notched 28 though they each missed significant time with injuries. Led by a sure-fire top-ten NHL Draft pick come June in Brayden Schenn, along with Jay Fehr, Andrew Clark, Calvert, Glennie, Nathan Green, Aaron Lewadniuk and Matt Lowry the Wheat Kings have arguably the most potent top nine forwards in the league. Edge – Big one to Brandon

Coaching – The owner, GM and coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings Kelly McCrimmon isn‘t exactly a novice at the playoff game, though he’s yet to win a championship McCrimmon did guide his club to a WHL final in 2004-05, losing to the Kelowna Rockets in five games. In his second season behind the bench of the Ice Mark Holick won his first WHL playoff round over the Tigers last season before dropping a five-game series to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. Experience wins here. Edge – Brandon

Intangibles – Injuries are key at any time of the year but they’re never more evident than in the playoffs. Brandon missing Keith Aulie, if he doesn’t play, will hurt but not as much as the Ice missing the scoring of Dustin Sylvester. Yes, defence wins championships but the offensive edge the Wheaties hold will be too much for the Ice defence to overcome. Kootenay will need to stay out of the penalty box if they’re going to have any chance. Edge – Brandon

Prediction - The Wheat Kings, hosts of the 2010 Memorial Cup tournament next season are primed for a long run for their line-up full of young stars. In fact they might be a year early if they can get the goaltending and Aulie is healthy. For the Ice they’ve been overachieving all season long, so why stop now? Just getting to the playoffs is a major accomplishment but I just don’t see a Cinderella run this spring. - Brandon in five.

Ice-Canes gamer

For the News-Advertiser....

Ice dump Canes, get Wheaties in playoffs

by Jeff Bromley

To end the regular season Saturday night at the Rec Plex the Kootenay Ice had still had something to play for. Four goaltenders and two short-handed goals later the Ice were on their way to a 4-1 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes, the sixth-seed in the WHL’s Eastern Conference and a playoff date with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Manitoba city Friday night. A little early to plan the parade but for the second-youngest team in the WHL, mission accomplished, right? Not so fast said Ice captain Andrew Bailey. “No one is giving us much of a chance (against the Wheat Kings),” said the Ice captain, the game’s first star with a goal and an assist for the Hazlet, Saskatchewan product who played his last regular season game Saturday night. “It gives us a lot of motivation to prove them wrong. I don’t think (Brandon) is going to take us lightly and we’re not going to surprise them but no one is giving us a hope. It’s definitely motivation.”

After a scoreless first two periods Saturday Kootenay had all the motivation they needed early in the third period when 22 seconds in Marysville product Carter Bancks found a wide-open Zack Boychuk in front of Todd Mathews. Boychuk potted his 28th through Mathews’ legs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. If that wasn’t enough Kootenay also gave the Hurricanes two straight power plays that threatened to blow the game wide-open for the Hurricanes. Bailey was having none of it however when he intercepted an errant Hurricane pass and streaked in on a 2-on-1 with Joe Antilla. Using Antilla as a decoy Bailey wired his 28th of the season - his 3rd short-handed - past Hurricane goaltender Michael Tadjdeh to tie the game at one. “When they got their first one in the third, I wanted to see how we’d react,” said Ice head coach Mark Holick. “I thought we did a great job.”

At 12:04 of the third Bailey found a streaking Hayden Rintoul who lifted his 8th of the year over Tadjdeh’s shoulder with the eventual game-winner. Ian Barteaux added a late power play goal and a short-handed, empty-net marker to seal the 4-1 Ice win. “We just didn’t give up,” said Rintoul after he jumped into the play to score the game-winner. “We just wanted to keep getting shots on net. There were rebounds there but we couldn’t capitalize on them (before the third period).”

“We responded well,” added Holick. “We dictated the pace and didn’t look out of place.”

Except perhaps if you were a goaltender. On this night - the return of 17-year-old Nathan Lieuwen after missing 20 games due to post-concussion syndrome - along with Hurricane goaltender Juha Metsola didn’t have a lot of fun and neither lasted longer than a period between the pipes. Lieuwen stopped all five first period shots he faced but had to endure another collision - this by his own defensemen after Boychuk got free for a chance eight minutes into the game. Lieuwen stopped Boychuk but was bowled over by Ian Barteaux in hot pursuit. Lieuwen finished the period but was lifted in favour of Todd Mathews on doctors orders, though the measure was precautionary. “We talked to him after the game and he said he felt pretty good,” said Holick. “We just wanted to be careful. Our doctor made the call and we didn’t want to fool around with something like this.”

Holick also dispelled any thoughts of a goaltending controversy for the start of the playoffs. “Todd Mathews has done enough. He’s got timing, he’s got his game on. (Lieuwen) could’ve made 50 saves here tonight, Todd is going to start Friday in Brandon.”

At the other end, at 17:02 of the first, D Eric Frere got free on a short breakaway. Metsola stopped the shot but Frere was pushed into him by Hurricane forward Colton Sceviour. Frere’s forearm knocked Metsola out cold. The Finnish goaltender laid on the ice for over 20 minutes while team trainers, medical staff and ambulance attendants tended to him. Immobilized on a spineboard Metsola gave the hushed crowd of 3833 the thumbs up as he was carted off. A CAT scan and X-rays proved negative and team officials reported that Metsola travelled home with the club on the team bus but was questionable for the start of the playoffs against the Saskatoon Blades Friday. “I don’t think it was intentional,” said Hurricanes coach Michael Dyck. “The guy was going hard to the net and he got shoved into Juha.”

Quick Hits - Rintoul, ranked 181st among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings, is making a habit of jumping into the play. “I think he likes it when I do it,” said Rintoul of his coach. “Especially when I score. But I think I’m giving him a few grey hairs every once in a while.”… D Cason Machacek suffered a separated shoulder in a fight with Cane forward Austin Fyten in Friday's 4-1 loss in Lethbridge that will keep the 17-year-old rearguard out of the line-up for at least another week… Forward Matt Fraser, 18, will return for the playoffs Friday after missing the last five games with a shoulder strain… Dustin Sylvester (ankle) is listed as 2-3 weeks but will not return this season... The Ice handed out their club awards prior to the start of the game. Kootenay Ice Fan Club Player of the Year – Kevin King; Al Flick Memorial Scholastic Player of the Year – Brayden McNabb; Community Relations Award – Ian Barteaux; Rookie of the Year – Max Reinhart; Best Defenseman – Ian Barteaux; Underrated Player – Tylan Stephens; Most Improved Player – Kevin King; MVP – Andrew Bailey; Player’s Choice Award – Tylan Stephens.

The Score - Kootenay/Lethbridge

The Score – Kootenay 4 – Lethbridge 1


What Happened – A scoreless game after the second period Kootenay surrendered the first goal 22 seconds into the third. They scored the last four to secure the sixth seed and a playoff date with the Brandon Wheat Kings March 20.

Tough night for the Goalies Part I – This was a tough night to be a goaltender. Nathan Lieuwen’s first start in almost seven weeks lasted only one period. After Zach Boychuk got free for a chance less than eight minutes into the game Lieuwen stopped the puck but couldn’t stop his defenseman, Ian Barteaux, from barrelling into him. Lieuwen was shaken up but remained in the game, taked out in the first intermission as a precautionary measure on the advice of the team doctor. If Lieuwen had no luck he’d be better off as any he’s had has been all the bad variety. In 20 games since Todd Mathews took over no one could remember one play where Mathews was taking out in a collision. Eight minutes in Lieuwen was taken out by his own player.

Tough night for the Goalies Part II - Hurricane starter Juha Metsola was taken off the ice on a stretcher 17:02 into the first period after a scary collision between him and Ice d-man Eric Frere. Frere jumped into the play and got loose on a partial breakaway. Metsola stopped him but Hurricane forward Colton Sceviour pushed Frere into Metsola, snapping the Finn’s neck back before being landed on by Frere. Metsola was out cold before he hit the ice and after lying prone on the ice for 20 minutes and being attended to by trainers and medical staff he was transported to hospital where he underwent an X-ray and a CAT scan. Metsola raised his hand in the air as he was lifted off the ice. Early reports were that he would be okay but suffered a neck strain. His status for game one against the Saskatoon Blades next week is questionable.

The Winners – The Ice handed out their club awards prior to the start of the game. Kootenay Ice Fan Club Player of the Year – Kevin King; Al Flick Memorial Scholastic Player of the Year – Brayden McNabb; Community Relations Award – Ian Barteaux; Rookie of the Year – Max Reinhart; Best Defenseman – Ian Barteaux; Underrated Player – Tylan Stephens; Most Improved Player – Kevin King; MVP – Andrew Bailey; Player’s Choice Award – Tylan Stephens.

The Turning Point – After leaving Zach Boychuk wide open in front of the net 22 seconds into the third period – not a good idea at any point during a game – falling behind 1-0 and taking three straight penalties thereafter, this one could’ve been done. Kootenay didn’t give up and Bailey’s wicked wrist shot on a 2-on-1 while short-handed took the wind out of the Hurricane’s sails.

The Goals – 22 seconds into the third period some great work behind the Ice net by Marysville product Carter Bancks enabled the 19-year-old to send a pass to a wide-open Boychuk who doesn’t miss many from there. He went five-hole for his 28th of the season… Andrew Bailey broke out on a 2-on-1 just over three minutes later with the Ice killing a penalty with Joe Antilla. Bailey used Antilla as a decoy and fired a laser past Michael Tedjdeh to tie the score at one… Bailey was at it again at the 12:04 mark but this time he dished a beautiful pass to a streaking Hayden Rintoul, who jumped into the rush seemingly out of nowhere, took the pass and beat Tedjdeh over the shoulder that sent the crowd of 3833 into a frenzy… The Hurricanes got into penalty trouble late in the game and on a five-on-three power play Ian Barteaux wired his 8th of the season past Tedjdeh… Barteaux finished it off when he lept into the air to knock down a Hurricane dump-in, took five strides and fired his 9th into an empty-net.

In the Press Box – Former NHL’er Rich Sutter, a consultant with the Hurricanes who joined the club in December. His nephew Brody, son of brother Duane, also plays for the Hurricanes.

The Crowd – 3833; loud and rambunctious to end the regular season set an announced season average at 3070. To get a feel for the attendance turnaround this season, for the first half of the season the announced average was 2740. For the second half it was 3401

KNA Three Stars
1. RW Andrew Bailey – Goal, assist; the captain also sent a 9-year-old fan at the bottom of section M happy when he gave her his stick when he came out for the first star award.
2. D Eric Frere – Solid on the back-end. Three inch gash on his face was courtesy Kyle Beach.
3. D Hayden Rintoul – Kid is going to be something to watch over the next few seasons.

What it means – The win gives the Ice at 35-29-2-6 record on the season and the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Up Next: Game one of the 2009 WHL Playoffs against the Brandon Wheat Kings next Friday in Brandon. Game two goes Saturday night while games three and four are back at the Rec Plex Tuesday and Wednesday, March 24 and 25.

Round 1 Game Schedule:
Friday, March 20 @ Brandon – 6:30 pm
Saturday, March 21 @ Brandon – 6:30 pm
Tuesday, March 24 @ Kootenay – 7:00 pm
Wednesday, March 25 @ Kootenay – 7:00 pm
Friday, March 27 @ Brandon – 6:30 pm *
Sunday, March 29 @ Kootenay – 6:00 pm*
Tuesday, March 31 @ Brandon (Winnipeg) – 6:00 pm *
*If necessary
All times listed are in Mountain Standard Time




Game Summary:


Hurricanes 1 @ Ice 4

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Kootenay Ice; March 14, 2009.
Hayden Rintoul broke a 1-1 tie 12:04 into the third period as the Ice scored four goals in the game's last 17 minutes to push Kootenay past the Lethbridge Hurricanes in WHL action Saturday night.
After two scoreless periods the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead when Carter Bancks found Zach Boychuk alone in front of Kootenay's net. Boychuk buried his 28th of the season past Todd Mathews. Kootenay tied the game short-handed when Andrew Bailey took off on a 2-on-1 with Joe Antilla. Bailey used Antilla as a decoy and wired his 28th to tie the game at one. Bailey found a streaking Hayden Rintoul at 12:04 who beat Michael Tedjdeh over his shoulder to give the Ice a 2-1 lead. Ian Barteaux, with a power play marker and an empty-net short-handed goal, finished up the scoring for the 4-1 Ice win.
Todd Mathews, who came in relief for starter Nathan Lieuwen after the first period, stopped 12 of 13 shots to get the win. Michael Tedjdeh, who came in relief for starter Juha Metsola who left the game on a stretcher after a first period collision, stopped.21 of 24 shots to take the loss.

First Period

No scoring.


Penalties -- Boomer Ktn (tripping) 8:57, Bailey Ktn (roughing) 20:00.


Second Period

No scoring.

Penalties -- Boychuk Let (interference) 8:09, Yadlowski Let (holding) 10:40, Bancks Let (checking-from-behind) 11:29, Ryckman Let (interference) 16:11, Bancks Let King Ktn (roughing) 16:56, Barteaux Ktn (interference) 18:08.


Third Period
1. Lethbridge, Boychuk 28 (Bancks) 0:22
2. Kootenay, Bailey 28 (McNabb) 3:47 (sh)
3. Kootenay, Rintoul 8 (Bailey, Reinhart) 12:04
4. Kootenay, Barteaux 9 (Bailey, King) 16:07 (pp)
5. Kootenay, Barteaux 10 (McNabb) 17:55 (sh) (en)



Penalties -- Frere Ktn (holding) 0:33, Martin Ktn (roughing) 2:22, Versteeg Let (holding) 14:09, King Let (tripping) 15:30, Czerwonka Ktn (roughing - served by Reinhart, misconduct) 17:39, Reinhart Ktn (dbl roughing) 20:00.


Shots on goal by
Lethbridge: 5 4 9 - 18
Kootenay: 14 9 13 - 36

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (5 of 5 shots - Mathews 20:00 of 2nd; W, 17-18-0-3); Lethbridge: Juha Metsola (11 of 11 shots; Michael Tadjdeh 17:02 of 1st - L, 10-9-0).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Lethbridge: 0-6
Kootenay: 1-6


Referee -- Derek Herman, Graham Skilliter. Linesman -- Steve Cochrane, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 3833 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Scott Orth (healthy), Cason Machacek (seperated shoulder - indefinite), Matt Fraser (shoulder - day-to-day), Dustin Sylvester (ankle - 2-3 weeks).
Lethbridge: Brandon Anderson (healthy), Max Ross (healthy), Cam Braes (shoulder - 1-2 weeks), Cody Castro (healthy).

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Kootenay NewsAdvertiser

A loss in Lethbridge

Kootenay missed another important opportunity to finish higher in the standings last night as 5th place slipped away from them with a 4-1 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in Southern Alberta. Dale Woodward of the Lethbridge Herald has the gamer here.

Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen returned after missing 19 games due to a concussion. After 20 consecutive starts for Todd Mathews - who was good enough to get the club to the post-season - it'll be interesting who might get the start tonight in the club's regular season finale at the 'Plex. Lieuwen came in relief of Mathews after the fourth goal. As much as I'm still thinking that Lieuwen's future is bright I'm willing to bet that Mathews is the starter tonight and come playoff time, you go with what go you there.

A win in regulation gives the Ice the six-hole, and Brandon for a playoff partner as the Saskatoon Blades locked up the number two seed with the East Division pennant last night in losing to the Prince Albert Raiders in a shootout.

A win in OT or shootout complicates things. They would need the Hurricanes to lose to the Hitmen in regulation, OT or shootout in order to get sixth.

A Hurricane win - regulation - tonight or tomorrow against the Hitmen gives Lethbridge the sixth-seed.

There are calculus courses that aren't this complicated.

Ex-Ice tough guy charged

Some startling news today as it was revealed that one of the two RCMP officers that were charged with sexual assault in Whitehorse this week was former Kootenay Ice tough guy Graham Belak. The Whitehorse Star has the story here.
Belak, who was part of the club during the first two seasons in Edmonton and then two in Cranbrook including his final year in which the club won a WHL championship and went to the Memorial Cup in 2000, played parts of five seasons in pro hockey between the AHL and ECHL after being drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2nd round (53rd overall) in 1997. One of the most popular players in Ice history, he last played pro in the British Super League with the Conventry Blaze in 2005-06.

09 Bantam Draft primer

For the News-Advertiser..

No top standouts for 2009 Bantam Draft

by Jeff Bromley

Looking down the list of eligible second-year Bantam players for the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft scheduled for April 30 in Calgary, absent from the top is a bonafide number one pick. Oh, there’ll be a name there when one of either Moose Jaw, Portland, Chilliwack, Red Deer or Regina make their lottery selection first overall, but just who that player may be is anybody’s guess.

In recent bantam drafts gone by standing on top of the draft podium was someone somewhat predictable. Last spring the Red Deer Rebels made it widely known that forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins out of the Burnaby Winter Club would be their selection, having won the WHL lottery and the first overall pick. In 2007 there wasn’t so much as a consensus on one player - save for perhaps American forward Luke Moffat, who as of yet hasn’t committed to the Kelowna Rockets after being selected second overall - as there was a group with players like F Quinton Howden (Moose Jaw first overall), D Mark Pysyk (Edmonton - 3rd overall) and F Charles Ingles (Saskatoon - 4th overall). In the season before that it was Allan, Saskatchewan’s D Jared Cowen heading to Spokane who was the runaway first overall pick.

This year there’s no one player leading the race and as for who might breakaway from the pack is a subject of much debate. “After the top five a lot guys think that you can pretty much get the same kind of player later on the draft,” said one BC-based WHL scout. “The talent seems to balance out the deeper into it you go.”

Nailing down a consensus top five, well, that depends on who you ask. But a hot commodity at the WHL trade deadline were blueliners, something there could be plenty of come the end of April. An Alberta-based scout - all of which requested anonymity due to the state security-type of atmosphere regarding opinions on the draft - offered his top five, in no particular order: D Derrick Poulliot from Weyburn, Saskatchewan; D Matt Dumba from Calgary; D Morgan Reilly, a Vancouver product playing at Notre Dame in Saskatchewan; F Michael Winther from Airdrie, Alberta and D Griffin Reinhart out of Hollyburn (West Vancouver). You might recognize that last name. Griffin is the 6’4” brother of current Ice rookie Max Reinhart and son of former NHL’er Paul, currently a defenseman playing Midget with Hollyburn even though he’s only 14.

“A lot of teams think that Reinhart will go first overall,” said another WHL scout. “But overall this year’s draft is not as strong while next season it’s supposed to be much stronger.”

One scout went as far as to say that the Pursuit of Excellence program, a hockey ‘hot-house’ school in Kelowna, could have as many as twelve kids drafted from just one team.

“There’s kids that you could pick in the second round that could just as easily be fourth round picks.”

Locally, where the pickings have been slim - at least in the East Kootenays - over the past few years there’s a few prospects to watch for, including Cranbrook Bantam Ice forward Jared Jarome who lead the South Central Alberta Hockey League’s South Division champions in scoring with 40 goals and 24 assists, despite only playing in 20 games this season due to injury. Jarome finished second in league scoring, one point back of Bow Valley’s Luke Philp, who played twelve more games.

“The East and West Kootenay’s definitely have some prospects,” offered the BC-based scout. “And there’s definitely kids down the list that could be drafted or invited to WHL camps. For those guys a lot hangs on what they do at the BC U-16 tournament and at the provincials.” The BC U16 tournament, the first step in Hockey Canada’s High Performance program that ultimately culminates with the World Junior team, begins April 15-19 while the provincials, as both Trail and Cranbrook will play in the Tier II provincial championships, start March 15-19 in Powell River.

Potential first round picks, in addition to those previously named, as gathered by a three-scout panel from WHL scouts in BC and Alberta: F Jaimen Yacboski - Warman, Saskatchewan; F Chandler Stephenson - Saskatoon; F Shea Howorko - Notre Dame, Saskatchewan; F Travis Blanliel - Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence; D Kade Pilton - Kelowna Pursuit of Excellence; F Steve Hodges - South Delta; F Robert Trzonkowsky - Calgary; D Nick Walters - St.Albert; F Carter Proft - St. Albert, AB; F Branden Troock - Edmonton.

East Kootenay Prospects to U-16 - D Bryce Perpelitz - Cranbrook; F Derek Georgopoulus - Cranbrook; F Jared Jerome - Cranbrook; F Jordan Revie - Cranbrook; F Dylan Robertson - Elk Valley; G Jay Leroy - Golden.

West Kootenay Prospects to U-16 - G Nic Klassen - Rossland/Trail; D Matt Carr - Nelson; D Ryan Dixon - Rossland/Trail; D Joren Johnson - Castlegar; D Andrew Miller -Rossland/Trail; D Walker Sidoni - Rossland/Trail; F Diego Bartlett - Castelgar; F Mike DeMedeiros - Rossland/Trail; F Brendan Heinrich - Nelson; F Jesse Knowler - Rossland/Trail; F Chris Osellame - Grand Forks; F Kyle Shannon - Rossland/Trail; F Adam Wheeldon - Nelson; F Carsen Willens - Nelson.

Note - Adam Wheeldon, a forward from Nelson, is the son of former WHL'er Simon, who once scored 157 points for the Victoria Cougars in 1985-86 and was a 11th round pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1984. The elder Wheeldon is currently the coach of the Nelson Leafs of the Junior B KIJHL, who will meet the Fernie Ghostriders in the Kootenay Conference finals - a five-game affair - after the Ghostriders sent the Kimberley Dynamiters to the links with a 5-1 win last night in Fernie to take the series 4-1. The Leafs disposed of the Castlegar Rebels in four straight last weekend.

Former Ice coach's team on the move?

Gregg Drinnan over a TN has some info on the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate applying to the AHL to move their AHL franchise in Moline, Illinois - the Quad City Flames; coached by former Kootenay Ice head coach Ryan McGill - to Abbotsford where they are putting the finishing touches on a 7000-seat facility.

This will no doubt impact the Chilliwack Bruins and perhaps even the Vancouver Giants but I'd bet it'd be the former rather than the latter. Could Victoria, who have a similar-sized venue at the Save-On-Food Centre (7000), look at getting an AHL franchise there also? Two AHL clubs in the same neck of the woods would make more sense travel-wise. As it stands right now the club's closest rival would be Winnipeg (Manitoba Moose).

Published reports have the taxpayers of Abbotsford, through travel subsidies, helping to fund the visiting teams travelling to the Fraser Valley. Wonder how long would be last in today's economy? Here's a link to the story in the Calgary Sun.

Ice lose to Oil 4-2

Funny how some teams are so successful against another and yet struggle with others, regardless of the standings.

After sweeping the Tigers in the season series 6-0, Kootenay lost all three games in Edmonton this season and was outscored 12-3. After beating the Oil in Cranbrook two of the three games the season series finished with a 4-2 record in favour of the Oil.

Kootenay dropped a 4-2 decision last night in Edmonton. Mario Annicchiarico has the story in this morning's Edmonton Journal

It closes the scenario of the Ice having home-ice advantage as the Broncos got the 4the seed with last night's 4-2 over the Brandon Wheat Kings in Brandon.

Kootenay can still finish 5th with two wins over the Hurricanes this weekend and if the Tigers lose to the Hitmen in regulation. If the Tigers lose in overtime or in a shootout, giving them one point and 80 in total, Kootenay could still get the fifth spot by winning both games. The two teams would be tied in the standings, both have 36 wins and then would use the head-to-head match-up or points gained in the series of which the Ice have 12 after winning all six regular season games.

The very real possibility of the Hurricanes catching the Ice for sixth now comes into play after last night's loss. The Canes finish the season with a three-in-three this weekend, hosting Calgary after the home-and-home against the Ice. Kootenay must gain at least three points in their last two games against the Canes to secure 6th.

Ice have Tigers by the tail

For the News-Advertiser...

Ice win three; can still move up standings

by Jeff Bromley

For the 11th straight season the Kootenay Ice are in the 2009 WHL playoffs. They’re also in the heads of the Medicine Hat Tigers, winning their seventh straight against their Central Division rivals to sweep the season series 6-0 with a 5-2 dumping of the Tigers Sunday night at the Rec Plex.

The Ice accomplished two of their key goals in a three-win weekend starting Friday with a win over the Rebels in Red Deer that put them into the post-season where they can finish no worse than seventh, while the weekend trifecta also ensured the club would finish better than .500 for the 10th straight season. As an added bonus 18-year-old Steele Boomer returned to the line-up after missing 25 games after suffering his second concussion of the season in Edmonton January 2. After some controlled minutes in game one of the weekend in Red Deer Boomer broke free of the reigns and potted a goal Saturday night and added two assists Sunday, garnering first star honours on both nights. “It wasn’t bad,” offered Boomer of his goal and two assists over the weekend to restart his season. “Once I was back and cleared the coaches really pushed me to get into shape. It’s hard to come back after such a long time off and I never really expected this but I’m just happy to have an impact.”

An impact indeed as the Edmonton product keyed a huge swing in momentum Sunday night. After taking a 1-0 lead on Kevin King’s 21st of the season the speedy Tigers tied it three minutes later on a four-on-three power play in which Tomas Kundratek was left all alone in the slot in front of Ice goaltender Todd Mathews. He beat Mathews stick-side for his fourth of the season to send the two clubs tied at one into the first intermission. Some continued pressure and some stellar goaltending by Mathews kept Kootenay in the game before Boomer stripped Tiger d-man and Cranbrook product Jace Coyle at the Ice blueline, sped away on a 2-on-1 with Drew Czwerwonka feeding the 16-year-old a perfect saucer pass, enabling him to notch his 13th on the season and a 2-1 lead at the 10:59 mark that the Ice would never relinquish. Andrew Bailey would add two goals in the third along with Boomer setting up another – this time it was an Ian Barteaux’s blast to make it 4-1 – before the Tigers would get a lucky one from behind Mathews net that deflected off his defenseman and into the net on Medicine Hat’s lone shot in a period they were out-shot 20-1.

Ice head coach Mark Holick was pleased with the weekend’s result. “We’re proud of our guys,” said Holick after the three win weekend. “We had a good weekend. We talked about some goals that we wanted to accomplish if we can continue this, who knows? Maybe we can finish fourth and maybe we host the first two. I think we’ve got hotel rooms booked in every city in the top seven, so where it ends up, it ends up.”

Where they’d love to end up is opposite the Medicine Hat Tigers, who the Ice beat in five games in the opening round of the playoffs last season and who they ran the table with this season. It could still happen, though there’s a few things that have to happen first. If the Tigers win their final game, giving them 81 points, and the Broncos lose all three of their final games while Kootenay has to win all three of theirs, all, of course, in regulation.

The only thing they do know is that the Ice won’t finish eighth and will avoid the Calgary Hitmen in the first round. “Oh, we’d love to play them,” said Ice captain Andrew Bailey who notched his 26th and 27th goals of the season in Sunday’s 5-2 win. “Going back to last year we’ve had a lot of success against them. We match up well with them. They’re smaller and they way we work and the physical type of game we play, we’d match-up really well.”

Quick Hits – Kootenay faced the Edmonton Oil Kings in Edmonton Wednesday. They’ll finish the season with a home-and-home series with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who are three points back of the Ice… Saturday’s regular season finale will feature a tail-gate party to begin in the parking lot of the Rec Plex at 5PM… Bailey sits with the team lead in goals with 27 and will need three more to avoid the first season in the club’s history that there wasn’t a player with at least 30 goals… The club’s other key injured players are also on the mend. Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, who has missed 18 games following the weekend due to a concussion, is now listed as day-to-day as is rookie D Tyler Vanscourt (shoulder) who missed 20 games. Both are now going looking to improve on their conditioning in order to get back into the lineup. C Dustin Sylvester is listed at 2-3 weeks after suffering a broken ankle right after Christmas and has missed 31 games.

WHL Writers Poll #24

The Western Hockey League writers association poll for Week 24 as released Monday, March 9 , 2009, by the office of the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers’ Association (with last week's rank, team, first-place votes in parenthesis and total points):


1. (1) Calgary Hitmen (11), 242
2. (2) Vancouver Giants, 231
3. (3) Saskatoon Blades, 215
4. (4) Tri-City Americans, 212
5. (6) Kelowna Rockets, 194
6. (5) Brandon Wheat Kings, 193
7. (7) Spokane Chiefs, 176
8. (8) Swift Current Broncos, 165
9. (10) Kootenay Ice, 151
10. (9) Medicine Hat Tigers, 142
11. (12). Lethbridge Hurricanes, 130
12. (11) Seattle Thunderbirds, 124
13. (13) Kamloops Blazers, 112
14. (14) Edmonton Oil Kings, 100
15. (16) Prince Albert Raiders, 86
16. (15) Everett Silvertips, 75
17. (17) Regina Pats, 70
18. (18) Red Deer Rebels, 53
19. (19) Prince George Cougars, 46
20. (21) Portland Winter Hawks, 30
21. (20) Moose Jaw Warriors, 20
22. (22) Chilliwack Bruins, 16


Members of the WMJHWA award votes in weighted order (22 points for first place, 21 for second, etc.). A total of 11 ballots were cast by the Brandon Sun, Chilliwack Progress, Kelowna Capital News, Kelowna Daily Courier, Kootenay NewsAdvertiser, Medicine Hat News, Prairie Post (Swift Current), Red Deer Advocate, Regina LeaderPost, Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Tri-City Herald.

The Score - Ice/Tigers

The Score – Kootenay 5 – Medicine Hat 2

What Happened – Kootenay ran the regular season table on their Central Division counterparts with their sixth win of the season over the Tigers. In one of the most physical games of the season at the Cranbrook Rec Plex the Ice road the gritty game and when the slick Tigers pressed, they and their goaltender bent but didn’t break.

The Boomer-rang – Ice forward Steele Boomer made his first home appearance in 26 games after suffering his second concussion of the season. Boomer played in the first two games of the weekend and scored a goal last night in the 'Hat. The speedy forward set up the goal that swung the momentum in Kootenay’s favour and then he set up Ian Barteaux for some insurance in the third period.

The Goals – After some good work behind the Tigers net Ty Stephens centred the puck and Kevin King golfed his 21st of the year over Tyler Bunz… The Tigers tied it on a 4-on-3 Tigers power play when Tomas Kundratek was left all alone in the slot and beat Todd Mathews stick-side… 10:59 into the second period Steele Boomer saucers a pass to Drew Czerwonka on an Ice 2-on-1 to put the Ice up 2-1… In the third Dominic Pacovsky strips Bo Montgomery of the puck and then dishes to Andrew Bailey streaking to the net. Bailey goes backhand for his 26th… Boomer would intercept an errant Tiger pass at the Tiger blueline and head in on the breakaway. Taking a Montgomery slash on the play that forced him to miss the net Boomer recovers the puck in the corner and finds Ian Barteaux in from the point, who went five-hole on Bunz…The Tigers, on their lone shot in the third period, got a strange goal when Josh Koper centred the puck from behind Todd Mathews only to have it trickle in off his pad to make it 4-2… Two minutes later Kevin King sprung Bailey on another breakaway. The Ice captain buried his 27th to seal the win over the Tigers.

The Hits – One of the most physical games seen this season at the Cranbrook Rec Plex Kootenay won the night on the scoreboard and in the big hit department. In the first Kevin King caught Brennan Bosch on the chin with a solid shoulder that sent Bosch flying. In the second D Eric Frere levelled Tristan Grant with a bone-crusher while Tiger import forward Tomas Kundratek nailed Drew Czerwonka after the latter caught a suicide pass up the middle. Tigers D Bo Montgomery got into the big hit act twice in the third period. Both times however the 18-year-old got the worst of the padded player’s bench glass partition.

The Clipboard - Tigers coach Willie Desjardins found a new use for the clipboard in the second period when one of the Tiger defensemen sent a long clearing pass out of their zone and heading into the stands. The clipboard went up and knocked the puck down into the Tigers bench, saving the club a delay-of-game penalty. Power plays on this night were 1-9 for the Ice and 0-7 for the Tigers.

The Turning Point – This one wasn’t as far apart as the score might suggest. The latter half of the first period and halfway through the second it was the speedy Tigers that were taking the play to the Ice. Right up until Steele Boomer stripped Cranbrook product Jace Coyle at the Ice blueline and skated away on a 2-on-1 with Czerwonka. His perfect saucer pass put the Ice up 2-1 and deflated the Tigers.

The Call-up – With his Fort Saskatchewan Rangers out of the Alberta Midget league playoffs first round pick from 2008 Brendan Hurley played and will stay with the club until they return to Edmonton this week. Hurley finished the game with a scrap against 18-year-old Thomas Carr.

The Crowd – 3528; With one game to go in the regular season the announced average attendance sits at 3049. Up over 100 per game from the same point last season.

The KNA Three Stars
1. C Steele Boomer – two assists and the second straight first star selection
2. RW Andrew Bailey – two big goals
3. D Ian Barteaux – Agitator extraordinaire potted a goal and an assist.

Kootenay improves to 34-27-2-6 and 76 points, good for sixth in the Eastern Conference. More importantly Kootenay sweeps the season series from the Tigers and are now only a point back of the 5th place club, with a game in hand. Also helping the cause were the Edmonton Oil Kings, fighting for a playoff spot, with a 2-1 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes who are now three points back of Ice with three games left in the season, two of which are against the Hurricanes.

Up Next – Kootenay’s in Edmonton Wednesday night to face the Oil Kings





Tigers 2 @ Ice 5

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kootenay Ice, March 8, 2009
Andrew Bailey had two goals and Steele Boomer had two assists as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-2 in WHL action Sunday night. Kevin King and Tomas Kundratek traded goals in the first period as the two teams were tied after one. Kootenay took the lead on Drew Czerwonka's 13th of the season 10:59 into the second period on a nice feed from Boomer. The Ice scored three more in the third period while the Tigers notched just one in a 5-2 finish.
Todd Mathews stopped 21 of 23 shots to get the win while Tyler Bunz saw 44 shots, stopping 39 of them in taking the loss. The win swept the regular season series for the Ice, 6-0.


First Period
1. Kootenay, King 21 (Antilla, Stephens) 14:43 (pp)
2. Medicine Hat, Kundratek 4 (Vey) 17:22 (pp)

Penalties -- Carr MH (boarding) 1:59, Pacovsky Ktn (tripping) 2:10, Bailey Ktn (hooking) 5:06, Dunstall MH (roughing) 13:54, Gal MH Czerwonka Ktn (roughing) 15:45, Pacovsky Ktn (kneeing) 17:11.

Second Period
3. Kootenay, Czerwonka 13 (Boomer, Reinhart) 10:59

Penalties -- Montgomery MH (tripping) 7:59.


Third Period
4. Kootenay, Bailey 26 (Pacovsky, Barteaux) 8:46
5. Kootenay, Barteaux 8 (Boomer, Fox) 10:50
6. Medicine Hat, Koper 4 (Frazer, Carr) 15:12
7. Kootenay, Bailey 27 (King) 17:37




Penalties -- Dunstall MH (checking-from-behind) Konan MH Machacek Ktn (fighting) 2:17, Bosch MH (tripping) 4:25, McCue MH (roughing) 6:02, Hamilton MH Hurley Ktn (roughing) 12:53, Hamilton MH Machacek Ktn (fighting) 19:48, Czerwonka Ktn Bunz MH (roughing) Carr MH Hurley Ktn (fighting) 20:00.


Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 9 15 20 - 44
Medicine Hat: 13 9 1 - 23

Goal -- Kootenay: Todd Mathews (W, 16-16-0-3) Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (L, 9-6-0-1).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-9
Medicine Hat: 0-7


Referee -- Nathan Wieler, Derek Zalaski. Linesman -- Aiden Henderson, Scott Pryor.

Attendance -- 3528 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (concussion - indefinite), Tyler Vanscourt (shoulder - week-to-week), Matt Fraser (shoulder - day-to-day), Dustin Sylvester (ankle - 3-5 weeks), Michael Cassivi (healthy).
Medicine Hat: Cody Carlson (healthy), John Stampohar (healthy), Tristan King (concusssion - 1-2 weeks), Jayce Douskey (healthy), Kale Kessy (healthy), Bretton Cameron (unspecified).

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Kootenay NewsAdvertiser

Ice beat Tigers again

Just a few links from last night's 4-1 win over the Tigers in Medicine Hat. Kootenay, who's won all five contests between the two clubs so far this season, improves to 33-27-2-6; 74 points and still sixth in the Eastern Conference, a point up on the Hurricanes.

The Tigers website has the highlites from last night's game.

The Tigers are in Cranbrook for the two clubs' sixth and final regular season meeting.

Ice clinch 11th straight playoff berth...

Tylan Stephens, Kevin King and Andrew Bailey, with the third-period power play game-winner, all scored as the Ice held on to beat the Red Deer Rebels 3-2 last night.

Todd Mathews made 26 stops to get the win and push the club to at least the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Greg Meachem of the Red Deer Advocate has the gamer.

The loss eliminated the Rebels from playoff contention for the second straight season. That should change next season when uber-rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins joins them as a 16-year-old. He's that good that he should have an impact as a rookie as the early favourite as a top five pick in the 2011 NHL Draft

Kootenay had actually clinched a playoff spot earlier in the evening with Prince Albert losing to the Saskatoon Blades 5-4 in Prince Albert. With the win Kootenay improves to 32-27-2-6 good for 6th in the conference with 72 points and a point up on the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The game was Kootenay's game-in-hand and they didn't waste it, setting up a possible show-down next weekend as the Ice finish up the season with a home-and-home with the Hurricanes.

Medicine Hat is up next at the Arena in the 'Hat. The Tigers are at the Rec Plex Sunday night.

Watched the tail-end of the Calgary-Vancouver game last night, a 4-0 win for the Hitmen, which should dispell any notions of the best regular season team this year. The real season starts in two weeks.

Dawes dealt...

In a last minute deal in a rather quiet NHL trade deadline the New York Rangers dealt former Ice captain Nigel Dawes along with foward Petr Prucha and D Dimitri Kalinin to the Phoenix Coyotes for D Derek Morris.

The Score - Rebels/Ice

The Score – Red Deer 3 – Kootenay 1

What Happened – Rebels goaltender Darcy Kuemper weathered the storm Kootenay threw at the Rebels in the first period. His teammates did the rest in the second and third.

The Hits – Three devastating hits were thrown on this night. Brayden McNabb pasted Willie Coetzee in the first against the boards while Hayden Rintoul caught Landon Ferraro with his head down coming across the neutral zone that rocked the NHL Draft prospect. He would rebound nicely, however… In the third Brennan Wray caught Ice D James Martin behind the net with another great hit.

The Goals – Andrew Bailey managed to corral a bouncing puck inside the blueline with less than twenty seconds left in the first period. He found Max Reinhart on the wide circle who in turn found Dominic Pacovsky for the pretty tap-in… Landon Ferraro, fully recovered from the big hit by Rintoul in the first period, burst off the left wing in on Todd Mathews and roofed his 33rd to tie the game at one… Three minutes into the third period Rebel d-man David Archer fires a wrist shot at the Ice net that Adam Kambeitz deflects past Mathews… Ferraro would intercept a bad pass and put his 34th into an open net to seal the win.

The Wrong Call – This was a good, well-officiated hockey game but for the Rebels they got hosed twice. Once in the first period when Cody Esposito was high-sticked in the neutral zone – nothing out of the ordinary though Esposito was none too happy about the missed call – and then in the second when Brennan Wray was called for slashing. One problem though, it was Wray’s stick who was broke in half by Dominic Pacovsky on the play. Somehow Wray got the gate.

The Turning Point – The horn for the second period; somehow a different team emerged from the dressing room after dominating the Rebels for 20 minutes to open the game.

The Warrior – Rebels d-man Justin Weller took a puck in the face off an Ian Barteaux shot in the first period. After receiving seven stitches he returned in the third with a full-face mask.

KIJHL Update – The Kimberley Dynamiters took their first round quarter-final series over the Creston Valley Thunder 4-1 with a 3-2 double OT win Monday at the Johnny Bucyk Arena in Creston. The Fernie Ghostriders, who did the same to the Golden Rockets in the first round, will host the Dynamiters to begin the second round best-of-seven playoff. I’d update the Okanagan Division of the KIJHL but after changing the format to some sort of bastardized version of a round-robin tournament, I still can’t figure it out. The link is over there on the left. Oh, and I stand corrected for an earlier report from last week. Lethbridge Hurricane list player Matt Wilkins, who had a goal and an assist in Kimberley’s Game three win, isn’t going to the NCAA’s University of Alaska at Anchorage. That’s Cranbrook product Sam Mellor, a 16-year-old rookie with the Nitros. Wilkins hasn’t yet said if the Hurricanes are in his plans.

The Crowd – 3455

KNA Three Stars
1. G Darcy Kuemper – showed he’s the top NHL goaltending prospect in the Dub
2. D Colin Archer – Rebel captain was solid
3. LW Dominic Pacovsky – Goal, lots of chances.

What it means – Kootenay falls to 31-27-2-6; 70 points and sixth in the conference. One point up on the Lethbridge Hurricanes and missed a chance to put them into the playoffs with six games to go. This one was their game-in-hand to put space between them and the Hurricanes and they couldn’t do it. Kootenay is six points back of the Swift Current Broncos for fifth and seven back of the Tigers for fourth. Both are now just about out of reach.

Up Next – The return bill goes Friday night in Red Deer.



Game Summary:

Rebels 3 @ Ice 1

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Red Deer Rebels and the Kootenay Ice; March 3, 2009.
Adam Kambeitz deflected a wrist shot from the point that stood-up as the game-winner as the Red Deer Rebels beat the Kootenay Ice 3-1 in WHL action Tuesday.
Kootenay opened the scoring on a pretty tic-tac-toe scoring play as Dominic Pacovsky buried a Max Reinhart cross-ice feed to give the Ice a 1-0 in the dying seconds of the period. Landon Ferraro tied it for the Rebels on a burst of speed that beat Ice goaltender Todd Mathews glove-side 3:31 into the second period. In the third Kambeitz would deflect a shot past Mathews for the game-winner with his 3rd of the season. Ferraro would seal the win with an empty-net goal in the last minute.
Darcy Kuemper was terrific in the nets for the Rebels, stopping 33 of 34 shots while Todd Mathews stopped 20 of 22 shots in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Pacovsky 8 (Reinhart, Bailey) 19:42 (pp)

Penalties -- Egener RD (high-sticking) 6:53, Coetzee RD (high-sticking) 18:13.

Second Period
2. Red Deer, Ferraro 33 (Esposito, Kovisto) 3:31

Penalties -- Wray RD (tripping) 0:18, Esposito RD Barteaux Ktn (roughing) 7:29, Wray Rd (slashing) 11:17, Ismond Ktn (charging) 16:54.

Third Period
3. Red Deer, Kambeitz 3 (Ferguson, Archer) 3:28
4. Red Deer, Ferraro 34 19:32 (en)


Penalties -- Frere Ktn (interference) 1:05.


Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 16 10 8 - 34
Red Deer: 5 10 8 - 23

Goal -- Kootenay: Todd Mathews (L, 13-16-0-3) Red Deer: Darcy Kuemper (W, 18-22-2-7)

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-4
Red Deer: 0-2

Referee -- Trevor Hanson, Pat Smith. Linesman -- Matthew Barker, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 3455 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (concussion - indefinite), Tyler Vanscourt (shoulder - week-to-week), Dustin Sylvester (ankle - 3-5 weeks), Steele Boomer (concussion - week-to-week).
Red Deer: Carter Smith (knee - indefinite), Cass Mappin (foot - indefinite), Steve Oursov (concussion - indefinite).

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Kootenay NewsAdvertiser

Ice miss playoff clinching chance against Rebels

For the News-Advertiser...

Ice miss first chance at post-season berth



by Jeff Bromley

Just as the Kootenay Ice were about to step onto the dance floor, Red Deer Rebel goaltender Darcy Kuemper played the role of the surly bouncer and wouldn't let them in the club.



With the Ice knocking on the door of the WHL playoffs Tuesday night as either one win by the Ice or one loss by the Prince Albert Raiders would secure the club’s 11th straight pass to the post-season, the Rebels cued up a near perfect performance as spoiler, defeating the Ice 3-1. “It was a good start,” said Ice defenseman Brayden McNabb, who finished the evening -2. “But we didn’t follow it up in the second or the third. We ran into a hot goalie and couldn’t tie it up. We had chances to tie it up but we have to find ways to get to the net.”



Fully aware of their first chance for the club to complete the first leg of their unlikely trip to the playoffs given their injury-plagued season which predicated the club trading valuable assets at the trade deadline, the Ice jumped down the throats of the Rebels in the opening frame Tuesday night. Firing 16 shots at Kuemper, including full shifts of play in the Rebels zone, Kootenay finally solved the 17-year-old on a broken tic-tac-toe play just inside the Rebel blueline. With just 18 seconds left in the period Andrew Bailey found Max Reinhart at the top of the opposite circle. Reinhart then found Dominic Pacovsky to complete the triangle when Pacovsky converted his 8th of the season to give the home side a 1-0. It was a lead that looked solid given the dominating opening period. The Ice apparently thought so too, figuring the Rebels – nine points out of the playoffs with six games to play – wouldn’t have an answer for the rest of the game.



Rebel leading scorer Landon Ferraro proved otherwise thre minutes into the second with a great burst of speed off the wall and a wrist shot that beat Todd Mathews over his left shoulder and tied the game at one. Almost a period later rookie Adam Kambeitz deflected a David Archer wrist shot past Mathews for the eventual game-winner while Ferraro notched his 34th and second of the night into an empty-net with less than a minute to play. “They have a team that still believes they can make the playoffs,” said Ice head coach Mark Holick of the 11th-place Rebels. “We had a chance to clinch on home-ice. We didn’t. Our start was really good tonight but that’s about all that was really good. We took short-cuts; we didn’t initiate the physical play and that was disappointing. It’s hard to crank it back up again in the third when we need a goal to tie it. After the game we played in (Medicine Hat; a 2-0 win) this was a complete 180.”



Kootenay could smell the playoffs to begin this one, throwing jarring hits on two occasions – McNabb on Willie Coetzee and Hayden Rintoul catching Ferraro with his head down in the neutral zone to name two – but couldn’t sustain the pressure. When the Rebels emerged from the first period relatively unscathed their work ethic would earn them the two points. “They work hard, that’s their M.O.” said Holick. “It’s like playing your mirror image. We have to work hard. We just tried to get fancy in the second period and most of the third.”



Quick Hits – The club was coming off a two-game winning streak after wins at home against the Regina Pats Friday by a 5-3 score and a 2-0 shutout of the Medicine Hat Tigers Saturday night… Tuesday’s loss drops the Ice to 31-27-2-6 record with 70 points and still in 6th in the Eastern Conference… The game was Kootenay’s lone game in hand over the Lethbridge Hurricanes who are a point back of the Ice… The return bill goes Friday in Red Deer as the Ice embark on a three games in three nights over the weekend with another date in Medicine Hat Saturday and the Tigers at the Rec Plex Sunday night.

WHL Writer's Poll - Week 23

The Western Hockey League writers association poll for Week 23 as released Monday, March 2 , 2009, by the office of the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers’ Association (with last week's rank, team, first-place votes in parenthesis and total points):


1. (1) Calgary Hitmen (9), 261
2. (2) Vancouver Giants (3), 255
3. (3) Saskatoon Blades, 234
4. (4) Tri-City Americans, 232
5. (5) Brandon Wheat Kings, 209
6. (6) Kelowna Rockets, 206
7. (7) Spokane Chiefs, 199
8. (9) Swift Current Broncos, 177
9. (8) Medicine Hat Tigers, 168
10. (t11) Kootenay Ice, 149
11. (10) Seattle Thunderbirds, 147
12. (t11) Lethbridge Hurricanes, 139
13. (13) Kamloops Blazers, 120
14. (16) Edmonton Oil Kings, 103
15. (15) Everett Silvertips, 96
16. (14) Prince Albert Raiders, 89
17. (17) Regina Pats, 67
18. (19) Red Deer Rebels, 62
19. (18) Prince George Cougars, 51
20. (20) Moose Jaw Warriors, 36
21. (21) Portland Winter Hawks, 23
22. (22) Chilliwack Bruins, 13

Members of the WMJHWA award votes in weighted order (22 points for first place, 21 for second, etc.). A total of 11 ballots were cast by the Brandon Sun, Chilliwack Progress, Kelowna Capital News, Kelowna Daily Courier, Kootenay NewsAdvertiser, Medicine Hat News, Prairie Post (Swift Current), Prince George Citizen, Red Deer Advocate, Regina LeaderPost, Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Tri-City Herald.

Big road win..

The Ice seem to have the Tigers number this season, winning their fifth against the Tigers in a 2-0 decision over the 'Hat last night in the Gas City.

The Tigers website - easily the best in the league - has the highlites here. Check out the Tigers game against the Raiders Friday night too. Tyler Ennis' last two goals of the six-goal effort were beauties.

With the win and the Raiders loss in Red Deer Kootenay's magic number is now one. Any win by the Ice or loss by the Raiders put them into the playoffs for the 11th straight year.

The win moves the Ice to 31-26-2-6 and 70 points. The team could still get fourth if the Broncos and/or Tigers tank down the stretch but it's probably unlikely. They finish anywhere from sixth to eighth gets them, in order, Brandon, Saskatoon or Calgary. Pick your poison but you'd think Calgary would be a better choice if you're going to face a first-round powerhouse. A 3-4-0-1 record against the Hitties or 5-2-0-1 if your Calgary and don't use the loser-point system that is today's hockey, plus a key rival would indicate Calgary would be a better match-up.

More tommorrow.