Hockey Canada announced the 39-man invite roster to the World Junior Selection camp going for three days December 12-15. Kootenay Ice D Brayden McNabb is on the list.
The roster is here, although, to give you an idea about how big the WJC is in this country, Hockey Canada's website was turtle-slow to load for the hour following the announcement. Likely due to the amount of traffic/interest.
Notable names not on that list: Brendan Ranford of the Kamloops Blazers who is second in league scoring with 44 points and a Philadelphia Flyer seventh round pick 209th overall from 2010. Ranford is 18 and will have a shot at the team next year but has raised a few eyebrows with his name not being on the list.
Forward Brayden Schenn isn't on the list either but did attend the summer development camp and would be eligible should he be released by the Kings.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Goals start going back in....
After two long games without a goal, shutout against Red Deer 5-0 last Tuesday and then 4-0 to kick-off the U.S. Divisional leg of the road trip in Tri-City Friday, the Ice took their frustrations out on who many consider to be the top contender for the Canada's World Junior goaltender in Buffalo in a month, Calvin Pickard, by dumping the T-Birds 6-2 in Seattle.
Matt Coxford of the Daily Townsman has the recap here while the highlites, including a nice goal by 15-year-old call-up Sam Reinhart, are here.
I had reported earlier that the game was Reinhart's third due to a roster error on the WHL site that had the 15-year-old, who just turned 15 on November 6, playing in a game in Calgary but in fact it was only his second WHL game, and, of course, his second WHL goal. Two for two.
The younger Reinhart can only play in five games this season until his BC Major Midget team, the Northwest Giants, are out of their playoffs, then Sam could play full-time. That isn't likely to happen as Sam and the Giants are in first place in that league with Sam as the loop's second leading scorer with 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 16 games.
In the Seattle game Kevin King had a goal and two assists while Steele Boomer notched two goals from the same spot to give the club three power play goals, something the club hasn't done all season long. The three PP goals give the club a grande total of 19 on the season and ranks them 20th out of 22 teams in the WHL. The road trip hasn't been as kind to the elder Reinhart, Max, who is scoreless on the trip and is a combined -3 for the trip. Forward Adam Rossignol was a healthy scratch Saturday while D Hayden Rintoul (knee) and F Erik Benoit (knee) did not make the trip.
On the trade front nothing really new in the rumour department other than I'm hearing out of Brandon that Brayden Schenn could be shipped back this week after he is returned to the LA Kings from their AHL affiliate conditioning stint Tuesday. Schenn has one more NHL game to play in before his contract kicks in for the full-year regardless of where he plays. He cannot return to the AHL as he is too young - CHL drafted players must be 20 to play full-time in the minors, they can play in the NHL at 18 but otherwise must be returned to their junior clubs. On the LA Kings broadcast over the weekend the commentators were saying that Schenn's return to Brandon was all but done.
That heats up the other race which is the Ice one to acquire an impact forward. FYI - Swift Current's Cody Eakin - likely another name in the rumour mill on Jeff Chynoweth's early X-mas wish list - has seven PP goals so far this season.
Kootenay sits at 17-7-0-2; with 36 points and in third in the Eastern Conference, one back of Saskatoon and three back of the Red Deer Rebels.
Swift Current is 15-14-0-0 with 30 points while Brandon is further back at 11-14-0-1 and a better target to try and pry an impact player out of. The clock is ticking if anything is going to happen pre-World Juniors because both targets - Eakin and Schenn - if he's returned - are going to be locks for the WJC when the invite list comes down later today. D Brayden McNabb, who I'm also told already has his Team Canada-logoed skates, is expected to be on the invite list.
After watching the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Seattle Seabags on Sunday live at Quest Field, the Ice, along with the younger Reinhart, are in Everett Tuesday and Portland Wednesday. Both games are, as always, are live on the Drive FM here.
Matt Coxford of the Daily Townsman has the recap here while the highlites, including a nice goal by 15-year-old call-up Sam Reinhart, are here.
I had reported earlier that the game was Reinhart's third due to a roster error on the WHL site that had the 15-year-old, who just turned 15 on November 6, playing in a game in Calgary but in fact it was only his second WHL game, and, of course, his second WHL goal. Two for two.
The younger Reinhart can only play in five games this season until his BC Major Midget team, the Northwest Giants, are out of their playoffs, then Sam could play full-time. That isn't likely to happen as Sam and the Giants are in first place in that league with Sam as the loop's second leading scorer with 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 16 games.
In the Seattle game Kevin King had a goal and two assists while Steele Boomer notched two goals from the same spot to give the club three power play goals, something the club hasn't done all season long. The three PP goals give the club a grande total of 19 on the season and ranks them 20th out of 22 teams in the WHL. The road trip hasn't been as kind to the elder Reinhart, Max, who is scoreless on the trip and is a combined -3 for the trip. Forward Adam Rossignol was a healthy scratch Saturday while D Hayden Rintoul (knee) and F Erik Benoit (knee) did not make the trip.
On the trade front nothing really new in the rumour department other than I'm hearing out of Brandon that Brayden Schenn could be shipped back this week after he is returned to the LA Kings from their AHL affiliate conditioning stint Tuesday. Schenn has one more NHL game to play in before his contract kicks in for the full-year regardless of where he plays. He cannot return to the AHL as he is too young - CHL drafted players must be 20 to play full-time in the minors, they can play in the NHL at 18 but otherwise must be returned to their junior clubs. On the LA Kings broadcast over the weekend the commentators were saying that Schenn's return to Brandon was all but done.
That heats up the other race which is the Ice one to acquire an impact forward. FYI - Swift Current's Cody Eakin - likely another name in the rumour mill on Jeff Chynoweth's early X-mas wish list - has seven PP goals so far this season.
Kootenay sits at 17-7-0-2; with 36 points and in third in the Eastern Conference, one back of Saskatoon and three back of the Red Deer Rebels.
Swift Current is 15-14-0-0 with 30 points while Brandon is further back at 11-14-0-1 and a better target to try and pry an impact player out of. The clock is ticking if anything is going to happen pre-World Juniors because both targets - Eakin and Schenn - if he's returned - are going to be locks for the WJC when the invite list comes down later today. D Brayden McNabb, who I'm also told already has his Team Canada-logoed skates, is expected to be on the invite list.
After watching the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Seattle Seabags on Sunday live at Quest Field, the Ice, along with the younger Reinhart, are in Everett Tuesday and Portland Wednesday. Both games are, as always, are live on the Drive FM here.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Weekend Split....
A tale of two goaltenders over the the two game home set for the Ice as the club ran into a red-hot one in Steven Sanford Friday night as the 20-year-old Blade netminder stopped 39 of 40 shots - a few of the spectacular variety - in a 2-1 loss to Saskatoon. 24 hours later the Ice did the same thing only this time six of those 40 shots found the back of the net in a 6-1 win over the PA Raiders. There's highlites of Friday's match-up here.
Some Thoughts:
Sanford clearly had the ability to block out nearly everything - including a group of Ice fans 'in the crowd' clearly trying to get under his skin - Friday night where his counterpart Saturday - Jamie Tucker could not. Last night that group could've sent Tucker into therapy.
There was some discussion after a Friday night where the Ice went 0-8 on the power play that keeping the puck to the perimeter didn't do them any good and it showed. The next night started the same way only Matt Fraser sent a shot from an impossible angle, 25 feet to the left of Tucker that got by him. It was the beginning of a long night for the former Vancouver Giant who wasn't good in the first, stellar in the second, but again sub-par in the third and the frustration showed by the third when Tucker could be seen barking at his teammates and then talking to himself. Not a good sign.
Kootenay must of beat their team record (I'm looking, but haven't found it) for fastest two and three short-handed goals as Jagger Dirk and Max Reinhart scored two goals on the same PK 1:13 apart in the third period. 1:15 later, on a different PK, Kevin King got another to make it 6-1.
It was a complete about-face for King's performance from the night prior. Friday the 20-year-old had no points and was dash-2. Saturday he was the club's best player with two goals and plus 3.
17-year-old D Jagger Dirk is starting to show signs of a number one/power play QB type D-man - he reminds me of a Trevor Johnson-type of D-man - with two goals over the weekend and a plus-2 with all kinds of quality minutes.
G Brett Teskey was solid against the Raiders but still seems to fight the puck somewhat.
Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth wasn't in attendance last night and was likely watching his son Ryan play for the Lethbridge Midget Hurricanes in their 6-4 win over Lloydminster but scuttlebutt continues to build over his efforts to secure a top-3 forward before the trade deadline and more likely, before Christmas. Weal and Ashton out of Regina; Eakin out of Swift Current and of course Brayden Schenn of Brandon, if he's ever sent back from the LA. Kings. Schenn is currently with the AHL Manchester Monarchs on a conditioning stint that will last another week or so and the four names are the biggest targets Chynoweth could have in his sites. Following the stint the Kings have to bring him up and continue him being a healthy scratch (the last five games) or play him in two more games that will kick in the first year of his contract. Schenn has played 8 so far. LA could also keep him with the club until the December 10 invites go out for the WJC team, of which Schenn will most certainly be a part of. If so, that could further delay things.
And what does Chynoweth have to offer? Well, that deal that landed the club D David Musil and the subsequent 1st round pick of the Vancouver Giants gives the club two first round picks in May's Bantam Draft. One of them plus a roster player or one from the deep prospect pool could be dangled for one of the aforementioned. Either way it's not going to be cheap but the time is now for this club to push for a title and they're a 'go-to' guy away from doing that.
Schenn's availability is obviously contingent on his return and even then it might be a bit as the Wheat Kings decide where they fit into the grand scheme of the Eastern Conference... Weal is only 18 and will be back next season so I doubt the Pats will part with him whereas Ashton and Eakin are both signed by their respective NHL clubs (Tampa Bay and Washington) and most definitely won't be back next season. Eakin was close to making a very deep Capitals club so that shows how high they are on him. If I were a betting man one of those two (Ashton or Eakin) are the prizes and have the best chance of coming to Kootenay. FYI, I'm sure that Eakin is still bothered by a wonky hip that's been giving him trouble this season. You'll notice that these candidates are from the Eastern Conference and there's been no word from possibles from the West. Truth is, they're so close in the West (seven point seperate second from 10th in the conference) that I doubt anyone will be looking at the rebuild option until there's more seperation. Guys like Connelly out of PG probably aren't available because PG is perpetually rebuilding and actually have a team to at least make the post-season this year. Mitch Callahan out of Kelowna could be a target but the Rockets are playing better. I'm a big fan of Callhan who can score, get dirty and throw 'em. Just don't think he'll be available but if the Rockets falter, the 19-year-old California product is signed by the Red Wings (6th round pick last year) and likely won't be back for his 20-year-old season.
Complicating things are the World Juniors - which each of the aforementioned players could be a part of. There's also a new policy within the CHL that players that are away with the World Junior team aren't traded until they are back. That's about four days or so before the deadline in January and by December 11 when the selection camp opens, hence the urgency to get something down now. So with three weeks to go before WJC Selection Camp, one could surmise that the deadline derby has already begun.
Okay, lastly, attendance. Does anybody, besides the strong support of the retired folk or empty-nester/baby boomers in this town, really care or have the ability to support the Ice anymore? The announced attendance of 2250 last night flattered that number. If it was 1500 I'd be surprised. The average announced attendance this season is 2429 through 13 home games, a drop of about six percent or 150 a game over last season. Good 15-year lease deal signed last year or not, the lack of hockey fans in the 20-45 age group in the city is alarmingly low.
Now, the drop in attendance is league-wide so this is clearly a reflection of a sputtering economy in which people are watching their discretionary spending dollars closely but here it's becoming an old argument of which I'm still not hearing answers. You can blame lots of things - the lack of real marketing; a finicky public; the economy; whatever but on the ice the success isn't one of them. A top ranked team that's top of the Eastern conference usually sells itself but not now. The last question I have is when the deal for a top six, impact forward is made - and it's going to happen, this year's team is the closest the Ice have come to a championship contender is some time - will that be enough to kick-start the attendance?
Lots of questions, not a lot of answers...
Some Thoughts:
Sanford clearly had the ability to block out nearly everything - including a group of Ice fans 'in the crowd' clearly trying to get under his skin - Friday night where his counterpart Saturday - Jamie Tucker could not. Last night that group could've sent Tucker into therapy.
There was some discussion after a Friday night where the Ice went 0-8 on the power play that keeping the puck to the perimeter didn't do them any good and it showed. The next night started the same way only Matt Fraser sent a shot from an impossible angle, 25 feet to the left of Tucker that got by him. It was the beginning of a long night for the former Vancouver Giant who wasn't good in the first, stellar in the second, but again sub-par in the third and the frustration showed by the third when Tucker could be seen barking at his teammates and then talking to himself. Not a good sign.
Kootenay must of beat their team record (I'm looking, but haven't found it) for fastest two and three short-handed goals as Jagger Dirk and Max Reinhart scored two goals on the same PK 1:13 apart in the third period. 1:15 later, on a different PK, Kevin King got another to make it 6-1.
It was a complete about-face for King's performance from the night prior. Friday the 20-year-old had no points and was dash-2. Saturday he was the club's best player with two goals and plus 3.
17-year-old D Jagger Dirk is starting to show signs of a number one/power play QB type D-man - he reminds me of a Trevor Johnson-type of D-man - with two goals over the weekend and a plus-2 with all kinds of quality minutes.
G Brett Teskey was solid against the Raiders but still seems to fight the puck somewhat.
Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth wasn't in attendance last night and was likely watching his son Ryan play for the Lethbridge Midget Hurricanes in their 6-4 win over Lloydminster but scuttlebutt continues to build over his efforts to secure a top-3 forward before the trade deadline and more likely, before Christmas. Weal and Ashton out of Regina; Eakin out of Swift Current and of course Brayden Schenn of Brandon, if he's ever sent back from the LA. Kings. Schenn is currently with the AHL Manchester Monarchs on a conditioning stint that will last another week or so and the four names are the biggest targets Chynoweth could have in his sites. Following the stint the Kings have to bring him up and continue him being a healthy scratch (the last five games) or play him in two more games that will kick in the first year of his contract. Schenn has played 8 so far. LA could also keep him with the club until the December 10 invites go out for the WJC team, of which Schenn will most certainly be a part of. If so, that could further delay things.
And what does Chynoweth have to offer? Well, that deal that landed the club D David Musil and the subsequent 1st round pick of the Vancouver Giants gives the club two first round picks in May's Bantam Draft. One of them plus a roster player or one from the deep prospect pool could be dangled for one of the aforementioned. Either way it's not going to be cheap but the time is now for this club to push for a title and they're a 'go-to' guy away from doing that.
Schenn's availability is obviously contingent on his return and even then it might be a bit as the Wheat Kings decide where they fit into the grand scheme of the Eastern Conference... Weal is only 18 and will be back next season so I doubt the Pats will part with him whereas Ashton and Eakin are both signed by their respective NHL clubs (Tampa Bay and Washington) and most definitely won't be back next season. Eakin was close to making a very deep Capitals club so that shows how high they are on him. If I were a betting man one of those two (Ashton or Eakin) are the prizes and have the best chance of coming to Kootenay. FYI, I'm sure that Eakin is still bothered by a wonky hip that's been giving him trouble this season. You'll notice that these candidates are from the Eastern Conference and there's been no word from possibles from the West. Truth is, they're so close in the West (seven point seperate second from 10th in the conference) that I doubt anyone will be looking at the rebuild option until there's more seperation. Guys like Connelly out of PG probably aren't available because PG is perpetually rebuilding and actually have a team to at least make the post-season this year. Mitch Callahan out of Kelowna could be a target but the Rockets are playing better. I'm a big fan of Callhan who can score, get dirty and throw 'em. Just don't think he'll be available but if the Rockets falter, the 19-year-old California product is signed by the Red Wings (6th round pick last year) and likely won't be back for his 20-year-old season.
Complicating things are the World Juniors - which each of the aforementioned players could be a part of. There's also a new policy within the CHL that players that are away with the World Junior team aren't traded until they are back. That's about four days or so before the deadline in January and by December 11 when the selection camp opens, hence the urgency to get something down now. So with three weeks to go before WJC Selection Camp, one could surmise that the deadline derby has already begun.
Okay, lastly, attendance. Does anybody, besides the strong support of the retired folk or empty-nester/baby boomers in this town, really care or have the ability to support the Ice anymore? The announced attendance of 2250 last night flattered that number. If it was 1500 I'd be surprised. The average announced attendance this season is 2429 through 13 home games, a drop of about six percent or 150 a game over last season. Good 15-year lease deal signed last year or not, the lack of hockey fans in the 20-45 age group in the city is alarmingly low.
Now, the drop in attendance is league-wide so this is clearly a reflection of a sputtering economy in which people are watching their discretionary spending dollars closely but here it's becoming an old argument of which I'm still not hearing answers. You can blame lots of things - the lack of real marketing; a finicky public; the economy; whatever but on the ice the success isn't one of them. A top ranked team that's top of the Eastern conference usually sells itself but not now. The last question I have is when the deal for a top six, impact forward is made - and it's going to happen, this year's team is the closest the Ice have come to a championship contender is some time - will that be enough to kick-start the attendance?
Lots of questions, not a lot of answers...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Fraser, rankings....
An announcement late yesterday about the Dallas Stars signing 20-year-old Ice forward Matt Fraser is here. After a lot of speculation in the off-season that the Canucks were going to sign the popular Ice forward the Stars scoop him up. It's a testament to the former 9th round (172nd overall) Bantam pick in the 2005 Draft and his ability to get better each and every season after being picked up by the Ice in the 2007 trade for overage forward Clayton Bauer.
The CHL Top Ten rankings were released yesterday as well and the Ice are on it for the third straight week. Still slotted at eighth, which is likely due to their schedule more than their record. A tougher weekend starting against Saskatoon should affect that number next week.
The CHL Top Ten rankings were released yesterday as well and the Ice are on it for the third straight week. Still slotted at eighth, which is likely due to their schedule more than their record. A tougher weekend starting against Saskatoon should affect that number next week.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Back, for now....
It's been a bit since the last post, though with amount of times the Ice have played the Hitmen you could almost leave the headline and the result is the same... Couple of things, looks like D Luke Paulsen, D James Martin and wingers Drew Czerwonka and Brock Montgomery will all be back this weekend... G Mackenzie Skapski was named to Team Pacific for the U-17 tournament in Winnipeg despite playing for the 7-14 Ridge Meadow Flames of the Junior B PIJHL - joining fellow goaltender Devon Fordyce as the other non-WHL roster player to be named the team. Forward Jared Iron was also named to Team West... Finished the last leg of a brutal road trip for the Peewee T2 team (champs in Kelowna this weekend!) due to the fact that the Memorial Arena is still closed for renovations. The next two months of PW hockey at home so the blog updates should be a little more frequent... (yes, it's a shameless plug)...
The club enters a key stretch in the season with the next 9 of 10 games on the road through the tough U.S. Division and the East after that. If the club emerges in relatively the same position I would argue the pressure would ramp right up for this team to load up for a playoff run before the January 10 trading deadline. An impact forward would be on the shopping list. But again, who? Does Regina let Jordan Weal go? Is Schenn available from Brandon if he's coming back or are the Schenn to Calgary (Flames) rumours for Iginla taking the first round pick out of the WHL equation? With two first round Bantam picks for the 2011 draft (one is Vancouver's for the David Musil deal), is Ice G.M. Jeff Chynoweth willing to part with one of them to get an impact forward before the deadline? Is there a player in the WHL's Top 20 in scoring available? Is there a team other than the Hitmen that is in rebuilding mode to part with a premier forward? Will the Hitmen win another game? Is there anyone outside of Calgary that is shedding a tear for them?
Questions, questions, questions....
For HockeyNow...
Ice roll-on despite injuries
by Jeff Bromley
Having played their arch-rival Calgary Hitmen a remarkable five times in the club’s first 21 games and three times out of the last four games Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch doesn’t mind the fact his club will have to play someone else over the coming weeks, but don’t get him wrong, he’ll miss their big city counterparts. “Nope, not all,” offered Knoblauch after his club dumped the Hitmen 6-2 in Calgary Sunday evening. “It might be different if we weren’t playing so well against them but it’s gone very well and we’ve never taken them for granted and have been fortunate enough to get victories in all five games.”
In a reversal of fortunes that has seen the Ice move to the head of the pack through the WHL’s quarter-pole with a 15-4-0-2 record and 32 points to put the club on top of the Eastern Conference standings, Knoblauch’s charges have taken advantage of the defending WHL champions – who occupy the WHL’s basement with only four wins and who are clearly entering the rebuild portion of the junior hockey cycle. The record has garnered the club nationwide attention and moved them into 8th spot in the CHL Top Ten rankings.
But if the schedule-maker has been rather kind to the Ice to start the season with the plethora of games against the league’s cellar-dwellers, the road is about to take a much tougher turn as the second-place Saskatoon Blades visit the Rec Plex Friday night. “I don’t think it’s something I need to tell the players,” Knoblauch said of the litmus test that will be the Blades Friday. “I’m sure they understand the importance of it and what kind of challenge it will be.”
The two-game home set – the Prince Albert Raiders are at the Plex Saturday – kicks off a brutal stretch in the club’s schedule that see them play nine of the next ten games on the road starting November 23 in Red Deer and then trips through the U.S. and East Divisions, respectively, sandwiched around one home game over the next three weeks. If there’s any question as to the club’s quest to be deemed contenders for a WHL championship this season, the schedule over the next three weeks will go a long way to answering it. “This weekend kicks off a very difficult part of the schedule.”
The five-point outburst Sunday against the Hitmen by 20-year-old Kevin King notwithstanding, scoring for the Ice this season is done by committee. With no names in the WHL’s top 20 scorers the lack of a Dustin Sylvester or home-run hitter style of player in the line-up doesn’t bother the rookie head coach. “It’s definite strength to our team,” he said. “I feel comfortable with everyone out there and with the forwards, there have been games where the top two lines haven’t scored and it’s been just our third and fourth lines. There’s guys in slumps right now but the nice thing to have is guys that are fighting the puck a bit but we’re still winning.”
Another place the club’s leading the league is in the injury category with only a handful of games where the club has had any healthy scratches not playing. The injuries have taken a toll but Knoblauch looks at it as an opportunity. “At this time in the season, if it has to happen, this is the best time,” said Knoblauck. “The amount of good players we had a camp and those with us that have been give the extra responsibility have handled it very well. There’s no way we could have the record we have now if those younger, secondary players didn’t step up to the challenge and they absolutely did.”
Quick Hits – D Brayden McNabb was named to Team WHL in the CHL/Russia Challenge series for the second game in Prince George November 18… Ice prospects G MacKenzie Skapski of the PIJHL’s Ridge Meadows Flames was named to Team Pacific (BC and Alberta) while forward Jared Iron of the Saskatchewan Major Midget League’s Beardy’s Blackhawks will play for Team West (Saskatchewan and Manitoba) at the World U-17 Challenge in Winnipeg Dec 28 – Jan 4… NHL Central Scouting released their fall rankings this week and Ice back-up goaltender Brett Teskey is slotted fifth among WHL goaltenders… Forwards Brendan Hurley (hand) and Eric Benoit (knee), both 17, are out of the line-up for this weekend’s games. D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) is questionable while D James Martin (broken nose), LW Drew Czerwonka (shoulder) and RW Brock Montgomery (concussion) should all play this weekend.
The club enters a key stretch in the season with the next 9 of 10 games on the road through the tough U.S. Division and the East after that. If the club emerges in relatively the same position I would argue the pressure would ramp right up for this team to load up for a playoff run before the January 10 trading deadline. An impact forward would be on the shopping list. But again, who? Does Regina let Jordan Weal go? Is Schenn available from Brandon if he's coming back or are the Schenn to Calgary (Flames) rumours for Iginla taking the first round pick out of the WHL equation? With two first round Bantam picks for the 2011 draft (one is Vancouver's for the David Musil deal), is Ice G.M. Jeff Chynoweth willing to part with one of them to get an impact forward before the deadline? Is there a player in the WHL's Top 20 in scoring available? Is there a team other than the Hitmen that is in rebuilding mode to part with a premier forward? Will the Hitmen win another game? Is there anyone outside of Calgary that is shedding a tear for them?
Questions, questions, questions....
For HockeyNow...
Ice roll-on despite injuries
by Jeff Bromley
Having played their arch-rival Calgary Hitmen a remarkable five times in the club’s first 21 games and three times out of the last four games Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch doesn’t mind the fact his club will have to play someone else over the coming weeks, but don’t get him wrong, he’ll miss their big city counterparts. “Nope, not all,” offered Knoblauch after his club dumped the Hitmen 6-2 in Calgary Sunday evening. “It might be different if we weren’t playing so well against them but it’s gone very well and we’ve never taken them for granted and have been fortunate enough to get victories in all five games.”
In a reversal of fortunes that has seen the Ice move to the head of the pack through the WHL’s quarter-pole with a 15-4-0-2 record and 32 points to put the club on top of the Eastern Conference standings, Knoblauch’s charges have taken advantage of the defending WHL champions – who occupy the WHL’s basement with only four wins and who are clearly entering the rebuild portion of the junior hockey cycle. The record has garnered the club nationwide attention and moved them into 8th spot in the CHL Top Ten rankings.
But if the schedule-maker has been rather kind to the Ice to start the season with the plethora of games against the league’s cellar-dwellers, the road is about to take a much tougher turn as the second-place Saskatoon Blades visit the Rec Plex Friday night. “I don’t think it’s something I need to tell the players,” Knoblauch said of the litmus test that will be the Blades Friday. “I’m sure they understand the importance of it and what kind of challenge it will be.”
The two-game home set – the Prince Albert Raiders are at the Plex Saturday – kicks off a brutal stretch in the club’s schedule that see them play nine of the next ten games on the road starting November 23 in Red Deer and then trips through the U.S. and East Divisions, respectively, sandwiched around one home game over the next three weeks. If there’s any question as to the club’s quest to be deemed contenders for a WHL championship this season, the schedule over the next three weeks will go a long way to answering it. “This weekend kicks off a very difficult part of the schedule.”
The five-point outburst Sunday against the Hitmen by 20-year-old Kevin King notwithstanding, scoring for the Ice this season is done by committee. With no names in the WHL’s top 20 scorers the lack of a Dustin Sylvester or home-run hitter style of player in the line-up doesn’t bother the rookie head coach. “It’s definite strength to our team,” he said. “I feel comfortable with everyone out there and with the forwards, there have been games where the top two lines haven’t scored and it’s been just our third and fourth lines. There’s guys in slumps right now but the nice thing to have is guys that are fighting the puck a bit but we’re still winning.”
Another place the club’s leading the league is in the injury category with only a handful of games where the club has had any healthy scratches not playing. The injuries have taken a toll but Knoblauch looks at it as an opportunity. “At this time in the season, if it has to happen, this is the best time,” said Knoblauck. “The amount of good players we had a camp and those with us that have been give the extra responsibility have handled it very well. There’s no way we could have the record we have now if those younger, secondary players didn’t step up to the challenge and they absolutely did.”
Quick Hits – D Brayden McNabb was named to Team WHL in the CHL/Russia Challenge series for the second game in Prince George November 18… Ice prospects G MacKenzie Skapski of the PIJHL’s Ridge Meadows Flames was named to Team Pacific (BC and Alberta) while forward Jared Iron of the Saskatchewan Major Midget League’s Beardy’s Blackhawks will play for Team West (Saskatchewan and Manitoba) at the World U-17 Challenge in Winnipeg Dec 28 – Jan 4… NHL Central Scouting released their fall rankings this week and Ice back-up goaltender Brett Teskey is slotted fifth among WHL goaltenders… Forwards Brendan Hurley (hand) and Eric Benoit (knee), both 17, are out of the line-up for this weekend’s games. D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) is questionable while D James Martin (broken nose), LW Drew Czerwonka (shoulder) and RW Brock Montgomery (concussion) should all play this weekend.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
The Score - Ice over Hitmen
The Score – Calgary 2 – Kootenay 5
What Happened – The Hitmen finally broke the goose egg by getting a goal past Nathan Lieuwens halfway through the game for the first time this season. They actually got two on this night but again, showing that Kootenay’s officially got Calgary’s number this season, the Ice dominated most of the night in the 5-2 win.
The Goals – In the first Joe Antilla took advantage of a fortuitous bounce off the end boards and put his 8th past Snider into an open net for a 1-0 lead… Snider lost the next battle along those same boards, this time against Ice forward Kevin King, who stripped him of the puck and fed a waiting Adam Rossignol who banged in his first WHL goal… In the second with the Ice on a five-on-three power play Matt Fraser wired his 7th from the point past Snider to make it 3-0. The shutout streak would end for Nathan Lieuwen when Justin Kirsch intercepted a Brayden McNabb pass and went in alone to make it 3-1… Max Reinhart streaked down the left-wing and dragged a Calgary defender with him and then fed Jesse Ismond crashing the net to pot his 6th of the season and chasing Snider in the process in favour of Juraj Holly. The hook didn’t last long as Snider came back four minutes later… Off the face-off late in the second Kevin King picked up the draw and fed it back to Luke Paulsen. He wired his 2nd past Snider to make it 5-1… In the third on a shift the Ice were caught running around in their own end rookie d-man Kyle Schmidt fired his first of the season through a maze of bodies in front of Lieuwen that ended up through the legs of the netminder to make it 5-2.
The Streak – It ended for Nathan Lieuwen when rookie D-man Tanner Faith and Brayden McNabb couldn’t play catch with the puck just inside the Ice blueline. McNabb’s weak return pass was intercepted by Kirsch and gave him a 30 foot breakaway and stopped the netminder’s shutout streak at 148:54 against the Hitmen.
The Fight – Brayden McNabb, in a surly mood most of the evening, was first going to go with Hitmen forward MacKenzie Royer but was foiled by the Linesmen. Cody Beach obliged McNabb two shifts later and save for a couple of rights, McNabb landed to uppercuts and got the decision.
The Injury Parade – Kootenay added yet another member to the MASH unit Saturday when in the first period F Drew Czerwonka took a hit in the Hitmen zone and left favouring his right shoulder. X-rays were negative and the club was hopeful he’d return for Thursday’s rematch in Calgary. D James Martin (nose) and D Hayden Rintoul (shoulder) are still at least a week away while F Brendan Hurley (broken finger) is still 4-5 weeks out.
The Turning Point – Early in the second Riley Reinbolt took a delay-of-game penalty by shooting the puck into Section A. Rob Tzronkowski took a checking-from-behind minor 46 seconds later and put his club down two men. Matt Fraser fired his 7th of the season from the point for the eventual game-winner.
The Crowd – 2550 – About as thick as a crowd gets at the Rec Plex these days.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Brock Montgomery – One assist and a couple of big hits.
2. Matt Fraser – Big goal.
3. Adam Rossignol – Got his first WHL goal and played some real minutes.
Up Next: After losing two straight for the first time this season Kootenay improves to 12-4-0-2; good for a first place tie in the Eastern Conference with the Saskatoon Blades with 26 points. One point off of Portland for the WHL lead. Kootenay visits the Saddledome Thursday for a Remembrance Day tilt and then entertains Edmonton at home next Saturday and yet another stop at the Saddledome Sunday. A possible first place showdown with the Blades is on tap November 19 at the Plex.
Hitmen 2 @ Ice 5
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Calgary Hitmen and the Kootenay Ice. November 6, 2010. Kevin King, Max Reinhart and Steele Boomer all had two assists as the Kootenay Ice got goals from five different players in a 5-2 rout of the Calgary Hitmen in WHL action Saturday night.
The Ice took a 2-0 lead in the first on goals by Joe Antilla, with his 8th, and Adam Rossignol with his first-ever WHL goal.
The Ice opened it up in the middle frame on goals by Matt Fraser, Jesse Ismond and Luke Paulsen while the Hitmen broke Nathan Lieuwen's shut-out streak of 148:54 against Calgary this season on a goal by Justin Kirsch. Rookie Kyle Schmidt got Calgary's other goal in the third.
Nathan Lieuwen, who had shut-out the Hitmen in two games previously in the season, stopped 22 of 24 shots to get the win while Michael Snider turned aside 23 of 28 shots in taking the loss.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Antilla 8 (Montgomery) 8:34
2. Kootenay, Rossignol 1 (King) 15:15
Penalties -- Cheek Cal (checking-from-behind) 1:32, Kosterman Cal King Ktn (fighting) 5:28, Reinhart Ktn (delay-of-game) 19:10.
Second Period
3. Kootenay, Fraser 7 (Boomer, Reinhart) 5:07 (pp)
4. Calgary, Kirsch 8 8:54
5. Kootenay, Ismond 6 (Reinhart) 11:39
6. Kootenay, Paulsen 2 (King, Boomer) 19:15
Penalties -- Reinbolt Cal (delay-of-game) 4:04, Tzronkowski Cal (checking-from-behind) 4:51, Beach Cal (slashing) 15:49,
Third Period
7. Calgary, Schmidt 1 (Beach, Rissling) 4:20
Penalties -- Beach Cal McNabb Ktn (fighting) 10:39, Faith Ktn (tripping) 13:35, Snider Cal (roughing - served by Trzonkowski) Fraser Ktn (misconduct) 16:11.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 12 12 6 - 30
Calgary: 10 5 9 - 24
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 9-2-0-1) Calgary: Michael Snider (L, 3-9 - Juraj Holly 11:39 to 15:49 of 2nd - 2 of 2 shots)
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-5
Calgary: 0-2
Referee -- Trevor Hanson, Jeff Ingram. Linesman -- Sean Donnelly, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 2550 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Hayden Rintoul (shoulder - 1-2 weeks), James Martin - (nose - 1-2 weeks), Brendan Hurley (broken finger - 4-5 weeks).
Calgary: Brendan Santini, Kris Foucault (shoulder - indefinite), Alex Roach, Keaton Lubin.
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman
What Happened – The Hitmen finally broke the goose egg by getting a goal past Nathan Lieuwens halfway through the game for the first time this season. They actually got two on this night but again, showing that Kootenay’s officially got Calgary’s number this season, the Ice dominated most of the night in the 5-2 win.
The Goals – In the first Joe Antilla took advantage of a fortuitous bounce off the end boards and put his 8th past Snider into an open net for a 1-0 lead… Snider lost the next battle along those same boards, this time against Ice forward Kevin King, who stripped him of the puck and fed a waiting Adam Rossignol who banged in his first WHL goal… In the second with the Ice on a five-on-three power play Matt Fraser wired his 7th from the point past Snider to make it 3-0. The shutout streak would end for Nathan Lieuwen when Justin Kirsch intercepted a Brayden McNabb pass and went in alone to make it 3-1… Max Reinhart streaked down the left-wing and dragged a Calgary defender with him and then fed Jesse Ismond crashing the net to pot his 6th of the season and chasing Snider in the process in favour of Juraj Holly. The hook didn’t last long as Snider came back four minutes later… Off the face-off late in the second Kevin King picked up the draw and fed it back to Luke Paulsen. He wired his 2nd past Snider to make it 5-1… In the third on a shift the Ice were caught running around in their own end rookie d-man Kyle Schmidt fired his first of the season through a maze of bodies in front of Lieuwen that ended up through the legs of the netminder to make it 5-2.
The Streak – It ended for Nathan Lieuwen when rookie D-man Tanner Faith and Brayden McNabb couldn’t play catch with the puck just inside the Ice blueline. McNabb’s weak return pass was intercepted by Kirsch and gave him a 30 foot breakaway and stopped the netminder’s shutout streak at 148:54 against the Hitmen.
The Fight – Brayden McNabb, in a surly mood most of the evening, was first going to go with Hitmen forward MacKenzie Royer but was foiled by the Linesmen. Cody Beach obliged McNabb two shifts later and save for a couple of rights, McNabb landed to uppercuts and got the decision.
The Injury Parade – Kootenay added yet another member to the MASH unit Saturday when in the first period F Drew Czerwonka took a hit in the Hitmen zone and left favouring his right shoulder. X-rays were negative and the club was hopeful he’d return for Thursday’s rematch in Calgary. D James Martin (nose) and D Hayden Rintoul (shoulder) are still at least a week away while F Brendan Hurley (broken finger) is still 4-5 weeks out.
The Turning Point – Early in the second Riley Reinbolt took a delay-of-game penalty by shooting the puck into Section A. Rob Tzronkowski took a checking-from-behind minor 46 seconds later and put his club down two men. Matt Fraser fired his 7th of the season from the point for the eventual game-winner.
The Crowd – 2550 – About as thick as a crowd gets at the Rec Plex these days.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Brock Montgomery – One assist and a couple of big hits.
2. Matt Fraser – Big goal.
3. Adam Rossignol – Got his first WHL goal and played some real minutes.
Up Next: After losing two straight for the first time this season Kootenay improves to 12-4-0-2; good for a first place tie in the Eastern Conference with the Saskatoon Blades with 26 points. One point off of Portland for the WHL lead. Kootenay visits the Saddledome Thursday for a Remembrance Day tilt and then entertains Edmonton at home next Saturday and yet another stop at the Saddledome Sunday. A possible first place showdown with the Blades is on tap November 19 at the Plex.
Hitmen 2 @ Ice 5
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Calgary Hitmen and the Kootenay Ice. November 6, 2010. Kevin King, Max Reinhart and Steele Boomer all had two assists as the Kootenay Ice got goals from five different players in a 5-2 rout of the Calgary Hitmen in WHL action Saturday night.
The Ice took a 2-0 lead in the first on goals by Joe Antilla, with his 8th, and Adam Rossignol with his first-ever WHL goal.
The Ice opened it up in the middle frame on goals by Matt Fraser, Jesse Ismond and Luke Paulsen while the Hitmen broke Nathan Lieuwen's shut-out streak of 148:54 against Calgary this season on a goal by Justin Kirsch. Rookie Kyle Schmidt got Calgary's other goal in the third.
Nathan Lieuwen, who had shut-out the Hitmen in two games previously in the season, stopped 22 of 24 shots to get the win while Michael Snider turned aside 23 of 28 shots in taking the loss.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Antilla 8 (Montgomery) 8:34
2. Kootenay, Rossignol 1 (King) 15:15
Penalties -- Cheek Cal (checking-from-behind) 1:32, Kosterman Cal King Ktn (fighting) 5:28, Reinhart Ktn (delay-of-game) 19:10.
Second Period
3. Kootenay, Fraser 7 (Boomer, Reinhart) 5:07 (pp)
4. Calgary, Kirsch 8 8:54
5. Kootenay, Ismond 6 (Reinhart) 11:39
6. Kootenay, Paulsen 2 (King, Boomer) 19:15
Penalties -- Reinbolt Cal (delay-of-game) 4:04, Tzronkowski Cal (checking-from-behind) 4:51, Beach Cal (slashing) 15:49,
Third Period
7. Calgary, Schmidt 1 (Beach, Rissling) 4:20
Penalties -- Beach Cal McNabb Ktn (fighting) 10:39, Faith Ktn (tripping) 13:35, Snider Cal (roughing - served by Trzonkowski) Fraser Ktn (misconduct) 16:11.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 12 12 6 - 30
Calgary: 10 5 9 - 24
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 9-2-0-1) Calgary: Michael Snider (L, 3-9 - Juraj Holly 11:39 to 15:49 of 2nd - 2 of 2 shots)
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-5
Calgary: 0-2
Referee -- Trevor Hanson, Jeff Ingram. Linesman -- Sean Donnelly, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 2550 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Hayden Rintoul (shoulder - 1-2 weeks), James Martin - (nose - 1-2 weeks), Brendan Hurley (broken finger - 4-5 weeks).
Calgary: Brendan Santini, Kris Foucault (shoulder - indefinite), Alex Roach, Keaton Lubin.
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Ouch...
All good things must end and Kootenay's seven game win streak ended with a thud against the Chilliwack Bruins Tuesday night in Cranbrook.
Was watching the Blades-Chiefs here in Saskatoon as the Chiefs did the Ice a favour by losing so not much to comment on Ice-wise other than Matt Coxford has a gamer here. The game highlites are here.
It wasn't enough however to keep the club out of the CHL Top Ten rankings as the Ice check in at number nine on this week's list.
Was watching the Blades-Chiefs here in Saskatoon as the Chiefs did the Ice a favour by losing so not much to comment on Ice-wise other than Matt Coxford has a gamer here. The game highlites are here.
It wasn't enough however to keep the club out of the CHL Top Ten rankings as the Ice check in at number nine on this week's list.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Ice streak at seven
Ice wrap for HockeyNow
Kootenay climbs atop WHL’s Central Division
by Jeff Bromley
A year ago the Kootenay Ice were mired in one of the club’s worst start to a season in their history. 365 days later the skate’s on the other foot.
Riding the high of a seven game winning streak before hosting the Chilliwack Bruins Tuesday night at the Cranbrook Rec Plex the veteran-laden Kootenay Ice are playing as they were advertised, and they’re winning. Win number seven came the hard way after the club surrendered a 3-0 first period lead to the Wheat Kings Friday before coming back to win in a shootout. “Going on the road and having the success we did, winning all of the supposedly tough games, I think the players tended to relax a little bit,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch as the Ice elbowed their way to the top of the Eastern Conference with a 11-3-0-1 record. “No one goes out there with the intention of not playing well but players are thinking how easy it’s going to be and how many goals they’re going to score. Offensively we weren’t bad but our d-zone coverage was like we never practiced it before.”
And yet they found a way to win. Two goals in the second period by defensemen Brayden McNabb and Joey Leach after pouring on the shots to rookie Wheat King goaltender Liam Liston by a 21-3 margin continued into the third period with markers by Drew Czerwonka and Christian Magnus to get the clubs to the shootout. All three of Kootenay’s shooters – Matt Fraser, Jesse Ismond and Max Reinhart – scored to give the Ice the extra point and their 7th win. “I’ll take it,” offered Magnus who missed on three glorious chances earlier in the game but capitalized in the third and finished the game with a goal and an assist and first star honours. “I had quite a few chances and I could’ve put a few more in the net but I’ll take one, at least I put it in this time.”
“I’m getting more of an opportunity from Kris (coach Knoblauch) and I’ve wanted to do my best,” continued Magnus, who has four goals and five assists in 15 games this season, one point shy of his 51-game total last year. “I feel a lot more comfortable out there with the ice-time I’ve been getting and it’s helped my play a lot.”
His charges confident with the seven game burst, the rookie head coach isn’t about to let talk of the streak wade into the minds of the players or in the process boost their egos too much. In fact they’re not talking about it much at all. “Just when I hear it from (former Ice coach) Mark Holick and when he says I’ve got such and such left,” said Knoblauch, referring to Holick’s team-record 14 straight wins set last season. “It feels good and they’re playing well but our record flatters us a bit. Not to take anything away from the guys but we’ve got some weaknesses in our game on the specialty teams. The penalty kill has come a long way but we need to get the power play going to have a complete game.”
Quick Hits – October 19 was a special night for the Reinhart family as the three sons of former NHL’er Paul Reinhart all played in a WHL game in Cranbrook. Max, 18, along with 15-year-old first round draft pick of the Ice Sam, squared off against 16-year-old sibling Griffin who patrols the blueline for the Edmonton Oil Kings as a WHL rookie. The younger Reinhart – who sits second in BC Major Midget league scoring with 22 points in 12 games – scored his first WHL goal and the game-winner in a 4-1 win over the Oil Kings… Kootenay’s seven-game winning streak has occurred despite the club’s injuries woes on the backend. The Ice welcomed back D Brayden McNabb after a shoulder injury kept the 19-year-old Buffalo Sabre draft pick out for eight games but then lost D Hayden Rintoul, 19, to a bruised collarbone and D James Marting, 19, to a broken nose. Both are week-to-week. Forward Brendan Hurley, 17, broke his hand and is out for another five weeks.
Kootenay climbs atop WHL’s Central Division
by Jeff Bromley
A year ago the Kootenay Ice were mired in one of the club’s worst start to a season in their history. 365 days later the skate’s on the other foot.
Riding the high of a seven game winning streak before hosting the Chilliwack Bruins Tuesday night at the Cranbrook Rec Plex the veteran-laden Kootenay Ice are playing as they were advertised, and they’re winning. Win number seven came the hard way after the club surrendered a 3-0 first period lead to the Wheat Kings Friday before coming back to win in a shootout. “Going on the road and having the success we did, winning all of the supposedly tough games, I think the players tended to relax a little bit,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch as the Ice elbowed their way to the top of the Eastern Conference with a 11-3-0-1 record. “No one goes out there with the intention of not playing well but players are thinking how easy it’s going to be and how many goals they’re going to score. Offensively we weren’t bad but our d-zone coverage was like we never practiced it before.”
And yet they found a way to win. Two goals in the second period by defensemen Brayden McNabb and Joey Leach after pouring on the shots to rookie Wheat King goaltender Liam Liston by a 21-3 margin continued into the third period with markers by Drew Czerwonka and Christian Magnus to get the clubs to the shootout. All three of Kootenay’s shooters – Matt Fraser, Jesse Ismond and Max Reinhart – scored to give the Ice the extra point and their 7th win. “I’ll take it,” offered Magnus who missed on three glorious chances earlier in the game but capitalized in the third and finished the game with a goal and an assist and first star honours. “I had quite a few chances and I could’ve put a few more in the net but I’ll take one, at least I put it in this time.”
“I’m getting more of an opportunity from Kris (coach Knoblauch) and I’ve wanted to do my best,” continued Magnus, who has four goals and five assists in 15 games this season, one point shy of his 51-game total last year. “I feel a lot more comfortable out there with the ice-time I’ve been getting and it’s helped my play a lot.”
His charges confident with the seven game burst, the rookie head coach isn’t about to let talk of the streak wade into the minds of the players or in the process boost their egos too much. In fact they’re not talking about it much at all. “Just when I hear it from (former Ice coach) Mark Holick and when he says I’ve got such and such left,” said Knoblauch, referring to Holick’s team-record 14 straight wins set last season. “It feels good and they’re playing well but our record flatters us a bit. Not to take anything away from the guys but we’ve got some weaknesses in our game on the specialty teams. The penalty kill has come a long way but we need to get the power play going to have a complete game.”
Quick Hits – October 19 was a special night for the Reinhart family as the three sons of former NHL’er Paul Reinhart all played in a WHL game in Cranbrook. Max, 18, along with 15-year-old first round draft pick of the Ice Sam, squared off against 16-year-old sibling Griffin who patrols the blueline for the Edmonton Oil Kings as a WHL rookie. The younger Reinhart – who sits second in BC Major Midget league scoring with 22 points in 12 games – scored his first WHL goal and the game-winner in a 4-1 win over the Oil Kings… Kootenay’s seven-game winning streak has occurred despite the club’s injuries woes on the backend. The Ice welcomed back D Brayden McNabb after a shoulder injury kept the 19-year-old Buffalo Sabre draft pick out for eight games but then lost D Hayden Rintoul, 19, to a bruised collarbone and D James Marting, 19, to a broken nose. Both are week-to-week. Forward Brendan Hurley, 17, broke his hand and is out for another five weeks.
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