Missing two grinders out of the line-up in Drew Czerwonka (it appears to be a left shoulder - but the standard playoff 'upper body' injury is the official line) and Jesse Ismond (concussion), the Kootenay Ice tied their quarter-final best-of-seven series with the Warriors at two tonight with a 5-0 win.
Joe Antilla notched two goals and added an assists and leading the club in scoring (tied with McNabb and Fraser with four points)
Cody Eakin finally got his first goal of these 2011 playoffs;
Nathan Lieuwen stopped all 25 shots he faced - that'll help the save percentage - oh and again, another reminder, DO NOT result to name-calling on the comments section. If you're choked with the goaltending or whatever, fine, but please refrain from name-calling. I like the comments section because it usually generates some good chatter but ixnay on the bad-mouthin.
You gotta love the prize-fight hay-makers being thrown by the two former teammates in Lieuwen and Heemskerk. Pitched three shut-outs in the series between the two. How bad do they want this.
Kootenay comes out with a stellar effort to regain home-ice advantage and climb back into this series. A much better outing than this one 24 hours earlier.
Matt Coxford has yesterday's gamer here.
On the Chilliwack front things heated up again today when Sam Consentino told The Pipeline Show that the Bruins' move to Victoria is a done deal.
CKNW in Vancouver has four sources indicating the deal is done and of course the accompanying Nanaimo rumours are starting to fly now too but they are at this point just rumours.
Among the various reports was Moray Keith, minority owner of the Bruins, soliciting two teams to relocate to Chilliwack if the Bruins move. Prince George being one and, of course, Kootenay being the other.
Ice fans are taking a beating on the various chat boards about the lack of attendance - under 2500 for the first two games of the series - and most are saying it should be the Ice or Cougars moving and not the Bruins. If you can make it Friday, do so.
Discuss....
12 comments:
Great game by Lieuwen, saw him play as a triple A Bantam as he singlehandedly won the Provincials for his Abbotsford team, they were outshot 59-13 in the final and won! Great kid, awesome goalie!
I think tonight was the turning point for round one. Lieuwin is getting on a roll, Eakin started opening the flood gates, etc. Game 5 Friday night, time to pack the Recplex and show these guys our support! They've busted their butts for this.
And let's show the rest of the WHL that we actually deserve to have a team here in Cranbrook, as we've been getting beaten up everywhere on the Internet about not deserving a WHL team because of attendance. Let's quit jacking around and get the Memorial Cup back to this city.
I feel like I'm beating a dead horse trying to get people in this so called hockey town motivated to start supporting this team. The problem is everyone is so complacent because of this new lease as if that solved everything. What happened to the love affair this town had with this team not so many years ago? Are we going to be left scratching our heads and wondering what happened when the our team takes a bus out of town never to return? Come on Cranbrook. Where is your community spirit? This cannot be the same town that finished third in the Hockeyville contest last year. I'm sick of excuses. Poor management; no marketing; unfriendly front office; lack of entertainment; too expensive; ugly color of paint on the walls; music too loud; music too low - have I missed anything? Do any of these excuses sound like the one you use? I am a season ticket holder and have not missed a single game. Soon, season tickets will go on sale for next season, that is unless of course the rumours I hear are true and our team gets sold. The early bird price goes until the end of May normally. If you get season tickets you end up paying only $11.00 per game. Tell me where you can go for three hours of entertainment and social value for $11.00. Some say they can't afford to pay - another non feasible excuse. The Kootenay Ice have a power payment plan where you can make monthly payments for your season tickets. "I can't go to all the games". How about going halfers with someone you know that can't go to all the games either. Or, how about giving those unused season tickets to someones else and they can attend any regular season game for $8.00. There is another excuse down the drain. So, will you be there this Friday to support our team? Will you think about getting season tickets next season and hey, how about spreading the word to friends and family about the power payment plan and explaining it only costs $11.00 a game if you get season tickets. Come on already Cranbrook. I know we have it in us to make the second smallest market in the WHL the most successful market in the WHL. This isn't my team or your team; this is OUR team. Let's prove it. GO ICE GO!
Hopefully Kootenay isn't moving to Chilliwack, as The Ice and PG Cougars owners have been approached by Chilliwack minority owners to move to Chilliwack. As some commenters have said before that the Ice owner says the team isn't for sale, you don't have to sell the team in order to move it.
Everyone also uses the comment "the Neidermayers will never let the team move" has to give their head a shake. A perfect example is the one out of Chilliwack. The minority owners didn't/don't want the team to leave. When is the last time you've seen any of the Niedermayers associating with this team? Fan/community support is king. I don't really think they give a shit if the Ice stay in Kootenay or move to wherever.
I have to agree with Cups comments generally. However, there are some other issues that have not been disected on this blog.
I recall a few years ago the number of fans from other clubs showing up to cheer their clubs. Especially, Lethbridge, Calgary and Spokane. As I attend all games I have noticed absence of these fans.
The business community has done a lot to support this club. A local lawyer spent hours and hours promoting the Ice club, probably at his own expense and time. I wonder if he got a big Thank You from the powers to be.
This is a small community with a small fan base. We lost 1,000 fans somewhere so why, where did they go??
No excuses for not being at the games. However, when I dine out, buy groceries, buy fuel, if the staff growls at me and management ignores me, do I go back??? Not likely. Let us all take a deep breath and approach this with some common sense. It is not always the fans who should shoulder all the blame.
I agree about the fans not taking all the blame it's a two way street..But to make money you would think JC would spend a bit to promote promote promote...I will leave it at that...
We as Kootenay Ice fans now need to get the fans in here for Fridays game...
I have e-mailed the radio station letting them know of the situation in Chilliwack and the minority owners approaching the ICE and Cougs about a potential move....Maybe they will get it out there this is a reality OUR ICE may or could possibly move...
The only way to put this to rest is have a great crowd....
No matter what issues piss people off being promotion, music etc etc the ones being punished are the players....They have worked their asses off and despite the issues it's about the "TEAM" and not the rest of the BS...
Remember this is "OUR" team...This is a great thing we have here and if it's gone what do we have? Absolutely NOTHING.....
An empty building with millions of dollars oweing and possibly the best thing this city has ever had...I hope people realize this before its too late.....
Kootenay Ice Season ticket holder for the past 10 years....oh ya...
GO ICE GO
Will I must admitt after game three, I was folding the tent, waving the white flag and starting to rationalize why next year would be better-especially with Ismond and Czerwonka out of the lineup. I am so glad the coaching staff and players didn't take that approach.
Game 4 was probably the most complete game the ICE has played all year; every player made a contribution to the win.
In fact, in wake of some of the "outcoached" commits showing up here; I would say Kudos to Coach Knoblauch and his staff because what ever he said in his post game speech/buttons he pushed after game 3 certainly worked and there's no doubt that these kids want to play for him. We took the body, slowed down the neutral zone, controlled the haft boards, quickly filled the lanes and the "D" moved the puck exceptionally well-Kinda like we took a page right out of the Warrier playbook.
Lieuwan "The Lionheart" was awesome and saw beach balls coming his way all night-gave a renewed since of comfidence to the entire team.
Again, I must admitt when I saw Hurley, Benoit and Montegomery line up against Howden's line, I said to myself, "WTF, why don't we just spot them a couple of goals" and by games end I'm thinking they may have comtributed more to the overall win then any other line, even though they didn't score. Hurley was a uber-pest and bounced everything that moved-not much fun to play against.
Benoit was relentless on the forcheck and maintained constant puck pressure. Montegomery, shift after shift sanded the entire line to the point where their compete level became very dull.
The go too forwards Eakin, Fraser, Reinhart, King and Antilla stepped it up and showed why some day they will all be Pro's.
The "D" played outstanding-McNabb "The Rock" had a flawless game and did everything humanly possible to get the win.
Niebrant "The Hammer" said, "No,no Mr. Korneilson not on my watch".Boom! Boom!
Rintoul moved the puck like a quarterback and Leach, Martin and Dirk shut down any glimmer of hope the Warrier's had.
And to Pearce and Rossignol-Great job!
Now to the City of Cranbrook, "lets believe" lets amplify the message that was sent by the Ice in the Crashed Can yesterday. Lets come out-fill the seats-be loud and show MJ they will not get no energy in our building.
Again, thanks players!!!
Happy, happy Fan
In my sound off yesterday, I totally missed Boomer; He is definitely one of the "Horses" I meant to include in the "Go too guys"....He was great as well.
Tell your friends to come to the game tonite let's have a great crowd...GO ICE GO GO ICE GO
Anybody know how the power payment plan works or how it's structured?
Anonymous, I'm not 100% sure how the power payment plan works as I've never used it to pay for my season tickets, but I will find out as soon as I can and will post in this blog if that helps. Or you can inquire at the ICE office once season tickets go on sale. I will still post what I find out on this blog.
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