Make no bones about it, tonight's game at the Rec Plex against the Moose Jaw Warriors is for setting the stage.
Or at least it should be.
The Kootenay Ice limped home Sunday morning from Prince Albert with two points in their pocket and at least some semblance of salvage following a 9-2 drubbing Friday in Toon town against the Blades and a less-than-stellar outing two nights earlier in a 4-0 shutout loss to the red-hot Wheat Kings.
The two points should be little consolation from a road trip that should've established the club on firm footing with six games to play before the real season starts. Then again, maybe it did.
The Cody Eakin - the where will we put him now saga - continued Saturday night as the red-headed phenom now finds himself on the wing with Matt Fraser and Max Reinhart. Matt Coxford of the Townsman has a story on the subject here. It's been a subject for debate since Eakin was acquired at the deadline, giving the club five natural centres looking to convert one to the wing. With only two right-handed shooters - both of them natural centres in Pearce and Boomer - in the top nine forwards finding chemistry with the right numbers is still proving difficult. And time is of the essence.
One has to think catching the Tigers for third in the conference is all but a pipe dream now. The Hat has six games left like the Ice but three of those are against the Hitmen, with the other three being Lethbridge, RD and Kootenay. Long-shot scenario is that the Tigers roll over the Hitmen but stumble against the Ice and the Rebels and split one way or the other with the Hurricanes. Kootenay has to run five of six in their remaining games including winning over the Tigers, Warriors (tonite), Broncos, Canes (twice) and Spokane. There's roome for one loss at best for the Ice in their last six to have any hope of third. Kootenay holds the season series tie-breaker with the Tigers with seven points, which is the second tie-breaker after wins. Best MH can get is six between the two.
I still say third is a better goal due to the playoff opponents. I'd much rather take my chances in the first round with Edmonton (obviously) or more likely Brandon than have the better chance of facing Saskatoon in the second round.
On the health front the Ice won't get D Luke Paulsen back from a shoulder injury until sometime in the second round of the playoffs, providing they get that far. Forward Brock Montgomery is still a week away at least with a hip injury.
Curious with all the relocation talk if it will have any affect on the crowds here. There's been a ton of coverage all over the map but not a lot of chatter around here.
4 comments:
What are we as fans suppossed to say...We love the ICE... Want JC to promote the team which he doesnt seem to want to....
Gets tiring have a loaded gun pointed to your head day after day about attendance....
I thought all this crap was over with, about relocation after the 15yr lease was signed...
Heres to a hopefully long playoff run....I hope the fans fill the plex despite JC....I'd love to fill the plex and then complain how "AWEFULL" JC is and not wanting to promote...
GO ICE GO
And all your blabbering Bromley is doing a lot to help fill the seats. When they leave you could be out of a job unless of course you think the Ed's will stay here long term. I bet they dont average over 500 people a game and they will be gone in a couple of years. This city takes this team for granted, we all know this but it's the people that dont come to games that need to know this. All the excuses about the music is pathetic and the HST isn't helping but this is a really good thing. The players like the city, and now this city needs to like its team. Lower ticket prices and get a better marketing scheme and give out little schedules to all the local business. Sorry for ranting but this team can not move!!
Somehing that doesn't encourage fans to attend the game is the radio broadcast...with constant negativity from the color guy...repeatedly saying how the crowd isn't good...these are two things that really wouldn't make you want to drive to be at that game. The announcers should show excitement about their team on the radio so if I was listening and had nothing to do...I would go!!!
There was quite the crowd up top in the Manager/Owners standing area tonight. Does this mean something? Also it looks as though Chilliwack isn't moving. But Victoria is getting a team next year. Things are getting fishy.
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