Was looking to put the highlites up from Game Four but the Warriors, or the league for that matter, have yet to put them up. As you can probably surmise, no highlites in a timely manner is a pet peeve of mine. For tonight's game, if you're a fan - and 2958 came out to see what the fuss was about - you went home satisfied, if with fewer nails on the fingers. She was a beauty at the Plex tonight.
The Score – Moose Jaw 1 – Kootenay 3
What Happened – The goaltenders turned in a stellar effort – as they have most of the series – but the Ice kept shooting and eventually they started going in.
The Turning Point – In the third Kevin King got Cody Eakin the puck and he went one on one with Warrior D-man Kendall McFaull. Eakin delayed slightly to create some room in the high, high slot and wired a big league, 50-foot wrist shot past Heemskerk for the eventual game-winner. That, in a nutshell, is why he was acquired at the trade deadline.
The Goals – After a scoreless first period the game ramped up in the second but the goalies were the show until late in the period after a particularly week call on Warrior forward Antonin Honesjek, the Ice set-up off the face-off and got it back to Max Reinhart on the point – replacing Hayden Rintoul after a lacklustre effort just minutes earlier on a previous PP. Reinhart wired a shot at Heemskerk that went off a defender’s stick - twice - and through the keeper’s legs. Prior to Eakin’s shot it was thought that might be the only way a puck gets by him on this night…. In the third, at the end of a long shift, Brayden McNabb made a great defensive play in his own zone to quell a chance, James Martin then out-letted to Kevin King who rushed and found a streaking Eakin – one-on-one with a Kendall McFaull – his wicked wrist-shot beat Heemskerk to put the Ice up 2-0… After a scrum at the Ice net that sent a couple of Jesse’s off - Ismond and Paradis – Kootenay rushed up the ice on the ensuing four-on-four and didn’t convert. With McNabb caught and the Zebras calling a delayed penalty the Warriors streaked up the ice on a 3-on-1. Quinton Howden – who I think has scored all of his four goals from the same spot in this series – finished off a pretty three-way passing play, that cut the Ice lead to one… Because you never needed those nails on your fingers anyway, Cody Eakin took a late tripping call on the backcheck – a good call – and the Warriors buzzed around on the power play until Joe Antilla caught up to a clearing puck and put his fourth of the series into the empty net. His second into an empty-net and the second time the Ice were shorthanded to end the game with a short-handed goal.
The Goalies - For Lieuwen, his confidence is building and he's getting better with each game. That's a good thing. He had a shutout streak of 116 minutes and four seconds snapped when Howden scored. For Heemskerk, you almost have to feel for him. With the exception of game four, he's giving the Warrior's a chance to win every night. He's faced 183 shots and has two shutouts - and still faces elimination Sunday night.
The Rookie - Gotta think that Morgan Reilly could really be one of the top d-men in this league next season at 17. At 16 he's already close.
The Injuries – D Luke Paulsen is close but likely won’t play unless there’s a game seven… F Drew Czerwonka’s arm in a sling and that left shoulder that’s reported as an upper body injury is likely a separated one. Easy three weeks… Brock Montgomery, who played perhaps his best game of the series in game four, has Mono and is out indefinitely.
The Sickness – In fairness to Rintoul, who took some jabs from the fans after that lacklustre power play right before Reinhart’s goal, the 19-year-old D-man is sick as a dog and well, I’ll let his teammate explain it. “(Rintoul) was pretty sick before the game,” said Reinhart, the game’s first star. “For him to even play tonight, that’s playoff hockey. He wasn’t so much not fitting in (on the previous power play), I just got a lucky deflection and he was pretty sick.” Let’s hope it doesn’t spread in the closed confines of the iron lung that will make it’s way back to the Jaw tomorrow.
The Return - Jesse Ismond returned after the hit by McIlrath in game two that forced him out of two games. He was effective on the fourth unit and then sprinkled in on the top line. Effective and his usually pesty self. Provided grit with Montgomery and Czerwonka out.
The Penalty Shot – When D Brayden McNabb got caught on a pinch the Warriors took off on a two-on-one. Dylan Hood ended up with the puck on his stick and some furious back-checking by Cody Eakin lifted his stick enough to foil the try. Referee Devin Klein then signalled a penalty shot – much to the ill will of the Ice faithful; it was a great backcheck. Hood beat Lieuwen, but not the post to keep the zeros on the board.
The Mistakes – (or lack of them) that was the difference on this night. Besides the odd gaffe – a gift straight up the middle by D John Neibrandt in the second earned him some pine-time – they were few and far between. And when they happened or when the Warriors got the bounce, Lieuwen stopped them, a d-man stopped them, a back-checking forward foiled them or they hit the post, a couple of times.
The Flying Elbow – Dylan McIlrath continued his ways early in the game with a flying elbow to Brendan Hurley, who took it in the jaw. It was sore after the game but just bruised, not broken. Hurley continued his bang and crash ways and played well and took his frustration out at the buzzer when a collision check resulted in Warrior D Joel Edmundson hitting the ice at the same time Hurley’s lumber came down on him. Warrior tough-guy Brett Lyon tried to goad any Ice player into a tussle but no one bothered.
The Schedule – On this night the Ice and Warriors were the only game on the sked. Granted the Cougars, Giants, Silvertips and Oil Kings were all swept, but still strange that a Friday would only have one game.
50/50 - Over 3000 on this night. I'm commenting about it because I was told that the Warriors have one of those new-fangled deals that flashes the amount to the fans as the pot grows. A smaller crowd in Moose Jaw this week saw a fan take home over 5000. Hey, whatever works, right? And if it's working elsewhere (Saskatoon perfected it at the World Juniors last year) it should be here.
The Crowd – 2958 – finally a big (well, big for Cranbrook anyway) playoff crowd with a ton of atmosphere. Painted faces, weird hair-dos, painted drunk (good drunk, though) guys who livened up the crowd with every stoppage. Give those guys tickets to game seven, if necessary. Okay, maybe just some more beer, then some paint-thinner to bleach their skin back.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Max Reinhart – Big goal, lots of chances
2. Thomas Heemskerk – stopped 46 of 48 shots
3. Nathan Lieuwen – another big effort and was stellar when needed, especially in the first.
Honourable Mention(s) – Eakin was all-world on this night at both ends of the ice, goal, assist, crossbar; McNabb was tops and easily played 30-plus minutes.
What it means – Kootenay wins the pivotal game five and now can wrap up the series in Moose Jaw Sunday night.
Up Next: Sunday in Moose Jaw with the Warriors on the brink.
Summary:
Moose Jaw @ Kootenay (WHL) Ice lead the best-of-seven series 3-2
Warriors 1 @ Ice 3
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Kootenay Ice; April 1, 2011
Cody Eakin's goal at 14:04 of the third period stood-up at the game-winner as the Kootenay Ice defeated the Moose Jaw Warriors 3-1 and took a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven WHL Playoff series over the Moose Jaw Warriors Friday night.
After a scoreless opening period Max Reinhart scored on a late power play with a slapshot from the point to give the Ice a 1-0 lead. Eakin scored on a wicked wrist-shot from the slot to give the Ice a 2-0 lead with 5:56 left in the game. Quinton Howden got the Warriors on the board with the teams playing four-on-four when he finished off a pretty three-way passing play for his fourth of the playoffs and a 2-1 Ice lead.
Joe Antilla sealed the win for Kootenay with an empty-netter with 35 seconds left.
Nathan Lieuwen stopped 27 of 28 shots to get the win while Thomas Heemskerk stopped 46 of 48 shots in taking the loss.
First Period
No Scoring.
Penalties -- McIlrath MJ (elbowing) 2:42, Rintoul Ktn (tripping) 3:26, Leach Ktn (tripping) 11:39, Martin Ktn (roughing) 15:07, Hood MJ (tripping) 17:20.
Second Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 2 (King, Eakin) 18:31 (pp)
Penalties -- McFaull MJ (hooking) 6:15, McFaull MJ (interference) 14:50, Honesjek MJ (tripping) 18:27.
Third Period
2. Kootenay, Eakin 2 (King, Martin) 14:04
3. Moose Jaw, Howden 4 (Reilly, Bowman) 15:48
4. Kootenay, Antilla 4 (Leach, Boomer) 19:25 (sh) (en).
Penalties -- Lyon MJ (hooking) 1:15, Ismond Ktn (slashing) 10:18, Ismond Ktn Paradis MJ (roughing) 15:15, Eakin Ktn (tripping) 17:25.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 14 20 15 - 49
Moose Jaw: 13 6 9 - 28
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen; (W, 3-2). Moose Jaw: Thomas Heemskerk (L, 2-3)
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-6
Moose Jaw: 0-5
Dylan Hood MJ Penalty Shot -- 7:40 of first; Missed.
Referee -- Devin Klein, Andy Thiessen. Linesman -- Jeff Jobson, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 2958 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Luke Paulsen (shoulder - day-to-day), Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - indefinite), Brock Montgomery (Mono).
Moose Jaw: Dallas Erhardt, Matt Franczyk, Matt Grant, Cody Beach, Torrin White, Brayden Cuthbert, Tanner Eberle.
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman.
6 comments:
Well, Jeff, well done again. I took a little time and surveyed the empty seats. I may be wrong, but somehow that count of a few short of 3000 doesn't seem right. It looked to me that about 1300 seats were empty which would make attendance of 2950, but there must be at least 100 standing( minimum ) and another 100 plus in the boxes. I could not see into the restaurant so do not know how many in there. Not suggesting a conspiracy here, but??????
A litte tooooo much analyzing the seat count, no? A good gauge is the 50/50 at over $3000. About a dollar payout for every patron.... But really, just enjoy it. Great game, great atmosphere, great crowd....
Does anybody know what the new 15 yr lease between the Ice and the City says regarding an out clause? Is it even possible for the Ice to leave?
Do a Freedom of Information request to City Hall. You may get some info but important issues will likely be redacted. Give it a try.
As I recall in an article when the lease was first signed there is no out clause in this lease. Even so, that doesn't mean people should just not go because there isn't one. Its the team that suffers if that's the case. I sure hope our team finishes this round tomorrow. Go Ice Go!
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