The Score - Blades put on Ice

The Score – Saskatoon 2 – Kootenay 5 – Ice sweep series 4-0

What Happened – The Blades finally produced that push back everyone was waiting for in this series in the first period and took a 1-0. Before and after that Nathan Lieuwen shut the door, again, and the Fraser-Antilla-Reinhart trio struck again, this time for four goals.

The Turning Point – With the game 1-1 7:43 into the second, Kootenay was clearly taking it to the Blades but Stanford was starting once again to be a tough nut to crack. A shot by Cody Eakin was stopped by Stanford but it went straight up, then down and then onto to Matt Fraser’s stick behind him. All Stanford could do is look to the Rec Plex rafters in disbelief. It just wasn’t meant to be.

The Goals – The Blades finally solved Nathan Lieuwen and got their first lead of the series when Josh Nicholls stabbed a Brent Benson pass behind Lieuwen after Curtis Hamilton laid a good hit on Rintoul to give Benson the puck at the 16:00 minute mark… On the power play to start the second Matt Fraser was in the slot off a feed from McNabb, he found Reinhart on the left dot – he thought back door to Eakin - but instead fired it. With Big Drew Czerwonka in his lap Stanford didn’t see it until it rolled off him and into the net… At the end of the elbowing penalty on Dziurznski Luke Paulsen found Eakin at the right dot. His shot was stopped by Stanford but it went straight up off his stick and down right behind him, where Fraser was skating for the easy tap-in… Another great start to the third saw McNabb fire a failed clearing attempt by the Blades to the net that Stanford stopped only to have the rebound flip up and to the side of him where Reinhart was parked. A little bunt single out of the air made it 3-1… The final nail hit the coffin after a long period without a whistle – and chances both ways – Blade D-man Stefan Elliot tried to thread a needle with a pass from his blueline up the middle. It hit Elgin Pearce’s skate and darted out to Antilla. He dished to Fraser on a two-on-one who used him as a decoy and then wired his second of the night and 10th of the playoffs to make it 4-1. With his hot hand, why wouldn't you shoot?… The Blades made a game of it when Dziurzynski potted his 3rd past Lieuwen but despite a late third period penalty taken by James Martin and a shred of hope, Cody Eakin dashed all of it when he took a blocked clear off Elliot and skated the length of the ice to put his 3rd of the post-season into the empty net to the deafening sound of the Rec Plex crowd.

The Calls – Somebody said to me if Pat Smith is in the stripes tonight it would be brutal. It certainly started that way. Kevin King on the goalie interference call should’ve been a cross-check; Dziurzynski’s elbow on Eakin should’ve been a major in the second; there were a couple more missed ones - both ways - but the Zebras settled down and let the teams decide this one and even missed one on the Ice just prior to Fraser’s eventual game-winner.

The Start – King took an early delay-of-game call that added fuel for the red-hot Blades’ start. Lieuwen answered the bell, stopping Schenn on a point-blank back-door shot. The barrage continued through the first half of the period when he stopped Jake Trask point-blank and did it again, twice, moments later. The Nicholls goal he had little chance on.

Reinhart – The 18-year-old Flames prospect did it all tonight. Two goal; Batting pucks out of the air into the net; back-checking; creating offence, but the best part could’ve easily been a shift late in the first after a penalty kill in which he ragged the puck in the Blades zone for close to 30 seconds. Almost scored too.

The Ice PK – If you’re keeping track, the Blades went 0-16 on the power play in the series. If you’re looking for a reason for the collapse, that’d be a good place to start.

Blades, of Glory? – Some close inspection of Steven Stanford’s mask found a picture of Chaz Micheal Micheals on it, he of the Blades of Glory – Will Farrell fame. Cool.

The Fun Police Part II – Okay, upon further review, I might’ve been a little harsh on the Yellow Jackets last night. When discussing the issue I was reminded of the Tie Domi incident (water bottle squirts; irate fans; fans jumping into penalty box; pummeled fans)..... Point taken. For the record the Blue Man Crew and Leotard Gang were in attendance tonight and should become a fixture of this run.

Here’s to kid in section S who took a puck in the side on a Blade dump-in. The little guy was a little shaken but stayed in the game. Didn’t miss a shift.

The Best Thing about the win - Not having to write Driurzysnki anymore. No offense to the Lloydminster, AB product but that moniker is murder on writers.

The Crowd – 3021 – Just 44 Canuck fans from the night before decided to stay home and watch the start of the NHL Playoffs. They missed a good one.

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. Max Reinhart – Mr. Everything
2. Matt Fraser – The hot hand is tied with Linden Vey for the WHL lead in goal-scoring
3. Nathan Lieuwen – Seriously has something special going. Was stellar all series long and a game star in each.

What it means – For the first time in six long years the Kootenay Ice have got out of the second round and will play in a Conference Final. The last time; ’05 against the Rockets.

Up Next: Either the Tigers or the Rebels. Red Deer staved off elimination tonight with a 1-0 win. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper was a scratch with a lower body injury. Back-up Dawson Guhle got the shutout.

Kootenay wins best-of-seven series 4-0

Blades 2 @ Ice 5

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Saskatoon and the Kootenay Ice; April 13, 2011.

Max Reinhart and Matt Fraser scored two goals each as the Ice held off the Saskatoon Blades for a 5-2 win and a second-round sweep of the Blades to advance to the WHL's Eastern Conference Final in WHL playoff action Wednesday.

The Blades opened the scoring in the first period when Josh Nicholls scored his 3rd of the playoffs to give the Blades a 1-0 lead, their first of the series. Just 1:01 into the second period with the Ice on a power play Max Reinhart fired his 6th of the playoffs through Steve Stanford to tie it at one. Six minutes later Matt Fraser would give the Ice a 2-1 lead with his 9th of the post-season after two periods.
Reinhart would score the eventual game-winner 1:06 into the third period, batting a rebound out of the air to give the Ice a 3-1 lead. Insurance goals by Fraser and an empty-netter by Cody Eakin, wrapped around a late Blade goal by Darian Dziurzynski, made the final 5-2 for the Ice.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 33 of 35 shots to get the win while Steven Stanford stopped 38of 42 shots in taking the loss.

Kootenay now awaits the winner of the Red Deer-Medicine Hat series.

First Period
1. Saskatoon, Nicholls 4 (Benson, Hamilton) 16:00

Penalties -- King Ktn (delay-of-game) 3:11, McNabb Ktn (roughing) 11:35, Zahn Sas (interference) Ismond Ktn Siemens Sas (unsportsmanlike conduct) 19:45.

Second Period
2. Kootenay, Reinhart 6 (McNabb, Fraser) 1:01 (pp)
3. Kootenay, Fraser 9 (Eakin, Paulsen) 7:43

Penalties -- Thrower Sas (kneeing) 1:24, King Ktn (goaltender interference) 3:38, Dziurzynski Sas (elbowing) 5:25.

Third Period
4. Kootenay, Reinhart 7 (McNabb, Fraser) 1:06
5. Kootenay, Fraser 10 (Antilla, Pearce) 8:15
6. Saskatoon, Dziurzynski 3 (Stransky, Benson) 18:15
7. Kootenay, Eakin 3 (McNabb) 18:37 (en) (sh)

Penalties -- Deitz Sas (tripping) 13:50, Martin Ktn (hooking) 18:28.

Shots on goal by:
Kootenay: 14 10 14 - 43
Saskatoon: 15 14 11 - 35

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 8-2); Saskatoon: Steven Stanford (L, 4-6).

Power plays (goals-chances)
Saskatoon: 0-4
Kootenay: 1-4

Referee -- Pat Smith, Derek Zalaski. Linesman -- Chris Carlson, Jeff Jobson

Attendance -- 3021 (4264)

Scratches --
Saskatoon: Tanner Sohn, Levi Bews, Tommy Stipancik.
Kootenay: Adam Rossignol, Brock Montgomery (mono - indefinite)

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman