The Score – Red Deer 2 – Kootenay 3
What Happened – The Ice bent a times but they didn’t break and when they got their chances they buried them.
The Turning Point – As the Rebels did a lot on this night, they’d carried the play but had nothing to show for it. 13 minutes into the second period, after a long stint in the Ice zone Jon Martin started in a forecheck. Jesse Ismond jumped off the bench and intercepted a clear along the wall before firing a great pass to Martin for the tap-in and the eventual game-winner.
The Goals – After carrying the play for the first five minutes of the game the Ice came alive or more accurately, the Sam-Antilla-Pearce line did. After winning the battle in the corner Sam emerged with the puck and pushed across the Rebel net. Goaltender Patrik Bartosak stopped the first two attempts and as he was running out of net to shoot at, Sam lifted a backhand over the Rebel netminder to make it 1-0… Their next shift two minutes later, this time in the other corner, Joe Antilla fished out the puck and sent a laser of a pass to a wide open Elgin Pearce in the slot. His wrist-shot made it 2-0 for his 4th goal of the season… In the second, after a particularly ineffective power play opportunity and an even worse shift by the club’s fourth unit, Jon Martin missed a breakaway pass but got in on the forecheck. The Rebels tried to clear only to have Jesse Ismond catch it on the wall and send a great pass to Martin on the doorstep. He potted his first WHL goal to make it 3-0… The Rebels got that one back and got on the board three minutes later when Jagger Dirk forced one up the middle in his own zone. Bad idea as it was intercepted by Matt Dumba 15 feet in front of the Ice net. Lieuwen stopped the first attempt with a great save but couldn’t get the rebound as it was backhanded past him to make it 3-1… In the third with just over three minutes left the Rebels, on a delayed Ice penalty, Dumba intercepted a Paulsen clear – it should’ve been blown dead – and the 17-year-old D-man made two moves and then found Daulton Siwak at the back door. He wristed his 3rd of the season into the open net. 3-2. With about five seconds left Dumba had a glorious chance to tie it but the puck rolled on him and he ripped it wide.
The Line – The best trio on this night Joe Antilla, Elgin Pearce and Sam Reinhart, with the latter on the right wing, found some real chemistry. They found the back of the net too.
The Goaltender – It looked like it might be another one of those nights where the goalies hog the entire spotlight by stopping everything. Bartosak, a rookie import who trails Lieuwen in the stats department but not by much, looked sharp early.
The Top Ten? – Okay, it’s early in the season and to be honest, it’s tough to put a lot of stock in the CHL Top Ten rankings when it’s done by three NHL scouts who don’t see all the teams play, but at one point questions are going to be asked why the Ice aren’t there. They did score an honourable mention, for what it’s worth. See the full rankings here
The Home Stretch – Due to the World Cup of Curling taking over the Rec Plex from November 30-December 4, and the subsequent days before and after to turn the ice into curling ice, the club will be on a 9-game road trip from November 14 thru to December 8. Prior to that tonight’s game was the first of a 7-game home stand. On home ice Kootenay is 7-1 this season.
The Stinger – Playing perhaps his best game of the season, F Joe Antilla took a Alex Petrovic point shot off his left foot on the first shift of the third period. He walked it off and didn’t miss a shift.
No Nuge – Listed on the roster as a scratch, given his debut with the NHL’s Oilers through 8 games – 5 goals, 3 assists and a +4 and averaging over 13 minutes a game - he’ll be a permanent scratch by Friday night when he plays his 10th NHL game and the first year of the contract kicks in. He ain’t coming back.
Upset at the Zebras – After an exchange with linesman Chris Carlson over what he thought was a blown icing call later in the game, Coach K wasn’t thrilled with the non-call on the Rebels late second-goal which came on a delayed penalty. Ice D Luke Paulsen cleared it – right to Matt Dumba – but it should’ve been blown dead on the Ice possession; and he gave referee Ryan Bonnett an earful. Well, and earful for the mild mannered coach.
The Crowd – 2538
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Elgin Pearce – goal, assist; line was dangerous all night
2. Brock Montgomery - Solid
3. Matt Dumba – two assists, coming to the World Junior team this Christmas
Honourable Mention – Another solid but not flashy night by D John Niebrandt, who was +3.
What it means – The Ice improve to 10-3-0-2 and 22 points on the season. Good for first place in the Central Division; Eastern Conference and the WHL.
Up Next: Ty Rattie and the Portland Winterhawks are here Saturday night.
Game Summary:
Rebels 2 @ Ice 3
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Red Deer Rebels and the Kootenay Ice; October 26, 2011
Elgin Pearce had a goal and an assist as the Kootenay Ice edged the Red Deer Rebels 3-2 in WHL action Wednesday.
Sam Reinhart opened the scoring for the Ice in the first period with a backhand over Rebel goaltender Patrick Bartosak to make it 1-0. Pearce made it 2-0 two minutes later with a wrist shot from the slot. In the second the Ice went up 3-0 when Jon Martin scored his first-ever WHL goal, a tap-in off a feed from Jesse Ismond.
The Rebels chipped away at the Ice lead when Mason Burr got the Rebels on the board late in the second with his first of the season. Red Deer scored late when Matt Dumba found Daulton Siwak at the side of the net to make it 3-2.
Nathan Lieuwen stopped 29 of 31 shots to get the win while Bartosak stopped 27 of 30 shots in taking the loss.
First Period
1. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 4 (Pearce, Antilla) 9:30
2. Kootenay, Pearce 4 (Antilla, S. Reinhart) 11:33
Penalties -- Dirk Ktn (tripping) 12:08, Muller RD (tripping) 14:32, Cowen RD (interference) 17:56.
Second Period
3. Kootenay, Martin 1 (Descheneau, Ismond) 13:55
4. Red Deer, Burr 1 (Dumba) 16:51
Penalties -- Ismond Ktn (tripping) 1:06, Dirk Ktn Hamilton RD (roughing) Cowen RD (slashing) 10:52.
Third Period
5. Red Deer, Siwak 3 (Dumba) 16:54
Penalties -- None.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 15 7 8 - 30
Red Deer: 7 11 13 - 31
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 8-2-0-2); Red Deer: Patrick Bartosak (L, 8-3).
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-3
Red Deer: 0-2
Referee -- Ryan Bonnett, Jonathan Stephenson. Linesman -- Chris Carlson, Jim Maniago.
Attendance -- 2538 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Jeff Hubic, Levi Cable, Brendan Hurley (knee - 4-8 weeks)
Red Deer: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Brooks Maxwell, Cody Thiel, Marc McCoy.
3 comments:
Why is it that EVERY team website in the WHL, except the ICE of course, has an active link to purchase team merchandise & yet we are still without? Is there somewhere I can go to see a larger and better selection of ICE gear than that offered at the golf place in the plex?
You might be out of luck. I think the store in the Rec Plex has the exclusive rights to Ice merchandise.
Best to ask at the Ice office.
I agree, as well when you go to their rinks they have a great supply of items to purchase. With us winning the league and even if not, there should be more clothing than what is available. Hard to find a Christmas gift as not much to choose from, someone should talk to them about that if they have the rights or get that changed.
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