In what I termed a litmus test for the early version of the 2011-12 Ice came up as a pass last night although the Ice fell to the Tigers 2-1 at the Medicine Hat Arena.
The Tigers came out claws up as the home side dominated in the first period. Rookie import D Patrik Parkkonen took the high feed on a 3-on-2 and beat Nathan Lieuwen six minutes into the game on a great shot for a 1-0 Tiger lead. The league's leading scorer, Emerson Etem, made it 2-0 on the power play when he got Lieuwen going the other direction and put a wrister into the net for his 14th of the year. Playing on the same line as Etem is Tiger forward Hunter Shinkaruk, who didn't reach the scoresheet last night but was just as dangerous. IMO, I think he's one of the top 17-year-old's in the WHL but doesn't get a lot of ink NHL Draft-wise. He's got a late birthday and is eligible for the 2013 NHL Draft. The little guy in the Calgary Hitmen pre-game in the award-winning picture is Shinkaruk.
In the second the Ice came to life and pushed back hard on the Tigers. A big hit in the Tigers zone by Ice D Jeff Hubic on F Boston Leier turned the tide for the Ice after Jayden Hart took exception and drew an instigator in the ensuing fight. On the power play a shot from Joey Leach trickled through Bunz to make it 2-1. The goal was originally credited to Leach from Max but then changed to Ismond from Leach and Czerwonka.
After four games in five nights, not a bad result against the Tigers. Save for the 6-1 blemish last week against the Oil Kings, the Ice, having played all Central Division teams, should compete for the Division title with the Tigers, Oil Kings and Rebels. If the latter get RNH back, then they'll have the edge but I don't think he's coming back from the NHL's Oilers.
Ice scratches were F Brendan Hurley (knee - one month), D Luke Paulsen (bruised knee - day-to-day) and F Dylen McKinlay (leg - day-to-day). McKinlay should play Saturday against the Moose Jaw Warriors at the Rec Plex and Paulsen could be a game-time decision as Coach K on the broadcast indicated there was no ligament damage.
His replacement however, D Jeff Hubic, is clearly making a name for himself early into the season. Though it was a dash-1 last night the hit and subsequent fight turned the game around and lit a fire under his teammates.
But it's the neutral zone hits that he's clearly becoming proficient at. Here's the hit from last night that turned things around for the Ice. Here and here are two more examples of his hitting prowess. He's also becoming a pretty good fighter due to the unwritten rule of not being able to hit someone with a clean bodycheck in today's hockey without having to fight. But it's clear he's making a case to stay in the line-up every night with that kind of presence from the 6'2" 180lb rearguard. Hart's his own age but Weller and Roach are tough customers and older than the 17-year-old Hubic.
The highlites of the game are here.
Sean Rooney, a former Sports Editor at the Townsman, has the story for the Medicine Hat News here.
With the kids getting into the lineup on a regular basis - D Hubic, D Simpson, D Wand as well as forwards Levi Cable, Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Deschaneau, G Mackenzie Skapski and Jon Martin - throw in Colin Shirley, Luke Philp and Jesse Wood-Schatz - the discussion of projecting this line-up two-three years down the road and a real idea of another contender popped up. Not that they won't contend this season but with the time these kids are eating up now, how will they look when they're not so wet behind the ears? Hey, it's Junior Hockey and you're always looking forward, right?
The Moose Jaw Warriors - Quinton Howden, Morgan Reilly, Dylan McIlrath et al are up next at the Rec Plex Saturday and are yet another team that fell to the Ice in the long march to the championship last spring. Yes, they'll be motivated. Gametime 7PM
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