Ice edge Broncos in Shootout

The Score – Swift Current 4 – Kootenay 5

What Happened – The Ice built up a 3-1 lead only to watch it evaporate into a 4-3 deficit late in the third. The hot hand of Elgin Pearce got them back into it and then won it in the shootout.

The Turning Point – After a listless start to the third it took the Ice to go down a goal to play with some urgency. They were rewarded with Pearce’s third goal and second WHL hat-trick.

The Goals – Off a neutral zone turnover – a theme on this night with the two clubs in deep on the 1-2-2 trap for at least the first half of the game – Elgin Pearce finished off a short 2-on-1 as his shot squeaked through Groenhyde’s legs to make it 1-0… Pearce’s goal prowess continued when he potted his 13th of the season with the Ice on a power play to start the second. Dylan McKinlay dug the puck out from behind the net and found Pearce, who tucked it in the corner of the net for a 2-0 Ice lead… The Broncos halved the lead when Lowry sent a shot on Lieuwen off the left wing and the rebound came right out to a hard driving Colby Cave. He lifted over Lieuwen for his 5th of the season… Sam Reinhart restored the two goal lead two minutes later when he made a brilliant inside-out move and broke in alone on Groenhyde. He roofed his 10th of the season to make it 3-1. That one will make the WHL’s highlight reel… The wheels started to come off in third when D John Neibrandt took a tripping penalty that he and about 2700 others didn’t agree with. With the man-advantage Richard Nedomlel sent a screened wrist shot that beat Lieuwen to make it 3-2… The Broncos climbed back into the game on a 3-on-2 in which Gordon sent a shot along the ice that beat Lieuwen five-hole in a goal he most definitely wanted back… The Broncos took the lead with nine minutes left in the game when the Ice couldn’t get the puck – after about four tries – out of the zone and Coda Gordon found himself wide-open in front of Lieuwen. He stopped that shot with a great toe save but leaving the Broncos’ leading scorer Tayler Vause wide-open to pot the rebound. 4-3 Broncos… Kootenay finally turned the game back on when Levi Cable started a good forecheck and Dylan McKinlay sent a great pass to a wide-open Elgin Pearce. He ripped his hat-trick goal past Groenhyde to tie it… In the shootout Pearce continued with the hot-hand and fired a laser past Groenhyde, the only goal in the shootout.

The Injury Part I – On a strong backcheck Ice captain – yes, he is the captain – Drew Czerwonka spun out into the end boards and came up with his shoulder clearly looking out of its socket.

The Injury Part II - With both Mike Simpson and Jeff Hubic scratched Joe Antilla played D on this night. After clearing the puck back into the zone Antilla was hit by Bronco tough guy Andy Blanke. It wasn’t a brutal hit but enough that Antilla suffered a suspected Charlie Horse/leg injury and didn’t return.

The Injury - Part III – With a burst of speed Max Reinhart drove the net hard in the second period. With the Bronco defender on him Reinhart fell into the side of the net and his right ankle/knee seemed to fold up underneath him. He left in considerable discomfort.

The Good News – Czerwonka was able to pop things back into place and returned to play.

The Bad News – Both Antilla and Reinhart didn’t return however I was told that both will be fine and will return following the Christmas break.

The Save(s) – In the second period with the Broncos on the power play Lieuwen made three extraordinary saves to keep the Ice up two goals. He stopped Adam Lowry three times from close range.

No Christmas spirit – These two teams turned a defensive, trapped-up game into an end-to-end goal fest, which turned into an entertaining hockey game. They also don’t seem to like each other all that much.

The Trade - The Cody Eakin trade was evident last night for the visitors but not a dominant as one might've thought. 17-year-old F Colby Cave, the former Ice first round pick, notched a goal and has grown. The 6-foot, 180-pounder doesn't turn 17 until Boxing Day; Christian Magnus, 19, was used mostly in a 3rd-line role; F Jarret Zentner, F Ryan Bloom and G Steven Myland all were released by the Broncos but are still in the system while two of the draft picks in the deal could debut next year - D Zack Gonek, used with the 13th overall pick the Ice got from the Giants in the David Musil deal, is pegged as a can't miss prospect and F Calvin Leth was selected with the 2nd round pick. The Broncos still have a 3rd rounder to use this year.

The retribution – It took awhile but somebody finally stepped up after the Antilla hit when Spencer Wand traded blows with Blanke. It was a spirited bout, with Wand taking more than he was giving, but at least the 16-year-old stood up to the plate. He gave away three years and 25 pounds but showed up.

The Rookies – The club will see its rookie class head to the U-17 tournament in Windsor until the first week of January. Sam Reinhart, Spencer Wand, Jaedon Descheneau and Jonothan Martin will play for Team Pacific and Team Western at the tournament.

The Euro - Nothing to do with this game but F Alex Kuvaev, who was listed by the Ice last summer before being dropped when he signed a pro deal in his native Russia, has agreed to join the Vancouver Giants after the break. Kuvaev played with the Lethbridge Hurricanes last season, scoring 11 goals and 13 assists.

The Crowd – 2712

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. C Elgin Pearce – Hat-trick; shootout winner
2. LW Coda Gordon – goal, assist
3. RW Dylan McKinley – Set up game-saver

What it means – The Ice improve to 21-9-1-2 and 45 points; 3rd in the Eastern Conference, two back of the Oil Kings

Up Next: The Christmas break. The club returns to the ice at home when the surging Hurricanes pay a visit December 27

Summary:

Broncos 4 @ Ice 5 (SO)

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Swift Current Broncos and the Kootenay Ice; December 16, 2011

Elgin Pearce scored three goals and added the shootout game-winner as the Kootenay Ice edged the Swift Current Broncos 5-4 in WHL action Friday.

The Ice held period leads of 2-0 and 3-1 on Pearce's 12th and 13th goals along with a beauty by Sam Reinhart with his 10th of the season in the second period to make 3-1 after two.

The Broncos stormed back in the third period with three straight goals by Richard Nedomlel, Coda Gordon and Taylor Vause to take a 4-3 lead with nine minutes left in the game. With less than three minutes to play Dylan McKinlay sent a great pass to a wide-open Pearce who buried his 14th of the season and finished off the hat-trick to send the game into overtime and a shootout. Pearce would be the only goal-scorer in the shootout, ripping a wrist-shot high on the stick side of Jon Groenhyde to give the Ice the win

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 28 of 32 shots to get the win while Groenhyde stopped 35 of 39 to take the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Pearce 12 (Hurley) 12:32

Penalties -- Vause SC (tripping) 7:37, Paulsen Ktn (tripping) 15:40, Fleming SC (cross-checking) 19:42.

Second Period
2. Kootenay, Pearce 13 (McKinlay) 0:15 (pp)
3. Swift Current, Cave 5 (Lowry, Hoban) 13:37
4. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 10 (Wand, Paulsen) 15:37

Penalties -- Antilla Ktn (high-sticking) 0:55, Czerwonka Ktn (slashing) 4:07, Ismond Ktn (slashing) 6:11.

Third Period
5. Swift Current, Nedomiel 4 (Gordon, Scarlett) 2:58 (pp)
6. Swift Current, Gordon 14 (Vause) 8:31
7. Swift Current, Vause 21 (Gordon, Scarlett) 10:59
8. Kootenay, Pearce 14 (McKinlay) 17:03

Penalties -- Wand Ktn Blanke SC (fighting) 1:28, Neibrandt Ktn (tripping) 2:27, Scarlett SC (high-sticking) 4:09.

Overtime

No Scoring.

Penalties -- None.

Shootout - Kootenay wins 1-0

Kootenay: Pearce (goal), Ismond (miss), S.Reinhart (stopped).
Swift Current: Cave (miss), Gordon (stopped), Vause (stopped).

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 15 9 12 3 - 39
Swift Current: 9 12 9 2 - 32

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 16-8-1-2); Swift Current: Jon Groenhyde: (L, 11-11-1-3)

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-3
Swift Current: 1-5

Referee -- Tyler Adair, Ryan Bonnett. Linesman -- Steve Cochrane, Ian Shaver

Attendance -- 2712 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Mike Simpson, Erik Benoit, Jeff Hubic.
Swift Current: Jordan Evans, Graeme Craig, Shea Howorko.