Tiffany at the Ice office asked me to pass this along to Ice fans who want to book seats for the finals.
Season Ticket Holders that purchased their eight game playoff package can come in and book their two game playoff package for the next round now! Their seats will be held until Tuesday at 5:00 pm.
Though the league hasn't released the dates for the WHL finals as of yet it'll likely follow the same pattern it has for the first three rounds, meaning Kootenay will host games three and four (because either Spokane or Portland, who both finished ahead of Kootenay in the regular season, will have home ice) on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10 and 11.
But be aware that the buildings in both Portland and Spokane may have conflicts with the traditional days (Fri,Sat for Games one and two), which might push back Kootenay's dates.
Stayed tuned....
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The Score - Ice Sweep Tigers
The Score – Medicine Hat 2 – Kootenay 7
What Happened – Max Reinhart didn’t score on his first chance 16 seconds into the game but he made up for it, in a big, big way. The Tigers didn’t have an answer.
The Turning Point – Not to put to fine a point on it but really, the drop of the puck, the Tigers were never in this one.
The Goals – 6:20 into the game Max Reinhart rushed down the right wing and sent a wrist-shot to Bunz. The puck squeaked through him and stopped right behind him, just this side of the goal-line. As the shrieks of a few fans in the south end of the Plex rattled, Reinhart continued around the net and tucked in his 10th… After a great pick-off of Vey’s pass in the slot, McNabb sent Joe Antilla away on a partial 3-on-1. Dragging the defender to him he set Reinhart up for the one-timer. He buried from 10-feet. 2-0 Ice… Just over two minutes later some great work down low by Antilla and Fraser somehow left Reinhart – yes, he of the already two goals on the evening – wide open. He put the natural hat-trick goal past Bunz low stick-side for a 3-0 lead just 13 minutes into the game… The Tigers finally pushed back when Kellan Tochkin fired a lazy wrist-shot that Lieuwen just missed. 3-1 Ice… With just over a minute remaining in the period Kevin King dove at a loose puck and sent it on net. The rebound popped out right to a streaking Eakin. He doesn’t miss those. 4-1 Ice… In the second the Tigers played like they weren’t going to go quietly and didn’t, Cole Grbavac, fresh off his two-game suspension, was found wide open by Wacey Hamilton at the side of the Ice net. He slapped in his 10th of the post-season, just past Lieuwen’s glove… The push back didn’t last long however when Hayden Rintoul fired a shot from the point that Bunz stopped but the rebound came out about six inches, enough for Eakin to roof his second of the night for a 5-2 lead. The Tigers deflated… The scoring duel continued when Matt Fraser sent Reinhart away on a short-handed breakaway, he tucked it between Dubyk’s bright orange pads, his first shot of the night, Reinharts four goal of the night… In the third Reinhart started running away with things. Killing a penalty after a melee started by Jesse Ismond in front of Nathan Lieuwen, or rather, on top of him, Matt Fraser started a two-on-two back the other way and sent a perfect pass to a streaking Reinhart, in alone from the blueline. He backhanded his 5th of the night, second short-handed and 14th of the playoffs, tying a record in the process.
The Start– 16 seconds in Matt Fraser and Max Reinhart had a two-man breakaway. Bunz stopped Reinhart. Five goals later, it certainly wasn’t a sign of things to come.
The goalies – The normally steady Bunz was shell-shocked on this night. Eakin’s second of the night mercifully chased him from the nets after surrendering 5 goals on 15 shots. Deven Dubyk didn’t fair much better. His first shot on a short-handed breakaway went through his legs.
The Record(s) – Reinhart’s five goals were easily an Ice team record (many held the four-goal mark) but the fifth tied a WHL record held by three other players – Dave Chartier, Dave Kryskow and current Spokane Chief coach Don Nachbaur – it was last done by Chartier in 1981.
MIA – Save for the goal in game three, WHL leading point-getter in both the regular season and the playoffs Linden Vey and Emerson Etem, second in the playoff category until tonight, were both non-factors in both games. Both were dash-four on this night and spent a good chunk of time on the bench in the third.
The 50/50 – $4900 – Steve from Sparwood went home a happy camper.
The Fights – A couple of tussles late in the third. Konan and Pearce finally went after jarring at each other for about three minutes and then at the same time McNabb and Etem went at it. Give the Tigers the decisions on the fisticuffs, it was about the only thing they showed up for. Following the melee a team dentist was summoned to the Ice dressing room. Somebody lost a chiclet.
The Tweets – Tweeted by another former Ice captain, Steve Da Silva just after the win; “Congrats to the Kootenay Ice on getting to the WHL final, I’ll take a case.”
The Infirmary – With F Brock Montgomery still out with Mono, Steele Boomer out with a concussion and Drew Czerwonka with a stiff neck, Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch said that all three veterans will be available for the championship series.
Old Guard - It was a tough couple of weeks for Ice former coaches. First Cory Clouston and assistant Brad Lauer were let go in Ottawa and this week the Calgary Flames announced that they weren't renewing the contract of assistant Ryan McGill. Clouton, unofficially I'm told, was helping his brother Shaun Clouston breaking down film for the Ice/Tigers series.
The Crowd – 3474 – two off the season high. The difference? About 500 Canucks fans.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. C Max Reinhart – Five goals, tied a 30-year-old WHL record.
2. RW Matt Fraser – Three helpers
3. C Cody Eakin – Two goals, Series MVP
What it means – Kootenay will get another nine-day rest. The Championship series likely won’t start until May 6 on the road.
Up Next: Portland or Spokane. The Winterhawks took game three of the Western Final in Spokane 3-2 in overtime and lead the series 2-1.
Daily Townsman coverage is here and here.
The highlites are here.
Kootenay wins best-of-seven series 4-0
Tigers 2 @ Ice 7
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kootenay Ice, April 27, 2011
Max Reinhart tied a WHL record with five goals and Cody Eakin scored two more as the Kootenay Ice routed the Medicine Hat Tigers 7-2 to sweep the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 4-0 and advance to the club's first WHL Championship appearance in nine years.
Reinhart scored the game's first three goals with a natural hat-trick by the time the game was 13 minutes old. Kellan Tochkin got the Tigers on the board but Eakin notched his first of the night with just over a minute left in the period for a 4-1 lead.
The Tigers got to within two when Cole Grbavac scored his 10th of the post-season but two minutes later Eakin had another, his 8th of the playoffs, to restore the three-goal lead. In the third Reinhart notched his 5th of the night, his second short-handed goal, for a 7-2 lead.
Nathan Lieuwen (11-2) stopped 21 of 23 shots to get the win while Tyler Bunz (4-6) stopped 10 of 15 shots to take the loss.
Kootenay now awaits the winner of the Spokane-Portland series for the right to play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 10 (McNabb) 6:20
2. Kootenay, Reinhart 11 (Antilla, McNabb) 11:18
3. Kootenay, Reinhart 12 (Fraser, Antilla) 13:02
4. Medicine Hat, Tochkin 4 (Parkkonen, Busenius) 14:17
5. Kootenay, Eakin 7 (King, Ismond) 18:54
Penalties -- Carr MH (hooking) 0:16, Hamilton MH (slashing) 1:24.
Second Period
6. Medicine Hat, Grbavac 10 (Hamilton, Tochkin) 4:42
7. Kootenay, Eakin 8 (Rintoul, Ismond) 6:40
8. Kootenay, Reinhart 13 (Fraser) 9:15 (sh)
Penalties -- Konan MH (high-sticking) 1:31, Antilla Ktn (cross-checking) 7:17.
Third Period
9. Kootenay, Reinhart 14 (Fraser, Lieuwen) 4:50 (sh)
Penalties -- Kessy MH (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct) Ismond Ktn (dbl roughing) McNabb Ktn (slashing) 3:14, Carr MH (roughing) 5:48, Konan MH Pearce Ktn (fighting, misconduct) McNabb Ktn Etem MH (fighting, game misconduct) Kessy MH (slashing, misconduct) 12:25, Grbavac MH (roughing) 18:41.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 11 11 13 - 35
Medicine Hat: 10 6 7 - 23
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 12-2) ; Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (L, 4-6 - 10 of 15 shots; Dubyk - 6:40 of the second, 18 of 20 shots).
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-6
Medicine Hat: 0-2
Referee -- Trevor Hanson, Pat Smith. Linesman -- Jeff Jobson, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 3474 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Steele Boomer, Brock Montgomery (mono), Drew Czerwonka (neck).
Medicine Hat: Dawson McCauley, Sebastian Owuya, Tyler Pitlick (broken ankle - day-to-day), Spenser Jensen (healthy).
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman
What Happened – Max Reinhart didn’t score on his first chance 16 seconds into the game but he made up for it, in a big, big way. The Tigers didn’t have an answer.
The Turning Point – Not to put to fine a point on it but really, the drop of the puck, the Tigers were never in this one.
The Goals – 6:20 into the game Max Reinhart rushed down the right wing and sent a wrist-shot to Bunz. The puck squeaked through him and stopped right behind him, just this side of the goal-line. As the shrieks of a few fans in the south end of the Plex rattled, Reinhart continued around the net and tucked in his 10th… After a great pick-off of Vey’s pass in the slot, McNabb sent Joe Antilla away on a partial 3-on-1. Dragging the defender to him he set Reinhart up for the one-timer. He buried from 10-feet. 2-0 Ice… Just over two minutes later some great work down low by Antilla and Fraser somehow left Reinhart – yes, he of the already two goals on the evening – wide open. He put the natural hat-trick goal past Bunz low stick-side for a 3-0 lead just 13 minutes into the game… The Tigers finally pushed back when Kellan Tochkin fired a lazy wrist-shot that Lieuwen just missed. 3-1 Ice… With just over a minute remaining in the period Kevin King dove at a loose puck and sent it on net. The rebound popped out right to a streaking Eakin. He doesn’t miss those. 4-1 Ice… In the second the Tigers played like they weren’t going to go quietly and didn’t, Cole Grbavac, fresh off his two-game suspension, was found wide open by Wacey Hamilton at the side of the Ice net. He slapped in his 10th of the post-season, just past Lieuwen’s glove… The push back didn’t last long however when Hayden Rintoul fired a shot from the point that Bunz stopped but the rebound came out about six inches, enough for Eakin to roof his second of the night for a 5-2 lead. The Tigers deflated… The scoring duel continued when Matt Fraser sent Reinhart away on a short-handed breakaway, he tucked it between Dubyk’s bright orange pads, his first shot of the night, Reinharts four goal of the night… In the third Reinhart started running away with things. Killing a penalty after a melee started by Jesse Ismond in front of Nathan Lieuwen, or rather, on top of him, Matt Fraser started a two-on-two back the other way and sent a perfect pass to a streaking Reinhart, in alone from the blueline. He backhanded his 5th of the night, second short-handed and 14th of the playoffs, tying a record in the process.
The Start– 16 seconds in Matt Fraser and Max Reinhart had a two-man breakaway. Bunz stopped Reinhart. Five goals later, it certainly wasn’t a sign of things to come.
The goalies – The normally steady Bunz was shell-shocked on this night. Eakin’s second of the night mercifully chased him from the nets after surrendering 5 goals on 15 shots. Deven Dubyk didn’t fair much better. His first shot on a short-handed breakaway went through his legs.
The Record(s) – Reinhart’s five goals were easily an Ice team record (many held the four-goal mark) but the fifth tied a WHL record held by three other players – Dave Chartier, Dave Kryskow and current Spokane Chief coach Don Nachbaur – it was last done by Chartier in 1981.
MIA – Save for the goal in game three, WHL leading point-getter in both the regular season and the playoffs Linden Vey and Emerson Etem, second in the playoff category until tonight, were both non-factors in both games. Both were dash-four on this night and spent a good chunk of time on the bench in the third.
The 50/50 – $4900 – Steve from Sparwood went home a happy camper.
The Fights – A couple of tussles late in the third. Konan and Pearce finally went after jarring at each other for about three minutes and then at the same time McNabb and Etem went at it. Give the Tigers the decisions on the fisticuffs, it was about the only thing they showed up for. Following the melee a team dentist was summoned to the Ice dressing room. Somebody lost a chiclet.
The Tweets – Tweeted by another former Ice captain, Steve Da Silva just after the win; “Congrats to the Kootenay Ice on getting to the WHL final, I’ll take a case.”
The Infirmary – With F Brock Montgomery still out with Mono, Steele Boomer out with a concussion and Drew Czerwonka with a stiff neck, Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch said that all three veterans will be available for the championship series.
Old Guard - It was a tough couple of weeks for Ice former coaches. First Cory Clouston and assistant Brad Lauer were let go in Ottawa and this week the Calgary Flames announced that they weren't renewing the contract of assistant Ryan McGill. Clouton, unofficially I'm told, was helping his brother Shaun Clouston breaking down film for the Ice/Tigers series.
The Crowd – 3474 – two off the season high. The difference? About 500 Canucks fans.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. C Max Reinhart – Five goals, tied a 30-year-old WHL record.
2. RW Matt Fraser – Three helpers
3. C Cody Eakin – Two goals, Series MVP
What it means – Kootenay will get another nine-day rest. The Championship series likely won’t start until May 6 on the road.
Up Next: Portland or Spokane. The Winterhawks took game three of the Western Final in Spokane 3-2 in overtime and lead the series 2-1.
Daily Townsman coverage is here and here.
The highlites are here.
Kootenay wins best-of-seven series 4-0
Tigers 2 @ Ice 7
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kootenay Ice, April 27, 2011
Max Reinhart tied a WHL record with five goals and Cody Eakin scored two more as the Kootenay Ice routed the Medicine Hat Tigers 7-2 to sweep the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals 4-0 and advance to the club's first WHL Championship appearance in nine years.
Reinhart scored the game's first three goals with a natural hat-trick by the time the game was 13 minutes old. Kellan Tochkin got the Tigers on the board but Eakin notched his first of the night with just over a minute left in the period for a 4-1 lead.
The Tigers got to within two when Cole Grbavac scored his 10th of the post-season but two minutes later Eakin had another, his 8th of the playoffs, to restore the three-goal lead. In the third Reinhart notched his 5th of the night, his second short-handed goal, for a 7-2 lead.
Nathan Lieuwen (11-2) stopped 21 of 23 shots to get the win while Tyler Bunz (4-6) stopped 10 of 15 shots to take the loss.
Kootenay now awaits the winner of the Spokane-Portland series for the right to play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 10 (McNabb) 6:20
2. Kootenay, Reinhart 11 (Antilla, McNabb) 11:18
3. Kootenay, Reinhart 12 (Fraser, Antilla) 13:02
4. Medicine Hat, Tochkin 4 (Parkkonen, Busenius) 14:17
5. Kootenay, Eakin 7 (King, Ismond) 18:54
Penalties -- Carr MH (hooking) 0:16, Hamilton MH (slashing) 1:24.
Second Period
6. Medicine Hat, Grbavac 10 (Hamilton, Tochkin) 4:42
7. Kootenay, Eakin 8 (Rintoul, Ismond) 6:40
8. Kootenay, Reinhart 13 (Fraser) 9:15 (sh)
Penalties -- Konan MH (high-sticking) 1:31, Antilla Ktn (cross-checking) 7:17.
Third Period
9. Kootenay, Reinhart 14 (Fraser, Lieuwen) 4:50 (sh)
Penalties -- Kessy MH (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct) Ismond Ktn (dbl roughing) McNabb Ktn (slashing) 3:14, Carr MH (roughing) 5:48, Konan MH Pearce Ktn (fighting, misconduct) McNabb Ktn Etem MH (fighting, game misconduct) Kessy MH (slashing, misconduct) 12:25, Grbavac MH (roughing) 18:41.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 11 11 13 - 35
Medicine Hat: 10 6 7 - 23
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 12-2) ; Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (L, 4-6 - 10 of 15 shots; Dubyk - 6:40 of the second, 18 of 20 shots).
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-6
Medicine Hat: 0-2
Referee -- Trevor Hanson, Pat Smith. Linesman -- Jeff Jobson, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 3474 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Steele Boomer, Brock Montgomery (mono), Drew Czerwonka (neck).
Medicine Hat: Dawson McCauley, Sebastian Owuya, Tyler Pitlick (broken ankle - day-to-day), Spenser Jensen (healthy).
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman
Game Four Up next.
Couple of pieces by Matt Coxford in today's Townsman here.
Highlites are up right here.
Some more on the attendance. Here's a thought, are the Canucks now in the realm of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in terms of provincial support in this city? I can't believe how many people I've ran into or talked to that made the call to stay home for game seven last night between the Canucks and the Hawks.
Here's a question: how many times have the Regina Pats either delayed their game or scheduled it entirely away from any conflict with the Riders? The answer is many. I'm probably going to get accosted by Rider Nation for the comparison but I think it's a serious consideration.
The Federal Election goes Monday, May 2. I wonder if Elections Canada will ask the NHL to schedule Game 3 of the Nashville-Vancouver series a day later to foster voter turnout?
Seen at the rink: Former Captain Dustin Sylvester, fresh off his tour in the German ExtraLiga 2 with Freiburg where he lead that team in scoring, and former D-man Ryan Molle. Sylvester stopped by the media booth and said that he's looking to catch on with in North America next year but failing that will return to Europe next season.
Tiger Forward Cole Grbavac will return tonight for Game 4 after serving his second of a two-game suspension. That will likely make a difference.
F Drew Czerwonka walked out of the hospital last night after a thorough check following the scary fall into the boards. He won't play tonight.
Highlites are up right here.
Some more on the attendance. Here's a thought, are the Canucks now in the realm of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in terms of provincial support in this city? I can't believe how many people I've ran into or talked to that made the call to stay home for game seven last night between the Canucks and the Hawks.
Here's a question: how many times have the Regina Pats either delayed their game or scheduled it entirely away from any conflict with the Riders? The answer is many. I'm probably going to get accosted by Rider Nation for the comparison but I think it's a serious consideration.
The Federal Election goes Monday, May 2. I wonder if Elections Canada will ask the NHL to schedule Game 3 of the Nashville-Vancouver series a day later to foster voter turnout?
Seen at the rink: Former Captain Dustin Sylvester, fresh off his tour in the German ExtraLiga 2 with Freiburg where he lead that team in scoring, and former D-man Ryan Molle. Sylvester stopped by the media booth and said that he's looking to catch on with in North America next year but failing that will return to Europe next season.
Tiger Forward Cole Grbavac will return tonight for Game 4 after serving his second of a two-game suspension. That will likely make a difference.
F Drew Czerwonka walked out of the hospital last night after a thorough check following the scary fall into the boards. He won't play tonight.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Score - Ice push Tigers to the brink
The Score – Medicine Hat 1 – Kootenay 3
What Happened – Cody Eakin has now hit his playoff stride, and the Tigers are paying the price.
The Turning Point – After a scary 20 minute delay with Czerwonka on the ice, with the score tied at one, the lull continued on the ice with both teams a little groggy. That changed when Eakin poked a loose puck out of Theriau’s skates. His goal lifted the building and the Ice. The Tigers deflated.
The Goals – In the first, on a power play that was going particularly nowhere, Elgin Pearce picked up the puck and rushed into the Tiger zone. Wacey Hamilton tripped him at the blueline and gave the home side an early 5-on-3. After throwing it around some, Cody Eakin spotted Max Reinhart for a nice deflection on the slap-pass past Bunz to give the Ice a 1-0 lead… Jesse Ismond’s elbowing penalty at the end of the first period cost him to start the second as Emerson Etem took a bounce off the end wall and beat an outstretched Lieuwen to tie it at one… In the second with the game slowed to a crawl due to the delays, Ismond got the puck off up the neutral zone wall and sent a dump in towards Tiger D Alex Theriau who fumbled it between his skates. Like a flash Eakin dashed in, poked the puck around him and slipped it between Bunz’ legs for a 2-1 lead… On a rush 3:35 into the third, Eakin left a drop pass ten feet inside the Tiger blueline for Ismond. He drove a blast past Bunz for a 3-1 lead.
Mr. Everything – Eakin just makes things happen. Killing a penalty late in the game he skated the puck out of the zone, zigged and zagged and then shot the puck down the ice. In a foot race with Tiger goaltender Tyler Bunz, Bunz won it but send the puck into the crowd for the delay-of-game. Want another one? In the second with the Tigers on a long 2-on-1 Eakin skated the length of the ice to catch Wacey Hamilton just as he shot. Lieuwen made a great save but Eakin’s speed was something to behold. He’s worth the price of admission alone.
Lewww – After fighting off a cold in game one Nathan Lieuwen has been spectacular, especially on this night. He stopped 22 of 23 shots and stymied the Tigers at almost every turn. With the fans serenading them to end the game the Tigers had one last gasp 2-on-1. Lieuwen stoned Hunter Shinkaruk to keep the score 3-1 in the dying seconds.
The Delay – With 1:46 left in the first the glass partition in the north end of the Plex came loose. After a short delay, a wipe-out by the rink guy, a short ladder that wasn’t tall enough, he borrowed Nathan Lieuwen’s stick to try and fix the entanglement with the netting. That didn’t work either so a taller ladder was brought out. We were wondering when they were going to ask Nathan, at 6’7” on skates, to help out. Why the stripes didn’t call the period and tack it onto the second is beyond me. Sucked the life out of the building.
The Gang(s) – The Blue Guy Group was there again, as boisterous as ever, but this time the Leotard Gang topped them; by including a trio of females, all in full body leotards…. Some signs in the crowd – Hey (Cranbrook product) Jace Coyle, you’re #4. You’re Sister’s #1…The Blue Guy Group, sitting directly behind the Tiger bench, must’ve been causing some ruckus. A call for security was made over the PA to the Tigers bench. The security guy was there, about six seats to their right. Maybe he didn’t hear it because he didn’t do anything.
The Scare – Drew Czerwonka tried to hit a Tiger defender behind their net but at the last minute he moved and Czerwonka appeared to step on his stick and went head first into the end boards. He lay prone on the ice, but moving his extremities, for over 20 minutes with medical personnel attending to him. After cutting off his jersey and putting him in C-Spine, an ambulance crew took him off the ice in a stretcher. Czerwonka gave the thumbs-up as he left the ice. An update later by team staff indicated he would be okay, if a little sore.
The Crowd – 2972 – Fighting the Habs-Bruins, the Canucks-Hawks and the game live on TV. Wednesday’s crowd could be a litmus test.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. C Cody Eakin – He’s getting better, if that’s possible.
2. C Max Reinhart – Great deflection to open the scoring
3. D Joe Leach – Solid on the back-end
Honourable Mention – Nathan Lieuwen – He’s taking his game to another level.
What it means – Kootenay has the Tigers on the ropes and can gain a berth in their first WHL Championship final in nine years with a win Wednesday night.
Up Next: Game Four goes Wednesday night at the ‘Plex. Gametime is 7PM.
Summary:
Kootenay leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Tigers 1 @ Ice 3
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kootenay Ice, April 26, 2011
Cody Eakin scored a goal and potted two assists as the Kootenay Ice defeated the Medicine Hat
Tigers 3-1 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the WHL Eastern Conference final Tuesday night.
Max Reinhart opened the scoring in the first with the Ice on the power play when he re-directed Eakin's slap-pass from the point. The Tigers tied it up in the second with a power play goal of their own when Emerson Etem got his 10th of the post-season when he tucked in a end-board rebound past Nathan Lieuwen.
Eakin scored the eventual game-winner with his 6th of the playoffs at 14:08 of the second when he poked the puck past the Tiger defender and then past Tyler Bunz for a 2-1 lead.
Jesse Ismond rifled his second of the playoffs in the third for the insurance to make the final 3-1.
Nathan Lieuwen stopped 22 of 23 shots for the win while Tyler Bunz stopped 32 of 35 shots in taking the loss.
The Ice now lead the series 3-0. Game Four goes Wednesday in Cranbrook.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 8 (Eakin, King) 6:33 (pp)
Penalties -- King Ktn (tripping) 1:00, Carr MH (holding) 4:55, Hamilton MH (tripping) 5:36, Fraser Ktn Kessy MH (unsportsmanlike conduct) 10:43, Ismond Ktn (unsportsmanlike conduct) 13:11, Tochkin MH (interference) 14:07, Ismond Ktn (elbowing) 19:43.
Second Period
2. Medicine Hat, Etem 10 (Vey, Coyle) 1:13 (pp)
3. Kootenay, Eakin 6 (Ismond, McNabb) 14:08
Penalties -- Eakin Ktn Carr MH (roughing) 4:20, Kessy MH (goaltender interference) 10:24, Konan MH (hooking) 18:50,
Third Period
4. Kootenay, Ismond 2 (Eakin, Leach) 3:35
Penalties -- Hamilton MH (interference) 8:46, Reinhart Ktn (tripping) 16:00, Bunz MH (delay-of-game - served by Shinkaruk) 16:49.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 14 11 10 - 35
Medicine Hat: 9 5 9 - 23
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 11-2) ; Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (L, 4-5).
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-7
Medicine Hat: 1-4
Referee -- Matt Kirk, Steve Papp. Linesman -- Jeff Jobson, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 2972 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Steele Boomer, Brock Montgomery (mono), John Neibrandt (healthy).
Medicine Hat: Dawson McCauley, Cole Grbavac (game two of two-game suspension), Tyler Pitlick (broken ankle - day-to-day), Spenser Jensen (healthy).
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman
What Happened – Cody Eakin has now hit his playoff stride, and the Tigers are paying the price.
The Turning Point – After a scary 20 minute delay with Czerwonka on the ice, with the score tied at one, the lull continued on the ice with both teams a little groggy. That changed when Eakin poked a loose puck out of Theriau’s skates. His goal lifted the building and the Ice. The Tigers deflated.
The Goals – In the first, on a power play that was going particularly nowhere, Elgin Pearce picked up the puck and rushed into the Tiger zone. Wacey Hamilton tripped him at the blueline and gave the home side an early 5-on-3. After throwing it around some, Cody Eakin spotted Max Reinhart for a nice deflection on the slap-pass past Bunz to give the Ice a 1-0 lead… Jesse Ismond’s elbowing penalty at the end of the first period cost him to start the second as Emerson Etem took a bounce off the end wall and beat an outstretched Lieuwen to tie it at one… In the second with the game slowed to a crawl due to the delays, Ismond got the puck off up the neutral zone wall and sent a dump in towards Tiger D Alex Theriau who fumbled it between his skates. Like a flash Eakin dashed in, poked the puck around him and slipped it between Bunz’ legs for a 2-1 lead… On a rush 3:35 into the third, Eakin left a drop pass ten feet inside the Tiger blueline for Ismond. He drove a blast past Bunz for a 3-1 lead.
Mr. Everything – Eakin just makes things happen. Killing a penalty late in the game he skated the puck out of the zone, zigged and zagged and then shot the puck down the ice. In a foot race with Tiger goaltender Tyler Bunz, Bunz won it but send the puck into the crowd for the delay-of-game. Want another one? In the second with the Tigers on a long 2-on-1 Eakin skated the length of the ice to catch Wacey Hamilton just as he shot. Lieuwen made a great save but Eakin’s speed was something to behold. He’s worth the price of admission alone.
Lewww – After fighting off a cold in game one Nathan Lieuwen has been spectacular, especially on this night. He stopped 22 of 23 shots and stymied the Tigers at almost every turn. With the fans serenading them to end the game the Tigers had one last gasp 2-on-1. Lieuwen stoned Hunter Shinkaruk to keep the score 3-1 in the dying seconds.
The Delay – With 1:46 left in the first the glass partition in the north end of the Plex came loose. After a short delay, a wipe-out by the rink guy, a short ladder that wasn’t tall enough, he borrowed Nathan Lieuwen’s stick to try and fix the entanglement with the netting. That didn’t work either so a taller ladder was brought out. We were wondering when they were going to ask Nathan, at 6’7” on skates, to help out. Why the stripes didn’t call the period and tack it onto the second is beyond me. Sucked the life out of the building.
The Gang(s) – The Blue Guy Group was there again, as boisterous as ever, but this time the Leotard Gang topped them; by including a trio of females, all in full body leotards…. Some signs in the crowd – Hey (Cranbrook product) Jace Coyle, you’re #4. You’re Sister’s #1…The Blue Guy Group, sitting directly behind the Tiger bench, must’ve been causing some ruckus. A call for security was made over the PA to the Tigers bench. The security guy was there, about six seats to their right. Maybe he didn’t hear it because he didn’t do anything.
The Scare – Drew Czerwonka tried to hit a Tiger defender behind their net but at the last minute he moved and Czerwonka appeared to step on his stick and went head first into the end boards. He lay prone on the ice, but moving his extremities, for over 20 minutes with medical personnel attending to him. After cutting off his jersey and putting him in C-Spine, an ambulance crew took him off the ice in a stretcher. Czerwonka gave the thumbs-up as he left the ice. An update later by team staff indicated he would be okay, if a little sore.
The Crowd – 2972 – Fighting the Habs-Bruins, the Canucks-Hawks and the game live on TV. Wednesday’s crowd could be a litmus test.
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. C Cody Eakin – He’s getting better, if that’s possible.
2. C Max Reinhart – Great deflection to open the scoring
3. D Joe Leach – Solid on the back-end
Honourable Mention – Nathan Lieuwen – He’s taking his game to another level.
What it means – Kootenay has the Tigers on the ropes and can gain a berth in their first WHL Championship final in nine years with a win Wednesday night.
Up Next: Game Four goes Wednesday night at the ‘Plex. Gametime is 7PM.
Summary:
Kootenay leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Tigers 1 @ Ice 3
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kootenay Ice, April 26, 2011
Cody Eakin scored a goal and potted two assists as the Kootenay Ice defeated the Medicine Hat
Tigers 3-1 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the WHL Eastern Conference final Tuesday night.
Max Reinhart opened the scoring in the first with the Ice on the power play when he re-directed Eakin's slap-pass from the point. The Tigers tied it up in the second with a power play goal of their own when Emerson Etem got his 10th of the post-season when he tucked in a end-board rebound past Nathan Lieuwen.
Eakin scored the eventual game-winner with his 6th of the playoffs at 14:08 of the second when he poked the puck past the Tiger defender and then past Tyler Bunz for a 2-1 lead.
Jesse Ismond rifled his second of the playoffs in the third for the insurance to make the final 3-1.
Nathan Lieuwen stopped 22 of 23 shots for the win while Tyler Bunz stopped 32 of 35 shots in taking the loss.
The Ice now lead the series 3-0. Game Four goes Wednesday in Cranbrook.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 8 (Eakin, King) 6:33 (pp)
Penalties -- King Ktn (tripping) 1:00, Carr MH (holding) 4:55, Hamilton MH (tripping) 5:36, Fraser Ktn Kessy MH (unsportsmanlike conduct) 10:43, Ismond Ktn (unsportsmanlike conduct) 13:11, Tochkin MH (interference) 14:07, Ismond Ktn (elbowing) 19:43.
Second Period
2. Medicine Hat, Etem 10 (Vey, Coyle) 1:13 (pp)
3. Kootenay, Eakin 6 (Ismond, McNabb) 14:08
Penalties -- Eakin Ktn Carr MH (roughing) 4:20, Kessy MH (goaltender interference) 10:24, Konan MH (hooking) 18:50,
Third Period
4. Kootenay, Ismond 2 (Eakin, Leach) 3:35
Penalties -- Hamilton MH (interference) 8:46, Reinhart Ktn (tripping) 16:00, Bunz MH (delay-of-game - served by Shinkaruk) 16:49.
Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 14 11 10 - 35
Medicine Hat: 9 5 9 - 23
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 11-2) ; Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (L, 4-5).
Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-7
Medicine Hat: 1-4
Referee -- Matt Kirk, Steve Papp. Linesman -- Jeff Jobson, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 2972 (4264)
Scratches --
Kootenay: Steele Boomer, Brock Montgomery (mono), John Neibrandt (healthy).
Medicine Hat: Dawson McCauley, Cole Grbavac (game two of two-game suspension), Tyler Pitlick (broken ankle - day-to-day), Spenser Jensen (healthy).
Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman
Monday, April 25, 2011
Couple of articles
UPDATE -- Cody Eakin was named the WHL's Player of the Week. After being shutout during the regular season the Ice have now won it two straight weeks.
The release is here.
The Cole Grbavac suspension still hasn't been determined by the WHL but Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News reports that WHL Discplinarian Richard Doerksen, at the WHL's U.S. recruitment camp in Anaheim, said that a major should've been called on the play. Boomer is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury while Grbavac missed game two with a TBD suspension. That TBD should come down today or early tomorrow for Grbavac from the WHL, who is waiting on an update on Boomer's condition before handing down the final decision on the Tiger forward.
Matt at the Townsman as a couple of pieces from the weekend action here and here.
As noted by a frequent poster below Matt has the numbers for games 3 and 4 as of Thursday pegged at 2063 and 2017, respectively. And now courtesy of those pesky Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night will have Game 7 of that sorry series to deal with.
Granted, tickets were only available Saturday over the Easter weekend so I'd imagine there'll be a rush both today and tomorrow.
The release is here.
The Cole Grbavac suspension still hasn't been determined by the WHL but Darren Steinke of the Medicine Hat News reports that WHL Discplinarian Richard Doerksen, at the WHL's U.S. recruitment camp in Anaheim, said that a major should've been called on the play. Boomer is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury while Grbavac missed game two with a TBD suspension. That TBD should come down today or early tomorrow for Grbavac from the WHL, who is waiting on an update on Boomer's condition before handing down the final decision on the Tiger forward.
Matt at the Townsman as a couple of pieces from the weekend action here and here.
As noted by a frequent poster below Matt has the numbers for games 3 and 4 as of Thursday pegged at 2063 and 2017, respectively. And now courtesy of those pesky Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night will have Game 7 of that sorry series to deal with.
Granted, tickets were only available Saturday over the Easter weekend so I'd imagine there'll be a rush both today and tomorrow.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Ice take two in the Hat....
I asked the question at the end of yesterday's post if the OT goal Cody Eakin scored would awaken the somewhat sleepy giant, at least offensively, that he's been.
If you watched the game, question answered.
Cody Eakin opened the scoring with the eventual game-winner, Kevin King finally scored and Jesse Ismond made the most of his promotion to the big line as the Kootenay Ice shut-out the Medicine Hat Tigers 3-0 to take a 2-0 series lead as it now shifts back to Cranbrook.
The Tigers have the highlites up already here.
Some thoughts...
The addition to Jesse Ismond to the Eakin-King twosome in place of Steele Boomer who is out after suffering what looks to be a concussion worked like a charm. The cycle was on; the physical game was on; Kevin King was on and Eakin was all-world. The line dominated the Vey-Etem-Tochkin line into submission. Vey and Etem were a combined dash-6 and MIA most of the night.
I thought the suspension to Cole Grbavac would have an impact but not this much. I'd think he'd be back for game three but the WHL has yet to announce the length of the suspension. It was a big hole for the Tigers.
This was an exact opposite of last night's goalfest. Kootenay scored early again, this time at 3:57 when Ismond dished to Eakin who then ripped his 5th of the playoffs. Then Eakin's NHL-type speed created a breakaway that Bunz stopped only to have Kevin King chip in the garbage to break his playoff goose egg and then Eakin fed Antilla for the empty-netter.
Eakin had probably seven quality scoring chances on this night... Finished +3... Moved back to the pivot's position with the Boomer injury and looked more comfortable, more effective and much more dangerous.
The Tigers look like a frustrated bunch and it showed most of the night in their inability to crack the Ice neutral zone and when they did they didn't have a lot of possession in Kootenay's zone. Save for the three power plays the Ice surrendered - and even then not much - the Tigers maybe had sustained pressure two or three times on this night.
Kootenay didn't give up the PP's like they were 24 hours earlier... Nathan Lieuwen was much stronger on this night - just a note on Lieuwen, a post or two ago I mused about Lieuwen getting a pro contract stemming from his playoff performance. On Coming Down the Pipe (over there, on the right) discussing the WHL goalie pool for the NHL Draft, or more specifically how shallow it is, one scout thought that Lieuwen could be the first WHL goaltender taken in the draft this year, as an overager as he still is eligible - automatically - for the NHL Draft as a 19-year-old... The last Ice goaltender to get three shutouts in the playoffs? Dan Blackburn... How much did Kevin King need that goal? Easily his best performance of the playoffs... Sam Reinhart will check-in Tuesday night but I thought Rossignol played well when called upon in a fourth-line role... I like the idea of three forwards on the fourth unit with the last change at home. I don't think John Neibrandt got a shift as a converted forward.
Kootenay's now won nine straight playoffs games dating back to the Moose Jaw series.
Lastly, I'm sure most every member of the Ice remembers last season when they left the Rec Plex up 2-0 on the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs and the subsequent four-game losing streak for a quick exit. Though this is different - it's eerily similar to the Ice-Blades start with the OT win and then a dominating defensive gem to go home up 2-0 - that 2-0 lead last season must be fresh on the minds of the 17 players still on the roster.
Gametime for Game three at the Plex is 7PM Tuesday.
If you watched the game, question answered.
Cody Eakin opened the scoring with the eventual game-winner, Kevin King finally scored and Jesse Ismond made the most of his promotion to the big line as the Kootenay Ice shut-out the Medicine Hat Tigers 3-0 to take a 2-0 series lead as it now shifts back to Cranbrook.
The Tigers have the highlites up already here.
Some thoughts...
The addition to Jesse Ismond to the Eakin-King twosome in place of Steele Boomer who is out after suffering what looks to be a concussion worked like a charm. The cycle was on; the physical game was on; Kevin King was on and Eakin was all-world. The line dominated the Vey-Etem-Tochkin line into submission. Vey and Etem were a combined dash-6 and MIA most of the night.
I thought the suspension to Cole Grbavac would have an impact but not this much. I'd think he'd be back for game three but the WHL has yet to announce the length of the suspension. It was a big hole for the Tigers.
This was an exact opposite of last night's goalfest. Kootenay scored early again, this time at 3:57 when Ismond dished to Eakin who then ripped his 5th of the playoffs. Then Eakin's NHL-type speed created a breakaway that Bunz stopped only to have Kevin King chip in the garbage to break his playoff goose egg and then Eakin fed Antilla for the empty-netter.
Eakin had probably seven quality scoring chances on this night... Finished +3... Moved back to the pivot's position with the Boomer injury and looked more comfortable, more effective and much more dangerous.
The Tigers look like a frustrated bunch and it showed most of the night in their inability to crack the Ice neutral zone and when they did they didn't have a lot of possession in Kootenay's zone. Save for the three power plays the Ice surrendered - and even then not much - the Tigers maybe had sustained pressure two or three times on this night.
Kootenay didn't give up the PP's like they were 24 hours earlier... Nathan Lieuwen was much stronger on this night - just a note on Lieuwen, a post or two ago I mused about Lieuwen getting a pro contract stemming from his playoff performance. On Coming Down the Pipe (over there, on the right) discussing the WHL goalie pool for the NHL Draft, or more specifically how shallow it is, one scout thought that Lieuwen could be the first WHL goaltender taken in the draft this year, as an overager as he still is eligible - automatically - for the NHL Draft as a 19-year-old... The last Ice goaltender to get three shutouts in the playoffs? Dan Blackburn... How much did Kevin King need that goal? Easily his best performance of the playoffs... Sam Reinhart will check-in Tuesday night but I thought Rossignol played well when called upon in a fourth-line role... I like the idea of three forwards on the fourth unit with the last change at home. I don't think John Neibrandt got a shift as a converted forward.
Kootenay's now won nine straight playoffs games dating back to the Moose Jaw series.
Lastly, I'm sure most every member of the Ice remembers last season when they left the Rec Plex up 2-0 on the Tigers in the first round of the playoffs and the subsequent four-game losing streak for a quick exit. Though this is different - it's eerily similar to the Ice-Blades start with the OT win and then a dominating defensive gem to go home up 2-0 - that 2-0 lead last season must be fresh on the minds of the 17 players still on the roster.
Gametime for Game three at the Plex is 7PM Tuesday.
Boomer's out... Grbavac Suspended...
UPDATE -- Ice forward Steele Boomer is a scratch tonight, likely with a concussion but that isn't and won't likely be confirmed. 'Upper Body' is more likely. Tiger forward Cole Grbavac is also suspended for tonight's game listed as TBD by the WHL website. Adam Rossignol is in for Boomer.
Also, Sam Reinhart's magical run came to an abrupt end at the Telus Cup today with a 4-3 overtime loss to London in the semi-final. He will play in the Bronze medal game tomorrow against Lac St-Louis. Reinhart is tied for the tournament lead in points with 20 with linemate Alex Kerfoot. Reinhart will join the Ice for Game three in Cranbrook and with Boomer's injury will likely be in the line-up.
Also, Sam Reinhart's magical run came to an abrupt end at the Telus Cup today with a 4-3 overtime loss to London in the semi-final. He will play in the Bronze medal game tomorrow against Lac St-Louis. Reinhart is tied for the tournament lead in points with 20 with linemate Alex Kerfoot. Reinhart will join the Ice for Game three in Cranbrook and with Boomer's injury will likely be in the line-up.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Kootenay steals Game one in OT
The Kootenay Ice traded offensive blows with the WHL's highest scoring team in the playoffs and survived when Cody Eakin scored the biggest goal of the playoffs for the Ice with the 6-5 overtime winner Friday night in Medicine Hat.
The Tigers have the highlites up on their website here.
Some thoughts...
What a see-saw battle! Matt Fraser, with two goals and two assists, kept pace with his scoring nemisis on the other side, Linden Vey had two goals and an assist, in the scoring race. Both now continue to lead the WHL post-season with 12 goals. Emerson Etem was money with two goals and two assists while Max Reinhart had a goal and two helpers.
I'll be honest, the Eakin-King-Boomer line was victimized all night by the Tigers big line. The +/- for the big line was -5 combined but to be honest the stats guys were out to lunch a bit, giving Eakin a minus on the Etem power play goal that went in off his skate. That was fixed later.
That power play goal changed the tide of a 3-1 game but the real turning point was the unconscious save Tyler Bunz made on Max Reinhart. His out-stretched glove stopped it from becoming 4-1 with all the momentum Kootenay's way.
Then the Etem power play goal, and then Vey tied it and the tide turned. The Tigers went up 4-3 on a nice goal by Etem when Dirk couldn't tie him up on the rush.
Then Fraser rips his 11th to tie at four but Hamilton puts the Tigers up 5-4 with ten left.
Whew... That set up the finish...
With the Ice pressing a very rare play in which the Tigers took two penalties on one play. Heading off on a change big Cole Grbavac caught Steele Boomer with a blind-side hit that spun him to the ice. With the Tigers flat-footed, Joe Antilla picked up the puck and drove the net. Theriau tripped him and the Tigers were down 5-on-3 with three minutes to go.
On the ensuing power play only a gaffe by Tiger D Jace Coyle at the blueline that didn't get the puck out enabled Max Reinhart to skate in and find Fraser to tie it.
In overtime Nathan Lieuwen stopped six shots, three of the heart-stopping kind on a scramble started when Hayden Rintoul sent a pass up the middle to Kellan Tochkin, before Cody Eakin took a pass intercepted by Joe Antilla. Eakin deked Thomas Carr and then ripped a trademark bullet past Bunz from the slot for the OT win and a 1-0 series lead.
The match-ups the Tigers are getting on home-ice are working. Vey and Etem's speed is giving Eakin-King-Boomer fits but I wonder if the McNabb-Rintoul match-up's a better fit instead of Leach-Martin. Etem's speed was the difference and Leach had a tough time with it. Though all three pairings were scored on tonight. The other two Tiger goals were on the power play.
Only the Ice it would seem could get away with a win after completely abandoning their game in the second period. A 3-1 lead to play with Kootenay's structure defensive game turned into a high-octane, run and gun show that didn't work out so well.
I still think that third line of Ismond-Czerwonka-Pearce line was better than Tochkin, Bredo and Owuya. With Boomer hurt it's an easy choice to move Benoit up. He ripped his first of the playoffs tonight and almost set up another with some good speed. Ismond will likely move up to the King-Eakin line Saturday if Boomer can't go, meaning Adam Rossignol could check into the line-up.
Speaking of power plays... If you're in the box against these guys you'll pay for it. The Tigers were 2-6.
The goaltending was good, great, not-so-great, unbelievable, and then not so much, in that order. Both Bunz and Lieuwen were great tonight but Lieuwen was great later when needed. Kootenay held Saskatoon to five goals all series and the Tigers potted five tonight. I can't see success trading hay-maker's like this all series. Upon further review I thought Nathan didn't have one of his better nights but really, those highlites have him making some dandies. For a game that had 11 goals, both goaltenders were really good.
Grbavac's hit on Boomer could draw supplement discipline. The Ice will ask but I don't think there'll be more. It was blind-side for sure. I'm wondering if Boomer's got a concussion with his history and that was an elbow to the head.
Does the Eakin OT goal open up the gates for the star?
More later...
The Tigers have the highlites up on their website here.
Some thoughts...
What a see-saw battle! Matt Fraser, with two goals and two assists, kept pace with his scoring nemisis on the other side, Linden Vey had two goals and an assist, in the scoring race. Both now continue to lead the WHL post-season with 12 goals. Emerson Etem was money with two goals and two assists while Max Reinhart had a goal and two helpers.
I'll be honest, the Eakin-King-Boomer line was victimized all night by the Tigers big line. The +/- for the big line was -5 combined but to be honest the stats guys were out to lunch a bit, giving Eakin a minus on the Etem power play goal that went in off his skate. That was fixed later.
That power play goal changed the tide of a 3-1 game but the real turning point was the unconscious save Tyler Bunz made on Max Reinhart. His out-stretched glove stopped it from becoming 4-1 with all the momentum Kootenay's way.
Then the Etem power play goal, and then Vey tied it and the tide turned. The Tigers went up 4-3 on a nice goal by Etem when Dirk couldn't tie him up on the rush.
Then Fraser rips his 11th to tie at four but Hamilton puts the Tigers up 5-4 with ten left.
Whew... That set up the finish...
With the Ice pressing a very rare play in which the Tigers took two penalties on one play. Heading off on a change big Cole Grbavac caught Steele Boomer with a blind-side hit that spun him to the ice. With the Tigers flat-footed, Joe Antilla picked up the puck and drove the net. Theriau tripped him and the Tigers were down 5-on-3 with three minutes to go.
On the ensuing power play only a gaffe by Tiger D Jace Coyle at the blueline that didn't get the puck out enabled Max Reinhart to skate in and find Fraser to tie it.
In overtime Nathan Lieuwen stopped six shots, three of the heart-stopping kind on a scramble started when Hayden Rintoul sent a pass up the middle to Kellan Tochkin, before Cody Eakin took a pass intercepted by Joe Antilla. Eakin deked Thomas Carr and then ripped a trademark bullet past Bunz from the slot for the OT win and a 1-0 series lead.
The match-ups the Tigers are getting on home-ice are working. Vey and Etem's speed is giving Eakin-King-Boomer fits but I wonder if the McNabb-Rintoul match-up's a better fit instead of Leach-Martin. Etem's speed was the difference and Leach had a tough time with it. Though all three pairings were scored on tonight. The other two Tiger goals were on the power play.
Only the Ice it would seem could get away with a win after completely abandoning their game in the second period. A 3-1 lead to play with Kootenay's structure defensive game turned into a high-octane, run and gun show that didn't work out so well.
I still think that third line of Ismond-Czerwonka-Pearce line was better than Tochkin, Bredo and Owuya. With Boomer hurt it's an easy choice to move Benoit up. He ripped his first of the playoffs tonight and almost set up another with some good speed. Ismond will likely move up to the King-Eakin line Saturday if Boomer can't go, meaning Adam Rossignol could check into the line-up.
Speaking of power plays... If you're in the box against these guys you'll pay for it. The Tigers were 2-6.
The goaltending was good, great, not-so-great, unbelievable, and then not so much, in that order. Both Bunz and Lieuwen were great tonight but Lieuwen was great later when needed. Kootenay held Saskatoon to five goals all series and the Tigers potted five tonight. I can't see success trading hay-maker's like this all series. Upon further review I thought Nathan didn't have one of his better nights but really, those highlites have him making some dandies. For a game that had 11 goals, both goaltenders were really good.
Grbavac's hit on Boomer could draw supplement discipline. The Ice will ask but I don't think there'll be more. It was blind-side for sure. I'm wondering if Boomer's got a concussion with his history and that was an elbow to the head.
Does the Eakin OT goal open up the gates for the star?
More later...
Round 3 tonight
The Kootenay Ice and Medicine Hat Tigers begin the Eastern Conference finals tonight in Medicine Hat. The game, and the entire series, is televised on Shaw starting tonight at 7:30.
The Chiefs are in Portland starting about a half hour later.
Lots of stuff on the series around the net. Matt Coxford has lots of coverage in the Townsman here. while Sean Rooney, a former Sports Ed of the Townsman, has a piece here for the News.
Here's a quick preview:
Up front the two clubs match-up almost identically. Both full of superstars with Vey for the Tigers, who leads the post-season scoring race, and Eakin for the Ice. Matt Fraser is tied with Vey with 10 goals in the post-season. Tigers answer with Emerson Etem. The speedy forward picked by Anaheim in the NHL draft has 16 points, as does big Cole Grbavac, the Tigers power forward. Max Reinhart evens out the Ice forwards with 13 points and red-hot headed into the conference finals. Edmonton Oiler-signed forward Tyler Pitlick is still out with a broken ankle but the walking boot is off and he might return this series. Up front without Pitlick I think the teams are a wash - Edge: Even
On the blueline there is a noticeable discrepancy. The Ice boast Brayden McNabb, Mr. Everything who plays 30+ minutes a night. But there's also James Martin, Joe Leach, Luke Paulsen, Hayden Rintoul and Jagger Dirk. They're deep and handled Schenn, Hamilton and company handily last series. Can they do it again? With the Tigers Cranbrook product Jace Coyle leads the way offensively and plays the most minutes. He's got a ring as a rookie with the Spokane Chiefs when they won a couple of seasons back and leads a no-name bunch that beat up on the Rebels. Kootenay's too deep here. Edge: Big one to Kootenay.
In goal most everyone would give Tiger goaltender Tyler Bunz, another Oiler draft pick, the edge based on this season. But Nathan Lieuwen seems to have finally shaken off the question marks surrounding his junior career and undoubtedly a pro contract awaits the farther he carries this team into the playoffs. Ability-wise the two are dead even. No homer call here but I'm giving the edge to Lieuwen because he's in a groove and though Bunz returned from a concussion in the Rebel series, it could be a factor. Edge: Slight to Kootenay with the hot 'tender.
Injuries - Pitlick's broken ankle (possible return for the series) out-weighs F Brock Montgomery's battle with Mono, though Kootenay could use his grit.
Regular season - Ice won it with a 4-1-1 record but we all know what that means at this point; zilch.
Keys - For the Tigers, who are speedy team (when are they not?), getting through the defensive game of the Ice and whether or not they can penetrate the sizable blueline. Their power play is money in the playoffs at 38% but Kootenay's PK is tops at a 92% kill rate. Something's got to give. Depth is the match-up to watch. With a healthy Drew Czerwonka now on the third unit, he returned at home in the Blade series and gave the Ice a distinct depth advantage. He didn't score much but he punished any Blade he saw. The Tigers could be in for more of the same. Kale Kessy plays the same role for the Tigers. Sheesh, could these teams be any more even?
For the Ice, I wonder if Cody Eakin will click offensively this series. His 3 goals and 6 assists in these playoffs is rather ordinary for the superstar. Granted, the attention he gets on the offensive side of the ledger is extraordinary and it's freed up the Frasers and Reinharts of the Ice world. He's been a horse defensively which will likely continue but I can't see him being held off the scoresheet as much as he has. Kevin King is another who has contributed but not where he usually does. No goals and six assists is a glaring stat. If those change and they get the goaltending they have been, I think the Ice will be in their first WHL final in nine years. Ice in six
F Sam Reinhart continued his hot hand at the Telus Cup national midget championships with a goal today but the Vancouver NW Midget Giants lost this morning 4-1 to London. The Giants are already in the top four for the playoffs with a 4-1 record. They await their opponent for tomorrow's semi-final. Reinhart leads the Telus Cup in scoring with 19 points and is eligible to re-join the Ice for games three and four.
Around the league this week the WHL announced the inevitable in which the Chilliwack Bruins relocated to Victoria as the loop beat the AHL's Moose to the punch. And really, though the team and league talked about the lack of a lease renegotiation for the Bruins with Prospera Place when the AHL's Heat moved in (and competition with the Langley Events Centre where the BCHL's Chiefs play but that's a non-starter - the building is over 30 minutes away from Chilliwack and the Bruins would never draw from Langley in any significant way), in the end it was the draw of the Victoria market and the risk of losing it that did them in. They went from a mid-sized market to a small-market model with the Heat moving 20 min down the highway and the lease should've been renegotiated to reflect that, they stated.
Though I don't understand how minority owners Jim Bond and Moray Keith, who control the rink in Chilliwack through the Chiefs Development Group, couldn't give the Bruins the break they supposedly needed to at least keep the team in Chilliwack for the next few seasons and then try to wrestle control of the franchise from Porter, Burke and Sather. Though, really, it's sounds as soon as there was trouble in the Wack, the league wasn't going to support it either, dictating that the club sell to Victoria (RG) and no one else, not even local interests.
The tangled web of deceit to the Chilliwack fans is best described right here by Tyler Olsen with a great piece.
The collateral damage, besides the city and fans in Chilliwack, also stretches to the media. As per Gregg Drinnan's blog today, Jim Mullin, the now former sports department manager at CKNW, lost his job directly because of his great broadcast journalism in breaking this story, including confirmations from Keith that the Bruins were being sold before the gag-order and a controversial email from Brian Burke. So CKNW fired him for doing his job? Garbage. I hope he's lawyered-up.
And one wonders why I'm a union guy...
In the end the fans and the city of Chilliwack deserved better in this mess. Ice fans, through troubles of their own, have taken it upon themselves to make sure that they are heard and an impact when the attendance issues in the small market of Cranbrook come to a head. The Bruins fans never had a chance.
Good luck to Victoria and I hope the market succeeds this time. With that building it should but, and though the ECHL's Salmon Kings as an argument is a bit of an apples and oranges thing, the Kings only ever drew an average of about 4000. That's good for a small market but Victoria's not a small market.
As for the Wack, I hope the Moose relocate there for the fans sake. The Canuck craziness will ensure a success there.
Enjoy the hockey on the tube tonight.
The Chiefs are in Portland starting about a half hour later.
Lots of stuff on the series around the net. Matt Coxford has lots of coverage in the Townsman here. while Sean Rooney, a former Sports Ed of the Townsman, has a piece here for the News.
Here's a quick preview:
Up front the two clubs match-up almost identically. Both full of superstars with Vey for the Tigers, who leads the post-season scoring race, and Eakin for the Ice. Matt Fraser is tied with Vey with 10 goals in the post-season. Tigers answer with Emerson Etem. The speedy forward picked by Anaheim in the NHL draft has 16 points, as does big Cole Grbavac, the Tigers power forward. Max Reinhart evens out the Ice forwards with 13 points and red-hot headed into the conference finals. Edmonton Oiler-signed forward Tyler Pitlick is still out with a broken ankle but the walking boot is off and he might return this series. Up front without Pitlick I think the teams are a wash - Edge: Even
On the blueline there is a noticeable discrepancy. The Ice boast Brayden McNabb, Mr. Everything who plays 30+ minutes a night. But there's also James Martin, Joe Leach, Luke Paulsen, Hayden Rintoul and Jagger Dirk. They're deep and handled Schenn, Hamilton and company handily last series. Can they do it again? With the Tigers Cranbrook product Jace Coyle leads the way offensively and plays the most minutes. He's got a ring as a rookie with the Spokane Chiefs when they won a couple of seasons back and leads a no-name bunch that beat up on the Rebels. Kootenay's too deep here. Edge: Big one to Kootenay.
In goal most everyone would give Tiger goaltender Tyler Bunz, another Oiler draft pick, the edge based on this season. But Nathan Lieuwen seems to have finally shaken off the question marks surrounding his junior career and undoubtedly a pro contract awaits the farther he carries this team into the playoffs. Ability-wise the two are dead even. No homer call here but I'm giving the edge to Lieuwen because he's in a groove and though Bunz returned from a concussion in the Rebel series, it could be a factor. Edge: Slight to Kootenay with the hot 'tender.
Injuries - Pitlick's broken ankle (possible return for the series) out-weighs F Brock Montgomery's battle with Mono, though Kootenay could use his grit.
Regular season - Ice won it with a 4-1-1 record but we all know what that means at this point; zilch.
Keys - For the Tigers, who are speedy team (when are they not?), getting through the defensive game of the Ice and whether or not they can penetrate the sizable blueline. Their power play is money in the playoffs at 38% but Kootenay's PK is tops at a 92% kill rate. Something's got to give. Depth is the match-up to watch. With a healthy Drew Czerwonka now on the third unit, he returned at home in the Blade series and gave the Ice a distinct depth advantage. He didn't score much but he punished any Blade he saw. The Tigers could be in for more of the same. Kale Kessy plays the same role for the Tigers. Sheesh, could these teams be any more even?
For the Ice, I wonder if Cody Eakin will click offensively this series. His 3 goals and 6 assists in these playoffs is rather ordinary for the superstar. Granted, the attention he gets on the offensive side of the ledger is extraordinary and it's freed up the Frasers and Reinharts of the Ice world. He's been a horse defensively which will likely continue but I can't see him being held off the scoresheet as much as he has. Kevin King is another who has contributed but not where he usually does. No goals and six assists is a glaring stat. If those change and they get the goaltending they have been, I think the Ice will be in their first WHL final in nine years. Ice in six
F Sam Reinhart continued his hot hand at the Telus Cup national midget championships with a goal today but the Vancouver NW Midget Giants lost this morning 4-1 to London. The Giants are already in the top four for the playoffs with a 4-1 record. They await their opponent for tomorrow's semi-final. Reinhart leads the Telus Cup in scoring with 19 points and is eligible to re-join the Ice for games three and four.
Around the league this week the WHL announced the inevitable in which the Chilliwack Bruins relocated to Victoria as the loop beat the AHL's Moose to the punch. And really, though the team and league talked about the lack of a lease renegotiation for the Bruins with Prospera Place when the AHL's Heat moved in (and competition with the Langley Events Centre where the BCHL's Chiefs play but that's a non-starter - the building is over 30 minutes away from Chilliwack and the Bruins would never draw from Langley in any significant way), in the end it was the draw of the Victoria market and the risk of losing it that did them in. They went from a mid-sized market to a small-market model with the Heat moving 20 min down the highway and the lease should've been renegotiated to reflect that, they stated.
Though I don't understand how minority owners Jim Bond and Moray Keith, who control the rink in Chilliwack through the Chiefs Development Group, couldn't give the Bruins the break they supposedly needed to at least keep the team in Chilliwack for the next few seasons and then try to wrestle control of the franchise from Porter, Burke and Sather. Though, really, it's sounds as soon as there was trouble in the Wack, the league wasn't going to support it either, dictating that the club sell to Victoria (RG) and no one else, not even local interests.
The tangled web of deceit to the Chilliwack fans is best described right here by Tyler Olsen with a great piece.
The collateral damage, besides the city and fans in Chilliwack, also stretches to the media. As per Gregg Drinnan's blog today, Jim Mullin, the now former sports department manager at CKNW, lost his job directly because of his great broadcast journalism in breaking this story, including confirmations from Keith that the Bruins were being sold before the gag-order and a controversial email from Brian Burke. So CKNW fired him for doing his job? Garbage. I hope he's lawyered-up.
And one wonders why I'm a union guy...
In the end the fans and the city of Chilliwack deserved better in this mess. Ice fans, through troubles of their own, have taken it upon themselves to make sure that they are heard and an impact when the attendance issues in the small market of Cranbrook come to a head. The Bruins fans never had a chance.
Good luck to Victoria and I hope the market succeeds this time. With that building it should but, and though the ECHL's Salmon Kings as an argument is a bit of an apples and oranges thing, the Kings only ever drew an average of about 4000. That's good for a small market but Victoria's not a small market.
As for the Wack, I hope the Moose relocate there for the fans sake. The Canuck craziness will ensure a success there.
Enjoy the hockey on the tube tonight.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Reinhart continues to light it up...
Ice prospect F Sam Reinhart continues to light it up with the Vancouver NW Midget Giants at the Telus cup today with a goal and three assists today in a 6-1 rout of Halifax. Reinhart and linemate Alex Kerfoot - with a hat-trick and two helpers today - top the leaderboard stat-wise with 13 points in two games. Kerfoot is the property of the Seattle T-Birds but rumblings have him checking out his NCAA options... Game three for the Giants goes tomorrow against the host St. John's club... If this holds up, based on what I've seen and the results, the Giants could cruise to the final... But that's why they play the games...
Seen that the NHL has a 10-year deal with NBC for the American broadcast rights... Tell me why they wouldn't be on ESPN????.... NHL Rookie of the year finalists were announced today. Jeff Skinner of the Canes, Logan Couture of the Sharks and Michael Grabner of the Islanders. Grabner? He was a former Spokane Chief when the Canucks drafted him in the first round (14th overall) in 06. They were too deep down the middle and shipped him to Florida in the Keith Ballard deal. The Panthers waived him after a less-than-stellar training camp... The Isles picked him up for nothing... Chalk that one up to experience for Panther GM Dale Tallon.
Speaking of the Chiefs, Spokane can wrap their series with the Americans in six with a win tonight. The Winterhawks await...
More on the Ice/Tigers tomorrow.
Seen that the NHL has a 10-year deal with NBC for the American broadcast rights... Tell me why they wouldn't be on ESPN????.... NHL Rookie of the year finalists were announced today. Jeff Skinner of the Canes, Logan Couture of the Sharks and Michael Grabner of the Islanders. Grabner? He was a former Spokane Chief when the Canucks drafted him in the first round (14th overall) in 06. They were too deep down the middle and shipped him to Florida in the Keith Ballard deal. The Panthers waived him after a less-than-stellar training camp... The Isles picked him up for nothing... Chalk that one up to experience for Panther GM Dale Tallon.
Speaking of the Chiefs, Spokane can wrap their series with the Americans in six with a win tonight. The Winterhawks await...
More on the Ice/Tigers tomorrow.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Season Ticket packages out/Reinhart/Chilliwack saga/Torres
The waiting season ticket packages that caused some consternation due to the Chilliwack situation are out, somewhat earlier that usual likely due to the WHL Championship run, today.
Here's the release:
______________________________________________________________
Cranbrook, BC – The Kootenay ICE Hockey Club are pleased to announce that 2011-12 Season Tickets are now on sale and prices will remain unchanged for the third straight season.
Early Bird Season Ticket prices are as follows if purchased on or before Tuesday, May 31st:
Adult: $399.00
Senior (65+): $299.00*
Student (13-25): $249.00**
Youth (4-12): $199.00
*Must be 65 prior to September 23, 2011
**with valid full time student ID
By purchasing an Early Bird Season Ticket you receive a significant savings off walk-up rates. Adults save 47%, Seniors save 48%, Students save 51% and Youth save 54%. Each ticket package will increase by $100 beginning Wednesday, June 1st.
Tickets are currently on sale in the Kootenay ICE Office for Games Three and Four of the WHL Husky Energy Eastern Conference Championship versus the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Friday, April 22 @ Medicine Hat – 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 23 @ Medicine Hat – 7:30 pm
Tuesday, April 26 @ Kootenay – 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 27 @ Kootenay – 7:00 pm
Friday, April 29 @ Medicine Hat – 7:30 pm *
Sunday, May 1 @ Kootenay – 6:00 pm *
Tuesday, May 3 @ Medicine Hat – 7:00 pm *
*If necessary
Ice prospect F Sam Reinhart and the Vancouver NW Giants opened the Telus Cup - the national midget championship - today in St. John's Nfld with a wild 12-5 win over the West representative, the Winnipeg Thrashers. Reinhart was named player of the game with a whopping 3 goals and 6 assists for a 9 point game.
The Ice first round bantam pick from last year's draft (15th overall) made headlines after playing in game one of the Blades/Ice series but being disallowed by Hockey Canada to play in game two because of it would've been his 6th game in an Ice uniform, forcing him to stay with the team instead of playing with the Midget Giants in the Telus Cup. Good thing he didn't play...
Reinhart and the Giants will play the round-robin portion of the tournament and hope to make the playoff round Saturday and the finals Sunday. Reinhart will be eligible to re-join the Ice in time for game three and four of the Tigers/Ice series, back in Cranbrook next Tuesday and Wednesday.
As per Jeff H's blog, D Brayden McNabb was named the WHL Player of the Week today. McNabb had a goal and five assists in two games last week, helping the Ice beat the Blades 4-0 in their second round series.
G Nathan Lieuwen was the WHL goaltender of the week and is nominated as the WHL's entry for CHL goaltender of the week. Nathan shutout the Blades in game three, went 2-0 and stopped 55 of 57 shots. Lieuwen has the best GAA among goalies in the WHL Playoffs with a 1.96 GAA and a .930 Save percentage, tied for second behind Tyler Bunz of the Tigers who has .938.
And the Chilliwack to Victoria saga continue today with what Blazer voice Jon Keen stating on his blog that an announcement is imminent from the WHL about the situation. Yes, the Bruins will be going to Victoria - the ECHL's Salmon Kings are still in the playoffs and up 2-0 in their series with Utah - but now the question is, who will go to Chilliwack?
Rod Pederson on his blog today said that he got a txt from a NHL employee that said the NHL's Coyotes will move to Winnipeg, which if true won't happen until the Coyotes are out of the playoffs, the AHL's Manitoba Moose would move to Abbotsford and the AHL's Heat would move to Chilliwack.
Don't know if I buy the Heat/Moose swap out of Abby because of the complicated lease the Heat have with the city of Abbotsford, though CKNW - through the Abbotsford times - is speculating about it today. The city currently underwrites the AHL's Heat to the tune of $5.7 million so I can't see the Flames wanting to move their almost cost-free minor league franchise out of there and I can't see Chilliwack providing the same subsidy if the Heat come there.
Granted, the Canucks AHL franchise would draw considerably more in Abby than what the Heat does (yes, we could debate the wisdom of putting a minor league franchise of the Canucks biggest rival in their backyard but we'll refrain from that today), but how would the Heat do in Chilliwack? The Wack now becomes some sort of two-timed, jilted lover that gets hockey's version the rebound/transition girl?
The Quesnel Millionaires of the BCHL are also for sale and rumoured to be located but I guess if I'm Chilliwack AHL pro hockey would definitely be an upgrade. Jeez, you wonder when this one will ever stop turning.
While we're waiting for the Ice/Tigers series to begin Friday night in Medicine Hat -I'll have a preview and some more stuff later in the week - there's lots to talk about on the NHL side of things.
The Raffi Torres hit on Brent Seabrook last night. Clean hockey hit or penalty, major or minor? Torres has a history including a hit on Eberle that landed him a four game suspension that he just returned from.
As far as I'm concerned, Seabrook should have his head up and know what's coming but I have a real problem with a player like Torres who seems to think that opponents are there to injure instead of playing the game.
As far as the rules are concerned, it's interference, which was called on the play, but it should've been a major. Neither Seabrook nor Eberle had possession of the puck (as defined by rule 53 - possession of the puck is by the player who last touched it).
Hockey play or not it's dangerous crap like that that will hurt the game and perhaps worse to the player. The NHL has ruled today that there'll be no further suspension on Torres because behind the net is a designated hitting area. The league dropped the ball on this one and failed to send the message. Now this could really get out of hand.
The new concussion rules instituted by the NHL don't hold a lot of water either, since it was abundantly clear Seabrook was out for a couple of seconds after the hit. So much for that.
And listen, I'm a Canucks fan - though not the new generation, when I was younger you couldn't find a Vancouver fan that would admit it, now you cant throw a rock without hitting one - and have been since they were terrible back in the late 70's and 80's when they couldn't draw flies at the Pacific Coliseum so I'm not trying to bash any Canucks. Just that Torres has got to use some common sense on his physical play.
Here's the release:
______________________________________________________________
Cranbrook, BC – The Kootenay ICE Hockey Club are pleased to announce that 2011-12 Season Tickets are now on sale and prices will remain unchanged for the third straight season.
Early Bird Season Ticket prices are as follows if purchased on or before Tuesday, May 31st:
Adult: $399.00
Senior (65+): $299.00*
Student (13-25): $249.00**
Youth (4-12): $199.00
*Must be 65 prior to September 23, 2011
**with valid full time student ID
By purchasing an Early Bird Season Ticket you receive a significant savings off walk-up rates. Adults save 47%, Seniors save 48%, Students save 51% and Youth save 54%. Each ticket package will increase by $100 beginning Wednesday, June 1st.
Tickets are currently on sale in the Kootenay ICE Office for Games Three and Four of the WHL Husky Energy Eastern Conference Championship versus the Medicine Hat Tigers.
Friday, April 22 @ Medicine Hat – 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 23 @ Medicine Hat – 7:30 pm
Tuesday, April 26 @ Kootenay – 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 27 @ Kootenay – 7:00 pm
Friday, April 29 @ Medicine Hat – 7:30 pm *
Sunday, May 1 @ Kootenay – 6:00 pm *
Tuesday, May 3 @ Medicine Hat – 7:00 pm *
*If necessary
Ice prospect F Sam Reinhart and the Vancouver NW Giants opened the Telus Cup - the national midget championship - today in St. John's Nfld with a wild 12-5 win over the West representative, the Winnipeg Thrashers. Reinhart was named player of the game with a whopping 3 goals and 6 assists for a 9 point game.
The Ice first round bantam pick from last year's draft (15th overall) made headlines after playing in game one of the Blades/Ice series but being disallowed by Hockey Canada to play in game two because of it would've been his 6th game in an Ice uniform, forcing him to stay with the team instead of playing with the Midget Giants in the Telus Cup. Good thing he didn't play...
Reinhart and the Giants will play the round-robin portion of the tournament and hope to make the playoff round Saturday and the finals Sunday. Reinhart will be eligible to re-join the Ice in time for game three and four of the Tigers/Ice series, back in Cranbrook next Tuesday and Wednesday.
As per Jeff H's blog, D Brayden McNabb was named the WHL Player of the Week today. McNabb had a goal and five assists in two games last week, helping the Ice beat the Blades 4-0 in their second round series.
G Nathan Lieuwen was the WHL goaltender of the week and is nominated as the WHL's entry for CHL goaltender of the week. Nathan shutout the Blades in game three, went 2-0 and stopped 55 of 57 shots. Lieuwen has the best GAA among goalies in the WHL Playoffs with a 1.96 GAA and a .930 Save percentage, tied for second behind Tyler Bunz of the Tigers who has .938.
And the Chilliwack to Victoria saga continue today with what Blazer voice Jon Keen stating on his blog that an announcement is imminent from the WHL about the situation. Yes, the Bruins will be going to Victoria - the ECHL's Salmon Kings are still in the playoffs and up 2-0 in their series with Utah - but now the question is, who will go to Chilliwack?
Rod Pederson on his blog today said that he got a txt from a NHL employee that said the NHL's Coyotes will move to Winnipeg, which if true won't happen until the Coyotes are out of the playoffs, the AHL's Manitoba Moose would move to Abbotsford and the AHL's Heat would move to Chilliwack.
Don't know if I buy the Heat/Moose swap out of Abby because of the complicated lease the Heat have with the city of Abbotsford, though CKNW - through the Abbotsford times - is speculating about it today. The city currently underwrites the AHL's Heat to the tune of $5.7 million so I can't see the Flames wanting to move their almost cost-free minor league franchise out of there and I can't see Chilliwack providing the same subsidy if the Heat come there.
Granted, the Canucks AHL franchise would draw considerably more in Abby than what the Heat does (yes, we could debate the wisdom of putting a minor league franchise of the Canucks biggest rival in their backyard but we'll refrain from that today), but how would the Heat do in Chilliwack? The Wack now becomes some sort of two-timed, jilted lover that gets hockey's version the rebound/transition girl?
The Quesnel Millionaires of the BCHL are also for sale and rumoured to be located but I guess if I'm Chilliwack AHL pro hockey would definitely be an upgrade. Jeez, you wonder when this one will ever stop turning.
While we're waiting for the Ice/Tigers series to begin Friday night in Medicine Hat -I'll have a preview and some more stuff later in the week - there's lots to talk about on the NHL side of things.
The Raffi Torres hit on Brent Seabrook last night. Clean hockey hit or penalty, major or minor? Torres has a history including a hit on Eberle that landed him a four game suspension that he just returned from.
As far as I'm concerned, Seabrook should have his head up and know what's coming but I have a real problem with a player like Torres who seems to think that opponents are there to injure instead of playing the game.
As far as the rules are concerned, it's interference, which was called on the play, but it should've been a major. Neither Seabrook nor Eberle had possession of the puck (as defined by rule 53 - possession of the puck is by the player who last touched it).
Hockey play or not it's dangerous crap like that that will hurt the game and perhaps worse to the player. The NHL has ruled today that there'll be no further suspension on Torres because behind the net is a designated hitting area. The league dropped the ball on this one and failed to send the message. Now this could really get out of hand.
The new concussion rules instituted by the NHL don't hold a lot of water either, since it was abundantly clear Seabrook was out for a couple of seconds after the hit. So much for that.
And listen, I'm a Canucks fan - though not the new generation, when I was younger you couldn't find a Vancouver fan that would admit it, now you cant throw a rock without hitting one - and have been since they were terrible back in the late 70's and 80's when they couldn't draw flies at the Pacific Coliseum so I'm not trying to bash any Canucks. Just that Torres has got to use some common sense on his physical play.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The Tigers it is....
Kellan Tochkin's 4th of the playoffs capped a four goal comeback as the Medicine Hat Tigers - down 4-1 as late 2:21 into the third period - came all the way back to tie it and then win the game and the series in overtime. The Tigers beat the Rebels 4-1 in the best of seven series.
There's no official word on the schedule for the Eastern Conference finals as of yet but if traditional dates and arena availability hold, the series will likely begin next Friday in Medicine Hat. Game two would be Saturday while the series would shift back to Cranbrook Tuesday and Wednesday for games three and four.
There'll be lots to talk about between the two clubs as two very hot teams will meet up to see who gets to go to the Ed Chynoweth Cup finals.
UPDATE -- Not two minutes later the dates were announced; the only tweak in the format I see is game six, which is now Sunday night at 6PM at the Plex if necessary. It makes for a tough turnaround with a 5.5 hr bus ride from the Hat after game five Saturday night.
UPDATE X 2 -- I stand corrected or, at least, confused. I looked at the day - which is the Saturday on the release - not the date, which is Friday, April 29 for Game Five. Game Six is Sunday, May 1.
Cranbrook, BC � The Kootenay ICE Hockey Club have announced the dates and times for their best of seven WHL Husky Mohawk Eastern Conference Championship series versus the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The ICE finished in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and were 4-1-1-0 against Medicine Hat this season (2-0-1-0 at home, 2-1-0-0 on the road, 0-1 in overtime and 0-0 in shootouts).
The best of seven series will start in Medicine Hat on Friday, April 22nd.
Friday, April 22 @ Medicine Hat � 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 23 @ Medicine Hat � 7:30 pm
Tuesday, April 26 @ Kootenay � 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 27 @ Kootenay � 7:00 pm
Friday, April 29 @ Medicine Hat � 7:30 pm ****
Sunday, May 1 @ Kootenay � 6:00 pm *
Tuesday, May 3 @ Medicine Hat � 7:00 pm *
*If necessary
Tickets for the third round of playoffs will go on sale Monday, April 18th at 10:00 am and will be available at the Kootenay ICE Office.
There's no official word on the schedule for the Eastern Conference finals as of yet but if traditional dates and arena availability hold, the series will likely begin next Friday in Medicine Hat. Game two would be Saturday while the series would shift back to Cranbrook Tuesday and Wednesday for games three and four.
There'll be lots to talk about between the two clubs as two very hot teams will meet up to see who gets to go to the Ed Chynoweth Cup finals.
UPDATE -- Not two minutes later the dates were announced; the only tweak in the format I see is game six, which is now Sunday night at 6PM at the Plex if necessary. It makes for a tough turnaround with a 5.5 hr bus ride from the Hat after game five Saturday night.
UPDATE X 2 -- I stand corrected or, at least, confused. I looked at the day - which is the Saturday on the release - not the date, which is Friday, April 29 for Game Five. Game Six is Sunday, May 1.
Cranbrook, BC � The Kootenay ICE Hockey Club have announced the dates and times for their best of seven WHL Husky Mohawk Eastern Conference Championship series versus the Medicine Hat Tigers.
The ICE finished in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and were 4-1-1-0 against Medicine Hat this season (2-0-1-0 at home, 2-1-0-0 on the road, 0-1 in overtime and 0-0 in shootouts).
The best of seven series will start in Medicine Hat on Friday, April 22nd.
Friday, April 22 @ Medicine Hat � 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 23 @ Medicine Hat � 7:30 pm
Tuesday, April 26 @ Kootenay � 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 27 @ Kootenay � 7:00 pm
Friday, April 29 @ Medicine Hat � 7:30 pm ****
Sunday, May 1 @ Kootenay � 6:00 pm *
Tuesday, May 3 @ Medicine Hat � 7:00 pm *
*If necessary
Tickets for the third round of playoffs will go on sale Monday, April 18th at 10:00 am and will be available at the Kootenay ICE Office.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Ice push Blades to the brink
The Score – Saskatoon 0 – Kootenay 3
What Happened – Waiting for the push back from the Blades that never really materialized, the Ice controlled this one from start to finish. If not for Stanford’s heroics in the second, this one would’ve been a blowout.
The Turning Point – After a rare shift of pressure by the Blades a centering pass to the Ice slot was corralled by McNabb. With no real outlet he turned on the speed on a 3-on-2 the other way. King and Eaking drove the net taking both defenders with them. McNabb dangled to the slot, waited and buried as pretty a goal as you’ll see. The demoralized Blades never recovered.
The Lines - On this night the big line of Eakin, King and Boomer never scored but again, they were tops defensively because you-know-who didn't score either. In fact Jesse Ismond - who took King's place on the top power play unit cashed in early - McNabb and Antilla scored. Antilla wasn't with his usual linemates however as he was with Drew Czweronka and Eric Benoit when he notched his 6th.
The Match-Ups - The same as game's one and two. Eakin went head-to-head with Schenn for the most part but the real kicker was the addition of Czerwonka from the shoulder injury that's kept him out of the last five games. On that third unit he gave the likes of Brent Benson - Saskatoon's best player in games one and two - fits. His injury is clearly still giving him trouble but he was great in his return.
The Cage - After taking a high-stick from a follow through of a Blade shot, Cody Eakin didn't miss a shift but returned in the second sporting a cage.
The Goals – After killing three consecutive Blade power plays the Ice got a shot at their own late in the first with Stransky off for interference. Kris Knoblauch played a hunch and used Jesse Ismond on the number one unit. It paid off. Brayden McNabb took a puck in the shallow slot after a timely pinch and sent a shot to Stanford. He stopped it, juggled it and then watched Ismond lay flat out to poke in his first of the playoffs. 1-0 Ice… To start the second, following some pressure by the Blades, Brayden McNabb corralled a bouncing puck and skated the length of the ice, dangled into the slot with a wide-open chance, waited, skated some more, and waited until Stanford was down and out before wiring a wrist-shot past him to make it 2-0… In the third Drew Czerwonka put a shot on Stanford that he couldn’t handle. Joe Antilla, on a hard drive to the net, potted his sixth of the playoffs and sealed Saskatoon’s fate on this night.
The PK – Two quick penalties by the Ice – one by King and another on Ismond – continued on an early theme for this series: too many Ice penalties. Fortunately for the Ice the theme started in Toon Town kept up. The Blades managed one shot and in the first PK they were outshot 2-0. They had a chance later in the first but couldn't conver. That would be all the chances they'd get on the power play and that 0-12 stat the Blades are in possession of for the series is perhaps the most telling of all.
The Delayed Penalty – Steven Stanford, perhaps shell-shocked from the 17 shots barrage thrown at him in the second, mistakenly left the net in the second when he thought the Ice were getting a delayed penalty. When Kootenay got possession and started up ice, he hastily retreated.
The Hit (Almost) – Taking a rather suicidal pass at his own blueline with Matt Fraser lurking in the neutral zone, Brayden Schenn looked at the last possible second before Fraser got him. It almost woke him up as the LA Kings wonderkid almost scored 30 seconds later.
The Fun Police – Are you kidding me? Knock it off yellow-jackets. In a building full of energy – supplied largely by the boys in blue paint and the boys (I think they were boys) in full leotard bodysuits. The boys in blue paint and even the leotard gang around the Blades penalty box both got chastised by the ushers on this night. Unless they’re doing something wrong (they weren’t), stop raining on their parade. That energy in the building tonight? They were responsible for a lot of it. The leotard gang got fan(s) of the game shortly after that. Go figure. One long-time fan was even seen given one of them (game-night staff) an earful for being so prude.
The (old) Voice – There was a familiar face on the Shaw Broadcast tonight as Kirk Fraser was the broadcast’s host. Fraser was the original voice of the Ice when the club first moved to Cranbrook in 1998. After performing the same duties for the Kamloops Blazers the past 11 seasons, he took a gig with Shaw in 2010.
The Crowd – 3065 – Electric on this night. TV Broadcast or not the place was jumpin’
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Brayden McNabb – was a horse, a highlight reel goal and two assists
2. Steven Stanford – Did his part and more. He teammates need to do theirs if this series is going past Wednesday night.
3. Nathan Lieuwen – Rock solid once again. I might’ve given him first star honours just to keep the streak of 1st star nods going.
What it means – The Blades are teetering on the brink. They’re not scoring and Kootenay’s about to show them the exit. The only team to come back from a 3-0 deficit? The 1996 Spokane Chiefs who accomplished the feat against the Portland Winterhawks.
Up Next: Wednesday back at the Plex as the Ice try to close out the series.
Summary:
Kootenay leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Blades 0 @ Ice 3
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Saskatoon and the Kootenay Ice; April 12, 2011.
Jesse Ismond's first of the playoffs held up as the eventual game-winner while Nathan Lieuwen stopped all 22 shots he faced as the Ice defeated the Blades 3-0 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Confernce semi-final.
After killing three straight penalties Kootenay opened the scoring on a late power play when Jesse Ismond got his first of the playoff diving into the crease to stab in a loose puck.
In the second Brayden McNabb extended the lead on an end-to-end rush that ended with him dangling into the offensive zone, waiting out Blade goaltender Steven Stanford before firing a wrist shot past him to make it 2-0.
Joe Antilla added some further insurance in the third by jumping on a rebound for his 6th of the playoffs to make it 3-0.
Lieuwen stopped all 22 shots he faced for the win and his second shutout of the playoffs while Steven Stanford was stellar, stopping 33 of 36 shots in taking the loss.
The series continues tomorrow night in Cranbrook for game four.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Ismond 1 (McNabb, Eakin) 18:34 (pp)
Penalties -- King Ktn (goaltender interference) 2:28, Ismond Ktn (roughing) 5:32, Leach Ktn (checking-from-behind) 15:22, Stansky Sas (interference) 18:18.
Second Period
2. Kootenay, McNabb 3 1:58
Penalties -- Deitz Sas (elbowing) 6:33, Olsen Sas (high-sticking) 12:45.
Third Period
3. Kootenay, Antilla 6 (Czerwonka, McNabb) 12:18
Penalties -- Dziurzynski Sas (cross-checking) 10:04, King Ktn Stransky Sas (roughing) 13:22.
Shots on goal by:
Kootenay: 10 17 9 - 36
Saskatoon: 6 4 12 - 22
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 7-2); Saskatoon: Steven Stanford (L, 4-5).
Power plays (goals-chances) --
Saskatoon: 0-3
Kootenay: 1-4
Referee -- Matt Kirk, Andy Thiessen. Linesman -- Mike Roberts, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 3065 (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
What Happened – Waiting for the push back from the Blades that never really materialized, the Ice controlled this one from start to finish. If not for Stanford’s heroics in the second, this one would’ve been a blowout.
The Turning Point – After a rare shift of pressure by the Blades a centering pass to the Ice slot was corralled by McNabb. With no real outlet he turned on the speed on a 3-on-2 the other way. King and Eaking drove the net taking both defenders with them. McNabb dangled to the slot, waited and buried as pretty a goal as you’ll see. The demoralized Blades never recovered.
The Lines - On this night the big line of Eakin, King and Boomer never scored but again, they were tops defensively because you-know-who didn't score either. In fact Jesse Ismond - who took King's place on the top power play unit cashed in early - McNabb and Antilla scored. Antilla wasn't with his usual linemates however as he was with Drew Czweronka and Eric Benoit when he notched his 6th.
The Match-Ups - The same as game's one and two. Eakin went head-to-head with Schenn for the most part but the real kicker was the addition of Czerwonka from the shoulder injury that's kept him out of the last five games. On that third unit he gave the likes of Brent Benson - Saskatoon's best player in games one and two - fits. His injury is clearly still giving him trouble but he was great in his return.
The Cage - After taking a high-stick from a follow through of a Blade shot, Cody Eakin didn't miss a shift but returned in the second sporting a cage.
The Goals – After killing three consecutive Blade power plays the Ice got a shot at their own late in the first with Stransky off for interference. Kris Knoblauch played a hunch and used Jesse Ismond on the number one unit. It paid off. Brayden McNabb took a puck in the shallow slot after a timely pinch and sent a shot to Stanford. He stopped it, juggled it and then watched Ismond lay flat out to poke in his first of the playoffs. 1-0 Ice… To start the second, following some pressure by the Blades, Brayden McNabb corralled a bouncing puck and skated the length of the ice, dangled into the slot with a wide-open chance, waited, skated some more, and waited until Stanford was down and out before wiring a wrist-shot past him to make it 2-0… In the third Drew Czerwonka put a shot on Stanford that he couldn’t handle. Joe Antilla, on a hard drive to the net, potted his sixth of the playoffs and sealed Saskatoon’s fate on this night.
The PK – Two quick penalties by the Ice – one by King and another on Ismond – continued on an early theme for this series: too many Ice penalties. Fortunately for the Ice the theme started in Toon Town kept up. The Blades managed one shot and in the first PK they were outshot 2-0. They had a chance later in the first but couldn't conver. That would be all the chances they'd get on the power play and that 0-12 stat the Blades are in possession of for the series is perhaps the most telling of all.
The Delayed Penalty – Steven Stanford, perhaps shell-shocked from the 17 shots barrage thrown at him in the second, mistakenly left the net in the second when he thought the Ice were getting a delayed penalty. When Kootenay got possession and started up ice, he hastily retreated.
The Hit (Almost) – Taking a rather suicidal pass at his own blueline with Matt Fraser lurking in the neutral zone, Brayden Schenn looked at the last possible second before Fraser got him. It almost woke him up as the LA Kings wonderkid almost scored 30 seconds later.
The Fun Police – Are you kidding me? Knock it off yellow-jackets. In a building full of energy – supplied largely by the boys in blue paint and the boys (I think they were boys) in full leotard bodysuits. The boys in blue paint and even the leotard gang around the Blades penalty box both got chastised by the ushers on this night. Unless they’re doing something wrong (they weren’t), stop raining on their parade. That energy in the building tonight? They were responsible for a lot of it. The leotard gang got fan(s) of the game shortly after that. Go figure. One long-time fan was even seen given one of them (game-night staff) an earful for being so prude.
The (old) Voice – There was a familiar face on the Shaw Broadcast tonight as Kirk Fraser was the broadcast’s host. Fraser was the original voice of the Ice when the club first moved to Cranbrook in 1998. After performing the same duties for the Kamloops Blazers the past 11 seasons, he took a gig with Shaw in 2010.
The Crowd – 3065 – Electric on this night. TV Broadcast or not the place was jumpin’
Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Brayden McNabb – was a horse, a highlight reel goal and two assists
2. Steven Stanford – Did his part and more. He teammates need to do theirs if this series is going past Wednesday night.
3. Nathan Lieuwen – Rock solid once again. I might’ve given him first star honours just to keep the streak of 1st star nods going.
What it means – The Blades are teetering on the brink. They’re not scoring and Kootenay’s about to show them the exit. The only team to come back from a 3-0 deficit? The 1996 Spokane Chiefs who accomplished the feat against the Portland Winterhawks.
Up Next: Wednesday back at the Plex as the Ice try to close out the series.
Summary:
Kootenay leads best-of-seven series 3-0
Blades 0 @ Ice 3
CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for playoff game between the Saskatoon and the Kootenay Ice; April 12, 2011.
Jesse Ismond's first of the playoffs held up as the eventual game-winner while Nathan Lieuwen stopped all 22 shots he faced as the Ice defeated the Blades 3-0 to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Confernce semi-final.
After killing three straight penalties Kootenay opened the scoring on a late power play when Jesse Ismond got his first of the playoff diving into the crease to stab in a loose puck.
In the second Brayden McNabb extended the lead on an end-to-end rush that ended with him dangling into the offensive zone, waiting out Blade goaltender Steven Stanford before firing a wrist shot past him to make it 2-0.
Joe Antilla added some further insurance in the third by jumping on a rebound for his 6th of the playoffs to make it 3-0.
Lieuwen stopped all 22 shots he faced for the win and his second shutout of the playoffs while Steven Stanford was stellar, stopping 33 of 36 shots in taking the loss.
The series continues tomorrow night in Cranbrook for game four.
First Period
1. Kootenay, Ismond 1 (McNabb, Eakin) 18:34 (pp)
Penalties -- King Ktn (goaltender interference) 2:28, Ismond Ktn (roughing) 5:32, Leach Ktn (checking-from-behind) 15:22, Stansky Sas (interference) 18:18.
Second Period
2. Kootenay, McNabb 3 1:58
Penalties -- Deitz Sas (elbowing) 6:33, Olsen Sas (high-sticking) 12:45.
Third Period
3. Kootenay, Antilla 6 (Czerwonka, McNabb) 12:18
Penalties -- Dziurzynski Sas (cross-checking) 10:04, King Ktn Stransky Sas (roughing) 13:22.
Shots on goal by:
Kootenay: 10 17 9 - 36
Saskatoon: 6 4 12 - 22
Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 7-2); Saskatoon: Steven Stanford (L, 4-5).
Power plays (goals-chances) --
Saskatoon: 0-3
Kootenay: 1-4
Referee -- Matt Kirk, Andy Thiessen. Linesman -- Mike Roberts, Scott Sharun.
Attendance -- 3065 (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
Monday, April 11, 2011
NHL Central Scouting Rankings Out....
24 hours before the Ice and Blades resume their series for game three, the NHL's Central Scouting Service released their final rankings for the 2011 NHL Draft today.
Red Deer's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins headlines the class while Swedish winger playing in Kitchener, Gabriel Landeskog is second.
The entire list is at the NHL site here.
D Adam Larsson out of Sweden is the top ranked player out of Europe.
With the Oilers and the Avs likely to have the top pick, what's the chances of dealing that pick and taking Larsson after RNH, based on the number of young forwards both clubs have? They might even take Larsson ahead of RNH.
As far as Ice prospects go - D John Neibrandt (1992-born, late birth date) checks in at 170 while fellow D-man Jagger Dirk is at 188.
Ice list player F Colten St. Clair, a 1992-born late birth date drafted out of Phoenix in 2007 (same year as Reinhart, Leach, Pearce and Czerwonka) in the 10th round, 218th overall checks in on the NHL list at 77th. The pick was more or less a flyer as St. Clair never came to camp, choosing instead to play with Fargo of the USHL. He's committed to North Dakota although he didn't make the squad this year.
Another player that didn't come to the club after showing up at camp as a 15-year-old is D-man Micheal King. Taken in the 3rd round (59th overall) in 2008 the big PG product decided not to join the Ice as a 16-year-old (How deep would this club be on the blueline?) and instead choose the NCAA route, playing the past season with Westside of the BCHL. King is committed to Div 1 Colorado College for 2012-13 and is ranked 126th.
Red Deer's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins headlines the class while Swedish winger playing in Kitchener, Gabriel Landeskog is second.
The entire list is at the NHL site here.
D Adam Larsson out of Sweden is the top ranked player out of Europe.
With the Oilers and the Avs likely to have the top pick, what's the chances of dealing that pick and taking Larsson after RNH, based on the number of young forwards both clubs have? They might even take Larsson ahead of RNH.
As far as Ice prospects go - D John Neibrandt (1992-born, late birth date) checks in at 170 while fellow D-man Jagger Dirk is at 188.
Ice list player F Colten St. Clair, a 1992-born late birth date drafted out of Phoenix in 2007 (same year as Reinhart, Leach, Pearce and Czerwonka) in the 10th round, 218th overall checks in on the NHL list at 77th. The pick was more or less a flyer as St. Clair never came to camp, choosing instead to play with Fargo of the USHL. He's committed to North Dakota although he didn't make the squad this year.
Another player that didn't come to the club after showing up at camp as a 15-year-old is D-man Micheal King. Taken in the 3rd round (59th overall) in 2008 the big PG product decided not to join the Ice as a 16-year-old (How deep would this club be on the blueline?) and instead choose the NCAA route, playing the past season with Westside of the BCHL. King is committed to Div 1 Colorado College for 2012-13 and is ranked 126th.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Ice up 2-0 headed back home
As far as 9-10 hour bus rides go, this one should be a festive one.
Headed into their second round Eastern Conference playoff with the Saskatoon Blades 18 point 'dogs and 0-fer in the regular season the Kootenay Ice beat the Blades 3-2 in overtime to take an unlikely 2-0 series lead back to the Rec Plex for Game 3 Tuesday night.
The Antilla-Fraser-Reinhart line continued their hot-hand, combining for all three goals in the win.
But the real story of this series is clearly, Nathan Lieuwen. Named first star for the second straight game the 19-year-old goaltender stopped a whopping 50 of 52 shots and was stellar all night long.
Max Reinhart opened the scoring on a great drop pass (they're only great when they work) slapshot that beat Steven Stanford 16:23 into the first for a 1-0 Ice lead.
The Blades tied it in the second on a shot from the point that Brent Benson corralled the rebound and just beat an out-stretched Lieuwen in the second.
4:12 into the third a pretty give-n-go with Brayden McNabb gave Matt Fraser his 8th of the playoffs who posted up from a low angle and blasted the go-ahead goal.
On perhaps the toughest bit of luck for the Ice in this series - almost all of the bounces have gone their way, if not the calls, but more on that later - Brayden Schenn's point-shot with Stanford pulled with 1:05 left in the game, deflected twice - off Eakin and then McNabb's skate past Lieuwen to tie it.
In OT the Blades had a ton of chances but Lieuwen put up the wall until late in the first OT Joe Antilla had a head of speed and a partial 2-on-1 down the right wing. He wired his 5th of the playoffs past Stanford, stick-side for the game-winner.
Adam Rossignol checked in in place of Sam Reinhart who couldn't play. Both he and John Neibrandt, used up front as a forward, saw very little ice-time.
Scratched for the Ice were F Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - day-to-day), F Brock Montgomery (Mono - indefinite), F Sam Reinhart (ineligible).
Reinhart finished with a goal and two helpers and now sits seventh in WHL Playoff scoring with 5g, 6a for 11pts. Fraser has 8g and 2a.
Won't tap too much about the zebras but a very close called game went all the Blades way with six straight calls - five, the first one was too many men - as the Ice killed all six. Another telling stat; the high-powered Blades are 0-9 through two games.
Goaltending has clearly been the difference in this series and Lieuwen now sits 3rd in the playoffs with a 2.20 GAA and a .921 save percentage. It was .890 when this series started.
Highlites are up right here. Global has a piece here.
I'll ask the question again and I know most are sick of hearing it but if this doesn't bring 'em Tuesday then I don't know what will.
More later...
Headed into their second round Eastern Conference playoff with the Saskatoon Blades 18 point 'dogs and 0-fer in the regular season the Kootenay Ice beat the Blades 3-2 in overtime to take an unlikely 2-0 series lead back to the Rec Plex for Game 3 Tuesday night.
The Antilla-Fraser-Reinhart line continued their hot-hand, combining for all three goals in the win.
But the real story of this series is clearly, Nathan Lieuwen. Named first star for the second straight game the 19-year-old goaltender stopped a whopping 50 of 52 shots and was stellar all night long.
Max Reinhart opened the scoring on a great drop pass (they're only great when they work) slapshot that beat Steven Stanford 16:23 into the first for a 1-0 Ice lead.
The Blades tied it in the second on a shot from the point that Brent Benson corralled the rebound and just beat an out-stretched Lieuwen in the second.
4:12 into the third a pretty give-n-go with Brayden McNabb gave Matt Fraser his 8th of the playoffs who posted up from a low angle and blasted the go-ahead goal.
On perhaps the toughest bit of luck for the Ice in this series - almost all of the bounces have gone their way, if not the calls, but more on that later - Brayden Schenn's point-shot with Stanford pulled with 1:05 left in the game, deflected twice - off Eakin and then McNabb's skate past Lieuwen to tie it.
In OT the Blades had a ton of chances but Lieuwen put up the wall until late in the first OT Joe Antilla had a head of speed and a partial 2-on-1 down the right wing. He wired his 5th of the playoffs past Stanford, stick-side for the game-winner.
Adam Rossignol checked in in place of Sam Reinhart who couldn't play. Both he and John Neibrandt, used up front as a forward, saw very little ice-time.
Scratched for the Ice were F Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - day-to-day), F Brock Montgomery (Mono - indefinite), F Sam Reinhart (ineligible).
Reinhart finished with a goal and two helpers and now sits seventh in WHL Playoff scoring with 5g, 6a for 11pts. Fraser has 8g and 2a.
Won't tap too much about the zebras but a very close called game went all the Blades way with six straight calls - five, the first one was too many men - as the Ice killed all six. Another telling stat; the high-powered Blades are 0-9 through two games.
Goaltending has clearly been the difference in this series and Lieuwen now sits 3rd in the playoffs with a 2.20 GAA and a .921 save percentage. It was .890 when this series started.
Highlites are up right here. Global has a piece here.
I'll ask the question again and I know most are sick of hearing it but if this doesn't bring 'em Tuesday then I don't know what will.
More later...
Clouston Fired
Former Ice coach Cory Clouston was let go by the Ottawa Senators today. Assistant Brad Lauer is also done.
Bruce Garrioch has the story here.
Bruce Garrioch has the story here.
Reinhart Out
As per Jeff Hollick's blog - link down a bit, on the rink - F Sam Reinhart is not eligible for tonight's game lest he jeopardize his eligibility to play in the Telus Cup Midget Championships in St. John's April 18.
Reinhart has played in five games this season with the Ice including last night. I erred when I mentioned in an earlier post that there was a date that Reinhart could join the club for more than the HockeyCanada rule of five games past January 10 as an affiliate player.
Here's the rule:
35. a) A player of a team of a lower Division or category of the same club, or of
an affiliated team, or a specially affiliated player, may play for a team or
teams of higher Divisions and categories at any time, but if he plays more
than five (5) league and/or play-off games after January 10 with a team or
teams in any higher Divisions or categories, he shall not be allowed to
compete any further in the Division or category for which he is registered
in the same season. Should a player play more than five (5) games with a
team or teams in still higher Divisions and categories, than he shall accordingly
disqualify himself from playing any further in lower Divisions and categories.
For goaltender exceptions see B.41, E.36 (b).
b) Exhibition and/or tournament games, which are not part of regular league
games or play-off games, are excluded from the number of games
referred to in E.35 (a).
But there is also this that I found in the Hockey Canada rule book on affiliations:
GENERAL AFFILIATION PROCEDURES
29. Notwithstanding E.10, E.11, and E.12, Major Junior Hockey teams operating
in the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major
Junior Hockey League may affiliate players registered on Hockey Canada
teams in accordance with agreements reached between the respective
Leagues and respective Branches.
So, using Hollick's statement that BC Hockey has given Reinhart permission to play with the Ice until his Midget club plays next week, as has his club itself, Article 29 tells me that Reinhart could be used if there is an agreement with the branch (BC Hockey).
Given Kootenay's injury status I'm sure there's a case to be made for Reinhart's inclusion in the lineup - with Czerwonka and Montgomery out. So if BC Hockey approves then I don't see why there's a problem.
It's a bit of blow but not the end of the world. Reinhart played well and of course doesn't look out of place but if there's trouble I'd think that Levi Cable isn't far away in Hudson Bay and Jared Iron is also a few hours north in Canoe Lake.
Corey Wolfe of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix has a gamer from last night here. Kevin Mitchell has a column here.
Reinhart has played in five games this season with the Ice including last night. I erred when I mentioned in an earlier post that there was a date that Reinhart could join the club for more than the HockeyCanada rule of five games past January 10 as an affiliate player.
Here's the rule:
35. a) A player of a team of a lower Division or category of the same club, or of
an affiliated team, or a specially affiliated player, may play for a team or
teams of higher Divisions and categories at any time, but if he plays more
than five (5) league and/or play-off games after January 10 with a team or
teams in any higher Divisions or categories, he shall not be allowed to
compete any further in the Division or category for which he is registered
in the same season. Should a player play more than five (5) games with a
team or teams in still higher Divisions and categories, than he shall accordingly
disqualify himself from playing any further in lower Divisions and categories.
For goaltender exceptions see B.41, E.36 (b).
b) Exhibition and/or tournament games, which are not part of regular league
games or play-off games, are excluded from the number of games
referred to in E.35 (a).
But there is also this that I found in the Hockey Canada rule book on affiliations:
GENERAL AFFILIATION PROCEDURES
29. Notwithstanding E.10, E.11, and E.12, Major Junior Hockey teams operating
in the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major
Junior Hockey League may affiliate players registered on Hockey Canada
teams in accordance with agreements reached between the respective
Leagues and respective Branches.
So, using Hollick's statement that BC Hockey has given Reinhart permission to play with the Ice until his Midget club plays next week, as has his club itself, Article 29 tells me that Reinhart could be used if there is an agreement with the branch (BC Hockey).
Given Kootenay's injury status I'm sure there's a case to be made for Reinhart's inclusion in the lineup - with Czerwonka and Montgomery out. So if BC Hockey approves then I don't see why there's a problem.
It's a bit of blow but not the end of the world. Reinhart played well and of course doesn't look out of place but if there's trouble I'd think that Levi Cable isn't far away in Hudson Bay and Jared Iron is also a few hours north in Canoe Lake.
Corey Wolfe of the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix has a gamer from last night here. Kevin Mitchell has a column here.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Kootenay takes game 1 - 4-1
Okay, pick your cliche...
Perfect road game... The best players were the best players... We bent but didn't break.
The Kootenay Ice scored early on a wrist shot by Matt Fraser, went 2-5 on the power play and goaltender Nathan Lieuwen stopped 35 of 36 shots as the Kootenay Ice shocked the Saskatoon Blades at home - where they'd lost only three games in 38 this season - and took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semi-Final.
Hey, a big kudos to the Blades Website guys or gals. The highlites are up right here.
Some thoughts...
This was probably the best defensive outing I've seen the Ice play all season long. Very few odd-man rushes, very few neutral zone giveaways or giveaways of any kind and very few quality chances by the Blades.
Yeah, there were chances that the Blades coulda, shoulda and woulda but a gaping wide net was missed, hit the post, fanned or just plained stopped by Lieuwen, who got first star honours.
Matt Fraser got two goals to push his post-season total to seven, tying him for the WHL lead with Linden Vey - whose Tigers waxed the Rebels tonight 9-1 and went a whopping 6-11 on the PP. Fraser's scoring is timely, to be sure.
Kevin King's first of the playoffs to give the Ice a 2-1 lead was key - for every obvious reason but more for the fact that he has to score if Kootenay's going anywhere but while McNabb (two assists), Eakin (also two) and Fraser were good, Max Reinhart was the top Ice player IMHO. Caused the Blades fits on the forecheck, controlled the puck and his goal to put the Ice up 3-1 was all heart.
Really, there were only a few times where the vaunted Blades really took it to the Ice and dominated. A bit in the first, same in the second and then the big push to start the third. This team is pure speed but for a such a big club, not a lot of physical push. D-men are activated all night - which lead to their only goal - but I'll expect more out of them tomorrow.
The Big Schenn-Eakin match-up was won on this night by Eakin. He was a factor all night where Schenn had a couple of chances but was more a factor on the frustration chart than anywhere else. That'll likely change tomorrow.
Watched Les Lazaruk - voice of the Blades - and Joe Kenward on Shaw in between periods on the Chilliwack situation. Anybody else see how uncomfortable he looked with Les talkin about the un-mentionable stuff? Don't agree with Les' position one bit but hey, everybody's entitled to an opinion. If I'm a Chilliwack fan I'm wild about this whole thing.
Ice lines:
King Boomer Eakin
Antilla Reinhart Fraser
Ismond Pearce Sam Reinhart
Hurley Benoit
McNabb Rintoul
Martin Leach
Dirk Paulsen
Neibrandt
Some interesting strategies line-up wise for the Ice as for the most part Knoblauch threw three lines at the Blades by playing the top two units a ton but then using the third line with the younger Reinhart - who again looked right at home and would certainly had his first playoff goal if Hurley lifts his head on the 3-on-1... But I digress... I don't think Neibrandt got a shift tonight.... Scratched were D Mike Simpson, F Adam Rossignol, F Brock Montgomery (Mono) and F Drew Czerwonka (Shoulder). Czerwonka is hopeful for Tuesday's game three but might play Saturday... I would think that Neibrandt dressed to see how Paulsen's shoulder held-up after the long layoff. Though he was okay. I wouldn't be surprised to see Kootenay go back to six D and 12 forwards tomorrow if Paulsen's good to go. But hey, a win usually means no line-up changes.
I wondered what a split in Saskatoon would do for Tuesday's crowd in Cranbrook for Game three....
Game two goes Saturday night.
Perfect road game... The best players were the best players... We bent but didn't break.
The Kootenay Ice scored early on a wrist shot by Matt Fraser, went 2-5 on the power play and goaltender Nathan Lieuwen stopped 35 of 36 shots as the Kootenay Ice shocked the Saskatoon Blades at home - where they'd lost only three games in 38 this season - and took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semi-Final.
Hey, a big kudos to the Blades Website guys or gals. The highlites are up right here.
Some thoughts...
This was probably the best defensive outing I've seen the Ice play all season long. Very few odd-man rushes, very few neutral zone giveaways or giveaways of any kind and very few quality chances by the Blades.
Yeah, there were chances that the Blades coulda, shoulda and woulda but a gaping wide net was missed, hit the post, fanned or just plained stopped by Lieuwen, who got first star honours.
Matt Fraser got two goals to push his post-season total to seven, tying him for the WHL lead with Linden Vey - whose Tigers waxed the Rebels tonight 9-1 and went a whopping 6-11 on the PP. Fraser's scoring is timely, to be sure.
Kevin King's first of the playoffs to give the Ice a 2-1 lead was key - for every obvious reason but more for the fact that he has to score if Kootenay's going anywhere but while McNabb (two assists), Eakin (also two) and Fraser were good, Max Reinhart was the top Ice player IMHO. Caused the Blades fits on the forecheck, controlled the puck and his goal to put the Ice up 3-1 was all heart.
Really, there were only a few times where the vaunted Blades really took it to the Ice and dominated. A bit in the first, same in the second and then the big push to start the third. This team is pure speed but for a such a big club, not a lot of physical push. D-men are activated all night - which lead to their only goal - but I'll expect more out of them tomorrow.
The Big Schenn-Eakin match-up was won on this night by Eakin. He was a factor all night where Schenn had a couple of chances but was more a factor on the frustration chart than anywhere else. That'll likely change tomorrow.
Watched Les Lazaruk - voice of the Blades - and Joe Kenward on Shaw in between periods on the Chilliwack situation. Anybody else see how uncomfortable he looked with Les talkin about the un-mentionable stuff? Don't agree with Les' position one bit but hey, everybody's entitled to an opinion. If I'm a Chilliwack fan I'm wild about this whole thing.
Ice lines:
King Boomer Eakin
Antilla Reinhart Fraser
Ismond Pearce Sam Reinhart
Hurley Benoit
McNabb Rintoul
Martin Leach
Dirk Paulsen
Neibrandt
Some interesting strategies line-up wise for the Ice as for the most part Knoblauch threw three lines at the Blades by playing the top two units a ton but then using the third line with the younger Reinhart - who again looked right at home and would certainly had his first playoff goal if Hurley lifts his head on the 3-on-1... But I digress... I don't think Neibrandt got a shift tonight.... Scratched were D Mike Simpson, F Adam Rossignol, F Brock Montgomery (Mono) and F Drew Czerwonka (Shoulder). Czerwonka is hopeful for Tuesday's game three but might play Saturday... I would think that Neibrandt dressed to see how Paulsen's shoulder held-up after the long layoff. Though he was okay. I wouldn't be surprised to see Kootenay go back to six D and 12 forwards tomorrow if Paulsen's good to go. But hey, a win usually means no line-up changes.
I wondered what a split in Saskatoon would do for Tuesday's crowd in Cranbrook for Game three....
Game two goes Saturday night.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Bodies returning against Blades
Couple of notes this morning:
D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) and F Drew Czerwonka are likely to both return for the secound round series with the Blades starting as early as Friday. Matt Coxford has the story here. Paulsen's been out for over two months and will provide depth to defend against a Blades club that's deep up front. Czerwonka, (upper body - shoulder) could be back by the first two games or return when the series shifts back to Cranbrook Tuesday night. F Brock Montgomery (Mono) is unlikely to return unless the Ice move on.
F Sam Reinhart is also being recalled for games one and two of the series in Saskatoon while his Midget club, the Vancouver Northwest Giants await the start of the Telus Cup National Midget Championships in St. John's Nefoundland. Reinhart played four games this season, notching two goals. Usually AP's are allowed to play in five games while their club's are still playing but because the Giants are in the nationals, I'm sure there's a deadline (April 1, if memory serves) that goes along with that so he's eligible to play more if the Ice keep playing.
On the Chilliwack front the WHL released this statement:
“The WHL has granted conditional approval to a request from ownership of the Chilliwack Bruins for the sale of their WHL franchise.”
“Until such time (as) all of the conditions related to the sale have been satisfied the WHL is not in a position to make any further statement on this transaction.”
Not much there. Gregg over at Taking Note has some more, including Ice owner/GM Jeff Chynoweth quoted as saying "Not us." when asked if the Ice were the 'other team' that's been talked about in relocating to Chilliwack if/when the Bruins move to Victoria. Though the release didn't say who the Bruins were sold to.
Clear as mud.
Highlites of Sunday's game are here. Watch McNabb's set-up of Reinhart for goal number two and Reinhart's move to set up Fraser.
D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) and F Drew Czerwonka are likely to both return for the secound round series with the Blades starting as early as Friday. Matt Coxford has the story here. Paulsen's been out for over two months and will provide depth to defend against a Blades club that's deep up front. Czerwonka, (upper body - shoulder) could be back by the first two games or return when the series shifts back to Cranbrook Tuesday night. F Brock Montgomery (Mono) is unlikely to return unless the Ice move on.
F Sam Reinhart is also being recalled for games one and two of the series in Saskatoon while his Midget club, the Vancouver Northwest Giants await the start of the Telus Cup National Midget Championships in St. John's Nefoundland. Reinhart played four games this season, notching two goals. Usually AP's are allowed to play in five games while their club's are still playing but because the Giants are in the nationals, I'm sure there's a deadline (April 1, if memory serves) that goes along with that so he's eligible to play more if the Ice keep playing.
On the Chilliwack front the WHL released this statement:
“The WHL has granted conditional approval to a request from ownership of the Chilliwack Bruins for the sale of their WHL franchise.”
“Until such time (as) all of the conditions related to the sale have been satisfied the WHL is not in a position to make any further statement on this transaction.”
Not much there. Gregg over at Taking Note has some more, including Ice owner/GM Jeff Chynoweth quoted as saying "Not us." when asked if the Ice were the 'other team' that's been talked about in relocating to Chilliwack if/when the Bruins move to Victoria. Though the release didn't say who the Bruins were sold to.
Clear as mud.
Highlites of Sunday's game are here. Watch McNabb's set-up of Reinhart for goal number two and Reinhart's move to set up Fraser.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Ice-Blades on the Tube
Depending on your point of view, Ice and Blade fans got a bonus this morning when it was announced by the WHL that the Eastern Conference Semi-final will be broadcast on Shaw starting Friday in Saskatoon.
Here's the schedule:
#1 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Fri. April 8 7:00pm
#2 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Sat. April 9 7:00pm
#3 - Saskatoon @ Kootenay Tues. April 12 7:00pm
#4 - Saskatoon @ Kootenay Wed. April 13 7:00pm
#5 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Sat. April 16 7:00pm**
#6 - Saskatoon @ Kootenay Mon. April 18 7:00pm**
#7 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Wed. April 20 7:00pm**
** - If necessary
Now for Ice fans wanting to watch the game Friday and Saturday in Saskatoon it's pretty good news but for a club that will likely put 2500 in the Rec Plex for games three and four - because it's a weekday if regular season average holds up - having the series on TV doesn't make a lot of sense. The league almost didn't have a choice though, I imagine. Red Deer was shown in the first round and in the Western Conference only Kelowna is left to broadcast and they're playing Portland, which complicates things from the Shaw Broadcast perspective because it's a U.S.-based team. Spokane and Tri-City is the other series.
So we'll cue the renewed calls of where's the fans next week, I guess. In this fickle market, if the Ice get a split or better in S'toon on the weekend it'll spur the crowds. If they're down 2-0 coming back, well, I guess we'll see.
On the Chilliwack front some more stuff over at Gregg Drinnan's blog (on the right) and the revelation (tongue firmly in cheek) that a source has indicated the league has instituted a gag order on the situation to anyone within the league - or it's broadcasters I'm told too - will face heavy fines if it's discussed publicly. I await Dan Russell and Bill Wilms' comment - neither who have ever shied away from commenting on attendance and fan support in the WHL - during the broadcast when it shifts back to Cranbrook.
So the Bruins are moving to Victoria in what's amounting to more and more a public relations embarrassment for the league; one of their owners (Brian Burke) is stating through lawyers that the league promised an existing franchise for Victoria AND that the league is negotiating another franchise shift to Chilliwack - are you getting nervous yet fans in Prince George, Kootenay, Swift, PA, etc?; And yet no one has had the decency to at least communicate to the faithful of the Chilliwack Bruins on the situation.
Someone, anyone, needs to take the reigns of this situation and explain what in the hell is going on.
Here's the schedule:
#1 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Fri. April 8 7:00pm
#2 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Sat. April 9 7:00pm
#3 - Saskatoon @ Kootenay Tues. April 12 7:00pm
#4 - Saskatoon @ Kootenay Wed. April 13 7:00pm
#5 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Sat. April 16 7:00pm**
#6 - Saskatoon @ Kootenay Mon. April 18 7:00pm**
#7 - Kootenay @ Saskatoon Wed. April 20 7:00pm**
** - If necessary
Now for Ice fans wanting to watch the game Friday and Saturday in Saskatoon it's pretty good news but for a club that will likely put 2500 in the Rec Plex for games three and four - because it's a weekday if regular season average holds up - having the series on TV doesn't make a lot of sense. The league almost didn't have a choice though, I imagine. Red Deer was shown in the first round and in the Western Conference only Kelowna is left to broadcast and they're playing Portland, which complicates things from the Shaw Broadcast perspective because it's a U.S.-based team. Spokane and Tri-City is the other series.
So we'll cue the renewed calls of where's the fans next week, I guess. In this fickle market, if the Ice get a split or better in S'toon on the weekend it'll spur the crowds. If they're down 2-0 coming back, well, I guess we'll see.
On the Chilliwack front some more stuff over at Gregg Drinnan's blog (on the right) and the revelation (tongue firmly in cheek) that a source has indicated the league has instituted a gag order on the situation to anyone within the league - or it's broadcasters I'm told too - will face heavy fines if it's discussed publicly. I await Dan Russell and Bill Wilms' comment - neither who have ever shied away from commenting on attendance and fan support in the WHL - during the broadcast when it shifts back to Cranbrook.
So the Bruins are moving to Victoria in what's amounting to more and more a public relations embarrassment for the league; one of their owners (Brian Burke) is stating through lawyers that the league promised an existing franchise for Victoria AND that the league is negotiating another franchise shift to Chilliwack - are you getting nervous yet fans in Prince George, Kootenay, Swift, PA, etc?; And yet no one has had the decency to at least communicate to the faithful of the Chilliwack Bruins on the situation.
Someone, anyone, needs to take the reigns of this situation and explain what in the hell is going on.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Ice move on; edge Warriors 5-4 to take series in six
UPDATE - Matt Coxford has a couple of pieces on last night's game here and here.
Matt Fraser and Max Reinhart were the show in Moose Jaw tonight as the Kootenay Ice held on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-4 and win the first round series 4-2.
Watched the game on the Webcast tonite; Some thoughts....
Matt Fraser's stick came alive tonight. Three goals and two of very clutch kind.
Max Reinhart also had the hot hand with a goal and three helpers for the four point night
Brayden McNabb's goal to kick things off was key but his play on the second goal - some of the finest puck handling I've seen in a long, long time, as he skated around the Warriors end of the rink before finding Reinhart on the doorstep. That made up for his clearing gaffe on the Warriors second goals with the Ice on the PK, McNabb's clear was blocked by Edwards whose shot was stopped by Lieuwen but with Howden there to pick up the rebound.
Nathan Lieuwen was there when he had to be including an acrobatic save late with the karate kick with the pad up in the air to stop the puck. He'd probably like a couple back but a win is a win.
Kootenay couldn't get a break on the penalties tonight and took five of them, with the Warriors scoring on two. Only one power play for the Ice.
Heemskerk didn't look all-world tonite like the rest of the series. He was spectacular on Steele Boomer down low and on Cody Eakin on a breakaway that kept the Warriors in it but the Ice got him moving side-to-side tonite and found the net.
That rink is something.... Kinda sad to see it go but at the same time the Warrior fans are going to enjoy that new building. I'm told it's very similar to the Rec Plex with the exception that some of the skyboxes are on the ends of the building.
Some confusion at the end with the Ice scoring into the empty net. The Moose Jaw radio guys had it not counting with an offside call but when I switched over to the Drive they had it a 6-4 final. No matter. Might've been a - what's the radio term for typo?
Possible scenarios almost certainly have the Ice starting on the road next Friday and Saturday. Especially with the Saskatoon Blades having beat the PA Raiders in OT tonight 2-1 to take that series in six (had that one being a sweep so good on the Raiders for pushing the Blades) but the only way Kootenay doesn't open up next weekend in Saskatoon is if the Wheat Kings stave off elimination tomorrow in Winnipeg. Either way Kootenay's in Saskatoon or Red Deer next weekend.
Matt Gourlie of the MJ Times-Herald reported that the Ice took over 14 hours to get to Moose Jaw Saturday due to the snow storm and some bus troubles at Piapot, SK. Normally the trip is about 9.5 hours.
F Brock Montgomery missed his second straight game with Mono and I'm told he's got an enlarged spleen that comes with the affliction so he's likely out for a while... F Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - though announced as upper body) is also likely out for at least another couple of weeks... D Luke Paulsen could've played in game seven Tuesday so he should be ready for Game one in Saskatoon or Red Deer on Friday.
UPDATE AGAIN - Sometimes I wonder if this is even worth posting because it just puts the negative spin on the postive of the Ice moving on in the playoffs but CKNW's Jim Mullin - who's been all over this Chilliwack to Victoria thing - has a new twist on the saga in that though the Bruins are destined for Victoria next season an existing WHL team is being negotiated to move to Chilliwack to replace the Bruins. That story is here Mullin also has a column on the lawyering-up of Brian Burke - part of the majority ownership group with Chilliwack - and him seeking vengeance on the Canucks for wanting to relocate their farm team to Victoria to make room for the Coyotes in Winnipeg. That's here.
I'll admit, I post this stuff because it's important for Ice fans to know what's going behind, at least partially because really, who knows what's going on with these guys, the scenes. But it's getting old. I had a candid conversation with Ice owner Jeff Chynoweth the other day and we talked about all things attendance and making it in a small market. To his credit he did say that he's not even bothering returning calls to Lower Mainland media because he's not interested in perpetuating any more talk about the Ice being involved in this.
But at the end of the day attendance to games is where it's at.
This whole saga has gone from intriguing to compelling to waiting for some kind of end.
Matt Fraser and Max Reinhart were the show in Moose Jaw tonight as the Kootenay Ice held on to beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-4 and win the first round series 4-2.
Watched the game on the Webcast tonite; Some thoughts....
Matt Fraser's stick came alive tonight. Three goals and two of very clutch kind.
Max Reinhart also had the hot hand with a goal and three helpers for the four point night
Brayden McNabb's goal to kick things off was key but his play on the second goal - some of the finest puck handling I've seen in a long, long time, as he skated around the Warriors end of the rink before finding Reinhart on the doorstep. That made up for his clearing gaffe on the Warriors second goals with the Ice on the PK, McNabb's clear was blocked by Edwards whose shot was stopped by Lieuwen but with Howden there to pick up the rebound.
Nathan Lieuwen was there when he had to be including an acrobatic save late with the karate kick with the pad up in the air to stop the puck. He'd probably like a couple back but a win is a win.
Kootenay couldn't get a break on the penalties tonight and took five of them, with the Warriors scoring on two. Only one power play for the Ice.
Heemskerk didn't look all-world tonite like the rest of the series. He was spectacular on Steele Boomer down low and on Cody Eakin on a breakaway that kept the Warriors in it but the Ice got him moving side-to-side tonite and found the net.
That rink is something.... Kinda sad to see it go but at the same time the Warrior fans are going to enjoy that new building. I'm told it's very similar to the Rec Plex with the exception that some of the skyboxes are on the ends of the building.
Some confusion at the end with the Ice scoring into the empty net. The Moose Jaw radio guys had it not counting with an offside call but when I switched over to the Drive they had it a 6-4 final. No matter. Might've been a - what's the radio term for typo?
Possible scenarios almost certainly have the Ice starting on the road next Friday and Saturday. Especially with the Saskatoon Blades having beat the PA Raiders in OT tonight 2-1 to take that series in six (had that one being a sweep so good on the Raiders for pushing the Blades) but the only way Kootenay doesn't open up next weekend in Saskatoon is if the Wheat Kings stave off elimination tomorrow in Winnipeg. Either way Kootenay's in Saskatoon or Red Deer next weekend.
Matt Gourlie of the MJ Times-Herald reported that the Ice took over 14 hours to get to Moose Jaw Saturday due to the snow storm and some bus troubles at Piapot, SK. Normally the trip is about 9.5 hours.
F Brock Montgomery missed his second straight game with Mono and I'm told he's got an enlarged spleen that comes with the affliction so he's likely out for a while... F Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - though announced as upper body) is also likely out for at least another couple of weeks... D Luke Paulsen could've played in game seven Tuesday so he should be ready for Game one in Saskatoon or Red Deer on Friday.
UPDATE AGAIN - Sometimes I wonder if this is even worth posting because it just puts the negative spin on the postive of the Ice moving on in the playoffs but CKNW's Jim Mullin - who's been all over this Chilliwack to Victoria thing - has a new twist on the saga in that though the Bruins are destined for Victoria next season an existing WHL team is being negotiated to move to Chilliwack to replace the Bruins. That story is here Mullin also has a column on the lawyering-up of Brian Burke - part of the majority ownership group with Chilliwack - and him seeking vengeance on the Canucks for wanting to relocate their farm team to Victoria to make room for the Coyotes in Winnipeg. That's here.
I'll admit, I post this stuff because it's important for Ice fans to know what's going behind, at least partially because really, who knows what's going on with these guys, the scenes. But it's getting old. I had a candid conversation with Ice owner Jeff Chynoweth the other day and we talked about all things attendance and making it in a small market. To his credit he did say that he's not even bothering returning calls to Lower Mainland media because he's not interested in perpetuating any more talk about the Ice being involved in this.
But at the end of the day attendance to games is where it's at.
This whole saga has gone from intriguing to compelling to waiting for some kind of end.
Ice/Warriors Gamer
For the Daily Townsman
Ice edge Warriors to take game three
by Jeff Bromley
As the spring blizzard that hit the Kootenay’s late Friday night ensured an icy trip home for the Moose Jaw Warriors, inside the Cranbrook Rec Plex Saturday things were just as stormy as the Ice poured 49 shots at the Warrior nets in a 3-1 win to take a 3-2 lead back to Moose Jaw Sunday night.
After a scoreless opening frame the shutout hockey continued for goaltenders Nathan Lieuwen and Thomas Heemskerk right up until the 18:31 mark of the second when Max Reinhart fired a power play shot from the blueline that deflected and beat Heemskerk through the legs to give the Ice a 1-0 lead. In the third Cody Eakin’s wicked wrist-shot from the deep slot 14:04 into the third period stood up as the game-winner for the 2958 on hand, the largest crowd of the playoffs at the Rec Plex. “I just got a lucky bounce that came right to me,” said Reinhart of the game’s first goal. “It went off a defenseman’s stick and in so it wasn’t so much me working any better out there, just a lucky bounce.”
Lucky or not it was clear that the Ice were scratching their heads as to how they were going to get a puck by Heeemskerk as up until that point he’d stopped 32 of them directed his way, but once one got by him the Ice built on that to start the third. “Every game’s been that way, the first team to score has won so that was huge for us and put a lot of pressure on them to come back.”
After Eakin’s big shot to take a 2-0 lead with less than six minutes remaining Moose Jaw’s fate seemed to be sealed but a four-on-four chance by the Ice to make it 3-0 didn’t convert and sent the Warriors back on a three-on-two the other way. A pretty three-way passing play found the Warriors’ leading scorer Quinton Howden at the side of the net to tap-in his fourth of the series to make it 2-1 with 4:12 left in the game, breaking Nathan Lieuwen’s shutout streak at 116 minutes and 12 seconds. Joe Antilla let the Ice faithful breath again as the Ice had to kill a late penalty with Eakin off for tripping with an empty-net, short-handed goal to seal the win. “We had our fair share of opportunities to score,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. “In the second we had a lot of shots on the power play and finally Reinhart’s trickled in but both goaltenders played well.”
A strange game that lacked flow in the first due to the tight calls of the zebras, it opened up in the second and third when the whistles were put away for the most part. Six minors were issued to the Ice while the Warriors were fingered for five infractions; the only goal being Reinhart’s shot late in the second. “I don’t think they plan on going into the game calling it really tight and then letting it go,” offered Knoblauch. “But the officiating always looks better after a win and I’ll leave it at that.”
Quick Hits – The Ice honoured their Midget Tier II namesake in the first intermission as the Cranbrook Ice captured the BC Midget title in Salmon Arm last week… Ice forward Brock Montgomery, who Knoblauch said played his best game of the playoffs in the Game four shutout-win in Moose Jaw, is out indefinitely with Mono. LW Drew Czerwonka missed his second game with an upper body injury that’s likely a shoulder problem with his left arm in a sling while D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) is now day-to-day and could play if the series shifts back to Cranbrook Tuesday night for game seven.... Those wondering if Ice first round pick forward Sam Reinhart might be available due to the club's recent injuries can stop as the youngest Reinhart helped lead the Vancouver Northwest Giants to a BC Major Midget title and a berth in the Telus Cup national midget championships in St. John's, Nfld with a 2-0 best-of-three series win over the Alberta Midget champs, the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs. Reinhart's Midget Giants open the national championships April 18 against the Western Regional winner being played out in Moose Jaw.
Ice edge Warriors to take game three
by Jeff Bromley
As the spring blizzard that hit the Kootenay’s late Friday night ensured an icy trip home for the Moose Jaw Warriors, inside the Cranbrook Rec Plex Saturday things were just as stormy as the Ice poured 49 shots at the Warrior nets in a 3-1 win to take a 3-2 lead back to Moose Jaw Sunday night.
After a scoreless opening frame the shutout hockey continued for goaltenders Nathan Lieuwen and Thomas Heemskerk right up until the 18:31 mark of the second when Max Reinhart fired a power play shot from the blueline that deflected and beat Heemskerk through the legs to give the Ice a 1-0 lead. In the third Cody Eakin’s wicked wrist-shot from the deep slot 14:04 into the third period stood up as the game-winner for the 2958 on hand, the largest crowd of the playoffs at the Rec Plex. “I just got a lucky bounce that came right to me,” said Reinhart of the game’s first goal. “It went off a defenseman’s stick and in so it wasn’t so much me working any better out there, just a lucky bounce.”
Lucky or not it was clear that the Ice were scratching their heads as to how they were going to get a puck by Heeemskerk as up until that point he’d stopped 32 of them directed his way, but once one got by him the Ice built on that to start the third. “Every game’s been that way, the first team to score has won so that was huge for us and put a lot of pressure on them to come back.”
After Eakin’s big shot to take a 2-0 lead with less than six minutes remaining Moose Jaw’s fate seemed to be sealed but a four-on-four chance by the Ice to make it 3-0 didn’t convert and sent the Warriors back on a three-on-two the other way. A pretty three-way passing play found the Warriors’ leading scorer Quinton Howden at the side of the net to tap-in his fourth of the series to make it 2-1 with 4:12 left in the game, breaking Nathan Lieuwen’s shutout streak at 116 minutes and 12 seconds. Joe Antilla let the Ice faithful breath again as the Ice had to kill a late penalty with Eakin off for tripping with an empty-net, short-handed goal to seal the win. “We had our fair share of opportunities to score,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. “In the second we had a lot of shots on the power play and finally Reinhart’s trickled in but both goaltenders played well.”
A strange game that lacked flow in the first due to the tight calls of the zebras, it opened up in the second and third when the whistles were put away for the most part. Six minors were issued to the Ice while the Warriors were fingered for five infractions; the only goal being Reinhart’s shot late in the second. “I don’t think they plan on going into the game calling it really tight and then letting it go,” offered Knoblauch. “But the officiating always looks better after a win and I’ll leave it at that.”
Quick Hits – The Ice honoured their Midget Tier II namesake in the first intermission as the Cranbrook Ice captured the BC Midget title in Salmon Arm last week… Ice forward Brock Montgomery, who Knoblauch said played his best game of the playoffs in the Game four shutout-win in Moose Jaw, is out indefinitely with Mono. LW Drew Czerwonka missed his second game with an upper body injury that’s likely a shoulder problem with his left arm in a sling while D Luke Paulsen (shoulder) is now day-to-day and could play if the series shifts back to Cranbrook Tuesday night for game seven.... Those wondering if Ice first round pick forward Sam Reinhart might be available due to the club's recent injuries can stop as the youngest Reinhart helped lead the Vancouver Northwest Giants to a BC Major Midget title and a berth in the Telus Cup national midget championships in St. John's, Nfld with a 2-0 best-of-three series win over the Alberta Midget champs, the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs. Reinhart's Midget Giants open the national championships April 18 against the Western Regional winner being played out in Moose Jaw.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Ice take pivotal game five
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.
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.
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