Jeff Bromley's Ice Chips

Ice drop two straight, lose to Canes

2012-01-27T11:08:00.000-08:00

"Opportunities always look bigger going than coming." - Anonymous

For the 2011-12 edition of the defending WHL champion Kootenay Ice, games such as Wednesday night's in Lethbridge are going to be looked back upon as missed opportunity.

The Ice let slip away leads of 3-1 and 4-2 en route to a 5-4 loss to the Canes and now find themselves even deeper into the crowded pool that is the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. Sam Reinhart had a goal and an assist as did Jesse Ismond, while John Neibrandt and Joe Antilla also scored. Mackenzie Skapski stopped 22 of 27 in a losing cause. The Hurricanes capitalized on some Ice penalty trouble in the third with two power play goals by Sutter and Tot, who got the game-winner.

Sitting 4th with 60 points and a 27-15-3-3 record, the Ice are now but a point clear of the Saskatoon Blades and the red-hot Calgary Hitmen - who they'll play five times before now and the end of the season - and two points ahead of the Regina Pats who currently occupy 7th. The Wheat Kings sit nine points back in the 8th and final playoff spot.

Not withstanding the 1-0 home loss Tuesday night to the Wheaties, after dismantling them on home ice 7-3 three nights prior, it is losses to the Canes in 11th-place that could do the most damage, especially when the two points is there for the taking with a couple of two-goal leads.

Missing F Drew Czerwonka (1-2 weeks, upper body) and D Luke Paulsen (concussion, 2-3 weeks) and now leading scorer Max Reinhart who is out with a minor injury after blocking a shot Tuesday and missed Wednesday's game in Lethbridge, three 19-year-old impact players out of the line-up at a crucial stretch could prove costly to the club.

Reinhart isn't expected to play this weekend with the club hosting the last-place Prince Albert Raiders (another lost opportunity in their previous meeting in PA when the Ice once again saw a big lead melt away) tonight at the Rec Plex and Saturday travel to Spokane for a date with the Chiefs.

But such is the ways of a team competing but rebuilding almost simultaneously. Players like 16-year-old Sam Reinhart playing minutes almost exclusively reserved for 19-year-olds anywhere else. Rookies Jon Martin, Jaedon Descheneau and on the blueline Mike Simpson, Jeff Hubic and Spencer Wand (dash-3 against the Canes) are facing a steep learning curve as the season gets longer, tougher and more intense that anything they're used to.

And while Sam's re-writing of the Ice rookie record book continues with his goal and assist Wednesday that gave him 17 goals on the season - eclipsing Czerwonka's rookie total of 16 four years ago - and 42 points on the season to move past Steve McCarthy's rookie mark set in Edmonton in 97-98 - it will be interesting to see how the young players react to the next level they'll face in the coming weeks as the playoff race tightens and the pressure cooker heats up.

The pressure on the 20-year-olds - Jesse Ismond and Joe Antilla, to be more precise, is on for them to pick up the slack left by the injuries. Both have started to score of late.

Wednesday's highlites are here while there's a write up here.

Wheat Kings here in home-end of home and home

2012-01-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

The Brandon Wheat Kings made the 18-hour bus ride to Cranbrook for tonight's rematch of Saturday's 7-3 loss to the Ice in Brandon. Former Ice head coach Cory Clouston makes his return début as an opposing coach for the first time.

Gametime is 7PM at the Rec Plex.

The Ice are coming off a 7-3 win over the Wheaties Saturday in which Mackenzie Skapski made 33 saves for the win. Highlites are here.

Jesse Ismond scored twice as did Levi Cable. For Ismond it broke a scoring drought of some 15 games dating back to December 4 against Swift Current.

Cable, with two goals, is the second rookie to score two in as many games with Jon Martin notching a couple in the 6-5OT loss to Moose Jaw Friday.

The Ice were missing D Luke Paulsen (concussion) and F Drew Czerwonka (upper-body) and both aren't expected to play tonight. Paulsen is still indefinite and Czerwonka will be another two weeks.

Coming off a five-game road trip in which the club got eight of a possible ten points the Ice were 3-0-2 on the trip, with four of five games going to extra-time or a shootout. They sit tied for 3rd in the tight Eastern Conference with the Tigers, with a 27-13-3-3 record, two points back of the Warriors and nine back of the Central Division and Conference leading Edmonton Oil Kings.

F Max Reinhart has crept into the top 20 in WHL scoring, sitting 16th with 57 points (20 goals and 37 assists) and has 8 assists in his last four games.

F Sam Reinhart hasn't quite hold the team record for goals scored by a rookie 16-year--old yet. Seems F Drew Czerwonka might have something to say about it as he hit 16 in 08-09. F Nigel Dawes had 15 in 01-02. Sam now has 16 on the season and will break Czerwonka's mark with his next goal.

Former Ice forward Matt Fraser will make his NHL debut tonight for the Dallas Stars after being called up from the AHL Texas Stars where his second in team scoring with 21g and 14a for 35 points in 40 games, good for 22nd in the AHL. There's a story in the Dallas Morning News here.

G Peyton Lee made the most of his début with the Vancouver Giants. The 15-year-old goaltender from Cranbrook - who plays with the Pursuit of Excellence Midget program in Kelowna - was drafted by the Giants in the second round (28th overall) last May and was called up with the concussion injury to starter Adam Morrison and some indifferent play by back-up Jackson Whistle, hence the two starts over the weekend by Lee.

The Cranbrook Minor Hockey product stopped 24 of 26 shots Sunday in a 3-2 win over Seattle and 19 of 22 shots in a 4-3 win over Everett. There's highlites and coverage here, here and here.

For those who wondered, G Nathan Lieuwen's save against Edmonton did make the WHL Plays of the Week.

Mackenzie Skapski's toe-save in Brandon will likely get some consideration for Friday's version.

Catching up

2012-01-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

On a sad day with the loss of Freestyle skier Sarah Burke who passed away today as a result of her injuries sustained a week ago in a training accident to the gruesome reality of a freak injury to Oiler forward Taylor Hall suffered in the pre-game warm-up, without a helmet, I try to catch up.

It's been an up and down week for the Ice as Saturday a great effort by goaltender Nathan Lieuwen ended with a 3-2 OT loss to the Oil Kings in Edmonton followed by a great show by the Reinharts in a OT win by the same score over the Pats last night in Regina.

Those games were sandwiched around a 10-hour visit to Sparwood due to the Hwy 3 closure through the Crowsnest pass earlier this week that turned into a 28-hour bus odyssey to Regina through Kootenay Park/Calgary.

The highlites are here while the Leader-Post has the gamer here.

The three helpers by Max pushed him into the WHL's Top 20 in scoring for the first time this season while the two goals and an assist by Sam ties the rookie for 5th in rookie scoring and tops among 16-year-olds. All five ahead of him are import players 2-3 years senior.

At 15 goals, 22 assist for 37 points Sam is three points from tying Steve McCarthy's team record of points by a rookie. McCarthy did when the club was still in Edmonton in 1997-98. The 15 goals ties Nigel Dawes team record of most goals by a rookie (16-year-old). Dawes notched 15 when the club won the Memorial Cup in 2002.

In the article you might notice LP writer Greg Harder makes note of Lieuwen's play and alludes to the 20-year-old being a WHL regular season MVP candidate. I'm sure players like Ty Rimmer and Adam Hughesman of the Tri-Cities Americans; Ty Rattie of the Winterhawks etc will also get consideration but the test is always this: take one of those players out of the line-up and how would that team do?

Take Lieuwen out of the line-up and what do you get?

Sam's draft day counterpart for the Pats - Morgan Klimchuk of Calgary taken 10 spots ahead of him - notched both goals for the Pats. When you see the 2013 NHL Draft rankings I'm thinking you'll see him mentioned in the first round. Sam isn't eligible until the 2014 Draft with the late November 6 birthdate. Klimchuk was Team Pacific's second leading scorer at the World U-17 tournament behind Sam.

With the win last night the Ice improve to 26-13-2-3 and 57 points, good for 3rd in the Eastern Conference, still 8 points behind the front-running and red-hot Oil-Kings (though they lost their last outing to the even hotter Calgary Hitmen) and two points up on the Moose Jaw Warriors who they'll face Friday night in the Jaw.

D Luke Paulsen remains out with a concussion indefinitely while LW Drew Czerwonka left the game Saturday just seconds into his first shift with what is being called an upper body injury but I suspect is a shoulder injury, one of at least a few for Czerwonka. He's out at least 3-4 weeks.

The game is on Shaw TV and the Warriors will be without D Dylan McIlrath (10th overall by the New York Rangers in 2010) who is awaiting the discipline to be doled out by the WHL after a check on Victoria forward Jesse Zgraggen. McIlrath is a repeat offender and it was definitely a high hit but by the same token, Taylor Crunk's blindside head-hit on the Warriors Andrew Johnson should suffer the same result.

With the resurgence of the Hitmen a scant six points seperate the 2nd-place Warriors from the 7th-place Hitmen so there'll be little room for error or slump going down the stretch. Curiously, every team in the East would make the playoffs in the West as all 12 teams from PA up are tied or better than the 8th-place Royals.

Last week the CHL's top ranked team in the Tri-City Americans announced that Cranbrook product Jim Hiller had his contract extended. Hiller is 123-54-3-4 with the Ams now into his 4th season with the club, sporting an impressive .688 winning percentage. After coaching stops in Alberni Valley with the BCHL's Bulldogs and the Chilliwack Bruins for that franchises first two seasons, Hiller has come into his own as a top WHL coach and, if things go as planned, a top contender for a pro job in the not-too-distance future. Hiller's name has been bandied about as moving onto the pro ranks and a championship for the number-one ranked Ams would all but salt that opportunity. Someone asked me why Scott Beattie left what could have been a good situation here - he was offered the assistant's job when Kris Knobluach took over - but turned it down instead to relocate to Tri-City to work with his very good friend and former college linemate Hiller as an assistant. Could it also have been a quicker line to a head coaching gig giving the likelihood of Hiller moving onto the pros? Hmmmm. Guess time will tell.

Have to apologize for the lack of posting as my working life and trying to get my Bantam squad prepared to battle for a spot in the T3 Provincials over the next couple of weeks has taken up most of my time.

Ice edge Rebels in Shootout, win second straight

2012-01-12T11:07:00.000-08:00

Dylan McKinley neatly deflected his 8th of the season to tie it in the second period and in the shootout Max Reinhart scored a beauty as the Kootenay Ice edged the Red Deer Rebels 2-1 last night.

Game was televised on Shaw, but didn't get a chance to watch due to work commitments. Caught the game the old fashioned way.

The contest was a goaltender's dual as both Nathan Lieuwen and Deven Dubyk were stellar on the night as both were named stars.

Highlites are here while the Red Deer Advocate has a recap here.

D Luke Paulsen (concussion - indefinite) and D Jeff Hubic were the scratches.

On that note Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings were released and they are here. D Jeff Hubic checks in at the #110 spot among North American Skaters and G Mackenzie Skapski - both of which are 17 - is 14th among North American goaltenders.

With the win the Ice improve to 25-13-1-3 and 54 points, 3rd in the Eastern Conference Standings, one back of Moose Jaw and five back of Edmonton who the team will play Saturday night. Medicine Hat, two back of the Ice, will host the Oil Kings tonight.

Edmonton, Regina (next Wednesday), Moose Jaw and Brandon (Friday, Saturday, Jan 20,21) are on the docket as all key games in the schedule that will give us a glimpse of things to come in the Eastern Conference standings as all will be tough tests with the new-look line-ups following the trade deadline.

Just a thought, but looking at the conference standings, the 8th-place team in the West is the Victoria Royals with 31 points. All four non-playoff teams in the East; the Rebels, Broncos, Hurricanes and Raiders would make the playoffs in the West where only two of the ten teams won't make the post-season. In the East it's 8 of 12. If that holds out, how much discussion will that generate around the board table of the off-season league meetings?

Is it me or are the highlites out of Red Deer the best in the league? TV angle is great and there's a lot of time and effort put into them.

D Tanner Muth got into another tussle last night and that bout is right here.

It brings us to the discussion of the day; it's early but how much has the addition of Muth done for overall team toughness?

Last night F Charles Inglis didn't like the check Muth put on his into the end boards. It was a marginal call but nevertheless, the redhead (Swift, redheads - another trend?) isn't afraid to drop them. Maybe it's me but the Ice haven't had a player such as that in a while.

I know it's not politically correct but hey, I'm a bit old school and still think there's a place for it in the game.

Something to discuss for coffee row....

Youth served in deadline deals for Ice

2012-01-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

The WHL's Trade Deadline came and went with nary a whimper this season considering the amount and magnitude of deals in years gone by and, as predicted, here at home the Kootenay Ice decided to stay on the sidelines for the most part and let the kids play.

That was accentuated with the deal that the Ice made/announced right at the deadline that sent 18-year-old forward Brendan Hurley to Medicine Hat to a 3rd round pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft.

Hurley, playing on the fourth line of late, wanted more ice-time. The former first round Bantam pick never seemed to get into the role of goal-scorer, defensive forward or power forward with the Ice and it was becoming clear that the rookies were passing him on the depth chart. The trade does two things; replacing the 3rd round pick lost to Swift Current in the Eakin deal last season - as mentioned by GM Chynoweth in the release - and coupled with the fact that F Eric Benoit - a training camp invite/list player who made the team - had more upside. It also gives the likes of Jaedon Descheneau, Jon Martin and Levi Cable the chance to stay in the line-up full-time in a fourth-line role. The young D-men; Wand, Hubic and Simpson - once Paulsen is healthy - could rotate through the line-up. The fact Hurley was sent to a divisional rival further demonstrates the commitment the club is making to the young players.

Around the league however - especially the Eastern Conference - there were teams who upped the anti with deals that make they'll hope make their clubs better.

Edmonton had already done their damage with the acquisition of Maxwell for a prospect and two picks as well as the addition of Samuelsson (son of former NHLer Ulf) and D Cody Corbett, 18, from Minnesota for nothing as both players were on the club's list. The Oil Kings are on a big roll and could run away with the top seed in the East.

Red Deer added F Charles Inglis, 19, for the relatively low price of F Daulton Siwak, 18, and a 3rd pick, which should help the club compete for a playoff spot.

Regina threw down the gloves and decided to add a big-name D-man as Martin Marancin, a 19-year-old import D who is a draft pick of the NHL's Oilers was dealt from PG to Regina for import D Ricard Bildstrand and the Pats' 1st and 2nd round picks in 2012 and a 5th in 2013. Going with Marancin are 4th and 7th picks in 2012 and a 4th in 2013.

Brandon, who most thought would upgrade on the goaltender position decided to go with the offensive upgrade with the addition of F Kevin Sundher from Victoria in exchange for D Jordan Fransoo, F Dakota Conroy and a 1st round pick in 2012.

Moose Jaw added two 20-year-old forwards to their line-up that will give them a ton of depth on offense as they got Cam Braes from Lethbridge for a 1st round pick in 2012 and a 2nd round pick next year. Then they added Vancouver Giant captain James Henry for a 2nd round pick in 2012 and a 3rd round pick in 2013.

So as the deadline comes to a close, it's clear that Edmonton and Moose Jaw clearly tried to load up for a long spring while Brandon - who fit into that underachiever role so far this season - along with Regina made deals that they feel will vault them into contenders this season.

In the West Bob Tory took a flyer on the chance F Brett Connolly will be returned by the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightnight and sent a conditional 1st round pick in 2013 and conditional 2nd round pick in 2014 and a 5th round pick in 2013. That's a small price to pay in the off-chance the Lightning send him back. If they do, the Ams become even more of a loaded juggernaut than they already are - in my opinion they're the best team that have visited the Rec Plex this season - and if not, it's a 5th round pick that the club could get back later in other deals.

Saskatoon, Calgary, Medicine Hat and Kootenay, save for the Muth/Rossignol deal and the Hurley deal is more a depth deal than a big splash, all look to be staying the course.

Swift Current, Lethbridge and PA, while not throwing in the towel by any stretch, are looking at nextyearland.

All the deals leading up to the deadline are here.

Should make for an interesting run down the stretch.

Lieuwen stops 31 shots as Ice beat Tigers

2012-01-09T00:05:00.001-08:00

The Score – Medicine Hat 1 – Kootenay 3

What Happened – The Tigers had their chances but couldn't solve Lieuwen more than Etem's marker in the second. The 20-year-old shut the door the rest of the night.

The Turning Point – Up 2-1 in a tight game Hunter Shinkaruk was awarded a penalty shot at the 7:41 mark of the third period. Lieuwen stopped him and everything else the Tigers threw at him.

The Goals – Streaking down the wing with speed after getting a nice chip off the wall from Martin, Brendan Hurley ripped his 3rd past Tyler Bunz as the fourth line started things off… In the second after Etem’s line was caught icing the puck after a long change, Reinhart’s line came-on and controlled the play in the Tiger zone – almost like it was a power play with the Tiger top unit gassed – and after almost a minute of the Ice ragging the puck, Sam scored his 12th on a bad angle shot through a maze of legs. Etem ended up coming off the ice leaking from an errant stick. 2-0 Ice… Joe Antilla took his second straight penalty – this one 200 feet from his own net – and on the breakout James Bettauer found Emerson Etem through the neutral zone and he split the D with NHL-type speed and roofed his 34th of the season past Lieuwen to halve the Ice lead… In the third when Etem took a silly penalty skating into a scrum and landing on Nathan Lieuwen, Jesse Ismond gain possession below the redline and found Elgin Pearce on a one-timer to make it 3-1.

The Fight – Off a scrum in front of Lieuwen Boston Leier and Jagger Dirk skated off and decided to go at it. Leier tagged Dirk with a straight right that rocked Dirk and sent him to the ice. To his credit he got right back up and kept going. He landed a couple before both went to the ice.

The Saves – There were two on this night that I liked. In the second Nathan Lieuwen had to stretch his left leg across the net to stop Curtis Valk and preserve a 2-1 lead and in the third Elgin Pearce got loose with some room but his shot was snatched with a great glove save by Bunz.

The Penalty Shot – With the Ice holding a 2-1 lead Joe Leach had his shot blocked and Shinkaruk was off to the races. Leach caught him and slashed him but he got the shot off that went wide but referee Jeff Ingram – doing his second straight game in Cranbrook – decided it warranted a penalty shot, much to the dismay of the Ice faithful. Like all but Etem’s goal on this night, Lieuwen stopped him.

The Muth – Kootenay’s acquisition from Swift Current played his second game with the Ice and notched his first point, an assist on the game-winner. He also played some serious minutes and saved a goal late in the game by clearing a puck sitting on the goal-line. Oh, and on the topic of Bronco-Ice trades there were a few I forgot: D Mike Busto in 2004 for C Jeremy Schenderling; G Jeff Harvey (as part of the Jaffray/Milroy deal); D Donny Lloyd for a 6th round pick in 2005 (D Brad Ryan); F Kris Foucault for a 6th round pick in 2008 and just for good measure, current Ice F Eric Benoit was in the Broncos camp two years ago but wasn’t listed by the Broncos.

The Crowd – 2568; The club is averaging 2765/game through 21 home dates, an increase of almost 300 per game through the same period over last season, if you were wondering.

Rec Plex Three Stars:

1. G Nathan Lieuwen – Carried his team on both nights this weekend. Sunday got the win he deserved.
2. D Joey Leach – Rearguard bounced back with a strong night
3. F Emerson Etem – His NHL speed is a treat to watch

What it means – The Ice improve to 24-13-1-3, 52 points and back into a tie with the Tigers for 3rd in the Eastern Conference.

Up Next: The trade deadline is Tuesday afternoon while the Ice are in Red Deer Wednesday night to start a five-game road trip over two weeks.

Summary:
Tigers 1 @ Ice 3

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kootenay Ice; January 8, 2012

Sam Reinhart's 12th of the season stood up as the game-winner as the Kootenay Ice beat the Medicine Hat Tigers 3-1 in WHL action Sunday night.

The Ice opened the scoring 3:30 into the game when Brendan Hurley streaked down the left-wing and rifled a wrist-shot past Tyler Bunz for a 1-0 lead. Sam Reinhart's goal off a behind the net feed from his brother Max at 8:44 of the second period gave the Ice a 2-0 lead before Emerson Etem cut the lead in half with the Tigers on the power play at the 14:00 minute mark with his 34th of the year as he split the Ice defense and beat Nathan Lieuwen.

With the Ice on the power play in the third Elgin Pearce got his 17th of the season on another behind-the-net feed, this time by Jesse Ismond.

Nathan Lieuwen was stellar on the night, stopping 31 of 32 shots in getting the win while Tyler Bunz stopped 21 of 24 shots in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Hurley 3 (Martin, Niebrandt) 3:30

Penalties -- Benoit Ktn (kneeing) 7:30, Kessy MH (unsportsmanlike conduct) 15:01, Ismond Ktn (hooking) 16:15.

Second
2. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 12 (M. Reinhart, Muth) 8:44
3. Medicine Hat, Etem 34 (Bettauer) 14:00 (pp)

Penalties -- Antilla Ktn (slashing) 3:51, Antilla Ktn (holding) 13:32, Leier MH Dirk Ktn (fighting) 15:23,

Third Period
4. Kootenay, Pearce 17 (Ismond, Reinhart) 12:56 (pp)

Penalties -- Leach Ktn (cross-checking) 2:33, Grbavac MH (tripping) 8:05, Etem MH (roughing), Konan MH (misconduct) 11:07, Dirk Ktn (tripping) 13:26, Dirk Ktn (high-sticking) Hurley Ktn Etem MH (roughing) 17:19.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 4 14 6 - 24
Medicine Hat: 8 9 15 - 32

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 18-10-1-2); Medicine Hat: Tyler Bunz (L, 23-11-2).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-3
Medicine Hat: 1-7

Penalty Shot - Shinkaruk MH 7:41 of second (stopped).

Referee -- Jeff Ingram, Brett Montison. Linesman -- Ian Shaver, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 2568 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Jeff Hubic, Luke Paulsen (concussion - indefinite), Jaedon Descheneau, Jesse Wood-Schatz.
Medicine Hat: Tyler Lewington, Gavin Broadhead, Kyle Becker, Jayden Hart.

Warriors edge Ice

2012-01-07T22:57:00.000-08:00

The Score – Moose Jaw 3 – Kootenay 2

What Happened – In what turned out to be a superb hockey game, the Ice shrugged off a sub-par first period and played a firewagon style, high-risk, high-reward style of hockey. For awhile it paid off but in the end, it cost them and then the Luke Siemens show took over.

The Turning Point – After dominating for most of the second period and a good start to the third, a turnover on the half-wall cost them the eventually game-winner that went off Wand and past Lieuwen. For keeping them in the game for the first period, the 20-year-old deserved a better fate.

The Goals – For about a four minute stretch in the first the Ice couldn’t escape their zone with a clean breakout and it eventually cost them when some nice work down low by Tanner Eberle got the puck out to Kenton Miller streaking across the slot. He out waited Lieuwen and deposited his 14th to make it 1-0 Warriors… Whatever Coach K said in the first intermission he should bottle and sell because the Ice emerged with some fire. He didn’t get an assist on the play but Jesse Ismond’s hit on Warrior D Travis Brown caused a turnover that went to Eric Benoit on the fly. He stepped over the blueline and wired a beauty past Siemens to tie it at one… Just as the mess of Warrior penalties expired Sam Reinhart made the curl around the net to pick-up a missed shot – his own, from the slot – and beat Siemens short-side to make it 2-1…After carrying the play D Jeff Hubic gambled at the blueline and lost as the 2-on-1 developed the other way. F Joe Antilla, playing back on forward with the acquisition of Tanner Muth, chugged back on the backcheck but ended up taking the wrong guy as both he and Wand took the puck-carrier, leaving Tanner Eberle in alone to get the pass. He buried his 5th past Lieuwen to tie it at two… Playing with fire to start the third the Ice Eric Benoit couldn’t corral the puck along the half-wall. Eberle walked out with the puck and beat Lieuwen stick-side after it deflected off of D Spencer Wand. 3-2 Warriors.

The Save – There were two in the first period, both on 2-on-1’s. On the power play the Warriors Kenton Miller tipped a pass that Lieuwen stretched so far my groin hurt, and got a toe on, and then with about 12 minutes gone in the first another 2-on-1 developed with Fioretti the recipient of a great pass and some time. He deked and then shot but Lieuwen made a great glove save. He couldn’t bail them out forever though as the Warriors took a 1-0 lead two minutes later.

NHL Debut – Former Ice captain Ryan Russell made his NHL debut today in L.A. as Russell’s Columbus Blue Jackets edged the Kings 1-0. Russell didn’t hit the scoresheet but managed 9:18 of ice-time. Ryan joined his brother Kris in a summer trade to Columbus only to have Kris dealt to the St. Louis Blues almost two months ago.

The Penalty Mix-up – The Ice ended up with a 5-on-3 not long after tying the game when Cody Beach and Joel Edmundson took consecutive cross-checking penalties. Less than a minute later Jordan Wyton took a slashing penalty – along with Dylan McIlrath taking a misconduct for beaking the ref – but the penalty box attendants let a Warrior out too early as the third penalty wouldn’t start until the first two ended (because they were consecutive). It caused about a five minute delay for the zebras to figure out. There’ll be a test on it later. The Ice didn’t score on the PP but hit the post – three times – and scored just as the penalties expired.

The Muth-man – Obtained in a straight one-for-one deal Friday with F Adam Rossignol going the Broncos, the former second round Bantam pick in 2008 made an impact. In the second he stepped up and put a shoulder into Warrior forward Brett Lyon – a clean check – that sent to Lyon to the ice. Warrior tough guy Cody Beach chased Muth down and started a fight. Muth, giving away five inches, stepped up and earned a draw with the big 19-year-old, including switching hands, landing three quality blows and drawing a loud retort from the Ice faithful.

The Trade – The aforementioned D Tanner Muth, 18, in exchange for Forward Adam Rossignol, also 18. The Ice gain depth on the blueline – some much needed depth with D Luke Paulsen out indefinitely with a concussion – and the Broncos acquire a forward with some offensive touch that wasn’t getting the time he wanted in Cranbrook. Rossignol told the Townsman that he’d asked for not only more ice-time but ultimately a trade in December when the ice-time wasn’t coming his way. Just a side note; With all the deals between the two clubs – Jaffray, Rome headed to Swift for Duncan Milroy and B.J. Boxma in 2001-02; Negrin and Stickland for Martin and Magnus, along with D Spencer Wand and D Cole Depape as draft picks (2009); the Eakin deal last season – you’d think the Broncos wouldn’t want anything to do with trading anything to Kootenay. The only deal that burned the Ice was the original deal that saw Boxma sent to the Broncos in 2000. He beat them in the 2001 WHL Playoffs in seven games. But really, the track record isn't at all in the Broncos favour. I’d be a little jumpy seeing the Ice name on the call-display if I’m the Broncos…. So, the only question now, is he done?

The Crowd – 3053.

My Three Stars:

1. F Tanner Eberle – 2 goals, assist; hot hand on this night
2. F Sam Reinhart – goal, many, many chances
3. G Luke Siemens – Was stellar in preserving the lead

What it means – The Ice fall to 23-13-1-3 and 50 points, good for fourth-place in the Eastern Conference, two back of the Tigers who won tonight and are here tomorrow. The Oil Kings, the hottest team in the WHL, won also, extending their Central Division lead to eight points over the Ice.

Up Next: The Medicine Hat Tigers, two points clear of the Ice, are in town Sunday night.

Summary:

Warriors 3 @ Ice 2

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Kootenay Ice; January 7, 2012

Tanner Eberle's second goal of the night in the third period stood up as the game-winner as the Moose Jaw Warrior edged the Kootenay Ice 3-2 in WHL action Saturday.

The Warriors opened the scoring when Kenton Miller beat Nathan Lieuwen from a behind the net feed from Eberle. In the second the Ice jumped out to a 2-1 lead on goals by Eric Benoit, with his 9th, and Sam Reinhart with his 11th of the season before Eberle struck for the first time on a 2-on-1 at 6:58 to tie it at two.

In the third Eberle's wrist shot deflected off Ice defender Spencer Wand past Lieuwen for the eventual game-winner and giving the 17-year-old a three-point night.

Luke Siemens was stellar in stopping 35 of 37 shots to get the win while Lieuwen was also sharp, stopping 19 of 22 shots to take the loss.

First Period
1. Moose Jaw, Miller 14 (Eberle) 13:36

Penalties -- McKinlay Ktn (slashing) 5:46,

Second Period
2. Kootenay, Benoit 9 0:52
3. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 11 (Czerwonka, Dirk) 5:39
4. Moose Jaw, Eberle 5 (Miller, Edmundson) 6:58

Penalties -- Edmundson MJ (cross-checking) Beach MJ (cross-checking) 1:35, Wyton MJ (slashing) McIlrath MJ (misconduct) 2:16, Benoit Ktn (boarding) 9:04, Beach MJ (instigator - served by White, fighting, misconduct) Muth Ktn (fighting) 11:43, McKinlay Ktn Wyton MJ (unsportsmanlike conduct) 13:10.

Third Period
5. Moose Jaw, Eberle 6 2:32

Penalties -- Miller MJ (tripping) 12:12, Bench Minor Ktn (too-many-men - served by Pearce) 15:12.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 7 14 16 - 37
Moose Jaw: 12 5 5 - 22

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (L, 17-10-1-2); Moose Jaw: Luke Siemens (W, 21-8-3-2).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-5
Moose Jaw: 0-3

Referee -- Jeff Ingram, Jason Nissen. Linesman -- Jeremi Del Campo, Ian Shaver.

Attendance -- 3053 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Luke Paulsen (concussion - indefinite), Luke Philp, Jesse Wood-Schatz, Jon Martin, Mike Simpson.
Moose Jaw: Morgan Reilly (knee - indefinite), Dallas Erhardt (flu), Tyler Vanscourt (flu), Wheaton King (flu), Brett Brooks, Eric Arnold.

Three-game skid ends. Ice dump Broncos

2012-01-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

The Score – Swift Current 1 – Kootenay 5

What Happened – Kootenay’s power play clicked three times and the three-game losing skid is history.

The Turning Point – The Ice didn’t start particularly well but a backhand power play snipe by Brock Montgomery late in the first gave the Ice the momentum they never surrendered.

The Goals – After Ice forward Brendan Hurley took an undisciplined penalty 195 feet from his own net for roughing after the whistle the Broncos power play didn’t take long to convert as Reece Scarlett fired a slap-pass that Bronco leading-scorer Taylor Vause redirected past Lieuwen for a 1-0 lead 9:29 into the game… The Broncos had the Ice on their heels for the better part of the first period but a tripping penalty to Richard Nedomlel gave the Ice a late-period power play. After the first unit failed to generate anything a nice rush by Drew Czerwonka got the puck low to Brock Montgomery. He proceeded to pirouette out from behind the net with the puck on his stick – yes, he danced out – and at the end of the spin roofed a back-hand past Groenhyde to tie it at one… In the second with the Ice pressing Jagger Dirk stopped a Bronco clear. The puck ended up down low on Reinhart’s stick behind the net. With two strides he reversed and notched his 19th of the season on a pretty wrap-around… Less than a minute later, though he wouldn’t get an assist, Joe Antilla – still playing D – streaked in and fed the puck to the slot. After it bounced around and was swatted at twice by both Dylan McKinlay and a Bronco defender, Elgin Pearce batted his 16th past Groenhyde for a 3-1 lead… The carnage continued when the Broncos took a delay-of-game penalty at 9:03 when former Ice first round draft pick Colby Cave sent the puck into the stands. Five seconds later Max Reinhart wired his 20th of the year and second of the night through the legs of Groenhyde, giving the Ice a 4-1 lead and Groenhyde first crack at the hot water… Near the end of an uneventful third period the Ice capitalized on another power play when Jagger Dirk took a pass from Drew Czerwonka at the hash marks and slipped a wrist-shot through the legs of Smith for a 5-1 win.

The Hit – After the 4th goal Daniel Dale sent Ice D Jeff Hubic flying in the Ice zone after he finished his check. Hubic proceeded to skate almost the length of the ice to return the favour, catching the 18-year-old with his head down. The 216-pounder chased Hubic all over the ice looking for a tussle but Hubic wanted no part of it. Hubic levelled another kid later in the game in what is quickly becoming his forte.

The Hit Part II – Not long after, Brock Montgomery caught Bronco D Dillon Heatherington with a high hit in the Bronco corner. Josh Derko jumped him for his troubles.

The King – Graduated Ice forward Kevin King, second all-time in club history with 335 games played, left the ECHL Elmira Jackals this week and decided to use his WHL scholarship money and head to school. King, a Calgary product, will attend the University of Calgary. After an injury-filled half-season, King got into only 8 games with the Jackals, scoring a goal and adding four assists and five games with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL.

The Point-shot scare – Again in a busy second period, with Montgomery in the box, Nathan Lieuwen took a puck in the neck and was down on the ice for a spell. The Ice faithful held their breath but Lieuewen recovered and didn’t miss a shift.

The Infirmary – The Ice were missing D John Niebrandt and D Luke Paulsen to injury for the third straight game. Niebrandt, with a separated shoulder, should return for the weekend action but Paulsen with an upper body injury that’s a concussion, but nobody’s saying, will be out a while yet.

The Call-ups – F Jesse Wood-Shatz, a point-per-game player with the Alberta Midget’s Sherwood Park Kings (8g 12a – 21GP), got into his second straight game with the Ice, joining Luke Philp. D Tanner Faith returned to his Midget club but with a shoulder injury.

Odgers – Dakota, the 15-year-old son of former NHL tough guy Jeff Odgers, played his first WHL game tonight. Generously listed at 5’9” 155lbs, he’s a got a bit to go to match his dad’s size of 6’0 200lbs. He can score though, notching 16 goals and 11 assists in 27 games for Yorkton of the Saskatchewan Midget League.

The Reinforcements – I can’t honestly say I’ve seen a team miss it’s 16-year-olds but in this case, the Ice have. They’ll get Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Descheneau, Spencer Wand and Jon Martin back from the World U-17 tournament this weekend. Reinhart finished second in tournament scoring with 4g and 6a in 5 games. Is it too early to start projecting the 2014 NHL Draft?

The Crowd – 2575

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. LW Drew Czerwonka – Four helpers; carried the mail on this night
2. RW Brock Montgomery – Sweet goal, game-changer
3. C Max Reinhart – two goals

What it means – The Ice improves to 23-12-1-3 and 50 points. Good for a tie for third in the Eastern Conference standings with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The three-game skid is over.

Up Next: The Moose Jaw Warriors, on game six of an eight-game road trip, are here Saturday. The Tigers are at the Plex Sunday night to cap off the big weekend litmus test.

Summary:

Broncos 1 @ Ice 5

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Swift Current Broncos and the Kootenay Ice; January 4, 2012

Max Reinhart had two goals and an assist as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Swift Current Broncos 5-1 in WHL action Wednesday.

The Broncos opened the scoring on the power play when Taylor Vause deflected his 22nd of the season past Nathan Lieuwen for a 1-0 Bronco lead. The Ice tied the game on a late first period power play when Brock
Montgomery spun out from behind the net and backhanded his 12th of the season past Bronco starter Jon Groenheyde.

In the second the Ice scored three goals in under two minutes and jumped out to a 4-1 lead. Two goals by Max Reinhart, his 19th and 20th of the season, sandwiched around Elgin Pearce's 16th of the year put the game out of reach and chased Groenheyde from the Bronco net in favour of Austin Smith.

Jagger Dirk added his 3rd of the season on the power play late in the third for a 5-1 finish.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 33 shots for his 17th win on the season while Jon Groenheyde turned aside 13 of 17 shots in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Swift Current, Vause 22 (Scarlett, Nedomel) 9:29 (pp)
2. Kootenay, Montgomery 12 (Czerwonka, Reinhart) 18:24 (pp)

Penalties -- Leach Ktn (tripping) 0:15, Hurley Ktn (roughing) 8:58, Nedomlel SC (tripping) 16:57.

Second Period
3. Kootenay, Reinhart 19 (Dirk, Czerwonka) 7:24 (pp)
4. Kootenay, Pearce 16 (Mckinlay) 8:03
5. Kootenay, Reinhart 20 (Czerwonka, Montgomery) 9:08

Penalties -- Blanke SC (slashing, roughing - served by Derko) Hubic Ktn (roughing) 3:29, Cave SC (delay-of-game) , Derko SC (instigator, fighting, misconduct) Montgomery (high-sticking, charging, fighting) 13:06, Bench Minor SC (too-many-men - served by Mackay) 17:25.

Third Period
6. Kootenay, Dirk 3 (Czerwonka, Reinhart) 16:32 (pp)

Penalties -- Black SC (roughing) 15:41, Odgers SC (checking-from-behind) 17:19, Derko SC (roughing) 19:42.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 7 13 12 - 32
Swift Current: 11 9 14 - 34

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 17-9-1-2); Swift Current: Jon Groenheyde (Smith 9:08 of second; 13 of 17 shots; L, 12-14-1-4).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 3-7
Swift Current: 1-3

Referee -- Sean Rapheal. Linesman -- Steve Cochrane, Mike Roberts.

Attendance -- 2575 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Spencer Wand (World U-17), Jaedon Descheneau (World U-17), Sam Reinhart (World U-17), Jon Martin (World U-17), Luke Paulsen (upper body - day-to-day), John Neibrandt (shoulder - day-to-day).
Swift Current: Jordan Evans, Shea Howorko, Adam Smith, Adam Lowry, Erik Fleming.

Ice drop second straight, lose to Chiefs in Shootout

2011-12-31T08:49:00.000-08:00

Watched the game as a fan last night so the recap will be a short one today.

A fun game to watch last night as the goaltenders put on a show most of the night starting in the first period as Mackenzie Skapski, getting his second straight home start, kept the Ice in the game early and fought off a Chief barrage of 14 shots in the scoreless first period. Mac Engel was sharp for the Chiefs in the first, stopping Max Reinhart twice - once on a nice back-door feed and then again on a wrist shot - to keep the game scoreless.

Somebody mentioned to me that they were surprised Skapski was getting the start over Lieuwen at home. I thought he earned it after Tuesday's performance. He played well. Saw Lieuwen with his hand wrapped/taped Tuesday night on the bench but I don't think that factored into the decision.

In the second D Joe Leach opened the scoring with a wicked slapshot that beat Engel high to the blocker side, though Engel did get a piece of it. Three minutes later newly acquired Todd Fiddler - obtained from the Prince Albert Raiders for Chief leading scorer Anthony Bardaro and G Luke Lee-Knight, along with G Eric Williams going to the Chiefs - deflected in a point-shot that Skapski had little chance on.

The Ice went up 2-1 on a Dylan McKinlay wrist shot as he took the pass out of the corner and roofed his 7th of the season.

In the third the Ice really took it to the Chiefs but couldn't convert and a Eric Benoit high-sticking call - a tough one as he was spun around by a Chief on the play but his stick went flying, clipping D Corbin Baldwin in the back of the head - cost them. F Liam Stewart banged home a point-shot rebound to tie the game in the third.

Overtime solved nothing and then in the shootout Mitch Holmberg and Brendan Kichton scored to give the Chiefs the extra-point.

The Ice drop their second straight game and finish December 3-7. At 22-11-1-3 and 48 points the Ice sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, now six back of the rolling Oil Kings who lead the conference.

Some more thoughts:

The Ice were without D John Neibrandt and D Luke Paulsen last night. Neibrandt's in a sling and had some dental work done after taking a puck or stick in the mouth at practice earlier in the week. He's pretty beat up but could return in a week so it's likely a shoulder separation. Paulsen is day-to-day but being re-evaluated with an undisclosed injury. The club also missed the likes of Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Deschaneau, Spencer Wand and Jon Martin, all 16 but all who could've made impact. They're at the World U-tourny. D Tanner Faith, who was called up to play in place of the missing players was hurt in practice Thursday with an undisclosed ailment.

F Drew Czerwonka laid the biggest hit of the night on Chief forward Steven Kuhn along the half-wall that knocked out the plexiglass. It didn't break so the RecPlex staff just put it back in after about a four minute delay. There was one late in the game from Chief D Corbin Baldwin on Ice forward Brock Montgomery that rocked the 19-year-old as he cut in across the slot but he recovered. Crowd didn't like it but I thought it was a clean hit.

Chief tying goal was scored by F Liam Stewart, son of rocker Rod-the-bod Stewart and model Rachel Hunter. Stewart was tagged to play for Great Britain at the U-18 championships - Division II Group A - against the likes of Croatia, Korea, Lithuania, Romania and the host Netherlands at the end of March. The 17-year-old played for the LA Kings U-16 team last season. He was born in California and is still eligible to play for the U.S. team as internationally it's the country you play for after you turn 18 that cements where you'll play. Rod was a pretty good soccer player in the day but will be 67 January 10th. No, he wasn't in the building last night.... And an interesting or creepy, depending on your point of view, side-note. Former Ice captain Jarret Stoll, now playing for the LA Kings, dated Liam's Mom Rachel Hunter for a spell and almost got married a year or so ago. Meaning the former Ice captain was almost Liam's step-dad......

At the World U-17 challenge the Ice rookies are doing well. Sam leads the tournament in scoring with 4 points (all goals) as Team Pacific is 2-0 at the tourney atop Group A. They play Russia (that would be a better game to watch!) today. (11pm Mountain time). Wand and Martin (Team West) along with Descheneau (Team Pacific) haven't reached the stat-sheet yet.

Okay, that's it for 2011 as for the first time in 9 years New Year's Eve will consist of something other than a hockey game as the Ice aren't playing tonight at home. Canada-USA on the tube for World Juniors that means squat because the U.S. haven't played well at all is the only alternative.

Rebels double up on Ice

2011-12-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

In Red Deer last night the Rebels had two new faces in the lineup in D Devan Fafard and C Charles Inglis last night but it was a Rebel regular who did the Ice in as Tyson Ness notched a couple of goals and added an assist on the game-winner as the Rebels doubled the Ice 4-2.

Drew Czerwonka and Elgin Pearce scored for the Ice while Nathan Lieuwen surrendered four goals on 25 shots.

The Red Deer Advocate has a gamer here while the highlites of the game are here.

A slow start and the hot-hand of Deven Dubyk stymied the Ice who lost D John Neibrant in the first period. Radio said that D Tanner Faith was supposed to play but he suffered an injury in practice and his status was questionable for tonight.

The Ice fall to 22-11-1-2 and 47 points and lose a spot in the Eastern Conference standings to the Tigers who beat the Hurricanes 5-2 last night. The Tigers now sit third in the conference, a point up on the Ice who are now fourth.

Just a couple of thoughts on the deadline that's fast approaching:

There has been some speculation that the Ice could be sellers at the deadline, if the right - inflated, I imagine - price was posted. Some of are of the theory that building for a big show in the next two seasons with the 16-year-olds now when they're 18-19 being one of dominating groups in 2-3 seasons, could be the goal right now. Supporting that is the lack of real impact players available out there at this time. It's a seller's market to the nth degree.

I don't buy it and I do so from a very logical standpoint. Given the club's success last season there's a very real possibility that this club could go deep into the playoffs again, second round or even conference final. And given the experience on the roster, that's a lot of possible playoff home dates for a small market team. As well, of course, that any team always plays to win every year and this season the club's in the thick of it again, only 1-2 games off of last season's pace at this time.

But I really don't see the team loading up and expending some of those blue-chip 16-year-olds they have to get them over the hump this season. The price (high) combined with the lack of real impact players reasonably for sale says to me the club won't do much this year at the deadline.

I guess the next couple of weeks will prove that out one way or another.

The Ice host the Spokane Chiefs tonight at the Rec Plex at 7PM.

Ice come out of the break hungry

2011-12-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

The Score – Lethbridge 2 – Kootenay 4

What Happened – G Mackenzie Skapski got the nod and took advantage of the start and was the better of the two goalies on this night.

The Turning Point – Late in the second with the Ice nursing a 2-1 lead Phil Tot found himself wide open in front of Skapski off a bad Ice clearing attempt. Tot started to stickhandle but Skapski pulled a Johnny Bower and poked-checked the puck off him before he could make a move.

The Goals – After a particular slow start through the first two minutes the Ice were the benefactors of a fortuitous bounce off the corner boards right to a wide-open Jagger Dirk, who was allowed to step into his 2nd of the season to make it 1-0 Ice… With the Ice on a tail-end of an uneventful power play Joe Antilla – playing D on the PP – coughed up the puck in his own zone to Maxwell. Skapski made a great save on Maxwell but couldn’t stop the rebound as Watson roofed the tying goal. 1-1… The Ice started the second strong and it paid off when Rossignol dragged a defender towards him on a broken 2-on-1 and found Brock Montgomery in the slot. He seemed to fan on the one-timer but got enough of it to have go through Ketlo’s legs for a 2-1 lead… In the third Joe Antilla atoned for his earlier gaffe on the Hurricane goal with a great shift in the Canes zone and then on the neutral zone turnover took a pass from Elgin Pearce and came off the wing and beat Ketlo along the ice. 3-1 Ice… Later in the period Ismond found Drew Czerwonka streaking down the left-wing but was about to be caught by a Cane defender. He instead wired a slapshot that started to trickle through Ketlo’s pads but stopped, only to have a hard-driving Czerwonka poke the loose puck into the net behind him. 4-1 Ice. With the game well in hand late the Canes scored on a power play when Brody Sutter scored on a nice feed from Graham Hood. 4-2 final.

The Melee – The Christmas tidings didn’t last seven minutes on this night as a Jeff Hubic hit on Yakubowski at the Ice bench was followed up by a late hit on Hubic by Russ Maxwell. Adam Henry ended up taking a beating from Simpson after going after Simpson as the culprits paired-up. Yakubowski decided to take out his frustrations from the hit on Levi Cable and, being the second fight, both were tossed. With about five minutes left in the period Brock Montgomery hit Nick Buonasissi with his head down – the puck was in his skates – and took off his helmut and thankfully not his head. Brady Ramsay then jumped Montgomery to save the day. Roughing minors all around except Ramsay took an extra one in which the Ice gave up a shortie. All in all the first period ended up with 64 minutes in PIM’s. Guess the good will towards all men didn’t extend to tonight. The bad blood continued to the end of the second period when Joe Leach and Cam Braes screamed at each other for almost a minute after the buzzer. When Braes didn’t accept the challenge presented by Leach, Leach got a hold of Braes helmut in the pushing and shoving and proceeded to through it down the ice. It was entertaining to say the least.

The Save – Skapski had to be and was sharp to start the game. Mid-way through the first he stopped a point-blanke Hurricane chance and then the wrap-around chance on Nick Buonasissi – extending his pad across the crease. In the second killing a penalty Skapski poked-checked Phil Tot who was left along in front of him. A few posts helped the cause but Skapski continued with the hot-hand with an unconscious glove save off Maxwell late.

The Fast-one – Canes Coach Rich Preston tried to pull the switch on an icing by trying to switch two guys – Harper a rookie AP call-up and Watson, who was gassed. He got an earful from Thiessen. The next time his club got caught he burned his time-out.

The Rookies – C Luke Philp and D Tanner Faith have been recalled by the Ice from their respective clubs to fill the void left by four Ice 16-year-olds away at the U-17 tournament starting tomorrow in Windsor. Philp, a late cut from the Ice, is the leading scorer in Canmore with the Eagles of the AJHL with 10 goals, 23 assists in 30 games. Faith suffered a shoulder injury in camp and returned to play AAA Midget at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan. He was a scratch tonight but should play Friday. Philp was used in a limited role tonight but did have a scoring chance in the first.

Rumour de jour - This one had former Ice D-man James Martin, who is 20, being returned from the AHL's Abbotsford Heat to the Ice. It's a non-starter. Martin's been cleared to return to the ice after a thumb injury has kept him out the last few weeks. A few text messages killed this one pretty fast. The subject of the trade deadline - a scant two weeks away - is obviously starting to foster some talk.

The Zebras – Busy on this night as Andy Thiessen doled out 90 minutes in PIM’s. Was it me or was he also in the way a lot tonight?

Oh those Russians - F Alex Kuvaev, who spurned the opportunity to join the Ice and instead signed a contract in Russia only to have that go sour and then join the Giants after the Christmas break after the Ice dropped him from their list, scored a goal and the shootout winner for the G-men over the Blazers tonight in a 4-3 win.

The Sutter - The Hurricanes' 6'4" son of Duane Sutter, Brody - drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes last June - seems to be a bit of late-bloomer. The 20-year-old looks like he could, or should, dominate in this league. A bit of an enigma considering the bloodlines. Scored a nice goal at the end of the game and probably should've had more.

The Former 'Tender - The goaltender Skapski beat out for the back-up spot, Brett Teskey, has landed back in the WHL at least on a temporary basis. Teskey was called up to back-up Ty Rimmer of the Tri-City Americans for the next ten days with 16-year-old Eric Comrie away at the World U-17 tournament. Teskey was 9-3 in 12 starts with the SJHL's Weyburn Red Wings with a 3.29 GAA and .868 Save percentage.

The Crowd – 3076; lots of energy, should be a couple hundred more for Friday's tilt against the Chiefs.

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. G Mackenzie Skapski – Played a big game just off the break. A sign of things to come?
2. RW Brock Montgomery – Big second period goal
3. C Russell Maxwell – Lots of chances, genuine pest

What it means – The Ice improve to 22-10-1-2 and 47 points, good for third in the Eastern Conference keeping a point clear of the Tigers who beat the Rebels 2-0 and four points back of the front-running Oil Kings who waxed the Blades tonight in Saskatoon.

Up Next: The Ice travel to Red Deer Thursday night for a date with the still-slumping Rebels. Friday the Spokane Chiefs are at the Plex.

Summary:

Hurricanes 2 @ Ice 4

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Kootenay Ice; December 27, 2011

The Kootenay Ice got goals from four different skaters as the Ice beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-2 in their first action back from the Christmas break.

The Ice opened the scoring when Jagger Dirk wired his 2nd of the year past Canes' goaltender Damien Ketlo to make it 1-0. The Hurricanes tied it up when Jamal Watson ripped a breakaway rebound past Mackenzie Skapski to knot the score at one after the first period.

In the second Brock Montgomery scored his 11th of the season to put the Ice up 2-1 on a shot from the slot that beat Ketlo through the legs.

The Ice extended their lead in the third on goals by Joe Antilla, with his 5th of the season, and Drew Czerwonka with his 10th of the year before the Hurricanes scored late on a goal by Brody Sutter to make the final 4-2.

Skapski stopped 26 of 28 shots to get the win while Ketlo turned aside 26 of 30 in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Dirk 2 (Reinhart) 2:11
2. Lethbridge, Watson 3 (Maxwell) 17:20

Penalties -- Hood Leth Neibrandt Ktn (roughing) 1:14, Paulsen Ktn (delay-of-game) 3:38, Henry Leth Simpson Ktn (fighting) Yakubowski Leth Cable Ktn (fighting, misconduct) Maxwell Leth (interference) Hurley Ktn (dbl roughing) 6:47, Ramsey Leth (dbl roughing) Montgomery (roughing) 15:13, Watson Leth (slashing) Hood Leth (unsportsmanlike conduct) Dirk Ktn (slashing).

Second Period
3. Kootenay, Montgomery 11 (Rossignol, Benoit) 2:16

Penalties -- Ismond Ktn (interference) 2:44, Montgomery Ktn (boarding) 7:05, Watson Leth (tripping) 18:57, Braes Leth (roughing) Leach Ktn (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct) 20:00.

Third Period
4. Kootenay, Antilla 5 (Pearce, McKinlay) 7:59
5. Kootenay, Czerwonka 10 (Ismond) 14:55
6. Lethbridge, Sutter 16 (Hood, Oslanski) 19:41 (pp)

Penalties -- Buonasissi Leth (tripping) 0:24, Neibrandt Ktn (holding) 4:41, Bloomqvist Leth (interference) 8:19, Benoit Ktn (slashing) 11:40, Galbraith Leth (boarding) 12:02, Dirk Ktn (tripping) 16:00, Neibrandt Ktn (cross-checking) 18:24.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 8 8 14 - 30
Lethbridge: 10 8 10 - 28

Goal -- Kootenay: Mackenzie Skapski (W, 6-2); Lethbridge: Damien Ketlo (L, 10-10).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-6
Lethbridge: 1-9

Referee -- Andy Thiessen. Linesman -- Mike Roberts, Scott Sharun.

Attendance -- 3076 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Spencer Wand (World U-17), Tanner Faith, Jaedon Descheneau (World U-17), Sam Reinhart (World U-17), Jon Martin (World U-17),
Lethbridge: Macoy Erkcamps, Tyler Kizuik, Juraj Bezuch, Austin Fyten, Craig Leverton, Jay Merkley, Max Moline.

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman

Ice edge Broncos in Shootout

2011-12-16T23:36:00.000-08:00

The Score – Swift Current 4 – Kootenay 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Crowd – 2712

Rec Plex Three Stars

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

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

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

Summary:

Broncos 4 @ Ice 5 (SO)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overtime

No Scoring.

Penalties -- None.

Shootout - Kootenay wins 1-0

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

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

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

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

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

Attendance -- 2712 (4264)

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

Ice lose to Rebels

2011-12-14T11:18:00.000-08:00

Just over a week left before the WHL enters its Christmas break and the Ice served up a lump of coal for fans at the Rec Plex last night in a 4-2 loss to the injury-depleted Red Deer Rebels, who finally knocked that 13-game losing streak of their collective backs.

The highlites are here, while Trevor Crawley of the Townsman as a recap here.

After taking a 2-1 lead in the second period and having a territorial advantage over the Rebels, a shot coming into the zone from just inside the Ice blueline by Turner Elson beat Nathan Lieuwen to tie the game just 30 seconds later.

It was a goal the club never recovered from.

The Ice will have one more chance before the break to get into the Christmas spirit on a winning note when the Swift Current Broncos are here Friday night.

The Ice fall to 20-10-1-2 on the season and 43 points, still 3rd in the very crowded Eastern Conference standings that has 9 points separate 1st-8th.

It was a tough day for Max Reinhart after being cut from Team Canada and then venting his frustration late in the game. He expressed his displeasure in the post-game interviews.

Needless to say the club's in a bit of the December doldrums of late. One win in their last five and one win in their last six games at the Rec Plex dating back to November 4.

It's a crucial part of the schedule for the club and a juncture I believe that these next eight games will make or break any decision to upgrade the roster prior to the deadline or go with the kids and what they've got and see where the chips fall.

Reinhart release from Team Canada

2011-12-13T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ice forward Max Reinhart's stay at Team Canada's selection camp was much shorter than he wanted as the 19-year-old Calgary Flames prospect was released today along with six other players as Team Canada got down to 35 players in anticipation of the 22-man roster to be announced Wednesday.

It wasn't a good day for the WHL players as a whole as five of the seven cuts were WHL players. Two were from the QMJHL.

Among the cuts were: Reinhart (Kootenay, WHL), D Matt Dumba (Red Deer, WHL), Brendan Kichton (Spokane, WHL), Mark McNeill (Prince Albert, WHL) and F Michael Ferland (Brandon, WHL). D Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (Rimouski, QMJHL) and F Zack Phillips (Saint John, QMJHL) were the other two releases.

Five of the players are 19 and aren't eligible next season but Dumba, 17, and McNeill, 18, will likely get shots next year.

Dumba and Reinhart will both likely be in the line-up tonight as the Ice host the slumping Rebels at the Rec Plex.

Red Deer has lost a team record 13 straight and have lost the services of their starting goaltender Patrick Bartosak indefinitely with shoulder surgery. The Rebels are also missing F Daulton Siwak, F Josh Cowen, F Adam Kambeitz and Aaron Borejko to injury. D Alex Petrovic is still at Team Canada's camp.

The Rebels have signed 20-year-old goaltender Deven Dubyk to try and turn the tides, releasing goaltender Tyler Oswald, 18, Monday. Dubyk was with the Humboldt Broncos of the Junior A SJHL who will host the Royal Bank Cup this year. Last season Dubyk served as back-up to Tyler Bunz with the Medicine Hat Tigers before being released this year due to 20-year-old numbers. He was also with the Moose Jaw Warriors for a spell this season before being released back to Humboldt. He'll get the start tonight.

Gametime is 7PM at the Rec Plex

Ice get back on track

2011-12-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

The Kootenay Ice got back on track on the road Saturday night with a gritty 3-2 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers to halt their four-game slid.

The Ice returned the favour after losing last night by ruining the Tigers Teddy Bear Toss night on goals from John Neibrandt, with his 1st of the season, Brock Montgomery, with his 10th and the captain Drew Czerwonka in his 200th career WHL game with the game-winner with less than five minutes to play. The goal was Czerwonka's 9th.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 31 of 33 shots in a nice bounce-back effort following last night's rare off-night.

The Ice were missing Max Reinhart at Team Canada's selection camp, Spencer Wand (healthy) and surprisingly, 20-year-old forward Joe Antilla, who was also a healthy scratch. I haven't got word why as of yet.

The Tigers were missing G Tyler Bunz who is at the selection camp.

Emerson Etem and Tyler Cox scored for the Tigers.

Hands-up all those who had Brock Montgomery at the 10-goal mark before Christmas and ahead of Czerwonka. Thought so. Sure, Czerwonka's fought some injury issues but Montgomery's secondary scoring has been a pleasant surprise.

Rookie Jaedon Descheneau notched a couple of helpers on the club's first two goals as the fourth line were in on the game's first goal.

The Ice get their 20th win of the season and improve to 20-9-1-2 and 43 points, keeping pace with the Moose Jaw Warriors (45 points) and Edmonton Oil Kings (44 points), who both won Saturday.

The Red Deer Rebels, minus D Alex Petrovic and D Matt Dumba who are Team Canada's camp and also could be missing G Patrik Bartosak who was injured a couple of games back for the Rebels. They've also went into a 12-game losing tailspin before their game Sunday against Prince Albert.

Ice lose 4th straight

2011-12-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

Don't look now but, uh oh.

Returning from a 9-game road trip in which the club won the first six but dropped the last three, Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen had a rare off night letting four goals by him on 13 shots before being pulled 6:20 into the second period in favour of Mackenzie Skapski.

On Teddy Bear and Touque toss night the Ice were handed a great opportunity to bring the bears down but instead surrendered a short-handed goal to Hunter Shinkaruk. Elgin Pearce would tie the game 25 seconds later with his 10th to bring a couple thousand bears, mittens and toques down from the stands.

Reid Petryk on a rebound halfway through the first would restore the Tigers one-goal lead but it was the second period that things really went sour for the Ice.

And early goal by Trevor Cox from the slot with Lieuwen caught deep in the net gave the visitors a 3-1 lead and then a power play goal by Bettauer through a maze of bodies made it 4-1 and chased Lieuwen to the bench.

Five minutes later, Skapski - who played well in relief - was hung out to dry by his teammates as they conducted a brutal change after getting stuck on the ice for a spell and gave up a two-on-one and Scott Mackay beat him between the legs for a 5-1 lead.

Goals by Brendan Hurley, Joe Leach and Dylen McKinlay late made the game close before Mackay scored into an empty-net.

Skapski will actually be stuck with the loss after giving up the eventual game-winner to Mackay.

The Ice drop to 19-9-1-2 and 41 points. With the Oil Kings win Edmonton takes over first place in the Central and Eastern Conference with 43 points.

Coupled with the four-game losing streak the Ice will also lose Max Reinhart to Team Canada's Selection camp Saturday before they travel to Medicine Hat for the rematch Saturday. The Tigers will lose Tyler Bunz to the camp also.

Jaedon Deschaneau, Levi Cable and Mike Simpson were the scratches.

This one was a tough game to watch. Not from a fans standpoint - it was an offensive show for sure - but from a structural game standpoint, the Ice didn't play well. The Tigers played a bit of a trap - deviating from their regular run and gun style that Kootenay couldn't solve.

D Luke Paulsen had a tough night checking in with a dash-4.

To be honest, neither goaltender played well on the eve of the selection camp and though the Ice held Etem off the scoresheet - he had his chances - the same couldn't be said of Scott Mackay.

Good crowd on Teddy Bear night with 3053 on hand.

On a WJC note F Brett Connolly and F Devante Smith-Pelly have been released from the Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks respectively in a move that will tighten up the race for a forward spot on the club. Still think Max has a good shot at that 10th-forward/Defensive specialist role for the team but time will tell.

Are the trade winds blowing yet? What does this four-game skid do to the chances of the club making a deal to get deeper by the deadline? If this thing gets out of hand it will only cement the club staying put and playing with the hand they've been dealt.

Between now and the January 10 deadline the Ice have a schedule that favours them. The Ice play the Tigers, Broncos, Hurricanes and Rebels all twice and Spokane and Moose Jaw once each. All teams nine-ten points back of the Ice in the standings with the exception of the Tigers and Warriors.

This one will go down to the wire.

And as for the McNeill comment that he's available.... For a player that is surely to be a 1st round NHL pick this June and almost as surely to return next season to junior, McNeill being on the block is far-fetched, even for the struggling Raiders.

Based on that the cost would be prohibitive in that it would cost a pretty penny to get him and likely empty the cupboard prospect and draft pick-wise for the next season or two.

Ice go cold to end trip

2011-12-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

The wheels come off the road trip for the Ice over the weekend as the nine-game road trip finally turned sour after winning the first six, the club dropped all three games through the East Division this weekend, blowing a four goal lead against PA Friday and then a pair of one-goal losses to Moose Jaw and Swift Current Saturday and Sunday.

The three-game slide leaves the club at 19-8-1-2 and 41 points, still tops in the Central and Eastern Conference but a point back of the Tri-City Americans for the overall WHL lead. The crowded Eastern Conference has the Ice only three points out of sixth place in a six-team logjam at the top.

I didn't have a chance to listen to the entire three games stretch as I was in Kelowna with my Bantam team but hey, 6-3 on a 9-game roadie isn't too shabby.

And as for the comments about Coach K and him losing a game, with his record and what he's done this year with this line-up I think he's earned some slack.

I dunno, maybe it's the coach in me but besides the 7-5 loss to PA in which Skapski got the hook after the club blew a four goal lead, a pair of one-goal losses on a team the relies more and more on a 16-year-old as a very big part of it's offence doesn't indicate a coaching issue to me.

On a scoring note, F Charles Inglis was sent home by the PG Cougars yesterday and one wonders if another WHL team would take a chance on him. Oodles of talent and loads of baggage. Could the strict environment of the defending champs be a good fit, who could certainly use the scoring depth? Would he ruin the room? How much would he cost?

The former 1st round pick (4th overall by Saskatoon) from Winnipeg is a dynamic power forward but seems to have trouble with team rules. He can put the puck in the net as evident by the 32 for the Cougars last season and 19 for a deep Blades team as a 17-year-old.

The fact he was passed over in the NHL Draft also speaks volumes.

I doubt he'd ever be in an Ice uniform but it's just something else to bandie about.

More later...

Streak hits six straight on the road

2011-12-01T10:42:00.000-08:00

The Reinhart Bros show continued on the road last night in Saskatoon as Max sniped three goals while younger brother Sam notched four helpers as the Ice dumped the Blades 6-1.

Brock Montgomery with his 8th goal of the season, along with Eric Benoit with his 8th and rookie Jon Martin with his 2nd rounded out the scoring for the Ice.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 20 of 21 shots for the win.

Benoit returned after missing five games with an upper body injury.

The win gives the Ice a little breathing room atop the Eastern Conference and WHL standings, with a 19-5-1-2 record, good for 41 points, the first WHL club to break that barrier.

It's the sixth straight win for the Ice and seventh consecutive road win dating back to before the home stand, a team record.

There are highlites here and the Star-Phoenix has a recap here.

If you haven't seen it on Gregg Drinnan's blog over on the right, the mid-season leader for quote of the year goes to Blade GM and coach Lorne Molleken to Saskatoon Star-Phoenix writer Daniel Nugent-Bowman on the loss, which he alludes to as ugly or at the very least, not pretty. “That was like some of the girls you used to date, Daniel."

The four point night for Sam continued the rookie's torrid pace on the road trip with 18 points in his last six games, giving him 26 points (8g, 18a) on the season, good for 5th in the Rookie scoring race and tops among 16-year-olds.

Max's hat-trick gives him 15 goals on the season and he sits 15th in league scoring with 34 points on the season.

You'd have to think Max is just gearing up for his shot at the World Juniors starting December 10 with the selection camp. With WHL coaches Don Hay and Ryan Huska as assistant, Max's defensive play is likely the best shot he's got to make this team.

On that note one wonders how Hockey Canada could fudge the dates on Nathan Lieuwen's drivers license back a year. The season the 20-year-old is having would almost certainly put him in the running, especially given the goaltending situation with Team Canada and the perceived lack of star power at the position.

Question for today - or the next couple of weeks if you like. I asked it awhile back but it resonates now more than then: Does this club make a move prior to the deadline to beef up the blueline or the forwards in anticipation of a long run again this spring?

In two years this group (15's, 16's and 17-year-olds) is projected to be scary good. The present group is proving they can do just as good as last season - they're two wins ahead of last year's pace at this time - but another forward who can score or a top-five D-man wouldn't hurt the cause. You'll have until January 10th or so to discuss.

Dylen McKinley (team suspension), Jaedon Descheneau and Jeff Hubic were the scratches, finishing up the six-game, six player stretch that a veteran sat out for violation of team rules in which the club never missed a beat. The club is completely healthy for the first time this season.

Friday the road trip continues into Prince Albert, who now occupy the WHL's basement with a 6-21-1-1 record and 14 points, tied with Everett for last overall. Moose Jaw is Saturday with the road trip wrapping up Sunday night in Swift Current.

The CHL rankings came out yesterday, prior to the Blades-Ice game. Kootenay's in at 7th while the Blades are 5th, pre-6-1 Ice win.

Speaking of rankings Buzzing the Net (link over on right), one of the best Junior Hockey rolls on the net, has a completely different system based on toughness of recent schedule that produces the Dynamic Dozen. Though curiously the top CHL ranked club, the London Knights, is 13th. The Ice check in at 7th while the Blades are 6th. And for an answer posted there about why the two Reinhart brothers don't have their respective initials on their jerseys, they didn't want them. Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth ordered the letters for them but they chose not to have them put on.

In some alumni news former Ice assistant coach Brad Lauer moved from Syracuse to Anaheim yesterday - bring your Sandals - as former Washington Capital head coach Bruce Boudreau was out of work all of two days when the Ducks fired Randy Carlyle (head coach there since 2005 and just this summer signed a three-year deal) and replaced him with Boudreau. The whole staff was let go in the purge and Lauer was added as an assistant with the Ducks. He was an assistant under Cory Clouton with Ottawa last season before joining another former Ice coach, Mark Holick with the Ducks affiliate in Syracuse.

Ice over Rockets for five straight

2011-11-27T22:04:00.000-08:00

For the Townsman Monday

Ice run the BC Division table, win 4-0 over Rockets

by Jeff Bromley

A stellar effort by goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, a red-hot power play and a diving call on the Rocket captain all combined to give the Kootenay Ice a 4-0 win over the hometown Kelowna Rockets Friday night, Kootenay’s fifth straight – all on the road through the BC Division – vaulting the club into top spot in the WHL with 39 points. With an 18-5-1-2 record and .750 winning percentage the Ice sit atop the WHL class. “Nathan played very well,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. “And without his efforts it’s probably a different story but our team as a whole played very well defensively. (Kelowna) had their opportunities but our defense did an excellent job of limiting the quality of those chances.”

Outshot 10-5 in the opening frame Ice super-rookie Sam Reinhart had the only goal of the period when Drew Czerwonka fed him a pass on a short 2-on-1 in which the 16-year-old sent a shot five-hole that trickled through Rocket goaltender Adam Brown. The Rockets poured on the shots and led in the category that doesn’t count 24-11 after two periods but it was a controversial late second-period embellishment call by referee Adam Griffiths on Rocket captain Colton Scissons that turned the tide. With the crowd of 6121 getting surlier by the minute over the call, things went south for the Rockets when Czerwonka finished off a pretty three-way passing play at the goal-mouth with his 8th of the season to make it 2-0. It was the turning point in a tight 1-0 hockey game. “Everyone has an opinion on the call but the goal was definitely a turning point,” Knoblauch said. “I didn’t see it (the penalty) and haven’t seen it on video yet but (Ice assistant coach Todd Johnson) saw it and didn’t disagree with the call.”

Rocket head coach Ryan Huska, naturally, did. “I think it was a bad call,” Huska told Doyle Potenteau of the Kelowna Daily Courier. “It was a bad call in a 1-0 game. I don’t think that call should be made.”

The Rockets continued to get into penalty trouble in the third and Kootenay’s power play – now ranked 4th overall at 23.6% and 2nd on the road, clicking at 30% - went to work. Ice forward Brock Montgomery notched his 6th and 7th on the season to put the game out of reach – one a turn-around blast off a scramble and the other a redirection behind Brown – to make it 4-0. It’s been a meteoric rise for a power play ranked as low as 17th in the WHL just a few weeks ago. “With our system we haven’t changed anything dramatic,” said Knoblauch of his club’s success on the power play. “Todd has done a great job of going over the video and correcting some minor details so that everyone is on the same page.”

While Montgomery notched two goals and Czerwonka matched the two point night with a goal and an assist, Max Reinhart got on the board with three assists and brother Sam finished with a goal and an assist, giving the rookie an astounding 14 points on the five game road trip for a total of 22 on the season, good for sixth in rookies and tops among 16-year-olds. “I’m not surprised he’s had a road trip like this,” said Knoblauch. “He’s a very skilled player. He’s playing in a role he’s very comfortable with right now and has found some good chemistry playing on a line with his brother and Joe Antilla.”

Arriving back in Cranbrook early Saturday morning the club enjoyed a few days off before continuing the nine-game odyssey away from the Cranbrook Rec Plex currently occupied by the Canada Cup of Curling. It’s a change coming home from a long trip only to head out on another four-game swing starting Wednesday in Saskatoon. “After having a road trip like we did,” continued Knoblauch. “It lessens the blow of doing it all over again.”

Quick Hits – The shutout was Lieuwen’s second of the season and 8th of his WHL career… Sam’s point-scoring streak is now at five games with 14 points. Max’s streak is a game longer at six games notching 12 points. Joe Antilla’s point streak is also at five games with 8 points… Ice scratches were D Luke Paulsen (team suspension), Eric Benoit (upper body – day-to-day) and Levi Cable (healthy). Benoit will return Wednesday against Saskatoon after missing five games. F Dylen McKinlay is the lone veteran left to serve his one-game suspension and will do so in Saskatoon Wednesday… G Mackenzie Skapski is ranked 4th among WHL goaltenders by NHL Central Scouting in their preliminary rankings... C Max Reinhart will find out Monday if he's among the 37 or so players getting the invite to Team Canada's Selection Camp. Hockey Canada will announced the roster invites at 9:30 Mountain time.

Ice sweep BC

2011-11-26T00:14:00.000-08:00

The Kootenay Ice seized on a chance to sweep the BC Division tonight and took it with a 4-0 shutout of the Kelowna Rockets.

Nathan Lieuwen was stellar in stopping 35 Rocket shots to reclaim the top spot in the goaltending stats with a 1.78 GAA - the only goaltender in the WHL and one of two CHL-wide - to own a GAA under 2.00/game (Malcom Subban of the Belleville Bulls, PK's younger brother at 1.97 is the other). He also owns the best save percentage in the country at .938.

Rookie Sam Reinhart continued his stellar pace with a goal and an assist to finish the first leg of the road trip at 14 points in five games. At 22 points (8g 14a) Sam is now 5th in rookie scoring in the WHL but 1st among 16-year-olds, the true rookie scoring test, imo. All four skaters ahead of him are 17-19.

Max had another great night with 3 assists as well as Brock Montgomery with two goals to round out the scoring. Ice captain Drew Czerwonka got the second goal late in the second, finishing off a pretty three-way passing play at the back door to make it 2-0.

D Luke Paulsen (team suspension), Jon Martin and Eric Benoit (upper body - one week) were the scratches.

The Ice power play went 3-4 and now sits 4th overall at 23.6%. When they left the PP was ranked 16th. On the road they sit 2nd in WHL clicking at over 30%.

At 18-5-1-2 and 39 points the Ice sit atop the WHL, two clear of the Blades who lost to the surging Calgary Hitmen, 6-2. The Tigers and Rebels also lost.

The highlites are here.

Ice Dump Blazers, win four straight

2011-11-23T22:39:00.001-08:00

For the Townsman Wednesday

Ice douse Blazers 7-3, win fourth straight on the road

by Jeff Bromley

When the Kootenay Ice embarked on their nine-game road trip, scoring goals was starting to become a problem.

Four games into the trip through the BC Division, four wins and 22 goals later – including a 7-3 drubbing of the Kamloops Blazers Wednesday night – putting the puck in the net suddenly isn’t a problem.

16-year-old Sam Reinhart led the Ice with a goal and three assists for his second four-point night of the road trip and 12 points in his last four games. “We don’t have a whole lot of offensive super stars but we certainly have some quality players who are capable of putting the points up and (Sam) is certainly doing just that,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch after the win. “Right now we’re starting to find some chemistry and part of the biggest thing is that we’re starting to have some confidence when we shoot the puck.”

Billed as the battle of two of the WHL’s marquis clubs, Knoblauch cautioned any thoughts that the game was an easy win, despite the score. “The score flattered us,” he said. “It’s wasn’t a 7-3 game. We were able to capitalize on our opportunities while their goaltender didn’t play very well. But if Nathan Lieuwen doesn’t play as well as he did in the first period, it’s a completely different game.”

The Ice opened the scoring in the first with the club on an extended power play courtesy of Blazer 20-year-old D-man Josh Caron’s flying elbow to the head of Ice leading scorer Max Reinhart that earned him a five minute major and a game misconduct. The five minute power play generated little through the first four minutes until Sam continued his torrid point pace of late with a slapshot that Drew Czerwonka deflected down and through the legs of Blazer goaltender Cole Cheveldave. “We went through the first three or four minutes of that power play sleeping but we capitalized at the end of it. Throughout the road trip we haven’t a lot of opportunities on the power play,” continued Knoblauch, whose club was 4-7 on the power play over the last three games. “Tonight we won the game largely because of it.”

The lead didn’t last the period however as the Blazers tied it on a nice redirection by rookie Tim Bozon past Ice starter Nathan Lieuwen off a Blazer rush at 14:23.

A chippy affair for two clubs who meet just once a season the Blazers ended up on the wrong side of the penalty box in the first minute of the second period. With Brendan Ranford sent off for goaltender interference Jesse Ismond took advantage and notched his 10th on the season to put the Ice up 2-1.

And then the floodgates opened.

Max Reinhart’s 12th of the season, again on the power play, at 4:57 gave the Ice a 3-1 lead and the momentum swung completely into Kootenay’s favour as off the face-off three minutes later Ismond sprung Dylen McKinley on a breakaway in which the 19-year-old buried a wrist shot past Cheveldave, chasing the Blazer starter from the net in the process.

The goaltending change didn’t change much as the goalfest continued with back-up Cam Lanigan in the net for the Blazers as Sam notched his 7th goal of the season at 12:29. Two minutes later Brock Montogmery got his 5th on another breakaway just 31 seconds before Joe Antilla made it 7-1, scoring three goals in less than three minutes and sending Lanigan back to the bench after only 7:23 of work.

Brendan Ranford and Bronson Maschmeyer would score for the Blazers in the third but the damage was done.

Tonight’s line-up change featured Elgin Pearce sitting out his game as the fourth veteran of six to miss a game due to a violation of team rules prior to the trip but throughout the line-up juggling with key veterans missing, the club hasn’t missed a beat. “As a coach, it’s easy to juggle the lines when everyone is playing well. We have so many guys playing with confidence and that want to make an impact that it doesn’t really matter who’s playing with who. They’ve all responded.”

The Ice improve to 17-5-1-2 and 37 points on the season, good for first in the Central Division and tied for top spot with the Saskatoon Blades in the Eastern Conference and the WHL.

Quick Hits – Scratched for the Ice were D Jeff Hubic (healthy), LW Eric Benoit (upper body – one week) and C Elgin Pearce (one game suspension – team discipline)… Joe Antilla (goal, assist), Drew Czerwonka (goal, assist), Jesse Ismond (goal, two assists) and Dylen McKinley (goal, assist) all had a multiple-point night… Kootenay was 3-4 on the power play while the Blazers were 2-4… 17-year-old Aspen Sterzer, a forward for the Blazers, hails from Canal Flats… The Ice finish up the first leg of the nine game road trip with game five in Kelowna Friday night.

Ice winning streak to three

2011-11-22T21:18:00.001-08:00

The Kootenay Ice won their third straight Tuesday night with a 3-2 win over the Prince George Cougars in the Northern BC City. The win was the club's third in three-games of the nine-game road trip through BC and the Prairies over the next one and a half weeks.

It was the Reinhart brothers night once again as elder sibling Max scored the eventual game-winner with a short-handed marker in the third period for the 3-2 win.

D Joe Leach opened the scoring for the Ice before the Cougars tied it and then took a 2-1 lead in the second period on goals by Campbell Elynuik and Charles Inglis. Sam Reinhart's 8th point (2g, 6a) in the last three games tied the game with his 6th of the season with 4:20 left in the second.

Max had a goal and an assist and has 8 points (3g 5a) in his last four games and his 11th of the season was the game-winner.

Joe Antilla had two assists.

The Ice improve to 16-5-1-2 and 35 points but the Blades won in a shootout over the Tigers to maintain their two-point lead. The Ice are now alone in second in the Eastern Conference and the WHL behind the Blades.

Mackenzie Skapski stopped 18 of 20 shots for his 5th win of the season.

F Jesse Ismond sat out his one game suspension for breaking team rules leaving Dylen McKinlay, Luke Paulsen and Elgin Pearce still to serve theirs. Mike Simpson (healthy) and Eric Benoit (upper body, one week) were the other scratches.

The crowd in Prince George was 1605 in the 6000-seat CN Centre.

The Ice are in Kamloops for a big test tomorrow night.

Ice dump G-men

2011-11-20T21:08:00.000-08:00

The Kootenay Ice ran their winning streak to two as Game two of the nine-game road trip in Vancouver resulted in a 4-1 win.

The Lions are going to the Grey Cup; the Canucks won in OT but the Giants couldn't pull-off the trifecta as some Ice hometown boys took advantage of their only stop on their home stage in two years.

Sam Reinhart had a career best four-point night with a goal and three helpers while Joe Antilla and Max Reinhart both had a goal and an assist in the 4-1 win. Brock Montgomery was the non-BC'er to round out the scoring with his 4th of the season on the power play in the second period with the game-winner.

Nathan Lieuwen despite facing a barrage of 28 shots and Giant forwards who were in his face all night, stopped 27 of them to get the win.

The highlites - done right and up within an hour of the game's end - are on the Giants website here. The Vancouver Sun has a recap here.

The Ice improved to 15-5-1-2 and 33 points on the season but not much changed as the club remains atop the Central Division but tied for second in the Eastern Conference as both the Blades (6-5 over Calgary) and the Wheaties (7-6 in OT over Moose Jaw) won tonight.

The Ice halted the Giants six-game winning streak with the 4-1 win.

Ice captain Drew Czerwonka took his turn sitting out tonight as now two of the six veterans who broke team rules have sat out. I'm told that Jesse Ismond, Dylen McKinley, Luke Paulsen and Elgin Pearce are the other four that will also serve one game each on the road trip.

Attendance was 5608 at the Pacific Colosseum despite another sell-out for the Canucks and a further 41,000+ at BC Place to watch the Lions get to the Grey Cup at the Dome next week. Not bad for the G-men but at the same time Jeff H. on the broadcast said that over 600 fans/friends showed up to see Ice forward Joe Antilla play. Antilla is from Madeira Park, about 30 minutes up the Sunshine Coast from Sechelt (Beachcomer land for those unfamiliar). I think I heard that right and Jeff said he triple checked the number. 600, unbelievable. Maybe some of those included fans of the Reinhart boys, who took home first (Sam) and third (Max) star honours tonight. Or Nathan Lieuwen (Abbotsford) or Elgin Pearce (Port Coquitlam) or Dylen McKinley (Langley) or Adam Rossignol (Surrey) or Mike Simpson (Semiahmoo - White Rock). Or even Mackenzie Skapski (Abbotsford) as no fewer than nine members of the Ice call the Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley home. That would make more sense but maybe I heard it wrong.

Steve Ewen of The Province has a great recap and story here.

The road trip continues as the Ice are in Prince George to face the Cougars Tuesday. Gametime is 8PM Mountain and as always on The Drive.

Coincidentally there's an ice/snow storm warning for the Lower Mainland tonight as the Kootenay Ice head for Prince George. Sounds like the warning was issued a little too late.

Ice Kick-off Road Trip with a Bang

2011-11-19T22:10:00.000-08:00

The Kootenay Ice took to the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria - an arena many thought the club would call home at different points in their history in Cranbrook - and took it to the Royals in an 8-3 drubbing. The high-lights are up on the Royals website including a late penalty shot stop by Skapski, here.

Kootenay improved to 14-5-1-2 and 31 points and find themselves in a three-way logjam for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Ice got a hand from the Swift Current Broncos, who beat the conference-leading Brandon Wheat Kings 5-4 in regulation. The Wheaties sit one point up on the pack with 32. However the Saskatoon Blades, who beat the Rebels 2-1 last night, are the actual Eastern Conference leaders - and WHL leaders - but the WHL website has yet to show that.

For the Royals it was the club's second lopsided loss in as many nights, having being dropped 11-3 by the Vancouver Giants the night before.

Forward Elgin Pearce had a career night with his first-ever WHL hat-trick as well as adding an assist for a four point outing. Jesse Ismond, riding shotgun on the Pearce line with Dylen McKinley, outdid his linemate by a point with a five-point night (2g 3a), his best in his career. McKinley finished with two assists as did Sam Reinhart. Drew Czerwonka had a goal and two assists and Luke Paulsen had a goal and an assist.

Rookie Jaedon Descheneau had the other Ice goal as the club built up an 8-0 lead before letting off the gas and the Royals got the last three.

G Mackenzie Skapski got the win in the nets.

The biggest news of the night is that the club did it without the services of their leading scorer, Max Reinhart. Reinhart, who re-joined the club after playing for Team WHL in the CHL Super Series in Regina and Moose Jaw Wednesday and Thursday, along with five other members of the club were all suspended one game each for breaking team rules.

There isn't any indication what rule they broke or who the other five are as of yet. All six veterans will serve a game each on the road trip with Reinhart serving his tonight.

The club is in Vancouver to play the Giants tomorrow night. Gametime is 6PM Cranbrook time (102.9 The Drive) After a slow start the G-men are atop the BC Division standings with a 15-8-0-1 record and 31 points.

The Giants have landed former Trail Smoke Eaters D-man Eric Walker, 18, who should be in the line-up for the G-men Sunday night. Walker, a Castlegar product who received a full-ride scholarship to Northern Michigan, left the school this week after not getting into the team's first 12 games.

Should be interesting to see the crowd at the Giants-Ice game Sunday night as the city has the Canucks hosting the Senators and earlier in the afternoon, the BC Lions hosting the Edmonton Eskimos in the CFL Western Final.

D Jeff Hubic and F Eric Benoit - who is out 1-2 weeks with an upper body injury - were the Ice scratches along with Max. F Brendan Hurley returned from a month off recovering from a knee injury.

Ice rookies make the grade

2011-11-15T12:50:00.002-08:00

All four of the Kootenay Ice rostered 16-year-olds have made their respective regional teams for the World U17 Challenge set for Windsor, Ontario this Christmas.

F Sam Reinhart (BC), F Jaedon Descheneau (AB) were named to Team Pacific (BC and Alberta players - 22-man roster, 11 from each province).

F Jon Martin (MB) was named to the Team Western roster made up from players from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. D Spencer Wand (SK) was also named to the club, giving the Ice a clean sweep for 16-year-olds.

Rosters are here and here.

F Luke Philp (AB) of the Canmore Eagles of the AJHL and a late Ice cut was a finalist for Team Pacific as was D Tanner Faith (SK) and D Cole Depape (MB) for Team Western.

As was G Brad Rebagliati, a Cranbrook Minor Hockey product currently playing at OHA in Penticton.

The ten-team annual tournament, featuring five Canadian squads (Team Pacific, Team Western, Team Ontario, Team Quebec and Team Atlantic) play a round-robin format with national development teams from the U.S., Russia, Germany, Sweden and Czech Republic.

The tournament is the first step (U-18 is the next) to identifying World Junior talent for the World U-20 championships held every Christmas.

The amount of players named to the two teams, four of the Ice top seven 16-year-old prospects, speaks volumes of where this program should be in two-three years.

As the Ice hit the road this week, I erred as the Ice start their monster road trip Saturday night in Victoria, not Friday as earlier stated. Broadcast time is an hour later at 8PM Mountain time. (102.9 The Drive).

F Eric Benoit, who took an elbow to the head in Sunday's loss to the Saskatoon Blades in the first period and didn't return, is listed as out 1-2 weeks with an upper body injury.

F Brendan Hurley, who has missed the last month with a knee injury should return on the road trip, if not in time for the game in Victoria.

It'll be a reunion of sorts as the Royals captain is former Ice D Hayden Rintoul who was traded in the off-season for forward Dylen McKinlay. Rintoul, 20, has 6 goals and 11 assist and is -14 on the season for the 11-10-0-1 Royals who are 3rd in the BC Division.

Ice need to shoot more

2011-11-14T12:14:00.000-08:00

For HockeyNow...

Kootenay hits the road in search of scoring

by Jeff Bromley

The defending WHL champs hit the road this week for an extended stay as the club embarks on a two-part, nine-game odyssey away from the Cranbrook Rec Plex which is occupied by the Canada Cup of curling until December 4.

After dropping two of their last three games at the Rec Plex – the Ice dumped the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-1 Saturday night sandwiched by one goal losses to the Tri-City Americans Wednesday and a Sunday night 2-1 loss to the Saskatoon Blades to finish off the seven-game home stand – the club will travel throughout the BC and East Divisions hopeful to return with some consistent offense and a passing grade to what amounts to the biggest test of the season.

At 13-5-1-2, 29 points and fifth in the crowded Eastern Conference standings that separated from first to eighth by six points, the Ice put in one of the club’s best efforts of the season Sunday night against the Blades but weren’t rewarded for it as Blade import netminder Andrey Makarov stopped 36 of 37 shots in the 2-1 win. “He made some good saves,” said Ice scoring leader Max Reinhart, who managed to get the only goal by the Russian goalie on a power play late in the first period. “To only let in one goal throughout the game, he had to be good but we did pass up shots that we should’ve taken. It’s something we addressed and I thought we got better as the game went on but it was a little too late for us. We’ve got to stay out of the box against a team like that. Both of their goals were on the power play.”

The Ice found themselves in-deep early as both F Eric Benoit and D John Neibrandt were sent to the box in the first two minutes of play giving the Blades a 5-on-3. Darren Dietz fired a slapshot from the point through a maze of players that found the back of the net for a 1-0 Saskatoon lead. From then on it was the Ice who dominated the visitors, out-shooting the Blades 13-5 in the first period and cashing in on a 5-on-3 of their own late in the first. Off the face-off Reinhart took the puck off the half-wall and circled to the slot, waiting long enough for a crowd to form before snapping his 9th of the season past Makarov. A scoreless second period – again in which the Ice out-shot the Blades 16-6 – came up empty-handed for the Ice as shot after shot was turned back by Makarov. An ill-advised penalty by Jagger Dirk late in the third gave the Blades the chance they needed and they capitalized when Brent Benson shot a rebound over Nathan Lieuwen for the eventual game-winner.

Following the game Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch wasn’t going to criticize his club for a lack of effort. “Our effort was there,” said the second-year bench boss. “It’s something I won’t question tonight. They played extremely hard and it was one of our best overall performances but if there is an area of improvement needed it’s shooting the puck.”

Though the club directed a barrage of 37 shots at Makarov as well as the 28 fired at Eric Comrie Wednesday against the Americans and another 32 against the Thunderbirds Saturday, Knoblauch wants more shots. Averaging over 30 shots per game, Knoblauch thinks it's essential to combat the club’s scoring issues. “Tonight we had 30-odd shots but passed up some good opportunities to shoot the puck, especially in the second period when we had a couple of 2-on-1’s and didn’t get anything from them,” said Knoblauch. “Maybe because we were playing so well we figured we could make those plays but we have to shoot the puck more.”

Quick Hits – The club’s first test on the road will be Friday in Victoria against the Royals. Max Reinhart will re-join the club in time for the game after playing in both CHL Subway Super Series games in Regina and Moose Jaw November 16 and 17. The two games will have an impact whether or not Reinhart gets the invite to Team Canada’s Selection Camp for the World Junior team December 10-14…G Nathan Lieuwen was the WHL Goaltender of the Month for September/October... Kootenay lost F Eric Benoit to an unspecified injury in the first period Sunday... F Brendan Hurley should return to action for the road trip after missing over a month with a knee injury.

Ice outplay Blades, still lose

2011-11-13T21:58:00.001-08:00

The Score – Saskatoon 1 – Kootenay 2

What Happened – If you hadn’t seen a game where one team utterly dominated another but didn’t win, you have now. Kootenay had more chances than a Vegas high-roller to cash-in but converted only on a 1st period 5-on-3.

The Turning Point – During a battle in the Ice end D Jagger Dirk lost his stick and tried to move or cover the puck while on his knees. Stuck three or four times by Josh Nicholls Dirk came up with a fore-arm smash and it earned him two minutes. The Blades’ power play went to work and Benson deposited the game-winner.

The Goals – The one blemish on an otherwise dominant opening period cost the Ice, giving the high-powered Blades a 5-on-3 a minute and half into the game. The Blades converted as Darren Dietz’ point shot found the back of the net through a crowd. 1-0 Blades… The Ice returned the favour at the end the period as they enjoyed a 5-on-3 of their own in the last minute. Max Reinhart delayed in the slot long enough to fire a wrist shot past Blade netminder Andrey Makarov. 1-1… With just over five minutes left in the third Dirk took a bad roughing penalty and it cost him. With a dynamite power play the Blades had four point blank chances that Lieuwen stopped or, in Stransky’s case, hit the post. Lieuwen stopped three more late in the power play but couldn’t stop the fourth as Brent Benson fired the go-ahead goal into the net for a 2-1 lead… It would turn out to be the game-winner.

The Lines – Jaedon Descheneau, 16, replaced Sam Reinhart on the Ice’ second unit on the wing with Pearce and McKinley. Reinhart’s demotion didn’t last long however as an elbow to the head of Eric Benoit in the first period forced Coach K to juggle the lines. Knoblauch was adamant that the change wasn’t so much a reflection of Sam but rather reward for Descheneau playing well of late.

The Expensive Souvenir – About six minutes into the first – Jon Martin’s first shift – he was hit by a Blade but managed to avoid most of it. His $300 twig ended up in row five behind the Ice bench. The gracious fan gave it back.

The Next Vopat – The Mites were at it during the intermission. Team White featured Brendan Vopat, son of former NHL’er and current head coach of the Kimberley Dynamiters, Roman. The younger version notched one on Shivers.

The Save – In the second after about four minutes of end-to-end action – well, mostly in the Blades end where Makarov stopped four quality Ice chances – Blade leading scorer Josh Nicholls was sprung on the partial breakway and managed to slip the puck through Lieuwen’s legs. The 20-year-old goaltender managed to swing his backleg enough to knock the puck wide before it went over the line.

The Goaltender – Blade import netminder Andrey Makarov was strong on the night. But I’ll go out on a limb and say he wasn’t lights out, just in the right place, for 36 of 37 shots.

An errant elbow – forced Ice forward Eric Benoit from the game in the first period. He didn’t return. I’ll bet it’s an upper body injury.

The Scoring; or lack thereof - Having scored 60 goals on the season, just over 3 goals a game at 17th in the WHL, it's an issue that will at some point have to be addressed. Yes, they're the best defensive team in the league at 2.14 GAA having only given up 45 goals in 21 games but tonight proved that yet another good effort by their goaltender isn't always going to do it.

The Roadie – Due to the Canada Cup of Curling the Ice now embark on a 9-game road trip, broken up into a five-game trip through the BC Division and then a four-game sojourn through the prairies. Most agree that this trip should provide the litmus test on the 2011-12 version of the Ice.

The Crowd – 2572 – Just fewer than 500 less than the night prior which were treated to a much better game, go figure.

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. G Andrey Makarov – Stopped almost everything the Ice threw at him.
2. C Max Reinhart – 1 goal and enough chances to shake a stick at
3. D Joey Leach – Best D-man on the Ice, what he needs to be every night.

What it means – The Ice finish their seven-game home stand at 4-1-2 but now embark on a three week nine game road trip that could define their season. The Blades leapfrog the Ice for first in the Eastern Conference while the Ice drop to 13-5-1-2; 29 points and 3rd in the Central.

Up Next: Their first trip to Victoria to take on the Royals Friday.

Summary:

Blades 2 @ Ice 1

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Saskatoon Blades and the Kootenay Ice; November 13, 2011
Brent Benson scored a late power play goal as the Saskatoon Blades stole a 2-1 win over the Kootenay Ice in WHL action Sunday night.
The Blades opened the scoring on an early first period 5-on-3 power play as Darren Dietz rifled a point shot that Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen didn’t see. The Ice tied it on a 5-on-3 of their own late in the first period as Max Reinhart scored his 9th of the season at 19:14 to tie it at one.
That would be all the scoring until Benson’s power play marker that held up at the game-winner.
Andrey Makarov stopped 36 of 37 shots and was terrific in gaining the win while Nathan Lieuwen was also sharp, stopped 22 of 24 shots in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Saskatoon, Dietz 4 (Stransky) 2:56 (pp)
2. Kootenay, M. Reinhart 9 (Leach, Paulsen) 19:14 (pp)

Penalties – Benoit Ktn (holding) 1:37, Neibrandt Ktn (hooking) 1:48, McEvoy Sas (high-sticking) 7:52, Nicholls Sas (slashing) 10:18, Wand Ktn (high-sticking) 16:56, Sutter Sas (interference) 18:23, Siemens Sas (kneeing) 19:03.

Second Period

No Scoring.

Penalties – Wand Ktn (elbowing) 3:06, Ismond Ktn (holding-the-stick) 18:22.

Third Period
3. Saskatoon, Benson 4 (Paradis, Sutter) 15:49 (pp)

Penalties – Siemens Sas (roughing) 2:42, Dirk Ktn (roughing) 14:10,

Shots on goal by:
Kootenay: 13 16 8 - 37
Saskatoon: 5 6 13 - 24

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (L, 10-4-1-2); Saskatoon: Andrey Makarov (W, 13-5)

Power plays (goals-chances)
Saskatoon: 2-6
Kootenay: 1-5

Referee – Kevin Webinger, Derek Zalaski. Linesman – Scott Sharun, Jim Maniago

Attendance – 2572 (4264)

Scratches --
Saskatoon: Devan Fafard, Kyle Haas.
Kootenay: Mike Simpson, Brendan Hurley (knee – one week), Levi Cable.

The Score - Ams Stun Ice

2011-11-09T21:49:00.000-08:00

The Score – Tri-Cities 5 – Kootenay 4

What Happened – The Ice stopped skating in the second and the Ams started. Then Ice didn’t have an answer for Brendan Shinnimin.

The Turning Point – Up 3-1 eight minutes into the third, the Ams had the Ice right where they wanted them. Four goals in 3:48 by the visitors left the place in utter shock.

The Goals – On an early power play – not the Ice forte of late coming into the game at 17th overall in the WHL – Elgin Pearce took a pass off the cycle on the left circle and fired a shot that Comrie got a piece of only to have Jesse Ismond help it into the net behind him. 1-0 Ice…. Kootenay went up by two on a neutral zone turnover that took some time to develop but eventually Brock Montgomery broke free on the 2-on-1 with Adam Rossignol. After a couple of return passes Montgomery put it behind Comrie for his second goal of the season, in his second straight game, no less…. In the second the Americans showed why they’re best team in the Western Conference and came out flying. Their hard work paid off when Joey Leach was fingered for elbowing halfway through the period. Six seconds into the power play a pretty three-way passing play off the faceoff found Shinnimin in the deep slot. He rifled his 5th of the season past Liuewen to make it 2-1… In the third, with the Ice still reeling from the Ams onslaught, Grist took an ill-advised cross-checking penalty. Some hard work by Dylen McKinlay behind the net got him the puck and then got him the assist as the feed to Ismond found the back of the net. 3-1 Ice… The Ams got that one back after Jeff Hubic took a roughing penalty. With the Ams on the rush Adam Hughesman found Jordan Messier with a great pass into the slot. He wired his 4th past Lieuwen… The onslaught finally took shape when Brendan Shinnimin just about tied when he hit the post and then a few seconds later deflected a point shot after a poor clearing attempt by Jagger Dirk… The Ams took the lead when Patrick Holland took pass in the slot and then wired the go-ahead goal past Lieuwen, stunning the crowd and the Ice… The carnage continued after Leach took another bad penalty and the Ams toyed with the Ice on the power play as Shinnimin found Hughesman with a backdoor pass and Hughesman’s 14th as well as a 5-3 lead scoring four goals in 3:48… With less than a minute left the Ice made it close as Jesse Ismond finished off the hat-trick with a carbon-copy of his second goal, making it 5-4. It would be as close as they would get

The Power Play – Coming into the night the Ice were ranked 17th in the WHL with the man-advantage. The Ams were even worse coming in at the 20th spot. The visitors scored three goals while the Ice, looking for any positive out of the collapse, scored two.

Shinnimin-Hughesman Show – The Ams two 20-year-olds were dynamite on this night, combining for 8 points.

A tale of two periods – The first showcased the home side, at times dominating the Americans that had many wondering what all the fuss was about from the U.S. Division leaders. In the second they and the Ice faithful found out, the hard way. Out-shooting the Ice 15-9, which was generous to the home side. As the summary would show, the third didn’t get any better for the Ice.

Another Comrie – This one isn’t married to Hillary Duff – he’s only 16 – as former Ice captain Mike Comrie’s younger half brother Eric got the start in the nets for the Ams. It’s the first time a Comrie has taken to the Rec Plex ice since December 6, 2000. The younger Comrie, age five at the time of his brother lighting it up for the Ice, probably doesn’t remember watching him play anyway.

The depth or lack of it – With Drew Czerwonka out with a concuss…. Err upper body injury and Luke Paulsen still not back for tonight’s game, having D Joey Leach take three undisciplined penalties which resulted in two power play goals; added up it meant the Ice didn’t have the horses to skate with the Ams on this night.

The Surprise Start – Still on Comrie, the rookie heir apparent to the Ams goaltending fortunes got the start ahead of Ty Rimmer, who is second in WHL in goals against average and save percentage to Ice netminder Nathan Lieuwen, hence the surprise. Usually the top two goaltenders in the WHL stats-wise going head-to-head is a good story line. Not on this night.

Looooo – As he is on every night he’s played this season, Lieuwen was sharp most of the night and the goals against weren’t the fault of the 20-year-old goaltender. In fact, if Lieuwen wasn’t on his game most of the night it would’ve been a blowout. The Ice couldn’t answer the Americans’ forecheck before it was too late.

The Rankings - The CHL Top Ten came out and the Ice found themselves up three spots to number 6 in the country. The Ams on this night, in at the number three spot and the top WHL club, justified why in about a four minute span. That Shinnimin is something.

The Crowd – 2583; Not a great atmosphere for two of the WHL’s top clubs.

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. F Brendan Shinnimin – two goals, two assists, almost single-handedly turned the game around
2. F Jesse Ismond – Third career hat trick lone bright spot
3. F Adam Hughesman – goal, three assists

What it means – An oddity or sign of things to come? The Ice lose two straight for the first time in a month and fall to 12-4-1-2; 27 points and now 3rd in the Eastern Conference, two back of the Tigers who occupy 1st. Only six points separate 8th (Moose Jaw with 23 points) and 1st place in the crowded Eastern Conference.

Up Next: Seattle is here Saturday with an even tougher test in the Saskatoon Blades here Sunday night.

Summary:

Americans 5 @ Ice 4

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Tri-Cities Americans and the Kootenay Ice; November 9, 2011

The Tri-City Americans exploded for four goals in a 3:48 span in the third period to erase a 3-1 deficit en route to a 5-4 win over the Kootenay Ice in WHL action Wednesday.

The Ice took a 2-0 lead on goals by Jesse Ismond and Brock Montgomery after one period.

Ams forward Brendan Shinnimin notched his 5th of the season to cut the Ice lead to 2-1 after two periods.

The Ice went up 3-1 on another power play goal goal by Ismond in the third period before the Americans mounted an assault that produced goals by Shinnimin, with his second of the night, Patrick Holland, Jordan Messier and Adam Hughesman before Ismond finished off the hat-trick to get the Ice back to within one goal.

Adam Hughesman and Brendan Shinnimin both had four point nights while Jesse Ismond got the hat-trick in a losing cause.

Eric Comrie stopped 24 of 28 shots to get the win while Nathan Lieuwen surrendered five goals on 40 shots in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Ismond 5 (Pearce, Antilla) 3:08 (pp)
2. Kootenay, Montgomery 2 (Rossignol, Benoit) 17:37

Penalties -- Nickles TC (hooking) 2:55, Rossignol Ktn (boarding) 3:39, TC Bench (too-many-men - served by Stromwall) 4:58, Dow TC (delay-of-game) 14:36.

Second Period
3. Tri-Cities, Shinnimin 5 (Hughesman, Feser) 10:20

Penalties -- Leach Ktn (elbowing) 10:14, Yuen (hooking) 10:45, Leach Ktn (boarding) 17:02.

Third Period
4. Kootenay, Ismond 6 (McKinlay) 6:06 (pp)
5. Tri-City, J. Messier 4 (Hughesman, Shinnimin) 8:26 (pp)
6. Tri-City, Shinnimin 6 (Hughesman) 10:23
7. Tri-City, Holland 2 (Wilgosh) 10:40
8. Tri-City, Hughesman 14 (Shinnimin, Feser) 12:14 (pp)
9. Kootenay, Ismond 7 (Antilla, Descheneau) 19:41

Penalties -- Grist TC (cross-checking) 5:52, Hubic Ktn (roughing) 7:37, Leach Ktn (high-sticking) 11:47, Plutnar Ktn (roughing) 13:44, Yuen TC (cross-checking) 17:13.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 10 9 9 - 28
Tri-Cities: 9 15 16 - 40

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (L, 10-3-1-2); Tri-Cities: Eric Comrie: (W, 5-2).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 2-7
Tri-Cities: 3-5

Referee -- Andy Thiessen. Linesman -- Chris Carlson, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 2583 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Drew Czerwonka (upper body - one week), Luke Paulsen (upper body - day-to-day) Brendan Hurley (knee - 2-4 weeks)
Tri-City: Justin Hamonic, Riley Guenther, Lukas Walter, Nathan McMaster.

Tri-City Americans on Deck

2011-11-08T20:28:00.000-08:00

The Ams visit the Rec Plex Wednesday night as Bob Tory's club comes to Cranbrook for the first time in two seasons.

The biggest news is that Ice captain F Drew Czerwonka will be out of the line-up for a week with what's termed an 'upper body' injury. I'm told it's a concussion after he was run into the boards by Rebels D Alex Petrovic Saturday in the 4-3 OT loss, but that is of course unconfirmed in today's world

D Luke Paulsen will return and as long as the kids are keeping up with their school work, F Joe Antilla should be able to return to the front lines from a weekend on the blueline.

There was a chance that Czerwonka might be a game-time decision for Wednesday but a week is the minimum in these injuries.

With the Tigers winning 6-3 over the T-Birds tonight they take over top spot in the WHL at 29 points, two clear of the Ice who have two games in hand.

The Ams, at 12-5-0-0 and 24 points, lead the U.S. Division.

On the stats front the Ice have put up their club record book on their website. It's here.

It's a great read and is an interesting trip down memory lane, at least from a stats standpoint.

St. Clair won't play at UND this year

2011-11-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

Headed to Spokane with the Bantams for a couple of games today and tomorrow so I'll miss the Rebels/Ice tilt tonight at the Plex.

Found a story on Colten St. Clair this morning in a strange reversal of fortune for players who 'keep their options' open to attend NCAA schools.

St. Clair, a 19-year-old forward from Arizona that the Ice drafted in the 10th round of the 2007 Bantam Draft, never reported to the club and stated a continual desire to take the NCAA route. The dynamic forward first had discussions with Colorado College but settled on North Dakota after two years in the USHL with the Fargo Force.

He'll now miss a full year of hockey due to high school credits ruled ineligible by the NCAA. St. Clair is still at UND but can't play or practice or even workout with the club for this season due to the online school some of his credits came from not being eligible.

The situation prompted the Ice to reach out to the player in the interest of joining the club but they were declined.

That story is here.

So, a player with obvious NHL aspirations will miss a full year of development - a crucial one at the age of 19 - and not play at all this season.

20/20 Hindsite being what it is, signing with the Ice to start his junior career might've been a better route whether he made the NHL or not.

Just something to chew on.

Ice win fifth straight

2011-11-04T23:12:00.000-07:00

The Score – Everett 2 – Kootenay 4

What Happened – This wasn’t a masterpiece but when the opportunity presented itself the Ice buried their chances, the Tips didn’t, at least not until it was too late.

The Turning Point – After a middle frame in which the visitors carried the play the third period started the same way. In the first minute Tips forward Cody Fowlie had a great chance to tie it left alone in the deep slot. He couldn’t convert and Montgomery broke out, found Benoit with a cross-ice pass and he buried it.

The Goals – It was the third time lucky for the Ice on the power play as on the third try they converted when Joe Antilla – playing the point and defence for the time being – fired a shot along the ice that just beat Simpson, who wasn’t screened on the play. It was Antilla’s first of the season… With just over a minute left in the period Sam sent a cross-ice pass to Dylen McKinlay who skated in and fired a shot from almost the same spot as Antilla did but with speed coming down the wing. McKinlay ripped a slapper that Simpson just whiffed on. 2-0 Ice… In the second where the Tips were clearly carrying the play, a harmless faceoff win that Dirk backtracked into his own end turned ugly when he turned it over to 17-year-old rookie Trent Lofthouse. He deked Lieuwen to get the Tips on the board and back into the game. It was Lofthouse's first WHL goal… In the third after an ugly start by the Ice for the first shift Brock Montgomery finally got it out on the breakout and found Erik Benoit streaking into the Tips zone. He potted his 6th over the shoulder of Simpson to make it 3-1… On a power play that got better as the game went on, Jesse Ismond corralled a dump in on the half-wall and then sent a pass to the net where Drew Czerwonka whacked at it and then Pearce punched in the rebound to make it 4-1… A late power play for the Tips – Ice D Jagger Dirk took exception to the Tips making contact with Lieuwen – looked good as Tyler Maxwell converted the back-door pass from Fowlie to make it 4-2.

The Early Hit – After Tips goaltender Kent Simpson stopped an Ice shot and batted the rebound away, it hit his defenseman Evan Morden. He was subsequently hit by Erik Benoit and fell awkwardly into the end boards. Morden left looking to favour his right shoulder but returned about ten minutes later.

The later one – In the third period Jon Martin caught Tips forward Josh Linquist by the bench with a devastating hit.

They Call him, uh, a D-man? – Antilla, with Luke Paulsen still hurt and Spencer Wand a surprise healthy scratch, was called upon to fill in on the blueline.

The Scratches – With Brendan Hurley and Luke Paulsen still nursing injuries it was unexpected to see D Spencer Wand and C Jaedon Descheneau both scratched. It was also unexpected to see Nathan Lieuwen get his 7th straight start against the struggling Silvertips when backup Mackenzie Skapski hadn’t started in almost three weeks. Ice assistant coach Jerry Bancks said following the game the three didn’t play, or in Skapski's case, didn't start, for educational reasons

Chinny 3.0 – The third generation of Chynoweth debuted at the Rec Plex tonight as Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth’s son Ryan, 16, took a regular shift for the Tips. He was +1 on the night and narrowly missed his first WHL goal with a great deflection in the second that Lieuwen stopped.

No Murray – Ice fans didn’t have a chance to watch the top-ranked WHL prospect for the 2012 NHL Draft on this night. D Ryan Murray – coming to a World Junior roster near you – suffered a high-ankle sprain October 20 and will miss another three weeks. With the WHL’s rotating schedule and the Tips not back for another two seasons, Murray may very well be playing the NHL.

Eakin out a living – Last season’s hero for the Ice made his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals this week and tonight scored his first goal and first assist and was named the game’s first star in the Caps’ 5-1 win over Carolina. Yes, the goal was a wrist-shot Eakin ripped on a 2-on-1 from about 15 feet.

The Fights – Jon Martin rocked Josh Winquist at the Tips bench and Evan Morden didn’t like it. He started a fight with the 16-year-old and got the clear win. The only issue I had that Martin got a charging minor for the clean hit… Tips forward Jesse Mychan levelled Ice D Jeff Hubic with a hit that blueline partner Mike Simpson took exception to. Mychan got the win in that battle too… Dylen McKinlay hit Lucas Grayson with a high stick behind the Tips net that Grayson wasn’t letting go on and the two dropped the mitts. In the bout of the night McKinley and Grayson both landed some big shots but McKinley got the decision.

The Crowd – 2783

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. F Erik Benoit – Game winner; a quiet six goals so far this season on the third unit
2. F Sam Reinhart – Set up two
3. F Dylen McKinley – finding his groove

What it means – The Ice have won five straight and improve to 12-3-0-2 and 26 points on the season; 1st overall in the WHL.

Up Next: After dumping the Seattle Thunderbirds 8-2 in Red Deer tonight the Rebels are here Saturday.

Summary:

Silvertips 2 @ Ice 4

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Everett Silvertips and the Kootenay Ice; November 4, 2011

Eric Benoit scored the game-winner and Sam Reinhart had two assists as the Kootenay Ice beat the Everett Silvertips 4-2 in WHL action Friday night.

The Ice opened the scoring on the power play when Joe Antilla wired his first of the season from the point past Tips goaltender Kent Simpson. Dylen McKinley made it 2-0 on a slapshot with just over a minute left in the period.

The Silvertips got on the board in the second when Trent Lofthouse stripped Ice defender Jagger Dirk of the puck and beat Nathan Lieuwen for his first WHL goal to make it 2-1.

The Ice made it 3-1 early in the third when Eric Benoit wristed his 6th of the season past Simpson with the eventual game-winner. Elgin Pearce added an insurance goal while Tyler Maxwell made it close late in the game with his 10th on the season.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 29 of 31 shots he faced to get his 10th win of the season while Kent Simpson took the loss, stopping 33 of 37 shots.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Antilla 1 (Dirk, S. Reinhart) 17:16 (pp)
2. Kootenay, McKinley 2 (S. Reinhart) 18:57

Penalties -- Bittner Ev (kneeing) 0:28, Winquist Ev (slashing) 8:24, Grayson Ev (delay-of-game) 15:49.

Second Period
3. Everett Lofthouse 1 13:00

Penalties -- Antilla Ktn (slashing) 5:25.

Third Period
4. Kootenay, Benoit 6 (Montgomery) 0:49
5. Kootenay, Pearce 5 (Czerwonka, Ismond) 14:34 (pp)
6. Everett, Maxwell 10 (Fowlie, Birkholz) 16:37 (pp)

Penalties -- Ismond Ktn (slashing) 3:03, Martin Ktn (charging, fighting) Morden Ev (fighting, instigator - served by Samoridny, misconduct) 5:31, Maxwell Ev (holding) 6:06, Simpson Ktn (fighting, instigator - served by Cable, misconduct) Mychan Ev (fighting) 8:51, Fowlie Ev (high-sticking) 9:55, Yadlowski Ev (slashing) 13:26, Grayson Ev (roughing, fighting) McKinley Ktn (cross-checking, fighting) 14:03, Dirk Ktn (cross-checking) 16:16.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 11 8 18 - 37
Everett: 7 13 11 - 31

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 10-2-0-2); Everett: Kent Simpson (L, 4-9-0-2).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 2-6
Everett: 1-4

Referee -- Jeff Ingram, Trent Knorr. Linesman -- Mike Roberts, Steve Cochrane.

Attendance -- 2783 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Spencer Wand, Jaedon Deschaneau, Brendan Hurley (knee - 4-8 weeks), Luke Paulsen (upper body - day-to-day).
Everett: Ty Mappin, Michael Bell, Jordyn Boyd (one game suspension), Manraj Hayer, Zach Maphee, Darian Henry, Ryan Murray.

Local signs with the Winterhawks

2011-11-03T08:25:00.001-07:00

Cranbrook Minor Hockey product D Ben Betker has made his WHL debut. The Portland Winterhawks called up Betker last night after adding him to their protected list in June and the Cranbrook native got into his first WHL action last night in Kamloops, a 4-2 win over the Blazers.

Betker was a +1 on the night, on the as the Winterhawks scored 57 seconds into the game.

Just turned 17 last month, the 6'4" 185lb Betker started the season with the Westbank Warriors of the BCHL, notching a goal and two assists in 13 games. Prior to that Betker patrolled the blueline last season for the BC Major Midget Kootenay Ice out of Nelson.

As a Bantam, the young Betker honed his skills with the AA Bantam Ice but on Sunday nights would join the old guys, including myself and his dad Jeff Betker, at Sunday night hockey. Congrats Ben!

Ice ranked in Top Ten

2011-11-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

Week 7 of the CHL Top Ten Rankings are out this morning and the Kootenay Ice are in them, at number 9.

The rankings are here.

The Ice have won 4 straight and sit tied for the WHL lead with a 11-3-0-2 and 24 points. The Medicine Hat Tigers, who beat the Everett Silvertips 10-2 last night - and had two goals disallowed - also have 24 points.

F Hunter Shinkaruk had a six point night (3g, 3a) while Emerson Etem had a goal and four helpers to pad his lead atop the WHL scoring race with 36 points (22g 14a).

The Tips are here Friday.

Ice jump into WHL lead

2011-11-01T19:41:00.001-07:00

For HockeyNow

Ice down Winterhawks, Rebels for WHL lead

by Jeff Bromley

If defense wins championships, the Kootenay Ice are following the axiom to the letter. 16 games into the 2011-12 season the WHL’s stingiest defense at 1.94 goals against per game finds themselves the same spot they left off last May; on top of the WHL leader board with a 11-3-0-2 record and 24 points.

On Saturday the Ice cemented that position with a hard-fought, 4-1 win over the Portland Winterhawks in a rematch of last May’s WHL Championship. The prior Wednesday saw the Ice build a 3-0 lead and hold on to win 3-2 over the Red Deer Rebels. The two wins pushed the club’s win streak to four straight on top of a home record that’s now 8-1 at the Rec Plex. The lack of offence by the club – Saturday’s 4-1 win was only the third time the club has scored four or more goals in a game this season – doesn’t bother the club’s head coach, because they’re winning. “We have had the opportunities to score, which would make the games a lot easier for us but they haven’t been going in, in bunches,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. “When we need to score though, we get the job done.”

The need for secondary scoring beyond the top line of Max Reinhart, Jesse Ismond and Drew Czerwonka clearly evident, the solution is starting to present itself for the club as the line of Sam Reinhart, Joe Antilla and Elgin Pearce chipped in with two goals and four helpers in wins over Calgary and Red Deer while Erik Benoit, 18, on the third unit, notched two goals against the Winterhawks Saturday night. “That's two games in a row where they've been really good," Knoblauch said of the Antilla, Pearce and Sam Reinhart trio. "And I believe they were our best line (against Calgary and Red Deer).”

With the return of Drew Czerwonka, 19, from a shoulder injury suffered at the Edmonton Oiler training camp that forced the club’s captain to miss the season’s first eight games, the Glenavon, Saskatchewan native has helped solidify the club’s depth, notching 5 goals and 3 assists in the 8 games he’s played. “We’ve played together for four years now and there’s certainly some chemistry,” said Czerwonka of his linemates Max Reinhart, who made the club as 16-year-olds and Jesse Ismond, who joined the club at 17. “The offence is going to come, we’re getting the chances and the goals are going to come. We’ll just continue to play good team defense and the rest will sort itself out.”

Pearce and the younger Reinhart, who doesn’t turn 16 until November 6, have got some chemistry going with 20-year-old linemate Joe Antilla, forming an all-Lower Mainland unit. “Both those guys are easy to play on a line with,” said Pearce, a 19-year-old Port Coquitlam product who is starting to fill the net with 4 goals and 5 assists this season. “Joe is strong along the boards and gets you the puck and Sam doesn’t play like he’s only 15, for sure.”

“The chemistry is starting to build up between us pretty well,” said Sam, the youngest of the three Reinhart brothers playing the WHL. “We played well together in Calgary and half the game in Medicine Hat before that, so it seems that we're making some good plays coming out of our zone that really help us in the offensive zone so it's been going really well.”

Quick Hits – Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen is the WHL goaltender of the month for September and October. Lieuwen leads all WHL goaltenders in save percentage with .948, averaging over 30 shots per game, and goals against average with 1.45 and a 9-2-0-2 record on the season... Ice D Luke Paulsen left the game Saturday after colliding with another player in the warm-up and, after trying to play, not being able to continue. He is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury... The club’s leading scorer, Max Reinhart with 8 goals and 11 assists in 14 games this season, was named to the CHL Subway Super Series team in the WHL vs Russia portion of the event that will play the last two games of the six-game set against the Russians November 16 and 17 in Moose Jaw and Regina. The series is a Hockey Canada identifier for hopefuls with World Junior aspirations for the national junior team invitational camp in December. Reinhart will play in both games… Kootenay continues their seven-game home stand Friday with the Everett Silvertips in town and Saturday when the Red Deer Rebels are in Cranbrook. The Everett line-up will feature Cranbrook Minor Hockey product Ryan Chynoweth, 16, the son of Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth, in his first WHL action in his hometown.

Ice win fourth straight

2011-10-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

Time to catch-up after a weekend in Montana with the Bantam team.

In what sounded like a superb hockey game at the Rec Plex Saturday night the Ice got two goals from Eric Benoit and Max Reinhart, with a shortie and an empty-netter, as Kootenay dumped the visiting Portland Winterhawks 4-1 in a rematch of last season's WHL Finals.

Of note is the sudden surge, okay, uptick, in the secondary scoring the club is looking for. Benoit with a couple last night giving him a respectable 5 goals on the season shows signs that the Czerwonka-Ismond-Max line won't have to carry the entire scoring load. Earlier in the week against the Rebels it was Pearce and Sam that provided the offence.

Kootenay improves to 11-3-0-2 on the season with 24 points, tops in the WHL, though, to be honest, it doesn't seem much like the club is feeling the love when it comes to consideration among the top contenders in the WHL this season. So, it begs the question: is this year's version of the Ice worthy of championship discussion as this point in the season, some two games off the season's quarter-pole?

Or is that decision best reserved for the culmination of the seven game home-stand and then the nine-game road odyssey at the end of November?

If they stand at or near the same spot they hold now over the next five or six weeks, and, being the best defensive club in the league (1.94 Goals Against Average per game) and being one of the lowest scoring club's in the league; (scoring an average of 2.69 goals a game), the same problem that presented itself for last season's club (hence the acquisition of Cody Eakin) seems to be the issue this season: scoring depth.

In possession of a wealth of picks and prospects, the Ice could easily afford the price of an Eakin last season. But with the same wealth of 16-year-old's (Reinhart, Descheneau, Martin, Wood-Shatz, Philp, Wand) as well as Bantam picks, does the club get into the market for scoring or stand pat to develop this crop of players?

It's an interesting question.

D Luke Paulsen's luck continues to fall on the bad side as the 19-year-old D-man suffered an undisclosed injury Saturday. It happened in the warm-up in which Paulsen tried to play through but couldn't continue. Jagger Dirk also missed some time as the versatile Joe Antilla moved back to the blueline for the Ice as can be seen on the highlites on the first goal, which are now up here.

Everett Rookie forward Ryan Chynoweth - a former Cranbrook Minor Hockey product and son of Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth - got into his first WHL scrap this week with Red Deer D-man Alex Petrovic. That video is here. Chynoweth gave up four inches and 35 pounds to Petrovic while the 19-year-old D-man for the Rebels, well, what's that saying about beating up a 16-year-old? If you win, you beat a 16-year-old and if you lose, you lost to a 16-year-old. That's usually why you don't see it happen all that often. Petrovic thought otherwise, I gather.

Chynoweth will get to make his WHL début at the rink he played a lot of minor hockey at this Friday as the Everett Silvertips make their one and only visit to the Rec Plex to face his dad's club. Gametime is 7PM

Max named to WHL Subway Series team

2011-10-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

F Max Reinhart was named to the WHL Subway Super Series team today. He'll play in both games scheduled to go in Regina and Moose Jaw November 16 and 17 against Team Russia.

Reinhart wasn't invited to the World Junior Summer Development camp but at least now he'll have a shot at doing it the long way as the Super Series is an identifier for Hockey Canada for those lucky enough to gain an invitation to the WJC Selection camp in December.

Thought maybe D Joey Leach might get some consideration at this level but it wasn't meant to be.

The release is here.

Ice hit top spot

2011-10-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

The Score – Red Deer 2 – Kootenay 3

What Happened – The Ice bent a times but they didn’t break and when they got their chances they buried them.

The Turning Point – As the Rebels did a lot on this night, they’d carried the play but had nothing to show for it. 13 minutes into the second period, after a long stint in the Ice zone Jon Martin started in a forecheck. Jesse Ismond jumped off the bench and intercepted a clear along the wall before firing a great pass to Martin for the tap-in and the eventual game-winner.

The Goals – After carrying the play for the first five minutes of the game the Ice came alive or more accurately, the Sam-Antilla-Pearce line did. After winning the battle in the corner Sam emerged with the puck and pushed across the Rebel net. Goaltender Patrik Bartosak stopped the first two attempts and as he was running out of net to shoot at, Sam lifted a backhand over the Rebel netminder to make it 1-0… Their next shift two minutes later, this time in the other corner, Joe Antilla fished out the puck and sent a laser of a pass to a wide open Elgin Pearce in the slot. His wrist-shot made it 2-0 for his 4th goal of the season… In the second, after a particularly ineffective power play opportunity and an even worse shift by the club’s fourth unit, Jon Martin missed a breakaway pass but got in on the forecheck. The Rebels tried to clear only to have Jesse Ismond catch it on the wall and send a great pass to Martin on the doorstep. He potted his first WHL goal to make it 3-0… The Rebels got that one back and got on the board three minutes later when Jagger Dirk forced one up the middle in his own zone. Bad idea as it was intercepted by Matt Dumba 15 feet in front of the Ice net. Lieuwen stopped the first attempt with a great save but couldn’t get the rebound as it was backhanded past him to make it 3-1… In the third with just over three minutes left the Rebels, on a delayed Ice penalty, Dumba intercepted a Paulsen clear – it should’ve been blown dead – and the 17-year-old D-man made two moves and then found Daulton Siwak at the back door. He wristed his 3rd of the season into the open net. 3-2. With about five seconds left Dumba had a glorious chance to tie it but the puck rolled on him and he ripped it wide.

The Line – The best trio on this night Joe Antilla, Elgin Pearce and Sam Reinhart, with the latter on the right wing, found some real chemistry. They found the back of the net too.

The Goaltender – It looked like it might be another one of those nights where the goalies hog the entire spotlight by stopping everything. Bartosak, a rookie import who trails Lieuwen in the stats department but not by much, looked sharp early.

The Top Ten? – Okay, it’s early in the season and to be honest, it’s tough to put a lot of stock in the CHL Top Ten rankings when it’s done by three NHL scouts who don’t see all the teams play, but at one point questions are going to be asked why the Ice aren’t there. They did score an honourable mention, for what it’s worth. See the full rankings here

The Home Stretch – Due to the World Cup of Curling taking over the Rec Plex from November 30-December 4, and the subsequent days before and after to turn the ice into curling ice, the club will be on a 9-game road trip from November 14 thru to December 8. Prior to that tonight’s game was the first of a 7-game home stand. On home ice Kootenay is 7-1 this season.

The Stinger – Playing perhaps his best game of the season, F Joe Antilla took a Alex Petrovic point shot off his left foot on the first shift of the third period. He walked it off and didn’t miss a shift.

No Nuge – Listed on the roster as a scratch, given his debut with the NHL’s Oilers through 8 games – 5 goals, 3 assists and a +4 and averaging over 13 minutes a game - he’ll be a permanent scratch by Friday night when he plays his 10th NHL game and the first year of the contract kicks in. He ain’t coming back.

Upset at the Zebras – After an exchange with linesman Chris Carlson over what he thought was a blown icing call later in the game, Coach K wasn’t thrilled with the non-call on the Rebels late second-goal which came on a delayed penalty. Ice D Luke Paulsen cleared it – right to Matt Dumba – but it should’ve been blown dead on the Ice possession; and he gave referee Ryan Bonnett an earful. Well, and earful for the mild mannered coach.

The Crowd – 2538

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Elgin Pearce – goal, assist; line was dangerous all night
2. Brock Montgomery - Solid
3. Matt Dumba – two assists, coming to the World Junior team this Christmas

Honourable Mention – Another solid but not flashy night by D John Niebrandt, who was +3.

What it means – The Ice improve to 10-3-0-2 and 22 points on the season. Good for first place in the Central Division; Eastern Conference and the WHL.

Up Next: Ty Rattie and the Portland Winterhawks are here Saturday night.

Game Summary:

Rebels 2 @ Ice 3

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Red Deer Rebels and the Kootenay Ice; October 26, 2011

Elgin Pearce had a goal and an assist as the Kootenay Ice edged the Red Deer Rebels 3-2 in WHL action Wednesday.

Sam Reinhart opened the scoring for the Ice in the first period with a backhand over Rebel goaltender Patrick Bartosak to make it 1-0. Pearce made it 2-0 two minutes later with a wrist shot from the slot. In the second the Ice went up 3-0 when Jon Martin scored his first-ever WHL goal, a tap-in off a feed from Jesse Ismond.

The Rebels chipped away at the Ice lead when Mason Burr got the Rebels on the board late in the second with his first of the season. Red Deer scored late when Matt Dumba found Daulton Siwak at the side of the net to make it 3-2.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 29 of 31 shots to get the win while Bartosak stopped 27 of 30 shots in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 4 (Pearce, Antilla) 9:30
2. Kootenay, Pearce 4 (Antilla, S. Reinhart) 11:33

Penalties -- Dirk Ktn (tripping) 12:08, Muller RD (tripping) 14:32, Cowen RD (interference) 17:56.

Second Period
3. Kootenay, Martin 1 (Descheneau, Ismond) 13:55
4. Red Deer, Burr 1 (Dumba) 16:51

Penalties -- Ismond Ktn (tripping) 1:06, Dirk Ktn Hamilton RD (roughing) Cowen RD (slashing) 10:52.

Third Period
5. Red Deer, Siwak 3 (Dumba) 16:54

Penalties -- None.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 15 7 8 - 30
Red Deer: 7 11 13 - 31

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 8-2-0-2); Red Deer: Patrick Bartosak (L, 8-3).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-3
Red Deer: 0-2

Referee -- Ryan Bonnett, Jonathan Stephenson. Linesman -- Chris Carlson, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 2538 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Jeff Hubic, Levi Cable, Brendan Hurley (knee - 4-8 weeks)
Red Deer: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Brooks Maxwell, Cody Thiel, Marc McCoy.

Ice edge Warriors

2011-10-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

The Score – Moose Jaw 1 – Kootenay 2

What Happened – The goaltenders put on a show – first Siemens and then Lieuwen – in a entertaining hockey game but Siemens blinked first, and Max made him pay for it.

The Turning Point – With the Ice up 1-0 and the Warriors starting to press, Tanner Eberle got loose in the slot with the puck and Lieuwen stoned him.

The Goals – Max finally solved Luke Siemens seven minutes into the third period when Siemens couldn't cover a rebound after Johnny Niebrandt fired a slapshot that got through. Reinhart swatted it by him to make it 1-0… With the Warrior net empty Drew Czerwonka blocked a Warrior point-shot and was off to the races... 2-0 Ice. It's not often an empty-netter is the game-winner but on this night, it was. With still 30 seconds left and a face-off in the Ice zone, Kootenay had Max take the face-off but the kids - Jon Martin and Levi Cable - on the wings. They couldn't clear the zone and a wicked point-shot by Colin Bowman beat Lieuwen and spoiled the shutout.

The Save – Early, really early, in the first period Max Reinhart found himself on a 2-on-1 with Jesse Ismond. Reinhart sent a saucy pass to Ismond who had five of the six-foot wide net to shoot at. G Luke Siemens stretched over and got the toe on the puck. Lieuwen one-upped him in the third when Tanner Eberle was fed a pass in the low slot. Lieuwen stopped the point-blank chance to nurse the one-goal lead.

The Start – Stellar on this night but with nothing to show for their efforts. Besides the above save by Siemens, Reinhart hit the crossbar and Elgin Pearce found Joe Antilla later in the period with a great cross-ice feed that managed to hit Warriors D Colin Bowman instead of the back of the net.

The Goaltender – G Luke Siemens was a bit of surprise deal when the Warriors went looking for a goaltender earlier this season. Obtained from Everett Siemens, 19, is a bit of WHL journeyman having started his career in Prince George before backing up Kent Simpson last season with the Tips. If the first period and the 18 saves he made were any indication, maybe the Warriors obviously saw something in the Delta product.

The Hit – Flying all night, Ice forward Elgin Pearce took a pass along the Warrior blueline and then took a solid check from Warrior D Travis Brown, who levelled him. Pearce got up and shook it off.

The Class of 2010 – Another head-to-head match-up of the crème of the Bantam Draft crop went head-to-head tonight as the Warriors’ two first round picks from that terrific first round draft class in 2010; F Carter Hansen and F Torrin White went up against Sam on the night. Give Sam the early edge over the two Warrior picks but both will be solid players in the WHL. Look for White’s younger brother Jagger, a forward with the Medicine Hat Hockey Hounds Major Bantam club, to be a first round Bantam Draft pick in 2013. As a first-year Bantam he’s got 12 goals in his first seven games.

Life’s not a Beach – For Cody, that is. Twice in the last two minutes of the third the burly Warrior forward should’ve drawn a penalty. Once in a post-whistle scrum when rookie D Mike Simpson flattened him well after play stopped and again in his own zone when Jesse Ismond high-sticked him. Both of which were just feet away from referee Steve Papp. Reputations are a tough thing sometimes.

Fancy yourself an entertainer or wannabe gameshow host? – The Ice are on the lookout for ‘Live-Mike’ Guy or Gal. Anyone interested in the gig – trivia and fan games guy during the commercial breaks and in between periods – can contact Tiffany at the Ice office.

The Crowd – 2790

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. G Nathan Lieuwen – just another day at the office
2. G Luke Siemens – Spectacular
3. D Luke Paulsen – Solid on backend and showed flashes of offense

What it means – The Ice met yet another test on the young season by edging the Warriors and improves to 8-3-0-2 and a three-way tie for first in the Central with 18 points but to be truthful, when the Warriors get guys like Howden, Svendsen, McFaull – who has missed the last two games - and Edmundson back in the line-up they will be a force to be contended with in the Eastern conference. They are much better than their 6-5-1 record indicates.

Up Next: The Ice travel to Calgary for a 4PM date with the Hitmen on Sunday at the Saddledome. 102.9 The Drive has the call.

Summary:

Warriors 1 @ Ice 2

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Kootenay Ice. October 22, 2011

Max Reinhart stuffed in his 6th goal of the year following 40 minutes of shutout hockey as the Kootenay Ice edged the Moose Jaw Warriors 2-1 in WHL action Saturday in Cranbrook.

Reinhart jumped on a rebound that Warrior goaltender Luke Siemens couldn't cover and tucked it past him at 6:48 to give the Ice a 1-0 lead. With just under a minute left Ice captain Drew Czerwonka blocked a Warrior shot along the boards and raced after it to put it into the empty net for a 2-0 lead. The goal stood up as the game-winner however when the Warriors pulled Siemens again and this time finally solved Nathan Lieuwen when Colin Bowman wired a slapshot from the point to make it 2-1 with 27 seconds left but that would be as close as the Warriors got.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 35 of 36 shots to get the win while Luke Siemens stopped 36 of 37 sent his way to take the loss.

First Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- Lyon MJ (tripping) 0:36, Eberle MJ (boarding) 10:29, M. Reinhart Ktn (slashing) 11:14, Simpson Ktn (hooking) 13:55, Bowman MJ (interference) 14:50, Niebrandt Ktn (hooking) 18:12.

Second Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- M. Reinhart Ktn (boarding) 1:27, Brooks MJ (high-sticking) 13:52.

Third Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 6 (Niebrandt, Ismond) 6:48
2. Kootenay, Czerwonka 3 19:16 (en)
3. Moose Jaw, Bowman 4 (Reilly, Lyon) 19:34

Penalties -- None.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 18 12 8 - 38
Moose Jaw: 8 12 16 - 36

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 6-2-0-2); Moose Jaw: Luke Siemens (L, 3-4-1-1)

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-4
Moose Jaw: 0-4

Referee -- Steve Papp. Linesman -- Reid Anderson, Sean Donnelly.

Attendance -- 2790 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Spencer Wand, Brendan Hurley (knee - 4-8 weeks), Dylen McKinlay (back - day-to-day).
Moose Jaw: Kendall McFaull, Joel Edmundson, Sebastian Svendsen, Quinton Howden.

Benning to NCAA?

2011-10-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

D Matt Benning, son of former NHLer D Brian Benning and a 2nd round Bantam pick of the Ice in 2009 has reportedly received an NCAA scholarship to Minnesota-Duluth, according to Gregg Drinnan at Taking Note.

Benning reported to the Ice training camp in 09 but following that decided not to return, citing the aforementioned NCAA options that have now appeared to come to fruition.

Earlier this summer Benning's rights were traded by Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth to Bob Tory and the Tri-City Americans for a conditional 3rd and 6th round picks, likely in the 2013 Draft.

Tory told me in an email following the deal that the picks were conditional on Benning reporting to the Ams, signing a WHL player contract and playing. It appears now those picks would revert back to the Americans.

Benning, a 6' 210lb rearguard, currently plays for the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL and should join UMD in 2013. With 2g and 6a in 12 games Benning is 14th among AJHL Defensemen in scoring.

Also, a note on former Ice G Brett Teskey. The Regina product is now with the Weyburn Red Wings of the Junior A SJHL.

Tigers edge Ice

2011-10-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

In what I termed a litmus test for the early version of the 2011-12 Ice came up as a pass last night although the Ice fell to the Tigers 2-1 at the Medicine Hat Arena.

The Tigers came out claws up as the home side dominated in the first period. Rookie import D Patrik Parkkonen took the high feed on a 3-on-2 and beat Nathan Lieuwen six minutes into the game on a great shot for a 1-0 Tiger lead. The league's leading scorer, Emerson Etem, made it 2-0 on the power play when he got Lieuwen going the other direction and put a wrister into the net for his 14th of the year. Playing on the same line as Etem is Tiger forward Hunter Shinkaruk, who didn't reach the scoresheet last night but was just as dangerous. IMO, I think he's one of the top 17-year-old's in the WHL but doesn't get a lot of ink NHL Draft-wise. He's got a late birthday and is eligible for the 2013 NHL Draft. The little guy in the Calgary Hitmen pre-game in the award-winning picture is Shinkaruk.

In the second the Ice came to life and pushed back hard on the Tigers. A big hit in the Tigers zone by Ice D Jeff Hubic on F Boston Leier turned the tide for the Ice after Jayden Hart took exception and drew an instigator in the ensuing fight. On the power play a shot from Joey Leach trickled through Bunz to make it 2-1. The goal was originally credited to Leach from Max but then changed to Ismond from Leach and Czerwonka.

After four games in five nights, not a bad result against the Tigers. Save for the 6-1 blemish last week against the Oil Kings, the Ice, having played all Central Division teams, should compete for the Division title with the Tigers, Oil Kings and Rebels. If the latter get RNH back, then they'll have the edge but I don't think he's coming back from the NHL's Oilers.

Ice scratches were F Brendan Hurley (knee - one month), D Luke Paulsen (bruised knee - day-to-day) and F Dylen McKinlay (leg - day-to-day). McKinlay should play Saturday against the Moose Jaw Warriors at the Rec Plex and Paulsen could be a game-time decision as Coach K on the broadcast indicated there was no ligament damage.

His replacement however, D Jeff Hubic, is clearly making a name for himself early into the season. Though it was a dash-1 last night the hit and subsequent fight turned the game around and lit a fire under his teammates.

But it's the neutral zone hits that he's clearly becoming proficient at. Here's the hit from last night that turned things around for the Ice. Here and here are two more examples of his hitting prowess. He's also becoming a pretty good fighter due to the unwritten rule of not being able to hit someone with a clean bodycheck in today's hockey without having to fight. But it's clear he's making a case to stay in the line-up every night with that kind of presence from the 6'2" 180lb rearguard. Hart's his own age but Weller and Roach are tough customers and older than the 17-year-old Hubic.

The highlites of the game are here.

Sean Rooney, a former Sports Editor at the Townsman, has the story for the Medicine Hat News here.

With the kids getting into the lineup on a regular basis - D Hubic, D Simpson, D Wand as well as forwards Levi Cable, Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Deschaneau, G Mackenzie Skapski and Jon Martin - throw in Colin Shirley, Luke Philp and Jesse Wood-Schatz - the discussion of projecting this line-up two-three years down the road and a real idea of another contender popped up. Not that they won't contend this season but with the time these kids are eating up now, how will they look when they're not so wet behind the ears? Hey, it's Junior Hockey and you're always looking forward, right?

The Moose Jaw Warriors - Quinton Howden, Morgan Reilly, Dylan McIlrath et al are up next at the Rec Plex Saturday and are yet another team that fell to the Ice in the long march to the championship last spring. Yes, they'll be motivated. Gametime 7PM

Ice edge Hurricanes

2011-10-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice improved to 7-2-0-2 on the season with a 4-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a rare Monday game last night. Tonight the toughest test of the season is up with the club in Medicine Hat to face the Tigers.

The Tigers are 7-3-0-0 on the season, two points back of the Ice who have played one more game.

Jaedon Deschaneau scored his first WHL goal off a feed from Joe Antilla while Jagger Dirk, Adam Rossignol and Max Reinhart rounded out the scoring.

The loss was Lethbridge's 9th straight coming of a major shake-up that saw the club move D-man Derek Ryckman, 19, to the Tri-City Americans 2012 4th rounder; G Brandon Anderson, 19, along with a 3rd and a 6th round pick from 2012 to the Brandon Wheat Kings for G Liam Liston, 18 and D Spencer Galbraith. The Canes then shipped D Reid Jackson, 18, and a 5th round pick from 2012 to the Prince George Cougars for F Nick Buonassisi.

Nathan Lieuwen went the distance stopping 27 of 29 shots, improving his record on the season to 5-1-0-2; 1.35 GAA and .949 save percentage, the latter two which lead the WHL.

Reinhart finished with a goal and two helpers to reach 13 points (5g, 8a) in nine games and crack the top 20 in WHL scoring.

Luke Paulsen left the game with an undisclosed injury and his status is questionable for tonight while forward Dylen McKinlay was a game-time decision with his leg injury and should play tonight.

Jeff Hubic, who should draw in tonight, Brendan Hurley (knee - one month) and McKinlay were the scratches.

Tonight and indeed the next five games will present the early season litmus test for the Ice, who hold top spot in terms of points, 16, in the WHL. The Tigers Tuesday, then home against the Warriors this Saturday before heading to Calgary Sunday. The club then starts a long homestand with the Portland Winterhawks returning to the scene of the crime they referred to as the Kootenay's WHL championship last May.

Broadcast is tonight at 7PM (102.9 - the Drive)

Kootenay dumps Raiders

2011-10-16T16:29:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice improved to 6-2-0-2 and 14 points on the young season after defeating the Prince Albert Raiders 3-1 at the Rec Plex Saturday night in front of a crowd of 2698.
Ice captain continued to spark the club's top line with a goal and an assist in his second game back from a shoulder injury along with Joey Leach who mirrored the feat while Max chipped in with three assists in the win.

G Mackenzie Skapski bounced back nicely with a 28 save effort Saturday night after a tough outing against Red Deer.

The Ice now have Sunday off before heading to Lethbridge and then Medicine Hat Monday and Tuesday.

Dylen McKinlay left the game Friday against Lethbridge in the first period with an undisclosed injury, though I imagine it's one of either an upper body injury or lower body injury.....

Some attendance numbers after six games into the season:

2011 after six home dates - 2730
2010 after six home dates - 2425

It represents an increase of 305 over last season thus far.

Ice rebound against LA

2011-10-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

UPDATE -- Thanks to the poster who found this:

Utah Grizzlies - AHL Add John Negrin, D assigned from Abbotsford (AHL) by Calgary (NHL)

It never occurred to me to check the ECHL transactions. It's been a long drop for Negrin, a prospect who was that close to cracking the Flames roster one year ago.

Drew Czerwonka made his season debut with a C on the his sweater and a puck in the net, on his second shift no less, as the Ice edged the Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-1 at the Rec Plex Friday.

The recently-named captain Czerwonka skated on the club's top line with Max at Centre and Jesse Ismond on the wing. While 15-year-old Sam Reinhart was moved to the third unit with Joe Antilla and Eric Benoit.

Czerwonka's goal came off a goal-mouth scramble 1:32 into the game with the Ice on the power play.

Elgin Pearce ripped the game-winner, again on the power play, past Lethbridge starter Damien Ketlo for the win.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 16 of 17 shots to improve to 4-1-0-2 on the season with a minuscule 1.26 GAA and .952 Save percentage.

On the road this weekend with the Bantams so I'm a fan listening to Holick and CP on the radio.

Saw that the Swift Current Broncos sent G Steven Myland to North Delta of the PIJHL which was the writing on the wall when the club acquired overage goaltender Jon Groenhyde from the Oil Kings last week. Myland was part of the 5-for-1 deal (plus three Bantam Picks) that saw the Ice get Cody Eakin last season.

Love CP's 'Where are they now?' feature on the broadcast tonight. Had Jaroslav Svoboda, who's played in the Czech Republic for the last five seasons, and Zdenek Blatny - who is now playing in Austria. On that note, for those following James Martin in the AHL with the Abbotsford Heat, the Heat won their home début over Rockford but both Martin and former Ice D-man John Negrin weren't in the line-up. Dustin Sylvester set up the game-winner in the third for the Heat

The Prince Albert Raiders, who lost 3-2 in OT in Spokane are here tomorrow night. The Raiders are the tail end of a six-game road trip in which they have two wins.

Czerwonka new Ice captain

2011-10-13T18:17:00.000-07:00

Poster number one had it right as the Ice named Drew Czerwonka captain today.

Here's the release:

______________________________________________________________
Cranbrook, BC – Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the club has named 19-year-old Edmonton Oilers draft pick Drew Czerwonka as Captain of the 2011-2012 team.

Czerwonka becomes the 16th Captain in the history of the ICE franchise. (John Kachur – 1996-1997, Steve McCarthy – 1998-2000, Mike Green – 2000, Mike Comrie – 2000, Dean Arsene – 2000-2001, Jason Jaffray – 2001-2002, Jarret Stoll – 2001-2002, Colin Sinclair – 2002-2003, Nigel Dawes – 2003-2005, Adam Cracknell – 2005-2006, Ryan Russell – 2006-2007, Steve DaSilva 2007-2008, Andrew Bailey – 2008-2009, Dustin Sylvester – 2009-2010, Brayden McNabb - 2010-2011).

The Assistant Captains will be Max Reinhart, Joey Leach, Jesse Ismond and Joe Antilla.

“We feel Drew best exemplifies what type of player our organization is looking for in a Captain. There are many players in our club that are great leaders on and off the ice, but unfortunately only one can wear the 'C'. Drew is going into his fourth season with the club and understands the standard of excellence we strive to accomplish” added Chynoweth.

Next home action for the ICE is tomorrow night against Lethbridge and Saturday against Prince Albert both at 7:00 pm. Tickets for both games are available at the Kootenay ICE Office.

Oil Kings whip Ice

2011-10-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

The Score – Edmonton 6 – Kootenay 1

What Happened – This wasn’t your father’s Oil Kings, or rather, maybe it was. This club resembled the Oil Kings of old (1960’s old) and ran roughshod over the stunned Ice.

The Goals – The Ice had trouble waking up for this one as the visitors jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead. Micheal St. Croix opened the carnage with Jesse Ismond in the box a point shot bounced off a player in front and right to St. Croix who easily beat Skapski to make it 1-0… Coming off the half-wall with the puck Curtiz Lazaar, the Oil Kings first round pick in 2010, ripped a flutterer that Skapski never moved on, nevermind stopped… On a chance in the Oil Kings zone D-man Jagger Dirk turned the puck over and the Oil went on a 3-on-1 the other way. Dirk got all the way back to help save a goal but the Ice never recovered. 10 seconds later a point-shot by Gernat was stopped by Skapski only to have Stephane Legault tuck it in behind him for a 3-0 lead with 8 seconds left in the first period... Dirk’s night didn’t get any better in the second as he lost a battle for a puck behind his net and Dylan Wruck – he’ll be in the Ice nightmares tonight - promptly centered it to Lazaar. He buried his second of the night. 4-0… In the third Ismond finally broke the donut on a rush started by Max Reinhart who fed Ismond off the left-wing. He roofed it to make it 4-1…The euphoria was short-lived however as rookie Mike Simpson fumbled it at the Oil blueline and Kristians Pelss fought off Joey Leach on the ensuing breakaway and beat Skapski high to the stick-side… On a weak clear late D Mark Pysyk corralled it and sent a harmless wrist shot to the net. Except it went in. 6-1.

The Line – For the second game the Reinhart brothers were together with Sam on one wing and Ismond on the other. It’s probably one of many shuffles of this deck desperately in need of an ace or two.

The Letters? - The captains were supposed to be named tonight but for whatever reason, weren't. I suspect it had something to do with Drew Czerwonka's return being delayed until the weekend. I also suspect you'll see Czerwonka take the younger Reinhart's place on the aforementioned line.

The Starter – 20-20 hindsight being what it is, Skapski was the curious starter on this night. It was a tough call having the league’s best goaltender on the bench facing arguably the Central Division’s best team, especially with weak sisters Lethbridge and Prince Albert up on the weekend. He didn’t play all that bad but on this team, goaltenders can ill afford to have bad nights.

The Save – Looking for a bright spot, Skapski robbed Cole Benson from point-blank ranged in front of his net after yet another battle was lost behind it.

The Turkey – Is it too far past Thanksgiving to use the too much turkey line?

The Scoring (or lack thereof) – Okay, it’s eight games in but 2.5 a game isn’t going to cut it for long.

Stand Out Stat – Last season’s playoff darling, F Joe Antilla has one assist, and is dash-2 through 8 games.

The Crowd – 2505, most of which didn’t last past the second period.

The Skinny – Kootenay loses its first regular game this season with style. You can excuse losses like this on a younger team but effort-wise, this one was a dud.

Up Next – The Lethbridge Hurricanes are here Friday

My Three Stars
1. Dylan Wruck – set up three goals
2. Curtis Lazaar – two goals; easily won the battle of 16-year-old rookies over Sam on this night.
3. G Larent Brossoit – Outstanding rebound control. 29 shots and rarely gave the Ice another sniff.

Summary:

Oil Kings 6 @ Ice 1

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Kootenay Ice; October 12, 2011

The Edmonton Oil Kings handed the Kootenay Ice their first regulation loss of the season in a 6-1 romp Wednesday night in Cranbrook.

The Oil Kings opened the scoring in the first with three goals: St. Croix with his 3rd on the power play; rookie Curtis Lazaar with his 2nd and the eventual game-winner and Stephane Legault late for a 3-0 lead. Edmonton built on that in the second when Lazaar took a great feed from Dylan Wruck for his second of the night for a 4-0 lead.

In the third the Ice finally got on the board when Jesse Ismond ripped a wristshot over Larent Brossoit for his 3rd of the season but it would be as close as the Ice would get as the visitors would add two more, one by Kristians Pelss and another by Mark Pysyk - both unassisted - to make it 6-1.

Brossoit was solid in stopping 31 of 32 shots to get the win while Mackenzie Skapski surrendered 6 goals on 29 shots to take the loss.

First Period
1. Edmonton, St. Croix 3 (Wruck, Sautner) 6:21 (pp)
2. Edmonton, Lazaar 2 (Wruck) 18:00
3. Edmonton, Legault 5 (Gernat, Foster) 19:52

Penalties -- Ismond Ktn (roughing) 5:34.

Second Period
4. Edmonton, Lazaar 3 (Wruck) 14:01

Penalties -- Martin Ktn (hooking) 9:20, St. Croix Edm (interference) 10:22, Pelss Edm (roughing) 16:46.

Third Period
5. Kootenay, Ismond 3 (Reinhart) 8:48
6. Edmonton, Pelss 3 10:15
7. Edmonton, Pysyk 1 17:53

Penalties -- Montgomery Ktn (slashing) 14:32, Antilla Ktn (misconduct) 15:53,

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 9 13 11 - 32
Edmonton: 8 10 10 - 29

Goal -- Kootenay: Mackenzie Skapski (L, 1-1); Edmonton: Laurent Brossoit (W, 6-2-1)

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-2
Edmonton: 1-3

Referee -- Trevor Hanson. Linesman -- Steve Cochrane, Ian Shaver

Attendance -- 2505(4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Jeff Hubic, Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - day-to-day), Brendan Hurley (knee - 4-8 weeks)
Edmonton: Griffin Reinhart (league suspension, game five of five), Josh Lazowski, Colton Stephenson, David Stephens, Travis Ewanyk.

A quiet Thanksgiving

2011-10-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

On Thanksgiving Monday some thoughts out and about...

Further to the post below on Nathan Lieuwen's performance in Red Deer Saturday night. Here's the evidence.... On that note, take a long look at Weller's hit on Max that gave the Ice the power play in which Pearce scores the winner. Clean hit or not?.

F Matt Fraser didn't take long to make an impression with the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate the Texas Stars deep in the heart of Texas. Fraser scored two goals and added an assist for the Austin-based AHL in a 7-0 drubbing of the Oklahoma City Barons last night.

The game had lots of local connections as along with Fraser, the Stars are captained by Brad Lukowich; Jace Coyle patrols the blueline and with Oklahoma G David LeNeveu of Fernie came on in relief of Barons starter Yann Danis.

In keeping with the graduated '20's; Kevin King with the Syracuse Crunch hasn't played yet (late start in the AHL schedule) and Steele Boomer is now with the NAIT Ooks of the Alberta College ACAC.

Some interest in the fact that D James Martin was a healthy scratch in the Abbotsford Heat first two games of the season on the road against Lake Erie. Dustin Sylvester scored in the first game Friday night for the Heat. They are the other AHL club with more Kootenay/local connections in that along with Martin, F Carter Bancks (Marysville), Sylvester and D John Negrin are also on the club. Negrin also was a healthy scratch over the weekend. Bancks is injured and did not play.

Martin theoretically could still be returned by the Flames/Heat to junior but it's not likely. If he were the Ice would have two weeks to decide on which three they would keep. The WHL's deadline for 20-year-olds is October 13 but Martin could return anytime up until the WHL roster/trade deadline.

Another team with a couple of former Ice players on it is Barys Astana of the KHL in Russia. F Nigel Dawes and G Jeff Glass along with another Winnipegger, Dustin Boyd are in the Russian league. There's an older story here on Dawes, Glass and Boyd and the former's thoughts on travelling in the KHL after the tragic plane crash that killed all 44 aboard that were members of the KHL team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Back in the WHL Ice PBP Jeff Hollick said on the broadcast Saturday that forward Brendan Hurley will have his knee examined by doctors to determine the extent of the injury suffered after a collision with Oil Kings D Griffin Reinhart. His feeling is that Hurley's out at least 4-6 weeks. Reinhart got a major and a game misconduct for his troubles and a further 5-game suspension from the league.

And lastly, if you're a bit of a stats geek, like myself, you'll notice that the Ice - 4-1-0-2; 10pts, tied with four other teams for tops in the WHL - have scored just 19 goals through those seven games. 2.71 goals per game, just ahead of the Red Deer Rebels at 2.666/game (without RNH who scored in his début with the Oilers last night, that'll set the hockey world atwitter with the debate of will he or won't he return to the Rebels. Right now he won't but wait 8 more games) and the lowly T-Birds in Seattle just 2.5 goals/game through their first four WHL games. So 20th in team scoring in the 22-team WHL but only allowing 1.86/game through those same seven games, by far the best in the league. Good goaltending, get used to it because it's going to be a theme this year. Firewagon hockey surely won't be. Discuss.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

The Early MVP

2011-10-08T23:35:00.000-07:00

You could probably just give him the MVP award right now.

G Nathan Lieuwen stopped 33 of 34 shots to backstop the Ice to a 2-1 victory over the Red Deer Rebels for the club's first road win of the young season.

The Ice improve to 4-1-0-2 and 10 points, first in the Central and tied for first in the Eastern Conference.

Max Reinhart notched his 4th of the season in the first and then, with the game tied with 3:12 left in the second Elgin Pearce's second stood up to be the game-winner

Kootenay was 2-6 on the power play.

Coach Kris Knoblauch put both Reinhart's on the same line, with some success. The scratches were F Drew Czerwonka (shoulder) who should play this week; F Brendan Hurley (Charlie Horse) and D Mike Simpson.

The Edmonton Oil Kings are here Wednesday night.

Road not kind to Ice

2011-10-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice continued to falter away from the Cranbrook Rec Plex early in the 2011-12 season as the club dropped their third game on the road this season, 2-1 in a shoot-out to the Edmonton Oil Kings last night in Edmonton.

Max Reinhart had the Ice goal that gave the club a 1-0 lead until late in the third period.

Kootenay gave up 8 minor penalties and killed seven of them, the only blemish being when T.J. Foster scored with Elgin Pearce in the box to give the Oil a 4-on-3 advantage.

The Ice had only three opportunities but one was a five minute major to middle Reinhart brother Griffin, who was assessed a knee-on-knee to Ice forward Brendan Hurley. Hurley left the game with a suspected Charlie Horse.

Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen was again the difference tonight as the 20-year-old was solid in stopping 26 of 27 shots. Oil Kings goaltender Laurent Brossoit stopped 22 of 23.

T.J. Foster and Martin Gernat scored in the shootout for Edmonton while Reinhart brothers Max and Sam were stopped.

Couple of recaps here and here.

Like seasons past, scoring in the early stages of 2011 seems to be an issue, at least on the road where the club has five goals in three games and 12 on home ice. Veteran forward Drew Czerwonka is due back likely by next week's home date with the Oil Kings. His depth will make a difference but whether or not it's a big difference, we'll see.

The Ice are in Red Deer Saturday.

On another note the Swift Current Broncos - one of the Ice small-market CHL brethren, announced that the club lost almost $200,000 last season. That story is here and here.

The report and numbers are significant for several reasons but the least of which is that the two organizations can be compared to, at least off the ice, when it comes to revenue. The Broncos expenses were almost $1.6 million last season with an average attendance of 2135.

Kootenay is a private business and as such the numbers aren't made public but you can bet that the two organizations have similar expenses, demonstrating the importance of fan support. In Cranbrook that fan support has moved in the right direction with over 2100 season tickets. Of course the fact that the club wins championships doesn't hurt either.

Of note is a study the Broncos brass did with the University of Saskatchewan business school on the impact of the Broncos to Swift Current totalling $6.2 million annually with $2.2 million of it being 'new money annually'.

Roster set

2011-10-03T15:31:00.000-07:00

Coming off a 4-2 loss to the Calgary Hitmen Sunday afternoon the Ice finalized their roster by sending F Luke Philp to the AJHL's Canmore Eagles and F Jesse Wood-Schatz to Sherwood Park AAA Midget. There could be another forward destined for Midget or Junior A depending on whether or not the club decides to go with 22 or 23. Currently they sit at 23 (14 forwards, 7 D-men and two goalies).

F Drew Czerwonka remains on the shelf with a shoulder injury but will skate this week and likely be cleared for contact next week.

G Nathan Lieuwen is the WHL goaltender of the week and will stand for the CHL version of the award.

In the pro ranks C Cody Eakin was sent down today by the Washington Capitals to the AHL's Hershey Bears. Eakin was among the last cuts last year also.

D Matt Walker, who was a member of the 2000 WHL championship team was waived by the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Score - Pats/Ice

2011-09-30T22:28:00.000-07:00

The Score – Regina 2 – Kootenay 5

What Happened – A very entertaining and evenly matched game both teams ditched the defensive schemes for the some end-to-end hockey. The rookie goaltender Mackenzie made some key stops and the Ice capitalized on their chances. The Pats couldn’t.

The Goals – Kootenay found themselves with an early five-on-three and couldn’t cash-in. Four minutes later Joe Antilla took an interference penalty, the Pats were allowed to break-out of their zone, and into the Ice zone uninhibited. Chandler Stephenson fed a great pass to the slot where Lane Scheidl fired a wrist shot that squeezed through Skapski… The Ice tied it at 16:15 when Dylan McKinley outworked Pats D Kyle Burroughs for the puck and fed Max Reinhart wide-open in front of rookie goaltender Adam Beukeboom. He doesn’t miss many of those and didn’t, scoring his first of the season… With the Ice on the power play Joey Leach did a great job of keeping the puck in once on a Pats clear and then almost did it again, only this time his vertical only popped it enough for Jordan Weal to take off on a 2-on-1 with a streaking Brandon Underwood. He beat Skapski for this second of the season… Just as the same powerplay expired, Johnny Niebrandt wired a great wrist shot from the point that Adam Rossignol neatly deflected past Beukeboom to tie it… The Pats ended up in the box again and this time the Ice made them pay for it. Max, with his third point of the night, fired a shot that McKinley tipped between Beukeboom’s legs… In the third with the Pats pressing for the tying goal Jesse Ismond laid a hit on Pats D Jack Rodewald who coughed up the puck on the half-wall. Elgin Pearce picked it up, rushed the net and scored his first of the season on a nifty backhand. Ismond didn’t get an apple on the play but he should have. .. Max added an empty-net goal to finish off a four-point night and the win.

No Replay – Not long after the Ice tied it in the first Pats D Brandon Davidson found Chandler Stephenson with a great 125-foot pass at the Ice blueline. D John Niebrandt bothered him enough on the breakaway that Skapski steered the puck to the corner only to have Stephenson retrieve it and feed Lane Scheidl cross-ice for the one-timer. Skapski stopped just enough of it as it almost rolled across the line before being cleared. It was waived no-goal but I’m sure I wasn’t the only waiting for the replay booth to call down and say it was a goal. The call never came.

The Starters – Pats F Dryden Hunt, a former Kimberley resident, was in the starting line-up for his return to the East Kootenay.

Diesel Donation – Ryan ‘Diesel’ Dayman presented cheques to three local groups – Cranbrook Minor Hockey, Cranbrook Minor Baseball and the Cranbrook Girls Bugle Band – with donations worth some $40,000 raised at his inaugural invitational golf tournament in August at Wildstone golf course in Cranbrook featuring many NHL’ers both current and retired. The former Kimberley Dynamiter, Dayman is now a local realtor.

The Save – After a particular horrendous set within their own zone early in the second Skapski stopped Pat forward Andrew Reider point blank but had the rebound squeak out to Jordon Weal on his forehand at about ten feet. Somehow Skapski got across to stop a sure goal.

Finding his groove – In his second game with Max as his pivot forward Dylan McKinley is starting to develop some chemistry with his linemates and looking more and more comfortable. Great deflection for the game-winner.

The Turning Point – In the third period with the Ice still clinging to a one goal lead Skapski was flopping around in a goal-mouth scramble. Like his save in the second period he somehow managed to stop another sure goal that again ignited his teammates.

The Crowd – 2909 on Cranbrook Minor Ball night.

Up Next – The Ice improve to 3-0-0-1 on the season and tops in the WHL. Yes, I know, it’s September. The club will travel to Calgary for an afternoon tilt on Sunday at the Saddledome with the Hitmen. The schedule gets harder as the Ice are in Edmonton mid-week and then Red Deer Saturday.

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. C Max Reinhart – Four point night
2. G Mackenzie Skapski – the kid shook off some early game jitters and made some great stops
3. F Lane Sheidl – Dangerous all night

Game Summary:

Pats 2 @ Ice 5

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Regina Pats and the Kootenay Ice; September 30, 2011

Max Reinhart scored two goals and added two assists as the Kootenay won their third straight game, defeating the Regina Pats 5-2 in WHL action Friday night.
The Pats opened the scoring on the power play when Lane Scheidl notched his 2nd of the season past Ice starter Mackenzie Skapski at 6:31. Just under ten minutes later Dylan McKinley found Reinhart alone in the slot. He buried his first of the season past Pats starter Adam Beukeboom to tie it.
In the second the Pats re-took the lead when Brandon Underwood scored a short-handed marked but the Ice would bounce back on goals by Adam Rossignol, with his 3rd, and Dylan McKinley with his first of the season to take a 3-2 lead into the final period.
The Ice would put the game away late on Elgin Pearce's first of the season before Reinhart would finish off the four point night with an empty-net goal.
Skapski stopped 26 of 28 shots for his first win of the season while Beukeboom took the loss, stopping 22 of 26 shots.

First Period
1. Regina, Scheidl 2 (Stephenson, Weal) 6:31 (pp)
2. Kootenay, M. Reinhart 1 (McKinley) 16:15

Penalties -- Stephenson Reg (hooking) 0:39, Jobke Reg (delay-of-game) 1:42, Antilla Ktn (interference) 5:29, Paulsen Ktn (holding) 12:16.

Second Period
3. Regina, Underwood 2 (Weal) 10:06 (sh)
4. Kootenay, Rossignol 3 (Niebrandt, M. Reinhart) 11:55
5. Kootenay, McKinley 1 (Reinhart, Leach) 14:48 (pp)

Penalties -- Bidlevskii Reg (interference) 9:42, Volek Reg (hooking) 14:09.

Third Period
6. Kootenay, Pearce 1 (Dirk) 17:14
7. Kootenay, Reinhart 2 (Leach, McKinley) 19:15 (en)

Penalties -- Hunt Reg (tripping) 10:15.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 13 9 5 - 27
Regina: 10 12 6 - 28

Goal -- Kootenay: Mackenzie Skapski (W, 1-0); Regina Adam Beukeboom (L, 0-1).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-5
Regina: 1-2

Referee -- Ryan Benbow, Jason Nissen. Linesman -- Anthony Guzzo, Jim Maniago.

Attendance -- 2909 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Jeff Hubic, Luke Philp, Jesse Wood-Schatz, Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - two weeks), Jaedon Deschaneau.
Regina: Ricard Blidstrand, Nils Moser, Dyson Stevenson, Campbell Elyniuk, Tyler Borstmeyer.

Ice shutout Canes

2011-09-27T21:42:00.001-07:00

The Score – Lethbridge 0 – Kootenay 2

What Happened – Kootenay scored two goals in the first half of the first period and looked to be running away with it. The Hurricanes recovered and pushed back but, in what could become a theme this season, couldn’t solve Nathan Lieuwen.

The Rookies – Drafted 3rd overall out of Calgary by the Hurricanes in 2010, forward Jay Merkley saw lots of ice-time for the Hurricanes. If the draft was held over many have said it would be Ice forward Sam Reinhart who would be in the top three of that draft class. You’ll get to see the fifth overall pick of that draft – Morgan Klimchuk – when the Pats visit the Rec Plex Friday.

The Goals – A neutral zone turnover – I thought it was Sam Reinhart who caused the trouble but it was credited to Joey Leach – Elgin Pearce ended up with the puck and gained the zone before finding Jesse Ismond with a great cross-ice pass. Ismond found the corner of the net on a one-timer to make it 1-0… The 15-year-old – he doesn’t turn 16 until November 6 – amazed the Ice faithful once again with a great effort to gain the puck off the wall and patiently walk out and roof his second of the season past Ketlo to make it 2-0.

The No-goal – The Canes started this one off right but might’ve got the shaft. A point-shot within the first minute changed direction and then hit the crossbar and landed on the stick of Graham Hood. He dumped it into the net but the goal was waved-off and ruled hit with a Hurricane high-stick. It hit a stick, whether or not it was high couldn’t be determined by replay. The ruling on the ice stood and the Ice caught a break, and then caught fire after that.

The Rookies, again - Tonight featured the regular season debut of D Mike Simpson, who notched his first assist in the Dub, and forward Jonathon Martin who returned from a four game suspension. The club has to cut two forwards out of Martin, Deschaneau, Philp and Wood-Schatz. After seeing all four, it is perhaps the toughest call the club has had to make in years. That 95-born draft class is dynamite.

The Return – The elder Reinhart returned to the Ice from the Calgary Flames training camp and instantly made the club better. He was all over the ice on this night and had, or set up, a ton of chances. At one point in the second the line of Max, Antilla and McKinlay hemmed the Canes in their own zone for almost a complete two minute stretch. No letter on his sweater yet but I imagine sewing the C on is just a formality.

The Turning Point – It was early but I’d give the nod to Sam’s goal. The Ice played with a lot of confidence the rest of the way and Lieuwen made it look easy.

The Hit – In the second Graham Hood was lined up by Ice forward Brendan Hurley at the Canes’ blueline for a big hit. The 6’3” 225lb D-man thought otherwise and it was Hurley who ended up flat on his back. Four minutes into the third however Hurley had his revenge, putting Hood on his keester in front of the Ice bench for the hit of the night.

The Banner – Okay, I agree with one of the comments that stated the 2011 Championship Banner looks empty. It’s needs some lettering in the middle.

Opportunity Knocks – The loss of 20-year-old James Martin was a huge blow to the club. D John Niebrandt, now in the four-hole of the club’s defensive unit, is taking every opportunity to prove he can be a top four guy in the WHL. Early indications are he’s done just that.

The Crowd – 2370 Low, really low. Good seats left? There were good sections to be had.

Up Next – Dryden Hunt, who also has a late birthday and won’t turn 16 until late November, makes first trip back to the Kootenays with his new team, the Regina Pats on Friday. Hunt, a former Kimberley product who relocated to Nelson five years ago, made the Pats as a listed player/walk on.

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Nathan Lieuwen – 25 saves; Shutouts are never easy but he didn’t have to make a hard save
2. Damien Ketlo – 25 saves; He played well and kept it close.
3. Jesse Ismond – Big improvement over Saturday. Goal, assist.

Game Summary:

Hurricanes 0 @ Ice 2

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Kootenay Ice; September 27, 2011

Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen stopped all 25 shots he faced and Jesse Ismond's goal 6:17 into the game stood up as the game winner as the Kootenay Ice beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-0 in WHL action Tuesday night.
Ismond took a cross-ice feed from Elgin Pearce and one-timed his second of the season into the corner of the net past Damien Ketlo to give the Ice a 1-0 lead. Ice rookie Sam Reinhart, who won't turn 16 until November 6, walk out from the half-wall and roofed his second of the season past Ketlo to give the Ice 2-0 four minutes later.
The two goals would hold up as Lieuwen stopped 25 shots for his 7th career WHL shutout. Ketlo stopped 25 of 27 shots to take the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Ismond 2 (Pearce, Leach) 6:17
2. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 2 (Simpson, Ismond) 9:03

Penalties -- Johnston Leth (interference) 1:24, Pearce Ktn (hooking) 14:57, Hood Leth (slashing) 16:39.

Second Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- Martin Ktn (interference) 1:39, Dirk Ktn (hooking) 13:29.

Third Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- None.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 9 10 8 - 27
Lethbridge: 4 11 10 - 25

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 2-1); Lethbridge: Damien Ketlo (L, 0-1).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 0-2
Lethbridge: 0-3

Referee -- Derek Zalaski. Linesman -- Steve Cochrane, Sean Donnelly.

Attendance -- 2370 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Spencer Wand, Luke Philp, Jesse Wood-Schatz, Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - two weeks), Levi Cable (leg - day-to-day).
Lethbridge: Tanner Kovacs, Tyler Kizuik, Brandyn Hulit, Juraj Bezuch, Adam Henry, Michael Sofillas, Austin Fyten, Tayler Balog, Harrison Harper.

Reinhart back, not the question of captain...

2011-09-26T17:40:00.000-07:00

The Calgary Flames sent back Kootenay's top player today in F Max Reinhart. The 19-year-old should be available to play Tuesday night in Cranbrook as the Ice host the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The Hockey Writers explain why Reinhart (and Portland's Sven Bartschi) didn't stick due to the club being up against the contract limit of 50. With Martin putting them at 49 last week I was betting the popular D-man wasn't getting a contract last week. I lost.

Now the question remains as to who will wear the 'C'?

Or is it a question at all.

Local player Matt Wilkins, a Kimberley product and former Dynamiter currently playing with the AJHL's Brooks Bandits has committed to the NCAA's Union College of the ECAC. Wilkins finished second in AJHL scoring last season.

And lastly, though most reports put him as an Edmontonian, as he was born there, Cranbrook's Scott Niedermayer will have his #27 raised to the rafters of the Prudential Centre in Newark as the New Jersey Devils will honour their former captain December 16. I'd imagine Anaheim will follow suit for the hockey player who has won every major championship (Stanley - four times - Two Olympic Gold, World Championships, Memorial Cup and yes, a Provincial Bantam and Peewee Championships) except AHL, as he never played in the minors. Niedermayer currently works for the Ducks in a front office capacity.

Ice dump Hitmen; Get three of four points

2011-09-25T00:10:00.001-07:00

The Score – Calgary 1 – Kootenay 5

What Happened – The Ice celebrated their WHL Championship with a fantastic pyrotechnics show. Nathan Lieuwen was the only one that started the game however and stopped almost everything that the Hitmen threw at him. His teammates woke up sometime in the second.

The Goals – Just when you were looking down the bench for Cody Eakin or Matt Fraser to start them off with a grand total of six shots 15 minutes into the second period, the Ice scored and they came in bunches. With their fourth power play chance of the game the Ice finally came alive when Joe Antilla came up with a puck down low and found a wide open Sam Reinhart. He lifted his 1st of the season past Glover to give the Ice a 1-0 lead… 27 seconds later the Ice fired a mirror image of the first goal except from the other side when Brock Montgomery found Eric Benoit in the same spot. Benoit went glove side – the same as Reinhart – to put the Ice up 2-0… Eric Benoit finished off the three-goal outburst in 1:40 with his second of the season after Elgin Pearce sent a great pass down the left wing to Benoit with a head of steam. Benoit beat Hitmen defender Kenton Helgesen and fired a wicked wrist shot that went, you guessed it, high glove-side to give the Ice a 3-0 lead.... The Hitmen finally solved Nathan Lieuwen when Justin Kirsch found Alex Gogolev streaking into the slot. He ripped his first of the season past Lieuwen. It would be the only one to get by the 20-year-old…. Jesse Ismond, no he wasn’t a brutal as he stated post-game on this night, slipped past Hitmen D-man Peter Kosterman after a great feed by Brock Montgomery and made it 4-1 with less than three minutes left… On a late power play Adam Rossignol notched his second of the night on another feed from Brock Montgomery to make the final 5-1.

The Pyrotechnics - They were a great way to celebrate the raising of the club's banners. The fireworks were loud, took your breath away and, thanks to a large flame-on machine, nearly singed the 2002 Banner hanging above. They didn't burn up but more than a few people thought they might go up in smoke.

The Rookies – Outshot 11-2 in the first Kootenay's biggest chance early came from the rookie line. Philp started the rush to Deschaneau and then took a great pass from Wood-Schatz who returned the favour and sent Philp in alone on Hitmen starter Brandon Glover, who then flashed the glove to make a great save; They almost opened the scoring in the second again with a errant pass by Glover right to Wood-Schatz. He was so surprised he had the puck with an open net he shot it wide.

The Hit – D Jeff Hubic, 17, pasted Hitmen forward Chase Clayton on the wall that drew a rise out of the 3253 at the Plex in the first period.

The Fight Card – A tussle in the Hitmen zone between Dylan McKinlay and Keaton Lubin. Call it a draw but it seemed to spark the home side four minutes later.

The Injury – Paulsen went down awkwardly near the end of the first and left the game. He returned in the second but seemed to be labouring somewhat. Paulsen and rookie Mike Simpson were gametime decisions with the nod going to Paulsen.

The Rookie Part II – In a late PK rookie Sam Reinhart took the defensive zone face-off. Yes, a 16-year-old, for the face off. He won it. Oh, he also killed penalties and scored. How old is he again?

The Hospital Run – A young girl in Section K took an errant puck in the face in the third period. A rushed trip to the hospital for some stitches and a bad bruise was lessoned somewhat with Ice forward Drew Czerwonka showing up with a stick signed by the team.

The Cuts – With Max Reinhart still with the Calgary Flames (one assist in tonight’s 2-1 loss to the Oilers) and Czerwonka out for at least two weeks with a shoulder injury, the club expects to come down from the 25 bodies still in camp by one this week, with the other decision not being made until Czerwonka is healthy.

Keeping the Faith – Those wondering what happened to Ice prospect D Tanner Faith, who got into four games as a 15-year-old last season, in his first shift during Ice training camp he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out for all of training camp. He's returned to Wilcox to play with Notre Dame. Yes, save for an injury the could have seven 16-year-olds on their roster right now.

The Turning Point – An easy pick would be the 1:40 that the Ice put three goals behind Brandon Glover. However any of the 29 saves Lieuwen made to keep his team from being blown out would also suffice.

The Crowd – 3253

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. G Nathan Lieuwen – All world and bailed out his teammates all night long

2. D Joey Leach – Solid in trying to fill the void left by McNabb turning pro; two assists

3. F Victor Rask – Dangerous import couldn’t solve Lieuwen

Honourable Mention: Brock Montgomery; four assists, fresh off hernia surgery that healed much faster than anticipated, the 19-year-old played a big offensive role.

Up Next: The Lethbridge Hurricanes are here Tuesday night.

Hitmen 1 @ Ice 5

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Calgary Hitmen and Kootenay Ice; September 24, 2011

Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen stopped 29 of 30 shots he faced as the Kootenay Ice dumped the Calgary Hitmen 5-1 in WHL action Saturday night.

After a scoreless first period the Ice broke open the scoring with three goals in a 1:40 span. Rookie Sam Reinhart notched his 1st of the season on the power play 14:17 into the second. Adam Rossignol made it 2-0 27 seconds later with his first of the season and then Erik Benoit got his second of the season 1:13 later to give the Ice a 3-0 lead.

The Hitmen finally solved Nathan Lieuwen when Justin Kirsch found a streaking Alex Gogolev 10:46 into the third period with his 1st of the season. Lieuwen would shut the door after that as Jesse Ismond and Adam Rossignol added insurance goals for the 5-1 win.

Brock Montgomery finished the night with four assists.

Nathan Lieuwen stopped 29 of 30 shots for the win while Brandon Glover turned aside 13 of 18 shots in taking the loss.

First Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- Niebrandt Ktn (interference) 7:14, Gogolev Cgy (tripping) 8:54, Trzonkowski Cgy (tripping) 12:20, Brassart Cgy (hooking) 14:25.

Second Period
1. Kootenay, S. Reinhart 1 (Antilla, Montgomery) 14:17 (pp)
2. Kootenay, Rossignol 1 (Montgomery, Hurley) 14:44
3. Kootenay, Benoit 2 (Pearce, Niebrandt) 15:57

Penalties -- Dirk Ktn (slashing) 3:27, Lubin Cgy McKinlay Ktn (fighting) 10:10, Kirsch Cgy (double roughing - served by Trzonkowski) Deschaneau Ktn (roughing) 12:34, Ismond Ktn (cross-checking) 20:00.

Third Period
4. Calgary, Gogolev 1 (Kirsch, Humphries) 10:46
5. Kootenay, Ismond 1 (Montgomery, Leach) 17:47
6. Kootenay, Rossignol 2 (Montgomery, Leach) 19:28 (pp)

Penalties -- Benoit Ktn (interference) 12:12, Risdon Cgy (elbowing) 19:10.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 2 11 5 - 18
Calgary: 11 10 9 - 30

Goal -- Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W, 1-1) Calgary: Brandon Glover (L, 0-1)

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 2-5
Calgary: 0-4

Referee -- Ryan Bonnett, Tyler Adair. Linesman -- Scott Sharun, Mike Roberts.

Attendance -- 3253 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Mike Simpson (healthy), Max Reinhart (Calgary Flames - NHL), Drew Czerwonka (shoulder - three weeks), Jonathon Martin (4th of four-game suspension), Levi Cable (leg - day-to-day).
Calgary: Trevor Cheek, Ben Wilson, Alex Roach, John Lawrence, Luke Gordon, Greg Chase, Chris Driedger.

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman

Martin signs.... A youth movement in Ktn?

2011-09-23T11:47:00.001-07:00

A couple of shoes dropped in Iceland yesterday and the moves are going to have a profound effect on the Ice this season.

Last one first:

D James Martin was signed by the Calgary Flames yesterday that sent some shockwaves through the club's line-up and put a big wrench into the club's plans this season.

Martin, 20, was expected to anchor the club's D that saw the loss of Brayden McNabb to the pros and Hayden Rintoul via trade with the Victoria Royals. It means the seven D-men still on the roster are in by default as one was going to be the odd-man out when Martin was to return.

The Winnipeg product could still return but it's unlikely, given the success he's had at the Flames camp. It leaves Leach, Niebrandt, Paulsen, Dirk as the club's only veterans on the blueline for the season opener in Red Deer tonight. Mike Simpson, 17, Jeff Hubic, 17 and Spencer Wand 16.

Wand joins five other 16-year-old's still on the roster. Ice coach Kris Knoblauch said yesterday there will be three more cuts (two now that Martin is gone) to the roster and that there would be a "16-year-old" line tonight. Likely Sam Reinhart, Deschaneau and Philp as Jonathon Martin still has another game in his four-game suspension to serve. Jesse Wood-Schatz is the other 16-year-old.

G Brett Teskey was released yesterday in a move that cleared up the goaltending issue within the club and the teams system. With Lieuwen back to play his overage year one of Skapski or Teskey had to go. Teskey was the odd-man out, setting up the Hoflin-Skapski tandem next year.

Skapski will need to get into more than 12 games (as Teskey started last season) to get the seasoning needed to assume the starter's role next season so it will be interesting to see if Lieuwen get's the workload he did last season. I would argue yes, especially since the team headed towards a youth movement, if not by their own design.

It was an intriguing question after last year's camp. Many thought that Skapski was the better of the two and it was a surprise that Teskey was kept. Then again the 20-year-old dynamic of still having Todd Mathews on the roster played a role in the decision to keep Teskey.

Season opener goes tonight in Red Deer and the hanging of the banner at the Plex goes tomorrow night. Mark the start time: 6:55 to get the festivities in that will include pyrotechnics etc.

For HockeyNow:

Lieuwen an Ice leader as WHL season starts

Kootenay Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen has seen his share of ups and downs as he embarks on his 5th and final season of junior hockey. It is safe to safe that the last season of hockey for the lanky puck-stopper has been up, wayyyy up.

Backstopping the Ice to a 2011 WHL championship, WHL Playoff MVP honours and then finally hearing the call to the NHL as a sixth-round selection of the Buffalo Sabres in June’s NHL Draft. He topped it off by helping the Sabre rookies win the Traverse City Young Stars tournament before being returned just days before the puck dropped on the 2011-12 season, Lieuwen’s role will now expand with the Ice as the Abbotsford product will now lead a younger club as they defend last season’s championship. “We expect to have a good team this year and we expect to do well,” said Lieuwen as the club drops the puck on the 2011-12 season in Red Deer Friday. Saturday night the club will raise the 2011 WHL Championship banner to the Rec Plex rafters against the Calgary Hitmen.

And though the club can return 15 players from last season’s roster the loss of the likes of C Cody Eakin, D Brayden McNabb and forwards Matt Fraser, Steele Boomer and Kevin King to graduation and trade of D Hayden Rintoul to Victoria means that there’s a lot of room for new leaders in all departments, save for the goal crease. “My role is that I’m the guy in the net and that’s my first responsibility but there is an added role as a 20-year-old and the leadership aspect from the experience last season that I want to pass onto the younger guys this year.”

The club’s roster moves just prior to the season opener in Red Deer reflected that team’s youth movement this season. The team released goaltender Brett Teskey, 18, who served as back-up to Nathan Lieuwen during last season’s championship run. Teskey, from Regina, got into 18 games last season and finished with a 9-3 record, posting a .859 save percentage and a 3.21 goals against average. "With three goaltenders vying for two spots we felt to be fair to the goalies it was important to get down to our roster sooner rather than later. It is always difficult when you have to release a veteran player and we would like to thank Brett for his contribution to our Championship team last year,” said Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth in a release. It wasn’t determined just where Teskey would play this season.

Where D James Martin would play this season however was determined just prior to the season opener and it looks more and more like it won’t be in Cranbrook with the Ice this season. Martin, 20, received an invite from the Calgary Flames to the club’s training camp and earned a contract. Martin is with the Abbotsford Heat for their camp and will likely stick with the team. “Unfortunately we still have guys at pro camps,” said Ice head coach Kris Knoblauch. “We’d like them here to start our season but really, it’s a good problem to have. You want to move your players along with the next level and develop hockey players. We’d love to have him back but we’re just going to have to wait and see.”

Quick Hits – Before Martin signed his contract with the Flames Knoblauch anticipated three more cuts from his roster, two forwards and one on defence. With Martin’s departure the club is left with seven defensemen, three of which are rookies; Mike Simpson, 17, Jeff Hubic, 17 and Spencer Wand, 16…. Knobluach also said the team would field a forward line of 16-year-old’s in Red Deer. Sam Reinhart, Jaedon Deschaneau and Luke Philp will likely start for the club. Jonathon Martin must served one more game of his four-game suspension. Jesse Wood-Schatz rounds out the club’s seven 16-year-olds currently on the roster.

Vets making their way back.... but

2011-09-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

Four Ice veterans who were away at NHL camps will be back for the club's season-opener on the road in Red Deer Friday.

Joe Antilla returned from San Jose over the weekend while Nathan Lieuwen (Buffalo)was back yesterday. D Joey Leach should be back in time for Friday and the same with Drew Czerwonka from Edmonton while it looks as though both Max Reinhart and James Martin will stay with the Flames for an exhibition game or two.

Trevor at the Daily Townsman has a piece here.

Reinhart will almost assuredly return being 19 and only able to play either in Calgary or Kootenay but in Martin's case, his return is anything but assured.

The Flames are impressed with Martin, who is 20 and is scheduled to anchor the Ice blueline this season. The Winnipeg product has other ideas though and is bent on earning a contract and sticking with the Flames organization.

Not to put the cart before horse but Martin was as sure thing as one could get to be one of the club's three, 20-year-olds. If he's signed by the Flames and doesn't return it throws a rather large wrench into the club's plan for the blueline.

Meaning the group becomes somewhat younger and that the deal to trade Hayden Rintoul in June might have been a little hasty, obviously with the 20/20 hind-site glasses on. Neibrandt, Leach and Paulsen are 19 while Dirk is 18 as the club's top four minus Martin with Simpson, Hubic - both 17 - and Wand likely to stick with the club in this scenario. With all three to be leaned on heavily in that case.

Then again, Martin hasn't made pro yet, just a lot of Ice fans really nervous.

Shaw announced the TV Schedule for the upcoming season it's here. The Ice are featured twice, both on the road, in Red Deer and Moose Jaw, respectively, in January.

Kootenay waxed to finish pre-season

2011-09-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: The Ice have reduced their roster to 27 with four releases. Looks like I was wrong on Schellenberg.

Here's the release:
Cranbrook, BC -- Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the club has reassigned four players:

Goaltender Wyatt Hoflin 16 St. Albert AAA Midgets
Defenseman/Forward Dylan Schellenberg 18 Drumheller Dragons - AJHL
Forward Jared Iron 17 La Ronge Ice Wolves - SJHL
Forward Kurt Johnas 17 Steinbach Pistons - MJHL

As a result of today's transactions, the ICE are carrying three goaltenders, eight defencemen and 16 forwards. Of those, five are still attending NHL Camps (Nathan Lieuwen - Buffalo, Drew Czerwonka – Edmonton, Max Reinhart – Calgary, Joey Leach – Calgary, James Martin - Calgary).

The first home action for the ICE will be Home Opener September 24 against the Calgary Hitmen at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available at the Kootenay ICE Office or by calling 250-417-0322.

Good thing they don't count. The Ice finished the pre-season with a 1-4 record and were outscored in the Crowsnest Pass 19-3 as the club lost 10-0 to the Calgary Hitmen Sunday.

Both Mackenzie Skapski and Brett Teskey split the duties in net giving up five goals each on 50 shots.

Jesse Wood-Shatz was a minus-5 while four players, Simpson, Hubic, Johnas and Brendan Hurley were all dash-4.

The line-up remains at 31 with five players still at NHL camps.

In Calgary the Flames released five players back to junior but neither James Martin, Joey Leach or Max Reinhart were among them. Feel free to start fretting. Drew Czerwonka is still with the Oilers, as is Nathan Lieuwen with the Sabres.

Don't sweat it though, from reports I've read the Flames are keeping the likes of Martin, Leach and Reinhart for the splits-squad exhibition games with the Canucks Tuesday.

Kootenay drops to 1-3 in pre-season

2011-09-17T08:16:00.002-07:00

The Ice lost to the Lethbridge Hurricanes 9-3 last night in the Crowsnest Pass, dropping their record to 1-3 in the pre-season.

I didn't see the game so it's tough to comment on it, so I won't.

Well, okay, just a little. Scoring for the Ice were Sam Reinhart, Elgin Pearce and Luke Philp. Brett Teskey surrendered four goals on 19 shots while Wyatt Hoflin gave up five goals on 21 shots. The WHL has the summary here while Jeff Hollick has a good recap over at his blog (on the right).

Joe Antilla returned from the San Jose Sharks camp but didn't play last night along with Mackenzie Skapski, Jonathon Martin, Jesse Ismond, Levi Cable (ankle injury - day-to-day), and Brock Montgomery (sports hernia - October).

Liewen, Martin, Czerwonka, Leach and Reinhart are all still at NHL camps. Reinhart had a great rookie tournament in Penticton playing on a line with Sven Baertschi, who he faced off against and beat in the WHL final just a few months ago, and Americans forward Patrick Holland in an all-Dub line. The Calgary Herald has a piece here.

Offence-wise it certainly looks like Philp and Deschaneau (along with Reinhart, obviously) are the early leaders to gain three of the possibly five available forward positions, leaving Jared Iron, Jesse Wood-Shatz, Kurt Johnas, Jonathan Martin to fight it out for two spots. The 16-year-old crop seems to be more offensively inclined than the 17-year-old group. Sam Reinhart is ripping up the pre-season with 3 goals and 3 assists in 3 games. Once the season starts we'll talk more (or I'll write) about his role with the club this season.

Based on a 23-man roster, which is traditional for the club (14 forwards, 7 D, and 2 goalies), there are still 8 releases to be made. Two goalies and one 20-year-old must be a part of that configuration so I'll post two scenarios; (again, they're not based on what I've seen because I haven't been on the road with the team, just stats, so take them for what they're worth.)

If Lieuwen returns, which is far from a sure-thing after his play in the rookie tournament in Traverse City:

Lieuwen
Skapski

Skapski seems to have the edge in play so far and is challenging Brett Teskey. If Lieuwen's back I think Skapski will edge Teskey out. If Lieuwen doesn't return then it'll be the two of them between the pipes. Hoflin, 16, likely needs another year of seasoning before challenging for a spot.

Martin Leach
Paulsen Dirk
Niebrandt Simpson
Schellenberg

I have Schellenberg back on D only because the WHL website has him listed as such. I could be wrong but I think he'll have done enough to stick and because he's versatile and can play up front and on the blueline.

Reinhart Antilla Czerwonka
Benoit Pearce Ismond
McKinley Rossignol Hurley
Deschaneau Reinhart Philp
Montgomery Cable

The final two are more based on what they have done and not what they've done in camp, because of injuries. I don't know if Jared Iron, Wood-Shatz, Jon Martin or Johnas have done enough to supplant them. Ismond and Antilla are there if Lieuwen doesn't stick in the pros. If he's back, it'll be between the two of them based on the depth Martin brings to the blueline. At first I thought that Lieuwen might be the one out if he returns based on the fact that he'd certainly bring the most in return, given the lack of high-end goaltenders out there this season. That doesn't seem to be the case now and if he's returned, he'll likely anchor the club between the pipes.

I also though Montgomery might be in tough before camp but upon further review the size/grit/toughness issue of the club will need to be addressed. Czerwonka will play top minutes and can't be expected to fill that role.

Bodies should be returned from NHL camps later this week in time for the home opener but that's not guaranteed. But the club will likely get down to the bubble players by Monday.

Sly back in North America

2011-09-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

As the Ice prepare for their second-to-last exhibition game in the Crowsnest Pass tonight against Lethbridge (thanks for the catch!) I found this on former Ice captain Dustin Sylvester.

Sylvester signed an AHL deal with the Calgary Flames affiliate in Abbotsford for the upcoming season after lighting-up the German second-league in Freiburg last season.

The Flames camp roster, at least the prospect one, is littered with Ice and former Ice players. As well as Marysville product and former Kimberley Dynamiter/Lethbridge Hurricane Carter Bancks.

Catching up....

2011-09-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

Goaltender Nathan Lieuwen and D-man Brayden McNabb started off the new hockey season the way they ended it, at least in the WHL, when the two won the Traverse City Prospects tournament in Michigan today with a 5-2 win with the Buffalo Sabres prospects over the New York Rangers prospects.

Lieuwen, 3-1 in the tourney, got the win in the final game as both he and McNabb should head to the Sabres main training camp.

McNabb is already signed and headed to the AHL at least, after a solid performance, could Lieuwen be far behind?

F Matt Fraser also played in the tournament for the Dallas Stars prospects, as did Cranbrook product D Jace Coyle.

Kootenay finished up the Tri-Cities tourney with a couple of losses to Everett and Portland before heading back to Cranbrook. 15-year-old Colin Shirley headed to his Midget club for the season though I imagine he'll get into some games this season. Shirley will play for the Saskatoon Blazers.

F Jonathon Martin received a four-game suspension from the WHL after he was fingered for a charging major against Portland.

Friday Kootenay is in Lethbridge for an exhibition tilt with the Canes while on Sunday the Ice will finish up the exhibition season against the Calgary Hitmen in the Crowsnest Pass.

The regular season opens the following Friday in Red Deer with the Ice hosting the Calgary Hitmen on Banner-Raising night Saturday, September 24 at the Rec Plex.

Ice open exhibition tourney with win

2011-09-09T11:03:00.000-07:00

Sam Reinhart notched two goals as the Kootenay Ice came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Tri-City Americans 5-4 yesterday in Kennewick, Washington.

Kootenay fought some bus legs in the first and the rookies put the puck in the net against the Americans.

Brett Teskey got the start and surrendered three goals on 21 shots while Mackenzie Skapski came into the game halfway through and stopped 7 of 8 shots he faced.

Ice goals: Sam Reinhart (2), Kurt Johnas, Jaedon Descheneau and Luke Philp.

Annie Fowler of the T-C Herald has a recap here.

Kootenay is underway against Everett in the first action of Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth against his son Ryan, a forward trying to make the Silvertips as a 16-year-old.

On a local note that many have you have probably heard of, Kienan Hebert, 3, of Sparwood is still missing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family in hopes of finding the missing boy.

Ice alum not on KHL team plane...

2011-09-07T12:19:00.000-07:00

A terrible tragedy today as the plane carrying the KHL (Russian) team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl crashed shortly after takeoff today.

Among the victims is former NHL'er, Saskatoon Blades coach and Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames assistant coach Brad McCrimmon, the brother of Brandon Wheat Kings owner/GM Kelly McCrimmon.

Former Canuck Pavol Demitra was also among the 44 victims. CBC has a story here.

Former Kootenay Ice forward Ryley Armstrong, who was on the roster of the Russian team, was not involved in the disaster. He Tweeted from Saskatoon that he's about to attend Vancouver Canucks AHL affiliate training camp in St. John's.

Ice camp breaks at 32

2011-09-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice will begin their 2011 WHL Exhibition season with the 32-man roster that emerged from the club's training camp that featured 61 players.

The ICE have added the following players to their exhibition roster:
Mackenzie Skapski 17 Abbotsford, BC Goaltender
Wyatt Hoflin 16 Spruce Grove, AB Goaltender
Jeff Hubic 17 Regina, SK Defenseman
Mike Simpson 17 Abbotsford, BC Defenseman
Spencer Wand 16 Saskatoon, SK Defenseman
Dylan Schellenberg 18 Drumheller, AB Defenseman / Forward
Jared Iron 17 Canoe Narrows, SK Forward
Kurt Johnas 17 Winnipeg, MB Forward
Sam Reinhart 16 West Vancouver, BC Forward
Jesse Wood-Schatz 16 Sherwood Park, AB Forward
Luke Philp 16 Canmore, AB Forward
Jonathon Martin 16 Winnipeg, MB Forward
Jaedon Descheneau 16 Edmonton, AB Forward
Collin Shirley 15 Saskatoon, SK Forward

The 14 above are in addition to the club's current roster of 18 players from last season's club. Max Reinhart, Nathan Lieuwen, Joey Leach, Joe Antilla, James Martin and Drew Czerwonka will all attend NHL camps.

Brett Teskey G
Luke Paulsen D
Jagger Dirk D
John Niebrandt D
Adam Rossignol F
Brendan Hurley F
Elgin Pearce F
Dylan McKinlay F
Eric Benoit F
Jesse Ismond F

Injured List:
F Brock Montgomery - Sports Hernia (October)
D Tanner Faith
F Levi Cable

Both Cable and Faith were injured in training camp. Their prognosis is unknown. The roster is set at 32 but by my count there's 33 names. Montgomery's injury is likely the difference but Tanner Faith's name is conspicuously absent. His injury could be worse than first thought.

Some thoughts....

Out at the lake for the last gasp of summer vacation so I only managed three sessions including the Blue-White game.

On Sunday Team Blue jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals by Dylan Schellenberg (18) and Eric Benoit, with two markers before Team White clawed their way back. Jackson Elyuik (16), James Martin, Garick Gray (17)and Jonathon Martin (16 - no relation to James, though they're from the same hometown of Winnipeg)who scored with less than a minute left to give Team White the 4-3 come from behind win.
Bronson Ammeter, an Ice draft pick from May started for Team White and surrendered 3 goals while Mackenize Skapski came on halfway through and shut the door.
Camp invite Jayden Sittler, 15, started for team blue and gave up one goal before Wyatt Hoflin, 16, gave up three goals to take the loss.

Over $1900 was raised for the Cranbrook/Kimberley United Way.

Had a long look at the club's first round pick from the 2011 Bantam Draft F Colin Shirley. Listed at 5'10" 135lbs when he was drafted the Saskatoon product looked like he's put weight and inches on since then. Good hands, speed and size. All the right tools to play at this level next season.

For this year's roster there looks to be a three-way race for two spots on the blueline. D Mike Simpson, 17, Spencer Wand, 16, and Jeff Hubic, 17. Dylan Schellenberg, 18, can play both forward and defence but looked stronger up front from what I seen. No Tanner Faith tells me that it's a three-way battle (unless Schellenberg plays back). Simpson is the front-runner. He and Wand had a good tilt in the Blue-White game with Simpson getting the clear decision. Wand has played well and may have moved ahead of Hubic on the pre-season chart. Exhibition season will tell.... Simpson, 17, has to be in the Brayden McNabb-range of size and weight. Listed last season at 6'4" 200lbs, he's bigger and stronger this season. Foot-speed will need to be addressed but McNabb was very similar in his development three years ago.

The Forwards had some names push ahead on the pre-season chart over the five-day camp. Going in I thought Philp and Descheneau were the top two 16-year-olds but following camp Jonothan Martin moved ahead in my rankings. Jakson Elyniuk and Jesse Wood-Schatz also muddied the waters. For arguments sake we'll take Sam Reinhart out of the mix. He's got a roster spot.... Kurt Johnas played better than Jared Iron from what I saw. Iron was well ahead last season but Johnas played well.

Where I thought Cable, Iron, Philp, Descheneau were the top four guys (plus Reinhart) for five forward spots, Cable's injury and the play of Martin, Johnas, Wood-Shatz and Schellenberg have thrown that theory out the window.

With Cable out and Reinhart already there, here's my rankings:

Martin
Schellenberg
Descheneau
Johnas
Iron
Philp
Wood-Shatz

The exhibition season should clear the air somewhat.

In goal I didn't see much of the 15-year-old goaltenders but was impressed by camp invite Jayden Sittler. The much-ballyhooed four-way goaltending problem, if Lieuwen is returned, got clearer on the weekend in my opinion. Skapski clearly identified himself as ready to challenge incumbent Brett Teskey whether Lieuwen returns or not. Wyatt Hoflin, 16, is still with the club but struggled with rebound control.

At camps end my rankings:
Lieuwen
Skapski
Teskey
Hoflin

During training camp two U.S.-born brothers - Justin Derlago, 17, and Riley Derlago, 16, impressed. With the former playing well in his last appearance Saturday. Neither played in the Blue-White game but Justin Derlago looked like he could play at this level perhaps next season. He was once considered a possible high-end Bantam draft pick in 2009 but wasn't selected. Could've been NCAA aspirations being from St. Paul, MN. He played with the Winnipeg Midget Thrashers last season.

Also F Garrick Gray, 17, played well in the Blue-White game and notched a goal. He played at the Banff Hockey Academy last season.

As for the veterans, the usual suspects stood out. Max Reinhart was lights-out and will put this team on his back and carry then offensively this season. James Martin will shine in the big role on the blueline this season.

Still lots of questions though for the upcoming season but, especially following a WHL Championship, there's lots of time to let the chips fall where they may.

And I was remiss in not mentioning that D Bryce Perpelitz of Cranbrook looks to have made the BCHL's Alberni Valley Bulldogs out of their training camp that concluded this weekend. Perpelitz, 17, notched 8 goals and 13 assists in 48 games last season with the Kimberley Dynamiters.

Kootenay opens up the exhibition season Thursday in Tri-City for the Ams' pre-season tournament.

Another enforcer gone.....

2011-08-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

Former Toronto Maple Leaf enforcer Wade Belak was found dead in his Toronto apartment today. He was 35 years old.

The London Free Press has the story here.

Belak is the older brother of former Ice tough-guy Graham Belak - who became an RCMP officer.

Belak's death is the third such occurrence of an NHL enforcer/fighter type in the past three months. Derek Boogard died after an accidental overdose of prescription drugs in May while Rick Rypien committed suicide a couple of weeks ago. Rypien suffered from depression.

I'm not going to delve into it too much at this time but if you're not thinking twice about the after effects of head shots and ultimately, fighting, in the game of hockey, you should be.

Gregg Drinnan over a Taking Note (On the left) has been talking about those very same affects from fighting for some time now and has a ton of stories on the subject.

This one's not going away.....

Camp kicks off

2011-08-31T08:36:00.001-07:00

As Kootenay Ice training camp 2011 kicks off today at the Rec Plex the club announced that 8 players from the 2010-11 WHL Champions are headed to NHL training camps.

The usual suspects will be at their respective drafted team camps:

Cody Eakin - Washington Capitals
Brayden McNabb - Buffalo Sabres
Nathan Lieuwen - Buffalo Sabres

Max Reinhart - Calgary Flames
Joey Leach - Calgary Flames

Drew Czerwonka - Edmonton Oilers

James Martin - Calgary Flames (Free-agent invite)
Joe Antilla - San Jose Sharks (Free-agent invite)

Eakin, McNabb and Reinhart are all signed by their respective clubs but only McNabb and Eakin are expected to turn pro. Reinhart can play either with the big club or must be returned to junior as a 19-year-old as per the CHL/NHL agreement.

Lieuwen was only drafted last June and the Sabres don't have to sign him until next June. If signed, Lieuwen could likely be gone and play within the Sabres system as 20-year-olds (as with Eakin and McNabb) can turn pro at any level.

The club also released the training camp schedule. The Annual Blue-White game goes Sunday at Noon. Cost is $5 with all proceeds going to the Cranbrook/Kimberley United Way.

Wednesday, August 31
Prospect Session 9:15 am – 10:30 am

Veterans Practice 10:45 am – 12:00 pm

Goalies Session 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Prospect Session 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Thursday, September 1
Team Blue Practice 9:15 am - 10:30 am

Team White vs. Team Black 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Team White Practice 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm

Team Blue vs. Team Black 6:45 pm – 8:45 pm

Friday, September 2
Team Black 9:00 am - 10:15 am

Team Blue vs. Team White 10:45 am – 12:45 pm

Goaltenders Specialty Session 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Team Black vs. Team Blue 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Saturday, September 3
Team White vs. Team Black 9:00 am – 11:00 am

Team Blue vs. Team White 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Sunday, September 4 United Way Intrasquad Game 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Ams camp roster released, Benning not on it

2011-08-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

The Tri-City Americans released their main camp roster Friday and newly acquired D Matt Benning wasn't on it. That would indicate that Tri-City GM Bob Tory hasn't been successful, at least not yet, in convincing the 1994-born defenseman to report to the Ams this season.

That will mean that the 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2012 Bantam Draft acquired by the Ice will remain with the Americans, unless he reports before then.

Over at ICE PBP Jeff Hollick's blog (over there, on the right) there's some great pics of the club's 2011 WHL Championship rings that were given out at the club's golf tourney Friday.

Camp opens Wednesday.

More Locals at WHL camps

2011-08-26T15:31:00.001-07:00

Scalped from Gregg and Alan (Taking Note and Small Thoughts, respectively)here are a few more locals at WHL camps.

Cooper Holick, who is not necessarily a local any longer that his dad Mark is coaching in Syracuse, NY with the AHL's crunch but did play three years with Cranbrook Minor Hockey, is with the Kamloops Blazers for their rookie camp.

In Seattle goaltender Brad Rebagliati, 16, is at the T-Birds camp as is D Daniel Burgess, a blueliner with last season's Bantam AA team in Cranbrook.

Former Kimberley Dynamiter and Ice list goaltender Kevin Jacyna, 18, is in camp with the Spokane Chiefs.

D Ben Betker, 17 - (disclaimer - I play men's hockey with Ben's dad and remember Ben as a Peewee/Bantam coming out and skating circles around us) is with Portland with the Winterhawks. If Ben doesn't catch on somewhere in Junior A he could be with the Fernie Ghostriders of the KIJHL.

I'll update more if they come available.

Coaching staff renewed

2011-08-25T13:31:00.000-07:00

The Ice announced today that the coaching staff and head scout were all renewed and signed to two-year deals today.

After the rookie season the staff had, this isn't earth-shattering news. The release is here.

The club also announced the hiring of a new athletic therapist Cory Cameron who replaces Marty Palechuk who returned to Medicine Hat to pursue opportunities there.

Missed this but former Ice goaltender Taylor Dakers is now the goaltending coach for the Everett Silvertips. Dakers retired from pro hockey due to a recurring hip injury in 2009. Trevor Crawley, Matt Coxford's successor now that he has moved on to the RCMP Depot to pursue a career with them, has the story here.

The club's annual - save for last year - golf tournament to raise funds for the education fund goes Friday at the Cranbrook Golf Course.

On-ice sessions start a week from today.

Ice ready to defend title

2011-08-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

As we slowly swing back into things for the start of hockey season I spoke to Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth this morning on the club starting it's WHL title defence in nine days with camp opening on the 31st. That story, for BC Hockey Now, is below.

I spoke to both GM's - Chynoweth today and Tory a couple of weeks back - on the trade of D Matt Benning. It's a bit of a tale of two philosophies as Chynoweth said, as quoted below, that the Ice aren't in the business of begging players to come to the program. “That’s the choices that are out there for the players,” said Chynoweth on players headed to the NCAA or keeping their options open, as was thought with Benning. “They should all make informed decisions on which route that they want to go and there’s nothing wrong with either one. Obviously we’re pro-WHL but we’re not going to beg anyone to play for the Kootenay Ice. You either want to be here or you don’t. We have a good program and our record speaks for itself on and off the ice and we want players who want to be here.”

With Tory, he said in an email that he hopes to be able to sit down with both Matt and his dad Brian over the next few weeks and sell them on the benefits of coming to the Ams.
"I think that I will have to meet with Brian and Matt and sell them on our program. I know Brian well as I am from Edmonton as well and watched his career. I know the family well but these things are never a slam dunk and take a lot of work. I am hoping that he comes to camp and then makes his decision at that time.

Tory said that the picks are conditional on him signing a WHL contract and playing.

On the possibility of heading to college, "He has NCAA options as most quality players playing Jr. A do. However these opportunities usually are when they are 19 or 20. This is Matt’s NHL draft year which I hope helps us."

On where he might fit with the Ams: "Matt could step in and play a good number of minutes based on his ability and our need. Our blueline has some openings as we graduated some quality players and probably only have room for one over-age defenseman."

The one thing that got my attention was a quote by Brian Benning to Annie Fowler of the Tri-City Herald after the trade:

"The good part of getting traded is that somebody wants you," said Brian Benning, who now owns an Interstate Battery franchise. "Kootenay was an opportunity we stayed patient with. We kept him home to make sure the schooling was there. I believe you have top be in the top third of your team, not the bottom third. We're not in a rush to get there."
Because he has never played a WHL game, Tory will need to sign Benning to a standard player's education contract for the deal to be complete.
"I had a good conversation with Bob (on Wednesday)," Brian Benning said. "We are keeping our options open."

The elder Benning alludes that the Ice didn't want Matt, which in my discussion's with Chynoweth both this year and last year about Benning, didn't seem to be the case.

You can read the full story here.

For the rest of the Ice list/draft players not reporting, the most intriguing is Riley Simpson, a forward who finished third in AJHL scoring last season as a 17-year-old and notched 35 goals for the Brooks Bandits. He is committed to Ohio State and was a 12th round pick (257th overall) in 2008.

Just for kicks put Simpson, F Brendan O'Donnell (Tampa Bay Draft pick in 2010) and D Micheal King in the Ice line-up and those holes Chynoweth talked about in the story fill up pretty fast.

WHL camps are opening with rookies reporting. Locals that are at camps: G Peyton Lee is with the Giants; F Sebastien Barrette is with the Blades; F Jake McLachlan is with
the Red Deer Rebels, all drafted by their respective clubs last May. Others off of the SCAHL Bantam AA Championship squad from Cranbrook: D Brandon Becker garnered a camp invite with the Kamloops Blazers and will likely play in Nelson with the Major Midget Kootenay Ice and F Jason Richter is at the Swift Current Broncos camp looking for a list spot. F Colby Livingston from that team is in camp with the Vancouver Giants.

And lastly for today, anybody who knows me is aware I'm almost as big a political junkie as a hockey one. Today the Canadian political landscape lost an icon in Opposition leader Jack Layton, who succumbed to cancer this morning. I had a chance to meet Jack on two occasions and found him to be as real a person as any politician
I've met and in my business (the lumber one), I've talked to many. One really felt the passion he held for this country when I talked to him in 06 in Ottawa.

He is one of the good ones that will be missed. RIP Mr. Layton.

For BC HockeyNow....

Ice ready to defend WHL title

by Jeff Bromley

Unlike the kids who don’t want summer to end and return to the halls of learning, returning members of the Kootenay Ice don’t mind at all and are a week away from opening training camp on the 2011-12 WHL season.

Coming off of the club’s shortest summer in a decade as WHL champions– a good thing in the junior hockey business – Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth said the club is eager to jump back into the fray. “If you could play until the end of May every year, you’d certainly take that short summer,” said Chynoweth as his club prepared to open its 14th season in Cranbrook. “There’s been a lot of things happen in the last couple of months and there were a lot of positives and now we’re getting ready for the start of the upcoming season and see how we can handle everything as defending WHL champions.”

On the ice the club will lose a good portion of the horses that pushed the club past the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL finals in five games before losing to Mississauga in the Memorial Cup semi-final last May. Graduated are forwards Matt Fraser, Kevin King and Steele Boomer while Cody Eakin is signed by the Washington Capitals and will play either with the big club or their AHL affiliate. The same applies to D Brayden McNabb who signed with the Buffalo Sabres in the spring and likely won’t be back. His blueline partner Hayden Rintoul was traded to the Victoria Royals in exchange for RW Dylen McKinlay in July. That coupled with the fact that the club has four, 20-year-old candidates for three spots – G Nathan Lieuwen, D James Martin, LW Jesse Ismond and LW Joe Antilla – and will lose another veteran by the October deadline doesn’t mean you’ll hear the rebuilding moniker in the Kootenays this season. “Absolutely not,” stressed Chynoweth. “There is no such word as rebuilding in Kootenay. We expect to compete for the two trophies they give out every year. We return 15 players from last season and a lot of those players are going to have an opportunity to step up and have an increased role with our hockey club. That’s a good thing. That’s Major Junior hockey and that’s what it’s all about.”

“Do we have some holes to fill? Absolutely, just like we do every year but we’re looking forward to camp and the start of the exhibition season and how things progress as we go along.”

Chynoweth expects over 60 attendees to the club’s training camp that opens with weigh-ins August 31. There will be some notable NCAA no-shows to the camp in D Micheal King, 18, (Westside BCHL – committed to Colorado College), F Brendan O’Donnell, 19, (Penticton BCHL – committed to North Dakota), F Stefan Nicholishen, 18, (Westside BCHL – committed to Nebraska-Omaha), F Riley Simpson, 18, (Brooks AJHL – committed to Ohio State), F Colten St. Clair (Fargo USHL – committed to North Dakota) but no real surprises as the aforementioned players long ago decided to go the NCAA route. It’s an unfortunate fact of life for the WHL club but not one Chynoweth is willing to dwell on. “That’s the choices that are out there for the players,” said Chynoweth. “They should all make informed decisions on which route that they want to go and there’s nothing wrong with either one. Obviously we’re pro-WHL but we’re not going to beg anyone to play for the Kootenay Ice. You either want to be here or you don’t. We have a good program and our record speaks for itself on and off the ice and we want players who want to be here.”

Quick Hits – Off the ice and in the stands the club is reaping the benefits of a championship run in the season ticket tally with over 2100 so far. “We sold 328 new season tickets, by far the most in the last number of years,” said Chynoweth. “It’s a great base and it’s going to help get the average attendance up.”… F Brock Montgomery underwent surgery for a sports hernia in August and is expected to miss all of training camp and return to the ice in October. It’s the same injury that G Nathan Lieuwen suffered in the WHL playoffs last spring and underwent surgery for in the off-season. Lieuwen started skating this week and will attend the Ice camp and the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres camp in September… F Kevin King signed an AHL deal with the Syracuse Crunch over the summer, reuniting him with his former coach Mark Holick, the current head coach of the Crunch. Joining King will be former Ice assistant Brad Lauer who was hired on as an assistant with the Crunch…. Former Ice head coach and Ottawa Senators bench boss Cory Clouston is now the head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings…. Ice forward and Calgary Flames draft pick Max Reinhart was signed to a 3-year entry level contract over the summer. Reinhart should return to the Ice this season and play along side his 16-year-old brother Sam, who played four regular season and seven playoff games with the club as a 15-year-old last season… Also among the list of camp no-shows was D Matt Benning, son of former NHL’er Brian Benning. Benning was a second round draft pick from the 2009 Bantam Draft who didn’t report to the club. Thought to have NCAA aspirations, Benning’s rights were traded to the Tri-City Americans for a 3rd and 6th round Bantam Pick in 2012 where former Ice GM Bob Tory will attempt to convince the 17-year-old to join the club… For the second straight year the Kootenay Ice traded away their CHL Import Draft pick and will likely not employ any Europeans on their roster this season…. Kootenay opens the 2011 exhibition season against the Americans in the Tri-City preseason tournament September 8.

Benning dealt to TCA

2011-08-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

The Ice announced this morning that the club has traded D Matt Benning to the Tri-City Americans in exchange for conditional 3rd and 6th round picks in the 2012 Bantam Draft.

Here's the release:

Cranbrook, BC – Jeff Chynoweth, General Manager of the Kootenay ICE Hockey Club, today announced the club has traded 17-year-old Defense prospect Matt Benning (May 25, 1994) to the Tri-City Americans in exchange for a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

“While we are disappointed Matt did not commit to our program. We felt it was best for both the player and the organization to have a fresh start,” added Chynoweth.
Matt Benning was drafted in the second round (35th overall) of the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft. He played last season with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL (43-0-7-7-65).
Regular priced Season Tickets are still available for the upcoming season at the Kootenay ICE Office or by calling 250-417-0322.

After Benning did not show for training camp last season it appears that the organization and the player chose to go their separate ways. Benning, a 6', 205lb rearguard who played with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL last season notching 7 assists in 43 games.

Falling behind other 17-year-old D-men on the club's prospect list, Mike Simpson and Jeff Hubic, both who have a shot at cracking the roster this season, Benning - the son of former NHL'er Brian Benning - was thought to be exploring the college route by not reporting to camp. AM's GM Bob Tory, who's been on a trading tear of late to reshape his roster, will attempt to entice the Edmonton product to the desert this season. The deal is based on a conditional 3rd and 6th round pick, with the 3rd rounder likely being the 'conditional' one if Benning reports to the Americans.

Over at Between the Lines Ice PBP Jeff Hollick has the season ticket tally at 2101.

Mentorship Cup

2011-08-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

The Mentorship Cup, a week-long event put on by the Gary Roberts and the NHLPA in Missisauga, Ontario, wrapped up back East yesterday with an inter-squad game that involved the top 42 15-year-old players in the nation.

Team Spezza edged Team Schenn in a shootout to cap off the week of hockey training that included leadership development skills, nutrition etc.

Ice first round pick Colin Shirley was among the 42 players at the camp, as was Cranbrook product G Payton Lee, who played the first half of the game for Team Spezza yesterday.

Shirley is already pencilled in to play for the Saskatoon Blazers AAA Midget squad this season while Lee, who played last year for the Pursuit of Excellence school in the Okanagan after playing his formative years up until his first year in Bantam in Cranbrook would likely play Major Midget in BC.

Drafted by the Vancouver Giants in the 2011 Bantam Draft, residency rules for BC Minor Hockey dictate that he plays in Nelson with the Major Midget Ice if he were to go that route. He could play Midget with POE but the competition wouldn't be as good as most of the top 15-year-olds now play in BCMML. Evaluation camps for MML went this weekend so Lee likely got an exemption, as did the rest of the BC players at the Mentorship Cup; F Jake Virtanen (number one overall pick to the Hitmen), LW Ryan Gropp (Seattle, 6th overall), D Joe Hicketts (Victoria, 12th overall), D Josh Thrower (Hitmen, 2nd round, 23rd overall) along with Lee (28th overall).

There is a transfer rule within the BCMML that does allow goaltenders from other areas to play for other regions within the MML as the Major Midget Ice had goaltenders from Langley (Christian Pickles) and Kelowna (Jarod Schamerhorn) last season, so that might come into play.

I was also a bit brain dead the other day (ahh, summer) not to mention graduated forward Kevin King signing a one-year deal in Syracuse with Crunch for next season. He'll rejoin his former coach in Mark Holick and his former assistant Brad Lauer who'll be an assistant with the Crunch this season.

Dog Days of Summer roll on

2011-08-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

As the hockey-less days of summer roll on there are some updates Ice-wise.

Camp opens August 31 with weigh-in's and whatnot, less than four weeks away. Some players will be filtering back into town over the next few weeks as many help out with the various hockey schools in Cranbrook and Kimberley. Eric Benoit will be instructing at Ice-alum Colin Sinclair's Hockey in the Rockies camp starting August 8 while Ice assistant coach Jerry Bancks will run his very successful school, the Alpine Hockey School (going on so long that I went to it for a few summers some 30 years ago), starting August 22 in Kimberley.

The biggest news for the Ice this week - at least a former member - was the Brandon Wheat Kings signing former Ice coach Cory Clouston to a two-year deal as owner/GM/President and now former coach Brad McCrimmon removed one of his hats and placed it on Clouston. This came out of left field for me as I consider Brandon one of the small-market franchises in the WHL and it was a big commitment to hire a former NHL coach that comes with a ton of success but also with a bigger contract, likely in the low six-figure range. Mr. Drinnan reported that the Wheat Kings season ticket sales for this season stand at 2320. Last season they had over 3100 and averaged 4300 for home dates. So there's no question McCrimmon is looking to demonstrate to the fan-base that the best product on the ice starts from behind the bench.

Quiet in Iceland over the last month after the club dropped import Alex Kuveav after he signed in his home country of Russia. There's a couple of candidates out there import-wise for the club to list but it isn't exactly bursting and the status quo of no imports for this upcoming season will probably stand. Does the club lack offence? Loosing the likes of Eakin, King, McNabb, Boomer and Fraser says yes but again, developing the Rossignol's and Pearce's of the roster - at least giving them enough of a shot - isn't a bad philosophy. Unless you're a lights-out import, why not develop a 16 or 17-yr-old that will pay-off better dividends down the road at 19 and 20.

One of those players for development, Sam Reinhart, played with Team Bruins at the Provincial U-17 camp in Salmon Arm last week. Though Reinhart will likely get top-six minutes this season if he can handle it and almost isn't a prospect anymore. Also at the camp, which is a 42 player invite camp to determine the BC half (Alberta is the other half) of Team Pacific that will compete at the World U-17 Challenge this Christmas in Windsor, Ont, was Cranbrook's Brad Rebagliati, a goaltender with Team Bruins, and former Kimberley product Dryden Hunt, who calls Nelson home and played with the Major Midget Ice last season.

The Alberta program had their camp earlier in July. Ice prospects there included forwards Jaedon Desheneau, Luke Philp and Jesse Wood-Schatz, along with goaltender Wyatt Hoflin. Ryan Chynoweth, Jeff's son who was drafted out of Lethbridge last year by Everett, was also at the camp. Ryan relocated to Lethbridge for his last year of Bantam after coming up through CMHA.

The Saskatchewan and Manitoba programs make up Team Western. D Tanner Faith (Sask) along with D Cole DePape and F Jonothan Martin make up the Ice prospects looking for a shot with Team Western.

Hoflin, 16, should make a push for a spot between the pipes next month. It presents an interesting challenge for a club that's deep at the position. No word on Lieuwen signing with Buffalo yet but if that happens it will likely come during their training camp, leaving Brett Teskey, 18, MacKenzie Skapski, 17, and Hoflin in a three-way scrap for what might be one position (if Lieuwen signs or is dealt as an overager) or two. If the latter happens, do the Ice go with a 17 and 16-year-old, 18 and 16-year-old or 18 and 17-year-old in the nets? Easily the most watch-able battle of camp.

Ice season ticket sales are just south of the 2100 (last check 2085) mark and should ensure some thicker crowds at the Plex this season.

Couple of locals made the BC U-16 short-list that will compete for a spot on the team that will play at the 2011 U-16 Western Challenge with provincial teams from BC, AB, SK and MB in October. G Payton Lee (Giants draft pick), F Jake McLachlan (Red Deer List) and Sebastien Barrette (Blades draft pick) are all former Cranbrook Minor hockey players. McLachlan is from Fernie but played in Cranbrook from age 11.

Former Ice coach Ryan McGill, who was in the running for the Regina Pats job that went to Pat Conacher still hasn't found work as of yet... A couple of former Ice captains have signed pro deals. Nigel Dawes signed in Russia with the KHL's Barys-Astana. Jason Jaffray signed with the Winnipeg Jets, as did Ben Maxwell.

Another Ice alum, former GM Bob Tory - the Ams GM and part-owner the last decade - traded both of his goaltenders from last season. Drew Owsley, 20, to the PG Cougars for goalie Ty Rimmer, 19, this week and a couple of weeks back sent 17-year-old Chris Driedger to the Calgary Hitmen for a 3rd round Bantam pick. That leaves highly-touted 16-year-old Eric Comrie, the Ams first round pick in last year's Bantam draft, as a possible starter along with Rimmer. Comrie is the younger half-brother of former Ice forward Mike and the moves are now drawing comparison's to the last time Tory had a 16-year-old starter, Dan Blackburn with the Ice in 1999.

Max Reinhart was signed by the Calgary Flames but will almost assuredly play another season here. He'll get a long look with the Flames but can only play in the NHL or Junior as a 19-year-old. It does mean that this will be his last year in Junior and he should turn pro next season.

Speaking of the Flames, is this the year former Ice D John Negrin stays healthy enough to push for a spot on the big club?

My opening day roster:

Ismond M. Reinhart Czerwonka
Antilla Pearce McKinlay
Benoit Rossignol Hurley
Montgomery S. Reinhart J. Iron
Descheneau L. Philp

Forwards who will compete for a spot: The last three are on that list; Montogomery's role this season will have to be defined. He could be in tough if the club wants to go young and develop... Levi Cable, 17, Jonathan Martin, 16, and Sam Johnson, 17 (list player) will all have something to say about those spots.

Martin Leach
Dirk Paulsen
Neibrandt Simpson
Faith

D-men who will compete: Jeff Hubic, 17, has a real shot... Dylan Schellenberg, 17, also could make some noise. Two bigger list names, Micheal King and Matt Benning aren't coming and if history shows, GM Jeff Chynoweth isn't going to beg them to either, though both could likely make the club. King has committed to Colorado College for the 2012-13 season, though he wasn't drafted out of the BCHL's Westside Warriors this season when many thought he would be. Wonder if that hasn't any bearing on his future... Benning played with Spruce Grove in the AJHL last season but didn't have the break-out season many thought he would have.

Lieuwen
Skapski
Teskey
Hoflin

How the goaltending situation plays out will be interesting. I still think Lieuwen returns and then depending on what the return is could be dealt to a team looking for a number one tender to make a cup run. When the season begins I think Lieuwen will be here. All things being equal, Lieuwen stays to mentor the younger goaltender but with the three 20-year-old maximum they aren't equal. I don't know how the club get's around not developing their goaltending ranks with him in the lineup. Would be better fan-wise if he makes the Sabres AHL team and moves into pro hockey life. Would be better team wise if the club can deal him for prospects or picks if he's return and set the rebuild in motion. Tough situation. Without Lieuwen, I think Skapski could really challenge Teskey for the number one role.

Kuvaev signed?... Crunch now have two former Ice coaches

2011-07-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

Some news and notes around the Ice world today.

Followed up on a post yesterday about Alex Kuvaev. The Ice listed the former Huricane import forward from Russia a couple of weeks back but following the post I found this on the Moscow Dynamo site of the KHL. It's translated using Google but you get the jist of it. It looks as though Kuvaev has signed a two-way deal, between the junior Knights and the Dynamo club. Likely that means you won't see him in Cranbrook this September.

In the coaching game former Ice assistant Brad Lauer wasn't out of work long as the Anaheim Ducks have hired him to help run the bench of the Syracuse Crunch, the club's AHL affiliate. He'll work alongside Crunch head coach Mark Holick.

Former Ice bench boss Ryan McGill isn't the head coach of the Regina Pats, at least not yet, according to Greg Harder in today's Leader-Post. The Pats are thought to have McGill as a finalist, along with Cory Clouston, for their head coaching position. Both McGill and Clouston are exhausting all avenues in the pros before considering a job back in the junior ranks.

Former Ice forward Brett Sutter has reportedly plead guilty to a disorderly conduct charge after punching a cab driver in Phoenix last November. Sutter was with the Calgary Flames at the time and was subsequently dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes and sent down to their AHL affiliate in Charlotte.

Kootenay gets two new faces, loses one

2011-07-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Just seven weeks shy of the Memorial Cup, the Kootenay Ice are starting to look vastly different than the line-up that hoisted the WHL Championship less than two months ago.

The 20-year-old debate that we started to have as the Memorial Cup ended for the Ice started with earnest today when Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth traded D Hayden Rintoul, 20, to the Victoria Royals (formerly the Chilliwack Bruins) along with future considerations in exchange for forward Dylan McKinley. The 19-year-old Winger is being acquired surely for his offensive upside. In 2009-10 with the Bruins the Langley product notched 20 goals and 23 assists in all 72 games but last year fell to just 6 goals and 14 assists in 55 games and finished -16 in an injured plaqued season. The Ice are hoping McKinlay can recapture that goal scoring he had as a 17-year-old.

In Rintoul it's obvious that the club is going with the need of size and offensive up front in forwards Joe Antilla and Jesse Ismond, along with James Martin on the backend. Rintoul's offensive potential couldn't trump the needs generated up front with the losses of King, Fraser, Boomer and Eakin. The blueline still has the experience of Martin - who is with the Calgary Flames at their prospects camp and will go to main camp in September with the Flames looking for a contract - along with Joe Leach, also a Flames pick, and Jagger Dirk, Luke Paulsen and John Niebrandt as the club's top five. The move frees up space for Mike Simpson, Jeff Hubic and Tanner Faith to fight for spots on the roster.

The Ice also added a European import today. Alex Kuvaev, a 6'3", 190lb forward from Moscow, Russia had 11 goals and 13 assists as a 17-year-old with the Lethbridge Hurricanes last season. The 18-year-old was dropped by the Canes when they used both their picks in last week's import draft.

Carter Bancks, a former Kimberley Dynamiter, who graduated from the WHL with the Hurricanes in 2010, last season played with the Calgary Flames AHL team in Abbotsford. The Flames signed Bancks to a contract this week to an NHL contract.

So with two moves the Ice create some real competition for the spots up front and open up the back end for their younger D-men in dealing Rintoul. With Eakin and McNabb both signed by Washington and Buffalo, respectively, the club won't get them back as 20-year-olds, leaving G Nathan Lieuwen, D James Martin and forwards Joe Antilla and Jesse Ismond as the four 20-year-olds for three spots. If Lieuwen signs with the Sabres and makes the club's AHL team (a distinct possibility), the 20-year-old situation in Kootenay is solved. If he's returned by the Sabres, there's still a lot in play.

Back in the Saddle.......

2011-06-29T08:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, now that I have a full grasp of those Prairie trips in the Iron Lung WHL players make many times a season, we can catch up on the last few weeks.

The Early Bird Season Ticket drive of the Ice and the Kootenay Ice 'Green Bay Committee' that provides oodles of community support wrapped while I was gone with a total of 2030 season tickets, 318 of which are new. The committee is planning on kick-starting the Champions of the Ice Reach Out ticket drive coming up next which provides tickets to games for those who generally cannot afford to go. The target for that is 120. If they meet their goal (and with the tremendous support the business community demonstrates toward the team in Cranbrook and area, I expect they will), the final total will be a substantial increase from the 1830 season tickets the Ice had last season. 2300 isn't out of the realm of possibility. Based on those totals the average attendance, which last season was 2501, should jump to the 3000 mark based on average walk-up projections. Those are numbers not seen in five years.

The NHL Draft was in St.Paul (Xcel Energy Centre is in St.Paul, where the Minnesota Wild play) while I was there and on day two of the Draft Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen finally heard his name called - well, saw it on the Internet, as he wasn't on hand - and was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 6th round, 167th overall. At 19, Lieuwen was overlooked twice before his stellar play last season and backstopping the Ice to the WHL championship forced NHL teams to give him a shot. Ice teammate D Brayden McNabb was selected by the Sabres in the 3rd round in 09 and signed to a contract just prior to the Memorial Cup. Dan Kinvig of the Abbotsford News has a piece here as does Matt Coxford at the Townsman. In the first piece Lieuwen talks about the future and what it could hold next season. As a 20-year-old Lieuwen could be signed and play in the Sabres AHL affiliate in Rochester or the club's ECHL affiliate (they didn't have one last season) but he could also be returned to the Ice for his final year of junior. If that happens it would give the club a possible five overage players for three spots on top of clogging the goaltending pipeline (Skapski, Hoflin, Teskey) something fierce. However the Sabres aren't deep in goaltenders within the system and it's very possible Lieuwen will catch on in the AHL next season. It'll be interesting to see what develops.

Saw that the WHL Exhibition schedule was released last week. Kootenay will play five pre-season games but none of them will be at home. The first three will be in the Tri-City tournament against the Ams, the Silvertips and the Winterhawks and then the Ice will play two in the Crowsnest Pass against Lethbridge and Calgary, respectively.

The full regular season schedule comes out today and fittingly enough, the club will raise the 2011 WHL Championship banner (along with the Eastern Conference one) to the Rec Plex rafters on Saturday, September 24 against the Calgary Hitmen. Kootenay opens the season on the road against the Red Deer Rebels one night earlier. The full schedule is here.

The CHL Import Draft is on as I type. The Ice hold the 51st pick (out of 60 per round) and Ice GM told Jeff Hollick (Between the Lines, on the right) that if the club takes an import player this season it'll be a 92 or 93-born forward. Chynoweth still hadn't decided whether or not they'll take a player in the draft or look to see what's available via other clubs but it sounds like the club will have an import player at least at training camp to compete for a spot. If he takes the latter route two forwards - Russian forward Alex Kuvaev (11g, 13a in 2010-11) of the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Prince Albert forward Michel Hlinka (Czech Republic - 5g, 5a last season with both Moose Jaw and PA) are some names that might be available. Chynoweth is looking to mitigate some of the scoring lost via graduation (Fraser, King and Boomer) and through NHL signed players who won't be back (Eakin, McNabb). Kootenay is scheduled to make their selection at 3:20PM Mountain time but the draft looks to be ahead of schedule today.

UPDATE: The Ice traded their pick in the CHL draft to the Everett Silvertips for a 8th round pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft. Chynoweth said in a release, “We were looking to add a forward in the 1992 or 1993 age group that could come in and compete for a top six position with our Club and unfortunately we could not make that happen. Although we have passed on selecting a player in the CHL Import Draft for a second year in a row, it does not mean we will not have an Import player in our line-up at some point in the near future.”

In the coaching game, former Ice head coach Mark Holick took in the draft in St. Paul. He is the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate in Syracuse, NY.... Former Ice coaches Ryan McGill and Cory Clouston are still looking for work. McGill wasn't re-signed as an assistant in Calgary and Clouston didn't survive the purge in Ottawa. In St. Paul I was told McGill's name was mentioned for the head coaching position in Houston, the Wild's AHL affiliate. That job should be filled later this week. Former Ice assistant and Sens assistant under Cory Clouston, Brad Lauer's name was mentioned a finalist for the Milwaukee Admirals head coaching job this week that went to Kirk Muller. Lauer's name has also been thrown out there as one of the possible assistants in Detroit. In Cory Clouston's case I haven't heard his name bandied about for vacant positions at the pro level but I have heard his name with some WHL vacant positions. Everett is still searching as is Moose Jaw and Regina. Seattle hired former Avs assistant Steve Konowalchuk last week leaving three vacant positions. Moose Jaw's supposedly has former Guelph Storm head coach Dave Barr hired to coach if there's no NHL or AHL opportunities. Barr was an assistant with the Minnesota Wild last season. That would leave Everett and Regina with open spots and two franchises I believe have deep enough pockets to afford Clouston. Stepping down from the NHL (or being pushed, take your pick) to coach back at the junior level would take Marc Habscheid money and length of deal. Clouston would command likely a five year, six figure deal to come back to the Dub this season, easily north of the $125,000/season figure. Then again, maybe he'll just hang here with his young family and wait out his options.

The World Junior Summer Development Camp roster was named a few weeks ago. Most eligible among Ice forwards Max Reinhart, wasn't on it. He'll have another shot at the December selection camp later in the season. If he's ripping up the WHL scoring race an invite should be in the mail.

That'll be it for a bit as the summer news will be slow. Time for some lake time. Kids played great at the tournament in Wisconsin (just over state line from Minnesota). Learned that Japan as a hockey nation is still growing but the team they sent to the tournament could've been their U-14 team. They were pretty good. Team from St. Paul won the tourney, Johnson-Como. We finished 5-5 at the tourney and I learned that every team there saved their best for playing anyone from Canada. Who knew Australia (New South Wales, to be precise) could be such an intense rival for 12-year-olds? And the Kiwis (Auckland, NZ) could be so chippy and have a 5'11" goaltender who stopped everything we threw at her? Both were coached by Canadian ex-pats, go figure!

I think I can safely say that will be the last 24-hour bus ride I'll take, however.

Ice season ticket push and some other things

2011-06-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

The big push is on for early bird season tickets for next season for the Kootenay Ice as the try to get their season ticket base up in the small-market world of the WHL. The deadline has been extended yet again to June 16.

Jeff Hollick has been providing updates on his blog and has the number at 1871 (Now 1929) so far, with 251 new season ticket holders. It's a good start as the club's biggest number was over 2400 in the first year of the Rec Plex in 2000.

Matt Coxford had an interesting story with WHL commissioner Ron Robison here about the viability of a WHL club in a small market, in particular, Cranbrook.

I've been getting updates from Bre Tironese and Allan Rella, both of which do great work with the Kootenay Ice 'Green Bay' Committee (a small-market NFL reference). It's an independent group headed up by local fans and businesses that see the importance of the WHL club to the city and doing everything in it's power to make sure they stay here and stay viable. Allan reported that the Early Bird deadline has been extended yet again to June 16 so call the Ice office for details.

The group is doing some great stuff including the 'Champions of the Ice' group that purchases tickets (by local businesses) and then donates them to the less-fortunate or groups that cannot afford games through the Reach Out program. They're also rejuvenating the school program that was successful two years back and brought the schools out to the game.

They do some great work and have more ideas and initiatives to kickstart attendance in small-market Cranbrook.

I did get to thinking though that it's a unique relationship that spurs this kind of support. It's something that usually only occurs with community-owned teams like those in Swift, Lethbridge or Moose Jaw or PA.

G Peyton Lee has been selected to an elite Hockey Canada camp in Missauga later this summer. It's been a good year for Lee, a Cranbrook minor hockey product who played his first year away from home with the POE in Kelowna this year and was drafted by the Vancouver Giants. Matt Coxford has the story here.

Learned that another Cranbrook product and CMHA grad G Brad Rebagliatti, 17, is listed by the Seattle Thunderbirds. He missed almost the entire season last year with a torn ACL. I'll update where he's playing this year as soon as I find out.

Another former CMHA product, Fernie native Jake MacLachlan, a forward who played with Notre Dame this season, got this invite to the Red Deer Rebel prospects camp last week.

And yet another former CMHA player, F Sebastien Barrette, who also played in Notre Dame this season and was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades in May, will play with the Major Midget Kootenay Ice in Nelson this September.

Mississauga Majors head coach Dave Cameron had a tough 2011. The national junior squad under his watch blew a 3-0 lead in the gold medal game against the Russians; blew leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the OHL Championship to the Owen Sound Attack, including losing in overtime in game 7 and then lost in the Memorial Cup final Sunday. Tough year.

Still on Cameron, every indication is that he will replace Cory Clouston as the Ottawa Senators head coach. The Senators are owned by Eugene Melnyk, who also owns the Majors. Just an observation here but it looks as though Cameron is every bit the old-school, hard-ass coach that was the complaint of Clouston at the NHL level. (eg. Dany Heatly and Clouston aren't going to be sending Christmas cards this year, or any year). So if that was a problem with Clouston, how are the NHL'ers going to react to Cameron? I've covered Ryan McGill, Clouston and Mark Holick, who were tough as nails on their players. Watching Cameron on the bench at the Memorial Cup and he looked way worse.

Had a younger co-worker get tickets for Game two of the Stanley Cup finals between Vancouver and Boston. He's a die-hard Nucks fan and got 'bleeders' as it was described to me. Meaning a pair of nose-bleed seats at Rogers Arena set him back a cool $1500. Lower Bowl were going for $3500 a pair. Hey, I'm as biggest Canuck fan as the next guy but I'm not parting with two weeks pay for couple of seats next to a guy in green spandex. Maybe I'm just getting cheap with age...

So are the 'Nucks going to choke as the noose tightens tonight or pull it out? Luongo or Schneider? Six of one, half dozen of the other. If Luongo falters tonight Schneider will be ask to bail them out in game six in his hometown, no doubt. Is it me or are you embarassed as a 'Nucks fan that the opposition's goaltender not only put your best player on his butt (Gm 3) but added insult to injury and got more shots in and initiated a goal-mouth scrap. Really, Thomas has been the difference in this series but do you have to let him beat you up too? Is Rick Rypien still around?

Whether or not the phyical push-back the Canucks need tonight is irrelevant (Hello, Mr. Torres?), Vancouver looks lost right now. Group therapy bills in this province are going to be needed in spades if they lose tonight.

Lastly, it'll be quiet around here for the next month or so. I'll provide updates and comments on all things Ice but I'm taking a Peewee team to coach Cranbrook's entry into the International Friendship Peewee tournament in Hudson, Wisconsin (just 30 KM east of Minneapolis) for the next two weeks. It's a tournament with teams from all over the world and should be a great experience for the kids. We were scheduled to leave on Amtrak Sunday but Mother Nature has other ideas and the flooding in North Dakota has the tracks underwater and us now on the mother of all bus rides. Now I'll know what the boys feel like headed to Brandon, twice.

And yes, Twins-Padres are in order at Target Field June 17 and coincidentally, the NHL Draft in is Minnesota at the home of the Wild at the Xcel Energy Centre on the 24and 25 so I hope to take in rounds 2-7 (first round is sold out) on the Saturday before we return. John Niebrandt and Jagger Dirk, as well as Nathan Lieuwen are Ice hopefuls.

A look to a short summer.....

2011-05-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

For the first time in nine seasons the Kootenay Ice will have to contend with a short summer - one game shy of the shortest with their Memorial Cup semi-final loss -before they prepare for the 2011-12 season.

That's not a bad thing.

But as is with all junior hockey clubs, its nature demands that new life is born with every autumn and as such players and personalities will move on to professional contracts, college hockey and life as an adult.

At least they will do so with a championship in their back pocket, something a majority of players at this level will never get a chance to do.

For the WHL Champions there stands to be a change in the personnel of the hockey club. From a team that returned 17 regulars from the year prior, the 2011-12 version stands to look somewhat different.

Here's a peek at next season:

The Graduates - Steele Boomer, Kevin King and Matt Fraser all graduated with Friday night's loss to Mississauga. King was a 3rd round pick from the 2005 Bantam Draft that made the club as a rookie in 2006, playing all five years of eligibility. Boomer, taken in the second round of that draft, made the club in 2007 while Fraser was acquired as a 17-year-old in exchange for 20-year-old Clayton Bauer in 2007. Fraser, a superb community volunteer in his fund-raising efforts with the East Kootenay Hospital foundation, is signed by the Dallas Stars and will play in their organization next season. He was named the Boston (Vancouver?) Pizza Playoff MVP for the team today. King and Boomer are free agents and will test the pro market next season or take advantage of the scholarship program and play college hockey.

But in fact all three of them did so much for the community. Matt Coxford of the Townsman caught up with the three of them at their exit meetings Sunday. What did they do Saturday night after flying back from Toronto? Attended the Relay for Life at the College. Really, how many players do that much for the community and even get an Owl named after them? And can sing?

It's the kind of impact on the community that many never get to see or experience but they sure do make a difference.

20-year-olds - The club is laden with them, seven, to be precise.

C Cody Eakin is signed with the Washington Capitals and will be coming to an NHL arena near you. He was a late cut of the Caps last season and will have a great shot again this year. Although he has one year of eligibility left it won't be used. Signed players can play pro in the AHL at 20 if their NHL clubs so desire.

D Brayden McNabb is signed with the Buffalo Sabres. Like Eakin, McNabb is eligible to return but it won't happen. He likely play a year or two with the Sabres AHL franchise before making a big push for the big club. Then again, in the NHL salary cap world and rookies making less than the veterans, the Sabres are known to let their prospects develop with the big team too. It wouldn't be a shock if he made it.

So two are gone for sure, which leaves five eligible players for three 20-year-old spots and possibly some very difficult decisions for Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth.

G Nathan Lieuwen - The unsigned, undrafted WHL Playoff MVP will almost certainly make Chynoweth's decision easier. His play has earned him some big time talk in the scouting circles to the point that in this year's WHL eligible goaltenders for the NHL Draft it's Lieuwen who won't be left on the outside looking in, as was the case the last two go-arounds. And if that doesn't happen he will almost assuredly be snapped up and signed as a free-agent and play pro hockey somewhere next season. The third possibility is the one that the club must face but likely won't have to. The club has three goaltenders waiting in the wings that will battle for two spots next season. Back-up Brett Teskey, who will be 18, Mackenzie Skapski, 17, and Wyatt Hoflin, 16 will all battle for the two jobs. If by chance Lieuwen returns to the club to play for a 20-year-old spot the chance of being traded just to make room for the others is very real. (As per Gregg Drinnan's blog and their goaltending situation, Vancouver Giants, anyone?) But there is a fourth possibility at play here. Lieuwen is a top-notch student and actually tutored the rest of the club's players this past season when needed. If his hockey dream doesn't pan out next season he could use his scholarship and start school right away.

But based on his play this past season and the playoff MVP in his pocket, the NHL will come calling.

And then there were four.....

D James Martin - Martin will obviously look at any pro offers but is a likely candidate to return next season and wear a letter.

D Hayden Rintoul - Like Martin, Rintoul is in the same boat.

F Joe Antilla - The burly forward has a penchant for scoring big goals

F Jesse Ismond - Nasty to play against, Ismond can also put the puck in the net.

So four, possibly five, players for three spots. Let's look down at the rest of the roster first before we see who might fit where.

19-year-olds

C Max Reinhart - The Calgary Flames draft pick will have a shot at the big club this season but will almost certainly be back in a leadership role with the club. Reinhart should push in the league scoring department next season.

F Drew Czerwonka - Will play an even bigger role next season.

F Elgin Pearce - Was relegated to fourth line duty in the playoffs at times but has shown flashes of being able to put the puck in the net. Will he take the ball and run with it? 19-year-olds have to play top-six, can he be one of them?

F Brock Montgomery - Another role player that was hampered by injuries. Depending on what the club wants to do with it's younger, developing forwards, Montgomery might be able to play a third-line role.

D Luke Paulsen - Slotted in the five-six hole all season Paulsen will play big minutes next year. Power play and likely the second pairing.

D Joey Leach - Brayden McNabb's minutes will have to be taken by somebody. Leach is likely the guy.

D John Neibrandt - Playing in a 7th D-man role this past year Neibrandt will have to step it up as a 19-year-old. His minutes/spot depends on the 20-year-old situation.

18-year-olds

F Brendan Hurley - The power forward played a bigger, third-line role throughout the playoffs. Will his physical presence turn into points? Probably a 3rd line regular next season.

F Erik Benoit - Here's a guy that made the club as a walk-on and then showed he could score given the chance. Next season he will be given more.

F Adam Rossignol - Another kid who can score but was a healthy scratch in the playoffs. He'll get an opportunity. Could be looking at the third line otherwise he'll be fighting with the rookies on the fourth unit, which could put his spot in jeopardy.

D Jagger Dirk - Like Paulsen, Dirk will be counted upon for heavy minutes and will play a top-four role. Has a shot at being a late-round NHL Draft pick in June.

G Brett Teskey - Some big skates to fill if Lieuwen doesn't return. He'll also not be handed the starter's job as Skapski will have something to say about that.

17-year-olds

The club did not carry any 16-year-old regulars this season so here's a snapshot of who I think will push for a spot. They are in order of shot at making the team in their respective positions.

G Mackenzie Skapski. Played Junior B in Ridge Meadows this year with varying success. He is the heir apparent and will push Teskey for the starter's job.

D Mike Simpson. Played with the club at different points this season. With higher-profile rearguards like Michael King and Matt Benning on the club's list both looking at the NCAA route, Simpson is prospect with the best shot at making the club as a full-time rookie d-man.

D Jeff Hubic - Another young d-man who played some games with the Ice this season.

F Levi Cable - Lead the Yorkton Harvest in scoring this past year in Saskatchewan Midget and will be given every chance to make the big club this season.

F Jared Iron - Second in scoring with the Beardy's Blackhawks in Saskatchewan Midget this past year. Like Cable, will likely be in the mix next season.

16-year-olds

F Sam Reinhart - He was the club's defacto 16-year-old this season and would've played more had regulations permitted. He'll transition into a full-time role next season and has a shot as being the club's starriest 16-year-old in recent memory. I suspect the transition to full-time play in the WHL will have it's setbacks as most 16-year-olds do but Reinhart, based his time accummalated with the club in the regular season and playoffs, should be well equipped to play a bigger-than-normal role on this team next season.

D Tanner Faith - Played in four games this season and has a shot at the 7th d-man/rookie role this year. Will be fighting with the likes of Hubic and Simpson for his role.

F Luke Philp - Finished 3rd in Alberta Midget scoring this season as a 15-year-old with the UFA Bisons which is no small feat with 20g 33a - 53 pts in 33 games. I expect him to be one of the club's rookie forwards next season.

F Jaedon Descheneau - Lead the Leduc Oil Kings in scoring in the same league with 15g 20a - 35 points in 31 games.

F Sam Johnson - Was third in scoring on that UFA Bison team. A list player, Johnson might have to wait a year before getting his shot.

As with any prognostication there are many wildcards in play depending who returns, who doesn't and what kind of developments/transitions happen over the summer. This one however will be a short one.

Here's my roster for next year just for fun.

G - Brett Teskey
G - Mackenzie Skapski

Wildcard: Hoflin, 16, will challenge but will have to wait. I'm betting big that Lieuwen get's an NHL contract, if not we'll re-work this thing over the summer.

D - James Martin
D - Joey Leach
D - Hayden Rintoul
D - Luke Paulsen
D - Jagger Dirk
D - Mike Simpson
D - Tanner Faith

Wildcard: John Neibrandt, 19

Rintoul's my overage D-man on the bubble here. He brings a lot to the club but could also get something back in trade. If Rintoul's dealt at the 20-year-old deadline next season Neibrandt, 19, should be in the mix. Rintoul's high-risk, high reward and whether or not Chynoweth wants to rebuild or retool next season will help make this decision.

C - Max Reinhart
F - Joe Antilla
F - Drew Czerwonka
F/C - Elgin Pearce
F - Brendan Hurley
F - Erik Benoit
F - Brock Montgomery
C/F - Adam Rossignol
C - Sam Reinhart
F - Levi Cable
F - Jared Iron
F - Luke Philp
F - Jaedon Descheneau
F - Sam Johnson

Wildcard - F Jesse Ismond; If Rintoul is kept, Ismond is the odd-man out and vice-versa if Rintoul goes. It boils down to offense from the blueline or grit with scoring touch up front. If Paulsen and Dirk can step it up offensively and mature in their own end, Rintoul could be the odd-man out in one of the toughest 20-year-old decisions the club has faced in some time.

As you can see this all sets upon a traditional 23-roster (14 forwards, 7 defensemen and two goaltenders). The WHL Champs lose a lot but still returns possibly nine veteran forwards, five veteran d-men and a veteran back-up based on my configuration. Possibly 15 returning off of a WHL championship team still says something. Two off of the 17 that came back last year.

If anything, a few things to chew on over the short summer.

Cup dream dies at hands of Majors

2011-05-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice dream run came to an end in the CHL's second-to-last game of the season Friday night as the Mississauga Majors edged the Ice 3-1 to move on to the Memorial Cup final Sunday against the Saint John Sea Dogs.

The Ice continued on their Memorial Cup theme and found themselves down early when Cody Eakin was assessed a boarding penalty on the first shift. Devante Smith-Pelly wired a wrist shot on the ensuing power play to put the Majors up 1-0 just over a minute into the game.

Late in the second Smith-Pelly did it again with another great wrist-shot from the slot that beat Nathan Lieuwen for a 2-0 lead.

Joe Antilla got the Ice back in the game with a last second goal on the power play to half the Major lead.

The Major would get the empty-netter to advance to the final with 55 seconds left.

Not a lot of thoughts right now other than the missed opportunities of the Ice going 1-7 on the PP and giving up four minors in the first period.

JP Anderson was the difference when needed but quality chances weren't abundant for the Ice on this night.

Physical game was on the Majors side tonight as the Ice were on the receiving end of a many of the game's hits.

All n all a dream season that fell just short of the Memorial Cup final, not a lot to hang their heads about.

Will have some more on the Ice finish the season and a look ahead to next year over the weekend.

Coach K sends message

2011-05-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

UPDATE - Not known for his emotional outbursts as a bench boss, did Coach K finally snap after his club's efforts following the first period of last night's tie-breaker? There's a couple of indications today.

From Nate Seager of BTN - "There may or may not have been a ball thrown and a few things knocked off the bench in front," was how star centre Cody Eakin, who had three points, described the scene at the first intermission. "That's a kick in the butt after the first we had and we responded."

This from Patrick King at Sportsnet -
The Ice appeared to have no emotion and no urgency in their game after the first 20 minutes. Overage forward Matt Fraser said the team got a spark lit from their head coach, Kris Knoblauch.

"He came in and sent a message to us that good teams find a way to get the job done," Fraser said. "We took the message loud and clear and as a team we knew that wasn’t acceptable if we wanted to keep playing. We came out and I thought we responded really well."

Fraser also said this of the possible fines he'd face. "I don't have enough money to say what was said in the dressing room" - Kootenay Ice forward Matt Fraser when asked what was said in the dressing room after the Ice went down 2-0 to the Owen Sound Attack in the first period tonight.

A definite players coach in a market where the likes of Ryan McGill, Cory Clouston and Mark Holick have established themselves as 'old school' coaches, Knoblauch hadn't yet fitted that bill, at least until last night. It seemed to work.

Ice on the long road back.....

2011-05-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice are alive and now, they're starting to kick.

Matt Fraser and Cody Eakin each notched two goals and an assist while Joe Antilla and Max Reinhart chipped in with a goal and an assist as the Ice dumped the Owen Sound Attack 7-3 to move to the Memorial Cup semi-final tomorrow against the Mississauga Majors.

The Ice continued to do things the hard way as the club started the tie-breaker, do-or-die game arguably the flattest of all of their efforts at this tournament. And that's saying something.

A dominating period by the Attack pushed the OHL champs to a 2-0 first period lead that saw the Ice whiff on a glorious five-on-three opportunity that produced only three shots. Jesse Ismond took a penalty to start the second and the frustration was mounting.

Then came the turning point in the game, by of all players, Brendan Hurley. A solid hit down low by Hurley - a strategy not picked up by the Ice after the war the Attack played against the Majors 24 hours earlier - turned the puck over. Joe Antilla took a pass in the slot and Eric Benoit deftly kicked the puck up to his stick and tucked it past Scott Stajcer (Huh?) to cut the Attack lead to 2-1.

Truer to form, Hurley took a penalty right off the centre ice face-off but on the PK Cody Eakin pushed a puck ahead and took off on a two-on-one with Antilla. He ripped the game-tying goal and Kootenay finally looked like the team that dispatched the Blades, Tigers and Winterhawks en route to the WHL title.

Kootenay's powerplay started to click against the Sea Dogs and it continued tonight when Matt Fraser notched two straight markers, his 3rd and 4th of the tourney, to take a 4-2 lead. The wheels started to fall off for the Attack as Cody Eakin got his third of the tourney to make it 5-2 and Max Reinhart fired another short-handed marker to make it 6-2 in the third. The Attack got another to make it 6-3 but Eakin potted an empty-netter to send the Ice to the semi-final Friday.

Thoughts...

The Gall - It's baffling how this team doesn't panic. Down 2-0 and facing elimination after a less-than-stellar first period.

The Hit - As mentioned a solid hit down low by Hurley turned the puck over. Some great footwork by Benoit to his stick got the Ice started. Some third line magic as Benoit made the most of his opportunity.

The Save - With a 6-3 lead with still over 10 minutes to play Nathan Lieuwen made a spectacular windmill-pad save that went off the cross-bar and stayed out and kept the score 6-3 with the Attack, well, attacking. Alot. The Portland game two de ja vu all over again thing was stopped in its tracks.

The Decision - With all due respect to Attack coach Mark Reeds, I don't like his chances as Mr. Popular in Owen Sound after amazingly deciding to start Scott Stacjer in favour of Jordan Binnington in goal. Though the Attack were 1-2 Binnington lead the Memorial Cup in all the right categories. GAA - 1.42; Save % - .951; he also shut Kootenay out in the round robin. Reeds went with Stacjer. Maybe Dave Cameron will go with Taylor Edwards tomorrow night. I doubt it.

His name is - Joe, Antilla. Jeff Hollick's popular call is becoming a show stopper and if Antilla keeps scoring big playoff goals like he has this spring he'll be able to called whatever he wants. Mayor, Your Highness....

The Line-ups - Following a nearly disastrous first period the lack of depth on Owen Sound with the club's number two and three offensive weapons out of the line-up due to concussions caught up to the OHL champs. Take any two of Fraser, Reinhart or Eakin out of the line-up and you get a clearer picture of what the Attack were up against.

The Lines - Coach K went with what worked against the Sea Dogs with Drew Czerwonka moving up with Reinhart and Fraser while Antilla checked in with Benoit and Boomer. Brendan Hurley sprinkled in on the third line, including the Ice first goal, while Pearce and Montgomery were the fourth unit.

Okay, the Cynic says; They've beat a Saint John team with nothing to play for and resting two top players and they've beaten an Owen Sound team with two of their best players out of the line-up. The true test lies ahead with a healthy Mississauga squad that will have everyone in the line-up, including Chris DeSousa who took out Attack captain Garrett Wilson last night and wasn't punished under supplementary discipline by tournament heavy Brian O'Neill. There wasn't a penalty called on the play.

Up Next - The Ice get a second crack at the Majors this time with their captain and power play quarterback Brayden McNabb in the lineup. Gametime is 5pm on Sportsnet and the Drive.

The Media - Buzzing the Net, The Star, The Sun, and Sportsnet has all the details.

Ice under Attack

2011-05-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

UPDATE -- Seen this from Sun Media. It basically confirms that not only Attack captain Garrett Wilson is out for the rest of the tournament following the hit last night but Joey Hishon won't be back for tonight's game either.

Attack general manager Dale DeGray has submitted a formal request for the play to be reviewed for supplemental discipline.

“We need to stand up for our kids,” DeGray said. “I have watched the play, and he was vulnerable. The other player took liberties on him in a bad situation and it caused the outcome. (Wilson) is not doing good.”

On McNabb playing:
“Our guy is going to watch from the hotel room, and this guy is going to play and probably run their power play,” DeGray said. “Is that fair? I don’t think so. I really don’t believe a one-game suspension for a hit on somebody who is going to play not even a full game in a tournament is fair.”

Of course the Attack are hoping for some poetic justice while the Ice see the irony in Thursday's tie-breaker game against the Owen Sound Attack at 5PM.

The winner moves on to face Mississauga in the semis Friday while the loser goes home.

Ice Captain Brayden McNabb will play, obviously, much to the chagrin of the Attack whose top player in Joey Hishon, might not. If fact, though no one is confirming, I'd highly doubt he would play. If it's a concussion he suffered from McNabb's elbow last Saturday in which the Ice captain was suspended for one game and Hishon hasn't played since, bringing him back a few days earlier than the standard week - as per concussion protocol, including the baseline testing - would be a stunning development. I would hope he plays, if anything to somehow call things even but at this point I'll bet it's a longshot.

Hishon obviously didn't play in Owen Sound's 3-1 loss to the Majors tonight and the physical game was key for the Majors tonight as the Attack also lost their captain Garrett Wilson on a hit in the first period and he didn't return. Then they nearly lost a d-man when Jamie Wise hit Geoffrey Schemitsch into the end boards. There was no call on the play but I do remember an similar hit by Kevin King to end the first period last Saturday that was called..... No matter.

If Hishon doesn't play along with Wilson a question mark the Ice have a real opportunity Thursday. The Majors played a disciplined, physical game tonight with success. If the Ice could do the same they might have a shot at this.

In the first two games it was the Nathan Lieuwen show. In game three, though a nothing game for the Sea Dogs, Kootenay finally got on track offensively but didn't get the game Lieuwen turned in the previous two. Not that he was bad but if they could get a combination of the two - goaltending and some scoring - the semi-final is within reach.

5PM Sportsnet and on The Drive, 102.9

Ice live to fight another day

2011-05-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice danced periously close to the edge elimination Tuesday night but survived, not without controversy, to fight on for the Memorial Cup and move on to the tie-breaker game Thursday night against the loser of Owen Sound and Missauga in the tournament's last round robin game.

I commented that Kootenay would need their big guns to go off if they were to have any chance of moving on.

That happened in spades Tuesday.

Max Reinhart notched four helpers, Matt Fraser got two goals including the game-winner and Kevin King got a goal and an assist as the Ice edged the Sea Dogs 5-4 in overtime.

Kootenay surrendered a 2-0 lead early in the second after a scoreless first but got the power play going later in the second when Drew Czerwonka scored his first of the tournament then King scored on a five-on-three to tie it. Jesse Ismond put the Ice up 3-2 23 seconds into the third but the Dogs would tie. Kootenay again went up by a goal when Matt Fraser scored another power play goal. That would hold up until 15 seconds left in the game when a shot went off Jurco's face to tie it.

Jeff H. commented on the broadcast that maybe the hockey gods weren't going to smile down on the Ice any longer in these playoffs/Memorial Cup.

They would grant the Ice some divine right to at least continue on when Max Reinhart clearly did not keep the puck in the Dog zone on the game winner and well, you know the rest.

Late in the evening and the Canucks are still playing....

Could it be de ja vu all over again?

2011-05-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Just like in 2009 when the Windsor Spitfires started the Memorial Cup tourney 0-2 and faced a Kelowna team already in the cup final in game three, the Kootenay Ice will attempt to repeat the feat when they face the Saint John Sea Dogs tonight in the club's third and final round robin game.

It's win or go home for the Ice tonight.

The Sea Dogs having nothing on the line tonight and the Ice could also catch another break with the Sea Dogs' coach Gerard Gallant confirming to Sportsnet's Patrick King that he will rest at least one veteran tonight, goaltender Jacob Deserres.

Whether or not the likes of Dog stars Jonathon Huberdeau, Simon Despres or Stanislav Galiev sit out or see limited action is something else entirely. No the Q-champs don't have anything to play for but unless things get really physical or those top three are nursing some bumps and bruises, look for them to play.

That will mean that Kevin King will not get to face good buddy and fellow Calgary product Deserres in a face-off for bragging rights unless it's in the final.

Matt Coxford at the Townsman has some more great coverage here.

It'll be interesting to see the lines Ice coach Kris Knoblauch will throw out tonight against the Sea Dogs. In an attempt to find some scoring and kickstart the likes of Matt Fraser late in the game against the Majors, Knobluach broke up the line of Antilla-Reinhart-Fraser for the first time in the playoffs placing Fraser with Eakin and King with little success.

The club will welcome back captain Brayden McNabb back from suspension, which will help.

There's only so many facecards in the Ice deck however and anything less than the likes of King, Fraser and Reinhart going will translate into an early plane ride home.

Hishon out

2011-05-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

Owen Sound Attack forward Joey Hishon is out for tonight's game against the Sea Dogs. Neate Sager over at Buzzing the Net has the scoop on Hishon and what his absence will mean to the Attack.

Jeff Hollick over at Between the Lines (over on the right) has all the math and plausible possibilities for the Ice and what to hope for. Ironically, Hishon being out for the Attack hurts their chances of going 3-0 and setting up a possible three-way tie for second with three teams at 1-2.

He's got the tie-breaking formula which points out that only the games against each other and not the Attack would count in determining who goes through to the semi-final and who gets the tie-breaker game.

Of course, this is all predicated on the Ice beating the Sea Dogs Tuesday.

Amid all the disapointment of the 0-2 start there's a light at the end of the tunnel that Kootenay could actually still qualify for the semi-final. Amazing!

Has anybody checked if the planets are due to align?

Ice dig 0-2 hole at Memorial Cup

2011-05-22T18:45:00.000-07:00

Rob Flick had a goal and assist as the Mississauga Majors edged the Kootenay Ice 2-1 and pushed the Ice to the brink at the 2011 Memorial Cup.

The one-game suspension tonight of Ice captain Brayden McNabb due to an elbow major on Joey Hishon of the Owen Sound Attack loomed extremely large over the Ice tonight as Kootenay struggled with the fore check and rush of the Majors most of the night, though both clubs play a similar style, McNabb might've been the difference tonight.

Some more thoughts....

This one was ugly, period. A slug-fest that deteriorated into a poorly officiated game, for both sides that morphed into a 1-1 defensive struggle, with each team waiting for the other to make a mistake.

Kootenay was the first to do so when Flick - a bull of a player - pushed his way past a poor effort by Ice D Hayden Rintoul in tying him up and buried the game-winner with 8:09 left in the third period.

The Ice opened the scoring on the power play - positives both, that they scored on the power play and that they scored, period - when Cody Eakin turned into the slot and let go a wrist-shot that beat JP Anderson for a 1-0 lead. 7:55 into the game.

The lead lasted all of 83 seconds as a poor defensive effort again lead to a stunning 2-on-0 from about 25 feet to Nathan Lieuwen's right. Devante Smith-Pelly and Max Kitsyn went in alone on Lieuwen but the keeper stopped them initially but Kitsyn banged in a loose puck to tie it at one.

D Joe Leach was a horse in place of Brayden McNabb. Logging over 30 minutes and he along with D James Martin were the club's best pairing for the Ice. D Hayden Rintoul struggled without his steady D-partner McNabb, on for both goals against. He and Jagger Dirk just didn't look comfortable together.

The Zebras - Brutal, not to put too fine a point on it. Just a poor excuse at this level that the fans on the tube and those at the Hershey Centre were subject to such a display. Refused to allow the teams to develop any flow at all and then when they did in the third, the teams were to apprehensive to get anything going. One comment on the Buzzing the Net live blogging late in the third: "If anyone heard a woman scream "OH GOD NO, NO OVERTIME!" that was me. Kootenay with a good chance to tie it up there."

The most entertaining aspect of the game looked to be the two coaches and their different schools of coaching, one old, the other new. Kris Knoblauch should've been pulling his hair out at the calls in the second that saw the Ice get five minors in the second period alone. He was cool as a cucumber. Dave Cameron, on the other end of the spectrum, was ripping everyone within earshot, including Rob Flick for taking a penalty on the goal he assisted on to tie it up. It worked, as Flick scored the game-winner.

The scoring, or lack of it. For a team that has so many offensive weapons - McNabb, Eakin, Fraser, Reinhart, King - only Eakin looked like a player who might be able to put the puck in the net. Boomer, for my money, was one of Kootenay's better players tonight but no finish was found.

Loo good again - the most consistent player for the Ice at the Memorial Cup has been Lieuwen. He kept them in it last night and did the same for much of the night tonight. Kootenay was out-shot in the third by a wide margin after having second periods on both nights to build on. A dominant middle frame last night fizzled out and tonight they killed off five Majors' power play opportunities, limiting them to maybe four chances by my count. The third period has been a let down on both nights.

The prognosis - Not good. Essentially this tournament is over for the Ice. Only one team, since the four-team format was adopted in 1983 and the three-team version started in 1972, has lost their first two games and rebounded to win the cup - the 2009 Windsor Spitfires. Kootenay's backs are against the wall; it's do or die; seventh game; pick a cliche.

For starters, Kootenay needs to beat the number one ranked team in the CHL Tuesday night, the Saint John Sea Dogs. Do that and it'll put them into the tie-breaker game Thursday night.

Owen Sound and Saint John play Monday. An Attack win puts Owen Sound into the semis, likewise for a Sea Dog win. Whichever team wins tomorrow will be 2-0. If it's the Attack, their game Wednesday against the Majors will be for first place and a bye into the final. If it's the Dogs, then Wednesday will a game for the semi-final placing or maybe the final but the winner will at least avoid the tie-breaker Thursday night.

One would think the Ice would be cheerleading the Sea Dogs to victory tomorrow and hope a repeat of 09 happens when the Kelowna Rockets started 2-0 and then could've put the Spitfires away in their last round robin game only to lose 2-1 and then lose to them again the cup final. The Sea Dogs would be assured of the bye to the final with a win tomorrow as they would have the first tie-breaker over either of the other teams with a 2-1 record at the end of the round robin.

Yes, the planets need to align for it to happen again.

This, of course, is provided the Ice beat the Sea Dogs Tuesday night. They'll need to run the table with four straight wins in order for the Ice to win the cup.

Got it? There'll be a test later.

They'll get McNabb back for Tuesday's game but will it be enough? And will they find the ability to score? One goal a Memorial Cup does not win.

I'll post any more comments, stories or highlites I find.

Ice waxed in Cup opener....

2011-05-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

Maybe they're are the underdog....

UPDATE: D Brayden McNabb has been suspended for one game by CHL disciplinarian Bryan O'Neill. That release is here. The Ice will play without their captain for tonight's game against the Mississauga Majors at 5PM. D John Niebrandt will likely check in place for McNabb for his first action since the second round. There's been no update on Attack forward Joey Hishon, the receiver of McNabb's elbow. Owen Sound plays tomorrow night against Saint John.

UPDATE II: I've heard reports of an older female Ice fan who took a stray puck in the head at yesterday's game but wouldn't leave, at the advice of the First Aid Staff at the game, until it was over. Tough fans. If anyone has an update please email me or post below. Hopefully her stoicism might translate to the team tonight.

The Kootenay Ice were shutout in their 2011 Memorial Cup debut against the Owen Sound Attack in a 5-0 game that was close up until the last half of the third before penalty trouble by the Ice turned it into a laugher.

Robby Mignardi got two goals while Berdnikov(Attack's lone import which somebody made note of), Fritsch and Wilson got singles for the Attack in the romp. Jordan Binnington, 17, stopped all 29 shots he faced for the no-no.

Some thoughts....

The most pressing issue facing the Ice is three-fold:

1. Captain Brayden McNabb is facing suspension on the elbow/hit on Attack forward Joey Hishon after the Attack went up 3-0. Hishon was skating through the zone with the puck and McNabb nailed him with an elbow. I've seen the hit only at high-speed but it's clear that his elbow makes contact with the head. I'll post video as soon as I find it. If you listen to either Sportsnet colour guys or analysts, McNabb could or should be gone for awhile, maybe even the tournament. More on that in a bit.

2. They can't score. Kootenay went 0-5 on this night and whiffed on a crucial 5-on-3 early in the game. It set the tone as the club dominated in the second, out-shooting the Attack 15-6 but in terms of quality chances, had few of them.

3. Sunday now presents itself as a do-or-die, must-win game, or at least they'll need help if they don't win agains the host Mississauga Majors.

But don't let the 5-0 score fool you. This one, save for a good chunk of the middle frame when the Ice had Owen Sound on the ropes, was the Nathan Lieuwen show. Hung out to dry on more occasions than I can count Lieuwen's heroics saved this one from being a runaway.

Kootenay couldn't establish much of their defensive game against the Attack and were devoid of any blocked shots and heads-up passes. The physical game by the Ice was non-existent and the game featured more turnovers from this Ice playoff team since early in the playoffs against the Warriors.

Ice coach Kris Knoblauch started with:
Drew Czerwonka, Eakin and King
Fraser, Max Reinhart and Joe Antilla
Benoit, Boomer and Ismond
Pearce, Sam Reinhart and Brendan Hurley.

That morphed into Ismond being placed back on the big unit with Eakin and King and then Hurley taking a regular shift with Boomer and Czerwonka, with varying degrees of success. Really, that' the beauty (or drawback) of this tournament is that because of the three TV timeouts a period, the fourth unit's going to see little ice-time. After a long period of time in the first without a whistle the fourth unit saw a shift or two but that was basically it. Benoit and Pearce sprinkled in to different roles when needed but weren't really effective, as were the second line in Reinhart, Fraser and Antilla. I don't know if drawing in Montgomery as an energy guy in place of Sam Reinhart would do much in terms of depth because of the lack of situations to use them.

The D struggled with the effective forecheck of the (aptly named) Attack and seemed to force passes that either didn't hit the mark or were picked off. Essentially, the Attack turned the tables on the Ice with a neutral zone game that capitalized on turnovers.

Back to the McNabb elbow, Sportsnet has the video evidence here. At full speed it's bad but at slower replay speeds, it's clearly worse. The elbow is up before the hit. Ice forward Cody Eakin tweeted after the game that he didn't think that McNabb would receive a suspension. For his club's sake, he better be right.

This one could be over quickly if the Ice don't regroup Sunday night.

All-Canadian, eh

2011-05-19T12:51:00.000-07:00

As the Kootenay Ice touched down at YYZ yesterday to prepare for the Memorial Cup this weekend all the buzz on the club surrounds the lack of import players.

Don Cherry on HNIC's Coaches Corner started it off with this observation about the Ice line-up and the lack of imports and the guys over at Coming Down the Pipe and at Buzzing the Net all have some great stuff on the process that Kootenay went through in deciding not to draft any imports this season.

And of course this is what was said to me by Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth last June when he shocked the junior hockey community by opting out of the draft and trading their pick to the Wheat Kings.

It's also notable that there are no Americans on the four teams in the Memorial Cup this year. With the rate of development of high-level players in the U.S., that fact is astonishing.

It's also interesting to note the first detracting comment on the piece surrounding not drafting Euros. Nuff said, for sure as the Ice GM now looks like a genius.

A quick scan down the line-ups of the other three clubs in the Memorial Cup shows that Owen Sound has one import (a third liner on some nights) while the Majors and Sea Dogs both have two, with Kitsyn for the Majors (10 goals, 9 assists; second on team scoring) and Galiev (10g, 17a - second on team scoring) and Jurco (6g, 12a - 4th in team scoring) having major impacts on their respective clubs.

But for all the chest-thumping of Cherry or analyzing by national media of the lack of imports. I believe two important concepts are at play here. One, cost. The price to get a player released from their respective federations is significant. I'm told it's anywhere from $4000-$8000 when you factor in everything. In a small-market that significant and cannot be discounted. A list prospect costs the team nothing, comparatively speaking.

Secondly, development of prospects are paramount in the cyclical nature of junior hockey. Yes the Ice returned 18 veterans from last season (two were dealt or released in Magnus and Mathews, Eakin takes Magnus' spot so 17 is the real number), but with an older team such as Kootenay - which stands to lose five impact players next season and two others to the 20-year-old limit - you cannot discount the impact of giving younger players bigger roles headed into next season.

The drawback of a older championship team is that the following season forwards Brendan Hurley, Eric Benoit, Elgin Pearce, will be expected to play second-line roles next season. Soon to be 16-year-old Sam Reinhart will also play likely a third-line role. On the blueline guys like Paulsen and Dirk will be leaned on heavily.

Then again, they won a championship, right? So drawback might not be the right word.

The experience of time this seasonj, however limited, and the long playoff run will pay off in spades for a rebuilding club, or re-tooling as the Ice GM likes to refer to it.

So there's a method to the madness of the lack of imports this season and with a Memorial Cup shot at hand it seems to be paying off.

Don't be surprised to see an import or two here next season however, providing they're a top six forward or top four-five d-man. Otherwise they're just taking up valuable development time.

McNabb signed....

2011-05-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

A couple of notes this afternoon.

D Brayden McNabb, 19, has signed an entry level contract with the Buffalo Sabres. That story is here.

Neate Sager over at Buzz the Net (on right) has a Memorial Cup preview of all the clubs. Kootenay's is here.
Both pieces have McNabb at 6'5' though everything I've seen has him at 6'4". He certainly played bigger during these WHL playoffs. I dunno, maybe he's still growing.

A great send-off last night by about 500 fans of the Ice as the club trekked to Mississsauga today.

A few questions about whether or not the games will be streamed online. I haven't been able to determine that yet but as soon as I find out I'll pass it along. Cory Flett of the WHL didn't think they would be when I asked him earlier this week.

More later....

The Memorial Cup table is set

2011-05-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

The last club to the Memorial Cup dance got their ticket punched tonight as the Saint John Seadogs beat the Gatineau Olypiques 3-2 in double OT.

The Seadogs are backstopped by former Wheat King and T-Bird goaltender Jacob Deserres who is is making his second straight trip to the Memorial Cup with a different team in a different league.

Owen Sound beat Mississauga in game seven OT last night and will be the OHL Champs headed into the tournament. The Majors go in as the host team.

Saint John and Mississauga open the tournament Friday night while the Ice will play their small market brethren Saturday night.

Ed Chynoweth Cup Champs 2011

2011-05-13T22:30:00.000-07:00

The Kootenay Ice shutdown the Portland Winterhawks tonight in a 4-1 win over the Hawks to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup with a 4-1 series win.

The Hawks opened the scoring early when Sven Bartschi sent a pass out to Tyler Wotherspoon who pinched low to slap his third of the playoffs past Nathan Lieuwen for a 1-0 lead 2:26 into the game. Joey Leach took a tripping penalty a minute later and the Hawks pressed again but Lieuwen shut the door.

It would be the last sustained surge the Winterhawks would have all night.

With 4:13 left in the first period Jesse Ismond send a slap pass that chipped into the net by Steele Boomer. The referee waived it off, the red light went on but so did the play. Almost three minutes later play finally stopped for the play to be reviewed. The overhead camera clearly showed daylight between the puck and the crossbar and it was a goal. Boomer's 4th of the playoffs tied it at one.

In the second period the two club's played a cautious style that easily best suited the Ice. Late in the period Wotherspoon took a cross-checking penalty and Matt Fraser slapped his playoff-leading 16th in the last minute of the period for a 2-1 lead.

In the third Fraser added another and Ismond potted an empty-netter to seal the club's third WHL Championship in the last 11 seasons and punch their ticket to the Memorial Cup in Missauga starting next Friday.

Thoughts....

The Hawks got the start they wanted and the goal they needed. Following the PK with Leach off the Ice pushed back in a big way. They didn't score but they dominated in the Hawk zone. Boomer's goal three minutes after the fact deflated Portland like I've never seen before.

In the second when the Winterhawks should've ramped up their game, intensity and urgency, they did none of it. Kootenay's power play late was not a great example of Portland's pressure PK that has had some success in the series but a passive collapse that Kootenay was able to get Carruth going side-to-side.

In the third any fan watching and not knowing the score might think it was the Winterhawks sitting on a lead. Kootenay dominated all over the ice with Portland not receiving credit for their second shot until the 11 minute mark.

The MVP - Nathan Lieuwen got the nod as the sixth goaltender in the last 12 WHL final series to be named MVP. Lieuwen took his talent and game to a higher level in these playoffs. Does anyone remember him being pulled in Game one of these WHL playoffs against Moose Jaw? Probably not. He came up with big save after big save and lived up to the hype - perhaps unfairly - placed upon him from the word go all those years ago when as a 15-year-old he nearly single-handedly beat the powerful Calgary Hitmen in his Rec Plex debut. The inspiriational goaltender will now take his rightful place among Ice legends in the net; Blackburn, Boxma, Glass and now Lieuwen.

Cody Eakin - The big trade paid off in spades for the Ice. He was everything as advertised and more. His NHL speed and shot was a treat to watch. He'll join the likes of Comrie and Stoll on the wall of Ice fame.

Matt Fraser - I don't think anyone would anticipate the impact he'd have on the club and community when he was the player dealt for when the Ice traded overager Clayton Bauer in 2007. A tireless fund-raiser in the community he was the hot hand in these WHL Playoffs finishing with 17 goals.

The Zebras - A well-officiated game. They weren't a factor.

The Trap - Okay, did Portland just boil over with frustration and stop skating or was Kootenay's defensive game that good. Mostly the latter but certainly definitely some of the former. The Hawks folded.

Well-Played - Brayden McNabb gave the Ed Chynoweth Cup to Jeff to raise. An emotional moment.

As far as the final's five games go it was probably the most uneventful, except the end, of course.

In the end the magical ride isn't over yet. The Memorial Cup, the club's third, starts one week from tonight in Mississauga, Ontario at the Hershey Centre, home of the host Majors. The Ice will see their first Memorial Cup action against the OHL Champions or representative Saturday. Gametime is 5PM Mountain time. The schedule says they'll play Mississauga on Sunday. I add representative because both Owen Sound and the Majors are already in the tournament.

Here's the schedule. All games are on Sportsnet.

2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup Schedule (All times are Eastern, all 5PM starts in Cranbrook):

Round-Robin Game 1 – QMJHL vs. Mississauga on Friday May 20, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Round-Robin Game 2 – OHL vs. WHL on Saturday May 21, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Round-Robin Game 3 – Mississauga vs. WHL on Sunday May 22, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Round-Robin Game 4 – OHL vs. QMJHL on Monday May 23, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Round-Robin Game 5 – WHL vs. QMJHL on Tuesday May 24, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Round-Robin Game 6 – Mississauga vs. OHL on Wednesday May 25, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Tie-Breaker (if necessary) – Thursday May 26, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Semi-Final – Friday May 27, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Championship Final – Sunday May 29, 2011 at 7:00 pm

If you plan on going there's still lots of seats available at the Hershey Centre. With seating for 5400+ the Majors, the OHL's best team in the regular season, drew 4053 for game five of the championship series. The Majors are the host but could be champs also but they'll go to a game seven after Owen Sound beat them in game six in front of 3242 in Owen Sound. Like the Ice, the Majors are hearing it for their attendance too, though of course Mississauga has a population of some 734,000 and is Canada's six-largest city.

Good to see the Owen Sound club doing so well. Another small market that almost identical in size to Cranbrook. The Major's and Attack will battle it out in game seven tommorrow.

In the QMJHL the Gatineau (Formerly Hull a few years back) Olypiques pushed their Q-final series to a sixth game tonight with a 3-2 win over the Saint John Seadogs. The Seadogs feature former 20-year-old Thurderbird and Wheat King Jacob Deserres in the nets. He was waived throughout the WHL and picked up by the Seadogs at the beginining of the season. Game six is Sunday in Gatineau/Hull.

On a sad note I've just heard about the passing of NHL enforcer Derek Boorgard. I remember interviewing him as a Tiger in 2002-03. He was a monster at 6'8". Arguably the NHL's toughest fighter. He was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment. Very sad. RIP.

More later...

Kootenay fans called out

2011-05-13T14:56:00.001-07:00

If you're interested in stirring your emotions - or not if you don't like the Ice - have a look at Doyle Potenteau's piece over at Dub Nation (on right).

Potenteau throws down the gauntlet to Ice fans for not selling out the joint in games 3 and 4. He's got a few numbers wrong, like the 1000 empty seats (seating capcity:4264) but you get the gist of it. Would've been 800 Tuesday and 600 Wednesday if you're counting.

You might want to wait until after the game to check it out. It might sullen your mood or, depending on the outcome, not phase you at all.

Ice push Hawks to the edge...

2011-05-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

Don't know what happened to Blogger but it seems to be back up now.

Looking at the highlites and the penalty in OT (arent replays great? You can critique forever and a day). Bartschi was hit hard by Martin in the corner and skated right to King. He get's his forearm up and it's right in front of the ref. Again, the reason I didn't think anything would be called (except the obvious dumb delay-of-game stuff) is that I thought the stripes established late that pretty much anything this side of murder and a scoring chance goes. Maybe the back ref thought it was but he looks to lunge for the puck and then comes up with the forearm when he didn't get the puck.

All history now...

The Score – Portland 4 – Kootenay 5 OT – Ice lead best-of-seven 3-1

What Happened – Kootenay had a lead and surrendered again but again, they dominated in overtime and Matt Fraser pushed the Hawks to brink of elimination.

The Turning Point – Six minutes into the overtime, after killing Ty Rattie's clearing pass into the stands just minutes prior, Sven Bartschi was assessed a roughing penalty. It was a strange, and bad, call for something that had gone on all night. Kootenay's ailing power play finally clicked for the first time in both home games and now the Ice have a chance to win it all. A case could also be made for Ismond's second goal in the last two minutes of the second period.

The Goals – Before many of the Rec Plex faithful could get to their seats, Steele Boomer chipped the puck up off the centre boards to Eric Benoit. He dished it Ismond with speed. Ismond wired his 3rd of the playoffs glove side over Carruth for his 3rd of playoffs 19 seconds in…. After giving Portland most of the play for about five minutes following the first goal, Cody Eakin caused a turnover in the Hawks end. He dished it to Joey Leach whose slapshot Eakin tipped past Carruth…. In the second the Hawks got on the board just as McNabb stepped out of the penalty box when Riley Boychuk found Ryan Johansen at Lieuwen's back door. He didn't miss. 2-1 Ice… Nathan Lieuwen stopped them from just about everywhere in the second except from about 80 feet when Hawk d-man Troy Rutkowski decided to fire the puck on net instead of just dumping it in. The shot hit Joey Leach and changed direction, fooling Lieuwen as he lost sight of it. 2-2… Jesse Ismond salvaged a dismal Ice middle frame when, with both King and Niederreiter off with coincidental minors, Cody Eakin found Ismond with speed in the Hawk zone with a great backhand pass. Ismond deked Carruth to the ice and put his second of the night past him for a 3-2 Ice lead… Ismond and Eakin hooked up again, this time on a four-on-four, when Eakin ripped his 11th of the playoffs to give the Ice a 4-2 lead… Game over right? Not a chance. At the tail end of another power play that the Hawks didn't convert Ryan Johansen intercepted a puck in the neutral zone just as it ended. He skated in the zone, used Leach as a screen, and beat Lieuwen top shelf with 3:35 to play… In a furious rally in the dying seconds a Hawk point-shot was blocked or didn't get through the loose puck ended up on Ty Rattie's stick to the right of Lieuwen. He lifted it over him to tie with 17 seconds left…. In overtime it was all Kootenay, out-shooting the Hawks 11-4, and on their second power play Jesse Ismond found a wide-open Matt Fraser for the game-winner.

The Saves – Nathan Lieuwen started the night where he left off 24 hours earlier. After the first goal it was all Winterhawks but the Abbotsford product was stellar. He stopped Bartschi, again, early and then he robbed Leipsic on the shot and then the backhand rebound with the outstretched glove 3.5 minutes into the period. Though he let in two goals in the period Carruth was not to be outdone, stopping Fraser with the toe save on a one-timed pass from Reinhart. Lieuwen kept the Ice in it when he needed to.

The Hit – Brendan Hurley made the most of his shifts in the first with a blast on the end boards on William Wrenn that had the former NCAA'er hearing footsteps the rest of the period. Unfortunately Hurley also took out Steele Boomer as the latter was backchecking up ice. Hurley had Pearce Eviston in his sights but Boomer skated into the lane at the last second and the teammates collided. Boomer never missed a shift but I don't know how.

The Phantom Call – For a strange reason the referees stopped play in the Ice zone before the Hawks last time-out. One linesman singled off-side and that the face-off was coming out. The back referee decided otherwise and the face-off went into the zone. You know the rest.

The Penalty – Ty Rattie sent one into the crowd and took a delay-of-game penalty that could've cost Hawks the game. It didn't but as long as we know that you can spear a guy (both sides – it was nasty out there) but don't clear it out of play in your own zone. Dumb rule. Bartschi took a roughing call a minute later but that was being allowed all night. That one cost them the game.

The Quote – Portland head coach Mike Johnston didn't mince words about the call in overtime. "It was a bad call," Johnston said. "That's my thoughts on it. I watched the video just to make sure. I thought (Kootenay) were getting the penalty. We were yelling at Mac for our goaltender to the bench. We thought we had the power play because he (King) interference with Bartschi coming around the net. Bartschi tried to jump out of the way of the hit. I'm not sure how a roughing call was called there but certainly I was surprised that an overtime call would go like that."

The(non)Suspension - I would be remiss if I didn't mention the lack of suspension of James Martin from the blindside/check to the head on Troy Rutkowski. I thought it should have been a game but I also thought Boychuk should've got some time too. The explanation I was given is that the WHL has yet to adopt a check-to-the-head rule like the NHL and the OHL or Q. It will likely be put in place over the summer but as of now, it's not there. Thus the non-suspensions on both checks.

The Crowd – 3593 – Biggest of the year

Rec Plex Three Stars

1. Jesse Ismond – Four points and the hot hand
2. Ryan Johansen – 100 percent better than the night before; two goals
3. Cody Eakin – Two goals, assist and the Hawks don't have an answer for him

What it means – Kootenay can win it's third WHL Championship in the 15-year history of the franchise Friday night at the sold-out Rose Garden

Up Next: Game Five; 8:30 Cranbrook time Friday night.

For the Oregonian...

Kootenay pushes Portland to the brink

by Jeff Bromley

The Portland Winterhawks finally solved Kootenay Ice goaltender Nathan Lieuwen Wednesday in Cranbrook but couldn't overcome the men in stripes. After battling back from a 4-2 deficit late in the game Sven Bartschi was assessed a roughing call in overtime. Ice forward Jesse Ismond found Matt Fraser wide open 1:37 later for the overtime winner and a 3-1 series lead for the Ice headed back to the Rose Garden Friday night.

Portland head coach Mike Johnston didn't mince words about the call in overtime. "It was a bad call," Johnston said. "That's my thoughts on it. I watched the video just to make sure. I thought (Kootenay) were getting the penalty. We were yelling at Mac for our goaltender to the bench. We thought we had the power play because he (King) interference with Bartschi coming around the net. Bartschi tried to jump out of the way of the hit. I'm not sure how a roughing call was called there but certainly I was surprised that an overtime call would go like that."

Johnston's confident his charges will bounce back facing elimination Friday. "We'll have 10,000 fans in Portland," said Johnston. "We play well at home and we have a day to recover and a day to park it, get rid of it and focus on the next game."

The Winterhawks found themselves back on their heels in the first shift of the game when Eric Benoit slid a pass to Jesse Ismond skating into the Hawks zone. Ismond beat a surprised Carruth overtop his glove for a 1-0 Ice lead just 19 seconds into the game.

Portland took the sub-par first shift to heart and put together a string of great ones, dominating the Ice in their own zone with chance and chance. Nathan Lieuwen continued where he left off 24 hours earlier however and made several spectacular stops, including one on Brendan Leipsic that brought the fans to their feet.

The pressure was short-lived when Cody Eakin forced a turnover in the Winterhawk zone, passed back to Joey Leach on the Ice blueline and then went to the net. He tipped Leach's shot past Carruth for a 2-0 first period lead.

With Brayden McNabb in the box to start the period the Hawks converted just as McNabb left the penalty box. Riley Boychuk found Ryan Johansen at Lieuwen's back-door and got enough of it to get it past Lieuwen to get the Hawks on the board. The Hawks tied it when Troy Rutkowski decided to put it on net instead of the usual dump-in. It deflected off Joe Leach and fooled Lieuwen from 80 feet out. The Ice managed to salvage a period dominated by the Winterhawks when Eakin found a streaking Jesse Ismond at the left circle. Ismond went in and deked Carruth for his second of the game.

With the game and perhaps the series in the balance Ryan Johansen intercepted a puck in the neutral zone right after the Hawks killed a penalty. The 18-year-old used the Ice d-man as a screen and ripped his 13th of the playoff and second of the night over Lieuwen's shoulder with 3:35 to play. With a furious rally in the Ice zone and Mac Carruth on the bench for the extra attacker, Ty Rattie jumped on a blocked shot to the right of Lieuwen and put it over him to tie the game with 17 seconds left and send it to overtime for the second straight night and third time in the series. Kootenay head coach Kris Knoblauch saw a lead evaporate for the second straight game. "They've got a good hockey team," said Knoblauch. "Look at their roster. Look at the NHL Draft picks and the future draft picks, they're going to push back. We can't sit back because nothing's a sure thing."

Johansen admitted he needed to be better tonight and he was and in the process found some confidence that they might've finally solved Nathan Lieuwen headed into game five. "They had a few guys that got me off my game yesterday," said Johansen, who finished with two goals on the night. "I needed a good response. He (Lieuwen) has been a little inconsistent and hasn't really played a full sixty minutes yet. Then again he's been tremendous for them when he needed to be. We know where to beat and we just have to capitalize on our chances."

The Hawks couldn't parlay the comeback in overtime however, and on a broken play late in the man-advantage Ismond found a wide-open Matt Fraser for the game-winner. Though frustrated at the overtime penalty Johnston won't use the referees as motivation for game five. "No, our team rallies around the way we play," he said. "It was a good hockey game. We exposed them in some areas tonight and they were vulnerable and that's a key thing. It gives us confidence. We don't rally around calls we just have to handle the situation and battle through it."

Notes – Both teams featured the same line-ups but the Winterhawks got Tayler Jordan back after a one-game suspension. Brad Ross, who received a two-game suspension from the league for being a repeat offender after the Fraser hit in game two, is eligible to return Friday… Attendance was 3593, the largest of the season at the Cranbrook Rec Plex.