Jeff Bromley's Ice Chips

The Score - Ice; Oil Kings

2009-12-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

The Score – Kootenay 5 – Edmonton 2

What Happened – Kootenay’s power play continued to be lethal, going 3-5, and the Oil Kings never recovered.

The Goals – Kootenay took the lead early with a power play goal by Hayden Rintoul, who snuck in from the point and gave the Ice a 1-0 with his 2nd from the back-door… Kevin King would put the home side up 2-0 with his 11th and a another power play goal at 14:51… The Oil would get back into the game when Brent Raedeke got his 15th with Drew Czerwonka in the box for kneeing. The Zebras would have to go upstairs to the video review booth to confirm it… In the second Brayden McNabb – he and Dustin Sylvester already had a pair of assists each – wired his 7th off a great low feed from, yeah, Sylvester to make it 3-1… Trail product Logan Proulx would pull the Oil back within one goal with his 4th just over minute later… Rintoul got his second of the night on an unassisted effort at 10:26 and Steele Boomer added an empty-net goal to seal the 5-2 win.

The (non) Power Play Goal – With Brett Breitkreuz off for cross-checking in the third the Ice almost got their fourth straight power play goal when Matt Fraser buried a rebound past Cam Lanigan. Referee Sean Rapheal immediately waved off the goal and then proceeded to go up stairs for another look. It didn’t count and no explanation was given.

Hayden ‘Rodney Dangerfield’ Rintoul – The 18-year-old gets little respect but is starting to earn with solid play on the road trip and a two-goal effort tonight.

The Hook – Starter Torrie Jung faced six shots, let in three of them, and saw the rest of the game from the bench 23:38 into the game.

Lowering the Boom – In the first, Ice forward Steele Boomer caught Oil King D Drew Nichol behind his net with a wicked hit, sending the Edmonton defender to the ice.

The Flood – One of the washrooms on the upper level of the box suites had a pipe burst that caused some damage to the suites on both levels and forced Rec Plex staff to close them off. It also caused those in attendance to bundle up as the temperature in the building was cranked down, giving the ‘Plex a distinct Memorial Arena feel to it.

The Scratches –F Dominick Pacovsky is out until after Christmas with a broken foot. New d-man Jagger Dirk and F Elgin Pearce were healthy scratches… More curious were the supposed healthy scratches for the Oil Kings; D Adrian Van de Mosselaer, LW Rhett Rachinski, RW Robin Soudek – all impact players. Flu or message?

The Pre-emptive Strike - Nothing to do with this game but the Regina Pats fired the first volley in the arms race that is the trading season leading up to the deadline next month. The Pats, sixth in the conference and a point up on the Ice, acquired forward Carter Ashton, 18, forward Craig Orofino, 19, and a Third round pick in 2010 from the Lethbridge Hurricanes for forward Graham Hood, 17, prospect Taylor Balog, a 2nd round pick in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft, as well as their 1st round pick in 2011. Does it push the Pats into the realm of Calgary and Saskatoon?

What it means – After the roll on the road – save for PG – the winning ways continue as the Ice improve to 16-14-1-1 and 34 points, good for a tie for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Crowd – 2434; There were at least 2000 at the city-wide Elementary School Christmas Choir at the College of the Rockies. Tough to compete with cute kids singing about Rudolph.

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. C/LW Dustin Sylvester – Four helpers; torrid scoring pace continues
2. D Hayden Rintoul – Offensive D-man a force
3. D Brayden McNabb – Could be a star every night.

Up Next – Teddy Bear Toss night on Friday with the Calgary Hitmen in town.

Machacek to Lethbridge...

2009-12-07T22:30:00.001-08:00

For the Daily Townsman Tuesday...

Ice deal Machacek to Hurricanes

by Jeff Bromley

Following the addition of rookie D Jagger Dirk last week Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth continued to tinker with his line-up by trading 18-year-old defenseman Cason Machacek to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for a 4th round bantam pick in the 2011 draft. The move brings the Ice roster back down to 23 including 8 defensemen. “With nine defensemen it was important to get down as quickly as possible,” said Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth Monday after the trade was announced. “This was an opportunity and a trade that presented itself to us. It was probably the best we could do for a player that everyone knew we were in a position of having too many defensemen.”

Machacek was originally listed by the club mid-way through the 2007-08 season while the 16-year-old was playing for the Lethbridge Y’s Men Titans Midget squad. The Lethbridge product made the club out of training camp in 2008 as a 17-year-old and in 88 regulars season games notched 3 goals and 12 assists.

The deal likely won’t be Chynoweth’s last as he’s indicated that he wants to the club to carry seven defensemen. “I’d like to get down to seven but that’s easier said than done,” said Chynoweth. “We’re going to sit down as a group and decide what the best seven that we have. Eight is too many there’s going to be some unhappy players on the backend but unfortunately that’s the name of the game and we have to ice the best product we can.”

On the surface the move inserts the newly arrived rookie in 16-year-old Jagger Dirk in Machacek’s place, at least for the time being. Expecting the rookie to fill those type of minutes might be premature but the deal sets the club up over the longer term, says Chynoweth. “At the start of the year it wasn’t our plan to carry that many (1991-born) defensemen. We had five of them and because of the development of some of the players such as the 1992’s establishing themselves and European Petr Senkerik as been fine as well. There really hasn’t been any one of the nine that we were disappointed in.”

With the January 10 trade deadline just over a month away Chynoweth also didn’t rule out trying to add some scoring depth up front, but then again, so is every other team. “We’re always looking to upgrade up front,” he said. “But look around the league. The Jordan Eberle’s and those types of players aren’t really available. If we can make the right deal we’ll do it but we like our team.” And the vacant 20-year-old spot? Will the ten-year GM fill it? “I never said I didn’t want to fill it but it has to be the right 20-year-old. From what’s out there right now, we have that already.”

“It all depends where you’re at as an organization. We’ve got some players that we think can take the next step. They haven’t been as consistent as we’d hoped lately but if they can do that then why not play the younger players instead of getting an older one?”

Machacek traded....

2009-12-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth wasted little time today paring down the 9 d-men on the roster by trading Cason Machacek to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a 4th round pick in 2011.

More later tonight

Cougars claw Ice

2009-12-06T23:09:00.000-08:00

For the Cranbrook Daily Townsman Monday...

Ice end road trip on low note with loss to Cougars

by Jeff Bromley

You can’t win them all, but when you don’t win the ones you’re supposed to win it hurts that much more. The Kootenay Ice dropped a 4-1 decision to the lowly Prince George Cougars Friday night, bringing their four-game and five straight road winning streak to a grinding halt. Does losing to the Cougars put a damper on an otherwise great road trip? “I’ve been asked that a lot today,” said Ice head coach Mark Holick Sunday following a rare two days off for the club. “There are a team where they are in the standings and you always have to be respectful of your opponents. It wasn’t a case of us taking them lightly at all.”

Kootenay came out of the gates flying and carried much of the play territorially, out-shooting the Cougars 15-4 in the first period. “We out-chanced them about 7-1 in the first period,” said Holick. “Their guy (goaltender Hudson Stremmel) was certainly on, that’s for sure.”

“Add in the three or four cross-bars and we had our chances to win, unfortunately we didn’t get any timely goals.”

The goals failed to come until forward Joe Antilla, with D Ryan Molle off for holding, intercepted a Cougar pass and went in on a short-handed breakaway at 5:31 of the third period. Antilla buried his 4th of the year to give the Ice a 1-0 lead. It was short-lived however as 30 seconds later just as the penalty expired James Dobrowolski got his 8th of the season on a goal-mouth scramble to tie the game for the Cougars. The goal sparked the home side as Dombrowolski set up the game-winner on a 3-on-2 rush five minutes later as rookie import Jaroslav Vlach notched his first of the season. Dombrowolski wasn’t finished as the former Prince Albert Raider this time set up Parker Stanfield to make it 3-1. The Ice pulled goaltender Nathan Lieuwen with Cougar forward Tyler Makin with just over three minutes to play but couldn’t get any closer as Brock Hirsche put the Cougars’ 4th goal into an empty-net, giving Prince George a 4-1 win – only their fifth of the season.

The loss capped-off a highly successful road trip that saw the club go 4-1 through the BC Division and enjoy a five-game road winning streak that propelled the club back above the .500 mark for the first time since the second week of the season and back into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. Playoff race? In early December? One look at the standings and you’ll see a jam that makes Friday afternoon Strip traffic pale by comparison. At 15-14-1-1 and 32 points the Ice sit in 9th in the Eastern Conference, two points out of the playoff spot but only six points out of 4th. “We looked at the trip as being a very key part of the season,” said Holick. “To a man we felt we could shoot for eight points and that’s what we accomplished. But that’s what we talked about on the trip. We’ve been on a pretty good run over our last fourteen games (9-3-1-1 over their last 14 games) with only three losses in regulation in that time but we did manage to put a little room between teams behind us but at the same point we were in a big hole to start the year. We had to make some ground and we’ve done that but with the three-point game (overtime or shootout loss points) it’s tough to make up all the ground you need. From here on in, even at this stage of the season as we’re not even halfway through the season, every game has playoff implications.”

Quick Hits – LW Drew Czerwonka (concussion), D James Martin (concussion) and F Dominick Pacovsky (broken foot) did not play. Czerwonka and Martin will be re-evaluated by team doctors today with Czerwonka close to returning… Kootenay returns to the Rec Plex Wednesday night to host the Edmonton Oil Kings. Gametime is 7PM.

Streak comes to an end. Cougars dump Ice

2009-12-04T23:10:00.000-08:00

No recap until Sunday but the Ice lost for the first time in four games tonight in a 4-1 defeat in Prince George.

There is a story in the PG Citizen here.

More Sunday

Ice thump Giants/Dirk joins club...

2009-12-03T00:24:00.000-08:00

For the Cranbrook Daily Townsman....

Ice slay Giants 6-2; Road streak hits four

By Jeff Bromley

The Kootenay Ice continued their torrid pace on the road Wednesday night, this time dismantling the BC Division-leading Vancouver Giants 6-2 for the club’s fourth straight win on the five game road trip and fifth straight win away from the Cranbrook Rec Plex dating back to a November 15th win in Lethbridge.

At this rate they might not want to come home.

After taking a night off the score-sheet in Chilliwack Kootenay’s top trio of Dustin Sylvester, Kevin King and Steele Boomer wreaked havoc on Giants netminder Jamie Tucker, with the captain scoring two goals and adding an assist while King notched a goal and an assist and Boomer chipped in with two helpers. “That line of Sylvester, Boomer and King, they played pretty well,” quipped Ice assistant coach Kris Knoblauch in an obvious understatement. “They got all three stars and they just do everything so well. They sure complement each other.”

Kootenay’s power play would continue with the hot-hand early in the game as Tucker’s clearing attempt ended up on Kevin King’s stick. King had a couple of whacks at it and slipped his 10th past the Giant netminder for a 1-0 lead. Kootenay would take a 2-0 lead at the eight minute mark of the first period when Dustin Sylvester sent Tucker’s waterbottle flying with a laser for his 14th of the season.

Rookie D Jagger Dirk’s (see sidebar story) initiation would be a tough one as the offensive-minded d-man got some power play time in the first period, dumped the puck in and followed on the forecheck. The puck couldn’t be contained in the Giants zone and Neil Manning found Vancouver forward James Henry streaking in on 2-on-2 short-handed chance, wiring his 10th past Ice starter Todd Mathews to make it 2-1. “I thought Jagger played very well,” said Knoblauch. “He got some power play time when we had some guys in the penalty box. After he dumped the puck in and pressured a bit they got a lucky bounce off Sylvester into the middle. It was a 2-on-2 and we should’ve been able to defend that. But overall he played well. It’s tough to jump into a higher league and then play against one of the top teams in the WHL. He was very composed out there.”

In the second the Ice would survive an early onslaught by the Giants and then swing the momentum back in their favour after Vancouver couldn’t stay out of the penalty box. Just as a penalty to Lance Bouma had expired Kootenay’s pressure continued as Brayden McNabb fired a shot on Jamie Tucker, who stopped the original shot, only to direct the rebound to Dustin Sylvester. He didn’t miss for his second of the night and 15th of the season to make it 3-1. Brock Montgomery would continue his hot hand with, you guessed it, another power play goal when Jesse Ismond fired a puck to the net in which Montgomery took two whacks at, putting his 5th of the season past Tucker to make it 4-1.

Kootenay’s power play, now humming along at a 35% clip on the road with ten goals in 28 chances, continued to find the back of the net against the Giants Wednesday, cashing on two of their seven chances as the home team struggled to stay out of the box. “Our power play has been huge. Ever since McNabb got back, all of those guys on the first unit seem to have found their groove and are doing a lot of things well. But having that big point shot helps to make those big plays.”

Kootenay continued the assault in the third when Max Reinhart, centering the fourth line as the club only dressed 11 forwards, fed rookie Brendan Hurley in the slot who buried his second of the season to make it 5-1. The Giants added a power play goal 4:33 into the period when Lance Bouma got his 8th on a wrap-around past Ice starter Todd Mathews but that would be as close as they would get. Brock Montgomery would put the final nail in the Giants’ coffin, scoring his second of the game and 6th on the season with 12 seconds left to give the Ice the 6-2 win.

Quick Hits – Hockey Canada announced their 36-man roster for the World Junior Team’s selection camp Wednesday. Ice hopeful Brayden McNabb was not among the players selected… D Cason Machacek received a three-game suspension from the WHL Wednesday after the 18-year-old came of the bench in Chilliwack on a legal change but we straight after Bruins D Tyler Stahl and started a fight and getting an instigator penalty… Scratches for Kootenay were Dominick Pacovsky (broken foot – 3-5 weeks), Drew Czerwonka (concussion – day-to-day), James Martin (concussion – day-to-day), Cason Machacek (three game league suspension)… This was the first time the Ice had a chance to see Giants D David Musil, the son of former NHL’er Frank, who was originally awarded to the Ice when the European-born Musil opted to play in the WHL this season. The Musil’s desire to relocate to Burnaby where David’s older sister is an accomplished volleyball player at Simon Fraser University prompted a trade that netted the Ice a 1st round pick in 2011 and a 5th rounder in 2010… Kootenay’s top line of Dustin Sylvester (2 goals, 1 assist), Kevin King (1 goal, 1 assist) and Steele Boomer (two assists) swept the Pacific Coliseum Three stars.

Cougars up Next – Kootenay, who improved to 15-13-1-1 on the season with win against the Giants, made the 10-hour trek to BC’s north following the game Wednesday to take on the WHL’s cellar-dwellers, the Prince George Cougars. The Cougars are 4-21-1-1, good for 10 points the worst in the WHL. Kootenay will be looking to run the table on the road trip for their fifth straight win but will not take the Cougars lightly. “It’s beneficial for us that we’ve got (Thursday) off,” said Knoblauch. “We’ve got some time to relax and recoup a little bit but we’ll need the downtime to prepare for them.”

Dirk joins Ice

Kootenay got an unexpected bonus Wednesday as it was announced that 16-year-old defenseman Jagger Dirk of Penticton would join the club for the rest of the season after signing a standard playing contact this week. “The last two weeks we’ve had a lot of dialogue with Jagger and his dad,” said Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth Wednesday. “I don’t know what transpired for them to leave Salmon Arm but we’ve always been interested in Jagger and we’ve been working hard to make it work.”

Dirk, an 11th round pick (235th overall) in the 2008 Bantam Draft, started this season with the BCHL’s Salmon Arm Silverbacks notching 4 goals and 17 assists in 22 games after choosing not to attend Kootenay’s training camp. Kootenay anticipated the six-foot, 177-pound rearguard playing with the club as a 17-year-old next season all along. Dirk choosing to play here now is an added bonus. “It was our understanding that he was going to play in Salmon Arm this year and that he was planning to come to Kootenay next season, so we’re about six months ahead of schedule,” said Chynoweth of Dirk, whose father Robert played with the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. “We were disappointed he didn’t come to camp but at the same time happy that he was playing the highest level he could with the Junior A Salmon Arm club. Now he’s here and we think that over time he’s going to be a big contributor to the hockey club and we’re real excited to have him.”

The addition of Dirk brings the Kootenay roster to a total of 24 players, or more precisely, nine defensemen. Injuries aside, Chynoweth admits it’s a number that will have to be dealt with in the coming weeks. “The timing isn’t great, especially with the team playing so well right now but we’ll try to get that number down as quickly as possible,” added Chynoweth. “There’s no time frame on that but ideally we like to carry seven defensemen and we’ve got nine. We’ll be okay here for a few games as James Martin is out with a concussion and Cason Machacek was suspended for three games for picking up an instigating penalty (in Chilliwack), so we’ll get everybody in the line-up right now but over time we’ve got to get down to seven defensemen and make the best line-up that we can.” - BROMLEY

McNabb left off WJC Invite roster/Dirk joins team

2009-12-02T12:17:00.000-08:00

Not necessarily a huge surprise but HockeyCanada announced their invite roster for the WJC camp and D Brayden McNabb wasn't on it. By no means did I think he was a lock but his play this season definitely garnered a look. I'm surprised he wasn't on the invite list given that there's only three returning vets on the team.

McNabb missed 8 games due to a knee injury last month but came back early than expected. McNabb is 18 and is still eligible to play next year.

Here's the invite roster.

In other team news, a tipster that sent a message our way last night was bang-on in that Kootenay has added 16-year-old D-man Jagger Dirk to their roster. Dirk, an 11th round (235th overall) Bantam Draft pick in 2008, was one of the higher profile picks that didn't attend training camp (3rd D-man Michael King from PG was the other) looking to keep his NCAA options open or perhaps having a more assured spot with the BCHL's Salmon Arm Silverback where he had 4 goals and 17 assists. That info was still up on the BCHL website this morning around 4:30AM but is now gone. Dirk is 6',177 pounds, left-shooting d-man that came to camp in 2008 as a 15-year-old and impressed for such a late pick.... Dirk is the son of former NHL'er Robert Dirk, a Vancouver Canuck and St. Louis Blue alumni... The tipster mentioned that Dirk was originally headed to the Chicago Steel of the USHL who hold his rights there but I haven't confirmed that yet... Now the only question remains is that Kootenay's roster sits back at 24, with 9 d-men. McNabb, Rintoul, Leach, Martin, Molle, Senkerik, Paulsen, Machacek and now Dirk. Who stays? Who goes? Perhaps trade winds are starting to blow...

The league also announced a 3-game suspension to D Cason Machacek after Machacek came onto the ice and fought the Bruins Tyler Stahl. I haven't seen it yet so it's hard to comment other than comparison. Gogol gets five for a blind hit to the head and Machacek gets three for coming off the bench on a legal change and instigating a fight, in which he was fingered for..... Something doesn't sound right.

I'll have more on Dirk included in the gamer from the Vancouver game tonight.

Ice dump Bruins

2009-12-02T00:20:00.000-08:00

For the Cranbrook Daily Townsman....

Ice wax Bruins; three-for-three on BC road trip

by Jeff Bromley

The WHL’s BC Division, if you’re the Kootenay it’s good for what ails you.

Reaching the .500 mark over the weekend Kootenay’s road record was the next to reach the plateau as the Ice extended their modest winning streak to three after dumping the Chilliwack Bruins 7-2 in the Fraser Valley Tuesday night.

On Tuesday it wasn’t the usual suspects of Sylvester, King and Boomer on the scoresheet as the club’s second line of Max Reinhart, Matt Fraser and Jesse Ismond provided the bulk of the club’s offense against the Bruins. “We got a couple of lucky goals early on but by the same token there were some goals we were robbed on in the second period,” said Ice assistant coach Kris Knoblauch via phone from Prospera Place in Chilliwack. “But if we only have one line scoring it becomes pretty easy for teams to shut us down with the other teams matching lines and getting their shut-down defensive parings out. We need that secondary scoring and it was Fraser and Reinhart’s line doing it tonight.”

The Ice were the benefactors of some Bruins bad luck early in the game when Ice forward Max Reinhart’s point-shot was fired wide of the Bruins’ net only to have Chilliwack defenseman Tyler Stahl’s attempted bunt-single find the back of his own net to give the Ice a 1-0 lead 44 seconds into the game. Reinhart initiated the play with the shot and was the last to touch the puck but the goal was credited to Matt Fraser. Five minutes later Reinhart skated in on Chilliwack goaltender Lucas Gore on a 2-on-1 with Fraser, fed the winger who missed the net only to have Reinhart track it down, feed it out front and bank it off a leg past Gore to make it 2-0. The next shift rookie forward Brock Montgomery continued the odd-man rush theme and used Elgin Pearce as a decoy, rifling a wrist shot top shelf past Gore to give the Ice a 3-0 first period lead.

The scoring continued into the second period when Steele Boomer got his 10th of the season 40 seconds in on a Kootenay rush that was originally stopped by Gore only to have Boomer dive to poke the puck past him and give the visitors a 4-0 lead. The Bruins refused to go quietly into the night however as Chilliwack got back into the game after the Ice couldn’t cash in on some quality chances only to have Bruin star Ryan Howse jump past the Ice defence on a breakaway. The Calgary Flames 3rd round draft pick deked Ice starter Nathan Lieuwen for his 22nd of the season at 8:13 of the second and sparked the home squad. A poor clearing attempt by the Ice with just over four minutes left in the period gave 17-year-old forward Dylen McKinley a point-blank chance he buried to make it 4-2 after two. “Their goalie made some key saves when it could’ve been five or six-nothing,” continued Knoblauch. “They got a bit of a bounce themselves and made it close on the McKinley goal. We definitely bent in the second but we didn’t break.”

The Bruins comeback attempt would stall in the third period when Matt Fraser scored off the face-off to make it 5-2 at 3:49 while Elgin Pearce would notch his 1st WHL goal with the Ice on the power play to make it 6-2 halfway through the third, chasing starter Lucas Gore in the process. Pearce would then get his second goal, again on the power play, late in the game to make it 7-2 on his replacement, newly acquired goaltender Braden Gamble.

The win for goaltender Nathan Lieuwen, who made his first start in a month Friday in Kamloops only to be pulled in favour of Todd Mathews, was a confidence builder for the 18-year-old, something that’s been missing since the Abbottsford product suffered the neck injury last month. “Nathan played really well,” said Knoblauch. “He made some outstanding saves, especially in the second period when Chilliwack could’ve made it close. It’s not easy for a goaltender to come back after a rough start like the one he had in Kamloops but tonight he did everything expected of him and it was good for him to get the win.”

Quick Hits – Kootenay improved to 14-13-1-1 and 30 points, good for 3rd in the Central Division and 9th in the Eastern Conference… Scratches for Kootenay were D James Martin (concussion – indefinite), LW Drew Czerwonka (concussion – day-to-day) and RW Dominick Pacovsky (broken foot – 3-5 weeks). Scratched for the Bruins was D Brandon Manning (undisclosed) and RW Tim Traber (healthy)… Kelowna Rocket forward Curt Gogol received a five-game suspension from the WHL for the major he received hitting Martin Saturday night... Earlier in the day the Bruins traded goaltender Mark Friesen, 19, to the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for a 3rd round Bantam pick in 2010. The Bruins called up the 18-year-old Gamble up from the AJHL’s Drumheller Dragons… Kootenay was 2-7 on the power play while Chilliwack went 0-5… Kootenay swept the Prospera Place Three-Stars; 1. Matt Fraser 2. Nathan Lieuwen 3. Elgin Pearce… Pearce finished with two goals while Fraser was credited with two goals and two assists and Reinhart a goal and an assist.

The injuries...

2009-11-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

The infirmary list grew over the weekend as D James Martin suffered a concussion as a result of Curt Gogol's elbowing major in Kelowna Saturday. There is some video of the hit on Youtube.

Judging from Martin's position and WHL past practice on such hits these season you can expect one, maybe a two game suspension. Martin is out indefinitely because of the hit.

F Drew Czerwonka suffered a minor concussion in a first period fight with the Rockets' Mitch Callahan. More video here. He is expected to play Tuesday in Chilliwack as is D Ryan Molle, who had the same concussion issue that kept him out of action in Kelowna.

F Dominick Pacovsky is still in a cast with a broken foot that will likely keep him out until after the Christmas break.

Concussion seems to be the injury this season.....

The WHL announced today that Ice captain Dustin Sylvester is the Husky Player of the week after notching 6 points in two games.... Sylvester has 19 in the month of November in which the team went 7-2-1-1.

Ice get back to .500

2009-11-28T21:23:00.000-08:00

The Kootenay Ice chased a couple of leads by the Kelowna Rockets tonight in the Okanagan - Kelowna scored a couple of power play goals by Tyler Halliday and uber-rookie Shane McColgan sandwiched around Max Reinhart's 8th of the season in the first half of the game - before D Brayden McNabb continued kickstarting Kootenay's suddenly potent power play with two straight power play markers to give the Ice a 3-2lead in the third period.

Dustin Sylvester, his 3rd period heroics now at six points on the road trip in the final frame after an assist and then the game's final goal to give the Ice a 4-2 win and a record of 13-13-1-1 - the first time they've broached the .500 mark since October 3.

Since McNabb has returned to quarterback the power play the Ice have scored six goals in two games, going 6-18, a 33% clip.

Red Deer, Edmonton and Lethbridge all lost tonight though the Oil Kings still gained a point losing in OT. The Ice sit alone in 9th place with 28 points and will face Chilliwack Tuesday.

D Ryan Molle missed the game due to the collision yesterday in Kamloops but radio is saying that he passed his concussion test today and should play this week. F Brock Montgomery (healthy) was the other scratch.

The Kelowna Daily Courier will have a recap up overnight.

The Peewee's overcame a lacklustre first half and skated to a 7-4 win over Invermere tonight at the 'Plex with the return match tommorrow morning, with enough time to enjoy the big game.

I'm more of a Lions fan so pulling for the Riders is going to be tough but I still think all the green in the west (See Below for a pic of all the Rider fans in Saskatchewan headed to the game) isn't going to stop the Als. Montreal by 3.

Ice win a wild one....

2009-11-27T22:02:00.000-08:00

One player's return from injury is a head-shaker and yet another relieves the headaches a powerless power play was causing Friday in Kootenay's improbable 6-5 shootout win in Kamloops over the Blazers.

G Nathan Lieuwen's first start since returning from injury wasn't a memorable one surrendering three goals on the first seven shots he faced and getting the hook nine minutes into the contest.

Kootenay's special team woes continue as the Blazers, after jumping out to an early 1-0 lead on Brendan Ranford's 8th, give up three straight power play goals going into the third period with a 4-0 lead.

Mail it in, right? Not so fast.

D Brayden McNabb's return from a knee injury after missing eight games, though he returned for the WHL's 4-2 win over the Russia's Thursday in Kelowna with an assist, looks to be the panacea for what ails the Ice power play. Clicking along at just over 12%, Kootenay opened the third period with the man-advantage and Dustin Sylvester got his 11th 31 seconds in. It would open the floodgates. Kootenay would finish the contest with a 47-28 edge in shots and 4-8 on the power play.

Kootenay scored five straight - four of the power play goals - as the Blazers self-destructed in new coach Guy Charron's debut along with goaltender Kurtis Mucha who was obtained from the Portland Winterhawks earlier in the week. By the time the scoring stopped the Ice had a 5-4 lead with less than four minutes left in the game. The Blazers would gain a measure of face with Tyler Shattock's tying goal, his 16th, with 12 seconds left.

After OT Dustin Sylvester - who finished with two goals and two assists - and Jesse Ismond with a laser would score in the shootout to win it.

Was that a cat I saw at Interior Savings Centre on the Shaw Broadcast?

With the win Kootenay moves to 12-13-1-1 on the season with 26 points, tied for 9th in the Eastern Conference with the Red Deer Rebels.

Gregg Drinnan, over at the best WHL Blog going, should have the gamer up around 1AM our time.

The road trip continues Saturday with a date in Kelowna against the Rockets, the elusive .500 record once again on the line.

Pacovsky Out....

2009-11-24T19:23:00.000-08:00

The foot injury import forward Dominick Pacovsky suffered Friday against the Regina Pats blocking a shot is now a broken foot that will keep the 19-year-old out of the line-up for 4-6 weeks.

Weekend Gamer....

2009-11-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

For the Cranbrook Daily Townsman

Broncos dump Ice as Kootenay drops two at ‘Plex

by Jeff Bromley

Heading into the two-game set at the Cranbrook Rec Plex this weekend the Kootenay Ice were head-long in their attempt to reach the .500 record that has somehow eluded the club since game six in early October. Winners of three straight and sporting a 6-2-1-1 record over the last ten games going in, the Ice flirted with the mark Friday in an exciting 3-2 shootout loss to the Regina Pats. On Saturday they were shot-down completely in a 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the Swift Current Broncos.

“We came out with our ‘B’ game today,” said Ice rearguard James Martin, one of Kootenay’s few bright lights Saturday with a goal and an assist. “They did a good job and when we got into the fights there, it put us behind.”

Down 3-1 but far from out of the game things got nasty halfway through the second period Saturday when former Ice forward Micheal Stickland hit Drew Czerwonka in the neutral zone. Czerwonka wasn’t against the boards but the hit from the behind had the big forward in a vulnerable position and shook the 17-year-old up. D Ryan Molle took exception to the hit, cross-checked Stickland and then started swinging.

Then Bronco captain Derek Claffey got into the act and was promptly challenged by Dustin Sylvester and while those two bouts were going on Bronco rookie Reece Scarlett challenged Kootenay’s Joey Leach. When the dust settled Molle had a double-minor to go along with his scrap, the captains were tossed and Scarlett was in the Broncos training room with a broken nose, courtesy of Leach, both of whom were thrown out. Just under two minutes later Czerwonka took a tripping minor that put the Broncos on a five-on-three for over two minutes but the visitors couldn’t convert, bringing the 2621 in attendance to their feet in appreciation but failing to ignite the home side in terms lighting the lamp. “Personally I wanted to come in here and win,” said Stickland, a thorn in many of his former team-mate's side all night. “Winning big is never a bad thing in my eyes but we were definitely looking for that first road win and tonight’s a big stepping stone for us to get that monkey off our back.”

On the hit on Czerwonka, Stickland questioned his own judgement but also questioned Molle doing the same to him afterwards. “(Molle) had made the pass up to Czerwonka and I could see the hit coming, I hit him and I could hear him yelling from behind,” continued Stickland. “He hit me with a cross-check but if he wants to go or whatever, just ask me, I’ll turn around. But I knew it was coming and I knew that after Molle made that pass he’d feel bad about it.”

The Broncos opened the scoring early in this one with Justin Dowling firing a backhanded laser over the shoulder of Ice starter Todd Mathews 1:03 into the game. Halfway through the period Taylor Vause blocked a Hayden Rintoul point-shot and was off to the races, roofing a wrist-shot past Mathews to make it 2-0. Ice head coach Mark Holick pulled his goaltender after that goal, but only to calm him down, promptly putting Mathews back in the nets 1:31 later. Kootenay’s power play scored their second goal in as many nights when Matt Fraser got the home side back in the game off a feed from James Martin at 15:41 but the Broncos restored their two-goal lead 1:50 later when newly acquired Stepan Novotny backhanded his 15th of the season past Mathews to make it 3-1.

A scoreless second highlighted by the brawl gave way to a motivated Bronco club that stretched the lead to 4-1 2:32 into the third when the WHL’s leading goal getter, Cody Eakin, took a pass from Michael Stickland streaking into the slot and burying his 23rd of the season past Mathews. Martin, playing his best game of the season, wired his second of the year past Morgan Clark to cut the lead to two but Eakin would make the Ice pay again, this time on the power play – there were five chances in the third period alone for the Broncos – when he sniped his 24th and second of the evening to make it 5-2. Swift Current would round out the scoring with another power play marker by Justin Dowling at 9:30 that would send Mathews to the bench in favour of Nathan Lieuwen for the balance of the game.

Kootenay’s bench boss lamented the club’s slow start and factoring in Kootenay’s 2-8 record when their opponent scores first, giving the high-powered offense of the Broncos a chance to free-wheel wasn’t part of the plan. “The first two were pretty good shots and after that we’re playing catch-up,” said Holick. “For a team that doesn’t score very often, playing catch-up is tough.”

“But they’re a better team than their record indicates. They’re big, strong and can score. They’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing right now and when they get things on track they’ll be a force.”

Pats 3 – Ice 2 (SO) – On Friday Kootenay survived a Pat onslaught early and skated to a 2-0 first period lead on goals by Joey Leach and Kevin King before the Pats chipped away at it with Jordan Eberle scoring a power play goal in the second period and then Kyle Mulder deflected the tying goal past Todd Mathews to tie the game with just over five minutes to play. After a scoreless overtime Max Reinhart scored for the Ice in the shootout but both Brett Leffler and Matt Strueby beat Mathews to give the Pats the win.

Quick Hits – Kevin King's goal Friday on the power play broke a 0-25 drought with the man-advantage dating back to a November 7th loss to the Red Deer Rebels... D Brayden McNabb missed his 8th game with a knee injury but should return for the first game of the five game road trip in Kamloops; F Dominick Pacovsky took a shot off his foot against the Pats Friday and missed Saturday’s action while D Petr Senkerik was a healthy scratch… McNabb could play for Team WHL in Kelowna Wednesday against the Russian Selects… Both Dustin Sylvester and Kevin King had modest four-game point-scoring streaks snapped Saturday... Kootenay begins a five-game road trip through the BC Division starting Friday in Kamloops.

The Score - Kootenay/Swift Current

2009-11-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Score – Swift Current 6 – Kootenay 2

What Happened – Simply put, the Broncos happened. With firepower the likes of Eakin, Dowling, Hoban and now Novotny, this club is a deep and deadly up front and they showed it tonight, putting the puck in the net almost at will.

The Goals – The Broncos struck first on a beauty of a rush started by Brad Hoban after Matt Fraser threw a blind pass to the point that was intercepted by Hoban and finished by Justin Dowling with a wicked backhand that he roofed by Mathews… D Hayden Rintoul’s luck continued, all of it bad of late, when his point shot is blocked by Taylor Vause at the Bronco blueline and he had a 120 foot breakaway that he wired just under the crossbar to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead and chased Mathews from the nets for 1:31 in favour of Nathan Lieuwen, who was replaced by Mathews at the next whistle… Kootenay would halve the lead on one of those rare plays of late, a power play goal, when D James Martin missed on a great back-door chance but corralled the puck in the corner and found Matt Fraser in the slot, who buried his 9th past Morgan Clark… The Broncos restored their two-goal lead less than two minutes later when Cason Machacek turned the puck over behind his net, to Cody Eakin – bad idea – Eakin found Stickland in the slot for a point-blank chance that Mathews stopped only to have Stepan Novotny backhand the rebound past him… After a scoreless second period the floodgates opened early in third when Micheal Stickland sent a nice pass to Cody Eakin – still the league’s top goal-getter – in the slot. He didn’t miss… James Martin, playing perhaps his best game of the season, wired his 2nd of the year past Clark after rookie Brendan Hurley won a face-off to make the score 4-2…. The two-goal difference didn’t last long after Pearce took a tripping penalty on the same shift, enabling Cody Eakin to get his second of the game on a rebound past Mathews… Mathews took another penalty – his second of the game that let the Broncos power play get back to work – a few minutes later when Brad Hoban found Justin Dowling on a pretty back-door play to make it 6-2.

The Drought’s Over II – The Broncos took 11 games to do it but they finally won a road game, at Kootenay’s expense, a theme of late as Speedy Creek has now won six straight over the Ice dating back to March 8, 2008, a 3-1 win at the ‘Plex.

The (non) Power Play Goal – Just when you thought the power play was going to click – Steele Boomer stuffed one past Morgan Clark during the Broncos third PK of the first period, only to be blown dead by referee Trevor Hanson. The Ice got one for real a minute later on Fraser’s 9th of the season.

The Hook – Coach Mark Holick yanked G Todd Mathews after the Ice gave up the second goal but only for a pep talk. “I wanted to bring Todd in and calm him down a little bit,” said Holick. “He’s was pretty wound up.” He would replace him for good following the sixth goal in the third.

The Line-Brawl – Halfway through the second period former Ice forward Michael Stickland levelled Drew Czerwonka – a borderline, but clean hit – and D Ryan Molle took exception to it. Molle cross-checked Stickland and dropped the gloves in a spirited bout – give Stickland the edge there. A melee then ensued with the two captains squaring-off – Dustin Sylvester and Derek Claffey in a draw – after Claffey jumped into the first scrap and then D Joey Leach and Bronco rookie D Reece Scarlett going toe-to-toe or rather, fist-to-nose at the scrum’s periphery. Leach connected on a right and dropped the rookie, who left the game leaking badly, suffering a broken nose which had to be re-broken at East Kootenay Regional Hospital before the club returned to Swift Current.

The Power plays - The Zebras were busy on this night, giving the Ice six power plays while the Broncos had a whopping ten man-advantages, including five straight in the third period.

The Scratches – D Brayden McNabb should be ready to go this week with the club on the road Friday in Kamloops; F Dominick Pacovsky blocked a shot with his foot Friday against the Pats and is day-to-day with a bruised foot; D Petr Senkerik was a healthy scratch.

What it means – A week of practice for a club that is licking its wounds after losing two straight at home and now heads out on the road for a five-game road trip through the BC Division again searching for ways to fill the net.

The Crowd – 2621; 2600 just seems to be the norm nowadays.

Daily Townsman Three Stars
1. C Justin Dowling – Two goals, an assist.
2. C Cody Eakin – Two goals, assist and the league’s leading scorer proved it
3. RW Brad Hoban – Two assists, helped orchestrate the onslaught

Up Next – The loss draws Kootenay in at 11-13-1-1 with 24 points, tied with the Red Deer Rebels for 9th in the Eastern Conference. On Thursday they’ll travel to Kamloops to begin a five-game trip through the BC Division starting Friday, a televised game on Shaw TV against the Blazers.

Game Summary:

Broncos 6 @ Ice 2

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Swift Current Broncos and Kootenay Ice; November 21, 2009.
The Swift Current Broncos won their first game of the season on the road in style, downing the Kootenay Ice 6-2 in WHL action Saturday night. Swift Current, paced by two goal performances by Justin Dowling and Cody Eakin, with his 23rd and 24th of the season to lead the WHL, had leads of 3-1 after one and 6-2 to finish off the Ice. Kootenay got goals from Matt Fraser, with his 9th, and James Martin with his 2nd of the season in a losing cause. Taylor Vause and Stepan Novotny had the other Bronco goals.
Morgan Clark stopped 17 of 19 shots to get the win while Todd Mathews, who was replaced by Nathan Lieuwen after the Broncos' sixth goal, stopped 24 of 30 in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Swift Current, Dowling 14 (Hoban) 1:03
2. Swift Current, Vause 5 9:36
3. Kootenay, Fraser 9 (Martin, Czerwonka) 15:41 (pp)
4. Swift Current, Novotny 15 (Eakin, Stickland) 17:31,

Penalties -- Dowling SC (slashing) 5:02, Montgomery Ktn (checking-from-behind) 6:26, Novotny SC (delay-of-game) 11:07, Craig SC (delay-of-game) 14:06, Mathews Ktn (interference - served by Boomer) 18:11.

Second Period

No Scoring.

Penalties -- Lowry SC (double - checking-from-behind, fighting) Machacek (instigator, fighting, misconduct) 1:21, Stickland SC (fighting), Scarlett SC (fighting, game misconduct) Claffey SC (fighting, game misconduct) Molle Ktn (cross-checking, instigator - served by Reinhart, fighting, misconduct) Sylvester Ktn (fighting, game misconduct), Leach Ktn (fighting, game misconduct) 7:15, Czerwonka Ktn (tripping) 9:08, Swift Current Bench (too-many-men - served by Blanke) 12:25, Doyle SC (tripping) 16:13.

Third Period
5. Swift Current, Eakin 23 (Stickland, Rogers) 2:32
6. Kootenay, Martin 2 (Pearce, Hurley) 4:58
7. Swift Current, Eakin 24 (Doyle, Dowling) 6:08 (pp)
8. Swift Current, Dowling 15 (Hoban) 9:30 (pp)

Penalties -- Pearce Ktn (tripping) 5:13, Mathews Ktn (tripping - served by Hurley) 8:07, Martin Ktn (tripping) 11:32, Martin Ktn (cross-checking) 17:01, Czerwonka Ktn (elbowing) 18:07.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 11 4 4 - 19
Swift Current: 12 11 12 - 35

Goal -- Kootenay: Todd Mathews - Liewen; 9:30 of third; 24 of 30 shots (L, 7-6-1-1); Swift Current: Morgan Clark (W, 11-7-0-1).

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-6
Swift Current: 2-10

Referee -- Adam Byblow, Trevor Hanson. Linesman -- Scott Sharun, Matthew Barker.

Attendance -- 2621 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Brayden McNabb (knee - day-to-day), Dominick Pacovsky (foot - indefinite), Petr Senkerik (healthy).
Medicine Hat: Mike Brown (knee - indefinite), Brody Luhning (healthy).

Summary courtesy Jeff Bromley of the Cranbrook Daily Townsman

The Score - Ice/Pats

2009-11-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

The Score – Regina 3 – Kootenay 2 (Shootout)

What Happened – Team overtime had numerous chances to put this one away up 2-0 on the Pats but the visitors hung around long enough to tie it and then get the extra point in the shootout.

The Goals – Kootenay’s start to this one wasn’t exactly textbook. The Pats dominated the home side with extended period of play in the Ice end of the rink but it was Kootenay who opened the scoring when Dustin Sylvester jumped on a turnover and skated in on a 2-on-1, delayed and found a streaking Joey Leach who caught G Damien Ketlo back in his net and put it over his shoulder for a 1-0 lead…. Dominick Pacovsky drove to the net less than two minutes later with the Ice on the power play and scored, well, it wasn’t a beauty and it wasn't even his, as the goal-mouth scramble that ensued ended up with Kevin King potting his 9th of the season to give the home-side a 2-0 lead, even though they were out-shot at the time 12-6… 13:41 into the second period Leach took a tripping penalty that put the powerful Pats on the power play. Kootenay almost killed it off with some spectacular saves by Todd Mathews only to have D Cody Carlson find a wide-open Jordan Eberle in the slot. Mathews got over and almost had the one-timer but the Edmonton Oiler prospect got enough of it to make it 2-1… In the third Kootenay had their chances to put the Pats away but a goalpost here and a crossbar there enabled the Pats to tie it with just over five minutes remaining when D Petr Senkerik’s weak clearing pass was intercepted off the half-wall by Colten Tuebert who then fired a point-shot that Kyle (Fox) Mulder deflected past a surprised Mathews to tie the game. In the shootout Max Reinhart scored a beauty to give the Ice a chance to end it but both Matt Strueby and Brett Leffler beat Mathews and Kevin King hit the post to give the visitors the extra point.

Star-Studded - Looking up and down the Pats line-up and you wonder how the club isn't competing with the likes of the Saskatoon and Calgary for top spot in the conference. Jordan Weal and Jordan Eberle give you offence in spades while former first overall pick in 2005 D Colten Teubert anchors the blueline along with former first round bantam picks Brett Leffler (5th overall in 2004) to round out the big name lineup. Solid goaltending and depth to spare, why isn't this club pushing for a title this season?

The Drought’s Over – King’s goal in the first period ended a 0-25 famine on the power play dating back to November 7 against the Red Deer Rebels.

The Fight – Just after Ice forward Matt Fraser pasted RW Garrett Mitchell with a clean hit Pats D Matt Delahey jumped him in an attempt to exact some retribution. He didn’t and got nailed with the instigator and 17 minutes in penalties in one of the rare occurrences this season the Zebras actually called the instigator.

The Scratches – The Brayden McNabb watch continued for the weekend as the 18-year-old rearguard likely won’t return until the 25th when he suits up for Team WHL against the touring Russian Selects. Otherwise it’ll be November 27 in Kamloops against the Blazers. D Luke Paulsen and RW Brock Montgomery were healthy scratches.

The Skinny – Kootenay falls to 11-12-1-1 and 24 points, good for 9th in the Eastern Conference, two points shy of the Swift Current Broncos who hold the 8th spot and are the visitors Saturday night at the Plex.

The Crowd – 2641

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. RW Kevin King – Goal and an assist
2. G Damien Ketlo – Shrugged off a slow start
3. D Joey Leach – 17-year-old is starting to establish himself as a top-four D-man

Up Next – 8th spot in the conference is on the line when the Swift Current Broncos visit the Rec Plex Saturday night.

Skrudland sent to Junior A

2009-11-19T00:16:00.000-08:00

Kootenay's healthy roster was trimmed by one on Wednesday as the Ice sent 18-year-old forward Simon Skrudland to a Junior A club yet to be determined. The Calgary product, a former 3rd round pick (58th overall) in the 2006 Bantam Draft had one assist in 17 games in mostly a fourth-line role for the Ice.

He'll likely join a Calgary area AJHL squad. The club's roster sits at 23 - 2 goalies, 8 defensemen and 13 forwards.

Ice win two on weekend

2009-11-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

A successful weekend to recover from the Remembrance Day blowout in Calgary, Kootenay dumped the best team in the west Saturday at the 'Plex 7-1 - with a four assist effort from Dustin Sylvester while Steele Boomer, Dominick Pacovsky, Kevin King and Cason Machacek all had a goal and an assist, as well as welcoming back Matt Fraser from a knee injury. Forward Brendan Hurley, 16, with his first WHL goal and D Joey Leach with his first of the season, each got in on the goal barrage.... Todd Mathews stopped 30 of 31 shots to get the win.

On Sunday night in Lethbridge Fraser scored the OT winner with 27 seconds left in the extra frame on a pretty set-up by Steele Boomer. Boomer tied the game for the Ice after the Hurricanes went up 1-0 on Austin Fyten's 9th of the season. Dustin Sylvester notched his 9th of the season short-handed in the middle frame to give the Ice a 2-1 lead. The club had numerous chances to put the tired 'Canes - playing their third game in three nights - away with a five-on-three late in the second and another one 3:50 into the third but instead gave up the short-handed tying goal when Mitch Maxwell scooted out of the penalty box and scored on a partial breakaway. Mathews once again got the start and stopped 27 of 29 shots.

In terms of importance, well, it's November and already every point is important as the OT win put the Ice two points clear of the Hurricanes for last spot in the Eastern Conference but only two out of the top eight with a 10-12-1 record for 21 points. Key games at the Plex this week against Prince Albert Tuesday, Regina Friday and Swift Current Broncos, the latter of which has yet to win on the road this season in ten tries, and all games against opponents just ahead of them in the standings. They'll get their 11th shot at it Saturday at the Rec Plex.

Notes.... D Brayden McNabb looks to be making a miraculous recovery of his knee strain/injury that was supposed to keep the 18-year-old out four-six weeks but is now listed at a week away, meaning he could play this weekend against the Regina Pats. The recovery - oh, I'll bet that brutal rope ladder drill he does to build leg strength after practice every day helped on this one - will undoubtedly put him back in the running for a World Junior team shot and to play in the CHL Canada/Russia series' final game in Kelowna November 25.... Since G Nathan Lieuwen's return last week he's sat squarely in the bench in a back-up role to Todd Mathews, continuing coach Mark Holick's philosophy of you win; you play... Mathews surrendered four goals in the Calgary loss while Lieuwen gave up three but other than that blip Mathews has been solid in winning two straight and five of his last seven games... The infirmary list is getting shorter and shorter with the return of both Fraser and 17-year-old forward Christian Magnus from a broken finger which forced him to miss 19 games. Only D Luke Paulsen, 17, (ankle - day-to-day) and McNabb (knee - one week) are left. The healthy roster will eventually force the club to examine it's size, which currently sits at 24 - one defenseman and one forward over the usual roster of 22 (two goalies, 13 forwards and 7 defensemen). Then again, with the injury problems this season don't be surprised if the roster stays at 24.... With five more points on the weekend - one goal and four assists - Ice captain Dustin Sylvester now has 4 goals and 7 assists in his last five games.... Swift Current Broncos radio voice over on his blog (on the right, a few spots down) states there's a chance that the Broncos could be ready to make a roster move as soon as this week. Overage forward Matt Tassone is getting closer and closer to returning and the Broncos will have to make a move within two weeks of having four healthy 20-year-olds. D Derek Claffey, D Eric Doyle, RW Mike Stickland and C Matt Tassone. One will have to go...... UPDATE: Turns out the deal is more of the blockbuster variety. The Broncos have dealt former first round bantam pick Geordie Wudrick to the Kelowna Rockets for their leading scorer, import forward Stepan Novotny, along with prospect Tanner Clark. More details are at the Broncos Website and over at Jon Keen's blog here.

Hitmen blast Ice

2009-11-11T17:31:00.000-08:00

Why is it once you crow about the playing ability of a player their play suddenly heads south? Kootenay jumped out to a gratuitous 2-0 lead on goals by Joe Antilla and Brock Montgomery - a gaffe that Hitmen goaltender Martin Jones just missed - before a 12-second stretch by the Hitmen included goals by Ian Schultz and former Ice forward Kris Foucault to tie it after one period.

Letting any team back into a game is dangerous enough. Doing against perhaps the best team in the WHL is usually suicide. But it was discipline against the number one team on the power play that did the Ice in after that when D Joey Leach took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and then the bench - presumably after coach Mark Holick gave the zebras an earful - took another, giving the Hitties a five-on-three and two straight power play goals to make it 4-2 after two, chasing starter Todd Mathews in the process.

Three more goals, one by WHL leading scorer Brandon Kozun who finished the night with four points, in the third turned this one into a romp for a 7-2 final.

Nathan Lieuwen replaced Mathews after four goals on 15 shots for his first action in seven games but didn't fare much better.... C Steele Boomer missed the game due to the flu... Things don't get any easier as the best club in the West, Bob Tory's Tri-City Americans along with Cranbrook product Jim Hiller behind the bench, visit the Rec Plex Saturday.

The Daily Townsman along with Scott Fisher of the Calgary Sun will have game recaps up shortly. The Townsman will have Saturday's game coverage as I'm gone for a couple of games with my Peewee team.

Mathews wants the starter's job.....

2009-11-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

For HockeyNow...

Mathews take the reigns

by Jeff Bromley

Kootenay Ice goaltender Todd Mathews is an opportunistic hockey player and once again the door is open for the 19-year-old Covina, California product.

Like last season, he’s seizing it.

Pressed into the starter’s role after 18-year-old Nathan Lieuwen went down with what was thought to be a concussion be diagnosed as a neck sprain, Mathews is a respectable 3-3 in the past six games and has the team playing just as well in front of him. “It took me a few games to get going and the first two or three games definitely didn’t go my way,” said Mathews following a 1-0 shutout of the Seattle Thunderbirds November 1. “There’s been some hard practices but I guess there’s some ease (the last six games) not having anybody pushing me but I end up just trying to push myself. The guys seem to have some confidence in me and I have confidence in myself right now which means a lot.”

Like his team-mates Mathews was the victim of a poor start to the season, losing his first start in Kootenay’s second game 7-1 against the Red Deer Rebels, essentially surrendering the starter’s job to Lieuwen. But an injury to Lieuwen after a collision with a Portland forward in a 5-1 loss to the Winter Hawks October 23 sidelined Lieuwen with a possible concussion, given the reigns to Mathews. This time he ran with it. In the six games since he’s produced a 3-3 record but more impressive are the 1.67 goals against average and .944 save percentage he’s garnered along the way, playing well enough to win only to have little support at key times. Last season Mathews joined the club mid-season and played 28 games, going 14-11-0-1 after Lieuwen missed two months due to a concussion.

The last four outings for the club have produced seven of a possible eight points, winning three straight over Brandon, Seattle and Red Deer before losing in overtime to the Rebels Saturday night. Are the wins enough to turn the tide? “How many more games do we got?” Mathews asked rhetorically. “But as long as we keep with this pace the goals are going to start to come. If we keep the goals against and the scoring chances against low I think we’ll be happy with our performance.”

On Monday the club welcomed back Nathan Lieuwen who had left the club to ponder his future after suffering what was thought to be his fourth concussion in two years. The injury had put a promising career in jeopardy until the injury was diagnosed as a neck sprain rather than a concussion. It was welcome news to the Abbotsford product, who will serve as back-up against the Calgary Hitmen on Remembrance Day. "To get this good news is a sigh of relief,” Lieuwen told the Cranbrook Daily Townsman. “Just thinking about if it would have been another concussion — that would have been terrible. Things would be a lot different. I’m very, very thankful and blessed to have this.”

So is there a goaltending controversy brewing in Iceland? Not according to head coach Mark Holick. “I’m not going to get into a debate on who is number one or who is number two,” said Holick. “I just look at who has played well lately and Todd, over the past six games has been great. His save percentage and goals against average is pretty low and he’s done enough to play Wednesday.”
“Lieuwen hasn’t been on the ice for over ten days so we’ll get him skating and see where he’s at but we’ve certainly got to get him back on the horse. It’s a nice problem to have with a couple of goaltenders that are going to fight for playing time.”

Ice Weekend...

2009-11-09T13:08:00.001-08:00

For the Daily Townsman....

Sylvester soars in weekend split with Rebels

by Jeff Bromley

A weekend split against a divisional rival in November doesn’t usually give a team cause for brimming optimism but if you’re the Kootenay Ice, three out of four points against the Red Deer Rebels ain’t bad.

That and the fact they’re scoring again and more importantly, their captain is scoring again.

Dustin Sylvester had a six-point weekend scoring three goals and three assists including his 7th and 8th on the season in a losing cause as Kootenay dropped a 4-3 overtime loss on Colin Archer’s overtime marker Saturday night at the Rec Plex after dumping the Rebels on home-ice Friday 4-1. “We got a bounce or two (Friday) so I think it was their turn tonight,” said Ice head coach Mark Holick. “It was kind of a funny bounce on the winner but their second and third goals were a one-on-three and they made something out of it. Our back-check on both goals wasn’t very good and our attention to detail and the guys behind us wasn’t good. We fell in love with the puck too much tonight. I mean, you’re going to make mistakes but unfortunately those two mistakes cost a point here tonight.”

Kootenay opened the scoring early in the first period when their power play clicked on Dustin Sylvester's 7th of the season with Rebel defenseman Alex Petrovic off for cross-checking. The 20-year-old fired a wrist shot that beat Rebel goaltender Kraymer Barnstable from the slot to make it 1-0. That lead lasted only 1:32 when Red Deer forward Andrej Kudrna sent Willie Coetzee in alone on Ice goaltender Todd Mathews. The Rebels’ leading scorer didn’t miss, roofing his 10th of the season past Mathews to tie the game at one. The start of the second period saw the Ice take the play to the Rebels, finally cashing in on a neutral zone turnover by Rebel forward Landon Ferraro, picked up Sylvester, who streaked in and went five-hole on Barnstable to give the Ice a 2-1 lead and a serious case of momentum.

It wouldn’t last.

By the end of the second period the Rebels would have the lead on a couple of goal-mouth goals by Willie Coetzee and Brett Ferguson and the home side would spend the third period scrambling to get back into the game.

They almost didn’t, save for a dropped stick.

While killing a penalty late in the game that all but killed their chances of a comeback, a two-on-two rush started by – you guessed it – Sylvester, ended with a scrum deep in the Red Deer zone. Rebel blueliner Cullen Morin dropped his stick in the mix and when trying to catch Kevin King skating out of the corner with the puck Morin stepped on the dropped twig and fell, sending King to the front of the net to out-wait Barnstable for the game-tying goal.

Holick felt they deserved a better fate. “I thought we deserved better at that point,” he said. “It should’ve been 3 or 4-1 but we weren’t capitalizing on our chances. We were shooting wide or getting pucks blocked and not paying the price for rebounds but we came out with jump and did a lot of good things. That’s why it’s so disappointing.”

Not so disappointing was the play of 16-year-old rookie Brendan Hurley, who had his best game in an Ice uniform patrolling the right wing on the club’s third line. “(Hurley) has been great for us the last little bit,” said Holick. “With the injuries he’s getting some time to play. He had four or five good chances tonight and a couple last night and I was hoping a couple would’ve gone in for him, he’s played that good. He’s starting to become the player we think he can be and if you play well, you’ll play.”

Rebel coach Jesse Wallin was grateful that his squad was rewarded for their hard work, something that didn’t happen 24 hours earlier as they were stymied by the play of Todd Mathews, Friday’s first star. “This was a big game for us, as was (Friday), but for whatever reason we didn’t play as well as we played here. We faced some adversity early coming back from a 1-0 showing some resilience and then battling back again down 2-1. We never gave up and were rewarded in overtime.”

In Red Deer the Ice rode the stellar goaltending of Todd Mathews and three point efforts from both Sylvester and import defenseman Petr Senkerik, who notched a goal and added two assists in a the 4-1 win. The game welcomed back sophomore forward Drew Czerwonka, who finished with an assist on the night an was plus-2 on the weekend, adding a dimension of size sorely needed with his 6’2” frame in front of the opposition’s net. “That’s my game, I want to be physical and get in front of the net,” said Czerwonka. “The goalie can’t see much when I’m there and it creates scoring chances.”

Quick Hits – Saturday’s crowd was 2713… Kootenay got some welcome news Friday when it was learned that goaltender Nathan Lieuwen did not suffer a concussion when he was injured in game against the Portland Winter Hawks two weeks ago. Lieuwen has since re-joined the club and will start skating Monday and will serve as back-up on Remembrance Day for an afternoon date with the Hitmen in Calgary starting at 2PM… Forward Christian Magnus, who has missed 18 games with a broken finger, could play Wednesday while D Brayden McNabb (knee – 4-6 weeks), Luke Paulsen (ankle 2-4 weeks) and LW Matt Fraser (knee – 1-2 weeks) are still on the injured list. Forward Simon Skrudland missed the weekend’s action with the flu… 16-year-old forward Ryan Bloom, a 2nd round pick from the 2008 Bantam Draft, was called up for Friday’s game in Red Deer from the Calgary Midget Buffaloes… Backing up Mathews over the weekend was Calgary product Kevin Jacyna, 16, who plays for the Calgary Midget AA Royals.

Rebels/Ice - The Score

2009-11-08T01:11:00.000-08:00

The Score – Red Deer 4 – Kootenay 3 (OT)

What Happened – A see-saw battle ended with the Rebels scoring in OT. The Ice capitalized on almost all of their opportunities, they just didn’t have enough of them.

The Rookie – For Kootenay fans it was their first chance to have a good look at rookie phenom Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The former first overall pick in the 2008 Bantam Draft didn’t disappoint with an assist and more chances that I could count. The kid who many expect to go first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft sees the ice better than some that play there right now.

The Goals – Eager to capitalize on some momentum found 24 hours early in Red Deer, Kootenay captain Dustin Sylvester wired his 7th of the season past Rebel starter Kraymer Barnstable 4:01 into the game with Rebel blueliner Alex Petrovic in the box for cross-checking… Just over two minutes later Rebel import forward Andrej Kudrna thread the needle with a beautiful pass that sent Willie Coetzee in alone on Todd Mathews. He went shelf and tied it at one… In the second with the Ice buzzing Dustin Sylvester benefitted from a Rebel neutral zone turnover and went in alone on Barnstable. Sylvester went five-hole and gave the Ice a 2-1 lead… The Rebels tied it on a shot by Nathan Green coming down the left wing that Mathews took off his shoulder. The puck went straight up and straight down his back, sitting on the goal-line for the easy tap in for Coetzee… The Rebels took the lead on another rush in which Josh Cowen centred a pass that Brett Ferguson somehow tapped past Mathews at 16:16… While killing a penalty late in the game and generating next to nothing in terms of offence a two-on-two started by Dustin Sylvester sends the puck to the Rebel corner. A scrum ensued and Rebel D Cullen Morin dropped his stick, steps on it and falls while Kevin Kings walks out of the corner and out-waits Barnstable to tie the game with his sixth of the season, shorthanded, forcing overtime… The Rebels would get the last laugh however when Colin Archer banged into the game-winner in the extra period after Willie Coetzee got in on a great scoring chance in which Mathews kicked out; right to Archer however who buried the winner.

Disgusted with his stick - After being stripped of the puck for the second Sylvester goal Rebel forward Landon Ferraro threw his stick away in disgust. Referee Devin Klein didn't share the same views of his stick and nailed Ferraro with a ten minute misconduct.

The Turning Point – Tough to find a particular point in this one that saw three leads by both clubs evaporate but besides the OT winner the fight following the Sylvester goal between Alex Petrovic and Drew Czerwonka seemed to spur the Rebels after a poor start to the second period.

The Fight – Sophomore blueliner Alex Petrovic dropped the mitts with Ice forward Drew Czerwonka for a tilt that was even and rather uneventful, except it lit a fire under the Rebels and they scored two goals to take the lead not long after.

The Crowd – 2713 – Rather lively for a change with lots of energy. Especially from a kid with a painted face and home-made sign made out of cardboard cheering on the home-side, until he was asked to refrain from waving his sign while the play was on by a rather grumpy usher.

The Skinny – The overtime loss breaks the club’s modest three-game winning streak but still produces a point – with seven of a possible eight points over the last four games – with the Ice sitting at 8-11-1 and 17 points, one shy of the Rebels and two back of the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Daily Townsman Three Stars
1. Willie Coetzee – You now see what the Detroit Red Wings saw when they signed him as a free agent out of training camp.
2. Dustin Sylvester – Captain’s got his groove back. A six point weekend over two games including two goals Saturday
3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Two assists; a 16-year-old playing like he’s 19.

Game Summary:

Rebels 4 @ Ice 3 (OT)

CRANBROOK, B.C. - Western Hockey League summary for regular season game between the Red Deer Rebels and the Kootenay Ice. November 7, 2009.
Colin Archer streaked in on a rebound and buried his second of the season in overtime as the Red Deer Rebels edged the Kootenay Ice 4-3 in WHL action Saturday night. Dustin Sylvester, with two goals, and Kevin King with a late short-handed marker to send it to overtime scored for the Ice while Willie Coetzee notched two goals and added an assist with Brett Ferguson getting the other Rebel marker.
Kraymer Barnstable stopped 27 of 30 shots to get the win while Todd Mathews turned aside 28 of 32 in taking the loss.

First Period
1. Kootenay, Sylvester 7 (Boomer, Rintoul) 4:01 (pp)
2. Red Deer, Coetzee 10 (Kudrna, Archer) 6:33

Penalties -- Petrovic RD (roughing) 2:19, Borejko RD (roughing) 6:46, Weller RD (elbowing) Morenko RD (roughing) Montgomery Ktn (roughing, slashing) 6:46, Machacek Ktn (roughing) 10:32, Deagle RD (slashing) 13:47,

Second Period
3. Kootenay, Sylvester 8 6:25
4. Red Deer, Coetzee 11 (Green, Kudrna) 11:34,
5. Red Deer, Ferguson 6, (Cowen, Nugent-Hopkins) 16:16

Penalties -- Ferraro RD (misconduct) 6:25, Petrovic RD Czerwonka Ktn (fighting) 6:51, Molle Ktn (holding) 7:31,

Third Period
6. Kootenay, King 6 (Leach, Sylvester) 16:41 (sh)

Penalties -- Weller RD (slashing) 2:24, 'Reinhart Ktn (hooking) 15:07, Green RD Machacek Ktn (unsportsmanlike conduct) 16:11.

Overtime
7. Red Deer, Archer 2 (Coetzee, Nugent-Hopkins) 2:54

Penalties -- None.

Shots on goal by
Kootenay: 10 13 6 1 - 30
Red Deer: 6 13 10 3 - 32

Goal -- Kootenay: Todd Mathews (L, 4-4-1) Red Deer: Kraymer Barnstable (W, 7-4)

Power Plays -- (goals-chances)
Kootenay: 1-4
Red Deer: 0-3

Referee -- Devin Klein. Linesman -- Sean Donnelly, Scott Sharun.

Attendance -- 2713 (4264)

Scratches --
Kootenay: Brayden McNabb (knee - 4-6 weeks), Luke Paulsen (ankle - 2-4 weeks), Christian Magnus (finger - day-to-day), Matt Fraser (knee - 1-2 weeks), Simon Skrudland (flu).
Red Deer: Nick Bell (ankle - indefinite), Turner Elson (healthy), Colten Mayor (healthy)

Kootenay wins three

2009-11-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

Kootenay pushed their modest winning streak to three after beating the Red Deer Rebels 4-1 Friday in Red Deer.

Jesse Ismond opened the scoring for the Ice when he banged in a rebound off a Petr Senkerik point-shot. Kootenay’s power play – ranked 19th in the league going into the game – clicked early against the Rebels with the return of Drew Czerwonka causing havoc in front of the Rebel net, Senkerik sent a shot from the blueline that produced a rebound for the waiting Ismond, who deposited his third of the year.

In the second some good work on a dump in saw Max Reinhart send a laser of a pass to the slot where Kevin King neatly deflected in the puck past Darcy Kuemper to make it 2-0. Kootenay’s third goal was a strange one in that Kuemper actually lost complete sight of the puck in that he was actually looking at the wrong side of the ice when Dustin Sylvester fired the puck past him to make it 3-0.

Kootenay went up 4-0 in the third period when Petr Senkerik’s shot from the point was deflected past Kraymer Barnstable who had replaced Kuemper after his gaffe on the third Kootenay goal. Red Deer finally solved Mathews with rookie Brendan Hurley in the box on a bit of a phantom call but Rebel phenom Ryan Nugent-Hopkins found Andrej Kudma with a beauty of a saucer pass that he tapped past Mathews to make it 4-1.

Todd Mathews was named the game's first star stopping 34 shots and easily avenged his last visit to Red Deer - a 7-1 loss in the second game of the season - and was Kootenay's best player. Dustin Sylvester notched a goal and couple of assists as did D Petr Senkerik, filling the void left by Brayden McNabb's knee injury, with a goal and two helpers.

The two teams meet in the return bill Saturday night at the Rec Plex. Gametime is 7PM.

In other news there's a couple of Ice prospects - well, drafted players that have chosen the NCAA route but remain on the club's protected list - that will meet in the World Junior A Challenge Gold Medal game in Summerside, PEI. Canada West - made up of Junior A players from the four provinces - features Winnipeg forward Brendan O'Donnell, 17, who plays for the Winnipeg South Blues of the MJHL. Canada West will play Team USA which features forward Colten St. Clair of the Fargo Force of the USHL. O'Donnell and St. Clair were selected with concurrent Ice picks in 2007. O'Donnell in the 9th round (196th overall) and St. Clair, a native of Phoenix, AZ, in the 10th round (218th overall). Both decided that the WHL was not for them with O'Donnell committing to North Dakota next season and St. Clair originally verbally committed to Colorado College. He has since changed his mind and will join O'Donnell at UND next season.

St. Clair sits 8th in tournament scoring with two goals and three assists while O'Donnell has yet to get a point in four games.

Ice injuries start to heal/changes

2009-11-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

UPDATE - 16-year-old former 2nd round pick Ryan Bloom is in the lineup with the Ice tonight against Red Deer. Bloom, a Calgary product, was called up from the Calgary Midget Buffaloes.

Ice radio voice Jeff Hollick over at his blog (Between the Lines - on the right) reports that Nathan Lieuwen has been diagnosed with a migraine and not a concussion as first thought. He'll return to the club this weekend and skate with them on Monday....

Thanks to the reader from Abbottsford for the update who said the same thing a few days back....

G Kevin Jacyna, 17, a goaltender from Calgary who made the club's list after training camp, will be the back-up to Todd Mathews for the weekend.

LW Drew Czerwonka will also see his first action in 16 games this weekend after returing from a leg laceration.... D Cason Machacek also returns from a concussion.

Matt Fraser (shoulder), Lieuwen, D Brayden McNabb (knee), Christian Magnus (finger) and Luke Paulsen (ankle) are all still out.

In league news the Spokane Chiefs had to get down to three overage players with the return of forward Ryan Letts and in the process dealt Cranbrook product Dustin Donaghy, a forward/defense who spent the better part of three seasons with the Chiefs including their Memorial Cup run two years ago, to the Lethbridge Hurricanes for an 8th round bantam pick in 2010. The Lethbridge Herald has the story of Donaghy re-uniting with his old Bantam teammate Carter Bancks who hails from Marysville here.

Kootenay still has room for one more 20-year-old...

On a personal note, as noted a few posts ago things have changed for me in the writing side of things. After almost 14 years I'm no longer writing for the Kootenay News Advertiser effective immediately. However there will be stories posted but they'll be for another publication.

More this weekend...

Iron an all-star at Challenge Cup

2009-11-02T09:05:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: - The club announced in their weekly release today that D Brayden McNabb will miss 4-6 weeks due to a knee injury while rookie D Luke Paulsen is out four weeks with an ankle injury. That would put McNabb back somewhere around early to mid-December which could mean only one thing: his shot at the World Junior team is all but gone.

Kootenay prospect Jared Iron was named to the Western Canada U-16 Challenge Cup tournament held in Blackfalds, AB this week.

The tournament, a WHL sponsored event that featured the best 15-year-olds from each of the four Western Provinces in a four-team tournament format, was a good one for the Northern Saskatchewan product. You might remember that the 6th round Bantam pick from last May drove three hours twice a week just to practice in Meadow Lake from his home in Canoe Narrows.

The tournament also featured forward Colby Cave on teams Saskatchewan and goaltender Mackenzie Skapski who played with Team BC and finished fourth after losing the Bronze medal to Iron's Team Saskatchewan.

And finally here's a KIJHL tidbit from the weekend: In Kimberley Saturday night between the hometown Dynamiters and the Fernie Ghostriders there was actually a tie. Yes, somewhere in the hockey world there are still ties in the standings. After a deadlocked 60 minutes with both teams tied at 2, a four-on-four OT for five minutes solved nothing and then a five minute, 3-on-3 overtime solved nothing. No shootout just a good, old-fashioned one point tie.

The Score - Ice/T-Birds

2009-11-01T21:42:00.001-08:00

The Score – Kootenay 1 – Seattle 0 OT

What Happened – Kootenay outplayed a road-weary and sick Seattle T-Bird squad but couldn’t solve goaltender Calvin Pickard until 3:54 of OT.

The Goal – After what seemed like a lifetime Dominik Pacovsky corralled a puck along the half-wall with 1:06 left in overtime and found Ice forward Jesse Ismond in the slot for the one-timer that beat Pickard.

The Flu – No, not H1N1, but the T-Birds were missing three regulars to illness. Not as bad as the seven regulars missing one night prior in Medicine Hat – a 11-2 loss to the Tigers – but short none-the-less. Tonight’s game was also to include a second referee – Brett Iverson – but he was also scratched. It’s not known if it was a healthy one or not.

The Penalties – Ryan Molle took an interference penalty with just over two minutes to go in the second and then rookie Joey Leach sent a puck into the stands for a T-Bird 5-on-3. Goaltender Todd Mathews got into the act with a slash on a T-Bird forward right in front of his net and referee Steve Papp. Kootenay played down two men for almost three minutes but the Birds only managed two shots on the power play that straddled the second and third periods. For good measure Kevin King took a hooking penalty not long after Leach’s expired, putting the Ice down two men once again. T-Bird forward Colin Jacobs negated the three straight two man advantages with a hooking penalty of his own a minute later.

The Hush – Less than a minute into the second period Ice Super-D Brayden McNabb was hit along the blueline boards by T-Bird forward Lindsay Nielsen. It wasn’t a bad hit by any stretch but McNabb went in awkwardly and appeared to strain his left knee. If he’s gone any real length of time this season could get real ugly. Ice head coach Mark Holick said after the game that the knee/ankle injury would keep McNabb sidelined for at least a week. For good measure rookie defenseman Luke Paulsen also suffered an ankle injury and was on crutches after the game.

The Infirmary – If you’re keeping count Kootenay now has McNabb, Paulsen and Cason Machacek – all d-men – as well as forwards Matt Fraser (knee 1-2 weeks), Drew Czwerwonka (leg), Christian Magnus (finger) and goaltender Nathan Lieuwen (concussion) on the injury list.

The Review – At the five minute mark of the third with the Ice on the power play the Rec Plex video review booth was used for the first time when Senkerik rattled a point-shot off both posts. After further review the puck stayed out.

The Kid – The T-Birds called up Connor Sanvido, a 16-year-old forward currently playing for the BC Major Midget Vancouver Northeast Chiefs. Sanvido, you’ll remember, lit up the BC Winter Game tournament held in Kimberley and Cranbrook and led the Fraser Valley team to a gold medal almost two years ago. Sanvido was a 1st round pick for the Birds in 2008 selected one spot ahead of Ice forward Brendan Hurley.

The Save – With the Ice still on the power play Jonathon Parker got free on a shorthanded breakaway and deked goaltender Todd Mathews but Mathews stretched the pad out for the great save.

The Back Judge – How competitive is Mathews? After a particularly ineffective power play late in the game a ‘shoot the expletive-deleted puck’ came from who I thought was one of those impatient fans in Section FG. Turns out it was Mathews. Most of those in attendance whole-heartedly agreed.

The Skinny – Kootenay improves to 7-11 and have won two straight with 14 points, moving two clear of the Hurricanes and tied with the Regina Pats for tenth in the Eastern Conference.

The Crowd – 2695

Rec Plex Three Stars
1. Todd Mathews – Was solid for his first no-no of the season and finally on the winning side of a great performance.
2. Calvin Pickard – The younger brother of Chet was superb, and could even be better.
3. Jesse Ismond – The snake-bitten sniper got his second of the season with the game-winner.

Up Next – Friday the club travels to Red Deer and Saturday the Rebels are back at the Plex with the league’s newest phenom, forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.