Cranbrook, BC – Kootenay ICE goalie Nathan Lieuwen made 25 saves and Max Reinhart scored 2 goals in a 4-0 win over the Calgary Hitmen.
It’s Lieuwen’s 4th career shutout and Reinhart’s 3rd career 2 goal game.
ICE opened the scoring as Max Reinhart pounced on a loose puck in the Calgary slot and fired a wrist shot that beat the goalie low on the stick side.
ICE made it 2-0 as Matt Fraser created a turnover near the Calgary blueline, got the puck to Jesse Ismond who fed defenseman James Martin at the blueline. Martin scored on a slap shot that beat the screened goalie high on the stick side.
In the 2nd period Calgary misplayed the puck behind the net and Steele Boomer scooped it up and fed Kevin King in the slot who had an opened net to shoot at to make it 3-0.
Reinhart notched his 2nd of the game on a rebound off a Fraser shot.
Fraser had 3 assists in the game as his linemates combined for 7 points.
ICE Scratches – Brayden McNabb (played in a NHL exhibition game w/Buffalo), Todd Mathews (over-ager), Ryan Bloom, Jarett Zentner and Eric Benoit.
Making their WHL debuts for the ICE were defenseman John Neibrandt and forward Adam Rossignol.
Calgary’s goalie Juraj Holly, 19-year-old from Slovakia, made his 1st WHL start. Defenseman Alex Roach and forward Chase Clayton also played in their 1st WHL game.
It was the 1st game for new Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, turned 32 yesterday, who is the youngest coach in the WHL.
New Assistant Coach Todd Johnson was in Kelowna with his wife awaiting the birth of their 2nd child.
The ICE will visit Red Deer on Wednesday.
Game Summary
Calgary 0-2-0-0 Kootenay 1-0-0-0
1st Period
1. Kootenay, Reinhart 1 (Ismond, Fraser) 1:06
2. Kootenay, Martin 1 (Ismond, Fraser) 3:56
Penalties – Montgomery Ktn (hooking) 1:15, Martin Ktn (tripping) 6:07, Calg Fiddler (double roughing) Fraser Ktn (roughing) 6:34, Stebner Cgy Leach Ktn (unsportsmankike) 6:35, Leach Ktn (roughing) 9:26, Trzonkowswki Cag (roughing) 11:58, Rissling Calg (roughing) 12:49, Montgomery Ktn (kneeing) 15:36, Skrudland Ktn (tripping) 17:56, Rintoul Ktn (cross checking) 19:55, Rissling Calg (interference) 19:58.
2nd Period
3. Kootenay, King 1 (Boomer) 1:22
4. Kootenay, Reinhart (2) (Fraser) 11:25
Penalties – Dirk Ktn (cross checking) 8:57, Dirk (holding) 12:46, Stebner Calg (hooking) 16:56.
3rd Period
No Scoring.
Penalties – Bench Ktn (too many men) 3:55, Fiddler Calg (holding) King (unsportsmanlike) 5:12, Leach Ktn (roughing) 14:05, Hurley Ktn (misconduct) 17:23.
Shots on goal by
Calgary - 5 - 5 – 15 = 25
Kootenay – 15 – 15 – 4 = 34
Goal (shots-saves) – Calgary: Juraj Holly (L 0-1-0-0) (34-30) Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W 1-0-0-0) (25-25)
Power plays (goals-chances) - Calgary: 0/9 Kootenay: 0/6
Referees – Tyler Adair, Ryan Thompson
Linesmen – Michael Roberts, Scott Sharun
Attendance – 2,549