Cranbrook, BC – Kootenay ICE forward Cody Eakin scored twice in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Giants in WHL action on Saturday night.
ICE opened the scoring as Joe Antilla knee-high point shot was deflected by Cody Eakin.
Vancouver received 4 straight powerplays including 2 long 2-man advantages and scored on one of them to tie the game 1-1. Michael Burns got the goal as he squeezed a rebound behind the goalie’s reaching leg.
On the opening faceoff of the 2nd period Cody Eakin broke through the defense to create a shorthanded breakaway and scored with a wrist shot through the legs.
It’s his 2nd shorthanded goal of the season and the 11th by the ICE.
The goal came 7-seconds at the beginning of the period which is a franchise record. (old record 8-seconds December 18, 1998 Steve McCarthy in Red Deer)
The ICE took a 3-1 lead on the powerplay as Max Reinhart fed James Martin at the blueline and his wrist shot from the point beat the screened goalie high on the stick side.
In the 3rd period the Giants got within a goal as Andre Stastny was left alone in front of the net and chipped the puck over the goalie’s leg.
The ICE regained the 2-goal lead off a face-off win the Giants zone and Matt Fraser got the puck to Hayden Rintoul who got his wrist shot through the goalies’ legs.
ICE scored on a powerplay as Kevin King from the corner fed Matt Fraser in the slot and he scored with a wrist shot through the goalies legs.
Vancouver changed goalies as Brendan Jensen replaced Mark Segal.
ICE will host Regina on Tuesday.
16-year-old defenseman Jeff Hubic played in his 1st WHL game.
The crowd was the biggest of the season.
Interesting Stat – ICE record when playing their 2nd game in 2 nights.
In the 1st half of the season they went 8-2-0-0. Both losses were actually their 3rd game in 3 nights.
So far in the 2nd half of the season they are 1-5-0-0.
They will play in that situation 7 more times this season.
The last time Vancouver was in Cranbrook was January 9, 2009.
Vancouver won the game 4-1 with the only ICE goal scored by John Negrin.
The next day was the WHL trade deadline and the ICE traded Negrin and Michael Stickland to Swift Current for Christian Magnus, James Martin and 2 draft picks.
ICE players in that game that are still with the ICE are Hayden Rintoul, Brayden McNabb, Matt Fraser, Kevin King, Jesse Ismond, Drew Czerwonka, Max Reinhart, Joe Antilla and Nathan Lieuwen.
Giants players in the last game that are still on the club are Neal Manning, Brendan Gallagher and James Henry.
ICE Scratches – Luke Paulsen (5th game concussion 1 week), Steele Boomer (9th game ankle 2 weeks), Joey Leach (9th game ankle surgery 3-4 weeks), Mackenzie Skapski.
Giants Darren Bestland didn’t play after receiving a charging major on Friday in Calgary and was suspended by the league.
Game Summary
Vancouver 29-21-1-4 Kootenay 34-17-1-2
1st Period
1. Kootenay, Eakin 24 (Antilla, Martin) 2:44
2. Vancouver, M.Burns 11 (Stastny, Hodder) 11:26 5-on-3 pp
Penalties – Manning Van (tripping) 5:41, Czerwonka Ktn (roughing) 10:04, King Ktn (double high sticking) 11:09, Fraser Ktn (roughing) 13:56, Musil Van (boarding) 16:19, Hurley Ktn (goalie interference) 19:25.
2nd Period
3. Kootenay, Eakin (2) 25 :07 sh
4. Kootenay, Martin 9 (Reinhart, Ismond) 17:17 pp
Penalties – Manning Van (tripping) 7:52, Fenske Van (delay of game) 11:47, M. Burns (high sticking) 16:08, Fenske Van Czerwonka Ktn (roughing) 18:02.
3rd Period
5. Vancouver, Stastny 6 (Fenske, N. Burns) 8:04
6. Kootenay, Rintoul 2 (Fraser) 12:22
7. Kootenay, Fraser 24 (King, Reinhart) 15:25 pp
Penalties – Martinook Van (tripping) 13:25, Stastny Van (delay of game) 14:42.
Shots on goal by
Vancouver - 8 - 4 – 7 = 19
Kootenay - 15 – 14 – 8 = 37
Goal (shots-saves) – Vancouver: Mark Segal (L 22-10-1-3) (36-31) Brendan Jensen (15-25 third) 1/1 Kootenay: Nathan Lieuwen (W 24-12-1-1) (19-17)
Power plays (goals-chances) - Vancouver: 1/5 Kootenay: 2/7
Referees – Tyler Adair, Chris Crich
Linesmen – Bobby Bedingfield, Jim Maniago
Attendance – 3,476