ICE CHIPS: The KOOTENAY ICE enter this week’s with a 41-21-1-3 record (23-8-1-1 at home, 18-13-0-2 on the road, 1-1 in overtime, 3-3 in shootouts) and in fourth place in the EASTERN CONFERENCE and sixth in the WHL…The ICE will finish the 2010-2011 regular season with an above .500 record for the 12th consecutive season, which is the longest active streak in the WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE…KOOTENAY finished the regular season with a .500 or better road record for the tenth time in the last 12 seasons…KOOTENAY has clinched a playoff spot for the 13th consecutive season and has tied CALGARY for the longest active streak in the WHL…The ICE have won 40 games this season for the eighth time in franchise history and sixth in the last seven years…KOOTENAY will play six more games of the regular season (three at home, three on the road).
ICE HELP THOSE IN NEED: The KOOTENAY ICE are teaming up with the MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SHELTERS OF CRANBROOK to raise money for supplies…On Saturday, March 19th when the ICE host LETHBRIDGE in the last regular season game the team will be playing with blue sticks that will be auctioned off behind Section U during the game…The winning bids will have the opportunity to meet the player and have their picture taken following the game.
SAVE ON FOODS: The 2010-2011 SAVE ON FOODS VOUCHERS are still available…Customers can purchase the ticket vouchers at the CRANBROOK SAVE ON FOODS location for all remaining KOOTENAY ICE regular season home games…Cardholders can pick them up for $18.00 including HST or for free with the redemption of 8,000 SAVE ON MORE points…Non-Cardholders can get their vouchers for $20.00 including HST.
DINNER AND A GAME: The KOOTENAY ICE along with COYOTE JACK’S GRILL have announced that fans can now purchase a restaurant seat and a meal for $25.00 for any remaining regular season home game…The meal will be off of a special COYOTE JACK’S GRILL menu that includes burgers, sandwiches, nachos and more…Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at the KOOTENAY ICE OFFICE.
DID YOU KNOW: KOOTENAY, who is tied for first in the League with SASKATOON for shorthanded goals with 18, set a franchise record for the most shorthanded goals scored in one season on February 19 against SASKATOON (previous record of 16 set in 2000-2001 and 2002-2003)…The ICE are 29-5-0-1 when they score the first goal of the game and 12-16-1-2 when their opponent scores first…KOOTENAY is 30-2-0-0 when leading after the second period, 3-16-0-0 when losing and 8-3-1-3 when tied…KEVIN KING is tied for third in the League in shorthanded goals with five…CODY EAKIN and MAX REINHART are tied for fifth in the WHL in shorthanded goals with four (EAKIN - all four with the ICE in just 20 games)…JOE ANTILLA leads the ICE in plus minus this season with +30…REINHART played in his 200th WHL career game on March 5th against PRINCE ALBERT…MATT FRASER, played in the 250th game with the ICE on March 2nd against BRANDON, leads the team in power play goals this season with 14…BRAYDEN MCNABB, who played in his 250th WHL career game on February 26th against KAMLOOPS, needs one more goal to tie the franchise record for the most goals by a defenseman in a season with 20 (MIKE BUSTO – 2006-2007).
INJURIES: LUKE PAULSEN will be out of the ICE line up four to six weeks with a shoulder injury…BROCK MONTGOMERY will be out of the KOOTENAY line up week to week with a hip injury.
ONE YEAR AGO: After 66 games of the 2009-2010 season the ICE were 39-22-3-2, after 67 games are 40-22-3-2 and after 68 games are 40-23-3-2.
UPCOMING WEEK:
Tuesday March 8 ICE vs. Moose Jaw 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Wednesday March 9 Practice 3:45 – 5:45 pm Cranbrook Rec Plex
Thursday March 10 Practice 4:00 – 5:45 pm Cranbrook Rec Plex
Friday March 11 ICE vs. Swift Current 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Saturday March 12 ICE @ Spokane 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
WEEK IN REVIEW:
Wednesday, March 2 – Kootenay 0 @ Brandon 4 – Record 40-20-1-2 – Attendance: 3,664
Goalie: Nathan Lieuwen (30 Saves, 4 GA)
Friday, March 4 – Kootenay 2 @ Saskatoon 9 – Record 40-21-1-3 – Attendance: 5,623
Goals:
1 – Fraser (30) from Leach and Dirk
2 – Antilla (20) from King
Goalies: Nathan Lieuwen (13 Saves, 5 GA), Brett Teskey (15 Saves, 4 GA)
Saturday, March 5 – Kootenay 4 @ Prince Albert 2 – Record 41-21-1-3 – Attendance: 2,627
Goals:
1 – Fraser (31) from Eakin and Reinhart
2 – Boomer (12) from Rintoul and Eakin
3 – Eakin (31) from Czerwonka and Leach
4 – Fraser (32) from Reinhart and Leach
Goalie: Nathan Lieuwen (32 Saves, 2 GA)