Cranbrook, BC – Kootenay Ice defenseman Joey Leach had 2 goals and Max Reinhart 2 assists in a 5-1 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in WHL action on Saturday night.
The ICE are 4-1-1 on the current 7-game homestand and Seattle finished the Central Division trip 2-4-0-0.
Late in the first period the Ice (13-4-1-2) opened the scoring as Jaedon Descheneau fed Dylen McKinlay in the slot and scored with a one-time slap shot that beat the goalie on the glove side.
Rookie defenseman Jeff Hubic earned his 1st career point by assisting on the goal.
Early in the second period Ice took a 2-0 lead as Max Reinhart and Jesse Ismond cycled the puck to the blueline and Joey Leach scored with a slap shot that beat the goalie on the glove side.
Seattle (7-11-0-0) scored on a powerplay to make the game 2-1 as Jordan Hickmott found a rebound near the net and tucked it around the goalie.
The Ice got a powerplay goal late in the period as Joe Antilla fired a wrist shot from the hash-mark board that surprised the goalie on the stick side. Elgin Pearce assisted on the goal and has points in 4 consecutive games.
In the third period the Thunderbirds hit the twice on odd man rushes on shots by Marcel Noebels and Chase Lund.
The Ice got some insurance late in the period as Brock Montgomery extended his goal streak to three games and point streak to 4 games with a partial break and deked the goalie on the forehand. Eric Benoit earned the assist and has points in 5 straight games.
Seattle pulled the goalie with 1:20 left and Leach got his 2nd of the game from deep in his zone, cleared the puck of the board and it angled into the middle of the empty net.
Seattle Head Coach Steve Konowalchuk was the Head Coach of the Fernie Ghostriders in 2008-09.
The last time Seattle played in Cranbrook was November 1, 2009. The only players on the roster from both teams in that game and tonight’s game …
Seattle – Brendan Rouse, Luke Lockart, Colin Jacobs, Chance Lund, Mitch Elliot, Calvin Pickard.
Kootenay – Luke Paulsen, Elgin Pearce, Jesse Ismond, Brock Montgomery, Max Reinhart, Joe Antilla, Joey Leach, Brendan Hurley, Drew Czerwonka, Nathan Lieuwen.
The ICE will host Saskatoon on Sunday.
ICE Scratches – Simpson, Czerwonka, Hurley.
Luke Paulsen returned after missing 3 games to an upper body injury.
For the first time all season the ICE had their entire roster skate at practice on Thursday as Drew Czerwonka and Brendan Hurley are close to retuning to the line-up. Czerwonka could play against Saskatoon.
Game Summary
Seattle 7-11-0-0 Kootenay 13-4-1-2
1st Period-
1, Kootenay, McKinlay 3 (Descheneau, Hubic), 19:25.
Penalties-Antilla Ktn (slashing), 9:28; Ismond Ktn (high sticking), 13:58.
2nd Period
2, Kootenay, Leach 3 (Ismond, Reinhart), 0:42.
3, Seattle, Hickman 5 (Aschim, Rouse), 5:58 (PP).
4, Kootenay, Antilla 2 (Reinhart, Pearce), 15:33 (PP).
Penalties-Hubic Ktn (tripping), 1:50; Montgomery Ktn (roughing), 4:13; Machacek Sea (slashing), 8:35; Noebels Sea (high sticking), 14:55; Troock Sea (hooking), 16:20; Benoit Ktn (slashing), 18:04.
3rd Period
5, Kootenay, Montgomery 3 (Benoit), 17:55.
6, Kootenay, Leach 4 19:18 (EN).
Penalties-Alos Sea (checking from behind), 2:57; Theodore Sea (roughing), 18:21; Martin Ktn (roughing), 18:21; Machacek Sea (charging), 19:21.
Shots on Goal-Seattle 4-6-4-14. Kootenay 9-9-14-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Seattle 1 / 5; Kootenay 1 / 5.
Goalies-Seattle, Cotton 0-2-0-0 (31 shots-27 saves). Kootenay, Skapski 3-1-0-0 (14 shots-13 saves).
A-3,054
Referees-Tyler Adair (58), Jon Stephenson (38).
Linesmen-Reid Anderson (53), Ian Shaver (74).