ICE CHIPS: The KOOTENAY ICE enter this week's action with a 33-33-2-0 record (20-13-1-0 at home, 13-20-1-0 on the road, 3-2 in overtime, 4-0 in shootouts) and in eighth place and final playoff spot in the EASTERN CONFERENCE...KOOTENAY has won 23 of their last 33 games and have points in 24 of 34 games since Christmas (23-10-1-0 record)...The ICE have four regular season games remaining all against the CENTRAL DIVISION (two at home, two on the road).
PLAYOFF PACKAGES AVAILABLE: 2013 playoff packages are now available at the KOOTENAY ICE Office or by phone at 250-417-0322...Six game ticket packages are $120.00 for Adults, $96.00 for Seniors, $84.00 for Students, and $66.00 for Youth…Playoff packages will be available to purchase until Friday, March 22nd.
GIFT CARDS: Get the gift that keeps on giving…The KOOTENAY ICE have reusable and reloadable GIFT CARDS for any dollar amount…Your special someone can use the gift card to buy individual game tickets or a playoff package…GIFT CARDS are available at the KOOTENAY ICE OFFICE.
DID YOU KNOW: KOOTENAY is second in the WHL in winning percentage (.889) in overtime and shootout games…MACKENZIE SKAPSKI, who is fourth in franchise history for career shutouts with seven (TAYLOR DAKERS - 18, JEFF GLASS - 17, NATHAN LIEUWEN – 9), was named WHL GOALIE OF THE MONTH for February…JOEY LEACH, who has played in 270 WHL career games, is the all time franchise leader in plus/minus with a plus 95... BROCK MONTGOMERY, who is second in the WHL in power play goals with 18, is tied for eighth in the League for scoring the first goal of the game with seven...LUKE PHILP (18-22-40) is tenth in the WHL for rookie scoring with 40 points...KOOTENAY tied a team record for consecutive wins at home with 12 (December 31 – February 23 - previous record set during the 2006-2007 season)...The ICE are 23-2-1-0 when leading after the second period, 4-27-1-0 when losing and 6-4-0-0 when tied...KOOTENAY is 15-12-2-0 when outshooting their opponent, 15-20-0-0 when being outshot and 3-1-0-0 when tied...The ICE are 23-10-1-0 when they score the first goal of the game and 10-23-1-0 when their opponent scores first...KOOTENAY is 15-15-0-0 against the CENTRAL DIVISION this season (11-4-0-0 at home, 4-11-0-0 on the road, 1-0 in overtime, 1-0 in shootouts)...The ICE are 15-7-2-0 against the EAST DIVISION this season (7-4-1-0 at home, 8-3-1-0 on the road, 2-1 in overtime, 3-0 in shootouts)...KOOTENAY is 1-4-0-0 against the BC DIVISION this season (1-4-0-0 at home)...The ICE are 2-7-0-0 against the US DIVISION this season (1-1-0-0 at home, 1-6-0-0 on the road).
SCORING STREAKS: JAEDON DESCHENEAU (6-4-10) has recorded at least a point in his last five games…SAM REINHART (2-6-8) and BROCK MONTGOMERY (2-3-5) have each recorded at least a point in their last four games.
INJURIES / TRANSACTION: LEVI CABLE will be out of the KOOTENAY line up two to four weeks with a lower body injury…ZACH MCPHEE will be out of the ICE line up one to two weeks with an upper body injury...KOOTENAY has added Forward HUDSON ELYNUIK (October 12, 1997) to their roster for the final four games of the regular season...ELYNUIK, who was a third round selection (60th overall) in the 2012 WHL BANTAM DRAFT, played this past season with the CALGARY FLAMES of the ALBERT MIDGET HOCKEY LEAGUE.
ONE YEAR AGO: After 68 games of the 2011-2012 season the ICE were 36-24-4-4, after 69 games were 36-25-4-4 and after 70 games were 36-25-5-4.
UPCOMING WEEK:
Tuesday March 12 ICE vs. Lethbridge 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Wednesday March 13 ICE @ Lethbridge 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Thursday March 14 Practice 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Western Financial Place
Friday March 15 ICE vs. Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Saturday March 16 ICE @ Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
WEEK IN REVIEW:
Tuesday, March 5 – Kootenay 4 @ Red Deer 6 – Record 33-31-2-0 – Attendance: 4,183
Goals:
1 - Descheneau (23) from Reinhart and Vetterl
2 - Cable (14) from Philp and Montgomery
3 - Leach (6) from Dirk and Descheneau
4 - Descheneau (24) from Reinhart and Leach
Goalies: Mackenzie Skapski (25 Saves, 5 GA), Wyatt Hoflin (12 Saves, 1 GA)
Friday, March 8 - Kootenay 4 @ Tri-City 6 – Record 33-32-2-0 – Attendance: 5,686
Goals:
1 - Shirley (9) from Philp and Vetterl
2 - Montgomery (29) from Muth and Descheneau
3 - Reinhart (31) from Descheneau and Martin
4 - Descheneau (25) from Philp and Montgomery
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (25 Saves, 6 GA)
Saturday, March 9 - Kootenay 3 @ Spokane 6 – Record 33-33-2-0 – Attendance: 9,056
Goals:
1 - Montgomery (30) from Peel and Reinhart
2 - Descheneau (26) from Shirley and Reinhart
3 - Descheneau (27) from Reinhart and Peel
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (35 Saves, 6 GA)