ICE CHIPS: The KOOTENAY ICE enter this week's action with a 39-25-2-2 record (22-11-0-2 at home, 17-14-2-0 on the road, 0-2 in overtime, 5-2 in shootouts) and in fifth place in the EASTERN CONFERENCE...KOOTENAY is 21-9-0-1 since the Christmas Break...The ICE have clinched a playoff spot for the 16th consecutive season, which is the longest active streak in the WHL…KOOTENAY will conclude the regular season this week by playing four games in five nights (one at home).
PLAYOFF PACKAGES AVAILABLE: 2014 playoff packages are now available for anyone to purchase at the KOOTENAY ICE Office...Eight game ticket packages are $160.00 for Adults, $128.00 for Seniors, $112.00 for Students, and $88.00 for Youth…The deadline to purchase your package is Friday, March 14...The ICE Office will be open from 8:30 - 5:00 pm including lunch all week for your convenience...For more information please call 250-417-0322.
GIFT CARDS: Get the gift that keeps on giving…The KOOTENAY ICE now have reusable and reloadable GIFT CARDS for any dollar amount…Your special someone can use the gift card to buy individual game tickets or playoff packages…Gift Cards are available at the Kootenay ICE Office.
DID YOU KNOW: The ICE will finish the 2013-2014 regular season with a .500 or better record for a League record 15th consecutive season (KAMLOOPS BLAZERS - 1982 - 1996 - previous record)...SAM REINHART, who is second in the WHL in assists with 63, needs four more assists to set the franchise record for most assists in one season (66 - set by JARRET STOLL in 2000 - 2001)...REINHART, who needs to record one more goal to reach 100 in his WHL career, needs three more points to become the second player in franchise history to reach 100 points in one season (106 - JARRET STOLL in 2000 - 2001)...MACKENZIE SKAPSKI, who is sixth in the League in save percentage (.918), is tenth in the WHL in goals against average (2.64)…SKAPSKI, who is tied for first in the LEAGUE for shootout wins with five, is tied for third in franchise history for most games played by a goaltender with 137 (TAYLOR DAKERS - 137, JEFF GLASS - 143, NATHAN LIEUWEN - 175)...JAEDON DESCHENEAU, who is tied for sixth in the WHL in goals scored with 42, became the first ICE player to record 40 goals in one season on March 8 against REGINA since STEVE DASILVA in 2006 - 2007.
INJURIES: Defensemen LANDON CROSS and LANDON PEEL will be out of the ICE line up for one to two weeks with upper body injuries...Forward TIM BOZON will be out of the KOOTENAY line up for an undetermined amount of time with an illness...Forward RYAN CHYNOWETH will be out of the ICE line up for an undetermined amount of time with an upper body injury...Defenseman TANNER FAITH will be out of the KOOTENAY line up three to five months with an upper body injury.
ONE YEAR AGO: After 68 games of the 2012-2013 season the ICE were 33-33-2-0, after 69 games were 34-33-2-0, after 70 games were 34-34-2-0, after 71 games were 34-35-2-0 and after 72 games were 35-35-2-0.
UPCOMING WEEK:
Tuesday March 11 ICE @ Edmonton 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Wednesday March 12 ICE @ Red Deer 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Thursday March 13 Practice 3:45 - 5:45 pm Western Financial Place
Friday March 14 ICE vs Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Saturday March 15 ICE @ Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
WEEK IN REVIEW:
Tuesday, March 4 – Kootenay 4 vs Red Deer 0 – Record 37-25-2-2 – Attendance: 1,918
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (27 Saves, 3 GA)
Friday, March 7 – Kootenay 5 vs Medicine Hat 2 – Record 38-25-2-2 – Attendance: 2,909
Goals:
1 - Franko (21) from Reinhart and Philp
2 - Descheneau (40) from Peel and Murray
3 - Dirk (10) from Reinhart and Descheneau
4 - Descheneau (41) from Cable
5 - King (2) from Franko
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (30 Saves, 2 GA)
Saturday, March 8 – Kootenay 3 vs Regina 1 – Record 39-25-2-2 – Attendance: 2,252
Goals:
1 - Dirk (10) from Descheneau and Reinhart
2 - Philp (28) from Descheneau and Dirk
3 - Descheneau (42) from King
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (27 Saves, 1 GA)