ICE CHIPS: The KOOTENAY ICE enter this week’s action with a 1-1-0 record (0-0-0 at home, 1-1-0 on the road, 0-0 in overtime) after two games of the EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL against the CALGARY HITMEN...KOOTENAY finished the 2013-2014 regular season with a 39-28-2-3 record (22-11-0-3 at home, 17-17-2-0 on the road, 0-2 in overtime, 5-3 in shootouts) and in sixth place in the EASTERN CONFERENCE...The ICE finished the 2013-2014 regular season with a .500 or better record for a League record 15th consecutive season (KAMLOOPS BLAZERS - 1982 - 1996 - previous record)...KOOTENAY is in the playoffs for a 16th consecutive season (longest active streak in the WHL).
TIM BOZON TRUST FUND: A Trust Fund has been set up for TIM BOZON to assist with medical and rehabilitation costs...Donations can be made at any BMO BANK OF MONTREAL in WESTERN CANADA...Donations outside of this area can be mailed to the WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE, c/o TIM BOZON, FATHER DAVID BAUER ARENA, 2424 UNIVERSITY DRIVE NW, CALGARY, AB, T2N 3Y9.
PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE: KOOTENAY has a career playoff record of 87-68 (46-29 at home, 41-39 on the road, 24-11 in overtime)...JAGGER DIRK (30), ZACH FRANKO (22), SAM REINHART (18) and LANDON CROSS (18) lead the ICE in games played in the playoffs...KOOTENAY is facing CALGARY in the post season for the fourth time in franchise history (1-2 career playoff series record)…DIRK recorded his first WHL career playoff point with an assist on March 20 in CALGARY…RINAT VALIEV recorded his first WHL career playoff point with an assist against the HITMEN on March 20…AUSTIN VETTERL recorded his first WHL career playoff point with an assist on March 20 against CALGARY.
EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL: Games Three (March 24th) and Four (March 25th) of the EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL vs CALGARY presented by KAL-TIRE will be played in CRANBROOK...Individual game tickets are on sale at the KOOTENAY ICE Office or by phone at 250-417-0322.
DID YOU KNOW: SAM REINHART, who has been named to the WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM, is the EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALIST for MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER (BRAD HORNUNG TROPHY)…JAEDON DESCHENEAU has been named to the WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM…The ICE were 4-2-1-1 against CALGARY during the regular season (3-0-0-1 at home, 1-2-1-0 on the road, 0-1 in overtime, 0-1 in shootouts)...SAM REINHART (3-14-17), JAEDON DESCHENEAU (9-5-14) and LUKE PHILP (4-8-12) led the team in scoring against the HITMEN...SAM REINHART, who finished the regular season second in the WHL in assists with 69, set a franchise record for most assists in one season against CALGARY on March 14 (previous record - 66 - JARRET STOLL in 2000 - 2001)...REINHART, who recorded his 100th WHL career goal on March 14 against the HITMEN, became the second player in franchise history to reach 100 points in a season with 105 (106 - JARRET STOLL in 2000 - 2001)...REINHART finished the season tied for fourth in the League in points with 105 (36-69-105)...JAEDON DESCHENEAU, who finished the regular season seventh in the League in points with 98 (44-54-98), was also seventh in goals scored with 44...MACKENZIE SKAPSKI, who finished the season sixth in the League in save percentage (.916), is third in franchise history for most games played by a goaltender with 141 (JEFF GLASS - 143, NATHAN LIEUWEN - 175).
ONE YEAR AGO: After Game Two of the 2012-2013 Eastern Conference Quarter Final the ICE were 1-1, after Game Three were 1-2 and after Game Four were 1-3 against the EDMONTON OIL KINGS.
UPCOMING WEEK:
Monday March 24 ICE vs Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Tuesday March 25 ICE vs Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive) Wednesday March 26
Thursday March 27 ICE @ Calgary 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
Friday March 28
Saturday March 29 ICE vs Calgary** 7:00 pm (102.9 FM – The Drive)
**if necessary
WEEK IN REVIEW:
Thursday, March 20 – Kootenay 5 @ Calgary 2 - Record 1-0-0 - Attendance: 6,649
Goals:
1 – Reinhart (1) from Philp and Descheneau
2 – Philp (1) from Reinhart and Dirk
3 – Franko (1) from Dirk and Descheneau
4 – Reinhart (2) from Valiev
5 – Franko (2) from Vetterl and Valiev
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (27 Saves, 5 GA)
Saturday, March 22 – Kootenay 0 @ Calgary 5 – Record 1-1-0 – Attendance: 9,019
Goalie: Mackenzie Skapski (28 Saves, 4 GA)