GAME DAY: SUMMERLAND STEAM HOST NORTH OKANAGAN KNIGHTS

SUMMERLAND STEAM	VS	NORTH O.K. KNIGHTS
23-13-0-2	RECORD	5-30-1-3
.632%	WIN %	.179%
12-5-0-2	HOME / AWAY RECORD	1-16-1-1
W1	STREAK	L6
5-5	LAST 10 GAMES	1-8-0-1
2nd, OKANAGAN DIVISION	DIVISION RANK	5TH, OKANAGAN DIVISION
125 3.29 GF PER GM (10th,  KIJHL)	GOALS FOR	74 1.90 GF PER GAME (20TH, KIJHL)
100 2.46 PER GM 3rd, KIJHL)	GOALS AGAINST	4.33 GA PER GAME (17TH, KIJHL)
+25	GOAL DIFFERENTIAL	-95
18.29% (10TH, KIJHL) HOME: 24.71% (3rd, KIJHL)	POWERPLAY %	OVERALL: 10.67% (19TH, KIJHL) ROAD: 9.68% (17TH, KIJHL)
85.79% (6TH, KIJHL) HOME: 87.00% (6TH, KIJHL)	PENALTY KILL %	OVERALL: 83.33% (9TH, KIJHL) ROAD: 77.12% (17TH, KIJHL)
JACK MILLS 20g + 29a = 49 PTS	LEADING SCORER	JORDAN PASSMORE 11g + 23a = 34 PTS

                                      

GAME DAY: SUMMERLAND STEAM @ CHASE HEAT

CHASE HEAT	VS	SUMMERLAND STEAM
17-14-2-5	RECORD	22-13-0-2
7-7-1-3	HOME / AWAY RECORD	10-8
W6	STREAK	L5
8-2	LAST 10 GAMES	4-5-0-1
4TH, DOUG BIRKS DIVISION	DIVISION RANK	2ND, OKANAGAN DIVISION
.539%	WIN %	.622%
130 3.42  GF PER GM (9TH,  KIJHL)	GOALS FOR	122 3.30 GF PER GM (10TH, KIJHL)
130 3.42 PER GM (13TH, KIJHL)	GOALS AGAINST	98 2.65 GA PER GAME (3RD, KIJHL)
0	DIFFERENTIAL	24
22.99% (1ST, KIJHL) HOME: 23.40% (5TH, KIJHL)	POWERPLAY %	OVERALL: 18.40% (7TH, KIJHL) ROAD: 11.54% (15TH, KIJHL)
82.05% (13TH, KIJHL) HOME: 81.32% (16TH, KIJHL)	PENALTY KILL %	OVERALL: 86.01% (6TH, KIJHL) ROAD: 84.95% (6TH, KIJHL)
CODY HODGES 23g + 23a = 46 PTS	LEADING SCORER	JACK MILLS 18g + 22a = 40 PTS

STEAM HEAD NORTH HOPING TO 'CHASE' AWAY A STREAK

The upcoming weekend starts with a road game on Saturday for the Summerland Steam as they board the bus and go to Chase for a 7PM start with the Heat. It is their one and only trip to the Art Holding Memorial Arena this season and a chance to get even with a Heat team that sits 4th in a very tightly compacted Doug Birks Division. The two teams have met once already this season at the Summerland Arena, with the result being a 4-3 win for Chase thanks to a late powerplay goal by captain Kaleb Boyle. Summerland will be looking for a little retribution on Saturday night when the two teams complete their season series.

The loss to the Heat on December 12th seems to be the date circled on the calendar as the night the Steam started to regress a little bit defensively. The game winner in that contest was made possible by a couple of defensive zone breakdowns on the part of Summerland. The first resulted in the tying goal from Wes Matsuda with just over 7:00 to play, and the second led to the powerplay that ultimately allowed Boyle to score the game winner with just 2:35 left on the clock.

Since that night they've been having some problems clearing their own zone, particularly on the first attempt, and it's causing all sorts of problems for them. One could argue that mistakes at your own blue line lead to running around in your own zone, and the Steam have been doing too much of that over the past few games. They'll be looking to get it together this weekend and grab a couple of wins to get back on track. 

In losses to the Osoyoos Coyotes (2), Princeton Posse (2) and Sicamous Eagles (1), only one has come at a deficit of more than one goal. One costly mistake or bad penalty has cost them each of those 5 games, and that fact isn't lost on the coaching staff. They've really worked in practice this week on tweaking their defensive system to perhaps eliminate that one costly mistake that they've been making as of late. They'll look to put the tweaks into action this weekend against two teams (Chase and North Okanagan) who will be hungry for wins.

With the losses the Steam have suffered in the past two weeks, there isn't a possible way to catch the Osoyoos Coyotes. The Coyotes are 21 points ahead in the standings and should officially clinch the division in a matter of about a week. They are off this weekend, which gives Summerland a chance to make up 2 of their 3 games in hand.

If the Steam want to keep the 2nd spot in the division (and home ice in the playoffs) they need to 'stop the bleeding' so to speak and pick themselves up a couple of points this weekend. While Summerland has been cold of late, the Princeton Posse are heating up after a post-Christmas team meeting called by Head Coach Bill Rotheisler. The Posse have won three straight and sit only 8 points back of the 2nd place Steam as they head through the Kootenays this weekend to play in Golden, Columbia Valley and Creston. They could theoretically trim the gap to just 2 points if they go 3/3 and the Steam go 0/2 this weekend.

Things are starting to get real in the Okanagan Division with the 4 playoff teams virtually in place, and it'll be up to the Summerland Steam to make sure they don't get left in the dust by a surging Posse team if they want to hang onto their home ice advantage.

LINEUP NEWS

- Summerland will get some much needed two-way help injected into the lineup this weekend as both Daylan Robertson and Paulsen Lautard will return to the Steam lineup. Both are defensively responsible forwards that can put up big points, which is something the Steam sorely need. Lautard will play his first game since November 9th when he joined the Trail Smoke Eaters, while Robertson has been attending UBCO and has not suited up for a game this season.

- Braden Eliuk and Wyatt Gale will also be game-time decisions in Chase on Saturday night. Gale and Eliuk both missed last Sunday's game against the Princeton Posse after being knocked out of the game against Sicamous on Friday.

- The Steam will also get some help on the blue line this weekend as Cole Williams is ready to return from an upper body injury suffered prior to the Holiday break. The other Williams, Alex, remains out after having surgery on his wrist a little over a week ago and won't see action until the first round of the playoffs at the very earliest.

- Goaltender Brett Huber remains sidelined with a lower body injury that will see him miss the next 1-2 weeks, as per GM Gregg Wilson. Spencer Huff will likely play on back to back nights for the Steam with AP goaltender Jared Breitkreuz serving as his backup.


- ** With the trade deadline looming on Saturday evening, GM Gregg Wilson will be busy fielding phone calls and presumably making some himself. Whether the Steam do anything or stand pat remains to be seen. Keep eyes on Twitter ( @SteamKIJHL ) ( @Steam_Voice) for all the updates we can get on the Steam's roster as well as the rest of the rosters in the KIJHL.

Game time in Chase on Saturday night is 7PM and you can catch all the action on KIJHL.ca. The Steam return home to face the North Okanagan Knights on Sunday at 5:30 at the Summerland Arena. Mike and I will be live on KIJHL.ca around 5:15 to set up the contest as well as have a look at the trade activity around the league if there is any. 

LOSING STREAK STRETCHES TO 5 AS STEAM WELCOME BACK FAMILIAR FACES

Leading into the Holiday break the Summerland Steam were rolling. They'd won 8 of their previous 10 and were **attempting** to chase down the league leading Coyotes. Heading into the unofficial second half of the season the Steam felt they were in the race for the Okanagan Division and had an opportunity to catch the Coyotes provided they used their games in hand and head-to-head matchups to their advantage. In this installment of Trolley Talk there is lots to cover, so we're going to break it up into 2 categories: 

ON THE ICE

The New Year hasn't started out well for the Summerland Steam. They've lost all 5 of their games since the Holiday break including two to the Princeton Posse and back to back games with the Osoyoos Coyotes. They've been playing good hockey while battling the injury bug, but have come up short by 1 goal in 4 of those 5 losses. 

The latest, a 3-2 loss to the Princeton Posse on Sunday afternoon, was no different than the previous 4. Summerland played a great two way game and controlled the puck possession game for most of the hockey game. They played a great road game, but two powerplay goals from Jack Mills weren't enough to stop the Posse. Connor Sloan scored the winner late in the game, beating Spencer Huff with a shot from the slot. Brandon Workun and Eden Dubchak scored the others for Princeton and Stephen Heslop picked up the win making 31 saves. 

It was nice to see the powerplay click a couple of times on the road for the Steam. On home ice they have the 3rd best powerplay in the league as they hold a solid 25% success rate, but on the road it is a much different story. Going into Sunday's game they had a sub-10% success rate on the road, so it was great to see it click a couple of times. 

As good as the powerplay was, it could have won the Steam the hockey game had their D-zone coverage been just a LITTLE bit better. Early in the season Summerland was one of the best defensive teams in the KIJHL, and still are based on team Goals Against Average. Lately though, they've shown that they're having a little trouble clearing the defensive zone on the first attempt, which causes problems all over the defensive zone. The Steam seem to be turning a lot of pucks over either at their own blue line or the offensive blue line, too, which doesn't help the defensive cause. These types of giveaways cause odd-man rushes into the defensive zone and cause them to 'chase the game' at times. They'll have to fine-tune that part of their game in practice this week if they want to get back on the winning track.

OFF THE ICE

As Friday night's game against Sicamous got underway at the Summerland Arena we learned that Brett Huber, who was up with the BCHL's West Kelowna Warriors, had been hurt in the first period of a game in Salmon Arm against the Silverbacks. Initial diagnosis was a lower body injury and after treatment from physiotherapists and doctors, it looks as though Huber will miss 2-3 weeks as per Steam General Manager Gregg Wilson. Spencer Huff will handle the crease in the absence of Huber, while Summerland native and Steam AP Jared Breitkreuz will handle back-up duties.

Heading into this past weekend the Steam were already without Alex Williams and Cole Williams. Alex will likely be out until around playoff time with a scaphoid fracture in his left wrist while Cole is Day to Day with an upper body injury and is hopeful of returning to the Steam blue line this coming weekend.

In that game on Friday night both Braden Eliuk and Wyatt Gale left and didn't return after taking separate hits. Both are listed as Day to Day with Upper Body injuries and are probable to play in the Steam's 2 games this upcoming weekend.

All of these additions to the Steam lineup will be helpful, but perhaps the most prominent news of the week was announced on successive days via the Steam Twitter account ( @SteamKIJHL ). Prior to puck drop in Princeton on Sunday it was announced that former player and Captain of last season's Okanagan Division Championship team, Daylan Robertson, would return to the team to play the rest of this season. Robertson finished in a 3-way tie for the Steam scoring lead last season with 56 points and will be a welcome addition to the Steam's current lineup. 

A day later, on Monday, the Steam announced again via Twitter that Paulsen Lautard would be returning from the BCHL after spending the last 2 months with the Trail Smoke Eaters. Lautard started the 2014/15 season as the Captain of the Summerland squad, and recorded 32 points in just 19 games before departing for the BCHL. Robertson and Lautard were linemates last season and were two of the players tied for the team scoring lead with 56 points.

The two roster additions bring help to a Steam roster that is just starting to get healthy coming into the back third of the season. Because of point totals in the Okanagan Division, the Steam have clinched a playoff spot and will be playing past February 16th when the KIJHL season comes to an end. Both the Steam and the Coyotes have clinched playoff births in the Okanagan Division, and it is very likely that the Princeton Posse and Kelowna Chiefs will be doing so very soon as well.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Summerland will have a week to help get them healthy and up to speed in practice before they take to the road on Saturday to play in Chase. They will then return home to play the North Okanagan Knights on Sunday evening at 5:30. 

EAGLES SOAR OVER STEAM

Leading into the New Year the Summerland Steam were looking to turn the page on a 3 game losing streak and 'right the ship' at home against the Sicamous Eagles on Friday night. Unfortunately for the boys from Summerland, it didn't go down the way they wanted it to. The end result was a 4-3 loss to the Eagles that saw the two teams COMBINE for 41 shots on net. 

Right from the opening puck drop of Friday night's game, nothing went right for the Summerland Steam. Prior to puck drop the Steam learned that goaltender Brett Huber, who was up with the West Kelowna Warriors and starting in goal in the BCHL, left the game in the first period with an apparent leg injury. There is no update on his status at this time but the Steam are hopeful he will be able to return within the next 3 games.

Just :19 into the hockey game in Summerland the Steam were forced to take a penalty as Adam Jones impeded an Eagle player from getting to the front of the net to Spencer Huff. They were able to kill off the minor penalty, but it allowed Sicamous to get comfortable early on and really take the pace to the Steam in the early going. Summerland wouldn't register their first shot on net until near the midway mark of the first frame. 

The scoring got started at 11:05 of the first period when Sicamous Captain Nathan Grieve was the benefactor of some good wall play from linemates Owen Rowsell and Riley Jepson. Rowsell worked the puck along the wall to Jepson who found Grieve in the middle of the ice. Grieve was able to go to his backhand and raise the puck over a sprawling Spencer Huff and into the net to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. 

The Eagles would continue to pressure and add to their lead at 8:21 of the period when Bradley Whitehead was the recipient of a bounce in front of the Summerland net. After a botched clearing attempt from the Steam (there were many on this night), Whitehead skated the puck from the blueline down into the corner to the right of Huff. As he continued around the back of the net he threw the puck out front where it went off a Steam defender to make the score 2-0. 

With Summerland reeling, it looked like it was going to be a long night for Spencer Huff in the Summerland net. For a while in the first period the Steam could barely get the puck out of their own zone, and definitely couldn't string two passes together. Sicamous continued to pressure inside the offensive zone but were unable to extend their lead any further, and that was when Summerland got their break. After a timely pinch from Adam Jones in the neutral zone, he was able to take the puck over the Sicamous blue line, cut wide, and rip a shot over the glove of Eagles' goaltender Olivier Charest. It was one of just four shots in the first period for Summerland, who had a truly terrible period.

Just when it looked like they might get lucky and get out of the worst home period of the season down by just a goal, Sicamous regained their 2 goal lead. With :01 left on the clock, Nathan Plessis was able to turn Rylan Sideroff inside out and get in alone on the Summerland net. He made no mistake and put the puck in the net as the buzzer sounded. The referees deliberated for a brief moment and called it a good goal, which it was. Plessis' 4th of the season was assisted by Scott Robinson and Bradley Whitehead, and put the Eagles' back up by 2 headed to the break. 

Some strong words must have been said in the first intermission in the Summerland locker room, because they looked like a different team to start the second. They were crisp, making clean zone exits and good, hard passes while sustaining pressure inside the Sicamous zone. They were able to pull back within one at 11:57 of the period when Cole Woodliffe took a good pass from Coleton Fisher on a 2-on-1 and made a move around Charest to find an empty cage. Jack Mills would draw the second assist on the play, recording his team leading 38th point of the season.

Summerland was well on their way to getting the game tied up after the Woodliffe goal, as they continued to buzz around the Sicamous net. They had several good chances to bury pucks behind Charest, but instead allowed Sicamous to gain their two goal lead back. With 7 minutes left and the Steam buzzing, the Eagles brought the puck out of their own zone. A bad pinch by a Steam defender at the blue line allowed the Eagles a 3-on-1 in which they made no mistake. With pressure coming from the backcheck of Summerland, Eagles defenseman Arlyn Semeschuk threw a puck to the front of the net. There, it went off Riley Cardinal and came all the way to the back post where Korwin Shewchuk deposited it into a yawning cage behind Spencer Huff. 

The Shewchuk goal would stand as the winner for the Eagles, but it wasn't for lack of trying on the part of the Summerland Steam. The Steam continued to press on into the third, and were able to get a goal back thanks to some good work by the line of Kendell Wilson, Nick Gnazdowsky and Cody Egilson. Gnazdowsky was the trigger man in front of Olivier Charest, but the credit should go to both Cody Egilson and Kendell Wilson. Both put in good spadework on the end boards to forecheck and come up with the puck. Wilson would not pick up a point on the play, but he tied up 3 Eagles' defenders while Egilson picked the puck out of his skates. He was able to swing around the back of the net and find the trailer, Gnazdowsky, in the slot. Gnazdowsky battled through 2 Eagles sticks to get to the puck and was able to bury his 6th of the season to bring the Steam within 1. 

That would be as close as they got, however, as a late push would come up short. Full credit goes to the Sicamous Eagles for Friday night's win, as they got up early and weathered the storm throughout the third period in particular to get the W. They are a big, physical hockey team and Summerland seemed to struggle with it a bit at times. The loss to the Eagles marks the Steam's 4th in a row, and they'll look to bounce back on Sunday when they head to Princeton to face the Posse. 

The Posse have turned it around since the Holiday Break, winning both games they've played over Summerland (4-1) and Kelowna (3-1). They're a tough team to play against, particularly in the small, unfriendly confines of the Princeton & District Arena. The Steam will be happy to be rid of the 'OK Corral' after this weekend, as it is the last time they'll play there this season with the exception of a playoff matchup with the Posse. They are 2-1 there so far this season, but it seems like every time they come home from a game in Princeton there are bumps and bruises due to the toughness of the Posse and the size of their rink.

Puck drop goes at 2:00 PM on Sunday in Princeton and you can catch all the action on KIJHL.ca. There is a possibility that there will be no play-by-play available for the game so it is likely that you will hear 'sounds of the game'. 

Summerland won't return to home ice until next Sunday at 5:30 when they host the North Okanagan Knights, but go on the road both this Sunday to Princeton and next Saturday night to Chase to play the second game of the season series with the Chase Heat. 

GAME DAY: SUMMERLAND STEAM HOST SICAMOUS EAGLES

SUMMERLAND STEAM	VS	SICAMOUS EAGLES
22-11-0-2, 46 PTS	RECORD	19-15-1-1, 40 PTS
12-4-0-1	HOME / AWAY RECORD	8-8-0-1
L3	STREAK	W2
6-3-0-1	LAST 10 GAMES	5-4-0-1
2ND , OKANAGAN DIVISION	DIVISION RANK	2ND, DOUG BIRKS DIVISION
117 3.34 GF PER GAME (10TH, KIJHL)	GOALS FOR	112 3.11 GF PER GM (13TH, KIJHL)
91 2.60 PER GM (3RD, KIJHL)	GOALS AGAINST	117 3.25 GA PER GAME (11TH, KIJHL)
17.72% (9TH, KIJHL) HOME: 25.00% (3RD , KIJHL)	POWERPLAY %	OVERALL: 10.56%  (19TH, KIJHL) ROAD: 11.54% (14TH, KIJHL)
85.41% (6TH, KIJHL) HOME: 86.60% (7TH, KIJHL)	PENALTY KILL %	OVERALL: 83.23% (10TH, KIJHL) ROAD: 82.35% (10TH, KIJHL)
TYSON KLINGSPOHN 23g + 14a = 37 PTS	LEADING SCORER	SAMUEL SUBERT 10g + 14a = 24 PTS
JACK MILLS 16g + 21a = 37 PTS