In Game 5 of round 1, the Summerland Steam found themselves down 5-1 with 3 minutes left in the 2nd period to the Kelowna Chiefs. They got 2 before the end of the 2nd, 3 in the third, and the OT winner to win 7-6 in OT.
In Game 2 of the Okanagan Division Championship Series, the Steam also found themselves down 4 goals in the 2nd period. There was no miracle comeback in this one. Summerland got down early and never had a lead as Troy Maclise and Jackson Glimpel scored 3:09 apart early in the first period to jump the Coyotes out to a 2-0 lead.
Paulsen Lautard would get the Steam on the board just over a minute later after taking a feed out front from Daylan Robertson. He beat Brett Soles five-hole to cut the Coyotes' lead to 2-1. That's how the first period would end, as Summerland would outshoot the 'Yotes 16-7 in the first.
In the 2nd, Summerland would come out slow. They had a lapse of about 4 minutes, and the Coyotes scored 3 goals in 2:16 to take a commanding 5-1 lead. Roseboom, Gradisar, and Maclise (his 2nd) would be the goal scorers, and Summerland would call their timeout. It looked like Summerland got some life back after the timeout, and managed to get a goal back on the powerplay with 4:51 to play. Michael McEachern took the shot and got a tip from Daylan Robertson to beat Brett Soles and make the game 5-2.
Summerland would come out with some jump early in the third, but that jump was thwarted by Colten Braid, who beat Brett Huber to make it 6-2 just 4:28 into the 3rd period. That would end the night for Huber, as Spencer Huff would come on in relief and see his first action of the postseason.
The Coyotes would add two more goals, one from Rainer Glimpel and one from Tyler Ostram to complete the scoresheet at 8-2 for the Coyotes. The Steam took 7 penalties in the 3rd period, which is far too many against a very good Osoyoos Powerplay. A bit of fatigue and a bit of frustration set in on them I think, and they let it get away.
Summerland just plain flat out didn't have it tonight. They were slower than usual, and that can be attributed to playing their 5th game in 6 nights and 9th game in 11. They'll have an off-day to get themselves straight tomorrow followed by Game 3 on Thursday night at the Summerland Arena.
Tom Shields said it best on the Coyotes' broadcast before the game even started: The KIJHL should look at ditching the chase for the Keystone Cup and the Cyclone Taylor Cup. I understand that it gives teams incentive to chase after the 'tournament' scenario. Having said that, as Tom put it, "it isn't healthy to play this many games in such a short period of time."
The alternative would be to stretch out the Regular Season to the end of February and play the playoff rounds in March and the early half of April, eventually crowning a KIJHL League Champion.
As nice as that would be, that's not the situation we're in. The teams will now have 1 game in the next 3 days which will give them time to rest before playing 4 in a row if it comes to that.
Of Note: The last time the Coyotes visited the Summerland Arena, there were some conversations had about some comments made on our broadcasts. Some thought we might have a little 'home bias', as the game turned ugly. We call it like we see it and there's always that possibility, because if there wasn't when you cover a team all season, you're doing it wrong.
We dealt with those problems, but I did have a problem with the Coyotes broadcast tonight. My problem was NOT with Tom Shields. Tom is fantastic and has been doing his thing for a long time. He was one of the first guys in the KI that made me want to get into this as a volunteer when one of my siblings played for Osoyoos in 2011/12.
The thing I had a problem with were the people around him on this night. On separate occasions the broadcast picked up Riley Pettitt, Nelson Hurry, and Calvin Hadley being called 'rat', 'plug' and 'tool' respectively by the fans around the microphone. These comments were picked up clearly and remembered specifically, but they were among others. This isn't okay.
Those fans have their opinions, and that's fine, but maybe the broadcast needs to be isolated a little bit so as to not pick up those types of comments. Should remind, as I was, "Some opposing players' parents buy games too."
Game 3 goes Thursday at the Summerland Arena.
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
PAIR OF JEWELL'S SINK STEAM IN GAME 1
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| Brett Jewell scores one of his two shorthanded goals in Game 1 to send the Coyotes to a 4-2 W over Summerland. Photo: Jen Jensen Photography |
Despite the difference in rest, both teams came out with pace and purpose, combining for 25 shots (Summerland 15, Osoyoos 10) in the first 20 minutes. Neither was able to find the back of the net in the first, as both Brett's (Huber for Summerland, Soles for Osoyoos) stood tall. It would be another Brett who would steal the spotlight in this hockey game though.
After Osoyoos opened the scoring just 1:29 into the 2nd period thanks to Aaron Azevedo, Summerland found the answer. It was on a powerplay, and it was an Adam Jones shot that beat Soles to tie the game at 1. Kendell Wilson and Lathan McKinney would be credited with assists on Jones' first of the playoffs.
Enter, Brett Jewell.
On another Steam powerplay near the mid-point of the period, Brett Jewell found himself on a shorthanded breakaway and made no mistake beating Steam goalie Brett Huber.
Jewell would find himself in the same situation again early in the third. After Summerland couldn't convert on their powerplay Jewell found himself on another shorthanded breakaway. He once again made no mistake in all alone, and scored the goal that would stand to be the winner. Both goals would go unnassisted.
Down 2, Summerland desperately tried to close the gap, but weren't able to break through Brett Soles in the Coyotes' net. Riley Pettitt would finally pull the Steam within one with 3:17 on the clock, but that was as close as they got. Daylan Robertson and Paulsen Lautard would draw assists on Pettitt's first of the postseason.
The Steam would continue their push, but the game would end in a 4-2 score after Ryan Roseboom converted into an empty net with just over a minute to play.
By all accounts it was a pretty evenly played contest, with Osoyoos outshooting Summerland 37-36. Summerland did a good job of shutting down the potent Osoyoos powerplay, but had trouble with their own which mitigated what they did on the PK.
The 2 shorthanded tallies by Jewell in Game 1 matched the TOTAL for the regular season, as the Steam only gave up 2 in 52 regular season games. They'll look to rectify that part of their game tonight in Game 2. Puck drop is 7:35 from the Sun Bowl in Osoyoos. You can catch Tom Shields on the Coyotes Webcast starting right around game time. You can also follow along on Twitter with the Coyotes and myself .
Sunday, 1 March 2015
MILLS' TRIUMPHANT RETURN SENDS STEAM TO SECOND ROUND
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| The Summerland Steam celebrate their Round 1 victory over the Kelowna Chiefs at the final buzzer on Saturday, February 28th, 2015. Photo: Sarah Mayer (shotsbysarah.tumblr.com) |
Game 7 is what you dream of as a kid and after taking a puck to the face and missing Games 5 & 6, Jack Mills wasn't going to miss this one. He made a triumphant return for Summerland, tallying both goals in a 2-1 victory over the Kelowna Chiefs. The Game 7 victory came on home ice for the Steam, in front of a record crowd of 450. It was loud, it was boisterous, and it was a heck of a lot of fun. Both teams brought everything they had to the table and left nothing to be desired in a game that saw no penalties called in the first period. Oddly enough 2 of Kelowna's 3 powerplays came on minor penalties to Braden Eliuk, who won the Okanagan Division's Most Sportsmanlike Player award by accumulating just 8 PIM over 49 regular season games.
The first period saw no scoring and no penalties, just a lot of pressure from the Summerland Steam. They outshot the Chiefs 16-7 in the period and had several good scoring opportunities thwarted by Chris Turner in between the pipes. Turner was tremendously good in this hockey game right from the start, including one of the best saves I've ever seen in my life on Wyatt Gale early in the 2nd period. On a 2-on-1, the Kelowna defender did a good job taking the pass away from Jarrett Malchow. Malchow was forced to shoot and hit the post to the left of Turner, only to have the puck jut out the other side. Gale was following up with a wide open net to shoot at when Turner reached back with an open hand to swat the puck away and keep the game knotted at 0.
Unfortunately, Turner was hurt on the play and looked to be favouring the inside of his blocker (right) hand. Trainers came out to check on him but he stayed in the game and continued to cause all sorts of problems for the Summerland Steam.
Braden Eliuk's name was the first to enter the scoresheet on this night, taking a tripping penalty at 14:47 of the 2nd period. Kelowna would cycle the puck around on the powerplay but couldn't beat Brett Huber in the Summerland net. Huber stood tall all night long, making 26 saves in the clinching victory.
Jack Mills would then start to make his mark on the game, as he walked off the right wing wall and roofed one over Chris Turner at 8:52. It was a gorgeous move off the wall and an even better shot, which it was going to take to beat Turner on this night. He was that good.
Summerland would continue to pressure but wasn't able to find another goal. In the third period Kelowna showed some more pushback than they'd had in the previous 2, and managed to tie the game up exactly 2:00 into the period on a long shot from Carter Melnyk. Melnyk shot the puck from the left point on the powerplay and watched as it clanged around off of two or three players, eventually hitting a Steam defender last and sliding into the net.
At 1-1, it looked as though we might be in for another long night. Summerland had done a good job on the penalty kill besides the Melnyk goal, and they finally got their only powerplay chance of the night at 8:45 when Dakota Kittle was sent off for slashing.
After a couple of grade-A quality scoring chances on the powerplay, Summerland continued to buzz and finally got a look they liked. After some good work from the forwards down below the goal line, Paulsen Lautard slid out to the side of the net and fed cross-crease to a waiting Mills, who had the entire net to slide a puck into.
Mills' 2nd of the game would stand as the winner, though the intensity didn't do anything but pick up after the Steam's regular season leading scorer gave them the lead with 6;56 to play. Kelowna came back with a push, and even got a powerplay with :47 on the clock, but were unable to beat Brett Huber with the equalizer.
The win for Summerland means they're off to Round 2 for the first time in franchise history. In round 2 they'll find the league champion Osoyoos Coyotes awaiting them. They were unsuccessful in beating the 'Yotes in the Regular Season, going 0-6-1-1 with their best result being a 2-2 tie on January 27th.
It's sure to be a dandy of a series and it gets underway Monday, March 2nd at 7:35pm from the Sun Bowl in the heart of the Desert.
Saturday, 28 February 2015
GAME 7.
Game 7.
It's been a first round series that has swung WILDLY in both directions, boasting speed, physicality and emotion. There have been close games, there's been a not so close game, and an incredible comeback in Game 5 that will be remembered forever by all involved including the fans that witnessed it. Both teams have had their moments of triumph and their moments of weakness, and after 7 hard fought rounds someone will stand alone tonight as the winner.
Everything that's happened so far in this series has been fun and entertaining, but that's all forgotten now. It all comes down to one game. One game, the 7th in 9 nights for these two teams, will determine who goes through to play the Osoyoos Coyotes in the Okanagan Division Final which starts Monday.
I look back to the start of this KIJHL season when a group of 22 young men came together as individuals (okay, the Yukon line came as a package). Some from our own back yard in Summerland, Penticton, West Kelowna and Kelowna, and others from as far away as Calgary and Whitehorse. All had their own personal goals and things they wanted hockey to help them accomplish, but one thing is for sure: Everybody likes to win. Head Coach John Depourcq and his staff went to work, putting together a game plan and a common goal in hopes that his collection of individuals would by in.
58 Games later, they are a team. A family. A group of young men that would go to battle for one another no matter the circumstance on any given day, and give their very best for the crest on the front of the jersey instead of the name on the back. They have a common goal, which is something that the coaching staff has worked hard to achieve with their group since day one, and they're a win away from being one step closer to that goal.
They say the last win is the hardest one to get, and they aren't wrong. The Kelowna Chiefs stand in the way of Summerland taking that next step, and it's going to take 22 guys working together to achieve what they want. But they have it in them. They've shown that over the 52 game regular season and first six games of this playoff series without a shadow of a doubt. That was evident when (without their leading scorer and arguably Regular Season MVP) they staged a comeback in Game 5 from being down 5-1 to leading 6-5 and eventually winning 7-6 in 2OT.
This is a group that can get the job done. They know it, and everyone around them knows it. It's been a season of ups and downs for the guys in white, red, and black, but now's the time to dig deep and finish this thing off.
No matter what happens tonight, neither team should leave the Summerland Arena hanging their head. Both have performed valiantly in the KIJHL's second season, and I have a funny feeling we're in for a wild ride to finish this series and send it out with some flare.
It's an absolute pleasure to cover this team and it's group of personalities, and no matter what happens in Game 7, this isn't end. Go get 'em, Steam.
"Great moments are born from great opportunity" - Herb Brooks
Friday, 27 February 2015
UNTHINKABLE COMEBACK SETS UP CLINCHER FOR STEAM
If you were at the game last night or watched the game last night, you probably wanted to leave either the arena or the broadcast midway through the 2nd period.
I really hope you didn't.
If you did, you missed one of the most unthinkable comebacks I've witnessed in my years in hockey. Summerland got FAR from the start they wanted, but managed to come on strong as the game went on in order to pick up the unlikely victory in double OT by a 7-6 score.
Speaking with both coaches pre-game, we got the sense that special teams was going to dictate the play in Game 5. After all, it had done that all series for both teams and both coaches had worked on it with their squads in team meetings on off-days.
Kelowna had the fruits of their labour pay off right away on Thursday night, as Summerland got into penalty trouble early in the game and allowed the Chiefs out to a 2-0 lead. Both goals, one from Ethan Rusnack and one from Kevin Roth, came on the powerplay. Rusnack was allowed to corral a rebound to the left of Brett Huber and put one into an empty cage to open the scoring before a long, hard shot from Roth beat Brett Huber over the shoulder just a few minutes later.
Shortly after the Roth goal that put the Chiefs up 2-0, Dylan Jamieson picked off a Summerland clearing attempt and beat Huber on the blocker side. That goal came just :09 after the Roth tally and forced Steam Head Coach John Depourcq to use his timeout to settle his troops.
The tactical timeout worked, as just :34 after the Chiefs went up 3-0, Summerland's captain chimed in and inked his name on the scorecard. After some good work in the offensive zone to keep the puck down low, Paulsen Lautard found some room to walk out from behind the net with the puck. Instead of a tight wrap at the post to the right of Chris Turner, Lautard slid out about 6 feet and beat Turner with a hard shot that bulged the twine.
The goal gave Summerland some life, but they were unable to beat Turner again before the first intermission. In the second period it looked as though Summerland was going to come on strong as they had a good first shift and a half coming off the break. It was Kelowna, however, who scored the next goal. That goal came on the powerplay once again as Jonathan Lee banged home a rebound off a Braeden Cyra shot to Huber's left.
Cyra would then add a goal of his own, another powerplay tally, to take the Chiefs lead to a 4-goal spread. At that point, the lead looked insurmountable. From the press box we could see the Steam bench was dejected, down on themselves, and beginning to be disinterested.
It wasn't until late in the period on a GREAT shift from the Yukon Line that Summerland showed a little life. It didn't result in a goal, but it was the key to the turnaround in the outlook of the Summerland Steam. Good work from Riley Pettitt, Wyatt Gale and Jarrett Malchow caused Kelowna to begin to panic in their own zone, and it showed. On the shift after the good shift by the Yukon Line it was a rushed giveaway behind the net from Chiefs' Goaltender Chris Turner that resulted in a goal to make it 5-2.
The goal came from Cole Woodliffe, his first of the playoffs, after Turner rimmed the puck around the left-wing boards. Woodliffe was able to read the play, cut off the puck, and shoot it into a gaping net with 2:08 to play in the 2nd period.
After the Woodliffe marker, the Yukon line was put back to task and were finally rewarded for their efforts. Just 1:02 after the Woodliffe goal to make it 5-2, Riley Pettitt did solid work behind the net to get the puck out front to Jarrett Malchow. Malchow let a shot go, and the rebound bounced to the side of the net where Pettitt was there to knock it in, bringing the score to 5-3 after 2 periods.
In the third you could see the fatigue on some of the Kelowna players who have played heavy minutes in this series, particularly their defensemen. Summerland did a good job of dictating play with their forecheck, and were rewarded with a couple of goals. Braden Eliuk was first on the list to continue the comeback, as he took the puck off the half-wall on the powerplay and skated along the bottom of the circle. He found his way towards the front of the net along the bottom of that circle and chipped a puck short side over the shoulder of Chris Turner and under the bar.
All of a sudden it was 5-4 and Summerland was in control. It didn't take long, just :56 for Summerland to capitalize on a tired Kelowna group again. This time it was Tyson Klingspohn who found his way through traffic in front, took a pass from Cole Woodliffe and deposited it between the legs of Chris Turner to tie the game at 5.
Kendell Wilson would then give the Steam their first lead of the night with 5:09 to play on a powerplay. Lathan McKinney took the original shot that saw Chris Turner make an awkward leg save and kick the rebound into the slot. Wilson picked it up on the backhand and flipped it up and over the sprawling Kelowna goaltender to give his team the lead.
With Summerland in the driver's seat, they didn't let up. They continued to pressure Kelowna but were unsuccessful in extending their lead. In the final minute, they knew the push from the Chiefs would be inevitable. They did a pretty good job of holding Kelowna outside their blue line, but in the final :20 the Chiefs finally got deep into the Summerland zone. With :06 left on the clock, Dakota Kittle was able to slide a puck out from behind the Steam net and Braeden Cyra knocked in his 2nd of the night to tie the game at 6 heading to OT.
In the first period of OT (10:00 minutes), both teams had just a couple of shots as they tried to catch their breath. Neither team had much pressure in OT1 and headed into OT2 looking for the game winner.
We didn't have to wait long.
Just 2:25 into the second overtime frame, Summerland was able to "will one" past Chris Turner in the Kelowna net to win the game 7-6. It was Cole Woodliffe who scored the winner, and he did a good job of getting to the net, but in my mind it was Daylan Robertson that made it all happen. First, Robertson stuffed a Kelowna clearing attempt on the boards and forced them back into their own zone. Then, as Kevin Roth turned the corner behind the net and tried to make another clear, Robertson hustled across the line and made a body block on the puck to keep it in the zone. He then had a shot on net as Woodliffe and Paulsen Lautard headed to the front, and Woodliffe poked home the rebound to send the Summerland Arena into a frenzy.
As the Steam piled off their bench and onto Cole Woodliffe, Chiefs' goaltender Chris Turner had a bit of a fit at the top of his crease. He thought he was interfered with, and initially I thought so too. After watching the replay back, no interference was evident, and Summerland would stand as 7-6 winners.
It was an entertaining hockey game that you really had to see to believe, and we can expect more of the same tonight in Game 6 in Kelowna. The win on Thursday sets up a 'clincher' for the Steam on Friday in Kelowna. With a win they'll move on to play the Osoyoos Coyotes in Round 2 after the 'Yotes finished off their series with the Princeton Posse by a score of 6-3 on Thursday night.
Game 6 goes at 7PM and you can catch one of the best play-by-play callers on the league, Justin McCartney, with the call on KIJHL.ca. IF NECESSARY, Game 7 will go Saturday, February 28th at the Summerland Arena for a 7:30 start.
I really hope you didn't.
If you did, you missed one of the most unthinkable comebacks I've witnessed in my years in hockey. Summerland got FAR from the start they wanted, but managed to come on strong as the game went on in order to pick up the unlikely victory in double OT by a 7-6 score.
GAME RECAP
Speaking with both coaches pre-game, we got the sense that special teams was going to dictate the play in Game 5. After all, it had done that all series for both teams and both coaches had worked on it with their squads in team meetings on off-days.
Kelowna had the fruits of their labour pay off right away on Thursday night, as Summerland got into penalty trouble early in the game and allowed the Chiefs out to a 2-0 lead. Both goals, one from Ethan Rusnack and one from Kevin Roth, came on the powerplay. Rusnack was allowed to corral a rebound to the left of Brett Huber and put one into an empty cage to open the scoring before a long, hard shot from Roth beat Brett Huber over the shoulder just a few minutes later.
Shortly after the Roth goal that put the Chiefs up 2-0, Dylan Jamieson picked off a Summerland clearing attempt and beat Huber on the blocker side. That goal came just :09 after the Roth tally and forced Steam Head Coach John Depourcq to use his timeout to settle his troops.
The tactical timeout worked, as just :34 after the Chiefs went up 3-0, Summerland's captain chimed in and inked his name on the scorecard. After some good work in the offensive zone to keep the puck down low, Paulsen Lautard found some room to walk out from behind the net with the puck. Instead of a tight wrap at the post to the right of Chris Turner, Lautard slid out about 6 feet and beat Turner with a hard shot that bulged the twine.
The goal gave Summerland some life, but they were unable to beat Turner again before the first intermission. In the second period it looked as though Summerland was going to come on strong as they had a good first shift and a half coming off the break. It was Kelowna, however, who scored the next goal. That goal came on the powerplay once again as Jonathan Lee banged home a rebound off a Braeden Cyra shot to Huber's left.
Cyra would then add a goal of his own, another powerplay tally, to take the Chiefs lead to a 4-goal spread. At that point, the lead looked insurmountable. From the press box we could see the Steam bench was dejected, down on themselves, and beginning to be disinterested.
It wasn't until late in the period on a GREAT shift from the Yukon Line that Summerland showed a little life. It didn't result in a goal, but it was the key to the turnaround in the outlook of the Summerland Steam. Good work from Riley Pettitt, Wyatt Gale and Jarrett Malchow caused Kelowna to begin to panic in their own zone, and it showed. On the shift after the good shift by the Yukon Line it was a rushed giveaway behind the net from Chiefs' Goaltender Chris Turner that resulted in a goal to make it 5-2.
The goal came from Cole Woodliffe, his first of the playoffs, after Turner rimmed the puck around the left-wing boards. Woodliffe was able to read the play, cut off the puck, and shoot it into a gaping net with 2:08 to play in the 2nd period.
After the Woodliffe marker, the Yukon line was put back to task and were finally rewarded for their efforts. Just 1:02 after the Woodliffe goal to make it 5-2, Riley Pettitt did solid work behind the net to get the puck out front to Jarrett Malchow. Malchow let a shot go, and the rebound bounced to the side of the net where Pettitt was there to knock it in, bringing the score to 5-3 after 2 periods.
In the third you could see the fatigue on some of the Kelowna players who have played heavy minutes in this series, particularly their defensemen. Summerland did a good job of dictating play with their forecheck, and were rewarded with a couple of goals. Braden Eliuk was first on the list to continue the comeback, as he took the puck off the half-wall on the powerplay and skated along the bottom of the circle. He found his way towards the front of the net along the bottom of that circle and chipped a puck short side over the shoulder of Chris Turner and under the bar.
All of a sudden it was 5-4 and Summerland was in control. It didn't take long, just :56 for Summerland to capitalize on a tired Kelowna group again. This time it was Tyson Klingspohn who found his way through traffic in front, took a pass from Cole Woodliffe and deposited it between the legs of Chris Turner to tie the game at 5.
Kendell Wilson would then give the Steam their first lead of the night with 5:09 to play on a powerplay. Lathan McKinney took the original shot that saw Chris Turner make an awkward leg save and kick the rebound into the slot. Wilson picked it up on the backhand and flipped it up and over the sprawling Kelowna goaltender to give his team the lead.
With Summerland in the driver's seat, they didn't let up. They continued to pressure Kelowna but were unsuccessful in extending their lead. In the final minute, they knew the push from the Chiefs would be inevitable. They did a pretty good job of holding Kelowna outside their blue line, but in the final :20 the Chiefs finally got deep into the Summerland zone. With :06 left on the clock, Dakota Kittle was able to slide a puck out from behind the Steam net and Braeden Cyra knocked in his 2nd of the night to tie the game at 6 heading to OT.
In the first period of OT (10:00 minutes), both teams had just a couple of shots as they tried to catch their breath. Neither team had much pressure in OT1 and headed into OT2 looking for the game winner.
We didn't have to wait long.
Just 2:25 into the second overtime frame, Summerland was able to "will one" past Chris Turner in the Kelowna net to win the game 7-6. It was Cole Woodliffe who scored the winner, and he did a good job of getting to the net, but in my mind it was Daylan Robertson that made it all happen. First, Robertson stuffed a Kelowna clearing attempt on the boards and forced them back into their own zone. Then, as Kevin Roth turned the corner behind the net and tried to make another clear, Robertson hustled across the line and made a body block on the puck to keep it in the zone. He then had a shot on net as Woodliffe and Paulsen Lautard headed to the front, and Woodliffe poked home the rebound to send the Summerland Arena into a frenzy.
As the Steam piled off their bench and onto Cole Woodliffe, Chiefs' goaltender Chris Turner had a bit of a fit at the top of his crease. He thought he was interfered with, and initially I thought so too. After watching the replay back, no interference was evident, and Summerland would stand as 7-6 winners.
It was an entertaining hockey game that you really had to see to believe, and we can expect more of the same tonight in Game 6 in Kelowna. The win on Thursday sets up a 'clincher' for the Steam on Friday in Kelowna. With a win they'll move on to play the Osoyoos Coyotes in Round 2 after the 'Yotes finished off their series with the Princeton Posse by a score of 6-3 on Thursday night.
Game 6 goes at 7PM and you can catch one of the best play-by-play callers on the league, Justin McCartney, with the call on KIJHL.ca. IF NECESSARY, Game 7 will go Saturday, February 28th at the Summerland Arena for a 7:30 start.
Tuesday, 24 February 2015
CHIEFS TAKE GAME 4 THRILLER
In Game 1 it was the Summerland Steam who scored 2 goals in :41 seconds to secure a 3-2 win. In game 4 the script was flipped as it was the Chiefs who scored 2 goals 1:31 apart in the third to take a 3-2 score. The win for the Chiefs came in a fast paced, high octane game that saw the teams combine for 77 shots on goal. Brett Huber faced 45 of those, making 42 saves while Chris Turner was good in a bounce back performance stopping 30 of 32.
Kelowna opened the scoring early in the 2nd period when Dakota Kittle was left all alone in front of Huber and was allowed to tip a Josh Kobelka shot up and over the Steam goaltender. The Steam would reply just under 10 minutes later on a powerplay when Braden Eliuk located a loose puck and tapped it into a yawning cage to bring the score to 1-1. Summerland would then take a 2-1 lead with 1:01 left in the second period on a powerplay thanks to a rocket of a shot from Paulsen Lautard. Lautard got in on a 2-on-1 with Cole Woodliffe and looked him off before firing low blocker side on Turner.
The Steam were on the powerplay after Chase Astorino was ejected from the game. He was assessed 5 and a game for boarding (behind the play, didn't see it) on Cole Williams. Williams stayed down and needed help off the ice, but returned midway through the third period.
Summerland's powerplay would continue into the third but they were unable to get set up. Kelowna would then knot things up at 2 with 12:45 to play when Dylan Jamieson picked up a rebound to the right of Brett Huber and made a good shot up into the roof of the net.
Just :41 after that, Summerland was penalized for slashing. Michael McEachern was the guilty party, Nick Josephs the "victim" as he had his stick slashed out of his hand for the third time on the night. Summerland was penalized for it twice. Both times the Steam player in question gave Josephs the hairy eyeball because it might have come out a little too easily.
On this occasion, it allowed the Chiefs to notch the game winner as Josephs was able to hold onto his stick on the PP and score off a rebound to the right of Huber to give his team the lead and the eventual victory.
Jack Mills left the game in the middle of the third period after taking a teammate's shot up high while working the front of the net. Mills stayed down on the ice and left for some repairs, but returned in time to help Summerland try and push for the equalizer late in the third.
They were unsuccessful, but showed great pushback after the Kelowna goal. They had several opportunities and near relentless pressure, but couldn't beat Chris Turner.
Game 5 goes Tuesday night in Summerland at 7:30. Mike, Joel and I will be on the air with full pre-game starting around 7:15. Game 6 will go Friday in Kelowna and if necessary a do-or-die Game 7 will go Saturday night in Summerland.
Kelowna opened the scoring early in the 2nd period when Dakota Kittle was left all alone in front of Huber and was allowed to tip a Josh Kobelka shot up and over the Steam goaltender. The Steam would reply just under 10 minutes later on a powerplay when Braden Eliuk located a loose puck and tapped it into a yawning cage to bring the score to 1-1. Summerland would then take a 2-1 lead with 1:01 left in the second period on a powerplay thanks to a rocket of a shot from Paulsen Lautard. Lautard got in on a 2-on-1 with Cole Woodliffe and looked him off before firing low blocker side on Turner.
The Steam were on the powerplay after Chase Astorino was ejected from the game. He was assessed 5 and a game for boarding (behind the play, didn't see it) on Cole Williams. Williams stayed down and needed help off the ice, but returned midway through the third period.
Summerland's powerplay would continue into the third but they were unable to get set up. Kelowna would then knot things up at 2 with 12:45 to play when Dylan Jamieson picked up a rebound to the right of Brett Huber and made a good shot up into the roof of the net.
Just :41 after that, Summerland was penalized for slashing. Michael McEachern was the guilty party, Nick Josephs the "victim" as he had his stick slashed out of his hand for the third time on the night. Summerland was penalized for it twice. Both times the Steam player in question gave Josephs the hairy eyeball because it might have come out a little too easily.
On this occasion, it allowed the Chiefs to notch the game winner as Josephs was able to hold onto his stick on the PP and score off a rebound to the right of Huber to give his team the lead and the eventual victory.
Jack Mills left the game in the middle of the third period after taking a teammate's shot up high while working the front of the net. Mills stayed down on the ice and left for some repairs, but returned in time to help Summerland try and push for the equalizer late in the third.
They were unsuccessful, but showed great pushback after the Kelowna goal. They had several opportunities and near relentless pressure, but couldn't beat Chris Turner.
Game 5 goes Tuesday night in Summerland at 7:30. Mike, Joel and I will be on the air with full pre-game starting around 7:15. Game 6 will go Friday in Kelowna and if necessary a do-or-die Game 7 will go Saturday night in Summerland.
Monday, 23 February 2015
TEAMS SPLIT GAMES 2 & 3, STEAM TAKE 2-1 SERIES LEAD
After a win in Game 1 on Friday night at the Summerland Arena, the Summerland Steam dropped Game 2 on Saturday by a score of 3-1. Ethan Rusnack opened
the scoring for Kelowna with his 3rd goal in 2 playoff games. Jack Mills would reply for Summerland in the second period shortly before being removed from the game for a second (and questionable) goaltender interference penalty in the game. That would also force Mills to miss Game 3 on Sunday night in Kelowna.
the scoring for Kelowna with his 3rd goal in 2 playoff games. Jack Mills would reply for Summerland in the second period shortly before being removed from the game for a second (and questionable) goaltender interference penalty in the game. That would also force Mills to miss Game 3 on Sunday night in Kelowna.
Josh Kobelka netted what would be the winner for the Chiefs late in the 2nd period of Game 2, and Dakota Kittle sent one into an empty net to seal the victory. Kelowna's Nick Josephs recorded 2 assists in the game and goaltender Chris Turner put up a great performance, making 31 saves in the victory. In the other net, Brett Huber was a little less busy, stopping 24 of 26 for Summerland in a losing effort.
for the Chiefs late in the 2nd period of Game 2, and Dakota Kittle sent one into an empty net to seal the victory. Kelowna's Nick Josephs recorded 2 assists in the game and goaltender Chris Turner put up a great performance, making 31 saves in the victory. In the other net, Brett Huber was a little less busy, stopping 24 of 26 for Summerland in a losing effort.
Heading into Game 3 on Sunday night, both teams not only had to battle each other but battle fatigue as well. There are usually only a couple of occasions in a season where teams play 3 games in 3 nights, and this was one of those occasions. Going into Game 3 we were interested to see if fatigue played more of a factor for the Chiefs, as they only used 4 defenseman in Game 2. They had six dressed, but one defenseman played 3 shifts while the other did not see the ice after warm-up.
to see if fatigue played more of a factor for the Chiefs, as they only used 4 defenseman in Game 2. They had six dressed, but one defenseman played 3 shifts while the other did not see the ice after warm-up.
On Sunday night in Game 3, it was all Steam all the time. They scored twice in the first, 5 times (!!) in the second, and 3 more in the third to come a way with a convincing 10-4 victory. Paulsen Lautard scored 3 times while Daylan Robertson picked up 3 assists. Kendell Wilson, Cody Egilson, Braden Eliuk, and Adam Jones recorded a goal and an assist each while Michael McEachern and Tyson Klingspohn notched 2 assists each. Cole Woodliffe, Calvin Hadley and Coleton Fisher also recorded 1 goal each. Brett Huber stopped 31 of 35 shots on the night to pick up the victory.
Nick Josephs recorded 4 points for the Chiefs in the losing effort (2G + 2A) while Kevin Roth and Braeden Cyra each picked up a goal. Goaltending duties were split on the night as Chris Turner was chased from the crease at the halfway point of the second period, making way for Brady Lenardon. Turner allowed 5 goals on 16 shots, but Lenardon didn't fare much better. He also allowed 5, facing 19 shots in his half game of work.
With Summerland leading the series 2-1, the series will take a much needed break on Monday. The two teams will re-convene in Rutland for Game 4 on Tuesday night at 7PM. Summerland will look to take a stranglehold on the series before coming home for Game 5 on Thursday.
Nick Josephs recorded 4 points for the Chiefs in the losing effort (2G + 2A) while Kevin Roth and Braeden Cyra each picked up a goal. Goaltending duties were split on the night as Chris Turner was chased from the crease at the halfway point of the second period, making way for Brady Lenardon. Turner allowed 5 goals on 16 shots, but Lenardon didn't fare much better. He also allowed 5, facing 19 shots in his half game of work.
With Summerland leading the series 2-1, the series will take a much needed break on Monday. The two teams will re-convene in Rutland for Game 4 on Tuesday night at 7PM. Summerland will look to take a stranglehold on the series before coming home for Game 5 on Thursday.
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