Despite being eliminated from post season, Ice keep on trucking
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Daily Sports
Sunday the Kootenay Ice realized there are no playoffs this B.C. Major Midget Hockey League season after dropping a 5-2 decision to the top team, the Vancouver North West Giants.
The loss, the 22nd of the season for the Kootenay contingent, mathematically eliminated Kootenay from the post season.
“For some people it might be hard to get up for games but not for me,” said second-year winger Carsen Willans of Nelson. “I’m used to (not doing so well) from last year with the Ice so we might as well just play it out.”
Despite the 6-22-6 record the season has not been a total loss for the Ice players.
“We haven’t been blown out of a lot of games this season . . . we seem to be in a lot of them and are a lot closer in games this season,” Willans explained. “(Saturday) night is the first time we’ve been blown out in a while.”
Saturday’s 9-3 loss to Giants was a prime example of the Ice not being able to close the deal.
After rallying back to close the gap to 4-3 late in the second period on goal by Willans, Quinn Klimchuk of Castlegar and Nelson’s Matthew Carr, the Ice watched as the Giants flexed their offensive muscles.
Vancouver scored twice in the final six minutes of the second period before connecting for three goals in a span of two minutes in the third to complete the rout.
“For some reason we don’t play 60 minutes and because of that we get a whole bunch of goals scored against us,” Willans said when asked about the reason Kootenay can put away teams in this league.
“I don’t think we’re focused enough,” he added.
Of course on this weekend the Ice had to deal with the elite of the BCMMHL, league leading Vancouver Giants.
Center Alex Kerfoot had nine points to pull within five points of the single-season scoring record held by Jordan Weal. Kerfoot now has 95 points, including 62 assists.
And Sam Reinhart, son of former NHLer Paul Reinhart, scored five goals.
“It’s a little tough to play against teams like the Giants because they have a lot of skilled players but we just want to work real hard no matter the oppositions and I think that’s why we can compete against these teams,” said Nelson’s Dryden Hunt.
“(Coach) Simon (Wheeldon) has done a good job putting into our heads that we’re going to be the hardest working team every game.”
Sunday’s game the Giants led 1-0 and 3-1 thanks to a natural hat- trick by Reinhart.
Kerfoot, finishing the game with four points, and Dexter Dancs also scored for Vancouver.
Paulsen Lautard of Midway and Willans scored in the second and third periods, respectively to keep the Ice close.
The Ice travels to Abbotsford for a weekend series against the Fraser Valley Bruins.
Next home game is Feb. 19 in Castlegar against the Valley West Hawks.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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