ICE CHIPS:  The KOOTENAY ICE finished the 2011-2012 regular season with a 36-26-6-4 record (19-12-3-2 at home, 17-14-3-2 on the road, 2-6 in overtime, 3-4 in shootouts) and in eighth place in the EASTERN CONFERENCE and 13^th overall in the WHL...The ICE finished the 2011-2012 regular season with an above .500 record for the 13^th consecutive season, which is the longest active streak in the WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE…KOOTENAY finished the regular season with a .500 or better road record for the 11^th time in the last 13 seasons...The ICE are in the post-season for the 14^th consecutive year and will be facing the EDMONTON OIL KINGS for the first time in franchise history.

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE:  The ICE have a career playoff record of 85-59 (46-25 at home, 39-35 on the road, 22-11 in overtime)... KOOTENAY has 282 games of playoff experience which is the fourth most of the teams who qualified for the post season…JOE ANTILLA (29), MAX REINHART (29) and JOEY LEACH (28) lead the ICE in games played in the playoffs.

EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL:  Game One for the EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL vs EDMONTON presented by KAL-TIRE and HUSKY, will be played on the road Friday, March 23^rd at 7:00 pm and Game Two on Sunday, March 25^th at 5:00 pm...Game Three and Game Four will return to CRANBROOK on Wednesday, March 28^th and Thursday, March 29^th...The puck will drop for both games at 7:00 pm...Individual game tickets are now available at the KOOTENAY ICE Office or by phone at 250-417-0322.

PLAYOFF PACKAGES AVAILABLE:  2012 playoff packages are now available to the general public at the KOOTENAY ICE Office...Eight game ticket packages are $136.00 for Adults, $112.00 for Seniors, $96.00 for Students, and $72.00 for Youth…Fans without season tickets or flex paks that wish to purchase playoff packages can do so with a $100 non-refundable deposit on 2012-2013 season tickets...For more information on playoff packages, phone 250-417-0322. 

DID YOU KNOW:  The ICE were 0-3-2-1 against EDMONTON this season (0-2-1-0 at home, 0-1-1-1 on the road, 0-2 in overtime, 0-1 in shootouts)...MAX REINHART (2-5-7) led the team in scoring against the OIL KINGS...NATHAN LIEUWEN finished the season third in the WHL in goals against average (2.50) and tied for fifth in save percentage (.914)...LIEUWEN set a franchise record for the most wins by a goaltender with 85 (82 career wins was the old record held by TAYLOR DAKERS - 2003-2007)...SAM REINHART (28-34-62) finished the regular season tied for fourth in the LEAGUE for points by a rookie...JOEY LEACH recorded his 100^th WHL career point on March 16 against CALGARY...SPENCER WAND recorded his first WHL career goal against EDMONTON on March 14.

ONE YEAR AGO:  After 72 games of the 2010-2011 season the ICE were 47-20-1-4.

UPCOMING WEEK:

Tuesday            March 20           Practice 12:00 - 2:00 pm                        Cranbrook Rec Plex

Wednesday       March 21           Practice 12:00 - 2:00 pm                        Cranbrook Rec Plex

Thursday           March 22           Practice 9:00 - 10:30 am                        Cranbrook Rec Plex

Friday                  March 23          ICE @ Edmonton                     7:00 pm (102.9 FM - The Drive)

Saturday           March 24           Practice 2:15 - 3:00 pm                          NAIT

Sunday                 March 25          ICE @ Edmonton                     5:00 pm (102.9 FM - The Drive)

WEEK IN REVIEW:

Wednesday, March 14 – Kootenay 4 vs Edmonton 6 - OT - Record 35-25-5-4 – Attendance: 2,896

Goals:

1 - Leach (11) from M. Reinhart and S. Reinhart

2 - Wand (1)

3 - Montgomery (22) from Antilla and M. Reinhart

4 - Dirk (7)

Goalie:  Nathan Lieuwen (27 Saves, 5 GA)

Friday, March 16 – Kootenay 5 vs Calgary 6 - OT – Record 36-25-6-4 – Attendance: 2,840

Goals:

1 - S. Reinhart (28) from Leach

2 - Ismond (16) from Montgomery and McKinlay

3 - Benoit (14) from Leach and Cable

4 - Pearce (21) from Antilla and Montgomery

5 -  Leach (12) from Ismond and S. Reinhart

Goalie:  Nathan Lieuwen (29 Saves, 6 GA)

Saturday, March 17 – Kootenay 0 @ Calgary 3 – Record 36-26-6-4 – Attendance: 14,982

Goalie:  Nathan Lieuwen (14 Saves, 3 GA)