Eagles Succumb to Storm

Goaltenders Duel takes it to Double OT

It was the first game of the 2007 KIJHL playoffs and the teams did not disappoint.

In a real goaltenders duel between Kamloops Storm's, Anthony Manfredi and Sicamous Eagle's Derrick Westlund and Manfredi took round 1 of the best of 7 series in a 3-2 double overtime win at the Mac Island Sports Complex.

The big gun on the evening was Joel Leonard of the Kamloops Storm who scored all three goals including the OT winner with a deflection on a hard blast by David Osborne.

The game was a see-saw battle, perhaps even a little conservative in the 1st period which ended up scoreless. Both teams were pinning the other in their own zone with an aggressive 2 man forecheck that pressured the defensemen into rushing their play.

Sicamous got on the board first with a hard-working goal late in the 2nd period.

After having to kill a Ryan Bullock penalty that carried over to the 3rd period, Leonard scored his first goal on a nice passing play between him, Jassi Sangha and Bullock. Only 1:26 later the same trio combined again, this time Leonard made a particularly pretty tip in front of the net that total fooled Westund.

The Eagles, not to be out done, scored short handed, a 2 man breakaway no less, on sloppy Kamloops turnover at center ice when Trevor Torbolm came out of the penalty box, putting the Storm in a man-advantage situation. Jay Stuart got the goal from Brock Backus and Cody Lockwood.

The first OT period went scoreless with Kamloops almost putting it away with 1.6 seconds left on the clock on scramble at the side of the Sicamous net.

Sicamous got into penalty trouble early in the 2nd OT with an elbowing call at 2:49. On the ensuing power play, David Osborne got two wacks at it from the blue line, with the second blast deflecting off of a well positioned Leonard and past a helpless Westlund.

The Storm outshot the Eagles 56-35.

Other than Westlund, Sicamous got very good efforts particularly from Shane Lightfoot who seemed to be dangerous all night and 16 year old Curtis Summerfelt who created a number of scoring chances.

Other solid performances from Kamloops were Darren Mann, Lundy Trenaman and Tod Kennedy who's forecheck kept Sicamous off balance all night. Austin Goode and Anthony Collins both could have stolen the show if any of their efforts paid off but when it came to shooting it was like someone melted the bottom of their stick blades as everything they shot appeared to be a bit of a whiff.

Former assistant coach turned defenseman, Justin Giroux was particularly aggressive in the neutral zone trying to pick off passes and made some great plays but one wonders if a on another evening the opposition may be able to take advantage of that and create a number of odd man rushes.

It all goes again 7:30 tonight at the Mac Island Sport Centre only this time it will be on the regulation ice sheet. It could be a very different game. Games 3 and 4 will be in Sicamous Sunday and Monday.

Check out the boxscores on the KIJHL site here.

In other action, the Kimberley Dynamiters edge out the Creston Valley Thunder 5-4, also in overtime.

See you at the rink or catch us on the air.
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Divisional Awards handed to Key Kamloops Storm Players

A few Okanagan - Shuswap Division awards were handed out prior to the game as Anthony Manfredi garnered both the Division MVP and top Goaltender Award. Jassi Sangha won as Top Scorer and Lundy Trenaman took the Most Sportsmanlike Player.

Congratulations Gentleman, your mammas are proud of you.