Chase Chiefs Take Series Over Kamloops Storm

Kamloops Storm Now Has 6 Weeks to Regroup for Keystone Cup

After looking like they were going to make a series of it, the Kamloops Storm struggled to stop the Chase Chiefs offense in the second half of game 4 and were sent to the showers after falling 6-3 and losing the series 3 games to one.

The Storm started off well, particularly AP Morgan Zulinick, who showed some real chemistry with line-mates Rylee Orr and Alessio Tomassetti, had posted a hat-trick (and all of the Storms goals for the evening) in the first half of the game. But it was the Chase Chiefs who wouldn't quit in the long run. They kept fighting back, not allowing Kamloops to gain more than a one goal advantage at any time during the game.

Jordan Wood, the Chiefs hero from Game 3 (tied the score late in the game to force overtime) led his team with a 2 goal effort. The other hero from Game 3, Ian Grant (overtime winner) also scored along with Tyson Bentley, Jordie Cool and Scott Renner.

There were some interesting scratches on both teams. Riley Wall, the starting goaltender for for the previous game, sat after Jordan Bytelaar came in and carried the team to the overtime win in Game 3. Bytelaar played very well in game 4 and deserved the win. Also for Chase, veteran Colten DeFrias was a healthy scratch. Colten missed most of the season with a broken arm and it looked like he was struggling to catch up on the skills end of the game. In game 3 he asserted himself as a pest but (and I am just guessing) I would assume the Chase coaching staff didn't want to risk the extra penalty factor that hemay have brought to the game. I'm sure that he will see more ice time in the next series.

The Kamloops Storm made Gary Rai a healthy scratch in Game 4, which was a significant surprise. Rai, a talented forward who can score goals has shown a tendency to lose interest during a game and show little effort in working both ways. Some games he's been very good in both ends. Perhaps the coaching staff thought that they could get through without Rai's offensive upside... they are possibly rethinking that since it was only an AP (Zulinick) that seemed to be able twitch the red light.

As was evident for a long time, the Storm simply just didn't have the horses. The defense was young, lacking a real quarterback on the power play. Mike McCance, the only real veteran on the back end did the best that he could but he needed a little more mature and skilled help to give goaltender Anthony Manfredi the support that was required to succeed on a regular basis. The young d-men, DeFrias, Hawgood and Skinner all improved immensely during the season but it really wasn't enough. They will be stalwarts for their teams next year as they gain strength, speed and mental maturity. The forwards were just as impotent. There are guys that give you 100% every game, win or lose and some that don't... they know who they are. The bottom line was that the team really didn't have the top end skill combined with a consistent work ethic like they have had in earlier years. No one emerged as a go-to guy or unit to score a goal when you really needed one.

Chase starts their next series tonight in Revelstoke against the overwhelming favorite Grizzlies. Revelstoke finished 20 points ahead of the Chiefs during the regular season.

The Storm now have a 6 week break before the start of the Keystone Cup. If everyone hangs around, there is plenty of time to work on things and plenty of time to get healthy... the only thing missing will be competition. Let's hope that the coaching staff and the players can get on the same page by that time so that they can give a commendable effort in the tournament. I don't think anyone is expecting any miracles but a solid effort would be a nice way to repay the fans who have supported the team, not only this year but for past years too.

We will be using the blog to give periodic updates from the league and perhaps from the other leagues and provinces competing for the Keystone.

I apologize for the the delay in getting this last report out as I took advantage of an opportunity to be in Vancouver for the olympic showdown between Russian and Canada.

I would also thank most of the people who contributed their comments. For the first time in 4 years we have had to censor one idiot who couldn't take the hint that slamming everyone within arms length isn't a sport and eventually is not worthy of publication. Your opinions are important and controversy is expected. It's what makes it all interesting however when the only goal is to drag everyone else into the shit pit then we are proud to exercise our right to flush.

Stay tuned, the hockey season isn't finished yet.

DaveO

Storm Lose 2 on the Weekend

Rumours of Coaching Change Circulate

It was a tough weekend for the Kamloops Storm. On Friday night they visited the last place North Okanagan Knights in Enderby and took it on the chin, losing 5-4 in regulation. With Saturday being a resting day you would think that the team would be re-charged for their Sunday matinee game at the Mac Park Centre against the dreaded Princeton Posse but such was not the case.

For the first couple of minutes of the game the Storm controlled the play but on 12 seconds into a Mitch Lutz penalty for holding, the Princeton Posse scored their first goal from Danny Hillman and the rout was on. Six minutes later, the Storm got their first power play and promptly coughed the puck up at the offensive blueline (which has been a bad habit lately) when Chase Salisbury poked the puck around Jordan Wilkins and made a nice feed to Dayton Shaw who buried his first goal of the game, a nice short-handed goal over the glove of Storm goaltender Anthony Manfredi.

Just 1:28 later, Storm forward Gary Rai got caught stickhandling as the last man back in his own zone. Ben Morgan picked his pocket and promptly put the puck over the same glove hand as the previous goal. Manfredi was livid (justifiably so) and was pulled in favour of newly signed goaltender, Alex Christiansen, who didn't fare much better. With 4:13 left in the period the Posse capitalized on another power play on a goal by Evan Stack and the score was now 4-0.

It was at this time that the Storm finally showed an ounce of pride and started to fight back. At 17:16 Gary Rai made up for his earlier blunder by finishing off a spectacular effort by Duncan Schultz to put the Storm's first goal on the board. Then, 47 seconds later on the same shift, Schultz potted one on a some good work by Bevin Ollek... the team had life and went into the intermission trailing only by 2 and on the power play to start the 2nd period.

Riding on the momentum from their flurry at the end of the 1st period, the Storm came out buzzing and managed to score their 3rd goal in a row. Brett DeFrias let a low slapper go after Tyler Jackson slid a smooth pass back to the point. The crowd was now back into the game but the euphoria wouldn't last long.

The Posse, refusing to break under the onslaught turned the period around by scoring 2 goals of their own before the end of the period and went into the 2nd intermission with a 6-3 lead.

It was Anthony Manfredi returning to the net for the 3rd period. I guess the coaching staff figured that it wasn't the goaltending costing them the game and if they were to going to make a run of it, Manfredi would be their guy.

Didn't work.

The Posse came out "storming" in the 3rd period and scored 2 goals in the first 5:o8 of the period and virtually cruised to an 8-3 shellacking of the Kamloops squad. There were a few scuffles in frustration before the game ended but the scoreboard spoke for itself. This was a humiliation and the boys knew it.

SCOREBOARD

The next and last regular season home game is next Saturday, Feb 13, against the Division leading Revelstoke Grizzlies.

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Coaching Rumours...

There were rumours flying around after the game that coach Greg Hawgood had been dismissed by team owner and GM Barry Dewar. I managed to contact Barry today (Monday) and he had a slightly different story.
Assistant coach Brent Fritz has to leave for a firefighter training course in Texas and Barry had managed to find someone competent enough to fill in and work with Hawgood. The new guy was going to be designated as a co-coach and apparently this didn't sit well with Hawgood and he felt that he was being fired. Dewar has denied that he had fired Hawgood but at the time we talked, he said that he did not know what the status of his coach would be by the end of the day.

We will keep you posted.

With the playoffs on the horizon and the Keystone Cup later in April, it's scary to think that this team, the way that they are playing now, will be anything more than pylons for the provincial champions of the 5 most western provinces who will be here to make their claim on the championship. We all hope that someone or something can change things for the better.

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Kamloops Storm Digs in Deep

For Come-From-Behind Win Over the Lakers

Saturday night's tilt between the Kamloops Storm and the Penticton Lakers at the Mac Island Sport Centre took place in the smaller NHL ice venue and the Storm were able to do something they haven't done for a while... come from behind and take the much needed win.

The game started out looking like another head shaker in the first period. Although the Storm out-shot the visiting Lakers 16-11, defensive errors proved costly as the Lakers were able to split the defense twice to beat Anthony Manfredi for two goals. Brendan Persley scored his first of two as he split the Kamloops rear-guards and put one high up over Storm goaltender Anthony Manfredi while the Lakers 2nd goal, off the hands of Lars Hepso, was strikingly similar. To compound their woes, the Storm managed to hit the iron twice during the period with the puck choosing to favour the Lakers. The prognosis after the first period wasn't bright.

The Storm seemed to tighten up their defensive play in the 2nd period and continued to pressure the Lakers offensively, hemming them in their own zone and forcing the play to the net. Their tenaciousness paid off. Late in the period, the Storm connected on 2 goals to pull temporarily even on the scoreboard 2-2. Reliable Tyler Jackson started it off on a pretty 3-way-passing-play with Bevin Ollek and Taylor Stuart to beat Penticton netminder Kenny Quinn. Just over a minute later Rylee Orr deflected a low point shot from Brett DeFrias to tie the score... there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel. However, that light was short live as a defensive error again caused a 2 on 1 break and Persley again buried one past Manfredi with 2:24 left in the period to take a 3-2 lead into the 2nd intermission.

It was now gut check time. After fighting back and then losing the lead in the previous period the Storm players were looking for some answers... would they reinforce their will to claw back to win the game or would they go through the 3rd period looking at the glass half empty. It didn't take long to distinguish which way they would choose.

The Storm came out flying in the 3rd period, exerting a lot of pressure in the Penticton zone and generally controlling the play. With only 1:35 gone in the period, the Lakers Nick Beisher took a tripping penalty on Gary Rai and the Storm connected on the the PP to draw even at 3-3. Beven Ollek completed a sweet passing play by Duncan Schultz to Jackson who shot through a crowd and left a juicy rebound for the 6' 5" forward who has proved all year that he can score in close to the net.

Just a minute and 43 seconds later, it was Riley Orr who buried his second goal of the evening beating Quinn on the open side, completing a crisp passing play with Alessio Tomassetti and Jason Alessio who did some marvelous work deep in the Penticton zone. It was the Storm's first lead of the game and that's the way the game ended. Penticton lost their "giddy-up" that put them ahead early in the game and Anthony Manfredi closed the door on any additional chances that came their way.

The fans went home happy with the coaches and players gave a sigh of relief with the result of their comeback effort.

McDonald's 3 Stars:

1) Rylee Orr - 2 goals, including GW
2) Allessio Tomassetti - 2 assists (8 points in 4 games since joining the Storm)
3) Brendan Persley - 2 goals, 1 asst (possibly the best player on the ice this evening)

Boxscore

Next home game... Sunday Feb 7 vs the Princeton Posse.

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sponsored by: The Doyle Group

Peter Doyle (Sales Rep) Leanne Doyle-Hicks (Sales Rep)
Riverside Realty	867 Victoria Street Kamloops, BC 250-371-1119 (direct) 250-851-4099 (after hours) Email Peter & Leanne

The MAGIC NUMBER is down to 2

For Kamloops Storm to Clinch First Spot in the Division
by Barry Dewar

Any combination of 2 wins by the Storm or 2 losses by the Sicamous Eagles will ensure first place for the Storm. With our destiny in our own hands we head to Princeton this weekend for a game against the Posse.

The Storm will still likely be without Daniel Medland Marchen, Ryan Hanes, Brock Backus and Jamie Galbraith. Galbraith did skate this week and is a possibility but outside chance at best. Hanes and Medland Marchen are both expected to dress for the Kamloops Blazers this weekend, so the Storm will be looking to fill the void with some affiliate player call ups. We expect 15 year old Brett De Frias, 15 year old Josh Rasmussen, 17 year old Alex Marr and maybe 17 year old Spencer Donaldson in the lineup. All players are from the Thompson Blazers Major Midget team which has a bye this weekend.

De Frias will be playing his third game for the club, while Rasmussen will be playing his second game. Alex Marr who is the captain of the major midget team will be playing his 5th game. Donaldson if he suits up will be in his first game as a Storm Player. Donaldson is third on the major midget team for goals and tied for the lead in points with 10 goals and 12 assists. Marr has 2 goals and 10 assists with 50 pims while Rasmussen is 3-3 and 54 pims and De Frias is 5 goals 5 assists with 34 penalty minutes.

Backus has not yet decided if he wants to play since returning to Kamloops from university.

It is expected that a couple of regular players could be seeing action in the BC Hockey League over the next few weeks. Merritt made several trades at the January 10th deadline and have been going with a short bench as they complete their season. Several players have been affiliated to various Junior A teams including Anthony Manfredi, Daniel Medland Marchen, Scott Kirkham, Sean Menton, David Gore, Jose Reyes, Mick Ludvig, Mike McCance and Kyle Graham.

This weekend the Kamloops Storm visit Princeton for the 6th and final meeting until playoffs. Kamloops won the first game in September 3-2 in overtime,. The second meeting was a 9-2 Domino Pizza night with Anthony Manfredi, Mick Ludvig and Peter Soroka as the stars. The third meeting in November was a 6-2 win by the Storm. Ryan Hanes had a hat trick in that game and Josh Caron had a pair of goals. December saw the teams play twice. The first was a 4-1 win for the Storm while the second game was a 5-4 shoot out win for the Posse. Taylor Stuart had 2 goals in the first meeting and 1 in the second meeting against his old team. In the shootout they had 12 shooters each with only John Minot of Princeton and Kyle L'Arrivee beating Kyle Graham who was in the net for the Storm while only Austin Goode scored for the Storm.

The Storm needs to play close attention to Wade Masch and Jason Allessio to earn the victory this weekend. The Storm won both of their games last weekend while Chase lost 4 games last week starting with a loss to the Chase Chiefs in Princeton, followed by a grueling road trip to Fernie, Kimberley and Creston. Next home action for the Storm will be February 7th against Chase for the Juvenile Diabetes fundraiser and on February 8th when Tory Caldwell and the Kimberley Dynamiters come to town.