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

Kamloops Storm Slide in New Year

Charity Continues Through Holiday Season

The Kamloops Storm just can't seem to gain any momentum and as long as they keep handing out gifts like Santa at Christmas they are getting what they deserve.

It was a long night at the Mac Island Sports Centre where the 2nd place Sicamous Eagles made the first visit to Kamloops in the new year. And the Storm were perfect hosts.

After taking a 5-2 pounding in Chase on Friday, the Storm came out with some zing at home on Saturday night at home. The first and 2nd periods were close with Sicamous goaltender Tyler Steel and Storm tender, Anthony Manfredi both displaying their talents. The Eagles held a 1-0 first period lead on a power play goal by Quinn Rempel, his first of 2 for the evening.

In the 2nd period, Kamloops came out flying but could not bury the biscuit until they found themselves down 2-0, courtesy of a give-away beside the Kamloops net where Andrew Nunn jumped on a loose puck and stuffed it under Manfredi on the short side. Jason Alessio cut the lead to 2-1 when he buried the puck close in on Steel but it was Bob Turnbull of the Eagles who picked up his own rebound in the Kamloops zone and chipped it past a sprawling Manfredi to make it 3-1.
The last 3.5 minutes of the period were a little frantic. Bevin Ollek buried a rebound on the power-play to make the score 3-2. Then, Jordan Wilkens, who probably played the worst game of his life, took a holding penalty and Quinn Rempel scored his 2nd power play goal of the evening. Finally, with 1:10 left in the period, Alessio popped his 2nd goal of the game and 3rd point of the period to make the score 4-3 going into the 2nd intermission. The Storm ended up out shooting the Eagles in the period 19-13.

It was the 3rd period that proved to be the demise of the Storm. The Eagles came out flying while Storm goaltender Anthony stood on his ear trying to keep the team in the game. Enter the "Big Giveaway". While Kamloops were on the power play, Wilken's was the last man, carrying the puck in his own zone when he got stripped of the puck by Cain Franson who promptly put a move on Manfredi to notch the short-handed goal. Less than 3 minutes later, Wilkens, who didn't learn the first time, committed the same sin again and Daryl Devries of the Eagles slipped another puck by Manfredi to complete the scoring. In both cases, Manfredi was caught sitting in deep in his net trusting his d-man. With both giveaways occurring in the middle slot, Fredi had little time to react and got beaten on a couple of real skilled dekes.

Sitting solidly in 5th spot, if the playoffs were to start today, Kamloops would be playing Chase in the first round.

MacDonald's 3 Stars:

#1 - Cain Franson-Eagles (1G 3A)
#2 - Jason Alessio - Storm (2G 1A)
#3 - Quinn Rempl - Eagles ( 2G)

scoreboard

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The Storm started the new year out pretty well. They lost an overtime thriller 4-3 in Princeton on Jan 2 to salvage 1 point and then on Jan 3 they laid a lick'n on the first place Grizzlies, in Revelstoke.
This past Friday night they took a 5-2 pounding at the hands of the Chase Chiefs (who now have Kamloops native Colten Defrias back in the lineup after a long injury recovery).

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The All-Star Game is being held in Beaver Valley this coming Tues. Kamloops had 3 players selected to play in the game however only Bevin Ollek and Mike McCance will make the trip to represent the Storm. Centreman Tyler Jackson also had an invite but cannot make the trip for undisclosed reasons. Good luck guys, enjoy the experience.

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McCance, Jackson and Ollek chosen to AllStar Line Up

Congratulations to the Mike McCance, Tyler Jackson and Bevin Ollek as they have been selected to represent the Kamloops Storm and the Okanangan-Shuswap Conference in the upcoming 2010 KIJHL All-Star Game.

Here is the entire line-up for the Okanagan-Shuswap Division Team for the All-Star Game to be held in Beaver Valley, BC, January 11th and 12th, 2010.

Forwards:

1 Derek Huisman-Sicamous
2 Lucas Blinkhorn-Rev
3 Faiz Khan-Rev
4 Travis Herlein-Golden
5 Stefan Jensen-Golden
6 Dan Hillman-Prin
7 Brandan Persley-Pen
8 Trevor Fitzgerald-North Ok
9 Tyler Jackson-Kam
10 Bevin Ollek-Kam
11 Devon Hobbs-Chase
12 Jordan Wood-Chase

Defense:

1 Garrett Earley-Sic
2 Caleb Roy-Rev
3 Casey Rogers-Gold
4 Brenden Stephen-Princ
5 Mike McCance-Kam
6 Kyle Ceretzke-Rev

Goaltenders:

Andrew Parent-Rev
Spencer Wong-Golden
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To place your order for All-Star Game banquet and/or All-Star Game tickets please contact the Beaver Valley Nitehawks at:

Beaver Valley Nitehawks Junior Hockey Club

By phone: (250) 367-7183
or
By email: bvnitehawks@bvnitehawks.com

Storm Turns Into a Tornado

Five Losses in 6 Games has Team in a Vortex

It's been a tough 3 weeks for the Storm as they continue to have difficulty putting the puck in the net. Yes, there have been a rash of injuries and illnesses however most of the other teams have had to put up with the same scenario. And yet, despite the obviously poor record over the last 3 weeks or so, Kamloops still remains in 2nd place in the Okanagan-Shuswap Division of the KIJHL.

The last game, against a solid Castlegar Rebels team, was a spirited effort but the results were the same. Lack of offense, sloppy defense. The power play had less moving parts than a rusted out Studebaker. The penalty killing was pretty good but the Rebels powerplay was even better, scoring 2 goals on 6 power plays. Kamloops went 1 for 3. Staying out of the penalty box might be a good idea.

The team +/- is a paltry +2, the worst in the league for a team with a winning record. The goaltending has been fair but overall, inconsistent. The defense is young, with 2 -16yr olds and 2-17 year olds , all rookies. They have been forced to play in pressure situations and have struggled (as expected). They are getting better though. Captain Mike McCance has been the one steadying force on the D and with the return of Sheldon McDonald, experience can be spread around to support the young guys.

The offense seems enemic. Guys like Jackson, Alessio, Moen and Stuart seem to bring their 'A' game most nights but the rest of the cast is hot and cold. No one seems to be the guy that everyone can look to for a goal when needed.

The trading deadline is less than 2 months away. The team still has room for 2 - 20 year olds. I would think that they will stick with their 16 year olds (minor hockey won't take them back) so that means that there are a few 18-19 year olds that should be looking over their shoulder for a bus ticket if they don't start picking up the pace and showing some much needed enthusiasm. Hard work can match skill in this league on most nights.

Storm Weekend Injury and Suspensions Oct 9, 2009

Here is a summary of the Kamloops Storm current injury situation and suspensions.

Suspensions for Saturday only:

Tyler Jackson and Brent Fritz. - Jackson for his double game misconduct for fighting and 3rd man in. I guess Fritz takes the blame for the over-the-limit amount of fights as head coach Greg Hawgood had already been tossed earlier in the game against Revelstoke for beaking the ref.

Injuries:

Matt Pouncy wrist 1 month

Kolton Moen shoulder 3 weeks

Ryan Skinner bruised knee 2 weeks.

Sheldon Mcdonald wrist 1 month

Duncan Shulz lower body injury day to day

Other:

Spencer Donaldson has taken some time off to reconsider his hockey options.

Look for these 3 New Faces in the Line-up;

Taylor Leibel (19), Keaton Miller (18) and Jordan Suzuki (19).

Leibel was here in camp earlier this season and at this point we are not sure where the other 2 players have come from. Hopefully we will be able to fill you in at game time... This Sunday, 2pm against arch-rival, the Chase Chiefs.

Dynamiters Implode

Kamloops Storm Scores 3 in the 3rd to Win 4-1

The Kimberley Dynamiters stayed pretty close to the Kamloops Storm for 2 periods but undisciplined played had Kamloops score 2 goals on the power play in the 3rd period to ice their 5th win of the season.

Kimberley got hammered 6-0 the night before by Sicamous and came in with the intention of making amends. In the opening 2 minutes Anthony Manfredi was forced to make a number of early saves, including 2 tricky shots that came off the back boards. Tory Caldwell played solid between the pipes at the other end and the period ended in a 0-0 tie.

The stalemate lasted until 9:41 of the 2nd period when Justin Fulton, who just stepped out of the penalty box, picked up a loose puck and feed Cody Jules who showed a nice touch and quick hands while he whistled the puck over the shoulder of Caldwell and put the Storm up 1-0.
Kimberley came right back after killing their own penalty and it was Taylor McDowell deflecting a Logan Gutfriend point shot past a screened Anthony Manfredi.

Jason Alessio scored what ended up being the winner on the power-play almost 7 minutes into the 3rd and Bevin Ollek picked up a re-bound during another power play late in the period. Ollek's 6'5" frame is tough to move in front of the net when he takes a notion to set up his office there. Tyler Jackson assisted on both power play goals.

Bevin Ollek notched his second on an empty netter in the last minute. Ollek showed good hustle and deft hands beating a defender to a cleared puck and slipping a deep angle back hand just inside the post.

3rd Star - Cody Jules
2nd Star - Tory Caldwell
1st Star - Anthony Manfredi

You can catch the BoxScore here.

Notes:

- I thought the defense played much better in this game than the last couple that we witnessed. Both Logan Hawgood and BrettDefrias saw a lot more ice time after captain Mike McCance got a game misconduct for a hit from behind early in the first period. Spencer Donaldson, who has been playing forward lately, dropped back on defense this night and played very well. Ryan Skinner is coming along nicely too. The only one that had a so-so game was 20 yr old Dylan Becker who seemed to be a little lethargic.
- Bevin Ollek had 2 goals but I'm sure he could have had more or helped on more if he parked his large frame in the goaltenders face more often. That's how he scored his first goal of the evening. He did show good personal control, drawing a penalty in the 3rd period, turning a cheek to a Liam Jeffries roughing call in the 3rd.
- it's been great having Gary Donaldson doing color in the broadcast booth during the game. We hope that it has added to your entertainment value. Gary should be around all year and we hope he joins us often.

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Contact the KamloopsStormWriter for more info. There are 3 spots open... get yours today.

Storm Humbled by Eagles

Veteran Sicamous Team Looks Like Class of the Division... so far

The Sicamous Eagles rolled into the Mac Park Sports Centre about an hour late (broken down bus) but there was nothing late about their performance.

The Eagles veteran starting line of Aaron Buat, Jarryd Tenvaanholt and Jordan Hynes quickly showed their superiority by out-skating and out-checking the Storm's starting line of Duncan Schulz, Tyler Jackson and Taylor Stuart . The depth of the Eagles, who have at least 12 returnee's from last year's divisional finalists, was apparent all evening.

Derek Husiman led Sicamous with 2 goals, one on the power play and one just as the power play ended. Scott Fellnermayr notched his first goal of the season.

The Storm welcomed 2 new 16 year old players, Logan Hawgood and Brent Defrias, both defensemen, to the line-up. They were put under fire early and often. Defrias was paired with team captain, Mike McCance, while Hawgood spent most of the evening paired with Dylan Becker. Although both players are good skaters and understand the game well, their size may be a difficult obstacle during the season. Add Mike McCance and the Storm have 3 starting d-men at 5'7" or less.

The bright spot of the evening for the Storm was the play of all-star goaltender, Anthony Manfredi. The young and inexperienced defensive corps gave up break-away after break-away with Manfredi coming up big on the save every time. There was a short spell in the 2nd period where Manfredi couldn't keep the puck out when the Eagles were dominating down low, picking up a rebound and a couple of deflections.

Spencer Donaldson scored the only goal for the Storm. Normally a defenseman, Donaldson played as a forward this game.

Forward Bevin Ollek picked up his 2nd major infraction in 2 home games as he was nailed with a 5 minute hit-to-the-head major and a game misconduct. It was our opinion that the penalty should have been a 2 min. minor and a 10 min misconduct but referee, Nick Swain didn't see it that way. It's pretty hard for a guy that's 6'5" (Ollek) to make a hit on a smaller player without coming near his head... period. Obviously Ollek is going to have to adjust his style of play if he hopes to play a whole game at home this year.

The Storm have a chance to redeem themselves tonight as the Penticton Lakers are in town tonight for a 7 pm start.
See you there!

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Our camera work has significantly improved this year. We have 3 young guys (Mike and Justin Potestio and Morgan Sidkey)taking turns on a moving camera and bringing you more shots by following the play and offering closeups of the benches, skirmishes, penalty box and of course, the goaltenders. Thanks guys.