The Kootenay ICE kicked off their weekend schedule with a game against the Calgary Hitmen at Western Financial Place.
Peyton Krebs would get to face his brother defenceman, Dakota Krebs. To ICE fans sorrow it was Dakota who would end up on the winning side.
The ICE were shutout against the Hitmen 5-0 on Saturday night while wearing the red Cranbrook Colts jerseys.
“Very disappointing,” said head coach James Patrick about the game.
Ryder Korczak would get the opening goal more than six minutes in to give the Hitmen the lead.
The Hitmen weren’t done, Cole Muir took a hooking penalty and just as they killed it off Mark Kastelic got one past Duncan McGovern.
Cam Hausingner would try to get the crowd and the team into the game when he dropped the gloves against Kaden Elder with a minute left in the first
“Anytime someone is willing to do that for the team and go after someone like that, it gives you a boost. It gets your whole bench energized and gets you going for a little bit,” said forward Brad Ginnell.
With a scoreless second period and back and forth play the Hitmen went into the third with a 2-0 lead.
“I thought we had chances – we missed the net. We had chances to take advantage on the power play and we weren’t able to … I thought the second period if we could have got out 2-1 hopefully, it would have given us a little more life,” said Patrick.
The Hitmen came out with urgency and Jake Kryski scored to make it 3-0 16 seconds into the third.
“It was a tough one. It’s a killer goal … that one changes the game,” said Patrick.
The ICE would continue to be frozen out on the scoreboard and Dakota added to the Hitmen lead to make it 4-0. Korczak would close out what he started with a rebound goal to make it 5-0.
The shot count would end up being 19-42 for the Hitmen at the end.
“Nineteen shots isn’t going to cut it in this league. We need to get more pucks on net and hopefully, we can do that tomorrow,” said forward Brett Davis.
While the game wasn’t what they wanted, Michael Milne made his WHL regular season debut and was one of the best ICE players.
“I thought he was really good. He had a great game, great legs and probably had about three scoring chances. I thought he brought a lot of life to his line. For a 16-year-old coming in playing the way he did I thought he was outstanding. He was definitely the bright spot tonight,” said Patrick
This was the third meeting of six games against the Hitmen, and the ICE will see them again in Calgary on Jan. 27.
The ICE are on the road tomorrow against the Red Deer Rebels. They will be back at Western Financial Place on Nov. 18 to take on the Moose Jaw Warriors, puck drop is 4 p.m.
