Winterhawks’ season put on Ice with Kootenay’s win

GAME RECAP

Ice 4, Winterhawks 1

Series: Kootenay wins 4-1, Ice win third WHL title and advance to the Memorial Cup.

Star of the game: Kootenay goalie Nathan Lieuwen was named playoff MVP.

Turning point: Kooteney took momentum away seven minutes in, firing seven shots at Portland in less that two minutes. The pressure did not produce a goal, but did shift momentum.

PORTLAND — Tough. Quick. Smart. Disciplined. Opportunistic.

The Kootenay Ice were all of those things in closing out the Western Hockey League championship series Friday at the Rose Garden.

Kootenay withstood an early push by Portland, then asserted itself at both ends of the ice to earn a 4-1 victory that clinched the title series over the Winterhawks by the same margin.

“Credit to Kootenay,” Portland’s Ryan Johansen said. “They gave us everything they’ve got and they deserve to win. They’re a great team.”

Matt Fraser scored two goals, including the game-winner late in the second period, and the Ice kept a Rose Garden sellout crowd of 10,967 quiet with a disciplined, consistent effort.

Three of the five games went to overtime, and Friday’s contest was tied at 1-1 until a power-play goal late in the second period gave the Ice the lead. But the tight games ultimately went to the more experienced team.

“They’re a good experienced team. They have a lot of veteran players in that (Kootenay) room and it showed in that third period,” Portland head coach and general manager Mike Johnston said.

That experience factor, and Portland’s inability to build leads in any of the games — the Winterhawks never had a two-goal lead in the five games — defined this series.

“We talked to teams before (the series) and they said that’s the key thing with this team, if you make them play from behind they aren’t as good,” Johnston said. “And we unfortunately just couldn’t bury those chances.”

Portland gave its crowd reason to get excited right away. Defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon jumped into the crease, took a backhand pass out of the corner from Sven Bartschi, and scored 2:26 into the game.

Helped by an early power play, the Winterhawks had the first six shots of the game. But Portland couldn’t convert on the power play, and missed several other scoring chances in the opening moments.

The Ice got seven shots on Mac Carruth in less than two minutes midway through the first period to announce their arrival, and wound up with the better of the shots and scoring chances in an opening period that ended in a 1-1 tie.

Kootenay’s goal was scored by Steele Boomer, whose shot hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced behind the goal-line. Play continued for several minutes before a video review during a stoppage showed the puck crossing the line. The clock reverted to 4:13 left in the period, so the team’s actually skated for more than 22 minutes in the opening period.

The outcome turned in the final minute of an evenly played second period that saw Portland have several quality chances, including a couple for Ty Rattie.

On a penalty kill, Portland’s Craig Cunningham and Joe Morrow collided, creating a four-on-two at the net that Fraser converted into an open net.

With Kootenay’s trap cluttering the neutral zone and its quick, assertive play in both zones, Portland managed only 15 shots in the second and third period. The Winterhawks had the first six shots of the game, then were outshot 40-21 the rest of the night.

“When you have the puck and look up and you see all the Kootenay Ice guys, it’s tough to make a decision that quick — a good one anyway,” Johansen said of trying to beat the Ice defense. “That’s a thing you’ve got to keep learning and keep improving and making sure you can make your decision speed that much faster.”

Fraser added the back-breaker on an odd-man rush 14:15 into the third period, and an empty net goal by Jesse Ismond set off the Ice celebration.

Kootenay goalie Nathan Lieuwen, who was named series MVP, stopped 26 shots for his 16th win of the playoffs.

“Probably the worst feeling in the world,” Rattie said. “You pretty much fee like you lost a family. We’re never going to play with the same guys and that hurts.”

ICE 4, WINTERHAWKS 1

Kootenay 1 1 2 — 4

Portland 1 0 0 — 1

First Period — 1. Portland, Wotherspoon 3 (Bartschi, Cunningham) 2:26; 2. Kootenay, Boomer 4 (Ismond, Hurley) 15:47. Penalties — Leach Ktn (tripping) 3:39, Fraser Ktn (diving), Rutkowski Por (interference) 12:31, Hurley Ktn (roughing), Boychuk Por (slashing, roughing), 17:28.

Second Period — 3. Kootenay, Fraser 16 (McNabb, Reinhart) 19:16 (pp). Penalties — McNabb Ktn (roughing), Leipsic Por (roughing) 5:50, Kootenay bench (too many men; served by Montgomery) 15:52, Wotherspoon Por (cross-checking) 18:48.

Third Period — 4. Kootenay, Fraser 17 (Antilla) 14:15; 5. Kootenay, Ismond 5 (Fraser, McNabb) 19:19 (en). Penalty — Ross Por (misconduct) 19:19.

Shots on goal by —

Kootenay 16-12-12–40. Portland 12-9-6–27.

Goalies — Kootenay: Lieuwen (W,16-3); Portland: Carruth (L,13-8).

Power plays (goals-chances) — Kootenay: 1-2; Portland: 0-2.

Referees — Pat Smith, Nathan Wieler. Linesmen — Justin Hull, Chris Sweeting.

Attendance — 10,947.