<div align="center">GAME 43
Kelowna Knights (2) vs. Vancouver Whalers (0)

Starting Line-Ups


Dieter Dominique © - Mikko Linna (LW) - Denis Lever (RW)
Mia Landvik (D1) - Fedor Shirobokov (D2)
Mikke Laukkanen (G)


Levi Kubrak © - Bernie Sanders (LW) - Andreas Georgiadis (RW)
Jackson Cartier - Montel Vontavious Porter
Gavin Trent (G)

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1st Period
Kelowna and Vancouver have amongst the most bitter rivalries in the SMJHL, and tonight certainly added another page to their storybook. This was the third game of the regular season for these two teams, Kelowna and Colorado duking it out for the top of the West Division with Vancouver lagging at the bottom of the standings. The Knights’ vaunted defense have given the Whalers some trouble this season, their prior two contests ending in goalie Laukkanen’s first shut-out, and an OT contest that the Whalers won on a shoot-out.

Kelowna came in ready to take revenge for that close loss, and it showed--the first period was the only scoring period in the entire game. The Knights won the puck possession battle, and it showed in their shooting numbers, with ten shots on goal to the Whalers’ scant two. The Knights were also more accurate and defensively-minded than their previous contests, where the sluggish Whalers continued to miss shots and turn the puck over--not a recipe for success by any means. Rookie star Mikael Talo scored the first goal of the period four minutes in, off of a won face-off and a deflect from rookie teammate Aronne Zamloch.

Ironically, the Whalers won faceoff battles throughout the night. Unfortunately for them, their shooting inaccuracy led to turnovers, such as the Levi Kubrak missed shot fifteen minutes in that Aronne Zamloch picked up and ran with. Though it looked as if the Zamloch-Talo deflection might result in a second score, Whalers goalie Gavin Trent came up with a big save. Unfortunately for him, that meant time for a Kelowna line change to their first-line center Dieter Dominique, who was able to win the faceoff, keep the puck in the zone, and help his teammates hammer Trent and the Whalers defense with shots until Denis Lever tucked one in, a little over 16 minutes in.


2nd Period
Though Kelowna had some missteps in the second period, their defensive play remained strong, and the Whalers simply did not have enough manpower to take advantage of opportunities--it was the only period of the game in which they had the shot advantage, with 7 shots to Kelowna’s 6. But Kelowna killed off both of its two penalties with no goal allowed, and Mikke Laukkanen made seven phenomenal stops without rebounds, allowing his team to re-group.

3rd Period
With only a two-goal deficit and Kelowna solidly in ‘prevent-defense’ mode, the Whalers theoretically could have made a comeback. Unfortunately for them, the young rebuilding team simply did not have enough endurance to be able to take advantage, and the third period was once again scoreless, a paltry four shots on goal that were easily stopped by Laukkanen and company. This concluded what was possibly the most boring game in juniors this year, but a big shut-out and confidence booster for Laukkanen, and an easy, cruising win to treat the few Knights fans brave enough to wear their forest green in a sea of Vancouver blue.

Stars
1 - Mikke Laukkanen (KEL) (0GA)
2 - Denis Lever (KEL) (1G)
3 - Mikael Talo (KEL) (1G)

Goalie Stats
Mikke Laukkanen (KEL), 13 saves from 13 shots - (1.000), W, 6-4-1, 60:00 minutes
Gavin Trent (VAN), 22 saves from 24 shots - (0.917), L, 4-7-0, 60:00 minutes

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<div align="center">GAME 44
Detroit Falcons (3) vs. Prince George Firebirds (2)

Starting Line-Ups


Gunnar Rask © - Rising Hippo (LW) - Alexander Odegaard (RW)
William Fedorov (D1) - Prince Daniel James (D2)
Selena Bauer (G)


Nicolas Winter © - Bennett Jones (LW) - Izzy Johnson (RW)
Barack Obrana (D1) - Hunky Monkey (D2)
Michael McFadden (G)


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1st Period

Though superstars Bennett Jones and Nicolas Winter have done their best to carry their team through the regular season, their young defensive line is sloppy and inclined to take penalties that they do not have the endurance to kill off. The Detroit Falcons’ offense has been suspect over the course of the regular season, but the Firebirds handed them the opportunity to win the game, taking a whopping 8 minor penalties for a total of 16 penalty minutes.

Two of these three power play goals came in the first period. After Detroit won the puck possession battles and began to hammer goalie Michael McFadden with shots, the young John Beckner of the Firebirds became desperate and was called for hooking, just before 9 minutes into the game. Once short-handed on an already shaky defense, the Firebirds were unable to help McFadden, and eventually Justin Novastar, assisted by Gunnar Rask and Rising Hippo, sunk the puck in for the first of Detroit’s three PP goals.

The Firebirds’ top offensive line, determined to answer in front of their home crowd, battled harder to maintain control of the puck--and it paid off. One minute before the end of the first period, Izzy Johnson, assisted by Bennett and Winter, rocketed a shot past veteran goalie Selena Bauer to tie the score, getting the home crowd (and, frankly, the defense) back into the game.

Unfortunately, the re-energized Firebirds defense seemed less inclined to defend and more inclined to take rookie penalties; after Mike Nelson was called for tripping a scant seven seconds after their tying goal, William Fedorov was able to take the man advantage quickly, and netted the Falcons’ second power play goal just before the end of the first.

2nd Period

We don’t know what was said in the Prince George locker room about the first period, but apparently it wasn’t a speech about keeping a clean game. The Firebirds had another four penalties in the second period alone, one by repeat offender Hunky Monkey, who had been responsible for the first penalty of the game as well. It was their third, a hooking penalty by Andris Jansons fifteen minutes in, where the winded Firebirds could not come up with the stop--a scant 11 seconds into the play, the Falcons’ Prince Daniel James had a royal game-winner and power-play goal.

3rd Period

After a bit of rest, the Firebirds did their best to battle back from the two-goal deficit, but they simply could not maintain puck possession for long enough to send the game into OT. After the Bennett Jones goal, ten minutes into the period, the Firebirds seemed to have a chance to get back into the game, but after some big stops by the Detroit defense and Selena Bauer, it became clear that they were simply out of time and energy to net another score and send the game into OT. If the Firebirds want to turn their season around, they will have to find a way to wake up their inactive defense and get McFadden some desperately needed help.

Stars
1 - Bennett Jones (PGF) (1G, 1A)
2 - William Fedorov (DET) (1G, 1A)
3 - Nicolas Winter (PGF) (2A)

Goalie Stats
Selena Bauer (DET), 4 saves from 6 shots - (0.667), W, 4-1-0, 60:00 minutes
Michael McFadden (PGF), 24 saves from 27 shots - (0.889), L, 3-4-4, 60:00 minutes