Coach hopes experience helps Canucks

Today's read: A long short on Newell Brown, an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks. He's also a dad, whose son, Adam, plays goal for the Kelowna Rockets.

By Larry Fisher

The Daily Courier

Newell Brown has something that the Vancouver Canucks desperately want — a Stanley Cup ring.

Prior to joining Vancouver this season as an assistant coach, Brown had previously hoisted hockey’s holy grail in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks for whom he worked in the same capacity. In his 14th season as an NHL assistant/associate coach, Brown has only once won the sport’s top prize, and he’s one of only two members of Vancouver’s organization with a ring to remind him of the ultimate triumph.

The other, more recognizable, member is injured forward Mikael Samuelsson, who captured the Cup with Detroit in 2008, but underwent season-ending sports hernia surgery after the second round of these playoffs.

“I believe I’m the only other guy at this point . . . but hopefully there will be a few more members of that class in a few weeks,” said Brown, whose prior coaching posts included Chicago (1997-98), Columbus (2001-04) and two stints in Anaheim (1999-2000, 2005-2010).

That Stanley Cup experience from four years ago is sure to come in handy ahead of Wednesday’s opener as Vancouver prepares to face the Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins. 

The Canucks, who are playing in their first league final in 17 years, have never won an NHL championship since joining the NHL in 1970. Vancouver lost in the 1982 and 1994 finals to the New York Islanders and New York Rangers, respectively. The Bruins have won five Stanley Cups, but the last came in 1972. Their last appearance in the Stanley Cup was 1990, when they lost in five games to the Edmonton Oilers.

“It’s interesting because everybody has to win it for the first time,” Brown said. “But once you’ve gone through the process and you kind of understand the emotional highs and lows that you go through and how hard it really is to get there, you can help by adding a few things in here and there. And hopefully preparing guys for what to expect.

“Everything gets ramped up to the highest level you could possibly imagine, so just handling distractions, staying focused and making sure you’re in the moment all the time — not thinking ahead or thinking behind.”

Brown is the father of Kelowna Rockets goaltender Adam Brown. Now 19, with three seasons of major-junior experience under his belt, including an appearance in the champ-ionship game at the 2009 Memorial Cup, Adam has matured from his days as a Ducks stick-boy in 2006. Anaheim lost to Edmonton in the conference final that season, but Adam was also along for the ride the next year when the Ducks won it all. However, at 15, he was too young to drink from the Cup.

This time, although barely legal in B.C., he can almost taste it — predicting Vancouver to win the final best-of-seven series in five or six games.

“This one is a bit more exciting, just because the atmosphere around here is a little bit different than it was in Anaheim,” said Adam, comparing the Canucks’ playoff run to when the Ducks downed Ottawa in five games to earn the 2007 title. “But, regardless, they’re both pretty exciting.”

Adam has been calling Vancouver home and attending Canuck games at Rogers Arena ever since the Rockets were eliminated by Portland in the second round of WHL playoffs on April 17. With Adam hopping on the bandwagon, it’s been another special spring for the Browns.

“We feel fortunate as a family to have been through some great times in hockey,” said Newell. “For Adam, as a young player, it’s a great experience to look at things and get that perspective of what it takes to be successful.

“That really helped him in the past, just being around guys like Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Ryan Getzlaf, the list goes on, and seeing how much they put into their game, how hard they work and all the sacrifices they make.”

It’s true, says Adam, adding he’s paying even closer attention now that he’s nearing the next level with the goal of embarking on a professional playing career. Undrafted last year, there’s a chance an NHL team could 

select Adam this June or sign him to a free-agent contract in the off-season. Still, he’s likely to return to Kelowna for his final season of junior eligibility in the fall.

“I just realize how hard it is for them (NHLers) every night,” Adam said. “Especially being in a town like this or a town like Kelowna where the pressure is always on you and the fans want you to win.

“They’re always supportive either way, but you know they’re always going to be a little disappointed if you don’t win.”

Both Adam and Newell were both able to draw parallels and point out disparities between Anaheim’s memorable Stanley Cup moments and the Canucks’ current postseason run — from the on-ice product to the off-ice atmosphere.

Adam saw a similarity in the two teams based on regular-season success that carried over to the playoffs.

Anaheim won the Pacific Division title and entered the 2007 post-season as the West’s No. 2 seed with 110 points — good for third overall in the league. Vancouver won the Presidents’ Trophy this year with a league-best 117 points — including a franchise-record 54 wins — and held home-ice advantage throughout the post-season.

“They were both teams that you just watch them play and you know they’re going to find a way to win,” Adam said. “Whether they’re having a good game or an off-night, they always seemed to find a way to win, and that’s what good teams do.”

But how they went about their business in posting victories isn’t exactly the same, noted Newell. “It’s a different kind of team, a little bit different makeup,” said Newell, whose role has always been to work with forwards and oversee the power play. 

“In Anaheim, we were a very physical team. We kind of did it the hard way; we went over top of people and we kind of willed our way into the championship. We did have a lot of skill at the same time, but we did it with a little bit more forcefulness.

“This (Vancouver) team competes just as hard, but we have maybe a little more depth on the blue-line in terms of defencemen being mobile and able to move the puck and jump into the play. And we have really good speed throughout our four lines.”

Discussing their likeness, Newell said both teams were driven to succeed with a clear plan in place.

“In both cases, we set the bar real high,” he said. “Both teams are willing to play for each other and do whatever it takes for the team first. And on top of all the skill, world-class skill, we also have world-class people, and that’s what really brings everything together.

“That said, we haven’t completed our task here yet. We have to go through that final hurdle, and we’ll see if our team is up to it.”

The Canucks have already cleared two huge hurdles. 

First, they finally beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the first round — winning Game 7 in overtime after blowing a 3-0 series lead. Secondly, they advanced past the second round for the first time since 1994, after being bounced by the Blackhawks in back-to-back years.

“It just seemed like once we broke through those two barriers, our guys felt that much more confident about themselves,” Newell said. “It just showed how together we are and that what really matters is only our opinion of what we have here. After that, we had a great start to the San Jose series and we haven’t looked back since.”

Asked about the fan and media following, Newell said: “It’s a lot different. In Anaheim, when the season ends, you maybe get one article, no matter if you win or lose, then they turn their attention to something else.

“But this is a hockey-crazy market here in Vancouver and throughout the province. And now that we’re the only Canadian team left, it’s pretty amazing the attention that is put toward our team and what we’re doing right now. It’s a totally different vibe and totally different atmosphere for hockey. As hard as it can be on the team, just with how high the expectations are, when you get to this point of the year, they stop with a lot of the criticism and have kind of got behind us. It’s a good feeling right now.”

Adam added, “the saying ‘We are all Canucks,’ it really fits because that’s how everybody feels up here and it’s just not the same down in Anaheim.”

To which Newell concluded: “No question, this is a great time of year to be playing hockey. Playing for the Stanley Cup is really a great experience, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Brown enjoying Canucks’ playoff run

By Larry Fisher

The Daily Courier

Most of B.C. is on the Vancouver Canucks’ bandwagon. Adam Brown is literally along for the ride.

The Kelowna Rockets’ goaltender has had prime seats to every Canucks home game at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup final — at least since Kelowna bowed out to Portland in the second round of WHL playoffs on April 17. How has 19-year-old Brown scored the hottest tickets around? His dad, Newell Brown, is an assistant coach with the Canucks — working specifically with the team’s forwards and power play.

“It’s been fun, just enjoying watching the games,” said Adam, who is calling Vancouver home these days. “Around the city here, it’s pretty crazy, so it’s been exciting.”

Brown sets up shop in the lower bowl, behind the opposing goal. His seat offers a birds-eye view of a net he hopes to one day be tending, but for now is content to observe.

That crease, most recently occupied by San Jose Sharks netminder Antti Niemi, was witness to history on Tuesday, as Vancouver defenceman Kevin Bieksa scored the series-clinching, double-overtime goal to send the Canucks to the big dance.

“In my section, we were some of the only people that actually saw what happened because the puck was coming right at us and we saw it bounce off the glass,” Brown recalled of the strange but special sequence that set off a crazed celebration. “We didn’t know what to do.

“We couldn’t believe it, that it went in and the goalie didn’t even see it. But the whole place went nuts. Everybody was cheering, whether they saw the goal or not, they knew we won. It’s incredible. I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole city is behind the team, and every win, the place just erupts.”

Brown added that outside of Rogers Arena, thousands of revellers routinely gather on Granville Street until late at night.

Tuesday’s 3-2 victory punched Vancouver’s ticket to the franchise’s third Stanley Cupfinal, having fallen short against the New York Islanders in 1982 and the New York Rangers in 1994. This time, the Canucks will contend with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Bruins, with Games 1 and 2 set for Rogers Arena on Wednesday and Saturday.

Brown likes the Canucks’ chances of hoisting hockey’s holy grail, largely because of the adversity they have overcome to this point.

That included Vancouver eliminating the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks on Alex Burrows’ overtime winner in Game 7, after blowing a 3-0 series lead.

“I think that series really helped them out, because they realized when you have a team down, you can’t let them back in,” Brown said. “It’s all about momentum in the playoffs and they almost paid the price big-time for that one.

“But they found a way through it and it helped them finish off a couple of these other series, I think.”

Having grown up around the game, Brown has a better understanding than most. His father has been an assistant/associate coach in the league for 14 years and coached in the AHL the previous four seasons — dating back to Adam being in diapers.

“It’s really neat. You get to be a part of it in a little bit more of a personal way,” Brown said. “You get to be around the rink a little bit and see what all the guys do to stay ready to play every day — that professional mentality.

“It really helps me with my game because if something’s not going well for me or I’m going through a little bit of a tough time, my dad’s always been there.

“Whether it was himself personally playing or coaching someone through it, he can help me out.”

Then there’s the watch-and-learn aspect, with Brown paying close attention to Canuck starter Roberto Luongo’s conduct.

“Throughout these playoffs, I’ve learned a lot,” said Brown. “Like the way (Luongo) can come back from having an off-game and not getting a start one game, then coming back in Game 7 and pulling through and getting a win for the team, it’s really admirable.

“It sounds like such an easy thing to do, but being a goaltender, there’s so much mental that goes into it and the way he kept his composure and did that, it’s really impressive to watch.”

Signed to a 12-year, $64-million contract in 2009, Luongo often draws the ire of fans and media types looking to point the finger in tough times. But Brown has had his back all along.

“A lot of people were giving him a little bit of heat for a couple of the games. But coming from a goaltender, that’s going to happen,” Brown said. “You’re not going to be perfect every night.

“You’re going to let in the odd bad goal here and there. But the true test of your character and your quality as a goaltender is coming through when your team really needs you, and that’s what he did in Game 7 against Chicago and then in the last game to clinch the series against San Jose.

“I don’t think you can really say too much bad about Luongo, he’s an incredible goalie.”

Hay, Huska on Canada's coaching staff

For Immediate Release - May 26, 2011

Kelowna Rockets head coach Ryan Huska has been named an assistant coach with Team Canada for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship.

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced the coaching staff that will try to lead Canada back to the gold medal. Vancouver Giants head coach Don Hay was named head coach of Canada’s National Junior Team.

The 2012 World Junior Championship is scheduled for in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta., December 26, 2011 to January 5, 2012.

Joining Huska as an assistant will be George Burnett (head coach and general manager, Belleville Bulls, OHL) and Pascal Vincent (head coach and general manager, Montreal Juniors, QMJHL).

Huska, 35, will return as an assistant coach for the second year in a row, having served under Dave Cameron in 2010. Head coach of the Rockets since 2007, Huska is a veteran of seven Memorial Cups as both a player and a coach – he won championships as a player with the Kamloops Blazers in 1992, 1994 and 1995 and as an assistant coach with Kelowna in 2004, and also appeared in the tournament as Kelowna’s assistant coach in 2003 and 2005 and as the team’s head coach in 2009.

Hay, 57, will step behind the bench of Canada’s National Junior Team for the first time since leading Canada to a gold medal and its first-ever perfect record at the 1995 IIHF World Junior Championship. One of just five WHL coaches with 500 regular season victories, Hay has won three WHL championships (1994, 1995 with Kamloops, 2006 with Vancouver) and three Memorial Cups (1994 and 1995 with Kamloops, 2007 with Vancouver) and is a two-time WHL Coach of the Year (1998-99, 2008-09). The Kamloops, B.C., native was a 2008 inductee into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame.

“We are very excited about the staff we are naming today for Canada’s National Junior Team,” said Brad Pascall, vice-president of hockey operations/national teams with Hockey Canada. “All of the coaches we are naming today have previous Team Canada coaching experience, including three with World Junior experience, and we look forward to working with them on the road to Calgary and Edmonton this winter.”

Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior director of national teams and hockey operations, along with Hockey Canada’s hockey operations department will work closely with the coaching staff in planning and executing all team logistics.

Further details regarding Canada’s National Junior Team summer development camp, scheduled for August 3-7 in Edmonton, including a full practice schedule and roster, will be announced at a later date.

For more information on Canada’s National Junior Team and the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit www.HockeyCanada.ca

A short laundry list of items.....

By Larry Fisher

The Daily Courier

Don Cherry gave his two cents on the CHL’s import draft. Bruce Hamilton stopped just short of concurring with the controversial Hockey Night In Canada commentator.

Cherry, during his popular Coach’s Corner segment, recently applauded the WHL champion Kootenay Ice’s efforts in reaching the Mastercard Memorial Cup. Then, in his always brash tone, he credited their success to being an all-Canadian team, without the presence of any “foreigners.”

Cherry’s rant soon spiralled into a tirade aimed at the annual import draft, where major junior teams select European prospects to fill two roster spots.

Cherry accused the “foreigners” of stealing ice time from local products and insinuated teams can’t with when relying on Europeans.

That, of course, is false, as Kootenay beat the West-best Portland Winterhawks in the WHL final, a club that counted on — and received — big contributions from Swiss sensations Nino Niederreiter and Sven Bartschi.

“I don’t disagree that they take Canadian players’ spots, but if they are better players than what we have on our teams . . . you still have to try to have as good a team as you can. That’s the competitive nature of our business,” said Hamilton, president and GM of the Kelowna Rockets and WHL chairman. “I know Don’s believed that since Day 1. He’s been against the European draft for 10 or 15 years.

“That’s his opinion and I understand it.”

That said, Hamilton doesn’t necessarily agree with it.

“You’ve gotta remember everybody is trying their best to win and it’s a business,” he said. “These (teams) are multi-million-dollar-a-year businesses and you have to do what-ever you can to find a way to get an edge, and if having those (European) guys on your team gives you that, then so be it.”

The import draft is certainly hit-or-miss. The Rockets have been on both ends of the ‘boom or bust’ spectrum in recent years, scoring big with the addition of Swedish forward Mikael Backlund for their 2009 Memorial Cup run, but falling flat with the likes of Andreas Stene (Norway) and Gal Koren (Slovenia) this season.

Those two import forwards were healthy scratches on a regular basis and never found a fit in the North American game.

“We’re not having either of them back next year because I firmly believe if they’re not your premier players, I’d much rather have Canadians playing in that role,” Hamilton said. “As we saw in the playoffs, we decided to get our young guys into games and let them play. So I’ve informed their agents that they won’t be back, but being here for a year will help them both over there for next year.”

Barring off-season acquisitions, Stene and Koren will be replaced by whoever the Rockets select with their lone pick in next month’s import draft — 45th overall. 

Kelowna traded its second-round pick, 105th overall, to the Edmonton Oil Kings in a prior deal. The import draft is set for June 28, following the NHL’s entry draft on June 24-25.

Always an agent-driven affair with plenty of wheeling and dealing in advance, and with the selection order never truly based on talent, some have soured on the import draft. Hamilton still sees a place for it going forward, though it’s a costly venture. 

“There are some good players. Even here, you watch these teams and a couple Russians are real good,” Hamilton said of the Memorial Cup entries with the host Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors icing skilled power forward Maxim Kitsyn and the QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs boasting offensive catalyst Stanislav Galiev.

Kootenay, as Cherry proudly pointed out, has no European players, but the OHL champion Owen Sound Attack have one in Russian forward Roman Berdnikov, while Mississauga and Saint John have the maximum two each — also Finnish forward Mika Partanen for the Majors and Slovakian forward Tomas Jurco for the Dogs.

“But maybe a quarter of them are impact players,” Hamilton continued of the 120 picks made each summer in the import draft. “And there’s a great expense to bringing them over, too.

“You pay a release fee and you also pay for all the travel and everything — and that’s over and then back home for Christmas because they get treated the same as the other kids. There’s a big cost to that, and I think everybody is starting to pay more attention to that.”

June projects as a busy month for Hamilton with WHL and CHL meetings, the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, the NHL Draft in Minnesota and then the import draft. At the awards show, Hamilton said the Rockets could lay claim to consecutive Norris Trophy winners as the NHL’s top defenceman with Shea Weber (Nashville) in the running this season after Duncan Keith (Chicago) won last year.

“We could go back-to-back there and that would be something,” he said. “But it’s a very busy month and it’s a lot of road work, and we’re scheduling for next year in June too. Then things will hopefully slow down in July.”

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If you haven’t checked this out, Patrick King of Sportsnet is at the Memorial Cup in Mississauga, Ont.

His stories can be found here.

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A while back, when the South Okanagan Events Centre was being built in Penticton, there was talk about the possibility of placing a WHL franchise there, either through expansion or relocation.

Well, consider those thoughts officially dead and buried.

Not that Penticton ever stood a chance of getting a WHL franchise, being located within a radius in which the Rockets would have to give their OK, but it was interesting talk, regardless. The rink is beautiful and outshines most WHL buildings.

But on Tuesday, David Crompton of The Penticton Herald wrote for Wednesday’s edition that the Penticton Vees of the BCHL are reducing the number of seats, from 5,200 to 2,400, as they close off sections of stands with tarpaulins. According to Crompton, the 2,400 is only slightly more than the size of a sellout at Memorial Arena, where the Vees last performed in 2007-08.

The Vees had the BCHL’s third-best record last season at 38-17-3-2, and yet they can’t come even close to selling out games (Crompton cited 1,300 fans in his story; the league cites an average of 1,492).

Regardless of reasons why (and they range from age demographics to the rink being too big for the market or the economy), it appears that Penticton isn’t the hotbed for junior-hockey support that some might think it is.

For more on the Vees, click here.

Kootenay Ice; NHL relocation

If there's one general manager I enjoy talking to, it's Jeff Chynoweth.

Why?

Because he returns phone calls. Always. That can't be said for some of his league counterparts. 

More importantly, though, he's easy to talk to. And he gives as good as he gets.

Earlier this week, I left him a message, asking if I spent a few minutes with a short Q and A (see below). When he returned my call, he quickly reminded me of a prediction I made, stating that Saskatoon would make quick work of the Ice (or something like that).

Yeah, I was wrong, and eating crow was no fun. Actually, it was, because Jeff made it fun. And the fact he heard that comment underscores just how in tune Jeff is with the league.

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Well, in case you haven't heard the news, the Atlanta Thrashers are relocating to Winnipeg. See here and here.

Personally, this isn't news, but, given the build up over the past year and how much money Atlanta seems to be losing, more of a case of when than if. See here and here.

What I find interesting is what will happen to the AHL's Manitoba Moose? With the NHL returning, the Vancouver Canucks' farm team will be without a home. Where will they relocate? Seattle? Somewhere in Western Canada? Chilliwack?

For more on Chilliwack, see this two-month old story here. And for more on league attendances, and what AHL attendance figures are, visit here.

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By Doyle Potenteau

Nine years is a long time. To Jeff Chynoweth, it’s been an eternity.

Today, the 2011 Memorial Cup in Mississauga, Ont., gets underway, with the host St. Michael’s Majors playing the QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs. Game time is 4 p.m. Pacific, same time as Saturday’s contest between the WHL champion Kootenay Ice and OHL champion Owen Sound Attack.

For the Ice, this is their first trip to the annual, four-team national championship tournament since winning it all in 2002. That year, the Ice went 2-1 in round-robin play (beating Erie 3-0 on Day 2 and Guelph 4-3 on Day 3, then losing 3-2 to Victoriaville on Day 5) and, having the best record, advanced to the championship game. In the final, the Ice doubled up Victoriaville 6-3. Colin Sinclair scored twice for Kootenay, while also reaching the scoresheet were Cole Fischer, Igor Agarunov, Duncan Milroy and Shaun Norrie. B.J. Boxma made 19 saves for the winners, who led 2-0 and 4-1 at the period breaks.

That crew is long, long gone, and the only person from that team with Memorial Cup experience is Chynoweth, the team’s president and general manager (plus equipment manager Garry Hansen).

Reached before the team left for Ontario, Chynoweth was terribly busy but still managed to find time to talk briefly about the upcoming trip.

Q: You’re the only remaining member from that 2002 team. How do you transfer your knowledge of what this tournament is all about, the pressure-cooker that it is, to your players?

A: We’ve been fortunate enough to go to the Memorial Cup in the past, in 2000, 2002, and we were much more prepared in 2002 than our first time in 2000. Now, having said that, the event has grown leaps and bounds since 2002. I joked that the Memorial Cup handbook in 2002 was just a little binder; now it’s a real big binder. So, obviously, there are more things involved.

We can rely on our (playoff) experiences, because it is such a big event — obviously bigger than what we’re used to, being in a small market. But we’ve done our planning. We’ve done some things this week with our group to get ready for it, and that helps. And as those who’ve been to the Memorial Cup, it’s a whole different mentality — everything is a Game 7 showdown.

In a round-robin, which is not a best-of-seven series. you gotta get out of the gates going hard. And if you don’t, it’s easy to get back on your heels and be 0-3 and coming back home too soon.

Q: With the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) playing host to the Memorial Cup, what do you expect for hoopla?

(Note: Much has been written lately about the lack of ticket sales for this year’s Memorial Cup. See here.)

Q: I couldn’t tell you and that’s a good question. I don’t know. From our end, we’re preparing just like any other road trip. This is just an extended road trip for us. We’re preparing the guys just like we did last week in Portland or the series before that in Medicine Hat or the series before that in Saskatoon. Our preparation isn’t going to change; we’re going to do things the same as we have throughout the year.

Q: How do you prepare for teams you know nothing about?

A: No one knows a lot about the other teams, so you’re relying on information from scouts and agents and other coaches and other people. So it’s a kind of feeling-our process, but it’s a process that you have to get on right away and get your intensity level up as soon as the puck drops.

Q: All four teams want to win, but there’s only one winner. I take it you’ll be telling your team to really look around, to enjoy and see what’s going on while they’re in Mississauga.

A: You have to enjoy the moment. That’s one of the things, personally, I believe. I appreciate it that much more. We were lucky enough to go in 2000 and back again in 2002 and win a (national) championship. But it’s been nine long years, and it feels like an eternity. But that’s still pretty impressive, to have three (WHL) championships in that span.

The problem is that you have to ramp it up again after four tough rounds in the playoffs against an opponent you don’t know much about. But you also know you’re playing for the toughest trophy in sports to win. When you see it and see the hoopla and the gala that surrounds the whole event, it doesn’t take long to realize the magnitude of where you are.

2011 Memorial Cup

It's 72 hours and counting before the 2011 Memorial Cup in Mississauga, Ont., gets underway.

Who's going to win? Frankly, it's anyone's guess, as the field, from a statistical standpoint, all four teams seem to be even, though the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs do stand out.

Here’s the breakdown:

WHL: Kootenay Ice (46-21-1-4, 97 points; 272 GF, 218 GA).

Playoff record: 16-3.

QMJJHL: Saint John Sea Dogs (58-7-1-2, 119 points; 324 GF, 165 GA).

Playoff record: 16-3.

OHL: Owen Sound Attack (46-17-1-4, 97 points; 283 GF, 215 GA).

Playoff record: 16-6.

HOST: Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (53-13-0-2, 108 points, 287 GF, 170 GA).

Playoff record: 15-5.

My guess is is that handicappers will make Saint John the early favourite, followed by Mississauga, Owen Sound and then Kootenay. Why Kootenay in fourth? Because of the Ice's regular-season record, which has the most amount of losses.

Then again, considering the Ice steamrolled the WHL's two best teams in Saskatoon (50 wins) and Portland (56 wins) in the playoffs, maybe said handicappers will make them the early favourites. Who knows? When dealing with cross-league comparisons, anything goes.

Regardless, who wins, will they hoist the Cup before a sold-out crowd?

The buzz for the past couple of weeks has been the lack of ticket sales, and how the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) is a Leafs-only market, with little support for junior hockey.

Why the problem selling tickets? The reasons are many, such as those listed here and here and here. 

Hopefully the CHL learned a lesson from this debacle: Never hold the Cup again in a market where junior hockey isn’t king. While Mississauga will likely be a good host, this year’s hosting site should have been Windsor. As the two-time defending Cup champions, the OHL should have given the Spitfires the incredibly rare chance to win a third.

For a good read, check out this blog by Patrick King of Sportsnet.

Kootenay Ice: League champions

Congratulations to the Kootenay Ice for a post-season run that was one for the ages.

At Portland, Ore., the Ice knocked off the highly favoured Portland Winterhawks 4-1 in Game 5 of the WHL's best-of-seven championship series, winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup. As league champions, the Ice will represent the WHL at the upcoming Memorial Cup in Mississauga, Ont., May 19-29.

The trip will be Kootenay's third to the four-team, national championship, with the franchise having won WHL titles in 2000 (beating Spokane 4-2) and 2002 (beating Red Deer 4-2). In 2002, the Ice claimed national supremacy, smashing Victoriaville (QMJHL) 6-3 in the championship game.

On Friday night, Steele Boomer scored the first of four unanswered goals by the visiting Ice, lighting the lamp at 15:47 of the first period after the host Winterhawks got on the scoreboard just two minutes after the opening faceoff. From there, Matt Fraser, with two goals — at 19:16 of the second period and 14:15 of the third — and Jesse Ismond, with an empty-net goal, also scored for the Ice.

Tyler Wotherspoon, at 2:26 of the opening frame, replied for Portland, which was outshot 40-27. Mac Carruth made 36 saves for the Winterhawks, while Nathan Lieuwen turned aside 26 shots for the Ice.

Kootenay was 1-for-2 on the power play, while Portland was 0-for-2. The three stars were Fraser plus a pair of Portland 20-year-olds, who have now graduated from junior hockey, Craig Cunningham and Tayler Jordan.

For more on the final, game stories are here and here and here.

FYI: When it comes to writing, it's much like law in that there's the spirit of the law and the letter of the law. For example, travelling 52 km/h in a 50 km/h zone is technically speeding, but no police officer, or judge in appeal, would write such a ticket.

With the Kootenay Ice, there's much confusion over the singular-yet-plural nickname. I see some writers/bloggers refer to Ice as a singular object, such as the Ice HAS won the WHL championship series. That's letter-of-the-law writing. And it's wrong. In almost every sports case, the Ice is a team object, identical in spirit to Blazers, Giants, Pats or Blades and is not singular, and therefore should be written as thus: The Ice HAVE won the WHL championship series. 

For more, visit here. For a lighter, yet more confusing look, visit here.