Game Recap: ICE Skate By Hitmen
The season opener didn’t go quite as hoped.
The Kootenay ICE defeated the Hitmen 3-2 Friday night in Cranbrook, earning the first win in the seven game season series in a hard fought contest.
Jake Kryski and Vladislav Yeryomenko scored for the Hitmen, while Michael King scored twice for the home side, with Gillian Kohler scoring the game winning goal 11 seconds after Yeryomenko tied the game up in the second frame.
It was a goaltending duel as both Nick Schneider and Bailey Brkin went save for save giving their respected teams a chance at the win.
Schneider finished his Hitmen debut with 28 saves and came up with several big stops to keep the Hitmen within striking range. Making his first WHL start, Brkin turned aside 35 shots for the win and earned first star honours with his performance.
The ICE opened up the scoring when King’s shot took a bad bounce off a Hitmen skate and found its way in the back of the net at 6:23 of the first period. King would score his second of the game just four minutes later, giving the ICE a quick 2-0 lead.
Kryski scored his first of the year late in the first that gave the Hitmen some momentum headed into the second, but it wasn’t until the third period where the lamp would light up again, as Yeryomenko tied the game up seeming to shift the tide until Kohler marched down and ensured an ICE win.
Yeryomenko (1 G, 1 A) and Matteo Gennaro (2 A) each finished with two points.
The rematch is set for tomorrow night for the Hitmen Home Opener presented by Adrenalin Source for Sports at 7 p.m. at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
