Kootenay's amazing playoff run comes to an end with semi final loss at 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The amazing playoff run for the Kootenay Ice finally came to an end.
Devante Smith-Pelly scored twice to power the hometown Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors to a 3-1 victory over the Western Hockey League champs Friday in the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup semi-final game.
The Majors will now face the Saint John Sea Dogs in Sunday’s championship final. The game can be seen at 4 p.m. PDT on Rogers Sportsnet.
Kootenay advanced to the semi final with two come-from-behind wins over Saint John (5-4 OT) and Owen Sound (7-3).
However, the resilient Ice could not solve the netminding of J.P. Anderson in the Majors net.
St. Michael’s led 2-0 before Joe Antilla, with his second goal in as many games, pounced on a rebound and buried a shot past Anderson.
Trailing 2-1 in the third, Kootenay fired 14 shots at Anderson, but the St. Michael’s netminder was perfect. Anderson finished the game making 28 saves.
The season was still a success for Kootenay, finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference of the WHL during the regular season.
Kootenay defeated fifth-place Moose Jaw Warriors in six games before sweeping past regular-season champ Saskatoon Blades.
The Ice also swept third-place Medicine Hat Tigers in the Conference Final before disposing of the Western Conference champ, Portland Winterhawks in five games.
Kootenay completed the playoffs with an 18-6 record, going 2-3 at the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup.
Kootenay was attempting to become only the second team in tournament history to start 0-2 and win the Memorial Cup.
The Windsor Spitfires managed to run the table in 2009 after losing its first two games.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
