The Major Midget Kootenay Ice are coming off a pair of tough losses against the Vancouver Northwest Giants in Burnaby on the weekend.
The Giants won by scores of 9-1 and 10-3 on Saturday and Sunday respectively after a long road trip left the Ice without much jump.
Fruitvale’s Ryan Neil set up Sam Weber to tie the game at 2:47 of the first and the teams would go into the second tied 1-1, but the flood gates would open as the Giants netted eight unanswered goals in the final two periods for the victory.
In Sunday’s rematch, the Ice took a while to get started falling behind 4-0 in the first and 8-1 in the second before scoring twice in the third period for the 10-3 loss.
Spencer McLean had a goal and an assist, and Kadrian Klimchuck and Kyle Chernenoff netted the third-period goals for the Ice.
The Ice will host the Vancouver Canadians on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Castlegar Rec Complex and at 10 a.m. Sunday.
The Canadians are led by Dante Hannoun who has nine goals and 11 assists in 16 games. Hannoun is the brother of the Vernon Vipers Demico Hannoun who won bronze with Team Canada West at the recent World Junior A Challenge, and will be lining up tonight against the Trail Smoke Eaters.
The Canadians have had a so-so season going 7-10-1 over 18 games, while the Ice will look for its fourth win on the weekend.