Wednesday, April 27, 2011

4/26 Recap: McNabb extends; "Ship" sinks

Brayden McNabb extended his point streak to eight games Tuesday, notching an assist as Kootenay took a commanding 3-0 lead in the WHL Eastern Conference Final with a 3-1 win over Medicine Hat. McNabb, whose helper came on Cody Eakin’s third game-winning goal of the series, continues to lead all WHL defensemen with 18 points (3+15) in 13 games. The total also ties Windsor’s Ryan Ellis for most among all CHL defensemen in this year’s playoffs (Ellis has played four more games than McNabb). Winners of ten consecutive games, the ICE will look to use the brooms for a second straight series Wednesday in Cranbrook, while at the same time hoping to book a date with the winner of Portland/Spokane for the right to rep the Dub in the 2011 Memorial Cup.

In the OHL, Steven Shipley finished -2 as Niagara’s season came to end with a 4-1 loss to Mississauga. Shipley, a 6’3 center who struggled for most of the year after being traded from Owen Sound, was unable to emerge in the playoffs scoring one goal and six assists in the IceDogs 14 postseason contests. His uninspired play was noted by a friend in attendance who writes, “Ships looks like he has been demoted/benched. Very ineffective this game. Practically invisible in all aspects of the game”. Gregg Sutch was again scratched by the Majors. Mississauga winning the Eastern Conference title means that the winner of the Windsor/Owen Sound series will not only advance to the OHL Championship, but will also advance to Memorial Cup (with Mississauga being the host city).