Ference Returns, Leeb Out For Kelowna Showdown
Defenseman Brad Ference has returned from a week off and will be in the lineup tonight when the Spokane Chiefs meet the improving Kelowna Rockets in the Arena.
The bad news is that Greg Leeb will sit this one out as part of a Western Hockey League suspension stemming from Saturday night’s match penalty in Tri-City.
The Chiefs hoped to have Leeb, their leading scorer, available tonight, after WHL vice-president Richard Doerksen reviewed video of the high-sticking incident. But Doerksen said the extent of the suspension wouldn’t be determined until today.
It means Leeb will miss a second straight game. Match penalties usually result in two-game suspensions, but the punishment can be longer depending on the incident, Doerksen said.
The Chiefs were concerned that Ference, the No. 1 draft choice of the Vancouver Canucks, was not playing up to his potential when they sent him home to Calgary last week. Chiefs GM Tim Speltz said Ference needed time away from the game. After a full holiday schedule with Team Canada at the World Junior Tournament, Ference didn’t have much of a break, Speltz said.
The Rockets, who have won three of their last four games with the Chiefs, are taking a similar approach with left wing Brett McLean. Kelowna coach Peter Anholt was expected to play McLean Tuesday night at home with Tri-City, but may rest him tonight.
“It’s taken a while to get him going,” Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton said Tuesday. “He had a broken hand coming back from the tournament, then picked up mono. We’re being careful about how much he plays.”
The Rockets don’t want their No. 2 scorer out of gas heading into the playoffs, Hamilton said.
Newly acquired winger Bryan Randall, picked up at the trade deadline from Regina, is part of the reason why the Rockets have improved since the Jan. 23 trade deadline. He’s had four goals and nine assists in 10 games with Kelowna, playing on the top line with Jason Deleurme and Luke Curtin.
Defenseman Brad Swanson, acquired on Jan. 15 from Prince Albert, has perked up the defense.
The Rockets, in a three-way fight for the fourth, fifth and sixth playoff slots in the WHL West, hammered division-leading Portland 7-4 last week.
“We’re playing like we should have played all year,” Hamilton said. “The players have bought into the system that Peter laid out at the beginning.”
Spokane coach Mike Babcock was considering his goaltender options for tonight - Aren Miller or David Haun - at Tuesday’s practice. Neither was sharp in the Chiefs’ last 12-game segment. Miller had a 4.04 goals-against average with an .857 saves percentage. Haun’s numbers were about the same - 4.16 and .858. Miller’s won-lost record was 3-4, Haun’s 3-2.
Chiefs notes
Center Derek Schutz had two gamewinning goals and seven assists on the power play - both team-highs - in the club’s recent block of 12 games… . Ty Jones had a team-leading five power-play goals and 19 points in the same span… . Zenith Komarniski has been a force of late. After a slow start and a long adjustment coming from rival Tri-City on Nov. 3, “Zeke” has averaged more than a point a game in his last dozen outings.
, DataTimes