Cinderella helps Steelheads

by WCHL Press Release
Published on March 20, 2001 under West Coast Hockey League (WCHL)

WCHL Press Release

BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho Steelheads donned green and gold uniforms in hopes that the "Luck of the Irish" would bring victory on the eve of St. Patrick's Day. However, the help they received from Cinderella may have contributed more to their 5-3 victory over Bakersfield than the green and gold uniforms did.

Cinderella was present in the form of the Hampton (Va.) Pirates band and cheerleading squad. Hampton University was in Boise for the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The Pirates, seeded 15th in the region, shocked the nation by upending the Iowa State Cyclones in the opening round of the tournament. The underdog Pirates immediately were accepted by the Boise home crowd, which included Steelheads' Head Coach John Olver. Olver was so impressed by the Pirates' band that he invited them to perform at the Steelheads game on Friday.

The Hampton University Band, the Force, did not disappoint the crowd at the Bank of America Centre. The band performed one song prior to face off and during both intermissions. The Force received a standing ovation following their first intermission performance. Following the game, the Force performed an impromptu concert in the lobby of the adjacent Grove Hotel. While the Pirates Cinderella ride ended in the second round, the impact of the team and band on the Idaho Steelheads crowd will be remembered for many years to come.

PLAYOFF TALK BEGINS AROUND THE WCHL

BOISE, Idaho- While the NCAA is in the midst of March Madness, the WCHL is experiencing their own version as teams are jockeying for home-ice advantage and playoff position. The San Diego Gulls are closing in on their fourth Founders Cup in six seasons and the Idaho Steelheads are battling to claim their first Northern Division Championship. Although the division leaders have their playoff spots secured, the Bakersfield Condors are fighting off the Phoenix Mustangs for the last available playoff spot. Bakersfield owns a ten point lead with ten games to play. Another interesting battle looms in the Northern Division as Anchorage is still chasing Tacoma for the third seed. Anchorage enhanced their prospects last week after knocking off the top three teams in the Southern Division on the road by topping San Diego, Fresno, and Long Beach in succession. As WCHL players and coaches begin focusing on the challenge, we offer a supplement to "WCHL Quote of the Week", as we examine some thoughts from the contenders.

"We've decided as a team, from now on, if a team is going to beat us, they are going to have to play their best hockey," said Christain Skoryna when discussing Fresno's new approach

"There's no doubt in my mind that our team is going to grab it," said San Diego's B.J. MacPherson when asked about the Gulls quest for home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

"Right now we're focused on winning our division, and we're still trying to catch San Diego," said Idaho's John Olver when asked about the Steelheads' pursuit of their first Northern Division title.

"It's a double bonus for us. If we didn't sign him, he was going to go to Idaho," said San Diego's Steve Martinson on the signing of former WCHL Rookie of the Year, Tim Lovell.

TEAM-BY TEAM NOTES:

Tacoma Sabercats (Northern Division: 28-31-5, 3rd Place): Tacoma went 2-2-0 last week and hold a nine point lead on fourth place Anchorage...The Sabercats have outscored opponents 113-95 at home, while they have been outscored 125-100 on the road...Tacoma has been outscored 83-66 in the third period this season...Jeremy Jackson, an 18-year old from Michigan State University, scored a goal in his first game with the Sabercats ... On the docket: Home vs. Phoenix (Wed.), at Long Beach (Fri. and Sat.)

San Diego Gulls (Southern Division: 45-15-5, 1st Place): San Diego went 1-0-2 last week...The Gulls are closing in on their fourth Founders Cup in six seasons...The Gulls are 22-0-0 when leading after one period and 31-0-1 when leading after two periods of play...Trevor Koenig's .920 save percentage is on pace to set a new WCHL season record...Mike Taylor is the Gulls leading scorer with 81 points this season. His plus/minus rating of +22 ranks third in the WCHL this season. On the docket: Home vs. Colorado (Tue.), Bakersfield (Fri. and Sat.)

Phoenix Mustangs (Southern Division: 20-40-3, 5th Place): The Mustangs dropped both games last week and now trail Bakersfield by 10 points for the final playoff spot...Phoenix ranks third in the WCHL on the power-play converting 20.3% of their opportunities...Martin LaCroix leads the team with 52 points in 63 games. LaCroix has netted 15 goals and dished out 37 assists...Len Hachborn has 21 points in 18 games for the Mustangs... On the docket: Home vs. Colorado (Fri. and Sat.) Away at Tacoma (Wed.)

Anchorage Aces (Northern Division: 24-34-4, 4th Place): Anchorage made quick work of the Southern Division, defeating the top three teams on consecutive nights...The Aces are nine points behind Tacoma for third place and have two games in hand...Olie Sundstrom recorded his first victory with the Aces as he made 34 saves in a 4-3 shoot-out win versus San Diego...Dan McIntyre was named WCHL Goaltender of the Week. ... On the docket: Away at Fresno (Fri. and Sat.), at Bakersfield (Sun.)

Colorado Gold Kings (Northern Division: 36-20-7, 2nd Place): The Gold Kings dropped their lone game of the week 5-3 to San Diego on Wednesday...Colorado has won a league high eight games when trailing after two periods of play...The Gold Kings' 79 points are a franchise record, they are also one win short of tying a franchise record for wins in season...Craig Lyons is six assists shy of his team record of 73 set in 1998-99. On the docket: Away at San Diego (Tues.), at Long Beach (Wed.), at Phoenix (Fri. and Sat.)

Bakersfield Condors (Southern Division: 23-32-7, 4th Place): The Bakersfield Condors earned a valuable four points last week in their race to secure the Southern Division's final playoff berth. They now lead Phoenix by 10 points for the final spot...The Condors rallied from a two-goal deficit to shock Idaho 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday...Jamie Cooke is piecing together another quality season with 30 goals and 39 assists in 62 games.On the docket: Home vs. Anchorage (Sun.) Away at Idaho (Wed.), Away at San Diego (Fri., Sat.)

Idaho Steelheads (Northern Division: 41-19-4, 1st Place): Idaho went 1-1-1 last week and remain in first place in the Northern Division by seven points...Should Cal Ingraham score seven goals in his last 10 games he would become the first WCHL player to net 50 or more goals in three consecutive seasons...Trevor Matter had an auspicious debut in goal for the Steelheads. Matter was knocked unconscious when a slapshot by Bakersfield's Steven Low hit him in the facemask. Matter was not seriously injured. On the docket: Home vs. Bakersfield (Wed.)

Fresno Falcons (Southern Division: 36-19-6, 3rd Place): Fresno went 3-1-0 last week to pull within six points of second place Long Beach (with five games in hand) in the race for first round home-ice advantage...Glen Gulutzan returned to the Falcons lineup with a vengence, netting two goals and four assists in four games last week...David Mitchell improved his season record to 25-11-4 with a 2.88 goals against average. His GAA is on pace to break the Falcons' season record...The Falcons recorded their fifth sellout of the season on Saturday. On the docket: Home vs. Anchorage (Fri. and Sat.)

Long Beach Ice Dogs (Southern Division: 37-19-10, 2nd Place): Long Beach leads Fresno by six points in the race for first round home-ice advantage. However, the Falcons have five games in hand on Long Beach...Dmitri Kirilenko registered his first hat-trick of the season in Long Beach's 8-2 win over Idaho...Kelly Askew needs one goal to reach the 40-goal plateau...The Ice Dogs 10 shoot-out points tie the WCHL single-season mark set by the Alaska Gold Kings in 1995-96. On the docket: Home vs. Colorado (Wed.), Tacoma (Fri. and Sat.)

WCHL QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"I'm happy of course...but it's nothing special." Long Beach Ice Dog Dmitri Kirilenko after recording his first hat trick of the season in the Ice Dogs 8-2 win over Idaho on Sunday.

WCHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Dmitri Kirilenko, Long Beach Ice Dogs - Dmitri Kirilenko was named WCHL Player of the Week for the first time this season. Kirilenko netted his first hat trick of the year in Sunday's 8-2 Ice Dogs' victory over Idaho. Kirilenko registered the game-winning goal in that contest as well as two power-play goals. For the week, Kirilenko scored three goals and three assists.

Honorable Mention: Dean Larson, Anchorage; Jamie Cooke, Bakersfield Condors; Glen Gulutzan, Fresno Falcons; Mike McCourt, Fresno Falcons.

WCHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK:

Dan McIntyre, Anchorage Aces - Dan McIntyre is the WCHL Goaltender of the Week after posting a 2-0-0 record with victories over Long Beach and Fresno. McIntyre stopped 24 shots in a 5-1 win over the Ice Dogs and made 27 saves in a 4-3 victory against Fresno. For the week, McIntyre recorded a 2.00 goals against average and a save percentage of .927

Honorable Mention: Jean-Ian Filiatrault, Tacoma Sabercats; David Mitchell, Fresno Falcons.

TEAMS RACE FOR THE CUP: THE FOUNDERS CUP, THAT IS

BOISE, Idaho-There's been a lot of talk about cups this season, with the NHL's Stanley Cup Tour at the 2000-01 WCHL/CHL All-Star Game and the never-ending discussion of who is best positioned to win the Taylor Cup, but let's not forget another prestigious trophy in the WCHL: The Founders Cup.

The Founders Cup is awarded annually to the regular season champion. The cup is named in honor of the West Coast Hockey League's six founding members: the Alaska Gold Kings, Anchorage Aces, Bakersfield Fog, Fresno Falcons, Reno Renegades and San Diego Gulls. While the Taylor Cup, the trophy given to postseason champions, remains the title teams aspire for, the Founders Cup symbolizes the team that worked hard all season to get on top and stay on top in the standings.

The San Diego Gulls won the Founders Cup three consecutive times, from 1995-96 to 1997-98. The Gulls secured the first-ever Founders Cup after going 49-7-2 (.862 winning percentage) and earning 100 points in 1995-96. The following year, San Diego had a 50-12-2 mark (.797 WPCT, 102 points). During their last Founders Cup victory in 1997-98, the team posted a 53-10-1 (.863 WPCT, 107 points).

In 1998-99, the Tacoma Sabercats snapped the Gulls' streak by claiming the cup for their first time after going 44-18-8 (96 points, .686 WPCT). The Sabercats squeaked by the Gulls that season, who had a 45-19-7 record, 97 points and a .683 winning percentage. Tacoma was awarded the cup again last season, after going 51-12-9 (.771 WPCT, 111 points).

The Gulls are positioned to take back the Founders Cup this season with a 45-15-5 record, 95 points and .731 winning percentage. The Idaho Steelheads, ranked second in the league, are 9 points behind San Diego with a 41-19-4 record and .672 winning percentage and hope to rally during the last few weeks to display the cup in their trophy case for the first time.

As excitement for the 2000-01 WCHL Taylor Cup Championship builds, keep in mind the equally impressive Founders Cup and what it stands for: a whole season of hard work leading to victories.

THREE MEN AND THEIR BABIES

One could argue that there is no greater joy in life than having a child. That moment when you realize that you have a child that will look to you for guidance and support. For Falcons players Mike McCourt, Glen Gulutzan, and Greg Spenrath, they are experiencing that very joy as they go through this 2000-2001 hockey season.

"It's an indescribable feeling," said Spenrath, who along with his wife Audrey, had their first child, a daughter, Riley Ann, on February 11. "Every time I think of her I get a smile on my face."

For all three, fatherhood has been a wonderful experience. Most people might find the transition to fatherhood difficult, if not overwhelming. The transition has not been as difficult for these three. If anything, only their priorities have changed.

"It's amazing how it changes your priorities", said Gulutzan, who's daughter Emma was born on November 26. "You just start to think about her and what kind of life you can give her. It's a really neat feeling."

Gulutzan was faced with an interesting dilemma the night that Emma was born, as his teammates were getting ready to do battle with the Phoenix Mustangs the night that his wife Nicole went into labor. For Gulutzan, there was never a question to where he was going to be that night.

"At first, being a new parent, you're thinking maybe I should play the game, but after you see what women go through with pregnancy, you have a whole new respect for who is the tougher breed," said Gulutzan. "By far, more tough than any hockey player I've ever played against and women shouldn't have to go through that alone."

McCourt, whose first son Riley was born on June 26 following his 1999-2000 season with the Muskegon Fury, also had a new outlook on things. "You take this game so seriously," said McCourt, "but once you have a family you put things in perspective. It brings a sense of peace and relaxation to the household."

Travel has been by far the most difficult thing to adjust to. Children of such a young age develop and grow very quickly. It seems like everyday, something new happens.

"It's tough going on the road, especially when you're gone for six or seven days," commented McCourt. "Just watching Riley go through the stages that he has so far, it seems like everyday he's changing. You go on the road and come back seven days later and he's got one more tooth, or a little more hair."

Gulutzan added, "I still like going on the road with the guys, and I don't think that'll ever change, I just want to get home a little quicker." Professional athletes are commonly held with great reverence in society, and are usually slapped with a role model tag the minute they enter the public eye. For these proud Falcon Fathers, this concept has not escaped their mind.

"The last few years, I've really made a conscious effort with the kids in the stands to emphasize that I may get in fights out there, but that it's a job and they shouldn't take that stuff on the playground or with their brother or sister," said Spenrath.

"When you're a professional athlete, you have a job to be a role model to the kids and I think in my case it's twice the job," said McCourt. "I have to be a good father first and foremost and from there, that will translate into a good role model."

And as far as any advice that McCourt and Gulutzan have to offer to the newest member of their fraternity, "Get as much sleep as you can," said Spenrath.

"Hockey is only a game," said McCourt, "and some things in life are a little more important."

- By Nick Strait, Fresno Falcons

West Coast Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2001

• Cinderella helps Steelheads - OSC Original by WCHL Press Release

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