Reinhart has dandy AHL debut
After Sunday’s matinee, Max Reinhart was able to relax and take in a nice post-game visit with his parents.
rarity, considering dad and mom had a hard time regularly making the trek from Vancouver to Cranbrook, where Reinhart has set up camp for the past four years of his Western Hockey League career with the Kootenay Ice. However, this was a special occasion.
Not only was his family celebrating his professional debut with the Abbotsford Heat, they were also toasting his first — and second — American Hockey League tallies.
“It was one of my first afternoon games in a couple years, so I didn’t really know what to do after,” chuckled Reinhart, who contributed to the Calgary Flames farm team’s 5-4 overtime home win over the Toronto Marlies. “I got to hang out with (my parents) for a little bit which was nice.”
“I’ve seen a lot of them in the last couple weeks, after being away from home for pretty much the past four years.”
Reinhart, Calgary’s 64th overall pick from the 2010 NHL entry draft, joined the post-season bound Heat days after Kootenay was bounced from the first round of WHL playoffs by the Edmonton Oil Kings — which also happens to be his younger brother Griffin’s squad.
“I probably only had one day off of hockey before I ended up here in Abbotsford,” said Reinhart, who turned 20 this year. “It’s nice because it’s still pretty close to home for me and close for me to go home and see my family.
“It adds a bit of comfort for me.”
With regulars like Krys Kolanos, Ben Walter, Paul Byron, and Dustin Sylvester taking the day off Sunday, Reinhart made his debut on a line with six-foot-six Hugh Jessiman, who has over 400 AHL games under his belt, and Adam Escolet.
First, he put the Heat on the scoreboard halfway into the opening period and then scored again to extend Abbotsford’s lead to 3-1 in the second frame. Easy peasy.
“I think it took me a little bit to feel it out,” Reinhart said. “But I had been practising with them for a while so I think I had a pretty good idea of what it was like. I got a good couple first shifts in and got my confidence going . . . I managed just to keep the nerves down and focus on the systems.”
His dad and former Calgary Flame Paul also had a word or two of advice for his boy about the professional world.
“Obviously, you just to need to be a bit more mature about the way you handle yourself,” Reinhart said. “It’s a different game.
“He pretty much just said, you’ll have to adjust to it. It’s a lot different from junior. Guys are a lot bigger and smarter and more skilled up here.
“You just have to be aware at all times and focus on hockey.”
Ranford honoured
Brendan Ranford of the Kamloops Blazers was named the WHL player of the week Monday after picking up six points including three goals to help his club bounce back in the WHL Western Conference semifinal against the Portland Winterhawks.
Heading into the sixth game of the best-of-seven series Monday night, the Blazers had staved off elimination with a stunning 5-4 win in Game 4 last week and dominated 7-2 in Saturday’s Game 5.
The Edmonton Oil Kings and Moose Jaw Warriors are sitting idle before the Eastern Conference championship begins.
However, in the Western Conference, things are down to the wire.
Heading into Monday’s Game 6 action, the Tri-city Americans had a 3-2 series lead over the Spokane Chiefs while the Portland Winterhawks were also up on the Kamloops Blazers 3-2.
Bandits to face Vees
Next up for the Brooks Bandits? The Penticton Vees.
Fresh off the franchise’s first Alberta Junior Hockey League title — captured this weekend when they bounced the Fort Mcmurray Oil Barons in six games — they’ll face the BCHL champs in a best-of-seven series for the Doyle Cup.
The Vees garnered national attention after stringing together a CJHL-record 42-game regular winning streak and setting new marks for wins in a season (54) and points (110). Throughout the year, they’ve been ranked No. 1 in the country and reaffirmed that after beating the Powell River Kings in four games for the BCHL title.
Brooks will host the first two games of the series Friday and Saturday. If they win both, they’ll move to Penticton for Games 3 and 4. If they split the first two games, Game 3 will be in Brooks.