Sandpoint hockey teams getting ready for playoffs

SPOKANE VALLEY — The Sandpoint Powerhouse Hockey Club finished their regular season (14-5-2) in a final game last Monday beating Team Planet Ice 11-6.

Sandpoint's team captain, Jamie Packer, opened the shootout early in the game with a goal at 2:45 into the first period with a deflection from a pass by Todd Miller.

Two additional goals were scored in the period by Sandpoint's Eric Hern and Jordan Wahlin before Team Planet Ice managed to get on the scoreboard with two of their own.

The second period saw more of the same as Sandpoint added four goals by Pete Stevenson, Hern, Wahlin and Travis Beratto while Team Planet Ice struggled to get 2 in the net. The third period saw the Powerhouse team continue to overwhelm Team Planet Ice with four more goals by Joel Wahlin, Karl (Hacksaw) Rink, Alan Goltz and Stevenson. Team Planet Ice managed to add two goals in the period, with the last one under a minute to go in the game.

Sandpoint's goalie Marti Parent, who has stood between the pipes for the Powerhouse team for most of the season, played a spectacular game to keep the snipers on Team Planet Ice from finding more holes than they did.

Sandpoint's capability was enhanced with the addition of Steve Stevenson (on loan from Minnesota) to the squad. With Matt Gillis out for a few weeks, Stevenson's presence on the first line with Jordan Wahlin and Hern made a difference.

The top scorers for Sandpoint during the regular season are Jordan Wahlin, 38-22-60 (including nine hat tricks and nine unassisted goals); Joel Wahlin, 14-30-44; Matt Gillis, 17-13-30; Eric Hern, 16-14-30; Travis Beratto, 13-9-22; Jamie Packer, 8-13-21; Hal Schmidt, 7-12-21.

The Sandpoint Powerhouse finished the season with a record of 163-GF and 102-GA.

The playoffs are to begin next Monday (time TBA) for the Powerhouse club and will comprise of the four top teams in the "A division". Sandpoint is assured of at least second place seating. The other teams are Boston Pizza (aka Steven Law), Subdivision and Planet Ice, likely in that order.

Sandpoint Title Insurance (7-10-2) and SWAC (9-9-2) hockey teams each have one more game scheduled this Sunday before heading into the playoffs. Seating and playoff dates for these two teams have not yet been set.