From a media release:
MARCY HINZMANN AND FOUR-TIME STANLEY CUP WINNER MIKE KRUSHELNYSKI ARE THE FIRST PAIR TO BE “ICED†ON SEASON FOUR OF BATTLE OF THE BLADES
At the top of Sunday night’s “Suit & Tie†themed episode of CBC’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES, the first two pairs at the bottom were revealed by Ron MacLean. Marcy Hinzmann & Mike Krushelnyski, along with Oksana Kazakova & Vladimir Malakhov, entered the first “Skate Off†of Season Four. At the conclusion of the show, head judge Kurt Browning and fellow judges Jamie Salé and P.J. Stock delivered the news that Marcy & Mike would become the first team “Iced†from the competition series.
Marcy, returning from season three of BATTLE OF THE BLADES, is a two-time U.S. Pairs Medalist and Olympian, while Mike had a storied NHL career with three Stanley Cups as a player with the Edmonton Oilers and one as assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings.
With only a brief commercial break to deliberate, the judges’ difficult decision to send Marcy & Mike home as the first Iced pair does have a silver lining, as their mutual charity, NHL Alumni Hockey’s Greatest Family, will receive a cheque for $25,000.
New for Season Four, performances and eliminations are combined into an action-packed hour of television. The two pairs who receive the fewest votes for their performance, in combination with the lowest judges’ scores, enter a “Skate Off†in the following week’s episode and their fate is in the judges’ hands. The judges have one opportunity to save a pair from being Iced, which they opted not to use in tonight’s first elimination. Voting for tonight’s performance for the remaining seven pairs will remain open on www.cbc.ca/battle until Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. ET.
Also new for Season Four, fans will have the opportunity to earn extra votes and participate in the show like never before, including selecting the music for Week Four performances by voting online during Fan Choice Week. Canadians have until 5 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 7 to vote at www.cbc.ca/battle for the song they want each pair to skate to in Week 4.
Next week on BATTLE OF THE BLADES, airing Sunday, Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. (8:30 NT), the remaining seven pairs skate to the theme “International Beat†with the hope of collecting $100,000 for their charity.
The remaining seven pairs are:
- Violetta Afanasieva & Jason Strudwick
- Shae-Lynn Bourne & Anson Carter
- Jessica Dubé & Brian Savage
- Marie-France Dubreuil & Mathieu Dandenault
- Amanda Evora & Scott Thornton
- Oksana Kazakova & Vladimir Malakhov
- Sinead Kerr & Grant Marshall
