Oct. 25th vs. Victoria Cougars - Hockey Ops.

Good Evening Hockey Fans,
Welcome back tonight for our game against the South Division leading Victoria Cougars.  Tonight we have the Peninsula Co-op as our game sponsor and they have some great prizes and some really fun between period entertainment on tap.  Sponsorship in the VIJHL is what helps owners operate Clubs in each of our communities and here on the Peninsula this holds true.  We have some great sponsors, many of whom have been with us since 1999 when Coreen and I took over the team.  They continued to support John Wilson when we sold it to him and they continue to support John, Coreen and me now that we are in this hockey business together.  It always amazes me just how much it costs to run a hockey club, I can tell you that the fan support is awesome but it is not near enough to pay all the bills.  I hope the Co-op folks have a great night this evening and we thank them for being part of the success here on the Peninsula with the Panthers.

I expect that tonight you will all be treated once again to an epic battle, the fourth time these two Clubs have faced off in this 2013/14 season.  We travelled to the Archie Browning Arena for two early season games and came out on the short end of the stick on both occasions losing 6-5 in Double Overtime and also dropping a 7-5 decision in a game that was sealed when the Cougars scored into the empty net when Stephen Heslop was on the bench for an extra attacker.  The Cougars were short-handed at the time of the goal and with the extra attacker we had a 6-4 man advantage but the puck bounced all over the place and we were just not able to get it into a scoring area.  Two weeks ago on October 11th we hosted the Cougars for their first venture into the Panorama Recreation Centre and this time we were the ones who prevailed in Double Overtime - a 4-3 heart-stopping win and one that sent a nice-sized crowd home happy.  In that game we were down 3-0 however, we scored two quick power play goals very late in the 2nd period and tallied again early in the 3rd to set up the dramatic goal by Tate Coughlin. 

Let's take a look at last week, a 7-day journey that did not treat our team well.  We had a couple energy-filled practices early in the week after knocking off the Cougars and then travelled to Saanich last Wednesday for our first look at the Braves Hockey Club.  The game was filled with mistakes on both sides, it might have been one of the worst played affairs I have seen for some time.  The two Clubs went back and forth exchanging chances and after 60 minutes were in the books, nothing was decided as we were tied at 4-4.  We went into the 1st overtime with a man-advantage and we peppered the Braves goaltender and although we threw 11 shots at him in a frantic five-minute frame, we could not find an end to the game.  The 2nd five-minute overtime featured 3-on-3 hockey and it was up and down with both the Braves netminder and Heslop standing on their heads.  Once again, no team could hit paydirt and after 70 minutes had been played both teams went home with 1 point.

I love the overtime format, five minutes of 4-on-4 and if no team has scored another five more minutes, this time 3-on-3.  I really hate that there is no winner at the end of the game and feel we should go to a shoot-out to nail down a winner.  The VIJHL went to the format of going away from the shootout after the first five minutes in order that we could mirror what the BCHL does.  I like the fact that we are trying to follow their rules however, I think we should have an add-on and that should be the shootout if no winner has been determined.  This is the second time that we have left a game with a tie - the other was at home earlier this season against the Westshore Wolves - and once again, this would not be my choice.  We have a VIJHL meeting this Sunday in Nanaimo and I will voice my thoughts, although it is probably not in the books to change this rule part way through a season.

And so back to the week that was.  After garnering a point in Saanich, we hosted a big and talented Campbell River Storm Club last Friday night and were dumped 5-2 - the final goal being scored into the empty net.  And on Sunday we travelled to Campbell River for the back end of a home-and-home series and came out short once again, this time 5-1.  Campbell River are going to be a handful this season and they brought us back to earth very quickly.  We have a good squad that now sits at .500 and in a great VIJHL this season, every single point will have to be earned.  I expect that our kids will be giving a huge effort tonight in an attempt to get back on the winning track.

Tomorrow night we travel to Kerry Park to take on an Islanders team that is improving each week out.  We will be short a couple of players tonight and even more tomorrow evening.  Ben Meek crashed into the boards in Sunday's game up in Campbell River and he is expected to be out of the lineup this evening unless we have a big change in his status just before the puck drops.  Zack Smith has been fighting a groin injury that has seen him shuffled to the sidelines for quite some time and although we expect we will see him back in action soon, I don't expect that tonight is the night.  The rest of the lineup is healthy or very close to being healthy.  Adam Page was injured two weeks ago in the 1st period and left the game at that point.  You might recall that Ben Meek jumped in and became involved in a tussle right after the play took place.  A decision on Adam will be made right around game time.  Brett Sjerven has been out for a couple games as well after taking a shot on the skate and his status will also be determined right before the puck drops.  Tomorrow Stephen Heslop and Sean Buchanan will be heading to Powell River to see some BCHL action with the Grizzlies against the Kings.  I would think that Heslop will be backing up but Sean Buchanan will see some ice right away.  This is great for these two youngsters but they will not be available when we travel to Kerry Park tomorrow evening. 

I have always said that Junior “B” Hockey is easily the toughest level of hockey to manage.  It is a tough brand of hockey and not only do coaches and management have to deal with injuries and suspensions, they are also forced to deal with players being brought up to the next level in Junior A or Major Junior.  Players can be brought up as AP’s like Buchanan and Heslop on Saturday and if they shine there is a real possibility that Junior B teams can lose players like this.  But it is what we are here for, to develop and move them on.  Good luck to both boys as they play Saturday night in the BCHL.  Other recent AP's joining Heslop and Buchanan with the Grizzlies are Tate Coughlin and Reece Costain and I expect that they will see some BCHL action in the near future.  Spencer Loverock and Connor Logan have been AP'd with the Nanaimo Clippers and they too should draw in when needed.  I would like to see a couple others AP'd as I think that they deserve it, one being Cole Glover.  He is having a nice year and has been working hard and we have been on the phone talking to teams about this youngster.  This is the time of year when players in both Junior B and Junior A get banged up and it is an opportunity for others to jump up a level and make some noise.

Our regular singer Kathleen Burton is under the weather tonight and in her place is a young fellow who plays hockey on the Peninsula with PMHA, Clayton Butler.  This is Clayton’s first kick at doing the National Anthem, maybe he will end up being another Mark Donnelly who sings for the Vancouver Canucks.  I hope that you all enjoy the game tonight, I have no doubt that it will be a good one.  Listen for the prize announcements, there will be some good ones tonight.  Cheers!   
Pete Zubersky