MJCO5
02-16-2007, 03:13 PM
By Patrick King, Sportsnet.ca
Mission accomplished for the Kamloops Blazers.
After missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season, the Blazers were among the first teams to clinch a playoff spot in the Western Hockey League this season. However, playoffs aside, the Blazers find themselves in another race right now with the Vancouver Giants in the B.C. Division.
"It's always a nice feeling knowing you've been able to (clinch a playoff spot) but we're in a race for first place and that's our goal, that's our playoffs right now," said team captain Reid Jorgensen.
The Blazers enter this weekend's action two points behind the Giants with a game in hand. With 38 wins and 79 points this season, the Blazers have already bested last season's totals by four wins and six points with 15 games remaining. Given the tradition of the franchise, 12 division titles, seven regular season titles, six league championships and three Memorial Cup championships, making the playoffs is almost an afterthought.
"The town became very accustomed to having the best junior team in Canada," said Dean Clark, the Blazers' head coach and general manager. "It's almost a given you're going to be in the post-season every year.
"I'm very proud of the way our players bounced back this year and taken it upon themselves to make sure it doesn't happen two years in a row. Having clinched already is a testament to our players and the hard work they have done this year."
One of the lessons the Blazers learned from last season's heartbreak was to control their own destiny, something they now preach daily. Although they finished with the seventh best record in the Western Conference last season, the Blazers were on the outside looking in due to the league's playoff format. The WHL playoff format sees the top four teams from each division reaching the playoffs rather than the top eight teams in the conference.
"That's been our motto from day one: we control our own destiny and we're only as good as how hard we work," Jorgensen said.
Given the longer off-season after missing the playoffs, Jorgensen spent his time working out and was determined to make his last season in the WHL a strong one.
"The team is basically my family and for the last five years it's everything I've known," he said. "It's so important for me to finish off my last year and push the team in the right direction to be more successful."
In addition to seizing their opportunities, the Blazers realized the importance of hard work this season. Being in great shape, their captain said, helps them outlast their opponent and ultimately gives their team the edge.
"You're only as good as how hard you work," he said. "Last year, we didn't work hard every night and we didn't try to earn that respect around the league and that's something each and every night we're trying to prove. We're a team that can win if you're not coming out with your best."
"Our whole approach is to go out, work hard and win some hockey games and earn everybody's respect back and for the most part we've been able to do that," Clark added.
One team whose respect they must have earned by now is the Giants'. After losing the season series 4-3 last season, the Blazers reeled off five consecutive victories to start the season versus the Giants before dropping a 5-1 decision on Feb. 9. With the five wins, the Blazers have already won the season series which could be crucial should a tiebreaker be required in a potential playoff meeting.
"When we play a good club, we raise our game and raise our level," Clark said. "Every time we play (the Giants) we know it's going to be hard and we bring our game and that says something about the character of the team."
"You try not to (prepare differently when playing the Giants), but they're one of our rivals so we get that extra burn in our belly whenever you get to take them on in a hockey game," Jorgensen said.
As successful as the franchise has been, it's important, Jorgensen said, to live in the present and work hard, rather than letting the tradition give the team added pressure to perform.
"This is a team that has such great history with all the players that have come through here and those players still come back and look at how the team is doing," he said.
"It would be hard to ever replace those teams that were here with the talent they had, but you can try to be your own team and work as hard as you can to try to be as successful as them."
And should this version of the Kamloops Blazers go on to win another division title and possibly another championship, they will have accomplished another mission: by restoring the pride of their fans and alumni
Mission accomplished for the Kamloops Blazers.
After missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season, the Blazers were among the first teams to clinch a playoff spot in the Western Hockey League this season. However, playoffs aside, the Blazers find themselves in another race right now with the Vancouver Giants in the B.C. Division.
"It's always a nice feeling knowing you've been able to (clinch a playoff spot) but we're in a race for first place and that's our goal, that's our playoffs right now," said team captain Reid Jorgensen.
The Blazers enter this weekend's action two points behind the Giants with a game in hand. With 38 wins and 79 points this season, the Blazers have already bested last season's totals by four wins and six points with 15 games remaining. Given the tradition of the franchise, 12 division titles, seven regular season titles, six league championships and three Memorial Cup championships, making the playoffs is almost an afterthought.
"The town became very accustomed to having the best junior team in Canada," said Dean Clark, the Blazers' head coach and general manager. "It's almost a given you're going to be in the post-season every year.
"I'm very proud of the way our players bounced back this year and taken it upon themselves to make sure it doesn't happen two years in a row. Having clinched already is a testament to our players and the hard work they have done this year."
One of the lessons the Blazers learned from last season's heartbreak was to control their own destiny, something they now preach daily. Although they finished with the seventh best record in the Western Conference last season, the Blazers were on the outside looking in due to the league's playoff format. The WHL playoff format sees the top four teams from each division reaching the playoffs rather than the top eight teams in the conference.
"That's been our motto from day one: we control our own destiny and we're only as good as how hard we work," Jorgensen said.
Given the longer off-season after missing the playoffs, Jorgensen spent his time working out and was determined to make his last season in the WHL a strong one.
"The team is basically my family and for the last five years it's everything I've known," he said. "It's so important for me to finish off my last year and push the team in the right direction to be more successful."
In addition to seizing their opportunities, the Blazers realized the importance of hard work this season. Being in great shape, their captain said, helps them outlast their opponent and ultimately gives their team the edge.
"You're only as good as how hard you work," he said. "Last year, we didn't work hard every night and we didn't try to earn that respect around the league and that's something each and every night we're trying to prove. We're a team that can win if you're not coming out with your best."
"Our whole approach is to go out, work hard and win some hockey games and earn everybody's respect back and for the most part we've been able to do that," Clark added.
One team whose respect they must have earned by now is the Giants'. After losing the season series 4-3 last season, the Blazers reeled off five consecutive victories to start the season versus the Giants before dropping a 5-1 decision on Feb. 9. With the five wins, the Blazers have already won the season series which could be crucial should a tiebreaker be required in a potential playoff meeting.
"When we play a good club, we raise our game and raise our level," Clark said. "Every time we play (the Giants) we know it's going to be hard and we bring our game and that says something about the character of the team."
"You try not to (prepare differently when playing the Giants), but they're one of our rivals so we get that extra burn in our belly whenever you get to take them on in a hockey game," Jorgensen said.
As successful as the franchise has been, it's important, Jorgensen said, to live in the present and work hard, rather than letting the tradition give the team added pressure to perform.
"This is a team that has such great history with all the players that have come through here and those players still come back and look at how the team is doing," he said.
"It would be hard to ever replace those teams that were here with the talent they had, but you can try to be your own team and work as hard as you can to try to be as successful as them."
And should this version of the Kamloops Blazers go on to win another division title and possibly another championship, they will have accomplished another mission: by restoring the pride of their fans and alumni