CdnSailor
09-03-2011, 09:13 AM
The Joe Hicketts experience has run its course — for now.
The Victoria Royals’ first-round, 12th-overall pick in this spring’s Western Hockey League draft suited up for his one and only pre-season game Friday night in his hometown of Kamloops as the Royals dropped a 4-2 decision to the Blazers in the organization’s first pre-season outing.
Hicketts, just 15, will remain at home after a lengthy stay with the Royals, taking part in prospects, rookie and main camp and getting into Friday’s game before family and friends at McArthur Island Sports Centre.
“It’s exciting playing back at home at Mac Island. It’s a great facility and it’s nice to have a few friends and family,” Hicketts said prior to the game. “My first junior game of my life and playing it in Kamloops just makes it that much better.
“There’s a little pressure there with it. But I’m just hoping we develop a good atmosphere for the Royals and it all goes good,” added the defenceman.
Hicketts’s 10 days in Victoria weren’t about the now as opposed to the future as 15-year-olds can only play five games during the season, but can join their WHL club after their own regular season concludes.
“It’s been a great learning experience, learning from the vets and going through the draft, rookie, then main camp and listening to what [fitness coach] Jeff Compton has had to say has been a great experience,” he said.
The five-foot-six, 170-pounder had no points in Friday’s outing.
“It’s a big jump. Last year he was watching the Blazers as a fan and now he’s playing the Blazers,” said Royals head coach and general manager Marc Habscheid. “It’s quite an experience for a young guy to do that and he had a lot of emotions and a lot of family coming out to watch. It was a great experience for him.
“We just wanted him to go out and enjoy the experience and learn a little bit about what it’s like to play against the players he was watching last season, then get back to his team.”
On Friday, Hicketts was among the six starters. Hayden Rintoul wore the ‘C’ for the Royals, while Tim Traber, Jamie Crooks and Robin Soudek were the assistants.
J.T. Barnett and Colin Smith scored power-play goals 1:05 apart midway through the first period to ignite the Blazers’ offence.
Soudek replied with a short-handed marker for Victoria just 37 seconds into the second. Chase Schaber made it 3-1 for Kamloops 11:29 into the third before Parksville product Kade Pilton got that one back three minutes later on a Victoria power play. Chase Souto ended the scoring on a Blazers’ power play at 15:43 of the third.
“We had 12 rookies dressed and I really like them. You could see the nerves were there, but you could see the talent there as well. They need to get experience and we need to be patient and grow with them,” said Habscheid.
Victoria plays in Kelowna tonight at 7 with the game broadcast on The Zone 91.3 FM.
ICE CHIPS: The Royals signed three more prospects to player agreements including 16-year-old forwards Reid Halabi of Edmonton and Taylor Crunk of San Jacinto, Calif. Prince George product Jared Rathjen, 17, who started in net on Friday, is the other.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Young+Royals+drop+preseaosn+debut/5348429/story.html#ixzz1Wu1dncLH
The Victoria Royals’ first-round, 12th-overall pick in this spring’s Western Hockey League draft suited up for his one and only pre-season game Friday night in his hometown of Kamloops as the Royals dropped a 4-2 decision to the Blazers in the organization’s first pre-season outing.
Hicketts, just 15, will remain at home after a lengthy stay with the Royals, taking part in prospects, rookie and main camp and getting into Friday’s game before family and friends at McArthur Island Sports Centre.
“It’s exciting playing back at home at Mac Island. It’s a great facility and it’s nice to have a few friends and family,” Hicketts said prior to the game. “My first junior game of my life and playing it in Kamloops just makes it that much better.
“There’s a little pressure there with it. But I’m just hoping we develop a good atmosphere for the Royals and it all goes good,” added the defenceman.
Hicketts’s 10 days in Victoria weren’t about the now as opposed to the future as 15-year-olds can only play five games during the season, but can join their WHL club after their own regular season concludes.
“It’s been a great learning experience, learning from the vets and going through the draft, rookie, then main camp and listening to what [fitness coach] Jeff Compton has had to say has been a great experience,” he said.
The five-foot-six, 170-pounder had no points in Friday’s outing.
“It’s a big jump. Last year he was watching the Blazers as a fan and now he’s playing the Blazers,” said Royals head coach and general manager Marc Habscheid. “It’s quite an experience for a young guy to do that and he had a lot of emotions and a lot of family coming out to watch. It was a great experience for him.
“We just wanted him to go out and enjoy the experience and learn a little bit about what it’s like to play against the players he was watching last season, then get back to his team.”
On Friday, Hicketts was among the six starters. Hayden Rintoul wore the ‘C’ for the Royals, while Tim Traber, Jamie Crooks and Robin Soudek were the assistants.
J.T. Barnett and Colin Smith scored power-play goals 1:05 apart midway through the first period to ignite the Blazers’ offence.
Soudek replied with a short-handed marker for Victoria just 37 seconds into the second. Chase Schaber made it 3-1 for Kamloops 11:29 into the third before Parksville product Kade Pilton got that one back three minutes later on a Victoria power play. Chase Souto ended the scoring on a Blazers’ power play at 15:43 of the third.
“We had 12 rookies dressed and I really like them. You could see the nerves were there, but you could see the talent there as well. They need to get experience and we need to be patient and grow with them,” said Habscheid.
Victoria plays in Kelowna tonight at 7 with the game broadcast on The Zone 91.3 FM.
ICE CHIPS: The Royals signed three more prospects to player agreements including 16-year-old forwards Reid Halabi of Edmonton and Taylor Crunk of San Jacinto, Calif. Prince George product Jared Rathjen, 17, who started in net on Friday, is the other.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/Young+Royals+drop+preseaosn+debut/5348429/story.html#ixzz1Wu1dncLH