pontcanna
09-27-2011, 12:05 AM
Royals still basking in sellout glow
BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM SEPTEMBER 26, 2011 10:33 PM
Victoria Royals GM and head coach Marc Habscheid joked he was “waiting for the trophy to come out” following Saturday’s night’s first Western Hockey League home game and also first victory in Royals history.
“The atmosphere felt like a championship game,” he said.
“It was like a big festival. The fans filled the place but they also weren’t sitting on their hands. I knew [WHL commissioner] Ron Robison was in the building, and half thought he might wheel out the trophy,” added Habscheid, with a chuckle.
The whole situation, including the off-season move from Chilliwack, has been almost surreal.
“You don’t move a franchise very often. The summer leading up to [last] weekend was interesting, to say the least,” said Habscheid, who followed the former Chilliwack Bruins across the strait to their new digs on Blanshard.
But the high of Saturday night was followed by the grim reality of attending friend Brad McCrimmon’s memorial service Sunday in Saskatoon. McCrimmon was head coach of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian Continental League, whose players and coaching staff perished in a plane crash.
“It was sad, but it was good to get a chance to see and spend time with his family,” said Habscheid.
“Brad was a solid man and a great human being. He touched a lot of people.”
But the business of hockey doesn’t stop and Habscheid was back at it Monday. Among the tasks was an unpleasant one — releasing 19-year-old defenceman Emerson Hrynyk, who played 36 games last season for the Bruins.
“We had nine defencemen and I want to eventually get down to seven. Sometimes [being 19 years old] works against you,” said Habscheid.
“It was a tough decision but we’ve got a lot of young guys and you have to go with them.”
The move leaves the Royals (1-1) with three goltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards as they look ahead to games in Prince George on Friday and Saturday and Kamloops on Sunday.
Bus travel is a weary reality of life in the WHL.
“Thursday is going to be a long day,” admitted Habscheid. “We catch an early ferry and don’t get into Prince George until about 10:30 at night. But that’s travel in the WHL.”
When they get to Prince George, the Royals will face Cougars goaltender Drew Owsley, who got off to such a hot start with a 32-save shutout in the Cats’ opening win against Kamloops that the WHL named him CHL goaltender of the week.
Habscheid knows Owsley from the goalie’s time in Tri City.
“He’s not six-foot-five but he plays like he is,” said the Royals coach. “He takes up a lot of the net and has a great glove hand.”
And, of course, Victoria fans don’t need to be reminded the Prince George franchise played 23 seasons in the capital before departing in 1993-94.
BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM SEPTEMBER 26, 2011 10:33 PM
Victoria Royals GM and head coach Marc Habscheid joked he was “waiting for the trophy to come out” following Saturday’s night’s first Western Hockey League home game and also first victory in Royals history.
“The atmosphere felt like a championship game,” he said.
“It was like a big festival. The fans filled the place but they also weren’t sitting on their hands. I knew [WHL commissioner] Ron Robison was in the building, and half thought he might wheel out the trophy,” added Habscheid, with a chuckle.
The whole situation, including the off-season move from Chilliwack, has been almost surreal.
“You don’t move a franchise very often. The summer leading up to [last] weekend was interesting, to say the least,” said Habscheid, who followed the former Chilliwack Bruins across the strait to their new digs on Blanshard.
But the high of Saturday night was followed by the grim reality of attending friend Brad McCrimmon’s memorial service Sunday in Saskatoon. McCrimmon was head coach of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian Continental League, whose players and coaching staff perished in a plane crash.
“It was sad, but it was good to get a chance to see and spend time with his family,” said Habscheid.
“Brad was a solid man and a great human being. He touched a lot of people.”
But the business of hockey doesn’t stop and Habscheid was back at it Monday. Among the tasks was an unpleasant one — releasing 19-year-old defenceman Emerson Hrynyk, who played 36 games last season for the Bruins.
“We had nine defencemen and I want to eventually get down to seven. Sometimes [being 19 years old] works against you,” said Habscheid.
“It was a tough decision but we’ve got a lot of young guys and you have to go with them.”
The move leaves the Royals (1-1) with three goltenders, eight defencemen and 14 forwards as they look ahead to games in Prince George on Friday and Saturday and Kamloops on Sunday.
Bus travel is a weary reality of life in the WHL.
“Thursday is going to be a long day,” admitted Habscheid. “We catch an early ferry and don’t get into Prince George until about 10:30 at night. But that’s travel in the WHL.”
When they get to Prince George, the Royals will face Cougars goaltender Drew Owsley, who got off to such a hot start with a 32-save shutout in the Cats’ opening win against Kamloops that the WHL named him CHL goaltender of the week.
Habscheid knows Owsley from the goalie’s time in Tri City.
“He’s not six-foot-five but he plays like he is,” said the Royals coach. “He takes up a lot of the net and has a great glove hand.”
And, of course, Victoria fans don’t need to be reminded the Prince George franchise played 23 seasons in the capital before departing in 1993-94.