pontcanna
02-22-2012, 01:27 AM
Veteran Royals have playoff fever
BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM FEBRUARY 21, 2012 11:06 PM
The post-season waltz is always the objective in sports. But it can be a capricious dance partner.
Kamloops Blazers head coach Guy Charron played 734 career NHL regular-season games over 11 years but not a single playoff game, which was the record until broken by Olli Jokinen. Last season, the luckless Charron and his Blazers missed the Western Hockey League playoffs. But this year, he has the Blazers near the top of the WHL and they have easily clinched a playoff spot.
Last year, defenceman Hayden Rintoul blazed through the playoffs with a breathless run that took the Kootenay Ice all the way to the WHL championship and Memorial Cup national tournament. This season, he is in a grim battle just to make the playoffs as captain of the Victoria Royals.
The post-season is indeed a fickle mistress, and that’s something to contemplate as the Royals are in Kamloops tonight.
“We’ve got to get every point we can,” said Rintoul, of the incredibly tight race between the Royals, Prince George Cougars, Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips for the final two post-season berths in the Western Conference.
There’s an added sense of urgency for Rintoul and Royals forward Robin Soudek, who are both 20 and in their final seasons of junior hockey.
“I try not to think about that but there is definitely pressure to make the playoffs in our last year,” said Rintoul.
“I’d like to be there and do feel added pressure to get there.”
As much as every game is a near must-win now for the Royals, Cougars, Thunderbirds and Silvertips, their head-to-head matches are potential four-point swings and especially take on added significance.
“It’s the weekend of the season for us,” said Soudek, about the Friday and Saturday games in Prince George that will close out the Royals’ three-game road trip.
“We need both games in Prince George. Getting those four points [and so thus also denying the Cougars those points] is crucial for us.”
Not that the Royals can afford to look past Kamloops to Prince George. With only 13 games remaining, any night in which points are on the table is a big night — even in games that pundits don’t expect the Royals (18-35-6) to win, such as tonight against the Blazers (41-14-4 and ranked No. 3 among major junior teams in North America).
The Royals aren’t heading to Kamloops to “lose and leave,” said GM and head coach Marc Habscheid.
“We split with Kamloops the last time they came here [Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre] so there is some confidence there,” he noted.
But the Royals have been highly erratic from night to night.
“We’re a young team that has been inconsistent,” said Habscheid.
“We need to find that consistency because these are critical points [up for grabs on this road trip], without question.”
BY CLEVE DHEENSAW, TIMESCOLONIST.COM FEBRUARY 21, 2012 11:06 PM
The post-season waltz is always the objective in sports. But it can be a capricious dance partner.
Kamloops Blazers head coach Guy Charron played 734 career NHL regular-season games over 11 years but not a single playoff game, which was the record until broken by Olli Jokinen. Last season, the luckless Charron and his Blazers missed the Western Hockey League playoffs. But this year, he has the Blazers near the top of the WHL and they have easily clinched a playoff spot.
Last year, defenceman Hayden Rintoul blazed through the playoffs with a breathless run that took the Kootenay Ice all the way to the WHL championship and Memorial Cup national tournament. This season, he is in a grim battle just to make the playoffs as captain of the Victoria Royals.
The post-season is indeed a fickle mistress, and that’s something to contemplate as the Royals are in Kamloops tonight.
“We’ve got to get every point we can,” said Rintoul, of the incredibly tight race between the Royals, Prince George Cougars, Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips for the final two post-season berths in the Western Conference.
There’s an added sense of urgency for Rintoul and Royals forward Robin Soudek, who are both 20 and in their final seasons of junior hockey.
“I try not to think about that but there is definitely pressure to make the playoffs in our last year,” said Rintoul.
“I’d like to be there and do feel added pressure to get there.”
As much as every game is a near must-win now for the Royals, Cougars, Thunderbirds and Silvertips, their head-to-head matches are potential four-point swings and especially take on added significance.
“It’s the weekend of the season for us,” said Soudek, about the Friday and Saturday games in Prince George that will close out the Royals’ three-game road trip.
“We need both games in Prince George. Getting those four points [and so thus also denying the Cougars those points] is crucial for us.”
Not that the Royals can afford to look past Kamloops to Prince George. With only 13 games remaining, any night in which points are on the table is a big night — even in games that pundits don’t expect the Royals (18-35-6) to win, such as tonight against the Blazers (41-14-4 and ranked No. 3 among major junior teams in North America).
The Royals aren’t heading to Kamloops to “lose and leave,” said GM and head coach Marc Habscheid.
“We split with Kamloops the last time they came here [Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre] so there is some confidence there,” he noted.
But the Royals have been highly erratic from night to night.
“We’re a young team that has been inconsistent,” said Habscheid.
“We need to find that consistency because these are critical points [up for grabs on this road trip], without question.”