WHL stars shine brightest as league sweeps two-game set
WHL 4 RUSSIA 2
It usually happens that some players who have previously flown beneath the radar will come into view when given the chance in a representative setting, such as the Western Hockey League’s annual two-game set against a team of Russian junior selects.
Case-in-point were injury-replacements Colin Shirley of the Kamloops Blazers, with a goal and three assists, and Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association graduate blue-liner Dysin Mayo, with a goal and plus-three rating, in the WHL’s 7-3 victory over the Russians on Monday in Kelowna.
The final chance for unherdalded upstarts to show their stuff was Tuesday in the WHL’s 4-2 victory over the Russians before an announced 5,278 fans at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops.
But it was more the usual suspects who came to the fore Tuesday as Florida Panthers-prospect Jayce Hawryluk scored the winner to make it 3-2 with 3:12 remaining. Dallas Stars-prospect Brett Pollock of the Edmonton Oil Kings put it away with an emptynet goal. Winnipeg Jets-prospect Jansen Harkins of the Prince George Cougars and Anaheim Ducks-hopeful Deven Sideroff of the Blazers also scored for Canada.
Yet, Shirley picked up another assist and his five total points in the annual two-game series against Russia set a WHL record as the league swept the set for the first time in six years.
“Injuries provide the opportunity and some guys take advantage,” said WHL head coach Dave Lowry, also bench boss of the Victoria Royals. “That’s what you want as a coach . . . for some [unexpected] guys to make your decisions tough.”
These two WHL-Russia games — along with the upcoming two each for the Russian squad against the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior League — are part of the Canadian selection process for the 2016 world junior championship beginning on Boxing Day in Helsinki, Finland.
Lowry will be head coach for Canada at the worlds, after being assistant coach last year. Royals defenceman Joe Hicketts, who wore the ‘C’ for Team WHL on Tuesday in his hometown, is a lock to patrol the blue line again for Canada.
Lowry was wary not to let the occasion overwhelm Hicketts, whose natural inclination as a player it to push hard at all times on every inch of the ice.
“I told Joe the same thing I tell him with the Royals [Hicketts is also Victoria captain]. That is, to not try to do too much,” said Lowry, who has the Royals off to a WHL-best 14-5-1 record.
Hicketts was minus-1 Tuesday night. So was fellow blue-liner Mayo, a 2014 WHL and Memorial Cup champion with the Oil Kings. The Islander was selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL draft by the Arizona Coyotes and made the most of his ice time against the Russians, giving Lowry something to think about.