WHL makes statement in opener
If it’s good enough for the Victoria Royals, it’s good enough for the Western Hockey League as a whole. Coach Dave Lowry has the Royals (14-5-1), thought to be in a rebuilding phase, playing his brand of hockey with the best record in the WHL.
On Monday night in Kelowna, even other players in the league bought in as Lowry coached the WHL all-star squad to an emphatic 7-3 victory over the Russian Junior Selects before 6,258 fans at Prospera Place.
Defenceman Dysin Mayo, a Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association product and 2014 WHL and Memorial Cup champion from the Edmonton Oil Kings, scored on the power play in the third period for the WHL. The Islander, selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NHL draft by the Arizona Coyotes, found the top corner with a wrist shot from the point and finished with a plus-three rating.
Some of the bigger Russian forwards started leaning physically on undersized WHL blueliner Joe Hicketts, but the Victoria Royals captain burnished his fine puckmoving credentials with two assists and a plus-three rating.
Undrafted left-winger Colin Shirley of the Kamloops Blazers led the WHL on a four-point night with a goal and three assists. Also scoring were first-round Coloardo Avalanche draft pick Conner Bleackley of the Red Deer Rebels, Kale Clague of the Brandon Wheat Kings, Jansen Harkins of the Prince George Cougars, firstround Montreal Canadiens defenceman Noah Juulsen of the Everett Silvertips and Tampa Bay Lightning-prospect Brayden Point of the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The WHL led 6-0 after two periods before the Russians pulled three back in the third period on goals by Kirill Tsulygin, Radel Fazleev and Artur Lauta, before Mayo capped scoring for the WHL.
“I liked the way we played,” said Lowry, by phone following the game.
“We dictated the pace. We took our foot off the gas pedal in the third period but then got back the momentum. It might not have seemed like it, but that [Mayo] goal was a big one for us.”
Hicketts was assistant captain of the WHL team with Point captaining. The second game of the WHL-Russia set is tonight with blue-liner Hicketts captaining in his hometown of Kamloops
“Anytime you get a chance to lead a group like [this] is special. Especially it’s cool to be representing the league as a leader in your hometown, in front of family, and friends,” said Hicketts, heading into tonight’s game.