Predators, Islanders battle for VIJHL supremacy
The top seeds did not blossom this spring. At least not in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoffs. The Campbell River Storm and Victoria Cougars finished a close 1-2 in the race for the regular-season Andy Hebenton Trophy, named after the former NHL Ironman record holder with the New York Rangers and Victoria pro-hockey great.
But there will be no Storm warnings or Cougar sightings in the best-of-seven VIJHL playoff final. It instead features the Saanich Predators and Kerry Park Islanders vying for the Brent Patterson Trophy, named in honour of the former VIJHLchampion Saanich Braves player and league MVP, who died after suffering chest pains during a game in the 1977 B.C. Junior B championship in Quesnel.
Saanich, thanks to thirdperiod goals from Ethan Taylor and Matt Kerr, won the opening game 3-2 on Monday night at Pearkes Arena. The second game is Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Pearkes. The third and fourth games will be played Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 at Kerry Park Arena.
The Predators are after their first VIJHL championship since 1996 when the team was known as the Braves. The Saanich franchise has produced the likes of future NHLers Adam Cracknell and Matt Irwin and ended a 22-year drought in 2018 by making the VIJHL final for the first time since 1996 but lost in seven games to Campbell River. Saanich again came close last year, reaching the final against Oceanside, before the Generals won their first title since 2009.
The Islanders last won the VIJHL championship in 2006, so like the Predators, will also be looking to end a drought.
South Division second-place Saanich (33-13-2 in the regular season), captained by Jack Westhaver, beat the third-seed Westshore Wolves before defeating the Cougars in a testy and chippy Game 7 of the South final. Henry Acres’ South Division No. 4 Kerry Park Islanders (28-20 in the regular season) are the upset darlings by shocking the North 1-2 Storm and Comox Valley Glacier Kings to reach the final.
Saanich is in the final for a second consecutive season after losing in six games to Oceanside last year. The Generals lost the season before to Peninsula in the final, so Saanich is hoping the same scenario holds true this year.
“We learned a lot in last year’s final and have nine returnee who now know what it takes,” said Saanich head coach Cody Carlson.
“It’s a roller-coaster and you have to stay even-keeled and disciplined and not let your emotions get the better of you. Penalties hurt us in last year’s final against Oceanside. We have to stay out of the box because Kerry Park’s power play is very good. Special teams will be important.”
Carlson, a first-round WHL prospects draft pick, has been around after a junior playing career with the Medicine Hat Tigers, Regina Pats and Prince George Cougars and nine seasons of pro hockey in the ECHL with the Gwinnett/Atlanta Gladiators, San Francisco Bulls, Utah Grizzlies, Cincinnati Cyclones, Peiting EC of the German Oberliga, Strasbourg in France and the Braehead Clan and Dundee Stars of the British Premiership EIHL. So he knows well enough not to take the Islanders’ underdog status at face value.
“Kerry Park is here for a reason,” said Carlson.
“It is a very well coached and hard-nosed team with 20 guys who have no quit in them.”
The Predators and Islanders are looking to become the seventh Island team to hoist the B.C. championship for what was the Junior B level but now labelled Junior A, following the Comox Totems in 1967, Victoria Cubs in 1971, Saanich Braves in 1976, Victoria Cougars in 2007, Peninsula Panthers in 2011 and Campbell River Storm in 2015.
The VIJHL playoff champion will advance to the B.C. championship tournament next month in Kimberley featuring the champions of the VIJHL, Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and Pacific Junior Hockey League.