The Victoria Cougars鈥� head coach pictured memories of joy and excitement after Sunday鈥檚 final of the 2016 Cyclone Taylor Cup.
Instead he shared in an all too familiar scene of tears shed for the third time in five years, finishing as a runner-up in the provincial Junior B hockey championship.
This one came on a power-play goal by Ryan Friesen with just 54.3 seconds to go in a 5-4 loss to the 100 Mile House Wranglers at Archie Browning Sports Centre.
That it came in the home arena of the Cougars, after three wins over the three previous days of the round-robin tournament, was that much more difficult to take.
鈥淚t鈥檚 disappointing. At this point, we鈥檙e trying to digest everything,鈥� said the beleaguered coach, who also lost the 2012 CTC final in double overtime to Abbotsford and 2013 championship, 4-1 to Richmond. 鈥淭here was a funny conclusion to the game. It was an excellent game, very well played by both teams.鈥�
And not funny, as in ha ha.
Having battled back from a 3-1 deficit to take a 4-3 lead, the Cougars gave up the tying goal at 14:02 as Brett Harris took advantage of a defensive giveaway. Victoria appeared to record the 5-4 goal late, but it was called off as Jordan Passmore was called for a hit to the head prior to the play.
That gave the Wranglers the late power play and they cashed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the bounces of the game, we got the lead and settled in to hopefully shut down the last few minutes,鈥� said Van Helvoirt. 鈥淚t was a bit of a funny bounce, the defenceman lost the puck behind the play 鈥� a one in a million kind of situation 鈥� and the next thing you know it鈥檚 a tie game.
鈥淭hen we score a goal, get a penalty and disallowed goal and a wild finish. Unfortunately, it鈥檚 a tough result 鈥� a great hockey game, but tough result for our organization,鈥� he added.
The Wranglers, meanwhile, celebrated on the ice, led by goalie Zane Steeves, who was named tournament MVP. It was Friesen who played hero, though, taking a pass from Harris and beating helpless Cougars鈥� goalie Gregory Maggio for the winner.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one I will never forget,鈥� Friesen said of the finish. 鈥淚 was thinking we only had one chance to get a goal before the end of the third period and we needed to take advantage of every opportunity.鈥�
Harris had a pair of goals and two assists for the Wranglers, while Nick McCabe and Justin Bond had the other tallies. Steeves made 28 saves for 100 Mile House.
Dom Kolbeins (with his second of the game), Passmore and captain John Kretzschmar then secured the Cougars鈥� lead with goals at 1:33, 5:28 and 12:34 as momentum swung. Then the cruel finish shocked the local fans.
Wranglers head coach Dale Hladun, who has ties to the area, said his team just never gave up.
鈥淲e鈥檝e always preached it, if it鈥檚 not the hard way, it鈥檚 not the Wrangler way. When they tied it up, that鈥檚 what I said. I told them, this is our wheel house, this is how we do it,鈥� Hladun said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e been in this situation, you wouldn鈥檛 believe how many times.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be a calmer coach than when we鈥檙e down by one with these guys,鈥� added Hladun, who was an assistant with the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League in 1996 and coached the Comox Valley Glacier Kings of the VIJHL as well.
鈥淲e鈥檙e only three years old. You see our fans here and our fans at home. The rink [at 100 Mile House] is full right now and they鈥檙e watching it on a big screen and in the pub.鈥�
And they now move on to Regina for the Keystone Cup beginning Thursday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a neat little melting pot and now I鈥檓 stuck with them for another three days and no one has clean underwear and we鈥檙e going all the way to Regina,鈥� Hladun said, with a grin.
Campbell River doubled the Mission City Outlaws 8-4 for bronze.
