Having reached the second round of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoffs, Mark Osmond鈥檚 goals have already been achieved.
Not to be selfish, but the president/owner of the Kerry Park Islanders certainly wouldn鈥檛 mind witnessing a little over-achievement at this point.
Down 3-1 in the best-of-seven South Division final to the defending league champion Victoria Cougars, the Islanders are down to must-wins, beginning tonight at 7 in Game 5 at the Archie Browning Sports Centre in Esquimalt.
鈥淭hat was the main goal because we had a young team. We needed to get them some experience at that level,鈥� Osmond said of reaching Round 2.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not where we want to be. It is what it is. We have our backs against the wall so we need to let it all out 鈥� leave it all on the line. I鈥檝e told the boys, we have to leave everything on the ice.鈥�
After upsetting the Saanich Braves in six games 鈥� which included three straight wins to close the series out with 3-1, 3-0 and 7-0 victories 鈥� the Islanders found themselves against the perennial powerhouse Cougars, who have won four of the last five league crowns.
The Islanders had the Cougars on the ropes in Game 1, up 5-3 midway into the third period. Victoria鈥檚 Branden Tangney made it 5-4 on a power play at 11:33 before Jordan Passmore tied it at 5-5 with one minute to go.
Tyler Vanuden then scored 49 seconds into overtime for a 1-0 Cougars lead.
鈥淭he first game 鈥� we should have had that one in the bag, with a minute to go and leading. Then to lose in overtime was a bit of a kick in the groin,鈥� added Osmond. 鈥淭hat first game, I think, was experience. Our guys maybe weren鈥檛 used to having that lead, against them, especially in their building. Sometimes with that pressure, comes a couple of mistakes and they win the game.鈥�
Kerry Park won Game 2 by a 3-2 count thanks to third-period goals from Connor Bissett and Tanner Tiel. The Islanders then lost another squeaker, 4-3, in Game 3 at Archie Browning, clawing back from a 3-0 deficit in the first period.
Game 4鈥檚 6-3 loss on Tuesday got away from them, thanks to four power-play goals by the Cougars and an empty-netter.
鈥淭heir power play clicked for them. We got back in the game, momentum-wise, and then we鈥檇 end up on the penalty kill. We have to win three now. It鈥檚 going to be tough, but we鈥檙e not going to die just yet,鈥� said Osmond, who picked up Garnet Roberts from Peninsula and traded goalie Chase Anderson to Campbell River for Josh Poland and goalie Matt Henwood down the stretch. The Islanders get Anderson back next season.
鈥淚t was more of a loan deal. It was kind of a no-brainer deal for us,鈥� said Osmond, who was delighted, but not shocked with the series win over the Braves.
鈥淲e had Saanich鈥檚 number all year, beating them six of eight times. We wanted that matchup,鈥� he added.
鈥淰ictoria is a lot more disciplined, they stay within their system and execute their coach鈥檚 plan to a tee. They don鈥檛 stop skating and they鈥檙e hard on the puck. When teams play them, you need to elevate yourself,鈥� he said.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a good organization and they know how to win, but maybe we鈥檒l surprise some people on Thursday and at least give them a little shock.鈥�
