The Kamloops junior hockey scene suffered from Toronto Blue Jays syndrome. All anyone talked about was the championship glory days of the early 1990s because what had transpired after was mostly mediocre.
The first thing Guy Charron saw when he came into the team offices in 2010-11 were pictures of 1990s, championship-era Blazers coach Don Hay staring back at him.
鈥淲e got rid of all the [memorabilia around the team offices from the Memorial Cup heyday],鈥� said Blazers head coach Charron.
鈥淲e had a talk as a team and I said: 鈥楲et鈥檚 create our own identity.鈥� 鈥�
That is exactly what Charron鈥檚 Blazers have done in recording back-to-back 99-point Western Hockey League seasons.
The Western Conference third-seed Blazers lead their best-of-seven opening-round playoff series 2-1 against the sixth-seed Victoria Royals heading into Game 4 tonight at Bear Mountain Arena. Game 5 is Saturday in Kamloops.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 say we expected to repeat the 4-0 [sweep of Victoria in last year鈥檚 first round of the playoffs],鈥� said the engaging former NHLer Charron, of what is turning into a taut series.
鈥淭hey [Royals] gained experience from last year and I鈥檓 sure they want to redeem themselves. We didn鈥檛 expect anything different.鈥�
The Blazers are still clear favourites. But Charron said forecasts can often be upended in the short-span crucible of a playoff series.
鈥淭he key is to make it into the playoffs. Once in, you never know what can happen,鈥� he said.
Case in point in Victoria鈥檚 2-1 home victory Tuesday is how Royals forwards, such as Steven Hodges, Brandon Magee and Jamie Crooks 鈥� better known for offence 鈥� were able to play strong two-way games that subverted the high-scoring Kamloops cadre of Colin Smith, JC Lipon, Tim Bozon and Brendan Ranford, although Lipon did score on the power play.
鈥淧laying a two-way game is important in the playoffs and also really important at the next level,鈥� said Hodges, a third-round draft pick of the Florida Panthers.
鈥淚f you can鈥檛 do that, you can鈥檛 go anywhere [in a pro career].鈥�
Magee was his usual energetic self in the corners and beyond.
鈥淲e weathered the storm and we鈥檙e right back in this series,鈥� he said.
Smith, Kamloops鈥� 106-point sniper, noted that the Blazers did unleash a 40-shot barrage on Victoria goalie and Tuesday鈥檚 first-star Patrik Polivka.
鈥淲e had our fair share of chances,鈥� said Smith.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a matter of playing our game and finishing our chances.鈥�
The teams played down Tuesday night鈥檚 game-ending line brawl.
鈥淭heir guys are good at agitating and it escalated quickly,鈥� said Magee, of the last-second face-off that precipitated the incident, which has drawn no disciplinary action by the league.
Said Hodges: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the game of hockey, man. It鈥檚 down to the wire and emotions are rising.鈥�
Meanwhile, Bear Mountain Arena has continued being good to the Lowry clan. The Royals are playing there while the upcoming 2013 world curling championship has taken over their usual home at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Joel Lowry, now at NCAA Cornell, played two seasons at the Bear for the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL and got drafted by the L.A. Kings in 2011. From the same bench Tuesday, Joel鈥檚 dad and Royals head coach Dave Lowry guided his club to victory over Kamloops.
