Or a stop at the dentist after laying into the sweets for two straight weeks over the holidays.
The chance of it being painful is extreme.
Such is the scenario for the injury-depleted Victoria Royals, who head into Prospera Place in Kelowna tonight with the Western Hockey League鈥檚 hottest team, the Rockets, riding a 14-game win streak at home.
It could be called an eye-opener, but it just as easily could be a poke in the eye with a sharp stick as the Royals go in without their top two scorers, Alex Gogolev and Logan Nelson, out with injuries.
鈥淥bviously, one of the best teams in the league, and we have to make sure 鈥� as a group 鈥� that we understand how important it is,鈥� said Royals head coach Dave Lowry. 鈥淎nd if you look at the monthly schedule, I believe we play them three times in their building and we have to make sure our preparation is real good.
鈥淭his is a real tough month for us. We have a depleted lineup [with defencemen Joe Hicketts and Ryan Gagnon also missing due to duties at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge], but it鈥檚 opportunity time for us. And guys better understand it鈥檚 not excuse time, but opportunity time.鈥�
As it is for the Rockets, who are anxiously chasing down a record for consecutive wins at home. They are currently four victories shy of tying that mark at 18.
鈥淲e have to go in and play a solid road game. We have to play up to our ability and that鈥檚 go in, be fast, be physical, but be smart,鈥� said Lowry, whose team then returns home for Friday and Saturday games against the Tri-City Americans, a team that is five points up on Victoria in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Royals do have three games in hand.
Overall, Kelowna has won 14 of 16 games and has moved to within two points of the Kamloops Blazers for second place in the West. Captain Colton Sissons just returned to the Rockets from a concussion, which kept him out a month, and netminder Jordon Cooke is also back from a foot injury.
鈥淭his is big. We want to get some wins so that we don鈥檛 have to panic right before the playoffs, and hopefully get ourselves ahead of the pace, here,鈥� said Royals鈥� winger Austin Carroll, who has looked good playing on a line with brothers Ben and Jack Walker.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough matchup, but if we play the way we can, we can go in there and compete against any team,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e need to come out strong and if they do get a goal, don鈥檛 get down, continue to do what we鈥檙e told to do and work hard.鈥�
Even without Gogolev and now Nelson.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e key players on our team, but we have to fight through the adversity,鈥� said Carroll. 鈥淭his is when the character comes out in our team.鈥�
ICE CHIPS: The Royals will also face Everett and Seattle 鈥� the two teams chasing them 鈥� on the road after next Wednesday鈥檚 visit to Kelowna ... The WHL Full On video crew is following the Royals this week, preparing a behind the scenes documentary to run at a later date for Shaw.
