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The University of Victoria Vikes, who play club and not varsity, may well be the Island鈥檚 best-kept hockey secret, having become the sa国际传媒 Intercollegiate League champions for a fourth time.
The Vikes鈥� run to the 2017 title, from the regular-season fourth seed, was dramatic and led by former NHLer Patrick Holland, former WHL Victoria Royals forward Jack Palmer and fifth-year players Shawn Mueller and Luciano Somerville.
Holland is a 2010 Calgary Flames draft pick out of the Tri-City Americans of the WHL. The computer-science major played pro in the AHL, ECHL, Europe and in five NHL games with the Montreal Canadiens. He proved last weekend he still has more than a few moves.
The Vikes lost the first game of the best-of-three championship series 5-0 at UVic鈥檚 Ian Stewart Complex against Trinity Western University before recording pulse-racing 2-1 and 3-2 victories over the Spartans on the Lower Mainland to take the title and add to the championships UVic won in 2007, 2009 and 2012 in its 11-season history in the sa国际传媒 Intercollegiate League.
Holland, on a power-play assist from Palmer, tied the deciding third game 1-1 in the second period at the Langley Events Centre.
Another power-play goal by Holland, with less than two minutes remaining in the third period, gave UVic a 2-1 lead before Trinity Western equalized late. Mueller scored the winner with just seven seconds remaining in regulation time.
The second game was no less dramatic with Brandon Volpe, set up by Holland, scoring the tying goal with just 49 seconds remaining in the third period and Braedan Cyra the overtime winner for UVic.
The Vikes knocked off the regular-season champion Simon Fraser University Clan 2-0 in the best-of-three opening playoff round. The Clan were 18-4-2 in the regular season and the fourth-place Vikes 9-14-1. The Vikes鈥� upset run continued against the Spartans (16-6-2), who swept four-time defending champion Selkirk College 2-0 in their best-of-three opening-round playoff series.
鈥淲e were playing injured and short all season. I said when we get all our players back, we could win the whole thing,鈥� UVic head coach Harry Schamhart said.
Schamhart said it was hard to compare his four championships.
鈥淓ach has its own story and feel, and each is different,鈥� Schamhart said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to share [this] championship with a new group of UVic players. It鈥檚 really special.鈥�
Especially considering the dedication required in the pay-to-play model. The UVic hockey team is not varsity but operates on a club basis within the sa国际传媒 Intercollegiate, a league from which teams are good enough to play pre-season exhibitions against NCAA Div. 1 teams such as the Wisconsin Badgers.
The championship adds to the quirky lore of UVic hockey. It has competed in both varsity 鈥� against the likes of Clare Drake鈥檚 Alberta Golden Bears dynasty 鈥� and at the club level in the old Esquimalt Friday Night League at Archie Browning. Notable UVic hockey alumni include Bob Nicholson and Tom Renney.
The Vikes will have an Island derby next season, when the Vancouver Island University Mariners join UVic, SFU, TWU, Selkirk and Eastern Washington in the sa国际传媒 Intercollegiate Hockey League.
