The Victoria Cougars have checked a regular-season title and Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoff championship off their to-do list in 2015-16.
They now focus on the Cyclone Taylor Cup, which begins a week from today at their home facility, the Archie Browning Sports Centre in Esquimalt. The provincial Junior B championship is the next goal on the checklist for head coach Mark Van Helvoirt鈥檚 troops.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to enjoy this one for a couple of days. We鈥檒l get back to work on Friday and that will give us five good days of preparation,鈥� said Van Helvoirt, whose team will use some rest to heal up for the provincial tournament.
The Cougars defeated the Campbell River Storm 6-3 up Island on Tuesday night to take the VIJHL crown in six games. It was the fourth time in the last five years that Victoria has carted off the Brent Patterson Memorial Trophy.
鈥淎ny time you win a championship you have to be blessed with good health. We were fortunate over the course of the playoffs to remain somewhat healthy and that was a major factor in how the series played out,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e were healthy and they were bumped up and at the end of the day that makes a difference.鈥�
Nathan Looysen scored a pair of goals 鈥� the game-winner and an empty-netter 鈥� to power the Cougars to Tuesday鈥檚 win. Brett Lervold, Cody Hodges, Ryan Lawson and Ryan Carson also scored for Victoria, which trailed 1-0 and 2-1 in the game.
Goaltender Anthony Ciurro made 28 saves for the win, while the Cougars fired 27 shots at Storm netminder Riley Welyk. Alex Rosolowsky, Cole Slaney and Josh Coblenz scored for Campbell River.
鈥淭o be honest, it was a shaky first period on our part and our goalie was exceptional,鈥� said Van Helvoirt. 鈥淲e had a chance to re-focus after the first intermission and our commitment level needed to go up, in regards to the way that we play.鈥�
The Cougars won the last three games to pull off the series and it鈥檚 back to the Cyclone Taylor Cup, where they finished second in 2012 (losing in double overtime to Abbotsford) and 2013 (a 4-1 loss to Richmond). Victoria was third in 2014, while Campbell River won that title and the Keystone Cup 鈥� the Western Canadian championship 鈥� last season.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more proud of the organization, the volunteers, the executive and the players and coaches. It鈥檚 a committed and passionate group, this organization, and I鈥檓 very proud of what we鈥檝e accomplished these last five years,鈥� said Van Helvoirt.
Meanwhile, the Mission City Outlaws claimed the Pacific Junior Hockey League championship, defeating the Grandview Steelers in five games to join the Cougars and Storm at the 2016 Cyclone Taylor Cup. The Outlaws finished 31-11-0-2 during the regular season.
The 100 Mile House Wranglers led the Kimberley Dynamiters 2-1 (prior to Wednesday night鈥檚 game) in the Kootenay International Hockey League championship best-of-seven series. Kimberley was 41-7-0-4 in the regular season and the Wranglers were 33-12-3-4.
The Cyclone Taylor Cup victor will advance to the Keystone Cup, April 14-17 in Regina.
