We are indeed deep down the rabbit hole this season in the Western Hockey League.
The Victoria Royals play a Raiders team tonight in Prince Albert that is on a seven-game winning streak, leads the WHL at 11-2-1 and is ranked No. 4 in the Canadian Hockey League. This has been an otherwise unremarkable franchise that since the turn of the century has missed the playoffs nine times in 15 seasons, including last season.
Tonight鈥檚 game follows a 4-3 Royals shootout loss Tuesday at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre against another surprisingly resurgent team, the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who have won eight consecutive games and are 10-2 after missing the playoffs the past six years.
Victoria (8-5-1) started out as the big surprise story of the WHL season at 7-1 but has since been eclipsed by Prince Albert and Lethbridge. None of these three teams boasts big-name NHL prospects.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the beauty of junior hockey . . . it鈥檚 tough to project,鈥� said Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid.
鈥淵ou start getting that believability going on your team, which leads to building confidence.鈥�
To say that Habscheid has landed on his blade edges, after being relieved of the Royals head coaching and GM duties following the 2011-12 season, might be the understatement of the WHL season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been fun,鈥� said Habscheid, who took over the floundering Raiders midway through last season.
鈥淚 came here to communicate a vision to the players and fans in the community.鈥�
One thing different from his Chilliwack Bruins/Victoria Royals days is that Habscheid doesn鈥檛 have the dual head coach-GM role. The Raiders鈥� rookie GM is Curtis Hunt.
鈥淚t makes it simpler, so I can concentrate on coaching,鈥� said Habscheid, by phone from Prince Albert.
The proof has been on the ice.
鈥淲e are playing as a cohesive group,鈥� added Habscheid.
It is led by veteran forward Reid Gardiner, who is second in WHL scoring with 10 goals and 24 points behind only Brayden Point of the Moose Jaw Warriors. Gardiner was added Thursday to the WHL all-star team roster for the games against the Russian Selects on Nov. 9 in Kelowna and Nov. 10 in Kamloops, replacing the injured Rourke Chartier of the Kelowna Rockets.
Habscheid is wary and trying to manage expectations.
鈥淲e have to remain confident but not get arrogant,鈥� he said.
鈥淓ven after wins, we keep an even keel. There is a long way to go. It鈥檚 only October. Nobody is handing out trophies yet.鈥�
This is the first contest of the Royals鈥� 5,000-plus kilometre, six-game road trip through Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It continues Sunday in Saskatoon against the Blades.
鈥淲e need to get our bus legs out early and get off to a good start,鈥� said Royals defenceman Joe Hicketts, who will play for the WHL team against the Russians.
Victoria head coach Dave Lowry, who will coach the WHL team, concurred: 鈥淲e are going into tough buildings against good teams on this trip and have to be ready to play every night.鈥�
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