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Wranglers win home opener with 6-0 shutout

Undefeated Grizzlies in town this weekend to provide a test of mettle
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Kolby Page aims for the net in one of the Wrangler’s many scoring chances during their home opener Friday night. Tara Sprickerhoff photo.

After losing two exhibition games and their first two regular season tilts, the 100 Mile House Wranglers delighted the 500-plus fans in their home opener on Sept. 15 by shutting out the Sicamous Eagles 6-0.

Head coach and general manager Dale “Duner” Hladun says he was really pleased with the victory, but adds it’s early in the season.

“I definitely felt I was watching September hockey.

“You’re used to seeing strategic, five-on-five, unit hockey. It was quite scrambley, but I thought there were a lot of good individual skills shown.”

That being said, Duner says he thought Sicamous was better than the 6-0 score.

“I thought their team played better than that. It was just unfortunate that due to B.C. Amateur carding issues. They only had 14 players; they also had a couple of players out with suspensions.

The coach says carding players has been an issue so far this season. (Read the details in the Sept. 28 edition.)

As for the game, there was no scoring in the first period. Duner says new goalie Jared Breitkreuz (home team game star) was a “rock” for the Wranglers early in the game.

“We were up 3-0, but at one point, but I thought it could have been a tied game with all the goofy bounces and our D-zone coverage.

“Jared held the fort for us and then after that, we settled in. I think conditioning and having more bodies to play, we just accelerated away from Sicamous.”

Frazer Dodd, with an assist from his brother Liam Dodd, opened the scoring at 18:29 of the second period.

The twins hooked up again for the Wranglers’ third goal when Fraser tipped in a pass from Liam at 3:45 of the second stanza.

Kyle Lindstrom (Ethan Tucker) found the back of the net at 4:58 for the second marker of the period.

The third period saw goals by Garrett Hilton (Dawson Long) at 12:01; a power-play goal by Joel Patsey (Darian Long, Justin Bond) at 9:58; and Julien Dewey (Hilton) closed out the scoring at 3:14.

Breitkreuz stopped all 27 Sicamous shots to record the Wranglers first victory of the season.

Coach Duner says he is pleased with the offensive punch being provided by his veterans.

“I think Fraser Dodd, Garrett Hilton and Justin Bond will be among the scoring elite in our conference. I think Fraser is going to be quite a force.”

“Last year, Justin only made two practices [because he was working full time] and you could see he was a good player as he led us in scoring even though he was out of shape.

“Now that he’s here every day and he’s hardly hit his stride, he’s going to be scary good all year.”

Noting Bond is the team captain, the coach says he is consumed about leading this team to a championship.

Fraser is so skilled and Hilton worked out hard during the off season, Hladun adds.

While he is looking forward to getting some other veterans back in the lineup, the coach says he’s happy with the rookies who are playing well.

“We have a nice core of some skilled vets, but Jacque Gilkerson is a big, strong kid, and while fans haven’t seen Dysen Rhinehart yet, they will like his play.”

Duner says it’s already been 15 days to try to get approval for six-foot-three, 200-pound centreman Mackenzie Benn-Wipp to lace up his skates for the Wranglers.

The coach says the Wranglers are going to be bigger than they were last year.

“I like a lot of the pieces. Joel Patsey, one of our new defencemen, is a big kid [six-foot-three, 225-pounds] from Hazelton who has a heavy shot and is a good puck-moving D-man. I think Joel will become one of the fan favourites.”

Noting there are a lot of rookies and there is a lot of learning to do, Duner says the team is going to stumble from time to time, but he believes they’ll be in the hunt for the league title.

The Wranglers host the Revelstoke Grizzlies this weekend (Sept. 22-23) with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. both nights

Duner says they are undefeated and have a good squad this year, and he expects them to be fast and have a hard forechecking system, so there won’t be a lot of time and space for the Wranglers to make plays.

“We’re going to have to be more alert. I’m looking forward to it; it’s going to be a great test.

“They’re good, but steel sharpens steel – can’t wait to see them.”