It's early, but a theme is emerging: Devan Suidy pots goals and Kristian Stead stops pucks. And the 100 Mile House Wranglers win.
The local Kootenay International Junior Hockey League club put on quite a show for the 554 in attendance at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on Sept. 19, improving to 3-1-0 with a 2-1 home-opener win over the Summerland Steam.
Suidy, the Wranglers captain, notched both goals, while linemates Cole Zimmerman (2) and Lane van Wetering (1) tallied assists.
Stead made 35 saves.
“I think our success, not just in the home-opener, but in the first four games of the season, look directly at the newly-acquired Devan Suidy, who's scored every game,” says coach Dale Hladun. “He's a big strong kid, and he does provide leadership for us. A lot of the young guys are following Devan.
“The other fella that was probably the bigger chip in the pot was Kristian Stead,” Hladun adds. “We're still bumbling away in how to play defensive zone coverage, so Kristian just bailed the boys out.”
The Wranglers were outshot 36-15.
Summerland (3-1-0) is a strong team, having beat the Kamloops Storm, last season's Doug Birks Division champs, 5-0 earlier this season.
“I thought for us to get two points on them is pretty strong this time of the year,” Hladun says, adding the atmosphere in 100 Mile House was unlike anything the Wranglers saw on a road trip, with three home-openers in other buildings, to start the season.
“I was proud to be a Wrangler. I thought we did a heck of job. The tailgate party, the presentation of the kids, the atmosphere in the rink, the energy, the events between periods – nobody was even close to what we did.”
Zimmerman, a big 18-year-old skater from 100 Mile House, was an important part of the team's success last season. This year, he's playing alongside Suidy and van de Wetering, talented forwards with a nose for the back of the net.
Needless to say, he likes his spot in the lineup.
“All I have to do is get the puck in deep and work for those guys and everything will turn out,” Zimmerman says.
It's early, but the Wranglers, with more roster moves in the works, look primed for another big season.
“If we keep everything up, and our minds are focused, we can probably win our division,” says Zimmerman.
Suidy leads the team with seven points in four games, while Michael Lynch, Nick Headrick and Zimmerman have three.
100 Mile House hosts the Osoyoos Coyotes on Sept. 26 and the Revelstoke Grizzlies on Sept. 27.