The 100 Mile House Wranglers passed a big test against the reigning Kootenay International Junior Hockey League champs, shutting out the Kimberley Dynamiters, 2-0, on home ice on Sept. 18.
But there's another big test on the way as the local Junior B hockey club rolls some 900-kilometres down into the Kootenays for three games in three days against Eddie Mountain Division teams.
The Wranglers – minus “two big pieces” in forwards Brett Harris and Tyler Povelofskie – will meet the Creston Valley Thunder Cats on Sept. 25, the Fernie Ghostriders on Sept. 26, and the Columbia Valley Rockies on Sept. 27, in the first big road trip of the 2015-16 season.
The Wranglers are getting back local forward and third-year veteran Cole Zimmerman, who will help fill the lineup with Harris and Povelofskie out.
Coach Dale Hladun is matter-of-fact about what's ahead: “Well...it's going to be a tough weekend.”
In response to what his expectations are, the coach doesn't speak in terms of winning or losing, but talks instead about the grunt work the boys are putting in at every practice and the groundwork stuff he's going to look for and hopefully see during the games.
“I want to focus on, is our defensive zone coverage strong? Are all four lines contributing? Are our systems getting sharper?”
“You can control that,” he adds. “And if that happens, there's a good chance you're going to get the points you want.”
The 438 fans in attendance at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on Sept. 18 saw some good old-time hockey: hard hits, bruising, defensive play and a couple tilts early in the back-and-forth game against Kimberley.
Zane Steeves, a Red Deer net-minder, looked “outstanding” in the 22 save shutout performance, and he's the No. 1 guy right now in the Wranglers starting goalie race, says Hladun, who went on to praise the defensive zone coverage and the pace and energy of the entire lineup in the big win against the defending champions.
“I can hardly wait to see what we're going to look like in January and February.”
The game was scoreless until close to 45 minutes in when Justin Bond, from Harris and Josh Odelein, scored on the power play. About 10 minutes later, with 6 minutes 15 seconds remaining, Povelofskie, from Ryan Friesen and Harris, potted the insurance goal.
Defenceman Tavis Roch was named star of the game for the Wranglers.
The Wranglers held the Dynamiters to only three shots in the final frame, while managing 13 of their own.
“Kimberley has a dangerous power play,” Hladun says. “We knew they'd be attacking from the top with speed and throwing it down low. What we did was let them keep the puck outside and we tried to seal them off – [making them attack] from one half of the rink or the other, and [not allowing] passes through our wall sort of thing. The boys did well that way.”
Wranglers captain Stephen Egan admits the upcoming road trip, which will be new for a lot of players, will be a big test for the boys.
Egan has been a part of the Wranglers since their inaugural season in 2013-14. He says this year's team seems to be clicking earlier than usual.
Asked what a successful season looks like to him, he answers with confidence: “A division banner, for sure.”
He mentions the Kamloops Storm and this being the year the Wranglers get over the hump, beating their Doug Birks Division rival in the divisional round after losing there twice in back-to-back seasons.
“We're confident, but not cocky,” Egan says. “We're going to put our heads down and work hard.”