The last four games have been all the exciting hockey the first four games were not, if you’re the Quesnel Kangaroos.
The defending Coy Cup champions started off dropping the first three games of the Central Interior Hockey League season, then going 1 win and 4 losses their next five games.
But momentum began to shift, as the season went on. The power they had last season began to assert itself again. In their last four matchups, oldest to newest, the Roos lost a 7-6 game to Kitimat in overtime, lost a tight 3-2 game to Prince Rupert, then beat the Smithers Steelheads 6-1 and beat the Nechako Northstars 7-1.
The latter game was on Jan. 6 in Fort St. James. Brett Mero notched a hattrick in that win, Byron Sam picked up a goal and an assist, and team captain Alessio Tomasseti chipped in three helpers. Single goals went to Brayden Yager, Brody Dyck and Corson Nordick, with Leif Scott tallying an assist.
In the Smithers game, the outburst was handled by six different goal scorers: Scott, Mero, Dyck, Tomasetti, Chad Kimmie, and player-coach Jordan Draper who also rang up three assists as the game’s top point-getter tied with Mero for his three assists as well. Other assists went to Kimmie, Nordick, and two for Justin Fillion.
Alex Wright was the goaltender for both these road victories.
When you outscore your opponents 21-11 in four games, and 13-2 in your most recent two, it tends to build a team’s confidence.
“Wouldn’t want to play us in the playoffs, once we get the guys back,” said Tomasetti after the pair of wins.
He explained that several injuries to key players was responsible for some disruption to the old systems of play.
“Lots of young guys were filling in spots,” Tomasetti said.
It was also the first year behind the bench for rookie coach Jordan Draper, who was also suiting up for the team on many occasions. He has been backed up all season long by familiar assistant coaches, however. It took awhile for new players and the new coaching system to mesh, but that is now starting to happen just as the injuries are healing.
The Roos are next in action on Jan. 20 in Terrace versus The River Kings and 21 in Prince Rupert versus the Rampage.
After that, they are back in Quesnel for a weekend double-header against a pair of very different teams from the Western Division: the Hazelton Wolverines on Jan. 27 and Kitimat Ice Demons on Jan. 28.
“I think it’s going to be real good, heavy, skilled hockey, a great way to get geared up for the last stretch,” said Tomasetti.
The Jan. 20 game is at 7 p.m., the Jan. 21 contest is a matinee game at 1 p.m.
Only two games will remain, after that. The Kangaroos travel to Williams Lake to play the first place Stampeders on Feb. 2, and the Roos finish with a home game on Feb. 4 against the Northstars.
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