After their first five games of the season, it’s a different story than last year for the Quesnel Kangaroos.
The defending Coy Cup champions, tops in all of B.C., could not maintain the powerhouse momentum they had in the previous campaign, where they earned No. 1 positioning in all elements of the game: regular season, playoffs, and provincial championship tournament.
The Roos are off to a 1-3-0-1 record (one win, three losses, zero ties and one overtime loss) to start the 2023-24 Central Interior Hockey League (CIHL) season.
On the positive side, they have only been outscored 17-21 in that period. However, their 147 penalty minutes is third most in the CIHL, which is a double-whammy hurting the score differential cause, providing opponents with attack time while at the same time subtracting attack scenarios of your own.
None of the Roos players are in the league’s Top 20 for points, assists or goals. So far, the team’s scoring leaders are Alessio Tomasseti with three goals and two assists, Jordan Draper with two goals and three assists, and three players tied with four points (Byron Sam, Brody Dyck, Alek Gibbs).
Draper is the team’s first-year coach while also continuing to be a player.
“It’s been a challenging year with guys’ schedules so far. But that’s Senior hockey,” Draper told The Observer. “We’re getting a lot of new guys into games and starting to find some chemistry so I’m pretty optimistic for the latter part of the season. We lost 3-1 to Williams Lake without some big players and it could have gone either way. We beat Rupert (they have only one other loss this season). I think we have a lot to be optimistic about still.”
He doesn’t attribute any systemic failing or luminous problem to the Kangaroos game, just simple rebuilding after an all-in kind of year, last year.
“I think it’s just a new team,” Draper said. “A lot of younger guys that are learning the league. And then a tough schedule where we’ve not been able to get everyone together. It’s not easy to keep the same team together in Senior hockey and guys have to learn how to play in the league that haven’t before. I think it’s coming.”
Helping him with the coaching duties are Waylon L’Heureux, Rob Zappone, and some assistance on the bench from former head coach Harley Gilks when Draper is in uniform.
“I have enjoyed watching how hard the guys have been working in skates,” Draper said. “It’s still so early but it’s been great to run practice and have fun with the guys making sure they work hard.
“Watching guys like (Brayden) Yager score a couple goals and playing well after the amount of commitment and dedication he’s put in over the last year, too, has been great. I’m looking forward to more team success going forward.”
There are five Roos games left at West Fraser Centre in this tight CIHL season.
Quesnel Kangaroos season so far…
Nov. 11 was a 3-1 loss to Williams Lake Stampeders
Nov. 5 was a 9-3 win over Prince Rupert Rampage
Nov. 4 was a 4-1 loss to the Terrace River Kings
Oct. 22 scheduled Hazelton Wolverines game was postponed
Oct. 21 scheduled Smithers Steelheads game was postponed
Oct. 14 was a 4-3 overtime loss to Nechako North Stars
Oct. 7 was opeing night’s 7-3 loss to the Williams Lake Stampeders
Quesnel Kangaroos remaining schedule:
Away versus Terrace: Nov. 25
Away versus Kitimat: Nov. 26
HOME versus Prince Rupert: Dec. 2
HOME hosting Smithers: Dec. 9
Away versus Nechako: Jan. 6
Away versus Terrace: Jan. 20
Away versus Prince Rupert: Jan. 21
HOME hosting Hazelton: Jan. 27
HOME hosting Kitimat: Jan. 28
Away versus Williams Lake: Feb. 2
HOME hosting Nechako: Feb. 4
Playoffs to follow.
If the Roos want to hoist the Coy Cup again, they will have to go to Powell River and get it. The Regals are this year’s tournament hosts for the B.C. Senior-AA championship.
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