The Quality Foods Oceanside Generals got off to a rocky start Friday night in Campbell River, but head coach Gerry Bickerton expects a different look when the team hosts its 2016-17 home opener Saturday night at Oceanside Place Arena.
The Generals kicked off the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League campaign with a 6-1 loss at Campbell River Friday in a game in which they were outshot 61-15.
But the team that took the ice in that contest will not be the same squad expected this weekend when the Generals host the Westshore Wolves at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
“It will be a dramatically different roster that we see this weekend,” said Bickerton, who noted several “key” veterans were still away at junior A tryout camps last weekend when the team went to Campbell River. “During this week we’ve gotten most of our guys back and I think there will be a big change.”
Between last weekend’s season opener and Saturday’s home opener, the Generals travel to Nanaimo tonight to face the Buccaneers at 7:15 p.m. at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.
In addition to the veterans missing the trip to Campbell River, the Generals were bit by several early injuries, Bickerton said.
Oceanside did manage to pull within 2-1 of the Storm when Mitch Cook converted off an Ethan Sundstrom assist at 12:52 of the first period. But the ice began to tilt against the short-handed visitors before a large and raucous opening-night crowd at Rod Brind’Amour Arena.
“We were already a little light on guys, and when we had a couple go down with injuries we became thin pretty quick. It was not a true reflection of our true roster,” said Bickerton. “And I think some of our guys were a bit star-struck by Campbell River’s opener, with a thousand fans there.”
The Storm, the 2015 Cyclone Taylor Cup and Keystone Cup winners as the top team in Western Canada, are two-time defending champions in the VIJHL’s North Division.
The Generals will drop the puck this weekend at Oceanside Place Arena in the first opportunity for fans to catch the team on home ice. New team sponsor Quality Foods is offering free admission to fans who present their Q Card at the door, and additional opening-night festivities and raffles are planned.
