The Kerry Park Islanders’ Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League season-opening defeat at the hands of the Westshore Wolves on Wednesday wasn’t as distressing to owner Mark Osmond as some similar results have been.
“Normally when we lose, I have a bitter taste in my mouth,” he said of the Isles’ 2-1 loss. “But we were happy with that performance. For the first game of the season, with probably 16 new guys playing, it was great.”
Both teams went without a goal until the 14:15 mark of the second period when Westshore finally solved Kerry Park goalie Chase Anderson. Caleb Franklin needed just 34 seconds of play in the third to beat Westshore netminder Jordan Spandli and even the score.
The Isles were penalized just three times in the game, but it was a two-minute minor (and 10-minute misconduct) to newcomer Jarret Malloch for a check to the head that ended up sealing their fate. With nine seconds to go in the powerplay, the Wolves beat Anderson with a deflection and went ahead for good with just 2:12 remaining.
“It was a really good game,” Osmond said. “The teams were pretty evenly matched. It was like a playoff game. That’s what we heard from a lot of the fans.”
Franklin was a late cut from the junior A Cowichan Valley Capitals training camp, and while Osmond likes to see his players advance to the next level, he couldn’t deny that it was nice to see the 17-year-old Lake Cowichan product return for a second season.
“We’re happy to have him back,” Osmond said.
Another sophomore, Parker Ellis, had the lone assist on Franklin’s marker. Anderson and Spandli both faced 34 shots on the night. Although he was edged out for the victory by a single save, Anderson still impressed Osmond.
“He gave us a chance to win,” the owner said.
By and large, the Islanders’ crop of rookies did just what the coaches were looking for in the opener.
“It was a team performance, and that’s what we’re looking for this year,” Osmond said.
The Isles will play their first home game of the 2016-17 campaign this Saturday against the Peninsula Panthers, starting at 7:30 p.m.
The team is still looking for a committed timekeeper for the season. For more information email islandersjrb@shaw.ca
