Junior hockey has a cut off date of Jan. 10 each hockey season where trades, releases and acquisitions all come to a stop.
In the KIJHL, each franchise is allowed to have a maximum of 23 carded players, including two goaltenders on its roster.
As the 10th came to Heatville, little was expected to change. The roster was pretty much set as some tinkering of parts had taken place earlier.
Then the phone rang.
It was the Surrey Eagles of the BCHL (Junior A), and they were looking for that one player that could help them. They knew what they wanted the Heat’s leading scorer – Salmon Arm native Logan Mostat – and they were in a hurry to get him to the West Coast.
Within the confines of the Art Holding Memorial Arena, it is always the mindset of the organization to assist players to reach their full potential and, in the process, move up to the next level. So, Logan “Stat” Mostat made the decision to head west with the full support of his fellow players and the Heat Hockey Club and Society.
As the leading scorer, Mostat leaves a huge hole in the roster and players of his calibre don’t fall into your lap. So, the other 20 skaters will be expected to do just a little bit more, bear down a bit harder, give extra effort and, from that, it is expected the next Mostat will rise to the top and get the same great opportunity.
On Jan. 6, the Heat were the guests of the Kamloops Blazers as they took on the Prince George Cougars at the Sandman Centre. Players and team staff were very thankful for this true sportsmanlike gesture and the opportunity it presented.
Friday night, Jan. 8 saw the game of the year played as the Summerland Steam stopped in Chase; the two very equal teams in the KIJHL standings and statistics faced each other. This see-saw battle saw Chase score on two of five power-play opportunities while firing 36 shots. The Steam opened scoring in the first. In the second Travis Beaubien scored the equalizer from Zach Fournier and Austin Willier. Summerland got two to end the second. In the third, Tommy Brown scored on the man advantage from Braden Hughes and Trevor Okino.
Summerland popped one in before Logan Mostat put an exclamation mark on his Heat career by scoring on an end-to-end rush, on the power play from Brown and Hughes. With 53 seconds left, Hughes blasted a cannon for the tie from Kolten Moore and Okino.
Then to overtime and Brad Whitehead drills the puck in the net assisted by Brown and Mason Palaga, a 5-4 come-from-behind win, and the noisy fans went home elated.
Saturday night the 9th found the Heat in Revelstoke facing the Grizzlies. Michael Fidanza in the first scored on the man advantage from Hughes and Moore, then the mad Bears tied it up.
In the second, Alex Durbeniuk scored a sweet one from Spencer Farstad and Fournier. However, in the third, Revelstoke scored two unanswered goals to claim a 3-2 come-from-behind win. The result made for a quiet bus ride home to the shores of Little Shuswap Lake.
Next up at home, are the 100 Mile House Wrangles who always take no prisoners.
This battle is on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Art Holding Memorial Arena.
