Rett Rook returned to the Kerry Park Islanders in the nick of time.
The Islanders No.1 netminder was back between the pipes on Tuesday night for game four of the team’s best-of seven first-round Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League playoff series against the Saanich Braves, and backstopped the team to a huge victory, tying the series at two games apiece and guaranteeing Kerry Park another home date this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Rook was seeing his first action since he went on the injured reserve with concussion symptoms on Feb. 12. He was cleared to play earlier in the day, and the team got him some ice time at noon, coach Aaron Spotts and a few players firing pucks at him. The team even called his parents in Alberta to make sure they felt he was good to go.
“We put him in, and he was outstanding,” Islanders owner Mark Osmond said. “And they played a pretty good team game.”
Rook stopped 46 of the 47 shots he faced, and Jordan Martin scored two goals, including the game winner.
Martin opened the scoring with the only goal of the first period. The Braves answered back with a powerplay goal at 6:20 of the second, but Martin restored the lead with his second of the game, also on the man advantage.
Josh Poland, who assisted on Martin’s opener, added some insurance with another powerplay marker in the third.
Including Tuesday’s game, the Islanders have won Rook’s last four starts against the Braves, and Osmond feels his return gives the team a big advantage over the next three games.
“He’s in their heads,” the owner said. “I think we have a psychological edge with him. For the rest of the team, having him there, they have a bit more of their swagger back.”
The winning mindset is huge for the Isles, Osmond added.
“No matter how well coached and prepared you are, you’re not going to beat anybody if you don’t go in there and think you can do it,” he said.
The Isles play at home on Saturday, regardless of how Thursday’s game in Saanich (which happened after press time) played out. A win for Kerry Park would set up an opportunity for the team to end the series in their own barn.
