Looking to get back to the win column, the Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals take on the Peninsula Panthers Saturday night at Oceanside Place in Parksville.
This marks the first time these two teams will meet this season, with the Panthers sporting a record of three wins, five losses for six points. The Gens sit at one win, five losses and a tie for three points.
“It’s a must win game for us,” captain Chandler Bruyckere said. “It sucks to have to say that seven games into the season but it’s a must win. Peninsula hasn’t had that good of a start to their season and we need to show that we’re not the same team we were last season. In a game like this, it’s a must win for us and we’ve got to come out ready to play. Plain and simple.”
After their 5-2 loss to the Comox Valley Glacier Kings Sunday, the Gens weren’t happy with the outcome and the coaching staff wasn’t happy with the effort. The team will look to change that.
“We have to be better all around,” forward Sebastian Powsey said. “We can’t afford to play like individuals, we need to work as a team. We played terrible last weekend against Comox and we deserved that loss.”
“After we beat them earlier last week, we came in to that Sunday game way too relaxed and we weren’t ready at all. We need to be ready for every game we play, it doesn’t matter if we’re coming off a win or a loss, and we need to be ready. If we don’t come ready, we’re not going to win.”
Saturday night’s game is the third for newest Gen, forward Conner Mowatt, who was dealt from the Nanaimo Buccaneers in exchange for defenseman Gibson Doney. Mowatt is excited to be here and looks forward to gelling with his teammates through the season.
“It’s a good group of guys here,” Mowatt said. “They welcomed me in nicely, so that’s always good. It’s an exciting opportunity, getting a chance to earn some ice time and show what I can do for the team. I was a little nervous for the first home game here last weekend so hopefully those jitters will be gone this weekend for me personally.”
Mowatt describes himself as a gritty forward, which Bruyckere said they need.
“He’s the type of guy you want on your side,” Bruyckere said. “Whenever we played against him, I’d always be watching out and making sure I knew where he was when he was on the ice.”
“He’s the kind of player that you don’t enjoy playing against because he gets on opponents. Having him on our team, he brings that energy, he brings that grit and he’s solid defensively, which gives him a lot of versatility against teams in this league.”
