The Major Midget Kootenay Ice head for Prince George this weekend for a two-game set against the Cariboo Cougars.
The 3-5-0-0 Ice were idle last weekend, getting a bye in the fifth week of BC Major Midget League (BCMML) action. But the upcoming games are as crucial as games get this early in the season, with Kootenay trailing the Cougars by just two points in the BCMML standings.
“We have a tough match up against Cariboo in P.G., so we’re looking forward of getting on those guys, and hopefully stealing a couple games from them,” said Ice coach Kris Boyce.
The bye gives the Ice a little more time to prepare and work out the kinks in their systems, as well as allow injuries to heal.
“The guys that are banged up right now, it’ll give them a couple weeks to get back in the line up.”
Most of the Ice players had the weekend off, except for a few. Ice assistant captain Jaxson Waterstreet and Austin McKenzie suited up as affiliate players for the KIJHL’s Beaver Valley Nitehawks. Waterstreet dressed in all three weekend matches against the Nelson Leafs, Golden Rockets and Summerland Steam, while the 15-year-old McKenzie played against the Steam and Rockets.
Kootenay goaltender Charles Curiston dressed as backup for Nelson Leafs goalie C.J. Wedenig in their two contests against the Nitehawks and Rockets.
The Ice have played well this season, and deserved a better outcome in a 3-1 loss to the North Island Silvertips on Oct. 13. However, they’ll look to carry the momentum of a 7-2 Ice drubbing of the Silvertips the next day, when Kootenay captain Mason McLeod and forward Joe Davidson each tallied a hat trick. McLeoad leads the Ice in goals, 6, and is tied in points, 9, with Noah Quinn (1-8-9).
The Cougars have two former Kootenay Ice players in their line up this season, with forward Booker Daniel, a Vanderhoof native, and goalie Xavier Cannon currently on the Cariboo roster. Daniel, who was signed by the WHL Tri-City Americans in May, has suited up for just two games for the Cougars, scoring two and adding two assists. Last season, Daniel was second in Ice scoring, tallying 16 goals and 31 points in 28 games.
Cannon was picked as the Cougar starting goalie this season and has logged most of the minutes. Last season with the Ice, the Kamloops native split goaltending duties with Jake Kemp, playing in 20 games, with seven wins and 10 losses, and a 4.07 goals against average.
“The Kootenay Ice did beat us one game last year here at home and that had a lot to do with (Cannon),” Cougars general manager Trevor Sprague told the Prince George Citizen. “Being a six-foot-four goalie is a good thing and he’s got lots of experience in our league. He came back from Tri-City (training camp) and he’s a guy that’s going to be a big member of our hockey club.”
Last weekend, the Cougars split with the Thompson Blazers to push their record to 3-3-2-0, slotting them in eighth place in league standings, just ahead of the Ice.
The Cougars and Ice face off at 4 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Kin Centre.