By Adam Dunfee /
The BC Major Midget League is through 12 weeks of play and things are getting tight at the top of the standings. Here’s a look in on each team’s performances over the past two weekends.
CARIBOO COUGARS
With 31 points, the Cariboo Cougars still remain in top spot in the MML after Weekend 12 but there are three teams right behind them all tied at 30 points. The Cougars, who have been decimated by the flu for much of the season, were finally able to ice a full roster in their Weekend 12 matchup against the Vancouver North West Giants. Despite the full lineup, the Giants won the first game of the weekend 6-2 but the Cougars responded with a 4-2 win in the Sunday game.
FRASER VALLEY BRUINS
Despite going 1-2-1 in their last four games, the Fraser Valley Bruins actually gained ground in the playoff race. After Weekend 10, the Bruins were four points out of a playoff spot; but after Weekend 12, they found themselves only one point out thanks to the struggles of the sixth place North Island Silvertips. Coach Pat Ansell says his team has been playing well as of late but hasn’t been having the best of luck.
GREATER VANCOUVER CANADIANS
The Greater Vancouver Canadians have been the hottest team in the MML of late. With their sweep of the North Island Silvertips on Weekend 12, the Canadians have run their winning streak to six games and have won nine of their last 10 games. After Weekend 12, the Canadians find themselves in a three-way tie for second spot in the MML. The Canadians face a big test on Weekend 13 as they’ll travel to Kelowna to take on the Okanagan Rockets, one of the teams they are tied with in the standings.
KOOTENAY ICE
The Kootenay Ice returned to the loss column on Weekend 11 dropping two games to the Greater Vancouver Canadians by scores of 6-1 and 6-0. Coach Brent Petrick says fatigue is one of the reasons the team has struggled as 14 of their first 20 games were on the road. Petrick is optimistic that with 14 of the team’s next 20 games at home, the Ice will start to get better results. After 12 weekends, the Ice are last in the MML standings with eight points.
NORTH ISLAND SILVERTIPS
After being swept on Weekend 12 by the Greater Vancouver Canadians, the North Island Silvertips’ losing streak has stretched to five games. Coach Steve Parsons says confidence is an issue for the Silvertips right now and he points to a 7-6 win over the Vancouver North East Chiefs a month ago as the game that shook the Silvertips belief in themselves. In that game, the Silvertips allowed the Chiefs to come back from a 7-1 deficit. Leading up to their Weekend 13 matchup against the Kootenay Ice, Parsons says he will inject more fun into the team’s practices in an attempt to help his players get their confidence back. It hasn’t been all bad news though for the Silvertips as forward Evan Richardson was named the MML player of the month for November. Richardson scored nine goals and collected nine assists in eight games during the month.
OKANAGAN ROCKETS
Confidence is a double-edged sword. When a team is confident, they play at their highest level; but if a team becomes over-confident, they begin to take things for granted. The latter was happening to the Okanagan Rockets, says coach Misko Antisin and as a result, the team was going into road games ill-prepared and their record was reflecting it. To try and turn the Rockets road play around, Antisin and his coaching staff adjusted their practices so they would better simulate road game situations. The new-look practices paid dividends fast as in their last two weekend series, both of which were on the road, the Canadians went 2-0-2 to bring their away record to 4-5-3.
SOUTH ISLAND THUNDERBIRDS
The South Island Thunderbirds struggles continue. After knocking off the league-leading Cariboo Cougars to end their seven-game losing streak, the Thunderbirds were back in the loss column on Weekend 12, losing 5-2 and 5-3 to the Vancouver North East Chiefs. After Weekend 12, the Thunderbirds find themselves in 10th place in the standings with 11 points.
THOMPSON BLAZERS
Forward Shane Danyluk is the Thompson Blazers leading goal scorer despite missing several games due to an ankle injury. The 15-year-old has 11 goals in 16 games and is second in team scoring with 20 points. After Weekend 12, the Blazers sit in ninth place in the MML with 12 points.
VALLEY WEST HAWKS
Defenceman Brodie Serka, Mike Simpson and forward Mark McLellan have been joined the Hawks and coach Kirk Star says they have fit in well. The Hawks snapped their four-game losing streak on Weekend 12, beating the North Island Silvertips 3-2. The Hawks beat the Silvertips again the next day 4-1. After Weekend 12, the Hawks are five points out of the last playoff spot.
VANCOUVER NORTH EAST CHIEFS
The Vancouver North East Chiefs sit in fifth place in the MML standings with 28 points after 12 weekends of play. The Chiefs swept their Weekend 12 matchup against the South Island Thunderbirds winning 5-2 and 5-3.
VANCOUVER NORTH WEST GIANTS
The Vancouver North West Giants had their six-game win streak snapped by the Cariboo Cougars on Weekend 12. The Giants opened the weekend with a 6-2 win over the Cougars but dropped the second game 4-2. The Giants are one of the three teams tied for second in the MML standings after 12 weeks of play. The Giants, Okanagan Rockets and Greater Vancouver Canadians each have 30 points. |