What a difference a day makes. The Quality Foods Oceanside Generals, after a lackadaisical performance on Friday night at home against the Victoria Cougars, found a way to redeem themselves on the road against the Comox Valley Glaciers Kings on Saturday night.
The Generals were mauled 6-1 by the Cougars which head coach Jesse Hammill said was due to virtually lack of effort, particularly on the defensive end.
“We didn’t do our system tonight what we worked on and wasted in practice time this week,” said Hammill, who agonizingly had to watch the game from afar because of a one-game suspension.“We didn’t do it. Literally, I can look you straight in the eyes and tell you we should have just stayed home this week in practice because we worked on some things that were going to make us better and keep it routine for us. The guys just didn’t want to do it. It’s just frustrating when you know what these guys can deliver and how they can play. But it has to be the whole and it can’t just be individuals.”
The Generals were slow off the gates and allowed the Cougars to dominate much of the action at their end as the visitors preyed on their weak defence. They gave up two goals. On offence, the Generals were almost shut out in the first 10 minutes of the opening period as they were unable to fire a single shot at the Cougars’ goal.
They eventually woke up and were able to pressure the Cougars a bit and held back the Cougars offence. The Generals were outshot 13-7.
In the second period, the Generals lost focus and energy again as they were held to just six shots throughout the frame while the Cougars launched 17 shots that resulted in three more goals to extend their lead to 5-0. The General that kept the Cougars from piling up the points was goalie Jacob Sweet who did his best to limit the damage when all around him crumbled. There were moments when Sweet showed his frustration.
The Generals brought some life in the third period and had success early scoring at 1:13 by Gavin Lawrie, unassisted. But they lacked consistency and it didn’t take long for the Cougars to pounce on the Generals’ poor transition game again to add one more goal to seal the game 6-1 in Victoria’s favour.
“I feel bad for Sweeter,” said Hammil. “He’s hung out to dry tonight. I feel his frustration. When you give up that many defensive errors its going to cost you. We didn’t transition with any speed and we didn’t play defensively with any speed. That’s what you have to do. You’ve got to close space. You have to take lanes. And that’s how you create offence from your defence.”
Hammill said they don’t want to see another lackadaisical performance again. They plan to make some changes.
“We are not going to let it continue this way,” said Hammill. “If changes have to be made, they have to be made.”
On Saturday night, the Generals came out to play and they atoned for their dismal home game performance by trouncing the Glacier Kings 7-1.
The Generals dominated the first period, launching 14 shots while limiting the home team to just two.
But they only found the back of the net once on the power play by Jory Swanson. In the second period, the Generals kept the pressure on and scored twice, one on the man advantage by Landon Dziadyk and the other unassisted by Nick Robinson. The Glacier Kings tested the Generals defence in the second had 11 shots while the Generals had 16.
In the final frame, the Generals netted four more goals. Elijah Goyer had two goals while Dziadyk scored his second of the night. Greyson Weme netted the fourth goal of the frame for the Generals. The Glacier Kings avoided the shut out when Dayton Keith scored on the power play.
Generals’ back up goalie James Brendaland recorded his first win between the pipes, making 24 saves out of 25 shots. The Generals will be on the road for their next three games.
On Friday, Oct. 5, they head to Campbell River to face the Storm. On Sunday, Oct. 7, the Generals face the Kerry Park Islanders and on Oct 12, they go back to Comox to take on the Glacier Kings.
