The Save-On-Foods Oceanside Generals will look to make it two in a row this weekend as they host he Comox Valley Glacier Kings this Saturday, 7:30 p.m. at Oceanside Place.
The Generals, coming off a big 10-3 win over the Peninsula Panthers last weekend, will look to have their first winning streak of the season. The Generals have two wins so far on the season, to go along with seven losses, and are looking for their third win.
“We’ve been working on some situational things, one on one defensively,” Jason Johns said.
“The effort has been there in every game and it’s continually getting better. Our shot totals have shown we’ve been in control in our last few games so we’re starting to put it together.”
The Generals exploded for a season high ten goals, the biggest offensive outburst in the VIJHL by any team this season. Going 2-6 on the power play in their last game, the Gens showed that putting the puck on the net could be a good thing, getting three goals from their defensemen in the last game.
“We’ve controlled the shots our last three or four games,” assistant coach Rob Gaudreault said.
“We told them to put the pucks on net, not be afraid to go hard to the net. Good things happen when you put shots on goal and luckily for us, we’ve been getting some contributions from the back end.”
Currently trailing the Glacier Kings in the standings by five points, the Generals know what they need to do in order to come away with another victory.
The effort has been there but it’s their discipline that needs to come out once again, according to the coaching staff.
“Our penalty minutes have been going down consistently these last four games,” Johns said.
“We went from having forty–something minutes in penalties to just eight minutes in our last game against Peninsula. If we can keep ourselves from taking penalties and play with discipline, we’ll have a real good shot at making it two in a row.”
For assistant coach Rob Gaudreault, who was with the team through the roller coaster season last year, the difference in the team this season is something he’s enjoyed watching grow with each passing game.
“The team was older last season, a lot older,” Gaudreault said.
“This is a young team that’s been growing together and each game they’re getting better and better. It’s been a pleasure to watch it all come along like this, especially because they’ve all been putting in the hard work that’s required to win hockey games.”
Defenseman David Biagioni is still waiting word as to how long a suspension he will receive, initially thought to be six games but the official word hasn’t come down.
Newcomer Jordan Bautista is banged up after blocking a shot with 20 seconds left in the 10–3 win and will look to heal up before the weekend.
Captain Wyatt Meiers is dealing with an illness and his return this weekend is questionable.