From the opening day of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) regular season, the Osoyoos Coyotes have proven they are the team to beat.
After wrapping up the regular season title this past weekend, the Coyotes have three more games left in the regular season before “real hockey” begins in the playoffs.
The Coyotes are tentatively scheduled to begin what they hope will be a long run to a playoff championship next Friday evening at the Sun Bowl Arena.
They will be battling either the Kelowna Chiefs or Princeton Posse – both teams are tied in points heading into the final couple of games this coming weekend. The Coyotes will play whichever team finishes four in their division in the opening round.
Because of their sensational regular season accomplishments – they have lost only six times in regulation time in 49 games so far – the Coyotes are the heavy favourites to add the playoff championship to the regular season points title.
That means the players will have to be able to handle the extra burden of being expected to win each and every time they step on the ice in the playoffs.
The good news is this team is obviously exceptionally talented and should not fear any opponent considering how they have dismantled the opposition all season.
Head coach and general manager Ken Law also has the benefit of having several key veterans in the lineup who have experienced the heartache and disappointment of reaching the league semi-finals each of the past two years and falling just short of playing in the league finals.
With key veterans like Aaron Azevedo, Troy Maclise and Rainer Glimpel among the league scoring leaders all season, outstanding goaltending from veteran Lawrence Langan and newcomer Brett Soles, a solid core of defenceman and talented crew of rookie forwards, the Coyotes surely realize they have the talent and work ethic to win it all this season.
There are very good teams in this league such as Fernie, defending champion Beaver Valley and Kamloops, but the Coyotes have proven they are the class of the league for more than five months.
There’s no reason to believe the magical season of 2014-15 won’t result in a trip to the league championship series several weeks down the road.
There have been some very big crowds at the Sun Bowl Arena over the past few weeks as fans flock to see just how good this team really is.
They have failed to disappoint throughout the entire regular season and haven’t lost more than two games in a row since September.
They also enter the playoffs relatively healthy, which is often the difference between winning a championship and falling just short.
It has been a fun and magical ride throughout the entire season. There’s no reason to believe this club isn’t capable of playing even better now that the playoffs are just around the corner.
