For the first time, Victoria Salmon Kings GM and head coach Mark Morrison attended a hockey game at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre for pleasure and just to watch like anybody else.

He said he had a heck of a good time, during the WHL-Russia Subway Super Series game Wednesday, meeting up with old Victoria Cougars from his junior days such as Grant Fuhr, Geoff Courtnall, Richard Hajdu and Brad Palmer.

But the brief holiday is over and it’s back to work tonight and tomorrow at the Memorial Centre when Morrison’s Victoria Salmon Kings take on the Ontario Reign, farm team of the Los Angeles Kings, in ECHL encounters at 7 both nights.

Morrison was interviewed during Wednesday’s national telecast on Sportsnet and set a few things straight about Victoria as a hockey city. Apparently, some outsiders think all we do here is row, sail, golf, run, cycle, race triathlons, kick soccer balls and produce an endless supply of Summer Olympians for Canada.

“I think a lot of officials, sponsors and media here Wednesday were surprised, and somewhat delighted by the response to the [WHL-Russia] game, and that was reflected in some of the questions during that [Sportsnet] interview,” said Morrison.

“I just told them the way it is: Victoria is a great hockey market and this city supports all levels of hockey from ECHL professional to BCHL Junior A to a number of Junior B teams.”

Morrison’s mandate now is to advance pro careers from the ECHL to the AHL, with defenceman Taylor Ellington making the move this week from the Salmon Kings to the Manitoba Moose.

The rookie and native Victorian Ellington, with Olivier Latendresse and Randall Gelech one of three Salmon Kings from this season who played in past Subway Super Series, was nowhere near the best blue-line performer this season for Victoria. But Ellington was taken early in the second round of the 2007 draft, 33rd overall by the Vancouver Canucks, and is a contracted prospect with upside.

His early-season struggles as a pro — Ellington had a goal and four assists in 13 games for Victoria but was also sat out — again underlines that the jump from junior to even the ECHL level can be difficult.

“Taylor has to learn to show up every night on a consistent basis,” said Morrison. “He is a good player but needs consistency. You have to be consistently good. That’s what NHL teams are looking for. We sat him out a few games. He came around the last few games and played well.”

Veteran AHL, ECHL and European pro defenceman Tim Wedderburn of the Salmon Kings was one of those who took Ellington under his wing.

“I tried to help him out every chance I got and

Taylor listened and worked hard and deserves this,” said Wedderburn.

While Ellington is gone, the urgency in the Victoria camp remains. Off to a dismal 4-11-1 start, the ECHL last-place Salmon Kings have to make a move and need to be targeting the Reign (8-8-2) this weekend.

“The Reign are very well coached and you need real patience against them,” said Morrison.

“Yet you also need to be aggressive and take the lead on them because they are a hard team to play from behind. The only thing that takes Ontario [from Southern California] out of its tight game plan is to take the lead on them.”

When things aren’t going well, the breaks all seem to flow the other way and the Salmon Kings say they can’t believe how many close chances they’ve missed in the early going of the season. That’s even more reason to keep plugging, said forward Andy Brandt.

“You have to earn your bounces,” noted the former University of Wisconsin Badger, who has four goals and eight points this season. “The harder you work, the more bounces you get.”