For those good enough to play in national colours and forge profound relationships with teammates on the international stage, the oddest feeling must be to face those players again as foes at the club level.
Victoria Royals defenceman Joe Hicketts is doing that twice in the three-game swing through the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League. After meeting Nic Petan of the Portland Winter Hawks in a 4-3 loss Wednesday in the Rose City, Hicketts will be blasting shots at Tri-City Americans goaltender Eric Comrie on Saturday in Kennewick, Washington. Hicketts, Petan and Comrie won gold medals together this month on the Canadian team at the 2015 world junior championship.
So, is there much talking back and forth between national teammates when back on opposite sides at the club level?
“It differs with every guy,” said Hicketts.
But make no mistake. It’s back to battle stations in the WHL. There comes a time to put away the red and white and again don the various club hues.
The Royals (26-20-4 and winners of eight of their last 11 games) meet the Chiefs (23-20-4) tonight in Spokane before taking on the Americans (24-23-2).
“Both these teams play well in their own buildings and are very structured. They will provide a good challenge for us at a critical stretch of the season,” said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
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With Victoria on 56 points and Spokane and Tri-City each on 50, Western Conference playoff seedings are become a factor to consider. Finishing in the top-four of the conference means avoiding this season’s dangerous three of Kelowna (78 points), Everett (64) and Portland (61) in the first round.
“It’s a bit of a playoff atmosphere already,” said Hicketts, of the three-game U.S. set that began with a pulsating contest in Portland.
Lowry liked what he saw in the opener of the trip, despite the loss.
“It was an excellent game. There was lots of emotion [in Portland] but it was well controlled,” he said.
Victoria goes into Spokane tonight after having swept the Chiefs 8-1 and 4-2 in their last meetings this month at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. Lowry was away at the world junior championships as Canadian team assistant coach and not on the Royals bench for that set. The Chiefs won the first game in Spokane 4-2 in November. Tonight concludes the season series between the clubs.
Meanwhile, the Royals’ veteran, offensively-skilled mid-season trade acquisitions — forwards Alex Forsberg and Greg Chase — continue to show well. Forsberg scored twice in Portland on Wednesday and has five goals over the last four games. The Edmonton Oilers-signed Chase had a three-game goal streak halted in Portland but was dangerous all night.
“We brought them in to fill a need and they are doing what we expected of them,” said Lowry.
Victoria returns from Washington state to host the Red Deer Rebels on Feb. 7 at the Memorial Centre.
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