Kakoske Comfy In Thunderbird Nest:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Kakoske comfy in Thunderbird nest

Ryan Kakoske has shown a knack for making the most of his opportunities.
When the Vernon Vipers started the 2007-08 season with a rookie-laden blueline, it was Kakoske who raised his game to lead the dee corps. Until that point, he had really only been a top-six guy, but he went on to earn the Vipers’ Best Defenceman award.
In his freshman season of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) hockey with the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds this year, Kakoske was a healthy scratch for three of the team’s first four games. After the T-Birds lost a few starting blueliners to injury, the 22-year-old Vernon product got the nod, and he never gave UBC coach Milan Dragocevic a reason to relegate him to the press box.
“When we were evaluating our team, he kind of flew under the radar,” said Dragocevic, of Kakoske. “He came in here and it was a bit of an adjustment for him.
“But when he played, he just played very solid defence and made sound decisions with the puck. Later in the year he became our go-to guy on the PK. He did a good job of solidifying our defence.”
To judge Kakoske solely on his stats would be folly. His only goals came in a pair of weekend exhibition games against the NAIT Ooks in January. Other than that, he had three assists and 10 penalty minutes in 24 regular-season games.
However, Dragocevic sees no reason why Kakoske can’t become a premier shutdown d-man in the Canada West.
“We have a good team coming back, and Ryan will be counted upon heavily to log some minutes and to be a leader on our team. For the last 20 to 25 games, that’s what he was for us.”
Kakoske, who may transfer from arts to commerce next fall, knew it wasn’t going to be easy to crack the T-birds’ lineup as a rookie.
“As the season went on, because of injuries and such, I got a chance to play in a lot of different situations,” said Kakoske. “I performed well enough that it didn’t allow them to take me out of those spots.
“It’s a little faster, and a little quicker, but the big difference is the strength. They’re 23- and 24-year-old men, as opposed to pushing around 17- and 18-year-olds.”
Despite a slow start due to a shoulder injury, Vernon’s other hockey product on the T-Birds, Matt Schneider, also had a solid season. In 20 games, the 6-foot-6 pivot posted 2-2-4 and 18 PIM in a checking role with UBC.
“He had his best year with us this year,” said Dragocevic. “He wore a letter... he’s just one of those players that does the little things right – he wins faceoffs, blocks shots. His primary role is to be a big centreman who shuts down the opposition.
“Both these players (Kakoske and Schneider) are players you can build a foundation around.”
Schneider, who notched 144 points in 199 games with the Tri-City Americans before UBC, will have surgery on a torn labrum next week. He’s hoping to be fully recovered for next season.
The Vernon duo helped UBC go 11-14-3 in the regular season, good enough for fifth in Canada West.
After dropping Game 1 of their best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal with the Lethbridge Pronghorns earlier this month, the T-Birds won a pair of overtime decisions (3-2 and 4-3) to advance to the semis.
They were swept 2-0 by the Saskatchewan Huskies last weekend.
Kakoske believes the experience will only help UBC next season.
“We had a dozen first-year players, so hopefully we’re a team that’s on the rise. We’ve got a lot of returning guys.”
Kakoske is loving being out on his own, and he loves the T-Birds’ new digs at the new 6,000-plus capacity Thunderbird Arena.
“I’m enjoying it a lot. I played my entire junior career living at home, so it was nice to get out to see what life is actually like.”
Meanwhile, Max Gordichuk, a towering d-man who recorded five points in 48 games with the Vipers in 2002-03, posted 2-7-9 and 16 PIM with the Thunderbirds.