Talent-Laden Kings Entertain Vipers In Royal Bank Cup Opener:

This is in todays Morning Star Newspaper:

Talent-laden Kings entertain Vipers in Royal Bank Cup opener

Vipers return to Cup final

Published: April 29, 2010

DAUPHIN, MAN. – As hosts of the Royal Bank Cup, the Dauphin Kings have been able to assemble some of the best Junior A hockey talent in North America. While they are obviously a highly skilled unit, Kings’ head coach Marlin Murray cites three keys to the team’s success – work ethic, attention to detail and structure.

“For us to have a real skilled hockey team with individuals who are real good players, sometimes their ice times could be cut and sometimes they have to adapt to another role,” said Murray, citing the team’s checking line of Mitch Czibere, Cody Esposito and Troy Hunter as an example. All three would likely earn top-line minutes on another team.

“But they’re happy to be on our checking line,” said Murray. “They know their role and they’re hard to play against. They shut down the opposition’s line while they still put the puck in the net, as well.”

Murray says the line matching throughout the playoffs has also been a key to the team’s success.

“Our attention to detail with matching lines was excellent. Once their match up comes off the ice, our players come off, as well. They change and they buy into that,” he said.

“And the last thing would be our team chemistry and the way we like each other, the way we stick up for each other and the way we go to bat for each other. It’s a real likable group. There’s not one or two cliques in that room. It’s 22 individuals with one common cause.

And that common cause is to come to the rink every day, work your butts off and we’ll be successful because our skill level will take over.”

The Kings, who open the RBC against the defending champion Vernon Vipers Saturday night, have one goal in mind.

“We want to win it,” Murray said. I think if we keep doing what we’re doing, we’re going to have a good opportunity to put ourselves in a position to play for on Sunday for a championship. But, obviously, we can’t get sidetracked.

“Our work ethic is going to have to be key. Our structured systems is going to have to be key in what we want to do on a day-to-day basis. And if we get those two ingredients, I think our skill level will take over at some point.”

The Kings ran away with the Manitoba league title this season finishing at 50-11-1-0, setting franchise records in wins and points (101). Their top line of Shane Luke (101 points), Ryan Dreger (99 points) and Zeanan Zeimer (76 points) account for much of the team’s offence

Bryce Lamb, who started the season on the first line, centres the No. 2 unit with Steven Shamanski and either Angus Klassen or Devin Mitzner. Shamanski, a defenceman turned forward, leads Dauphin in playoff scoring with 22 points in 13 games.

Czibere is trying to make history by adding a RBC trophy to a Memorial Cup prize. Czibere, of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., helped the Vancouver Giants claim the 2007 Memorial Cup. He spent three years with Vancouver and one season with the Regina Pats.