RBC CUP 2014 The Excitement Returns!
A publication of the Vernon RBC Cup Host Committee
January 20th 2014 Volume 3, Issue 1
This Is Your RBC Cup Team
It's a veteran team, with six 20-year-olds, eight 19-year-olds, and five 18-year-olds. Twelve of the players have secured NCAA scholarships, with more on the way. Four of the players (Mulcahy, Hannoun, Renz, and Sparrow) have played in an RBC Cup and two others (McNicholas and Bryan) participated in last year's Western Canada Cup.
The team has size, speed, scoring talent, and solid goaltending. What's not to like?
And yet the Vipers have been inconsistent at times, within games and from game to game. The good news here is that the players and coaches are well aware of this tendency and are working hard to become a more consistent group that reflects their talent and experience.
The following series of short biographies brings out the players' views of their respective roles in coming together to form an exciting, winning team. Along the way, we'll learn a little more about their personalities.
# 6 – Mr. Versatile
Every successful team needs versatile players like Michael Statchuk. A rock-solid defenceman, Michael has also played centre for the Vipers to fill in for injured forwards. He says his role is "primarily defensive, whether I'm playing up front or on the back end. I grind down low, forecheck hard, and back check just as hard." Although the juggling of positions may inhibit his chances of earning a college scholarship this year, Michael is not concerned: "I'm just trying to help the team win, and we have a really good chance of winning the league this year. We have the talent and we have a team-first mentality." It's interesting to note that since his transformation to a dual role, Michael seems to be skating faster and hitting harder than ever.
# 7 – The Boston Whirlwind
He's big; he's fast; and he makes his presence felt on the ice. Liam Coughlin is quite clear about his role on the team: "I think I'm expected to score the odd goal, but basically I just try to play a physical style on every shift. My job is to get pucks to the net and develop my defensive side when we don't have the puck." In other words, Liam sees himself as a power forward. He was quite happy to switch to the wing from centre, the position he played in Boston high school hockey. He says "That was the thing to do; I'm definitely going to be a winger at college." Liam is committed to the University of Massachusetts for next year. In the meantime, he's really enjoying his experience in Vernon, partly because of the hockey and partly because of his billets, Lynne and Rick Chisholm. "They really care for the guys they billet, so they've made the transition (of moving from one coast to the other and playing a different style of hockey) so much easier." Liam's key to Viper success this season is simple: "We have to play hard for 60 minutes of every game."
# 8 – Smooth As Silk
Riley Guenther was modest when asked to describe his style and calibre of play: "I'm a two-way defenceman. I like to be reliable in our zone, but I also like to jump into the play." After playing with Tri-City and Prince Albert in the WHL for three years, Riley was released by the Raiders in September because of their wealth of high-end D-men. "I was disappointed when it happened," says Riley, "but I'm 100 percent happy to get a chance to play here for a good team with a chance to win a national championship." A smooth skater with slick moves and a good shot, Riley has impressed Viper fans with his poised play. One concludes that the Raiders must have had some awfully good D-men in addition to Josh Morrisey and Sawyer Lange! Comparing the WHL to the BCHL, Riley doesn't see much difference in the calibre of play. "Dub players are bigger, for the most part, and maybe a step faster, but guys in this league can really play, too." He adds that he's "really excited about the potential this team has."
# 10 – Growing Up In A Hurry
Just barely 17, Tyler Povelofskie is mature for his age. The Williams Lake native, who played Midget hockey in Prince George last year, isn't sure that he's all that mature but he says that "when you leave home at a relatively young age, you're basically forced to grow up a bit because you're responsible for things. And hockey helps; you're held accountable, especially at this level." As one example, he points to his pickup truck, a gas guzzler that Tyler fondly refers to as his "Black Stallion." "One day a wheel just fell off and I had to take care of that setback." He takes care of business on the ice as well, understanding and staying within his role as a hard-working energy player. He also strives for consistency. "I think that's important for all of us," he says. "As a team, we've been up and down a little, so that's what we need to improve the rest of the year."
No comments:
Post a Comment