It has been more than 13 years since a meaningful junior hockey game has been played in Quesnel and 14 years for Williams Lake.
That will change tonight. (Friday)
The Quesnel River Rush will take on the Merritt at 7 o’clock tonight.
Coach and General Manger Dale Hladun says he likes where they’re at to start the season, but he says it is a work in progress.
“I like the core of our club. At our level we’re still waiting for players. Even though we’re ranked Junior A, we’re still kind of that A-B level. So as it stands right now we’re still waiting for kids to come from Saskatchewan, Alberta leagues and even the Western League, so as it stands now I don’t mind our line-up. It’s a good September lineup to start a season, but I’ve been in this league a long time and really your true line-up really isn’t formed until the end of October.”
Hladun says the players are chomping at the bit.
“They love it in Quesnel already. They love the rink, they love how this Board is taking care of them, they love the fact that they’re already signing autographs. It’s a whole new world for them. The crowds that have showed up in exhibition. This North Okanagan team played in front of an average of about 70 fans last year. You could count all the fans they played in front of last year during “oh Canada.” So to have the fans we had just in pre-season had them giggling.”
The Williams Lake Mustangs will host the Sicamous Eagles tonight and the 100 Mile House Wranglers will entertain the Osoyoos Coyotes to kick off their 11th season in the KIJHL.
Both of those games are also 7 o’clock starts.
All three Cariboo teams are also on home ice tomorrow (Saturday) night.
Quesnel will host Sicamous, Williams Lake takes on Merritt and 100 Mile will entertain Revelstoke.
Something going on in the Cariboo you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
