麻豆社区

The Whitehorse Huskies will open the Coy Cup tournament this afternoon versus the Smithers Steelheads.

The senior AA鈥坔ockey club made the 15-hour trip to Terrace, B.C., by coach bus overnight Sunday, arriving in time for a light skate at the Sportsplex last night.

Today鈥檚 Huskies-Steelheads game begins at 4 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. contest between the host Terrace River Kings and defending champion Fort St. John Flyers.

The Steelheads recently won the Central Interior Hockey League over the Williams Lake Stampeders.

The Huskies 鈥� sponsored by Nuway Crushing Ltd. 鈥� enter the four-team tournament at full strength, a notion that thrills head coach Mike Tuton.

鈥淚鈥檓 real excited with all the guys that got off the bus and made it down here,鈥� he said this morning. 鈥淚鈥檓 as happy as I could be with the roster that we鈥檝e got down here.

鈥淐ompared to last year, we鈥檝e put ourselves in good shape.鈥�

The club鈥檚 top line of Adam Henderson between captain Evan Campbell and Kane Dawe is expected to lead the way after a dominating playoff performance against the Powell River Regals earlier this month.

The second line will be equally dangerous, featuring the Nanook connection of Derek Klassen and Kevin Petovello alongside former QMJHL 麻豆社区Ted Stephens.

The third line will feature Rob Stuckey between Rob Warner and Colin Dendys, with Daniel Cletheroe and Chris Gleason also dressed as extra forwards.

Jared Tuton and Simon Nugent will anchor the blue-line, followed by Gibson Pearson and Kaleb Dawe, then Jon Rudolph, Burt Stephens and Chuck Hombert.

JJ鈥圙ainsforth will start tonight鈥檚 game, backed up by Brad Gustafson.

Mike Arnold and Ryan Gleason did not make the trip, while university student Joe Densmore may join the team from Victoria later in the week.

Kane Dawe, 25, is a Coy Cup veteran after a stint with the Fort Nelson Yeti in 2014.

鈥淚f we play like we did there in Whitehorse on the Sunday, I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l be just fine,鈥� the pesky forward said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely going to be a lot more fun playing with these guys.鈥�

He said playing mystery opponents is all about feeling it out.

鈥淭hese teams will have a lot more experience on the year because they actually play in a league, but ... it鈥檚 senior hockey. Everybody mostly plays the same.鈥�

Terrace, population 12,000, is a former Hockeyville winner in 2009.

Defenceman Jared Tuton said there is a buzz in the city ahead of the Coy Cup playdowns.

鈥淓veryone鈥檚 excited to be here,鈥� said Tuton, 30. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like we鈥檙e kids again ... and we鈥檙e here to win.鈥�

Huskies players were gifted 鈥済oodie bags鈥� from a local sports store and will enjoy the luxury of the same dressing room all week, Tuton said.

鈥淪o far, it鈥檚 been pretty classy.鈥�

The Huskies will face off with the River Kings Wednesday at 7 p.m. followed by a tilt with the Flyers Thursday at 4 p.m.

The semifinals will take place Friday with the Coy Cup champs to be determined Saturday.