A few weeks back it was mentioned the trade train may provide some much needed help for our Heat. Well low and behold changes have been made and time will tell if the mathematical processes of addition and subtraction provide a winning solution.
Two of the additions were already part of the team but were rehabbing long term hockey related aches and pains. Goalie Meyer Gaume has moved back into the crease and 20 year old forward Jarod Sigouin is a welcome addition upfront. Along with those two positives, forwards Hudson Ketsa, Kaleb Preymak and Tyson Tokarz have fit seamlessly into the lineup.
In the past week there were 3 road games on the docket, but the November 30th rodeo in 100 Mile House was postponed due to weather. Saturday night the 3rd of December was a short trip west to Kamloops to face the Storm. This contest lasted 9 minutes short of 3 hours due to a fair dose or two of mayhem. It didn’t have to go that way but less then 8 minutes in Jalen Davidson was knocked cold by an unpenalized ugly head contact that put him in the hospital. That resulted in an unscheduled melee that bubbled under the surface all game long. Perhaps that team unity will be the spark for more positive results to come. Gaume stopped 34 of 38 to keep his team in this one, the end result a 4-0 loss.
Sunday afternoon in Sicamous the Heat faced off versus the Eagles. With a depleted roster due to injuries and suspensions from the night before a valiant effort was put in by the Chase crew. Outshot 56 to 23 Gaume once again kept his team in the game. The 1st ended 1-0 Eagles. In the 2nd Sigouin scored a beauty unassisted, but Sicamous countered, after 40 it was 2-1. In the 3rd period Kieran Armitage from Tokarz and Maddex Bignell tie the game. The Eagles popped in a pair of goals but late in this one Sigouin proved his worth assisted by Mikkel Hrechka and Tokarz to make it close. 4-3 loss, but the weekend brought light to the long dark tunnel the team has endured recently.
Preymak came in trade from Revelstoke Grizzlies and brings much needed grit and energy. Tokarz was traded from the Grand Forks Border Bruins and is smart, skilled and currently the Heat’s leading scorer. Ketsa fit into the lineup immediately and works hard every shift.
Next on the schedule the Osoyoos Coyotes are at the Art Holding Memorial Arena this Friday the 9th. The Sicamous Eagles fly in Saturday night the 10th for rematch and last but not least the Grizzlies from Revelstoke arrive in Chase Wednesday the 13th. The new and improved Heat will be waiting for all three foes. It’s a nice stretch of home games and hockey hounds should take advantage of attending one or more of these humdingers! See you there.
