It’s a homer series in every sense of the word.
The Cowichan Valley Capitals begin their best-of-seven Island Division semifinal playoff series on the road against the Powell River Kings at Hap Parker Arena tonight, a facility that has not surrendered much this 2015-16 B.C. Hockey League season.
At 22-5-1-1 on home ice, the Kings are a formidable foe.
The two combatants split their seasonal matchups down the middle with four wins and four losses apiece — all eight victories going to the home team.
“It is a tough place to play,” said Capitals general manager and head coach Bob Beatty. “They have a great home record, but these are the playoffs. It shouldn’t matter what the venue is.”
The post-season is also rare for the Capitals, not having qualified for the playoffs since 2011-12, finishing fourth in what was then the eight-team Coastal Conference. That was the same year the Victoria Grizzlies last missed the playoffs.
“We’re excited for the new season,” said Beatty, who is in his third campaign in Duncan. “It’s the first time we’ve been in the playoffs in a few years. We’re hoping we can do some damage.
“Obviously, Powell River is an excellent club, but we feel good about ourselves. If we can play our best, I like our chances,” he added.
The Kings finished second in the division with a 33-20-4-1 record for 71 points, behind first-place finishers the Nanaimo Clippers at 38-18-1-1. The Clippers tonight play host to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, who toppled the Grizzlies for the last playoff spot with a record of 23-27-4-4. The Capitals were third at 27-25-3-3.
“The first year I was here we needed a single point in our final game to get in and we didn’t get one,” Beatty said, recalling the 2013-14 campaign in which the Caps were edged out by Alberni Valley for the last berth.
That was then and this is now, and Cowichan Valley heads into the playoffs with a trio of former Grizzlies in the lineup in Ayden Macdonald, Chris Harpur and Mitch Meek.
“Macdonald is a versatile player, in all situations. He’s a big body and a playoff-type performer,” said Beatty. “Harpur’s been excellent and he’s another great kid, like Macdonald, and a solid two-way defenceman.”
Meek just returned to the lineup last weekend.
“He’s in his fourth year in the league and we’re expecting him to be a big contributor.”
As for his expectations, Beatty believes in his charges.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a pushover, but I like our chances,” he said of the Capitals, who have actually played very well against the stronger BCHL teams, except for Nanaimo. “We’ve been a bit of a Jeykll-and-Hyde team. There’s no reason to believe we’re not going to bring our A-game. We’ve proved we can be that team.”
