It’s back-to-back games against the top two teams in the Pacific Junior Hockey League or more appropriately a first-term exam for the young and re-tooled Delta Ice Hawks.
After gaining some traction in the ultra-competitive Tom Shaw Conference by earning seven points in their last four games, the Ice Hawks (5-3-2-2) will be put to the test in a big way on the road Saturday night against the defending champion North Vancouver Wolf Pack (10-1-0-0). It will then be the first meeting of the season against cross-river rival Richmond Sockeyes (8-1-0-0) on Tuesday (7:35 p.m.) at the Ladner Leisure Centre.
The Wolfpack and Sockeyes are each averaging about six goals per game. Delta’s 4-1 loss to North Van back on Sept. 7 was the most goals it has surrendered all season.
“It’s been about a month since we played them so it’s going to be interesting to see how we have progressed as a team since then,” said Ice Hawks GM and head coach Steve Robinson. “Those two teams have separated themselves from everyone else. Both have a lot veteran forwards and firepower.
“We will need to play constructively within our system, be patient and, most importantly, do it for three periods so we won’t get embarrassed.”
It’s that level of consistently Robinson is still waiting to see.
After being shutout for the second time this season by Grandview, the offence woke up in a big way in an 8-1 home ice thrashing of the Abbotsford Pilots. However, the Hawks looked far from dominant two nights later against winless Surrey, needing four unanswered goals in the third to win 6-1.
It was also a slow start in Port Moody last Saturday before salvaging a 2-2 tie against the last place Panthers.
Robinson was pleased with his team’s opening 20 minutes against Mission on Tuesday but it was followed with an awful second period before rebounding for a 4-2 win.
The team has certainly benefitted from the return of second-year forward Jiwhan Kim who has three goals in five games and will only get better as he gets into mid-season game shape.
“He is one of those dynamic type players that can create things on his own,” added Robinson. “Our power play is better and now we have two scoring lines we can put out there.”
