Through the first half of the season, the Blues faced many top-ranked tier three teams, where they had to learn to compete as a team to be successful.
There were very few wins, but the hard work resulted in success in late January, as the players began to find their game.
Head coach Albert Bezaire said the younger players were forced to step up and the older players’ leadership skills were certainly put to the test.
The team was fortunate to have solid goal-tending from Brandon Ree-Lagace and was one of the least penalized teams in their flight.
The Blues are coming off a strong weekend of playoff hockey with two wins in their final series. Saturday, Feb. 21 had the Blues playing North Delta at Sungod Arena, where the home team came out strong and the Blues found themselves down 3-1 after two periods.
In the third period, the Blues battled back, showing good heart and dedication to win 4-3. The Blues worked as a team and all lines contributed to the win.
On Sunday the Blues hosted Seafair A3 in Gibsons.
The Blues had good chances, but struggled to find the back of the net in the first period. Through the second period, the game opened up and the Blues scored four unanswered goals while killing off several minor penalties, and the Blues’ goalie stopped all shots for a well-earned shutout.
The Blues are 2-1-0 in their final eight game playoff series with five games remaining.
This weekend will be a true test of their stamina, as they will play four games in two days. The goal is to finish strong and place at the top of this group of seven teams.
Come out and cheer them on this Sunday, March 1 at the Gibsons arena with games at 10:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.
