The Northern Capitals are set to resume their season in the B.C. Hockey Female Midget AAA League.
Their first weekend back on the ice is a big one.
The Capitals have games today through Sunday in Delta against the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, the team fighting them for second place in the standings. In the big picture, there are two perks to finishing second - a bye in the opening round of playoffs, and home-ice advantage in the second round. Both are appealing to the Capitals, but especially the chance to stay in Prince George for what would be a best-of-three semifinal series.
"Traveling is a big commitment," Capitals head coach Carl Johnston said on Thursday, a short time before he and the players boarded the bus for the journey to the Lower Mainland. "It's tough being on the road as far as cost to the team - putting the girls up in the hotels and all the rest of it."
Heading into the series, the Northern Capitals and Lakers are tied with 17 points. But, the Caps have three games in hand so with a successful weekend they can put some distance between themselves and their rivals. Right now, the Capitals sit at 8-6-1 and the Lakers have a mark of 6-7-5.
Earlier this season, Oct. 14-16 in Prince George, the Capitals won a pair of 2-1 games against the Lakers but also dropped a 6-3 decision so they know the Thompson-Okanagan shooters can be dangerous.
"For us to have a good weekend we're going to have to stay focused on our puck control and manage our d-zone coverage properly to try to shut them down," Johnston said.
"Any of these teams (in the league) can put the puck in the net if you start letting them so we're going to have to stay focused and keep the girls on task."
Offensively, the Lakers have four players who have hit double digits in points - Jenna Fletcher (7-8-15), Elizabeth Klimm (4-11-15), Chanreet Bassi (9-4-13) and Mairyn Tucker (2-10-12).
The Capitals, meanwhile, are powered by forwards Braxtyn Shawara and Caily Mellott. The 15-year-old Shawara, from McBride, and the 17-year-old Mellott, a 100 Mile House product, have scored 12 and 11 goals respectively in 15 games and have a league-leading 17 points.
The weekend could also play an important role in the hockey futures of some of the Capitals players. The club's games against the Lakers are part of a league showcase that will see all six teams in action in the same venue, Planet Ice. With all the teams in one place, there's a good chance scouts from college and university programs will be in the seats.
Currently, no members of the 15- to 17-year-old Capitals have committed to schools for next year, Johnston said.
Today's game between the Capitals and Lakers starts at noon. The teams will play at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday and 8:15 a.m. on Sunday.
The Capitals competed at the Mac's tournament in Calgary during the Christmas break but haven't skated in league action since a 7-3 win against the Vancouver Island Seals on Nov. 27.
The Greater Vancouver Comets lead the league with a spotless 18-0-0 record. The Seals are fourth (4-7-7), followed by the Kootenay Wild (3-8-4) and the Fraser Valley Rush (1-12-5).
