The Prince George Spruce Kings are off to their worst start in five years and Mike Hawes admits it's not a comfortable feeling.
The Spruce Kings have just one win and an overtime loss to go with six losses. With just three points to show for their first eight games, not since 2010, when they started the season at 1-7, have they been so starved for victories.
They're tied with Victoria for last overall in the B.C. Hockey League and it doesn't get any easier for the Spruce Kings this weekend with three games away from home over the next three nights.
"It's been a bit of a trying year - in my time as the GM I haven't had many seasons like this, this is kind of new for myself as well," said Hawes.
"I'll openly admit that I'm the last guy who's going to sit idly by and watch the team not have the success I think they can have. It's kind of a learning situation for me as well but I believe in the group and I know they will do better, so I'm going to stay positive and be patient with them as well."
Hawes was hired as the Spruce Kings general manager in March 2011, after three seasons as assistant GM. Heading into this season, with Hawes at the helm, the Spruce Kings compiled a 117-87-9-20 record over the previous four seasons and finished no worse than third in their division in that time.
What bodes well for the Spruce Kings is they start their trip in Trail tonight against a Smoke Eaters team they defeated 6-3 for their only win, Sept. 26 at the BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack. On Saturday the Kings play the Vipers in Vernon, then wrap it up Sunday afternoon against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
The Smoke Eaters (2-6-0-0) rank last in the Interior Division, five points back of the fifth-place Vipers (4-5-0-1). The Silverbacks (5-2-2-0) are second in the Interior.
"The whole trip's tough, Trail is an extremely difficult place to try to win a hockey game," said Hawes. "We played well at the Showcase and got the two points but it's going to be a tough battle. Our guys are up for the challenge and it's gong to be a real good test for the group."
The return of 19-year-old defenceman Matt Stief to the Kings lineup for last Saturday's game against Penticton after a USHL tryout in Iowa did not improve the Kings' league standing but his influence had a stabilizing effect on his teammates.
Hawes is counting on his veteran-stacked blueline - Stief, Adam Brubacher, Alex Stoley, Rylan Bechtel, Stephen Penner, Adam Burnett and Cooper Prechel - to turn around the team's fortunes, and the sooner the better. They should be even better once 19-year-old Ryan Fritz returns from off-season knee surgery.
"I expect those guys to get things figured out - a lot of our success will depend on the D-corps and having (Stief) back only helps that," said Hawes. "It's a new culture here with the new coaching staff (Chad van Diemen and Adam Maglio) and new systems. But I think those guys are starting to get it and starting to buy in. I'm seeing signs of them coming through that transition and I expect things to get better as we move forward."
The Kings are coming off a pair of 5-2 losses at home to Cowichan Valley and Penticton. In the Cowichan game Friday at the Coliseum the Kings outshot the Capitals 41-23 but still lost.
"We outshot them and outchanced them and outplayed them in most areas of the game but didn't capitalize as well as they did," said Hawes. "We didn't play poorly against Penticton and if we play that same way this weekend we should have some success on the road."
Special teams remain a sore spot with the Spruce Kings. They've scored just three power-play goals in 41 chances (last in the BCHL) and their penalty killing ranks 16th out of 17 teams. They've allowed 13 power-play goals in 42 chances handed opposing teams, a 69.05 per cent success rate.
"You need to have special teams going in this league to have success and I know it's been disappointing, but the coaches have really focused on that," said Hawes. "I thought we made some strides last weekend and continued to work on it this week."
Twenty-year-old goalie Sam Tanguay struggled in the Penticton game, allowing four goals on 20 shots before he was replaced by Liam McCloskey with six minutes left in the second period. McCloskey, 17, allowed just one more goal in 26 minutes of playing time.
"I don't think Sam played the games that he would have liked - maybe the pressure of the first home games got to him but he's a terrific goaltender and he's going to be a stalwart for us back there," said Hawes. "We have full confidence in him and I know he's going to do the job for us."
