The Oceanside Generals play game one of the VIJHL Final Wednesday night in Parksville, hosting Saanich. (Gus Galloway Photography)

By Alex Rawnsley

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Oceanside Generals entering second straight VIJHL Final with ‘unfinished business’

Mar 29, 2023 | 5:32 AM

PARKSVILLE — It’s familiar territory for a team which competed for a Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League championship more than a decade ago.

However there remains a sense of what could have been after the Oceanside Generals were beaten in six games to fall agonizingly short of the franchise’s fourth title.

Oceanside Generals head coach Dan Lemmon told NanaimoNewsNOW their “unfinished business” is a driving force as the team opens the league final against the Saanich Predators, on Wednesday, March 29 at Howie Meeker Arena.

“I think in our preparation it will mean something. We’ve got a veteran group here, we’ve returned a lot of players who were a part of that game six loss in the finals last year so I think our preparation will be a little bit better than it was last year.”

In addition to going into the series as the top-seeded team after winning the VIJHL’s regular season title, the Generals are also considerably healthier.

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At this point last year, the team was missing several key players and had defencemen playing in forward positions in a bid to roll three or four lines.

Lemmon said they’re as healthy “as you can be at this time of year”.

Oceanside beat Campbell River in five games in the VIJHL North Final, however three of the five games required overtime. (Gus Galloway Photography)

Oceanside advanced to the final after a tense, nail-biting five game series against the Campbell River Storm, which saw three games extend past regulation, with two settled in double overtime.

The Storm opened the series with a 2-0 win, snapping Oceanside’s VIJHL-best 27-game win streak in the process.

Lemmon speculated a nine day break for the team, following a sweep of Port Alberni in the first round, may have played a role in the sluggish start.

From there, Oceanside seized their chances and got clutch goals when it mattered most.

“You lead up to all those goals, it’s not so much the goals in overtime itself it’s how the plays develop, finishing checks, beating out races, being hungrier down low.”

Saanich will present a new challenge after dispatching defending champion Peninsula, then the South division-leading Victoria Cougars, both in six games.

Oceanside went 2-2 against the Predators through the regular season, dropping 2-1 (SO) and 3-2 decisions in late October and early November, before returning with 5-2 and 6-2 wins in mid-November and late February.

The Generals outscored Saanich 14-8 in the season series.

“They’re a tough opponent, they’re a physical team, a veteran d-core, two really good goaltenders, but I think our depth up front might be a strength of ours compared to them,” Lemmon said.

He added Saanich have a unique home ice advantage, playing in “one of the shorter rinks in B.C. for junior hockey”.

Oceanside’s Carter Johnson leads the Generals in playoff scoring with five goals and eight assists through nine games. (Gus Galloway Photography)

Puck drop during the series opener of the best-of-seven series is Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.

The Generals are promising a 50/50 jackpot of at least $1,500 with proceeds being donated to B.C. Children’s Hospital.

Game two is scheduled for Saturday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre in Saanich.

A fan bus will leave Parksville and travel south for the game, with information and tickets available through the Generals office.

Parksville will host game three on Sunday, April 2, along with games five and seven if necessary on Wednesday, April 5 and Sunday, April 8 respectively.

Oceanside last VIJHL championship came during the 2008/09 season when the Generals defeated Victoria.

The Generals and Saanich’s only meeting in a VIJHL Final was during the 1996/97 season when the then Parksville Generals won a best of five series 3-1.

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