Tim Ruhnke – Recorder & Times
It’s time to put hope to the test.
The Brockville Braves open the CCHL 2021-2022 regular season at home against the Ottawa Jr. Senators on Friday night. Puck drops at the Memorial Centre just after 7:30.
The Jr. A Braves were limited to playing developmental scrimmages with Cornwall and then Kemptville because of COVID and in the absence of a regular season and playoffs last year. The most recent “meaningful” game Brockville played was an opening round playoff win at home against the Jr. Senators in March 2020. It ended up being the lone post-season game in the league; the rest were cancelled because of the pandemic.
The Braves went 3-4-0-1 in the pre-season, which ended this past weekend with Brockville and Kemptville splitting a pair of shootout wins in a home-and-home.
The regular season opened in Cornwall on Thursday night.
Braves GM and co-owner Dustin Traylen said in an interview on Thursday that defence is the team’s strength entering the new season. He believes Brockville will have one of the best back ends in the 12-team league.
“Our ‘D’ is very good. I like where our ‘D’ is at,” Traylen said.
The Braves once again have Luke Tchor, who returned to Brockville from the USHL last week. Forward Evan Boucher is “also going to be carrying the freight when it comes to offence,” Traylen noted.
Forward Patrick Lanthier has been a “surprise” and “a very nice addition” to the lineup, according to the GM.
“Realistically, I think there’s still some work to do,” said Traylen, who acknowledged the Braves are probably a scorer or two away from being a contender. All junior teams were limited in the recruiting they could do given the pandemic and there not being much hockey in the spring and early summer.
Former NHL defenceman Randy Jones is in his third year as Brockville’s head coach.
In accordance with provincial regulations, capacity at the Memorial Centre is currently set at 600. Spectators entering arenas in Ontario are now required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID or a medical exemption from a doctor plus government-issued ID.
In noting that volunteers work the door and there could be a large crowd on hand for the first home opener in two years, Traylen conceded that it will probably take longer to enter the building given the additional measures in place.
“Please be patient with us,” he said to hockey fans planning to attend. “We’re going to do our best… I’m sure it will get better as time goes on.”
Late word from the city on Thursday afternoon was that the canteen inside the Memorial Centre would probably not be open during the game Friday.
Brockville’s opening night opponent appears to have the potential to maintain its status as a perennial force in the Jr. A ranks. The Jr. Senators received an honourable mention as part of the CJHL’s top 20 pre-season rankings of Jr. A teams in Canada. Carleton Place and Navan of the CCHL were listed in the top 20.
The Braves will also play a road game this weekend. Brockville travels to Nepean to take on the Raiders Sunday afternoon.
In other CCHL action Friday night, Smiths Falls and Kemptville have home openers. The Bears take on the Renfrew Wolves, while the 73’s host the Pembroke Lumber Kings.
The Jr. A league reduced the regular season from 62 to 55 games.
Original Story at Recorder.ca
