DIDSBURY - The Mountain View Colts open the 2022-23 Heritage Junior B Hockey League north division playoffs against the Three Hills Thrashers at the Didsbury Memorial Complex today.
The Colts won six of seven games against the Thrashers during the regular season.
The first-round playoffs are three-game affairs. Following the Feb. 15 game, the Colts will travel to Three Hills for game 2 on Saturday, and should game 3 be needed it will be back at the Memorial Complex on Sunday.
First-year Colts head coach Dan Visser says he’s not planning any big shake-ups going into Wednesday’s game.
“There will really be no changes to the lineup,” he said. “We have been working on our power play in the last couple of weeks. Our power play is going to be key in these playoffs for sure.”
The play of first-string Colts netminder Chance Griffith will also be key to the Colt’s playoff run, he said.
“We will be running with Chance as long as we can. I know Chance will be fine with that and I know he will bring his game,” he said.
As far as offence, Visser says the team will be relying on top scorer Steven Bell and his line throughout the playoff run, he said.
Visser recently moved first-year Colts captain Paton Rothenbusch back onto the top line with Bell.
“We will try to get that line going full-bore for sure,” he said.
Although the team did well against the Thrashers in the regular season, no one is looking past the upcoming series, he said.
“We’ve got to concentrate on the task at hand,” he said.
For his part, Visser says he’s excited to be going into his first playoff round as head coach of the Colts.
“I thoroughly enjoy it and hope to have some success,” he said.
Visser says the local fan base has been very supportive of the 2022-23 Colts, and he hopes that support will continue starting with Wednesday’s home playoff game.
“Our fan support is huge and we hope to have a full building,” he said.
Wednesday’s game starts at 7:45 p.m. Game 3 at the Memorial Complex, if needed, will also start at 7:45 p.m.
