ItB次元官网网址檚 taken until game 15 of their Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League season, but the Westshore Wolves finally get to test their mettle against the Victoria Cougars.

As the teams prepare to face off for the first time this season Wednesday night (Oct. 15, 7 p.m.) at The Q Centre, Wolves head coach Brian Passmore said thereB次元官网网址檚 a feeling of excitement around his club.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a good test for us and weB次元官网网址檙e really looking forward to it,B次元官网网址� he said of facing the two-time defending league champions. B次元官网网址淎 lot of the players have been talking about this game for a couple weeks.B次元官网网址�

Passmore figures both teams will come out and play physical from the get-go to try and throw the other team off their game. With Victoria known as a strong defensive team and the Wolves more of an offensive-minded team, it has the makings of an epic battle.

B次元官网网址淲e try to play tight-checking defence and let the offence take care of itself,B次元官网网址� Passmore said.

TonightB次元官网网址檚 game marks the second time in just over a week that the Wolves will play a division leader.

On Oct. 7 at The Q Centre, the Wolves battled Campbell River, the top team in the North, to a 5-5 tie. While it provided fans with exciting, end-to-end hockey, it wasnB次元官网网址檛 the kind of game Passmore hopes to see more of.

B次元官网网址淭hat was not defensive hockey, that was a shootout,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut it was fun to watch, even from the bench.B次元官网网址�

After taking a 5-2 lead with four straight goals in the second period B次元官网网址� three of which came from Nick Guiney B次元官网网址� the Wolves gave up three goals to the Storm in the third, then relied largely on goalie Riley Welyk in overtime to keep the visitors from skating off with a massive comeback win.

The hope is to take what they learned in that game and bring it forward against the Cougars, Passmore said.

B次元官网网址淚f you take two shifts off, those teams are going to score,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he momentumB次元官网网址檚 crazy in Junior B hockey. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檝e gotta learn playing those teams, to battle through and do the little things when youB次元官网网址檝e got the lead.B次元官网网址�

While Passmore is starting to see the Wolves care more about playing for each other every night and improving their team play, there have definitely been some individual bright spots this season.

Heading into last weekendB次元官网网址檚 road games in Saanich and Kerry Park (both finished after the GazetteB次元官网网址檚 long weekend deadline), Kyle Richter led the league scoring with 11 goals and 13 assists in 12 games. A relatively quiet veteran who provides leadership on the ice, Richter has B次元官网网址渂een a real workhorseB次元官网网址� for the team so far, Passmore said.

B次元官网网址淗e scores at even-strength, on the power play, shorthanded B次元官网网址�  he plays through pain and heB次元官网网址檚 showed real determination.B次元官网网址�

GuineyB次元官网网址檚 breakout game last week was a good reward for his consistent hard work and great attitude, the coach added. The 18-year-old forward parlayed his big game into some shifts playing for the Junior A Victoria Grizzlies the next night, a scenario Passmore expects to happen more this season.

Wolves forward Brett Lervold, who turns 19 next month and had 15 points in 11 games before last weekendB次元官网网址檚 games, has been practising with the Grizzlies of late and may yet see some playing time with the big team.

After tomorrowB次元官网网址檚 home game, the Wolves travel to Courtenay on Saturday to play the Comox Valley Glacier Kings for the first time this season.

editor@goldstreamgazette.com