Game 1

The Posse hung on to win Game 1 7-6. The Posse looked a little nervous during the first period. The boys did comeback from an early 3-1 deficit. Leading the way for the Posse were Brenden Stephan, Chad Brears, and although 6 shots got past him, Brett Patchett made a number of key saves to give the Posse a chance to win.

The season of firsts continues as this is the first playoff victory against the Sicamous Eagles. The last time the Posse faced the Eagles they were swept 4 straight.

The webcast did not work last night. Due to a schedule mistake, the webcast provider did not prepare the site for the broadcast. The error has been corrected and we look forward to sending game 2 to all the viewers.

The Posse are doing our annual Playoff auction. We have a number of sign vancouver canuck photos (sedin brothers, Kessler, burrows, Linden), a signed Pat Quinn photo, a Crosby& Lemeiux photo, and a framed team canada uniform (#87-crosby). All will be displayed at each home game until the end of the playoffs. The highest bidder will have the opportunity to purchase the piece. If you are interested in any of these please contact the posse via email and we will send you a picture. Email if you want to bid on any of the pieces.

The opponent has been set. The Posse will face the Sicamous Eagles in the second round of the KIJHL playoffs. The Posse and Eagles were separated by 2 points in the standings. Both teams had 31 wins, but the Posse had two more overtime losses. These two teams have not met since the 2005-06 season. Sicamous won that series 4-0.

Games 1 and two will be played in Princeton this Friday and Saturday (February 26,27). Both games start at 7:00pm. Lets get the barn rockin'!!!

As we wait

We have a two week bye waiting for the completion of the first round. Two games completed and Sicamous leads 2-0. The next game Monday in Penticton. If Sicamous wins it will be the first time this year they would have won in Penticton.

The Posse have had a few days to rest some bumps and bruises. A number of key players could use the rest. The problem with a rest can be that you lose your edge. The Posse won 7 of 9 going into the playoffs.

As usual, discipline will be the biggest key for the Posse. Not only staying out of the box, but sticking to the game plan. Emotional discipline is also important. The playoffs are, by their very nature, intense. Playing intensly is important, but in the playoffs it is important to understand the difference between emotion and intensity.

What I mean is fairly simple. If you play hard, win battles in the corners, finish hits, block shots, then you are playing with intensity. Emotion can creep into the game when a call go against you or you let the other team get under your skin. Even a coach can contribute to the emotion of the game. I have learned that certain phrases shout from the bench add to negative emotion rather than assist the players.

If the Posse are to go a long way this post season they will have play with the same intensity they have brought for most of this season. They will have to keep their emotion in check. The Posse have been successful all season when follow the plan and check the emotion at the door.

Good luck boys. You have already made us proud.

Three games left and the Posse control their own Playoff destiny. The Princeton team is 2 points ahead of Sicamous for 2nd place. Second will earn the Posse a first round bye. A third place finish would mean the Posse would face either Penticton or North Okanagan in the first round. One first round series is set as the Chase Chiefs have locked up 4th and will home ice advantage against Kamloops. The Posse 8-3 win over the Storm on Sunday afternoon set that series.

The Posse have beaten Kamloops twice in 10 days by a combined score of 15-5. Posse nemesis Anthony Manfredi was chased in both games. The Storm are 3-6-0-1 in their last 10 games and are limping into the playoffs.

The Posse face Penticton on Wednesday. The Lakers need 3 points to clinch the last playoff spot. I expect the game to be quite intense. The Posse will face the North Okanagan Knights on the following Friday before heading to Chase for their final regular season game.

Posse 3-0 on road trip

The Posse headed to Invermere to start a 3 game road swing through the kootneys. Princeton defeated the struggling Columbia Valley Rockies 5-2. Weston Joseph won his second consecutive game in the month of January. Captain Dan Hillman was injured during a battle in the first period and did not return. The Posse had 5 different scorers in the game. An excellent result considering the 8 hour bus ride.

Game two of the trip saw the Posse visit the upstart Golden Rockets. Rockets head coach Rocky Zinger (still the best name in the KI) has turned this team into a contender in just 3 season. The Posse depth would be tested as both Hillman and Kristensen did not play. Ben Morgan took up the slack scoring a natural hat trick. Morgans goals would be all the Posse would need as they hung onto a 3-2 win.

Unfortunately I could not watch the Creston game. However, the end result looks great. Ben Morgan scored the OT winner with 3 seconds left in the 3 on 3 period.

The 6 points vaults the Posse into second place in the Okanagan-Shuswap division.

The Posse do not play in Princeton, however they will be in Penticton for the next two Fridays.

2010 Starts with a bang

The Princeton Posse started the new year with two straight wins.

Saturday night the Posse faced their rivals from Kamloops. Posse won in overtime with a goal from Lee Muir. The Posse dominated play in both ends and at times it seemed like the Kamloops team had not worked of the holiday season turkey. The storm sat back in a trap and iced the puck due to the aggressive Posse forecheck. The short bench for Kamloops added to the fatigue factor. Kamloops released a number of players at the december 1 card deadline. This left Kamloops with a number of extra cards to add players at a later date in order to "load up" for the Keystone Cup. Time will tell if it was the right move.

The win ensured the Posse kept pace with the top teams in the division. Both Sicamous and Revelstoke won on Saturday. The Posse faced Sicamous on Sunday. The Posse jumped out to a 3 goal lead and never looked back. Posse won 3-1. The win pulls the Posse within two points of second place.

The Posse are now in the middle of an 8 game road swing. The Posse will not Play at home until JAN. 29. For all the Calgary folks we hope to see you on our Kootney swing next weekend.

Posse Split Weekend

The Posse split two games this weekend. A loss to Castlegar on Friday followed by a big win against divisional rival Kamloops storm.

The Posse faced the Castlegar Rebels on Friday night. The Posse head coach Dale Hladun made the decision early in the week to start affiliate goalie Mitch Sheridan. Mitch did a great job holding the explosive Rebel team to 2 goals. However puck luck was something the Posse just did not have. Missing a couple of empty nets and hitting the post late with the goalie pulled were just the way things were going for the Posse. The Posse lost 3-1, but they certainly were not outplayed.

Saturday night the Posse were in the big ice surface of MacAurther Island Sportsplex to face the Storm. The Storm are hosting the Western Canadian Jr. B Championships in April 2010. The Storm have dropped a number of players from their roster to open spaces for late additions. Two such additions are foward Gary Rai and Jordan Wilkins. Rai walked out on the Merritt Centenials of the BCHL earlier this season. He will bring Jr A experience and a scoring ability to the Storm.

Jordan Wilkins signed with the Storm. Jordan has not lived up to his early expectations. He is a large strong defenseman. Drafted by the Kootney Ice in the WHL bantam draft. He played as a 16 year old for the Summerland Sting, moved around the WHL for a couple of seasons. The around the AJHL for a season or two. of note Wilkin's parents now live in Princeton. His father is the head coach of the Princeton Midget Rep team.

The posse did not let the two late signings affect the outcome. A four goal 3rd period propelled the visiting team to a 5-3 win. Ben Morgan and Spencer Kristensen each had two points. The win widens the gap between Princeton and the Storm. The posse are up 3 points with 3 games in hand.

Posse host the same Kamloops storm on a mid week game this Wednesday.

last note, I hope the league looks at the end of the game film. Taylor Stuart takes a run at a Posse player after the game. Then crosschecks Devon Grossler in the face. McCance stomps on a stick. These kind of actions have to be dealt with by the league. If memory serve me right the Kamloops newspapers were all over the Posse for the Chase incident. I doubt this act will even make the paper. that is a shame.