Cole Plotnikoff (left) is expected to return to the Klippers’ lineup this week.
Kevin McBain
of The Clarion
Ten days after the Kindersley Klippers 2-1 win over Estevan, the squad returned to the ice yesterday.
In a busy end to January with five games in eight days, the Klippers were scheduled to host the Battlefords (1-5 record) last night before hosting Humboldt (0-5) in a neutral site game in Macklin on Wednesday; hosting Nipawin (0-2) on Saturday; travelling to the Battlefords next Tuesday and hosting Estevan (2-1) next Wednesday.
Going into this week, the Klippers had a 16-16-3-2 overall record in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for 37 points in 37 games played. Overall, they’re in eighth position in the league.
Coach Geoff Grimwood, said the team is ready to go hard and move up in the standings.
“We are excited about it,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of tight games against Battlefords this season and I think we are due for a few wins.”
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Returning to the lineup
The Klippers will get a boost this week when Cole Plotnikoff returns to the lineup. He hasn’t played since suffering an ankle injury in a game against Weyburn on Sept. 25. He will be in the lineup this week and may have actually been on the roster for last night’s game.
He said he’s ready to get back to playing.
“It’s definitely been a long process but I don’t think it could have gone any better,” he said. “I’m really thankful to my teammates and coach Larry Wintoneak, who pushed me each and every day.”
The centre described a little about his recovery process.
“The doctor said that I basically got a skate that ripped through my achilles, he said it was like a knife cut right through it,” said Plotnikoff. “I never felt any pain at any point, including then. Even when I tried to skate on it later in that game, I never felt any pain, it was just a bit uncomfortable. It was a little weird.
“In the early stages of recovery it was a lot of rest and I did have to use crutches,” he said. “But after a bit it was a matter of stretching it out and working on lateral movement. I was then given the green light to skate about a month-and-a-half ago and now it feels probably as good as it’s going to get.”
The second-year Klipper says that it has been tough watching the team from the sidelines, but it did help to see the game from a different perspective.
“You notice a lot of different things just by watching the game, so in that way it was beneficial,” he said. “But now I want to get out there and help the team win. I think there is a lot of pressure on myself to help the team move up in the standing and get things rolling as the playoffs come around.”
Coach Grimwood says that he has been looking forward to Plotnikoff’s return.
“We are letting him decide when he comes back, we want him to be 100 per cent confident that he has healed up. He has been cleared to play, so it is up to him now,” he said.
“He’s a very important player for us. He plays hard and he adds more depth up the centre for us and the more he plays, the better he will get.”
SJHL/MJHL showcase
Justen Close and Keillan Olson competed in the MJHL/SJHL showcase in Regina last Monday and Tuesday.
The pair played on Team Kunitz for the SJHL, who played two games against Manitoba Junior Hockey League teams featuring 1997-98 born players.
The showcase featured players of interest with a number of college and pro scouts in attendance.
Team Kunitz won both games they played.
Close played in both games, stopping 22 of 23 shots in the second half of the first game that ended in a 4-2 win Monday afternoon.
His counterpart, Jacob Standen of the Notre Dame Hounds, stopped 11 of 12 shots in the first half.
In the team’s second game, a 5-2 victory, Close played in the first half, stopping eight of 10 shots he faced, while teammate Keillan Olson scored to open the game. Standen stopped 14/14 shots to close things out.
Close said that it was a good opportunity.
“It was a great experience to play with and against some great players,” he said. “I think things went pretty well. It was good hockey and the pace was really fast.”
Grimwood said that it was a great chance for the players to showcase their skills.
“We know how good Justen is and this just gave him an opportunity to showcase his skills in front of a lot of scouts,” he said. “For Keillan, I think it was a confidence boost for him. He’s a great player and I think the experience was good for him.”
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