Charron expects close games
If the first-round Western Hockey League playoff series between the Kamloops Blazers and the Vancouver Giants is anything like the regular season series, fans on both sides can expect one thing — close games.
“It’s been competitive,” said Kamloops head coach Guy Charron, who is about to make his WHL playoff coaching debut.
“We’ve been able to compete against Vancouver.”
The Blazers and the Giants have met eight times this year, including six since Charron took over as bench boss in November.
Half of those meetings couldn’t be decided in regulation or extra time.
“They went to a shootout,” Charron said.
“We didn’t have a lot of success in the shootouts, but there are no shootouts in the playoffs.”
Vancouver has the season series edge, having won six of eight games between the two this year.
Only three of those games were decided in regulation, however. Five times, the Blazers and Giants went to overtime, and on four of those nights they ended up in a shootout.
Based on the close games in the regular season, Charron said he expects nothing less when the playoffs begin on Friday.
“It will be intense,” he said.
“You look at the crowds they get over there — they had 12,000 the other night — it will be loud.
“Hopefully we can generate an atmosphere in our own building as well.
“Playoff hockey is the most exciting time for a player. And, for a coach, you want to live that, too.”
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