Gary Dhaliwal knows how to make a difference at both ends of the rink.
A year ago, he was logging big minutes on the blueline and helping a young Delta Ice Hawks team come within two games of winning the Pacific Junior Hockey League championship. Now, the 20-year-old captain is thriving in an offensive role.
Dhaliwal finished seventh in league scoring and led the Ice Hawks to an opening round sweep of the Grandview Steelers. He finished the series with six points and his third period shorthanded goal was the difference in Sunday night’s 4-3 clinching win at the Burnaby Winter Club.
An outstanding recruiting class instantly gave the Ice Hawks an elite group of defensemen that played a big role in a franchise best 37-4-0-3 regular season record. The bumper crop allowed Dhaliwal to get back to his natural position and also provide valuable leadership on a team that features only two 20-year-olds.
“Obviously, we have a lot better d-core this year and I was more than happy to step up front and try to fill an offensive void,” said Dhaliwal outside of a jubilant dressing room. I think our young age is deceptive. We have 14 guys who went to the finals last year and we are now using that experience to our advantage and feeding off of it.”
Dhaliwal’s production was needed in a series that was tighter than the four game sweep suggests.
While some of the team’s other big guns were relatively quiet, he set the tone with a pair of goals in game one and scored in the opening minute of a 6-2 game two win. He also played a significant role in game three Friday when his shot deflected off Daniel Szpakowski to break a 1-1 deadlock late in the third period.
“He is just one off those all-around good players. Defensively solid, great leader and good at game preparation,” said Delta head coach Steve Robinson. “He brings a balanced game, doesn’t take bad penalties and plays hard.
“He is not exactly what you would say is an offensively dynamic guy but he just makes a lot of good plays and puts himself in good positions.”
Dhaliwal also has high praise for his new head coach who came onboard less than a month ago for Darren Naylor, who remains with the club in a general manager role.
“It’s been awesome. He is a player’s coach but he also has the Xs and Os down as best as any coach I have ever played for,” he said.
“Obviously, it sucks not being with Darren because we have so much experience and history with him but Steve has stepped in and been great so far with Darren onboard still. We are going to get both of them that ring.”
The Hawks will now sit back and wait for the winner of the other Tom Shaw Conference semi-final series that sees Richmond with a 2-1 lead over North Vancouver heading into game four Wednesday. The next round is expected to start Feb. 27 in Ladner.
Robinson says his team is capable of playing much better but still found a way to sweep a Steelers’ team that was comfortably among the top six in the regular season.
“It wasn’t a great game for us but it’s hard to beat a team two times in a row. Really hard three times, never mind four times.
“The big thing going into playoffs is there are going to be a lot of tight and low scoring games. You need to be comfortable and find the way. (In the playoffs) nobody asks how (you won) just how many.”
Icing…
Dhaliwal’s game-winner came on a rare two-man breakaway while shorthanded after a Steeler defenceman fell down. Mark Epshtein made the unselfish pass to give Dhaliwal a yawning net. Jonathan Rees, Daniel Rubin and Jordan Deyrmenjian had the other goals.
