After three losses last week, including back-to-back blowouts at the hands of the Campbell River Storm, Kerry Park Islanders owner Mark Osmond is wondering how committed his players are to junior B hockey.
"If they don't want to play at this level, they should maybe tell us," he said.
The Isles lost to the Saanich Braves 5-2 last Wednesday, both their goals coming on the powerplay, from Nick Kean and Zack Smith, while Ty Rennie turned in a 34-save performance.
They then went on to lose to Campbell River Storm 10-5 in Campbell River on Friday and 8-3 at home on Saturday, both times giving up five or more unanswered goals.
Although the Storm scored the only two goals in the first period on Friday, the Isles came back and tied it with goals from Ryan Paisley and Braedan Cross just 15 seconds apart early in the second.
Then the Storm took control with five straight goals before the period was over. Both teams scored three times in the third period, but the gap was too much for the Isles. Cross was in on every Kerry Park
goal, finishing with a hat trick and two assists, while Paisley had a goal and two helpers, Zack Smith had a goal and an assist, and blueliner Chris Carpentier had two assists.
Leighton Williams went the distance in net and made a respectable 59 saves on 69 shots.
The Isles briefly held a one-goal lead on Saturday before allowing the Storm to surge back with six in a row.
The teams finished the first period tied 2-2, with all four goals coming on the powerplay. Paisley put the Isles up midway through the second, but the Storm evened the score before the end of that frame, then dominated the third with five goals.
"For two periods, we played some of the best hockey we've played, but in the third, we shut down. I'm not sure if it's conditioning or what."
Paisley and Cross both finished with a goal and an assist, while Matt Osmond also scored. Williams again did all he could to keep his team in the game, making 66 saves on 74 shots.
The Isles visit the Westshore Warriors at the Q Centre on Wednesday, then play host to the Comox Valley Glacier Kings on Sunday at 3 p.m.