Not even a bad sandwich can stop Corey Koop.
The 麻豆社国产goaltending prospect recently returned home for the holidays after an impressive first half of the season but fell ill after eating a not-so-fresh sandwich. Thankfully, the netminder eventually recovered and helped his team, the Victoria Cougars, destroy the Kerry Park Islanders 8-1 on Jan. 3.
It was just one more standout performance from a solid season for the 18-year-old.
Koop was recently rewarded for his outstanding play in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) by being invited to the league's all-star game, which takes place on Jan. 16. The Victoria Cougars netminder will man the crease for the South Division all-star team and Koop said he is looking forward to the experience.
"It's a really cool honour," he said. "I'm really excited to be a part of the game and it shows hard work does pay off."
Koop and the Cougars have been dominating the VIJHL and Koop's midseason numbers are gaudy. He owns the league's top goals-against average at 2.20 and also ranks first in save percentage, stopping more than 92 per cent of all shots fired his way. He also is second in wins, having captured 15 victories in 19 starts.
The Cougars hold the top record in the VIJHL with 24 wins, four losses and two overtime losses, but Koop said the team did hit a rough patch just before the holiday break.
"We went into a bit of a slide going into the Christmas break," he said. "A lot of our guys were either injured or sick and I think we were getting a little worn down. We lost a bit of our focus and I think the break was much needed. It seems like everyone is fresh after Christmas and we can go back to dominating the league."
Koop said that he has no specific personal goals but wants to make sure his team continues its strong play.
"I just need to keep doing what I'm doing," he said. "I don't want to fizzle out, I want to keep playing well and play a complete season."
Koop admitted that he's unsure of all of the details of the upcoming all-star game but pointed out that he expects to play half of the game, with one other goalie on the South Division roster. He also said he is looking forward to the skills competition portion of the game. The skills competition takes place at 3:45 p.m., just before the game, which has a puck drop of 4:30 p.m. The game will take place at the Panorama Recreation Centre in Courtenay.
Players are also invited to a banquet after the game and Koop said he expects family and friends to attend both the game and the banquet.
Koop wanted to give a special thanks to Bob Baubin and BBR Contracting for their help throughout his young hockey career. Baubin, who will attend the game and banquet, helped Koop by providing gear and support during his formative years in Squamish.
For more information on the game, visit www.vijhl.com.
