Funk enjoying life in Kamloops

By MARK HUNTER
Daily News Sports Reporter
Ryan Funk is wearing a pretty big smile these days.
Funk, a 20-year-old defenceman, has two goals in three games since the
Kamloops Blazers acquired him from the Vancouver Giants for left-winger
Brett Lyon, 18, on Nov. 23.
And for a guy who came to his third WHL team with eight goals in 242 career
games - and none in his previous 35 games, including 27 with the Giants this
season - Funk is as surprised as anyone with his newly found offensive
prowess.
“It's a big surprise,” said Funk, who is from Morden, Man. “I haven't been
doing anything too spectacular, the pucks are just going in.”
Funk and the Blazers are scheduled to take on the Tri-City Americans
tonight, 7 o'clock, at Interior Savings Centre. Kamloops is to play host to
the Prince George Cougars on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Funk played four seasons with the Saskatoon Blades before being traded to
the Giants in the offseason. When Funk arrived in Kamloops, he wasn't the
only new face in the Blazers dressing room.
In the days surrounding the Funk-Lyon trade, the Blazers signed a new head
coach (Guy Charron), traded for a goaltender (Kurtis Mucha), released a
goaltender (Justin Leclerc) and traded away two players (defenceman Giffen
Nyren and Lyon).
While coming to a team in such a state of flux may have been scary for Funk,
he looked at it as a great opportunity.
“It was easier for me, with the team in transition,” said Funk, who had five
assists with the Giants. “With the new coach coming in, everyone was turning
over a new leaf. The guys have been great - it doesn't feel like I've come
to a new team.”
Funk is well-versed in turnarounds - in 2008-09, he had 21 points, including
four goals, and was plus-34 in 72 games with the Blades, who ended up with
49 victories and in first in the East Division. That season came on the
heels of 2007-08, in which he had two goals and 12 assists and was minus-29
with the Blades, who were 29-34-3-6.
And while his improved numbers in Kamloops don't mean he's an offensive
force - both of his goals have come on point shots - it does show that he's
getting more of an opportunity with the Blazers.
“The team's been giving me a good opportunity, and I've been fortunate to
capitalize,” Funk said. “I'm playing with some good players, so it's not the
hardest thing in the world to put up some numbers.”
Funk is the elder statesman on a defence corps that includes two
19-year-olds, three 18-year-olds, two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old.
He and his friends on the blue line will have their hands full with the
Americans, who kill their opponents with speedy forwards, something the
Blazers found out Nov. 3, when Tri-City beat them, 8-3.
“It's a big challenge, and hopefully we rise to it,” Funk said. “I think a
lot of us will take it as a personal challenge - we're going to have to play
big and be strong. (The Americans) thrive on transition and they have a lot
of speed.”
The Blazers are flying high after playing well in a 5-0 thumping of the
visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday.
When asked if the Blazers had finally turned a corner, Funk said the team
has improved vastly in the two weeks he's been here.
“From the very first day I was here, I saw a difference,” he said. “From the
first day to the second day to the third and the fourth, we've been getting
stronger.
“We've realized our weaknesses and why they weren't winning games before.
Guy's doing a great job going over everything and making sure everyone
understands all aspects of the game.”
mhunter@kamloopsnews.ca

SCOUTING REPORT

TRI-CITY (19-8-0-0) -- The Americans are the top team in the U.S. Division
and are one point back of the Vancouver Giants, who lead the Western
Conference. . . . Tri-City has lost its previous two, both at home, 4-1 to
the Spokane Chiefs on Nov. 27, and 6-1 to the Everett Silvertips on
Saturday. The Americans hadn¹t lost two straight at home since March, 2008.
. . . Tri-City has only lost three times at home this season, but all in the
last two weeks -- it also lost 7-1 to the visiting Regina Pats on Nov. 21. .
. . Tri-City, 5-5-0-0 in its last 10 games, is ranked No. 9 in the CHL, down
from No. 7 the week before. . . . C Brendan Shinnimin has 39 points in 26
games, but just two goals and three assists in eight games. . . . LW Adam
Hughesman, with 32 points in 26 games, suffered a serious skate cut to an
ankle during a 7-1 loss to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook on Nov. 14. He took
10 stitches and tried to play through it but finally was a scratch for the
Everett game a week ago. . . . The last time the Americans came to Kamloops,
they scored four power-play goals and won, 8-3. . . . Drydn Dow scored twice
in the game, the only two goals of his WHL career. Dow, who also had an
assist in the game, has four points this season. . . . G Drew Owsley has
played in 26 games, going 18-7-0-0 with a 2.85 GAA and a .906 save
percentage. Backup Brett Martyniuk has played just 145 minutes over six
games. . . . The Americans are the WHL¹s least-penalized team, averaging
14.9 minutes per game. . . . Injuries: F Adam Hughesman (leg, probable).
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KAMLOOPS (12-14-2-2) -- The Blazers beat the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-0 on
Wednesday in the first game of a three-game homestand. . . . The shutout was
the first by the Blazers since March 8, 2008, when G James Priestner helped
Kamloops beat the Cougars 1-0 in Prince George. . . . G Kurtis Mucha, who
made 25 saves Wednesday for his first victory since a trade from the
Portland Winterhawks, is expected to get the start tonight. . . . G Jon
Groenheyde will start Saturday, when the Cougars come to town. . . . The
Blazers are the WHL’s most-penalized team, at 22.7 minutes per game. . . .
Kamloops is eighth in the Western Conference, one point behind the Kelowna
Rockets and Chilliwack Bruins and four points ahead of the Seattle
Thunderbirds. . . . LW Brendan Ranford has three goals in his last three
games after going six games without a goal. Ranford has 10 goals this
season. . . . RW Tyler Shattock’s 35 points (16 goals, 19 assists) leave him
tied for 16th in the league. . . . C Colin Smith had an assist Wednesday,
giving the rookie nine points in 11 games since coming back from a broken
arm that kept him out of the lineup for the first 19 games. . . . After
Saturday, the Blazers only have four games remaining before taking an
eight-day break around Christmas -- Kamloops will play in Vancouver on Dec.
11, before welcoming the Giants on Dec. 12 and then heading to Prince George
for games on Dec. 18 and 19. . . . INJURIES: None.