By TERRY PUGH
Despite being on the losing end of three pre-season games so far, Warman Wolverines head coach Brett Pilkington is upbeat about his team’s outlook as they gear up for their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) regular season home opener against the Humboldt Broncos on Friday, September 18.
“We got some really good looks at the younger guys who’ll be coming up into our system in the next couple years,” said Pilkington in an interview on Wednesday, September 9. “I thought they played really well against some very tough, experienced opposition. The teams we went up against had a lot of older veterans in their lineups, and our young guys responded to the challenge They hung in there right to the end in all those games.
“Right now, though, we’re still evaluating our older players and getting closer to finalizing the roster, so we’ll see how that shakes out next week.”
The Wolverines dropped an 11-6 decision to the host Humboldt Broncos on Saturday, September 5, followed by a 2-1 loss to those same Broncos in Warman on Sunday, September 6. They fell 8-4 to the visiting Kindersley Klippers on Tuesday, September 8, also on home ice in front of a good-size crowd at the Warman Home Centre Communiplex.
In the first two games, the Wolverines roster was made up almost exclusively by 16 and 17-year-old players, most of whom will be returning to their Saskatchewan U18 AAA Hockey League teams later this month. Sixteen-year-old Maclain Ethier led the way for the Wolverines prospects with two goals and three assists over the three games, while Cruz Stacey had three assists in two games and Nixon Bergen collected two goals in two games. Other markers in the three games came from Easton Bley, Easton Moore, Caleb Buck Xander Pritchard, Owen Parks, Carter Bergen and Linden Hoskins.
With two more pre-season games on the Wolverines’ plate, both against the Battlefords Stars, slated for Thursday, September 10 on the road and Friday, September 11 at home, Pilkington said there will be more returning veterans in his team’s lineup for those matches.
“We still have 11 players who haven’t seen the ice in pre-season action yet,” said Pilkington. “The older guys need to have a chance to get the rust off before the regular season starts.”
The Wolverines still have a lot of skaters, as well as four goaltenders, in camp, and Pilkington said all the players have an opportunity to earn a berth on the roster. The final cuts, he said, won’t be made until the eleventh hour.
“With the last few spots, the decision goes right up to the last minute,” said Pilkington. “Either a player earns a spot in the lineup or they don’t. As a coach, we evaluate what the player offers. So ultimately, it’s up to the players; they’re the ones who make the final decision.”
Pilkington said he was encouraged by the crowd size and the atmosphere during the pre-season games. He added that not charging admission to the exhibition games was a way of encouraging people to experience what the SJHL has to offer.
“It’s a great opportunity for fans to see the Wolverines in action,” he said. “We’re looking forward to the season opener on September 18, and we hope to see a lot of fans in the building. We’re going to put on a good show for the home crowd.”
The Wolverines host the Broncos at Warman Home Centre Communiplex on Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m.; and travel to Humboldt for a return match-up on Saturday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m.