The right direction. It's where you want to go as you work your way through the South Central Alberta Midget AA Hockey League (SCAHL) season.
The right direction.
It's where you want to go as you work your way through the South Central Alberta Midget AA Hockey League (SCAHL) season.
So when Bow Valley Midget Timberwolves coach Kris Keller looks over his shoulder at a 9-0 score in his team's favour, he can be confident his players are travelling in the same direction. Together.
“We're really starting to come along, ” Keller observes outside the dressing room following his team's 9-0 win Dec. 7 over Edge School Mountaineers Midget squad at Edge. “We're starting to bond as a team. ”
With the team 20 games into the 34-game SCAHL Midget AA season the signs are encouraging for the coaching triumvirate of Keller, Kashtin Gordon and Tyson Soloski -- all former Cochrane Generals Jr. B players. The positive growth is a marked change from the beginning of the T-wolves' season.
“Off the start, it was kind of scary, ” Timberwolves captain Colton Wong relates. “Now that we see we're improving we're getting better and winning a few games now. So we're doing well. It's nice to see we're coming together. ”
Just as the team is coming together, however, it's coming unravelled at the same time. The injury bug has bitten hard. The T-wolves had seven forwards dressed for the Dec. 7 game at Edge. Thane Kondrat (foot), Jesse Profit (foot), Ty Milligan (concussion) and Wyatt Fenton (knee) are expected to trickle back into the lineup as their recoveries allow. Timberwolves D-man Tyler Wood is out with a fractured wrist.
“Unfortunately, we started to play really well, but now we've got the injury bug going on a bit, ” Keller laments. “Those are some pretty good players out of the lineup right now. It's hard to compete with seven forwards. ”
Especially when the league is as competitive as it is. Bow Valley (7-12-1) is sixth in the SCAHL's Midget AA North Division, just eight points out of third. There is an opportunity to move up in the standings.
“It's a tough league this year, ” Keller relates. “I don't think we've ever seen it this competitive. Teams are tough to beat. If you don't come to play, you're going to lose. ”
But, as the season's progressed, the Timberwolves have improved.
“Absolutely. I think we can do some damage this year for sure, ” Keller says. “We have really good depth this year. Just get them healthy. I think we'll be just fine. ”
