Although they lost both games over the weekend, there were plenty of positives the Dauphin Kings can take from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s opening weekend.
In a back and forth season opener, the Kings fell 6-5 in overtime to the Selkirk Steelers, Friday in Selkirk.
In Saturday’s home opener in front of 904 spectators, the Kings dropped a 3-2 decision.
Kings head coach Bryan Kromm felt the Kings did a lot of good things in the two games.
“With a young group, it’s about consistency. And I thought we played well on Friday and tonight, we weren’t really consistent with our game for a full 60,” he said.
“So when you don’t play hockey that way, the right way, for that amount of time, obviously, you’re going to end up on the wrong side of the scoresheet.”
Kromm was pleased with the compete level he saw, noting the team is working on its resiliency.
“Obviously, there’s ups and downs. And again, with the young group like we have, they’ve got to figure out how to handle those ups and those downs and stay level headed throughout it,” he said.
The injury bug has hit teams to start the season with four players missing Friday’s season opener and Kurtis Kinoshita leaving that game.
Every team, Kromm said, goes through injuries at some point in a season.
“You’ve just got to deal with it. There’s no excuses, right?” he said.
Also missing from the lineup was veteran Dylan Miko, who served a two-game suspension for a checking from behind major he picked up in game four against the Waywayseecappo Wolverines in last year’s quarterfinal series.
Kromm expects to have everyone back by this weekend, when the Kings host the Swan Valley Stampeders, Friday, at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the teams faceoff in a rematch in Swan River, also at 7 p.m.
Kromm said there is still a lot of things for the team to work on, noting it is a work in progress.
Kings court: After recording four points in 18 games last season, defenceman Sam Swanton registered four assists in Friday’s season opener and added a fifth helper Saturday. Counting the preseason, forward Collin Friedrich has seven goals in six games. He scored four times in four preseason contests and has three goals in the first two games of the regular season.