By Wes Gilbertson /
Their Alberta Junior Hockey League rivals weren’t having much luck.
What it took to finally cool off the red-hot Spruce Grove Saints was a bit of turkey, some holiday baking and a few days away from the rink.
The Saints dropped their first two contests after the Christmas break, snapping a streak of 16 outings without a regulation loss, a string that included a dozen wins, one tie and three overtime defeats.
Although the Saints lost some momentum over the break, head coach Steve Hamilton wasn’t ready to slide into the role of the Grinch and gripe about the holiday season.
“Yeah, sometimes you’d like it just to keep going,” Hamilton said. “But really, the guys needed to rest and needed some time off and you can never overshadow that or overlook that.
“For some guys, their bodies are running a little bit on empty, so the Christmas break gives them a chance to recharge.”
Hamilton and the rest of the Saints staff welcomed 18 new faces to the fold this season, including many plucked fresh out of the Midget-AAA loop.
It took awhile for the newbies to gain confidence and adjust to the pace of junior hockey, not to mention the rigours of a jam-packed schedule. But now that they have, the Saints are firing on all cylinders.
Three freshman forwards — Jordan Draper, who opened the season with the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels, Nate Fleming and hometown product Brett Cameron — have hit double-digits in goals scored, while rookie defenceman Kevin Connauton, who has committed to join Western Michigan University for the 2009-10 season, had seven goals and 23 points through New Year’s Eve.
“We’ve certainly matured as a team. Being as young as we are, I knew there was going to be a transition period,” Hamilton said. “For the last couple of months, we’ve been on a roll and I really give the guys a lot of credit. They’ve really figured out the league and their role in it.”
Not to be outdone, Spruce Grove’s seven returnees are also lugging their share of the load. Hamilton praised captain Jordan Kary and assistants Adam Henderson and Connor Hardowa for “setting the tone” and providing an example of what it takes to be successful in the junior ranks. Another Saints veteran, slick-skating winger Shane Lehman, is the club’s top scorer.
At the outset of the New Year, the Saints were clinging to second spot in the AJHL’s North Division, although back-to-back losses to the host Grande Prairie Storm in late December didn’t leave much breathing room between Spruce Grove and their closest rival.
Hamilton wasn’t thrilled with what he saw in Grande Prairie, especially during a 7-2 drubbing Dec. 30, but suggested the lopsided tilt might turn out to be a good wake-up call for his young charges.
After all, it’s fine and dandy to rack up the wins in November and December, but Hamilton’s top priority is building a squad that can contend into March and beyond.
“I certainly hope our best is still ahead of us,” he said. “We’re going to need to get better and better because the other teams are as well. I’ve been happy with our progress, but I don’t think we’ve been at our best yet.” |
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