Baring something unforeseen the Barrhead Midget Steelers will once again be playing in the top tier of the 1660 hockey league.
On Friday, Oct. 19 the Steelers easily defeated the Westlock Warriors 7-2 at home. The game was the last of a series of four exhibition games which help determine what level a team should play at. The Steelers were undefeated in four games.
Head coach Allan Measures said although the team ended the first period up 2-0 on goals by Sheldon Dewsnap (assisted by Landon Petiot and Nash Hodgetts) with just over two minutes into the period and Owen Weeks (assisted by Dylan Stoik and Justin Haltiner) in the final five minutes of the frame they were not playing up to their potential.
“It has was probably the worst period we have played in a year,” he said, adding the team often gets off to a slow start on a day they don’t have school. “I’m not sure what it is, but the game after a PD day at school we don’t play as well.”
However, he noted it is still early in the season and that the Steelers have five new players and as such it will take time until they learn the system.
In the second period, the Steelers returned to form scoring three goals by Jeremy DeVries (assisted by Siraj Assaf and Petiot), Petiot (assisted by DeVries and Brendan Bujold) and Weeks (assisted by Bujold and Brayden Bain).
Late in the period, Westlock scored two goals against the grain to break goaltender Colton Griffiths shutout attempt.
In the third period, Barrhead added to their lead with goals by Bain (assisted by Weeks and Luke Szybunka) and Devyn Kerr (assisted by Blake Starman and Dewsnap).
As for what Measures feels the team needs to work on in the immediate future he said while there is always room for improvement in every aspect of the game he has been happy with the offensive production and their goaltending.
“We need to work on the defensive side. We lost defenceman Robert Geis and that is a loss, but these are a good group of kids, and they work hard at practice and are eager to learn. As a coach, you can’t ask for more than that and that is what makes it fun.”
