Mitch Calvert
There’s no place like home.
The Fort Frances Jr. Sabres (11-8-1) struggled in back-to-back road losses to the Fort William North Stars over the weekend, but a pair of home games at the Ice for Kids Arena this Thursday and Saturday just might be what the team needs to right the ship.
“The last games of the weekend we would definitely like to forget about,” Sabres’ head coach Wayne Strachan said of their 7-1 and 3-0 losses to the North Stars after they had opened the three-game road trip with a 3-1 victory over the Thunder Bay Bearcats last Thursday night that extended their winning streak to five.
“Personally, Friday we were off. The entire team was off,” he noted. “The only player that put forth an honest effort was Rod Bouchard.
“Again, maybe it was due to the win again on Thursday but we had no effort whatsoever.
“Saturday was a little better, we played with a lot of emotion [but] couldn’t buy a goal,” Strachan added.
With the wins, the North Stars (14-1-2) solidified top spot in the SIJHL—and certainly appear to be the team to beat at this point of the season.
“They have 25 players right now and all of them can play on any night,” Strachan said. “I wish we had [those] choices.
“If we are going to be able to compete with them, we need to find a few more players that add depth to our lineup,” he added.
“They beat us at our own game. They pressured us all over and took advantage on their scoring chances.”
The potential for a looming trade has been well-documented in the Times and elsewhere, and Strachan believes that could be a distraction with his players. But he also doesn’t want to make excuses for their effort against Fort William.
“As good as we have been playing, we had a lot of passengers over the weekend,” Strachan remarked. “Some players are playing themselves off the team right now.
“Yes, trades have been talked about in the paper, which I don’t agree with, [and] I’m sure it is on everybody’s minds,” he added. “But the bottom line is you have to come and give an honest effort, and we have two or three players right now that don’t deserve to be getting dressed.”
The good news for the Sabres is their upcoming schedule, which includes three of their next four games against the winless Sioux Lookout Flyers, starting with one here Saturday night.
First, though, is a tough test tomorrow night (Nov. 27) against a hot Dryden Ice Dogs team which has won three-straight after sweeping the Thunder Bay Bearcats last Friday and Saturday.
“Dryden is a team that has improved from Day 1,” Strachan noted. “They had a bunch of young guys come in this year that needed to learn the junior game.
“They have adapted well and are starting to win some hockey games.
“Teams are ahead of us in the standings now, and our work is not going to be easy to get back on the right track,” Strachan warned. “We have to forget about this past weekend and go back to playing our game.”
Newly-acquired Colton Kennedy, who impressed in his first two games despite a lengthy layoff from hockey, currently is on the shelf with an upper body injury but Strachan doesn’t expect him to be out long.
Fans are encouraged to bring along toys to both Thursday and Saturday’s games for the Salvation Army and United Native Friendship Centre Christmas hampers. Those who donate will be issued draw tickets for prizes donated by merchants from Rainy River District.
A different-coloured ticket will be issued each night to those who donate, and all tickets will go back into the draw for Saturday night’s grand prize of a 26-inch HD flat screen television courtesy of Howarth’s Home Centre.
