Terrace River Kings kicked off the season with one win and one loss last weekend against the Smithers Steelheads.
They lost 4-5 to the Steelheads in Smithers on Friday, but turned it around on home ice Saturday with a 2-1 win.
Coach Robert Findlay says he would have liked two wins, but the team had to gel and build compatibility on Friday, as it was only the fifth time they had been on the ice together.
“Terrace has a lot of new, young guys out. We’ve lost quite a few of the old group,” said Findlay.
New to the team are Junior Ayotte from Quebec and Terrace minor hockey graduates Liam Albright, Colton Braid, Jarrett Harrison, Dion Johnston, Kenny Nordstrom, Noah Tokarchuk, Austin Turner.
“All these new players [were] just getting used to each other. We had some bad passes [on Friday],” said Findlay.
“On the Saturday game, they smartened up on that and got more used to playing with each other.”
Findlay says goaltender Patrick Leal had an excellent game Saturday, and played really well.
In the 4-5 loss on Friday, Terrace goal scorers were Chapin Leblond in the first period, Ken Nordstom and Cory Dekelver in the second, and Cory again in the third.
In the 2-1 win on Saturday, Chapin Leblond scored in the first and Cory Dekelver in the second.
Close to 630 people lined the stands in Terrace Saturday and Findlay says they really appreciate the fan support.
“That really makes a difference for the team if they see people coming out and enjoying the hockey that we are trying to put on for them,” he said.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Findlay says things are looking good.
The team really gelled on Saturday and the players seem really committed to practices, he said.
“We’ve got a good group of boys. We’re going to work hard, and we should have a pretty successful year this year.”
The River Kings face off on home ice again at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, against Prince Rupert Rampage.