Bill McDonald’s isn’t worried his team is entering the second week of the OUA hockey schedule still in search of its first win of the season.
Coming off a pair of road losses last weekend against the No. 8 UQTR Patriotes, the Lakehead Thunderwolves coach said their opening opponent was laden with major junior talent, a team that capitalized on its chances.
Regardless of the result, McDonald said Monday he won’t dwell on the defeats, but instead look for the positives as they get set to host the Queen’s Golden Gaels on Friday and Saturday night at Fort William Gardens.
“Territorially we were with them. It was an empty-net goal in the first game,” said McDonald, arguing the second period of last Saturday’s 6-1 loss might have been their best 20-minute stretch in the team’s first six games, including non-conference play.
The key to finding the win column this weekend are better puck possession in the offensive zone and improvements on special teams, he said.
“Our power play has to be pretty good and our penalty kill has to be pretty good,” said McDonald. “We just have to play smart hockey and read the game.
“We make little mental errors … It’s not physical, just reading the game, pinching up when there’s a line change.”
The third-year coach would also like to see the Wolves use team speed as an advantage when the Golden Gaels (2-1-0) come calling on Friday night.
Veteran forward Carson Dubchak said he’s hopeful last weekend’s test against a nationally ranked Patriotes squad was an eye opener for the young Thunderwolves, saying it was clear the team wasn’t quite ready for that level of play.
But there were plenty of positives, which Dubchak thinks the Wolves can build on in Week 2.
“We know we’ve got a good team and we know what we’ve got in this dressing room, so it’s going to be just about coming together and focusing on those positives,” he said.
Much of that is mental, the Kenora native added.
“We’ve got guys who stick together on the bench and who don’t get down when times are tough. We were down 3-1 on Saturday and there was nothing but positives trying to fight to come back,” he said.
McDonald said he plans to shift the active roster this weekend. Local talent Dylan Butler, who didn’t make the trip is expected to suit up, and barring a last-minute setback in his recovery from a slipped disk, rookie Garick Gray is also a candidate to make his 2015-16 debut at home this weekend.
McDonald said veteran goalie Jeff Bosch will get the start on Friday night, but he’s leaving Saturday night’s netminding choice up in the air.
Puck drop both nights is 7 p.m.
