The holiday break was extremely satisfying for members of the Simon Fraser University men’s hockey team – but that satisfying feeling comes to an end now.
The Clan jump-start into the second half of the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League schedule in Castlegar this weekend, taking on four-time defending champion Selkirk College.
For first-place SFU, the ultimate satisfaction comes when the season ends with a win.
“I thought we played really well,” said SFU coach Mark Coletta, reflecting on the first half of the season. “We had a game plan going in that we were going to bring in some fresh faces at the beginning of the year, and that’s a mix of some speed and some grit, and I think we showed that in the first semester.”
The Copeland Sports Complex-based squad proved to be an offensive dynamo over the first 13 games, scoring a league-best 67 goals and surrendering the second-lowest, 30 goals.
Veterans Adam Callegari, Mitch Crisanti and Brendan Lamont provided vital leadership up front, while newcomers Daniell Lange and Scott Patterson fit in well.
On defence, Brandon Tidy has been a standout in transitioning back to the blueline after a season as a forward.
The coach noted a firmer, grittier approach can give the team more of an edge.
“Definitely our D-zone coverage has got to be better. We’ve got to play a little more aggressive — that’s the system we want to play, we don’t want to be passive,” explained Coletta. “We want to be aggressive, in your face.”
SFU’s next home game is Saturday, Jan. 21 when Trinity Western comes to the Copeland Centre.
