Coming off exhibition play with a 5-3-2 record with a final win, the Sicamous Eagles are tightening their laces for the coming season.
After splitting games against the Revelstoke Grizzlies and the Chase Heat, the team closed the pre-season with a Friday the 13th 4-1 win against the Kelowna Chiefs. Though they were outshot 41-33, the Eagles had more accuracy with Josh Missfeldt, Hayden Evans (2) and Devon Barclay all lighting up the scoreboard.
After the leading the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) for much of the 2023/24 season, the Eagles lost in round one of the playoffs, which new head coach Liam McOnie sees as a potential advantage.
"We have a lot of returning players with chips on their shoulders. They are motivated and disappointed with the way things ended for them last season," he said in a media release from the KIJHL. "We are working to become a little more risk averse as individuals and a team, and ultimately play a more physical style."
Though the team includes a number of rookies, including both goalies, McOnie doesn't necessarily see that as a disadvantage either, with a couple already emerging as promising players. He added that Emry Stewart is already establishing himself as a defensive centreman who is "effective on the penalty-kill."
Additionally, newbie Max Kinney has found ways to produce and scored four times in three games, though it's not just about the numbers for McOnie.
"All of our first-year players have done a very good job so far of creating individual identities for themselves and finding roles in the lineup," he said in the release. "We won't be looking at points and stats to evaluate which player has the biggest impact, but who is able to stick to their identity and role to execute at the highest level."
Overall, however, as is the nature of the game, McOnie does want to foster a team that's in it to win it, and is developing his leadership team accordingly.
"I think for our leadership group we are really looking for competitors. We want players who hate to lose, and who are willing to do whatever it takes during practices and workouts to make sure our team is in the best position to have success," he said. "We want to establish a strong culture of team-first mentality."
The Eagles are back on the ice in their first regular season game on Friday, Sept. 20 as they hit the road to face off against the Williams Lake Mustangs (formerly the Summerland Steam). That's followed by two more away games before their regular season home opener on Saturday, Sept. 28 when they host the Merritt Centennials at 7 p.m.
