Starting the season off in style, the Bantam Lakers won their first game of the season 8-4.
The Cowichan Lake area minor hockey team of 13 and 14-year-olds’ home exhibition game win came Saturday, September 24, against Oceanside 3.
Despite scoring double what Oceanside managed, the Bantam Lakers’ head coach Calvin Convery recognized that it was the team’s first game of the season, and that they have areas to improve upon.
“I want to see less shots, and more passing,” he encouraged the players, during the second period break huddle.
After the game, he reiterated the need for defensive play.
“Defence,” he told the Gazette. “It’s always defence. Everyone wants to score goals.”
And score goals they did.
Although Oceanside managed to net the game’s first goal, the Lakers rebutted with two back-to-back goals.
Although the Lakers were on the losing end for a short moment of time in the second period, it wasn’t long-lived.
The game’s lead scorer was Cale Mackie, with four, followed by Tyler Hieta with three, and Blake Haslam with one.
“It seems like a good bunch of kids,” Convery said, after the game. “I’m looking forward to a good season.”
Although some players have complained about this year’s ban on body-checking, the overall reaction has been positive.
“It’s more of a European style now,” Convery said.
Following their home-game season opening win, the team was set to play in Kerry Park the following day.
This year has one Bantam League team playing in Lake Cowichan, with 16 players.
A new all-girls’ team based in Duncan attracted seven local girls in the Bantam League age division this year.