Heartbreak doesn’t get in way of success
Dinos take on Pronghorns in Lethbridge
Heartbreak was suffered only months ago. And, while that memory lingers, the Calgary Dinos insist that they aren’t consumed by it — although no one would blame them if they were.
Because, after a stirring Canada West hockey playoff run, stumbling in the deciding game of the championship series — in triple overtime yet — would be agonizing.
“It’s still on our minds, but it’s not what fuels us to play well, by any means,” said Dinos captain Brock Nixon. “We don’t go out for practice thinking, ‘Oh, we’ve got to get better because we lost in triple overtime last year.’ But I think if you ask any guy around the room, that loss still hurts a little bit.
“When that puck went in the net? It was so deflating. You’re speechless.”
Added netminder Dustin Butler: “Whenever you go through a game that long, when both teams are playing that well, it’s a tough loss. Hard to get over.”
Dropping the demoralizing 2-1 decision to the Saskatchewan Huskies might have made for a few fitful sleeps, might have burned long into the off-season, but today at Lethbridge against the Pronghorns, the Dinos’ quest for conference supremacy begins anew.
So they’ve got that going for them — a fresh slate for a bunch of returning players fortified by last spring’s experience.
“We’re definitely closer, having gone through it … and it’s good to pass that on to the new guys,” said Nixon. “Looking back now, we’re very proud of our effort, but it definitely took a while to feel that pride … with how crushed we were with the loss. We want to give ourselves a chance to play in the final again. The only way to get rid of that (disappointment) is to win this year. “It starts with Game 1 (tonight).” In 2011-12, the Dinos, 15-11-2, had placed fourth in the conference, before mowing down UBC and Manitoba in the post-season.
Their regular-season sights are set even higher this winter.
“First place,” said Calgary skipper Mark Howell, whose squad went 3-3 in its exhibition dates. “Our expecta- tions are the same as they’ve been the last couple years — to contend for the Canada West championship, to contend for the national championship. I’m optimistic where we sit now.”
The Dinos’ frill-free forte is threezone responsibility. The coach demands it. “Our expectations would be to be one of the best defensive teams and not give up lots of chances,” said Howell. “And when we do, we know we have great goaltending. Our focus is puck possession. Like everybody in our league, we have two offensive lines and lots of good defencemen.”
And if that’s the case — that the makeup of most teams is similar — what will ultimately spell the difference? Apparently, some kind of post-secondary grit.
Which, according to Nixon, has to be first experienced, then mastered, in Canada West.
“In the past couple years, we’ve prided ourselves on our work ethic,” he said. “And that’s going to be necessary this year. We do have a lot of skill on this team, but, at the same time, what we’ve learned in this league is only playing two games a week — only a 28-game season — the intensity is so high every night. It just becomes a battle of hard work, winning the one-on-one battles. Winning the intensity battle every night, that’s usually who comes out on top.”
Added Butler: “When you come in as a first-year player, you don’t really understand how this league works. Everyone, for the most part, comes from the Western Hockey League where you play 72 games. Then you come here. It takes a little time to see … the respect players on each team have for each other. The work ethic you have to bring to play in this league, it’s extremely intense.”
After the home-and-home with the Pronghorns — Friday, 7 p.m., marks the Dinos’ home-opener at Father David Bauer Arena — Calgary doesn’t play again until Oct. 12 and 13 when UBC drops in. Players, meanwhile, are itching. “It’s nice to get going,” said Nixon. “Once you get back into the grind of classes … and pre-season games are important, but they’re not like the real thing. I’m real excited to get going.”
NOTABLE: At the home-opener, Flames defenceman Jay Bouwmeester will sign autographs between periods.