WESTVILLE ROAD, N.S.
Scoring goals was a major issue for the Pictou County Weeks Major Midgets a season ago.
It was only one game, but putting pucks in the net wasn’t a problem in their Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey league season-opener on Sept. 15.
“We’re a little more polished this year,” said fifth-year coach Kyle MacLennan, after Weeks beat the Sydney Mitsubishi Rush 7-3, in an afternoon game at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.
James Harrison had a pair of goals for Weeks, while Thomas Schnare, Tanner Greatorex, Devin Meagher, Landon Sim and Merle Putnam also scored.
Blake Kontuck and Riley MacKinnon each assisted twice and Oliver Arnfast had 23 saves in the Pictou County net.
Last season, Weeks finished in last place with a 10-24-1 mark, scoring just 102 goals in 36 league games (second-to-last in the NSMMHL). That was a team that had 13 first-year Midget players, and MacLennan feels they’re primed to compete, now that they have a year under their belts.
“We’re ready to do what it takes to win,” he said.
“I think our mindset is right for winning this year. But you don’t just show up – nobody’s going to be giving us anything. Our motto is to be relentless.”
Team captain Tanner Greatorex went through the ups and downs of last season, and now the second-year player said the key will be staying on an even keel.
“Coming into the year, there are a lot of guys returning and that definitely helps us with the consistency,” said the Truro resident.
“The older guys know what they have to do, but with the younger guys, they have to not get too high or too low, so we try to re-inforce that.”
• Weeks will have Matthew Hunter and Ryan Green as assistant captains for road games, with
Merle Putnam and Sam Archibald serving as assistants at home.
• The Major Midgets have a home-and-home set on Sept. 21-22 against the Cole Harbour Wolfpack. They play Saturday at the Pictou County Wellness Centre (7 p.m. start time) and the next day in Cole Harbour.
