Trevor Sack met with his new players just hours before stepping behind the bench for his first time and although the Stars were blown out 10-3 he sees potential in his players.
The Stars took on the Prince Albert Mintos Tuesday at the Civic Centre and after one game Sack says he has a good feel for what the players can do on the ice and their commitment to improving.
"It is a learning curve for both me and the players," said Sack. "One of the biggest things I challenged them on when coming in fresh - you throw a bunch of new systems at them and you see how much they can take in and where the threshold is. I don't think we executed exactly the way we wanted (Tuesday), but at the same time, anytime you come into a new environment and they can pick some of that stuff up quickly with no practice time shows their commitment level is there and that is all I wanted to see. That desire to want to get better."
Prince Albert scored the game's first goal three minutes in and later in the period, the Stars' Colby Cave tied the game with his seventh of the season from Dylan Fluter and Jeff Olson. Twelve seconds later, the Mintos scored to go up 2-1. The Stars scored 25 second later, this time Colby Daniels scored his seventh of the season from Zack Klebaum and Blake Young. Not even two minutes later, a Prince Albert player beat the Stars' defence and scored a shorthanded goal on Regan Santoro. The Mintos added another goal before the end of the first period to lead 4-2 and 18-9 in shots.
Prince Albert continued to pressure in the second period and twice Santoro was left scrambling on his own and twice the Mintos scored taking a 6-2 lead. Adam Fauchoux scored a hat trick 24:49 into the game.
Dylan Fluter capitalized with the Prince Albert goalie out of the net on a nice feed from Young for his eighth of the season. Fluter's goal was scored shorthanded.
Prince Albert added two more in the second period and after Blair Mahon came in for Santoro, he was beat twice in the third period.
Prince Albert was 2/5 on the powerplay while the Stars were 0/5 and out shot 33-21 on the night.
"It is hard coming in and facing the top team right off the bat, but like I told the players they've got all the tools," said Sack a day after the game. "They wouldn't be playing in the best AAA hockey league in the country if they weren't good hockey players. I think it is just a matter of getting them to believe in themselves and getting them to believe in each other and believing they do have what it takes to beat some of these teams in the league."
Tuesday's loss, which saw the North Stars hit a handful of posts, dropped the Stars to 6-19-1-0 and they will have just a one day break to work on the new systems and familiarize themselves with the new coach, as the Stars were on their way to Beardy's Thursday. The Stars will need to improve on their defensive play and make more passes, which they couldn't do against Prince Albert
Sack didn't say it is a quick fix with the Stars, but with two more games before the Christmas break he will have a better chance to evaluate some of the players and work to bring the best out of them.
"With meeting with the players (Tuesday), there were a lot of positive faces in the dressing room and you see that drive in them and the motivation to get better. I think it is just a matter of trying to bring it out in them,"
Sack returns to the Battlefords and a hockey program he is familiar with and hopes his SJHL coaching experience can help these midget players further their careers. In fact, that is what he says he is most excited about with his new job.
"Moving the players on. Seeing them get better on a daily bases and helping them with their hockey careers. I'd love to see players move on to junior and major junior and hopefully get an education from their hockey careers."
The goals have been set and the introductions made, now time will tell if Sack can return home and help pull the Stars out of the 11th spot in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League standings.
