CARROT RIVER 鈥� The Carrot River Outback Thunder fell in its season opener, but displayed flashes of its potential.
The young Outback Thunder squad lost 10-4 to Delisle on the road on Saturday night. The Prairie Junior Hockey League contest was tied at 1-1 in the first period. The host Chiefs led the shorthanded Carrot River team 3-1 at the first intermission and 7-2 at the second.
鈥淚 thought we had glimpses of brilliance and obviously glimpses of the exact opposite,鈥� said Brennan Hall, the team鈥檚 general manager. 鈥淲e played an inconsistent game, but that was due to the lack of experience and the three suspensions and one injury that had us short four bodies.鈥�
The Outback Thunder have a handful of players back from last season. There are many new and young faces on the roster.
鈥淗aving a team consisting of 15 rookies is going to take some time to adjust to the style of this league,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淒elisle is going to be a top two team in the league again right alongside the Quakers, so they gave us the wake-up call we needed.鈥�
Some highlights for the Outback Thunder in the season opener were four different players scoring and multiple point games from David Wiens, Tyrell Nicklen and Tanner Dutcawich. The latter two each had two assists.
Ben Couvier and Brett Harper scored at even strength. Wiens and Kayden Graham each lit the lamp with the man advantage. The Outback Thunder scored on two of its three powerplay opportunities. 鈥淚 thought the powerplay was effective because our guys were moving the puck well,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淭hey seemed a lot more comfortable with the man advantage than they did in preseason. They were calm, getting good shots off and got bodies to the net.鈥�
While the Outback Thunder were shorthanded for the first game, Hall emphasized that this will not be a theme. 鈥淚 want people to know that we have a full roster, a committed group of young men,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e were only short because of the suspensions and injury, and the fact that not a lot of midget teams have started up, so we couldn鈥檛 get any (affiliated players) in with us.鈥�
The Outback Thunder will host Fort Knox in their home opener on Friday night. It is part of a busy three games in three days鈥� stretch for the team. The Outback Thunder play the Saskatoon Royals on the road on Thursday. After Friday night鈥檚 home game, they return to Saskatoon to play the Quakers.
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Saturday, Sept. 23 in Delisle
Delisle 10, Carrot River 4
Outback Thunder Scorers: Brett Harper, Kayden Graham, Ben Couvier, David Wiens
Chiefs Scorers: Keegan Randell (3), Austin Linnen (2), Thomas Bollefer, Jaden Shewchuk, Conor Prosofsky, Joel Zaidan, Chad Westman
Goalies: Justice Haack, Carrot River, 37 saves on 46 shots; Ross Jones, Carrot River, 8 of 8; Shaemus McLeod, Delisle, 24 on 28
Notes: Tyrell Nicklin, Tanner Dutcawich, and Wiens all had two points. Delisle led 3-1 and 7-2 at the intermissions.
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This Week
The Outback Thunder have three games in as many days this week. The squad plays the Saskatoon Royals on Thursday on the road, hosts Fort Knox on Friday, and is back in Saskatoon Saturday to take on the Quakers.
