Klippers must gain composure heading into holiday break
By Jordan Parker
The Kindersley Klippers returned to action Saturday in a heartbreaking loss to the Melfort Mustangs.
With the Klippers up 5-3 going into the third period, the Mustangs rallied for three goals in the final frame, two of which completed right wing Marco Lopez’s hat-trick.
Despite a hat-trick for Kindersley point leader Tylin Hilbig, the team once again unraveled and the third, succumbing to a difficult defeat at the midpoint of the season.
Assistant Coach Mitch Topinka says the consistency just isn’t there for the team right now.
“It was a game where we played very well for the most part. As much as it was back-and-forth, we stayed on track,” he said. “But there were eight minutes where we started watching, and three pucks hit the back of our net.”
“When Melfort gets a lead, they don’t give it up. We should have kept our foot on the gas and play defensively, but we got off track and it costed us.”
Some bright spots, however, remain in the form of newcomers to the Klippers roster. Defenceman Nathan DeGraves accounted for two assists on Saturday night, defenceman Liam Bell got an assist in his first game with the team, and right wing Andrew Blocker notched a goal in the tilt as well.
“Nathan DeGraves and Brayden Koch have been great. Blocker is finding the back of the net and getting to dirty areas. Liam Bell had a great first game, and the new fellas are showing up,” he said.
“They’re pushing the other guys, and it’ll be great going forward. The dressing room has been great since they came in, and everyone is having fun.”
With Josh Morton and Josh Pufahl back, Topinka looks forward to a full roster after Christmas.
“In that period-and-a-half Morton played before the injury, it showed why we acquired him, and it’ll be nice to have him back in the lineup,” he said. “Injuries keep happening, but we need to find a way to battle back.”
Forward Andrew Blocker now has six points in 21 games with the La Ronge Ice Wolves, and three in just four games with the Klippers.
“I’ve been having a great time. My linemates have been helping me out. It’s been great playing with Matt Mazzochi and Aidan Bangs. They’ve been helping me put pucks in the nut,” he said.
Blocker calls himself a “more defensive” forward, something the Klippers no doubt need on there roster right now. But he also says he had other instructions when he got to Kindersley.
“Coach said he wanted me to bring more grit. I like laying the body every now and again,” he said. Blocker says the team needs to be more in sync to avoid issues like the third period against Melfort.
“We just need to trust each other. If we have a shift off, we need to regroup,” he said. “We need to learn as a team to take a breath and keep things going. If we can do that, the fun bus will be rolling.”
The team has seen a great amount of change to the roster over the last few weeks, but three-year Klipper centre Noah Lindsay says things will soon come together.
“All the new guys have fit into the team structure like a glove. I feel our defensive core is super versatile, even with Josh Morton and Josh Pufahl out of the lineup with injuries,” he said.
“With the highs and lows of the game, it’s important to stay focused, and Melfort just managed to take advantage of their chances to come back.”
The chippy game saw the Mustangs capitalize on 1/4 powerplay chances, and the Klippers finally began to convert on the man advantage, with 2/9 on the game.
“We’ve been working on our powerplay a lot recently and we’re all feeling a lot more confident this season than we were previously,” he said.
As of the writing of this story, the Klippers were 12-15-0-1, with games against Humboldt, Notre Dame and Battleford on the docket prior to the December 17 break for Christmas.
Lindsay has a few ideas on how the team could try to be more consistent following the holiday.
“Post-Christmas, we need to work harder. We’ve shown we can play with the top teams and win, but we need to play a full game,” he said.
“We’re on the right track, and with time off at the break to relax and heal from injuries, I’m excited for what’s to come in the second half of this season.”
Lindsay says the locker room has been talking about finding ways to be resilient this year.
“The team wants to be mentally tough. Whether we are up a goal or down, we need to stay in it,” he said.
“The team needs to be able to collect our thoughts and stay strong as a group and we will win games.”
The Klippers play their last game before the Christmas break on December 17 at 7:30 ST against the Battlefords North Stars. They’ll go back into action Wednesday, January 5 against Estevan.
Andrew Blocker - PHOTO COURTESY Kindersley Klippers
