CANORA - Even though the 2022/23 season did not end the way they hoped, the U15 Highway 9 Predators, with a number of players on the roster from Canora, made significant progress from the start of the season to the end, according to Coach Jeff Sznerch.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Preds lost two straight to Moosomin, 6-4 and 7-4.
"We ended up sustaining multiple injuries which shortened up our bench substantially," said Sznerch. "That ended up being the difference maker in that round."
In the next series, the Yorkton RH Terriers provided the opposition. Yorkton won game one at home 3-0 on March 9. The Preds had high hopes for Game 2 in Canora on March 13, but Yorkton earned a 5-0 win, and took the series 2-0.
"It was a good series overall with two very evenly matched teams," assessed Sznerch. "We didn't play to our potential in Game 1 for a variety of reasons, which is problematic in a best-of-three series as you do not have much opportunity to have an 'off' game. That said, I feel we bounced back in Game 2 in Canora and played much better as a team overall. That is a testament to the character in our dressing room. Our players knew they had their backs up against the wall and they left it all out on the ice. Our parents and coaching staff are very proud of them and the effort they brought to the rink that evening. Unfortunately, we ran up against a hot goaltender and some penalty trouble throughout the game which saw us come up short on the scoreboard."
A strong effort by the team resulted in a winning record during the regular season.
"We rounded out our league play with a record of 11-5-2," said Sznerch. "We had a bit of a rough start to the year with illness issues for the first couple of weeks of the season. As we overcame that, I think our squad really bonded as a group, which was important as our roster is rounded out with players from multiple different communities. Some of our players hadn't played with each other in the past but that wasn't a hurdle for long. The atmosphere around our locker room was great with lots of joking and laughs which made coming to the rink a great experience for all involved. Players are always willing to dig down deeper and go the extra mile for their teammates when they genuinely like each other.
“This is a great group of young men and women. They always came to the rink ready to work hard in practice and that translated to success in games. The skill development and understanding of the game was evident throughout our roster. Looking back from the start of the year to the end. I feel we made real progress on that front and I'm proud of each member of our team. Our season was a success and I wish our players all the best as they continue on with their hockey journey."
Sznerch said a significant portion of the team's successful season can be attributed to a number of hard-working volunteers.
"I would like to thank all the coaching staff for their time, help and dedication throughout the season. The success our team found was due to their commitment, knowledge and willingness to always step up when needed. Anyone who has been involved in coaching and managing a team knows it takes a group effort to succeed. Our team staff consisted of coaches Dean Serdachny, Adam Vangen, Trent Wolkowski, Bryan Harder and myself. The ladies behind the scenes splitting the managerial duties were Stacy Vangen and Cindy Sznerch. Thanks for always keeping us on track!"
