After featuring a youthful and rookie-laden roster last season, the Carrot River Outback Thunder is seeking success with a number of familiar faces.
With 12 players back from last season and four former affiliated players returning, the Outback Thunder open the Prairie Junior Hockey League season on the road Friday against the Saskatoon Westleys. The Carrot River squad plays its first four games of the Prairie Junior Hockey League season away from home. The Outback Thunder’s first home game is Oct. 20 against the Saskatoon Royals.
“The thing that sticks out to me with this group very early on is the team camaraderie that is already forming, combined with the pace and mindset so far at our practices,” said Trevor Logan, the Outback Thunder’s head coach. “Any time that you get a group that is willing to show up to the rink for practice, ready to push the pace and have some fun at the same time that excites me. The commitment to pushing each other to be better is something I think every coach strives to achieve.”
Last year’s team went 17-16-7 and lost in the North Division semifinals. From that squad the Outback Thunder return both of its goaltenders in Kolton Holmen (.903 save percentage last season) of Carrot River and Naicam’s Ben Gilbertson. The team also has back four of its five top scorers in Raymore’s Austin Linnen (a team-high 44 points last season), Nick Peterson (40) of Nipawin, Drayden Ukrainetz (37 points and a team-high 24 goals), and defenceman Kyle Njaa (28). Only Logan Robinson (40) departed. Kinistino’s Justin Cay, who was seventh with 26 points a season ago, is also back at forward.
On the blue line, Njaa and 21-year-old Layne Cay of Kinistino are among the top players back. Cay and Ukrainetz were PJHL North Division All-Stars last season.
To the strong returning core, the Outback Thunder add some talented newcomers. This group includes some of last year’s affiliated players, such as Porcupine Plain forward Grady Genaille and defenceman Tysen Rachkewich of Rose Valley. Logan said all of the new 18-year-old players signed with the club show promise, will need time to adjust, and he expects big things from them.
Carrot River also has added some older players. One of the top additions is Ethan Rheaume, a defenceman from St. Brieux who played for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Melfort Mustangs last season. Logan believes he has the potential to be one of the league’s top defencemen as well as being able to pass his Junior A experience on to other players. Lintlaw’s Zack Spray – a 6-foot-5, 225-pound 19-year-old – and Porcupine Plain’s Tate Steistol, who had three points in two exhibition games last weekend, will look to help the team at forward. The squad also hopes to have Melfort’s Matt Goudy, a forward who played the last two years with his hometown Mustangs, in the lineup as well.
Exhibition
At the pre-season Curtis Ross Memorial Tournament in Fort Qu’Appelle, the Thunder won one game and lost one in a shootout. Both games were played last Sunday. Logan said the team was rusty but that the purpose of the tournament was to start polishing off that rust.
“Linnen, Ukrainetz, and Peterson showed they are ready to get back to being a big offensive threat again this year,” Logan said. “Our backend looks very solid and once we can find some chemistry on our other lines and get ourselves in better game shape I’m excited for the potential of this team.”
A four-goal second period propelled the Outback Thunder to a 7-5 exhibition win over the Regina Silver Foxes on the afternoon of Sept. 24. Regina had jumped out to a 3-1 first period lead, but Carrot River responded to grab a 5-3 lead at the second intermission.
Justin Cay and Ukrainetz each scored twice. Steistol led the Outback Thunder with three points, including a goal. Also scoring for Carrot River were Peterson and Linnen. Gilbertson stopped 40 of the whopping 45 shots he faced. The Outback Thunder scored its seven goals on 32 shots.
The Outback Thunder fell 5-4 in a shootout late Sunday night to host Fort Knox. Carrot River was unable to score in the shootout while Fort Knox made the most of one of its three opportunities. The Outback Thunder led 2-1 and 4-2 at the intermissions, but Fort Knox was able to score twice in the third to tie things up.
Linnen scored twice for Carrot River. Ukrainetz and Genaille had the team’s other goals. Holmen made 29 saves.
