By Josh Truba
While many of us focussed our attention on the start of the National Hockey League season and the Calgary Flames’ vaunted trip to the land of the rising sun for that battle of the titans with the San Jose Sharks, the University of Calgary Dinosaurs men’s hockey team was quietly getting their regular season under way.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the Dinos squared oV against the University of Manitoba Bisons for two games at Father David Bauer Arena, marking the start of the Canada West hockey season. Both games were hotly contested, with the Bisons winning the first 10, and the second ending in a 33 draw.
Saturday night’s game was wide open and, like Friday, the power play was a major factor in the outcome. Their 0 for 7 power play performance effectively lost the first game for the Dinos. Then on Saturday the team scored all three of their goals on the power play, salvaging a tie and one of four weekend points.
"We scored three goals on the power play tonight, but the goals were not by design. They were all broken plays where our hard work paid off in front of the net. I like to see the effort, but our power play needs work, especially after going 0/7 Friday," said Head Coach Tim Bothwell after Saturday’s game.
Although Bothwell was not ecstatic with his team’s power play production this weekend, or with only taking one of four points in the series, he was pleased with the play of two rookies on the team–Ryan Schneider and Trevor Segstro. Schneider had one goal and two assists, while Segstro scored two goals Saturday night.
Bothwell spoke highly of the tandem.
"I expect good things from Segstro. He came to us from the Alberta Junior Hockey League, and he is a good player in this league–he could be a good player in a lot of leagues."
As for Schneider: "He has great speed and is a dangerous offensive player around the net. He just needs to learn to use his linemates a little better and play as a unit."
The Dinos are fortunate to have the talented rookies in their ranks, since only two forwards returned from last year’s squad. Segstro suspects that they will only get better as the year progresses and they become accustomed to each other’s styles of play.
"I thought we played well this weekend and we will only get better. We just need a little time to gel as a forward unit."
There’s no doubt in my mind that the Dinos forwards will improve their play as the year moves on, but what about us as fans? When I said the Dinos season opened quietly, I meant it. This is quality hockey and the arena was empty. I know that no one on campus has anything of consequence to do on Friday or Saturday between 79 p.m. besides sitting at home, eating stale Doritos, and watching appalling reruns of Mad About You and COPS. Get some class and go to the games.