It was baptism by fire this past weekend for several prospects attending St. Marys Lincolns’ training camp.
Lincs used all rookies in their two pre-season games against Stratford Cullitons and they got a taste of the speed and skill that comes with playing at a higher level of hockey.
On Saturday night at the Pyramid Recreation Centre, the young Lincolns squad—featuring 11 St. Marys minor hockey products—kept it close for 40 minutes before eventually dropping an 8-2 decision.
Twenty-four hours earlier in Stratford, the margin of defeat was almost the same as a Lincs’ line-up—strictly full of prospects—lost 10-3 to the more experienced Cullitons.
Lincolns had only one signed player—power forward Spencer Wilson—dressed for the two weekend tilts against Stratford. Wilson, a power forward, was a member of the New Liskeard ‘AAA’ Midget Cubs last season.
“We had a lot of kids in the line-up this weekend to see if they can play at this level,” Lincs’ coach Jamie Baker said following Saturday’s game.
Cullitons, on the other hand, used a handful of veterans and top prospects in both games.
“Stratford is down to about 30 guys, so they have no choice but to play half or two-thirds of their team,” Baker continued. “We have lots of guys, and we hadn’t seen them in a game. Normally, we would do a green-and-white game this weekend, so we took it as an opportunity to get these guys into a game against good-calibre players.
“It really shows who can play at this level and who can’t. It’s not their skill level, it’s the reaction time. This hockey is just quicker. It’s a bigger, faster, stronger league than what most of these kids are used to. It really showed playing against Stratford’s line-up.”
Cullitons 8 - Lincolns 2
On Saturday night at the PRC, the game was closer than the score might indicate—especially for almost 50 minutes.
The teams were tied 2-2 after the first period, and two unanswered second-period goals gave Cullitons a 4-2 edge heading into the final 20 minutes. Stratford’s four goals in the third came with less than 12 minutes to play.
Forward Jake Ryan, 17, who played for the New Liskeard ‘AAA’ Midgets a year ago, paced the Cullitons’ attack with a hat trick. Mitch McCrank, Ray Huether, Kyle Rowe, and veterans Chett Binning and Brendan Nicholson had the singles.
Two of the visitors’ goals came on powerplays.
Defenceman Scott Coghlin and centre Mike Mandarelli, of London, replied for the Lincolns. SMMHA product Neil Van De Walle and Jesse Cave assisted on Coghlin’s powerplay goal, while SMMHA product Calvin Penney set up Mandarelli’s goal with a perfect centring pass.
St. Marys netminders Brett O’Drowsky and Alex Campbell each played 30 minutes and both allowed four goals.
“St. Marys is going to have a good team like they have in the past, but you have to get the young guys in (the line-up) and give them an opportunity,” Stratford coach Phil Westman said.
“We only have six exhibition games, and we’re looking to get our team ready. The score tonight isn’t really indicative of what the season is going to be like . . . for either team.”
Cullitons dressed four returnees—two forwards and two defencemen—for Saturday’s game.
Cullitons 10 - Lincolns 3
On Friday night at the Allman Arena, Cullitons stormed out to a 4-0 first-period lead and led 7-2 after 40 minutes in a one-sided affair.
Final shots were 41-15 in favour of Stratford.
Cullitons had six veterans in their line-up and several other prospects who are expected to make their club. Lincolns, on the other hand, had no returnees in their line-up—dressing a full roster of young prospects.
“When the kids come to our (training) camp, we promise them at least one game,” Lincs’ GM Warren Nye said. “We get all the prospects in the first two games.
“When I saw Stratford’s line-up (Friday), I knew what was going to happen prior to the game. We tried to keep it 10 (goals) or under, which we did. I think it was a learning experience for a lot of the kids on our side,” he added.
Leading the way for Stratford was Steven Dol, with a natural hat trick and three assists for a six-point evening. Dol, a 19-year-old from the Simcoe area, played for Delhi Travellers of the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (SOJHL) last season.
Jake Ryan added a pair of goals, while Stratford native Jared Culliton contributed a goal and two assists. The other singles came off the sticks of Andrew Barton, Eli Adair, Mac Macsorley and Mitch McCrank, who also played in New Liskeard last winter.
Ryan and Adair both clicked for shorthanded markers, while Stratford’s Macsorley connected with the man advantage.
In the goaltending department, Derick Mitchell played the first 40 minutes and 16-year-old Cian Patterson-March the last 20 for the Cullitons.
Nick Moniz, Adam Rzeszutko and Kyle Walker (shorthanded) replied for St. Marys.
Steven Wilken, who played for the Grey-Bruce ‘AAA’ Midgets a year ago, and Embro’s Joel Terhaerdt each played 30 minutes for the beleaguered Lincs.
Wilson impresses GM
Winger Spencer Wilson and netminder Wilken were a couple of bright spots for the Lincolns.
“Spencer Wilson had a strong game; he’s good on the forecheck and reads the play well,” GM Nye reported. “Wilken started in net and wasn’t bad for a ‘93 (birthday).”
Coach Baker noted that Lincs used the game as strictly a “measuring stick” to see what the young prospects could do.
“It told us a lot of what some of the kids could and couldn’t do,” he said. “Some of the kids were good, but a lot were a little out of their element. That’s what we used the game for, to see them in a real-game situation.
“On the other hand, Stratford had half their team dressed, as well as a couple of good prospects.”
This week: Lincolns’ pre-season schedule continues with a home game tonight (Wed., Aug. 25) against Waterloo Siskins at 7:30 p.m. The game will be played on the PRC's Blue Rink.
Lincs then have home-and-home dates with Lambton Shores Predators, playing the Preds Friday in St. Marys at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday in Forest at 7 p.m.