While they weren't worth any points in the standings, the Tisdale Trojans will look to fix their flaws shown during their two exhibition losses against the Prince Albert Mintos (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Trojans Exhibition

Trojans happy to resume play, but difficulties evident in exhibition weekend against Mintos

Oct 26, 2020 | 9:41 AM

For the first time in over seven months, the Tisdale Trojans played their first competitive hockey games.

Playing against their regional rival Prince Albert Mintos was a refreshing change of pace from playing against one another in scrimmages, but it didn’t mean the Trojans were left without frustrations.

Following a 9-2 loss in Prince Albert, the Trojans dropped their second and final game in the Saskatchewan Male U18 AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) exhibition season to the Mintos 5-1 in front of their home crowd.

Trojans Head Coach Dennis Kubat said while it’s awesome to be back on the ice, the main takeaway is his squad has a lot of work to do.

“I don’t know if guys are nervous, they’re gripping their sticks too much, or if they don’t know our systems,” Kubat told northeastNOW. “Coming into the weekend, I loved our practices. Our effort was always there, and we were doing well. I liked the way we were doing it, going through each system a week. I don’t really have the answers right now. I guess all we can do is continue to get better, go over some game film, and hopefully have the boys ready to go when the real season goes.”

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Whether it was the first period where they only generated one shot, the second period where the Mintos were suffocating in each zone, or a penalty-riddled third period, the Trojans never managed to sustain momentum on Sunday. Although Kubat credited his goalies – Hunter Lolacher and Cody Wilson – for their play throughout the two exhibition games, even with unflattering scores.

“It’s disappointing to see this weekend that they didn’t get much help… too many odd-man rushes and breakdowns,” he said. “I know it’s only exhibition, but we’ve really got to work this week and figure this out.”

The Trojans will have a week to iron out the kinks in their game. The 2020-21 SMAAAHL regular season gets underway on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m., when the Trojans host the Saskatoon Blazers at the Tisdale RECplex. Public Health protocols will be in place and seating will be reduced.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow