White over Red

Times Reporter   

 

Two-nothing after the first, 5-0 after the second, and 8-0 after the third, was not exactly the score that Coach Dan MacDonald wanted to see after the UFA Bison’s Red and White Game. Team White dominated as Team Red team was filled with more of the younger 15-year-old rookie hopefuls.

“We’d like to see more of a tight game, that’s for sure,” said MacDonald. “But you just don’t know how hard the kids are going to work, and how hard they’re going to play. It’s good to see.”

All players on both teams were rookies, looking to earn their first spot on the Bisons, but the bigger, older players on Team White had the sure advantage.

“We wanted to see how they would stack up against the tougher competition, because for them, to stay with us, they have to be stronger and cut the mustard, you might say,” MacDonald said. “Otherwise they have to go back to where they can develop better.”

On the Team White side, Troy Van Tetering, Chad Harrison, and Robbie McLean lead the offense, impressing their potential coach.

“They were just driving the net better, and that’s what we’re looking for – you always want guys who drive to the net to score,” said MacDonald. “When you start the season, we always look at fundamentals to start with. Driving the net is one of those fundamentals. They have to be able to take the puck to the net, and create scoring chances.”

The Bisons are now narrowed down to 33 players, who will compete in a tournament against other league teams at home this weekend, Sept. 12-15.

“We’d like to see them play a couple games against their own age level,” MacDonald said.

Following a tournament the following weekend in Calgary, the team will be named on Sept. 23.