2000 Training Camp Update
BRAMPTON, Ont. – Midway through day two of the 2000 Battalion Training Camp, Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Stan Butler is pleased with what he has seen so far after four practice sessions and one intersquad game.
“Hopefully every day gets a little bit better, that’s the idea,” he said as the players began preparing for the second intersquad game on Saturday afternoon. “Your best scrimmage is your third one on Sunday and for some of these kids, hopefully it’s given them some icetime. Some of these kids havent been on the ice for a while and hopefully the practice works as an equalizer to get all the kids on the same footing.”
The team played their first intersquad game on Friday afternoon at the Brampton Centre and Team Green beat Team White 7-6.
“I thought it was a reasonably good game,” commented Coach Butler, “and one of the things I was pleased with was that the teams were even. There was some concern when the score became 7-3 but the other team bounced back and made a game of it. I think the players were all trying to feel each other out and once they got a comfort level with the type of game that would be played, they settled down and it turned into a decent game.
“For a first game it was OK,” he continued, “and hopefully the game tonight will be a little bit better. In these types of camps, as the time wears on and the guys go longer, it’s usually the cream that rises to the top and hopefully that will be the case here.”
Coach Butler said that he would be juggling the lines for today’s game.
“The guys will rotate and play on different lines,” he explained, “because I think it is important that guys experience playing with all different types of players.”
Training camp concludes on Sunday with two more practices and another intersquad game which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
The Battalion travels to Oshawa on Monday for their first exhibition game against the Generals.
