Dean, Hounds chase consistency
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
For stretches, they’ve been extremely impressive.
At other times, not so much.
Consistency, to the surprise of few, is the second half goal for the Soo Greyhounds, who’re slated to resume the Ontario Hockey League season on Wednesday against the Sudbury Wolves (7:07 p.m.) at GFL Memorial Gardens.
“I want to see a consistent identity,” said Hounds head coach John Dean, whose team was unbeaten in regulation in six straight games (4-0-2-0) entering the Christmas break, and holds a 15-9-2-0 mark overall. “I think the first half is about finding out who you are. The second half is about building on that foundation, continuing to grow and, hopefully, becoming dominant more consistently.”
“We need to understand what’s made us successful and try to make that more of an everyday thing,” added overage winger Cole MacKay, one of the club’s alternate captains. “We know that when we play our game and do the things we know we can do well, we can beat anyone in the league.”
That appeared to be the case early on as the club opened 9-4-0-0. But beginning on Nov. 6, the Hounds dropped five out of seven. However, once their record fell to 11-9-0-0, the Greyhounds began their present streak of six straight games without a setback in regulation.
With 32 points, they’re presently tied with Windsor (14-8-2-2) for top spot in the West Division. The Soo is also tied for the seventh-most points in the OHL overall.
“We’re at our best when we play with speed and transition well,” MacKay explained. “We’ve beaten some good teams by sticking to the game plan, playing quick and transitioning fast, while combining that with a structured D-zone and a structured forecheck.”
Asked if the 2021-2022 Hounds left some points on the table in the first half of the season, MacKay didn’t hesitate.
“Absolutely we have,” he said. “We’ve definitely gone through some growing pains and definitely some games slipped through our fingers.”
But entering the second half tied for first in their division is “a good place to be,” MacKay added. “I think we’re trending in the right direction for a deep season (in the playoffs).”
Asked about his team’s potential to be among the OHL’s championship contenders, Dean spoke of how such talk is a long way off for him.
“We have some very, very good pieces and I think we have a team that has a lot of intangible characteristics that I think lend well to succeeding in this league,” the coach added. “But I’m not ready to talk about contending for a championship right now.”
But are they among the teams in the mix?
“I think we should be challenging for a divisional lead with a couple of other teams who are doing very well,” he said. “That’s where my head is at right now.”
The Soo is entering the Sudbury game minus some star players, including MacKay, who suffered a lower-body injury when he fell awkwardly after hitting an opponent in the final game before the break, a 4-3 overtime win in Kitchener on Dec. 17. He said he hopes to be out for only a couple of weeks.
The club is also missing centre Tanner Dickinson (Team USA) and defenceman Ryan O’Rourke (Team Canada), who’re competing at the World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.
Meantime, the Wolves (8-13-1-0), due to the COVID-19 pandemic, haven’t played a game in roughly a month. Their last action was a 4-2, home ice loss to Barrie on Nov. 28. Since then, seven straight Sudbury games have been postponed.
“I think Sudbury will be super-excited to play,” Dean said of his club’s opponent. “I imagine getting back to playing will be a big pick-me-up for that group. I think we’ll see a really excited Sudbury team with a lot of energy.”
Following Wednesday’s clash, the Hounds are slated to visit Saginaw (7:05 p.m.) on Thursday. After returning home, they’ll travel to Sudbury in time for a 2:05 p.m. start on Sunday. The clubs will also square off there on Tuesday (7:05 p.m.) in a COVID-19 rescheduled game.
Notes:
Entering the second part of the season, five Greyhounds have at least 20 points. The group is led by Rory Kerins (14-30-44), who is followed by Tye Kartye (23-11-34), Dickinson (12-21-33), MacKay (10-19-29) and defenceman Rob Calisti (11-10-21).
Kartye’s 23 goals top the OHL, and he also leads in power-play markers with 14. Calisti’s 11 goals are best among league rearguards.
