Ice Ramp up Efforts as they Head into Playoffs

After knocking off the two top teams in the NEAJBHL over the weekend, Head Coach, of the Cold Lake Jr B Ice, Scott Hood, says the team is making the last few weeks of the regular season count. The Ice took top team, the Wainwright Bison 5-2 on the 15th of the month and then took out the number two team, the Killiam Wheat Kings, 7-3 on Saturday. Both games were great for moral, says Hood.

“The main thing, for me, is the guys have played a lot better over the last five or six games,” states Coach Hood. The Ice are fifth in the standings, just a point behind the Onion Lake Border Chiefs, whom they lost to on Sunday in a close 3-2 game. “Obviously, you’re always looking for results, but if we’re playing well and losing [games], I can handle that a little easier.”

The Ice added some players before the January 10th deadline, including Ryan Evans, Austin Smyth, and last year’s Captain, Chad Schultheiss. Coach Hood says the new aquires are merging well with the rest of the squad, “they’ve been doing good. Chad’s been around for a few years and knows what’s going on. Ryan’s a young, hard working kid, and Smyth is another stable centerman.”

Nearing the end of the regular season, the Ice have four games left, three of which will be played this weekend. “We had three last weekend, then another three this weekend, it’ll be a tough weekend for us,” Hood says the guys are ready for it.

Sunday and Saturday are on the road against Lloydminster and Friday night the Ice welcome the Wainwright Bison, puck drops at 8:00 pm.