DIDSBURY - It’s been an up and down season for the Mountain View Colts so far this 2019-20 season.
With a strong core of veterans back from a deep playoff run last season, the team was expected to challenge for the title but have so far fell a little short of expectations.
Head coach Gord Olsen said the Colts have played decently but have also had some tough, close losses.
“We won some games early,” said Olsen. “We haven’t played poorly, we just haven’t had the results we’ve wanted. The month of November hasn’t been good.”
The Colts started off well enough. The team went 7 wins and 3 losses in September and October and were in sole possession of second place in the north behind powerhouse Airdrie.
“The boys just came out and played well,” he said.
The wheels came off a little in November as the Colts struggled to score and dropped seven of 10 games.
Although other than a 9-1 drubbing by Okotoks, most of the losses have been close.
December has been more of the same as Mountain View lost more games than they won.
Olsen said the team will continue working hard in practice and working on the fundamentals.
“We’re going to just keep doing what we’re doing,” he said. “We’re getting lots of shots. We need the power play to get going. We’re going to keep working on the same things all the time.”
On the ice, the Colts have been led by the high scoring of veteran forward Josh Gette, who leads the team in scoring with 25 goals and 35 points in 23 games.
The next top scorers are Travis Gerrard with 20 points and captain Alan Klinck with 19.
Olsen said the veterans have done well and have provided good leadership for the team.
He is hoping for increased offence and more balanced scoring in the new year.
“We just need a few more guys to equal his (Gette's) production,” he said. “You can’t just rely on one guy.”
Olsen is happy with how the young players are doing with rookies like Carter Layden and Paton Rothenbusch contributing at both ends of the ice.
Veteran goalie Ethan Woodward has been somewhat inconsistent for the Colts. Woodward does have an 8-win, 7-loss, one-shutout loss record with a goals against average of 3.52.
“It’s been all right,” said Olsen of the team’s goaltending. “I wouldn’t say outstanding but good enough to win. We just haven’t put any offence up on the board on some nights.”
With six of seven northern division teams making the playoffs, the Colts are in good shape to make the post-season although getting a first round bye for finishing top two will be tough.
Olsen said the goal for the rest of the season is to get to the playoffs and do as well as they can.
“The boys have some goals,” he said. “The season is going the way it is. It’ll be up to them to decide how we finish.”
