Saskatoon Wild - Moving in the Right Direction?

[Otis Boudreaux Jr 214]

Saskatoon Wild - Moving in the Right Direction?

 

(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) The Saskatoon Wild have not had the most auspicious start to their current season. The league table sees the Wild occupying the bottom of their division. They have earned 15 points, with a record of 7-10-1 and a goal difference of -11. Things do not look well for the team. The only team with a worst record are the Ottawa Lynx at 6-12-0 and only 12 points with a goal difference of -17. From first glance, yes, there is concern with the team and its standing. One has to wonder if this is going to be another season where Saskatoon is just a road bump that other teams have to go over on their way to organizational glory.

But things may not be as they seem for the hometown Wild. One of the biggest challenges with bringing a team together is to have them start thinking as one, have them skate, act, pass, defend and shoot as one. Yes, the Wild have 10 losses, but 6 of them have been by only 1 goal. As the team started to gel the hope is this would change. It appears this corner may finally have been turned.

 

The last three games saw the Wild win a shootout against Mexico City followed by victories against Ottawa and Houston. The shootout saw 4 goals, but the highlight had to be how Goaltender Joseph Reed blocked both of the shots from Mexico City. The Ottawa game was another 1 point game, but this time the Wild came out on top of the 4-3 score line. The final game was a 3-1 victory over the Houston Bulls. Even though there are only 2 victories added to the overtime win, it is the longest win streak in this season. Every win gives the team an opportunity to build off of the previous one. And now, there are 2 in a row to hopefully propel the team to more victories.

The team has been aided by the excellent play of Forward Monty Burns as he leads the team with 10 goals and 8 assists, giving him a team best 18 points. Ben Lass with 5 goals and 12 assists and 17 points. Tord Yvel is the third highest point holder on the team with 15 points, 4 goals and 11 assists. The distribution of the points and the sharing of the goals shows how the team has started to gel. Every team needs a "face". That person who everyone associates with the team and personifies who they are.

 

It appears that, with no planning, that player is Monty Burns. All that is needed to confirm this is to look around the city and see how people have latched onto this young Canadian. His face is on every billboard, on the sides of buses and his jersey is starting to appear on the backs of the young men and women of the city. People want a hero and Monty is it for the Saskatoon Wild.

Now only time will tell if this team of young upstarts will continue to climb that mountain to victories. But it appears, no matter what, the people of Saskatoon are behind them.

Word Count: 530
Claimed: Week ending 16 Apr