The 100 Mile House Wranglers went south on Sept. 4 for an exhibition game against the Kamloops Storm.
The 4-3 loss was a learning experience for a young Wranglers team looking forward to its inaugural season in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), explains head coach/general manager Doug Rogers.
“We got off to a slow start for most of the lineup last night; it was their first junior game and nerves played into the sluggish start. I was impressed with the players work ethic battling back from a 4-1 deficit.
"They showed a lot of character for a young group. The second half of the game was our best half once the team settled down.”
A number of key Wranglers players didn't dress for the exhibition game as the coaching staff continues to piece together its official roster, but 18-year-old Adam Shaner did leave a stamp on the game – scoring all three goals for 100 Mile House.
“He has a nose for the net and is offensively gifted,” Rogers says of Shaner, a native of Colorado.
“He had a solid game offensively and we will look for him to continue to score as the exhibition season continues.”
Shaner's last two goals went unassisted, while Conor Sloan and Lane Vandewetering both assisted on his first.
At the defensive end, it was goalie Kristian Stead who made an impression, stepping in net for the second half of the game.
“(Stead) allowed us an opportunity to get back in the game by making a number of very good saves,” Rogers says.
Next, the Wranglers travel to the Princeton and District Arena to take on the Princeton Posse on Sept. 7, before returning home to 100 Mile House a for final exhibition game against Kamloops at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre on Sept. 11.
Game time is 7 p.m.
Rogers says Saturday night's lineup versus Princeton will more closely resemble the lineup fans will see on opening day.