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Wolf Pack crash into 2010 season

Squamish Junior B team to play in Whistler this Sunday

The Squamish Wolf Pack had the misfortune of taking on the national champion Richmond Sockeyes in their season opener on Sept. 3, but it's a new season and the Wolf Pack are a different team.

The Sockeyes were first on the board in just under two minutes, but the Wolf Pack answered back just over five minutes later to tie the game. The Wolf Pack took the lead a little later with a power play goal but the Sockeyes matched it in the last four minutes of the period to tie the game at 2-2.

The second period was a near-stalemate with the Sockeyes scoring just one goal. The third period was all Sockeyes with two unassisted goals.

All-in-all, a score of 5-2 represents an improvement for the Wolf Pack, although the team's weaknesses were obvious. For example, the Wolf Pack continues to have trouble staying out of the penalty box and accounted for seven of the eight penalties called during the game.

The Wolf Pack also allowed too many shots on goal with shell-shocked goalie Jon Clutton saving 47 of 52 shots. The Wolf Pack managed just 24 shots through the entire game, including just six in the second period.

The Wolf Pack were back in action at home on Sept. 5, hosting the Delta Ice Hawks.

The Ice Hawks came out hard in the first period, outshooting the Wolf Pack 20 to 7 and netting two goals in the process.

Squamish's Corey Koop was solid between the pipes for the Wolf Pack in this game, and was perfect in the last two periods while stopping 31 shots.

Squamish woke up in the second period with Jake Charles scoring seven minutes in. They also managed 19 shots on net, while Delta added another 20 to their tally.

The real breakthrough was in the third period as Squamish scored three unanswered goals in 13 shots. Whistler's Joshua Schaubroeck scored the last goal, with just three seconds remaining, in their 4-2 victory.

Squamish still accounted for the bulk of penalties with seven of nine infractions, but managed to put 39 shots on the board.

The Wolf Pack was back on the road Sunday for their third game in as many days, this time losing to the Grandview Steelers by a 3-1 margin.

It was a close game from the start with no goals until a power play goal with just 24 seconds left in the second period put Grandview ahead. The Wolf Pack scored four minutes into the third to tie the game, but the Steelers added two goals, including their second power play goal, to win the game.

It was the Wolf Pack's roughest game yet, with 20 penalties from start to finish, 10 per team. The Wolf Pack outshot the Steelers 33 to 23, while the Wolf Pack's third goalie, Matthew Vorce, let in three.

Still, starting the season with a 1-2 record is a positive step forward for the Wolf Pack, and in their first three games they've let in just 10 goals while scoring seven. They also got a conference win early, something they didn't accomplish until December last season.

"I think we're making steps in the right direction, it was great to win on home ice after that tough game in Richmond... and Sunday we badly outshot (Grandview) but unfortunately their goalie was hot and we still wound up on the wrong side of that one after outplaying them," said Wolf Pack coach Matt Samson.

"We probably should be 2-1 right now. It's just a matter of getting our chemistry together and getting our team on ice to work towards our goal of making the playoffs."

Samson said his players are still getting to know each other after some late acquisitions, and some players hadn't met each other until they got on the bus to Richmond. He also hasn't settled on a goalie, but says he's been impressed with all three goalies so far and will give all of them more starts in the coming weeks.

"Corey Koop had a fantastic game (against Delta) when earlier I might have picked him as our number three guy to start," said Samson. "He won that game for us on Saturday, and he'll get another start this weekend while I look at the other two. I'm definitely keeping them all around, they're good kids and good goaltenders, but we need to decide on a starting goalie."

Next up for the Wolf Pack is an away game against the North Delta Devils on Saturday, Sept. 12, followed by a home game against the Devils Sunday in Whistler at Meadow Park Sports Centre - one of three scheduled Wolf Pack matches taking place here this year.

The Sunday game gets underway at 7:15 p.m., with doors opening around 7 p.m. The price of admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Kids under 10 are free with an adult.

Samson is hoping that Whistler fans will come out to cheer on his Whistler players, as well as to see his bigger, faster Wolf Pack in action.

"I don't know much about North Delta, but they've made a couple of big additions before the season. They're a fast team and well-coached so we're really going to have to stay out of the box against them, but I think if we bring a physical style of play they won't like that too much, and we can thrown them off their game. We have yet to beat the North Delta franchise, but we're looking to get one or two wins against them this weekend."