Dunny's AE Atoms a learning, hard-working team
By Pat Payton
Following an exciting 3-2 Shamrock League win over the Lambeth Lancers last week, head coach Jamie Matheson was asked about this year’s edition of the Dunny’s Source for Sports Additional-Entry Atoms.
Three third-period goals gave the Rock the come-from-behind victory over the Lancers. Coach Matheson says several of his players are making the adjustment to playing Rep. hockey for the first time.
“We have a great bunch of kids who are willing to work hard,” Matheson told the Independent. “The team is made up of a few players who played Novice Rep. last year and the majority played Atom Local league, so these boys have had to make a big adjustment coming into this season. For some of them, they have never played at the Rep. level before and they are doing well with the adjustment and working hard.”
Matheson says the coaching staff is stressing work ethic and positional play. “Tonight (Oct. 28), we proved we could play our positions and we won,” he said.
“I would say a team strength is our work ethic. We’re working on it, and it’s coming along. And our goaltending has been strong; tonight Parker Levy held us in there.”
In last Monday’s game at the PRC, Levy made a couple of huge stops in the second period to keep the score deadlocked 0-0. Lancers finally opened the scoring later in the period.
The Dunny’s squad carried the play to Lambeth in the final 15 minutes and it paid off. After some sustained pressure, centre Ryder Blight tied it 1-1 at the 1:40 mark of the third. Just underfour minutes later, centre Logan Oke put St. Marys ahead 2-1 with a nice shot from the slot. Okethen put the Rock up by two with 3:18 left on the clock. After digging the puck out from a scramble, Oke back-handed home the game winner.
With 2:02 remaining, Lancers pulled their goalie for a sixth attacker and closed to within a goal with 1:24 to play. However, that’s as close as the visitors would get and the Rock skated off witha deserving win.
With the victory, the Dunny’s Atoms improved their SHL record to 3-2-1.
2019-20 Dunny’s Atoms team roster
The 2019-20 Dunny’s A-E Atoms team roster is as follows: Goalies Parker Levy and Connor McKichan; defencemen Jaxon Brown, Owen Harris, Harlan Frayne, Owen Muir, Peyton Wynands and Ben Robson; and forwards Adam Peachey, Ryder Blight, Zach Matheson, CainanO'Doherty, Mac Hern, Grayson Gerber, Jacob Wright, Ab Bender and Logan Oke.
Notes:
--Joining Matheson on the A-E Atoms’ coaching staff are assistant coach Luke Purias, Scott Frayne and trainer Ryan Harris.
--The team plays its Shamrock home games on Mondays, starting at 6 p.m. The Atoms host Petrolia on Nov. 11, before heading to the Collingwood Regional Silver Stick tournament, Nov. 15-17.
--In the recent A-E tournament in St. Marys, the Dunny’s Atoms reached the semi-finals where they lost to Mitchell. Mitchell and Dorchester advanced to the final.