With 15 rookies in their lineup, some growing pains are expected for the 2017-2018 edition of the RDC Queens hockey team.
Their new journey got underway this weekend with a pair of exhibition games at SAIT.
RDC dropped a 5-1 decision to Mount Royal University and followed that with a 1-0 loss to University of Calgary on Saturday.
Head coach Kelly Coulter said there was a lot to like about the performance on the weekend even though he knows offensively his team must improve this year.
“The girls are very coachable and they are very willing to learn and execute the game plan as we ask them, I’m happy with what I see,” Coulter said.
“Their fitness and compete levels are very good. We need to get more pucks on net. In the two games I don’t think we got close to 3o shots either game. So, obviously getting the puck on net and getting to the net area is something we need to work on.”
First-year forward Nicole Spinks of St. Albert scored the Queens only goal of the weekend. Third-year netminder Tracie Kikuchi made 43 saves in the 5-1 loss.
Next up for the Queens is an exhibition game against the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, with puck drop set for 6:30 p.m. at the Centrium.