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Queens learn from preseason loss to SAIT Trojans

The RDC Queens have a lot of work ahead of them as they prepare for the Alberta Colleges Women’s Hockey League season.

Trojans 3 Queens 2

The RDC Queens have a lot of work ahead of them as they prepare for the Alberta Colleges Women’s Hockey League season.

But there were more than a few positives in a 3-2 exhibition loss to the defending league champion SAIT Trojans at the Arena Saturday afternoon.

“It’s just our second preseason game and there’s a lot of things we haven’t worked on, or even addressed,” said Queens head coach Trevor Keeper. “Some of the things we have practiced the girls did a good job of.”

Overall Keeper didn’t mind their play in the D-zone or on the power play.

“We moved the puck fairly well on the power play, using the high and low options and tried to get traffic in front.

“Plus overall we like our team speed. At times today we let down, but if we keep our shifts under 40 seconds we use that speed and we’re relentless on the puck. But we have to use that and not coast.

“Some of the other things we told them to be patient, we’ll work on them. We still have 26 players in camp and we’re still evolving into the team we want to be.”

The Queens led 1-0 on a deflection of a Nikki Connor shot by Angie Hodgson. However, the Trojans took advantage of a couple of defensive miscues in the middle stanza to grab a 2-1 lead. They made it 3-0 early in the third period on a puck that deflected off a defender past goaltender Kendra Lakeman, who was on net for all three SAIT markers.

RDC’s Deane Carlson had a Megan Jones shot go off her midway through the third period to narrow the gap to 3-2 and despite solid pressure the rest of the way the Queens couldn’t get the equalizer.

The Queens outshot SAIT 12-6 in the third period, but were outshot 29-25 overall.

“Between periods we talked about being down a goal or two and what we needed to do to get back in it,” added Keeper. “We talked about chipping the puck behind their D and creating plays down low and getting shots on net. We had 12 shots in the third and we want to have 12 shots every period. We pushed them in that period and almost came back.”

Rookie netminder Toni Ross of Weyburn, Sask., started and left midway through the second period up 1-0. She made 18 saves.

The Queens sat many of their veterans, including fifth-year forward Megan Abt.

“We had potentially our top line and one of our top two defencemen out as we wanted to see the rest,” said Keeper, who hasn’t decided when he’ll trim down to 23 or 24 players.

“We may make a couple decisions right away or wait and see after at least another game,” he said. “There’s not a big rush.”

The Queens face the Edge Hockey Academy in Calgary Oct. 1-2 and host the Edge Oct. 13. They open the regular season Oct. 20 at home against SAIT.

drode@www.reddeeradvocate.com