Captain Blueliner - not to be confused with Captain Highliner - has been handed the wheel of a ship that's been a little leaky in the early going.
The Moose Jaw Warriors, off to a 1-3 start, surprised no one by naming defenceman Scott Schoneck their captain Thursday. The 20-year-old is entering his fifth WHL season.
"There's no secret that teams in this league win with veteran guys," said head coach Len Nielsen.
"Scott's going to have to be a big part of it. The other two 20-year-olds who dress - and even when they don't dress - their attitudes speak volumes to the other guys, too."
Two of the Warriors three other overage players - winger Brent Hobday and defencemen Shawn Skolney and Kris Mallette - will be assistant captains on a rotating basis, depending on who is in the lineup. WHL teams can dress just three 20-year-olds per game and must finalize their overage tri-umvirate by Nov. 1.
A third ‘A' will be worn by sophomore centre Jamie Lundmark, 18.
Schoneck, Skolney and Hobday will be the Warriors' 20-year-olds tonight in Brandon. Mallette will be a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
"It's a bigger ice surface (at Brandon's Keystone Centre) and Skolney's just a little bit more mobile (than Mallette)," said Nielsen. "It's the biggest ice surface in our division by far and maybe the whole league.
"And Skolney played very well Saturday and deserves to play."
The rangy defenceman scored in a 4-2 loss to Regina and was arguably the Warriors' best performer.
"When there's more room to skate and you're a good skater, that's what you look forward to," said Skolney.
Tonight's game is the first of three in as many nights for the Warriors. The same teams clash here Saturday (7:30 p.m., Civic Centre) and the Warriors move on to Saskatoon on Sunday.
Over the next 12 days, the Warriors play eight times.
"I think the kids are all as bored as I am," Nielsen said of their thin schedule to start. "It's time to play hockey."
"The intensity will rise," promised Skolney, "if we have more games down the stretch instead of just having two on the weekend and then five days off. You get more laid back."
Skolney also challenged all of his mates - regardless of age - to show more leadership.
"It doesn't matter how five guys play," he added. "It depends on 20 guys showing up for the game."
Lundmark's return should also help "not just from what he does," said Nielsen, "but he makes the guys on the ice better and guys like (Jason) Weitzel and (Brent) Hobday, some of the pressure comes off those guys. It's not that we don't expect them to produce but now they have some help."
Lundmark will debut with centre Ben Knopp and Bobby-Chad Mitchell, while Wally Prawdzik will play a wing with Weitzel and Hobday. Martin Beck will be a healthy scratch to make room for Prawdzik, who has played just one regular season game.
Lundmark is also expected to see time with wingers Shawn Limpright and Sean O'Conner, while the line of Brian Sutherby, Steve Crampton and Dustin Bru remains intact.
Despite four offensively-able lines, the Warriors have been outscored 20-10 thus far.
"When you're in the third period and you've gotta get a touchdown to win, it's tough," said Nielsen.
Rastislav Stana starts in net tonight and will probably rotate with Tim Barlow throughout the weekend, added Nielsen.
-Taken from the Moose Jaw Times-Herald, Friday, October 8, 1999
