Nobody said it was going to be easy.
With 44 players left in camp, others injured and some away, Moose Jaw Warrior head coach Len Nielsen, assistant Marv Merkel, general manager Ralph Schmidt and a host of scouts, perched themselves high above the Civic Centre ice Friday, prepared with pen and paper, to make some key decisions.
Or was that pencil?
Some of these guys are making it difficult, Nielsen said after watching Team Black nip Team White 4-3 in the club's annual Black/White intrasquad game Friday. We'll make some moves (today). Approximately 10, maybe some more.
You watch these guys all week at camp and at the intrasquad game you might key on some guys that you want to make decisions on, he added. You want to see how they play when the intensity level picks up. Well, tonight I will say that no one played themselves out of the mix.
In particular the netminders.
Team White starter Nathan Deobald, 17 and 16-year-old Jonathon Meyer combined to make 41 saves while at the other end Curtis McElhiney, 17, and Ryan Papaiounnou made 32 stops.
The four are at least hoping to serve notice that they at least deserve watching for the future. The Warriors' netminding situation, with 20-year old Tim Barlow and 18-year old sophomore Sean Connors appears to be set, but not written in stone.
Maybe with pencil, but not with pen.
And while there's plenty of depth at the forward position, newcomers have made their presence felt and have at least forced Nielsen and Co. into a little head-scratching.
Not to mention the fact that the Warriors lost three graduating blueliners -- Scott Schoneck, Kris Mallette and Shawn Skolney -- and defenseman Dayle Wilcox suffered an ankle injury in camp which may shelve him for up to six weeks, leaving the Warriors with some spots to fill on the backend.
Primarily we may have been keying on the defensemen because we've got some holes to fill, Nielsen said. But the goalies have played great all week and I thought they were outstanding tonight and they're making things difficult. They all look like they can play in this league
As we get down more in numbers we're going to have some tough decisions to make, he added. We've got some very good hockey players who aren't going to end up being here.
While the game gave the Warrior brass a better chance to assess young talent, some of the veterans made their presence felt Friday including defenseman Harlan Anderson who scored once and set up a pair to pace Team Black. One of the goals he set up was the game-winner by 20-year-old Jason Weitzel with 3:57 to play.
Kyle Brodziak and Walter Prawdzik also scored for Team Black who trailed 3-2 after the second period.
Jason Lundmark -- younger brother of veteran Jamie Lundmark -- opened the scoring for Team White and later picked up an assist. Usually a defenseman, the 16-year-old Lundmark played forward Friday.
Veteran Dustin Bru and rookie Devon Lafreniere also scored for Team White.
I thought the intensity picked up as the game went along, Nielsen said. It"s tough for the veterans because like I've said before, they all get along well and like each other so it's tough to play with too much intensity.
But there was lots of skill with the younger guys, he added. Lots of skill and plenty of speed.
Following today's moves Nielsen and staff will put together a lineup for their first official exhibition game at home Sunday against Swift Current.
Game time is 6 p.m., not 7:30 like printed on the game tickets.
Warrior Scalpings . . . there were only two fights in the game -- rookies Lane Manson (6'7Ó, 206 pounds) and Mark Vodden (6'6Ó, 198) went at it, with a square shot from Manson ending the bout. The other skirmish involved rookies Alan Jackson and Walter Prawdzik . . . Jackson was injured when he collided with veteran Bobby-Chad Mitchell (6'2Ó, 225) behind the net . . . all four goalies made numerous big saves but the game-saver came with just 1:11 to play when, with the White net empty in favour of an extra attacker, Ryan Papaiounnou robbed Jason Lundmark from point-blank range to preserve the one-goal win.
