The bench boss of the St. Albert Miners summed up the game plan this season in two words.
"Just win," said Vay Diep, prior to the team's first run Friday night at Servus Credit Union Place.
Last year ended sooner than expected for the Miners in the best-of-five senior B provincials against the Rockyview Knights. The two-time defending champions were hobbled by injuries in the final and in game four a depleted lineup surrendered five shorthanded goals in the third period in the series-clinching 12-7 win by the Airdrie team in Spruce Grove.
The Miners were unable to use their home floor in the final because ice was being installed at Northstar Hyundai Arena.
"The injury bug bit us at the wrong time of the year, that's all," Diep said. "It was disappointing in the way we lost last year but the guys also recognize the situation that we were in too."
The Miners lost twice in Airdrie to start the series, marking the third-straight year they failed to win a road game in the final.
Four wins and seven points separated the first-place Knights and third-place Miners in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League. The Miners' overall record was 13-10-1.
"We had a good bunch of guys," Diep said. "But not going (to the Presidents' Cup nationals) was tough. We could easily be there every year."
This year the Miners are reloading a veteran roster with young guns from the junior ranks.
"The draft picks we picked up this year are going to make an impact on this team," Diep said. "We managed to steal Ryan Davis (15 goals and 40 points in 17 games with the junior A Miners) in the spot that he was available at (No. 2 overall in the north draft). A sleeper is going to be Chad Gendall (23 goals and 35 points in 18 games), a kid from the Warriors junior B program (who went in round seven)."
The lethal brother combinations of Nate and Chris Schmidt and Graedon and Jordan Cornfield will shoulder the offensive burden. They combined for 92 of the Miners' 163 goals in 16 regular-season games.
Nate, the team captain, was the recipient of the Harris Toth Award as the league's top scorer with 28 goals (one more than Graedon) and 64 points in 14 games. In the playoffs Nate racked up 25 goals, including 12 on the power play, and 39 points in eight matches.
The addition of Jarrett Toll of the Edmonton Rush in early July gave the Miners a big boost offensively. The former runner with the junior A New Westminster Salmonbellies and senior A Langley Thunder chipped in with five goals in four games and in the playoffs was the leading playmaker with 22 assists for 28 points for second place behind Nate in the scoring race.
Diep plans to rev up the Miners' high octane offensive attack after finishing second overall in goals in league play, three less than the Spruce Grove Slash, the host team for the 2012 nationals.
"Depending on how the team works out player-wise, I would like to play a faster game. I would like to run more," said the second-year head coach. "If we have the horses to do that we're going to try and catch teams more on the transition game."
Questions in net
The big question mark is the status of all-star netminder Dave Marrese. The third-string Rush goalie is looking to hook up with a senior A team in the Western Lacrosse Association.
Marrese ranked second among goalies in assists with 11 in league play and in the playoffs missed games three and four in the final because of a concussion. Chris Standing filled in for the St. Albert Rams Lacrosse Club product.
Diep won't know if Marrese will be back with the Miners "until the ball drops on game one."
Is he worried Marrese will not be the last line of defence this year?
"No. It is what it is. Everybody wants to play at a higher level of ball, right?" Diep replied. "The potential of losing the best goalie in the league is tough but I'm sure we're not the only team that deals with losses of best players."
Who will stop the ball in Marrese's absence is a mystery.
"We drafted Leland Labrecque (in round four) out of the Warriors' junior B program and I believe we have a couple more in the system that we've drafted before as well," Diep said.
The Miners will start the season without role players Steven Zwack (six assists in 13 games) and Lucas Huyser-Wierenga (four goals and 14 points in 12 games). Zwack moved away because of job commitments and Huyser-Wierenga is dealing with a potential season-ending injury.
"They are key pieces out the back gate," Diep said.
The Miners make their season debut next Saturday at 6:45 p.m. against the Okotoks Raiders in an exhibition at the Blackfalds Multiplex.
"We'll see how camp goes and if we need another game it wouldn't be a problem scheduling another exhibition," Diep said.
The league opener is May 3 against the Edmonton Outlaws at 8 p.m. at Bill Hunter Arena.
The first home game is May 8 at 8 p.m. against the Slash at Northstar Hyundai Arena.
