There is light at the end of a long, dark tunnel for the winless St. Albert Steel.
"We're getting better and better," rookie Mitch McNamara said of the 0-5-1 Steel in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
"I wouldn't say it's been a struggle to get that first win but we've got to get it eventually. We want to get it and win more," McNamara said.
Skating into Tuesday's home game against the Bonnyville Pontiacs (score unavailable at press time), the Steel had let in a league-high 30 goals and lit the lamp only 13 times. Only the Canmore Eagles, the last-place team in the south division, had scored fewer goals with eight in six games.
The only point for the Steel in the standings so far was Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Sherwood Park Crusaders in St. Albert.
"We were communicating better and working harder basically that game," McNamara said. "Our bench was definitely a lot more positive. It was way better because in all the other games we were down on ourselves because we were losing early but that one we kept going."
It looked grim for the Steel in the first period when they were outshot 13-5, as the Crusaders scored twice in a 34-second span. But goals by defenceman Jordan Abt on the power play and rookie Colten Meaver evened the count in the second stanza.
"That first period wasn't good but after that it was all good, especially the second period. It was definitely one of our better ones," McNamara said.
After a scoreless third frame, Peter Quenneville potted the overtime winner against Ty Swabb (0-2-1, 4.94 GAA). He was solid against his former AJHL team. Shots were 32-26 for the visitors. St. Albert product Pat Terriss was the winning goalie.
The next night in the 4-1 loss in Sherwood Park, the Steel fell behind 3-0 before rookie Cole Linaker beat Matt Tomkins, the Crusaders' backup netminder, with 3:06 left in the second.
The Steel outshot the Crusaders in all three periods for a total of 34-30. In net was Rhys Hadfield (0-3, 4.77 GAA).
"We didn't play as good as the game before but we still had a good effort," McNamara said. "They scored early [at 11:11 in period one], so that was pretty much it. Once they go up on us we got down on ourselves."
A line brawl with 11 seconds to play resulted in a ton of penalties, plus one-game suspensions to McNamara and Colby Croft of the Crusaders for being involved in a secondary fight.
"It's not a big deal," McNamara said with a smile.
Steel tough guy Stefan Meunier also racked up 29 minutes in the melee.
"They ran our goalie and it all broke loose after that," McNamara said. "It was good. It was my first tussle. I just took the guy that I thought was trying to get after my brother."
Identical twins
This is the first year the 17-year-old McNamara twins have played together on the same team since the 2009/10 St. Albert Flyers in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League. Not only are Mitch and Liam identical, they also play hockey the same way.
"He is exactly like me," said Mitch, who entered the world ahead of Liam. "I'm a hitter, a grinder I guess. I like to go into the corners."
Mitch is a left-winger and Liam is a centre. The Grade 12 St. Albert Catholic High School students are six-foot-one, but Liam is five pounds heavier at 195.
"We're supportive of each other," Mitch said. "I like playing on his line. We're always together so we kind of know what's going to happen."
Last season Liam collected seven assists in 32 games in midget AAA with the St. Albert Raiders. Mitch whipped up 31 goals and 63 points in 32 games for the St. Albert Blues, the provincial silver medallists and playoff finalists in the Northern Alberta Midget AA Hockey League.
"Last year I was more of a scorer. I got a whole bunch of points because I played at a lower level than my brother," Mitch said. "I'm on the fourth line right now but hopefully I'll move up. There is always room for improvement."
The twins were pointless in five games with the Steel while making the jump from rep hockey to junior.
"It's definitely been the speed that's been the difference. Everyone is a lot stronger too so you've got to get bigger," Mitch said.
On tap this week for the Steel is the AJHL Showcase Event at the Tri-Leisure Centre in Spruce Grove. They play the Calgary Canucks (4-5) at 5 p.m. Thursday and the Crusaders (5-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The next home game is Sunday against the Drayton Valley Thunder (3-4) at 2 p.m. at Performance Arena.
