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Bantam AA Hounds club enjoying bounce back season

Nov 26, 2018 | 9:24 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Experience is the greatest teacher, a mantra that the Medicine Hat Bantam AA Hounds are taking to heart in the first half of their season.

And that experience is providing quite the learning opportunity for the Hounds, even when it comes in heartbreaking defeat.

Hosting the annual Hounds Bantam AA Tournament over the weekend, Medicine Hat had a shot at a gold medal after going a perfect 4-0 in round-robin action and earning first place in their pool.

Building up a 3-1 lead over the Strathmore Wheatland Warriors in the third period, the Hounds watched as their two-goal lead vanished before an own-goal sealed the gold medal for Strathmore.

Hounds assistant coach Tash Bowles said it was a rough way to lose a championship game, but added silver is a stark improvement from a rough 2017-18 season.

“I think it helps give our kids a bit of a confidence boost,” said Bowles. “We had a pretty good start to the season, then we lulled for a little bit there, but we kind of got our feet back under us. And, it’s been going more uphill than downhill lately.”

Last year, the Hounds posted a 10-20-4 record in the regular season and were bounced in the first round of playoffs by the West Central Tigers.

Now sitting in third place in their division with a 7-5-2 record, the Hounds have a renewed sense of confidence according to captain Luke Renschler.

“It’s a lot better, it’s not like we’re always down after a long road trip, sad bus trip home,” said Renschler. “We’re always there happy, so it’s nice winning.”

Medicine Hat’s offence this season has been led by Caleb Garrecht’s point-per-game pace, along with 13 points so far from Dawson Stewart.

Along with the two team leaders, the Hounds also have five other players that are averaging at least 0.75 points per game.

Bowles said their team depth is paying dividends entering December, which is something they’ll need as the season carries over into the new year.

“We’re comfortable rolling all our [defence] pairings, all of our forward lines,” he said. “Work ethic is great, we have no problem with our compete level and guys seem to want to play for each other. So, I think that gives them a bit more of an incentive to give it their all.”

After spending the weekend on home ice, the Bantam AA Hounds will play a pair of games on the road next weekend against the Red Deer Steel Kings and West Central Tigers.