Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Road trips often do wonders for young teams trying to gel.
For the MacEwan Griffins – a squad with more newcomers than returners this season – this weekend is crucial to developing chemistry in the group.
They hit the road for matches at Lethbridge on Saturday (12 p.m.) and at Calgary-based Mount Royal University on Sunday (1 p.m., both Canada West TV presented by Co-op).
"It's exactly what we need right now," said head coach Dean Cordeiro. "This will be the first time the team can bond on an overnight trip. So, I'm really looking forward to that. We know how long we've waited to go on a road trip, so it's nice that it's finally upon us."
The Griffins enter Saturday's contest looking for a rebound after losing to Calgary last Sunday. The goals came off set pieces, so it's no surprise what the team has been working on in practice this week.
"The team's ready – we've turned the page on Sunday," said Cordeiro. "We're reset, we're refocused. We have a couple big games this weekend. We'll be ready for them."
MacEwan (1-1-0) will first visit Lethbridge (0-2-0), who are coming off their own defeat last Sunday – a 2-0 setback at Alberta.
The Pronghorns have traditionally given the Griffins a tough challenge. While MacEwan has a 4-1-3 regular season record against them since joining Canada West in 2014 (2-1-2 in Lethbridge), they've only outscored the Pronghorns 8-5 combined in those meetings.
"Right now, all our preparation is with Lethbridge in mind," said Cordeiro. "They have a new coach, they're a good side. They're always tough to play at home, so we've got to go down there and put together a solid 90-minute performance."
MRU (1-1-0) beat Lethbridge 3-1 in their last outing. While the Griffins have had enjoyed a ton of success against the Cougars in their Canada West history (7-0-2 in regular season meetings and 2-0 in playoff matches since 2014), it's a new season and the battle with be tooth and nail.
MacEwan's success hinges on their ability to turn the page from the Calgary loss and get back to their winning ways, which were on display in a 2-0 win over Alberta in their home opener on Sept. 4 and during an undefeated preseason slate.
"The one thing that's important to note is although we had a pretty smooth preseason and opening match, that's not the norm," said Cordeiro. "Every game's a battle and (the Calgary loss was) the first time we trailed in a game. It was a bit of a wakeup call. I think we needed that.
"Better for that to happen now than when the games mean a lot more later in the season. It's an opportunity for us to reset and refocus and prepare for our next opponent here, and just take it one game at a time."
