SASKATOON – Championships aren’t won in October, but an opening weekend sweep of the University of Calgary Dinos still feels pretty good for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team. The two road victories were a study in contrast. After a wide open 6-5 overtime thriller in their season opener, the Dogs dialed up their defence on the way to a 1-0 shutout in the second game.
Instrumental to both wins was the play of rookie forward Andrew Johnson, who scored the deciding goal in each contest.
“I’m just trying to play my game and have fun out there,” Johnson said. “I’m getting the confidence back and really enjoying my linemates too.”
One of those linemates is a familiar face to Johnson. Fellow rookie Kohl Bauml was a teammate of Johnson’s with the Saskatoon Contacts in 2009-10.
“It’s pretty special. I knew coming back here that opportunity could be there. It’s funny, you don’t play with a guy for four or five years or whatever but it’s a lot of the same tendencies and we just have fun out there,” Johnson said.
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That hasn’t gone unnoticed by head coach Dave Adolph, who has been watching Johnson since the rookie was a bantam-aged player.
“They’ve had a little bit of chemistry since they both joined up here in pre-season, and we’re going to ride it as far as we can,” Adolph said.
The Huskies next action is this Friday and Saturday, when they host the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.
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