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Summerland Steam focus on their game

The Steam have lost their two home games this season, but have won their two road games
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JUNIOR B HOCKEY Cairo Rogers, a Penticton native, is on the Summerland Steam this year. is a Penticton native. Last name is Rogers, ignore spelling in photo. (Photo submitted)

Regardless of their Kootenay International Junior Hockey League opponent, Summerland Steam players know they must be ready.

“You have to come prepared to go to battle no matter what team it is,” says Steam forward Brett Wilson.

The Steam coaching staff are focused on continuing to build their game.

“It’s just relaxing and helping the boys understand how they need to play at this level,” says Steam head coach John DePourcq.

The Steam have lost their two home games this season, but have won their two road games.

“I think that is what we are going to work on is just understanding how we need to play, simplifying things,” says DePourcq. “Just doing every day work — drills and skills — that you need to work on in order to have success. A lot of battling drills and continually going over our systems and specially teams.”

What DePourcq liked in a recent Princeton game was that they competed along the walls and sacrificed the body to make plays. He added it also means getting pucks in and out. Getting the puck in the offensive zone allows the Steam to get in on the forecheck. The team did a lot of the things the coaching staff has preached over the last two weeks.

Wilson says another area to focus on is keeping their shifts short. That will allow everyone to have fresh legs. Wilson, who sat out the last game, said the team played well as a group. The win was huge and needed.

“Just to build confidence and get that first win of the season,” says Wilson.