Episode 9: 3 of 4 Points & Winning Off Ice

Emily

Welcome back to This Week in Blue & White! I’m Emily, and I’ve got Coach Wayne here with me as PT is on the injured list. We’ve got kind of a loaded show today—game recaps, player spotlights, and a look at some really meaningful time the team spent off the ice.

Coach Wayne

Absolutely, Emily, couldn’t have said it better. The boys battled hard in both games this week, but honestly, their growth away from the rink is just as important. Let’s get into everything—because there’s a lot to talk about.

Emily

Alright, let’s jump in. Game One against the Mississauga Senators—it kinda felt like a statement win, didn’t it? We controlled the pace, the puck, just all the pressure right from that opening faceoff.

Coach Wayne

Yeah, no question. We out-shot ‘em twenty to eight in the first period. And you know, from that point the structure really took over. That’s the kind of thing we’ve been harping on since the start of the year. It doesn’t always work out perfectly, but when it does, it’s fun to watch. Lynkin Heath also made some huge saves to get his first shutout of the year!

Emily

Totally. I wanna dig into a few player highlights, because there were so many guys stepping up all over the place. Jake Mancino—he had a goal and an assist, but it was the transition rushes and the way he applied O-zone pressure that really stood out, at least for me.

Coach Wayne

Right, and Hunter Nadeau opened the scoring for us. The way he was just relentless on the forecheck, tracking back, and getting into those hard areas defensively—that’s the stuff that really helps you win close games.

Emily

Andrew Hanson had five shots—I mean, big net drives, right? And I remember that crease goal, just stuffing it in. He’s fearless near the blue paint.

Coach Wayne

Yep, and don’t forget Jayden Challenger. He was like the playmaking engine in that one. Two primary assists, so dynamic coming off the rush—I mean, he just sort of dictates the pace when he’s on.

Emily

Matt Heine, too—he was so steady. That tight gap control and those clean exits... it’s not like flashy highlight stuff, but it’s huge for keeping things under control.

Coach Wayne

And you need those details, right? Tyler Longo—his penalty kill was top notch. Smart clears, heavy defensive minutes, just really mature shifts for a young guy.

Emily

And it felt like George Zettas and Callum Ryan were kind of the defensive backbone for the whole game—clean retrievals, pushing the pace out of our zone. You could just see those two driving the play together.

Emily

Alright, Game Two—honestly, this one felt like playoff hockey in November. It was fast, tight-checking, emotional, just a different level of intensity.

Coach Wayne

Yeah, and not to bury the lead here—we put up sixty-four shot attempts. Sixty. Four. That’s a lot. That’s commitment, that’s drive, and I know the boys would’ve loved to squeak out a win, but everyone left everything out there.

Emily

I mean, Challenger was everywhere—twelve shots, goal, he basically created five scoring chances by himself. It just keeps building every week for him, doesn’t it?

Coach Wayne

It does, and Heine was another one. Scored a goal, won seventy-five percent of his faceoffs—so calm and composed in every zone out there. I keep telling our centers, watch what he does between the dots.

Emily

George Zettas again—nine shots, elite mobility, it felt like every shift he was driving play up ice. Callum Ryan, too—same thing, nine shots but also strong reloads, disrupting every transition the Jr. Canadiens tried to put together.

Coach Wayne

Gotta give it to Adrien Leung and Charlie Birch. They logged such heavy defensive minutes, really broke up a bunch of dangerous rushes. That’s not easy in a game where you’re under pressure all the time. And guys like Longo and Thompson—kind of those glue guys. They’re always making those little plays on the boards, clean puck movement, just making everything, uh, slot into place.

Emily

Duke and Hutchinson too—depth spark, I’d call it. There were a couple shifts where we were hemmed in, and they kind of swung things back and got us some positive possession.

Coach Wayne

And, we can’t leave out Lucas Young in net. Calm, totally controlled in the crease, came up big with some late saves to secure the point. That’s what you want in those crunch-time moments.

Emily

So, it wasn’t all rink time for the boys this weekend, right? Saturday started off pretty chill with a yoga session. It’s kind of new for a lot of these guys, but it focused a lot on mobility, breathing, just really slowing the body down. Recovery, basically.

Coach Wayne

Yeah, and honestly, I still get confused which pose is which, but they stuck with it. Then we all headed to ARMAGH House, which is a transitional home for women and children. I’ll be honest, it was a really powerful day. The boys don’t always get to see that side of the world, you know?

Emily

Yeah—and for this Christmas, the team’s pitching in to support some of the families at ARMAGH House. Providing gifts and essentials, that sort of thing. It’s really important stuff for these young men to learn—how you can make a difference, and maybe grow up a bit in the process.

Emily

Let’s switch gears for a bit and do our first player feature—Ethan Thompson. This kid brings size, personality, and a whole lot of commitment to the team. He’s got, like, that quiet confidence, right?

Coach Wayne

Yeah, and he patterns his game after Nathan MacKinnon. The stride power, the intensity, that puck protection—don’t quote me, but you can see that influence for sure. I think his dream job is just hockey, plain and simple.

Emily

You can’t beat that honesty. I love his answer to the ‘superpower’ question—he says he’d wanna slow down time, so he can finish his homework. An elite honest response right there, and honestly, totally relatable.

Coach Wayne

For me, his biggest strength is that he knows how to use his size. That’s a skill too—not just being big, but understanding where and when to use it. He’s starting to lean into that, and I like where it’s going.

Emily

Alright, next up—George Zettas. What a skater. He’s just—he’s explosive, dynamic, and probably one of the smoothest guys out there for us.

Coach Wayne

Yeah, and he models a lot after Cale Makar. The way he’s always working from his edges, that deception, how he transitions up the ice—he really tries to mirror that style. It fits his strengths perfectly.

Emily

And he picked flying as the superpower he’d want, which, honestly, I think is cheating since he already looks like he’s gliding out there. He just floats over the ice.

Coach Wayne

His skating is his engine. Everything builds from that. When you’ve got a guy who can move like that, it opens up every part of the game for the team.

Emily

Well, that’s gonna wrap up this week’s episode—more details, more highlights, and a really full look at what the weekend had for the boys in blue and white. Feels like we’re always finding something new to talk about each week, doesn’t it?

Coach Wayne

I’m just proud of the group—on the ice, but maybe even more off of it after a weekend like this. Kids are learning what it means to lead, in all kinds of ways.

Emily

Thanks for listening, everyone. We’ll see you next week on This Week in Blue & White! Coach, thanks as always for the stories.

Coach Wayne

Thanks Emily. See you next week—should be another fun one. Take care!