The hockey team faces a rematch of the Gold Cup game against Howell High tomorrow at 6:45 p.m. at the Rec Plex. Howell North won the first

game between the two teams by a score of 6-3 after losing the game 12-2 last season. The Knights will be without their leading goal scorer senior Brycon Johnson because he’s going to Minnesota to play for Granite City in the North American Tier III Hockey League in hopes to play for a North American Hockey League team next year. 

“It shouldn’t be that difficult because it’s a team effort[to do well without him],”senior Brian Fuhler said. “Not one kid can do it all himself. He is able to be the leading scorer because of his teammates around him. Everyone on the ice has to do their job to win. The other kids who can also score will need to step up and make it happen and show everyone that we can do it without him.”

In the first five games, including Gold Cup, the Knights have scored 20 goals and have earned a record of 2-2-1. The main source of the goals has been Johnson with 6 goals and 5 assists including Gold Cup. 

“We need to slow it down, pass it, and do the things we practice[to score more goals],” sophomore Brendan Johnston said.

In their last game, the Knights lost 6-4 against Lutheran South. The main area they needed to do better in was positioning according to sophomore Ashton Clark.

“We let in too many goals because of bad positioning in our own zone,” Clark said.

Since the two teams first meeting, the Knights have beaten John Burrows, lost to FZE and Lutheran South, and tied Holt. In all of these games, they have let in two or more goals. The team will be looking to improve on the defending errors.

“I need to get in front of the puck and we need defense to stay back,” sophomore goaltender Kavan Johnson said. “[We need] forwards to come back for support.”

Going into the game, the Knights have a record of 2-2-1 and the Vikings have a record of 2-1-1, including Gold Cup. So overall, there seems to be no clear favorite in this game.

“We need to work more as a team,” sophomore Adam Dempski said. “We gotta work on our positioning so we can put the biscuit in the basket.”