Adam Dennis has experienced the highs and lows of hockey. He won a Memorial Cup with the London Knights as a goaltender. But like the Wide World of Sports saying went, “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” Dennis says the Battalion 10-game losing streak has been very tough on everyone.
“Everyone in their career has experienced a level of success and a level of failure and obviously you want to be on the other side of it,” the Battalion assistant coach told the media on Wednesday afternoon.
“What I will say is the margin between winning and losing is very small and I think what we have seen - and I know I sound like a broken record and people are tired of hearing it - there have been a lot of positives, we are close, close to getting over that hump and as teenagers go if we get one I think we will get a couple. It has not been easy, it has not been a happy time for any of us because we are competitive guys, you are not in the sport if you are not. It is very frustrating, to say the least, but it is something we have to work towards and try and fight to get out of it.”
The losing streak appeared to be coming to an end last Saturday when the Troops seemed to have the Windsor Spitfires in the ropes leading one of the West’s best 4-1 after two periods. But the third period was all Spitfires as they scored five unanswered including an empty netter to take it 6-4.
That loss was sandwiched between a tight 4-3 loss Friday to the London Knights and a 4-2 loss Sunday in Sarnia. Despite the losing streak, Dennis says he sees many fixable mistakes.
“There are things we can do to put ourselves over that hump,” said Dennis.
“Some of it is mental. We are young but to get older, to get more experience you have to learn from these times. Learning from Windsor is something very important because that one stung.”
The Troops are hoping home ice will help them get out of this funk, considering they have only played two home games during the losing streak.
They face the Hamilton Bulldogs, who sport locals Payton Vescio, Jake Gravelle and goaltender Zach Roy. Puck drop is 7 p.m. tonight at Memorial Gardens.
The Bulldogs sit fourth in the East Division with an 8-11-1 record.
Meantime, the Troops will welcome the return of 2019 first-round pick Liam Arnsby who is back from the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
Despite the Battalion record of 3-16, they still are only four points back of the Mississauga Steelheads (5-12) for eighth in the Eastern Conference.
