# 53 EVAN ANTISDALE - EHL
Since the start of training camp we were all ready for whatever was going to be put in front of us. We all have the same goals in mind. We all want to be the best team in the league and put forth championship efforts every time we step on the ice. With this weekend approaching we all knew we had to push ourselves the extra mile in order to make our home opener one to remember. As a new franchise, a new brand of hockey had to be created, and we wanted to make a statement.
We were all fired up, facing the Monarchs who are consistently a top tier team in the league. We pushed ourselves every practice up to this point because we knew that this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. Off the ice we were always doing something together, building a team chemistry that brings us closer to the goal at hand and getting mentally prepared.
We built our teams identity this past Saturday. We came out hard and made a statement early. We had one of the best teams in the league on their heals. We battled together, laying the body every chance we had, blocking shots, whatever it took. It would be a mistake to let a team like that get some life back. Once the empty net was sealed we could breathe. A 4-2 win put the Lumberjacks on the map!
#42 LUCAS ETHINGTON - MJHL
Our opening game weekend, all week we worked hard, spent time talking, pushing each other and cracking jokes in the locker room all the way up until game time. This team is by far one of the best groups of guys put together. We work hard, we play hard and we do it all together.
When my teammates voted and gave me the “C”, I was honored and felt I needed to work even harder for them. I’ve been captain before for other sports, but being the captain on a hockey team to me, is way different. It means so much more to me and as the days go on, I want to make sure that both my teammates and the coaches know it. Being the captain, playing for a great coach like Coach Line, being a part of this team, and playing for this organization only makes me want to work harder for them.
Going into Saturday’s game, we knew we were facing one of the top teams in our league and we all wanted to make a statement. We started out slow, but we never got down, this would just be another adverse moment we would have to go through together and we did just that, we pulled together, dug deep and pushed each other to the rise to the top. We not only won Saturday’s game coming from behind, but we came out on Sunday and fought together to beat another top team in our league. We played with confidence, never once getting mad at each other or breaking each other down. Instead, motivating each other to never quit. Thanks Coach Line, Coach Wiebe, Mr. Lary, and the rest of our team! I know we have much more coming. Lumberjacks are here!