Twisters forge a team of road warriors

Diverse squad battling for first

Every hockey general manager struggles to build the right team chemistry. But it’s an especially daunting task for Pembina Valley Twisters GM Glen Munford.

While most other teams in the Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (MMJHL) draw from a single community Munford’s players come from all over southern Manitoba.

The first time many of his players met was at training camp, but midway through the season the team has jelled.

“These guys don’t quit on each other, I've never seen a group bond so tight, so quickly,” Munford said.

With more miles separating the players than any other team in the league, the only distance they seem to care about is the one they put between them and their competition.

The team is in the midst of a battle for first place. With a high scoring attack and sound leadership from veterans such as Oak Bluff’s Tyler Wrixon optimism is high.

“We’ve got a very strong team this year, I think our chances are good to go all the way,” Wrixon said.

Munford also feels it’s hard not to feel good about the team’s chances, but also knows there is a tough road ahead.

With only two home games during the next month, the Twisters are entering the tougher part of their schedule.

Playing road games is a disadvantage for the team. For one thing, the players don’t all travel to the game on a team bus.

“The disadvantage for our team is that every player is driving themselves, you don’t have that team bonding like some other teams would have,” Munford said. “We have our hour to cool down, calm down and get our game faces on and get ready to go.”

The Twisters have developed a habit of jumping on their opponent early. But then they tend to let off the gas.

“They are not playing to their level, they get up and then they get down,” Munford said. “If they played with the same intensity they did in the first 10 minutes of every game then we would never lose.”

With the league’s leading scorer in forward Bryan Loewyks, and consistent play from his rookies, Munford says the team has four lines that can produce points.

“The young players have made us a more rounded team, they give us four very strong and equal lines,” Munford said. “We’re not afraid to put them out there because any line can score on any given night.”

Wrixon believes the team needs to shore up its defence if it wants to move forward.

“We need to get stronger in our own end. There is definitely a lot of room for improvement there,” Wrixon said.

Although not known for its defence, Munford says it has developed an identity as an offensive power with some big, strong, farm boys.

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