Benny Walchuk:
Doug, a couple of tough ones on the weekend — you still picked up points, but I know the goal was four. Just your overall thoughts. Did a couple get away?
Doug Johnson:
Yeah, both did. We were five minutes away from four points and the opposition having none, and we didn’t finish. One game came down to some bounces, and Friday night we had some really poor defensive play. We have to bear down and buckle down. The good news is we’re getting healthy — Friday night should be the first time all year we’ve had everyone back. That’ll be big for us.
Benny Walchuk:
You had a strong first period against Yorkton Saturday. What was the difference early compared to later in the game?
Doug Johnson:
In the first, we were the aggressors. We moved our feet, competed, stayed on top of them. We gave up some chances, but Paddy was excellent, including killing off a big five-on-three. The key was our attack and work ethic. In the second, we got away from that. We stopped managing the puck, lost our aggressiveness, and let them slip through defensively — that’s been an issue for us at times this season.
Benny Walchuk:
The penalty kill has been improving too. Is that about getting healthier and having your main guys back?
Doug Johnson:
That’s a big part of it. We had a lot of turnover with injuries and were using new faces in key roles. They’re getting more comfortable now. Goaltending has also been strong, which is huge on the PK. It’s about accountability, video work, and making the right adjustments.
Benny Walchuk:
It’s Parents Weekend coming up, but there are also six big points on the line with three games.
Doug Johnson:
We’ve talked about that. It’s important to spend time with family and thank them, but parents want to see their kids succeed. That means being mentally focused, prepared, and going out to earn those points
