There’s no rest for the UPEI Panthers and they won’t use that as an excuse when they hit the ice Wednesday.
The Panthers (0-2-0) host Moncton (2-1-0) at 7 p.m. at MacLauchlan Arena after playing three games in three days against NCAA squads in the United States. The Panthers lost 5-2 to Qunnipiac Saturday, 3-2 to RPI on Sunday and 6-1 to Maine on Monday, arriving home early Tuesday morning.
Head coach Forbes MacPherson said he is looking for how his team responds Wednesday night after playing three fast and physical games in the States.
“In order to win a national championship, you have to win three games in three nights, so the level that you would be playing in that tournament would be very similar to what we just played,” he said Tuesday. “We were very excited with that experience and now you have to come back and rebound real quick, but that’s why the guys work so hard in the off-season.”
While the team didn’t win during the three-game trip there were lot of positives taken from the road trip, the coach said.
“You have a chance to work on different elements of your game in live action, which is almost impossible to replicate,” he said.
Playing tough American teams has other benefits, including becoming a tighter squad early in the season.
“Guys look around the room and see how hard they’re playing and they get a different respect for each other and you can’t fake that.”
While some guys are a bit banged up from the games, MacPherson said, there were no injuries to his knowledge that would keep guys from playing Wednesday.
*****
The week ahead at UPEI
Friday, Oct. 12
4 p.m. - (M) Basketball - Humber College vs. UMFK (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
6 p.m. - (M) Basketball - Holland College vs. McMaster (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
7 p.m. - (W) Hockey vs STU (home opener)
8 p.m. - (M) Basketball vs. Regina (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
Saturday, Oct. 13
10 a.m. - U Sports Academic All-Canadian Celebration (W.A. Murphy Building, McMillan Hall)
Noon – (W) Cross Country @ UdeM Invitational
12:45 p.m. - (M) Cross Country @ UdeM Invitational
2 p.m. - (W) Rugby vs. SMU
4 p.m. - (M) Basketball - UMFK vs. Regina (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
6 p.m. - Field hockey vs. UNB (AUFH @ SMU)
6 p.m. - (M) Basketball - Humber College vs. Holland College (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
7 p.m. - (M) Hockey vs. UNB
8 p.m. - (M) Basketball vs. McMaster (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
10:10 p.m. - Field hockey vs. SMU (AUFH @ SMU)
Sunday, Oct. 14
10:10 a.m. - Field hockey vs. Dal (AUFH @ Dal)
11 p.m. - (M) Basketball vs. Humber College (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
12:30 p.m. - Field hockey vs. Mt. A (AUFH @ Dal)
1 p.m. - (M) Basketball - McMaster vs. Regina (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
2 p.m. - (M) Rugby vs. STU
2 p.m. - (W) Hockey vs. UdeM
2 p.m. - (W) Soccer vs. St. F.X.
3 p.m. - (M) Basketball - Holland College vs. UMFK (2018 Mickey Place Tournament)
4:15 p.m. - (M) Soccer vs. St. F.X.
