The Aberdeen Cougars boys’ hockey team will quickly soon find out where they are at this season when they host three straight games this weekend.
Aberdeen meets Dickinson, N.D., at 8 p.m. Friday at the Odde Ice Center, followed by games against Brandon Valley on Saturday and Oahe on Sunday.
The squad will be led by first-year coach Dana Myhre, who has served as an assistant in the past.
“It’s pretty exciting. We’re looking forward to the season. I think we’ve got some good players,” Myhre said. “Numbers are a bit low this year, so we might be a little light, but I think we’ll be able to put a pretty good product on the ice.”
There are numerous players returning from last year’s squad that will be counted on to lead the attack this season, like Jaxon Danielson, Carter Vilhauer, Trayke Roehrich, Wheeler Malsam, and Austin Schmit.
“They played quite a bit of varsity in the past,” Myhre said.
Expect the Cougars to hit the ice with plenty of aggression and speed this winter.
“We’re going to play hard and fast. That’s the goal,” Myhre said. “A real heavy forecheck, a real fast forecheck, make the other teams make quick decisions.”
Myhre said a key to playing that style of hockey is to be in shape.
“It’s going to take a lot of conditioning,” Myhre said.
Another key will be teamwork, according to Myhre.
“Playing as a team is going to be our big challenge,” Myhre.
He said the players know each other well and have played together for many years.
“They have all played together quite a bit,” Myhre said, “so a lot of familiarity there.”
The other important piece for the Cougars this season will be playing aggressive while staying out of the penalty box.
“Limiting mistakes and staying out of the penalty box, that’s going to be a big thing for us,” Myhre said.
Myhre said he expects that there will be some penalties, he just wants to limit some of the ones he labeled as selfish.
“There will be some penalties for sure. … If we’re playing aggressive we’re going to take a penalty or two here or there,” Myhre said. “I’m sure of that.”
Myhre has won state championships as a player and as a coach with the Aberdeen hockey program. Myhre was part of the Cougars squad that won a state title in 1995 (the last time the Cougars won a state championship), and also coached the Aberdeen Bantam team to a state title in 2020.
He is hoping that this year’s version of the Cougars can make some noise in the state tournament next spring in Sioux Falls.
“That will be one of our minimum goals is just to get a third game in the state tournament,” Myhre said. “I think we can do better than that, but that’s going to be the minimum goal.”
Rapid City is the defending state champion and will be a heavy favorite again, according to Myhre.
“I think Rapid City is going to be the favorite hands down. They were so good last year,” Myhre said. “They didn’t really lose a whole lot. They were really good.”
For now, the Cougars are ready to get things going this weekend.
“Just looking forward to getting the season started,” Myhre said, “and see where we’re at and go from there.”
