It may not be the start to the Western Lacrosse Association season Bob Salt had hoped for but the Coquitlam Adanacs coach said he is happy with what he has seen from his team so far.
Defensively, he feels his squad has been solid, and that with a bit more experience his younger forwards will start finding the back of the opposition net.
"Right now, we are struggling to score goals," he told The Tri-City News on Sunday. "Our defence has played well and Rosey [Adanacs goaltender Nick Rose] has played well. We just need to score goals."
The team struggled early during Saturday's home opener at the Poirier Sports and Leisure Complex, surrendering five goals to the New Westminster Salmonbellies in the first period. Goals from Coquitlam's Brad Richardson and Dane Dobbie kept the Adanacs in the game, and the team managed to close the score to within one by the end of the middle frame.
"I thought we battled really well against New West," Salt said. "We had a real good shot at winning that game."
But the Adanacs were unable to tie things up in the final period, surrendering two goals to New Westminster before the final buzzer sounded, losing the game 9-7.
Coquitlam fell behind early again Sunday night against the Nanaimo Timbermen, when Scott Ranger and Kyle Hofer scored in the first period, assisted by former Adanac Cory Conway.
CONWAY CHIPS IN FOR NANAIMO
A strong second period allowed Coquitlam to re-take the lead, with goals from Daniel McQuade, Jason Jones and Daryl Veltman.
But Conway sparked the Timbermen with an early goal in the third period to make it 4-3, the first of five unanswered markers for the Nanaimo club.
"It felt great getting the win against the old team; it was good," he said. "It was a hard-fought win coming back from behind. Everybody was contributing."
When the final buzzer sounded Coquitlam lost the game 7-4.
With a relatively new group, Salt said much has been learned in these early season games and the team will be ready when they take on Langley at home this weekend.
"With Langley, you never know what you are going to get," he said. "I think we will compete really well against them."
The game will take place at the Poirier Recreation Complex on Saturday, June 2, at 7 p.m. For more information go to www.adanaclacrosse.com.
