The primary lesson of 2023-2024 has been carried forward by the Lo-Ellen Park Knights boys hockey team this year.
While they were solid much of last winter, the Knights saved their best hockey for the city finals and produced a series for the ages with the St Charles College Cardinals.
So even as the team dropped a 5-3 decision to the Chippewa Ravens in their final round robin game at the NDA (Nipissing District Athletics) High-School Hockey Tournament on the weekend, there was no need to panic.
Lo-Ellen bounced back in posting an impressive 2-1 victory over the Korah Colts before doubling Chippewa in the final (6-3), with six different goal scorers finding the back of the net for the winners (Matti Jouppi, Hudson Crowder, Jayden Ceming, Lincoln Lachance, Riley Graffi, Byron Nelson).
"As the tournament went on, we were just building and building," said Jouppi, recording another key tally as Lo-Ellen improved to 6-1-0 in regular season play on Monday thanks to a 4-3 win over the St Benedict Bears.
"As the weekend went on, we were finding each other out there, knowing where each other was way more often, getting that chemistry going."
Acknowledging that the Knights surely have not yet played their "A" game consistently, Jouppi suggested there is a very pragmatic reason for that.
"A lot of our guys were busy with fall sports - football, volleyball - so we didn't get a lot of practices together," he said. "Now it's all hockey and it's going well."
Returning for his second year with the team, the 17 year-old grade 12 forward is one of the many on this squad who made their way to the high-school loop from the competitive minor hockey ranks - and is more than a little thankful that he did.
"I have played rep hockey all of my life and I can tell you that last year, in that city final, that was the most packed rink I have ever been in, the most electric experience I've ever had," stated Jouppi.
Joining the talented sniper on the scoresheet on Monday were teammates Jeremy Thall, Hudson Crowder and Riley Graffi while Mauro Cusinato countered with a pair of strikes for the Bears, with Gavin MacIsaac capping things off.
The early game on Monday saw the Champlain Requins edge the Lasalle Lancers 4-3, thanks in part to a two-goal effort from Jackson Barrette. Vincent Brosseau and Jack Whitton also scored for the Requins with Christian Hodgins (2) and Will Mackey answering in a losing cause.