By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Optimist Chiefs battling inconsistency early in AMHL season

Oct 28, 2018 | 8:32 PM

The Red Deer Optimist Chiefs didn’t deserve to win on Saturday and they were probably fortunate to come away with the one point they did get.

The Chiefs played from behind for the bulk of the game against the Calgary Flames in Alberta Midget Hockey League action at Servus Arena.

Somehow, they clawed back for the 3-3 tie, Daylan Kuefler scoring the equalizer with just 51 seconds left in regulation.

“I wasn’t really happy with it at all,” said Doug Quinn, Chiefs bench boss.  “I didn’t like our compete level, I didn’t like our work ethic. We’re happy that we came back and tied it up, but especially at this time of year, it’s about how well we’re playing as opposed to winning or losing.”

Or tying, as it turns out.

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The Chiefs did rattle off a five-game win streak earlier this season, but at some point, things just stopped clicking for the team.

“We need to realize if we’re going to have success, we have to have consistent work ethic and we’re not getting that right now,” Quinn went on.

“We’re looking for them to rally around each other and were looking for consistency, and guys to be good teammates. Right now, I think we are still trying to develop and create that culture where we have that consistent work ethic every day, but we’re kind of fighting it.”

Quinn says the coaching staff has challenged returning players to be leaders in the dressing room.

One of those veterans is 17-year-old d-man and team captain Cade Mason who knows his team has some work to do.

“I think we just need to come to the rink more prepared, just knowing that every team can beat anyone in this league,” he said. “We worked hard in the third though and responded pretty good.”

The undrafted Mason, who says he’s exploring the college hockey route for next year, added, “When we were on that streak, we were ready to play and excited to play. We were having fun. We played one bad game and haven’t been as confident lately.”

On Sunday, the Chiefs played again at home against the Sherwood Park Kings. They won 5-4.

The Chiefs are now 6-2-2 on the season, good for fourth in the AMHL’s Chrysler Division.

They play a pair of games next weekend against Edmonton’s CAC Gregg Distributors on Nov. 3 and against the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers Nov. 4. Both games are on the road.