Early-season success was difficult to come by for the Squamish Wolf Pack in the first two seasons for the young Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL) team. But look for slow Septembers to be a thing of the past this year, if some of the changes implemented by team officials can take root.

Phil Kinninmont, the associate coach/general manager who has manned the Wolf Pack bench with Head Coach/GM Matt Samson since the team’s first season, said this year the organization has tried to get its players practicing even harder and gelling better in the early going.

That’s why they were out on the ice two times a day in the first part of the pre-season camp, and why they’re heading off today (Sept. 2) on a road trip to play exhibition games in Princeton, Osoyoos and Penticton.

In seasons past, the Wolf Pack’s younger pups have had to face off against older, more experienced players right out of the gate, and they’ve had many new faces each year. So putting in the extra prep time and helping the squad to gel earlier could combat those slow-September blues.

“If we can come out hot and get a real nice start, confidence is a funny thing,” Kinninmont said, looking to raise some eyebrows around the league and spark one of those contagious atmospheres of success around the team and its home base at Squamish’s Brennan Park Recreation Centre after the regular season starts on Oct. 2.

The Pack is scheduled to play two games in Whistler this season, bringing the PIJHL show to Meadow Park Sports Centre on Oct. 11 and 22. And hometown boy Matthew Bonin, a high-achieving product of the Whistler Minor Hockey Association, is expected to be in the mix as a part of the Wolf Pack’s new-look offence.

Kinninmont said he sees Bonin as a skilled, speedy and sneaky player who will count among the team’s top nine forwards and will have every opportunity to showcase his offensive talents.

“He’s really well-rounded offensively. He’s very slick, kind of slippery out there,” Kinninmont said, adding, “He’s probably one of the best passers at camp.”

Bonin could be busy: Kinninmont is hoping for the Wolf Pack to have more offensive output this season, having plenty of fun while finding the back of the net frequently.

“We’ve been offensively challenged in the last few years,” he said, looking for changes in Year 3.

The red light flashed plenty in the team’s first exhibition game on Saturday (Aug. 28), an evening tilt against a group of Tom Shaw Conference mates, the Grandview Steelers, that saw a 4-4 tie pushed to overtime. The Steelers froze out the Wolf Pack in extra time and claimed the win.

In a rematch Sunday (Aug. 29), Grandview poured on the goals while the Wolf Pack had fewer answers, as the Steelers downed the Pack again, 6-2.

In this pivotal third season, the goal is “definitely to make the playoffs,” Kinninmont said. To do so under the PIJHL format, they just need to stay out of last place in their conference.

Kinninmont said he was “really happy” with the way the Wolf Pack’s on-ice product improved last year, but they’re still looking for that first push into the postseason.

“It’s a constant evolution of trying to do things better on and off the ice,” Kinninmont said.

He’s proud that seven Wolf Pack players graduated to the BCHL this year, something he said is almost unheard-of for the PIJHL teams.

Now they’re working on finalizing their own roster, waiting to see who will and won’t stick with Junior A teams, which run their pre-season camps at the same time. The Wolf Pack recently traded for forwards Trevor Kang and Mason Malkowich, two players who have Kinninmont excited. If Kang doesn’t make a Junior A team, “he’s one of the smoothest players you’ll find in Junior B anywhere in the country,” the coach said.

And Malkowich is a great passer who will likely be an anchor on the first-unit power play. Other new names to watch out for include smooth-skating defenceman Sean Stahlnecker, from Arizona, and new No. 1 netminder Jordan Liem poached from the Richmond Sockeyes.

The Wolf Pack games in Meadow Park have proven popular in seasons past, and anyone who wants to get involved with this year’s two tilts as volunteers or sponsors can contact Kinninmont at phil@squamishwolfpack.com.