Patterson line dances with Huskies hockey team

By Darren Zary
of The StarPhoenix

When Colin Patterson became a member of the Hockey Huskies, little did he know that he would also become a bit of an experimental guinea pig and testtube fodder.

With six rookie forwards to work in and even more injured players to deal with, University of Saskatchewan men’s hockey coach Dave Adolph has played the part of a mad scientist. He has mixed and matched line combinations like crazy in hopes of finding a winning formula.

Patterson, like many of the forwards, has been moved up and down, ’round and around, to all sorts of different lines. Excuse him for feeling a little bit like a yo-yo.

“If something’s not working, you’ve got to find guys who are going to click and get some goals,” says Patterson, who has played on at least “three or four” different lines this season. “Coach is always mixing up lines to see who’s going to play well together.”

His latest line, tested out for the first time Tuesday at practice, had him lined up with fellow rookie Brett Novak and Alekcei McAvoy. By Wednesday’s practice, that line had changed again.

“I have probably experimented more this year than I have in my 15 years, trying to mix and match and seeing who works well with whoever,” says Adolph, whose team will try to get things figured out in a twogame series Friday and Saturday against No. 1-ranked Alberta Golden Bears.

“It’s also been sort of dictated by injuries, too. Credit goes to these young guys who have kind of stuck with me while I’ve moved them around. Colin has the ability to play on the top line, the third line or the second line.”

Patterson may be a little ahead of his fellow rookie forwards on the Dogs in terms of figuring out the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) game. He has four goals and four assists for eight points in 12 games.

“A lot of these guys have a tendency to try and hide and hope that the coach doesn’t get mad at them, so then they can stay in the line-up, right?” Adolph says. “Colin doesn’t take a lot of risks. It’s like he doesn’t really trust his skill. Every now and then, he’ll jump a seam, or he’ll beat someone one-on-one, or he’ll rough a puck.

“All we’re trying to do is just let them be this season. Just let them play. No repercussions if it doesn’t go as well as you’d like it.”

Patterson, 21, is a product of the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward grew up in Saskatoon. He played for the Saskatoon Midget AAA Blazers. His brother, Curtis, another Blazer alumnus, remains in the WHL.

“It has been (up and down) but everyone’s spirits are good so far,” Patterson says of the Huskies, who, at 6-5-0-1, have slipped in the CIS rankings to No. 10.
Alberta (8-1-0-1) underwent a massive turnover in the off-season since winning its second-straight TELUS University Cup national championship on home ice. On paper, the Bears appeared vulnerable to losing its status as the No. 1 team in Canada. Yet, they have not faltered.

“They’ve had some injuries, too, but not like us,” Adolph says. “We’ll get through it. Harv (Jeff Harvey) will steal one and away we go. We will get better.”

dzary@sp.canwest.com
Alberta vs. Saskatchewan Friday, Saturday, 7 p.m. Rutherford Rink