Coach Brandon Prust’s London Nationals bouncing back from blowout loss

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Brandon Prust gave the London Nationals a choice.

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Two weeks ago, he asked the players if they wanted to watch all 11 goals Chatham scored against them in a blowout loss at Western Fair or wash it from their system.

“They all yelled, ‘let’s wash it’,” the first-year head coach said. “So we didn’t even watch any video from that game. The guys moved on from it.”

Since then, the Nats have won three straight and only surrendered six goals in victories over Sarnia, St. Thomas and St. Marys. The comeback triumph over the Lincolns on the road was of particular note since the Stonetowners celebrated a Game 7 playoff win at London last spring.

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St. Marys advanced to the Sutherland Cup final and was unbeatable out of the gate this fall. But the Nationals have slowly climbed back into the first-place race and will really put the pressure on if they beat the Lincs in a Friday rematch (4:30 p.m.) during the GOJHL Showcase at the Haldimand County Caledonia Centre.

“We don’t want to get too far ahead of us,” Prust said of the 3-2 win last Friday at the Pyramid Rec Centre. “They’re going to be even hungrier. It was a big one for us. A game like that has been marked in my calendar for a while and I’m sure it was the same for the boys. It was our biggest game of the year and they played one of their best, most-rounded games of the season. Now, they know what it takes to beat arguably the best team in the league.

“Now, we have to continue doing that.”

They are on the right track. Former Chatham Maroon David Brown and well-travelled Austen Pomerleau have matched quick-starting rookie Eddie Hickson for the team scoring lead. Josh Lepain has meshed well with Knights prospect Hickson to add to the offensive depth.

“The older guys are what’s going to make or break your team and carry you through the playoffs,” Prust said. “When it comes down to it, they’re the leaders and they have to lead. They stepped up. We have them (Brown, Pomerleau, Lepain) staggered on three different lines and that’s how we want it. You need that presence on each line to elevate and they’ve started to do that.”

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Prust likes the club’s work ethic, camaraderie, the backchecking and the intensity in one-on-one battles. The power play, though, is operating at 18.3 per cent and currently seventh in the Western Conference.

“I might have to give Rob Schremp a call here soon,” Prust said. “That’s one thing we’ll continue to work on to get it back producing. We’re getting shots through, but not really that traffic in front and no deflections. When it’s not clicking, you rely back to that and the puck starts going in for you. Then, we’ll open seams to make plays after it.”

The on-ice success, of course, starts with a good approach in the dressing room and the gym. The players have access to Prust’s BP8 Fitness on Blue Heron Drive and he thinks that will be a difference maker in the spring.

“They’re getting bigger and stronger,” he said, “so hopefully by the time the playoffs roll around, we’ll be in the best shape of anyone. You get to those Game 7s or long overtimes, hopefully, that work elevates you. This team seems to be pretty tight in the room and that’s important.

“From my experience, the best teams I’ve been on were tight-knit groups that laugh and joke, but also work their butts off together.”

rpyette@postmedia.com

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