The Gens are back

By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express

The cranks, pulleys and ropes raised more than just the Oshawa Generals’ Memorial Cup winning banner into the rafters during their home opener on Sept. 27.

Rising with it were the cheers of the crowd from exalted mouths and bright images of last year’s big win from distant memories.

It also ignited the Generals behind the bench, catapulting them to a 5-0 win over the North Bay Battalion in the Gens’ first game at the General Motors Centre for the

2015/2016 season.

“That just brought a great atmosphere to the boys, we were all pumped up,” said Joe Manchurek, who earned the game’s first star after leading Oshawa’s offence with a hat trick.

“It was crazy. I didn’t expect that at all. I just wanted to go out for the home opener, and play hard and try and get a tight win, and when that third goal came I was astonished,” Manchurek added.

It started early for the Generals when Manchurek slid one past Battalion goaltender Jake Smith less than a minute into the game. He would add his second to put the Generals up 2-0 only a few shifts later, off a rebound in the slot. A rocket from the point off the stick of Stephen Desrocher and a breakaway snipe from Kenny Heuther would be the extra additions before Manchurek completed the trick in the third period.

Goaltender Jeremy Brodeur secured his second shutout of the season, his first coming from the General’s season opener against the Guelph Storm, a game they won 3-0 on Sept. 25.

Speaking after Sunday’s win, Brodeur said he was feeling really good in the net and credited his experience from last season as being a big help in the Generals’ first three games, which came in as many days.

“I think it’s just the experience last year and getting 20 or more games in last year…I feel like my confidence built up a little bit and I was gripping my stick a little tighter and seeing the puck a little better,” Brodeur said.

Another standout over the Generals’ opening weekend was import Lukas Loftquist, who led the team with two goals in the opener and a third in the team’s 4-3 loss to the Hamilton Bulldogs on Sept. 26.

Head coach Bob Jones said he was impressed with the Swede’s play.

“There’s a lot of unknowns about your European players when they come over here,” Jones said. “We felt comfortable with the way he skated and handled pucks.”

With the loss of several key players from last year’s championship team and the unknown question marks in the form of star player Michael Dal Colle (still listed at New York Islanders training camp) and goaltender Kenny Appleby (now at camp with New Jersey Devils’ AHL affiliate Albany Devils), Jones says many of last year’s younger players are stepping up.

Manchurek, Heuther Desrocher and Memorial Cup hero Anthony Cirelli have combined for 12 points in the club’s first three games.

Jones says the coaching staff and the experience from last year have prepared these players for bigger roles on this season’s team.

“These guys are ready-made players and they’ve certainly been great leaders in the first week of the season,” he said.

The Generals have a pair of home games this weekend, facing off against the rival Peterborough Petes on Oct. 2 and the London Knights on Oct. 4.