Plenty of changes as Vipers prepare to get back on home ice

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LaSalle Vipers’ captain Nic Pavia has grown up fast.

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The 19-year-old Pavia was a rookie with the Vipers when the COVID-19 pandemic shut things down in March of 2020.

Pavia and the Vipers return to the ice at the Vollmer Complex for a regular-season game for the first time in nearly 19 months on Wednesday. Game time against the Strathroy Rockets is 7 p.m.

“In 2019, I was a rookie and now I’ve gone on to being an overager and captain,” Pavia said. “I’m very excited (for the home opener). I don’t know the exact number, but it’s been around (567) days since we’ve had a meaningful game at home.”

No surprising, there are a lot of new faces in the lineup with two years of graduations leaving the Vipers with six returning veterans.

“We have six guys back, but we’re fortunate it’s our core six guys back,” Vipers’ general manager John Nelson said. “Guys like Nick Pavia, Stephane Crevier, Spencer Lecot and Kyle Walker. They’re our core guys and our leaders.”

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While happy to be back on the ice, Pavia said the toughest part for him was seeing former teammates not get a chance to hit the ice one final time.

“The hardest thing, as far as COVID related, was missing last year and seeing guys age out,” Pavia said. “The games are important, the guys are important and being around the (dressing) room with the guys is what I missed the most and I’m glad we’re back to that.”

There’s also a transition behind the bench with Matt Beaudoin replacing Nelson as head coach.

“John was a great coach and fair guy and Matt’s the same, but he brings a different style,” Pavia said. “We have a young coaching staff, so it’s light in the dressing room and fun and he seems super passionate.”

Beaudoin picked up his first regular-season win behind the bench with the Vipers winning 4-1 in Strathroy on Saturday.

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The boys got me the game puck after the win in Strathroy, which was awesome,” Beaudoin said. “We had a lot of firsts with three guys (Shaun Horne, Darby Drouillard and Brody Gillis) being first-time goals scores and the win, so it was a fun night.

“Genuinely, I think I’ve always been comfortable (behind the bench). I love hockey and I’m back in an environment I love and I’m just trying to be myself. I’m not a hardnosed coach. I’m more motivational and supportive and with some great assistants in Nathan Savage and Chad Shepley. They take a lot off my plate and it’s been a really good fit.”

Nelson said the roster building process for this year’s team has gone a little differently than past years.

“The things we mandated were compete being No. 1,” Nelson said. “Compete will beat skill in a seven-game series. We still want skill, but also guys that do the little things well.

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“With character, compete and skill, we think we’ve put the pieces together for the year.”

The Vipers will also get a boost from the team’s affiliation with the Windsor Spitfires getting speedy forward Jack Greenwell and 6-foot-6 defenceman Tanner Winegard, who were both picks in this year’s OHL Draft. The club also added goalie Matt Tovell, who got into two games with the Spitfires in 2019-20.

However, some time with the Spitfires will cost the Vipers the services of forward Nicholas Graniero, who suffered a broken wrist after falling into the boards in an exhibition game. He could be out another five weeks.

“The guys that are coming back are leading the way,” Beaudoin said. “Some of the kids that missed out on their first season last year, they’ve come in really, really hungry and in good shape. I like our team a lot.”

It will likely take a swing around the league before the Vipers get a feel of how good this team can be, but Pavia likes what he’s seen so far.

“It’s difficult to make projections because been we’ve been away so long, but realistically I hope w can be a top three team,” Pavia said. “I think we have the talent.”

Fans planning to attend Wednesday’s game should remember that capacity is limited to 500 people and proof of vaccination is required as well as mask wearing.

jpparker@postmedia.com

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