The Amherstburg Admirals have a new head coach.
Prior to their game in Essex last Tuesday night, the team announced the promotion of former assistant coach Zack Gervais.
“Zack is the ideal personality to fit the group of players we have,” said Admirals’ general manager Andrew Sykes.
Gervais, who was an assistant coach last season, replaces Beau Hunter who was dismissed by the team following a 7-0 loss to the Wheatley Sharks back on November 13. Hunter, in his second year with the Provincial Junior Hockey League (Jr. C) team, guided the locals to a .500 record.
“His coaching and leadership style enhances the culture of our organization,” notes Sykes of Gervais.
In his first game as head coach in Essex, the Admirals came up shy 3-1 to the host 73’s.
“They (Essex) did a pretty good job in the neutral zone. We played good the first 30 minutes but got tired. We got sloppy and couldn’t generate any offence,” said Gervais.
Amherstburg got on the scoresheet less than five minutes into the game as second-year Brett Jones picked up his seventh of the year from Dallas Kelly and captain Brady Drouillard. Nate Dowing tied it for the 73’s 10 minutes later and late in the middle frame Carter Dembinski got the winner. Former LaSalle Viper Jr. B player Patrick McManus scored into the empty net with 13 seconds left in the third.
Russell Vaughan was busy as he made 34 saves in net while at the other end, Adrian McBride faced just 10 shots all night.
With the loss, the Admirals see their West Stobbs Division record dip to 8-9-1-0. They were supposed to play in Walpole Island Thursday but that was postponed. Gervais will have to wait to get his first win behind the bench this Saturday as they host the Blenheim Blades. Puck drop at the Libro Centre is 7:30 p.m.
“Everyone has the right work ethic. We have a lot of skilled guys,” said Gervais.
At 28, he has been coaching since he was 17 and acknowledges that the current Admirals’ roster is a little different than what he is accustomed to guiding.
“It is my first team in 10 years where everyone gets along. It’s a big family,” said Gervais.
Heading into the mid-way point of the regular season, and in a constant battle for third place in the eight-team division, Gervais says the Admirals need to establish an identity.
“The biggest thing is that we want to be known as the hardest working team. We have to be more detailed in things like faceoffs and penalty kills.”
Although the Admirals have no assistant coaches officially signed to the club, against the 73’s Gervais’ father Glenn along with Bob LaButte were behind the bench.
SLAPSHOTS: Approaching the half-way point of the season, the Admirals are being led by Jones who has 18 points in 20 games… Between the pipes Vaughan has a 2.96 GAA… Last Tuesday’s game in Essex was a somewhat homecoming for defenceman Jack Bulmer who patrolled the 73’s blueline for three previous years.
Admirals edged by 73’s Gervais named new head coach
By Fred Groves
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