Findlay High's hockey team entered Friday's season opener with some questions.

The Trojans ended it with possibly the definitive answer.

"Coming into this year, we knew it might be a little bit more of a struggle putting the puck in the net than years past," FHS coach Ben Patey said after the Trojans held off the Newark Generals 3-2.

"But we showed that maybe defensively we're a little stronger, so we might win more of these 3-2, 2-1 games.

"That's just the way we're going to have to win hockey games this season."

Ethan Lammers, who scored Findlay's first goal and assisted on the second, agreed

"We lost two of our top scorers," said Lammers, referring to the graduation of Michael Armstrong (24 goals, 18 assists, 42 points) and Ryker Featheringham (21 goals, 21 assists, 42 points) from last year's 20-9-4 team.

"But we have a good young core of young guys, and we're basically building off what we did last year. We've got the size, we've got the speed, to be a really complete team. We think we have the roster to do that and hopefully be as good if not better than last year."

In the Trojans do surpass their 2021-22 success, Patey feels a portion of the credit will go to those who laid the foundation.

"Mike (Armstrong) and Ryker (Featheringham) were such a huge part of this team, not only on the ice but in the (lockerroom)," he said.

"Their leadership was just phenomenal. They kind of got the program where it is today, and now these guys are going to take the torch and run with it."

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