Through all this mess that is the worst Guelph Storm season in 24 years, Nic Sicoly has been one of the very few bright spots.
The second-year forward plays the game the same way every night, every shift: working his butt off. Even in Tuesday night’s absolutely miserable 7-1 loss to the Sarnia Sting at the Sleeman Centre, a loss that guaranteed Guelph will be the worst team in the OHL this season.
And while it doesn’t always result in points, or wins, Sicoly is a building block of the future for the Storm.
“Absolutely,” said Storm coach Jarrod Skalde when asked if Sicoly is what this team needs more of moving forward.
“We call it Groundhog Day around here,” Skalde said of Sicoly. “Every day you get the same thing from him: he comes to practice and works and works and in games he does the same thing.
“You want guys who want to compete every night. Guys that know it’s a privilege to play in the Ontario Hockey League and give it their all game-in and game-out, every single shift,” Skalde.
Sicoly said he gets his work ethic from his dad Greg, a teacher back home in Sault Ste. Marie.
“My father always told me that to get somewhere you’ve got to work. Nothing’s ever going to get handed to you, you have to earn it,” Sicoly said.
“My main objective now is to earn a spot on this team for next season and play a critical role next season,” he said.
Sicoly has often been one of the smaller players on his minor hockey teams growing up, so it was even more important for him to go out and work harder than anyone else.
“I was always a hard worker. I was never the guy with the most skill, but to me being successful in your own way was being the best that you can.”
For Sicoly that isn’t a hockey philosophy, it’s a life philosophy.
“Mr. Skalde is my boss and he wants guys that are competing and working hard. That plays right into my hands.”
The Sting played with the Storm Tuesday night.
It was tight for 20 minutes, with the Sting holding a 1-0 lead, but they scored three in the second and three in the third, outshooting the Storm 35-16 and completely dominating the game.
The Sting’s Matt Mistele led the onslaught with a hat trick and an assist.
Luke Burghardt had the lone Storm goal.
The only positive out of Tuesday’s loss was that it guarantees Guelph will pick first in the Priority Selection Draft on April 9.
Guelph wraps up the home portion of the schedule Friday night when the Owen Sound Attack visits. The final nails in the coffin come Saturday and Sunday in Flint and Sault Ste. Marie.