St.Thomas University Tommies hockey coach Peter Murphy is of the belief that the best offence is a good defence. 

If he can get them in sync, he believes the Tommies can make it back to the playoffs in the Atlantic University Sport Women’s Hockey Conference.

“That’s the goal,” he was saying on the eve of his 22nd season behind the bench, which begins at home Friday night when his Tommies host the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers at the Grant-Harvey Centre.

“It’s always the goal. It’s definitely something that all the players came back saying they wanted to address. Every team’s got the same intent.”

The Tommies missed the post-season for the first time in two decades last season, finishing seventh in the eight-team circuit with an 8-18-2 record. They scored just 42 goals as a team a year ago. In 10 of their 18 losses, they were shut out.

“In the end, if you’re in your own zone for an extended period of time, then you’re not on offence,” he said.

He pointed out that the bulk of his new recruits – there are seven rookies on the squad – are offensively-minded players: Lauren Smith, for instance, had 19 goals and 11 assists in 22 games with the Bussey Penguins of Truro, N.S. last season. Nadia Lavoie was just short of a point per game – 29 points in 30 games – with the Red Deer Chiefs of Alberta.

“They were all up among the leading scorers on their teams, that’s what we went looking for,” he said. “And developing some scoring from within. We’ve seen some players take some steps forward.”

There’s already evidence they’ll be better: they scored five times in their pre-season opener, a 5-1 victory over the Mount Allison Mounties a couple of weeks ago, and four against the Bishops’ Gaiters of Lennoxville, Que. in exhibition play last week albeit in a 7-4 loss.

Mind you, they managed just 15 shots on goal and a single marker in a 3-1 loss to the UNB Reds to close out the exhibition schedule, so there’s still some work ahead.

But Murphy sees reason for optimism.

“It’s not like you need a player to go from two goals to 10,” he said. “But if you have three players who go from two goals to six…you picked up 12 goals. And 12 goals would be enough to win four or five more games.”

Forward Amy Dvernichuk, who led the Tommies with eight goals last year, is back for a second season. Newly appointed team captain Ekaterina Pelowich and forward Claire Nimegeers, who each had five goals last year, are hoping to build on those totals in their third season in green and gold.

“We’re a fairly young team, but we like what we have,” said Murphy. “I think the biggest thing that will determine our fate is how we react to an adverse situation. Does that cause us to sag and we not recover from it? From what I’ve seen so far, our team is quite resilient.”

“I think the team will be a lot better offensively this year,” said sophomore centre Trinity Webber, who is looking to improve on her three goals and six assist stats as a rookie. 

“There’s a little bit more spark in our offensive skills and a little more drive. I think it will be good once we figure out some stuff.”

One position still up for grabs is in goal.

It will be a three-way battle between third-year veterans Katie Sweenie and Elizabeth Campbell, with rookie Chloe Marshall of Calgary.

“The number one is there for someone to claim,” said Murphy.

With seven rookies and six sophomores on the roster, the Tommies are still very green.

But Webber, for one, is excited by the journey. 

“We have a big group that actually likes to work hard and do things as a group together,” she said. “I kind of like that journey of starting from the bottom and trying to make it to the top.”

Blueliner Aislynn Byers, who scored one goal last season, had three in the preseason and showed an ability to rush the puck. One of only two fourth-year players on the roster – forward Jacey Dane is the other – she’s already feeling somewhat sentimental about her Tommies career.

“It’s tough, especially with a good group of girls,” she said. “It’s hard to leave behind.”

Mind you, there are still 28 regular season games on the calendar, beginning with Friday night’s season opener. Byers believes there will be post-season play to follow.

“I think we have a very, very strong team this year,” she said. “I have very high expectations for us this coming season.”