The Gaels open their season Friday night at home against Carleton.
The Queen's Gaels men's ice hockey team aims to head back to the national championships.
The team is preparing for the upcoming university hockey season that began on Wednesday.
The Gaels open their regular season at home against the Carleton Ravens on Friday.
Head coach Brett Gibson says it is tough to repeat the kind of season they had where they reached the USPORTS University Cup tournament.
The Gaels lost to Saskatchewan in the quarterfinals.
Gibson says many of the returning players will take that experience and carry it into this season.
Gibson and his coaching staff have been pretty busy during the off-season where they lost players not only to ineligibility but also to other schools including NCAA.
But he says they managed to recruit some new players that are expected to contribute to the team.
The new players will be joined by veterans Jack Duff and Nolan Hutcheson who Gibson says will provide leadership both on the ice and in the dressing room.
The Gaels schedule sees them open the season with two games at home followed by four straight on the road.
The season-opening game between the Gaels and the Ravens starts at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Centre.
Story by Ken Hashizume
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