Luke Burghardt is trying to get a grip on his amazing start.
The Bowmanville product has been on fire early in the season with five goals in the first two games including a highlight reel game winner in the dying seconds of the Troops’ 6-5 comeback win over the Sudbury Wolves on Sunday.
“The first game I got two goals and the confidence has been building and I have just been going from there, some luck around the net and that’s about it,” said Burghardt, the Storm's 6th round pick in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.
Burghardt came over in a trade with Luke Moncada that saw Mark Shoemaker and Zach Poirier head south to Guelph in the summer.
The five goals in only two games brings Burghardt only four away from his season total of nine goals from last year.
“In Guelph it was kind of a rough couple of years and then getting traded to a team that really wants you on the team gives you a lot of confidence to succeed and I have just been building off that and things have been going my way,” said Burghardt at practice Tuesday.
So far everything seems to be going his way on and off the ice.
“I’ve got a great billet family so that’s going well, like the players, coaches, everything is going well and it is a great city to play in,” he said.
Battalion Head Coach Stan Butler reminds Battalion fans not to get too hasty at evaluating the trade this early in the season.
See related story: Battalion ship former first rounder out in big trade with Storm
“I don’t think any trade can be evaluated on two games and let us not lose the fact that we are only two games in,” he said on Tuesday afternoon at his weekly media conference.
“I think both Mark and Zach are good players that Guelph got and we are very happy with both our guys and let’s be fair to one gentleman, he isn’t going to average 2.5 goals per game this season.”
Butler does believe Burghardt has brought some more speed up front for the Troops.
“I think he is a really good skater, he’s fast,” noted Butler.
“I think hockey is a game of confidence and I think he is playing with confidence. When he has had chances around the net he has taken advantage of them and he has made the best of his opportunities.”
Butler and Burghardt hope the confidence continues to build tonight.
The Troops face what will likely be a very hungry Sudbury Wolves team that will be looking to rebound after allowing the Troops to fight back from a 5-2 deficit late in the third period on Sunday.
“Last year we lost a lot of games late and it’s always great to see the type of character you have on your team and win games in this league coming from behind,” said Butler.
The game will also mark the debut of local Troy Lajeunesse. The Dokis, Ontario product was traded to the Wolves from the Sarnia Sting on Monday.
See related story: Wolves acquire local product Lajeunesse from Sarnia
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. tonight at Memorial Gardens.
