As team captain Joe Smith sheepishly pointed out, the Deer Lakes hockey team has been more accustomed to losing games like their season-opener turned out more than winning them.

But triumphing, 12-0, is much better than losing, 12-0, and the Lancers hope that a victory by that margin against South Park in their first game Oct. 19 can act as a springboard for the rest of the season.

"It does give us confidence," Smith said. "It gives us some momentum for the early part of the season. It was just nice that Deer Lakes won the first game of the season because usually we struggle and go a while before we win a game in the season.

"We haven't had a good past few seasons, but I think we're a lot better from what I've seen so far this year."

For a program that went 9-51-2 from 2006-2009, the expectations are modest.

"Our goals for the season are to play about .500 hockey and make it into the playoffs," Deer Lakes coach Tom McAllister said.

McAllister is in his first season as coach of the team but has been the coach of the Butler Valley Midget Major program in recent seasons, and four of his players on that team also play for Deer Lakes -- Smith, Geoff Landry and brothers Vincent and Matthew Theys.

McAllister worked both the high school and travel teams together this summer and he was taken aback by the contrast.

"It was unbelievable, the difference in the locker room," McAllister said. "This Deer Lakes program has been beaten down to the point it had no confidence whatsoever. The first thing we have to do is an attitude change.

"You've got to have confidence, and you saw that finally [after the Beaver win and after strong play in two preseason scrimmages], especially the goalies, they were thrilled to death. It's an attitude change. Before, they would just ask if it could get any worse."

The Lancers' second game did not go as well as their first. Deer Lakes lost, 8-0, to a Hampton team that is projected to be among the best in Class A. It then lost a tough 3-2 decision to perennial PIHL small-school power Bishop McCort Monday at the Ice Connection.

In addition to the Butler Valley players, seniors Brett Bailie, Matt Antal and Sean Bastin also are part of an experienced core. Right now, Bailie, Antal and Landry are playing defense because that is where the biggest holes are from graduation losses.

Landry ranked seventh in Class A in goals last season with 23 in 21 games. Matt Theys led the team in assists with 16 and Smith was second in goals and third in points with 13 and 20, respectively.

McAllister also has a handful of players he is excited about. He likes their potential and calls the Lancers' younger players "up-and-comers." They are Brett Olesnevich, Ray Moscollic, Steven Roll, Dominic Bruno and Jordan Locke and they only recently started playing hockey.

"We have a few players who have come a long way in only a year or two," Smith said.

Olesnevich, a sophomore, has a broken collarbone and will not be able to play for a few weeks.

It's still very early, but Deer Lakes has every reason to believe this season won't turn out as so many in the recent past have. And with that attitude change also comes a more enjoyable trip to the rink.

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.