The Rocky Rams are set to wrap up the pre-season with a home-and-home vs. Red Deer following a mixed-bag result against Ponoka the previous weekend.

The team split wins against the Ponoka Stampeders on Sept. 6 & 7 – two games in which head coach Wendall Mason says there was room for improvement.

“Knowing where Ponoka was last year, were probably a little cocky coming in. Never hurts to have a little humble pie early on,” says Mason.

Ponoka finished the 2023/2024 season last in the northern division with a dismal 1-36-1 record.

The Rams are set to wrap up the pre-season against the Red Deer Vipers, a team that was slightly more akin to the Rams as far as last year’s regular season results.

“We’re going to put a couple different lines together, our #1 goalie will be in net this weekend,” say Mason. “I think it’ll be a lot more of a competitive game.”

Mason says that while the Red Deer squad has gotten younger from last season, they’ve also gotten better in his estimation.

As for Rocky, Mason says the team continues to work on its re-vamped defense core.

“I think some of our veteran D guys are trying to do a little bit too much too early right now. We just have to simplify our game,” says Mason.

The Rams will play Red Deer Sept. 13 at home at 8 p.m. before wrapping up the pre-season Sept. 14 on the road.

The Rams begin the regular season Sept. 20 at home vs. the Three Hills Thrashers.