The Miners Red hockey team has picked up right where they left off last season, opening their state title defense 2-0. The team defeated Brighton Navy 4-3 Sept. 11, then East 7-4 Wednesday in their home opener. Wednesday’s win was a true team effort, with nine different players having goals or assists. Cooper Ford had two goals in the second and third periods, and Jackson Gready had two assists in the first and second. Alex Harhi was in goal for the Miners Red. Park City overcame another slow start and seven penalties; East only had three. The team entered the second period down 3-2, like the Brighton Navy game where they trailed 2-0. Head coach Mike Adamek is happy to be 2-0 but not thrilled with how his team has played. “It was a good comeback both games,” Adamek said. “Getting down is not where we want to be, but (I) was happy to see the kids turn it up a little bit and able to make that comeback for both the first two games.”The team is seeking their fourth state title in five years this year, having also won from 2020-22. Also on their agenda is winning some games at this year’s USA Hockey National Championships, where the team has yet to find any success. A state title win earns you a bid into nationals, which are typically held in March. “The players are starting to see after two games where we’re really good, where we need improvement and where they individually need to get better,” added Adamek. “We’re going in the right direction.”The Miners Red will specifically work on how to jump out to better starts and keep the puck in their possession when moving to offense. Adamek said most of East’s goals Wednesday were on breakaways off turnovers. Park City head coach Mike Adamek addresses the 2023-24 team after they won their third title in four years. Credit: File photo by David Jackson/Park RecordPark City returns most of last year’s team, having only graduated four seniors, and they’re adding some key players who returned to town for their senior years from travel teams. They know their ceiling is much higher and that they’ll have to reach it to accomplish their long-term goals. Adamek had a laugh while admitting he wouldn’t be with the program if the goals weren’t what they are. The team also has more specific goals that Adamek wouldn’t share that are designed to keep everyone focused practice-to-practice and game-to-game. The season is long, most of schedule has yet to be released and they are still missing some of their key players to other sports and injuries. The Miners Red’s next game will be next Wednesday at Copper Hills at 8:45 p.m. Their next home game will be Oct. 2 against Brighton Navy once again.Adamek believes East, Brighton Navy and Juan Diego will be some of Park City’s toughest in-state competition this year. “Everyone wants to beat Park City,” said Adamek. “I get that because we’re the state champs. … We try to make them (the players) have the same mindset for every game, and then we’ll make adjustments on the fly as the game gets going.”Wednesday’s adjustment was to wear East down by maintaining the attack, which the Miners Red did, scoring four goals in the second period and another in the third. Adamek knows his players sometimes have more skill than they know what to do with, and it’s his and his staff’s responsibility to harness that for wins. The team holds themselves to an incredibly high standard, having seen last year what it takes to compete at nationals. “This year’s team can be better than last year’s team if we put some hard work and really buy into what we’re trying to do,” said Adamek. “If there’s not a good job of buying in, it won’t be a great season. … It’s on us as coaches to help that process and then the players to make sure they really buy into the team concept, and we’re working on that right now.”The post Miners Red hockey team defeats East Wednesday in home-opener appeared first on Park Record.