HANCOCK - Itching to get started.

That would be the best way to describe the Finlandia men's hockey team's feeling about their season-opening series with Lake Forest this weekend.

"This time of year is always hard," Finlandia coach Joe Burcar said. "We start our guys in September, so it's two months before our first game.

"With their (the team's) strength and conditioning and our first practice not until Oct. 15, we've been on the ice for three weeks now, so they're anxious for a game. I think the coaching staff is ready for a game, so it's time (to get the season started)."

The Lions will enter the series with the Foresters at full strength. All the little bumps and bruises that occurred during training camp have had sufficient time to heal.

"We're healthy right now which is a good sign," Burcar said. "We've had some guys in training camp that were banged up and we've got them back, so we feel good going in.

"It's not like last year when we had seven new guys. We've got experience under our belt."

And it's those experienced players that will be leaned on heavily early in the season. Two guys in particular will play important roles in the Lions' first few series.

"What we really like is our leadership and it starts with Quinn McIntosh," Burcar said. "He's our senior. He's our captain. He was an all-conference defenseman last year.

"He worked extremely hard during the offseason. He came in here and led by example in the weight room. There were a lot of times he was doing two-a-days and we kind of had to hold him back a little.

"(Goalie) Ryan Donovan is another guy that does a lot of the extra things. He's doing a tremendous amount of work and is really focused this year. Those are two we're really looking at right now (for leadership)."

Their leadership will be key to the Lions' success against Lake Forest this weekend. Unlike Finlandia, the Foresters already have a game under their belt.

Lake Forest dropped its season opener last weekend to St. Norbert. Trent Brown had the only goal of the game for the Foresters.

"Lake Forest comes out of a great league," Burcar said. "They played in the MCHA for many years against the powerhouses.

"The St. Norberts, the (Wisconsin) Superiors, teams that are always in national tournaments. They're coming out of a tremendous league. Their coach Tony Fritz has been there for a long time. They have a great program and we're anxious to open up our season against them."

The first game between the two will be tonight at 7 with the curtain-closer on Saturday at 4 p.m.

K.D. Warvie can be reached at kwarvie@mininggazette.com.