Denver’s Aidan Thompson confident points will come

A new season means adjustments, even for the returning players. Thompson has been settling in and learning to play with new teammates. The 21-year-old started the year alongside junior forward Tristan Broz and freshman Miko Matikka.

He’s also seen time with freshman forward Sam Harris and senior team captain McKade Webster. Over the last couple of games, he’s been reunited with Broz and Matikka as Denver looks to find the line combinations that best suit the program and its players.

And while Thompson has been developing chemistry with players he had not played with before, the young forward has also been working on his shot selection. Through the first ten games, he’s shooting pucks at just a 4.5 percent clip, down from almost 14 percent a year ago.

However, it’s more about firing accurate shots on net, not just shooting for the sake of shooting.

“Hitting the net a little bit more, focusing on that,” he said of his approach to shooting this season. “More shots at the net, the more shots that can go in. Then, just a little bit unlucky so far this year, I think (the goals) will come in bunches. So, right now, they just haven’t fallen as I’ve wanted, but they will.”

Aside from pure production, Thompson continues to do the little things right: playing aggressive, being hard on pucks, and being a pest on the forecheck.

Like most players between their freshman and sophomore seasons, Thompson spent a lot of time developing off the ice, getting stronger to go up against bigger and older competition.

The results have immediately translated in the faceoff dot.

As a freshman, he won just over 50 percent of all draws. Outside of the first weekend this year, Thompson’s added strength has helped him to dominate in the faceoff dot. He has won 57.5 percent (73 of 127) of all draws over his last eight games.

Looking ahead to this weekend, Denver will host Omaha in what will be the first of six consecutive home games.

Against the Mavericks last season, Thompson recorded a goal and an assist with three shots on goal. It kick-started a three-game point streak and a stretch of points in seven of eight games.

The young forward will hope for a similar fortune but also understands it is just a process of sticking with his game. The results will come.

“I think I’m playing well,” Thompson said. “I actually think I’m playing better than I did at times last year. Things just haven’t been going in, and that’s going to happen at times throughout the year.

“With guys last year, we put up big numbers who had dry spells, and they just stuck with it. I can’t really worry about it too much, just focus on doing everything I can for the team and continue to win games.”

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