PHOTOS: Badlands Sabres looking for strong start to the new season | Multimedia [Video]

RAPID CITY, S.D. – With the start of the junior hockey league season set for this weekend, the Badlands Sabres have high expectations.

Sabres finished fifth in the Frontier Division last year

The Badlands Sabres finished fifth in the Frontier Division last season with a record of 19 – 22 – 3 -3 and missed the playoffs by just three points.

The Sabres will look a little different this year with several new faces on the team.

Although the sabres lost their top two scorers, they do return 13 players from last season including Jordan Ryan who had 35 points and Carter Kilen who finished with 26 points.

Overall, head coach Brooks Mitzel is pleased with the make-up of this year’s team.

“We have we have a really good group of returners,” said Brooks Mitzel. “I think we have 12 or 13 returners, which is really going to help here coming into our first weekend with that …