The Lindbergh High School varsity hockey club is shooting for a deep run into the playoffs again as the 2013-2014 season gets underway.

The Flyers, who made it to the final eight but fell to Oakville last season, are 3-3 to begin their new campaign. Head coach Greg Anderson said that despite losing some talent from last year’s squad, he is optimistic about his club.

“… My expectation this year is to compete for the division,” he told the Call. “Obviously, Oakville is off to a great start and has a great team, but we want to win our conference and if we do, that sets us up for a good playoff seeding.

“So that’s the expectation, for us to compete for a conference championship and that’s the goal every year … I think with the talent we have that’s an expectation that’s not out of reach, and I think the boys are up to the task.”

The team fell to the Fox Warriors 6-2, but then won two in a row over De Smet and Marquette.

“We had a hiccup against Fox and I think we responded well against De Smet,” Anderson said. “And again, we are not as talented as we were last year, but again we do have enough talent on this team where we can compete game in and game out, but we need to be prepared and focused and give a valiant effort.

Lindbergh then defeated Marquette, but dropped two in a row, falling to Parkway South and Kirkwood.

Hard work will be the key to a successful season, according to Anderson.

“I kind of had a good grasp on what to expect with this group,” he said. “We have to show up every game. I think we are more of a blue-collar team, if you will. We have to work hard and we can’t get along just on our skill, where last year we could have …

“If we do work hard and go about our business, the end result should be there. But if we don’t, then obviously we are going to have a little hiccup in the road here. What I ask of them is I want us to set the pace for every game … We need to set the pace and let them adjust to try to keep up with us.”

One strength the Flyers have had since before the season even began is goaltending.

“Our strengths are our goaltending again. We have a great duo, with Sam Stephens, who is a sophomore, and then we’ve got (Andrew) Fischer, who is a senior this year,” Anderson said.

Stevens is the No. 1 goalie and is supported on the blue line by Captain Kurtis Mager.

Up front the Flyers have weapons like Assistant Captain Zane O’Bryan, Adam Havener, Samuel Maddox and Daniel Dunaway, all of whom are putting up points in the early going.

The Flyers are set to face Westminster at 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at the Affton Ice Rink.