Lynx hope to play catch-up on home ice

The Augusta Lynx drop the puck on their longest home stand of the season tonight, starting a five-game stint for which they couldn't be more ready.

Coming off a hectic five weeks that included 16 games in seven different cities, the Lynx return to action at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center this weekend with back-to-back-to-back contests. Augusta faces Charlotte today, South Carolina on Saturday and Gwinnett on Sunday afternoon. Those games will be followed by two more home games next weekend in a pivotal stretch within the South Division race.

"This is the part of the season that will determine whether our team has got a legitimate chance to win the division and challenge for home ice in the playoffs, or whether we're going to be scrambling the whole second half for a playoff spot," Lynx coach Bob Ferguson said. "It's a very, very pivotal point of the season."

Augusta (13-17-3) is tied for sixth in the division, but five teams are separated by only 10 points - the same amount available for Augusta to win in the next eight days.

And while the team lost ground during its hectic December, the more favorable January schedule, which includes just 10 games, is an opportune time for a turnaround.

"We've had a long, tough schedule before this, but if we can put five wins together or play really solid over this stretch, we know it will help us move up ," captain Ryan Lang said.

The Lynx are 8-8 at home and will approach the halfway point of the overall season and their home slate during the upcoming stretch. Augusta won't return to the road until Jan. 20, giving them nearly three weeks at home.

"Our defensive zone coverage and our power play need lots of work, and being at home allows us more time to work on those," Ferguson said.

Not only does a long home stretch help with additional practice time, Ferguson said, but the players have more free time to spend for themselves.

"We get to relax a little bit more after practice, which we haven't gotten to do a lot so far," defenseman Martin Lapointe said. "It's nice to be able to go to the gym and do other things as opposed to being on the road, when you feel like you're spending your whole time at the rink."

Still, Lapointe said, the team knows the importance of what happens on the ice during this time.

"It's terribly important," he said. "It's what is going to make the second half of our season."

Reach Steve Sanders at (706) 823-3216 or steven.l.sanders@augustachronicle.com.