Nashua South Pelham goalie Noah Soule makes a save and eyes the rebound with teammate Ryan Arneson (5) battling in front during the Kings' 9-1 loss at the hands of Salem on Wednesday night. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – The music was blaring from the Salem High School hockey team’s locker room in the Conway Arena hallway.

It’s a sound Nashua South-Pelham coach Jordan Sarracco is convinced will be coming from his team’s room soon, even after Wednesday night’s 9-1 loss to Salem meant the Kings have given up 18 goals in two games.

“It’s early in the season still,” Sarracco said. “I have a lot of faith in this team. We’ve got to get a couple more practices under our belt, few more games and I think we’ll really turn it around.”

It was a tough follow to Monday night’s 9-0 loss at the hands of Windham, and the 0-3 Kings trailed last night by a 3-0 count after one period. They managed to bring it to 3-1 on a goal by Peter Gamache (Ryan Arneson and Sean McCarthy assists), but that was all they could muster as the Blue Devils put up three more to lead 6-1 after two periods to cruise to their first win (1-2) of the season.

“We needed it,” Salem coach Mark McGinn. “If you look, I think five of the goals were the kids’ first goals ever. … Instead of peaking in the middle, you want to peak at the end. We needed a league win.”

Salem had a five point night (hat trick, two assists) by Jake Barton and two goals and an assist from Brady Ferriera to lead the way. Kings goalie Noah Soule (27 stops) was under siege much of the way, a much tougher night than Blue Devils netminder Colby Savageau had.

“That (Nashua-Pelham) team didn’t quit though,” McGinn said. “They keep working, they’re going to be good. Their energy, their effort, they weren’t taking penalties. They’ve got them going in a good direction.”

Those words would be music to Sarracco’s ears.

“Both games we were right there until we weren’t,” Sarracco said. “It came down to small mistakes we were making. We need to make better decisions with the puck; once we start to do that, we’ll get things more under control. .. A little more offensive control.”

The Kings will see the Blue Devils again in next week’s holiday tourney at the Icenter, and with none of the three games there counting, Sarracco can get his team the experience it needs without added pressure. The Kings next regular season game is Jan. 5 at home vs. Londonderry.

“It would be good to get a few more practices,” he said, “but the game time we’re going to get next week, the three games in the holiday tournament there, that will be really good for the team.

“Get some more experience, some more game time under our belt, we’ll have a few practices when we come back to start the new year, it will be a good time for the team.”

And hopefully the tune will change for the Kings.