Hounds get ready for morning spat
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
Playing a rare morning game, as the Soo Greyhounds will when they visit the Peterborough Petes on Thursday, typically entails a number of pre-game adjustments.
But having shifted to morning practices this season, the Hounds should have an easier time getting acclimated to the conditions surrounding the 11:05 a.m. start.
“Our guys are used to exerting effort at that time, which is great,” said head coach John Dean, whose club takes a 5-3-0-0 record into the opener of a three-game trip. “I don’t think it’s a huge advantage because their typical game-day preparation is completely thrown out of whack, in terms of how and when you eat and how you prepare.”
But, the coach added, his players are “definitely used to getting up early and being ready to compete at that hour.”
“We practice so early in the day that we’re used to those early times,” added veteran defenceman Caeden Carlisle. “We’re used to competing that early, so I don’t think playing in the morning will be a problem for us.”
In previous seasons, the Hounds have scheduled their practices for mid-to-late afternoon.
But, citing the Greyhounds difficult travel schedule, Dean spoke about trying to limit the players’ fatigue. He explained how long days can be for OHL’ers who’re involved in regular practices, power-play and skill sessions, goalie sessions and video study.
“It’s a really long day when we practise in the afternoon,” the coach added. “Some of these guys were starting at the rink at 8 a.m. and, while they have breaks in between, not leaving until 6:30.”
Instead, the new format has players arriving between 7:30-8 a.m., hitting the ice between 8:30-9 a.m., depending on the day, and wrapping things up in time to attend school, in person and/or on-line, in the afternoon.
“The rest and recovery time for our players is key,” Dean explained. “And time-wise, they get to be kids again. After school they get to go home. They don’t have to come back to the rink again.”
The Soo is coming off of back-to-back, home-ice losses, having dropped a 2-1 game to Ottawa on Friday and a 4-0 decision at the hands of Owen Sound on Saturday.
Prior to those results, the Hounds had notched 37 goals in their first six games.
Having studied video of the Owen Sound contest, Dean admitted the team “isn’t happy about losing, but there definitely are positives in our play.”
One area of concern remains the club’s inability to establish consistency in the physical areas around the opponent’s net.
What he wants to see, the coach added, is a healthy balance between creativity on the rush and grit and determination to score in front of the net.
“We haven’t found that balance yet,” said Dean, whose team is also slated to visit Kingston on Friday (7 p.m.) and Ottawa on Sunday (2 p.m.).
After losing two straight while struggling to score, Hounds captain Bryce McConnell-Barker believes this road trip is a big one for his team.
“Obviously, we started off great,” he said of the Soo’s 5-1-0-0 start. “But we’ve had a couple of tough games. I think it’s important to have a good first period (against Peterborough) and win that first game. Winning that first game gets the momentum going in our favour.”
Asked what he and his teammates need to do to snap their losing skid, winger Marco Mignosa talked about the Greyhounds approach in front of the opposition net.
“We need to get to the net more and get a little greasier in the offensive zone,” said Mignosa, referring to the importance of scoring in the tough areas around the goal.
The 18-year-old (2005) native of Vaughan, Ont., also spoke of how the back-to-back losses have done little to dampen the Hounds confidence.
“We’ve parked those losses,” Mignosa began. “We just have to come back this weekend and focus on getting six points.”
Carlisle talked about how he and his teammates remain convinced of the Hounds potential.
“The culture is really good and I love this team,” said the Mississauga product. “Everyone comes to the rink excited and we all believe we can have a big season.”
Notes:
The Hounds were informed earlier this week winger Connor Clattenburg will not be suspended by the OHL. The veteran winger was tagged with a five-minute major and game misconduct for a check to the head in Saturday’s loss to the Attack.
While he talked about there being “no guarantees on this road trip,” Dean said he plans to soon get defencemen Brodie McConnell-Barker and Spencer Evans into the lineup. Both are 17-year-olds (2006 birth year).
McConnell-Barker has dressed for one game while Evans has yet to play this season.
