Another away trip, and another split result … only this time we have nowhere to hide and it’s time to produce results!
When I started to build this team, it’s no secret that I wanted a team that could score goals. On Saturday’s game against the Ice Dogs, we finally had a full squad and a team that could score goals, but we drew a blank. We outshot the Ice Dogs 29-20, but Anthony Kimlin was strong in net and we failed to bury a number of key chances. We need to get better at finding opportunities and finishing plays.
All said and done, I think we played a good game. The team was ticking and sometimes you just don’t get the bounces, especially when you come up against a goaltender in the zone. On Sunday’s game against the Bears the team really played how I knew they could. We went down two goals early in the game and the boys showed a lot of character to come back and win it. We dominated a lot of the play, but we still struggled to finish plays and hit more posts than a fencing contractor.
Michael Forney put on a skills class and I was encouraged by the play of each of our imports. The local players lifted with the imports and the team really battled hard to grind out a win against the talented Bears.
I know that if we can keep playing at this level, the results will take care of themselves. It’s been a tough trip to Sydney – capped off with a 3-hour delay on our flight home – but it has really bought the team together and the players are starting to click.
At the end of the day, its important to remember that last season the team went 1-7 in the opening eight games, and this season we are 2-4 after six games, the last four of which have been on the road.
We return to Perth Ice Arena this weekend and I’m looking forward to seeing the full squad on home ice. The game plan won’t change too much as its important to believe in the systems we have implemented and maintain our structure. I have a lot of faith in this team and the players and I think we’re ready to really attack the rest of the season.
Stan Scott
Head Coach
Perth Thunder