Talking with Jorde

Just for you, Hit Somebody! I tried to ask Ryan Jorde all the questions of yours that I could remember.

Blake Sebring: What's the fighting etiquette out there?

Ryan Jorde: I think that's just the fights I've had where I've beat on some guys pretty good and my reputation from the “A'' and stuff. I don't think too many guys want to mess with me. Actually it works in my favor anyways because then they don't run around and I can actually worry about playing then.

BS: How often do you ask a guy to go?

RJ: It depends on the situations. Most nights I have to stay on the ice, me and Neumie and Guy and Rob are on the ice quite a bit so Coach needs us on the ice as much as possible some nights. It all depends on the score. Tonight was a night where possibly if something could have happened it would have, but the only chance was at the end and that Stewart guy got kicked out of the game anyways.

BS: Wilcox was buzzing around.

RJ: He never even said a word to me. I was waiting for him to. I kind of gave him a little hook and he looked back at me and skated out of it. I thought as soon as he got on the ice with me he was going to start something, which would have been fine with me. I'm always up for a little tussle, even at 6-1. He didn't even say two words to me or look at me.

BS: How frustrating is it when you want to go and you can't get somebody to go with you?

RJ: I'll give you two cases, the two nights against Rockford. Big Snake won't go near me most nights. I've been trying for him all season. I beat him up pretty bad in junior, and he remembers it I think. And he got kicked out of the game in Rockford, and then sat out the game here. There are nights when I definitely want to have some fun, but I have no dance partner. That's been the case a lot this year. Then you just worry about playing good defense and helping the team win.

BS: You've been doing that. I think you are plus-12 for the month (March).

RJ: I think I'm plus-24 right now. Things have been going better for us. The last two years I've been injured and I haven't played a lot. It was taking me a while to get back in the swing of things. I think I'm definitely ready to help this team make a run in the playoffs.

BS: Some of the fans have been ripping on you because they want you to fight more. Do you want to fight more?

RJ: Oh, yeah. I'll fight every night, but there's either circumstances where no one will fight me, or the situation is not right. I can't fight in a 2-1 game. The five minutes I lose might be three shifts out there for Neumie and I. Otherwise there's no one who will fight me. The last game at home against Rockford there was nobody there. Stewart is a middleweight. Wilcox