What would you try to fix things at home? Obviously, this team is great on the road, so it should be better at home. So what would you try?
What would you try to fix things at home? Obviously, this team is great on the road, so it should be better at home. So what would you try?
Comments
Blake,
I know that David Franke has said that we have enough size and toughness but we only have 1 guy who, in my opinion, has won more fights than he has lost (Mac), we need some toughness. I know that Bertram, Holliday, and Boulay will all drop em, but I can't remember the last time any of them won. ie. Bertram in Flint against Littlejohn. Bertie outweighs him by probably 45 pounds and is 6 inches taller but just ducks his head and gets pounded by a much smaller guy. I think we won 1 fight out of five. I don't mean to sound like a fight monger, but it is an important part of the game that can really sway the momentum. We don't need goons but we need someone to stand up when our skill players get beat on. Mac is the only guy who is legit in that area and he is only 5-10. I know that we have Legs but with only a few games played this year, he has not been a factor. I'm not sure if something was wrong with his shoulder earlier this year, but he sure didn't look anything like he did last year in the physicality department. Same thing with Bertie. Last year he was a totally different player than this year.
I guess my worry is that we had a lot more talent than PH last year and with, in my opinion great coaching by Drulia, pushed us hard in the playoffs. This year they are much bigger, more physical, faster,and more talented than last year. I hate to see a repeat of the Rockford series a few years ago when they just beat us to a pulp physically in the playoffs and pretty much dominated us. The fans want a big physical team that is balanced with skill. Port Huron has been able to put that in place this year. It will be tough for us to match up physically with them in the playoffs even if Legs is back.
I will be rooting hard for the K's but from my perspective we need some big, physical defensemen and some big forwards who can bang in the corners.
Just my opinion.
Go K's!
id bring in a big physical d man (wheres dale p?) and the next game we suck at home id embaras the whole team by making them practice shootouts right afterwards.
Fighting is so overrated because it means nothing in the playoffs. It obviously didn't mean a thing to Flint last night, either. Dale P. was approached and decided to remain retired.
Boy, I am not sure what I would do Blake. It has been such a strange year. And you are right, no one fights in the playoffs. Its a good question, but I would have no clue as to what to do to try to turn things around at home.
The problem is there is really nothing than can do...There are no trades to be made that in all reality will make us better, it may shake things up, but not make us better. That is why a 6 team league stinks and it all depends on how well you recruit in the Summer. We decided to bring back 95% of our Vets eating into the cap and I am guessing had little money to spread around for newcomers. I just think there is nothing that can be done at this point the only fault I can find with the Frankes is that they could have done something a lot sooner in the season but they chose to stay the course and the way it looks now was a poor decision. I really think Sims has tried everyting under the sun to turn around their play at home, heck he put Mac out on the first shift to fight Stayzer and that was not enough to get his club pump up. The only thing he could do is bench guys who are not giving him what he expects. Maybe a few vets should sit a game or to and be a healthy scratch. But that is the only thing he hasn't tried in my opinion. He sure can't play for them..And I agree we did not sign enough toughness, size, and grit with this years club.
tough does not mean fight. we need to make oposing forwards afraid to camp out in front of the net.
Kind of hard to sit people when the people sitting out are hurt. Maybe later when we get a full lineup.
This team feeds off the crowd so get the crowd into the game. Winning some shootouts would help too.
"And I agree we did not sign enough toughness, size, and grit with this years club." While I totally agree with this statement, it doesn't answer the question to our home woes. Have to work with what we have but we have alot of the same components this year.
I think what the Komets should do is begin to play a much simpler game at home. That means tight forechecking. Get the puck into the offensive zone and then go after it. I particularly don't like that style of play but I don't think the Komets are a very good team at making crisp passes. I also think they are weak in the faceoff circle. The forwards need to get back to help the defensemen. The chances will come. Chaulk will help when he comes back but beleiving one player will turn things around is not realistic. The confusing thing for me is that I really like the forwards on this team. Their inability to win at home is hard to believe with the talent we have up front. Maybe not winning at home is beginning to get in their heads. That is why I suggest just making the game more simple.
I agree with what Alan had to say. I think that maybe they are putting to much pressure on themselves at home.
I agree, I don't care for the dump and chase style of hockey, but maybe it would work.
Maybe they need to go out and have a team day, where they play Basketball, or Bowling, rent the dome out for flag football, driving range something to get their minds off the home troubles for a day.
Bring back a guy like Matt Reynolds!
I like the idea of having the team load onto the bus and ride around like it is a road game. Maybe have the players dress like they would on a road game when they come to the arena. Treat the home games the same as the road games when it comes to the pre-game stuff.
Although we lost, the group i run with thought the game was very entertaining, a win would have been even better but we enjoyed it.
With this team, get healthy, get in game ship, finish 4th in the regular season and take the cup on the road.
Road Warriors ---> new theme song: http://www.nationalguardwarrior.com/
Perhaps we can boo them when they take the ice. Instead of Larry saying "Here are the FW Komets", he should say Here are your "Muskegon Lumberjacks"...Don't play the Welcome to the Jungle video...
I really don't know, but that bus idea made me laugh. :D
Honestly? Our guys desperately need confidence. They need to believe in themselves and each other. They need to play with emotion and pride. Earlier in the season, some team bonding activities would have helped. At this point, they'd need a crash course... Like boot camp. Tear 'em down and build 'em up. They have to understand what they are up against, and they have to want it. I mean REALLY want it. That is the only way they have any chance at all making it past the first round of the playoffs, let alone winning the Turner Cup. Because the playoffs are all about passion. I suppose that is what worries me the most about this season's Komets. For all their obvious skill, they haven't had that many games where they showed much emotion out there.
I figured it out, i am going to sit back and wait for Obama to fix it!