Other than a few bumps and bruises, coach Pat Bingham reported Sunday that everybody came through the weekend healthy. Now the Komets have five days to practice before Saturday's home opener against Quad City.
“We'll have this week to use some video and show them some clips
of good and bad,'' Bingham said. “We'll do a lot of teaching, and hopefully
we'll be making fewer errors, have more intensity and be ready to go right from
the beginning.''
There may also be a few lineup changes for Saturday depending on
how Bingham feels his players are learning.
Some of the good things the Komets saw this weekend included the
play of goaltender Kevin St. Pierre,
some excellent penalty killing and the willingness and ability to play a
hard-hitting game. No one looked totally lost on the ice.
Some of the weaknesses included poor defensive coverage, a
willingness to take too many lazy penalties and an obvious unfamiliarity with
Bingham's systems. No one looked totally comfortable on the ice, either.
“There's a lot to our systems, and they all tie in and make sense
and require a certain amount of ability from your players,'' Bingham said. “As
soon as they learn and understand what they are supposed to do, we'll be able
to gauge even better where we stand. Nobody has it all down pat. I just think a
week from now everybody will have a better understand of what is expected in
every situation.''
There's plenty of build off individually. Center Bruce Richardson
already had four assists, and defenseman Mario Larocque has three points.
Forward Daniel Goneau has a goal in each game.
But Goneau has also taken five minors, and the power play has one
goal in 12 tries.
“The shifts where all five were on the same page and making the
decisions at the right speed were the exception rather than the rule,'' Bingham
said. “We're a long ways from really getting it with the decision-making,
recognizing the play for what it is and the intensity you have to have to attack
it.''
Bingham also said he needs to find out more about his players
such as who else can kill penalties. He stuck with a main core of players and
admits he might have worn them out over the weekend.
“There were a lot of positive things as well,'' he said. “We're
not overwhelmingly more talented or deeper than the teams we played, but we're
not way behind either. There were a lot of solid efforts. Guys stood up for
each other and showed a willingness to learn.''
Now they just have to learn it.
