IT WAS A ROUGH GO OF THINGS FOR THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE OVER THE WEEKEND AS THEY DROPPED BOTH OF THEIR GAMES AGAINST HELENA 5-2. YELLOWSTONE HAS BEEN UP AGAINST A DAUNTING TASK, TWO WEEKENDS IN A ROW, FACING A HELENA SQUAD THAT WON THE DIVISION A YEAR AGO AND MADE IT TO THE FRASER CUP. THERE IS PLENTY TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE 1-3 START AND HEAD COACH PHIL OBERLIN TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE TEAM WILL FOCUS ON THIS WEEK IN HOPES OF GETTING BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN.
“I THINK IT’S JUST FOCUSING ON OUR PUCK MOVEMENT, THE LEVEL OF INTENSITY AND PURPOSE FOR WHICH WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING NEEDS TO RISE. SO THIS WEEK WE’RE REALLY GOING TO PUSH THE GUYS TO END UP MAKING SURE OUR EXECUTION ON EVERYTHING IS CRISP AND THAT THE LEVEL OF PLAY IS ELEVATED.”
WITH HELENA NOW IN THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR THE QUAKE NOW TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO BOTH SHERIDAN AND BOZEMAN. COACH OBERLIN HIGHLIGHTS WHAT MAKES SHERIDAN SO TOUGH.
“MORE INDIVIDUAL GUYS I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF ON THE ICE. RIGHT NOW WITH SHERIDAN IT’S WRIGHT AND BILLINGS, WHO BLAKE ACTUALLY CAME AND PLAYED FOR US AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR. HE’S A WYOMING KID. THERE’S JUST A FEW GUYS ON BOTH TEAMS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE DEFENSIVELY WE’RE AWARE WHEN THEY’RE ON THE ICE CAUSE THEY’RE DEFINITELY A SCORING THREAT.”
AS FOR BOZEMAN, THEY’RE A TEAM THAT OPERATES VERY SIMILAR TO THE QUAKE.
“BOZEMAN PLAYS VERY SIMILAR TO US. THEY LIKE TO MOVE THE PUCK LOW TO HIGH, THEY LIKE TO GET NET FRONT TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW SO A PUCK POSSESSION GAME IN THE OZONE. SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THAT AND MAKE SURE WE’RE COUNTERING AND PLAYING OUR GAME. TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE DOING THE EXACT SAME IN OUR OFFENSIVE ZONES.”
AND IF THE QUAKE ARE TO GET BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN IT MUST BE A TEAM EFFORT.
“IT’S GOING TO BE EVERY LINE TAKING CARE OF OUR D-ZONE FIRST, PRIOR TO LOOKING FOR THOSE OFFENSIVE CHANCES. AGAIN THE CLICHE SAYING, DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS. SO AS LONG AS WE’RE DOING THAT AND TAKING CARE OF OUR END I THINK WE HAVE THE SKILL AND ABILITY TO PUT PUCKS IN THE NET. WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE’RE FOCUSED ON KEEPING PUCKS OUT OF OUR NET FIRST AND FOREMOST.”
THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE RETURN TO THE ICE THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY TAKING ON SHERIDAN FRIDAY NIGHT IN SHERIDAN. SATURDAY THE QUAKE ARE HOME AGAINST BOZEMAN WITH PUCK DROPPING AT 7:30PM BOTH NIGHTS.
