NOW THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS SEASON IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY THE HOCKEY SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE ARE BACK ON THE ICE IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2019-2020 SEASON. RETURNING TO THE HELM OF THE QUAKE IS PHIL OBERLIN WHO TOOK OVER THE TEAM A YEAR AGO AND TALKS ABOUT THE TEAMS PROGRESSION FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.
“YOU KNOW RETURNING 14 PLAYERS FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. NOW ALL THOSE GUYS HAVE AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OF MATURITY. YOU CAN JUST SEE IT IN THEIR GAME, EVERYTHING’S QUICKER, EVERYTHING’S A STEP AHEAD. I MEAN THEIR CONFIDENCE IS JUST A LOT BETTER. THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND THEN THE GUYS THAT WE HAVE ADDED ARE COMING FROM REALLY GOOD BACKGROUNDS. SO I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE RIGHT AWAY.”
THE QUAKE HAVE BEEN PRACTICING FOR JUST OVER FOUR WEEKS NOW IN PREPARATION FOR THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON. COACH OBERLING EXPLAINS HOW THIS TEAM IS GOING TO USE THE TRANSITION GAME TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
“THAT’S GOING TO RELY HEAVILY ON OUR DEFENSE-MEN BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE PUCK QUICK AND OUR FORWARDS BEING ABLE TO OPEN THE ICE UP AND MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE. I WOULD SAY IN OUR TRANSITION GAME WE’RE GOING TO BE LEANING ON OUR DEFENSE. IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE PLAYS. BUT LIKE I SAID OVER THE FIRST THREE WEEKS WE’VE BEEN EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR RETURNERS AND OUR NEW PLAYERS THAT WE’VE AQQUIRED.”
THE QUAKE WILL BE PUT TO THE TEST EARLY THIS WEEKEND AS THEY OPEN UP AGAINST HELENA, WHO WAS THE DIVISION CHAMPS A YEAR AGO AND MADE IT TO THE FRASIER CUP. COACH OBERLIN ON WHAT THE TEAMS PREPARATION IS GOING INTO THE WEEKEND.
“HELENA’S USUALLY A PRETTY BIG TEAM, PHYSICAL TEAM. SO WE’RE GOING TO PREPARE FOR THAT. WE JUST STARTED TO GET INTO THE FILM FROM LAST YEAR TO KIND OF BREAK THAT DOWN AND SEE, AGAIN EXACTLY HOW WE COULD EXPOSE THEM WITHIN WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AS A GROUP. WE JUST KIND OF STARTED AT THIS POINT SO WE’LL TAKE NEXT WEEK AND IT’LL BE A LITTLE BIT MORE GEARED SPECIFIC TO WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH ON THE WEEKEND.”
THE QUAKE OPEN THEIR 2019-2020 CAMPAIGN THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WHEN THEY HOST THE HELENA BIGHORNS AT THE RILEY ARENA. PUCK DROPS AT 7:30PM. PRIOR TO EACH GAME THEIR WILL BE TAILGATES FROM 5:30-7PM, THE CODY HIGH SCHOOL BAND WILL BE PLAYING AND SATURDAY IS STUDENT NIGHT.
