THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE CURRENTLY SIT AT 2-6 ON THE SEASON AFTER SPLITTING WITH MISSOULA OVER THE WEEKEND. THE QUAKE HAD LOST 5 IN A ROW BEFORE THEIR 3-1 VICTORY ON SATURDAY. THE QUAKE ARE LOOKING TO CONTINUE AN UPWARD TREND. HEAD COACH PHIL OBERLIN ON HOW THE THE QUAKE CAN STRING TOGETHER A FEW WINS.
“IT’S JUST TRYING TO GET THE GUYS TO REALIZE, YOU HAVE TO PLAY A CERTAIN LEVEL OF INTENSITY, A CERTAIN WAY EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU GET ON THE ICE. SO WE’RE SHIFTING A LITTLE BIT, SOME OF THE STUFF IN PRACTICE TO TRY TO GET THAT CONSISTENCY, CAUSE AGAIN IT’S A GROUP EFFORT. SO THAT CONSISTENCY JUST NEEDS TO START COMING FROM WITHIN THAT ROOM. THAT’S KIND OF ABOUT GROWING UP A LITTLE BIT AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO PLAY THAT WAY EVERY SINGLE DAY.”
UP NEXT FOR THE QUAKE IS A FAMILIAR OPPONENT IN BOZEMAN, WHO DEFEATED THEM 2-1 EARLIER IN THE SEASON. ACCORDING TO COACH OBERLIN IT WAS THE QUAKE’S MOST COMPLETE GAME OF THE YEAR AND IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE VICTORIOUS THIS TIME AROUND COACH OBERLIN SAYS THEY MUST BE THE MORE PHYSICAL TEAM.
“WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE’RE GETTING UNDER THEIR SKIN, WE WANT TO GET THEM OFF OF THEIR GAME. YOU KNOW WE’RE GOING TO RELY ON OUR GROUP, AGAIN, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. WE KNOW THEY’RE SKILLED, WE KNOW THEY CAN SKATE, WE KNOW THEY CAN PASS, SHOOT AND THEY’RE A VERY FLUID TEAM. THEY TRANSITION REALLY WELL. WE NEED TO SLOW THEM DOWN A LITTLE BIT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE’RE GRINDING OUR GAME OUT, WE’RE DOING, AGAIN WHAT WE WANT TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE SUCCESSFUL IN ALL AREAS OF OUR GAME.”
CONSISTENT PLAY ALL SEASON LONG AS BEEN THE MAIN STORY LINE FOR THIS YEARS SQUAD. HOW TO START GAMES BETTER, PLAY AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND EXECUTE ON POWER PLAYS. COACH OBERLIN ON WHAT ASPECT OF THE GAME COULD BE KEY THIS WEEKEND.
“I THINK IT’S OUR POWER PLAY. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR EXECUTION ON THAT. SOME THINGS LOOKED REALLY GOOD TODAY, ALREADY. SO I THINK THE UNDERSTANDING AND THE, KIND OF THE BUY IN TO WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH IS STARTING TO MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH THAT. OBVIOUSLY, IF WE CAN GET BOZEMAN OFF THEIR GAME AND IF WE CAN GET THEM TO START TAKING A FEW PENALTIES, WE’D LIKE TO CAPITALIZE ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.”
THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE AND THE BOZEMAN ICE DOGS SPLIT A HOME-AND-HOME SERIES THIS WEEKEND WITH BOZEMAN HOSTING FRIDAY NIGHT’S FACE-OFF WHILE THE QUAKE ARE HOME SATURDAY. PUCK DROPS AT 7:30PM BOTH NIGHTS.
