OVER THE WEEKEND THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE KNOCKED OFF THE BOZEMAN ICE DOGS, GIVING BOZEMAN THEIR FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON. THE TWO TEAMS WOUND UP SPLITTING THE WEEKEND SERIES EACH TAKING A GAME ON THE OPPOSING TEAMS ICE. THINGS ARE STARTING TO TREND UPWARDS FOR A QUAKE TEAM THAT HAS JUST 3 WINS ON THE SEASON. HEAD COACH PHIL OBERLIN PUTS THE WIN AGAINST BOZEMAN PERSPECTIVE.
“GETTING THE WIN IS HUGE. TO US THE WIN ISN’T A SURPRISE. IT’S, WE KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WE KNOW THE LEVEL WE CAN PLAY AT. JUST BEING ABLE TO CLOSE OUT THAT GAME AND GET A WIN, ESPECIALLY AGAINST AN UNDEFEATED TEAM AND A TEAM THAT I THINK WILL END UP TURNING INTO QUITE A RIVALRY WITH US. IT’S A HUGE BOOST, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO SOME GAMES WE FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WIN IF WE CONTINUE TO PLAY THE WAY WE PLAYED THIS PAST SATURDAY.”
WHILE THE QUAKE HAVE BEEN COMPETITIVE IN ALMOST EVERY GAME PLAYED THIS SEASON ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS FOR A YOUNG TEAM TO DO IS LEARN HOW TO WIN. COACH OBERLIN TALKS ABOUT BUILDING ON A BIG WIN AND THE TEAMS BETTERING PERFORMANCE.
“I THINK THE WINNING ASPECT, OBVIOUSLY THAT’S SOMETHING YOU LEARN AS WELL AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT ONCE IT STARTS, THAT’S A PROCESS TOO AND A PROGRESSION. WE’VE GOT OVER THAT HUMP WITH BOZEMAN. THE CONFIDENCE AND THE ENERGY WILL BE DIFFERENT MOVING FORWARD. IT’S GOING TO BE MORE OF A MINDSET OF ‘OK WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS. WE JUST DID IT AGAINST BOZEMAN.’ I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE HUGE. AGAIN, IF WE CAN GET A COUPLE MORE I THINK IT’S JUST GOING TO CARRY OVER AND CONTINUE TO ROLL.”
UP NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE IS A TEAM JUST ABOVE THEM IN THE STANDINGS, THE MISSOULA JUNIOR BRUINS. LAST TIME THESE TWO TEAMS MET IT WAS A 1-1 WEEKEND SPLIT. THE QUAKE OUT SHOT MISSOULA IN THAT MATCH-UP AND COACH OBERLIN PREVIEWS THE TEAMS PREPARATION THIS WEEK IN PRACTICE.
“IF OUR PENALTY KILL CAN CONTINUE TO STAY STRONG. THEY’VE GOT SOME PRETTY SKILLED GUYS AND SO AS LONG AS WE CAN STAY OUT OF THE BOX FIRST. SO DISCIPLINE FIRST. BUT IF WE DO GET INTO THOSE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE TO TAKE PENALTIES, THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE’RE KILLING THOSE OFF. AGAIN, THIS PAST WEEKEND THE POWER PLAY PENALTY WASN’T REALLY A FACTOR.”
COACH OBERLIN ADDS WHAT NEEDS TO BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER FOR THIS TEAM TO COME AWAY VICTORIOUS.
“WE FEEL LIKE OUR TRANSITION FROM DEFENSE TO AS SOON AS WE GET THAT PUCK IN TRANSITIONING FROM ANY ZONE. IT DOESN’T MATTER, AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT PUCK WE WANT TO GO ON THE OFFENSE, WHETHER WE’RE IN THE OFFENSIVE ZONE, DEFENSIVE ZONE, NEUTRAL ZONE. SO THAT, THAT QUICK TRANSITION AND RECOGNITION. JUST MOVING THE PUCK QUICK, PASSING THE PUCK TAPE-TO-TAPE. AS SOON AS WE GET IT, BOOM, WE’RE GOING, WE’RE OFF AND WE’RE MOVING THE OTHER DIRECTION.”
THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE TRAVEL TO MISSOULA NOVEMBER 1ST AND 2ND FOR A FACE-OFF WITH THE JUNIOR BRUINS. PUCK DROPS AT 7:05PM BOTH NIGHTS.
