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April 28, 2005

Interview With The Coach, “He earned it.”

Summary of an interview with Killer this afternoon on the TEAM 1200/Dean Brown and Gord Wilson. [paraphrasing]

(Congratulations on the sweep) It’s been a while since we won four in a row in a series. They were all close games, not a lot of difference in the teams. We just got the bounces and the momentum

(On holding practice today) Well, we’ve got a few guys who need treatment and if you don’t have practice they might not get the treatment they need. We’ll have a practice today, a short one and then we’ll decide what days they have off. There’ll be a lot of pain to come, but the biggest is treatment and getting the air out of their heads to prepare for the games to come. Danny’s the one fellow I don’t want to go on the ice today. He doesn’t need the practice. It’ll be good for Anthony and Spezza to get a little work.

(What was key in winning the series?) The first game, the OT goal by Jeremy Akeson. That set the tone, when we went there, that took away the myth. We took that game and it gave us a little more confidence and took a little away from them. I think that’s what happened and when we came back and played a real good game, 3-0, getting a good stranglehold. Then when we went there and won and it gave us the chance for a sweep.

(What were you thinking when they came back?) We took too many bad penalties in Peterborough. They gook advantage of it. Coming back here, a 2 goal lead is probably the most dangerous lead in hockey. They took advantage of it.

I thought the OT we were attacking most. I think that’s what happens when you play in front of almost 10,000 fans in your own rink and you realize that you’ll get a rest – today is not a rest but a light skate – and not have to worry about a game or a travel day. Work as hard as you can for as long as it takes, because it beats playing 60 minutes in Peterborough Friday night.

(On who impressed you) Danny Battochio of course, but I think our unknown soldier . . . we have too many of them. Colbert and Staubitz on the blue line. Hulit, Mancari, and Bonello got all those goals. But Talbot gave us all those miles and miles.

(On the turn-around) The fellows we got there, it took a little while for them to gel, to get known by their teammates. They’ve become good friends. When we had that stretch down the end where we won 6 to get into the playoffs and 6th position. We started to gel at that time and we started to play better on the road where we haven’t this season.

(On McGinn getting the GWG) He earned it. At the start of the year he didn’t play a lot, he was on the fourth line. Every day in practice he did everything, and he worked hard. We put McGinn up there mainly because of an injury and I wanted to see how they worked out. He had a great pair of hands, and he was getting the puck over to Talbot. The line stuck and we just left him.

(On comparisons to Gary Roberts) Comparison to Gary Roberts is fair because when scouts went to see him the likened him to Roberts. He goes out and bangs and hits and gives a lot of hits. He doesn’t slow down in the corners and he’s really good with the puck. He’s got some growing to do and some filling out to do. [Gord said he wears size 14 skates]. Let’s hope his feet stop and the rest of him grows.

(Did you ever hesitate putting a 16 year old in OT or in regular rotation?) No. He’s on that line. You have to take a look at the make up of the other wingers. He fit with them. They liked him and he fit and you don’t fool around with it.

(Surprised with what’s going on in the KIT/LON series) Well, they’re 2 good teams. I think when looking at the match ups, they picked Kitchener because they have a lot of experience and they’re physical. They’re playing to their strength. And London is a very skilled team. You’ve got the physical team trying to pound the other guys to make them not as accurate with their passes.

(On the coach’s comments in the papers) Yeah I don’t like that. You don’t air dirty laundry. If you have something to say think about it a little bit before you say it. And because there’s no national hockey they’re getting a lot more play than they would.

(On scheduling the next round) The elite team has to initiate it, and I’m sure that they don’t want to put the cart before the horse, superstition and whatever. And when they get a around to it they will be contacting me. The draft is on the 7th and they can’t have a game on that day. It’ll be worked out.

(How much time have you thought about the draft) I’ve been having a lot of phone messages with our scouts and talks, so that I’m kept abreast of what’s going on. It’s tough, but it’s there and we’ll get it done. [/paraphrasing]

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