NAHL Springfield Jr. Blues

Jr. Blues suffer fourth loss

Published on March 13, 2010 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Springfield Jr. Blues News Release


Well, what can we say, but "Four losses in a row?" This is not the forum for dissecting what is wrong with our Jr. Blues. Even though we are probably going to make the Southern Division playoffs, our team has yet to play with consistency and intensity needed to get very far into the post season. Last night was typical of a Curtale team which works the psychological side of the game about as well as any hockey team playing today. It all started with an on ice confrontation before warm-ups that caused controversy clear up to USA Hockey and the NAHL Commissioner, Mark Frankenfeld. And it worked as we hit the ice listless and not playing up to our talent level. To harken back to an early season term, the "bad and ugly" returned to the ice, and with only six games left in the season I still wonder why our "good" team doesn't show up all that often. A team with this much talent should be playing much better than we've seen. For awhile the excuse of abundant injuries was acceptable, but the team hasn't played anywhere near their talent level with everyone healthy. And the frustration is apparent everywhere. If the team isn't humbled by last night's game, then where is the heart needed for rough times? Looking at the numbers, the Jr. Blues record is 5 - 14 since the first of January this year. That's not as good as when the team was suffering through all the injuries.

Many of you have told me how much you have enjoyed these articles this season, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your comments. A few readers complained earlier that my articles were too harsh, so I've quit traveling with the team to bring the articles to you, but the time has come for me to put my honesty back into these articles and call the team's performance to account. The talent is there, but whether it is a lack of "team" spirit or just a collection of too many individual players, why haven't they performed as they are capable any more often than they have. And yet many more questions exist...for example, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over expecting a different outcome or result. That sounds like our Power Play. It's eighteenth out of nineteen league teams. And very little has changed with it, if anything, for the entire season to this point. Oh well, like Cubs fans...there's always next year...

There have been no on ice confrontations tonight before warm-ups. That is a better start than last night, so let's see who hits the ice in White, Gold and Blue for the game against the Tornado. We need some fire!

And we saw some fire during the first period! Most of the period was played in the Jr. Blues zone, and at 12:27 Cody "Bam Bam" Hotchkins got a breakaway and slammed the puck past Dan Sullivan for a 1 - 0 lead that stood throughout the first. Joe "Rocky" Purull and Ross Anderson assisted on the goal. The good guys looked much

better during the initial period compared with last night, as they came out ready to play. Their fore check is much better tonight and gave Texas problems. That was the biggest advantage the Tornado had over the Jr. Blues in game one of this series, but it is a different story tonight, at least in the first period. What do you say after the first? Easy...Let's Go Blues! Period two on the way.

The Jr. Blues continue to look like a completely different team through two even though each team scored a goal. Hard hitting still took place during the first two, but the good guys puck control and fore checking is keeping them in front of the Tornado. Through two periods the Jr. Blues have played with energy and desire and deserve the one goal lead after two periods of play. One of the mysteries of the game is how the same team can look so completely different in one game compared to another. Texas isn't playing with the same intensity, and the Blues have been "in charge" so far. Again, as we head into the third and final period, all we can say is: "Let's go Blues!" Can they hold or add to the lead? After losing a two goal lead in the final two and one half minutes last week to lose the game in a shoot out we need some good luck here at home. Once again: "Let's go Blues". Twenty more minutes will tell the tale.

Hard checking by both teams was the name of the game tonight, but the Jr. Blues played the entire game like they were headed to the playoffs. The magic number is now down to one, either another win by the good guys, or a Wichita Falls loss and Springfield is playoff bound. They looked like a playoff team tonight too. They fought hard all night long and had excellent puck control throughout the game. Andy Martin was superb in goal and Sullivan had another solid game for Texas. Springfield went up 3 - 1 during the third and Texas then scored a meaningless goal with 0.8 seconds left in the game for the final score, but Springfield showed up to play tonight and the results were just the way we like it to be.

The rubber match will kick off at 3:00 pm tomorrow afternoon and I'll be right here. Don't forget to "Spring Forward" with the clocks tonight. That puck will drop at 3:00 pm DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME. Join me tomorrow on the b2 network for all the action! And tonight...Good job Blues!!!

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 13, 2010


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