Josh Clontz (Red)
1. 7-6 win last night over Team Blue. What can you say about the overall team effort in the win? It was great last night, it was a close game that we trailed though most of, but the guys kept their composure and got the W. 2. The team went down 3-1 early. What do you think the team did better after that happened? We adjusted our lines a bit, and capitalized on opportunities. We also shut down a power play that really seemed to give us confidence and momentum. 3. You made several saves along the way. Which ones stand out? Anytime I can stop Brandon Reiter it feels good, but stopping him on a breakaway with 30 seconds to go when we only had a 1 goal lead has to be the save that stands out. 4. We all know Kevin and Denny are the big names on the team. What can you say about some of the other guys and their role in last nights win? I think everyone played a part in last nights win, and that's what needs to happen for any team to be successful. Anthony was all over the place out there making things happen at both ends of the court. Aj always makes his presence know in the offense zone. Mike is very good at seeing plays develop and did a great job of disrupting the rush. Isaac was contributing on offense and Jacob is a hustler and played great at both ends he has really impressed me this season. 5. Playoffs are soon approaching. What does a win like last night do for team and your confidence? It was a huge win for us! It shows what we can do if we push for the entire game and play smart hockey.
Eric Llewellyn (Gold)
1. 10-7 win over Lime Green last night. What can you say about the overall team effort in the win? We looked good! Everyone was on the same page and making good plays. It was a good team win. Always tough to beat any team that has Adam between the pipes. 2. Two wins in a row. What do you think the team has done better in those games? We had more control over the last two games than previous ones. Were giving up 10+ goals a game so were trying to eliminate the rush a little bit and establish the cycle. Keeps the game on the right end of the floor. 3. Did you think there was a play or plays that turned the momentum in you guys favor? Not really. Mostly a 1 goal contest for most of the game. We couldnt seem to pull away from them. Every time we got up by a couple Day would make a run for our net and make a deposit. We just had to keep scoring... and we did that 4. Your team has plenty of talent to make a run in the playoffs if everyone is there. What improvements do you think are needed to make that happen? well codys gone for the season... so that sucks. I bet the computer doesnt take that into consideration while drafting! So thats gonna sting but we got a good group. Everyone can skate well.. everyones pretty much on the same page. We just need to keep it out of our end and out of our net. 5. It’s all but official ------------ Hooligans will be going their separate ways. The team was able to win a championship not that far back. Will that be your favorite xhl memory? Its been a crazy 2 weeks but its 100% official. There was talk of me keeping a Hooligans roster but i couldnt pull it together. That was almost it for me. I was going to take the summer off but I have been given an excellent opportunity to make a cup run with the Renegades which I am now excited about and looking forward to.I think its the ol’ “this aint goodbye its cya later” cliché ... as we have already talked about “mounting up” again in the future.Winning the cup with those guys... my only cup...would have to be my best memory. Thats the ultimate goal and when you accomplish that it feels great. To be able to do it with close friends was even better. We partied with the cup that whole summer it was a great time!
Peach (Royal Blue)
1. Tough 7-6 loss last night to team Red. Are there any positives to take out of the loss? We got off to a good start. We were putting shots on net and controlling the play. We also did better at keeping the bench moving, something we don't do enough when we have 3 subs. 2. A 3-1 lead got away. What do you think went wrong? We got complacent way too early. We played poorly in our own end and we had a hard time breaking out. Guys started skating into the offensive zone when the ball was still below our goal line, we were letting their forwards get seperation and take easy shots on Lee. Couple that with the hussle on the other side and the scoreboard doesn't look appealing for very long. Clontz also sealed the deal by stopping Brandon on the breakaway with a dazzling save at the end. That one save cost us a point. 3. You have been battling some injuries. How did you feel after reffing and playing last night? Not good. What I thought was my biggest hurdle had subsided, and it felt great. My ankle was still sore, but it felt okay after reffing. That wasn't a good litmus test though. It got harder and harder to skate, and now its as bad as the day I rolled it. 4. One game left plus an elimination playoff game. You think the team can get things turned around in time to make a run in the playoffs? If we're all healthy and bring our best game we can beat anybody. Only one of our losses all year was truly tilted. The other games we lost we were only one save or one shot away from winning 5. It sounds like the Mayhem could be returning. What all can you say about that at this time? We've had some preliminary discussions. We may be hitting up the free agency pool to fill some holes, and hopefully we can make a splash or two to take us to the next level.
Bob Anderson (Grey)
1. You recently celebrated another birthday. What did you do to celebrate?
I got plastered! Just kidding. I'm sure nobody would believe that anyway. It was a pretty quiet birthday spent with family. But I do plan to be in attendance on Thursday when the Penguins play the Blue Jackets as a bit of a post-birthday present to myself.
2. Hard fought win last night against Black. Considering they lost 13-2 last week, what kind of game were you expecting last night?
To be honest, I know I took that game a little lighter than I should after I learned that Andy was out of the lineup. Team Black has a really talented group, but they struggled the week before against the White team. After reffing that game, it looked like they didn't have a well defined game plan. They sure adjusted well last night and put together a really fine effort that they should be proud of. They gave us everything we could handle!
3. What do you think was the difference in you guys finding a way to win?
It was a bit of a strange game. I don't think we felt a sense of urgency until they tied it up at 3 early in the third period. At that point, we started pressing for that go-ahead goal, but they did a great job of taking away passing lanes and blocked quite a few of our shots. Clint was also on his game. In the end, Brett Trithart was able to snipe one with 11 seconds to go to give us the 4-3 win.
4. Team Black has given you two tough games. Which of those lower seeded teams do you think could be dangerous in the playoffs?
Not to give a politically correct answer her, but I think any of them could be dangerous. That's the beauty of this winter league. I've had a chance to watch/ref a lot of games in this league, and every team has looked good for stretches of time. Look at a couple of teams at the bottom of the standings for example. Certainly, you see a team that has Dave Jewell, Cody Schuckers, Eric Llewellyn, Luke McMinn, etc. and you know that won't be a fun series. And what about a team that has Adam McKinley in net, who can steal a game or two, and you put Derik Day and Chad Walter in front of him? There are no clear paths to the finals.
5. You will once again avoid that elimination game in the first round of the playoffs. Aside from that, are you worried the bye could possible affect team chemistry and momentum?
I don't think I worry so much about chemistry or momentum as I do the law of averages. When you are undefeated, you put an extra large target on your back. We saw that with Peach's team in the fall league. A lot of our games have been very close and could have turned out differently. In a way, that is a credit to our group, but it is also a worry that those fortunes will run out at some point. So in an effort to deflect attention, I think everybody should be looking at the White team. They've been on fire the last couple of weeks. I think they are the team to beat!
Derrian Matchock (Royal Blue ----------- This was following last Monday's game against Aqua Blue)
1. Tough 8-7 loss last night to Aqua Blue. How would you describe the team effort in the loss? we all played pretty good. Just need to keep control of the ball and recognize where everyone is so we’re not giving up odd man rushes. 2. Did you think the team had any good chances in overtime that may have slipped by? there was a couple times we could’ve won. We had a couple odd man rushes but they played them great and Tim made some timely saves. 3. This is the 2nd time Aqua Blue has gotten the best of you. With that said, do you try to avoid talking your dad now? No I don’t. He might be able to beat me during winter or fall but when the summer comes, it’s a different story. 4. A 7-5 deficit turned into 7-7 real quick. Did you think the game was over once they made it 7-5? No. we called a timeout and scored 10 seconds later. I think that is what turned the game around along with the power play goal. 5. Will you be a part of the Renegades this summer? Yes I will.
Dan Fatula (White)
1. 10-1 win last night over Aqua. What can you say about the team effort in the win? The boys went hard all game. Even late into the third period we were aggressively back-checking and competing for the ball.
2. You guys beat team Black 13-2 last week. Did you expect to outscore your opponents 23-3 in these last 2 games? No. I think our only expectation has been to play together as a unit and win the individual battles to generate scoring chances.
3. The win secures a bye for you guys in the playoffs. How important do you think it is to get a bye and do you worry it could hurt your momentum at all? I don't think the bye is advantageous for us. We are playing well and I'd hate to lose that momentum
4. You guys have played most weeks with 1 or no subs. How are you feeling with all the playing time you are receiving? I love it and my conditioning is improving. I also feel its a great advantage for our team. Even though we are gassed at times, it improves team chemistry. When its the same 4-5 guys out there you know where to be and who to look for.
5. Yeti will be back for another season. What kind of expectations do you have ? After being sent home in the semis two years in a row I would like to make the finals this year. I feel with the 2 additions we are making we will have the team to do it.
Brian May (Aqua)
1. Tough 10-1 loss to White. Any positives to take out of the loss? Great question. Don’t under estimate Joe Bussard’s stop to go speed 2. You guys had been playing well. What do you think went wrong last night? Past all of our bed times 3. You have played every team so far. You think team white is the team to beat after last night’s game? White team is defiantly playing well together. Joe attracts a lot of attention. Fatula quietly slips behind D. Kline is happy to finally be winning.
4. You have been playing in Reynoldsville since fall. You feeling anymore confident now? At times yes. 5. Have you made any headway with finding a team this summer yet? Working on it