Tony Benanti (Storm --- 7/15 game)
1. Back on the floor tonight. Hows your body feeling? Same as usual, rough. Cardio still isn’t there. But was surprised i wasn’t more gassed than i was really. 2. What can you say about the overall team effort? Solid effort I think. Just need more practice and chemistry as a team I’d say. Hard to take guys that haven’t played together and mesh the way you’d want to. 3. Any positives to take out of the game? Well, we scored goals haha. Overall play is getting a little better every time I actually am home from work and show up, so that’s a positive. 4. What was your impression of the spare parts? A newer team just like us, but solid effort also. Kinda the same as us with trying to make things work as a newer group. 5. What did you think hurt you guys the most tonight? Tons and tons and tons of odd man rushes coming our way. Hard to win games when they have two on ones almost 10 times a period. Just need to work on basic fundamentals really, where to be and when to be there. When to push up and when to be back. Picking our heads up to make a good pass or play.
Mikael Wenden
1. You filled in for the spare parts tonight. I am very happy that Spare Parts let me play with them. I wanted to play as much as possible before I leave. The game became a tight affair and I think everyone in Storm grew a bit by adding Llewellyn to the roster. It was a very fun game to play.
2. What’s your short xhl experience been like for you and some of the guys you have meant? The xhl experience was indeed short but I am happy it came along at all. I was not set to play since I would have needed at least one more year on skates to build up some speed to become more competitive. Nevertheless, I am grateful to have played and I think the league not only consist of great players but also great people.
3. Tonight’s game was close throughout. What do you think made the difference? It was a tight game indeed and Storm was winning after 2 periods. I think the game tipped over to the Spare Parts after a power play in the third period followed by a tighter defense mid-court, giving us a few turnovers that resulted in goals.
4. What impressed you most about the spare parts? Spare parts have many talented players that are working hard in every shift and when all the pieces come together, it’s a team that can play great hockey upsetting higher ranked teams.
5. You looking forward to moving back home? It is truly bittersweet. The whole family has loved it here and we have made a lot of friends in the area. At the same time, we love to have closer to family and friends in Sweden too. One never knows what the future will bring, and I hope we will have the opportunity to return at some point in time. I will sincerely miss all guys and girls in the hockey community though.
Jeremy Lee (Jagrbombs)
1. Nice win tonight. What can you say about the team effort tonight? The effort was solid. I felt it was a 180 from the week prior. I was thoroughly impressed all game with the play out front. 2. What did you think made the difference in the win? I think compared to last week we played with a greater sense of urgency; I felt like we won more of the one on one and loose ball battles. We also had better offensive zone possession and cycling. 3. Offense looked better tonight. What do you think the team did better at than last weeks game? Our overall offensive zone presence was better this week. It aloud us to get to the front of the net and fire higher percentage shots. 4. What team do you think will choose you as their first round opponent and how do you think you match up against those top teams? Personally I want to face the knights or yeti (with Cody Schuckers) in round one of the playoffs. But no matter who is lined up against us we are ready for all challengers. 5. Whats it been like playing on this team compared to some xhl teams you have played for in the past? I would say this team is very comparable to the final two seasons venom. We have very similar talent and roster make up. I love playing on teams like this. I great group of laid back guys. No real bickering back and forth just makes for a fun season.
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Pat Hunter (Renegades)
1. 7 to 4 win tonight. What can you say about the overall team effort? Great effort tonight, similar to our first game against the colonials. It isn't over until the clock runs out. 2. 2 shorthanded goals for you guys in the 2nd period. What can you say about the defensive effort tonight? Anytime you can get a shorthanded goal it is huge let alone 2, so we were really happy about that. We were able to clear it out of our zone except when Lehman hit the ref in the bean bags 3. They got within a goal in the 3rd. Were you getting worried? We were worried, the first time we played colonials they came back the same way. You can't afford to take your foot off the petal against that team. 4. What does a win like this do for team confidence? It helps our confidence tremendously, we feel it has been the first game we have put a full game together. 5. Knights are next. What kind of game do you expect from them this time around? A fast game for sure, they are the team to beat this year so we will give it everything we have against them.
Bob Anderson
1. 7 to 4 loss tonight. What can you say about the overall team effort in the loss? There were a lot of positives for sure, but some things we have to do better to beat good teams like the Renegades. We had a great first period and pushed hard in the third to get within one. But we gave up two short handed goals in the second that killed out momentum. I’m thinking we may want to decline any future penalties. 2. 2 short handers for them within 30 seconds. What do you think went wrong? I’ve seen it many times in the XHL. Teams go up a man and try so hard to score that they forget about playing defense. Turnovers led to two odd man breaks against and the Renegades executed well. Got to give them credit for being opportunistic. 3. Any positives to take out of this game? A lot! We had 2 and a half good periods. We just need to be more patient when we fall behind. We can’t abandon our structure in an effort to score. But I also give Josh Clontz a lot of credit. He played a really solid game for his team. I think he may have been the difference. 4. Xtreme next week. What kind of game are you expecting this time around? I’ve reffed a lot of game this year, and I can tell you the Xtreme is playing really good hockey right now! They seem to be firing on all cylinders. They played a very tough Yeti squad and controlled the play for large portions of the game. We are going to have to be smart and patient to hang with them next week. 5. There is a decent chance the team will have to face the renegades in the first round of the playoffs. If so, what do you think the team needs to do better at than these two regular season games? If we play them, I think it’ll be a great series. Both games against them were very close and went down to the wire. I would expect more of the same if we play them in the playoffs.