Dave Glass (Team Dan- Blue)
1. Back on the floor last night. What was it like to get back out there (considering you have had a lot of other things going on outside of hockey)? Well, I felt pretty sluggish at first. Obviously between the ‘other things’ and my knee injury this summer, I’m nowhere near the level I was last winter- and it’s not like I was an all-star then! I felt better as the game went on; hopefully I’ll be able to play a bit more now and get my legs back. 2. The team did not fare real well. What do you think went wrong in the loss? We aren’t the fastest team to begin with and I thought we all looked a step slow. But give Black credit- that’s a very good, very dangerous team and Llew is playing better than I’ve ever seen him play- in both ends of the rink. They got great goalie play also. 3. Can you take any positives out of a game like that and what was your impression of the team you played against last night? See above for my assessment of Black (next time I should read all the questions first!). Positives? Well I did think we played better in the second period, we had some good looks, we were right there with them until later in the game. 4. Did you think there was a play or sequence that may have swung the momentum in their favor last night? Honestly no, they just gradually wore us down and took control of the game. I think we played a little better than the final score indicated, but make no mistake- the better team won last night. 5. Going back to question #1. Without going into too much political detail in itself, what exactly made you want to run for commissioner and how exciting is it for you to be able to fulfill your goal of being elected? All I wanted to do was give back to my county, to put the skills I’ve learned over the last 30+ years to work for the good of (hopefully) all. I’ve owned a business and served on school board, and I’ve been studying so I have a good idea what I’m getting into.As for the outcome- I honestly didn’t allow myself to think I was going to win until about 10PM last Tuesday night. I’m humbled that the Clearfield County voters chose me - now it’s time to get to work! I’m excited at the opportunities in front of us
Bob Anderson (Orange)
1. Tough win last night over team pink. What can you say about the overall team effort in the win? This game was the opposite of the first time our teams met. They got up early last time and staved off a comeback. We got up early this time and barely hung on. The team effort was pretty good for the most part. We had a couple of lapses and mistakes but kept their scoring chances down for the most part. 2. They have been the only team to beat you guys so far this fall. What did you guys do differently last night than on the night that they were able to win against you? I think the difference was the start we had. We put ourselves behind the 8-ball the first time we played and they clamped down on us so we couldn’t make the comeback. I think our teams are very evenly matched. If we meet them again in the playoffs, I’d call it a 50-50 series. 3. They got within a goal in the late stages of the 3rd period last night. Were you getting worried at all? Yeah I was. They had the momentum and we were on our heels. Hockey is a game of momentum and they had it. We couldn’t seem to get the wheels turning at the end. 4. Mark has been away from the rink for a couple years but continues to be a steady contributor. What can you say about his play in this fall league so far? He’s been the player I remember and expected to be honest. He’s a good all around player with a very good shot. He’s been pitching in all year and we will need him to keep doing so in the playoffs. It doesn’t hurt that he’s an awesome teammate too! 5. Your team will once again be earning a top seed and a 1st round bye. Do you have any concerns of the week off possibly ruining what chemistry this team has been able to form? I could see us being a little rusty especially since Fred hasn’t played for about a month. But I’d rather be in that position than face a do-or-die play-in game. That’s a lot of pressure!
Shawn Logan (Team Zach - Pink)
1. Another loss last night for team pink. What can you say about the overall team effort in the loss? Team effort was good all the way around hard to ask for more than that. 2. Any positives to take out of these last 2 games? I'm not sure...we are a different team when playing from behind lately. We've come back from large deficits earlier this season but we haven't played well from behind recently. One positive is everyone played hard till the end last game. 3. Last nights game was close throughout. What do you think was the difference between winning and losing last night? The refs to be quite honest. I've never criticized officials in our league in 15 years but 2 soft penalties and a no goal will sink any team in a given night. I realize how that may sound but I stand by it. 4. You appear to be getting back in shape and playing well defensively. How do you think you have fit in with this group of guys so far? I feel I've knocked the rust off somewhat. I think I understand my role on this team just create takeaways and distribute the ball to the forwards...I got the easy job. 5. Losing can sometimes bring out the worst in some of the league’s most competitive guys. You think Austin Boyd along with the rest of the team can get back on the same page and make a good run in the playoffs? That remains to be seen. I think we bounced back and played fine this week. I think everyone is hard on themselves enough when they make the wrong plays. We need to focus individually on our own play (myself included) and understand winter league is a time to learn and refine your skills. To me a win is just a bonus...
Jim Dennison (Team Maroon- Chuck)
1. 8 to 7 loss last night. What can you say about the overall team effort in the loss? Team effort was great the whole game right up to the last second. We ran out of seconds not effort. I think 10 more seconds and we would have tied the game up. 2. This game was close throughout. Did you think there was a play or sequence that may have swung the momentum in their favor? It seemed both teams shared the momentum off and on all game. Team Green happened to have it last. A fun game to be part of. 3. What positives can you take out of the loss? We signed up to play hockey and that we did! A very competitive game, a real blast! I would like another shot at team green. 4. Any goals you wish you could have back? Yes definitely! The end of the 2nd I trapped a shot against my chest and fell back into the net with it. Just seconds left in the period. Felt a little clumsy on that one... lol 5. You had your best game last week against Blue. What does a game like that do for your overall confidence going into the rest of the fall league and playoffs? Everyone on team Red had a great game that night! We seemed to dominate against Blue that game on both ends of the rink and everywhere in between. Just a reminder of what we are capable of.
Tyler Luzier (Team Steve Hetrick-Green)
1. You continue to get lots of hockey in with your frequent subbing. Were you happy with how you played in your sub role and your regular role last night?
I was fairly satisfied, I got off to a pretty slow start for black, but settled down and I let a couple go I wasn’t happy with in our game too but overall I was ok with it, I’ve done better and done much worse.
2. Your regular team has played in some closer games than what most expected going into the league. What can you say about the effort the team has provided these last 2 weeks?
They are grinders, all of them, and they all stay positive. Everyone is good at learning from our mistakes and trying to make improvements and finding ways to stay in games. It’s been a fun season with them.
3. The team lost by one last week but won by one this week. What do you think made the difference in being able to come out on the other side this time around?
The third period got away from us last week and started too last night but they buckled it back down when It counted. Having Kline was a huge help also.
4. How did you think your team did in trying to contain Brandon last night?
They were hard on him, backchecking was strong, they did everything they could and it helped for sure. He is very difficult to try to contain. I wish I would have done a little better myself, it’s always fun to play against him but he can frustrate you in a hurry.
5. Playoffs are soon approaching. This team on paper is not expected to go far. What are your realistic goals as the playoffs approach?
We are gonna grind everyone as hard as we can and hopefully send a team or two packing.
Brian Anderson (Team White-Brian)
1. Team White has been on a roll lately and is getting hot at the right time. Are you happy with how your team is playing at this point and is this what you expected when you drafted this team? Absolutely. Everyone on the team is contributing. Josh has been playing very well in net. Passing has been great these last couple games. To be able to beat the quality of teams we beat the last 2 weeks is a big confidence booster going into the playoffs. We did have a couple bad spurts last night that we need to try limit as much as we can before the playoffs start.
2. Jake Kline's team has some solid players but you guys were able to pull away for a 4-goal win. Was there a point in the game that you think changed the momentum or did you feel like you were in control the whole time? I felt like we were in control most of the way considering we got off to an early multiple goal lead, but to their credit, they kept bouncing back. I felt like the beginning stages of the 3rd period made the difference. They had gotten within one but we scored a couple goals within seconds of one another and I think they just ran out of energy. Any good looks they got were denied by Josh. He sometimes doesn’t get enough credit.
3. The playoffs are coming up soon. Your team could still get a bye but you need some help. Does playing a do-or-die play-in game make your nervous or is it something you enjoy? I would obviously rather get the bye and avoid the elimination game. Cody wont be present on elimination night which will leave a big void on our team, but I feel like we still have a decent chance to win an elimination game if needed. No matter the opponent, I feel like we will have to play our best to move on.
4. After 9 weeks in the season, do you think there is one team to beat or do you see the playoffs being wide open? Team Orange for sure. A team with the two best players in their respective positions will stand out as the obvious favorite. They play very disciplined and that's hard to overlook. But I feel like Team Pink, Team Black, Turqoise and Ourselves have a realistic chance to make a deep run depending on matchups and who shows up and who doesn’t. It should be an exciting playoffs. The teams I didn't mention are all capable of pulling off upsets considering there are some very good players who know how to win on each of those teams. It should be fun.
5. There's been a lot of talk about another computer draft for the winter league. Which format do you enjoy most and why: the XHL season where teams are chosen on their own, the fall league human draft, or the winter league computer draft? They are all a very nice change of pace from one another. The summer season is probably my least favorite considering the overall league balance is much different from the top half to the bottom half. At the same time, the summer season seems to bring out everyone’s best and a lot of guys like that higher level of competition. This fall was my first year of actually getting to draft my own team and actually enjoyed getting to do that. Its not easy trying to find the right mix of guys in a draft league to be successful. The winter league is probably my favorite of the 3 because I feel like it’s a step more competitive than fall league and a step below summer league. It’s a good tune up for the summer league. I thought the computer draft worked out pretty well last winter league and cant wait to see how it works out this winter. We had a lot of one goal games in that league and I can remember the championship game going to 3 games with a couple of those games being low scoring, one goal games.
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