Comments from the Coach

Troy Kramm: You managed to get some valuable points last week in a couple shoot-out
losses, but how are you going to get the boys to pick up two points in the next few games?

Dwight McMillan: There are a few things we have to look at after our games in Melfort
and Melville. We had our chances in the game versus Melfort. We felt we should have won that game. We hit two goal posts and had a breakaway in the third period that we didn’t score on, but those things happen.

Then in Melville our forwards started out playing a well controlled game in the first while I felt that our back end was not playing up to par, they fell a little flat. Then in the second period our offence fell flat, we were getting out hit, out chanced and just plain outplayed. Whiffen held us in that game during the late stages. He made seven or eight amazing stops to help us get a point out of that game.

TK: With the new acquisitions of Feniak and Courtney expected to play on Tuesday, I just want to know what made them stand out to you? Why did you pull the trigger and trade Langevin and Whincup?

McMillan: Feniak was a prospect and league all star and we felt that he can provide as much, if not more offense that Langevin was providing. He is also another guy who can play on the powerplay. We now have four guys who can play on the powerplay, you can get away with having three but having four is a lot easier especially if someone gets hurt.

As for Courtney, he is 6’2, 215 pounds, and he plays with an edge. He is a well rounded defenceman who can provide some offence and grit on a nightly basis.

TK: Do you like how your team looks right now or would you make a deal if something came up?

McMIllan: Right now we are sitting at 21 players and 19 skaters with Eric Calibaba out until January 15. If we needed to add a player we would be OK with that, we would like to be at 22 players even 23 if we had the opportunity. Right now we feel that we can coach these guys and continue to be a solid team that will fight to be in the top half of the conference.

We don’t want to disrupt the locker room in any way but if we could find a top scorer then we would look at a trade. We will just wait and see what comes up.

TK: Did you learn some things playing Nipawin last week? How are you going to try and beat them in regulation this time?

McMillan: Of course we learned some things, but they probably changed their system too after learning some things about us as well. I think we played well against them but we could have really forced them more.

They have some great players like Ottmann, and Dyck so you don’t want to
give them too much room or it could be a real high scoring game.

- Troy K