Feb 20, 2016 | Craig McLaren | 294 views
HAWKS Enter HUGE Weekend!!!
I'm back! Yes folks I am back. Although I was out of the office for a few weeks I have been closely following the HAWKS and their progress thus far...and all reports are leaning towards the HAWKS being hot!
Entering the biggest weekend of the year so far the HAWKS find themselves with 2 wins and 1 loss. Both wins were HUGE, sweeping the home and home series with league leaders the Hamilton Huskies. After a bit of a stinker last weekend vs a very good Waterloo Wolves team the HAWKS are looking to get back to their winning ways!! BRING ON THE RANGERS!!!
A bitter rival of the HAWKS, the boys spent the week working very hard preparing for the home and home weekend against the Kitchener Rangers. "Any time we face Kitchener we get a little extra pumped for the game" indicated coach Neil Fewster who was at the helm all week as coach Craig McLaren was out of commission. "Looking at the standings, these two games are HUGE for us. We have the opportunity to play a big role in their playoff hunt while at the same time help to pave our way to the final 4. Our boys worked hard all week and I am certain they are going to show up for the games this weekend. As coach Craig always tells them, one shift at a time, one period at a time and one game at a time. The boys will be ready to answer the bell on Saturday."
As mentioned, the HAWKS will be in for a good fight when they take on their rivals from Kitchener. "Kitchener is a great team" explained coach Rick. "They are big and fast and we are going to have to have our 'A' games on in order to compete. I know our boys will be ready to go...they practiced well all week and you can see it in their eyes that they are going to be ready. These kids have a real shot at being in the top 4 when they decide they want to play. We have played a lot of good hockey games over the last while so I think the best thing is to erase last week's game from our memories and start fresh. Don't get me wrong, last week the boys learned that they have to be ready to go for every game and they can't just show up and expect it to come to them but it's over now and we need a BIG weekend from everyone against Kitchener."
One person missing in action all week was head coach Craig McLaren. After I heard he was on the ice last night at practice I felt it may be a good opportunity to call him at home to discuss today's / this weekend's games...and man, is that one excited coach! "I am PUMPED!" was his first comment. "I have been down and out all week and I have really missed the boys and my team. All I have been able to think about was this weekend and what it is going to take to beat Kitchener. I love playoff hockey! This is where good hockey players become great hockey players as they elevate their games when the season is on the line. I am certain our boys will be ready for the challenge. I have been in contact with coach Neil who did a real good job all week taking over for me and consistently delivering the message after last week's loss to Waterloo while at the same time turning the focus on to our rivals from Kitchener. I am PUMPED! Can't wait to see our boys respond in such a BIG game. Last night it was good for me to get out of the house and back on the ice. Even though I couldn't say much and coach Neil ran the show I had an opportunity to sit back and watch. I also had a chance to talk with some of the players and look some of them in the eye. I know they are PUMPED too which is maybe why I am so excited! I know by watching the D yesterday that their passes were crisp and tape to tape. They were closing up their gap in one on one drills and they were ready to go. Hank looked great and I know today is going to be a big bounce back game for him. Panny and I had a chat about some one on one things and he made some adjustments and I am confident he is going to be a game changer today. C-Mo was like a race horse ready to go, you can tell he is jacked up! Frank and Chips were on top of their game and looked to be ready to show everyone why they are awesome leaders and dominant d-men! Up front, we have a secret weapon who is going to be HUGE for us. I won't name names at this point in case someone from Kitchener reads this but he knows who he is. He was flying at practice yesterday and is ready to blow the doors off the Ranger's d-men. I had a real good chat with Sous and I know he is primed and ready to go...probably had his best practice in 2 years yesterday. Murph and Eddy were flying at practice and are ready to dominate today the way they have all season. The Rock was flying down his wing and knows that the game is on the line...when this happens he elevates his game in a BIG way and plays BIG. If you can't see him today, have a look in front of their net or along the boards as he will be the big kid in white winning all the battles and causing havoc! Paps has been playing awesome lately and he was all over the ice yesterday. I know he has moved to the right side but in the last 10 games he has been playing great...Paps is a competitor and I know that he is ready to battle today and pay the price! The PB&J line will be in tact today and I couldn't be happier! Pimmy was a beast yesterday and he's another guy that has been playing awesome lately. He can be a game changer when he dominates the boards and gives that second effort. Kowie...seriously this kid has been awesome. He has elevated his game and is one of those "good" hockey players who become GREAT players come playoffs. He will be flying today and ready to do what it takes to win. Leading this line is Maccer. I know Maccer is a little under the weather and missed practice yesterday but I also know he is ready to go. He is definitely a player who works hard every shift and leaves it on the ice but when the game is on the line he just gives it that little extra. I know he'll be fight through a bad cold today but I also know he'll keep his shifts short and give it all he's got! Now to the two men who will be back-stopping us...birthday boy Rosie will be a leader of leaders today! Watching the game intensely to pick up any kind of an edge that will help his game tomorrow while at the same time encouraging his teammates and helping out his other half, Hammer Time. AND yes HAMMER TIME is back, refreshed and ready to go!! This kid will dominate his net today and will give us a chance to take home a victory. Word from coach Neil, Rick and Frank was that HAMMER TIME dominated shooters all week in practice and appears ready to get back to PLAYOFF HOCKEY! So you ask why I am excited...the above pretty much sums it up!"
Well folks if that re-cap from a coach who has been away from his team all week and is hours away from game time isn't enough to get you excited for this weekend's action I don't know what will! I am so glad to be back as it was hard for me to stay away. I got my tickets last weekend after I saw the score in the Waterloo game as I knew the Staff and the players would prepare all week to get back on track and while I wasn't able to get to practice to see the preparation, it sure sounds like coach Craig and his staff are confident the HAWKS will be ready!!
Playoff action HAWKS faithful!! Let's be loud and let's get ready to see our HAWKS back in playoff action!!!
(HSN from the HAWKS' Nest)