Mar 18, 2016 | Craig McLaren | 726 views
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!
If you woke up this morning and the air was just a little bit fresher, you had just a little bit more of a hop in your step and there's just a bit of a nervous energy about ya today well you aren't the only one! Welcome to the semi-finals!!!!
The day is finally here!! I have anxiously waited all week for this day...like a kid at Christmas. Today is the first time I get to see these HAWKS play in a best of 3 series! I know I have covered hockey for a long time but I am not sure if I have ever been this excited and nervous all at the same time!
"I cant wait to get to the arena tonight" indicated head coach Craig McLaren when contacted at his home late last night. "I have been thinking about this day for a long time. I know our boys will be nervous and that's ok. Once we get together in our room before hand we will be in our element. Once the puck drops those nervous tendencies will be forgotten and the boys will get down to business. It's the distance between seeing the kids at practice and then not seeing them until Friday evening that is the hardest. Coach Neil said it best...during playoffs you always want to be at the rink and with your teammates and I guess as a coach it's no different. I'm excited to get this going and nervous to see the outcome which I am sure all of us feel the same. That said, the boys have a bit of control over the outcome and I am confident we will see a HUGE effort from everyone on Friday!"
A special guest was noted at practice on Tuesday at Galt arena. Sitting from the stands I had a hard time making out the logo on his jacket...who was this guy who had the players hanging off every word he said??!! Turns out the logo was the Vancouver Canucks and the gentleman wearing the suit was Ken Cook who is a scout for the team. "Ken is a good friend of Coach Neil and mine and I asked him to come out and see the boys practice and talk to them a bit before going into our playoff series. Ken is a great hockey guy and he talked to them a bit about focus and what it takes to be successful in this sport. He talked to the players about controlling the things that they can control...i.e. focus, effort, being a good teammate and following a game plan. He talked about how important these things are especially going into the playoffs and mentioned about making the most of opportunities. Ken also reflected on his experience when the Canucks were up against the Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals a few years ago, which in my opinion was one of the best Cup finals I have seen in a long time. One thing that Ken stressed was the importance of a fast start. He mentioned how important it was for a team to jump out to a fast start and set the pace of the game...control the things we can control. It was great to have Ken out and by the looks on the boys' faces I think they appreciated it as well."
A fast start and controlling the things you can control...sounds like a good game plan!!! I am not too sure how I am going to make it through this day as I am so pumped up for this game. The HAWKS have earned their way to play in this game today and I am sure they have met and surpassed most of our expectations this season. That said, they have always answered the bell when their backs are against the wall and this weekend is no different. Lose two and they are packing up their gear and saying goodbyes, win two and they will be preparing for the league final and the Ontario provincial championship...oh, for the Tier 1 final that is!! They have come a long way and we are all so proud of them BUT hopefully they recognize the opportunity they have in front of them. As we have heard Coach Craig say many times..."it starts out one shift at a time. Each period the score is reset to 0-0, we need to take one period at a time and just win a game. HAWKS's hockey!!"
Well folks there ya have it. An excited reporter, a nervous coach and I am sure an entire city backing the boys in their hunt for game one. Its going to be a long day but by the time the puck drops I am sure it will be an exciting one! Albert McCormack Arena sure is going to the place to be tonight!! C'mon HAWKS fans, let's be loud, let's be positive and show our HAWKS the support they deserve!! LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!
(HSN from the HAWKS' Nest)