Quake Hockey Looking to Step Up Play

ATER LOSSES TO GREAT FALLS OVER THE WEEKEND THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE CURRENTLY FIND THEMSELVES ON A 4 GAME LOSING STREAK AND HAVE LOST FIVE OF THEIR SIX GAMES IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. MONDAY MORNING CONSISTED OF A FILM SESSION AS A WAY OF REGROUPING AND WITH TWO JUST UNDER TWO MONTHS PLAYED IN THE SEASON THE QUAKE ARE LOOKING FOR A SPARK. HEAD COACH PHIL OBERLIN TALKS ABOUT THE TEAMS FOCUS THIS WEEK AT PRACTICE.

“I THINK OURS IS, IT’S JUST COMPETE. IT’S JUST THOSE JUMPING OFF OF FACE-OFFS. SO WE’LL DO A LOT OF STUFF THIS WEEK IN PRACTICE TO KIND OF EMULATE THOSE FIVE TO TEN FOOT RACES FOR PUCKS, YOU KNOW STICK LIFTS, COMPETING FOR THOSE 50/50 BATTLES. THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS WE NEED TO START WINNING ON A MORE CONSISTENT BASIS.”

UP NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE IS ANOTHER FACE-OFF WITH THE BOZEMAN ICE DOGS. BOZEMAN SPORTS A HIGH POWERED OFFENSE WITH SKILL PLAYERS AT EVERY POSITION AND COMES INTO THIS MATCH-UP UNDEFEATED ON THE SEASON BUT YELLOWSTONE HAS PLAYED THEM TOUGH LOSING 2 OF 3 CONTESTS BY ONE GOAL. COACH OBERLIN ON WHAT TO EXPECT AGAINST BOZEMAN.

“WE WANT TO PLAY OUR GAME, RIGHT? WE WANT TO PLAY STRUCTURED, WE WANT TO PLAY PHYSICAL CAUSE AGAIN THOSE HIGH SKILLED GUYS DON’T NECESSARILY REALLY LIKE IT WHEN YOU’RE PLAYING PHYSICAL, WHEN YOU’RE PLAYING HARD AGAINST THEM. IF WE CAN DO THAT WE CAN KIND OF GET THEM OFF THEIR GAME AND INTO MORE OF A GAME THAT WE WANT TO PLAY WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT LESS HIGH TEMPO. WE WANT TO PLAY WITH IN ZONE POSSESSION AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT AND THAT’S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THEM INTO PLAYING OUR GAME AND OUT OF THE WAY THEY PLAY.”

STEPPING ON THE ICE THIS WEEKEND THE QUAKE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THEY CAN GET THE WIN, THEY HAVE THE TALENT, IT’S JUST ABOUT PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.

“THE PUCK MOVEMENT HAS BEEN GREAT AGAINST THEM ALL YEAR. ON THE POWER PLAY IT’S JUST FINISHING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRESENTS ITSELF. SO IF WE CAN SCORE A COUPLE OF POWER PLAY GOALS THIS WEEKEND IN BOTH GAMES I THINK THAT’S GOING TO HELP US GET OVER THAT HUMP. AGAIN THE OFFENSIVE SIDE OF THINGS IT’S, YOU KNOW IF WE CAN DO THAT, CONTRIBUTE ON THE SPECIAL TEAMS THAT’S GOING TO END UP HELPING US TO CLOSE OUT THOSE GAMES.”

THE YELLOWSTONE QUAKE SPLIT A HOME-AND-HOME SERIES AGAINST BOZEMAN THIS WEEKEND. THE QUAKE WILL BE HOME FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE RILEY ARENA AND TRAVEL TO BOZEMAN ON SATURDAY. PUCK DROPS AT 7:30 BOTH NIGHTS.