Canes spirited in practice
If the Hurricanes are in a team funk, as one would expect after three straight losses, it was hard to see Saturday at the RBC Center.
Coach Peter Laviolette asked his team for a spirited practice and he got it. Very spirited. The chatter level was high, everything was done at full speed and there were smiles to be seen in the locker room afterward.
"A good practice. Good tempo, good pace," Laviolette said. "We've got to dig in, you know. Every team goes through the course of the year where they don't play a couple of good games or they don't get the bounce or the game to go the way they want.
"There's only one way to get out of it and that's to put your nose to the grindstone."
After two losses to the Atlanta Thrashers and another to the Washington Capitals, it would have been easy for Laviolete to more or less crack the whip Saturday. But he didn't.
"You can't keep pounding them into the ground in practice because you're irritated you didn't win a hockey game or because of effort," Laviolette said. "I thought today was good. Guys were into it, they were vocal, they were up and down the ice.
Patrick Eaves, who has been out with an injured shoulder, was back in the mix today and should play Sunday, Laviolette said. The Canes face the Tampa Bay Lightning at the RBC Center in what will be the Lightning's first game since Barry Melrose was fired as coach and Rick Tocchet named interim head coach.
"We're going to have a spirited group in here from Tampa Bay and we've got to be ready to play," Laviolette said. "We need to bring a positive attitude and a good work ethic to the game. For everybody to just walk around with their heads down, that's over.
"Sometimes when you go throught these funks you just put your head down between your legs. That's not the way to get out of it. You've got to face it and dig in."
Chip Alexander
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is in his second season as the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at chip.alexander@newsobserver.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @ice_chip.
Comments
team building ?
Sat, 11/15/2008 - 20:18 — esteban1949Yep they need building ok...but i still think and say to really get their attention is to:
A: watch the tapes see their mistakes
B:Lose 1/4 of their pay each and every game they stink like they did
Then maybe you'll see some hungry, take no prisoners type of Hockey...after all with the kind of money they make...even the lowest paid player on the team makes more than you and i the average fan does..
Go Chip !! :-0
I Agree...
Sat, 11/15/2008 - 22:28 — penaltykiller74I agree, but reality says that they will not lose any of their salary. Its not in their contracts, so as much as you post it, it ain't gonna happen.
Great thought though.
Maybe as a gesture to their fans, when they tank a game, all the players should by everyone that was in the 300 level a ticket to an upcoming home game of the fans choice. That's roughly $300,000 in tickets and the team makes about $630,000 per game.
That way they are giving back to the fans, and owning that they sucked at that game.
Or, maybe have certain sections per player, that way if a player feels that he "sucked", he could by his section tickets.
That would be awesome, though my tickets are in the lower level. Wouldn't hurt my feelings if they threw me a ticket to a future game!
I hope y'all are kidding
Mon, 11/17/2008 - 18:45 — hctimo787I hope y'all are kidding lol. The players should only focus on their game, on the team, the next game, etc. - they should never worry or even think about what the fans think of their performance; that's not a player's role. It is the front office's job to stay on top of attendance/fan relations and to make adjustments to the team if there is a problem beyond the players' or coaches' ability to fix. I'm not saying the front office should micromanage the team, I'm just pointing out that each segment of the organization has it's roles and responsibilities, and the players most certainly should not be concerned with how fans feel about their game - that's someone else's job.
But, I'm sure your comments were in jest.
Agreed
Sat, 11/15/2008 - 14:47 — caniac11penaltykiller74 - I have to agree with you. The team does need some sort of team building exercise like the year we won the Cup. They look like a bunch of individuals playing hockey - not working together as a team. They run into each other from time to time. They don't know where each other is on the ice. They are just not working together as one. (good word from penaltykiller here - family)
If Jim Rutherford wants (as he said to the N&O), "to see a team that will go to war together and that's determined to win at all costs, to do whatever it takes, as we said when we won the Cup." - maybe he needs to make sure the team is a strong team and not a bunch of individuals. As far as I am concerned, the "whatever it takes" starts at the top with him. What is he doing to make sure the team is playing as one? (rhetorical question - I don't think we will ever know....)
Anyway, I hope the practice today starts to set the tone that they need to have FUN and work together. No one person wins or loses this game.
Go Canes! Detroy the Lightning!!
Smiles???
Sat, 11/15/2008 - 13:21 — penaltykiller74Smiles??? They must have been at Lavi's request, so his last practice would be as much a sham as his coaching the last couple games.
I'm all for a great work ethic, especially for as much as these guys get paid. They should be busting their butts. Unlike the rest of the workers in the Triangle, they have the only really secure job, regardless of performance.
So, I would like to see guys watching tape after practice, or discussing what happens on the ice during certain situations. I think the guys need another team building exercise like at the beginning of the year they won the cup. Make these guys like a real family and not like co-workers just getting by.