- Please check back later this morning as I will be posting my first "in depth interview" of the year with Americans equipment manager Kacee Coberly. I think you will find it a great personal story about Kacee but also informative on the role of an equipment manager.
- No, this isn't a fashion blog but for those of you into "Allen Americans Hockey Fashion" the long wait for jerseys to arrive in the team store is over. Stopped by yesterday and the store is jam packed with new merchandise. The jerseys are in red and white and they have both authentic and replica in stock. The store will be open at 10:00 am this morning (Wednesday) so those interested can stop by early to check things out.
- In other fashion news the Americans were wearing their new pant shells yesterday in practice. I grew up in Minnesota where they were called "breezers" but I was schooled by equipment manager Kacee Coberly yesterday when I asked about the new "breezers" that they are called "pant shells." Check out the new red pant shells with the multicolored stars down the side the team will be wearing tonight with the new white jersey.
- The addition of Garrett Klotz and Dallas Ehrhardt to the roster sure gave the team a different look on the ice at practice. Klotz at 6'6" 250 lbs. & Ehrhardt at 6'4" 226 lbs. are easy to spot. And they are roommates!
- Phil Fox was still wearing the green "no contact" jersey in practice yesterday but merely as a precaution. He was a full participant in all of the drills. He should be in the line up this weekend.
- While the Americans have an outstanding power play and penalty kill which are both #1 in the CHL the five on five play has been another story. This is evident as the team total in plus/ minus is -11. There are only six players with a plus. Darryl Bootland leads the team with a +2 and Lavoie, Lessard, Tyler Ludwig, Berube & Hendrikx are a +1. As a frame of reference the other teams at the top of the standings have a +/- of +42 (Denver),+29 (Rapid City) and +14 ( Missouri).
- Aaron Dell (2012-2013) has returned to the Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) after his call up to the Norfolk Admirals (AHL). He did not get into any games during the call up.
- The new CHL suspension rule will be in play for Missouri & Arizona after having two players from each team suspended. The new rule will require the teams to play two players short on the bench for three games. Here are the details:
The Central Hockey League (CHL) announced yesterday
that Missouri Mavericks' forward, Colt King and defenseman, Dave
Pszenyczny, have been suspended for three games as a result of their
actions in Saturday's game in Arizona. Sundogs' forward, Sebastian
Geoffrion, and defenseman, Justin Pender, have also been suspended for
three games. Both organizations have been fined an undisclosed amount of
money.
"King
was suspended for receiving a fighting aggressor penalty before the
start of the third period. He was assessed a major penalty and a game
misconduct while Pszenyczny received a fighting major penalty and a
secondary altercation infraction, also before the start of the third
period. The pair will miss Missouri's next three games; Wednesday at St.
Charles, Friday at Tulsa and Saturday vs. Denver.
Geoffrion was
suspended for a secondary fighting altercation before the start of the
third period and Pender was suspended for a cross checking major penalty
at the end of the second period and for physical abuse of officials.
The two Sundogs players will miss Wednesday, Friday and Saturday's games
against Rapid City."
DID YOU KNOW:
Back checking: When the puck changes hand, the
offensive team becomes the defensive team. In order to slow the attack
of the offensive team, each player on the defensive team is assigned an
attacker and must come close to them and either strip them of the puck
or intercept a pass intended for them. This strategy is known as
"back-checking" and should be employed by all skaters on the ice. A poem
from Floyd Percival’s famous hockey instruction book, the Hockey
Handbook explains how hard it is to be effective back-checker:
For players who can’t seem to back-check -
When I was young and in my prime
I used to back check all the time.
But now that I am old and gray
I only back-check once per day.
For players that manage to back-check even when it hurts -
Even though it seems a crime
I keep on going all the time
I‘ll dig in hard each time I play
though it will turn me old and gray.
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