nivek_wahs
04-27-2007, 01:53 AM
http://www.medicinehatnews.com/article_5478.php
Looking for the knockout punch
By DARREN STEINKE
Apr 27, 2007
The crowd at The Arena will be in the mood to celebrate tonight, but the Medicine Hat Tigers want to focus on the business at hand first.
The Tigers host the Calgary Hitmen at 7:30 p.m. in Game 5 of the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship series. Medicine Hat leads the series 3-1, and a victory will propel the hockey club into the WHL championship series for the sixth time since the team began play in 1970. Medicine Hat won four of its five previous visits to the league final with the last title coming in 2004.
If the Vancouver Giants defeat the Prince George Cougars today to win the Western Conference Championship series, the Tigers will also earn a berth into the 2007 Memorial Cup tournament.
At practice on Thursday, the Tigers had their game faces on especially head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins. He would have no part in even talking about going to the WHL championship series and had his focus squarely on the Hitmen.
“If we don’t focus on the one game we have, we have nothing,” said Desjardins, whose team is 7-1 at home in the post-season. “We have to play hard. We have to be focused. Hopefully, it will go our way.
“(If) we don’t win another game this series we haven’t done anything. The only thing we are worrying about is this series.”
The coach’s preaching is being followed by his charges.
“We are just looking forward to that game, and we have to make sure that we are ready,” said Tigers captain Kris Russell. “If we are not, we know they are going to come in and show us up.
“We just want to make sure we put ourselves in a position to be successful.”
Overage left-winger Chris Stevens, however, did have to admit a win tonight would have extra meaning to it.
“We know we have the chance to do something special,” said Stevens. “It is not every year you get to go to a conference final.
“We are pretty thankful for that I think. We still have the hardest part to end it off, which is winning that fourth game.”
On Wednesday, the Tigers gave the Hitmen only their second home defeat in eight games in the 2007 post-season. With the 3-1 loss to Medicine Hat, the Hitmen players expressed their disappointment with their effort.
However, Calgary eliminated the powerful Kootenay Ice (49-17-3-3 in the regular season) in the first round before bouncing the 41-20-3-8 Brandon Wheat Kings in the second. Hitmen rearguard Karl Alzner, who also played on Canada’s last gold medal winning world junior team, said his club has not lost its confidence.
“I am sure we will bounce back,” said Alzner. “We are really close to realizing a dream. Once the game starts, we are going to play desperate.”
At the moment, the Tigers are the team that is one win away from doing something special. The fans at The Arena will let them know that when they take the ice.
“I think it is obviously going to be great,” said Stevens. “I think at the same time you have to stay focused here.
“I think sometimes you get a little too much adrenaline going. That is when it leads to errors and penalties.”
© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com
Looking for the knockout punch
By DARREN STEINKE
Apr 27, 2007
The crowd at The Arena will be in the mood to celebrate tonight, but the Medicine Hat Tigers want to focus on the business at hand first.
The Tigers host the Calgary Hitmen at 7:30 p.m. in Game 5 of the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship series. Medicine Hat leads the series 3-1, and a victory will propel the hockey club into the WHL championship series for the sixth time since the team began play in 1970. Medicine Hat won four of its five previous visits to the league final with the last title coming in 2004.
If the Vancouver Giants defeat the Prince George Cougars today to win the Western Conference Championship series, the Tigers will also earn a berth into the 2007 Memorial Cup tournament.
At practice on Thursday, the Tigers had their game faces on especially head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins. He would have no part in even talking about going to the WHL championship series and had his focus squarely on the Hitmen.
“If we don’t focus on the one game we have, we have nothing,” said Desjardins, whose team is 7-1 at home in the post-season. “We have to play hard. We have to be focused. Hopefully, it will go our way.
“(If) we don’t win another game this series we haven’t done anything. The only thing we are worrying about is this series.”
The coach’s preaching is being followed by his charges.
“We are just looking forward to that game, and we have to make sure that we are ready,” said Tigers captain Kris Russell. “If we are not, we know they are going to come in and show us up.
“We just want to make sure we put ourselves in a position to be successful.”
Overage left-winger Chris Stevens, however, did have to admit a win tonight would have extra meaning to it.
“We know we have the chance to do something special,” said Stevens. “It is not every year you get to go to a conference final.
“We are pretty thankful for that I think. We still have the hardest part to end it off, which is winning that fourth game.”
On Wednesday, the Tigers gave the Hitmen only their second home defeat in eight games in the 2007 post-season. With the 3-1 loss to Medicine Hat, the Hitmen players expressed their disappointment with their effort.
However, Calgary eliminated the powerful Kootenay Ice (49-17-3-3 in the regular season) in the first round before bouncing the 41-20-3-8 Brandon Wheat Kings in the second. Hitmen rearguard Karl Alzner, who also played on Canada’s last gold medal winning world junior team, said his club has not lost its confidence.
“I am sure we will bounce back,” said Alzner. “We are really close to realizing a dream. Once the game starts, we are going to play desperate.”
At the moment, the Tigers are the team that is one win away from doing something special. The fans at The Arena will let them know that when they take the ice.
“I think it is obviously going to be great,” said Stevens. “I think at the same time you have to stay focused here.
“I think sometimes you get a little too much adrenaline going. That is when it leads to errors and penalties.”
© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com