nivek_wahs
01-24-2008, 06:53 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=13db58bb-ba26-4707-b6da-ed0c732328c1
Pats becoming tough team to beat
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, January 24, 2008
The new-look Regina Pats have only been together for a short time, but they're already taking a run at some long-standing franchise benchmarks.
The Pats have earned at least a point in nine straight games (7-0-2), marking just the second time they've accomplished that feat in the past 10 years. The other was a streak of nine consecutive wins -- all on the road -- during the 2001-02 campaign.
Regina's current run of six straight victories equals the club's longest winning streak in a span of six years. The Pats also won six in a row -- all on the road -- late in 2005-06. They're now chasing the mark of nine which was set in 1997-98 and matched in 2001-02. The '97-98 squad also had a 10-game unbeaten streak that has yet to be challenged -- until now.
Conclusion?
The numbers are slightly skewed because teams weren't awarded a point for an overtime loss until the 2000-01 season, followed by the introduction of the shootout-loss column in 2005-06.
That said, the Pats' current run still places them in the same company as the franchise's best teams of the past decade. It's even more impressive considering how quickly Regina has gelled since adding six new faces prior to the Jan. 10 trade deadline.
"What it shows our kids is our potential; it shows how good we can be," offered Pats head coach Curtis Hunt. "Right now I really see our players playing for each other. There's an old saying, 'When enough people care, we will have success.' I still don't believe we're where we'll need to be at the end of the year, yet an older team is quick to adapt. An older team is quick to bring the younger guys along. (With this streak) we are able to see what might be available for us (in the future) when we play together. I think that's exciting for the kids."
Hunt said he doesn't have any personal superstitions when it comes to streaks. His only rule of thumb is to simply "stay the course."
"Just be consistent," he said. "I do believe it's something we can control and that's by not being complacent and being ready to play as an individual and as a team every time we get on the ice. If that thought process correlates into being on a roll, certainly that's very good for us."
Regina began the winning streak with a trio of home-ice wins against three teams with winning records, including the defending Memorial Cup-champion Vancouver Giants. The Pats then took their act on the road against three of the top teams in the Eastern Conference: The Kootenay Ice, Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes. Regina outlasted Kootenay 6-5 in a shootout, edged Calgary 2-1 and beat Lethbridge 3-2 in overtime.
The Pats have traditionally struggled on the road, but those three wins improved their record to 13-10-2. Regina concludes a stretch of five straight road contests this weekend with games Friday night against the Medicine Hat Tigers and Saturday versus the Swift Current Broncos.
The Pats return to home ice the next night against the Saskatoon Blades to cap off a second straight weekend of three games in three nights.
"If our ultimate goal is to win the big prize in Kitchener (site of the Memorial Cup), you have to learn to win on the road," added Hunt. "Our conference is so close ... you have to know you can go into any building and in any situation and find a way to win hockey games. We can talk about doing the right things, but when they actually go out and do it in those situations and in those tough environments it's great for the confidence of our group."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008
Pats becoming tough team to beat
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, January 24, 2008
The new-look Regina Pats have only been together for a short time, but they're already taking a run at some long-standing franchise benchmarks.
The Pats have earned at least a point in nine straight games (7-0-2), marking just the second time they've accomplished that feat in the past 10 years. The other was a streak of nine consecutive wins -- all on the road -- during the 2001-02 campaign.
Regina's current run of six straight victories equals the club's longest winning streak in a span of six years. The Pats also won six in a row -- all on the road -- late in 2005-06. They're now chasing the mark of nine which was set in 1997-98 and matched in 2001-02. The '97-98 squad also had a 10-game unbeaten streak that has yet to be challenged -- until now.
Conclusion?
The numbers are slightly skewed because teams weren't awarded a point for an overtime loss until the 2000-01 season, followed by the introduction of the shootout-loss column in 2005-06.
That said, the Pats' current run still places them in the same company as the franchise's best teams of the past decade. It's even more impressive considering how quickly Regina has gelled since adding six new faces prior to the Jan. 10 trade deadline.
"What it shows our kids is our potential; it shows how good we can be," offered Pats head coach Curtis Hunt. "Right now I really see our players playing for each other. There's an old saying, 'When enough people care, we will have success.' I still don't believe we're where we'll need to be at the end of the year, yet an older team is quick to adapt. An older team is quick to bring the younger guys along. (With this streak) we are able to see what might be available for us (in the future) when we play together. I think that's exciting for the kids."
Hunt said he doesn't have any personal superstitions when it comes to streaks. His only rule of thumb is to simply "stay the course."
"Just be consistent," he said. "I do believe it's something we can control and that's by not being complacent and being ready to play as an individual and as a team every time we get on the ice. If that thought process correlates into being on a roll, certainly that's very good for us."
Regina began the winning streak with a trio of home-ice wins against three teams with winning records, including the defending Memorial Cup-champion Vancouver Giants. The Pats then took their act on the road against three of the top teams in the Eastern Conference: The Kootenay Ice, Calgary Hitmen and Lethbridge Hurricanes. Regina outlasted Kootenay 6-5 in a shootout, edged Calgary 2-1 and beat Lethbridge 3-2 in overtime.
The Pats have traditionally struggled on the road, but those three wins improved their record to 13-10-2. Regina concludes a stretch of five straight road contests this weekend with games Friday night against the Medicine Hat Tigers and Saturday versus the Swift Current Broncos.
The Pats return to home ice the next night against the Saskatoon Blades to cap off a second straight weekend of three games in three nights.
"If our ultimate goal is to win the big prize in Kitchener (site of the Memorial Cup), you have to learn to win on the road," added Hunt. "Our conference is so close ... you have to know you can go into any building and in any situation and find a way to win hockey games. We can talk about doing the right things, but when they actually go out and do it in those situations and in those tough environments it's great for the confidence of our group."
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008