hobster
02-01-2008, 01:45 PM
Saskatoon Blades coach and general manager Lorne Molleken tried hard Thursday to put a positive spin on the latest bad news about his team, but he didn't sound convincing.
Molleken had learned 17-year-old sophomore centre Gaelan Patterson was gone for the season after suffering a horrible wrist slashing accident in Swift Current the night before. And he was still waiting to find out whether 16-year-old rookie Curtis Hamilton has mononucleosis or pneumonia.
"It is very tough," Molleken said, but "we have a plan in place and we're not going to change."
The plan is to build a contender, but there have been growing pains this season. Heading into the final quarter of the WHL regular season, the Blades have to win half of their last 20 games just to match last year's record of 27 wins. They play the Pats in Regina tonight.
A major building block of Molleken's plan is to "make sure we create a positive environment."
Although the situation looks bleak -- and a four-game losing streak doesn't make things look rosy -- Molleken found some solace in being able to peg 19-year-old left-winger Garrett Klotz and 17-year-old defenceman Jyri Niemi back into the lineup.
Losing Patterson and Hamilton is tough to take because they're part of the next generation of players who will have to be front and centre during the next couple of years if the Blades are to improve.
Patterson suffered a fluke accident, but the consequences are devastating. He hit Bronco- efenceman Jesse Dudas along the boards and Dudas went flying. His skate sliced open Patterson's wrist and blood started flowing.
At first there were thoughts of getting an ambulance, Molleken said. Patterson was able to return with the team on the bus. Major surgery was scheduled for later Thursday.
Hamilton was at first thought to have the flu and played while sick last weekend against Moose Jaw and Regina, as well as Tuesday in a 7-3 loss at home to the Broncos. But Hamilton couldn't go Wednesday in Swift Current.
Tests have initially indicated it's not mononucleosis, but it could be pneumonia. That might not sound like good news, but if it is pneumonia, treatment could have him on the mend quickly and he might be out only about 10 days.
"When you're down (like this), the guys really have to stick together and our guys have," Molleken said. It hasn't been a banner season, but "since the trade deadline, we've come out and competed extremely hard . . . with the exception of the 7-3 loss. That was bad. But the guys are playing for each other right now . . . every night."
Niemi is ready to go after nursing a bruised foot suffered in the Top Prospects game in Edmonton last week and a slight groin pull suffered earlier in January that ultimately cost him six games. He'll be joined by Klotz, who last saw action in mid-December before suffering a knee injury.
Blade bits: Regina has won nine of its last 11 games. Last week in Regina, the Blades lost 5-4 in overtime in a game that included a second-period brawl that cost Saskatoon $750 in fines and Regina $1,250, including a $500 levy against Pats general manager Brent Parker for an incident involving a WHL officiating supervisor. Pats D Colton Teubert received a two-game suspension in that altercation, meaning he'll miss tonight's game.
Yikes Klotz is back[Blades could through a line of Philp,Reich,Klotz at the Pats tonight wow .
Molleken had learned 17-year-old sophomore centre Gaelan Patterson was gone for the season after suffering a horrible wrist slashing accident in Swift Current the night before. And he was still waiting to find out whether 16-year-old rookie Curtis Hamilton has mononucleosis or pneumonia.
"It is very tough," Molleken said, but "we have a plan in place and we're not going to change."
The plan is to build a contender, but there have been growing pains this season. Heading into the final quarter of the WHL regular season, the Blades have to win half of their last 20 games just to match last year's record of 27 wins. They play the Pats in Regina tonight.
A major building block of Molleken's plan is to "make sure we create a positive environment."
Although the situation looks bleak -- and a four-game losing streak doesn't make things look rosy -- Molleken found some solace in being able to peg 19-year-old left-winger Garrett Klotz and 17-year-old defenceman Jyri Niemi back into the lineup.
Losing Patterson and Hamilton is tough to take because they're part of the next generation of players who will have to be front and centre during the next couple of years if the Blades are to improve.
Patterson suffered a fluke accident, but the consequences are devastating. He hit Bronco- efenceman Jesse Dudas along the boards and Dudas went flying. His skate sliced open Patterson's wrist and blood started flowing.
At first there were thoughts of getting an ambulance, Molleken said. Patterson was able to return with the team on the bus. Major surgery was scheduled for later Thursday.
Hamilton was at first thought to have the flu and played while sick last weekend against Moose Jaw and Regina, as well as Tuesday in a 7-3 loss at home to the Broncos. But Hamilton couldn't go Wednesday in Swift Current.
Tests have initially indicated it's not mononucleosis, but it could be pneumonia. That might not sound like good news, but if it is pneumonia, treatment could have him on the mend quickly and he might be out only about 10 days.
"When you're down (like this), the guys really have to stick together and our guys have," Molleken said. It hasn't been a banner season, but "since the trade deadline, we've come out and competed extremely hard . . . with the exception of the 7-3 loss. That was bad. But the guys are playing for each other right now . . . every night."
Niemi is ready to go after nursing a bruised foot suffered in the Top Prospects game in Edmonton last week and a slight groin pull suffered earlier in January that ultimately cost him six games. He'll be joined by Klotz, who last saw action in mid-December before suffering a knee injury.
Blade bits: Regina has won nine of its last 11 games. Last week in Regina, the Blades lost 5-4 in overtime in a game that included a second-period brawl that cost Saskatoon $750 in fines and Regina $1,250, including a $500 levy against Pats general manager Brent Parker for an incident involving a WHL officiating supervisor. Pats D Colton Teubert received a two-game suspension in that altercation, meaning he'll miss tonight's game.
Yikes Klotz is back[Blades could through a line of Philp,Reich,Klotz at the Pats tonight wow .