Sput
09-22-2005, 10:48 PM
A defence that won't rest
by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
by JIM SWANSON
Citizen Sports Editor
There are two ways, it is said, to win a hockey game.
Score more goals than your opponent, or allow fewer goals against.
While those two methods could be argued as one and the same, there is a distinct difference to those who coach hockey. Given the defensive trend of the game, not only at the pro level but at every stop below, the coaches of the day are far more inclined to focus on the preventative side.
And then there is Mike Vandekamp.
The new head coach of the Prince George Cougars, who makes his WHL debut being the bench Friday, isn't exactly preaching a style like the 1985 Edmonton Oilers, but he is undoing the shackles and expecting offensive creativity to be meshed with defensive responsibility.
"From my way of thinking, it's very easy to play good defence when the puck is 200 feet away from your net," Vandekamp said after Wednesday's practice.
"That's a team game, more than just defence and goaltending. That means being hard-working, physical, playing within the structure I have in mind here. Our plan is to spend as many minutes as we can in the other team's end.
"We talk about puck possession, and we also talk about putting the puck into places we want it to be for pursuit. You can't always have the puck, so you have to put it into places that are safe and effective."
In the first of a two-part series breaking down this year's version of the Prince George Cougars, it is the defensive side of the game — or those most vital to own-zone health; the goaltenders and defencemen — who are previewed. In Friday's Citizen, watch for a story on the offensive potential of a team looking to put two years of non-playoff hockey behind it.
Goaltending
There was absolutely no drama when it came to player personnel decisions that left the Cougars with their goaltending tandem. Scott Bowles, a 19-year-old lefty, and Real Cyr, a sophomore 18-year-old, are expected to split gametime in half.
"It starts with our goaltending, and I think that's really, really solid," said assistant coach Stew Malgunas, whose primary responsibility is working with the defence.
"We have two quality guys."
Vandekamp said he knows who he plans to start in Game 1, but wasn't about to reveal it before meeting with the players themselves. Based on pre-season performance, in which neither guy took a loss as the Cougars went 5-0, the edge would go to Cyr, who posted a shutout and allowed just one goal in two-plus games.
"They're both going to play — but I don't like doing the 'play until you lose' thing, that makes it really hard on the guy who is not playing," said Vandekamp.
"We won't have a fixed structure, but we let them both know they're going to play."
Defence
In Malgunas's words — one stud, and some studs in the making.
The defence is built around a first-round NHL draft pick, Andy Rogers, a steady veteran in Curtis Cooper, and the potential of Ty Wishart, Mike Berube, Ryan Kerr and Chris Vanduynhoven. Lack of size is not an issue — the smallest guy, Cooper, is also the team's weightroom fanatic — and there is enough mobility to slot people into proper roles on special teams.
"I think our D has matured a lot with guys like Ty and Mike, and Curtis has been in the league for four years now and it's time for him to really step up," said Malgunas.
"Andy, well we don't know for sure he's coming back (from Tampa Bay Lightning camp) yet, although we expect he will at some point, but he should be full of confidence. Getting invited to the world junior camp was a huge step for him, and we now have our stud on the back end with Andy.
"But playing good defence is not just about the defence and goalies, it's a whole team thing and (Vandekamp) has really stressed that. I think our guys learned a lot from last year and it's baby steps, and (Vandekamp) has been clear that if guys start cutting corners, they won't play."
The fun for Malgunas will be to see Kerr, the six-foot-one, 203-pound first overall bantam pick in 2004 who is still in that baby-steps stage, and Vanduynhoven, an impressive figure at six-foot-four and 220 pounds, develop as Wishart and Berube did a year ago.
"These are great kids who are sponges, and they just want to learn," said Malgunas.
"Vanduynhoven and Kerr, look at them — they're men, but they're boys. For them it's not going to be the physical part of the game, it's the mental part. It's great to see guys progress."
Vandekamp wants his defencemen to take care of their own zone and not be afraid to jump into the play.
"We're going to have to get goals from everyone and hopefully our D corps will chip in and get us a goal every now and then," said Vandekamp, aware that a blueliner, Dustin Byfuglien, was the team's top scorer a season ago.
"When we get Andy back, that will help there for sure. But our plan is to keep the puck out of our net, first and foremost."
by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
by JIM SWANSON
Citizen Sports Editor
There are two ways, it is said, to win a hockey game.
Score more goals than your opponent, or allow fewer goals against.
While those two methods could be argued as one and the same, there is a distinct difference to those who coach hockey. Given the defensive trend of the game, not only at the pro level but at every stop below, the coaches of the day are far more inclined to focus on the preventative side.
And then there is Mike Vandekamp.
The new head coach of the Prince George Cougars, who makes his WHL debut being the bench Friday, isn't exactly preaching a style like the 1985 Edmonton Oilers, but he is undoing the shackles and expecting offensive creativity to be meshed with defensive responsibility.
"From my way of thinking, it's very easy to play good defence when the puck is 200 feet away from your net," Vandekamp said after Wednesday's practice.
"That's a team game, more than just defence and goaltending. That means being hard-working, physical, playing within the structure I have in mind here. Our plan is to spend as many minutes as we can in the other team's end.
"We talk about puck possession, and we also talk about putting the puck into places we want it to be for pursuit. You can't always have the puck, so you have to put it into places that are safe and effective."
In the first of a two-part series breaking down this year's version of the Prince George Cougars, it is the defensive side of the game — or those most vital to own-zone health; the goaltenders and defencemen — who are previewed. In Friday's Citizen, watch for a story on the offensive potential of a team looking to put two years of non-playoff hockey behind it.
Goaltending
There was absolutely no drama when it came to player personnel decisions that left the Cougars with their goaltending tandem. Scott Bowles, a 19-year-old lefty, and Real Cyr, a sophomore 18-year-old, are expected to split gametime in half.
"It starts with our goaltending, and I think that's really, really solid," said assistant coach Stew Malgunas, whose primary responsibility is working with the defence.
"We have two quality guys."
Vandekamp said he knows who he plans to start in Game 1, but wasn't about to reveal it before meeting with the players themselves. Based on pre-season performance, in which neither guy took a loss as the Cougars went 5-0, the edge would go to Cyr, who posted a shutout and allowed just one goal in two-plus games.
"They're both going to play — but I don't like doing the 'play until you lose' thing, that makes it really hard on the guy who is not playing," said Vandekamp.
"We won't have a fixed structure, but we let them both know they're going to play."
Defence
In Malgunas's words — one stud, and some studs in the making.
The defence is built around a first-round NHL draft pick, Andy Rogers, a steady veteran in Curtis Cooper, and the potential of Ty Wishart, Mike Berube, Ryan Kerr and Chris Vanduynhoven. Lack of size is not an issue — the smallest guy, Cooper, is also the team's weightroom fanatic — and there is enough mobility to slot people into proper roles on special teams.
"I think our D has matured a lot with guys like Ty and Mike, and Curtis has been in the league for four years now and it's time for him to really step up," said Malgunas.
"Andy, well we don't know for sure he's coming back (from Tampa Bay Lightning camp) yet, although we expect he will at some point, but he should be full of confidence. Getting invited to the world junior camp was a huge step for him, and we now have our stud on the back end with Andy.
"But playing good defence is not just about the defence and goalies, it's a whole team thing and (Vandekamp) has really stressed that. I think our guys learned a lot from last year and it's baby steps, and (Vandekamp) has been clear that if guys start cutting corners, they won't play."
The fun for Malgunas will be to see Kerr, the six-foot-one, 203-pound first overall bantam pick in 2004 who is still in that baby-steps stage, and Vanduynhoven, an impressive figure at six-foot-four and 220 pounds, develop as Wishart and Berube did a year ago.
"These are great kids who are sponges, and they just want to learn," said Malgunas.
"Vanduynhoven and Kerr, look at them — they're men, but they're boys. For them it's not going to be the physical part of the game, it's the mental part. It's great to see guys progress."
Vandekamp wants his defencemen to take care of their own zone and not be afraid to jump into the play.
"We're going to have to get goals from everyone and hopefully our D corps will chip in and get us a goal every now and then," said Vandekamp, aware that a blueliner, Dustin Byfuglien, was the team's top scorer a season ago.
"When we get Andy back, that will help there for sure. But our plan is to keep the puck out of our net, first and foremost."