Confidence coming back for a healthy Pats' Deck
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Confidence coming back for a healthy Pats' Deck
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Kyle Deck isn't holding back anymore.
The Regina Pats' captain is looking like his old self again, having shed the doubt and indecision that were symptomatic of extended visits to sick bay.
"When you have confidence in your body, that's first and foremost because then you don't play with fear," offered head coach Curtis Hunt. "That's the big thing in coming back from injury. Once he lost that fear, we've see him be able to relax."
Deck missed 14 games during the first half of the season due to illness and injury, the combination of which made it nearly impossible to inject any consistency into his game.
The 20-year-old defenceman is the first to admit he didn't play up to his own expectations at the start of the campaign. However, Deck was on his way to rectifying the situation when his efforts were derailed by a lingering bout of bronchitis which caused him to miss five games.
Not long afterwards, Deck began experiencing problems with his left knee. He tried to play through it, but was eventually forced to undergo arthroscopic surgery -- his third in three years -- to repair some torn cartilage.
The procedure caused him to miss nine more games.
"I was very frustrated," said Deck. "I had bronchitis for three weeks, then my knee. I'd get a couple games in and then I'd be hurt again. I hope things are starting to turn around for me. I want to help out the team as much as I can, whether it's scoring goals or playing good defence."
How about all of the above?
A return to good health has been accompanied by the poise and confidence that helped make Deck a WHL all-star last season. A byproduct of that confidence is a sudden boon in offensive production.
The Sedley native has seven points in his past six games and is riding a three-game goal-scoring streak heading into tonight's home-ice meeting with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
"I'm not really doing anything (new)," Deck said with a shrug. "I'm just getting my head up and taking a shot when it's there. Before I was kind of passing it off. Now I'm shooting the puck when it's open. They're starting to go in, so it's nice."
It all started Wednesday night in Swift Current with a one-time shot from the point that beat Broncos netminder Kyle Moir. Deck's goal ended a season-long slump that had swelled to 33 games.
"You could see the anxiety come off his face when he got that goal," recalled Hunt. "A kid sometimes puts a lot of expectations on himself. I was happy to see him get that monkey off his back. It's something he doesn't need to think about anymore. He can just continue being a solid D and leader without the pressure of thinking, 'Am I ever going to score?' Because it will weigh on your mind."
Deck's recent surge gives him three goals and 13 points in 36 games. Although he's unlikely to match his 42-point total from last season -- a career high -- Deck's strong play of late is a big reason why the club is playing its best hockey in over two months.
"He has played in pressure situations for us," noted Hunt. "As a leader and a 20-year-old, he has a steadying influence. We've certainly seen that over the last two weeks."
It's a simple matter of confidence.
"That's it exactly," added Deck. "I'm not worried about my knee or anything. I can just focus on everything else I have to worry about out there."
Scouting Report
LETHBRIDGE (24-21-2-3) at REGINA (22-23-1-4)
Today, 7 p.m., Brandt Centre
Radio: 620 CKRM
Key injuries: REGINA -- LW Josh Elder (wrist, indefinite); RW Kaspars Saulietis (knee, day-to-day); RW Niko Snellman (shoulder, week-to-week); LETHBRIDGE -- D Randy King (head, day-to-day); C Kyle Bailey (head and jaw, indefinite).
Overview: Despite their winning record, the Hurricanes sit dead-last in the tough Central Division, four points behind the fourth-place Red Deer Rebels . . . The Pats moved into a third-place tie with the Prince Albert Raiders on the weekend after picking up three of a possible four points against the Moose Jaw Warriors (a 6-4 win and a 3-2 shootout loss). Regina is also just one point behind the second-place Swift Current Broncos, with two games in hand . . . Lethbridge is coming off back-to-back losses to the Medicine Hat Tigers . . . The Pats own a record of 8-3-0-1 in the New Year and have picked up at least a point in four straight games . . . The 'Canes posted two straight home-ice wins over Regina this season (5-2 and 8-5) after losing 11-3 at the Brandt Centre on Oct. 21 . . . Zach Boychuk leads Lethbridge with 59 points, including 17 goals, in 47 games. Kris Hogg has a team-high 29 goals . . . Kyle Ross tops the Pats with 51 points, including 12 goals, in 50 games. Rookie Jordan Eberle has a team-high 22 goals. LW Troy Ofukany, who's second with 21 goals, is slated to return after missing one game with a hand injury.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
