From last nights press Conference - New player(s) this week !
January 27 2002 at 12:09 PM
(Login houseofsteel) Forum Owner from IP address 213.122.194.189
From last nights Press Conference 26/2/02 v Storm
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Present Mike Blaisdell (Coach)
Comment made that it was business as usual. Mike agreed and put it down to our good record against the likes of Storm and Panthers..
"We seem to get a good effort out of everyone whenever we play Storm. Its the same with the Panthers. We've gotten ourselves ready mentally and everything for games with our closest rivals. If we could just take this and roll it into games v Bracknell and Belfast, we'd be sitting pretty"
Mike made a comment that it was a simialr game tonight v the Bees on Thursday(an open game)
" We're creating a lot of cahnces, giving up a few, and counting on our goalies to be good. I think we look fit, We keep saying our players have played all those games with hardly anyone and have gotten themselves into good shape. In the third (Period) our guys came good, Storm took it to us for a few shifts in the second aqnd late in the first, and I honestly believe our conditioning told in the end. We looked stronger than they did at the end"
mike was then asked the question we all want to hear an answer to, that of the quest for new players
" Im trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat, and trying to get in a top guy. I dont know if that guy will materialise. We've talked to a few guys that will come in and fill a role - 3rd line centre type thing. We've been given the go ahead, certainly I've some money to spend and we could bring in a guy in if there was a guy of Miehms type quality available, but there doesent seem to be at the moment. We're looking at 'team' players who work hard and play a role, sort of give us another forward...i can always use Shuds at the back..We'll get one player in for sure."
When asked how sure is he, Mike replied:
"i have 2 guys that will sign tommorow, and theres a team in the DEL that is having problems financially, and few guys from there may pop into the frame. monday will tell. If not we'll make a move on someone Monday or Tuesday..."
He also mentioned that there would be no probs with the work permit as Kevin Miehms had been returned and could be re-used.This was also a reason that Kevin had not been kept on to help out on the bench, along with the fact that he couldnt sign as a coach because of lack of qualifications.
Mike was asked about his outlook on our form going into the play offs..
"The playoffs are now the only thing we can win, we need to finish as high as possible..people say you need Manchester or Nottingham in your group for the crowds but thats nothing to do with me. I want us into 2nd spot. That would mean its not been a bad year and shows that this club is still a big club and a big part of this league."
He was also asked ina roundabout way as to how we will try to get something out of the Belfast games which are coming up
" Last game we had a good 40 mins but seemed to tire in the third, we outplayed em in 2 periods. I thought they were fortunate to get out of the 1st period without us being 2-3 goals up. We rained shots down on em.
Theyre on a roll, theyre confident, they waited for chances, (which came in the third) and they buried us. Though i still say we match up well with em.
Talking to Whis (Dave Whistle- Belfast coach), he knows some of the guys on our team, and he said that were the team he'd RATHER NOT FACE in the play offs. Everyone in the league knows we have improved immensly since christmas."
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Dont know about anybody else, but I was quite pleased with last nights result. I've seen us play way better and lose, but it seemed to be that the team got their asses in gear and now believe in themselves more..
Stand out men again, were Bobyk and Brebant...how many more games are these owd buggers gonna keep showing the younger element of the team how to go for it eh? bloody heroes the pair of em..And I was well impressed with Lipper...Wonder what he'd be like if he'd had his own sticks all season?
Comedy moment of the night..Carson calling that illegal equipment call on that poor stormie..couldnt he see the poor sod trying like thclappers to get it back on?...Hells teeth!!!
But the main good news is that We will get a player or two this week..Me, I'd rather see two 'role' players brought in...give us them extra bodies for the play off push...i presume its the Bobyck, Cranston style we are talking here...
Yep got to agree with you Scuff about last night. I thought the Steelers looked comfortably in charge for most of the game. And yes numbers 93 & 95 were quite exceptional last night - IMHO Bobber should have got the MOM award. All in all it could look good for the pay-offs especially if we get a couple og more bodies in.The Storm? To be honest they disappointed me last night esp in the 3rd when they didn't offer anything.Yes the illegal equip call was a tad unlucky.
With Kevin Miehm going home but having made positive noises about wanting to come back can we hope that the club has already sounded him about a new contract ?
Twice I have noticed them together. The first time was a game which didnt involve Belfast, Whistle must have been scouting and was stood behind the plexi at the curtain end with Miehmer and Cal. Second time as you mentioned on the bench against the Giants the other week.
... and their other centres are Terry Yake (400 game NHL man), Todd Simon (career AHL/IHL/DEL), Doug MacDonald (AHL/IHL) - any of which would do very nicely indeed. They also meet the Steelers prime criterion of being Canadian
