Well that was a pretty frustrating weekend to say the least.
We headed into Invicta in confident mood and it was the first time in months where we actually were able to prepare for a weekend with everyone available at practice a few days earlier. We spoke about feeling confident of getting a potential 4 point weekend and that was the talk after practice on Wednesday.
The 4-0 loss in Invicta was a strange game. Getting shut out is always disappointing and I felt that we had enough opportunities to win 2 games, but we did not bare down enough and just couldn't get the puck past their Netminder. Goals win games and we really need to be more ruthless in front of goal and if we can find that formula then it will help us moving forward. Goalscorers cost money and unfortunately we are not in a position to go out and spend money on guys that will guarantee you goals,so our team has to do it by committee.
The big thing for me and the real reason we lost the game was we just did not compete to a high enough level and that's something we have spoke about before the game on Sunday and something that has to change.
Playing hard and compete levels are not a coaching issue,that comes from within the players and its something we proved we can do against Solent.
For Sunday we made some lineup changes, tweaked our playing style a little and we just asked for higher compete levels and I think it's fair to say we got that. The boys were outstanding and our first period was the best we have played this season. It was the way I expect my teams to play for 60 minutes every week. Its a difficult way to play for 60 minutes but it's something we need to find and when we do we are going to be a challenge for anyone.
I was frustrated by the officiating and I thought there were some borderline weak calls for both teams. But in the last 5 minutes of a game, we cannot have referees calling offensive zone or Neutral Zone penalties, I would rather he call it if its a goalscoring opportunity in that scenario and let the players decide the outcome of the game.
We were obviously disappointed to concede so late. Solent are potent on their man advantage and I was just disappointed after all the guys hard work that we could not block that shot which eventually tied the game and took it to OT.
I was happy that we managed to kill off the penalty in OT and was confident that if we could get to a shootout that we would win the game. The game winning goal for Solent is the craziest goal I have ever seen and just totally sums up our luck this season. Our guys were devastated and rightly so.
Solent are an outstanding team and to run them close shows me that when we play to the style I expect and with that work ethic we can play with the top teams in this league.
Hockey is a cruel game sometimes and you don't always get what you deserve from the work you put in, but if my guys keep playing like that we will eventually start to pick up some wins,it's only a matter of time. Keep the faith.
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