Zawatsky, Fiesel Tellin' It Like It Is

Four teams, roughly 15-20 pre games, 15-20 post games, at least 30 weekly coach's shows, and whenever there's other big news.

In other words I interview each of our four Head Coaches no less than 60, and in some cases close to 100 each year.

When you talk to the same people that much, it runs the risk of becoming redundant, both with the questions asked, and/or the answers given.

But between last night and this morning, I got some great quotes from Yorkton's Ed Zawatsky and Melville's Jamie Fiesel. I know if I was a player, they'd "wake me up!"

Eddie can be heard below in the Yorkton @ Weyburn game recap... Feez is under the Weekly Coach's Shows link... but here are some of their key thoughts.

Zawatsky says his best players need to perform. (Specifically referring to a 1:38 5-on-3 where they didn't score)

"You can't draw that up. You need some guys to step up and take advantage of that and score the big goal. We're still waiting for that guy to emerge and do that. Even at the end of the game, we had chances, we have certain guys out there who've had a lot of opportunities, we're 24 games into the season. Tonight, Niebrandt scores our only goal, Zubko scores our only the other day. If you're gonna win on the road, you need some guys we identify as offensive guys to score some goals."

Zawatsky on their 5-forward unit on the 5-on-3.

"I thought Stringfellow and Breitkreuz did a good job on the backend, Stringer hits the post, but our three forwards we had out there decided to do their own thing and got out of position and we squandered the last 30 seconds. I know it's a developmental league and you give them some leeway, but we really need those guys to step up and score at a time like that."

Fiesel on last night's loss in Estevan.

"It was absolutely self-inflicted. We had a 1-0 lead, and you're not going to win 1-0 very often, but in the third period we took some dumb penalties, a roughing after the whistle, and shooting the puck at the goalie after the whistle to get an unsportsmanlike call. You can't win hockey games with that mentality. We've got guys frustrated right now and it's hurting their game, and we don't have enough guys playing at the level we need to play and we don't deserve to win."

Fiesel on Mils' streaky play of late, questioning idenity.

"It's not enough. We're still debating whether we're a team that can cause some damage in the league this year, or if we're a team that has to suck it up, and maybe we don't need so many 20-year-olds on the team, and build for the future. We are coming into a new rink in a couple years, so these things are going through our head, and when you have games like last night where not enough guys are on board, it makes you wonder, 'are you good enough this year?', and we're still in that stage of deciding."

Fiesel on a key stretch of games (HUM-YOR-YOR-KIN-YOR) possibly determining which way they're going.

"Well absolutely, and then you have December 1st. We were debating going down to 23, or as low as 20 guys by then, leaving 5 cards open. That way if you want to move some 20-year-olds, get 2 for 1, you have room. So there's a lot still open right now, and these next two weeks are really going to decide it. If we're still in the position we're in now, I don't know if that'll be enough, and we'll have to really evaluate our situation at that time."