Practice 11/12/2007

As usual, Moose was out first today. Ondrej joined him soon thereafter. Within a few minutes Slater, Thorburn, and Little were taking turns shooting at the goalies. The goalie would face the right ring shooter then turn immediately to face a shot from the left wing. They would rotate who took the shots from where to practice lateral mobility of the goalies (because, as we heard the other night from the FL announcers, Ondrej has lateral mobility issues).

Before Moose and Ondrej came out Bobby Holik's daughter was on the ice skating and taking shots. Bobby's father was there too (at least I think it was his father).

Slater is using a new stick. He's swtched from the Warrior he used at the beginning of the season to an Easton.

Haydar is also using a new stick. He said he was forced to switch because they stopped making his old stick. (I think he used to use a Reebok sickkick.)

Enstrom and Havelid then came out on the ice and skated together. Toby would feed Nik passes and Nik would shoot. They spoke to each other in Sweedish. They seem to be bonding as a team.

A new guy was in and out of the locker today. I saw him try to park in the players' lot but ended out where us fans park. He went into and out of the locker a few times. I am not saying he's a new player but perhaps a family member of one of the players.

Drills were pretty much as usual. One on one vs the goalie, two on one, three on one, then 5 on 3. No focused power play or PK drills. No drills digging pucks from the corner or one on one battles to dig the puck from the boards like they have had in the past.

Steve Weeks too a puck in the eye during the first 30 minutes and hit the ice. He was bleeding after being hit with a backhand slot that deflected off a stick and directly into his eye. He left the practice and went to the Dr. Waddell came in for the second half of practice to help on ice.

Kovy did not skate today. His car was at the facility so he was probably back working out or getting some treatment on his back from the trainer.

Ondrej got beat a few times high glove side which was something new. Then later in practice he made some unbelievable saves with his glove.

Hoss and Ondrej talk on the ice more than Hoss seems to talk to other players. Given that they are both from the same country this is not a big surprise.

Holik looked more offensive (scoring/shooting I mean) than usual. He was driving to the net more than I've seen in other practices.


Observations

1. Team spirit was as high today as I've seen thus far this season. Everyone, except for Weeks, was having a good time on the ice and working hard.

2. The team started out on the regular ice surface, then moved to the other sheet, and then back to the regular sheet. The guy who takes care of the ice said it's because the goalies are working before the practice begins so they skate awhile on the regular side before going to the other side. When they are on the other side he resurfaces the regular side, then the team moves back over and finishes on the regular side.

3. Hoss may be going back to us usual (last season at least) Warrior stick. He switched to a Mission this season and carried both the Mission and Warrior out with him today.

4. No changes with any pairings I saw. McCarthy and Popovic skated together. Not sure if that means they could be paired together or not.