McGroarty: Work in practice showing up in games

 No comments  
 E-mail Story
 Print Story
  Share

 digg it!
 Facebook
 del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit

Text Size: 

Tools Sponsor

BY BRENT C. WAGNER / Lincoln Journal Star

FACE OFF

EARLY-MORNING PRACTICE: Only hours after a late road trip from Kearney, Lincoln players were back at the Ice Box for an early-morning practice following a 2-1 loss against Tri-City last week. Despite being at the bottom of the division, Tri-City has defeated Lincoln both times this season.

Stars coach Jimmy McGroarty called it a “mental toughness practice.”

[+]Enlarge

Related Media

Lincoln Stars Live with Nick Fouts

Assistant coach and former Stars defenseman Nick Fouts talks about how the league has changed, the current Stars defensemen, and answers questions fro...

Comments: 0

Rated:

[X] Close

“If we bury a couple of the goals that we have empty nets, maybe we walk away from there with a win,” McGroarty said.

Lincoln lost, despite outshooting the Storm 29-18 that night.

“I was a little disappointed we didn’t bury our chances in the open net, and I think that comes down to mental toughness,” McGroarty. “I thought we needed to do a few things that morning, and a few drills to build that mental toughness, so when it comes down to crunch time we’re not surprised.”

The team returned for another practice later that afternoon. Then the Stars bounced back from the Tri-City loss by winning both games last weekend to remain in first place in the West Division.

McGroarty believes some of the things worked on in that extra practice were reflected in the weekend play.

“We did a lot better job of controlling the puck, and getting pucks to the net,” he said.

ROAD TRIP: With games at Sioux Falls and Fargo this weekend, Lincoln is on its first extended road trip of the season. Most of the season, Lincoln has played at home Friday and had road games Saturday. McGroarty is excited for the trip.

“Last year we went on a couple road trips early, and I think this is good,” he said. “Obviously, we love playing at home and have the best fans in the league, but it’s also good to go on the road. We haven’t done a lot as a team. We’ve gone bowling and played ball hockey, but we haven’t gone on the road and spent a night.”

Quick hits

* Forward Garrett Vermeersch has a 10-game point streak that is the best in the United States Hockey League this season.

* Defenseman Mike Dalhuisen could return to the lineup this weekend after missing seven games with an injury.

BY THE NUMBERS: $20 million. How much it cost to build a 5,000-seat arena for the Fargo Force. The Stars will play at Fargo, N.D., for the first time Saturday.

F, Kory Kaunisto

The head coach had praise for forward Kory Kaunisto several times in the past week.

“He’s our (Chris Forfar) from last year,” McGroarty said. “He creates a lot of offensive opportunities, he blocks shots, he’s strong on face-offs, he’s got tenacity. …”

Kaunisto, from Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., is in his first season with Lincoln. He played seven games for Waterloo in the USHL last season before being traded to Traverse City in the North American Hockey League.

After being a late addition to the Stars’ roster, Kaunisto helped his cause by scoring two goals in three preseason games.

“It’s only a matter of time before he’ll get rewarded with some goals, and he did last week,” McGroarty said. “I put him on the power play on Saturday, and he scores the game winner.

“He’s a horse. I love him.”

Tonight’s game

Lincoln (9-5-1) vs. Sioux Falls (5-6-2), Sioux Falls, S.D., 7 p.m.: Lincoln beat Sioux Falls 5-4 on Oct. 10 in Lincoln thanks to Brett Chartier’s game-winning goal. That was the only time the Stars and Stampede met this season. Sioux Falls has a good goaltender in the Eric Hartzell, the son of head coach Kevin Hartzell. Lincoln swept Sioux Falls in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Blue Line Chatter

From the Blue Line blog: “While these are high school-aged kids, the team is run like a professional business. What these kids experience here is probably mild compared to what they will encounter in the NHL, which is where all these kids dream of playing someday. I have nothing but admiration for all these kids who play a game on thin blades of steel and use sticks to move a frozen cylinder of rubber around in a game of keep away from the other team and try to score goals by shooting it into a net guarded by a very brave kid wearing a few pads to protect himself.”

Read more at the Blue Line blog: An update on David Reekie, the USHL goaltender of the year last season. … At least 50 USHL alums have played one game in the NHL this season. Find out who they are, and which USHL team they played for. … McGroarty grades the debut of backup goaltender Anthony Borelli.