The CC coaching staff didn’t want to use their injury problems from late November to February as an excuse for the team’s disappointing record, but it obviously was an issue. Now, the only key injury CC has is center Nick Dineen (shoulder), and the team is playing better.
Center Andreas Vlassopoulos returned this weekend from a knee injury and played well. Defenseman Kris Fredheim also returned this weekend from a knee injury and had a very strong game on Saturday. His return also allows CC to use six experienced defensemen, which it hadn’t been able to do for weeks.
“We haven’t used it as an excuse,” CC coach Scott Owens said about the injury problems earlier in the season. “I’m hoping a full lineup and a goaltender (Richard Bachman) playing well and a tough schedule down the stretch is going to help make us a better team.”
Do the Tigers lack the confidence (or ability) to make that one move to go to the net? In almost every game I’ve watched, when the forwards carry the puck into the offensive zone they arc to the outside of the circles. In years past, this move was NOT the dominant move in the tool box of CC forwards. It was almost always a move (or two) to the top of the slot or to the net.
Do others see this?
I think the players do this because too often guys like Billy Sweatt would end up all alone without any support around them. Now they stop in that area to set up the play.