Post by Score on Nov 2, 2007 0:13:37 GMT -4
Period of adjustment
It has been a season of changes so far for P.E.I. Rocket forward Lucas McKinley
The Guardian
Like the rest of the P.E.I. Rocket’s 24-man roster, forward Lucas McKinley is adjusting to a different looking coaching staff.
Guy Chouinard took over as head coach of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team last week after Yanick Jean was fired.
Chouinard’s 0-3 with the Rocket (7-10-1), who is coming off a disappointing 6-5 loss to Halifax on Sunday, a game P.E.I. led 4-0 in the second period.
Recent Rocket practices seem looser and less technical, and while McKinley understands Chouinard and Jean’s coaching styles are different, he appreciates the changes which can include five-on-five scrimmages.
“(It’s) more like game-style situations to help us work on game-play, rather than just drills and working on skating and stick handling. At least these ones are putting them in game-like situations,” said McKinley, 18. “I think everyone’s pretty happy with what happened. Nothing (bad) toward Yanick or anything, just they did what they had to do. I think everyone’s OK with it.”
Chouinard, the league’s all-time winningest coach (515 victories), gets a chance for his first Rocket victory tonight in the initial game of a two-game set in Lewiston, Me., against the streaking Maineiacs (10-7-1 overall, 7-2-1 in last 10).
Game times for today and Saturday are 8 p.m. AT.
It’s the first extended road trip for the Rocket with Chouinard riding at the front of the bus.
The team left Thursday and won’t return until early Sunday morning.
McKinley is also adjusting to setting alight the red behind opposing goalies.
Last season he had four points in 30 games as a rookie. This year, he had just one assist in September, thanks to being a healthy scratch in the home opener and missing three games with a separated shoulder.
But since returning to the lineup, the Fredericton, N.B., native has exploded for five goals and six helpers in 11 games in October.
And there he credits Jean and the coaching staff with giving him the push he needed after the injury threatened his ice time.
“(They said) I’d have to work really hard if I was going to be able to, so I kind of just set my mind to it. Went to bed earlier and became more focused on the game,” McKinley said. “(I) come to the game ready to play and just work on everything, all the little details. And it’s just worked. I don’t know where the goals are coming from.”
He also dishes out kudos to his linemates.
“I’ve been liking playing with Matt Lachaine and (Bradley) Gallant. It’s good change in my favour anyway. We’re all feisty and like to go in the corners (and) backcheck hard all the time,” said McKinley. “It’s my style of hockey and if I’m playing with two other people with the same style it’s been working.”
It has been a season of changes so far for P.E.I. Rocket forward Lucas McKinley
The Guardian
Like the rest of the P.E.I. Rocket’s 24-man roster, forward Lucas McKinley is adjusting to a different looking coaching staff.
Guy Chouinard took over as head coach of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team last week after Yanick Jean was fired.
Chouinard’s 0-3 with the Rocket (7-10-1), who is coming off a disappointing 6-5 loss to Halifax on Sunday, a game P.E.I. led 4-0 in the second period.
Recent Rocket practices seem looser and less technical, and while McKinley understands Chouinard and Jean’s coaching styles are different, he appreciates the changes which can include five-on-five scrimmages.
“(It’s) more like game-style situations to help us work on game-play, rather than just drills and working on skating and stick handling. At least these ones are putting them in game-like situations,” said McKinley, 18. “I think everyone’s pretty happy with what happened. Nothing (bad) toward Yanick or anything, just they did what they had to do. I think everyone’s OK with it.”
Chouinard, the league’s all-time winningest coach (515 victories), gets a chance for his first Rocket victory tonight in the initial game of a two-game set in Lewiston, Me., against the streaking Maineiacs (10-7-1 overall, 7-2-1 in last 10).
Game times for today and Saturday are 8 p.m. AT.
It’s the first extended road trip for the Rocket with Chouinard riding at the front of the bus.
The team left Thursday and won’t return until early Sunday morning.
McKinley is also adjusting to setting alight the red behind opposing goalies.
Last season he had four points in 30 games as a rookie. This year, he had just one assist in September, thanks to being a healthy scratch in the home opener and missing three games with a separated shoulder.
But since returning to the lineup, the Fredericton, N.B., native has exploded for five goals and six helpers in 11 games in October.
And there he credits Jean and the coaching staff with giving him the push he needed after the injury threatened his ice time.
“(They said) I’d have to work really hard if I was going to be able to, so I kind of just set my mind to it. Went to bed earlier and became more focused on the game,” McKinley said. “(I) come to the game ready to play and just work on everything, all the little details. And it’s just worked. I don’t know where the goals are coming from.”
He also dishes out kudos to his linemates.
“I’ve been liking playing with Matt Lachaine and (Bradley) Gallant. It’s good change in my favour anyway. We’re all feisty and like to go in the corners (and) backcheck hard all the time,” said McKinley. “It’s my style of hockey and if I’m playing with two other people with the same style it’s been working.”