Saturday Chat

Hey all, I'm sitting here in my living room watching Jerry Maguire, still very much hungover from a night of debauchery. But we have questions to get to, so let's start.


"What do you think of the Red Army's inconsistent play this season? As a fan it is frustrating to watch a team with budding talent make many of the same mistakes."
-Dan, Rockville.

I wouldn't classify this year's Red Army team as inconsistent yet. With a 2-1 record it's tough to call them anything but one game above .500. The one thing I think upsets a lot of fans is the energy level from shift to shift. One shift they're backchecking hard and the next shift no one is skating. I'm not sure if it's a leadership issue or not, but someone needs to keep a fire lit under their collective asses if they want to compete with the big dogs.

"What do you think of special teams this season? The power play lacks firepower but the penalty kill has been rock solid. Almost a total reversal from seasons past."
-Mikku, Finland.

The power play for years has been one of Mother Russia's biggest sources for goals. In seasons past, the soviets could run a unit of Mark, Beege, Brad, and Peter without disrupting line chemistry. Without a star studded lineup it is tough for the Red Army to stack a line. I think a good line to have out for power play would be Brad or Jerrod at the point, Mark and Jamie on the halfwalls (they love their seam passes) and Pat or Steve setting the screen. On the other hand, with the penalty kill, I think the unit is working because of the pressure on the point. By making the opposition pass more, pucks tend to bounce over sticks and Mother Russia can clear it. There's no reason to change anything there, as the adage goes: don't fix what ain't broke.

"Who is the most entertaining player to interview after games? And why doesn't Schram ever get interviewed?"
-Jackson, Sterling.

Mark and Steve are usually the most talkative. Lately with their post-game disagreements I've been able to print some funny one liners. Brad has been known to drop a mean line too. A lot of people have been wondering why Andy never gets an interview, and I'm hesitant to reveal the exact reason why. But I will say this, I will tell the reason why he doesn't get interviewed and give him a full in depth interview if he scores a hat trick this season. The ball is in his court.

"Which player parties the hardest?"
-Sarah, Franklin Farm Giant.

Steve, Andy, Pat, Tony, and Mark are all tied. Though, Pat can be a light weight.

"Who would you rather have as a goalie in the playoffs, Kraus or Spitz?
-Randy, Vienna.

Makes no difference, both can injure the other teams best forwards.

"Who do you think will lead the team in penalty minutes at season's end?
-Tom, Dulles.

Andy has been good for 2 pims a game, and Tony will chip in with a few slashes here and there. Mark has been taking a few penalties of the hooking variety lately. But my bet is Brad. It only takes one game for him to get a ten minute misconduct, 5 for fighting, 4 for roughing, and a game misconduct. He is a force to be reckoned with.


That's all the time I had for today. Make sure to keep emailing your questions to mhendric@gmu.edu. Remember, game tomorrow at 11. Keep it fresh, commies.