Coaches Show With Chad Mercier

TRB: Chad a 5-3 loss to Sherwood Park on Wednesday, in a game that was tied after 40 minutes, but couldn't find a way to pull that one out, what were your thoughts on that game.

CM: I think it was a game of mistakes, you know I liked alot about our effort and compete level that night, I think we went to sleep for about 2-2 and a half minutes, in the second period on 2 powerplays we gave up 2 shorthanded goals off two turnovers, and really at the end of the day, a big difference in thehockey game. A couple of mistakes that caused turnovers, that causes goals or penalties that resulted in goals in the third period I think was the difference in the game.

TRB: So now Spruce Grove is in town, a team that plays a very similar style to yours talk about the team trying to shut down a high flying Spruce Grove Team?

CM: Well I think we are going to be presented alot of the same challenges, we were presented to in Sherwood Park. In regards to making sure that we need our effort, we need to work our speed level as good as anyone else in the league, If we got that, then the second thing we need now is working on the puck, and make sure we limit our mistakes and make sure that when we get the oppurtunity, i thought especially in the first 30 minutes we had enough oppurtunities to blow the game wide ope, we didnt convert them and allowed a team that is oppturtunistic to jump on some oppurtunities and so I think we're faced with the same thing here. If we work and compete were going to get some oppurtunities, we got to bare down and make some plays, and make sure we're doing that and limit their chances.

TRB: The best way to counteract, what is the weak leading powerplay from Spruce Grove to stay out of the penalty box, or does your penalty kill also have to be bang on tonight?

CM: Well I think your bang on with both regaurds and I think you saw that with Sherwood Park, the biggest thing is when you do get a big penalty kill you got to stay away from going into the box back to back, and thats what happened to us in the third period, when you face a team thats got a real good powerplay, and controlsm skilled players out there, you're going to have to come out big on your penalty kill but again limiting their oppurtunities in those situations, and especially back to back situations. On the flip side of it, I thought our powerplay in the beginning of the year was very good for us, we have to get back to becoming more fluent with our powerplay. I thought we had some oppurtunities even against Sherwood Park where pucks were laying there, pucks were at the net and we just have to bare down and get those pucks in the net.

TRB: Michael Westfall makes his first appearance in a Pontiac uniform tonight, so Pontiac fans first chance to see him tonight as they're driving to the game otnight listening to the Pre Game Show. What kind of player should they be expecting to see?

CM: Well we are real high of Michael, through camp he was treamendous before breaking his arm, he's a big kid who is mobile and can move the puck and competes hard. The biggest thing for him is its tough for a young guy to miss as much time time so early in the year, the interesting thing for all of us is how long it will take him to get his feet wet in game activity, it's tough enough on veterans, but real tough on rookies. We got alot of high hopes for Michael as he moves forward, and we know there will involve some patience, but we need to get him in there and getting him going.

TRB: Chad best of luck tonight against the Spruce Grove Saints.

CM: Thanks alot Robb.