while the womens squad suffered a pair of losses.

Posted in IYH Forums by lavender123456 at 01:05, Jun 12 2014

WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg Jets have a new coach on a short-term deal who knows he has a long-term project on his plate. "Weve got our challenges," Paul Maurice said after taking in his first practice with the team Monday morning. "Im not saying Im coming in here and taking this team to a completely different level over the next week." But the veteran coach of more than 1,000 NHL games, who took the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup final in 2002, says he sees a lot of potential in the Jets. "Youth size and speed is the easiest way for me to sum that up. I like some of the pieces and some of the parts." The size was apparent when he stepped on the ice with the team at the MTS Centre. "This is the first time that Ive ever as a coach felt short and thats a really, really nice feeling," he said, following practice, as he met with reporters for the first time since arriving in Winnipeg after Claude Noels firing Sunday. The last straw for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was last weeks 6-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Jets seemed to have taken a step backward rather than move away from the defensive lapses that have left them 19-23-5 and last in the Central Division. For 2 1/2 years, Noel tried to inject a more responsible, defensive gene into the Jets, after they moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta. Now its Maurices turn and he agreed that seems to be whats missing. "My concerns are -- and you should never introduce a negative but Ill get to this now -- getting them to play a game that has a defensive component in it (and) that, for those players that have been here a long time, they havent done it." He says its his job to find a way to get players to buy into a system they can play that will help get them out of a slump that is sapping their confidence and building frustration. They have the skills, he suggests. "Youve seen it in the games where this team can look so dominant at points in time and then you question where that goes," he said. Although hes been coaching in the NHL for almost 20 years, he said something he has learned relatively recently is that it takes time to work with players on an individual basis to help them grow and develop. "Motivation is different for each player but at the end of the day with this group, with what theyre going through, they just want to get out of it," he said. "They just want to win. They want this to go away. The anger, the frustration by the fans, its the same as the frustration in that locker-room. They want to find a way out. Its the coaching staffs job now to lead that way out." The Jets are on a five-game losing streak and well out of that playoff spot Maurice says is one of his objectives. But he says creating confidence in a game the players can understand is his primary goal. "Im used to having some challenges. You know, the underdog team that at the very least fights like a dog," he said. "Thereve been too many years where we got to within a point but there werent many when I walked away saying there was a whole lot more left on the table." At least for now, hes only here for the rest of the season, which will end April 10 for the Jets unless their game turns around. Maurice, 46, also coached the Toronto Maple Leafs for a couple of seasons and recently tried the KHL in Russia but opted to return home to be closer to his family. Other than juggling lines a little, he didnt make a lot of changes prior to Monday nights game against the visiting Phoenix Coyotes. That includes leaving Dustin Byfuglien as a forward, although he says he can see him making major contributions as a blue-liner as well. Byfuglien is one of the top-scoring defencemen in the NHL but his minus-16 rating prompted Noel to try switching him to forward. "Were not trying to go out there and change everything we do tonight," said centre Bryan Little, who will be playing on a line with familiar partner Andrew Ladd but also Michael Frolik. "Hes been here less than 24 hours and I think he realizes that and hes not going to change too much tonight but he expects us to work hard." Little says he expects the changes to come once the Jets get some practice days. The players accepted much of the blame for Noels firing and Little said a game will help. "Once youre out there you kind of forget about everything thats happened and you can just play the game. Im looking forward to it." cheap jerseys . Louis still looking for a way out of Tampa Bay, the 38-year-old NHL veteran isnt showing his cards. wholesale jerseys . - Not again. http://www.overalljersey.com/. Gerber stopped each and every one of the 49 shots peppered by Team Canada en route to a highly improbable 2-0 victory for Switzerland. In a two-week tournament like the Olympics, goaltending performances of that caliber have the potential to shock, rattle and awe even the most powerful foes, hindering medal hopes with save after unlikely save. wholesale nfl jerseys . Walker scored 25 points despite suffering a shoulder injury midway through the third quarter and not returning until the middle of the fourth and the Charlotte Bobcats held off a late New York rally to beat the Knicks 102-97 on Tuesday night. cheap jerseys From China . - Major league teams will each have at least five games this spring where managers can challenge plays as part of the major expansion of instant replay which begins this season.FLIMS, Switzerland -- Canadas mens team won its first game at the world junior curling championships Thursday, while the womens squad suffered a pair of losses. Braden Calverts Winnipeg rink rallied to defeat Italy 8-7. After giving up three points in the second end, Calvert came back with a single, then stole two more points in the next two ends to tie it up at the fifth-end break. The Canadians trailed 5-4 after seven ends but stole two in eighth and controlled the rest of the game to secure their first win. "That was definitely a big comeback," Calvert said. "We just stuck with our game plan and it finally paid off in the end. "It definitely takes a hit to the teaams confidence when you go behind by three so early on.dddddddddddd. We knew we just had to get the two (points) and force the one repeatedly and we did that and we were lucky to get out on top today." The Canadians started the round robin with two losses Wednesday against Russia and Sweden. On the womens side, Edmontons Kelsey Rocque lost 6-4 to Russia and 8-6 to South Korea. The losses evened Canadas record at 2-2. "Were playing all right, I guess," Rocque said. "Ive been struggling a bit. We just arent capitalizing." The women will meet Sweden and Switzerland on Friday, while the men will face off against defending champion Scotland and China. ' ' '