Nate Schmidt's Playoff Blog Entry!

Nate Schmidt has been great enough to do a interview with us already this year and he has came through again.  This time I asked him to write something up about how they have been preparing for playoffs and anything else that has changed since the regular season.  Check out Nate's thoughts below!

• What's it going to take to do well in the playoffs?:  Come playoff time you're going to need just about everyone buying into team goals, especially blocking shots, playing with urgency, and playing defense first. Taking care of our end first is how we are going to have to win playoff game, in a grind it out, in your face style of play.
• Who's been stepping up so far in the playoffs?:  You know it hasn't just been one guy, I would say our goalies have been playing pretty well for the most part, but our veteran leaders are really starting to take hold of the team and they are getting everyone to buy in and work hard because they know how tough it is to win playoff games... Guys like our captains, and other second year guys.
• Playoff superstitions:  There are always superstitions with hockey guys, like not bothering Eamonn on game days, or Oliver making sure we get our fist pounds in before and after every period. There are not a lot of noticeable ones that I know about but every guy has his own routine and it has pretty much stayed the same all year.
• Thoughts on the mohawks:  Mohawks! Haha I love them I think they look awesome, but it all started one day last week before practice, Dayn Belfour showed up with his two-tone mohawk, and as a part of one of our team goals, "Everyone Buys In", Chase Grant ordered mandatory mohawks for the team, and contrary to popular belief, a lot of our guys can pull a mohawk off pretty good! haha!
• Playoff hockey: This is my first ever USHL playoffs and first time ever playing in a series style elimination. I love it though, games like last night, and to know the fans and everyone was behind us the whole way really gives us the energy and determination to do those kinds of things like last night. Playoffs are the best time of the year, and last night's game proved it. We came out hard, about as hard as we did on Wednesday, but as soon as we got that first goal we kinda let up on them, and that let them back into the game. After see-sawin' between 2 goal and a 3 goal deficit, we finally pulled it together and played like we knew how to. And that's what it will take tonight, hard work, urgency, good goaltending, and being solid defensively.