WellandDogsFan
12-20-2007, 11:54 AM
I got this from the on-line Standard. Brown talks about his impressions of the first half of the season
Posted By Potrecz, Bill
IceDogs at the break
The Niagara IceDogs hit the halfway point of their schedule with an ordinary 18-15-0-1 record and 37 points. That's a long way off the pace of last season when the IceDogs, then playing out of Mississauga, finished with a 43-21-0-4 mark. But Niagara general manager Dave Brown said the IceDogs had an ordinary first half last season, then caught fire after Christmas. "I think last year at the midway point we had 43 points, so we're not that far off where we were last year," Brown said. "We're only off a couple of wins and in some they could have easily gone the other way." Still, Brown admitted the first 34 games have not lived up to expectations. "I think it's been a pretty tough first half," he said. "We really don't know what we've got. We haven't played together too much, so it's hard to read where we are one way or the other. "I'm not overly thrilled with where we are at this point." After such a strong regular season last year, the IceDogs were upset in the first round of the playoffs. That disappointment, coupled with a strong nucleus of returning players, had the club setting their sights quite high this season. "I think our expectations we're higher than that (18-15-0-1), but at the same time, maybe we overrated our team," Brown said. "We're pretty young. I think we're tops in the league for '90s (year of birth) in our lineup." One bright spot for the second half is the expected return of goaltender Lucas Lobsinger, who has yet to play a game after off-season knee surgery. Brown said Lobsinger could get his first start of the season early in 2008, perhaps in one of two home-and-home games with Kingston Jan. 4 in Kingston or Jan. 6 in St. Catharines. With the trading deadline of Jan. 10 looming, Brown says he's received plenty of calls. "We've had calls both ways (buyers and sellers)," he said. "You have to look at every offer as legitimate. When you go to buy, you have to be realistic. You don't want to give up too much for what could be perceived as a push. "In this league, the only way to get good is to draft well. I've yet to see a team get good making 20 good trades." The IceDogs are back in action Dec. 28 in Kitchener. Dollar dogs The IceDogs will feature a hot dog and soft drink for $1 at their next home game, Dec. 30, against Sudbury. The proceeds will be divided between food banks in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. The game will also feature Crazy Claude, a trumpeter who was a fixture at Quebec Nordiques games. According to IceDogs' president Denise Burke, Bob Gale of Gale's Gas Bar, who is a season ticket holder, did the leg work to arrange for Claude to appear.
Posted By Potrecz, Bill
IceDogs at the break
The Niagara IceDogs hit the halfway point of their schedule with an ordinary 18-15-0-1 record and 37 points. That's a long way off the pace of last season when the IceDogs, then playing out of Mississauga, finished with a 43-21-0-4 mark. But Niagara general manager Dave Brown said the IceDogs had an ordinary first half last season, then caught fire after Christmas. "I think last year at the midway point we had 43 points, so we're not that far off where we were last year," Brown said. "We're only off a couple of wins and in some they could have easily gone the other way." Still, Brown admitted the first 34 games have not lived up to expectations. "I think it's been a pretty tough first half," he said. "We really don't know what we've got. We haven't played together too much, so it's hard to read where we are one way or the other. "I'm not overly thrilled with where we are at this point." After such a strong regular season last year, the IceDogs were upset in the first round of the playoffs. That disappointment, coupled with a strong nucleus of returning players, had the club setting their sights quite high this season. "I think our expectations we're higher than that (18-15-0-1), but at the same time, maybe we overrated our team," Brown said. "We're pretty young. I think we're tops in the league for '90s (year of birth) in our lineup." One bright spot for the second half is the expected return of goaltender Lucas Lobsinger, who has yet to play a game after off-season knee surgery. Brown said Lobsinger could get his first start of the season early in 2008, perhaps in one of two home-and-home games with Kingston Jan. 4 in Kingston or Jan. 6 in St. Catharines. With the trading deadline of Jan. 10 looming, Brown says he's received plenty of calls. "We've had calls both ways (buyers and sellers)," he said. "You have to look at every offer as legitimate. When you go to buy, you have to be realistic. You don't want to give up too much for what could be perceived as a push. "In this league, the only way to get good is to draft well. I've yet to see a team get good making 20 good trades." The IceDogs are back in action Dec. 28 in Kitchener. Dollar dogs The IceDogs will feature a hot dog and soft drink for $1 at their next home game, Dec. 30, against Sudbury. The proceeds will be divided between food banks in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. The game will also feature Crazy Claude, a trumpeter who was a fixture at Quebec Nordiques games. According to IceDogs' president Denise Burke, Bob Gale of Gale's Gas Bar, who is a season ticket holder, did the leg work to arrange for Claude to appear.