With just four games into the 2014-15 Innisfail Eagles' Chinook Hockey League (CHL) season, head coach Brian Sutter already sees a lot of positives.
With just four games into the 2014-15 Innisfail Eagles' Chinook Hockey League (CHL) season, head coach Brian Sutter already sees a lot of positives.
The Eagles sit in the middle of the CHL pack sporting a 2-win, 2-loss record with the unbeaten Bentley Generals atop the heap with five wins.
"Early in the season is when you find out how your guys react to adversity, how they come back if the team is down, and how they deal with a lead in a game," said Sutter. "During our 7-1 loss to the Generals, the game was close but we took a penalty, lost a player and we ended up losing."
Sutter noted he looks at hockey games as either a win or a loss whether it was a blowout or a close game.
"It doesn't matter to me if you win or lose. You have to look for a reason to succeed," said Sutter. "We have played short-handed games, that's a fact. We have played tired against a team with fresh legs after a game the previous night. You have to find a way to win, no matter who you are facing. We are always looking for guys who can do that."
He added he is always talking to players who want to play with the Eagles, and noted that all of the team can't show up every night due to work or other commitments.
"There are lots of factors that we face in a game and we can't beat ourselves up if we lose," said Sutter. "If we win, we can't take the other team for granted either. We should always prepare for a tough game."
With the Eagles' next contest coming up against the Okotoks Drillers on Nov. 8, Sutter and his team looked forward to playing the Drillers.
"We will prepare for the Drillers the same way we would for the Generals," said Sutter of last weekend's game. "We've had a few days off so we will have to shake the rust off during practice. This league is tough and you have to be ready to play every night."
Information on the Innisfail Eagles can be found at www.innisfaileagles.com.
