Guys we have a huge weekend in front of us. Round 1 of the playoffs. When we talk to one another, we look each other right in the eye, because I think it’s tough to lie to your teammates. You can’t tell them you are giving it your all when they know your “baseline” or minimum effort. Now is the time to raise your game to the highest heights you can reach. This is when 100% is not good enough – let alone a 50% effort or 80% effort. Now is the time to let everything out. To leave everything on the ice.

There is no “Next Weekend.” So when the opposing forward is making a line rush and driving into our zone you have to look yourself in the eye and ask “….did you back check hard enough? Did you use every ounce of energy to get back and angle him and separate him from the puck?

You have to ask yourself did you yell:
• NO. YOU WONT GET A SHOT OFF WHEN I AM OUT THERE.
• NO YOU WONT BEAT ME TO THE PUCK.
• NO YOU WON’T WIN LOOSE PUCK BATTLES.
• NO YOU WONT STOP ME FROM BEATING YOU ALONG THE BOARDS OR IN FRONT OF OUR GOALIE OF THEIR GOALIE.
• NO YOU WONT STOP ME FROM SCORING
• NO YOU WONT STOP ME FROM WINNING!

The games this weekend will indeed be a test. Not just of skill. It is a test of desire, heart and intestinal fortitude. It is what makes us Americans. We, as a heritage and a society, build on special fiber never wavered when the odds or might was stacked up against us. We are the most competitive individuals in the world. It is not just that way in our economy. It goes far beyond marketing and sales. Just think of the brave men and women who faced such adversity when outnumbered sometimes by tenfold. Or think of our grandparents who had to endure the Great Depression going without meals and shelter. Did they lay down and die and quit? Hell No!!! They pulled up their bootstraps and made it happen. How and Why? Because LOOSING IS NOT AN OPTION.

This concept is embodied and engrained in our fiber. Well yes boys what we face ahead of us is only a set of games. No it is not life threatening. However, anyone who has ever played for me be it, my Eels or Jr. Sharks or the Cape Cod Jr. Whalers or any team I coached knows, it is not simply hockey we are teaching you. These are life lessons. We use hockey as vehicle. Guys you will soon advance to college whether this year or next and from there to your future profession. But let it forever be known, then, like here and now, you will have learned a valuable lesson: Eels never quit.

Eels will do everything humanly possible in our endeavors to be the best. Sure we may lose a game or series but never will we not lay it all on the line. That is why no Eel is ever a looser! Eels not only skate on ice… for our sport…we also have ice water in our veins. We are known to be the team that always exudes confidence. We play our game with it. We walk into the rink with it. We don’t panic. Why? Because we have been taught so. We prepare harder. We train harder. We believe in our coaches, our teammates and ourselves. We love what we are doing. We love being an Eel. As brothers, we can over come the pain and soreness of our training, practices and games, no doubt. We know without the pain and suffering in each game we wont advance. It is what we thrive on. You can see it in our faces. Every shift and in every game. Guys lets use the next 3 days to prepare like it is the last time you will ever lace them up. Bring everything to the rink. Leave nothing to chance. Today is when it has to happen.

Coach Frank