The Florida Eels Elite Stifled Friday Night 8-2

The Eels Elite team takes it on the chin Friday night and it was a t the hands of the Eels. Yes not the Tampa Juniors. The boys did not come out with all cylinders firing and they completely stalled. Give credit where credit was due. The Tampa Juniors executed. And executed they did 8 times. But the Eels are a much better team than what they showed and they contributed to as much of their loss as Tampa. Bottom line all year long they have been one goal that separates the two squads and last night the effort was not present. From the top line down through all others. Some guys kept their focus but it was a loss and you win and loose as a team so 2-3 good performances simply does not do it

To say GM Scarpaci was mad is the understatement of the year. He met with the players today and he and Coach Frankie Scarpaci and Head Coach Alex Sanchez and they analyzed the game shift by shift frame by frame. Goal by goal. The Coaching staff left no stone or puck un turned. What was lacking and wanting was very evident. GM Scarpaci echoed this will not be the case on Sunday. T=Our Hallmark is we back check as hard as we fore-check and that simply was not the case on Friday. We had no urgency in our game. They were indifferent in the forecheck and no sustained pressure. The intensity I demand was not there. The compete level was equally absent. NO WAY SCREAMED GM SCARPACI. He explained, It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.

“We will be a different team out there. No, you won’t simply come down and shoot on my goalie. No, you won’t stop me from shooting on your goalie. No, I won’t forsake stone gap control. No, I won’t be subdued on the the back check. No, I won’t stall on the forecheck and no I won’t be complacent. No I won’t have a neutral complete level. This is our house Our rink and I will set the stage here” This challenge has been issued to all of his players who want to play in the playoffs…..Each player on this Eels team owes it to himself and his teammate to be the best he can be. We ask for 60 minutes. To lay it all on the line. The goal and mission is right there. Win the 1st round of playoffs and head to Boston for Nationals. That is the big prize. But we cannot take the remaining regular season games for granted,

Every player and every team can have an off day. A bad day. It is human. Professional hockey players have off days. In fact one of the greatest coaches in Football said , “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.” –Vince Lombardi.

Folks pleas ejoin us at the Ft Myers Skatium for game time 11:00 am to see the real Florida Eels Elite team show up….GM Frank Scarpaci