LAVAL | The Rocket came home from the weekend with two losses in as many road trips and no one was happy.
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After Saturday’s 5-0 defeat at Syracuse, the sixth in seven games, head coach Jean-François Houle promised difficult training sessions and set the tone with great intensity on Monday morning.
“I enjoyed this morning’s training, which was a lot more difficult than the others we’ve had before. “We want to make sure we do things the right way and we want the intensity to pick up a little bit because we didn’t enjoy our weekend,” Houle insisted.
“At the start of the year we said it was going to be a rock ‘n’ roll start to the season, we knew what to expect with the decision to do a youth turn,” added Houle, who continued from Patience speaks volumes at the start of the season.
“[Ça prendra] The time it takes for each player to develop properly is a development league. Yes, we want to win, but every player is different. Some develop faster, others less.
“But it’s difficult to develop properly when you’re losing games. It’s a lot easier in a winning environment and we’ll try to turn things around.”
Tobie Paquette-Bisson believes the weekend’s games were a slap in the face to shake up the team. Photo Martin Chevalier
Too comfortable
Even after Saturday’s game, veteran defenseman Tobie Paquette-Bisson said too many players were comfortable and confident of their ice time.
“I agree with Tobie,” Houle replied immediately. It is important that every player has responsibility, whether they are selected in the first or second round or have an American League contract.”
Paquette-Bisson didn’t target a specific player, but he still explained his thoughts on Monday.
“We were talking about it this morning among the defenders and there were people who said that you just have a presence where you are less intense and the other team scores. But that’s exactly what the American League is, it’s merciless.
“I was there, played in the East Coast League, had to make a name for myself and as a rookie sometimes you need a slap in the face. “It’s better that it happens in October than right before the playoffs.”
Easy to recognize
It is paradoxical to talk about players feeling too comfortable in a very young team. It is a phenomenon that is more likely to be observed in a team made up of many veterans.
“Young people still have a lot to learn about professional ice hockey. “A lot of people are surprised by the caliber of the American League,” Houle agrees.
The Rocket have yet to score a point in three games on opposing ice, and Brandon Gignac, a young veteran, has a way of explaining it.
“We are easy to tolerate and we have to change that. We have a lot of talent in the team and it’s a matter of time before it works. We don’t want excuses, we have talent and we just have to make it click. Today’s training was a wake-up call and I think everything will go well this week.”
This is to be hoped as the team will play three games over four evenings at Place Belle. It will host the Utica Comets on Wednesday and the Toronto Marlies on Friday and Saturday.