ZC: This is your second year in Wichita, what is your opinion on the city, fans, and arena? And do you have any favorite spots around town?
MR: The city is great very spread out but also love heading out to Andale which where my fiancee's family is from. The fans are the best in the league doesn't matter on what night we play they are always there in full and loud as can be. It's great to play in that kind of atmosphere. The arena is unbelievable I don't even think there are some NHL rinks that are nicer than ours.
ZC: Who influenced you most with your career?
MR: The person who influenced me the most during my career would have to be my dad Randy Robinson he was the one that taught me how to play the game and put me through the schools and take me to the practices and games and put the time in. I hope I could do the same thing he did for me one day.
ZC: Who was your favorite player growing up?
MR: My favorite player growing up was Pavel Bure he was unreal and with him playing in Vancouver is was even better that I got to watch him live. He was so fast and he could score, my whole life I was his number (Number 10) even all the way up pro I was 10 until a couple years ago.
ZC: Do you have any superstitions or rituals?
MR: Probably the only superstition I have is while we are in the dressing room when the clock hits 5 mins before we go out on the ice I shoot the guns been doing it for awhile now. Can't remember when it started or why but just has been working so don't change it if it ain't broke.
ZC: If you weren't playing hockey what would you be doing?
MR: If I wasn't playing hockey I would be working for my dad and later taking over for him as a sales rep for multiple companies that he represents.
ZC: Over your career what has been your most memorable on ice event?
MR: I haven't had a really memorable moment yet in my professional career but I would love to win a championship and I think this year is the best chance I have to win one out of my 6 years pro.
ZC: Last season you were a forty goal scorer, tell me about the season, and what that meant to you?
MR: Last year was the best year stats wise of my career, and the first time I had ever scored 40 goals which is a very tough number to get to thats why it was very special last year. I was lucky to come here because if I stayed in Laredo I wouldn't have got to that number. Mac gave me the chance to play and use my skills and put me with great players like Aaron Davis. I think Davie set me up on 80% of those goals.
ZC: You played the first four seasons of your career in the ECHL, talk to me about the difference between the ECHL and the CHL?
MR: I don't think there is that much of a difference to ECHL and CHL and one of the top teams in our league could easily take on teams there.
ZC: You started out the season last year with Laredo, tell me what it meant to have Coach McClelland trade for you and put you in the spotlight here?
MR: It was great coming here Mac is a great coach and knows what he is doing so when he put me in situations I didn't want to disappoint him so I worked my hardest every chance I got. But like I said before I would have never had a year like I did last year if it wasn't for him.
ZC: What made you decide to play in Wichita again this year?
MR: I came back because I knew we were going to have a good team this year and possibly have a shot at winning a championship this year. I talked to Mac a lot this summer and he was also another one of the main reasons for coming back.
ZC: Do you have anything to say to the fans?
MR: We have great fans on and off the ice and couldn't be happier playing here!
My thanks to Matt for taking the time to answer a few questions.
This weekend the Thunder look to build off a huge 5-0 win against Missouri on Tuesday night. The Thunder controlled play from faceoff until the final horn. Consistency has been a struggle for the Thunder this year, Adam Russo told me "I think consistency is our biggest objective right now. We need everyone, including myself, to be ready to play every night, and go for 60 minutes". They accomplished that feat on Tuesday against a team that has no one in the locker room should need to get excited to play, "We always want to destroy these guys because one, they have taken some liberties on some of our players and two, just because they are a team that there has always been a rivalry with here." added Russo. Destroy was a good word to use, as that's practically what Wichita did for all three periods, capping off the destruction with a Erick Lizon TKO of Missouri new comer David Simoes. Russo did his part between the pipes, stopping several loose puck flurries in front of the net. The shutout came at an opportune time, as Russo's parents were in attendance at the game "it felt awesome to get the zero in front of them. I have a little deal with my grandfather back home about shutouts, so they are always good to get, but to get it in front of my parents, makes it that much better."
The Thunder will have a long couple of days, playing Texas at home tonight and then travelling ten hours to Evansville Indiana. What better way to ring in the new year than on a charter bus coming back from Indiana. Texas has played consistent and close hockey all year, while Evansville has recovered nicely sliding during a five game stretch. In the last ten games the Icemen are 6-3-1 in their last ten, the same ten game record as Wichita. Wichita still needs to improve their special teams. While the power play has improved as of late, the penalty kill has not. With the amount of goals this team puts up, it's hard to fathom how good this team could be with a more consistent power play. It's quite simple math, power play goals for go up and power play goals against go down equals a lot more wins than are already being posted.
Until next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment