NEVADA REPORT Golden Knights exceeding goals, UNLV on track for strong run in not playing like expansion team second half of ACHA D-I season By Matt Mackinder
By Matt Mackinder
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ust 20 games into their inaugural NHL season, the Vegas Golden Knights hardly looked like an expansion franchise. And this was after having used five goaltenders, including 19-year-old Dylan Ferguson, who was summoned from the Western Hockey League on an emergency basis. Still, Golden Knights GM George McPhee knows the hard work must continue to get more desired results. “We wanted to be really competitive and we want to be a playoff team,” McPhee told vegasgoldenknights.com. “We’re going to do everything we can to remain a playoff team. There are some truths to those statistics. We certainly like where we are right now, but we’d also like to continue to improve.” McPhee won’t use the goalie situation as an excuse after losses. “There’s no excuses that we’re ever going to come up with,” McPhee said. “(Vegas head coach) Gerard (Gallant) has done a terrific job of having this team ready to play every night. If our team is playing the game that we can play, we’re going to protect the goaltenders and we’re going to have a chance to win. Doesn’t matter who’s in net. If you’re not protecting them, it’s hard to win. Gerard has done a terrific job in the way we play and how hard these guys play every night. The goaltenders have been there for us.” Prior to the season, McPhee assembled a roster that he hoped would be competitive, but to play as well as the Golden Knights have has been a bonus. “We did our very best and put this team together,” McPhee said. “In the very first game, we were completely outplayed. ‘Flower’ (goalie Marc-Andre Fleury) had a terrific game for us and kept us in long enough to win a game. We got some momentum and we’ve started to gel, but we still go day to day in this business. I don’t know what’s going to happen any particular night. I don’t know if we’re going to win 5-1 or lose 5-1. It’s nice coming to the rink knowing that you’ve got a team that’s going to compete and you have a chance to win.”
or UNLV, making the move this season to the ACHA Division I ranks has meant increased competition and increased preparation. The Rebels have not missed a beat in adjusting nicely to new opponents and new road rinks. “I like that we’re progressing up,” said UNLV head coach Anthony Vignieri-Greener. “We’re continuing to get better every day and we’re moving in the right direction. Guys are stepping up at the right times and new guys are stepping right in. Things are definitely trending in the right way and we’re just keeping our focus on getting better every day.” Vignieri-Greener said that the chemistry between new players and returning players is “getting there, a work in progress.” “Last year was a little bumpy in the beginning and the same can be said for this year,” said Vignieri-Greener. “Our program is unique in making the jump (to ACHA D-I) and we had to bring in 19 new faces this year. It’s kind of unusual to have that many freshmen walk through the door and have them outnumber the upperclassmen. We have zero seniors on our team and just three juniors, so kind of in a weird spot, but we’re gelling together, both on and off the ice.” Forward Joe Kaszupski is a player that Vignieri-Greener calls “the best player I have ever coached.” “How he works on the ice, off the ice, in school – the kid is just phenomenal,” Vignieri-Greener added. “I’ve only had him here three months, but I’ve known him a long time. If I would have known what he could bring to our team, I would have begged him to come sooner.” Adding to the team’s depth, all four goalies – Ben Giesbrecht, Alex Feese, Erik Eidissen and Mike McDaniel – have at least one win this year. Overall, the Rebels don’t talk about the Oct. 1 shooting that seriously injured assistant coach Nick Robone, but Vignieri-Greener said that Robone “is back to normal, can’t skate yet, but he’s doing everything he should be doing.”
FROM THE TRAINER’S ROOM Looking at high ankle sprains – common injuries, easy to treat A
nkle sprains are the most common injury seen in sports. Typically, the ligaments on the lateral or outside part of the ankle are affected. In hockey, the stiffness of the skate helps protect these ligaments, but the force can be translated up above the ankle joint, resulting in a high ankle sprain. The tibiofibular ligament and interosseous membrane hold the two shin bones together and are located Chris Phillips above the ankle joint. These two structures are at a higher risk of injury in the hockey player. The injury can occur when the skate rotates outwards and force is placed on the outside of the ankle, pushing the ankle into external rotation. The mechanism of the injury usually involves the boards where an athlete collides with an opponent’s skate, forcing the ankle into the boards or falling and sliding feet first into the boards. High ankle sprains can be very painful, but rarely result in any instability or require surgery. Recovery time can be anywhere from 2-8 weeks. The athlete should remain either non-weightbearing or in a walking boot until they can walk normally and without pain. Proper rehab should include range of motion exercises, manual resistance exercises, weight bearing strength and stability exercises and impact/jumping exercises prior to returning to the ice. When returning to skating, start with flow drills and progress to starts and stops and transitions. During the return, an athlete may experience short spurts of pain with certain movements. This is normal, and should dissipate over time. If these do not dissipate and improve, continue with rehab.
Chris Phillips is a certified athletic trainer and strength and conditioning specialist who spent eight years in the NHL. He currently owns and operates Compete Sports Performance and Rehab in Orange County. CARubberHockey.com
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