DS: Friday the North Stars took to the ice for the anti-bullying campaign that was sweeping the nation. Certainly the team did their part in gaining awareness for the cause. Is it important for you and the North Stars to get involved in things like this, knowing the position the team is in and the platform you have? What did you think of the hot pink sweaters? Almost time to break them out again after a 9-1 victory.
KH: Bullying has become a growing concern all over the world and is undoubtedly happening right here in our community and in our schools. I hope when people have the opportunity to work with our players, hang out with them and meet them that it brings a smile to their day. When I watch these young men compete for love of the game, for each other, for the fans and their families, I am inspired. As a staff we are so fortunate to witness the interaction of these young players in the dressing room, within the community and around families. I hope when people see us play, they know to respect one another, and they can share a laugh with one another.
DS: Both games this weekend drew over 1000 fans, while Saturday’s broke a record with 1,288. I know last week you said the North Stars have the best fans in the SJHL, and that was on full display against Flin Flon. What was the atmosphere like on ice level, knowing how much this city is behind you?
KH: I am always amazed at the beginning of every game, especially this past weekend, when I gaze around the entire rink and see the fans. It's that moment when I'm looking that I appreciate everyone and hope when they leave the Civic Centre, they were inspired and entertained. The atmosphere our fans, volunteers, and players create is simply amazing. It's one of a kind.
DS: Friday the North Stars absolutely exploded for five goals in the first period. If the message coming into the game was to get back to the basics and have fun, it looked like they achieved that goal early on. What was the energy like in the locker room prior to this game? Reed Delainey set the tone with a goal 30 seconds in. Were you expecting your team to come out the way they did?
KH: I think everyone tuned into that game was not expecting the score to end up what it was. When these two teams clash it becomes more than just a score that they compete for. We had a sense long before the day of this game that our guys were going to be ready. I believe when we first captured that sense, it was at their defeat in the Civic Centre earlier in the year. There was no doubt our guys were going to be ready for that game.
DS: Igor Leonenko buried a hat trick before the game was 11 minutes old. He now has 44 goals on the year and is inching towards the North Stars record books. Coming into this season, what was your expectations of him? Just three points behind Travis Mayan, the forward has a legitimate shot of leading the SJHL in points at the end of the campaign.
KH: We always knew there was something special about Igor in the way he played. It hasn't come without challenges and some hard work. Igor has earned everything this season. He has committed himself away from the rink and has stayed focused on his goals. He will be a great pro player in the future. He holds the key to his opportunity and we are fortunate to have had the opportunity to assist him with his development.
DS: The North Stars now have 25 goals in the last four games, adding to the offensive numbers that already sit atop the SJHL. After a sweep of Flin Flon, and hearing some of the things that were being said about the North Stars inability to perform against quality teams, do you think your players will finally get the respect they deserve around the league?
KH: Everyone has an opinion and is free to speak their mind regarding our team. The players in that dressing room respect one another and that's all that matters. We are very focused on being the best we can possibly be, we are focused on the process of earning our goals. The people that support us and believe in us are the people that care about us and are invested in us, those people make a difference, those people are our fans, those people matter.
DS: After the 9-1 win, were you expecting the Bombers to have a big bounce back game Saturday night? How did you limit the time and space of their top line, who were virtually held off the score sheet this weekend?
KH: We knew the Bombers would be fired up for game two of the weekend. We stayed focused on what was important now, and what was going to benefit our success. Davidson, Kanter, Nachtegaele, Fransoo and Wiest were tasked to play against Flin Flon's top line and deserve a ton of credit for the job they did keeping them off the score sheet. Not only did they do that, they scored against that line and showed what determination and focus can achieve.
DS: 237 penalty minutes were dished out over the weekend. A catalyst to this was Layne Young getting mugged in game one in the final frame, and having his teammates stand up for him. What were your thoughts on the bench seeing just five or six players in front of you after all was said and done? In the 9-1 game I'm sure you wanted to get your guys out of trouble as soon as possible.
KH: I simply wanted to get through that game with no one getting foolishly injured. Tempers were soaring, however, under those conditions, I was darn proud of the discipline and togetherness our team displayed. They have each others backs, and they will not let anything come between them, they are a team! They are brothers.
DS: Reed Delainey is a special player there is no doubt about it. His knee-on-knee injury Saturday will most likely sideline him for the next couple of games. What did you see from the hit? Is there any update on the forward?
KH: Reed is one determined young man, he's been in similar situations and from that has developed mental toughness. This setback will only make him tougher. He is already on the track to recovery and returning to the form he was in.
DS: Tyler Fuhr was fantastic this weekend, capping the Bombers series off with 33 saves on 35 shots. What did you see in his game when he was with Estevan to have you bring him in?
KH: Tyler was very good on a very offensive team in Estevan. His ability to play the puck makes it easier for us to get out of our zone with efficiency and speed. He is a player with charisma and self confidence and you need that to be a goaltender in the SJHL. I believe coming to this program was not only special for the North Stars, I think it is special to Tyler as well. If it wasn't, he wouldn't be here.
DS: A home-and-home series with Kindersley caps off a successful season from the North Stars. After a win against Humboldt, they have now clinched first place. Was this always the goal from the beginning? How important are these last few games to tune up the team heading into playoffs?
KH: It is one of a few of the team goals we set after Christmas as we prepared for the final journey into playoffs. Our players have been very focused on achieving these goals and we have put ourselves in a position to achieve them without help from another team. Our players understand what it means to earn something and the price that comes with it. We can't wait for the playoffs to begin, this group is ready and we will utilize these final three games to reinforce what matters most, that's to have fun and enjoy every step of the journey!
