Russell targets silverware
Published 30 Dec 2010 15:30
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Ice hockey
SLOUGH Jets head coach Pete Russell is looking for his side to peak at the right time in their bid for silverware.
Last year's EPL play-off champions are there to be shot at this year and with teams taking a more defensive approach it has taken the Jets a while to get into their stride.
However, Russell believes that they can hit the heights in the second half of the campaign and add to the trophy they won in his first year in charge.
"You always want more but we are doing well," he stated.
"We haven't hit our peak yet, if we can peak at the right time like we did last year we will do alright. We were in a similar position last year as we are now.
"We have had a lot of injuries but if we can get that right and get them out on the ice we will do okay.
"We have beaten every team in the league this year so we are a good side.
"It's been hard for the guys to recreate last year personally and as a team. You look at Peterborough who won everything two years ago and they finished sixth last year.
"I think we can still win something, I really believe that.
"Teams are playing differently against us this year, they are being less open against us which shows they respect us and that we are a good side. It's just taken us a while to adapt to that."
Russell thinks that the EPL is even more competitive than what it was last year when teams were taking points off each other and results often went down to the smallest of details or a bit of luck.
"I think it's been tougher again this year, everybody has upped their level," he said.
"We could have taken more points from games than we have but we are sitting in the top four.
"There's not much between the top six, anyone can beat anyone in the league.
"It is hard to come back and replicate what we did last year.
"I think anyone of the top six can win the league.
"The target was to be in the top four and get a good play-off draw, which we are at the moment and we are in the semi-final of the cup."
Russell has tweaked last season's successful team slighted and is happy with the way the new players have settled in.
Lithuanian Darius Pliskauskas leads the scoring charts for the Jets with an impressive 24 goals and 15 assists from 26 games played, followed by Canadian Doug Sheppard with 18 goals and 14 assists from 26 games.
The head coach added: "There's been a few changes, we've brought Ryan Watt back for Scott Spearing because we wanted a bit more spark and skill.
"The imports are doing really well, we knew Pliskauskas would score goals and he is our top scorer, Doug Sheppard is very smart and Jan Krajicek is good on the puck - I'm delighted with all of them."
Next on the agenda for the Jets is a New Year's day (6.30pm f/o) clash with Peterborough Phantoms followed by a trip to the Hive to face the Bracknell Bees on Sunday (6pm f/o).
This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 31 Dec 10
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