Coach Ruskowski's Thoughts

And now, here is what Coach Ruskowski had to say on Friday:

On where the Bucks fell short against the Americans: It's really tough to say because I think in the series, the home team had a huge advantage. We went up there and took a game out of there, they came here and took a game out of here early then we won the last two. I think it really was a factor that whoever had the home-ice advantage was going to win the series because two teams were very close. Yes, they outplayed us at times, but we outplayed them at times. It was a tough series. It was a chess match between coaches. They'd change systems, we'd change systems, then when we'd change, they'd come back and counter that. It was just back and forth, back and forth. It was a good series. We needed to win one of those last two games to be effective, and we couldn’t pull it out. Unfortunately, that was the case.

On the season as a whole: It was a successful year, but it was also a disappointment. The disappointing part was wanting to go longer, to go higher in the playoffs, but the thing I was really proud of the guys for the adversity that went through. In training camp, two guys that were going to be on the team, we sent home because of things they did off the ice. We had guys going to Europe, guys quitting because they wanted to stay closer to home, our goalie getting called up and staying up, all the injuries that we had... We were playing with four defenseman and eight or nine forwards, which you shouldn’t ever play with, but we did, and we won. We brought in guys who flew in one day and played that night. That's really unheard of, and we did that more than once, I guarantee you. The adversity that we had to go through, new players we had to bring in here and change, show them the system and teach them the system all over again, I'm sure the guys who were here last year, the last couple years or even the start of the season, they were probably pretty bored because I had to re-teach everything over and over and over again because of new people coming in.

On whether problems from the regular season carried over to the playoffs: I don't think in the playoffs it did. It's momentum, it's the willingness to do what you have to do to be successful. We had guys playing with injuries, there's no question, and I think that hampered some of their ability. But they (the Americans) won 16 more games than us in the regular season. They weren't in second place because they were lucky, they were there because they're very good. I thought we played well, but just not well enough to beat them in a seven-game series. We took a team that had 16 more wins than we did, and we took them seven games, and I’m proud of the guys, they should be pretty proud of that. But I'm hoping next year that we can be the team that’s ahead by 16 games and have the opportunity for home-ice advantage and start winning those ones and go on to the third or fourth round and be competitive, really competitive. Even though we were competitive this year, but more competitive next year. It's going to be a tough summer, but I'll be trying to get players in here to play. We have to change things up. We have to have speed, we have to have skill, and we have to have toughness. That's where it's going now. We have to bring young kids here who are willing to do what they have to do to be successful. There are a lot of things you can't teach - you can't teach speed, and you can't teach skill. You can teach them systems, but you can't teach size, either, so those are the things we are going to look at this summer and try to bring more speed in here, more physical presence. I like the guys hitting, and we didn't hit a whole lot. Again, we had a team that didn't hit a lot, like last year. We want to change that up, to be more physical, so that every time they come into our building, they think, 'Gosh, we have to play Laredo at home tonight. You've got to be kidding me.' That's the kind of sense of urgency that we have to have again to get back to the lead.

On taking the series seven game: Taking them seven games really showed their character. The only thing I was a little disappointed in was how we played the sixth and seventh games. We had an opportunity to, even though we didn't play as well as we should, in the sixth game, all we had to do was win one period. All we had to do was win one period, and we'd beat them, and we let it slip away. I think it affected us the seventh game.

On whether the team put its best effort into the last two games: Some players, yes; some players, no. That's what kind of bothers me, and it's going to bother me all summer. Some players really went above the level of what they had to do, and some didn't reach their potential, and it bothers me a little bit.

On what the team could have done differently during the regular season: Here's the scenario - we had all this, not turmoil, but turnovers and different things happen to us, and we ended up third on our power play and fourth on penalty killing. That's pretty darn good for a bunch of guys that were hurt, battered and whatever. That was pretty good, and I thought that was a huge key for us. Other than that, I don't know what I could have done differently, and what the players could have done differently. Defense is a priority with me, and I think in some games in the playoffs we didn't play a very good defensive game, and I think that kind of hurt us. But then you're playing against guys who are just really talented, too. I think the majority of the guys played hard, and there were a couple who didn't meet their potential.

On who impressed him this season: I look at my goaltenders, and (Kevin) Desfosses came in here and was hot and played great for us. But he kind of cooled off a little bit, and then (Pier-Olivier) Pelletier came in and played pretty well, too. I was really fortunate and blessed, and the good Lord blessed me with goalies who came in here and played really well and hot. Obviously, JP Levasseur, when he was here, he did a tremendous job for us, also. Then in the playoffs, Pelletier played great, and you look at the numbers and you look at (Todd) Griffith, he almost scored a goal a game, which is good, and some of our defense stood up and did a pretty good job. I don't want to segregate the other players from the guys that obviously did unbelievable in the playoffs, but they all participated and some did a little better than the others.

On the Americans' postseason potential: The other lines have got to participate. They have (Bruce) Graham's line that is so talented, and they work so well with each other, but it's the other lines that are going to have to come up and be accounted for. Before the last game, they scored 17 or 18 goals, that line and that defensive corps that plays with them scored 12 of their goals. We knew that, but we just couldn't seem to stop them. If they're going to go on to the finals or win, they have to have better participation from the other lines, for them to score and obviously play good defensive hockey, too.

On his pick to win it all: You're talking the four top teams point-wise that are in it. I haven't seen Shreveport play, but they have to be playing pretty well to beat Colorado four in a row. Rapid City has got a very strong team, a veteran team, a very good team. Odessa is the No. 1 team overall. Allen, obviously, is a good team. I don't know if I can predict one, I really don't. I'd like to see the first game live on both of them, then I'd have a better idea, but all four of them are capable of winning.

On whether the returning core of players will be back next season: That's why I'm having the interviews with all the players to see where their interests are. They may retire, they may want to go somewhere else; I can't predict that, I just want to make sure I get a feeling of where they're going to be and contact them in the summer time. If they're interested in coming back, and I feel that they're going to improve my team or be a solid participant on my team, we'll discuss a contract. Other than that, then we'll just part ways.

On new players who are a priority to bring back: There are some guys I'd be interested in calling back and talking to them and see if they're in a place to come back and some guys, if they've improved, if they want to come back to play. But it's interesting. I'll have a better idea of it after I talk to everyone and see where we're at.

On what he wants to bring into training camp next season: It's just like every other year, I try to get captains, assistant captains, because they're leaders on their teams. They know how to win, you know they have character. Other than that, I want speed, I want guys who have skill, good hands, who can score. And if I can get a guy who's tough who can do that, obviously I'll bring as many of those as I can. Those are the priorities. Defense that have good size, that can skate well, move the puck really well, defensively they'll be strong, but also when they get the puck, they'll make that first pass to the forwards or bring the puck up themselves. Those are priorities. Good teams that are successful, they have that.

On the team's goals for next season: Our goals are to try to get as high as we can, try to make first place and try to bring in kids that are good, try to get some older guys that will teach them and blend in with the young kids and play as a team. We can't have individuals, we have to have a team effort. It's all in who's coming in, if they want to come in here, and how they want to play.