Jr. Blues look to find their winning ways again later tonight (AM Rant)

(PHOTO CREDITS TO: Jeff Coons) Check Him Out.

One weekend after the Jr. Blues huge victory over the Topeka Roadrunners in the final minute of regulation that was fueled by a huge goal from Mike Fazio with 29 seconds remaining, the Jr. Blues proved tonight that good things could possibly be on the way.

Despite the final score ending in a final of 5 to 3 in favor of the visiting Jr. K-Wings from Kalamazoo, the Jr. Blues out hustled and out played their opponents, as well as played with more heart. Springfield outshot Kalamazoo by 17 more shots as they put up 46 compared to the K-Wings only having 29.

The home team had many more chances to score on the visiting goalie, Alex Okicki, but they just couldn't cash in. Their were numerous times that some passes on the five scoreless power-play opportunities that just didn't have enough power on them -- or being it went the opposite way with their being too much power under them. The chances were certainly their, and although when it's coming down to the difference of making the playoffs or not making them, moral victories certainly don't mean a single thing -- but the sign that they got at it like they did is a very good thing to see for such a young squad.

The Jr. Blues fell to the .500 mark at home inside the Nelson Center in the state-capital of Illinois (Springfield) for the first time in two months, as they are now 8-8-1 through 17 games in the first season under new head coach Tony Zawaoswki and assistant coach Mike Janda.

The obvious plan that the new management has is obviously to get better through building up the youth foundation of the team. Coach Zasowski and Janda both won championships while coaching inside the state of California, and right now the team is slowly starting to show impressively large strides of improvement. They certainly know what they are doing and are confident in the plan -- so the Springfield faithful should be confident with it as well, but also be rather patient.

I felt as if the team may be turning the corner following last Saturday night's dramatic win, and this performance despite recieving a lost haven't changed my mind. The team played a good game and has nothing to be ashamed of or putting their heads down about as they are still in the rather learning stages as a team. It isn't easy to adjust as a returning player from the past season to a whole new system and a lot of new comers -- but everybody has handled the situation well. A team that is willing to learn it themselves and play with determination and is fully focused is a hard team to beat, and that is what this team is.

Is this team really beginning to turn the corner? That question has an answer to it that only time will be able to tell us. Tonight's game could be another big step though as the team will hit the road starting next weekend for four games. They travel to Janesville next weekend for two games, then travel to Topeka the following weekend for two on Friday and Saturday night.