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Jack McCaffery is the lead sports columnist for the Daily Times and delcotimes.com. He has spent several decades covering everything from the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and Sixers, to college hoops, to high school sports in Delco.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Berube: Changes coming

Craig Berube met with hockey writers before his first game as the Flyers' coach Tuesday night in the Wells Fargo Center.

This was the conversation:


How does the anticipation for coaching compare with playing on a game night?

“Well, as a player, I was young. I was probably a lot more nervous than I am now. I’m an old man now.”

No nerves?

“No, not really. I have been behind the bench a long time, and I think my team is ready to compete and work hard.”

On Mason, Emery

“I’ve seen pretty good goaltending so far. Mason’s got a lot of talent. He’s a young kid. He obviously had the one great year and kind of fell back a little bit. But I think coming in here last year he rebounded and feels pretty confident right now.  He’s got a lot of skill. And Ray Emery has got huge heart, won a Stanley Cup and he is a winner, a good veteran, a great guy to have around. He wins games. Ray Emery wins games. He went 17-1 last year and if you go back to his record in Ottawa and stuff, he wins games.”

Has he considered his goaltending rotation going forward?

“Sure. We all sit down and discuss it and kind of come up with a little game plan.”

Is he a one-goalie guy, or more likely to choose a 50-50 split?

“Well, that’s nice if you have it happen, but we are not there yet. So it will work itself out.”

Will we see any new combinations?

“Yes. Yes, you will.”

Such as?

“Well I juggled a few guys around. Simmonds will be up with Giroux. Voracek will be back with Lecavalier.”

How difficult is it to be installing things with season already started?

“It’s tough. But we worked on it a bit today. It takes time. But I think that they understand what we want to do. There’s always going to be flaws in it until you master it at some point. And then there’s still some flaws. But I am just looking for the execution with the puck, first of all, and without the puck. Play good defense, work hard, compete out there, be a fast team.”

Changes in breakouts?

“Well, I think it’s been a problem for a while, yeah. I mean, that’s definitely a concern.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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