He rarely likes to discuss his role on the Chicago Blackhawks, preferring to talk about the team, but just hours before one of his biggest starts of the year, Marty Turco acknowleged his season hasn?t gone as planned.
?Part of this year has been a bit disappointing for myself because I haven?t played the way I know I can or even close to it,? Turco said after practice Friday morning. ?I don?t have any qualms about not playing sometimes when you don?t deserve it, and the position that our team is in, but you always look forward to the next one and work your butt off to be prepared to get back to being who I am.?
Turco has pedestrian numbers this season: 11-10-2 with a 3.06 goals against average and .897 save percentage. He is coming off a win in Columbus and has victories in his last two starts.
?For me, it?s almost about getting closer to being myself and playing the way I?m used to playing,? Turco said. ?Being more aggressive, having some better balance and poise in the net, and fighting for position and working hard to get it.?
Since the lockout ended in 2005, the theory regarding smaller goaltenders is they can?t see the puck as easily because defensemen are less apt to move forwards out from in front of the net due to the new rules. Turco falls into that category.
?It was harder to go to the net,? Turco said of the pre-lockout game. ?You would have to pay a price to do so. Defensemen allowed you to see more shots and now you get screened more by your own guys than you do by the other guys because of just the sheer numbers in front.?
Future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur is famous for wanting his defensemen to let him see pucks instead of going for the block.
?I?m along his lines too,? Turco said. ?It just makes sense in order to control rebounds. If we were fighting for a zero-shot game I could understand it but you?re playing to win.?
What a find it would be for the Hawks, in the second half, if Turco can overcome his early-season issues. He?ll need to be as athletic as he was over his first eight seasons when he ruled the league as a top netminder in Dallas.
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Slappers
# The Vancouver Canucks admit they needed some attitude adjustments coming off their second consecutive playoff loss to the Hawks. So far, they?ve gotten what they were looking for.
?It was important that we do that so we could work on taking the next step, and I think since Day 1 of training camp we?ve been trying to do the right thing and that?s what we?re going to continue to do as the season moves forward,? Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said.
Moving loose-cannon Shane O'Brien and taking the ?C? from Roberto Luongo undoubtedly helped the Canucks move in the right direction.
# Ryan Johnson and Jake Dowell both practiced Friday morning after missing time recently. Dowell will play against the Canucks after blocking a shot with his left ankle against Columbus. He said the long flight to Vancouver didn?t help matters but he?s ready to go.
# Jonathan Toews and his three All-Star teammates will have spent one night in Chicago over 17 days by the time the road trip is over.
?It?s OK,? he said. ?But sometimes you forget what your room number is in your sixth hotel.?
?Part of this year has been a bit disappointing for myself because I haven?t played the way I know I can or even close to it,? Turco said after practice Friday morning. ?I don?t have any qualms about not playing sometimes when you don?t deserve it, and the position that our team is in, but you always look forward to the next one and work your butt off to be prepared to get back to being who I am.?
Turco has pedestrian numbers this season: 11-10-2 with a 3.06 goals against average and .897 save percentage. He is coming off a win in Columbus and has victories in his last two starts.
?For me, it?s almost about getting closer to being myself and playing the way I?m used to playing,? Turco said. ?Being more aggressive, having some better balance and poise in the net, and fighting for position and working hard to get it.?
Since the lockout ended in 2005, the theory regarding smaller goaltenders is they can?t see the puck as easily because defensemen are less apt to move forwards out from in front of the net due to the new rules. Turco falls into that category.
?It was harder to go to the net,? Turco said of the pre-lockout game. ?You would have to pay a price to do so. Defensemen allowed you to see more shots and now you get screened more by your own guys than you do by the other guys because of just the sheer numbers in front.?
Future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur is famous for wanting his defensemen to let him see pucks instead of going for the block.
?I?m along his lines too,? Turco said. ?It just makes sense in order to control rebounds. If we were fighting for a zero-shot game I could understand it but you?re playing to win.?
What a find it would be for the Hawks, in the second half, if Turco can overcome his early-season issues. He?ll need to be as athletic as he was over his first eight seasons when he ruled the league as a top netminder in Dallas.
=======
Slappers
# The Vancouver Canucks admit they needed some attitude adjustments coming off their second consecutive playoff loss to the Hawks. So far, they?ve gotten what they were looking for.
?It was important that we do that so we could work on taking the next step, and I think since Day 1 of training camp we?ve been trying to do the right thing and that?s what we?re going to continue to do as the season moves forward,? Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said.
Moving loose-cannon Shane O'Brien and taking the ?C? from Roberto Luongo undoubtedly helped the Canucks move in the right direction.
# Ryan Johnson and Jake Dowell both practiced Friday morning after missing time recently. Dowell will play against the Canucks after blocking a shot with his left ankle against Columbus. He said the long flight to Vancouver didn?t help matters but he?s ready to go.
# Jonathan Toews and his three All-Star teammates will have spent one night in Chicago over 17 days by the time the road trip is over.
?It?s OK,? he said. ?But sometimes you forget what your room number is in your sixth hotel.?
