Shreveport lost No. 1 goaltender James Durham to the USHL. Head coach Karlis Zirnis talked about his division-leading team will cope in the second half of the season. Roy Lang III
Shreveport Mudbugs head coach Karlis Zirnis rarely talks about the long term, and believes his team’s success can be attributed to a narrow focus – a mantra long embraced by the organization.
It would be easy for the Mudbugs to look ahead. They own the league’s second-best record (27-6-5, 59 points) and an 11-point lead on Odessa in the South Division. Shreveport will play 16 of its final 22 games at home, including a pair against Amarillo (Friday and Saturday 7:11 p.m.).
There is plenty of reason for everyone in the second-year North American Hockey League franchise to dream about competing for a Roberson Cup championship.
However, Scott Muscutt, the team’s general manager and former head coach – during the professional Central Hockey League days -- has certainly rubbed off on Zirnis, who played for Shreveport from 2006-08.
During Tuesday’s media session, Zirnis explained how he balances long- and short-term goals with his team.
“Musky used to say, ‘How you do eat an elephant? One small bite at a time,’” Zirnis said. “We’re trying to get better every day. We want to put back-to-back practices together, back-to-back drills together.”
More: Castor eager to help Mudbugs recover from loss of top goaltender
In addition to strengthening their grip on the South Division, the Mudbugs will aim to keep an impressive streak afloat when they face Amarillo (14-15-7) on George’s Pond at Hirsch Coliseum.
Four months into the season, Shreveport has yet to lose two straight games in regulation (the Mudbugs fell 1-0 at Corpus Christi on Saturday).
Shreveport is 8-1-1 following a loss this season, and has outscored its opponents 34-17 in those games.
Although Zirnis is a native of Latvia, he appreciates this portion of the sports calendar – for hockey and American football.
“I admire the Patriots’ consistency … they just keep working,” said Zirnis, a big fan of the message and delivery of New England’s head coach, Bill Belichick.
Mudbugs forward Cole Quisenberry isn’t a huge football fan, but he’ll flip on the TV in crunch time.
“The fourth quarter is most exciting,” he said. “It’s when the quarterbacks’ true character comes out.”
Cole Quisenberry is a relative of a late Kansas City Royals pitcher. Roy Lang III
The Mudbugs split a pair of South Division affairs at Corpus Christi last weekend, but the mood of several players turned sour Sunday night when the Philadelphia Eagles pummeled the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game.
“We had quite a few Minnesota guys in the locker room disappointed,” Zirnis said.
Picks for next week’s Super Bowl were unanimous among the Mudbugs at Tuesday’s media lunch.
“Oh, the Patriots … Tom Brady,” Zirnis said.
Said Quisenberry: “I’d love to see the Pats do it again.”
With more than two months before the close of the regular season, this is no time for the Mudbugs to change their focus.
“You have to keep grinding,” Zirnis said. “Some days you’re going to wake up feeling great and those days are easy to go through. The days that are tougher, they show your character and how much you want to be elite.
“You have to work to keep the game simple – take one small bite at a time.”
Jaxon Castor was signed by the Shreveport Mudbugs last week. The Phoenix native is ready to experience life in teal and purple. Roy Lang III
Twitter: @RoyLangIII
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