Slide continues for Trax

Slide continues for Trax

By Phillip Ramati Telegraph Staff Writer With the second half of the season starting this week, Macon was looking for a fast start out of the gate. Instead, the Trax stumbled. Playing a critical two-game set against Miami, the Trax dropped Thursday's game to the Manatees 4-1, falling to 0-3-3 over the team's last six games. "(Miami) outclassed us, that's for sure," Trax coach Tommy Stewart said. "My goaltending has been terrific, my role players have been terrific. But our leaders who are supposed to carry the club didn't come to play." The schedule hasn't benefitted the Trax (13-13-5). After playing three games in three nights last weekend, three Macon players - David Deeves, Steve Zoryk and Art Mnatsakanov - had to go to Jacksonville Tuesday for the WHA2 All-Star game. The Trax then lost in Orlando 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday before coming back into town at 5 a.m. for Thursday's game. Macon hosts Miami (18-10-3) again tonight, and Alabama on Saturday. The schedule doesn't get any easier after that. After Macon's home game against Lakeland on Tuesday, it spends the next 10 games on the road before returning home Feb. 29. "You can blame it on a lot of things," Stewart said. "We have six games in eight nights. But that's hockey; you just deal with it. Those guys who went to the all-star game had six games in five nights." Said forward Ryan Rivard: "The guys are trying to get their legs going, but (Miami) is a good team. We've got to play good defensive hockey, and tonight, we didn't give (goaltender Geoff Faulkner) a lot of support. With the Trax trailing both Miami and Alabama for the last playoff spot, this weekend's games provided Macon a golden opportunity to shave off some of the six-point deficit in the standings. But it was the Manatees who found their hockey legs at the right time. David Deeves gave Macon a 1-0 lead on a rebound with 7:56 left in the first, but that would be the lone Trax highlight for the rest of the night. Tom Perry responded with his own rebound goal against Faulkner that tied the score just three minutes later, and the Manatees took the lead for good with 41.9 seconds left in the period when Greg LeColst made a perfect feed to Kevin Swider, who came across the weakside to make it 2-1. After a scoreless second period, Miami got insurance goals from Josh Liebenow and Zdnek Banc early in the third to put it out of reach. The Manatees' defense was strong in front of goalie Sean Weaver all night as Miami outshot Macon 45-24, including holding the Trax to just four shots in the third and none on Macon's lone power play in the period. "We wanted to stay working through the whole game," Miami coach Zac Boyer said. "We just worked all night and found a way to win. ... We just want to play solid 'D,' do the little things, especially in our own zone." � TRAX NOTES: Tonight is "Army Night." Anyone with a valid Army ID card will get tickets for $5. On Saturday, the Trax will have "Guaranteed Win Night." If Macon doesn't beat Alabama, all fans in attendance will receive free tickets to Tuesday's game against Lakeland. The Trax players will be at the AmStar Cinemas at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 to sign autographs before the 7 p.m. showing of the movie "Miracle," about the U.S. hockey victory over the Soviet Union during the 1980 Winter Olympics. Web posted on Jan. 30, 2004		Home News Schedule Photos Links Message Board Email: [email protected] This article is copyright 2004 by the Macon Telegraph and is used for informational purposes only.

By Phillip Ramati
Telegraph Staff Writer

With the second half of the season starting this week, Macon was looking for a fast start out of the gate.

Instead, the Trax stumbled.

Playing a critical two-game set against Miami, the Trax dropped Thursday's game to the Manatees 4-1, falling to 0-3-3 over the team's last six games.

"(Miami) outclassed us, that's for sure," Trax coach Tommy Stewart said. "My goaltending has been terrific, my role players have been terrific. But our leaders who are supposed to carry the club didn't come to play."

The schedule hasn't benefitted the Trax (13-13-5). After playing three games in three nights last weekend, three Macon players - David Deeves, Steve Zoryk and Art Mnatsakanov - had to go to Jacksonville Tuesday for the WHA2 All-Star game. The Trax then lost in Orlando 3-2 in a shootout on Wednesday before coming back into town at 5 a.m. for Thursday's game. Macon hosts Miami (18-10-3) again tonight, and Alabama on Saturday.

The schedule doesn't get any easier after that. After Macon's home game against Lakeland on Tuesday, it spends the next 10 games on the road before returning home Feb. 29.

"You can blame it on a lot of things," Stewart said. "We have six games in eight nights. But that's hockey; you just deal with it. Those guys who went to the all-star game had six games in five nights."

Said forward Ryan Rivard: "The guys are trying to get their legs going, but (Miami) is a good team. We've got to play good defensive hockey, and tonight, we didn't give (goaltender Geoff Faulkner) a lot of support.

With the Trax trailing both Miami and Alabama for the last playoff spot, this weekend's games provided Macon a golden opportunity to shave off some of the six-point deficit in the standings.

But it was the Manatees who found their hockey legs at the right time.

David Deeves gave Macon a 1-0 lead on a rebound with 7:56 left in the first, but that would be the lone Trax highlight for the rest of the night.

Tom Perry responded with his own rebound goal against Faulkner that tied the score just three minutes later, and the Manatees took the lead for good with 41.9 seconds left in the period when Greg LeColst made a perfect feed to Kevin Swider, who came across the weakside to make it 2-1.

After a scoreless second period, Miami got insurance goals from Josh Liebenow and Zdnek Banc early in the third to put it out of reach.

The Manatees' defense was strong in front of goalie Sean Weaver all night as Miami outshot Macon 45-24, including holding the Trax to just four shots in the third and none on Macon's lone power play in the period.

"We wanted to stay working through the whole game," Miami coach Zac Boyer said. "We just worked all night and found a way to win. ... We just want to play solid 'D,' do the little things, especially in our own zone."

� TRAX NOTES: Tonight is "Army Night." Anyone with a valid Army ID card will get tickets for $5.

On Saturday, the Trax will have "Guaranteed Win Night." If Macon doesn't beat Alabama, all fans in attendance will receive free tickets to Tuesday's game against Lakeland.

The Trax players will be at the AmStar Cinemas at 6 p.m. on Feb. 10 to sign autographs before the 7 p.m. showing of the movie "Miracle," about the U.S. hockey victory over the Soviet Union during the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Web posted on Jan. 30, 2004

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