Would this Solar Bear Please Step Up? I

Don't just look at it Nick go get it!

Hmm, I've been gone awhile haven't I? Guess with preparations a college student makes to get in those big group projects, 10-page papers, and final exams that were assigned the beginning of the semester; add that with the line of work I am in, helping you adjust to shopping on Thanksgiving instead of Black Friday and shifting my focus of Solar Bear writing to my second gig, Hockey Wilderness (Check it out, it's fascinating, we have wars and stuff amongst ourselves) you can see some cobwebs forming on this site. But now, with a only couple more classes left for finals, and that I'll celebrate breaking my record for years lived yet again on Saturday, here's how my hometown team can blow out my candle for not only that day, but for the rest of the season.

To sum up what I've been posting here, Hockey Wilderness, and tweets I've made this past month is: November sucked! The Solar Bears went 5-8-1 in that month, averaging only two goals while allowing 2.67 GAA, having two separate losing streaks of at least three games, including losing all six meetings with division rival Gwinnett. Why was November such a terrible month for the Solar Bears? Was it the coaching staff? No. Was it the schedule of playing on consecutive nights or 3 out of 4 nighters? Every team has to deal with that, so no. Was it the constant carousel of players coming in and out? Maybe, but no. What's been the common denominator in just about every game so far is lack of players wanting to take the shot. I see it, you see it, opponents see it and feast on it. So what I will do is name three, maybe four players that need to perhaps start using the clutch. They'll each get their own article leading to Friday's game against Ft. Wayne.

Nick Petersen

Where have I heard that name before? Oh yeah, first goal in team history, first player to be recalled, named player of the month, scoring leader of October. Yes, Nick Petersen started on fire, but guess once he was originally called up to Houston, that fire went out almost instantly. On October 27th, Petersen was recalled to the Houston Aeros just to be a body on the bench. Hours later, he was returned to the Solar Bears in time to play against Greenville the very next day. Before then, Petersen had a total of 12 points in 5 games, consisting of 6 goals and 6 assists with 21 shots, including a hat trick. Petersen has only managed to tally 3 goals, 6 assists and has only taken 9 shots in the 14 games he has played in since then. This one is pretty obvious on what needs to be done to correct this problem. Petersen needs to go back to the sniper he was during those 5 games, trying to go on the wraparound or trying to skate through the narrowest of slots is not going to do the offense any good. He needs to finds his spot and be prepare to have the puck come to him ready to yell out "SLAPSHOT BEEOTCH!" Then, and only then will Bob Mills stop saying "this Solar Bear offense could go off at any time now," to "this Solar Bear offense has just exploded with Nick Petersen getting the hat trick." So, I leave for now to work on Part 2 with this:

Would Nick Petersen please step up?