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'Terrible' ice causing some concern
David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 13, 2005 12:00 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Picture Suns guard
Steve Nash trying to make a move to the basket on a court sprinkled with pebbles.
That was a telling analogy coming from the Coyotes dressing room Wednesday as the players discussed the sheet of ice they practice and play on during their home games.
Mike Comrie called the surface "terrible."
Brett Hull called it "disgusting." advertisement
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Even coach
Wayne Gretzky acknowledged the ice in the state-of-the-art facility needed some extra TLC.
"We're checking into it," Gretzky said. "We're trying to figure out the best way to rectify the problem. I do know that the guys here that make the ice are doing the best job they can working with the players and the league, and doing everything possible to get it to the best condition it can be in."
Gretzky said the Valley's climate doesn't help the situation.
"I think the problem unfortunately for them is probably the city we live in," Gretzky said. "LA and Anaheim and Dallas and us, because of weather, the heat, it's a little bit tougher to keep the ice at the same sort of pace or level that they have in places like Edmonton and Calgary."
Gretzky said the Coyotes are considering using a water treatment machine that would be installed to the Zambonis and used when they resurface the ice before the game and between periods.
"They're using it in Dallas, and they say it's helping their ice," Gretzky said. "Although, quite honestly, I didn't think their ice was much better than our ice has been in the past."
Goalie
Curtis Joseph echoed recent comments by backup
David LeNeveu,who said he thinks the soft ice at Glendale Arena has contributed, at least in part, to the numerous groin injuries among the Coyotes players.
Goalie
Brian Boucher, like Joseph, injured a groin during a preseason game at Glendale Arena.
"I'm no ice expert, but it's an awful coincidence that it's so hard to push around in there," Joseph said.
Joseph, who won't play tonight but likely will Saturday vs. his former team the Detroit Red Wings, noted that the arena hosted boxing matches the night before the game in which he was injured.
"In these new buildings the ice is covered the day before (a hockey game) a lot of the times," Joseph said. " . . . It's just a fact of life. They have to pay the rent on the new building, you know what I mean?"
Another trade coming?
Petr Nedved also is nursing an injured groin.
The veteran center practiced Wednesday and likely will play tonight for the first time since the season opener.
Defenseman
Derek Morris did not practice Wednesday because of a quadriceps injury. His status for tonight's game won't be determined until after today's morning skate.
Mascot name picked
The name of the team's new mascot is
Howler. The skating coyote will make his debut Saturday.
Tonight's game
Predators at Coyotes
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Glendale Arena.
TV/Radio: FSNAZ/KDUS-AM (1060), KDKB-FM (93.3).
Predators update: Nashville enters tonight's game 3-0-0 with victories over San Jose, Anaheim and Colorado. Right wing Steve Sullivan leads in points (six) and assists (five) through Wednesday's game. Goalie Tomas Vokoun started Wednesday so the Coyotes may see backup Chris Mason in net tonight. Newcomer Paul Kariya scored a goal in his Nashville debut vs. San Jose, and then scored the game-winning goal in a shootout victory over Anaheim. [/font]
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