In an Exclusive for
LaxPhilly.com, Kevin M. Neibauer caught up with Wings face off specialist ans
transition player, Jeff Reynolds...
KMN-"What was your
injury and are you fully recovered?
JR-"I injured my
ankle against Colorado the first time we played them in February. I rolled my
left ankle. It's still sore however the Wings staff has done nice job in my
recovery and I only had to miss two weeks. Once I got back into the line up, I
actually received a concussion against Toronto. Luckily we had a bye the
following week, so I'm good to go and have been cleared by the staff.
KMN-"How long have
you been with the team?"
JR- This will be more
4th year.
KMN-"Who do you
consider some of the best face-off guys in the league?"
JR-'It would be both of
the Snider brothers. They're quick on the whistle, have great technique and do
a nice job possessing the ball once they have it.'
KMN-"Season winding
down, how big will it be getting Brendan Mundorf back?"
JR-" It's great
having Mundy back in the lineup. He's obviously a great player, but he adds a
different dynamic to the offense. He's extremely tough, quick and very
difficult to defend by yourself, which should bode well for us during the
second half of the season.
KMN-"Max Seibald
and Brodie Merrill, any time frame for their return?"
JR-I can't really speak
for Max, but Brodie has been feeling good and is currently back in the lineup.
Losing both of those guys is tough, but that's a natural part of the game and
we have to learn to react."
JR-"This is an
extremely important weekend for us. It's a tremendous opportunity to get
ourselves back on track and establish some confidence heading into the final
part of the season."
KMN-"Brandon Miller
is having a great season, does that take a lot of pressure off of having to win
the face-offs?"
JR- " Brandon has
been doing a great job, however as a defensive player, it's our responsibility
to make his life easier. Whenever we have the opportunity to get possessions
and get the offense on the field, we want to make sure we capitalize on those
opportunities. The defense has shown moments of brilliance this year, but at
the same time we have struggled during some stretches, if that's the case,
face-off wins prove to be that much more important".
KMN-"The Philly
crowd, What is it like to play in front of them?"
JR-"Playing in front of the Philly fans is
great. They're passionate, excited, and always looking for a good time. We owe
it to them to give them a better home record, so hopefully we can make that
happen this Sunday.”
