Latest / Inside Cyclones Hockey / Gavan Norton Joins The Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast

Transcript

Gavan Norton Joins The Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast · Inside Cyclones Hockey

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Sure Dry is proud to back the Wasa Cyclones this season.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Just like a strong defense keeps the puck out of the net, we keep water out of your basement, protect your foundation, and level your concrete.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: If your home has structural or moisture problems, you might be tempted to put off repairing them, thinking they'll just go away.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the thing: your home's problems won't get better with time, but they will get better with us.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Call 715-SureTry.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_01: This episode of the Wasa Cyclones Podcast is brought to you by AA Seamless.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: For over 18 years, AA Seamless has been protecting homes and businesses across central and northern Wisconsin with expert installation of gutters, roofing, siding, and more.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Family-owned, fully licensed, and insured, they take pride in delivering quality craftsmanship and dependable service.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: Whether it's keeping your home dry, adding curb appeal, or protecting your investment, AA Seamless will do the work for you.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: Visit aaseeamless.com to learn more and schedule your free estimate today.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: Enjoy the excitement of Cyclones hockey in the Bushlight Clone Zone.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_01: Your ticket in the Clone Zone includes a limited edition Bushlight Clone Zone beer mug and complimentary Bushlight and Mikelob Ultra from doors opening through ten minutes remaining in the third period.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: Complimentary snacks include assortments of pub mix, pretzels, and chips.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Ice level seating with pub tables and general admission bar height chairs with an excellent view of all the action.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: Visit wasacyclones.com slash bushlight clone zone to learn more today.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to the Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast, everybody.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: Cause now we've got an unbelievable interview for this segment of the podcast.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: A first year goaltender with the Wassa Cyclones out of West Fargo, North Dakota.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: In five games played, he's currently got two wins, a 334 goals against average, and an 886 save percentage.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: Pleased to welcome Gavin Norton to the Inside Cyclones Hockey Podcast.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_01: Gavin, thank you for joining me, man.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: How are you?
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_01: It's great to have you on the pod.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: I'm good, doing good.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: You're the first goalie interview of the season, and these are my uh these are some of my favorite interviews to do.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, because there's only you know a handful of you guys, all the all the forwards and D-men, you know, they're all they're all kind of doing the same thing, and there's tons of them.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: There's, you know, just something about the goalie interviews feels feels a little more unique.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: So uh yeah, happy to have you and uh thanks for joining us.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: Uh before we uh before we dive into all the nitty-gritty about just the cyclone of the team, kind of where where everybody's at, um, just kind of wanted to turn it over to you to give uh give you the opportunity to kind of tell us a little bit about yourself.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, I you know, I mentioned it you're from West Fargo, North Dakota, but just you know what your kind of hockey background is, uh, and yeah, just anything you want the listeners to know that's kind of led you to this point in time with uh with uh the Cyclones.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so uh I played uh we'll just start in high school, played three years of varsity high school, um, had a lot of fun there and figured I wanted to play some junior hockey.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: Got tendered to uh Mason City, Iowa.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_02: They're now the Bulls.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um was unfortunately traded to um Yellowstone and then traded again to Atlanta.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_02: I was all over the place last year, and then um ended the season in Atlanta.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_02: Uh my advisor got a hold of um the coaches here and at the Cyclones, and they were very interested in getting me here, and basically that's where it's how it all went.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: That's awesome, man.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm sure it's uh I'm sure it's super nice to, you know, at least right now, have a little more of a sense of consistency, having bounced around, been on a handful of teams in the three last year.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_01: Um I definitely want to get into that uh in a little bit here, but um before we before we dive more into the current kind of status of you know your junior's career and all that stuff, you you obviously had to have picked up hockey at some point for you to be taking it this seriously right now.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and I always just love hearing the stories of when guys got you know skates laced up for the first time, when they had a stick in their hands.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: So, how did how did playing hockey start for you?
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: When did you, you know, take the ice for the first time?
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_01: How were you introduced to the sport?
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and you know, what what was kind of the process like for you getting into uh getting into playing hockey?
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so um I started hockey around like five years old, and um I just played all of my youth years and um it's kind of just everything I've known from this point on.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's just been my whole life, and I love the sport to death.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I don't know, just that urge of winning games and you know, getting the points to some championship winning championships, like everyone loves that.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: Like, that's just kind of what's keeping me going, and um just not letting the dream die, you know.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_02: You can't do this when you're 40.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh very few people can do it, can do it when they're that old.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, some there's some old NHLers in the league still, and then there's of course, you know, beer league and stuff like that.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_01: But at this competitive of a level, I mean, this is you know, like you said, this is the prime time to be doing it, which is um, you know, it's cool that you recognize that, and you're obviously making the most of it considering this is your uh, you know, your second year taking uh junior hockey seriously, and your first year with the Cyclones as well.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um have you always been a goalie or when did you end up in goalie pads for the first time?
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: What's kind of the story behind you becoming a net minder in hockey?
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_01: Because I feel like I always hear all sorts of fun different stories of you know, sometimes uh at that first starting phase, five, six years old, whatever it is, you just you know, you have some parents that you know throw throw you in goalie pads, or you know, there's always those fun little niche stories where it's like, oh, you know, my you know, my pee-wee team needed a goalie one day, and the rest is history.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: So I've always I always like to know how how goalies ended up as a goalie.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um so what's your what's your goalie story?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so my goalie story is um basically mites.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_02: I just really liked it.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_02: I really enjoyed stopping the puck and um just kind of being that that guy who like people like you just stopped the puck, you know, or I don't know.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_02: I got some type of joy out of that.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: And squirts, I was like, hey parents, I just wanna I wanna try it in squirts.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_02: And um, I wasn't very good, obviously in squirts as my first year as a goalie.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I played a little bit of player and squirt or goalie, a little bit of player and goalie.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um we switched, there's two goalies on the team, so if I wasn't playing, I was playing player, you know?
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, I just I don't know, I just one random day, I was just like, yeah, I want to I want to play goalie.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, that's awesome.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: I I mean it's such a it's such a unique position, obviously, in so many different ways.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: Because I mean, like I mentioned, you have you know 12 forwards, six D-men, but you only have one goalie that you're rolling during the game, you know, obviously there's a backup, so you maybe see two in the same game, but like it's it's a lot harder of a position to come by.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's always it's always interesting to hear, you know, kind of hear those stories and hear how people wound up in uh in that position.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: So um, so that's awesome.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um okay, so now kind of getting into a little more of you know where you're at now with your hockey career, playing juniors and such.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, we talked about you're from North Dakota, played high school hockey, excuse me, and you're already, you know, take obviously taking it seriously.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: You want this to be something that you do um for a while.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: So kind of wanted to talk to you a little bit about last season.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: What were the emotions like kind of rolling through the weeks and months of the year where you don't really have a sense of consistency and a sense of comfort?
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: Because you're, you know, you're being moved around so much.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: To be honest, you know, I haven't covered and been paying close attention to the NA3 as much as I have been like over the last year.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: So over the last year is kind of all the exposure that I have.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I haven't seen anybody move as much, especially across the distance that you did.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and so that has to be both physically and mentally tolling.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: So just you know, what what were kind of the what were kind of the thoughts and the emotions like going through those phases of like bouncing between all sorts of different teams and not necessarily having um a ton of consistency?
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so um basically like uh Mason City, I had I only had one game there.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um I played a pretty good game.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_02: Uh only let three goals in.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um had a nine-two, something like that, if I remember right, off the top of my head.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_02: And um goalie.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: Nine two one goal.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: There's an all-goalie came.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_02: We had four goalies on the team at that time, so one of us had to go, and they thought I was the guy.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_02: So um fortunately, I went home after like two months being there, uh, lost a lot of confidence.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, just you know, you're you're the fourth guy in their eyes, you know.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_02: So um yeah, just lost a lot of confidence, but you know, wanted to play still.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_02: So uh I was looking around, found Yellowstone, and um had one decent game there.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um then I had a really bad game, my second game.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_02: Let two goals in and two shots.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: There were two uh breakaway goals.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um so not a ton I can do, probably stuff I could have done.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but the coach didn't trust to play me anymore, and um he sent me home after three weeks.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: And so then I got a call from Atlanta like when I was packing up my stuff from the billet house, and um they were struggling that year, and they needed somebody to come in and went to Atlanta, won them their first game um as my first game there too.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: So that was pretty fun.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um and yeah, it was just I don't know, it was a lot of confidence roller coaster and um just a mental roller coaster, like just kind of sucked.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_02: But you never knew when your the coach is gonna call you in the office and tell you you're going home, you know?
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, definitely.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I can only I can only imagine what that experience was like, you know, what it was like going through, you know, two different teams that you kind of start out with and you really don't get given a fair chance, if you ask me.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: It's a small sample size.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're there for such a short amount of time.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, it's cool that you're able to get a call from Atlanta.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, sometimes you know, a team that's maybe struggling a little bit, you know, needs somebody that is sort of looking for their position in that short term to come in and help out.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: And so it feels like it feels like it was something that worked really well for both parties because you know you're able to you you end up going into Atlanta and getting um seven games played and two wins, which is um which is awesome.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: And uh it seems like you know, also one of those things where it's like everything happens for a reason.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_01: And like if you didn't have those small but notable experiences in Yellowstone and Mason City, it wouldn't have uh it wouldn't have given you the the reassurance that you knew that you were someone that could go in and help you know Atlanta get some wins and you know help them get back on on their stride.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and then this you know segues into what we're gonna talk about next year.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, that also sets you up to be able to get yourself into a position where you know you can get in touch with Wassa and you can end up playing for the Cyclones, which is a which is a great organization and and you know a team that has uh a lot of a lot of success over the last few years.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: Are you dealing with a plumbing emergency, leaky faucet, clog drain, or a faulty water heater?
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_01: Locally owned River Valley Plumbing in Wassa has you covered.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: Our skilled technicians provide fast, dependable service for all your plumbing needs, big or small.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: We're committed to quality and customer care because at River Valley Plumbing we treat our customers like family.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: Call 715-577-8573 NOW or visit Rivervalleyplumbing.com for service you can count on.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: Better begins by listening to each other.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: Better begins at Aspirus Health.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: Health, healing, happiness.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: At Aspirus Health, we know the best healing begins by first listening carefully.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_01: To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-847-4704 or visit aspirus.org.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_01: Whether you're a job seeker, ready for your next career adventure, or a business, looking for the right team to help you grow, Nicolette Staffing is here to help.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: As a StaffWorks group company, Nicolette Staffing has locations throughout Wisconsin, including Wasa, Wisconsin Dells, Green Bay, Ladysmith Medford, Wisconsin Rapids, and Rhinelander.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: With access to resources beyond traditional hiring platforms and a strong commitment to the communities we serve, Nicolette Staffing connects local businesses with quality candidates while helping job seekers find opportunities that are the right fit.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: From skilled trades and commercial staffing to professional and technical positions, Nicolette Staffing is ready to help you with your hiring needs.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: Learn more and visit NicoletStaffing.com today.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: That's N-I-C-O-L-E-T, S-T-A-F-F-I-N-G dot com.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: Nicolette Staffing.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_01: Quality people, superior service, better results.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: Don't let life send you to the penalty box.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: Rural Mutual Insurance Agent Shane Cornier can help protect your home, auto, farm, and business.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_01: Make the power plate with coverage built for Wisconsin.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: Call 715-842-0886.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, for sure.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I just I got to see a lot of the country and um Yeah, that's a plus, I guess.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_02: It was it was fun, you know.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_02: Yellowstone's really beautiful, and um Atlanta I've never seen that really, that that side of the country, so that was pretty fun to see.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: And um yeah, it was just mental roller coaster and yeah, absolutely.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: Uh all right, so so segueing that into um the cyclones, because you obviously wrap up your season with the uh with the Atlanta caps and you don't necessarily know kind of what's you know what's to come.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: You told me that you know your advisor, you know, whoever's helping you with your hockey career, your junior career got you in touch with with the whole cyclones organization and kind of got you um got you locked in there.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: I guess just maybe going into a little more detail, like what was the process like in terms of like when you were first introduced to the organization, what the conversations were like, who you talked to, and just kind of what were the preceding moments that led to you tendering with the team and and you know feeling confident that this was the place you wanted to be for the 2026-27 season?
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so um I was it was really late in the summer when I got my first contact or even knowing about the Cyclones, being interested in me.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um and um it just it was like waiting all summer to find a decent team that was fits what I wanted, which I wanted to be halfway decent close to home.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't want to be as far as Atlanta, and I wanted a place where I could get a good college for next year, um, a place that can see a lot of call, give me a lot of looks from colleges, and also a place that's close so I can get some colleges that are close to home.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_02: And um it all kind of just worked out, like you say, everything happens for a reason.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_02: And um I I looked up their program because I didn't know much a ton about Waussau when it was first introduced to me, and um it just all like all the lines just fit perfectly.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, I told my advisor, like, this is the one.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_02: Like, if they really take me, I'm going.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: And and it's cool that it's it seems like that was kind of the common thought on both sides.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: It seems like you felt you know really confident that this was where you wanted to be, you know, considering your past experiences and and the experiences you gained with the you know, the three teams that you'd already been with in the NA3 to be able to um you know feel so confident about that decision.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_01: I think it also speaks volume that the you know the cyclones felt the same way and that they felt like you know, uh bringing in a goaltender like you was gonna benefit the team, was gonna benefit uh just the organization as a whole.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so it's cool when it works out both ways like that.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: So um, so that's awesome.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh yeah, I mean, I I can I can say with confidence that you know the whole, you know, the whole fan base and the team and everybody's you know happy that we were able to get a uh a goalie with lots of uh lots of experience and skill like you, um, which has been which has been cool to see so far.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um so like talking a little more about uh the season and just kind of where you guys are at uh right now, uh starting with you specifically, just how have you felt about your game, you know, the way you've played.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_01: You've gotten, I think, in five games, you've got a handful of wins, uh you're posting pretty solid stats, uh, 886 save percentage, 334 goals against average.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, considering the you know the weird start that the team had with the whole schedule snafu and having training can't be so close to the start of the season.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um, how just have you felt personally about your game and kind of where you know where your skill set's been at uh through through your five games?
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I've been pretty happy.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um I had a really good four games, and then the fifth one it was a little rough, just a couple weird bounces.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, let four goals in and like under it was like under 20 shots.
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um not not the best game stat-wise, but a couple weird bounces and um yeah, just other than that game, like every other game, I've I've posted pretty good stats.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think I had a nine nine hundred before that game.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah, just just ready for my next chance, you know, um just uh work grinding in practice and yeah.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: What can you say about the uh what can you say about just the goalie tandem that you guys have uh over in Wasser right now, you know, having worked with um some of the other guys.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_02: We're all really good and uh we're all really close too.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_02: Like most lunches we're out to lunch together.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um at all the team events we're like pretty close and talk, like we're talking all the time, like and we're all like pretty back to back to back, like skill-wise, I say.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that's that's the best that's the best way that's best case scenario, you know, for for honestly any hockey team at any level.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: Like I feel like I feel like you're even kind of seeing it more so in the NHL right now, where you know you don't really have like obviously it's there's some teams that do, but you you're seeing more teams adapt like a a more 1A, 1B starting rotation rather than having like a goaltender that's just significantly drastically better than the backup goaltender.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um so I think that regardless of the level that you're playing at, you know, having that sort of thing, uh that sort of system is um is really beneficial.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: And it's cool to see that, you know, not only from an outsider looking in, just following the team, that that's kind of what's going on in terms of the stats, but just to hear it from your perspective too.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's um that's awesome to hear.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: So so glad to hear that the uh that the that the goalie room is confident and and that you guys are you know close as well, because that that obviously matters a lot.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, that's another interesting thing about goalie is you're you're you know, really sharing ice time with with everybody on the tandem and for for everybody to be supporting one another is is huge.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it also just helps us push each other, you know, like in practice.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_02: If we're all that close, you know, like we're all trying our hardest in practice to get that chance in the weekend and um even when our games, like we're we're trying our best, not just for ourselves, but you know, to keep our spot around.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, absolutely.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, 100%.
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_01: All right, so just wanted to kind of want to move the conversation to uh to the team as a whole.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you guys, like I mentioned a little bit when we were just talking about your individual kind of where you feel you're at on the season.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_01: Uh kind of a weird start to the year.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: You guys, you know, drop a few to start the season after um some stuff going on with uh you know shortened training camp and some changes to the schedule and all that kind of weird stuff.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um and you know, not to mention, you're you're obviously one of the new guys, but there's also a new, you know, there's a new coaching staff.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: You've got Meisey stepping in as the head coach, you've got um Max Cawthern coming in as the uh as the assistant coach, brand new to the organization.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, the only thing that stayed consistent with the coaching staff is probably the guy that you work really closely with, Taylor Carey, the goalie coach.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_01: But um just a lot of changes, a lot of stuff going on internally.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, and I think that the uh the response to kind of some hiccups early on has been has been really good.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_01: You guys are um currently on a three game win streak, one of those wins against a uh you know really star studded division rival of yours, the Rochester Grizzlies.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_01: So I just kind of wanted to get your perspective on just where you think this team is at and just kind of what's impressed you uh about how the Cyclones have progressed through through the young Season currently sitting at uh eight, six, and one with uh 17 points, and uh third in the central division, which is pretty solid.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, I think uh we had a little rough patch, like what you said with the schedule.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_02: We're also short a couple guys, you know, defensemen.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_02: We were really lacking like actual defensemen, and um the coaches promised they'd get some guys in late late in the weeks, but we just had to, you know, battle it out for the first couple weeks until we could get some guys that were up in uh a higher level trying out.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_02: And um, once they came back, you know, the team kind of really got together, and we saw it even last weekend of beating Raj and Fox City's pretty good.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: And um last weekend really showed and put a lot of confidence, I think, in the whole team as like how we can play, just you know, crushing Raj and Um going in this weekend, I think we have a lot of confidence, and the team is just like really good together.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_02: Like there's no like clicks or anything, like there's no groups, like we're all one big group together.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_02: And if if some if some group of guys are doing something, the whole team's invited, you know.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_02: Like not everyone has to go, but the whole team is invited, and that's what I think is cool about this team.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_02: And you don't see a lot on like other teams.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, it that's uh that's a big that's a big piece uh of hockey.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's you know something that I caught on to with last year's team, just being around and in the building a lot.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody was so close.
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, you guys have stuff that you do, like you know, talk Tuesdays, going over to the talkeria and everybody, you know, gets together for a meal.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: That's uh that's like a really special thing for the team to do.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's stuff like that that um you know that really makes the difference.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_01: So um that's a cool thing to hear that um that you guys are uh that you guys are feeling feeling really solid about just your overall cohesion and and stuff like that, which is uh which is really awesome.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um got a few more for you.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: Don't want to take too much more of your time, but um heading into uh this coming weekend, playing the um Rochester Grizzlies up at the Roch Recreation Center.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um, what are the keys to kind of keep the momentum that you guys have had as a team?
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_01: Uh getting these last few wins, including uh a very powerful win, seven to two over uh the Roch Grizzlies on uh October 23rd.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_01: What are the keys in your mind to uh you know keeping the momentum and getting another big win over the Grizzlies?
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I just think if the team keeps having fun with it, you know, we come in confidence and we stay positive.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I feel like some of the games we do harsh on, we're not positive.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: You know, our cortisol's high, you know, all that stuff.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: And um just keeping shots on net, that's that's it.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_02: Like that's what was working.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_02: And we had fun in the Raj game and it showed up and paid off.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: So and that's the most important part, man, is having fun.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: That's that's all it comes down to at the end of the day.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_01: If you're having fun as a team, if you guys are gelling on and off the ice, that's that's how you're gonna get wins.
• 25:05
  SPEAKER_01: And that's um, you know, I think that's something that a lot of people, a lot of people recognize, you know, as fans of such an awesome league like the NA3.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome, man.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_01: Well, uh, well, best of luck this weekend uh against Rochester.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_01: Just a little one game series for you guys before uh before Halloween.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um last few things before we get out of here, uh kind of turning the conversation away from your from your hockey career, uh, and more so just kind of you know, hockey in general.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_01: I always like to to ask, are are you a hockey fan as much as you are a player?
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: Do you you know do you follow the NHL?
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have a team?
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_01: Do you do do you keep an eye on hockey uh at a professional level?
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh yeah, I mean, kind of.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_02: I'm not like the biggest guy, but you know, I turn on a wild game every time they're on, and I'm a big wild fan.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um coming from North Dakota, it's the closest team to me.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_02: It's what my parents always loved, you know.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: Nice, nice wild thing.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_01: Nice.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_01: There you go.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: Are there any uh are there any professional goaltenders, whether current or retired, that you uh you know, kind of mirror your game after or or look up to?
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_01: Is there kind of a goaltender that that comes to mind when you think of uh you know, when you think of someone that you think has you know made a difference in your in your journey?
• 26:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I really like watching uh Dustin Wolf, just how flexible he is.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, he he's just I don't know, just everything, his movement, his flexibility, he's just a great goalie all around.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, he's on a tough team, but um good goalie though.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, absolutely.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_01: I love that you bring up the flexibility.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: Like when you watch his warm-up routine and and like the jumping that he does in the crease, he's just a he's uh he's a different he's a different level of a goaltender.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, like you said too, Calgary's not not in the greatest of positions right now, but they got a solid goalie tandem.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, Dustin Wolf is good, and then Devin Cooley, he's like going viral right now for all his interviews, talking about how he's unconscious when he's playing and conscious when the game's over.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: And um, so I so I I like that.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_01: That's a honestly, like I I would have thought that you'd you'd go with one of the you know low-hanging fruit, Connor Hellibuck, Jake Ottinger, Henrik Lundquist, but that's a I would not that I would not have thought that you'd answer Devon.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_01: I I really like that, Dustin Wolf.
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's a that's a good answer.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_02: No, I just I like just down again to his flexibility, like he can hold an edge at almost a split, you know, like just watching his highlights, he's just it's awesome to watch.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, you think I'm a taller goalie, so I'd go after like a Vaskoletsky or somebody, but yeah, no, I think like I really like watching those smaller goalies who are just absolute natural athletes that can just do the splits and more.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that guy can flex so much.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, absolutely.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you are you are a taller goalie.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it's funny you bring that up actually.
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_01: Did you uh did you see the Panthers goalie that made his debut recently?
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_01: Six foot nine.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_01: Yep, yep.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_02: And I believe Taylor actually uh coached him for a while.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, no way, that's crazy.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_01: Cooper Black, yeah.
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_01: Cooper Black, yep, yep.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: Six foot nine inches.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_01: That is ridiculous.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_01: Tallest goalie in NHL history.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_02: Crazy.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_02: That's crazy.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_02: Six nine is that's that's a lot, that's a lot of height.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's gotta be awkward for him, but I mean, he makes it work totally.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_01: All right, awesome.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, last question for you, Gavin.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: What have been some of your favorite parts about Wasa?
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_01: What kind of things do you like about the area?
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_01: What kind of things have you gotten to know?
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_01: You know, just being around the town and spending spending some time in in central Wisconsin.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, I I love my billets here.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: I think the people here are awesome, everyone's really nice.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_02: The restaurants, the local ones, you know, are super good.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm I'm trying to be at all the local restaurants as much as possible, giving back to the community.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, I just I I like Wausaw a lot, to be honest.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_01: That's cool, man.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a good area, lots of good people, and uh, you know, most importantly, all the people like to, you know, like to rally around the cyclones, and that's that's the most important thing.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome, Gavin.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_01: Uh well, we really appreciate your time.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for hopping on, talking to us about your hockey journey, and uh, you know, on behalf of the whole clones organization, we're we're happy to have you this year and glad to see that you're uh that you're off to a off to a good start.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_01: So uh thanks for thanks for popping on and uh good luck against against Rosh this weekend.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, thank you.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_01: Hey Cyclones fans, just like the Cyclones rally when a player is down, calling in the pros to get them back in the game, PGA Inc.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: is there when your home system needs a winning assist.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: From emergency repairs to energy smart upgrades, we keep your plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical lines skating smoothly so you can stay focused on the action.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_01: We're big enough to depend on 24-7 crews, top-tier tech, yet small enough to care.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: Greeting every customer by name and backing every job with a handshake guarantee.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_01: Need a pro you can trust?
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_01: Call PGA Incorporated today and get your home game day ready.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: At Precision Body and Frame, customer satisfaction is based on years of experience.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_01: As our customer, you will receive the finest quality repairs available.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: We're ready and willing to answer all your questions concerning the repair or estimating process.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_01: Our professional staff will assist you with your insurance company and claims handling procedures.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: Visit Precision Body and Frame.com for more details on all the services offered.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_01: Wasa Animal Hospital on Town Line Road is locally owned and operated and has been serving the Wasa area since 1967.
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: We proudly support Area Youth Sports and many local charities.
• 30:49
  SPEAKER_01: We encourage you to support our area's no-kill animal shelter new life pet adoption.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: We look forward to meeting you and your canine and feline family members, and we look forward to seeing you at the next Packed Cyclones game.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for listening to Inside Cyclones Hockey as we give you a behind the scenes look at the team.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_01: Please rate, review, and subscribe to stay up to date on all things Cyclones Hockey.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: And as always, go clones!