Fire & Ice Podcast – A Visit with Connor Carrick – Calder Cup Finals Edition (June 13, 2024)
greetings friends and Firebirds fans and welcome to the Fire and Ice podcast presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort Fire and Ice the official podcast of your Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League coming to you from Palm Desert California a your Chris dger double pad slide away from the bird’s home ICE of araure Arena I’m your host Jud Spicer along with the this broadcast Endeavor also again have the privilege and the pleasure of serving as your Firebirds Insider in this sophomore season of CV hockey you can find those articles online as per all things Firebirds hockey at cvf fireb birds.com your home and your Hub your online home ice for everything including but not limited to team merchandise roster Community Information and of course last but certainly not least tickets and we’re not just talking any tickets Firebirds friends we’re talking Calder Cup finals championship series tickets for Birds versus Bears the Redux the rematch the sequel we are hatching the rematch more actually much more on this to come on this episode of the Fire and Ice podcast oh and might I mention per those tickets for Firebirds games or anything at Acure Arena you’re going to want to download that handy CV fire Birds app on your mobile device per the presenting sponsor of this endeavor Desert Willow Golf Resort also right here in sunny Palm Desert California get your tea times online for the Mountain View and or Firecliff courses at Desert willow.com just about 3 miles away from akasher Arena Firecliff undergoing a summer renovation so specifically make those tea times right now for the Mountain View and be certain to check out the awesome and onsite Palm Desert Golf Academy for all your swing knowledge and tutelage needs per usual not alone on this episode of the Fire and Ice podcast joining me shortly Firebirds defenseman Connor Carrick himself a one time former Hershey Bear many many moons ago look forward to visiting with Connor soon call him the most interesting man on Ice always great to chat with Connor but before we get to that visit let’s all take a big Collective breath let’s all take a little step back because there’s no more wanting well maybe a little bit there’s no more waiting all right maybe a little bit of that too but now at least we know the who the whom the what the where the when an interesting off season another phenomenal journey of Firebirds hockey will culminate in the cder Cup Championship final second time of course in as many years for the Firebirds and the opponent well we know them well having survived a rather spirited comeback on the opposite end of the draw the Eastern Conference Finals staving off the Cleveland monsters yeah the Hershey Bears returning as our opponent in the cder Cup Championship Finals couple nuggets and notes for you friends I’m careful not to call them nougats I don’t want to appease the Hershey fans none too much with the repeat in these Championship Finals Firebird has become the first team since the main Mariners of yes 1978 and 1979 to advance to the title Series in their F uh first two seasons of existence rather the finals rematch I might add is the first in the ahl’s cder Cup Championship final since 1991 when the Springfield Indians won the latter half of backto back title series over the Rochester American onto the schedule for these cder Cup champion ship finals and and you know what a a brief note I guess before I get into the days and the dates and the whereabouts of this final series of the season this this is what we wanted is it not we’ had that bad taste of chocolate in our mouth for going on a year now but this is the series we wanted yeah had Cleveland ultimately overcome and made some history I think they would have just been the fourth team in AHL lore to come down from three goose in a best of seven Series yeah had that happened and a spirited effort by the monsters by the way taking that game seven to overtime on the heels of winning three straight games versus Hershey that would have given us home I that would have been awesome I mean ultimately that’s that’s what you want you want those potential deciding games those finishing games in your own Barn you want those games in your back pocket I’ve wrestled with this over the course of the week and I know many of you have as well did we want that home ice or do we want the shot at avenging what happened at the closure of last year’s season provided so many different factors and you know what a lot of these things friends I should add you can read about in the new Firebirds Insider article if I didn’t mention that already at CB fireb birds.com don’t want to reiter reiterate too much don’t want to regurgitate too much that’s my CV Firebirds and Hershey Bears CER Cup Championship Finals preview up and fresh at CV fireb birds.com but none less since they’re my words still a couple things I’m I’m going to pull from there and this is Broad this might be a bit broad I don’t care if it’s hockey if it’s life it’s if it’s on ice or off we all got scars some of them are physical some of them you can’t see they’re emotional scars but rare is the opportunity in hockey or in life to find instant Sav for what ails sometimes that itch is something that you may never have opportunity to scratch and yet here we are a little bit less than a calendar year removed with an instant opportunity to do so here’s how the schedule plays out friends cder Cup finals underway this Friday June 14th CV at Hershey that’s a 400 p.m. Pacific puck drop game two Sunday afternoon Happy Father’s Day by the way Sunday June 16th CV at the Hershey Bears that’s at 2 p.m Pacific start time series then moves back to the desert comes Yonder West game three Tuesday June 18th Hershey at CV 700 p.m. start time game four also at aure Arena Thursday June 20 Hershey at Coachella Valley 700 p.m. puck drop now we get into the asterisks the if necessaries if necessary game five would remain here in Palm Desert California that’s Saturday June 22 bears at birds not 700 p.m. mind you but 6:00 p.m. game 5 600 p.m. start time Pacific if needed the series would then go back to the right Coast Monday June 24 Game 6 CV at Hershey a 400 p.m. Pacific start time and also if needed a deciding game seven would be played Wednesday June 26 CV at Hershey in the Giant Center also a 400 p.m. start time few more things to mention on said calendar and on said schedule all of which because I think it’s Germaine to these proceedings the birds ultimately elected of course as many of you already know to head to Hershey to Head East after clinching the Western Conference Finals in dominating fashion 4-1 over Milwaukee game five was played on Saturday June 88th Hershey was up 32 in their respective series at that point instead of coming back here and then potentially going back to Hershey Firebirds of course went directly to Hershey on what I want to say was Sunday June 9th they have been there ever since ultimately prove a very Savvy move otherwise they would have come back here they would have waited a couple days as it turned out they would have had to fly all the way back across the country to Hershey and then 4 days later approximately fly all the way back to the West Coast so the Firebirds have had 5 days off which is kind of the theme of this postseason by the way in the 53 days I think this is worthy of mention as well the 53 days of playoff hockey the Firebirds by virtue of their own success have had 41 noname days and again 5 days laying in the nest waiting for these cter Cup finals to start and for the East to be ultimately decided so we could get these proceedings underway inversely Hershey of course they had to sweat it out they had to work it out they’re probably drinking Pedialyte as we speak potentially with IVs hooked up to them because they had an exhausting seven game series against Cleveland for those games including as mentioned game seven having ultimately gone to overtime yeah they are at home yeah they are starting the series on their home ice but just with one off day and oh by the way the Bears got a couple guys couple of their starters couple of their key players also banged up all of this is going to play one would assume one may believe one could make an educated guess all of this looking to play into the Firebirds favor again wherever the this series starts doesn’t seem to matter that it’s away yeah we lost all three games in Hershey last year but this season Birds had the best road record in the American Hockey League and O across their 10-2 playoff record of tacked on four more away wins all right briefly before we get to the visit in this episode of the Fire and Ice podcast cross this Firebirds Freeze Frame at portion of the program got to get to a few stats across their 12 playoff games a mere 12 playoff games don’t forget dudes last year we played 26 it was a marathon of 26 cumulative caller Cup playoff games this year we are assured not to hit 20 across the Dozen games that the birds have played thus far 19 different players speaking toward the depth remember depth is a dagger 19 different players with at least one point 15 different players with at least five points in these cder cuff playoffs led by 11 from Devon Shore recent guest on the fire nice podcast 10 points a piece across the playoffs from messers Hayden flury and Potter rolski John Hayden by the way seven goals highlighted of course by his hattick in the deciding game five versus Milwaukee eight points a piece for Cole Lind and Cameron Hughes seven points a piece in these playoffs for rker Evans Marian stanich and Logan Morrison in that Chris dger has continued to be absolutely exceptional and two record of course he’s started played throughout every single game 2.31 goals against save percentage of 927 Chris across those dozen games has allowed two goals or fewer perhaps I should say two or fewer goals you get my point he’s done that in eight of the bird’s dozen playoff games all righty digression probably required here lot of enthusiasm excitements excitement rather abounds here across the Desert Sands little digression little Bumper Music and let’s get to this episode’s guest on the Fire and Ice podcast all right friends as preface great guest on this episode this cder Cup Championship Finals episode of the Fire and Ice podcast presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort he’s a native of Erland Park Illinois now in his 12th season of professional hockey that includes 248 games pardon me regular season and playoffs in the National Hockey League during which he’s acred 50 points 398 more games in the AHL regular season and playoffs combined where he has 226 points SP a stalwart on defense for the Firebirds all season long he’s got a big brain he’s got a big game we welcome Conor Carrick back to the fire nice podcast Hello Connor thanks John how are you I’m doing well I appreciate your time Tik Tock to game one of these cder Cup Championship Finals you are somewhere in Pennsylvania you have been somewhere in Pennsylvania for about five days now let start with this one man what have the Firebirds been doing for five days uh a lot of getting ready couple off days um a lot of specul about who our opponent’s going to be a lot of curiosity about if it’s Cleveland how are we going to get back West um and uh game one tomorrow so you know a couple good meals and things like that we have a tight team so I think you could you know stick us anywhere for a couple weeks and we’ll we’ll make do and and have some fun and we’ve done that so we’ll be playing here shortly I believe I came across one uh newsy note this by way of social media although a trusty source that you guys or perhaps some of the Firebirds I don’t know you tell me didn’t exactly stay in Hershey but stayed somewhere between like Hershey and Amish Country I don’t know exactly you tell me yeah we were able to find uh a home I’ll call it that but that’s being modest it was it has to be some sort of uh event space uh about half hour 40 minutes from here so a couple of us run a cars and we’re like you know why don’t we go to Costco grab some steaks and and have her burn out and it had a pool it had like a a sauna and a cold tub so it kind of cool to you know just uh grill out do the S all day you know uh walk around the property was was real beautiful so there was a little Pond down below you could fish and things like that um it ended up being you know we just couldn’t believe we we landed this gig it was it was like we like huh maybe we’ll see what’s out there and and we had a 15 out of 10 on it so you guys are taking walks by the pond practicing a little of that Kaizen as we get to here momentarily a nice wooded area well your potential opponents I think we can still say at the time they’re on somewhere overtime for the fourth time they’re sweating it out through seven games it sounds like a nice balance for the firebird side of it yeah I mean it it is a war of attrition uh anytime you’re going to play more games you know there’s some risk involved and uh you know there’s a good chance you the more playoff teams beat each other up you’re going to lose you know key players and so that was something we were kind of keeping an eye on um and we trust our coaches have have to kind of dissect X’s and O’s and and you know kind of share player strengths The Scouting staffs and I’m sure they have full books on every player of both series um you but we’re definitely curious here a game seven was super suspenseful for for her you to win three and then lose three you know it was really something and and uh you know game seven Could Happen seem like you know shot from the point hits a guy in the gut and on someone’s tape and you know all a sudden it’s a rematch from ler um go back to the uh the travel momentarily here Connor interesting choice and ultimately a wise one by the Firebirds I think it was uh yeah Saturday June 8th that you guys concluded your series versus Milwaukee I believe it was the next day where you made the decision to head out East rather than come home Hershey was up 3-2 at the time for them to have lost four in a row would have been of historic proportions I think it’s only happened three times in the history of the AHL as you referenced Cleveland gave a good run at it but you guys were potentially looking at coming back here flying all the way back out across the country and then just a few short days later coming back here again was that decision made by the staff the coaches the team as a whole how did that come to be I think more of it just had to do with the the plane and uh you I know they had to book a plane and it had to leave a certain day and you know we’re going to pick you know to move it I’m sure would have uh transacted a huge fee and you know I’m not super well versed in in the you know business policies of of private planes but um you know on a couple and you know so it was an interesting you know sort you know as players were like wait a second we’re doing what and then you know the logistics were kind of laid out on you know these are the powers that be and and these are the fees we’re going to run into this is the scenario of you know Hershey won the next night we’d be you know working out again um so again I think a lot of it comes down to we’re tight as a team uh no one really enjoys being cooped up in a hotel you know for you know weeks on end or whatever it was going to be um so we got creative and and you know sorted out we just had to identify the problem and then you know some solutions so it’s been uh long awaited I think this break a lot easier than some of the others you know there were there were some lengthy ones in there in this in this playoff run and um now we’re excited to play the hockey that you know at least within our group you know we we expected to be here and uh there’s almost a bit of a side of a relief like okay like you know we we we’ve done our job and now now it’s time to go and uh you know we’re excited to play uh there were some some photos there was some documentation of head coach Dan BMA and other coaching members Jessica Campbell I know Troy bod was captured in this photo at Giant Center I didn’t see any photos from last night but I did from game six I trust that the players that you guys did not attend either of those games uh no I don’t know if anybody went I don’t think anybody did did you ever think about going would you have wanted to go personally uh I I would have been open to it I think you know there’s a there’s a rhythm you get into in the Road it’s a bit like Groundhog Day like you kind of do your things and you know it’s to be in that environment with those lights and things like that and and that close to you know who you’re playing like it’s emotionally stirring and so for me I was like you know I I have some you know phone calls I got to make some end of your you know logistic I goes one way or the other like the other end you know coming up on je I mean how many games we played almost 100 like we I I know I know my game I know our team game um I’m actually familiar with a lot of these guys slasher and their team has quite a bit of of similarities um you particularly with Hershey Cleveland would have been you know B an X back I don’t think uh you know most of us would have had very little familiarity with a lot of those players and um so stayed home it was uh simpler went to dinner went to bed that kind of thing did you or did you and your teammates did you watch the games on television yeah yeah we put the game on um we put the game on such an interesting scenario for so many different reasons I could perhaps come up with the better word counter is there any kind of code is there an etiquette involved in not being there in person as a player kind of watching scouting taking in one of the two teams that you’ll eventually play um if anything I’d say it’s probably an awkward interaction maybe with a fan or something that you’d want to avoid you know as far as like code amongst players I I wouldn’t say so I me I would say you know kind of anything goes I know you know there’s a bit of a story about you know us being here and what they might I mean we’re in the same hotel as Cleveland so you know that’s kind of an odd one in terms of we’re in Heria waiting but again when it comes down to the the travel you know the American League doesn’t have uh you know frankly the private jet support the National Hockey League does like you know the the travel was going to be a little creative and colorful no matter which way the this series went so it sounds like m just kind of bit the bullet and and uh you know figure this is probably the simplest way East or West I’m whether we be there know so as far as the game I don’t I don’t know if anybody would have taken it particularly personally you know the first question might be what are you doing and why you know once you get your answer kind of all all click yeah uh obviously we did not have the pleasure of your services here last year in the desert but uh knowing you you’re well versed on how our inaugural year ended uh and against whom and where and all of those Logistics did you personally or do you get the sense among the other Firebirds that this is the series that you wanted uh it it certainly seems to be how like sport movies tend to go uh you know like the the the sort of uh you know rematch and that kind of thing but at the same time that’s professionalism as a player is you know last year it was last year there’s so much turnover uh in in the NHL as well but you know particular in this league um the the dynamic will be uh very different and you’re just going to go you know one shift one period of a time and when your you know Focus really is that granular okay you know how do I do all my first shift where are we starting on the ice am I starting the game am I my own dzone um kind of going with your scouting and picture a couple plays ahead of time of of matchups you might find yourself in and what to do with them and then you know that’s the trust you’ve you you’ve done all the calculus on how things could go um and now it’s time to roll the dice and play the game so there’s no question I think for certain guys that were on the team last year I can I can see where you know it it hurts when you lose you know that late in the year um and there can only be one winner so we’ll see what happens uh when we have you up on the days in the Firebirds post games it’s a scrum style each each get our couple questions and the atmosphere and the environment is designed to produce short answers however when we have Connor Carrick up there and you start talking about the opposition and dissecting and a little bit of maybe philosophizing and explaining we love that man the postgame presser is not the best setting for such explanations the Fire and Ice podcast however is very much so I’m sure there’s things to this effect that you can’t say or don’t want to say but for whatever you do want to share how are you assessing Hershey what are you seeing in the Hershey Bears I mean gez they had you know tremendous regular season um you know they’ve done what I would imagine was their goal you know similar to us they had high expectations I’m sure and wanted to be here um you know they have some veteran uh offensive Talent you know they have some some size on their back end um and they have a goenda kind of you know winning you know key games for them I know he’s challenged and doing six um and that by uh you know Todd Nelson able to watch the interview and all that I don’t know we haven’t really dived over uh into their game we we had some meetings you know about special teams and things like that today day um but I what I always think is really interesting is you know when you’re playing a team in the regular season you talk about their strengths and you go into that game and you play and it’s over you know it’s always peculiar is you know each team’s going to find out areas of the rank which they having success and they might throw a curveball off that because you know because we’re having success they’re probably going to take this away and maybe we should do something else um or we’re having keep hammering don’t leave it so there’s a little bit of a cat and mouse that you know coaches and teams play and even the players you kind of find your rhythm in certain areas of the ice and uh settle in certain reads and you and your teammate come back to the bench and go hey that almost went let’s run that again but not right away you know not right away because maybe they’re expecting it so soon let’s you know let’s check back in a little bit that kind of thing um and and that’s the that’s the beauty of a seven game series is that it’s design to you know create that cat Mouse exchange to hopefully you know take weird bounces or teams where referees you know maybe influence the game more than they wanted to you know it’s you just have enough landscape um where the best team should win so you know that’s our as a team we’re preparing you know one shift at a time to play all seven games and you know to to to win in that manner um that you know that that’s kind of your mindset so you’re not shocked by anything Bren you’re tuning in to the Fire and Ice podcast presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort pachella Valley Firebirds defenseman Connor carrot is my guest Connor we got to go back into the annals of time here a little bit this is gonna connect a few doubts as I see it you are a former Hershey Bear played parts of three seasons as a bear from 2013 to 2016 perhaps the most interesting of which not trying to put words in your mouth this is just how I see it on paper was the 2015 2016 AHL season in which you played for four different teams correct me if I’m wrong on any of this man played for Washington they’re affiliate of course is Hershey you were ultimately traded That season uh to Toronto where you played for both the Maple Leafs and the Toronto Marley’s and so what I tried the dots connect what I think ultimately happened is that you played for Hershey during the regular season you were traded and then come the cder Cup playoffs you faced Hershey while you were playing for the Toronto Marley’s must have been an interesting time for you in all aspects well that one I mean I just got interest trated you know for the first time in my career in you know the leaf staff you know lem’s are GM Mike Babcock’s their you know coach Brendon Shannon’s the president president they’re at a lot of the games you know you have this you know um sort of Mount Rushmore really important hockey figureheads a lot of pressure uh on my on my young career I was you know moved over there as a prospect you know to go on um and and make the Maple Leafs I I played a bit after that dead trade deadline but that was you know kind of the the goal of the next two years um what that Marley team I was joining was a historic team in terms of like goal scored record they were tremendous and I was really sure after set down I’m like man you know two time H Aller like I don’t know how they’re going to use me they almost had whatever it was 55 60 didn’t want every game you know and uh I played a huge role you know a lot on the power play lot on the penalty kill Sheldon Keefe was you know tremendous like really impressed with his hockey IQ really impressed with how Dynamic and offensive that team was and uh you know looking back I remember the series is you know I can say it now like blown by go tending we had we had you know kind of a go tending Gap um but that really stung like I really thought we were a better team um Hershey went on to win that series and lose to Cleveland which you know it happens but uh that was one of those back in as I look back like we had a loaded American Hockey League lineup and uh all of the pieces all of the depth to win except for maybe at the goal tending position and I’m sure know coach Keef and his analysis might have other reasons of of why we lost such just the long time ago now um that stung like I having been on that Hershey team and what was odd was right before I got traded we actually played in Toronto so we don’t usually you know cross over much and and you know play the other division in Hershey I mean you play wils bre like 14 times play Lehigh like 14 times it’s almost 30 games and we just trip to Toronto and I mean I think I can’t remember if we split I think we lost one one1 but like the shots were like 52 to 15 or something we got absolutely wax and Hershey I couldn’t believe how you know I I just hadn’t been that had to defend that hard that often Shi and Shi out and Hershey we a good team and so come you know playoffs I just uh yeah it hurt stung I couldn’t believe that we had lost that series the other nugget or I guess one of the many nuggets from that series is that as you referenced Cleveland won they were then the lake Eerie monsters yeah and one of their alternate captains and their top players that year that ultimately felled Hershey in the finals was Trent vogle Huber who is now the head coach of a Cleveland monsters which you guys were a goal away from facing could have made even another different storyline in this season for you in that year playing for Hershey and then ultimately playing playing against them in that playoff are there lessons learned about the bears that you can take into this series Connor gez it’s so long ago I mean culture-wise the Bears expect to win they talk about it there there is not a lot of talk of NHL development um it is not an organization historically that sure you might be a prospect but truly you’re just another player for the Bears and you know it’s cool that way that is the traditional hockey like experience you’re on a team your goal is to make that team better and the coach is the coach and they can make whatever decisions they so please you know with the goal of being winning it’s it’s clear the American iy League sometimes you have other motivations and and through lines where you know certain teams are really in it to win other teams are in it to develop you know whatever their definition of that is other teams want to develop through winning you know and and so it it becomes fluid but Hershey is unequivocally always been our goal is to put banners and the rafters you know period And I think if I remember that Hershey series there were some older players particularly that had tough Seasons that kind of their eyes got big and go okay it’s all starts aesh in the playoffs and if I can have a good playoff I can put myself in a good spot and I remember seeing some of the Rejuvenation in their game um you know from the other side and then another through line with Lake y was uh Mike havlin was actually their assistant who was my first coach in Hershey in 2013 2014 so that I would I looked at that and I’m like holy smokes I didn’t know Mike cin was you know because he was at col college and things like that so like when did he get there um I’m GNA screw up his name you said it was Vogal Huber that’s how you say it I believe that’s how you say it I I skated with him a bit in Minnesota actually I remember his name and his game and even with that team we rarely we played Lake eie right before those playoffs when they eventually won and they got a a glut of players down from Columbus so it wasn’t the same team but I remember thinking like that team was good I don’t know what the record is but you know they’re good and I mean you know how the American make playoffs can go you can be playing a team that you know maybe they’re a seven seed they’re a six seed but all a sudden they get six guys down seven guys down and you know they’re a heavyweight overnight so you know it’s it’s a unique playoff that way from past to present I got a couple more for you today here Connor uh I would I would admit I I would say I would be guilty of having some personal concern might be too strong a word but it certainly came to mind that the now well-documented news exciting news deserving news of your head coach Dan bilma getting the Kraken job I wondered if that in all the news and all the noise surround suring that that could in some way serve as any kind of distraction toward the Firebirds journey and the Firebirds March toward capturing the scaler cup but it has not it has been the complete inverse it has seem to even further Galvanize a very tight crew a very tight unit that is now 10 and two in the playoffs has won 10 the last 11 playoff games would that be an accurate assessment that it has galvanized your crew even further to get to this stage and hopefully Beyond I think so I mean we’ve we you get the feeling as a player that Denis is genuinely rooting for you and I I hope that Dan feels you know from our team we’ve genuinely root for him um all year long you know without the Seattle job on the horizon um we know there’s always a possibility you know people interview for jobs and and and I mean he’s Stanley Cup winning Dan biles if you have a cup to your name and you’re in the business of winning as a coach like you’re there’s no job that you’re not you know shouldn’t be considered for um I think so much of it has to do with the the explosiveness of our locker room the social Dynamic we just have so much fun we’re extremely competitive you know even inwardly like you make a mistake in a game um it sucks and you don’t want to do that and you let your teammates down and you know maybe lose and that kind of thing but and boy even in practice with some of these layoffs we’ve had you know you let one of your teammates you know beat you uh my God you’re going to hear about it it’s just you know kind of our culture in in a in a funny way but FL is it IRC you you know if you’re the guy in the receiving end you really don’t want to give them that that chip that that uh leverage and so I think we’ve understood that we have a very special group we have uh guys who are highly talented guys who are highly professional um and I think really the core of it is and I can’t say this for a team I’ve been on is I really think because we operate that way like we genuinely love the whole hockey playing experience as a whole and we’ve as a as a team continued to use things um for our highest good as a group we’ve kind of had this you know integration of you know good bad whatever um and uh you know made it in this cocktail that that can help us um so you know awesome for Dan I’m sure you know he’s very good at his job always has been I’m sure there’s new stresses on his plate and phone calls is taking outside of you know what we’re doing but his preparation for us has been you know second to none and and we feel wholeheartedly that he’s you know com into door group right to the end so uh and he’s definitely going to get that from us as a revisit to the word of the term Kaizen something that you and I discussed on this program some months ago now was toward the beginning of the season season I know that you’re a proponent in eastern belief this is a simplistic way probably to explain it for those on Adorn but uh a Japanese philosophy or a mindset of improving a little bit every day do you feel like the Firebirds whether it be across the regular season since since December since you guys really started getting hot or perhaps more microscopically across these playoffs that has been a matter of Kaizen for the Coachella Valley Firebirds I think so and what’s so unique about the playoffs in particular is like it’s very simple you start to really respect the task at hand I’m not saying of course you try all regular season you know but life’s going on things are going on um everyday tasks that that sort of all kind of slows you know your expectations of yourself away from The Ring come play off time just on the back burner and so what I think it is is you know we’re particularly clear on you know what we’re trying to do as a team to have success but we’re also acutely aware of like how do we deny them their team from getting to their game what are they going to try to do to us um and initiating that cat Mouse game you know earlier I think you know in the regular season you get caught up in you know what what reads am I making what what’s my execution look like you know how do I have continue to have a good year you know and like you kind of go week to week you know who are we playing this week all we’re on the road Wednesday Friday we’re at home on Saturday and you know the the Train’s kind of moving everything in the playoffs kind of slows and you’re just like just start the first period W tomorrow that’s it you’re really not even worried about winning at this point like just get out ready tomorrow have a good first few shifts you know sink your teeth into them um you know feel them out a little bit and uh get playing I’ll ask you lastly Connor probably short Chang in the introduction along with all your on Ice accolades of course he is the host of the aonomus podcast the Curious competitor with Connor carrot has not been an episode I believe since September 2023 so let’s say this kind of a hypothetical for you if you were to be on this side of the mic say two weeks from now give or take and talking about the things that or thing rather that we all want to be talking about along that time frame who would you have as your guest which member as the Firebirds would you have as your guest and why oh jeez you know what I would do is I would do um a group like a good you know four ball five ball uh there’d be a lot of the older guys in there um there’ be some of the you know maybe maybe a young guy or two just you know to have their perspective and and it’s it is the nature of the American League things you’re not you know clicky on purpose you know but there is a pretty huge age discrepancy and and uh I think the phrase we’ve leaned on a lot this year is like you know these are the good old days for a lot of us you know um you know John Hayden’s you know it’s we drive to the rink every day he drives me he’s one of my best friends in New Jersey um he’s one of my best friends in the whole world he’s one of the people that you know when I think of oh geez I wish my career in Toronto went better I wish my career in Dallas went better like the cost of that would be losing his friendship wow and uh you know I love being friends with him and I feel that way about multiple guys on this team you know the dream of being uh an NHL Corp player where you’ve got this long-term deal and so to the other guys and and you’re the group that you’re you’re either going to do it or you know forever you have to deal with the responsibility of not you know Gustav Olson’s been in the organization for a few years you know coind I’ve played with Maxim McCormack you know pot is someone if you know him for two weeks you feel like you’ve known him for 20 years um you know Chris griger obviously on an NHL contract wants to be in the NHL you know maybe he’s sour about being down not at all he’s having the time of his life and and so we really have discuss this concept of you know boy these are the good old days and and they come out of the rink and it’s sunny and palm Springs or you know Lita wherever you live and uh this year has been such a gift in my life and I’ve warned my wife I got to talk like I am going to be heartbroken when this year is over win or not and uh it’s it’s really going to be heavy and um so if I were in your shoes I think this year in particular there’s been a unique blend of guys that have had so much fun together genuinely rooting for each other um you know Seattle kind of felt a little distant they had quite a few culs in the first half year in the second half kind of got you know quiet invited some some their younger prospects up for a look and that kind of thing but we really felt like we were in our own element you know with our goal at hand and uh and if you could capture that in the podcast that would be a good time capsu to go back and reminisce in in five 10 years good answer and of course if you had five or six of your teammates SL buddies it’s going to be a long show but it’s definitely one that I would tune into oh God it’ be a bunch of idiots and you know the we might need some some editing for guys uh some of it’s not not safe for you know children and stuff like that you know guys getting on each other and the language and well as far as tuning in I know I speak for many many folks thousands upon thousands of them here in the desert proper can’t wait to tune in to tomorrow night game one of the Calder Cup finals birds at Bears it is the rematch from last year’s Calder Cup Championship Connor always appreciative of your time continued success on the ice go get him in Hershey man we do thanks J all right Firebirds flock it’s going to take us out for this episode of the Fire and Ice podcast presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort so appreciative of your continued ongoing time your interest your ears your support of this endeavor as we have taken this flight plan together as we have taken this journey together culminating now in a return trip to the cder Cup championship finals and a hatch the rematch series versus the Hershey Bears equal appreciation goes to this episode’s guest Firebirds defenseman Connor Carrick always a pleasure to visit or reach visit with Connor most interesting man on the ice again appreciate him making the time from Yonder hershy or just outside Hershey Pennsylvania on the Tik Tock before the start of these finals and of course ample Thanks goes to the presenting sponsor of this endeavor Desert Willow Golf Resort also right here in Palm Desert California make it a great putt to Puck day go get your swing on over at DW and then roll it on over over a mere 3 plus miles over to the bird’s home ICE of Acure Arena what a great day that would be get an 18 over at the Mountain View maybe taking a lesson over at the onsite Palm Desert Golf Academy and then taking some championship hockey some cder Cup finals hockey over at the Birds barn yeah it’s like a fem minute drive between the two get those cder Cup Championship tickets another gentle reminder at CV fireb birds.com may I add hope that you enjoy the fire Birds versus Bears Championship Finals preview which you can find at that website and of course another handy way to get those tickets which and I might add there are there are some tickets left there are not a lot of tickets left as you can imagine hot item hot ticket right now you can also get those finals tickets via the team app at CV Firebirds also an easy way to get parking for Acure Arena quick reminder of the schedule the series starts as we now well know away on the East Coast at Giant Center this Friday June 14th CB at Hershey teeny bit of math and of math rather involved not necessarily my strong suit but basically you just subtract three East Coast to West Coast this Friday June 14th CV at Hershey it’s at 400 p.m. Pacific start game two this Sunday at Hershey June 16th birds at Bears 2 p.m uh Pacific puck drop on Father’s Day next Tuesday June 18th Hershey at TV that’s our 700 p.m. Pacific puck drop game four next Thursday June 20 bears at Birds 700 p.m. start time if necessary game five will take place right here in Palm Desert be next Saturday June 22 Hershey at CV that’s a 600 p.m. mind you not a 700 p.m. a 600 p.m. for game 5 if needed the series will then return East Monday June 24 for game 6 CB at Hershey go back to the 400 p.m start time also if needed a deciding game seven would be played Wednesday June 26th birds at Bears another 400 p.m. Pacific start time enthusiasm and excitement abounds across these Desert Sands Firebirds friends as we aim to conclude this journey with a different outcome than last year’s finals let’s hang that Banner a loft let’s raise that cup high can almost see it in my mind’s eye a lot of work done before we get there but let’s enjoy the rest of this journey together thank you again so much for tuning in and remember as always one Valley one team Rising together [Music]
Hatch the Rematch: As the ‘Birds and Bears ready for the first Calder Cup Finals redux since 1991, get prepped for the series with Firebirds’ defenseman, Connor Carrick.
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