Rave Training in Lichtenstein After Another Early Exit

[tcookie 902]

The sting of a third straight playoff nightmare for his team is fresh for Malmo forward Phillip Rave, preparing to enter his fourth VHL season.

 

"When you lose one series like that, it stings for a long time," says Rave. "Three years in a row? Man, it lingers, for sure."

 

The Nighthawks cleaned out their lockers about two weeks ago now. Rave took a day off to rest, flew home to Lichtenstein, and has been on the ice every day since. It's not his normal routine, but it's what he feels he needs to do to get some answers this time around. "Everyone has their own thing to do in the off-season. I mean, I'm not usually on the ice as much as I have been this time. Sometimes you need a break, mentally."

 

"I'm not feeling burnt out... just motivated. Kind of annoyed maybe, but motivated," he says. "Look, you can say all the right things after you lose in the post-season all you want. It's just words. At the end of the day, we've been here three years in a row, so... you gotta do something, right? Saying the right things and having the right attitude, it only goes so far. It's a results-based business. There are labels associated with this team that you never want to be associated with your team, but you know what, we've earned them and you have to take accountability. The fans don't want to hear how we're close, how we're confident in our group. I think our roster is talented enough to win a championship, I truly do. But at some point you just have to, you know... figure it out."

 

It was a difficult season on a personal level for Rave, who was coming off of a scintillating sophomore season in which he scored 34 goals and 81 points while taking 442 shots on goal. His numbers dropped across the board in S94, to 33 goals, 66 points, and 323 shots. He followed that off with his worst post-season in three VHL seasons. There were flashes of brilliance - a hot start to the season that saw him score 8 goals in 7 games, a 4-goal night against Davos in the middle of the season - but Rave's consistency was diminished from S93. Though at one point in the season he professed confidence that he'd figure out his game before it started to cost the team, it didn't really turn out that way.

 

"Yeah, I don't know if it was just a matter of overthinking things or what," says Rave. "I've got a sports psychologist and we'll be meeting more often over the off-season. I'll be training instead of taking a break because I feel my mental game can handle it right now. On a personal level there was just something... not quite right last season. So we're going to get out there and figure some things out this off-season, come back for a fresh start in S95, and I'll be ready to be more of the player I know I'm capable of being for this team."

 

The Nighthawks likely won't be as drastically different next season, and in fact, with another year of progress from Rave, Savaisk Tzesar, and Ronald Johnson MacWallace, there's a good chance this will be the strongest forward unit he's ever been a part of. The Nighthawks figure to lose Ash Sparks and Reese McFleury to retirement.

 

"Ash and Reese, those dudes made it fun to be a Nighthawk, man," says Rave. Both players had spent the last six seasons in Malmo (McFleury the last seven). Sparks retired having set most Malmo franchise record for goaltending. "That guy gave us a chance to win every night. He was so consistent. He always brought it, and he struggled so rarely. Both game-to-game and season-to-season, he's as consistent as anyone. Look, Lachlan Summers is a freak of nature, that's the best goalie I've ever shared the ice with as an opponent or teammate... but Ash is up there with anyone else. And yeah, just a fun guy to have in the room. He did a lot for this team and the guys all love him. It's gonna be weird not having him on the ice when we go back for training camp. We have a couple good young goalies though, so the team's in good hands."

 

Rave does stand a good chance to be summoned from his training to play in the S94 World Cup of Hockey. "Our international play is weird, so it doesn't feel much like representing your country," says Rave. "I mean, I'm the only Lichtensteiner in the league, so... it's tough. But yeah, you kinda just get picked wherever so there's not a lot of international pride involved. But it's an opportunity to compete against the best players in the world - and an opportunity to play with great players that you're playing against at the VHL level - and that doesn't come around every day. So, I'd be happy to go. I'd love to get that experience."

 

In the meantime, Rave says, he'll probably just be on the ice in Lichtenstein. "I'm just gonna have my head down working this off-season. I haven't even paid attention to the rest of the playoffs. At this point, if it's not us, I don't care too much."

 

Rave has come a long way since being drafted 17th overall in the S91 draft. At one point, he was considered a bit of a longshot to ever make it to the VHL. Today, he'd be a candidate to go in the top-5 in an S91 re-draft, and a shoo-in for the top-10. When training camp breaks next fall, Rave will have five seasons left in front of him. He's transitioning from young guy to leader, and he's hoping for a breakout campaign in S95. His approach to the off-season and Malmo's playoff struggles reflect that.

 

But, like he says, words and off-season actions only go so far. At some point, you just have to figure it out. For Rave - and for Malmo - it's about that time.

 

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[tcookie 902]

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