Chance Matthews Talks Start of Season

[DaftRaincloud 62]

Excerpt from Get Pucked - Issue 203

 

Chance Matthews Talks Start of Season

Article by Frederick Smith

 

"I mean, those first games were definitely less than ideal." Matthews chuckles before taking a sip from his pint glass. The foam hangs in the hairs of his mustache as he sets the glass down on the table top we are sitting at. He's referring to the two losses at the hands of the new VHLM expansion team Halifax to start off the Ottawa Lynx's season. Chance Matthews was taken in the 4th round, 22nd overall pick. He had no allusions that two short weeks later he would be centering the starting line for the team, but that is where he now finds himself. 

 

The first loss isn't what you would call a nail biter. Although Chance did score his first goal and record his first assist, the latter being what he considers his bread and butter on the ice, the team lost by three goals to the newcomers. In the second game Chance recorded yet another assist, and this time Ottawa only lost by two goals, but these small improvements don't count for much in Chance's mind.

"I definitely let that failure motivate me, one hundred percent."

 

In the teams next game, which ended up being a 6-3 shellacking of the Saskatoon Wild Matthews used that chip on his shoulder to record three assists in the first period alone. He would record one more assist in the third period with seven minutes left in the game. 

"How did that feel, to make such an impact and get your team to the win?"

Chance takes a bite of the steaming plate of shepherd's pie sitting in front of him and holds up a finger to gesture to give him a second to answer.

"It was amazing. It was a great team effort and we all rose together, truly. Nothing makes me feel better than getting that puck to a team mate and hearing it clink against the back post. That's what heaven sounds like to me."

The Lynx would go on to win their next game against Saskatoon as well, bringing them to .500 for the season.

"I'm sure that was a weight off of your shoulders. What are you thinking after that?"

"We know who we are. We know what we are capable of and every single guy on this roster can contribute. We heard the criticism and the doubters after those two losses, and we wanted to show everyone that we shouldn't be written off yet and I think we accomplished that. A big weight came off our shoulders when we won that shootout. Some guys were crying in the locker room."

"Were you?"

Chance lets out a laugh and leans back in his chair. "Eh, no comment. Maybe I'll tell you off the record."

 

The day after this interview was conducted Ottawa played Las Vegas and that game ended in a loss for Matthews and the Lynx, taking them below .500 again. With the comments that were given to us during the interview we expect a strong answer from the Ottawa team in their next game.

[diamond_ace 3,112]

We're not below 500. You missed the two wins over Oslo, we're 4-3

[DaftRaincloud 62]

3 hours ago, diamond_ace said:

We're not below 500. You missed the two wins over Oslo, we're 4-3

Well, crap. I'll edit it in the morning.