Is French serious or is this playoff posturing?

Just got done reading the article from the Patriot News' Bob Flounders who is in Austin covering the Bears for the paper. He talks about how the line changes on Monday night seemed to have a real effect on the team.

And then he interviews Coach Mark French who said this...

"There's in game adjustments that you make, and they're more situation driven than anything else. We'll look at our line combinations and see what we want to do. I don't know if it did anything particular other than at times, it shakes things up."

So basically French is saying that maybe he will go back to the first period lines from Monday night for tonight's game 4.

HUGE MISTAKE

Hopefully this is just the traditional playoff posturing that goes on in all sports. He is just trying to keep the Stars from making changes to combat the line adjustments.

We will find out in 10 hours.

Personally I think the changes had more than just a 'shake up' effect. It actually evened out the lines by giving the top two lines a playmaker, a grinder, and a scorer. That gives you the balance for these lines to compete no matter what the defense does.

In addition to that the move of Ashton Rome to the third line in place of Boyd Kane was great. Rome is a good hard player who brings some offensive skill. Mostly though he is more likely to keep up with Bouchard and Wilson than Kane was.

I can't help but feel that if he does go back to the original lines the Bears are likely to regress back to their old tricks and try to beat the Stars with cute passes and stick handling. Maybe I am wrong but personally I would rather not find out.


Tonight's game is a must win for the Bears. Technically they are still alive with a loss but that would mean they would have to win 3 straight to win the Cup. Not impossible but definitely not optimum.

If they win tonight however they regain home ice and only have to win a best of 3. Two of those games would be in Hershey...which aren't guaranteed wins anymore but I am pretty sure Hershey would come out swinging in those games.

Right now I would say that Texas is still the favorite to win the series but if Hershey wins tonight I can guarantee you that Hershey would become the favorite.

Remaining patient, staying out of the box, and playing a slow but effective game of dump and chase will result in a Hershey win.

It really is that simple.

LET'S GO BEARS!!!

Some other news that came out yesterday:

• Giant Center will be open this Friday night for a free admission, free parking viewing party for game 5. Do you think we can get more fans to watch on the big board then the Stars building can even hold (6,700)???
• Development camp dates were announced. July 12-17 at Kettler Capitals Iceplex with the camp scrimmage on July 17. This event is open to the public.
• Rookie camp will begin Sept 11 and run until the 18th before the veterans report for training camp.
• The AHL has announced that its six most senior cities will kick off the 2010-11 75th Anniversary season against each other. Hershey will play Rochester, Springfield vs Providence, and Syracuse vs Lake Erie (Cleveland). Throwback uniforms will be worn by the teams as well.