Crucible

Webster's simply defines the word as "a severe test."  

Suffice to say, the Icers face their toughest test of the season this weekend when the #4 Fightin' Blue Hens make the trip north from Delaware.

Just how much of "a severe test" UD will be depends on which article you read, what online forum you frequent, or who you talk to.

The critics are out there, and I'm the first to admit that I've been critical of the team for not playing up to its potential in this first semester.  The periods of brilliant play at both ends of the rink have been overshadowed by mega-lapses that have left everyone, including the players, scratching their heads.

The key to success this weekend from my point of view is this - one shift at a time full out, then get ready for the next.  

First-year Bowling Green Falcons head coach Chris Bergeron talked about what it takes to be a successful college hockey player in an interview with USCHO.com's Dave Starman.  Bergeron, who came to BG from Miami of Ohio, told Starman:

It is not about playing the role of a star player; it is about developing the habits needed to become one.

Bergeron comes from a program where being great was part of the package. That was part of “the lifestyle.” The lifestyle is the commitment physically, mentally, and emotionally to becoming and staying a great player every shift of every game.

Coach Bergeron went on to tell Starman that the Falcons' underclassmen have to buy into the lifestyle:

"These kids, the young guys, they need to start to be able to look inward when it isn’t going well in games,” Bergeron said. “What we are doing is asking the younger guys, the freshmen and sophomores, to grow up pretty quickly. We are asking them to speed up the process so we can get to where we want to be.

The Icers know where they want to be.  As both Kevin Miller and Scott Balboni told me, this weekend is their chance to get there.