The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 10

10 Sports The Leader-Post Regina, Saskatchewan Friday, March 3, 1978 Zbytnuik planning after just one day as head coach I in the country, many players came to the Rams on their own, but lately, Zbytnuik said, the situation has changed. "Recruiting is something we have to be aware of," he said. "Suddenly they're not just showing up anymore because of the influence of the university in Saskatoon, the Medicine Hat team and Porterville College in the States, which seems to have a pipeline into Regina." He said that recruiting will consist of getting around to as many high schools as possible and displaying an interest in players coming to the Rams. "I think Moose Jaw has to be an area we have to look at closely," Zbytnuik added. "They play good football there and we should be able to get a good response fropi them." The naming of Zbytnuik as head coach is the final break from the Gord Currie era.

Currie, who stepped down after a long and storied career as coach in 1976, was replaced by Fiissel, who played for, coached under and took over from on the selection committee with Don McDougall and former assistant coach Jerry Orban, said there was ho choice to be made. "II was his job if he wanted it," Milton said. Now that he's got it, Zbytnuik said he plans to change the Rams offensive emphasis. Since the days of Lenny Knoll and last year with Thorn Parker at quarterback, the Rams have become known as basically a team that was deadly through the air. Zbytnuik says he would like to see the Rams turn into a more run-oriented team.

"I think we could revert back to the style before Knoll, when Gord Currie coached and the running game was a big part of the offence," he said. "It took Knoll five years to develop into a really top passer, and I think we have the running backs to turn us into a team that can run the ball. "We've got Greg Fieger, Corey Elson if he's healthy and Kelly Hamilton all coming back and all able to run the ball." By Dale Eisler L-P Sports Writer Gerry Zbytnuik has only been the head coach of the Regina Rams for a day, and training camp is still almost five months away, but already the wheels are turning. With a year under his belt as an assistant coach with the Rams, Zbytnuik was named as the successor to Mel Fiissel on Thursday and the new coach envisages a different style for the Rams in the upcoming Prairie Junior Football Conference season. Although the job was offered to Zbytnuik shortly after Fiissel resigned on Jan.

30, he did not decide to take the job until he received support from other people. "My initial gut feeling when the job opened up was that I would love to do it," Zbytnuik said at a press conference announcing his selection as coach. "It seemed like the next step for me as far as football was concerned, but the big factor was my family and the support I got from my wife. That was what really made up my mind." Once he decided he wanted the job, Ram president Bob Milton, who worked Although Zbytnuik has certain plans for the offence, he will spend most of his time working with the defence, his specialty since his playing days as a linebacker with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and as a defensive coach and head coach with Miller of the Regina Intercollegiate Football The offensive strategy will largely be handled by Brian Dimen, a former Ram player who was the defensive backfield coach last year and has agreed to return under Zbytnuik this year. The new coach plans to add two more assistants, and although he has a couple of people in mind he said they have not made their final decisions and he would not give their names to avoid "putting any pressure" on them.

Defensively, Zbytnuik said he believes in the philosophy of forcing offences to do certain things. "We'll likely go with four linebackers and do a lot of stunting," he said. Off the field Zbytnuik hopes to be active as well, and he plans to talk to as many prospective players as possible. With a reputation as the top junior organization Brian Dimen Gerry Zbytnuik Cougars co'nfident of victory- do final 'tJt?) I 1 1 Jr VA- 'Jfl i' 1 fcVA vantage. Cougars' scored on the power play and as a result, captured first place.

"The refereeing, on the whole, was not bad when we were in Regina but, it could ruin the whole series if they don't let us play. It is just too frustrating for the team to have to put up with poor officiating. I just hope it won't be a disadvantage to us to have Regina referees. Siciliano said he is amazed the league would not fly in "neutral referees 'for the finals. Higgs said he did not feel the referees would make much of a difference.

"I don't mind having local referees. I don't think they will "homer us" they haven't in the past. It's just that we know how they call a game. We know, for example, that (Andy Lagassy who re-fereed the second game against Lake-head does not like to see slashing and if someone slashes, they get a penalty regardless of whether there are other players in the penalty box or not. The refereeing is part of the home-ice advantage." From the fans point of view, the series should prove to be entertaining and exciting.

From the coaches and players point of view, it will be a tense, hard-fought battle. The series begins tonight at 8 p.m. at Al Ritchie Arena, with the second game at 8 p.m. on Saturday night and a third game, if necessary, at 1:30 p.m. on Bob Leslie Mike Wirachowsky By Daphne Bramham L-P Sports Writer University of Regina Cougars hockey team is quietly confident it will win the best-ot-three Great Plains Athletic Conference championship against Lakehead University Nor'Westers this weekend at Al Ritchie Arena.

Gone was the brash, young team that in its second year in the league.confi-dently proclaimed two weeks ago that they would beat Lakehead two straight and take first-place. Cougars learned, losing 4-3 the first night and then winning 5-4 the second night, that Nor'Westers are not to be taken lightly. Cougars finished their regular season with an 18-4 win-loss record, while Nor'Westers were 16-6. At their practice Thursday, Cougars were subdued but not tense, confident but not bragging. They know if they want to represent GPAC at the national final in Moncton, March 17-19, they will have to play well for 60 minutes in at least two games.

"The team that has the mental composure and gets the breaks will win," Cougar coach Reg Higgs said. "The guys are quietly confident that they can do it. They aren't over-confident and they seem to be quite loose about the game -nobody is particularly nervous, they just know they can do the job. "We're just going to play one game at a time." Bob Leslie, who started in goal for Cougars in their previous meetings with Lakehead, will start on Friday night. "I'm not worried about any one Lake-head player in particular I'm worried about the whole team.

Last time I was too nervous before the first game and in the second game, I just played confidently and did a lot tetter," Leslie said. "I don't think it's going to be a matter of the team that gets the breaks winning, it's going to be whoever makes their own breaks." Dave Siciliano, coach of Nor'Westers, said his team had a good practice in Thunder Bay on Thursday night and were ready for the series. "I think we have a pretty good chance. We're anxious to come and play. The lay-off we've had since we played in Regina last has given us a chance to get our minor injuries cleared up." Siciliano said he did not think the layoff will affect the team.

"It might slow us down in the first period of the first game, but I don't think it'll be a factor after We will stick to the same lines and units that played against Regina last time only with Laurie Merriam dressed as the 10th forward." Nor'Westers will bring 19 players although only 17 are allowed to dress for each game. In addition to Merriam, Russ Wakewich, who also missed the games against Regina two weeks ago, will dress and play in the first game at 8 p.m. on Friday. Siciliano said, "It could develop into a battle of the goaltenders because the teams are so evenly matched In all areas. Except for the 7-1 pounding we gave them in Thunder Bay, the games have been decided by one goal." If it comes down to a goalies' battle, it will mean the league's top two goal-tenders facing one another.

Leslie allowed the least number of goals in the league this season and Dave Fitzpatrick finished a close second. Fitzpatrick is, according to Siciliano, healthy and ready to play. So, even if it is decided on goaltending it will be close. Ross Mahoney of Cougars will have the dubious honor of checking the league's leading scorer, Vince Friyia. Mahoney said he is trying not to worry about Friyia.

"He is really a good player from Rosa Mahoney On defence, Dan Cuomo of Lakehead is considered to be one of the top two de-fencemen. The other top defenceman in the league is Regina's Mike Wirachowsky. No matter how one looks at the two teams, they come very close to being equal. For every strength on Lakehead's team, there is a strength on Regina's. In fact, the biggest plus for both teams is their healthy respect for the other.

They suffer no delusions about winning by several goals, no dreams of coasting to a win. i Siciliano's only worry on Thursday night was the officiating. In the game Lakehead lost to Regina in Regina, Siciliano was displeased with officials for calling a slashing penalty against Dam-pier which gave Regina a two-man ad centre ice on in to the goal," Mahoney said. "But he is not much of a defensive player. He is super on the power play and penalty killing because he is a good skater, has a good shot and he is a smart hockey player.

I'm going to stay close to him as much as possible and not let him get me out of position. I don't want to get all excited about it and then not play well. I'm just going to try and play good man-toman defence." Although Friyia is Lakehead's top point-getter, there are other forwards who can also score, including Al Avery, Bill Burlington, Dave Vescio and Alex Dampier For Regina, Higgs is looking to the line of Rick Uhrich, Mark Piller and Greg Ing to do some scoring as well as the Mahoney, Gord Sandberg, Greg Fieger line. VIC LANES Regina BOWLING 50c Game Always Open Lanes Curling Club 28TH ANNUAL SHIRT SLEEVE too 31 IICEXM Final Clearance i i LIMITED B0NSPIEL MARCH 1678 256 Rink Limit $56 entry fee Open to men's, ladies' or mixed teams register 5 players Consideration given to rinks unable to curl Thursday evenings or Saturday days Enter at: Regrouped and reduced for Final Clearance SUITS GPAC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS University of Regina Cougars vs. Lakehead Norwesters March 3 8:00 p.m.

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