TRAINING CAMP OPENS

Hockey is finally back at the Glens Falls Civic Center as the Adirondack Thunder opened team training camp today with three sessions of practice.

Day One Interviews

Cail MacLean - "Overall, I thought it was a good first day."

Alexandre Carrier - "A lot of players in the ECHL can play their way in the American League. It's not that big of a step."

Kyle Flanagan - "[Glens Falls] feels comfortable, it feels familiar. That's one of the main reasons I wanted to come back here."

James Henry - On the crowd for a training camp skate "I don't think we've ever had that before."

Camp Thoughts

- The camp roster was split up into two groups, A & B, in order to avoid having 30 bodies on the ice at once. Each group ran an identical practice and the two sides scrimmaged in between.

- The biggest theme of today as a whole was "New". Alexandre Carrier and James Henry both mentioned it in their post practice interviews....today is new for everyone. Most of the guys just arrived over the weekend and are still in the process of getting to know each other and the area. Unlike many ECHL teams, Adirondack has a fresh look this season, opting thus far to keep only Henry from the Sttockton Thunder's 2014-15 regulars. \

- Cail MacLean mentioned that the team focused on the basics during Day One, something that is pretty common across most camps on Day One. Despite keeping the drills basic, MacLean ran a high tempo practice, which saw the players get their feet moving early and often.

- The inter-squad scrimmage was a focus on 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 play. 3-on-3 will be a heavier focus this season with the ECHL adopting a 3-on-3 exclusive model for all overtime periods.

- MacLean ran lots of 1-on-1 drirlls. This pitted the forwards against the defensemen, which usually favors the blueliners. This held true today but the second group saw a couple of nifty moves from the forwards.

- This team will have a nice combination of size and speed. The Thunder have a lot of big bodies but also a lot of smaller, quick players as well. Alexandre Carrier, Chris Rial and Luke Curadi all stand at 6'5" and it shows. The speed and skills of smaller players like Kyle Flanagan and Roberts Lipsbergs was also on display.

- Overall this was a building day for the Thunder and everyone got their legs under them on Day One.