Sprukts in the spotlight

 

Justin Dahan (HV)

 

Justin Dahan: How has the season been progressing for you this year?

Janis Sprukts: It’s alright, it’s going more or less okay, we’ve been struggling lately and we’ve lost the last couple of games.

JD: What has been the best moment so far this year?

JS: It’s hard to explain, I think it’s a couple call ups, of course every time it’s nice and I’m looking for those but otherwise it’s good to hang out with the guys here, we’re a good group. We are all together and that’s nice too.

JD: How was your experience in Florida when you were called up?

JS: I didn’t have much ice time. Still I tried to do my best and it was a nice experience just to be around those guys.

JD: Is there one part of your game that you are trying to improve?

JS: Just to try and play the game, try to be the best at everything I can not be specific, nothing specific just to try and get my chance and get going.

JD: Are you meeting your own expectations thus far this year?

JS: More or less, I try to do more and more of course every game is different, overall I look at it as alright, it’s going alright. Game to game it’s sometimes not what I want it to be, like tonight I was kind of off the game.

JD: You played in the QMJHL a couple years ago did that help you adapt to the North American style of play or are you still adapting?

JS: No, I feel alright I felt alright back then to. It wasn’t so much difference of course I needed a little bit of time but I feel alright. Its hockey, everywhere its hockey.

JD: Has there been any talks this year about a contract extension for you?

JS: No, nothing. We didn’t talk I just play the season and we’ll see how it goes.

JD: Do you think your going to stay here or move on to another team?

JS: It’s hard to say, it all depends on what Florida wants from me and maybe some other team, it all depends on what’s going on there.

JD: In preseason you scored against Dominic Hasek that had to be a great moment for you, what was it like?

JS: It was a good feeling, I had a couple well not a couple quite a lot games on the National team and played against good goalies too and scored against them too. It’s just a good feeling of course; to get the first goal of course it’s preseason but still a good feeling.

JD: Have you been keeping up with any Latvian communities in Rochester ?

JS: Not really, I couldn’t find it. I have a couple friends around here, hockey player from Syracuse (Redlihs)

JD: What about Karsums in Providence ?

JS: Yeah, but not so much with him, we’ve talked a little bit but he’s far away and we don’t play against him, so that’s the reason.

JD: Ok, thanks a lot; I hope to see you enjoying the warm weather in Florida soon.

JS: Thanks.

Janis Sprukts had one assist against the Bulldogs on February 11 in a 9-5 loss. Rochester ’s current losing streak has allowed the Hamilton Bulldogs to come within 1 point for the lead of the Northern Division.

With the win the Bulldogs set two franchise records, both in the second period. One for the quickest 4 goals, which the Bulldogs scored in a span of 5 minutes and 5 seconds, the other for most goals in a period, 7.

Photo: Janis Sprukts © Normunds Brics (HV)